Pasta Augratin

Oh here again one of my favorite dish..... I love anything that's made with bechamel sauce / white sauce.... Many don't like as its blunt in taste... But I just love the creamy cheesy taste.... The same dish when prepared with just vegetables, its Veg au gratin.... Since I added pasta to it, i named it pasta au gratin.... You can use any type of pasta... I have used Corni pasta...

Ingredients:

Pasta - 1 Cup

Carrot and Capsicum (cut into thin strips) - 1 Cup

Onion (Sliced) - 1/2 Cup

Sweet Corn - 1/2 Cup

Cheese Spread - 1 tbsp (optional, it gives more cheesy taste)

Mozeralla Cheese - 1/2 Cup

Chili flakes - 1 tsp (you can adjust according to your taste)

For Bechamel Sauce

All purpose flour (Maida) - 1 tbsp

Butter - 1 tbsp

Milk (boiled and warm) - 500 ml

Garlic cloves (crushed) - 2-3 nos.

Salt - 1/4 tsp

Oregano - 1 tsp

Bay leaves - 1-2 no.s

How to make:

1. Boil 800 ml of water with 1/2 tsp of salt and add the pasta to it. Allow it to boil for 8-10 mins so that the paste is cooked well. Drain the water and keep the pasta aside.

2. In the mean time we can make the bechamel/white sauce. In a pan melt the butter and add the flour to it. In simmer keep roasting the flour in the butter.  Make sure the colour is not changed.This is our thickening agent and its called "Roux" in french.

3. After 2-3 mins nice biscuit flavour aroma comes out from  the roux. Now add the milk little by little. make sure no lumps are formed.

4. Add crushed garlic, bay leaves, salt and oregano now. Keep in simmer for 5-6 mins stirring often. Finally add the chili flakes & cheese spread and off the stove.

5. Half cook the vegetables and mix with the pasta. and arrange in baking tray. Pour the white sauce on top and give it a blend. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese on top.

6. Bake this in pre-heated oven at 180` C for about 15-20 mins. Or keep in microwave for 5-6 mins in half temp.

Besan Ladoo (Microwave)

And now its time to celebrate as this is my 100th blog recipe.... So of course its a sweet..... Generally besan ladoo when made made on gas takes atleast 15-20 mins (making ladoo shape timing is not included)..... Now here its made so simple in just 5 mins...

 

 

 

Ingredients:

 

Besan Flour - 1 Cup

Sugar (Powdered) - 3/4 Cup

Cardamom Powder - 1/2 tsp
Ghee - 3-4 tbsp

Cashew nut (broken) - 3 tbsp

Almonds - for garnish

 

How to make:

 

1. In a micro wave bowl add the ghee and keep for 30 secs, so that the ghee melts.

 

2. Now add the besan flour and mix well. Make sure no lumps are formed. Keep in microwave for 2 mins in high.

 

3. Remove it and mix well again. Break out any lumps. Again keep it for a minute. Now you will start getting the nice aroma of besan cooked in ghee.

 

4. Again remove it and mix well. Add the cashew nuts and blend well. Keep in microwave again for 90 secs.

 

5. Remove it, add sugar and cardamom powder now and mix well. Allow it to cool for a while and while its warm, start making the ladoos and garnish with almonds...

Paneer Butter Masala

Here comes the most wanted recipe..... Many of my friend's too ask this recipe when i meet them.... I had made this for my son's birthday night for dinner... Had made quite a few other dishes as well... Will post the others shortly...

 

 

 

Ingredients:

Paneer (Cut into cubes) - 1 Cup
Onion (boiled and pureed) - 1 Cup
Tomato Puree - 1 Cup

Cashew nut (soaked for 2 hrs and ground to paste) - 2 tbsp
Ginger Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Salt - 3/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Corriander powder - 1/2 tsp

Bay leaves - 2 nos.

Cloves - 5-6 nos.

Cardamom - 2-3 nos.

Jeera - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1/4 tsp
Cream - 2 tbsp
Corriander leaves and little cream - for garnish
Oil - 1 tbsp
Butter - 1 tbsp

How to make:

1. In a thick bottom pan, add oil and butter, and whole garam masala (bay leaves, cloves, cardamom).

 

2. Now add the jeera and when it splutters, add the onion puree and ginger garlic paste and saute for 2 mins.

3. Add the tomato puree and saute for a minute. Now add the chilli powder, corriander powder, garam masala and salt. Cook for 6-8 min in simmer until the raw flavour of masala disappears. Add the cashewnut paste and cook for another 5 mins.

4. Separately, fry the paneer in little oil, so that the outer crust turns slight brown and put in water. This will help the paneer to remain soft.

5. Once the masala gravy is well cooked, add the cream and blend well. Add paneer and simmer for 2 mins. Garnish with cream and corrainder leaves and serve it hot with roti or rice....

