RAW BANANA KOFTA CURRY

I have always wondered what can be made with raw bananas... Then I gradually learnt, that raw bananas can very well replace potatoes in all possible dishes and can be cooked in a number of ways. Since then I have been using them quiet frequently, and apart from the flavor it adds to the dish, they are more nutritious than potatoes...

Today I am sharing with you one of my favorite raw banana recipe, and I am sure, you will enjoy it too..

Note : The koftas made in this can also be used as a tea time snack.

 
INGREDIENTS :
 
FOR KOFTAS :

• 3 raw bananas, boiled, peeled and mashed.
• 2 potatoes, boiled and mashed.
• 2 tsp cumin powder.
• 2 tsp chat masala powder.
• 1 tsp turmeric powder.
• 2 chopped green chillies.
• Salt to taste.
• Oil for frying.

 
FOR GRAVY :

• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste.
• 3 chopped onions.
• 3 chopped tomatoes.
• 1/2 cup coconut milk.
• 2-3 tbsp. tomato puree.
• 2-3 chopped green chillies.
• 1 tsp cumin.
• 1 tsp mustard seeds.
• 7-8 curry leaves.
• 2 tbsp. oil.
• salt to taste.
• Corriander leaves for garnishing.

METHOD :

For Koftas :

• Boil the raw bananas in pressure cooker, along with the peel. Generally it requires, 4-5 whistles. Once done, peel and mash them.

• Boil the potatoes and mash them. Add them to mashed bananas.

• Add cumin powder, chaat masala, turmeric powder, chopped green chillies and salt to it.

• Make them into cutlets and deep fry in oil till golden brown. If the mixture seems too watery, add 1 tsp of gram flour to it. Remove from oil and keep aside.
   

For Gravy :

• In pan, heat oil and add curry leaves, cumin seeds and mustard seeds. Allow it to splutter.

 

• Add ginger garlic paste and green chillies, and saute for few seconds. 

 

• Add chopped onions and tomatoes, salt and cook for 2-3 minutes till onion and tomatoes soften.

 

• Add tomato puree and coconut milk and cook for 3-4 minutes on low flame, till mixture leaves oil.

 

• Add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil.

 

• Add potato banana koftas, and cover and simmer for 2-3 mins.
• Garnish with coriander, and serve hot with lachcha parathas or chapatis.

CHICKEN SPRING ROLL

Here is another evening snack, to go with the weather and hot tea...

For vegetarians, you can replace the chicken with vermicelli or thin rice noodles and remaining procedure is the same.

You get these ready made spring roll patti in the market, in case you want to avoid the lengthy procedure. But home made covering for spring rolls, are more crunchier to eat.

 
INGREDIENTS :
 
FOR THE PATTI:

• 2 cups all purpose flour / maida.
• water to knead
• oil.

FOR THE FILLING :

• 250 gm boneless chicken, boiled in ginger garlic chilli paste and salt, and finely shredded
• 1/2 cabbage, thinly sliced.
• 2-3 capsicum, thinly sliced.
• 2 carrots, coarsely grated.
• 4-5 green chillies, finely chopped.
• 1 tsp Soya Sauce.
• 1tsp Chilli sauce.
• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste.
• Salt to taste.
• Oil for frying.

METHOD :

 

FOR THE PATTI:

• Knead maida into soft dough, using water and little oil.
• Make small puris from it. Place 3-4 puris one over the other, with a layer of oil applied in between each puri.
• Now make a chapati out of the layered puris. Place a school notebook paper on the chapati and cut out the edges, to make a rectangle.
• Now heat the chapati on tawa on both the sides, half cooked. Remove it off.
• Separate the layers from the chapati when it is hot, to get the thin patti. You can make them and store it in freezer and use it as and when required.

