Belgaum Special Kheer

Ingredients
1 cup Chana dhal
½ cup Rice Powder
½ cup Jaggery
2 cups Milk
½ tspoon Nutmeg powder
¼ cup Cashews
¼ cup Golden raisins
½ tsp Cardamom powdered
½ cup Ghee
½ cup Cocunut Juice
½ cup freshly grated coconut (optional)
2 inch dry ginger powdered/crushed
Preparation :
Boil channa dhal in a pan with dry ginger till it is very soft in texture.
add milk and 3 cups of water and bring to a boil
add jaggery, and once fully dissolved bring to a boil.
Add rice powder.
Keep stirring till the rice is cooked. (it gets thicker.)
Add ghee and keep stirring until everything
blends. Add the coconut juice and freshly grated coconut.
Add cardamoms and nutmeg and add to the above
Garnish with cashews and raisins roasted in little ghee.

Meat Loaf

Ingredients
• 300 gms minced beef
• 200 gms smoked bacon
• 1 cup minced onion
• 3 medium sized Tomatoes
• 3 slices of bread (soak in warm water for 2 mins and squeeze extra water)
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
• Salt to taste
Preparation
In a non stick pan, cook minced beef and smoked bacon (diced) with the finely diced tomatoes. (There is no need to add salt since the bacon already has salt) Once all the water has dried, cool for sometime.
Put all the above minced mix in a blender and add the eggs, pepper, bread, onion, ginger garlic paste, the Worcestershire sauce, oregano and basil. Pack the mixture into 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. Bake until meat loaf is firm to touch in center, golden brown on top and has pulled away from sides of pan, about 45 minutes. Transfer to platter. Cut crosswise into slices.
Alternatively, you can steam it or 30 mins. I prefer steamed meatloaf, for they make great sandwich filling. (the pic is of a steamed Meatloaf)

Quick Carrot Halwa

Ingredients
• 1/2 kg Carrots
• 1/2 litre Milk
• 1 tsp Cardamom seeds powdered
• 1 tbsp Ghee
• 2 t tbsps Raisins
• 2 tbsps Almonds
• 2 tbsps Pistachios
• 5 tbsps Sugar
Method
Wash and grate the carrots. Soak the raisins in water for 30 minutes. Blanch and crush the nuts.
Keep milk to boil, when it starts boiling add the grated carrots. Cook on a low flame for 1 hour stirring occasionally.
Add sugar, mix well and cook till the sugar has dissolved and all the milk has been absorbed.
Add ghee and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add the powdered cardamoms and the raisins.
Mix well. Remove from heat and arrange in a serving dish. Garnish with almonds and pistachios. Serve cold, hot or at room temperature.
Please note : Add Sugar to your taste, the carrots are already sweet.

Choley Masala with Puri

Choley forms an integral part of a hearty lunch-time menu in north India.  This dish is relished for its spicy and tangy flavor.  It is ideally served as a main dish with rice, naan or piping hot puris.

This is my version……

Ingredients
1-1/2 cup chickpeas
3 medium onions – minced
3 tomatoes – chopped fine
Garlic  - 2/3                   }
Ginger 2” pc                   }  Grind all three very fine
Green Chilly – 2              }
Little tamarind pulp
Channa Masala Powder
Coriander leaves for garnish
1 bay leaf
Pinch of turmeric

Pick chickpeas, remove discolored ones and soak overnight with enough water.  They will double in size.  Discard any shells that have separated and wash under running water till water runs clear.  Pressure cook (for 2 whistles) along with a pinch of turmeric and a bay leaf.

Heat oil,  fry onions till they get tiny brown flecks, add finely cut tomatoes and fry till they turn brownish.  Add the ginger-garlic and green chilly paste and sauté till oil surfaces.  Add channa masala powder to taste (I added 2 tablespoons) and fry for sometime.

Add the boiled chickpeas.  Mash about ¼ of them to a pulp; the remaining keep whole.  Add salt to taste and the tamarind pulp (add tamarind only if the tomatoes are not sour enough).  Simmer on low flame for 10-15 minutes till it forms into a very thickish gravy.   Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve with hot puffed puris.

This is how I did the puris  (it is one of the many versions; and my kids love this one).  The other types, I assure you will pass on to you at some point of time.

