SOY CHAAP TIKKA ........REPLACES THE CHICKEN TIKKA

SOY CHAAP TIKKA ........REPLACES THE MURG TIKKA.. IT HAS THE CHEWY TEXTURE OF CHICKEN AND PERFECT BLEND OF SPICES AND THE AROMA OF BURNT COAL

Ingredients:

Soy chaap - 1/2 Kg (if using dry one, boil it until tender and squeeze off the water) 

Ginger - garlic paste - 4 Tbsp

Gram masala - 1 Tsp

Carom- 1 Tsp (roasted and ground)

Yogurt - 1/2 Cup

Lemon juice - 2 Tbsp

Edible tandoori red color - 2 pinch

Green chili paste - 1 Tsp

Oil - 4 Tbsp

Salt - according to taste

Oil - for brushing

Method :

Mix the ginger-garlic and green chili paste, oil, yogurt, salt, lemon juice, red color, carom powder and garam masala powder together.

Apply over the chaap pieces and let it marinate for 4-6 Hours....in summers refrigerate it.

Put the marinated chaap pieces over skews.

Grill over red hot coal, brushing with oil regularly.

Take care that the coal is red hot and has no flames.

Can also be done in  an electric grill ....

Serve hot with mint-coriander chutney and onion rings.

KAANJI - A FERMENTED CARROT PROBIOTIC DRINK......

KAANJI - A FERMENTED CARROT PROBIOTIC DRINK PREPARED AROUND THE FESTIVAL OF HOLI.......IT'S SALTY, SOUR, APPETIZING AND VIBRANT TO LOOK AT. THIS RECIPE IS DEDICATED TO VERY DEAR FRIEND, PRERNA RATURI WHO MOTIVATED ME TO BLOG.......:)

Ingredients :

Black carrots - 1/2 Kg (cut into fingers)
Drinking water - 2 litres
Brown mustard seeds (rai) - 4 Tbsp (coarsely ground)
Salt - according to taste
Red chili powder - 1 Tsp

Method :

Mix the carrots with brown mustard seeds, salt , chili powder.
Put all this a clean glass jar.
Boil the water.
Slightly cool the water and add it to the carrot filled jar.
Tie a muslin cloth on the mouth of the jar.
Place the jar in sun.
Close the lid of the jar in evenings
Sun it for 4-5 days.
Once ready , refrigerate and serve chilled..

GUJIA - HOLI SPECIAL...

GUJIA - HOLI SPECIAL, RATHER THE FESTIVAL OF COLORS IS INCOMPLETE WITHOUT THEM....DRIED WHOLE MILK ALONG WITH FLAVORS OF NUTS AND RAISINS STUFFED IN A DUMPLING AND THEN DEEP FRIED.......

Ingredients :

All purpose flour - 1/2 Kg
Oil - 1 cup
Dried whole milk (khoya) - 1/2 Kg
Semolina - 2 Tbsp
Almond, cashews - 1 Cup (powdered)
Raisins - 1/2 Cup
Dry coconut - 1/4 Cup (finely grated)
Boora  (kind of sugar substitute , available at Indian grocery stores) - 300 Gms
Oil - for deep frying

Method :
Mix in the oil in the flour and add a little water to knead into a tough yet smooth dough.
Leave aside for half an hour.
Stir fry the dried whole milk until it turns golden.
Dry roast the semolina.
Mix the roasted semolina, powdered nuts, raisins, grated coconut and boora in the stir fried dried whole milk,
Let it cool.
Roll out small circles out of the flour dough.
Place each circle in the "Gujia mould" and fill in the prepared filling at the centre.

(IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A MOULD, PLACE THE FILLING IN THE CENTRE OF THE CIRCLE AND FOLD ITO A SEMI CIRCLE AND PRESS THE EDGES TIGHTLY).

                                                                           Filling


Close the mould inwards and press tightly.
Carefully lift out the moulded gujia.
Heat oil on a pan and fry the gujias (hot oil but on medium flame) golden brown.
Can be served both hot and cold.
Can also be stored for a week in a dry air tight container.

COCKTAIL SAMOSAS - SAMOSA WITH A DIFFERENCE......

COCKTAIL SAMOSAS - SAMOSA WITH A DIFFERENCE....SOFT , SPICY, CREAMY COTTAGE CHEESE WITH SHREDS OF SPINACH WRAPPED IN A CRISP GOLDEN BLANKET.....

