ROASTED EGGPLANT WITH TOMATO - BEGUN TOMATO PORA

We call it 'Begun', the bengali name of aubergine, eggplant or brinjal. As per me, it is king of vegetables. Here, I roasted or broiled eggplant, discarded peels and then mashed with a little twist. It came out truely delectable. 'Begun Pora' or roasted eggplant is a very common everyday bengali dish. My mother in law added roasted tomato in it and it becomes more flavorful and tasty then. So, this is how we prepare roasted eggplant in our home....

INGREDIENTS:
500 gm / 2 medium sized Eggplants (brinjals)
1 large / 100 gm Tomato 
1 Medium Onion
2-3 Raw Red Chillies
1 small bunch of Coriander Leaves
1 tsp + 1 tbsp Mustard Oil (preferably)
Salt to taste

METHOD:
Wash the eggplants and tomato and pat dry completely. 

Take the eggplants and cut slits into it with the tip of a knife. Rub tomato and eggplants with salt and 1 tsp of mustard oil. 

Put a eggplant on a chapatti roasted net on the direct gas flame rotate the eggplant after every couple of minutes. The skin will gradually dark and a nice smokey aroma comes out from the eggplant. 

When the skin completely charred, remove the eggplant from the flame and allow it to cool naturally. Follow the same process for rest of eggplant. 

Roast greased tomato following on a chapathi roasted net, flip time to time.

When outer skin is totally black, remove it from the flame and allow it to cool normally.( If you want to roast it in oven, preheat it in broil mode, then put eggplants inside the oven upper rack on a alluminium foil and roast it for 40-50 minutes.)

When every thing becoming cool, discard the skins of eggplant and  tomato now. Chop everything with knife.

Chop onion, coriander leaves and green chillies finely.Take a large bowl, combine roasted chopped eggplants, roasted tomato, onion, coriander leaves, green chillies, 1 tbsp mustard oil and salt in it. 

Mash everything nicely with a fork. 

Serve hot with steamed rice or warm chapattis and enjoy!!!

RUNNER BEANS (SHIM) BHARTA

Runner Beans or Shim, are a popular garden vegetable, stronger in flavor and coarser in texture than green beans. Nutritional value of this bean is too high, very low in fat and high in carbohydrate and protein, very rich in vitamin B1, potassium and calcium. They are therefore an important part of most vegetarian diet. This is one of my favourite green vegetable and this tasty scrumptious recipe I inherit from my mother-in-law. Just try and taste this bharta with boiled rice or plain roti, surely you will say yummy!

INGREDIENTS:
500 gm Runner Beans
2 Medium Onions
6-7 Pods of Garlic
1/2 tsp Ginger paste
1/2 tsp Coriander powder
1/3 tsp Cumin powder
1/4 tsp Garam masala powder
1 Medium Tomato (finely chopped)
1 Bay leaf
1/2 tsp Nigella Seeds (kalonji)
A pinch of Asafoetida
3 Green Chillies
2 tbsps finely chopped Fresh Coriander Leaves
1/2 tsp Sugar (for flavor only)
3 tbsps Oil
Salt to taste

METHOD:
Wash all runner beans nicely.

Trim each of the runner bean from its top and tail part and make a cut in the middle with your knife edge.

Now boil all the runner beans for 10-12 minutes. Let it cool down naturally. Then drain all excess water from it. Now mash it nicely and keep aside.

Chop onions finely. Mince garlic and green chillies. Set aside.

Heat oil in a wok. Add bay leaf, nigella seeds and asafoetida in it. Saute for 20-30 seconds. Now add chopped onion, minced garlic and green chilli in it.

Fry till onion turns golden brown. Add ginger paste, coriander powder, cumin powder and garam masala powder in it. Fry for another 2 minutes.

Now add chopped tomato and salt in it. Fry for another 4-5 minutes till tomatoes get mushy.

Then add mashed runner beans and sugar in it. Fold nicely. Let all the excess water evaporate from it. Keep stirring occassionally. (It will take approximately 10 minutes on medium heat)

Now add chopped coriander leaves in it. Keep stirring for another 2-3 minutes and switch off the heat.

Serve hot with steamed rice or any Indian flat bread, a toothsome and scrumptious side dish.

