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.

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

OL ER DALNA (BENGALI STYLE ELEPHANT YAM CURRY)

Food matters culturally because it expresses, reflects and enacts values which are both openly attested to and privately held. People eat everyday with their friends and family; also during holidays and special occassions. Food celebrates, it becomes a maker of memory and a link to identity. Because eating is so central to life, food carries meaning beyond its tastes, textures and smells. My today's recipe is such a special dish which was oftenly made by my Grand Ma. She is no more with us, but the taste, texture and smell of her magical dishes still with me and will remain forever. Her culinary skills primarily motivated me to satisfy everyone's heart by serving luscious good food. 

INGREDIENTS:

500 gm Elephant Yam / Ol
1/2 Cup Thick Yogurt / Curd
2-3 Green Chillies (As per taste)
2 Tomatoes
12-15 Curry Leaves
A Pinch of Asafoetida / Hing
1 tbsp Finely Chopped Cilantro / Coriander Leaves
1 tbsp Ginger Paste
1/4 tsp Mustard Seeds
1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
1 tsp Coriander Powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
Juice Of A Lemon
1/4 tsp Shahi Garam Masala
1/2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
1 tsp Sugar
1 tsp Clarified Butter / Ghee
4-5 tbsp Mustard Oil
Salt To Taste

METHOD:

Wash, peel and cut yam into 1/2" cubes.
Boil water in a pan, add salt and 1/2 of lemon juice; cover and boil for 10 minutes. Drain water completely and set yam pieces aside.
Make a paste smooth of tomatoes and green chillies and keep it aside.
Heat mustard oil in a kadai. Add yam pieces in batches and fry till those turn into golden from both sides. Remove from oil and set aside.

In the remaining oil, add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, asafoetida, turmeric powder, coriander powder, tomato paste, salt and curry leaves. Saute till spices leave oil, add red chilli powder and yogurt at this time and keep stirring till spice mixture leaves oil again.
Now add yam pieces, sugar, garam masala and coriander leaves. Allow to cook for another 2 minutes.
If you like to have dry curry of elephant yam, remove curry from the heat now. Otherwise, add 1/2 Cup warm water. Cover and cook on very low heat for 4 minutes. Add clarified butter (ghee) before switch off the heat.

Serve warm with plain rice or hot phulkas, it is always delicious!!

EASY COCONUT CHUTNEY (NO ONION & GARLIC)

This coconut chutney is a great accompaniment with any South Indian savoury snack. It is really very easy to make, just blend all the ingredients and mix tempering after that. Adding tamarind to the chutney increases its shelf life little more and for that reason chutney doesn't spoil quickly. Fresh coconut is essential for the best flavour. I am addicted with this yummy chutney.....are you???

INGREDIENTS:

1 Cup Freshly Grated Coconut
2 tbsp Coriander Leaves / Cilantro (Finely Chopped)
1 tsp Roasted Cumin Seeds
1 tbsp Roasted Chana Dal (Bengal Gram)
1 tbsp Cashewnuts
2 tbsp Tamarind Pulp
3 Green Chillies
1/2" Ginger (Chopped)
1/3 Cup Warm Water
Salt to taste

FOR TEMPERING:

1 tsp Urad dal
1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds
1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
2 Dried Red Chillies (Broken)
1/4 tsp Asafoetida (Hing)
8 Curry Leaves
1 tbsp Coconut Oil

METHOD:

In a mixie jar, combine coconut, coriander leaves, roasted cumin seeds, chana dal, cashewnuts, tamarind pulp, green chillies, ginger, 1/3 cup warm water and salt. Blend till it turns into a smooth paste. Remove the paste in a bowl and set it aside.

Heat coconut oil in a tadka pan. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, red chillies. Let mustard seed splutters, after that add urad dal, asafoetida, curry leaves. Saute for a minute in medium low heat. Pour this mixture on coconut paste. Stir nicely to mix well.

Enjoy this flavourful chutney with idlis, dosas, vadas or uthappam. May store it in refrigerator for a week.

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.

