Chatpata Mango Salad

Salads form a very important part of our meal. Preparing the salad with the seasonal fruits and vegetables is my forte and hence I thought to put down the recipe of  Chatpata Mango Salad. In summer one must have cooling agents. Cucumber and Mint (Pudina) are great cooling agents. Mango the king of fruits forms an integral part of this recipe. Use salt carefully as already chat masala is being used.

Ingredients -

Ripe Mango-Diced- 1
Grapes - 2 tblspn

Roasted/Crushed Peanuts - 2 tbspn

Chopped Onions - 1

Chopped Mint (Pudina) - 1 tblspn

Cucumber Sliced (Kakdi) - 1

Lime Juice - 1 tbspn

Finely Chopped Chillies - 1 small

Sugar - a pinch

Chat Masala - 2 -3 tbspn

Salt - to taste

Method-

1. In a deep bowl place the mangoes.

2. Add to it grapes, onions, cucumber, mint and chillies.
3. Sprinkle half of the peanuts. Put the chaat masala and salt.
4. Mix well. Add to it sugar and lime juice.
5. Mix well.
6. Place the mixture in a serving bowl.
7. Sprinkle remaining roasted peanuts as garnish.
8. Place mint leaves on top.
9. Serve Cool.

Chicken bites in barbeque sauce

Really there is so much you can do with the lovely chicken. Serve in the main course, breakfast, dinner or even as a starter. Loved by all its a healthy dish as one gets the proteins from it. Having the same routine recipes kind of starts getting boring so here is a quick and easy starter with a twist as it's really very easy but very tasty and a lip smacking dish. Select a good variety of boneless chicken which has a pinkish colour as the pink colour indicates that the chicken is fresh and lovely to taste.

Here we need to marinate the chicken for 3-4 hours which allows the flavours to be penetrated into the awesome chicken . Now coming to the recipe:

Ingredients -

Boneless Chicken - 350 gms cut into squares
Garlic - 1 1/2 tblspn chopped
Barbeque Sauce - 5-6 tblspn
Olive oil - 2 tblspn (for marination)+ 2 tblspn(for the sauce)
Hot Chilly Sauce - 3 tblspn
honey - 1 tspn
Salt - to taste
Pepper - to taste

Garnish-
Shredded lettuce and tomato skin rose flower.

Method -
(Step -I)

1. Wash chicken pieces and pat them dry.
2. In a deep bowl put the entire barbeque sauce.
3. In goes half the olive oil.
4. Add the entire hot chilly sauce.
5. Add to it the honey.
6. Put half the garlic finely chopped.
7. Add salt and pepper to taste.
8. Mix well.
9. Place the chicken pieces in the bowl.
10. Mix well so that the marinade covers the entire chicken.
11. Cover the bowl with a silver foil and refrigerate it for 3-4 hrs.

(Step - II)

1. Heat the remaining olive oil in a flat pan.
2. Place the marinated chicken pieces in to the olive oil without the marinade.
3. Cover and allow them to light brown.
4. Turn side and cover and cook till it turns light brown on the other side too.
5. Insert a knife in the chicken breast to see it's cooked properly.
6. Remove the chicken pieces aside leaving the entire cooked oil.
7. In the same pan add chopped garlic. Cook till dark brown.
8. Place the left over marinade in the pan and let the sauce cook for 2 minutes.
9. Place the chicken pieces and saute in a way that the sauce coats the chicken.
10. Serve immediately garnished with shredded lettuce and rose flower.

Tip - To make the tomato rose, lengthwise peel the skin of a tight tomato without letting it break. Roll the skin firmly to get the shape of the rose.

Ghughani

घुघनी is a breakfast brunch dish from Bihar. Morning heavy breakfast is taken and people leave home for their work. Ghughani is prepared from black gram which is a rich source of protein. Having a protein filled breakfast gives energy for day-long hard work. This dish is very commonly found in all the households of Bihar. After the day's work is over and women while winding-up the kitchen make it a point to soak black gram for the following morning breakfast. In summers it can be accompanied by buttermilk (Chaas) which would create a balance as whole spices are used in preparation of ghughani. Years after years this traditional breakfast recipe is passed on to the next generation. When I travelled to Bihar (Bodh Gaya) I got an opportunity to learn this awesome dish. Prepared in mustard oil gives a lovely robust flavour to the dish. Garnished with fresh coriander leaves gives an amazing flavour and one tends to dig into the awesome bite. Traditionally women used to grind the spices in the mortar and pestle called "Silauti" in Bihar. Modern cooking - we use grinder. When the grounded masala is prepared on the "Silauti", it has the unique flavour as it's done for several minutes; the women keep on grinding adding water little by little to get the fine consistency masala. The aroma of this grounded masala is simply divine. 

