Lal Bhaji Saag | Red Spinach Stir Fry

I like red spinach or lal bhaji especially due to the colour and whenever we go to Little India I try to get fresh green if available.  DH got 2 bunch of red spinach and I made my favourite saag  & it's hardly requires 5 ingredients...how simple is that?

Ingredients:

Red Spinach - 1 bunch

Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp

Green Chili - 2-3 chopped

Garlic - 1 tbsp chopped

Salt - to taste

Oil - 1 tbsp

Method:

1. Cut and discard root, wash 3-4 times under tap and finely chop spinach.

~ If you want discard the stems too but I finely chop the steam and use.

 Well, I used the spinach after 3 days so it looks like this otherwise it was very fresh.

 Now a tip: if you are unable use any leafy veggie for 2-3 days then just wrap the veggie in newpaper or tissue paper properly including stems, root and keep in fridge.    Check every day if the green is not getting wilt and change the newspaper once it starts to get dump. 

2. Heat oil in a pan, add cumin let it crack, and add chopped garlic and green chilli and sauté until garlic becomes golden brown.

3. Now add the spinach and give a good stir and cook in medium-slow flame for 10-12 minutes or until spinach is cooked and oil starts to separate (do stir in intervals to avoid burning), now add salt and mix well, cook again for 2 minutes.

 

Our bhaji is ready.  Have with rice, dal/sambar..I like with just rice.

Have a good day ~~

Broccoli Soup

What do you like to have when you are feeling sick..specially with cold, cough and fever, would you like to share?

I'm in this condition now for 3 days and today being alone at home I'm in no mood to cook or do anything.  Then around lunch time I started feeling little hungry, I have to take medicine too so I thought to make broccoli soup ..a plan which I happily kept postponing for almost a week now and also the broccoli was screaming on me to be consumed.  I didn't follow any particular recipe, and just added whatever I feel like it but this is my normal way of making any soup ;).  

Serve - 4 cups appr.

Ingredients:

Broccoli - 1 medium size [mine was around 300gms]

Cabbage - 1/2 Cup chopped [optional]

Ginger-Garlic paste - 1/2 tsp OR Just use 2 garlic pods

Clove - 1

Cardamom - 1

Peppercorns - 5-6 ~ according to taste

Olive Oil - 1 tbsp

Salt - to taste

Fresh Grounded Pepper - to taste

Water/Vegetable stock - 3-4 cups

Method:

1. Wash and chop broccoli stem and remaining into florets.  Chop cabbage.

2. In a pressure cooker heat oil, add clove, cardamom, cabbage and give a good stir.

3. Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté for a minute. 

~~ I actually wanted to use fresh ginger since I'm having cold but I didn't had any in hand ..

4. Add broccoli stems pieces, florets and sauté again for a minute.  Add salt, peppercorns and 1 to 1.5 cups of water.  Close the cooker lid and cook for 1 whistle.

 ~ I used  1cup water.  

5. Once the cooker pressure is released & mixture is cooled, blend the cooked broccoli to smooth puree.  

6. Heat a sauce pan or the same cooker; add the puree and 2-3 cups of water

~~ Depending on how you like you soup to be..I added 2 cups of water.

7. Simmer the soup for 4-5 minutes or until a nice boil comes. Adjust salt if required. 

Garnish with spring onion or carrot.  I added finely chopped carrot as it looks good and add good crunchy bites. 

Add freshly grounded pepper to taste and serve with bread stick, garlic bread or simple toast is good enough.  I had mine with toast dunked into soup and it tasted awesome...

Note:

~ You can add onion and potato instead of cabbage.

~ I think adding carrot is good option too.

~ You can cook everything in a pan too but pressure cooker saves time.

Have a good day ~~

Eggplant Curry

Ingredients:

Eggplant - 1 big s or 7-8 small size

Onion - 1 large

Tomato -1 medium 

Green Chilies - 2

Ginger-Garlic paste - 1/2 tsp [optional]

Sambar Powder - 1 tsp [or red chili powder]

Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp

Corn Flour - 1/2 tsp [optional, I didn't use]

Curry Leaves -  1 sprig

Cilantro - 1 tbsp [chopped]

For Tempering:

Oil - 2 tsp

Mustard Seed - 1/2 tsp

Channa Dal - 1/2 tsp

Urad Dal - 1/4 tsp

Method:

1. Chop onion, tomato, green chilies.  Chop eggplant in to medium bite size pieces and keep aside.

2. In a pan heat oil and add all the ingredients listed for tempering in order and once mustard cracks add onion, chili, curry leaves and saute until onion becomes light brown.

