Chicken Katsu

Recipe Source - https://www.wagamama.com/cook/curries/chicken-katsu-curry

Pic courtesy - S who made this dish and gave it a good rating.

Ingredients 

Rice  Cooked

Chicken breasts - skinless - 2                        

Plain flour - 50g

Eggs - 2 lightly beaten

Oil - 75 ml

Salad leaves  - 40 g

For sauce

Katsu paste - 120 g

Coconut milk - 120 ml 

OR

Make paste from scratch 

Vegetable oil - 2-3 tbsp

Onion - 1 finely chopped

Garlic clove - 1 crushed

Ginger - 1" peeled and grated

Turmeric - 1 tsp 

Curry powder - 2 heaped tbsp 

Plain flour - 1 tbsp

Stock - 300 ml - can use either chicken or veg

Coconut milk - 100 ml

Light soya sauce - 1 tsp

Sugar - 1 tsp

If you are using readymade paste - just add 120 g paste and 120 ml coconut milk to a pot.  Stir. Heat and bring to a simmer.  

From scratch - 

A little oil. 

Soften the onion, garlic, ginger and add curry powder, turmeric

Keep it on medium heat. 

Add flour  and cook for a minute with the spices.

Add the stock in, slowly and follow it with coconut milk, a pinch of sugar, salt to taste and a dash of the soya sauce. 

Strain through a sieve to make it a smooth gravy. 

Preparing the chicken

Split chicken fillets in half.  Coat in flour.  

Soak in beaten egg.  Dip in breadcrumbs making sure all sides of chicken are covered with it. 

Put in a pan with oil and cook till golden brown. 

Serving Suggestion 

Slice chicken into lengths and plate it next to hot rice.

Serve a portion of salad, or wok-fried greens. 

And place a bowl of sauce to drench the chicken. 

Aloo Kulcha - Indian Stuffed Bread

We generally have rotis for dinner.  Sometime after our evening tea, V mentioned he wanted a different kind of roti.  Something like naan.  I have been wanting to try out the Kulcha for a long time now.  I had bookmarked the recipe from Daasana's site.  She even has a step by step account of the recipe.  I just modified it a bit.   The kulchas puffed up on the hot pan and they were crisp on the outside and soft inside.  It was very good.

Ingredients:  Makes about 8

All purpose flour - 2 cups ( you can use a part of whole wheat flour)
Baking soda - 1/4 tsp
Baking powder - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 2-3 tbsp ( if you want a rich taste - use ghee)
Curd / yogurt - 3 tbsp
Sugar- 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste - but add a little more than you would for rotis
Ajwain/Carom seeds - a large pinch
Water for making the dough
Oil while making the kulcha

Stuffing:
Potatoes - 3 large - Boiled
Green chilies - to taste - finely chopped
Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp ( optional)
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Jeera / Cumin Powder - 1/4 tsp
Dry mango powder - 1/2 tsp - I used pani puri masala - it has that nice sour taste
Garam masala - 1/4 tsp - I used Chinese five spice
Coriander leaves - finely chopped - few
Ginger - 1/4 tsp - finely chopped
Salt to taste

Make the dough-
Take the flour.  Make a well in the centre
Add the oil, salt, sugar, baking powder and soda, curd, ajwain.  Mix well.
Because of the curd it will be a little moist.
Add just enough water to make a soft dough
Knead well till smooth.
Cover and keep aside for an hour or two in a warm place.

For the stuffing
Mash the boiled potatoes.
Add all the other ingredients.  Mix well and keep

Take a ball of the dough
Roll into a circle.
Take an equal quantity of the stuffing - make a round ball of that too.
Place in the middle of the rolled out dough
Bring up the sides of the dough to the centre over the stuffing
Dust a bit of flour - I also put a bit of oil on the rolling board
And roll it evenly into a nice circular shape.

Meanwhile heat a pan
Put the stuffed kulcha onto the pan
You can put some oil or ghee while making the kulcha - all to your taste
Keep flipping it over both sides till evenly done
The kulcha puffed up nicely too
Once there are enough brown spots , remove.
Serve hot preferably.
They can be stored wrapped in foil, or a  moist cloth for later

This so good, you can have it plain.  Or with a lob of butter.  With curd and pickle or a curry of your choice.

