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.

VEGETABLE OATS MUFFIN - A VERY LOW CALORIE DIABETIC SNACK

'Oats' have numerous uses in foods, most commonly, they are rolled or crushed into oatmeal or ground into fine oat flour. Oatmeal is mainly eaten as porridge. But may also be used in a variety of baked good, such as oatcakes, bread, cookies and muffins. Oats are a coomon breakfast dish and are an excellent source of iron, dietary fiber and thiamin; also contain antioxidants, that protect the circulatory system from diseases i.e. arteriosclerosis, which affects the arterial blood vessels. This muffins contain very low calorie and a delicious food for diabetics. I made this healthier snack, savory oven baked treats of vegetables and oats muffins - a delicious and tasty low calorie treat.

INGREDIENTS:

¾ Cup Whole Wheat Flour (atta)

¾ Cup Oats (I used Quaker oats)

1&1/2 Cup Vegetables (1/3 Cup C Tiny Cubes  of Carrot, 1/3 Cup Finely Chopped Green Beans, 1/3 Cup Finely Chopped Cauliflower, ¼ Cup Frozen Corn Kernels,  ¼ Cup Frozen Green Peas)

½ Cup Tomato Puree

3 tbsp Plain Yogurt (curd)

1&1/2 tsp Garlic Pepper Powder

1 tbsp Roasted Fennel Seeds

1 tbsp Mixed Herbs (I used basil, parsley, thyme, oregano and rosemary)

2 tbsps Finely Chopped Cilantro (coriander leaves)

1 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Baking Soda

1 tbsp Olive Oil

Salt to taste

METHOD:

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a non-stick pan. Add all the chopped vegetables and fry for 2-3 minutes. Add little salt and ½ tsp garlic pepper as seasonings. Mix well and sauté for a minute. Remove the pan from heat now and set it aside.

In a large bowl, take whole wheat flour, oats, yogurt, tomato puree, fennel seeds, mixed herbs, cilantro, baking powder, baking soda, remaining garlic pepper, fried vegetables, salt and 2 tbsp water. Mix very nicely so that all ingredients incorporated very well.

Preheat oven to 350 F / 180 C. Grease 12 muffin moulds. Fill each of the prepared muffin mould with a scoop of batter. Bake muffins in preheated oven about 22 minutes or until tops are golden brown. Insert a toothpick comes out clean means your muffins are ready.

Enjoy these savory muffins fresh as a healthy snack. Though I don’t like to store it for near future, If you wish may store 3-4 muffins in a Ziploc bag, suck all the air out and seal the bag. Refrigerate up to a week, then pulling them out one by one and heat slightly for a snack.

Sending to:  Holiday Recipes ~ 3rd Blog Anniversary Event

COCO CREAM CHICKEN KABAB

As we plan our holiday menu, we look for new and unique dishes to featur on the table. The dishes we feature must be very rich and flavorsome to keep with the festive theme. Thus, I made this unique coconut creamy chicken kababs, no onion, garlic and ginger is to be used here; a little twist in my regular kababs. A very flavorful dish, delicious appetizer, once you have it, will surely want more.....truely fall love on it. 

INGREDIENTS:

500 gm Boneless Chicken, Cut into 1”X1” cubes (cleaned & washed)

¼ Cup Thick Curd / Plain Yogurt

½ Cup Freshly Grated Coconut

¼ Cup Warm Water

3 Green Chilies

50 gm Cashew Nut Paste

½ tsp Freshly Pounded White Pepper

2 tbsp Sattu (roasted gram flour)

Salt to Taste

2 tsp Melted Butter
1/4 tsp Chaat Masala (optional)

Few Bamboo Skewers (soaked in water for 3-4 hours

METHOD:

Grind curd, grated coconut, warm water and green chillies together. Blend for a minute or two. Now coconut cream is ready. Set it aside.

Combine chicken pieces, cashew nut paste, sattu, coconut cream, white pepper and salt, mix thoroughly. Keep marinated chicken in refrigerator for atleast 8 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 220 C for 10 minutes. Thread the 2-3 chicken pieces into a skewer. Arrange the skewers on the baking tray. Brush chicken with little butter and bake for 10 minutes. Flip the other side of the kababs, again brush the melted butter and bake for another 8 minutes. Take out the baking tray from the oven.

Sprinkle chaat masala on the top and serve warm with onion rings, any spicy sauce or chutney.

Sending to: Holiday Recipes ~ 3rd Blog Anniversary Event

CHANAR PATURI (PANEER WRAPPED IN BANANA LEAF)

A delicacy of Bengal is 'Paturi'. Generally, oily fish is sliced evenly and then wrapped in banana leaf after the fish has been hit by a basting of a freshly pounded mustard with a hint of green chili, coconut, mustard oil, turmeric and salt; baked or roasted on very slow heat. Today, I made this vegetarian version of paturi, which is made with freshly made paneer or chana. I used banana leaf, you may use pumpkin leaf or bottle gourd leaf too, it is very traditional and toothsome dish which goes well with hot steamed rice. Tryout this fabulous chanar paturi and enjoy!!!

