A twist to pakoras

Hi everyone,
Snow is all around us and continues. Isn't this the time for some chai pakoda? yeah!!! But everyone  is so health conscious these days so today I will write about some healthy options to Pakoras.

All of you know Makki ka Atta. Sarson ka saag and makki ki roti ah!!! But wait, I am not telling you the recipe for that. Today we will use the same corn meal for making muffins. Yes, Corn muffins. They are delicious and they are baked not fried.

Corn Muffins
Ingredients:
 1 1/3 corn meal
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour (Maida)
1 tbsp baking powder
1 1/4 cup milk
A pinch of salt
2 large eggs
3 tbsp melted butter
1 tbsp melted butter
2 large fresh chillies or 1 heaped tsp of chilli flakes
4 spring onions(scallions)

Put the cornmeal, flour,  baking powder and salt in a bowl and mix well. Stir in eggs, milk, 3 tbsp butter  chillies and spring onions. Mix well.
Pre heat oven to 400'F. Using a small ladle or a tablespoon, pour the batter into muffin pan to two thirds full. The muffins will expand.Bake for about 15 minutes or until firm and golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack. Repeat the process till all the batter is used. Serve with just plain butter or any of the fillings given below. Your family will say YUMMY and if you serve them in a party you are going to be the star of the evening.

Basil Onion and Cream Cheese Filling
Ingredients:
1 pack plain cream cheese or Amul cheese spread
1 medium red onion
1 cup basil leaves
A pinch of sugar
1/2 tsp black pepper

Chop the onion very fine. Wash and pat dry basil leaves and chop them. Soften cream cheese with a fork and add basil and onion. Add sugar  and black pepper.

Pesto and Bocconcini cheese Filling
Ingredients:
1 cup pesto( recipe given earlier)
200 gms bocconcini cheese balls halved
In a glass bowl mix cheese with pesto
Serve with corn muffins

You can also serve these muffins with a mix of Avocado, Cilantro and Pancetta. Cut a muffin in half, put one piece of avocado, one piece of pancetta and a few cilantro leaves.
Enjoy the western pakoras.

Frikadelle
These are meat balls from Scandinavia, Holland and Germany. They are baked. Traditionally these are made with lamb and beef.  I have given the choice of goat meat.Anchovies are also added but since many people don't like the taste of anchovies so its optional.

Ingredients:
1/3 cup mashed potato
1 cup goat keema(minced meat)
1 cup ground lamb
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
5 tbsp light cream
1 egg beaten
A pinch of ground nutmeg
1 can anchovy fillet
A pinch of all spice
2 tbsp butter
1 small onion finely chopped
2 tbsp vegetable oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Put meat, potato, breadcrumbs, cream, all spice salt and pepper and mix well. Heat one tbsp of butter in a sauce pan and sauté onion till translucent. Add to the meat mixture and mix well.

Take one tbsp of mixture in your wet hands and roll into a ball.Press it between your palms to flatten it. Repeat the process. Arrange the balls half inch apart on a baking tray. Cover with a plastic wrap and chill for an hour.

Heat the oil and remaining butter in a saucepan and sauté the balls in batches. They should be browned on all sides. Remove and drain on a paper towel.

Serve with Rosemary sprigs as an appetizer or as a filling in Corn Muffins.

Bon Appetit !!!

Hi everyone!!!

I am sure you have forgotten me. Its been a long time . There were issues I had to deal with. But now I am back and promise to stay here. In fact you can very soon see me on You Tube with my recipes. How's that? I thought why not talk to you face to face?

But first things first. A very happy new year to all of you. May this year bring peace, happiness and prosperity for everyone. May we all eat healthy. So here we go. Start the year with some healthy recipes. Valentine Day has come and gone and you have had your share of chocolates. Though dark chocolate is good for health, the processed one are definitely not. I will start with some light snacks which are healthy but still tasty. After all we don't want to eat bland food do we?

Lets start with some healthy dips. Hummus, yes I am sure you have tasted it or at least heard about it. hummus is made out of chickpeas and olive oil. Next comes Pesto with a desi twist. Then I will talk about fish and prawns and for vegetarians  I have stir fried vegetables in lemony-garlic sauce.

Hummus
Ingredients:
200 gms boiled chick peas (chana)
2 cloves garlic
4 tbsp Tahini
3 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil ( preferably extra virgin)
Salt and black pepper according to taste

Put garlic, chick peas, Tahini, and salt in a blender. Blend until creamy and smooth.  Take out in a bowl and pour olive oil on top. Serve with pita chips, veg. sticks or crackers. Variations to the recipe include adding roasted red pepper or roasted garlic.

Tahini is sesame seeds paste available in all Middle Eastern stores. You can also make it at home and refrigerate it.