Ajwain ki Puri - Puffed bread with Carom seeds

Ajwain or Carom seeds have a very strong flavour.  But when added in small quantities to certain dishes, the flavour that it imparts is amazing.  While puris can be enjoyed without any added ingredient, I must tell you to try this little twist.  I found this on Vahrevah.com.

Ingredients:

Wheat flour - 1 cup ( or a mix of wheat flour and all purpose flour)

Ajwain - carom seeds - 1/4 tsp ( you could perhaps add a wee bit more - but do not go overboard)

Semolina ( Rava) - 2 tbsp

Chilie powder - to taste

Salt to taste

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Oil for deep frying

Make a stiff dough with the above ingredients with a little bit of water

Make equal balls of the dough

Roll them into small circles

Fry them in hot oil

Have them hot - seen here with dal with spring onions

Enjoy

Wafer Par Ida - Egg and chips Parsi style

K has been asking me to try this recipe from  Evolving Tastes. for some time now.  It did seem not like the ordinary egg curry.  I mean egg and chips.  Separately yes, but together ??  Now that I have made it.  An emphathic YES. These are the perfect way to use the broken bits of chips at the bottom of a pack !  Use any kind - the regular or the branded ones. I modified the recipe a bit.  And I am sure there are many many variations one can make of this apart from the two main ingredients - the egg and the potato chips/fries.  Mushrooms, cheese, capsicum..... endless

I wondered how the chips would stay crisp, how I could remove it from the pan without the whole thing coming apart etc etc. So many doubts.  But it turned out just fine.   I made a single serving with one egg and half a small pack of Lays Party Flavours - Spicy something.  I wished I had made a two egg one and devoured it all !

Ingredients:  ( Single serving - just increase the amounts and use a bigger pan for more ! )

Oil/butter/Ghee - 1 tbsp   ( I used oil )
Spring onions - 1 - the bulb and the greens - chopped fine
Onion - 1 small - chopped fine
Green chilies - 1 finely chopped  ( I did not use more since the wafer was spicy too )
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Ginger - garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves - for garnish
Egg - 1
Chips/Wafers/Fries - no limit :-)
Salt - to taste - go easy on salt.  The chips have them too

Heat a saucepan.
Add butter / ghee / oil
Add the chopped onion.  Allow to brown a little and get tender
Then the spring onions.   Sauté
Followed by the ginger-garlic paste, green chilies .  Sauté
A bit of salt, and the coriander (dhania ) powder
Toss well.
When they all dry out.  Add coarsely crushed wafers/chips
Make a nest in the chips - a kind of hole 
Break the egg in it.  
Cover with a well fitting lid and cook on a low fire
Season the egg if you like.  Garnish and serve.

Note - Once you add the egg - if you do not want it too runny keep it a little while longer - if you like your sunny side up then you can remove it as soon as the white is no longer transparent. But in any case make sure the chips do not get soggy.

You will find that the chips, the onions, the egg all kind of come together and it is easy to lift it off the pan onto the plate.

Have it with some soft bread/ toasted bread / pav/ plain.......It is delicious.  Try it !

Curry leaf Powder /Kariveppilai Podi

The other day we got this big bunch of curry leaves.  It is so hot already, the leaves were showing signs of drying out. I had made curry leaves podi long long ago and could not remember the measures and followed the one on Shanti Krishnakumar's Cook Book.  These spice powders are always useful for those 'I do not want to cook' days.  Some hot rice, a few drops of oil and the powder makes a good meal.  And if you have some fries with it, you would be forgiven for not cooking anything elaborate.

Ingredients:
Curry leaves - 3 cups - these should be dry * and tightly packed

Roast the following:
Red gram dal ( Tuvar) - 3/4 cup
Black gram dal (Urad) - 1/4 cup
Pepper corns - 1 tbsp
Red chillies dry - 6-7
Salt - to taste

Remove the leaves from the stem.  If the stem is tender, you may use it if you wish.  Wash well. Drain
Place on a newspaper for about 30 minutes or so
And then on a microwave safe plate and microwave till the leaves are dry and crumble when crushed ( this may vary - I put them for about 2 minutes or so)
Meanwhile roast the other ingredients - the dals, pepper, and chilies till you get a lovely aroma. You will know what I mean as the roasting proceeds.  Make sure you do not burn the ingredients.
Put these ingredients into a food processor and grind to a fine powder, then add the dry curry leaves and salt and grind again till well blended.

