Author: GunjanGShandilya

Posted in main-course

Sweet n Sour Pumpkin Recipe

Posted on by GunjanGShandilya

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Sweet and Sour Pumpkin dish is very popular among North Indian households, particularly in UP.

This dish tastes scrumptious with bedmi poori, plain poori, methi paratha or plain paratha.

INGREDIENTS

  • 500 Gms. Pumpkin Chunks
  • 1/2 Tsp Cumin Seeds
  • 1/2 Tsp Fennel Seeds
  • 1/4 Tsp Mustard Seeds
  • 3/4 Tsp Nigella Seeds
  • Pinch of turmeric Powder
  • 1/2 Tsp Coriander Powder
  • 3/4 Tsp Red Chilli Powder
  • 1 Tsp Dry Mango Powder
  • 1 1/4 Tbsp Powdered Jaggery
  • Coriander Leaves (Chopped)
  • Salt
  • 1 Tbsp Oil

IMG_6964METHOD

  1. Heat oil in a kadai and add cumin seeds, fennel seeds, mustard seeds and nigella seeds.
  2. Once seeds begin to splutter, add pumpkin chunks.
  3. Sprinkle a pinch of turmeric powder and salt over them and stir well.
  4. Cover kadai with a lid and let it cook till pumpkin turns tender. Add a few teaspoons of water if necessary.
  5. Add coriander powder, red chilli powder, dry mango powder and powdered jaggery. Stir well.
  6. Let it cook for 3-4 minutes and turn off the heat.
  7. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.IMG_6962
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Posted in main-course

Baingan Ka Bharta Recipe

Posted on by GunjanGShandilya

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Baingan Ka bharta- Popular Indian vegetarian dish which is prepared with roasted brinjal/eggplant (Baingan). Brinjal here has been roasted on a gas burner, minced after removal of its skin and further cooked with onion,tomato, ginger, garlic, chillies and Indian spices.

You can serve it with any dal and phulka/paratha. My favorite combination is Baingan ka Bharta with Urad Chana Dal and phulka, just like my mom used to make.

INGREDIENTS

  • 750 Gms. Brinjal
  • 12 Garlic Cloves (Chopped)
  • 1 Large Onion (Chopped)
  • 2 1/2 Large Tomatoes (Chopped)
  • 1 Fresh Red/Green Chilli (Chopped)
  • 1 1/2″ Ginger Piece (Grated)
  • 1/2 Tsp Asafoetida
  • 1/2 Tsp Cumin Seeds
  • 1/4 Tsp Turmeric Powder
  • 1/2 Tsp Coriander Powder
  • 3/4 Tsp Red Chilli Powder
  • Salt
  • 2 1/2 Tsp Oil
  • Coriander Leaves (For Garnishing)

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METHOD

  1. Wash brinjal well and roast it on gas burner.
  2. Once it is cooled down, remove the skin and mince it.
  3. Heat oil in a kadai and add asafoetida, green chillies and cumin seeds.
  4. Once cumin seeds begin to crackle, add onion, garlic and ginger.
  5. Saute till onion turns translucent.
  6. Add tomatoes and cook till tender.
  7. Add roasted brinjal, turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder and salt.
  8. Mix well, cover kadai with a lid and cook for 8-10 mins.
  9. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve.

 

Posted in breakfast, snack

Sabudana Khichdi Recipe

Posted on by GunjanGShandilya

IMG_6967Sabudana Khichdi is mostly prepared on occasions like navratri, chaitra navratri, mahashivratri etc. when a person observes “fast” or “vrat”.

Although everyone at my home finds it so delicious that I prepare it for breakfast/snack on any regular day as well.

Sabudana Khichdi is extremely easy to prepare. I usually soak it in a shallow bowl with proportion of sabudana to water being 1:2. Once sabudana is soaked well, I drain excess water (if any) using a large strainer and let sabudana sit for 15-20 minutes.

Some people use deep-fried potatoes and peanuts in it. I prefer to use boiled potatoes and roasted peanuts which I prepare using minimal drops of oil at low flame. Use sendha namak if you are making it for fasting purpose else regular salt can be used.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup Sabudana (Sago/Tapioca Pearls) 
  • 1 Large Potato (Boiled)
  • 50 Gms. Peanuts
  • 2 Green Chillies (Finely Chopped)
  • 1/2 Tsp Black Pepper Powder
  • 10 Gms. Coriander Leaves
  • Salt
  • 2 Tbsp Oil

METHOD

  • Soak sabudana in 2 cups of water for 2 hours. They will double in size. Strain excess water (if any) and let sabudana rest for 20 minutes.
  • Cut boiled potato into small pieces.
  • Heat a few drops of oil in a non-stick pan and transfer peanuts to it.
  • Roast peanuts at a low flame till they are crunchy. Be Patient, this takes 15-20 minutes. Keep on stirring in between so that peanuts do not burn. Transfer peanuts to a bowl. I roast peanuts in advance and store in an airtight container.
  • Crush peanuts coarsely using mortar and pestle.
  • Heat oil in the same pan and add soaked sabudana with green chillies. Cover pan with a lid and let it cook for 3-4 minutes. You will see that sabudana becomes translucent when cooked.
  • Now add potato pieces, coarsely crushed peanuts, black pepper powder , chopped coriander leaves and salt.
  • Stir well and cook again for 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat.
  • Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with chopped coriander leaves and peanuts.

