Sabudanyachi Khichadi - Sabudana(Sago) khichdi

Ingredients

Saboodana

100 grams - soaked overnight (wash it once and then keep it soaked in bodeylevel water only)

Roasted peanuts
1 smll cup or a handfull - crushed

Green Chillies
2 to 3 - chopped finely

Curry Leaves

7 to 8 nos

Onion

1 nos - small finely chopped

Cumin seeds

1 teaspoon

Turmeric Powder

1 teaspoon

Sugar

1 teaspoon

Salt

As per taste

Fresh Coriander

For garnishing

Oil
1 tablespoon

Method :

Mix Crushed peanuts & salt as per taste with soaked saboodana and keep aside. Drizzle little water to keep it moist. Heat oil in pan . Add cumin and curry  leaves. Add shopped green chillies and let it splutter. Add chopped onion and saute for a min only. Now add sugar and turmeric powder. Saute for a while now add sabudana mixture to it ,adjust salt and mix well.Cover and cook it on simmer for a min or two.Take it off from gas and garnish with fresh chopped coriander.

Tips :

If fasting then don't add the onion.And serve with whipped curd.

CHICKEN PULAO

INGREDIENTS Boneless chicken, 1 1/2 inch pieces 600 grams Basmati rice, soaked 1 1/2 cups Red chilli powder 1 teaspoon Salt to taste Ginger paste 2 tablespoons Garlic paste 2 tablespoons Oil 4 tablespoons Cumin seeds 1 teaspoon Cloves 6-8 Green cardamoms 6-8 Bay leaves 2 Cinnamon 2 inch stick Onions, sliced 2 medium Tomatoes, chopped 3 medium Yogurt 1/2 cup Chicken stock 3 cups

METHODTake chicken pieces in a bowl. Add half red chilli powder, salt, half the ginger paste, half the garlic paste and mix. Keep it in the refrigerator for fifteen to twenty minutes to marinate.Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds, cloves, green cardamoms, bay leaves and cinnamon. Sauté till fragrant. Add onions and sauté till lightly browned. Add the remaining ginger paste, garlic paste and red chilli powder. Stir and sauté for two minutes. Add tomatoes, salt, yogurt and continue to sauté for two minutes. Add rice, marinated chicken pieces and coriander leaves and mix well. Add chicken stock (or vegetable stock) and bring it to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and let it cook till both the chicken and rice are done. Serve hot.

Khobryache Ladoo - Coconut Laddoos

Ingredients:

1 can condensed milk

2 cups of dessicated coconut (Dry or the one available in market)

1 tablespoon sugar

Method:

Mix the condensed milk and the coconut in a bowl.

Add the sugar and stir on a low flame for about 4 minutes.

Set aside till the mixture has slightly cooled down.

Shape into laddoos(small round balls).

Roll each laddoo in a little dessicated coconut.

Maharashtrache Asssal Kanda batate Pohe.

Ingredients:

1 cup beaten rice (poha)

1/4 cup crushed groundnuts

1/4 cup grated or scraped coconut

1/4 cup coriander leaves

1 stalk curryleaves chopped

1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder

1/4 tsp sugar

salt to taste

5-6 green chillies

1 tsp lime juice

1 1/2 tbsp oil

2 onions chopped

1 small potato chopped

1/2 tsp cumin seeds.

Method:

Wash poha till clean. Drain water sprinkle a handful of clear water and keep aside.

After 15 minutes loosen the poha gently, and break lumps with fingers. In a heavy saucepan, heat oil, add cumin seeds,chopped green chillies,groundnut,curry leaves and onions.Stir for2-3 minutes.Add Turmeric,little sugar and potatoes.Add salt and poha.Mix well for a min on gas.Turn off the flame.Transfer to serving dish and garnish with coriander,coconut and lime juice. Serve hot with Masala Tea.

Chickoo Halwa

Ingredients :

6 chickoos

1/2 tea cup milk

1/4 - 1/3 cup sugar

150 gms khoya.

2 - 3 drops cochineal (essence)

1 tbsp ghee

Method:

Peel and mash chickoos or blend.

Add milk and boil in heavy saucepan.

When slightly thick add khoya and cook, stirring continuously.

Add sugar and ghee & essence. Cook on low turning continuously till ghee oozes.

Garnish with almond or walnut in centre of the halwa.

