Posts for 'Ready to Cook' Category

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
5 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons dried oregano, divided
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
1 (12 ounce) package firm tofu
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 clove garlic, minced
4 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese

DIRECTIONS
In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon oregano, salt, and black pepper.
Slice tofu into 1/4 inch thick slices, and place in bowl of cold water. One at a time, press tofu slices into crumb mixture, turning to coat all sides.
Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Cook tofu slices until crisp on one side. Drizzle with a bit more olive oil, turn, and brown on the other side.
Combine tomato sauce, basil, garlic, and remaining oregano. Place a thin layer of sauce in an 8 inch square baking pan. Arrange tofu slices in the pan. Spoon remaining sauce over tofu. Top with shredded mozzarella and remaining 3 tablespoons Parmesan.
Bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 20 minutes.

 Poori - These are small round pancakes size rounds of dough that are slipped into hot oil or ghee, where they fill with steam and balloon in seconds. Pooris are soft silk like breads with which curries and vegetables are scooped up.   Allow 2-3 per person, depending on the size of the breads and the accompanying dishes.

Ingredients:
2.5 cups chappati flour
2/3 cup water at room temperature
ghee for brushing the bread while rolling out the dough
Oil for deep frying

Method to roll out the dough
Make stiff but pliable dough.
Cover the dough with damp cloth and set aside for 30 minutes.
Knead dough a little again. Dough should be stiff enough to roll without extra flour.
Make small balls of the dough and cover them with damp cloth.
Take one ball of dough and dip a corner of ball in melted ghee or oil and roll it out into 4 to 5 inches round.
Repeat the same process to roll out all pooris.
 

Frying the Pooris
Heat plenty of oil in a kadhai until very hot.
Put in a poori and immediately start flickering hot oil over the top of it with a spatula so that it will swell up like a ball.
This should take only a few seconds. Flip the poori over and cook the other side until golden brown.
Serve hot with curries or vegetables.

  Bhelpuri is street food and is enjoyed on the road side all over North and Western India.  It is called Jhaal Muri in Kolkata. It is synonymous with the beaches of Mumbai (Bombay), especially Chowpatty a popular beach eatery for the masses in Bombay/ Mumbai. It is a beautiful mix of puffed rice and sev (lentil noodles) and wheat crackers. This mix is placed over diced warm boiled potatoes. This mix is then topped with a melange of finely cut tomatoes, minced onions, cilantro and chillies. This blend is then flavored by drizzling fresh cilantro chutney/pesto and tamarind chutney over it.  The result is a heavenly salad like snack.

Today, Bhelpuri parties are popular all over India.

Recipe:
For this recipe you will need the Bhel Mix package, tamarind chutney and cilantro chutney from our store
Serves 8 for a snack or 4 for a main meal -
-1/2 package of Bhel Mix
-3 cups mashed boiled potatoes (mashed coarsely)
-1/24cup chopped fresh cilantro or coriander leaves
-Green chilies minced to taste
T-amarind chutney to taste
-Cilantro or Coriander chutney to taste
-1 cup chopped onions
-1 cup each of diced tomato and cucumber mixed together
Method:
Put out 4 - 8 bowls.  First put a layer of boiled potatoes, then a layer of Bhel Mixwith cilantro mixed in, add the onions, tomatoes and cucumber, chilies, Next pour on the tamarind chutney and top with a dollop of cilantro/coriander chutney. (add salt to taste)

 in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan or the top of a double boiler, sauté in ghee for a few seconds:
2 TBS super-fine rice vermicelli
Add:
1 quart whole milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
pinch saffron
unsalted cashew nuts and/or raisins, fried in a little butter (opt.)
Continue simmering over low heat, stirring periodically, until thickened and reduced to about half the volume - aobut 1-2 hours. If using a double boiler, check the water level in the bottom of the pan now and then.
Be patient with this dessert- the thickening takes time. Low-fat milk does not thicken as well as whole milk does.
Category Desserts
Servings 2 cups Serving Size 3 TBS
Calories 79 Protein 3 g
Fat 2.9 g Carbohydrates 9 g .

  Jelebi (Deep Fried Batter Swirls)
Yield: 4 servings
Batter
2 c Plain flour
1/2 c Rice flour
7 g Fresh compressed yeast or 1/2 t Dried yeast
1/2 c Lukewarm water
1/4 t Saffron strands
2 T Boiling water
1 T Yoghurt
Vegetable oil for frying
Syrup
3 c Sugar
3 c Water
1 T Light corn syrup
Rose essence to flavour
1 1/2 t Liquid orange food colouring
Sift the flour and rice flour into a large bowl. Sprinkle yeast on the warm water in a small bowl, leave to soften for 5 minutes and stir to dissolve. Put saffron strands in a cup and pour the boiling water over. Leave to soak for 10 minutes.
Pour dissolved yeast and saffron with its soaking water into a measuring jug. Add tepid water to make up 2 1/4 cups. Stirring with a wooden spoon, add the measured liquid to the flour and beat well until batter is very smooth. Add yoghurt and beat again. Leave to rest for 1 hour. Batter will start to become frothy. Beat vigorously again before starting to fry jelebis. (While batter stands make syrup and leave it to become just warm).
Heat vegetable oil in a deep frying pan and when hot use a funnel to pour in the batter, making circles or figures of eight. Frying, turning once, until crisp and golden on both sides. Lift out on a slotted spoon, let the oil drain for a fews seconds, then drop the hot jelebi into the syrup and soak it for a minute or two. Lift out of the syrup (using another slotted spoon) and put on a plate to drain.
Syrup: Heat sugar and water over low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Raise heat and boil hard for 8 minutes; syrup should be just thick enough to spin a thread. Remove from heat, allow to cool until lukewarm, flavour with rose essence (about 1.2 tsp of good quality essence is sufficient) and colour a bright orange with food colouring.
*Jelebis are coils of crisply fried batter with a rose-scented syrup inside the coils. How the syrup gets into the coils is a mystery unless you do some research on the subject.

