A Chef's Melody

Here's what you need 1 cup frozen peas, thawed 1 large potato,cubed 1 cup fried onions (Store bought-almost all Indian store carry them) 1 tbsp garlic paste 1 tbsp ginger paste 8 whole cashews, halved 2 tbsp plain yogurt,preferably at room temperature 1/4 cup store bought tomato sauce (substitute:1/2 cup homemade tomato puree) 1 tsp chili powder 1 tbsp coriander powder 1 tsp cumin powder 1 1/2 tsp sugar 1 tbsp kasuri methi,crushed 1 tsp Kitchen King Masala (substitute :garam masala) 1 tbsp lemon juice 2 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped 1 tsp ghee (optional) 1 tbsp oil salt to taste Let's start cooking Blend fried onions,cashews,yogurt to a smooth paste.Use a few tablespoons of warm water if necessary. In a kadhai ,heat a tsp of oil fry the onion paste on medium high heat,stirring continuously until oil separates, approx. 4-5 mins.Remember we are using fried onions,so don't be surprised to see a considerable amount of oil oozing out.It is necessary tha...

Here's what you need 1 large potato peeled and cubed 2 capsicum/green pepper cut into big chunks 1 medium onion sliced lengthwise 1/2 tsp red chili powder 1/2 tsp turmeric powder 1/2 tsp dhania-jeera powder 1/2 tsp pav bhaji masala 2 tbsp cilantro finely chopped 3 tbsp oil salt to taste Let's start cooking In a glass bowl,add all the above ingredients,mix well. Cover will a microwave safe plastic wrap.Punch 5-6 hole on the wrap to allow steam to escape. Cook on full power in microwave for 20 minutes. Serve hot with rotis or rice. Note: Add a tbsp of lemon juice to enhance the flavor after you remove it from the microwave .

Here's what you need: 1 bunch spinach Trim and wash the spinach leaves and drop them in boiling water and let them boil for couple of minutes.Fish the leaves out and drop them in ice cold water.Let them rest for 5 mins.Later make a puree of the leaves. 1 cup masoor   soaked overnite and cooked just until done but not mushy. 1 medium red onion chopped 2 green chillis slit 1 medium tomato chopped 7 cloves of garlic minced 4 tbsp dessicated coconut Dry roasted till light golden. 1 tbsp coriander powder 1 tsp cumin powder 1/2 tsp red chilli powder 1/2 tsp garam masala powder 2 tbsp oil salt to taste Let's start cooking Heat a fry pan ,add a tbsp of oil when hot drop in  garlic and saute for a couple of mins till light brown. Add the onion and fry till transparent,about 4 mins. Add green chilis,tomato,coriander powder,cumin powder,red chili powder and fry till oil separates,about 5 mins.Remember we have used very less oil so you won't see a...

Our family is vegetarian so we have very few option to explore.My husband's current project is in Dallas and a Mediterranean  lunch buffet place called "Galilee Grill" in downtown dallas attracts him a lot. This place has a wonderful buffet under $10 and you will be amazed to see how crowed it is during the weekdays lunch hours.I too love middle eastern food as it is quite spicy. As my DH and son are a fan of falafel there are times when I cooked it very often.Just to make it  healthy I  add either mix vegetables or spinach or soya chunks to these and believe me the addition of these ingredients made them more tasty. Originally falafel was made of fava beans but later as it migrated outside Egypt fava beans were replaced  by chickpeas.Falafel grew to become a common form of street food or fast food in the Middle East. During Ramadan, falafel balls are sometimes eaten as part of the iftar, the meal that breaks the daily fast after sunset Falafel became s...

Here's what you will need 1 cup Sabudana/sago 1/4 cup peanut butter (smooth, unsalted and no sugar added.) 1/2 cup sugar,powdered 1/2 tsp cardamom powder 1/8 cup cashew nut powder(optional) ( You could use cashews for garnishing instead) ghee as required The Cooking Process Dry roast the sabudana till they are light golden and grind it to a fine powder. In a large bowl beat the peanut butter till it is light and fluffy.Now add the sugar,sabudana powder,cashew nut powder and cardamom powder and mix the ingredients well. Grease your palms with ghee and make small lime size balls.If you find it hard to shape you could add 1-2 tbsp of melted ghee to the mixture. These ladoos can be served as snack. Variation: Replace peanut butter with 2 tbsp fine peanut powder and 1/4 cup ghee. Makes :20 ladoos

Here's what you need 1 cup cauliflower florets 1 tsp garam masala 1 tsp paprika A pinch asafeotida/hing ¼ cup milk 1 tbsp cashew nut paste 1 tsp mustard seeds 1 tbsp crushed kasoori methi 2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro 2 tbsp ghee 1 tbsp oil 1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar/jaggery salt Set 1 2 pods garlic (optional) 4 red chili Soak the red chilis in ¼ cup of water for ½ an hour and drain.Grind the garlic and chilis into a smooth paste.Use water if necessary. Set 2 2 medium roma tomatoes chopped in chunks ½ tsp fenugreek seeds 1 tbsp mustard seeds ½ tsp tamarind concentrate Dry roast the mustard and fenugreek seeds.Grind it along with the rest of the ingredients in the above list. The Cooking Process Heat a tbsp of ghee.When it is hot enough stir fry the cauliflower florets till light golden .Drain the ghee and remove the florets .Keep aside. In the same wok,add oil when it is hot add the mustard seeds,asafoetida, and the chili-garlic paste.Saute for coup...

Here's what you need: 1 1/2 cup semolina/rava/cream of wheat 2 cup low fat plain natural yogurt 1/4 cup canola oil (you can use butter instead) 1 cup sugar 1 tsp baking soda 1 tsp vanilla essence 3 to 4 tbsp of nuts for garnishing (optional) 1 tbsp lemon zest a pinch of salt For syrup 1/4 cup water 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 1/2 cup sugar The cooking Process Beat the yogurt and sugar well till the sugar dissolves. Add oil,zest,essence,baking soda and salt.Once the wet ingredients are mixed well add the semolina.Mix and let it stand for at least 2 hours.I sometimes even let it stand overnight.This enables semolina to soften and the cake turn out  fluffy. Preheat the oven to 350 deg F.Grease a tray and pour the batter.Garnish with nuts.Bake for 25-30 mins or until the toothpick comes out clean when inserted at the center of the cake.Let it cool for 15 mins and then unmold. In the meantime prepare the syrup.Heat the water and sugar mixture ...