Author: admin

Black Rice Khichri

Ingredients:

1 Cup Black Rice (Soaked Overnight)

½ cup peanuts (roasted)

¼ Tbsp. Carom Seeds

1/8 Tbsp. Asafoetida

¼ Tbsp. Ginger (Chopped)

¼ Tbsp. Green Chili (Chopped)

1 Tbsp. Clarified Butter

¼ Tbsp. Mint and Coriander chopped

½ Tbsp. lemon juice

Method:

I use Manipuri black rice, which is full in flavor, but hard to cook.

You need to pressure cook overnight soaked black rice for 8-10 whistle.

The cooked rice will be full of starch. This khichri is different as no lentil has been used to make this khichri. Transfer your cooked rice to a bowl. In the meantime , heat clarified butter in a pan , on low to medium heat. Add carom seeds, on splutter , add asafoetida , ginger and chili, add roasted peanuts . Saute for a minute then add cooked black rice (with all its starch). Add salt to taste . Stir continuously on low heat. Add chopped mint/coriander and garnish with roasted Peanuts.

Corn Vegetable Soup

(4 Serving) 

Ingredients :

250 gm, Corn Kernels (Blanched, and divided into two parts) 

Half of the blanched corn Kernel should be crushed in a blender. 

1 medium size onion, diced 

1 teaspoon sesame oil 

 1 medium carrot- diced 

 1 bunch of green onion, finely chopped  

1 green capsicum -diced 

2 medium cloves garlic -minced (about 2 teaspoons) 

1 inch of ginger – chopped  

1 teaspoon soy sauce, Rice Wine vinegar or White Vinegar, chilli sauce (Red and      Green) 

1tsp black pepper powder 

750 ml vegetable broth  

Salt to taste 

Corn Starch Slurry to thicken the soup (Optional) 

Method:

In a sauce pan, on medium heat add oil and after a minute add  corns (Crushed and whole) onion, carrots, garlic  and ginger stir for 2 minute and high heat add sauces and vinegar , stir for a minute and now add vegetable broth , salt and pepper . Stir occasionally , add chopped green onions , give a boil  to the soup. Simmer for 10 minutes . Soup is ready for serving.  

If you like thick soup , add corn starch slurry at the time of boiling of soup. 

Open Dumpling (Veg Shao Mai)

(4 Serving –approx 24 dumplings) 

Ingredients: 

For Dumpling Sheet:- 

500g all purpose flour 

1 cup water (lukewarm),  

salt to taste 

For Filling:- 

350 gm spinach, blanched , minced  

200 gm corn kernel, blanched , minced  

1tsp finely chopped green chilies  

1 Tbsp. sesame oil 

1 Tbsp. garlic, minced 

1 Tbsp. ginger 

2 Tbsp. chopped onion  

1tsp soy sauce and green chili sauce 

1tsp rice wine vinegar (White Vinegar can be used) 

½ tsp of chopped fresh Dill 

1tsp roasted sesame 

Salt to taste 

Method :

First we need to make nice clean dough of flour by adding water and pinch of salt. Dough should not be very soft or very hard. Keep aside and rest it for 30 minutes. 

Now ready to make the filling for the dumpling, in a frying pan on medium heat ,  add oil and within a minute add chopped onions , garlic, ginger and chilies. Sauté on medium heat or two more minute . Now add minced corn kernel stir for a minute then add minced spinach , stir the mixture for a minutes now add soy sauce, vinegar and chili sauce. Mix well and stir/ toss for few minute  and just before taking it off heat, add finely chopped dill and roasted  sesame. Keep aside to cool down. 

Come back to dough, work on it for few minutes with your palm but do not go very hard on it. Divide the dough in to workable portion (tennis ball size), dust your workstation with flour and with use of rolling pin flatten the dough ball into a nice clean sheet, this needs lots of patience and  maneuvering of dough sheet . The sheet should not be very thin not it should be thick, so balanced thickness of sheet works well. With use of cookie cutter cut the dough sheet in circles ( 3 inch diameter ) In the mean time prepare your steamer.  

