Rice Pudding (Chawal Kheer)

This is one of the most common desserts , a very simple preparation of rice and milk. This pudding, called "Kheer", is made with  rice and is my favorite Indian dessert. No wedding or festival is complete without Kheer on the menu. This creamy and sweet stovetop pudding is fairly quick and easy to prepare.

                                               Ingredients:




•1/4 cup rice

•4 cups whole milk

•1/4 cup sugar

•6 strands of saffron

•Pinch of crushed cardamom

•2 tablespoons sliced almonds

•1 tablespoon sliced pistachios

•1 teaspoon butter (Unsalted) OR pure ghee



                                       For Garnish

Few cashewnuts pieces


                                       Method

.Wash rice well and soak for 5 minutes.

.Melt the butter in a frying pan on medium heat.


.Add the rice and stir-fry for 2 minutes.
 
.Add  milk, cook until the rice is tender  and milk  reduced to about half. Stir often to ensure the milk does not stick in the bottom of the pan.
 
Add sugar and dry fruits ,stir for sometime.
 
Garnish it with cashewnuts and serve hot or cold.
 
 
Note -- 1- Always use non-stick pan to make kheer.
             2-Kheer can be make in slow cooker also,it is very easy .
             3- 3 tbsp milk powder can be use to make pudding thicker fast.

Tricolour rice (Tiranga pulao)

Today I am going to share the recipe of Tiranga pulao .A recipe with a difference....we use to make this for some special occasions........A whole meal itself.you can serve it with any chutney,salad .pickle or raita.

  

Ingredients    

                                                                                                            

• 3 Cups basmati rice

• 6 Cloves

• 3 Medium-piece cinnamons

• 3-4 Cardamoms

• 1 Carrot, grated

• 1/2 Cup orange juice OR cranberry juice 

• 1 Cup chopped onion  (optional)


• 1/2 Bunch coriander leaves

• 1 tbsp Coconut, grated  (optional)

• 1 Cup paneer, grated  OR Ricotta cheese (1/2 cup)

• 1 Cup ghee

• 3-4 Green chilies

 2 tbsp cumin seed

1/2 cup cabbage , shredded

• Small piece ginger

• 1/2 Cup green peas

• 1/2 tsp White pepper powder

• Salt to taste

• Few drops of orange color
  6 cups water


For Garnish

some cashews and raisins
cilantro leaves


Method--

Wash the rice thoroughly and soak in water for 30 min.

Cook rice with  Cloves ,cinnamons ,Cardamoms by adding 6 cups of water and devide it into three parts.
let rice cool for some time (about 10-15 minutes)

First portion ---

Heat 2 tbsp ghee in kadai add cumin seed , let it splutter .
Add chopped onion and saute for sometime then add cabbage and saute for 2 minutes.
Add first part of cooked rice ,salt and white pepper saute .
Switch off the flame add grated panner or ricotta cheese ,take it out.

Green portion---

Grind coriender leaves ,ginger and green chillies.

Heat 2 tbsp ghee in kadai add cumin seed and splutter.

Add coriender ,chilly paste and cooked green peas  saute for some time.

Add cooked rice , salt and white pepper and saute, take it out.

Orange portion----

Heat ghee in kadai and add cumin seed,let it splutter .

Add tomato puree and saute for 2 minutes,add carrot and saute.

Add salt,white pepper,orange colour and cooked rice saute.

Switch off the flame and add orange juice.



Arrangement---

Take a serving plate first palce a lyer of green rice ,then the layer of white rice and orange rice on the top.

(as in the picture)

Garnish it with cashews and raisins with 2-3 cilantro leaves.


Note--  1-Adding coconut is optional,if you want add coconut into white portion.
            2-If you want can devide uncooked rice then cook each portion seperately,but i feel its easy to cook rice first and then devide it into three parts.

Kitchen tips

1-While setting yogurt add a little milk powder. you will get a sweet flavour & the curd will remain same for 2-3 days.


2-While kneading the dough use warm water instead of normal water ...

and keep the dough in a wet cloth or wet tissue for some time then try making the chapatis ... this really helps in getting Soft Rotis /Chapatis .


