Tomato Rice

One of the best recipe that I have tried so far. Very healthy and tasty and filling. Tomato rice can be made in several different ways. This is probably the best and the easiest way [:)] of preparing it.

Ingredients:

Tomatoes - 3 pureed
Oil - 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Hing - 1 pinch
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Sambar masala - 1 tsp
Curry leaf powder - 1 tsp
Red chilli powder - 2 tsp
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Sugar - 1 tsp
Green chillies - 2
Boiled rice - 1 cup
Onion - 1

Procedure:

1. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, hing, chopped onion and saute till the onions become translucent.
2. Add ginger garlic paste and fry. Add sambar masala and cook for few mins. 
3. Add curry leaf powder, tomato puree, red chilli powder, garam masala and cook for a couple of mins. 
4. Add salt, sugar and mix well. Add chopped tomatoes, green chillies and mix well. 
5. Add boiled rice and mix well. Let is cook for 3 to 4 mins. 

Enjoy with some raita on the side!!!!!

Peanut Chutney

This is one of my favorite chutney of all times. It can be had with dosa, idly, wada and many others as well. Most popular chutney in India and can be prepared in no time. Peanut chutney can be made in several ways. Here is my version of it. 

Ingredients:

Peanuts - 1/2 cup 

Grated Coconut - 1 tbsp [optional]

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp 

Red chilli - 3 to 4

Curry leaves - 4 to 5 strips

Tamarind  paste - 2 to 3 tsp 

Salt - as per taste

Chilli powder - to taste

Mustard - 1/2 tsp 

Urad dal - 1/2 tsp

Oil - 1 tbsp

Chana dal - 1/2 tsp 

Water - couple of tbsp

Procedure:

1. Add 1 tsp of oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. Once they begin to change color add red chillies and fry. Add peanuts and fry. 
2. Switch off the stove and add grated coconut,  tamarind paste, salt to the above and mix.
3. Blend the above in to a fine paste in a blender. Add small portions of water at regular intervals while blending to get required consistency. 
4. In another pan heat oil and add mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds start spluttering add urad dal, channa dal, curry leaves and fry for few seconds. 
5. Add the chutney paste [from step 3] to the above tempering and mix well. Adjust the salt at this stage. 

Serve along with some tasty breakfast recipes!!!!

Chinese Fried Rice

I think that there are several different ways to prepare Chinese fried rice. Different types of veggies and meat can be used - which is totally up to your taste. Well!! egg and rice are the most common ingredients in any version. So, here comes my 1st version of chinese fried rice.  Will try out different versions soon.

Ingredients:

Eggs - 3
Salt - to taste
Pepper - to taste
Oil - 2 to 3 tbsp
Cooked rice : 2 cups [left over rice is preferred]
Sausage - 1 [of your choice, I used spiced pork sausage]
Carrots - 1
Green peas - 1/2 cup
Red bell pepper - 1/4
Butter - 1 tbsp
Black soy sauce - 2 to 3 tsp
Vinegar - 2 tsp
Chilli garlic sauce - 1 tsp
Hot chilli sauce - 2 tsp

Procedure:

1. Add butter in to a hot wok and let it melt. Add chopped Carrots, green peas and red bell pepper and saute till they become soft. Remove them on to a plate
2. Heat oil in the same wok and add [slightly beaten] eggs mixture. Saute the eggs till they are cooked. Add sliced sausage and let it cook for few seconds.
3. Add the veggies [from step 1] and cook for few mins. Add salt and pepper and cook for few more mins.
4. Add rice to the above and mix well. Reduce the flame to low at this point. 
5. Add soy sauce, chilli garlic sauce, hot chilli sauce, vinegar and mix well. 
6. Adjust the salt and pepper at this point and mix well. 

Enjoy while it is hot!!!

Note: All the sauces used in the recipe can be adjusted to taste. Watch out on the amount of salt - as soy sauce and other sauces also have salt.

Banana Pancakes

Pancake is a very common breakfast in the western countries. It is not very famous in the East. Although, I love them. Easy to make, tastes delicious and can be had as a dessert as well as breakfast. Different types of toppings can be used and I specially like Nutella, Honey and Whipped cream.