Preparing dumplings for steaming – take ½ Tbsp. of the filling , place it on the centre of dough circle , now by using your thumb and the forefinger slowly pull the side of the dough circle and press the both sides, repeat on the other sides. Your Dumping should look like square boat. Feel free to use your imagination , make as many sides you like, but make sure not to close the dumpling. Place the filled dumping in the steamer , in 10 minutes these should be done. To make sure its steamed properly, check if all the sides of the dumpling has become translucent. Garnish with roasted sesame seeds . 

Serve hot with soy chili sauce and chili oil.  

Veg Fried Rice (Yang chow style)

(4 Serving) 

Ingredients: 

500 gm long grain rice (washed and soaked for 30 minutes).  

3 Tbsp. vegetable oil 

1 medium size onion, sliced 

1 teaspoon sesame oil 

50 gm green peas  

2 medium carrot diced (3 ounces; 85g) 

1 bunch of green onion , finely chopped  

1 green capsicum diced 

50 gm Cabbage ,Shredded 

½ cup tofu – cubed  

2 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons; 5g) 

1 teaspoon soy sauce, white vinegar, chilli sauce (Red and Green) 

1tsp black pepper (ground) 

Salt to taste 

1 Red and Green chilli sliced to garnish 

Method:  

Boil rice in salted water.  Keep aside after draining water  

On high flame heat vegetable oil in a large wok, add chopped Onions, Carrots, Peas and toss after a minute add diced Capsicum and shredded Cabbage. Stir for two more minutes add boiled rice, toss on high flame, add all the sauces, salt and pepper and add diced tofu. At the time of taking off from the heat, add sesame oil. 

Veg Fried Rice ready, garnish with slice of Red and Green chili.  

Potato-Soya Vegget Warm Salad With Tandoori Sauce

Ingredients: 

 For Salad 

 500 gm.  Small size potatoes, 90% boiled (microwaved) pealed  

   100 gram soya vegget (Nugget will do) boiled for 5 minutes  

9 round slices of capsicum (3 each of Red, Green and Yellow)  

6 Baby corns, blanched and sliced in length  

15-20 leaves of baby spinach 

50 grams shredded Cabbage (purple and green)   

1 medium size onion (in round sliced) 

 2 Tbsp.. olive oil 

1 Tbsp.. of Rice vinegar  

 2 green chilies cut in length 

1 Thai red chili sliced 

1 bunch of green coriander (Finely chopped) 

1 shoot of green onion (chopped) 

4 pieces of sliced green cucumber 

 4 pod garlic (ground to paste) 

Salt and black pepper to taste  

1 Tbsp.. roasted peanuts and white sesame seeds 

For Tandoori sauce 

1 onion (medium size chopped finely) 

½ Tbsp.. Ginger Garlic paste  

1 tsp. red chili powder 

1tsp turmeric powder 

 1 tsp. garam masala 

½ tsp. dried mango powder 

1 green chili chopped  

½ cup Full Cream  

1 Tbsp.. of tandoori masala 

½ cup tomato puree 

Salt to taste 

¼ Tbsp.. brown sugar  

1 Tbsp.. cooking oil 

1/4 cup water 

Method: 

Salad 

Grill potatoes on high heat, use some oil, put soya nugget, and grill for few minutes turning occasionally. 

Once done add some salt, remove from the grill plate.  On the same grill plate put three colors capsicum rings, just put some oil, and grill on the high heat. Once done remove and keep it separately for use later.  

In a wok   take the remaining oil, add onion ring, ginger and garlic paste, green chilies, add grilled potatoes and soya nugget. On the high heat toss and add rice vinegar add salt and black pepper. Toss for one minute, add cabbage and quickly remove from the heat. 

Keep the entire batch aside. 

