Mushroom Bread

My experiment with mushroom has always been very limited. When I was a kid , I used to think that mushroom is poisonous because toads reside under them. And I remember that once I drew a toad under a big mushroom too. Moreover cleaning mushroom has always been a pathetic thing. So you will not find many mushroom recipes here in my blog. But this time I have made these super cheesy mushroom bread.....hope you will love the recipe.

Ingredients :

1. Brown bread- 3 slices

2. Mushroom- 4 large

3. Mayonnaise- 1 tbs

4. Salt to taste

5. Butter- 3 tbs

6. Garlic- 3 cloves

7. Tomato pizza sauce- 1 tsp

8. Sweetcorn- 3 tbs

9. Soy  sauce- 1 tsp

10. Cheese- 1 cup

11. Olive oil- 1 tbs

Procedure :

Boil the mushrooms in water for 4 to 5 minutes and after that chop them into small pieces. Grill both sides of the breads in microwave for 2 minutes each side. Now heat oil in a pan and fry the mushrooms and sweetcorn in that oil. Add salt , tomato sauce and soy sauce to it and a little water. Cover it until the mushrooms are done.

Now turn off the heat when the mushroom mixture becomes dry. Add the mayonnaise sauce to the mixture and mix well. Now brush one side of the breads with melted butter and mince the garlic cloves on them. Now put the mushroom mixture on top of it and cover it with the shredded cheese.

Grill for another 2 minutes or until the cheese melts. Serve it hot with tomato ketch up.

Review of Kobe Sizzlers @ Garuda Mall , Bangalore

This weekend we went for a morning show of Zindegi Na milegi Dobara.......this was back to back third weekend movie :)....I just loved it. The show was at Inox , Garuda Mall , Bangalore. After it ended I could feel how hungry I was ( though I had already eaten a large bucket of popcorn). While looking for a nice eating place , we came across the Kobe Sizzlers. From outside the reataurant looked a bit ordinary , but the interior decoration was nice. Kobe Sizzlers is a famous restaurant chain specially in Mumbai. It offers you various mouth watering sizzlers (combination of lamb , steak , chicken and cheese).

The waiters were soft spoken. The average price of the sizzlers is around INR 400. We took a steak and chicken combination of sizzlers. It took around 15 minutes to be served. Along with that you can either order for soft drinks or alcohol. But I found it a little surprising that they offer red wines in glasses but not any other wines. The price of alcohol starts from INR 300. The sizzler was really nice and tasty. It being a sunday , many people were coming for lunch there. So within half an hour I saw there was a small queue infront of the restaurant!! The sizzler was so heavy that we hardly could finish it. They accept cards and cash. Overall a nice place and a very nice food. The average price for two (including alcoholic drinks) is INR 1000.

Honey Coated Chicken Lollypops

A very easy recipe with minimum effort and time to cook.

Ingredients :

1. Chicken lollypops- 5

2. Ginger-garlic paste- 1 tsp

3. Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp

4. Red chilly powder- 1/2 tsp

5. Salt to taste

6. Lemon juice- 4 tbs

7. Vinegar- 1 tbs

8. Chopped onion- 2 large tbs

9. Honey- 2 tbs

10. Oil

Procedure :

Wash the lollypops and pat them dry. Make some small cuts with the help of a sharp knife. In a large bowl add turmeric , chilly , salt , onion , 3 tbs lemon juice , vinegar , ginger-garlic paste and the chicken. Mix them well and keep in refrigerator for 4 to 5 hours. If you keep it for overnight , the lollypops will taste better. Now Heat 2 tbs oil in a flat surface non-stick pan and add the chicken pieces to it. Do not add the onions left in the bowl because the onions will tend to burn faster than the chicken. Fry the pieces from all sides. When the sides turn brown , add the honey and the remaining one tbs of lemon juice to it. Toss the chicken pieces a bit and remove it from the flame. Serve it hot with tomato ketch up.

Broccoli Stuffed Potato Balls

After taking a few days break I am back :)......though in these days I did not stop experimenting with food. And here I share the recipe of a very healthy stuffed potato dish for you.

Ingredients :

1. Potato- 2 large

2. Kasuri methi leaf- 2 tsp
3. Salt to taste
4. Black pepper powder- 1 tsp
5. Green chilly- 2
6. Broccoli- 1/2 cup
7. Garlic- 4 cloves
8. Cheese- 2 cubes
9. Tomato- 2 medium
10. Dark soy sauce- 1 tsp
11. Olive oil- 1/4 tsp

12. Oil for deep frying

13. Egg (beaten)- 1

14. Bread crumb- 1 1/2 cup

Procedure :

Boil the potatoes in cooker until one whistle. Peel the skin and keep them aside. In a large mixing bowl add the potatoes , thinly chopped chilly , salt , kasuri methi and 1/2 tsp pepper. Mash it well and keep it aside.

