Guest post by Carole of Carole's Chatter- Garlic Prawns Indian Style

Hello Buddies. Today I am posting a guest post from Carole of 'Carole's Chatter' from NZ. Carole's blog is one of my favorite all time reads. She writes about food and recipes, book reviews, music as well as travel and art. Here is a very first guest post from Carole. I am sure you all will love it.

Garlic prawns Indian Style!

Hi everyone, this is my very first ever guest post so I hope you will enjoy it. Carole's Chatter is a blog on food and books mainly with side helpings of cryptic crossword clues, art, music and travel.  I have a weekly themed food link up and a monthly book link up. Click here if you would like to visit Carole's Chatter.

These Garlic Prawns are an adaptation of a Madhur Jaffrey recipe from her book Curry Easy. I didn't follow her recipe exactly (constitutionally unable to follow recipes).

Ingredients used:

Pottle of raw prawns – peeled and de-veined – You can leave the little tails on

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp black pepper (ground)

1 tsp finely chopped green chilies (more if it isn't a really hot chili)

¼ tsp yellow mustard seeds

2 large cloves of garlic – finely chopped or smushed

10 basil leaves (fresh and torn or roughly chopped)

5 tbsp of grated tomato (I will explain below)

Some peanut oil or vegetable oil (I used a mixture of Canola with a few drops of sesame oil)

Wash and pat dry your prawns. Mix them in a bowl with the cayenne pepper, black pepper, salt and chilies and set in the fridge (this can be done well ahead of time).

When you are ready to cook, have all your other ingredients ready, it is all going to take about 2 to 3 minutes once you start.

Heat your oil in a pan or wok, it is hot enough when you drop just one mustard seed in and it pops.  Then put all the mustard seeds in, give it a swirl, add your garlic, another swirl, then add the prawns and basil.  One more stir and then add your grated tomato.  Turn down the heat to moderate and fry for no more than a couple more minutes so the prawns are cooked through.

And that's it.

Oh, I almost forgot to explain the grated tomato. This was a completely new thing to me. I was a bit skeptical but Jaffrey tells you just to use a coarse grater and to press hard at first to get a start and then grate away.  The skin doesn't get grated and the result is almost a cross between a tomato foam and puree. A great sauce base! I will be grating tomato again.

Savory chickpea flour pancakes- Repost

Hello buddies. Today I'm re-posting the recipe of savory pancakes for the 'Flippin' good- Pancake day'  event at 'Jagruti's Cooking Odyssey'. 

These made are from chickpea flour/ besan. It is one of the many Sindhi specialties. Its called 'Besan jo chillo' in Sindhi. Chillo means pancake. We generally make this for breakfast or sometimes for evening snacks.

You can have it with ketchup or pair it with bread. It is quick and easy to make, and very filling too.

Note

1. Use iron tawa/ griddle instead of non-stick one. This enchances the roasting process and the taste of the pancake.

2. Always make a thin pancake. Spread the batter properly. The pancakes tend to puff up while cooking.

Ready in- 30 minutes.

Makes- 4 pancakes.

Ingredients.

Chickpea flour/ Besan- 2 cups.

Water- 1 to 1/2 cups.

Onion- 1, large, finely chopped.

Tomato- 1 large, diced.

Coriander leaves- A handful, chopped.

Green chilies- 5 nos., finely chopped.

Red chili powder- 1 tsp. 

Ginger- 1 tbsp, finely grated.

Salt- To taste.

Baking soda- 1/5 tsp.

Cumin seeds- 1 tsp.

Oil- As needed to roast the pancakes.

Method.

1. In a bowl take chickpea flour/ besan, add onion, tomato, green chilies, salt, red chili powder, cumin seeds, ginger, coriander leaves, baking soda. Mix is lightly with your fingertips.

2. Add water little by little and mix well, so that no lumps are formed. Veggies also release water so please be careful while adding water. Make a smooth batter of a consistency of that of a milkshake.

3. Let it stand for 10 minutes. Then heat the tawa/ griddle and spread a teaspoon full of oil. When the tawa is  hot, pour a ladle full of batter and quickly spread it to form a circle of around 6-7 inches, to form a thin pancake. I spread the batter with my fingertips. You may do it with a spoon.

4. Let the upper side of the pancake set a little. Then with the help of a spatula, carefully flip the pancake. Put little oil on both the sides, flipping it, so that it gets nicely roasted. 

Roast like this one both side for 5-7 minutes, till the pancake is golden brown on the outside and nicely cooked on the inside. Roast on medium flame to low flame. Taste a piece from a pancake to check if it is properly cooked from inside.

Serve hot with ketchup and bread...or enjoy it just like that!

