Lemon Chilli noodles - AWESOME, was my family’s comment!! Boiled noodles - 200 gms Heat 2 tbsp oil & add: Finely chopped garlic - 2 tbsp Chopped lemon grass - 1 tbsp Red chilli flakes - 1 tsp Aji no moto - a tiny pinch (optional) freshly powdered pepper - 1 tsp Salt Finally add boiled noodles, sauté for 2-3 mtes & remove from stove. Add lime juice – 2-3 tsp & mix thoroughly. Serve topped with lemon grass & sprinkle chilli flakes.
Ginger - Tomato Chutney - zingy tang! This goes with all tiffins, bread, curd rice etc. Chopped tomatoes - 1 cup Chopped ginger - ¼ cup Curry leaves, coriander leaves - each 2-3 tbsp Tamarind paste - 1 tsp (optional) Hing, Salt First, fry in 1 tsp oil & remove, when dhal turns golden: red chillies - 2, 3 Gram dhal - 2 tbsp Next fry in 1 tsp oil, tomatoes + greens + hing. Finally add ginger & switch off. Mix all ingredients & grind to a paste. If you want to preserve it for 3-4 days, heat 2 tbsp oil & shallow fry the paste for a few mtes.
Capsicum Paratha - ideal for lunch box!! Make roti dough with 1` cup wheat flour. Divide into 5 balls. Filling: Mix together: Finely chopped capsicum - ½ cup Grated mozzarella cheese - ½ cup Salt - a pinch Red chilli powder & garam masala to taste. Keep the fillimg in centre & fold as for Envelope Paratha (1) Envelope Paratha (2) Shallow fry using little oil till crisp.
Three Flour Roti - introducing a variety in rotis!! Make a dough with: Bajra flour - 1 cup Jowar flour - 1 cup Whole weat flour - ½ cup Green chilli-ginger-garlic paste - 2 tbsp Minced onions - 3-4 tbsp Curds - 3 tbsp Salt Oil - 2 tbsp With enough water. Roll immediately into thick rotis & shallow fry using oil.
Lauki Thepla - one more to the “roti-mela”!! I used half wheat flour & half bajra flour as for Methi Thepla I equalized both for easy rolling. Grate lauki & sqeeze dry. Reserve the water for kneading. Make a dough with Equal amounts of wheat flour + bajra flour Squeezed lauki Minced green chillies+ginger + garlic (optional) Salt, hng, haldi Knead the first with 2 tsp oil & if necessary add the squeezed out water or little curds to make a roti dough. Do not keep the dough for long. Roll parathas & shallow fry with little oil. A puri press or tortilla maker can be used if rolling is not easy because of the presence of bajra flour. Serve with dhal & a dry vegetable. These should be shallow-fried soft, if you plan to keep for some time..
Spicy Multipurpose Tomato Dip - deliciously creamy! This goes very well with pulaos (specially jeera pulao), chips, khakras, breads or any kababs. Blanche, peel, chop & blend 4 red medium tomatoes & strain to remove seeds. Heat in a pan: Oil + butter - each 1 tbsp Curry leaves - few Minced onion - 2 tbsp Tomao puree - ½ cup salt, sugar 1 tbsp Jeera powder, garam masala - each ½ tsp minced green hillies - 1 tsp Red chilli powder - 2-3 tsp Mix well & add Cream - ½ cup ( I used home-made malai on top of the milk). Simmer & remove. Garnish with coriander leaves. The photo with jeera pulao will be posted later.
Alfredo Sauce with pasta - an Italian recipe! Cook 1 cup of any pasta & keep ready. For the sauce: Heat 2 tbsp buter & add: before it melts, add Cornflour - 2 tbsp Saute for 1-2 mtes; add milk - 1` cup Salt, sugar, pepper powder Little water Grated nutmeg - a pinch When it starts simmering, add cream - ½ cup Mix the pasta & sauce & transfer to a baking dish. Top with 2 tbsp processed cheese & a few pastas. Grate nutmeg over it & bake at 180 deg C for 5-7 mtes. In the second photos, I added some sauted pieces of tricolour capsicum.
Drumstick Chutney - a perfect side-dish for idli-dosa!! Grind the following to a paste & saute in 2 tsp oil: Dhanya - 1 tsp Khuskhus - 3 tsp Ginger - 1" Green chillies - 4-5 Garlic - 4-5 pcs Haldi Heat a pan & add 1 tbsp oil. Temper: Cinnamon – 1” Cloves & cardamoms - 4,each Chopped onions - ½ cup Chopped tomatoes - 1 cup Saute well , add salt & the fried paste, 1 cup drumstick pieces. Add very little water & cook for one whistle. Cool, open & add coconut milk (farly thick – or atleast medium ) to get the desired consistency. Mix well.
Corn Basil Fusili - lovely blend of flavours!! Cooked fusili - 3 cups (substitute any pasta) Olive oil - 2 tbsp Finely chopped garlic 1 tsp Boiled & sliced baby corn - ½ cup Boiled American sweet corn - ½ cup Chopped onions - ½ cup Finely chopped pasley - 2 tbsp Finely chopped fresh basil - 2 tbsp ( I added tulsi) Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste For garnishing: 3 Tbsp grated cheese (optional) Heat oil in a pan, add onions & garlic & sauté till translucent. Ad both corns & sauté for 3-4 mtes. Add salt, pepper, basil, parsley, pasta & toss well. Serve hot garnished with cheese.
Indian Shepherd’s Pie - the American favorite, Indianised!! For the base: Parboil small cubes of carrot, babycorn, cauliflower, peas - 1 cup Heat in a pan: Oil - 1 tbsp Add: Minced garlic - 1 tbsp Finely chopped onion - 2 tbsp minced green chillies & ginger - 2 tsp Next add vegetables. Add 1 cup ogf milk, mixed with 2-3 tsp cornflour. Add salt & sugar. Paprika is optional. It will become a fairly thick mixture. Spread it on a greased baking dish. Topping: Mix together: Finely grated (boiled & peeled) potatoes - 1 cup malai (top of the milk) - 1 tbsp Salted butter - 2 tbsp Place the crust on top f te vegetables. Bake in a pre heated oven at 200 deg C for about 7-8 mtes or till top turns golden. Serve hot with a soup.