Monday, March 30, 2015

Spinach is a nutrient rich,  leafy vegetable when compared to other veggies. They are really a cheap, and easily available tasty veggie which are rich in nutrients. Spinach cooks in no time. With lentils it gives a wonderful taste.

Spinach Dal recipe is an easy nutrient rich curry made, with the lentils . The addition of lentils adds nutrients as well as taste to this curry. This is a versatile curry which you can have it with rice, idli dosa or with rotis. I have been making this yummy heathy dish for years and i am glad to be able share it now.

Spinach Dal

INGREDIENTS:
Spinach/ Palak, chopped- 1 big bunch
Moong dal- 1/2 cup
Green chillies-2
Water- 2+1 cups
Onion- 1/2 (or) Pearl onion- 10
Garlic- 2 big cloves
Salt- to taste

To temper:
Oil- 3 teaspoons
Mustard seeds- 1/2 teaspoon
Cumin/ Jeera- 1/4 teaspoon
Dry red chilli - 2 (optional)
Curry leaves- 1 strand (optional)

Spinach dal

PROCEDURE:
  • In a pressure cooker add the moong dal and slightly roast them till the colour of some grains change to light brown or till the light roasted smell arises.
  • Allow to cool for two minutes; Now add 2 cups of water, turmeric and green chillies.
  • Close with a lid and pressure cook for 3 whistles till mushy.
  • Once the pressure releases immediately open the lid and slightly mash the dal. But do not make it into a paste. 
  • Add the chopped spinach, salt and a cup of water; allow to boil for sometime.
  • Meanwhile, heat a flat pan and add oil; splutter the mustard seeds; add the jeera and dried red chillies ; add curry leaves and fry them together in that oil.
  • Once the curry leaves becomes crisp add the cut onion with a pinch of salt and cook till soft. Add the chopped garlic cloves and fry till the raw flavour leaves.
  • Once the spinach get cooked with the dal (spinch colour sholuld not change to pale as the nutrients get lost if it turns pale) add the tempering with onion and garlic.
  • Bring it to boil and check for salt add if needed and switch off the gas.
  • Notes: For variation you could add some ginger instead of garlic.
  • You could add one small tomato once the garlic get cooked.


Sunday, March 29, 2015

Carrot is a versatile vegetable used in cooking the options ranges from dry subzi, desserts and tasty beverages. Earlier i have shared carrot milk shake recipe which is a delicious one perfect for breakfast. This beverage also can be consumed as breakfast or after food.

Healthy as well as a tasty drink. Easy to make beverage with in minutes with the ingredients already available in your pantry in just a jiffy. You could strain the juice or you could prepare with the fiber too. Colourful delicious cool lassi to beat the summer heat.

Carrot Sweet Lassi

Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Serves:2 glasses

INGREDIENTS:
Carrot- 1 large(or) small-2
Sugar- 1 tablespoon (or) Honey- 1 tablespoon
Yogurt/ Curd- 1 cup
Chilled water- 1/2 cup

Carrot yogurt

PROCEDURE:
  • Peel the carrots and cut the top green portion (found in some carrots & would give a raw taste to the drink - advisable to avoid the same).
  • Cut the carrots roughly into smaller pieces. Add a piece of ginger if you like it.
  • Add the carrot pieces and grind it to make a coarse paste . Now add half a cup of water and grind well to make a fine paste.
  • Strain the juice which is optional; add half a cup of more chilled water and extract the juice again.(Do not add more water which eventually would dilute the lassi)
  • Now add the extracted carrot juice on a juicer or blender jar with the sugar/honey and yogurt/curd.
  • Whip well till it becomes frothy. Serve chilled in glasses. 


