Rice Balls

Rice Balls

This was to be my day 1 recipe. I had thought since starters are first this is day 1. However my laptop is under repairs and not delivered on the promised date. Yes fool that I was I believed him... So this is the last in the series Kids Delight.

Rice Balls was my kid’s choice, they watch some cartoon/ serial and apparently there is one person who makes delicious rice balls. This was okay as first try but bland.   Next time...

Rice Balls

Recipe Source: Adapted from here.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rice cooked with extra water (I used sona masuri) 
• Salt
•  Pepper
• ½ cup grated Parmesan (I used regular processed Amul Cheese)
• 2 tblspn extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• ½  capsicum each or red and yellow , diced fine
• ¼ cup cabbage
• 5  basil leaves, chopped
• 2 tblspn tomato sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 cup  bread crumbs
• 1  cup oil ( as needed)

Rice Balls

Method:

• Take the cooked rice in a large bowl.
• Add salt and pepper and cheese.
• Mash well kneading it to a smooth dough.
• Keep covered in the refrigerator for 2 hours or overnight. The rice must be chilled.
• In a large kadhai/wok over heat 1 tblspn oil.
• Sauté onions and the chopped garlic for 2 minutes.
• Add in basil, tomato sauce take off heat add the cabbage and capsicum mix well.
• Add salt and pepper to taste and set aside to cool.
• Lightly grease your palms take 2 tblspn of the rice mixture in the hand and form a small cup.
• Place 1/2 tsp of the filling mixture to centre of the rice cup. Close the opening and shape in a proper ball.
•  Roll the rice ball in the into the bread crumbs.
• You can either deep fry or like me use the appe/paniyaram pan and shallow fry the rice balls till deep brown.
• Transfer on a paper towel lined plate or dish.
• Serve with chilli sauce.

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Navratan Kurma

Navratan Kurma

The list of ingredients is long but you can add or leave out some veggies. This yummy vegetable is enjoyed by young and old. Serve it with rotis, naan or even pao!!

This is my today’s post under Kid’s anniversary special for blogging marathon.

Navratan Kurma

Ingredients:

• 100 grms carrots
• 100 grms peas
• 100 grms French beans
• 100 grms cauliflower
• 100 grms potatoes
• 100 grms paneer
• 1 tblspn+ 4 tblspn cashew nuts
• 1 tblspn pineapple
• ½ capsicum
• 1 large onion, crushed
• ½ cup oil
• ½ cup milk
• 2 tblspn of cream (approx)
•  2 tblspn curds
• 3 tomatoes, crushed
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
• 2 tsp chilli powder
• ½ tsp haldi/turmeric powder
• ½ tsp garam masala

Method:

• Chop the vegetables in cubes.
• Boil the peas, steam and blanch the carrots, French beans and cauliflower.
• Grind 4 tblspn cashew nuts with the milk to a smooth paste.
• Heat oil and fry the cashew nuts, potatoes and paneer individually. Drain on a tissue and set aside.
• Fry the onion till golden.
• Add the tomatoes and ginger garlic paste. Cook till the oil separates.
• Add the cashew nut paste and fry for 5 minutes.
• Add the chilli powder, salt, haldi/turmeric, garam masala and curds.
• Cook till oil separates. Add the vegetables and paneer add ½ cup water and cook till the gravy thickens.
• Serve hot garnished with dhania/ coriander leaves.
• Serves good with rotis, naan we all love it with Goan Pao or Unne.

Navratan Kurma

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Paneer Masala with Capsicum

Paneer Masala with Capsicum

In continuation with the series North Indian side-dishes I have today this delicious dish that I had long ago found on the site cinnamon n spice. I had made it ages ago and remembered this yummy dish occasionally but since I could not remember the details I have just hoped to make it yet again.

The other day when I was cleaning up I found the scrap of paper on which I had written the recipe.

