Alu Dum

Having been born & brought up in Calcutta, the love for potatoes is insatiable...:) Alu dum is a popular item amongst the Bengali's & Calcuttan's..There are different versions & all taste wonderful..Its best with hot puris/luchis or by themselves too....
My version which again has gone some changes goes like this.....:)

Serves at least 4-6 people...
Ingredients:

1.Baby potatoes- 1kg
2.Onions- 1 big(thinly sliced)
3.Paste of half an onion,a chunk of fresh ginger & 3-4 pods of garlic
4.Green chillies-2nos(slit)
5.Tomato-1 small or half of a big one(finely chopped)
6.Haldi-1/2 tbs
7.Chilly powder-2 tbs
8.Coriander powder-1 tbs
9.Garam Masala-1/2 tbs
10.Jeera-1/2 tbs
11.Bay leaf-1 big
12.Cloves & cinnamon- 2 nos...
13.elaichi- 1 no
14.Sugar-1 tbs
15.Salt-To taste
16.Water as required..
17.Oil-4-5 tbs
18.Ghee-1/2 tbs
19.Coriander leaves for garnish

Procedure:

1.Wash the baby potatoes & boil them until cooked.....Peel & prick them with a fork....In a large bowl put all the boiled & pricked potatoes, add some salt & haldi & mix well.
2.In a large pan/skillet, put some oil to heat.One hot, add the marinated potatoes & shallow fry them in batches,until golden brown.....drain them in a paper towel to remove excess oil...Keep these aside...
3.Heat oil in the same pan & add some bay leaves, cloves,cinnamon,jeera,elaichi & peppercorns(optional). Once they start sputtering,add the sliced onions & the onion,ginger garlic paste & green chillies & stir well. Once the colour of the onions start changing, add the chopped tomato & stir well.Keep it covered for a while so that the mixture becomes pulpy & the tomato is well cooked.Once the mixture starts assuming a gravy like quality(you can add 2-3 tbs of water if req), add all the masalas & salt....Stir well & finally add the golden brown potatoes & mix well....If the gravy is not watery enough,add some more water....Finally add, sugar & switch off once the right consistency has been achieved..Ensure that the gravy is really thick....Garnish with coriander leaves& some ghee...Serve hot with Rotis/Puris.....
Hope you do enjoy this recipe.....:)

Note: you can use large potatoes as well, if you do not have baby potatoes.......All you need to do is cut the potatoes into large chunks(quarter them) & follow the same procedure....

Pindi Choley

I came across this recipe on line & made a few changes, but nevertheless it came out fine....It is always a hit amongst friends & family, so thought it would be nice to share the recipe.....

Ingredients:
1.Chola(chickpeas)-3 cups (soaked in water overnight or 8hrs min)
2.Onions- 2 big(finely sliced)
3.Tomatoes-2 nos(finely chopped)
4.Green chillies-2 nos(slit)
5.Jeera-1/2 tbs
6.Haldi- a pinch
7.Chilly powder-2-3 tbs
7.Coriander powder-2 tbs
8.Garam masala-3/4 tbs
9.Tea -2 tbs
10.Oil- 3-4 tbs or more if you feel the need..
11.Coriander leaves for garnish(finely chopped)
12.Choley masala is optional-if using,reduce the chilly & coriander powder quantity
13.Cashew-3-4 nos
14.Cloves,cinnamon & cardamom-2 each
15.Ginger Garlic paste-3 tbs
16.Water- as required

Procedure:
1.wash the soaked chickpeas well & put it into a pressure cooker....
2.Boil some tea leaves with water until really dark. Strain & add the black tea into the cooker with washed chickpeas. Add some salt & Haldi & put the pressure cooker on the gas, until some 8-9 whistles come or until the chickpeas is well cooked.
3.In the meantime, in a large pan, put some butter/oil to heat, add the jeera, cloves &elaichi & when they start sputtering, add the sliced onions, cashew & ginger garlic paste....Stir well and once the onions start changing its colour, add the tomatoes & stir well until a little pulpy. Switch off the flame & let this mixture cool down..Once cooled, make a smooth paste of this in a mixer. Heat a tbs of oil in the pan & add this paste to it & the slit green chillies.....stir well ensuring that the paste doesn't get burnt.Add the masalas & mix well. Once the oil starts leaving the sides, add some mashed & cooked chickpeas & stir well.You could add some water at this stage, if the paste starts sticking to the bottom & there are signs of getting burnt....finally add the boiled chickpeas & its reserve water...Let all this boil until the gravy is thick & of the right consistency.....You might have to add some more salt.....Switch off, once the right consistency is achieved....Finally garnish with coriander leaves...Serve with onions sliced into rounds & lemon wedges....

