Desi style Fried Rice

Indian fried rice is a popular Indian dish. Often served with Tandoori chicken, it's a hit meal of all times.
Cooked with Basmati rice, Indian herbs and spices, and lots of vegetables, Desi style fried rice is indeed a mélange of rich colors, and features bold and blissful combinations.

Although I despise Fried rice for health reasons, the taste is compelling and hard to stay away from, even for me. Mr. Husband suggested I take time off from my healthy eating obsession this weekend.

So, here comes the tasty Desi style Fried rice that will tickle your taste buds and satiate your appetite.


Ingredients:

1. 1 cup cooked Basmati rice.
2. 2 cups frozen vegetables.
3. Mustard seeds
4. Cumin seeds
5. Oil, 2 tablespoons
6. Coriander powder, 3 teaspoons
7. Salt to taste
8. Red chili powder
9. Bay leaf, 1
10. Red chili, dried 1.
11. Turmeric powder

Instructions:
1. Heat oil in a non stick pan
2. Add bay leaf, one dried red chili, and mustard seeds and allow it to crackle.
3. Add cumin seeds and allow it to brown.
4. Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, and red chili powder.
5. Add cooked rice, salt and mix.
6. Add vegetables and cover. Cook for 15-20mins on low heat

Serve warm with raita, chutney, or by itself.

Lentil Fritters (Chana Dahl Vada)

I am not a fan of high calorie, oily food. But every once in a while I like to indulge. I tried lentil fritters on my last trip to India and fell in love with them. I never thought I would make them myself. Inspired by Prathibha, I thought I'd give it a try. My fritters were not as good as the ones I had on the Surat (Western India) railway station but it was definitely a savoury and popular snack. It was different from the mundane. These pakodas/vada/fritters brought a smile on the face of my loved ones which made my day and all worth it in the end! Thanks, Prathu!


Needs preparation. Serves 4-6.

Ingredients:
1. Yellow Split Pea (Chana dahl), 1 cup.
2. 3-4 green chilis chopped.
3. 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro.
4. 1 tablespoon fresh curry leaves, chopped.
5. 1 small red onion, chopped.
6. Salt to taste
7. Oil for deep frying
8. 1 tablespoon ginger, chopped

Instructions:
1. Soak chana dahl overnight.
2. Grate it without water until a rough and course paste is formed. Some pieces of chana dahl can be left ungrated.
3. Add to this, cilantro, curry leaves, red onion, green chili, ginger for a few seconds.
4. Make small balls by patting and then deep fry these flattened balls in hot oil.

Serve hot with tea.

Thai Mango pudding or Custard

Thai recipes use coconut milk in abundance. Now that I've tried my hand on Malaysian food, Thai seemed a close counterpart. I got this recipe off the internet while searching for ways to put to use the left over coconut milk I had from the Malay curry. Coconut milk in dessert sounded like a good idea because I am not a lover of the texture and taste of coconut milk in curries. Plus, I had to go to a relative's house and wanted to take a token of warmth and sweetness with me. Home made desserts are received with a smile.
Coconut milk is lactose free and contains healthy fats as compared to whipping cream or evaporated milk. Unlike dairy products, coconut milk brings out and enhances the taste of the mango, plus adds that touch of richness you're looking for in a pudding. This recipe was easy to make and I knew I could never go wrong with a recipe that has a combination of mango, sugar, and milk!

Serves 3-4. No preparation required.

Ingredients:
1. 1/4 cup water.
2. 1/2 cup coconut milk.
3. 3 tablespoons sugar.
4. 3/4 cup kesar (saffron) mango pulp, sweetened.
5. 2-3 tablespoon corn starch or gelatin or agar agar to thicken the pudding.
6. Fruits (optional).

Instructions:
1. Mix water and cornstarch in a cup and then boil it.
2. Mix sugar into the boiling water to dissolve.
3. Add coconut milk and mango pulp and simmer to thicken.
4. Cool and set aside.
5. Refrigerate overnight.
6. Add chopped fresh fruits and mix well.

