Veg Kheema Masala

March 26, 2014

A few months back I had been with my friends to a restaurant for dinner and they had ordered this dish. It was so tasty that I just wanted to try it in my kitchen and let me tell you that turned out so good. It became a regular dish on our dining table. Decided to put it on my blog, so here friends is this awesome and yummy recipe that was our Sunday's menu. This recipe is a keeper. Try it out and enjoy.

Ingredients
8 french beans
8 mushrooms
8 cauliflower florets
1 medium size carrot
½ cup green peas boiled
2 Large onions brista
1 green chilli finely chopped
½ inch ginger chopped finely
3 garlic flakes chopped finely
1 badi ealichi
1 inch cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon cashewnut powder
1 tsp Vindaloo Masala
1/4 tsp garam masala powder
5 Kashmiri red chilies
1/2 cup curds
1 tablespoon oil + 1 tablespoon butte
salt to taste

Method

Soak the kashmiri red chilies in warm water for 10 minutes. Drain then grind to a fine paste( This will give a nice orange red color to the gravy). Grind the onion brista ( fried oinons) along with the curds to a fine paste add the cashew nut powder and give a run again.

Mince all the veggies except the boiled peas in a food processor. In a pan heat 1 tablespoon oil and fry these veggies lightly. Keep aside.

Heat oil and butter in a pan, add whole spices – bay leaf, badi elachi & cinnamon. Add ginger, garlic and green chilli, fry lightly , add the onion mixture, red chilli paste, vindaloo masala. Fry the whole mixture till oil separates. Add all the veggies and boiled green peas. Add water and salt.
Cover and cook till for 2 - 3 minutes. Add little water to make a thick gravy. Now add the garam masala and salt. Garnish with coriander leaves and a teaspoon of butter.

I also made a salad called Kuchumber. Kuchumber is an onion tomato salad. This salad goes very well with pulaos and gravies. The meaning of kuchumber is crush and that is how this salad is made by crushing all the ingredients together with your hands till the onions are seperated. 

Kuchumber 

Ingredients
1 Large onion chopped  in roundales  finely
1 Large tomato chopped roundales finely
1 Green chilli chopped finely
A teaspoon of lime juice or vinegar
Salt to taste

Mint or coriander leaves chopped for garnishing.

Just mix all the above ingredients with you hand well till the onions are seperated .  Serve Veg Kheema Masala hot with  Kuchumber, some rotis, phulkas, naan or bread .


Labels: Vegetables, Salads, Main course

Pork Chilli With Peppers#SundayFunday

Juicy pork slices with hot chillies in every bite, chilli pork can double as a side dish as well as a standalone snack. This is an absolute easy dish to prepare. It is quite versatile and pairs well with any rice or noodles or can be enjoyed as a starter/ appetizer too. This is an easy-to-cook pork recipe with soy sauce. We just love stir fry recipes as they are simple and easy to prepare.

Ingredients
500 Grams Pork - thinly sliced
1 Each Green & Red Capsicum/Bell Peppers - sliced
3 Green Chillies - slit - adjust to taste
4 Medium Onions - sliced
1" Ginger - chopped
10 Cloves Garlic - chopped
Freshly Ground Black Pepper powder to taste
1 Tablespoon Soy sauce
1 Tablespoon Sesame oil
1 Teaspoon Rice Vinegar (or regular white vinegar)
½ Teaspoon Sugar
Oil - as required for frying
3 Tablespoons Chopped Spring Onion Greens - for garnishing
For The Marination
2 Tablespoons Dark Soy sauce
½ Tablespoon Green Chili sauce - adjust to taste)
1 Tablespoon Ginger Garlic paste
Salt to taste
Method

Marinate the pork with salt and all the given ingredients, mix well. Keep aside at least for an hour.

Heat oil in a wide heavy bottomed pan or skillet and fry the slit green chillies, chopped ginger and garlic lightly and then add the marinated pork slices and fry till golden brown on both sides. Add about a cup of water and cook covered on a medium flame till the pork is tender.

In another pan heat oil stir fry the onions, capsicums on medium heat till they soften for about 2 -3 minutes. Remove and keep aside.
When the pork is cooked add the remaining soy sauce, chili sauce if required, sugar, sesame oil, pepper powder, vinegar and mix well. Add the softened onions and capsicum, mix and cook on a medium high flame for just a minute.

