Peanut Chutney | Mungfali Ki Chutney

Like most of the recipes, peanut chutney is also made in multiple ways and I have my own styles too, though I make the same chutney in different way but this method I use often, of all the chutneys, peanut is my favourite one & so of my nephew, I still didn’t blog the recipe as most of us do know how to make this wonderful chutney.  One of friend was over our place to stay and one day I made upma with apple cilantro chutney plus this peanut chutney for breakfast and from then she is asking me to blog this recipe, this time when I made it I decided to take pictures and to write down, so here presenting peanut chutney in my style.

There are lot of variations in this simple peanut chutney too, you can try with coconut, without roasted gram dal, with ginger etc & that’s makes this chutney perfect side dish for idly, dosa, upma, pongal, vada and for me I can have it with roti, parata, any variety rice…just anything  so do try this and I am sure you will love this simple, easy, quick chutney too. I say easy cause I don’t really do much of tempering in all, this time I did since I knew am going to blog it so let’s make the chutney looks pretty! Otherwise if you ignore the tempering you are not missing anything great. 




Ingredients:

Peanuts/Ground nuts/Ver Kadalai/Mungfali – 1/2 Cup
Roasted Gram/Dhalia/Pottu kadalai – 1/2 Cup
Dry Red Chillies – 3-4
Chopped Garlic – 1 tsp
Jeera/Cumin Seeds – 1 tsp
Tamarind – peas size
Hing/Asafoetida Powder – A pinch
Salt – to taste
Oil – 1 tsp
Water – As needed (around 1/4 cup)

For tempering
Oil – 1 tsp
Mustard Seeds – 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves – 1 sprig
Dry Red Chilli – 1
Urad Dal – 1/2 tsp


Method:

1. Soak Tamarind in little water and keep aside until we are doing below listed tasks.
2. In a pan or wok heat oil, add cumin seeds and allow to splutter.  Add dry red chilies, garlic and sauté until brown.
3. Now add peanuts and sauté until brown but not burnt, add roasted gram/dhalia and sauté until light brown.
4. Off flame and transfer everything to a bowl or plate and allow it to cool.
5. Once all fried items in room temperature, transfer it to a mixer or blender, add soaked tamarind with water, salt, Asafoetida and grind into smooth paste/chutney.  Add water in intervals if required.
Transfer the chutney in a bowl and add little more water and adjust salt if required. Amount of water depends on how you like your chutney consistency.
For Tempering
6. In a small pan heat oil, add all ingredients listed under tempering in given order, sauté until urad dal becomes brown.
7. Pour the tempering over prepare chutney and give a stir.
Our chutney is ready, the steps seems long but while preparing it’s simple. 


Have a nice day ~~

Aloo Pakoda | Potato Fritters Recipe

 
Gong Xi Fa Cai to all celebrating Chinese New Year, may year of Dragon be more fruitful n joyful.
Coming back to today’s recipes whether we call it Aloo Pakoda/pakora or Bhajiya as at in-law’s call it or south Indian style bhajji, it’s the same thing, now a days we have rain God blessing in Singapore and aloo bhajiya is perfect company along with garama garm Chai aka Tea to enjoy the rain.  Normally potato fritters is made by cutting the potatoes in thin roundels and dipping in gram flour batter which I have blogged in my Assorted Pakoras Post. 


This style of making pakoras is my mom recipe, and this more tasty than the usual aloo bhajiya, she doesn’t add curry leaves but I do as curry leaves adds good flavour to the pakoras and I also add rice flour to bring little crunchiness ….so do try adding both.

Ingredients [Serves 3-4]
Potato – 2 Large
Besan/Chickpeas Flour – 1 Cup
Rice Flour – 2
Curry Leaves – 1 sprig [chopped]
Red Chilli Powder – 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder – 1/2 tsp
Cooking Soda – 1/4 tsp
Salt – to taste
Water – as needed (around 1/8 cup)
Hot Oil – 2 tbsp
Oil – To deep fry

Method:
1. Peel, wash and dice potatoes, transfer in a large bowl and add rest of ingredients except oil.

