Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Stuffed Potatoes Recipe

Ingredients

  • 3 boiled large potatoes
  • 1 carrot grated
  • 1 tender corncob grated
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup cabbage finely shredded
  • 2 tsp. butter
  • 1 tsp. cheese grated
  • 2 tbsp. white sauce recipe (refer recipe in index)
  • 6 slices stuffed olive rings (optional)
  • salt to taste

Method


  • Peel potatoes is desired.
  • Cut into even halves, scoop out a portion in centre carefully.
  • Brush halves with butter, keep aside.
  • Heat remaining butter in pan, add vegetables, stirfry till tender.
  • Add scooped shreds of potatoes, salt, white sauce, and stir.
  • Stir and cook till thick.
  • Pile a portion of mixture in and over each scooped hollow of potato halves.
  • Garnish with a slice of olive and cheese as desired.
  • Bake in a preheated oven (180 deg C) for 4-5 mins or till cheese melts.
  • Serve hot with with a slice of wheat bread.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Microwave Cooking Tips

The basics of cooking in a microwave.

  • Cooking should be done only with the microwave safe vessels, we cannot  use steel or any other vessel.
  • Food can be cooked as well as reheated very quickly as well the 
  • reheated food will taste likely done fresh
  • We would recommend you to go through the users manual before you start  using your microwave
  • Time to reheat : For an average size meal of 1 -2 persons. Reheating  should not take more than 3 minutes. Take the food out and check on the food  every other minute. (approx)
  • To Boil milk , 250 ml it will take about 1minute 15 seconds, depending  on the microwave (approx).
  • To Make rice or briyani for about 2 cups of rice and 4 cups water it 
  • will take 15 minutes ( approx)
  • You can cook the raw vegetables before adding to curries by keeping them in a microwave safe dish and sprinkling water on top and cooking for about 3 minutes for 300 gms of vegetables
  • For making any fried dish, Mix all the masala's to the Base 
  • dish (chicken or cauliflower), then add 2 -3 tsp of oil for300 gms of chicken or  cauliflower and then spread it around a microwave safe plate greased with oil and  keep it for about 3 minutes for about 5 times. Keep checking on the food  every 3 minutes.
  • To cook an average potato will take 3 minutes
  • Always in a microwave the food cooks from the middle.
  • You can make rice , kurma's , bryani's and also cook potatoes, heat 
  • milk , water and reheat any left over s in the microwave
  • To reheat any cooked meal you can find the options on the microwave panel , you should press the kind of food and the weight it will give you correct time
  • And also you can defrost the frozen food in minutes
  • For heating or cooking if you are not sure about the time, you can set the time low and you can always open it and keep checking if the food is done.
  • You can have a healthy and easy cooked meal from a microwave cooking
  • And also all the microwave's are not the same they differ from size and voltage and also depends on the options they have on the control panel
 

Indian Cooking Tips


Tips for Cooking with Onions:-
  1. How to cut an onion without crying ? Indian food requires a lot of onions sometimes. Use sweet onions. Peeling  and  cutting under running water, chopping near a gas flame, and refrigerating onions before chopping, all methods for reducing the volatility of the sulfide that causes the irritation. 
  2. Try Cabbage instead of Onion : If anyone does not like or want the strong taste of onion, you can use cabbage in the recipe for the same taste and good recipe. 
Tips for Cooking Rice :-



  1. Wash the rice a few times until the water runs clear. Remove all the water until no water remains. Let it sit for 20 minutes.  This will remove all the starch and help the rice to remain separate.
  2. Also adding a few drops of lemon juice to the rice while cooking, you will find that the grains of rice will tend to remain separate.
  3. Retaining the "whiteness" of white rice : While cooking rice add a few drops of  lemon juice. The  color of the grains become bright white.
  4. Reheating left-over Rice : Refrigerate leftover cooked rice in a well-sealed container. Reheat cold rice with a sprinkling of water in a microwave oven or in a covered pot over low heat.  Left over rice is great to have on hand for stirring into soups and broths and for making fried rice — it's perhaps the world's best vehicle for turning leftovers into something fresh and new.

