Chatpati baingan (brinjal)

Today i was thinking before posting this dish that

what is it actually called ..is it baingal fry, baingal chatni .no no..its not that

Kept thinking and i could not think of an authentic name, hence i gave my own

creative name to this cute dish :)

As the name says it is really a chatpati dish ..Try making this once and you will be in love with it..

Ingredients:

1) Brinjal 1

2) chilli 1

3) one half of a onion finely chopped

4) few cilanto chopped.

5) 1 tomato chopped

7) half a tsp garam masala

8) 1/4 tsp cumin powder

9) ginger garlic paste 1 tsp.

10) cooking oil

11) salt

Preparation:

Heat 2 tsp oil in a pan , add chopped onion and chilli and fry for 2 min..

then add sliced brinjal, salt and keep the gas stove on low and cover the pan with lid.keep stirring occationally.. Brinjals will take some time to get soft..when you see brinjals turning slightly soft add ginger garlic paste and tomato. cover and cook again, stirr in between. when you see brinjal fully cooked add garam masala and cumin podwer. again fry for another 2-3 minutes on medium heat.Garnish with cilantro leaves.

Note: I added 1/4th tsp of black pepper pwder at the end as i wanted it really hot (optional)

Achinga( Payar )Mezhukkupuratti

"Achinga " mezukkuparatti was one thing that i never liked much as a kid. The typical kerala way of making this mezukkuparatti is very pale to me , hence i made a little spicy version of this dish and i absolutely love it.

Am sharing it with you all , please try it at home

Preparation:

1) Achinga -1 bunch cut into small

2) 1 Onion finely chopped

3) 1 green chilli finely chopped

4) 1 tomato finely chopped

5) chopped ginger - 1tsp

6) chopped garlic - 1tsp

7) cumin powder - 1/2 tsp

8) oil for cooking

9) salt according to taste

10) mustard seeds

Preparation:

Heat 2 tsp oil in a non stick pan and put mustard seeds to it. when the seeds splutter add onion, ginger, garlic and chilli and fry till the onion turn little transparent. Now add tomato and cumin powder and fry for a minute. Add achinga and salt to it mix well and cover with lid. Open and stirr occationally. Keep frying till they are done.

Veg Cutlet (without egg white coating)

Ingredients:

1) Boiled vegetables 1 cup(you can use carrot, green peas, etc)

2) mashed potatoes 1 cup

3) boiled and mashed beet root 1 cup

4) Giner finely chopped 1 tsp

5) garlic finely chopped 1 tsp

6) 2 green chillies finely chopped

7) all purpose (maida powder) 1/2 cup

8) bread crumbs 1 cup.

9) garam masala powder 1 tsp

10) oil and salt

11) onion finely chopped 1 small or use half.

12) mustard seeds 1/2 tsp

13) lime 1/2

Preparation:

make sure you drain out excess water from boiled vegetables and mash them then add mashed potatos , mashed beetroot and mix well. Now in a pan heat 1 tsp oil and add mustard seeds.Once they spluter add chopped onion, ginger, chilli and garlic, fry them and then add to garam masala add chilli powder if you want cutlet to be spicy(optional). Add the mashed vegetabled to it and mix well, fry for few minutes so that moisture evaporates from the mix and it is dry.

make small balls out of the mix and dip it in maida paste (mix water and maida to make this paste) then roll it in bread crumbs. Heat oil in a pan and deep fry them.

Chicken Stew

Appam and Chicken Stew are the best compination. I made appam also on the day i made this chicken stew but appam didn't come out well.. so will keep trying and post it once it come out good.let me share the chicken stew receipe here

Ingredients:

1) Chicken 1 pound

2) 2 big onions

3) 2 green chilli

4) 1 tomato

5) 1 big carrot chopped

6) handful of green peas

7) ginger finely chopped 1tsp

8) garlic finely choppe 1 tsp

9) garam masala powder - 1tsp

10) black pepper powder - 1tsp

11) few cilantro chopped

12) 1 can coconut milk

13) oil for cooking

14) 1 tbsp coriander powder , salt (according to taste)

15) whole spices (cloves 5 , cardamom pods 4, cinnamon stick , bay leaves)

Preparation:

Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan, add the ingredients in number 15 and stir few times. Now add

chopped onion , chopped chillies, ginger and garlic and saute them . Add chopped vegetables and tomato to it and keep frying. Now add garam masala, pepper powder and coriander powder to it and After few minuted add chicken and salt to it and fry for few more minutes.Take half of the coconut milk from the can and add equal amount of water to it and pour it into the pan, cover it and cook for 10 minutes on low heat till the chicken becomes tender. Now add remaining coconut milk and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes. Garnish with cilanto leaves.

Rasgulla

Calcutta (Kolkata) Rasgullas are the most famous

sweet in West Bengal.

"Rosogulla na khele khawar ta puro hoy na"

The above line (in bengali means) the meal is

incomplete without having rasagulla at the end

and hence my blog is also incomplete without

this best sweet.

Ingredients:

milk- 4 cup

lime juice - 2 tbsp

sugar - 1 cup

Preparation

Place the milk in a heavy bottom pan

and bring it to boil , once it start boiling

add the lime juice you will see the water getting seperated

boil it untill you see water and paneer particles getting seperated.

Turn of the gas and drain the paneer in a cheese cloth.

Press it hard and try taking off as much water as possible.You can

also keep it under a heavy object for few minuted. Now take the paneer in

a plate and rub it with hands until it is soft enough to make balls.

make 12 small balls (or more). Remember the rasagullas increase in size

hence try to make the balls half the size of rasagulla. Now in a pressure cooker

add once cup water and sugar and bring it to boil. then place the 12 paneer balls

and close it and cook for 7 minutes. Rasagullas are ready!!!

Namkeen

This snack is a different version or "murukke".

For making this you need a idiappammaker (noodle maker)which has plates of different shapes. Use any shape as desired.

Ingredients:

1) 1/2 cup Rice soaked in water for 4 hrs

2) 1 cup besan (gram flour)

3) Curry leaves -4

4) 1/4th of a onion

5) ginger garlic paste 1 tsp

6) salt

7)cooking oil

8)dried red chillies 3

Preparation:

Grind rice in a mixer , also add onion, red chillies and curry leaves to it while grinding. Do not add lot of water.Take a bowl add besan flour and mix from the first step , then add salt,

ginger garlic paste . Make a dough like the one we use for chappatti.Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan and take small portion of the dough put it in the noodle maker (with required shape) and press into the hot oil. Fry both sides.

Veg Pakora

We like pakoras mostly during rainy season.

Sitting with family doing chit chat,

and having pakoras with a hot cup

of ginger tea !!! ..thats heaven.

Ingredients

1) Chickpea flour (besan) - 1 cup

2) Chopped onion -1/4 cup

3) Chopped green chilli -1

4) Sliced cauliflower -1/4 cup

5) 2 chopped spring onions

6)beaking soda 1/4 tsp (very less)

7)salt -1/2 tsp

8) ginger garlic paste -1/2 tsp

9) green peas - few

10) cooking oil

Preparation

In a bowl mix well all the items from 1 to 9 by adding water little by little. In a heavy bottom pan

heat cooking oil and using a spoon put the mix in small portion to the hot oil and fry.Drain the pakoras on kitchen towel and serve hot with tomato ketchup, dont forget the tea :)