Barbeque sauce with paneer rolls

Cooking Time : 30 mins.
Preparation Time : 30 mins.

Serves 8.

For the paneer balls

150 grams paneer 4 bread slices 3 tablespoons fresh curds 3 to 4 chopped green chillies 1 tablespoon chopped coriander 1/4 teaspoon soda bi-carb 4 tablespoons plain flour (maida) salt to taste ghee for deep frying

For the barbeque sauce

2 large tomatoes 1 tablespoon brown sugar(optional) 1 tablespoon soya sauce 2 teaspoons vinegar 2 tablespoons tomato ketchup salt to taste

For the paneer balls

1. Mash the paneer and knead very well. 2. Soak the bread slices in curds for a little time. 3. Mix the paneer, bread, chillies, coriander, soda bi-carb, flour and salt and make small balls. 4. Deep fry in ghee.

For the barbeque sauce

1. Put the tomatoes in hot water. 2. After 10 minutes, take out the skin and chop. 3. Add the brown sugar, soya sauce, vinegar, tomato ketchup and salt and cook for a few minutes.

How to serve

1. Serve the paneer balls with warm barbeque sauce.

Tips

Note : The barbeque sauce also goes very well with tinned mushrooms.

Salsa Dip for all those nachos lovers:)

Preparation Time : 15 minutes.
Cooking Time : 5 minutes.

Serves 8.

Ingredients

8 tomatoes 2 capsicums 2 finely chopped onions 1 teaspoon chilli powder 2 teaspoons oil 1 teaspoon sugar salt to taste

Accompaniment

Corn chips or Nachos

Method

1. Put the tomatoes in hot water. After 10 minutes, remove the skin and chop. 2. Pierce each capsicum with a fork and hold over the flame until the skin blackens. Remove from the heat, rub off the burnt skin and chop. 3. Heat the oil and fry the onions for 1/2 minute. Add the tomato, capsicums, chilli powder and salt and cook for a few minutes. 4. This can be served with baked puris. 5. Note : Each baked puri contains 13 calories.

Schezuan Sauce for chinese recipes

Preparation Time : 10 mins.
Cooking Time : 5 mins.

Makes 1 cup.

For the paste

20 dry red chillies ¼ cup garlic, chopped

Other ingredients

1 tablespoon garlic, finely chopped 1 teaspoon green chillies, finely chopped ½ tablespoon ginger, grated 2 tablespoons onions, finely chopped 1 teaspoon celery, finely chopped 1 cup vegetable stock:cabbage,carrots,celery,springoinion and cauliflower 1 tablespoon cornflour mixed with 2 tablespoons water 1 tablespoon white vinegar 2 teaspoons sugar a pinch Ajinomoto powder (optional) 3 tablespoons oil salt to taste

For the paste

1. Boil 1 cup of water. 2. Add the dry red chillies and garlic and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool. 3. Drain out the water. Grind into a smooth paste in a liquidiser using a little water.

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan and sauté the garlic, green chillies, ginger, onions and celery for 1 minute. 2. Add the paste and sauté again for 1 minute. 3. Add the stock and mix well. Add the cornflour mixture, vinegar, sugar, Ajinomoto and salt. Bring to a boil and keep aside. 4. Use as required.

Dahi Bhendi

Ingredients

2 cups bhindi (ladies fingers), cut into 50 mm. (2") pieces 2 teaspoons coriander (dhania) powder 2 teaspoons chilli powder 1 cup curd ½ teaspoon Bengal gram flour (besan) 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera) 1 teaspoon mustard seeds (rai) 1 teaspoon fennel seeds (saunf) 1/8 teaspoon asafoetida (hing) 5 to 7 curry leaves 1 teaspoon oil salt to taste

For the garnish

1 tablespoon chopped coriander

Method

1. Steam the bhindi for 5 to 7 minutes till soft. Keep aside. 2. Combine the curds, coriander powder, chilli powder, gram flour and salt with 2 tablespoons of water and keep aside. 3. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan and add the cumin seeds, mustard seeds, fennel seeds, asafoetida and curry leaves. 4. When the seeds crackle, add the curd mixture and steamed bhindi and bring to a boil. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. 5. Serve hot, garnished with the coriander.

kaadhi chaat

Ingredients: For the coconut kadhi

1½ cups coconut milk 2 tsp cornflour dissolved in 2 tbsp water ¾ cup fresh curds (dahi) 2 cardamom (elaichi) 2 cloves (laung / lavang) 25 mm. (1") stick cinnamon (dalchini) 1 bay leaf (tej patta) 6 curry leaves (kadi patta) 1½ tsp chopped green chillies 1 tbsp oil Salt to taste

To serve

3 tbsp khajur imli ki chutney 3 tbsp green chutney 2 tbsp chopped coriander 6 samosas Method: For the coconut kadhi 1. Add the corn flour mixture to the curds, mix well and keep aside. 2. Heat the oil in a pan and add the cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf and curry leaves. 3. When the curry leaves splutter, add the green chillies and stir for a few seconds. 4. Add the coconut milk and 1 cup of water and bring to a boil, while stirring continuously. 5. Add the corn flour-curds mixture and salt and mix well. Simmer on a slow flame till the kadhi thickens while stirring constantly. Keep aside. How to serve 1. Place the hot samosas in a serving bowl and spoon the hot kadhi over them. 2. Top with the khajur imli ki chutney and green chutney. 3. Serve hot garnished with coriander.