The black gram has to be cleaned thoroughly and washed with several changes of water till the water runs clear and then soaked overnight for the black gram to swell up. In the morning boil chana (in a pressure cooker) with salt added as per taste. Give 5- whistles, lower the heat and cook for 5-10 minutes more. The black gram is ready to turn into ghughani.

Now coming to the ingredients -

Boiled Black Gram - 1 cup

Mustard Oil - 4 tblspn

Sliced Onions - 4 medium

Chopped Tomato - 1

Turmeric Powder - 1 1/2 tspn

Red Chilly Powder - 1 tspn

Salt - to taste

Bay Leaf (Tejpatta) - 2

For the Ground Masala -

Garlic - 10-12 cloves

Cloves (Laung) - 2-3

Ginger - 1 1/2 inch piece

Cumin Seeds - (Jeera)

Whole Black Pepper (Golki)- 7-8

Whole Dried Red Chilly - 2-3

Fresh Green Chilly - 2-3 (can be adjusted as per liking)

Cinnamon - 1/2 inch stick

Coriander Seeds - 1 tblspn

For the Garnish -

Chopped Fresh Green Coriander - 2 tblspn

Boiled Black Gram - 2 tblspn

Garam Masala Powder - a pinch

METHOD -

• 
  
  Prepare a masala with all the ingredients under "ground masala" using little water.
• 
  
  Heat Oil in a heavy bottomed pan (Kadhai).
• 
  
  Add bay leaf.
• 
  
  Add sliced onion and saute till it turns light brown
• 
  
  Add the ground masala. Bhuno (Saute) it well.
• 
  
  {Don't leave the masala unattended to prevent burning}
• 
  
  Add little water so that the masala does not burn.
• 
  
  Add salt, turmeric and chilly powder. Mix well.
• 
  
  Add Chopped Tomato and again saute it.
• 
  
  When the fat separation happens add boiled chana.
• 
  
  Mix well. Add some water as per thickness of gravy is required.
• 
  
  Cover and give it a boil on low flame.
• 
  
  Transfer into a prestige cooker and give 2 whistles.
• 
  
  Lower the flame and let it cook for 5-6 minutes.
• 
  
  When done transfer into the serving dish.
• 
  
  Sprinkle garam masala.
• 
  
  Sprinkle boiled chana and fresh coriander.
• 
  
  Serve hot with paratha (Indian bread).

Following picture shows without the garnish.

Fish Patties

Fish is said to be in rich in Omega Fatty - 3 acids. It primarily contains 'good fat' and is a rich source of protein. Other sources of Omega Fatty - 3 acids mainly for vegetarians are the flaxseeds, flaxseed-oil, walnut.This recipe is basically for the kids and the weight watchers as the fish is steamed and then shallow-fried. 

An important thing to remember here is while the fish is being prepared there is a foul smell to avoid this one must apply loads of turmeric and some amount of salt an dkeep it aside for sometime say 20 minutes. Turmeric cuts the smell of the fish.

Here I've used Surmai (King Fish) fish fillets (boneless) for this recipe. The fish has been steamed with the whole spices so that the delicate flavours and aroma blend into the fish giving it a nice flavour. Delicately flavoured with pepper, I've used boiled mashed potato to help in binding. A very healthy and tasty dish for the kids as kids usually avoid spices. 

INGREDIENTS -

Fish Fillets - Surmai - 1

Boiled Potato -1 small

Whole Spices -

Cloves - 2/3

Bay Leaf - 1

Cinnamon - 1 inch stick

Black Cardamom - 1

Green Pepper - 5/6

Garlic pods - 3/4

Seasoning-

Salt - to taste

Black Pepper Powder - as per taste

Turmeric powder - 2-3 spoons

Garnish -

Grated Carrot - 1 Large

Lettuce - 2-3 tender leaves

Oil - Vegetable Oil - as required.

