Vegetable Lasagna with Arrabiata Sauce

June 15, 2014

A Lasagna is instantaneous salivating, yum and mouth-watering. I have made Lasagana many times and it is always a most loved dish with all my friends.

Preparing all the layers for lasagna can be time-consuming, but if you love lasagna, it’s worth it! This lasagna dish and Chocolate Mousse was specially prepared for our Trek group get-to-gather. This dish is meatless but is full of flavor with a punch from the Arrabiata sauce and loads of cheesiness.  When you preparing this dish please do not think of calories or else you will not enjoy it.  If you are lover of cheese, please add more to enhance the taste.
Sorry friends for the delayed post.  Here is  the recipe.

Ingredients
A packet of  lasagna sheets
Arrabiata Sauce ( Red Sauce)
2 Tablespoons Italian seasoning
Mozarella /Processed Cheese

Vegetables
1 Cup Cauliflower , cut into florets- parboiled
1 Cup French beans, cut -parboiled
1 Cup Carrots, cut into cubes
1 Red Capsicum, cut into cubes
1 Yellow Capsicum,  cut into cubes
1 Green Capsicum, cut into cubes
1 Cup Sweet corn - boiled
1 Small onion, sliced
1 Tablespoon Butter / Olive oil
For the Arrabiata Sauce ( Red Sauce)
2 Tablespoons Oil
3 medium size Onions
8 flakes Garlic
200 gms Tomato puree
4 Large Tomatoes skinned & diced
Chilli powder/ Chilly flakes to taste
Salt to taste
Finely chopped coriander leaves 

Method
For the Arrabiata Sauce ( Red Sauce)

Chop two of the onions finely. Grind the third onion and garlic to a fine paste. Saute the finely chopped onions till light golden brown. Then add the onion-garlic paste and saute for two minutes. Now, add the diced tomatoes & tomato puree, required quantity of salt and chilly powder and mix well. Add some water if required, to get the right consistency. Let it boil for 5 minutes. Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves. The Arrabita Sauce is ready.

To this sauce add all the vegetables and cook for a minute.  
Add the Italian seasoning.

Add the Sweetcorn

Give it  a quick stir.

Grease a square baking dish with oil/butter.

Pour a 3 Tablespoons of Arrabiata sauce.

Then place a sheet of lasagna on top of the sauce.

Spoon the vegetables on the top of the sheet according to layers that can be arrange in the baking dish.

Grate  cheese on top, sprinkle  Italian seasoning.
  

Then again place another sheet of lasagna and repeat the process of layering till the dish is 3/4th full.

In the last and top layer do cover it with a lasagna sheet.  Grate chesse, sprinkle Italian seasoning, decorate it with colored capsicum.  Dot it with butter.

Cover with a foil and bake at 180 degree for 35 to 40 minutes.

Serve hot.    My friends enjoyed this dish .  You too....... 
Enjoy !!!!!

Look out for the post of Chocolate Mousse.


Note:
Do fill the dish till the brim or else it will spill out will while baking.
Do boil the pasta sheets.  It's not necessary.

Lables:  Main course, Vegetables, Continental Cuisine, Jams & Sauces , Pasta & Noodles

Bhajni Chaklis

April 23, 2014

Ingredients For the Bhajani
4 cups rice
2 cups Chana dal
1 cup Urad dal
1/4 cup moong dal
1/2 cup Poha,
3 tablespoons cumin seeds

For the dough
2 cups bhajani flour
1 cup water
1 teaspoon white sesame seeds
1 teaspoon ajwain
1 teaspoon red chili powder
1/2 tsp asafoetida
2 tablespoons oil
salt to taste

Method for Bhajani flour 

Roast rice, channa dal, urad and moong dal (each item separately) till the grains turn crisp, lightly roast the poha. Do not use oil for roasting.  Also roast cumin seeds.
Grind together all the ingredients into a very fine powder.
This is 'bhajani' flour for chakli. This will last upto a year if stored in an airtight container.

Method to make chaklis

Boil the water add oil, sesame seeds, ajwain, salt, chili powder, and the bhajani flour and mix well.Knead the flour to make a soft pliable dough. Grease the chakli press with little oil and fill it with the dough. Now slowly press it and form chakli into a plate. Heat oil - drop a small pinch of dough to check if the oil temperature is right...when the dough immediately rises to the top with a sizzle then the temperature of oil is right to fry the chaklis. Drop in the chaklis 3 or 4 at a time depending on the size of the kadai slowly on low flame in and fry till golden brown. Drain on a tissue paper. Cool and store in an airtight container. These chaklis turned out crisp and these are packed for my friend who is going on a holiday abroad.


Note 

Do not add more ajwain and sesame seeds or else the chaklis will break while making. Also do not add more oil or else they will melt in oil while frying. Fry chakalis in small batches of 3 to 4 at a time to achieve crispness, else they become soggy. Replace the oil (when you see the oil becoming frothy) or they break at the time of frying. The oil should be sufficiently hot (but not at the smoking point), else chaklis soak up lots of oil and may not become crisp. Also once oil is heated enough, turn the heat to lowest setting. High heat causes them to cook on the outside, while staying uncooked from the inside, or sometimes they even burn and taste bitter.