Sending to- Jagruti's Pancake Day Celebration

Sevai kheer / Vermicelli pudding

Hello buddies. Today I am sharing a recipe of the famous Indian dessert of sevai kheer. Almost every household makes this simple yet delicious kheer. However, every kheer tastes so much different due to different methods of preparation. This is my all time favorite dessert. This specific recipe is inspired from 'Vineet Bhatia's Twist of Taste' on TLC. However, I made a little alterations of my own to suit my family's taste.

The sevai or vermicelli comes in varieties like thick, thin and medium. Mom generally uses the thinner variety. This time I tried using the medium and roasted mtr vermicelli. The different thing about this recipe is that it uses kalakand  which gives a creamier texture to the kheer.

Serves- 4

Preparation time- 5 minutes

Cooking time- 25-30 minutes

Ingredients

Ghee (clarified pudding)- 3/4 tbsp

Vermicelli (medium thickness)- 1 cup

Whole milk- 1 liter

Sugar- 2 tbsp or to taste

Kalakand- 75 grams

Cardamom powder- 1/2 tsp

Cashews- 15-20 nos.

Raisins- 2 tbsp

Saffron- A few strands

Method

1. Heat ghee in a skillet on a medium flame.  Break cashews into halves and fry them till golden. Remove and keep aside. Add vermicelli in the remaining ghee and roast it for a few minutes till it turns golden and aromatic. Keep stirring constantly while roasting.

2. Add in milk and bring it to boil. Let it reduce a little on a low flame. Cook for further 15-20 minutes on a low flame while stirring constantly, till it reaches desired consistency.

3. Add cashews, raisins, sugar and saffron strands. Mash the kalakand and add it into the kheer. Mix well. Kalakand already has sugar in it, so go easy on sugar.

4. Turn off the heat and mix in the cardamom powder. Cover the skillet with a lid and let it stand for 10 minutes till the flavors are nicely incorporated.

5. Serve hot or chilled as per your preference. Enjoy the rich and creamy kheer with your family.

P.S.- Pics will be uploaded soon.

Also check out- Buy organic foods and Indian vegetables online.

Tawa pulao with a twist

Hello dear buddies. Today’s recipe is Tawa Pulao. It is a pilaf made with lots of fresh vegetables and spices, and it is made on a griddle. In case you do not have a suitable griddle you can also make this in a skillet or a wok. The flavor might be a little different but it tastes equally delicious. I added some grated beet root for a little twist of color. However, it is optional.

Serves- 4

Cooking time- 15-20 minutes

Preparation time- 10 minutes

Ingredients

For rice

Rice- 2 cups

Water- 4 and ½ cups, or as required

Salt- To taste

Oil- 1 tsp

For the vegetable mixture

Onion- 1 large, finely chopped

Tomato- 1 large, finely chopped

Ginger-garlic paste- 1 and ½ tbsp

Green chilies- 3 to 4, finely chopped

Beet root- 1 tbsp, grated (optional)

Capsicum- 1 large, chopped

Potato- 1 medium, diced

Carrot- 1 medium, chopped

Green peas- ¾ cup

Cauliflower- 1 cup, broken into small florets

Red chili powder- 1 and ½ tsp

Pav bhaaji masala- 3 tsp

Garam masala- 1 tsp

Salt- To taste

Bay leaf- 2

Butter- 3 tbsp

Oil- 1 tsp

Shahi jeera- ½ tsp

Coriander leaves- ¼ cup, finely chopped, and some more for garnish

Lemon juice- 2 tbsp

Method

1. Cook rice using the ingredients mentioned for it, and keep aside when done. In a pan boil potato, cauliflower and green peas together for 5-7 minutes. Remove from hot water, pour cold water on vegetables and keep aside.

2. In the meanwhile, heat a griddle and put butter and oil on it. Add shahi jeera and let it splutter. Toss in the onion and fry till it starts turning pink. Add the ginger garlic paste and green chilies. Fry till the raw smell disappears.

3.Add in the tomatoes and beet root. Fry for a couple of minutes till tomatoes look mashed up. Add in carrot and capsicum and fry for one more minute. Then toss in the boiled veggies, coriander leaves and fry for another couple of minutes till the oil begins to separate, stirring after every few seconds.

4. Add red chili powder, pav bhaaji masala, garam masala, salt and lemon juice. Mix well. Add rice and mix well so that the masala coats the rice evenly. Let the rice get nicely heated for a couple of minutes.

 Turn of the flame and serve hot with salad or yogurt. Enjoy!

Valentine's Day Special- Sweet french toast with strawberry sauce

Hello buddies! Wishing you all a very happy Valentine's day! Today's post has been waiting to pop out on to the blog from the saved drafts. That's because I wished to share it here on this day. The recipe is 'Sweet french toast with strawberry sauce'

The sweet french toast is very easy and quick to make. The strawberry sauce doesn't require cooking. So this dish is ready in a matter of minutes. It will fill your house with its buttery aroma and your hearts with love. So go ahead and give your loved once a healthy and sweet start on the occasion of this Valentine's day.  You can have it for breakfast or as a healthy evening snack. So lets start making it!