Scoop and serve in decorative dessert glass bowl. If possible, allow to sit in the fridge for another few hours, covered with cellophane wrap. Serve chilled.

P.S. This was a hit but I realized that some more coconut milk would not have hurt.

Malay Yellow Curry with a Vengeance

So I was out for longer than I have ever been and I was more sick than I ever knew. This is a fresh start for me and hopefully I have met if not exceeded my 2 year quota for getting sick. I watched more TV than ever while I was bedridden. That was the only thing my body allowed me to do and was the best (or should I say only for someone who despises books) source of entertainment with a weak body and lone mind. I happened to watch a Sanjeev Kapoor cook show which is very popular in India - Khana khazana. The feature was Malaysian food and I've tweaked the recipe to suit my mom's palate and use the stuff I already had in my pantry. It only took me 10 minutes to cook this which was a delight. Simmered with cottage cheese in spicy turmeric coconut sauce made with tamarind, galangal, crushed peanuts, lemon grass & ginger, Malay Yellow Curry is sunshine in a bowl.

Ingredients:
1. A handful of peanuts
2. 1/2 inch ginger. Use galangal if available.
3. 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
4. 1 dried red chili
5. 1 cup cocunut milk
6. 1 cup water
7. 1/2 onion. Use shallots if available.
8. 2-3 tablespoons oil
9. paneer or pineapple or tofu :-)
10. Black pepper, ground
11. Salt to taste
12. Coriander powder
13. Turmeric powder
14. Tamarind pulp

Instructions
1. Mix ingredients 1 to 7 and blend in a mixer
2. Heat oil in a saucepan and sautee the blended mixture and bring to a boil
3. Add paneer pieces, black pepper, salt, turmeric, coriander powder and cook until the paneer pieces are tender
4. Add 1/2 cup coconut milk and tamarind pulp to this. Add lemon grass if available.
5. Simmer on low heat for another 2-3 minutes. Remove lemon grass if added.

Serve hot with fragrant Thai Jasmine steamed rice. If you like the taste and texture of coconut milk, you will love this.

Palak Paneer (Indian cottage cheese in a spinach based sauce)

Palak Paneer or cottage cheese in a creamy fresh spinach sauce is delicious green food. This healthy (spinach), wholesome (cheese!) indulgence leaves an indelible mark on flavours and food colors of North Indian cuisine.

Palak paneer is cooked in a tomato, onion spinach curry. A riot of Indian spices make this dish a special treat. The sauteed onions add a crunch to the dish, the tomato flirts on the tangy side, and garam masala spells it's magic! Try using pureed spinach.

Ingredients:
1. 1 can Spinach Puree
2. 3/4 onion, chopped
3. 1 tomato, chopped
4. Olive oil
5. 1 teaspoon garlic paste
6. 1 teaspoon ginger paste
7. 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
8. 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
9. 1 teaspoon garam masala
10. Salt to taste
11. 1 cup chopped and thawed Frozen Cottage cheese
12. Drops of lemon juice.
13. 1 teaspoon coriander powder

Instructions:
1. Heat oil in a saucepan
2. Ad onion and saute until tender
3. Add tomato and cover for 5-10 mins.
4. Add turmeric powder and cover again. Saute until the tomato onion paste leaves the oil that is now yellow because of the turmeric.
5. Add pureed spinach and let simmer for about 20 mins, stirring occasionally.
6. Add red chili powder, garam masala, coriander powder and cover. Let simmer again for another 10 mins or until the water in the puree disappears.
7. Add lemon juice and mix well.
8. Add salt.
9 Add cottage cheese and cover again. Substitute cottage cheese with tofu for a guilt free indulgence ;-)

Serve hot with Paranthas.

Chef's tip: Add yogurt/milk/half and half/or ground cashew nut for a creamy texture.

