Chole Bhature

Chole Bhature

Happy New Year to all my friends and readers...

Today's recipe is a popular breakfast recipe from Punjab- Chole/chickpeas curry and bhature. Bhature is a deep fried and puffed up bread made of white flour. If you like a spicy and warm breakfast nothing is more comforting than this combo.

Ingredients
For the Chole masala
Chickpeas/garbanzo beans- 1 cup
Dried mango- 2 to 3 pieces
Dried Amla/gooseberry/nellikka-2 -3 pieces(optional)
Tea bag- 1
Bay Leaf- 1
Salt to taste

For the gravy
Onion- 2 medium
Tomato puree- 3/4 cup
Ginger- 1 inch thick
Green chilly-2
Chilly powder- 1 tsp
Amchur powder- 1/3 tsp
Anardhana/pomegranate seeds powdered- 1/3 tsp
Coriander powder- 1 tsp
Garam masala- 1/2 tsp
Ginger powder- 1/3 tsp
Roasted cumin powder- 1/2 tsp
Nutmeg- a pinch

Whole garam masala 
Green cardomon-2
Cinnamon- 1 inch stick
Clove- 2-3
Black Cardamon- 2

Soak chickpeas overnight for about 8-9 hours. In a cheese cloth place tea bag,bay leaf, dry mango pieces and dry amla pieces and tie it into a pouch and add this along with chickpeas and cook in a pressure cooker. Add water to the same level as the chickpeas and cook till 3-4 whistles. Once cool discard the pouch that you put inside.

Make a paste of onion, ginger and green chilly and keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan ( if you like add half of ghee and half of oil). Add all the whole spices cardamon, clove, cinnamon and lightly fry them.
Add the onion mixture and saute for about 2 minutes and then add tomato puree. Cook this for another three minutes till oil separates from the mixture.
Add the dry ingredients- coriander powder, chilly powder, amchur powder,anardhana powder, ginger powder,nutmeg powder and cumin and mix well. Add the cooked chick peas along with the excess water in the pressure cooker. Cover and cook for another four to five minutes or till the gravy thickens. Garnish with coriander leaves

Ingredients for bhature
All purpose flour- 2 cups
Yogurt- 3/4 cup
Baking powder- 1/2 tsp
Sugar- 1 tsp
salt to taste
Poppy seeds- 2 tsp
Oil for frying

Shift flour by mixing in baking powder,a pinch of baking soda and salt.
Add to this sugar, poppy seeds and yogurt and mix well. Using your hands knead the dough well and add little by little water till you have a soft and smooth dough.
Grease the top of the dough with little oil and cover it with a damp cloth. Let it rest for about half an hour and make small balls out of the dough. Cover and let it again rest for another ten minutes.
Heat one and one half cup of oil in a pan. Take each ball and flatten with a rolling pin.
Slide it carefully into the oil. When it puffs up,gently turn to the other side and fry. When both sides are golden brown take out from oil and drain in paper towels
Serve with chole,tamarind dates chutney and finely chopped onions.


Try this..
Hope you will all enjoy..

Cabbage Kadala Parippu Curry/ Cabbage Dal Curry

Cabbage Kadala Parippu Curry/ Cabbage Dal Curry

Today's recipe is a healthy and simple dish that goes well with rice and chapati.It is a cabbage and lentil combo.Here I have used chana dal/kadala parippu.

Ingredients
Cabbage- 1/2 small sized cabbage
Kadala Parippu/chana dal- 3/4 cup
Green chilly-3-4
Ginger- thinly sliced- 1 inch thick
Onion- thinly sliced-1/2
Tomato-1 medium
Turmeric powder- 1/3 tsp
Salt to taste


Chilly Powder- 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder- a pinch
Cumin seeds- 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - a few
Crushed garlic- 2 pods
Hing/Asafoetida- a pinch

Soak chana dal/kadala parippu for about one hour and then pressure cook till three whistles. When the pressure is released mash it and make it soft. Into this add sliced and chopped cabbage,turmeric powder,green chilly,tomato,onion and salt  and cook till the cabbage and onions are is soft.(or you can pressure cook it for one more whistle)
Heat two tsp of oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. When it splutters add dry red chilly, curry leaves, hing and turmeric and crushed garlic and saute till there is a nice aroma and raw flavor of garlic disappears. Remove the pan from the flame and add chilly powder and stir quickly and add in the cooked cabbage and dal. Bring back to heat and after a few seconds switch off. Serve with rice or chapatis.

