Stuffed Mushroom Curry
Stuffed Mushroom Curry
Mushrooms can be cooked in a number of ways. Stuffed mushroom is the most appealing. I have modified it to make a curry with stuffed mushrooms. Hope you like the new version of it.
Ingredients:
For Stuffed mushroom curry (4 servings)
White fresh Mushrooms [large] – 12
Paneer –1cup grated
Tomato puree- ½ cup
Ginger-garlic paste- 1 tbsp
Cashew paste – ½ cup
Mustard seeds [Rai] – 1 tsp
Cumin seeds [Jeera] –1 tsp
Turmeric powder- 1 tsp
Red chili powder – 1 tsp
Kitchen king masala – 1 tsp
Dry kasoori methi – 1 tsp
Whole milk – 1 cup
Cooking oil – 1 tbsp
Salt as per taste
Method:
- Thoroughly clean the mushrooms by wiping them with a damp kitchen towel. [Please do not wash mushrooms as water makes them soggy.]
- Gently take the stems out of mushrooms, which makes a hollow space in the mushrooms.
To make stuffing:
- Take all the cut stems of mushrooms and mince them finely.
- In a pan, heat 1 tbsp cooking oil and add half mustard seeds and half cumin seeds. When it starts splattering, add minced mushroom stems, grated paneer, half tsp turmeric powder, half tsp kitchen king masala, and salt as per taste. Sauté for 3-4 minutes.
To make gravy:
- In a pan, heat 1 tbsp cooking oil and add half mustard seeds and half cumin seeds. When it starts splattering, add ginger-garlic paste, sauté for couple of minutes and add tomato puree to it. Also add half tsp kitchen king masala, half tsp red chili powder, half tsp turmeric powder. Mix well and sauté for another 4-5 minutes.
- Add cashew paste and whole milk to the gravy. Let it simmer for further 4-5 minutes. Add salt and finally add dry kasoori methi to the gravy.
For mushroom curry:
- Fill the cleaned mushrooms with the above stuffing. Keep aside.
- In a pan heat, 1 tbsp oil and arrange the stuffed mushrooms in a single layer. Let it cook on each side for 4 minutes.
- When mushrooms are completely done, arrange them stuffing side up in the serving platter. Drizzle the gravy around the mushrooms and serve hot.
Serving Suggestions:
Enjoy Stuffed mushroom curry with fresh roti/naan or fragrant basmati rice.
Lemon-Chili Pickle [Nimbu-mirchi ka Achaar]
Lemon-Chili Pickle [Nimbu-mirchi ka Achaar]
Ingredients:
Lemons- 8
Green chilies- 15
Mustard seeds [yellow split] – 3/4 cup
Coriander [coarsely ground]- 1/2 cup
Fenugreek [coarsely ground]- 1/2 cup
Cloves – ½ tbsp
Fennel seeds – 2 tbsp
Cinnamon – 2 sticks
Cardamom pods – 5
Black pepper [whole]- 1 tsp
Cooking oil – 2 cups
Red chili powder – 2 tbsp
Turmeric powder – 1 tbsp
Salt- ½ cup
Method:
- Wash and dry lemon and green chilies separately.
- Cut lemon and green chilies into small pieces. Try to discard all the lemon seeds. Add turmeric and salt to lemon and green chilies and keep it in a glass bowl over night.
- Next morning, mix well and keep aside.
- In a pan, dry roast cinnamon, cloves, coriander, fenugreek, cardamom, black pepper and fennel seeds. Grind the roasted spices in grinder and keep aside.
- In a large bowl, mix all the above roasted spices and also add red chili powder to it.
- Heat oil in a separate pan and add it to the spice mix. Mix well.
- Add all the above mixture to the lemon and green chilies. Once again mix well.
- Take a clean jar; fill it up with the above pickle. Also add some hot oil on the top. So the pickle is completely submerged in the oil.
- Store it in a clean and dry place. Pickle is ready to eat in a week.
Serving suggestions:
Enjoy Lemon-chili pickle with garma garam parathas [Indian bread] anytime of the day.
Kashmiri Pulao
Kashmiri Pulao
Kashmiri pulao is one of the rich, aromatic rice dishes. It can be served at any festivities or celebrations. Saffron or Zafran gives kashmiri pulao pretty golden yellow color and makes it looks appetizing. Here I’m sharing with you my version of Kashmiri Pulao.
