This is a yoghurt based dish with raw vegetables. Best used as a side for North Indian dishes and also known by the name of pacchadi in the southern states.
You need:-
* 3 cups yoghurt
* 1 tbsp chat / raita masala
* 1 carrot
* 1 tomato
* some sliced olives
You are free to choose the vegetables, but commonly used are onion, boondi, tomatoes, cucumbers and carrots.
Method:-
Beat the yoghurt and make it fine. Chop the carrots and tomatoes. Mix all ingredients together.
You can also whip the ingredients to make it smooth entirely like a cream based cold soup and then add the olives in the end.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Spicy Carrot
My grandmother was the inspiration for this one.
You need:-
* 5 to 6 carrots
* mustard seeds (1 tbsp)
* olive oil (1 1/2 tbsp)
* salt to taste
* chilli powder (as needed)
* green chillies (2)
Method:-
Peel and cut the carrots to small pieces and slit the chillies and keep aside.
Heat the oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds. Once they have crackled, add the chillies and saute until they turn light green. Add the carrots, chilli powder and salt, simmer and cook with a cover until carrots are tender. Chilli powder can be added as needed, however, carrots are very sweet, so try to add more than your usual amount to get the spiciness.
Best with warm plain rice.
You need:-
* 5 to 6 carrots
* mustard seeds (1 tbsp)
* olive oil (1 1/2 tbsp)
* salt to taste
* chilli powder (as needed)
* green chillies (2)
Method:-
Peel and cut the carrots to small pieces and slit the chillies and keep aside.
Heat the oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds. Once they have crackled, add the chillies and saute until they turn light green. Add the carrots, chilli powder and salt, simmer and cook with a cover until carrots are tender. Chilli powder can be added as needed, however, carrots are very sweet, so try to add more than your usual amount to get the spiciness.
Best with warm plain rice.
Spicy Brinjals
Usually this dish is made by slitting the brinjals and filling them with the spices, but since the brinjals were partially rotten, I had to cut the bits up but the spices and the preparation were the same.
You need:-
* 5 to 6 small brinjals
* olive oil - 2 tbsp
* salt to taste
(all of the following - 1tbsp)
* cumin powder
* garam masala
* coriander powder
* turmeric powder
* Aamchur
Method:-
Cut the brinjals to tiny pieces.
Heat olive oil in a pan. Add all the spices and saute until the mixture no longer smells raw.
If chopped to pieces, then add the brinjal to the pan and cook until tender.
Another way of doing it is as follows, if the brinjals are hale and healthy.
Make 2 cuts lengthwise such that the brinjal opens like a 4-petalled flower, held together by its stem. Mix all the spices with salt and spread generously within the brinjals. Heat the olive oil in a pan and saute until the brinjals are cooked.
This dish is best served with roti.
You need:-
* 5 to 6 small brinjals
* olive oil - 2 tbsp
* salt to taste
(all of the following - 1tbsp)
* cumin powder
* garam masala
* coriander powder
* turmeric powder
* Aamchur
Method:-
Cut the brinjals to tiny pieces.
Heat olive oil in a pan. Add all the spices and saute until the mixture no longer smells raw.
If chopped to pieces, then add the brinjal to the pan and cook until tender.
Another way of doing it is as follows, if the brinjals are hale and healthy.
Make 2 cuts lengthwise such that the brinjal opens like a 4-petalled flower, held together by its stem. Mix all the spices with salt and spread generously within the brinjals. Heat the olive oil in a pan and saute until the brinjals are cooked.
This dish is best served with roti.
pulao
With due apologies for the prolonged absence, here begins my muse after my mum declared that she was too unfit to cook!
You need:-
* frozen peas and carrots - 1 cup
* frozen corn - 1/2 cup
* cumin - 2 tbsp
* coriander powder - 1 tbsp
* turmeric powder - 1/2 tbsp
* salt to taste
* cooked rice - 2 1/2 cups
* green chillies - 2
* olive oil - 2 tbsp
Method:-
Heat the peas, carrot and corn to defrost in the microwave and keep aside.
