Oriental Cooking....

VEGETABLE IMPERIAL

Serves 2

Cauliflower (cut into small florets) 1 cup
Peas ½ cup
Carrot (cut into 1” long) 1
Corn (tinned or fresh) ½ cup
French beans (cut into 1” long) ½ cup

Steam all these vegetables and corn without water for 5 minutes. Cool. Keep aside.

Butter 1tbsp
Plain flour (Maida) 1 tbsp
Milk 1 cup
Processed cheese 25gms
Salt & pepper to taste

Heat butter in a heavy bottomed pan.
Add plain flour & stir fry till flour changes to slightly golden colour.
Add milk, stirring continuously till thick.
Remove from fire. Add salt & black pepper.
Mix all steamed veggies & corn in to this sauce.
Pour this mixture into greased baking dish.
Garnish with grated cheese.
Bake in pre heated oven for 20 minutes.
Serve with toasted multi grained bread.

Healthy non-fat yummy sandwich

SUPER VEGGIE SANDWICH

Serves 2

Brown bread 8 slices toasted
Cabbage leaves 4 leaves torn into bit size
Onion finely sliced 1
Tomato finely sliced 2
Cucumber 1 finely sliced (preferably pickled)
Capsicum shredded 1
Olives diced 1 tbsp (optional)
Black salt to taste
Tabasco garlic pepper sauce (readymade) 4 tsp
Any salad dressing 2 tsp

Place 4 toasted bread slices.
Arrange cabbage leaves on it, followed by onion, tomato, cucumber, capsicum, olives.
Season them with black salt.
Sprinkle few drops of Tabasco & salad dressing.
Cover them with another toasted bread slices.
Cut each sandwich in to two, enjoy it with tomato ketchup.

New Meal Combo for NAVRATRA

CHEESE TOMATO

Serves 4

Cottage cheese 1”slices 500g
Tomatoes 5
Green chillies 2
Ginger 1”piece
Black cardamom 1
Milk ½ cup
Oil 2 tsps
Salt, red chilli powder & garam masala as per taste

Grind tomatoes, green chillies, ginger & black cardamom in a mixer to smooth puree.
Heat oil, add tomato puree cook till oil separates.
Add spices, cook for few seconds.
Add milk, boil it.
Add cottage cheese, lightly mix it.
Cook for another few minutes & serve.


ALOO PARANTHA
Makes 10

Potato boiled & mashed 4
Buckwheat flour 1 cup
Salt, red chilli powder, garam masala, grated ginger, coriander leaves 1tsp
Little water
Little oil

Combine all the ingredients to make dough with water.
Roll out 10 chapattis from dough.
Heat griddle, shallow fry the chapattis one by one with little oil till crisp.
Serve with cheese tomato & salad

ghar ka khana - but its different

CHATPATI GOBI


Cauliflower ½ kg
Green chillies 3-4
Coriander chopped 3-4 tbsp
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Salt ½ tsp
Ginger 1”piece
Onions chopped 3
Oil 2 tbsp
Turmeric powder ¼ tsp
Curd ¼ cup
Cream or malai ¼ cup optional
Oil for frying
Cut cauliflower into big florets, with a little stem
Deep fry to a light colour.
Grind green chillies, coriander, salt, cumin and ginger to a paste
Rub coriander paste over and inside the fried pieces of cauliflower. Keep aside.
Heat oil. Add onions, cook till transparent. Add turmeric powder. Add curd and cream. Cook for a few minutes. Add cauliflower. Toss for a seconds till the masala coats the cauliflower. Serve.



HANDI DAL TADKA

Yellow lentil (dhuli moong dal) 1 cup
Split yellow lentils (arhar dal) ¼ cup\turmeric ½ tsp salt to taste
Tomato chopped finely 1

TEMPERING

Ghee 2-3 tbsp
A pinch of asafoetida
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Coriander seeds 1 tsp
Dry red chillies 2-3
Garlic paste 1 tsp
Green chilli chopped finely 1
Coriander powder 1 tsp
Garam masala ½ tsp
Ginger juliennes 1 tsp
Green coriander 2 tbsp
Red chilli powder ½ tsp

Wash the dals thoroughly. Put in a deep pan. Pour 5 cups of water, turmeric & salt. Cover partially and cook on medium heat till soft. Mash the dal slightly with a heavy spoon. Add finely chopped tomatoes and simmer for 1-2 minutes.

For tempering. Heat ghee. Add jeera and coriander, add garlic and red chillies. Stir till garlic starts to change colour. Reduce heat. Add green chillies, coriander powder, garam masala, ginger and green coriander. Mix well and remove from heat. Add red chilli powder. Pour tadka on simmering dal. Immediately cover the lid for the flavours to seep in to the dal. Serve hot.