In a bowl take some water and add broccoli , garlic , a pinch of salt and let it boil for 4 to 5 minutes. Take the broccoli and garlic in a bowl and mash them properly. Add one cube of cheese and little salt , pepper to it. Mix the whole thing well and keep it aside.

Meanwhile add the soy sauce , little salt and olive oil in a bowl. Cut the tomatoes into halves. Marinate the tomatoes in this mixture for 15 to 20 minutes.

Take small portion of the potato mixture in hand and make a bowl shape. Stuff the broccoli mixture into it and close it. Make small tikki shape. Now dip the tikkis into the beaten egg and then roll into the bread crumb. Heat oil in a kadhayi and deep fry the tikkis. After they turn golden brown in color , take them out and keep on a napkin to remove excess oil.

Place the marinated tomatoes on the grill rack of the microwave. Make four pieces of the remaining cheese cube and place each piece on top of the tomatoes. Grill the tomatoes for 5 to 6 minutes until the cheese melts.

Serve the tomato with the potato balls.

Sending this recipe to the event Bookmarked recipe.

Anyone can cook : series 27.

Food Palette series black.

A Small Paradise on Earth

I have not yet been to Kashmir which is called the paradise in India , but this year on my birthday I saw the real paradise on Earth , Maldives. As my husband planned a surprise trip to Maldives , I came to know 2 days before my birthday that I have to pack my bag!! At that point I did not have much time to think about how to express my happiness. The whole idea of a small holiday at Maldives was not sinking inside my mind so easily.

a view of an island from the flight

Our flight took off at 10 :30 a.m. and after half an hour or so I could see only a vast deep blue canvas outside my window, thats the Indian Ocean. The 2 hour flight was an awesome experience.

landing at the airport

Maldives, the land of around 1200 islands , has several atolls. Atolls are small coral islands encircling lagoons. You will get the best resorts on some of these islands. Few islands are large enough to accommodate two different resorts where as most of the islands are so small that you will hardly get any structures on the land. Maldives is famous for its white sand, the corals and a very rich flora and fauna. Though the main religion there is Muslim, you will find that people have come from various places with their own share of culture. Most of the people working in the resorts are from Sri Lanka or India or Bangladesh. The islands are at a great risk because of the global warming. When the Tsunami struck the Indian ocean,  few of the islands became uninhabitable. The capital of Maldives is Male. Though we say the airport is at Male, our butler told us that the airport is located on a different island which is just behind Male. 

a view of the island

Now lets come back to my very own experience. As soon as we landed at the airport,  I could realize that why everybody said a sunscreen lotion is a MUST in Maldives. Though the temperature was near 30 degree, the heat was quite unbearable for me :(...The airport is very small one. After the immigration , you will have to go through a screening. This is done to stop any incoming of alcohol or some other luxury goods from outside. Yes, you heard it right...you can not carry alcohol while getting in Maldives. After coming out of the airport you will find around 40 counters of different resorts, who check your resort reservation and take you towards your sea plane or boat. We were taken to our boat where we had another couple waiting for us. The ride was amazing. Most of the time I thought I was in the air :P....The boat was jumping  every second on those high waves and I was able to feel the experience of a marry-go-round. It took us around 15 minutes to reach our island....the island was close to Male.

speed boat ride

And now comes our beautiful resort "Adaaran Prestige Vadoo", South Male Atoll which was the only resort on that small island. The entrance does not give any clue about what is there inside. There was a small deck and a closed wooden gate. Few people were waiting for us. As soon as I landed on the deck , I was greeted by everyone and they all wished me a very happy birthday. We were taken to the bar where we were given a refreshing iced tea and towels and were introduced to our private butler. I just could not wait to see our room so we asked our private butler to take us for an island tour. He happily showed us the garden, the small tortoise pool, the beach, spa, Japanese restaurant, pool and diving center. Every time when I stopped to click some photos, he waited patiently.....that was really sweet of him. I was completely on the cloud nine as each and every resort member on the way were wishing me happy birthday!! I think my hubby dear got jealous of that...:P...kidding...he's the one who did it for me :)

The resort is based on a small 2.5 acre land. The restaurants, diving center and bars, are on the island but the 50 villas are made over shallow water. The long wooden passage has villas on both the sides....do not forget to go for an evening walk on this platform from one end to the other....its just awesome...the cool breeze , the sound of water, the sunset, the sight of few fishes and a lot of privacy.

the wooden passage

The resort has 3 bars, one just at the beginning of the island, be there at 9:30 p.m. everyday to see fish feeding. I saw different fishes (quite large ones) there like teen aged sharks and sting rays  and many others. The other bar is over water at the entrance of the villas and Dhoni bar is situated on the beach side. They have a small museum showing Maldivian cultures and all. 

over water bar and museum

On the wooden passage you will see four thatched large open spaces, they are called pavilions where you can relax on the sun bathing beds or can enjoy a private dinner on request.

evening @ the pavilion

When we reached our villa , I just could not suppress my joy when I saw our own plunge pool on the villa's deck. That was a very pleasant thing for both of us. There was a table and two chairs where you can have your meals and a queen-size sun bathing bed. 