Enjoyyyyy...:)))))

Butter Murukku

When it comes to murukke, there is nothing to beat what my mother used to make & it tasted awesome.Only she could make it soo very well & though my trial was not at all bad, I wish I could get it as well as she did....She did the shaping of he murukke by hand & I think I can never master that & I used a murukku presser.....

This is how you make it:

Ingredients:
3 cups rice flour
1/2 cup urad dhal flour
1/2 tbs white/black sesame seeds(optional)         
1 tbs jeera
1/4 tsp hing (I didnt use hing)
5og butter
1 cup water/as needed to knead the flour
Salt to taste
Oil to deep fry     

Procedure:

1. To make urad flour- In a heavy bottomed pan, fry Urad dal till light brown & let it cool. Grind it into a fine powder
2.In a mixing bowl take required quantity of rice flour, urad dhal flour, sesame seeds,jeera, hing and salt.
Add Butter and knead the dough. Add water little by little and knead till you get a soft dough.(Make sure it has the right consistency to pass through the murukku presser)
Meanwhile heat the oil in a medium flame.
Fill the murukku presser with the murukku dough and press it  &drop it into the hot oil and fry both sides till golden brown.
3.Drain them in a paper towel to remove excess oil, let them cool. Store in an air tight container.

Fish Biryani

Wow! Got an amazing response on Face book after posting pics of some of my culinary exploits...That encouraged me to add a few more recipes to my modest list...:)
This one happens to be my hubby's favourite & he loves it....:)
This is inspired by the typical Malabar style fish biryani & I had a favourite restaurant in Bangalore, during my college days, which served amazing Fish Biryani....I do not know if it is still there, but the fish biryani they served was heavenly.........BTW the restaurants name is Relish....
Hope you all do relish this after trying....:D
So here goes my recipe:

Ingredients:

For Marination:
1.Fish fillets(cleaned & deskinned)- 1 kg
2.Haldi powder- 1/2 tbs
3.Red Chilly powder-2-3 tbs
4.Coriander powder- 2-3 tbs
5.Ga ram Masala- 1/2 tbs
6.Pepper powder-1-2 tbs (you can omit if you do not want it to be very spicy)
7.Ginger garlic paste-2 tbs
8.Small onions paste- 2 tbs
9.Curd- 2 tbs
10.Oil-2 tbs
11.salt to taste

For the curry Part:
1.Onions-2 large ones(thinly sliced)
2.Tomatoes- 2 large(finely chopped)
3.cashews-5- 6 nos
4.ginger garlic paste-3 tbs
5.green chillies-2 nos(slit)
7.Haldi-a pinch
8.chilly powder-1 tbs(more if you want it v spicy)
9.coriander powder-1 tbs
10.garam masala-a pinch
12.salt to taste
13.Oil- 3-4 tbs

For the Rice:
1.Basmati Rice or Jeera rice-3 cups(soaked in water & salt for at least 20 Min's)
2.Bay leaf- 1 big
3.Cloves-1-2
4.Cinnamon-a small piece
5.elaichi- 1 pod(split)
6.Ghee- 3 tbs
7.Jeera- 1/2 tbs
8.Onion-1 no(thinly sliced)
9.Salt to taste

For the Garnish:
1.fried cashew pieces
2.fried thinly sliced onions
3.Finely chopped Coriander leaves

