Pumpkin spice snowballs

I was searching for recipes for Christmas and I stumbled across this and the recipe is great. The taste is super delicious but the only issue I had is, my snow won't stick to the balls. Next time I will do more research and update the blog


Pumpkin spice snowballs 

Pumpkin spice snow balls

Ingredients:
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoons cinnamon, divided
1/2 teaspoon each of nutmeg, ground or fresh grated ginger and allspice, salt

Preaheat oven to 375°.
Mix the butter with 1/2 cup powdered sugar, and vanilla  until fluffy. Add flour, salt, and all the spices.
Scoop 1 heaped teaspoon dough and make it into a ball and place on prepared cookie sheet.
Bake cookies for 7-8 minutes until bottoms are just slightly brown. Remove from oven and cool for just a few minutes, until you can handle them.
Fill a small bowl with the remaining 1 cup powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon and roll each cookie in the sugar until coated. Place on a rack to cool.  (Once cookies are cooled, you may want to re-roll them in more powdered sugar.)
Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days or freeze for up to one month. (If you freeze them you’ll need to re-roll them in powdered sugar after defrosting.)

Coconut beet root chutney

My dear hubby really like coconut chutney. For the longest time after marriage I did not make it because I was more of a Peanut chutney . Then once I started making the coconut chutney, I keep mixing it with different things and they are all super yummy

Coconut Beet Root Chutney (Coconut and beet root dipping sauce for Idli)

Coconut Beet root chutney

Ingredients:

1. 1 cups fresh coconut pieces
2. 1-11/2 cup juice from a small lemon sized tamarind
3. 1 jalapeno or Serrano chilli chopped
4. 1 cup canned beet root drained
5. 1 teaspoon cumin divided
6. 1/2 teaspoon each of urad dal, chana dal (soaked in water for 10 minutes),  salt
7. 1/2 tablespoon oil
8. 1-2 dried red chillies broken
9. few curry leaves
10. 1 garlic pod chopped
11. 1 tablespoon oil divided

Heat 1/2 the oil in a pan and add the cumin, urad dal and chana dal and fry for a minute. Add the garlic pod and fry for a minute. Add the beet root and green chillies and fry for 5 minutes. Let it cool and grind together with coconut and salt with tamarind water into almost a smooth paste.

Optional:

 In a pan heat the oil and fry all the remaining things (for tempering) until they start to splutter. Add asafoetida at the end and fry for one more minute. Add this to the top of the coconut chutney. Enjoy with hot fluffy rice or idli or carrot idli or  dosa or Ravva Dosa or Gaarelu 

Black bean rice

Its a quick and delicious Sunday lunch and its super delicious. It is great for any cold evening and can be served with any kinds of meat you have on hand

Black Bean Rice (Spicy rice with black beans and corn)

Black bean and corn rice

Ingredients:

1. 2 cups long grain rice
2. 1 can black beans rinsed and drained
3. 1 cup corn (preferably from canned south western corn and bell pepper mix) drained
4. 1 tablespoon oil
5. 1/2 cup chopped onions
6. 1 large or 2 medium garlic chopped fine
7. 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
8. 1 chicken bouillion
9. 1 teaspoon cumin powder, coriander powder
10. 1/2 teaspoon each of salt, fresh ground black pepper, cayenne pepper

In a pan heat the oil and fry the onions till they become translucent. Add garlic and fry for a minute. Add well drained corn and fry for a few minutes. Add beans and all the spices and mix well. Add 4-5 cups of water and bring to a rolling boil. Add rice and reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes or until rice is done. Garnish with a generous portion of chopped cilantro and lemon juice and enjoy

Eggless buns

I have been making these Tuna Buns for quite some time now and they are amazing. One weekend having no eggs on hand I had to look for recipe which would make buns without eggs and this recipe is great. And it makes such soft buns. So, if you have/eat eggs make the recipe with eggs otherwise go for eggless. They both are great

Eggless Buns

Eggless buns

Ingredients:

1 package dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup each of milk,
1/4 cup oil and sugar
3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup wheat flour

Tuna Filling Ingredients:

2 can tuna drained
1/4 cup each of sweet relish, mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper
Mix all the ingredients for the tuna filling and set aside until ready to use

Add the yeast to the warm water and 2 teaspoon sugar and set aside for 10 minutes.
Heat the milk to warm and add sugar oil and salt and mix till sugar dissolves. Add 1 cup all purpose flour and mix well with a wooden spoon. Add the yeast mixture and the remaining flour and the wheat flour and mix well with your hands. Knead the dough for 5 minutes. Oil and bowl and leave the kneaded dough in it covered with a kitchen towel in a warm place for about and 2 hours or until the dough more than doubles.

Once it doubles punch the dough down and knead for 2-3 minutes. Divide it into 12 equal parts. Flatten them into about 5 inch discs, add a heaped teaspoon of tuna filling and reshape them into balls. (My tuna filling was enough for 8 buns) (The rest I filled it up with a teaspoon each of strawberry jam in 2 and peach jam in 2). Leave the buns aside for 20 minutes

Pre heat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the buns for 20-25 minutes. After 20 minutes brush the buns with oil and sprinkle with dried oregano and bake for 2-3 more minutes until golden brown. Let it cool for atleast 5 minutes before serving

Garlic and onion sauteed Spinach and Mushroom

For our office Christmas party one of the lunch items was Sauteed Spinach with garlic, which was exceptional. If you can make it well, it will be the most delicious dish you would ever eat else you will never eat it again in your life.

