November 9, 2017

Kharzi / Arunachal Pradesh Cuisine


Though I am not regular in blogging due to personal work, the one thing which I never miss out is shhh cooking secretly challenge event hosted by three lovely co-bloggers Priya Suresh, Mayuri Patel and Amrita Iyer. As I had mentioned the rules of this event in lots of my previous posts, moving on to the October month theme. We had an interesting regional theme "Cuisines of Arunachal Pradesh" and apart from recipes, this theme helped me to know more about their culture.

I was paired with a wonderful blogger Sujatha Shukla who blogs at pepperonpizza.com. Her webpage has loads of interesting recipes and I must mention that her recipes are feast for eyes. Also, do click the below link to view the healthy and tasty Arunachal Pradesh recipe "Oying Vegetable stew" prepared by using the secret ingredients given by me.

https://www.pepperonpizza.com/oying-vegetable-stew-from-arunachal-pradesh

Carrots and Ginger were given as my secret ingredients to me by her and using those lovely ingredients, prepared a delicious aromatic rice. This recipe is adapted from one of my blogger friend Manjula's page who blogs at desifiesta.com. Though the actual recipe doesn't include any vegetables, I made a twist by including my secret ingredients.  Quite easy recipe and also healthy as it has veggies in it. This can be served as such but my family members preferred it with onion raita.


Note : Adjust the quantity of red chillies according to taste bud.


Ingredients :

1 1/2 - 2 Cups Rice, Cooked 
6 - 7 Dry red chillies ( adjust according to taste bud ) 
1 Tsp Ginger garlic paste 
1 Tomato, Chopped 
1 Carrot, Chopped 
2 Tbsp Mozzarella cheese 
1/2 Cup Spring onion leaves, finely chopped
Salt to taste
1 1/2 Tbsp Oil 

Method :

Soak dry red chillies in hot water for 30 mins - 1 hour.

Add the soaked red chillies in a blender along with tomato, carrot, ginger - garlic paste and mozzarella cheese and grind into fine paste by adding a little amount of chillies soaked water.

Heat oil in a pan and add the ground paste followed by the required amount of salt and cook till the oil separates from the masala.

Once done, add cooked rice along with the chopped spring onion leaves and mix well.

Transfer it to a bowl and garnish with grated cheese and spring onions.

Serve hot.


Serving Options :

Serve with Raita.



October 25, 2017

Creamy Butter Chicken Using Macadamia Nuts


Macadamia nuts are delicious buttery flavoured nuts which is generally used in baking, Ice creams and Chocolates. These nuts have lots of health benefits and also available as in the form of Oil, which can used in salads and regular cooking. Apart from cooking, macadamia oil is also useful for healthy skin and hair care. In this recipe, I had used these tasty nuts in the replacement of cashews to give an exotic touch to our regular butter chicken. This gravy goes well with rice, pulao, roti or naan.


Ingredients :

For Marination :

250 gms Boneless Chicken, cut into strips
1 Tsp Ginger garlic paste 
1/4 Tsp Turmeric powder 
1/4 Tsp Garam Masala 
1/2 Tsp Chilli powder 
1/4 Cup Fresh cream 
Salt to taste 

For Gravy :

2 Onion, chopped 
3 Tomatoes, chopped
5 - 6 Macadamia nuts ( It has strong flavour so add accordingly ) 
1 Tsp Ginger garlic paste 
1/4 Tsp Turmeric powder 
1 Tsp Chilli powder 
1 Elachi 
1/2 inch Cinnamon stick 
8 Tbsp Butter 
Salt to taste 
1/4 Cup Fresh cream 
1/2 Tsp Dried fenugreek leaves 
Few Coriander leaves

Method :

Marinate the chicken strips using the given ingredients for 30 minutes. 

Heat 3 Tbsp butter and fry the marinated chicken pieces. 

Once done, remove and keep aside. 

Add the remaining butter to the same pan and add elachi followed by cinnamon stick, onion, ginger garlic paste, tomatoes, macadamia nuts, turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt. 

Saute it for 5 - 10 minutes and grind into fine paste by adding water. 

Now add the ground masala to the pan and add the chicken pieces along with fresh cream and fenugreek leaves.

