Paneer Makhani

Ingredients:

paneer 1/2 kg

2 tbsp butter

1 tsp oil

1 tsp kala jeera (black cumin)

1 cup tomato puree

salt - to taste

3/4 cup cream

a few strips of green chillies, cut lengthwise, for garnish

Method:

Heat the butter and oil, and when the butter melts, addthe kala jeera and then the tomato puree and cook over high heat, stirring a few times, till the mixture comes to a boil, and then simmer till the puree splutters.Add the salt and paneer and turn around afew times till coated with the puree and heated through.Add the cream and turn around a few times till well blended and hot.Serve immediately, garnished with the green chillies.Note: If serving later, add the cream and shut off the heat, and re-heat and proceed with the rest, later.

Red Tomato Gravy
Ingredients:
2 large juicy ripe tomatoes
1 large onion
1 small capsicum
1 tbsp. coriander leaves finely chopped
1 tbsp. cashews or peanuts
1 tsp. each ginger & garlic grated or crushed
1/4 tsp. cinnamon-clove powder
1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
3/4 tsp. red chilli powder
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
1/2 tsp. sugar
salt to taste
2 tbsp. oil or ghee

Method:
Dry roast peanuts or cashews lightly. Dry grind coarsely.
Semi puree tomatoes and capsicum together.
This should be done in a food chopper or grated.
Chop onions very fine or run in a chopper.
Heat oil or ghee in a heavy pan.
Add ginger garlic and stir for a moment.
Add onions and stir fry till light pink.
Add tomato capsicum puree, stir bring to boil.
Add all other masalas, salt, sugar and crushed nuts. Stir.
Add veggies at this stage. Mix.
Cover and simmer till gravy is thick and fat starts separating.
Garnish with coriander before serving.
Goes with: Vegetables like brinjals, baby corn, potato, stuffed baked capsicum, or cauliflower.
Makes: 2 cups

Green Gravy:
Ingredients:
4 cups spinach chopped, washed and drained
1 cup bottle gourd grated
1 small onion finely chopped
1/2 tsp. ginger grated
2 tsp. wheat or millet flour
3 green chillies
1 tbsp. cheese grated (optional)
salt to taste
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 pinch soda bicarb
1/2 tsp. cinnamon-clove powder
3 tbsp. oil
Method:
Take spinach in a large vessel, add gourd and soda.
Toss to mix. Sprinkle 2 tbsp. water all over it.
Cover and put to boil on high, for 3 minutes.
Cool in a plate or run under tap water to cool.
Put in a mixie, add chillies, flour and a few pinches salt.
Run till semi-smooth.Heat oil in a pan, add ginger, stir.
Add cinnamon clove powder, and stir.
Add onions, stir fry till light pink.Add blended spinach mixture, all other ingredients except cheese Stir and allow to cook till thick or 3-4 minutes.
Add prepared vegetable at this stage. Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes more.
Garnish with grated cheese before serving.
Goes well with: Veggies like peas, baby corn, french beans, potato chunks, etc.
Makes: 2 cups gravy (approx.)

White Gravy
Ingredients:
1 cup fresh curds
1/2 cup fresh cream
1 tsp. grated cheese or paneer
3/4 cup milk
1 tbsp. cashewnuts broken
1 tbsp. peanuts husked & lightly roasted
1 tsp. khuskhus seeds soaked in 2 tbsp. milk for 1 hour
3 green chillies
1 piece ginger
1 tsp. coriander finely chopped
1 slice dayold bread white
1 tsp. sugar
3-4 glazed or canned cherries (optional)
salt to taste
1/5 tsp. cinnamon-clove powder
3 tbsp. ghee or oil
Method:
Grind together in a dry mixie, cashew, peanuts and bread.
Grind together in a wet mixie, onion, ginger, chillies, khuskhus with milk.
Heat fat in a heavy pan, add onion mixture, saute for 3-4 minutes.
Add curds and cook, stirring continuously till whiteness of curds disappears.
Add milk, bring to a boil, add sugar, salt, dry mixture, spice powder, cream.
Stir gently till boil resumes. Add vegetables, etc. at this stage.
Cook covered for few minutes till thickened.
Garnish with grated cheese, coriander and cherries.
Goes well with: Paneer chunks, mixed vegetables with a few pineapples bits, potato and peas, etc.