INGREDIENTS:

2 Cups Freshly Made Paneer / Chana (cottage cheese)

½ Cup Freshly Grated Coconut

2 tbsps Mustard Seeds

4 Whole Green Chillies (according to taste)

4-5 Slit Green Chillies

½ tsp Turmeric Powder

2 tsp Fresh Lemon Juice

1 tsp Sugar (for flavor only)

2 tbsp + 2 tsp Mustard Oil

Salt To Taste

10 pieces of Banana Leaves
Cotton thread

METHOD:

First of all, make a smooth paste of mustard seeds by using pestle and mortar. Now add grated coconut and whole green chilies, again grind by using pestle and mortar to make a smooth paste. Now the spice mixture is ready. Set it aside.

Take the pieces of banana leaves and grease each pieces with very little mustard oil. Keep aside.

In a large bowl, combine freshly made paneer / chana with mustard-coconut-green chili paste, turmeric powder, lemon juice, sugar, 2 tbsp mustard oil and salt. Fold nicely, so that everything incorporated very well.

Arrange banana leaves on your kitchen countertop. Take a small portion of paneer/chana mixture (like small lemon sized ball). Pour the mixture onto the middle of the leaf.

Place one slit green chili on the top of the mixture.  Now fold the banana leaf to wrap the contain from all sides, just like a parcel and tie with a piece of thread. Repeat the process for remaining mixture.

Heat a frying pan (preferably non-stick) and coat it with 1 tsp mustard oil. Place the wrapped  paneer or chana  on the heated pan (5-6 pieces at a time). Cover the lid and bake those for 6-8 minutes on medium-low heat.

Take off the lid to turn the wrapped paneer and bake the other side. Cover lid and roast for another 6-7 minutes. Take off each parcel from the heat now.

Discard the thread from the parcel. Now the baked paneer / chana is taken out from the banana leaf. Mouthwatering and fantastic chanar paturi is ready to serve with hot steamed rice.

Sending to: Holiday Recipes ~ 3rd Blog Anniversary Event

CORN PEAS SLICES

Today I bring sweet and sour, cheesy grilled bread slices filled with corn, peas, bell pepper and little spices. This crispy and healthy bread slices are perfect for breakfast or as an evening tea-time snack. It is very easy to make and yummy too. Tryout, you will love it.

INGREDIENTS:

8 Bread Slices

¾ Cup Sweet Corn (frozen)

¾ Cup Peas (frozen)

1 Green Bell Pepper /capsicum (chopped)

4 tbsp Bread Crumb

4 tbsp Butter

3 Cheese Cubes (grated)

1 Onion (finely chopped)

2 Tomatoes (pureed)

3-4 Chopped Green Chilies

1 tsp Kashmiri Red Chili Powder

2 tbsp Flour (maida)

1 tbsp Oil

Salt to taste

METHOD:

Heat oil in a pan or wok. Add chopped onion and green bell pepper in it. Sauté for 2 minutes.

Add Tomato puree, salt and kashmiri red chili powder in it. Fold nicely for a minute.

Add sweet corn, peas and chopped green chilies in it. Mix well. Cover and cook for another 10 minutes on medium heat; stir occasionally. Turn off the heat now. Mix flour with this mixture, fold well again.  Set it aside.

Preheat oven to 180 C. Cut each bread slice diagonally. Spread little butter on each bread slice. Again, spread 1 tbsp of corn pea mixture on it.

Sprinkle bread crumb and grated cheese on the top. Arrange bread slices on the baking tray. Grill for 10 minutes. Switch off the heat now. Keep it inside of the oven for another 5 minutes.

Serve immediately with any sauce of your choice.

MURGH TIKKA

Here is an essence of Punjab, easy to cook kabab dish in which boneless chicken chunks are marinated in yogurt and other special spices. Grilled on skewers and serve as a great and toothsome starter. The word 'tikka' means bits or chunks. Traditionally, Murgh Tikka means juicy and spicy chunks of boneless chicken roasted on open fire. But in cities, it is not possible to roast chicken on open fire, so we use oven or microoven for this purpose. However this kabab tastes great. Tryout and relish these amazing kababs. 

