Ragi pakora

Ragi is a healthy alternative to the regular cereals, but sometimes you want to attempt something other than the steamed stuff. I was pretty amused to find a recipe for deep fried ragi pakodas- seems almost a contradiction in terms- but they were absolutely amazing.

1 cup ragi flour

1/2 cups besan

12 large florets cauliflower

1 tsp pepper powder

2 sprig curry leaves

1 tbsp chopped cashew nuts

1 tsp sesame seeds

Salt to taste 

Oil for frying

Method:

Mix the dry ingredients well. Add water to make a partially loose batter (similar to idlis batter)

Cut the curry leaves into small pieces

Separate the florets into bite sized pieces

Add curry leaves, cashew nut and sesame seeds to the batter and mix  well. 

Heat the oil. Dip the florets in the batter and fry in the oil, turning around once so both sides are browned. 

Serve hot with a curd based dip. 

Matar paneer- rich, creamy version

We end up having a lot of osneer at home, so when I saw a recipe for a "quick" version of paneer masala which can be whipped up in a jiffy when visitors drop in unexpectedly, I was obviously interested. Unfortunately, the lady has very different standards when it comes to cooking- this turned out to be at least as involved (if not more so) than my regular version. But the dish was more than worth the effort. Definitely a recipe I'm going to use much more. 

200 gm paneer

1/2 cup peas

1 bay leaf

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp haldi powder

1 tsp dhania powder

1/2 tsp amchur powder

1 tsp kasoori methi

Salt and sugar to taste

A pinch of nutmeg 

1/2 cup milk

For gravy:

4 tomatoes, chopped

2 onions chopped

1 tbsp ginger garlic paste

1 inch piece cinnamon

2 green cardamom

10 cashew nuts

1/2 cup water

Method:

Pressure cook the ingredients listed under gravy for 20 minutes on sim after the first whistle

Cool. Discard cinnamon and cardamom and grind to a fine paste

Heat oil, add bay leaves, and sauté for a minute or two

Add paste, and dry spices, and sauté on a low flame till the oil starts leaving the sides

Add peas, milk, kasoori methi, salt and sugar, and cook for 5 minutes

Add paneer, bring to a boil, and turn off the flame

Serve with parathas or roti. 

Chicken korma with Khus Khus

I developed a sudden craving for khus khus tonight, and realised the best way to disguise it into food would be in a chicken korma. Modified it slightly, and the recipe worked really well.

1 kg chicken

1 tbsp curds

1 tsp ginger garlic paste

3 medium onions

2 medium tomatoes

2 tbsp ginger garlic paste

12 cashewnuts

1 tbsp khus khus

4 tsp dhania powder

2 tsp jeera powder

2 tsp red chilli powder

2 tsp garam masala powder

1 tsp kasoori methi

Salt to taste

2 tbsp oil

 

Whole spices:

1 bay leaf

1 inch piece cinnamon

1 star anise

1 large badi elaichi

Method:

Marinate the chicken in a mixture of curds, ginger garlic paste and salt for 1 hour.

Grind the onions with a little water till you get a fine paste. Keep aside.

Grind the tomatoes, cashew nuts and khus khus and keep aside.

Heat the oil, add the whole spices, and toss around for 30 seconds. 

Add onion paste, ginger garlic paste, and the dry spices. Fry on a low flame till the oil starts leaving the masala.

Add the tomato-cashew- khus khus paste, and mix well. Saute for about a minute till the raw smell goes.

Add the marinated chicken, allow it to come to a boil on a low flame, cover, and let it cook for 45 minutes. Every 15 minutes, stir it a bit so it doesn't stick. Do not add water.

Nutty peas delight

I've realised that vegetables go down much easier, if they are colourful, which prompted me to make this peas- pepper curry in a creamy gravy for dinner. You can bet every last bit was polished off.

4 pods of garlic, thinly sliced
2 inch piece - ginger, grated
1/2+1/2- yellow and red pepper, thinly sliced
2 1/2 - onions, thinly sliced
1 cup frozen peas
1 tbsp - ghee
1 cup milk
1 tsp - garam masala
Oil to sauté vegetables
3 tbsp flax seeds
6- 8 cashew nuts
1 tsp kasuri methi
1 tsp sugar
salt to taste

Method
Steam the peas for five minutes till slightly cooked. Keep aside.
Coarsely grind the flax seeds and cashew nuts (without water). Keep aside.
Heat the oil in a non stick pan, add the thinly sliced garlic, ginger, onions and pepper and saute for a minute on medium heat.
Add the coarsely ground nuts and cook for about a minute. Add the 1/2 cup of milk and cook until the milk evaporates.
Add the garam masala, salt, sugar and 1/2 cup of milk and bring it to a boil.
Add the peas and the kasuri methi and mix well.
Serve immediately. Goes best with hot rotis.

