[Recipe] Veg korma

A bunch of us friends had decided to do a potluck dinner at a friend's house and I was assigned the task of making a Veg korma. The other dishes that came were Biryani/pulao, cupcakes, paneer tikka, chilli-carrot soup, roti, curd, ice cream and cheesecake.. :-) 

Here is how I made the korma [dint follow any recipe, just went with my instincts]

What you need- 

Oil – 2 Tbsp   

Cinnamon Stick – 1 inch piece

Cardamom – 2

Cloves – 5

Black Peppercorns – 1/4 tsp

Broken Cashews – 1/4 cup

Raisins – 1 Tbsp

Onions – 2 big ones chopped up roughly 

Salt – to taste

Yogurt – 1/2 cup 

Ginger Garlic paste - 1 tbsp [alternative would be fresh ginger & garlic chopped up]

Green Chilies –2

The Masalas:

Cumin Powder – 1 Tbsp

Coriander Powder – 1 Tbsp

Red Chili Powder – 2tsp

Turmeric Powder – a pinch

Paneer – 1 packet 

Tomato – 3 large

Carrots – 2 

Cauliflower – 2 cups

Potatoes – 2

Green Beans – 1 cup

Water – approx 2 cups

Note: All veggies to be chopped in the same size [paneer can be slightly bigger]

The process:

1. In a pan heat some oil, lightly fry the cashews and raisins. Remove all, incl the oil and set aside.  

2. In the same pan, add cloves, Cinnamon, Cardamom, and Peppercorns. Dry roast for few seconds and set aside.  

3. To the same pan, add some oil, then saute the Onions with Turmeric Powder and a little Salt. To this you can add the ginger garlic paste and green chillies as well. Once all cooked well, add tomatoes to this and saute for a few mins till tomato is soft. Remove and cool to blend.  Blend to a puree in the mixie. You can also blend the cashews like I did, makes it rich and thick. 

4. Now, while sauteig the onion and tomato, put the vegetables to boil in another pan. I did this on the induction stove. Cooked the Cauliflower, Peas, Carrots, beans and potato with a pinch of salt. 

5. Back to the pan- add the vegetables and the paste made with onion & cashews and cook till the oil oozes out of the sides.  

6. Time to add the masalas-- Cumin Powder, Coriander Powder and Red Chili Powder. Add required amount of water to help bring them all together.  

7. Just before turning off the stove, toss in the Paneer and mix well. 

8. Add the curd and allow to come to one boil. [any more and it will split]  

Ta da.. Korma was ready!! At every stage, check spices and seasoning by tasting and add whatever you feel is required.. This tasted yumm, even if I do say so myself.. And well, the bowl was wiped clean by the end of the meal.. :-)) 

This quantity served 6 adults

Took about 20-30 mins to prepare [incl chopping time] 

{recipe} Clear vegetable soup

I like my soup to be chunky, dont like it completely smooth. And one soup I love is the clear vegetable soup. I remember having a version of this in Cascade years ago. Last month one day I stood staring into the veg tray for  a few minutes, shut the fridge and repeated the same once again.  I gave up! I had 2 carrots, a small piece of cabbage, 1 onion, 1 potato, handful of fresh peas, 1 tiny bit of zucchini, 1 tomato and a small piece of tofu. I broke my head for a while and finally a lightbulb moment happened. I decided to make the soup for dinner and have it with 2 slices of multi grain bread. 


Ingredients 
2 tsp olive oil
1/4 cup cabbage
1 onion 
2 carrots 
1 potato
1/4 cup peas 
1 tomato
1/4 zucchini
50-60 grams tofu 
1 liter water
Salt
Black pepper
2 cloves of Garlic
1 tsp vinegar

Method

1. Chop all the veggies into cubes and set aside. 
2. In a pan, add oil, saute the onions, garlic for a few minutes and then add the rest of the chopped veggies and saute them for 3-4 mins
3. Add water and allow it to come to a boil, cooking the veggies [if you want you can pre-cook the potato and peas]
4.  Once the vegetables are all cooked, take a tbsp of the same and puree. 
5. Add puree back to the boiling vegetables in water and let it simmer
6. Add salt and black pepper along with vinegar [this gives it a nice kick] and finally add the tofu. Let it boil for a minute and turn off stove

Your soup is now ready to be served!! 

Options:
You can add any vegetable you can get your hands on- cauliflower, broccoli, beans, zucchini, mushrooms,pumpkin, squash, boiled chickpeas etc etc
You can also add an egg at the end- crack open the egg and drizzle from a height, and stir-  this becomes an egg drop soup :D
You can infact add a few spinach leaves if you have them [ quite like the change in colour]
You can make the same with meat as well 
If you like it spicy and with heat, add few chopped red chillies 
To make it a better meal, you can toss in some boiled noodles/pasta/macarooni
Similarly, a bay leaf will boost the soup's flavour

As you can see, sky is the limit when it comes to soups!! 

