Preparation time : 5 min
Ingredients:
8-10 Long Green Chillies
1 lemon size - Tamarind
1 tsp - Ajwain seeds
1 cup - Besan(gram flour,channa powder)
1/4 tsp - Baking powder
Salt
Stuffing:
1 chopped - Onion
2 tbsp - Coriander leaves(chopped)
1 tbsp - Lemon juice
1/4 tsp - Chat masala
Method:
1. Take a microwavable bowl. Add tamarind with little water and microwave it for 1min.
2. After it cools down, blend it along with salt and ajwain seeds.
3. Slit the green chillies and remove the seeds, if you like the bajjis to be spicy then avoid removing the seeds.Stuff the blended mixture in the slit green chillies and leave aside for 4-5 hours.
4. Take besan in a bowl, add salt, baking powder and mix it with enough amount of water. The batter should not be watery as it should stick to the bajji.( It is better to make the batter 2 hrs in advance so that the batter puffs in the right manner)
5. Add oil in a deep frying pan. When the oil gets heated, start dipping the chillies in the batter and put in the pan. Keep turning the bajjis regularly till they turn brown and remove them.
6. Take a bowl, add the chopped onions,coriander,chat masala, lemon juice and mix it well.
7. Slit the bajji and add this stuffing before serving.Or you can always cut the bajji to small pieces fry them for sometime, remove and sprinkle chat masala on top of it.
Mirchi Bajji(mirapakaya bajji)
Spicy Tomato and Basil Bruschetta
Preparation time: 5min
Ingredients:
1 country style Italian Bread ( cut into thick slices)
4 ripe Tomatoes (diced)
4 tbsp Basil (chopped)
3 tbsp - extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp - roasted garlic
1/4 tsp - black pepper powder
1/4 tsp - crushed red pepper flakes
Salt
Method:
1. Pre-heat grill.
2. In medium bowl combine fresh tomatoes, basil, salt, black and red peppers. Set aside.
3. Grill bread until golden brown on both sides. In small bowl combine extra-virgin olive oil and roasted garlic. Brush over toasted bread slices.
4. Using a slotted spoon to drain off excess liquid, divide tomato mixture among bread slices. Serve immediately.
Bruschetta is a perfect match with Red Wine.
Green Peas curry
Preparation time: 5 min
Cooking time: 15 min
Ingredients:
Green Peas - 750 gms/ 1 pound
1 medium Onion
1 medium Tomato
1 tsp - mustard seeds
1 tsp - cumin seeds
1 tsp - turmeric
1 tbsp - ginger garlic paste
1 - 1.5 glass water
Chilli powder(according to spice levels)
Salt to taste
Method:
1. Take a wide pan and add oil. After the oil gets heated add mustard and cumin seeds.
2. After the seeds start to splutter add onion and fry till golden brown. Add turmeric and ginger garlic paste and fry for 2min.
3. Add Tomatoes and cover the lid for 3min.
4. Now add Peas, water and chilli powder, close the lid and cook on simmer for 5-7 min.
5. Remove the lid, add salt. Let it cook for 2-3 min.
6. Green Peas curry is ready to eat.
Chicken Jalfrezi
Preparation Time: 10 min
Cooking Time: 35 min.
Ingredients:
Chicken thighs(skinless) - 750gms
1 - large Onion grated
2 - Tomatoes chopped
2 cloves - Garlic chopped
1 tbsp - Ghee
2 tbsp - grated fresh ginger
3 tsp - Dhaniya(coriander) powder
3 tsp - Cumin(jeera) powder
1 tsp - Turmeric
Oil to fry
Red chilli powder - adjust according to the spice level
Salt - according to taste
1 cup - fresh coriander leaves chopped
Method:
1. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a deep frying pot and fry the onion and garlic for 2 min over high flame heat.
2. Mix in the chicken, turmeric, chili powder and salt. Fry gently for 5-10 minutes or until golden in color.
3. Turn the chicken frequently.
4. Mix in the tomatoes, cover and stir fry over medium heat up for 20 minutes. Uncover and simmer (boil slowly at low temperature) for 10 minutes to let all the excess liquid evaporate and the sauce thicken.
5. Mix in the ghee or oil, cumin powder, dhaniya powder, ginger and coriander leaves and simmer (boil slowly at low temperature) for 5-7 minutes or until the oil separates from the sauce.
6. Chicken jalfrezi is ready to eat.
Lettuce Wraps
Preparation Time: 10 min
Cooking Time: 30 min
Ingredients:
3 tbsp oil
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts(minced)
1 cup water chestnut
2/3 cup mushroom
3 tbsp chopped onions
1 tsp minced garlic
4-5 leaves lettuce
Special Sauce Ingredients:
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp ketchup
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/8 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp hot mustard
2 tsp water
1-2 tsp garlic and red chilli paste
Stir Fry Sauce:
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp rice wine vinegar
Method:
1. Make the special sauce by dissolving the sugar in water in a small bowl.
2. Add soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ketchup, lemon juice and sesame oil.
3. Mix well and refrigerate this sauce until you're ready to serve.
4. Combine the hot water with the hot mustard and set this aside as well.
5. Eventually add your desired measurement of mustard and garlic chili sauce to the special sauce mixture to pour over the wraps.
