Watermelon Jam!

Watermelon is an irresistable fruit. Though I like having it raw, I thought of trying this recipe from here.

Ingredients:
Watermelon - 2 lbs (without seeds and rind)
Sugar - 3 tablespoons
Cinnamon - 2 pinches
Lime juice - from half a slice

Method:
Cut the watermelon into small chunks.
Mix cinnamon with sugar.
Simmer the fruit, sugar mixture and lime juice.
No need to add water (because water in the melon is enough).
Keep stirring when the moisture thickens.
Mash the chunks using the ladle.
When it comes to jam consistency, remove from heat.
Use a hand blender or a regular blender to grind a desired consistency.
Return to heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
Let it cool and keep it in refrigerator.

I'm sending this recipe to the AFAM: Melon event hosted by Ashwini.

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Carrot Muffins

Ingredients:

All purpose flour - 2 cups

Carrot (grated) - 2 cups

Coconut (seetened or unsweetened) - 1 cup
Granulated white sugar - 1 1/4 cups

Pecans or walnuts - 1/2 cup

Apple (peeled and grated) - 1 large

Large Eggs - 3

Canola oil - 3/4 cup

Baking soda - 3/4 teaspoon

Baking powder - 1 1/2 teaspoons

Salt - 1/2 teaspoon

Ground cinnamon - 1 1/2 teaspoon

Pure vanilla extract - 1 1/2 teaspoon

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit.

Place the rack at the center of the oven.

Place paper-liners in muffin cups.

Toast the pecans or walnuts until lightly browned.

Cool and chop coarsely.

Peel and grate the carrot and apple and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon.

Stir in the nuts and coconut and set aside.

In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, and vanilla extract.

Add the grated carrot and apple into the mixture and pour it into the flour mixture.

Stir the mixture until moistened.

Then divide the batter into the muffin cups.

Bake them for 20-25 minutes.

To make sure that they're baked, insert a tooth pick into the muffin. When it comes out clean, it's confirmed that it's completely baked.
Remove from oven and let it cool.

Recipe Source: Joy of Baking

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Kadhai Paneer

Ingredients:
Paneer cubes -15 pieces
Capsicum - 1(chopped)
Onion- 3/4 (chopped)
Tomato (ripe) - 1 (BIG)
Ginger grated - 1 teaspoon
Garlic grated - 1 teaspoon
Red chilli powder - 1 1/4 teaspoon
Coriander powder - 2 teaspoons
Kasuri Methi - 1 teaspoon
Cashew pieces- 1 1/2 tablespoons (optional
Garam Masala - 1/4 teaspoon
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
Salt to taste
Oil
Coriander leaves - 2 tablespoons

Method:

Shallow fry the paneer and keep it on a absorbent paper.

(If the paneer is hard, soak it after frying for 10 minutes in warm water and remove. I didn't soak as the paneer was soft).

Soak the cashews in hot water for 20 to 30 minutes. Grind them into paste (optional).

Cut the tomato and throw it in the blender and grind.

Take a thick kadhai, heat the oil.

To the oil, add the cumin seeds and onions.

Fry till it changes color.

Add the ginger & garlic and fry.

Add the tomato paste and saute till the raw smell fades off.

Add the red chilli powder, coriander powder, required salt and fry.

Add the capsicum & paneer and mix well.

Add little water, so that the ingredients blend well.

After 2 to 3 minutes, add the kasuri methi and garam masala.

Finally, add the cashew paste and mix well (optional).

Let it sit for 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the coriander leaves and mix.

Eat it with roti, chappati, naan, kulcha, etc.

I'm sending this dish to Poornima's MFT-Cheese event.

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Spinach Kootu

It is good for health to eat green leaves at least 5 days a week. We can create a kitchen garden in our home. Like mint plants, coriander, Gongura, curry leaves, tomatoes, peppers, spinach ….these plants can be grown in small-sized to medium-sized pots. We can get fresh leaves from our own home. Wherever I stay I like to grow plants in some pots.

Ingredients:

Baby Spinach – 3 cups (chopped)

Tuvar Dal – ½ cup

Coriander leaves – ½ cup

Onion – ½ (sliced)

Ginger grated – 1 teaspoon

Tomatoes – 2 (ripe- chopped)

Cumin seeds – ½ teaspoon

Coconut grated – 2 teaspoons

Asafoetida – ¼ teaspoon

Turmeric powder – ¼ teaspoon

Whole dry red chili -2

Mustard seeds – ¼ teaspoon

Salt to taste

Oil

Method:

Boil the Tuvar dal.