Turn off the flame, garnish with spring onion greens and serve along with fried rice or noodles.

Enjoy!!
Labels: Pork, Chinese, Asian Cuisine, Side Dish, Main course, Starters, Sunday Funday, Stir Fry

For our event called Sunday Funday, wherein we share recipes our families will love to enjoy on a Sunday. Our host for this week's event is Sue of Palatable Pastime and the theme is Chinese New Year , January 2022.  

• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Tiger Salad
• Making Miracles: Shrimp Cakes
• Palatable Pastime: San Choy Bow
• Amy’s Cooking Adventures: Chow Steak Kow (Steak Stir Fry)
• Food Lust People Love: Butter Prawns
• Mayuri’s Jikoni: Kung Pao Cauliflower
• Sneha’s Recipe: Pork Chilli With Peppers
• Sizzling Tastebuds: Instant Pot Asian Style Veg Noodles

Chatpati Machli #FishFriday

Made this Chatpati Machli for lunch when my daughters friends visited us.  Served this with steamed rice and the bowl was clean.  This  really delicious ,  not very spicy and quick to make.  It's a Bangladeshi recipe.

Ingredients
500 Grams Boneless fish - cut into cubes- I used Surmai / Seer Fish
2 Tablespoon Lemon juice 
6 Whole Button Red chilies 
1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric powder
1/4 Cup Oil 
1 Teaspoon Salt  or to taste
1 Teaspoon Kalonji / Onion seeds
1 ½ Teaspoon Level Red Chili powder
1 Teaspoon Garlic paste  
1 Cup Yogurt -  beaten
4 Tablespoons Brown onion - powdered
2 Tablespoons Coriander leaves - chopped
Dry Grind to a coarse powder
1 Teaspoon Mustard seeds
8 Dried Red chilies
1/4 Teaspoon Fenugreek  / Methi seeds 
1 Tablespoon Coriander seeds
1 Teaspoon Heaped Fennel seeds
1 Teaspoon Cumin seeds 

Method

Coarsely grind  the cumin, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds, and mustard seeds, keep aside. 

Apply salt to the  fish  and place it in water ,then wash it in fresh water  and pat it  dry. Then marinate fish with lemon juice and keep it aside for 30 minutes.

 Heat oil, add whole red chilies, onion seeds, with garlic paste and  fry then add 2 tablespoon water and add turmeric powder,  chilly powder, salt, then the ground powder, yogurt, and fry well then add the fried onions and quarter cup water, fry well,  Cover and cook till oil surfaces then add the  fish and again cover and cook for 5 minutes, lastly add chopped coriander leaves.  Serve with steamed rice.

Sending this to this month's Event for Fish Friday Foodies our · Host by Karen H Kerr and the theme is Asian Flavors.  Thank you Karen for hosting this month's event.

Labels :  Chatpati Machli, Surmai Fish, Seafood/Fish, Bangladesh, Fish Friday

An InLinkz Link-up

Manchow Soup: Indo - Chinese Food

March 31, 2014

Indian-Chinese food is very popular in India, and is my favorite. I enjoying watching the street side food joint cooking noodles, fried rice,soups etc., in a wok over high flame.  In India we have adapted seasonings and cooking techniques of Chinese cuisine to our taste and style.  Here is a vegetarian version for Manchow Soup. This soup is  transparent and you can see all the vegetables. This soup thickens because of cornflour; no cream is added to it. Since soup is my dinner, I make it even more healthy by not adding fried noodles or boiled noodles to it. Its not that I do not eat noodles, love them but avoid them in my night dinner. Also, I have not add mono sodium glutamate (MSG) or ajinomoto in my soup. If you like MSG add it in your bowl of soup about 1/4 teaspoon).

