Tip of the Day

To Puree the Onions for tadka :- Skin the onions and blanch them in hot water for 3 - 4 mins then puree them to form a paste. It will give good paste rather dry onions.

Getting Famous is tough

Hello friends, don’t know if you have noticed that I am getting some good links at Google (first 3 pages)………And I am also one of the top chef at KhanaKhazana.com community.

Google Links :-

http://www.google.com/search?q=Chitra+Ahluwalia+Pal&rls=com.microsoft:en-us&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&startIndex=&startPage=1

http://images.google.com/images?q=Chitra%20Ahluwalia%20Pal&rls=com.microsoft:en-us&oe=UTF-8&startIndex=&startPage=1&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi

Top Ten Chefs on KhanaKhazana Community

http://www.khanakhazana.com/users/chefs.aspx

http://www.khanakhazana.com/recipes/k_user.aspx?uid=57129

I want to take this opportunity to “Thank you” everybody for your wonderful support and appreciation. You all give me inspiration to cook something new everyday. Love you all :)

Tip of the Day

Add little salt in the boiling water, when you are boiling eggs, in this way no egg white would come off with shell. Shell will come out easily.

Sweet and Saucy Stir Fry

Ingredients

1. 1 cup of zuchinni chopped in 1-2 inch cubes

2. 1 cup of brocolli florets

3. ½ cup of chopped carrots

4. 1 cup each of yellow, green, red bell peppers chopped

5. 1 small can of water chestnuts / singhara or ½ cup of chopped in 1 inch cubes

6. 1 tsp of sesame oil

7. 2 tsp of soy sauce

8. 1 tsp of conrstarch with 1 cup of water

9. 1 tsp of honey

10. 2 tbsp of vinegar

11. ½ cup of pineapple juice with crushed pineapple pieces

12. 2 teaspoon of fresh minced ginger and garlic

13. Salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

1. For vegetables. Boil 3-4 cups of water and add salt.

2. Drop in all vegetables except water chestnuts to take the edge off but still being crunchy just for 3-4 minutes.

3. Take out the veggies and scatter them in an open tray to cool them quickly.

4. In the mean time add seasme oil, soy sauce, vinegar, honey and corn starch water in a small bowl. Whisk and heat the mixture till sauce turns little thick.

5. Heat oil in a non stick wok (khadiy) or deep dish pan.

6. Add ginger garlic paste.

7. When the mixture little pink add all cooled down vegetables in the wok add water chestnuts now. Keep on stirring in between.

8. Fry them little brown and then add soy sauce mixture and stir with tongs.

9. When it is incorporated add pineapple juice with chunks and stir. Let it simmer for sometime till it turns little thick sauce.

10. Plate them and garnish with chopped green onions. You can serve with steamed rice.

This will make you say yummy , saucy. I am sure. Try this.

-Chitra

Tip of the Day

How to retain freshness of Ginger for long time :- Peel the ginger, and store the ginger in plastic zip lock bag in freezer. It will retain the freshness of ginger for longer time, (weeks). Whenever you want to use just take it out and grate it.

Punjabi Rajma Masala

Ingredients

1. 2 cups of red kidney beans / Rajma boiled

2. 2 medium onions grated

3. 1 tbsp minced ginger

4. 1 tsp of turmeric powder

5. Salt to taste

6. 1 tsp red chili powder

7. 1 tsp of coriander powder

8. ¼ tsp of garam masala

9. 1 ½ cup of tomato puree

10. Small onion cut in rings for garnish

11. 1 cup of water

Directions

1. In a non stick deep pan add 2 tbsp of oil.

2. Keep the heat on medium.

3. Now add onions and ginger.

4. When they turn golden brown add turmeric, coriander & red chili powder and salt.

5. Keep the heat on slow medium heat. When the masala is cooked or after 1 – 2 minutes add tomato puree. Don’t let it burn.

