Achaari Fish kofta

The achaari's masala is very popular in Punjabi cooking and contrary to popular belief does not

 use any actual achaar or pickle. It is a flavourful blend of carefully chosen spices. The achaaris masala is truly representative of the variety of spices used in Punjabi cooking.

Gosht achaari is very well known mouth watering dish ....It 's spicy and tangy flavour differentiate from other mutton recipes.... So  I thought to use this popularity in  Fish ....First I was not sure about how it will turn out  ....But it completely satisfied our taste bud....I thought of using fish kofta in it as it imparts  a classy look to a dish ... If you don't want the hassle of making kofta you can simply use fish pieces cut into small square...

The key ingredient is the masala here...I made this masala by roastig Indian 5 spices (Panchphoron) cumin and coriander seed together in tawa and grinding it to a smooth powder which just perfectly blend with mustard oil to give a rich flavour to the dish.

Ingredients:

For the Kofta:

1. Fillet of any fish,(I took 2 fillets of Bhola -known as shankara in Maharashtra)

2. Ginger-garlic paste 1 teaspoon

3. Turmeric powder half teaspoon

4. Salt to taste

5. potato 1 ( boiled and mashed)

6. Garam masala powder a pinch

7. Chili Powder half teaspoon

8. Beaten egg-1

9. Breadcrumbs enough to bind and shape the kofta, around 1/3 rd one-third cup

Cooking Method:

1.Boil your fish with garlic/ginger paste, turmeric and salt. While boiling use less water, because fish exerts water and only a little amount is needed to boil them.

2. Take out all the bones and put into a bowl. Combine mashed potato, chili powder, garam masala powder, salt, beaten egg and bread crumbs with it.Keep it in freeze for 20 minutes approximately.

3. Make round balls and deep fry and set aside . But since it will be used in Korma Curry, don’t fry them for long. 

Ingredients:

 For Achaari curry / sauce:

1. Chopped onion 1 medium onion

2. Onion Paste 2 tbl spoon

3. Chopped Garlic 2 cloves

4. Garlic Paste 1/2 (half) teaspoon

5. Ginger Paste 1 teaspoon

6.Tamarind ('Tetul' in Bengali) sauce/Tamarind to taste.

7.Indian 5 spices ( crushed) 1 teaspoon

8.puree of  tomato 1 small

9. Turmeric powder half teaspoon

10. Red Chili Powder 1 teaspoon

11.Cumin half teaspoon

12. Whole Coriander half teaspoon

13. Salt and sugar to taste.

14. Green chilies

Cooking Method:

1.Now in oil put sliced onion..Fry them till tender. Add finely chopped garlic and fry them until the onion and garlic gets light brown..Add salt, onion paste and ginger paste, tomato puree,little turmeric and chili powder in it…You need to cook the spices very well adding water little by little.

2. Now add the masala (made by roasting Indian 5 spices( Panchphoron) cumin and coriander seed together in tawa and grinding it to a smooth powder)into it. Add water after frying it nicely for few minutes.Add little tetul chutney ( store bought Indian tamarind sauce) in it.

3.When the gravy is reducing add fish kofta and green chilies …

4. Cover the lid, and keep it on very low flame for 5 min. Check the seasoning, if required then add little sugar to sharpen the taste.

Now the Aachari Fish kofta is ready to serve with rice...

Note- Instead of store bought Indian tamarind-sauce, you can use raw tamarind, soaked in water. In that case use little sugar with it.

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Useful kitchen tips

Here are some useful  tips which will make your kitchen work interesting and comfortable....

1. Putting 3-4 cloves in sugar container will keep the ants at bay.

2. To avoid spilling over of milk when boiling it:
If you see yourself standing in front of the stove guarding it till the milk boils, here’s what you need to do. Before you pour milk into the pot for boiling, rub butter along the top edge and the inside lip of the pot. Due to this, the milk won’t overflow when it foams up.

