Gajar Gobi Paratha with Onion Masala Chutney!!

This is my entry for the Roti Mela!!

I decided to make some colourful parathas….this was an attempt only…hehehe…which I wish to share with you all….:) It tasted great too!!!
Here’s the recipe
Recipe Serves 2 to 3

For the Parathas
3 to 4 cups full wheat flour
1 small cabbage (purple) finely chopped
2 medium size carrots peeled & grated
Oil for kneading & subtle frying
5 to 6 pods garlic finely crushed
½’’ ginger peeled and finely crushed
chilly powder as per taste
Salt to taste

Method
Divide the wheat flour into half. Take the first half, add salt, chilly powder, crushed ginger and grated carrots. Knead adding oil & water. Make a soft dough.Keep aside.
Now, take the other half of the wheat flour, add salt, chilly powder, crushed garlic and chopped cabbage. Make a soft dough. Keep aside.
Make parathas and fry them with butter or oil. Don’t make them too brown so that the colour is retained. You can get creative here and blend them together and make other variety designs with it for fun.

For Onion Masala Chutney
1 medium size onion finely chopped
5 to 6 curry leaves
½ tspn. Mustard seeds
¼ tspn. Turmeric powder
½ tspn. Sugar
½ tspn. Chilly powder
A pinch of hing
1 tbspn. oil

Method

Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, turmeric powder, curry leaves, chilly powder, sugar, salt & chopped onion. Fry till nice dark brown and fragrant. Add salt, fry for ½ a minute more. Let it cool. Grind this mixture into a thick paste.
Relish with hot parathas!!!

Maharashtrian Meal!!!

Yesterday morning both of us felt like eating proper meal, we were really bored of pizzas, pastas, or any other substitute for a wholesome meal. So I made a proper Maharashtrian style lunch comprising of Chapatis/ fulkas (poli), sabzi (bhaji), daal (aamti), rice (bhaat), chutney. For desert we galloped black current ice-cream stacked in the freezer!!


For the Chutney
3 medium size green chilies
3 tbspn. Of raw mango finely chopped
3 tbspn. Of groundnut powder
2 to 3 curry leaves
1 ½ tbspn. Of jaggery
Salt to taste
1 tbspn. Oil
½ teaspoon of mustard seeds
A pinch of hing

Method
Grind the chillies, raw mango, groundnut powder, curry leaves and jaggery together in a mixer till a fine paste is formed. Add salt. Mix well. Keep aside. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and hing. Switch off the flame after the mustard seeds sputter. Pour the hot oil on the paste made earlier. Your sweet n spicy chutney is ready!

For the Sabzi (I made French beans)
500 Gms of beans finely chopped
1 ½ tbspn. Gram seeds
1 ½ tbspn. Oil
1 tspn. Red chilly powder
1 tspn. Cumin & coriander seeds powder
½ tspn. Turmeric powder
A pinch of hing
1 tspn. Mustard seeds
1 tspn. Sugar
Salt to taste
Grated coconut for garnishing

Method
Soak the gram seeds in water for 20 to 25 minutes.
Heal oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, hing & turmeric powder. After the seeds sputter, add the chopped beans. Mix well. Sprinkle a little water. Cover it. Let it cook for 2 minutes. Uncover it, add soaked gram seeds, chilly powder, cumin & coriander powder, salt & sugar. Mix well. Cover it. Stir fry in gaps while cooking it for further 3 to 4 minutes. Garnish it with grated coconut. Serve it with Chapatis.

For the Daal (Aamti)
5to 6 tpsn. Toor daal
1 ½ tbspn. Oil
½ tspn. Turmeric powder
1 tbspn. Jaggery
1 tspn. Chilly powder
5 to 6 pods of garlic crushed
½ tspn mustard seeds
½ tbspn. Tamarind
A pinch of hing
Salt to taste

