CUCUMBER RAITA

Recipe Source & Acknowledgement: Homely Food

I haven't posted much raita recipes till yet, so love to post simple, easy to make cucumber raita, which has a cooling effect in hot Summer days and also helps in digestion. This is a great side dish, mainly a yogurt based dish, goes well with biryani or pulao. It can be had as an accompaniment with some sabjis and chapathis too.

INGREDIENTS:
1 Medium Sized Cucumber
1 Cup Plain Yogurt (thick)
1 tsp Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder
1/2 tsp Roasted Cumin Powder
2 Sprigs Coriander Leaves (finely chopped)
1 tsp Sugar
Salt to taste

METHOD:
Wash, peel and grate the cucumber. Set it aside.

Mix salt, sugar, Kashmiri red chilli powder and roasted cumin powder. Blend nicely.

Add grated cucumber and mix well. Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves, red chilli powder and cumin powder on the top. Serve Chilled with any pulao or biryani dish.

Linking to: Homely Food Event / Giveaway; "Spotlight: Show Your Best Creation" @ Cuisine Delights; Jagruti's Mom's event- Food She Loved

DUDHI / LAUKI (BOTTLE GOURD) KOFTA CURRY

Here is a very simple kofta curry, koftas made with grated bottle gourd, and a simple gravy using very less oil, not like restaurant style gravy. This bottle gourd koftas require minimal preparation and cooking time. It is very mild flavored than malai koftas or nargisi koftas, yet fabulous! Thanks a ton Meena Bhatia for this Yummilicious kofta curry recipe. Meenu, we relished this delish dear........

INGREDIENTS:
2 Cups Peeled & Grated Bottle Gourd
1 Large Onion (roughly chopped)
1 Large Tomato (roughly chopped)
10 Cashewnuts
4 tbsps Gram Flour (besan)
2 tbsps Plain Yogurt / Curd
1 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste + 1/2 tsp Ginger paste
1 tsp Dried Mango Powder (amchur)
1/2 tsp Black Pepper Powder
2 Green Chillies
2 Green Cardamoms
1/2" Cinnamon
2 tsps Roasted Cumin Coriander Powder
1/3 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Red Chilli Powder
2 tbsps Oil + Oil for Shallow Frying
1 tbsp Chopped Coriander Leaves
Salt to taste

METHOD:
HOW TO MAKE KOFTAS:
Squeeze water out from greated bottle gourd.

Add gram flour, 1/2 tsp ginger paste, dried mango powder, black pepper powder, 1/2 tsp red chilli powder, 1tsp roasted cumin-coriander powder in it. Mix nicely. Give a desired shape. Shallow fry koftas till golden brown from the both sides. Drain on a paper towel and set aside.

TO MAKE GRAVY:

Blend green chillies, onion, cardamoms, cinnamon, yogurt, cashewnuts, tomato all together to make a smooth paste. Set it aside.

Heat 3 tbsps oil in a wok or pan. Add ginger-garlic paste in it. Saute for a minute. Pour the grinded puree in it. Keep stirring for 5 minutes.

Add red chilli powder, turmeric, roasted coriander-cumin powder and salt in it. Lower the heat now fry for another 3-4 minutes.

Pour 2 cups warm water now. Boil it for 5 minutes.

Add koftas into the gravy or pour hot gravy on the koftas. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

Serve hot with chapati, paratha or rice.

Sending to: Homely Food Event / Giveaway; "Spotlight: Show Your Best Creation" @ Cuisine Delights; Taste of the Tropics @ ESHO-BOSHO-AAHARE; Jagruti's Mom's event- Food She Loved; Gat's & Viji's Show Your Styles to the World - Fenugreek & Bottle Gourd                                                                            

BAKED VEGGIES

Recipe Source & Acknowledgement: Homely Food

Today, I am going to present a healthy and tasty baked dish with simple vegetables (veggies are absolutely your choice). Baked veggies are so yummy and filling, simple yet fabulous. This is especially delicious in Wintertime, when we always crave warmer foods. You may serve it as a party or potluck dish too.....

INGREDIENTS:
5-6 Florets of Cauliflower
1 Medium Potato, Cut Into Medium Cubes
1/3 Cup Sweet Corns (frozen)
1/3 Cup Green Peas (frozen)
3 tbsps Chopped Red Bell Pepper
3 tbsps Chopped Green Bell Pepper
1/2 of a Medium Carrot, Cut Into 1/2" thick cubes
2 tbsps chopped Parsley Leaves
3 Processed Cheese Cubes, Grated (I used Amul cheese cubes)
1 tbsp Butter
Salt to taste
Black Pepper Powder to taste
1/2 tsp Chilli Flakes

FOR WHITE SAUCE:
1&1/2 Cup Milk
2 tbsps Butter
2 tbsps All Purpose Flour
1 tsp Sugar
A pinch of Nutmeg Powder
Salt and Black Pepper Powder to taste

METHOD:

Boil potato, cauliflower, sweet corn, carrot and peas for 10 minutes. 

