Cooking Dil Se...!!!

Mango Saffron Modaks(Kesari Ambe Modak)...!!!

Author: Siddhi Shirsat // Category: Festival Dishes, Sweets

A VERY HAPPY BELATED GANESH CHATURTHI to all my Blogger friends...I was little busy so was not able to post during initial days of ganesh chaturthi, but its still its going on in some places so no worries:-))We celebrated Ganesh Chaturthi as every year this year .We had it for 1 n 1/2 day and we had lot of fun celebrating it.I have put few pics of the ganesh at my place.So today i am back with a Ganesh chaturthi special modak recipe. Modak is said to be favourite sweet of lord Ganesh so its the most common prasad offered to him.Its nice to offer home made pure modaks to him then the readymade ones which sometimes contain flour and other adulterations, so i am posting "Mango Kesar Modak" which i had made for this chaturthi. They are very easy to prepare but you need to have little patience to make them.

INGREDIENTS:

500 grams fresh khoya(mawa or khava)
21/2 cusp mango pulp( i used canned sweetened mango pulp)
300 grams sugar
few strands of saffron
1 cup fine cashew nut powder
1 tea spoon fresh cardamom powder

METHOD:

Heat a non stick pan and add the khoya to it.Keep on stirring it and cook on very low flame for 25-30 mins till all the moisture in it dries up.Keep stirring continuously and carefully so that the khoya does not get burned.

Mix saffron strands with mango pulp.When the khoya dries up add sugar and mango pulp in it.Add sugar according to your taste.Mix well and cook with stirring continuously on medium flame.The mixture will turn into liquid as the sugar will melt.After some time add cashewnut powder in it and mix it well.

Cook it on medium to low flame with stirring continuously till the mixture starts drying up.It will take more 25-30 mins.Add cardomom powder and countinue cooking.Stir till the all mixture dries up and forms a ball.Remove this mixture on a plate and let it cool for 10 mins.

Take a modak mould and grease it with ghee.Put this mixture little by little in it and shape into modaks.If you do not have modak mould you can shape them in hands or even give them the shape of pedas.

Offer them as prasad to lord Ganesh.This mixture yields 25-30 medium size modaks.They remain fresh for 2-3 days without refrigeration.

Preparation Time: 1 hour

NOTE: if you do not get khoya, you can prepare it by reducing milk.Heat whole milk in a wide thick bottomed pan and then keep stirring till it reduces to almost 1/4 and thickens up.This is khoya, you can refrigerate it for almost 20 days and use it for any sweets later.

Comments (8)

Nan Katayi(Indian Style Cookies)...!!!

Author: Siddhi Shirsat // Category: Cakes N Cookies, Dry Snacks

Recently i was again in mood of baking something and made this Indian style Cookies called as "Nan Katayi", as i had not made them recently ...This are one of the most famous and simple Indian cookies...They do not require any special ingredients also,they can be made in no time and are eggless to. If steps are followed properly then they turn out crispy, tasty and melt in the mouth cookies.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups all purpose flour(maida)
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup ghee(or vanaspati butter)
sliced almonds and cashewnuts
1 tea spoon baking soda
1 tea spoon fresh cardomom powder(or vanilla essence)

METHOD:

Sieve baking soda and flour for 2-3 times and keep it aside.Heat the ghee till it melts and add it to the flour and also add all the other ingredients except dryfruits and mix it well. Kned it well without using any water.While kneding press it well so that no air gap remains in it.

Form a ball of it and keep it aside for 4-5 hours.After the standing time is over grease a baking tray with ghee and preheat the oven for 180 degrees. You can even baking them after 30 mins if you do not have time, but keeping the dough longer yields better results.

Make small lemon size balls of the dough and press them a little, put dry fruits in the center hole.You can keep them plain also.While making dough balls and pressing them be careful as they can break soon as dough is not that sticky. You can grease your hands with ghee to make handling of the dough easier.

Arrange this balls in the greased tray and leave 2 inches gap between them.Bake them at 170 degrees for 25-30 mins or till they get slight cracks on top.

Cool them and keep in air-tight container.They remain fresh for 15-20 days.

Preparation Time: 40 mins

Comments (17)

Crispy Prawns Toast With Oriental Chilli Garlic sauce...!!!