Raw Banana Wedges

Ingredients

4 peeled raw bananas 1 teaspoon red chilli powder 1 teaspoon castor sugar(optional) Salt to taste

For the batter

½ cup plain flour (maida) 2 tablespoons cornflour ½ teaspoon green chilli paste Salt to taste

Other ingredients

Finely crushed cornflakes for coating Oil for deep-frying

For the garnish

Lemon wedges

Method

1. Slit the bananas into half and cut each half into 3 wedges. 2. Mix bananas with chilli powder, sugar and salt and steam for 5 minutes in a steamer. Leave aside to cool. 3. Mix all the ingredients for the batter together with enough water to a thick paste. 4. Dip the raw banana wedges in the batter, roll out in the finely crushed corn flakes and deep-fry in hot oil till crisp and golden brown. 5. Drain on absorbent paper and serve hot garnished with lemon wedges and onion. Note:Steaming the bananas before frying helps retain the original flavour and to seal in the moisture content.  Cooking Time : 15 mins. Preparation Time : 15 mins. Serves 4.

Soya Chunks Biryani - Rich in protein

Ingredients

1 cup rice (basmati works great here)
1 cup Soya granules (or use chunks)
1 tsp  cumin
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp cumin coriander powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 cup peas, frozen
1 onion, chopped finely
2-3 tomatoes,chopped finely
1 inch grated ginger
2-3 cloves of garlic
2-3 green chillies, sliced thinly (or as per taste)
1 bay leaf (optional)
1/4 cup dry roasted peanuts (optional)
salt and butter/ghee to taste
few sprigs of coriander and mint  to garnish


Method:


In a skillet in 1 tsp of oil, add fennel, bay leaf, onions etc and saute until aromatic. Then add the tomatoes, garlic, ginger, spices along with chillies and saute it with some salt for few more minutes.


Add the Soy granules. There are two ways of going about this. Usually the packet suggests to soak the granules/chunks in some warm water and then add it to the recipe. I sometimes in a fit of laziness, add it directly to the recipe but increase the quantity of water in the recipe and it works equally well. But you can soak it in water and then add to the recipe. Whatever works for you.


Then add the rice and saute for 1-2 minutes.Add 2-1/2 cups of water (or vegetable stock) along with salt. Close it with a lid and cook for 6-10 minutes.


When almost done, add the frozen peas to the rice and give it a gentle stir. Cook for a minute.Garnish with the herbs. if you have finicky kids, then add in little ghee or butter right at the end for additional taste.


Serve it warm garnished with toasted peanuts.  I serve this with Raita or sometimes with spicy side dish.

Badam Kheer/Badam Milk/Almond Pudding

Ingredients –  Serves 6-8 people

2 cups blanched almonds(soak almonds in water,peel and then grind to paste along with little milk)
1/4 -1/2 cup sugar (sugar substitute works too)
1-1/2 -2 cups milk, as needed for consistency (use low fat for lower calories)
1/4 cup ghee (you can use less or none to suit your needs)
1 tsp cardamom powder
few strands of saffron
few blanched almonds for garnish (optional)


Method:
Take a non stick pan and add ghee (if using) and add the almond paste. Cook it in low heat for 20-30 minutes until it gets thick and turns lightly golden


Heat rest of the milk until hot and then slowly add it to the almond paste. Stir and cook for 2-3 minutes and then add sugar. Stir well.


Add the cardamom powder and the saffron.


Cook for another few minutes until everything is well dissolved.


I prefer to serve it chilled, garnished with blanched almonds.


Note:If it becomes thickened with time, add little more warm milk to the almond mixture. 

Mango Kulfi

Ingredients:
2½ cups milk (about 500 milliliters)
¼ cup milk powder
½ cup condensed milk (I used sweetened condensed milk)
¼ cup sugar
1 cup alphonso mango pulp 

* I had regular mangoes on hand. I took the pulp of about 4 mangoes, processed them, strained them of any strings to make 1 cup of fresh mango pulp.

Method:

Combine all the ingredients except the mango pulp in a non-stick pan and mix well. Bring this mixture to a boil and then simmer for 10 minutes till thickens. Cool completely.

Add the mango pulp and mix well.

You can set these in any container you want. But traditionally Kulfi icecream are served in these special moulds where the icecream is set. That shape has all the significance for me .You might finds these here in local stores.

Pour the icecream into individual kulfi moulds and freeze till set. Or you can wait till its half set and place a icecream stick in the center of it (the half frozen cream will help the stick to hold it in place). Refrigerate again till completely set.

Unmould the Kulfi. You can easily do that by placing it under running water for few seconds. Pull the stick gently and it will come out.

And Kulfi Icecream is ready..!