Kutu Ke Pakodi (Buckwheat Flour and Potato Fritters)

Kutu ki pakodi is deep fried fritters and a feast on the days of fasting :-).

It's made of Kutu ka aata or buckwheat flour. It is eaten with yogurt. I love this dish. Since I have been working out more than religiously for the past week, I decided to reward myself with a little bit of oil and salt ;-)
These fritters are eaten after being dipped in flavoured yogurt (Chaach). However some people like to eat it by itself or with some condiment or just ketchup.
This is my Mom's recipe. So far I had only had it in India made by her. It never occured to me that I should also learn the recipe. Then, I moved to North America. My mom sent me some Kutu ka Aata all the way from India as she knew I loved these fritters. So, I then had to call Mom to ask her all about this dish and learn up the recipe. Here it is:

Ingredients for the Fritters:

1. Kutu ka aata (Buckwheat flour)
2. Potatoes, minced
3. Salt
4. Red chili powder
5. Some water.

Ingredients:

1. Mix everything together.

The consistency should be like that of a hard dough.

Directions:

1. Deep fry in batches until they turn brown.

Ingredients for the Yogurt:

1. Yogurt.

2. Red chili powder

3. Salt

4. Water

5. Oil

6. Cumin seeds.

Directions:

1. Whisk yogurt.

2. Add salt.

3. Add water.

4. Add red chili powder.

5. Heat oil and put some cumin seeds in it.

6. Let the cumin change colour, then temper this oil and cumin into the yogurt.

Chinese Noodles

I am in love with Chinese food. There was a phase when I raved over Chinese dishes but then the passion gradually died. I have had my ebbs and tides with this cuisine. But the fever is back again.

As a kid, my mom would make Chowmein noodles at home and it was my favorite. Then my sister had her own recipe for it and I loved that even more. But I did not have my own recipe. And I did not have an authentic recipe. So, I asked my Chinese friends how they make their noodles. The reply would be: add vegetables, noodles, and soya sauce. I would think, really? Is that all? How come their noodles are so delicious? They must be forgetting to tell me the secret ingredient that makes the difference. But then I spoke to my co-worker R about her recipe and also came across this blog, and thought maybe that is all. Let's try and see. So, I relit the fire in my kitchen. I decided I would go by the book and as I was directed - use only the essential ingredients. Less is more.


Ingredients:
1. Bean sporuts, 50 gram or less
2. Carrot, green pepper, cabbage - finely shredded
3. Mushrooms, sliced (optional)
4. Spring onion, chopped.
5. Olive oil
6. Soya sauce
7. Red chili sauce
8. Noodles, blanched.

Directions:
1. Heat a wok.
2. Add olive oil
3. Throw in the vegetables including the bean sprouts and spring onion
4. Cook for a couple of minutes.
5. Add in soya sauce and chili sauce.
6. Mix well and cook again.
7. Add in the noodles.
8. Cover and let simmer on low heat until the flavours blend into the noodles.

Serve warm.

The results were quite pleasing. I know now that it's not the number of ingredients but the quality of ingredients that make a dish taste good. Just like this one did. The trick is to add authentic vegetables. For example, use spring onion instead of red onions, don't forget bean sprouts and so on :) Little things make a difference. Just like how in life they do....

Macaroni Pasta Indian Style

Hi All,

I have slowed down on blogging since I am juggling a number of things these days. Life is getting busy but it is good. Thanks to those who still stop by. I'm sorry for the disappointment of not seeing a new post very often. I'm aiming to post at least 2 posts per month. I think I might be running out of recipes too :)
But the best part of food is that there are so many cuisines. You could cook up a typical dish or you could do fusion. I love fusion especially when it comes to Chinese.
The other day I went to my friend's house. She had made Indian style pasta. It was the first time I had Indo-Italian! I was surprised how good it tasted! She didn't give me the recipe but mentioned that she added curry powder.
I had heard of pasta with curry powder before but had always been skeptical of how it would taste. Therefore, I never braved it out to try cook in my kitchen. After having tried it at my friend's house, I gained confidence that it can't be so bad. I was more worried that Mr. Husband would not relish this recipe. Hesitatingly, I proceeded with my own invented recipe. The only thing I specially bought for this recipe was curry powder. Other ingredients that I used were those that were readily available at home. Here it goes:
Ingredients:
1. Macaroni pasta or any other of your choice
2. Red onion, chopped
3. Alfredo sauce
4. Cheese sauce
5. Asorted vegetables (I used frozen beans and peas and fresh tomatoes)
6. Curry powder
7. Salt to taste
8. Olive oil
9. Basil and oregano
10. Dried red chili flakes
11. Garlic, minced

