Spinach stuffed Chapathis

This recipe is an experiment from leftovers of [ Aloo Palak & Chapathi] from. Spinach was never my favorite food, but this recipe turned out to be the best way for intake of spinach. Well, it turned out to be tasty as well. We had these Spinach chapatis with Alu fry and Raitha on the side and totally loved the combo. 

Ingredients:

Wheat flour - 1 1/2 cup
Water - 1/3 cup
Salt - 1 pinch
Yogurt - 2 tbsp
Oil - 1/2 tsp for each chapati

Spinach - 1 /2 cup [left over from Aloo Palak]

Procedure:

1. Add all the ingredients except oil, in to a food processor and blend it in to a stiff dough. [or you can always use your hand]
2. Let this dough sit for about 1 or 2 hours. 
3. Knead the dough once again just before rolling the chapathis. 
4. Divide the dough in to lemon size balls and roll them in to a round chapathi. (if you are trying for the first time then don't bother about the shape :))
5. Heat a pan and place the rolled chapathi on to it. let if fry on one side and then turn it to the other side and let it fry for some more time. At this point the chapathi will start to puffup.
6. Then add a little oil and fry it on both sides for some more time. 

Enjoy with some curry and raitha on the side!!!!!


Note: Incase you don't have any leftover spinach curry, just boil the spinach with very little water and salt. Blend it in to a fine paste and use it instead.

Kesari

I eat this dessert at least twice a week. One of the easiest recipes with very few ingredients and yet tastes wonderful. I am more of a dessert person and I always finish my meal with some thing sweet. When there are no sweets at home - I shift to my plan B [Milk chocolates]. I always have a stack of milk chocolates at home, just to be on the safe side :). Now it must be clear that I looooooove sweets. So here comes my favorite sweet.

Ingredients:

Milk - 2.5 cups
Rawa - 1 cup [semolina]
Butter - 2.5 tbsp
Cashews - 10
Sugar - to taste [ I used 3/4 cup:)]
Cardamom powder - 1 pinch

Procedure:

1. Heat 1 tbsp of Butter in a pan. Fry cashews in the butter and keep them aside. 
2. To the same pan add semolina and fry till the raw smell is gone completely. 
3. Add milk slowly at regular intervals and keep mixing. 
4. Add sugar and cardamom powder and keep mixing for at least 5 to 8 mins till the whole mixture becomes little stiff. 
5. Add fried cashews and the remaining butter and mix well till you get the desired consistency. 

Enjoy while it is hot!!!!!

Tomato Rice

One of the best recipe that I have tried so far. Very healthy and tasty and filling. Tomato rice can be made in several different ways. This is probably the best and the easiest way [:)] of making it.

Ingredients:

Tomatoes - 3 pureed
Oil - 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Hing - 1 pinch
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Sambar masala - 1 tsp
Curry leaf powder - 1 tsp
Red chilli powder - 2 tsp
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Sugar - 1 tsp
Green chillies - 2
Boiled rice - 1 cup
Onion - 1

Procedure:

1. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, hing, chopped onion and saute till the onions become translucent.
2. Add ginger garlic paste and fry. Add sambar masala and cook for few mins. 
3. Add curry leaf powder, tomato puree, red chilli powder, garam masala and cook for a couple of mins. 
4. Add salt, sugar and mix well. Add chopped tomatoes, green chillies and mix well. 
5. Add boiled rice and mix well. Let is cook for 3 to 4 mins. 

Enjoy with some raita on the side!!!!!

Peanut Chutney

This is one of my favorite chutney of all times. It can be had with dosa, idly, wada and many others as well. Most popular chutney in India and can be prepared in no time. Peanut chutney can be made in several ways. Here is my version of it. 

Ingredients:

Peanuts - 1/2 cup 

Grated Coconut - 1 tbsp [optional]

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp 

Red chilli - 3 to 4

Curry leaves - 4 to 5 strips

Tamarind  paste - 2 to 3 tsp 

Salt - as per taste

Chilli powder - to taste

Mustard - 1/2 tsp 

Urad dal - 1/2 tsp

Oil - 1 tbsp

Chana dal - 1/2 tsp 

Water - couple of tbsp

Procedure:

1. Add 1 tsp of oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. Once they begin to change color add red chillies and fry. Add peanuts and fry. 
2. Switch off the stove and add grated coconut,  tamarind paste, salt to the above and mix.
3. Blend the above in to a fine paste in a blender. Add small portions of water at regular intervals while blending to get required consistency. 
4. In another pan heat oil and add mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds start spluttering add urad dal, channa dal, curry leaves and fry for few seconds. 
5. Add the chutney paste [from step 3] to the above tempering and mix well. Adjust the salt at this stage. 

Serve along with some tasty breakfast recipes!!!!

Chinese Fried Rice

I believe that Chinese fried rice can be made in several different ways. Different types of veggies and meat can be used - which is totally up to your taste. Well!! egg is the most common ingredient in any version. So, here comes my 1st version of chinese fried rice.  Will try out different versions soon.

Ingredients:

Eggs - 3
Salt - to taste
Pepper - to taste
Oil - 2 to 3 tbsp
Cooked rice : 2 cups [left over rice is preferred]
Sausage - 1 [of your choice, I used spiced pork sausage]
Carrots - 1
Green peas - 1/2 cup
Red bell pepper - 1/4
Butter - 1 tbsp
Black soy sauce - 2 to 3 tsp
Vinegar - 2 tsp
Chilli garlic sauce - 1 tsp
Hot chilli sauce - 2 tsp

Procedure:

1. Add butter in to a hot wok and let it melt. Add chopped Carrots, green peas and red bell pepper and saute till they become soft. Remove them on to a plate
2. Heat oil in the same wok and add [slightly beaten] eggs mixture. Saute the eggs till they are cooked. Add sliced sausage and let it cook for few seconds.
3. Add the veggies [from step 1] and cook for few mins. Add salt and pepper and cook for few more mins.
4. Add rice to the above and mix well. Reduce the flame to low at this point. 
5. Add soy sauce, chilli garlic sauce, hot chilli sauce, vinegar and mix well. 
6. Adjust the salt and pepper at this point and mix well. 

Enjoy while it is hot!!!

Note: All the sauces used in the recipe can be adjusted to taste. Watch out on the amount of salt - as soy sauce and other sauces also have salt in them.

Banana Pancakes

Pancake is a very common breakfast in the western countries. It is not very famous in the East. Although, I love them. Easy to make, tastes delicious and can be had as a dessert as well as breakfast. Different types of toppings can be used and I specially like Nutella, Honey and Whipped cream.

Ingredients:

Ripe bananas - 3

Milk maid - 10 to 15 tbsp [to taste]

Salt - pinch

Butter - 2 tbsp

Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp

Flour - 1 cup 

Eggs - 2

Baking powder - 1 tsp 

Procedure:

1. Mash the bananas with a fork.
2. Add milkmaid, egg, salt, melted butter, cardamom powder, flour and baking powder to the above and mix well.
3. Heat the nonstick pan and add little portions of the pancake batter as shown in the figure. 
4. Let them slightly brown on one side and then turn them to the other side. Let them cook and serve.

Enjoy with Nutella or honey or whipped cream or ice cream on the side!!!

Note: In general lot of recipes call for vanilla essence but I like to add cardamom powder instead.