Grilled Bread Rings

                                                                


Serves: 2, Preparation time: 12-14 minutes


Ingredients:
4 Bread slices
2 Onions (chopped)
1 Capsicum (chopped)
50 gm Cottage cheese
1 tbsp Tomato sauce
3 tsp Chilly sauce
3 Green chillies (chopped)
1/4 cup Coriander leaves (chopped)
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Butter


Method:
Place the bread slices on a flat area and with a help of round cutter give it a round shape. And use a very small cutter (as we have to give the bread in ring shape) make a whole at the center. 
Heat 3 tsp butter in a pan and add chopped capsicum. Fry for 2 minutes and then add onions. Keep stirring this for 2 minutes and then add green chillies and coriander leaves. Saute for a minute, add grated cheese, pepper and salt. Mix well. Add tomato, chilly sauce. Mix well and turn off the gas. Keep this mixture aside. 
Now spread little butter on both sides of the bread. Take a pair of bread, put one slice and spread the above cheese mixture evenly. 

                                                                     


Place the second bread on top to seal this. Place these bread rings in a pre-heat oven and grill this for about 4-5 minutes on 180 degrees Celsius. Take out the bread rings with a spatula and serve with ketchup sauce and chilled drink.

Sending this recipe to Sizzling Summer Contest at Nithu's Spicytasty.com

                                                         
Also sending the same to Healing Food: Onions guest hosted by Priya, started by Siri

And finally to Padma's Pepper event, started by Priya.....

read more.. "Grilled Bread Rings"

Bread Roll with Quick Tomato Sauce and awards....

                                                                       
Serves: 2, Preparation time: 35-40 minutes


Ingredients:
4 Bread slices (I have used white bread)
2 Potatoes (boiled)
Total 1 cup finely chopped vegetable (pick your choice of vegetables- I have used Carrot, Green peas, Beans)
1 Onion (chopped)
1 tsp Ginger (grated)
2 tsp Red chilli powder
2 tsp Chat masala powder
1 tsp Garam masala
2-3 Green chillies (chopped)
1 Egg
1 tsp Oregano
1 tsp Chilly flakes
Salt to taste
Oil for frying


Method:
Remove the bread crust and keep aside. Mash the boiled potatoes. Heat 3 tsp oil in a skillet and add onions. Fry till golden brown, add ginger, green chillies and all chopped vegetables. Fry for a minute. Add mashed potatoes, garam masala, red chilli powder, salt and mix well. Remove from fire and allow it to cool. 
Soak bread pieces in water one at a time and gently squeeze it by pressing between the palms. Put the filling inside this bread. Fold and seal the edges together with little water (works as binding). Follow the same with the rest of the breads. Beat egg in a bowl, dip the rolls and sprinkle some oregano and chilly flakes over the rolls. Heat oil in a frying pan and deep fry golden brown. 

Delicious bread rolls are ready to be served with mint chutney or quick tomato chutney. I served it with some grated cheese.

                                                                  


This tomato sauce was rather quick 'spur of the moment' sauce. I'm using lot of Oregano now a days (kind of hooked) so this sauce wasn't spared also ;-0. This sauce is a blessing to fix quick meals like left over rice with little vegetable /noodles /pasta/ for fritters. And the best part is it takes very little time to prepare.


For Quick Tomato Sauce: 
2-3 Tomatoes (ripe)
1 Onion
5 pods of Garlic
1/4 tsp Oregano
1/4 tsp dried Chilli flakes
1/2 Black Pepper
Olive oil
Salt to taste


Method:
Heat olive oil in a pan, add chopped onions and saute until transparent. Add garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes. Now add chopped tomatoes and half cover the pan. Allow the tomatoes to cook in it's own juice. Keep stirring till it gets thick and looks like sauce. Then add all the spices. Cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool.

                                                       


Submitting this to Chaitra's Bread Mania Event . Although I'm a bit late, still I request Chaitra to accept it. 

I'm very delighted to receive two lovely awards (Sunshine and Thank You award) from my dear friend Aparna of Ladies Special Adukkala. Thank you so much dear for your thoughtful gesture. Keep rocking Aparna !!! Since I have already these two in my folders so not posting it again. Once again thank you Aparna .

read more.. "Bread Roll with Quick Tomato Sauce and awards...."

