Category: Recipes

Roll it up the Kolkata way !!!

I am not asking you to practice some yoga trick , my only motive is to make your tongue roll over your lips when i will share the very classic street food dish “THE ROLLS”. I am a roll admirer….I can any time binge on these crispy ,spicy, tangy, full on masala marke dish. Rolls are very commonly eaten in every part of the world. People survive on alien lands just because to there rescue rolls are on duty 24×7. You get them in all forms , veg , non veg , spicy , mid spicy , non spicy , tangy , saucy , juice , crispy , fried, shallow fried. Just keep on counting you wont be able to recollect its variations at one go. This is winter season and we all eat (Statistically proven ) more than any other seasons. We feel hungry after every hour as in winters we tend to grab more of food to generate heat in our body , even we digest rapidly. Every street in the cities with offices ,school and college campuses are filled with roll stalls and its busy at any time of the day. Kolkata my city is the city for roll stalls. Trust me , the variety and taste we get to eat here is way much than any part of the world. We keep it quiet unhealthy , very oily , very bulky …but still we commit suicide eating this tasty lethal food. Be it Arselan in park circus , Hot kati roll in Park street or veg roll in Golpark we all just crave for these tasty dynamites of awesomeness and we forget everything about our health (I guess we don’t care about that in this city ). Lets try out these awesome variation of rolls in our own kitchen and feast all our loved one’s to recreate the magic of streets any time at home itself.

Chicken Roll :

Ingredients :

For chicken filling : 400 g small chicken pieces ,1 tablespoon lemon juice , 1 teaspoon red chilly powder, 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste, salt to taste, 1 teaspoon vinegar,1 teaspoon green chilly chopped, 1 tablespoon dark soya sauce, 1 tablespoon mustard sauce, 2 cups sliced onions, 2 cups sliced capsicum, 1 teaspoon , cumin powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, oil for cooking.

For the roll Chapati : 2 cups of refined flour, Oil for moistening the roll dough and shallow frying the chapati roll, 1/2 teaspoon sodium bicarbonate , 1 teaspoon of baking powder, Luke warm water for dough.

Servings : 4 to 5 rolls.

Method : Mix lemon juice ginger garlic paste , red chilly powder, vinegar, salt with chicken pieces and keep it for 1 hour in that marination. Once its marinated, Heat the oil in a pan ,add green chillies and half cup sliced onions and capsicum (Keep the rest for garnishing). Cook it for 5 to 8 minutes until its cooked completely . Now add all the sauces, tomato ketchup , soya sauce, Mustard sauce, cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder . Cook it for 2 to 3 minutes until the sauces dry up to make a thick filling. Now keep it aside to get cool in room temperature. MIx baking powder, and sodium bicarbonate and 1 teaspoon cooking oil & salt with the refined flour and with gradual addition of Luke warm water make a tight but smooth dough. Keep it aside for 30 minutes. Once the dough is absorbs the moisture well in 30 minutes make round shape chapati’s out of it with the help of a rolling pin. Once all the chapatis are ready just shallow fry it on a hot pan. Once the chapatis are golden and crispy take it out from pan fill it generously but in even proportion with chicken fillings, garnish on top with onions slices , little tomato ketchup , mustard sauce and capsicum and roll it and seal the ends with butter paper or simple stick the ends with toothpick You are ready to taste the cult Kolkata.

Paneer tikka roll :Dough making process is the same. The only difference is the filling rest the process is no different than chicken roll.

Ingredients : For Paneer filling:

Paneer tikka marination : 400 g OF Paneer/ cottage cheese cubes, 1 cup yoghurt, 1 tablespoon roasted besan , 1 tablespoon corn starch, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 cup diced onions, 1 cup diced capsicums, 1 cup diced tomato de-seeded, 1 teaspoon red chilly powder, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste,salt to taste, 1 teaspoon coriander powder, 1 teaspoon cumin powder, 1 teaspoon chaat masala powder. Skewers / toothpicks for tikka assembling before grill.

For filling of roll : 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup, 1 tablespoon green chilly sauce, 1 cup sliced onions seasoned with chaat masala , 1 teaspoon black salt for garnishing.

Roll chapati is similar to chicken roll.

Servings : 4 to 5 rolls

Method : Firstly marinate the paneer cubes with 1 cup yoghurt, 1 tablespoon roasted besan , 1 tablespoon corn starch, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon red chilly powder, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste,salt to taste, 1 teaspoon coriander powder, 1 teaspoon cumin powder, 1 teaspoon chaat masala powder adding 1 cup diced onions, 1 cup diced capsicums, 1 cup diced tomato de-seeded also to the marinate mixture and keep it aside for 30 minutes in refrigerator. Once done assemble it with onions, capsicum and tomato into the skewers and grill it for 15 to 20 minutes changing sides into a griller at around 180 degree celcius. You will get hot steamy paneer tikkas . Once the chapatis are prepared just assemble this paneer tikka evenly on it with tomato ketchup , chilly sauce , black salt and chaat masala seasoned onion slices and roll it and eat it immediately before someone else snatches it from you.

Bean finger Roll :

Roll making process is as usual similar lets note down its interesting filling recipe.

Ingredients :

For bean fingers : 2 cups of kidney bean soaked overnight, boiled and mashed, 1 cup of chopped onions, 1 teaspoon of green chilly powder, 1 cup bread crumbs , 1 cup mashed and boiled potato, 1 egg beaten , 1 tablespoon corn starch, chaat masala powder, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon chopped coriander, 1 teaspoon red chilly powder, salt to taste, oil for deep frying the patty.

For filling the roll : 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup, 1 tablespoon green chilly sauce, 1 cup sliced onions seasoned with chaat masala , 1 teaspoon black salt for garnishing.

Servings : 4

Method : Mix all the ingredients (Except egg and bread crumbs) and make patties of finger shapes but little thick and long. then each patty is dipped in egg and coated generously with bread crumbs. deep fry the patties. assemble it in the chapati with tomato ketchup, chilly sauce and onions and black salt as garnish roll it up and enjoy the tasty treat.

December 30, 2014
Happy Meals !!!

Happy meal is believed to make you feel good and tummy full. It goes without any doubt that we consider happy meal to be rich in calorie content , very oily , full of fried stuff. But the reality is that I am not going to discuss combine happy meal with full of calorie and fried stuff instead i will make it healthier and as tasty as French fries. Yes this is not some magical recipe its just getting correct ingredients with correct flavours and proportions. Lets consider this to be a truth and possible to achieve . Happy is a very general term where we really get attached to things which makes us happy. Similar is the situation with food. We often neglect substituting healthy options with calorie containing ingredients. Its best to eat healthy substitutes with same flavours but less in cholesterol or calorie. Lets discuss few magic recipes which are tasty and healthy .

Cajun seasoned Red Bean and Rice Salad :

Its a very popular Jamaican recipe which is kind of staple food for Jamaican people . You will get to eat a lot of these if you happen to visit Jamaica. If not try this at your own home and get the feel of this international recipe.

