Winter Fresh Salad

This is full of Vitamin C and combination of fresh winter fruits with few dry cranberries for sweet and sour taste. You will love this salad for its refreshing colour and its flavour.

Ingredients:

4 Oranges
400 gms Chickpeas Soaked overnight and cooked (Subsituate with Chickpeas Can)
1 cup Carrot, Coarsely Grated
1 cup Red Cabbage finely Chopped
1/4 cup Dry Cranberries
6 tablespoon freshly Coriander Chopped
4 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar
Salt and Ground Black Pepper


Method:

Cut thin slices of orange and peel each of the slice, and cut each into two long slices. Put the orange slices and squeeze some juice from orange into a serving bowl with cabbage, carrots, chickpeas, cranberries and coriander. Add the oil and vinegar and season well with salt and pepper.
Toss everything together to coat thoroughly. Serve immediately or refrigerate few hours for marination before serving.


Notes*
If you don't have red wine vinegar, substitute it with rice vinegar and add 1/4 teaspoon of brown sugar.
Cranberries to can be substitute with red and black grapes or Karonda (Indian name)


Keep Rocking and Keep Cooking with Gangnam Style
Pragati..!!

Stuffed Palak Pakoda

This recipe i learnt from my father, he is big fan Pakoda's specially Palak Pakoda. I made this for the first time few month back and after eating this we both slept for hours. From long my husband was telling me to make palak pakoda and i was just delaying it as i don't like much of these foods,  but i love to amaze him sometimes so here is recipe of the day we had supper Sunday and pakoda's with tea is unbeatable combination for anyone so enjoy your time with crunchy sound and sip of cardamom tea.

Ingredients:

20 leaves of Baby Spinach (make 10 stuffed pakoda)

For Batter:

1/2 cup Besan (Gram Flour)

1 teaspoon Ginger-Green Chilli paste

1 teaspoon Black Salt 

1/2 teaspoon Chilli flakes 

1/2 teaspoon Ajwaine Seeds

1/2 teaspoon roasted Cumin powder

Pinch of Asafoetida (Hing)

Chopped Coriander

Salt to taste

Potato Stuffing:

1 boiled and peeled Potato

1 chopped Green Chilli

1/4 teaspoon Chilli Powder

Pinch of Black Salt

Pinch of Chaat Masala

Pinch of Ground Cumin

1/2 teaspoon Kasuri Methi 

Salt to taste

Method:

Heat oil in pan for frying. In a Bowl mix Besan with other better ingredients, add water and make thin batter. In another bowl mix stuffing ingredients with peeled potato. Now take one spinach leaf, spread potato mix and cover it with another spinach leaf, like sandwich. Dip this into batter and add to hot oil for frying. Fry till it look crunchy and light brown in colour. Repeat with remaining spinach.

             Take out on kitchen towel and serve hot with Tamarind and Green Chutney.

Keep Rocking and Keep Cooking with Gangnam Style.

Pragati.!!

Tangy Achari Chana Pulao

This is one of the best pulao from my kitchen, and my husband is very fond of this, till now many friends and relatives have tasted it, and everyone loved it. I pack this for lunch too because Chickpeas (Kabuli Chana) are very fulling and healthy option. This is tangy, highly fragrant and pickle flavour pulao that one can't resist without. This recipe is with some twist other than adding pickle, i tried and it came out so colourful with great aroma.


Ingredients:

• 1 and 1/2 cup Cooked Rice
• 1/2 cup overnight Soaked Chickpea (Kabuli Chana)
• 1 Onion cut into slices
• 3 cloves Garlic miched (finely chopped)
• 2 Dry Red Chilli
• 1 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
• 1 teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
• 1 teaspoon Fennel Seeds Powder or Fennel Seeds
• 1 teaspoon Shah Zira (Cumin Seeds small)
• 1 Green Chilli Chopped 
• 2 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon Mango Pickle Paste
• 1 tablespoon Chole Masala
• 1 tablespoon chopped Coriander
• 1 Tomato cut into wadges
• 2 tablespoon Oil + 1 tablespoon Ghee
• Salt to taste

Method:

Pressure cook soaked Chana, add salt and 2 cups of water, for 2-3 whistle, drain water, keep aside ( or till it get cooked and soft). Heat oil and ghee in pan together, add cumin seeds, fennel seeds and garlic and wait till seeds start cracking. Add onion, green chilli, dry red chillies and saute till onion turn light golden colour. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder, and chole masala cook at medium flame for 1 minutes, than add pickle paste mix well and add boiled chana and cook for few minutes or till oil gets separates. Mix cooked rice well with chana pickle masala and cover the lip and cook for 5-7 minutes. Garnish with Fresh coriander and Serve Hot.



Hope you enjoy the recipe...!!

Notes* 

• You can add Chilli Pickle Paste too, i use Mother's Recipe Mango Pickle.
• If rice seems dry sprinkle few drops of water for nice soft texture. 

Keep Rocking and Keep Cooking with Gangnam Style
Pragati..!!

Creamy Potato and Herbs Open Sandwich

The Components of these sandwiches are relatively straightforward, but the results are revelation. And with boiled potato, and dry herbs with cheese, they are wonderful main course option for vegetarian like me. I was left with one boiled potato and few breads reaching last date of use, so i thought to make creamy cheesy spread for sandwich with a little twist. Hope you like the idea.. Enjoy the recipe.