3-To enable the reuse of cooking oil for a fresh recipe, cut a small piece of ginger & fry in the oil,it removes anylingering odours/ flavours.

4-Add a little milk to onions while frying, this will help retain a rich colour & prevent them from burning.

5-:Add a few drops of lemon juice in the water before boiling the rice to make rice whiter.

6-To make Dosa cripsy add little sugar in the paste.

7-To preserve lemons for long,coat them with cocunut oil &refrigerate them in a open container.

8-Make ripe tomatoes firm again ......... dip tomatoes in cold water , add some  salt and leave overnite ..

9-If your gravy/ dal has too much salt, make some dough balls (atta balls) and drop them in. As the gravy boils, the balls will take in salt. Discard the balls later, and your gravy will be fine.

10-While blanching spinach , add a pinch of salt.this helps in retaining it's green colour.(DO not over cook,of course)

Onion Raita

Today I am going to share the recipe of Onion raita with you.It goes well with any rice dish like Biryani,lemon rice etc.you can also serve it as side dish for dinner or lunch.It is a very easy and quick recipe with little ingredients.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup yogurt

onion--1 (finely chopped)

jeera (cumin) powder--1tbsp

black pepper powder--1/2tsp

Black salt-- 1/2 tsp

salt to taste

coriender leaves (chopped)

Method

1-.Put the yogurt into a bowl and mix with a fork or whisk until very smooth. Use some milk if needed .

2-Add chopped onion , black salt,jeera powder,black pepper powder and salt ,mix it well.

3.Garnish it with chopped cilantro and serve cold.

NOTE--

1- Always use fresh yogurt to make raitas.

2-Add salt to it just before serving ,otherwise the taste of raita will change .

3- You can also use this recipe as a dip ,do not add milk while whisking the yogurt.

Vegetable fried rice

Today it is the turn of Vegetable fried rice in my kitchen .we usually are not very fond of chinese food but this is one dish which we can have solely for lunch or dinner.one can also use leftover rice for this recipe and transform it into  a new mouthwatering  dish with very little supplies as whatever veggies you have at home you can use for this recipe.

YOU NEED--

Rice -- 1 cup (cooked) (I prefer basmati ricr but you can use any kind of rice)

Mix veggies (chopped)(carrot,green beans,cabbage,cauliflower,green peas)

onion --1 (chopped/medium size)

tomato--1(chopped/medium size)

green chillies--1-2 (chopped/lengthwise)

black pepper according to taste

soy sauce -- 1 tbsp

tomato sauce--1 tbsp

oil

salt to taste

Method

Heat oil in kadai on high heat .

Add chopped green chillies , chopped onions and salt ,saute for sometime.

Add chopped tomato and mix veggies saute and cover till veggies become tender.(about 3-4minutes)

Add cooked rice  saute.

Add soy and tomato sauce,black pepper powder.

Vegetable fried rice is ready to serve.

Note-1--In vegetable fried rice let leave the veggies little raw ,it will give it a crunchy taste.

2-- Always add salt to anything while adding onions,salt helps onion to cook fast.

Palak Paneer (spinach and cottage cheese curry)

This Indian dish combines fresh spinach and cottage cheese in a creamy curry. Use ricotta cheese if you can;t find Paneer! It is absolutely wonderful with basmati rice or naan (Indian flat bread). The key is in the spices .


Ingredients:

6 tablespoons  oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger root
One big bunch of spinach (fresh green ones)

Paneer ~10 to 15 cubes
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 teaspoons  cumin seed
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
3/4 cup sour cream
1 large tomato pureed
 salt to taste

Method---

Clean and boil spinach ,let it cool.
Blend boiled spinach into a fine paste.
Heat oil in kadai on medium heat.
Add cumin seed and let it splutter.
Add chopped garlic and onion ,saute for sometimes till it becomes transparent.
Add tomato puree  ,chopped ginger and turmeric powder ,saute for some more time till the oil seprates.
Add all spices salt,coriender powder,chilly powder,and mix well.
Then add spinach paste and saute for sometime, add water as needed .
Bring it to boil and add paneer cubes ,cover the pot for about 4-5 minutes.
Uncover the pot put off the flame and add sour cream .
Serve hot with rotis,parathas or naan ,garnish it with a splash of sour cream on top.