Ingredients :

For Cajun mix : 1 tablespoon of garlic powder(available in markets), i tablespoon of onion powder, 2 teaspoon of black and white pepper powder, 1 tablespoon of dried thyme, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 & 1/2 teaspoons chilly powder. Mix it all to get Cajun mix.

For Salad : 3/4 cup long grain rice , salt to taste, 1 tablespoon thyme sprigs , 200 gm red kidney beans soaked, boiled and drained. Do not throw this kidney bean boiled stalk it has a nice colour and full of protein .1 cup chopped red capsicum or bell pepper, 1 cup sliced spring onions , 1 tablespoon olive oil (Another healthy substitute for cooking stuff), 3 tablespoon white wine vinegar, 2 tablespoon Cajun seasoning mix , Pepper to taste.

Servings : 4

Method : Bring 1 cup of Luke warm water along with the kidney bean stock which was drained out of boiled kidney beans to boil in a pan .Stir in rice , 1/2 teaspoon of salt , and sprig of thyme, return to boil .Reduce the heat, cover and cook until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender to be eaten. This process takes about 15 to 20 minutes .Avoid overcooking the rice as it will spoil the texture of the salad. Transfer cooked rice to a larger bowl , remove the thyme sprigs and keep it aside for few minutes to cool.Mix in boiled beans , red capsicum and spring onions into rice . Add olive oil, white wine vinegar, Cajun seasoning and rest of the chopped thyme. Mix it gently but thoroughly. Season it with salt and pepper . Garnish it with thyme and spring onions. Serve with love.

Pasta Salad:

Ingredients : 2 cups of boiled Penne pasta, 1/2 cup of flat noodles, 4 to 5 iceberg lettuce, 1 cup boiled corn kernels, 1 Cup sliced onions, 1/2 cup grated cabbage, 1/2 cup boiled and diced carrots, 1/2 cup boiled and diced potatoes, 1/2 cup shredded cucumber, 1 tablespoon black olives sliced, 1 cup thinly cut capsicum slices, 1 cup boiled chickpeas, 1 cup sprouts, 1 tablespoon mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon mustard sauce, 1 tablespoon tomato chilly sauce, salt and pepper to taste.

Servings : 6

Method : Take a salad bowl and roughly chop iceberg lettuce with hands, mix all the ingredients well in that bowl and season it with salt and pepper. Serve it with hot garlic breads .It simply pleasures your appetite and you come out more hungry after eating it as its the perfect appetiser for a hungry stomach.

Thai Noodle Salad :

Ingredients : 200 g rice noodles, 1 cup shredded cabbage washed and drained, 1/2 medium thinly sliced red and yellow colour bell peppers , I medium carrot thinly cut , 1 cup sliced spring onions, 1/2 cup roasted and coarsely ground peanuts, 1 tablespoon finely chopped green chilly, 1/4 cup vegetable stock , 2 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon dark soya sauce, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, Salt to taste. For dressing 2 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic .To garnish Finely chopped , fresh red chillies and celery leaves.

Servings : 6

Method : Boil the noodles in water and once breakable drain it out from hot water and wash it in ice cold water . This will prevent further cooking of noodles. Mix well all the ingredients and vegetables with in a large bowl and chill until ready to serve.

While serving it heat a pan and add sesame oil ,chopped garlic , green chilly and fry for fee seconds. Stir in the stock and the rest of the ingredients , remove from the heat and set aside to cool.Sprinkle peanuts and drizzle the dressing over the chilled salad. Garnish with coriander, chillies and celery leaves.

Potato and Egg Salad :

Simple to make quick to present and easily finished on a platter …..great way to begin a party.

Ingredients : 1 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup finely chopped spring onion, 6 boiled eggs roughly cut into cubes, 2 cloves garlic crushed, 2 tablespoon finely chopped parsley, 1 tablespoon wine vinegar, salt to taste, pepper powder to taste, 1 tablespoon mustard paste, 500 g potatoes boiled and cut into cubes, 2 to 3 lettuce leaves cut into fine shreds. To garnish chopped parsley.

Servings : 6

Method : In a small bowl , mix together mayonnaise, eggs, springs onion, garlic, parsley, wine vinegar, salt, pepper and mustard. Toss the potatoes with this dressing .Chill. Before serving , toss lettuce leaves with salt and pepper and spread them on a serving platter. Pile chilled egg and potato salad on top and garnish with parsley. Serve immediately.

With these chilled salads you may serve Hot soups, Garlic breads, French toasts, baked beans and toasts, butter toasts, tacos, chips, Lemonades, fruit juices. These variation of serving combinations will heat up your appetite and make you Happy to have Happy meal. Colourful dishes not only attract young ones but also older generations. It makes you hungry and you just eat the right quantity of happiness. You may have this in breakfast , lunch or dinner purpose is always the same to make you happy and content.

December 30, 2014
The Indian way Chinese Starters !!!

Indians prefer more of Chinese than Indian (I am including myself ). Chinese food is having all flavours in one bowl spicy ,tangy, oily, saucy, full of veggies, juicy, with gravy , without gravy , full of colours , sometime bland in taste, sweet & sour etc etc. I am not wrong if I say there is no one on earth who doesn’t like Chinese. I have had the opportunity to taste all sorts of Chinese food ….from a classy Chinese restaurant to roadside Chinese junk I have had all. But trust me I liked it all. Its easy to prepare and easy to make , the only task is to assemble the right ingredients , cut the vegetables in right shape and your dish is done in 5 minutes. Yes! its that simple. From wedding Hi-Tea to birthday party at home we always include a Chinese dish in the menu. B’coz ….its simple tasty and every ones favourite. Its funny but a trur fact that we Indians have totally customised the Chinese dishes and made it oily spicy “tadka marke” dishes .

Originally the Chinese recipes our full of veggies & sea food , little bland , more of stock content and sweet & sour in flavour. But we have totally customised it in our homes as per our own taste. You wont believe but I have had egg plant sautéed Hakka noodle once and I loved it (I was being crazy …never mind). My hostel cook use to add curry leaves in chicken Manchurian as he was a South Indian cook and only knew curry leaves as his key ingredient ….so whether it be dosa or noodles curry leaves was must (Its true story ….!!!). But if you our really Chinese food crazy you must eat anything which comes to you in form of noodles and I am being very honest in admitting that I love Chinese and can survive years n years eating only noodle and chilly chicken.

Chinese dishes originally are non- vegetarian dishes but we being Chinese food crazy and not compromising the taste created loads of veg substitutes of the main menu and made it more popular than the original recipes…classic example would be chilly Paneer/ cottage cheese. Even china would wonder how we managed to create that. But its possible only in India. We kill the original recipe and yet make it tasty and popular…(Aren’t we crazy enough to be dared for anything ). So lets have a mix bag of Chinese starter recipes customised the Indian way.

Chilly Paneer :

Ingredients : 500 g of cottage cheese / Paneer cut in cubes, 1& 1/2 tablespoon corn starch , 1 tablespoon green chilly diagonally thinly sliced,1 tablespoon celery finely chopped, 2 medium onions diced roughly, 2 medium bell peppers (Red, green & yellow in colour), 1 tablespoon garlic finely chopped, 1 tablespoon ginger juliennes, 1 /2 tablespoon dark soy sauce, 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup, 1/2 tablespoon green chilly sauce, 1 tablespoon olive oil to cook ,salt to taste,1/2 cup water for moistening .