Dahi Batata - Potatoes in Curd Gravy

Ingredients:

3 medium. potatoes boiled and peeled

1 cup curd or yogurt beaten

1 tsp. red chilli powder

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. dhania powder

1/4 tsp. turmeric powder

1/4 tsp. garam masala

2 pinches asafoetida

1 stalk curry leaves

1 tbsp. coriander leaves chopped

1 1/4 cup water

1/2 tsp. each ginger, garlic grated

2 green chillies slit

1 tsp. each cumin, mustard seeds

1/4 tsp. wheat flour

1 tbsp. oil

Method:

Cut potatoes into big pieces. Mash 3-4 pieces fine with hand. Keep both aside.

Mix all the dry masala in 1/4 cup water.

Heat oil. Add the seeds (cumin and mustard). When they splutter, add ginger-garlic, chilli and curry leaves.

Add the masala mixture and fry for 2 minutes.

Add beaten curd and fry for 5 minutes or till the curd loses its whiteness. Stir continuously after adding curd.

Add the remaining water and all the potato and flour. Stir well.

Boil and simmer for 10 minutes or till gravy thickens

Garnish with chopped coriander.

Serve hot with thin wheat chappaties and rice.

Aloo Palak

Ingredients

3 cups chopped spinach

2 large onoins chopped fine

2 large potatoes boiled and peeled

1 tomato grated

2 green chillies

1" piece ginger

1 tsp. lemon juice

1/2 tsp. wheat or other flour

1 tsp. red chilli powder

1 tsp. cinnamon-clove powder

1/4 tsp. turmeric powder

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

2 pinches asafoetida

1/2 tsp. garam masala

1/2 tbsp. butter

4 tbsp. ghee

salt to taste

METHOD:

Put the washed spinach in a pan, add very little water (just a sprinkle) and a pinch of salt.

Cover and boil over a high flame for 2 minutes. Cool quickly, or hold under running water in a colander.

Put in a mixie, add green chilli and run for a minute. Keep slightly coarse, do not make very smooth.

Keep aside.

Cut the potatoes into big pieces. Heat ghee and fry potatoes till light brown.

Drain the potatoes, keep aside.

In the same hot ghee add the cumin seeds.

Add the ginger, onions and fry till very tender.

Add the tomato and further fry for two minutes.

Add all the dry masalas and fry till ghee separates.

Add spinach and potatoes.

When it resumes a boil sprinkle the flour and stir well. Boil for 2-3 minutes. Add lemon juice

Just before s erving heat butter in a tiny saucepan and add the asafoetida.

Pour over the vegetable and mix gently.

Serve hot with naan or parathas or even rice.

Tips: You may use boiled peas, boiled corn kernels or paneer chunks in the above dish, instead of potaatoes.

Mumbai Special - Vada Pav!!

World Famous - VadaPav!!

Ingredients :

Potatoes, boiled and peeled
6 large

Oil
1 tablespoon + to deep fry

Asafoetida
a pinch

Turmeric powder
1/4 teaspoon

Green chilli-garlic paste
1 tablespoon

Salt
to taste

Fresh coriander leaves, chopped
1/4 cup

Lemon juice
1 tablespoon

Loaves of bread (pav)

8 small

For Batter :

Coarse gram flour (besan)
1 1/4 cups

Salt
to taste

Red chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon

Turmeric powder
1/4 teaspoon

Soda bicarbonate
a small pinch

Method :

To make the batter place the gram flour in a bowl. Add salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, soda bicarbonate and mix. Add sufficient water and whip to a smooth and thick batter. Set aside for at least fifteen minutes.Place the boiled potatoes in a bowl and mash them with your hands. Heat one tablespoon oil in a pan. Add asafoetida, turmeric powder, green chilli-garlic paste and mix. Add potatoes and salt and mix. Set aside to cool. Add coriander leaves, lemon juice and mix mashing the potatoes some more. Divide the mixture into eight equal portions and shape them into balls. Heat sufficient oil in a kadai. Dip the potato balls in the gram flour batter and deep fry till golden and crisp on the outside. Drain on absorbent paper. Slit each pav, spread some dry garlic chutney, place a vada and press lightly. Serve immediately.

Tips : As usual , if you are health freak replace the normal pav with brown pav!!

Chicken Manchurian

Ingredients :

For making the balls -

Boneless chicken, minced uncooked250 gms

Refined flour½ cup

Ginger Paste1 tsp.

Garlic Paste1 tsp.

Cornflour¼ cup

Ajinomotoa pinch of .

Soya Sauce1 tsp.

Chili sauce (optional )½ tsp.

OilFor deep frying

SaltTo taste

                               

For the sauce-

Garlic,finely chopped1tbsp.

Green chilies,finely chopped2 tbsp.

Soya sauce2 tbsp.

Chili sauce½ tsp.

White pepper¾ tsp.

Sugar 1 tsp.