I used to make sauteed greens quite a bit a few years ago but then I stopped. The sauteed spinach I made today is one of my fav and it turns out great every time.

Garlic and onion sauteed Spinach and Mushroom

Sauteed spinach with mushroom

Ingredients

1. 1tablespoon olive oil
2. 1 medium small onion, chopped into 1 cm pieces
3. 4 ounces mushrooms, sliced thick
4. 1 large or 2 medium garlic cloves, chopped fine
5. 3-4 cups baby spinach 
6. 1 tablespoon tarragon vinegar
7. 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and lemon pepper

Heat a  pan on medium heat and add olive oil.

Add onions and mushrooms, stirring for 5-7 minutes, until they start to get brown. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add spinach and stir to combine. Add salt and pepper and vinegar, and cover and cook for 5 minutes. Enjoy

Egg pulao

Ande ka Pulao (Rice cooked in spices and served with egg)

Anda Pulao

Ingredients

1. 2 cup of  basmati rice
2. 2 tbsp oil
3. A small bunch of  coriander leaves (cilantro)
4. A small bunch of  mint leaves
5. 2 green chillies
6. 2-3 cloves of  garlic
7. 2" piece of  ginger
8. 1 medium onion chopped
9. 1 large or 2 medium  tomato  chopped
10. 1/2 tsp of  red chilli powder (adjust to taste), cumin powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder
11. 1 teaspoon salt
12. 6 eggs hard boiled
13. 2 tablespoons grated coconut
14. 1 medium large onion cut into 1 cm cubes
15. 1/2 cup green peas
16. 1 large carrot cubed
17. 1 cup cauliflower florets if desired

In a pan heat 1 tablespoon oil and fry the onions till they start becoming brown. Add ginger and garlic pieces and coconut and fry for 2 more minutes. Add tomatoes and cook for 5-7 minutes. Let it cool and grind to a fine paste.

Heat the rest of the oil and fry the onions for 10 minutes. Add carrots and cauliflower if using and fry for 5 more minutes. Add all the spices and mix well. Add 4 cups water and bring to a boil. Add rice and cook for 20 minutes or until done. Garnish with cilantro and hard boiled eggs and serve with dahi/Yogurt raita

Beetroot Puri

Whenever I want my kids to eat vegetables, and take a break from meat, then I make something different with it and they eat it without complaining. Today was Red Puri. The red color of the poori is from beet root. I make Beet root Roti but this time it is Poori and I learned the trick to make is nice and puffy and stay that way until broken :) . So everyone was mighty happy.

Red Puri (Fried Indian wheat bread withe beet root dough)

Beet root puri

Ingredients:

1. I can beet root slices, half of the liquid drained and ground to a paste
2. 4 cups whole wheat flour
3. 1 teaspoon salt
4. 1 teaspoon ghee
5. 2 tablespoons sooji

Mix all the ingredients together and add little water if needed and form a dough. Knead it for 5 minutes. 

Divide the dough into 12 parts and roll it on a clean surface into 5-6 inches disk. Heat oil in a pan and add a small piece of dough to it, if it sinks the oil is cold. When it floats nicely, add the puri and fry for 1 minute and flip it, flip it again and flip it again...3 to 4 minutes per poori should be enough. Drain it and enjoy with Mixed veg curry

Aloo palak paneer

Cholay

Also try Green poori

Ginger bread

The other day we went to Starbucks and I had the Christmas tree Frappuccino and I did not like it. I generally like Starbucks frappas but this was definitely is my least favorite. My little man wanted a ginger bread loaf and as all the other things in there, it costed a fortune.

Old Fashioned Ginger Bread (Starbucks copycat Ginger bread)

Gingerbread

Ingredients:

1. 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
2. 1 cup white sugar
3. 1 tsp vanilla extract
4. 1 large egg
5. 1 cup applesauce 
6. 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
7. 1 teaspoon each of baking soda, finely grated fresh ginger or ground ginger, cinnamon,
8. 1/2 teaspoon each of salt, nutmeg

Ingredients for the frosting:

1. 1/2 block (4 oz.) cream cheese, room temperature
2. 1 tsp vanilla extract
3. 1 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spray a 9×5 loaf pan lightly with nonstick cooking spray 
Cream together the butter and the sugar until fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and the egg. Blend in the applesauce.
Slowly add the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices (ginger, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg.) When everything is mixed, pour the batter into your loaf pan.
Bake for about 55 minutes until it is risen and a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool it on a rack.
To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese with the vanilla and then add 1 cup of the powdered sugar and beat until smooth and creamy. Spread a thick layer of the frosting over the gingerbread cake. Enjoy

Chakodi

These are the road side snacks of my childhood. One of the favorites' of my brother and we would go to one of the small stores' to get these. They used to be amazing. Crunchy on the outside and soft in inside.
           Today I made them for the first time and they turned out great and I learned some lessons for the next time. So they will be better next time

Chakodi (Fried rice rings)

Chakodi

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup rice flour
2. 1/2 teaspoon each of cumin, hing, caraway seeds, baking soda, chilli powder
3. 1 teaspoon salt
4. 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
5. 2 cups water
6. oil for deep frying + 1 table spoon

In a bowl mix together the rice flour, salt, cumin, caraway seeds, sesame seeds, chilli powder and hing

In a pan boil the water along with the baking soda to a rolling boil. Add the flour mix slowly to the boiling water and mix well. Let it cool enough to handle. Knead the dough into a smooth ball for 5 minutes. 

