LEMON GARLIC SHRIMP WITH VEGETABLE

This is a very easy, quick and extremely delectable shrimp recipe, seasoned with garlic lemon butter. It is originated from Italian cuisine, but now-a-days familiar with maximum food lovers. A very healthy twist with vegetables (bell pepper & asparagus) and shrimp, is a refreshing spring meal. When shrimp cooked in the heavenly buttery and delightful juices, will surely snach your tastebuds luscious and it will be a pleasure to all too.

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb Asparagus
1 Green Bell Pepper
1 medium Onion
1/2 tsp freshly gratedLemon Zest
1/2 Tomato (chopped)
5 cloves minced Garlic
35 medium sized Shrimp (peeled & deveined)
1/2 cup Milk
1/2 cup Vegetable/chicken broth
1 tsp Cornstarch
1 tbsp Lemon Juice
1/2 tsp Garlic pepper (coarsely pounded)
1/2 tsp Black pepper powder
1 tbsp finely chopped Parsley
3 tbsps Olive Oil
1 tbsp Butter
Salt to taste

METHOD:

Trim asparagus and cut in 1" lenghs. Cut onion and bell pepper in cubes.

Heat 2 tbsps olive oil in a non stick pan. Add onion, bell pepper and asparagus in it. Saute for 3-4 minutes.

Add lemon zest and 1/2 tsp salt in it.

Add tomato in it. Cover and cook for another 4-5 minutes.

Sprinkle little garlic pepper and black pepper powder on it. Fold nicely. Transfer the cooked vegetables on a serving tray. Keep it warm.

Add another 1 tbsp olive oil and butter in the same pan.

Add minced garlic in it. Saute for 40 seconds, till it gives a nice aroma. Add shrimp, remaining garlic pepper , black pepper powder and little salt in it. Fry for another 3-4 minutes, till shrimp turns pinkish in colour.

Combine milk, vegetable/chicken broth and cornstarch in a bowl. Stir nicely, so that cornstarch dissolves in it. Now pour in on the shrimp. Keep stirring till the gravy gets medium thick and shrimp gets cooked. Remove from heat. Add lemon juice and parsley in it. Fold nicely.

Serve shrimp and sauce over the cooked vegetables. Enjoy this delicious dish with pasta or quinoa or French bread.

Sending to:  Cook with Comfort ~Blog Anniversary Event, Holiday Recipes ~ 3rd Blog Anniversary Event

LITTI, MIXED CHOKHA WITH HARA DHANIYA CHUTNEY

"Litti-Chokha-Chutney" is a very delicious speciality of Bihar. Bihari cuisine is simple and wholesome. 'Litti' a baked salted wheat flour cake filled with sattu (roasted chickpea flour) and some special Indian spices. There are many versions of this dish. This is a delicacy which is liked by every group of people whether rich or poor. Litti-Chokha-Chutney is now making its presence internationally.

INGREDIENTS FOR LITTI:

FOR COVERING:
1&1/2 Cup Wheat Flour (atta)
1/2 Cup Self-Raising Flour (maida)
6 tbsp Oil
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 Cup Melted Clarified Butter (desi ghee)

FOR STUFFING:
1 Cup Sattu (roasted bengal gram flour)
1 tsp Carom Seeds / ajwaan (roasted and crushed)
1 tsp Nigella Seeds / Kalonji (roasted and crushed)
1 tbsp Dried Mango / Amchur Powder
1 tbsp Mango pickle spice and its oil
6-8 Pods of Garlic (minced)
1/2" Ginger (minced)
2-3 Finely Chopped Green Chilies
2 tbsp Finely Chopped Coriander Powder
1 tbsp Lemon Juice
2 tsps Mustard Oil
Salt to taste