Tahini
Ingredients:
5 cups sesame seeds
1 1/2 cups olive oil or veg. oil

Preheat oven to 350. Toast seeds on a cookie sheet tossing them frequently. Don't allow them to brown. Cool for 15-20 minutes. Alternatively you can roast the seeds on tawa.
Pour sesame seeds into a blender. Add oil and blend for two minutes or more till it is smooth. The mixture should be thick but pourable. Pour it in a jar and refrigerate it.

Pesto
Pesto is a dip from Italy. its made with basil leaves but I give it a desi twist sometimes by substituting basil with green coriander. You can also substitute pine nuts with shelled pistachios or unsalted cashew nuts.

Ingredients:
2 cups washed basil leaves or coriander leaves
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano cheese or Romano cheese
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup any of chopped pine nuts, walnut, pistachios or cashew nuts
3 cloves garlic
Salt and black pepper to taste

Combine the leaves with nuts in a blender and pulse for a few minutes. Add garlic cloves. Pulse for a few more minutes. Now pour olive oil while the blender is running. Stop after a few minutes, scrape the sides and start again. Add the cheese now and pulse more till well  blended. add salt and black pepper to to taste. You can serve it with baguette slices or pour it over cooked pasta or baked potato.

Fish
Fish is a wonderful food. It is full of Omega oils which are essential for you. It is supposed to be good for your brain and skin. One should have fish regularly. But please don't deep fry it as you would kill all the benefits of fish. It is best to have it baked or braised. At the most shallow fry it with minimum oil in a non stick pan.

Chatpati Fish
Ingredients:

1 kilo of any of Pomfret, Salmon or Tilapia fillet cut into pieces
1 tbsp  garlic paste
1 tbsp  ginger paste
2 tbsp  besan ( chick pea flour )
2 tbsp  coriander powder
2 tbsp  dry methi( fenugreek) leaves
1 tbsp  amchur( Sour mango powder)
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tbsp red chilli flakes
3tbsp of lemon juice
Few lemon wedges
1 tbsp of saunf(aniseed), kalaunji(onion seeds) mixed
Salt to taste


Except fish, mix everything in a glass or ceramic bowl. Add fish and marinate for 4 hours. Heat a non stick pan and add 1 tsp oil. Put fish pieces three or four at a time and cook on medium  for 4 minutes each side. Check with fork. Fish should be flaky and no longer pink inside. Serve with lemon wedges. Alternatively, heat oven to 400. Lightly brush a baking tary with olive oil and arrange fish pieces. Bake it 5 minutes each sides.

Prawns- Shrimps
Shrimps are versatile food. They can be eaten as appetizers with just salsa or they can be made in a curry. Whichever way you eat, shrimps are tasty. Today we will make Sabz Jhinga

Sabz Jhinga
Ingredients:

500 gms of Shrimps- de veined
1 bunch of green coriander chopped
5 Thai chillies finely chopped
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 tbsp of coriander powder
1 medium sized onion finely chopped
1 inch piece of ginger finely chopped
1 tbsp of oil
A pinch of garam masala

Wash shrimps thoroughly and pat with paper towel. In a frying pan, heat oil. Add onions, saute till pink. Add ginger and sauté for two minutes. Add chillies and continue to  cook.Add coconut milk and bring to a gentle boil. Add shrimps, green coriander and cover.  Cook till shrimps are tender, about 3-4 minutes.
Sprinkle garam masala before serving.

Serve with rice or parantha.
Garam masala is a mixture of different herbs and spices. It is available in all Indian stores.

Stir Fried Vegetables in Lemon Garlic Sauce

A very light but tasty dish which can double up as a side dish or eaten as a main dish with rice or noodles. To make it look appetizing cut all vegetables diagonally.

Ingredients:

1 bunch of spring onions-scallions
100 gms string beans cut
100 gms carrots cut
100 gms mushrooms cut
10 baby corns cut
1/2 cup bamboo shoots
1 zucchini cut
1 green pepper cut
1 orange pepper cut
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt to taste

Lemon Garlic Sauce:
5 tbsp of lemon juice
1 tbsp of corn starch- Arraroot
1 tbsp of soya sauce
1 tsp of green chilli and garlic paste

Heat oil in a sauce pan and add half of scallions. Sauté till translucent. Add beans and saute' for 2 minutes. Now add other vegetables and saute' for three- four minutes or till vegetables are tender but firm. Now add rest of the scallions. Pour half of the sauce and mix. Put the vegetables in a nice bowl and pour rest of the sauce just before serving.

Sauce:
Mix everything and bring to a boil inn a sauce pan.

Today these healthy recipes. Tomorrow some healthy desserts for you. So look out!!!


Bon Appetit!!!