Take a small amount of dough (Smaller than a golf ball) and roll it between your palms into a log, as thick as you like. Pinch the ends together. Continue with the rest of the dough

Heat oil for deep frying in a pan over medium high heat. Add half of the pre made chakodies and let them fry for atleast 3 minutes before flipping else they will break. Fry on the other side for 3-4 minutes. Drain and let it cool a bit before enjoying

Kolhapuri fish

This is one of the yummy fish currys' I make. It takes a little bit of effort and time but its totally worth it. Its super delicious and it can be served with any kind of roti or with rice.

Kolhapuri Fish (Fish in coconut tomato gravy)

Kolhapuro fish

Ingredients

1. 2-3 salmon fish fillets (about 1 lb) and cut into 1.5 inch chunks
2. 1 medium large onion sliced
3. 2 medium small tomatoes chopped
4. 2 large or 3 medium garlic pods
5. 1 inch ginger
6. 2 tablespoons oil
7. 3/4 teaspoon each of salt, chilli powder, turmeric
8. 1/2 cup plain yogurt
9. 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
10. 2 tablespoons desiccated coconut

Marinate the fish pieces with salt, chilli powder, turmeric, lemon juice and yogurt.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil and fry the onions till they start becoming brown. Add the ginger and garlic pieces and coconut and fry for a couple of more minutes. Add tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes and let it cool and grind to a smooth paste.

Heat the remaining oil and add the fish pieces along with the marinate and fry for 5 minutes. Add the paste to the pot along with 2 cups of hot water. Simmer for 20 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and enjoy with rice or naaan

Methi Paneer Masala

The other day when I went to the Indian store there were by=unches of fresh fenugreek leaves bunches. They were so fresh…I had to get them. And ofcourse once you get them you have to use them otherwise its just compost filler. So I made this methi paneer masala which was a super duper hit. Here is the recipe.

Methi Paneer Masala

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup packed fresh fenugreek leaves
2. About 250 gms paneer cubed
3. 1 medium small onion chopped
4. 1 large or 2 medium tomatoes chopped
5. ½ cup milk
6. ½ cup water
7. 2 tablespoons oil
8. 1 inch ginger + 2 large garlic pods
9. ½ teaspoon each of salt, chilli powder, turmeric, cumin powder
10. 1 teaspoon coriander powder

In a pan add 1 tablespoon oil and fry the paneer pieces till they become light brown. Drain and set aside. In the same pan add the onions and chopped ginger and garlic and fry till the onions start getting browned. Add the tomatoes and cook for 5 more minutes. Let it cool. Grind to a smooth paste.

In the same pan add the remaining oil and add the methi leaves and fyr for 5 minutes. Add the paste back to the pot and cook for 5 minutes. Add the paneer and milk and water with all the spices and mix well. Simmer for 10 minutes. Serve with naan

Cheese Steak soup

Cheese Steak soup

Cheese steak soup

Ingredients:

1 lb beef cubes or sliced meat cut into small pieces

3 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon oil

¾ cup all purpose flour

1 chicken or beef bouillon

2 cups milk

2 cups water

½ teaspoon salt or to taste

½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1 medium small onion chopped fine

1 medium small green bell pepper chopped fine

2 large garlic pods chopped fine

1 cup cubed white mushroom

¼ cup shredded provolone+more for garnish

In a pan add just ½ tablespoon oil and fry the meat until well done. About 5-7 minutes. Drain and set aside. In the same pan add the remaining ½ tablespoon oil and add the onions, mushroom and green bell pepper and garlick and cook till they start to sweat. Drain and set aside. In the same pan melt the butter and add the all purpose flour and stir continuously for 5-7 minutes. Add hot milk and water and stir till there are no flour lumps. Add the meat and vegetables back to the pot along with chicken/beef bouillon and simmer for 10 minutes. Mix in the cheese and give a taste test. Add pepper and give a taste test for salt. Add more salt if needed. Serve hot with a crusted bread on a cold winter night

Sooji Seviyah kesari

This is one of the most easiest deserts you would ever come across when talking of desert recipes from India. Usually there is the sooji kesari or seviyah kesari, but I like this one which is a combination of both. The texture is better.

 Sooji Seviyah kesari 

Sooji Kesari

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup each of sooji, fine vermicelli
2. ¼ cup ghee
3. ½ cup sugar
4. A pinch of food coloring
5. A pinch of saffron
6. 1 tablespoon chopped cachew + almond
7. 1/ tablespoon raisins
8. 1 teaspoon rose essence or 2 cardamom pods
9. 3 cups water.

