Semolina Dhokla

This nutritious and tempting snack comes from Gujarat. This is easy to make and does not need a lot of ingredients. I am not able to put any pictures at this time, as my camera was not with me when I made it. Children will love to eat this. This recipe was specially requested by one of my friends.

Ingredients:
1. 1 cup semolina/rava/sooji
2. 2 tblsp. gram flour/besan/kadalamav
3. 2 chopped green chillies
4. 1 inch grated ginger
5. 3/4 cup yogurt/curd
6. 3/4 cup water
7. 3 tblsp. sugar
8. salt as required
9. 1 tsp. turmeric
10.1 tblsp. lemon juice
11.1 tsp. eno(fruit salt) or baking soda

Garnish:
1. 1 tblsp. mustard seeds
2. 1 tblsp. dessicated coconut
3. a few curry leaves and some coriander leaves
4. 1 tbsp. sesame seeds
5. 1 tblsp. oil

Method:
* Grease a vessel (mould)with oil. Take another vessel bigger than the mould and boil some water. It should have a lid with a hole for the steam to escape. The mould should fit inside this vessel.
* Mix items 1 to 10 thoroughly and keep it aside for 15 minutes. Add eno/baking soda and mix.
* Pour the mixture into the mould and steam it for 15 minutes. Poke a toothpick and see whether it comes out clean. If it comes out clean, then the dhokla is done.
* Add the dessicated coconut on to the dhokla.
* Heat one tablespoon oil, splutter mustard seeds, sesame seeds and curry leaves and pour over the dhokla. Sprinkle some coriander leaves also.
*Cut into cubes and serve it plain or with chutney of your choice.

Black eyed bean Fritters (Pakoras)

Black eyed beans fritters are great as snacks.

Ingredients:-

1. 250gms. dried black eyed beans
2. 1 onion chopped
3. 1 green chillie deseeded and cut into half
4. 1 inch ginger sliced
5. 150ml. water
6. salt as required
7. oil for deep frying

Method:

* Soak the beans in water for 8 hours. Drain the water and remove the skin by rubbing between the palms of the hand.
* Wash the beans in lot of water, the skins will float to the surface. Discard the skin. Soak the beans for some more time.
* Put all the items from 2 to 6 in a blender to make a thick paste (water may be added slowly and gradually and not the entire quantity at one go).
* Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan and fry spoonfuls of the above mixture until golden brown.
* Serve it with sauce or dip of your choice.

Palak Paneer (Spinach and Cheese)

Ingredients:

1. 1 medium onion cut into small pieces
2. 250 gms paneer cut into cubes
3. 2 bunches of cut spinach
4. 1 green chillie sliced
5. 2 medium tomatoes cut into cubes
6. 1 inch grated ginger
7. 3 cloves garlic
8. 3 green cardamom
9. 3 cloves
10. 1 inch cinnamon
11. 1/2 tsp. turmeric
12. 3/4 tsp. red chillie powder
13. 1/2 tsp. cumin powder
14. 1 tsp. garam masala
15. 2 tblsp. plain yogurt/curd
16. 1 tblsp. milk
17. 1 tsp. kasuri methi
18. 2 tblsp. oil
19. salt as required

Method:-

• Take a heavy bottomed pan. Heat 1 tblsp. oil and saute the cinnamon, clove, cardamom and kasuri methi.
• Fry onions, ginger,garlic, chillie and tomatoes one after the other.
• Add turmeric, chilli powder, garam masala and cumin powder and saute for another 2 minutes.
• Add the chopped spinach and saute for another 2 minutes.
• Cool the mixture and blend it to a smooth paste.
  When the mixture is cooling, fry the paneer in a tblsp butter, until lightly browned on all sides. Paneer can be added to the palak mixture fried and non fried, as per your taste. I like to fry the paneer.
• Take another vessel and heat 1 tblsp oil. Add the paste and salt, cook it for 2 minutes. Slowly add the milk and yogurt and mix. Keep it on the stove on a low fire for another minute and then add the fried paneer, cook the gravy for 2 more minutes and remove from fire.
• Serve it with rotis or rice.
  
