Rogan Josh (Lamb curry)

Today I am really in a mood to have something nice and spicy for dinner. Pondering what to make. Finally It struck my mind that long time I have not made this authentic fine delicacy from Kashmir, this is how I make this dish.  

Rogan josh was brought to Kashmir  by the Mughals, which in turn infuses Persian cuisine. The unrelenting heat of the Indian plains took the Mughals frequently to Kashmir, which is where the first Kashmir adoption of Rogan josh occurred says  Wikipedia.

Please note this is really a very spicy dish. If you love spicy food then this is a must to try. Infact we love it at home.  Non spice lovers really reduce the spice level to what I have given.

Enjoy  this with naan/jeera rice or plain rice

Ingredients

½ kilo  lamb cut into small  chunks                                                                                                               ½  tablespoon coriander seeds                                                                                                                     1 small cinnamon stick                                                                                                                                  1 medium onions grated                                                                                                                                1 small tomato, chopped1 teaspoon cumin seeds                                                                                             8   almonds    
1 cardamom, 3 cloves
8 nos  peppercorns 
1 tablespoon fresh grated  coconut
3 whole dry red chilies, soaked in ¼  cup water for 15 minutes 
4 garlic flakes
1 inch ginger                                                                                                    
generous pinch nutmeg, grated                                                                                                        
1 medium onions grated                                                                                                                                1 small tomato, chopped                                                                                                                                 
¼  tsp turmeric powder                                                                                                                       
¼ cup vegetable oil/butter                                                                                                                      
2 bay leaves                                                                                                                                          
1 small cinnamon stick                                                                                                                             
½  tbsp Kashmiri red chili powder                                                                                                       
¼ cup yogurt, beaten                                                                                                                        
salt to taste                                                                                                                                           Water –  1 ½ cup to cook the meet

King Fish Fry

Fish…………………… J in any curry or fry or any other variety is my  favorite, a bit more I love the fish fry.  This is one of my way of making  fish fry.

King Fish  : 500gms – add some salt/vinegar and massage the fish nicely and then wash it nicely and keep aside.

Ingredients

Red Chilli powder  - 2 tbsp (please add upto your spice level)

Kasmiri Chilli powder – 1 tbsp

Pepper powder – ¼ tsp

A sprig of curry leaves

1 no- Lime juice

Fennel seeds (Sauf)  & Cumin seeds (small jeera) – a  pinch each

Fenugreek – 6 nos or a pinch

Coriander powder – 1 tbsp

Small onion – 3 nos.

Garlic and ginger paste – 1 tbsp

Coconut oil – 1 tsp **

Salt

Corn flour – 2 tbsp

Oil for frying – any cooking oil

** I am adding this oil to the masala so that the masala will get nicely incorporated well into the fish very quickly  and need not keep long time  marinated.

Method

·        Grind all the ingredients together  with  1 tbsp of coconut oil.  Ensure its not ground to  a very fine paste

·        Put the grounded masala to the fish and  nicely incorporate well to the fish

·        Keep the fish marinated for about 1 hour

·        Add some oil in a pan, put in the fish pieces and fry both the sides well.

Serve this with onion rings and lime wedges J

Latha

Yellow Rice

Ingredients

Basmati  Rice - 1 cup 

Cloves 3pcs, green cardamom – 2pcs

Garlic – 1 pc

Salt – to taste

Ghee or oil

Lime juice of half small lime  

Turmeric – a pinch for the colour

Cumin seeds – a pinch

Chicken In Green Masala

Have been a bit busy travelling  and was unable to post.  Back to the base and here goes another recipe very easy and does not need much of time to make this.

All  credit for this recipe goes to my father-in-law (late), as he taught me this recipe when I was new to cooking. He literally made the chicken curry and showed me how to make this dish. The next time I made this he said it was  too good for a learner and those days he would tell me that I have a good skill to learn and cook well and always complimented me for  the meal that I served him J  and enjoyed the meals.

Ingredients

Chicken – 500gms washed and cleaned. You can use with the skin and make this dish if you like. I like it without the skin keeping in mind the health point of view.

Laddoo (Mango & Coconut)

Again with my favorite mango to make these yummy laddoos. Simple and easy to make these.

Ingredients

Desiccated  coconut - 2 cups
Mango pulp -1 cup  (  Add sugar and make the  Mango pulp)*
Condensed milk - 1/4 cup
Unsalted Roasted pistachios crushed small pieces-1/4 cup  (Optional)
Cardamom powder  - 1/4 tsp

 Desiccated coconut  (unsweetened) - 4-5 tbsp

*  Take mango chunks and throw them in your jar, add some sugar and run your mixie

Directions
* Keep a  pan on medium heat and roast coconut until it starts to become dry for about 2-3 minutes (Make
    sure the coconut is nicely dried but not browned
*   Next add the mango pulp and keep stirring, as soon as it  starts to dry up add the cardamom powder and
    keep mixing until it dries up completely.
*   Add the condensed milk and cook till the mixture thickens and leaves the side of the pan. (It should be able to
    form a dough on it own when mixed together, Look for this consistency)                                                      *   Add in the chopped or crushed pistachios and mix well and turn off the heat                                                * Make small rounds while the mixture is warm (not very hot), but do not allow to cool. (Take  a teaspoon 
   measure and rolled them into small balls)

For garnishing:1.         You may roll them in extra coconut . ( I rolled them in dry coconut powder)
2.   Alternatively you may just press in a halved pistachio in the centre of each laddoo.