Tomato Pulao is a simple and easy to prepare, colourful pulao which could be made in a jiffy with the ingredients available in your pantry. I have earlier shared the Tomato Rice/ Thakkali Sadam which is a Tamil Nadu special variety rice often prepared at every home. This is another variation which i had tried at home after marriage. We love the garam masala flavour in rice than the mustard seasoning. So i tried the tomato rice with garam masala flavouring and eversince it has become a dish that is now often prepared at my home. This pulao could be prepared with the leftover rice too. The ultimate recipe to make for kids lunch box too.


Spicy tomato pulao

INGREDIENTS: 
Basmathi Rice- 1 cup
Oil- 3-5 teaspoons
Cinnamon bark- 2, cloves-3, cardamom-4, bay leaf-1.
Onion, chopped lengthwise- 2 medium
Green chillies, slit-1
Tomatoes- 3 medium
Ginger garlic paste/ crushed- 2 teaspoons
Chilli powder- 1 teaspoon (Use Kashmiri chilli powder for more colour)
Garam masala powder- 1/2 teaspoon
Salt- to taste
Coriander leaves, chopped- 2 tablespoons


PROCEDURE:
  • This pulao could be made in absorption method either by following the same procedure by adding two cups of water on the tomato gravy prepared or pressure cooking for 2 whistles.(If the rice is not prior soaked), 
  • There is also the third method to follow which is to half cook the rice with salt and drain the excess water; allow to cool by spreading in a flat plate.
  • Heat oil in a pan; add the raw garam masala spices cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and bay leaf.
  • Add the chopped onion and cook with a pinch of salt till it starts to become golden at the edges.
  • Now add the slit green chillies and ginger garlic paste; saute in that oil till the raw smell leaves.
  • Add the chopped tomato and cook till soft; add some salt and cook till mushy.
  • Add the chilli powder and garam msala powder; cook for thirty seconds till the raw flavour of the masala leaves. 
  • Add the half cooked rice and mix well. Add salt if required.
  • Sprinkle the coriander leaves and switch off the gas.
  • Serve with any raita.


Saturday, March 28, 2015

Szechuan Fried Rice is a spicy version of the normal fried rice made with Szechuan sauce. This rice could also be prepared with Chilli paste and Ginger garlic paste instead of Szechuan sauce. I had not tasted Szechuan chicken fried rice, till last year. Once I happened to taste this in a restaurant, I fell in love with the dish.
I tried it at home and was quite happy with the outcome. Compared to the normal version chicken fried rice it is more tasty and of course spicy. With the added veggies and eggs it turns into really tasty, colourful and healthy recipe.

Chicken Szechuan Fried Rice

Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Cuisine: Chinese
Serves: 2-3

INGREDIENTS:
Basmati rice- 1 cup
Chicken Breast/ boneless chicken- 1 no/ 250 grams
Oil- 3-4 teaspoons
Garlic, chopped- 1 big clove
Ginger, chopped- 1/2 inch
Carrot, chopped-1 small
Beans, chopped- 4-5
Sweet corn/Baby corn- 1/2 cup
Spring Onion, chopped- 1
Szechuan sauce- 1 tablepoon (Add according to your spice level)
Soya sauce- 1 teaspoon (optional)
Pepper- pinch
Sugar- 1/4+1/4 teaspoon
Salt-to taste
Sichuan Chicken Fried Rice

PROCEDURE:
  • Half cook the basmathi rice with salt and drain the excess water; allow to cool.
  • Finely chop the veggies and cut the chicken in to thin long strips; then give them slant cut to get smaller pieces to get more surface area for easy cooking.
  • Drizzle a teaspoon of oil in a pan and add the beaten eggs and scramble with a pinch of salt and set aside.
  • Heat oil in a broad pan or wok add the chopped garlic and ginger; fry for ten seconds till the aroma of the flavour arises. Then add the white portion of the spring onion  and cook for thirty seconds.
  • Then add chopped chicken pieces with some salt. Cook till the chicken colour changes to white;  immediately add the chopped veggies of your choice like carrots, beans, cabbage, capsicum, sweet corn and little salt with a pinch of sugar.
  • Allow to cook the veggies in medium flame by constant stirring in that chicken cooked juices drizzle little oil if needed. Veggies should be cooked but the colour should not leave the veggies.
  • Add the szechuan sauce, soya sauce (if you have not added while preparing szechuan sauce) and mix well with the veggies; cook for five seconds.
  • On top of that add the scrambled egg and some spring onion and mix well.
  • Add the half cooked rice; season with pepper and salt with a pinch of sugar. Cook by constant mixing or tossing on high flame for five minutes.
  • Atlast sprinkle some chopped spring onion and mix well and switch off the gas.
Chicken Szechuan Fried Rice