Add the remaining butter and cook it for 3 - 4 minutes. 

Garnish with coriander leaves and remove from the flame.

Serve hot. 


Serving Options :

Serve with Rice, Pulao, Roti or Naan. 


October 1, 2017

Vankaya Tomato Pachadi / Brinjal Tomato Chutney


Pachadi is one of the popular recipes in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Many years back when we shifted to Telangana, I was confused with the name of Pachadi as in Tamil Nadu we call it as Raita. In Andhra and Telangana, chutney varieties are known as Pachadi and there are wide varieties of pachadi which can also be served with rice. The authentic Andhra Thali has a minimum of two varieties of chutney which is generally served with hot rice and ghee or with Ragi Sankati (Ragi Mudde). To my surprise, I have seen people still using a Mortar and Pestle to prepare Pachadi and even I believe that dishes made out of mortar and pestle enhance the taste and gives a delicious flavor.

My today's recipe is also one variety of Pachadi using Brinjal and Tomato which was given as my secret ingredients in Shhh Cooking Secretly Challenge. This month's theme was Andhra Pradesh recipes and I was paired with an excellent blogger and an amazing food photographer Kriti Singhal Agrawal who blogs at Krispy Kadhai. Personally, I admire her food styling and food photography. Check out her wonderful page to hop into wide varieties of interesting recipes and also to check a delicious Andhra Pradesh recipe prepared by her using the secret ingredients given by me.


Vankaya Tomato Pachadi is one of a simple and tasty chutney variety which goes perfect with plain rice or roti. The brinjals and tomatoes are cooked separately and added in a thalimpu which is further made into pachadi using a Mortar and Pestle. The same recipe can also be prepared using mixer jar, but personally I feel, grinding using mortar and pestle enhance the taste and also gives a delicious taste.

Ingredients :

6-7 Brinjals, cut into small cubes
2 Tomato. finely chopped
6 Green chillies, sliced
2 Tbsp Oil
1 Tsp Mustard seeds
1 Tsp Cumin / Jeera seeds
1 1/2 Tsp Urad dal
A pinch of Hing
1/4 Tsp Turmeric powder
Salt to taste
2 Sprigs of Curry leaves

Method :

Add chopped brinjal and tomato pieces in a pan and cook it for 5 minutes in a low flame by adding little water.

Once done, remove from the flame and keep aside.

Heat oil and add mustard seeds followed by cumin seeds, urad dal, hing, green chillies and turmeric powder.

Fry it for a minute and add the cooked brinjal-tomato mixture.

Add salt and let it cook till the mixture gets mashed.

Once done, transfer the brinjal - tomato pachadi into Mortar and Pestle and grind it coarsely.

Alternatively, mixer jar can also be used to grind it according to the desired consistency.

Transfer it to a bowl and serve.


Serving Options :

Serve with hot plain rice or Roti.





September 2, 2017

Mussel & Basil Risotto Using FishandMeat Product


Risotto is an Italian rice dish prepared using Arborio rice and cooked in a stock to get a creamy dish. Though the rice takes a while to cook properly, the taste of the final dish will be delicious. The cooking of risotto needs lot of attention and time as we have to add the stock little at a time till the stock gets absorbed. This technique helps the rice to release the starch which in turn gives a creamy and tasty dish. The water or stock should be hot while adding it to the rice which helps to maintain the cooking process and in addition, it saves time. A high starch and low amylose short grain rice is used for Risotto. The variety of rice used in Risotto are Arborio, Cornaroli, Roma etc. Nowadays, Arborio rice is easily available in most of the gourmet shops compared to the other variety of rice. Different varieties of Risotto can be prepared using different ingredients. White wine is traditionally used in the Risotto but it can also be omitted, if not available. My today's post is one of the variety using Mussels and dried basil leaves. When I received the mussels from FishandMeat, I was excited and Risotto was the first dish flashed on my mind. Though I had tasted Mussels in Restaurants, this was my first trail in my kitchen using it. Being a FishandMeat customer, I love their quality of the product which gives me confident and motivation to try their different varieties of product. 

Click HERE to know more about the products available in FishandMeat !

Click the link below to view few of my interesting seafood recipes prepared using FishandMeat products. 