Enjoy with hot rice, gingelly oil ( or any oil will do ).  Since this is mainly mixed with rice, you may need to add more salt and chillies while grinding.

* if you are not using the microwave, the leaves may be roasted in a pan.  But the microwave method is really quick.

Tip:
If you want to pack it for your lunch.  Mix in the rice and season with a spoon of ghee, mustard, and cashews.  Maybe a few veggies too

Khara Baath

Tried this recipe from Shanthi Krisnakumar's cook book. I am not a great upma fan.  But this is a useful recipe when you are not in a mood to cook which happens (to me) quite often.  So you find what is called 'celebrating upma week' at home ever so often.  Such times it is handy to be able to bring this dish to the table in different avatars.  So this one was just right. I did not even mind making the fresh spice powder that was needed for the recipe - the small coffee bean grinder gifted by a friend - does not make this seem a difficult chore anymore.

As in any upma if you are generous with the use of the oil/ghee - it would only enhance the taste.  Also Khara Bhaath is best eaten hot.  Verdict - End Result - very good.

Ingredients:
It seems a long list - but the process is simple

Upma Rava ( Semolina) - 1 cup
Veggies of choice - I only used 1 small carrot (diced) and a 1/4 cup peas
Tomato - 1 - chop
Onion - 1 slice
Ginger - finely chopped - 1/2"
Green chillie - 2 nos - slit them
Cashew - few
Khara Baath powder - 2 tsp ( preparation given below)
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Grated coconut - 2 tsp ( I did not use)
Salt to taste
Lime - optional

Water required - 2 1/4 cup approximately.

Seasoning:
Oil / Ghee / or a mixture of both - about 3 tbsp
Black gram dal (Urad) - 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Asafoetida powder (Hing) - a large pinch
Curry leaves - few

The Powder (this will yield more than required, which can be stored in airtight container)
Roast the ingredients listed till you get a lovely aroma, cool and powder

Coriander seeds (Dhania) - 2 tbsp
Split chick pea (Channa dal) - 1 tsp
Split black gram (Urad dal) - 1 tsp
Dried Red Chilies - 3-4 nos
Cinnamon - 1"
Cloves - 2 nos
Coconut - 2 tsp

Roast the semolina ( do not let it brown)

In a wok, take the oil/ghee and first roast the cashew to a golden brown. Remove and keep aside.
In the same wok put in the mustard, black gram dal, allow mustard to splutter
Add the asafoetida and curry leaves.

Put in the onions. Sauté
And then the ginger, green chilies, sauté
Put in the veggies and allow to cook till just tender.
Add the tomatoes till they turn mushy
And the turmeric powder, bhaat powder
Pour in the water.  Add salt and bring to boil.

Simmer.  And add the roasted semolina gradually stirring all the time to see that lumps are not formed. Once mixed add the grated coconut at this stage and fold in. 

Serve. If you wish pack the khara bhaath into a container and then un-mould onto a plate and garnish with the roasted cashew. Serve with pickle, chutney or sauce.

Whole Masoor Paratha

I had some whole masoor that I had soaked and pressure cooked to make some curry.  Turned out that I had cooked more than required and also strangely I had somehow put in less water and had an almost dry but well cooked sabut masoor when I opened the cooker.  While I used half of it for a yummy curry that I forgot to take a picture in the hurry to pack the lunch box, I used the rest - since it had no moisture content whatsoever - to make a stuffed paratha.

Ingredients:
( for the stuffing)
Cooked whole masoor - 1 cup
Onion - 1 medium - finely diced
Oil - 2 tbsp
Chilie powder - to taste
Salt - to taste
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Jeera Powder - 1/2 tsp
Chaat Masala - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Kasuri Methi - 15-20 gms
Garlic - 3 nos - crushed

Make roti dough as you would normally with whole wheat flour, salt and water.