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Posted in snack

Sweet Corn Bhel Recipe

Posted on by GunjanGShandilya

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Mouth-watering Sweet Corn Bhel is a perfect solution for untimely hunger pangs and and it can be prepared in a jiffy.

It is loaded with vegetables like onion, potato, tomato, green chillies, coriander leaves and of course lots of sweet corn. You can even add chopped capsicum.

Serves : 2 

INGREDIENTS

  • 200 Gms. Frozen Sweet Corn
  • 1 1/2 Medium Onion (Chopped)
  • 1 1/2 Medium Tomatoes (Chopped)
  • 1 Large Boiled Potato (Chopped)
  • 2 Green Chillies (Chopped)
  • 1/4 Cup Coriander Leaves (Chopped)
  • 1 Lemon
  • 2 1/2 Tsp Chat Masala
  • 1/2 Cup Cornflakes Mixture
  • 1/4 Cup Sev
  • Coriander Chutney
  • Sweet Tamarind Chutney

METHOD

  1. Transfer frozen corn to a pressure cooker. Add 1/4 cup of water and boil for 2 whistles at a high flame.
  2. Open the pressure cooker once steam is released and drain excess water.
  3. Keep aside 2 tbsp sev and 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves for garnishing
  4. Transfer remaining ingredients( except chutneys) in a big bowl and mix well.
  5. Add coriander chutney and sweet tamarind chutney as per taste. Mix well.
  6. Transfer to two serving bowls and garnish with sev and chopped coriander leaves.

Notes

  1. Marinate chopped onion in lemon juice and chat masala for 20-30 minutes. It helps in removing the bitterness of onion.

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Posted in snack

Chilli Paneer Pocket Recipe

Posted on by GunjanGShandilya

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Whole Wheat Pita Bread ( Lebanese dish which is a leavened and baked flatbread prepared with whole wheat flour and refined flour), stuffed with Chilli Paneer ( Popular Indo-chinese dish with primary ingredients as chillies, capsicum and cottage cheese).

You can find the recipe of Whole Wheat Pita Bread on my blog. 

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 Pita Bread
  • 200 Gms. Chopped Paneer Cubes
  • 2 Medium Onion (Finely Chopped)
  • 2 Medium Capsicum (Finely Chopped)
  • 3 Green Chillies (Finely Chopped)
  • 15 Gms. Garlic (Minced)
  • 8 Gms. Ginger ( Minced)
  • 1 Tsp Vinegar
  • 3 Tsp Soya Sauce
  • 1 Tsp Schezwan Sauce
  • 2 1/2 Tsp Cornflour Powder
  • ½ Tsp Honey
  • 2 Tsp Sesame Seeds
  • Salt As Per Taste
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp Oil + 1/2 Tbsp Oil

METHOD

  1. Add paneer cubes, 1 tsp soya sauce, 1 tsp schezwan sauce, 2 tsp corn flour to a bowl. Add few drops of water and mix such that paneer is thickly coated with it.
  2. Transfer bowl to fridge and let paneer pieces be marinated for 30 minutes.
  3. Heat a non-stick pan and brush a bit of oil on its surface.
  4. Pan-fry paneer cubes on it for 2 minutes using 1/2 tbsp oil. Be sure to turn sides. You can also deep-fry them.
  5. Transfer paneer cubes to a kitchen towel.
  6. Heat remaining oil in a frying pan. Add green chillies, ginger and garlic. Sauté till they appear slight golden in color.
  7. Add onion. Sweat the mixture with a pinch of salt till onion turns translucent.
  8. Add capsicum to frying pan and cook for 2-3 minutes.
  9. Add soya sauce, vinegar, honey and salt.
  10. Now, add pan- fried paneer cubes to pan and mix properly.
  11. Sprinkle sesame seeds (slightly toasted on tava) and turn off the flame.
  12. Slice pita bread into 2 pieces each.
  13. Toast pita bread on tava (optional) and stuff with chilli paneer filling.

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Posted in main-course, Others

Rajasthani Gatta Pulao Recipe

Posted on by GunjanGShandilya

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Spicy pulao preparation in which boiled rice and steamed gram flour dumplings (besan ke gatte) are cooked together with a mixture of pan-fried onion, ginger-garlic paste, yogurt, aromatic Indian spices (whole as well as powdered) and raisins. 

