Sanoli's Kitchen: Appetizers
Showing posts with label Appetizers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Appetizers. Show all posts

Friday, February 6, 2015

POTATO CHEESE BALLS IN SPINACH GRAVY

Yummy potato balls cheesy from inside cooked in creamy spinach sauce. Its a labour intensive dish but its worth the effort and makes a great main course party dish. Goes very well with naan, pulao or parathas. Trust me, it is really scrumptious and delightful.

INGREDIENTS FOR POTATO CHEESE BALLS:


3 Potatoes (Parboiled)
1/2 Cup Freshly made Cottage Cheese (Paneer)
4 tbsp Bread Crumbs
5-6 tbsp + 2 tbsp Corn Flour
Mozzarella Cheese, Cut into 9 Nos 1/4" Cubes
1/4 tsp Dried Oregano
1/4 tsp Dried Thyme
2 tbsp Finely Chopped Cilantro
1/2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
1 tsp Chaat masala
Salt to taste
Oil For Deep Frying


INGREDIENTS FOR MAKING SPINACH GRAVY:


500 gm Baby Spinach (or may use leaves only) 
2-3 Green Chillies (As Per Taste)
6 Garlic Pods (Finely Chopped)
1 Large Tomato (Pureed)
1/2 tsp Caraway Seeds (Shah Jeera)
1 tsp Coriander Powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1/2 tsp Kitchen King Masala
1/2 tsp Garam Masala Powder
3-4 tbsp Oil
1/2 Cup Fresh Cream
1 tsp Butter (Optional)
Salt to taste


METHOD:




HOW TO MAKE POTATO CHEESE BALLS:


Mash parboiled potatoes very nicely.
Add cilantro, chaat masala, oregano, thyme, red chilli powder, cottage cheese and salt. Mix all ingredients well and keep aside for 2 minutes.
After that add 5-6 tbsp corn flour into in it. Mix well. Keep mixture into refrigerator for 15-20 minutes.
Dilute 2 tbsp cornflour with 1/4 cup water. Whisk properly, so that there should not any lump inside the batter.
Take a small lemon sized ball, stuff 1or 2 mozzarella cheese cubes in it. Dip the ball in cornflour batter and roll on bread crumb. Thus, I made total 9 balls from the mixture.
Heat enough oil and deep fry the balls till golden brown. Set those balls aside; or you may serve as a party snack with green chutney....:)



HOW TO MAKE SPINACH GRAVY:


Boil 2-3 cups water with some salt. Switch off the heat and immediately add the spinach.
Blanch them in the water for 5 minutes.
Drain and immediately place the spinach in cold water for 3-4 minutes. So that it maintains the bright green colour in gravy.
Drain again and along with green chilies, make a smooth puree in a grinder or blender.
Heat oil in a kadai/handi. Add caraway seeds and garlic in it. Saute for a minute or two till raw smell of garlic disappears.
Pour spinach puree in it and keep stirring for 3 minutes. Add tomato puree and fold nicely.
Add turmeric powder, coriander powder and salt in it. Fry for 5 minutes on medium heat now.
Add 1 cup of warm water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat now and cook on simmer for 7-8 minutes, cook till the gravy is reduced by half.
Lower the heat now, add garam masala powder, fresh cream and butter in it. Keep stirring for a minutes. Switch off the heat now.
Arrange the koftas in a serving dish. Pour the hot gravy over it. Sprinkle little fresh cream on the top and serve hot.

This delectable dish goes well with steamed rice, jeera rice, pulao, phulkas, parathas or naan anything as you like.

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

PARTY PUNCH

A colourful, sweet and tangy beverage made in the intermingling taste of mango and orange juice mixed with Sundae ice cream and crushed ice, surprisingly very refreshing. Seen this recipe in 'Party Cooking' written by Master Chef Sanjeev Kapoor, made little modification according to my taste. This is definitely a match made in heaven, easy to make a wonderful delight to satisfy your guests.


INGREDIENTS:

2 Cups Mango Juice
2 Cups Orange Juice
4 tbsp Rose Syrup
4 Scoops Sundae Ice Cream
1 Cup Ice Cubes
3-4 Ice Cubes (Crushed) for Garnishing (optional)


METHOD:

Pour a tbsp full rose syrup into each glass and swirl to form a design.
Place the glasses in the refrigerator for an hour to chill.
By using an electric blender, blend the mango juice, orange juice, ice cubes and sundae ice cream till smooth.
Pour the prepared mixture into the rose syrup lined glasses, topped with crushed ice (optional).