In a pan heat half of the ghee and fry the sooji and the dried nuts+ raisins till light brown. Set in another dish. Add the rest of the ghee and fry the vermicelli till they become light brown. Take it into a different dish

Bring to boil 3 cups of water and add the vermicelli. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the sooji and stir to combine. Add the sugar and mix well, until it melts. Add the rose water or cardamom pods and cover and set aside for 5 minutes. Butter a dish and add the kesari to it. Cut it into your fav shape and enjoy hot or cold

Easy breadsticks

I have made breadsticks before but they were difficult to make. But finally I found a recipe which is easy to make and the breadsticks were very light and great tasting. And they went well with the leftover turkey potpie I made, the day after thanks giving.

Easy Garlic bread sticks

Breadsticks

Ingredients:

1.            1 package active yeast
2.        3.5 cups all purpose flour
3.            ½ cup + more warm water
4.            2 teaspoons sugar
5.            ½ teaspoon salt
6.    6.    2 teaspoons butter at room temperature

For brushing:

1.       3 teaspoon melted butter
2.       1 teaspoon garlic power
3.       ½ teaspoon each of salt, lemon pepper, oregano

To make the dough, heat ½ cup water to warm and add the yeast and sugar and set aside for 10 minutes, until forthy.

Add the flour, butter and salt and mix well to the yeast water. Add warm water little by little until the dough comes together and is a little sticky. Knead the dough for 5 minutes until it becomes soft.

Divide the dough into 12 parts and roll them into 7 inch logs and lay them 2 inches apart on a baking sheet. Cover and let them rest for 45 minutes in a warm place. (I heat the oven for 3 minutes to 170 degrees (the lowest setting on my oven) and let them rise in the oven)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Brush the breadsticks with the ingredients for brushing mixed together. Bake for 15 minutes. Enjoy with your favorite soup

Pumpkin dinner rolls

So...its the season of pumpkin again. Not that I love pumpkin dishes but the gourds themselves look very nice with their bright color and all. So when I came across this dish, I had to make it and share it.
This Thanksgiving add a little extra on top of all the extras to your dinner party.

The looks of it is exceptional. I loved them and so did everyone else.

Pumpkin Dinner Rolls (Dinner rolls with pumpkin)

Pumpkin dinner rolls

Ingredients:

1. 1 package active yeast
2. 1/2 cup water
3. 1/2 cup butter
4. 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
5. 2 eggs + 1 egg for glazing
6. 1/4 cup brown sugar +2 teaspoon white sigar
7. 3-3.5 cups of all purpose flour
8. pinch of salt

In a bowl warm 1/2 cup water and add the yeast and the white sugar and let it froth for 10 minutes. Beat the eggs and add the rest of the ingredients + 3 cups flour (Add more as needed depending on how watery you pumpkin puree is)

Apply oil to the inside of a bowl and set the dough in it covered for 60-90 minutes to raise. (Th weather here is pretty cold, so I heated my oven for 170 degrees for 3 minutes and set the bowl inside for 60 minutes.)

Take the dough out and knead it for 3-5 minutes. Divide it into 12-15 equal parts and knead each one a bit and set them about 2-3 inches apart on a baking sheet and cover and let rise for 45 minutes.

To get the pumpkin shape take a roll and cut 8 slits in it leaving about an inch of dough intact in the center. This looks like a flower. Add a cashew to the center to represent the pumpkin steam.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Beat the remaining egg with 1 tablespoon milk and brush it on the pumkins and bake for 20-25 minutes. Enjoy cute little pumpkin dinner rools

Yogurt sandwich

This is one of those unique items which you will not even think about. But once you find the recipe, you have to make and let me tell you up front, one you eat it, you will not regret it. It is great.

The yogurt filling for the sandwich is very similar in texture to the cream cheese. And when you toast the bread with the filling and eat it hot on a cold day...nothing beats that.

Yogurt Sandwich (Bread sandwich with yogurt cream)

Yogurt sandwich

Ingredients:

1. 6 slices of your favorite bread...Sourdough or whole wheat bread are my fav)
2. 2 cup yogurt squeezed of as much water a possible...hung curd
3. 1/4 cup each of finely grated carrot, cabbage, capsicum
4. 1 tablespoon finely chopped red onion
5. 1/2 teaspoon  of salt
6. pinch of fresh ground black pepper
7. if you like spice include 1/2 teaspoon finely minced green chillies
8. Butter for toasting the bread sandwiches

Get the hung curd and mix it with all the veggies and salt and pepper. Lay 3 slices of bread and divide the mixture among the three. Top it with cucumber and tomato if desired. 

Heat a griddle and add a little butter and toast the sandwiches to a golden brown on both sides. Enjoy

NOTE: my yogurt cream here looks pink, because I used purple cabbage

Zucchini with sausage

Zucchini With Sausage

Zucchini sausage

Ingredients

1. 1 chicken sausage sliced
2. 1 medium zucchini sliced
3. 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
4. 1 large garlic chopped fine
5. 1/4 cup chopped onions
6. 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and lemon pepper

In a pan heat the oil and fry the onions for 3 minutes. Add the zucchini and fry for 5 minutes. Add garlic and fry for a minute. Add sausage and stir to combine along with salt and pepper . Fry for a few more minutes and enjoy

Pasta Salad

I am always on the look out for  kids' lunch ideas. Because, all of us moms know it...by the time they get to eat their lunch, the hot lunch isn't cold, the sandwich is all soggy and many different things the food can morph in a few hours. So this pasta recipe is great. It holds well on a cold winter day.

