Arjunpuri's Kitchen

Kolkata Egg Curry

2011-11-27T18:43:00.001+03:00

Ingredients
Boiled eggs: 4
Potato: 2
Chopped tomato: 2
Green cardamom: 2
Cinnamon: 1 inch
Cloves: 4
Fennel seeds: ½ tsp
Cumin seeds: ½ tsp
Coriander powder: 1 tsp
Red chili powder: ½ tsp
Turmeric powder: ¼ tsp
Kasoori methi: 1 tsp
Garam masala: ¼ tsp
Salt: To taste
Oil: 3-4 tsp
Coriander leaves: 2-3 tsp

Kolkata egg curry

Method
Prick slightly on all the sides of the boiled egg and rub coriander powder, red chili powder and salt.
Heat oil in a non-stick pan and fry the eggs till golden brown. Remove from the eggs from the oil and cut them carefully into half.

To the same pan with oil, add green cardamons, clove, cinnamon, cumin seeds, fennel seeds and stir till they start sizzling. Add onion and saute well, add tomatoes and potatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes, before adding salt, red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and turmeric powder. Add little water, close the lid and simmer till the oil starts separating from the mixture.

Add kasoori methi, garam masala and stir well. Delicately add the eggs and simmer for a few minutes so that the masala enters the eggs. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot with chapati or paratha or poori or roti.

Bitter Gourd Curry

2011-11-18T07:03:00.000+03:00

Ingredients
Bitter Gourd: 2 cups (sliced thin into 3 inch long strips)
Onion: 1 cup (thinly sliced)
Coriander powder: 1 tsp
Red chili powder: ½ tsp
Turmeric Powder: ¼ tsp
Dry mango powder: ¼ tsp
Garam masala powder: ¼ tsp
Fenugreek seeds: ¼ tsp
Salt: To taste
Oil: 3-4 tsp

Bitter gourd curry

Method
Heat oil in a non-stick pan and add fenugreek seeds. Add coriander, chili, turmeric powder and cook for 30 seconds. Add bitter gourd and salt. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes by stirring once in a while. Once the bitter gourd is half done, add the onion and cook till onion is golden brown. Add garam masala and mango powder and stir well. Serve hot with roti.

String Beans Curry

2011-11-17T07:03:00.000+03:00

IngredientsString beans: 2 cups (cut into 3 inch long)
Chopped onion: 1 cup
Sliced green bell pepper: 1 cup
Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
Cloves: 4-5
Cinnamon: ½ inch
Grated ginger-garlic: 1 tsp
Turmeric: 1 tsp
Red chili powder: ½ tsp
Oil: 2 tsp
Water: ½ cup
Dry mango powder: ½ tsp
Kasoori methi: 1 tsp
Salt: To taste
Chopped coriander leaves: 1 tsp

String beans curry

Method
Heat oil in a non-stick pan and add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. When they crackle, add cloves and cinnamon and stir. Add ginger-garlic, onion and sauté well. Add salt and cook till onion turns golden brown. Add turmeric, chili powder, tomato, bell pepper, beans and water. Stir and cook till beans are tender, yet firm. Add dry mango powder and kasoori methi and stir well. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with roti or paratha or chapati.

Karah Prashad

2011-11-10T14:44:00.000+03:00

I had Karah Prashad for the first time at Gurudwara Nanak Jhira Saheb Bidar. It was so yummy that I had tried it at home and preparing it at home is also very simple. Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients

Wheat flour: 1 cup

Ghee: 1 cup

Sugar: 1 cup

Water: 3 cups

Karah Prashad

Method
Heat ghee in a thick bottomed vessel and add wheat flour to it. Roast it till golden brown. In another vessel, add sugar to water and bring it to boil. Add sugar water slowly to the roasted flour and keep stirring continuously to avoid any lumps. Once the mixture starts leaving the vessel, transfer to a serving bowl.

Note: You can add cardamom powder at the end. But Prashad given at gurdwaras will normally have only four ingredients: wheat flour, ghee, sugar and water.

Huevos Rancheros

2011-11-05T13:05:00.000+03:00

Huevos Rancheros is a classical Mexican breakfast dish.

Ingredients
Eggs: 4
Olive oil: 2 tsp
Corn tortillas: 4 (each of 6 inch)
Refried beans with green chilies: 1 cup
Butter: 1 tsp
Shredded Cheddar cheese: 1 cup
Chicken: 1 cup (cooked and crumbled)
Salsa: 1/2 cup

Method
Heat oil in a pan over medium-high flame. Fry tortillas one at a time until firm, but not crisp. Remove on paper towels and drain extra oil. Meanwhile, combine the refried beans and butter in a microwave-safe dish. Cover and cook in the microwave until heated through. When tortillas are done, fry eggs in the same pan. Spread tortillas onto a plate and spread a layer of beans on them. Top with cheese, a fried egg, crumbled chicken and salsa.

Turkish Menemen

2011-11-04T07:03:00.002+03:00

Menemen is fast and easy to prepare and very nutritious. It’s a favourite for breakfasts in Turkey. But it can be a tasty lunch or a quick supper.

Ingredients
Eggs: 4
Chopped tomatoes: 1 cup
Chopped capsicum: 1/2 cup
Chopped onion: 1/2 cup
Chopped green chili: 1 tsp
Diced olives: 2-3 tsp
Olive oil: 2 tsp
Salt: To taste

Method
Heat olive oil in a pan and add green chili, onion, capsicum and tomatoes and saute for 2-3 minutes on a low flame. Add eggs and scramble them well and add salt to taste. Cook the eggs till they are fairly firm. Serve warm.