2. Give a good stir, now add water 1 tbsp at a time and mix until everything comes together, this doesn’t require so much of water so keep adding water only in less quantity. 

3. Heat oil a in wok, take 2 tbsp of hot oil & mix with potato mixture.   Scoop a spoon of batter and drop in oil, do this 4-5 times to get 4-5 pakoras and fry until golden brown in medium heat. 
If using hand, scoop around 4-5 pieces of potato for one pakora and deep fry.

Delicious pakoda/bhaji is ready.

Have it with coconut chutney, sauce or just with hot tea/coffee. 

Have a nice day ~~

Chicken Curry | Chicken Rasa Recipe

Now a days I like to make chicken curry/sabzi which can be eaten with just plain steamed rice so I don’t have to make any other side dish.  This curry fits the bill perfectly, after making few methods am set with this easy chicken curry as I am still learning to cook chicken and hopefully will make fish some day soon.   It goes well with plain rice, jeera rice, peas pulav or roti and taste delicious, without much effort.  Normally I use boneless chicken for any curry and the few pieces that comes with bone (though we buy bonelss!) make Chicken Clear Soup, two-in-one Try this simple chicken curry and I’m sure you will love this too.
Ingredients:
Oil – 3 tbsp
Cumin Seeds – 1/2 tsp
Fennel Seeds – 1/2 tsp
Tomato Puree – 2 tbsp
Water – 2-3 Cups
Garam Masala Powder – 1 tsp
Crushed Kasoori Methi – 1 tsp
Salt – To taste
Cilantro – 1 tbsp [chopped]
To Grind
Onion – 2 large
Green Chillies – 3
To Marinate
Chicken – 500 gms (used here boneless)
Red Chilli Powder – 2 tsp
Coriander Seeds Powder – 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder – 1/2 tsp
Salt – to taste
Ginger-Garlic Paste – 2 tbsp



Method:

1. Wash chicken pieces and marinate with the ingredients listed under ‘to marinate’ and keep aside for 2 hours or until we are doing other prep work.  Minimum keep chicken marinated for 15 minutes.
2. Grind the items listed under ‘to grind’ and keep aside.
3. In a wok or pan heat oil add cumin and fennel seeds and let it splutter.  Add grounded onion paste and sauté until raw smell goes off and oil starts to leave start of wok/pan.
4. Add marinated chicken and mix well, cover and cook for 7-10 minutes in slow-medium flame or until chicken gets tender.
5. Add tomato puree and sauté for 2 minutes again.  Add water, mix gently and let it come to boil and then simmer for 5 minutes. 
6. Now add garam masala, kasoori methi and adjust salt if required, simmer for 2-3 minutes or until the consistency you want. 
If serving with rice you can keep gravy so it’s easy to eat, for roti/chapati/naan make it thick gravy or as you like. 


Have a nice day ~~

Pumpkin Dry Curry | Kaddu Ki Sabzi North India Style

I got introduced to pumpkin after marriage, DH started to bring pumpkin/kaddu and he makes good curry/sabji in few styles.  I wanted to blog this for so long and this time I decided to take few clicks before I dig-in .  This is first time I made kumhara/kaddu in a very simple method, though the peeling of Indian pumpkin is difficult as the skin is hard but then it’s worth it.  Sweet and sour this curry taste good with anything, we had with plain rice and dal, a simple and satisfying meal.