INGREDIENTS FOR MIXED CHOKHA:
1 Large Tomato
2 Medium Sized Potatoes (parboiled with skin)
1 Eggplant / Brinjal / Begun (500 gm approx)
1 Big Onion (finely chopped)
5-6 Pods of Garlic (minced)
2 tbsps Chopped Coriander Leaves / Cilantro
2-3 Chopped Green Chilies (or as per taste)
1 tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
1 tbsp Mustard Oil
Salt to taste

INGREDIENTS FOR HARA DHANIYA CHUTNEY:
50 gm Coriander Leaves / Cilantro
2-3 Green Chilies
4 Pods Garlic
1/4" Ginger
2 tbsp Tamarind Pulp
1 tsp Mustard Oil
Salt to taste

METHOD FOR LITTI:

For making outer cover of litti, sieve wheat flour and self raising flour, add oil and salt. Knead a stiff dough by using water. Cover with a wet cloth and keep it aside.

Make lemon sized (approx 2.5" diameter) 10 balls out of it and set it aside.

In the mean time, combine all spices, sattu, coriander leaves, lemon juice, mustard oil, salt and pickle in a bowl. Mix them nicely by hand. Make sure all spices including pickle mixed very well. Now sattu filling is ready to stuff.

Preheat oven to 200 C. Put 1 tbsp sattu filling in the centre of each ball. Close it firmly from all sides.

Place all the littis on a baking tray.

Bake for 15 minutes. Turn the opposite sides of littis and grill for 10 minutes.

Take out and dip on pure desi ghee (clarified butter) and serve immediately with mixed chokha and chutney.

METHOD FOR MIXED CHOKHA:
Roast eggplant, tomato and parboiled potato over low heat.

Peel the skin of eggplant, tomato and potato nicely. Set aside.

Heat mustard oil in a pan or wok. Add minced garlic and green chilies in it.

Saute for 30-40 seconds followed by adding chopped onion. Fry for 2 minutes.

Add mashed tomato and salt in it. Fry for another minute.

Now add roughly mashed potato and eggplant. Fry for a minute and turn off heat now.

Add coriander leaves and lemon juice. Fold nicely.

Serve this chokha with litti.

METHOD FOR HARA DHANIYA CHUTNEY:

Grind coriander leaves, ginger, garlic, green chilies, tamarind pulp and salt for a minute to make a smooth homogenous paste. Add mustard oil in it. Yummy Hara Dhaniya Chutney is ready to serve with litti and chokha.

Enjoy your dinner with super delicious litti, mixed chokha and hara dhaniya chutney.

NOTE:

1. In cities, it is not possible to make 'litti' traditionally roasted over "chulha" or "angithi". But I baked it in electric oven, you may use  microoven for grilling it. If you don't have any oven, just heat a non stick pan on medium heat, arrange littis on it, cover it with a heavy lid and reduce the heat. Check after 10 minutes and turn over the other side of littis. Cook other side also for 10 minutes. Lastly, roast those littis on direct flame for giving that grilling effect.
2. Few people are allergetic on eggplant, if you don't like, just omit it. Potato-tomato chokha is also very delicious. May add 1 tsp mustard paste at the end and mix well, it is also be a great combo with litti.
3. Chutney can be stored in refrigerator upto an week.
4. I roasted parboiled potato to get its smokey flavor, which gave an authentic taste and flavor to chokha.

Sending to:  Cook with Comfort ~Blog Anniversary Event, Holiday Recipes ~ 3rd Blog Anniversary Event

MOCHA CHINGRIR KOFTA CURRY (BANANA BLOSSOM AND SHRIMP DUMPLINGS IN SPICY GRAVY)

'Mocha' or banana blossom is one of a complex Bengali cooking dishes which brings out a flavour of rural Bengal. Fresh rains of earth, drooling paddy field and the green ponds; a true smell of a Bengali life is now coming in mind. 'Mocha Ghonto' or stirfried banana flower is a common dish in each and every Bengali household. But this recipe I came to know from my great Grand Ma, she cooked this dish very efficiently and still today it is memorable to all of us, the very traditional and exceptional dish of kofta curry made with banana blossom and shrimp. A mouth watery, very delectable dish from my Grand Ma's kitchen is here for you..............

