.....From My Palate

Bhawana

Lemongrass Saffron Rice

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One of the easiest thing I cooked and comes out really delicious. Once I made my Thai Curry Paste, I had these Lemongrass Leftovers, which I don’t want to throw for some reasons. (oh..they smell so good). So I quickly think of making rice out of it. (I’m sure there is some recipe for it but right now i’m on high after delivering this recipe.)

Lemongrass Saffron Rice
Author: Bhawana
Ingredients
  • 2 cups Rice
  • Lemongrass
  • Few Strands Saffron
  • Salt
  • 4 cups of water
Instructions
  1. Take a big pan, add rice and lemongrass.
  2. Give it a good stir and add water, salt and saffron.
  3. Keep it on a low flame
  4. Keep checking until rice are done.
  5. Serve hot with Thai Curry or Curry of your Choice.

 

Veg Yellow Thai Curry… Thai Kitchen Se

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Veg Yellow Thai Curry with LemonGrass Saffron Rice

I made my fresh curry paste and veg curry with the help of this wonderful link-
http://thaifood.about.com/od/thaicurrypasterecipes/r/yellowpaste.htm
Omitting few ingredients to make it vegetarian.

Vegetables I used for the Curry-

Sprouted Beans, BokChoy, Green Peppers, Beans, Carrots, Mushrooms, Broccoli, Baby Corns.
All fresh and cut in to big chunks.
Coconut Milk 1 Cup
3 Tbsp Curry Paste
Salt

Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pan. Add Curry paste and saute until becomes fragrant. If it thicker in consistency add 1/2 cup of coconut milk and fry atleast 1 minute. Now add the rest of coconut milk, keep stirring and add all the vegetables except Bokchoy and Brocolli and salt.
Put it on a medium flame and cook it for 10 minutes or until vegetables are done.
Add water or Coconut milk if it becomes thick and cook it till u can smell the aroma.

(I kept a very light hand on Coconut Milk. You can add more coconut milk if u want but I added water when needed.)

When ready to serve stir-fry Brocolli and Bokchoy with some salt and add it to Curry.
Serve hot with Thai Jasmine Rice or LemonGrass saffron Rice.

Recipe for LemonGrass Saffron rice is Next.

Misal Paav….Maharasthtra Ki Shaan

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Misal Paav

Ingredients

  • 1 cup dried peas (Matra as we call it )
  • (Soaked for 8 hours and Boiled)
  • 1 tsp of ginger and garlic
  • Cumin seed Pd, Coriander Pd, Garam masala Pd, Fennel seed Pd Acc. to ur taste
  • Little bit of Turmeric Pd
  • Salt
  • 2 tbsp of Tamarind Chutney

Method

  • Heat 2 tsp of oil in a non stick pan
  • Add ginger and garlic.
  • Saute it for 2o seconds and add all the masala Pd.
  • Again Saute it for few seconds and add boiled matra (peas).
  • Add enough water to prevent sticking on bottom of the pan.
  • Give it a boil and add salt and tamarind chutney at end.

Ohh..I forget to mention chopped green chillies if u want it hot and spicy.

For Garnishing-

  • Chopped onion, tomatoes, cucumber, raw mango
  • (vegetable of ur choice to make it healthy for children)
  • Papri
  • Sev
  • Chopped Coriander

How to Serve-

This is what I love about Misal Paav and Dabeli.
Take enough of misal in a bowl, add chopped vegetables and garnish it with papri , sev and chopped Coriander.
Serve hot this Colorful and Tempting bowl with Paav and tamarind and green chutneys on sides.

Vegetable Dumpling Soup

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Vegetable Dumpling Soup

 

