Methi Rice

Ingredients

1 bunch fresh methi leaves
Garlic pods 8-10 crushed
1 cup rice
2 cups water
Salt as per taste
Red chilli powder
Jaggery or sugar (as required. I add jaggery because methi leaves are little bitter)

for tadka
Oil 2 tsp
Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
Hing a pinch

Method 

Methi Rice

1. Wash & chop the methi leaves. Keep aside. Heat oil- add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, turmeric powder, hing, garlic. Let the garlic turn little brown. 
2. Add methi leaves, salt, red chilli powder & sugar/ jaggery. After methi leaves become soft add rice & mix well. Add boiled water & close the pan. Cook the rice for 3-4 whistles.
3. Serve with curd.

Kanda-Kairi (raw mango & onion) Instant pickle

Kanda-Kairi

My aunty was here last week & she taught me this very simple instant pickle. It just takes 10 minutes to make & trust me you will love it with roti, rice or even bread slices!

Ingrediants
1 medium size raw mango (kairi)
1 medium size onion (kanda)
1 tbs jaggery
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
Salt as per taste
2 tbs oil for making tadka
1 tbs mustard seeds
1/2 tsp hing
1/2 tsp turmeric powder

Method

1. Wash the raw mango & grate it. Peel & grate the onion. Keep in a big bowl. Add red chilli powder, salt, jaggery. 
2. Make tadka -- heat oil add mustard seeds, hing & turmeric powder. Let the tadka cool down. Add it to the raw mango-onion mixture. Mix well.
3. Store in a glass jar/ ceramic jar in the fridge. Use within 4-5 days.
   

Veg Au Gratin

A simple veg baked dish which needs very less effort. 


Ingredients
Green peas (frozen or fresh) 1 cup. If you take fresh peas you will have to half boil it before using it
Beans- 50 gms (cut into small pieces)
carrots - 2 small (Peeled & cut into cubes)
baby corn - 100 gms (pressure cooked & cut into small pieces)
american corn 100 gms (boiled)
cauliflower- cut into small florets (boiled)
Potatoes 2 medium size (boiled & peeled)
cheddar cheese for top layer 100 gms (grated)

For white sauce
wheat flour 1 cup
milk 2 cups
cheddar cheese 100 gms (grated) 
pepper 1 tbs
salt as per taste

Method

1. Prepare white sauce- Heat a pan and add the butter. After the butter melts add the wheat flour and stir for a while till the color changes to light brown. Add milk and stir continuously. See to it that no lumps are formed in this process. Add salt, pepper powder and grated cheese. The sauce will start thickening after sometime. Keep stirring continuously so that the sauce is not burnt from the bottom. If any lumps are formed you can use a hand mixer or blend the sauce by using a mixer. The white sauce is ready.
2. Half boil carrots, peas, beans, cauliflower. Mix all the above vegetables & add to the white sauce.Add salt & pepper if required. Take a baking dish and pour all the white sauce with vegetables in the dish. Grate the potato as the top layer and add grated cheddar cheese.
3. Pre heat the oven at 180, and bake for 20-25 minutes till the above layer is light brown in colour

Chickpeas & Red beans salad

Ingredients

1/4 cup red beans (rajma)
1/4 cup chickpeas (Chole)
1 small onion (finely chopped)
1 finely chopped capsicum ( you can add red/ yellow bell peppers too)
1 small carrot (chopped into small pieces)
American corn 1/4 cup boiled
Salt as per taste
1 Green chilli (finely chopped or crushed)
1 Lemon juice
Coriander leaves for garnish (chopped)



Method

1. Soak red beans & chickpeas for 3-4 hrs. Pressure cook till 3 whistles. Drain water and cool down.
2. Mix all above ingredients including chickpeas & red beans, add salt, green chillies, 1 small lemon juice. Mix well. garnish with coriander leaves.

Paneer Butter Masala

Rich, creamy & restaurant style Paneer butter masala for you. Perfect for parties and also your family meals! My version of Paneer butter masala for you all!

Ingredients
Paneer 1/2 kg (cut into cubes)
onions 3 medium size (finely chopped)
tomatoes 2 medium size (pureed)
Ginger-garlic paste 2 tsp
water 2 cups (as required)
cashew paste (grind 10-12 cashews with water in a mixer)
kasuri methi- 1/2 tsp
salt as per taste
cumin powder 1 tsp
coriander powder 1 tsp 
red chilli powder 1 1/2 tsp
dollop of butter
oil for frying the masala (2 tbs)
coriander leaves for garnish

Method

1. Heat oil in a frying pan & add finely chopped onions. Fry till golden brown. Keep stirring frequently to avoid it from sticking it to the bottom. When the onions turn golden brown in colour add ginger garlic paste & tomato puree. Fry for 2 minutes.
2. Add cashew paste. Stir well. Add kasuri methi, salt, red chilli powder, cumin powder & coriander powder. Bring it to a boil. Add paneer pieces. Add water as required. 
3. After it starts boiling add a dollop of butter. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves
   

Sweet Pongal

'Makara Sankranti' is one of the most auspicious occasions for the Hindus, and is celebrated in almost all parts of India. In Tamil Nadu Sweet Pongal is prepared on this auspicious day. I learnt this delicious recipe from a dear friend of mine.

Ingredients

Raw Rice - 1/2 cup heaped
Moong Dal - 1/8 cup 
Jaggery - 3/4 cup
Water - 3 cups(for cooking rice) + 1 and 1/4 cup(for jaggery syrup)
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Cashews - 8 broken
Raisins - 1 tbsp
Cardamom powder - a pinch

edible camphor (optional) a pinch







Method

1. Dissolve jaggery in boiling water, to dissolve easily. Then heat it up until for the remaining lumps to get dissolved, let it come to a rolling boil.
2. Switch off and strain to remove impurities.Then add edible camphor(a very tiny pinch not more than that) and cardamom. Keep aside
3. In a pressure cooker dry roast moong dal till golden brown.Then add rice and give a quick stir.Add 3 cups of water and pressure cook for3-4 whistles until mushy.Mash it well.Then add jaggery syrup.
4. Add the jaggery syrup and cook well in medium flame for 5 mins.If it starts getting dry add milk and keep mixing till you get the pongal consistency. Roast the cashews & raisins in ghee and add to pongal.

Apricot Preserve

The other day I went grocery shopping at one of the local shops near my house, and saw dried apricots! I have always been a fan of apricots and I wanted to try these dried fruit. I picked up a 250 gm packet and on my way back home was thinking what to make out of these fruits. My 3 y.o daughter has recently started eating lot of jams and preserves. So what better than turning these golden beauties into a preserve!!
Here goes my recipe.


All you need is 1 cup of sugar, 1 inch cinammon stick, 1 star anise, and a pinch of salt, 3 cups of water.

Soak the apricots in 3 cups of water for 8-10 hrs. You could soak it overnight

 

Next morning, Finely chop the apricots in a food processor or with a knife. Place the apricots in a thick bottom pan. Add sugar, water, cinammon and star anise. Cook on seam for about an hour. Keep stirring ocassionally till the mixture thickens.

Ladle into a clean glass jar or an airtight container. Can be stored in refrigerator for upto a month.

 

 Enjoy the preseve with a slice of toasted bread and butter!