Motichoor Laddoo with Ice Cream

Motichoor laddoo is one Indian sweet that I never ever tire of. I haven't tried them in sweet shops all over Delhi, but among those that I have, the one at Bansal's in Pitampura wins hands down.
Needless to say, sweet boxes pile up at home during the festive season and there is only so much that we can gorge...but there are always ways to pair them up in interesting and innovating ways...
Here's one such idea.


                             FUSION MITHAI - MOTICHOOR LADDOO with ICE CREAM

Ingredients : 

Motichoor laddoo - 1 per cup being served
Ice cream - vanilla ice cream goes best with any Indian mithai, but here I used a combination of Vanilla, Chocolate and Butter-scotch

Method : 

1. Place the motichoor laddoos on a microwave safe dish and micro for just 30 seconds.
2. Add a scoop each of the ice creams to the serving bowl.
3. Gently place the laddoo on top of the ice cream scoops and crush lightly.
4. Garnish with desired dry fruits and serve.
Note : The trick is to keep the laddoos bearably hot in contrast with the coldness of the ice cream !!

Healthy Masala Scrambled Eggs

Scrambled eggs, toast and baked beans, if available...a comfort breakfast for me if ever there was one. Especially when there is a nip in the air. Ever ready to experiment, make or (ulp!) break a dish, I decided to try a more colourful version of Scrambled eggs, and if I might say, healthy too!! Read on.......

MASALA SCRAMBLED EGGS

Ingredients :

Egg white - (of)3 eggs
Milk - 1/4 cup
Finely chopped capsicum - 2 tbsps
Chopped Spinach - 2 tbsps (optional)
Crushed black pepper - to taste
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Green Chutney - 2 tsps (A simple paste of Coriander leaves, mint leaves, green chili and salt)
Salt to taste
Olive oil - 1 tbsp

Method :

1. In a bowl, whisk together the egg whites, green chutney, turmeric powder, pepper and salt to taste till fluffy. Optional to add 1 tsp coriander powder if you want it spicy.

2. Heat oil in a non-stick pan on medium heat.

3. Add milk to the egg mixture and give it a stir. Pour this on to the pan and sprinkle the capsicum and spinach. Quickly stir to scramble up the mixture before it becomes an omelette!!!

4. Reduce heat and cover-cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove lid and check if the scramble is quite dry. Do no over-cook. Stir once more and remove before it becomes too de-hydrated.

5. Serve warm with toast or as desired. 

Paneer Capsicum Manchurian

A simple, yet tasty manchurian dish...


                                                PANEER CAPSICUM MANCHURIAN

Ingredients :

For Manchurian balls :
Paneer - 200 gms
Finely chopped capsicum - 1/4 cup
Salt and pepper to taste
Cornstarch (Weikfield cornflour) - 2 tsps
Dry Maida for dusting

For Manchurian Sauce :
Oil - 1 tbsp
Chopped Garlic - 2 tsps
Soya Sauce - 1 tbsp
Finely chopped green chilies - 2
Cornflour - 1 tbsp
Water or vegetable stock - 1 cup + 1 cup
Salt to taste

Method :

1. In a bowl mash the paneer and add the capsicum, salt and pepper to taste and the corn starch. Mix well.
2. Take small portions and roll in the dry maida.
3. Shallow fry in enough oil till golden brown on all sides. Drain oil and keep aside.
4. For the sauce, heat oil in a pan and drop in the garlic. Saute but leave them a little crunchy.
5. Add the green chilies and stir fry for 2 minutes on medium flame. Meanwhile dissolve the 1 tbsp cornstarch in 1 cup water or veg stock.
6. Add the dissolved cornstarch, soya sauce, salt to taste and a pinch of sugar. Keep stirring to avoid lumps. When the sauce is slightly thick remove from fire and transfer to the serving bowl.
7. Just before serving, place the manchurian balls on the serving plate and pour the sauce over them. Serve hot with noodles or fried rice.

