PANEER BURJI (HOME MADE SPICED N SCRAMBLED CHEESE)

Posted on October 15, 2012 by nituchugani

 

Paneer is basically home made cottage cheese which is used a lot in indian cooking both for savory and sweet dishes. I have a video on how to make the basic paneer and then you can either have it on its own or put it into any sauce. Just choose from the array of sauces i have (tandoori, butter, palak, curry etc) and instead of chicken, fish etc just put this fresh cubed cheese and you have a lovely paneer recipe.
Burji is the “desi” term for scrambled. This particular recipe of mine just uses tandoori spice powder but if you dont want to use that you can use a mixture of coriander, cumin and turmeric powder.
The use of kasuri methi gives this dish its special touch.
INGREDIENTS:
Paneer made out of 1 litre of milk
1 onion chopped fine
1 tablespoon of grated ginger
1 green chilli chopped fine
1 tablespoon of kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves ) soaked in some warm water for ten minutes
1/4 cup of chopped coriander leaves
1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
a few curry leaves (thank you Dipa for them!!!
1/4 cup of chopped green capscium /bell pepper
1 teaspoon of Nitu Didi tanduri spice powder
2 tablespoons of cooking oil
salt to taste
METHOD:
Heat the oil in a non stick pan and add the cumin seeds and let them splutter for about ten seconds and then add the curry leaves and the grated ginger and let that cook for another ten seconds. Add the chopped onions and add some salt and let the onions soften a bit. Add the chopped green chillies together with the tanduri spice mix and let it all cook till mushy. Add  the drained soaked kasuri methi and let it all cook together. Add the capsicum and cover for a little bit so the capsicum softens just a tiny bit. Lastly add the paneer and mix well with the chopped coriander leaves till everything is well mixed. Cover for half a minute so that the paneer is heated through.
This is best eaten with naan/pita bread or can be filled in wraps or even makes an excellent canelloni or pancake filling.
You can even use this as a canape topping… so many ways for one dish… simple and yet delicious…can be also made with tofu.
FOR JAIN RECIPES: Please omit the onions and ginger
NITU DIDI TIP:
You can also add some ketchup, chilli sauce, add some more vegetables if you wish such as grated carrot and cabbage and give it a special touch!!
By the way i am sharing a pic of Butter Paneer sent to me by Harini Suresh which she made from my butter chicken recipe substituting chicken with paneer..Thank you soo much for all the love 🙂

BUTTER PANEER PIC:

Posted in Everything Vegetarian, Gluten Free, Indian Restaurant Dishes, Jain recipes, Paneer | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

HEALTHY MANGO AND POMEGRANET SALAD

Posted on October 14, 2012 by nituchugani

 

 

I am writing a recipe after 3 whole days and its as tho i need to reconnect myself with the words…the recipes are always in the back of my mind ready to be penned down.
Mangoes, pomegranets with some onions? Sounds strange??? Aaah well…tasting is believing.
My friend Dipa sent me a whole box of mangoes and pomegrantes and i decided to make this lovely healthy salad. Well…for me its more like a combination of salad and dessert! In India we do serve our fruit sliced and sprinkled with chaat masala (its a ready made salty and sour spice mix available in most desi supermarkets). if you dont like raw onions you can use pickled ones or just omit them altogether.
INGREDIENTS:
1 ripe mango
1 cup of pomegranet kernels
1/2 cup of chopped sweet onions
2 tablespoons of chopped fresh coriander or parsley
salt to taste
a good splash of extra virgen spanish olive oil
a good squeeze of lemon juice
METHOD:
Chop the mango and onions into cubes. Save any of the juice which oozes out while chopping.
Combine the onion, coriander with the mango and pomegranet.
Whisk together the olive oil and lemon juice with the salt and the mango juice (if any has oozed out)
Pour on top and refrigerate covered for a few hours for the flavors to mingle.
Serve chilled..
I just had this for lunch….it covered my craving for both sweet and salty.
Thank you Dipa for the most amazing mangoes!!!
HEALTH BENEFITS OF POMEGRANET:
Pomegranate aril juice provides about 16% of an adult’s daily vitamin C requirement per 100 ml serving, and is a good source of vitamin B5.