Brown Gravy
Ingredients:
1 tomato grated or finely chopped
1 large onion cut in slivers
1 capsicum cut in thin lengths
1 tsp. garlic grated
1 tsp. ginger grated
1 tbsp. coriander leaves finely chopped
2 tbsp. tamarind water
1 tsp. wheat flour
1/2 tsp. red chilli powder
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
1/2 tsp. dhania (coriander seed) powder
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
3 pinches asafoetida
salt to taste
3 tbsp. oil
Roast together and dry grind:
2 cardamoms
2 cloves
2 peppercorns
1/2 cinnamon stick broken
1 bayleaf
2 whole red chillies dry
Method:
Dry roast wheat flour to a light pink, stirring continuously. Keep aside.
Heat oil, add onions, fry till well browned.
Drain well by pressing, putting back oil in pan.
Cool onions a bit. Grind in mixie. Keep aside.
In remaining hot oil, add cumin seeds allow to splutter.
Add asafoetida, capsicum, ginger, garlic stir fry for a minute.
Add all dry and ground masalas, flour, stir well.
Add tomatoes, tamarind water, salt, stir.
Simmer till gravy is thick and oil starts to separate.
Add prepared veggies and stir, keep cooking for 2 minutes.
Garnish with chopped coriander, serve with parathas, rotis, etc.
Goes well with: Chunky veggies like boiled baby potatoes with skin, boiled peas, chopped stirfried brinjal pieces. (For this,fry brinjals pieces in oil, drain, keep aside, adjust quantity of oil required, and continue by frying the onions.)

Pesarattu

Ingredients:
Whole Moong dal 2 cups
Rice 1/2 cup
Onions 3 finely chopped
Green chillies 6 finely chopped
Red chillies2
Ginger small piece
Cumin seeds 1/2 t.spoon
Cilantro 1 bunch finely chopped
Salt 1.5 t.spoons
Cooking Oil for making pesarattu
Method:
Rinse and soak whole moong dhall and rice in water for 4 hours.Grind the above with green chilles, red chillies,ginger, cumin seeds, salt and little onion.Fry the remaining onions in oil and keep them aside.Make the peserat like dosas,and put a spoon full of onions onthe dosa and fold the dosa before serving. Serve with corriander chutney or onion chutney.

Vankai podi kura(Dry Brinjal /Eggplant Curry)

Ingredients:
Eggplant/vankailu: 250 grams, washed & cut 1" lenght wise
Uraddal 1 t.spoon
Channa dal 1 t.spoon
Corriander seeds1.5 tspoon
Red chilli 4-5
Mustard 1/4 tspoon
Cooking oil 4 tspoons
Turmeric 1/4 t.spoon
Tamarind paste1/4 t.spoon
Salt 3/4 t.spoon
Method:
roast urad dhall, channa dhall, corriander seeds, red chillies and hing. Dry grind the above with 1/4 t.spoon salt.Fry mustard, turmeric, and hing in oil, and add the choppedeggplant to this. Sprinkle little water, and cover it slightly until the eggplant gets cooked. Now add the remaining salt, tamamrind paste, and the ground masala powder. Mix it well and add a few t.spoons of cooking oil.Serve hot

Plantain Curry(Arati Fry)

Ingredients:
Plantain 2-3 washed, peeled and diced
Cumin seeds 1/2 tspoon
Grated Coconut 1/4 cup
Red chillies 2-3
Uraddal-1/2 tspoon
Mustard 1/4 tspoon
Hing a small pinch(Optional)
Turmeric 1/4 tspoon
Curry leaves a few
Cooking oil 3 tspoon
Salt1/2 tspoon

Method:
Boil plantains with turmeric and salt.Wet grind cumin seeds, coconut and red chilles and keep it aside.Fry mustard,hing, urad dhall, curry leaves, turmeric, and diced plantain in oil in a wok. Sprinkle water and let it cook for 5minutes, and now add the ground masala, and let it cook for another 5-10 minutes.serve hot with roti's or as a side dish for boiled rice.

Badam Kheer

Ingredients:
Almonds (Badam) 1 cupMilk 4-6 cupsSugar same amount as almond paste (about 1 cup)Saffron 1/2 t.spoonKesari powder (color) a small pinch (optional).
Method:
Soak saffron in little cold milk, and keep it aside.Soak almonds in hot water for 1 hour. Peel skin and grind the almond into a fine paste with 1 cup of milk instead of water.Measure the amount of almond paste, and keep the same amount of sugar aside.Cook the almond paste for 5-10 while stirring it constantly, till the flavour comes out. Now add sugar and keep stirring. Add the remaining milk, and boil for 10-15 minutes. Add the soaked saffron and serve it cold.

COOKING MADE EASY

Hello All...

Today i would like to share some cooking made easy tips with you all. modern women find cooking a very tedious job as they have very less time to spend in kitchen.the following tips would help you in saving time as well as making tasty food.


Garam Masala Powder:
Ingredients:
4 cloves
4-5 cinnamon sticks
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
7 peppercorns
1 bayleaf
Ghee(clarified butter)
Method:
Roast each of the above till they turn aromatic.
Powder to a fine powder using a coffee grinder and use as required.
This will keep well for months in a airtight container.
You can make a larger quantity of this byusing the above ingredients in the same ratio.