Back on track with Gobhi matar (Smoked cauliflower florets)

Where was Food fanatic all this while?
Well, I was down with pneumonia for the past two weeks. The kitchen's power of attorney had to be given to my dear mom. Thanks to my well wishers for the 'Get well soon' messages and thanks mom for taking care of me!

But I am back with a bang and loaded with more yummy recipes to share with you that I saw my mom cooking up. And of course you have to see/hear about my rave over the new Nikon D60 I was gifted on my birthday to click all these delicious temptations! Mouth watering clicks, here I come!

Pic1: Nikon D60
Pic2: Canon Powershot SD790 IS

Today's recipe features a common vegetable that is served on the plate in any household. Yes, we are talking about cauliflower. There are lots of ways to cook cauliflower but this traditional classic way continues to win my heart. This is my mom's recipe and I relish this like no other. It's healthy and I can eat a bowl full for dinner or snack without worrying too much about my calorie intake.

Ingredients:
1. Cauliflower
2. Oil
3. Salt
4. Red chili powder
5. Amchoor (dried mango) powder
6. Peas optional
7. Mustard seeds
8. Cumin seeds
9. Turmeric powder

Instructions:
1. Heat oil and add mustard seeds. Let it crackle.
2. Add cumin seeds and then cauliflower florets
3. Add turmeric powder and cook uncovered on high flame, turning occasionally.
4. When half done, cover and let cook on low flame
5. Add red chili powder, peas, and amchoor powder and cover and cook again
6. Add salt.

Serve with Paranthas or rice and dahl.

Samosa

Food fanatic does not belong to the land of snake charmers...she belongs to the land of SAMOSAS! :D And for once, I don't need a translation! Samosas are for everyone.

The filling of Samosas feature potato in a bold and blissful combination of herbs and spices, including cilantro, red chili powder, coriander, ginger, and turmeric. Taste the dazzling notes of dried mango powder in the gusto of the outer layer of these crunchy delectable.

You will love me for this, I tell you :P




Ingredients:
For the filling
1. Mashed potatoes
2. Oil
3. Turmeric powder
4. Boiled peas
5. Chopped fresh cilantro
6. Salt
7. Red chili powder
8. Ginger, finely chopped
9. Coriander powder, dhania
10. Amchoor (dried mango powder)
11. Peas

For the outer crust:
1. Maida (all purpose flour)
2. Oil to make the dough moist
3. Salt

Instructions:
For the filling
1. Heat oil in a saucepan
2. Add mustard seeds and let it crackle
3. Add cumin seeds
4. Add potatoes and all spices including fresh coriander leaves and cook until the potatoes turn slightly brown.
5. Add salt and peas and allow the peas to soften.
6. Set aside and let cool.

For the crust
1. Make a dough of all purpose flour then pinch out small balls of it.
2. Roll these balls with a rolling pin and flatten to form an oval
3. Bisect the oval through the diameter
4. Dampen the sides of the semicircles. This will help them stick together when we fold it.
5. Pick up one semicircle and fold it half ways on both sides to form a cone like shape.
6. Stuff in the cooked potatoes and seal the lower part by pressing it together.
7. Deep fry
Serve hot with Chole and Chutney.
East or west - Samosas are a universal favorite.

Low fat Mango Ice cream

Don't have an ice cream maker? No worries. Neither do I. Don't have experience making ice cream? No worries. Neither do I. Not so into sugar or calories at this time? No worries. Neither am I.

But I scream mango just like you do. And I have the patience and zeal to try my luck making ice cream just like you do. So what are we waiting for?

1. ~ 800gm Sweetened Kesar (saffron) Mango Pulp
2. 1 cup milk
3. 3-4 drops of lemon juice

Instructions:
1. Mix everything together and freeze for about 45 minutes.
2. Remove from freezer and whisk. This will give it a creamy texture.
3. Re freeze for another 20 minutes until firm.

Serve frozen scoops with whipped cream. Replace the whipped cream with fruits if you are watching your waistline like I am.

Happy Mother's Day!