INGREDIENTS:
300 gm Boneless Chicken Breast, Cut into 1" Cubes
1 tsp Ginger Paste
1 tsp Garlic Paste
1/3 tsp Freshly Pounded Black Pepper (kala mirch)
1 tsp Kashmiri Red Chili Powder
1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
1/4 tsp Garam Masala
A Pinch of Carom Seeds (ajwaan)
1 tbsp Gram Flour
2 tbsp Hung Curd
1 tbsp Lemon juice
Salt to taste
1 tbsp Olive Oil + 1 tbsp Mustard Oil
2 Bamboo Skewers (soak in water for 3-4 hours)

METHOD:

Wash chicken pieces nicely and make those pat dry. Now marinate chicken with 1/2 tsp ginger paste, 1/2 tsp garlic paste, black pepper powder, little salt and lemon juice. Mix thoroughly. Leave it for 30 minutes.
Heat olive oil in a non-stick pan. Add carom seeds in it and mix gram flour in it. Fry till a nice aroma comes out and gram flour changes its colour a little bit. Switch off the heat now.
Take a large bowl, add curd, gram flour, 1/2 tsp ginger paste, 1/2 tsp garlic paste, kashmiri red chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, mustard oil and salt. Whisk nicely.
Add marinated chicken (that was marinated before) to this mixture. Fold thoroughly, so that chicken will incorporated well with all spices. Set marinated chicken in refrigerator for 3-4 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 220 C. Put chicken pieces in the skewers. Grease roasting tray with little oil and arrange chicken skewers on it. Bake it for 10 minutes. Take out the tray and turn the skewers to other side. Brush little oil on chicken. Put the oven on grill mode. Grill chicken pieces for another 10 minutes.

Chicken tikka is ready now. Serve warm with green salad, lemon wedges and sauce of your choice.

CARAMELIZED ONION TART INSPIRED BY AMRITA GILL

Once again, here is a post to Kolkata Food Blogger's event - 'Know Your Kolkata Food Bloggers'. Today, I am going to introduce a very happy couple who are completely foodie, our sweet and very responsible blogger friends, Amrita Gill and her husband Vishal Tupper from "Sweet 'n' Savoury". 

Both of them are very jovial, friendly, very energetic and with lots of innovative and creative ideas regarding different kind of foods - a gorgeous couple with the sweetest smiles. The idea and concept of this event came from Amrita only. She is a great baker, please visit her space where you can find out amazing baking recipes with mouth watery desserts; where as Vishal is absolutely seafood lover and he shares lots of cooking recipes too. I had my eyes on 'Caramelized Onion Tart' that Amrita had once posted on her blog, I tried my hands on it, just came out awesome!!! My family loved and relished it so much, thanks for this wonderful savoury treat. Lets come to the recipe........

INGREDIENTS:

FOR 6 TARTS:
1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour
30 gm Butter (cold)
Little Ice Water For Kneading

FOR FILLING:
2 Medium Onions (thinly sliced)
1 tbsp Vinegar
1/4 tsp Dark Soya Sauce
1/4 tsp Green Chili Sauce
1 tbsp Oil
A Pinch Of Sugar
A Pinch Of Salt

FOR GARNISHING:
1 tbsp Full Shredded Carrot
Coriander Sprigs
1 tbsp Mayonnaise

METHOD:

HOW TO MAKE TART CRUST:

Cut butter in small cubes. In a bowl, mix flour and butter. Rub the butter cubes with the flour till the mixture resembles breadcrumbs (in texture). Add cold water 1 tbsp at a time and knead to get a smooth dough (Do not over knead). Wrap this dough with a plastic wrapper and refrigerate for half an hour.

Take out the dough and roll it with a rolling pin on a floured surface. Roll out roughly to the size of the choosen tart with 1/8" thickness. With your fingers press gently the pastry dough into the bottom and side of the tart pan. Be sure that the pastry fits snugly where the bottom and the side of the pan meet with no air pockets. The top of the pastry shell will be even with the top of the pan. To trim the excess portion, fold the overhanging pastry over the rim of the pan, press it along the edge and break off the excess portion. Line all the tart pans following the same way. Make small holes on the sides and bottom by using a fork to prevent it from shrinking and refrigerate for another half an hour.

Preheat oven to 180 C. Bake the tarts for 18-20 minutes or till they turn light brown in colour. Let them cool and take them out.

FOR FILLING:

Heat a tbsp oil in a non-stick pan. Add sliced onion with a pinch of salt. Lower the heat and let it fry slowly. Keep stirring occasionally. After few minutes, onion turns into nice golden brown colour. Sugar inside the onion oxides and turn it in brown colour, it is called 'caramelization'. Now add vinegar, soya sauce, chili sauce and sugar. Stir well and remove it from the heat. Caramalized onion filling is now ready to stuff.

FOR ASSEMBLING:
Fill each tart with a spoonful of caramelized onions.

Garnish each with 1/2 tsp mayonnaise, little shredded carrot and a coriander leaf. Yummy, crunchy, mouth watery onion tarts are ready to serve now.