Cooking isn't rocket science !!

That's exactly what i have learned not only after watching the programme but also after trying my hands on in kitchen. A lot of recipes require same ingredients, a little change in tampering, thoughtful garnishing and seasoning is a trick to make delicious recipes. 

The weather in mumbai is taking a quick turn and it will start raining anytime soon may be from the next week. I love the colour of cloud when it rain, its all gray and gloomy a perfect weather to try out new recipes but at the same time care should be taken and so a lot of whole masala, ginger and garlic is added to make the food digestible, guess its the perfect time for eating kidney bean,fenugreek,curd,bottle gourd,kormas,koftas,kebabs,tikkis etc. i have tried these recipes last week these are simple yet delicious.

Paneer Koftas in manchurian Sauce

Ingredients

For Koftas.

Paneer / Cottage Cheese-100 grams

Potato Mash - 2tsp

Grated Bottle gourd- 25 grams

Red Chilli Powder-1/2 tsp

Chopped Coriander leaves - 1tsp

Salt - as per taste

Cornflour - as per binding requirement

Oil for frying

For Sauce.

Oil-1/2tsp

Chopped Ginger -1"

Crushed Garlic - 3-4 flakes

Chopped Green Chillies-2

Finely Chopped Onion-1 medium size

Soy Sauce - 1tsp
Tomato Ketchup - 1 1/2 tsp

Vinegar-2tsp

Salt -as per taste

Corn flour - 1 1/2 tsp

Water- 1 1/2 cup

Mix all kofta ingredients in a bowl and make small balls, deep fry these on a medium flame and keep it aside.

For making sauce :- heat oil in a wok and add ginger and garlic,fry for 1 minute then add green chillies and onion further fry till onions are translucent now reduce the flame and soy sauce,tomato ketchup,vinegar and salt,cook for 2-3 minutes , add water and continue stirring on a low flame when the sauce starts to boil, dissolve cornflour in a 1/2 cup water and add it to the sauce stirring continuously, cook till it is slightly thick. Add the kofta balls to the manchurian sauce, keep on low flame for 1 minute. serve hot with steamed rice.

Garnish :- With fried capsicum slices and  fresh coriander leaves.

Badami Aloo
Ingredients

Baby Potatoes :- 250 grams

Boiled Almond Paste:- 3tsp

Garlic Cloves :- 2

Oil :- enough for frying

Chopped Ginger :- 1/2 inch

Cumin Seeds :- 1 1/2 tsp

Green Cardamom Powder :-1/2 tsp

Clove Powder :- 1/2tsp

Cinnamon Powder :- 1/2 tsp

Mace powder :- 1/2 tsp

Chopped Onion :- 2 medium size

Tomato Puree 

Salt :- as per taste

Yellow pepper powder :- 1/2 tsp

Turmeric Powder :- 1/2 tsp

Fresh Cream :- 1tsp

a few strands of saffron soaked in 1tsp of milk

Clean and peel the potato and then shallow fry them until they become tender and keep them aside. heat 2 tsp of oil in a wok add cumin,cardamom,cloves,cinnamon,mace,bay leave and ginger garlic and half of the chopped onion to it,once onion start to brown add all the potatoes to it and let it simmer for 1 minute, in another bowl add curd and all the dry masala,salt and boil almond paste mix it well and add it to the potatoes that has been simmering mix water to make the gravy, fry the rest of the onion till it turn crisp and brown, take the onion out of the wok and mix it with a spoon full of cream and make a paste and then add it to the potatoes. Before turning the flame off add the saffron and the 'flavoring powder' to add that royal touch to your badami aloos.

'Flavouring Powder'

 to make flavouring powder mix 1/2tsp each of cardamom,rose petal,fennel,black cardamom powder and a pinch of clove,nutmeg,cinnamon and mace powder. mix it in a bowl and use it to add richness and depth of flavours in your dishes.

Chane ke Kebabs

    Ingredients.

     Sprouted Horse Gram/black gram:- 500 gm

     Paneer/cottage cheese-200 gm

     Mashed potatoes :- 100gm

     Chopped Green Coriander :- 3tsp

     Chopped Green Chillies:- 2tsp

     Chopped Ginger :-1tsp

     Chopped Onion :- 1 medium size

     Chopped spring onion :- 1 medium size

     Melted butter :- 1tsp

     Juice of a lemon :- 1tsp

Boil and cook black gram until they are soft and can be mashed easily.In a bowl add mashed gram, cottage cheese and potatoes and mix it with your palm, tip in the other ingredients. Divide the mixture in 8 equal portion and skew it on the skewer and grill in a tandoor. Keep drizzling with butter to retain softness.

Aloo Methi ki tikki

Ingredients

Boiled and Mashed potato :- 200 gm

or 

Potato mash :- 200gm

Chopped Green fenugreek leave :- 1 small bunch

Dried Kasoori methi :- 1tsp

        Chopped coriander leaves :-50gm

Chopped Onion :-100gm

Cumin Powder :- 2tsp

Chaat masala powder:-2tsp

Salt :- as per taste

Heat oil in a wok, add cumin seeds, green chillies and onion keep stirring until onions are translucent, add mashed potatoes,chopped fenugreek leaves,coriander leaves and other ingredients mix well and turn the heat off. Let the mixture cool before dividing the mixture in equal portion, shape it into small balls and flatten it with your palm. Shallow fry in hot oil to brown colour.Pat dry to kitchen towel to remove excess oil. Serve hot with chutney.