Linking to: Favorite Recipes Event: Lentil/ Legume/Beans recipes

AWARD & POHA KHEER / CHIRER (BEATEN RICE) PAYESH

Hi Friends,

I recieved a 'Best Dessert award' from "Master Chef Contest" hosted by Divya Pramil for a scrumptious dessert recipe of Paneer Pudding. Thanks a lot Divya for choosing of mine and give me a wonderful award. You did an excellent judgement. Hats off to your effort, indeed a great job done by you.

Here, I am honoured by you, Divya. Thanks once again dear.

Today I am going to celebrate this award with another very quick, one of our all time favourite classic dessert "POHA KHEER / CHIRER PAYESH". Within 15-20 minutes the whole preparation can be done, and taste amazingly awesome!!!

INGREDIENTS:
3/4 cup Beaten Rice (poha)
2 cups Half & Half Milk (thick milk)
3/4 cup Sugar
1 1/2 tbsps Clarified Butter (ghee)
6 cardamoms (powdered)
8-10 Cashew nuts
1 tbsps Raisins
1/2 cup chopped Almonds
2 cups water

METHOD:
Heat clarified butter in a sauce pan. Fry cashew nuts and raisins seperately till golden. Remove from pan with slotted spoon, Keep aside. Now add beaten rice in the pan, fry till it turns golden brown. Remove from heat and set aside.

Add water in sauce pan. Let it boil. Add fried beaten rice in it. Stir oftenly till it get soft, add sugar. Stir till sugar melts. Now add milk and cardamom powder. Reduce the flame and keep it boiling for 8-10 minutes. Add chopped almonds, raisins and cashew nuts in it. Fold nicely.

Remove the pan from heat. Let it cool naturally.

Garnish with almond slices and serve.



Enjoy this classic dessert on the eve of my Birthday....

Cheers!!!

Sending to: Fast Food: Poha - event hosted by Shama's Easy 2 cook Recipes

POHA IN MAHARASHTRIAN STYLE

INGREDIENTS:
2 Cups beaten rice (Poha)
1 Medium sized potato
4 tbsps chopped onion
4 slit green chillies
1/4 Cup grated coconut
3 tsps Peanuts
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
1/4 tsp Asafoetida (Hing)
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp sugar
8-10 Curry leaves
1 tsp Lemon juice
1 tsp Raisins
1 tsp Salt
1 tbsp Olive oil
1 tbsp clarified butter (ghee)

METHOD:

Wash beaten rice (poha) till clean. Drain the water and put 1 tsp sugar and 1/2 tsp salt in it and leave for 15-20 minutes.

In the mean time, cut potatoes into thin slices. Slit green chillies.

Heat oil and clarified butter in a wok. Add mustard seeds. When the seeds start crackling, add cumin seeds, green chillies, curry leaves and asafoetida in it. Add peanuts and fry for 30 seconds.

Now add onions, fry till it gets translucent. After that add potatoes, turmeric powder and salt. Cover the lid and fry till potatoes get almost cooked.

Add beaten rice, raisins and grated coconut in it. Stir gently for 3-4 minutes. Switch off oven and add lemon juice in it. Mix well. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Serve hot with piping hot tea or freshly brewed coffee.

TIPS: You may garnish with grated coconut, also with chopped coriander leaves.
         
         At the time of frying potatoes, you can add fresh green peas, it will give a nice look and taste.

Sending to: Fast Food: Poha - event hosted by Shama's Easy 2 cook Recipes



POHA PANEER ROLL

This roll is very easy to make and tastes delish. It can be served as appetizer, snacks or side dish.

INGREDIENTS:
1 Cup Beaten Rice (Poha)
1 Potato (Boiled & mashed)
2 Bread Slices
1 tbsp Semolina (Sooji)
1 tbsp crushed roasted Peanuts
1/2 tsp Caraway Seeds (Shajeera/Black cumin seeds)
1 Cup grated Cottage Cheese (Paneer)
2 Green Chillies (finely chopped)
2 tbsps finely chopped Onion
1 tsp finely chopped Garlic
1 tsp finely chopped Ginger
2 tbsps chopped Cilantro
1 tsp roasted cumin seeds (powdered)
1/2 tsp Dry Mango powder (Amchur)
1/3 tsp Garam Masala
1 tbsp Lemon juice
1 tsp White Pepper powder
1/2 tsp Red chilli powder (optional)
1 tbsp milk
1 Egg (or 1/2 cup thin chckpea flour batter)
1 Cup Bread crumb
2 tbsps Butter
Oil for deep frying
Salt to taste

METHOD:
Wash beaten rice in a colander and keep aside.

