Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Vegetable Pie

Ingredients
2 cups plain flour (maida)
100 gms. chilled butter
1/2 tsp. salt
chilled water
For Filling
2 cups Chopped vegetables of choice (eg. potatoes, peas, beans, carrot, spinach, cauliflower etc, All or any)
2 onions
1 tomato
2 green chillies
1/2" piece ginger
1 tbsp. oil
1/2 tsp. red chilli powder
1/2 tsp. curry masala (or garam masala)
1 tbsp. cream
1 tsp. corn flour
salt to taste
Method
Sieve together flour and salt.
Add chilled butter. Mix with fork till mixture is crumbly.
Sprinkle chilled water over it.
Quickly, with light hand mix the dough into a lump.
Do not over knead.
Chill dough for 15 mins. in a plastic bag.
Roll dough into 4" thick round.
Place over a greased pie plate.
Prick with a fork all over.
Bake in a pre-heated oven for 12 mins., or till light brown. Keep aside.
Filling
Grate tomato, onion, ginger.
Finely chop green chillies.
Chope and boil other vegetables.
Heat oil in a skillet, add the grated vegetables and chillies.
Cook for 4-5 mins. Stirring occasionally.
Add all other ingredients except cream.
Cook till the water evaporates and curry is thick.
Sprinkle a little cornflour over the crust.
Pour and spread the filling in the shell.
Pour cream all over.
Bake for 8-10 mins. in pre-heated oven.
Slice and serve warm.

Pav Bhaji

Ingredients
8 pavs (squarish soft buns about 4" x 5" size)
butter to shallow fry.
For Bhaji
1 capsicum chopped fine
2 onions chopped fine
2 tomatoes chopped fine
2 1/2 cups chopped mixed vegetables (beans, carrots, cauliflower, potota, beans, bottle gourds, etc.) 1/2 cup shelled
peas
2 tbsp. butter
2 tsp. pavbhaji masala
1 1/2 tsp. chilli powder
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
1/2 tsp. sugar
salt to taste
1 cup water (in which vegetables were boiled)
1/2 tsp. each ginger grated, garlic crushed
juice of 1/2 lemon.
To Garnish
1 tbsp. coriander chopped
1 onion chopped
small pieces of lemon
Method
Pressure cook mixed vegetables and peas till well done.
Mash them coarsely after draining.
Heat butter in a pan.
Add ginger-garlice, capsicum, onion, tomatoes.
Fry for 2-3 minutes till very soft.
Add pavbhaji masala, chilli powder, turmeric, salt, sugar and fry further 2-3 minutes.
Bring to boil.
Simmer till gravy is thick, stirring and mashing pieces with masala, in between.
Add lemon juice, stir.
Garnish with chopped coriander and a block of butter.
For Pavs
Slit pavs horizontally leaving one edge attached. (To open like a book).
Apply butter (as desired) and roast open on a griddle till hot and soft with the surface crisp on both sides.
Serve hot with bhaji, a piece of lemon and chopped onion.
Making time : 30 mins. (excl. pressure cooking time)
Serve : 4 (2 pavs each)

Pumpkin Pecan Pie

1 (9-inch) unbaked pie crust
1 cup LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
2/3 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup pecan halves
1.. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2.. For Pumpkin Layer: Combine pumpkin, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 egg and pumpkin pie spice in medium bowl; stir well. Spread over bottom of pie shell.
3.. For Pecan Layer: Combine corn syrup, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 eggs, butter and vanilla extract in same bowl; stir in nuts. Spoon over pumpkin layer.
4.. Bake for 50 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack.
Makes 8 servings.

ROASTED PUMPKIN SEEDS

PREPARATION
Cut the top open and gut that pumpkin!

To roast your pumpkin seeds, do not wash them first! Washing removes all the natural flavor. Instead, remove the seeds from the strings and place a single layer on a cookie sheet. Try and make an even layer, the less they lay on each other, the better they can bake.
Add salt to taste and bake at 250° until dry, stirring occasionally. I bake mine for about 15 to 30 minutes or until the start to turn a very light gold.