METHOD -

• 
  
  Sprinkle turmeric and some salt on the fish fillet pieces and keep aside
• 
  
  Keep some water to boil in a pan.
• 
  
  In a silver foil put the fish pieces and put all the ingredients under whole spices.
• 
  
  Prepare a parcel and keep this on a colander.
• 
  
  Colander has to be kept on the boiling water pan
• 
  
  Cover the colander. (See picture)

• 
  
  Steam the fish for 10 minutes.
• 
  
  Open the parcel fish would look like this picture.

• 
  
  Mash the fish with the back of a fork.
• 
  
  Add to it boiled and mashed potato.
• 
  
  Mix well.
• 
  
  Sprinkle seasoning to taste.
• 
  
  Form patty shape and shallow fry on a non-stick pan.
• 
  
  Assemble on a serving dish.
• 
  
  Garnish as shown in the picture.
• 
  
  Serve Hot.

Buttermilk - Chaas

Buttermilk helps in digestion and is a very good beverage for the obese. Can be had as an appetiser or just to augment the liquid intake during summers. Goes very well with upma for breakfast. It also helps in detoxifying the body. Fill up bottles in your refrigerator by preparing butter milk in advance so that the use of aerated drinks is eliminated and buttermilk would give a soothing effect. A natural cool drink devoid of any chemicals is a real good option to beat the heat so get set go to prepare this real easy beverage.

INGREDIENTS-

Natural Curd – 2 cups
Chilled Water – 4 to 5 cups

Roasted Cumin Powder – ½ tspn + pinch for garnish

METHOD –

Mix Curd and cold water in a blender.

Add cumin powder and give it a whisk.

Serve in glasses.

Garnish with a sprinkle of cumin powder.

 

Note – I’ve not used salt here but if you so desire can always put salt to taste.

Yummy Yoghurt Combo

Have you got bored of presenting the curd in the same way day in and day out, then why not be a bit innovative and try this yummy recipe of flavoured yoghurts. Adults can enjoy it as a dessert as it’s a healthy dessert minus the sugar. Kids would simply love its marvellous flavours. Made with easily available things at home, ready in just minutes. Let’s have a look at the recipe.

All you need is

Hung Yoghurt (Natural) may be about 2 cups.

Jam Black Currant Flavoured - 2 tblspn

Jam Figs Flavoured - 3 tblspn

Dried Fig - for garnishing

Steps to prepare the flavoured Yoghurt:

Divide the yoghurt in two.

Mix Black Currant Jam in first half.

Mix Figs Flavoured Jam in the other half.

Fill the glass with the black currant flavoured yoghurt.

Keep it in the freezer compartment to set for say 20 odd minutes.

Pour the Fig flavoured Yoghurt to fill the glass completely.

Garnish with a dried fig.

Cool for another 10-15 minutes and serve.

Bihari Mutton Stew

A real hot and spicy dish, using whole spices, gives it a beautiful taste. A tremendous hit in Bihari homes as it's an easy preparation prepared with choicest fresh pieces of meat. Unlike the metros Bihari's purchase the meat fresh. The meat vendors open their shops in the morning and by mid-morning the whole meat is "Sold-out". Bihari's thus get to taste the fresh meat. Simply packed with flavours as the whole spices emit their aroma and flavours making the dish outstanding. It’s a great meat dish for the dinner or lunch time. Enjoyed well with chapati or rice. This recipe comes from my mother-in-law's collection and one would truly enjoy that authentic and it's traditional flavours.

INGREDIENTS -
Mutton (Goat Meat with bones ) - 350 GMS
Onions - 4 Medium - Sliced
Ginger - 1 inch stick - finely chopped
Garlic - 10-12 pods
Mustard Oil - 2-3 tblspn

(Whole Spices)

Black Cardamom - 2
Cinnamon Stick - 1 inch
Green Cardamom - 4-5
Cloves - 3-4
Bay Leaf - 2
Black Pepper - 7-8
Nutmeg - grated - a pinch
Mace - 3-4 strands
Dried Red Chillies - 2 whole (broken into 2)

(Dry Spices)