Serves- 2

Cooking time- 10 mins

Preparation time- 5 mins

Ingredients

For the sweet french toast

Bread- 2 slices

Eggs- 2 nos.

Milk- 25 ml

Vanilla extract- 1 tsp

Cinnamon powder (Optional) - a generous pinch

Butter- 2-3 tbsp

Castor sugar- 1 tbsp

For the strawberry sauce

Fresh strawberries- 8-10 nos.

Honey- 1 tsp

Sugar- 1/4 tsp

Lemon juice- 1/2 tsp

Few strawberries- For garnishing

Method

1. In a bowl, whisk eggs, milk, vanilla extract and cinnamon powder. Cut the bread slices diagonally into triangular pieces. You may cut it in a desired shape of your choice using a cookie-cutter.

2. Dip the bread slices into the egg batter and coat it nicely. Let it remain in the batter for 2 minutes approx.

3. In the mean while, heat the griddle and put butter. Let it melt and sizzle slightly on a low flame. Take the bread slices out of the batter and place it in the butter on the griddle. Cook on both sides on a medium flame until done. This may take 5-6 minutes. Apply more butter while you flip the french toast on the other side. Roast it till its golden brown and aromatic.

4. To prepare the sauce, blend all the ingredients of the sauce in a blender till its smooth. Plz make sure the strawberries are ripe and sweet. Sour strawberries don't make a good sauce. Do not add lemon juice if strawberries tend to be a little sour. You may adjust the quantity of sugar also. However, the quantity given in this recipe is optimum.

5. Now its time to assemble! Place the french toasts on the plate. Dust it with castor sugar and pour some strawberry sauce on it. Now it is a sweet french toast! Garnish with cut strawberries. Serve more sauce for dipping if you wish to.

Sweet french toast and strawberry is ready! Enjoy it hot with lots of love with your family, friends and the special person! :)

Happy Valentines day once again! God bless!

Banana almond smoothie!

Smoothie and Iced-tea are the indispensable part of any summer funday!Today  I made this banana-almond smoothie, which is quick and easy... nutritious and it tastes just so gorgeous! Yes yes...a taste can be gorgeous too! :p

I use full-cream milk because I love the froth that I get in the end. You may use skimmed milk, if you wish to. Add I like my smoothie chilled, so I refrigerate the milk, instead of adding ice to the smoothie. Adding ice destroys the rich texture and makes the smoothie watery.

Ok then..this is how I made it!

Preparation time: 5 minutes.
Serves- 2.

Ingredients.

Full-cream milk- 3 to 4 cups, chilled.
Banana- 3 nos.,large and ripe.
Honey- 1 tsp.
Almonds- 3 tbsp, coarsely ground.

Method.

1. Cut the bananas into 3-4 pieces. In a blender, puree the bananas.

2. Add milk, honey, and almonds, and blend it for 2 to 3 minutes, till all the ingredients blend nicely and a froth is formed. Pour this smoothie into glasses and decorate with a banana slice and a few drops of honey!

Enjoy it chilled!

Black chickpea curry

I read a black chickpea or kala chana recipe in an old magazine from my Mom's collection, yesterday. I made a little modifications in the original recipe and came out with this one. The original recipe didn't call for onion and fresh cream. But these two ingredients only did good to the dish. Hence sharing it here.

Preparation time- 10 minutes.
Cooking time- 25 minutes.

Serves- 4.

Ingredients.

Black chickpea- 1 and 1/2 cups.
Onion- 1, large, finely slices.
Tomatoes- 2, pureed.
green chilies- 2, slit, lengthwise.
Garlic- 6 flakes, finely chopped.
Red chili powder- 1 tsp.
Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp.
Cholle masala- 1 and 12 tsp.
Garam masala- A generous pinch.
Cumin seeds- 1 tsp.
Fresh cream- 5 tbsp.
Honey- 1 tbsp.
Coriander leaves- For garnish.
Salt-  To taste.
Oil- 4 tbsp.
Water- 1 cup.

Method.

1. In a pressure cooker, boil chickpeas with sufficient water and some salt, for 5-6 whistles. When done, remove half cup of chickpea for making a smooth paste in the grinder.

2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a skillet. Add cumin seeds, let it splutter. Add onion, fry it till it starts turning golden. Add garlic and green chilies, fry for a minute.

3. Add tomato puree and fry till oil separates and the raw smell of tomato is completely gone. This may take some time, like 10 minutes or so.

4. Add red chili powder, turmeric powder, chhole masala, garam masala, salt and fry for a minute. Add ground chickpea paste,  honey and cream, stir.

5. Add the rest of the whole chickpea and water and bring it to boil. Adjust the salt if needed. Cover the pan with the lid and let it simmer for 5-7 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves.

 Black chickpea curry is ready! Serve hot with chapati, roti, or rice!