Mango rice

Mango rice is one of the most yummy dish for kids lunch box.It is a nice alternative for the usual lemon n coconut rice. It is one of the recipes which is loved by all from kids to adults.I would like to dedicate this recipe to one of my friends who is an expecting mother .It would be a much tempting recipe for all expecting mothers.And it can be easily made by anyone and can be well defined as a beginner's recipe. The taste would be enriched by the selection of mango(Mango rice would be great if we use a raw mango which is slightly ripe).Here is the recipe for u...

                                Prep time : 5 mins | Cooking time : 10 mins | Servings : 2-3

Ingredients :

Raw Mango            -  1
Raw Rice                -  1/2 cup
Mustard                  -  1 tsp
Chana dhal              -  1 tsp
Ural dhal                 -  1 tsp
Green Chilli             -  1
Curry leaves            -  1 sprig
Oil                           -  1 or 2 Tbsp


Method :

1.Pressure cook rice separately(let it be like the one for pulav as non sticky).
2.Grate the raw mango and keep it aside.
3.Take a Pan and pour oil.

4.Add the mustard seeds.When it splutters add chana n ural dhal.
5.Add the curry leaves n chilli.Then add the grated mango as well.
6.Add salt and when it is fried,finally add the rice and mix well.
7.Serve with coriander garnishing.

Fruit Kesari

Fruit kesari  is a sweet delight which is very easy to make. It has a slight variation from the regular ones that we add fruits here.The smooth texture of the fruits, especially bananas add a yummy taste to this sweet n just melts in the mouth . My mom used to make it whenever I come home. She came across this recipe from a book.Usually, people make kesari when guests arrive unexpectedly.And if u make a slight twist in it, the taste would be amazing n u would get a quick applause from them.Here is the recipe for u...

Ingredients :

Sooji(White rava)               -              1 cup

Sugar                               -              1 ¼ cup

Banana(Big)                      -              2

Apple & Pomagranate         -              ¼ cup

Cashewnuts                      -             8 – 10

Raisin                              -              8

Elachi powder                    -              1 Tbsp

Kesari colour powder          -              1 pinch
Rose essence                    -              2 drops

Ghee                               -              ¾ th of a cup.

Method :

1.Roast the rava until the aroma spreads and keep it aside.Finely chop the fruits. Take a pan and pour half the amount of ghee mentioned above.

2. Add Cashewnuts and raisin and fry them in medium low flame.

3. When the raisin gets bloated fully, add the finely chopped fruits and fry for a while.

4. Now add water (it must be double that of sooji)  and let it boil keeping the flame in medium low.

5. Now add elachi powder and then the kesari colour.

6. When the water starts boiling, add  sooji  little by little (take care no lumps are formed) stirring well in medium flame .

7. Now add the remaining ghee and stir well.Add the rose essence at this stage.

8. Add sugar and it will leave water .

9. Stir for sometime and when the ghee separates , the kesari would become non-sticky.

10.This is the right time to stop cooking. Serve hot . It would be a perfect sweet on a great evening.

Mini Samosa (Aloo Mutter stuffing):

                        Everyone would have dreamt of making samosas at home.If we properly follow certain steps,anyone can make these yummy samosas.And also when we eat it somewhere outside, all our hunger would be over with only one (due to the usage of dalda or vanaspathi which is not good for our health).But when we make it at home, kids can have more n at the same time it is healthy too.

               
                       We can make the stuffing of our own choice .It can be simply veg r can be dry fruits.We can even stuff the cooked noodles which would be much yummy.Or u can try with just fried onions and it would resemble the one served at almost all school canteens.For sure it would take u back to ur school days.To make it simple for the beginners I used aloo n peas stuffing. 

                        I wanted to make the samosas like the one served at A2B. Except for the thickness of the outer part, I love it.So I just wanted to make the outer part thin and crispy too.And when I saw the book of mallika badrinath with samosa prep on the very first page,I was overwhelming with joy.I quickly tried it and got appreciation from everyone n the family. Here is the recipe for u..

                                                          

Ingredients :

All purpose flour  -         2 1/2 cups

Oil                        -         4 Tbsp

Salt                       -         1 / 2  tsp

Baking powder     -         1 tsp

Chilled water        -         for making dough.

Oil                        -         for deep frying.

For Masala  :

Onion                            -         2

Potatoes                         -         2

Peas                                -         1 cup

Garam masala powder    -         2 tsp

Cumin powder                -         2 tsp

Turmeric powder           -         1 tsp

Red chilli powder           -         1 tsp

Oil                                  -         As required

Method :

Dough making :

1.Sieve maida , baking powder and salt twice.

2.Knead this into a dough by adding oil and  chilled water.

3.Knead this for atleast 10 minutes until  the dough becomes soft and smoothy.

4.Make it into four or more balls.Cover it with a wet cloth for half an hour.

Masala Preparation :

1.Boil the potatoes and peas.

2.Chop the onion finely.

3.Take a pan and pour oil. Add cumin seeds and chopped onion.

4.When the onion becomes translucent, add potatoes and peas.

5.Mix them  and then add all the specified powders n salt.

6.Fry for 1 minute and switch off.

Samosa Preparation :

1. After dividing the kneaded dough into small balls, make each ball into very thin chapathis with a rolling stick.

2. Take one chapathi, then apply oil and coat it with little maida .

3. Append the next chapathi over it and then repeat this process until four chapathis are appended layer by layer.

4. Place this four layered chapathis over the tawa and after half a minute,flip it.(Don’t overcook/leave it to blacken).

5. Now take the first layer out. Similarly again  leave for ½ min and then flip n remove that particular layer(Until u r left with no chapathi.)

6. Cover them all with a wet cloth again.

Now arrange the chapathis  and cut them into ribbon like strips.

7. Make a paste out of maida and water.(and keep it aside).

8.Fold each ribbon into triangular pocket and stuff the masala inside and seal them using maida paste.

9.Deep fry each samosa and serve them with sweet tomato sauce .

Try n enjoy :) .

Paneer Fried Rice

I love fried rice in any of its form whether it s with mushroom,egg or even chicken.Though we might have gone to so many restaurents,everyone would have a favourite one at their home town which they could never forget just like the childhood memories..Yup I too have one, called "Chimney". Our family used to go there quite often during my college days(atleast twice a month).And I love going  just to taste the fried rice served there.For the past 10-12 years the taste has never changed.The texture s so good as I have never seen it even in star hotels.It has less oil n yet not sticky. Paneer fried rice is an Indianised version of the authentic chinese recipe.It is a real feast for paneer lovers.And the kids love it too.Now here is the recipe for you...cook n enjoy :) .

Ingredients :

Basmathi rice         - 1 1/2 cups

Paneer                  - 1 1/2 cups

Carrot                   - 1

Beans                    - 5 -6

Capsicum              - 1

Spring onion          - as required

Soya sauce            - 1 Tbsp

Pepper powder     - 1 tsp

Salt                       - as required

Oil                        - 4 Tbsp

Method :

1.Chop all the veggies and pressure cook rice with the ratio of  rice to water  as 1:2(water may even be lesser but not more).Keep the paneer in warm water for 10 mins.(If u have refrigerated it,then cook for 2 mins in microwave oven).Crumble the paneer roughly.

2.Take a pan and pour oil.Add all the veggies and fry for 5 mins.And then add paneer and fry for a while.

3.Then add vinegar and fry for a while.Now add soya sauce .

   Add salt and pepper before adding the cooked rice.

4.Mix everything.(Dont mix too much, as the rice may get sticky).

5.Decorate with spring onion and serve with your favorite sauce.