Saturday 16 June 2018

Mushroom Rice


Mushrooms themselves provide you with lean proteins as they have zero cholesterol, fats and very low carbohydrates. Mushrooms contain natural antibiotics a good combination of vitamins A, B-Complex and C, found in mushrooms also strengthens immune system. It’s good for health & it's a perfect Diet food...


Check out some more Rice recipes

Prep  time
Cooking time
Serves
30 mins
15 mins
4 persons

Recipe type:  Rice varieties

Cuisine: Chinese

Ingredients
  • Cooked Rice - 2 cups
  • Mushrooms  - ¾ cup
  • Capsicum  - ¼ cup
  • Onions – 3 no’s
  • Garlic & Ginger chopped -1 tsp
  • Green chili – 2 no
  • Pepper powder -1 tbsp.
  • Spring onions (greens) -to garnish
  • Sesame Oil -2 tbsp.
  • Salt – to taste

Method
1. Heat sesame oil in pan over medium; add garlic, ginger, and onions. Stir for 30 seconds. 
2. Add capsicum sauté for 4 minutes or until tender. Now add mushrooms, salt, pepper powder and mix well. Finally Add the cooked rice and stir fry for 2 minutes or until heated through and mix all over evenly. 
3. Cook for 2 minutes till done. Cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in sesame oil sprinkle with the remaining green onions. 
Serving Suggestions
Soya Manchurian
Pumpkin fry
 Notes
I used freshly ground black pepper in this recipe. Do not overcook rice; it should hold its shape.

Monday 11 June 2018

Peanut Chaat

Everyone likes to eat chat, there are many varieties of chat, and here is very easy and tasty mouthwatering peanuts chat. This makes a scrumptious, crispy snack – all kids love the tangy taste of this chat, which is loaded with protein, a must nutrient for a growing child.

This great snack can be made in a jiffy and also opt for preparing whenever we feel like munching something hot & spicy. It makes a perfect accompaniment to a relaxed evening cup of  garma  garam  chai  or  coffee..!
You will feel greatly satisfied when you serve Indian peanuts chat for kids as after school snack as it is healthy! Once you have peanut’s ready in advance it is really super easy snack to do. I love that crunchiness of onions and nuttiness of the peanut’s which are never to be forgotten. This Indian peanuts chat can be served chilled or hot! It tastes great both the way.
Let’s start with some easy to make chat recipes.

Prep  time
Cook time
Serves
10 mins
5 mins
4  persons

Recipe type:  Chats

Cuisine:  Indian cuisine

Recipe Video


Ingredients
  • Raw peanuts -2 cups
  • Onion -2 no’s
  • Tomato -1 no
  • Green chili -3 no’s
  • Chopped carrots -  ½ cup
  • Chopped cucumber – ½ cup
  • Fresh lemon juice  - 2 tsp
  • Cilantro leaves – few sprigs
  • Salt –to taste
Ingredients
  • Red chili powder – ½  tsp
  • Roasted cumin seeds powder  - ½ tsp
  • Chat masala powder – ¼ tsp


Method

1. Boil the peanuts in a pressure cooker with half a teaspoon of salt and a pinch of turmeric. Alternately, you could boil the peanuts in a heavy bottomed vessel with enough water to cover the peanuts and some salt. This method is time-consuming but tasty as well.
2. Once the peanuts are boiled properly, drain the water and keep them aside.Finely chop onion to slices. Chop tomato and green chilly to small pieces. 
 3. Chop the carrots, cucumber and keep aside. Combine together boiled peanuts, onion, tomato, carrots and freshly chopped coriander leaves. 
4.In a mixing bowl, mix together red chilly pwd, cumin pwd, chat masala pwd and salt. Sprinkle the above spice pwd all over the peanut mixture and toss well so that they are all mixed up. 

Notes
Use only the skin of the tomatoes don’t use the pulp which is not suitable for this Indian peanuts chat.

