VEGETARIAN KHICHDI

Khichdi, that has blend of rice, spices, vegetables and dal. This is a nice aromatic, comfort and nutritious one pot meal where rice cooked with lentils, ideal for lazy weekends. It is an onion-garlic free recipe, as bengalis usually make this dish 'niramish' (vegetarian). So made according to that method. At the time of 'Durga Puja Bhog' also we prepared khichdi like this same style, but red lentil is not used at that time. Very simple and authentic this vegetarian recipe tastes amazingly flavorful, delicious and also easily digestible.

INGREDIENTS:

1 Cup Govindo Bhog/ Kalo Jeera Rice / Basmati Rice
1/2 Cup Red Lentil (Masoor dal)
1/2 Cup Split Yellow Lentil (Moong dal)
4 oz Green Peas (frozen)
8 Florets of Cauliflower
2 Carrots
2 Medium Potatoes
1 Medium Tomato (Chopped)
3-4 Green Chillies, cut in slits
2 Bay Leaves
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
1 tsp Turmeric powder
1&1/2 tsps Ginger paste
1/2 tsp Coriander powder
1/2 tsp Red Chilli powder
1 tsp Cumin powder
2-3 pods Clove
2-3 pods of Cardamoms
2" long Cinnamon
3 Cups water
3 tbsps Clarified Butter (Ghee)
1 tsp Salt or to taste
1/2 tsp Sugar
1 tbsp finely chopped Coriander Leaves

METHOD:
Cut potato in medium sized cubes, carrots in 1" long slices and chop tomato.

Combine turmeric powder, red chilli powder, ginger paste, coriander powder, cumin powder with little water in a bowl. Set aside. Mix rice, red lentil and yellow lentil in a bowl. Wash and drain rice and lentil together. Keep aside.

Heat a clarified butter in a pressure pan. Add cumin seeds, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom and bay leaves. Saute for 1 minute till nice aroma comes out. Add potato, carrot and cauliflower in it. Fry for 4-5 minutes, then add rice-lentils and wet spice mix in it. Fold nicely cover and cook for 2-3 minutes.

 

Now add tomato, green peas, green chillies salt and sugar in it. Keep stirring for another 3 minutes. Add 3 cups of warm water and coriander leaves in it.

Cover and cook till 3 whistles. Let is cool naturally.

Serve hot with curry or bhajis and spicy chutney. 

Linking to: "Bon Vivant #8 - Rice Recipes"

Linking to: Let's Cook # 19 - Legumes / Lentils @ Tickling Palates



Linking to: Nithubala's healthy-food-for-healthy-kids-event @ Latha's A Peek into My Kitchen

FISH TANDOORI

This is the first time I made this dish. Fish cooked in oven (Tandoori Style). I have used Salmon fillet, which came out perfect for this dish. I hadn't used any food colour here.  Fish is marinated here in a very flovorful spices and cooked slowly, making them look extremely appetizing, which called 'tandoori' or 'tikka'. Tandoori fish is absolutely special, while it done correctly. If you follow this recipe, I can give you that assurance, you are in for a real treat. So enjoy this scrumptious and luscious treat!

INGREDIENTS:
2 lbs Salmon Fillet, cut in 1&1/2" slices
2 tbsps Ginger paste
2 tbsps Garlic paste
1 tsps Red Chilli powder
1/2 tsp Black Pepper powder
1&1/2 tsps Paprika
1/3 tsp dried Oregano
1 tbsp Coriander powder
1 tbsp freshly grounded Garam masala
1/2 cup thick plain yogurt (curd)
Juice of a 1/2 Lemon
2 tbsps Shan Spice Mix for Chicken Tikka BBQ (or any tandoori spices)
1/2 tsp Chaat masala
2 tbsps Olive oil
Salt to taste

METHOD:

Wash salmon fillets, make those pat dry.

Marinate salmon fillet with ginger paste, garlic paste, red chilli powder, black pepper powder, paprika, oregano, coriander powder, garam masala, thick yogurt, lemon juice, shan spice mix, 1 tbsp olive oil and salt. Fold nicely, so that salmon pieces are well coated with spices. Keep the marination in refrigerator for atleast 2 hours.

Grease a baking tray with 1 tbsp olive oil. Arrange salmon fillets on the baking tray. Keep little room in between in two pieces.

Preheat the oven to 450 F. Keep this baking tray on the upper rack of the oven and adjust temperature to broil. Bake it for 10 minutes. Remove tray from the oven and turn the salmon pieces on the other side. Again bake it on broil for 8 minutes. Switch off the oven.

Take out baking tray from the oven and arrange the grilled fish fillets on a palate. Drizzle with some fresh lemon juice and chaat masala on the top.

Serve hot as an absolutely palatable appetizer with salad and lemon pieces.

