I learned this particular raita around 3-4 years back from my Ex-Colleague who is Chef and I have been making this regularly ever since I figured that spinach could be used this way. I made this today for lunch and am sending this to the lovely event series Bookmarked Recipes - Every Tuesday Eventhosted by Aipi.
Palak leaves - 1/2 bunch washed and finely shredded
Onion - 1 medium finely chopped
Green chillies - 2-3 finely chopped
Garlic cloves - 2-3 finely chopped
Beaten Curd - 1/2 cup
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Turmeric and Asafoetida - a pinch of each
Salt and sugar to taste
Jeera powder - 1/2 tsp
oil- 1 tbsp.
1. In bowl, beat curds and add just enough salt, sugar and jeera powder.
2. Heat oil and add cumin seeds. Once they splutter add chopped garlic, chillies and onions. Saute this for 2-3 mins.
3. Now add the shredded palak leaves; add tumeric, asafoetida and little bit salt. ( watch out for qty. of salt as you have already added a pinch in curds)
4. Mix everthing up at once and remove from the gas. Let it cool down and then add this mixture to beaten curd. Mix it nicely and its ready. Serve cold.
The Clementine is a hybrid between tangerine (Citrus reticulata) and orange (Citrus sinensis). The fruits of Clementine mandarins are seedless, and sweet most of the times unlike oranges. For more info on clementine visit the following website:-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clementine Why am I giving you all this information?...coz.....I had a bag full of sour clementines lying in my refrigerator for a long time and I kept thinking how will i finish all of them..... :-( :-( and then I prepared this recipe...I don't know if I can call this as my invention; because there is nothing extra ordinary in this... :-)
Here is what you will need:- 1 cup fresh coconut. 3/4 cup of Sugar. 1/4 cup of Milk ( i used 3.5%) cardamom powder 1 pinch Oranges/Clementine - 2 nos. Orange Juice - 2 tbsp (optional) Cashewnut Powder Coarse - 1 tbsp. Almond Powder Coarse - 1 tbsp. Desi Ghee - 1tbsp.
1. Stew the orange/clementine peels in sugar syrup for about 5 mins. ( only if they are sour; else u can use it like that). The hitch here is after stewing; they get discoloured a bit. Drain the oranges and run cold water to prevent further discolouration. 2. Roughly chop the stewed oranges. Keep them aside3. Grind the coconut in to the blender along with the sugar, don't make it like a paste. Just blend it once or twice. 4. Heat a pan, add 1 tbsp of Desi ghee, now add the chopped oranges.
4. Add the coconut paste into this, and mix it well. keep on a low to medium flame and keep stirring constantly. 5. After 3-4 minutes add milk, cashewnut and almond powder. The mixture will be kind of liquid like consistency at this time. Keep stirring constantly. You can also add the readymade orange juice for better taste.
6. Add a pinch of cardamom powder. 7. The mixture will start getting thicker and thicker. When it reaches to a consistency where a spoon you are working with could stand in the mixture on it's own, (See the picture below) you can switch off the heat.
8. Allow to cool for about 20 minutes, then shape ladoos. Your Orange and coconut ladoos are ready.
Rice - 1 cup Onions(medium) - 1 slice Green chillies - 2 or 3 finely chopped Ginger and Garic - Finely chopped 1/2 tbsp. Cumin seeds - 1 tsp Garam masala - 1/2 tsp Corn kernels - tinned (available in market) OR plain corn kernels - pressure cook them with little salt Salt to taste Oil for frying - 2 to 3 tbsp Mint Leaves Finely chopped for garnishing; if mint is not available then Coriander leaves or cilantro finely chopped for garnishing. ( But mint leaves gives better look and aroma) Desi Ghee - 2tsp
This is how you go about it :-
1. Cook rice in a cooker. Add 2 cups water for a cup of rice.( also add 2 tsp of lemon juice and 2 tsp of oil; so that the rice grain will separate from each other). 2.Take oil in a pan or kadhai. Add cumin seeds. Let them crackle. 3.Add the chopped green chillies & fry them for a min. Then add the chopped onions & fry them until they turn pinkish brown. 4. Add fine chopped ginger garlic, garam masala, salt, corn kernels & mix well for a min. 5. Then add the cooked rice & mix well. 6.Garnish it with mint leaves(or coriander leaves) and finely add some desi ghee and let it melt into the rice. Serve hot.
