Mutton Saagwala

Today made this lovely Saagwaala Mutton . Spinach and Methi leaves impart a wonderful flavor to the mutton pieces . You can marinate well in advance if you have enough time in hand . This not only makes the mutton tender but the flavor of the marinade is completely absorbed by the pieces . This yummy dish goes equally well with naan or pulav .

Ingredients :


1/2 kg ........................mutton pieces ( lamb)
2 bunches .....................spinach
1 cup ..........................fresh methi leaves ( 1 tbsp dry kasuri methi will do)
4 tbsp..........................ginger garlic paste
1 tbsp..........................green chilly paste
1 tbsp.........................turmeric powder
2 tsbp.........................garam masala ( nutmeg, cardamom, cinnamon, cumin, pepper )
2 big ..........................onions chopped
4 tbsp.........................oil
salt

Method :


Clean wash and cut the lamb pieces into medium size.

Clean the spinach and use the leaves as well as stems if tender.

Pick the methi if using a fresh bunch.

If using dry kasuri methi wash it thoroughly to remove any unwanted particles.

Now marinate mutton with both the pastes , salt and all dry masalas for 2 to 3 hours.

Pressure cook it for 25 to 30 minutes or till well cooked and soft.

Also boil spinach and methi in just enough boiling water for only 5 minutes .

Drain and retain the water in which you boil spinach.

Grind spinach and methi and keep aside.

In a pan heat oil and stir fry onions till golden .

Add cooked mutton and saute till water evaporates and oil is separated.

Take out the mutton in a bowl.

Now in a same pan saute ground spinach again till almost dry and oil starts separating.

Now add mutton and just little spinach water if needed.

Cook well and serve hot along with onions and lemon wedges.

Tip :


Heat the coal directly on the gas flame till read hot .

In a small steel bowl keep this hot coal in a small steel bowl .

Keep this bowl in the vesssel having mutton.

Pour a tbsp of oil on it and immediately cover the lid tightly.

This imparts a lovely tandoori aroma to the dish .

Kashmiri Chicken Kalia

This is an authentic Kashmiri dish . The gravy is thin but very tasty. Kashmiris usually make this Chicken Kalia for functions and special occasions .


Enjoy it with pulav or naan.

Ingredients :


1 kg ...................Chicken pieces ( with bones)
1 tbsp................. turmeric powder
2 / 3 tbsp.............chilli powder
5 / 6 ..................cloves
2 / 3 ................ cinnamon pieces
2 /3 .................bay leaves
1 cup ................curd ( beat well )
4 / 5 ................. cardamoms
2 ......................big masala cardamoms ( moti elaichi )
5 / 6 tbsp  ........oil
salt

To be ground to paste :

2 ........................ onions
2 tbsp .................fennel seeds
2 inch..................ginger
1/2 tsp.................cumin seeds
1 tbsp..................coriander seeds
1/2 tsp................. pepper seeds
2 / 3  ..................cloves
2 / 3 ...................cardamoms
1/2 inch .............cinnamon



Method :


Clean and wash the chicken very well.

Cut it into medium sized pieces.

Marinate the pieces with salt , turmeric and chilly powder and keep for at least 1 hour.

Now grind all the ingredients given in the list .

In a pan heat oil and add cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves and both  type cardamoms .

Now add the ground onion paste and saute for 10/ 15 minutes .

Saute till the raw smell of masala disappears and oil starts separating .

Now add marinated chicken pieces, stir well and cook for 10 minutes.

Add the curd and very little water if necessary .

Cover the lid and cook on slow flame till chicken is fully cooked.

Serve hot with kashmiri pulav or naan .

Farasbichi bhaji ( French beans stir fry )

This simple stir fry made with this french beans is ideal to carry in a  tiffin and can be had with rotis as well as daal rice.

Ingredients :


1/2 kg.......................French beans
2 to 3 ................green chillies ( slit in two)
1 tsp.................mustard seeds
1/2 tsp..............turmeric powder
1/4 tsp..................asefoetida
1/2 tsp.................sugar
2 tbsp....................oil
1/2 cup...............fresh grated coconut
salt

Method :


Wash the french beans thoroughly and remove the strings.

Chop them into 1/2 cm pieces.

Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds.

When they splutter add asefoetida and slit chillies.

Now add chopped beans and turmeric powder.

Add sugar and salt and stir for 2 mintues.

Sprinkle some water and cook , covered with a lid.

The stir fry will be ready in 8 to 10 minutes.

Serve garnished with grated coconut.

Phanas Phodi ( Shallow Fried Bread Fruit Slices )

Saraswat community is famous for their unusual variety of side dishes and these shallow fried slices of vegetables are one of them .

We saraswats literally make use of any vegetables to make these phodis as we call it .

Today I have made phodis of Bread Fruit. Havind phodis , Thoya ( watery daal ) and rice is a heavenly combinationa .

