Simply delicious potatoes - chaTapaTey aaloo

Potatoes… how we love to hate this veggie!  We, especially Indians, put them in several vegetables and then complain how we hate to do it because these make us obese, etc.  French fries, country potatoes, aaloo bhaja, aaloo bonDaa, aaloo Tikki… and we’ve not yet heard the end of this potato debate.  I’ll let those interested in talking talk and share another delicious potato recipe with you… many of you must have already tried it so it is just a ready reminder if you are still trying to think of a recipe that you'd like to cook this afternoon or evening.

Ingredients:

4-5 medium           Potatoes (boiled, peeled and cut into small cubes)
Salt (according to taste)
1 pinch                  Red chilli powder (according to taste)
¼ Tsp.                   Turmeric powder
1 Tb. Sp.               Sunflower Oil
1 Tsp.                    Cumin (jeera) 
1 Tsp.                    Coriander seeds (dhania)
1 pinch                  Asafoetida (hing)
1 Tb. Sp.               Garam masala powder
1 Tsp.                    Amchoor powder (powder made of dried unripe mangoes)

Procedure:

1.                   Heat oil.

2.                   Add cumin and coriander seeds.

3.                   When they start spluttering, add asafoetida, salt, red chilli powder and turmeric
             powder and mix well.

4.                   Add garam masala and amchoor powder.
5.                   Mix well.
6.                   Add boiled potatoes that you’ve already peeled and cut in small cubes.

7.                   Mix well.

8.                   Let it cook at low flame for approximately 5 minutes.

Serve as a side dish with chapattis, rice or poories.

This easy recipe is excellent if guests come uninvited and without informing (quite a few of us have gone through this experience). 

This dish can be eaten during Navaratri by those who avoid onions, etc., during this period.
These potatoes can be used in other ways that I’ll share with you soon.

Meanwhile, have a lovely potato day J

Spinach roll pizza

Sometimes we try to make one thing and end up making something else…  Mostly it’s a disaster but sometimes it comes out well, probably even better than what we intended to make.  Here’s one such recipe that I tried and the result was not what I expected and I still loved it.

Ingredients:

½ Tb. Sp.              Olive Oil

1 Tsp.                    Cumin
10 gms                  Spinach (finely cut)
Salt (according to taste)
1 pinch                   Red chilli powder (according to taste)
Coulomniers cheese

1 sheet                   Puff pastry dough
1 Tsp                     Flour
Water

Procedure:

1.                   Take out the Puff pastry dough from the fridge at least 30 minutes before you start cooking.

2.                   Wash spinach.
3.                   Heat oil in a pan.
4.                   Add cumin to it.
5.                   Once it starts spluttering, add salt and red chilli powder.
6.                   Add spinach and mix well.
7.                   Cover and let it cook for 4-5 minutes.
8.                   Once cooked remove from fire and let it cool.

9.                   Preheat oven at 180 degrees for 15 minutes.

10.               Roll out the puff pastry dough.

11.               Spread a thin layer of coulomniers cheese on the puff pastry dough sheet except the sides.

12.               Now, spread the cooked spinach on it and add some cumin on top.

13.               Make a thin paste with flour and water. 

14.               Put it around on all sides of the puff pastry dough where you've not spread the cheese.

15.               Now make it into a roll.

16.               Cut the roll into 1 cm thin pieces.

17.               Put these pieces in a baking dish lined with butter or baking paper, put it in the oven and leave for 20 minutes at 180 degrees. 

18.               Once it’s cooked and golden brown take it out, let it cool a bit and serve.

Here’s to yummy disasters!

And if you place them a little further from each other you'll have small pieces perfect to be served to guests.  Have fun!

This dish can be eaten during Navaratri by those who avoid onions, etc., during this period.

Fruity delight- Plum Chutney

Fruits are good for health and we love them so much, in all their forms: raw, in cakes, bakery products, shakes, jams, jellies and chutnies.  But how much is enough?  Who cares?  I just love these yummy gifts of nature.   Today, I'm going to share the recipe of Plum Chutney with you, dear readers.  I loved it the first time I had it years ago, thanks to my lovely sister who is an excellent cook…

Ingredients:

½ Tb. Sp.               Sunflower Oil

1 Tsp.                    Bishop weed (ajwain) seeds
4-5 medium            Plums (Aaloo-bukharaa)

Salt (according to taste)
1 pinch                  Red chilli powder (according to taste)
2 Tb. sp.                Sugar
Water

Procedure:

1.                   Wash plums.

2.                   Put them in a pan and cover with water.  Let them boil for 30-40 minutes.

3.                   Let them cool.
4.                   Once they are cold, peel and deseed plums.

5.                   Crush the plums.















6.                   Boil for another 15 minutes.

7.                   Now, heat oil in a pan.
8.                   Add ajwain and when it starts sputtering add salt and red chilli powder.
9.                   Add it to boiled plums.
10.               Add sugar.
11.               Put it back on fire and let them boil for another 5 minutes.