Chicken korma

I've been wanting to make a traditional chicken curry with a rich gravy for a really long time, and when the hubby asked for chicken korma, I thought it the perfect thing to make. It came out really well, and tasted even better the day after.

1 kg curry cut chicken

1 tbsp curds

1 tsp ginger garlic paste

3 medium onions

2 medium tomatoes

2 tbsp ginger garlic paste

12 cashewnuts

4 tsp dhania powder

2 tsp jeera powder

2 tsp red chilli powder

2 tsp garam masala powder

1 tsp kasoori methi

Salt to taste

2 tbsp oil

 

Whole spices:

1 bay leaf

1 inch piece cinnamon

1 star anise

1 large badi elaichi

Method:

Marinate the chicken in a mixture of curds, ginger garlic paste and salt for 1 hour.

Grind the onions with a little water till you get a fine paste. Keep aside.

Grind the tomatoes and cashew nuts and keep aside.

Heat the oil, add the whole spices, and toss around for 30 seconds. 

Add onion paste, ginger garlic paste, and the dry spices. Fry on a low flame till the oil starts leaving the masala.

Add the tomato-cashew paste, and mix well. Saute for about a minute till the raw smell goes.

Add the marinated chicken, allow it to come to a boil on a low flame, cover, and let it cook for 45 minutes. Every 15 minutes, stir it a bit so it doesn't stick. Do not add water.

Serve with parathas.

Tengai Sevai, without coconut

Kids fed, nothing left for me. No coconut or peanuts in the house, so sabudana khichadi out, as also poha. Brand new packet of rice vermicelli purchased, but one cannot really make coconut sevai without coconut. Or, can one? Maybe if it is dressed up differently?

1/3 cut vermicelli

1 sprig curry leaves

1/4 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp urad dal

1 red chilli

2-3 tbsp cashewnuts

ghee

salt to taste

Method

Cook vermicelli according to the instructions on the packet, keep aside

Heat ghee, temper with mustard seeds. Once they stop crackling add cashewnuts, urad dal, red chilli, and curry leaves and fry on low heat till they nuts are well browned.
Pour over the vermicelli, add salt to taste and stir well.
No, it is not coconut sevai, but it is close enough!

Basil chicken

After the success of the ginger chicken, I was dying to try out something else. When I saw the basil at the vegetable vendor's, I took that as a sign that I should make this basil chicken from MM's kitchen. And yes, it was lovely. Noodles with a dry chicken dish is going to become a regular at my place now!

Chicken, boneless thighs, 300 gm

Onion, sliced, 1 large

Bell peppers, 1” square pieces, as much or as little as you want ( I only had red)

Plain Cashew nuts, broken (so that Hubz feels I have added enough even though I haven’t), a handful and then some more!!

Garlic, sliced, 3-4 cloves

Dried red chilies, 4-5 (or fresh if you can find)

Basil leaves, about a cup

Dark Soy Sauce, 1 tbsp

Thai Chili paste, about 1 tbsp (if you don’t have this, soak some dried red chilies in water and then grind adding some vinegar and brown sugar)

Fish sauce, 1 tbsp

Brown Sugar, 1 tsp

Oil, 2 tbsp

- See more at: http://mmskitchenbites.blogspot.in/2013/05/cashew-chicken-with-basilhave-10.html#sthash.Y88XsoxD.dpuf

Chicken, boneless thighs, 300 gm

Onion, sliced, 1 large

Bell peppers, 1” square pieces, as much or as little as you want ( I only had red)

Plain Cashew nuts, broken (so that Hubz feels I have added enough even though I haven’t), a handful and then some more!!

