SOUR CREAM SALAD

U need:
Grated carrots: 2 cups
Boiled and diced potatoes: 1 cup
fresh paneer: 1/2 cup (diced to small pieces)
Shredded cucumber: 1 cup
apple pieces: 1/2 cup
green chillies: 3 chopped fine


Sour cream dressing:
Hung curd: 1 cup
cheese spread: 2 tablesp
fresh cream: 2 tablesp
coarsely ground peanuts: 2 tablesp
salt and pepper to taste
oil(veg or olive oil) : 2 tablsp
dried herb: 1/2 tsp


Method:
1. To make hung curd put 2 cups of fresh curd in a muslin cloth.Tie the cloth and hang on a hook to allow the water to come out.(30 t0 40 mins).


2.Transfer the hung curd into a bowl.Add all the other sour cream ingredients and whisk gently till smooth.Keep the bowl in fridge.


3.In another bowl add all the salad ingredients.Toss well with salt and pepper.


4. Just before serving,remove the sour cream dressing from the fridge and gently add to the salad.Toss well with light hands.


5.Serve


* A summer special  treat for all of you. bon Apetite!!!!!!!!!!!!

BREAD CHUTNEY PAKODA

U need:
One day old sandwich bread: 6 slices
grated fresh paneer: 2 cups
boiled peeled mashed potato: 1/2 cup
cooked corn: 1/2 cup( mashed coarsely)
green coriander chutney: 1/4 cup
amchur powder: 1/2 tsp
chatmasala: 1 tsp
garammasala: 1/2 tsp


For Coating:
Besan: 3 cups
jeera powder: 1/2 tsp
chillipowder: 3/4 tsp
hing: pinch
salt to taste
Oil to deep fry


Method:
1. In a bowl add the grated panner,mashed potatoes,mashed corn.amchur,chatmasala and garam masala and mix well.


2.In another bowl mix together the coating ingredients and make a semi thick smooth batter.Beat well.


3. Slice the edges of the bread.Take one slice.Apply thickly the green coriander chutney. Now apply 2 tsps of the filling and press well but gently.Take another bread slice and cover over the filled slice.Press gently. With a sharp knife cut the filled bread into 2.
4. Heat oil in a kadai.Take one triangle of the sandwich,dip into the besan batter coating the triangle well.
5.Deep fry in hot oil on medium heat till golden brown.
6. Do the same with rest of the bread slices.
7. Serve these delicious bread pakodas with either date chutney or a dip of your choice.


Note: the green chutney will already have salt,in case you need a little bit more salt you can add to the paneer potato corn filling.

MILK PURIS

U need:
Fine rava: 1 cup
Ghee: 2 tsp
pinch baking powder
water to make a stiff dough
powdered sugar:2 tsp
elachi powder: 1/2 tsp
Good quality milk: 1 litre
Sugar: 1 cup
saffron strands: few soaked in a little milk
Oil to fry the puris


Method:


1. Pour milk in a thick bottomed pan and cook till it is reduced to 1/2. Add the sugar and stir till it dissolves. Mix in the saffron milk.Cover and set aside.Pour the saffron milk in a big serving bowl.


2.In a bowl add the rava,sugar, elachi powder ghee,baking powder and mix well.Add a little water to make a stiff dough.Knead well.


3. Heat Oil in a kadai.Take  small dough pieces and roll to small size puris.Deep fry in hot oil till golden.


4.Remove from the oil and place them on a tissue paper .Add these puris to the saffron milk .Gently press the puris into the milk. Once all the puris are added to the milk.Cover and keep them in the fridge for 25 to 30 min.


5. Serve these delicious milk puris as a dessert.


Note: Puris should be fried gently on medium hot oil otherwise it can become brown.The colour should be light brown.
           
           Sugar can be increased according to the individual taste.

BAKED POTATO ROTI

U need:
potatoes: 250 gms
green peas: 1/2 cup
salt and pepper: to taste
corriander leaves: 1/4 bunch
green chillies: 3
ginger: 1/4" piece
ghee  to grease the tray
rice flour: 1 tsp
grated cheese: 2 tsp
milk: 1/4 cup


Method:
1.Clean and boil potatoes.Peel the skin and mash well while hot wiyh a fork.
2.Boil peas.Drain and add to the mashed potatoes.Add salt and pepper. Mash well using the milk as a binder.
3.Grind together coriander,green chillies and ginger. Add 1/2 of the paste to the potato mash and mix well.
4.Preheat oven 150 degrees celcius. Take a round cake tin.Grease well using the ghee.Spread the potato dough evenly in the tin,pressing down gently with the palm of your hand.
5.Spread the remaining chutney as a topping over the roti,sprinkle cheese and rice flour.
6. Bake in oven for 20 to 25 mins till the cheese melts and the top is lightly browned.
7.Serve hot as a teatime snack.