SWEET SPICY PUMPKIN SEEDS
You can also spice them up by mixing 5 tablespoons sugar ,1/4 teaspoon coarse salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, Pinch cayenne pepper or to taste, and 1 1/2 tablespoons peanut oil. Prepare seeds as above but line the cookie sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl combine 3 tablespoons of the sugar and the salt, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, and cayenne.
Heat peanut oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add pumpkin seeds (after baked) and 2 tablespoons sugar. Cook until sugar melts and the pumpkin seeds begin to caramelize, about 45 to 60 seconds. Transfer to bowl with spices and stir well to coat. Let cool.

Vegetarian Chili With Rice

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

a.. 3/4 cup brown rice
b.. 1 tablespoon olive oil
c.. 4 small cloves garlic, peeled and minced
d.. 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and finely diced
e.. 2 celery stalks, washed, trimmed and finely diced
f.. 2 large carrots, trimmed, washed and diced
g.. 1 (32-ounce) can stewed tomatoes in juice
h.. 1 (16-ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
i.. 3 cups canned kidney beans, drained (1 large 24-ounce can)
j.. 2 teaspoons chili powder
k.. 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
l.. 1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat sharp cheese
Directions:

Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a medium covered saucepan. Slowly stir in rice, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 40 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a Dutch oven or large covered heavy saucepan over medium-high flame. Add garlic and saute until golden, about 30 seconds. Add onions, celery and carrots and saute, stirring frequently, until onions are soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, garbanzos, kidney beans, chili powder and black pepper. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 10 minutes.

Serve over the cooked brown rice and top each serving with 2 tablespoons shredded cheese.

Wendy's Chili

Here's a favorite recipe for chili that clones the stuff served
At the Wendy's chain. Dave Thomas, Wendy's founder, has been
Serving this chili since 1969, he year the first Wendy's opened
Its doors. Over the years the recipe has changed a bit, but
This version here is an amazing copy of the version of chili
Served in the early 90's. Try topping it with some chopped onion
And cheddar cheese, as you can request in the restaurant.
2 pounds ground beef
One 29-ounce can tomato sauce
One 29-ounce can kidney beans (with liquid)
One 29-ounce can pinto beans (with liquid)
1 cup diced onion (1 medium onion)
1/2 cup diced green chili (2 chilies)
1/4 cup diced celery (1 stalk)
3 medium tomatoes, chopped
2 teaspoons cumin powder
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups water

1. Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat; drain off
The fat.
2. Using a fork, crumble the cooked beef into pea-size pieces.
3. In a large pot, combine the beef plus all the remaining ingredients,
And bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook, stirring every 15 minutes,
For 2 to 3 hours.

Makes about 12 servings.

Tidbits

For spicier chili, add 1/2 teaspoon more black pepper.
For much spicier chili, add 1 teaspoon black pepper and a tablespoon
Cayenne pepper.
And for a real stomach stinger, add 5 or 6 sliced jalapeno peppers
To the pot.
Leftovers can be frozen for several months.

Sunday, October 14, 2007

Channa Bhatura

Ingredients
For Channa
1 cup kabuli channa soaked overnight
1 large tomato
2 large onions
1 1/2 tbsp. chopped coriander
1 tsp. ginger grated
1 tsp. garlic crushed
1 lemon (juice extracted)
2 tbsp. oil, 1 tbsp. ghee
1 tsp. tea leaves (tied into a pouch in a
small piece of clean muslin cloth)
4 green chillies slit
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. cumin seeds
Dry masalas :-
1 tsp. red chilli powder
1/2 tsp. each cinnamon -clove powder,
turmeric powder
1/4 tsp. each garam masala, pepper
powder
salt to taste
For Bhatura
2 cups plain flour (maida) 2 tbsp. curds
2 tbsp. butter or oil
1/2 tsp. soda bicarb
salt to taste
Milk to knead dough
oil to deep fry
Method:
Sieve together flour, salt and soda.
Add and mix in curds and oil.
Add enough milk to knead into a soft pliable dough.
Cover with a wet cloth.
Keep aside for 5-6 hours. Make sure the cloth does not dry up, or wet again.
Knead dough again. Take fistful of dough. Roll into 1/4" thick 5" diameter round. Fry in hot oil.
Turning only once. Till very light golden in colour. Repeat for all. Serve hot with hot channa and
slices of onions and lemon.
Method for Channa
Put the soaked, washed channa in a cooked with enough water, teapouch and bay leaves.
Pressure cook till done. (approx. 6-7 whistles).
Cool about 5 tbsp. channa for grinding.
In a mixie, blend together 1/2 tomato, 1 onion, cooled channa and 1/2 tbsp. coriander. Keep aside.
Chop remaining tomatoes and onions fine.
Heat oil in a large skillet.
Add cumin seeds to splutter.
Add ginger-garlic and fry for a minute.
Add chopped tomatoes, onion and fry till tender.
Add channa-paste, fry further 3-4 minutes.
Add all dry masala except cinnamon-clove powder.
Stir and fry till oil separates. Add drained channa and 2 cup water which was drained from channa.
Stir and bring to boil.
Simmer for 7-8 minutes till gravy thickens.
Take in serving dish.
Heat ghee in a small sauce pan.
Add the chillies and cinnamon-clove powder.
Add chopped coriander and pour hot over the channa.
Squeeze lemon over channa.
Stir in seasoning gently.
Making time :- 30 mins (excluding pressure cooking)
Serves -5

