Happy Janmashtami to all my readers

Wishing all my readers a Happy Janmashtami from my family including my BalGopal

Capsicum Pulao - Indian fried rice with bell pepper

They are colourful, crunchy and juicy. Red, yellow or green capsicums or bell peppers contain three times more Vitamin C than orange juice, according to experts. Other benefits of them includes Cancer-fighting capability, weight loss, immunity and blemish-free skin. That is why I am presenting this recipe as a nutritious variant of our great Indian pulao. This is good for our kids when they become too much fussy about the lunch/dinner. The preparation does not have much hassle to prepare but there is no compromise on taste.

Preparation Time: - 15~30 min depending upon the time you soak the rice

Cooking Time: - 20 min

Servings: - 3~4 persons

Ingredients:-

1. 1 ½ cup or 300 gm. Basmati Rice /jeera Rice /Gobindobhog ( I used Basmati rice)
2. 3 nos of small Capsicum or Bell pepper – I prefer to use a mix of all colors green, yellow and red. If not available, you can use only green.
3. 1 medium onion chopped
4. 1 tbsp chopped Ginger
5. 1 Garlic crushed
6. 2 tbsp Ghee
7. Handful of Raisin
8. Handful of Cashew
9. 4 tbsp vegetable oil ( I used Sunflower oil but you can use any vegetable oil)
10. 2 tsp Garam Masala powder
11. 1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder – I prefer this as it is less spicy but you can use normal red chili powder also. Even you can increase the amount here according to your taste
12. Salt to taste
13. Chopped Coriander leaves for garnishing
    

Preparation:-

1. Wash the Basmati rice thoroughly and soak it in water for at least 15 min. It is better if you can soak for 30 min. Drain in the water and keep aside.
2. Chop capsicum, onion and ginger. Keep aside.
3. Crush the garlic in pestle and mortar and keep aside.
   
4. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a non-stick kadai at high flame. Fry the capsicum for 2~3 min with little salt and keep aside.
   
5. Shallow fry the raisin and cashew nuts in the same kadai and keep aside.
6. Add the remaining oil and 1 tbsp Ghee in the same kadai. Fry the onion, ginger and garlic for 2~3 minutes
   
7. Now add the rice and fry for 2 minutes. Continuously stir to mix the whole stuff.
   
8. Add garam masala, salt, Kashmiri red chili powder and sufficient water
   
9. Cover the lid and cook till the rice is done. Please do not overcook. The rice should not stick together but should become soft. If you find the rice not soft you can sprinkle water on it and stir for some more time.
10. Now mix the capsicum and mix well.
11. Now add the raisins and cashew nuts. Pour the remaining ghee and mix.
12. Turn off the burner, put the lid and leave for 3~5 min. This will produce a nice smell.
13. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve.
    

Serve hot with any Side dish or Raita or any kind of Dal. Non-veg people can eat with chicken/egg/mutton curry.

As always please feel free to comment, criticize and seek if any help is required. I am all ears.

Bhapa Katla / Rui - Steamed sweet water fish in my homely style

Bhapa Rui or Steamed Rohu is a traditional Bengali recipe of cooking fish which is very healthy and gives an excellent smell. It is very simple - need very less ingredients and very less time to cook this dish. I used to observe my mother preparing this dish when sudden guests arrive in our house. Last weekend we came back from the PTM of my son’s school, we were exhausted and need to cook something quick and easy. I prepared this dish and everybody in my household liked.

Preparation Time: - 10 min

Cooking Time: - 10~12 min (It all depends upon the way you steam the mixture. You can cook in a steel bowl in a big pressure cooker or as I did in a small pressure cooker. Time will be different in each of them)

Servings: - 1~3 persons (varies from person to person)

Ingredients:-

1. 3 pieces of Katla/Rohu fishes (I used Katla). Approximate weight will be 200 gm. Not only Rohu or Katla any sweet water fish can be cooked using this recipe. Shrimp and big prawns are also cooked too using this recipe and you can find the same in one of my earlier recipe.
2. 1 small onion chopped
3. 2 tsp Turmeric powder
4. 1 tbsp mustard paste (I used readymade paste from Sunrise mustard powder but you may grind mustard seeds to make mustard paste)
5. 1 tsp Ginger paste (I made paste by pestle and mortar but readymade paste can be used)
6. Few coriander leaves chopped
7. 2 green chilli slited
8. 2 tbsp mustard oil
9. Salt to taste
10. Pinch of Sugar (optional)

Preparation:-

1. Wash the fish, drain and then marinate it with a little salt and turmeric powder. Keep aside for 15 minutes.
   
2. Meanwhile soak the mustard in a little water for about 15 minutes.
3. After 15 min grind to make a smooth paste with mustard paste, 2 green chilies, a little salt, coriander leaves and water.
4. Chop the onion and make the ginger paste from fresh ginger. Keep aside both.
5. Take a small pressure cooker. You can use a steel container in bigger pressure cooker. I used a 2L pressure cooker and put everything in it.
   