Vegetable Dumpling Soup
Author: Bhawana
Ingredients
  • 1 packet Dumpling Skins
  • 1 ½ Cups finely chopped Carrots, Beans, Mushrooms, colored Peppers, scallions or any vegetable of ur choice
  • 2 tbsp Soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp Sesame oil
  • Chopped Ginger and Garlic
  • Salt & Pepper
  • Oil to stir-fry
Instructions
  1. In a stir-fry pan, heat oil add ginger and garlic, all the vegetables and cook for 2 mins.
  2. Add soy sauce, sesame oil, salt and pepper cook 2 more mins till all the liquid evaporates.
  3. Once its done let it cool.
  4. Take dumpling skin, place 1 tsp of filling in the centre, damp the edges with water and shape dumpling of ur choice.
  5. Make all the dumplings you needed.
  6. You can store them in the freezer for later use if u want.
  7. Get a pot of salted water to a boil, in batches, add the dumplings and boil until cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes
  8. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain.
  9. You can serve them with dipping sauces. But here we are working for Soup.
For the Soup
  1. First we have to make vegetable stock.
  2. Take 2 cups of mixed vegetables of your choice (I use potato, carrot, celery, onion that’s all available for me today)
  3. Cut all the vegetables in to big chunks.
  4. Take a stockpot with 5 cups of water.
  5. Add all the vegetables, 3 cloves of garlic, 1 tsp of chopped ginger, bay leaf, 4 cloves and few peppercorns.
  6. Put it on a high flame till it started to boil and then simmer it for an hour.
  7. Strain the stock in a colander, keep it aside and you are good to go.
  8. When ready to serve, boil the stock , add green onion, sprouted soya beans, salt, ½ tsp of sugar, pepper and dumplings boil for 1 more minute.
  9. Serve hot with a bottle of tobacco sauce for the added spicy kick if needed on choice.

For more detailed recipe for stock refer to- http://allrecipes.com/HowTo/Making-Vegetable-Stock/Detail.aspx Its very helpful

Photobucket

I’m sending this recipe to Dear Sia of beautiful Blog http://www.monsoonspice.com/ for the event JFI-Soya. Thank u Sia for the opportunity.

On Chinese New Year’s eve, making and eating dumpling is a tradition in China. Family members would get together to make it.

Stuffed Aaloo in coconut Gravy

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Stuffed Aaloo in coconut Gravy

After a long time i’m participating in an event . I’m happy and excited.

5 medium size Potatoes- Boiled and scooped from top

For Stuffing-

1 cup mashed Paneer
Left over scooped potatoes
Coriander leaves
Salt, jeera Pd, chaat masala Pd according to taste
½ tsp sugar
Few drops of lemon
U can also add chopped green chilies if want spicy

Mix all the above ingredients together, make a smooth dough (add little bit of corn flour if sticky) and stuff it in to scooped potatoes.
Take 2tsp of oil and shallow fry whole potatoes from all sides till it feels crisp and brown. Cut it in two halves and keep it aside.

For Gravy-

1 big onion sliced
2 chopped tomatoes
½ tsp chopped ginger
3 cloves chopped garlic
1 bay leaf
4 cloves
Cardamom seeds, coriander Pd, chilly Pd, turmeric Pd, salt and cumin Pd acc. To taste
½ cup coconut milk
Chopped coriander for garnishing

Take 2 tsp of oil and fry onions, ginger, garlic, cloves, cardamom seeds and bay leaf. When onion started changing color add tomatoes and all masalas.
Fry some more time till oil begins to separate. Switch off the gas and let it cool for some time. Grind it in to smooth paste.
Use the same pan and give it a boil and add coconut milk on slow flame. Mix it well, can add water in the gravy acc. to own likeness.
Add potatoes and switch off the gas after 2 mins.
Serve hot garnished with chopped coriander with roti or rice.

This recipe goes to CURRY MELA HOSTED BY Dear SRIVALLI of Cooking 4 All Seasons.

Blog first Anniversary……….

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Hi Dear Blog….
Its been one year today when I first posted my very first post here. It seems as if it was just yesterday that I made the decision to start a blog. I’m really sorry for not being here since long time. Its not that I was not cooking, it just little bit of laziness and giving all my time to my 17 months old baby. Though I really miss all my friends, comments and their appreciation for a simple creativity but something after something kept me busy. I’m going to try to be regular now and lets see how it goes…..
So on your very first birthday ….
Lets do it Again….at least give it a try..!!

Hi Friends,

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Hi Friends,
Due to certain health issues was not regular with my posts. Though now I am doing better but its time to go for four weeks vecations. I am going to miss all events, but hope to see YOU (all my friends) in 2007 so that we can celebrate New Year together.

