MINT COCONUT CHUTNEY

This time mint and coconut are abundantly available in local market. Fresh bunch of mint I bought to make this 'mint coconut chutney'. It is a popular great green chutney or Indian dip, very refreshing, tastes sublime!

INGREDIENTS:

FOR GRINDING:
3/4 Cup Fresh Mint Leaves (washed)
1/2 Cup Grated Coconut
5-6 Green Chillies (according to taste)
A Small Quantity of Tamarind (I used 1 tsp)
1 tbsp Bengal Gram Lentil (roasted)
1/3" Ginger
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
1/4 tsp Cumin seeds
Salt to taste

FOR SEASONING:
1 tsp Urad Dal
3/4 tsp Mustard seeds
A pinch of Asafoetida
8 Curry Leaves
1 Whole Dry Red Chilli
1 tsp Oil

METHOD:
Saute mint leaves in a pan on medium flame for 2 minutes. Grind coconut, green chillies, gram lentil, tamarind salt and cumin seeds with little water for a minute. Now put mint leaves, ginger, turmeric and salt in it. Grind for another a minute till everything blend nicely.

Heat oil in a pan. Add asafoetida and mustard seeds. Let mustard seeds splutter. Add urad dal, red chilli and curry leaves. Saute for a minute. switch off heat now. Pour this seasoning over the blended mixture. Store it in a airtight container and refrigerate for several days. Serve with idlis, upma, uthappam, dosas or any kind of snacks; a good side dish with biryani or pulao too. Enjoy this toothsome chutney!!!

STEAMED EGG (BHAPA DIM)

This is an authentic bengali gravy 'mustard-coconut paste' which I mix-matched with boiled eggs and made it in microoven. I love eggs so much, that explore me to make it in different ways and each tastes better than the other. A mouthwatering and very flavorful recipe, simple and healthy dish, just try it. Tastes great!

INGREDIENTS:
2 Hard Boiled Eggs (preferably duck's eggs)
1&1/2 tbsps Hanged Curd (plain yogurt)
1 tbsp Mustard Paste
3 Finely Chopped Green Chillies (according to taste)
1/2 of a Small Coconut (pounded)
3-4 tbsps Mustard Oil (first heated till smokey, then cooled down)
1 tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
1 tbsp Finely Chopped Cilantro (coriander leaves)
1/2 tsp Sugar
Salt as per taste

METHOD:

Shell the eggs and cut each egg into halves. Keep it aside.

In a microoven safe bowl, combine coconut paste, mustard paste, sour curd, lemon juice, chopped green chillies, cilantro, mustard oil, sugar and salt. Add 2 tbsps water in it. Mix everything nicely.

Now place egg pieces on it. Egg yolk side should touch the gravy.

Cover it with a lid. Micro it on 100% MW power for 3 minutes. Open the lid, turn the reverse side of egg pieces (now yolks are on the top).

Again micro for a minute of 100% MW power. Switched off. Keep it as it is inside the oven for 2 more minutes.

Serve hot with steamed rice, pulao as  you like.

Enjoy this luscious steamed egg.

TIPS: Those who don't have microoven, just cook it in wok or non-
          stick pan, it comes out perfectly.

FRIED ONIONS FOR BIRYANI OR PULAO

Here is an easy recipe of fried onions, which is more flavorful and used in making any biryani and pulao. Can store it in Air-tight container and keep it in refrigerator for a few days.

INGREDIENTS:
3 Medium Onions
3 tsps Cornflour
1/2 tsp Salt
6 tbsps Oil 

METHOD:
Cut onions in very thin slices. Marinate onion with cornflour and salt.

Mix nicely. Set aside for 30 minutes.

Heat oil in a wok. Add onions in batches.

Fry till both sides turns into brown.

Drain oil and remove from wok, and keep on a kitchen towel to absorb the excess oil from it. Fry the remaining onions like the same.

May use it instantly to make biryani or pulao. Otherwise, pour it in airtight container and store it in refrigerator for future use. 

*** The excess oil can be used in other cooking.

SAUTEED EGGPLANT-TOMATO

Eggplant is my absolute favorite vegetable! One fine morning I saw there was nothing in my pantry except eggplant and tomato. So I started to experiment and explored this recipe. Trust me, it was so flavorful and toothsome that it forced me to make it oftenly. If you thought eggplant is a boring vegetable, you haven't eaten this dish. Try it, you will definitely like it.

INGREDIENTS:
400 gm Eggplants (brinjal/baingan)
300 gm Tomatoes
1 tsp Freshly Pounded Black Pepper powder (kali mirch)
100 gm Onions
2 Green Chillies (as per taste)
1/3 tsp Freshly Pounded Garam Masala
2 tbsps Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves (cilantro)
3 tbsps Oil
1 tbsp Clarified Butter (ghee)
2 tsps Salt

METHOD:

Wash eggplants well. Trim off stem and bottom portion. Cut each in half lengthwise. Slice eggplants in 1/2" thick slices now. Marinate the pieces with 1&1/2 tsps salt.

