Thursday, March 28, 2013

SPICY SPROUTED FENUGREEK SEEDS MASALA(Reposting)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,
They say sprouts is good for health. Any sprouts? I am not sure, but this one is really a healthy sprout and I enjoy having it a lot.
Thrice a week I have a habit of having a tea spoon of methi seeds in the morning with hot water. I love methi seeds and never miss any chance of adding it into our food. I add it in curries, sambhar, dal, sometimes in some sabji. So how about making the whole curry with methi seeds. But that will go directly in to the dustbin as these seeds are very bitter if prepared directly. So the best way is to soak them, allow to sprout and then use in a spicy, tangy dry curry.
Fenugreek seeds have their unique taste and contribute a huge part when comes to health. Its good for diabetes. It controls the diabetes to some extent(of course with other intakes or controlled diet)
If we take a tea spoon of methi seeds with a glass of water when suffering with diarrhea, it comes under control. 
Soak the seeds in the night and paste it in the morning. Apply it to the hair for an hour and wash it, a very good tonic for your hair.  

Ingredients:
Fenugreek seeds or Methi seeds - 1/2 cup
Soaked for 6-8 hours. Drained and then kept in a cotton or muslin cloth for a day or till it gets sprouted.


Oil - 2 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp(optional)
Onion -2 big, finely chopped
Tomato - 1 big, finely chopped
Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Green chilly - 2 slit
Salt to taste
Red chilly powder - 2 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala powder - 1 tsp
Jaggery - 1 tsp
water - 1/2 cup
Fresh coriander to garnish

Method:
  • Heat oil in a thick bottomed kadai.
  • Add cumin seeds and Mustard seeds. 
  • Add onion and fry till brown. Keep on stirring.
  • Add Ginger and garlic paste. fry for a minute.
  • Add tomato and little water. Mix well and cook till the tomato is half cooked.
  • Add sprouted methi seeds and other ingredients. 
  • Mix well. 
  • Add some more water. 
  • Cook for 5 minutes.
  • Adjust the seasoning.
  • Check the seeds, cook till soft. (It may take another 5 minutes.)
  • Garnish with fresh coriander.
  • Enjoy it with soft chapatis.
My aunt says its stays good for 3-4 days so good while travelling, but I never kept it more than one day...

Sending this to Soumya (of Nivedhanam)'s event 
 HITS


Keep Smiling,

Friday, March 22, 2013

Softest Grape Ice Cream

Tried and tasted by Nivedita
Hi All,
How are you?
Summer is here and cold things are in.. The refrigerator is full of juices, ice creams, squash, Tang, Rasna..
Hey wait, I think  last year also, I started with the same sentences :-)
That doesn't matter anyways, we have to concentrate on today's recipe.
Its Grape Ice cream. It was my elder daughter's wish. And how could I say NO to her..
Before also I have prepared Ice creams many times but this time it was something special, it was the softest Ice cream I ever had at home..
I don't know the reason, but I am giving you the step by step procedure, try and let me know whether you too got the same taste and texture.
                         

Ingredients:
Milk - 1/2 liter (I used thick milk Kolhapur brand)
Sugar - 1/2 cup
Grapes - 1 cup
Corn Flour - 2 tbsp
Vanilla Custard Powder - 3 tbsp(CHIEF INGREDIENT :-) )
Fresh cream - 3 tbsp(I have saved it from 2 days milk and stored in the fridge.


Method :
  • Boil the milk in a thick bottomed pan and wait until cold.
  • Till its cold,
  • Prepare the grapes puree by putting in the mixi. 
  • Transfer it into glass bowl or Plastic bowl. Cover it and keep in the freezer.
  • Take out the half cup of milk.
  • Add the Corn flour and Vanilla Custard powder. Mix well till no lumps.
  •  Keep the milk to boil with sugar added. Once the sugar is dissolved and milk starts boiling,
  • Add the cornflour and custard powder mix. Be careful, keep on stirring, otherwise the milk will burn at the bottom. Boil for few minutes(5 to 7 minutes is fine). Remove from the fire. Allow it to cool.
  • Refrigerate for few hours(depends on the capacity of your fridge) Mine is old one and takes long time to freeze. I kept it for 4 hours. 
  • Remove it out, add the fresh cream and grapes puree. Churn it in the mixi. 
  • Transfer it in the box storage box(if you have any ice cream box, its good).
  •  Keep in the freezer again for few more hours. I kept the whole night.
  • Next morning, again I removed it and allowed it to thaw.
  • Again I put it in the mixi and churned it well till soft.
  • Transfer it again into the box. Keep it in the fridge till its set :-)


Enjoyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy each bite of this softest grapes ice cream.

Keep Smiling,

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

HUDSON CANOLA OIL ~ Product Review

Tried and tasted by Nivedita
Hi All,
It was one month ago, postman knocked the door and my husband opened the door. The postman was holding a big box with my name and address written on it. He told my husband to call me and I went out. He handed over the box to me and told me to sign the paper that I received the box. I was confused and not understanding what to do.  I took it and opened it :-). This bottle came out with a cooking recipe book. Thennnnn.... I remembered that I had filled up a form which I received in my mail from Hudson company. It was just out of curiosity, I had filled it and forgot about it totally. I was happy to receive it. Thanks to "HUDSON CANOLA OIL".
Hudson Canola oil, is a brand recently launched in India and specifically suited to both Indian

cooking and health.

Hudson Canola Oil is brought to you by Dalmia Continental, owners of 

Leonardo Olive Oil.

Let me copy few lines from the book which I got with it.

