Hash Browns

Hash Browns

Ingredients:

2 russet potatoes
Salt and Pepper to taste
Paprika to sprinkle
Butter to fry

Note: Cold water should have salt mixed in it.


Method:

1. Shred potatoes into a large bowl filled with cold water. Stir until water is cloudy, drain, and cover potatoes again with fresh cold water. Stir again to dissolve excess starch. Drain potatoes well, pat dry with paper towels, and squeeze out any excess moisture.
2. Heat clarified butter in a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Sprinkle shredded potatoes into the hot butter and season with salt, black pepper and paprika.
3. Cook potatoes until a brown crust forms on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Continue to cook until potatoes are browned all over, about 5 more minutes.

Tabouleh Salad

Ingredients:
1 bunch parsley chopped coarsely
1/4 cup fine bulgur soaked in warm water (for 10-15 mins)  - drain and use
5-7 leave of mint chopped (optional)
1 small tomato chopped (and remove seeds)
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Method:
1. In a salad bowl mix all ingredients
2. Adjust lemon juice to suice the tartiness you are comfortable

Chicken Chow Mein

Chicken Chow Mein

INGREDIENTS
• 200g chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces
• 1½ tbsp. oil
• 200g fresh chow mein noodles (I used egg noodles)
• 1-2 cups green cabbage, finely shredded
• 1 carrot, julienned
• 1 cup bean sprouts
• 3 scallions, cut
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• ¼ cup + 1 tbsp homemade Real Chinese All Purpose Stir Fry Sauce (recipe below)

Chow Mein Sauce
• 2 tsp cornflour/cornstarch
• 1½ tbsp soy sauce
• 1½ tbsp. cooking wine (or sherry)
• 2 tsp sugar
• ½ tsp sesame oil
• White pepper

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Chow Mein Sauce : Mix together cornflour and soy sauce, then mix in remaining ingredients.
2. Pour 1 tbsp of Chow Mein Sauce over the chicken and set aside to marinate for 10 minutes.
3. Prepare the noodles according to the packet instructions.
4. Heat oil in wok or large fry pan over high heat.
5. Add garlic (I love lots of it) and stir fry for 30 seconds until the garlic is golden brown and you can smell the garlic in the oil.
6. Add chicken and stir fry until the skin is white but the inside is still raw - about 45 seconds to 1 minute.
7. Add the cabbage, carrot, and the white pieces of shallots/scallions (i.e. from the base of the stalk). Stir fry for 1 - 1½ minutes until the cabbage is just starting to wilt and the chicken is cooked through.
8. Add the noodles, and Chow Mein Sauce and water (as required). Stir fry for 1 minute, tossing to coat the noodles in the sauce. Add chilli flakes for heat (if required).
9 Add bean sprouts and remaining shallots/scallions. Stir through quickly then remove from heat.
10. Serve immediately.

Masoor (Black Lentil) Daal

Masoorachyi (Black Lentils) Aamti

(my mom’s style)

Ingredients:
• Masoor dal (par boiled) – 200 gms
• Curry leaves – bunch
• Kokum – 8-10 (want more tanginess, add more)
• 2 green chilies – slit open
• 1 garlic clove finely chopped
• 2-3 tbsp oil

Masala (blend the below to a smooth paste with little water)
• 1 big onion
• 2-3 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• ½ cup coriander (prefer stalks for their juice)
• ¼ cup fresh grated coconut
• Salt to taste

Method
1. In a hot pot, add 2-3 tbsp oil and heat
2. Add chilies, garlic and curry leaves till it nicely sizzles
3. Add the blended masala and cook well
4. Add masoor daal and cook (I prefer the daal to be slightly “Al dante”)
5. Adjust salt
6. Adjust water till desired consistency (I prefer regular daal consistency)
7. Add kokum and simmer
8. Garnish with coconut and coriander
9. Serve with Rice or Paratha