Ingredients:
For Kashmiri Pulao [5 servings]
Rice (Basmati) – 2 cups
Sweet Onion – 1/2 Medium size, Sliced
Cashews [kaju] – ½ cup (halved)
Golden Raisins [kishmish] – ½ cup
Almond slices [badam] – ½ cup
Walnuts [akharot]-1/4 cup
Saffron [kesar] – ½ tsp
Green Cardamom [Eliachi] – 5 whole
Cinnamon [dalchini] – 1 stick
Bay leaf [tej patta] – 2-3 whole
Cloves [laung] – 4
Milk – 2.5 cups
Ghee [Clarified butter] -1 tbsp
Cooking oil – 1tbsp
Salt to taste
Method:
1. Soak the rice in water for 1 hour.
2. Take 2 tbsp of warm milk and add saffron strands. Keep it aside till milk gets rich golden yellow color.
3. Cook the rice with 1 cup of water and 2.5 cup milk. Let the rice cool completely or let it sit in the refrigerator for couple of hours after cooking.
4. Heat a pan and add oil and ghee. Briefly sauté cashews, raisins, almond slices and walnuts and keep aside. Sauté sliced onions till golden brown and keep aside.
5. Now in the same pan with oil and ghee, add cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and bay leaf.
6. Add cooked rice carefully and mix well. Add fried onions and nuts to it.
7. Stir in saffron milk and cook for few more seconds.
8. Kashmiri Pulao is ready to serve.
Garnish:
Garnish Kashmiri pulao with fried nuts. Enjoy pulao at any meal time with raita and pickles.
Diwali special: Walnut-Dates Roll
Happy Diwali
Diwali celebrations
Continuing the tradition of posting recipes for Diwali, I am sharing the recipe for healthy and simple Walnut – Dates Roll. Hope you like it.
Walnut-Dates Roll
Walnut-dates roll
Walnut-dates roll is a simple and healthy recipe. Enjoy as a dessert after a meal or anytime of the day.
Nutritional facts:
Walnuts: Walnuts are a delicious way to add extra nutrition, flavor and crunch to a meal. While walnuts are harvested in December, they are available year round a great source of those all-important omega-3 fatty acids. [Source: www.whfoods.com]
Dates: California dates are loaded with the energy you need every day – to win a marathon or get you through a tough day. With only 24 calories per date (248 per 100 gram serving), dates are high in dietary fiber, carbohydrates, and contain more potassium than bananas! Yet they are virtually fat, cholesterol and sodium free! [Source: www.nutsonline.com]
Ingredients:
For Walnut–Dates Roll [Approx 20 rolls]
Walnuts [Akhrot]– 1.5 cups
Dates pitted [Pind khajoor] – 1.5 cups
Cardamom powder – 1/2 tsp
Brown sugar [golden] – 1 tbsp
Ghee [Clarified butter] – 2 tbsp
Whole milk – ¼ cup
Method:
- In the food processor, coarsely chop walnuts and dates separately.
- Heat a pan, add ghee and chopped walnuts. Sauté for 2-3 minutes on medium flame.
- Add cardamom powder, chopped dates, brown sugar and milk. Keep stirring for 5 minutes. The mixture should be evenly mixed.
- Divide the above mixture in two parts.
- Take each part and tightly roll it in a square piece of aluminum foil. Rolls should be at least 10 inches long and 2 inches in diameter.
- Put both the rolls, with the aluminum foil, in the freezer for 2 hours.
- Take out the rolls after 2 hours, take off the aluminum foil and with a clean knife, cut the roll into half inch thick discs.
- Lay the discs flat in a plate and again put it in the refrigerator of 2 hours.
- Serve chilled or at the room temp.
Serving Suggestions:
Enjoy Walnut-dates roll as a dessert after any meal.
Diwali special: Mathri [savory snack]
Happy Diwali!
Diwali celebration
Diwali [Festival of lights] is celebrated with great pomp and show throughout India and all around the world by Indians. Festive food, sweets and snacks play a huge part in the Diwali celebration. So I’ll be sharing few of my favorite recipes with you this week. Enjoy and happy cooking…
Mathri (Savory Snack)
Namkeen Mathri
Namkeen mathri is one of the most common north Indian snack. It is great on its own with tea/coffee and even tastes better with spicy pickle or mango chutney. It lasts for few weeks if stored properly in air tight container, so it is a great anytime snack.
