Stuffed Pomfret in plantain leaf parcels

Ingrediants
1 large pomfret
2 medium size onions
2 small tomatoes
1 cup pudina leaves
1/4 cup coriander leaves
4-5 garlic cloves
1 small green chillies
1/2 tsb jeera (cumin)
Lemon juice 2 tsb
salt as per taste
1 plantain leaf (to make the parcel. Alternatively use aluminium foil to wrap the fish)
1 tbs oil

Method
To make pudina chutney:

1. Wash pudina leaves and coriander leaves. Keep aside to dry.
2. Grind pudina leaves, coriander leaves, green chillies, jeera, garlic by adding water as required. Add lemon juice and salt as per taste.
3. Pudina chutney is done. Keep aside. 

For Marination of fish

1. The fish should have a slit in an arc on one side from the head to bottom,and two straight slits on the other side.
2. Wash the fish properly under running water. Mix 1 tsb salt, 1/2 tsb red chilli powder and 1/4 tsb turmeric powder. Marinate the fish and keep for 5-6 hours.

To make the masala (to stuff in the fish)

1. Finely chop the onions and tomatoes. Heat oil in a pan and fry the onions. Add the tomatoes after the onions become transperant.  Add the pudina chutney and let all the water evaporate. Add red chilli powder, salt (if required) Add magic garam masala.
2. Suff this masala into the fish (side slit)
3. Wrap the fish in a plantain leaf and use a thread to make a parcel.
4. Take a non stick pan and place the fish parcel. Heat the pan and cook the fish on both sides for 10 minutes.

Madras onion sambar

'Madras onions' are nothing but Shallots. It is easily available here in Bangalore and other cities in South Indian. It is used in many South Indian preparations. This is a very interesting sambar recipe made from these onions which taste suberb! The same sambar recipe (the masala) can be used and onions can be replaced with beans, white pumpkin, potatoes, cauliflower


Ingrediants
10-15 madras onions (shallots)
2 tbs dhania seeds (coriander seeds)
2 tbs fresh coconut (grated)
1 tbs chana dal (bengal gram)
1/2 tsp methi seeds (fenugreek seeds)
10 dry red chillies
2 tbs tamarind pulp
1 tbs mustard seeds for making tadka
10-15 curry leaves for making tadka
a pinch hing
2 tbs oil
1 cup tur dal
salt as per taste
Oil for making tadka


Method

1. Peel the onions. Do not cut them. Use them as is in sambar.
2. Boil water and cook the dal with turmeric and salt.
3. Mix the cooked dal well and add salt, tamarind paste and jaggery to the dal. Keep aside.
4. Heat some oil in a pan then add chana dal, methi seeds, red chillies, hing, dhania seeds, coconut and keep frying for a few minutes.
5. Grind the above dry spices to a fine paste by adding little water.
6. Take a hard bottom pot and heat some oil. Add the onions which are peeled. Let then cook for some time. After sometime the onions will start turning transperant. Add the paste to these onions. Cook for a while.
7. Add tur dal and bring it to a boil.
8. Heat oil in a small pan and add 4 red chillies, mustard seeds and a pinch of hing. Pour this over the hot boiling sambar.
9. Enjoy with delicious sambar with dosas, idlis or just plain boiled rice.

Raw Mango Chutney

I was talking to someone in my apartment and she wanted to know how the raw mango chutney is made. It is called by various names, Maharashtrians call it 'Methamba', South Indians call it 'raw mango pachadi'
Call it anything you want....I like to call it as Raw Mango Chutney!
It goes well with rotis, chapattis, curd rice or just eat it with a slice of bread... Enjoy this tangy chutney which is my personal fav!!