Red Chilly Powder - 1/2 tblspn
Garam Masala Powder - 1/2 tspn
Coriander Powder - 1 1/2 tspn

Salt - to taste
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tspn
Fresh Coriander - 1 tblspn

Method-
Heat Oil in a Pan/wok to smoking point.
Add Bay Leaf and all the whole spices
When it emits the aroma add onion.
Sauté till the onion turns pink.
Add Garlic and Ginger. Mix well.
Add to it the meat and sauté till you see brown specs on the meat.
Good time to add salt and turmeric.
Mix well.
Add all the dried spice powders.
Mix well. Add 1 cup water and mix well again
Transfer in to a prestige cooker.
After 4-5 whistles open the lid of the pressure cooker.
Sauté well again at this point.
Add a little water for thinning the gravy.
Cook on low flame for 20-25 mins.
Transfer in to a serving dish (after the pressure drops).
Sprinkle a pinch of garam masala powder and fresh coriander
Serve hot with chapati or rice.

The Lady in the Pink

Summers are already here and  is it you can't think of a variety of mock tails for your guests. Do not worry as I'm going to present a variety of thirst quenchers for my favourite fans and readers who can turn a summery evening into a delightful cool evening. Try this yummy-luscious mock tail ready-to-drink in just minutes. 

All you need is a glass, keep in the refrigerator for 15 to 30 minutes so that the glass also gets chilled and it creates a magic for the guests.

Mock tails are mostly prepared directly in the glass.

Now coming to the method of preparing this mock tail:

1. 
   
   In a plate mix some strawberry crush and sifted icing sugar.
2. 
   
   Coat the rim of the glass with the above so that the rim has a pink border.
3. 
   
   Keep the glass on the kitchen island and tip in plenty of ice cubes in the glass.
4. 
   
   Add in some strawberry crush say about 3 tblspn to the ice.
5. 
   
   Pour in 1 cup of Litchi/Lychee Juice into the glass.
6. 
   
   Add Juice of 1/2 a lime and finally fill up the rest of the glass with sprite.
7. 
   
   Serve immediately and enjoy the refreshing effect.
8. 
   
   The mocktail and the prepared rim would blend together and give that amazing effect when sipped.

Quick Tasty Omelette with Grilled Tomato

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It is said, “Have Breakfast like a king". Breakfast is considered to be the most important meal of the day because you are breaking your fasting of 7-8 hours from your dinner time means the body goes in to the starvation mode after you are finished with your dinner and the body needs adequate fuel to start the day energetically and being the first meal of the day has to be healthy and filling. Today I’m presenting this dish mainly for the bachelors or hostellers who have limited cooking options. Having the omelette with grilled tomato and soaked almonds makes it healthier.  My personal preference is to have the dish without the salt, if you desire you can sprinkle salt.

INGREDIENTS-

Egg whites – 4
Olive Oil – 1 ½ tblspn
Pepper – ½ tspn
Chilly Flakes – a generous sprinkling
Oregano – to taste
Tomato – 1 Large
Toasted Bread Slices – 2
Soaked Almonds – a handful


METHOD-

Beat Egg whites until frothy.
Heat Olive oil in a non-stick pan.
Pour the egg white mixture in the pan and let it cook.
Sprinkle Oregano and Chilly Flakes.
See picture.



When done turn the side and let it brown.

Transfer into a plate.
In the same hot pan heat 5-6 drops olive oil.
Add sliced tomatoes and cook for 1-2 minutes.
Turn sides and heat it for a minute.
Arrange these near the omelette.
Sprinkle pepper on top of the tomatoes.
Serve hot with soaked almonds and bread slices.

Ghiya Dal Fry

Everyday Dal used in Bihar homes is the "Chana Dal".  Adorned with the lovely vegetable ghiya or lauki (bottle gourd) and subtle use of  Indian Spices like Bay leaf, Cinnamon and clove gives it a distinguished flavour. When it comes to everyday Cooking, it becomes really difficult to think of a variety. Chana Dal when prepared with Lauki has all the good ness of a really healthy vegetable.The protein requirements one gets from the Chana Dal  is plenty especially the vegetarians.  Right from the kids to the elderly this dal would suffice the requirement of having two vegetables along with this dal as it also has the inclusion of the lovely tomato with the beautiful vegetable Ghiya. Include it in your daily meals and moms can relax without worrying that the kids are not eating veggies.