Sambhar Powder

Sambhar powder is the main ingredient in Sambhar.... The flavour adds to the taste.... Here is a recipe of home made sambhar powder which i use. I have used curry leaves also, which give a nice aroma to the sambhar.

Ingredients:

Corriander Seeds (Dhaniya) - 1 Cup
Red Chili - 1 Cup
Toor Dhal - 1/2 Cup
Urad Dhal - 1 tbsp
Channa Dhal - 1/4 cup
Pepper Corns - 1 tbsp
Fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Asafoedita - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tbsp

How to Make:

1. Dry roast all the ingredients in  simmer for about 8-10 mins except asafoedita and turmeric powder. Allow it to cool

2. Grind to fine powder along with asafoedita and turmeric powder.

P.S. I have used long red chili, hence i used 1 Cup. If you are using the round chili, it will be more spicy. So lessen the chili quantity accordingly. Also if you get whole turneric you can use that after drying under sun for 2-3 hours instead of turmeric powder.

Orange Fantasy

Very simple mocktail with just 2 ingredients..... Healthy one too.... Orange is widely used for many mocktails... Even for lots of cocktails orange juice is used.... Here is a a simple and healthy mocktail...

Ingredients:

Orange - 2 fruit (Small size)
Dates Syrup - 1 tbsp
Water - 200 ml

How to make:

1.  In a blender, add the ingredients and blend for 1-2 mins.

2. Serve it chilled or serve it immediately with couples of ice cubes.

Ribbon Pakoda

This is another snack item which is usually made during festival days... But you can make it just like to have it as tea time snack.... its quite easy to make....

Ingredients:

Rice Flour - 2 Cups

Urad Flour - 1 tbsp
Besan Flour - 2 tbsp

Salt - 3/4 tsp

Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp

Chilli powder- 1 tsp

Butter - 1 tbsp

Water - 1 Cup

Oil - for frying

How to make:

1. Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl and, the butter to it and mix well.

2. Add water little by little make a soft dough. Stuff the dough in the murukku kuzhal with Ribbon (straight line) nob and press it over hot oil to make ribbon like pattern.

3. Fry in medium heat for 8-10 mins.Cook until both sides are well cooked. If the oil is very hot, it will turn brown faster.... So be cautious.

Easy Potato Fry (Microwave)

Who doesn't love potato ? Can you imagine a nice crispy potato fry with very less oil ? Now its possible, very easy and that too in less than 10 mins.... You will love this....

Ingredients:

Potatoes (Cut into small cubes) - 1 Cup
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Sambhar powder - 1 tsp (Adjust according to your flavour)
Oil - 1 tbsp


How to make:

1. Mix all the ingredients in a microwave bowl. Keep in microwave for 5 mins.

2. Keep stirring in between once in 2 mins. Your nice crispy potato is ready....

Thenkozhal Murukku

These days many don't make these types of snacks at home because you get everything in shop.... But its always better when it is made at home because we know what ingredients we use,  and of course when it is made in fresh oil, its hygienic too..

 

 

 

Ingredients:

 

Rice Flour - 2 Cups

Urad Flour - 1/2 Cup

Salt - 3/4 tsp

Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp

Jeera - 1 tbsp

Sesame (Till seeds) - 2 tsp

Butter - 1 tbsp

Water - 1 Cup

Oil - for frying

 

How to make:

 

1. Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl and, the butter to it  and mix well.

 

2. Add water little by little make a soft dough. Stuff the dough in the murukku kuzhal and press it over hot oil to make small murukku.

 

3. Fry in medium heat for 8-10 mins. Keep turning side every 2-3 mins, so that both sides are well cooked. If the oil is very hot, it will turn brown.... So make sure you cook in medium low heat so that the colour is retained.....

 

Masala Fried Chicken

This masala fried chicken was super hit when i made it... I ground the masala separately and this masala can be used for many dish. A different masala for chicken fry, but very tasty one....

 

 

Ingredients:

 

Chicken - 500 gms (Cut into small pieces)

Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp

Super Masala - 3 tbsp

Oil - for frying

 

Super Masala Ingredients:

 

Toor Dhal - 1 tbsp

Urad Dhal - 1 tbsp

Corriander seeds (Dhaniya) - 3 tbsp

Red Chilli - 8 - 10

Pepper corns - 1 tsp

Cardamom - 2 nos.

Cinnamon - 1/2 inch bark

Cloves  - 3-4

Peanut - 1 tbsp (optional)

Asafoedita - 1/2 tsp

Salt - 1/2 tsp

Jaggery - 1/2 tsp

 

How to make:

 

1. Dry roast the ingredients under super masala column except salt and jaggery. Cool it and grind it to coarse powder along with salt and jaggery.

 

2. Marinate the chicken with ginger garlic paste and ground masala for atleast 2 hours.

 

3. Fry the chicken until its cooked and remove it on kitchen tissues to absorb excess oil.