Serving 2 slice

Ingredients:

• 1 Boiled Potato and finely chopped
• 1 small chopped Onion
• 2 Whole-Meal Bread
• 1 teaspoon Butter for spread
• 1 teaspoon Parsley chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon Dry Basil
• 1/2 teaspoon Dry Oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon Pepper Powder
• 2 tablespoon thick Yoghurt
• 2 tablespoon Parmesan Cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon Roasted Cumin Powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Chilli Flakes
• Salt to taste

Method:

In a Bowl mix well all the ingredients with chopped potatoes and keep aside for 10-15 minutes for marination. Heat pan and grill bread with butter. Spread the mixture over slice of bread and serve with sweet chilli dip.


Keep Rocking and Keep Cooking with Gangnam Style.
Pragati..!!

Black-Eyed Beans Masala (Lobiya)

I started cooking Lobiya after marriage because my husband love it. I make this in Tomatoes and Onion gravy with hint of garlic. Lobiya masala goes well with rice so sometimes here its just Rice and Lobiya masala for dinner. Hope you enjoy the simple and tasty recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup soaked Lobiya for 5-6 hours
• 1 chopped Onion
• 2 chopped Tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon Ginger Garlic paste
• 1 Green Chilli chopped
• 1 teaspoon Garam Masala
• 1 teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
• 1 teaspoon dry fenugreen leaves (Kasuri Methi)
• 1/2 teaspoon Chaat Masala                
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoon Coriander Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Cumin Seeds or Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Fennel Seeds
• 5-6 Curry Leaves
• 1 tablespoon fresh Coriander
• 2 tablespoon Oil
• Lime Juice
• Salt to taste

Method:

Pressure cook soaked Lobiya take 2-3 whistel or till it get cooked. Heal oil in pan add cumin seeds, ginger garlic paste, curry leaves, green chillies and chopped onion sauté till onions gets golden brown in colour than add chopped tomatoes and saute till oil get separates. Add coriander powder, chilli powder, garam masala, chaat masala, fennel powder and cook for 2-3 minutes or till onion and tomatoes look like a paste. Now add boiled lobiya, reduce the flame and cook for 5-67 minutes. Garnish with fresh coriander and add lime juice before serving.

Keep Rocking and Keep Cooking with Gangnam Style
Pragati..!!

Instant Methi Paratha

I am not going to open ready made paratha and than heat it for my meal :D Instant as i say because this recipe doesn't required fresh Methi leaves (Fenugreek) so i am not going for any washing, cleaning and chopping of Methi leaves. This is my saviour when i am out of veggies or don't feel like cooking so much but still want something good for taste. Hope you like the idea and recipe.

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes 

Serving for 4-5 Paratha

Ingredients:

• 1 cup wheat flour (Gehu ka aata)
• 1/2 cup Besan (Gram flour)
• 2 tablespoon Oil
• 1/2 teaspoon Chilli Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Roasted Cumin Powder (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon Black Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala
• 1/2 teaspoon Chaat Masala
• 1/3 cup dry Fenugreek leaves (Kasuri Methi)
• 1 teaspoon Ginger Garlic Paste
• 1 tea spoon Green Chilli and Coriander paste (Dhaniya Chutney)*
• 1/2 cup hot Water
• Salt to taste

Method:

Add dry fenugreek leaves in hot water, mix well and keep aside for 5 minutes. Now in bowl take wheat flour, add garam masala, chilli powder, ginger garlic paste, black salt, chaat masala, salt, green chilli dhaniya cutney (*if you don't have than add fresh coriander and chopped green chillis) cumin powder, and oil mix well everything with flour. Now add hot water with dissolved fenugreek leaves to the flour little at time and make it to a soft dough. Divide the dough into 4-5 equal portion, band roll out each portion into a circle of 6" diameter. Heat tawa and cook each paratha applying little oil turning occasionally, till golden brown spots appear on both the sides. Serve hot with Tomato Chutney or Curd.

 

This taste as good as fresh methi paratha infact much better methi aroma than original one.



Notes* 
Keep side dough for resting for 10-15 minutes before rolling it make soft paratha.
Add water as per requirement. You can add green chutney too with dough for little spicy flavour.



Keep Rocking and Keep Cooking with Gangnam Style
Pragati..!!

Indo-Chinese Fried Rice

As i have mention my recipe title as Indo-Chinese, i hope most of the people agree with me that what we eat as Chinese food is not authenticated Chinese food, specially the one we cook at home. We Indians get our own flavours in anything we wish for, right :) and Indian Chinese is very famous in India specially street food corners and at small restaurants. I am very fond of Chinese food and love that much that i crave for that soya sauce aroma very often. I remember it was started after my schooling and specially whenever i eat out with friends i just go for Chinese items, and after marriage though gradually my husband too took this taste this much that in Hyderabad we use to eat Chinese dishes almost every week for dinner and that was one of best taste Chinese food i have ever tasted. So this is one of few Chinese recipe i make often, hope you enjoy this.