"You can't change your body, but you can change your oil. Canola oil has the lowest 

saturated "bad" fats amongst all cooking oils, very high monounsaturated "good" fats, rich 

content of Omega-3 essential fatty acids and high Vitamin E. 

A light and versatile oil, Canola creates delicious and healthy food. It is neutral in taste and

 aroma, allowing the original flowers of your favorite foods to emerge.  Indian food- 

whether fried, roasted or grilled- tastes great with Canola. 

It is also economical because it can be RE-USED several times, if unsmoked and filtered 

after each use."

Crushed from the seeds of the yellow Canola flower, Canola oil is Global phenomenon. 

I do agree with it as it tastes good, I mean, you will not find any difference in the taste.  I tried veg and non veg items using this oil but clicked only few photos.
I love to have it in my Kitchen always.


There are many delicious recipes by a famous chef Komal Taneja from Punjab.




Thanks to HUDSON CANOLA OIL for choosing me to get the free sample. 
They are on Facebook also.  https://www.facebook.com/Hudson.Canola.Oil. click the link to know more about them.

Keep Smiling, 

Monday, February 25, 2013

PALAK PANEER(Food Remake)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita
Hi All,
How are you? I am finding time or making it a point to take out some time for my blogging. Though I tried many new recipes previous months, I was lazy to click the photos. I made a mistake. I know I can again cook and click. But the joy, the happiness what we feel with the first time never comes afterwards.

Coming to today's recipe, Palak Paneer. My all time favorite(!!!!). But never like my version. Made many times my way but did not wanted to share that simple recipe. Then the other day I was searching my friend's blogs and websites for the recipe. There appeared Rak's 
 The color of the dish was so tempting and I decided to try it the same time as I knew there is Palak in the fridge. So I went to the MORE supermarket to get the ready Paneer. 

NADINI brand was available. I was not sure about it as I never tasted it before but there was no option for me. I got it. NANDINI paneer is really good. It was soft and fresh. Try it once if you get in nearby stores.

The only thing I changed was I used only one spinach and reduced the masala according to it..
My clicks are not so good, I am not that great photographer and I really do not have patience to arrange the things and click. Sorry girls...
I have tried to write in my words as I have altered it.

Ingredients:

Spinach or Palak - 1 big bunch or 2 small.
Onion - 1 medium
Tomato - 1 medium
Greeen Chillis - 3 to 4 (according to the strongness)
Paneer cubes - 1 cup
Oil - 1tbsp
Butter - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Dry coriander powder - 1 tsp
Kasoori methi - 1 tsp
Haldi -(is in her post, I avoided as I was scared of loosing that lovely green color)
Milk - 1/4 cup

For dry masala(this has become my favorite now, I have used it in Aloo methi, Dry chicken roast, and even in Pulao)

Cinnamon - 1/2" piece
Cardamom - 1 
Clove -1 
Pepper - 1 tsp
Jeera - 1 tsp


Method:

Clean the stem of palak. Wash and clean it properly. Chop it.
Chop the onion and tomatoes in to small cubes.

Take a pan and add 1/2 tsp of butter. Roast the dry masalas and make into powder. Keep it aside(closed)
In the same pan, fry the palak just to remove the water from it. Keep it aside and allow it to cool.
Add the green chillis and make into fine paste.
Fry or roast the cubes with little butter on a low flame. (She has not done, but I like it roasted)
In a kadai,
heat the oil and 1 tbsp of butter. 
Add the onion and fry till soft and brown. Add the coriander powder and mix well. 
Add tomatoes and salt. Cook till very soft. Add the kasuri methi.
Now add the ground palak paste. Mix well. Cook for few minutes till the oil separates. 
Add the roasted paneer cubes and cook for a minute.
Add the powdered masala and milk. Cook it for few more minutes.
PALAK PANEER is  ready to eat with anything you like. 
I made normal chapatis but I had it like that only :-)
Thanks Rak's for this wonderful recipe.
VISIT HER PLACE FOR MANY MORE LOVELY RECIPES..

Keep Smiling,

 

Friday, February 15, 2013

DAL,BATI, CHURMA for ICC JANUARY

Tried and tasted by Nivedita
Hi All,
HELLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, How are you all? Feeling little embarrassed to come back here after 3 months. I feel guilty for not posting regularly.

First and foremost, I want to say Sorry to Jagruti that I could not finish her event. Really sorry dear, I hope you do understand my problems. Thanks.

Now, today I am here to participate in Indian Cooking Challenge which is hosted by Srivalli. I am sorry Valli, I am not a regular participant for your event, but still wait for your challenge every month and always look forward for other's recipes tried in ICC. 




Food is my weakness. This time the recipe chosen was really not to be missed. Daal Bhati Churma is the delicacy of Rajsthan. I tasted this first time in Chowkidani in Pune and I thoroughly enjoyed each item. But somehow the taste of Dal Bhati Churma took more place in my heart and I always wondered whether I can make it or not. I surfed many blogs and bookmarked few. One was Priya's and the other one is Jagruti's Daal baati churma by Jagruti, But never dared to make it. I thought its difficult to make and so much ghee into it. Being health conscious, I was always hesitated to go ahead. But when I got the challenge, I could not resist. And Yes!!!! it came perfect. Thanks Valli.
She has chosen recipes from three sources. One is from Priya (which even I had bookmarked a year back only). The others are  from Sanjeev Kapoorji and Tarla Dalalji.
I thought of following Priya's recipe as I felt I can connect myself more with her recipe.

Visit her place mharorajasthanrecipes  for detailed recipe.



























I really enjoyed this challenge and enjoyed the feast too. I never thought its so easy to make.

Visit Valli's space for today's post :

Keep Smiling,

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