For Namkeen Mathri [Approx. 30 pieces]
All purpose flour [Maida] – 1.5 cup
Whole wheat flour – ¾ cups
Yogurt [Dahi] – ½ cup
Vegetable oil/ Butter – ½ cup
Ajwain – 2 tsp
Whole black pepper – 2 tbsp
Water (enough to make firm dough)
Cooking oil to fry
Salt as per taste
Namkeen mathri before frying
Method:
- Combine all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, yogurt, ajwain seeds, vegetable oil and salt.
- Mix together well and add water very slowly(spoon by spoon) to make dough. Knead well to make it a firm dough .
- Keep the dough aside for 10-15 minutes.
- Divide the dough into 4 parts. Make a long rope of each part.
- Take each rope and cut small discs with the help of knife. Now with the help of rolling pin, roll each disc into 2 inch diameter mathris. Prick each mathri with with the fork so that it will not puff when fried.
- Place one whole black pepper in the center of each mathri and press down gently.
- Repeat the process with the remaining 3 parts of dough.
- Heat cooking oil for frying the mathrisi. Oil should be medium hot.
- Deep fry mathris very slowly till it is crisp and golden in color.
- Drain it on paper towel and let it cool down. Store it in an air tight container.
Note: Mathris can be made in different flavors such as using Kasuri methi (one of my favorite) [fenugreek leaves], mango pickle masala in the dough etc.
Serving Suggestions:
Enjoy mathris with the tea/coffee any time of the day.
Nutritious Almond-Walnut Cookies
Almond walnut cookies
Nutritious Almond-Walnut Cookies
Kids love cookies. But getting healthy, nutritious cookies for them, is a challenge. This is my all time favorite cookie recipe. You can substitute any nut for almonds and walnuts. But I like this combination. So I’m sharing this recipe with you. Hope you like it too.
Ingredients:
For Almond-Walnut cookies [Approx. 24 cookies]
All purpose flour (maida) -1 cup
Almonds -1 cup [chopped in food processor]
Walnuts -1 cup [chopped in food processor]
Melted butter – 1/2 cup
Brown Sugar [golden] – 1 cup
Baking powder – 1/2 tsp
Baking soda – 1/2 tsp
Vanilla essence – 1 tsp
Milk – ¼ cup
Salt – ½ tsp
Method
- Preheat the oven at 350 degrees (F).
- Chop almonds and walnuts in the food processor and keep aside.
- In a large bowl, add all the above ingredients. Mix well with a spatula.
- Take a cup of raw almonds and slice them in half. Keep aside.
- Make marble sized balls of the mixture and press it lightly with the thumb. Now place the halved slices of almonds on each cookie.
- On a lightly greased baking tray, place the cookies gently.
- Put the baking tray in the oven for 10 minutes approximately.
- Cookies are done if they are golden brown and crispy.
- Take the tray out and place the cookies on the cooling rack.
- Transfer all the cookies in an air tight container when cookies are completely cool.
Enjoy cookies with a cup of tea/coffee or warm milk any time of the day.
Navratri special: Singhada aloo vada [Water chestnut snack]
Singhada Aloo Vada
Navratri Special: Singhada aloo vada
Festivities are in the air. One of the most auspicious is Navratri. Fasting [vrat] is the part of navratri ritual. Here I’m sharing with you Singhada aloo vada. Singhada means Water chestnuts, its flour is often used in falahari or fasting recipes. This is also a kid’s friendly snack.
Ingredients:
For Singhada aloo vada (8 vadas)
Singhada (Water chestnut) flour – 1.5 cups
Potatoes – 3 medium
Roasted cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Red chili powder – 1 tsp
Green chilies – 2 (finely chopped)
Cilantro - 2 tbsp (finely chopped)
Lime/Lemon juice – 1 tbsp
Sugar – 1 tsp
Cooking oil to fry
Salt as per taste
Method:
- Boil and peel potatoes. In a bowl, add boiled potatoes, salt, red chili powder, green chilies, cilantro, lime juice and sugar. Mix well and make 8 even balls of it. Keep aside.
Aloo balls before frying
- In another bowl, add Singhada flour, ¼ tsp salt and ½ tsp red chili powder. Add some water, mix well and make an even batter of it.
- Heat cooking oil for frying the vadas.
- Cover the potato balls in the batter and deep fry them in medium hot oil.
