Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Pav Bhaji

Dear Readers,
I am back wit one more quick and awesome recipe which is called as PAV BHAJI. Pav Bhaji is a quick meal for anyone who loves tasty food but has limited time to cook. This is a spicy blend of vegetables in tomato gravy served with pav that is cooked with butter. If you want to tickle your taste buds and too lazy to cook a complete meal, Pav Bhaji will surely come for your rescue.
Preparation Time: 15 mins.
Cooking Time: 20 mins.
Ingredients: For Bhaji
1 1/2 cups potatoes, boiled and mashed
1 cup cauliflower, finely chopped
1/2 cup green peas
1/2 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup capsicum, finely chopped
2 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes
1/2 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1 1/2 tbsp pav bhaji masala
1/2 tsp black salt (sanchal)
4 tbsp butter
For Pav:
1ladi pav ( 6 or 12 pav)
4 tbsp Butter
1 tsp pav bhaji masala (optional)
For serving:
1 large sized onion, chopped
4 lemon wedges
1 tbsp chopped coriander (dhania)

Method
For the bhaji

1.    Boil the cauliflower, peas and carrots till they are soft. Drain out the excess water.
2.    Heat the butter in a large pan, add the onion and capsicum and sauté for 2 minutes. Then, add the prepared chilli-garlic paste and sauté till the onion softens.
3.    Add the tomatoes and simmer till the oil separates.
4.    Add the turmeric powder, chilli powder, pav bhaji masala, black salt and salt and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
5.    Add the boiled vegetables and potatoes and mash thoroughly using a potato masher, adding ½ cup of water if required.

For the pav

1.    Slice each pav into 2 horizontally. Apply a little butter to each side and sprinkle with a little pav bhaji masala, if desired.
2.    Heat a large tava and cook the pav on both sides till the pieces are lightly browned.
How to proceed

1.    Serve the hot bhaji on individual plates and top with the onion and coriander.
2.    Serve with the hot pav and lemon wedges.

Regards,
Uv

Monday, August 29, 2011

Bread Upma

Dear Readers,
This is a lovely tasty and a quick snack..... I made this with ham burger buns....which were lying at my place....didn’t know what to do with it... This is normally made with any kind of bread.
Preparation Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 10 mins

Ingredients:
Bread slices - 8 - 10
Green chilies - 3
Onions - 1 medium
Mustard seeds - 2tsp
Urad dhal- 3tsp
lemon juice - 4tsp
Salt to taste
oil / ghee
Nylon sev for garnish (optional)
Coriander leaves
Method:
·         Put the bread slices in a dry grinding jar and grind it into a powder or crumb. You can also cut the bread in small cubes, but grinding it gives a different taste. Keep this bread crumb aside.
·         In a kadhai or pan take some oil. Add the mustard seeds, urad dhal, and green chilies. Now add in the chopped onions. Sautee till the onions becomes golden brown.
·         Now add the bread crumb in and mix well. Add the salt now according to your taste and mix well again.
·         let the bread crumb get cooked well and become a bit crunchy. Now top this with a spoon of ghee and enjoy your delicious snack.
Enjoy this quick and easy snack.
Regards,
Uv

Kanda Poha

Dear Readers,
Kanda (Onion) Poha is an all time healthy breakfast option for everyone. Its especially most famous in Maharashtra, However on my visit to Indore(M.P.) I found out that Poha is also an important snack. Here I am providing quick details for making Kanda Poha.
Preparation Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 10 mins

Ingredients:
Thick Poha (flaked rice) - 2 cups
chopped onion - 1
Chopped potato - 1
chopped green chillies - 1 tsp
hing - 1 pinch
haldi - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
coriander for garnishing
grated coconut for garnish
oil for seasoning
salt to taste
sugar a pinch
Lemon wedges

Method:
·         Wash poha and drain water completely and leave aside for 5 minutes. To this poha add a pinch of sugar and salt to taste.
·         Heat oil in a pan add cumin (jeera) seeds, hing, green chillies, haldi, and lots of onion .( If you don’t like onion then you can use less of it.) cook for 5-minutes.
·         Now add the cubed potatoes and fry until the potatoes are cooked well and roasted.
·         Add poha and mix well and cover it for a minute. Add more salt if needed.
·         Garnish with coriander, coconut and sprinkle lemon juice just before serving or u can also use lemon wedges and serve alongside.

Your tasty Kanda poha is ready.

Upma

Dear Readers,

Upma, an extremely common yet lovable south indian snack, upma is a popular breakfast choice in mumbai too, quite affordable at rs 6 per serving, the tasty upma is served in small stainless steel quarter plates, garnished with coriander and coconut, along with mini wedges of lemon.
Preparation Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 10 mins
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds ( rai / sarson)
1 tsp urad dal (split black lentils)
6 to 7 curry leaves (kadi patta)
1/3 cup finely chopped onions
1 1/2 tsp finely chopped green chillies
1 cup semolina (rava)
salt to taste

For The Garnish
4 tsp finely chopped coriander (dhania)
4 tsp freshly grated coconut
4 tsp nylon sev

For Serving
4 lemon wedges
Method
1.    Boil 2 cups of water in a deep pan and keep aside.
2.    Heat the oil in a kadhai and add the mustard seeds.
3.    When the seeds crackle, add the urad dal, curry leaves, onions and green chillies and sauté on a medium flame till the onions turn translucent.
4.    Add the semolina and sauté on a slow flame for another 3 to 4 minutes.
5.    Add the hot water and salt and cover and cook on a slow flame for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring once in between.
6.    Place equal portions of upma on 4 plates, garnish each plate with 1 tsp of coriander and 1 tsp of coconut and serve immediately.
Enjoy this wonderful and delecious upma with your friends and family.
Regards,
Uv

Healthy Dalia

Dear Readers,
A healthy energy packed breakfast recipe, the healthy dalia is prepared by cooking the dalia or broken wheat in milk and sugar.
Preparation Time: 20 mins
Cooking Time: 15 mins
Makes 2 servings
Ingredients

2 cups chopped mixed vegetables
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/4 cup chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup broken wheat (dalia)
salt to taste
crushed black pepper (kalimirch) to taste

For The Garnish
chopped coriander (dhania)
Method
  1. In a pressere cooker, add all the vegetables without any oil and pressure cook for 1 whistle.
  2. Allow the steam to escape before opening the lid.
  3. Add the broken wheat and again cook for 5 minutes.
  4. Add the salt and pepper and some water (approx one glass)and pressure cook for 4 to 5 whistles or untill the dalia is cooked.
  5. Serve hot garnish with coriander.
Enjoy your healthy Dalia.

Regards,
Uv

Khichdi

Dear Readers,
This simple dish is the perfect comfort food when you are sick. With lots of turmeric and ginger, it is medicinal too. It is served best topped with a teaspoon of ghee and along with plain curds or yogurt.

Ingredients:
¼ cup Moong dal
1 cup Basmati Rice
¾" Ginger
5 cloves Garlic
¼ tbsp Ghee
¼ tsp Jeera
4 cups Water
1¼ tsp Turmeric Powder (Haldi)
¼ tsp Asafetida Powder (Hing)
Salt

Method:
  1. Chop the ginger and garlic finely (Better still, grind them in a pestle)
  2. Heat ghee in a pressure-cooker and add jeera.
  3. When it splutters, add chopped ginger and garlic, followed by turmeric and asafetida powders.
  4. Add the rice and dal and stir for a few minutes
  5. Add the water and pressure cook for 10 minutes.
  6. Serve topped with ghee
Enjoy and eat it when its still hot.

Regards,
Uv