Drumsticks and Red Amaranthus Avial

Drumsticks and Red Amaranthus Avial 

Ingredients

Drumsticks - a few pieces cut into 2 inch long

Red and Green Amaranthus - a few pieces cut into 2 inch long

Red and Green Amaranthus leaves chopped one bunch

Mango- a small piece

Grated coconut- one cup

Green chili - 4

Jeera - one tsp

Curry leaves a few

Buttermilk two cups

Salt as per your taste

Method of preparation

In a stone pot add two cups of hot water, add Drumsticks, turmeric,mango,  green and red Amaranthus stem and leaves. Cook till soft. 

Grind coconut, green chili and Jeera to a coarse paste. Add coconut paste to the cooked vegetables. Allow it to mix well. Now reduce flame adjust salt and add buttermilk. Let it become warm. Off the stove. Add coconut oil and curry leaves. Serve as a side dish with rice.

No bake strawberry cheesecake

No bake strawberry cheesecake

Indulge yourself with this simple, quick cheesecake. Satiate those dessert hunger pangs and cravings, no need for extra effort! This oven-free cheesecake is sure to tantalise your taste buds. 

Ingredients
300 grams fresh strawberries
8 Oz cream cheese OR 7.5 Oz Go cream cheese spread
200 ml amul fresh cream 25%
7-8 crushed digestive biscuits/graham crackers
2 tbsp salted butter
1tbsp gelatin OR 1/2 tbsp agar powder
1 cup water
7-8tbsp tbsp powdered sugar
8-10 cubes of ice

Method
*in a spring form tin/flat bottomed container, drop in the crushed biscuits. Add the butter and mix. Level out the biscuit mixture to cover the entire bottom of the tin/vessel. Refrigerate.
1. Fill a large bowl with tap water. Put the ice cubes in this water.
2. Over this cold water, place a bowl for mixing. In said bowl, pour in the amul fresh cream (has to be refrigerated over night)
3. Using an electrical mixer (with cake/ balloon whisk attachment) start mixing the cream. It will double in size. Begin adding 5-6 tbsp of sugar. Whisk until firm peaks form.
4. In another bowl, add in cream cheese OR Go cream cheese spread. Whisk for upto a minute.
5. Using a plastic/rubber spatula, transfer the cream cheese to the whipped cream. By hand, fold the mixture until the cream cheese is well incorporated. At this point, you may add more sugar, depending on your taste. Remember to use only powdered sugar.

6. Boil 1/2 cup of water and add in the gelatin/agar powder. When it is well mixed, add it to the cream mixture. Remember not to take the bowl out of the cold water basin. The mixture should be cold at all times.
7. Fold in the gelatin/agar into the mixture.
8. Take out the tin with the biscuit base from the fridge. Over the base, pour in the cream mixture. Put it back in the fridge.
9. Cut 150 gm of strawberries into slices. These will be used for decoration. Refrigerate after slicing.
10. Cut the other 150 gm into cubes (or any shape. You may leave them whole but they will take more time to cook)
11. Put the cut up berries into a saucepan. Add the other 1/2 cup of water. Set the saucepan over a stove and bring to a boil. Add about 2½ tbsp of sugar. When the mixture is of the consistency of a syrup, strain it. The syrup can be used as a topping.
*freeze the leftover puree, it can be used in cakes later for flavouring.
12. Take out the cheesecake from the fridge. Arrange the sliced strawberries as desired. Refrigerate again.
13. Serve the cheesecake with a generous amount of syrup. Enjoy
*Sprigs of mint can also be used for presentation

Baigun Bhaja ( Golden roasted brinjal)

Baigun Bhaja is a  delicious Bangali dish. I enjoy the roasted brinjal with Punjabi khadi and plain rice. Its the most delicious version of brinjal. I have taken the big burtha baigun.

Ingredients

Big pruple large brinjal - 1
Salt,red chili power, turmeric power - 1/2 tsp each.
Oil for roasting - 2 tsp

Method of preparation

Wash and make  medium thick circle out of baigun.
In a tray or plate place each piece and sprinkle a little salt, turmeric and red chili powder. Place a large tawa on stove spread a little oil, carefully arrange baigun pieces. In medium flame  allow baigun to cook well. Toss the other side when baigun is cooked.  Reduce flame allow the baigun to turn its colour into golden brown. Remove and spread the next few pieces. Continue same procedure until you roast the entire baigun pieces.  Serve hot with plain rice and khadi pakodi.