BROKEN WHEAT (DALIA) UPMA

Broken wheat or cracked wheat is highly nutritious and specially used as a dietary supplement. It has a rich, nutty flavour, slightly chewy and also requires minimal cooking as it is already partially cooked. Broken wheat upma is a popular breakfast item in Southern India. This savoury dish is very similar to rava upma with veggies. This recipe is perfect and healthy in every aspect, filling and also tastes great!

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 Cup Broken Wheat (Dalia)
1 Cup Small Carrot Cubes
1 Cup Fresh Green Peas
1 Cup Finely Chopped Onions
2-3 Green Chillies (Finely Chopped)
1 tsp Grated Ginger
1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder (Optional)
2 Sprigs Curry Leaves
2 tbsp Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves
1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds
A Pinch of Asafoetida
1 tbsp Lemon Juice
2 Cups Warm Water
2 tbsp Oil
Salt to taste

METHOD:

Soak broken wheat in water for 2 hours. Stain and keep aside.

Heat oil in a kadai or wok. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and asafoetida. Let seeds to crackle. Add Onion, grated ginger, chopped Green chillies and curry leaves in it. Fry till onion gets translucent. Add Turmeric powder in it.

At this time add carrot cubes, peas and salt in it. Fry for another 3-4 minutes.

Mix broken wheat into it. Stir nicely and keep frying for another 2 minutes.

Transfer this broken wheat mixture into a pressure pan along with 2 cups of warm water.

Give a nice stir. Close the lid and pressure cook upto 2 whistles. Switch off the heat now.

Wait till pressure releases completely.

Open the lid now, Sprinkle coriander leaves and lemon juice on the top. Give a nice stir.

Serve this delicious broken wheat upma warm with any chutney and enjoy your healthy breakfast!

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!!!

BENGALI AMSOTTO KHEJURER CHUTNEY (SWEET CHUTNEY MADE WITH MANGO PAPAD-DATES-RAISINS)

Bengali chutney are totally different from the chutneys of other provinces, not only tastewise but also in sticky texture. This is the king of all chutneys in Bengali cuisine. Basically, this is a must have sweet chutney after every bengali meal in occassions. A sweet thick chutney that serves with fried papad.

INGREDIENTS:

250 gm Dates (Khejur)
200 gm Mango Papad (Amsotto)
50 gm Raisins
1/3 Cup Pomegranate Seeds (Optional)
1 tsp Roasted Cumin Seeds (pounded)
1 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Water
1 tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
1/2 tsp Salt

METHOD:

De-seed dates. Cut mango papad in 1/2" cubes.
Heat sugar and water in a wok or pan, keep stirring continuously.
When bubbles come on sugar syrup add dates, mango papad, raisins one by one and keep stirring.
Add salt and cook for 2-3 minutes on medium flame.
Now add pomegranate seeds, lemon juice and roasted cumin powder. Give a nice stir and remove from heat now.

Let it cool normally. May garnish with few pomegranate seeds and sprinkle with pinches of roasted cumin powder.
Serve immediately after the main course of lunch or dinner. May pour it in a air-tight container and refrigerate for two weeks.

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.

AJWAINI FALIYA

It is a dry curry of green beans or french beans. Actually green beans are rich in protein as well as fiber and abundantly available in Asian market. So that it is widely using by Asians. Here, green beans are cooked with gram flour and few spices which give a rich taste. Tryout, it is really easy to make and great going with warm phulkas. 

INGREDIENTS:

250 gm French Beans
2-3 tbsp Gram Flour
1&1/2 tsp White Sesame Seeds (safed til)
1 tsp Carom Seeds (ajwain)
1 tsp Cumin Seeds (jeera)
2-3 Dried Red Chillies (according to taste)
1/2 tsp Dried Mango Powder (amchur)
1 tsp Kashmiri Red Chilli powder
1 tsp Turmeric Powder
1/2 tsp Asafoetida (hing)
1/2 tsp Sugar (optional)
2-3 tbsp Mustard Oil
Salt to taste

METHOD:

Wash and cut french beans into 1&1/2" long pieces. Sprinkle gram flour in it and toss nicely. Set it aside.