Paneer Masala with Capsicum

Paneer Masala with Capsicum

Recipe Source: CinnamonNspice

Ingredients:

• 400 gms paneer, diced
• 2 medium capsicum, diced ( I used coloured)
• 2 onions, chopped fine
• 4 tbsp tomato puree
• 1 large tomato
• 1 tsp garlic ginger paste
• 1 tbsp kasuri methi (dry fenugreek)
• 1 tbsp cashews
• 1tbsp raisins ( I did not use)
•  A pinch black salt
• 1/4 tsp red chilli powder
• A pinch hing/asafoetida
• A pinch turmeric powder
• 1 tsp sugar
• Salt to taste
• 2-3 tbsp oil
• 2-3 tsp of North Indian Spice Masala

 Method:

• Heat a kadhai/wok and drop the  Kasuri Methi. Switch off the gas. Set aside. Once the pan cools crush the methi between fingers and powder it.
• If using soak raisins in hot water for a few minutes and drain.
• Heat oil in a kadhai/wok. Add cashews and sauté till golden in colour.
• Drain them. I get small pieces you could chop them to a smaller  pieces.
• In the same oil add capsicum sauté for a few minutes. Drain  and set aside.
• Now add hing/asafoetida, ginger garlic paste and sauté till the raw smell goes away.
• Add the onions and sauté till transparent.
•  Add tomato puree and cook for a few minutes on low heat till oil separates.
• Now add salt, rock salt, sugar, and turmeric powder, red chilli powder mix and cook for a minute on low heat.
• At this point you can add the capsicum cover and cook for a minute. But since we do not like cooked capsicum much I did not do this step.
•  Add chopped tomatoes, salt and the ground masala. Cover and cook for few minutes till capsicum (in case you are cooking the capsicum) is tender yet firm.
• Add paneer pieces and salt mix well. Cover and cook for a minute or two. Add crushed kasuri methi. In case you are using raisins now will be a good time to add them.
• Switch off the heat add the capsicum in case you have not cooked it like me.
•  Add cashews. Garnish with coriander leaves.
•  Enjoy with hot with chapattis.

Paneer Masala with Capsicum

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Rajma/Kidney Beans Gravy

Rajma

North Indian cuisine brings back nostalgic memories of Delhi.

This blogging marathon for the next 3 days my memories of Delhi and Amma cooking.

Rajma

Serves: 10

Futura Pressure cooker time: 20 minutes

Recipe Source: Futura Cookbook

Ingredients:

• 2 tblspn ginger garlic paste
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 3 red Kashmiri chillies, dry and whole
• 2 large onions, grated
• 3 large tomatoes, chopped
• 1 tbsp red chilli powder
• Salt
• 2½ kidney bean soaked overnight or in hot water for 2 hours and drained
• 4¼ water
• 1 tsp garam masala powder

Method:

Rajma

• Heat the oil in the cooker, add the chillies and stir fry for a few seconds.
• Add the onions and fry gently till golden brown.
• Now add the ginger garlic paste stir fry till you get a nice aroma.
• Add the tomatoes, chilli powder and salt.
• Mix and cook till oil separates. You will need to do this cooking on of course low flame and for about 5 minutes. Remember to stir occasionally.
• Now add the soaked beans and the water. Stir. Close the cooker and bring to full pressure on high flame.
• Reduce heat and cook for 20 minutes. In a regular cooker cook for 6-7 whistles.
• Once done cool the cooker naturally.
• Open the cooker. Partially mash the beans with the ladle.
• Add garam masala and serve hot with naans or rice. I served with onion and green chilli stuffed rotis.

Rajma n Roti

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Tomato and Peanut Relish for Zambia

Tomato and Peanut Relish

For Z I have Zambia for you.

With this we finish our “Around the World in 30 Days” .I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

Tomato and Peanut Relish

Recipe Source: Here 

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, finely sliced
• 225 g tomatoes, chopped
• 250 g peanuts, ground
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp oil
• Salt

Method:

• Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onion until soft.
• Add the tomatoes and cook until they begin to break down.
• Add the ground peanuts at this stage and continue cooking until everything blends together.
•  Add the chilli powder, and soy sauce then season.
• Continue to cook to the desired consistency and serve with rice .

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An InLinkz Link-up

Hi! First time here? Well then you are Most Welcome! I hope you keep coming back for more here. If you are my regular visitor then Thanks, for you encourage me to experiment more!! I would like you to please click on my link below and like my Facebook Page. I will be happy if you can follow me on on Twitter too!

Xi’an stuffed pancakes

Xi’an stuffed pancakes

For the alphabet X I have tried the Xain province from China.I knew of this province for the terracotta army. I would have liked to write more but as my arm is not too agreeable I am just linking my source Wikipediaof course.

