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Oct 29, 2009

Chilli Paneer




Ingredients:
Cottage cheese - 2 cups (cubed)
Onion - 1 (diced)
Red capsicum - ½ (diced)
Yellow capsicum - ½ (diced)
Green capsicum - 1 (small-diced)
Black pepper powder - ¼ tsp.
Garlic paste - 1 tsp.
Green chillis - 2 (chopped)
Soy sauce - 1 ½ tsp.
Chilli sauce - 2 tsp.
Tomato ketchup - 1 ½ tbsp.
Vinegar - 2 tsp.
Corn flour - 2 tsp.
Salt (to taste)
Oil

Method:
1. Shallow fry the paneer cubes till they change to a golden color.
2. Heat oil and add the diced onions and fry this fast.
3. Add the capsicums, garlic paste, green chillies and fry.
4. Now add the chilli sauce, tomato ketchup, soy sauce & vinegar one by one and mix well.
5. The flame should be high and you have to work fast without burning.
6. Now add the paneer cubes and toss.
7. Add salt & pepper and mix well.
8. Add little water to corn flour and add it to the paneer cubes.
10. Mix well. Remove from heat.
11. Serve hot and enjoy it!


Sent off to Saraswathi Iyer's "Say Cheese" event.

Oct 28, 2009

Curry Puff


If you think of samosas, you’ll begin to drool so badly and at the next few moments, you’ll find yourself at the pastry shop buying some and satisfying your desire, especially when the weather is cold. Am I right about this…? In this post, it’s about curry puff. It’s the Malaysian/Singaporean/Thai version of samosa which is a lot different from our favorite snack. According to wikipedia, “Curry puff is a small pie consisting of specialized curry with chicken and potatoes in a deep-fried or baked pastry shell.”

Curry puff is also known as “Karipap,” "Epok Epok" or “Teh Teh.” This snack is usually filled with potatoes, onions, minced meat, etc. Epok Epok (the mini & cutie version) and Teh Teh are actually variations of the curry puff which use boiled eggs and canned sardines respectively. You can add any fillings of your choice such as vegetables, minced meat & even sweet things such as custard (!) that suit your taste buds. You can call this a “Fill-It-Yourself” dish. Ideas of fillings are given in wikipedia.

This snack is of Malay origin. Although, some people say that these were made as inspired by that of the samosa and some say they were inspired by English Cornish Pasties, they’re actually Singaporean. Who cares about its history or origin, as long as it’s a relished snack in the South-East Asian countries!

In this recipe, I’ve added potatoes. If you want to add chicken, boil the boneless chicken pieces and add pepper powder and chicken curry powder. And then include them in the fillings. About the pastry, margarine or shortening isn’t available in my area. So instead, I used butter. Butter might burn the snack so quickly, it is better to deep-fry the dish in medium flame. Also curry powder isn’t available in my area. I made the powder myself; recipe following the curry puff recipe. Here we go now…

Curry Puff
Pastry Ingredients:
Maida - 2 cups
Butter - 2 tbsp.
Salt - ½ tsp.
Water - as required for kneading
Oil (for deep frying)

Method:
1. Sift the flour. Add butter and salt to the sifted flour. Mix well.
2. Add water and knead the mixture into a dough.
3. Cover and keep it aside for half an hour.

Filling Ingredients:
Onion - 1 (medium-finely chopped)
Potatoes - 2 (boiled and finely chopped)
Chilli powder - ¾ tsp.
Curry powder - 2 tsp.
Sugar - 1 tsp.
Salt (to taste)
Oil (to fry)

Method:
1. Heat the oil in a pan. Add onions and fry till it changes to a golden color.
2. Add curry powder, chili powder and mix.
3. Add the potatoes. Sugar & salt and cook till all blends well.
4. Remove from heat and let it cool.

Method for curry puff:
1. After half-an hour, knead the dough again.
2. Make balls from the dough and roll them.
3. Cut them into a 10 cm diameter circle and 3 mm thickness.
4. Place the filling and fold them into a semi- circle.
5. Seal the edges and crimp them.
6. Do the same with other balls.
7. Deep fry them on both sides till they change to golden brown in medium or medium-low flame.
8. Remove & place it on a paper towel.
Recipe source: Rasa Malaysia

Curry powder-I got the recipe from here.
Ingredients:
Coriander seeds - 3 tbsp.
Cumin seeds - 1 tbsp.
Fennel seeds - 1 tbsp.
Fenugreek seeds - ½ tsp.
Black pepper - ¾ tsp.
Cinnamon stick - 1 inch
Rice - 1 tbsp.
Cardamom seeds - ½ tsp.
Whole dry red chilly - 2 ½
Cloves - 2
Star anise - ½
Ground turmeric - 1 tsp.
 
Method:
Dry roast all the ingredients except turmeric in low flame till a nice aroma rises.
Cool slightly. Grind them into a powder. Mix the turmeric and store them.

Notes:
1. If you don't like sugar, then don't add in the stuffing.
2. I used my own hands to make the crimps. I didn't use any special mould for that.