For Jain recipes please omit the onions

Posted in Everything Vegetarian, Gluten Free, Healthy Options, Jain recipes, Low Cost, Quick Recipes, Salads, Tupperware Food, Veg Starters, Vegan | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

EGGLESS CHEESE FRITTERS

Posted on October 11, 2012 by nituchugani

This is a simple on the spur kind of recipe which is a real delight with all who have tried it.
The ingredients can be mixed a day before and then it can be just fried the last minute. I will guide you step by step on how to make this fried delicacy non oily and to perfection.
It is a little tricky to made because we are working with cheese and each cheese has a different texture and different fat content, but i will give you a few tips to get it right..and if not the first time theres always a second time right????
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup of grated cheese,. i used red ball edam but you can use any kind of cheese you have at home (or even a mixture of cheeses) i used my amazing bullet to grate it very finely
1/4 cup of chopped onion
2 tablespoons of chopped green coriander
1 green chilli or more chopped
1/4 teaspoon of grated ginger ( i grate the ginger with the cheese…Nitu Didi time saving tip!!!!)
1/2 teaspoon of cumin seeds
a pinch of salt if necessary as cheese is salted already
1 tablespoon of white flour (or as needed)
1 tablespoon of cornstarch (or as needed)
sparkling water (soda water) as needed
oil for deep frying
METHOD:
Mix the cheese with the onions, coriander, cumin seeds, a pinch of salt green chillies,and add the flour and cornstarch. This mixture can be made a few hours or day before. The mixture of cheese and flours is a little tricky and i shall try my best to explain it. When  you want to serve heat the oil well. I have many videos on how to deep fry…just go to my youtube channel cookingwithnitu and check out the pakoras video on how to deep fry tutorial.
Now coming back to our mixture, the sucess of this recipe all depends on the flour/grated cheese ratio. It should not be over floury that you cant taste the cheese and yet if it contains less flour the fritters will not fry to perfection as they will disintegrate in the oil as the cheese melts. There is no perfect measurement to this but yes there is a way you can make it by trial and error.
Sounds complicated??? NOOOOOOOOOOOO…….relax,…i will teach you 🙂
So we heat our oil and then we add just a bit of sparkling/soda water to the mixture to make a thick batter that can be spooned. We put a tiny spoonful (liek say 1/4the of the teaspoonful) in the hot oil and watch the reaction…If it fries without melting you are done!! if it starts to disintegrate dont panic….Just add a bit more of white flour and cornstarch always keeping mind the ratio of half and half and  a bit more of sparking water and try to fry another fritter. Deep fry all the fritters spoonful by spoonful till golden brown. Serve IMMEDIATELY..they are delicious piping hot with the gooey cheese.
NITU DIDI TIP:
Please add the soda water slowly so that the batter is not too watery. If its watery dont panic…just add some more grated cheese and white flour and cornstarch.
The recipe cannot be precise as it all depends on the kind of cheese used but once you get used to making this believe me you will want to make it again and again.
This recipe is especially nice to use up bits of dry cheese. You can grate different kinds of cheese that have dried up a bit in the fridge.
If you have any doubts do not hesitate to comment and ask me 🙂
I guess eventually i shall have to do a video tutorial of this…ON DEMAND!!

Here is the video



IF YOU ARE ALLERGIC TO GLUTEN YOU CAN USE JUST THE CORNSTARCH

Posted in Everything Vegetarian, Floury Matter, Fusion, Gluten Free, Low Cost, Quick Recipes, Veg Starters | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

FLAPJACKS (EGGLESS)