These were appreciated a lot at home and the waiting period is right now extended till y arm is better then I better make these again and not just 8. Apparently younger one want 8 for herself alone. ;D

 Xi’an stuffed pancakes

Recipe Source:here

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Total time: 45 minutes

Yield: 8 pancakes

Ingredients

For the dough:

• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• ½ tsp salt
•  Water as needed

For the filling:

• 200 grms mushrooms
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 tsp garlic paste
• ½ tsp pepper
• Pinch of jeera/cumin
• ½ tblspn soya sauce
• 1 tblspn tomato sauce
• Pinch of sugar
• Salt
• ¼ cup paneer, crumbled
• 1 cup cabbage, finely chopped
• 1 spring onion, chopped
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp oil
• Pinch of white pepper
• 2 tblspn til/sesame seeds
• 1/2 cup oil for frying+ 1 tblspn oil

Method:

Let’s make the dough first:

• To the flour add salt and water little at a time to form dough.
•  Knead for 5 minutes. Set aside keep covered with a damp kitchen towel to rest.

Now let’s make the filling:

• In a kadhai /wok add 1 tblspn of oil.
• Add the garlic and brown it.
• Add the onion and stir fry till the onions are translucent.
• Add the mushrooms and stir and cook covered.
• Once the mushrooms are done add the jeera/cumin, pepper, soya sauce, tomato sauce, salt sugar. Mix and stir fry till almost dry.
• Add the paneer and mix well. Switch off the gas and keep the kadhai/wok open. Set aside to cool.
• Once cool transfer to the chutney jar of the blender and make a coarse paste. Set aside.
•  In another bowl, combine the cabbage, spring onion, garlic powder.

Now let’s assemble the pancakes:

•  Divide the dough into 8 equal portions use one portion and keep the rest covered with a damp towel.
•  Oil the work surface lightly and roll the selected portion into a long, thin rectangle about four inches wide.
• Again very lightly oil the dough and spread on about an eighth of your mushroom paneer mixture on one side. Spread till about the middle of the rectangle.
• Add about 2 tblspn cabbage mixture to one end.
•  Roll the dough a little. Cover the sides like a burrito to make a cylinder till you reach the end of the rectangle.
• Stand the roll on one end so it's like a standing cylinder.
• Press the dough down into a flat pancake with one hand and then sprinkle with sesame seeds.
• Repeat with all the balls. Meanwhile keep the prepared pancakes under the damp towel.
•  Pour ½ cup oil into a small kadhai/wok and heat. When put a small pinch of dough in the hot oil the dough should first sink then slowly come up. In case the dough sinks and stays under you oil is not hot enough heat it and test with a fresh pinch of dough. In case it rises immediately cool the oil. Test and then fry.
• Drop the pancakes gently into the pan and fry until golden.  You will need to flip the pancakes so fry 1-2 at a time.
• Carefully flip and fry on the other side (about 3 minutes per side). Please be careful when working with hot oil.
• When golden brown, transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.
• Taste best when eaten immediately but they can be frozen and re-toasted in the oven.

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Guasacaca - Venezuelan Avocado Salsa

Guasacaca - Venezuelan Avocado Salsa

In Venezuela the cuisine you will find influences especially from Italy, Spain and France. If that is not enough you will find indigenous as well as African influence.

Being a large and diverse country, each region in Venezuela has its own distinctive regional cooking.

On the coast enjoy fish, shellfish, crayfish, and fish soups as well as fish stews.  Coconut is also part of some dishes. In the Andean region the food is quite different. Here the "arepa" is not made of cornmeal but wheat. Cured meats and sausages are a delicacy and are sold in many villages.

 In the Amazon region besides yucca, corn, beans and bananas you can also enjoy turtles, tapirs, monkeys birds and deep fried ants. Squeamish you could also live on Casabe, bread made out of yucca.

When in the market, for my weekly Sunday marketing I started looking at avocados hubby was all too happy! He was expecting a shake. When I came home I immediately started attending to it (normally it’s lying around, he gets irritated and attends to it) was he thrilled!!!

Then he saw me mixing it up for a salad he just walked away….poor man!!!

At lunch (he came late) he had heard me admonishing the girls “keep some for Papa” he got curious and Apeksha served him a miniscule portion just to harass him, “taste it Papa. You may not like it” was what she told him!!

He came back not just for seconds but for fourths also. The entire bowl was over in one sitting. But the best part was FIL too liked it!!

