Cottage Cheese Stuffed Tomato Fritter

This is a tomato fritter stuffed with cottage cheese (paneer) and green peas.It may look complicated to prepare but believe me it is very easy to prepare and very tasty too. Hope you all will enjoy it.

Ingredients:

6 fresh medium tomatos

Oil to fry

For Batter:

2 cups gram flour

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp chilli powder

salt to taste

For Stuffing:

1 cup grated cottage cheese (paneer)

1 and 1/2 cup coarsely grinded peas

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 green chilli finely chopped

salt to taste

Cooking Procedure:

Mix all the ingredients of batter with water into a semi-thick paste

Take the tomatos and slice the top portion and scoop out the pulp

Mix all the ingredients of stuffing and fill the tomatos, close with the sliced top.

Heat oil in a deep fry pan and once its hot.

Take the stuffed tomatos and dip in batter and slowly place them in oil, do not drop them it as tomato may open up.

Using the spatula put oil of top of tomato ( if oil level happens to be half the height of tomato )

Slowly roll it over and let fry till golden brown.

Take it out of the pan and slowly cut it into half.

Serve it semi-hot with a topping of chopped onions and lemon juice.

Anzac Cookies (Eggless Cookies)

Today i made the first cookie of my life thanks to Parita for sharing such a wonderful recipe which was very easy for me to prepare. It came out very well,every body liked it. You can find the recipe on her blog Parita's World.

Tangy Crunchy Asparagus

I always wanted to try asparagus but never got a chance , when i came to US i saw this vegetable and looked up a recipe on the web and prepared this. I was very hesitant initially until i tasted it, it has a unique crunchiness and nice taste. I started making for family friends and they were also hesitant to try it but once they did they were hooked and begun to prepare on their own.

I later researched on the web and was amazed by it nutritional value. It is very high in folate and recently has shown to prevent cancer.

http://medicmagic.net/the-benefits-of-asparagus.html

Hope you all will enjoy this recipe.

Ingredients:

1 bunch asparagus

1/2 tsp cummin seeds

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/4 black pepper

1/2 tsp grated ginger

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

salt to taste

Cooking Procedure:

Clean the asparagus in cold water and snap the bottom part of stem approx 1 inch.

Cut into asparagus into three parts

Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds and when it starts to splutter add ginger and stir for a minute

Add black pepper, lemon juice and salt and stir for another minute.

You will get a nice aroma of ginger and lemon then add the asparagus

Stir continuously on high flame until the asparagus cooks ( approx 5 min )

Serve hot

Green Gram Lentil ( Hari Moong Ki Dal)

First time i had this dal at my in-laws place after marriage. My mother-in-law taught me this recipe and according to her ,she learned this from her father ,isn't it quite interesting : )

Ingredients:

• 1 cup green gram
• 1/3 cup chopped onions
• 1/4 cup chopped tomato
• 1 tbsp garlic ginger paste
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tbsp chana masala
• 1 tbsp ghee/oil for vegans
• a pinch of sugar
• 1 tsp chopped cilantro for garnish
• salt to taste

Cooking Procedure:

Heat ghee in a pressure cooker,add cumin seeds and when it starts to splutter

Add onion,ginger garlic paste,green chilli and turmeric powder and stir till onion turns translucent

Add tomato and fry for another minute

Add all powders and mix well

Add green gram along with 3 cups of water ,stir once nicely and close the pressure cooker.

Let it cook for 3 whistles then lower the flame and cook for 5 more minutes.

After opening the cooker let it boil on medium flame for 2 more minutes.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rotis along with chopped onion.

Natural Energizer ( Green Tea + Honey + Cinnamon )

Sometimes my husband feels he need a lot of energy to do his work at office. I prepare this tea for him before breakfast and he feels very energetic thoughout the day.

Cinnamon and honey cause a cleansing effect on the body and green tea has very high antioxidant power and research has shown with lime its power increases ten fold.

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp honey
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1/2 tsp lime juice
• 1 cup hot water
• 1 sachet green tea

Cooking Procedure:

Boil water and take it off the stove

Drop a sachet of green tea in it and remove the sachet after 2-3 min

In a bowl mix honey and cinnamon finely.

Pour the green tea water stir nicely until all the honey and cinnamon paste blends

Then add the lime juice and stir

Serve warm

Tomato Rice

Tomato rice is one of the easiest n tasty dish i ever known.When ever i am not in mood to cook or lack of time i prefer to prepare this dish !!

Ingredients:

2 cups basmati rice

2 cups chopped tomato's

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 green chillies slit

1/4tsp tamarind paste

1/2 inch grated ginger

10 broken cashew

1/4 tsp mustard seeds

1/4 tsp cumin seeds

1/4 tsp urad dal(split black gram)

6 to 8 fenugreek seeds

a pinch of hing (asafoetida)

1/2 tsp chilli powder

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1/4 tsp garam masala

2 tbsp oil

2 spring curry leaves

salt to taste

Cooking Procedure:

Soak rice in a 3 1/2 cup of water for 20 min and then cook the rice .

Heat oil in a pan add urad dal,mustard seeds,cumin seeds,fenugreek seeds,hing, cashew and fry till cumin seeds crackle.

Add onion,green chilli,curry leaves,ginger,turmeric powder to the above ingredients and fry till onion become light golden brown

Add tomatos and fry untill it become soft

Add chilli powder,garam masala,salt ,tamarind paste and fry till all the ingredients blend nicely into a paste and give a nice aroma

Add the rice to the above mixture and mix it until all the rice blends completely with the paste

Remove the pan from stove serve hot with apalam and curd

Quinoa Porridge (Upma)

Quinoa's origins are truly ancient. It was one of the three staple foods, along with corn and potatoes, of the Inca civilization. Quinoa was known then, and still is known, with respect, as the mother of all grains.

