Chinese Fried Rice

Serves: 4 to 5

Ingredients

• 11/2 cups rice
• 1 tbsp soya sauce
• 3 beaten eggs
• 2 or 3 chopped spring onions
• 2 oz unsalted butter or ghee(approx 4 tbsp)
• 1 stick celery(chopped)
• 3 tbsp cooked peas
• salt to taste

Method

• Cook the rice.
• Heat butter and fry the cooked rice with salt for about 7 to 8 mins, mix it .
• Take another pan and put little oil, heat the oil and add beaten eggs and stir it till the eggs are cooked.
• Add the cooked eggs, chopped spring onions, celery and soya sauce to the rice and cook it for 2 mins on low heat.

Fried Rice is ready to serve.. Serve it with veg or chicken Manchurian..:)

Flaked Rice(poha)

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2 cups Poha (Flaked rice),
• 1 large size onion,
• 1 medium size potato,
• 3-4 green chillies,
• 1 tsp lemon juice,
• 2 tsp sugar,
• salt to taste,
• 2 tbsp oil,
• 1 tsp mustard seeds,
• 4 to 5 curry leaves
• 1 tsp turmeric powder,
• coconut and coriander leaves for garnishing.

Method

• Rinse Poha in water and drain. Set it aside for 10 to 15 mins.
• Add salt, sugar and lemon juice to it.
• Chop green chillies finely.Chop cilantro/coriander leaves, onion and potato into medium pieces.
• Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. As they start spluttering, add curry leaves,chopped onion, potato, green chillies and turmeric powder.
• Cover and cook on medium heat till potato turn tender. Then add poha and stir.
• Cover for 5 minutes. Remove the lid, stir and let it cook for another 2 mins.
• Garnish with coconut and coriander leaves.
• Serve hot with mango or chilly pickle.

Note: You can also drizzle some ghee if you want before serving.

Variations: Try different versions of poha by adding one or more of vegetables such as green peas, chopped pieces of egg plant and cabbage.

Egg Patties

Serves: 3 to 4

Ingredients

• 5 eggs
• 4 medium potatoes
• small bunch of coriander leaves
• 1 small onion
• 1 medium sized tomato
• 1 tsp chilly powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp Butter chicken Masala
• Bread crumbs
  
• Oil or ghee
• Salt to taste

Method

• Boil the potatoes,add salt while boiling the potatoes to taste.
• Mash and knead the potatoes to a dough and keep aside.
• Chop the onion,tomato and green chillies very finely and Chop the coriander leaves.
• Heat a tablespoon of oil or ghee and fry the onion till tender, but not browned.
• Add the tomato and cook for a few minutes.
• Add seasoning i.e chilly, cumin powder, Butter chicken masala, salt to taste and chopped coriander and break in 4 eggs, stirring constantly till the mixture thickens and sets.(Note: For seasoning add any spices you like.)
• Remove from gas and let it cool.
• Beat the remaining egg well in a saucepan and keep aside.
• Knead the potato dough again and make flat cases.
• Place a heaped spoonful of the mixture in the center and cover, folding in the sides, to seal the stuffing.
• Press between the palms and make it flat.
• Heat some ghee or oil in a pan.
• Dip each patty in the beaten egg, roll in crumbs to make it crispy and fry till nicely browned.

Serve hot with bread, tomato ketchup or green chutney....:)

Egg Curry (Mangalorean)

Serves: 2 to 3

Ingredients

• 6 eggs
• 1 medium sized potato,
• 1 medium sized onion
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds,
• 1 tsp cumin seeds,
• 1 tsp mustard seeds,
• ½ tsp turmeric powder,
• 1 lime size tamarind ball or approx 1 tsp concentrated tamarind paste
• 2 flakes garlic,
• 6 tbsp coconut,
• Salt to taste,
• 1 tbsp oil.

Methods

• Boil the eggs (4 eggs) and a potato, Shell the eggs and cut each into 2 pieces, lengthwise.
• Grind to a paste 1/2 onion, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, turmeric powder,tamarind, garlic, coconut,Salt, oil.
• Put 1 tbsp oil in the pan and heat it.
• Fry the1/2 sliced onion till brown, add the ground paste and fry for thee minutes.
• Add 2 cups water (as required for curry) and bring to a boil.
• Add the 4 boiled eggs and break the remaining 2 eggs into the curry, take care to see that they do not overlap.
• Add boiled potato, continue cooking till oil surfaces.
• Shake the pan once or twice to prevent the eggs sticking to the bottom, do not stir.
• Once the eggs are cooked, you can stir the curry and turn off the heat
• Garnish it with coriander and enjoy it with rice or Indian Bread.

(Note: you can either put all the boiled eggs in the curry or you can break all the eggs into the curry,it is up to you. I like some boiled and some broken eggs in the curry.)

Mutter Paneer

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• Paneer cut into cubical or triangular shape.(20 to 22 small pieces)
• 3/4 cup Mutter(can add more peas)
• 1 medium sized onion
• 2 medium sized tomatoes
• 1 1/2 tsp chilli powder
• 1 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
  
• Whole garam masala(2 nos.2" cinnamon stick,2 cloves,3 cardamom,1 Bay leaf)
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 1/2 tsp Ginger Garlic
• Few broken pieces of cashewnuts(if cashewnuts are
• not available almonds can also be used.)
• 2 tbsp Oil
• 3 green chillies
• 1/4 cup chopped coriander leaves
• 11/2 tbsp Kasoori Methi
• 3 tbsp Cream or Curd mixed with sugar.(Add some water in the curd to make it to right consistency)
  