Servings : 4

Method : Take a zip lock bag and pour in 1/2 cut of corn starch in it . Add in paneer cubes in the bag and shake it well closing the zip so that starch coats all the cubes evenly from all sides. Now heat a shallow pan and add half of olive oil in it. Slightly toss the paneer cubes in the till it turns golden brown evenly from all sides. Take it out and keep it separate. Now add in the rest of the olive oil heat it on high flame and stir in celery , green chillies, garlic and ginger and sauté it for 1 minutes . Now stir in Onions and diced bell peppers and sauté it again for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add in little salt , tomato ketchup , dark soy sauce , green chilly sauce and mix well for 30 seconds. Add in the shallow fried golden brown paneer cubes in it , mix it well and add water to it. simmer it for 2 minutes and add rest of corn starch in paste (add few drops of water to corn starch ) form to thicken the water and get a glaze on this Paneer dish. Serve it in a flat dish with toothpicks on side . Serve it hot.

Gobi Manchurian Dry :

Ingredients : 1 big cauliflower roughly cut into small pieces, 2 tablespoon corn starch , 1 tablespoon green chilly diagonally thinly sliced,1 tablespoon celery finely chopped,1 tablespoon garlic finely chopped, 1 tablespoon ginger juliennes, 1 /2 tablespoon dark soy sauce, 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup, 1/2 tablespoon green chilly sauce, olive oil for deep frying & cook ,salt to taste,1 tablespoon chopped spring onions for garnishing.

Serving: 4

Method : Firstly we need to slightly blanch in salted water, the cauliflower and then dry it. Once it dried we need to put it in a zip lock pouch with all the corn starch in it and shake it well to coat the cauliflower pieces evenly with corn starch . You may also avoid this process and directly mix the corn starch with blanched cauliflowers and keep it with for 30 minutes so that it coats well . Now deep fry the cauliflowers kernels till golden brown . It will be quiet crusty as it was coated with corn starch and its taste is already salty as so addition of extra salt is not required. Now heat a shallow pan , add olive oil in it and on high flame toss, celery , green chilly slices , ginger and garlic. Sauté it for a minute and then add all the sauces …tomato ketchup ,green chilly sauce, and dark soy sauce along with deep fried cauliflower kernels . Stir fry all of this on high flame for 3 to 4 minutes and serve till cauliflower /Gobi absorbs all the sauces. To get a glaze you may pour corn starch solution( a teaspoon only) it is Optional .To get a gravy of this particular dish you just need to add 1 cup of water and a tablespoon of corn starch solution and your side gravy dish is ready. Serve it hot garnishing it with spring onions to enjoy the crispiness of the tempting cauliflower kernels This is a Indo -Chinese recipe and a very popular dish in India’s Chinese menu.

There are several such customised Chinese recipes which I want to list down for you guys …will surely write those recipes too till then try out these ones and have a rocking day in kitchen.

December 27, 2014
A Platter of Vegetarian Kebabs
Originating in the coastal countries of the eastern Mediterranean area, kebab is a versatile dish made by roasting and grilling pieces of meat, fish, and vegetables, over a skewer or a spit. The dish quickly spread in popularity and consumption throughout the nations of the Middle East, and then central Asia. The kebab traces its historic roots to before the 17^th century B.C., and even the ancient Greek poet Homer mentions an erstwhile archaic dish resembling the same, and enjoyed all over his country in his works. However, a Turkish script by Kyssa-i Yusuf which dates back to around 1377, first properly mentions the culinary concept of the word, which is derived from the Persian language, and literally means “fry”, and sometimes “fry and burn”. Legend has it that the kebab was invented by medieval Persian soldiers who grilled meat on their swords over open-air fires in the battlefield. It quickly gained favour of both the classes and the masses, being served as the royal fare in various Islamic states over the ages, and as a much sought after and easily accessible snack or main course dish for many commoners, and the trend continues even today.

Although lamb is the traditional choice of meat for making the kebab, there are many variants available in different meats and vegetables all over India due to religious constraints and direct or indirect dietary restrictions. Indian kebabs, whether they are vegetarian or non-vegetarian, have a unique and popular flavour of their own, owing to the wide spectrum of masalas (spices) and herbs native to the subcontinent. Apart from the numerous Indian innovations in the art of kebab making, the sheesh, shammi, tikka, and shawarma, original types of kebabs are also available everywhere, and can be found easily in small roadside eating joints as well as in top notch restaurants and hotels. The cities of Lucknow and Hyderabad are famous all over the country, owing to their thousands of decades-old, local eateries and food establishments which sell different types of primarily meat kebabs, ranging from tunday to kalmi and tangdi to reshmi, and have thus contributed a lot to culture, food, tourism, and economy.

While you can get non-vegetarian kebabs from anywhere, the vegetarian types are a rarity to find outside one’s house, and they are generally overpriced in the restaurants they are available in. Vegetarian kebabs can be easily made at home, with simple ingredients, and less elaborate methods than their non-vegetarian counterparts. This article will provide you with three novel recipes, all made wonderfully by my favourite chef in the world, my grandmother, for these lesser known variants, namely, shalgam ke kebab, kela chane kebab, and chukandar ke kebab.

Shalgam ke Kebab (serves 4-6 people)

Ingredients needed:
- 7-8 bulbs of turnips
- 2 tablespoons of roasted besan (gram flour)
- Finely chopped onions
- Finely shredded coriander, chilli, and ginger
- 2 medium sized boiled potatoes
- Salt to taste
- 1 small teaspoon of garam masala powder
- Vegetable oil
Steps required:
- Thoroughly wash the turnip bulbs, and then carefully peel their outer skins off.
- Put the skinned turnips in a pressure cooker and steam thoroughly.
- Once the turnips cool down, mash them and drain out the excess water.
- Mash the boiled potatoes and mix them with the turnips. Add coriander, chilli, ginger, and onion to the mixture and be careful to make it consistent with dough.
- Add garam masala and salt accordingly.
- Make small balls of the prepared dough and flatten it into small cutlets or flattened disc shaped portions.
- Shallow fry on a tawa (pan) until the kebabs are thoroughly cooked and are a rich golden-brown in colour.
- Top with sprigs of coriander and rings of onion. Serve hot, with a chutney of your choice.
Kela Chane ke Kebab (serves 4-6 people)

Ingredients needed:
- 5 clean green unripe bananas
- 1 bowl of soaked chana dal (gram beans)
- Finely chopped onions
- Finely shredded coriander, chilli, and ginger
- Salt to taste
- 1 small teaspoon of garam masala powder
- Vegetable oil
Steps required:
- Make sure to wash the bananas thoroughly with fresh water before beginning. Once they are clean, steam them in a pressure cooker with their skins intact.
- Steam the dal separately to a soft consistency.
- Once both ingredients cool down, peel the bananas, and mash together with the dal to make a dough.
- Add garam masala and salt. You can also add other spices such as red chilli powder if you prefer.
- Shallow fry on a pan.
- Garnish with sprigs of coriander, and serve with onions and chutney.
Chukandar ke kebab (serves 4-6 people)

