Dosakaya(Cucumber) Chutney

I picked up this vegetable from an Indian grocery store and was wondering how to cook it.I happened to browse few recipes using this vegetable and tried this quick recipe and from then on,this has been added to the regular veggies list.

This is a very quick , easy and tasty recipe .It is tangy to taste and can be served  with rice or roti as side.I always have it in my refrigerator and use it on those days when i am lazy to cook a vegetable or when i don't have any vegetables left in my pantry.

This recipe has been adapted from vah-re-vah cooking video on youtube Dosakaya pacchadi .

Ingredients

ToGrind

- 2 medium sized cucumbers(peeled,de-seeded,and cut into small chunks)

- 4 green chillies(as per your taste)

- Salt to taste

- 4 cloves of garlic(cut into pieces)

- lemon sized tamarind(washed and soaked in little water say 3 Tbsp)

- 1 tsp cumin seeds

Tempering

- 1 Tbsp oil

- 1/2 tsp mustard seeds

- pinch of asafoetida/hing

- 1 tsp urad dal

- 4-5 curry leaves(chopped)

Recipe 

- Grind all the ingredients under the title "ToGrind" (It needn't be ground to a fine paste,few chunks left gives a great texture)

- Heat oil in a small pan and add the remaining  ingredients under "Tempering" one by one.

- Now pour the tempering prepared in the above step to the ground mixture of cucumber.

- Mix it well.

Notes : Sometimes i also add few drops of lemon juice as i like it extra tangy.

Vermicelli/Semiya Upma

Semiya Upma

This is one of our family's favorite breakfasts and my husband craves for this dish quite frequently.Growing up i have always had semiya/vermicelli as a sweet but never imagined we can also make a yummy upma using it.Semiya upma comes to my rescue whenever i need to cook something quick.The best part of this dish is that it can be had by itself without any sides like chutney/pickle/sauce.


Ingredients

- 2 cups Vermicelli/Semiya(I prefer roasted one to normal as it is not very sticky and easy to handle)
- 5 cups water
- Salt per taste
- 1 Carrot(finely chopped)
- 1/2 medium onion(thinly sliced)
- 1/2 cup peas/lima beans
- 1 tomato(thinly sliced)
- 1.5 Tbsp oil
- 1 Tbsp peanuts
- 1/2 tsp chana dal
- 3 Green chillies(slit lengthwise)
- 2 Dried red chillies
- 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 strand curry leaves(8-10 approx)
- 1/2 inch ginger finely chopped
- 1/2 cup Cashewnuts(optional)
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- Vegetables of your choice(optional vegetables include green beans)

Recipe

- Boil 5 cups of water in a large vessel ,add vermicelli to it along with salt and 1 tsp oil.
- Once Semiya is cooked ,drain the water using a strainer ,run it under cool water and keep it aside to drain off the remaining water.
- Heat the remaining oil in a non-stick pan,add cumin seeds,mustard seeds,chana dal,groundnuts,curry leaves,cashewnuts,chillies,ginger and fry for 3 minutes.
- Add the onions,carrot,peas,vegetables and tomato and cook for another 3-4 minutes.Add salt to it.
- Now add cooked semiya to the pan and mix all together.Cook for 2 minutes with lid closed.
- Add lemon juice to the pulao and stir properly.

Marvelous Marble Cake

I am not a big fan of chocolate cake but i do want it in my cakes in one way or the other.This is a simple cake which can please both chocolate and vanilla lovers like me.A bite of chocolate and a bite of vanilla goes into my mouth when i eat this cake and i am so happy about it.

Ingredients

- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar(you can make it to 3/4 cup if you dont like it very sweet)
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 2 Tbsp cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter/vegetable oil

Recipe

- Preheat oven to 375F.
- Sift together flour,baking powder,salt so that they are well blended.
- In a bowl whisk together sugar,butter/oil,eggs and vanilla extract.
- Combine the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients.Divide the batter into two parts.
- Stir in the cocoa powder into the second half of the divided parts.
- Pour the first half of batter(without cocoa) into a greased baking pan.Now pour the second   half(Cocoa batter) of the batter into the same pan.Run a knife through  the batter,cutting the batters together to create a marble effect.
- Place the baking pan into the pre-heated oven and bake for 35-40 minutes ,until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool,Invert the cake into a stand or plate,slice and serve. 

Coconut Rice

Coconut Rice is a very flavorful and festive dish.By festive,i mean it is cooked and offered to God during Indian festivals in most of the households.Well my mom never made this dish neither was i aware of this fact until i visited a friends house for Ganesh Chaturti and she offered me this dish as prasad.This is a very simple dish yet its so flavorful and tasty.

