Vegetable chop

About the food:

This is an Indian snack, fantastic as a party starter or just to be served with a cup of hot tea. This has always been my all time favourite, and it brings back the nostalgic childhood memories with my family, when we used to savour it from vendors in the long train journeys. Try this, and all will love it, I bet!

Preparation time: 1 1/2 hrs
Cooking time: 20mins

Ingredients: (makes apprx. 20)

1 big Potato, peeled, boiled and smoothly mashed
4 medium carrots, finely chopped
4 medium beet roots, finely chopped
1 bowl white flour
1 big onion, finely chopped
2 eggs
2 bowl breadcrumbs
1 bowl peanuts, broken in halves and dry roasted
1 bowl green peas, part boiled (if not frozen)
Chat masala powder
4-5 green chillies, de-seeded and finely chopped (optional, only if you want the chops hot)
Ginger paste 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

For the Masala:
2 inchs Cinnamom stick
2 dried red chillies
1 tbsp jeera (cumin) seeds
1 tbsp dhania (coriander) seeds


Method:

1. Heat a pan. Dry roast the ingredients for the masala until they change colour and crackle. Take care not to roast for long, as then it will turn bitter.Grind the masala into a fine powder. Store it in an airtight container.

2.Mash the boiled potatoes well. Add salt to taste, and mix it well.

3. Heat 3 tbsp of oil in a pan. Add the onions, and let it be slightly brown. Add the mashed potato and continue cooking. After 5 mins, add the garlic paste, carrot, beet roots and peas one by one, each time mixing them well. Carry on cooking for 15 mins over a slow flame. Add the masala powder as prepared above and the peanuts and mix it well in the pan.

4. Let the mix cool down. check for the seasonings and adjust. Roll them up in small size balls and shape them as a pipe (3 inchs long, 1 inch across) like structure, to form the chops.

5. Roll each chops in a plate containing the flour, carefully coating them on all its sides.

6. Beat the eggs in a bowl. Dip the chops in the eggs to coat its all sides.

7. Place bread crumbs in a plate. Roll the chops over the crumbs for an even coating.

8. Heat oil in a pan. Deep fry the chops in batches until golden brown. Take it out on a kitchen tissue.

10. Arrange them on the serving tray. Sprinkle the chat masala over it. Serve with a mustard sauce.

Cheese filled Jalapeno peppers

About the food:

Jalapeno is a Mexican hot & sweet pepper, which has a delicious flavour. I had this food at one of my friend's place, and it was so delicious that I was deeply intrigued to it. I promised myself that I had to learn to prepare this. Then some research, some alterations and here it is! It is a superb snack, or you can serve it as a starter. Try this out, it will never fail you!

Note: you can substitute the jalapeno peppers with bell peppers/capsicum, and it tastes as good.

Preparation time: 2 hrs
Cooking time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

4 jalapeno peppers, cut in halves and de-seeded.
1/2 small bowl of white flour
1/2 small bowl of cornflour
3 eggs, whisked
1/2 small bowl of bread crumbs or corn flakes crumbs
1 small pack of soft cheese, at room temperature
salt to taste
1 tbsp of garlic salt
1 tbsp of paprika powder
Vegetable oil for deep frying

Method:

1. Cut the halved jalapeno peppers in 3 inches stripes. Boil water in a pan. Put the peppers in the water, cover and cook for about 10mins or until they are tender.Drain the water and wipe the peppers dry with a kitchen tissue.

3.Fill all the pepper portions with a spoonful soft cheese. Freeze for about 2 hrs.

4.Take 3 bowls:

Bowl 1. Mix the corn flour, white flour, salt, garlic powder and the paprika.
Bowl 2. Keep the whisked egg.
Bowl 3. Keep the golden breadcrumbs.

5. Take out the frozen peppers. Dip and coat them with the items in the three bowls one by one. Arrange them on a plate. But do this in batches, as the frozen cheese might start melting.

6.Heat oil in a pan for deep frying. Deep fry the coated peppers in batches until they are golden brown.

7. Serve hot with mayonnaise and mustard sauce.

Bengali sweet polau

About the food:

This is a traditional Bengali recipe, which has an irresistible salt and sweet taste. In any typical Bengali meal, you would expect to find this dish. Serve this with any curry dish and it is absolutely delicious.

Preparation time: 30 mins
Cooking time: 30mins

Ingredients:

Basmati rice 500 gms
Ghee 5-6 tbsp
Sugar 4-5 tbsp
Cashew nuts -one handful
Raisin -one small handful
Salt to taste
Kewra water/Rose water 3 tbsp
Bayleaves 2
Whole garam masala (clove, Cinnamon & cardamom) 1 tbsp
Yellow food colour (powder/liquid) 1 teaspoon

Polau masala:

Clove 3 tbsp
Cardamom pods 3 tbsp
Cinnamon stick 4 inchs
Shah Jeera 1 tbsp
Shah Marich 1 tbsp
Nutmeg 1 whole fruit
Mace 2 tbsp

Method:

1. Preparing the masala:

Crush the nutmeg fruit in pieces. Mix all the masala ingredients together. Heat a pan and fry all of them on slow flame until they are light golden. Remove from flame and grind them finely in a grinder. Put it in an airtight container and reserve.