Ingredients: [Serves 4 people]
Pumpkin/Butternut Squash/Kaddu/ – 300gms
Oil – 3 tbsp
Cumin Seeds – 1/2 tsp
Fennel Seeds – 1/2 tsp
Onion – 1 Large
Green Chillies – 3
Curry Leaves – 1 sprig
Minced Ginger-Garlic – 1 tbsp
Red Chilli Powder – 1/2 tsp [1 tsp if you like spicy]
Coriander Seeds Powder – 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder – 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala Powder – 1 tsp
Amchur/Dry Mango Powder – 1/2 tsp
Salt – to taste



Method:
1. Wash, peel and chop pumpkin in bite size pieces, peel and slice onion, chop green chillies.
2. In a pan or wok heat oil, add cumin and fennel seeds and allow it to crack.  Add green chillies, ginger-garlic, curry leaves and sauté for 30 seconds.
3. Add onion and sauté until onion becomes light pink, add pumpkin pieces and mix well.  Cook for 5-7 minutes in slow flame. 
4. Add red chilli, coriander seeds and turmeric powder and stir.  Cover and cook for 2 minutes. 
5. Now add salt, garam masala and amchur powder and mix everything well, cover and cook for 3-4 minutes or until pumpkin is cooked well. 
Serve with roti/parata or pulav.



Have a nice day ~~

Happy Makar Sankranti ~ Pongal

 

Makar Sankranti/Pongal Wishes to All

Sweet Potato Halwa | Shakarkhand Halwa Recipe

I like sweet potato and to eat it just plain boiled, but for DH he likes sweet potato halwa, I came to know there is also halwa made of shakarkhand/sarkaraivalli kizhangu from him only.  But I always make him eat boiled sweet potato and for a change I thought of making halwa for the year’s last day to end the year with a sweet note.  This halwa is one of the easy halwa to prepare and doesn’t take much effort, sweet potato or sharkarkand halwa is famous during fasting. 

This is one of the healthy halwa to eat as sugar and ghee is minimal use, also I used dates to further reduce sugar  and sweet potatoes are rich in complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber, beta carotene (a vitamin A equivalent nutrient), vitamin C, and vitamin B_6.  Make sure to sauté/fry the mashed potatoes it gives good texture and flavour, try this halwa this Makar Sankranthi/Pongal for a change.


Ingredients: [Serves 4-5]
Sweet Potato  - 400gms
Milk – 1 Cup
Sugar – 4 tbsp [ or to taste, depends sweetness of sweet potato]
Ghee – 3-4 tbsp
Chopped Nuts – 3 tbsp [I used almonds, cashews and pista]
Chopped Dates – 3 tbsp [optional]

Method:
1. Wash, boil sweet potatoes for 2 whistles, allow the cooker to release pressure. You can also cook sweet potatoes in microwave for 10-12 minutes or until tender with little water. When cool, peel and mash sweet potatoes well.

2. Heat ghee in a heavy bottom or non-stick pan/wok. Fry mashed sweet potatoes, stirring frequently, until ghee begins to separate. Halwa taste better if fried well.

3. Meanwhile in a another pan boil milk and let it simmer until it’s required to use.
4. Add sugar to sweet potatoes and cook stirring continuously for 2-3 minutes. Now add milk and mix well and cook in medium flame until milk absorbs and halwa starts to leave side of pan. 

5. Add dry fruits, dates and mix well to combine everything and cook for 2 more minutes.  Off flame and let the halwa stand for 5 minutes.

Serve hot/warm and enjoy the delicious shakarkand halwa. 

Note:
1. Dates add nice flavour and more sweetness to halwa, try adding it and reduce sugar.
2. Sugar quantity depends on sweetness of potato, you can check the sweetness and add more sugar if required.
3. You can add 1/2 tsp cardamom powder in step 5, but then it’s not really needed.  The halwa taste good with out it.
Have a nice day ~~

Spaghetti with Spinach Pesto Recipe

Remember my Orange Marble Cake and Tutti Frutti Cookies?  Well, I made also spaghetti with spinach pesto for main course.  I like pesto and to make our own pesto it’s wonderful, since it’s difficult and also expensive to get fresh basil leaves in Singapore I try different pesto and this spinach pesto I adapted from Prathibha’s Spinach Pesto Penna Pasta, I made the pesto in simple and quick method to suit my needs.