6. Bring oil to high heat in a wok or large frying pan.
7. Saute chicken breasts for 4 to 5 minutes per side or done.
8. Remove chicken from the pan and cool.
9. Keep oil in the pan, keep hot.
10. As chicken cools mince water chestnuts and mushrooms to about the size of small peas.
11. Prepare the stir fry sauce by mixing the soy sauce, brown sugar, and rice vinegar together in a small bowl.
12.When chicken is cool, mince it as the mushrooms and water chestnuts are.
13. With the pan still on high heat, add another Tbsp of vegetable oil.
14. Add chicken, garlic, onions, water chestnuts and mushrooms to the pan.
15. Add the stir fry sauce to the pan and saute the mixture for a couple minutes then serve it in the lettuce"cups".
16. Top with "Special Sauce".
Vegetable Manchurian
Preparation Time: 5 min
Cooking time: 30 min
A. Ingredients for preparing manchurian dumplings:
2 Carrots
1cup Cabbage
1cup Chopped beans
1-Capsicum/green pepper
1/2 tsp Pepper powder
2-3 Chopped Chillies
3-4 Spring onions
Chopped Ginger
1 tbsp Soya Sauce
1 tbsp Chilli Paste
3/4cup Boiled Rice (add more if needed)
1/2cup Corn Flower
Salt
B. Ingredients for preparing manchurian sauce:
1/2 tbsp Pepper powder
4-5 Green chillies
1/4cup Chilli paste
1/4cup Soya sauce
Chopped ginger
Chopped garlic
Onions
1/2cup Spring onions
Salt
1/4cup Sweet and sour sauce( if sweet and sour sauce is not there you can use sugar)
vegetable stock/water
2-3 tbsp Corn flour(mix in water)
Method for preparing Manchurian balls:
1. Chop all the vegetables in the blender.
2. Take a wide pan. Add all the chopped vegetables, add little water and cook for sometime. Close the pan with the lid.
3. Once the vegetables become soft, remove them, take a cloth and put the cooked vegetables in the cloth and squeeze it so that the water from the vegetables is removed completely. Do not throw the water as we can use it as the vegetable stock for making the sauce.
4. Add the rest of the ingredients(A) described above and mix well, make small round balls.
5. Take a wok or large frying pan, add oil. Once the oil gets heated, first try frying one ball, see that it does not break in the oil. If it breaks add more boiled rice.If it fries well then fry the rest of the balls and keep aside.
Method for preparing Manchurian sauce:
1. Add oil in a pan.
2. Add garlic, ginger, onions, green chillies, pepper powder, soya sauce, chilli paste, sweet and sour sauce, spring onions and very little salt as all the ingredients have salt in it, so watch out when adding salt.
3. Mix well for 2 min.
4. Add the vegetable stock. When it starts boiling add cornflower(mixed with water). If needed add salt.
5. Add the vegetable dumplings and mix for 2min.
6. Vegetable Manchurian is ready to eat.
If you wish to make dry manchurian, follow the method for sauce till step 3 and then add the dumplings and mix.
Pav bhaji
Preparation Time: 15min
Cooking Time: 25min
Ingredients:
4 medium-Potatoes, boiled and mashed
4 medium-Tomatoes, chopped
2 medium-Onions, chopped
1 medium-Green capsicum,chopped deseeded
1/4-Cauliflower, grated
1/4 cup-Green peas, shelled
1 inch piece-Ginger, chopped
8-10 cloves-Garlic
3 tbsp-Oil
3-4 Green chillies, chopped
1 and half tbsp-Pav bhaji masala
Salt to taste
3 tbsp-Butter
8 pieces-Pav
1/4 cup-Fresh coriander leaves, chopped
2-Lemons, cut into wedges
Method:
1. Boil green peas in salted water till soft, drain, mash lightly and set aside. Grind ginger and garlic to a fine paste.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add three fourth quantity of onions. Sauté till light brown. Add green chillies and ginger-garlic paste. Stir-fry for half a minute.
3. Add half the quantity of tomatoes and cook on medium heat for three to four minutes, stirring continuously or till oil separates from the masala.
4. Add capsicum, mashed peas, cauliflower, potatoes and one and half cups of water. Bring it to a boil and simmer for ten minutes, pressing with back of the spoon a few times, till all the vegetables are completely mashed.
5. Add Pavbhaji Masala, salt and remaining tomatoes. Cook on medium heat for two minutes, stirring continuously.
6. Heat half of the butter in a thick-bottomed pan or a tawa. Slice pav horizontally into two and pan fry in butter for half a minute, pressing two or three times or till pav is crisp and light brown.
7. Garnish the bhaji with chopped coriander leaves, remaining butter and serve hot with pav accompanied with remaining chopped onion and lemon wedges.