Away for two weeks

Hi,

 This is Anshuman posting on behalf of my mom. My mom's youngest brother has taken ill, so she is going to be away from her computer and blogging for at least a couple of weeks.

Thanks,

Tahini

Ingredients :
Sesame seeds  - 1 cup -200 gms ,
Olive oil -120 ml ,

Method :
Pre heat oven to 300 C.
Roast the sesame for 10 minutes till light brown .

Keep tossing the seeds frequently with a spatulla .As the seeds change colour take the tray out and let it roast on the tray till golden brown .Dont over roast it .

Cool for 20 minutes .
Pour the sesame seeds in the grinder or food proceessor and add olive oil.
Blend for 2 minutes .
Check for consistency .
The goal is thick yet pourable texture .

Add more oil  until  desired consistency .

Baba Ghanoush

Ingredients :
Round eggplant  - 2 -medium size -1/2 kg ,

Garlic - 4 -chopped ,
Tahini -1/4 cup ( sesame seed paste ),
Lemon juice -1 ,
Parsley - one hand full coarsely chopped ( optional )can add  few leaves of mint .
Pepper and salt to taste ,
Cumin pwd  -1/2 tsp ,
Olive oil -1/2 cup ,
Pistachios - 2 tbsp .

Method :
Pierce the eggplant in few places .Grill in the oven till done .
Temperature - 300 C,
It take 40 minutes to grill . keep tossing the vegetable so that it is evenly grilled .

Pierce with knife to check if cooked inside .
When done discard the seed and skin .
In a blender ,put garlic ,tahini ,lemon juice and parsley or mint and blend until smooth ,add the eggplant .
Season with salt and pepper and cumin pwd to make a thick puree .
Add olive oil and run the blender for few seconds .
Taste and adjust seasoning .
Have it with Pita Bread !

Hummus

Ingredients :
Chick Peas  or chole - 100 gms or 1 cup, soaked for 4 hours -boiled with 1 cup of water - 450 gms,
Garlic -2 chopped,
Lemon juice - 3 and 1/3 tbsp ,
Tahini  paste - 1 and1/4 tbsp ,
Salt -1 tsp ,
Olive oil - 2 tbsp ,

Water -2 or 3 tbsp ( use water of  boiled chick peas ).
Method :
Boil chick peas in cooker with 1 cup of water - one whisle in high heat and 20 minutes in low heat .
Let it cool .
Pour peas into the blender, add lemon juice ,tahini ,chopped garlic ,and salt and blend till creamy .
Add some water and blend .
Transfer the mixture into a serving bowl . Sprinkle pepper and pour olive oil on the top .

Jamaican keema patties

We all like it !
Ingredients for dough :
All purpose flour or maida -3 cups,
Kitchen king masala or curry powder - 1 and 1/2 tsp ,
Salt -1 tsp ,
Butter or margarine -1/4 cup ,
Shortening or dalda -1/4 cup,
Water-1/3 cup .

Ingredients for filling :
Margarine or butter -2 tbsp ,
Lamb keema -1/2 Kg ,
Onion-1 small diced finely ,
Kitchen king masala or curry pwd -1 tsp ,
Dried thyme -1 tsp ,
Tomato ketchup -1 tbsp ,
Salt -1 tsp ,
Pepper -1 tsp ,
Broth or water - 1/2 cup ,( i used water as i did not make broth ),
Dry bread crumbs -1/2 cup .

Method :
In a large bowl combine flour ,curry masala ans salt .
Cut in 1/4 cup of butter or margarine and shortening or dalda until mixture resembles corse crumbs .
Stir in water and make a dough .Cover with a damp cloth  and keep aside .

Melt margarine in a skillet over medium heat .Saute onions until soft and translucent .
Stir in the ground keema . Add 1 tsp of curry pwd ,thyme ,salt ,and pepper . Mix and lower the heat and cover  Let the keema cook till its liquid dries  ( 15 minutes to 20 minutes ) .As the liquid  dries uncover and raise the heat and  brown the keema stirring constantly .Stir in broth or water and bread crumbs .Simmer until liquid is absorbed  ( 10 minutes ).Add 1 tbsp of ketchup . Remove from heat .

Filling :
Shape dough into a log and cut into 13 sections and cover so that the dough does not dry .
Roll each section into 6 inch circle .
Spoon equal amount of filling into each pastry circle .wet the outer circle with water and then fold over and press edges together .