Serve immediately.

SERVES: 4

Monday, December 1, 2014

RUI MACHER POLAO (ROHU RICE)

After a long gap, today I come here with a super delicious Bengali delicacy "Macher Polao" (fish in rice), which I made with Rohu, a fish of sweet water. I told earlier also, 'Bengali meal is incomplete without fish'. In this cuisine, you can get variety of fingerlicking good fish dishes. Rohu Rice is delicately cooked with basmati rice, rohu fish and spices, which is ever yummilicious and mouthwatery, just tryout and relish! 

INGREDIENTS:

400 gm Rohu Fish / Rui Mach (cleaned, washed and cut into 4 pieces)
1&1/2 Cup Basmati Rice (washed and soaked in water for 30 minutes)
1 Bay Leaf
1 tsp Ginger Paste
1 tsp Red Chilli Paste (or as desired)
3/4 Cup Thinly Sliced Onion
3 Pods of Garlic (finely chopped)
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1/2 tsp Garam Masala Powder
(Dry Roasted & Pounded Spice Mixture of green cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, clove, caraway seeds & white pepper)
4-5 tsp Clarified Butter (ghee)
Salt to taste
Cashewnuts & Raisins As Required
2 tsp Sugar
2&1/2 Cup Warm Water
Oil for Deep Frying

METHOD:

Wash rice and soak it in water for 30 minutes.
Marinate fish with salt and turmeric powder for 15-20 minutes. Deep fry fish pieces and keep those aside.
Heat 2 tsp clarified butter (ghee) in a deep frying pan. Add chopped garlic, saute for 20 seconds, then add sliced onion. Fry till onion turns into golden brown.
Add bay leaf, chilli paste, ginger paste and 1/4 tsp garam masala powder; saute for 2 minutes on medium low heat. Mix fried fish pieces into this spice mixture and fry for another 2-3 minutes, remove from pan and set aside.


Add remaining 2 tsp clarified butter (ghee) in the same pan. Add 1/4 tsp garam masala powder, turmeric powder, cashewnuts, raisins, rice and salt in it. Fry for 2-3 minutes on low heat.
Add warm water in it and give a nice stir. Higher the flame till it starts to boil. Simmer the stove, cover and cook exactly for 15 minutes.


Switch off the heat now. Arrange fried fish pieces, sugar and onion mixture on the top. Cover it for another 10 minutes.
Serve warm with any curry or raita. 
Enjoy this lucious essence of Bengal, "Macher polao" (Rohu Rice)!!!

Sunday, August 10, 2014

SPICY LONG BEANS / BARBATTI MASALA

Barbatti or long beans, a Summer vegetable, is generally very less populer among other green vegetables. My family didn't like to eat barbatti before, as it was a problem to me how to make a delicious dry curry of this fiber-rich long beans. Once I found this delicious dry curry of green beans in "Maayeka", while blog hopping. It is definitely a yummilicious solution to me to make barbatti curry, very well goes with roti and rice both. Tryout, it will definitely satisfy you too.

INGREDIENTS:

350 gm Long Beans (Washed)
1 tsp Coriander Powder
1/2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1/2 tsp Dried Mango Powder (Amchur)
3 Tomatoes
3-4 Green Chillies
1/2 tsp Sugar (Optional)
3 tbsp Oil
Salt to taste
1 tbsp Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves
FOR TEMPERING:
1/4 tsp Carom Seeds
1/3 tsp Mustard Seeds
1/3 tsp Cumin Seeds
1/4 tsp Fenugreek Seeds
1/3 tsp Carom Seeds
A Pinch of Asafoetida
10-12 Curry Leaves

METHOD:

Trim the both ends of long beans and slice into 1/2" long pieces.
In a pressure cooker, add beans and 1 cup of water, pressure cook for 2 whistles or till it done.
Grind tomatoes and green chillies. Make a smooth paste. Drain long beans and collect the water in a pot. Set it aside.
In a pan or wok, heat oil. Add all tempering spices, saute till spices crackle.
Pour tomato-green chilli paste in it. Stir well for 2 minutes.
Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder, dried mango powder, sugar and salt in it. Saute till oil starts seperating from the spices.
Now mix boiled long beans in it. Fold well. Add 1/2 Cup reserved water (which collected from the boiled long beans), mix well. Cook for few more minutes till it becomes thick and almost dry.
At this time, add coriander leaves, fold nicely. Remove from heat and serve with warm chapati or steamed rice. It is really a very tasty side dish.