Dal Makahni

                                                                  

Dal Makahni is a thick, creamy recipy that melts in your mouth even before you realise it. Try this dal once and I'm sure you will want to go back to the kitchen again to relish this. This is one of my favorite recipes. The desi tadka gives this makhani a finger licking taste. The look of this dal when served in most of the restaurants is alluring. It's served with dollops of fresh cream and butter on top. Here is my version.....


Serves: 4, Preparation time: 1 hour


Ingredients:
1 cup whole Black Gram
1 tbsp Red kidney beans (rajma)
1/4 cup Bengal gram (chana dal)
1 tbsp Ginger (chopped)
1 tbsp Garlic (chopped)
2-3 Green chillies (finely chopped)
1/2 cup Curd
2 Tomatoes (pureed in a grinder)
2 tsp Coriander powder
1 1/2 Red chilly powder
1/2 cup Milk
Salt to taste


For Tadka: 
2 Red whole chillies
3 tbsp Ghee
2 tsp Cumin seeds
1 Bay leaf


For Garnishing:
1/2 cup Fresh Cream
1/2 tbsp Dry fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi)
2 tsp butter
1/4 cup Coriander (chopped)
1/2 tsp Garam masala


Method:
Wash, soak the lentils (Black whole gram, red kidney beans, chana dal) in sufficient water for overnight or for 8 hours. Pressure cook the lentils with salt and sufficient water on high flame. After first whistle simmer for 20-25 minutes till the dal is done, turn off the flame and open the lid after it cools down. Mash the lentils lightly with the back of a ladle and add milk in it. Mix well and boil again for 5 minutes. Keep aside.
Now heat ghee in a pan, add chopped onions and fry till light brown add ginger, garlic, green chillies and saute. Add tomato puree and stir for 2 minutes. Add red chilly powder, coriander powder and fry till it leaves oil in kadai. Add curd and stir rapidly. Now add cooked dal and mix well. Bring dal to the boil again. Turn off the heat. For tadka, melt ghee in a tadka pan (I use tadka pan which is designed appropriately and is deep enough for any spilling) add bay leaf, cumin seeds and when it starts to splutter, add red chillies and stir into dal.
Sprinkle kasoori methi, garam masala and add cream, simmer gently for a minute. Garnish with coriander leaves and butter. Serve hot with phulkas / lachha paratha / jeera rice. And let me know how you like it ......

read more.. "Dal Makahni"

Mango Delight : Mango Sauce with Vanilla Ice- Cream

                                                                               


Ice- cream when served as dessert at children's party is always a hit. But for adults sit-down dinner party, if given a new twist  with seasonal mangoes, this will become instant hit I bet. Once you try this dessert with mango sauce you will love it. This mango sauce tastes heavenly with vanilla ice- cream. This sauce is so healthy and tasty that once you have this sauce on hand you may be using this for many of your dishes.

                                                                 


Serves: 4, Preparation time: 25 minutes


Ingredients:
3 Mangoes (Alphonso) [for sauce]
1 Mango (cut into small cubes)
3/4 cup caster Sugar
1/4 cup Orange juice
1/2 cup Fresh cream
2 Lemon juice
1 ltr. Ice-cream (Vanilla)
2 tbsp grated Chocolate (to sprinkle over this dessert)


Method: 
Make a puree of mangoes and add sugar in it. In a blender mix well with lemon juice and orange juice. Pour the mixture in a large bowl and add fresh cream and mix well. Keep it in refrigerator.

                                                    
Cut vanilla ice-cream in rectangle shape and place in a serving bowl.


 Pour the mango sauce over it and decorate with chopped mango slices and grated chocolate. 

                                                            


Serve immediately and get ready to receive many accolades .....

                                               


User Comments & Tips: 
To grate chocolate rub a solid piece of chocolate across the grating section of a hand held grater.

read more.. "Mango Delight : Mango Sauce with Vanilla Ice- Cream"

How to Make Bengali Style Cholar Dal/ Chana dal/ Bengal Gram

                                                        
Cholar dal is a traditional Bengali dish. This is a thick dal preparation flavored with garam masala and fried diced coconut pieces. I truly believe some combinations are made in heaven. And this is certainly one of them. This goes best with Loochi (puri). Loochi is a light  and fluffy type indian bread, that is exclusively maida (all purpose flour) based. It's flakier than a puri. Basically an ideal breakfast combination for those who love lazy sunday mornings.  My Dad loves this cholar dal, so dedicating this post 
to my Baba (Dad) who is a great cook himself. 

