Sunday, January 26, 2014

Green Khichdi [ हरी खिचड़ी ]

      
 Spicy and non veg dishes are generally in demand in winter season.Even veg dishes ought to be hot and aromatic
! But here is one veg,slightly spicy & easy to cook recipe for wintery days when one does not prefer much venture in cooking.

 

Ingredients:



Rice  1 cup
Green peas  2 cup  
Turmeric powder  1/2 tsp
Garam masala powder  1/2 tsp
Hing  1 pinch
Cumin seeds  1/2 tsp
Ginger  1 small piece
Green garlic  3 sticks 
Green chili  3-4
Green coriander leaves  1 bunch
Tomato  3-4 medium
Potato  2 medium
Salt to taste
Pure ghee or refined oil  2 tbsp
Water  3 cup
Serves: 4 persons

Preparation:

  • Peel off green peas,wash and grind to thick grains [dardara] along with garlic & ginger. 
  • Chop tomatoes & green chili.
  • Peel off potatoes and chop in small square pieces.
  • Soak the rice for 1 hour.

Method:

  • Heat ghee in a pressure cooker.
  • Add hing & cumin seeds.Fry till cumin seeds turn brown.
  • Add tomato & green chili,fry till cooked.
  • Add turmeric powder,garam masala and peas paste,mix and stir for 2-3 minutes.
  • Add potato pieces,mix and keep stirring.
  • Add rice after draining water,mix well and fry again for 2-3 minutes.
  • Add water,chopped coriander leaves and salt.Mix.
  • Cover with the lid.Cook till one whistle.Close the flame and let the cooker be cool.
  • Remove lid.
  • Hari khichdi is ready.Remember more water is used in this khichdi than normal khichdi.

Serve the matar khichdi hot with roasted papad,coriander chutney and mango pickle.


Sunday, January 12, 2014

Creamy Chicken Soup


     Among the soups,the chicken soup very popular among people of all age group.It is a low calorie,evergreen and yummy food.It is a rich source of calcium,hence nutritious too.A modified version is Creamy Chicken Soup!

Ingredients:

For Stock-
  • Chicken 500 gm
  •  [Avoid frozen chicken which gives lesser flavour.Also dark meat of chicken,i.e,thigh,leg etc provide strong flavour..]
  • Onion  1 big
  • Ginger  1 small
  • Water  8 cup
  • Bay leaves 2
  • Green cardamom 4 pieces
  • Cloves  4
  • Mace [javitri ]  1 leave
  • Salt  1/2 tsp

For Soup- 
  • Stock  6 cups
  • Butter  3 tsp
  • Milk  1 cup
  • Cream  1/4 cup
  • Cheese  1/2 cup grated
  • Grated Cheese
  • Corn flour or fine wheat flour [maida]  5 tsp
  • Black pepper  1/4 tsp
  • Salt to taste
  • Green coriander leaves  a few leaves.


Peeling off chicken

Shredded Chicken


Method:

For Stock-
  • Put all the ingredients in a pressure cooker and cook,with cover on,for about 10 minutes.Take out breast pieces and cook again with out cover,the remaining part till the solution becomes slightly thick.Strain the solution.The stock is ready.
  • Peel off meat of the breast pieces and keep separately.
    The filtered chicken pieces can be  used for masala chicken,kali mirch chicken,curry chicken curry etc.
For Soup-  
  • Heat the butter in a deep pan.
  • Add corn flour and fry for 2-3 seconds but the flour should not be brown.
  • Add the stock gradually and stirring at the same time so that granules are not formed and mixture is smooth.Cook till a little thick.Keep stirring.
  • Add breast chicken meat pieces,milk,salt and pepper.Bring to one boil.Close the flame.The soup is ready.
  • Put in serving bowls,pour 1 tsp cream,1 tsp of cheese and chopped coriander leaves in each bowl. 

Serve hot with or without soup sticks.

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Paneer Green Paratha [Cottage Cheese Green Bread]

          Even veg. dishes give immense pleasure in winter only it should be hot.The Saags and Paneer are nutritious edibles.In these wintery days,when these join to take shape of Paratha,served fresh and hot on the plate before my family members,they jump to be first to have it!!

Ingredients:

  • Wheat flour  3 cup
  • Chenopodium leaves [bathua saag]  250 gm
  •       [other name: Fat Hen, Lamb's-quarters, Pigweed ]
  • Spinach [palak saag]  250 gm
 [Note: other saags,except methi saag, too can be used.]
  • Cumin seed 1/4tsp
  • Green chilli.   3-4
  • Ginger    1small piece
  • Garlic  4 cloves [optional]
  • Oil.   1/2 cup
  • Salt  to taste


Palak Saag
Bathua Saag










For  the filling :
  • Cottage cheese (paneer)  300 gm
  • Green chilli. 3-4
  • Ginger 1 small  piece
  • Garam masala  powder  1/4tsp
  • Red chilli powder1/4tsp
  • Salt to taste
  • Green coriander leaves  1 small bunch



Preparation:

For the dough:

    Saag Mixture
  • Wash both the saags thoroughly and drain excess water well.
  • Heat oil in a deep fry pan.
  • Add cumin seeds,ginger,green chili,garlic and salt and fry for a few seconds.
  • Add both the saags,fry till it becomes tender and water discharged from saags get dried up.Cool it.
  • Then grind this mixture.Now mix this mixture with the wheat flour,knead well to make a smooth and soft dough.Add little water ONLY if required. 

For stuffing :
  • Grate the paneer.
  • Chop finely the green coriander leaves and green chillies
  • Grate the ginger
  • Filling Mixture
  • Take paneer,chopped green chili pieces/ coriander leaves/ginger,salt ,red chilli powder and garam masala.Mix well.While adding salt,remember the dough has also salt.


Makes : about 15 parathas

Method :

  • Divide the dough equally in 15 balls.
  • Spread a little dry flour on rolling pin,put a ball on it and roll in small roti of 3" diameter.Take it in one palm and put 2 tbsp of paneer mixture on it.Fold the edges of the roti over the mixture from every side as shown in pics no. 2 & 3 and seal to make a ball.Flatten it lightly with the help of fingers.
Dough of Wheat Flour & Saag
  • Dip it in dry wheat flour and roll this ball with the help of roller on the roller pin but with light pressure to keep it about 1/2" thick so that the mixture does not come out of the roti.

Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a non stick pan, add ginger, cumin seeds and green chilli and sauté till fragrant. Add spinach and sauté for a minute.Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, crushed coriander seeds, salt, chaat masala and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
- See more at: http://www.sanjeevkapoor.com/Palak-Paneer-Paratha-FoodFood.aspx#sthash.MCC64kgW.dpuf


Filling step 1

Filling step 2

Filling step 3
Final shape





  • Now heat a flat fry pan.
  • Place paratha on it,cook for a minute,flip and apply little oil, and flip again and apply little oil on other side too.Cook turning sides till evenly golden on both sides.
  • Repeat the process with other balls.
The paneer green paratha is ready to fall prey to taste buds!
Serve and enjoy hot with salty or plain curd and coriander chutney.


Place a parantha on the hot tawa and cook for 1 minute. Flip and apply a little ghee, flip again and apply a little ghee on the other side too.

Cook, turning sides till evenly golden on both the sides. . - See more at: http://www.sanjeevkapoor.com/Palak-Paneer-Paratha-FoodFood.aspx#sthash.TgYIA9d7.dpuf