Ajinomotoa pinch

Chicken stock3 cups

Cornflour mixed

with water3 tbsp. &

¼ cup

Oil4 tbsp.

SaltTo taste

Method :

                        

Combine all the ingredients mentioned for making the balls with the exception oil.Set aside for 15 minutes.

Heat the oil in a frying pan.Make 16 small lemon-sized balls of this mixture, squeezing out excess water to prevent breakage.Deep fry the balls a few at a time.Drain when golden brown and cooked. Set aside.

For the sauce-

Heat 4 tablespoons of oil in a pan. Add the ginger, garlic and green chilies.Fry over a medium flame for 1 minute.Add the Soya sauce, chili sauce, pepper, sugar, ajinomoto, stock and salt. Bring to a boil.Add the fried balls and cook covered on low heat for about 3 minutes.Add the cornflour mixed with water and stir continuously, so that the sauce become thick.Garnish with spring onion tops.Serve with rice or noodles.

Ginger Chicken

Ingredients :

Cooked & shredded Chicken :500 gms

Dried Mushrooms :4 nos.

Finely chopped onion :1 no.

Chicken Stock :¼ ltr.

Soya Sauce :¾ cup

Fresh ginger,finely chopped :1 tbsp.

Garlic clove, crushed :1 no.

Vinegar :4 tbsp.

Sugar :1 tsp.

Cornflour :1 tbsp.

Sherry :1 tbsp.

Tomato puree :1tsp.

Pepper to taste

Salt to taste

Method : 

Put the Soya sauce, onion, ginger, garlic, vinegar, sugar, tomato puree, salt and pepper in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes.Soak the dried mushrooms in warm water for half an hour. Then drain, rinse and cut into thin slices.Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the chicken shreds. Cook for 3-4 minutes.

Add the stock and the Soya sauce mixture, together with the cornflour mixed with sherry, to the chicken.

Add the mushrooms and cook till sauce thickens slightly.Serve hot!!

Chilli Chicken

Ingredients :

Chicken boneless 800 gms

Ajinomoto A pinch

White pepper powder½ tsp.

Sugar1 tsp.

Soya Sauce 2 tbsp.

Cornflour 2 tbsp.

Egg1 no.

Chopped green chilies 8 nos.

Chopped Garlic 6-8 cloves

Oil1 tbsp.

Oil to fry-

Salt As per taste

Method :

Marinate the boneless chicken pieces (one inch cubes) in 1 tablespoon. Soya sauce, salt, egg and 1 tablespoon cornflour for ten minutes.Deep fry chicken in hot oil till light brown.Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok. Add chopped garlic and chopped green chilies and toss for 15 seconds.Add 2 teacups of chicken stock or water. Bring it to a boil. Add ajinomoto, sugar, white pepper powder, salt and rest of the Soya sauce.Add fried chicken pieces and cook for 3 minutes.Add rest of cornflour, after dissolving it in water. Stir constantly.Garnish with chopped spring onions and green chilies julienne.

Chicken Lollypops!!

Ingredients : 

 
6 pcs Skinned Chicken Wings

2 Eggs
50 g Coriander (optional)
1/2 cup Butter
4 tsp Green Chilly Paste
1 tsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
1/2 tsp Soya Sauce
1/2 tsp Vinegar (preferably white)
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Lemon Juice
1/2 ltr Cooking Oil

Method :

Hold one chicken wing by its narrow side and scrape the flesh off towards the thicker side so that half the bone is laid bare and exposed. Do this with all the 6 pieces. Take a bowl and mix the Chilly Paste, Ginger-Garlic Paste, Butter, Soya Sauce, Vinegar and Salt. Marinate the Chicken in the resulting paste for an hour (if hunger strikes you can make that 1/2 an hour). Beat both the eggs in a large and wide bowl. Chop the coriander and add it to the eggs.Coat all pieces (one at a time) with the beaten egg and deep fry them
till the colour turns brown and the outside becomes crispy. Remove from oil and place on soaking tissues. Wrap the exposed bone area with Silver Thermal Paper which comes handy for picking up your
Lollypops to munch on. You may add a few drops of lemon juice on each piece to give them a tangy taste.

Woohoo!! your lollipops are ready !!