Kashta Kachori

2011-11-04T07:01:00.000+03:00

Ingredients

All-purpose flour: 2 cups

Salt: To taste

Oil: For frying

For stuffing

Split green gram dal (Moong dal): 1 cup

Ghee: 2-3 tsp

Ginger paste: 1 tsp

Green chili paste: ½ tsp

Asafoetida: A pinch

Turmeric powder: ¼ tsp

Coriander powder: 1 tsp

Cumin powder: ¼ tsp

Red chili powder: 1 tsp

Fennel seeds powder: ½ tsp

Lemon juice: 1 tsp

Salt: To taste

Add caption

Method

Soak split green gram dal for 3-4 hours.

Sift flour and salt in a bowl. Add 2 tsp of ghee and mix well. Knead into soft dough using sufficient water. Cover with a moist cloth and set aside.

Coarsely grind soaked green dal. Heat ghee in a pan and add ground dal, ginger, green chilli, asafoetida, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chilli powder and fennel powder. Cook till all the moisture dries. Add salt and lemon juice, mix well and remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Divide the dal mixture into 20 equal portions. Divide the flour dough also into 20 equal sized balls.

Roll them into small puris and place a portion of stuffing in the centre and bring the edges together to form a ball. Lightly press them with your palms to make thick puris.

Heat oil in pan. Deep fry kachoris on a low flame till golden brown.

Serve with tamarind chutney or tomato ketchup.

Roasted Broccoli

2011-11-03T07:03:00.000+03:00

Ingredients
Broccoli florets: 2 cups
Pepper powder: ½ tsp
Toasted sesame seeds: 2-3 tsp
Olive oil: 2-3 tsp
Salt: To taste

Method
Heat olive oil in a pan and fry broccoli till crisp. Add pepper powder and salt and toss well. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds.
If you want to bake it, preheat the oven to 400⁰ F. In a bowl, toss one tablespoon of olive oil, salt, pepper and broccoli and place on a large baking sheet. Roast till the broccoli is tender and blackened on the bottom. It will take about 10 minutes. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and serve warm.

Shakshouka

2011-11-02T07:03:00.000+03:00

Shakshouka in Hebrew means “all mixed up.” It is a staple of Tunisian, Egyptian, Libyan, Algerian and Moroccan cuisines and is very popular in Isreal and the dish has been said to challenge hummus and falafel as a national favourite, especially in the winter.

Ingredients
Eggs: 4
Finely chopped onion: 1 cup
Finely chopped capsicum: 1 cup
Peeled and crushed tomatoes: 4
Olive oil: 2-3 tsp
Salt: To taste
Pepper powder: To taste

Method
Heat olive oil in a large frying pan and add onion and capsicum. Saute them till lightly brown.Peel and grate tomatoes on largest holes of a grater. Add the grated tomatoes to the frying pan and close the lid. Cook over low flame for 15-20 minutes.Remove the lid and add the the eggs. Stir gently to break yolks. Cover the lid again and cook on a medium flame for about 5 minutes or till the eggs are firm. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve warm.

Note: If you want, you can use minced garlic. If you love it to be spicy, you can add crushed chili powder and for taste variation, you can add oregano.

Panko Lamb Chops

2011-11-01T07:03:00.000+03:00

Ingredients
Thick bone-in lamb chops: 2
Panko breadcrumbs: ½ cup
All-purpose flour: ¼ cup
Grated Parmesan cheese: 2 tsp
Minced Italian Parsley: 1 tsp
Eggs: 2
Salt: To taste
Black pepper: To taste
Oil: 5-6 tsp

Method
Preheat the oven to 400⁰ F.

Season lamb chops with salt and black pepper and set aside.

Mix Panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan, parsley and salt. Keep flour in one bowl, beaten eggs in another and the Panko mixture in another bowl.

In a heavy bottomed pan, heat 3 tablespoons of oil over medium high flame. Roll the lamb chops first in the flour, then in the egg and lastly in the Panko mixture. Make sure to coat the chops evenly. Add the chops to the pan and cook till golden brown and crispy on each side.

Remove the chops from the pan to a baking sheet. Cook the chops in the oven, uncovered, for about 12-15 minutes. Serve the crisp and juicy lamb chops with slices of onion.

Stuffed Chili Bajji

2011-10-31T09:16:00.000+03:00

Ingredients
Baji Chilis: 10
Gram flour (besan): 1 cup
Rice flour: ¼ cup
Carom seeds (Ajwain): 1 tsp
Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
Salt: To taste
Oil: For deep frying

For stuffing
Peanut: 2-3 tsp
Sesame seeds: 2-3 tsp
Dry coconut powder: 2-3 tsp
Tamarind juice: 1 tsp
Coriander seeds: 1 tsp
Salt: To taste

Stuffed Chili Bajji

Method
Dry roast peanut, sesame, coconut, coriander and grind it to smooth powder adding tamarind paste. Do not add any extra water.

Wash and pat dry the chilies. Make a vertical slit with a sharp knife in the middle of the chili. Remove the thick vein with seeds if you do not want bajjis to be too spicy. Stuff the peanut paste in the chilies and keep aside.

Meanwhile, mix gram flour, rice flour, cumin, ajwain and salt and prepare medium thick batter.

Heat oil in a pan on medium high flame. Dip the bajjis in the flour batter and deep fry till golden colour. Serve hot with onion and tomato slices.

