Kashmiri Polao

It’s been a long time I didn't post any RICE recipe in my blog. Friends are asking me about that, they want some different RICE preparation. Even I am also thinking the same. My dearest friend Laxmipriya shared one lovely recipe with me which is a very famous and healthy one, because so many fruits are there in the dish. Any guesses friends, many of you might have tried this one before but I never tried this before the KASHMIRI POLAO. 

 Because of fruits like apple, pineapple, grape, pomegranates it is very healthy. I think this one is really very good for kids also, because most of the kids don’t like to have fruits but with a preparation like that they will definitely enjoy it. With a simple curry or just a bowl of raita also this polao is perfect for your dinner or lunch.

Preparation time: 20 mints.
Cooking time: 40 mints.

Ingredients:
For rice:
1.Basmati Rice: 1 cup.
2. Few Saffron stands soaked in half cup of warm milk.
3.One cup of water.
4.Some salt and sugar.
5.One table spoon of ghee.

For polao:
1.Clove:2,Cardamom :2,One small cinnamon stick,One small bay leave,a small piece of  jaifal.
2.Few cashew nuts, few almonds. Few Pistachios, Few Raisins.
3.Half cup of finely chopped carrots and French beans.
4.Frozen peas a hands full.
5.A pinch of garlic powder,a pinch of fennel powder, a pinch of cardamom powder, a pinch of nutmeg powder.
6.A small bowl of chopped apple & pineapple.
7.one tea spoon of rose water (optional).
8.Half cup cream.
9.Two table spoon of ghee.
10.Salt and sugar as per taste.

Process:
For rice:
Add one table spoon of ghee in a vessel and add the washed rice and fry for some time. Now add the water and saffron soaked milk with some salt and sugar. Cook the rice till it 80% done. Keep it aside.

For Polao:
Now add some ghee in a pan and fry cashew almonds and pistachios till they little brown then add the raisins and after that take all out from the pan.

Now add some more ghee and add all the whole garama masala after few seconds add the chopped carrots, beans and peas and fry for some time.

Now add the fried dry fruits and the chopped fruits stir for some time, finally add the cooked rice and mix well with everything.

Finally add the garlic powder, fennel powder,cardamom powder, nutmeg powder, rose water and the cream. Mix well with everything and cook with a lid till the rice completely cooked.

Garnish with grapes and pomegranate your KASHMIRI POLAO is ready, Serve hot with any curry.

Pound Cake with Yogurt

Few days back one of my friend asked me some cake recipe where instead of butter we can use vegetable oil. And I asked my Ma about that because in my child hood days she used to prepare cakes for us and once she used some vegetable oil in cake because that time the butter was not at home. So I confirmed about one thing that we can make cake without butter also.

And I prepared some simple pound cake without butter and extra I added some yogurt this idea I got from a cookery show. And the result is fabulous, a very easy way to make your family 
happy. 

Preparation time: 20 mints.
Baking time: 50 to 55 mints.

Ingredients:
1.All purpose flour: 1 ½ cup.
2.Eggs: 3.
3.Granulated sugar : 1 ½ cup.
4.Vegetable oil:  170 ml or ¾ cup.
5.Vanila yogurt : 170 ml or ¾ cup.
6.One table spoon baking powder.
7.One table spoon vanilla essence.
8.One small lemon's zest.

Process:

Pre heat your oven in 175 degree c.

Now take one big bowl and add the yogurt into this beat well, now add the sugar and beat till the sugar mix nicely.

Now add the eggs into the bowl and mix nicely.

Next add the vegetable oil and make the mixture smooth.

Now add the baking powder, vanilla essence and the lemon's zest and mix with everything nicely.

Finally add the all-purpose flour and mix well doesn't beat so much.

Take a loaf pan and grease this with little butter and sprinkle some flour into that. 

Now pour the batter into the pan and bake it for 40 to 45 mints or till the inserting of a tooth pick into the cake doesn't come out with unbaked batter.

Your yummy and very easy Pound Cake is ready enjoy with a cup of Coffee.