Directions:
1. Boil water and cook the macaroni until al dente. Set aside
2. Heat a deep bottomed vessel.
3. Add olive oil
4. Throw in garlic and onion and fry until they change colours.
5. Add alfredo sauce, cheese sauce, oregano, curry powder basil, and red chili flakes.
6. Mix well and bring to a boil.
7. Add in vegetables and cook on low to medium flame.
8. Add the macaroni and mix well.
9. Add salt to taste if required.
10. Adjust the seasoining to your taste.

Serve cold as a salad or warm as a main course dish.
Mr. Husband loved this dish. Thanks to my friend D!

Lahsaniya Batata (Potatoes in garlic-tomato sauce)

 If you like garlic and if you like potatoes, this one is for you! This is a Gujarati dish served as a side with Indian bread. The recipe is easy and fail-proof yet delicious.

Pan fried baby potatoes in a flavourful tomato and garlic gravy infused with typical Indian spices makes this different yet delectable.

Ingredients:
1. Baby potatoes, 4-5, boiled.
2. Oil
3. Mustard seeds (optional)
4. Hing
5. Tomato, 1, ripe
6. 6-8 pods of garlic cloves
7. 2 green chili
8. Coriander powder
9. Cumin powder
10. Salt
11. Chaat masala
12. Garam masala
13. Tomato paste
14. Deeghi mirch, 1 tsp
15. Bay leaf, 1
16. Onion, 1/2, finely chopped
17. 1 inch ginger

Instructions:
1. Heat oil in a wok, then add mustard seeds and heeng.
2. When the seeds crackle, add chaat masala and garam masala.
3. Shallow fry the baby potatoes until they are nicely coated with the spices and turn golden brown.
4. Set aside.
5. Make a paste of tomato, chili, garlic, coriander powder, cumin powder, salt and ginger.
6. In the same wok, add oil.
7. Add a bay leaf and then fry onions.
8. Add the paste and saute until it leaves the oil.
Note: Add the tomato paste and deegi mirch to impart colour to the paste if you feel its not red enough.
9. Throw in the shallow fried potatoes.
10. Cook for about 5 mins,

Serve warm with Indian bread.

Vegetable Korma

Happy New Year to all My Readers!
Hope 2011 was a great year for you all. I wish that 2012 has more in store for you and brings happiness in your lives.

What a better way to start the new year than food? So here comes the first recipe from me in 2012. Happy Cooking!

Korma is nothing but mixed vegetables in a nutty yet creamy sauce. The creamy sauce is often a base of yogurt or coconut milk. A variant of Korma is Navaratanam Korma which refers to Nine vegetables in a curry sauce. This dish is often seen on menus at Indian restaurants. This is one simple side dish that doesn't need special culinary attention but will turn out delectable. The AllRecipes website calls this dish an easy and exotic Mughalai Indian dish. It's rich, creamy, mildly spiced, and extremely flavorful.

This recipe below is of Korma (I did not use 9 vegetables)

Ingredients:
1. Cashewnuts, about a fistful
2. Thai green Chili, 3-4
3. Tomatoes, ripe, 2
4. Cilantro leaves, fresh, a small bunch
5. Salt
6. Garam masala
7. Yogurt, whisked, a cup (some people use coconut milk)
8. Assorted vegetables (I used green bell pepper, zucchini, green beans, carrots, peas)
9. Curry leaves, 2 twigs
10. Chana dal and urad dal
11. Mustard seeds
12. Oil
13. Garlic, a few pods
14. Hing

Instructions:
1. Make a paste of tomato, cashews, chili, cilantro, and garlic.
2. Heat a wok then add oil and hing.
3. Add mustard seeds and chana and urad dal.
4. When the mustard crackles and chana and urad dal turns reddish, add curry leaves.
5. When the curry leaves look crisp and coated in oil, add the paste made in step 1.
6. Add in whisked yogurt and water.
7. Add salt and garam masala powder.
8. Mix well and Boil.
9. Add in vegetables.
10. Cover and cook till vegetables are al dente.

Serve with roti or rice.