Here comes the recipe of the creamy and delicious Risotto using Mussels and Basil...


Ingredients :

1 1/2 Cups Arborio Rice (Washed)
3 Tbsp Butter + 4 Tbsp Butter
3 - 4 Garlic pods, Finely chopped
1 Onion, Finely chopped
1/2 Cup White Wine
5 Cups Hot Water or Stock 
250 gms Mussels
2 Tbsp Basil, dried
1 Tsp Freshly ground Pepper
Salt to taste
1/2 Cup Parmeson cheese
Few Coriander leaves for Garnishing

Method :

Heat 3 Tbsp butter in a pan and add finely chopped garlic pods .

Fry it for half a minute and add finely chopped onion.

Saute till it turns translucent and add dried basil leaves followed by mussels.

Saute and add the washed Arborio rice.

Add white wine and cook till the wine gets absorbed.

Then add 1/2 cup hot water at a time allowing the water to get absorbed between each addition.

Cook the Arborio rice for 20- 25 minutes.

The texture of rice will be tender yet creamy.

Add the remaining butter, pepper powder and parmesan cheese to the risotto.

Mix well and garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve hot.


September 1, 2017

Pizza Pull Apart Pumpkin Bread


Being Baking as the Theme in Shhh Secretly Cooking Challenge, two delicious ingredients (Pumpkin and Cinnamon) were given as secret ingredients to me by a wonderful blogger Avin S Kohli who blogs at "theyellowdaal.com". And using the ingredients, tried my hands on an easy and yummy tea time snack using Pizza dough. Pizza dough is rolled into a rectangle shape and topped with pumpkin puree, sugar and cinnamon. The pumpkin puree is prepared by roasting the pumpkin in the oven and made into smooth puree but it can also be substituted with a canned ones. Adjust the quantity of sugar according to sweet tooth. Brown sugar can also be added instead of the granulated sugar.


Are you interested in knowing the secret ingredients given by me to Avin S Kohli ? Then click HERE to check out her page now.... She has prepared a lovely and delicious dish which is loved by everyone :)


Ingredients :

1 1/2 Cup All purpose flour / Maida 
1 Tsp Instant Yeast 
1 Tsp Sugar 
1 Tsp Salt 
1/2 Cup Warm water 
1 Tbsp Oil 
1/2 Cup Pumpkin Puree 
5 - 6 Tbsp Granulated sugar 
1 Tbsp Cinnamon powder 
1 Tbsp Butter for brushing 

Method :

Take all purpose flour in a bowl along with an instant yeast, sugar and salt.

Add warm water to the flour along with oil and combine well to form a soft dough.

Once done, place the dough in a greased bowl and keep it aside in a warm place till it gets double its size.

When the size gets doubled, remove from the bowl and knead it again for 10 minutes. ( use all purpose flour for dusting )

Now roll the pizza dough into a rectangle shape sheet with 1/2 inch thickness.

Spread the pumpkin puree on the pizza sheet and sprinkle granulated sugar evenly followed by cinnamon powder.

Now gently roll the pizza sheet and cut into small pieces using knife.

Take a greased baking tray or line it with a baking sheet and place the pizza bread pieces evenly and stack the remaining pieces.

Bake it for 20 - 25 minutes at 180 degree C in a pre heated oven.

Once done, remove from the oven, brush it with a butter and cool it on the rack.

Serve.


Serving Options :

Serve it with Tea / Coffee. 


August 17, 2017

Olan - Onam Special With LAL HIT Integration / #SayNoToFoodPoisoning


The most memorable event in everyone's life is celebrating festivals with family and friends. And if we look deeper, what brings beautiful memories, is apparently the fun and food. Food is an integral part of many festivals and each festival has its own special delicacies like Thandai for Holi, Sweets and savouries for Diwali, Sweet Pongal for Pongal etc. Among all the festivals, there is only one festival which always brings me a nostalgic feeling of a grand feast. Yeah ! You guessed it right, it's the ONAM Sadya :) 


