Quick tip: Healthier, No-fry papad

Take 2 kitchen paper towels & stack 2 papads in between them. Heat in the microwave oven for about 45 seconds and they should be cooked evenly all the way to the centre.

Experiment with timing since wattage may differ, but this worked for me with the plain white kind and turned out nice & crunchy, not too hard. Enjoy! :)

Masala Vada / Chetambado

Ingredients:
- 1 cup chana dhal
- 1/4 cup urad dhal
- 2 onions (chopped)
- Green chillis
- Dhania
- Mint leaves (chopped)
- Curry leaves (chopped)
- Oil for deep frying

Method:
1. Soak chana dhal & urad dhal for 2-3 hours & grind until coarse (like chettambade peet)
2. Add salt, onions, green chillies, dhania, mint & curry leaves & mix well.
3. Make round balls & flatten.
4. Deep fry & serve hot with ketchup!

 

Cauliflower & Potato Upkari (Needs correction from Mhave)

Seasoning; oil, mustard seeds, jeera, 1 small green chilli and kadipatha (curry leaves).

1. Heat oil (med-hi), add mustard seeds. When they splutter, switch off the gas.
2. Add hing powder, red chilli powder, haldi powder, dhaniya powder, jeera powder & salt.
3. Add Cauliflower & potato, mix well. Keep on the gas.
4. Add a little water, lower heat, cover with lid & cook around 10-15min.

Italian wedding soup

This is a lovely classic Italian soup, usually served as an appetiser at weddings, hence the name. I first tried this at an Italian restaurant chain, East Side Mario's - it was unlimited, and I couldn't stop eating it! I decided for the sake of my wallet, to recreate it at home, and it is just as tasty. Enjoy!
                                                                                

Ingredients:
(Serves 4)
- 18-20 small-med frozen beef meatballs or homemade (optional)
- Pasta: 1cup acini di pepe (tiny) or 1-2 cups rotini (heartier)
- 3 chicken stock cubes
- 1/2 small onion (fine chop)
- 1 garlic pod (minced)
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 cups fresh spinach/escarole (optional)
- Salt

Method:
Meat: (frozen)
1. 300-400g meat/18-20 small-med sized frozen meatballs
2. Brush tray with olive oil & cook in toaster oven/ grill at 400f/200c for 7 min each side
3. Let rest on kitchen roll to absorb excess grease. Chop into small pieces
Pasta & Veg: (cook while meat is in oven)
4. Boil water, salt (1 tbsp), add pasta, bring back to boil & lower to simmer for 12 mins (5)
5. Strain & keep aside.
6. In a pan, heat 1tbsp olive oil, sauté onion until lightly golden, then add garlic.

Broth:
7. Boil 600ltr water & add to large pot. Crush/dissolve stock cubes in bowl and add to pot.
8. Add sautéed veg, spinach/escarole (optional), meat, oregano, salt, pepper & boil 10 mins. Lower to simmer (5) and add pasta until it is evenly heated. Serve!

Leek & Potato Soup

Ingredients: (6-8 servings)

 

- 3 large leeks
- 2 small onions (fine chop)
- 2 cloves garlic (very fine chop)
- 2 med potatoes diced
- 2-2.5 cubes chicken stock (dissolved)
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp Butter
- 1/3- 1/2 cup semi-skimmed (1%) milk

 

Method:

1. Leeks: chop off base (1cm), chop dark green parts off, peel outside layer if too muddy and wash throughly. Cut in half lengthways & fine chop (1/2cm slices). If very muddy, wash all & drain well.

2.  In a large pan (non-stick is good), heat 2-3 tbsp oil & sautée garlic, onion, leeks 8 mins (stir, half cover and don't let burn) Med-high heat (8)

3. Boil 1.5l water. Crush stock cubes in a small bowl, add a little water to dissolve & add to large pot.

4. Add leeks, potatoes, salt & pepper to pot, bring to boil, then lower heat (6).

Simmer 10-20 mins +

5. Add butter (optional) & milk to thicken (whatever % you have)

6. Taste and add more stock/seasoning salt if necessary. Can be enjoyed hot or cold, tastes even better the next day!

Extra options:
Can add bacon substitutes (chicken, turkey, beef) - fry beforehand until soft to garnish
Can also add pasta (tiny acini de pepe or normal rotini twists), grains, wheat puffs.

