6-Minutes Mango Jam!!!!

 I really like mangoes . Every year I wait for the mango season and have a feast on mangoes.

This season , I am trying new things with mangoes. Therefore, here comes the instant mango jam, u can preserve this jam upto a week, but its worth. 

During my first attempt I failed, but second one was just amazing.  

I applied the jam on bread and grilled them in sandwich maker. 

For this jam all u need is:

• 1 Juicy Mango
• 1 Tb spoon of sugar/brown sugar/jaggery (I used crated jaggery)
• 1 T spoon of salt
• 1 pinch of grounded black pepper.

Combine all the above ingredients and microwave for 2 mintues. Stir and check if mango has left some water.

Repeat above process for another 2 minutes and check again. keeping for more than 2 minutes at one go can burnt the jam, therefor check, in  every 2 mintues.

It took 6 mintues to make the jam.

If ur mango is too sweet, u can add 1Tb spoon of lime juice. 

English Platter || Desi Style

Now this one  is from my imagination. My hubby finished it in no time, he loved the mixture of flavors.

I want you all to try this.

This recipe is divided into 4 segments.

1) Stir Fried vegetables

2) Garlic Rice

3) Spinach Sauce

4) Honey Flavored Paneer(cottage cheese)

Lets Get Started:

Garlic Rice:

1 cup of basmati rice, 1 tb spoon  cumin seeds, 8 cloves of garlic(finely chopped)

Boil Rice with salt separately. Heat oil in a wok, add cumin seeds and garlic. let them splutter until garlic turn into pink on slow flame. Add boiled rice, mix well and cook for another 5 min.  Keep aside.

Stir Fried Vegetables:

1 Red capsicum(chopped), 1 Yellow capsicum(chopped), 1 Green capsicum(chopped), 3 golden carrots(Sliced),  4 Spring Onions(thinly sliced),  2 Medium tomatoes(thinly sliced), 5-6 baby corns(half sliced)

you can adjust the quantity with your own choice.

Stir fry all vegetables separately in olive oil. Mix all the vegetables and add 1 tp spoon of vinegar and 1 tp spoon of soy sauce.Mix well.

Spinach Sauce:

1 Bunch of spinach leaves.

1 Medium tomato

1 T spoon sugar.

1 Tb spoon olive oil.

Salt acc. to taste.

Boil spinach leaves and tomato with salt and sugar.  let it cool . blend well with blender. Heat olive oil in a wok, add mixture in and water(as per requirement) and cook for 15 - 20 minutes. if you need tangy flavor, you can 2-3 drops of tobasco in mixture after it cools down. keep this aside.

Honey Flavored Paneer:

3 Tb spoon of honey.

2 Tb spoon of water.

1 Star anise

1 T spoon black pepper powder.

1 Cinnamon stick.

50g of paneer(cottage cheese)

Heat water and add star anise and cinnamon stick, when spices start releasing their flavors, add honey to it. cook it for another 5-7 minutes. Cool it down, and add pepper to it.

Mix well in paneer.

Put all the things in a plate and serve with fresh finely chopped basil leaves.  I am sure you will relish that..and worth of all efforts.

Happy Drink

Tomato-Basil-Oregano Juice.

For 1 glass :

3 Medium tomatoes

3-4 Basil Leaves.

6-7 Oregano leaves(ajwain leaves)

1/2 T spoon black salt

1/4 T spoon black pepper powder.

Blanch tomatoes in water. On another boil 1/4 cup of water and add oregano and basil leaves. Off the flame and cover it for next 10 minuted. Meanwhile, peel off the blanched tomatoes and let it cool down.

Combine everything and blend well in mixer. Add salt and pepper. Serve chilled.

This drink keeps you full for longer period, than any other snack and also keep your stomach happy.

Try once.

Quick Onion Pickle

Mostly pickles long time to get ready and requires lots of prep. I tried one easy and simple version of making pickle and to start with I chose onion. My pickle was ready to eat in just 24hrs and requires no pre or post preps too.

Here goes the receipe:

6 Medium onions

2 Tspoons  mustard seeds (crushed)

1-1/2 Tspoons  red chilli powder

1/2 Tspoon turmeric powder

Salt as per taste.