    Wednesday, March 24, 2010

    Methi Pudina Khakra Recipe

    Ingredients

    • For Khakras:
    • 1 cup whole wheat flour
    • 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
    • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1 tbsp kasoori methi
    • 1/2 tbsp dry pudina (mint powder)
    • 1 tbsp oil
    • Salt to taste

    Method

    • Sieve flour and salt.
    • Add all the ingredients
    • Knead a soft pliable dough.
    • Cover and keep aside for 30 minutes.
    • Divide portions into 1/3 size of pingpong balls.
    • Mould into a pattie, roll as thin as possible (wafer thin is good).
    • Use dry flour for dusting while rolling.
    • If you are not very fast, spread a clean bedsheet and put each round on it, as you roll.
    • Finish with all the dough.
    • Heat griddle and roast each round on it, lightly, on both sides.
    • Apply some ghee, rubbing two rounds against each other to coat both on one side. Pile up, and cool for 10 minutes.

    To make the khakras:


    • Put one semi roasted round on warm griddle.
    • Use a thick, kitchen towel to press.
    • On low flame, press and roast, lightly moving it on griddle in a circular motion.
    • When one side is light golden and specky, flip and repeat for other side.
    • Repeat with all rounds. Pile onto a cloth as done.
    • Cool thoroughly before storing in an airtight container.
    • Serve with any chutney or just with tea /coffee

    Friday, March 19, 2010

    Fresh Fruit Salad Recipe

    Ingredients: 

    • 3 cups Mixed Berries (blueberries, raspberries, strawberries)
    • 2 cups Seedless Grapes (red or green)
    • 2 crisp Sweet Apples
    • 3 Peaches or 6 Apricots
    • 2 Bananas (sliced thin)
    • 1 cup Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice (3 Valencia oranges)
    • Nutmeg (optional)

    How to make Fresh Fruit Salad:

    • Chop blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, grapes, apples, peaches and bananas.
    • Place them in a large bowl and mix gently.
    • Empty fresh orange juice over the fruit and stir.
    • Refrigerate until chilled.
    • Remove and serve with a dash of nutmeg.

    Wednesday, March 17, 2010

    Kuttu Aloo Ke Pakore


    Ingredients:

    ·      Kuttu Aloo Ke Pakore 1 cup kuttu ka atta
    ·      Ghee or vegetable oil for frying
    ·      1/4 cup finely cut coriander leaves
    ·      3 medium sized potatoes
    ·      1/2 tbsp black pepper powder
    ·      1/2 tsp vrat ka salt

    Method:

    ·      Boil the potatoes whole till they are half cooked.
    ·      Add salt, pepper, and the coriander leaves to the kuttu ka atta and mix well. Mix water slowly to get a smooth batter without lumps.
    ·      Keep mixing the batter till it achieves a cream like consistency.
    ·      Cover it and set it aside for about 20 minutes.
    ·      When the potatoes are cool enough, take off the peel and slice each one into diagonal slices like French fries.
    ·      Heat the ghee or oil for deep-frying in a deep pan.
    ·      Make sure the heat is moderate and not very high.
    ·      Dip each potato slice into the prepared batter till the potato slice is covered fully.
    ·      Drop the potato slices into the hot ghee or oil one at a time.
    ·      Put in as many slices as your pan will accommodate but make sure they all are float on the surface of the oil without being bunched up together.
    ·      When one side becomes golden in colour, turn and fry on other side till golden brown.
    ·      Drain on tissue paper to remove excess oil.
    ·      Serve immediately with coriander chutney.




    Singhara Burfi

    Ingredients

    • 1/2 cup Singhara Flour (water chestnut flour)
    • 2 tbsp Ghee
    • 1/2 cup Khoya
    • 3/4 cup Sugar
    • 1/2 cup Water
    • 1/2 tsp Cardamom Powder

    Method

    • Stir-fry flour in ghee in a heavy pan to a light pink color over low flame
    • Transfer immediately to another vessel after frying.
    • Stir-fry Khoya in the pan till there are no lumps and it is of light pink color
    • Mix cardamom powder and flour to it
    • Set aside for cooling
    • Make thick syrup by boiling water and sugar till it is of thicker consistency (One can check for the right consistency by putting a drop of syrup in cold water. If it forms a soft ball than it is of right consistency)
    • Remove the pan from flame
    • Mix the syrup immediately to the Khoya mixture, stirring vigorously to blend it well
    • Grease a plate and transfer the mixture to it
    • Level it and let it cool
    • When cool and set, cut into pieces, using a sharp knife
    • The Burfi is ready to serve

