Green Plantain Manchurian

Green plantain or raw banana is quite starchy and flavor is much like potato.

Plantain is naturally low in calories and a good source of vitamins and minerals, so it’s a very good option to cook a healthy and a tasty dish.  

Ingredients:

4 green plantains

1 onion finely chopped

1 cup spring onion or green onion

½ cup thinly sliced mushrooms

5-6 pods of garlic

1 inch ginger thinly sliced

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp chili sauce

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp garam masala

2 tsp brown sugar

½ tsp black pepper powder

½ cup finely chopped coriander

3 tbsp oil

2-3 tbsp water

Salt to taste

Method:

Boil green plantain till they are well cooked, peel and grate them. Now add chili powder, garam masala, salt, onion, chopped coriander, and mix well.

make small lemon size rounds of the mixture and place them in a baking dish.  Coat them with little oil and bake in a preheated oven at 325⁰F/ 160⁰C for 20-25 min.

Now is pan heat oil and add finely chopped garlic, ginger, mushrooms and sauté till they are cooked. Then add soy sauce, chili sauce, black pepper powder, brown sugar, salt, green onion and water, cook about 5 min. then add  plantain balls and sauté for another 3-5 min.

Garnish with freshly chopped coriander and serve hot with fried rice or tastes good even with chapatti or phulka.

Enjoy!

5min Cornflakes bhel

This healthy and tasty bhel is a real super simple recipe. Just 5min and its done.

Ingredients:

2 ½ cups cornflakes

1 small onion finely chopped

½ cup finely chopped coriander

½ cup fine sev

1 tsp chat masala

1 tsp lime juice

1 tsp chili powder

½ tsp sugar

Salt to taste

Method:

Mix together all the ingredients, garnish with chopped coriander, sev  and  serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Baked Saffron Cheesecake

This yummy cheese cake is all time favorite dessert of my family. This rich and creamy cake just melts in your mouth. Easy to make and a sure recipe to impress guests.

Ingredients:

For base

You can use a store bought pie crust or can make one at home.

125 gms (4.0 oz) Digestive biscuits.

1 Tbsp Fine sugar

45 gms (1 ½ oz ) melted butter

For Filling

400 gms (14 oz) creamcheese (Fats Free) at Room temperature

150 ml (5 oz) Heavy cream

50 gms (1 ¾ oz) fine sugar

2 Eggs

2 Pinch of saffron

2 Tsp of water

Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

Method:

Crush digestive biscuits finely. Add in the sugar, butter and mix well. Now press firmly this mixture into cake tin and keep in refrigerator to set.

Add saffron into 2 tsp of water and let it soak.

In a bowl, soften the cream cheese and make sure no lumps remain. Add heavy cream, sugar, eggs, lemon zest and juice.  Mix well till the batter is smooth. Now add half of the saffron mixture and mix again.  Slowly pour the mixture over the base in cake tin. Now pour the remaining saffron water on top.

Pre-heat oven to 325⁰ F/160⁰ C.

Place the cake in the middle rack and bake for about 60 mins. The cake is done when the surface is firm, but should wobble slightly in the center. Turn off the oven and leave the cheese cake in the oven for 10 min. Remove the cake and let it come to room temp. Then chill in refrigerator for at least 4-5 hours.

Garnish with little saffron on each slice of cake.

Enjoy !

Dum Aloo

This yummy potato recipe in yogurt gravy is from Kashmir. Traditionally the potatoes are boiled and deep fried. But this can be done even by baking them with little oil, to make it more healthy and tasty.

Ingredients:

12/15 – Baby potatoes

1 ½ cup yogurt

1 tsp- coriander powder

1 tsp- cumin powder

1 tsp- Fennel or Sauf powder

1 tsp-Garam  masala

1 tsp- Turmeric powder
2 tsp- Kashmiri chili powder

2 tbsp – Oil

1/2 tsp - mustard seeds

1 tsp-sugar

Salt to taste

Method:

Place the peeled potatoes in baking dish and coat them with 1 tbsp of oil and bake them in a pre-heated oven at 350⁰F / 175⁰C for 20 to 25 mins or till golden brown.

Mix all the spices in yogurt and keep aside.

In a pan heat oil add musterd seeds and let them splutter, then pour the yogurt mixture and cook till the color changes. Now take the potatoes and with the  help of a fork or knife poke them to help the gravy get well absorbed. Add the potato in the mixture and cook till the gravy is thick and potatoes are quoted with all the spices.

Garnish with freshly chopped coriander and serve hot with chapatti, puri or phulka.

Enjoy! 

 

Broccoli and Cheese Soup

This comforting soup is very healthy and simple to make. Broccoli is high in vitamin C as well a good dietary fiber.  Kids will love this soup because of its creamy texture and mild taste.

Ingredients:

1 Tsp of melted butter or olive oil

4 Cups of broccoli

2 Cups of water

½ Cup of milk

2 Tsp of heavy cream

½ Cup of shredded cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Bring water to boil and add broccoli. Cook broccoli till soft. Drain the broccoli and keep the water to mix later in soup. Blend the broccoli to a smooth paste and keep aside.

In a pan, add oil/butter and sauté the broccoli paste and add water (used previously to boil broccoli) and bring to boil. Now add milk, cream, cheese and simmer for 3-5 mins. Add salt, pepper and mix well. Serve with little grated cheese on top.

Enjoy!