POHA WITH CUCUMBER AND WALNUTS
Serves 3
Preparation time 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
1 and 1/2 cup Flattened Poha*
3 tbsp of Oil
1 fist full of Peanuts
1 tsp channa dal
1 tsp Urad dal
1/2 tsp mustard seed
1 sprig curry leaves
3 tbsp of freshly chopped Coriander leaves
Salt as required
2 tbsp Lemon juice
1/2 Cup Grated Cucumber

Grind together:
fist full of Walnuts
3 tbsp of dry Coconut (copra)

METHOD:
Grate Cucumber and keep aside, Chop Coriander and keep aside.
In a Pan dry saute walnuts for a couple of  minutes, when it cools down, Grind it with grated dry copra into a coarse powder do not grind too much it will become sticky as the walnuts release oil of their own. Keep them aside.
In the same Pan heat oil add all the seasonings one by one in a low flame, Mustard seeds after they splutter add Peanuts and saute them when they start crackling add the dals and fry for few minutes when they change colour, add curry leaves and switch off the stove give a quick stir and add this to Poha then add the Grinded walnut and copra powder add required amount of salt and Lemon Juice then add grated cucumber to it.
Mix well and serve it immediately.
Do not leave it for a long time, it becomes a bit hard..
Enjoy...
will post the other recipes soon.., stay tuned in....

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Well anyway, let me not get you bored with my problems, and talk about this lovely chutney I made.  When Kalyani announced, this month's Magic Mingle, which is hosted by Vaishali this month, announced two ingredients which we need to come up with in our cooking they are Fenugreek (Methi) and Coconut.
These are two are my favourite ingredients, but joining these two in a dish is a bit of a problem. So, wearing my thinking cap I have been wondering,  when I was making Dosa, Mum was asking me what chutney should she make for it, I was telling her I will make the chutney, and started looking around and my eyes fell on the Plums, I had bought some plums to eat, and they all got ripened very quickly, so I planned to make chutney out of it.  Here is how I made it...

PLUM AND TOMATO CHUTNEY

INGREDIENTS:
8 Plums
2 Tomatoes
2 flakes of Tamarind
First full of Channa Dal
3 tbsp Fresh coconut
1/2 tsp Fenugreek seeds
7 to 8 twigs of Coriander leaves
6 to 7 dry Red chillies
1 twig Curry leaves
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
2 tsp Coriander seeds
1 tsp salt ( or as required )
1 tsp Oil + 1 tsp Oil

SEASONING:
1 tsp Oil
1 tsp Mustard seeds

METHOD:
In a pan heat a tsp of oil, add mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds, when the mustard seeds splutter and fenugreek seeds change colour to golden brown,
Add coriander seeds saute them with channa dal and chillies  once they change colour,
Add Tamarind flakes and coriander leaves and saute,
Add chopped coconut pieces and saute for an other 2 minutes Remove them on to a plate and allow it to cool.
Cut open the plums remove the seeds and chop them into pieces and also chop 2 Tomatoes.
In the same pan heat a tsp of oil,  add chopped plums and chopped Tomatoes and saute them for 2 minutes, close a lid on to the pan and allow it to cook.
Once they are well cooked, keep sauting until water in it drains out, it will not drain out completely though.
Grind the Dry Ingredients that is kept in the plate for cooling, into a coarse powder with salt first then to this add the sauted and cooled cooked plum into it and grind them into a smooth paste.
Adjust salt, In a pan heat oil and mustard seeds when they splutter add it to the prepared chutney.
Serve and Enjoy with your choice.

It had a wonderful colour and was very delicious to eat, especially my kids loved it. you try it and let me know. This goes to Magic Mingle #10

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I have been getting worried I am going to miss my postings for the few groups I have joined, I already missed one last month, I was not too happy about it, still I am planning to make it. But did not want to miss any more.  So, here I am with this post, I have no time to write as I always do, when Kalyani announced Magic Mingle # 9,  The Magical Ingredients were Pumpkin and Red Chillies,  I had a few ideas on what to do.., I started with this one, I had made Sponge Dosa mum made Aloo Palya ( Aloo dry curry) and we planned to make chutney to go with it, that was when I decided I was going to make pumpkin chutney.
It turned really delicious, the best part my younger girl who doesn't like chutney at all said it was really tasty!!
Here is how I made it.