NOTE--- If you want to give natural green spinach colour to it ,put spinach immediately under cold  running water after boiling for sometime.

Baked shakkarpara(Biscuits)

   I found this recipe while visiting a food blog and it was looking very appealing so decided to try it out and came out really  very well .A great snack for all time munching.Low in fat because baked not fried.

Ingredients-

1\2 cup wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
vegetable or canola oil -1/4 cup
Ghee or unsalted butter -1 tbsp
sugar-- 5 tbsp
Baking powder-- 1/2 tsp
cardamom powder-- 1/4 tsp
Fennel seed 1/2 tsp

Method

 Mix wheat flour,all purpose flour,oil,butter,sugar,baking powder,cardamom powder and fennel seed in a mixing bowl.
 Knead it slowly with the help of little water.
Cover it and let it rest for 25-30 minutes .
Preheat the oven at 350 degrees.
Uncover it and roll the dough about 1/2 inch thick .(you can dust it with dry flour while rolling)
Cut it into diamond shape .
Greese a baking sheet and place diamond shapes on the baking sheet.
Bake it near about 15-20 minutes.(keep an eye on them as it gets brown very soon)
Bake it till golden brown ,let them cool for some time and enjoy.
.

Note-- you can also use 1 cup bleached flour in place of 1/2 wheat and 1/2 all purpose flour.
            Sugar you can adjust according to your taste .

Cluster beans potato vagetable

This is the recipe of one of my Maharastrian friend,we went to her house for dinner and i came across with this recipe in her house.This is a simple recipe nicely compliments to any dal or curry.

Ingredients:

Cluster beans (gowar phali) 1cup
potato     - 1 (medium size)
green chilly-- 1
Garlic-- 2-3 cloves
turmeric powder,coriender powder,chilly powder,dry mango powder,garam masala powder,cumin seed, salt to taste
jaggery (gur) -little
little olive,mustard or vegetable oil

Method

Chop cluster beans lengthwise.
Chop potato in small pieces.
Chop or blend garlic cloves and green chilly.
Heat oil in kadai add cumin seed, let it splutter.
Add turmeric powder ,garlic,green chilly and chopped potatoes.
Saute for sometime and add cluster beans,coriender powder,red chilly powder and salt.
Cover it for about 15-20 minutes on medium heat.
Add jaggery , saute and cover for some more time .
Uncover it ,add dry mango powder and garam masala ,saute for some time and serve hot.

Sabudana (tapioca/Sago) upma

Upma or khichidi made with sabudana - sago a popular breakfast or snack dish from Maharastra.Sabudana Vadas are also very popular in Maharastra.Very easy recipe and tastes great too.

Ingredients--
Sabudana ---1/2 cup
Boiled potato--1 (medium size)
onoin --  1 (medium size ,chopped)
                                                                                     tomato ---1(medium size,chopped)
                                                                                     turmeric powder,coriender powder,salt
                                                                                    red chilly powder,garam masala powder
                                                                                    lemon juice -- few drops
                                                                                   cumin seed
                                                                                   cilantro for garnish
                                                                                   Little oil
                                                                                   peanuts (optional)

Method.
Soak sago in water for atlaest 3 hour or till tender rinse and keep aside.
Heat oil in kadai and add cumin seed let it splutter.
Add onion and saute till transparent.
Then add tomatoes and saute till tender.
Chop boiled potatoes and add.
Add saoked sago and all spices.saute for sometime.
Add lemon juice .
Garnish with chopped cilantro and ground peanuts.serve hot.

T-Fal Initiatives 10-Piece Nonstick Inside and Out

Buttermilk (Mattha)

This is a very popular drink made of yogurt specially in the Northern part of India like Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.It is very tasty and good for  health also .You can have it in breakfast ,lunch , dinner or anytime of the day.The recipe is also very simple so here it is----

Indigents

Fresh plainYogurt

Black Salt

Roasted cumin seed powder

salt

Method                                                                                                                                     

       Beat plain yogurt with little water and salt in beater or blender.