*Be prepared with a sharp knife for this recipe!! (Shashi's original recipe)

Updates

As you may have noticed, I've been updating the blog layout, editing posts, adding pictures and so on to make everything more uniform & easier to follow. Hopefully you'll enjoy the changes. :)

You can now add existing or new labels to posts, e.g 'appetisers', or 'Shashi' (existing ones will be autosuggested), which will appear under 'Categories' on the right of the page, so you can view recipes by category. I'll keep editing posts until you get the hang of it anyway. :)

Thanks for the recipes so far and please keep them coming!
Love, Payal

Bhindi Fry

Ingredients:
- 250g bhindis (washed, slit & cut lengthwise)
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 tsp oil
- Mustard seeds
- Methi (Fenugreek) seeds
- Chilli powder
- Salt & Pepper
- Haldi pinch
- Tamarind or Lime Juice (quantity?)



Method:
1. In a kadai heat oil & add mustard seeds, methi seeds & onion. Fry until lightly golden.
2. Add bhindis, salt and cover (time?)
3. When bhindi is half cooked, add chilli pdr, pepper, haldi & cook (without lid)
4. Add tamarind or lime juice & cook,5 mins.

Upcoming Recipes

Look out for Amma's pickle recipes soon..

I must collect all her recipes while she is staying with me in Uk so that we all can share her marvellous food. If you want any recipes please post your requests here.

Shashi

Papadi Chat

Method:
1. Cut up papads in triangle shapes, deep fry and drain
2. Cut some tomatoes, onions, peppers, boiled potatoes, spread onto papad
3. Sprinkle salt, chilli pdr, chaat masala or Maggis Tamarind sauce (like bhel puri sauce)
4. Garnish with sev and coriander leaves & serve immediately

Gulab Jamun

Method: (Using Gits ready mix packet)

Jamuns
1. Follow instructions on the packet. Be very careful while adding the water - better to start with less than instructed.

2. Apply butter to palms to prevent stickiness, roll mix into a soft dough, cover and keep aside for 10 mins.

3. Roll into smooth 1" balls with no cracks.


4. Heat some oil (med), mix with butter/ghee (optional ).
5. Heat one jamun to test - be careful that the oil is not smoking hot otherwise the outside will brown quickly, but inside will be uncooked.
6. Keep moving the balls gently around with the spoon. Remove and drain on paper towel.
7. Put 5-6 jamuns in one by one, and cook on medium flame till golden brown.

Sugar Syrup

1. Mix 2 cups sugar, 1.5 cup water & bring to boil for about 20 mins until it thickens slightly.
2. Add a cardamon or rose water for fragrant flavouring.
3. Add all the jamuns in the syrup and give one gentle boil. Remove from stove & cool.

Can be re-heated to serve warm or cold as desired. Sometimes jamun is served with a blob of vanilla icecream!

Prawn Stir-Fry (Red Masala)

Ingredients:
- 1 pkt prawns, peeled/cooked
- Marinate: salt, pinch chilli
  pdr, haldi 1/4 tsp, lemon
  juice
- 2-3 stalks of Spring onions
- 1/4 tsp cumin Seeds
- 2 pods garlic minced ( opt )
- 1/4 tsp chilli pdr
- 1/4 tsp cumin pdr (jeera)
- 1 pinch hing (asafoetida)
- 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
- 1/2 tsp lemon juice
- 2 -3 tbs tomato puree
- Salt to taste




Method:
1. Heat oil, add the cumin seeds. When popped, lower heat, add garlic pods, spring onions, cumin pdr. chilli pdr. hing pdr, ginger-garlic paste and mix well.
2. Add the tomato puree and mix well
3. Add a little water to dilute, add prawns & stir well for 5 mins only or else the prawn may get hard. 4. Keep aside, add lemon juice and serve with plain rice.

You can make the gravy as thin or as thick as you need if you are eating with rice.

*Tested by Payal as in pic above!

Fish Fry

Method: - Using white, filleted fish: Cod, Coley, Whiting, Basa. (4 - 6 pieces)

1. Clean & wash fish, & dry.
2. Marinate: Salt, 1/4 tsp turmeric pdr, 1/4 tsp chilli pdr, pinch of hing (asafoetida), 1/4 tsp jeera pdr,
1/2 tsp ginger-garlic paste, 2 tbs of tomato puree, 1 tsp lemon juice. Keep for 1 hour if poss.

3. Dip in rice powder on both sides


4. Deep fry in hot oil for about 5 mins, turning over till golden.
5. Remove with slotted spoon and dry on kitchen towel.

Serve with sliced onions, salt, lemon juice & coriander leaves (prepare earlier and refridgerate).

Sabudhana Khichadi (Sago) / Upasaka (Fasting)

Method:         
                                                 
1. Wash 250g sago several times till the powdery stuff floating at the top is drained away. It's this stuff that makes the khichadi sticky. Soak overnight

2. Keep the water level 1/2 above while soaking. Next day they will become soft. If you feel they are still hard, sprinkle some more water and mix up and down with hands. Keep aside for some time.