Procedure:
1.Firstly marinate the fish with all the ingredients mentioned & keep aside for at least 2 hours.Its best if kept refrigerated for a minimum of 5-6 hrs....
2.After the required time has lapsed after marination,shallow fry the fish pieces until golden brown & keep aside..
3..In the meantime take a large pan & heat some oil, add the sliced onions,ginger garlic paste & cashews....saute for a while until the onions start changing colours...add the chopped tomatoes & keep stirring until a little pulpy...Switch off the flame & let this mixture cool down a little...Once cooled, make a  smooth paste of this mixture in a grinder..Then again heat the pan with some oil & add this paste into it along with the slit green chillies...add all the masalas & keep stirring until the oil starts separating from this paste & mixture....add some water at this stage & some salt too..once the consistency is thickish add the fried fish pieces into it & let this boil for a minute or two..The gravy should be really thick....Set aside...
4.For the Rice,take a heavy bottomed vessel & heat some ghee.Add the bay leaves,cloves,cinnamon,elaichi & jeera to it & once they start sputtering, add the thinly sliced onions & stir well. Once the colour changes add the washed rice & stir well...add some salt too & keep stirring ensuring the rice doesn't get burnt..Add requisite water (I follow 1:2 ratio) &  squeeze some lemon juice into it. Let it come to a boil. Put a lid on the vessel & reduce the flame to low & let the rice cook for another 5-10 Min's...switch off &  d not remove the lid for at least half an hour.....
5.Take a large dish & layer it with Rice & the curry until over....finally garnish with fried cashews, onions & coriander leaves.....

Finally Enjoyyy.....:)))))

Desi lasagne(vegetarian)

I wanted to try out something new & different. So decided it would be fun to try out something exotic like a lasagne....I again had to makedo with whatever ingredients were available in my kitchen,except the readymade lasagne sheets,that you get to buy in the store....I used cheddar cheese instead of the parmesan,but the reult was not dissappointing &my husband enjoyed his meal.:)
Would love to share my recipe....


Ingredients:

For the white sauce:
1.Milk-2 cups
2.Butter-3 tbs
3.plain flour-3 bs
4.salt
5.pepper

For the red sauce:
1.canned tomatoes-400g
2.onion- 1 no(finely sliced)
3.carrots-1 no(diced nicely)
4.garlic-3 pods(cut finely)
5.ginger-a small piece(cut finely)
6.capsicum-1 no(finely sliced)
7.salt
8.black pepper
9.some cheddar cheese-approx half a cup
10.oil(olive oilpreferably)
11.ajwain-1 tbs

For the filling & otherwise:
1.vegetables-like potatoes,brinjals,zuchini,carrot,mushrooms etc
2.butter
3.cheddar cheese-half cup
4.lasagne sheets(ready made sheets)
5.salt
6.pepper

Procedure:

1.cut the vegetables thinly into long stripes.

2.Arrange them on a slightly greased baking pan & bake them for around 5-10 minutes.

3.Heat a saucepan & melt butter into it.Add 3 tbs of plain flour & stir well.Lower the flame & gradually add the milk & keep stirring,ensuring that there are no lumps.Add salt & pepper,as per your taste & keep stirring until the sauce is thick.Turn off the flame & then add some cheese to this & mix well.Keep this aside.

4.In the meantime,heat some oil in a pan & add the ajwain seeds to it,then the finely sliced onions,ginger & garlic.Stir well & once the colour of the onions start changing,add carrots & capsicum.Add some salt & pepper as well.Saute well for at least 5-7 minutes.Finally add the canned diced tomatoes & stir well. Let it cook until the sauce is thick.Keep aside.

5.Take a greased baking dish & pour a layer of the white sauce, place the lasagne sheets & then layer it with the baked vegetables & red sauce. Repeat the process by placing the lasagne sheets, baked vegetables & red sauce & finally finish with the white sauce.Top this with some cheddar cheese.You could put some sliced tomatoes on top too.
Bake this for around 15-20 mins or until golden brown at 180 degrees...

Enjoy it hot...