Author: Siddhi Shirsat // Category: Burgers N Sandwiches, Evening Snacks, Prawns Dishes

Today i am back with a very crispy and different snack recipe " prawns toast".This is one of the tasty, quick and simple snack recipe from my collection.Prawns binded with spring onions and coriander and flavoured with mild spices gives a very nice taste.Also roasted sesame seeds add the extra crunch to it.This toasts taste best with this oriental chilli garlic sauce.

INGREDIENTS:

For Prawns Toast:

1 cup medium sized prawns (cleaned and deveined)
5-6 bread slices
1 1/2 cup spring onion greens and white chopped
7-8 garlic cloves
1 table spoon coriander leaves
1/2 beaten egg
2-3 tea spoons chinese red chilli sauce
3 tea spoons bread crumbs( or corn flour if deep frying)
3 tea spoons roasted sesame seeds
1/4 tea spoon pepper powder
salt
oil

For Oriental Chilli Garlic Sauce:

1 cup tomato ketchup
2 tea spoon chopped garlic
1 tea spoon chilli flakes
1 table spoon chopped spring onion greens
1 tea spoon soya sauce
2 tea spoon chilli sauce
oil

METHOD:

Add little salt and cook the prawns along with little water.Let them cool.Now in a small mixie put this dry cooked prawns,chopped spring onion whites and greens,chopped coriander leaves and garlic cloves.Grind this mixture very coursely without using any water.

In this grinded mixture add 1/2 beaten egg,red chilli sauce,salt, pepper powder and bread crumbs or corn flour.sesame seeds and mix it well.Bread crumbs and egg is added to bind the mixture well.

Take each bread slice and cut it in two halves.Apply the above mixture to one side of each bread half.Heat little oil in a pan and shallow fry this bread slices till crispy on both sides.While putting them to fry always put the side with prawns paste to cook first.You can even deep fry this sides, but i avoided it and did shallow fry.

Now meanwhile you can prepare the sauce.Heat a small deep pan and add little oil in it.Add chopped garlic,chilli flakes and spring onions in it and saute until garlic becomes light brown.You can add pinch of salt while sauting it..Then add tomato ketchup, soya sauce,chilli sauce and little water and cook for 2-3 min until it starts boiling.Oriental Chilli Garlic Sauce is ready.

Serve this crisp prawns toast with this oriental chilli-garlic sauce.

Preparation Time: 18 mins

Comments (10)

Mushroom Methi Malai...!!!

Author: Siddhi Shirsat // Category: Gravy dishes, Mushroom Dishes

In Goa rainy season is going on now...and its the end of the wild natural mushroom also:-((...This mushroom start growing in july and grow till august end....I love this mushrooms a lot, they are very very yummy:-))....These mushrooms grow in forests and people pluck them and sell them.These mushrooms have lot of demand in Goan market..I have put a pic of this wild mushrooms below for those who do not know much about them...This year also i enjoyed lot of this wild mushrooms...i made the usual goan dishes with them which i have already posted last year,and when i had lot of them still remaining i decided to try something new and different with them...Finally i decided to make a fusion of a punjabi gravy and this mushrooms and "Mushroom Methi Malai" came to birth and it turned out very well:-))...the flavour of this mushrooms combined very well with that of methi leaves....
Last year i had posted some tasty dishes with this wild mushrooms. I have given the links below for those who missed it.

Mushroom Shakuti(Goan Mushroom Gravy Dish)

Tawa Mushroom

Fried Mushrooms

Mushroom Dum Biryani

Mushroom Momos

Mushroom Kathi rolls

Goan Natural Wild Mushrooms

INGREDIENTS:

50 medium sized fresh wild mushrooms
2 cups packed of fresh fenugreek leaves(methi)
1 1/2 cup fresh cream( i used low fat)
3 cups skimmed milk
1/2 cup cashewnuts
1/2 cup charmagaz (dried melon seeds)
1 big onion
2-3 green chillis
1" ginger
3 garlic cloves
2 tea spoon poppy seeds(khus khus)
4 cloves
4 green cardamoms
4-5 peppercorns
3/4 tea spoon fennel seeds
1 cinnamon stick
1-2 tea spoon sugar
pinch of fresh nutmeg powder
1/2 tea spoon garam masala
3-4 table spoons of butter(low fat prefered)
2 table spoons of kasoori methi
oil/ghee
salt

METHOD:

Soak cashewnuts and charmagaz in little water for 2 hours.Similarly soak poppy seeds , cardomomss,cinnamon,cloves,peppercorns and fennel seeds in little water for 2 hours.

