Mix Vegetable Kheema Masala

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Again, another post from my kitchen following the restaurant style food.(Another recent post is restaurant-style-white-color-veg-pulao)My kids hate me most of the times when it comes to eating out. I avoid outside food unless I am out of station or the restaurant is having a very special menu and which I can not prepare at home. But at the end of the day, somehow I put my full effort to learn that dish and start making at home. My husband happy to save his money, I am satisfied that I can feed my family the fully homemade food. In between my kids give a dirty look. Hey, but not always. They love and enjoy each bite I serve.

There is nothing like home food. It is safe, healthy, tasty and cheap. I think I learnt it from my mother to prepare everything at home, When I was a kid, we never had many hotels and they served only our local food like idly, dosa, upma or South Indian meals. It was rare for us to get North Indian dishes in the hotels. I remember we had only two hotels in Dharwad to have North Indian menu. But mom always felt it is costly and we can not have it. I don't know how and where she used to learn, but without oven, she used to bake the cake, cookies. She used to prepare Mughlai dishes also. My father was a great cook too. I always miss his food.

Coming to today's recipe, It is restaurant style Mix Vegetable Kheema Masala. Kheema is my favorite. But as my family don't like it, I do not make non-veg kheema. Last week, when I was struggling to decide what to make for the dinner, it flashed to me to try  this recipe. AS usual I browsed few blogs and websites. But was more confused. So I ended up with my own recipe. It may sound similar to other recipes, but it is different and taste is just perfect.

Here you are free to add any vegetable of your your choice. You can omit one or two if you don't have. But Cauliflower is a good vegetable to add. It gives that chicken kheema texture and even the nearly similar taste. And if you add Soya granules. I did not add as I was short of time to soak it and grind.

Coming to the recipe:

Vegetables:

Cauliflower - 1 cup, cleaned, washed and grated

Beans - 1/2 cup, cleaned and chopped finely.

Carrot - 1/4 cup, cleaned and finely chopped

Fresh peas or frozen peas -1/2 cup

Paneer -1/2 cup, crumbled. (I prefer using home made, you can use store bought)

For masala:

Oil - 2 tbsp

Onion - 1 big, finely chopped

Ginger-Garlic paste - 1 tsp

Tomato Puree - 1/2 cup

Green chilly - 2 finely chopped

Red chilly powder - 1 tbsp

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Whole spice - 2 clove, 1/2" cinnamon, 1 cardamom and 1 bay leaf

Cashew nuts -8 to 10 soaked in little milk for 15-30 minutes

Fresh cream - 1/4 cup(Again, here I have used directly from the milk. Usually I collect the cream to make into butter)

Kasuri methi - 1 tsp(I make kasuri methi at home which really tastes good and aroma is very good)

Kesar - few strands, soaked in the milk(optional, it gives royal color and the taste. Actually I had kept it but forgot to add)

Fresh Butter to garnish

Fresh coriander - washed and chopped finely to garnish the dish.

Method :

1. If you have ready tomato puree, use it directly. I blanched the tomatoes and pureed it.
2. Boil the fresh peas and keep aside. If using frozen ones, you can use directly.
3. Keep Everything ready.
4. Heat oil in a thick bottomed kadai.
5. Add onions and cook till transparent.
6. Add Ginger-Garlic paste and green chilly, saute it.
7. Add all the vegetables except Paneer.
8. MIx it well and cook it for few minutes or till the raw smell of cauliflower goes off.
9. Add tomato puree, mix well. Cook for a minute.
10. Add the paneer and mix well.
11. Add red chilly powder, turmeric powder and salt.
12. Add 1/8 cup of water, and cook it for few minutes.
13. Till that, make the cashew paste ready and add it to the curry.
14. Now add the fresh cream, kasoori methi and kesar. cook for a minute and garnish with butter  and fresh coriander.

Here, I prepared Jeera rice and Dal fry and Naan without yeast and tandoor with papad, onion and lemon. Or you can try Dal Tadka from my old post Full meals.

I laugh at myself and feel proud also to see how I have improved in cooking when I see the old photos from my blog. Now I am much better cook than before. Thanks to you all, this blog world and my family. And of course the almighty super power who has blessed me this great life. 

Your comments and guidance will be highly appreciated. Waiting for your responses. 

Keep Smiling, 

Sugar Stuffed Flat Breads(ಸಕ್ಕರೆ ಚಪಾತಿ )

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

This one is nostalgic. I love these chapatis. It was very regular in my house. My mom used to make these a lot. Me and my brother were always happy to eat these rolls. 

Unfortunately, my kids don't like sweet. So this one remained only in my memories( Me too scared of having the whole sugar or powder more!) 

The other day I suddenly felt like having it and here it is :-)

What am I talking about? Sugar stuffed flat breads.. We call it "Sakre Chapati" in Kannada..

