VEGETARIAN PAELLA (nitu didi way)

Posted on October 1, 2011 by nituchugani

Paella is bascially rice cooked with ingredients of your choice in a round flat pan. This dish hails from Spain and the typical Valencian paella is rice with chicken, rabbit and green beans, butter beans etc. I have come up with my own version of a vegetarian paella. The rice used is ordinary rice (please do not use basmati). I am going to give u the recipe for my version of this famous rice dish… hope you like it 🙂
INGREDIENTS FOR 4-6
250 grams mushrooms, preferable fresh, quartered
250 grams green beans, tips removed
1 cup of mixed colored capsicums (i used red and green)
1/2 cup of grated tomatoes
1 cup rice
3- 4cups of water
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
6 tablespoons of olive oil
1/2 teaspoon each of Nitu Didis paprika powder, rosemary,
1 pinch of Nitu Didis pure spanish saffron
salt to taste
METHOD:
in a round pan heat the olive oil and add the mushrooms and cook them on  high heat till they get soft, add the chopped garlic and the beans and cook till soft then add the grated tomatoes and all the herbs and spices and cook till tomato is cooked. Add the capsicum and the rice and the water and cook uncovered without stirring til rice is done. You can shake the pan from time to time but try not to use a spoon to stir it. Serve hot!!

To buy Nitu Didi Saffron

Posted in Everything Vegetarian, Fusion, Gluten Free, Rice is Nice, Saffron, Spanish Tapas, Vegan | Leave a comment

SHEEKH KABAB

Posted on October 1, 2011 by nituchugani

Sheekh kabab is a popular starter in most desi restaurants. It is usually made out of finely ground minced lamb or chicken. Ofourse when you make it with lamb its a different taste and lamb takes longer to cook. I  make these kababs in many many different ways and if you like i could share them all with you. This time i have chosen prepackaged chicken mince and have not added too many spices but you can double the spices, add more salt and chillies to suit your taste.
INGREDIENTS:
350 grams ground minced chicken
1 small piece of onion
1 plump clove of garlic
1 small piece of ginger
3 tablespoons of chopped coriander
3 cardamoms Nitu Didi
3 cloves Nitu Didi
2 peppercorns
1 small pc. cinnamon Nitu Didi
1 small bay leaf Nitu Didi
1 teaspoon tanduri spice Nitu Didi
1 teaspoon cumin powder Nitu Didi
1 teaspoon coriander powder Nitu Didi
salt to taste
METHOD
grind the whole  spices into a powder and then add the onion,coriander, ginger garlic into the powder and grind it all together. Add this paste to the mince and add all the spices and the fresh coriander leaves. Add salt and shape into kababs and marinate it overnight. Put them in a greased frying pan and cover it and put it on a medium flame till the kababs are done. Remove them and then with the help of tongs take each one and brown them over the flame (see video)
Serve with chutneys of your choice

NITU DIDI TIP: if you are watching your weight you can put the kababs directly in a pan with no oil and just a little water to steam them and then roast them on the flame

Posted in Chicken, Indian Restaurant Dishes, NO OIL RECIPES | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

SHAHI SEERA(INDIAN SWEET SERVED IN TEMPLES)

Posted on September 30, 2011 by nituchugani

This recipe and pic is by my dearest follower Pinky Nagdev…thank you sweetie…. this is a sweet which is served in many religious festivals and also in temples 🙂

1 cup of semolina ( sooji)
2 tbsp. of wheat flour
2 tbsp. of Besan ( Bengal gram flour )
1/4 th cup pure ghee
1/4 th cup of chopped assorted dry fruits
2 cups water
1 n half cup milk
a pinch of Nitu Didi pure spanish saffron , soaked in a bit of milk if u want…
2 cardamoms Nitu Didi or a pinch of Nitu Didi cardamom powder
8 tbsp. sugar ( as u prefer )

Heat ghee in a pan. Add cardamoms to it . Add Semolina and roast it on a medium flame. when the colour changes to light brown add wheat flour and besan. roast till the colour changes little more brown. Add water and mix instantly to avoid lumps. Add chopped dry fruits n warm milk and saffron and mix it on a high flame till it dries up. Add sugar to your taste( I added 8 tbsp. ) . you can taste and add more sugar later also. Pour a spoonful of pure ghee on the sides of the pan. cover n let simmer for 2 mins. Ready !!

Posted in Eggless Sweet Temptations, Everything Vegetarian, Floury Matter, Saffron, Typical Sindhi Dishes | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

CREAMED SPINACH N CUMINED MUSHROOM BRUSCHETA

Posted on September 29, 2011 by nituchugani

Excellent starter or side dish for all my vegetarian followers. The creamed spinach can be made beforehand and kept in the fridge and then microwaved if you want to save time.
INGREDIENTS:
1 bowl of steamed spinach, drained well and pureed
1/4-1/2 bowl of cream
salt and pepper to taste
1 bowl of mushrooms, chopped
1/2 teaspoon of “Nitu Didi” cumin powder
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons of a good olive oil
1 loaf of french bread or baguette sliced
METHOD:
mix the creamed spinach with the cream and season with salt and pepper. Sautee the mushrooms on high heat with the olive oil and add the cumin powder and salt and pepper. Remove some of the mushrooms for decorating and keep aside. Mix the spinach with the mushrooms. Cool the mixture slightly. Toast the sliced baguette a bit and spoon the mushroom spinach mixture on it. Decorate each baguette with a piece of mushroom and serve!!!!