2. Soak the raisins in warm water for about an hour or until they are swollen. Drain the raisins. Heat a pan. Add 1 tbsp of ghee.Fry the raisins and the cashew nuts till they are lightly golden. Set it aside in a bowl.

3.Mix the yellow colouring agent in a small amount of water and mix it well.

4.Wash and drain the rice. Measure the rice in cup. Add double amount of water to the rice. Say, if you take 1 cup rice, you should add 2 cups of water. This measurement is extremely important.

5. Heat a pan. Add 4 tbsp of ghee and let it melt. Add the whole garam masala and the bayleaves to the pan. Let them brown and turn the flame off. Pour this in the rice container, taking care as it might split. Add sugar, salt, the colour and the kewra water and mix them well.

6. a) For microwave cooking:
Put the above mixture in the microwave and cook for 15-20 mins on 850 watts/ high power.

b) For cooking on the hob:
Cover the rice and start cooking it over a medium flame. Reduce the flame when the water boils. Keep a close watch until all the water dries. Take care the rice does not stick to container base.

The rice should be soft, and yet they should not stick to each other. Remove the rice immediately to the another container as they are done, otherwise heat will melt the rice at the bottom of the container. Spread the rice lightly on a flat container. If needed, use more than one container.

7. Arrange a layer of the rice on the serving tray. sprinkle 1 tbsp of the polau masala and mix them well with the rice. Spread another layer, and repeat mixing the masala.

8. Garnish the rice top with the fried cashew and raisins and serve hot.

Deep fried ice-cream

About the food: This is an amazing and most delicious food I have ever tasted. I was bewildered to learn about the food when I was in high school. Ever since I always thought of it, but did not get an chance to taste it. It is only recently I had a variation of this food at one of my friend's place, and I promised myself, that I have to explore this dish..and with a bit of research here and there, and voila..here it is! Preparation time: 10 mins cooking time: 10mins Ingredients: serves 4 1 box of two-in-one vanilla-strawberry icecream (or your favourite flavour) 1 pound sliced white bread vegetable oil for deep frying 3 heaped tbsp of cornflour 3 heaped tbsp of plain white flour Method: 1. Mix the cornflour and the white flour in a bowl. Add water to make a smooth batter. 2. Discard the side crusts of the bread slices by carefully cutting it with a knife. Put a bowl of water ready and deep a bread slice, and take it out immediately and sqeeze the water out by pressing it flat on the palms of both hands. One fried ball would need 2-3 bread pieces, so keep them ready. 3. Scoop out a big ball of ice-cream and put it at the centre of a bread slice. Make a circular mould with it, cover the top of the ice-cream with the other slice, and make a round mould as perfect as you can. 4. Deep the balls is the batter and cover all its sides. 5. Heat oil in a pan or a deep frier. Start to heat up before you are ready with the ice-cream balls, as frying process has to be very fast, and the ice-cream balls should not wait for the oil being heated. This is very crucial. Deep fry the balls in the pan, turning it on both sides for about 30 seconds. The flame should be high and any time more than this might melt the ice-cream inside. 6. Serve it immediately. You might garnish it with chocolate sauce.

Meditterrean Grilled Aubergine with Cottage cheese filling

About the food:

This is a Spanish style grilled aubergine with cottage cheese (paneer) and peas filling. I saw a Spanish recipe of grilled aubergine in a TV show sometime back: this dish is an impoverished version of that. The method of cooking is the same, only the filling has been modified upon. It is an easy to make dish, makes an delightful presentation, and could be served as a starter, or in a cocktail party.The filling is to be scooped out with a spoon and eaten just like that: taste it, and it is delicious!

Preparation time: 30 mins
Cooking time: 30 mins

Ingredients: (serves 4)

4 medium sized aubergine.
1 medium sized onion finely chopped
1 bunch of spring onions, finely chopped
1/2 inch root ginger, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 medium sized capsicum (bell pepper) finely chopped
200 gm cottage cheese (paneer) finely grated or handcrushed
2/3 green chillies, de-seeded and chopped
1 bunch of fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped
2 tomatoes, finely chopped
1/2 cup finely grated cheese
1 cup green peas, boiled lightly and hand crushed
black pepper powder to taste
salt to taste
olive oil / vegetable oil

Method:

1. Cut off the steam of the aubergines. Cut the aubergines longitudinally in halves, so that each has a boat shape. Make incisions through the aubergine flesh, with a knife, both longitudinal and horizontal, as many as you can, taking care not to pierce the skin. Retention of the skin is very important as the dish would be served in it. Sprinkle salt and little bit of sugar on the aubergines and set it aside.