INGREDIENTS:

FOR 15 KOFTAS:
1 Medium Banana Blossom (mocha)
300 gm Small Sized Shrimp
1 tbsp Ginger Paste
1 tbsp Garlic Paste
1 tsp Coriander Powder
1 tsp Red Chilli Powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
4 tbsp Gram Flour (besan)
1/2 tsp Garam Masala
2 tbsp Corn Flour
Salt to taste
2 tbsp Oil + Oil for frying

FOR GRAVY:
1/2" Cinnamon, 2 cloves, 2 Green Cardamom (for tempering)
1 Large Onion (paste)
1 Large Tomato (pureed)
2 tbsp Beaten Yogurt / Curd
1 tsp Poppy Seeds
4-5 nos Cashewnuts
2 Green Chilli
1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
1/2 tbsp Red Chilli Powder
1/2 tbsp Coriander Powder
1/2 tsp Garam Masala
1/2 tbsp Sugar (for flavour)
1 tsp Clarified Butter (ghee)
1 tbsp Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves / Cilantro (optional)
3 tbsp Oil
Salt to taste

METHOD:

TO MAKE KOFTAS:
First of all, clean banana blossom and chop it finely. Set it aside.

Pressure cook banana blossom with very little oil and turmeric powder and cook till 2 whistles. let is cool down naturally. Squeeze out as much water as possible and keep it aside.

De shell and devein shrimp.

Take shrimps in a grinder and give a quick pulse to crush them.

In a pan heat 2 tbsp oil. Add ginger and garlic paste in it, saute till raw smell disapprears. Add crushed shrimp in it. Fry for 2 minutes (will see shrimp are crumbled). Now add coriander powder, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and garam masala. Fry nicely.

Add boiled banana blossom and salt in it. Fold nicely and fry for 3-4 minutes till everything incorporated very well. Switch off heat now. 

Add gram flour in it and mix well.

In a bowl, mix corn flour with 1/2 Cup water to make a smooth batter. Keep it aside.

Make into small balls, dip balls in corn flour batter and deep fry in oil till golden.

When done, remove from oil and drain on paper towel. Koftas are ready now.

TO MAKE GRAVY:
Grind poppy seeds, cashewnuts and green chillies to make a smooth paste. Set it aside.

Heat 3 tbsp oil in a kadai. Temper with cinnamon, cardamon and cloves. Saute for few seconds, till spices turn into light brown. Add onion paste in it.

Saute for 3-4 minutes on medium heat, till onion turns into golden. Add tomato puree in it. Fry till oil comes out from it.

Add coriander powder, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala and sugar. Fry for a minute.

Mix cashewnut and poppy seeds paste and fold nicely for 2 minutes.

Pour curd in it, mix thoroughly. Add 1 cup warm water and salt in it. Cook for another 5 minutes on medium heat.

Add coriander leaves and clarified butter. Remove from heat now.

Arrange koftas on a tray or bowl, pour this delicious gravy on it. Delectable kofta curry is ready to serve with plain rice or pulao.

NOTE: If you want to add potato in gravy, can add potato also. For that fried potato cubes before and add it at the time of adding water in it.

If you are in hurry to make koftas, then you may mix boiled banana flower, shrimp, spices, salt and gram flour all together and mix it well by using hand. Make koftas with it. But if we saute everything in little oil, then the raw smell of shrimp goes away and koftas will be more tasty and flavourful.

I used corn flour batter to dip koftas before frying, thats why koftas will be more crispy, crunchy and tasty.
Except gravy, this kofta is a very incredible snack. You may serve it as a starter or side of a main course.
Sending to:  Cook with Comfort ~Blog Anniversary Event, Holiday Recipes ~ 3rd Blog Anniversary Event