Labels: Festival Sweets, Healthy snacks, Kids delight


Look here for Butter Chaklis

Butter Chaklis

April 22, 2014

This crunchy snack is just as good at tea time as it is for a special occassion or for children as school tiffin. Chaklis are made with a special chakli mold.

Ingredients
1 cup Full Rice Flour
1/4 cup Split Roasted Gram (phutane / chutney channa)
1 tablespoon Butter ( I used amul butter)
1/2 teaspoon Cumin seeds – slightly crushed with your hands
1/2 teaspoon Cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon Sesame seeds
1 teaspoon Chilly powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 cup Water -Boiled and hot

Method
In a mixer grind the gram to a fine powder. Now sieve rice flour and gram flour.
In a mixing bowl take the sieved flours , butter, cumin seeds, cumin powder, sesame seeds, chilly powder, salt and mix well. Boil water when it starts to boil switch off.  Add water little by little and mix it with a spatula. Once combined well use your hands to form a very soft dough.
Grease the chakli press with little oil and fill it with the dough. Now slowly press it and form chakli into a plate. Heat oil - drop a small pinch of dough to check if the oil temperature is right...when the dough immediately rises to the top with a sizzle then the temperature of oil is right to fry the chaklis. Drop in the chaklis 3 or 4 at a time depending on the size of the kadai slowly on medium flame in and fry till golden brown. Drain on a tissue paper. Cool and store in an airtight container. These chaklis have a lovely buttery taste and turned out crisp. These are packed for my friend who is going on a holiday abroad.

Note: Do not add more cumin and sesame seeds or else the chaklis will break while making. Also do not add more butter or else they will melt in oil while frying. Fry chakalis in small batches of 3 to 4 at a time to achieve crispness, else they become soggy. Replace the oil (when you see the oil becoming frothy) or they break at the time of frying. The oil should be sufficiently hot (but not at the smoking point), else chaklis soak up lots of oil and may not become crisp. Also once oil is heated enough, turn the heat to lowest setting. High heat causes them to cook on the outside, while staying uncooked from the inside, or sometimes they even burn and taste bitter. If for some reason, chaklis loose their crispness after some time, reheat them in microwave for a minute or two and they become crisp once again.

Labels: Festival Sweets, Healthy snacks, Kids delight

Look here for Bhajini Chaklis

Potato Rice Paratha

This my another recipe of leftover rice and potato.  These parathas are so soft and tasty.  You can have this plain also, but we had it with sabzi.  These parathas remained the next day they were still soft and delicious.  This also can be given as tiffin to children.  Do try this recipe.

Ingredients
1 Cup All purpose flour
1/2 Cup Cooked Rice
1/2 Cup Mashed Potato
1 Teaspoon Mint Chutney
1 Green chilly - chopped finely
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Coriander Leaves - chopped finely
1 Tablespoon Malai/oil ( I used malai)
Kalonji seeds /Onion seeds - as required
Ghee  as required

Method 
Grind the rice in mixer without using any water, and grind it coarsely.
In a bowl mix the Mint Chutney and mashed potato and mix well. Add the chilly, coriander leaves, salt, malai, all purpose flour, ground rice, knead into a soft dough not add any water. Leave the dough to rest for 10 minutes.  

Divide the dough into equal size ball and roll it into a paratha, sprinkle kalonji seeds and with the rolling pin roll it again so that the seeds get well pressed.

Heat a tava and fry with little ghee till pinks dots appear on top.  Serve hot with mint chutney, sauce or any sabzi.  We had this with sabzi.  These parathas are soft it is even good to give to the kids for the school tiffin.

Sending this to Mireille's and Elizabeth who are hosting this event. 

Labels:  Healthy, Kids delight, Parathas, Breakfast, Breads, Vegan, Rotis, Leftover series

Watermelon Agua Fresca

April 14, 2014

Fresh fruit drinks are very popular all over Mexico and are served from large barrel-shaped glass containers. Agua Fresca or Aguas de Frutas - literally translated in Spanish as "fresh water" or "fruit waters." In India, this delicious watermelonis called (Tarbooj) and the drink is referred to as Tarbooj Ka Sharbat.

This wonderful Watermelon Agua Fresca drink is a very light-bodied and very refreshing fruit drinks combined with sweetener (traditionally sugar) and water. A very refreshing and cooling summer drink and a refreshing alternative to iced tea or lemonade.

Ingredients
2 cups cold water
2 cups watermelon (rind removed), seeded and chopped
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
Juice of 1/2 lime (1 tablespoon)
Ice cubes or crushed ice (optional)

Method
Cut the watermelon into roughly 1-inch cubes.
In a blender, combine watermelon, sugar, and lime juice until smooth. Pour mixture through a strainer into a pitcher, forcing through most of the pulp. Chill at least 30 minutes before serving. Serve with or without ice cubes.

NOTE: The amount of sweetener needed will vary depending on the sweetness of the fruit you are using. Some may not require any at all. Sugar substitutes may be used to reduce calories further.

Traditionally an authentic aqua frescas are made without blenders and done by simply mashing the fruit with a fork or masher before adding the water and sweetener.

Labels: Juices, Continental Cuisine, Healthy, Vegan 

You might want to look at 
Watermelon Granita