This wild mushrooms has lot of mud as you can see it on the above pic on them so they have to be washed very well so that all the mud goes. The best method to wash them is soak them in water for 15 mins and then rub each one of them gently with a muslin cloth, all the mud on them gets absorbed by the cloth.After washing them chop them in 2 pieces and keep.

After the soaking time is complete we need to make the white paste.Take small grinder and in it add all soaked spices, cashewnuts, charmagaz,chopped onion, green chillis , garlic cloves and ginger pieces in it and grind using water used to soak them .Grind it to fine thick paste, do not use much water.

Now heat a non stick pan and add little butter and saute the fenugreek leaves for 3-4 mins and keep them aside.After that saute the chopped mushrooms for 7-8 mins or till they are cooked.Close and cook them for 2-3 mins while sauting.After they are done keep them aside.

Heat a pan and add 1 table spoon of butter.Add the grinded white paste and saute it for 7-8 mins on low flame till the raw smell goes.Keep stirring countinously or the paste can get burned.Whisk the cream for 1min.Then add the fresh cream and milk and mix well.Cook it on low flame till the mixture starts boiling.

When it starts boiling add the sauted fenugreek leaves and mushrooms and mix well and let it cook again.Add salt, sugar and nutmeg powder.Check the consistency of the gravy.It should be thick creamy gravy.Add more milk if required to adjust the consistency.When it starts boiling add garam masala and stir.Finally add kasoori methi and remove from flame.

Add some butter on it and serve hot with nan or roti.

Preparation Time: 35 mins

NOTE: You can even use button mushrooms instead of wild mushrooms if you do not get them.
This is a mildly spiced dish, so i have used little amount of spices,if you want you can increase the amount of spices added.

Comments (14)

Choco & Coffee Pudding...!!! (Also Patholi Repost)

Author: Siddhi Shirsat // Category: Desserts, Ice-Creams N Puddings

A VERY HAPPY NAGPANCHAMI TO ALL MY DEAR BLOGGER FRIENDS...!!!...Nagpanchami is celebrated in different ways in different parts of india.In Goa its done by doing pooja of Nad idol and offering it milk and other things. Today a special dish called as "Patholi" is done in Goa...Its little similar to stuffed steamed dumpling.Its made by stuffing rice dough with sweet coconut mixture and flavouring it with fresh turmeric leaves which gives its main taste and flavour. We celebrated this nagpanchami as every year and enjoyed lot of this patholis also:-))...I had posted this dish for last nagpanchami so you can refer details of it it here.I am reposting it for my friends who missed it last year...its really worth trying.

PATHOLI RECIPE POST ( Click here to open)

Now coming to todays recipe i am posting recipe of very yummy pudding "Choco Coffee Pudding"...its a very tasty pudding...I have combined coffee along with chocolate cause when both the flavours combine they give a very nice taste and flavour.Its a very simple recipe and its vegetarian version with no eggs.

INGREDIENTS:

400 milk(skimmed preferred)
5 grams unflavored china grass
2 table spoon cocoa powder
2 tea spoon instant coffee powder
3-4 table spoons sugar
2 table spoon warm water
1 table spoons of fresh low fat cream
few dark chocolate shavings
few glaced cherries

METHOD:

Take one cup water and mix the china grass in it.Heat it in a pan on low flame stirring continuously till it dissolves completely.Strain it and keep aside to cool.

dissolve cocoa powder in 2 table spoon of milk and coffee powder in 2 table spoon of warm water and keep it aside.Boil the remaining milk.Add the china grass mixture, sugar, cocoa powder paste, coffee powder paste in it and stir properly.

Mix well and cook over a low flame for around 10 minutes, stirring continuously till it thickens a little.Cool it for 10-15 mins and then add fresh cream and mix well.

You can set them in small serving dessert bowls or in a big bowl.Pour the mixture in small bowls and refrigerate it for 4-5 hours to set.You can garnish it with glaced cherries and dark chocolate shavings before refrigerating them.

Serve it chilled...!!!

Preparation Time: 30 mins

Comments (14)

Kokum Mackerels(Sola Bangde)...!!!

Author: Siddhi Shirsat // Category: Goan Dishes, Seafood Recipes

Today i am back with a very popular and tasty Goan fish dish..."Sola Bangde" or "Kokum Mackerels"...'sola' means kokum in konkani and 'bangde' means mackerels...Mackerel is one of the famous and common fish in Goa.This dish is specially made only of mackerel fish,any other fish cannot be used as the taste will differ a lot...This dish is called kokum mackrels as kokum is the main ingredient here, as kokum gives this dish a nice tanginess and gives it very nice taste and flavour.Its one of my favourite mackerel dish...its been made at my place from many generations and even i learned it.