Friday, March 27, 2015

I have shared many strawberry recipes. This one is a pretty easy to prepare breakfast using strawberries aka Strawberry pancakes. Easy as well as healthy. I have added partially Whole wheat flour to make this pancakes and gone with an egg less version. I am not a big fan of pancakes with eggs but once I tried the egg less version,  I started liking this version than the one with eggs.

Easy to make colourful breakfast with added fruits. Kids love this breakfast as it is absolutely colourful and sweet. Checkout my other strawberry recipes here from beverages to desserts.

Strawberry Pancakes


Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Cuisine: America
Makes: 5-6 small pancakes

INGREDIENTS:
Strawberries, chopped- 1/2 cup (1 no/pancake)
All purpose Flour/ Maida- 1/2 cup
Whole wheat flour/Atta- 1/2 cup (Could be replaced with maida)
Yogurt/Curd- 1/4 cup
Milk- 1 cup (I have used low fat; you could use full fat too)
Sugar- 1 and 1/2 tablespoons
Salt- 1/4 teaspoon
Baking Powder- 1 teaspoon
Baking Soda- pinch
Oil- 1 tablespoon (I have used olive oil; you could use refined oil too)
Butter- 1/2 teaspoon/ pancake
Strawberry Pancake

PROCEDURE:
  • In a bowl add together all purpose flour, wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda  and mix well with a whisk to evenly mix all the ingredients.
  • In a bowl add the yogurt and beat well without any lumps. 
  • Now add the sugar and salt and beat well until dissolved.
  • Add the oil and beat well.
  • Add the flour mixture sifted and kept a scoop at a time and mix well. Once the mixture starts to becomes thick add some milk and loosen the batter. Like wise add milk and flour alternatively till the whole lot finishes. 
  • The consistency should be that of an idli batter.
  • Using the whisk mix well with out any lumps and set aside for 10 -15 minutes to ferment the batter.
  • Heat a nonstick pan and add half a teaspoon of butter and cook the pancakes on low flame. Once the butter melts add a ladle full of batter and do not spread the batter. Sprinkle a chopped strawberry on top.
  • Close with a lid for even cooking once the top of the pancakes forms air bubbles slightly flip the pancake using a ladle.
  • Cook the other side till golden colour appears.
  • Dust with powdered sugar on top to cut the sourness of the strawberries or serve with honey/pancake syrup/maple syrup drizzles on top.



Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Milkshakes are certainly my favourite. I always prefer light breakfast in the morning possibly some thing to drink not wholesome solid foods like Idli or Dosa. Carrots can be found in supermarket all year-round. The carrot is a versatile vegetable and commonly eaten raw, steamed, boiled, roasted and as an ingredient in many soups, stews, gravies and even in some of the rice dishes.

 This is an easy to make, tasty milkshake which would be loved by both kids & adults alike barring any age difference. A colourful drink which goes well with any simple breakfast like pancakes, sandwiches or even a simple toast. The drink would sure make you feel full. Yet you'd still feel healthy and light. Carrots are a good source of nourishment to improve the skin tone too.

The antioxidant Beta-carotene, is that which gives carrots their bright orange color. Beta-carotene is absorbed in the intestine and converted into vitamin A during digestion. Carrots also contain fiber, vitamin K, potassium, folate, manganese, phosphorous, magnesium, vitamin E and zinc.