Thank you so much Anjana didi for this scrumptious long beans dish.

Monday, June 23, 2014

APPLE CHEESE CAKE (BAKED VERSION)

This baked apple cheese cake is really yummy and easy to make. Light and flavourful baked cheese cake topped with caramelized apple wedges. Raisins added some extra flavour to it. The simplicity makes this cake so special. I only had single slice left of the cake to take the final pic. Guess how delightful this cake is!!!

INGREDIENTS:

FOR CRUST:

20 gm / 0.7 oz Butter (Softened)
120 gm / 2.1 oz Orange Wafers

FOR CHEESE CAKE:

1 Apple, Cut into 8 Wedges
113 gm / 4 oz Philadelphia Cream Cheese
70 ml Whipping Cream or Fresh Cream
2 tbsp Self Raising Flour (Maida)
40 gm / 1.4 oz + 1 tbsp Sugar
1 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla Essence
2 tsp Fresh Lemon Juice
10 gm / 0.35 oz Melted Butter
1 tbsp Raisins

METHOD:

Line a square pan with parchment paper / Baking paper.
Place all orange wafers in a ziploc bag. By using your hands smas it nicely.
Add 20 gm butter and mix it thoroughly. Press firmly by using the bottom of a glass on the prepared pan with parchment paper. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until set.

Preheat oven to 180 C. Beat softened cream cheese in a bowl. Add Sugar in it. Blend again.
Add beaten egg and whisk the mixture well. Pour whipped cream and mix nicely.
Add lemon juice, vanilla essence and shift flour in it. Add melted butter in this mixture and fold well.
Pour the mixture onto the pan above crust.
In the mean time, heat a pan. Arrange apple wedges on it. Sprinkle 1 tbsp sugar. Heat both sides of the wedges, so that apple glazes well. Remove from pan and place the glazed apple pieces on the top of the cake batter now. Sprinkle raisins on the top.
Put the cake pan on the oven and bake exactly for 40 minutes. Allow to cool to the room temperature and refrigerate for atleast 3 hours before serving.

Cut into bars and serve!!!!

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

CABBAGE RICE

This is one of the filling and tasty rice dish which I experimented for this month's Shhhhh...Cooking Secretly Challenge started by Priya Suresh akka from Priya's Versatile Recipes. My partner for this month is Manjula Kanted from Desi Fiesta, who suggested my secret ingredients which were Cabbage and Cinnamon. Here, I used both of them to make this delicious rice dish in South Indian style. Cabbage Rice is a quick-fix main coarse dish or a filling lunch box recipe. Cinnamon added some extra flavour to it. A great variation of rice dish for those who don't like to eat cabbage. This dish is for them, who need to quickly cook healthy food, pack for the lunch and move on with our work. 


INGREDIENTS:

2&1/2 Cups Cooked Basmati Rice / Leftover Rice
2&1/2 Cups Shredded Cabbage
1 Medium Onion (Thinly Sliced)
1&1/2 tsp Grated Garlic
2 tbsp Peanuts
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds
A Pinch of Asafoetida
2 Green Chillies, Cut into Slits
1 tsp Coriander Powder
1/4 tsp Cinnamon Powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1/2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
8-10 Curry Leaves
2 tsp Lemon Juice
3 tbsp Oil
Salt to taste


METHOD:

In a pan or wok, heat 3 tbsp oil and add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, asafoetida. Let cumin seeds and mustards seeds crackle. Now add peanuts and fry for a minute. Add grated garlic and curry leaves. Saute till it turns light brown in colour. 
Add sliced onion and fry till it gets translucent. Add cabbage and salt in it, mix well. Now add all the dry spice powder in it. Stir again. Cover and cook on medium heat for 4 minutes. Keep stirring occassionally. Cabbage should be soft and crunchy.
Pour cooked rice in it. Fold well. Cover and cook for another 3-4 minutes on medium low heat., so that everything incorporate very well with rice. 