INGREDIENTS:

8-10 fresh Mackerels(medium size)
8-10 dry kokum kernels
2 cups freshly grated coconut
6 green chilllis
6 dry red chillis
1 tea spoon tamrind pulp
2 inch ginger pieces
14-20 garlic cloves
1 tea spoon turmeric powder
1 table spoon corainder leaves
2-3 table spoon oil
salt

METHOD:

Clean the mackerels properly.Do not make pieces of them, just cut head and tail part and clean inside stomach.Make 3-4 slits on each mackerel.Medium size mackerels are perfect for this dish.Clean them and keep them aside.

Grind together freshly grated coconut,green and dry red chillis,tamrind pulp,ginger,garlic cloves,turmeric powder and salt using very little water.Do not grind it very fine, but it should be coursely grinded to dry paste using very little water.

Now apply this paste to the cleaned mackerels and keep for marination for 1 hour.After the marination time is complete heat a wide pan, preferebly non stick.Add 2-3 table spoon of oil in it.Place marinated mackerels one by one in one layer in it.Pour the remaining marination paste over it.Make 2-3 pieces of each kokum kernel and place them evenly all over the mackerel layer.

Close and cook it on low flame for 15-20 mins.They should not be turned while cooking, so they should be cooked on low flame and cooking n low flame also enhances the flavour of kokum.When they are cooked garnish them with corainder leaves and serve them hot.

They taste best when served with rice and fish curry.

Preparation Time: 30 mins

NOTE: Use of fresh mackerels for this dish is very important, as it gives the right taste.
If you do not get dry kokum kernels you can sprinkle some amount of kokum extract on them while cooking.It wont give the same taste as kernels, but you can use it if you do not get kokum kernels.
Use amount of green and dry red chillis according to your taste,but add equal amount of green and dry red chillis.

Comments (12)

Pineapple Upside Down Cake(Eggless)...!!!

Author: Siddhi Shirsat // Category: Cakes N Cookies, Desserts

Hi...How are you all my dear friends?...i was not able to do blogging from quite some time, even i missed many of your posts...which i will go through now...Baking Fever again caught me some days back and i decided to bake something interesting and i remembered this pineapple upside down cake which i had not baked for so long and made it soon....it turned out soft ,fluffy and yummy as usual...:-)) i like baking this cake as it very simple and the result is awesome...the best thing is this cake does not require any icing...:-))

INGREDIENTS:

200 ml condensed milk(1/2 tin milkmaid)
11/4 cup(125 grams) maida
1 tea spoon baking powder
1/2 tea spoon baking soda
1/2 cup (60 grams) butter
1/2 cup milk
2 tea spoon pineapple essence
2-3 drops of yellow food colour
3 table spoon of sugar for caramalisation
3-4 fresh or tinned pineapple rings
few glaced cherries-cut in two pieces

METHOD:

Grease 7" round baking tin with butter.The pineapple slices should be well drained.Place one round slice at the center of the tin.then arrange half or quarter pineapple ring pieces around it accordingly so that the whole bottom of the tin is filled with them.Fill the gaps between the rings using the cherry halves.Keep the with the flat, cut side down touching the bottom.Arrange this properly in the tin and keep it aside.

Now heat the sugar in a small heavy bottomed pan n low flame till it melts and becomes golden brown.Now immediately pour this hot caramalised sugar in the tin above arranged pineapple rings, so that it coats them properly and fills the gap.Keep this tin aside to cool.

Now the batter for the cake must be prepared.Melt the butter and let it cool it.Then add condensed milk, pineapple essence and food colour in it and beat it welltill this mixture is frothy.

Seive flour, baking powder and baking soda together 2-3 times atleast.Add half quantity of this flour mix to the beated milkmaid and little milk and beat.Then again add remaining flour and milk and beat it well till mixture is beaten well.

Preheat the oven/microwave at 150 degrees for 10 mins. Pour the cake batter in the caramalised pineapple cake tin.Bake it at 150 degrees for 30-40 mins till its done and a knife inserted in it comes out clean.

Cut in pieces and serve.Its a best to serve as a desert for a party.

Preparation Time: 50 mins

Comments (17)

Chicken Satay With Peanut Sauce...!!!