Ingredients needed:
- 7-8 beetroots
- 2 tablespoons of roasted besan (gram flour)
- 2 boiled potatoes
- 250 grams of paneer
- A few whole clean leaves of cabbage
- Finely chopped onions
- Finely shredded coriander, chilli, and ginger
- Salt to taste
- 1 small teaspoon of garam masala powder
- Vegetable oil
Steps required:
- Steam the beetroots thoroughly after cleaning them.
- Mash the beetroots to a dough-like consistency. If necessary, add a little bit of boiled potatoes as well. Add roasted besan to this mix.
- In a separate bowl, mash potatoes and mix them with paneer chunks.
- Add coriander, chilli, ginger, and onion to the beetroot dough.
- Make miniature balls of the paneer and potato mix after adding salt and garam masala to it.
- Wrap them in a leaf of cabbage.
- Encase this in an even layer of beetroot dough. Make it firm with more besan if required.
- Shallow fry on a pan until the kebabs are thoroughly cooked.
- Cut the kebabs open from the centre, top with coriander, and serve hot with chutney.
December 27, 2014
Chilled Desserts to Chill you More !!!

Its always fun to do something different , something out of the box ….to break the mono type , the stigma , the notion its great to just un-follow the typecast. A very harmless one is to eat which you are not expected to eat. Its very simple….Yes, you just need to have chilled desserts in freezing temperature. Its awesome fun . Fill your pockets with paracetamol’s to get precaution after you do this fun task but surely do this. No matter how much your mum scolds you after this how much you sneeze , just be carefree and dare yourself to do this one. To make it more simpler lets just learn few awesome delicious dessert recipes which can even tempt your parents , your granny , your grandpa to do this fun adventure without even a second thought. Isn’t it just a day our in Disney land type idea… that to without money. Ummmm…you will have to pay for the ingredients though!!!

We often bring our lives to a point where we de-mark ourselves about the DO’s and the DONT’s. But who are we to decide to live our life in a boring way. Aren’t we just tired of the routine work and monotonous way of leading life. Eating always makes us happy so why not to eat dishes we just love . In that way not only we going to eat it happily its going to affect our minds too & it gets digested easily moreover makes us feel more cheerful and fun loving. You must be thinking is this a psychology class or a article on psychology . No , you are not fully wrong but yes of course good food or favourite food makes you happy . I am not wrong when I say seeing your mother bake your favourite chocolate chip cookie makes you dance within your mind .( I feel like dancing just by the thought of getting a choco-chip cookie …yum!!!). I am still a child when it comes to list down my favourite dishes and they are still the same what i use to eat 2 decades ago. We all are having a child inside and lets not kill the child within our adult bodies or just don’t gaurd your child too much to make them bore enough for future. Just take my dare and do it. I am sure you will just live a day of full happiness . To fight infection there are enough medicines so don’t worry.

Frozen Alaska with a twist :

Ingredients : few slices of fruit cakes,1 scoop of vanilla ice-cream , I scoop of butterscotch ice-cream , 1 cup of chopped bananas, 1 cup of chopped black grapes, 1 cup of chopped strawberries, 1 cup of oranges de-seeded, peeled and skinned out, 1 tablespoon of kiwi crush, 1 tablespoon of strawberry crush, 1 tablespoon of chocolate syrup (optional). A beautiful glassware. To decorate you may choose your own garnish..for example wafers , straws, choco-chips etc , butterscotch nuts, whipped cream.

Servings : 2

Method : Take a decorative glass , crumble the slices of fruit cake and pour in the glass and with the help of the finger push it inside the glass making its very first layer of frozen Alaska. Now add in one fruit crush of your choice and then add in a layer of vanilla ice-cream scoop , then layer in chopped bananas and oranges, grapes . Now add butterscotch ice-cream , strawberry crush with chopped strawberries and garnish it with whipped cream and choco-chips. The frozen Alaska is ready to serve. Enjoy it with your loved ones its a perfect fun dare for chilled winter evenings.

Creamy soft peaks:

Ingredients : 2 cups of whipping cream , 1 cup chopped strawberries(Its the best available fruit in winters with rich red colour giving a nice look to a delightful creamy dessert, 1 tablespoon caster sugar, 1 teaspoon corn starch solution,1 tablespoon of strawberry crush , few slices of chocolate cake, 1 tablespoon condensed milk, 1 tablespoon fresh cream, 1 teaspoon coffee powder, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Oreo biscuit for garnishing .

Servings : 2

Method : With the help of a whipper whip the whipping cream . In the whipping process add vanilla extract to the whipped cream to add on some flavouring to the plain cream. Crumble the chocolate slices and mix it with fresh cream , condensed milk and coffee powder. Heat this mixture until it thickens up without forming a lump. Pout this mixture in the glass you want to serve and making it the base of the dessert. Keep the glass in refrigerator to chill. Divide the whipped cream in two portions. Again heat a pan add in strawberries, caster sugar, strawberry crush and corn starch solution in it. Heat the mixture till it turns out to be a thick lump less sauce. Cool the strawberry sauce and mix it with one portion of whipped cream. Take out the chilled choco-coffee base glass and pour in the two flavoured creams as two different layers in the glass. Garnish it with Oreo biscuit and you are ready to commit the sin.

Banana Split:

Ingredients : Two large bananas split into two halves, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup condensed milk, Single scoop of three different ice-cream flavours, 1 tablespoon chocolate syrup, few chopped seasonal fruits of your choice, little whipped cream and a happy heart to assemble all this.

Servings : 2

Method: Take a dish and place the split slices of ripe bananas. Meanwhile heat a pan and stir in brown sugar and condensed milk till the sugar melts and thickens the mixture without solidifying. Make sure you keep on stirring this caramelized mixture on slow flame.Once its done just simply pour it over the banana slice and keep it to chill for a while. Once its cools down in refrigerator just layer it with fruits scoops of different flavoured ice-creams and whipped cream. Top it with chocolate syrup or any syrup of your choice and just do not wait to eat it .

Isn’t it a pleasure to dare yourself to have these chilled desserts even in winters and feel heavenly with every bite you sink in through your throat.If you do not believe me try out the recipes we well surely have a common agreement .

December 27, 2014
10 Elixirs to Keep you Warm this Winter

Drinking Hot Chocolate on a cold winter night by my electric fire place would be one of my fondest childhood memories. The waft of the same would be enough to warm the cockles of my heart. Waking up to the smell of coffee with a hint of caramel would be reason enough to wake up for school and the after school Masala Chai full of spices like clove, nutmeg and ginger.

These hot sweet beverages would be source of warmth and fire that kept the clod and cough at bay. Now the addition of something special makes it even better. A shot of rum, a dash of whiskey instantly brings the blush in my cheeks. Many experts argue against the warming properties of alcohol, but in certain countries located in higher altitudes it is an age old custom to welcome guests with a potent shot of whiskey.