    Crush into powder in a plastic bag with a rolling pin, and set aside:
1 1/2 teaspoons mustard seeds
Heat in a small saucepan until the seeds pop, then remove from the heat:
1 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil
pinch hing
1/2 teaspoon cumin/mustard/sesame seeds mixture
Add and mix well:
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cumin/coriander powder
1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper powder, or to taste
all the crushed mustard seeds
Add:
1 Tablespoon lime juice (juice from 1/4 lime)
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh coriander leaves (cilantro), chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
Then add:
1/2 cup radishes (any kind), thinly sliced
If you wish, you may double the spices and add:
1/2 cup carrots, thinly sliced (opt.)
Mix well and chill.
Category Pickles
Servings Makes 3/4 cup Serving Size 1-2 TBS
Calories 12 Protein 0 g
Fat 0.8 g Carbohydrates 1 g.

INGREDIENTS

    * Graham Cracker Crust
    * 1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
    * 1/4 cup margarine, softened
    * 1/4 cup sugar
    * 
    * Filling
    * 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
    * 1 cup powdered sugar
    * 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    * 1 cup heavy cream, whipped
    * 1 (12.5 ounce) can cherry pie filling (or other filling of your choice)

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                         There are fish stews with potatoes and tomatoes in every country around the Mediterranean. This one is herby, aromatic and slightly peppery. To balance the flavours, start with just a little harissa or chilli powder and add more later if you wish. Use any white fish such as hake, cod, haddock or turbot and serve with some toasted bread.

Preparation time : 15 minutes
Cooking time : 35 minutes
Total time : 50 minutes

Serves: 4
Ingredients
500g New potatoes, scrubbed, peeled and cut into thick slices
2 Medium tomatoes, peeled and quartered
½ tsp Paprika
¼ tsp Harissa (or a large pinch of chilli powder)
½ tsp Ground cumin
3 Garlic cloves, chopped
½ Lemon, juice
3 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
500g White fish fillets, skinned
20g Flat-leaf parsley or coriander, chopped
3–4 Mint sprigs, chopped

Method:
Put all the ingredients except the oil, fish and herbs in a pan with 1 litre water. Simmer for 25 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
Stir in the extra virgin olive oil and add the fish. Cook for another 10 minutes, then gently break up the fillets into smaller pieces and add the herbs. Season and serve.

INGREDIENTS

    * 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
    * 1/2 cup ground pecans
    * 2 tablespoons white sugar
    * 2 tablespoons brown sugar
    * 1/4 cup butter
    * 3/4 cup white sugar
    * 3/4 cup canned pumpkin
    * 3 egg yolks
    * 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
    * 1/2 teaspoon ground mace
    * 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
    * 1/4 teaspoon salt
    * 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
    * 3/8 cup white sugar
    * 1 egg
    * 1 egg yolk
    * 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
    * 1 tablespoon cornstarch
    * 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
    * 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

DIRECTIONS

   1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
   2. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, ground pecans, 2 tablespoons white sugar, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, and the melted butter or margarine and mix well. Firmly press mixture into one 9 inch springform pan.
   3. Combine 3/4 cup of the white sugar, the pumpkin, 3 egg yolks, ground cinnamon, ground mace, ground ginger and salt in a medium bowl. Mix well, and set aside.
   4. Beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until light and fluffy; gradually add 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons white sugar and mix well. Add the whole egg, remaining egg yolk and the whipping cream, beating well. Add cornstarch and vanilla and lemon flavorings, beat batter until smooth. Add pumpkin mixture and mix well. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
   5. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 50 to 55 minutes. Do not overbake. Center may be soft but it will firm up when chilled. Let cheesecake cool on a wire rack, then refrigerate.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup finely diced kiwi
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 scallions or green onions; green part included, thinly sliced
1 or more chopped fresh serrano chiles, according to taste
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 medium-sized firm-ripe (not soft) avocados, diced
salt to taste

Directions:

Mix the kiwi, cilantro, green onion, chiles, and lime juice in a bowl.If making a day ahead: Do not add the avocado until as soon as possible before serving,as it will turn brown if cut for more than a few hours ahead.The avocado should be tossed in gently, so that the cubes retain their shape.This recipe for Avocado And Kiwi Salsa serves/makes 3 cups