Papaya Halva

 Quick sweet dish that can be made in few minutes and unique in taste...

Ingredients:

Papaya (peeled and chopped) - 1 bowl

Sugar - 2 tbsp

Ghee - 2 tsp

Cashewnuts - 5 to 6

Almonds - 4 

Pistachio - 5 to 6

Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp

Method:

Grind the papaya into a smooth paste.

Heat one tsp ghee in a pan and roast the dry fruits and keep aside.

Now add the papaya puree into the same pan and cook on medium heat till it starts to thicken.

Now add sugar and cardamom powder and mix well. Adjust the quantity of sugar depending on the sweetness of papaya.

Continue cooking till the everything comes together and thickens. The papaya turns more reddish on cooking. Add one more tsp of ghee and mix well.

Once it starts to leave pan, switch off the flame. Garnish with nuts and serve..

Enjoy Cooking!!

Hariyali Sabzi Paneer

       Make your weekends interesting by including this in your evening snacks.. It tastes awesome and you can have a healthy delicious snack...

Ingredients:

Paneer - 100 gms

Potato - 2 small size

Sweet potato - 1 cup (sliced)

Cauliflower- 1 cup florets

Brocolli - 1 cup florets

Baby corn - 3 chopped

Onion - 1 medium chopped

Garlic pods - 4 to 5

Ginger - 1 " piece

Mint chutney - 1 tbsp

Spinach - 1 cup

Curd - 1/2 cup

Gram flour - 1 tbsp

Dry mango powder - 1 tsp

Garam masala - 1 tsp

Oil - for roasting

Salt to taste

Method:

Boil sweet potato, potato and baby corn and keep aside.

Similarly boil cauliflower and broccoli for 5 mins and keep aside.

Blanch the spinach and make puree.

Take a large bowl. Add all the vegetables, paneer, spinach Puree, curd, gram flour, dry mango powder, garam masala and salt and mix well..

Make ginger garlic paste and add. Also add regular mint chutney to the mix. 

Marinate for 15 minutes and roast them on pan with little oil till they are golden.

Serve hot with tomato ketchup.

Enjoy Cooking!!!

Orange Cookies

    These are the nice feel good cookies that are best had at tea time... Quick to make and tastes great...

Ingredients:

All purpose flour (maida) - 2 cups

Butter - 100 gms ( 1/2 cup)

Sugar powder - 1 cup

Orange - 1 med size

Baking soda - 1/4 tsp

Orange colour - 2 drops (optional)

Vanilla essence - a pinch

Method:

Take butter and sugar in a bowl and whisk them till it turns white and creamy..

Now add the all purpose flour, baking soda, orange colour and vanilla essence and fold everything together.

Now take the juice of one orange and go on adding little by little to the mix and fold everything well..  The mix should not turn paste.

Now mix everything well and refrigerate for 30 mins..

Now take small amount of dough give them a shape of cookie and bake them in preheated oven at 180°c for 15 to 20 mins.

Remove inbetween and turn them over.

Once done allow them to cool and serve with evening tea..

Enjoy Cooking!!

Beetroot and Paneer Cutlet

               Cutlets are always on my favourite list. Simply because they are healthy and can be made with a little or no oil. So its always best to have it as an evening snack.

Ingredients:

Beetroot - 1 medium size

Potato - 1 medium size

Paneer - 200 gms

Coriander (chopped) - 1/4 cup

Onion - 1 medium size

Salt to taste

Chilli powder - 2 tsp

Garam masala - 1/2 tsp

Dry mango powder - 1 /2 tsp

Chiroti Rava -  2 tsp

Corn flour - 2 tsp

Oil - 1 tbsp

Method:

Pressure cook the potato and beetroot for 4 to 5 whistles till they are cooked well. Allow them to cool down and then mash them. 

Crush paneer and add it to the potato mix. Also chop onion finely and add it. Add coriander.

Add salt, chilli powder, garam masala, dry mango powder and corn flour and mix every thing well.

Now take little bit of mix and flatten it out in the shape of cutlets. Dip them in chiroti rava and roast them on medium flame till they are golden on both sides.

Enjoy with green chutney or tomato ketchup.