Take Care
See u guys soon……..
Bhawna

Mix Vegetable Kadhi With Zeera Rice

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Mix Vegetable Kadhi with Zeera Rice

Mix Vegetable Kadhi

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cup yogurt
  • 3 tbsp besan
  • 1 3/4 cups of water
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 5 or 6 curry leaves
  • ½ tsp fenugreek seeds
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • ¼ tsp Hing (asafetida pd)
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric Pd
  • 1/2 tsp Cayenne Pd
  • 1 tsp coriander powder
  • 1 cup chopped mix vegetables
  • (carrots, potatoes, beans, peas any other veggie of your choice)

Method

  • Mix the yogurt, besan and water and stir until the mixture is smooth. Set aside.
  • Heat the oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, asafetida Pd and curry leaves.
  • When the mustard seeds begin to pop, add the onions and sauté for a minute. A
  • dd turmeric, cayenne and coriander and stir for a minute..
  • Add the vegetables and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Now add the yogurt mixture, give it a boil and cook it till done.
  • Garnish with coriander leaves.
  • Serve hot with Rice.

Jeera Rice

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Basmati rice
  • 2 tsp Jeera (cumin seeds)
  • 3 Whole peppercorns
  • 2 Bay leafs
  • 3 Cloves
  • 2 Cinnamon sticks
  • 1 Onions, sliced
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • Salt to Taste
  • 2 cups water

Method

  • Wash the rice and soak in water for half an hour.
  • Heat oil in a heavy saucepan, add cumin seeds, bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon sticks and peppercorns and fry for a while.
  • Now add onions and fry till nice and brown.
  • When onions are done add rice, salt, water and stir.
  • Cover with a lid and simmer the flame.
  • Cook until the rice is done.
  • Serve jeera rice with Mix vegetable kadhi.

A very Happy Diwali with Fantastic Four Meme…

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A Very Very Happy Diwali

Hi Friends!
Dear Vijaya, has tagged me for “Fantastic Four Meme” (This is my first time). Thanks Vijaya. So these are some of the snapshots of my life…..

Fantastic Four Meme…

Four places I’ve lived…
My Birth Place Dehra Dun
Meerut
Delhi
Edison NJ

Four Jobs I had…
Worked in a Kindergarten (was loaded with flowers & chocolates on Teacher’s day Wow..)
(These are not exactly jobs but I had and having a food time doing them)
Loving and most pampered Daughter
Good Companion my husband can count on…Still trying
Currently I am a mother of Nine months old…..and that’s one I am enjoying the most.

Four favorite Places I’ve holidayed…
My Dreamland Switzerland
Kulu Manali
Rajasthan
Niagara Falls

Four Favorite foods…
Kadhi Chawal
Rajma Chawal
Indian Chinese
Sweets of all kinds…umm

Four places I’d rather be…
Anywhere in India
Anywhere with my Family
Anywhere full of chocolates and sweets
Anywhere full of festivity 365 days

Hey Now This is Tricky, I am new to this blogsphere and whom all I know are already tagged, I don’t know if I can tagged them again so I am tagging whom I like to know about. Lets see if they are cool about it.

Four persons I like to tag…
Rajeswari of RAK’S Kitchen
Seema of Everyday cooking recipes from my kitchen…..
Kajal Of Kajal
remya of Spices ‘n Flavours

Thanks, and once again a very happy Diwali to all of You.

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Gajar Ka Halwa

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This is a winter favorite in north India. Back Home this was my favorite treat on Diwali. Winter carrots grown in India are bright red giving Halwa a nice color






This is my entry to Jihva Special Edition 2007 hosted by dear vee.
Thank You Vee.

Gajar Ka Halwa
Author: Bhawana
Ingredients
  • Grated carrot 1 kg
  • Milk 1 litre
  • Whole dried milk (mawa) 1/2 Cup
  • Sugar 1 cups
  • Ghee 2 tbsp.
  • Dry fruits (sliced almond and cashew nuts, raisin ) 1/2 cup
  • Cardamom powder 1/2 tsp.
Instructions
  1. Put milk and grated carrots in a heavy base saucepan and bring it to boil.
  2. Cook over medium heat until all the milk gets dried up.
  3. You should stir the mixture occasionally to prevent any sticking.
  4. Add sugar, cardamom powder, 1/4 cup dry fruits and continuously stir for 5-7 minutes.
  5. Add ghee and mawa. Stir well and fry on low heat until ghee starts separating.
  6. Decorate with remaining dry fruits.
  7. Serve Hot or Cold.