6. Now cook it for 2-3 minutes.

7. Add rajma and stir so that everything is mixed well.

8. Now add water and let it simmer for 10 minutes on medium heat.

9. Remove from heat now and add garam masala and stir.

10. Serve in bowl garnish with cilantro/ dhaniya leaves and with onion rings.

Serve with steamed Rice, or zeera rice.

-Chitra

Tip of the Day

How to make pakora’s softer :- Add 1/4 tsp of cooking soda while mixing the pakora mixture, it will make them softer from inside.

Fattoush

 

Zesty Lebanese Salad made from toasted pita / Arabic bread combined with mix vegetables and herbs is a perfect starter for your meal. It’s super healthy and refreshingly delicious. Try it today.

Ingredients

1. 2-3 tomatoes chopped in cube size

2. 1 cucumber chopped in cube size (quartered lengthwise and chopped)

3. 1 green pepper seeded and diced

4. 4 scallions / green onions chopped roughly

5. 1 cup of romaine lettuce chopped

6. 2 tbsp of parsley chopped

7. 1 tsp of dried mint

8. 1 cup of cilantro / dhaniya/ coriander chopped

9. 2 pita bread toasted and cut into cubes

10. ½ cup of oilive oil

11. Salt and pepper to taste

12. ½ cup of lemon juice

Directions

1. Add the tomatoes, cucumber, scallions, lettuce and herbs (cilantro, mint, parsley) in a bowl.

2. Whisk oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper and add to the bowl. Toss.

3. Put the toasted, baked pita bread cubed already at the top and serve.

-Chitra

Chilled Mediterranean Hummus Salad

Ingredients

1. 2 cans of hummus / chick peas / garbanzo beans

2. 2 tbsp of sliced Spanish olives

3. 2 tbsp of chopped pickled vegetables

(See my Recipe for Pickled Vegetables)

4. Salt and Pepper to taste

5. 1 tbsp of chopped cilantro / dhaniya

6. 1 lemon, juiced

7. 1 tsp of red hot sauce

Directions

1. Drain out the chick peas and rinse it under running water in a strainer.

2. Take a large bowl add all the ingredients and stir it well.

3. Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and let it chill for some time.

4. Serve this on hot sunny day to your family. It is full of nutrients and protein.

-Chitra

Spicy Butter Paneer Masala

Ingredients

1. 300 gms Paneer / Indian Cottage Cheese

2. 3 medium tomatoes or two small diced tomato can

3. 1 cup tomato ketchup

4. 2 big onions puree

5. 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste

6. 3 tbsp butter

7. 3 tbsp fresh cream

8. Salt to taste

9. 1 tsp red chilli powder

10. 3 tbsp cashewnut paste

11. ½ tsp turmeric powder

12. 1 tsp dhania / corriander powder

13. ½ tsp kasuri methi / fenugreek

14. 2 tsp garam masala powder

15. 1 bay leaf dry or fresh

16. 2 cloves

17. 1 tsp of vegetable oil

Directions

1. Puree the Tomatoes in a blender and cut the paneer in triangle pieces.

2. In a non stick pan heat the vegetable oil with butter. (If you will heat the butter alone it tends to burn soon).

3. Add the bay leaf and cloves.

4. When they change little color add ginger garlic paste. Let the garlic cook for two minutes.

5. Add Onion paste and sauté till light brown.

6. Add salt and chili powder.

7. Add tomato puree, tomato ketchup, crushed kasuri methi, coriander powder, turmeric powder, garam masala.

8. Now add the cashew paste and fry for two minutes.

9. Add a small cup of water and let it cook on medium heat till you get the desired curry consistency.

10. Stir and let it simmer for some time with closed lid.

11. Add the paneer and simmer for 2-4 minutes on low heat.

12. Garnish with fresh cream.

13. Serve the Butter Paneer Masala with Naan (Indian flat bread) or zeera / steamed rice.

Tip of the Day :-

To puree the onions for tadka, Skin the onions and blanch them in hot water for 3 - 4 mins then puree them to form a paste.

-Chitra