PUMPKIN AND FRESH RED CHILLI CHUTNEY

INGREDIENTS:
1 ( 125 gms) Cup chopped pumpkin / Squash
1 small onion
2 tsp Oil
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
2  Red chillies
Fist full of Channa dal
1/4 cup grated fresh coconut
10 to 12 twigs of Coriander Leaves

SEASONING:
2 tsp Oil
1 tsp Mustard seeds
2 Dried Red Chillies
4 to 5 Curry Leaves

METHOD:
In a Pan add 2 tsp of Oil in a medium flame, when hot add mustard seeds, when they splutter add channa dal and fry until it changes colour, then add Fresh Red Chillies and chopped Onion fry until they are transparent, then add chopped Pumpkin / Squash and fry, bring the flame to a low flame, close a lid and cook pumpkin until nice and soft, do not add any water.
Stir it now and then so they don't get stuck to the pan.
switch of the stove, remove it on to a plate from the pan, allow it to cool then, grind it into a smooth paste adding required amount of salt and a pinch of Asafoetida.
Take a little tadka pan or any little pan, heat oil add mustard seeds once they splutter add dried Red Chillies and curry leaves saute a 30 seconds :)), switch of the stove and add it to the chutney.
Serve it with any Tiffin varities or mix it even with Rice and Enjoy...

 I served it with super soft Sponge Dosa ( will post it soon!!) with Amma's Aloo curry and Pumpkin chutney Looks so gorgeous right ?, I was talking about the whole plate, chutney has a lovely colour and tasted so delicious, Amma's Aloo curry was superb and the Dosa was so perfect with it.

The post Pumpkin & Fresh Red Chilli Chutney appeared first on My Veg Fare.

Britain has lifted its ban on Hose pipe, as the past month it has rained so much that it had a record rainfall last month!!. Continuing my saga on gardening, My bean plants have grown so tall, with all my other herbs and salad leaves etc.., I have to take some serious step about this, so went and bought 3 bags of grow bags, may be tomorrow if this dry weather continues ( Yay!) fingers crossed I will plant them in my grow bags, only varuna deva ( rain God! ) must show some Karuna  ( sympathy ) on my plants and me, for all the hard work I have done to my garden, when they all bloom, I will definitely show some photos of my garden.
Kids are having exams I am unable to use my laptop as they are in need of it more than me, The other laptop ever so suddenly right on time for their exams has decided to get into some problems with the charger, now waiting for new one, they need the computer more than me, so I have decided to post pone my blogging for few days its as simple as they come top in my priority list now, Today they have gone to write exam and I am off work, so took this chance to post this quickly before they come back :).
Coming to this recipe., It's been a long time I made Nan, I usually stick on to Roti or pulka which is quick, simple and healthy recipe.., Nan's are usually made with plain flour in resturants as I don't use plain flour too much It's been a long time I used plain flour in my daily bread these days I always make Nan's, Kulchas etc.., everything with whole wheat flour.
When Kalyani announced this month's Magic Mingle #6 challenge as Coriander and Plain flour,  I decided to pair it with some wheat flour and made these Nan's. Hope she doesn't mind.

CORIANDER NAN 
serves 4 to 5

INGREDIENTS:
250 grms Plain Flour / Maida / All Purpose Flour
250 grms Whole wheat atta flour
1 and 1/4 Cup Water***
1/4 Cup Yogurt
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Baking powder
1/2 cup chopped Coriander with stalks
2 Garlic cloves
1'' Ginger
2 Green Chillies (optional)

*** Use water according to the flour you are using, it might vary.  After adding yogurt and grinded mixture , add water accordingly to make a soft dough, as the liquid in the yogurt and grinded mixture has water in it and also  flours vary, take this as a guideline.

