Monday, 14 May 2012

Guacamole ( an organic/ healthy & easy snack)

Guacamole is an avocado-based sauce that originated with the Aztecs in Mexico. In addition to its use in modern Mexican cuisine it has also become part of American cuisine as a dip, condiment and salad ingredient. It is traditionally made by mashing ripe avocados with with sea salt. Some recipes call for tomato, onion, lime juice, chili, yogurt and/or additional seasonings. Hass avocado - The best avocado for making guacamole.  It is available all year round.  The skin turns from green to purplish-black when it becomes ripe.  
When it comes to good Guacamole. You will never find mayo, sour cream or anything else. I love guacamole, it's one of my favorite food. I use a simple recipe of avocado, sweet yellow onion, chopped tomatoes, cilantro, garlic salt and olive oil. I mash it all up with a potato masher, it's always a big hit. A tiny bit of lemon adds some mild zip to it. So friends without much ado lets start the recipe....








Serving : 2 people


Ingredients


1 large hass avocados
1 large red tomato finely chopped
1tblsp (lemon and lime) juiceor as per your taste
A handful fresh cilantro, chopped
1 cups red onion, finely chopped (I didn’t hav red onion so I used white one)
¼ cup capcicum/ jalapeno/serrano chiles seeded and finely chopped
1 teaspoons salt
A dash of freshly grounded black pepper
Tortilla chips, for serving


Directions:


Take all the ingredients in a bowl except avocado.




Cut the avocado in to 2 pieces. Remove the seed.





 Then just use a large kitchen spoon to scoop the avocado out.

Using a potato masher/ fork , mash avocados with all the ingredients (written above) in a small bowl. 








Mix well. Your tasty guacamole is ready to serve now..Serve with tortilla chips.
U can also use this for healthy sandwich...





Tips to keep your guacamole fresh:


Adding the lemon juice does help a bit, but your biggest enemy is air. Once guacamole is made, place in airtight container, but don't just use the lid that goes with it. Take a piece of plastic wrap and use the plastic wrap to press down and compress the guacamole to try and squeeze any air poclets out of it, then make sure plastic wrap completely covers all of surface of guacamole, the place lid on top of that. Keeping air out will prolong the greeness of your guacamole.
Minced garlic is a great addition to homemade guacamole too.


sending this to Bon Vivant #4 - Fruit Recipes  hosted by http://sumeesculinary.blogspot.com







Wednesday, 2 May 2012

Turkey keema


Turkey keema..oHH awesome taste.. I am so glad that I tried out this dish, because I absolutely loved it. I used Home made garam masala in this dish .. Ingredients of keema in South Asia usually include minced meat, ghee/oil/butter, onions, garlic, and ginger together with spices including cinnamon, bay leaves, and cloves.  Some varieties may include peas (matar) and/or liver (kaleji). Oftentimes, to give it enhanced richness, the keema is cooked in ghee instead of oil..Keema can be made from almost any meat, can be cooked by stewing or frying, and can be formed into kebabs. Keema is also used as a filling for samosas or naan.. This is how I make my Keema.



INGREDIENTS :
1 pound ground turkey
 2 onion roughly chopped   
1-2 green chilly chopped
1 large  tomato  chopped 
Cumin coriander powder- 1tsp each
1 ½ tblsp Ginger garlic paste
 1/2 cup green peas   (optional) (I didn’t add)
4 to 5 tbs mustard oil / refined oil/ butter
 1 tbs chilli powder  or as per your tatse
salt as per taste
 turmeric powder- ½ tsp
1 tsp kasoori methi
Chopped coriander leaves
Whole garam masala- 2 cardamom , 2 bay leaves & 1” long cinnamon stick
For Garam masala  powder -2 cloves , 2 cardamom , cinnamon stick ( dry roast everything and make a fine powder)
Eggs - 3-4 nos(boiled) (Optional) for garnishing..( I didn’t add)

Method :
In a big bowl take the cleaned ground turkey & add turmeric powder, salt, chilli powder & 1tblsp thick curd.mix well & keep it for half an hour.
 In a large deep frying pan, heat the oil over moderate heat .Add whole garam masala. Then add green chillis and chopped onions and saute till the onions turn transparent. Then add , chilli powder  and kasoori methi ,fry for 5 sec.
Add the ginger garlic paste and sauté for 3-4 minutes , then add tomatoes and cumin coriander powder . Fry until oil separates. Add the ground turkey and cook on high flame  for 4-5 mts. Stir in between.
Add the freshly grounded garam masala pwd and salt and combine well.  cover the pan with a lid. Cook for another 10-15 mts on medium flame until the meat is cooked  .
At last add the peas & Stir & Simmer until the peas are just done, about 2 minutes. Turn off heat. add garam masala pwd. After 3-4 mts, remove lid & mix them well.
Cut few pieces of egg lengthwise and keep aside for garnishing. Garnish with coriander leaves and the eggs.Now Serve hot with rotis/ naan/ kulcha or white steamed rice.