 

FOR THE FILLING :

• Roast the vegetables in a pan, adding salt to it till all the moisture is absorbed.
• Add the sauces, and chicken. roast till dry.
• Now place the filling on one sheet in one corner, Roll it up from that end and fold the sides in. Apply mixture of maida batter on the other end to close the roll.
• Deep fry it in oil and have it with any chutney you like.

 

POCKET CHICKEN

Here is another easy to cook, cheesy and tasty snack... awesome to go with the rainy weather and also for the kids..!!
 
For this recipe, the outer bread pockets should be hot and the inside filling should be chilled.

Ingredients :

• Bread slices - 14 pieces, cut in big round shape.
• Eggs - 4-5.
• Bread crumbs - to coat.
• Oil to fry
• 150 gm boneless chicken, boiled in ginger garlic paste and salt, and shredded.
• Cabbage - 1 cup, finely sliced.
• Capsicum - 1, finely sliced.
• Mushrooms - 1/2 cup, finely sliced
• Sweet corn - 1/2 cup.
• Green chillies - 3-4, finely chopped.
• Cheese spread - 3-4 tbsp.
• Milk - 1 cup.
• Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp.
• Oregano - 2 tbsp.
• Chilli flakes - 1 tsp.
• Black pepper powder - a pinch
• Salt - to taste
• Mayonnaise - 3-4 tbsp.

Method :
 
FOR THE BREAD POCKETS:

• Cut bread in round shape.Place two slices of bread one above the other and coat with egg and bread crumbs.

• Deep fry in oil till golden brown.

• Remove and cut in two equal pieces.

• Fill the pocket formed between two breads with chilled filling.

  

FOR THE FILLING:-

 

• Boil chicken with ginger garlic paste, and shred it.

• In a pan, heat oil, add chopped green chillies, 1 tsp ginger garlic paste, sliced vegetables, sweet corn and shredded chicken.

 

• Add cheese spread and 1 cup of Milk. Bring to boil.

 

• Add oregano, chilli fakes and little black pepper powder.

 

• Add salt, and cook till the vegetables soak the milk.

 

• Allow it to cool. Chill it in refrigerator.

 

• Before serving, Add some mayonnaise and fill in the bread pockets.

 

MUTTON GILAFI KABAB

Kababs, as usual are a mouth watering delicacy, be it veg or non veg, chicken or mutton.. There are times when each one of us would go out of our ways just to have kababs. This reminds me of early morning sahri on busy streets of Mohammad Ali Road in Mumbai. The stalls are packed with people who have come down from outside Mumbai too, just to relish the flavours of different kababs and special non veg dishes sold there. Here is one of them...

My hubby is crazy for these... I hope you all will enjoy them too..

Ingredients :

• Mutton Kheema -  ½ kg
• Capsicum - 1 finely chopped
• Tomato - 1 finely chopped
• Onion - 2 medium sized, finely chopped
• Green chilies - 4-5, finely chopped
• Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp heaped
• Cumin powder - 1 tsp
• Lemon juice
• Garam masala powder - 1 tbsp
• Salt - to taste
• Coriander leaves 2 tbsp (finely chopped)
• Fresh Cream - 3-4 tbsp
• Bread slice 4-5 (soaked in water and squeezed)
• Bread Crumbs to coat.
• Oil ¼ cup

Method :

• Mix Kheema, capsicum, tomato, onion, green chilies, ginger garlic paste, lemon juice, garam masala, Cumin powder, salt, coriander leaves, Fresh cream and bread, mix all well. The cream added gives it a very smooth texture and retains the moisture of the kabab while it gets cooked.

 

• Make into small patties, coat it with bread crumbs, keep in fridge for 2 hours.

• Heat oil in a frying pan. Fry kababs on low heat till golden brown, on both sides.

• Serve hot with chutney.

FISH CUTLET

As it is the month of Ramadan, and numerous snacks are made everyday for Iftaar, to make something new and different is always the quest..!! Chicken, mutton, potatoes and paneer are commonly used items to make Ramadan snacks, but here is something with seafood...