Carrot halwa

Winter season is coming towards an end in bangalore. Slowly green peas and delhi reddish Carrot will disappear from local market. I have made Carrot halwa for the third time! Its very simple and most healthy sweet which is enjoyed by the whole family. Especially children.

Carrot halwa

Ingredients

Reddish long Carrot 2 kg
Khova one packet
Ghee two small cups
Milk 1/2 a litre
Sugar a small cup
Condensed milk one tin
Cashew a few
Raisins a handful
Cardamom crushed a pinch

Method of preparation

Wash,  peel and grate carrot. In a large non stick pan add milk and granted carrots. Mixed well allow the carrot to cook. Add a spoonful of ghee in between. Once milk is reduced and carrots are cooked well add khova. Mix well. Now add condensed milk. Let it blend well with the rest of the ingredients. Keep the stove in slow flame. Add sugar.  Make sure you stir it occasionally so that its not getting stuck at the bottom of the pan. In  small pan pour a little ghee add broken cashew  and raisins. Let raisins pop. Add a pinch of crushed cardamom and popped raisin and roasted cashew. Mixed all well. Make sure the Ghee is separate from the halwa and the halwa is not sticking to the pan. Allow it to cool down to room temperature. Serve with vanilla or your  favourite  ice cream.  

Whole moong dhal

 

Healthy whole moong

gravy is best with rice and phulka.  I have tried to add red amaranthus  and onion shoot from my terrace garden  to make it delicious.  

Ingredients 

Whole moong dal 150 grams( wash soak in water for about an hour and cook in pressure cooker) 

Onion one large 

Tomato two or three small 

Green chili three

Ginger one small piece 

Red amaranthus leaves a few

Onion shoot a few

Garlic one pod

Coriander leaves a few

Ghee or oil one tsp

Jeera a little 

Red dry chili one

Chop vegetables and greens. Slit green chili and ginger. 

Keep a medium size frying pan in stove once its hot add Ghee and Jeera. Let it splutter  Add chopped vegetables and saute for three minutes. Add greens and allow it to cook. Once its tender add the tadka to prepared dal.  Mixed well adjust salt. Serve as a side dish for phulka or rice. 

This delicious gravy can be served with freshly made Puttu a kerala breakfast. 

Beetroot and raisin salad

Beetroot raisin salad

Ingredients 

Beetroot  one

Carrot one

Tomato two 

Green chilies two

Melon seeds a few

Raisins a handful 

Coriander leaves a few

Lime juice few drops

Ghee a little 

Salt for taste 

Method of preparation 

Wash peel and chop beetroot and carrot. Chop tomato into very tiny pieces. In a small heated pan add raisins and allow it to puff.  In a small bowl add chopped vegetables, green chili, coriander leaves, melon and puffed raisins. Mixed well and  adjust salt. I enjoy the salad as evening snack. Its great as snack for children who are fussy about eating vegetables.  

Beetroot rice and raitha

Beetroot rice with onion, tomato raitha.

Ingredients

Basmathi rice -  1 1/2 cup
Beetroot  1
Potato  1
Onion 1
Tomato  2
Ginger a small piece
Garlic one pod
Green chili 3
Green peas a small cup
Beans a few
Cauliflower a small floweret
Coriander leaves a small bunch
Pudina a few
Elachi  a few
Cinnamon stick a small piece
Garam masala one tsp
Salt as required

Method of preparation

Wash and peel vegetables like beetroot, potato, onion, garlic and ginger.  Chop into small cubes or slit into thin slices. Chop chili, Cauliflower, beans, Tomato into thin slice.
Wash and keep basmathi rice aside.

Grind garlic, ginger, tomato, onion and coriander leaves. Pour oil or Ghee in a heated pressure pan.  Add Tomato onion paste. Cook it in slow fire until oil separate. Add all chopped vegetables chopped  vegetables with the tomato onion gravy.  In medium  flame cook vegetables. Once vegetables are tender add washed rice and mix well. Add garam masala, crushed  elachi, bay leaves, cinnamon stick,  turmeric powder and  chopped pudina. Mixed gently.  Add three cups of water and adjust salt.  Close lid and  cook for one whistle. Off store. Once it reach room temperature open the pressure pan mix well and serve hot with onion, tomato raitha.