Spaghetti & Meat Balls Pasta --- My Version

There are multiple recipes available for this particular dish... I guess its the simplest of all Pasta's to fix. I have my own lill version, a lill Indianised, a lill packaged version of the recipe... i loved cooking n eating it, hope you like it too....

Ingredients:
Meat Balls - about 8 (we both love meat, so u see the no. is a lill higher for 2 ppl dish)
Spaghetti Pasta - about 200g, boiled as per pack instructions (I do well cooked rather than Al dente for this dish). Also add a lill bit of olive oil & salt while boiling the pasta.
Tomatoes - about 5 large - pureed in a blender
Garlic - 7 cloves - crushed
Onion - 1 medium, chopped
Green Oinions/Shallots : 4 - chopped
Green Chillies - 2 chopped
Black Pepper - 1/2 teaspoon
Salt - to taste
Olive Oil - for cooking & dressing.
Butter - 1 tablespoon
Red Wine - about a 100 ml - I at times replace it with white wine too
water - about 400 ml

Instructions:
Warm butter in a pan & stir fry the meat balls in it. This should take approx. 10 mins on medium - slow flame. Keep the meat balls aside.

In a deep dish, put some olive oil say about a tablespoon & add garlic. Once the color of gralic changes to a light brown, add onions & stir fry for about 5 mins, till the nions become golden & transparent.
Now add the tomato puree along with shallots, & green chillies.
Cook at high flame, stirring occassionally for about 8 mins, till the time the mixture is well reduced to a semi solid mass.
Add water & bring to boil while stirring continuously. At this stage add the meat balls & wine, & let the mixture reduce slowly to a sauce like consistency. I do this by alternating between high & low flames in a 2 mins high - 5 mins medium - 2 mins high.... cycle.
When the sauce is about to reach the desired consistency, add salt to taste,black pepper powder, some oregano powder, & red chilli flakes if you like it hot!!!

Plating:
Make a roundel of Pasta on the plate & pour the meatballs sauce in the centre. Garnish with a lill bit of shredded cheese & olive oil.

Enjoy with some dinner rolls & butter .....

Bon Apetit!!!

Keema pav or minced meat with buns

Well Keema I believe is one of my strongest dishes.... I ve perfected the recipe over years.... If I ve to impress a meat eater with my cooking Keema would be choice... It never ever goes wrong, eat it with pav or lovely ghee roast paranthas.... So here it goes, the yummiest Keema recipe... Trust me its the best
Ingredients
Mutton mince : 250 g
Onions : 2 medium sized chopped finely
Ginger : 1 inch grated
Garlic : 7 cloves medium sized
Tomatoes : 2 medium, grate n discard the skin
Green chillies : 3 chopped
Red dry chillies : 2
Dry Bay leaves : 2
Comin seeds : 1 tsp
Asafoetida : 2 pinches
Ghee/clarified butter : 2 tbsp
Cooking oil : 1 tbsp
Water : 500 ml
Garam masala : 1 tbsp
Salt : to taste
Pav : as many as you want :)
Cooking instructions:
Put a deep dish or cooking pan on high heat on stove.
Add cooking oil & clarified butter. (The oil prevents the ghee from burning)
Now add Cumin seeds, asafoetida, bay leaves & dry red chillies. Break the bay leaves & chilli while adding them.
Once the seeds start sputtering add onions and cook till golden brown.
Now add the tomato paste and garlic.
Cook for abt 3 mins and then add the ginger and green chilli.
Cook on medium heat constantly stirring for another 5 mins. Don't let the masala burn, sprinkle a lill water whenever u feel its getting dry.
Now add the mince and mix properly. Let it cook for 2 mins while stirring it intermittently.
Now add water and bring to boil.
Once boiling turn the heat from medium to low and cover.
It takes approx 30 mins for the water to reduce.
Keep the pan covered throughout the cooking.
After every 5 mins just stir it a lill.
After 20 mins of cooking add salt to taste and garam masala.
Once the water has reduced, Put the heat on sim or low and let it cook for another 15 mins with stirring every 2 mins or so.
Make sure the lid is on throughout and if at any time u feel the dish is getting a lill dry, sprinkle a lill water.
You absolutely don't want the wonderful dish to have dry meat... Trust me I ve done that blunder and hence learnt. It shouldn't be wet but at the same time shouldn't lose its moisture....
You know its done when the color turns a beautiful brown or deep maroon I would say.
I personally like to Garnish with coriander leaves sprinkle but it goes great just like that too. 
Roast the Pav in some butter on a tava or flat pan.
Serve Keema with butter Pav and some salad.... My personal fav Wud be raddish with lemon & black salt as salad.
Bon Apetit

the wonderful masala that wud give u all the flavour u need

masala well cooked

when it all starts to biol.

the plating aint nice but i like it just like this

the wonderful color of a well cooked keema

Murg Pudina or chicken with mint

This time I tried mom's recipe rather than my usual marinating the chicken in a mint paste... Well it does taste much better and looks wonderful too.... Afterall its mom's recipe

Ingredients:
Chicken 1/2 kg
Onions 2 big finely diced
Cooking oil : 4 tablespoons
Cumin seeds : 1 teaspoon
Asafoetida : 1 pinch
Garlic cloves : 7 large
Ginger : 2 inches

For mint paste :
Mint : 1 bunch : leaves cleaned, no stalks
Coriander : a few leaves, 1/4 the quantity of mint
Green chillies : 3

For marinade :
Chicken masala or garam masala : 1 tablespoon
Salt: to taste
White vinegar : 2 tablespoons

Instructions
Marinate the chicken with the marinade spices and keep aside for about 30 mins. Do not put in fridge.
While the chicken marinates prepare the rest of the stuff, like chopping onions, ginger garlic paste, clearing the mint & coriander.