Spinach Dip

2011-10-30T08:05:00.000+03:00

Ingredients

Chopped fresh spinach: 1 cup
Sour cream: ¼ cup
Cream cheese: ¼ cup
Yogurt: 1 cup
Chopped fresh mint: ¼ cup
Soy sauce: 1 tsp
Honey: 1 tsp
Red chili flakes: 1 tsp
Salt: To taste

Method
Mix all the ingredients and chill for at least 4-5 hours before serving with crackers.

Milk Peda

2011-10-29T10:52:00.001+03:00

Ingredients

Paneer: 2 cups

Milk powder: ¼ cup

Milk: ¼ cup

Sugar: ½ cup

Butter: 2-3 tsp

Cardamom powder: ¼ tsp

Saffron: 2-3 strands

Sliced pistachios or almonds: 2-3 tsp

Milk peda

Khoya

Sugar and cardamom to be mixed with khoya

Peda garnished with sliced almonds

Method:

Prepare paneer from milk. Heat a thick-bottomed pan and melt butter. Add milk, milk powder, saffron and paneer and mix well. Keep stirring continuously till the mixture starts leaving the sides of the pan and becomes like dough. This dough is called Khoya. Transfer khoya to a bowl and allow it to cool. Add sugar and cardamom powder and knead the khoya for 2-3 minutes so that everything is blended well. Divide the dough into 12 equal parts and roll them into small balls. Lightly press them and garnish each peda with sliced pistachios or almonds.

Note: If you add sugar when the khoya is hot, it becomes too soft and will be difficult to make balls.

Paneer

2011-10-28T15:48:00.000+03:00

Ingredients

Milk: 1 litre

Lemon juice: ¼ cup

Water: 1 cup

Method

Boil milk in a thick bottomed pan and bring it to a boil. Mix lemon juice in one cup of water and add it to the boiling milk stirring the milk gently. The milk curdles and will start separating from the whey. Once the milk water looks pale green, remove from the heat and drain it using a strainer with muslin cloth.

Wrap the muslin cloth and rinse well in cold water so that the lemon smell goes out from the paneer. Squeeze the cloth thoroughly to remove excess water. You can keep the wrapped paneer under a heavy object for about an hour, but this can remove all water and paneer can become little hard.

After removing water from the paneer, take a pinch of it on your palm and rub with your finger for about 10 seconds and see if you are able to make a firm, but a smooth ball. After removing all the excess water, place the paneer on a dry clean surface and knead it well for 5-6 minutes. This helps to smoothen the paneer like soft dough. If the paneer is too crumbly, you can add half a tablespoon of water.This can be used to prepare sweets or any veg curries.

Grilled Apple

2011-10-27T17:03:00.000+03:00

Ingredients

Apple: 1-2 (peeled and sliced into ½ inch thick round)
Oil: 1-2 tsp
Sugar: 1-2 tsp
Parmigiano Reggiano cheese: 2-3 tsp (cut in thin strips)
Chopped peacons: 2-3 tsp
Honey: 2-3 tsp

Method
Preheat grill on medium heat.

Toss apple slices with oil and sugar in a large bowl. Grill the apple slices till tender and lightly golden, turning once. It takes about five minutes in total.

Transfer the grilled apple slices to a serving plate and sprinkle cheese, nuts and drizzle honey.

Note: Instead of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, you can use Cheddar cheese also.

Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

2011-10-26T09:13:00.000+03:00

Ingredients
Potatoes: 4-5 (washed, peeled and quartered)
Minced garlic: 2-3 cloves

Grated Parmesan cheese: ¼ cup

Butter: ¼ cup

Cream: ¼ cup

Pepper: To taste

Salt: To taste

Method

Cook potatoes in salted water till tender. Drain water and add garlic, cheese, butter, cream, salt and pepper. Mash the potatoes till smooth. Sprinkle coriander or Italian seasoning if you wish, before serving.

Crispy Chicken Strips

2011-10-25T22:03:00.000+03:00

Ingredients
Boneless chicken breasts: 6 (sliced in strips)
Spicy mustard: ½ cup
Breadcrumbs: 2-3 cups
All-purpose flour: ½ cup
Italian Seasoning: 1 tsp
Garlic powder: 1 tsp
Water: 2 tsp
Salt: To taste
Pepper: 1 tsp
Oil: For frying

Method
Heat oil in a pan. Mix flour, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a bowl. In another bowl, mix the spicy mustard and water. In another bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Roll all the chicken strips one by one, in the flour mixture first, and then in the mustard mixture and then in breadcrumbs, and deep fry in oil till golden brown.

Serve hot with tomato ketchup.

Peanut Butter Cookies

2011-10-16T12:38:00.000+03:00

Ingredients
Butter: ½ cup
Peanut butter: ½ cup
Sugar: 1 cup
Egg: 1
All-Purpose flour: 1 ¼ cup
Salt: ¼ tsp
Baking powder: ½ tsp

Method
Whisk together butter, peanut butter and sugar. Beat in eggs.

In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Stir into batter and refrigerate the mixture for one hour.

Roll the mixture into equal size 12 balls and flatten them lightly with your palms and put on a greased baking sheet. Make criss-cross pattern with a fork. Bake in a preheated 375 degrees F for 10 minutes or till the cookies begin to brown. Do not over-bake.

Onion Dosa

2011-10-13T08:55:00.000+03:00

Ingredients
Rice: 2 cups
Urad dal: 1 cup
Chopped onion: 1 cup
Cumin powder: ¼ tsp
Sesame seeds: 1 tsp
Chopped green chilies: 2 tsp
Chopped coriander leaves: 2-3 tsp
Salt: To taste
Oil or butter: As required

Method
Soak Urad dal and rice separately for five to six hours and grind them separately to make a smooth batter. Add salt and allow it to ferment overnight.

