Easy Veg Paneer Cutlet

Ingredients:
Potato - 2 nos
Carrot - 1 no.
Onion -  1 no.
Peas - 1/4 cup
Paneer - 100 gms
Corn flour - 2 tbsp
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp
Red Chilly powder - 1 tsp
Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Roasted Rawa - 1/4 cup
Oil for shallow frying

Method:
Pressure cook potatoes. Mash well. Heat oil in a pan and add ginger garlic paste and finely chopped onion. When the onion turns glassy, add the grated carrot, peas. Add red  chilly powder, pepper powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder and salt and mix well. Remove from flame add the grated paneer.  Make a watery batter of the corn flour .Make the potato mixture into small balls and flatten it. Coat both the sides in the corn flour batter and roasted rawa.

Heat oil in a shallow pan and shallow fry the cutlets. Turn it both the sides till they become golden brown in colour. (Care should be taken not to over brown it). Serve it hot with tomato ketchup and green chutney

How to make French Fries at home

Ingredients:
Potato - 6 big nos
Salt to taste
Oil for frying

Method:
Choose firm potatoes. Wash and clean the potatoes and cut them into thin finger like strips of about 1/2 inch length. Wash the potatoes more than twice to remove the excess starch in it. Soak the potato slices in ice cold water for about an hour. Drain well and rub with kitchen towels to remove the excess water.

Image of frying basket round

Heat oil and when hot place a frying basket preferably round in shape inside the pan and add a layer of the potato strips. Mix 4 tbsp of salt in 1/2 cup of water and mix well till all the salt dissolves. Add 1 tbsp of salt water to the basket and mix it well so that all the potato strips are evenly coated. Fry the potato strips in the basket until they are golden brown.

The same procedure is to be repeated to all the batches. Remove the excess oil by placing the fried strips in kitchen towels.

Serve with tomato ketchup or spicy cheese dip.

Jelly Vannila Shake

Ingredients:
Milk - 1 cup
Jelly - to serve 4 people
Vannila Ice cream - 1/2 kg pack

Method;
In a blender add milk and ice cream and blend well. When it frosts add the jelly and blend again. Serve chilled in tall glass.

Note:
Strawberry or mango jelly goes well with Vannila Icecream.

Aloo Vada - Indian Street Food

Ingredients:
Potatoes - 4 nos
Onion - 1 no
Green chilly - 1 no.
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Asafodeita - 1 pinch
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup
Curry leaves - 1/4 cup
Salt to taste
Bajji batter - 1 cup
Oil - for frying

Method:
Add 1 1/2 cup of water to bajji batter to form a thick dip. Chop onions finely. Boil the potatoes and mash them thoroughly. Cut green chillies finely. Chop the coriander leaves and curry leaves finely.

Add 2 tbsp of oil to a pan and add mustard seeds and when it splutters add onions are soft and light golden in colour. Add the ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, curry leaves and salt. Add the mashed potatoes and mix it will all the ingredients. Remove from flame and add coriander leaves and mix well.

After the mixture cools divide them into flat vada shaped balls. Dip the mixture in the bajji batter. Heat oil in a frying pan and when hot reduce the flame and add the batter soaked vads one by one. Fry till they become golden brown in colour.

Drain on observant paper and serve them with Katta Meeta Chutney

Potato rolls - A great snack for evening after school

Ingredients:
Potato - 4 nos
Green Peas - 4 nos
Cumin powder - 1 tbsp
Amchur - 1 tbsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tbsp
Green chilly - 5 nos
Salt to taste
Bread slices - 4 nos (White sandwhich bread)
Corn flour - 1 tbsp
Bread crumbs - 1 cup

Method:
Boil, peel and mash potatoes and green peas. Chop green chillies finely. Chop the coriander leaves finely. Soak the bread slices in water for about 2 seconds after removing the sides. Squeeze out the water completely.

 In a big bowl add the mashed potatoes and peas along with jeera powder, green chillies, coriander leaves, salt and amchur powder and mix well to a fine dough. Add the bread slices to the mixture and knead well so that the bread get mixed thoroughly. Roll the dough to cylinder shapes.

In a shallow bowl, mix 1/2 cup of water and corn flour to make a thin paste. Dip the rolls in the corn flour paste ensure that it is evenly coated. Roll the cylinders in bread crumbs.

Heat oil in a pan and deep fry the rolls in the oil till they turn golden brown and crisp. Serve hot with tomato sauce or green chutney.

Recipe for Paneer Samosa

Ingredients:
Maida or All purpose flour - 1 cup
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Salt little
Oil - to fry
Paneer - 200 gms
Onion - 1 big
Salt to taste
Green Chillies - 1 no
Coriander Leaves - 1/4 cup

Method:
Grate paneer. Grate green chilly. Chop Onion finely. Mix paneer, green chilly, salt, coriander leaves and onion.