  

Crab Curry

Crab curry is one of the tasty coastal dishes of Kerala. This is one of my favourite dishes.

During my summer hols visits to grandma's house was always a treat. My grandmother lived on the banks of Ashtamudi lake and I waited for the bus to arrive at the bus stop, my eyes wanted to see the lake, the sun set, the coconut palms standing on the banks of this lake and the birds passing over this lake. It is a view that no man on this earth can give us.

The midday meal always consisted of fish in some form or the other. I am not fond of fish but the way grandma prepared it made me relish it. Fish pachcurry, fish fry, fish red curry and crab curry were my favourites. Here is the recipe for crab curry.

Ingredients:

1. 500 gms crabs
2. 1/2 coconut
3. 200 gms onions
4. 100 gms green mangoes cubed (If mangoes are not in season, fish tamarind may be used)
5. 4 cloves of garlic
6. 8 green chillies
7. 1 inch ginger
8. 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
9. 2 sprigs curry leaves
10. 50 ml. oil
11. 1/4 tsp. mustard
12. salt as required

Method:

• Clean crabs and cut into required pieces.
• Grind coconut, garlic, green chilles, turmeric powder and ginger together.
• Heat oil and splutter the mustard seeds. Add chopped onions and curry leaves and fry.
• Add the coconut masala and fry for 3 minutes more.
• Add the crab pieces and cubed mangoes and mix.
• Add sufficient water and salt to cook the crab curry and cook over slow fire.
• A tasty dish is ready.

Butter Chicken

Yesterday, while going through my cooking options, struck upon the idea of cooking butter chicken. Butter chicken originates from the Indian state of Punjab. It is also called Murg Makhani in hindi. The butter chicken came out very tasty and is easy to cook, so thought of sharing it with you.

Ingredients:

1. 600 gms chicken breasts cut into small pieces
2. 2 tablespoon butter
3. 2 pieces cinnamon about 1 inch each.
4. 4 green cardamoms
5. 3 cloves
6. 8 to 10 peppercorns
7. 2 parts of 1 star anise
8. 1 tsp. kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves, available in most of the Indian stores)
9. 100 gms sliced or crushed almonds
10. 1/2 can crushed tomatoes
11. 2 cm ginger grated
12. 4 cloves of garlic grated
13. 2 medium onion cut into fine pieces
14. 1/2 cup yogurt
15. 1 tblsp. lemon juice
16. 1 teaspoon garam masala or chicken masala
17. 1 teaspoon chilli powder
18. 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
19. some sprigs of coriander leaves for garnish
20. salt as per requirement

Method:

• Marinate the chicken pieces with lemon juice, turmeric powder, chillipowder, kasuri methi and salt for 45 minutes or more.
• Roast the whole spices of peppercorns, star anise, cumin, cardamom and cinnamon.
• Grind these spices into powder and then add the almonds and chicken masala and grind it further. Make this into a fine paste adding water and keep it aside.
• In a heavy bottomed pan, add the butter and then the onions, ginger and garlic and saute these for sometime until it is lightly brown and cooked. Add the chicken pieces to it and lightly fry it. (You can also add a bit of yogurt to the marination and then roast the chicken in an oven for a better effect than pan frying it).
• When the chicken is done, add the crushed tomatoes and stir it for a further 2 minutes. Now add the almond and spice paste, mix and let it cook until the chicken it is done. (Please uncover it and mix it in between as the almond paste can stick to the bottom, if needed add a little water from time to time.)
• Lastly add the yogurt and adjust salt according to your taste. Cook it for 2 or 3 minutes only as the yogurt can give out water if cooked for longer time.
• Garnish with coriander leaves.