Posted on October 10, 2012 by nituchugani

Flapjacks are healthy oatmeal bars which are delicious and easy to make. This recipe was taught to me by my dear friend Edna Bear who made it for me when i went to visit her in her home. Oats are full of iron, zinc and fibre and are a real stomach filler. These can be made and stored and can be eaten anytime. We made the basic recipe but then there are lots of variations and flavors one can add to this. If you all do make it with additional ingredients do share them with all of us with the  pic if you can.
INGREDIENTS:
200 grams of unsalted butter (but i would use salted)
300 grams of oats
7 tablespoons of golden or corn syrup or honey
METHOD:
Line a swiss roll tin or a baking tray with parchment paper (butter/waxypaper). Heat the oven to 180 degrees.
Melt the butter slowly in the pan and add in the syrup or honey. Put the oats in a big bowl and then slowly add in the melted butter and mix well. It should be well mixed. Pour it into the tin and press well with wet palms. Bake for 25 mins till slightly browned on the top. Remove from the oven and with a knife carefully cut square shapes while still hot and then let it cool. When its cool just remove from the tray and place in a tin. These will keep for weeks!!
NITU DIDIS SUGGESTIONS:
You can use any kind of flavoring for these flapjacks such as cinnamon, cardamom, saffron, ground ginger etc.
You can use chopped nuts (replace 1/4 cup of the oats with the nuts)
You can use sesame seeds, flaxseeds, sunflower seeds etc
You can use chopped dried fruit such as apricots, cranberries etc
These flapjacks are not too sweet, if you like them sweeter just add more syrup/honey!!
Excellent souce of vitamins and delicious too!!

I would also suggest you lightly grind the oats in the blender for a smoother flapjack
HEALTH BENEFITS OF HONEY:
The 3 key health benefits of honey are related to the fact that: 1. Honey is nature’s energy booster

2. Honey is a great immunity system builder

3. Honey is a natural remedy for many ailments


Posted in Eggless Sweet Temptations, Everything Vegetarian, Healthy Options, Jain recipes, Low Cost, Magic Bullet, Quick Recipes, Saffron, Tupperware Food | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

DEEP FRIED SEAWEED (KOMBU ROYALE)

Posted on October 9, 2012 by nituchugani

Seaweed??? Yes seaweed!! I tried it for the first time today! Royal Kombu is the name and actually sounded “chinese” to me!! Well i have learnt something new today from my dear friend Carmen and i as usual want to share it with you. I know many of you will have their misgivings about seaweed but let me tell you the way it was made was lovely… it was crunch deep fried seaweed in a batter of gram flour spiced with some spices! Yes you read right! All of you know spices have their own medicinal properties..and what about seaweed? Well…lets ask Mr. Google???? Its a good source of iodine and also contains dietary fibre. People often eat this variety of seaweed because it contains rich amounts of iodine, calcium and vitamin B2. The Japanese include this in their daily diet..is that why they live soo long and are so healthy? Makes me wonder….

I found it quite nice… crispy and crunchy and different tasting..would i make it again? i guess yes…
INGREDIENTS:
25 grams of KOMBU ROYALE seaweed
1/4 cup of gram flour
salt to taste
a pinch each of turmeric powder, garam masala and Nitu Didi tanduri spice powder (that gives NO ADDED COLOR)
oil for deep frying… we used Extra virgin olive oil
carbonated/sparkling water as needed (soda water)
METHOD:
Soak the seaweed in ample water for about half an hour till it softensand cut it into thick strips.  Remove from the water and wrap in a clean kitchen towel. Dont throw away the water as it is good to water the plants with!!!
Heat the olive oil and start making the batter. Add the salt and spices to the gram flour. Make a thick batter with the carbonated water. Mix the seaweed with the thick batter and deep fry each piece by piece into the hot oil. Please stay away from the pan as it tends to splatter a bit, i dont want you all to get drops of hot oil splattering on you! Deep fry till golden and crispy. Drain well and serve!!
Its quite delicious!!!

NITU DIDI TIP: My daughter who is studying pharmacy just told me when frying with Extra Virgin Olive Oil the oil tends to lose its properties..what you then have is just the taste of the olive oil (which gives the dish an amazing flavor) but not the properties 🙂

If you want to make this and cant seem to find the seaweed do contact me..this can be made with any kind of seaweed….