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Cooked Rice ( i use long grain Basmati)              
• 4-5 chopped Button Mushroom
• 1/4 cup Carrots, cut into long strips 
• 1/4 cup shredded Cabbage
• 1/3 cup chopped Broccoli
• 1/3 cup chopped Cauliflower
• 1/2 cup mix Green and Red Capsicums (Bell Pepper)  
• 1/4 cup Beans 
• 1/3 cup Onion cut into long slices 
• 3-4 Baby corn
• 1/3 cup chopped Spring Onion
• 2 tablespoon chopped Celery
• 2 tablespoon Parsley (alternative fresh Coriander)
• 4-5 Garlic cloves minced
• 1/2 tablespoon dark Soya sauce (if using light soya sauce use 1 tablespoon or more)
• 2 tablespoon Vinegar 
• 1-2 tablespoon Chilli Sauce (as per taste)
• Pinch of Ajinomoto (MSG) (Optional)
• 3 tablespoon Oil
• Salt to taste

Method:

Add Broccoli, Carrots and Cauliflower in boiling water for 2 minutes, drain and keep side.
Heat oil in non stick pan, add MSG, ginger, Onion, Capsicums, Cauliflower, Broccoli, Mushroom and Beans and sauté well for 2-3 minutes on high flame. Add all the Sauces, Vinegar, Salt , Celery cook for 1-2 minutes than add cooked Rice slowly mix well with sauces and vegetables. Toss on high flame for 2-3 minutes and Garnish with Spring Onion, Parsley and serve hot with slice of onion and lemon.


Keep Rocking and Keep Cooking with Gangnam Style..!!
Pragati..!!

Spiced up Bombay Pav Bhaji..!!

Yesterday it was lunch time with friends at my place so i thought to make it super Sunday and prepare Pav Bhaji and Chinese Friend Rice followed by desserts and than latter post meal tea. We had great time. Its famous street food originally from Bombay (Mumbai) called as Bombay Pav Bhaji, this is one of our favourite food and we love home made that much that we hardly eat this outside in any restaurants. Its comforting, easy, and tasty with full of veggies so indulge as much as you want guilt free. Though this recipe is not very time consuming but be prepared for some good amount of chopping. I chopped and chopped and chopped :D ..!!

Serving for 4
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 25-30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 12 pav Buns (I use Hamburger Buns)
• 5-6 boiled and peeled Potatoes (medium size)
• 1/2 cup Green Peas
• 1/2 cup Cabbage chopped 
• 1/4 cup Cauliflower chopped 
• 2 Onion chopped + more for garnishing
• 3 Tomatoes chopped 
• 3-4 Garlic cloves chopped
• 1 teaspoon ginger paste
• 1 Green Chilli Chopped 
• 1/3 cup green Capsicum chopped 
• 3 and 1/2 tablespoon Pav Bhaji Masala (i use Everest)
• 1/2 teaspoon Chaat Masala
• 1 tablespoon Lime juice
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder
• 2 tablespoon Butter and more to spread on Pav
• 2 table spoon Oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped Coriander 
• Salt to taste

Method:

Pressure cook lightly chopped capsicum, cauliflower, and cabbage, drain and keep aside. Heat oil and butter together in a pan and add garlic, ginger, green chillies, sauté than add onion sauté till become golden brown in colour. Add tomatoes and cook till it get mushy and soft. Add boiled vegetables and cook for 1-2 minutes. Now add cumin powder, chilli powder and pav bhaji masala, chaat masala and cook till oil separates and add mashed potatoes and mix well with the help of vegetable masher to blend it with all the spices and flavour. Garnish it with green peas and fresh coriander and add lime juice. Add water as per your requirement.

Toast the pav on hot flat pan ( Indian Tava) with some butter, serve bhaji with these toasted pav with some chopped onion and lime.

Tips*

• I prefer brown bread instead of Buns as healthy alternatives. 
• You need not to use all the vegetables for bhaji, you can add or eliminate and make whatever available for you. (add more veggies like Carrots, Beans, Sweet Corn etc.)

Keep Rocking and Keep Cooking with Gangnam Style..!!
Pragati..!!

Stuffed Capsicums with Cheesy Veggie Rice

These weekends really makes me lazy and this time my fridge was full with capsicum and bell pepper, few bought by hubby and few by me thinking will use them with some filling or stir fry for recipes, but then sometimes  it didn't go as i planned. So it was a time to show stuffed magic with capsicum and bell pepper, and hubby too wants to eat stuffed capsicums from quite a long time and keep telling i should try something, so here was idea to make it for lunch and which is fulling and tasty and yes ofcourse it should not required lots of time and efforts. I have used Parmesan Cheese you can use Jack Cheese or Cheddar Cheese which ever you like and here comes the recipe of our joint efforts for this weekend. which was super delicious with kick of garlic and  herbs with Italian taste.

Ingredients:

• 2 green Capsicum
• 2 red Capsicum ( Bell Pepper)
• 1/4 cup Parmersan Cheese 
• 1/2 cup Rice cooked 
• 1/2 tablespoon Tomato Purée 
• 1 Onion chopped
• 1 Tomato chopped and seedless
• 3-4 Button Mushroom white chopped 
• 1/4 cup Celery chopped
• 3-4 cloves Garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon Parsley chopped
• 1 tablespoon Basil chopped 
• 1 teaspoon Black Pepper ground
• 1/2 tablespoon Cider Vinegar 
• 3 tablespoon Olive oil
• Salt to taste

Method:

Preheat oven at 180 Degree Celsius. Line a roasting pan with baking paper or with aluminium foil. Slice tops from Capsicums, reverse tops and scoop out seeds and membrane. Keep aside.
In a non stick pan heat oil add garlic, celery, onion till stir till it turn light golden brown. Add mushroom, tomato purée stir well for 1 minute on medium flame than add basil, parsley, black pepper powder, and cider vinegar and simmer for another 2 minutes on low flame. Now add rice and sauté well, add salt and remove from fire and add cheese and mix well.