There are some substitutions here; I replaced seeded jalapeno peppers with chillies and hot pepper sauce with chilli sauce, white wine vinegar with red wine vinegar.

Guasacaca - Venezuelan Avocado Salsa

Guasacaca - Venezuelan Avocado Salsa

Recipe Source:Food.com

Yield: 6 cups

Ingredients:

• 2 cups onions, finely chopped 
• ¾ cup red capsicum, finely chopped  
• 3 tblspn green chillies, finely chopped
• 3 tblspn extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tblspn red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp US mustard
• ¾ tsp salt
• ¼   tsp black pepper, fresh ground
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1 ½ cups avocado, chopped and peeled 
• 1 ½ cups tomatoes, chopped
• 2 tblspn dhania/ coriander leaves, chopped 
• ¼ tsp red chilli sauce

Method:

• Mix the onions, red capsicum, green chillies, olive oil, red wine vinegar, mustard, salt, pepper, garlic in a large bowl.
• Toss mixture gently.
• Cover and refrigerate 3 hours.
• Stir in avocado and tomatoes and red chilli sauce just before serving.

 

Guasacaca - Venezuelan Avocado Salsa

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Rice Holubtsi- Ukrainian Cabbage Roll Recipe

Rice Holubtsi- Ukrainian Cabbage Roll Recipe

Ukrainian food (and the cuisine of neighbouring countries) tends to be rich, heavy on the meat, butter and starches, and   vegetables are hardly used.  This makes some sense when you consider the cold climate and the very short growing season.  Most veggies had to be preserved via canning or pickling, and wheat and potatoes were winter staples.

The authors have shared at length the delicious foods they have enjoyed as a child. I liked the food as well as the way they have described it so I am sharing them,” Because of the natural variances in family and cultural traditions, each and every one of us probably has a different idea of what holiday food is.  Growing up, my family has always enjoyed homemade perogies and cabbage rolls (holubtsi), mashed potatoes, homemade buns, and the very non-vegan turkey and sausage. Some families eat something called "Kutia", which is delicious cooked wheat with lots of sugar, poppy seeds and pecans, great for breakfast.  Saurkraut and dilled pickles are also very common around here, as is borscht (check out my fave recipe for borsht) and all kinds of breads and pastries.”

This Ukrainian cabbage roll recipe is simple, though rolling them up takes time and patience so it’s something that can be done in a group. Sounds like a fun filled activity especially during the holidays.  At the end of the recipe, I'll give some suggestions for easy variations if you want to go beyond just rice. “

I made these rolls twice. First I made them and half baked them left them on the kitchen counter and went to work. The idea was I will continue with the baking in the evening.

Hardly I step in the evening younger one said,” Whatever you made and was lying on the platform was tasty but too tough to eat I finished them all.” So the second round. Must say the rolls were extremely tasty! This is a part of the series "Around the World in 30 Days"!

Rice Holubtsi- Ukrainian Cabbage Roll Recipe

Rice Holubtsi- Ukrainian Cabbage Roll Recipe

Recipe Source : Here 

Ingredients:

• 1 large head of green cabbage
• 4 cups half cooked rice ( I used 2 flat cups or uncooked rice) 
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp freshly-ground black pepper
• 2 tblspn butter
• ½ cup onion, finely chopped
• 2 tblspn cheese, grated
• 1 tomato soup packet + 1 ¼ cup water
• ¼ cup butter

Method:

• Remove the tough outer leaves and set them aside.  
• Place the cabbage in a microwaveable container cover with a microwaveable cling film and microwave on high for in 5 minutes spurts twice.  This will soften the leaves enough for making rolls without boiling the cabbage.  
• Cut out the core from the cabbage and separate the whole leaves from the head set aside in a bowl.
• In a large bowl, combine the rice, salt and pepper and cheese.  
• In a small kadhai/wok low heat, melt the 2 tblspn of butter.
• Add the onion and fry until the onion is soft and translucent.
• Add the onion mixture to the bowl of rice.
• In a same kadhai/wok medium make the tomato soup with the 1 ¼ cup of water. Bring to a boil.
• Add  the remaining butter.  This tomato sauce will be used to spread over each layer of cabbage rolls.
• Line the bottom of a   pan with a couple of the reserved outer cabbage leaves so that the cabbage rolls don't stick to the bottom.  