Soak bread slices in water for 1 minute. Squeeze out all of the water from bread slices and keep aside.

Heat 2 tbsps butter in a frying pan. Add caraway seeds followed by chopped garlic and ginger. Saute for few seconds. Now add onions and green chillies. Fry till it turns golden brown. Add cottage cheese, cumin powder, dry mango powder, garam masala, roasted and crushed peanuts, little salt and 1 tbsp chopped cilantro. Stir continuously and fry for 5-6 minutes, till water evaporates. Set aside.

Combine beaten rice, mashed potato, bread slices, sooji, red chilli powder, white pepper powder, lemon juice, salt and 1 tbsp chopped cilantro in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly.

Whisk 1 egg and milk in a flat bowl to a smooth consistency. Pour bread crumbs mixed with little salt in a plate.

Make one small ball from potato-beaten rice mixture, stuffed with 1 tbsp cottage cheese mixture. Give a shape of 3" long cyllindrical roll. Dip in beaten egg and coat with bread crumbs. Follow this process to make all the rolls.

Heat sufficient oil for deep frying in a wok. When oil is enough heated, slide the rolls and fry the rolls on low heat. Keep turning occasionally to get an even brown colour. Take out with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper towel.

Serve hot with green chutney.

TIPS: Instead of caraway seeds, you may use cumin seeds.
          I used fresh home-made cottage cheese/paneer, just crushed it.

Linking to: Fast Food: Poha - event hosted by Shama's Easy 2 cook Recipes

CELEBRATING AWARD WITH COCONUT DREAM DESSERT

Hi friends,

 

First of all Wishing all of my readers, blogger friends and visitors A Happy New Year, 2013.

Today I am too happy as I recieved 'Best Food Stylist' award from Amila Wickramarachchi of Food Corner, for my yummy dessert AAM-RAS.

 

I am heartily thankful to you Amy for selecting my recipe and offering me this wonderful award. You made an excellent round up. I am really excited and happy today. I am honoured by you dear.

 
So friends, lets celebrate this award with a soothing and refreshing yummy creamy dessert.

 

This is a very delightful dessert, flavored and enriched with cardamom, pistachios, coconut and saffron. I saw this recipe on www.manjulaskitchen.com. Very refreshing coconut creamy treat, easy to make and loved by all. Just try and taste this aromatic vegan dreamy dessert.

INGREDIENTS:
1 Cup Coconut milk
2 Cups Half & Half milk (may use soya milk too)
1/2 tsp Crushed Cardamoms
A pinch of crushed Saffron
1/4 Cup Shredded Coconut
1/3 Cup Crushed Pistachios
3/4 Cup Sugar
2 tsp Agar Agar powder (heaped)

METHOD:
In a saucepan, boil coconut milk, half & half milk, shredded coconut, pistachios and sugar. After reaching the boiling point, let it boil for another 7-8 minutes. Stir occassionally.

Take 4 tbsps milk mixture from the pan and make it luke warm. Add crushed cardamoms, saffron and agar agar powder in it. Dissolve agar agar powder nicely.

Now mix the agar agar mixture in saucepan. Mix nicely and let it boil for another 3-4 minutes. Stir continuously, there should not be any lump. Remove from heat. Pour it into either bowls or molds immediately.

Refrigerate about 2-3 hours or till set. Serve chill as a delightful dessert.

TIPS: Agar agar powder is a vegetarian gelatin substitute, works as a stabilizing and
          thickening agent, available in Indian or Asian grocery stores.
          Those who are vegan, can use soya milk instead of half & half milk.

RECIPE SOURCE & ACKNOWLEDMENT: www.manjulaskitchen.com

Sending to: Cook Like a Celebrity Chef

Sending to: ‘Agar Agar Recipe contest sponsored by Marine Chemicals , Kochi. www.indiaagar.com hosted at Food Corner’.