Lemon Chicken

Ingredients :

3 lbs (1.5 kg) chicken pieces
2 Tbs (30 ml) soy sauce
The zest of 1 lemon, finely chopped
1/3 cup (80 ml) lemon juice
1 cup (250 ml) water
1 Tbs (15 ml) sugar
1 Tbs (15 ml) finely chopped fresh ginger
1 tsp (5 ml) sesame oil
1 tsp (5 ml) cornstarch (cornflour) mixed with 1 Tbs (15 ml) water
Lemon slices and chopped scallions (spring onions) for garnish

Method :

Rub the chicken pieces with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of the soy sauce and set aside.Combine the remaining tablespoon of soy sauce, lemon zest,lemon juice, water, and sugar in a small bowl, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Heat the sesame oil in a wok or large, heavy skillet over
high heat. Brown the chicken pieces on all sides. Add the ginger and
cook for 1 minutes. Add the lemon mixture and bring to a boil.Reduce the heat to very low and simmer the chicken covered for 20 minutes. Remove the chicken to a warm platter and add the cornflour mixture to the pan. Stir the mixture until it boils and has thickened. Spoon over the chicken pieces and garnish with lemon slices and chopped scallions. Serves 4 to 6.

Some Important know-hows of chinese cooking!!

This info will also help you understand Asian Cooking too....!!

Basic Cooking Techniques In China, there are 40 or 50 different methods of heat control (he hou) used in cooking. In practice, you need only be acquainted with a few of them. Stir-frying Stir-frying is usually done in a wok. you can use a large thin-bottomed pan or frying pan instead, but the essence of the technique is that the food is cooked quickly, over high heat, in very little oil. The food to be cooked is finely sliced or shredded into similar sized pieces, using a very sharp knife or Chinese cleaver. Shallow frying This is a slower method of cooking than stir-frying. Again, a work or frying pan is used. More oil is used and the cooking is done over moderate heat. Deep-frying Deep-frying is used in the same ways as in the west, to produce crisp- texured food. Sometimes the food is deep-fried, removed from the oil and drained. the oil is then reheated and the food deep-fried again, so that it is exetremely crispy. Paper-Wrapped Deep-Frying Small pieces of meat or fish are seasoned, then wrapped in cellophane paper to form little parcels, and deep-fried until tender. the food is served in its paper wrapping and opened by the diner with chopsticks. The paper is of course discarded. Cellophane paper is obtainable from large stationers. Steaming The Chinese use bamboo steamers which stack on top of each other, so that four or five dishes can be steamed simultaneously. Dishes requiring most cooking are placed on the bottom layer, near the boiling water, while those requiring less are placed on the top "floor". Roasting used less in China than in the west as the average Chinese kitchen does not contain an oven: the best known dishes are restaurant ones, such as Peking Duck. Cha Siu is a method of quick-roasting meat or poultry at a high temperature for a short time. Red cooking This is a unique Chinese method, used primarily for cooking large cuts of meat or poultry. Dark soy sauce is used, which imparts a rich flavour and dark reddish-brown colour to the food. Stewing Stews are usually composed of meat cooked on its own with herbs and spices, rather than with vegetables. In China, stews are usually cooked in an earthenware pot (called a sanspot) over a slow charcoal fire. The stew is cooked for a very long time - up to four hours - producing meat almost jelly-like in tenderness.

Unusual Ingredients

As for special Chinese ingredients (listed below) one hardly ever needs more than 10 or 12 of them. They are all easily obtained in the Chinese stores and supermarkets that can now be found in many provincial towns. In London, of course, there are three or four dozen of them. With their help you can launch into Chinese cooking with the fullest confidence and produce typical (and authentic) Chinese dishes.

• Soya Bean Products
• Dried Vegetables and Fungi
• Canned Vegetables
• Dried Fish and Seafood
• Pickles
• Sauces, Pastes and Oils
• Rice and Noodles

Soya Bean Products

Soy Sauce
Used extensively for flavouring or as a condiment or dip. Light soy sauce has a more delicate flavour and delicately flavoured dished. When the colour is not specified in a recipe, this is the one to use Dark soy sauce imparts a rich colour to food and is used for red- cooking for dark stews and meats.

Yellow bean paste or sauce
Available in jars or cans in Chinese food stores. Often used instead of soy sauce when a thicker sauce is required.

Black bean paste or sauce
Similar to yellow bean paste, only darker.

Salted black beans
These are very salty indeed and need to be soaked for 5-10 minutes before use. They are then usually mashed into the cooking oil or sauce over high heat.

Hoisin sauce
(also called barbecue sauce) A thick soy-based sauce with a sweet, hot flavour.

Bean curd
Also known as tofu. An almost tasteless substance made from pureed yellow soya beans, which are very high in protein. It looks like junket, and is sold in cakes about 7.5 cm (3 inches) square.

Dried bean curd
Also sold in cake form. It can be cut into strips or slices and stewed, braised or fried.