Ingrediants
1 raw mango
1 tbs methi (fenugreek seeds)
2 tbs jaggery
red chilli powder - as per taste
salt as per taste
water 1 cup
mustard seeds 1/2 tbs
Turmeric powder- 1/4 tbs
1/2 tbs oil for making tadka

Method

1. Wash the raw mango and remove the skin. Chop the raw mango in bite size pieces
2. Heat oil in a pan. Add  mustard seeds, turmeric powder, methi seeds. Let it crackle for sometime. 
3. Add the raw mango pieces. Add red chilli powder, salt, jaggery and water.
4. Cook the raw mango. Add more water if required. The consistency must be flowing.
5. Preserve in a air tight container for 10-15 days. Store in a refrigerator
6. Serve with rice, rotis

Methi Dosa

Ingrediants

1 cup methi leaves 
3 cup dosa rice (soaked in water for 6-8 hrs)
1 cup urad dal (split black gram lentil)
1 tsp methi seeds
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp dhania seeds
dry red chillies 5-6
tamarind pulp 2 tsb
jaggery 2 tsp
salt as per taste
fresh grated coconut 1/2 cup

Method

1.  Soak dosa rice and urad dal overnight (8 hrs apprx.). Then grind them to a fine thin batter by adding little water.
2. Dry roast methi seeds, dhania seeds, jeera, dry red chillies and coconut. Grind in mixer to make a fine paste. Add little water while grinding.
3. Add the above paste to dosa batter. Add tamarind pulp and jaggery. Add salt as per taste. 
4. Finely chop the methi leaves and add to dosa batter.
5. Now heat a non stick tawa and spread 1 tbsp of the batter on the whole of the pan. 
6. Grease all the corners and then cook it on the other side also.  
7. Put little water on the tawa and wipe it with a clean cloth before making each dosa.

Tomato and Cheese Omlette (Age 1yr+)

Ingredients:
2 eggs
2 tbsp. milk
1 tbsp. onion, chopped
2 tbsp. red tomato, diced
1 tbsp. cheddar cheese/ amul processed cheese cube

Method
Heat the omlette pan on low heat.
Whisk eggs and milk until they start to foam, approximately 3 minutes.
Pour the beaten eggs into the pan and cover the pan.
Cook over medium-low heat for about 4 minutes, until bottom is golden brown and top is set.
Sprinkle cheese, onions, and tomato over the top.
Fold omelet in half with a spatula.
Cook for about 1 more minute.
Remove from pan and serve.

You can add more veggies like cut and blanced spinach, corn, mushrooms

Dry fruit paratha

Ingrediants

Almonds 10

Raisins 6-7

Walnuts 3-4

Cashewnuts- 10

Pistachios  (unsalted) 10

Milk- required to make the dough

Wheat flour 1 cup

Salt to taste

Ghee (clarified butter) to fry the parathas

Method  
Crush all the dry fruits in a mixie to make a fine powder. The powder may be little wet because of raisins.  
Make a dough by adding milk to the wheat flour. Add the dry fruit powder. Add salt as per taste.
Make medium size parathas and fry it on both sides using ghee.

Fish Fry - Pomfret

Ingrediants

2 medium Pomfret fish cut into pieces 1 tsp. Malvani Fish Masala (Available at local grocery stores) or any other Fish masala ( You can use any mutton / chicken / garam masala as a last resort if fish masala is not available) 1 tsp Turmeric powder 1 tsp. red chili powder ¼ cup tamarind juice (extract after adding warm water)

1 cup Rice flour mixed with 2-3 tsp of Rawa
Oil for frying 

Method
1) Clean the Fish, apply a little salt and turmeric and keep aside.
2) Mix Fish Masala, Turmeric and Red Chili Powder.
3) Apply the mixture to the fish pieces and keep aside to marinate for 2-3 hour.
3) Take the Rice flour + Rawa in a big plate and coat all the fish pieces from all sides in this mixture.
4) Fry in oil till crisp
5) Serve hot with onion salad

Onion Salad
Chop a medium size onion, medium size tomato, 1 small green chilli, 1/2 juice of lemon, salt to taste.
Mix all the ingrediants. Serve with fish fry

****The same recipe can be used for King fish (Surmai) fry

Cold coffee

Summers have set in and so is the heat...Beat the heat with this easy to make and refreshing Cold Coffee!!


Ingrediants
1/2 litre full cream milk
1/4 cup boiling water
2 tbs instant coffee powder
1/2 tbs cocoa powder
4 tbs sugar
6-7 crushed ice cubes

Cold coffee

Method

• Dissolve instant coffee powder and sugar in boiling water and allow to cool.
• Blend the the coffee mixture, milk along with cocoa powder and crushed ice cubes in a blender for few seconds till it becomes frothy.
• Serve chilled.