INGREDIENTS -

Chana Dal - 1 Cup

Ghiya(Bottle Gourd) - 150 gms - Diced

Onion - 1 Large - finely chopped

Tomato - 1 Large - finely chopped

Coriander - 1 tblspn - finely chopped

Cumin Seeds(Jeera) - 1 tspn

Asafetida(Hing)- 1 tspn

Cinnamon (Dalchini)- 1 inch stick (2 pieces)

Bay Leaf (Tej Patta)- 2

Cloves (Laung) - 2 to 3

Garam Masala Powder - 1 1/2 tspn

Red Chilly Powder - 2 tspn

Turmeric Powder - 1 tspn

Clarified Butter (Ghee)- 1 tblspn

Garlic Chopped - 1 1/2 tspn

Ginger Chopped - 1 tspn

Salt - as per taste

METHOD -

1. 
   
   Soak Chana Dal in fresh water for 1/2 an hour.
2. 
   
   Put the dal with 2 1/2 cups of water in a prestige cooker
3. 
   
   Add to it turmeric powder, salt, ghiya,1 bay leaf, cloves and cinnamon,
4. 
   
   Pressure cook till dal is done. Cool it.
5. 
   
   In a kadhai (Pan) put clarified butter. Add Jeera, 1 bay leaf, chopped chillies and asafetida
6. 
   
   When jeera splutters add to it the chopped garlic and let it brown.
7. 
   
   Tip in the chopped ginger. Sauté
8. 
   
   Put it the chopped onions, cook till browned.
9. 
   
   Now add chopped tomatoes and cook well.
10. 
    
    To this add red chilly powder and Sauté  without allowing it to burn.
11. 
    
    Add to this the cooked dal.
12. 
    
    Mix well and let it boil.
13. 
    
    If the consistency is too thick you may add hot water.
14. 
    
    Sprinkle garam masala powder carefully so that no lumps are formed.
15. 
    
    Boil on slow fire.
16. 
    
    Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle coriander leaves.

Pink Beetroot Puri's

Each morning my kids have tiffin issues, mam wants all children to have a healthy snack in the tiffin-box. Kids and healthy stuff are like opposite poles. So I thought the best way to make them eat their nutrients/veggies is to camouflage them. Beetroot is one vegetable which kids would never want to eat but the colour pink has such a magnetic effect that the kids are definitely attracted if anything edible is colourful especially "pink". Beetroot has folic acid, iron, calcium, Vitamin "A' and 'C' and because of its high fibre content helps to keep bowel movement regular. Preparing a variety of dishes for the kid's tiffin is a mind boggling issue. So in order to get the nutritional benefits and something appealing to eyes as well, I thought to prepare beetroot puris seasoned with salt, Flaxseeds (known as 'Teesi'  or 'Alsi' in Hindi) which is a rich source of Omega Fatty - 3 Acids and Carom Seeds (Ajwain) - aids in digestion.

INGREDIENTS -

Beetroot -2 medium sized

Wheat Flour - 1 cup

Salt - to taste

Oil - 1 tbsp + oil for frying

Carom Seeds  - 1/2 tspn

Flaxseeds - 1/2 tsp

METHOD -

Wash the beetroot nicely and cut into 4 pieces.

Put this in pressure cooker and add about 30 ml water and pressure cook up to 2 whistles.

When cooled make a puree of the beetroots without water in a food processor.

Do not throw away the water.

Mix together the wheat flour, oil (1tbsp), carom seeds, flax seeds and salt.

To this add the beetroot puree and knead a hard dough.

Do not add the puree at one go. Puree has to be added little by little as required.

You can use the left over water if the puree is not enough for the dough.

Cover with a damp muslin cloth and leave it for 15 minutes.

The dough would look like the picture below:

Heat oil in kadhai for deep frying the puri's.

Apply little oil to the roller pin so that the dough does not get glued to it.

Prepare small balls.

With the help of rolling pin make small sized puri's.

Slowly leave the puri's in hot oil, fry for a minute and when they are done turn the side. When puffed remove with the help of a slotted spoon leaving maximum fat as possible.

Keep them on an absorbent paper.