3.  Add chopped tomato and salt and cook until tomato gets almost mash.  Now add turmeric and sambar powders mix well.

4.Add eggplant and cook for 2 minutes.  Now add 1 1/2 cup of water, cilantro and cook in slow-medium flame until eggplant gets cooked around 5-6 minutes, off the flame and let the curry stand for 5 minutes or more.

~If you want the gravy to be thick then mix the cornflour with little water and add once eggplant is almost cooked.  I didn't add as my gravy was just perfect.

Garnish with chopped cilantro, goes well with rice or roti, we had with rice.  Curry was good and tasty.

Note:

~ I prepare this curry in same way just add little tamarind juice along with water to give a tangy taste, it taste real good, try it for variation. 

Have Good Day ~~

Tamarind Rice | Puliyogare

One of the popular variety rice is puliyogare or tamarind rice and comes in many version which is customized to each community.   Today sharing with you all tamil style of puliyogare along with how to make pulikaichal which we can store and use as and when required.  Puliyogare is also a good choice to carry while travelling and it's doesn't get spoil soon like other rice recipes.  Do try and let me know how you liked it.

Ingredients:  

For Pulikaichal (tamarind gravy)

Tamarind  - 1 small lime size

Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

Asafetida/Hing - a pinch

Jaggery/Sugar - 1/4 tsp

Peanuts - 2 tbsp

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Salt - to taste

Water - as required ( I used 1 cup)

For Tempering:

Sesame/Cooking oil - 2 tbsp

Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp

Red Chilies - 5 [ you can use more]

Channa Dal - 1.5 tbsp

Urad Dal - 1 tbsp

Asafetida - 1/4 tsp

Curry leaves - 1 sprigs

To Grind:

 

Channa Dal - 1 tbsp

Urad Dal - 1/2 tsp

Red Chilies - 2

Fenugreek Seeds/Methi - 1/4 tsp

Peppercorn - 5-6 [optional]

Method: 

1. Soak tamarind in warm water for 15 to 30 minutes and exact the juice. 

2. Meanwhile roast all the ingredients listed above in 'to grind' list one by one until golden brown with little oil, after it cools down ground it to fine powder, keep aside.

3. Roast the peanuts and remove skin, keep aside.

4. In a pan heat oil and add all the ingredients listed in tempering section in order, once mustard cracks and the dals become golden brown add tamarind juice, turmeric, salt, curry leaves, asafetida and mix well.

5.  Now add water (if your tamarind juice was thick, add more water) and make consistency similar to rasam and bring it to nice boil.

6. Once the gravy thickness and reduces to half (takes around 7-8 minutes in medium flame) add jaggery and the grounded powder. 

7. Once the powder is added the gravy becomes quite thick, boil for 2-4 minutes.  Adjust salt if required.

 (if your gravy becomes very thick then add little water and bring it to boil).

  

8.Off the flame and add peanuts, mix well.  The gravy will be very thick like pulp.

Once cool store in clean air tight container in fridge. 

To make Tamarind Rice ~ Puliyogare

Mix 1 cup cooked rice with  2-3 tbsp pulikaichal or how tangy you want it to be, also add 2-3 tsp of sesame oil.  Add salt if required. 

[I use less than 2 tbsp of pulikaichal for 1 cup of rice, I didn't add sesame oil as I don't have it]

Note:

~Always mix nice once it's cool down

~Cook rice in 1:2 rice:water ratio.  And after mixing the rice let it stand for half of hour  at least.

( I didn't read this before and I ate immediately :( ...never mind I still have the pulikaichal )

For DH, I mix the pulikaichal very tiny amount with rice and he liked it ...infact he didn't guess it's made of tamarind until I told him...so ya am happy :)

Have a good Day ~~

Almond Chocolate Puff Pastry

Wishing All Happy Valentine's Day ...

DH got handmade almond cookies and some puff pastry goodies from office.  The chocolate puff pastry were good and that gave me a idea to do it on my own.  I used white chocolate as I thought white chocolate will be better than brown. 