Enjoy Cooking !!!

Pumpkin Payasa

                       Healthy and nutritious sweet recipe that can be had without any occasion...

Ingredients:

Pumpkin (cubes) - 1 cup

Jaggery - 1/2 cup

Dry coconut - 2 tbsp

Cardamom - 1/4 tsp

Milk - 1/4 cup

Cashewnuts - 5 to 6

Almonds - 5 to 6

Ghee - 2 tbsp

Method: 

Pressure cook the pumpkin for two whistles... Once cool grind it to a paste.

Now heat one tbsp ghee and fry the chopped nuts. Remove them and keep aside.

Now add the pumpkin puree to the pan and mix well... Add milk and cardamom powder to it and cook on a low flame... You can adjust the quantity of milk according to pouring consistency. You can even add one or two tbsp water. 

Once it starts to boil, add jaggery and mix well. Also add dry coconut powder. Add the rest of the ghee and mix everything well.

Garnish it with the nuts and serve.

Enjoy Cooking!!

Poppy Seeds Coconut Laddoo

 This is a simple three ingredient recipe very healthy and quick to make. You can use it as a treatment for mouth ulcer... Just chew the laddoo and place it on the ulcer inside the mouth. The ulcer gets healed very quickly. Kids enjoy this as its easy for them to eat it... 

Ingredients:

Poppy seeds - 1/4 cup

Dry coconut - 1/2 cup

Jaggery - 1/4 cup

Groundnut powder - 2 tsp (optional.. only for taste)

Method:

Dry roast poppy seeds on low flame till they splutter and turn golden.

Dry roast coconut slightly till it is warm.

Heat a pan and add jaggery. Add a tsp of water to it.

Keep mixing till it forms a thin string consistency.

Now mix poppy seeds, coconut and groundnut powder.  Pour the jaggery syrup over it. Mix well.

Allow it to slightly cool down. Make laddoos with it.

Enjoy Cooking!!!

Veg Clear Soup (Chinese)

 The best appetizer when you looking for something special but low in calories... It tastes best with goodness of all the vegetables...

Ingredients:

Spinach (chopped) - 1 cup

Lettuce (chopped) - 1 cup

Cabbage (chopped) - 1/2 cup

Capsicum (chopped) - 1/2 (I have used red capsicum here)

Onion - 1 medium size

Garlic - 2 pods

Cauliflower florets - 1/2 cup

Noodles - 1 cup

Salt to taste

Pepper - 1/2 tsp

Oil - 2 tsp

Soya sauce - 1/2 tsp

Chilli Vinegar - 1 tsp

Method:

Cook the noodles in boiling water with little salt and oil and keep aside.

Now boil the cauliflower florets in the hot water for 3 to 4 minutes.

Blanch the spinach too in hot water .

Heat oil in a pot. Add onion and garlic and saute till it's translucent.

Now add capsicum and cabbage and mix well. Let it cook for two minutes till they turn soft. Also add lettuce and mix.

Now add blanched spinach, cauliflower and cooked noodles and mix everything well. 

Add 4 cups of water and allow it to simmer for 5 minutes on medium flame. Add salt , pepper, soya sauce and chilli vinegar and mix well.

Serve hot...

Enjoy Cooking!!!

Paneer Fried Rice

     Wholesome one pot meal on a lazy weekend..Fried rice tastes best when the quantity of vegetables used is double the quantity of raw rice...

Ingredients:

Jeera samba rice - 1 cup

Capsicum - 1/2 chopped

Carrot - 1 chopped

Onion - 1 chopped

Garlic pods - 4 to 5 chopped

Cabbage - 1/2 cup chopped

Beans - 1/2 cup chopped

Green peas - 1/2 cup

Spring onion - 1/2 cup

Paneer cubes - 100gms (1/2 cup)

Soya sauce - 1 tsp

Vinegar - 1 tsp

Oil - 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

Pepper - 1/2 tsp

Method:

Boil carrot, beans and keep aside.

Cook the rice with 1.5 cups water. Once done spread it on a plate.

Heat oil in a pan. Add paneer cubes. Fry for a minute till it's slightly golden in colour. Remove them from pan.

