Blogging is back!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello Everyone!!!!!!!!

Great to write to you all after a very long time.

I was busy with my little one for over a year and we had shifting of place and so had to really take a break from my time. Now that my little one has started to go to school, i have started my blogging back!!!!!!!!

I read many messages and saw recipes too. Definitely i will try some and post in my yearly page about the tried recipes.

Looking forward for a happy an healthy cooking!!!!!!!

Ishwarya Balaji

Capsicum Spaghetti with Arrabiatta Sauce -Desi Mixed Italian Cuisine -Main Course

Hi friends )))))))))

As I have said earlier i love spaghetti and any base for that matter I would love to taste it . My husband also loves this and we have this during our weekends. I keep trying base sauces in spaghetti and I try to mix the sauces from various cuisines.So this spaghetti also came out like that only with a combination of capsicum family and Arrabbiata Sauce from Italian Cuisine. Capsicum flavour in spaghetti is really awesome and it is a vegetable which goes on well with any dish for that matter, Even In fried rice when it is topped at the end it enhances the whole dish. So I gave a try with the whole capsicum family with the spaghetti which really turned out very tasty.So you also try this and enjoy your flavoured spaghetti.

Cooking Time              : 25 mins

Serving                        :  2 people

Ingredients:

1.)Spaghetti                 -As required

2.)Salt                         -As required

3.)Water                     -As required

4.)Olive Oil               -As required

5.)Capsicum              -2 Cups chopped(Red,green and Yellow Capsicum)(For cup ref my measurements)

6.)Mixed Herbs         -1 teaspoon(Normal Big Spoon)(Ref my measurements)

7.)Oregano                -1 teaspoon(Normal Big Spoon)(Ref my measurements)

8.)Onions                  -1 cup chopped(Ref my measurements)

9.)Chilli Flakes         -As desired

10.)Arrabbiata Sauce-As Required

http://ishwaryabalajikitchen.blogspot.in/2015/03/arrabiata-sauce-pasta-sauce-italian.html

(You can refer my above post for this Arrabbiata Sauce)

Method:

1.)Cook your spaghetti and keep it aside.Make sure when you finish your capsicum and sauce your spaghetti should be hot. You can refer my previous posts about spaghetti to know the cooking.

2.)Now heat a pan and saute some olive oil in it .

3.)Now add the chopped onions and fry them till they turn pink.

4.)Add the chopped 3 coloured capsicum to this and fry them till they become soft.

5.)After the capsicum starts becoming little soft, add required salt.Remember while adding salt that you would add some salt in your spaghetti too.

6.)Now add the Arrabbiata sauce made at this stage.

DO NOT THINK THAT THE SAUCE COLOUR IS DIFFERENT HERE. I AM DIRECTLY DOING THE SAUCE HERE ITSELF.SO YOU CAN MAKE THE SAUCE SEPERATELY AND ADD .

7.)Now add oregano,mixed herbs and chilli flakes as said and mix well.

8.)Now add some tomato ketchup/sauce/puree to this at this stage. REMEMBER AS YOU WILL BE DOING THE SAUCE SEPERATELY, YOU WILL NOT HAVE THIS STEP. SO THIS STEP WILL BE INCLUDED IN ARRABBIATA SAUCE ITSELF. SINCE I AM DOING THE SAUCE DIRECTLY HERE ITSELF, I AM ADDING SOME PUREE AT THIS STAGE.

9.)Now allow the whole dish to boil so that all the ingredients will get blended well.

10.)Now the capsicum Arrabbiata sauce is ready and you can mix it with your hot cooked spaghetti.

Note:

1.)You can use white onions here for a better taste.

2.)Some cooking butter can be used or at the end you  can add some butter and toss the spaghetti.

3.)I have made the Arrabbiata Sauce directly so follow the instructions correctly to get the prefect dish.Do not get confused in the steps. 

4.)If you want you can add some corn kernels to this,mushroom or any complimenting ingredient to this dish.

5.)Use only olive oil to saute the capsicum.

Bon Appetit!!!!!!!!

Ishwarya Balaji

PALAK PANEER -NORTH INDIAN CUISINE-SIDE DISH-GRAVY-ALL TIME YUMMY DISH..))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Hi Friends!!!!!!

Palak Paneer is one dish which everyone loves the most.I make this usually at my home for Roti,Fried Rice,Jeera Rice,Pulao etc,This is a common liked dish between me and my husband. Balaji loves Palak Paneer when made at home. So i wanted to post this one for long time but had other dishes in the line. So now posting one of my favourite dishes. Palak Panner will taste good in Palmgrove Chennai. I love some selected food there. Now let's see how to make hot and tasty homemade Palak Paneer.