1/2 Tspoon kalonji (optional)

2 Tspoons  mustad oil.

Method:

Slice, chop or cut the onions as per your own requirement. In a large bowl, mix well all the ingredients mentioned above  except oil.

Heat oil on low flame for about 2-3 minutes(smoke should not form while heating the oil, else oil ll become bitter in taste). Pour oil on onion mixture. Mix well. 

Fill a transparent jar with above mixture. Keep it in warm place for one day (24 hrs). Dont keep in dark place like  cupboards.

Tips: In between 24 hrs, if onions starts releasing water, then shake the bottle or jar well, so that water gets mixed properly.

Honey Raisin Oatmeal Biscs..

Today, I participated in cooking competition, happened in my office. Theme was Healthy n calorie conscious dish. I tried with this oatmeal cookies. With little changes in ingredients, I was ready with my biscs And secured 2nd position.

 Here, I share my recipe. Try once and share ur experince.

I presented Biscs with Papaya Yoghurt Honey Dip. Click here for presentation picture

Ingredients:

3/4 Cup Whole wheat flour

1/4 Cup sugar

1/4 Cup honey

4 Cups Oats

1/4 Cup Raisin

75g Butter (I used Nutralite)

4 Tbsp milk

1/2 Tbsp Baking powder

Method:

Preheat oven upto 180o C . Mix sugar, honey and melted butter , till it becomes creamy and pale. Mix baking powder and milk and keep it aside.

Mix wheat flour, butter/sugar mixture, raisins, oats and milk mixture. Knead stiff dough.

Make small balls and press it from center Or rollout the small portion of dough on rolling pin and cut out small round sections .

Grease baking tray and place  above biscs on it. Bake it on 180oC for 15 minutes.

Remove from baking tray and let it to cool. Store it in a air tight container.

They can last upto 15 days.

Paneer Rolls

Ingredients:

1 cup grated paneer
1 Tbsp Grated green chillies
1/2 Cup chopped coriander and mint leaves
Salt as per taste
1/2 Tbsp chat masala
1/4 T sp Oregano seeds(ajwain)

1 Packet of fresh bread

Oil for deep frying.

Method:

Mix all the ingredients except bread in a bowl. You can add more spices of your choice.
Take a bread piece, slightly dip in water, squeeze out the water with the pressure of your hand.
Put sufficient amount of paneer mix in the center of the bread. Using hand push the bread towards inside, make it like a roll displayed in the pic. Make such 7-8 rolls.

Deep fry each roll till golden brown. Serve hot with green chutney.


You May Also Like these:

Khatti Arbi

Tikki Chole

Saufiyana Ajwaini Palak Paranthe

      

Masala Khichdi

This khichdi preparation is quite different from others. You can say some where tricky and lil time consuming than conventional one. Just give it a try and taste the yummy version of khichdi.

All you need:
1 cup rice
3/4 cup split green moong dal
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup chopped capsicum
1 cup tomato chopped
1/2cup green peas
1/2 cup chopped onion
3-4 curry leaves
1/2 t spoon grated ginger
2 green chillies
1/2 t spoon turmeric powder
red chilli and salt as per taste
5-6 whole black pepper
2 cloves
coriander and mint leaves for garnishing
1 Tb spoon lemon juice

Method:
pressure cook rice and dal with 6 cups of water, salt and 1/4 t spoon turmeric powder upto 1 whistle.

In another pan or wok. Heat oil (tastes best when used mustard oil), add black pepper and cloves. when they start spluttering add cumin seeds and let them splutter too. Add curry leaves and green chilies and saute for another few seconds(10).
Now, add onions  and saute till become translucent. Add all the veggies and dry masala. Let them till veggies become tender.Off the flame, add lemon juice and mix well.

Serve rice n dal khichdi in bowl and top it with 1 or 2 scoops of prepared veggie masala.
Garnish with mint and coriander leaves. You can also top it lil bit of grated cheese.

You can also add fried paneer cubes  into veggie masala.



You May Also Like These:

Veg Dum Biryani

         

    

Saunfiyana Ajwaini Palak Paranthe

I tried palak ke paranthe with lil twist in flavor and that resulted in yummy paranthe...
Check out the recipe and try once..