Method

• Put 1 tbsp oil in the pan, heat it.
• Add cashewnuts and roast it for 2 to 3 mins
• Add onions and saute it with little amount of salt until the onions turn golden brown,
• Add turmeric and mix it, put ginger garlic paste and saute it for sometime.
• Put tomatoes and cook it till they turn soft.
• Make the paste of cashewnuts, onions and the tomatoes in the blender.
• Add again 1 tbsp of oil in the pan,heat it.
• Add whole garam masala and saute it.
• Add the puree of cashewnuts,onions and tomatoes in the pan
• Put little water and add cumin,coriander and chilli powder and green chillies.
• Cook the mixture for 15 to 20 mins so that the raw spices will cook nicely.
• Put kasoori methi(rub it between your palms,to make it fine) as this adds nice flavour to the mix.
• cook this mix on low flame for 8 to 10 mins, then add peas.
• Cook again for 5 min, then add paneer.
• Let it cook for 7 to 8 mins on low flame.Add chopped coriander,mix it
  
• Add cream or curd and again stir it
  
• Cook it another for 2 min and then turn off the heat.

(Note: Fresh Paneer can be directly added in the gravy but if it is stored in a refrigerator for a longer time, fry it in the oil till they become slightly golden and soak it in the water for 10-15 mins.Sqeeze the paneer pieces in between the palms and put it in the gravy.This makes the paneer soft and also removes oil from it.)

Garnish it with some coriander leaves.

Mutter Paneer is ready to serve.

Aloo Paratha

Makes 6

Ingredients

Dough

• 1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp oil
• 1/2 cup water

Stuffing
(uncooked Masalas)

• 3 medium sized boiled potatoes
• Salt to taste.
  
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder
• 2 tsp chopped coriander
• 1/4 tsp chaat masala

(cooked Masalas)

• 1 tsp Oil
• 1/2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• 2 tsp minced onion(optional)
• 1/2 tsp Cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder
• 2 green chillies
• 1/4 tsp chaat masala
• 1 tsp lime juice.

Method

Dough

• Take flour,mix it with salt and 1/2 tsp oil then mix it with water.
• Add water as needed to make the dough soft and then knead it with 1/2 tsp oil.
• Keep the dough aside for 15-20 mins.

Stuffing

• Grate the boiled potatoes and mix it with the uncooked masalas as directed(grating should be done to avoid the lumps of potatoes.)
• Keep it aside.
• Take oil as directed and heat it in the pan
• Add ginger-garlic paste,minced onions, cumin powder,chilli powder and chaat masala as directed
• Cook it properly till the onions turn golden brown.
• Put the potato mix into the pan,add lime juice and mix it.
• Remove the mixture in the bowl and let it cool.

Preparation

• Now take the dough and divide it into 6 equal parts
• Divide the potato stuffing also in 6 equal parts and roll it into balls
• Take 1 ball of dough and roll it to 4" to 5" circle. (Note:while rolling keep it in mind that the middle portion of the dough is kept thick to place the potato mix ball on it.)
• Place the potato mix ball in the center of the rolled dough and wrap the dough around the potato stuffing to form a ball.
• Press the ball with hand and roll again with the rolling pin to form circular disc.(if needed, add flour on the rolling board to ease rolling.)
  
• Be careful that the stuffing does not come out of the dough,while rolling.

Cooking

• Place the paratha on the pan and let it cook each side for 3 to 4 mins
• Add little oil or clarified butter, when Pan frying.

Serve the Parathas with Tomato chutney, Curd or Tomato ketchup.

Samosas

Samosas are perhaps one of the most popular Indian appetizers. Be it a party,function or any occasion everyone loves to grab it......My hubby is no exception, he used to order samosas from out whenever he used to feel like eating and that motivated me to try the Samosa recipe at home...

Serves: 2 to 3

Ingredients

Dough

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (Maida)
• 1 tsp sooji
• Pinch of salt
• 11/2tbsp oil
  
• 1/8th cup of luke warm water

Stuffing

• 2 large boiled Potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 cup green peas (frozen)
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp corriander powder
  
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds(coarsely ground)
• 1 tsp ginger paste
• 1/2 tsp red chilli
• 1/2 tsp Garam Masala (I used homemade Garam Masala)
• 2 medium sized chillies
• 1 tsp amchoor powder(optional)

Method

Dough

• Mix the flour, sooji, oil and salt together.Add water as needed
• Knead for a minute or two to make the dough smooth
• Set the dough aside for atleast for 20 min and cover it with damp cloth.

Stuffing

• Heat the oil in a frying pan on a medium high heat
• Add cumin seeds as cumin seeds crack, add ginger paste, green chillies, coriander powder and stir.
• Add green peas and stir until tender.
• Add the potatoes and stir-fry for about 3- 4 minutes.
• Add salt to taste
• Add fennel seeds(coarsely ground)
• Stir in garam masala.
• cool the stuffing to room temperature.

Making Samosas

• Knead the dough again. Divide the dough into 4 equal parts and make into balls.
• Roll each ball into 6 to 61/2" diameter circles and cut each circle in half.
• Make the half into a cone by sticking seam together with a little water, stick the sides of this cone so that it is completely sealed.
• Fill the cone with 21/2 tablespoons of filling.
• Press this filling down with your fingers. Now close the top of the cone into a triangle shape, stick the top edge so that it is completely sealed.
• Continue filling the rest of the samosas.

Cooking the Samosas

• Heat about 1-1/2 inch of the oil for deep frying over a medium-low flame. (You may use a wok or Indian karhai ).
• To check if oil is hot enough, place a small piece of dough in oil and the dough should sizzle and come to the surface slowly
• Carefully put in as many samosas as it fits.
• Fry slowly, turn the samosas until they are golden brown and crisp.
• Do not fry the samosas on high heat or else the samosa crust will become too soft and it won't be crispy.

Serve it with green Chutney or Tomato ketchup...:)