Try this..
Hope you will all enjoy..

Chemmeen /Prawns Ularthiyathu

Chemmeen Ularthiyathu

This recipe is for seafood lovers. It is a no fuss quick recipe for prawns. The recipe will definitely sound simple but there is no compromise to taste. It is spicy and little tart and the flavors are distinctive.The souring agent is kudampuli/gambooge which also imparts a unique flavor to the dish,but if it is not available you can substitute it by adding a teaspoon of vinegar   It is a perfect side dish for rice.

Ingredients

Prawns- 1 lb
Chopped coconut piece- 1/2 cup
Kudampuli/gambooge- 3-4 pieces
Pearl onions chopped- 3/4 cup
Ginger sliced- 1 inch thick
Green chilly-2
Turmeric powder- 1/3 tsp
Chilly powder-  3/4 tsp
Pepper powder- 1/3 tsp
Fenugreek powder- a pinch
Coriander powder- 1 1/3 tsp
Mustard seeds- a few
Curry leaves - a few
Coconut oil- 3 tsp
Salt to taste

Cook the cleaned prawns along with coconut pieces, kudampuli, salt and turmeric. Add very little water and cook for two to three minutes. Reduce the flame and allow all the water to evaporate.
Heat coconut oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When it splutters add curry leaves, ginger, green chilly and sliced pearl onions. Saute till golden brown, reduce flame and add all the spice powders and saute till the raw flavor disappears. Add in the cooked prawns and stir fry for one minute. Serve with rice or pathiri.

You might also like,
Chemmeen/ Prawns Pollichathu
Goan Shrimp Curry
Tandoori Prawns
Chemmeen Pickle
Chemmeen Vada

For more prawns and seafood recipes check my page- 100 Fish/Other Seafood Recipes.

Try this..
Hope you will all enjoy..

Kerala Style Fish Masala Roast

Kerala Style Fish Masala Roast

Hello to all seafood lovers! Today's recipe is something that all fish lovers should try! It is lip-smacking delicious fish masala, aromatic and extremely flavorful. It is fried fish simmered in a spicy and delicious caramelized onion gravy. It has the sweet and tart flavor of tomatoes, with aromatic earthy spices and subtle peppery heat. If you like gravies with intense tomato flavor, then this fish masala is perfect for you.

 Fish masala roast is a quick recipe and is perfect with any meaty fish- the best is kingfish and catfish. Salmon also works well with this type of gravy. Here I have used Indian mackerel/Ayala.  I have been making this curry for ages, but once in a while love to try variations of this classic Kerala seafood delicacy. You can experiment a lot with this recipe and find a flavor that suits your taste buds. If you do not have time to make the gravy then just shred the fried fish and stir fry with onions, ginger, and pepper powder. Add 1/3 cup of coconut milk for a more creamier gravy. Wrap up the fried fish and masala in banana leaf and steam it, you are going to wow your guests. This fish roast is delicious and will make you crave for more.
The masala strikes the right balance of heat, sourness, and flavor. There are the sweetness and acidity of tomatoes. If you like more sourness you can add tamarind pulp. Curry leaves and coconut oil adds to the flavor. It is an absolute comfort homey food. Below is how I cooked. Give this recipe a try, you will surely love it.