Fill each pepper with rice mixture  and sprinkle each with little of remaining cheese. Replace tops, place pepper on a baking tray and bake for 25-30 minutes or till pepper have soften slightly. Serve hot.


Notes*

I have divided rice mixture into 2 parts and mixed cheese with one part and one i left plain. For half the time i have baked stuffed capsicums without the tops to get that nice baked colour and remaining time with cover at tops.

I am using fan on mode oven so cooking time can vary oven to oven.

Personally we like Cheese stuffed capsicums more than plain rice version, and red pepper taste mild and goes well with cheese compared to green capsicums. As green pepper have strong taste and may over powder your Italian flavour so next time i am going with red and yellow bell peppers.

Hope you Enjoy the recipe...!
















Keep Rocking and Keep Cooking with gangnam style..!!
Pragati..!!

"Whole-wheat Banana Chocolate Muffin" Eggless Baking..!!

Chocolate unlike other girls i am not very fond of.. no no not lying just i am not that crazy, but i do have my days when i crave for good coco taste to satisfy my taste buds and more importantly i was looking for something healthy into baking which can be used for breakfast and for snacks.... In Singapore whenever i pass any metro station all the baking shop i can smell from long but as i am vegan so i can't try all the muffins, pastry, cup cake i wish to taste. I am quite conscious with what i eat so always love to indulge with healthy version.
So here i am using whole wheat flour to make it healthy and amazingly yummy. I have recently started with baking so i know very few recipes and this stand at No. 2nd of my tried and tested recipes. This is combination of two separate muffin recipe i have made. Here i added Banana purée to make it more fulling and aromatic because my hubby loves banana cakes and i prefer little pinch of coffee to spike the chocolate flavour.

Ingredients:
(for 24 small muffins)

1 and 1/2 cup Whole-wheat flour or whole wheat cake flour
3 tablespoon Coco powder
2 teaspoon Baking powder
1/2 teaspoon Baking soda
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoon granulated Brown Sugar
1 pinch of Salt
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
1/4 cup Oil ( i use Canola)
1/2 cup Milk (i use low fat)
1/2 cup Banana purée (of approx 2 medium size ripe banana)
2 teaspoon of instant coffee powder
1 tablespoon of warm milk to dissolve coffee powder


Method:

Preheat oven at 200 degree Celsius and arrange paper liner on muffin racks. Take a large bowl and sift all the dry ingredients together, and in another bowl mix all the wet ingredients and beat well for few minutes. Now add wet ingredients mix to dry ingredients and mix lightly with spatula to combine all ingredients together, but make sure there should be no dry flour left in a bowl. Fill muffin cups with spoon till 3/4 filled.
Bake for 20-25 minutes (i am using fan on mode) or until tester (wooden stick) comes out clear. Cool down it completely on cooling rack and Enjoy..!!


*Tips
You may feel top of muffin is dry but it turned out moist when i stored it in air tight container. Whole wheat muffins always taste much more delicious, soft and moist next day or after few hours compared to warm one, But we love it warm too. You can add chocolate chips too to make it more chocolaty in taste. Always use ripe banana for great texture and flavour. If you feel batter is thick and hard add 1-2 tablespoon of milk, because it totally depend  and vary as per flour texture. Mines comes out like lava cake and we loved it.




Keep Rocking and Cooking with gangnam style..!!
Pragati..!!

Delish Punjabi Rajma

Rajma curry - Punjabi style is one of the most famous North Indian cuisine. Red kidney beans are known as Rajma in India. It goes well with any kind of bread (Chapatis, Naan, Paratha) or rice, Punjabi style rajma is made in tomato, onion gravy with yoghurt to make it nice creamy curry with a blend of spices to get perfect heavenly aroma, so you just cant resist your self from eating more and more. This recipe is bit different than regular rajma recipe (its from Nita Mehta's collection) and bit time consuming but its worth it all, if you preparing this for some special reason and it will give immense pleasure to your authentic Punjabi taste buds. I will upload the picture soon, till than hope you enjoy the recipe.