Author: Siddhi Shirsat // Category: Chicken Dishes, Starters, Thai Dishes

From past many days i had not posted any dish from Thai cuisine so i am posting today the famous starter from Thai cuisine " Chicken Satay".....This most popular starter is very easy to prepare...i have used few spices to make it little more spicy then usual, you can skip them if you do not want it spicy....Enjoy this tasty starter with peanut sauce, its a very kewl combo...:-)

INGREDIENTS:

FOR CHICKEN SATAY:

250 grams boneless chicken breasts( cut in thin long strips)
1 table spoon fresh garlic paste
1-2 tea spoon brown sugar(demerera sugar)
1 table spoon lemon juice
1-2 table spoon thick coconut milk
2 tea spoon soya sauce
1/2 tea spoon cumin powder(optional)
1 tea spoon coriander powder(optional)
1 tea spoon chilli powder(optional)
1/4 tea spoon pepper powder(optional)
salt
5-6 satay sticks

FOR PEANUT SAUCE:

1 cup roasted peanuts
1 cup coconut milk
2 tea spoon brown sugar
2 tea spoon soya sauce
1/4-1/2 tea spoon chilli powder
1 tea spoon lemon juice(optional)
2-3 garlic cloves
2 tea spoon butter
1 tea spoon oil
salt

METHOD:

Take the chicken strips in a bowl. Add garlic paste, salt,brown sugar,lemon juice,soya sauce, all the spices and coconut milk and mix.Apply it well on the chicken strips.Keep it for marination for an hour or two in a refrigerator.

After marination thread the marinated chicken strips into satay sticks.Heat a griddle plate and put little oil on it.Place the threaded satay sticks on the griddle plate.Pour some of the excess marinade over the chicken and cook on all sides till cooked and fully brown.

For peanut sauce put roasted peanuts in the grinder and pulse them to fine pieces then add brown sugar,soya sauce,chilli powder,garlic cloves,butter, oil and little coconut milk.Grind it to fine paste, add remaining coconut milk and grind it until you get a fine paste of saucy consistency

Serve hot chicken satay with this peanut sauce.

Preparation Time: 30 mins

Comments (10)

Choley-Bhature...!!!

Author: Siddhi Shirsat // Category: Evening Snacks, Gravy dishes

Choley along with bhatures is a very special combo from punjabi cuisine...Its one of the famous breakfast in north india....Even i am a big fan of this unbeatable combo...so i decided of posting it. There are many versions of choley which i prepare but today i am posting the punjabi version of it which goes very well with bhature.So njoy this tasty combo:-))

INGREDIENTS:

FOR CHOLEY:

2-3 cups chikpeas(Soaked for 8 hours and then pressure cooked till done)
2 sliced onions
1 cup paste of raw onions(may be 2-3 onions)
3/4 cup tomato puree
2 tea spoon ginger-garlic paste
1 table spoon choley masala
1-2 tea spoon chilli powder
1/2 tea spoon turmeric powder
1/4 tea spoon cumin powder
1/4 tea spoon amchur powder
1/4 tea spoon chat masala(optional)
2 tea spoon kasoori methi
2 slitted green chillis
1 tea spoon sugar
black salt
salt
oil

FOR BHATURE:

2 cups maida
1/4 cup fine semolina
1 tea spoon active dry yeast
2-3 table spoon yogurt
2 tea spoon kasoori methi(optional)
milk
salt
oil

METHOD:

Heat a kadai and add little oil.Saute the sliced onions till brown.Add pinch of salt while sauting them so the browning process takes place faster.Saute them till brown and keep them aside.

Heat another kadai and add little oil, then add paste of raw onions and saute it for 2 mins.Then add ginger-garlic paste and saute again for few mins till the raw smell goes.Then add corainder powder,chilli powder, choley masala and saute till oil separates from the mixture.

Then add tomato puree,turmeric powder,cumin powder and slitted green chillis and saute for 2 mins.Now add the boiled chikpeas and stir well.Let the mixture boil.Then add salt, sugar, black salt and amchur and simmer for 5 mins.Finally add chat masala and kasoori methi and remove from flame.

Now to make bhature take maida in a big bowl,mix fine semolina ,kassori methi and salt with it . Take little warn water in small bowl, add sugar to it and add active dry yeast and cover it for 10 mins.When froth is come, its ready to use.Add this yeast and little oil to the maida-semolina mixture.Add yogurt to it and mix well.Finally kned it into soft dough using milk.Close and keep it aside in a warm place for 2-3 hours.You can prepare this dough before and then go ahead with choley preparation.

