Aloo Paratha Recipe / Potato stuffed Indian Flatbread

Aloo paratha is a very popular recipe in Punjab. Aloo paratha is a delicious, filling, tasty dish. It is prepared by stuffing spicy potato mixture in a wheat dough. Aloo paratha is a simply tasty without any side dish, but when we have it with pickle and curd, the taste will be awesome. It is very easy to prepare and it can be prepared with the ingredients available in home.

Prep time: 30 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 50 mins

Ingredients:

For Paratha:

Wheat flour – 2 cup

Salt to taste

Warm water – 1 cup

For stuffing:

Oil – 1 tbsp

Onion – 1, finely chopped

Green chili – 2, finely chopped

Boiled potato – 3, mashed

Chili powder – 1 tsp

Cumin powder – ½ tsp

Chat masala – ¼ tsp

Salt to taste

Cilantro – few

Method:

To prepare stuffing:

1. Boil the potatoes with a pinch of salt, peel the skin and mash it.

2. Heat oil in a pan, Saute onions till it turns translucent. Add green chilies, mashed potato and give a good mix.

3. Now add all the spice powders and enough amount of salt. Cook for 5 to 8 minutes and garnish with cilantro.

To prepare paratha dough:

1. Take Wheat flour, salt in a bowl. Add water little by little and start kneading the dough. Prepare a soft and smooth dough.

2. Cover it and let it rest for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes knead it again and divide it into small equal portions.

3. Roll the ball into small round and place the stuffing in the center and seal the edges and form it into a ball again.

4. Roll the stuffed ball into a medium round. Heat tawa and place the stuffed paratha and brush butter on both sides.

5. Cook on both sides till it turns golden brown color. Serve hot with pickle and curd.

Thrissur style meen curry recipe / Kerala style fish curry with coconut milk recipe

Today i am going to share the recipe of thrissur style fish curry. In this well cleaned fish is cooked in creamy coconut milk. The combination of fish with coconut oil and coconut milk gives excellent taste. This is very easy to prepare and goes excellent with white rice. I hope you try this in home and share your comments.

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 35 mins

Total time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

Coconut oil - 2 tbsp

Fenugreek seeds / venthayam - 1/2 tsp

Mustard seeds / kadugu - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - 1 spring

Shallots - 12, chopped

Green chili - 4, slit

Ginger - 1 inch piece, chopped

Garlic - 3 pods, chopped

Tomato - 1, chopped

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Red chili powder - 3 tsp

Coriander powder - 3 tsp

Tamarind - 1 small lemon size

Fish fillets - 2

Salt to taste

Thick coconut milk - 1 cup

Method:

1.Clean the fish well and cut into small pieces. In a bowl Soak tamarind in water and extract the tamarind water.

2.In a earthen pot, heat coconut oil. temper with fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds and curry leaves.

3. Add shallots, garlic, ginger, green chili and saute till shallots turns translucent. Add tomatoes and cook till it turns mushy.

4. Add turmeric, red chili and coriander powder and mix well. Now add tamarind extract and enough amount of water.

5. Add salt and allow it to boil. Once it comes to boil add the fish pieces. Cook the fish until it falls apart when we divide by fork.

6. Now add the coconut milk and cook in low flame for 5 to 7 mins.  Delicious fish curry is ready.

Lemon Pepper Fish Recipe

I always love to bake fish than preparing gravy because it is very easy to bake and also very healthy. Each time i will try different type of healthy fish recipes and this time i tried lemon pepper Tilapia. It is very flavorful, mild spicy and healthy. 

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Total time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Tilapia Fillets - 2

Finely chopped parsley - few

Paprika powder - 1 tsp

Red pepper crushed - 1 tsp

Butter - 2 tbsp

Garlic pods - 2, finely chopped

Lemon juice - 2 tbsp

Lemon, peel and grated - 1 tbsp

Salt - for taste

Pepper - for taste

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400F

2. Grease the baking tray with butter. In a bowl, whisk paprika, parsley, red pepper and set aside.

3. In a small pan, heat butter and add garlic. saute and immediately remove from heat.

4. Place the fish fillets in a baking tray. Season it with salt and pepper. 

5. Brush fillets with butter, garlic and then sprinkle half mixture of parsley, paprika and pepper mixture.

6. Bake for 7 minutes, remove from oven and again sprinkle garlic, mixture of parsley, paprika and pepper mixture.

7. Bake for another 7 to 8 mins or until the fish is cooked. 

8. Remove from oven and squeeze lemon juice and garnish with grated lemon over the top.

HAPPY DIWALI 2015 - Diwali Sweets Collection

Happy Diwali to all. Diwali festival is a symbol of auspiciousness and prosperity.