Chinese Style Stuffed Dosa

Tired of the normal dosas, I decided to experiment with some different stuffing. With some cabbage and carrots in the fridge, the first thought was Chinese!! A dash of this and a sprinkle of that...not a bad idea.... What can one not do when you have the right sauces at home :)


                                            CHINESE STYLE STUFFED WHEAT DOSA

Ingredients :

For Dosa :

Wheat flour - 2 cups
Soya flour - 2 tbsps
Rice flour - 1/2 cup
Maida - 1/4 cup
Curd - 1/2 cup (whisked)
Water as required
Salt to taste

For Stuffing :

Shredded Cabbage - 1 cup
Grated Carrot - 1/2 cup
Chopped Capsicum - 1/4 cup
Grated Paneer - 1/2 cup
Schezwan Sauce - 2 tbsps
Red Chili Sauce - 1 tsp
Soya Sauce - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil - 2 tsps

Method : 

1. Mix together the flours and salt to taste, gradually add the whisked curds and stir well leaving no lumps. Add enough water to make a thin dosa batter. Leave aside for 5 minutes.

2. For the stuffing, heat oil in a pan. Add the cabbage and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the carrot and sauté for 2 more minutes. Do not cook too much, we need the vegetables 1/4th crunchy.

3. Now add the capsicum. Add the Schezwan sauce and Red chili sauce and mix well.

4. Tip in the paneer and mix again. Add the soya sauce and salt to taste. Be careful with salt as the sauces would have some salt in them already. Sauté for just 1 minute more and remove.

5. Heat a dosa tawa and grease with a little oil. If the dosa batter is a bit thick add little more water. Pour a ladle-ful batter on to the tawa and spread evenly. Cook with a little oil till cooked and golden brown on both sides.
Note : Always make a small tester dosa first to make sure it comes out OK. If too sticky or if it tears, add a little rice flour.

6. Place the stuffing on one end of the dosa and roll carefully. Serve hot with spicy ketchup.

Sesame (Til) Rice

Sesame or Til rice is a specialty rice dish that is prepared as a naivedya or offering to Lord Balaji, especially on Saturdays and also the Tamil month of Purattasi(mid Sept to mid Oct). Simple to prepare but rich in taste....

                                                                      SESAME RICE

Ingredients :

White sesame seeds - 1/2 cup
Dry red chilies - 2
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Rice - 1 cup
Curry leaves
Hing - 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Green chilies - 2
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Chana dal - 1/2 tsp
Sesame oil - 2 tsps
Ghee - 1 tsp

Method :

1. Heat a pan on low heat and dry roast sesame seeds till golden brown. Transfer to a bowl.

2. Cook rice with 2 cups water. Take care not to over cook them. Once done spread out in a plate to avoid them getting sticky.

3. Heat 1/4 tsp oil in the same pan and add urad dal, red chilies and fry for 2 minutes. Cool. Grind coarsely in a mixer along with the roasted sesame seeds.

4. Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan along with ghee and add mustard seeds. Once they crackle add chana dal, hing, slit green chilies and curry leaves.

5. Add this to the cooked rice plus salt to taste.  Now add 1 tbsp of the ground mixture and check for taste. If needed add more and mix gently.
Serve warm as desired.

Simple Petha Dal

A simple to make and delicious dal using white pumpkin.
White Pumpkin, also known as Petha (North) or Poosani (South), has many health benefits, ranging from anti-inflammatory properties that help arthritic conditions, improving the overall immune system, anti-ageing properties and also claimed to be anti-depressant!!

Try this simple dal which tastes excellent with rice and roti alike...

                                                                    PETHA DAL

Ingredients :

White Pumpkin (Petha) - 2 cups (chopped)
Moong dal (split green gram) - 1/2 cup
Chana Dal (Bengal gram) - 1 tbsp
Haldi - 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Green Chilies - 2 (slit)
Jeera (cumin seeds)  -1 tsp
Rai (Mustard seeds) - 1 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Dhaniya (coriander seeds) powder - 1 tbsp
Lemon juice - 1 tsp
Dhaniya leaves for garnishing

Method : 

1. Cook the chopped pumpkin and washed moong and chana dals, along with haldi in a pressure cooker till done.

2. Heat oil in a pan and add jeera, followed by mustard seeds. Once they crackle, add the slit green chilies.

3. Tip in the cooked pumpkin and dals and add salt to taste. Add the dhaniya powder and mix again.

4. Let cook for 5 minutes and finally add the lemon juice. Remove and transfer to serving bowl.
Garnish with dhaniya leaves.