Add ice cubes and beat little bit more.

Add black salt ,cumin powder and seve chilled.

  

Note

Fresh yogurt tastes best.  
 
   

                                                                                                                      

Vegetable Cutlet

Pure Wesson Vegetable Oil - 1.25 gal

Today its the turn of vegetable cutlet.My Hubby,s favourite.Vegetable cutlets are great combination of vegetables and spices. These are great as an appetizer, afternoon snack with tea, or as a side dish with dinner.so here comes my recipe---
 Ingredients:

Potato-1(medium side)
Mix Veggies -1cup (green peas, carrots, green beans, corn,cabbage,cauliflower etc.)
White bread slices-2 or Corn flour (2 tbsp)
salt to taste
Cilantro(dhania), green chillies,ginger (finely chopped)
bread crums -(1/2 cup)
red chilli powder (according to your taste)
oil to fry.

Method-
Boil the potato with skin and let it cool down.
Peel the skin off and mash the potato.
soak the bread in water or milk and squeeze it lightly.
Now mix mashed potato,mix veggies (if you want you can steam the veggies for some time but personally do not like just chop them thinly and add),bread or corn flour,salt,red chilly powder,ginger and cilantro.
With oiled hands, divide the mixture into 10 equal parts and shape them as desired.
.Heat the oil on medium high heat in a frying pan.
 Check if the oil is ready,now take bread crums into a flat platter and roll each cutlet in bread crums and fry till golden brown from both sides.
Serve hot with any chutney,sauce or dips.

NOTE-you can make these cutlet in advance and store them into freezer for upto 20 days.just take them out and fry them immediately.







  

Fruits & Veggie Salad with Italian Dressing

Lovera's Famous Italian Salad Dressing (750ml)

What are your opinoins about a healty ,quick and refreshing salad after  a long days work.For me its just awesome and healty .A  change as well  as quick side or main dish for weekday nights.So here comes my Salad recipe with Italian Dressing.

Ingredients –

Fresh Tomato -1

White Onoin -1 (medium)

Baby Spinach (15-20 leaves)

Apple-1(medium)

Carrot -1(small_

cabbage

Pineapple

Orange or grapefruit -1

Lemon juice (few drops)

Italian Dressing

Mathod-

Cut tomatoes,white onion,cabbage into small pieces
.Peel the apple and cut in small pieces and add lemon juice so that it will not get red and add into cut veggies nad fruits
.Peel the skin of carrot and grate it .
peel orange and add including juice .
Crush pineapple and add (you can also use canned pineapple)
Add baby spinach leaves.
Now just before serving add Italian dressing and toss it lightly.


NOTE- You can buy any Italian Dressing from market .there are so many different kinds of dressing available in the stores.
          You can add little nuts also to the salad to give it a cruncy taste .
           You can also add or remove fruits and veggies according to your taste .

So at last eat healthy,Think Better.........................................








Soon I shall  post the recipe of salad Dressing also.

chana dal(lentil) with lauki (bottlegourd)

Hamilton Beach 33967 Set 'n Forget 6-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker

yesterday its turn of chana -lauki dal in my kitchen for dinner .the tastes of this dal is awesome and something different from the regular dals. A healty dal (soup) which goes well with plain rice or chapati.here is the recipe-


Cooking time- 20 minutes (50 minutes in slow cooker)

Prepration time- 10 minutes

Ingredients -

chana dal  (soaked for about 2 hours)
lauki (bottlegourd)        (cut into big chunks)
turmuric,coriender powder,cumin seeds,salt to taste,red chilli powder
butter or desi ghee (clearified butter)

Method
  I always prefer a slow cooker to make any dal or soup but one can also make it in regular steam cooker ,handi or any other pot having lid.

 First assemble all the ingredients excluding cuminn seed and chilly powder(spare some butter for the tadka and add little) in to the pot  covering 2 part with water and steam it near about  20 minutes in normal pressure cooker.
 
Then switch off the flame and let it cook it in steam for  3-4 more minutes .

Uncover your pot and mash the dal little bit with spatula and keep aside.