Linking to: Spotlight : Healthy Snacks @ Cuisine Delights & Recipe Junciton

MIXED FRIED RICE - INDIAN STYLE

Here I prepared mixed fried rice typically in Indian style with veggies, shrimp and eggs. It can be a lunch box menu or a nice party dish for main coarse. You may say it is a mixed up of veggies, eggs and shrimp; so it is called a mixed fried rice. A delightful style of one pot scrumptious meal, a wonderful Indian recipe. Here, I stated a really appetizing mouthwatering rice dish with easiest way of preparation.

INGREDIENTS:
4 Cups Basmati Rice
4 Eggs
7 OZ / 200 gm Cooked Shrimp
2 Carrot, cut in 1" thin slices
1 medium Onion, thinly slices
1 Green Bell Pepper, chopped
1 small bunch of Green Onions, finely chopped
2/3 cup Green Peas (frozen)
1 tsp minced Ginger
2" Cinnamon
6 pods Cardamoms
4 pods Cloves
10-12 Black Peppercorns
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp Freshly Pounded Garam Masala
1/3 tsp Ground Netmug
2 Pinches of black pepper powder
1 tbsp + 2 tbsps Oil
1 tbsp Clarified butter
Salt to taste

METHOD:

Chop cooked shrimp in 2-3 pieces, wash nicely.

Add turmeric powder and little salt in it. Set aside.

Wash and soak basmati rice in water for 30 minutes. Drain water and keep aside.

Boil water in a pan. Add cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves, black peppercorns and little salt in it. When water starts to boil, add rice in it.

Cover and cook for 15 minutes in low heat. Remove from heat when rice almost 3/4th done. Drain water completely and spead it over a flat surface.

Now heat 1 tbsp oil in a large non stick pan. Break 4 eggs in it. Sprinkle salt and pepper powder in it. Set it for 2-3 minutes.

Now make scrambled egg with these four eggs. Remove from pan and set aside.

Heat the remaining oil with clarified butter in the same pan. Add minced ginger in it. Saute for 40 seconds. Now add onion in it. when onion gets translucent, add carrot, bell pepper, green peas, chopped shrimp and salt in it. Fry for 4-5 minutes. Add garam masala and nutmeg powder in it. Fry for 2 minutes.

Add cooked rice, scrambled egg, green onion in it. Fold nicely. Fry for 3-4 minutes on medium heat. Switched off heat now.

Serve hot with any curry or gravy. This mixed fried rice is itself an one-pot meal.

Linking to: "Bon Vivant #8 - Rice Recipes"

BUTTER PANEER

This is an absolutely lipsmucking paneer recipe, once we are thinking of this recipe, mouth got salivating, very simple but too delicious party dish. If you are too much health consious, add thick milk instead of heavy cream, and reduce butter amount with oil. Though it has a essence of North India, (basically from Punjab) but now it overwhelming not only in India, but all over the world. Fresh paneer is rich in calcium, so very essential for our body. It is a popular main coarse food in every Indian restaurant. Buttery tomato sauce, flavored with fenugreek leaves, gives an awesome touch to this dish. Butter paneer, has a velvetty smooth gravy, which has all the goodness of Indian spices combined with cottage cheese cubes, garnished with coriander leaves and cream. Enjoy this rich feast from heaven! 

INGREDIENTS:
7 OZ / 200 gm Cottage Cheese (paneer)
1 Cup Tomato Puree
1&1/2 tsp Ginger paste
1&1/2 tsp Garlic paste
1/2 tsp Dry Fenugreek Leaves
1 tsp Coriander powder
1/2 tsp freshly grounded Garam Masala
1/2 tsp Paprika (for colour only)
1/2 tsp Red Chilli powder
2 tsp oil
3 tbsps Butter
1/2 Cup heavy cream or 1/2 cup thick milk
1 tbsps finely chopped Cilantro (coriander leaves)
1 tsp Sugar (for flavor only)
Salt to taste

METHOD:
Cut cottage cheese in medium cubes.

Heat 2 tsp oil in a non-stick pan. When oil is heated, add butter in it. So that butter will not be burnt. Let it melts for another minute.

Add ginger and garlic paste in it. Fry for another 2 minutes on medium heat.

Then add tomato puree and salt in it.

Saute for 4-5 minutes, till excess water from tomato evaporates and tomato leaves oil from the side of pan.

Now add coriander powder, garam masala, paprika and red chilli powder.

Keep stirring for another 2 minutes, till all spices seperate oil from sides.

At this point add cottage cheese cubes and dry fenugreek leaves it it. Fold nicely, so that cottage cheese coats with the spices well.

Add 1 cup warm water in it.

Cover and cook for another 5 minutes on medium heat.

Add cream in it. Fold well.

Add sugar in it. Keep stirring for 2 minutes, remove from heat. Drizzle few drops of cream and chopped cilantro on top.

Serve hot with roti, paratha, naan, pulao or any rice dish.

Linking to: EP Series : Oregano & Paprika hosted by Foodomania