Vegetarian Paella / Spanish Rice

                                                                               

                                                                     


Just like favourite books sometimes slip out of sight on the bookshelf and are forgotten for a time, only to be rediscovered with delight.... so also with recipes!!  I tried out this recipe some years back when my daughter was preparing for her high school exams. I used to try out different recipes those days to cheer her up and coax her to eat after long hours of study. She really liked this Spanish style vegetable rice so I made it  several times. But then somehow this recipe slipped out of my mind. It was only recently that I was reminded of this recipe when my sister in law asked me about it. Eager to try the recipe I lost no time in making it and relished it all over again.  Here then is the recipe specially for her and also for my daughter who can now very well cook it for herself!

Traditionally Paella is made with seafood, chicken etc but this is a vegetarian version of Paella which I sourced from a  Tarla Dalal cookbook. It is easy, straight forward and doesn't take too much time. The garlic crushed with the whole red chillies gives it a lovely flavour while the crisp cheesy topping gives it a superb look.

Ingredients: 

1 1/2 cups rice
1 cup mixed vegetables ( french beans, carrots, cauliflower)
1/2 cup green peas
1  onion
1  tomato
1 capsicum
2 tbsp yoghurt
Whole spices crushed: 3 cloves, 6 peppercorns, 1 inch cinnamon
10 cloves garlic ( small)
10 Kashmiri chillies
6 tbsps oil
Salt to taste
Slices of tomato and
4 tbsps cheese for garnish

Method:   Put about 3 cups of water in a pan and when it gets heated add the rice and cook covered, over low flame, till done. The rice should be fluffy and soft. Roast the red chillies on a skillet or heavy bottom pan for few minutes. Using a mortar and pestle crush the red chillies and garlic together. Cut the mixed vegetables and boil lightly. Also boil the green peas. Finely chop the onions. Also cut the tomato and capsicum in cubes. Coarsely crush the whole spices, cinnamon, cloves and peppercorns.

In a heavy bottom pan heat the oil and add the onion and saute till translucent. Add the garlic and red chillies paste and saute for another minute or so. Add the tomato, yoghurt and capsicum and stir for two minutes. Add the cooked rice, mixed vegetables, salt and spice powder. Mix well. Grease a baking dish and pack the rice in it. Cover with tomato slices and grated cheese. Bake in a hot oven for ten minutes or just until cheese melts. Serve hot.

Kashmiri red chillies are mild but have a nice colour. If you do not have Kashmiri chillies use regular whole dry chillies but obviously you will then need to use much less. I used just two regular chillies. In case you do not have whole dry red chillies, don't fret. Use crushed chilli flakes or red chilli powder. Instead of vegetables used in this recipe you can go for vegetables of your choice.

Lajawab Aloo Matar / Baby Potatoes and Peas with Sesame

                                                                           

                                                                           

Potato and peas is a popular combination in most of North India and recipes for it abound. This is one recipe which I stumbled on a few years back in a dusty recipe book at someone's place. The very first time I tried it I knew I had got hold of a gem. Since then I have made it many times and invariably garnered praise for it.

On the face of it, there is nothing really remarkable about it. There are no exotic ingredients, no trick process in the cooking and yet there is something about it that makes it stand out.  There is only one way you can find out what is so special about this recipe. Try it!!

Ingredients: 

10 to 12 baby potatoes
1 cup boiled peas
2 tsp white sesame seeds ( til)
1/2 tsp cumin seeds ( jeera)
2 onions cut in rings
1 big tomato or 2 tbsp ready puree
8 - 10 cashew nuts ( kaju)
10-15 raisins ( kishmish)
4 tbsps oil
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp all spice powder ( garam masala)
1/4 tsp dried mango powder ( amchur)
2 green chillies slit lengthways
2 tbsp  chopped coriander leaves

Method:    Boil potatoes in salted water until just tender but not overcooked.  Peel and cut each baby potato in two halves.  Dry roast the sesame seeds in  a heavy bottom pan on low flame until golden. Keep aside.  Cut onions in round rings. Puree the tomato. Boil peas. Soak raisins in water.

Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan and add cumin seeds. When it splutters add onion rings and saute for a couple of minutes. Now add the cashew nuts.  Saute till both onion and cashew nuts are golden. Add tomato puree and cook till dry.  Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, salt, all spice powder, dried mango powder, green chillies and coriander leaves. Add a tbsp or two of water and cook for a minute to allow the spices to be well absorbed. Add the halved potatoes and saute gently, taking care not to break or mash them. Sprinkle the sesame seeds, keeping aside some for garnishing. Mix well so that the potatoes are well coated with the sesame.  Add boiled peas and raisins. Stir and remove from flame.Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle the remaining sesame. Serve hot.