Take a pan.
Heat the oil
Saute the finely diced onion till transparent.  Add garlic
Add the cooked masoor and the powders, salt, kasuri methi
Keep for a few minutes.  Mix well.  Make sure it is a dry mixture.
Take off fire.
Cool and then make a few round balls which will serve as stuffing

Roll out the roti dough into a small round.
Fill in the stuffing.  Pinch the dought together.
Roll into normal rotis - do it carefully without applying too much pressure.

Now make the rotis on a pan - use as much oil / ghee for the frying of the paratha.  I have not used much here.  But the quantity of fat used will have a direct bearing on the taste!

Serve with pickle and raitha.

The paratha is very filling as compared to a veggie stuffed one.  

Street Food - Pav Bhaji

Street food for dinner.  At home.  When you tire of the usual rice-rasam-curry kind of meal, this is one dish that is fun to make and yum to eat.  Ideally you should have the pav - the Indian soft bun - or use any kind of bread as a substitute.  And a nice yummy curry.  Eat it hot.  And if you do not mind the calories eat it a little greasy.  It adds to the taste.  The one I had was not as greasy as I would have liked it.  But my sous-chef - La - the younger one - ensured that it was crisp and nice without the extra butter.  And she is great at chopping veggies finely. So my job in the kitchen got easier.

The ingredients are approximate -

Ingredients: (can serve 4)

Pav - 2 packs - these were very light pavs and so could be cut horizontally and we had double per pack
Butter - any amount - preferably salted butter - Amul :-)

Curry:
Potatos boiled- 3 medium -

Peel and pressure cook the other veggies in a little extra water - which can be drained and the stock can be used later
(Carrots - 2 /  Peas - 1/4 cup ) -  you can use other veggies like cauliflower, beans too

Capsicum - 1 finely diced
Onion - 2 large
Coriander - for garnishing
Lime - slice wedges
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Chilie powder - 2 tsp or more as per spiciness
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Ginger - garlic paste - 1 tsp
Pav bhaji masala - 1-2 tbsp ( or use any other masala that you have chole masala, chicken masala, sabji masala)
Tomato  pu·rée  - 5-6 tbsps
Oil - 2 tbsp

Keep a vegetable masher ready.

In a wok add oil.
Add one sliced onion
And the ginger - garlic paste
Then the diced capsicum.  Sau·té
And chopped boiled veggies - and keep mashing it along

Add the tomato pu·rée  

And the powders.  

At this stage taste and ensure the curry it stangy, spicy and tasty!

Keep mashing all the time.  And also keep the curry simmering.

The consistency should be kind of semi-solid so you may need to add stock/water as you go along.

On a pan put in some butter and place the pav and then toast them.  

Serve hot pav with hot curry with a sprinkling of diced onion and coriander and a blob of butter and with wedges of lime that is useful if you go a little wild with the spice.

Pasta - A light meal

This could pass of as a salad. But we made a meal of it.  Using some leftover veggies that were in the refrigerator.  And one of those - add anything and it could still taste right - kind of a dish.  No tomato base or a heavy sauce.  So no guilt with the extra helping.

Donna Hays says that you should use 100 gms of pasta per person ( tip provided by L - and we thought she was wrong - but found out that she was indeed right! )

Ingredients:
Pasta - 200 gms
Spinach - 1 bunch
Carrot - 1 large
Beetroot - 1 medium
Cabbage - 50 gms
Cheese Cubes - 3  - use at least another couple more
Italian Seasoning - 1/2 -1 tsp
(this one had dehydrated onion, garlic, bell peppers and herbs)
Chilie flakes - 1 tsp
Pepper powder - to taste
Salt - as desired
Olive oil - 4-5 tbsp

Boil the beet - and juliene
Blanch the spinach and shred.

Cook the pasta al dente

Julienne the carrots.
And also make strips of cabbage.

Cut the cheese into small bits

Heat a pan.
Add the olive oil.
Throw in the shredded cabbage - sauté 

This helps in caramelisation and you do get a overpowering smell of cabbage but ignore it - it tastes great

And after a few mins the carrot juliennes - continue to sau·té  till the carrot is cooked but still has a crunch

Add the seasoning - or the ingredients separately - do not forget the garlic, chilie flakes and ground pepper

Take a large bowl.