May the warmth and splendor,

that are a part of this auspicious occasion,

fill your life with happiness and bright cheer,

and bring to you joy and prosperity, for the whole year.

HAPPY DIWALI

Try these sweet recipes and enjoy diwali with your family

Spongy and Juicy Rasgulla Recipe

Rasgulla is a Famous bengali sweet.  Rasgulla is a cheese balls dipped and soaked in sugar syrup. I added rose syrup to the sugar syrup according to my taste. This gives a refreshing taste to rasagullas. It is very easy to prepare and i am sure your family members will love it.

Prep time: 1 hour

Cook time: 1 hour

Total time: 2 hours

Ingredients:

Full fat milk - 1 litre

Vinegar - 1/4 cup

Sugar - 1 cup

Water - 1 cup

Rose syrup - 1 tbsp ( optional)

Method:

1.In a heavy bottomed vessel, bring the milk to boil. Add vinegar to it. 

2. Milk  starts curdling. After it fully curdles, switch off the flame and add more ice cubes to curdled. So that it prevent further curdling.

3. In a muslin cloth, Strain the milk and seperate the cheese. Wash it in cold water for two times.

4. Squeeze the water and hang the muslin cloth with cheese on tap for 1 hour without any disturbance.

5. After 1 hour, knead the cheese well for 10 mins. Form in to a smooth balls and keep aside. 

6. Heat water with sugar in a heavy bottomed wide vessel. when the sugar syrup starts boiling, add the balls one by one and close the lid.

7. After 10 mins the balls will be double the size and now the rasgullas are done.Now add rose syrup to the sugar syrup.

8. Refrigerate it for 1 hour and serve chilled.

Milk Halwa Recipe

One of my most favorite sweet in my chilhood days is Milk halwa. My dad used to buy milk halwa once in two weeks but nowadays it's impossible to get the same taste like those olden days. So, thought of giving it a try for this diwali and it came out very well. This recipe need only 4 ingredients but it take atleast 3 to 4 hours to prepare milk halwa. you need lots and lots of patience to prepare this,but the taste is worth the time. Let see how to prepare milk halwa.

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 4 hours

Total time: 4 hours and 5  mins

Ingredients:

Full fat milk - 1 litre

Sugar - 1/2 cup

Ghee - 2 tbsp

Lemon juice - 5 drops

Method:

1.In a heavy bottomed vessel, bring the milk to boil. Reduce the flame to low and keep stirring every 10 minutes till it becomes thick. This will take atleast 1 hour.

2. Once it becomes thick, add 5 drops of lemon juice and sugar, keep stirring for 20 to 25 minutes.

3. Now you get a grainy texture in the milk and again cook in low flame  for atleast 1 to 2 hours. Now the milk becomes very thick and at this point you can add ghee.

4. Scrap out the edges and now milk halwa is ready.

Cornflour Halwa Recipe / Bombay Karachi Halwa Recipe

Diwali fever started everywhere and everyone is busy with buying dress, crackers. Sweets also we can buy from shops, but one cannot resist the taste of homemade sweets. I love to prepare sweets in home, it brings happiness, joy and festival mood to all family members.

In my childhood days my mom used to start preparing sweets before one week of Diwali. She used to shift the gas stove from kitchen counter to floor, so that she can prepare all the sweets without spending much energy.  My mom's preparation includes murrukku, thatai, gulab jamun, kesari and on the day of Diwali, she will get up at 3 o clock in the morning and have oil bath and prepare some snacks like vadai, susiyam, appam and morning breakfast. After that we all will take oil bath and do our prayers and offerings to God,wear new dress and start bursting crackers. But now I can't follow everything sincerely as my mom does, anyway I love to prepare sweets and i prepared very easy and simple halwa named Cornflour halwa or Karachi halwa. I hope you will all try and celebrate this Diwali with happiness.

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Cornflour - 1/2 cup

Sugar - 1 and 1/2 cup

Water - 2 cups

Cardamom powder

Roasted almond and cashews

Ghee - 3 tbsp

Food color - a pinch (optional)

Method:

1. In a bowl, mix cornflour with 1 and 1/2 cup of water without any lumps. Add food color to it and keep aside.

2. Heat sugar with 1/2 cup of water and prepare sugar syrup. No need to check string consistency, but Make sure the syrup is sticky.

3. Add this cornflour mixture to the sugar syrup and keep stirring in low flame.

4. After some time it will be seen glossy and start to thicken.

5. Add ghee and cardamom powder and keep stirring until the halwa texture is seen.

6. Once it becomes thick and start to leave the sides , add roasted nuts and give a good mix.

7. Delicious karachi halwa is ready.

Homemade Spongy Pav Buns / Dinner rolls

Last saturday night, i was thinking about different recipe to do for dinner. My husband too bored of rotis and dosas, so thought of pav bhaji for dinner. I have already prepared pav bhaji but at that time i had pav buns bought from store, so this time i tried to prepare pav buns in home and it came out so well. Preparing pav buns is not a rocket science, it is very easy to prepare. I hope you will try these pav buns in home instead of buying it from store.