3. To get rid of excess salt: 
If you have read the recipe wrong and ended up adding a tablespoon of salt, rather than a teaspoon, don’t despair. You need not throw it away. Excess salt in any dish can be brought down by adding diced potatoes, tomatoes or a teaspoon of sugar.


4. To make softer rotis:
 The next time you make paneer at home, do not throw away the remaining water. Keep it for further use in cooking. Whey (paneer water) is full of protein, calcium and digestive aids. It can be used for kneading soft dough for chapatis or for making soup. It not only adds more taste to the dish, but is also very nutritious.


5.To keep curry leaves fresh 
when stored for a longer time, keep them with fenugreek seeds in an air tight container.


6. To keep coriander leaves fresh:
Wrap coriander leaves in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator--it will keep for weeks!


7. To easily remove burnt on food from your pan
simply add a drop or two of dish soap & enough water to cover bottom of pan, and bring to a boil on stove-top--skillet will be much easier to clean now!


8. To determine whether an egg is fresh
immerse it in a pan of cool, salted water. If it sinks, it is fresh; if it rises to the surface, throw it away.

9. How to easily remove egg shell 
add 1/2 tsp baking soda to the water when hard boiling eggs and the shell will come right off



10. Prevent mushrooms from getting slim 
wrapping  mushrooms in paper towels before refrigerating prevent them from getting thin


11. Stop cheese from drying out 
spreading butter or margarine on the cut side will  seal the moisture


12. How to get back the cruchyness of vegetables
When radish,celery,or carrot have lost their crunch simply pop them in a bowl of iced water along with slice of raw potato.The limp veggie will freshen up very quickly


13. Stop crying while chopping onions
Keep your onions in the refrigerator. A chilled onion is easier to chop, and causes fewer tears. 

                                                                                                                   
14. Prevent fruits  from rotting or turning brown:
Squeeze lemon juice over half-eaten fruits and prevent them from rotting or turning brown. 



FEW MORE TIPS:

15. While boiling corn , add a pinch of sugar to bring out the corn's natural sweetness.


16. If your bananas are black, spotty and on the verge of turning from ripe to rotten, put them in the freezer so you can keep them on hand for a batch of banana bread on a rainy afternoon. 


17. Always keep dough covered with a moist cloth to avoid a dry crust from forming on it. 
Pour some vinegar over defrosting meat to accelerate the thawing process as well as tenderize the meat. 


18. Adding a little bit of baking soda to dish water will help to remove pungent odors from utensils and dishes. 


19. Rub hands with dry salt to remove onion and garlic odor. 


20. To make rice as white and fluffy as possible, add approximately 1 teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar per quart of water while cooking. 


21. Putting 3-4 cloves in sugar container will keep the ants at bay.


22. If you keep a piece of blotting paper at the bottom of the container, it will keep biscuits fresh for a longer time.


23. To keep the chillies fresh for a longer time, remove the stems before storing. 

 
24. To preserve green peas, keep them in a polythene bag in the freezer.


25. To ripen fruits, wrap them in newspaper and put in a warm place for 2-3 days. The ethylene gas they emit will make them ripe.


26. Moisten the base of the vessel with water to reduce the chances of milk to stick at the bottom.


 27. Keep spoon in the vessel while boiling milk at medium heat. It will avoid sticking the milk at the bottom of the vessel. 


28. When the noodles are boiled, drain all the hot water and add cold water. This way all the noodles will get separated.


29. To keep paneer (cottage-cheese)fresh for several days, wrap it in a blotting paper while storing in the refrigerator.


30. immerse paneer  in boiling water to make it soft and spongy.


 31. Wrap the papads in polythene sheet and place with dal or rice will prevent them from drying and breaking while baking in microwave ovens.


32. To avoid dishes from burning when being cooked in a handi, place a tawa (griddle) underneath.


33. Always keep dough covered with a moist cloth to avoid a dry crust from forming on it.



34. Add a few pinches of turmeric and a small spoon of ghee to dal before pressure cooking. This will impart a better flavour to the dal.