Ingredients

- 1 cup long grain rice/any rice(soak it in water for 20 minutes and cook it so that grains are separate)
- 1 cup freshly grated coconut/defrosted grated coconut
- 1 Tbsp urad dal
- 1 Tbsp oil
- 4 green chillies(as per your taste)
- 2 dried red chillies
- 1 Tbsp groundnuts/peanuts
- 1 Tbsp cashew nuts(optional)
- 1 strand curry leaves(approx 10 leaves)
- salt to taste
- 1 tsp cumin/zeera seeds
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- pinch of hing/asafoetida

Recipe

- Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds/cumin seeds.Wait till the seeds splutter and add green chillies,red chillies,hing,peanuts and cashew nuts into the oil and saute them for 2-3 minutes.Now add urad dal,curry leaves and saute them altogether for another 2 minutes.
- Add the grated coconut and saute for another 3 minutes.
- Now add the rice,salt to the pan and mix all the contents well.
- Cover it with a lid and cook on low flame for 5 minutes.
- Serve hot

Pan fried Tandoori shrimp/prawn

This is a very quick recipe and is just so yummy that your guests would really love it.

tandoori shrimp

Ingredients 
1 lb jumbo shrimp(approx 15)
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1/4 tsp turmeric powder(optional)
Juice of 1/2 lime
Salt as required
1 tsp Shan tandoori masala(use garam masala if you don’t have tandoori masala)
1/2 tsp red chilli powder/paprika
2 tbsp cooking oil

Method
Mix all the ingredients and coat the shrimp with the marinade
Marinate the shrimp atleast for 15 mins

Toss cooking oil in a non stick pan and heat it for 2 mins on medium flame
Fry the shrimp on each side for 5 mins until they turn brown

Sprinkle some chat masala and lime juice or serve it with mint chutney

Chicken Seekh Kabab

It was love at first bite when I first ate  chicken seekh kabab six years ago at a fine Indian restaurant.I always wondered what would the recipe be for this yummy appetizer.

Recently I ate the best tasting kabab at my friends place and borrowed the recipe from her.
Thank you aditi for this wonderful recipe

chicken seekh kabab

Ingredients
1 lb ground chicken
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
Salt as per taste (1/2 tsp)
1 tsp garam masala(see notes)
2 tsp thick yogurt
1 tbsp oil
3 green chillies finely chopped
2 tsp fried onions(see notes)
Finely chopped fresh coriander leaves
1 tsp Besan/gramflour for binding
Juice of 1/2 lime

Method
Mix all the ingredients well and make sure it is a thick paste.add extra besan if the mixture is soggy.
Cover it with plastic wrap and marinate in refrigerator for atleast 2 hrs( you can marinate it overnight as well)

Preheat oven to 375 F.
Make kabab’s using the marinated chicken mix using your hands and place them on a greased baking tray

let the kababs cook for 35-40 mins.
Turn the kababs upside down and cook them for another 10 mins or until brown

Notes

Garam masala: use any store bought or home made garam masala.I used mdh chana masala.However Shan kabab masala would be best

Fried onions: I used store bought fried onions from my pantry.Else just finely chop half onion and fry them in a pan till they turn translucent

Vegetable Upma

Vegetable Upma

This is one of my favorite breakfasts.Here goes the recipe

Ingredients
1 cup Upma rava (sooji/cracked wheat)
2 cups water
Salt as required
2-3 green chillies
2 carrots thinly sliced
1/2 onion sliced lengthwise
2 tbsp soya beans/lima beans or any beans
1 tbsp vegetable oil

Tadka
1/4 tsp zeera
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
5-8 groundnuts/cashewnuts
1/2 tsp chana dal (optional)
1/4 inch ginger finely chopped
4-5 curry leaves

Method
Toss the oil in a pan and heat it o n medium flame.
Once the oil is hot , toss all the ingredients listed under Tadka.Fry them for 3 mins
Now add the green chillies, onions and vegetables.Fry them for another 3-4 min.

Now add water, salt and let it boil until you ser bubbles

Roast the cracked wheat/rava in a separate pan until it turns light brown
Stir roasted cracked wheat/rava slowly into the boiling water so that there are ni lumps
Reduce the flame to low, cover it with lid and cook for another 7 mins.keep mixing occasionally
Serve it with groundout chutney/mango/lime pickle

Perfect Shrimp(Prawn) Biryani(step by step recipe)

When you hear the word biryani,you only think of either chicken or mutton biryani,however seafood biryanis are equally great to taste and amongst them shrimp biryani is our family favorite.I cook it occasionally.I find it super easy and quick to make when i run out of time on any special occasion or when i have friends visiting my place.
My mom who has never been an fan of shrimp or cooked them much loved then recipe and became an instant fan of shrimp.So all those folks who don't like seafood or shrimp must try this recipe,and i promise you will love it :-)

shrimp biryani

Ingredients

- 3 cups basmati rice (I found India Gate Basmati rice as the best for biryanis)
- water to cook rice(atleast 8 cups)
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- whole garam masala(2 cardamom,2 cinnamon sticks,3 bay leaves,2-3 cloves,4-5 whole black peppercons)
- 1/2 cup mint leaves finely chopped
- 1/2 cup coriander leaves finely chopped
- 1/2 cup fried onions(if you dont have this,cut 1 onion lengthwise and fry them in some oil till they turn completely brown)
- 3 Tbsp biryani masala(i use shan bombay biryani masala)
- 1 large tomato thinly sliced
- 1 large onion thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup yogurt
- 4 green chillies