Prep time: 2 hours

Cook time: 20 mins

Total time:2 hours and 20 mins

Ingredients:

All purpose flour - 3 cups

Warm Milk - As needed

Yeast - 1tbsp

Sugar - 1 tbsp

Salt - as needed

Butter - for greasing tray and for brushing on top

Method:

1. Add sugar and yeast to the warm milk, mix it well and keep aside for about 5 mins until it turns foamy.

2. In a large bowl, take flour and add salt to it. Pour the milk into the flour and knead a soft dough.

3. Cover it with a damp cloth and keep aside for 1 hour or until the dough double the size.

4.Punch the air out and divide into equal portions, shape it like a ball.

5. Grease the tray with butter and arrange the balls . Cover it again with a damp cloth and keep aside for about 40 - 50 mins.

6. Now the balls doubles in size. Preheat oven to 400F and bake it for 20 mins.

7. Soft and fluffy pav buns are ready. Serve it with bhajji.

Baked Apple Roses

Desserts are always my favorite in any occassion. Apple roses video tutorial hase gone viral on facebook with numerous views, so thought of giving it a try. I tried it last weekend and not only tastes sweet, it looks gorgeous too. It looks fancy but incredibly easy to prepare. I made some changes to oringinal recipe according to my taste. I hope you give these delicious apple roses a try soon.

Prep time: 20 mins

cook time: 30 mins

Total time:50 mins

Ingredients:

Apple - 1

Lemon juice - 2 tsp

frozen Puff pastry sheet - 1

All purpose flour - 1 tbsp

Chocolate syrup - 1/2 cup

butter - 1 tbsp

Sugar - for decorating

Method:

1.Cut the apple into half,remove the core and cut the apples into paper thin slices. 

2.Take some water in a bowl, add lemon juice and sliced apples. Microwave it for 3 minutes to make them softer.

3. Place the puff pastry sheet over a lightly floured surface. Strech the sheet a little using rolling pin. Cut 3 strips of about 2 in* 9 in.

4. Spread the chocolate over the dough and place the apples slices long ways halfway on the strip until the end.

5. Fold the puff pastry over the bottom of the apple slices.

6. Roll the puff pastry sheet and place in a greased muffin tin.

7. Preheat oven to 350F and bake the apple roses for about 30 minutes.

8. Sprinkle some sugar over the top and serve these gorgeous apple roses.

Cheesy spinach and chicken Lasagna with white sauce

Last weekend we planned for a potluck with our friends, I thought of making something cheesy with mild spices so decided to prepare creamy chicken and spinach lasagna. Layers of lasagna sheets, shredded chicken, sauteed spinach and the topping of white sauce and cheese makes a perfect on a rainy weather. 

Prep time: 35 minutes

Cook time: 1 hour

Total time: 1 hour 35 minutes

Ingredients:

Chicken breast pieces - 3

Ricotta chesse - 1/4 cup

Baby spinach - 1 cup

Mozarella cheese - 4 cups

Parmesan cheese - 2 cups

Lasagna sheets - 9

Butter - 5 tbsp

Onion - 1, finely chopped

Garlic - 3 pods, finely chopped

all purpose flour - 1 cup

Milk - 1 1/2 cup

Oregano - 1 tbsp

dried thyme - 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

Cilantro - for garnishing

Method:

1.Cook the chicken pieces with salt and shred it. Mix 1/4 cup of ricotta cheese with shredded chicken and keep aside.

2. Heat oil in a pan, Saute the spinach with salt until its cooked. 

3. Heat butter in a pan, Saute onions and garlic until its translucent. Add all purpose flour, milk and mix without lumps. 

4. Add 1 cup mozarella cheese and 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese and mix it well.

5. Now add oregano, dried thyme, salt and give a good mix.Immediately switch off the flame.

6. Boil water in a pan and place the lasagna sheets, cook until its soft.

Layering

1.In a pan, Pour quarter part of the white sauce, Place three lasagna sheets parallely over the sauce.

2. Now spread the shredded chicken evenly over it. Top it with 1 cup mozarella cheese, 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese.

3. Place another 3 lasagna sheets and sauteed spinach over it. Drizzle with another half of remaining sauce and sprinkle with parmesan cheese and 1 cup of mozarella cheese.

4. Place three lasagna sheets and then drizzle with remaining sauce. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of parmesan and 1 cup of mozarella cheese. Atlast garnish with cilantro.

5. Preheat oven to 350F and bake it for about 40 minutes.

6.Cheesy Lasagna is ready now.