Mix chopped onion, green chilies, coriander leaves, cumin powder, sesame seeds and salt in a bowl and keep aside.

Heat a non-stick tava and drizzle little oil. Pour one ladle full of batter and spread it evenly in a circular shape and spread out little onion mixture and press lightly. Drizzle oil or butter and cook for a few seconds. Turn over the dosa and cook on the other side for a minute before transferring it to a serving plate. Serve hot with coconut chutney.

Red Chili Chutney

2011-10-13T08:51:00.000+03:00

Ingredients
Grated coconut: ½ cup
Red chili: 7-8
Roasted split chickpeas: 2 tsp
Curry leaves: 1 sprig
Tamarind: ½ tsp
Chopped coriander leaves: 2 tsp
Salt: To taste

Method
Grind all the ingredients using little water at a time and prepare thick chutney. Serve with dosa or idli.

Potato Bhaji

2011-10-12T08:29:00.000+03:00

Ingredients
Potatoes: 3-4
Chopped onion: ½ cup
Chopped green chilies: 1 tsp
Split Bengal gram (chana dal): 1 tsp
Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
Asafoetida: A pinch
Curry leaves: 1 sprig
Turmeric powder: ½ tsp
Chopped coriander leaves: 2-3 tsp
Lemon juice: 1 tsp
Salt: To taste
Oil: 1 tsp

Method
Boil potatoes, peel and chop them. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, when they splutter, add asafoetida and split Bengal gram and sauté till golden brown. Add green chilies, curry leaves and onion and sauté till onion is translucent. Add potatoes, turmeric powder and salt. Mix well. Sprinkle a tablespoon of water and cook till the potatoes are heated through. Add coriander leaves and lemon juice and mix well. Serve with chapati or dosa.

Crispy Masala Dosa

2011-10-11T08:59:00.000+03:00

Ingredients
Parboiled rice: 3 cups
Rice: ½ cup
Urad dal: 1 cup
Fenugreek seeds: 1 tsp
Salt: To taste
Oil or butter: As required

Method
Wash both the rice well and soak in water for four to five hours. Wash and soak split black gram with fenugreek seeds in water separately for four to five hours.

Drain and grind the rice and split black gram separately to a smooth texture. Add salt and mix both the batters thoroughly. Keep the batter in a large vessel and close the lid tightly and allow the batter to ferment overnight.

Mix the batter well and adjust to pouring consistency. Heat a non-stick tava and grease with a little oil. Pour a ladle full of batter and spread as thin as possible. Sprinkle oil around the dosa and cook till it becomes crisp on the edges and turns golden brown. Apply Red Chili Chutney on the dosa and place about four tablespoons of Potato Bhaji in the centre. Fold the dosa to the desired shape and serve hot with coconut chutney.

Chicken Dum Biryani

2011-10-09T10:17:00.000+03:00

Ingredients

Basmati rice: 4 cups

Chicken pieces: 1 kg

Mint leaves (Pudina): 1 cup

Coriander leaves: 1 cup

Chopped onion: 2 cups

Yogurt: 2 cups

Ghee: 6-7 tsp

Ginger Garlic paste: 2-3 tsp

Lemon juice: 4-5 tsp

Coriander powder: 2 tsp

Garam masala powder: 1 tsp

Chili powder: 2-3 tsp

Bay leaves: 5

Cinnamon: 5-6 medium sized

Cloves: 8-10

Caraway seeds (Shah Jeera): 1 tsp

Black cardamom: 2-3

Green cardamom: 2-3

Star Anise: 2-3

Mace: 2-3

Nutmeg: ¼th piece

Salt: To taste

Method

Grind mint and coriander leaves. And the grinded paste, ginger garlic paste, coriander powder, garam masala, lemon juice, chili powder and salt to yogurt and mix well. Marinade chicken in this paste for 5-6 hours.

Heat 2-3 tsp of oil in a vessel and add onion, sauté till golden brown, remove from the heat and keep aside. Heat another 2-3 tsp of oil and add bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, black cardamoms, green cardamoms, star anise, mace, nutmeg and caraway seeds. Sauté well and remove the spices from heat and keep aside.

Wash basmati rice, add the fried spices and cook the rice and keep aside.

Heat ghee in a vessel and add the marinated chicken pieces. Cover the lid and cook till the chicken is tender. Remove lid and cook till water evaporates and chicken is left with a thick gravy. Keep aside.

Take a large vessel and spread a layer of chicken with gravy and top it with some fried onion. Spread some cooked rice on this layer. Again spread a layer of the remaining chicken with gravy and top it with some more fried onion and spread the remaining cooked rice over this layer. Top it with the remaining fried onion. Cover tightly with the lid so that the steam does not escape (I use flour dough to seal the lid tightly around the vessel). Cook on a very low flame for 10 minutes (I keep the vessel on a hot tava and cook it for 15 minutes. When cooked on indirect heat, the rice and chicken does not get burnt). Remove from the flame and serve with cucumber raita.

Rasgulla

2011-10-06T09:05:00.000+03:00

Ingredients

Milk: 1 litre

Lemon juice: ¼ cup

Sugar: 2 cups

Water: 4 cups

Cardamom powder: ½ tsp

Cooked Rasgullas

Paneer

Method

First prepare the paneer. For that boil milk in a thick bottomed pan and bring it to a boil. Mix lemon juice in half cup of water and add it to the boiling milk stirring the milk gently. The milk curdles and will start separating from the whey. Once the milk water looks pale green, remove from the heat and drain it using a strainer with muslin cloth.