Ingredients:

Ripe bananas - 3

Milk maid - 10 to 15 tbsp [to taste]

Salt - pinch

Butter - 2 tbsp

Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp

Flour - 1 cup 

Eggs - 2

Baking powder - 1 tsp 

Procedure:

1. Mash the bananas with a fork.
2. Add milkmaid, egg, salt, melted butter, cardamom powder, flour and baking powder to the above and mix well.
3. Heat the nonstick pan and add little portions of the pancake batter as shown in the figure. 
4. Let them slightly brown on one side and then turn them to the other side. Let them cook and serve.

Enjoy with Nutella or honey or whipped cream or ice cream on the side!!!

Note: In general lot of recipes call for vanilla essence but I like to add cardamom powder instead.

Alu Fry!

I think, nothing can go wrong when you use potatoes as the main ingredients. This is true at lest in my case. So, here is another delicious recipe.

Ingredients:

Potatoes - 5 to 6
Onion - 1
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Red chilli powder - to taste
Dried fenugreek leaves - 1 tbsp
Cooking oil - 1.5 tbsp
Salt - to taste

Procedure:

1. Boil the potatoes. Peel them and cut them in to bite size pieces. 
2. Heat oil in a nonstick pan and add cumin seed and fennel seeds and fry them for few seconds.
3. Add onions and fry them till brown. Add coriander powder and saute them for few more mins.
4. Add chilli powder, turmeric powder and diced potatoes and mix well.  
5. Add salt and let the potatoes fry for about 6 mins. Keep stirring occasionally.
6. Sprinkle with fenugreek leaves and stir well. Cook for another few mins and serve.

Enjoy with some chapathis or some plain rice!!!

Tikka masala Sauce - 'Gordon' Style

I am a big fan of Gordon Ramsay. I love the way he cooks. You can clearly see how passionate he is about cooking. He motivates people around him to cook. Not moving back to the recipe - I was so happy to see him cook Indian cuisine. [I used this sauce along with Chicken tikka and it turned out great] I invited a few friends over for 

dinner

when I made this dish. Every one loved it.

Ingredients:

Ginger - 1
Ground nut oil - 3 to 4 tbsp
Green chillies - 4
Salt - to taste
Ginger - 1 inch
Garlic - 3 to 4 cloves
Chilli powder - to taste
Turmeric - 1 tsp
Garam masala - 2 tsp
Sugar - 2 tsp
Concentrated tomato puree - 1 tbsp
Canned chopped tomatoes - 1 can
Pepper - to taste
Curry leaves - 5 to 6 leaves
Yogurt - 3 to 4 tbsp
Fresh coriander leaves - 1/2 bunch

Procedure:

1. Heat oil and add sliced onion. Add salt and let it cook. 
2. Add chopped chillies, minced ginger, chopped garlic and mix. Add chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, sugar and mix. Dry roast the spices.
3. Add concentrated tomato puree and let it cook. Then add canned tomatoes and cook for few more minutes. 
4. Blend the entire mixture in to a fine paste and add it in to a hot pan again. Add come curry leaves.
5. After a few seconds add yogurt and mix. 
6. Finish with some fresh coriander leaves.

Enjoy with some chapathis or bread!!!

Note: This tikka masala sause goes great with chicken, fish, vegetables etc. 

Rava dosa

Rava dosa is one of my favorite breakfast recipe. Best part of this recipe is, the batter can be prepared in no time [unlike the regular dosa batter which takes almost a day]. Second best part is, once you prepare it, the dish will be gone in few seconds. 

Ingredients:

Rice flour - 1 cup 

Semolina - 1 cup 

Green chilli - 3

Ginger - 1 inch piece

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Chopped onion - 1 [sufficient for 3 to 4 dosas]

Salt - to taste

Butter - 1 tsp for each dosa

Water - approx 500 ml

Maida - 1/2 cup 

Procedure:

1. Add rice flour, semolina, maida, chooped green chillies, chopped ginger and salt in a bowl and mix well. 
2. Add small portions of water at regular intervals and keep mixing. 
3. Heat a non stick pan and pour the batter on it as shown in the figure. Sprinkle chopped onion and then some butter.
4. Rawa dosa takes longer time to cook. So keep the flame on low heat and let it cook.
5. Turn it on the other side and let it cook. 

Enjoy with some ginger or peanut chutney on the side!!!