Ingredients:
1) 1 Bunch of spinach
2) 1 T spoon sugar
3) 1 T spoon salt
4) 1/2 T spoon Saunf
5) 1/4 T spoon ajwain

2 Cups of whole wheat flour for dough.

Method
Boil all the above ingredients together. Do not over boil the spinach as color will change to black and spinach will loose its flavor.
Grind spinach in a thick and fine paste.

Made dough mixing spinach paste. Immediately make 5-6 balls and roll out each using rolling pin and cook on both sides griddle each one using oil or ghee.

Serve hot with butter or curd. Njoy

Papaya Yoghurt Honey Dip

Ingredients:
1 Cup Papaya
1 Cup Yoghurt/hung curd
1-1/2 Tbspn Honey.

Click here for pic

Method:

Churn all above ingredients in mixer. Keep it in refrigerator for few hours.
Serve chilled with choice of dish like nachos, cream crackers etc. 

Drown in Choc cake

This is the first time,I tried chocolate cake. I am not a choc lover, but my hubby is.This recipe is dedicated to my dear hubby.

Ingredients:

2 Cups of all purpose flour

1-1/2 cup sugar(powdered)

4 Tb spoon cocoa powder

3/4 cup milk

100g butter(I used amul butter)

1 cup water

1-1/2 Tb spoon baking powder

1 Tb spoon lime juice.

For choc glaze Icing:

1 cup of cocoa powder

1 cup of icing sugar(finely powdered sugar)

2 Tbspoon of Luke warm water.

Method:

Preheat oven to 200 degree C. Mix melted butter and sugar, till creamy froth comes. Sieve flour, baking powder and cocoa powder. 

Add water and milk in sieved mixture and mix well. Now add butter-sugar mixture and lime juice, mix the cake mix in cut n fold method. Keep Mixing for at least 10 minutes, to produce air in the batter.

Grease and flour baking dish  and pour the batter into it. Bake it for 30-40 minutes at 200o C. until a toothpick , inserted comes out clean. Do not over cook it as cake continue to cook even after removed from oven. Therefore, be alert while baking a cake.

For Icing:

Mix all the ingredients in a deep wok, and mix well until a smooth n shiny  texture comes out.

Take out the cooked cake and allow it cool for 15-20 minutes. Remove the upper layer of cake. and pour choc glaze in the center of cake and with the help of spatula spread the glaze all over the cake. Keep it in fridge for 10 minutes to set the cake. 

Remove it from fridge and cut into the pieces and serve with vanilla ice cream.

Lotus Stem Curry.

Ingredients:
For Curry:
4 Medium tomatoes(finely chopped)
3 Onions(finely chopped)
4 Green chillies(finely chopped)
6-7 Crushed garlic cloves
1 Tb spoon coriander powder
1 Tb spoon chilli powder
1/4 T spoon turmeric powder
1 Tb jeera (cumin seeds)
1 Tb spoon garam masala powder
1 Tb spoon amchur powder
Chopped coriander & mint leaves
2 Tb spoon oil.
Salt for taste.
1 cup of water.



For Lotus Stem:
4 Lotus stems root. ( boiled and 1/4 inch sliced)
Rawa & Corn flour
Oil for frying
Salt
Chilli powder
1 Tb spoon lime juice.

Method:
Sprinkle juice, salt and chillipowder in sliced lotus stem and let it stand for 10 minutes. Coat each slice with rawa and corn flour and deep fry them till golden brown color.

Heat oil in a wok and add jeera, green chillies and crushed garlic. Saute for few seconds, add chopped onions. Saute till translucent in color.  Add tomatoes and cup of water, bring to boil for few minutes. Add all the dry spices. Let it cook for few more minutes.  Add fried stems, cover the lid and let it cook for another 5-10  minutes.
Garnish with coriander and mint leaves and serve hot with chapatis.

Corny Tomato Soup..

                                                                                                       Ingredients:
4 Medium tomatoes
1 Packet of sweet corn
Salt as per taste
1/4 Cup of mint leaves


Method:
Boil tomato, corn with salt in a pressure cooker up to 3 whistle. Take out the steam by force method, running into tap water till steam comes out.

Blend above mixture with mint leaves. Sprinkle with black pepper powder and Serve hot.

Egg Sunday...

I named this dish Egg sunday coz I cudn find anything else an easiest breakfast option on lazy sunday morning..with a sip of hot chocolate..and a newspaper. My hubby fondly named it egg upma...One can call this dish as scrambled eggs..But I have given a new name.


