Monday, February 22, 2010

VEGETABLE PULAV


Today i would like to share one of my favourite receipe i.e. Vegetable pulav. This is one dish you can add as many different kind of vegetables to make this dish colourful. This dish can be prepared in no time.

VEGETABLE PULAV



Ingredients:

Basmati rice - 2cups
Vegetables (1-Carrot, 7-8Beans, 1/4 cup-Peas, 1cup-Cauliflower, 1 -Potatoes) Cut in small pieces or cut longitudinally.
Onions - 1 medium size
Ginger-garlic Paste - 1tsp
Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup chopped
Mint Leaves - 1/2 cup chopped
Green Chillies - 4-5
Chilly Powder- 1 tsp
Biryani Masala Powder - 2 tbsp ( i used Shaan biryani masala)
Curd - 1/2cup
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Salt - required
Whole Garam Masala(Elaichi, Cloves, Cardamom, Cinnamom, Shajeera)
Peppercorn - 1/2tsp
Oil/Ghee - 1tbsp
Orange Food colour - 1/4tsp

Method:

Heat some oil in a pan, add whole garam masala, next add the onions and fry until transparent. Add ginger garlic paste and fry until raw smell is gone. next add the slit/chopped green chillies, mint and coriander leaves. Fry for 2 sec. Then add all the vegetables and stirfry for few min , then add turmeric, chilly powder, biryani masala powder. Mix properly and add curd and salt. Mix and keep it aside.

Wash the basmati rice. Transfer the vegetable mix and rice to the rice cooker and add 31/2 cup water , mix properly and check for the salt. Switch on the cooker. When the rice is almost done add the food colour mixed in teaspoon of water and just add on the top and close and lid. let it cook until done. Serve with boiled eggs and raita.

* Can also use mushrooms in the dish.
* Instead of Biryani masala, you can use coriander powder & cumin powder.


TIP OF THE DAY
Finding hard to set the home made curd in winter, then here is a simple tip. Boil the milk , cool it until lukewarm, add 2 sp of culture along with 1 red chilly. Keep it in a warm place. The curd will be ready within 4-5 hours, creamy and thick. Try it.


Monday, February 8, 2010

MUTTON KEEMA KOFTA CURRY (korma)

Today i would like to share with you a hyderabadi receipe, Keema kofta Curry , that i learnt it from my mom. This is one of the delicious curry of mince meat (keema)blended with spices and herbs, which are made in to small balls and deep fried. Then these balls are simmered in a rich korma gravy. This is sure to try dish.

In this dish you can skip deep frying of the balls and instead just boil the koftas in water, drain and directly use it in the curry. This way you can cut calories without deep frying.

Ingredients:
For Koftas (meat balls):

Mutton mince - 1 lb
Onions - 1 small, finely chopped.
Ginger-Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Green chillies - 2 ( or more according to your spicyness)
Salt - required
Turmeric - pinch
Coriander leaves - finely chopped 1 tbsp
Mint leaves - finely chopped 1 tbsp

For the sauce:

Onions - 1 medium size, chopped or sliced
Tomatoes - 1 medium, chopped
Ginger Garlic - 1 tsp
Cashews - 1 tbsp
Coconut powder - 2 tbsp
Poppy seeds(khus-khus) - 2tbsp
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Green chillies - 2-3 slit
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup, finely chopped
Mint leaves - 2tbsp, finely chopped
Curd - 3tsp
Whole garam masala (Elaichi, cloves, cinnamom, shajeera and bayleaf)

Method:
For the koftas-
Clean the keema . Add all the ingredients for kofta, mix properly and make in to small lemon sized balls. Deep fry these balls or as i said can also be boiled in water and drain and keep aside.

For the Sauce-

Heat some oil in a pan, add chopped onions, saute for few minutes then add ginger garlic paste fry until the raw smell is gone, add chopped tomatoes, turmeric, chilli powder, coriander powder, cashews, salt. Saute these for 2-3 min and remove from the pan, let cool. Then blend this mixture to a fine paste.

Heat a pan, add 1tsp oil, to this add whole garam masala, add the blended paste, chopped coriander and mint leaves,slit green chillies, curd and mix properly, also add the meat balls. Add some water and let boil until the raw smell is gone and oil oozes out. Check for the salt. Sprinkle garam masala and coriander leaves and simmer for 2 more minutes. Serve hot with chapatis or rice.












MIX VEGETABLE QUICHE

It is a quick, wholesome and healthy dish that can be prepared within no time. This is one dish which i like to prepare on weekends as a quick breakfast or brunch. The vegetables hidden in this gives vitamins , fibre and minerals. The eggs used as a base gives protein and iron. And calcium from the milk and cheese added. It is a healthy dish for picky eaters who skip their veggies. In this dish you can use any kind of vegetables and combinations, and as many veggies as possible. I had very few veggies in my fridge so i ended up using only those; brocolli, spinach and green capsicum.
You can also use veggies with different colours, to make the dish more clourful and flovourful. I learnt this receipe from one of my friend during my college days, but made some changes to it by using paneer and coriander powder giving it a indian touch



Ingredients:

Eggs - 6
Milk - 1/3 cup
Onions - 1/3 cup
Brocolli - 1/2 cup chopped in to 1" pieces
Spinach - 1/2 cup finely chopped
capsicum - 1/2 cup chopped
Salt as required
Pepper - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Cheddar cheese and Paneer - 1/2cup finely shredded.
Oil - 2tsp
Method-
Take a pan and add oil, to this add onions, saute for few seconds and then add brocolli, spinach and capsicum. Saute the vegetables for 2min and keep aside. Now in a different bowl beat all the 6 eggs and whisk them, to this add milk and cheeses. Mix well and add pepper, coriander powder and required salt. Now take pie shell, spray some cooking spray and spread the sauted vegetables, then add the egg mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 35min. Insert a knife in the center to test if its done. If it comes out clean, it is done or else bake for some more time. Enjoy the yummy quiche.