VEGETABLE TIKKI

'Aloo Tikki' is a famous North Indian street food. I made little variation with this recipe and loaded with mashed green peas, carrot, coriander leaves with a various of Indian spices. You may use this tikki as a patties in Burger. Though it is a street food, but while made it in home, is very healthy and delicious.

INGREDIENTS:

2 Potatoes
1/2 Cup Green Peas (blended in mixer)
1/2 Cup Grated Carrot
2 tbsp Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves / Cilantro
2 Green Chillies (finely chopped)
3-4 tbsps Bread Crumbs
1 tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
1 tsp Cumin Seeds (roasted & powdered)
1/3 tsp Chaat Masala
1/3 tsp Garam Masala
Salt to taste
1/2 Cup Oil For Frying

METHOD:

Boil, peel and mash potatoes nicely.

In a large bowl, combine mashed potato, green peas, carrot, coriander leaves, green chilli, bread crumbs, lemon juice, roasted cumin powder, garam masala and salt. Mix the whole thing together nicely. Refrigerate the dough for 1 hour.

After that, take a small portion from this dough, give a shape of ball, press it round gently to make a flat round pattie or tikki. Repeat the procedure for all pieces. I made 15 tikkis from this entire dough.

Heat oil in a non-stick pan. Fry tikkis till crisp golden brown from both sides. Drain on a paper towel.

Sprinkle chaat masala on the top. Serve hot with your favourite chutney or ketchup.

Sending to:  Lets cook Christmas party food,  Favorite Recipes: Christmas Recipes 2013,  Let's cook for Christmas event, "Eat Vegetables Stay Healthy" & JUSTEAT,  Cook with Comfort ~Blog Anniversary Event, Holiday Recipes ~ 3rd Blog Anniversary Event

LABONGO LATIKA - SOUTH VS NORTH CHALLENGE

First of all wishing all my co-blogger friends, readers, visitors A VERY HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR, 2014. South vs North challenge completed its one year and running gloriously, which is today known by each and every co blogger friend, is a concept and brain-child of our sweet friend Divya Pramil of You too can cook Indian Food. Truelly a great going event where she divided this Indian Cuisine in two geographical parts: Northern Cuisine and Southern Cuisine. Food-bloggers have been placed in this event on the basis from where they belong to. A member from North team and a member from South team respectively will challenge the opposite team members with an authentic recipe from their respective zone and opposite team have to publish the same on their space with a month. Wish to join in SNC, no further delay, just mail to divya.pramil@gmail.com

Feeling proud to be a challenger in this month. Thanks a ton Divya dear for giving me this opportunity. Welcoming South team dearies and here is my lovely challenge to them............"LABONGO LATIKA". This mithai or sweet is made by Bengali's on very special occasion of Durga Puja or Makar Sankranti.

In Bengali 'Labongo' means CLOVE, simply an aromatic Indian spice, which I love a lot. Today, I am here with a very famous and traditional Bengali sweet "Labongo Latika", sweetened khoya or mawa encased in a crisp pastry and sealed with a clove, frying and soaking in the thicken sugar syrup. In my childhood days I saw my Grand Ma made this fingerlicking good sweet and all of us enjoyed and relished it too much. Hope you will like this yummilicious Bengali sweet.

INGREDIENTS:

FOR OUTER CRUST:

2 Cups All Purpose Flour / Self Raising Flour (maida)
2 tbsp Sugar (preferably powdered)
1/4 tsp Salt
Pinch of Baking Powder
Pinch of Saffron, Soaked In 2 tbsp Warm Water
3 tbsp Clarified Butter (ghee)
Little Warm Water To Knead The Dough
1 Cup Refined Oil for Deep Frying
20 Cloves

FOR FILLING:

200 gm Mawa / Khoya
3-4 tbsp Sugar (according to taste)
1/8 tsp Nutmeg Powder
1/3 Cup Warm Water

FOR SUGAR SYRUP:

1 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Water
1 tsp Rose Essence / Rose Syrup

METHOD:

TO MAKE DOUGH:

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, 2 tbsp sugar, saffron water, clarified butter  and salt. Mix well. Add water little by little. Knead it to make a smooth dough. Cover with a wet cloth and rest for 20 minutes.

Divide the dough into 20 portions, by which make 20 equal flat balls and set those aside.

TO MAKE FILLING:

In a pan, crush mawa or khoya. Add ½ Cup warm water, nutmeg powder, Sugar in it. 

Heat the pan now and keep stirring continuously for about 6-7 minutes or till the mixture thicken. Switched off the flame now. 

Add raisins, mix nicely. Keep it aside and let it cool down a little.

TO MAKE SUGAR SYRUP:

Heat a sauce pan. Add 1 cup sugar and ½ cup water in it. Mix rose essence and let it boil. Two String consistency of syrup is required for this sweet.

HOW TO MAKE LABONGO LATIKA:

In the mean time, flat a ball by sprinkling little flour and make poori approx 4” diameter circle or oval. 

Take a spoonful filling and place at the center of the circle. Fold from two opposite sides. 

Lastly, with your wet fingertips, fold from the remaining opposite ends to make a pocket. Wrap the edges with little water and insert a clove to seal the pocket, so that the pocket won’t open easily.

Heat enough oil in a wok for frying labongo latika on medium low flame. Slowly add 4-5 pockets in it. Fry slowly till both sides turn into golden brown.  