It is easy to find it in grocery stores and much cheaper than high quality brown rice. When cooked, quinoa is light, fluffy, slightly crunchy and subtly flavored. It actually cooks and tastes like a grain.Quinoa is tasty, and easy to digest too. It is not sticky or heavy like most other grains, and it has a delicious flavor all its own.

Quinoa is wonder food for health, quinoa is a complete protein, meaning it provides the body all nine essential amino acids. In addition to being a good source of protein and it also is rich in minerals like magnesium, zinc, vitamin E, and selenium, which help to control weight and reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Studies suggest quinoa is high in antioxidant activity, helping to protect the body from free radical damage.It is excellant substitute for rice and oats.

I never tried this in india as i never came across it but in US it is easily available and very good for diabetics. My mother-in-law is diabetic and she eats this almost everyday as a substitute for rice.

But the real benefit of eating quinoa can be obtained by soaking it overnight as soaking brings out the best of nutrition to be absorbed by our body.

I am sure this recipe would interest everybody as it is very simple to cook and extremely nutritous meal.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup quinoa (soaked overnight in two cups of water)
• 1/3 cup chopped onions
• 1/3 cup chopped potatos
• 2 green chillies slit
• 1 floret chopped cauliflower
• 1/4 cup carrot
• 1/4 cup green peas
• 1/2 inch grated ginger
• 1/4 tsp mustard
• 1/4 tsp cummin seeds
• 1/4 tsp split urad dal
• 1 spring curry leaves
• 1 tbsp oil
• salt to taste

Cooking Procedure:

Wash the quinoa thuroughly in cold water after it has been soaked overnight and keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan and add urad dal,cummin seeds, mustard seeds

Once mustard seeds splutter add onions,ginger,curry leaves and chillies and fry for 1 minute

Add potatos,carrot,cauliflower,peas and salt and stir and cover with lid and cook till it potato softens

Add two cups of water bring to boil

Add quinoa and stir occasionally until it cooked ( approx 15 min on medium flame )

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Quinoa 101 by Dani Spies

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7uvygMiwfo

Cabbage Potato Onion Fritter ( Pakoda )

I made this fritter recently for a get together, it was experimental to add grated potato and because of its crispy and golden brown texture it gave a unique taste. It was appreciated a lot and thought it would be great to add to my blog. Hope you too will enjoy it.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup gram flour
• 2 cups cabbage shredded
• 1 cup onion sliced
• 1/2 cup grated potato
• 2 green chilli chopped
• 2 tbsp coriander leaves chopped
• 1 tsp garlic ginger paste
• 1/4 tsp garam masala
• 1/4 tsp chilli powder
• oil to deep fry
• salt to taste

Cooking Procedure :

Mix all the ingredients mentioned above except oil and make small ball and press lightly

Heat oil in a deep fry pan and drop the above the balls into it

Fry in medium flame till golden brown

Serve hot with sauce

Pasta with Tomato n Basil Sauce

I had this pasta but in the form of lasagne when i went to my sister-in-law's place.I like the lasagne very much specially the sauce which she prepared for lasagne so i use the same sauce with different form of pasta.It is very quick to make also as there is no baking time .

Ingredients:

• 2 cups pasta(any form of pasta)
• 5 cups water
• 1 cup capsicum(any colour capsicum)
• 1/2 cup onion (or spring onions)
• 1 tbsp chopped garlic
• 1/2 cup zuccini
• 1 cup tomato basil sauce ( Or Fresh Basil and Tomato Sauce Seperately )
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp chilli flakes
• salt to taste
• 1/4 cup grated cheese
• Cilantro(Coriander Leaves) for garnish

Cooking procedure:

Take 5 cups water in a deep sauce pan and let it boil .

Add a little salt and oil to boiling water to prevent pasta to stick to each other

Let it boil for 30 sec then add pasta shells .

Let it cook till tender and drain the water and run under cold water some 1 minute then drain again and keep the pasta aside as cold water will help the pasta to cool down quickly and prevent stickiness.

cut onion ,capsicum,zuccini length wise 1/2 inch strips

Heat oil in pan and add onion,garlic and saute for 2 mins

Add capsicum ,zuccini and saute for 3 mins

Next add the sauce to the above and cook it till the sauce binds nicely with veggies(approx 3 mins)

Add chilli flakes,salt to the above and mix it nicely

Add the cooked pasta to the above sauce and stir till the pasta blends nicely with the sauce

Add the grated cheese to the above and mix it well.

Garnish with cilantro and serve hot.

Chunky Egg Masala

Recently for one short trip i made it as a quick food pack .We had sudden plan so i need to prepare some thing very quickly which is easy to carry and should be taste good even if it is not warm. As i have not much vegetables at home so i prepared this dry curry ..believe me it was so tasty when we had with roti. We ate like an egg wrap. You also try and i sure you will enjoy.

Ingredients:

• 5 boiled eggs
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped tomato
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 springs curry leaves
• 1/2 tsp egg masala powder
• 2 tbsp oil

Cooking Procedure:

Cut the boiled eggs in big chunks

Heat oil in a pan,add cumin seeds and once it splutters add onion,curry leaves,green chilli fry till onion become golden brown.

Add all the powders and fry for 2 minutes

Then add tomatos and fry till it becomes soft paste

Add the egg chunks to it and stir till the masala blends well with the egg chunks

Serve with rotis and rice