Me, being from Konkan side, I have a craze for seafood, and by now you must have made this out from my blogs too.. This recipe is something that tangles my taste buds, especially since fish is hardly made at my home during this month.

You can use any fish for making these cutlets. I use Surmai or Rawas. Alternatively you can also use canned tuna fish. You can also use these cutlets to make fish rolls or in sandwiches.

Ingredients :

• Fish, boiled, deskinned and mashed - 500 gm
• Paste of ginger & garlic - 1 tablespoon each
• Green chilli - 2-3, finely chopped
• Spring Onion - 2 sprigs with the onions, finely chopped
• Garam masala - ½ teaspoon
• Pepper powder - ½, 1 teaspoon
• Fresh Corriander - 2 tbsp. finely chopped
• Bread Pieces - 5-6
• Lemon juice - 1 tsp
• Egg white - 1 egg
• Bread crumbs - 1 cup
• Salt - to taste
• Oil to fry.

 

Method :

 

• Mix boiled and mashed fish, ginger garlic paste, chopped onions with greens, green chillies and coriander, garam masala powder, black pepper powder, lemon juice and salt in a bowl.

 

• 
  Remove the ends of the bread and soak in water, and squeeze the water out completely.

 

• Add the bread in the fish mixture and mix well.

 

• Shape the mixture into round cutlets and press them between you palms.

 

• Dip the patty in beaten egg one by one and coat it with bread crumbs.

 

• Deep fry in oil on medium flame till golden brown in colour.

 

• Serve hot with tomato sauce or green chutney.

 

Beet root parantha

As always wondering, what to make at the breakfast.. something which is healthy, tasty and different too. Nothing is as easily accepted as a parantha, on the breakfast table, which ever variant it is..

Beet root, a vegetable rich in Iron, is highly recommended for anemic patients, though not relished by many. A beet root parantha is one of the ways to get those people interested in having it..

Ingredients :

• 3 beet roots.
• 2 tsp chat masala powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 2 tsp chopped green chillies
• 2 tbsp. chopped coriander leaves.
• ghee to apply on the paratha.

• wheat flour to make the parantha
• water and oil to kneed the dough.

Method :

• Take three beet roots and grate them.

• In a pan, roast beet root. Add chat masala powder, cumin powder, salt, chopped green chillies and coriander to the beet root. Roast till all the moisture from beet root is absorbed. Allow it to cool or the mixture will keep popping from the sides of the paratha.
• Avoid boiling and mashing beet root as the taste is lost in boiled water.

• Knead dough with wheat flour. You can also use maida. It is tastier with maida flour though ...not that healthy.

• Make two puris and place the beet root mixture in between the puris. Stick it from all sides and using a rolling pin make paratha.

• Cook on both sides applying ghee.

• Serve with curd or sweet chutney.

 

DUM ALOO TANDOORI

 I Donno about authentic dum aloo recipe. But here is the recipe of tandoori dum aloo I make..

This is similar to what I used to get in my hostel mess, one of the few dishes that I used to really enjoy..
Hope you guys like it too, as it has a very chatpata taste.. This dish goes well with the kids. :)

Ingredients :

• 1/2 kg baby potatoes.
• 2-3 cloves
• 1/2 inch cinnamon
• 1-2 bay leaves
• 7-8 garlic cloves
• 4-5 red chillies
• 2 tsp cumin powder
• 3-4 tbsp. saunf powder
• 300 gm curd
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tbsp. oil
• oil for frying
• salt to taste

Method :

• Take 1/2 kg baby potatoes, peel, poke with a fork all over, half boil in salt water and deep fry on high flame,drain and keep aside.

• In a pan, heat oil. Add 2-3 cloves, 1/2 inch cinnamon, bay leaf to it. Allow it to crackle.

• Grind 7-8 cloves of garlic, and 4-5 red chillies into coarse paste. Add to the pan. Cook for 2-3 mins.

