Karela ( My Mom Style)

I know I know its bitter but please don't make faces and try this out and I am sure some people would like and and the people who already like it will love it.












Ingredients

4 Medium size karela/ Bitter Gourd
2 Large onions chopped length wise
2 Large Tomatoes cut in cubes
2 Tspn Red Cilli powder
2 Tbspn Coriander powder
2 Tspn Cumin Powder
1 Tspn Amchoor powder
1/2 Tspn Garam Masala
1/2 Tspn Turmeric
3 Tbspn Salt 
Oil to cook
Salt to sprinkle 

Methods

1. Wash and cut the Karela/ Bitter Gourd in a round shape. Now take this in a big bowl which has a cover pour it the uncooked cut Karela/ Bitter Gourd in it.
2. Add the 3 Tbspn of salt and cove the lid of the bowl. Now shake it well so that the Karela get coated with the salt. Do this a night before you want to make karela/ Bitter Gourd or at least give it a time of 7-8 Hours.
3. Next day wash the salt soaked karela/ Bitter Gourd nicely to remove all the salt and bitterness from it. 
4. Now heat oil in a pan (Kadhai) and deep fry the karela/ Bitter Gourd and keep aside on a kitchen tissue to soak access oil form it.
5. Once all the pieces are deep fried. Empty some of the oil leaving some for cooking.
6. Add onions to the remaining oil and fry till golden brown, then add tomatoes and let it leave the pulp completely.
7. To this add the fried karela/ Bitter Gourd mix well and cover it with a lid for 2mins.
8. Then add all the spices to it and mix well. After its mixed taste for the level of salt in it  (remember we have soaked the Karela in salt) and the if required add more salt. 
9. Now add Amchoor, cover with a lid and let it cook in the spices for 10-12mins untill it starts leaving the Oil.
10.  After 12mins Karela is ready serve with Chapatti or Paratha.

Note

• Make sure to wash the salt soaked Karela well to remove the bitterness.
• Karela/ Bitter Gourd is a healthy diet for Diabetic people.

Rice Stuffed Paratha

Rice Stuffed Paratha ~ Yes This is what we had over the weekend as there was some rice left from Saturday night dinner and didn't wanted to waste it. And It came out really well. 
So when you want to eat something chapatta try this out.





Ingredients

11/2 Bowl cooked rice
1 Small Onion finely chopped
2 Green Chilli finely chopped
1 tspn red chili powder
1 tspn chaat masala
1 tspn Amchoor Powder
1 tspn Garam Masala
3 tbspn Coriander leaves
salt to taste
Oil

Ingredients to make Paratha Dough 


Methods

1. Mix the flour, salt and butter/ Oil. Pour water and make a firm dough. Knead well for 6-7 minutes and keep covered with a moist cloth for 5-10mins.and Knead again.
2. Separate the rice grains so that they are not sticky anymore (Sorry was not getting the word to describe it :-(
3. To it add onions, green chilli, red chill powder, chaat masala, amchoor, garam masala and salt. Mix well after this rice will look brown in color due garam masala. Like its shown in the picture 

4. To this add the coriander leaves and mix again.
5. Break the dough into number of required portions.
6. Make a ball of one portion and dust it with some flour and roll out into 8-10cm.
7. Fill 2 tbspn of the prepared rice mixture in it.
8. Pull in the edges to meet in the center and form a ball.
9. Roll it out again evenly. Heat the tawa or pan and place this paratha on it.
10. Cook from both the sides till it changes color and then brush with oil/ Ghee.
11. To make it crisp press it with a Spatula and serve hot with Green Chutney

Note
You can adjust the quantity of the powdered Spices depending on the quantity of rice and the number of Paratha You wish to make. e the same taste.

Oats Bar/ Cake

Oats Bar/Cakes ~ My husband has been having a craving for this from many days So thought to surprise him today with this when he comes back from work. This one is very simple easy and quick.







Ingredients

100 gm Porridge / Oats
120 gm Salted Butter
50 gm Golden Syrup or Honey 
50 gm Sugar
2 tbspn cocoa powder
5-10 Almonds chopped
5-10 Walnuts crushed 

Methods

1. Put Butter golden syrup, cocoa powder,walnuts and sugar in a microwaveable container and heat it in microwave till the butter melts.
2. Once its melted take it out and mix the oats in the liquid.
3. Take another microwaveable tin or cookie cutter.
4. If using tin line it with a grease proof paper and pour the mixture into it. 
5. If using cookie cutter, just take a microwaveable tray and grease the cutter and tray with little butter.
6. Now place the cutter on the tray and fill it with a mixture and press it
7. Now place this in a microwave on cooking for 3mins or till you see the bubbles coming. 
8. After taking it out from the microwave remove the cookie cutter carefully and garnish it with Almonds.
9. Keep this along with the tray in refrigerator for and hour and then its ready to eat.

Variations

• You can add any Jam in place of cocoa powder and golden syrup depending on taste that you are looking out for. 
• Can add Raisins and sultanas in place of walnuts to get a fruity Oats Bar/ cake.

Note: Dont over heat the mixture else it would get burnt

Blackforest Milk Shake

Black Forest Milk Shake~ One of my facebook friend asked for it on a wall post so thought to write and share with him and he can try all by himself.

Image from net as wrote it in a hurry :-)







Ingredients
1 cup milk
4 whole cherries Frozen
1 frozen banana 
sugar to taste
1 Tbsp Cocoa Powder
Some Crushed ice

Methods

1. Put everything in a blender and mix well.
2. Serve Chilled!
3. Can be topped with a scoop of Vanilla icecream

Mixed Vegetable ( Bhopali Style)

Mixed Vegetable or Vegetable Korma ~ I have learnt this dish back home in Madhya Pradesh. Yes that's where I was born   Jabalpur. This is complete Bhopali style mixed vegetable learnt from a aunt next door.
Creamy dish you would love to eat and serve. :-)










Ingredients

21/2 cup mixed vegetable Boiled
 2 Medium Potato
2 Medium Carrot
1 Small Cauliflower( Cut into florets)
1 cup Green Peas
2 tbspn Cashew nuts( 10 in number)
3 tbspn milk
2 tbspn fresh cream
2 pinch sugar
5 tbspn clarified butter (Ghee)
Salt to taste

For the Grinding Paste 
8-10 garlic
10 green chilli
6 tbspn finely chopped coriander
2 tspn cumins
25 mm ginger 

Methods

1. Peel and chop potato and carrot in a shape you like I chopped it length wise and boil all the vegetable 250 ml water. Once boiled take them out of water and keep aside to cool. Make sure you don't over boil them as you will required to cook it along with the mixture as well.
2. Heat the clarified butter and roast cashew nuts in it. After roasted take out and keep it aside.
3. Make the paste of the above ingredients and fry in the same oil for 2-3mins.
4. Now add the vegetable and  fry for 1min. To it add 3/4 cup water and boil till the vegetables get soft 
5. Mix together milk and cream then add it to the vegetable. Mix well and let it cook in this for 1 min. Now add sugar and salt to it.
6. Garnish with the roasted cashew nuts and serve hot with Chapatti

My another chef friend has got a little variations in the same dish look for it here Mixed Vegetable Kurma

PS: I'll be updating the same form of Dish in South Indian style soon.