Spices like Ginger, Clove, Cinnamon, Peppercorn and Cardamom help in increasing blood circulation in the body hence resulting in the body heat being distributed properly and more efficiently. The mere addition of any of the spices can transform your every day drink into something quite special.

I am sure all this talk of mystical magical wonderland-ish drinks has made your quite thirsty, so without further delay i present to you some exotic and interesting drinks for adults which can be made at home, for when you are entertaining or otherwise.

Alhambra

This is so simple to make and so delicious. It’s really for grown-ups who never really grew up!

Ingredients: 5 measures hot cocoa or drinking chocolate; 1 measure Cognac

Method: Pour the hot cocoa or drinking chocolate into a warmed glass and add the Cognac.

Brown Betty

This is a terrific, hot, beer-based punch. The quantities given will serve around 8 people.

Ingredients: 1.3 Liters or amber ale; 12 measures brandy; 2 and 1/4th cups water; 1/2 cup brown sugar; 1 lemon sliced; 4 whole cloves; 1 cinnamon stick; 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg; 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger.

Method: In a large saucepan, over a medium heat, add the sugar, lemon slices, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg,ginger and water. Stir continuously to dissolve the sugar and let the mixture come to the boil. Turn the heat down and let the mixture simmer for around 10 minutes. Add the brandy and the ale, the heat, but do not boil. Serve hot in beer mugs, each garnished with a slice if lemon.

Bumpo

This is a quick fix after a long tiring day at work.

Ingredients: 2 measures hot water; 2 measures rum; 1 measure lime juice; 1 teaspoon sugar; ground nutmeg.

Method: Dissolve the sugar in the glass with the lime juice and hot water. Add the rum and dust slightly with the ground nutmeg.

Cafe d’Amour

This is a coffee made without cream- the perfect way to end an intimate dîner pour deux. It is after all, the ‘coffee of love’. Be careful when you heat and ignite the Cognac- the only thing that should be inflamed are your passions, not the kitchen.

Ingredients: 5 measures hot black coffee; 1 and 1/4th measures cognac; zest of 1/2 lemon; 1 stick of cinnamon; sugar (to rim the cup and to sweeten, if desired)

Method: Rim the cup with lemon and dip into some sugar. Add the coffee, lemon zest and the cinnamon stick to the saucepan and simmer. Carefully pour the Cognac into a large soup laddle and ignite it. Pour the the flamimg Cognac into the coffee and then extinguish the flame by putting the lid on the saucepan. Remove the lid and strain the mixture into sugar-rimmed cup.

Colonial Boy

This is a wonderful, tea-based hot drink that’s perfect after a long, winter walk.

Ingredients: 5 measures hot black tea(sweetened to taste); 1/2 measure Irish Whiskey; 1 dash bitters.

Method: Pour the hot tea into the glass and add the Whiskey and the Bitters.

English Bishop

This is a port-wine drink, made with baked oranges and served hot. This would serve 6 people.

Ingredients: 1 large orange; 12 cloves; 700 ml inexpensive Port; 1 tablespoon honey; 1 teaspoon allspice; 2 dashes Cognac (optional).

Method: Stick the cloves into the whole orange and bake it in the oven on a low heat for 30 minutes. Cut the baked orange into quarters and put it in the saucepan. Pour in the Port and add the allspice, honey and Cognac if desired. Over a very low flame, simmer gently for 15-20 minutes- do not boil or the flavor of the Port will be spoiled. Serve in warmed cups.

Grog

This spiced-rum mix was named after Admiral Sir Edward Vernon, who was nicknamed ‘Old Grog’ because his cloak was made of the coarse material grosgrain. Returning from the Caribbean in 1740, in order to save on costs (or perhaps stretch the rum ration), Old Grog diluted the Crew’s Rum with water, a mixture that was immediately named ‘Grog’. They soon discovered that it tasted better hot.

Ingredients: 2 measures dark rum; 2 measures water; 2/3 measure lime juice; 1 teaspoon brown sugar (or honey); 2 cloves; 1 cinnamon stick.

Method: Add all of the ingredients to a small saucepan and heat gently to dissolve the sugar. When hot, strain into a heat-proof cup.

Hot Buttered Rum

This drink was first published in Life magazine on September 21, 1942. It is especially popular in the fall and winter and is traditionally associated with the holiday season.In the United States the drink can be traced back to the Colonial Days.

Ingredients: 2 measures Dark Rum; 2 measures water; 1 teaspoon brown sugar (or honey); 1 pinch ground nutmeg; 4 drops vanilla essence; 1 small cinnamon stick; 1 small knob of butter.

Method: Place the cinnamon stick, nutmeg and vanilla essence in the heat-proof cup. Heat the rum, water and sugar in the saucepan until almost boiling. Remove from the heat and pour into the cup over the spices. Put the knob of butter on top and watch it melt into the mixture.

Hot Scotch Toddy

This drink has various recipes and is traditionally drunk before going to bed, or in wet or cold weather. Some believe the drink relieves the symptoms of the cold and flu — in How to Drink, Victoria Moore describes the drink as “the vitamin C for health, the honey to soothe, the alcohol to numb.”

Ingredients: 2 measures Scotch; 3 measures boiling water; 1/2 measures lemon juice; 1 teaspoon brown sygar (or honey); 3 drops bitters; 1 slice lemon, studded with cloves; ground nutmeg.

Method: Put the sugar, bitters, lemon juice and clove-studded lemon slice in the glass. Add the Scotch and pour in the boiling water. Stir to dissolve the sugar and sprinkle with ground nutmeg.

Royale Coffee

The most famous hot coffee and liqueur drink topped with whipped cream is Irish Coffee. This uses Irish Whiskey, but there are numerous variations. Try the royale, with Cognac.

Ingredients: 1 measure Cognac; 5 measures hot black coffee (sweetened to taste); 1 and 1/2 measures whipped cream; grated chocolate.

Method: To the warmed glass, add the hot coffee and the cognac. Gently float the whipped cream on top and sprinkle with grated chocolate.

I hope you enjoy making these and may they warm your dreary winter evenings. Salute!

December 24, 2014
Winter Delights: Gajar Ka Halwa and Gujarati Meethi Kadhi
The frigid winter months of December and January are bearing down upon us, and all anyone wants to do right now is to curl up cosily in their heavy blankets and eat tons of hot, rich food. The harsh weather right now makes the human body crave even more for nutrition, and it is not surprising that some of the best dishes that we know of taste the best in these freezing days. Compared to the year long summer heat in most parts of India, we have a greater appetite for food in the winters. It is in these few weeks that we look with great curiosity towards our kitchens, and wait impatiently for our mothers to emerge out of the area with some aromatic and delicious gastronomic work. Be it sarson ka saag and makke di roti, gulab jamuns, hot coffee, or ginger tea, all of these dishes and more never fail to tickle our tastebuds during the cold season. Here are two easy to cook recipes, one for gajar ka halwa, and the other for Gujarati meethi kadhi, in case you ever need a hot fix for your winter woes.