Ingredients :
All purpose flour - 200 gms
Oil - 1/4 cup
Cottage cheese - 250 gms
Spinach - 1/2 cup (finely cut length wise )
Green chili - 3-4 nos
Ginger - 2 inch piece (chopped)
Salt - according to taste
Butter - 2 Tsp
Oil - for deep frying

Method :

Mix the flour with 1/4 tsp of salt and rub in the oil.
Add water to knead into a tough but smooth dough.
Leave aside for half an hour.
Heat butter in a pan and stir fry the spinach.
In a blender add the cottage cheese, green chilies, ginger and salt according to taste and blend well until it forms a smooth dough.
Cool the spinach and mix it well with cottage cheese  dough.
Make 3 balls out of the flour dough and roll them into thin circular sheets.
Using a metallic tumbler or a ring cut each sheet into small rounds.
Cut each round into two semi - circles.
Hold each semi- circular sheet in your hand and give it a conical shape.
Fill a tablespoon of the cottage cheese filling in the cone and press the sides tightly to give it a samosa shape.
Arrange the samosas in a steaming dish (don't stick them together) and steam them for 10 -12 minutes. (DO ADD A TSP OF OIL IN YOUR STEAMING WATER).
Once steamed, cool them and deep fry them golden.

 Steaming the samosas before deep frying, makes the outer crust thinner and crispier.

CHEESE BALLS - SOFT, MOUTH MELTING, GOLDEN BALLS WITH AN INVITING CHEESY FLAVOR

CHEESE BALLS - SOFT, MOUTH MELTING, GOLDEN BALLS WITH AN INVITING CHEESY FLAVOR...... TASTE BEST WHEN SERVED PIPING HOT :) 

Ingredients :

Cheddar cheese - 1 cup (grated)
Corn flour - 4 Tbsp
All purpose flour - 3 Tbsp
Baking powder - 1/2 Tsp
Green chilies - 2-3 nos
Milk - 3/4 cup
Salt - according to taste
Oil - for deep frying

Method :

Put all the ingredients in a blender except for the oil.
Beat until it forms a smooth paste.
Heat oil in  frying pan.
Drop the paste a little at one go in hot oil (LOW FLAME) using fingers to form balls.
Fry until golden brown,
Serve immediately .

UNBELIEVABLY VEGAN - VEGETARIAN AMRITSARI FISH FRY

UNBELIEVABLY VEGAN - VEGETARIAN AMRITSARI FISH FRY........VEGETARIAN FISH FILLETS ARE READILY AVAILABLE AT  THE  GOURMET STORES. THEIR TEXTURE, FLAVOR ARE VERY CLOSE TO THE REAL FISH.......HAPPY EATING !!

Ingredients :

Veg fish fillets - 8 nos
Ginger -garlic paste - 2 Tbsp
Powdered garam masala - 1/2 Tsp
Powdered carom - 1 Tsp
Red chili powder - 1/2 Tsp
Gram flour - 4 Tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 Tsp
Lemon juice - 4 Tsp
Salt - according to taste
Oil for deep frying

Method :

Mix all the ingredients except the fish fillets and the oil.
Coat the mixture over each fish fillet nicely.
Keep aside covered for an hour atleast.
Deep fry until golden brown and crisp.
Serve hot with mint -coriander chutney.

ORIENTAL STYLE FRIED RICE WITH CHILI 'N' COTTAGE CHEESE IN HOT GARLIC SAUCE........FOR THE POT LUCK DINNER TONIGHT

ORIENTAL STYLE FRIED RICE WITH CHILI 'N' COTTAGE CHEESE IN HOT GARLIC SAUCE........FOR THE POT LUCK DINNER TONIGHT.  SERVES AS A COMPLETE MEAL......

Ingredients :

FOR THE CHILI 'N' COTTAGE CHEESE IN HOT GARLIC SAUCE

Capsicum - 100 Gms (diced)

Cottage cheese - 250 Gms (diced)

Onions - 50 Gms (diced)

Garlic- 4 Tbsp (very finely chopped)

Ginger - 2 Tbsp (very finely chopped)

Spring onions - 3 Tbsp (finely chopped)

Green chilies - 1 Tsp (finely chopped)

Soy sauce -  2 Tsp

Vinegar - 1 Tsp

Green chili sauce - 1 Tsp

Tomato Ketchup - 2 Tbsp

Corn flour - 5 Tbsp (dissolved in 1 1/5 cup of water)

Oil - for deep frying

Oil - 2 Tbsp

Salt - according to taste

Mono-sodium Glutamate - 2 Pinch (optional)

Method:

Dissolve a little salt in the cornflour solution. 

Add the cottage cheese pieces to the above  and leave aside for 15 minutes.

Deep fry the cottage cheese chunks coated with cornflour until golden brown.

Heat 2 Tbsp of oil in a wok. Add the ginger, garlic and green chilies. Saute until golden.

Add the diced capsicum and onion pieces along with the chopped spring onions.

Saute until tender on full flame.

Add the tomato ketchup, soy sauce, green chili sauce and vinegar to it. Stir well.