3. If there is excess water drain it out and add salt and sugar to taste.

4. Add Peanuts-[ fried, skin removed & grounded coarsely]- 2-3 tbsp. Mix with the sagos.

5. Heat oil or 2tbsp ghee, mustard seeds, jeera, 4-5 curry leaves, 3-4 green chillies and haldi.

6. Add the sago & mix well. Cover and allow to cook for 5 mins on a low flame. (Stir Again )

7. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve.

( Edited by Shashi )

Thank you!

Thank you all for the latest recipes...can't wait to try them out! Will post pics when I make a blog-worthy dish!

Ghee Rice (More in Comments)

Method:
1. Wash and soak rice for 15 mins in water.
2. In a pressure cooker, fry 3 onions (chopped lengthwise) in ghee until light brown
3. Add cardamoms, cloves, dalchini (cinnamon stick), bay leaf, cashews & raisins.
4. Add rice and water ratio 1:2 cups water
5. Salt to taste. Cover with lid & take 1 whistle.
6. Remove from heat & set aside until you can open lid. Ready to serve.

Hot Garlic Chicken (More in Comments)

Method:

1. Marinate 1.5kg chicken with salt, pinch of turmeric powder, 2tsp ginger garlic paste & dash of vinegar. Keep aside.

2. Ground paste: 20 red chillies, tamarind, 2tsp coriander, 5-6 garlic pods.

3. In a pan heat 1tbsp oil, fry 15-20 crushed & peeled garlic until lightly brown.

4. Add ground paste & fry until raw smell goes away.

5. Add marinated chicken, cover & cook on high flame.

Goes well with ghee rice. Simple and tasty!

Upkaris (More in Comments)

Method: (Beans, Cabbage, Potato, Carrots, Tendles, Alsondo, Beans, etc)

1. Wash and slice finely/ lengthways..

2. Heat 2 tbs of oil (med-high, 8 on electric stove)

3. Add 1/4 tsp mustard seeds till it pops

4. Add 1-2 small red chillis torn or 1/8tsp chilli powder (very spicy)



5. Add veg quickly before chillis start to burn. It will make a noise - don't worry - quickly stir.

6. Salt to taste (Shashi method) - stir again for 30 secs

7. Add small cup of water just to cover the veg.

8. Lower heat, cover and cook for about 10-20 mins..

*Payal's pics.

Kaju Kathlis & Almond Barfi

Kaju Kathlis/Barfi

Method:
1. Powder 250 g of cashewnuts in a blender. Let it be dry.
2. Take 250 g  sugar in a kadai. Add 200 ml of water and make a sugar syrup.
3. Let the syrup cook for about 8-10 mins.
4. Add powdered cashewnuts. Mix thoroughly. Add a tsp of ghee and mix well.
5. Now the mixture will form into a ball. Spread this mixture on a flat surface and roll it with a rolling pin (Belan). Then when it is cool cut it out into diamond shapes. :)

Badam/Almond Barfi

Method:
1. Soak one cup of almonds in hot water for about 30 min and peel the skins.
2. Grind it with 1/2cup milk to make a fine paste. Add 1.5cup sugar & mix until sugar dissolves.
3. In a pan warm 2tbsp ghee and add the paste...keep stirring on a low flame until mixture leaves the sides & forms a ball
4. Add a pinch of cardamom, mix well & flatten mixture on a greased thali
5. After a while cut into desired shapes.

Nan Katai

Nan Katai

Ingredients :
1 1/4 cup maida (all purpose flour)
3 tbsp besan (gram flour. If not available, replace with maida)
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup (packed) powdered sugar
6 to 7 tbsp (little less than 1/2 cup) fairly hot ghee
1/2 tsp cardamom powder

Method :
Combine maida, besan and baking soda. Use a large sieve to sift them.
To the above, add powdered sugar and cardomom powder and mix well. Add ghee little by little and knead into a dough. If it is difficult to knead, just push the dough to the side of the vessel, press with your palm and knead.

[The ghee should be hot but shouldn't burn your fingers. Do not pour ghee all at once. Add about a tablespoon at a time and knead into a dough. If the dough turns out too sticky you can refrigerate it for half an hour.]

Keep aside for about an hour. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC)
Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Make equal sized balls of the dough [ I used a table spoon measure to make the balls, that way you can make them equal sized].
Place on the parchment paper atleast 2 inches apart. Flatten a little [flatter ones have a better texture compared to round ones].
Bake for 19 to 20 minutes. Makes about 18 cookies.

Mhave

Sweet recipes (In Comments Section)