Posted in Everything Vegetarian, Sandwiches, Veg Starters | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

BOONDI LADOO (indian sweets)

Posted on September 28, 2011 by nituchugani

This recipe and pic has been sent to me by Pinky Nagdev who is such an avid follower of mine. Thank you soo much Pinky..love you!!!

Boondi ke laddoo

Ings. for the boondi :
1 cup besan ( Bengal gram flour )
half cup of water (approximately)

Ings. for the sugar syrup :
1 n half cup of sugar
1 cup of water
2 pinches of cardamom powder
1/8 th cup of assorted dry fruits ( finely cut cashewnuts, almonds, pistachios and raisins )

For making sugar syrup :
Boil sugar along with water. The moment it boils, simmer it for around 12 mins. cover n keep it hot while using.

For making boondi :
Mix besan with around half cup of water gradually making sure there are no lumps. we need a batter neither thick nor thin. Best way to test the batter is to try making few boondis before. Heat oil in a pan . Hold a strainer ( sort of a flat ladle with holes ) above the hot oil. Pour a ladle full of batter on the strainer and pass the batter through it. If the batter drops in the oil making round separate boondis then the batter is just perfect.
Tips :
* If the batter doesn’t drop into the oil it means the batter is thick. add water gradually to attain that perfect consistency.
* If the boondis turn out to be shapeless then the batter is thin. Add little Besan for that perfect consistency.
* If boondis d’nt separate n stick together then ur oil isn’t hot enough
* Even if the boondis r perfect round n separate , always check them after frying. press them and check if they are light weight. Heavier ones won’t soak the syrup.

Remove the fried boondis out of the hot oil and transfer them instantly to the hot sugar syrup along with finely cut dry fruits and cardamom powder. Let it stand for about 15 mins. Squeeze boondis and Start makin balls wen they’re still warm. Initially it will be tough shaping them into perfect round balls. But once u shape all of them you can again start shaping them wen little cold. But remember.. you cannot bind boondis wen cold. so shape them when warm.. imperfect though.. and again re-shape them after few mins.

Posted in Eggless Sweet Temptations, Everything Vegetarian, Gluten Free, Vegan | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

BUTTER CHICKEN” restaurant style”

Posted on September 28, 2011 by nituchugani

BUTTER CHICKEN ALA NITU DIDI (also known as murg makhani)
Everyone has their own way of making butter chicken but i will show u an easy, delicious and restaurant tasting one!!
Some people use cream and cashewnut powder in butter chicken, but i dont…  i use that for chicken tikka masala which i have already shown.
so to make the two taste different…its a bit similar but a bit different also.
TO SERVE TWO:
350 grams of chicken breast cut into thick fillets
marinated in :
1 cup of yogurt
2 tablespoons of ginger garlic paste
salt to taste
2 tablespoons of Nitu Didi Tandoori spice powder
red chilli flakes to taste and a bit of red paprika to give it the color
1 teaspoon of dried fenugreek leaves
mix the ingredients for the marinade. leave overnight in the fridge and next day pressure cook it all for 1 whistle. This ensures the chicken is cooked… and yet..succulent
keep apart the cooked chicken and the sauce left in the pressure cooker
FOR THE SAUCE:
This is the delicious part!!!
2 cloves of garlic minced
1 teaspoon ginger minced
4-5 tablespoons of butter
1 sprinkle of paprika for color
red chilli flakes to taste
1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves
1/4 cup of tomato paste
1 teaspoon of sugar option
coriander leaves for garnish
OPTIONAL: cream for garnish…i did not put

METHOD:
heat the butter in a pan and add the garlic and when its a turning color and the ginger and sautee for a few seconds. Add the liquid from the cooked chicken and the tomato paste and all the other ingredients… let it simmer on low heat. Meanwhile take the pieces of chicken and roast them a bit on the direct flame (as i showed you in the chicken tikka video) so you get that lovely smoked flavor. Cut them up into pieces of the size u desire and let them simmer in the sauce for not more than half a minute.
There you have an amazing restaurant tasting butter chicken!!!!!!!!! Verry ala Nitu Didi!!