I have been trying to incorporate all my favorite restaurant-style dishes into my cooking repertoire gradually. I love it when I manage to "nail" the taste of a restaurant dish, and I know that I use much less oil and much more vegetables than the "real thing". One of those dishes that I have never seen as part of any home cuisine, but is sure to be featured in restaurant menus, is Vegetable Jalfrezi. It is rather dry, with the vegetables crunchy and tender rather than over-cooked and drowning in a sauce. I had no paneer on hand, so I used more vegetables instead. For this you need:-
Carrot 1 Cauliflower florets 8 - 9 Green beans 7-8 Green pepper small 1 Green peas 1/4 cup Tomato, small 1 Onions, medium 2 Almonds 4-5 Cashews 4-5 Ginger 1 inch Garlic 2 flakes Cumin seeds 1 tsp. Red chilli powder 1 tbsp. Coriander powder 1 tbsp. Coriander leaves, chopped for garnishing Salt to taste
1. Cut vegetables into 1 inch long strips. 2. Grate one onion and keep aside. Make thin slices of the second onion. Keep aside. 3. Make paste of almonds and cashews. Keep aside. 4. Make paste of ginger and garlic. Keep aside. 5. Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds. Wait till they sputter. 6. Add grated onions and stir till lightly cooked. 7. Reduce flame. Add ginger-garlic paste, chilli powder and coriander powder. Stir. After a minute, add almond-cashew paste. Stir the mixture till it is barely dry and starts separating from sides of the pan. 8. Add carrots, cauliflower and green beans. Mix well. Now add 1 cup water. Stir, cover and let boil for 4-5 minutes. 9. Add green peppers, tomato, green peas and sliced onions while continuously stirring. 10. Cook till vegetables are slightly tender. Now add salt. 11. Leave on heat for a minute more. 12. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot.
I am indeed a big fan of Paneer. I think most veggies would be..:). So here comes the dish involving paneer. I actually came across the Paneer Balls recipe on Internet and then I thought let's use them in a curry. Very delicious ,crispy and mouthwatering Paneer Balls are great starter for any party or get together. It was little tedious job for me as I had to make paneer at home; thanks to the so called Indian Shop here in Russelsheim. :-( So these are the things I used:- For Koftas:- 200 gms Paneer grated 1 big Potato boiled and grated 1/2 tsp Red Chili Powder 1/4 tsp Garam Masala 1 tbsp Cornflour/Rice flour ( i used rice flour) Cashews and Raisins Oil for frying Salt to taste Mint leaves 4-5 chopped (optional) Coriander Leaves Chopped For Gravy:- 1 medium Onion 1 Tomato Coriander Leaves 1/4 cup Curd 1/8 cup Cashewnut Powder 1/2 tsp Cumin Seed 1 Bayleaf
Salt to taste
1 tsp. Sugar 1/2 tsp Red Chili Powder 1/4 tsp Turmeric 1/4 tsp Garam Masala 1 Bay Leaf 2 tbsp Clarified Butter 3 tbsp Heavy cream
1. Boil potatoes and peel them. Grate paneer and potatoes. 2. Add salt, red chili powder, garam masala, cornflour/rice flour, mint leaves, coriander leaves and mix well.
3. Make round balls of this mixture. Insert 2 raisins and a cashew in each of them.
4. Now heat oil in a pan. Fry balls in the oil till golden brown in color.
5. Serve hot along with green chutney or tomato ketchup.
For the gravy:-
1. Grind onion and tomatoes together. Chop coriander leaves very finely.
2. Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seed and bay leaf. Add onion, tomato paste and saute till brown , stirring continuously.
3. When the oils starts separating from the spice mixutre, add curd, cashewnut powder, salt, sugar, red chili powder, turmeric and garam masala. Stir it continuously for a minute. Then add a cup of water.
4. Put on the lid and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Lastly add the heavy cream to give the gravy richness.
6. While serving reheat the gravy and then add koftas to it. Garnish it with chopped coriander leaves.
Kulcha is a typical Punjabi recipe, originating in Punjab. Amritsar is known for its Amritsari kulchas or Amritsari naan. Flour dough, mashed potatoes, onion (optional) and lots of spices are rolled into a flat round shape and baked in an earthen clay oven or in the Tandoor until golden brown. When baked, it is rubbed with butter and then eaten with spicy chole (chickpea curry).
For this you need:-
Refined flour (maida) 2 cups
Baking powder 1/4 tsp
Soda bicarbonate 1/8 tsp
Salt to taste
Yogurt 1/2 tbsp
Egg 1/2
Milk 1/2 cup
Sugar 1/2tsp
Oil 1 tbsp
Butter 2tbsp.
Potato boiled and grated 1 medium
Onion 1/2 small
Green chillies, chopped 2
Red chilli powder 1 tsp
Cumin powder 1 tsp.
Fresh coriander leaves, chopped 2 tbsp
First dough :- 1. Sieve flour with baking powder, soda bicarbonate and salt. Add yogurt, 1/2 egg, milk, sugar and sufficient water. Knead well into a medium soft dough. 2. Apply a little oil and knead it further. Keep it under wet cloth for one hour. Knead the dough once again and divide the dough into eight equal portions. Second dough:- 1. Sieve refined flour with salt. Rub in butter till it becomes crumbly. Gradually mix in the milk and knead to make a soft and smooth dough. 2. Cover with a damp cloth and rest the dough for ten minutes. Knead the dough once again and divide the dough into eight equal portions and form them into smooth balls. 3. Cover with the damp cloth and rest for another ten minutes.
Stuffing:- 1. Mix potatoes, onion, salt, green chillies, red chilli powder, cumin powder and coriander leaves. Mix with hands.
2. Divide the potato mixture into equal portions and keep aside. 3. Flatten a portion of the first dough, place a portion of the potato mixture in the centre and fold the dough over to form a ball. Flatten a portion of the second dough and place the stuffed ball in the centre and fold to form a ball. 4. Place this on a lightly floured surface and roll gently into a disc.
5. Brush the kulcha with butter and cook in a preheated convection oven at 220 0 C for about eight minutes. Serve hot.