Method
Cook the Toor daal fully, till it can be smashed with hand in a pressure cooker. Add salt to taste and ½ a tspn. of jaggery. Mix well Keep aside.
Soak the tamarind in water, remove the extract. Keep aside
Heat oil in a pan. Add crushed garlic. Sauté till dark brown. Add mustard seeds, hing & turmeric powder. Immediately add the cooked toor daal. Don’t add the all of it. Keep aside a ¼ part of the whole quantity. Mix well. Add chilly, tamarind extract water, salt and jaggery. Let it boil for further 1 minute. Your daal is ready.
If you don’t like the flavour of the garlic, you may avoid it. It tastes lovely even without it.
While serving, pour some of the plain daal kept aside earlier on the rice, pour the aromatic homemade ghee on it along with some fresh lemon juice and salt. That’s the way maharashtrians eat it! After the plain daal is mixed well in rice, pop some in your mouth, I bet you will love it. Only after tasting it, add the main daal on it and savour the food. It needs to be really hot when you eat it!

For salad I just chopped tomatoes, sprinkled some bleck pepper & salt.

My First meme

My First Meme

1. Last Movie you saw in a theatre?
I saw “U Me & Hum”, it was again a copy of a Hollywood flick!!! And I kept thinking to myself, ‘If Shahrukh played the character of Ajay…it would have been a much better movie!!!” Hahaha…..

2. What book are you reading?
Well I am not reading any book currently….but I just finished reading ‘A thousand splendid suns’, by Khalid Housseni. It was an interesting book.

3. Favourite Board Game?
I love to play Carom!!! And cards too…though it isn’t a board game!

4. Favourite Magazine?
Well I don’t follow any Magazine to be frank, but I love to go through Woman’s Era, Femina and Inside Outside

5. Favourite Smell?
I would rather call it aroma or fragrance….hehe…..well I too love Petrol aroma o much that I feel like drinking it up!! And I like the smell of food….yummy food!!

6. Favourite Sounds?
I love the sound of Sonu Nigam’s voice!! And also Ghulam Ali Khan’s voice!
I love the sound of my husband’s voice.

7. Worst feeling in the world?
When my loved ones fall sick! That’s the worst feeling for me!

8. What is the first thing I think about when I wake up?
I think what sabzi to prepare in the Tiffin…hehe…

9. Favourite Fast Food Place?
In Chennai it’s ‘The Noodle House’

10. Future Child’s Name?
Well, I don’t want to disclose it so soon, because there is a lot of time before that happens! Hehehe…

11. Finish this sentence, “If I had a lot of money I would?”
I would decide it only when I get the money!

12. Do you drive fast?
Well I drive fast but safe too.

13. Do you sleep with a stuffed animal?
No. Earlier when till I was around 12 years old, I had a stuffed rabbit to give me company in bed. Hehehe…Not anymore!

14. Storms cool or crazy?
If the storm doesn’t cause danger, then I feel it’s totally cool!

15. What was your first car?
Pre marriage my father bought a Maruti 800, Post marriage we are still to buy one!

16. Favourite Drink?
Pinacolada

17. Finish the statement, “If I had the time I would”?
I would do just what I am doing right now, because I do have time for many things even today, it’s just that I don’t decide to do things really strongly!

18. Do you eat the stems of Broccoli?
Yes, I do!

19. If you would dye your colour what colour would it be?
It would be reddish brown!! But I am not so brave to try it…hehehe…

20. Name all the different towns / cities you have lived in.
Not many, Thane & Chennai

21. Favourite sports to watch?
I don’t enjoy watching sports, but I like to give company to my husband to watch cricket and football, when he watches.

22. One nice thing about the person who sent this to you?
Hmmm….Laxmi is a very genuine person, very true at heart and caring.

23. Whats under your bed?
Nothing actually!

24. Would you like to be yourself again?
Yes very much, with a few corrected mistakes…hehehe…

25. Morning person or night owl?
I am night owl, I hate getting up early in the morning!!!

26. Favourite place to relax?
Home sweet home!

27. Over Easy or Sunny side up?
Both to be true, it depends.

27. Favourite Pie?
Apple Pie

28. Favourite Ice Cream Flavour?
I love strawberry and tender coconut!!! Wow!!!

29. Of all the people you have tagged, who is most likely to respond first?
I have no clue……really! Let’s wait n watch….hehehe…

I am tagging…..