RIPE MANGO CURD GRAVY(MAMBAZA PULICHERRY)

U need:


1 Ripe mango (Baganpalli or any variety)
Ash gourd(white pumpkin): 1/2 cup
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp
chilli powder: 1/2 tsp
beaten curd( slightly sour):1 and 1/2 cups
jaggery: small piece
salt to taste


To grind:
Red chillies:2
jeera:1/2 tsp
grated coconut: 1/2 cup


Tempering:
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
curry leaves: few
fenugreekk seeds: few


Method:


1. Wash mango.Cut to pieces.Remove pulp from the seed.


2. Put the mango pieces and the pulp with 1/2 cup water in a cooking pan. Add the chopped ashgourd. 


3. Put the pan on the gas stove.Add turmeric,chilli powder and salt.Cook well on medium heat till the ashgourd is cooked.


4. Grind together coconut,red chillies and jeera to a fine paste adding a little of the beaten curd.


5. Once the ashgourd is cooked add the ground paste and simmer gently stirring well.


6. Now add the balance beaten curd and simmer for a few mins.Add the jaggery.Switch off the gas.Cover with a lid.


7. Heat 2 tsp coconut or refined oil in a small pan.When hot add the mustard seeds,fenugreek seeds and curry leaves.Add the sputtered mustard tempering to the mango curd curry.
Cover with a lid to infuse all the flavours well.


8. Serve with hot rice and pappads.


* Note: For tempering coconut oil is best as this is a kerala recipe.
              Don't boil the curd curry after adding the curd.It may split and the taste changes.

PANEER KHEER(CHANNAR PAYESH)

U need: 
fresh paneer cubes(cut small): 1 cup(ensure it is very fresh paneer)
milk: 1 lit
condensed milk: 1/2 tin
cardamom power: 1/2 tsp 
sugar: 1/4 cup
Raisins: 1 tsp
Method:
Put milk in a deep thick bottomed pan and allow to cook till it becomes 1/2 the quantity.You have to stir in between to prevent the milk from sticking to the bottom.
Once the milk is reduced add the sugar.Stir well.


Add the paneer cubes and simmer gently for a few mins.


Add the condensed milk ,raisins and cardamom powder and continue stirring.Stir once and switch off the gas. Cover with a lid and let it rest for 20 mins


Serve warm or cold.


Note: Ensure the heat is medium or low or the milk may burn.
         You can also crumble the paneer before adding.
          Kheer tastes delicious if we use full cream milk.
         Home made paneer tastes the best


First timers: Melt the sugar on heat with some water add the paneer to it.Cool and then add to the simmering milk.   




HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!BON APETITE!!!!!!!!

SPINACH CORN PASTA

U need:
Pasta: 1 cup
fresh palak(spinach): 1 bunch
fresh corn: 1 cup
cauliflower florets: 1 cup
fresh white breadcrumbs: 1/2 cup
cheddar or parmessan cheese: 1/2 cup grated
salt and peeper to taste
dried mixed herbs: 1/2 tsp
maida: 1 tablsp
milk: 1 and 1/2 cups
butter: 2 and 1/2 tablsp.


Method:
1.Cook pasta in hot salted water.(10 mins) Drain and set aside. Add 1 tsp oil to the cooked pasta.Mix well.This will prevent the pastas from sticking to each other.
2.Clean wash the spinach. Cut to small pieces. Heat 1 tsp butter in a pan.Fry the chopped spinach for a few seconds. Cool. Wash cauliflower florets  and semi cook in hot water.
3. White sauce: Heat the balance butter in the same pan.When the butter melts add the flour and quickly stir for a few seconds.Lower heat and start pouring the milk into the pan stirring continuously.Ensure no lumps are formed.Stir well till the sauce  begins to thick.Add salt,pepper and dried herbs. Add the fresh corn, drained semi cooked cauliflower,cooked pasta and stir for another 10 mins till the sauce coats the vegetables and pasta well.Add the spinach.
4. Pour the pasta into an oven proof bowl.Mix together breadcrumbs and cheese. Sprinkle this mix over the pasta vegetables till they cover them fully.
5.Pre heat oven to 170 celcius for 5 mins.Put the oven into the oven and bake for 15 mins or until the cheese melts and breadcrumbs sets well.
Serve hot with toast and flavoured butter*.


* A few flavoured butter recipes have been written,Please check the blog.
* Crumble one day old white or brown bread to get fresh bread crumbs
* Amul or britania cheese are the best for pasta toppings.