Chutney spread:
1/2 cup grated coconut ,4 red chillies or 1 tsp red chilli powder
1 long bean tamarind
2 flakes garlic
1 tbsp. groundnuts
salt to taste
Grind all ingredients together to form a firm chutney. Use very little water.This chutney can compliment all types of dosas,idlis/vada/can also be used as sandwich spread.
Rasam Masala:
Masala Ingredients
Black Pepper 1 tbsp.
Chana Daal seeds 2 tbsp.
Coriander Seeds 2 tbsp.
Red Chillies 4-5
Asafoetida(optional) 1 tsp.
Dry Coconut (grated) 3 tbsp.
Ghee 2 tbsp.
Masala Preparation:
· Roast black pepper, chana daal, coriander, and asafoetida.
· Add chillies when daal starts getting red.
· Blend the daal mixture and coconut until the powder is fine. Store in airtight container.

Mangalore Rasam Powder(Recommended rasam powder):
Ingredients:
Red chillies - 1 cup (broken into small pieces and tightlypacked).
Dry coriander seeds - 1 cup
Gram dhal - 2 tablespoons
Oil - 1 tablespoon
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
Fenugreek - 1/2 teaspoon (methi seeds)
Hing - a pea size lump or 1 teaspoon hing powder.
Curry leaves - 3 sprays.
Method:
Break up the chillies along with the stalks into smaller pieces(to enable easier powdering). Heat oil in a kadai and fry on a slow fire, the hing and the fenugreek seeds till light brown in
colour. Add coriander seeds, red chillies, cumin seeds,gram dhal and curry leaves and fry for about five minutes on a slow flame till it is well roasted and you get a lovely aroma. Remove
from flame and allow to cool. Powder fine and bottle it. This powder can be used for 2-3 months.
Use the chillies along with the stalks - as the stalks also have the potency of the chillies, and also provide fibre for the body.
Basic Curry Sauce:
This sauce can be used for all the vegetables.
Ingredients
· 3 tablespoons vegetable oil or ghee (clarified butter)
· 1 medium onion - finely chopped
· 4 cloves garlic - peeled and sliced
· 1.5 inch piece root ginger - peeled and thinly sliced (it should look about the same volume as the garlic)
· (optional) 2 mild fleshy green chillies - de-seeded and veined then chopped
· half teaspoon turmeric powder
· half teaspoon ground cumin seed
· half teaspoon ground coriander seed
1 tablespoon concentrated tomato puree
Method
Heat the oil in a heavy pan then add the chopped onion and stir for a few minutes with the heat on high.Add the ginger, garlic and green chillies. Stir for 30 seconds then put the heat down to very low.
Cook for 15 minutes stirring from time to time making sure nothing browns or burns.
Add the turmeric, cumin and coriander and cook, still very gently, for a further 5 minutes. Don't burn the spices or the sauce will taste horrid - sprinkle a few drops of water if you're worried.
Take off the heat and cool a little. Put tsps of cold water in a blender, add the contents of the pan and whizz until very smooth. Add the tomato puree and stir.
Put the pureed mixture back into the pan and cook for 20 - 30 minutes (the longer the better) over very low heat stirring occasionally. You can add a little hot water if it starts to catch on the pan but the idea is to gently "fry" the sauce which will darken in colour to an orangy brown. The final texture should be something like good tomato ketchup.

This can be stored in the air tight container in refrigerator for 7-10 days.use it as and when required.
Curry Powder:
Ingredients
1 1/4 cups Coriander seeds, 3/4 cup Bengal gram dal, 1/2 cup Black gram dal ,3/4 cup Red chilies ,2 tsp.Asafetida powder(Optional), A small lemon sized Tamarind ,3 tsp Oil ,Salt according to taste
Method
1.Roast dry the coriander seeds, Bengal gram dal and black gram dal.
2.Fry the red chilies in 3 tsp. of oil. Mix all the ingredients together and powder them.
3. Store the powder in an airtight container and use when required.
Dough Making:
Ingredients
2 cups whole wheat flour (atta) or as per consumption. Water to knead A pinch of Salt 1tbsp oil (optional)
Method
1. Mix all the ingredients except water. Add a little water at a time and make soft dough.
2. Pat and knead well for several times. The Dough should be neither too thick nor too losing.
3. Keep it for 20-30 minutes before using and cover it with wet muslin cloth.

How to Fold & Roll Parantha/Chapati/ Puri:
Parantha : Stuffed layered Indian Bread
Folding Part : Divide the kneaded dough into equal balls. Make two small balls from the dough & roll out each small ball into 4" diameter. Now put a little oil on one rolled out ball & spread your filling generously on the greased roll and put the other one on top. Press the edges to seal and pat between the palms of both the hands to seal the filling.