12.               Serve with paranthas or rice or chapatis, as you like it. 

I hope that you enjoyed it as much as I do J

This dish can be eaten during Navaratri by those who avoid onions, etc., during this period.

Poha: A healthy snack

Every time you want to prepare snacks for yourself or your little angels, isn’t it a struggle to search for a healthy and yummy option?  Well, today, I’m sharing a traditional recipe that is not only healthy but yummy as well.

Ingredients:

1 Tb. Sp.              Sunflower Oil

1 Tsp.                    Mustard seeds 

1 medium           Potato (peeled and cut into small cubes)

Salt (according to taste)

1 pinch                 Red chilli powder (according to taste)

½ Tsp.                   Turmeric powder

Water

100 gms               Rice Flakes (chidwa/ chooDa/ pohey)

1                            Green chilli (optional)

½ medium sized Onion finely chopped (optional)

1 Tb Sp                 Sugar (optional)

25 gms                 Green coriander, finely chopped.

5-6 drops            Lemon juice (optional)

2 Tb Sp                 Haldiram’s Bhujia/ any namkeen (optional)

Procedure:

1.                   Wash rice flakes under running water (in a sieve).

2.                   Heat oil in a pan.

3.                   Add mustard seeds.

4.                   When the seeds start sputtering add potato cubes.  Stir fry till they are golden brown.

5.                   Add salt, red chilli powder and turmeric powder and mix well.

6.                   Add washed rice flakes. Mix well and cover for 2-3 minutes.

7.                   Add onion, green chilli, lemon juice and sugar.   Stir well and cover.

8.                   Take off the heat and garnish with green coriander, mix.

9.                   Serve in a bowl and garnish with bhujia.

And if you wish to make it healthier, just add a few veggies such as peas and carrots (finely chopped) after step 4.  Have a nice and healthy meal!

Precooked Aaloo Paranthas

Once in a while all of us have that lazy day when we don't feel like cooking anything and are really dying to have one particular dish.  So what do you do?  Cook it anyways.  Or go to a restaurant and have it.  Or get a ready-to-eat frozen one.  Well, OK, I admit.  I was feeling quite lazy the other day and the only thing I wanted to eat was – Aaloo ke paranthey...  my favourite breakfast and I love to have them at all times of day.

I know, it's easy to make but well, I was simply not in any mood to spend time in kitchen.  And restaurants in Strasbourg don't have aaloo ke paranthey.  So I opted for the only possibility left out for yours truly.  I bought aaloo ke paranthey.  I was so happy. 

But for once, my happiness was short lived.  These aaloo paranthas are nowhere near the real thing at least not the ones that I am used to eat.  And I've eaten these throughout my life.  I had to search real hard to find the filling. 

When I found it I realised that the filling doesn't consist of the usual generous spicy mix of boiled and mashed potatoes but just a bit of grated potatoes.  It was bland.

And that was the end of my dream.  I've decided to give up my lazy habits, at least for next couple of days and concentrate on cooking.  There's nothing like a free meal.  The road to a good meal starts with a generous helping of hard work and good ingredients.

Leek Soup

It's snowing out there and all I can think of is have something warm.  So guess I'll be making soup this evening. And as leek is excellent for health and a good source of various vitamins and minerals, I decided to make leek soup this evening.  Here's the recipe and I hope that you'll love this healthy warm treat this winter.

Ingredients:

1 TbSp            Butter

1                      Leek (cut in big pieces, take the inner part and cut it in fine strips for

                        garnishing)

1 big                Potato (cut in big pieces)

½ cup              Water

Cream

Salt

Pepper

 

Procedure

Put a pan on fire.  Add butter. 

Once it starts melting add Leek cut in big pieces. 

Continue stirring from time to time.  After some time add potato.

Add water when you can smell the fragrance of leek.

Add salt and pepper.  Stir well.

Cover.  Let it cook for approximately 15 minutes.  Remove the lid and see if it is well cooked.  If yes, then remove from the fire.  If not, then add some more water, stir and cover till it is well cooked.

Once cooked, remove from fire and let it cool down a bit.

Use a hand-held mixer to grind it into a smooth paste.  If it isn't liquid enough then add some water or milk (I prefer milk).  Heat it before serving.  Add finely chopped pieces of leek and serve.