Ingredients:

• 1 and 1/2 cup red rajma (Red Kidney Beans) soaked overnight 
• 1 tablespoon channe ki daal (Split Gram) soaked overnight 
• 2 medium Onions
• 1 teaspoon Ginger paste
• 2 tablespoon Garlic paste
• 5 tablespoon oil
• 1 bay leaf (tej patta)
• 1 green Cardamom (illaichi)
• 2 cloves (laung)
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 3 teaspoon coriander powder 
• 1/4 teaspoon Dry Mango powder (Amchoor)
• 1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala
• 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
• 3 Tomatoes 
• 1 green Chilli
• 1/2 cup Curd - beaten well 
• 2 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander 
• Salt to taste 

Method:

Pressure cook Rajma, Channe ki daal together and add salt, with 10 cups of water to give one whistle, than keep it on low flame for 15 minutes. Keep aside.
Make a purée of tomatoes keep side and paste of onion and green chilli together (you can add ginger and garlic cloves with onion if don't have paste)
Now in non stick heavy bottomed pan heat oil and add bay leaf, cardamom, and cloves, wait for 1 minute than add onion chilli and ginger garlic paste and stir fry till it become light golden blown in colour.
Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, dry mango powder, and red chilli powder and stir for few seconds, add tomato purée and fry until tomato purée turn dry and oil separates.
Reduce heat and add beaten curd and stir continuesly on low flame till paste turns red again and oil separates. Now add rajma to the paste keeping water aside. Stir fry for 3-4 minutes on low flame, mashing rajma occasionally. Add Rajma water into rajma curry as per your required consistency of curry and pressure cook for another 8-10 minutes on low flame after the first whistle.
Remove from fire add freshly chopped coriander leaves and lime juice (optional). Serve hot with cooked rice or Chappatis-paratha.



Keep Rocking and Keep Cooking with gangnam style..!!
Pragati.!!

Tortillas in Black-eye Bean Chilli

I am crazy about fast food but i make sure to eat healthy version or fast food atleast when i am preparing, so here tortilla is whole meal and i am using black-eye beans which is full of protein, fibre  iron and many more nutrition benefits. This recipe is from book "The Bumper Vegetarian Cookbook". You can replace half of black-eye beans with red kidney beans. You can serve this as side dish, starter or as meal it self... Enjoy...i will suggest try this as breakfast for super yummy taste and tummy full in minutes of time.

Ingredients:

4 warmed wholemeal Tortillas

1 and 1/2 cup soaked and boiled Balck-eye beans

3 tablespoon freshly chopped Coriander

2-3 drops of Tabasco sauce

2 can chopped Tomatoes (approx 400 grams each)

3 Celery sticks, finely chopped

1 Onion chopped

1 tablespoon Olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh basil

1/2 teaspoon balck pepper powder

Salt to taste

Method:

Soak beans over night than boil them till turned softened and add salt ( you can replace this and can use cans balck-eye beans) Heat oil in a frying pan, add the onions and celery and cook for 10 minutes until softened. Now add beans, tomatoes and Tabasco sauce to the pan and bring it to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for another 10 minutes, than add black pepper, salt, coriander and basil. Now heat the tortilla and spoon the bean chilli, roll up and serve with soured cream or you can serve this with tangy dip.

Keep Rocking and Cooking with gangnam style...!!
Pragati.!!

Toothsome Aloo Tikki..!!

Aloo Tikki is north Indian snack made of boiled potatoes, this man in my life is completely crazy over these items, no doubt he is from Delhi so i guess he is grown up with these items. This is patent dish i cant make for any other person, though recipe is very simple. We both are very foodie person but some how i need to make balance with eating habits so this only on special occasions or once in few months. You can serve this with chutney or use this with bun for burger or as Aloo Tikki chaat. Here you can see recipe for tikki and i will try to upload remaining dishes with aloo tikki soon.


Ingredients:

4-5 large boiled potatoes
1 medium onion finely chopped
1 green chilli chopped
1/2 teaspoon ginger paste
1 teaspoon roasted cumin powder
1 teaspoon red chilli powder
1 teaspoon black salt
1 teaspoon chat masala
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon kasturi methi
1 tablespoon fresh coriander chopped
1/2 teaspoon anar dana powder
Corn starch (Optional: as per your need to make potato tikki firm)
Oil for frying
Salt to taste


Method:



Peel boiled potatoes and grate, now put them in bowl and all the dry spices with coriander leaves, green chillies, ginger paste and salt, now kneed the grated potatoes to make it like a dough. If its not firm enough to make tikki than add corn starch. Now take small portion of potato mix and roll it between your hands and press it to make 3 inch diameter in size, these tikkis should be round and thick. Now add these tikkis in hot oil and fry till it become golden brown in colour. Take out on kitchen napkin sprinkle some chaat masala and serve hot with mint chutney.





Keep Rocking and Cooking with gangnam style...!!
Pragati.!!

Sabudana Khichdi..!!

Sabudana is one of  most common Indian grocery item, you can make khichdi, vada, kheer, etc. but i mostly make  khichdi, as its easy, tasty and fast. This is my one of favourite item, any time and any day and best thing i like we eat this for lunch, dinner or as snacks sometimes.  As hubby too got typical sadudana khichdi taste during his engineering so i make this very often. I have lots of childhood memories with this dish with my childhood friend Monal during night studies what a fun :) but my all time favourite khichdi is what my father made, and he is the reason I love this so much. Just 10 minutes and its ready what else you wish for. Here is recipe hope you will enjoy this.


Ingredients:

1 cup sabudana
1 large potato
3-4 green chillies
8-10 curry leaves
1 teaspoon musters seeds
1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon red chilli powder
1/4 cup roasted peanuts or plain
Salt to taste
Lime juice to taste
Fresh coriander


Method:

Soak sabudana in water for 3-4 hours. Cut potatoes into cubes, chopped chillies and roast peanuts than grind it to make it granular (you can do same with plain peanuts). Heat oil in pan add mustard seeds, Cumin seeds, turmeric powder, chilli powder, potato cubes, green chillies and curry leaves. Cook till potato become soft now add peanuts cook for few minutes on medium flame than add sabudana and salt mix well and Cover lid and cook for another 5-7 minutes. Add lime juice and fresh coriander and serve hot.