Enter the room and you will feel so relaxed. The two air conditions took away all my itchiness of the heat. The room was really spacious (compared to what we got in Mauritius). There were two LCDs (one in the room  and one in the washroom), large cabinets, electronic safe, couches, internet connection, DVD player , mini refrigerator, hair dryer, coffee making machine.....you name any of the luxury amenity you will get it there. 

the room

We had made a special request for a sun set villa before reaching  Maldives and  they gave us that. It was really wonderful because the front wall of the room (facing the ocean) was made up of glass only and was curtained. When our butler removed the curtains, the view made us drop our jaws. It was like relax on your king size bed, seep into the glass of wine and watch the beauty of sunset while enjoying the coolness of the ACs.

sunset view from the villa

Then there was an open bath and an open toilet. Outside the washroom was a jacuzzi and a small veranda where you can hang your wet clothes on hangers. You will get all the toiletries refilled everyday. 

jacuzzi in the backyard of the villa

There is a glass bottom portion in the washroom and a couch near it. You can sit there in the morning  or evening while brushing and if you are lucky enough like me, you can see some fishes. 

can you see the fish?

There is a large window on the wall of the washroom, if you open that window, you can directly  get a view  of the ocean and the sun deck at the front from the jacuzzi. Both the pool and the jacuzzi have an amazing lighting at night, but if you want some more, ask for candles from your butler. They gave us two complimentary wine bottles (a sparkling white wine and a red wine) along with 2 water bottles on the first day. Everyday they will replace the water bottles. You will get two life jackets, raincoats, bathrobes, 2 pair of bathroom slippers and lots n lots of pillows (you can even ask for more if you are not satisfied: P) in the room. During our stay it rained twice but for a very short span of time. And I guess nobody will prefer to wear those rain coats and stay away from enjoying the rain in Maldives. The night when we went to see the fish feeding , while coming back, it started raining heavily and it was quite an  exciting experience running on the wooden passage (which has no railings on the side....which means once you get disbalanced....you go directly into the dark water..ohh how creepy). 

You will get all the three meals served at the main restaurant and only lunch and dinner at the Japanese one. The breakfast was included in the reservation. You will get variety of food ( continental , Chinese , European), though I heard that Maldivian breakfast was a good one, we did not go for it because it was normal daal , subzi things. Do try the cold cuts, stuffed omelet, danish bread and waffles with maple syrup. Everyday I used to take a different fruit juice, it was really refreshing. If you are vegetarian, you might  get bored with the limited options.

cold cut , danish bread and waffle

Being non-swimmers we have never tried any water sport. But this time we went for the underwater diving. It was a two hour session, in the first hour you will get the basic lessons, practice a little in the shallow water and then in the next hour go and venture out in the beautiful world under water. It was an amazing experience. Though all the time I was scared of the thought that if I loose control over the air pipe, I will be dead , I saw hundreds of fishes and two giant turtles. My husband was so happy that the trainer almost had to drag him few times in the proper direction because he was going up and down and left and right (just like a two year old baby). Unfortunately that day the diving center's under water camera was gone for maintenance so we couldn't take pictures of those wonderful memories but the pictures will always be in our mind. It truly was a lifetime experience for both of us.

the beach

Another best thing of the stay was our private beach dinner on my birthday evening. It was a nice set up only for two of us. The food was delicious and so heavy that we almost could not finish the last two dishes. And we asked our butler to serve the desserts at our villa which he did. And in the villa was waiting a surprise for me.........a yummy chocolate cake and a nicely decorated bed with flowers. I just loved it. 

my b'day cake

On the day of departure we had to leave the place 3 hours before our flight time because we had to share the boat with other guests. Every one waved at us until we were out of their vision. I thoroughly enjoyed the stay. Each and every member of the resort were so polite and helpful. If you wanna buy something as a souvenir , there is a shop at the airport. I could not get the Maldivian coins :( instead I got the rufiya.

Like the waves, tourists will come and go in Maldives. And we all will always remember the precious moments spent there with a lot of love.

Adaaran prestige vadoo

Aamchur - Posto'r Chutney

This is the simplest of all chutneys that I have eaten so far. Its a perfect sweet and sour treat. I like this chutney with hot rice and plain daal.