35. Add a pinch of soda bicarbonate to the water when boiling peas and other green vegetables. It will boil faster and also help in retaining the bright green colour.


36. Always soak cauliflower in warm salted water for some time to get rid of tiny insects present deep inside the florets which are not visible to the eye.


37. Add some salt or vinegar drops while washing vegetables and greens to make them clean and germ free, eg. cauliflower, spinach, etc.


38. If curds have become too sour to eat as it is, tie it and keep aside for 3-4 hours, add milk and use in raitas, curd rice, etc.

The chocolate affair: Choco-Rusk

Choco-Rusk

"Nine out of ten people like chocolate. The tenth person always lies." – John Tullius

I dedicate this recipe to all chocolate lovers.

This chocolate affair involves very simple  ingredients.

Ingredients

Milk 1 cup

Plain Rusk-6 pcs

Sugar 1 tbsp

Fruit jam 2 tbsps

Cocoa powder 1 tbsp

Chocolate bar

Chocolate syrup (optional)

Jelly candy  (optional)

Method

There are five simple steps of making choco-rusk.

Step 1:

At first boil 1 cup of milk with 1 tbsp of sugar till it becomes little thick.

Step 2:

Now add 1 tbsp of cocoa powder in milk and mix thoroughly, make sure there are no lumps.

Step 3:

Soak the plain rusks into this choco milk and wait till it becomes soft (don't over-soak, it may break)

Step 4:

Place the milk soaked rusks into a plate and spread fruit jam on top of it nicely. Now grate chocolate to make it a tasty affair :)

Step 5:

Stack them one by one gently and garnish them with chocolate syrup and jelly candy.

The choco-rusk is ready now !!

You can have  immediately or keep in refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving,  to have them chilled.

Enjoy :)

"Easy Murg Pulao" - minimum ingredients but maximum satisfaction :)

It was Monday night, coudn't go to the market.....My hubby after coming back late from the 

office asked me to prepare Biriyani ....As he always have the craving to have biriyani :)

But i didn't have any Masala of Biriyani not even ghee....I only had garam masalas and chicken....



 I then tried to make something Shahi out of my ordinary masalas in very short time ....And here 

is the outcome,minimum ingredients and maximum satisfaction....I am really happy to 

share with you the recipe of  this Easy Shahi Murg Pulao :)




I guess many of you may came across this type of situation....Don't limit yourself ever, specially 

in the matter of  your belly .... Because "Pet Khush to Dil Khush" :)

INGREDIENTS:
:
2 cups basmati rice / Pulao rice

250 gm chicken-cut into pieces

3/4 tsp salt(or as per your taste)

sugar(optional)

1/2 tsp turmeric (haldi) powder

2 medium size onions-chopped

3 tbsp oil

12-14 flakes garlic (chopped)

2 tsp chopped ginger

MASALA

3 dried red chillies

1 tsp cumin seeds(jeera)

2 tsp fennel (saunf)

1" stick cinnamon(dalchini)

seeds of 4 green cardamom (chhoti elaichi)

3 cloves

10 peppercorns (saboot kali mirch)




METHOD

soak rice in 2 cups of water for 15-20 minutes.


For the masala  grind all the ingredients together.

Add oil in a pan or kadai ,when the oil is hot add sugar (I have added 1/4 tsp) and let it 

caramalise,It will give a nice colour to the chicken.Then add chopped onion,fry till it's colour 

changes to  a nice golden brown,then add the chopped garlic and chopped ginger,fry for few 

minutes,Then add the chicken into it and cook for few minutes,Now add the masala and salt

 into it.Stir it nicely.Then let it cook for 10-15  minutes in low flame covering the pan or kadai.

When the oil start separating, turn the flame off. Now your chicken is ready.

For the rice , add the pre soaked rice with the water in a pan ,add salt and haldi to it.To 

enhance the aroma put cinnamon stick,cardamom and few cloves into the water.Cover it and 

cook  till the rice is almost done.

Drain the excess water.