As soon as it was baked

Vegetarian Pie

This happens to be an experimental dish & is a combinaion of a lot of recipes I read online. I was looking for something that could use things that is mostly available at home & not too tiresome.
Well, am quite happy with the result...:)

Ingredients:

For the crust:
1.plain flour-1 cup
2.milk-half a cup or as much as u require
3.fresh cream-2-3 tbs
4.salt to taste
5.ajwain-1 tbs
6.butter-1/2 tbs

For the pie:
1.potatoes-4-5 large ones(boiled & peeled)
2.carrots-2 nos(small,finely juliened)
3.capsicum-1 no (finely juliened)
4.red onion-1 no(finely sliced)
5.ginger-a tiny piece(finely chopped)
6.garlic-2 cloves
7.chilli powder-as per taste
8.turmeric-a pinch
9.salt to taste
10.butter-2tbs
11.jeera-1 tbs
12.oil-2 bs
13.cheese(I used the usual cheese slices)
14.tomatoes-1 no(big,cut into rounds)
15.Blak pepper-to taste

Procedure:

First the crust has to be prepared. For that, mix all the ingredients for the crust into a dough & roll it out in the shape of a chappati,but much thicker(around 3 cms in th). Put the rolled out chappati onto a greased baking slide & bake at 200 degrees for 20 minutes.

In the meantime, mash the boiled potatoes,along with some cream,milk,salt & pepper.Keep this aside.
In a skillet,heat some oil & butter. Put some jeera & once it starts spluttering,add some finely sliced onions,ginger & garlic & keep stirring.Once the onions start changing colours,add the carrots & capsicum.Add salt,turmeric & chilli.Keep stirring & reduce the heat.Keep it covered for a few minutes,until cooked.Ensure that it is not soggy,but crispy in nature.
Once done,keep aside.

Finally,take a greased oven dish & place the prepared crust at the bottom,then layer it with the mashed potatoes & finally the cooked vegetables.Top it with the sliced tomatoes & cheese slices.You could use shredded cheese too. Bake for 30-40 minutes at 200 degress.

Serve this hot(cut into slices) & Enjoyy...:)



 

Chicken Curry

This is one of my Hubby's Favourites.
Here goes my recipe:

Ingredients:

For Marination
1.Chicken- 1kg(I mostly get the leg pieces)
2.To be made into a paste-Ginger, garlic green chillies(2) & some coriander leaves(10-12 pods of garlic & same quantity of ginger)
3.Curd-4-5 tbs
4.Red chilli powder-2-3 tbs
5.Salt to taste
6.Haldi-1/2 tbs
7.coriander powder-2-3 tbs
8.Garam Masala-1 bs
9.pepper powder-1 tbs
10.Oil- 2-3 tbs

Other ingredients for gravy
1.Onions-4 to 5 big ones(finely sliced)
2.Tomatoes-1 big(finely chopped)
3.Potatoes-2 (diced into medium pieces)
4.oil-5-6 tbs
5.ginger-1/2 inch piece(finely chopped)
6.green chillies slit-2 nos
7.coriander leaves for garnish
8.salt to taste
9.red chilli powder -1 tbs
10.garam masala-1/2 tbs
11.chicken masala-optional
12.Bay leaves- 2 nos
13.cloves & cinnamon-2 nos
14.coconut milk-1/2 cup
15.water-2 cups
16.Coconut pieces -cut into thin slices

Procedure:

Firstly clean the chicken pieces very well & remove extra carilage & skin.Make cuts on the pieces & marinade with the ingredients mentioned for marination.Mix it well & refrigerate for a least 4 hrs.

Take a large heavy bottomed vessel(I usually use the Pressure cooker Bottom) & heat 5-6 tbs oil. Lightly fry the cut potato pieces & keep aside.After that lightly roast tthe marinated chicken pieces in the remaining oil & keep aside.If need be add some more oil. Once done, add the bay leaves,cinnamon & cloves.Add the sliced onions,chopped ginger & green chillies as well. Saute this until the onion turns a little brown.Then add the chopped tomatoes & all the masalas & salt. Once the mixture becomes pulpy,add the lightly fried potao & chicken pieces. Stir them for a few minutes & then add water. Keep the vessel covered & let the chicken cook in medium flame until soft. Check on the water & ensure that the gravy is not very watery.Check if the salt & masalas are also fine,else add as required. Once the chicken is cooked,add the coconut milk taking care that the gravy is thickish.

Switch of the flame once the gravy starts boiling. Finally garnish with chopped coriander leaves & slightly fried coconut pieces. Hope you enjoy this recipe.:)