Now add onion and garlic and fry till the onions sweat... Now add cabbage and capsicum and fry on high flame for a minute.

Next add beans, carrots and peas and fry. Now add cooked rice and mix well.

Continue cooking it on high flame till it's smoky hot.

Now add salt, soya sauce, vinegar and pepper and mix well.

Add the fried paneer and spring onions to it and serve hot with little sauce.

Enjoy Cooking!!!

Spinach and Paneer Tikkis

 The best snack when you are trying to each healthy and low on carbs... Kids love this recipe...

Ingredients:

Spinach - 2 bowls

Paneer - 1.5 bowl

Onion - 1

Garlic - 3 to 4 pods

Potato - 1 (optional)

Garam masala - 1 tsp

Dry mango powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric - 1 tsp

Chilli powder - 2 tsp

Corn flour - 2 tsp

Salt to taste

Oil - 2 tsp

Method:

Blanch the spinach for 5 minutes. Remove from water and allow it to cool. Chop onion and blend along with spinach and garlic.

Sieve the spinach puree in cloth to remove excess water. Otherwise it becomes soggy.

Now to the spinach paste, grate paneer and add it. Also add boiled and mashed potato.

Add garam masala, chilli powder, dry mango powder, turmeric and salt and mix. Also add corn flour and mix.

Heat oil in s pan. Make small Tikkis out of the mix and roast them on both sides.

Serve hot with some ketchup.

Enjoy Cooking!!!

Roasted Paneer and Veggies

  This has been my regular food from the time I have started tracking my calories and trying to eat healthy ... Quick to make and makes a healthy stomach filling snack..

Ingredients:

Paneer - 50 gms

Onion - 1 medium

Tomato - 1 medium

Cauliflower - 1 cup

Salt to taste

Chilli powder - 1 tsp

Italian Mixed herbs - 1/4 tsp

Oil - 1 tsp

Method:

Cook the cauliflower in water for five minutes till it is cooked well.

Meanwhile chop onion and tomato in chunks. Remove the centre pulp of tomato or else everything turns out soggy.

Chop paneer into pieces.

Heat oil in a pan. Add onion, tomato, paneer and cauliflower together into it.

Shallow fry them till they turn out crisp and golden.

Add salt, chilli powder and mixed herbs and mix well.

Toast them well so that the spices are well coated.

Remove from flame and enjoy with little bit of ketchup or green chutney.

Enjoy Cooking!!

Shallow fried Sweet Potatoes

    Make a regular meal more interesting with this simple recipe. It tastes best when accompanied with rasam rice.

Ingredients:

Sweet potatoes - 2

Salt to taste

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Chilli powder - 1 tsp

Channa dal - 1 tsp

Urad dal - 1 tsp

Asafoetida - 1 pinch

Oil - 1 tbsp

Method:

Wash the sweet potatoes properly and pressure cook them for two whistles in the cooker.

Now chop them in thick slices.

Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. Once they splutter, add Channa dal and urad dal and fry. Now add turmeric and asafoetida. 

Add the sweet potato slices and shallow fry them till they are crisp and golden.

Now add salt and chilli powder and mix well so that they are nicely coated.

Serve hot with rice and sambar..

Enjoy Cooking!!!

Dal Tadka

 The last one in the quick north Indian meal series... Dal Tadka... No meal is complete without the dal... Here I have a simple and quick Dal recipe which tastes best with any mildly flavoured rice..

Ingredients:

Tur dal - 1 cup

Onion - 1 medium size

Tomato - 1 medium size

Green chillies- 3 to 4

Garlic - 4 pods

Garam masala - 1/2 tsp

Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp

Chilli powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves - 5 to 10

Oil - 1 tbsp

Ghee - 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

Coriander for garnishing

Method:

Wash the dal properly and soak it for 15 to 20mins.

Now cook it in the cooker with 3 to 4 whistles. Add a little turmeric to the dal before cooking.

Now heat ghee and oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds. Once they splutter, add curry leaves and fry for a minute. Now add the rest of turmeric and chilli powder.

Chop garlic, onion and tomato.

Next add garlic and onions and fry for a minute till onions turn translucent.