Ingredients:

Puff pastry sheets -1 [Thawed]

White Chocolate Chips - 3/4 cup [ you can use any white chocolate bar too]

Grated Almond - 1/4 cup

Milk - 4 tbsp [if required]

Butter or Egg wash - as needed

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180C.  Line a baking tray with baking paper.  Thaw the pastry sheet as per instruction on pack.

2. Cut the pastry sheet in 4/6 or 8 rectangles pieces.  I cut it into 8 pieces to make mini puffs.

3. Fold and seal the pastry sheet pieces & place in baking tray.   Brush little butter on top, and bake for 10-15minutes or until golden brown.  

~ Since I make it mini they got bake fast in around 12 minutes, so keep a eye on it.  

4. Once baking done, let the puff cool down on wire rack.

5. Meanwhile melt the chocolate chips in microwave or in double boiler, stir frequently.  Add milk and stir well.   Allow the melted chocolate to cool down too so we dont burn ourself.

6. Dip puff into melted chocolate, let the chocolate get coated on all the sides well.   Place the puff on a try and sprinkle grated almonds.  Do same for all the puffs.

7.  After finishing arranging all the puffs,  keep the tray in fridge for the chocolate to set well for 3-4 hours or keeping over night is better. 

The steps looks long but it's quite simple and easy to do.  And taste very good and light to eat. 

We can also do lot of variations like:

~ Use brown chocolate instead of white.

~ Instead of coating the chocolate , you can use it as filling too.  If you are going to fill the chocolate then let the puff cool on wire rack completely before you bite or you might get burn and you have to bake extra 5 minutes for the chocolate to melt inside well.

~ You can use walnut instead of almonds.

 

Have a good day ~~

Beetroot Rice

I have posted few recipes using Beets so by now you should know my love for beets :).  I wanted to make Beetroot Pulav from Saptha blog for long and was ready to do it during one of those raining weekend we had in SG ...but I realize Saptha had used cooked rice, I didn't had mood and patience's to do all that so I went for my short cut way and just made it like rice with the ingredients in hand.  

So here is simple, quick and easy beets rice ..a one pot meal, those days when you are lazy to cook :).  

~ The pics are not very gud cause we had almost no light thanks to rain.  

Ingredients:

Rice - 1 1/2 cup [ I used basmati]

Beetroot -  1 cup chopped or 1 small size

Onion - 1 [medium]

Green Chili - 2

Red Chili Powder - 1/2 tsp

Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp

Bisi Bela Bath Masala - 1 tbsp [optional]

Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp

Garlic Pods - 2 large crushed

Curry leaves - few

Oil - 1-2 tbsp

Salt - to taste

Water - 2 1/2 cup

Method:

1. Wash, peel and chop the beetroot in small bite size pieces.  (you can grate the beets too)

2. Peel and slice the onion, slit the chiles. Wash and soak the rice for 10-15 minutes.

3. Heat oil in pressure cooker add cumin seeds once it cracks add garlic and saute, add onion, chili and curry leaves saute until onion becomes pink. 

4. Add chopped beets pieces and saute for a minute.  Include all the spice powder and give a stir cook for 1 minute.

5. Add rice and mix everything well.  Now add salt and water, check for spice and salt and adjust if required.

6. Close the cooker lid and pressure cook for 2 whistles.  Serve with any raitha of your choice.

This little bird waiting to taste the rice ;)

Have good weekend  ~~

Chicken Masala

I do not make much of non-vegetarian dishes at home ...is not that I eat outside much too.  To be truthful this must be 2nd or 3rd dish made in my kitchen.  This chicken masala was prepared by DH I just did the cutting part. The recipe followed here is almost identical to prawn masala and it's tasted so awesome.  The smell and taste was exactly better than Anjappar chicken, perhaps this will give me more inspiration to cook non-vegg :)

Serves 2-3 people

Ingredients:

Chicken Breast - 250gms

Onion - 2 large

Tomato - 1 large

Green Chili - 2

Ginger-Garlic Paste -1 tsp

Red Chili Powder - 1 tsp

Coriander Powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp

Garam Masala Powder - 1/2 tsp
Tandoori/Chicken Masala - 1 tsp

Cilantro- 2 tbsp chopped

Oil - 2 tbsp

Salt - to taste

Water - 1 to 1.5 cup

To Marinate:

Red Chili Powder - 1 tsp 

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp

Ginger-Garlic Paste -1 tsp

Lemon Juice - 1 tbsp

Salt  - 1/2 tsp

Method:

1. Clean, wash and marinate chicken pieces with all the ingredients listed in marination list.  Keep aside for 15-30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile chop onion, tomato, chili, cilantro and keep aside.