Serve hot or pack them in the tiffin with "Parwal Aloo Dum".

Parwal Aloo Dum

One of the authentic Bihari Cusine prepared without any garlic or onion is this quick recipe. Tasty,traditional yet simple,is the mouth watering gravied vegetable. Eaten in almost all Bihari households for lunch with dal and rice, can also compliment well with chapati. Traditionally fresh masala was prepared on the mortar and pestle. Dry spices have been used here which are commonly available in all kitchens, soaked in water to release all its properties, the great aroma which gives a good texture or a great body to the dish. Use of fresh coriander gives it a beautiful aroma and a great look. A lovely dish which can be prepared during a puja at home as it's a real great recipe minus garlic-onion, very pure. Traditionally Bihari sabji's are made in mustard oil so did I use it here. When this dish has to be prepared for the puja one can use pure desi ghee which would definately turn out to be a real  toothsome dish. Do try it out in your kitchens and leave your comments for this fingerlicking everyday sabji (tarkaari), a beautiful Indian recipe.

INGREDIENTS -

Parwal (Snake Gourd) - 250 gms

Boiled Potatoes - 2 medium

Bay Leaf - 2 small

Dry Spices -

Coriander Powder - 2 tbspn

Chilly Powder - 1 1/2 tbspn

Garam Masala Powder - 2 tspns

Haldi powder - 1 1/2 tspns

Sabji Masala - 1 tspn

hing powder - 1 tspn

Salt - to taste

Mustard oil for cooking

METHOD -

• Put all dry masalas and the salt in a big katori or a small bowl.
• Add to it 1/2 cup water and mix well without any lumps being formed.
• keep it aside.
• Boil and Peel Potatoes and cut them into 4 large pieces. 
• Parwal first needs to cut length wise, then cut each length into half.
• Heat mustard oil in a kadhai to a smoking point.
• When the oil is hot lower the flame and add bay leaf.
• Soon add parwals and saute till the oil is well coated to it.
• Add to it the potatoes and saute well.
• Increase flame to high and let the parwals turn slightly pink.
• Lower the flame again.
• Add the dry masala paste that was made first.
• Bhuno /saute over low flame.
• Add a little more than 1 cup water. Mix well.
• Transfer this into a prestige cooker and give one whistle.
• When prestige cooker gets cool, using the back of kalchul (ladle) press the potaotes lightly, sort of mashing the potatoes.
• This helps to give a good texture or a great body to the dish.
• Transfer into a serving dish and sprinkle freshly chopped coriander leaves.
• Serve hot with rice and daal.

Healthy Orange Cups

"Health" is the buzz word of Today. Presenting the same healthy ingredients with a zeal to tantalize your taste buds. Truly this is a fab idea to present a combination of veggies and fruits. Weight watchers can have this without any guilt. Moms who are always troubled by their kids for not taking their daily dose of green veggies would get respite as children and teenaged girls would dig into this yummy orange cups. Don't get scared to see the picture as its not at all a difficult task. These yummy orange cups are really easy and can be had as a snack or a starter or as a salad.

INGREDIENTS

Oranges - 2

Mixed Sprouts - 2 cups

Radish - 1/2

Carrot - 1 small

Grapes - 1/2 cup

Unpeeled Cucumber- 1

Onion - 1 small

Pomegranate Seeds - 1/2 cup

Green Chillies - 1 tsp chopped finely

Lemon Juice - 1 tblspn

salt - to taste
chat masala - to taste

for the garnish -

Raspberries - 4

Dessicated coconut

METHOD

Steam the mixed sprouts and cool.

Chop the Onion finely.

Dice the Radish, Cucumber and Carrot.

Cut the oranges into halves with a sharp knife, remove the orange segments keeping the covering intact. You may use left over oranges for preparing juice.

Take a bowl and put the mixed sprouts in it.

Add to it the radish, cucumber and the carrot.

Mix in the pomegranate seeds.

Add chopped onions.

Add chopped green chillies - can be omitted for kids.

Squeeze in the lime juice.

Add to it salt and chat masala to taste.

Mix well. Fill each orange half with the prepared mix.

Garnish with raspberry.

Sprinkle dessicated coconut for the ultimate look.

Refer picture for garnish effect.

Keep refrigerated till serving time.