I put the ingredients my kid likes. The one thing YOU can add to this is pepperoni and it will be a meat pasta salad

Pasta Salad (Pasta with pizza ingredients)

Pizza pasta salad

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup fun shaped pasta cooked according to the package directions ( I got presents, Christmas tree, shooting stars pasta)...I wish I had taken a better picture...but we were running late for the school bus
2. handful of olives, 
3. handful of cherry tomatoes
4. 1/4 cup corn
5. 1/4 cup finely chopped onions + celery + carrots
6. 1 tablespoon each of mayo+ sour cream + relish
7. 1 teaspoon each of  mustard, olive oil
8. dash of pepper
9. 2 slices of your favorite cheese or from a block (I used provolone)

Cook and drain the paste according to package instructions. In the last 2 minutes add the corn to the boiling water. Drain and mix with olive oil so that the pasta do not stick to each other.

Mix all the ingredients of #6 and #7 well. 

Mix everything together and add the pepper and enjoy

 

Garden burger patty

I have been craving burgers and so far I haven't found a place here that I like to go to get a burger. My favorite place used to be Fat Burgers. I spent half of my pregnancy there LOL :)

Anyway...I wanted to eat the burger, so I made it at home but I made it healthy for everyone involved. This burger has a ton of vegetables in it. But the taste was exceptional. My son wouldn't stop praising how great it tastes. So enjoy

Garden burger patty (Beef patty with vegetables and baked)

Vegetable filled burger

Ingredients:

1. 1 lb ground beef sirlion
2. 1 medium carrot + 1 mediym yellow squash or zucchini +1/2 cup finely chopped onion 
3. 2 or 3 stalks of green onions chopped fine
4. handful of cilantro chopped fine
5. 1 teaspoon each of salt, garlic powder
6. 1/2 teaspoon each of ground cumin, ground coriander, lemon pepper

Fine grate the carrot and the squash and squeeze them to get as much water out as possible. Squeeze the onion also. Mix all the ingredients and set aside for atleast 15 minutes.

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Take handful of meat and roll it into a ball and press it into a patty or make it into sausages. Bake for 30 minutes.

NOTE: You might have to drain the cooking sheet with way, if there is too much liquid.

Enjoy it over a bun with lettuce, tomato, pickles and onions. Or serve it the way you like it. I served mine with baked cauliflower and brown rice

Garlic Paneer aur Ambada Dal Chawal

Ambada which is red Sorrel leaves in hindi is one of those sour tart leafy greens which either people love or not so much. I happen to be one of those people, who just loveeeees it. I never miss a chance to get it whenever I find it in the Indian stores. There is another version of the Sorrel leaf rice or Gongura Pulihora which is make quite often. The version I made today is different and its equally delicious.

I served it with Garlic Paneer which can be easily changed to Garlic chilli paneer by adding finely chopped green chillies and bell pepper

Garlic paneer (Indian cottage cheese spicy stir fry)

Garlic Paneer

Ingredients:

1. 1 500 gms block of Paneer, cut into 1 inch cubes
2. 2 tablespoons oil
3. 1 tablespoon each of soya sauce, Chinese chilli garlic paste, white vinegar
4. 2 tablespoons tomato ketchup
5. 1 small onion chopped into 1 inch pieces
6. 1/2 teaspoon cumin
7. 1 teaspoon or more finely chopped garlic
8. green onions and cilantro to garnish
9. Few curry leaves and few red chillies

For Marinade:

1. 2 tablespoons corn starch
2. 1/2 teaspoon each of salt, red chilli flakes, ginger garlic paste

Mix the paneer pieces with the marinade items and set it aside for atleast 15 minutes.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil and fry the paneer until it starts getting slightly browned. Drain and set aside. add the rest of the oil and add the cumin, curry leaves and red chillies. Add the onions and the garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes.

mix soya sauce+ketchup+chilli garlic paste+vinegar+1/4 cup water

Add this mixture to the pan along with paneer and stir to combine. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Garnish with green onions and cilantro and enjoy

Ambada Dal Chawal (Rice with Sorrel leaves and split peas)

Ambada Dal chaval

Ingredients:

For Sorrel rice

1. 2 cups rice cooked and set aside to cool

3. 1 teaspoon each of salt, aseofotida, sesame seeds

4. 1/2 teaspoon turmeric

5. 2 tablespoons oil

6. 1/2 cup chopped onions

7. 2 cups sorrel leaves

8. 1/3 cup chana dal

9. 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger

For tempering

1.1 teaspoon each of cumin, mustard seeds, urad dal (black gram),

2. 3 dried red chillies

3. few curry leaves

For Sorrel leaves paste

1. In a pressure cooker cook the sorrel leaves and chana dal with 1/2 teaspoon turmeric for 4-6 whistles and let cool.

2. Grind to a fine paste

In a pan heat the oil and fry  urad dal, cumin, mustard seeds and dried chilli and curry leaves till the seeds start to crackle. Add ginger and onions and fry for a few minutes. Add sesame seeds, turmeric salt and hing and fry for a couple of more minutes. Add the sorrel leaves paste and cook for five minutes. Add the cooked rice and mix well. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Garnish with cilantro. Let it cool a bit and enjoy

