Dish # 421 --- My Granny's Malai Kofta curry ( Cheese filled potato balls in Creamy Tomato Gravy)

This is the first dish, I learnt to cook from none other than my "Mamama" or maternal grand mom.
This dish has awesome memories of us being in the kitchen on Sunday afternoons, with a little bit of help from my lil bro..
Malai means fresh Cream. Kofta means small balls.
In this dish the koftas are made from Aloo/Potato and Stuffed with Paneer/cottage cheese preferably home made, and then simmered in creamy tomato gravy.
Those days we used to eat the dish all by itself.
Today I serve it with fresh hot Rotis/Indian Bread.

Ingredients:

For the Kofta (Cottage cheese filled Potato balls):
Potatoes - 500 gms - boiled, peeled and mashed

Cottage cheese - 200 gms
Garlic - 4 cloves - finely chopped
Chat masala - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste
Kashmiri red chilly powder - 2 tsp (Optional)

For the Gravy (Cream Tomato Gravy/Sauce):
Tomatoes - 1/2 kg - Puree'd
Onions - 2 large - finely chopped
Butter - 2 tbsp
Cream - 100 gms
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
Red chilli powdee - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Fresh coriander - 1 handful - chopped

Method: 

For the Kofta (Cottage cheese filled Potato balls):

Mix the mashed potatoes with chopped garlic, chat masala, red chilly powder and salt.
Grease your palms with oil and divide mixture into 6-8 equal portions. Divide the cottage cheese/paneer into the same number of portions.
Give each of mashed potato portion a shape of ball.
Take one ball and press a little between your palms and flatten it like patty.. put one portion of the paneer in the centre. Wrap them in from all sides and give round shape of ball. Prepare remaining stuffed kofta balls in similar way.
Deep fry these koftas in hot oil under golden and crispy and keep aside.

For the Gravy (Cream Tomato Gravy/Sauce):

Take a heavy bottomed pan, keep on medium heat, add butter and fry the onions, ginger garlic paste till golden brown. Then add cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, garam masala and red chilly powder and fry for 2 mins. Then add the tomato puree and salt allow to cool till raw smell goes away and curry begins to boil. Then simmer and add the cream, allow to simmer for few more minutes before switching off the heat.

To serve:
Arrange the koftas in the serving dish, pour the gravy evenly on the kofta and garnish with fresh chopped coriander and extra cream (if required).

Dish #420 - "Chila" - A Quick n Easy Gujarati Snack

"Chila" a yummy and quick Gujrati snack...I make this quite often...it does not require any planning...all ingredients are normally always available in the kitchen.

This is nothing but an instant dosa made of gram flour.

Dish #419 - Prawn Saganaki - My lil Twist on the Greek delicacy

Another of my favorite prawn starter, is the "Prawn Saganaki" a Greek delicacy...
Have not been to Greece, but had this several times in some authentic Greek restaurants in Goa.
Though traditionally the Greek Ouzo (Greek drink) is added to it, but after a little bit of research I realized it smells/tastes of aniseed so added ground aniseed.
Anyway with or without Ouzo this dish tastes great...

Dish #418 - Methi Thepla - A Gujrati Breakfast delicacy - #sundaybreakfast

Here is a Gujarati delicacy often made by me using Fenugreek leaves also called Methi in Hindi!

Known as "thepla" is Gujrati, its easy to make and delicious.

Ingredients
Whole wheat flour - 150 gms
Bengal gram flour (Besan) - 100 gms
Fresh fenugreek leaves (methi leaves) - 1 cup chopped
Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
Curds (yoghurt/dahi) - 3/4 cup
Oil - 3 tsp
salt to taste
oil/ghee for cooking

Method
Sieve the wheat flour and gram flour separately.
Combine the wheat flour, gram flour and the remaining ingredients in a bowl, mix well and knead into a soft dough.
Cover and keep aside for 20 minutes.
Divide the dough into 8 equal portions and roll out each portion into a circle of 5" diameter.
Heat a tava/flat pan and cook using little oil or ghee till golden brown spots appear on both the sides.
Serve hot with chhunda (sweet mango pickle) or with curds and any mango pickle.

We normally eat it with my favorite Punjabi Mango pickle.