Posted in Everything Vegetarian, Fusion, Gluten Free, Healthy Options, Made in China, Quick Recipes, Spices, Veg Starters, Vegan | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

KERALA EGG CURRY

Posted on October 8, 2012 by nituchugani

Egg curry is quite popular in some homes and easy to make. This recipe uses coconut milk and lemon juice that gives it a tangy flavor.
Its an easy recipe so you can make it in a jiffy!
Thank you Karl for the lovely picture 🙂
INGREDIENTS FOR 2
4 boiled eggs quartered
1 onion chopped fine
3 flakes of garlic
1″ piece ginger
2 tomatoes chopped
1 tablespoon Nitu Didi London Fine Curry Powder OR any good brand curry powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
4 curry leaves
salt to taste
a pinch of red hot chilli powder (optional)
2 tablespoons of fresh chopped coriander leaves
1 cup of coconut milk
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
2 tablespoons of oil
METHOD:
Boil the eggs and quarter. Heat the oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds and let them splutter for about ten seconds and then add the chopped garlic and let it cook for about 15 seconds or till it starts changing color slightly, please take care not to burn or else the curry will get bitter. Add the chopped ginger and sautee for a few seconds and then add the chopped onion and sautee till softened. Add the curry powder , salt,chilli powder and tomatoes. Cook til tomatoes are nice and soft and add the curry leaves. Add the coconut milk and bring to a boil. Add the cooked eggs and boil for three minutes till the eggs get infused with the sauce. Add the chopped coriander leaves and lemon juice. Taste for seasoning and correct.
Serve hot with boiled white rice and naan bread. I prefer white rice.
NITU DIDI TIP: This is a basic recipe and can be made with chicken, meat of your choice, vegetables, tofu et.
What to do with left over coconut milk? The uses are many : use  it in custards, cookies, cakes or freeze it. You can make extra of this curry sauce by doubling the ingredients and freezing it. And if not…just give some away to your happy and grateful neighbour !!!
HEALTH BENEFITS OF COCONUT MILK:
Coconut milk is rich in a wide range of minerals and vitamins. It contains iron, selenium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium, and also the following important vitamins: C, E, B1, B3, B5 and B6. Coconut milk is also a good source of protein.

Boost immune system : Half the medium-chain fatty acids in coconut milk are composed of lauric acid, which is anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-microbial and anti-fungal thus strengthening the immune system.

CURRY POWDER: For my review of CURRY POWDER please click HERE

Posted in Crack an egg???, Fusion, Gluten Free, Indian Restaurant Dishes, Low Cost, Spices | 5 Comments

EGGLESS MANGO MOUSSE

Posted on October 7, 2012 by nituchugani

This eggless saffron mango mousse is easy to make , delicious and 100% vegetarian/vegan! Yesss…and  i must thank Elodia my dearest friend for making this and sending me the pic and recipe. She used very ripe fresh mangoes and lactose free cream but you can use canned mango pulp or normal cream. She said the taste was awesome and imagine making a gelatine free mousse! Its light because you are using lactose free milk.. Just be sure to chill it well . So here is the recipe. The mangoes are courtesy another friend Dipa Mots of Malaga who sent them to Elodia…the beauty of facebook…making and connecting us all together
INGREDIENTS:
3 big juicy ripe mangoes,cut into cubes
100 ml of Provamel Lactose free cream or any whipping cream
a few strands of Nitu Didi pure spanish saffron
a little sugar to taste if necessary
a few chopped pistachios for decoration
METHOD:
Put the cubed mangoes into the blender with the saffron and pulse till blended (we used our amazing bullet).
Mix with the lactose free cream or the whipping cream till well mixed.
Taste and if you need some sugar add some powdered sugar ( i say this because it all depends on the quality of the mangoes and their sweetness. If your mangoes have too much fibre in them try to use a quality that does not have that much fibre. What i love using is “kesari alphonso pulp” available at most desi supermarkets….
Put into fancy glasses and refrigerate till chilled. Top with chopped pistachios and serve.
Simple isnt it??????????
Thank you Elodia for the recipe and Dipa for the mangoes… For vegan recipe you can use soya cream or dairy free cream
To buy my lovely spanish saffron please visit my ONLINE STORE
HEALTH BENEFITS OF MANGOES

1.  Prevents Cancer:
Research has shown antioxidant compounds in mango fruit have been found to protect against colon, breast, leukemia and prostate cancers. These compounds include quercetin, isoquercitrin, astragalin, fisetin, gallic acid and methylgallat, as well as the abundant enzymes.