Keep Rocking and keep Cooking with gangnam style...!!
Pragati.!!

Vegetable Sewai (Fried Indian Noodels)

Mostly we eat Sewai as dessert and that too as a kheer, even I never knew one can make Sewai like this,  because during college days I was lost with maggi but as you grow up, you realize and try to pick healthy food. For the first time I had this during my post graduation at food court at one of my Friend hostel, it was real yum but now recently I had this at Sikh temple in Singapore so i decided i am gonna try this before i forget so at home I made this for evening snacks with lots of fresh frozen veggies. Its as fastest as maggi and tasty and healthy Ofcourse lot more than maggi.


Ingredients:

Wheat roasted Sewai 1 cup
1 chopped onion
Green peas 2 tablespoon
Mix vegetable 1/2 cup ( I have used frozen mix veggies like French beans, sweet corn, carrot)
Oil 1 tablespoon
Turmeric 1 teaspoon
Cumin 1 teaspoon
Red chilli powder 1 teaspoon
Lime juice 1 teaspoon
Fresh coriander
Salt to Taste


Method:

Boil 4 cup of water adding salt than add wheat Sewai to it and Cover it for 3-4 minuets. Just want to make it soft not over cooked and drain it. Now in pan heat oil add onions and fry till golden brown in colour than add turmeric, cumin, chilli powder cook for 1 minutes than add all the remaining veggies and add Sewai and cook on medium slow flame for 2 minutes. Add like juice and sprinkle fresh coriander and serve hot or at room temperature.... !!!

Keep rocking and enjoy cooking in Gangnam style..!!
Pragati !!!

"Masla Bhaat" (Maharashtrian style Rice)

Whenever i think of Maharashtrian food first dish which comes to my mind is masala bhaat, this is just full of aroma and very traditional taste. I have many childhood memory attached with this recipe mostly eating at friends place or at maha-prasad (religious offering). Recently i called my cook as she is maharashtrian so for me the best person to ask for this recipe. This came so similar to taste that i have with, and very delicious and aromatic.

Ingredients:

2 cup basmati rice
10-12 cup tindi cut lengthwise into four (kundru)

10-12 brinjals cubes

10-12 potatoes cubes

2-3 dry red chilies

2 tablespoon coriander seeds

1/2 cup grated coconut
1/4 cup green peas

5-6 green cloves

2-3 green cardamon

2 bay leaves

2 green chilies

2 teaspoon ginger garlic paste 

1 teaspoon cumin seeds 

1 teaspoon turmeric powder 

1 teaspoon red chili powder 

4-5 tablespoon oil

2 tablespoon fresh coriander leaves

4-5 curry leaves

Salt to taste

Method:

Wash rice thoroughly and soak it for atleast 20-30 minutes. Now in a pan roast dry chilies, coriander seeds, cumin seeds and coconut till it become slightly brown and good light roasted aroma around, keep aside and let it cool down than ground it to fine paste. Heat oil in pan add chopped green chilies, curry leaves, ginger garlic paste, bay leaves, cloves, cardamon and turmeric powder stir fry for 2-3 minutes on medium heat. Now add all the veggies and again stir fry for 2-3 minutes and add roasted powder to the veggies and mix well. Add soaked rice to this (without water) and cook for another 3-4 minutes and than add 4 cup plus 2 table spoon water and cover with lead and cook for 10-12 minutes or till rice cooked completely. Serve hot.

Enjoy wholesome traditional taste rice. Keep Cooking with gangnam style...!!
Pragati.!!

Pocket filled with Veggies and Italian herbs..!!

Pita bread is one of my multi-purpose food items. It can be used as any filling you wish for and i use wholemeal version so i can eat bread as healthy version. Sometime i use this as mini pizza base or as sandwich. This recipe i made recently as side dish for friends with some Italian-Indian twists and it came out as very healthy recipe with lots of fresh veggies, herbs, and no doubt crunchy and delicious taste. My friends loved it and it looks so colourful and fresh, try  this whenever you want quick Italian taste.


Ingredients:

• 1 packet wholemeal pita bread
• 1/2 cup finely chopped Jacuzzi (cucumber) 
• 1/2 cup finely chopped tomatoes 
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
• 1/4 cup finely chopped capsicum and red bell pepper 
• 2 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 2 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander
• 1 tablespoon chopped jalapeño pepper 
• 7-8 fresh green lettuce

Dressing:

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise low fat
• 3 tablespoon Italian dressing house island,
• 1 1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon black pepper powder
• 1 teaspoon dry oregano
• 2 cloves garlic minced 
• Chilli flakes as per taste
• Salt to taste

Method:
In a bowl mix all the ingredient of dressing and than in another bowl put all the chopped veggies (except lettuce  and pour dressing over veggies and mix well and lightly and keep this in fridge for marination for at-least 1/2 hour to 1 hour. Preheat the oven at 200 degree and keep pita bread for 4-5 minutes till it become light brown in colour and fluffy. Once Bread is ready cut 3-4 inches of bread to make it like a pocket shape. Now put lettuce first into the pocket than add 2-3 spoon of filling and serve immediately with ketchup or avocado dip. Enjoy..!!