Garlic, sliced, 3-4 cloves

Dried red chilies, 4-5 (or fresh if you can find)

Basil leaves, about a cup

Dark Soy Sauce, 1 tbsp

Thai Chili paste, about 1 tbsp (if you don’t have this, soak some dried red chilies in water and then grind adding some vinegar and brown sugar)

Fish sauce, 1 tbsp

Brown Sugar, 1 tsp

Oil, 2 tbsp

- See more at: http://mmskitchenbites.blogspot.in/2013/05/cashew-chicken-with-basilhave-10.html#sthash.Y88XsoxD.dpuf

Chicken, boneless thighs, 300 gm
Onion, sliced, 1 large
Bell peppers, 1" square pieces
Plain Cashew nuts, broken, a handful and then some more!!
Garlic, sliced, 3-4 cloves
Dried red chilies, 4-5 (or fresh if you can find)
Basil leaves, about a cup
Dark Soy Sauce, 1 tbsp
Thai Chili paste, about 1 tbsp (if you don't have this, soak some
dried red chilies in water and then grind adding some vinegar and
brown sugar)
Fish sauce, 1 tbsp
Brown Sugar, 1 tsp
Oil, 2 tbsp

Method:
Remove any excess fat and wash the chicken. Wipe dry and cut into bite
sized pieces.
Leave it to marinate with the chili paste, sugar, soy sauce and fish
sauce. Keep aside.
Soak the dried red chilies in a little warm water. When they go soft,
remove and cut diagonally into slightly large pieces. Keep aside.
Heat oil in a wok/large pan over the medium-high heat and add about a
teaspoon of oil. Add cashew nuts, and fry until golden then remove
from the pan and keep aside.
Wipe the pan clean and add the balance oil.
Add the chilies, garlic, onions and fry till onions go soft.
Add in the chicken with the marinade and toss around for a few minutes
on each side till is almost done. Add in bell peppers and half of the
basil leaves and mix well.
Cook till chicken gets done.
Check for seasonings and adjust to taste. Add in the fried cashews and
rest of the basil leaves. Mix well and serve over steamed rice.

Egg curry, with rich gravy

Normally, our diet is sadly lacking in eggs, but this was one of those weekends, when I'd stocked up on eggs, and the hubby chose to buy them too. We might eventually have consumed all of it, but how was I to store the eggs, when the fridge has only six slots for eggs? Egg curry to the rescue.
Instead of the regular stuff, I wanted to make the sinful version, but since I couldn't locate the recipe made up my own. Fingerlikingly good! So good in fact that I polished off the two eggs that were left over right after returning from my Sunday long run!

8 eggs, boiled

1 onion

1 tomato

1 tbsp khus khus, soaked for about 30 minutes

1 tbsp cashew nuts

1 tbsp kasuri methi

1 bay leaf

1 tsp jeera

salt to taste

1/3 cup milk

cooking oil

Fry the boiled eggs in a little cooking oil till slightly browned, make a few slits on the side, and keep aside

Chop the onion into small pieces, and fry on a low flame. When it starts turning transparent, add chopped tomatoes, and fry till onions are browned

Make a paste with onions+ tomatoes, khus khus, cashew nuts and kasoori methi.

Heat very little oil in the kadhai, add jeera and bay leaves, and stir around a few times. Add the ground paste, milk and salt to taste and bring to boil.

Add the eggs, and let it simmer for a minute or two. Turn off the fire, cover, and let the masala soak into the eggs.

Serve with chapatis

Cashew milk

I saw this lovely recipe for an East Indian desert using cashewnuts and milk, which looked like marzipan, but was softer, and wanted to try it out. Nothing about it seemed difficult, and I jumped into it with my normal enthusiasm. Unfortunately, I didn't know what "softball stage" meant and never thought to ask (I now know that if you put a blob in water, it should solidify), so I ended up with something that tasted good, but just didn't hold any form.
I thought I would have to bribe the kids into eating it, but at the last moment, remembered the "badam milk" that my mother makes. So I added the cashew paste to milk, and whisked it in the blender. The result was amazing!

500 ml full fat milk
200 gms sugar
50 gms cashewnut powder (cashew whirled in the mixie to get a powder)
1 tsp butter
Few drops of vanilla essence
 

Method

Boil the milk until reduced to half
Add sugar and cook until the mix thickens
Add the cashewnut powder and mix well
Cook until softball stage, add the butter, essence and mix well and let it cool.

When ready to serve, put 2 tbsp of the paste in 1 glass milk and whisk well.

Serve chilled.

Rich kofta curry

When I was young, my mother used to regularly make kofta curry using the papayas from our garden. I'll always retain a fondness for that, and somehow koftas made with lauki never seemed good enough.
But then I saw a raw papaya at my vegetable vendor, and decided to make koftas with it. Wanted to try out something new, and this is the result.