Ingredients
1 Teaspoon chilli oil
1 Teaspoon Coriander chopped

1 Teaspoon Spring Onion Whites, chopped
1 Teaspoon Garlic, chopped finely
1 Teaspoon Ginger, grated
1/4 Cup Assorted Vegetables, finely chopped
2 Cups Vegetable Stock or 2 cubes of vegetable soup mixed in 2 cups water
1 Teaspoon Soy Sauce
1/4 Teaspoon Chili Sauce
Salt, Sugar, Black Pepper Powder to taste 

1 Teaspoon Cornflour
1/2 teaspoon Vinegar 

For garnishing
Spring Onion Greens, chopped
Chili Oil
Crispy Noodles

I used vegetables- 2 French beans, 1/2 a Carrot, 1Capsicum, 2 leaves of Cabbage and 3 tablespoons sweet corn kernels. I just put all the vegetables except the corn in the chopper and chopped them finely. They get cooked faster and the soup is easy to make. I even chop the white of the spring onions, ginger and garlic in the chopper.  These gadgets make our cooking a lot easier and less tiresome.

To make

Chili oil
Heat 1/4 cup  oil in a pan on high flame till smoking point, add to it 5-6 broken dry red chilies & switch off heat. Allow to cool. Strain use this ‘chili oil’ as and when required.  This oil does not turn rancid for 2 to 3 weeks.

Crispy Noodles
Boil a packet of Chinese noodles along with a tsp of oil & salt until just about 50% cooked. Let it drain completely on the strainer & spread them on dry cloth & let them dry for 15-20 mins. Then sprinkle some corn flour over them and deep fry in hot oil till just about golden-brown & crispy. Drain on absorbent paper & allow to cool. Use it to garnish soups or eat it as a snack. Can be stored in airtight container for a week. ( This I avoided to make the soup healthy). You can avoid this process totally, now in the stores fried noodles are available.

Method
Heat oil in wok on high flame, then add spring onion whites, garlic,ginger ,coriander, sauté few seconds & add the vegetables stir fry 2 minutes. Add vegetable stock, soy sauce, chili sauce, mix well, add salt, sugar and  black pepper powder to your taste let it boil.  Then add the cornflour paste ( mix cornflour in 2 tablespoon water ) and  cook, stirring continuously till it thickens. Finally add vinegar, mix & remove from heat.  Transfer to bowl, sprinkle chili oil on it, garnish with spring onion greens and crispy noodles, serve hot.  As I am writing this post, am enjoying the bowl of  Manchow Soup.  Do try this recipe and post your comments.

Labels:  Healthy, Pure Veg, Soup, Vegan, Continental Cuisine, Chinese, Manchow Soup 

Egg & Potato Curry#Improv

Egg & Potato Curry pic has been on FB page for years, not realizing that the recipe has not yet been posted on my blog.

When going to my post just recently realized this is still pending, so here is the delicious and creamy recipe.

Serves 3
Ingredients
6 Hard Boiled Eggs
2 Potatoes - peeled and boiled till half done

½ Teaspoon Heaped Garlic paste 1½ Teaspoon Heaped Chili powder ½ Teaspoon  Turmeric powder
1 Teaspoon Coriander powder 1 tsp

1 Teaspoon Salt or to taste

3 Tablespoons  Tomato Puree

1/3 Cup Oil

Grind To A Fine Paste

Dry roast each seperately

1/3 Cup Onion Birista-Homemade
1 Tablespoon Heaped Desiccated Coconut - dry roast
1 Teaspoon Sesame Seeds - dry roast
1 Tablespoon Peanuts - dry roast & skinned
½ Teaspoon Cumin Seeds - dry roast

Method

Grind  the ingredients  in a small blender jar with little water  to fine paste. 

In a pot/ kadai heat oil add  the garlic, tomato puree and rest of the dry spices and the  ground paste, fry for 2 minutes or till oil surfaces.  Now  add  the potatoes and saute for a minute or till they are coated with the masala.  

Add a cup of water or more according to the gravy consistency (do not add more water this gravy is thick), cover and cook for 10 minutes till potatoes tender, add boiled eggs cut into two halves, lightly give it a mix . It's ready to serve. 

Garnish with  chopped coriander leaves and enjoy with rotis or paratha. 

Labels :  Egg, Hard Boiled, Desiccated Coconut, Fried Onions, Peanuts, Healthy, Curry, Main course, Improv Cooking Challenge, Potato

Check out what the other bloggers have made! 