Baingan Gobi Masala

This is an awesome recipe with Cauliflower and eggplant. The thick gravy which the eggplant creates for this curry is super delicious. I made it spicy as I was not serving it to kids. They had their own favorite Tandoori Gobi

Baingan Gobi Masala (Eggplant and Cauliflower curry)

Baingan Cauliflower masala

Ingredients:

1. 1 medium small onion chopped fine
2. 1 medium small American eggplant, peeled and cubed into small cubes
3. 1 tomato finely chopped
4. 1 medium small cauliflower cut into small florets
5. 1 teaspoon each of ginger garlic paste, salt, pav bhaji masala
6. 1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
7. 2 green chillies sliced
8. 2 tablespoons oil

In a pan heat the oil and add onions and eggplant and 1/2 salt and cover and cook for 10 minutes. Add ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute. Add cauliflower, tomato and the rest of the ingredients and cover and cook for 15 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and enjoy with hot roti or rice

Kaddhu chutney

Bottle gourd is more famous in the US than its cousin the round bottle gourd. This gourd does not look anything like its cousin the bottle gourd, which is more like a bottle. The round one is round but pretty much the same thing inside. We just eat the pulp between the skin and the more seedy pulp on pretty much 80 percent of the inside.

So, one of my acquaintances' has a garden and she gave me one of these round bottle gourds and I made dal with half of and today I made chutney with remaining of it , to go with the wada or Garelu I made.

Kaddu Chutney (Round bottle gourd side)

Round Bottle Gourd Chutney

Ingredients:

1. 3 cups round bottle gourd, peeled and pulp removed and cut into small pices
2. 1/2 cup juice from a small lemon sized tamaring
3. 1 tablespoon each of urad dal, chana dal, sesame seeds
4. 1 teaspoon each of cumin, oil
5. 1 small piece of ginger peeled
6. 1/2 teaspoon salt or more to taste
7. 2 dried red chillies

In a pan roast the urad dal and chana dal and dried red chillies till they start turning brown. Cut the heat and add the sesame seeds and cumin and continue to fry. Take it to a plate and let it cool.

In the same pan add the oil and fry the gourd pieces along with the ginger and salt for 10 minutes covered. Let it cool.

Grind the dal to fine powder. Add the gourd pieces and the tamarind juice and grind to a fine paste. Give a taste test for salt and add more if needed. Serve with steam rice or with any of your favorite breakfasts

pumpkin pancakes

Its that time of the year again where things start turning nice bright orange and then start turning brown and whither away. But Autumn colours are great and with the season comes the pumpkins and all kinds of other squashes and gourds.

So, the breakfast of the season is Pumpkin pancake

Pumpkin Pancake

Pumpkin pancake

Ingredients:

1. 2 cups all purpose flour
2. 1 cup pumpkin puree
3. 11/2 cup milk
4. 1 egg
5. 2 tablespoons oil
6. 2 tablespoons sugar
7. 2 teaspoons baking powder
8. 1 teaspoon each of baking soda, all spices, ground cinnamon
9. 1/4 teaspoon salt
10. Butter for frying pancakes

Beat together the egg and the milk and add the pumpkin puree to it and beat again. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine. Do not over mix.

Heat a griddle and add some butter to it. Add a ladle full of pancake batter and cover and cook until bubbles appear all over the pancake. Flip carefully. Make a slice in the middle for the steam to escape and cook for 5 more minutes. Enjoy as is, or with maple syrup

Belgian sugar waffles

The first time I had these waffles, I had no idea they were a different kind of waffles. It was a small local restaurant away from the strip in Las Vegas, Nevada. Those were the most yummiest waffles' I have ever eaten.

I tried to replicate them various ways but they all were the regular waffle recipes. Finally last week I found the recipe I was looking form. hmmm....I reached my happy place. And here is the recipe to share...cause whatever I am making I am not sharing...they are all for me >:)

Belgian sugar waffles (Overnight yeast waffles with bits of sugar in them)

Belgian Overnight sugar waffles

Ingredients:

1. 1/4 oz package yeast
2. 1/3 cup luke warm water
3. 2 tablespoon granulated sugar
4. pinch of salt
5. 2 cups all purpose flour
6. 3 eggs
7. 1/2 cup butter softened
8. 1/2 cup pearl sugar (I did not get them so I sprinkled some water in 1/2 cup brown sugar so that it formed small lumps and used it)

Mix the yeast in warm water and sugar and let it froth for 10 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Knead the dough and let it rest in a oiled bowl, covered, over night. 

Mix gently the pearl sugar/ brown sugar bits and let it rest for 15 minutes.

Heat the waffle iron. Take a small lemon sized dough and press it in the middle of the waffle iron and let cook until the steam stops coming up. 

Bounce it between your hands for a minute, so that the waffle cools a little and serve. This is, so that the steam from the hot waffle doesn't make it soggy on the plate

Enjoy

Szechuan Salmon

It was a team lunch and supposedly one of my manager's favorite spots for lunch. I have not eaten any Chinese food anything remotely similar to this. Specifically this was a Szechuan Cuisine and they had the Szechuan numbing peppers in most of the dishes we orders. Yummmm instant love. This Szechuan pepper corn have the tangy taste in the beginning that is very reminiscent of the tingly tangy taste you get when you eat a baby mango. I was instantly transported to my childhood house with the Mango tree and all those summer afternoons when I would get onto the tree and get a raw mango and bite into it.