Prepare small and smooth balls of equal size. I prepare 15 balls of equal size. While preparing these balls apply some pressure in the beginning and release the pressure when forming the balls. The size can be of desired ones as the cooked rasgullas will double in size.

Mix sugar and water in a large pressure cooker and bring it to a boil on a medium high flame. Add the paneer balls and close the lid. Do not cover the whistle. When the cooker starts steaming, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 7-8 minutes.

Remove from the flame and wait for 4-5 minutes before opening the lid. Add cardamom powder and stir gently before transferring them to a bowl. Cooked rasgullas should be spongy. Refrigerate them before serving. Chilled rasgullas will have soft texture and be less spongy.

Rava Dosa

2011-10-05T09:14:00.000+03:00

Ingredients

Rice flour: 2 cups
Rava/ Semolina: 1 cup
All-purpose flour: ½ cup
Salt: To taste

Chopped onion: ¼ cup

Mustard seeds: ½ tsp

Chopped green chili: ½ tsp

Pepper corn: 5-6

Cumin seeds: ½ tsp

Chopped curry leaves: 1 tsp

Chopped ginger: ½ tsp

Chopped coriander leaves: 2-3 tsp

Oil and ghee

Method

Mix the rice flour, all-purpose flour, semolina and salt well. Add water and prepare a very thin batter, thinner than the normal dosa batter.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When they splutter, add curry leaves, chopped onion, chopped green chili, chopped ginger, pepper corn and chopped coriander. Saute till the onion turns translucent and then add this seasoning to the batter.

Heat the tawa well. Rava dosa cannot be spread like ordinary dosa from the middle to the sides, so take one ladle full of batter and spread it on the hot tawa starting from the sides and finishing off in the middle. Sprinkle ½ tsp of oil and ½ tsp of ghee on the sides. When it becomes golden brown turn it over. Serve hot with coconut chutney.

Creamy Scrambled Eggs

2011-10-04T08:32:00.000+03:00

Ingredients
Eggs: 4
Butter: 1 tsp
Cream: 2 tsp
Pepper powder: ½ tsp
Salt: To taste

Chopped coriander: 1 tsp

Method
Heat a heavy bottomed pan and add butter. Let it melt on a low flame. Meanwhile whisk eggs in a bowl properly. Add cream and whisk again till frothy. Add the whisked eggs into the pan and cook on a very low flame for about 10-15 minutes. Keep stirring in between to get the custard consistency. Later, the eggs will get thicker, but still will be creamy. When the eggs are dry and cooked enough, add salt, pepper and garnish with coriander and serve warm.

Tambittu or Rice Flour Laddu

2011-10-03T08:49:00.000+03:00

We prepare Tambittu for Shivaratri and my friend Sridhar’s mom prepares the best Tambittus I have ever tasted. I have tried it umpteen number of times following her steps, but I have never been able to match that taste. Maybe the love with which she prepares is missing in my Tambittu ;)

Tambittu

Ingredients
Rice: 1 cup
Roasted gram dal: 1 cup
Peanut: ½ cup
Poppy seeds: 2-3 tsp
White sesame seeds: 2-3 tsp
Grated dry coconut: 1 cup
Jaggery: 2 cups
Cashew nut: 2-3 tsp
Raisins: 2-3 tsp
Cardamom powder: 1 tsp
Ghee: 2-3 tsp

Jaggery syrup

Grinded mixture

Method
Dry roast rice till golden colour and allow it to cool. Dry roast peanuts and remove the skin. Dry roast white sesame seeds and poppy seeds separately and keep aside. Grind rice with roasted gram dal to a fine powder and keep aside. Coarsely grind dry coconut powder and add it to the rice powder. Roast cashew nut and raisins in ghee till golden brown and add to the rice powder. Add peanuts, cardamom powder, poppy seeds, white sesame seeds and mix well. Add the jaggery syrup slowly and see if you are able to make balls from the dough. The dough should not be too tight or too loose. Make laddus when the dough is still warm. Laddus taste better when cooled.

Chicken Nuggets

2011-10-02T08:37:00.000+03:00

Ingredients

Boneless chopped chicken: ½ kg

Pepper powder: 1 tsp

Ginger-garlic paste: 2 tsp

Chopped onion: 1 cup

All-purpose flour: ½ cup

Bread crumbs: 1 cup

Egg: 1

Oil: For frying

Salt: To taste

Method
Add ginger-garlic paste, pepper powder, onion and salt to chicken pieces and mix well. Grind this mixture in chopper to mince it. Keep in refrigerator for an hour so that it sets well.

Make small balls from the mixture and press them with your palms to give them nugget shape.

Beat the egg and keep it aside. Coat the nuggets in all-purpose flour and dip them in beaten egg and coat them again in bread crumbs.

Heat oil in a pan and deep fry nuggets till golden brown. Serve hot with tomato ketchup.

Stuffed Brinjal Curry

2011-10-01T12:05:00.000+03:00

Ingredients

Brinjals: 5-6

Chopped onion: 1 cup

Tamarind paste: 2-3 tsp

Jaggery: 1 tsp

Turmeric: ¼ tsp

Red chili powder: ½ tsp

Asafoetida: ¼ tsp

Salt: To taste

Mustard seeds: 1 tsp

Curry leaves: 2-3 springs

Chopped coriander leaves: 2-3 tsp
Oil: 5-6 tsp

For stuffing

Peanut: 1 cup

Dry coconut: ¼ cup

Niger seeds: 5-6 tsp (If you don’t get them, you can use black sesame, but taste will change)

Red Chilies: 8-10

Urad dal: 1 tsp

Channa dal: 1 tsp

Jeera: 1 tsp

Coriander seeds: 1 tsp

Cinnamon: 1 inch

Fenugreek seeds: 5-6 seeds

Stuffed brinjal curry

Stuffing powder

Stuffed brinjals

Method

Dry roast all the stuffing ingredients one by one, and after roasting peanuts, remove the skin. Grind all the roasted ingredients and make a coarse powder. Add salt, asafoetida and tamarind paste, mix well and keep aside.