Put the cooked pasta

And the vegetables - ( the beet, spinach, carrot, cabbage) and the cheese

Salt to taste

Lightly warm the dish if you like.  Drizzle a little more olive oil - adds to the taste

Serve 

Whole Masoor Pulao

I had seen this delicious looking kichadi/pulao at Delicious Adventures which she said is a popular Maharashtrian dish.  I also saw another recipe - with a few variations at another site which stated a similar type of rice as a Pakistani dish.  And this dish here is probably a combination of the two.  And it was good.

Ingredients:
Basmati Rice - 1 cup *
Whole Masoor - 1/4 cup
Potato - 2 small to medium
Onion - 2
Red chilies - 4-5
Garlic - 4 pods
Ginger - 1/2 "
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1/4 tsp
Cloves - 2 nos
Cinnamon - 1/2" bark
Star Anise - 2 nos
Salt to taste
Oil /Ghee- 2 tbsp
Coriander leaves for garnish

Soak the whole masoor overnight - or atleast for 4-5 hours.
Soak the rice for an hour and keep
Peel the potato and cut into medium sized cubes
Chop the onions.

Dry roast the red chilies and cumin and grind along with ginger - garlic. A little water can be added to make a medium smooth paste. Keep aside.

In the pressure cooker - cook rice with salt, cinnamon, clove and star anise till just done.
Cook the masoor till just done and also the potato pieces.
I put all the three in separator vessels in the cooker.  Just make sure you do not have too much water for both the rice and the masoor.  Usual cooking time of rice is enough for all the ingredients.

Take a pan, heat oil.  Add onions - keep till translucent.
Add the ground paste and fry a while
Then the masoor and potato.  Stir gently so that none of the ingredients get mashed.
Add turmeric, a little salt ( remember the rice is also cooked with salt), coriander powder
The mixture can be slightly moist for best results.
Divide into two portions

Take a microwave safe bowl ( this can be done in the oven also - use appropriate dish)
Put a layer of rice
Cover with the masoor mixture
And another layer of rice with another layer of masoor
Top with cooked rice.
Cover with a microwave safe lid and keep in the microwave for 2 minutes.

Gently mix with a fork
Garnish with coriander leaves.

Have with raitha. It is a meal by itself.

* I made it with plain rice.  I have also used oil sparingly and gone overboard with the garnishing :-)

Kadala Curry - Kerala Style

This recipe is from Sankeerthanam. It looked great.  I saw a recipe in another blog earlier, but failed to bookmark - but I remember it was served with Idiyappam, and I thought it would be a good idea to try the same combination.
I had postponed my visit to pick up the veggies and provisions and so I had just half an onion, a small piece of coconut and no tomatoes,but a tablespoon of tomato purée .  In short, I had almost nothing. So I could not follow the recipe as it appeared, but it still was a good dish.  I like the taste of the roasted coconut.  Try it with the country cousin of the more popular kabuli channa.

Ingredients:
Black channa - 1 cup - should be soaked overnight or atleast for about 6 hours
Onion - 1/2 ( use more if you have!)
Green chilies - 2 sliced
Salt to taste

Pressure cook the channa with the above ingredients.  Once you hear the whistle - keep it on simmer for at least about 8 minutes to ensure well cooked channa.

What more do you need:

Tomato purée - 1 tbsp - a little more will be lovely -
( or substitute with a tomato - which can be boiled along with the channa)
Chilie powder - 1 tsp or to taste


Roast till you get a good aroma and grind to a smooth paste with a little water

Coriander seeds - 1 tsp
Coconut - ideally about 1/2 cup - I used about 1/4
Dry red chilies - 2
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp


Seasoning
Coconut oil ( or any oil) - 1 tbsp
Curry leaves - few
Mustard - 1/2 tsp

Add the paste to the cooked channa
Check for salt and add more if required.
Add tomato purée and chilie powder.
If required a little coriander powder - optional
Simmer till the mixture is well blended.