Ingredients:

1.)Palak                        -  As desired(Here i have used 1 bunch of Palak)

2.)Onions                     -1 cup chopped(Ref my measurements for cup )

3.)Tomatoes                -1 cup chopped(Ref my measurements for cup )

4.)Paneer                    -1 sachet

5.)Salt                         -As desired

6.)Garam Masala       -1 and a half teaspoons(Ref my measurements)(Normal big spoon)

7.)Chilli Powder       -1 and a half teaspoons(Ref my measurements)(Normal big spoon)

8.)Ghee/Oil              -To Temper

9.)Bay Leaf              - As shown in the picture

10.)Cloves               -As shown in the picture

11.)Star Anise         -As shown in the picture

12.)Green Chillies  -As desired

13.)Cumin Powder -1 Teaspoon(Ref my measurements)(Normal big spoon)

14.)Fresh Cream    - 1 small sachet

15.)Water              -As desired

16.)Sugar              -To sprinkle

17.)Garlic Cloves -2-3

18.)Ginger            -A small piece

Cooking Time             :    20 Mins

Serving                        : 2-3 people


Method:

1.)Pluck ,clean good and fresh palak leaves from the bunch and wash them thoroughly.

2.)Now heat a kadai and blanche the palak leaves in water.Just sprinkle some sugar over the palak.Do not sprinkle too much of sugar just a pinch to maintain the green colour of the palak.

3.)After palak leaves get boiled , turn off and allow it to cool before grinding.

4.)Now grind the cooled palak leaves into a fine smooth paste. While grinding add garlic cloves and ginger now.Grind the whole mixture into a fine paste.

5.)Heat a kadai and add some ghee/oil .

6.)Now saute the bay leaf , star anise and cloves and fry them.

7.)Add some chopped onions and fry them till they turn pink.

8.)Add the chopped tomatoes and green chillies and fry them.

9.)Now add the grinded paste to this and mix well.

10.)Add the required salt,garam masala,cumin powder and chilli powder. Mix well and meanwhile we can prepare our paneer so that palak gets boiled completely.

11.)Now heat a pan and saute some oil and cut the paneer into smaller cubes for better taste.

12.)Fry the paneer till the side turns golden brown and then turn off.

13.)Now the palak would have been ready so now you can add the fried paneer to this.

14.)Mix well but take care that the paneer cubes should not break.

15.)Now after turning off, add fresh cream fully to the palak paneer and have your yummy yummy homemade palak paneer.

Note:

1.)Always use fresh full cream for better taste.

2.)Turn off the oven and then add cream for longevity of the dish,

3.)If you want you can chop the garlic and ginger into small small pieces and fry them instead of grinding.If you are frying them,add them after frying the tomatoes.

Bon Appetit!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ishwarya Balaji

JEERA RICE/GHEE RICE/JEERA PULAO-NORTH INDIAN CUISINE.))))))))MAIN COURSE

Hi Everyone!!!!!!!!

First thank you all for your kind wishes and greetings.I am seriously very happy to see the response i get and above all i am very happy to see people sending me their innovative recipes to try it out. Thank you so much and many bloggers have asked about Chutney varieties which i will try to post very soon.I am actually running out of my posts because my little one started walking and she is really occupying my time. So posting my recipes when she is sleeping...((((((((((((((Anyways now we are going to Jeera Rice which is my family's all time favourite .Both me and my husband loves it and even my daughter licks it and she will show signals that she want more. Jokes apart , this dish is a very simple and mouth watering dish at any time and any where,

Jeera Rice will taste fantastically in North India.When i once went to Shridi , i had jeera rice there. It was really tasty.Then i just asked them how are they preparing the same.So got the delicious menu from them and started preparing jeera rice in their style. So you can have this once in a while only because the rice is totally made of ghee. But you can prepare this for some good family occassions. Jeera Rice differs from place to place where in some places they do not add much of ginger. So now let's see how to prepare jeera rice.

Cooking Time                    :    10 Mins

Serving                               :   2 people

Ingredients:

1.)Basmati Rice                    - 1 cup (Ref my measurements)

2.)Salt                                   -As required

3.)Jeera/Cumin Seeds          -2 teaspoons(Normal big spoon)(Ref my measurements)

4.)Ghee                                -1 and a half teaspoon(Normal big spoon)(Ref my measurements)

5.)Ginger                             -2 teaspoons(Normal big spoon)(Ref my measurements)

6.)Green Chillies                 -As required

7.)Cashew Nuts                   -2 teaspoons(Normal big spoon)(Ref my measurements)

8.)Coriander Leaves           -To garnish

9.)Water                              -As required

10.)Sugar                            -To sprinkle-A pinch

Method:

1.)Soak the basmati rice for 20 mins before cooking. For 2 persons i soaked 1 cup.

2.)Take a non stick pressure pan and add ghee to it.

3.)Now add the chopped ginger in said quantity.

4.)Add green chillies according to your spice requirement.

5.)Add the cumin seeds/jeera to this and fry them till golden brown. Keep stirring the cumin seeds as it will get sticky to the pressure pan.

6.)Now add the cashew nuts and fry them till golden brown again.

7.)Add the required coriander leaves to garnish the rice.

8.)Add the soaked basmati rice now and add the required salt for the whole dish. Mix the whole content well.

9.)Now add the required water. For 1 cup of basmati rice just add 1 cup and quarter water. Pressure cook it for just 2 whistles only.

10.)Now your jeera rice is ready.

Bon Appetit!!!!!!!!!!

Ishwarya Balaji