Gajar ka Halwa

Also known as gajrela, gajar ka gajrela, and carrot halwa, gajar ka halwa is a South Asian dessert pudding and a winter delicacy in north Indian states. Made by cooking grated carrots, milk, ghee (clarified butter), and nuts together, this dessert is eaten on many festive occasions in both India and Pakistan apart from being available round the year in most sweetmeat shops of the subcontinent. A completely vegetarian preparation, gajar ka halwa is a dish enjoyed by all people, and has been subject to a number of culinary innovations, some of which are a vegan version, red velvet gajar ka halwa, similarly flavoured doughnuts topped with the same, a cream cheese and halwa combination which is the desi counterpart to the carrot cheesecake.

The dish dates back to the ancient Mughal times, and the word “halwa”, meaning sweet, is itself derived from the Arabic language. Gajar translates to carrot from the Hindi language. While gajar ka halwa may seem like a particularly difficult preparation to pull off in the kitchen, it is actually not. Although the ingredients do take a considerable amount of time to cook fully, gajar ka halwa is a very easy recipe to make provided you have all the cooking materials you need ready at your disposal.

Recipe (serves three-four)

Ingredients required:
- 1 kg of grated carrots, cleaned and peeled beforehand
- 100 ml of condensed milk
- Cleaned, preferably roasted, dried fruits and nuts (cashews, almonds, raisins, pistachios)
- ½ kg of khoya
- 4 big tablespoons of desi ghee (clarified butter)
- 1 cup of castor sugar
- 4 cups of milk
- Cardamom seeds. Alternatively, you can use one-third of a teaspoon of cardamom powder.
The steps needed:
- Put the shredded carrots and milk in a heavy-bottomed pan or a wok on medium flame.
- Let the carrots soak in the milk to a considerable amount. Let the mixture turn a rich golden-orange colour.
- Add condensed milk and cardamom and stir for some time.
- When it is cooked halfway, add khoya, after putting aside some for garnishing. Also add ghee.
- Once everything is properly mixed, add sugar on a low flame. Take note of the flame and ensure that the sugar does not caramelize in the halwa.
- Add dried fruits from above, garnish with a little khoya, and serve in bowls. You can also add varakh (the silver food foil) for an aesthetic look.
Gujarati Meethi Kadhi

Kadhi is an Indian main course dish of desert origins, and was first made in Rajasthan. However, it quickly grew popular with people from other regions of India, and now has different variants according to different states, belonging to Punjab, the Sindh area of Pakistan, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra. While it is a dish best served hot, kadhi itself is derived from curd and yoghurt, which ironically taste best when cold.

Gujarati cuisine is known for its sweetness, and its kadhi carries the same quality. In our household, Gujarati meethi (Hindi for “sweet”) kadhi is a winter favourite, and its recipe has passed on from one generation to the next, with a few modifications by each. This dish can be had as a drink, and since we already have the salty kadhi of Uttar Pradesh, complimented with besan pakodas (fillets), Gujarati meethi kadhi is served as a hot and sweet beverage mostly in the evenings. It hardly takes much time and effort to prepare, and is the perfect heavy snack that will fill your stomach in between meals. All you need is a bowl, a saucepan, and some easily accessible cooking materials, and a time period of fifteen minutes to spare.

Recipe (serves two)

Ingredients required:
- 2 big tablespoons of besan (gram flour)
- 1½ glasses of curd
- Half a cup of water
- Turmeric
- Curry leaves
- Asafoetida
- A teaspoon of rai (mustard seeds)
- Two teaspoons of sugar
- Salt
- Whole, dried red chillies
- 2 teaspoons of oil
The steps needed:
- Add the besan and curd slowly in a big bowl, stirring slowly so that no lumps are formed.
- Put a pinch of turmeric in this mixture. Also, add salt according to taste.
- In a separate pan, put oil and let it heat on a slow flame.
- To the hot oil, add rai, a little hint of asafoetida, and some curry leaves. Be careful to not let the curry leaves blacken completely because of excessive heat.
- On a low flame, add red chillies to the pan.
- Take the besan and curd paste, and pour it in the pan.
- Stir continuously so that no lumps are formed while keeping the pan on a medium flame.
- Let the mixture boil, and then pour it in glasses.
- Top with a few curry leaves and serve hot.
December 24, 2014
Spinach Delights !

Misty morning fog , delightfully low temperature & hot cups of tea or coffee reminds me of my favourite season Winters. The best part of winters is that laziness is justified . As winters have arrived its time for some awesome food and gossip sessions with friends . I still remember during my childhood we use to have varieties of dishes made by my mum and we use to desperately wait for meal times so that we could relish those mouth watering dishes. Winters are meant for foodies like me and trust me few non-

foodies too show their interest to grab some crunch to their palette.Variety of veggies and fruits also brings in the the opportunity for us to cook umpteen number of dishes and impress our loved ones. The appetite increases with great food and variety in food . winter is the season of bell peppers , carrots , cauliflowers , radish , spinach and many more nutrient full vegetables. Variety in fruits is also not less and true happiness lies in blending these natures delights in mouth watering recipes and bring in joyful of bowl to the dining table and watch everyone silently eating with smiles on their faces. Its truly a bliss for someone to loves cooking and tries to happy their family and friends with
awesome relishes. Happy and satisfied faces on dining table makes them feel on cloud 9.Variety in vegetables and fruits bring in variety for your meals. Its simpler to try different stuffs when ingredients are easily available and cheaper in rate. Among those few blissful vegetables and fruits my pick would be Spinach . Immensely rich in vitamins , minerals , Iron . Great in texture, colour , and taste. A large variety of dishes can be prepared which are very basic and simple to cook yet so delicious and nutritious. It can be blended with rice , flours, curries, fries, yoghurt, salads & soups. It is a highly recommended natural food resource by the physicians and very helpful for anaemic patients. Best thing about spinach is you can just purée it and prepare numerable dishes out of that purée . Few relishes are not only healthy but very appetising.

Today I am sharing a whole lot of such relishes with you guys that you have may be eaten several times but didn’t try . The recipes are very simple and less elaborate which you would easily be able to follow and make . So grab your apron and rush to your kitchen with this bundle of delight named Spinach .

Palak Pakora :

Ingredients : 2 cups finely chopped Spinach , 1 cup gram flour (besan), 1 teaspoon carom seeds, 1 teaspoon Asafoetida, 1 teaspoon red chilly powder, 2 large green chilly chopped, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1/2 tablespoon coriander chopped, water as required for batter, Oil for deep frying.

Servings : 4 (One overfilled platter of delight )

Method : Mix all the ingredients with water to get thick flowing consistency. Leave it for 30
minutes.With the help of a large spoon drop small drops into the heated oil of the drying pan and fry till golden brown . Do not fry in high flame else it will remain uncooked in the centre. Fry in medium or slow flame. Once golden brown Pakoras are ready serve them hot with your favourite dip and hot coffee or tea.

Palak Puri :

Ingredients : 2 cups of whole wheat flour , 1/2 a bundle of spinach roughly cut de-rooted and washed,1 teaspoon oil for moistening of the dough , 1 teaspoon red chilly powder, 1 teaspoon Asafoetida, 1 teaspoon carom seeds, salt to taste, 1 teaspoon of green chilly paste. Water if required for dough, Oil for deep frying.