Now after 2 hours the dough will rise to double its size.Now heat lots of oil in a kadai.Make small lemon size balls of this dough and roll them into small puris..Do not make them as thin as puris, they need to be little thick approx 3-4 mm.Now fry this in hot oil, do not make them brown as bhaturas are always while, so fry them till done and remove them on kitchen towel.

Serve this hot bhaturas with choley.

Preparation Time: 50 mins

NOTE:If you do not have black salt, you can prepare it without it...but addition of it gives a very nice taste.

Comments (20)

Mushroom Risotto...!!!

Author: Siddhi Shirsat // Category: Italian Dishes, Mushroom Dishes, Rice Dishes

"Risotto"is one of the most popular dish in Italian cuisine...so how can i miss it posting in my blog. So i am posting this mushroom risotto recipe today, which i prepare frequently...its a very simple and easy one.If you do not get arborio rice you can use short grained basmati rice instead. I have used mushroom soup powder which gives a very nice taste and even the flavor of mushroom is infused well.Give it a try and i am sure you will love it.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup arborio rice(or short grain basmati rice)
3/4 cup chopped mushrooms
2-3 table spoon mushroom soup powder
1 small chopped onion
1 table spoon finely chopped garlic
1 bay leaf
few strands of fresh thyme
1 cube of vegetable seasoning powder
2 tea spoon fresh cream
2 tea spoon butter
20 ml juice of fresh grapes(optional)
2 -3 table spoon grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tea spoon freshly ground pepper
olive oil
salt

METHOD:

Heat a thick bottomed vessel.Add little olive oil in it and add chopped garlic and saute for 2 mins.Better if u use wooden spoon for it.Then add 1 bay leaf and few strands of fresh thyme and saute for few seconds.Now add the chopped onion and saute for few mins till its soft.

Meanwhile you can make the mushroom stalk.Mix the mushroom soup powder with 5 cups of water, stir it properly so that no lumps are formed.Heat this mixture for 4-5 mins till it gets mixed properly and thickens a bit.

Now when the onion is sauted well and is soft enough add the chopped mushrooms and saute them for few mins till they are done.Now add the grapes juice and cook till its fully absorbed by the mushrooms.Then add the rice and half amount of mushroom stalk which was prepared earlier.After few mins add the remaining mushroom stalk and vegetable seasoning powder and close and cook for 15-20 mins on low flame.

After 15-20 mins the rice need to be fully cooked and mushy.All the water need to be dried up.Then add little salt if required as seasoning powder,stalk and cheese already contains it.Add butter, fresh cream and grated parmesan cheese and mix it well.Cook for 1 min and add pepper powder and mix a bit and remove from flame.

Garnish with fresh parsley and serve it hot.

Preparation Time 30 mins

NOTE: Always use a thick bottomed vessel for it , or else the rice might get burned in the cooking process.
Use the ready-made available mushroom soup powder it gives a nice taste and flavour.
If you do not get fresh grapes juice, no problem you can follow the rest recipe or use white wine instead.Use of fresh grape juice gives a nice taste to mushrooms
For 1 cup of rice use of 5 cups of mushroom stalk is necessary.

Comments (9)

Achari Paneer Tikka...!!!

Author: Siddhi Shirsat // Category: Kebabs N Rolls, Paneer Dishes, Starters

I am a big fan of tikkas and kebabs and trying them with different flavours is a very interesting task.So i made this "Achari Paneer Tikka" recently by using achar masala(Pickle spice powder) and some regular ingredients.Pickle is a must with food in many regions of India , so why not use it to make some other tasty dishes.This is a very quick,easy and tasty starter.I added whatever spices i found to make it more spicy but it will get its main taste from the achar/pickle spice powder.You can use any achar/pickle powder for it.I have used a homemade pickle spice powder, but if you do not have homemade achar/pickle powder you can even use readymade pickle spice powder as its very easily available in stores.

INGREDIENTS:

250 grams paneer (cottage cheese)
2 capsicum
2 tomatoes
1 cup yogurt
1 table spoon of homemade/readymade achar masala(Pickle spice powder)
1 tea spoon chilli powder(optional)
1/2 tea spoon turmeric powder
1 tea spoon amchur powder(dry mango powder)
1 tea spoon cumin powder
1/2 tea spoon chat masala
1/2 teaspoon sugar
salt
oil

METHOD:

Put the yogurt in a muslin cloth and tie a knot.Hung it for 1 hour so that all the water drips down from it.Cut the paneer intoone inch cubes.Similarly cut capsicum and tomatoes in one inch square pieces.