Take each brinjal and make slits but not all the way through. If you want, you can keep the stem or remove it, I prefer keeping them. Stuff the prepared mixture into the slit brinjals carefully without breaking them.

Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and curry leaves. When they splutter, add onion and sauté for a minute. Add the stuffed brinjals carefully and fry all the sides till the colour of them changes. Add the remaining stuffing mixture on the brinjals and add turmeric powder, jaggery, red chili powder and salt to taste and add 1-2 cups of water. Mix carefully and close the lid. Cook the brinjals for 15minutes on a low flame stirring carefully occasionally. Remove from heat and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with roti or chapati.

Masoor Dal Pakora

2011-09-29T09:55:00.000+03:00

Ingredients

Masoor Dal: 1 cup

Chopped onion: 1 cup

Chopped coriander: ½ cup

Chopped green chilies: 2-3 tsp

Ginger paste: 1 tsp

Salt: To taste
Oil: For deep frying

Masoor dal pakora

Soaked masoor dal

Coarsely grinded masoor dal

Mixture ready for frying

Method

Soak masoor dal for 3-4 hours, drain and grind it with green chilies without adding water. Add chopped onion, chopped coriander, ginger paste and salt to the paste and mix well. Heat oil in a pan and make small balls from the mixture and deep fry the pakoras till golden brown. Serve hot with tomato sauce.

Falafel

2011-09-28T09:33:00.000+03:00

Ingredients
Dried chickpeas: 1 cup
Dried fava beans: ½ cup
Chopped onion: 1 cup
Chopped parsley: 3-4 tsp
Chopped coriander: 3-4 tsp
Garlic cloves: 5-6
Coriander powder: 1 tsp
Red chili powder: 1 tsp
Cumin powder: ½ tsp
All-purpose flour: 2 tsp
Salt: To taste
Oil: For frying

Falafel stuffed in pita bread

Soaked chickpeas

Soaked fava beans

Mixture

Falafel

Method
Soak chickpeas and fava beans overnight. Drain chickpeas and fava beans and grind it with garlic, onion, coriander, parsley, cumin, coriander powder, salt and chili powder, without adding water. Transfer the thick mixture to a bowl and add all-purpose flour. Mix everything well and make small balls from the mixture and slightly flatten them between your palms. Deep fry them in oil till golden brown and serve falafels hot.

I serve falafels sometimes as an appetizer with hummus and tahini and often I stuff it in pita bread along with lettuce, tomatoes, tahini, salt and pepper. Yesterday evening, I used them instead of patties and served them in burger and my hubby loved it :)

You can follow tahini recipe here: http://arjunpurikitchen.blogspot.com/2011/09/hummus-and-tahini.html

Sesame Noodles

2011-09-27T09:35:00.000+03:00

Ingredients

Spaghetti noodles: 200 gm

Chopped spring onion: 1 cup

Sliced capsicum: ½ cup

Sesame seeds: ¼ cup

Soy sauce: 4-5 tsp

Sesame oil: 2-3 tsp

Canola oil: 2-3 tsp

Vinegar: 2 tsp

Red chili flakes: 2 tsp

Salt: To taste

Method

Cook spaghetti till tender according to the directions mentioned on the package. Drain, rinse in cold water, add 1 tablespoon of oil and set aside.

Dry roast sesame and keep aside. Whisk soy sauce, sesame oil, canola oil, vinegar, red chili flakes and salt.

Heat one tablespoon of oil in a pan and add spring onion and capsicum, sauté for a minute and add whisked soy mixture. Add noodles and toss well. Remove from the heat and add roasted sesame. Garnish with spring onion before serving.

Cucumber Dip

2011-09-26T13:10:00.000+03:00

Ingredients

Cucumber: 4 (Peeled, seeded and grated)
Cream: 1 cup

Yogurt: 1 cup

Chopped spring onion: ¼ cup

Chopped mint leaves: 1 tsp

Chopped dill: 1 tsp

Chopped coriander: 1 tsp

Pepper powder: ½ tsp

Salt: To taste

Method
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and garnish with coriander leaves. This dip goes well with pita bread, chips and even with rice.

Veg Fried Rice

2011-09-25T09:51:00.000+03:00

Ingredients

Basmati rice: 1 cup

Chopped carrot: ¼ cup

Chopped beans: ¼ cup

Chopped capsicum: ¼ cup

Chopped spring onion: ¼ cup

Minced ginger and garlic: 2 tsp

Slit green chili: 2

Soy sauce: 2 tsp

Vinegar: 2 tsp

Oil: 2-3 tsp

Salt: To taste

Sesame oil: 1 tsp

Hot sauce: 2 tsp

Coriander leaves: 1 tsp

Method

Cook Basmati rice and spread the rice on a plate and allow it to cool.

Heat oil in a pan and add beans and carrot stirring for 3-4 minutes. Add capsicum, spring onion, ginger, garlic, green chili and salt and cook till the vegetables are just tender and it took me 2 minutes. Add the cooked rice, soy sauce and vinegar to the pan and sauté for 30 seconds.

Remove from the heat, add sesame oil and hot sauce and stir well.Garnish with coriander leaves.