Take the cooked dal in a pan. Keep it in heat.

To the dal, add the chopped spinach and coriander leaves.

Let it boil for 5 minutes.

In another burner, heat the oil.

To the oil, add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds.

When the mustard seeds starts to crackle, add the red chilli, asafoetida and sauté.

Then add the sliced onions and fry.

Add the tomatoes,grated ginger and stir. No need to be mushy.

Then add the coconut gratings and fry for 30 seconds.

Add this mixture to the spinach dal.

Now add the turmeric powder, salt and mix well.

Remove from heat and serve with roti or rice.

This goes to the SWC: Cooking with Greens event.

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Mint Rice

Ingredients:
Basmati rice - 1 1/2 cup
Mint leaves - 1 cup
Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup
Green chilies - 2-3 (medium-size)
Ginger (grated) - 1 teaspoon
Garlic (grated) - 1 teaspoon
Cashewnut pieces - 15
Peanuts - 10
Cumin seeds - 1/4 teaspoon
Cloves - 4
Cinnamon stick - 1
Salt to taste
Oil


Method:
Dry roast the peanuts and remove the skin.
Cook the rice and let it cool.
Grind mint and coriander leaves & green chilies.
Heat the oil in a pan.
To the oil, add cumin seeds, cloves & cinnamon.
When the cumin seeds start jumping, add the peanuts and cashews & roast them.
Add the grated ginger and garlic and fry till you get rid of the raw smell.
Now, add the green mixture & required salt.
Saute again till you get rid of the smell.
Add the rice and mix it (should blend well).
Rice is ready to serve.
Gobble it up with raita.

This recipe and pudina puri goes to the JFI- mint event and SWC-cooking with greens (only rice).

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Kolhapuri Chicken

I heard about this Maharashtrian chicken dish only in restaurants when I lived in Mumbai. It's very hot and spicy (cooked in dry roasted poppy seeds, sesame seeds, coconut and deghi mirchi)! I used MDH Deghi Mirch powder and Kashmiri mirch powder. Adjust the chili powder according to your taste! It's better to have a glass of ice water nearby otherwise the tongue will be on fire! XD

Ingredients:

Chicken (cut into pieces) - 1 kg

Red onion - 1 (chopped finely)

Ginger (grated) - 2 teaspoons

Garlic (grated) - 2 teaspoons

Deggi red chili powder - 1 teaspoon

Kashmiri red chili powder - 2 teaspoon

Coriander powder - 2 teaspoons

Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Salt to taste

Oil

Coriander leaves - 2 tablespoons

Sesame seeds - 1 tablespoon

Poppy seeds - 2 tablespoons

Dry coconut (khopra) - 1/4 teaspoon(grated)

Caraway seeds - 1 teaspoon

Black peppercorns - 6

Cinnamon - 1 stick

Green cardamom - 2

Black cardamom - 1

Cloves - 4

Mace- 1 Blade

Whole red chili for garnishing

Nut meg (grated) - 2 pinch

Method:

Dry roast the sesame seeds, poppy seeds, black peppercorns, caraway seeds, cinnamon, green cardamoms, cloves and mace individually.

Cool and grind.

Grind the grated dry kopra and red chilli powders (you can also grind all the spices and coconut as a wet paste).

Heat oil in a fry pan and add the onions.

Fry till it becomes golden brown.

Add the grated ginger and grated garlic and fry.

Add the powdered masalas, coriander powder, turmeric powder and add 1/2 cup of water.

Mix well.

Now add the chicken pieces and stir well. Now add the required salt.

Now add 1 cup of water and cover and cook in medium heat.

Once the chicken is cooked don't remove.

Masala should be thick. If not, cook till the masala is thick.

Finally, add the grated nutmeg and coriander leaves.

Fry the whole red chilli in little oil. Garnish.

Eat with naan or roti or rice.

This dish is sent off to the Potluck-Chicken event hosted by Viki Xavier and Think Spice Think Caraway event hosted by Sathya Shankar.

Recipe Source: Sanjeev Kapoor

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