3 cups wheat flour
Boiling hot water
1 tsp salt
Oil for frying
1 tablespoon oil for kneading

Sieve the wheat flour in a large bowl or flat platter.  Add salt.  Make a well in the center and add boiling water.  Stir with a spoon and mix till it cools down.  Then knead with hand;  if consistency is too soft add more flour or if hard – add water a little at a time.   Put 1  tablespoon of oil in your palm and knead the flour for 5-7 minutes till it is soft.

Roll dough into small circles and fry in hot oil.  I keep on splashing hot oil  (with a tablespoon) on the puris till it puffs up fully…only then I turn it to the next side).

Drain the puris on paper towels and serve hot.

Hummus

Hummus is an Arabic dip or spread made from cooked, mashed chickpeas, blended with Tahina (sesame seed paste), olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic.

Hummus is high in iron and vitamin C and also has significant amount of folate and vitamin B.  The chickpeas make it a good source of protien and dietary fiber.

One can have it as an appetizer and dip, hummus is scooped with pita-bread or khoboos.  It is also served as an accompaniment to falafel, grilled chicken, fish or eggplant.

There is no hard and fast rules when making hummus.  Mine has a strong lemon and olive oil flavour.  So, keep your own tastebuds in mind when making it.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chickpeas
• 1/4 cup water (from the pan after boiling the chickpeas)
• 3-5 tablespoons lemon juice (depending on taste)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons tahina (paste of sesame seeds)
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 green chilly – chopped fine (optional)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Coriander leaves – cut fine for garnish

Preparation:

Soak chickpeas overnight and wash and pressure cook for 10 minutes.  When done, drain chickpeas and keep aside ¼ cup of liquid . Combine remaining ingredients (except green chilly) in a blender for 3-5 minutes on low until it is all thoroughly mixed and smooth.

Place in serving bowl and dribble olive oil, garnish with parsley and green chilly.

Banana Sukka

My sister in law Vidya told me that this dish (called Karpo khelen- burnt banana) was traditionally served at Roce (the mangalorean ceremony which happens on the eve of a wedding).  She prepared this when she visited us and I just fell in love with it. It tastes divine. Here is how to prepare the Karpo khelen. Enjoy!

Soak lime sized tamarind. Add salt and bafath powder  to the tamarind water. Boil 4 raw bananas (cut them into big pieces) in this water. Water content should be almost equal to the bananas. The bananas should be firm to the touch when boiled. Do not overcook. Then add one cube of jaggery.

 Take oil. Brown 2 chopped onions. When slightly brown add 3 – 4 flakes of crushed garlic, curry leaves and one cup of fresh coconut. Fry well till the coconut turns brown. Add the banana mixture. (there should be no water).

Cutlets

This favorite appetizer is prepared by boiling and mashing potatoes, chopping up onions, finely dicing green chilies and coriander leaves and adding of spices and salt.   After all the components are combined,  dip in eggwash and coat with bread crumbs and shallow fry.   Serve them warm with tomato ketchup or any of your favourite dips.

Ingredients :-
1 packet lamb mince – (minced twice)
4 onions finely minced
Half pod garlic
2” ginger
2 green chillies
Big bundle of coriander leaves
Lemon juice
2 eggs
2” piece of Cinnamon
4-5 cloves
Pepper powder
Pinch of turmeric powder
1 tsp (stew powder or  your favourite masala)
3-4 Potatoes –boiled and mashed
2 tablespoons of tomato ketchup (optional)
Bread crumbs as required

Wash and dry the mince.  In a small vessel, heat a tablespoon of oil, add cinnamon and cloves and onions and saute the onions till they are transparent.  Add the finely chopped ginger, garlic and green chillies and stir fry for a minute or two.  Remove and keep aside. 

In the same oil  add the mince and fry for sometime.  Add spices and just a little water and cook till the mince is done…. Cool and keep aside.

In another big bowl..put in the boiled potatoes and mash them till no lumps remain.  Add the cooled mince, {discard the cinnamon and cloves at this point},  the fried onion mixture,  sauces, coriander leaves, lemon, stew powder and salt.   Mix and adjust seasoning as desired….if you want it spicy add more chilly or more stew powder.

Form equal round ball and flatten them on a cutting board with a butter knife.  Shape the cutlets into rectangular or round shapes. 

