Sauted Bhutta Platter

A perfect winter evening snack...

Ingredients:
1 corn/bhutta, boiled
1½ cup of chopped carrots and peas, par boiled with a little salt
1 tablespoon of butter
1¼ teaspoon of pepper powder
2 flakes of garlic, grated fine
1½ cup of grated Mozzarella cheese
1½ cup of shredded cabbage leaves
1 tablespoon of fresh parsley, chopped fine(optional)
2 tablespoons of mayonnaise
Salt to taste

Method:

Clean the corn off the cob and set aside with the parboiled vegetables. In a shallow pan, put in the butter and allow it to melt. Then, fry the grated garlic to a light brown color. Add the corn and boiled carrots and peas and saute in the butter with pepper powder and salt to taste. Cover the pan and allow the corn, carrots and peas to steam in their own juices for about a minute or two. Place the sauted vegetable base in a snack platter. Sprinkle the grated Mozzarella cheese and place the platter in the microwave for a minute or two, till the cheese melts onto the sauted vegetables. Toss the shredded cabbage leaves and chopped fresh parsley in the mayonnaise and place all around the sauted vegetables.

Decorating Ethnically

Today i would like to post some information on how to decorate home ethnically.These are just discussed broadly.Depending on your comfort,budget and creativity can make changes.

With all that is happening in the world today - the threat of war, falling stock prices, a recession (in spite of what economists say) - more and more of us are nesting. That is, we are spending more time at home.

While it is hard to control what happens in the outside world, home is where you decide the who, what, where, when and why. Ethnic decor is filled with endless options to spice up your living space.

Ethnic decor is different. Many cannot define it, but know it when they see it."

This open-ended approach is what makes ethnic decorating fun. It's eclectic, inclusive, colorful and most of all, unique. It allows you to fill in blanks for yourself, using an internal palette to satisfy decorating needs.

Here are five handy ideas to get you started:

Pick a room to start: Thinking in terms of one room narrows your scope so the project doesn't seem overwhelming, while also limiting cost as you feel your way into the project.

Decide which ethnicity(ies) you will focus on: African style(pls refer to my earlier post) is different from Middle Eastern is different from American Indian However, don't be afraid to blend elements from several cultures. Again, that's the fun of ethnic decor - the possibilities are endless.

Start with an object as the focal point and decorate around it: This can be an ethnic painting, a sculpture, a piece of furniture, The bigger the better. Be careful, though, not to overwhelm your space.

Choose a color scheme: Ethnic decor is very festive, so think outside the box in terms of colors, patterns, surfaces. Soon, you will find yourself drawn to a few colors that work well together.

Listen to your likes and dislikes; your instincts: Many times, an object or color will "speak" to you. And, if everyone insists that this painting doesn't go with that rug, but you like it, go with it. The final product should make you the happiest.

Now, relax and enjoy!

Cabbage bhath

Ingrediants:
Rice (thin, long variety) - 1 cup

Chopped cabbage - 2 cups

Salt

To grind:

Coconut grated - ¾ cup

Green chillies - 3-4

Pot fried gram - 2 tbsp

To temper:

Oil - 3 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Urad dal - 2 tsp

Gram dal - 2 tsp

Red chillies - 1-2

Hing - ½ tsp

Haldi - ¼ tsp

Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp, chopped

Cook rice so that grains are separate.

Method:

In a kadai, heat oil, temper all ingredients & finally add chopped cabbage.

Cover & cook cabbage in its own steam.

When done, add ground paste & salt.

Mix thoroughly & add rice & salt.

Stir the mixture thoroughly from top to bottom so that cabbage & paste are properly mixed with rice.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Serve with any raita.

Palak with corn

Ingredients

American corn, boiled 1/2 cup
Spinach, chopped 2 large bunches
Oil 1 tablespoon
Onions, chopped 2 medium
Garlic paste 2 teaspoons
Green chillies, chopped 2
Ginger, cut into thin strips 1 inch piece
Red chilli powder 1/2 teaspoon
Turmeric powder a pinch
Dry mango powder (amchur) 1/2 teaspoon
Salt to taste
Yogurt 1/4 cup
Garam masala powder 1/2 teaspoon
Kasoori methi , roasted and powdered 1/2 teaspoon

Method

Blanch spinach in boiling water for a minute. Drain and refresh in chilled water. Drain and puree in a blender. Heat oil in a kadai. Add onion and sauté till lightly browned. Add garlic paste and stir. Add green chillies, ginger strips and sauté till browned. Add red chilli power, turmeric powder, amchur and stir. Add spinach puree and stir to mix well. Add corn and salt and stir. Add yogurt, garam masala powder and roasted kasoori methi powder. Stir and take off the heat. Serve hot with chapatti or parantha.

Gutti dondakaya kura

Ingredients

Dondakayalu 6
Oil 1/4 cup
Desiccated coconut 1 tablespoon
Milk powder 1 tablespoon
Red chilli powder 1/2 teaspoon
Coriander powder 2 teaspoons
Turmeric powder 1/4 teaspoon
Fennel seed (saunf) powder 1 teaspoon
Green chillies, chopped 2
Sugar 1 teaspoon
Salt to taste

Method

Cut the tips of the vegetable, then scoop out the marrow with the help of a teaspoon. Heat one tablespoon of oil in a pan. Add desiccated coconut, milk powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, saunf powder, green chillies, sugar and salt. Mix well and fry for five minutes. Fill this mixture into the vegetable'scavity. Heat remaining oil in a thick-bottomed pan. Add filled in vegetable, cover and cook on low heat for ten minutes. Keep turning from time to time. When soft, remove cover and keep stirring till all sides are evenly golden brown in colour. Drain on absorbent paper. Serve hot.

