Gobi Manchurian

An Indo-Chinese dish that suits Indian taste. Process involves 2 parts : including part 1 as deep frying cauliflower florets dipped in flour batter while the second part is preparing gravy.  Manchuria can be prepared either as dry or with gravy.

I have prepared it as semi gravy manchurian so that it can be served either as starter or with rotis.

These are the ingredients i used :

1  big cauliflower (Gobi)

¼  cup rice flour
¼  cup all purpose flour
1 tbsp corn startch1  tsp of red chilli powder
2  tsp corriander powder

1 big onion
2 bell peppers
4 green chillies
1/2  tsp of ginger-garlic paste
1 tbsp of  hot & sweet sauce
1 tbsp of tomato chilli sauce
Salt to taste
Oil to deep fry

Gobi Manchurian

Part 1 :

Wash and separate all the cauliflower florets.
Now, preparing batter for cauliflower coating :
1. Mix  rice flour, all-purpose flour, corn startch, salt to taste, red chilli powder, ginger garlic paste, 1 tsp corriander powder with water and make it as medium-to-thin paste.
2. Take oil to deep fry in a pan, dip each cauliflower floret into batter and place each dipped floret into oil. let it fry until golden brown and keep them aside.
3. Repeat the process, until all the florets are deep fried and keep them aside.

Part 2:
4. Chop onion, ¼  tsp of ginger garlic paste, green chillies, bell peppers and saute them.
5. Add 1 tsp corriander powder, salt to taste, cilantro to above mixture and switch off the flame.
6. Now, add hot & sweet sauce and tomato chilli sauce, mix all the manchurian together.
7. Now, slowly add all the deep fried cauliflower florets to the bell pepper gravy and stir altogether until well mixed.

Thats it, yummy yummy gobi manchurian ready to eat. This can be served either as snack/appetizer  or  can be served with rotis.

Shahi Paneer

Paneer (Indian cheese) is high in protein and the most lovable dish for kids especially.
I made this dish as part of a potluck party. My mother-in-law helped me in garnishing and decoration, and my co-sister helped me in preparation.

Ingredients :
8 oz (1 cup) paneer
2 big onions
4 big tomatoes
2 oz (about 1/4 cup)  cashews
2 Tbsp sesame seeds
Oil to saute
Salt to taste
1 and half tsp of red chilli powder/pepprica powder
few strands of Cilantro



Shahi Paneer

 --> Soak cashews and sesame seeds for atleast 30 mins.
--> Cut paneer into small cubes and shallow fry in 2 tbsp of oil until they turn golden brown.  Set paneer aside in a bowl.
--> Add some more oil to saute in the same pan.
--> Add chopped onions, tomatoes and saute. Let it cool down.
--> Now blend onion/tomato mixture and soaked cashews/sesame seeds - blend altogether into coarse paste.
--> Take the blended paste into the pan, add salt, red chilli powder, sauteed paneer, stir together, and let it cook for 5 mins with low-medium flame.
--> Garnish with chopped cilantro.
Yummy shahi paneer ready to serve with rotis or rice.

Spinach dal (pappu)

I am back with regular curries. For making spinach dal, these are the required ingredients :

1 bag of spinach; 1 and half cup dal; 1 big onion; 3 medium tomatoes; 3 thai chillies;

Spinach dal

Cooking in open pot :
--> Cook dal in open pot until half done.
--> Add spinach, cook for 5 mins, add onions, tomatoes and green chillies. cook until done.
--> once the dal is almost done, add salt to taste, 1 tsp (or less) red chilli powder and halft tspn of sambar powder to taste.
--> Finally, garnish some cilantro.

Bok Choy Curry

Ingredients:
Bok  choy    -   half grocery bag [aka, about 20 florets]
1 onion and 1 tomato.
4 Green chillies
10 Soya chunks [optional]  --  i like it with soya chunks, hence always use them.
Oil to saute
Salt to taste
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp corriander powder
handful of chopped cilantro


To know more about bok choy, please refer to "Know your Ingredients" page.

Bok Choy Curry

Procedure :
Soak soya chunks in hot water for atleast 10 mins.
Meanwhile, chop bok choy, onion, tomato, green chillies and set them aside.
Now, drain away all the water from soya chunks, squeeze them thoroughly and set them aside.
In a pan, take oil to saute, put tempering, add green chillies, onions, salt, saute until onions are tender.
Saute tomatoes, add chopped bok choy, saute for 5-7 mins on medium flame with closed lid.
Now, add soaked soya chunks, add garam masala, corriander powder, stir altogether, cook for another 5 mins.
Finally add cilantro.

Consumption:
Bok choy curry can be served either with rotis/rice/quinoa.

Quinoa Pulav

Hah, finally, i made something out of quinoa, instead of  having it as a rice substitute!
Want to know about quinoa? Please refer to "Know your Ingredients" page.
My recipe has :

Quinoa Pulav

Ingredients
Quinoa              1  cup
Mixed Vegetables [Corn, Peas, Beans]    -    1 cup
1  medium potato
4 Green chillies
1 bunch of  Scallions [Green Onions]
few Cashews
Ginger and Garlic
Curry leaves
few mint leaves and cilantro
1 lime
Salt to taste
Oil to saute

whole spices
1/2  tsp  Kala Jeera [Black cumins]
1  cinnamon stick
Couple Bay leaves
2 tsp Kasoori Methi  [dry fenugreek leaves]

powdered spices
1  tsp Garam masala
1/2 tsp  Amchur powder [dry mango powder]
1/2  tsp cardomom powder
2 tsps  corriander powder
1 tsp homemade peanut powder [optional]


Procedure :
Wash quinoa and soak them in water for 30 mins.