Make a half circle .
Use a fork to press the edges and brush the top of each patty  with egg .
Bake in oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown .

Baking Temperature 200 centigrade ( 400 - F ).

Kaddu ( Pumpkin )

Ingredients :
Kaddu or lauki - 400 gms ,
Garlic -6 Small ,
Red dried chilli -1 ,
Mustard seeds -1/2 tsp .
Methi seeds -1/4 tsp ,
Turmeric pwd - 1/4 tsp ,
Salt - 1/2 tsp ,
oil -1 tsp .

Method :
Peel lauki and cut into small 1 inch size .
Heat oil in cooker ,add red chilli ,methi .and mustard seeds  .

As the spices crackle add kaddu ,turmeric pwd and salt .

Mix and add 2 tbsp of water and close the cooker .
Raise the heat - one whisle on high heat  and 2 minutes on low heat .

Open the cooker when it is cold and dry the lauki water on high heat .
 If you want it to be more spicy you can add tomatoes ,chopped coriander leaves and slit green chillies
in the cooker before you close the lid to boil the lauki .

Sarsoo Parwal

This recipe is of a nice lady who sweetly shared her recipe with me !
Ingredients:
Parwal- 400 gms ,
Garlic  - 1 tsp ,
Mustard pwd  - 2 tbsp ,( wet paste )
Green chilli - 1 ( paste )
Fenugreed seeds - 1/4 tsp ,
Dried red chilli - 1( broken )
Turmeric pwd -1/4 tsp ,
Salt to taste ,
Mustard oil -2 tbsp .

Method ;
Soak mustard pwd in half cup of warm water for a hour .It is difficult to grind if not soaked ,then grind with green chilli  and water and make a paste .


Chop both ends of parwal  and then cut from top into two pieces .
Heat oil in pan and add fenugrrek seeds and dried  red chilli .As the seeds change colour add the cut parwal seeds down and cover for a minute .Lower  the heat .

Uncover and add salt and turmeric pwd and  stir and then cover for 10 minutes .Stir the parwal once .

The heat has to be kept low .
Uncover and then add garlic paste , stir in medium heat till garlic is fried .
Check if parwal is cooked ,add mustard chilli paste and mix and cover till water dries ( 5 minutes).

Remove the lid and stir for few seconds till the parwal is evenly coated with the mustard paste .

Close gas .
It can be had with paratha and rice too !

Green Chilli Garlic Pickle

Anshuman likes it !
Ingredients :
Green small chilli -250 gms ( cut and slit on top)
Garlic pod -4 ( crushed ) -100 gms ,
Lemon- 5 or 6 tbsp juice or 100 ml ,
Yellow mustard seeds -50 gms - 4 to 5 tbsp ( pwd )
Vinegar - 1/2 cup ( white or brown non fruit )
Salt -1 and 1/2 tbsp ,
Turmeric pwd - 1/2 tsp ,
Ajwain or carom seeds -1/2 tsp ,
Onion seeds -1/2 tsp ,
Mustard oil -2/3 cup or 150 ml ( heated and then cooled )

Method 
Wash and wipe the jar or container in which you plan to keep the pickle .
 Use  small or long green variety of  chillis for pickle ,  which are very hot .
Step -1
Wash and wipe the chillis one by one with a clean cloth  and keep in a bowl in which you plan to mix the spice.
Discard the top or stem of the chilli and make one inch slit at the top end .
If the chilli is long cut into 2 inch size  .
Keep in a  bowl .

Step -2
 Heat mustard oil in pan and as oil heats up ,close the gas and leave it to cool.

Step -3 grind the mustard seeds in the grinder to make a smooth paste using lemon juice .
Step -4 
Cut lemon and extract juice from it or use ready made lemon juice .


Use the blender to crush garlic, dont need to wash it after you have grinded mustard seeds .( no water to be used during making of pickle )
Step -3
Peel the garlic and lightly crush them in a grinder .( run the grinder for few seconds )  
Step -4
Assemble all the ingredients :


Take the bowl with the cut chillis and add crushed garlic ,mustard pwd ,turmeric pwd , vinegar,salt,  lemon juice and sprinkle ajwain and onion seeds and  some oil .Mix with a clean and dry spoon .