Potato Stew

Potato Stew

Ingredients 1. Potatoes 8-10 medium cut into medium cubes, preferably take with high start content 2. Jeera - 1 tsp 3. Green Chilli - 3-4 slit 4. Ginger - julliene 5. Peanuts - 1/2 cup roasted and skin removed 6. Clarified butter (ghee) - 2 tbsp 7. Salt (to taste) 8. Yogurt Method 1. Heat ghee in a wok 2. Add jeera, green chilli and half of ginger when ghee is hot 3. Add potatoes and continue sauting 4. When potato is partially cooked, add 1 cup water 5. Add salt and peanuts 6. Bring to boil adding water as required 7. Cook potatoes well and adjust salt as required; add water as needed 8. Serve with a dollop of yoghurt (or more) and quboos 9. Garnish with coriander This is one of my favorites. Alternatively, do it in a pressure cooker after sauting to expedite cooking. TIP: Cook potatoes whilst boiling and DO NOT use par boiled potatoes. Goes good as a "upvaas" dish for Maharashtrians. One of my mom's creations and my favorite. Less ingredients and quick.

Stuffed Padwal (snake gourd)

Stuffed Padwal (snake gourd)

Ingredients (for stuffing)

•          Coriander – ½ bunch
•          Green chili – 3-4
•          Cashew – ¼ cup (chopped and fried)
•          Sultanas – ¼ cup
•          Cumin seeds – 1 tbsp
•          Salt to taste

Grind above in coarse paste

•          Paneer – 150 gms (grated). Keep some aside for garnish.

Method

1.        Mix grind paste in paneer.
2.       Cut snake gourd in 1 inch long pieces and core the inside. Fill the core with the stuffing.
3.     Pan fry the snake gourd on sides on medium heat to ensure that snake gourd is well cooked.
4.        Keep aside.

Ingredients (for gravy)

•          Coriander – 1 bunch
•          Coconut – 1 cup (or substitute with coconut milk)
•          Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
•          Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
•          Coriander powder – 1 tsp
•          Green chili – 3-4
•          Ginger – ½ inch
•          Garlic – 2-3 cloves
•          Salt to taste

Grind above in fine paste

•          Onion paste – 1 medium
•          Oil – 2 tbsp

Method

1.         Heat 2 tbsp oil in a sauce pan. Add above paste.
2.         Add onion paste and sauté.
3.         Cook well adding water to get desired consistency of gravy.
4.         Adjust salt to taste.
5.         On a plate place snake gourd upright and pour gravy.
6.         Garnish with grated paneer.
7.         Bon appetite.

Cauliflower Kofta

Ingredients

• Cauliflower – 250 gms (cut into small florets)

  

Chutney

•     Coriander – 1 bunch
•     Chillies – 3
•     Garlic cloves – 3-4
•     Ginger – 1in
•     Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
•     Coriander powder – 1 tsp
•     Turmeric powder – 1
•       Salt and Pepper to taste

Mix together above ingredients into a smooth paste and marinate the cauliflower. Keep aside.

For the koftas

•      Potatoes – 3-4 large boiled and mashed

Making the koftas

1. Mash the potatoes and add a pinch of cumin seeds
2. Add salt to taste
3. Add corn starch powder (approx. 2 tbsp)
4. Mix well and make koftas whilst stuffing cauliflower florets in it
5. Keep aside in chiller to firm up.

After half hour:

1.        Roll koftas into bread crumbs
2.        Deep fry them till golden brown.
3.        Keep aside.

For the gravy

•         Sliced onion –  1 large
•         Chopped tomatoes – 1 large
•         Ginger – 1 in chopped
•         Garlic – 4-5 cloves chopped
•         Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
•         Garam masala – 1 tbsp
•         Green chilli – 3-4 (chopped)
•         Turmeric powder – 1 tbsp
•         Coriander powder – 1 tbsp
•         Fresh coriander – 1 bunch (chopped)
•         Coconut milk – 2 cups
•         Oil for cooking – 2-3 tbsp
•         Butter – 2 tbsp
•         Salt to taste
•         Black raisins for garnish