Now add a layer of this rice , then add a layer of the cooked chicken  in a deep bottomed 

pan , sprinkle  the left over Masala on top of it. Now cover  it with microwave proof lid / plastic 

films ( I did not have any of them,so used aluminium foil ) and microwave it  for 6 

minutes. If you don't have microwave,don't worry .....just layer  them  in a non stick kadai and cover them  with a lid make sure it is cooked in a very low flame.

Serve hot and enjoy your meal :)

Nature's Best Stress Soothers

Are you stressed and not at all in a mood of deep breathing?

Then eating will be a better option  to keep stress in check :)

There are  four  nature’s best and tasty tension tampers , that can help boost your mood, and the best part is , it will protect your body as well…..

FISH

To keep stress in check, add omega-3 fatty acids to your diet.These essential fats may help moderate stess hormones and protect you against depression.You could pop a fish oil supplement, but the most delicious way to get them is through food  :) 

For a steady supply of feel good onega-3s, aim to eat 85 grams of fatty fish at least twice a week or a handful of walnuts every day.

DARK CHOCOLATE

Well all chocolate lovers will probably know this fact that dark chocolate have a stress relieving property that go beyond the taste buds…In a large German study , those who ate the most dark chocolate over ten years had lower blood pressure than those who ate the least.Another study showed a reduction in a stress hormone in people who ate dark chocolate often.

Alas!!! Dark chocolate still has “not-so-good_for_you fat, sugar, and calorie” .So stick to a few small squares a day…

BLACK TEA

Research from London suggests that drinking black tea may help you recover from nerve-racking events more quickly.Study participants who drank four cups of black tea every day for six weeks had lower levels of stress hormone cortisol and reported feeling more relaxed after stressful tasks than those who disn’t drink the tea.Other studies have touted blackj tea’s mood-boosting effects and suggested it can help increase alertness throughout the day.

AVOCADOS

The fresh of these delicious green fruits is loaded with two two powerful sress fighters : potassium and monounsaturated fatty acids. Both nutrients can lower blood pressure, and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) may play a part in helping ward off depression. Researchers think , the fats may improve how the brain absorbs the mood-boosting neurotransmitter serotonin.

Drinking Milk (calcium present in it) may help ease anxiety and mood swings linked to pre-menstrual syndrome.

Eating Crunchy foods like carrot sticks, munching celery and can help relax a clenched jaw and ward.

So , next time whenever you will feel stressed try out this….

                      Eat healthy    n     Stay healthy

                                           :)

                                            

whole wheat Pancakes topped with Honey

whole wheat Pancakes 

topped with Honey

These pancakes, like most pancake recipes, are very easy.

Whisk together your dry ingredients, whisk together your wet ingredients, and combine the two.

And also like most pancake recipes, make sure to leave lots of lumps. If you stir those lumps out, your pancakes will come out tough and chewy instead of fluffy and light.

Cook small scoops of the pancake batter on a hot griddle, and cook for a few minutes until bubbles start to form on the top:

These bubbles are your indication that it’s time to flip!

Cook for another couple minutes on the other side, and serve with yummy honey & butter !! 

nJoy :-)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup milk
• 1 tsp lemon juice 
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp melted butter
• butter for greasing the griddle

Method:

1. Combine the milk and lemon juice and let the mixture curdle while you mix together the other ingredients.
2. In a big bowl, whisk to combine the whole wheat flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. In another bowl, whisk together the egg, melted butter, and the curdled milk, until it looks fairly homogeneous and smooth. Whisk this wet mixture into the dry ingredients, and stir the two together until just barely mixed. You want any visible loose flour to be stirred in, but there should still be plenty of lumps. If you stir out the lumps, the pancakes will likely be tough.
4. Preheat a non stick griddle to 375 degrees F and grease the surface with butter. Add small scoops of pancake batter and gently smooth the scoop into a flatter circle. Cook for a few minutes, until you start to see little bubbles forming on the surface. Flip the pancakes with a turner and cook for a few minutes on the other side, until you peek underneath and see that the bottom is golden brown. Serve with butter and honey.