Crispy Noodles

2011-09-24T14:01:00.000+03:00

Ingredients

Rice noodles: 100 gms

Paneer: 1 cup, cut into strips
Oil: For deep frying

For Sauce
Chopped garlic: 1 tsp

Chopped onion: ½ cup

Soy sauce: 2 tsp
Sugar: 2 tsp
Lemon juice: 2 tsp
Vegetable stock: 1 cup

Chilli powder: 1 tsp

Olive oil: 2-3 tsp

Salt: To taste

For Garnishing
Diced cabbage: 1 cup
Bean sprouts: ¼ cup
Chopped spring onion: 1 cup

Boiled cauliflower florets: ½ cup

Slit red chilli: 2

Method
Heat oil and deep fry the noodles till crisp, drain and keep aside. Deep fry paneer till crisp, drain and keep aside.

To prepare sauce, heat olive oil in a pan, add garlic and onion and sauté till onion turns translucent. Add soy sauce, sugar, lemon juice, stock and salt and stir till the mixture starts to thicken. Add the fried paneer, chilli powder and mix well. Add the fried noodles, just before serving.

Serve garnished with the cabbage, bean sprouts, spring onion and cauliflower and top with the slit red chilli.

Stir Fried Vegetables

2011-09-22T14:36:00.000+03:00

Ingredients
Cubed cabbage: 1 cup

Cubed carrot: 1 cup

Baby corn: 1 cup

Mushroom: 1 cup

Broad beans: 1 cup

Cauliflower florets: 1 cup

Cubed capsicum: 1 cup

Oil: 2-3 tsp

Soya sauce: 2-3 tsp

Ginger, garlic and chilli paste: 2-3 tsp

Roasted sesame seeds: 3-4 tsp

Pepper powder: 1 tsp

Salt: To taste

Method

Fry the vegetables on high heat for 5 minutes. Add soy sauce and chilli paste. Add the roasted sesame seeds, pepper powder and salt and sauté well till all the vegetables are coated well. Serve hot with rice or rotis.

Cauliflower 65

2011-09-21T18:23:00.000+03:00

Trust me when I came across the word Chicken 65 for the first time, I was thinking how a single person can eat so many pieces! But later realised it's just the name and god knows why they gave that name to that dish. So thinking about that yesterday I had prepared Cauliflower 65 and here goes the recipe.

Ingredients

Cauliflower florets: 2 cups
Maida: ¼ cup

Besan: 2 tsp

Ginger-garlic paste: 1 tsp

Ajinomoto: A pinch

Salt: To taste

Red chilli powder: 1 tsp

For Seasoning
Mustard seeds: 1 tsp

Cumin seeds: 1 tsp

Chopped onion: 1

Green chillies: 3

Curry leaves: 2 springs

Chopped coriander: 2-3 tsp

Method

Boil the cauliflower florets in salt water for 5-6 minutes. Drain and keep aside.

Prepare batter by mixing besan, maida, salt, ginger-garlic paste, chili powder and ajinomoto by adding sufficient amount of water. Let the batter be neither thick nor thin. Dip each florets in the batter and deep fry till golden brown.

Heat 2 tsp of oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, chopped green chillies, onion and sauté for a minute. Add the fried cauliflower pieces to the seasoning mixture and mix well. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with tomato ketchup.

Potato Wedges

2011-09-20T09:11:00.001+03:00

Ingredients

Potatoes: 2-3

Oil: 2 tsp

Crushed garlic: 1 tsp

Garam masala: 1 tsp
Coriander powder: 1 tsp

Chilli powder: 1 tsp

Pepper powder: ½ tsp

Salt: To taste

Method

Peel and cut potatoes into wedges. Cook in water adding little salt till slightly soft. Drain and pat dry. Prick gently with a fork on each wedge and keep aside. Mix oil and all the seasoning together and add it to the potatoes. Toss wedges gently so that each wedge is coated evenly. Transfer to a baking tray and roast in microwave oven till golden brown and crisp. Serve with hot and sweet sauce.

Crispy Cauliflower

2011-09-19T09:25:00.001+03:00

Ingredients

Cauliflower florets: 4 cups

Salt: To taste
Turmeric powder: 1 tsp
Maida: 1 cup

Ajwain: 1 tsp
Lemon juice: 1 tsp

Yoghurt: ½ cup

Ginger-garlic paste: 3-4 tsp

Garam masala: 1 tsp

Red chilli powder: 2 tsp
Finely chopped coriander: 3-4 tsp

Finely chopped green chillies: 3-4 tsp

Oil: To fry

Method

Boil water and add salt, turmeric powder and cook cauliflower for 10 minutes. Drain and keep aside.

Take a bowl and mix maida, ajwain, lemon juice, yoghurt, ginger and garlic paste, garam masala, chilli powder and salt and prepare a thick batter.

Heat oil in a pan and dip each cauliflower in the batter, coat evenly and deep fry till golden brown. Garnish with green chillies and coriander before serving.

Baby Corn Manchurian

2011-09-18T09:23:00.000+03:00

Ingredients

Baby corn: 2 cups

Corn flour: 1 cup

Rice flour: ½ cup

Red chilli powder: 1 tsp

Ginger-garlic paste: 1 tsp

Salt: To taste

Oil: For deep fry

For Seasoning

Chopped spring onion: 1 cup

Sliced onion: 1 cup

Crushed garlic: 1 tsp

Soy sauce: 1 tsp

Hot sauce: 1 tsp

Tomato ketchup: 1 tsp

Ajinomoto: A pinch

Vinegar: 1 tsp

Olive oil: 2-3 tsp

Salt: To taste

Method

Cut baby corn length wise and cook for 5-6 minutes in boiling water adding little salt. Drain the corn and keep aside.