Now add chillies and fry for two minutes. Now add tomato and fry till tomato turns mushy.

Now add the dal to it.. Add little water and allow it to cook well on medium flame for five minutes.

Now add garam masala, cumin and coriander powder and mix. Let it cook for two more minutes and take off from flame...

Garnish with coriander and serve hot..

Enjoy Cooking!!!

Kadhai Paneer

      In continuation to my previous blogpost about Zaffrani Pulao (making a simple North Indian lunch), here is the next recipe that is a great combination with the Pulao. Kadhai Paneer can be made as a low calorie dish or you can also make it very rich. So here is my version of Kadhai Paneer...

Ingredients:

Paneer (cubes) - 1 cup

Onion - 1(cut in chunks)

Garlic - 2 pods

Ginger - 1/2" piece

Tomato - 2 (1 cut in chuncks and another made paste)

Capsicum - 1/2 (cut in chunks)

Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Chilli powder - 1 tsp

Kasoori methi - 2 tsp

Oil - 2 tsp

Salt to taste

Method:

Heat oil in a pan. Add chopped garlic , ginger and onion. Saute for a minute.

Now add capsicum. Fry for a minute. Then add paneer and tomato. Mix well and let it cook on low flame. Once the tomatoes are little soft, add tomato paste to it and mix.

Add little water around 1/4 cup and mix. Let it cook for 5 mins till it thickens.

Now add garam masala, turmeric, chilli powder and salt and mix.

Finally add kasoori methi crushing it inbetween hands.

Cook for two minutes and then serve hot with Zaffrani Pulao or Phulka.

Enjoy Cooking!!!

Zaffrani Pulao

 The dish is not that complicated as it sounds... A simple wholesome rice dish with not much ingredients...

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice - 1 cup

Milk - 1/2 cup

Saffron strands - 1/4 tsp

Star anise - 1

Bay leaf - 1

Cardamom - 2

Cloves - 2

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Sugar - 1/4 tsp

Cashewnuts - 10

Badam - 10

Ghee - 1/2 tsp

Oil - 1 tsp

Coriander for garnishing

Method:

Soak basmati rice in water for 30 mins.

Heat ghee and oil together in a pan. Add cashew and badam and fry till they are golden brown.

Remove from pan. Now to the same pan add cumin seeds, star anise, cardamom, cloves, bay leaf and fry.

Soak the saffron strands in hot milk. 

Now add rice to the pan and mix well. Now add the half of the milk to it and mix. Add 1.5 cups of water to it and mix well.

Once it starts to boil, add salt and sugar and mix once.

Now reduce the flame and allow it to cook for around 15 mins.

Once the rice is cooked properly, spread it on a plate. Garnish it with rest of the milk and saffron strands and also coriander.

Serve hot topped with cashews and badam.

You can also fry onion and garnish it on top..

Enjoy Cooking!!!

Bitter gourd Fry

 Healthy and tasty recipe which is very nutritious and this is the easy way to make kids eat all the vegetables. It tastes great with rice and sambar.

Ingredients:

Bitter gourd - 1 large

Roasted gram powder - 2 tsp

Jaggery (coarsely powdered) - 2 tsp

Chilli powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric - 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Oil - 2 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Channa dal - 1 tsp

Urad dal - 1/2 tsp

Asafoetida - 1 pinch

Method:

Slice the bitter gourd. Remove the centre seed part. Soak the bitter gourd pieces in some water, turmeric and salt for 10 to 15 mins. This helps in removing the bitterness from it.

Now heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. Once they splutter, add Channa and urad dal and fry. 

Now add little turmeric and asafoetida.

Remove the bitter gourd pieces from water, pat them dry with a cloth and add them in the pan.

Shallow fry till they are crisp on low to medium flame. This might take some 15 to 20 mins.

Once they are crisp, add little salt, chilli powder and roasted gram powder. Fry for a minute and switch off flame. 

After a minute, add crushed jaggery and mix. Jaggery should not be added on hot flame as it melts and makes everything sticky.

Serve with some hot rice and sambar. A wholesome tasty meal is ready...

Enjoy Cooking!!!