Kerala Style Fish Masala Roast

Cooking time- 25 minutes
Recipe type- Side dish/ Fish
Cuisine- Kerala/ India

Ingredients
1)Ayala/ Fish- 4 whole
Turmeric powder- 1/3 tsp
Chilly Powder- 1/3 tsp
Pepper powder- 1/3 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil for frying

2)For the Masala
Onion sliced- 4 medium
Ginger- garlic chopped- 3 tbs
Tomatoes-2
Tomato puree- 1 cup
Chilly powder- 2 tsp
Turmeric powder- a pinch
Fennel powder- 1 tsp
Clove powder- 1/3 tsp
Fenugreek powder- 1/3 tsp
Curry leaves- a few
To make fish masala roast

Cut and clean fish, rinse one final time with salt and lemon juice. Make small gashes on the fish
Make a paste of turmeric powder, chilly powder, pepper powder, and salt. Marinate the fish with this paste and keep aside for ten minutes. Heat two to three tbs of oil and fry the fish till both sides are slightly crispy and evenly brown. Keep the fried fish aside.
In the same pan that you fried the fish, saute onions, ginger, garlic, and curry leaves. Saute till it is golden brown.
Add tomatoes and fry till it becomes soft and mushy and oil separates. Add tomato puree and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Mix in chilly powder, turmeric powder, fennel powder, fenugreek powder, and clove powder and saute for a minute. Sprinkle a few drops of water and mix. Scoop out half of the masala from the pan and evenly spread the rest and place the fish on top. Now spread the rest of the masala on top of the fish, cover and cook in low flame for about three to 4 minutes. Using a wide spatula gently turn the fish and cook the other side for another 2 minutes and switch off the flame. Garnish with coriander leaves. You can drizzle lemon juice just before serving.

You might also like,
Prawns Ghee Roast
Mathi/ Sardine Pollichathu
Zesty Fish Curry with Vegetables
Kerala Fish fry
Kozhikodan Ayala mulakithathu
Goan Fish Fry

Try this...
Hope you will all enjoy.

Chocolate Mousse Cake With Ganache Frosting

Chocolate Mousse Cake With Ganache Frosting

Rich and decadent cake for all chocolate lovers. It is a perfect chocolate treat with  chocolate cake, chocolate mousse filling and  ganache frosting. For the chocolate mousse filling I used semi sweet chocolate baking bar and followed the instructions on the cover to make the mousse. For the topping I used ganache frosting ( recipe below) and decorated with chocolate shavings and cherries.

Ingredients
Chocolate cake layer
All Purpose flour- 2 1/2 cup
Egg-3
Sugar- 1 cup
Coco powder-6 tsp
Baking powder- 1 1/2 tsp
Baking Soda 1/2 tsp
Salt- 1/2tsp
Vanilla essence- 1 tsp
Buttermilk- 3/4 cup
Butter-1/2 cup


For the Mousse layer
Egg Yolks- 3 
Sugar- 1/4 cup
Whipping cream- 2 1/2 cup
Semi sweet chocolate- 8 oz chopped

For Ganache Frosting
7 ounce chocolate
Whipping Cream- 1 cup
butter- 1tbp

To make the cake
Preheat oven to 350 F. Set rack in he middle of the oven
Grease pan with butter and layer with parchment paper and again grease with butter and dust with flour and set aside. 

Shift all the dry ingredients together and keep aside. In another bowl beat butter and sugar with a medium speed mixer until creamy,and add in egg one at a time and beat till light and fluffy. Slowly add the dry ingredients  little by little along with the butter milk fold in the ingredients.Pour into prepared pans and bake for 35 - 40 minutes in 350 degree f .Test whether completely cooked by inserting a toothpick in the center It should come out clean. Cool in pan for fifteen minutes and then completely cool on a cooling rack.

To make Mousse
 In a micro wave safe bowl melt chocolate in medium power. First put for 15 seconds. Take out and stir and repeat this process till the gets completely melted.

Beat egg yolks in high speed till the color changes to pale yellow and adding little by little off sugar till you get a thick creamy mixture. Heat one cup of cream in a sauce pan till hot. Take off the stove and whisk in the egg yolks. Do it quickly. Place back in the stove and stir continuously till it is thick and creamy. When it is cool add the chocolate mixture and stir continuously for another two minutes and put into refrigerator to get chilled. Beat the remaining whipping cream till stiff and fold in gradually into the chocolate mixture until well blended. Do not  put into the fridge for longer period and allow it to set as it will be difficult to spread on the cake.