Ingredients:

4 Eggs
1 Green Capsicum(chopped)
2 Tomatoes(chopped)
1 Onion(chopped)
1/2 Cup Milk
1 Tbsp Cream
Salt for taste
1 Tbsp Butter




Method:
Beat eggs in bowl with milk. Keep it aside.
Heat butter in a pan, do not over heat. Add all the chopped vegetables, salt and saute for 4-5 minutes.
Pour the whisked eggs over veggies and using spatula push towards center. Cook till eggs are done.(It will hardly take 7-8 minutes). Off the flame immediately, as egg would be still cooking for 5 minutes. Overcooked egg doesn't taste great.
Mix cream or cheese and serve hot with coffee or hot chocolate..

Veg DUM Biryani !

Try this dum biryani once, I am sure you will never order in any restaurant. 

For Rice:

1 cup rice
Salt as per taste
2 cloves (laung / lavang)
3 Big cardamoms

5-6 Whole black pepper

1 star anise
1 stick cinnamon (dalchini)
2 bayleaf (tejpatta)

1 T spoon oil
Masala Paste:

6 whole dry kashmiri red chillies
1/2 cup cashewnuts (kaju)
2 tsp chopped ginger (adrak)
3/4 cup chopped onions

Curd Paste:

1/4 cup beaten curds (dahi)
2 tbsp chopped coriander (dhania)
2 tbsp chopped mint leaves (phudina)
1 T spoon garam masala


Veggies gravy:

2 T spoon oil
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1/4 cup sliced onions
3/4 cup chopped potatoes
1/4 cup chopped carrots
 1/4 cup chopped french beans
1/2 cup cauliflower florets

Method :

Clean and wash the rice. In a large pan, add 3 cups of boiling water to the rice with clove, cinnamon, bay leaf, cardamom,star anise, black pepper oil and salt.Cover and simmer till the rice is nearly cooked. Drain and keep aside.

Heat the oil in a pan add the cumin seeds.When the seeds crackles, add the onions, mix well and cook till the onion turns to golden brown in color. Add all the vegetables, salt, grounded red masala and 1/2 cup water, mix well and simmer till the vegetables are 3/4 done. Remove from the flame and keep aside.

In a deep wok, pour the vegetable gravy as first layer,top with the rice and spread the curd paste over the rice.Cover with a tight lid, you can also place vessel filled with water above the lid to keep it intact and keep the vessel on a tava and cook over a slow flame for 25 to 30 minutes.

Serve hot with raita of your choice. You can serve with instant Dahi Kadi .

Easy Dahi Kadi...

Sometimes, you don't wanna spend much time in kitchen and  sametime you also don't wanna order from outside...
I tried this version of kadi for such times..and hence sharing same in my blog..try once..

1 cup  curd
1/2 cup soaked boondiya..
chopped coriander
chopped mint leaves
2 Chopped green chillies
1 T spoon mustard seeds
1/4 T spoon crushed ginger
3-4 curry leaves
Salt as per taste
2-1/2 cups of water
1 T spoon oil
1/4 t spoon turmeric powder
1 T spoon red chilli powder

Method:
Mix curd and water, make it like buttermilk.
Heat oil in deep pan, add mustard seeds, when they start spluttering add curry leaves and green chillies. Now add ginger, turmeric and red chili powder and let it roast for a 30 seconds.  Add buttermilk. You can add more water if required. Let it boil for 5 minutes. Off the flame. add salt and garnish with coriander and mint leaves.

Add boondies just before serving. Serve dahi kadi with rice or chapati.

Variations: Instead of boondies you can add fried/roasted onions.

Kofta Curry

Ingredients:
For Kofta
2 Cups of grated lauki (bottle gourd)

1 Cup gram flour

1/2 Tspoon crushed ginger
1/2 Tb spoon mint powder
1/2 Tb spoon ajwain
1/4 T spoon turmeric powder.
Salt as per taste
Oil for frying

For curry:
2 Medium onions
Puree of 4 Medium tomatoes
3 Red chilies
5-6 curry leaves


Method:

Mix all the ingredients of kofta in a bowl , make fine dough(it could be lil sticky). Heat oil in deep pan, using a spoon make a small lump from mixture and deep fry. Make 8-10 such kofta balls. Keep them aside.