This recipe was inspired by a Food channel source but not followed to the word. The recipe has been adapted to suit my pantry and convenience. 

Palak ki Dahl (Spinach Lentil Soup)

This recipe is yet another comforting, healthy dish. It is relished in most Indian homes as a stew or soup over a bed of white basmati rice. This recipe is inspired from my mother's recipe. I like this one due to its high nutritious value.

Ingredients:
1. 1/2 cup of frozen spinach, cut
2. 5-7 fists of toor dal
3. Salt
4. Turmeric powder
5. Lemon juice
6. Garam masala
7. Oil for tempering
8. Mustard seeds
9. Green chili slit/chopped and red chili powder (optional)
10. Curry leaves (optional)

Instructions:
1. Wash toor dal and soak it in water.
2. Place the washed dal in a pressure cooker along with some water.
3. Throw in the spinach, salt, and turmeric powder.
4. Boil the dahl in a closed pressure cooker and allow 5-6 whistles to blow.
5. When the lid of the pressure cooker opens on its own, add garam masala, lemon juice and red chili powder.
6. Mix.
7. Temper:
7a. Heat oil in a pan, then add mustard seeds.
7b.  When the mustard seeds begin to cracke, add curry leaves and green chili.
8. Immerse this into the Dahl soup.

Serve warm.

Aloo Baigan (Potato and Eggplant)

This is a dish that I have been avoiding for a while. I guess I had too much of it so I got bored of it. After a hiatus, I decided to go back on it. It's a nice change once in a while :)

Ingredients:
1. Mustard seeds, 1 tsp
2. Cumin seeds, 1 tsp,
3. Oil
4. heeng, 1/8th tsp
5. Turmeric powder, abt 1 tsp
6. Amchoor powder, 2 tsp
7. Salt to taste
8. Red chili powder, 1/2 tsp
9. Coriander powder, 1/2 tsp (optional)
10. Dried red chili, 2, broken
11. Small potatoes, 3, peeled and cut in weges
12. Long Chinese eggplants, 3, cut in wedges

Instructions:
1. Heat a non stick wok.
2. Add oil then, red chili and then add mustard seeds.
3.When the seeds splutter, add cumin seeds and heeng.
4. When the cumin seeds turn dark brown, add turmeric powder.
5. Add potatoes and mix well.
6. Saute until the potatoes turn golden brown.
7. Throw in the eggplant and mix again. You can add a few tablespoons of water at this time.
8. Cover and cook until al dente.
9. Next add coriander powder, red chili powder, amchoor powder, and salt.
10. Mix.
11. Cook for about 10 mins on medium low heat or until the vegetables break when pierced with a wooden spatula.

Serve warm with Indian bread.

Sevaiyan (Dessert)

I make it  a point to reference or give credit to recipes if they are not originally mine. But there are some people who like to boast in public or showcase their dishes to others without giving any public credits to the source of the recipe/inspiration/or person who taught them how to make it. A big part (or who cares even if its a small part) of what they cook is actually an outcome of what someone else shared (a recipe with them) or taught them in good faith. It is against my ethics to take credit for other people's deeds. It is against my values. If you are one of such person - I do not appreciate you. It saddens me to see you do this. If you don't have the skill to create your own recipe, don't show it off. If you still want to show off your dishes, at least you should have the conscience to reference the source or person who showed you how to make it on the same platform where you are showing yourself off. If you can do neither of the aforementioned but still want to show off your cooking - may God forgive you. But remember - there is something called karma! No matter what you do - I'll continue to behave as per my code of conduct. I am happy to be ethical about this whole thing and that I can answer my conscience.

This recipe was introduced to me by my friend Shikha.




The charm of this recipe comes from the fact that it is an easy to make yet delicious Indian dessert. Most Indian desserts take an elaborate preparation. But this one won my heart on account of the short time it can be prepared in. Perfect for the last minute or for unexpected guests.


Serves 4-6. No preparation required.

Ingredients:
1. Feniya
2. Milk, about 4 cups
3. Sugar 4-6tbsp as per taste
4. Soaked almonds, chopped and skin removed
5. Raisins (optional)
6. Cardamom powder

Instructions:
1. Boil milk in a vessel
2. Let it cool
3. Add sugar to the lukewarm milk and mix.
4. Warm the milk again and then add feniya, cardamom powder and almonds.
5. Bring to a boil.

Serve warm.

Thanks, Shikha! I miss you very much.