Orange Iced Tea

1 serving


Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup hot water
• 1 tea bag
• Sugar (2 tsp or according to preference)
• 1 glass fresh orange juice chilled
• Some orange slices
• 2 mint leaves
• 3 ice cubes

Method:

1. Place the tea bag in hot water for 2 minutes or as strong as you wish. Add sugar and stir till it dissolves. Discard the tea bag and chill in the refrigerator.
2. Take a tall serving glass and combine chilled tea and fresh orange juice.
3. Put some orange slices, mint leaves and ice cubes and serve cold.

Dates & Almond Drink

2 Servings


Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup dates paste
• 5 to 6 soaked and peeled almonds
• Sugar or honey (optional)
• 2 cups milk
• Pinch of cinnamon powder

Method:

1. Place the dates paste, almonds, honey and cinnamon powder in a mixer jar.
2. Add 1/2 cup milk and blend till smooth.
3. Then add rest of the milk and again blend till you get a smooth mixture.
4. Serve chilled. 

Note: To make dates paste, soak 6 to 7 dates in 1/2 cup hot water along with a pinch of baking soda for 3 to 4 hours. Then grind to a smooth paste with the same water.

Cheese & Tomato Quiche

Quiche, pronounced as 'Keesh' is a complete meal on its own as well as a versatile dish, which could be your late weekend breakfast or brunch. Also you can enjoy it as lunch or at dinner party with friends. It is made of a rich buttery and flaky crust with a savoury custard filling with your choice of toppings and flavors. It is a part of French cuisine but is also popular in other countries. 

Preparation time for crust: 40 minutes

Preparation time for filling: 20 minutes

Baking time: 30 minutes

Serves 4 or 5

To make the crust

Ingredients for the crust:

• 1 1/2 cup plain flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 100 gms of cold butter (cut into cubes)
• 1/2 cup ice water
• 30 cm quiche pan (loose bottom)

Method:

1) Mix plain flour and salt well in a large mixing bowl. Add cold butter cubes and start mixing gently with your finger tips until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs.

                                                                                     

2) Now slowly add 1/2 cup chilled water and form into a soft smooth dough. Do not knead the dough too much, stop when everything comes together as one single mass. (the dough can also be prepared in a chopper as shown in the picture using the 'pulse' button)

3)Wrap the dough in a cling wrap sheet and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

4) Remove from the refrigerator and leave to rest at room temperature for few minutes.

5) Place a large cling wrap sheet on the table and place the dough on it. Roll out the dough into a thin disc, a little bigger than the of the size of the quiche pan.

6) Place the rolled out disc on the quiche pan by lifting the cling wrap. (It becomes easier to handle the dough sheet with cling wrap or else it can break while lifting )

7) Cover the sides of the quiche pan with the dough evenly, remove any excess of it and prick the base with the fork so that the dough does not rise while baking. Place the prepared quiche pan in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.

  

  

8) Preheat oven to 200 deg C. Cover the chilled quiche tin and the dough with foil paper and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the foil and again bake for another 10 minutes or till the crust is light golden.

To make the filling (custard)

Ingredients:

For custard (whisk together to smooth mixture)

• 1 cup full cream milk
• 1/2 cup cream
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 tsp black pepper powder
• Salt

                                                                            

For topping

• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese or cheese slices or cheese triangles
• 1 large tomato sliced
• 1 cup cooked meat of your choice (sausage, tikka pieces, boiled, cooked mince)
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley or chopped coriander leaves
• 1 tbsp chili flakes
• 1 tbsp black pepper powder
• 1 tbsp dried oregano

Method:

1) Preheat oven to 180 deg C. Take the baked quiche crust and place a layer of sliced tomatoes.

2) Then place a layer of cheese and cooked meat evenly spread along with all other topping ingredients.

3) Finally pour over the whisked custard (cream, milk & eggs mixture) over the quiche.

4) Bake the quiche for 30 minutes. To check if the quiche is cooked, insert a knife in the center and it should come out clean.

5) Let the quiche cool for about 10 to 15 minutes and then carefully loosen the bottom of the pan.
Cut into triangles and serve hot.

