Herbed Cream cheese

Are you really busy this evening?  Or too tired?  But you are hungry.  There’s not much in the fridge.  Oh no!  What to do now?

Here’s what I did.  I took a bit of creamy cheese and added a few herbs and…

Ingredients:

1 bowl                  Fresh creamy cheese

2-3 Tsp.                Chives (finely chopped)

1 Tsp.                    Parsley (finely chopped)

1 small                  Spring onion (preferably)/ Onion/ shallot (finely chopped)

Salt (optional) (according to taste)

Pepper (optional) (according to taste)

Procedure:

1.                   Take a bowl of Fresh creamy cheese.

2.                   Add salt and pepper (optional) (I don’t and it is still perfect but it is a matter of taste)

3.                   Add finely chopped chives, parsley and spring onion.

4.                   Mix well.

Let it rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour for better results.  This gives the cheese the time to take the aroma of herbs.

You can have these as dip with boiled potatoes or vegetables or French fries or country potatoes or simply as a cheese spread for bread.

This is how I had it... the choice is yours :-)

Simply yummy! 

I love it.  Just try it out and tell me if you like it or not.

Onion, cucumber, tomato raita

All of us know how effective yoghurt is in fighting the summer heat.  And as we move towards summers I’d like to share a recipe that will help you beat the summer heat to some extent with ingredients such as cucumber, onion, mint and fresh coriander – a combination that is sure to help you protect yourself and your loved ones from heat wave.

Ingredients:

125 ml                  Yoghurt (dahi)

¼                            Cucumber (finely chopped)

1 small                  Tomato (finely chopped)

1 small                  Onion (finely chopped)

1 small                  green chilli (optional) (finely chopped)

Salt (according to test)

1 pinch                 Red chili powder

¼ Tsp.                   Mint powder

¼ Tsp.                   Cumin powder

10 gms                 Fresh Coriander (finely chopped)

Water

Procedure:

1. Take yoghurt and beat it into a thin mix.  Add a little water.
2. Add salt, red chili powder, mint powder and cumin powder.
3. Add finely chopped cucumber, tomato, onion and chilli and mix.
4. Garnish with finely chopped fresh coriander.

You can add other vegetables such as finely chopped carrots or capsicum.

Serve as a side-dish with rice-dal, pulao, puris or chappatis. 

Potatoes and onions - simple recipe

I know I recently shared a potato recipe and you must be wondering how can I come up with another one so soon, but you can make potatoes in so many different ways that I couldn’t help sharing another one with you.  And this is not the end of potato recipes…. There are more to come, so be prepared.  Meanwhile, enjoy this one!

Ingredients:

4-5 medium       Potatoes (peeled and cut into big pieces)

½ medium          Onion/ shallot (cut lengthwise)

Salt (according to taste)

2-3                         whole red chillies

1 pinch                 Red chilli powder (according to taste)

¼ Tsp.                   Turmeric powder

1 Tb. Sp.              Sunflower Oil

1 Tsp.                    Cumin (jeera) 

½ Tsp.                   Coriander powder (Dhaniya powder)

¼ Tsp.                   Garam masala

1 Tsp.                    Tomato purée

Procedure:

1.                   Heat oil.

2.                   Add cumin and whole red chillies.

3.                   When they start spluttering, add onions.

4.                   When the onions are semi-cooked add salt, red chilli powder and turmeric powder and mix 

              well.

5.                   Add potatoes and some water.

6.                   Cover and let it cook on low flame.  Keep stirring from time to time.

7.                   When the potatoes are cooked, add tomato purée and let it cook for another 5 minutes.

8.                   Add garam masala and coriander powder.

9.                   Mix well.

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

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

Mixed Vegetable Special

Ingredients:

1 Tb. Sp.                Sunflower Oil
2                             Green cardamoms  (use just seeds)

2-3                         Cloves
1 Tsp.                    Kasoori methi

2-3                         Bay leaves (Tej patta)

1 Tsp.                    Kalonji
1 Tb. Sp.               Cumin (jeera)

1 Tb. Sp.               Coriander seeds (dhaniya)

4-5                         Dried red chillies

Salt (according to taste)
1 pinch                 Red chilli powder (according to taste)
½ Tsp.                   Turmeric powder
2 cloves               Garlic (paste/ crushed)

1 Tsp.                    Ginger paste

1 pinch                 Asafoetida (hing)
1 big                     Onion cut along the length (big pieces)

200 ml                  Tomato puree

2 medium            Potatoes (peeled and cut into small cubes)



1 medium            Capsicum (Shimla mirch) (cut in big squares)

150 gms               Maize grains (I used a can)

100 gms               Tofu or Paneer (cut in big cubes)
1 Tsp.                    Garam masala
Water
25 gms                 Green coriander, finely chopped.
5-6 drops            Lemon juice (optional)

Procedure:

1.                   Heat oil in a pan.
2.                   Add kalonji, cumin and coriander seeds.
3.                   When the seeds start sputtering add red chillies.  Stir fry till they are golden brown.
4.                   Add asafoetida, bay leaves and kasoori methi.

5.                   Garlic and ginger paste.
6.                   Once it turns golden brown, add onions.

7.                   When the onions are well done, add salt, red chilli powder and turmeric powder and
                mix well.
8.                   Add potatoes and capsicum.  Mix well.
















9.                   Cover and let it cook at low flame for 15 minutes.
10.               Add tomato puree and mix.
11.               Let it cook for another 10 minutes.  Keep stirring from time to time.
12.               Add tofu (or paneer) and mix well.
13.               Cover and let it cook.
14.               Add maize seeds and mix well.  Keep at low flame for another 5 minutes.
















15.               Add garam masala and mix well.  Leave it on fire for another 5 minutes.
16.               Take off the heat and garnish with green coriander, mix.

I love to add a few drops of lemon juice.  When serving to guests, it is a good idea to put a piece of lemon as a garnish. 

I love to have it as side-dish with rice, poories, chapattis and parontheys.  It’s up to you to choose your favourite way to have it.

Feel free to add carrots or other vegetables.