Bread upma with a difference

Ever since I moved to a place of my own, it has been fun in all ways. I enjoy cooking for Me. I have the freedom to make anything I feel like.  There are days when I eat cornflakes with fruits, and other days I make roti with a veggie side, or like today I make Bread upma and just add anything my eyes fall on. Here is what I made today,

Ingredients:
7 grain Bread [multi grain]- 3 slices Onion- 1 Tomato- 2 Ginger garlic paste- 1tsp Mustard seeds- 1/4tsp Oil - 1tsp Egg-1 Salt- to taste Garam Masala powder- 1/2 tsp

Process:
In a pan, add oil, onions, ginger garlic paste and saute for a minute and then add tomatoes once the onions go golden,. Now add salt and garam masala powder and saute well. In a flat pan, toast the bread slices without any oil/ghee and once they are done, cut them up into small pieces and keep them aside Add the bread pieces to the masala and toss well. Break an egg and add to the mixture and scramble the same within the mix. 

Serve HOT!!

The Great Biryani Cookout from CFG

I've been with the Chennai Food Guide group for a while and its been an amazing journey! Apart from restaurant reviews, the team has now branched out into organising various workshops. Though i've not attended any, the feedback and reviews have been left me quite envious. One more is in the offing.. It is the.... drum rolls please..... c'mon, keep em coming....

The Great Biryani Cookout

Who does not like a good biryani? I have had quite a few across restaurants and some were outstanding [simple yet packed with flavour] while others well, less said the better. But i have always wanted to learn the art of making a good Biryani [wonder when that will happen]. For now, here is a treat for all you wannabe Masterchefs, or rather wannabe Biryani connoisseurs 

When-- Saturday, June 23, 2012

What Time-- 11am through to 2.30pm 

Where-- Lakshmi Farms.

How to Get there-- It is 3rd Farm House on the RIGHT HAND SIDE after the ECR Toll Gate from Thiruvanmyur towards Mahabs. You won't miss the place on the day of the event!


Who's teaching-- Learn from the best there is, a traditional Chef - Rajab who has under his chef's hat over15 years of experience of cooking Tamil Muslim Style Biryani at weddings, and other functions. Tempting right?

     What is in store for you??

• This workshop completely teaches you how to cook Biryani (Veggie, Mutton and Chicken) Chennai Tamil Muslim Style from the beginning till the very end, along with the Chicken 65, Raitha, Brinjal Thokku and Bread Halwa. The idea is that all participants get engaged right from cutting the vegetables, washing the rice to loading the Biryani in the Dum. Later you all can eat what you have cooked. Note: SEPARATE COOKING AND PREPARATION FOR VEGGIES AND NON VEGGIES [ so, dont smirk or scrunch up your face  at the mention of Non veg biryani being cooked alongside veg] Things on the COOK, EAT & LEARN Menu: VEG MENU 1) Veg Biryani 2) Gobi 65 3) Onion Raitha 4) Brinjal Thokku 5) Bread Halwa 6) Flavoured Sweet Rice NON VEG MENU 1) Chicken Biryani 2) Mutton Biryani 3) Chicken 65 4) Onion Raitha 5) Brinjal Thokku 6) Bread Halwa 7) Flavoured Sweet Rice Scaled Recipe Booklet will be Provided and Instructed by a Traditional and Experienced Cook/ Chef. Cooking will be done in traditional vessel and possibly using wood fire. Everyone gets to take home Desserts - Bread Halwa and Flavoured Sweet Rice Unlimited Soft Drinks and Water will be available How much-- 1499/- Per Person [Includes everything mentioned above] What to bring-- A Chopping board & a Knife [so we dont get caught if you accidently commit any crimes, other than chopping veggies/meat that is...] How to Register? Those who are interested to take part in the CFG Biryani Workshop on Saturday June 23rd 11am-3pm need to contact Nishanth Radhakrishnan via mobile +919840340490 or email him on nishanth@chennaifoodguide.in Your participation will be confirmed for the event once payment is done. You can come deliver the amount to our office. Address details are as follows: Chennai Food Guide ARZ Consultancy No. 17/12 Venkatrathinam Nagar Extension 2nd Street Adyar, Chennai - 600020 Behind Cafe Coffee Day For e-transfer - email Nishanth [nishanth@chennaifoodguide.in] for account details. First Come First Serve Basis: 50 People only ALSO GET DISCOUNT VOUCHER FROM DAAWAT A BIRYANI for all participants. For more info on them visit:  http://www.facebook.com/daawatabiriyani What are you waiting for? Vethala paakku or the red carpet??? Get going and Register already!! You can also check out the Facebook page for The Great Biryani Cookout

Japan Fruit...

