Aloo-Borboti Torkari (Yard Long Bean Thoran)

                                                                                
Today I would like to present a simple yet tasty stir fry which is ideal for serving during the summer time. The regular intake of green vegetables can never be over emphasized and therefore having it during meals would not only be good for our health but also preparing by using this method will make it tastier.

                                                                         
Serves: 2, Preparation time: 15 minutes


Ingredients:
200 gms Borboti (Indian Yard long Bean)
1 Potato
1 tsp Cumin seeds
2 Green chillies
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
1/2 tsp Red chilly powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
A pinch of Asafetida
1/2 tsp Sugar
1 Whole red chilly
Salt to taste
1 tbsp Mustard oil
1/4 water to sprinkle


Method:
After washing borboti, snap the ends and chop them into 1"inch long length. And chop potato like french fry style. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Fry for few seconds or till the seeds starts spluttering. Add chilly, asafetida, potatoes and fry on medium flame for 2-3 minutes. Now add turmeric powder, red chilly powder, borboti (Yard long beans), sugar and salt. Stir fry and sprinkle little water in it, cover and cook till the beans become soft and tender. Serve this borboti stir fry with Dal -Bhaat or Chapati.

                                                   

Kaju-Chocolate Katlis/Marbles

As the festival Ganesh Chaturthi is approaching nearby, I thought of preparing  Kaju Katlis or Burfis as a tribute to the Lord. Although traditionally this Burfi is diamond shaped  made out of Cashews and Sugar , I have changed it a little bit for double pleasure and rich taste . This dessert is super easy to make, I have added chocolate as an additional flavor to it. My innovative effort paid off. Now I'm always running out of stock. An believe me friends, my son liked it so much that after each and every meal he makes it a point to ask for Kaju-Chocolate pedas/katli till he realizes that all have been consumed by him and the family. So here is the simple recipe.


Ingredients:
1 cup Kaju, plain and keep in fridge for overnight
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup Water
1/4 cup Dark chocolate
1 tsp butter
3 Sheets of Varak(silver foil)


Method:
Grind the cashews into a fine powder in a blender. do not add water in the blender, tap the jar filled with cashews once in between, so that the powder do not stick to the blades. In a saucepan take water and sugar on low heat, boil till you get double thread string consistency. Remove from heat and start pouring cashew powder into the syrup, mix thoroughly and put it back on low flame again until it becomes a gooey texture.

                                                                       
 In the meantime in an another burner, take a double boiler and melt dark chocolate and 1 tsp butter. Make sure the bottom of the upper pan which has chocolate should not touch water of bottom utensil at any cost. Use a spoon to stir the chocolate until it is melted completely. Now mix this melted chocolate with the cashew mixture thoroughly. Knead well till it forms a smooth and shiny looking dough and the natural oil in the cashews will start letting oil out. Now pinch lemon size ball from the dough and make round shape. Arrange them in a plate and apply silver varak on top of each ball. Let these set for a while in fridge and then serve these melt in mouth kaju-chocolate katlis/balls to your family and friends.

                                                                                           
User Comments & Tips:

• While adding cashew powder to the syrup stir continiously and do not let it unattended even for a minute.
• After adding chocolate you can also give them into diamond shapes by pouring this mixture in a greased plate and press it to the desired thickness of the katlis. The above surface should be even and smooth. Let this cool a bit and apply silver varak/foil gently over top. After an hour cut the katlis into diamond shape.
• These katlis remains good for atleast 3-4 weeks if stored in normal temperature.

                                                                                 

                                                                                          

Pasta With Tomato Sauce

                                                                       
This is one of my favourite Italian dish. Since the 1st time I had this, I have become a fan of it. Not only it is delicious in taste but it has a certain vibrancy with it. Especially when the tomato sauce is mixed with the pasta, it turns out to be an inviting food. Yesterday, I prepared it for my family and was not sure how my son would like this (till now in my  knowledge he like pasta with cheese only) but he surprised me !!! I had prepared chapatis for him, which he kept aside and went on asking for more pasta till his hunger was satisfied every one including my 4 year old son asked for more. 

                                                                   


Ingredients:
1 tbsp Olive oil
3-4 Garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 Onion, finely chopped
500gms Tomatoes, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp Tomato puree
Fresh basil, handful
2 tbsp Parsley, chopped
1 tbsp Oregano
1 tsp Paprika
Salt and Black pepper powder according to taste


Method:
Heat Olive oil in a thick saucepan and to bring out the fragrance, add minced garlic. Stir this for few seconds, while not letting the garlic burn.