Put the mint leaves, coriander leaves, green chillies and a lill water in a blender and make a paste.

The most important instruction for cooking this dish: don't let it dry in the process of cooking and cook throughout on a medium flame with the lid on. 

Now put the pan on stove on high flame. Add asafoetida and Cumin. Once Cumin starts to crackle add the marinated chicken.
Put the heat to a medium, stir the chicken so that its coated with the oil, and put the lid. Let it cook for about 3 minutes.
Now add diced onions and ginger garlic paste. And let it cook with lid on for about 7 - 10 mins till the onions are a bit cooked, stirring occasionally.

If at any time you feel its getting a bit dry, sprinkle a lill water and continue cooking. The dish should remain moist but not with gravy.

After the onions and chicken have cooked for sometime add the mint paste. Bring to boil on high flame and then put the flame to medium, put the lid on and let it cook for another 20 mins or till the chicken is well cooked.

Once done, don't put the lid back and let the steam escape so that u don't get a condense on the dish.

Serve with paranthas and dal tadka....

Bon Apetit!!

the final yumm yumm chicken

when the onions are cooked

aah the fresh mint leaves

the marinade

My quick fix paneer in gravy

Ok I'm superbly tired and he is in a mood to have something different preferably paneer but not order from a restaurant... Now cummon, I had a rather long day after an even longer day.....

So I pick up the dish with minimal cutting and frying involved.... Paneer in gravy.... Here's the recipe:

Ingredients :
Paneer 250 g _ diced in cubes
Onions 3 medium sized. Diced not chopped
Tomatoes 3 medium sized diced
Green chillies 2
Garlic cloves : 4 to 5 large
Ginger : an inch cut.
Oil to cook : 3 tablespoons
Water
Milk 1/2 cup
Dry Red chillies solid : 2
Red chilli powder : 1/2 teaspoon
Bay leaves : 2
Cumin seeds : 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder : 1 teaspoon
Salt to taste.

Now let's cook :
On the stove put a pan and add a tablespoon of oil. Once its warm add onions. Cook them for about 3 mins or till they turn golden. Now add tomatoes garlic ginger and green chilli. Cook for another 4 mins or till the tomato soften. Now add a cup of water and bring to boil. Turn the heat to medium and let the mixture cook for 10 mins. Turn off the heat and let it cool.
Once cool, use a blender to make a smoothie.

Now put a pan on the stove and add a tablespoon of oil. Add the Cumin seeds, red chilli and bay leaf. Temper the spices, now add turmeric powder and let it cook for a minute. To this add the onion mixture and bring to boil. simmer the gas and let the curry cook for 10 mins. Add water if the curry is too thick. Now add milk and red chilli powder and salt. Stirring continuously cook for 5 mins. Now all you have to do is add paneer chunks and cook for another minute.
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve....

Bon Apetit

One little tip: The gravy tends to have the water separated so don't add too much water

Mushroom do pyaaza

Todays special was mushroom do pyaaza... A dish I must admit I have never cooked before... Let's see how it turns out:
The literal translation of the dish is twice the quantity of onions from what is required and also two different textures of onion
Here's the ingredient list: (for two)
Mushrooms : 100 g : diced
Onions : 3 large : half ground and half diced
Tomatoes : 2 large : pureed
Garlic cloves : 5
Ginger : an inch
Coriander : a few leaves
Oil : 2 tablespoons
Asafoetida / heeng : 1 pinch
Cumin seeds : 1 teaspoon
Salt : to taste
Garam masala: 1 teaspoon
Water : 1 cup
Grind together half the onions, garlic ginger
In a pan warm the oil, add heeng, cumin seeds. Once the cumin starts to sputter add the onion paste and cook till they turn brown.
Now add the tomato puree  and cook for 2 mins on high flame stirring in between... Then turn the flame to medium and cook till the paste turns a beautiful reddish brown and the oil separates slightly... If required add a lill water just a few spoons so that the mixture doesn't burn.
Now add the remaining onions, mushrooms and green chillies. cook till the mushroom is wilted or slightly cooked. Add a cup of water and bring to boil. Add salt to taste. Let it boil for a minute, stirring occasionally.
Turn the stove to sim and cover the pan. After about 3 mins, add Varanasi masks, stir and cover again. Cook for another few mins till the mushroom and onion are tender. Switch off the stove and sprinkle the coriander leaves. Cover the pan again & let it stay for a few minutes.... The dish is ready to serve :)
Serve with some raita and paranthas..... Yumm yumm
My first attempt actually turned out good.... Slurp 
But for next time, probably I would add the onions a lill later so that I get that crunchiness of a look raw onion

onions and tomatoes

onions 

dish at the boiling stage

serve with some raita, papad and mango pickle

Our favourite Pudding

Well this one's the simplest pudding & an all time winner. We love making it & at the same time people love looking at it & getting it served :)