To make Ganache
In a micro wave safe bowl melt chocolate and butter in medium power. First put for 15 seconds. Take out and stir and repeat this process till the gets completely melted. Allow this to cool a bit and using a spatula slowly combine the heavy cream little by little. When you see the chocolate becoming thick and smooth add the rest of the heavy cream and blend making it a smooth velvety texture. Start assembling the cake as soon as ganache frosting is ready or it will get thickened

To assemble the cake
Cut cake into two slices.Place one slice ,flat side up on a plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or a spatula spread a layer of mousse . Place the second layer on top,round side up, and spread the chocolate mousse evenly on top and sides of the cake. Next step is to pour the ganache over the mousse layer. Pour it  in the center of the cake and slowly spread with single strokes. Allow it to slowly spread over the cake and flow and drip towards the sides of the cake. With a spatula spread it evenly on the sides.You can decorate the cake as you like. Here I used chocolate mousse and glazed cherries. 

Try this..
Hope you will all enjoy.

Paneer Butter Masala

Paneer Butter Masala

Today's recipe is the popular paneer butter masala..the rich creamy and buttery North Indian delicacy.This rich gravy is a combination of tomatoes, butter, cashew nut paste( I did not add in this recipe) and cream  and added to this is the irresistible delicate milky flavor of Paneer. 

Ingredients
Paneer- 2 cups (cubed)
Tomatoes- 4 medium
Onions- 1/2 chopped
Ginger and garlic paste- 1 tsp
Chilly powder- 1/2 tsp
Green chilly-3
Garam masala- 1/2 tsp
Cardamon powder - a pinch
Clove - 3-4
Bay leaf- 1
Kasoori methi powder- 1 tsp
Cream- 1/2 cup
Butter - 2 tsp
Sugar - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Chopped coriander leaves for garnish

Heat one tsp of oil and add onion and ginger garlic paste. Saute till it changes color and add tomatoes and cook till soft and mashed up. Make a fine paste of this and keep aside.

Heat  three tsp of butter in a pan and add bay leaves and clove. When slightly roasted add the ground paste and saute for a minute. Add chilly powder and green chilly and simmer this till oil separates and tomatoes are cooked. This will take about three to four minutes. Stir in half cup of water,garam masala,cardamon powder and kasoori methi powder and the cubed paneer. Simmer for another two to three minutes and finally add cream and sugar and gently mix in. Serve with chapatis or naan.

You might also like,
Paneer Kathi Rolls
Paneer Bhurji
Paneer Pizza
Spicy Pepper Paneer
Paneer Malai Kofta Curry
Green Chickpeas Paneer Curry

Try this
Hope you will all enjoy..

Pepper Mushroom Fry

Pepper Mushroom Fry

Here is a quick  spicy pepper flavored  dish for mushroom lovers. I love mushrooms and this is the quickest recipe with very few ingredients.It is low in calorie and can be made spicy like any non vegetarian dish.You can also add bell peppers to this recipe.This dish can be perfectly paired with fried rice or chapatis.

Ingredients
Button Mushroom- 250 gms
Shallots-6-7
tomato- 1/2 (optional)
Ginger- 1 inch thick
Garlic- 4-5 pods
Green chilly-2
Whole black pepper- 1 1/3 tsp
Soya sauce- 2 tsp
Garam masala- 1/2 tsp

Slightly roast one tsp of whole black pepper and powder it.
Crush shallots, ginger, garlic and green chilly into a coarse  mixture.
Clean mushroom and wipe the top with wet cloth and dry with paper towel. Cut it into half.In a pan add one tsp of oil and stir fry the mushrooms. Season with salt and half of pepper saute till the juice is reduced and the mushrooms change color to light brown.Remove this from the pan and keep aside.
In the same pan saute the crushed shallot mixture till it is golden brown. Finely choped tomatoes can be added at this stage. Allow this to get soft and cooked.Add salt, pepper powder, garam masala and soya sauce and the fried mushrooms. Mix well and gently roast in medium flame for another one minute. Serve with chapatis or  fried rice.

Try this..
Hope you will all enjoy.