Beat up two eggs with 2-3 tablespoons of water (not till frothy – just till the yolk dissolves).  Dip the shaped cutlets into egg wash and then coat with bread crumbs.  Assemble all of them like this and keep on a flat platter and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes.

In a shallow non stick pan – add a little oil  and shallow fry the cutlets on both sides till golden brown.   Use a fork to turn over (I feel this is easier than using a flat spatula). Drain on tissue paper and serve hot.

Meat Balls in Pasta Sauce

Meatballs are a favourite in my household; not only because they can be made in a jiffy; but also because they can be eaten in so many different ways.  I like mine with chapattis,  my son loves them on pasta and my husband loves them on bread and topped with cheese.  The combinations are endless……

Nowadays you get frozen meatballs and all you have to do is deep fry them and toss them in the sauce of your liking.  But nothing beats these easy-to-do homemade meat-balls, where you are aware what has gone into the balls and where you can adjust the spices to your liking.

Here is how I did mine recently

Ingredients

For the meatballs

• 2 tbsp live oil
• 800 grams freshly minced lamb
• 7 onions,  finely chopped
• 3 cloves finely chopped
• A little piece of grated ginger
• ½ a cup of chopped coriander leaves
• 1 tbsp oregano
• 1 egg beaten
• salt and black pepper freshly ground

Preparation method

Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a  saucepan over a gentle heat and add the onion and garlic, ginger and cover and sauté  until soft and a little golden. Allow to cool.  In a bowl, mix the minced lamb with the cold onion mix.  Add the oregano, the beaten egg and season with salt and pepper.

Divide the mixture into approx 25 round balls. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate till required.   Heat a frying pan, add oil and cook the meatballs till done.  Keep shaking the pan now and then..{this allows the meatballs to retain their round shape}.  Remove and keep covered.

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For the sauce, heat a little butter/oil in a pan, add a bayleaf and a handful of chopped onions and crushed garlic.   Add 2-3 tomatoes finely chopped and cook for sometime.  Add pasta sauce (I use American Garden brand, which tastes nice) and a dash of oregano.  Do not add salt as the pasta sauce has enough salt.   Garnish with coriander leaves.

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When the sauce is bubbling ..add the meatballs and toss till they are completely soaked in the sauce.   Serve hot along with chapattis, pasta or bread.

Breakfast Platter

Bored with having the same breakfast everyday ?   Try this Breakfast Platter of fresh and steamed vegetables, steamed sausages, boiled eggs, sliced salami (mortadella) and fresh fruit juice. 

Arrange lettuce on a serving platter.

Steam beans and cauliflower in the microwave in a steamer.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and a dollop of butter.

Boil eggs and cut in half – sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Steam sausages.
Cut salami into slices.
Cut tomato, carrots and cucumber into slices.
Arrange neatly on the lettuce platter.

Serve immediately with a glass of fresh orange juice.

You wont like it everyday (like my son said);  but it’s a good change from the normal.

Creamy Eggs & Sausages

Malaysia is one of my favourite holiday destinations and the last time we were there,  I befriended the chef who was doing the breakfast that day.  After chatting with her for a while she allowed me the privilege to enter the kitchen.   I watched as she made breakfast and how she churned out  creamy eggs which were so soft and succulent.  It is now a hot favourite at our home and Devon says many times,  “Mom can you make me the Malaysian breakfast?”.  She had these lovely little sausages which she just gave 5 slits with a knife at one corner and sautéed them in butter.  Those slits would curl when done and would look like little sausage flowers.

Here is the Malaysian eggs aka ‘Creamy Eggs’ for you.  Try it you must.

3 Eggs
1 cup fresh milk
1/4 cup cream
3-4 teaspoons of  butter

Take fresh milk (room temperature) – add eggs cream and blobs of butter.  Beat with fork or whisk for 1 minute.  Add salt to taste.

Keep a non-stick pan on a very low fire and add the egg mixture. Do not stir till you can feel the eggs setting.   Keep on slow fire till you see that all the milk has been absorbed.  The eggs should not burn at all and have a light yellowish colour all over.  Sprinkle with pepper powder just before serving.

Stir fry sausages and serve alongside the eggs. Serve with sliced tomatoes and some lettuce on the plate.