Vegetable Quiche

This is tunu`s recipe 
Ingredients for dough :
All purpose flour or maida - 500 gms ,
Butter - 4 tbsp ,
Milk - 1/2 cup ,
Salt and pepper to taste .

Ingredients for filling :
Cottage cheese or paneer - 200 gms ( small cubes ),
Spinach - 100 gms ( blanched and chopped ),
Green bell pepper - 1 ( chopped ),
Salt ans pepper to taste ,
Olive oil - 1tsp ,

Ingredients for topping :
Egg -2 ( beaten ),
Cream - 200 gm ,
Cheese - 50 gm ( grated ,keep 1 tbsp of cheese aside ),
 Pepper 1/4 tsp.

Method :
Sieve flour in a bowl and add salt and pepper .Pour the melted butter and mix .Make dough by adding milk to the flour .Cover and keep aside .
Heat a pan add 1 tsp of oil .Saute bell pepper ,paneer cubes and spinach in high heat for 1/2 minute .Sprinkle salt and pepper and keep aside .

Take a bowl and brake 2 eggs in it .beat for 1/2 second .then add cream and cheese . Keep aside 1 tbsp of cheese to sprinkle on top .Mix the cream egg mixture gently with a spoon .Add pepper to it .

Pre heat oven to 180 C .
Grease the baking pie dish.
Take the prepared dough and roll it on your work station .
My pie dish size is 8x8 .

Roll the dough 2 inches bigger than your pie dish .
Place the rolled dough on your pie dish and press the edges with the tip of your finger .

Cut out extra dough if hanging .

With a fork make pricks on the dough surface .
Spoon the paneer spinach mixture in the pie dish and top it with the cream egg mixture .

Sprinkle fresh pepper and some grated cheese on top.

Transfer the dish to the oven and let it bake for 45 minutes or till a brown crust forms on top .

When ready take out and leave it to cool for 5 minutes on wire rack .

Cut into pieces and serve while still hot .

Green peas with scallions, garlic and ginger

This is my mummy`s recipe

Ingredients:

Fresh green peas - 500 gms ,

Scallions or green onions - 3 or 4 ( chopped ),

Garlic  - 6 small ( chopped ),

Ginger -2 inch (chopped ),

Green chilli -2 ( chopped ),

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp ,

Coriander leaves -2 tbsp ( chopped ),

Turmeric pwd -1/4 tsp ,

Water- 4 tbsp,

Salt to taste ,

Oil - 1 tsp .

Method :

Heat pan and put 1 tsp of oil . As oil heats up add cumin seeds . 

As cumin changes colour, add chopped garlic and ginger .

After 1/2 second , add chopped green chilli ,chopped and diced scallions or green onions ,green peas ,salt  ,turmeric pwd and 4 tbsp of water .

 Mix and lower the heat and put a lid on .

Let it simmer and cook for 10 minutes or less than that ( low heat ).

As the peas are fresh and tender it will be not take time to cook .

Open and check if the peas are tender and then raise the heat for 1/2 second to dry the peas if need be.

Close gas .

Sprinkle fresh coriander leaves .

It is  very simple and tasty side dish .

You can enjoy the peas with rice ,roti or paratha .

My mother used to serve this dish with boiled eggs .

Methi chicken

Ingredients :
Bone-in-chicken breasts - 500 gms ( cut into 2 inch pieces ),
Fresh methi leaves - 100 gm or 1 cup ( Chopped ),
Cumin seeds -1 tsp ,
Curd - 3/4  cup ,

Onion -1 medium- ( if you want a thicker gravy use two ),
Ginger garlic paste -1 tsp,
Green chilli -2 ( chopped ),
Tomato -1 (chopped ),
Tomato puree - 2tbsp,
Coriander pwd -1 tsp ,
Red chilli pwd -1 tsp ,
Turmeric pwd -1 /2 tsp ,
Garam masala -1/2 tsp,
Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup chopped ,
Oil - 2tsp,
Water - !/2 cup,
Salt to taste .