The pesto was smooth, creamy, rich and delicious, not to mention healthy too and that’s the reason it become hit among friends, they really loved it.  The colour of pesto depends on what kind of spinach we use, I use round spinach here and not the Indian dark green spinach.  This is a wonderful lunch box recipe, add colourful veggie like carrot, bell peppers, mushroom etc for kids. Here I used wheat pasta but you can use any pasta of your choice and it’s very easy and quick to prepare so looking at the method do not think it’s a long procedure.


Ingredients:

For Spinach Pesto [ serves 4-5]
Spinach – 1 Medium Bunch
Parsley – 1 small bunch [ around 10-12 stalks]
Walnut – 1/4 Cup [ you can also use pine nut or almonds]
Olive Oil – 1/4 Cup
Parmesan Cheese – 1/4 Cup [ cheddar cheese is fine too]
Garlic – 2 pods
Fresh Grounded Pepper – 1 tsp
Lemon Juice – 1 tbsp [ I didn’t use]
Salt – to taste
Water – to blanch spinach
For Pasta Assembly
Spaghetti – 3/4 of pack or as needed
Olive Oil – 2 tbsp + 1 tsp [ I used extra virgin]
Minced Garlic – 2 pods
Finely Chopped Carrot – 1
Sliced Capsicum – 1 [or half of green/yellow/red colours]
Italian Herbs – 1 tsp
Salt and Pepper – to taste
Water – To boil pasta


Method:

For Cooking Pasta
1. Follow the instruction on pack or in a large pot boil water, add salt, 1 tsp oil add spaghetti or pasta and cook over medium flame for 10-12 minutes or until pasta gets cooked but not over-cooked.
2. Reserve 1 cup of water and drain rest of it, give spaghetti a cold bath ie keep under tap water and toss it, keep aside until ready to use.
~ If you are using the cooked pasta after couple of hours then every 1/2 hour keep the pasta under tap and toss it to keep it separated. 
For Pesto
As the pasta is getting cooked, prepare the pesto.
1. Boil water in a large pot, add salt and washed, chopped spinach and blanch (cook) for 2 minutes.  Drain and rinse under tap water.
2. Blend spinach with all other ingredients for pesto into smooth sauce.  The texture of sauce will be little coarse and that’s fine. 
~ Add 2-3 tbsp of reserve water if required while blending.


For Assembly
1. In a pan heat oil, add garlic and sauté until golden brown, add capsicum and carrot and sauté for 2-3 minutes or until it’s gets cooked.
2. Add pesto and give a stir, now add 1/2 to 1 cup of pasta cooked reserve water (depends on how thick you like your sauce, I added 3/4 cup) and bring it to boil.  Add herbs, salt and pepper to taste.
3. Now add cooked pasta or spaghetti and mix everything well, off flame Or while serving add the sauce on top of spaghetti. 
Our pasta is ready, have it with drink of your choice.


Notes:
~ Add 1tsp chilli flakes if you like during the assembly.
~ Top up the pasta with 1-2 tbsp of parmesan cheese in the end.
~ You can skip the assembly part cooking, ie just add the pesto with cooked pasta. It also taste good.
~ Use the pesto by next day if refrigerated.
Have a nice day ~~

Chicken Clear Soup | Oil Free Cooking

After chocolate walnut cookies, I thought of posting this easy chicken soup recipe which can be made in jiffy.  This chicken soup is very simple and best for any day whether summer, winter or rain.  If having cold/cough it’s good to have this soup too.  If you are making any chicken dish, just take few chicken pieces with bones are good for this and make the soup.  With extra dose of fresh crushed pepper this soup taste very delicious and honey adds sweetness plus it’s good for throat.  As the fresh chicken leaves it’s oil by itself this soup doesn’t require oil or butter too.  You can also add chopped carrot, peas etc.  Try this simple and easy chicken soup, perfect for kids or adults. 