You can cook rice by having 1 cup rice to 2 cups water (in case of basmati rice) and to 3 cups water (in case of parmal rice) in a pressure cooker. Put a couple drops of olive oil in the water and raw rice mixture prior to cooking. After it is cooked, keep aside.
Pour olive oil into a pan and heat. Add cumin seeds, green chillies, coriander powder and turmeric powder and saute until the cumins have turned a darker colour. Now add the peas, carrots and corn and lower the heat to sim. Cover and cook until carrots feel tender. Add the cooked rice and salt and mix.
Pulao is best served with raita ( a spicy yoghurt mixed with either vegetable or fried gram balls).
You need:-
* frozen peas and carrots - 1 cup
* frozen corn - 1/2 cup
* cumin - 2 tbsp
* coriander powder - 1 tbsp
* turmeric powder - 1/2 tbsp
* salt to taste
* cooked rice - 2 1/2 cups
* green chillies - 2
* olive oil - 2 tbsp
Method:-
Heat the peas, carrot and corn to defrost in the microwave and keep aside.
You can cook rice by having 1 cup rice to 2 cups water (in case of basmati rice) and to 3 cups water (in case of parmal rice) in a pressure cooker. Put a couple drops of olive oil in the water and raw rice mixture prior to cooking. After it is cooked, keep aside.
Pour olive oil into a pan and heat. Add cumin seeds, green chillies, coriander powder and turmeric powder and saute until the cumins have turned a darker colour. Now add the peas, carrots and corn and lower the heat to sim. Cover and cook until carrots feel tender. Add the cooked rice and salt and mix.
Pulao is best served with raita ( a spicy yoghurt mixed with either vegetable or fried gram balls).
Saturday, March 3, 2007
Pita Pockets
Having not cooked anything for the longest while, this was a dish after a long while.
You need:-
* any salad veggies or fruits (sweet peppers, carrots, onions, tomatoes, corn, cucumber, celery, olives, strawberries, pineapple) chopped into small pieces
* mayonnaise
* ketchup
* any type of hot or spicy sauce
* cheese (in small strips) or shredded cheese
* pita
Method:-
Mix the salad. Add any salad dressing (if available). In a pita pocket, put all the ingredients and serve.
You need:-
* any salad veggies or fruits (sweet peppers, carrots, onions, tomatoes, corn, cucumber, celery, olives, strawberries, pineapple) chopped into small pieces
* mayonnaise
* ketchup
* any type of hot or spicy sauce
* cheese (in small strips) or shredded cheese
* pita
Method:-
Mix the salad. Add any salad dressing (if available). In a pita pocket, put all the ingredients and serve.
Thursday, December 28, 2006
dum aloo
I think this is a Mughlai dish. It takes a while as a beginner to finish this dish. Took me about 2 hours with some faulty equipment and impatience.
Equipments needed:
* pressure cooker or something to boil the potatoes
* grinder
Ingredients:
* small potatoes (1/2 kg)
* onion (1 medium) - grated
* ginger and garlic paste (1 tbsp)
* asafoetida (a pinch)
* turmeric powder (1/2 tbsp)
* chilli powder (as required)
* fine yoghurt (1/2 cup)
* milk (2 cups)
* ghee / oil (4 tbsp)
* salt (as required)
* water (as required)
* coriander leaves (for garnishing)
(for special garam masala)
* coriander seeds (1 tbsp)
* cloves (4 - 5)
* cardamom (5 - 6)
* caraway seeds or cumin (1/4 tsp)
* pepper seeds (7 -8)
(other spices such as cinnamon sticks, bay leaves could be added to the garam masala)
Method:
Depending on how good the potatoes get cooked, the boiling has to be done accordingly. Potatoes that I used to have in India were smaller in size and easily boiled within a few minutes. On the hand, here, it takes them a while and they are rebellious.