Rajasthani Gatta Pulao can be served with plain curd/boondi raita.

For Gatta

  • 3/4 Cup Gram Flour (Besan)
  • 1/2 Tsp Chilli Powder (Pisi Lal Mirch)
  • 3/4 Tsp Fennel Seeds (Saunf)
  • 1/4 Tsp Carom Seeds (Ajwain)
  • 1 Tbsp Yogurt (Dahi)
  • Salt as per Taste
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp Oil

For Pulao

  • 1/3 Cup Rice
  • 1 Medium Onion (Chopped)
  • 1/2 Tsp Asafoetida
  • 1 1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
  • 3-4 Dry Red Chilles
  • 2 Bay Leaves
  • 2 Black cardamoms
  • 4 Cloves
  • 2 Cinnamon pieces (1″)
  • 1/4 Tsp Turmeric Powder
  • 1/2 Tsp Red Chilli Powder
  • 1/2 Tsp Garam Masala
  • 1 Tsp Dry Mango Powder
  • 1 Tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
  • 3 Tbsp Yogurt
  • 25 Raisins
  • 2 Tbsp Coriander Leaves (for Garnishing)
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp Oil

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METHOD

For Gatta 

  1. Using all the ingredients, knead firm dough using a few teaspoons of water.
  2. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions and shape each portion into 10 cms. long cylindrical roll with a width of 1-1.5cms.
  3. Steam for 8-10 minutes.
  4. Cut cylindrical rolls into small pieces and keep them aside.

For Pulao

  1. Boil rice in a pot filled with water. Once rice is cooked, drain excess water and allow  rice to completely cool down.
  2. Mix yogurt along with turmeric powder,red chilli powder and garam masala.
  3. Heat oil in a kadai and add asafoetida along with bay leaves, black cardamoms, cloves, dry red chillies, cinnamon and cumin seeds.
  4. Add onion and ginger-garlic paste. Cook for 3-4 minutes till onion turns translucent.
  5. Add yogurt mixture and cook for a few minutes.
  6. Add gatta pieces along with raisins and cook further till yogurt is thickened.
  7. Finally add rice, dry mango powder, coriander leaves and salt. Mix well and turn off the heat.
  8. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with plain curd / boondi raita.
Posted in international, Potato, snack

Spicy Potato Rosemary Burger Recipe

Posted on by GunjanGShandilya

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Spicy Potato Rosemary Burger – Scrumptious patties have been prepared with mashed potatoes, jalapeno slices, garlic cloves, coriander leaves and seasoned with rosemary herb and piri piri mix. I have used bread-crumbs and a small quantity of cornflour as binding agents.

I have pan-fried potato rosemary patties instead of deep-frying. Use homemade whole wheat burger buns to make them even more healthy.

Yields: 2 Burgers

INGREDIENTS

For Potato Rosemary Patties

  • 3 Small Potatoes (Boiled and Mashed)
  • 3 Big Garlic Cloves (Minced)
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp Chopped Coriander Leaves
  • 1 Tsp Dry Rosemary Herb
  • 1 Tsp Piri Piri Mix
  • 6-8 Jalapeno Slices (Chopped)
  • 2 Bread Slices
  • 2 Tsp Cornflour Powder
  • Salt
  • Oil (For Pan-frying/Deep-Frying)

For Assembling

  • Onion Slices
  • Tomato Slices
  • Lettuce
  • Burger Spread/Sandwich Spread
  • 2 Burger Buns

METHOD

For Potato Rosemary Patties

  1. Blitz bread slices in a grinder to get fresh bread-crumbs.
  2. Take a big bowl and transfer mashed potatoes, minced garlic, chopped coriander leaves, dry rosemary herb, piri piri mix, chopped jalapeno, bread-crumbs, cornflour powder and salt. Combine well.
  3. Divide into 2 equal portions and shape each portion into round patties.
  4. Pan-fry or deep-fry patties in a frying pan.

For Assembling

  1. Slice burger bun in two pieces and warm pieces on a hot tava/griddle.
  2. Place patty followed by onion slices, tomato slices and lettuce leaves on bottom bun.
  3. Smear inner side of top bun with spread and place it on lettuce leaves.
  4. Relish burger with fries/chips.

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Posted in international, snack

Aloo Tikki Burger Recipe

Posted on by GunjanGShandilya

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Aloo Tikki Burger – Lip-smacking aloo tikkis have been prepared with mashed potatoes, boiled carrots, boiled peas, minced garlic, chopped coriander leaves, bread-crumbs as binding agent and seasoned with red chilli powder, salt and piri piri mix. 