Dhaba Style Chicken Tikka Butter Masala

Nonstop snow fall from last night. We are just stuck at home. Started watching movies and we finished two already. To give ourselves a treat I prepared some DHABA style dinner for us, The DHABA STYLE CHICKEN TIKKA BUTTER MASALA. That was just too good and really beyond my imagination. 

My husband was so happy after having this. He really wanted to go out for dinner but because of this weather we can’t go anywhere so better to make my dinner table like restaurant, and served this yummy DHABA STYLE CHICKEN TIKKA BUTTER MASALA. A very easy and quick recipe to make happy your friends and family.

Preparation time: 20 mints.
Cooking time: 40 mints.

Ingredients:

For Marinating:
1.Boneless chicken: 400 gm (cut into small cube size).
2.One tea spoon ginger paste.
3.One table spoon curd.
4.Half tea spoon red chili powder.
5.Half tea spoon black pepper powder.
6.A pinch of cinnamon powder.
7.One table spoon lime juice.
8.One table spoon olive oil.
9.Half tea spoon salt.

For sauce or gravy:
1.One large chopped tomato.
2.One small canned tomato. (if you don’t have canned tomato then use one medium chopped tomato).
3.Half tea spoon grated ginger.
4.Half tea spoon red chili powder.
5.Half tea spoon garam msala powder.
6.Half tea spoon turmeric powder.
7.Half tea spoon cumin powder.
8.A pinch of kasoori methi.
9.Two to Three table spoon of fresh cream.
10.Salt and sugar AS per taste.
11.Butter for cooking.

Process:
Wash and clean the chicken pieces and now marinate them with the mentioned ingredients and keep it aside for 30 mints.

Now preheat your oven in maximum temperature. 
Skewer the chicken pieces and Place the skewers in an oven proof tray. Grill it for 10 to 15 mints. (Between brush butter and flip the skewers).

The tikka’s are ready now remove the tikka’s form the skewers and keep it aside.

Now add some butter in a pan and add the chopped onions and grated ginger and fry till the onions are transparent.

Now add the canned tomato and all the spices powder with some salt and sugar. Cook for another 3 to 4 mints. After it’s completely cool down make a smooth paste with this.

Now add some butter in a vessel and add the mixture into the vessel and cook for 2 mints. Now add the fresh cream and stir for some time, your gravy is ready.

Finally add the tikka’s and cook with a lid for 5 mints. Before switch of the heat add the kasoori methi and mix well.

The DHABA STYLE CHICKEN TIKKA BUTTER MASALA is ready serve hot with Naan or Roti.

Punjabi Style Aloo Methi

The smell of fresh methi Saag or Fenugreek Leaves is really too good. Purchased some fresh Methi saag last week but didn’t get time to cook them. Today I prepared some ALOO METHI, I heard about the dish ALOO METHI from one of my Punjabi friend, but never prepared this ever. So finally I prepared the truly heavenly ALOO METHI. After having the dish I thought why I didn't prepared this before.

ALOO METHI is an authentic Punjabi dish, made with lots of fresh methi saag and potato with very less no of spices. With Roti and Rice this one is really too good.  Meethi saag is a leafy vegetable. There are lots of recipe which made with Meethi leaves. ALOO METHI is really a healthy and tasty preparation.

Preparation time: 10 mints.
Cooking time: 20 mints.

Ingredients:
1.One bunch of fresh Meethi Saag or fenugreek Leaves.

2.One large potato (cut into small cube size).
3.One small chopped onion.
4.Two clove grated garlic.
5.Two dry red chili. Pinch of Cumin & Fenugreek seeds
6.Turmeric Powder, Red chili Powder, Cumin Powder (half tea spoon of each item).
7.A pinch of chaat masala.
8.Salt nad sugar as per taste.
9.Sunflower oil for cooking.

Process:

Finely chopped the methi leaves (remove the roots ).

Now add oil in vessel and add the cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds nad dry red chili. When its start crackle add the chopped onions and grated garlic.

Fry till the onions are transparent, now add the chopped methi leaves and all the spices with some salt and sugar.