Season with coconut oil, mustard and curry leaves.
(What I did not have and will use the next time in the seasoning - shallots and diced coconut pieces)

Banarasi Dum Aloo

A variation of Dum Aloo that I found once again at Edible Garden.  I made a few variations - I did not deep fry the aloo, added some coriander powder ( somehow I cannot think of a recipe without this ingredient) , substituted cashew with almond.  And yet it turned out quite nice.  VK said it was like eating at a restaurant in Delhi.  I don't know if that is a compliment, but it indeed meant it was different!  And guess what - no onions - and yet a nice creamy gravy.

Ingredients:
Baby potatoes - 15 - boil and peel

Green cardamom - 6 nos - powder
Dry Kasuri Methi - 1 tbsp
Cream - 3 tbsp
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves for garnish
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Butter or oil  - 1 tbsp

For the gravy:
Tomatoes - 2 large ( or 3 medium) - quarter
Ginger - 1/2 " - chopped
Garlic - 2-3 pods - chopped
Red chillies - dry - 3-4 nos
Almonds - 7-8 nos
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
Water - 1/2 cup or more

The interesting part is the preparation of the gravy.
Take a vessel. And all the ingredients listed under 'gravy'
Allow to simmer till the tomatoes turn mushy.
Cool
Blend to a smooth paste.

Then take a wok
And the butter or oil
And the powdered cardamaom
Pour in the gravy and allow to simmer for sometime or till oil separates.
Add the coriander powder
Then the boiled potatoes.  Prick them with a fork before you place in the gravy
Simmer a little more
Add the kasuri methi and salt.
And lastly the cream.

Banarasi Dum aloo is now ready for serving.  I made Bajra Puri ( since I had bajra flour that was lying around unused) a recipe I found at Kannada Cuisine.  Tasty but not as light as the regular wheat flour puri.

Gnocchi in Cheddar Sauce

I found this recipe at Authentic Food Delights - and here it was served with a creamy sauce - but I had a ready packet of cheddar sauce mix and took the easy way out.  The recipe is simple and as described at the original post - it really melts in your mouth.  I also used olive oil instead of butter and sprinkled some Italian seasoning in the Gnocchi which added an extra flavouring to it.

Ingredients: Easily serves 2


Medium sized potato - 2 nos
Maida - 2 tbsp
Olive oil - 1 tbsp
Chilie flakes - to taste
Salt - to taste
Italian seasoning - to taste ( optional)
Coriander leaves - few

Cheddar sauce - made with a ready mix packet - follow instructions

Boil the potatoes
Grate fine
Add all other ingredients and mix to form a soft dough
Roll small balls of the mixture and make a small depression in the centre.
Heat water in a vessel
Put small batches of gnocchi in the boiling water.
It will settle to the bottom and will rise to the top as it cooks
Remove with a slotted spoon and allow to drain.

Arrange gnocchi on a plate and pour sauce of your choice on it and garnish
Serve with sauce.

Ranch Eggs

Made by Sa.  I had sent her this link of the recipe that I saw at Food-n-More.  She made the dish and sent me the pictures.  I do not really know what variations she made ... so .. I will reproduce the recipe as Anupama has given it in her blog..  It looks delicious and I will be making it soon.

Ingredients ( to serve 4)


Eggs - 8
Baked Beans - 400 gm can
Sweet corn - 1/2 cup
Spice mix - Italin or Mexican - as per taste
Salt and pepper - to taste
Water - 1/2 cup
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Slice the following
Onion - 1
Capsicum - 2
Mushroom - 1 cup


Heat a pan
Add the cumin seeds, and allow to brown slightly
Add the capsicum, mushroom, sauté for a while
Add the sweet corn and the baked beans and salt and spices and allow to simmer till the ingredients are cooked
If the recipe thickens too much add a little water.

Lower the heat, make small depressions in the curry and break an egg in each of them so that it settles in the depression.
Cook till the eggs get slightly firm.
Have with toasted bread

Peas Paratha

We wanted a no-frills meal.  Easy to eat.  And since this is the time we are flooded with fresh peas, had V to shell them for me and made the peas paratha that I saw in this step-by-step recipe at Rak's Kitchen.  I could not take pictures of the best parathas - they got consumed .. and had to make do with the last one.  Also, the paratha here is relatively free of oil.