Vegetable Shami Kabab

A delicate and melt in the mouth vegetable shami kabab made with cooked vegetables like raw banana and potato along with the lentils and shami kabab spices. This recipe is specially designed for all the vegetarian readers who can still taste the shami without compromising on the rich flavors and essence of this unique kabab.





Ingredients:

• 2 large raw bananas 
• 3/4  cup chana dal washed & soaked
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 tbsp ginger & garlic paste
• 2 tsp red chilli powder
• 2 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp roasted cumin powder
• 1 tsp black pepper powder
• Salt to taste
• 1 medium size potato boiled and mashed
• 2 green chillies chopped
• 1 cup chopped green coriander leaves
• 1/2 cup mint leaves chopped
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp garam masala powder
• 4 to 5 tbsp of cooking oil

Preparation:

• Soak chana dal for 30 minutes
• Boil the raw bananas in a pressure cooker with the skin. When it is fully cooked, remove the skin and mash. Set aside to cool.
• Keep the boiled and mashed potato ready.
• Chop coriander leaves, mint leaves and green chili.

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan and fry onion till soft and light golden in color. Add 1 tbsp ginger & garlic paste and cook for half a minute.
2. Then add soaked chana dal, 2 tsp red chilli powder, 2 tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp roasted cumin powder, 1 tsp black pepper powder and salt to taste. Add half cup of water and cook till chana dal is almost 80% done and all the water has dried. (Chana dal should not be over cooked and soft, it should be firm)
3. To this add mashed raw banana and cook for 1 minute till it is well combined with masala and there should be a dry mixture with no water left. Check the salt and adjust. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
4. Put the banana mixture in a chopper and pulse (grind) for few seconds, the mixture should be coarse and not smooth.
5. Remove it in a large mixing bowl and add mashed potato, 2 green chillies chopped, 1 cup chopped green coriander leaves, 1/2 cup mint leaves chopped, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 egg and 1 tsp garam masala powder.
6. Mix everything well, taste the mixture and adjust the masala and salt.
7. Take a handful of mixture, form into kababs of desired shapes and shallow fry. Serve hot with mint chutney.

Note: After forming the cutlets into desired shapes, you can freeze them for later use. Can be freezed for 2 weeks.

The bananas which I have used is 'Nendrabale' they are raw and big in size and also retain the firmness even after it is cooked.

Step by step pictures

Fried Chicken Kabab

I usually do not prefer to have much of deep fried food, but this one happens to be my personal favorite dish. The recipe is inspired by one of my aunt cum close friend Mrs Veda. My whole family is a very big fan of her cooking. She is an amazing cook and this fried chicken is her speciality.

Chicken is cut into small pieces for the purpose of quick cooking, and then marinated with regular spices and then deep fried to perfection. Whenever I say 'perfection' means that chicken should be fried at the right temperature. Time is also an important factor whenever the meat is deep fried. Frying for too long makes the chicken dry and rubbery. We can never assume the exact time for cooking, as it all depends on our intuition, our sense of sight (see the color change), texture, aroma etc. It mostly comes with practice and the more you attempt making something, the more perfection you get.  But nothing to worry, this is a very easy and simple recipe and I will try my best to guide you in the right way with my own personal tips.






Ingredients:

• 1 kilogram chicken (with bone or boneless)
• 2 tbsp ginger & garlic paste
• 3 tbsp red chili powder* (can alter according to your preference)
• 1 tbsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp garam masala powder
• 3 tbsp plain flour
• 1 tbsp corn flour
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 8 curry leaves finely chopped
• 1 green chili finely chopped
• 1 tbsp vinegar
• Red food color (optional)
• 3 tsp salt
• Handful of curry leaves for garnishing
• Cooking oil for deep frying ( 4 cups or more)  

Preparation:

• Wash and cut chicken into small size and drain all the extra water by placing the pieces in a colander. (Can also place the pieces on a kitchen tissue paper)
• Finely chop 8 curry leaves and 1 green chili.