Combine well and fry for 2 mints. Now add the potato pieces and mix well with everything and fry for another 3 to 4 mints.

Now add some warm water and cook with a lid till the potatoes are boiled and the water evaporates. (don’t overcook the potatoes).

Your ALOO METHI is ready serve hot with ROTI OR RICE.

Dhaba Style Egg Tarka

Do you people ever try that "Dhaba Wali Tarka"? It’s awesome with some onion and pickle. I used to prepare Egg Tarka at home. We enjoy it with homemade roti. Tarka is basically made with Green mung Lentil. We both love potato so I love to add some potato also. In every highway there is some typical Dhaba, and those Dhaba’s are especially popular for some special kind of Tarka. My Tarka recipe surely help you to get that Dhaba taste.

Cooking time: 20 mints.
Serve for 4 people.

Ingredients:
1.Tarka dal or green moong dal :200 gm.
2.Two eggs.
3.One small potato( cut into cube size).
4.One large chopped onion.
5.One medium size chopped tomato.
6.One tea spoon minced garlic.
7.Three to four green chilies chopped.
8.Cumin Powder, Coriander Powder, Red chili Powder ( one tea spoon of each item).
9. Half tea spoon Tarka Masala (I use Sunrise Tarka Masala).
10.Salt & sugar as per taste.
11.Few mustard and fenugreek seeds.
12.Sunflower oil.

Process:

Boiled the dal in a Pressure cooker (three weasels) with some salt and keep it aside.

Fry the potato pieces and keep it aside.

Scramble the eggs with some salt and keep it aside.

Now add some oil in a vessel and add the mustard and fenugreek seeds after its start popping add the chopped onion, tomato and green chilies and fry till the onions transparent.

Now add the minced garlic along with the all spice powder except Tarka masala and some salt and sugar.

Cook this for some time; now add the boiled dal (without the boiling water) and the fried potato and the scramble eggs.

Cook for some time till the raw smell masala goes off.

Now add some water and the Tarka Masala and cook with lid, till the dal become thick.

Enjoy hot with Roti, onion and pickle.

Homemade Chicken Shami Kabab

There was some boneless chicken in my fridge and date is till tomorrow so any how have to finish them. What to make with this I thought so many items but finally made some CHICKEN SHAMI KABAB. One of a very famous Muglai starter and diffenet form of KABAB also.  Searched few recipes in Google and finally with some my way made few fabulous SHAMI KEBAB’S. The recipe is not that tough so you can make that restaurant style KABAB at home only.

Basically this kabab’s are made with minced chicken and few spices but I added some Chana dal also. The idea of using the Chana Dal I got from  Sanjeev Kapoor’s website. But I added something extra to make it little different. We enjoyed our evening snacks with my homemade SHAMI KABAB’S.

Preparation time: 10 mints.
Cooking and frying time: 30 mints.

Ingredients:
1.Minced or small pieces of boneless chicken: 150 gm.
2.Bengal Chana Dal : 100gm.
3.One medium chopped onions.
4.One  clove chopped garlic.
5.One inch chopped ginger.
6.Three to Four green chilies.
7.Half cup chopped coriander leaves.
8.One egg.
9.One bowl of bread cram.
10.One table spoon corn flour.
11.Few cumin seeds, Half tea spoon chat masala, Half tea spoon red chili powder, Half tea spoon coriander powder, Half tea spoon of garam masala powder.
12.Salt and sugar as per taste.
13.Oil for frying.

Process:

Wash and soak the chana dal for one an hour.

Now add some oil in a vessel and add the cumin seeds after few second add the half of the chopped onion grated ginger and garlic.

Fry for some time now add the chicken with some salt and cook till the chickens are become tender.

Now add the coriander powder, red chili powder, chat masala and garam masala into the pan and mix well with everything. Now add some sugar and mix well.

Take one blender and add the soaked chana dal, rest of the onions, green chilies, coriander leaves and make a smooth paste. Now add the mixture into the pan and mix well with everything.

Now put all the mixture into a food processor or a blender and make smooth paste. Now add some cornflour into it.

