Garam Masala Cookies......

While my kid enjoys the summer break from school, lazing around the house, playing indoor games and completing his school projects, I try to keep up with his demand for ‘snacks’.

 Cooking up something that is stomach compatible in this season is a challenge.

I tried out these cookies and served them with a glass of chilled milk…… Did it pass the test?

Yes, with flying colours and demand for more……J

GARAM MASALA COOKIES                                   Makes about 20

Ingredients

Refined/ all purpose flour – I ½ cup

Butter – 100 g

Powdered sugar – ½ cup

Salt – a pinch

Garam masala pdr – 1 ½ tsp

Chilled milk – ½ cup

Method

1. Cut the butter into small cubes.
2. Mix the Garam masal pdr, sugar pdr and salt with the refined flour.
3. Add the butter cubes to the flour mix and rub it in with the finger tips. Keep working till the mixture resembles fresh bread crumbs.
4. Sprinkle a little chilled milk a teaspoon at a time to combine and bring the mixture together. Use only as little as required.
5. Knead the dough well briefly.
6. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for 20 mins.
7. Roll out the dough on a floured board to ¼ “ thickness.
8. Cut into desired shape with a cookie cutter or anything else.
9. Bake in a preheated oven for 15 minutes at 180°C.
10. Cool and store in air tight container.

For the garam masala you may grind together 4black cardamom, 10 green cardamom, 1" cinnamon and 4 cloves.

© Rinki’s Kitchen 2012

An easy Chicken and Veggie Pulao.....

The Delhi heat is energy sapping and the very thought of cooking for prolonged periods is enough to bring on a headache!

Here is a recipe for a ‘jhatpat’ wholesome meal which is easy to cook and appreciated by all for its taste…it is also easy on the stomach.

CHICKEN AND VEGGIE PULAO                                     Serves 4

Ingredients

Basmati rice – 1 cup

Vegetable chunks (carrot, beans, peas, potato etc) – 1 cup

Chicken breast (cut into chunks) – 150 g
Tomato paste - 3 tblsp

Onion (cut into chunks) – 1 large

Garlic cloves (chopped) – 4

Black pepper corns crushed – ½ tsp

Black cardamom – 2 whole

Garam Masala pdr – ½ tsp

Bay leaf – 1

Salt – to taste

Oil/Ghee – 2 tblsp

Mint leaves - for garnish

Method

1. Wash, drain and keep the rice aside. Put some water on the boil.

2. In a large pan / wok, pour the oil/ghee and let it heat up.

3. Add the bay leaf and black cardamom, fry lightly to infuse the flavour in the oil.

4. Put in the onion and garlic and fry them lightly. Add the tomato paste, veggie and chicken chunks to the wok and fry lightly.

5. Now, add the rice and fry till the rice looks glossy and translucent. Pour in enough boiling water to cover the contents and slightly more.

6. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil and cook for a minute.

7. Reduce the heat. Cover and cook till the rice is done.

8. Garnish with fresh mint leaves and serve with a crunchy salad.


* You may add in chunks of tomato into the rice when it is almost done.

© Rinki’s Kitchen 2012

Carrot Pecan Loaf...

This is a recipe shared by my very good friend Renu.

Though she is a classical singer and an artist of sorts, food has always been of great interest to her. Her kitchen has a shelf full of recipe books and she loves to cook a variety of cuisines.  

I hope to share some more of her recipes with you. For now, you must try this one….

As Renu says ….. if u want to indulge have a slice with white butter !

 

Renu's Carrot and Pecan Loaf

CARROT PECAN LOAF                                  Makes 1 loaf  

Ingredients2 eggs lightly beaten
185gm brown sugar
250 ml oil
125 gm whole meal flour
125 gm plain flour
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp mixed spice
250 gm carrots grated
60gm pecan nuts chopped
90 gm dried currants

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 deg Celsius.
2. Beat all wet ingredients with a beater. Then stir in all the dry ingredients.
3. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and level smooth.
4. Bake for 1 1/4 hrs or till done and golden brown.
5. Invert onto a wire rack to cool. Cut into slices and serve with white butter.

© Rinki’s Kitchen 2012



Mango Chutney......

The best thing about summers is mangoes and I can never have enough of it.

Raw mango in dal, sharbat, salad, chutney….

Ripe mango in shakes, soufflé, ice-cream or just like that!

Let me share a very simple mango chutney recipe with you.

The mangoes I used were from my mother’s ancestral village. They were large and very fragrant. I could only think of this chutney for them.

This recipe is built to express the flavour of raw mangoes. The spices used are mild and only enhance the mango flavour.

It is best had with puri or parantha.

You must try it!