Method

1.        Heat oil in a sauce pan and add ginger-garlic, cumin seeds and sauté.
2.        Add sliced onion and sauté well. Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, fresh coriander, chillies and mix well till onions are almost done and raw flavor of masala has gone. Add salt.
3.        Add tomatoes and cook well using little water (as necessary) till well cooked. Cover pot, stirring as required. Cool the mixture and blend into smooth paste.
4.        In the same pan add butter and the above mixture. Keep on medium heat and bring to simmer. Add coconut milk, and stir well.
5.        Taste for salt/spice (add red chili powder if required).
6.        In a plate put the koftas and pour the gravy over it.
7.        Garnish with black raisins.
8.        Serve hot with rice or paratha.
9.        Bon appetite.

Yam Burger

Yam Burger

Ingredients

•       Yam – 250 gms (coarsely grated)
•       Ketchup – 2 tbsp
•     Soy sauce – 2 tsp
•       Worcestershire sauce - 1 tsp
•       Tabasco sauce – few dashes
•     Cumin powder - 1 tsp
•     Turmeric power - 1 tsp
•       Green chilli – 2-3 (finely chopped)
•       Garlic – 3-4 cloves (chopped)
•       Fresh coriander – small bunch (chopped)
•       Salt and Pepper to taste

For the bun

•     Lettuce leave – shredded
•       Sour cream
•       Cheese
•       Thick Onion slice

Method

1.    Boil the grated yam in hot salted water. Drain it and dry it.
2.       In a mixing bowl mix well all the above ingredients.
3.       Make into pattie and keep aside in chiller to firm up (approx. half hour).
4.       In a hot pan with oil fry the pattie on both side till done.
5.    Toast the bun slightly.
6.       Spread sour cream on bun.
7.       Place lettuce, pattie, cheese, onion.
8.    Use Hot and Sweet chilli sauce on top bun (optional)
9.       Serve with French fries.
10.       Bon Appetite.

Banarasi Aloo

Ingredients

•         Baby potatoes – 8-10 nos.
•         Sliced onion –  1 large
•         Chopped tomatoes – 1 large
•         Ginger – 1 in chopped
•         Garlic – 4-5 cloves chopped
•         Black pepper corns – 4-6
•         Cloves – 4-5
•         Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
•         Caraway seeds – 1 tsp
•         Cinnamon stick – 1 in
•         Green cardamom – 3-4
•         Kashmiri red chilies – 4-6 (or more as required and make into paste)
•         Turmeric powder – 1 tbsp
•         Coriander powder – 1 tbsp
•         Saunf (Aniseed) – 1 tbsp
•         Cashew nuts – 8-10 (fried)
•         Kasuri methi – pinch
•         Fresh coriander – 1 bunch (stalks for gravy and leaves for garnish)
•         Oil for cooking – 2-3 tbsp
•         Butter – 2 tbsp
•         Thick cream – 3 tbsp
•         Salt to taste

Method

1. Peel baby potatoes, wash and dry on paper towel, pierce holes with fork and fry them till almost done (slightly golden brown on outside). Keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a sauce pan and add ginger-garlic and sauté. Add cumin seeds, cinnamon, black pepper corns, cloves, cardamom, aniseed and sauté.
3. Add sliced onion and sauté well. Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, coriander stalks, red chili paste and mix well till onions are almost done and raw flavor of masala has gone. Add cashew nuts. Add salt.
4. Add tomatoes and cook well using little water (as necessary) till well cooked. Cover pot, stirring as required. Cool the mixture and blend into paste (not very fine, but smooth).
5. In the same pan add butter, caraway seeds and the above mixture. Keep on medium heat and bring to simmer. Keep gravy slightly thick adding water, if required.
6. Add potatoes and mix well till potatoes absorb the masala. Keep covered.
7. Taste for salt/spice (add red chili powder if required).
8. Add kasuri methi powder and mix.
9. Add cream and mix. Remove from heat and keep aside.
10. Garnish with coriander and cream.
11. Serve hot with rice/chapattis/phoolkas.
12. Bon appetite.