Make a dough of Maida. Let the dough set for about an hour. Make small balls out of Maida and roll them into small chappaties. Place 1 to 2 spoons of the paneer mixture inside the chappati and fold them in triangle shape. Make all the samosas and leave them in freezer for about half an hour.

Heat oil and when hot reduce the flame to medium. Fry the samosas in hot oil. (You can add one or two at a time). Keep turning the samosas till it becomes golden brown in all the sides.

Serve hot with mint chutney and Katta meeta chutney

Recipe for Aloo Tikka

 Ingredients:
Potato - 2 nos
Bread Slices - 6 nos
Onion - 1 medium size
Ginger - 1/2 inch piece
Lemon Juice - 1/2 tbsp
     or
Tamarind Paste - 1/2 tsp
Green Chilli - 2 nos
Coriander Leaves - 1/4 cup
Mint paste - 1 tbsp
Oil for deep frying

Method:
  Soak the bread slices in a shallow plate for about 5 mins. Remove and squeeze out water and mash it finely. Pressure cook the potates and peel the skin. Chop onion very finely. Grind green chillies, ginger and coriander leaves, Mint Paste to a fine paste and add it to the potatoes. Mix all the ingredients along with mashed bread and make them into equally shapped balls. Shape them to a tikka.

Heat oil in a pan, when hot reduce the flame to medium. Deep fry the tikkas in the oil. Drain the excess oil.

Makes a great snack for parties, evening snacks for the kids. Serve with mint chutney.

Recipe to make Cashew Pakora at home

Ingredients: 

Cashew nuts whole - 1/4 kg (approximately about 50 pieces)

Bengal Gram Dal - 1 cup

Raw Rice Powder - 1 tsp

Cornflour - 1 tsp

Green chilly - 2 nos

Curry Leaves - 1/2 cup

Garlic - 6 cloves (optional)

Saunf - 1 tsp 

Salt - To taste

Oil - for frying.

Method:

Mix besan flour, rice flour, corn flour together along with salt. Grind garlic, green chillies and saunf to a paste and add it to the flours. Add finely chopped curry leaves to the flour. Add cashew nuts to the flour and add water slowly to make a dough. 

In a pan heat oil and when hot reduce the flame to medium. Add small dumplings little by little to the oil. When they turn golden brown, remove from flame, drain the excess oil. 

This pakora can be stored for about two or three days. Makes a good starter and also a good tea time snack. 

Note: Do not increase the flame untill, the whole consignment of dough is fried.

Onion Pakora

Ingredients:

All ingredients as in Simple Pakora

Onion - 2 to 3 nos big

Method:

Chop Onions finely. Mix the dough as that of Simple Pakora, but before mixing the water add onions and mix well. Add water little by little and make a dough. Heat oil and fry the dough just as said in simple pakora recipe. The onions will turn brown a bit faster than the dough. (But wait till the dough turns golden brown before removing it from oil).

Serve hot. Ideal snack for rainy day.

Cauliflower Pakora

Ingredients:

Cauliflower - 1 big

Gram Flour - 3 tbsp

Red Chilli Powder - 2 tsp

Salt to taste

Amchoor - 1 tsp

Coriander Powder - 2 tsp

Garam Masala - 1 tsp

Green Chillies - 2 to 3

Oil for frying

Method:

Wash and chop cauliflower into florets in a big shallow bowl. Add 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp red chilli powder, 1/2 tsp garam masala, 1/2 tsp amchoor, 1 tsp coriander powder and mix well. Add besan flour, 1/2 salt, 1 tsp red chilly powder, 1/2 tsp garam masala, 1/2 tsp amchoor, 1 tsp coriander powder, chopped green chillies and mix well with water and make a thick paste, with very less water. The paste should be thick enough that it coats all over the cauliflower. 

Heat oil. When hot turn the flame to medium. Dip each and every floret of cauliflower in the besan flour mixture till the whole floret is covered with the besan mixture. Fry in oil till it becomes golden brown. At one point of time, about 6 to 8 florets of cauliflower can be fried. Repeat the same with all the florets. 

Serve hot with Tomato sauce and coriander sauce. 

Note: If the paste is not thick, the pakoras will not be crisp enough.

Simple and Easy Pakora

Ingredients:

Gram flour - 1 cup

Rice Flour - 1/2 cup

Ghee - 1 tbsp

Green Chilly - 2 nos

Red Chilly Powder - 1/2 tbsp(optional)

Salt to taste

Water - 1/2 cup

Curry Leaves - 1/2 cup (finely chopped)

Coriander Leaves - 1/2 cup (finely chopped)

Oil - for deep frying.