2.  Lowers Cholesterol:
The high levels of fiber, pectin and vitamin C help to lower serum cholesterol levels, specifically Low-Density Lipoprotein (the bad stuff)

Posted in Eggless Sweet Temptations, Everything Vegetarian, Fusion, Gluten Free, Healthy Options, Indian Restaurant Dishes, Jain recipes, Magic Bullet, Quick Recipes, Saffron, Vegan | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

HEALTHY CHICKEN KAATHI ROLLS

Posted on October 6, 2012 by nituchugani

Kaathi rolls are such a one meal dish…. a roti /wrap and a filling in a go! A nice meal to carry to work, for picnics and for journeys.
I made my own wraps and tried to make them healthy. The chicken filling is without  much spices and just flavored with sesame seeds and lots of ginger and garlic.
FOR THE FILLING:
350 grams of chicken breast , cubed
100 grams of white yogurt/curd/dahi
5 pods of garlic
1″ piece ginger
1 tablespoon of sesame seeds
1 green chilli
1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon/dalchini
juice of half a lime
salt to taste
1/2 cup each of diced capsicum (bell pepper) and onions
2 tablespoons of olive oil for marinating
2 tablespoons olive oil for sauteeing
chopped coriander leaves, parsley and mint
FOR THE ROLLS:
2 cups of whole wheat flour
1 cup of oat flour(put the oats in the blender and powder)
1/2 teaspoon of salt
3 tablespoons of olive oil
Water as needed to make the dough
METHOD:
First lets marinate the chicken. Blend together the yogurt with the sesame seeds, ginger, garlic and green chillies. Add this to the cubed chicken and add the olive oil,  turmeric powder, black pepper and ground cinnamon with salt and lemon juice. Refrigerate for an hour. Meantime you can make the dough for the rolls and make the rolls too. Once the rolls are made start to cook the chicken.
To cook the chicken heat the olive oil and add the chicken and cook over very high heat till chicken is cooked and then add the onions and capsicum and cook for another minute so that they dont get over cooked. Take off heat and  add the chopped coriander, parsley and mint leaveslet it cool a bit and then make the rolls.
FOR THE ROLLS:
Make a dough using the wheat flour and oat flour with the salt and oil and knead well into a soft pliable dough. Keep covered for half an hour and then shape into balls. Roll into a round and cook in a hot skillet or gridle (tawa) till done. Keep covered till needed.
TO ASSEMBLE:
Take one roll and smear it with either chutney, ketchup, mayonnaise or any sauce or spread of your choice and then add some of the cooked chicken and roll it. Wrap in a paper napkin or tissue or even with foil. Make all the rolls this way. These are your healthy chicken kaathi rolls.
NITU DIDI TIP:
This recipe can be made vegetarian with paneer (home made cottage cheese) or mock chicken, mushrooms or even mixed veggies.
These rolls can be also frozen. Just make them and wrap in foil paper and freeze in a container. Defrost and heat in a hot oven for about 10 minutes to serve.

How to make oat flour? Just take the oats and blend them in the blender…i used my amazing bullet!!
HEALTH BENEFITS OF OATS
Oats are a good source of fibre and help lower cholesterol. When eaten in the morning it helps you curb hunger pans and fills you so that you dont feel hungry soon.
I use quaker oats as i love their texture.


Posted in Chicken, Floury Matter, Healthy Options, Ideas for meals, Tupperware Food | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

OKRA AND POTATOES (BHEENDI ALOO)