To soften them before hand, pressure cook the potatoes in water (just enough to cover it) and switch off just before the first whistle from the cooker escapes (it's OK if you missed it). After about 5 minutes (once the pressure seems to be subsided), remove the potatoes from the cooker and drain the water. Careful here, the water is scalding hot! Run the potatoes under cold water and then set aside for a couple minutes and then drain the water. Arrange the potatoes on a flat surface - this helps in cooling them down faster. Peel the skin off the potatoes and prick them all over with a toothpick. Keep aside.
If not boiling potatoes beforehand, then peel the potatoes and prick them all over with the toothprick. Keep aside.
To make the special garam masala, put in all the spices listed under garam masala and make into fine powder. Keep aside.
TIP: Grind the onion, ginger and garlic together since they would be added at the same time.
Heat a pan with the ghee / oil for a minute. Fry the potatoes until they lose their white colour (for unboiled potatoes) or until they seem to be getting a crispy coating (for boiled potatoes). Remove the potatoes from the pan and keep aside.
Keep the heat to medium for the following steps if you are unfamiliar with the culinary surroundings.
Add the onion, ginger, garlic paste to the remaining oil. Add asafoetida. Keep cooking until the mixture turns reddish brown and the grease starts to separate from the paste.
Add the special garam masala and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt and cook for about a minute.
Add the milk and yoghurt to the mixture. If the gravy seems too thick, add water.
Finally add the potatoes and then pressure cook it. Switch off just before the first whistle goes off. No harm will befall the taste if the whistle goes off or if it is additionally cooked (the potatoes would seem mashed, but without the cooking, the potatoes would be raw and distasteful - this is out of experience).
After switching off, wait for 5 minutes and then open the cooker. Add garnishing to the dish and serve with rotis, naan, pita or basmati rice.
Equipments needed:
* pressure cooker or something to boil the potatoes
* grinder
Ingredients:
* small potatoes (1/2 kg)
* onion (1 medium) - grated
* ginger and garlic paste (1 tbsp)
* asafoetida (a pinch)
* turmeric powder (1/2 tbsp)
* chilli powder (as required)
* fine yoghurt (1/2 cup)
* milk (2 cups)
* ghee / oil (4 tbsp)
* salt (as required)
* water (as required)
* coriander leaves (for garnishing)
(for special garam masala)
* coriander seeds (1 tbsp)
* cloves (4 - 5)
* cardamom (5 - 6)
* caraway seeds or cumin (1/4 tsp)
* pepper seeds (7 -8)
(other spices such as cinnamon sticks, bay leaves could be added to the garam masala)
Method:
Depending on how good the potatoes get cooked, the boiling has to be done accordingly. Potatoes that I used to have in India were smaller in size and easily boiled within a few minutes. On the hand, here, it takes them a while and they are rebellious.
To soften them before hand, pressure cook the potatoes in water (just enough to cover it) and switch off just before the first whistle from the cooker escapes (it's OK if you missed it). After about 5 minutes (once the pressure seems to be subsided), remove the potatoes from the cooker and drain the water. Careful here, the water is scalding hot! Run the potatoes under cold water and then set aside for a couple minutes and then drain the water. Arrange the potatoes on a flat surface - this helps in cooling them down faster. Peel the skin off the potatoes and prick them all over with a toothpick. Keep aside.
If not boiling potatoes beforehand, then peel the potatoes and prick them all over with the toothprick. Keep aside.
To make the special garam masala, put in all the spices listed under garam masala and make into fine powder. Keep aside.
TIP: Grind the onion, ginger and garlic together since they would be added at the same time.
Heat a pan with the ghee / oil for a minute. Fry the potatoes until they lose their white colour (for unboiled potatoes) or until they seem to be getting a crispy coating (for boiled potatoes). Remove the potatoes from the pan and keep aside.
Keep the heat to medium for the following steps if you are unfamiliar with the culinary surroundings.
Add the onion, ginger, garlic paste to the remaining oil. Add asafoetida. Keep cooking until the mixture turns reddish brown and the grease starts to separate from the paste.
Add the special garam masala and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt and cook for about a minute.
Add the milk and yoghurt to the mixture. If the gravy seems too thick, add water.