Me: Is it a different kind of tomato?

Gramma: No, it looks different... I havent seen this kind of tomato before

Me: Hmm.. it is in the fruit section.... Do you have any idea what it could be?

Gramma : [She looked at me perplexed...]

I then turned to the salesman behind the Apples counter and asked him what fruit it was..

Salesguy: Japan Fruit madam.. See that box next to it, it has the chopped fruit as well..

I instantly tweeted asking the kind souls out there if they had seen/tasted this fruit. Within few minutes, one of those souls replied saying "yes, have seen this before, it is also called Persimmon"

From Wikipedia- They are high in glucose, with a balanced protein profile, and possess various medicinal and chemical uses. Like the tomato, it is not considered a "common berry", but is in fact a "true berry" by definition.

We were tempted to buy one and try, but put it off for another day... I got home and did some snooping around on the net... What i found had me curious.. 

Health benefits of persimmon fruit

[Source:http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/persimmon-fruit.html]

• The fruit is low in calories (provides 70 cal/100g) and fats but is rich source of dietary fiber.
  
• Persimmons contain many health benefiting phyto-nutrients flavonoid poly-phenolic anti-oxidants like catechins and gallocatechins as well as important anti-tumor compound betulinic acid. Catechins are known to have anti-infective, anti-inflammatory and anti-hemorrhagic (prevents bleeding from small blood vessels) properties.
  
• Fresh permissions contain anti-oxidant compounds like vitamin-A, beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein, zeaxanthin and cryptoxanthin. Together, these compounds functions as protective scavengers against oxygen-derived free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) that plays a role in aging and various disease processes.
  
• zeaxanthin, an important dietary carotenoid, selectively absorbed into the retinal macula lutea in the eyes where it is thought to provide antioxidant and protective light-filtering functions; thus, helps prevent "Age related macular disease"(ARMD) in the elderly.
  
• The fruits are also very good source of vitamin-C, another powerful antioxidant (especially native Chinese and American persimmons; provide 80% of DRI). Regular consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals.
  
• The fruit is good in many valuable B-complex vitamins such as folic acid, pyridoxine (vitamin B-6), thiamin...etc. These vitamins act as co-factors for numerous metabolic enzymatic functions in the body.
  
• Fresh Persimmon fruits also contain healthy amounts of minerals like potassium, manganese (15% of DRI), copper (12% of DRI),  and phosphorus. Manganese is a co-factor for the enzyme, superoxide dismutase, which is a very powerful free radical scavenger. Copper is a co-factor for many vital enzymes, including cytochrome c-oxidase and superoxide dismutase (other minerals function as cofactors for this enzyme are manganese and zinc). Copper is also required for the production of red blood cells.
  

You bet on my next sighting of this fruit, i am going to grab one!!

Pastas

The last weekend when i was away and travelling, i ate Pasta atleast once a day, not because i love it that much, but because it was the only item on the menu apart from the boring Rice and Roti.... :-)

Back home too, i enjoy cooking Pasta- everytime i try to bring home a different kind of pasta, experiment with different sauces/pesto and recipes [ all of which are created by yours truly] and dish it out.. I can proudly say that till date it has not disappointed me.. Am happy about my taste palate... :-)

Even though pastas originated in Italy, it has become quite common here in India too... And a good alternative to rotis, rice, pizza and sandwiches... 

Some of the different kinds of Pastas are- 

 

Farfelle- Bow Pasta, which is my alltime favourite- cos they look so cute :)

 

Fettucine, long flat noodle kind of pasta.. i like these, but grandparents find them difficult to eat, so they are the last resort

Fussili- twirly pasta... Love these as well..

 

Spaghetti is a long, thin, cylindrical pasta, ideal for pasta made with sauce

Conchiglie, these resemble little shells and come in 2 sizes, small and big...

Penne, the traditional small pipe shaped pasta... Most commonly found and used... These come in single colour and Tricolour as well..

Fusili pasta made with Wheat flour.. These take a bit longer than the maida ones to cook, but are healthier... 

 

Lasagna, pasta in the form of sheets that is used by layering the sheets between vegetables, topped with chees e and baked in the oven.. I havent made this, but have had it in restaurants..

I have seen a few more varieties on the net and heard from Friends who live abroad, but not seen them as part of the menu .. 

Which is your favorite????