Method:

1. In a large mixing bowl add all the first 12 ingredients from the above list. Mix well and add few drops of water if the marinate is too dry. 
2. Marinate the chicken for 4 hours in the refrigerator.
3. Heat the oil in a deep sauce pan or kadhai. Once the oil is hot, reduce the flame and bring it down to medium to low heat. Do not add chicken pieces to very hot oil.
4. Add one piece of chicken and test. The chicken piece should gently sizzle and not get burnt. If you feel the oil is too hot then switch off the flame to cool it down and later turn on the heat.
5. Also make sure that oil should not be too cold. 
6. Once you get the right oil temperature, fry all the chicken pieces in 2 or 3 batches. Do not over crowd the pan. There should be enough space in between the pieces.
7. Cook each batch for about 10 minutes or less and not more than that. (7 minutes approx)
8. Remove all the fried pieces on an absorbing kitchen paper. 
9. In the same oil, fry a handful of curry leaves and use it as garnish for chicken.
10. Serve the fried chicken immediately as a starter. 

Note:

• *I use mild chili powder, you can alter according to your preference.
• Fried chicken will taste better only when it is spicy.
• Do not keep them fully covered in a hot box as it will become soggy and it will not be crispy any more.
• To keep the fried chicken hot, you can place it in a warm preheated oven without covering. 
• For best results, fry just before serving.   

Ragda Pattice | Potato Cutlet & Pea Curry Chat

Ragda Pattice is a chat preparation of fried potato cutlets with peas curry, topped with chopped raw onion, coriander leaves and sev. It is served along with sweet and spicy chutney to suit to your taste buds. A complete meal on its own, a spicy and tangy chat or a cozy evening snack. It also makes an excellent iftar dish for you Ramadan evenings.




Ingredients for Potato Cutlets:

• 500 gms potatoes
• 2 tbsp bread crumbs
• 2 tbsp corn flour
• 1 tsp chat masala powder
• Salt
• 3 tbsp of cooking oil for shallow frying (per batch)

Method:

1. Boil the potatoes without peeling them.
2. Once cooked, peel and mash. Set aside till it cools.
3. Add bread crumbs, corn flour, salt and chat masala powder. Mix well.
4. Take 2 tbsp of potato mixture and shape them into flat cutlets.
5. Heat oil in a flat pan and shallow fry the cutlets till golden and crispy on both sides.

For Ragda Masala

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dried green peas
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped tomato
• 1 tsp ginger & garlic paste
• 2 green chilies finely chopped
• 5 curry leaves finely chopped
• 2 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp garam masala powder
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp hing (asfoetida powder)
• 5 tbsp cooking oil
• 1 small potato boiled peeled & cut into cubes (optional)

Method:

1. Wash and soak the dried peas for 4 to 5 hours.
2. Boil the peas with some salt in a pressure cooker and set aside. (The peas cook really fast so do not cook for more than 10 minutes in the pressure cooker)
3. Heat oil in a pan, add hing, 1 tsp whole cumin and chopped onion. Fry till it slightly changes color.
4. Now add 1 tsp ginger & garlic paste, curry leaves, chopped green chilies along with chopped tomatoes. Cook till tomatoes are soft.
5. Add 2 tsp red chili powder, 1 tsp coriander powder and 1/4 tsp turmeric powder. Cook the masala on low flame for 5 minutes and then add boiled peas along with the required amount of its water. 
6. Cover and cook the peas masala (ragda) for 10 minutes on low flame. 
7. Taste and check the salt and adjust the consistency by adding more water if needed. (The consistency should be medium, neither too thick nor too watery)
8. Finally add 1 tsp lemon juice, 1/2 tsp garam masala and cooked potatoes. 
9. Cook for 1 more minute and serve with potato cutlets.

Ingredients for serving:

• 1 small onion chopped for topping
• 1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves for garnish
• 1 cup chat sev
• Ragda masala (peas curry)
• 1/2 cup mint chutney
• 1/2 cup sweet chutney (imli chutney)

To Serve:

1. Place a cutlet in a small serving dish and pour a ladle full of  Ragda over it.
2. Garnish with chopped onion, chopped coriander leaves and sprinkle some sev on top and serve hot along with mint chutney and sweet chutney.
3. Mint chutney and sweet chutney is served on the side; as all have different preferences, whether to have it sweet or more spicy.

Step by step pictures

For Potato Cutlets