Creamy penny pasta

Penny pasta tossed with lots of veggies, herbs & light creamy sauce.





Ingredients:
1 ½ cup penny pasta 
2 tblsp butter/ oilve oil
1 tsp garlic powder
1 cup sliced onion/ capcicum/ carrots/ cabbage/olives / broccoli (U can add whatever veg. U like)
2 tblsp  all purpose flour
Milk- 1cup
Salt as per the taste
¼ tsp crushed black pepper
1tsp of red chilly flakes
1tsp of oregano
U can add bite size roasted chicken pieces too (optional)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Method:

Boil the pasta as per the instruction. Drain all the water from pasta. Heat butter/ olive oil in a pan. Cook the  veggies till slight brown in clr & crispy. Keep aside.

Take a small bowl. Add flr & 4tblsp milk to it. whisk it to avoid lumps.
Heat a pan. Melt butter. Add milk & when it start boiling add the whisked flour & milk mix. Stir continuously to avoid lumps. Add red chilli flakes, garlic powder, crushed black pepper, salt & oregano .
U can add some cheese to the boiled milk. Let the cheese melt. 


Then add the boiled pasta & stir fried veggies to it. Mix well. now your pasta is ready to serve.. serve hooooootttt..:P
Note: Instead of garlics u can sprinkle garlic salt / grated garlic too.

Daal Puri

 Ingredients:

For stuffing:

Toor/ Arhar dal- 1 cup boiled (should be cooked, but not mashed up. Drain water) 
Green chillies-1 chopped
Ginger 1 tsp grated
Hing, asafoetida- a pinch
Cumin seeds- ½ tsp
Salt as per the taste
Red chilly powder- ½ tsp or as per your taste
Coriander leaves -1 tblsp finely chopped
1 tsp - Coriander powder
chilli flakes- ½ tsp
pinch of sugar(optional)
1/2 tsp - Red chili powder

For dough:

2 cup - Whole wheat flour
1 tbsp - Oil / Ghee
Water to knead the dough

Method

To make dough :

Mix flour, oil and salt properly. Then slowly add water . Knead the dough well.The dough should be lil bit hard  as compared to chapati dough. Rest the dough for 15 minutes. Cover with a damp muslin cloth or paper towel.

For filling:

Make a paste of boiled daal by using a blender without adding water. Heat oil in a pan. Add hing & cumin seeds. Let it splutter. Then add grated ginger & green chillies. Sauté for 10-15 sec. Add turmeric powder, red chilly powder, chilli flakes & coriander leaves. Sauté for 15 secs. Then add the  dal paste, coriander powder, sugar and salt to taste. Mix in well for 1-2 min till the daal mixture becomes dry & it will not stick to the pan. Now your daal stuffing is ready. keep the filling aside. Let it cool in room tempr. after cooling break all the lupms from the dal so that it will be easy to roll.



 Again knead the dough to get a soft dough.  Make equal size small small balls from the dough.  Roll the dough into 3-inch diameter circles .Whenever the dough sticks to the rolling pin or rolling surface, lightly apply some oil on both sides of the semi-rolled puri. Place the stuffing in the center with the help of a spoon.

Seal by pulling the edges of the rolled dough together to make a balls. Lightly press the balls with your palms.

Applying oil on the both sides of the balls roll them light handed in to round shape small puris. 



Heat oil in a deep pan, put the puri very gently to the hot oil & pressing it lightly fry the puri till light brown spots appears on both sides & puri turn to light brown colour nd crispy. 
Serve hot with any curry/ curd.

Cholle Panner w/o Onion garlic

Ingredients:

Chickpeas/ cholle - 1 cup soaked
paneer- 150gmcut in cubes
1 large size tomato – boil for 1-2 min remove the skin & make fine paste
Salt to taste
2 bayleaves, 2 cardamoms, 1" long cinnamon stick
2tsp- ginger & green chilli paste
refined oil - 2 tblsp
Cumin seeds- 1tsp
Sugar – a pinch
Coriander-cumin powder- 1tsp
Garam masala powder- 1tsp
Dried fenugreek leaves/ kasturi methi- 1tblsp
Turmeric powder- 1tsp
Red chlli powder- 1-2 tsp as per your taste
Coriander leaves chopped for garnishing

Method:

Pressure cook the chickpeas with water & salt till the peas becomes soft.