Servings : 2 to 3

Method : Firstly take a pan and boil water into it. Put the washed spinach leaves into the boiling water and boil till the stem of the leaves are tender. Immediately put the boiled spinach in icy cold water so that overheating does not soil the colour of spinach. Once the spinach cools down blend it in form of thick puree. Now Mix all the ingredients into a fine and soft dough . Try using less water to make a dough as puree itself has a lot of moisture to bind the flour and spices.Keep the dough for 30 minutes and then make small rounds of it with the help of rolling pin . deep fry it till it pops out of the oil and once ready serve hot with any curry or chutney.

Palak Paneer :

Ingredients : 2 cups of palak puree (prepare it as per the recipe given above for the puree), 200 g of paneer cubes (cottage cheese), 1 cup tomato puree, 1 tablespoon garlic paste, 1 teaspoon cloves, 1 teaspoon black pepper corns, 1 cinnamon stick , 1 teaspoon garam masala powder, 1 teaspoon red chilly powder, Salt to taste, 1 tablespoon ghee.

Servings : 4

Method : Take a deep pan and add ghee , cloves, black pepper corns, cinnamon stick and fry it till it stops spluttering. Now add Garlic paste and stir it for a minute. Stir in Tomato purée cook it for another 4 to 5 minutes until it separates oil . Now add dry spices red chilly powder, salt and garam masala powder in it and sauté it for a minute . Add Spinach purée and cook it for 2 minutes until a boil and immediately add paneer cubes and close the flame . Just gently mix the paneer cubes in it and cover the lid of the pan . Keep it this way for another 5 minutes (without flame ). Serve Hot with any assorted breads or Jeera rice .

Palak ka Raita :

Ingredients : 1 cup finely thinly chopped spinach leaves, 1 cup curd, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon roasted cumin crushed into powder, I teaspoon roasted sesame seeds, I teaspoon red chilly powder, I teaspoon Cumin seeds, 1 whole dry red chilly, 1/2 tablespoon oil.

Servings : 2 to 3

Method : Take a pan and heat oil in it. Add cumin seeds and whole dry red red chilly. stir till it stops spluttering, Then add spinach , red chilly powder and salt to it. Sauté for a minute and switch of the flame. Add this tadka to the bowl of curd and add roasted cumin powder and roasted sesame seeds into it. Mix it well and serve as a side dish with any. meal.

December 20, 2014
The Tantalizing Tiramisu

Talk Europe and you talk culture; a culture so rich and diverse that you cannot possibly learn all about it from a book. Out of the many beautiful countries of Europe is Italy. The shoe shaped country on the political map of Europe is how I used to identify the country as a kid, but as you start learning about this country, you know it has a notable position in the worlds of art, literature, fashion industry, music and food as well. Food is to Italians what water is to fish. The fact that the number of international food chains selling pastas and pizzas is at large and is still growing popularly, is evidence enough to prove that the Italians consider their food to be a token of their cultural identity and national recognition.

Though the Italian cuisine has incorporated global food culture and has developed through political and social changes over the centuries, its’ roots can be traced back to ancient Rome. Most of us would know about the pastas, cheeses, wines and gelatos of Italy, but little do we know about the coffee indulgence of these food-loving people. This love for coffee of theirs’ has given rise to a coffee-infused dessert that often forms the star of the dining table on occassions and social gatherings. The tiramisu as the world better knows it, is an iconic Italian dessert. Originally from Veneto, this dessert has now been adapted into a variety of other cakes, ice-creams and other sweet-treats.

Tiramisu is an Italian phrase which directly translates to ‘pick me up’ or ‘lift me up’. It is said that it was invented in the 1960s in the region of Veneto, Italy. Accounts of origin of this coffee-flavoured dessert claim that it was first made at a restaurant ‘Le Beccherie’ in Treviso in Italy. Alternative theories also propose that it could be a variation of Zuppas Inglese which is another layered dessert.

The original Tiramisu consisted of a small list of ingredients despite its delectable flavour. Finger biscuits or ladyfingers, egg yolks, sugar, coffee, marscaporne cheese cream and cocoa powder were all that were used to make this delicious dessert. As the variations started coming up, liquor, commonly rum became an integral component of the recipe too. The dessert is originally assembled in a circular shape. Though the shape of the lady finger biscuits favors the rectangular or square shaped pan, it can also be assembled in glasses or dessert bowls to show all the layers in the Tiramisu.

Following is a recipe that lies the closest to the original authentic recipe of Tiramisu.

Tiramisu
This recipe satiates approximately 12 people .

Ingredients
Egg yolks : 6
white powdered sugar: 1 1/4 cups
marscapone cheese cream: 1 1/4 cups
Heavy whipping creap: 1 3/4 cups
Ladyfinger biscuits: 24 in number
coffee concentrate (slightly sweetened): 1/3 cup
Rum: 4 tablespoons (optional)

Procedure
**Before you start with the actual procedure, we need to chill the bowl for a few hours in the refrigerator. So it is an advice to keep the bowl well in advance or maybe overnight if possible.**

Step 1:
Take a double boiler and prep it up. If you don’t have a double boiler, construct a make-shift double boiler by boiling water in a large vessel and placing another pan on top of this. Combine the egg yolks and the powdered sugar in the pan while whisking it continuously.
**Reduce the heat to low and remember to constantly stir the egg yolks and the sugar mixture. This process is called coddling of eggs and ensures that the eggs aren’t raw but do not cook hard either. If you do not stir the eggs, they may curdle and cook hard.**

Step 2:
After the mixture has been stirred for 10 minutes or so, remove it from heat and keep it aside to cool. After it has cooled down, we need to beat the egg-sugar mixture using a beater. You could use a manual or an electronic beater for this. Whip the mixture till it is thick.

Step 3:
Add in the marscapone cream in the whipped egg-sugar mixture and blend well until it forms a smooth mizture.

Step 4:
In the chilled bowl that was kept in the fridge a few hours ago, whip the heavy cream till it forms stiff peaks. This is the exact consistency needed.

Step 5:
Gently fold in the whipped cream in to the egg-sugar mixture and set this aside.

Step 6:
Take the biscuits and split them into half.
**You could also use vanilla sponge cake if you cannot find lady finger biscuits around. They both lend the same texture.**

Step 7:
Soak the biscuits in the coffee (and rum) syrup such that only half of them are dipped into the liquid. Take them out before they turn too moist and line the bottom of your serving dish with a layer of these biscuits.

Step 8:
Scoop out a part of the cream filling and spread it evenly over the layer of the biscuits.

Step 9:
Layer down another set of biscuits or cake soaked in the coffee concentrate.

Step 10:
Layer the filling again. Continue doing this till all the biscuits are over. The top layer should be of the cream filling.
**You could garnish the top layer by sprinkling instant coffee powder or dark cocoa powder or both. You could even use chocolate shavings or chocolate curls to dceorate.**
**Refrigerate your tiramisu for several hours before you serve it to your guests.**

The total time to prepare this delicious dessert should be around 30 minutes if you aren’t preparing the biscuits or the cake yourself.