6. Mix everything (mustard paste from step 3, onion, ginger paste and fish).
   
7. Add 1 ½ tbsp. mustard oil from top. Optionally add sugar if you are Bengali
   and have no issue with sugar.
8. Close the pressure container and put it in pressure cooker if you are using container.
9. Pour sufficient water in the cooker so that only one-third of the container is submerged. In my case I pour the water so that one-third of the cooker is filled.
10. Close the pressure cooker and put it on the burner. Wait for one whistle.
11. Put off the flame and wait for some time.
12. Take it out and sprinkle ½ tbsp. mustard oil if you like the smell of raw mustard oil.
    
    

Serve this as side dish with hot steamed rice.

As always please feel free to comment, criticize and seek if any help is required. I am all ears.

Zomato Restaurant Review - Sorse, Whitefield

We went there on 15th August Evening. It was an unplanned visit and we went there in a hurry for just filling up the stomach. The stuff was very courteousness - they arranged a stand fan when we point out that AC was not sufficient. Since we were in a hurry we ordered two thalis - one with chicken kosha and another Veg thali. The price was reasonable - Rs 500 w/o tax. Luchi was big and fluffy - tasty too. There were two type of curries - one posto preparation which was really good. The chutney was sweet enough and the chicken was tasty enough to rate the restaurant 4.0. In fact all of my household - my husband and my son included was very happy to have the dinner there. We have decided to come again when coming to Phoenix market city. The only negative I can think of is that rice was little under-cooked.

Happy Independence Day - India and my readers

Happy Independence day to every Indian and my readers of this blog.

Cabbage stir fry - My homely style

Cabbage or is a very healthy vegetable. It is anti-oxidant and very good source of Vitamin C and manganese. The health benefits of cabbage include frequent use as a treatment for constipation, stomach ulcers, headaches, obesity, skin disorders, eczema, jaundice, scurvy, rheumatism, arthritis, gout, eye disorders, heart diseases, aging, and Alzheimer’s disease. For detailed list you can refer http://www.stylecraze.com/articles/amazing-benefits-of-cabbages/.

 

I chose this item to preserve most of the health benefits of cabbage. It can be cooked in Bengali or South Indian style. I mixed up both in a healthy and tasty way which I can proudly claim to be my homely style. 

Preparation Time: - 10~15 min

Cooking Time: - 30~40 min

Servings: - 3~4 persons (depends upon how many pieces per person)

Ingredients:-  

1. 1 Medium size Cabbage finely chopped
2. 1 tsp Black Mustard seeds
3. 1 tbsp Gram dal (Chana Dal)
4. 8~10 Curry leaves
5. Pinch of Hing (Asafetida) - optional
6. 1 tbsp, finely chopped fresh Ginger – You can smash in pestle and mortar also.
7. 1 large size onion chopped
8. Pinch of Turmeric powder (optional)
9. 2 slit Green chilies for cooking another 2 for garnishing
10. 2~4 tbsp Fresh grated coconut as per your taste
11. 4~5 tbsp vegetable oil – I used Sunflower oil
12. Salt to taste
13. Sugar to taste (optional)
14. 1 tbsp Ghee
15. 2 tsp Garam Masala

Preparation:-

1. Chop the Cabbage and onion. Keep aside.
   
2. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed wok/non-stick kadai in medium flame.
3. Add mustard seeds and wait till they splutter.
4. Mix Chana/ Gram dal now.
5. When they turn light brown, add green chilies and curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds on medium flame.
   
6. Pour the onion and fry them till golden brown.
   
7. Add the ginger and asafetida - fry for few seconds.
8. Now add the grated coconut and mix well. I have shown here 2 tbsp only but you can have more.
   
   
   
9. Cook for a minute – then pour the sliced cabbage.
   
10. Add salt, turmeric powder and sugar if you like.
11. Cook without lid for 8~10 min.
12. Adjust burner to low flame, place the lid and cook for 15 min stirring occasionally.
13. Remove lid, check if the cabbage is done or not. Cook more if required. In my case it took more time as my cabbage was not ready.
14. Add Garam masala and mix.
15. Turn off heat.
16. Now pour Ghee and mix well.
    

Garnish with green chilies. You can also use coriander leaves. Serve hot as a side dish with steamed rice. You can even have it with roti or paratha.

As always please feel free to comment, criticize and seek if any help is required. I am all ears.