Improv Cooking Challenge: February 2020
Ingredients: Potato and Egg
Hash Brown Breakfast Sandwich by Cookaholic Wife
Potato, Egg, and Arugula Curry by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Steak and Egg Hash by Making Miracles
Seasoned Keto CrackersBoxty (Irish Potato Pancakes) by Palatable Pastime
Patates Salatasi - Turkish Potato Salad by Pandemonium Noshery
Egg & Potato Curry by Sneha's Recipe
Mom's Potato Soup with Egg Dumplings by Our Good Life
Potato Pancakes by A Day in the Life on the Farm

Mexican Vegetarian Burrito Bowl#Improv

Mexican Burritos bowls are mainly made with rice, beans, different types of sauces/dips, sour cream and lettuce. Although a burrito bowl sounds elaborate, but it's not so time consuming. 

My hubby loved this burrito bowl very much it was just restaurant style, finger licking. It's packed with flavors and an explosion of taste in the mouth as soon as to spoon in, a tangy, a bit of sour, spicy, juicy, cheesy and super tasty, delicious burrito bowl.

The Guacamole is a twist of taste, a tex mex cuisine, Indo Mexican. I have used a typical Indian spice with avocado and it takes this to a different level. I would say spicy and finger licking Guacamole. 

So let's start with our delicious  meal Mexican Vegetarian Burrito Bowl...

Serves 3 - 4
Ingredients

For Lemony Minty Rice
2 Cups Rice - washed and boiled
1/4 Cup Packed Mint leaves - torn into pieces
1 Tablespoon Lemon juice
Salt to taste

For Guacamole - Indo Mexican Style 

Makes One Cup 
2 Hass Avocados
1 Small White Onion - chopped
2 Green chillies - chopped
1 Teaspoon Grated Ginger
2 Big Cloves Garlic - grated
1/4 Cup Packed Fresh Green Coriander leaves - chopped
1- 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
A Juice of One Small Lemon
1/4 Teaspoon Black pepper powder
1/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt or to taste

Roasted Tomato Salsa Sauce - Vegan & Gluten Free

Onion And Bell Pepper Mix

1/2 Cup Chopped Onions
1/2 Cup Green Bell pepper or  Coloured Bell peppers
1/2 Teaspoon Black pepper powder
1/4 Teaspoon Salt or to taste
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil 

Other Ingredients 

1 Cup Boiled Red Kidney Beans

1 Cup Boiled Black Eyed Peas

1/2 Cup Boiled Corn Kernels
1/2 Cup Chopped Romaine Lettuce Leaves
1 Cup Sour Cream
1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Method 

Wash and soak 1/2 cup each of dried red kidney beans and black eyed beans separately for 4 hours. 

Then pressure cook the red kidney beans with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 2 cups of water for one whistle on high flame then reduce to flame to low and keep it for 10 minutes. The red kidney bean are boiled to perfection. When the cooker cools down drain the liquid since we require only the red kidney beans. Keep this aside in a bowl.

In the same cooker place the black eyed peas and a cup of water with 1/4 teaspoon salt and take one whistle on high flame. Cool the cooker, drain the liquid since we require only the black eyed peas. Keep this aside in a bowl. This too is ready.

In the same cooker place the corn and a cup of water with 1/4 teaspoon salt and take one whistle on high flame. Cool the cooker and remove the corn. Take out the corn kernels and and keep it aside. This too is ready.

For Lemony Minty Rice

Wash and soak the rice then boil it till done. Drain all the excess water / starch. Add the torn mint leaves and lemon juice in it and give it a good mix. Keep this covered. 

Let's prepare Guacamole  - Indo Mexican Style 

In a blender jar take all the given ingredients with a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and blend it to a smooth paste. Remove this in a serving bowl and drizzle the remaining tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil  on it so that it doesn't change the color - it remains green. Guacamole is ready.

For the Onion Bell Pepper Mix

Heat oil in a pan and saute chopped onions and bell pepper until soft. Add black pepper and salt to taste in it and turn the flame off. So here you have your fried Onion and bell pepper mix ready.