Take a kadai/pan. Heat 1tblsp Oil. Add the paneer pieces & fry till they turns to light brown in colour. turn of the flame. keep them aside.
Again heat the pan. add  bayleaves, crushed cardamoms, cinnamon stick. Then add cumin seeds .
When they start crackling add dried fenugreek leaves. Fry for some time thn add ginger & green chilli paste..stir it for 1-2 min. Then add the tomato paste. Add  turmeric powder , red chilli powder & coriander cumin powder. Stir till the masala is done. 



Then  pour the boiled peas. Mix well. adjust salt ,add a pinch of sugar to it & mix well. add 1 cup of water to it. let it boil  for 4-5 min. till the gravy become thick. add the fried paneer pieces. mix well. switch off the flame. 
Add garam masala powder. cover with a lid for 5-10 min. Then mix well & add chopped coriander leaves. Goes well with puri/ chapatti/ paratha..

Methi Thepla

Ingredients:

One cup of whole wheat flour
One cup of chopped fresh fenugreek leaves (methi leaves)
2-3 green chilli chopped
1tsp grated ginger (optional)
1tsp cumin seeds & nigella seeds
1tsp red chilli flakes (optional)
A pinch of hing/ asafoetida 
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
2 tsp cumin/ coriander powder
Salt as per the taste
1tblspoon gram flour
Butter milk for kneading

Method :

In a flat bowl mix  chopped methi leaves, grated ginger, green chilli, cumin & nigella seeds, red chilli flakes & all the spice powders & salt.  Add wheat flour & besan/ gram flr to it. 
Slowly pour buttermilk to the flour & knead well till it becomes a soft pliable dough.



 Let the dough sit for half an hour. Now make even size small round balls from the dough and roll them with a rolling pin into a round shape. Heat a tawa and place the thepla on it. 
First roast one side then turn the thepla. Drizzle  some oil over it and cook each sides till it turns golden brown. Repeat the same with other theplas. 

Serve hot with pickle and curd. I served the theplas with chickpeas curry.

Note: You can add grated garlic while kneading the dough..It will give a nice aroma to the thepla.

Bhendi Bhaja/ Okra stir fry

Ingredients:-

Okra/ bhindi/ ladiesfinger - 200 gm  (wash ,peel & cut in small size pieces)
 Potatoes  large size 1-2 nos (Wash peel & cut potatoes rectangular shape ) (optional)
cumin seeds -1tsp each
Red chillies 2-3
Haldi powder ½ tsp
Mustard Oil 2-3tsp
Onion chopped/ sliced 2-3 nos
1tsp ginger garlic paste
Salt as per the taste

Procedure:-

Heat Oil on a kadhai. Add Mustard Oil. Add cumin seeds . let it crackle. Add red chillies. Then add chopped onions & saute it for 1 min.Then add  the cut poato & okra .Fry it for for 2-3 min. 
 Add Salt and haldi powder. Mix well & cover the lid for 3-4 min till they are 90%done. 
Remove the lid .Then stir for another 5-7 minutes till they become soft & light brownish in colour.
 Switch off the flame.Your bhaja is ready. Serve it with any type of parathas/ roti/ rice & daal.


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Kancha Amba Khata (Khata meetha Aam)

Ingredients:

2 large size Raw mango (cut into cube size pieces)
1 tbsp grated ginger
Curry leaves a few
1 tsp Roasted fenugreek seed powder
1 tsp  Roasted cumin powder
1 tsp  Cinnamon powder 
2-3 red chilies
2 bay leaves
1 tsp pancha phutan (mustard-cumin-fenugreek seeds-nigella seeds-saunf)
1/2 cup grated  jaggery (u can add more if u want more sweetness)
1/4 tsp haldi/ turmeric powder
Refined Oil 1tblsp
Red chilli powder- 1tsp
Hing/ Asafoetida-  a pinch
Salt 
1tblsp shredded coconut for garnishing

Method:

