Kadai Mushroom

This is a very simple and quick dish, prepared in tangy tomato gravy with button mushrooms and capsicum. The process of cooking mushrooms in fresh tomatoe puree brings a pleasent savory taste to the dish. No wonder, if you get reminded of this dish whenever you see a pack of clean n fresh white button mushrooms in the supermarket. This sabji gives a long lasting aftertaste and can be relished with roti or paratha, though tastes best with butter naan.

kadai mushroom

I dint add any cream to the sabji to keep it low calorie, but if you are preparing it for the guests/party, you must add fresh cream to finish the sabji to impart a rich and thick texture to the gravy. 

kadai mushroom

Serves : 4

Ingredients : 

Onion (cut into 1" cubes) - 2

Capsicum (cut into 1" cubes) - 2

Tomatoes (cut into 1" cubes) - 2

Fresh tomato puree of 2 medium-size tomatoes

Button Mushrooms (quartered) - 100 gm

Dabur Hommade Tomato Puree - 1 tbsp

Green Chili (finely chopped) - 1

Water - 1/2 cup

Salt - to taste

Corriander Powder (dhania powder) - 1/2 tsp

Shahi Paneer Masala - 1/2 tsp

Sugar - 1/2 tsp

Chat Masala - 1/2 tsp

Fresh Cream - 2 tbsp (optional)

Kasoori Methi - 1/2 tsp

Oil - 1 tbsp

Procedure :

1. Heat oil in a wok and saute onions till they turn transluscent pink.

2. Add fresh tomato puree, chopped green chili, salt, corriander powder, shahi paneer masala, chat masala. Cook till the mixture becomes dry and leaves oil on the sides of the wok.

cooked masala mixture

3. Add water. Let it boil, then add capsicum and mushrooms.

add capsicums and mushrooms to the boiling water

4. Add sugar, dabur hommade tomato puree. mix. cook till the capsicums get tender and the desired consistency of the gravy has been attained, meanwhile mushrooms will also absorb the flavors of the gravy.

5.In the last, just after turning off the flame, add chopped tomatoes and kasoori methi and cover the wok with a lid for 2 min and your kadai mushroom is ready to serve!

Tip : If you want to add fresh cream, add 2 tbsp of fresh cream(malai) after step 4, cook for 2 min on medium flame, then add kasoori methi and chopped tomatoes i.e. step 5.

SPINACH RICE

spinach rice

Spinach is one of the healthiest green you can find. It is a rich source of vitamin A, iron, anti-oxidants and very high dietary fiber. It has many hair loss preventing and cancer reducing nutrients too. Don't be surprised if someone tells you her secret of gorgeous hair and skin is 'SPINACH'. I've mentioned these facts to encourage you to involve more of this  green leafy vegetable into your daily diet (at least when it is in season) and be innovative to cook something tasty.

spinach rice

Serves : 4

Ingredients : 

Long grain Basmati rice(soaked in water for 1 hour) - 1 1/2 cups
Spinach Puree - 2 cups
Water - 1 1/2 cups
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Cumin Seeds (Jeera) - 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Chat Masala - 1/2 tsp
Onion (sliced) - 2
Green Chilies (finely chopped) - 1

Procedure :

1. Heat ghee in a deep pan and crackle the cumin seeds.
2. On medium flame, saute onion till brown-pink in color.
3. Add water, salt, chat masala and green chilies.
4. When water starts boiling add spinach puree and rice. Stir lightly.
5. Cover and cook on high flame for 2 min, then simmer the flame and cook till the rice is done and all the water is absorbed.
6. Serve hot.

Garnish : I cut out two flowers from papaya using a cookie cutter :)
                 It is completely optional.

Tip : To prepare spinach puree - In a pot of boiling water, put the washed and cleaned spinach leaves, cook for 2 min, drain and run under the cold water. Blend the blanched leaves into puree using some fresh water. Usually, 1 bunch of spinach (450 gm) yields 1 cup of spinach puree.

SALAD DECORATION

I saw the tutorials for flowers made out of carrots and strawberries on pinterest and was very excited to try these newly learnt carvings. Last weekend when my parents came home, I tried these flowers and arranged the salad as shown in the picture. No wonder, the salad won so many compliments :)

To find the procedure to make carrot flowers, please click here
And for strawberry roses, please click here

Microwave Dhokla

This dhokla is so yummy that you wont be able to resist the urge of having more and more. Its super soft texture is incredible. I can bet you will rank it higher than a store-bought dhokla. If you like you can garnish it with chopped fresh coriander or curry leaves. Coriander definitely improves the taste of dhokla many times. Some people like it with water-boiled green chilies, some like it with green chutney, but this recipe is sufficient in itself, you don't need anything additionally.

Microwave Dhokla

I tried this recipe several times but could not get it right until i used the idli moulds to make the dhokla. Reason being: sides used to get cooked faster than the center. By the time center gets cooked, sides were over-cooked. The catch here is to use an idli mould to cook the dhokla.  Using an idli mould to cook the dhoklas in microwave made my life easier and tastier :)  Now my dhoklas are just perfect every time. Guests cant stop themselves appreciating my dhokla!!