Transfer the chilli garlic mix to the jar and pour the remaining oil and cover with a muslin cloth and keep in the sun .

Shake the bottle  twice a day so that the chillies get even sunlight and they are evenly dipped in oil .

First day the oil will cover half of pickle but next day it will rise as salt dissolves . 

If you think it needs more oil ,can always pour more from outside.


If you plan to make this pickle in winter it takes 4  to5 days to be ready .
If you make it in summer it will take only 2 days .
The colour of chilli will change from green to yellow and that is the sign that  the pickle is ready .

In winter it can be stored outside but in summer keep in the fridge .

Chole ( Spicy chickpeas )

Ingredients :
Chickpeas or  kabuli chana or chole - 1cup or 150 gms ,
Baking soda -1/4 tsp ,
Salt 1/2 tsp ,
water - 500 ml ,
If you like dark chole , put 1 tsp  of tea leaves  in a muslin cloth and put it in the cooker with chole or use tea water  .


Ingredients for sauce :
Ajwain or carom seeds - 1/2 tsp ,
Onion - 2 medium size- finely chopped ,
Ginger - 1 inch shredded or paste ,
Tomato -2 -finely chopped or run in a blender ,
Coriander pwd -1 tsp ,
Red chilli pwd- 1 tsp ,
Everest chole masala - 1 tbsp ,
Chaat masala -1 tsp ,
Amchoor masala - 1 tsp ,
Oil -4 tsp ,
Salt to taste .
Lemon juice -1/2 tsp,
Green chilli -2 slit
coriander leaves and ginger juliennes 

Method :
Soak chickpeas  over night in water .
 Then discard the water and boil them in 500 ml of water , with  salt and baking soda .Cook in high heat -1 whisle and 20 minutes in low heat . when the cooker is cold , discard the tea potli if you have used it .
Heat oil in pan ,add ajwain or carom seeds .
After a few seconds add onions and stir fry in high heat  and then add shredded ginger or paste  till they are  light brown .

Lower the heat and add coriander pwd ,red chilli pwd ,chole masala and little water .
Raise heat and stir fry the masala till oil leaves side .

Add tomatoes and  little salt and stir  fry till oil leaves sides .
Add the boiled chole ,amchor pwd and chat masala .Mix and cover for a minute .
Let the sauce thicken and then close gas .
Taste salt .

Sprinkle coriander leaves ,a dash of lemon juice and ginger juliennes .

Bhature

Ingredients for Bhature :
All purpose flour or maida - 2 cups or 200 gms,
Curd or yogurt - 1/2 cup,
Baking soda -1/4 tsp ,
Semolina or sooji - 1/2 cup ,
Sugar -1/2 tsp ,
Salt -1/2 tsp .
Little water for binding ( 75 ml approximate ).

Method :
Sieve maida ,semolina and soda in a bowl  and  add salt, sugar and curd and mix it .
Add a little water and make a dough as you make roti dough but not very soft  .
Cover it and leave for 2 hours .

Divide the dough into big dumpling ,the size you like to make bhature .
Keep the dough covered while you are frying bhatures .

Pat each dumpling in maida powder and with a rolling pin shape the bahture round or oval and fry them in hot oil .

Enjoy Bhature with spicy chole and boondi curd raitha .

Curd Rice

Ingredients :
Cooked  soft Rice - 300 gms or ( medium size bowl filled rice)
Curd - 400 gms ( whisked ) ,
Green chilli -1 ( deseeded and finely chopped ),
Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp - finely chopped ,
Salt for rice ,

Tempering for curd rice :
Ghee - 2 tsp ,
Dried red chilli -1 ( broken ),
Mustard seeds - a pinch ,
Cumin seeds -a pinch ,
Hing -a pinch ,
Ginger -1 inch - (cut into long pieces or small if you prefer ),
Curry leaves - 4 or 5 .
Method :
Cook the rice softer than what you usually cook.
Keep aside and cool .
You can make curd rice from left over rice too .

Beat curd and add salt ,green chilli ,coriander leaves and keep aside .
Take 1 tsp oil and  lower the heat add hing ,red chilli ,mustard seeds .let it crackle then add urad dal and let it roast .Add curry patha and ginger and close gas .Leave it to cool .

When tempering is slightly cool , pour the  tempered spices on the curd rice .

Mix and taste salt .
Curd rice is ready .Very good for tummy .