Heat a kadai. Add 1cup of water. Add the mango pieces to the boiling water. Let it boil for 2-3 min till soft. Drain & U can use the water for further use.
Heat oil in a pan. Add Asafoetida, bay leaves, red chilies ,pancha phutan and let them splutter.
Add curry leaves & grated ginger and fry it for 2 minutes.
Add boiled mango pieces, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, salt, and mix it properly until mango becomes light brown in colour. Then add 1/2 cup of water, add jaggery and cover the pan over a medium heat until the mangos are properly cooked. Add roasted cumin/ fenugreek seeds powder & garam masala. switch off the flame. Garnish with shredded coconut. 
Serve with Rice & dal.

Muga dalma (Orissa special) without onion garlic ମୁଗ ଡାଲମା

Dalma is a famous recipe of Odisha. Whatever is the occasion dalma  is must in an Odia Kitchen. My mom makes  super dalma & I just love it...Here in US I m missing my maa made dalma..It is a very simple nd healthy recipe. (verities of vegetables & daal cooked together & seasoned with hot ghee & the most important part is to sprinkle some roasted jeera lanka (cumin & red chilli powder). You can find the recipe here...
Well after lots of drooling lets come to the main point…..how to make them?

Ingredients:

Roasted moong dal- 1 1/2 cup
Pumpkin -1 cup cut into cubes
Brinjal -1 cup cut into cubes
medium size Raw Banana -1  cut into cubes
Papaya - 1/2 cup cut into cubes
large size Potato- 1 no peeled and cut into cubes
Raddish- 1/2 cup cut in to cubes
Tomato-1 medium size (cut in cubes)
1 tblsp: Pancha-phutana (Cumin seeds, Mustard seeds, Fennel seeds, Fenu greek seeds, Kala Jeera/ nigella seeds)
Dry Red Chillies- 3
Ginger grated- 1tblsp
Turmeric – 1tsp
2tblsp desi Ghee or Oil
1/2 tsp:-Sugar
Bayleaf- 2 nos
Salt to taste
2 tblsp Coconut, grated
Roasted jeera powder- 1tblsp

Method:

Take a deep vessel. Boil 4 cups of water and add moong dal, bay leaf, salt, grated ginger, turmeric powder and boil it until Dal is half cooked. Add all vegetables and cook until vegetables become soft. Switch off the flame.keep aside.(U can also add all veg daals & spices in a cooker & give 2-3 whistles)

Heat 2tblsp desi ghee  in a kadai. Crackle the panch-phutan, add redchillies and then add the cooked dal to it. Let it boil for 10-15 seconds. Add grated coconut &  Now the most important part is to sprinkle roasted cumin powder to it.
Mix well. Serve with hot steamed rice, ghee, sliced lemon, green chiili & salt....

Rawa Ladoo

Ingredients:

1  cup fine Rawa/ sooji
1 cup sugar
2-3 cloves Slightly crush
2 tblsp  raisins & cashew nuts
1 tsp cardamom powder
2tblsp grated coconut
½ cup milk
5-6 tblspn desi Ghee

Method:

Heat 2tblsp ghee in a kadai,  add cloves, raisins & cashew nuts. The cloves and raisins slightly puff up & kaju will become light brownish colour in hot ghee.

Add sooji and add 1tblsp ghee &  fry on medium heat mixing continuously till a nice aroma comes out of it & the sooji turns to light brownish in colour. Add grated coconut, sugar,cardamom powder  & again add 2 tblsp ghee to it. fry for  few minutes. Switch off the  flame & transfer it to a plate. let it sit for about 15 mins. take a small portion from the mixture add 1tblsp milk to the mixture & make the laddoos. Repeat the same procedure to make rest of the ladoos. keep the ladoos out side for at least one hour.Now it is ready to serve .store in a dry jar.



sending this to Navrathri 2012 hosted by http://enveetukitchen.blogspot.com

Gongura leaves daal

This Gongura is also known as sorrel leaves or ambadi. It is a leafy veg. That is tangy in flavor  This dal  is a another recipe from Andhra kitchen . Try this spicy, Irresistible, tongue tickling delicious  dal with hot steam rice.I m sure... u will love it...