I had to have those Szechuan pepper corns and I got them and I did not want to make chicken. I made Salmon . And yum yum. Loved them all the way.

Szechuan Salmon

Szechuan pepper corn salmon

Salmon fillet dinner

Ingredients:

1. 4 salmon fillets
2. 1 teaspoon oil
3. 1 teaspoon each of Szechuan peppercorn, garlic powder, coriander powder, 
4. 1/2 teaspoon each of red pepper flakes, salt
5. Oil for frying the salmon

Pound the Szechuan pepper corn to break them. Mix all the spices in a bowl along with the oil. Apply the spice mix to the fish fillets and let them rest for 15 minutes. Heat a griddle and add some oil to it and fry the fish fillets on medium low heat 5 minutes on each side. 

I served them with orzo pasta, Steamed broccoli and Corn asparagus, bell pepper stir fry

Urad Dal Murgh

I love love love dal makhani and today I wanted Dal makhani and also chicken and I was looking for recipes for that and Imade them together ad yum yum yum, the chicken with dal makhani is great.

Urad Dal Murgh (Chicken in Black Gram gravy)

Urad Dal Chicken

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup Whole black gram (Urad Dal)
2. 2 chicken breast cut into 1/2 inch thick slices cut at an angle
3. 1 tablespoon oil
4. 1 medium small onion chopped fine
5. 1 medium large tomato chopped fine
6. 1 teaspoon each of garam masala, chilli powder (reduce according to your heat level), salt, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, ginger-garlic paste
7. Healthy heap of chopped cilantro

Soak the urad dal with 3 cups of water over night. Cook them in a pressure cooker for 4-5 whistles with 1/2 of the turmeric. Let the steam escape.

Sprinkle the chicken with half of the salt and chilli powder and set it aside for 15 minutes.

In a pan heat half of the oil and fry the chicken 3 minutes on either side. Drain and set aside. Add the onions and fry till they start getting browned. Add the ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute. Add the tomatoes and all the spices and mix well. Add the chicken and urad dal and a cup of water and simmer for 30 minutes. Garnish with cilatro and serve with roti or rice

Diet coke chicken

The search started for some Chinese chicken recipes and I was also looking to add some vegetables to the chicken. I ended up finding this recipe awesome recipe which called for Pepsi max and diet code. But all I had was the new #cokezerosugar . So I added my own little twist to the recipe and it was great


Coke Zero Chicken (Chicken cooked in coke zero)

Diet Coke Chicken

Ingredients

1. 1 lb chicken breast cut into bite size pieces
2. 1 can coke zero
3. 1 heaped teaspoon corn starch
4. 1 tablespoon each of low sodium soya sauce, rice vine vinegar
5. 2 tablespoons tomato ketchup
6. 1 chicken bouillion
7. 1 tablespoon oil
8. 1/2 teaspoon each of garlic and ginger grated, white pepper and black pepper
9. 2 cups your fav vegetables (I used broccoli, carrots, mushrooms, sliced onions)

 Marinate the chicken with half of vinegar and soya sauce and the corn starch for 20 minutes.

In a pan heat the oil and fry the chicken for 7-8 minutes. Drain and set aside. Add a little bit of oil if needed and cook the vegetables for 6-7 minutes. Add ginger garlic and fry for a minute. Add the rest of the ingredients and coke and simmer for 10 minutes. Add chicken back to the pot and simmer till the gravy thickens to your liking (around 10-12 minutes). Garnish with fresh green onions and cilantro and enjoy over a bed of white rice or with Fried rice

Green beans and Shrimp Fry With Palak Dal

French Green beans are called "Fansi" in one of the Indian languages and I am scared of searching for any recipes with "Fansi" in it. Because is "death by hanging". Pretty gruesome and I do not want to see any un-intentional pictures.

Anyway, I have few recipes with green beans and shrimp which are curries with gravy, but I wanted to make something different. SO here is my dry Green bean curry with shrimp

Green beans and Shrimp Fry

Shrimp with Green beans

Ingredients

1. 12 oz shrimp pealed and deveined
2. 1/2 lb fresh green beans chopped into 1 cm pieces
3. 1 medium small onion about 1/2 cup chopped into small pieces
4. 1 tablespoon oil
5. 1/2 teaspoon each of cumin, mustard seeds, urad dal, salt, chilly powder, turmeric, finely grated ginger, finely grated garlic
6. 1 teaspoon each of coriander powder
7. 2 dried red chillies broken
8. few curry leaves
9. coriander for garnish

In a pan heat the oil and add cumin, urad dal, mustard seeds, dried red chillies and curry leaves and fry till they start to splutter. Add green beans and onions and fry for 7-10 minutes. Add ginger and garlic and fry for a minute. Add shrimp and all the spices and mix well. Cook till the shrimp are all cooked through. Garnish with cilantro and enjoy with hot rice and Palak Masoor dal or Spinach Toor dal

Palak Toor Dal (Spinach with Split Pigeon peas)