3. In a pan heat oil add onion and saute for 1 minute, add ginger-garlic paste, chili and mix well, saute until onion becomes transparent. 

4.  Add all the spice powders and stir well, cook for 5 minute in medium heat.  Now add tomato, salt (be careful with salt since we added in marination too) and cook until tomato becomes tender and oil comes on top.

5. Add marinated chicken and give good stir, cook for 5-7 minutes in medium-slow heat.  Add 1 cup water and cook until chicken becomes tender and cooked, stir in intervals.. it takes around 10-15 minutes in slow to medium heat.  If required add more 1/2 cup of water. 

Adjust salt n spices if required.  We kept minimal gravy since I like this way ..you can keep little gravy if you want. Garnish with cilantro.

Serve with steaming rice or hot chapati, it goes well with almost everything.  We had with steamed rice.

Have good day ~~

Eggless Blueberry Pancake ~ Whole Wheat Pancake

All the pancakes in my blog as far has been wholewheat pancakes, I think I'm in love with wholewheat ones...though I have tried making using all purpose flour/maida but I end up using whole wheat.  

Bisi Bela Bath ~ BBB

I love one pot meal, am sure most of you feel the same way and Bisi Bela Bath is one such wonder.  But the traditional way of making BBB is not really one pot meal wonder as it involves as of work ..or at least that's what I feel but then short cuts doesn't really match up to traditional taste. 

We have see many ways of making Bisi Bela Bath but for me I always hooked to Lakshmi'sBBB recipe.  Every time I try her recipe it comes out so well delicious.  Thanks LG for the wonderful recipe.  But I do make few changes to her recipe and here is my version.
 

Ingredients:

Rice - 1 cup
Pigeon Peas/ Toor Daal - 1 cup
Vegetables - 1 cup ( I used 2 cups of chopped carrot, beans, eggplant,  cauliflower, ivy gourd, peas)
Onion - 1 large
Green Chili - 3
Grated Coconut - 1/4 cup
Thick Tamarind Paste - 2 tbsp
Sambar Powder - 1 tsp [optional]
Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Water
Cilantro - 2 tbsp chopped for garnish


For Tempering ~ 
Clarified Butter/Ghee - 2 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry Leaves - few
Asafoetida - a pinch

For Bisi Bela Bath Masala ~ 
Channa Daal - 1 tbsp
Urad Daal - 1 tbsp
Coriander Seeds -  1tbsp
Poppy Seeds - 1 tbsp
Fenugreek/Methi Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Nutmeg Powder - 1/4 tsp
Red Chillies - 12-15 [ to taste]
Cloves - 4
Cinnamon - 1" piece
Cardamon - 1 [optional]

Method: 

For Masala ~

Roast all the daals until golden brown and all the other ingredients, once cooled grind into fine powder.  
~ You can add water too, but I don't so I store the powder and use later.

1.  Wash and soak dal and rice separately for 1 hour or more and pressure cook for 3 to 4 whistles separately too. 
~ You can also pressure cook the vegetables separately. 

2.  Chop onion and all the other veggies. Slit green chili.

3.  Heat oil in a pan add onion and chili, add few curry leaves too and saute until onion becomes golden brown.

4.  Add cauliflower, carrot and beans and saute for 2 -3 minutes followed by all other veggies and saute for 5 minutes in medium heat. 
~ If you boil or pressure cook the veggie then avoid this step.

 

5. Add prepared bisi bela bath masala and sambar powder (if using) stir well and cook for a minute.
~ I don't add all the BBB masala but just use 2 tbsp of it. 

6.  Add tamarind paste and bring to a boil, when masala gets cooked add salt and coconut.  Add water if required.

7.  Add dal and rice and mix well.  [if required move everything to large pot].

 8. Prepare tempering using the ingredients listed and add the tempering to rice mixture.  

 9. Check for salt, cover the pot/vessel and let it stand for 10 minutes. 

Serve with Raita & chips, pappad. 



I made onion and cucumber raita.  

Chop 1 onion, 1/2 cucumber, 1 green chili, Cilantro.

Beat 1 cup curd, add chopped onion, cucumber, chili, salt and mix everything.   Garnish with little red chili, cumin powder and cilantro .  

Enjoy hot steaming bisi bela bath :)

Have good day ~~