Crisp Baigan

Ingredients

Long brinjals 4
Cumin seeds 1 teaspoon
Black peppercorns 10-12
Fennel seeds (saunf) 1 teaspoon
Whole dry red chillies 2
Curry leaves 10-12
Split Bengal gram (chana dal) 1 tablespoon
Rice 1 tablespoon
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder 1/4 teaspoon
Tamarind pulp 1 tablespoon
Semolina (rawa/suji) 1 cup
Oil 1 cup

Method

Dry roast cumin seeds, black peppercorns, fennel seeds, whole red chillies, curry leaves, split Bengal grams and rice. Halve the brinjals and then quarter them vertically. Put the pieces in a bowl, add salt and turmeric power and mix. Cool the roasted spices, add tamarind pulp and a little water and grind to a smooth paste. Add the paste to the brinjals and mix well. Heat oil in a pan. Mix semolina and salt in a plate. Roll the brinjal pieces in this mixture and deep fry till golden and crisp. Drain and place them on an absorbent paper. Serve hot.

Egg paratha

Ingredients

Whole wheat flour (atta)2 cups
Salt to taste
Egg, boiled 4
Green chilli, chopped 2
Fresh coriander leaves, chopped 2 tablespoons
White pepper powder 1/4 teaspoon
Egg, whisked 6
Onion , chopped 1 small
Oil to shallow fry

Method

Sieve whole-wheat flour with salt into a bowl, add sufficient water and knead to a soft dough. Cover with a muslin cloth and set aside. Grate boiled eggs into a bowl. Add half the coriander leaves, green chillies, salt and white pepper powder and mix. Divide the dough into eight portions. Roll out each portion into a roti as thin and as big as possible. Place some stuffing in the centre and fold in the four ends over each other to make a square packet. Roll it slightly. Heat a tawa, place the parantha over it. Add onions to the whisked eggs along with salt, remaining coriander leaves and mix well. Flip the parantha and drizzle some of the beaten egg over it. Drizzle some oil all round and fry till golden. Flip over, drizzle some of the beaten eggs and oil and fry till this sides too turns golden. serve hot.

kakoori kabab

Ingredients

Lamb mince 2 cups
Ginger paste 1 tablespoon
Garlic paste 1 tablespoon
Cashewnut paste 3 tablespoons
Poppy seeds (khuskhus/posto), paste 1 tablespoon
Salt to taste
Garam masala powder 1 tablespoon
Yellow chillies, powder 1 tablespoon
Ghee 1 1/2 tablespoons
Butter, melted for basting

Method

Mix lamb mince, ginger paste, garlic paste, cashewnut paste, poppy seeds paste, salt, garam masala powder, yellow chilli powder and ghee. Divide mince mixture into sixteen equal portions. Apply mince mixture on skewers using moist hands. Cook in a preheated oven (250C) or tandoor till almost done. Baste it with melted butter or and cook in the oven or tandoor till completely cooked. Serve hot with tandoori rotis and kachumber salad.

Beetroot tikkis

Ingredients

Beetroots, grated 8 medium
Pure ghee 2 tablespoons + to shallow fry
Salt to taste
Lemon juice 1 tablespoon
Garlic, chopped 2 teaspoons
Ginger, chopped 2 teaspoons
Green chillies, finely chopped 4
Cashewnut powder 1/4 cup
Roasted chana dal powder 1/4 cup
Caraway seeds (shahi jeera) 1/2 teaspoon
Garam masala powder 1/4 teaspoon
Chaat masala 1/2 teaspoon
Black pepper powder 1/4 teaspoon
Chironji 2 tablespoons

Method

Heat two tablespoons of ghee in a pan. Add beetroot, salt and sauté. Add lemon juice and mix. Sauté till all the moisture dries up and the beetroot gets completely cooked and mashed.Add garlic and ginger and mix. Add green chillies and continue to sauté. Transfer the mixture into a bowl. Add cashewnut powder, roasted chana dal powder, caraway seeds, garam masala powder, chaat masala, black pepper powder and chironji and mix well. Heat a pan and add sufficient ghee. Divide the mixture into eight equal portions. Grease your palms, take small portions of the mixture and shape them into tikkis. Place the tikkis on the hot pan and shallow fry. When the underside is done, flip over and cook till the other side is done. Do not flip the tikkis too often as they are very delicate and may break. Serve hot.

Amritsari fish fry

Ingredients

King fish (surmai) fillets, cut into fingers 600 grams
Red chilli powder 1 tablespoon
Salt to taste
Carom seeds (ajwain) 1 teaspoon
Ginger paste 2 tablespoons
Garlic paste 2 tablespoons
Lemon juice 1 tablespoon
Gram flour (besan) 1 cup
Oil to deep fry
Egg 1
Chaat masala 1 teaspoon
Lemons, cut into wedges 2

Method

Take the fish fingers in a bowl. Add red chilli powder, salt, carom seeds, ginger paste, garlic paste, lemon juice, gram flour and mix well. Set aside.Heat sufficient oil in a kadai. Break an egg into the fish mixture and mix. Put the fingers, a few at a time, into the hot oil and deep fry till almost done. Drain and place on an absorbent paper. Deep fry again just before serving till golden and crisp. Drain and place on an absorbent paper. Serve hot, sprinkled with chaat masala and lemon wedges.