Tandoori Sauce 

Heat the oil in a pan, add chopped onion and chopped chilies, sauté for 2 minutes. Blend the sautéed onions by using as little water possible. Once paste is done, pore it again on the pan, add ginger garlic paste, stir for a minute, add tomato puree, stir for a minute, and now add turmeric, chili powder, dry mango powder, tandoori masala and salt to taste. Keep stirring for 3 minutes, add water and boil just once. Remove pan from the heat. Now blend the entire onion tomato curry in a blender. You will get sauce like consistency. Put pan on heat and pour the entire mixture into the pan use high heat, add brown sugar, if possible flambé by turning your pan side wise closer to the flame. Add cream, stir and remove from the heat. Tandoori sauce is now ready to be poured over the sizzling warm salad. 

On a sizzling hot plate arrange capsicum rings, place the salad on the rings. Garnish with sliced red Thai chili, finely chopped coriander and pour the hot tandoori sauce on the sizzling plate. 

Achaari Paneer

Serves: 4 

Ingredients: 

 250 gm. cottage cheese (cut into cubes) 

1 capsicums– (bite size cut)   

1/2 inch piece ginger (ground to paste) 

4 pod garlic (ground to paste) 

1/2 cup yogurt (whisked) 

2 onions (medium size chopped finely) 

2-3 green chilies (chopped) 

1 tsp. red chili powder 

1tsp turmeric powder 

 1 tsp. garam masala 

½ tsp. dried mango powder 

2 green chilies cut lengthwise into 4 pieces  

½ cup Full Cream  

2 Tbsp.. Indian Pickle spice  

2 Tbsp.. cooking oil 

1Tbsp. panch Phoron spice (Fenugreek seed, Nigella seed, Cumin seed, Black mustard and Fennel seed)  

2 Tbsp.. finely chopped green coriander 

1 Tbsp.. dried fenugreek leaves (Kasoori Methi)  

Salt to taste 

¼ cup brown sugar 

1 cup water 

Method: 

Make a marinade with half the turmeric, red chili powder moistening it with little water and coat the paneer pieces lightly with this. Keep aside for about 10 minutes after sprinkling a pinch of salt. 

Heat the oil in a pan and put all the spice seeds at once and wait till these begin to splutter. 

Now put it in onions and chopped green chilies, ginger garlic paste and cook till onions turn light brown. Stir-fry for about 1 minute. Stir in the yogurt, keep stirring and sprinkle mango powder, garam masala and salt. Cook for about 5 minutes on low heat till the moisture is reduced a little. And make sure that the liquid does not dry up completely, add water and bring it to boil. Add paneer cubes, capsicum, cook for 5 minutes but make sure capsicum remains crunchy. Just before serving, but still on heat, add the pickle spices, cream stir well and garnish with fresh coriander and green chilies. 

Tomato Consommé (Tomato Clear Soup)

Ingredients:

 350 gms. Fresh ripe Tomatoes (Charred on direct flame, pureed)

1 slice of Red capsicum (Charred on direct flame pureed with Tomatoes)

1 tsp. Olive Oil

2 cloves of Garlic ,½ inch ginger ,Cloves 3, 1tsp of Black pepper, ½ inch cinnamon quill, small piece of mace, 1 bay leaf ( pounded a bit, kept in a muslin cloth sachet)

1tsp brown sugar

Salt to taste

3 cups of water

Slice of lime and red chili for garnisasafoetida

Method:

Heat the pan, pour olive oil, after a minute, and add pureed tomatoes and capsicum.

 Keep stirring for 5 minutes, add salt, sugar and water

Add the spice sachet

Boil the mixture for 5 minutes. Lower the heat, simmer for 20 minutes.

Once done, use the muslin cloth to strain the entire mixture, you will get a clear looking soup.

 Garnish with slice of lemon and chili.

Farfalle pasta

Ingredients:

500 g boiled farfalle pasta (Cooked Al Dente)  

2 Cups Sliced Vegetable of your choice ( I used Capsicum, broccoli florets, Onions and baby corn ) 

2 Tbsp. Crushed and then chopped garlic and 6 cloves of Garlic) 

6 medium size Tomatoes (Charred on direct flame with 6 cloves of Garlic) pureed together. 