TIP:

* If you feel your laddoo is  very soft and is not forming a good ball, add some more roasted desiccated coconut
   powder
* Do not wait until the mixture is completely cooled to roll, start rolling while its still warm.

Enjoy making this simple and easy sweet.  

CCCC

Latha

Chocolate Brownies (Eggless)

Ingredients:

2 cups  flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
397 gm (1 tin) condensed milk
1 ¼  cup dark chocolate (use good quality dark chocolate)
¾  cup water
¾  cup butter at room temperature
5 tbsp castor sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped

Method:
* Grease  and line a 10” square tin with baking parchment or greaseproof paper.
* In a bowl mix all the dry ingredients, the flour, baking powder and baking soda and sieve  it and keep aside.
* In a  pan, add the  broken dark chocolate  pieces with the water and melt till the  chocolate melts till you get
   smooth sauce. Now  keep aside and let it  cool.

Summer Treats (Fancy Fresh Fruits)

I just made these  just for fun and the kids will love to pick up them and enjoy the fruits without any fuss. No cooking at all.

Apple & watermelon rings 

CCCC

(Please dip the apple in lime juice so that it does not turn brown)

C Melon balls used to serve as fruit salad, garnish the drinks J

Yummy

Latha

Ada Dosa (Mixed lentils in my version)

Very nutritious and healthy ada dosa in my version. You don’t have to keep to ferment, grind and just start making dosas.  They are crispy and  taste really yummy. 

Ingredients:

Channa dal - ½ cup                                                                                                                                  Raw rice - 1/2 cup & Boiled rice - 1 cup (or idli rice 1 ¾ cup)
Toor dal  - ¼ cup                                                                                                                                    Urud dal  - 1/4 cup
Oil
Onion(medium) - 2 nos.
Red chillies or powder -  4 nos or as per your spice level                                                                       Asafetida  - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Coriander leaves (stem) - 2  sprigs                                                                                                          Salt to taste

Pudina Chutney

Pudina (Mint) Chutney

Ingredients:

Coriander leaves - ½ cup
Mint leaves – ¼ cup (optional)
Fresh coconut – ¼ cup
Fried gram – 2  tbsp                                                                                                                                 Ginger – 1 inch
Garlic – 1 no.
Green chillies – I like it spicy  but please keep an eye on your level of the spice
Tamarind  or lime juice to your taste (I use tamarind)
Salt

* Opps.....................I have not clicked the pic of  my chutney..........sorry friends I will upload the pic next time I  make the chutney. Until then please have a look at the  tiny version along with the Dosa. Since I had to put the pudina chutney recipe for the Ada Dosa . I cannot skip it

Method:

* Use a mixer and just grind all the above to a thick paste and its ready to serve

Latha

IYENGAR BAKERY SPECIAL MASALA TOAST

Ask any Bangalorean if they have missed out to taste this? Hmm its one of the lip smacking  bread toast that you should  never  miss to eat  when you are in Bangalore. Iyengar bakeries are in nook and corners of the streets in Bangalore and the aroma from the bakeries especially in the evenings is simply great. Some their  mouth watering  snacks  like puffs (so many varieties), kara biscuits. Muffins and so on the list is never endingJ. Even today  I  visit Bangalore I will never miss out a visit to the Iyengar bakery and try some of my favorite goodies.  

If Iyengars make them at Bangalore, why cant we give a try on this at our home?

This toast has been a favorite at my place no cribs and we just love this. I am  posting here a  very simple and very tasty recipe of the famous "MASALA TOAST".
 

Mutta Roast

Very  few ingredients and yet another simple and delicious  recipe.

Ingredients:

Eggs  - 4 nos
Onions -  2 medium, finely chopped
Red Chilli Powder -  1 tsp (use to your spice level)
Tomatoes  - 2 finely chopped
Turmeric Powder -  ¼  tsp
Curry leaves -  1 sprig
Kashmiri Chili powder -  1 tbsp
Garam Masala – ¼ tsp
Garlic and ginger 1 tsp
Green chillies – 2 nos
Oil  - 1 tbsp

Sambaram – Moru vellam (spiced butter milk)

One the of the best thirst quencher for summer. After you come back from outside the scorching heat this is one drink which gives you good relief to beat the heat.  In  Kerala, the  spiced and salted version is  known as smabharam, flavored with ginger, curry leaves and green chilies, it is served as an accompaniment for lunch to help the body digest hot and spicy food.

This is not a thick drink, its very watery and has to be served chill.

At my place we love this any time of the day during summer, especially my daughter she just loves this.

Kosambir

This is one dish which does not need any cooking, all you have to do is  mix and match recipes with raw vegetables/lentils, very  healthy and easy to make.

Ingredients:
½ cup yellow moong daal
2  tsp grated coconut
¼ cup grated carrot
½ cup grated cucumber
1 tsplemon juice
3-4 green chilies
2 sprigs of  coriander leaves
A pinch asafetida
½ tsp oil
Salt