2.After 30 mins., drain the water off the aubergines, which has come out, and brush them generously with oil. Pre-heat oven for 15 mins. Set them on a lightly oiled baking tray, and grill them at 180 deg C, for about 15mins. Check from time to time, as the time might vary. Brush them with oil again once in between. The aubergines would be soft, a little charred and golden in colour when done. Scoop out the flesh of the aubergines when it has cooled down. Retain the skins as best as you can.

5. Add oil in the pan. Put the aubergine flesh and stir fry for about 5-8mins. Sprinkle some salt to taste. Take it out in bowl and keep it aside.

6.Heat oil in a pan. Add the garlic and the ginger and saute a little. Add the tomatoes, followed by onions, spring onions, capsicum, mashed peas and green chillies. Add salt and black pepper to taste. Continue cooking on a low flame for about 10 mins or until the oil separates out. Add the cottage cheese and cook for a further 5 mins. The cottage cheese should turn a little golden in colour.The filling is done.

7. Now arrange the aubergine skins in a baking tray. Fill them up generously with the filling, and top it with grated cheese.

8. Grill them at 180 deg C for about 5-6 mins, or until the cheese melts and turns slightly golden.

9. Take the tray out, and garnish them with coriander leaves. The dish is now ready to serve.

Malpowa

About the food:

This is a traditional Indian sweet dish, served as a dessert or as a snack.

Preparation time: 30mins
Cooking time: 30mins

Ingredients: ( serves 6)

2 cups of white flour
1/2 cup semolina
200ml evaporated milk (or condensed milk)
1 cup sugar
3 tbsp rose water
whole milk 200ml ( if needed)
1 banana, finely mashed
seeds of 6 cardamom pods
Vegetable oil for deep frying


Method:

1.De-seed the cardamom pods and finely crush the seeds in a morter and pestle. Keep it aside.

2.Put the flour in a big mixing bowl. Add the semolina and the cardamom powder to the flour.Mix the evaporated milk and make a smooth paste. Add the mashed banana and mix it well. The paste should not be too thick or too watery.A caution: do not mix all the evaporated milk to the flour, start mixing it slowly, and add as much as it takes for a smooth paste. You might use a portion of the whole milk if you need.

3.Boil 1 litre of water.Add the sugar and let it simmer to obtain a thick syrup. Add the rose water. The syrup should be 1 thread thick (i.e. the syrup should be 1 thread thick when taken between two fingers and stretched). Let it cool.

4.Heat oil in a pan for deep frying. Pour 1 big serving spoonful of the mixture to the oil. The mixture would dip to the base of the pan, and then would rise up. when one side is done, fry the other side by tossing it over. The pancakes would be crispy and dark golden in colour.

5.Drain the oil from the pancakes on a kitchen tissue and transfer them to the bowl of sugar syrup. Soak the pancakes in the syrup for about 10 mins and transfer them in a serving bowl.

6. The malpowas are now ready to serve.

Ginger chicken

About the food:

This is a typical and a very popular chinese dish. But I must tell you that people from India might be very dissappointed by this dish, as initially I was. This dish does not belong to the Indian-Chinese cuisine, but has a perfect Chinese character. When I came to London, I was very upset with the Chinese cuisine, which had always been my favourite. But with time and experience I have come to realise that what we eat in India as chinese is completely different from what poeple in china eats. The chinese food here in London is more of chinese-chinese than of Indian-chinese taste. Once habituated, I have re-discovered my love for the Chinese cuisine, which is more authentic this time! Try this easy to make dish, and you will feel the same as me.

Ingredients (serves 4)

250 gms skinless & boneless chicken breast
vegetable oil for deep frying
1 egg white
1 tbsp Chinese five spices powder (a mixture of fennel, cloves, cinnamom, star anise and szechuan peppercorn)
1 big onion, cut in 3 inch stripes
1 bunch of spring onions, cut in 1 inch length
3 inch root ginger, shredded in long thin stripes
1 big bell pepper, cut in thin long stripes
1/2 tbsp black pepper seeds
black pepper powder to taste
7-8 cup mushrooms, thinly sliced
3 tbsp cornflour powder
salt to taste


Method:

1.Cut the chicken in 3 inch by 1 inch stripes. Whisk the egg white and the cornflour in a bowl to make a smooth mixture. Mix the chicken well with this mixture. Add the Chinese five spices to it ,cover and marinate for 30 mins.

2.Heat oil in pan.Stir fry the chicken, by tossing and turning on medium flame until the chicken is light golden in colour.Drain them on a kitchen tissue and set it aside.

3.Wipe clean the pan and heat oil again. Add the black pepper seeds and let it crackle. Add ginger, onion, mushrooms, spring onion and bell pepper. Stir fry on a low flame until they are tender. Add salt to taste.Add the chicken and keep on cooking over a low flame for a further 10 mins.Add 1/2 cup of water and cover and cook for further 10-15mins or until the chicken is tender. If you want to increase the gravy, add 1tbsp cornflour in a cup of water and add to the pan. Let it simmer, and the dish is now ready to serve.

Accompaniment: Best served with basmati rice.