Now add the left over corn flour mixture (left over of the cottage cheese).

Quickly add a cup of water to it. Keep stirring.

When the color starts to change i.e. it starts looking brighter add in the fried cottage cheese chunks.

Cook for another 3-4 minutes.

Serve with either fried rice or steamed rice.

FOR THE FRIED RICE

Cabbage - 1/2 cup (very finely chopped)

Carrots - 1/2 cup (very finely chopped)

Capsicum- 1/2 cup (very finely chopped)

Garlic- 2 Tbsp (very finely chopped)

Whole red dry chilies - 3 nos (cut into pieces)

Long grain basmati rice - 200 Gms

Soy sauce - 2 Tbsp

Green chili sauce - 2 Tsp

Salt according to taste 

Oil - 4 Tbsp

Mono-sodium glutamate - 2 pinch (optional)

Method:

Boil the rice in 1 litre of water in an open pot with some salt. Once nearly cooked, strain the rice into a sieve and cool.

Heat oil in a wok. Add the chopped whole red dry chilies. Let them turn brownish black in color.

Add the garlic and fry until golden.

Add the chopped carrots, capsicum and cabbage.

Saute them .Add the boiled rice. Toss gently.

Add the soy sauce, green chili sauce, salt, and mono-sodium glutamate and mix in gently. Take care not to break the rice grains.

Saute the rice nicely.

Serve with curry.

CUBAN CIGARS - SOFT, GOOEY SNACK WITH A CRISP COVERING

CUBAN CIGARS- SOFT, GOOEY SNACK WITH A CRISP COVERING GOES VERY WELL AS  A STARTER........

Ingredients :

Cabbage - 1 cup (finely grated)
Carrots - 1/2 cup (finely grated)
French beans - 1/4 cup (minced)
Ginger-garlic paste - 2 Tbsp
Green chilies - 2 Tsp (finely chopped)
Corn flour - 4 Tbsp
All purpose flour - 4 Tbsp
Tomato ketchup - 4 Tbsp
Salt - according to taste
Cottage cheese - 250 Gms
Oil - for frying

Method :

Squeeze out the water from the grated cabbage , carrots and the french beans.
Mix in the corn flour and the all purpose flour well.
Add the green chilies, ginger-garlic paste, tomato ketchup and salt to it.
Knead well.
Cut the cottage cheese into long strips
Wrap the kneaded mixture over each cottage cheese strip to form a cigar shape.
Refrigerate for an hour.
Deep fry golden.
Serve hot.

MARBLE COOKIES - A HIGH TEA DELIGHT

MARBLE COOKIES - A HIGH TEA DELIGHT ARE SOFT YET CRISP WHICH LEAVE BACK A NICE BUTTERY, CHOCOLATY AFTER TASTE TO APPEAL THE TASTE BUDS.....

Ingredients :

All purpose flour - 350 Gms
Icing sugar - 125 Gms
Butter - 200 Gms
Cocoa powder - 2 Tsp
Water - 3 Tbsp

Method :
Sieve the flour and the icing sugar together.
Apply the butter in the flour well.
Add the water slowly to the buttered flour and knead into a soft dough.
Divide the dough into two equal parts.
Sprinkle cocoa powder over one part of the dough and knead in well.
Divide the white dough into two parts and the brown one also into two parts.
Form cylinder shapes of all the four dough parts.
Place a white cylinder along with a brown one .
Over the white one place the second brown cylinder and on the the first brown one place the second white cylinder.
Softly press them together that they join.
Roll this thick brown-white cylinder into an elongated shape.
Now slice this into pieces.
Arrange them on a baking tray and bake in a pre-heated oven  at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
Cool n store.

MUSHROOM PICKLE - RECIPE BY LT COL RANJEEV PRADHAN

MUSHROOM PICKLE ....A FINGER LICKING DELICACY CREATED BY LT COLONEL RANJEEV PRADHAN WHO IS A MULTI FACETED , VERSATILE PERSONALITY. APART FROM COOKING AS A HOBBY HE IS AN ACE PARA GLIDER AND A TALENTED HUNTER. 

COOKING IS HIS PASSION AND SHOOTING HIS PROFESSION.......

Ingredients :

Button mushrooms - 400 gms
Red onions - 2 medium sized (chopped)
Ginger-garlic paste - 2 Tbsp
Asafoetida - 1 pinch
Fenugreek seeds - 1 Tsp (powdered)
Mustard seeds - 1 Tsp (powdered)
Whole spices ( pepper corns, cloves, cinnamon, black cardamom) - 2 Tsp (roasted and ground)
Mustard oil - 1 cup
Jaggery - 2 inch piece (grated)
Apple cider vinegar - 1/2 cup

Method :

Mix the grated jaggery in the apple cider vinegar.
Heat oil in a deep pan.
Wash and chop the mushrooms in desired shape.
Saute the onions until translucent.
Add ginger-garlic paste  and cook until golden brown.
Add asafoetida.
Add the fenugreek and mustard seed powders.
Add mushrooms and cook on low flame for 5 to 10 minutes or until the water evaporates.
Add the whole spice powder.
Add the vinegar-jaggery solution.
Allow to cool.
Pour in a dry bottle.