Rava Dosa

Ingredients:
1 cup fine soji (semolina)
1/2 cup rice flour or plain flour
1 tbsp. oil
1/8 tsp. soda bicarb
2-2 ½ cups buttermilk
1 tsp. coriander chopped fine
2 green chillies chopped fine
Method:
Blend all the ingredients together.
Add more buttermilk if necessary.
ginger grated Roll the dosa in a three-fold cylinder.
oil to shallow fry Serve hot with onion and/or coconut chutneys.
The batter should be relatively thin. salt to taste Keep aside for 20 - 30 minutes.
Heat griddle and pour 1 large spoon of batter on it.
Spread by gently rotating the griddle.
Put some oil (1/2 tsp.) over dosa.
Lift with a spatula as for basic dosa.
Makes: 10 - 12 thin dosas
Shelflife: Fresh only.
Texture: Thin with polka sized holes, not too crisp, foldable.
48. Mixed Dal Dosas
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup rice
1/3 cup each yellow moong, channa, udad dal
2 tbsp. curds
1/2 tsp. soda bicsarb
2 tbsp. oil
salt to taste
oil to shallow fry
Method:
Wash rice separately and dals toghether.
Soak in plenty of water and keep aside for 5-6 hours.
Wet grind the rice till semolina type grain can be felt
Wet grind rice till fine.Mix both batters.
Add the curds, salt, soda and oil.
Mix well till fluffy and light.
Keep aside for 3-4 hours before making dosas.
Heat griddle, pour batter and make as for plain dosas.
Serve hot with chutney.
Make thin or thick as desired.
Makes: 8-10 medium sized dosas
Shelflife: 1 day refrigerated.
Texture: Light and thin, foldable but crisp.

Boondi

Ingredients
1 cup gram flour
1/2 cups sugar
1 cup water
1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
6-8 chopped almonds
ghee to deep fry
perforated flat spoon about 5" diameter
Method
1.Boil the sugar and water together. Add a tbsp. of milk to bring up the scum.
2.Remove scum and boil liquid till the syrup is sticky between the fingers.
3.Keep aide, but keep warm for use.
4.Make batter with gram flour, which should not be too thin.
5.The batter should evenly coat the back of a spoon when dipped in it.
6.Heat ghee, hold perforated spoon a little above the hot ghee, pour some batter on the spoon.
7.Tap very lightly at edge of spoon to allow small droplets to fall in the ghee.
8.Pour back remaining batter and wipe spoon.
9.Stir the boondis in the ghee gently and fry till crisp but not brown.
10.Drain and put into the syrup. Keep for 3-4 minutes before draining from the syrup.
11.Spread on a wide plate, add cardamom powder, almonds and mix gently.
12.Cool completely and loosen the boondi with finger till each droplet separates.
13.Store in airtight container.
Note: Take great care while dropping the boondi in the hot ghee so as not to burn yourself. A little practice and it is
very easy.
Making time: 30 minutes.
Makes: 3 cups approx.