Nishant Agarwal of http://specialpages.blogspot.com/
Aneeket of http://aneeket.blogspot.com/
Manpreet of http://meet-mann.blogspot.com/
Nihit of http://lvmk.blogspot.com/

Udad Variety!!!!!!

It’s a yummy snacks item…..and you can have it which ever way you want, you can have it with Sambar, as dahi wada or with green spicy chutney & ketchup!!!! Here goes the recipe!!

Recipe serves 2

For the Wada

1 ½ handful of Udad daal

½ handful of rice

Salt to taste

Oil for deep frying

For Dahi (curd)
Curd ( around 2 tbspn. full per person)
Coriander seed powder
Cumin powder (jeera)
Salt to taste
Sugar to taste
Finely chopped coriander leaves for garnishing
Chilly powder a pinch (per person)

For Green Chutney
3 handful of finely chopped coriander
2 medium size green chillies
Salt to taste
Sugar to taste

Method for chutney
Grind all the igredients finely. Your chutney is ready!

Method for Wadas

Soak the Udad daal for around 18 to 20 hours. Soak the rice for 2 to 3 hours. After they are soaked for the required time, mix them and grind it till a fine paste is ready. Add salt to taste. Heat oil in a pan. Take a tbspn. And drop one tbspn full ready mixture in the oil. The size can be big, but it is better to make small so that you can pop them directly in your mouth and also they cook properly from inside. Your wadas are ready!! Serve hot with spicy green chutney and ketchup or Hot Sambar. If you want to eat as dahi wadas, soak the wadas in water after they are frying them. Let them soak for about 6 to 7 minutes till they become soft.

Method for Dahi (curd)
For Dahi (curd), Blend curd well, add pinch of sugar and salt to taste. Take a serving bowl, put the wadas soaked in water earlier, pour blended dahi we prepared, top it with red chilly powder, cumin & coriander seed powder and fresh finely chopped coriander. Savour them as they melt in your mouth!!!

Mini Samosas ...!!!

While checking out some Sanjeev Kapoor recipes, I came across Samosas!!! Wow, I thought why not try??
So here it is….. :)

Recipe serves 3 to 4

For cover
2 cups plain flour (Maida)
2 tbspn. Warm oil
Water to knead to dough

For Filling

4 potatoes medium size, boiled, peeled & mashed
3 green chillies finely chopped
1 tsp. ginger crushed
1 tsp. Garlic crushed
1 tbspn. Coriander seeds
2 tbspn. Fresh finely chopped coriander
½ lemon juice extracted
½ tsp. turmeric powder
1 tsp. chilly powder
1 tsp. sugar
Salt to taste
Oil to deep fry

Method for Dough
Take the flour; add oil, salt and little water. Mix well till crumbly. Add more water little by little kneading it into soft pliable dough. Cover it with wet cloth for 15 to 20 minutes. Beat dough on surface & knead again. Recover.

Method for filling
Heat 3 tbspn. Of oil, add ginger, garlic, green chillies, and coriander seeds, stir fry for a minute, add fresh coriander leaves, lemon juice, turmeric powder, garam masala, chilly powder. Stir fry for 2 minutes. Add potatoes. Further stir fry for 2 minutes. Cool, keep aside.

To proceed
Make a thin 5” dia round with the dough. Cut in 2 halves. Run a moist hand around the diameter. Join & press together to make a cone.
Place a tbspn. Of filling inside the cone, seal the third side as above.
Put in hot oil, fry on low – medium flame. Don’t fry on high flame, otherwise the Samosas will become soggy & oily.
Drain on kitchen paper. Serve hot with tamarind chutney or tomato ketchup.

Well isnt your mouth watering by now..hehhe......try it....you will lovvvveee them!

Like Lasagne...........lovely!!!

Amit and I lovvvveee Italian food, so i keep trying my hand at it often nowadays, whenever i taste anything in a restaurant, I try to make it at home.....so today i experimented....and it was successful....well otherwise i wouldnt be talking or writing bout it!!! Hehhe.....