Place eggplant pieces on a sieve for 30 minutes.

Remove seeds from tomatoes, cut in slices. Cut onions in thin slices and green chillies in slits.

Heat oil and clarified butter in a wok. Add pounded black pepper powder to it. Then add onions to it. Fry till onion gets translucent.

At this time add eggplant slices in it. Mix well. Cover and cook for 4 minutes on medium heat. Stir in between once.

Now add Tomato, green chillies and remaining salt.

Fold nicely. Cover and cook for another 5 minutes. Keep stirring occassionally.

Add garam masala and sprinkle coriander leaves. Mix well.

Serve immediately with warm chapathi, naan or paratha. This eggplant curry goes excellent on top of basmati rice too for a delicious vegetarian dinner.

SWEET & SOUR TOMATO

'Sweet and Sour' sauce is linked with chinese cuisine and can be found in a number of popular dishes in various ways. Here, it is a easy to prepare tomato recipe, just right to compliment any meal. Sweet and sour tomatoes, an incredibly side dish with full of flavor.  Fish sauce is such an ingredient that does not get used enough except Chinese, Thai and Vietnamese cuisine.

INGREDIENTS:
4 Tomatoes
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1 tsp Cumin seeds
2 Pods of Garlic (minced)
1/2 tsp Minced Ginger
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1&1/2 tsps Kashmiri Red Chilli powder
1 tsp Coriander powder
2 tbsps Tomato Ketchup
2 tbsps Sugar
2 tbsps Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves (cilantro)
2 tbsps Fish Sauce (optional)
4 tbsps Oil
Salt to taste

METHOD:

Wash tomatoes nicely. Drain water completely.

Cut each tomato into cubes. Set aside.

Heat oil in a wok and temper with mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Saute for few seconds.

 

When nice aroma comes out, add cubed tomato in it. Mix nicely.

Add turmeric powder, coriander powder and kashmiri red chilli powder in it.

Fold well for a minute or two on low flame.

Now add minced ginger-garlic, fish sauce, sugar and salt. Keep stirring 3 minutes on low heat till spices are well cooked. (Pour little water if required, but be causious tomatoes will not break down or mushy)

Add tomato ketchup now. Sprinkle with chopped coriander leaves and switch off heat.

Serve warm or chill as you wish. Serve as a dip with garlic bread, sausage patties or any types of snacks. It can be accompanied with deep fried chicken, pork or seafood.

 ENJOY!!!

 



Linking to Julie's Flavors of Cuisines - 'Chinese' event

 



VEGETARIAN KEEMA (SOYA GRANULES) CURRY

This is the vegetarian version of minced keema. Me and my hubby both love this soya chunks or granules curry with roti or plain rice, tastes great! Protein rich, delicious curry we made in Indian style. You can cook it exactly like minced meat, but soya is rather tasteless on its own. So need to spice it up a little, enjoy fully...

INGREDIENTS:
1 Cup Soya Granules (I used Nutrela Brand)
2 medium onion (finely chopped)
1 tsp Garlic paste
2 tsps Ginger Paste
2 Green Chillies (chopped)
2 Medium Potatoes, Peeled and cut into 4 pieces (parboiled)
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Red Chilli powder
1 tsp Coriander powder
1/2 tsp Cumin powder
1/2 tsp Freshly Pounded Garam Masala
1/2 tsp Dry Mango powder
1 Bay Leaf
1/3 tsp Cumin seeds
3-4 Black Peppercorns
1 tbsp Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves
1 Large Tomato (pureed)
1/2 tsp Sugar (for flavor)
1 tsp Clarified Butter + 4 tbsps Oil
Salt to taste
 

METHOD:

Boil soya granules in water for 3-4 minutes on medium heat.

Drain and wash with cold water. Squeeze the soya granules well to avoid it getting soggy, set aside.

Heat oil in a wok. Add cumin seeds, bay leaf and pepper corns in it. Saute for 30 seconds. Add onion in it. Fry till onion gets translucent. Add ginger-garlic paste, green chillies in it. Fry till onion turns light brown. Add all dry spice powder in it. Stir for about a minute. Pour tomato puree, sugar and salt in it. Saute for another 3 minutes till tomato well mix up with other spices. At this time, add potato pieces and soya granules in it. Keep mixing nicely. Add few drops of water, if the mixture dries up. At this time, add 1/2 cup water in it. Cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add clarified butter and switch off the heat now.

Serve hot garnished with coriander leaves.