For koftas
half raw papaya grated

besan- I went by estimation- enough to bind, but not too much as to overpower the taste
1 tsp amchur

1/2 tsp haldi

1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp punjabi garam masala
oil for deep-frying
salt to taste

for The Gravy
2 medium onions, chopped

2 tbsp cashewnuts

1/2 tsp jeera
4-5 cloves garlic

1 inch piece ginger

2 green chillis

1/2 tsp dhania powder

1/2 tsp chilli powder

1/2 tsp haldi powder

4 medium tomatoes- chopped

1/2 tsp garam masala

3 tbsp fresh cream

oil

salt to taste

 

Method
For the koftas
Squeeze the grated papaya till all the water drains out.
Add the remaining ingredients, mix well and divide into 16 equal sized koftas.
Heat the oil in a pan and deep-fry the koftas 4 to 5 at a time till they are golden brown in colour.
Drain on absorbent paper and keep aside.
 

For the gravyHeat 1 tablespoon of the oil in pan, add the cashewnuts and sauté till they turn golden brown.
Heat the remaining oil in the same pan and add the jeera. When they crackle, add the onions and sauté till they turn translucent.
Add the garlic, ginger and green chillies ad sauté for another minute.
Add the coriander powder, chilli powder, turmeric powder, tomatoes and cashewnuts.
Cook till the oil separates from the gravy.

Allow it to cool down, then puree till smooth.
Add punjabi garam masala, 3/4 cup of water, cream and salt and bring to a boil.
Add the koftas to the gravy and simmer for a few minutes.
Serve hot garnished with coriander.

Tengai sevai

Though a childhood favourite of mine, but I don't even remember the last time I had tengai sevai. So when I saw a packet of rice vermachilli at the grocery store, I picked it up before I could change my mind, and worried about not having a recipe for it only after I got back home. Google to the rescue- once I read two or three recipes, I knew exactly what I needed to do to get the taste I wanted, and the result lived up to nostalgia!

To digress a bit. Tengai sevai was a rarity when I was a child, because my mother used to make the rice noodles from scratch, and unless the proportions were just right, the thing could go horribly wrong. And then, she discovered rice vermachilli, and it ended up at the lunch table quite frequently. Once I left home, though, it never found its way to my plate- perhaps because nobody knew I even liked it. Here's to another childhood favourite, recreated.

1/2 cup rice vermachilli cooked according to instructions and drained
21/2 tbsp grated coconut
1 tbsp cashewnuts
Ghee for frying
Salt to taste

For tempering
Mustard seeds
Curry leaves
Red chilli, as desired
1/2 tsp urad dal

Roast the cashewnuts in ghee, and keep aside
In the same ghee, make the tempering, then add the grated coconut and stir on low heat for about a minute.
Turn off the flame, add the salt and cooked vermachilli, and mix well.
Serve garnished with cashewnuts.

Nutty Makhana Curry

I last had Makhana when I was in my early teens- while not quite a staple, it was something that was often made at home as long as we were living in Jharkhand. But once we moved to Calcutta, it disappeared from the dining table, and remained only as a vague memory.
Once I started visiting food forums, I was reminded afresh about makhana- if i made an effort, I could almost taste the crispy goodness, but the real thing remained a dream. Until, we moved to our new place, and I sighted makhana at the local grocery store. Thencame the challenge- the makhana was available, but I couldn't find the recipes I had lusted after. A detailed search finally yielded a recipe that looked interesting, but which was far too rich for my taste. I decided to replace the myriad dry fruits with flax seeds, and voila- one lip smacking dish that takes virtually no time to prepare.

4 pods of garlic, thinly sliced
2 inch piece - ginger, grated
1/2+1/2- yellow and red pepper, thinly sliced
2 1/2 - onions, thinly sliced
1 cup - makhana
1 tbsp - ghee
1 cup milk
1 tsp - garam masala
Oil to sauté vegetables
3 tbsp flax seeds
6- 8 cashew nuts
1 tsp kasuri methi
1 tsp sugar
salt to taste

Method

Heat the ghee in a non stick pan, add the makhanas and fry for a couple of minutes or until light brown. Keep aside.
Coarsely grind the flax seeds and cashew nuts (without water). Keep aside.
Heat the oil in a non stick pan, add the thinly sliced garlic, ginger, onions and pepper and saute for a minute on medium heat.
Add the coarsely ground nuts and cook for about a minute. Add the 1/2 cup of milk and cook until the milk evaporates.
Add the garam masala, salt, sugar and 1/2 cup of milk and bring it to a boil.
Add the fried makhanas and the kasuri methi and mix well.
Serve immediately. Goes best with hot rotis.