Tuesday, 1 May 2012

Bread Uthapam


This is a very easy, quick &  delicious breakfast preparation. I had never tasted this bread uttapam anywhere but one week before my friend told me ab8 this recipe.. I searched in youtube & got this recipe .Today moring I made this for breakfast & believe me it was delicious ......:)
Let us see how it goes to get it done..








Ingredients:


Few slices of bread
1/2 cup sooji 
1 cup curd
a pinch of hing
red chilly powder- ½ tsp
jeera/ cumin seeds- 1tsp (optional)
a pinch of baking soda
salt to taste, 
1 cups of chopped green chillies, coriander (optional), grated carrot, green bellpepper, cabbage , tomato (optional), onion..

Method:


Mix the sooji, curd, hing , baking soda and salt in a bowl. Keep for an hour. 
After an hour, add all the veggies  to the curd mixture. Add cumin seeds & red chilli powder. Mix well.


 Take the bread slices in your hand..



Spread the mixture on one side of  each bread slices. 

Heat  tava , apply little butter. 
Then fry the bread slices with the mixture side down.



 Fry for 2 minutes. 
Flip and fry the other side till light brown colour.



..Serve hot with tomato sauce.





sending this to CFK Cabbage  hosted by http://pumpkinfarmfood.blogspot.com


Balusahi

Badushahs (also spelled Bhadushah) are made from a stiff dough made with all purpose flour & ghee. One-inch-diameter, 1⁄2-inch-thick discs are shaped with hands, fried in ghee or oil and dunked in thick sugar syrup so that there is a sugar coating. They are very sweet, but tasty with a slightly flaky texture. They are said to exhibit the traits of Mughal cuisine, possibly reflecting the trade and territorial relationships of the Mughal empire with the south. 



Balushahi is not just other dessert recipe, this is one of the royal desserts and really can be said as king of the kings, the taste will b superb if you will fry the balusahi pieces in pure desi ghee.. the dish can be kept for a longer time up to 3 weeks after preparation, so lets move on and prepare Balushahi.....






  




Ingredients :


Refined flour/ Maida ( flour)- 500 gm/ 4cup
Desi Ghee- 3/4 cup 150 gm
Curd - 1/2 cup
Soda -1/4 tsp
Cardamom powder -1/4 tsp
Ghee/ refined oil- deep fry
Salt a pinch
Almonds/ pistachios finely chopped 7-8 nos
For sugar Syrup :
Sugar- 1 ½  cup
Water- 1 cup


Method :


Mix maida and ghee, then rub the mixture thoroughly in ghee.




Now, add curd, salt & soda to it and mix. 
Make stiff dough and cover it and keep aside in a cool place for 15 min. 


After a while, make small round balls around 1" diameter, ½ inch thick; let the sides of the balusahi pieces little bit rough so that the while frying the oil can go inside.. press the balls to make them flat and then make a depression in the centre (to give it a typical Balushahi shape).











Take a kadai/ pan and heat ghee/ oil for deep frying; the oil should not be more hot..then put Balushahi pieces into the ghee one after another.

Fry it at low flame and Turn the pieces when they will float in oil..now fry the Balushahis till they become light brown in colour. It may take 10-15 mins to fry.


Repeat the same for all Balushahi pieces.
Drain the pieces, cool a bit .
Now make the sugar syrup till it reaches a two-string consistency ..


and then put the balusahi pieces into the sugar syrup. Allow to soak for 10-15 minutes. 





Remove and keep on a plate to drain excess syrup. Allow the sugar to set. Decorate the Balusahi pieces with the chopped almond & pistachios.





Tips: Tastes delicious if you will fry the Balusahi in Desi ghee ..