                                                  
 Immediately add onion and saute until transparent. Add tomato puree and keep stirring for 2-3 minutes. On low heat add rest of the chopped tomatoes, paprika, salt, pepper, chopped basil leaves and parsley. Keep on stirring at regular intervals and cook until the sauce thickens. Before switching off the burner add oregano, stir well. Voila ! your tomato pasta sauce is ready. If you want to store this for later use, pour this in an air tight container and keep inside the fridge for 4-5 days. 

                                              


Pasta with this tomato sauce:
Ingredients:
1 packet of pasta(Farfalle)
1 tbsp Olive oil
2-3 Garlic, crushed
3 tbsp Ricotta cheese
Salt according to taste


Method:
Cook pasta according to the package directions at the back of packet. Drain the pasta thoroughly (it's better to save few tbsp of pasta water for later use, if you find the final outcome a little dry adding this water might help you). Saute garlic in olive oil in a pan, throw in the cooked pasta and stir. Pour the tomato sauce over the pasta and toss together. Add salt and cheese, blend well. Pasta with tomato sauce is ready to be served. 

                                                           

Soyabean Cutlets ...and I'm back...

Hi Friends,
Firstly, I would like to apologize to all of you for recently not being active in the bloggosphere and subsequently missed following your delicious recipes. Actually, past one week I was extremely busy preparing for my Son's birthday which was on 10th July. Have a look at the cake which was specially ordered keeping my son's favorite character in mind i.e Ben10. 

                                                                              

 Moreover, my home was brimming with close relatives ranging from Father In Law, Parents and my sister. As a result I was upright throughout last week. But now I am back and would be following your posts thoroughly. 

                                                                             
Today I am going to post, a starter called soybean tikkis/cutlets which are not only fast to prepare but also nice to eat as well. Hope all of you like it and give your valuable comments.

                                                                       


Ingredients:
1 cup Soyabean
1 Potato, boiled and mashed
1 tbsp Ginger-garlic paste
1/4 cup Corns
2-3 Green chillies
1 onion, large, finely chopped
2 tsp Lemon juice
1/2 tsp Red chilly powder
Salt to taste
1 tbsp finely chopped Coriander leaves
Oil for shallow frying


Method:
Rinse soyabeans in water to clean. Soak them for overnight or for 8 hours. Then drain out the water and grind till you get crumbly texture. 
Take a mixing bowl and mix together soyabean mixture, chopped onion, ginger-garlic paste, green chilly, corns, lemon juice, potato, chilly powder, coriander leaves. Add salt and mash thoroughly. Make lemon sized balls of the mixture and slightly flatten them to shape like tikkis. Heat a flat non stick pan and add little oil over the pan and place the cutlets. Shallow fry them for 4-5 minutes each side or until golden color. Drain the cutlets onto an absorbent paper. Serve hot with sprinkled with chaat masala and ketchup.

      Submitting this recipe to Good Food Recipes   on going event 'Healthy Snacks'.  

                                                                                                                           

Pabda Mach Kalo Jeere Diye (Pabda Fish Curry)

                                                
It is a fact that Bengalis are ardent food lovers and Fish tops the list of their favourites . Today's fish Pabda is not only good to taste but it has also got a single set of backbone in the middle, making it hassle free while eating. It tastes delicious when cooked as a gravy with Kalo Jeere ( English). So here goes, my post of a fish preparation after a long time.


Ingredients:
4 pieces of Pabda fish
1 Onion, ground to paste
1/2 tsp nigella seeds(whish is also called Kalo jeera in Bengali)
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Red chilly powder
2 Green chillies
Fresh coriander (a handful)
Mustard oil
Salt to taste
1 cup Water


Method:
Clean and wash fish pieces, pat them dry. Sprinkle some salt, turmeric on the fish, mix well and keep aside for 15 minutes.

                                          


Heat mustard oil in a broad frying pan (so that the fish doesn't break from the middle while frying). When the heat is on smoking point, reduce the flame and fry the fishes in batches for 2-3 minutes on both the sides. Keep aside.

fried pabda fishes

                                                                    

Photo source: http://www.arzoomag.com/food/masala-guide/

                                                                                  


Now reduce the oil quantity from the pan, and add kalo jeera, let it splutter. Add green chillies, onion paste and fry for a minute. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder and fry well for a minute on medium heat. Now add water and boil this on high flame till you get first boil. Then reduce the heat and add fish pieces. Adjust the salt, cover and cook for about 5-8 minutes. Remove from heat, garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with hot steamed rice.