METHOD:
First of all wash and chop Coriander leaves with stalks, to this add Ginger and Garlic chopped, take all these Ingredients, grinding into a smooth paste, use water if necessary ( I used around 3 tbsp of water ).
In a large bowl, mix all the Ingredients said above with the smooth grinded paste to it, adding water as required to bring it into a dough.
Knead the dough for 10 minutes until smooth, cover it with a cling film and leave it for 1 hour.
Take a lemon sized ball, roll it into a  almost triangle shape or once you roll pull one side like having a tapering end ,  say around 1/4 '' thick or as I did I rolled quite thin , sprinkle some sesame seeds and roll it again so they are well stuck.
Mine puffed up like a pulka on the stove top which you can see in one of my photos!

On the stove top place a tawa / Pan sprinkle some water ** when it hot, turn the rolled out dough over it, cook it by placing a lid over it for just a few minutes, it starts bubbling up remove the lid, flip it on to the other side so it gets cooked well.
The other way you can do is, if your Tawa / Pan is not a non - stick one, ( which I would prefer if I am going to make a Nan on stove top ), The simple trick is if it is a Iron / Almunium one when you sprinkle water on the Tawa and place the rolled out Nan dough on to it, It gets stuck to the pan, once it is cooked underneath mildly because of the heat,  then Nan gets stuck to it.
Remember before it gets well done not too much before it looses its grip, turn it upside down on the stove top so that the top side gets cooked by that time you would have seen that they would have puffed up here and there and when turned upside down and on direct heat when it cooks gives a tandoori cooked Nan effect :)).
To do it oven: Just place these on to a baking sheet and bake for 10  min on Gas Mark 7 / 425 degree F/ 220 degrre Centigrade ( depending upon your Oven Gadget )
If it has a handle Perfect or using tongs or a grip holder turn the Tawa / Pan upside down on to the direct fire, a little above so they don't get burnt.
Then brush the Nan with butter or ghee and serve it hot.

Tip : 

1. I put the Sesame side on to the tawa than the other way round, this way when cooked the sesame seeds fall of the Nan because of the water sprinkled and rolled out into the dough.
2. To make it vegan substitute with soy yogurt and omit butter in this recipe.
3. You can also cook this on a barbecue set and gives a wonderful smoky flavour too.. how you can do this is with a fine meshed splatter which is used as splatter screen when cooking on stove top, can placed on the meshed top of the barbecue stove and put the Nan on the splatter gaurd and cook on both the sides watching it carefully, as you are cooking it directly on the fire.

I served it with Aloo - Capsicum Dry curry I will post the recipe in my next post

I am sending this to Magic Mingle of Kalyani's 
also to Kalyani's Fast food not fat food started by priya's now serving.
PJ of simply foods lets cook for barbecues and picnics
Jagruthi's Cooking odyssey Know your flours - Whole wheat flour

The post Coriander Nan ( Indian flat bread ) appeared first on My Veg Fare.

When Kalyani announced Magic Mingle # 5, I was really not into it, as my kids are not a big fan of Paneer, So when I wore my thinking cap, everything seemed alright, put two and two together and I thought it will work..
I get so involved every time she announces that I indulge myself in trying out new ways, techniques and become more creative in thinking what I can do.., this is what  I tried and turned out very well, my kids just loved it so much, It's such a keeper recipe, This monthly mingle of Kalyani's is such an enjoyable event as I keep trying new methods of cooking and baking.., here is one such thing.., I took a chance and it really worked out, go and try it out and tell me if you liked it.

Let us go straight to the recipe...

PANEER AND MINT FLAVOURED GARLIC ROLLS -EGGLESS

INGREDIENTS:
75 grms Minted Paneer 
300 grms White Bread flour
125 grms Plain flour
2 tbsp oil
1 and 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp Sugar
2 and 1/2 tsp Active Yeast
100 grms water roux ( Rice flour water roux )
1/4 cup water / or whey water from making paneer
1/2 Cup Milk
Rice flour water roux**
2 tbsp of Chilli flakes

Method for Making Garlic butter
peel and chop around 6 to 7 cloves of garlic
chop 2 to 3 tbsp of coriander leaves  / mint leaves
25 gms butter

Method for Mint Paneer
Check out this Link for making fresh Minted Paneer at home.