  To assemble:  

Now let’s start rolling:

• For that you arrange the bowl of cabbage leaves, the bowl of rice with a spoon, the tomato sauce with a ladle, the pan to arrange the rolls, a cutting board and a knife, and a dry towel to rid the cabbage of excess moisture, if necessary.  
• For the cabbage rolls:
• The choice is yours either cut each cabbage leaf in half lengthwise or leave it whole to make large cabbage rolls.
• However cut off any tough stem remaining on the leaf, and place a tablespoon or two of rice on the bottom of each half.  
• Roll it up while pinching in the sides if there's a side left exposed that’s okay.
• Place the cabbage rolls in the   pan so that they're quite snug, and after you complete a layer of cabbage rolls, ladle on some of the tomato soup mixture.
•  Continue until you run out of rice and/or cabbage.  Top with all of the remaining tomato soup mixture.
• Preheat the oven to 180°C.  Cover the pan with tin foil and bake for about 2 hours, or until the cabbage leaves are tender when they're pricked with a fork.
• Serve warm!! 
• Kiddo had it with some cheese spread!!!

Rice Holubtsi- Ukrainian Cabbage Roll Recipe

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Chilled Gazpacho for Spain

Chilled Gazpacho

Most of my international recipes are from what I have read in Mills n Boon! How I still adore those books … now I have slightly “upgraded” myself and I read Percy Jackson and his antics! Maybe when the kiddo starts reading M&B I will do the same again!

There was such book where the heroine is served delicious “gazpacho’ soup! The author went on describing the soup and I was surprised that there is chilled soup! Soup to my mind is to be served hot! Before the meal and generally it fills me up so much that I want hardly any dinner! Boooooooo! What a punishment for a foodie !

But exceptions prove the rule “Gazpacho" is cool, refreshing and flavourful start to a meal on a hot summer day. Gazpacho can be had from a soup bowl, or drink it from a glass.

This soup originates in the southern part of Spain called Andalusia. It is tasty, refreshing and very healthy, since it is made from nothing but fresh vegetables and a bit of oil and vinegar.

So this summer I am going to do what Spaniards do - Make a batch of /gazpacho/ and keep it in a glass pitcher in the refrigerator for whenever you need a cool drink.

So today in the Mega marathon which we call as “ Around the World in 30 Days” lets visit Spain.

Gazpacho

Recipe Source: Adapted from here and here

 Ingredients:

• 1.5 kgs/10-12 ripe tomatoes
• 2 slices of white bread, crust removed
• 2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded, coarsely chopped
• 1 small onion, coarsely chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 green capsicum, washed, de seeded, coarsely chopped
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• salt to taste

Garnish: 

• 3-4 croutons (optional)

Method:

• Make a cross cut on the tomatoes near the stalk.
• Boil 3 litres of water, switch off the gas. Drop the tomatoes in the water. There should be enough water for the tomatoes to soak. Let them stand for 30 minutes.
• After 30 minutes drain and peel the tomatoes, remove the seeds and drop them in the blender.
• Meanwhile soak the bread in a little water.
• Add the softened bread to the tomatoes.
• Add the capsicum, cucumber garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper to the blender jar.
• Make a smooth paste. In case all the ingredients do not fit in the  blender jar make the paste in batches.
• Mix well. The gazpacho should have a creamy texture and should not be too thick or watery.
• Chill the gazpzcho in the fridge for a couple of hours.
• Just before serving spoon in glasses top with spring onion and crotons.

Chilled Gazpacho

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Vegetarian Shawarma Recipe for Quatar

Vegetarian Shawarma

We love Shawarma now !

It was introduced to me by my elder daughter as I was constantly complaining that she does not eat at home. “What do you eat at Miramar that I cannot make?”   Now throw this challenge to a teenager and be prepared to face the consequences.

She took me to Miramar and fed me Shawarma.  She was shocked that I did not like it. It was bland and I felt not something as good as she described.  

Somewhere around that time it was Wine Festival better known as Grape Escapade  and after our visit there   all of us , we are about 20 of us here ,wanted something to eat.  Most places were closed so we went for Shawarma.  Me grumbling that what muck we have to eat, and imagine 18 of them pouncing on you telling you are you crazy….

This time the place was better and the Shawarma was awesome. Both my husband and I liked it.