Tadka

For Tadka heat butter or ghee in a small pan add hing and cumin seed let it splutter,then add chilly powder.
add this Tadka to dal and serve piping hot.


NOTE--1- Cut the lauki in big chunks because chana dal takes time while cooking .
             2- Can serve with chapati or plain rice but should be piping hot.


I am sending it to VEGGIE PLATTER'S  'Delicious Dals From India Event'.

Bread Dahi Vada papdi Chaat

Organic Valley Organic 1% Lowfat Single Serve Milk, 8-Ounce Aseptic Cartons (Pack of 24)

   A twist in traditional papdi chaat with a quick and easy recipe.                                                               

  Cooking time- 15 minutes                                                                                                                      

Prepration time- 10 minutes

Ingredients –

For papdi-

• 1 cup all purpose flour (maida or plain flour)

• 1/4 cup semolina flour (sooji)

• 2 tablespoons oil

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/3 cup + 2 tablespoon lukewarm water

For Bread Dahi Vada –

• 4 slices of white bread

• ¼ cup of cold milk

• Some raisins and cashews

• One grated cucumber,Half green chilly (chopped)

• Some grated dry coconut

• A pinch if sugar



To garnish the papdi -



• Grated carrot,raddish

• Chopped onion

• 2-3 leaves of cilantro

• Some namkeen like bhujia

• Plain yogurt

• Salt

• Roasted cumin seed powder (bhuna jeera)

• Red chili powder

• Hari cilantro chutney

• Tamarind chutney

Method


-Papdi –

.In a bowl mix flour, sooji, salt and oil.


.Add the water a little at a time while kneading until it forms a firm dough

.Cover the dough and set aside for 15 minutes or more.

.Divide the dough into about 3 equal parts.

.Take one section of the dough and roll it into 8″ diameter, fairly thin about thickness of dime. Do the same with the remaining 2 parts.

.Prick firmly the rolled dough about 1/4 inch apart with a fork, (this is done so the papdi do not puff while frying) and cut them in about 1 1/2″ squares with a sharp knife.

.Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium heat.

.The frying pan should have at least 1 1/2 inch of oil. To check if the oil is ready, just put a small piece of dough in the oil. The dough should sizzle right away but come up to the surface slowly. If the dough rises immediately, let the oil cool slightly and try again.

Make sure to place just enough papdi to cover top of the oil in the frying pan in a single layer. Don’t overcrowd. Fry the papdi until both sides are a light golden-brown.

.Remove cooked papdi with a slotted or mesh spoon and transfer to a plate.

.Continue cooking the remaining papdi in batches until all the dough is gone.

.After the papdi cool to room temperature they should be crisp.

Papdi can be stored in airtight container for 1 month.

Note:


If you want to make round papdi, divide the dough




Bread dahi vada-

1-cut the brown corner of the bread slices and keep aside.

2-Mix grated cucumber(drain all the juice of cocumber after grating it by pressing it with your palms),coconut,green chillies,chopped cashew nuts , raisins and sugar together.

3-Now take a bread slice into your palm ,sprinkle milk on it slowly to make it little soft so that we can shape it into vadas.(do not soak bread slices )

4-Take the mixer of cocumber and coconut and place in middle of the soft bread slice and form it into a vada by giving little pressure between your palms.(or make it into round shape according to your papdi)

5- Repeat the same process with rest of the bread slices and keep it in the refrigrator to set for at least 10 minutes covering with clear wrap.

Garnish-

1-Take out the bread vadas from refrigrator.

2- Put the yogurt into a bowl and mix with a fork or whisk until very smooth. Use some milk as needed to make a consistency similar to pancake batter. Add salt to taste and a pinch of sugar.. Keep aside

3-Dip the papdi in the youghurt and place them into serving plate.

4-place one bread vada on each papdi.

5-Pour remaining yoghurt on the vadas .

6-Sprinkle cumin powder and red chilli power according to your taste.

7-Add cilantro and tarmarind chutney .

8- finish it with some grated carrots,raddish,chopped onions,cilantro leaves and some bhujia namkeen on top.

Note- you can make this in advance and assemble it just before the serving.so enjoy a quick ,easy and mouth watering recipe.