Method for making Water Roux 
Check out this link for making Rice flour Water roux

METHOD:



TO MAKE GARLIC ROLLS
First mix both the flours using a sieve or with hand until well combined.
In a large bowl, take 1 tbsp of warm water ( luke warm ) add yeast and a tsp of sugar, leave it for sometime in a warm place, you will notice the yeast bubbling up, this way we will be sure that the yeast is still active.
Meanwhile, In a mixie / food processor take minted paneer  and 1/2 cup of milk, blend them together.
Pour this into the yeast bowl.
Add salt and flours into the bowl of yeast with water using a spatula or using your hand mix them together
to this add Rice flour water roux , mix them well together.
Then start kneading the dough, dust the surface and hand with flour and knead and stretch for 10 minutes, in few minutes you will see that the dough becomes soft and beautiful.
Oil the same bowl and roll this dough in it, and cover it with a cling film and leave it to raise in warm corner for at least 1 and 1/2 hours (depending upon the altitude and temperature of the place you are living ), you can mark the bowl or guess by eyeing that the ball has doubled in shape.
While the dough is rising make Garlic butter, Blend garlic cloves and chopped coriander and Mint leaves into a paste with a tsp of water.
mix this paste with butter and keep aside until needed.
Next punch the dough so the gases are released and spread the dough to a rectangle shape, spread Garlic butter on top of it and some chilli flakes to get a kick out of the rolls when biting into them!!
Now roll out the flattened dough from the longer side when you come to the end pick up the end portion lift it and join it to the top, this way you can be careful that nothing leaks out.
Dust the surface with flour and roll the rolled dough so they are evenly distributed and you would get a perfect log shape, cut them into equal portions.

Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 5/180 degrees, place a bowl of hot water underneath.
Place these portions on a parchment paper giving gaps, and allow it to raise again around 1/2 an hour, you can see that it would have swelled up again.
Brush it with milk and place the tray into the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes depending upon the temperature of your oven or insert a skewer which comes out clean  telling you that the roll is done.
Take it out of the oven , leave it on the wiring rack for 5 minutes then slide them on to the wiring rack for it  cool down, otherwise the bottom will get very soggy. as the bread still cooks because of the heat from the tin.
Serve it warm or cold with a hot cup of soup, or just eat it with sauces..

My verdict : My kids fell in love with these rolls, these rolls stayed soft. Keep it in a airtight container. serve it with soup or with ketchup, They even took it for their lunch boxes!!

Stay tuned  I will soon be posting an other recipe with Minted Paneer....., later in the day...

The post Paneer and Mint Flavoured Garlic Rolls - Eggless appeared first on My Veg Fare.

Paneer as I have already told is a Cheese made the Indian way, which is usually used to make sweets and to loads of curries with spices.  This is also called Cottage Cheese, It is very easy to make.  I love paneer basically in sweets, most of the bengali sweets are made from this sweet.
This all idea of making Mint paneer came out after this post, Now thinking about it you can make coriander, dill, curry leaves Paneer what do say .... ?, watch out I will be posting some recipes out of these too :))..., But right now we will stick to this and go on reading about what and how I made this......
Basically I need to thank Kalyani, her event Monthly Mingle made me try out this, I haven't regretted as my kids loved and enjoyed it...
Look out what I have made from this recipe I tried two new bakes and I have loads of ideas on trying out this Minted Paneer in various ways!
Hope you all like it.....


Ingredients for Mint Paneer
1 lt Full cream milk
1 to 2 tbsp Lemon juice / vinegar / whey water / yogurt
washed 3 to 4 sprigs of Mint leaves

METHOD:





TO MAKE MINT PANEER:
To make Mint paneer, it is very easy.., Take a litre of milk in a bowl insert a ladle and heat up the milk with cleaned, washed and wiped Mint leaves, when it starts boiling, add the lemon juice ( I also added 2 tbsp of home made yogurt/curds), within few minutes, water splits from the milk and you will see the cheese.

Drain the cheese into a cheese cloth or any soft cloth, what I do is......, Take a colander/sieve cover it with a cheese cloth and place it on a bowl, then pour the split milk into it when all the water drains out, take the colander / sieve to the sink run water on it at least two to three times this helps to get rid the smell of vinegar.
You can keep the whey water which is helpful in making chapatis, or this can be used when making paneer again and also in many various ways.