Add enough water and mix corn flour, rice flour, chilli powder, ginger-garlic paste and salt and prepare a batter which is neither thin nor thick. Dip cooked baby corn in the batter and deep fry till golden brown and drain on tissue towel.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large pan and add garlic, onion, spring onion and sauté till onion turns translucent. Add fried baby corn, and then add soy sauce, hot sauce, vinegar, salt, tomato ketchup and oregano one by one. Stir well and serve hot with tomato ketchup.

Veg Momos

2011-09-17T20:01:00.000+03:00

When my hubby told me that he wants something light for tonight’s dinner, I thought of preparing some Dim Sums. They are light and easy to prepare. I first tasted veg dim sums in 2003 in Bangalore. Trust me, I had not liked them, but had loved the chilli-garlic dip that was given with it. Those dumplings were not steamed properly and the dough was too thick. Later, I had them at a different Chinese restaurant and I absolutely loved them so much so that I started preparing them at home once in a while. The reasons are, they are light, can have lots of vegetables, less oily, steamed plus they are yummy. Dim Sum, a Cantonese delicacy which means “a little bit of heart”, originated in China hundreds of years ago. Oh, let me tell you one more thing, there is no difference between dim sums and momos except for the name! I usually prepare dim sums in three ways – deep fried, pan fried and steamed – depending on my mood and time available. I use different fillings at different times. Usually, I prepare vegetarian dim sums and depending on the availability, I use broccoli, radish, cabbage, cauliflower and sometimes even pineapple. Here is the recipe for veg dim sum I prepared for tonight’s dinner.

Steamed dim sums

Veg Dim Sum

Ingredients
For Dough

Maida: 1 cup

Salt: ¼ tsp

For Filling

Finely minced any mixed vegetables: ½ cup

Finely chopped onion: ¼ cup

Finely chopped garlic: 1 tsp

Vinegar: ¼ tsp

Pepper powder: ¼ tsp

Olive oil: 1 tsp

Salt: To taste

Method

Add enough water and salt to maida and prepare stiff dough and keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan, add onion and garlic and sauté well. Add vegetables and fry for 2-3 minutes. Remove from the flame and add salt, vinegar and pepper powder.

Roll the dough very thin and cut four inch circles with the help of a bowl.

Take a round, wet edges and place some vegetable filling in the centre, bring edges together to cover the filling and press to seal it and twist it lightly giving the shape of a dim sum.

Steam for about 10 minutes and serve hot with hot sauce.

Deep fried dim sums

Deep fried dim sums in a different shape ;)

Hakka Noodles

2011-09-17T10:54:00.000+03:00

Ingredients
Boiled hakka noodles: 2 cups

Dried red chillies: 2-3

Chopped spring onion: 1 bunch

Chopped capsicum: 1 cup

Finely chopped garlic: 2-3 tsp

Vinegar: 1 tsp

Salt: To taste

Olive oil: 2 tsp

Method
Crush red chillies and garlic coarsely. Heat oil in a pan and add crushed chilli and garlic and sauté well. Add capsicum and fry till tender. Add spring onion and fry for 2-3 minutes. Add noodles, salt and vinegar and mix well. Heat for a minute and serve with schezwan sauce or manchurian gravy.

Schezwan Sauce

2011-09-17T10:52:00.000+03:00

Ingredients
Sesame oil: ½ cup

Red chillies: 8

Finely chopped onion: 1

Finely chopped garlic: 2 tsp

Finely chopped ginger: 2 tsp

Chilli powder: 1 tsp

Corn flour: 4 tsp, mixed in a cup of water

Vinegar: 2 tsp

Soy sauce: 2 tsp

Chilli sauce: 2 tsp

Salt: 2 tsp

Method
Grind together the onions, garlic and ginger. Heat oil in a pan and add red chillies and sauté on high flame till they darken. Add the onions, garlic and ginger paste and stir fry over high heat till glossy. Add the corn flour mixture and bring to a boil. Lower the flame and add chilli powder, vinegar, soy sauce, chilli sauce and salt and mix well. Cook for another minute and transfer to a serving bowl.

Manchurian Sauce

2011-09-17T10:50:00.000+03:00

I love Chinese food and once in a while I keep preparing them at home. Since most of the Chinese recipes use Manchurian Sauce or Schezwan Sauce, I prepare them fresh at home and store in an air tight container in the refrigerator. They are simple and easy to prepare.

Ingredients

Corn flour: 6 tsp, mixed with 1 cup of water

Vinegar: 3-4 tsp

Salt: 3 tsp

Soy sauce: 3-4 tsp

Tomato puree: 1 cup

Ajinomoto: A pinch

Water: 2 cups

Method
Mix all the ingredients, bring to a boil and simmer for 5-6 minutes before transferring to a serving bowl.

Spicy Pasta

2011-09-16T16:05:00.000+03:00

Ingredients
Boiled pasta: 2 cups (I use Penne Rigate for this recipe)

Chopped garlic: 3-4 tsp
Chopped red chillies: 1 tsp

Broccoli: ½ cup
Grated Parmesan cheese: 2 tsp

Pepper powder: ½ tsp

Salt: To taste

Olive oil: 2-3 tsp

Method
Heat olive oil in a pan and sauté garlic. Add red chillies and season with pepper and salt. Add broccoli and sauté for two minutes. Add boiled pasta followed by Parmesan cheese. Cook for 2-3 minutes and serve hot.