Recipe serves 2 to 3

For the main course

2 handful of rice
750 gms beans
1 lemon
2 tbspn of sugar
Salt to taste
2 boild eggs
1 slice cheese
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon oregano
1 ½ tbspn butter
2 tomatoes finely chopped
½ tbspn Oil


For the side dish

1 onion finely chopped
½ tbspn Oil
mustard seeds
Chilly powder
Turmeric powder
A handful of rajma or any other chavli (dont know a better name!!hehhe)
½ cup Water
Salt to taste
Pinch of hing
Sugar to taste (optional)
Ginger garlic paste



For the side dish,soak the rajma or chavli for an hour in water, after they are soaked, cook them in pressure cooker till they are soft . Keep aside. heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds,once they sputter, add hing, turmeri c powder, ginger garlic paste & onion. Fry till light brown, add cooked rajma / chavli and water. Add salt, sugar & chilly powder. Let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Keep aside.

For the main course, cook the potato, beans & rice in a pressure cooker. Add salt to taste in each and every item before you set them to cook in the pressure cooker except for potato. Keep aside once cooked.

Take the boiled eggs, peel the skin, seperate the yellow yoke from the white, cut the white in long strips, keep aside.

Peel the cooked potato, smash it finely, add 1 tbspn of butter and yellow yoke of egg, blend properly, add black pepper & salt , mix well, keep aside.

Heat oil in pan add chopped tomatoes, let it cook for a minute, add salt, ½ tbspn. Of sugar, add oregano & black pepper. Let it cook for 2 minutes. Keep aside.Make a nice syrup of remaining sugar & lemon juice,keep aside.
Now, take a nice pan, take the remaining butter and spread it on the surface of the pan, even the side of the pan, so that when you cook the ingredients they dont burn. Now plant half of the whole quantity of cooked rice in the pan, spread it properly, on the rice, put the beans, again spread evenly, add the remaining rice, ad dthe strips of egg, then the tomato curry we prepared earlier, add the potato- butter- egg paste , for the topping plant cheese slice, you may cut strips of the cheese before planting it. Sprinkle oregano & black pepper. Cover it. Put it on a low flame for about 6 to 7 minutes.
Your layered lasagne like recipe is ready, it may be not authentic italian lasagne...but it tastes awesome.
Sprinkle some sugar lemon syrup before serving. Savour it with rajma / chavli we prepared earlier, while its hot n fresh!!

Bambaiyya Bhel!!!!

When I shifted to Chennai 5 months back, one thing i started missing was mumbai food!!! Paani Puri, Bhel Puri, Sev batata Puri, Pav Bhaji, Vada Pav and the list is endless!! And I tried tasting the chat items in Chennai but to my dismay that was no where close to what Mumbai offers. So I decided that I will try some at home, why not! Maybe the taste will not be as greeeeeaattt as we get on Mumbai streets, but it will surely be better than what is sold in chennai ....dont mind!

Recipe serves 2 to 3

1 packet Bhel mix
2 to 3 finely chopped onions (depending on size)
½ finely chopped raw mango
1 to 2 potatoes (depending on size)
½ a handful of tamarind
½ a handful of jaggery or 2 tbspn of sugar
3 finely chopped green chillies
Yellow thin sev for garnishing
Finely chopped coriander for garnishing

Cook the potatoes properly, they should be really soft- ready to be smashed, smash them finely and keep aside.
For the sweet n sour chutney , soak the tamarind in 1 cup of water for about half hour, after its nice soft, crush it with your hand while it is still in water , and the water becomes dark brown like the tamrind, remove the tamrind from the water and add jaggery or sugar in the water, blend it well till it mixes properly, you may heat it to fasten the process. Once done keep aside.
For the Bhel now, take a medium size vessel, pour the bhel mix in it, add chopped onions, smashed potatoes, chopped raw mango and chopped green chillies and mix properly. Now add the tamarind chutney prepared earlier and again mix well, till all the ingredients blend nicley, garnish with chopped coriander & sev.Serve immediately. Isnt it simple....and i bet its tastes very close to bambaiya bhel!!!heehhhehehehe.....
You can make a green chillies chutney instead of the chopped chillies, but i prefer to have the chillies crushed so i dont make the chutney.