The one on the right is the peas paratha and the one on the left is a dal makhni paratha.   Had some left over dhal makhi.  Brought it to a dry mixture by keeping the leftover dal in the microwave for a few minutes and used it as a stuffing ... pretty good too.  And now - the peas paratha..  Roti recipe not given.

Ingredients for the stuffing
Fresh / frozen Peas - 1 cup
Green chilies - 1 -2 ( depending on your spice tolerance)
Ginger - 1/2"
Garam masala - 1/4 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Chopped coriander leaves - 1/4 cup
Salt to taste


Before you start on the stuffing , make the dough for the roti and let it rest for 1/2 hour

Put the peas either in the microwave or cooker.  In the microwave, you will need a little water.
Cook till tender.  And if you have used water, make sure you strain the peas.
When cool, put in blender with green chili, ginger, salt and grind to fine paste.
Add the powders, chopped corriander.
You can squeeze a little lime juice in if desire, but do not make the mixture soggy.
Mix and make into balls that make the stuffing.

Roll out a small roti.
Put the stuffing. ( Ideally the stuffing size and flour should be equal quantities)
Fold and make the roti.
Roast on tawa.
Use liberal ghee or oil if you want the taste and are not calorie conscious.

Served here with onion raitha and pickle.  

Egg Roll - Kolkata Style

I saw this recipe at Bong Mom's Cookbook.  I love any kind of wrap.  And have made an egg roll differently, but the pictures here were so tempting that I did not mind getting up to make the dough for a maida roti ( I did use a little wheat flour too).

Ingredients:

Egg - 1 

Milk - 1 tbsp

Salt - to taste

Roti/Tortilla/or Malaysian Paratha like Bong Mom recommends - 1

Veggies - Thin cucumber slices, tomato slices,

I had some fresh mint chutney and so omitted the finely chopped green chilie

And if you have paneer - do not forget to add slightly browned / or fresh paneer 

Tomato sauce - 1 tsp

Lime juice - a little

Beat the egg, add milk and salt and whisk again.

Heat a pan

Pour the egg on the pan 

As the egg sets and the edges get done, place the roti on top as in pic 

 

and then wait till the egg gets well done. Turn over.

Once done remove from pan and place on plate

Smear the tomato sauce

And the mint chutney

Place the veggies, onions, paneer slices 

Squeeze a bit of lime

Roll the roti/tortilla

Tastes best when served hot....  Enjoy!

Kulcha

 We had an amazing Kulcha and Channa dish in a food court at a mall.  It has been some time since I experimented something new in my kitchen.  I googled for a recipe.  Strangely each one had a different approach.  I was not totally convinced about the use of yeast, soda and baking powder together in a recipe.  Anyway here is what I ultimately did

Ingredients:
Refined wheat flour ( Maida) - 3 cups
Dry yeast - I had a 5g packet
Sugar - 2 tsp
Salt to taste
Curd - 3 tbsp
Cooking soda - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 2 tsps

Preparing the yeast mixture
In a cup of warm water, add a tsp of sugar and the yeast and keep aside, it will bubble a bit which is an indication that the yeast is working.  Keep for about 15- 20 minutes

In the meantime, sift the flour.
Add salt, 1 tsp sugar, oil, curd, soda
Make a well in the centre and slowly add the prepared yeast mixture and fold in
Bring the flour together to a slightly moist but firm dough
Keep aside covered, or enclose in a damp cloth for about 3-5 hours
The dough will rise to more than double.
I did press the dough in between and kept it aside again to let it rise again.

Take portions of dough ( lime sized) and dust the surface with flour and roll out a thick round bread.
Press in whatever you wish as garnish - for a few I put in sesame seeds and kasuri methi and some I left plain

Roast in a pan with a little butter, ghee or oil ( whatever you can eat without guilt)

I also made some channa with the kulcha.  I got a pat on my back for both!  La, I wished you had stayed back another day!

Nagodi Aloo

Saw this recipe in a magazine. I think hunger is the best motivation to get into the kitchen. A different way to prepare the Aloo sabzi - Poori .