FAVA FRITTERS........ FALAFAL WITH A TWIST :)

FAVA FRITTERS.....FALAFAL WITH A LITTLE TWIST TO ENHANCE ITS LOOKS AND ADD A LITTLE MORE TASTE. ITS A PERFECT FINGER SNACK WITH ALL EASILY AVAILABLE INGREDIENTS......

Ingredients :

Chick peas) - 1/2 kg
Parsley - 1 cup (chopped)
Coriander - 1 cup (chopped)
Garlic - 3 heads (peeled and crushed)
Onions - 3 (chopped)
Cinnamon powder - 1/4 Tsp
Cumin powder - 1/4 Ts/2 Tsp
Baking powder - 2 Tsp
Coriander powder - 1
Salt - according to taste
Chili powder - 1 Tsp
Black pepper powder  - 1/4 Tsp
All purpose flour - 4 Tbsp
Oil - for frying
Jalapenos 

Method :

Drain off the water from the chick peas. Beat them in a food processor.
Now add the garlic cloves, sesame paste, lemon juice, olive oil, salt to it and blend well. It should be thick and smooth.And steam for 20 minutes.
Cool and cut into squares.
Heat the oil in a pan and fry them until browned..

TOPPING - HUMMUS

Ingredients:

Chick peas - 1 cup (soaked overnight and boiled)
Garlic - 2 cloves
Lemon juice - 5 Tbsp
Sesame paste - 2 Tbsp
Parsley - 2 Tbsp (finely chopped)
Olive oil - 2 Tbsp
Salt  - according to taste

Method :

Drain off the water from the chick peas. Beat them in a food processor.
Now add the garlic cloves, sesame paste, lemon juice, olive oil, salt to it and blend well. It should be thick and smooth.

Pipe the hummus over the fried squares and place a small slice of jalapeno over each fritter.

Serve hot.

BAR -B- QUE....VEGAN, AN ALL SEASON DELIGHT

BAR-B-QUE......AN ALL SEASON DELIGHT NOT ONLY FOR THE NON VEGETARIANS BUT FOR THE VEGANS TOO.....THE VEGETARIAN BAR-B-QUE HAS A WIDE VARIETY WHICH CAN INCLUDE JACK FRUIT, MUSHROOMS, CAULIFLOWER, BROCCOLI, COTTAGE CHEESE, SOY CHUNKS, POTATOES, TARO, CORN, AUBERGINES, PEPPERS..........

Ingredients :

FOR BALOCHI BOTI KATHAL TIKKA

Jack fruit  (raw)  - 1/2 Kg (peeled and cut into chunks)
Fresh ginger-garlic paste - 3 Tbsp
Gram flour - 2 Tsp
Garam masala powder - 2 Tsp
Kashmiri red chili powder or any other red chili powder with rich color - 2 Tsp
Yogurt - 1/2 cup
Lemon juice - 2 Tbsp
Oil - 1/4 cup
Salt - according to taste

Method :

Wash the jack fruit chunks and par boil them.
Mix rest of the the other ingredients well and coat this paste over the par boiled jack fruit chunks.
Let it marinate for 3-4 hours.
Put the marinated jack fruit chunks over a skew.
Either over charcoal or in an oven grill them with a little brushing of oil.
Serve piping hot with coriander or mint chutney.

FOR KHUMB ACHAARI TIKKA

Ingredients :

Button mushrooms - 4 cups
Yogurt - 1/2 cup
Lemon juice - 4 Tbsp
Gram flour  - 2 Tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 Tsp
Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 Tsp
Onion seeds - 1/4 Tsp
Fennel seeds - 1 Tsp
Kashmiri red chili powder - 1 Tsp
Mustard oil - 1/4 cup
Salt - according to taste
Oil - for brushing

Method :

Wash the mushrooms and boil them in an open pot.
Grind the fenugreek seeds, onion seeds, fennel seeds into a fine powder and mix them with yogurt, lemon juice, gram flour, turmeric powder, kashmiri red chili powder, mustard oil and salt.
Coat the marinade (above paste) over the mushrooms and let them marinate for 3-4 hours.
Put he marinated mushrooms over a skew and grill them over charcoal or in a n oven with a little brushing of oil. 
Serve hot with chutney and onion rings.