Rolling Part: Take a little dry flour in a dish/plate, dust your roll out ball with some dry flour and carefully with the help of an rolling pin roll it into a big parantha say 6" in diameter.

Frying part: Put the tawa (griddle) on fire, when it gets hot, put rolled out parantha on it and let it cook on both the sides and keep trickling some ghee or oil from the sides to get crisp edges. When it is brown take it off the tawa & serve hot.

Chapati OR Roti: It is the basic bread & the staple food of IndiansIt is very easy. Divide the kneaded dough into equal balls. Dust each ball with some dry flour and with the help of an rolling pin roll it into a disc shaped roti say 5" in diameter.

Cooking Chapati: Put the tawa (griddle) on fire, when it gets hot, put roti on it and let it cook on both the sides. ORyou can also try this method Cook on Tawa(griddle) for half a minute and then on direct flame till puffed and cooked. Serve hot with some ghee clarified butter on it.

Puri: Deep fried puffed Indian bread.Divide the kneaded dough into equal balls. Now take some oil in a small bowl, apply little oil to the ball & roll it into 4" diameter.Frying part: Heat oil in a pan OR kadahi. Fry Puris in this hot oil until golden brown in color. Serve hot.

Simple Dal:
Ingredients
1 cup Moong dal, 2 cups water,1 onion,1 1/2 tbspghee,1/2 tspsalt.
Method
1. Wash the dal in water. Drain and add fresh water. Add salt and cook till it reaches boiling-point.
2. Boil for 15 minutes, lower the heat and simmer for 1 hour.
3. Slice the onion and fry in the ghee. Add to the dal, stir and serve.

Bread Pizza

Ingrediants:
1/2 loaf Sandwich bread
mozzarella cheese-100gms
Pizza sauce(Maggi pizza spread)/tomato sauce
chopped onions-2small
sliced tomatoes-2
chopped capsicum-1 large
mushroom-50gms
babycorn-50gms

Method:
Take sandwich bread and toast it for a minute,take pizza sauce/tomato sauce and spread evenly on the bread,cut onions tomatoes and capsicum in to small square pieces and place evenly on the toast.
put the toast inside the microwave and grill for 3 minutes.take the toast out and spread grated mozzarella cheese on it evenly.
place babycorn and cooked mushrooms on the cheese layer.grill it again for 1/2 minute so that the cheese melts.take it out and Serve hot.Your kids would simply love it:)

Mooli Kofta Curry (Radish Kofta Curry)

Ingredients:
1/2 kg white radish
1 tbsp grated coconut
1/2 tbsp peanuts
2 tbsp roasted gram flour
1 tsp garam masala
2 red chillies
1 green chilli
1 onion
1 tbsp coriander leaves
salt
oil for deep frying
Gravy :4 red chillies
1 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
3 diced onions
1 ground onion
100 ml oil
125 ml curd
1 tsp garam masala
4 green cardamoms
1" chopped ginger

Method:
Cut radish into small pieces. Boil until tender drain and grind. Grind coconut, peanuts, gram flour, garam masala and red chillies together. Chop green chillies, onions and coriander. Add ingredients with salt to the radish. Fry small roundels in hot oil until colored. Drain. For the gravy, grind red chillies, salt, garlic, coriander powder and turmeric together. Fry in hot oil until colored. Add diced and ground onion. Fry for five minutes. Pour in curd, followed by garam masala, cardamoms and finely chopped ginger. Pour in 150 ml water. Simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add koftas to the pan. Cook until heated through. Serve hot.

Mirchi ka salan

Ingrediants:
250 gm large green chillies
50 gm cooking oil
05 gm mustard seeds
02 gm cloves
05 gm curry leaves
100 gm sauted onion paste
25 gm ginger garlic paste
50 gm tamarind
salt10 gm
coriander leaves
Salan Paste
50 gm peanuts
50 gm coconut
15 gmsesame seeds
20 gm coriander seeds
10 gm cumin seeds
05 red chillies
05 gm peppercorns

Method:
Slit and deep fry the green chillies in hot oil. Remove and keep aside.Roast and grind together ingredients for the paste. Soak the tamarind in a cup of water and extract pulp.Heat oil and add the mustard seeds, when crackling add the cloves and the curry leaves.Mix the sauted onion paste and stir for 3 minutes. Add the salan paste and continue stirring.Pour 15 ml of water at intervals to avoid paste sticking to the pan.Add the tamarind pulp and 50 ml of water. Stir for 5 minutes until the gravy resembles the consistency of a sauce. Add the salt and the fried chillies to the hot gravy.Boil the gravy for 1 minute. Remove and garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.
Variation:Capsicums can also be used in the place of chillies.