For curry, blend onions,, chilies and curry leaves in a mixture. Heat oil in a wok, add cumin seeds and add onion mixture into it. Saute till onion becomes translucent.
Then add tomato puree and 2 cups of water.Add dry spices of your choice (1/2 T spoon  turmeric powder, 1/2 Tspoon chilli powder and 1 T spoon coriander powder). Cover the lid and let it get cooked on medium flame for atleast 15-20 minutes, till it starts leaving its aroma. Add kofta into the curry . Let them soaked in the curry on low flame for about 10 minutes.
Off the flame, Serve hot with chapatis or rice.

Baked Chapati Rolls!!

Sunday morning after diwali , lazy beginning ...after breakfast hubby left for spanish lessons, maid finished her work. House was clean, laundry was done , I was relaxed and reading newspaper. Suddenly my cell phone rang and my dear friend who has missed her flight and her next flight was  in late afternoon, was coming to spend few hours, also she wants to have some quick bite.

I checked my fridge, nothing much :(, few leftover chapatis, milk and a bottle of appy fizz..... 10 mintues became hours for me, just to think what I can cook with limited options ..I came upto an idea , made paneer from milk(Homemade Paneer) and used leftover chapatis.
My friend could not stop appreciating the dish.

Just try this:
You can also try with fresh ones but crisp will come from leftover only.
Ingredients:
Few leftover chapatis
Paneer 1/2 cup
2 Tb spoon apple juice ( juice can be of any variant)
Spices of your choice to season.
Method:
Marinate Cottage cheese in apple juice and spices for 30 minutes.( I used crushed roasted cumin seeds, salt , mint powder, red chilli powder, chat masala).
Preheat microwave for 15 minutes. Divide the chapati in halves, place a spoon of cottage cheese mixture on one half chapati and fold it or make a roll. Using water on fingers, try to close the ends.
Repeat the procedure for other halves.
Grease the baking tray and place the rolls in tray and bake them for 10-12 minutes at 200 degree celsius.

Your dish is ready. Serve with sauce or chutney.

Tips:  You can also trying using mashed vegetables for filling, can use cheese or jams

Tomato-Basil Soup

This is my favorite soup, easy and quick to make and delicious in taste.


Ingredients:
4 Tomatoes
1 Packet of basil leaves
3-4 Garlic  (crushed)
1 Tb spoon olive oil


Method:

Pressure cook chopped tomatoes and basil leaves with 2 cups of water.
Blend them well in mixer. Heat oil in a deep wok, add crushed garli and immediately pour tomato-basil mixture.
Mix well and let it boil for 5-7 minutes.Add salt as per taste, season with black pepper.

Serve hot.


Tip: You can enhance its flavour by adding 1 big cardamom while cooking tomatoes and basil.

Tomato-Mint Soup

Healthy soup for stomach. It really do wonders when you have an upset stomach.
Do try this once.

Ingredients:
6 Tomatoes
1/2 Bunch of mint leaves
1 Tb spoon olive oil


Method:

Pressure cook chopped tomatoes and mint leaves with 2 cups of water.
Blend them well in mixer. Heat oil in a deep wok and add blended mixture.
Boil well, add salt as per taste and season with your favorite spices.
Serve hot.

Khatti Arbi.(Colocasia)

Ingredients:
250gm Arbi (Colocasia)
3 Tb spoon curd
10-15 Kokum leaves paste (Gamboge leaves)
1 Tb spoon paste of pudina leaves(mint leaves)
1/2 Tb spoon garlic paste
1/2 Tb spoon roasted cumin powder
1/2 Cup chopped coriander
Juice of one lemon
1 Tb spoon mustard oil
Dry spices of choice
Salt as per taste.

Method:
Microwave arbi for 7-8 minutes, peel them and slice them as per you desire(I sliced with 1/2 cm thickness).
Mix curd with pudina paste, cumin powder, kokum paste and salt. Mix well the curd paste and sliced arbi.
Keep aside for at least 20  minutes.

Heat oil in a pan, add dry spices of your choice along with garlic paste. Saute for few seconds. Add arbi mixture . Mix well and cook covered on low flame for about 10-15 minutes.

Garnish with Coriander leaves. Serve with chapati.