Ingredients:

Wheat flour - 1 cup

Salt a pinch

Water to make the dough ready

For Stuffing

Powdered sugar - 1 tbsp for each chapati

Ghee or Butter - 1 tsp for each chapati + 1 tsp for frying or roasting

Method:

• Prepare the wheat flour dough by adding little by little water. The dough should be soft. 
• Divide into equal lime size balls.
• First Method:
• Take one ball and roll into small circle(small puri size)
• Take one more and repeat.
• On one rolled puri, spread ghee or butter and on another spread the powdered sugar.
• Keep the buttered one on the sugar stuffed puri and close it tight.
• Slowly dust it with the flour and roll in to medium sized chapatis.
• Keep the tawa on heat.
• Roast it on both the sides and apply or drizzle ghee on it before removing it.
• Repeat with remaining dough.
• Second Method
• Roll three small size puris.
• Spread one tsp butter or ghee on first one.
• Keep the other puri on it and close it.
• Spread the sugar powder on it.
• Close it tight with other puri.
• Roll it(as shown in the photo)
• and again roll it to give round shape.
• Do it slowly.
• Roll into medium size chapati and roast it.
• Serve hot with spicy pickle or pack and take it while travelling.
• Best breakfast for kids and me:-)

Linking this to Jagruti's event

Announcing an event - I'm well Stuffed !

Keep Smiling,

Magic of Sindhi Rasoi(Food Remake)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Last week again I wanted to wear a Sindhi cap to try some recipes from Alka's Sindhi Rasoi. She has wonderful collections of Sindhi food. A Non- Sindhi girl(like me) married to a Sindhi guy will bless Alka for sharing such an authentic Sindhi recipes.

Coming to the recipes, I tried four recipes in three days and all came out very tasty. 

Sharing her recipe links and my photos:

First one is 

Saayi dal : Click here for the original recipe.

Second one is 

Paneer Bhurji: Click  here  for the original recipe.

Third one is 

Chaawaran Jho dodo(Rice flour roti): Click here for her recipe.

Now its time for sweet from her blog(As we Sindhi people never get tired of eating sweets)

Singhar(Sev) ji Mithai: Here goes the link for original  Recipe.

Sending these four to 

Ria's(of Ria's Collection) 

TRIED&TASTED September2010

(Linking it to Lakshmi's blog and Zlamushka whose brain child is this event)

Keep Smiling,

Rajma Roti (Kidney beans flat bread)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

When I came to know about the event going on in Sandhya's Kitchen, there were only 2 days left. I kept on thinking what to make with Kidney beans? It is not regular in my home, as my kids do not like this one(Except kidney beans and kabuli chana, other legumes are most welcome any time.)

I surfed the web also for the recipe, but did not get any special food. Some sites had Kidney beans paratha. But I thought of making rotti or flat bread with it.

With that I thought adding some fat to my body! So prepared Paneer bhurji and Sai dal.

Its very healthy and my kids did not realize what they were having but both enjoyed the roti with Paneer bhurji.

Ingredients :

Kidney beans : 1 cup

(Soaked for 6 to 8 hours and fully cooked)

Or if using canned ones, just remove and keep aside.

Take the cooked beans and put in a blender or mixi to make smooth paste. Keep it ready.

For dough :

Wheat flour - 1 cup or more as per the kidney beans

Salt to taste

Dry ginger powder - 1 tsp

Red chilly powder - 1 to 2 tsp

Dry Mango powder (Amchur powder) - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder

Oil - 1 tsp

Water to knead the dough

Oil to roast the rotis

Method:

Mix Wheat flour, ready paste and all other things except water and  the oil to roast each roti, in a big plate or vessel. Add the water slowly to make the soft dough.

Keep it aside for 5 to 10 minutes.

Divide the dough into small equal balls.

Take one ball roll into chapati size.

Heat tawa and roast both the side with oil.(You can dry roast it if you do not like to add the oil in your diet) 

Serve with pickle or curds.

Sending this to

Sandhya's BSI : Kidney Beans

(linking it to BSI and to this event announcement.)

Priya's Guest hosting "Only" event with "Low Oil/Low Calor...

(linking it to Pari's event announcement page)

And Sharing this bread with one more event Announcing - My Legume Love Affair 27

by 

Susan of The Well-Seasoned Cook

Keep Smiling,

Ajwain flavored flat bread(ಖಾರಾ ಚಪಾತಿ)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Are you all wondering what has happened to me? I am going on posting the recipes like as if its end of  my life!!

No, two days left for many events to end, and I want to participate in every event.

Now its time for some Indian flat bread , guessed the event? Check it at the end!

Ajwain is a seed which has strong odor and used in very little quantity. Its very good for indigestion. I used to eat or chew the ajwain and blow it into my kid's naval when ever they had indigestion problem or stomach pain!It works.

Read more  here about Ajwain which is commonly known as carrom seeds also.

Now coming to my recipe, this was common breakfast when we were young! Mom used make it often, but most of the times she used to fry it in hot oil and store it for evening tea or while travelling.

Being a health conscious person I make only chapatis and eat. My elder daughter loves it.

Ingredients :

Wheat flour - 2 cups

Whole grain flour - 1/2 cup(if available)

Gram flour - 2 tbsp

Salt to taste

Turmeric powder a pinch

Red chilly powder - 1 to 2 tsp

Ajwain seeds - 1tsp, crushed

Oil - 1 tbsp

Water to make dough

Oil to roast chapatis

Ghee to spread on chapatis

Take all the ingredients except water in a big bowl or plate. Add water to make smooth dough.

Keep the dough for half an hour.

Divide the dough in to small balls.

Roll into desired size with medium thickness.

Roast the chapatis both the sides.

Remove and spread 1 tsp of  ghee. It keeps the chapati soft. And good for kids.

Repeat with other dough.

Perfect for lunch box for kids.

Sending this to 

Announcing Global Kadai - Indian flavoured flatbreads ! by Sandhya of Sandhya's Kitchen

Providing the link back to Cilantro's page as per the rule.

AND

Pari's 'Only' Kids Delight

Keep Smiling,