Carrot Milkshake

Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Serves:2 glasses

INGREDIENTS:
Carrot-1 large (or) small-2
Boiled and chilled Milk- 1 and 1/2 cups
Chilled water-1/2 cup
Sugar- 1 tablespoon (or) Honey- 1 tablespoon


PROCEDURE:

Method:1
  • Boil and chill the milk well inside the refrigerator.
  • Peel the carrots and cut the top green portion (found in some carrots & would give a raw taste to the drink - advisable to avoid the same).
  • Cut the carrots roughly into smaller pieces.
  • Add the carrot pieces and grind it to make a coarse paste . Now add half a cup of water and grind well to make a fine paste.
  • Strain the juice; add half a cup of more chilled water and extract the juice again.(Do not add more water which eventually would dilute the milkshake)
  • Now add the extracted carrot juice on a juicer or blender jar with the sugar/honey and chilled milk.
  • Whip well till it becomes frothy. Serve chilled in glasses. Add ice cubes if desired.
Method:2
  • You could make this milk shake in another way, by pulsing the carrot followed by grinding the carrots with a cup of water as a fine puree. Then add the puree as such in the juicer jar with sugar and milk.
  • Blend well and strain  the milk shake. Transfer the clear milkshake again in the juicer jar and whip till frothy and serve.
  • Note: Staining process removes the fibre content of the vegetable. So adults can drink without straining the juice too if you prefer it more healthy.
  • A pinch of cardamom could be used for a variation.



Tuesday, March 24, 2015

I had a box of strawberries in the fridge and i wanted to make a super easy dish with those strawberries. Within a day they'd start to spoil, to sort this out i discussed it with a good friend of mine Mrs.Pummy Vasudeva ma'am. She introduced me to the sheet cake concept. The sheet cake which i have made is a simplifies less calorie version of  the origional sheet cake. I have adopted the recipe from here.

This cake is a perfect tea time cake. People those who does not like the sourness from the strawberries top the cake with icing sugar and have them the cake tastes just awesome. This cake takes hardly 30 minutes of preparation and also baking time. Gorgeous cake made with very less effort.
Strawberry Sheet Cake

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Cuisine: Continental
Serves: 8-10

INGREDIENTS:
Butter/oil- 1/2 cup
Eggs- 3
Sugar, powdered- 1 cup
Salt- pinch
All purpose Flour- 2 cups
Baking Powder- 1 teaspoon
Baking Soda- 1/2 teaspoon
Milk- 1 cup
Vanilla essence/strawberry essence- 1 teaspoon
Strawberries- 7-8
* You could use Self raising flour instead of APF. Do not add baking soda if you use SRF.

Strawberry Sheet Cake

PROCEDURE:
  • For this cake if you have patience separate the egg yolk and do it like the swiss roll but i am doing it in a simple way.
  • In a bowl sift/sieve together or using a whisk mix all purpose flour, baking powder and baking soda to evenly combine together.
  • In a deep bowl cream the butter and break and add the eggs and whisk well.(Now add the oil if you are using oil instead of butter)
  • Now add the powdered sugar and salt; mix well till fluffy.  and beat well till the mixture turns pale and frothy.
  • Add the milk and vanilla essence and mix well.
  • Now add the flour mixture half a cup at a time and mix well until the whole lot finishes.
  • Take a baking tray and line the tray with wax paper else you could grease the pan with butter/oil and dust with flour.
  • Pour the batter and spread the batter evenly.
  • Cut the strawberries into small slices and keep them on top.
  • Preheat the oven 180 degrees for 15 minutes and bake the cake for 10 to 15 minutes until the top of the cake springs back when touched.
  • Drench the cake with icing sugar passed through a sieve on top of the cake which reduces the sourness of the strawberries on top; this step is optional.


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