Ingredients:
For the curry
Potato - Cut into 1 inch slices - 300 gms
Tomatoes - 2 large
Onions - 1
Cumin seeds - 1 tbsp
Cloves - 2
Chili powder - to taste
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Oil/Ghee - 2 tsp
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves - garnishing

For the Nagodi
Wheat flour - 200 gms
Semolina ( Rava) - 100 gms
Salt to taste
Ghee ( optional)

( Knead the nagodi into a slightly stiff dough)

Curry:
Heat oil in wok
Add the cloves, cumin,onions, brown a little
Add the tomatoes - keep till they soften
Add the potatoes
Sauté. 
Add water, and the other powders.
Cook till soft and done.
Add salt to taste.


Take the nagodi dough.
Make even portions and roll to puri - but this should be slightly thick
Deep fry in oil or ghee.


For serving:
Take a nagodi. Place on serving plate
Make a  hole in the centre
Spoon the curry into it and eat it hot.

Jacket Potato

Jacket Potato - the microwave method

Take a large potato.
Wash it really well
Gently prick the surface
Add butter or oil to the surface
Microwave on high for about 6-8 minutes
( Remember the potato will be very hot !!)
Gently stab with skewer/knife. It should be soft but not mushy ( make sure it is not hard)
Remove.
Split the potato and make a filling of your choice.
Here I have stuffed it with some sort of coleslaw.

Filling choices: source bbc

Here are some favourite fillings to make the perfect jacket spud:

1.Grate lots of cheese, sprinkle over the potato, let it melt, and eat.
   You could even cook up a can of beans, and pour them over the dish as well.
2. Cottage cheese is a favourite for those on a diet.
    If you have the time, you could add bits of herbs into the cottage cheese.
    Pineapple also gets mixed into the cheese occasionally.
3. Coleslaw is a bizarre mixture of cabbage, carrot, onion and mayonnaise but works surprisingly well in
    the  humble potato.

Also, check thec bb link given for a recipe written by someone who has a good sense of humour. It will also tell you how to make it in the oven.  And give you some tips for non-veg fillings too.

Khow Suey - Vegetarian

Khow Suey the Burmese one dish soup soup meal that I was introduced to by La. She took me to this place called The Kitchen in Khan Market, Delhi. It was amazing. And AA gave me the recipe. It was not comparable to the one I had, but then this was the first time I was making it. And the toppings were not quite the same - the fried onion that I made not so crisp, the peanut powder should have been coarse and so on. But L said different places make the dish differently and what I made was definitely different, but  quite tasty.

Ingredients( for 3-4 servings)

Rice Noodles - 1 pack ( I cheated here and used Rice Semai and it was not bad!!)

For the khow suey
Onions -2 nos chopped
Garlic - 2 tsp chopped
Ginger - 1 tsp chopped
Lemon Grass Root - 1 large sized chopped
Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Besan ( gram flour ) -2 tbsp roasted
Coconut milk - 2 cups ( I used it from the carton)
Mixed vegetables - 1 1/2 cup (baby corn, broccoli, carrot, French beans and cauliflower) -small pieces
Sugar -1 tsp
Lemon juice - 1/2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Oil - 2 tbsp

Toppings:
Roasted peanuts coarsely powdered - 1/4 cup salted
Crisp fried onions - 1/4 cup
Lime - 1/2
Fried garlic cloves - few
Fresh red chillies sliced - 2-3


Method1. To cook the rice noodles follow the instructions on the packet, or immerse them in plenty of hot water for 10 minutes till they soften. Drain and place in a bowl of cold water till required. When you wish to serve, immerse them in hot water again and
2. Heat 1 teaspoon of oil and sauté the onions, garlic, ginger, lemon grass, turmeric, coriander and cumin powder till the onions are soft.
3. Cool, add the besan and blend it to make a paste.
4. Sauté the paste in the remaining 1 teaspoon of oil and season with salt and sugar.
5. Add the coconut milk and vegetables and simmer till the vegetables are tender, adding a little water if required.
6. Take it off the heat and add lemon juice.
7. Pour it over cooked noodles and serve with the toppings.

You could also add a  boiled egg on top while serving. 
Delicious. It is worth the trouble you need to take to get the ingredients organised.