Method:

Chop green chillies finely. Mix besan flour and rice flour thoroughly. Add salt, curry leaves, coriander leaves, green chilly, red chilly powder, ghee and mix well. Add water slowly to make thich dough. It should not be of batter consistency. 

Heat oil in a shallow pan and when hot reduce the flame to medium. Take the dough in hand and put pieces into the oil. (no need to make the dough into perfect ball before frying). At one time depending upon the size of the pan about 6 to 8 nos can be fried. Keep turning the pieces till they turn golden brown. (Do not let it turn dark brown, for the taste of the pakoras might get altered). Drain the pakoras in kitchen towel and serve hot. 

Though these pakoras need no side dishes, it can be taken with tomato ketchup or green chutney.

Corn Paneer Pakora - A healthy recipe for evening time snack

It is definitely a difficult task to find out the snack that can be served for the kids in the evening but I got this recipe from a friend which I tried and it turned out too good too. Infact I am planning to make it as a starter dish too.

Ingredients:
Fresh or Frozen corn - 2 cups
Paneer - 100 gms
Onions - 2 medium
Ginger -  1 inch piece
Garlic - 6 flakes
Green chilly - 2 nos
Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup
Cumin/ Jeera Powder - 1/2 tsp
Red chilly Powder - 1/2 tsp
Bengal Gram Flour - 6 tbsp
Amchur Powder - 1/2 tsp
Milk - 1 cup
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying

Method:
Soak the frozen corn for a while to remove ice.  Grate the cottage cheese. Blend the corn in a blender to make it coarse. Grind ginger and garlic together. Cut the green chillies into fine pieces. In a pan heat oil, add ginger garlic paste and after a minute add the crushed corn and stir fry it. Add salt and mix well. Add 1/2 cup of milk and bring it to a creamy texture. When the corn gets cooked remove from flame and let it cool. Add the finely chopped onion, paneer, chillies, cumin powder, chilly powder, amchur powder and coriander leaves. Add in the besan flour to bind it. Add a bit more salt if needed. If the mixture is too thick, it can be thinned by adding a little more milk. Make small balls or cylindrical shaped pieces and fry it out in hot oil. Turn the pieces around till they become golden in colour. Remove from oil and drain excess oil.

If you are making it for a party, it can be make in different shapes like square or heart shaped too.

The corn can be cooked and then blended too. 

Aloo Poha Recipe

Poha is a very healthy dish for any age. Aloo Poha can be had as an evening snack or as a full fledged dinner if you are dieting.

Ingredients:
Poha - 2 cups
Potatoes - 1
Onion - 1
Green Chillies - 2
Channa Dal - 1 tsp
Urad Dal - 1 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Curry Leaves - 1/2 cup
Peanuts - 2 tsp
Oil - 4 tbsp
Turmeric Powder - 1 pinch
Lemon - 1
Coriander Leaves - finely chopped
Salt  - To taste


Method
Soak Poha in water for about 30 mins. Wash and drain the water and spread it in a bowl. Add salt, turmeric powder and toss it well. Pressure cook the potatoes, peel and mash it well. Cut chillies into small pieces and chop the onions into fine piece.

Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and when it splutters add channa dal, urad dal, peanuts, curry leaves, green chillies and fry for a while. Add the onions and saute for a while. Add the potatoes and mix everything together very well. Add salt and cook till everything is mixed thoroughly. Add poha and mix well.

Remove from flame and decorate it with coriander leaves. When cool add lemon juice and mix well.

Pani Puri / Gol Gappe - Indian Cooking Challenge for May

Pani Puri or Gol Gappe or Mini Pooris are always great hit in our home and whenever we go to hotel, the starter dish my kids order is Pani Poori. We just try to find out shops that offer real good Pani Pooris where the Pani is not too hot or too sweet. Pani given with the poori should be of the mixture of both with an extra tinge - Comment by daughter. Though we love to eat it in chat shops or road side ones, still the best is to make at home (trying to be highly hygenic!!!! uh!!!). Many a times, my husband gets the pooris alone and I make the paani and within seconds I find the packets empty.

But whenever I make Pani Puris at home, its just my daughter Surabi and Shrawan come to help me (by rolling the dough to balls and eating a few small pieces too). And cutting the spread out dough to small puris using the small tiffin box lid (which is used to take pickles to office and school). This time it was a big competition  between my son and daughter as to who will cut out how many number of puris. (Obviously daughter won).

Eating these puris is definitely an art and I have to say that my daughter mastered it for sure.