                                                                    


Serves: 4, Preparation time: 35 minutes


Ingredients:
 200 gms Chana dal/ Cholar dal 
2 Green chillies (1 chopped, 1 slit)
1" Cinnamon stick
2 Bay leaves 
3 Cloves
1 Dry whole red chilli
3 Cardamom
2 tbsp Coconut (grated)
2 tsp Coconut into small dices
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp Ginger (grated)
2 Black peppers
1 tsp Cumin seeds
1 tsp Red chilly powder
a pinch of Asafoetidia (hing)
1 tbsp Ghee (this brings out the taste better) 
1 tsp Sugar
Salt to taste
fresh Coriander for garnishing


Method:
Wash dal and soak it for 2 hrs. (in case you don't have time then soak this for 1/2 hr in hot water). Pressure cook the dal with salt, turmeric, 1 bay leaf and cardamom for 10 minutes. As chana dal tends to cook fast, make sure the dal is not completely mashed.
Heat ghee in a pan and fry the dice coconut pieces till light brown. Keep aside. Add green chilly, bay leaf, cumin seeds, black pepper balls, cloves, cinnamon, red whole chilly.Let these crackle in ghee. Add hing, ginger and pour over the dal and stir well. Boil for 2-4 minutes. Check the consistency, it should be neither too thick nor too watery. Add grated coconut, sugar, diced fried coconuts and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with loochi/ puris or plain rice. 

I'm sending this to Think Spice Think Garam Masala event hosted by Sara, and started by Sunitha of Sunitha's World also to Jay's lovely event I Love My Dad. 
                                              

                                                   

read more.. " How to Make Bengali Style Cholar Dal/ Chana dal/ Bengal Gram"

Baby Corn Stir Fry

                                                                      


Serves: 2, Preparation time: 10 minutes & Marination: 1/2 hour


Ingredients:
10 Baby corns (cut into two halves)
1 tsp Dried Rosemary
1 tsp Garlic (chopped)
1 tsp Oregano
1/2 tsp Red chilly flakes
1 Green chilly (finely chopped)
1 tbsp Coriander (chopped)
1 tsp Lemon juice
2 tsp Cornflour
1 tbsp Butter
Salt to taste


Method:
Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl and gently coat the herbs on baby corn. Keep this aside for 1/2 an hour.

                                                                  

Now heat butter in a non stick pan and the baby corn mixture. Fry both the sides on medium flame for 3-4 minutes till it starts to become tender and light brown. It's ready to serve !!! 


                                                                          

read more.. "Baby Corn Stir Fry"

Egg Biryani

                                                                  

Yesterday I had a strange thought. I felt like having a tasty meal without having being to toil hard for it. Also, I felt that today I should prepare such a dish which would be simple yet should look lavish in nature.  So, egg biryani recipe flashed across my mind. At the end it didn't take much time and also it looked and tasted as per my hubby's expectations. So my friends, I leave it up to you to see and try it out at your homes and give your valuable opinions. 
Submitting this recipe to Priya's Healing Food: Onions event, started by Siri of Siri's Corner. And also to Pepper Event guest hosted by Padma, started by Priya

                                                               

Serves: 2, Preparation time: 40 minutes


Ingredients:
2 Eggs
1 1/2 cup Basmati rice
2 Onions (1 for caramelized and another chopped)
1 Tomato (chopped)
1 tsp Red chilly powder
1 tbsp Ginger-Garlic paste
2 Bay leaves
2 Cardamom
1" Cinnamon stick
2 Cloves
5 Black pepper
1 tbsp Ghee/ oil
2 tsp Butter
1/2 cup Curd
4-5 Green chillies
1/2 cup Coriander (chopped)
5 drops of red Food color (optional- but it makes Biryani looks very pretty)
Salt to taste


Method:
Soak basmati rice for 15 minutes and keep it aside. Boil the eggs with little salt in enough water on medium flame till boiled. Peeled and keep it aside.
Cook basmati rice in enough water with bay leaves, cardamom, black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, slat and little oil till it is half cooked. Strain the water, place it on a large plate and let it cool down. Divide the rice into two equal portions and put into separate bowls. Add the orange food color to one portion of the rice and leave the second portion white. 
For caramelized onion, heat oil in a non-stick pan and fry till the onions becomes light brown.  Keep that aside for garnishing later.
In the same pan add sliced onion, salt and fry for 5 minutes. Add green chillies, ginger-garlic paste, chopped coriander and red chilly powder. Saute' for 2 minutes. Add the boiled eggs and gently stir. Add tomatoes and cook it till it leaves oil. Add biryani masala, salt and mix well. Now add curd and stir fast so that it doesn't curl. Mix everything well. Grease a deep pot with little butter and layer it with white rice evenly, now spread the egg and the gravy on it's top. Garnish with half of the previously caramelized onions. And finally layer it with colored rice again. Cover the dish tightly for 10 minutes in low flame. Garnish with rest of the caramelized onion and coriander leaves. Serve biryani by gently digging with a spoon so that you get through the layers. Serve with plain curd/ meat based gravy/ vegetable korma.