Ingredients

1 ..................raw jackfruit ( Bread fruit / Neer phanas )
1/2 cup...........rawa ( semolina )
1 tbsp..............rice flour ( optional )
2 tsp................chilly powder
1/2 tsp..............turmeric powder
1 tsp.................karwari sambar powder
1/4 tsp..............hing ( asefoetida )

salt
oil for shallow frying

Method

Remove the rough skin on the bread fruit and cut it into slices.

Apply little salt and keep aside for half and hour.

Mix all the masala powders with rawa.

Heat the tawa and smear it with oil.

Wash the  slices to remove the saltiness and drain out the water if any.

Roll them in the dry rawa mixture and shallow fry on tawa

Turn after 5 minutes and cook till crisp and done on both sides.

Serve hot with daal rice.

Nachanichi Wadi ( Ragi Sweet Diamonds)

The summer is in full form and is effecting many people. This is the time of the year when we need to take lot of natural coolants to keep our body safe from the ill effects of the hot weather. Though juices , buttermilk provide us much relief , this wonder millet ragi also is very effective .

 Ragi is rich in calcium and at the same time cools the body. Make a habit to use it regularly in your diet during summers.

 sweet which I have made is little time consuming and needs some advance preparation as well . But its delicious and healthy too.

Kids as well as adults love this yummy preparation.

Ingredients :


2 cup ......................Whole Ragi  ( nachni )
1 n 1/2 cup .................jaggery  ( chopped )
1 cup.........................fresh grated coconut
1 tsp........................cardamom powder
few ........................cashews or charoli ( chironji) or raisins ( optional)

Method :


Wash ragi and soak it overnight in water.

In the morning drain the water and tie ragi in muslin cloth .

Keep it in some dry place and keep on sprinkling some water every 3 to 4 hours.

You will see very small white sprouts coming out of ragi.

Now grind ragi along with coconut and water .

Strain the thick juice and again grind the remaining coarse mixture.

Repeat grinding till you get almost watery juice after straining.

Discard the left mixture.

Now add 2 to 3 cups water to the thick juice and let it rest for 5 to 6 hours.

The thick residue with settle at the bottom.

Strain the upper water carefully without disturbing the bottom residue .

This strained water can be had as it is after adding some sugar and lemon juice.

It is an excellent coolant during summers.

Now to the residue paste add jaggery and water and make a batter ( thinner than dosa batter).

Let the jaggery melt before you start cooking

Take a non stick kadhai and add 1 tbsp ghee to it.

Pour the batter and stir continuously at medium flame.

Add cardamom powder and dry fruits of your choice.

When the batter thickens and it starts leaving the sides lower the flames.

Now take the mixture in a  greased plate and spread it evenly and let it cool completely.

Cut into desired shape.

Kenyan Chicken Curry

Try this simple yet delicious Chicken curry the Kenyan way . It has a rustic flavor and aroma and is yummy with rotis .

Ingredients : 


1 kg ..................chicken ( cut into medium pieces )
2 .....................onions ( remove the skin and grind )
2 cups ............. tomato puree
1 cup .................coconut ( ground to paste)
4 tbsp..............ginger, chilly, garlic ( very finely chopped )
1 tbsp..............garam masala
2 tsp................cumin seeds
1/2 tsp...............pepper powder
1/4 cup ............oil
salt



Method :


Heat a pan and add oil.

Add cumin seeds and chopped ginger, chilly , garlic.

Now add ground onion paste and saute till golden in color .

Add garam masala and tomato puree and again simmer for 10 minutes.

Now add chicken and mix well .

Cook for 10 minutes and add coconut paste, salt and pepper powder.

Add little water and cook till chicken is soft.

Serve hot with rotis or rice.

Savory Vegetable Waffles

I love waffles sweet as well as savory . Hence since many weekds was planning to buy a waffle maker. And finally last week manages to buy a sandwich maker with a waffle making tray.

Though I am looking forward to make sweet traditional waffles with maple syrup . This time I tried something new and made savory waffles .

Added some carrot and amaranth leaves the the flour. The result was very tasty filling breakfast for our whole family. Do try out this waffles and welcome your day with a healthy start.

Ingredients :


1 cup........................maida ( all purpose flour)
1/2 cup ...................besan ( chick pea flour)
2 tbsp......................rice flour
1 cup..........................grated carrot
1 cup ........................chopped amaranth leaves
1 tbsp.......................ginger chilly paste
salt

Method :


Mix all the flours and add just enough water to make a thick batter

Keep aside for 4 to 5 hours to ferment.

At the time of making waffles add carrot and  amaranth chopped.

Also add the paste and salt to the batter and mix well.

Make waffles in waffle mould.

Smear butter on the mould , pour a ladle full of battle in the mould and make waffles.
It takes 8 to 10 minutes for the waffles to be ready.

These waffles are not very crispy and hard.

But if you continue cooking for almost 15 minutes you do get very crispy waffles.