Friday, August 26, 2011

Fish Fry

Fish Fry (Goan Style)
This is how we prepare fish fry and we love it. This recipe can be used with any kind of fish.

Ingredients
·         King fish 1 kg (big pieces)
·         Rawa or Sooji 2 cups
·         Oil

Marinade:
·         Red chilli powder 6 tsp
·         Coriander powder 2 tsp
·         Turmeric powder 1 tsp
·         Lemon juice 3 tbsp
·         Ginger-garlic paste 3 tsp
·         Salt to taste

Preparation
Wash fish pieces. Keep aside.

Prepare thick paste using a little water with all the ingredients of marinade.

Apply a thick layer of marinade to all the fish pieces. Cover and keep for ½ hour.

Spread rawa on a plate and apply to fish pieces.

Heat oil and shallow fry the fish pieces.

Serve as a starter with lemon wedges and onion springs.

Serves 6.

Stuffed Brinjal

Stuffed Brinjal (Eggplant/Baigan)

This is my Mom's (Aai) recipe. As she is working, she kept the recipes simple yet very delicious. I just love this recipe.


Ingredients
·         Brinjal 1 kg
·         Onion 2 big
·         Mustard seeds 1 tsp
·         Oil
·         Salt to taste

For the ground masala:
·         Coconut 3 cups
·         Sambar powder 2 tbsp
·         Chilli powder 1 tsp
·         Turmeric powder ½ tsp
·         Tamarind paste 1 tsp

Preparation
Wash brinjal and cut the stem. Slit the brinjal into four, not cutting it fully. Keep aside.

Grind the masala using all ingredients with a little water. Add salt.

Fill the masala in the brinjal.

Heat oil and add mustard seeds. As they splutter, add chopped onions. Fry till onions are transparent.

Add the masala stuffed brinjal. Spread the extra masala over brinjal and pour nearly 1 cup water on the sides. Cover and cook till brinjal cooked and the masala dries up and coats on brinjal.

Serve with chapattis or rotis. Serves 6.

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Vegetable Layered Biryani

Vegetable Layered Biryani

This is a recipe that I experimented for the first time and it turned out really delicious.



Ingredients
·         Basmati rice 2 cups
·         Carrots 2
·         Frozen peas ½ cup
·         Beans cut ½ cup
·         Onion 3 (for deep frying)
·         Yogurt ½ cup
·         Ghee 2 tbsp
·         Milk ½ cup
·         Butter 2 tsp
·         Cardamom powder ½ tsp
·         Saffron a pinch
·         Salt to taste
·         Oil

For the masala paste:
·         Onions 2 medium
·         Garlic cloves 8
·         Ginger 1 ½ inches
·         Coriander leaves 1 bunch
·         Mint leaves 10 to 12
·         Coconut 1 tbsp
·         Poppy seeds 1 tsp
·         Red chillies 3
·         Coriander powder 2 tsp
·         Cumin powder 2 tsp
·         Cinnamon stick 1 inch
·         Cardamom 3
·         Cloves 3
·         Peppercorns 4-5

Preparation
Soak basmati rice for ½ hour in water, remove the water. Cook rice in 6 cups water. Remove water and keep aside. Add salt.

Cut and boil all the vegetables.

Grind all the ingredients of paste.

Heat ghee and add the ground masala paste. Fry it for 5 mins. Add salt, yogurt. Fry for another 2 mins. Add boiled vegetables, ½ cup water. Stir well. Cover and cook. Make the gravy to a thick consistency.

Slice onion. Heat oil and deep fry till brown. Remove on tissue to soak excess oil and keep aside.

Grease an oven dish with ghee (not glass, preferably an aluminium dish).

Now to start with layers. Spread one layer of deep fried onions, cooked rice, and vegetable gravy. The same way keep spreading the layers. As you finish with last layer of rice, press it slightly on all sides.

Heat milk, butter, cardamom powder, saffron. When it boils, just pour over the rice all over.

Cover with aluminium foil and place in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 20 mins.

Remove from oven, uncover and place it upside down on a serving plate.

Serves 4.

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Vegetable Pulav

Peas, Potato & Carrot Pulav

This is my M-in-law's recipe. I just love to eat it anytime of day.

Ingredients
·         Basmati rice 3 cups
·         Carrots 3
·         Frozen peas 1 cup
·         Potatoes 2
·         Onions 3
·         Tomatoes 2 big
·         Cinnamon sticks 3 inches
·         Cardamom 6
·         Cloves 8
·         Star anise 1 small
·         Black cumin 3 tsp
·         Peppercorns 12
·         Bay leaves 2 small
·         Ginger garlic paste 2 tbsp
·         Green chillies 10
·         Coriander leaves 2 bunches
·         Red chilli powder 2 tsp
·         Lemon juice 3 tbsp
·         Ghee 1 tbsp
·         Oil 3 tbsp
·         Salt to taste

Preparation
Soak basmati rice for nearly 15 minutes in water, remove the water and keep aside.

Heat ghee and add the rice to it. Roast it well for 5 mins and keep aside.

Dry roast cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, star anise, black cumin, peppercorns and 1 bay leaf till the aroma arises. Make a thick paste adding very little water with the above roasted spices with 3 green chillies and coriander leaves. Keep aside.

Heat oil, add bay leaf, 7 slit green chillies and sliced onions. When the onions turn transparent, add ginger garlic paste and chopped tomatoes. Stir. Then add chopped vegetables. Add the thick paste and chilli powder. Add rice and salt. Give it a good stir and add 5 cups of hot water. Add lemon juice. Cover and cook till rice is done. Garnish it with coriander leaves and serve with thick yoghurt mixed with tomatoes and cucumber.

Serves 6.