 



Enjoy Crunchy veggies and cooking with gangnam style..!!
Pragati..!!

Makhmali Mutter Panner (Green Peas in Cottage Cheese)

I use to feel i need lots of preparation whenever i need to prepare panner ki subji (cottage cheese curry) and they are very time consuming recipes and even never considered them as a healthy options, but now this is one of all time my favourite and my savoir for unplanned menu and guests. This looks so good in colour and mild creamy taste that indulge in mouth with each and every bite, and easiest and simplest recipe with no compromise over taste. Recipe with fewest items and yummiest taste..!!

Preparation time: 10 minutes 

Cooking time: less than 20 minutes 

Ingredients:

• 12-15 Cottage cheese cubes (panner)
• 2 Tomatoes red medium size
• 1 Onion medium size
• 1 cup green peas (hari mutter)
• 1 table spoon ginger garlic paste
• 1 table spoon coriander paste (Green dhaniya patti) 
• 1/4 cup fresh cream (*see Notes)
• 1 tea spoon Kasturi methi
• 1 tea spoon green chillies paste 
• 1/2 tea spoon small cumin seeds (shah jira)
• 1/2 table spoon coriander powder 
• 1/2 tea spoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 tea spoon red chilli powder
• 1 tea spoon fennel seed powder (saunf)
• 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup waster as per requirement (optional)
•  salt to taste 

Method:

Cut panner into cubes keep aside and finely chopped tomatoes and onion. Now heat oil in non stick pan than add cumin seeds and wait till it start cracking, than add turmeric powder and chopped onion and sauté till it become transparent in colour (about 3-4 minutes on medium high flame) than add ginger garlic and green chillies paste and sauté again for 2 minutes. Now add chopped tomatoes and cook till it become very soft (like paste) about 4-5 minutes. Once you see gravy is ready add chilli powder, coriander powder and fennel powder mix well and add green peas and cook again for 2-3 minutes.  Now add panner cubes and coriander paste and let it cook for 2-3 minutes so panner will get tender too. If you feel curry looks very dry you can add water as per your requirement and than add cream and kasturi methi and cook on medium flame for next 2 minutes. Serve hot with Chapatis or Paratha.

*Notes:

• Panner- I have used panner here directly without frying them to save on oil and to make it light on my stomach, you can fry them and than add you want.
• Cream: If you don't have fresh cream you can use malai, if you don't have malai than add milk as per your requirement for gravy consistency. (than u can reduce the quantity of water)

Keep Rocking and Keep cooking with Gangnam style..!!

Pragati..!!

Thai Mango salad..!!

This is my most favourite salad ever, as i am big mango fruit lover and this salad give amazing tangy, spicy and sweet taste to mango. I had this salad for the first time after coming to Singapore at Thai Express, and as long as i remember i never had Thai food back their in India because i never knew one can get Thai vegetarian food.  I just have one picture of salad so i thought to share this as i always take picture of my recipes irrespective of what i am making :D I am glad i tried this and we both loved it..!! Trust me this is the simplest, tastiest and perfect salad. Refreshing, colourful and light..!! So here is my recipe try it today and you will love  it..!

Ingredients:

2 firm Thai raw mango grated (using medium to large grater)
1/4 cup dry shredded coconut (very fine one)
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh coriander
3-4 spring onion sliced
handful of roasted peanuts chopped roughly (can use whole too) (preserve some for garnishing)
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
1 fresh chopped red chilli (optional)
1 teaspoon chopped mint leaves (few for garnishing)

Dressing:

3 tablespoon soya sauce light
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoon pure honey
1-2 teaspoon Thai chilli sauce or dried chilli flakes (optional)

Method:

Place coconut in non stick frying pan and roast it till it get golden brown colour, without using oil just like stir frying for 2-3 minutes. Take it out and let it cool down before adding to salad. Mix together all the ingredient of salad dressing in a bowl. Check dressing before adding it should be more of sweet taste than spicy and sore so it will  give perfect taste when combined with raw mango (check Tips*). Now in one bowl you using for serving add grated mango, chopped coriander, basil, mint, shredded coconut, peanuts, red chillies if you using, and spring onion and toss nicely. Now add complete dressing and loss again. Garnish it with remaining peanuts and mint leaves.

Tips*
Always do a taste-test. If u want to add salt here add soya sauce instead of salt and if you prefer it sweeter add more honey or sugar (honey works best if adding last moment), if its too salty or sweet  than add lime juice and if you want more spicy add Thai chilli sauce or chilli flakes.


Keep rocking and enjoy cooking with gangnam style... !!
Pragati.!!

Avocado Yoghurt Dip...!!

This was my third preparation with Avocado and trust me this is one of the kind fruit you can mix with anything, and make anything out of it, like salad, dip, spread just a few names to add on list. This is one of wonder food i must say for nutrition and it has smooth buttery taste. Always use ripe avocado for dips and spread it give great texture, colour and taste to dish. I have used this with Indian food, taste was mouth watering and so refreshing. Even my husband couldn't believe it that its home made avocado dip. Even you can use this during snacks time or while watching your favourite movie or show.

Here is recipe i am sharing with you, try this for something very soothing ..!!