Sent off to A.W.E.D. Malaysia hosted by Annarasa and created by DK

Oct 27, 2009

Coriander Seeds Thuvaiyal/Thogayal


Ingredients:
Coriander seeds - 3 tbsp.
Urad dal - 1 tbsp. (I used whole)
Whole dry red chilies - 6
Tamarind - gooseberry size
Coconut flakes - 2 tbsp.
Oil
Salt to taste

Tempering:
Mustard seeds - ¼ tsp.
Oil

Method:
1. Fry the coriander seeds in little oil till they become crispy and a nice aroma rises. Remove from heat.
2. Fry the urad dal, coconut flakes, till they become light brown color in the same oil separately.
3. Continue the same with chilies.
4. Cool & grind them along with tamarind and salt coarsely with little water.
5. In a small pan, heat the oil and add the mustard seeds.
6. When the mustard starts to crackle, add the ground mixture and sauté for 2 minutes.
7. Serves as a good side dish for rice.

Sent off to Priya's "Think Spice: Think Coriander Seeds" event. Think Spice series is originally started by Sunita Bhuyan.

Oct 26, 2009

Oats Burger


You might have noticed, just from reading the recipes you get a feeling that it must be really good. You will be tempted to try it immediately and have it.

Well, I saw this oats burger recipe when I was raiding my own collection for something original and satisfying. I immediately felt the urge to try this and really, I must say, it came out superb and my family loved it and kept asking for more. Trust me, even kids will annoy the patience out of you to make something like this if they get that feeling I mentioned in the above lines…

Ingredients:
Patty
Oats - 1 cup + more for coating
Potatoes - 4 (boiled & grated)
Bottle gourd - 1 cup (grated & squeeze well)
Onion - 1 (finely chopped)
Oil - 2 tbsp.
Oregano - ½ tsp.
Salt (to taste)
Pepper powder - ½ tsp.
Red chilli powder - ½ tsp.
Capsicum - 1 (chopped)
I used half red and half yellow capsicum

For burger:
Burger buns - 4
Lettuce leaves
Tomato slices - few
Thick curd - 6 tbsp.

Method:
1. Heat the oil in a pan and add the onions. Fry till it changes to golden color.
2. Add 1 cup of oats and mix well . Cook for a minute.
3. Add lauki and capsicum and mix well. Cook for 3 minutes.
4. Add salt, oregano, red chilli powder and pepper. Mix well.
5. Add the potatoes and cook for 5 minutes.
6. Remove from heat.
7. Make balls and shape them into round patties.
8. Spread the oats in a plate.
9. Coat the patty with the oats on both sides (If oats doesn’t coat lightly dip the patty in water for a second and coat the oats by pressing it over the patty).
10. Keep in a fridge for 10 minute.
11. Shallow fry the patties in a non-stick pan with little oil.
12. Remove when it is brown and crispy.
13. Cut the buns into half and saute in a little oil or butter.
14. Spread the curd on the bases of the bun. Place the lettuce leaves. Place a hot patty on it and spread the curd. Arrange a slice of tomato and sprinkle little salt and pepper. Serve hot.

Sent off to Srilekha's "EFM-Oats Series" event.

Oct 24, 2009

Parsi Ravo


Here’s another one of the Parsi cuisine dishes. It’s just similar to Kesari. Parsis prepare this sweet on the Parsi New Year day as breakfast. Got this recipe from Meera’s blog.

Ingredients:
Rava - 1 cup
Sugar - ¾ cups
Ghee - 1 tsp.
Milk - 1 ½ cups
To garnish:
Vanilla essence - ½ tsp.
Almond (chopped) - 1 tsp.
Pistachio (chopped) - 1 tsp.

Method:
Add ghee to the pan and let it melt.
To this ghee, add the rava and mix well.
Sauté it for 15 minutes in low flame.
Meanwhile in another pan, boil the milk and sugar.
Add this to the rava and mix well without any lumps.
When it starts to leave the sides of the pan, remove from heat.
Garnish with vanilla essence, almonds and pistachios.

Sent off to Meera's 'RCI-Parsi Cuisine' event. RCI series is originally started by Lakshmi.

Oct 22, 2009

Parsi Style Pumpkin


Well, I’m not that aware of Parsi cuisine…yet I found this recipe in one my collections. I was just tempted to give it a try.

Ingredients:
Yellow/orange pumpkin - 2 cups (cubed & boiled)
Onion - 1 (chopped)
Tomatoes - 1 (scoop out the seeds & chopped)
Green chilies - 2 (chopped)
Ginger - 1 tsp. (grated)
Yogurt - ½ cup
Cumin powder (roasted) - 1 tsp.
Sugar (to taste)
Salt (to taste)
Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp.




Method:
1. Add the ginger, green chilies, tomatoes, onions and coriander leaves to the pumpkin and keep aside.
2. Beat the yogurt with salt and sugar and chill the yogurt.
3. Just before serving, pour the yogurt on the pumpkin mixture.
4. Sprinkle the roasted cumin powder on the yogurt and serve.
Sent off to Meera's 'RCI-Parsi Cuisine' event. RCI series is originally started by Lakshmi.