Tiramisu often marks a special occasion or a matter of celebration in the Italian culture, but with such a simplified and efficient recipe, I am sure you cannot resist making it whenever you have a craving for a gorgeous dessert. Many modern food chains have tried to replicate the dish and create versions of it in different flavours. The chocolate Tiramisu is one famous variant to be named.

So indulge yourself in this sweet temptation and bless the Italians for it.

December 20, 2014
Being Vegetarian is a Delight!!!

Non- vegetarians always think the only food which is edible is in form of meat. That’s so unfair for those people who do not eat meat and still have a happy tummy after every meal. Yes ! its a myth that only non vegetarians can survive in other parts of world or even in India. That is completely untrue and so not “The Fact “. Its good that you follow a certain cuisine and prefer to eat meat as its the best form of protein but its totally not true that who doesn’t eat meat is wasting his life or appetite.According to my own research (putting in statistical view point )I have seen a variety of dishes are catered for vegetarians which are full of nutrients and full of taste. They are easy to be made yet so good in appeal. Its not necessary that tandoor food should only have meat else we do not

consider it to be tandoor. You will be wrong if you taste panner tikka or tandoori Gobi. The variety of curries and appetisers are more in number for a vegetarian than for a non -vegetarian. I am not stating that we should quit non-veg and pledge to be vegetarians (That’s so not the motive of writing this ) but instead appreciate the value of a vegetarian cuisine and just do not crib about having only non-vegetarian dishes only in every meal. The variety , colour , aroma which can be created in a vegetarian recipe is just awestruck and it tastes much better than a non-veg item (Putting this on a serious note).The variety we eat in a marwari wedding is more than a variety we eat in a Bengali wedding (I have attended both so am capable of distinguishing both). I would appeal to my bengali
friends (Specially) to not crib for non-vegetarian food always and try and appreciate the richness , variety and goodness of veggie’s delight. Give a look to the recipes below and come out of the myth . Stay fir stay blessed.

Mix Vegetable Fried Balls :

Ingredients : 2 cup roughly chopped onions , 2 cup roughly chopped capsicum , 1/2 cup green peas, 1 cup grated carrot, 1 cup spring onions finely chopped, 1/2 cup grated potato, 1 &1/2 cup gram flour (Besan ), 1 tablespoon green chillies finely chopped, teaspoon carom seeds, 1 teaspoon Asafoetida, 1 teaspoon red chilly powder,1/2 teaspoon of sodium bi-carbonate,1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1/2 tablespoon coriander chopped, water as required for batter, Oil for deep frying, Chat masala for garinshing

serving : 4

Method :Mix all the ingredients with water to get thick flowing consistency. Leave it for 30
minutes.With the help of a large spoon drop small drops into the heated oil of the drying pan and fry till golden brown . Do not fry in high flame else it will remain uncooked in the centre. Fry in medium or slow flame. Once golden brown vegetable balls sprinkle chaat masala over it and serve with tamarind chutney. Its a dish to be enjoyed with friends and invite those who believe non -veg is the only food possible and surprise them.

Panner Kofta :

Ingredients :

For Kofta : 200g grated cottage cheese (panner), 3 medium sized potato boiled and mashed, 1 teaspoon Pomegranate seeds (anardana) finely crushed , 1 tablespoon chopped green chillies, 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves , Salt to taste, 1 teaspoon kashmiri lal mirch , 1 teaspoon dry mango powder (amchur powder), 1/4 cup resins finely chopped for kofta filling , Oil for frying .

For gravy: 1 tablespoon cooking oil, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, 2 to 3 cardamoms, 2 to 3 cloves, 1/2 cup onion paste, 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste,1/2 cup tomato purée, 2 teaspoon cumin and coriander powder mixture, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 3/4 cup fresh cream, 1 teaspoon garam masala, salt to taste. Chopped coriander for garnishing.

Servings : 4

Method:

For kofta: Add all the ingredients except resins, listed for kofta, mix them well and make a smooth dough. Now make even balls out of the dough, filling chopped resins into the kofta balls as a filling and givethe koftas its desired round shapes. Keep it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Fry the koftas in medium flame slowly until golden brown and keep it aside.

For Gravy :
Heat a deep pan ,add oil, cumin seeds, whole spices , onion paste , ginger and garlic paste and stir it for 3 to 4 minutes until onions separates oil .Add tomato purée and all the dry spices along with little bit of salt keeping in mind that koftas too have salt.Cook until tomato separates oil and add fresh cream and 1/2 cup water. cook the gravy for 4 to 5 minutes and switch off the flame. When its time to serve, then only add fried koftas into the gravy so that koftas doesn’t turn soggy . Isn’t it a recipe which can compete with any non-veg dish .

Vegetable biryani :

Biryani is such a non-veg recipe and breaking the typecast lets make it a veg dish and it will still be so yummy and mouth-watering which will surprise you to the fullest.

Ingredients : 1/2 kg basmati rice washed and soaked in water for an hour, 1 cup sliced Onions, 1 chopped carrots , I cup chopped beans , 1 cup diced potato, 1 cup panner cubes, 1 cup yoghurt, 1 cup tomato roughly chopped, 1 cup boiled green peas, 1 tablespoon coriander and mint leaves finely chopped, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon cumin powder, 1 tablespoon ginger and garlic paste, 1 teaspoon red chilly powder, 1 teaspoon garam masala, half a dozen cloves, half a dozen black peppercorns, half a dozen green cardamom, 1 cinnamon stick.

Servings : 6

Method :

Half cook the rice and flatten it on large rice plate and sprinkle a little ghee on top avoiding sticking of rice grains with each other. Take a deep pan with a lid and and separately deep fry all the vegetables (Except Onions and tomatoes) and panner and keep it aside. Pour the remaining ghee into the pan and add all thw whole spices ,half a dozen cloves, half a dozen black peppercorns, half a dozen green cardamom, 1 cinnamon stick .Add Onions and ginger garlic paste to it and stir till onion becomes translucent.Now add Tomato and all powdered dry spices, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon cumin powder,1 teaspoon red chilly powder, 1 teaspoon garam masala, Salt, and green chillies . Sauté it for 5 to 6 minutes stir in all the deep fried vegetables along with panner and add yoghurt to it. Stir gently for 3 to 4 minutes let the gravy dry a little and then pour out half of the gravy into a separate plate. Now spread half of the cooked rice into the deep pan and garinish on top with chopped green coriander and mint leaves and half of the fried onion slices, Repeat theame step with the remaining gravy and rice. Slow the flame. Close the lid of the deep pan and remove it from the flame. Now place a flat tava/pan on the slow flame and then put the biryani containing deep pan on it . with the help of a tight dough seal the edges of the pan’s lid so that air could not pass through it.This process is know as cooking in Dum. Keep the dum flame on till the dough which is used as a seal looses out moisture and nearly becomes breakable. The Biryani is ready to be serve with your prefered choice of gravy or curry or even a raita.

December 20, 2014