Ingredients: [Serves 2-3]
Chicken Pieces– 1/2 cup
Minced Ginger-Garlic – 1 tsp
Chopped Cilantro – 2 tsp
Salt and Pepper – to taste
Water – 3 cups
Honey – 2-3 tsp

Method:
1. Add everything except honey in a pot/wok/pan bring it to boil and simmer until chicken gets cooked around 10 minutes/
2. Divide the soup in 2-3 bowls and add 1 tsp honey in each bowl before serving. 
Have this soup hot and relish. 

Have a nice day ~~

Eggless Chocolate Walnut Cookies | Brownie Cookies Recipe

To mark start of the year I’m posting this soft, crunchy and delicious Eggless Chocolate Walnut Cookies.  I like to bake cookies more than cake as you can see I have few cookie recipes posted, this is again one of the easy eggless cookie recipe & I baked this cookies for my nephew as for him anything as to be chocolate like I made for him Eggless Chocolate Cookies and Eggless Chocolate Chip Cookies.  But for me more than chocolate walnut cookies it’s like Brownie cookies, as it taste like brownie, soft, dense and delicious.



Honey can be good sweetener in baking cause of it’s rich flavour and texture, cause of honey the cookie stays moist & edges doesn’t becomes hard/crisp and walnut gives the good crunch.  These cookies are so simple to prepare with minimal ingredients and can be put together in around 20 minutes.   Double the recipe to bake this for large batch, but I suggest start with the listed quantity, this cookie recipe is so easy that it actually doesn’t require step wise pictures, just put everything together, mix and bake..can it get simple than this?



You can dust the cookies with icing sugar for festive season like Christmas and New Year, if you wish or have it as it is.   I personally like these beauties as this so I dusted the sugar to only one cookie.




Ingredients:
[Makes 12-15 cookies]

Plain Flour – 1 Cup
Brown Sugar – 1/4 Cup
Cocoa Powder – 1 tbsp
Baking Powder – 1 tsp
Baking Soda – 1/2 tsp
Salt – a pinch
Honey – 1/3 Cup
Vegetable Oil – 1/4 Cup
Vanilla Extract/Essence – 1 tsp
Chopped Walnut – 1/3 Cup
Icing Sugar – To dust cookies [optional]



Method:

1.  Preheat oven to 180C or 350F.
2. Ina bowl whisk together plain flour, cocoa powder, baking powder & soda, sugar and salt. 
3. In another bowl whisk oil, honey and vanilla extract well until everything is combine.  Add this to flour mixture and mix everything well until smooth dough forms. 
~ If the dough is sticky then add 1-2 tbsp of plain flour and mix again.  If you think moisture is more then refrigerate the dough for 20-30 minutes and then bake.
4. Now add chopped walnut and mix well again. Divide the dough into equal portion of 12 to 15 pieces and shape into rounds. 
5. Place a inch apart these on a baking tray line with baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges becomes light brown.  Cool completely on wire rack and store.
~ Keep a eye on cookies after 10 minutes.
Dust the cookies with powder sugar to make it look snowball cookies.
Due to honey these cookies stays fresh @ room temperature even after 2 weeks, but during summer you may want to store this in fridge.

Have a look at the texture.



Note:
~ Press the cookie dough to flat and then bake if you wish or just leave it round and bake, while it’s baking it forms the shape.
~ You can add 1/3 cup of chocolate chip for the extra chocolate kick, add together with walnut.
~ If you don’t like chocolate then ignore the cocoa powder and make it as walnut cookies. 
~ If you don't want to bake the cookies immediately then wrap the bowl with a cling, refrigerate and bake when ready.


Want to have a bite?   And these cookies goes to Srav's Chocolate Fest Event.



Have a nice day and year ahead ~~

Happy New Year 2012

Wishing all readers a very Happy, Prosperous &Peaceful New Year

Remember the laughter,
the joy,
the hard work,
and the tears.
And as you reflect on the past year,
also think of the new one to come.
Because most importantly,
this is a time of new beginnings
and the celebration of life.
Wish You a Happy New Year!