• Add 2 tsp cumin powder, 3-4 tbsp of saunf powder. (Just roast saunf for sometime and grind it into powder. )

• Add 300 gm curd, and turmeric powder and salt. Cook till mixture leaves oil.

• Add boiled and fried potatoes and sprinkle few drops of water. Cover and simmer for sometime till masala seeps into the potatoes.

• Garnish with coriander and serve hot.

VEGETABLE QUICH

A Colorful variant of omlette... with taste of pizza in it.. will lure the kids in having vegetables and eggs, happily.. ;-)

Ingredients :

• 2-3 long black brinjals, cut in rings.
• 2-3 medium sized potatoes, cut in rings.
• 2 green capsicums, cut in thin rings.
• 2 tomatoes, cut in rings.
• 3-4 green chillies, finely chopped.
• 4 tsp dried oregano / mixed herbs powder.
• 4 tsp paprika.
• 3-4 eggs.
• 3 -4 cubes of Amul cheese.
• 1-2 tbsp. oil.
• pinch of black pepper powder.
• salt to taste.

Method :

• In a pan, heat oil on low flame.
• Place the brinjal rings evenly covering the base. Sprinkle some salt, 1 tsp oregano powder and paprika.
• Place the potato rings and sprinkle salt, oregano and paprika.
• Similarly place the capsicum and tomato rings in layers.
• Sprinkle chopped green chillies over the tomatoes.
• Cover and cook on low flame till brinjal and potatoes are tender. Make sure the brinjals don get over cooked and burnt at the base
• In a bowl, beat the eggs and add black pepper powder and some salt.
• Pour the beaten eggs over the vegetables evenly. Spread shredded cheese over the eggs.
  
  
  
   
• Cover and cook on low flame till eggs are done and cheese melts.
• Cut in triangles and serve hot with Bread.

STEAMED CHICKEN AND VEGETABLE BROTH

Anglo Arabic style steamed chicken and vegetable broth.. A party dish having less spices, and a oil free recipe.. can be relished as soup or as gravy eaten with garlic bread or pita bread.

This gravy can also be cooked without chicken in it.

Ingredients :

• 1 whole chicken of 1.25 kg, with skin cut in 8 pieces
• 1/2 cup baby corn, split in 4 pieces, lengthwise.
• 1/2 cup broccoli florets.
• 1/2 cup button mushrooms, cut in 2 pieces.
• 1 cup bell peppers - red, yellow and green mixed, cut in cubes.
• 1 cup spinach leaves, stem removed.
• 1/2 cup celery stem.
• 10-12 green chillies, split lengthwise.(depending upon the spice needed)
• 4 medium onions, chopped.
• 4 medium tomatoes, chopped.
• 10-12 garlic cloves chopped.
• 10-12 garlic cloves, whole.
• 2-3 tsp cumin seeds.
• 2 inches ginger chopped.
• 1 tsp fennel seeds.
• 7-8 black pepper.
• 3-4 cloves.
• 1 maggi magic cube (optional, if not using chicken).
• 1 tbsp. oil.
• Salt to taste.

Method :

• In a vessel, add chopped onions, tomatoes, garlic, ginger, 4-5 green chillies, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, black pepper, cloves and some salt. Add 5-6 cups of water, bring to a boil and cook till onion and tomatoes melt.
  

  
• Drain the above mixture, and keep the water aside. Discard the rest.
• Add chicken to the drained water and simmer and cook till chicken is tender.
  

  
• In a pan, heat oil and add whole garlics and slit green chillies, allow it to splutter.
  

  

   
• Add all the cut vegetables, except spinach. Stir for 1-2 mins.
• Add the chicken pieces alongwith the broth. Bring to a boil.
• Add spinach leaves. Adjust the seasoning.
• Simmer and cook for 10-15 mins till done.
• 
  Serve hot with garlic bread or pasta.