Soak quinoa for 30 mins

After 30 mins, drain away all the water and keep the soaked quinoa aside.

In a pan, add some oil, let it heat up, add whole masalas, cashews.
Add scallions, ginger and garlic, Green Chillies, curry leaves, salt, let them cook for 5 mins or until onions turns tender.
Add potato, let it cook for 5 mins; Add vegetables [corn, peas, beans], cook for 5 mins.
Add soaked quinoa, roast for 5 mins.

soaked quinoa added to veggies

Add all powder masalas.
Add 1.5 [1 and half]  cups of water.
Close the lid and let it cook for 10 mins.
Once quinoa is cooked, open the lid, add mint, cilantro, stir altogether, switch off stove, give the punch of lime and serve it hot.

Quinoa pulav ready

Eggplant Lasagna

I am taking too long breaks to update and decorate my blog ;).  Today, my long determination of making Eggplant Lasagna came true and i am able to make successful Lasagna. Enjoy the yummy recipe. Since this is my first time, i made myself comfortable with easily available
Ingredients :
1 Big American Eggplant
1 big Onion
2 cups Mozzarella Cheese
1 cup Parmesan Cheese
Lasagna Pasta Sheets (i bought small pkt that has 12 sheets)
'Tomato and Basil' pasta sauce
3 Thai Green Chillies
1 tsp Black pepper powder
Half bunch of finely chopped cilantro
Few mint leaves, Oregano, Kasoori Methi
Oil to saute
Salt to taste

Here is the procedure
Get the Pasta ready :
--> Boil the water, add salt and boil the pasta as u do with regular pasta.
--> Now, drain all the excess water, run some cold water, set them aside and let it dry.
--> Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, meanwhile prepare the below eggplant gravy.

Gravy preparation :
--> Add oil to a pan, let it heat up.
--> Chop the eggplant horizontally (like semi-circles) and set them aside.
--> Add chopped onion, chopped green chilli, cook until the onions are tender.
--> Kasoori methi, Oregano, Cilantro, Mint leaves and Black pepper powder can be added at this moment.
--> Now, add the chopped eggplant circles. Keep the flame in simmer.
--> Sprinkle some salt, close the lid and let the eggplant cook on simmer for atleast 10 mins.
--> Once eggplant is half done, add the 'Tomato and Basil' pasta sauce.
--> Stir altogether again, close the lid and let it cook for another 10 mins on simmer.
--> Switch off the flame once all is done. This is your eggplant gravy.

Baking - Final step of Lasagna :
--> Apply butter to the baking pan. I used the 8 in round pan as shown in the image.
--> Place some of the eggplant gravy, spread it all over the pan. This is your Layer 1 (L1).
--> Next place half  count of the boiled pasta sheets as Layer 2 (L2).
--> Now add half of the mozzarella cheese and half of the parmesan cheese as Layer 3 (L3).
--> Repeat L1, L2, L3 layers again on top of the above three layers. Remember, top most layer should be the cheese.
--> Keep the pan in heated oven and let it cook for 30-40 mins at 350 degrees F.
Thats it get the Yummy lasagna out of the oven, let it cool down a bit, sprinkle with cilantro, and serve it hot with red crushed pepper if needed.

Mushroom Biryani

Ingredients
Mushrooms    2 cups (sliced)
Green chillies  6
Rice               2 and 1/2 cups
Cilantro         few strands
Onions          1 and half
Tomatoes      2
Oil to Saute and Salt to taste

Spices
few Bay leaves
Cinnammon Sticks  2
Cloves   4-5
Whole Cardomoms  2
Kasoor Methi   1 tsp
Rosemary    few

Shan Biryani Mix   1/2 pkt (u can add 1 f.pkt to ur spice)
Corriander powder  2 tbsp
Nutmeg powder  1 tsp

Procedure
--> Wash and slice monterey button mushrooms, keep it aside. U can even wash rice and keep it aside the same time. No need to soak as i'm sharing easy recipe.
--> Take enough oil  to saute onions in a wide pan.
--> Add first 6 spices once the oil is heated up.
--> Now Add chopped chillies, onions and salt. once the onions turns transparent, add the tomatoes. Let them cook on medium flame until the tomatoes are well done.
--> Add the sliced mushrooms, now u can close the lid and let it cook for atleast 10-15 mins.
--> Then add the rest of 3 spices, stir well, let it cook for another 2 mins.
--> Once everything done, Add the sauteed mixture to the washed rice, pour water as u put regularly for rice. and cook altogether until it is done. I prefer Rice Cooker, as it is easy and no obligations :)
--> Once the rice is almost about to finish, add few tsps of milk and stir it altogether. At last sprinkle chopped cilantro and serve it hot with either raitha or Hot and sweet sauce.