Ingredients:

Gongura/ sorrel leaves chopped - 2 cups
Moong daal- 1 cup
Green chillis- 3-4 nos
Cumin seeds- 1tsp
Salt to taste
Red chilli powder- 1tsp
Turmeric powder- ½ tsp
Mustard seeds- 1tsp
Curry leaves- a handful
Dry red chillies- 2-3 nos
Refined Oil – 1tblsp

Method:

Boil sorrel leaves & drain water & keep aside. Grind the boiled leaves with green chilli, cumin seeds & make a paste. 
Boil moong dal in a pressure cooker till dal becomes soft. Mix the sorrel leaves paste to the dal (u can test the sourness while adding the dal. Don’t put more otherwise dal may become more sour)
Now for seasoning heat a tadka pan. Add oil to it. Add mustard seeds, dry red chillies, curry leaves. Let them splutter. Add turmeric powder & red chilli powder. Immediately pour the seasoning to the dal & mix well.  Garnish with coriander leaves.. (If u want onion in your daal you can just put big slices  of onion & grated garlic when doing the seasoning)


sending this to Favorite Recipes: Vegetarian Recipes hosted by http://www.zestysouthindiankitchen.com, Bon Vivant #9 Simply Sides hosted by http://sumeesculinary.blogspot.com

Bengali Mitha dahi/ Mishti Doi (Baked)

Hello Friends 

Happy Durga Puja to all of u..:)

May her blessings remove all obstacles from your path of life

as she removes the darkness from the universe....

So friends today's recipe is Puja special bangal Misthi dohi...It is a very popular dessert throughout Bengal & odisha . Mishti dohi ... yummm who doesn’t like this??? One day my friend Nivedita came to my house. She brought this mishti dohi for me. Have tasted this authentic dohi  in Odisha 4-5 yrs back & since then craving for it & after coming to US it was a dream for me..It tasted divine... was super delicious & my hubby became a big fan of this...He told me to learn the recipe from her & to make it. Then I just noted all the ingredients & tried @ home....wohhhh...super easy dessert & quick with minimum ingredients..U just hav to run to the market & bring some stuffs...heheh...It came out really nice...finger licking & toooo delicious....I have always wanted to make this but never know it was so simple - thanks Nivi for this lovely recipe...U r just a swtheart... Well after lots of drooling lets come to the main point…..how to make them?

so friends here is the recipe..:)

Ingredients:

1 can evaporated milk
1 can condensed milk
1 ½ cup of thick yogurt
1 ½ cup of milk
Cardamom powder- 1tblsp

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Boil the milk & then let it cool for some time. It should be in a room temperature.

Take a big bowl. Beat the curd so that there will be no lumps.


Then add condensed milk, evaporated milk & milk. Mix well & beat it for 1-2 min. Add cardamom powder & again mix well.




Transfer it to an oven safe square dish. I didn’t have square dish so I have used round bowl.



Now reduce the oven temperature to 200 degree F. Then place the dohi bowl inside the oven for 40-45 mins.



After 40 mins it should be bit thick in consistency. Then let it cool for some time & keep it in the refrigerator for over nite. After refrigerating the curd will be thick  like the below pic. 



Your mishti dohi is ready to serve now...Njoy the chilled mouthwatering dohi....
For those whoe doesn’t have oven they can follow this simple procedure.

Take a vessel/ large saucepan  add 1 ½  litre milk & 6 tblsp of sugar to it. Let it boil in the low flame till the volume is almost reduced to half. Take 3-4 tblsp of sugar with 3tblsp of water. Heat it till sugar melts & turn to dark brown in colour. Then add this sugar mixture to the boiling milk & again boil it for 10-15min in a low flame. After 5 mins.  Pour the milk to a bowl. Add 2tblsp of yogurt & 1tblsp cardamom powder.
 Mix it & Cover & keep it over night in a warm place. Then refrigerate it for another 3-4 hours & serve chilled. If you want u can add some chopped nuts to it.



sending this to Navrathri 2012 hosted by http://enveetukitchen.blogspot.com,
Diwali Bash hosted by http://cooksjoy.com,

Bake Fest #12 hosted by http://www.funandfoodcafe.com