Finally add the potatoes and then pressure cook it. Switch off just before the first whistle goes off. No harm will befall the taste if the whistle goes off or if it is additionally cooked (the potatoes would seem mashed, but without the cooking, the potatoes would be raw and distasteful - this is out of experience).
After switching off, wait for 5 minutes and then open the cooker. Add garnishing to the dish and serve with rotis, naan, pita or basmati rice.
Saturday, December 16, 2006
a strange meal
It was one of those cozy and lazy days when we didn't want to cook anything and yet, didn't want to buy anything from outside and we were ravenously hungry. We just ended up putting random stuff together (isn't exactly healthy) but filled our stomachs just the same..
Sandwich with French fries
It might sound gross but it isn't. These French fries are actually spicy. (The same effect can be achieved by heating frozen fries until they thaw in the microwave. Add powdered black pepper and then heat until they are edibly cooked.)
You need:-
* spicy fries
* cheese slices
* mayonnaise
* bread (white or wholewheat)
* tomato ketchup
Method:-
After preparing the fries, add all fillings between the bread slices and enjoy.
Pita snack
You need:-
* pita - it is a flatbread (like rotis or naan) originating from Middle East, also attributed to Greek origins.
* some type of dip - usually Philadelphia dips are good.
Method:-
Cut pita into small pieces. Use it like chips with the dip.
Once I had the opportunity to try a type of spinach dip - which was absolutely delicious.
You need:-
* spinach - a handful
* ranch - a cup
Method:-
Cut off ends of the spinach, wash and clean (try to remove any thick stalks of the leaves). Chop spinach finely. Put in microwave to heat until it feels soft (not too crispy). Mix this with ranch and serve.
Berry lassi (yoghurt shake)
You need:-
* berries - black, blue, rasp, straw - a handful
* sugar
* plain yoghurt (preferably home made, but store's will do fine) - 3 cups
* water
Method:-
You can add as much berries as you want depending on the level of berry taste you want. A handful of them in 3 cups gives a light pinkish mix colour.
Blend the berries, sugar and yoghurt together. The mixture would be quite thick. Add water to make it diluted and blend again. Can be served immediately or chilled.
For those, who do not like tasting pulp or seeds of the berries, filter before serving. Novel recipes could be made by adding other fruits too like cherries, banana, etc.
We finished off dinner with some store cake. Strange but sweet dinner.
Sandwich with French fries
It might sound gross but it isn't. These French fries are actually spicy. (The same effect can be achieved by heating frozen fries until they thaw in the microwave. Add powdered black pepper and then heat until they are edibly cooked.)
You need:-
* spicy fries
* cheese slices
* mayonnaise
* bread (white or wholewheat)
* tomato ketchup
Method:-
After preparing the fries, add all fillings between the bread slices and enjoy.
Pita snack
You need:-
* pita - it is a flatbread (like rotis or naan) originating from Middle East, also attributed to Greek origins.
* some type of dip - usually Philadelphia dips are good.
Method:-
Cut pita into small pieces. Use it like chips with the dip.
Once I had the opportunity to try a type of spinach dip - which was absolutely delicious.
You need:-
* spinach - a handful
* ranch - a cup
Method:-
Cut off ends of the spinach, wash and clean (try to remove any thick stalks of the leaves). Chop spinach finely. Put in microwave to heat until it feels soft (not too crispy). Mix this with ranch and serve.
Berry lassi (yoghurt shake)
You need:-
* berries - black, blue, rasp, straw - a handful
* sugar
* plain yoghurt (preferably home made, but store's will do fine) - 3 cups
* water
Method:-
You can add as much berries as you want depending on the level of berry taste you want. A handful of them in 3 cups gives a light pinkish mix colour.
Blend the berries, sugar and yoghurt together. The mixture would be quite thick. Add water to make it diluted and blend again. Can be served immediately or chilled.
For those, who do not like tasting pulp or seeds of the berries, filter before serving. Novel recipes could be made by adding other fruits too like cherries, banana, etc.
We finished off dinner with some store cake. Strange but sweet dinner.
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