TIP: for those of you who cant find the ingredients…. i will sell a KIT for making butter chicken… do email me for details 🙂

 

 

 

Posted in Chicken, Indian Restaurant Dishes | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

CHOCO ALMOND CAKE

Posted on September 27, 2011 by nituchugani

I just cant describe the flavor and texture of this cake… its awesome… and soo easy to make
please follow my video for the eggless vanilla sponge and i will give u the changes i made in this recipe
INGREDIENTS:
1 yogurt as the “measurement” that is 130 grams
2 measurements of sugar
2 whole farm eggs
3 measurments of white or whole flour ( i use half and half)
3/4 measurement of ground almonds…i used the one with the skin and ground them with the skin
3/4 measurement of cooking oil
1 envelope of baking powder (2.5 teaspoons)
1/2 teaspoon of soda bicarbonate

1 tablespoon of a good vanilla essence or you can use half vanilla and half almond

1 measurement of milk
METHOD:
mix all the ingredients together and beat well ( i just used a fork and beat it briskly) and i put it into a  greased cake pan and baked it in a pre heated  oven at 180 degrees for 50-60 minutes till done. This cake takes a bit longer to get done due to the density of the batter
FOR THE TOPPING
I  used nutella!!!!!!! (sorry i cheated :(:( )!!!!!!

Posted in A Piece of Cake??? | Tagged , | Leave a comment

ORIENTAL BURGERS

Posted on September 26, 2011 by nituchugani

I use minced chicken for burgers as i find them easier to digest (being white meat) and also more succulent. I made these with a chinese marinade for a change and served them up with a simple tossed green salad. For those of you watching their weight just omit the sesame oil and sugar and grill them without oiling the pan
INGREDIENTS FOR 4 -6 BURGERS
350 grams minced meat ( i used chicken)
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon of grated garlic
1/2 teaspoon of light soya sauce
1/2 teaspoon of vinegar
1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon of chinese wine or brandy (optional)
1/4 teaspoon of sugar (optional)
a pinch of Nitu Didi white pepper
a pinch of chilli flakes
1/4 cup of spring onions, chopped fine
1/4 cup of cabbage, chopped fine
salt to taste

METHOD: marinate the chicken with the above ingredients. Shape into patties and grill on a non stick pan till browned and done. Serve with a tossed green salad or fried rice or noodles. Simple, delicious and quick!!! Verrry Nitu Didi!!!

Posted in Chicken, Made in China, NO OIL RECIPES | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

3 COLOR VEGE PASTA PIE

Posted on September 25, 2011 by nituchugani

This vegetable pie is easy to make and can be made to suit your own preferences. I will give you all the options : it can be made dry so you can cut it into squares to serve or it can be made more saucy and served as a main dish…the green layer is due to the spinach, the red is tomato paste and the white is iwth any white vegetable of your choice…i used courgettes. So should we start?????
I cant give exact measurements coz it all depends if you want it saucy or dry. TIP: if you want it saucey just add more quantity of the sauces …….
INGREDIENTS
250 grams of fine pasta ( i used what we put in the soups ….but any fine pasta will do)
grated cheese of your choice
Boil the pasta and divide it into 3 portions
FOR THE GREEN LAYER
spinach puree made by boiling spinach with a little onion straining it and blending it in the blender
add some cream, salt and pepper and grated cheese
FOR THE RED LAYER
sautee finely chopped mushrooms, add oregano, salt and pepper and tomato paste, a bit of tomato ketchup and grated cheese
FOR THE WHITE LAYER
sautee some courgettes which you chop fine in olive oil, add salt and pepper , some cream and cheese
TO ASSEMBLE
take a baking dish(glass would look prettier as you can see the layers) Mix each portion of the boiled pasta with one of the colors…taste, add more cream if you want it saucier…. and start layering the baking dish with each layer, pressing firmly so it sets well. i started with the green , then the red and lastly the white.
Top it with grated cheese and dollops of ketchup and bake in a medium oven 200 degrees till done.
NITU DIDI TIP: if you want it to taste really exotic you can use a different cheese for each layer…for example grated cheddar, edam, gouda, mozarella etc

NOTE: this whole recipe was made by my daughter Chaya!!!

Posted in Everything Vegetarian, Fusion, Pasta, Veg Starters | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

SPICED YOGURT ONION DIP

Posted on September 24, 2011 by nituchugani

This dip was my creation and an answer to all the ready made dip sachets one can byy from the supermarkets. Sometimes we dont have time to go to the supermarket and are surprised by unexpected guests…or sometimes we just want to snack on chip and dip while watching tv. This dip keeps well for a few days in the fridge and i always make extra so i can marinate my chicken in it!!!
INGREDIENTS :
500 grams of white yogurt
1/2 sachet of onion soup mix
1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder, or more if you want it stronger
dash of red chilli powder or flakes (optional)
a bit of chopped green coriander
METHOD
mix the yogurt with all the above ingredients (DO NOT ADD SALT AS ONION SOUP IS SALTY)
Refrigerate for a few hours and its ready to eat!!!!!!!!!!!!
NITU DIDI TIP: for those of you who cant get onion soup mix…you can use vegetable soup mix… it might need a bit of water and a bit more seasoning so you can adjust on the taste 🙂
HAPPY MUNCHING!!

Posted in Everything Vegetarian, Sauces and Chutneys, Veg Starters | Tagged , , | Leave a comment