Take the hung yogurt in a bowl.Add chilli powder, turmeric powder,cumin powder,amchur powder, chat masala and achar/pickle spice powder,sugar and salt to it.Mix it well so that the spices get distributed evenly.Add the amount of spices according to your taste.Add 2 tea spoon oil also and mix.Marinade is ready.

Now take the paneer cubes and chopped tomato and capsicum pieces in a big bowl.Add the marinade mixture to it ans mix it well..Apply the marinade gently to the paneer cubes or else they tend to break.

Take some satay/skewer sticks.Take one stick and thread alternate layers of marinated capsicum, paneer cube and tomato.Repeat it with the other sticks.

Heat a tawa/griddle with little oil or a stone griller or tandoor and grill it for 2-3 mins on each side till done.

Serve hot.

Preparation Time: 20 mins

Comments (17)

Chinese Fritters(Pakodas)...!!!

Author: Siddhi Shirsat // Category: Chicken Dishes, Evening Snacks

In this daysits a real treat to have hot pakodas/fritters with a cup of hot masala tea or coffee when its raining heavily outside.But sometimes you get bored with the same taste of pakodas,so i am here with some different type of pakodas.Chinese pakodas.I like chinese food sometimes, so decided to prepare chinese pakodas using all ingredients used for chinese cooking and outcome was superb.Got very cripsy, little spicy and tasty pakodas.I am sure if you all try this chinese fritters, you all will love them.

INGREDIENTS:

11/2 cup shredded cabbage
1/2 cup grated carrot
3/4 cup sliced capsicum(thin long slices)
50 grams hakka noodles
2 table spoon rice flour
2 table spoon besan(cheakpea flour)
1/2 cup cornflour
2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce ( or soya sauce + chilli sauce)
1 tea spoon chilli flakes
1 table spoon schezwan sauce
2 table spoon roasted sesame seeds
2 tea spoon tomato ketchup
1 tea spoon sugar
salt
oil

METHOD:

Heat water in a utensil and when it starts boiling add salt and 1 tea spoon oil.Then add the noodles and cook till done.Drain thee water and keep them under running cold water.Let them cool.

Take a bowl and take all the sliced vegetables in it.Mix them well and then add worcestershire sauce,chilli flakes, schezwan sauce, sugar, salt, tomato ketchup and mix it well so that all the veges get coated well with the sauces.

Then add rice flour and besan and mix it well again.Add boiled noodles and mix them well with the mix.Noodles help to bind the mixture well as well they give a good taste.Now when the mixture is evenly mixed add the cornflour.Add the cornflour just to get a perfect binding means proper firm balls must be made of the mixture. You can increase or decrease the amount of cornflour added.

Heat oil and make put 1 table spoon of mixture at a time to form small fritters.Fry them till little golden brown and crispy.

Serve them hot with tomato sweet-chilli sauce.

Preparation Time: 20 mins

Comments (19)

Creamy Mushroom Soup...!!!

Author: Siddhi Shirsat // Category: Mushroom Dishes, Soups

Hi my dear friends...hope u all r doing well...i was not able to post from last many days, but now i will try to be regular...Rainy season has started here in Goa and its been raining heavily from past couple of days here, so what can be better than a hot soup on a cold rainy evening.I have made this mushroom soup using very few and easily available ingredients...Enjoy this hot tasty soup in this rainy days.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups sliced button mushrooms
2 sliced onions
1 tea spoon fresh grated ginger
1/2 cup milk
2-3 tea spoon cornflour
2 table spoons of butter
4-5 cups vegetable/chicken stalk(or 1 vegetable seasoning powder cube)
1 tea spoon fresh pepper powder
salt
parsley(optional)
grated cheese(optional)

METHOD:

Heat a pan and add little butter, then saute the sliced onions on it till soft and then add 1n1/2 cups of sliced mushrooms and ginger and saute till they become soft and onion becomes brown.Add cornflour to the milk and stir it.Add this paste to the sauted onions and mushrooms and cook for 3-4 mins stiring countinously.

Let this mixture get cooled.Then grind it to a fine paste.Add vegetable/chicken stalk to it and mix it.Cook it on a medium flame for few mins.Add salt and pepper powder according to your taste.Cook till this mixture gets boiled and gets the required soup consistency.