Keep two bowls ready. Since we are two I made two bowls only for lunch, the remaining we will have it for dinner.
Now all our ingredients are ready. Let's arrange these on the table.
For our Burrito bowl
1 Cup Boiled Red Kidney Beans
1 Cup Boiled Black Eyed Peas
1/2 Cup Boiled Corn Kernels
1/2 Cup Chopped Lettuce Leaves
1/2 Cup Chopped Onions
1 Cup Sour Cream,
1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Guacamole  - Indo Mexican Style 
Roasted Tomato Salsa Sauce
Lemony Minty Rice
Onion And Bell Pepper Mix 

In a serving bowl, spread the rice ( according to your requirement) 

Top it with boiled black eyed beans & red kidney beans

Now the Onion and Pepper mixture

Shredded cheddar cheese and

3 Tablespoons  Roasted Tomato Salsa Sauce

3  Tablespoons Guacamole  - Indo Mexican Style 

3 Tablespoons  Sour Cream

Shredded Romaine lettuce 

Boiled Corn kernels

Garnish this layer with some more shredded cheese

And here we are ready our Burrito bowl, just dig your spoon into the bowl and enjoy this satiating  meal burrito bowl, full of flavors and nutrients.

Lables : Mexican, Burrito Bowl, One Dish Meal, Main course, Guacamole, Roasted Tomato Salsa Sauce, Lemony Minty Rice, Sour Cream, Sweet Corn, Red Kidney Beans, Black Eyed Peas, Vegetarian, Improv  Cooking Challenge 

March Improv Cooking Challenge

Beans and Rice
• • Chicken Burrito Bowls by Cookaholic Wife
  • Southern Style Red Beans and Brown Rice by Pandemonium Noshery
  • Taco Rice by Making Miracles
  • Southwest Chicken and Rice Soup by Palatable Pastime
  • Rajma Chawal (Indian Style Bean Curry with Steamed Rice) by Sizzling Tastebuds
  • Greek Cauliflower Rice and Chickpeas by Kate’s Recipe Box
  • Menestra de Porotos by A Day in the Life on the Farm
  • Mexican Vegetarian Burrito Bowl by Sneha's Recipe

Crispy Beef Chilly- Thai Style

This is so delicious that you must try it and for a dish that comes together in less than 45 minutes.

Serve 4 - 5 

Ingredients
For the Marination 
500 Gram Beef Undercut/Sirloin 
2 Eggs - Whites Only
½ Teaspoon Salt
½ Teaspoon Black pepper powder
2 Tablespoons Light Soy sauce
1 Tablespoon Chili oil
½ Teaspoon Baking soda
6 Tablespoons Heaped Corn flour
Oil as required for deep frying
Other Ingredients 

¼ Cup Oil 
1 Tablespoon Minced Garlic
3 Tablespoons Hoisin sauce or BBQ Sauce
2 Tablespoons Oyster sauce
2 Tablespoons Fish sauce
1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
3 Tablespoons Chili Garlic Sauce
2 Tablespoons Vinegar
2 Thai Red Chilies / Bird Eye Chilly -chopped
1 Cup Chicken stock
1 Tablespoon Corn flour - dissolve in ¼ cup water
½ Teaspoon Black pepper powder
1 Medium Capsicum - thinly sliced
5 - 6 Kaffir Lime Leaves
2 Spring Onion  - green  cut diagonally
5 Green chilies - slit and sliced
8 - 10 Cashewnuts- fried

Method

Cut  the beef undercut/sirloin meat into juliennes/thin long strips. Marinate the beef with egg whites, salt, black pepper, soy sauce, chili oil, baking soda and corn flour, keep it aside for 15 minutes. Then separate each strip in a big plate. 

Heat oil in a deep frying pan deep fry each strip till crisp and golden for about 6 - 8 minutes, remove. 

Keep aside

Mix all the sauces, vinegar and brown sugar in a bowl. Keep aside.

Heat oil in a wok, add minced garlic, fry till light golden, add all the seasoning, mixed sauces and chicken stock brig it to a boil

add fried beef, let it simmer then add all the veggies, and kaffir lime leaves, except the spring onions, cook for a minute, thicken with corn flour paste, garnish with spring onions and cashew nuts.

Serve with steamed rice or noodles

My Notes 

If you do not have Hoisin sauce substitute it with BBQ Sauce.

Labels : Asian Cuisine, Beef, Thailand, Chillies, Stir Fry, Main course