Finally sprinkle lemon juice on the top, give a nice stir and remove it from the heat now.
Serve as a main dish with a bowl of curd or raita...Enjoy!!!


Thursday, June 5, 2014

DAHI WALA MURGH (CHICKEN IN YOGURT)

This is a classic and gorgeour Punjabi dish, usually served as a main course. A spicy and a super delightful Indian style chicken curry which is very flavourful and luscious. The main ingredient is yogurt, chicken slowly cooked in yogurt gravy. Trust me, it is just fabulous!!!

INGREDIENTS:

1 Kg Chicken, Cut In Bones (Cleaned and washed)
4 Medium Tomatoes
2 tbsp Finely Chopped Fresh Coriander Leaves (Cilantro)
1 tbsp Garlic Paste
1 tbsp Ginger Paste
1 Cup Thick Yogurt (Curd)
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1&1/2 tsp Red Chilli Powder (Or as per taste)
1/2 tsp Garam Masala
1 tbsp Dried Fenugreek Leaves (Kasuri Methi)
1 tbsp Coriander Powder
4 tbsp Oil
Salt to taste
FOR GARNISHING:
2-3 Green Chillies, Cut Into Slits
1 tsp Ginger Julienne
Few Sprigs of Coriander Leaves (Chopped)

METHOD:

Boil tomatoes for 10-15 minutes on medium heat. Let those cool and remove skin. Make puree from these skinless tomatoes and keep it aside.
Heat oil in a wok, when oil is enough hot, add chicken pieces and fry for 6-8 minutes or till chicken turns into golden brown. Remove pieces from the oil and set those aside.
Add cumin seeds followed by ginger-garlic paste on the same oil and saute for 4 minutes till ginger-garlic turns into light brown in colour.
Now add all the dry spices, i.e. turmeric powder, red chilli powder, faram masala, salt and coriander powder in the same oil.
Saute for a minute and then add tomato puree in it. Keep stirring for 4 minutes on medium flame, you can see oil leaves from the spices.
Pour yogurt on it and cook for a while.
Add fried chicken pieces, mix well. Cover and cook for 20 minutes on medium low heat. Add kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves), fold well and switch off the heat now.

Garnish with green chillies, julienned ginger and coriander leaves.
Serve warm with naan, paratha, chapati or any rice dish, it is always delicious!!!

Thursday, May 22, 2014

A B PARATHA

'A B Paratha' means Aloo (potato) Stuffed Beetroot Paratha, very bright colour, an eye appealing, filling paratha. This recipe is specially for those, who don't like to have beetroot. It is so delicious that everyone will surely ready to grab those parathas. Very well goes with any spicy pickle, chutney or simply with curd. A healthy paratha, which is just incredible.

INGREDIENTS:

FOR MAKING DOUGH:

1 Cup Wheat Flour (Atta)
1 Beetroot
1/2 tsp Carom Seeds (Ajwain)
1/2 tsp Finely Chopped Green Chillies
1 tsp Vinegar
1/2 tsp Salt
2 tsp Oil

STUFFING:

1 Large Boiled Potato (Peeled & Grated)
1/4 Cup Finely Chopped Onion
1/2 tsp Dried Mango Powder (Amchur)
2 tbsp Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves / Cilantro
1/2 tsp Finely Chopped Green Chillies
1/2 tsp Red Chilli Powder (Optional)
Salt to taste

3-4 tbsp Oil To Fry The Parathas

METHOD:

First of all, wash, peel and boil beetroot in water with little salt and vinegar till beet is tender. (Vinegar retains the colour of beetroot after boiling also)
Make puree from this tendered beetroot or grate beetroot nicely and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine wheat flour, beet puree, carom seeds, green chillies and 2 tsp Oil. Knead it very well to make a soft smooth dough. Keep it aside for 15 minutes.
In the meantime, prepare stuffing for the parathas. In a large plate, combine grated potato, onion, mango powder, green chillies, coriander leaves / cilantro, red chilli powder and salt. Mix nicely, so that everything incorporated well. Keep it aside.
Divide the flour dough into 6 equal portions. Shape into flatten round balls. Divide the stuffing mixture into 6 equal portions.
Place a flatten ball on a plain surface, dust with 1/2 tsp wheat flour. Make a round shape roti approximately 4"-5" diameter. Pour one part of stuffing mixture on the centre of the roti, cover all the edges to make a small pattie. Coat with dry flour and roll again into a thick round paratha.
Heat a tawa (preferably non-stick) till very hot, lower the heat now and place a paratha over it.
When you notice, tiny bubbles rising on the surface, flip on the other side.
Add 1/2 tsp oil on each side of the paratha and fry till paratha becomes crisp and brown spots come on the both sides.