Posted on October 4, 2012 by nituchugani

Another soughted after recipe for okra lovers. This vegetable is so versatile ! Put it in curries, deep fry it, grill, sautee, bake… so many ways and so many different recipes. My daughter loves them grilled with a splash of extra virgin olive oil. This recipe is an age old typical recipe from my land of origin Sindh… We Sindhis love to eat it this way specially with lentils and rice (daal chawal).
As usual i try not to flavor my veggies with too much spice and i dont like to overcook them this way they retain all their nutrients and color. For Jains please omit the ginger and onions and use asafoetida instead (hing).
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup of washed and chopped fresh okra
1 cup of peeled potatoes, cubed
1 cup of chopped onions
1″ piece of chopped ginger
2 green chillies, chopped (optional)
a few curry leaves
1/2 teaspoon of cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon of turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon of dry mango powder or juice of half a lime
a little chopped fresh coriander
salt to taste
2 tablespoons of cooking oil or olive oil
METHOD:
Heat the oil in a non stick frying pan and then add the cumin seeds and let them splutter. Add the curry leaves, ginger and onions and salt. Cover and let the onions soften. Add the potatoes and the turmeric and stir. Cover and let the potatoes soften. Add the okra and let it cook. Once the okra is done remove from heat and add the dry mango powder or juice of lime. Add some coriander leaves and mix. Serve with chapatis, or with rice.
Very nourishing and delicious
HEALTH BENEFITS OF OKRA (LADY FINGERS)
Okra contains vitamins A and C and is a good source of iron and calcium. It also contains starch, fat, ash, thiamine and riboflavin. No wonder, Cleopatra and Yang Guifei maintained their beauties.

Posted in Everything Vegetarian, Gluten Free, Healthy Options, Indian Restaurant Dishes, Jain recipes, Low Cost, Quick Recipes, Typical Sindhi Dishes, Vegan | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

SAFFRON CUSTARD WITH SAFFRON CAKE (EGGLESS)

Posted on October 3, 2012 by nituchugani

I just love custard! And i just love Birds Eye Custard Powder! I have tried so many other brands but…nothing absolutely nothing comes up to its mark  in the remotest of comparison. I know custard is made with egg yolks and milk…but what about the vegetarians? Off late i have been trying to make eggless desserts. What i like about this custard is the flavor..the original one has such a suble flavor that you can flavor it the way you want 🙂 I made up this delicious, rich dessert from some left over saffron cake which was drying out. Yes in my home sometimes they do get fed up of cake!! When that happens one can make cake pops or a pudding out of it.
I used semi skimmed milk (thats what i have at home) but you can use whole milk or skimmed milk or lactose free milk. You can also use artificial sweetener.
INGREDIENTS:
750 ml of semi skimmed milk
5-6 tablespoons of sugar , or to taste
1 tablespoon of Birds Eye Custard Powder
10 strands of Nitu Didi pure spanish saffron
1/4 teaspoon of powdered dry ginger
1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon powder
1/4 teaspoon of ground cardamom
2 cups or more of left over cake ( i used my eggless saffron cake)
METHOD:
Put the milk to boil keeping aside half a cup. Boil the milk with Nitu Didi Pure Spanish saffron for about ten minutes. Mix the custard powder with the half cup milk which you set aside and add it to the boiling milk and mix well. The milk will thicken. Lower the heat and let it summer stirring constantly or it might burn at the bottom. Add the ground ginger powder, cinnamon and cardamom, sugar  and mix well. Remove from heat and let it cool. Taste if sweet enough and adjust acording to taste.
TO ASSEMBLE:
I let the custard cool and then i put a piece of cake in a fancy glass (you can also line a fancy dish with pieces of cake) and then i poured the custard on the top and slightly pressed the pieces of cake with a fork so that they absorb the custard.
I sprinkled it with caramalised almonds
Both the recipes of caramalised almonds and eggless saffron cake are in the blog
NITU DIDI TIP:
i have given this custard my “distinctive” touch by adding ground ginger, cinnamon, cardamom etc…If you dont like such a medley of aromas just use what you like.
For a low fat custard just use skimmed milk and artificial sweetener.
You can use any kind of dry fruit/nuts for the garnish
For best results use Nitu Didi Pure Spanish Saffron…to get some do contact me
HEALTH BENEFITS OF GROUND DRY GINGER
http://www.immunesupport.com/news/99spr012.htm

Posted in A Piece of Cake???, Eggless Sweet Temptations, Everything Vegetarian, Jain recipes, NO OIL RECIPES, Quick Recipes, Saffron | Tagged , , | 6 Comments