RAW MANGO CHUTNEY

Ingredients

Raw mango – 6 large

Mustard oil – 2 tblsp

Mustard seeds – ¾ tsp

Panch phoron – 1 tsp dry roasted

Dry red chilli – 1 

Haldi/turmeric pdr – ¼ tsp

Sugar – to taste

Salt – to taste

Method

1. Soak the raw mangoes in warm water for 30 mins. Wash the mangoes well and wipe dry.
2. Peel and cut the mangoes into ½ inch size pieces.
3. Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds. Once the spluttering subsides, put in the mango pieces. Stir fry till lightly cooked.
4. Lower the heat and add turmeric pdr followed by sugar. Add in a pinch of salt, cover and let it cook.
5. Keep checking from time to time. You must stir it occasionally.
6. Once you see a jelly like consistency, taste it to adjust the sugar and salt.  At this stage you may squash some mango pieces to release the pulp and add to the jelly.
7. Cook it till it becomes a thick jelly.
8. Crush the panch phoron and sprinkle on top of the chutney. (You may add the dry red chilli as well. Roast it and crush it.) Mix well.
9. Cool and store in a sterilized jar. Should stay for a few months in the fridge.

Panch Phoron - a combination of five spices and essentially a Bengali spice mix.

Ingredients
1 tbsp nigella seeds
1 tbsp black mustard seeds
1 tbsp fenugreek seeds
1 tbsp fennel seeds
1 tbsp cumin seeds

Method

Combine all spices and store in a jar away from heat and light.

© Rinki’s Kitchen 2012

Family get together......

 I had been away to meet my folks....you would have known by now :)
It is always interesting to meet up with the extended family ..... aunts, uncles, cousins, their family .....

The kids always seem to have grown taller .... some have added mass to their existing form .... someone has a new hairstyle .... it is fun catching up!

Celebrations and get togethers always center around lots of good food.
My aunt had an impressive table laid out for us....

The table layout

THE MENU
Dry Channa /Chickpea curry, Potoler/Pointed gourd dolma, Malai kofta, Dhokar dalna (look up my recipe), Prawn curry, Chicken nargisi, Vegetable cutlets, Fish fry, Salad, Rice, Kulcha. There was green mango chutney too.

SWEET THINGS
Bengali Sweets - Sandesh and Kheer kadam along with Mississippi mud pie.

The food was ordered from a renowned caterer. It was a grand Bengali feast all right!

A closer look....

I plan to share a few of these recipes with you sometime.
But before that my kitchen needs to be stocked up .....

© Rinki’s Kitchen 2012

Rajasthani gatte.......

Gatte comes from the land of Rajasthan.....

Having lived there for some years and visited several places, I have had the opportunity to sample gatte dishes from various parts.

There are many styles of cooking gatte and each one delicious.

In a land that is mainly desert – gram flour finds and important place in the cusine of Rajasthan. And gatte is a classic. This dish is essentially cooked with dry ingredients and spices.

There are many other recipes with gatte which I will share later.

Try the recipe…..I’m sure you will like the dish.

GATTE KI SABZI                                                             Serves 2

(CURRIED GRAM FLOUR DUMPLINGS )

Ingredients

Besan (Gramflour) – 1 cup

Ajwain / Carom seeds – ¼ tsp

Haldi / turmeric pdr – ¼ tsp + ½ tsp

Onion paste – 2 tblsp

Garlic paste – 1 tsp

Tomato puree / paste – 3 tblsp

Coriander pdr – 1 tsp

Cumin pdr – 1 tsp

Amchur / dry mango pdr – ½ tsp

Hing / Asafetida pdr – ½ tsp

Red chilli pdr – ½ tsp

Garam masala pdr – ½ tsp

Coriander seeds – 1 tsp

Salt – to taste

Oil – 4tblsp

Method

1. Take the gram flour in a bowl and add 1tblsp oil, a little salt, ajwain and ¼ tsp haldi pdr  to it. Mix all the ingredients well. Form a dough by adding a little water. Knead well and leave aside for 15 mins.
2. Oil your palms and roll the dough into long thick fingers.
3. Heat oil in a wok and deep fry the fingers in it till lightly coloured.
4. Plunge the fried fingers into boiling water and cook till slightly soft.
5. Cut into smaller pieces and keep the gatte aside.
6. Heat 2 tblsp oil in a pan and add crushed coriander seeds to it.
7. Add the onion paste and cook till oil separates.
8. Add the tomato past and garlic paste. Follow it with the dry spices – red chilli, coriander, cumin, turmeric, amchur and hing pdrs. Add a tblsp of water. Cook stirring constantly till the oil separates.
9. Add the gatte/dumplings and mix with the masala gravy to infuse the flavours. Season to taste with salt.
10. Pour some hot water – enough to cover the gatte and a little more.
11. Cook covered on low heat till the gravy thickens. Sprinkle garam masala and mix it well.
12. Serve hot with rice or bread of your choice.

    

    Fried gatte fingers.....
    

    © Rinki’s Kitchen 2012

    

Thank you....

Dear Viewers from all over the world,

Thank you for stopping by my blog. It makes me excited to see names of newer countries added to my audience list.

It would be great to hear from you. So, write in with your recipes and food traditions.  I would love to read about them and learn about your culture.

Your recipes may even find a place in my blog!

Till next time.... keep cooking.... :)

Rinki