Marinade
- 1.5 lb jumbo shrimp peeled,de-veined(atleast 20-25 pieces)
- salt to taste
- 3 tsp chilli powder(as per your taste)
- 1 Tbsp ginger garlic paste
- 2 Tbsp oil
- juice of one lemon

Recipe

Step 1 :
Wash the shrimp pieces thoroughly and drain all the water.Mix all the ingredients under "Marinade" and marinate it in an airtight/closed container for atleast 15 minutes or up to 1 hour in a refrigerator

Step 2:
Soak the basmati rice in lots of water for atleast 30 minutes.

Step 3:
Drain the water from the rice,cook the rice in a large pan with lots of water.Add salt,cumin seeds,whole garam masala to the boiling water.Make sure the rice is 70% cooked,it should be slightly hard when you feel it.Drain all the water and it aside.

Step 4:
 Heat oil in a wide nonstick pan.Add the marinated shrimp and shallow fry them on each side for 5 minutes.Remove the shrimp from the pan.

Step 5 :
To the same pan add the green chillies, onions and fry them till they run translucent.Now add the tomatoes and cook them till well done.Add yogurt,biryani masala and cook till it forms a thick paste.

Step 6 :
 Reduce the flame to low,cover the thick gravy in the pan with the rice and layer it with the fried shrimp.Sprinkle some biryani masala/whole garam masala , fried onions,mint leaves,coriander leaves and lemon juice over the rice.

Tip : To get some yellowish color,warm 2 Tbsp milk and add saffron to it.If you dont have saffron ,add a pinch of turmeric to the milk.sprinkle this milk over the rice.

Step 7:
Place the pan on the stove,cover it with an airtight lid and cook on low flame for 10-15 minutes.Mix the biryani before serving from bottom to top.

Yummy Apple Strudel

My husband is very found of any dessert with apple stuffing be it apple pie,apple strudel or apple turnover.I have tried couple of recipes and narrowed down to this amazing recipe which makes wonderful apple stuffing and you can use this stuffing to make  apple pie or a strudel or an apple turnover.

Apple Strudel

Ingredients

- Pastry puff sheets thawed(2 )
- 3 medium apple peeled and thinly sliced lengthwise
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1 cup raisins
- 1/2 tsp rose water(optional)
- 3 Tbsp sugar(as per your taste)
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 1 egg

Recipe

1. Heat the butter in a nonstick pan and raisins to it.Cook the raisins for 2 minutes until they rise and are browned well.Now add the apples,sugar and cinnamon and saute for 2 minutes and cook them covered for 5 minutes.
2. Shut the stove off and add the rose water and blend it to the mixture.
3. Preheat the oven to 375 F.
4. Place the pastry puff sheet on a baking try and roll lightly with a rolling pin.
5. Place the apple filling in the middle of the sheet lengthwise.Fold the sheet around the mixture lengthwise.Seal the edges by using bit of water on your fingers.
6. Whisk egg and brush it on top of the pastry sheet.Make horizontal cuts on the top side of the sheet.
7. Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown.

Holiday Biscotti(apricot , white chocolate,nuts and raisins)

Holiday Biscotti

I made this awesome biscotti for the holidays with the ingredients from my pantry.
Biscotti is an amazing snack with tea/coffee or a perfect holiday gift if you are visiting family and friends.I made few batches of this recipe and wrapped them up in beautiful packets and took it to my friends place as a holiday goodies. They all loved it a lot and i am sure you are gonna love me for this recipe :).

This recipe makes about  3-3.5 dozens of biscotti.

Ingredients

- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar(I used 1/4 cup more  as i like them little sweet)
- 3 large eggs
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil(replace it with softened butter for even tastier recipe)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup finely chopped dried apricot
- 1/2 cup raisins/dried cranberry
- 1/4 cup sliced pecans/almonds/walnuts
- 1/2 cup semi sweet white chocolate chips

Recipe

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, beat together the oil, eggs, sugar and vanilla extract until well blended. Combine the flour ,cinnamon powder and baking powder, stir into the egg mixture to form a heavy dough.
3. Combine all the nuts ,dried fruits and chocolate chips into the dough.
4.  Divide dough into three pieces. Form each piece into a roll as long as your cookie sheet. Place roll onto the prepared cookie sheet, and press down to 1/2 inch thickness.
5. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown. Remove from the baking sheet to cool on a wire rack. When The cookies are cool enough to handle, slice each one crosswise into 1/2 inch slices. Place the slices cut side up back onto the baking sheet. Bake for an additional 6 to 10 minutes on each side. Slices should be lightly toasted.