Dhokla

Makes : 15 dhoklas

Ingredients : 

Besan (Gram flour) - 1 cup (of capacity 200 ml)
Sooji (Fine Semolina) - 1/4 cup
Citric Acid - 3/4 tsp
Sugar - 5 tsp heaped
Salt - 1 tsp
Haldi (turmeric powder) - 1/4 tsp
Water - 3/4 cup
Soda - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 1 1/2 tbsp
Rai (Mustard Seeds)- 3/4 tsp


Method :

1. Prepare a thick batter by mixing besan, sooji, citric acid, sugar, salt, haldi and water. Let it rest for at least half an hour.
2. Add soda and whisk the batter for about 1 minute. You will notice that batter has almost doubled in volume, a kind of whiteness in color of the batter and the has become very light and bubbly.
3. Grease the idli moulds with the refined oil and fill the greased cavity with 1 tbsp of batter. Make sure the cavity is filled 3/4th and not more than that.
4. Microwave one mould at a time for 1 min. (Timing depends upon the size and amount of the food to be cooked , If the dhokla is left uncooked, you will see a wet patch on the top of the dhokla, you need to  microwave it for few more seconds till it starts to leave the sides of the mould.)
5. Repeat with the remaining batter to make all the dhoklas. (Grease the mould every time you re-use it.)
6. Wait for the dhoklas to cool down completely.
7. Take a bowl full of water. Immerse a dhokla into the water and keep it on the serving plate. Do this for all the dhoklas.
8. Prepare tempering by crackling mustard seeds in hot oil.
9. Spread the prepared tempering on all the dhoklas using a spoon.
10. Dhokla is ready to serve.

Tip : 

1. Prepare the dhokla about 1/2 an hour before the time of serving, so that, it has soaked the water up to the inner-most layer.
2. Garnish it with freshly chopped fresh coriander/curry leaves

Dhokla

Bharwan Mirch Ka Achar / Stuffed Jalapeno Pickle

stuffed chili pickle

This is one of the best pickle in my kitchen. This pickle goes with almost everything, be it pulav, biryani, stuff parathas, dal-roti or anything else. The good thing is - this pickle stays for years!

With this recipe you can pickle both kind of jalapenos - red and green.

Here is the recipe of this mouth-watering pickle.

Ingredients :

Bhavnagari Chilies (Jalapeno) - 400 gm
Methi dana (Fenugreek seeds) - 1 tsp
Rai (Mustard seeds) - 1 tsp
Jeera (Cumin seeds) - 1 tsp
Haldi (Turmeric powder) - 1 tsp
Salt - 4 tbsp
Amchur Powder (Dried Mango Powder) - 4 tbsp
Dhania Powder (Corriander Powder) - 2 tbsp
Saunf Powder (Aniseed Powder) - 2 tbsp
Mustard Oil - 5oo ml

Procedure :

1. Wash and towel wipe all the jalapenos.
2. Slit the jalapenos lengthways on a side from the stalk to the tip, to create an opening for the filling.
3. Dry roast methidana, rai and jeera on a griddle or microwave high for 1 minute. Let it cool.
4. Grind the above three ingredients in mixer to get a coarse powder.
5. Mix the methi-rai-jeera powder with the rest of the spices.
6. Put a little mustard oil on the masala mixture to make a thick paste (make sure its not runny.)
7. Stuff the Jalapenos and brush a little masala mixture on the outer surface too.
8. Set these stuffed jalapenos in a clean-dry air-tight ceramic/glass jar.
9. Pour the left-over masala on the jalapenos in the end and fill the jar with mustard oil floating 2" above the stuffed jalapenos (excess oil is to avoid the jalapenos from fungal attack.)
10. Set aside for two months.

Note :
1. Use gloves if you can not handle the burning sensation of jalapenos.
2. Make sure all the jalapenos are completely immersed in the oil. Not even a smallest part get exposed to air.
3. To culture the pickle faster, keep it in sunlight daily for a few hours.

bharwan mirch ka achar

Easy Paneer Sabji

Its a low calorie preparation.
Doesn't take much time to prepare.

Ingredients :

Onions (sliced vertically)- 3 (medium size)
Capsicum (cut into long thin strips) - 2 (medium size)
Fresh Tomato puree - 4 tbsp
Paneer (cut into long thin strips) - 100 gms
Salt to taste
Corriander Powder - 1 tsp
Red Chili Powder - 1/2 tsp
Sugar - 1/2 tsp
Chat Masala - 1 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp

Procedure :

1. Heat oil in a pan/kadai.
2. Add sliced onions and saute till translucent pink.
3. Add capsicums and cook for 2 minutes.
4. Add fresh tomato puree and  all the seasoning. Mix thoroughly on high flame.
5. Add 1 cup water. Mix. Simmer the flame for 5 minutes after a boil.
6. Add paneer and cook for 1 more minute.
7. Dish is ready to serve!

Serve it hot with chapati or paratha.

Valentines Day Breakfast

valentines sandwich :)