    Tuesday, March 16, 2010

    Seyal Phulka (left over Rotis in Garlic tomato curry)


    Ingredients:        

     " 3-4 tbsp Oil
     " 6 - 7 roties
     " A bunch of Fresh Green Coriander Leaves
     " 1 inch Ginger
     " 2 tbsp Garlic (chopped)
     " 4 Green Chilies
     " 1 Onion (medium sized)
     " 2 large Tomatoes (chopped)
     " 1 tbsp Dry Coriander Powder
     " 1  inch Turmeric Powder
     " Salt to taste

    How to make Seyal Phulka:

    •        Put coriander leaves, ginger, chopped garlic, green chilies and onion in a blender and grind to a shredded form. Do not turn it to a paste.
    •        Heat oil in a kadai or a large frying pan.
    •        Add the ground wet masala, coriander powder, turmeric powder, tomatoes and salt. Mix well and cook for 15 minutes on low flame.
    •        When the oil starts separating from the masala, add the sliced pav or bread. Turn the sides of the bread to coat it with the masala properly.
    •         Lower the heat to minimum, sprinkle little water and cove the pan with the lid.
    •        When the bread turns soft, remove the pan from fire.
    •        Serve hot with papad and onion rings.

     

    Sindhi Koki


    INGREDIENTS:

    2 cups - Wheat Flour
    Oil
    Salt to taste
    2 - Onions
    4 - Green chilly
    Coriander Leaves

    METHOD:

    Finely cut the onions, green chillies and coriander leaves. In a large bowl, take the wheat flour and add the finely cut onions, green chillies and coriander leaves. Add salt according to the taste to the mixture. Add 5 tbsp of oil to it.

    Mix all the ingredients properly. Add water and knit the dough properly. Make sure that the dough is not too soft. Keep the dough aside for sometime.

    Make round and slightly thick rotis (koki) out of it. Put the roti (koki) on the pan, and cook it on a low flame. Add some oil or ghee, when you change its sides.

    Serve it with curd/ pickle/ chutney.



     


    Friday, March 12, 2010

    Toffee apples

    Ingredients

    4 ripe apples
    1egg - 1egg white - 3tbsp (45 ml) all-purposeflour - 3tbsp (45 ml) cornstarch oil for deep-frying - 1/4 cup (60 ml) vegetable oil 1/4 cup (60 ml) sugar - 1/4 cup (60 ml) honey - 2tbsp (30 ml) white sesame seeds (optional) - 1 bowl ice water

    Method :

    Peel and core apples and cut each apple in six to eight wedges. Beat egg and egg white together and fold in sifted flour and cornstarch to make a better. Heat oil for deep frying. Dip apple wedges in batter and deep-fry until golden. Remove and drain on paper towels. In a saucepan heat vegetable oil, add sugar and heat, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves. Stir in honey. Coat apple fritters with syrup and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve while piping hot. Let each guest dip apple fritters into ice water. This will cause the syrup coating to harden so the fritters will be crisp and crackling on the outside.

    Saturday, March 6, 2010

    Pan-Fried Asparagus ( Low-cal snacking )

    Prep time: 7 minutes
    Cooking time: 5 minutes
    Serves: Three

    360 g asparagus
    30 g olive oil
    15 g onion,chopped
    15 g garlic
    15-18 leaves rocket lettuce
    20 ml cooking white wine or regular white wine (optional)
    30 g parmesan shavings
    15 ml balsamic reduction (made by reducing balsamic vinegar to half while stirring over low heat)

    1. Peel the asparagus and blanch in boiling water for about three to four minutes.
    2. Heat the oil and saute the onion and garlic. Add the asparagus and cook for 2 minutes.
    3. Dress the lettuce with the white wine; put six pieces of lettuce at the corner of a plate. Top with the Parmesan shavings.
    4. Drizzle balsamic reduction over. Lay six pieces of asparagus sticks over the balsamic reduction. Serve hot.

    WHAT YOU GET:

    This dish is a low-calories source of iron and potassium, antioxidants and vitamin C.