Bean curd cheese
(fermented bean curd) Made by fermenting bean curd cubes in rice wine or salt. Available in two forms - white, or the Southern China red, which is more strongly flavoured. Both are very salty and strong-tasting.

Dried Vegetables and Fungi

Chinese dried mushrooms
Widely used for their flavour and aroma. Soak them in warm water for 20 minutes before using.

Wood ears
(also known as cloud ears) Dried grey-black fungi which should be soaked in warm water for 20 minutes before use. They have a crunchy texture and a mild flavour.

Straw mushrooms
are completely different to other Chinese mushrooms in flavour and texture. They are only available canned.

Dried chestnuts
Soak overnight in cold water then simmer in fresh water for 20 minutes.

Lotus nuts
Available dried or canned in syrup. If dried, they should be soaked for 24 hours before use.

Lotus leaves
Often used to wrap food before cooking, in the same way the West uses foil. The food is then usually steamed, the leaves imparting a special flavour to the food. The parcels are usually served whole and unwrapped at the table, the leaves being discarded afterwards.

Tiger lily buds
(golden needles) They have a musky, slightly acrid flavour. Soak for 30 minutes in hot water before use.

Dried tangerine peel
Gives a strong orangey flavour to meat and stews. Soak for 20 minutes in warm water before use. You can dry your own.

Dried seaweed
Sold in wads. When deep-fried in oil it becomes crisp and has a toasted fragrance.

Hair seaweed
Fine black dried seaweed. A traditional ingredient of some vegetarian Buddhist dishes. It should be soaked for at least 20 minutes before use.

Canned Vegetables

Water chestnuts
Available canned ready peeled. They have a mild, sweet taste and a very crunchy texture. Bamboo shoots
(not to be confused with beansprouts) Available canned in large chunks. Often used in stirfrying to give texture to dishes.

Dried Fish and Seafood

Dried squid
Tastes quite different from fresh squid and is regarded highly as a delicacy. Used to give extra flavour to dishes. Soak before use in a solution of bicarbonate of soda, to soften it.

Dried shrimps
Widely used to flavour savoury dishes. Soak in warm water for 30 minutes before use.

Fish maw
Comes from the shark. Dried, it looks like a small yellow sponge, and has to be soaked for 2 hours before use.

Pickles

Snow pickle
This is salted mustard greens. It is greenish in colour and has a milidly sour flavour.

Winter pickle
Salted cabbage, brownish green in colour, is savoury and mildly salty. Sold in earthenware jars.

Szechuan pickle
is hot and salty, with a peppery flavour. Often used to intensify the spiciness of a dish.

Sauces, Pastes and Oils

Chilli sauce
A hot-tasting sauce made from red chilli. Similar in flavour to Tabasco. Greatly used in Szechuan.

Oyster sauce
A thickish brown sauce made from soy sauce and oysters. Used mostly in the south.

Sesame paste
Paste made from seame seeds - very similar to peanut butter. Extermely rich and aromatic.

Sesame oil
Widely used for its nutty, aromatic flavour. Sold in jars. It will keep almost indefinitely.

Chilli oil
The oil is made by frying small red chillies slowly in oil. The oil is reddish in colour and very hot.

Rice and Noodles

Egg noodles
made from wheat flour and eggs, can be round, like spaghetti, or flat ribbons. They can be bought fresh or dried in Chinese supermarkets. Italian pasta can be used as a substitute. Fresh noodles need a very short cooking time -- 3-4 minutes.

Rice noodles
(also called rice stick noodles) are white and thread-like. They can be found both round and flat, and are sold in packets in Chinese supermarkets.

Pea-starch noodles
(also called cellophane noodles) or vermicelli, are white and translucent and resemble candyfloss. They should be soaked for 5 minutes before use. Glutinous rice
Round-grained rice used for stuffings and puddings such as Eight Treasure Rice. Pudding rice can be used instead.

Spices and Flavourings 5-Spice powder A mixture of star anise, fennel seeds, cloves, cinnamon and Szechuan peppercorns. It is very pungent and should be used sparingly. Ginger root Sold by weight. It should be peeled and finely sliced or chopped before use. MSG (Monosodium Glutamate) also called Flavour Powder or Gourmet Powder. It is obtained from glutamic acid, which is present in a wide range of vegetables, and is also found naturally in the human body. It has little taste of its own, but possesses an amazing capacity to enhance the flavour of other foods. Its use in Chinese recipes is optional. Szechuan peppercorns Reddish-brown peppercorns, native to Szechuan. Much stronger and more fragrant than normal peppercorns. Star anise Dried, star-shaped seed head with a pungent, aromatic smell like fennel. One of the ingredients of 5-spice powder.