Dry roast sesame seeds till those change colour little bit. Turn off the heat and keep aside.

In a small bowl, combine kashmiri red chilli powder, turmeric powder, dried mango powder and salt. Mix nicely and set it aside.

Heat mustard oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds, carom seeds, dried red chillies and asafoetida in it. Saute for a minute or two.

Add gram flour coated french beans in it. Fry and toss green beans for 4 minutes on medium heat. As gram flour fries, it will give a nice crispy coating on french beans.

Sprinkle spice mixture little by little on it. Sprinkle little water on it. Lightly toss beans, so that spices can coat beans very well. If it gets more dry, sprinkle more water on it. Add sugar, like the same way, fry beans for another 5 minutes on low heat.

Remove it on a serving plate. Sprinkle with roasted sesame seeds and serve warm with puffed phulkas.

GINGER LEMONADE

This ginger based lemonade, a great twist on a regular lemonade is my favourite one which is very simple drink to beat the heat on these hot Summer days. You may infuse it with any liquer specially with vodkas, tastes great always. But here I made it as a non-alcoholic drink. Mint added definitely some extra flavour and aroma in it. This distinctive drink is a wonderful change of refreshment from regular tea or coffee.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2" Ginger (peeled and sliced)
1 Lemon (cut into 4 pieces)
7-8 Mint Leaves (dried)
1/4 tsp Black Salt
1/2 tsp Jaljeera Powder
600 ml Soda (chilled)
Few Ice Cubes Crushed
2 tbsp Sugar Syrup

METHOD:

Cut ginger into thin slices.

Take ginger, lemon and mint leaves in pestal and mortar. Add 2 tbsp water in it. Grind coarsely, a nice aroma comes out from lemon, mint and ginger. 

Stain the juice and set aside.

Take two equal sized glasses. Divide stained juice, black salt, jaljeera powder, sugar syrup, crushed ice cubes and soda in each equally.

Stir both glasses nice. and serve chill.

Serves: 2

SHAHI PANEER

'Shahi', the name suggests of this popular paneer recipe is a royal dish, a perfect for dinner party and would leave your guests craving for more. Cream and saffron increased its taste and flavour. This is a very rich with the cashew nuts plus yogurt in it; the result is an aromatic, creamy and semi sweet gravy with soft spongy paneer cubes. Had seen this recipe in 'Party Cooking' by Sanjeev Kapoor, made little changes according to my tastebuds. Trust me, this dish tastes divine!!!

INGREDIENTS:

400 gm Paneer (cottage cheese)
2 Large onion (quatered)
5-6 Black Peppercorns (kali mirche
2" Long Cinnamon
3 Cloves
1 Bay Leaf
2 Green Chillies, Slit
1 tsp Garlic Paste
1 tsp Ginger Paste
1/2 Cup Yogurt (thick dahi)
1/2 Cup Fresh Cream
1/4 Cup Cashew nut (Kaju) Paste
1/8 tsp Saffron (kesar)
1/4 tsp Cardamom powder (choti elaichi powder)
1/2 tsp Garam Masala Powder
1 tbsp Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves
3 tbsp Oil
Salt to taste

METHOD:

Cut paneer in 1" cubes.

Boil the onions in 1&1/2 cups water for 4-5 minutes. Drain water completely and allow to cool the onions. Grind and make a smooth paste of these onions.

Heat oil in a pan or kadai, add paneer pieces, fry lightly. Drain paneer from the oil and set aside.

On the same oil, add bay leaf, cloves, peppercorns and cinnamon. Saute till fragrant.

Add boiled onion paste and green chillies and saute for 4 minutes on low heat, colour of the onion should not change at this time. Add ginger and garlic paste and continue to saute for a minute.

Now add cashew nut paste and saute for about 3 minutes on medium heat. Mix yogurt in it and saute till water evaporates from it. Pour cream, garam masala, saffron and salt in it. Fold well, so that everything incorporated very well.

Add paneer pieces at this time and mix gently. Stir for 2 minutes on low heat. Switch off the heat now.

Sprinkle cardamom powder and coriander leaves on the top and serve hot.