Drain water completely and set aside.

TO MAKE WHITE SAUCE:
Take butter in a microoven safe bowl. Micro at 100% MW power for 30 seconds.

Mix all purpose flour in it. Fold nicely. Micro at 100% MW power for 1 minute.

Pour milk, sugar, salt, nutmeg powder and pepper powder in it now. Beat well, so that no lumps are formed.

Microwave the sauce for 3 minutes at 100% MW power or till it thickens. (Alternatively you can make it on stove top too)

HOW TO PROCEED:
Add boiled mixed vegetables, chopped green bell peppers and chopped red bell peppers to the prepared sauce.

Add 2 tbsps grated cheese in it.

Mix black pepper powder, chilli flakes and adjust salt now. Fold nicely. Grease a baking tray, pour veggies mixture on it.

Add parsley leaves in it.

Sprinkle the remaining grated cheese and dot with butter on the top.

Preheat oven at 200 C. Bake it for 12 minutes or till cheese melts and turns golden.

Serve hot with brown bread.

Sending to: Homely Food Event / Giveaway; "Spotlight: Show Your Best Creation" @ Cuisine Delights; Jagruti's Mom's event- Food She Loved

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Sanoli

ELEPHANTFOOT YAM / JIMIKAND KOFTA CURRY (OL-ER KOFTA CURRY)

Recipe Source & Acknowledgement: Homely Food

According to wiki, Elephantfoot Yam (Amorphophallus paeoniifolius) is a tropical tuber crop, basically in South Eest Asian countries, which is very different from Sweet Potato. I saw in my childhood days, my grandma cooked this curry with little variations, and it was truly yummilicious. After her, my mom adopted this delightful curry from her MIL and oftenly served to our dinning table. Years gone, I tried out this curry with taking some tips from my mom and Meena. Trust me it came out just fabulous, so here sharing with you all.....

INGREDIENTS:
300 gm Elephantfoot Yam / Jimikand (ol/suran)
1/3 Cup Plain Yogurt or Curd
2 Onions
1 Tomato
3 Green Chillies (chopped)
4 tbsps Cashewnut Paste
1 tbsp Grated Ginger
1 tbsp Minced Garlic
1" Cinnamon Stick
3 Cloves
A Pinch Of Asafoetida
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
2 tsp Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder
3 tbsps Corn Flour
1 tsp Garam Masala
2 tsp Coriander Powder
1 tsp Dried Mango Powder (amchur)
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
Salt to taste
2 tbsps + Oil for Shallow Frying
Water As Needed
2 tbsps Coriander Leaves

METHOD:
Grease palms with little oil and scrab the outer surface of yam under running water.

Peel the yam skin carefully with a strong and sharp knife. Wash and cut yam into medium cubes.

Boil yam in pressure cooker with little water. Once cool, drain water and keep boiled yam aside.

For gravy, grind onion, tomato, 2 green chillies, cloves, cinnamon, ginger and garlic together to make a smooth paste. Set aside. Heat 2 tbsps oil in a wok or pan. Add cumin seeds and asafoetida in it. When cumin seed splutters, add the gravy paste (which we made before and set aside). 

Keep stirring till oil leaves side. Add turmeric powder, salt, 1tsp kashmiri red chilli powder, 1tsp coriander powder and garam masala in it.

Stir for a minute, then add cashewnut paste in it. 

Fry till spices leave oil from the side of the wok.

Add 3/4 cup of water to get the required consistency. 

Reduce the heat and let it boil for 3 minutes. Switch off the heat now. Delicious gravy is ready now.

For making koftas, mash yam nicely.

Add corn flour, salt, 1 chopped green chillies, 1tsp coriander powder, 1tsp kashmiri red chilli powder, dried mango powder and 1 tbsp finely chopped coriander powder in it. Mash and mix thoroughly. Set it aside.

Make small balls and shallow fry till both sides turn golden brown. Drain on paper towel to absorb excess oil from koftas.

While serving, arrange koftas on a serving bowl, pour warm gravy on the top and sprinkle coriander leaves on the top. Garnish with few koftas and cashewnuts, serve with steamed rice, chapathis, naan or parathas. Enjoy this yummy delicacy........

Sending to: Homely Food Event / Giveaway; "Spotlight: Show Your Best Creation" @ Cuisine Delights; Taste of the Tropics @ ESHO-BOSHO-AAHARE; Jagruti's Mom's event- Food She Loved