 I have pan-fried tikkis instead of deep-frying. Use homemade whole wheat burger buns to make them even more healthy.

Yields : 3 Burgers

INGREDIENTS

For Tikki

  • 3 Small Potatoes (Boiled and Mashed)
  • 1/3 Cup Green Peas
  • 1/2 Small Carrot
  • 2 Garlic Cloves (Minced)
  • 1 1/2 Bread Slices
  • 1/2 Tsp Piri Piri Mix
  • 1/4 Tsp Red Chilli Powder
  • Salt
  • Oil

For Assembling

  • Onion Slices
  • Tomato Slices
  • Lettuce
  • Burger Spread/ Mayonnaise
  • 3 Burger Buns

IMG_7036METHOD

For Tikkis

  1. Add green peas to a pan filled with water and boil. Once peas are par-boiled, add carrots to pan as well.
  2. Crush green peas and carrot roughly using mortar and pestle.
  3. Blitz bread slices in a grinder to get fresh bread-crumbs.
  4. Take a big bowl and transfer mashed potatoes, green peas, carrots, minced garlic, bread-crumbs, piri piri mix, red chilli powder and salt. Combine well and form tikkis.
  5. Pan-fry or deep-fry tikkis in a frying pan.

For Assembling

  1. Slice burger bun in two pieces and warm pieces on a hot tava/griddle using a few drops of oil.
  2. Place lettuce on bottom bun, folllowed by aloo tikki, onion slices and tomato slices.
  3. Smear inner side of top bun with burger spread/mayonnaise and place it on tomato slices.
  4. Relish burger with fries/chips.

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Posted in cakes

Fudgy Chocolate Brownies Recipe

Posted on by GunjanGShandilya

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FUDGY CHOCOLATE BROWNIES – Square shaped baked dessert, prepared with basic ingredients being flour, sugar, eggs, cocoa powder, dark chocolate compound, nuts and oil/butter.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 Cup Refined Flour
  • 135 Gms. Dark Chocolate Compound (At Room Temperature)
  • 3 Tbsp Unsweetened Cocoa Powder 
  • 1/4 Tsp Baking Powder
  • 1/2 Cup Brown Sugar (Powdered)
  • 1/2 Cup White Sugar (Powdered)
  • 1/2 Tsp Salt
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1/3 Cup Oil 
  • 1/2 Tsp Vanilla Essence
  • 2 Tbsp Cold Milk
  • 50 Gms. Walnuts/Almonds (Chopped)

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METHOD

  1. Preheat oven at 180°C for 10 minutes.
  2. Chop chocolate compound into small pieces (Approx into 1″ size).
  3. Sift refined flour, baking powder, cocoa powder and salt into a bowl.
  4. Transfer oil and chopped chocolate pieces to a glass bowl and microwave bowl for 15-20 seconds. Mix with a spatula till chocolate pieces are completely dissolved.
  5. Add sugar to this mixture and mix it.
  6. Whisk eggs along with vanilla essence in a separate bowl.
  7. Transfer egg mixture to the bowl with wet mixture and stir well.
  8. Finally, add dry ingredients to wet mixture and mix gently.
  9. Add milk to above mixture and stir well.
  10. Finally, add chopped walnuts/almonds to brownie batter.
  11. Transfer batter to a square tin (lined with parchment paper) and bake at 180°C for 25 minutes.IMG_6170
Posted in dips

Kairi Ki Launji Recipe

Posted on by GunjanGShandilya

IMG_7039Kairi Ki Launji – Tangy chutney prepared with raw mangoes along with a few Indian spices and sweetened with jaggery powder.

Serve as a side-dish with any Indian meal.  You can also store it in an airtight container and refrigerate. It will stay fresh for 7-10 days.

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 Raw Mangoes (Chopped into small pieces)
  • 1/4 Tsp Asafoetida
  • A Pinch of Turmeric Powder
  • 1 Tsp Onion Seeds (Kalaunji)
  • 1/2 Tsp Fennel Seeds Powder (Saunf)
  • 1/2 Tsp Dry Ginger Powder
  • 1/2 Tsp Red Chilli Powder
  • 1/2 Tsp Cumin Seeds Powder
  • 6 Tbsp Jaggery Powder (Gud)
  • Salt as Per Taste
  • 1/2 Tbsp Oil

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METHOD

  1. Heat oil in a frying pan. Add asafoetida and onion seeds.
  2. Once they splutter, add chopped raw mango pieces.
  3. Cook for a few seconds and subsequently, add turmeric powder, fennel seeds powder, dry ginger powder, red chilli powder, cumin seeds powder and salt.
  4. Cover frying pan with a lid and cook for 2-3 minutes.
  5. Add jaggery powder and stir well. Turn off the flame once jaggery powder is completely dissolved.
  6. Serve it as a side-dish with any Indian meal.