Paneer Tikka Sandwich

PANEER TIKKA SANDWICH
Best part is, it cooks under 10 minutes, keeping in mind the modern world of fast paced living.

Serves 4

Cottage cheese cut into 1” flat pieces 200gm
Capsicum chopped 1
Bread slices lightly buttered 4
Few lettuce leaves

MARINADE
Hung curd ½ cup
Red chilli powder, turmeric powder, chaat masala, salt, garam masala, coriander powder roasted cumin powder ½ tsp
Ginger garlic paste 1 tsp

METHOD
Mix all ingredients of the marinade in a bowl. Add cottage cheese and capsicum.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan, add cottage cheese and capsicum. Cook on low heat for 5-6 minutes or till dry and golden brown.
Lay a lettuce leaf on a slice. Spread the cottage cheese mixture and cover with the second slice. Grill on a wire rack in a hot oven till golden brown. Cut into triangles.

Paneer tikka Sizzler

PANEER TIKKA SIZZLER

Makes 2 sizzlers

For the paneer tikkas
1 1/2 cups paneer (cottage cheese) cubes
1/2 cup thick onion wedges
1/2 cup capsicum pieces (2") each
1/2 cup thick curd
1/2 tsp besan (Bengal gram flour)
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp garlic paste
2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
1/2 tsp garam masala
2 tbsp chopped coriander (dhania)
2 tbsp mustard oil
salt to taste

For the yellow rice
1 cup rice
1/2 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1” cinnamom stick
2 cloves
1 bayleaf (tejpatta)
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp oil
salt to taste

For the makhani sauce
5 large tomatoes, roughly chopped
2 cloves
4 to 5 cashewnuts
1/2 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
1 tsp chilli powder
3 tbsp cream
1/4 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
1 tbsp oil
1 tbsp butter
salt to taste

For the stuffed capsicum
1 capsicum
1/2 cup boiled corn
1/2 cup boiled green peas
1/2 tsp roasted cumin seeds powder
1 tsp coriander
salt to taste

Other ingredients
1 tbsp oil mixed with 1 tablespoon of water

Method
For the paneer tikkas
1. Combine the curd, gram flour, ginger paste, garlic paste, chilli powder, kasuri methi, garam masala, coriander, salt and 1 tablespoon of mustard oil and mix well to prepare a marinade.
2. Add the paneer, onions and capsicum to it and keep aside for 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Arrange the paneer, onions and capsicum on 4 skewer sticks.
4. Heat the balance 1 tablespoon of mustard oil on a non-stick tava (griddle) and sauté the paneer tikkas on all sides till they are lightly browned (approximately 4 to 5 minutes).

For the yellow rice
1. Clean, wash and soak the rice for 10 minutes. Drain and keep aside.
2. Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pan, add the cumin seeds, cloves and bay leaf and stir.
3. When the seeds crackle, add the rice, turmeric powder and salt and sauté for 2 minutes.
4. Add 2 cups of hot water. Cover and cook over a slow flame for 10 to 15 minutes till the rice is cooked. Keep aside.

For the makhani sauce
1. Combine the tomatoes, cloves, cashewnuts and oil with ¼ cup water and
2. Blend to a smooth purée in a liquidiser. Strain the purée through a sieve and keep aside.
3. Melt the butter in a pan and add the cumin seeds.
4. When the seeds crackle, add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for a few seconds.
5. Add the onions and sauté till the onions turn golden brown.
6. Add the strained purée, chilli powder, cream, garam masala, kasuri methi

For the stuffed capsicum
1. Cut the capsicum into 2 halves horizontally, scoop out the seeds to create an empty shell.
2. Parboil the capsicum in salted water, drain and keep aside.
3. Combine the corn, peas, cumin seed powder, coriander and salt and mix
4. Fill this mixture in the capsicum halves and keep aside till required.

How to proceed
1. Heat 2 sizzler plates over an open flame till they are red hot and place them on their respective wooden trays.
2. Arrange half the warm yellow rice in the centre of each cast iron plate.
3. Place one stuffed capsicum on one side of each sizzler plate.
4. Top with 2 skewers of the paneer tikkas.
5. Repeat with the remaining ingredients on the other sizzler plate to make another sizzler.
6. Pour the oil-water mixture over the cast iron plates for a sizzling effect.
7. Serve immediately with the makhani sauce

Italian Salad

This salad attracts kids also


SPINACH & STRAWBERRY SALAD

Ingredients
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon minced onion
10 leaves fresh spinach - rinsed, dried and torn into bite-size pieces
5-6 strawberries - cleaned, hulled and sliced
1/4 cup almonds, blanched and slivered

Method
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sugar, olive oil, vinegar, paprika, Worcestershire sauce and onion. Cover, and chill for one hour.
2. In a large bowl, combine the spinach, strawberries and almonds. Pour dressing over salad, and toss. Refrigerate 10 to 15 minutes before serving.