                                                                        

read more.. "Egg Biryani"

Porcupine shaped Burger and awards

Today I'm going to post a universally acknowledged snack which has captured the taste of the entire world. It's nothing but Burger :-). I' presenting Veg burger as a tribute to the environment day, celebrated last week worldwide. However the look of the burger is slightly funny ; I have given it the shape of a Porcupine.

                                      


Serves: 4, Preparation time: 30 minutes


Ingredients:
For the Burger: 4 Buns


For the Patties:
3 Potatoes (boiled & mashed)
1/2 cup Green peas 
2 tbsp Corn flour
1 tsp Ginger (grated)
1 Carrot (grated)
11/2 tsp Cumin powder
1/2 cup Breadcrumbs
Oil for frying
Coriander leaves (chopped)
Salt to taste


For Decoration:
2 slices Cucumber
1 tsp Hazelnut spread
1/2 cut Cherry
4 Cheese slices
 Lettuce leaves few
1 tsp Black pepper
4 Tomato slices (in thin rings)
4 Onion slices (in thin rings)
3 tbsp Tomato sauce
!/4 Carrot (for spikes)


Method:
Mix boiled potato, carrot, peas and salt in a bowl. Heat oil in a pan and add green chilli, ginger and cumin powder. Stir for a minute and add the above mixture in the pan. Cook uncovered for 2-3 minutes and then turn off the flame. After it cools down, make 4 equal balls of the mixture and give it a pattie shape. Now in a small bowl mix corn flour with little water and make a thin batter for binding. Dip the pattie in the liquid mixture and then roll it on bread crumbs. Heat oil in a non stick pan and shallow fry the pattie until it is crisp and light brown.


Slit the burger bun through the middle. Spread tomato sauce (on the lower bun), place a lettuce leave, then place a cheese slice. Place the pattie, onion slice and tomato slice, sprinkle some salt and black pepper. 

                                                                                 
Finally place the top bun slice on this and press down gently. You can also use a toothpick inserted through the center to bind it together (I didn't need that). Enjoy this delicious burger with fresh juice or chips to have a perfect little meal for you.

Decoration: Cut the cheese slice in tongue shape and place it beneath the pattie, insert the carrot spikes on top of the bun, place the half cut cherry as nose and two cucumbers on either side of the cherry and use hazelnut spread as eyeballs

Submitting this to : Chaitra's Bread Mania event 

My new friend Sayali of Treat Your Tongue has shared two awards with me. Very sweet of you that you thought about me.....she has a fabulous blog...please take a look at her blog.

 

I'm passing these awards to....
Asha
Umm Mymoonah
Valarmathi
Suhaina
Faiza
Vineetha
Love2Cook
Rajeshwari




Please accept it gals and enjoy.....

read more.. "Porcupine shaped Burger and awards"

Cheesy Pasta Shells and Awards

    
Recipe source: My friend Sharbani.                                                                   
Serves: 2, Preparation time: 25 minutes


Ingredients:
250 Pasta (shells)
2 Tomatoes
2 Onions (chopped)
2 tbsp Tomato sauce
5 Garlic pods (chopped)
1 cup Cheese (grated)
2 Green chillies (chopped)
1 tsp Chilli flakes (optional)
1 Carrot (chopped)
1 Capsicum (chopped)
Black pepper as per the taste
Salt to taste


Method:
In a deep pan heat 6 cups of water and bring it to boil. Once the water starts boiling, add pasta and salt, stir well so that it doesn't stick together. Cook uncovered for 8 -10 minutes. Drain the water and keep them under running water.Sprinkle 2 tsp of olive oil, mix the pasta shell well and put it under the fan to dry. Keep them aside.
Heat oil in a pan, add garlic flakes, onions and green chill. Fry till onion becomes transparent. Add chopped capsicum and carrot. Stir fry for 3-4 minutes. Add tomato paste, black pepper powder, salt to taste. Keep stirring until the tomatoes have cooked down to a thick sauce and smell fragrant (about 10 minutes). Now mix 2 tbsp tomato sauce and mix well. Add 1/2 cup of water, adjust the salt if required. Add the pasta and grated cheese, toss it for a minute. Pour the content in a baking dish, garnish it again with grated cheese and bake on medium for about 2 minutes. Yummy pasta is ready to eat !!! 
                           