Transfer to a serving plate and serve hot parathas with any pickle, chutney or curd.

Monday, May 19, 2014

SAVOURY VEGETABLE CAKE


Now I am a part of Shhhh.....Cooking Secretly Challenge, brain-child of Priya Suresh akka from Priya's versatile recipes. My secret ingredients for this month were any orange colour vegetable (I choosen Carrot) and any green vegetable (I choosen French Beans) given by Yashodhas Kitchen. Both the ingredients were used in my dish and made this yummilicious and super tasty savoury cake. A great dish for breakfast or evening tea time snack, a delicious appetizer, very less oil is used here, so it is very healthy too. If you are very much calorie consious, may omit cheese, but definitely cheese added some extra flavour to it, if you tryout this simple yet filling dish, you and your family will surely enjoyed it whole heartedly.


INGREDIENTS:

1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour (maida)
4 Eggs
1/3 tsp Freshly Pounded Black Pepper
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/3 Cup Finely Chopped Carrot
1/3 Cup Finely Chopped French Beans
1/2 Cup Finely Chopped Onions
2 Green Chillies (chopped)
2 tbsp Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves / Cilantro
1/3 Cup Plain Yogurt / Curd
1/2 Green Bell Pepper (chopped)
2 Processed Cheese Cubes (grated)
1 tbsp + Few Drops of Olive Oil (may use any white oil too)
Salt to taste


METHOD:

Preheat oven to 180 C. Grease the baking tray with few drops of olive oil and flour it nicely.
In a large bowl, break eggs, add salt and black pepper in it and whisk well.
Add flour, baking powder and blend well.
At this time add all vegetables, 1 tbsp olive oil and yogurt. Mix thoroughly.
Pour this mixture to baking tray. 
Sprinkle grated cheese on the top and bake it for 40 minutes.
Take out the tray from the oven and let it cool down completely on a cooling rack.
Garnish with grated cheese on the top.
Cut into desired shapes, serve and enjoy this yummy savoury cake.


Friday, April 18, 2014

CONDENSED MILK ORANGE CAKE

Coming to the Shhhhh... Cooking Secretly Challenge which started by Priya Suresh akka from Priya's versatile recipes. The mission of this event is to know the fellow bloggers more mutually and share the cooking ingredients and cooking experience with her. As this the first challenge of this event and my co-blogger partner is noone rather than Nirmala Gurunathan, a wonderful co-blogger friend and a foodie writer of Nirmala's Kitchen. My secret ingredients were condensed milk and flour, I used both of the ingredients here to make this mouthwatering cake. It was really very dense. It had a good flavour, but you really do need to serve with whipped cream and fruit or simply sprinkle icing sugar on the top. 

INGREDIENTS:

14 oz / 400 gm Condensed Milk
1 Cup Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
15 gm or 1/4 Cup Melted Butter
4 Eggs
1 tbsp Orange zest
1 Orange, cut into round slices and de-seeded
2 tbsp Roughly Chopped Walnuts
1 tsp Vanilla Essence
1 tbsp Sugar

FOR GARNISHING:

1 tbsp Icing Sugar
Few Walnuts
Few Fresh Cherries

METHOD:

Grease and floured a 9" cake pan.
Preheat oven to 180 C / 350 F. In a large bowl, well combine condensed milk, flour, baking powder, melted butter, eggs, 1/2 tsp vanilla essence and orange zest. Add walnuts in it, fold again.
Pour the batter on the cake pan.

In the mean time, heat a non stick pan. Arrange round slices of orange on it. Sprinkle sugar and remaining vanilla essence on it. Heat both sides of the orange pieces, so that orange glazes well.
Place the glazed orange pieces on the top of the cake batter now.

Put the cake pan on the oven and bake for exactly 40 minutes (time may little varry from oven to oven). Let it cool down on wire rack. 

Sprinkle icing sugar on the top, garnish with with walnuts and cherries. Serve and enjoy this toothsome delicacy!!!