Dish #417 - Lamb & Prawn Cajun Jambalaya - #perfectweekendmeal

Jambalaya is rice dish, very similar to the Indian Biryani, but Jambalaya is a dish with Spanish and French influence. Though I don't have all the details except that it tastes really good...

I have had Jambalaya in some restaurants in Bangalore as well as abroad, and tried making this at home.
The first time I made it I used a recipe from a food channe, but due to my Indian taste buds I found it pretty bland, from then I started using Cajun spice to give it a small Mexican twist and make it as delicious as my Cajun prawns.

After cooking it realized that its very simple to make, but equally delicious to our biryani with less time in the kitchen.

Though I cook this on Sundays, its pretty easy to cook it on weekdays also as its quick and a complete meal.

Ingredients:
olive oil - 1 tbsp
Lamb cubes - 200 gms
Prawns - 200 gms
Onion - 1 - diced
Red pepper - 1- thinly sliced
Garlic cloves -2 - crushed
Cajun  - 1 tbsp 
long grain rice - 250g
plum tomatoes - 400g can
lamb stock or Water - 350ml
Parsley or Coriander - for garnishing

Method: Heat the oil in a large frying pan with a lid and brown the lamb for 5-8 mins until golden.
Remove and set aside. Tip in the onion and cook for 3-4 mins until soft.
Then add the pepper, garlic, prawn and Cajun seasoning, and cook for 5 mins more.
Stir the lamb back in with the rice, add the tomatoes and stock.
Cover and simmer for 20-25 mins until the rice is done.
Serve hot garnished with parsley or coriander leaves.

Dish #416 - Mediterranean Style Grilled Lamb Chops

Grilled lamb chops is one of my favorite evening starter...
Made these couple of days back in Mediterranean style and my family absolutely loved it and I am sure you will too..!!

Ingredients :

Lamb chops - 500 gms
Yellow bell pepper - 1 - sliced
Cherry tomatoes - 6-8
Garlic - 1 head
Thyme leaves - Fresh or dry - 2 tbsp
Rosemary leaves - Fresh or dry - 1 tbsp
Bay leaves - Fresh or dry - 4
Salt to taste
Black peppercorns - cracked - 2 tsp
Olive oil - 150 ml

For Garnishing
Feta cheese - crumbled - 1 handful
Mint leaves 

Method :
Peel the garlic cloves and grind in a mixer or food processor with the thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, salt, peppercorns and oil.  Alternatively grind dry ingredients using a pestle and mortar then blend in the oil.

Mix the lamb chops, yellow peppers, cherry tomatoes and marinade together and marinate for a couple of hours before barbecuing/grilling.

Grill on charcoal grill or oven grill until done.

Serve hot garnished with Feta cheese and mint leaves.

Dish #415 - Thai Green Veg Curry

Another simple Thai curry is the "Thai Green Curry", made the vegetarian version today and absolutely loved it...

Recipe for the Green Curry Paste (makes Approx. 1 Cup)
lemon grass stem - finely chopped - 2 tbsp 
coriander - chopped- 1 cup 
Onions - roughly chopped onions - 1/4 cup 
garlic - chopped - 1 tbsp
green chillies - roughly chopped - 10 
coriander powder - 1 tbsp 
cumin seeds powder - 2 tbsp 
black peppercorns - 1/2 tsp - freshly ground 
ginger - 1 inch piece
salt to taste
lemon juice - 1/2 tsp 
grated lemon rind - 1/4 tsp 
Combine all the ingredients and blend in a mixer to a fine paste, using enough water (approx. ½ cup). Keep aside.
Ingredients for The Curry

Green curry paste -3/4 cup - use the one available in most super markets are use my recipe below
coconut milk - 1 1/2 cups
oil - 1 tbsp
Green Capsicum - cubed - 1/2 cup
Red Capsicum - cubed - 1/2 cup
Baby corn - slices - 1/2 cup
Red pepper - cubed - 1/2 cup
Mushrooms - thickly sliced - 1/2 cup
a pinch of sugar
salt to taste

Method for the curry :
Heat the oil in a broad non-stick pan, add the green curry paste and sauté on a medium flame for 1 minute. Add all the vegetables, mix well and sauté on a medium flame for 1 minute.
Add the coconut milk, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 2 minutes.
Add the sugar and salt, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 1 more minute.
Serve hot with steaming white rice.