Ingredients:

1. 1/2 cup split pigeon peas or toor dal
2. 1 cup canned spinach squeezed well or a bunch of fresh spinach washed and chopped roughly
3. 2 cups juice from a lime sized tamarind
4. 2 teaspoons oil
5. 1/2 teaspoon each of cumin, mustard seeds, turmeric, hing, finely chopped garlic
6. few dried red chillies
7. few curry leaves

Pressure cook the dal with spinach for 5-6 whistles with 2 cups of water and turmeric. Let the steam escape and mash the dal and spinach mixture. Add the tamarind juice. In another pan heat the oil fry the cumin, mustard seeds, dried chillies and curry leaves. Fry till they start to splutter. Add garlic and fry for 30 seconds and add hings and fry 30 more seconds. Add this to the dal and boil it for 10 minutes. Enjoy with hot rice

Tandoori Gobi

I looooooooooooooooooooove Cauliflower. And recently my family has also been gobbling up cauliflower when I roast them up. I have made the roasted cauliflower way too many time and I was ready for something different and here comes tandoori gobi.

Tandoori Gobi

Tandoori Gobi

Ingredients:

1. 1 medium cauliflower cut into florets
2. 1 cup whole milk yogurt squeezed out of excess water
3. 1 teaspoon each of ginger garlic paste, chilli powder, salt, tandoori mix (or ½ teaspoon each of coriander powder, cumin powder, fennel, mango amchur, ajwain)
4. 2 tablespoons besan
5. ½ tablespoon oil
6. 1 tablespoon kasoori methi
7. Pinch of red color if desired

Blanch the cauliflower florets for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside in a colander so that extra water drips.

In a cheese cloth hang the yogurt and sqeeze as much as water out as possible.

In a pan heat the oil and fry the ajwain and fennel seeds and on a low flame add the besan and keep frying for 5-7 minutes stirring continuously. Let it cool. Add all the ingredients to the yogurt and mix well. Add the cauliflowers florets and mix well. Set aside for atleast 30 minutes.

 Heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a oven safe tray with cooking spray and spread the cauliflower florets in a single layer. Bake for 15 minutes. Turn and bake 10 more minutes. Sprinkle with chaat masala before serving if desired and enjoy

Egg plant ans shrimp in coconut gravy

Eggplant with Shrimp

Egg plant ans shrimp in coconut gravy

Ingredients:

1. 12 oz shrimp peeled and deveined
2. 3-4 cups chopped eggplant (if using the big American eggplant, I usually peel it)
3. 1 medium small onion chopped
4. 1 teaspoon each of ginger garlic paste, coriander powder, chilli powder, turmeric
5. ½ teaspoon each of salt, cumin
6. 1 cup coconut milk
7. 2 tablespoon oil

Marinate the shrimp with turmeric and salt for 15 minutes

In a pan heat ½ of the oil and fry the shrimp till they become pink. Drain and set aside.

In the same pan add the remaining oil and add the onions and fry till they start becoming brown. Add the eggplant and all the spices and mix and cover and cook for 10 minutes. Add shrimp and the coconut milk and simmer for 10 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and taste test for salt. Adjust accordingly. Enjoy

Fish cakes

Fish cakes

Fish cakes

Ingredients:

1. 3 fillets white fish (I used swai)
2. ½ teaspoon salt
3. 1 teaspoon each of garlic powder, onion powder
4. 1 large potato boiled and peeled and mashed
5. ½ teaspoon each of salt, coriander powder, cumin powder
6. 1 serrano chillie, seeded and chopped fine
7. 2 tablespoon all purpose flour
8. Handful of coriander chopped fine
9. 1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
10. Oil for frying fish cakes

Sprinkle the fish fillets with salt and onion and garlic powder. Spray a frying pan with non stick spray and on medium low heat fry the fish fillets 4 minutes on each side or until barely cooked. Let cool.

Crumble the fish fillets and mix with mashed potato and all the other ingredients. Add some flour at a time till you can form dough balls. Divide into 8-10 portions and roll into balls and flatten into patties ½ inch thick. Patt them into a plat spread with bread crumbs and press so that the crumbs stick to the fish cake.

Heat oil in a frying pan and on medium heat fry the patties 4-5 minutes on each side. Serve as an appetizer or as a side dish with dal and rice

kakadi dal

Kakadi dal

Ingredients:

1. 1 cucumber melon, peeled and seeded and chopped
2. 1/3 cup toor dal
3. 1 tomato chopped
4. ½ teaspoon each of cumin, urad dal, mustard seeds, salt, chilli powder, turmeric, asafoetida
5. Few curry leaves
6. 2-3 dried red chillies broken
7. 1 tablespoon sliced onions
8. 2 garlic pods chopped fine
9. ½ tablespoon oil

In a pressure cooker, cook the dal along with cucumber melon and tomatoes for 5-6 whistles. Let all the steam escape, open the cooker and mash the dal.

In a small pan heat the oil and add the urad dal, cumin and mustard seeds along with curry leaves and red chillies and fry till they start to splutter. Add the onions and fry till they start becoming brown. Add garlic and fry for 1 minute. Add hing and cut the heat. Add the tempering oil to the dal mix and add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Let boil for 5 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and serve with hot steamed rice