                                                                         

Lauki Kheer

                                 
                                                 

                                                                           

Lauki Kheer is an ideal dessert for the hot summer months. It has just about everything going in it's favour....it is light, cooling and high in nutritional value. And yes, it is supremely delicious!

Like the traditional kheer made with rice in this too the grated lauki is simmered in milk. I have used sabu dana to help thicken the kheer and shorten the cooking time. It merges completely into the kheer and takes nothing away from the look or flavour of the dish.

Children often do not like having hot milk in summer so this is one way you can see that they get their regular intake of milk.  As it has no cereals you can have it during days of fasting too.

You should definitely try out this recipe this summer. Believe me, you will love it!


Ingredients: 

3 cups milk
1 cup grated and boiled lauki ( bottlegourd)
1tbsp ghee
3 tbsps sugar
2 tbsp sabudana ( sago seeds)
1/2 cup water
1tbsp pista
1/4 cup nuts and raisins
3-4 green cardamom
1 tsp green cardamom powder

Method:     Peel and grate lauki. Put water to boil in a pan and when it starts boiling add the grated lauki. After a minute remove from flame and drain all the water and keep lauki aside in a colander. Soak the sabudana in water for atleast one or two hours so that it softens.

In a heavy bottom pan pour ghee and add the green cardamom and lauki. Saute for few minutes. Add the milk and let it come to boil.  Remove  sabudana from water and add. Also add half cup of water. Lower the flame and stir from time to time till the mixture thickens.  Add sugar, cardamom powder, nuts and raisins. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with chopped pista. Serve hot or cold.

Navratan Korma

                                                                                 

I made this recipe after absolute ages so I wasn't sure how it would turn out. It was a thrill when it came out super delicious with every mouthful a delight!

The very name of this dish, Navratan Korma, conjures up a vision of a rich, sumptuous dish fit to be served to royalty! Many would baulk at even checking it out thinking it would be time consuming with an endless list of ingredients. Nothing of the sort! It is a fairly simple recipe which anyone can make. An excellent dish for entertaining or for those days when you want to make something special,

Try out this restaurant style dish at home now!!!

Ingredients: 

1 onion
1 tomato
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp garlic paste
1 1/2 cup mix vegetables ( carrots, french beans, cauliflower and peas)
1/2 cup paneer
1/2 cup milk
2 tsp cornflour
2 tbsp cream
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp all spice ( garam masala) powder
1/2 tsp sugar
Salt to taste
1 tsp kasuri methi
10- 12 cashew nuts
10 raisins
Whole spices: 1/2 inch cinnamon, 2 green cardamom, 3 cloves, 1 bay leaf, 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tbsps ghee or oil
1/4 cup canned pineapple pieces
2 tbsp canned pineapple syrup

Method:      Chop the onion in big pieces and boil for few minutes in a pan of water. Drain and blend. Blanch tomato in hot water, remove skin and chop. Boil the veggies in water till soft but firm. Mix cornflour in cold milk. Crush half the cashew coarsely. Lightly fry the remaining cashew and raisins in little oil.

Take a heavy bottom pan and add ghee or oil. Once it gets heated add the whole spices and wait till they start crackling. Then add the onion, ginger and garlic pastes. Saute lightly for 2 mins till oil separates.  Add the tomato. Also add the red chilli powder and coriander powder. Stir for another couple of minutes.  Add the boiled vegetables and saute briefly. Pour the milk and cornflour mixture, crushed cashew and cream. Stir till it thickens.  Add the paneer, salt, sugar, kasuri methi and garam masala powder. Add the pineapple cubes ( saving few for garnish) and syrup. Mix and close flame. Transfer to serving dish and garnish with the fried cashew and raisins, pineapple cubes and cream.

Easy Chocolate Cake

Every few days I get this urge to bake a cake! Sometimes I try new recipes and at other times recipes which I have tried previously and know that they come out good. While most recipes appear appealing on a food show, or on a website, not all turn out well. So I have my share of hits and misses. Still, the process is worth it as I do get hold of some recipes which are winners.

This is an easy recipe which any beginner can make. I have tried it several times with pleasing results. I don't normally bother to do the frosting and it is excellent even without it. It satisfies my craving for cake without  putting in too much effort.