Once it is drained, tie it tightly and leave it for sometime using something heavy on top of it, this helps in drain ing out the liquid completely. Now this can be used as you want it...

This is plain Paneer.. where you don't add anything to it... :)) also called Cottage Cheese

This Mint Paneer goes to Magic Mingle #5 of Kalyani's

The post Mint Paneer (Fresh Paneer made with Mint) appeared first on My Veg Fare.

Paneer is made with milk, it is easy to make your own paneer it is like cottage cheese, you can get it in shops in blocks or cubes.., I love paneer only in sweet dishes like Rasgulla, sandesh and many more Bengali sweets which are my all time favourite,  rather than the curries and Gravies.

My kids don't like Paneer at all even if you use them in spicy gravies or Curries, That is why you don't see lot of paneer recipes in my blog, especially my son, doesn't like it at all, Like me they also love to eat paneer only in Sweets :), Just like Momma.....
When Kalyani announced this month's Magic Mingle # 5 challenge it was Paneer and mint, the first thought was let me dish out some pulav, Once I made pulav which is still in my draft and my son kept mumbling over it, My H loves paneer, that is why now and then I make it.  But then I made some parathas which I will post soon, Before the parathas I made this curry, and to my astonishment, my twin girl loved it very much and even my son the curry was so tasty, totally it was only Kadai full, I made little so I don't have to eat it lunch, brunch and dinner if my kids don't like it.., But, to my surprise, it was all gone.., by the end of the day I can say I am going to make this again...
Hope you all like it and tell me how it turned out...., if you make it 🙂

PANEER BHENDI IN MINTY MASALA CURRY

INGREDIENTS:
15 Bhendi / Lady's finger Small ones
1 Large Onion
1 tsp Ginger - Garlic paste

1 Tomatoes or 2 small tomatoes
1/2 Cup Paneer Cut into small cubes
1/2 tsp Coriander powder
1/4 tsp Cumin powder
1 tsp Chilli powder
1/4 tsp Amchur powder
1 and 1/4 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
Oil

To Marinate:

2 Fist ful ( 4 Sprigs ) Mint / Pudina Leaves
1 fist ful ( 4 sprigs) Coriander leaves
1 Green Chilli

METHOD:
First of all Cut the cubed Paneer into still smaller pieces ( like four pieces ), then wash and grind the ingredients under marinate, add a tbsp of water if it doesn't grind then add this to the cut cubes, mix well and leave it at least for 1/2 an hour, or until you need it.
Next wash and wipe or dry Bhendis or Lady's Finger with a cloth, you have to do this so when you fry them they will not have that sliminess in them. Then cut the top and bottom of the bhendi's these days I just cut the top only and use the tail end of it too.., you can try if you like it or you can cut that end too. Then cut the Bhendi's into 1/4'' pieces and keep them aside.
Chop Onions and tomatoes and keep them ready.

Take a deep pan /or wok add 2 tbsp oil, fry these bhendis until they are soft and slightly crisp around and keep aside.
Then again add an other 2 tbsp of oil fry the marinated Paneer until they turn slightly reddish in colour, to this add a bit of salt and fry them and keep aside.

In the same wok / Pan add a 2 tbsp of oil when hot add mustard seeds when they splutter add Ginger-Garlic paste then add finely chopped Onions fry them until they are transparent then add finely chopped tomatoes fry them until they become soft, do all this in a low flame, so they don't get burnt.
Once they are done add the dry masala powders fry them for a minute, then add Bhendi and Paneer and mix  them well add a cup of water or a little more if you like it a bit more in a gravy consistency.
Close the lid and keep it in a low flame for few more minutes which helps in absorbing the masala into them.
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve it with Chapatis, pulkas or rice.

Tips:
Be careful if you add too much water then dissolve 1/2 tbsp of corn flour in 1 or 2 tbps of water and add it to the gravy, this helps in thickening the gravy.
Use the Dry masala ingredients to your taste, as they might be different from what I use. like my green chilli is too spicy so I have just used one, and even my chilli powder is too spicy so I have just used one tsp so, use it according to your liking.

Sending this to Magic Mingle #5

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