1Tbsp. dry oregano dry herb 

1 tsp black pepper powder 

2 Tbsp. olive oil 

6 Tbsp. grated cheese 

4 Tbsp. full cream 

1tsp brown sugar  

Salt to taste 

Method:

For Sauce–  In a pan , on medium heat , pour 1 Tbsp. olive oil , add pureed tomatoes and garlic. Saute the mixture for 10 minutes add ½ Tbsp.. oregano herb, pinch of salt and ½ tsp of black pepper powder , brown sugar.  

Add cream and saute for few minutes, check for seasoning . sauce is done . Just remember sauce should be equal if not more of pasta weight .

In a separate pan , on high heat, pour remaining oil into the pan , quickly add chopped garlic, baby corn .Saute for 2 minutes , now add remaining vegetables including onions . Lower the heat and add boiled pasta , salt, remaining oregano and black pepper powder toss for few minutes, add charred tomato-garlic sauce . Carefully toss  pastas , your pastas should be done by now just add grated chees , mix well , take it off from the heat. Pasta is ready for serving. 

This tomato sauce can be used with other kind of pastas too.

Chia Seed Chocolate Pudding

Ingredients:

200 ml Coconut Milk

200 ml Full cream Milk

100 ml Condensed milk

50 ml Full Fat Cream

2 Tbsp. Chia Seed

3 Tbsp. Honey

6 Pieces of Dark Chocolate (40 grams), 75% dark or more.

2 Tbsp. Coco powder

1 inch Cinnamon Stick

Method

In a pan , on low heat pour full cream milk, add cinnamon stick, stir and crank the heat to medium , add chia seeds, after one boil reduce the heat to low , add coconut milk ,stir for two minutes . Add Cream, condensed milk, coco powder . stir for a minute or two. Now at this point add dark chocolate and stir , the mixture will start coming together with nice aroma. Take it off from heat, pour into the serving dish and rest it in refrigerator for 30 minutes. Garnish with grated light chocolate.

Matar Paneer Bon Bons

Ingredients:

500 Grams fresh peas/ Frozen peas can work equally good

(150 g for bon bons+150G for filling+200 g for gravy )

250 Grams of Paneer

(100 g for Bon Bons Grated + 100 g for Filling Cubed+ 50 gm for Gravy Grated)

100 grams boiled potato (mashed)

100 grams Bread Crumbs

2 Slices of White Bread

1 Medium Size Onion (Purred)

100 gram all purpose flour ( for slurry)

1 Tbsp. Roasted Cumin

1 Inch Cinnamon Stick

2 Tbsp. Cooking Oil ( for sauting the filling and tempering gravey)

1 Cup Cooking oil for frying Bob Bons

½ Tbsp. Lemon Zest

1Tbsp. Spice Mix (My Secret Masala )

1 Tbsp. Dry Mango Powder

100 ml Full Cream

Salt to Taste

Method:

For Bon Bons

Boil 300 grams of peas (150 for bon bons) , mash well with Potatoes and grated paneer , add 1 Tbsp. of bread crums and two slices of white bread , add salt, ¼ Tbsp. Spice mix. Make a good hard dough . Keep aside for 15 minutes.

Prepare your Filing by sautening peas and paneer in a pan by using little oil and cumin seeds add pinch of salt , on high heat saute for two minute , make sure you so not overcook, add lemon zest and ½ Tbsp. dry mango powder

Now to prepare bon bons with filling , take a good chunk of dough , flatten it on your palm , fill a spoon full of Peas+ Paneer mixture. Make ball , coat bread crums and dip in slurry , again coat of bread crums , fry of medium heat till the balls become golden brown.

For Gravy, Blend remaining peas and paneer . In a frying pan add 1 Tbsp. add cinnamon stick and remaining cumin once starts splutter , add onion puree, fry till oil start leaving the sides. At this moment add peas paneer puree, roast for few minutes , add cream , black pepper powder and salt.

Give it a good stir, check for seasoning.

Assemble bon bons in shallow bowl/ plate and drizzile the gravey on top of it , sprinkle few pieces of fried peas and paneer.