                                                                         

Ingredients: 

1 +1/4 cup ( 170 gms) all purpose flour
2 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 cup (200 gm) sugar
1 tbsp vanilla essence
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil ( flavourless)
2 eggs

Frosting
2/3 cup heavy cream or whipping cream
9 oz ( 260gm) semi sweet chocolate

Method:    Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Grease a 9 inch ( 23 cm) baking tin.  Sieve flour, baking powder and cocoa together 2 to 3 times. Add salt and powdered sugar. Whip eggs and add vanilla essence. Also add oil and milk.  Mix well. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients gradually, mixing after each addition.  Mix everything together until smooth either by hand or electric beater at slow speed. Transfer to the baking tin and bake at 180 degrees C, till a tooth pick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove from oven and gently take out from baking tin. Cool the cake on a wire rack. Once it has cooled down slice the cake through the middle to make two layers.

To make the frosting heat the cream in a sauce pan. Remove from heat and add the finely chopped chocolate. Stir until smooth and let it cool until it thickens. Use 1/3 of the frosting between the cake layers, 1/3 on top and remaining around the cake. Put the cake in the fridge for a bit to firm up the frosting.

You may level the top before frosting. If you prefer sweeter frosting add honey to frosting. Adding vanilla essence to eggs takes away the smell of eggs. Sieving the flour lightens it so make sure you sieve before using. Sieving flour with baking powder few times ensures that the baking powder is evenly distributed.


                                                                               

Palak Paneer

                                                                             

I have been making Palak Paneer since forever but I don't have a recipe for it??!!?? Sounds weird? What I mean is that I do not have any recipe for it, written down in my diary, which I follow religiously to make it. I just go by instinct and put it together. Of course, this time round I kept note so that I could explain everything clearly.

Basically Palak Paneer is a curry of pureed spinach to which cubes of paneer ( cottage cheese) are added. However everyone has their own recipe for this amazing dish. I prefer to keep it really simple with bare minimum spices that provide just a hint of flavour but let the two main ingredients stay in the spotlight.

Ingredients:

250 gms paneer
250 gms spinach
1 onion
1 tomato
1 tbsp cream or 1/4 cup milk
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp black pepper powder
Whole spices: 1/2 inch cinnamon, 2 green cardamom, 1 bay leaf, 2 cloves, 1/2 tsp cumin seeds.
2 tbsp oil
1 tbsp butter
Ginger juliennes to garnish

Method:   Wash the spinach well. Discard the stems which are hard while retaining the soft ones. Heat water in a pan and add a tsp of salt.When water starts boiling add the spinach. Drain spinach after 2 minutes and plunge it in cold water. Sieve and blend to a puree with 1/2 cup of water in a blender.

Finely chop onions. Puree the tomatoes. Cut the paneer into cubes and place in a bowl of lukewarm water.

In a heavy bottom pan pour oil and add the whole spices, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves,bay leaf and cumin seeds. When they start crackling add the onion and saute till it is translucent. Add the tomato puree and ginger garlic paste. Stir for a minute.  Add the turmeric powder, red chilli powder and pepper. When the mixture starts drying out add cream ( or milk) and keep stirring till oil separates. Add the spinach puree and salt. Lower flame and let it simmer for a couple of minutes. Add water if required for correct consistency.  Check seasoning and finally add the paneer cubes. Mix well and close flame.Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with ginger juliennes and a tbsp of butter.

If you like you can grind green chilly with the spinach and avoid red chilly powder. 

Spicy Yoghurt Drink

I had this spicy drink made from yoghurt at a friend's place and was totally smitten. This drink, which is popular in Kerala, was so very different from the North Indian salted lassi that I was used to. The amazing flavours of ginger,  green chilly and curry leaves came through gently without jarring, combining with the diluted yoghurt to give a wonderfully cooling effect. Sublime!

Chilled drinks are a must have in summer. Try out this drink that is refreshing, aids digestion and is completely natural. Unlike branded drinks this drink has no negatives so you needn't stop at one glass either! Cheers!!

                                                                       

Ingredients: 

1 cup yoghurt
2 cups water
1 inch ginger
1 green chilly
Few curry leaves
Few coriander leaves
Salt to taste
1 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp oil
Pinch of asafoetida

Method:    Crush curry leaves, green chilly and ginger together using a mortar and pestle. Blend yoghurt and water in blender. Season with salt and cumin powder. Now add the crushed ginger, green chilly and curry leaves to the yoghurt mixture. Stir well and sieve.  In a small pan pour oil and add mustard seeds. When the seeds start crackling add asafoetida and immediately pour over the spiced and diluted yoghurt. Pour into glasses and garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.