Thursday, 26 April 2012

Spicy Chicken Masala (dry)


Its a traditional chicken recipe, which is done with a slight variation, easy to cook, and taste delicious.. This spicy rich in colour, mouth watering dish will make a perfect companion to different dishes lik paratha/ phulki , even dosas or hot steamed rice.
Yummm..This Spicy chicken masala made me hungryyy. I learned this recipe form one of my friend and tried this @ home...I was pleasantly surprised with the results. Tasted like mom’s cooking!!! Just PERFECT! It looks great n simple..great to taste too. MOST OF ALL I WAS ABLE 2 IMPRESS MY HUSBAND . HE JUST LOVD IT AND IS ASKING ME 2 MAKE IT AGAIN....so friends lets learn how to make this yummy umm recipe ....







Ingredients:


Chicken 750 gm
Oil- 3tblsp
Chillipower- 1tsp or as per your taste
Salt as per taste
2-3 cardamom
1 bay leaf
Thick Curd- 2 tblsp
Haldi/ turmeric powder- 1tsp
2-3 medium size onion chopped
Coriander leaves for garnishing


For masala:
Shredded coconut 2tblsp
Kaji/ cashews- 1tblsp
Green chilli- 2 nos
Ginger- 1” long
Garlic- 4-5 cloves
Whole garam masala ( cinnamon, cardamom, cloves-3-4)


Method:


Cut & clean the chicken pieces. Marinate the chicken with salt, haldi , chiili powder & curd for 1 hour.
Then grind the above ingredients which are given for masala...keep aside.
Take a pan. Heat oil. Add bayleaf & cardamoms..
Then add the onions. Sauté till they becomes light brown in colour. Then add the previously done grinded masala paste. & mix well. sauté for 5-7 min. Till masala done & oil separates from masala.
Then add the marinated chicken pieces & mix well. sauté for 15-20 mins. Chicken will release water..Cover a lid let it cook in it’s own juice. If required sprinkle some water with your hands so that the masala will not stick in the bottom. Cook for another 15-20 min. Keep stirring occasionally & check if the chicken is well cooked . If you want it to be more soft, cook them  for some more time.
You can add some garam masala if you want. 





Garnish with coriander leaves & njoy with rice/ pollau/ roti/ chapatti...



sending this to Chicken Feast hosted by http://www.myspicykitchen.net
sending this to Food on Friday – Asian Food hosted by http://caroleschatter.blogspot.co.nz



Pomfret fish curry








Ingredients:




Pomfret Fish   1 lb
mustard Oil  1 tblsp
Salt as per taste
Chillypowder- 1tsp
Haldi- ½ tsp
Onion chopped 2-3 nos.
Tomatoes chopped  2-3 nos ( grind it & make a paste)
Ginger  & Garlic paste- 1tblsp
Green Chillies chopped- 2nos.
coriander –cumin powder 1 tsp each
Garam masala 1 teaspoon
Fresh coriander leaves for garnish




Method:


Wash the fish and remove all the fins and scales by a knife.
Then slice it into big chunks. Apply little turmeric powder & salt over the fish and keep aside.
Now in a pan fry onion in oil till golden brown. add ginger garlic paste & fry till oil separates from masala. 
Then add the fish pieces. Mix well. then add freshly made tomato puree and Make gravy by adding desired amount of water. Adjust salt.
Cook on medium flame for 10-15 min till fish is well cooked. Garnish with fresh chopped coriander leaves & serve hot with steam rice.....





Friday, 20 April 2012

Healthy tasty Lemon Oats




Ingredients:

Oats 1 cup
onions- 2 medium size Chopped
Lemon juice- 1tblsp ( as per ur taste)
Haldi  powder  ½  tsp
Red chilly powder- ½ tsp
Channa dal 1 tsp
Roasted peanuts (handful)
Refined oil 2 tblsp
Mustard seeds ½  tsp
Curry leaves (handful)
Hing a pinch
Red chilli crushed 2 nos.
Salt  as per the taste
Water 1 cup
Method:
Heat oil in a pan .Splutter the mustard seeds.
 Add channa dal & roasted peanuts. Fry for 1min. Add hing, curry leaves, red chillies & chopped onions. Sauté for 1-2 min till onions are soft.
Add water when water starts boiling add haldi powder  & red chilly powder to the boiling water.
Then add the  lemon juice & salt. Mix properly.  Then add the oats and mix well.
Cook for another 1-2 minutestill oats becomes soft in medium a flame.  Serve hot.