                                                                          




Now some awards ....from my blogger friend  Love2Cook I have received two beautiful cards. She has some amazing array of chicken recipes in her blog and some cool refreshing drinks. Please do check them out. Thank you dear. 

                                          
                                                            


Another blogger friend of mine GayathriRaj  has shared Honest Blog award with me which I already have in my kitty so not displaying again. Thank you Gayathri for considering me....really honoured and humbled by your generosity. I love the way she presents her recipes ...wonderful presentation. Friends do visit her blog.

read more.. "Cheesy Pasta Shells and Awards"

Sev Puri- a delicious snack

                                                                
During our stay in Delhi there were two things which we cherished most. One, the city offered amazing array of chaats to invoke new taste buds of your tongue with such excellent new tastes that I didn't think they existed. Another attraction was the variety in shopping options, where every corner of the market had something unique to offer. Once in a month I used to spend almost one whole day on street markets where bargaining is a norm to slick shops selling designer wear and used to end after a long bargaining session !!
Another there is no dearth of street food for New Delhities. But only in Old Delhi is the place where you will find the best chaats in the city. Today presenting you sev puri: puffed savouries, half-filled with two dals, potatoes and mint. Best way to eat this - pop the whole thing in your mouth at one go !!!


Serves: 4, Preparation time: 7-8 minutes


Ingredients: 
30 Pani puris
1/2 Masoor dal (sprouted)
1/2 cup Green gram dal (sprouted)
1 Lemon juice
2 Boiled Potatoes
2 cups Curd
2 tsp roasted Jeera powder (cumin seed)
1 tsp Red chilli powder
2 tsp Chaat masala powder
1/2  cup Sev
Mint and Coriander leaves for garnishing
Salt to taste


Method:
Cut the boiled potatoes into small cubes and mix well with sprouted dal (legumes). Add lemon drops, salt, red chilli powder, chopped mint and coriander leaves. Mix well.
Beat  curd with little salt, roasted jeera powder and red chilli powder. Make it a hole in the center on one side of a puri, so that you can stuff it with the mixture. Put the puri balls in a plate, stuff the above filling and pour curd over it. Season with salt, red chilli powder, jeera powder, chaat masala, sev and garnish with chopped coriander, mint leaves. Serve immediately as the curd in it will make the puris soggy. And enjoy having these puri with a cool drink !!!


 User comments & tips:
You can also add pomegranate seeds on top for a colorful look.

                                                        

read more.. "Sev Puri- a delicious snack"

Mushroom Masala

                                                                 
I rustled up this mushroom preparation last weekend before leaving for a matinee show. But when I came back for dinner, it got finished sooner than the expected preparation time !!! Sending this to Pepper Event guest hosted by Padma, started by Priya . Also sending the same recipe to Healing Foods- Onions guest hosted by Priya, started by Siri....


Serves: 1, Preparation time: 20 minutes


Ingredients:
200 gms Mushroom (Button Mushroom)
2 medium Onions (chopped)
1 Tomato
1 tsp Black pepper
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
1 tbsp Ginger-Garlic paste
1 tsp Coriander powder
1/2 tsp Soya sauce
1 tsp Vinegar
1 tsp Chilli powder
Salt to taste
Fresh coriander leaves for garnishing


Method: 
Clean, wash and slice the mushrooms and keep aside. Heat oil in a kadai and fry the onions till golden brown. Add cumin seeds, ginger-garlic paste and fry for about a minute. Add coriander  powder, chilli powder in kadai. Saute` for a short while. Add tomato paste and chopped mushrooms. Cook for few minutes. Sprinkle black pepper powder and then add salt. Cook for few minutes with a lid till the mushroom is tender and well cooked. Remove the lid and add soya sauce and vinegar. Mix well and remove the kadai from flame. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve mushroom masala hot with rice/ roti/ toasted bread.

                                                                   

read more.. "Mushroom Masala"