Got the recipe for Pani Puri from my mom and here I am adding it with a few of my additions.

Ingredients for Puri:

Maida - 1/2 cup
Wheat flour or all purpose flour - 1/2 cup
Urad Dal - 1/4 cup
Rawa (Fine one) - 1/4 cup
Salt - A pinch

This quantity will make almost 18 to 20 puris.

How to make Puris:
     Mix all the ingredients together and knead well to a fine dough by adding water little by little. Let the dough set for about 1/2 an hour. Flatten the dough into chappatis and cut into small puris using the lid of small tiffin box. (If it is possible one can also make small puris and fry it out).



Fillings:
1. Channa Dal (prefrebly the brown ones which is also known as chick peas) - 1/2 cup
2. Potato - 4 nos (medium sized)
3. Sev - (better get in sweet shop, if you dont have at home) - 1/2 cup

These are the three types of fillings one can have along with finely chopped onions, coriander leaves, Bhoondi and Pani. These can be either had separately or mixed together to get a different taste.

How to make Pani for Pani Puri
Mint leaves - 1/2 cup
Coriander Leaves - 1/2 cup
Pepper - 6 nos
Jeera - 2 tsp
Clove - 4 nos(optional)
Dry Mano Powder /Amchur Powder - 1/4 cup
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Green Chilly - 1 or 2 nos
Table salt - to taste
Water - 1 litre (add more if the pani is a bit thick)
Tamrind Paste - 2 tbsp
Dates - 4 nos.
Jaggery - 2 tbsp

I normally make Pani which will have both hot and sour and sweet taste. I make only one single Pani. But in general in all shops, two types of Pani are given. Sweet Paani made of dates and tamrind and hot and sour pani made of Mint leaves.

For both the paanis to use the tamrind paste, add 1 cup of water to 1 tbsp of paste and either microwave for 2 mins or keep in stove and let it bring to a boil. Remove from flame and let it cool.

Keep 1 litre of water in fridge and let it cool.

Sweet Paani
Soak dates in hot water for about 1/2 an hour. Grind it along with jaggery and seive it to remove the waste. Add tamrind water and mix well.

Hot and Sour Pani
Mix the dry mango powder in 1/2 cup water for about 1/2 an hour. Drain it to remove the dust. Grind Pudina, Jeera, Clove, Pepper, Ginger, Green chillies to a fine paste. Add salt and cold water to the ground paste and Amchur powder. Again keep the mixture in fridge and take it out just before serving.

To make the fillings 
Channa Filling - Pressure cook the channa dal and add salt and a pinch of chilly powder to it.
Potato filling - Pressure cook and mash the potatoes. Add salt and chilly powder to it and mix in a kadai along with a spoon of oil.

How to serve Paani Puri at home
In a square or triangle plate (this is better for drinking the paani that have fallen to the plate after finishing off the puris) arrange the puris along with either or the mixture of all the filling. Add paani to the puris slowly. It is better to fill the puris after one with paani is eaten.

(Want to know who won the maximum number of Paani Puri eating Competition? There was a tie between my husband and daughter and at last daughter won by eating two more)

Recipe for Chappati Rolls

Phulkas or Chappatis - 3
Chopped vegetables - 1cup mixed (carrot, potatoes, cauliflower, beans) each. (Boil them and mix them together)
Boiled chopped spinach - 1 cup
Ginger and garlic chopped - 1/4 tbsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 cup
Salt - To taste
Pepper - 1 pinch
Corn Flour - 1/2 cup
Butter - 1 tsp


Method :
In a shallow kadai heat butter and when it melts add ginger and garlic and stir for a while. Add vegetables and spinach. Sprinkle the corn flour on it and mix well and let it cool. Spread the veg mix in a chappati and roll it tight, cover it with aluminium foil.

A great dish for afternoon lunch or for picnic.

Masala Idly Upma - A recipe with left over Idlies

Always we all have Idly with Chutney, Sambar or Milagaipodi. But this Idly upma is something really yummy.

Ingredients:

Idly 12 normal size

Onion -2
Green chilly - 4 or 5 medium sized

Salt to taste

Oil - 2 tbsp

Mustard seeds - ½ sp.

Urad dal - 1 sp (full Urad Dal will give more taste and flavour)

Channa dal - 1 sp (Kadalai Paruppu)


Method to make Masala Idly Upma:

Cut all the idlies into small pieces.

Pour oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, make seasoning. Add chopped green chilies and cut onions. Fry well. Add cut idlies and salt. Mix well and remove from the fire. A nice tiffin is ready.

Though this is normally made with left over idlies I do make this with fresh idlies and kids like this when it is given in their lunch box.