Make few flatter balls with the help of your palm and dipped them into the bitten egg and after that roll them into the bread crumbs.

Keep the KABAB’S in the fridge for few mints.

Now fry them till both the side become brown. 

Enjoy with Mustard Sauce or Ketchup.

Kalakand or Milk Cake

Another sweet delicacy from West Bengal and also all over the India was my today's venture. Being a sweet lover I always love to make sweet dishes to give us a treat. And that’s why I always try to make the authentic Bengali sweets to feel the essence of Kolkata. But this one is really famous in all over India too.

I prepared some KALAKAND or MILK CAKE a delicacy which gets melted in mouth easily. For making this sweets you need few basic things like Chana, Thick Milk, Sugar and some pistachios for garnishing. But the sweets are just too good. Almost in every sweet shop in India you will get this sweet, a very easy but very tasty one. 

Ingredients:

1.Thick Milk : 4 cup.
2.Chana or cottage cheese: 100 gm.
3.Sugar : 4 table spoon (depend on your taste also).
4.Some Pistachios for garnishing.
5. Few drop of ghee.

Process:

Put the milk in a heavy bottomed vessel and start boiling when it’s become half of the original quantity then add the Chana.

And stir continuously now add the sugar and stir till the milk and chana mixture become dry.

Now grease one plate with little ghee and spread the mixture into the plate proportionately and garnished with pistachios.

Keep it in fridge for 20 mints. Now cut into small pieces.

Give your family members a sweet treat…

Bong's Special Paanch Meshali Tarkari or Mixed Vegetable

Some delightful authentic Bengali dishes are made with only few no of spices. But the taste and the look always give us pleasure. One of a very famous veg preparation of West Bengal is Paanch Meshali Tarkari or Mixed Vegetable (no paneer). And this recipe is from my Grany’s kitchen. She was a vegetarian and she loved to have all kind of different vegetables. With all this different vegetables she used to prepare this Paanch Meshali Tarkari. I really love the smell of the dish.

This dish is specially made with all kind of vegetables like potato, cauliflower, pumpkin, beans, brinjal, carrots etc, and with very less spices. With Plain rice Roti this one is just the best. A very simple recipe but always a treat for ourselves.

Preparation time: 15 mints.

Cooking time: 40 mints.

Ingredients:

1.Potato: 1 big. (cut into cube size)

2.Half cup chopped beans in big size.

3.One small bowl of cauliflower in medium size.

4.Two medium size carrots cut into medium size.

5.Half Brinjal cut into medium cube size.

6.One small bowl of pumpkin pieces.

7.One small bowl of radish cut into cube size.

8.6 to 8 Pattols or Parwals .

9.split green chilies 5 to 6.

10.One small chopped tomato.

11.Daler bori half cup.

12.Half tea spoon of turmeric powder,

13.Half tes spoon of cumin powder.

14.Half tea spoon of bhaja masla (dry roasted and grinded cumin seeds and dry red chili).

15.Half tea spoon Paanch foron (cumin seeds, kalonji, sauf, fenugreek seeds. Mustard seeds), 1 Bay leave.

16.One tea spoon ginger paste.

17.Salt and sugar as per taste.

18.sunflower oil for cooking.

Process:

Cut and wash all the vegetables. Now add some oil in a vessel and fry the cauliflower pieces till it turn golden and keep it aside.

Now add some more oil and fry the brinjal pieces till it become golden brown and keep it aside.

Now add some oil and fry the Bori pieces till it golden brown and break them into small pieces.

Now add some more oil and add the Paanch foron and bay leave when they start crackle and all the other vegetables, tomatoes and green chilies with some salt and fry for some time.

Now add the turmeric powder, cumin powder and mix well with everything.

Now after 5 mints add the ginger paste and some sugar and stir well.

Now cook with a lid in low flame till the vegetables are 60 % done.

Now remove the lid and add the fried cauliflower and fried brinjal pieces and mix well with everything.

Again cook in low flame till the vegetables are cooked completely.

Now add the fried BOri and the bhaja masala. Mix well with everything.

Garnish with some bhaja bori. Serve hot with plain Rice or Roti