Remove them from the oil and dip in thick sugar syrup for 4-5 minutes. Make sure that both sides of labongo latika are getting drenched in sugar syrup. Remove from syrup and arrange on serving plate. 

Always serve after a couple of hours at room temperature. You may store in an air-tight container and refrigerate for a week. Enjoy this lipsmacking good Bengali sweet!!!

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

Hellow! My dearies from South Team, link your post with gorgeous clicks here...........

THOR ER PALANNO (BANANA PITH / STEM WITH RICE)

The banana tree is one of those few species where each part is used in some way, be it the leaves which are used for eating food or wrapping food, the fruit which is eaten in the form of raw or ripe, the flower or stem which is also consumed. The stem is cooked in various ways in South Indian Cuisine and in West Bengal. It is rich in fiber and helps in weight loss. It also helps prevent high blood pressure and maintain fluid balance within the body. It is used prevent and treat kidney stones. 'Thor' is tender inner part of 'Banana Plant'. Plantain stem or banana pith or thor is a very popular ingredient in Bengali vegetarian cuisine. In my childhood days, oftenly seen this recipe was made by my Grand Ma. This is an extremely delicious dish. Chopping 'thor' is treaky and really time consuming task. My Ma used to make 'Thor Chenchki' or 'Thor Ghonto', I relished those recipes, but this one is a very special and toothsome dish which I love the most.

INGREDIENTS:

1 ft Long Banana Pith / Stem (Thor)
1/2 Cup Gobindo Bhog Rice / Kalo Jeera Rice / Basmati Rice
1 Cup Warm Water
1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
1 Whole Dried Red Chilli
Whole Garam Masala (1" Cinnamon, 2 Cloves)
1 Bay Leaf
3/4 tsp Ginger Paste
1/2 tsp Cumin Paste
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1/2 tsp Red Chilli Powder (as per taste)
1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds (paste)
1/2 tsp Coriander Powder
Few Cashew Nuts
Few Raisins
2 tbsp Clarified Butter (ghee)
1 tbsp Oil
Sugar to taste
Salt to taste

METHOD:

Wash and clean banana stem nicely. Chop it finely or in very tiny cubes and soak it in water. Mix turmeric powder and little salt with it (otherwise they will turn black like chopped potatoes) and set it aside for 30  minutes.

Wash rice nicely. Heat 1 tsp clarified butter in a pan. Add rice, fry slowly for 2-3 minutes and keep it aside.

Add oil and remaining clarified butter in the same pan / wok. Slowly fry cashew nuts and raisins, remove from oil and set it aside.

On the same pan / wok, add cumin seeds, bay leaves, whole dried red chili and garam masala. Saute for few seconds. Add ginger and cumin paste, lower the heat now and keep stirring for a minute or two.

Drain water completely from banana stem by squeezing it nicely and add it to the pan/wok. Cook it in low heat till the water completely evaporates.

Now add fried rice, cashew nuts, raisins and 1 cup warm water in it. Fold well and cook till rice is tender. (Finally, rice and banana pith need to look seperate from each other)

Serve warm with plain steamed rice. Enjoy this toothsome Bengali delicacy.

Sending to:  Lets cook Christmas party food,  Favorite Recipes: Christmas Recipes 2013,  Let's cook for Christmas event,  "Eat Vegetables Stay Healthy" &  JUSTEAT

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

BAKED CHEESE CAKE (JAPANESE STYLE)

This is a basic baked version of a creamy classic dessert. The authentic creamy cheese cake will definitely add a taste to any dining table or Christmas party. A real rich, creamy and mouth melting cheese cake that always makes a great dinner party. It is a perfect combination of tangy and sweet with a smooth and rich texture, which is wonderful for entertaining. Just tryout, you will surely fall love in it!!!

INGREDIENTS:

FOR CRUST:

40 gm / 1.4 oz Butter (softened)
120 gm / 4.2 oz Vanilla Wafers

FOR CHEESECAKE:

226 gm / 8 oz Philadelphia Cream Cheese
150 cc Whipping Cream or Fresh Cream
3 tbsp Self Raising Flour
70 gm / 2.5 oz Sugar
2 Eggs
1 tbsp Lemon Zest
1 tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
20 gm / 0.7 oz Butter (melted)

METHOD:

Line the pan with parchment paper / baking paper.
Place vanilla wafers in a ziploc bag. By using your hands smash it nicely.
Add 40 gm butter and mix it thoroughly.
Press firmly into the pan by using the bottom of a glass and chill in refrigerator for 1 hour or until set.
Preheat oven to 180 C. Beat softened cream cheese in a bowl. Add sugar in it. Blend again.
Add 2 beaten eggs little by little and whisk the mixture well.
Pour 150 cc whipped cream / fresh cream in it. Mix nicely.
Add lemon juice , lemon zest and shift flour in it.
Lastly, add 20 gm melted butter, fold well.

Pour the mixture onto the pan above crust. Bake for 40 minutes. Allow to cool to the room temperature and refrigerate for 3 hours.

Cut the cheese cake into bars and serve. May wrap each bar with plastic wrapper and refrigerate for a week.

For original recipe Click here....

Sending to:  Cook with Comfort Event,  Lets cook Christmas party food,  Favorite Recipes: Christmas Recipes 2013,  Lets Cook for Christmas, Holiday Recipes ~ 3rd Blog Anniversary Event

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