Method :
Chop onions finely .

Heat a thick bottom pan .Add 2 tsp of oil .

As oil heats up add cumin seeds .

As seeds change colour ,add the chopped onions .

Fry the onions in high heat . Add salt .Salt will help browning the onions quickly.

When onions turn light brown  add ginger garlic paste .Saute for 1/2 minute ,then add turmeric pwd ,red chilli pwd ,coriander pwd .

Fry the spices in medium heat for 1/2 minute .Raise  the heat to high then add curd .

Let it cook till curd mixes evenly with the powdered spices .
It will take only a minute .

Add chopped methi leaves and green chilli .
As the leaves wilt add the chicken pieces .Mix  till the spices evenly coats 

the chicken and  then add 1/2 cup of water .Let the gravy come to a boil .Put a lid and then lower the heat .
Let it simmer for 15  minutes .
Check after 15 minutes .Chicken will be 3/4 cooked .

Add the chopped tomato and  tomato puree .
Mix and put on lid and let it cook for 7 to 8 minutes or till chicken is fully cooked .

When chicken is fully cooked ,raise the heat .

Sprinkle coriander leaves and garam masala powder.

Close the gas when the sauce thickens .
Taste salt .
Enjoy methi chicken with hot roti or steamed rice .

Fish in banana leaf

Ingredients :
Fish ( Rohu )-  500 kg ,

Onion -2 ( finely chopped ),
Garlic -2 ( chopped ),
Red chilli -1/2 tsp ,

Turmeric pwd -1/4 tsp ,
Green chilli -2,
Oil -1 tsp ,
Salt to taste ,
Banana leaf -1 ,
Lemon- 1/2.

Method :
Marinate fish with chopped onion ,red chilli pwd ,turmeric pwd ,chopped garlic ,green chillii , salt and 1 tsp oil.You can add more herbs or spices  if you like it more spicy.

Keep in fridge for 1 hour .
Pre heat oven to 300 C.
Take the banana leaf  and cut off the center part.
Trim the edges .
Put them in oven for 20 seconds in high heat and the leaves will turn soft .

It helps in folding and making packets .
Spread one leaf  on tray or cutting board and the other leaf  just 2 inches below or above it ,so that the width is more  .

Spoon the marinated fish in the center of the banana leaf .

Fold in from the long sides and the make another fold from the short side .
Tie the banana packets with a thick thread  or use tooth picks to close the edges .
Make sure there are no leaks for the marination to come out .

Put your banana packets on grill or grill plate for 20 seconds on high heat and then turn and grill for another 20 seconds .
Grease the oven tray and transfer the fish packet to the baking tray .

Keep the tray in middle rack and let it roast  for 8 minutes .Turn sides and let it roast  for another 8 minutes .

Take out  from oven and open the banana leaf .Sprinkle lemon juice and pepper .

Serve  fish with hot steaming rice .

Red Spinach with yellow lentils

Ingredients :
Red spinach or laal saag - 1/2 kg ,

Yellow lentils or moong dhuli - 4 tbsp ,
Garlic -2 ( chopped ),
Dried red chilli -1 ,
Oil -1 tsp ,
Salt to taste .

Method :
Pluck out the leaves and discard the hard stem from the spinach .
Wash and keep in a strainer .
Soak  the  dal in a bowl for 2  to 3 hours .

Heat kadhai and put 1 tsp of oil in it .As oil heats up ad red chilli and chopped garlic .

As garlic starts to roast add the spinach leaves  .
Lower the heat and put on lid .

After few seconds ,open the lid .The spinach will reduced   and  then add the soaked lentil and 1/4 tsp salt .Cover for  7 to 8 minutes .
Moong dal will soften after 7 to 8 minutes.

Rasie the heat and mix  the spinach and lentil and close the gas after the spinach is evenly coated .

Taste salt .

This dish is served as a side dish and eaten with rice or roti .

Serves - 4