- Drain it on the kitchen towel when turns golden and crispy.
Serving Suggestions:
Serve hot with green chutney or ketchup with a cup of tea.
Navratri special: Sabudana vada
Sabudana Vada
Navratri Special: Sabudana vada [Sago cutlets]
Festivities are in the air. One of the most auspicious is Navratri. Fasting [vrat] is the part of navratri ritual. Here I’m sharing with you Sabudana vada or Sago cutlets for fasting menu [falahar]. It is also a kid’s friendly snack.
Ingredients:
For sabudana vada (12 vadas approx.)
Sabudana [Sago] – 1cup
Potates – 3 medium
Peanuts – ½ cup roasted and coursely grounded
Red chili powder – 1 tsp
Green chilies – 2 finely chopped
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Cooking oil to fry
Salt as per taste
Method:
- Wash sabudana lightly and soak it in water for 3-4 hours. Sabudana should absorb all the water.
- Boil and peel the potatoes. Ina bowl, add potates and mash them evenly. Now add sabudana, finely chopped green chilies, cumin seeds, peanuts, red chili powder and salt. Mix well.
- Heat cooking oil for frying the vadas.
- Apply little oil on your palms. Take small lemon size dough between your palms and make vadas or cutlets. Fry it in the medium hot oil. Repeat till all the vadas are done. It should be golden and crispy. Sabudana vadas are ready to serve.
Serving Suggestions:
Enjoy garma garam [hot] vadas with ketchup, any chutney or yoghurt.
Spinach-Tomato Soup
Spinach Tomato Soup
Soups are the easiest comfort food to unwind a hectic day. Cozy up with your favorite soup and you feel totally relaxed. Soups are great as starters or as a simple meal itself. Spinach tomato soup is one of my favorite.
Ingredients:
For Spinach Tomato soup: [4 servings]
Spinach [Palak] – 1 lbs (fresh or frozen)
Onion -1 cup chopped finely
Tomato-2 medium [chopped in chunks]
Garlic -1/2 tbsp [paste]
Ginger -1/2 tbsp [paste]
Cilantro -1/4 cup finely chopped
Milk – ½ cup
Corn flour – 1 tbsp
Sugar - 1 tbsp
Olive oil -2 tbsp
Dry Spices:
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Asafoetida (Hing) powder -1/4 tsp
Black pepper powder – 1 tsp
Salt as per taste
Method:
1. Wash Spinach thoroughly in cold water. Boil the washed spinach and tomatoes using 2 cups of water or pressure cook it. Gently blend the cooked spinach and tomatoes with hand blender and keep aside.
2. In a pan, heat 2 tbsp oil. Add cumin seeds. Let it crackle. Add asafoetida powder. Then add chopped onions and sauté it, till it turns translucent and light golden. Add garlic and ginger paste to it. Sauté for 2 minutes. Dissolve corn flour in ¼ cup of cold water and add it to the pan and let it sit for further 2 minutes.
4. Finally add blended spinach tomato puree and chopped cilantro to the above masala, and mix well. Also add black pepper powder, sugar and salt.
5. Mix it all together and sauté it for 8-10 minutes. Stir in milk and serve hot.
Mint-Cilantro Chutney [Green Chutney]
Mint-Cilantro Chutney [Green Chutney]
One of my favorite condiments is green chutney. It is so refreshing; it reminds me of cool summer days. It can be accompanied by most of the appetizers and it is also great with a meal. It is good for health as it helps digest the food properly. You can make this chutney in bulk and freeze for weeks to come. So here comes the simple yet flavorful recipe of Mint-Cilantro chutney.
Ingredients:
For Mint Cilantro Chutney [12 servings]
Cilantro – 2 bunches [Fresh]
Mint – 1 bunch [Fresh]
Sweet Onions -1/2
Green chilies - 1-2
Garlic – 3 cloves
Ginger – 1 inch root [Peeled]
Lime Juice – 2 tbsp fresh
Dry Ingredients:
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Sugar – 1 tsp
Namkeen sev [Bhujiya] -1 tbsp
Salt as per taste
Method:
1. Wash thoroughly cilantro and mint leaves and keep aside. Chop sweet onions in big chunks.
2. In the food processor, add all the above ingredients including dry ingredients and grind it to make a thick sauce.
3. Green chutney is ready to be served or store it in the refrigerator for the later use.
Serve fresh with any meal, snack or appetizers.