Serving suggestions
Garnish with chopped coriander, lemon wedges and serve.This is a very good accompaniment with evening tea or juices and other beverages. It is a quick fix for kids as an evening snack.

Friday 1 June 2018

Channa Madra - Himachali Cuisine (Chickpeas with Yogurt gravy)


Himachal Pradesh is located in the Western Himalayas and is a beautiful scenic state. This state is well known for its natural beauty.

Channa Madra is a thick yogurt based curry from the Pahari region of Himachal Pradesh. Cooked chickpeas are cooked in yogurt to make this gravy. Recipe called for raisins but I did not use. The spice level of the gravy was mild and the first day I served it with rice. The second day, I added some chili powder, water and simmered it for few minutes. I served it with poori. This is an onion and garlic free recipe.This dish is made of chickpeas cooked in yogurt gravy along with spices & served along with rice & roti or chapati. The dish is also very rich (thanks the amount of Pure Ghee which goes into it).The original Himachali recipe calls for equal amounts of pure ghee and yogurt but I cook it with much less. 

This month Shhhh secretly cooking challenge concept is Himachal Pradesh cuisine.My partner is Sujata Shukla,blogs at Pepperonpizza (https://www.pepperonpizza.com/split-urad-dal-vadi-in-spinach-gravy)
She gave me two secret ingredients Mustard oil and Chickpeas.Being new to all these types of cuisines, finally I have attempted to prepare Channa Madra..That was lovely experiences to come across yogurt gravy with legumes. Thanks dear for the ingredients and we love the gravy.

 
Prep  time
Cook time
Serves
10 mins
5 mins
2  persons

Recipe type:  Side Dish for roti

Cuisine:  Himachali cuisine

Ingredients
  • Dry Chickpeas – ½ cup
  • Cinnamon  -1”
  • Cloves   -2 no’s
  • Cardamom   - 2 no’s
  • Mustard oil -2 tbsp.
  • Cumin seeds -1 tsp
  • Hing –pinch
  • Salt – to taste
  • Yogurt – ½ cup
  • Cilantro –few sprigs
Spice powders
  • Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
  • Red chili powder -2-1/2 tsp
  • Coriander powder -1 tabs
Rice mixture
  • Raw white rice -1/4 cup
  • Water -1 cup
  • Green cardamom -2 pods


Method
1. If using dried chick peas. Wash & soak them over night. They yield to 1cup of chickpeas because they grow their size. Pressure cook with 1Cup water for 2whistles.

2. Heat 2 tbsp. mustard oil to smoking point on medium heat.Add a pinch of asafetida, 2 cloves, 1 stick cinnamon, and 1 black cardamom seed. Add 1 tsp. whole cumin seeds. When cumin seeds are light brown and add asafetida if using and fry it for few seconds. Mix rice flour with water and keep aside.

3. Add the coriander powder, turmeric powder, and chili powder, salt and mix properly and fry for 2-3 minutes until spices coat well. Stir for 30 seconds (do not let it burn or blacken.)Add the chickpeas and stir well.
Turn the heat to low, gradually add beaten yogurt while stirring the chickpeas. 

4. Keep stirring until yogurt mixes well. Increase the heat to medium and continue cooking until yogurt starts to boil. All the while, keep stirring the mixture to avoid the yogurt from breaking up or curdling. Do remember the gravy thickens as it cools.If using raisins add them and fry for few seconds. 

5.When it comes to a boil add the ground rice/water mixture. Stir the mixture very frequently and let it cook for about 20 minutes.

6.Add salt to taste and iurn the heat on low and cook the Mandra on a slow fire for about 30 minutes stirring often until the entire mixture thickens.Garnish with cilantro and serve with roti, puri or rice.

Notes
This recipe doesn't call for chili powder or garam masala. I had to add it to give a lift to the dish
While adding the whole spices keep the flame on low.

Apricot Milkshake