Here's the recipe:
Custard powder: 4 tablespoons
600 ml Milk (for custard)
Sugar for custard
2 medium sized alphonso mangoes (any other sweet mango would do): skinned & chopped
Jelly crystals (strawberry/blueberry flavour)
Raisin Cake/walnut cake
Sweet green grapes: 100 gms : slice each grape from the middle.
2 peaches: chopped
1 Large glass bowl

Make the custard as per instructions on the pack. Once the custard has been made, to it add the chopped mango & swirl. Let it cool.
In the mean time, slice the cake & arrange it at the base of the bowl. Ensure that it forms a thick base.
Pour the custard slowly on the cake.
Refrigerate the bowl with cake & custard for an hour.

In the mean time, mix the jelly crystals in hot boiling water (as per pack instructions). Let the jelly cool to room temperature (DO NOT REFRIGERATE)

Once the jelly has cooled down (ensure it is cool enough but doesnt turn lumpy), take out the bowl with cake & custard & slowly pour the jelly without disturbing the custard below. Once done, slowly sprinkle the cut grapes & peaches, they would sink in the jelly.
Now refrigerate the bowl again to let the jelly set. & your dish is ready to be scooped out :)

The key to making this dish is patience, if the ingredients are not cooled to appropriate temperatures you wouldnt get the layers & it would be just one lumpy dish with three non-mixing phases.

Bon Apetit!

Making him eat the slimy veggie.....

Well generally people complain about kids not eating half of the veggies, I have a grown-up who believes that everything vegetarian should be fed to an animal & then their by-products should be consumed by us.......

So I come up with the different different ways of making him eat all those veg that I want to :)

Here's one of them: Arbi Tikki


Ingredients:
Arbi : 250 gms
1 Onion : finely chopped
1 inch ginger: finely chopped
6 cloves of garlic: chopped
3 green chillies: finely chopped
2 bread: corners cut
Salt to taste
1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala
1/2 teaspoon Dry mango powder
1/2 cup oil for cooking

Cooking:
Boil Arbi in a pressure cooker for 8 - 12 mins. Once done, peel the skin & mash arbi.
To this mash add onion, ginger, garlic, chillies, salt, garam masala & dry mango powder & mix well. The paste becomes extremely sticky to handle, add the bread (or you can opt for flour) to bring the consistency to a level that can be used to make small balls(Dont make it too dry). I personally do not add too much flour, I would rather have irregular shapes than have the taste of flour/bread in my tikki.
Roll small balls from the mixture/like me just use a spoon to scoop the mixture & let it take its own shape.
Heat a flat non-stick pan/tawa on max. flame. Pour just a lill oil, enough to coat the pan. Now put the small balls/scoops on the pan & flatten them with a spatula. Cook at medium flame changing the sides, untill your tikki turns brown.

Serve in a plate with some pudina chutney, Dal Tadka & raita along with parantha.

Bon Apetit!

Crackling Spinach with Garlic

Today was a mood for simple food, going back to the usual daal-chaawal (Lentils with rice) cooked in the typical home style. Nothing fancy. 

So to accompany the simple food, I fixed a simpler dish, crackling garlic spinach. & trust me it was awesome, sorry no pictures coz we ate it as soon as it was made. Here's the recipe:

Since it was just three of us & it was my side dish we made just a lill bit of it, so increase the quantities if you like more of leaf.

1. Spinach leaves: a small bunch: diced
2. Garlic : 7 cloves finely chopped (reduce to 4 cloves if you dont like too much garlic)
3. Green Chillies: 4, finely chopped
4. Salt: 1/4 teaspoon (adjust as per taste)
5. Red chilli powder: 1/4 teaspoon
6. Oil to fry: 1 cup

Wash the spinach nicely under running water & drain all the water ensuring that the spinach is fairly dry(moist is fine)

Add salt & red chilli powder into the spinach so that it is evenly spread, & keep it aside for 15 minutes. Some water would seep out of spinach, but that's OK. 

Heat oil in a pan, once hot fry the chopped garlic first, & keep aside. Then fry spinach in small amounts.In the end fry the green chilies. 

Mix the fried spinach, chilies & garlic, sprinkle a little bit more salt if required. Serve hot.

VARIATIONS:

You can toss into the spinach some butter cooked prawns, or boiled chicken chunks or some cottage cheese, especially the flavored ones to make a great starter. 

Hope you enjoy it, I liked it very much with my dose of daal-chawal. 

The first post

Like the first day at school, like the first day at work, like the first date, I am anxious......
For long I have been thinking, considering how much I love food & everything that revolves around it including cooking, I should start seriously to capture my awesome recipes & also experiences for keeps & shares.

So yeah here I finally decide to begin :)

Hopefully, I shall come up with something worthwhile.