Our three years stay at the God's own country was true bliss. Apart from the gastronomic memories, it also brings me nightmares of my first day house cleaning when we shifted to kerala. Though we rented a beautiful apartment with a lovely scenery, the cockroaches gave me a challenging task as I had my 6 month old son with me. Cockroaches are a major cause of all types of infections like Food Poisoning, Typhoid, Cholera, Diarrhoea, Dysentery and other stomach related infections. They carry germs as well as bacteria from drains and contaminate food and utensils. Kids are the first ones to get such types of infections; so as a Mother, it remains my responsibility to maintain a hygienic place by eliminating these hidden pests from house. / #SayNoToFoodPoisoning




I was lucky enough to get a lovely neighbour on the very first day who helped me to get rid of the hidden cockroaches by giving LAL HIT. I was really impressed by the effectiveness of the product and was surprised by its Fresh Fragrance. The Deep Reach Nozzle is a value - add to the product as it helps reach the unreachable places like sink, cracks, under the cylinder etc where the cockroaches hide safely. According to me, LAL HIT is a user friendly, safe and completely mess-free product.

 
In a week, the ONAM celebration started in our apartment and since my cleaning was made easy, I happily invited my neighbours for a feast. Onam is a Hindu festival which is celebrated in the state of Kerala in India. Onam falls in the month of Changam, which is considered as the first month according to the Malayalam Calendar. It is a 10 day festival which is celebrated in memory of King Mahabali. The first  day of Onam is called Atham followed by Chithira, Chodhi, Vishakham, Anizham, Thriketa, Moolam, Pooradam, Uthradam and concludes with Thiruvonam. Atham and Thiruvonam are the most important among all. 

People of Kerala welcome King Mahabali with beautiful Pookkalams in front of their houses. Pookkalam or Onapookkalam is a flower arrangement which is made on the floor using several varieties of flowers. Onam Sadya is another requisite part of Thiruvonam as it reflects the spirit of the season. The Sadya is a complete vegetarian platter which is traditionally made with seasonal vegetables like yam, ash gourd, cucumber etc served on plantain leaves. The platter has a minimum of 10 varieties of dishes which predominantly includes plantain chips, shakkarameratti, injipuli, Thoran , Olan, Puliseri, Pachadi, Erisheri, Avial, Payasam, Araichivita Sambhar, Rasam, Payasam, Unniyapam and Papadam. Traditionally it is served with Matta rice which has been now replaced with a regular white rice in many restaurants.

In my today's post, I am going to share a tasty and easy onam Sadya recipe which is prepared using Ash gourd and Black eyed peas called Olan. Olan is a light and flavourful dish enriched with coconut milk. This is one of the important dishes of the Sadya menu and it is also a less spicy dish. Apart from Ash gourd, pumpkin or cucumber can also be used as its substitute. 



Ingredients :

250 gms Ash gourd, cut into small pieces
1 cup Black eyed peas, cooked
2 Green chillies,slitted
1 Tsp Cumin seeds
3 Sprigs of Curry leaves
1 cup Thin Coconut milk ( 1/4 cup Thick milk + 3/4 cup water )
3/4 cup Thick coconut milk
1/2 cup Water
1 Tsp Coconut oil

Method :

Take chopped ash guard pieces in a pan along with cumin seeds, green chillies and curry leaves.

Add salt followed by the measured thin coconut milk.

Cover the pan with a lid and cook till it gets 3/4 th cooked.

Now add the cooked black eyes peas and cook it further till the ash gourd gets completely cooked.

Now add thick coconut milk and cook in a low flame.

Once it starts boiling, switch off the flame.

Add coconut oil and one sprig of curry leaves to the prepared Olan.

Keep it aside for few minutes to bring out the flavour.

Serve hot.

Serving options :

Serve with hot rice.



Do try this delicious Olan recipe as Onam is around the corner. Also I hope that this article is useful and helped you in making you aware of the dangers around us which leads to many infections. LAL HIT is an effective solution which indeed reduces the efforts of cleaning to lead a healthy and hygienic lifestyle. Don't let insects to ruin your healthy lifestyle. Regular usage of this product as against using it only during festive days will help us to maintain a hygienic surroundings. And finally, this is worth a buy product as it gives an excellent results. / #SayNoToFoodPoisoning




For more details about the product, Click HERE !

  Happy Advance Onam wishes to all my friends :)