Heat the remaining butter in a pan.Shallow fry the remaining sliced mushrooms till brown and crisp on both sides.

When the soup is ready garnish it with parsley, grated cheese and crisp fried mushrooms.Serve hot.

Preparation Time : 15 mins

NOTE: If vegetable stalk is not available, add the vegetable seasoning cube powder to water and cook it for 3-4 mins and then use it as stalk.

Comments (18)

First Blog Anniversary With Chocolate Ganache Cake(Eggless)...!!!

Author: Siddhi Shirsat // Category: Cakes N Cookies, Desserts

Hello my dear blogger friends....My blog turns out one today so i am very happy....One year went so fast, in this time i got many new friends cause of it and got to learn many new things also.So on this happy occasion i have a special chocolate ganche cake for you all.I am not a cake expert and i am very new to icing cakes so i have made this cake very simple.I had made this cake few weeks back and had not got time to post it , but now happy as got a better chance to post it....I am not a expert in cake icing, m just in the begining phase so did what ever felt for this cake.I had some special kids as my guests so wanted to make something chocolaty, so made this cake.I had just 2 hours to make it.I made the cake and it took time to get cooled so i had just 15 mins for the icing so did whatever i felt.I first gave a layer of vanilla butter cream icing at its sides and then poured hot ganche over it.Had not time to cool the ganache fully so it dripped down till the end of of the edge or else it had to be on half of the edge only.I mostly prefer eggless cake and loved this cake.The basic sponge had turned out very soft and with ganache it tasted superb.

INGREDIENTS:

For The Rich Eggless Chocolate sponge

200 gms condensed milk
1/2 cup milk
1 cup(100 gms) maida(flour)
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup(75 gms) oil
1 tea spoon baking powder
1/2 tea spoon baking soda
1 tea spoon vanilla essence

METHOD:

I had followed this main chocolate sponge recipe from nita mehtas cakes and cookies and it turned out really soft and tasty.Sieve flour, baking powder and baking soda together.keep it aside.In a big bowl beat oil, sugar, essence till well mixed. Add cocoa powder and beat again.Add milk and condensed milk and again beat well.Sometimes the mixture tends to curdle up so that time beat it over hot water.

Now add flour in two-three batches, mixing well after each addition.Beat for 4-5 mins till mixture is light and fluffy and of soft dropping consistency.Can add more milk to adjust its consistency.

grease a 6 inch round tin and preheat the oven to 150 degrees.Pout this batter in this greased tin and bake at 150 degrees for 55-60 mins.Insert knife and check if it comes out clean.After 5-10 mins invert it on wire rack and cool.Below i have put a pic of baked chocolate sponge.

CAKE ICING

For Vanila Butter-Cream Icing:

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter(at room temp)
2 table spoon clarified ghee
2 table spoon low fat fresh cream
3-4 table spoon powdered sugar
3-4 table spoon icing sugar
1 tea spoon vanila essence

Method:

First cut the cake in the center to form to round slices.Whip all ingredients in the frosting until thick and frosting holds peaks.Apply a layer of butter cream icing on the lower half of the cake and close the other half on top of it.Apply the remaining butter-cream frosting on the side of the cake using a spatulla.Level it to form a uniform layer.Refrigerate it for 20 mins.

For Ganache:

150 grams dark cooking chocolate cut in small pieces
100grams fresh cream( i used amul low fat cream)

For Other Icing:

Glazed cherries
cashewnut cut in thin shivers or grated white chocolate
dark chocolate shaving

Method:

Heat cream using water bath and then when it just starts boiling add the chocolate pieces and let them melt fully.Mix nicely to remove all lumps.Let it cool for 10 mins.

Remove the cake from refrigerator.Apply little ganache on top.This layer is important as it helps to make the top layer smooth.Spread it nicely on top, do not allow it to drip down now.Refrigerate it for 10 mins.Pic of this stage i have shown below.

Then remove the cake out and pour the ganache generously on the top of the cake.Let it flow down the vanilla-buttercream icing naturally to form a beautiful pattern.It should a smooth layer on top.

Refrigerate it for 10 more mins and then sprinkle thin slices of cashewnuts along its border and then decorate it with remaining vanila buttercream icing , galzed cherries and chocolate shavings.

Enjoy the cake...

Preparation Time : 3 hours

Comments (30)

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