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup plain low fat yoghurt (i use Nestle)
• 2 ripe avocados, peeled and seeded
•  2 clove garlic minced
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger paste 
• 4 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro (coriander leaves)
• 2 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves 
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped and seeded jalapeño peeper (as per your taste)
• 2 tablespoon fresh lime juice 
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin roasted (roasted is optional)
• salt and ground black salt and black pepper, to taste 

Method:

Place the yoghurt, avocados, garlic, ginger, cilantro, mint, jalapeno, lime juice, salt, black salt and black pepper and ground cumin in a blender or food processor and make it to a smooth paste,  but make sure not to over do it, don't want it to look like purée.  

Take out dip in bowl and garnish it with mint leaves and serve it with potato chips, pita bread or with tortilla wrap.

Thanks for reading... Keep rocking and cooking with Gangnam style..!!

Pragati..!!

Baked Potato...!!

If you love baked and grill food and you feel like you don't like that never ending wait than i am sure you will love this recipe. Baked over deep fry always guilt free too so i enjoyed it more. This came out much better than my expectation and its good on health and nutrition value too. As potato is good source of energy and potassium  and i have used potato with skin so i can get fibre too. Trust me potato skin is the most nutrition part of potato it contain lots of vitamins, so you can prepare this recipe for breakfast, snacks or as side a dish anytime.
I made this for lazy Sunday breakfast and we loved it and i guess this is simplest thing i have even baked :D !!

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 20-25 minutes (See *Notes)

Ingredients:
(This recipe for 2 people 1 serving)

• 3 medium-large size potato

For dressing:

• 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• Hand full of fresh basil or 1 tablespoon of dry basil herb
• 1 teaspoon pepper powder
• Salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon chilli flakes (optional)

Method:

Preheat oven at 180 degree. Wash potato and pat dry, do not peel them and than cut each potato into wedges (long thick pieces). For dressing mix oil, basil. salt, pepper and chilli flakes in bowl than spread this dressing on potato. You can use brush or can mix well with your hands.
Once oven is ready place baking sheet on baking tray and arrange all the potatoes and bakes this for 20-25 minutes.

Serve hot or at room temperature with ketchup or salsa dip.


*Notes:

Baking rule never trust your oven so whatever you cooking you need to keep your eye on it, so 20-25 mins of cooking time vary oven to oven and sometimes it depends on type of potatoes you are using. after 20 minutes check if wedges look golden brown in colour and tender to touch.


Thanks for reading...Keep rocking and cooking with gangnam style..!!
Pragati..!!

Gajar ka halwa....traditional way and full of nuts and nutritions

As i stay in Singapore i feel like cooking some tradition dishes for special occasions and in these 2 years i have started liking it more (Indian food syndrome), as i have never stayed to any hostel or city other than my home town before my marriage so i have that home cooked food taste prepared by my mom with me and i always try to get that in my preparation too.
As its winter in India so month back i was talking to mom and she said she just prepared "Gajar ka halwa" i feel like having it right now, though i don't have sweet tooth but i ate this halwa like anything :D This recipe is tried and tasted one many times before so i guess that's the only reason it came out so good at my first try itself. so here i am sharing this recipe which came out so delicious and so royal. This is  my very first recipe, i just hope you all will like it as much as we do..!!

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 20-22 minutes

Ingredients:

• 8-9 long and thick Indian carrots (approx 1 kg)
• Cashew nuts 10-12
• Almonds 10-15 peeled (see *Notes)
• Raisins golden colour 15-20  
• Pure Ghee 3 tablespoon (can take more or less)
• Khoya (Mawa)  1 1/2 cup grated (see *Notes)
• Sugar 3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon
• Milk low fat 2 cups (see *Notes)
• Green cardamom powder 1 teaspoon 

Method:

Wash carrots in Luke warm water to clean it thoroughly and than peel carrots very lightly as we don't want to loose on nutritions. Chop cashew nuts cut into 4 each. peel almonds and cut into long slices. wash raisins and put them into medium hot water for puffy look for 5 minutes and pat dry them. 

In a non-stick pan heat pure ghee than add grated carrots and sauté them for about 5-7 minutes on medium flame. Add milk and cook on medium-high heat till milk evaporates and carrots look tender and cooked. Now add grated khoya and turn flame on medium slow and mix well and let it cook for another 4-5 mins and than add sugar and mix well so sugar can melt evenly and add almonds (preserve few for garnishing), cashews and raisins and again let it cook till remaining water evaporates continuesly on medium heat for another 3-5 mins. Garnish it with remaining almonds and serve hot or at room temperature as you like.

*Notes: 

1. Almonds- If you don't have soaked almonds put them into hot water for 8-10 minutes than it will be easy to peel them without any problem.

2. Khoya (Mawa)- if you are using home made khoya  than take 1 1/4 cup as its more dense compare to grated one. i have used Nanak brand.

3. Milk- Always use hot milk in this kinds of recipe it reduce the cooking time. here u can take full cream  milk too as we are looking for traditional taste, as i don't have that one so i have used low fat one.

4. If your halwa look bit sticky let it cool down completely without lid on pan so remaining water will get evaporate too.

Hope you enjoy reading my blog and do let me if you like it.. will appreciate your comments and suggestion.... thanks and keep rocking and cooking with Gangnam style..!!
Pragati...!!