Ingredients :

1. Posto (khus khus / poppy seed)- 5 large tbs
2. Aamchur (dry)- 8 to 10
3. Sugar- 5 tsp
4. Oil- 1 tsp
5. Jeera (cumin seeds)- 1/4 tsp
6. Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
7. Salt to taste


Procedure :

Soak the posto in water for half an hour and then drain the water from it. Grind the posto in mixer with little quantity of water. Now heat oil in a pan and add jeera to it. When the jeera start spluttering , add the aamchurs. Now add the posto , turmeric , salt and mix well. Add the sugar and 1/2 cup of water. Cover the pan and let it cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Check the sweetness level of the chutney and adjust it if needed. Remove it from the flame and serve it with hot rice.

Note : the aamchurs are already salty , hence , use a little amount of salt for this.

 

Sending this to the event called Roti pachadi / chutney.

Fritto Apple Wheels

Have you ever thought of making a bhajiya with apple???...If not yet , then do it right now. The apple bhajiyas taste so good!! When you will fry the apples coated with flour , they will turn a little mushy....the chilly flavor of the coating and the sweet flavor of the apple inside will make you go crazzzyyyy ;)...Try it soon.

Ingredients :

1. Apple- 1
2. Maida (all purpose flour)- 4 tbs
3. Cornflour- 4 tbs
4. Yeast- 1/4 tsp
5. Powdered sugar- 1/2 cup
6. Cinnamon powder- 1 tsp
7. Black salt- 1 tsp
8. Salt- 1/4 tsp
9. Oil
10. Green chilly- 2

Procedure :

Add 1 tbs warm water to the yeast and keep it aside for 1 minute. Add a pinch of salt to it. Now mix maida , cornflour , salt and 1 tbs sugar in a large bowl. Add the yeast water to it. Add little water to make a batter (do not make the batter too watery , it should stick to the apple pieces). Add chopped green chilly to it and keep it aside for 5 to 10 minutes. 

Meanwhile cut the apple into thin round slices. Heat oil in a kadhayi for deep frying. When oil is ready , dip the apple pieces into the batter and fry them. Fry them for 3 to 4 minutes and turn the other side. 

After frying remove them from the pan and keep on a paper napkin. While serving , sprinkle the powdered sugar , a little black salt and cinnamon powder on top of it.

Sending this recipe to the event Bookmarked recipes every tuesday.

Sending it to ABC series-A for Apple.

Aam Pora shorbot Or Aam Panna

We call aam panna as aam pora shorbot in Bengali. During the summers it used to be my favorite drink. Aam panna is known for its heat resisting quality. It is a drink made from green mangoes. The light green color of the panna makes it look more attractive. 

Though I have given below the measurements to make the panna , I will recommend you to go by your taste bud and make your own measurements. The taste will vary due to the sourness of the mangoes used.

Ingredients :

1. Raw mango- 2
2. Sugar- 4 tbs
3. Jaljeera- 2 tsp
4. Salt to taste
5. Aamchur powder- 1 tbs
6. Tulsi leaf- 6 to 7
7. Roasted cumin (jeera) powder- 1 tsp


Procedure :

Peel the mangoes and cut them into small chunks. In a pan add little water and the mango pieces and cover the pan and boil it. When the mangoes will start getting soft , mash them with the help of spoon. Cook it until all the mangoes turn soft. Now remove it from the flame and let it cool down to room temperature.

After cooling , blend the mango mixture and tulsi leaves in blender until it turns smooth and pulpy. Take the blended mixture in a large bowl and add salt , sugar , all the powder (except jeera powder) and 2 cups water. Mix it well. Add sugar or salt according to your taste. Pour the aam panna in a glass and refrigerate it for an hour. While serving , sprinkle a pinch of the roasted jeera powder on top of it.

Note : Some people do not use the pulpy portion of the panna , but I love the tiny pulps floating in my shorbot. So I did not strain the panna.
Sending this to Any One Can Cook : Series 26. 

Beetroot Pakoda

My mom used to say that beetroot purifies the blood in the body...don't know whether its true or just another trick to make me eat them!! I never like to eat raw beetroots. So recently , when I was forced to eat them daily (by him of course) , I transformed those colored , sweet , not so very good in taste beetroots into my favorite pakodas :).......its a simple recipe and requires minimal effort. 

Here are the ingredients required for the pakodas :

1. Beetroot- 3
2. Potato- 3
3. Singhara ka atta- 3 large tbs
4. Salt to taste
5. Green chilly (finely chopped)- 4
6. Jeera powder- 1 tsp
7. Hing powder- 1/4 tsp
8. Oil
9. Aamchur powder- 1 tsp

Procedure :

Cook the beetroots and potatoes in pressure cooker until one whistle. Take them out and peel the skins. Mash the beetroot and potatoes in a bowl. Add green chilly , atta , salt , aamchur , jeera powder and hing to it. Mix well and make small balls. Keep the balls in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours (preferably overnight) , this will help the pakodas to bind well). Now heat oil in a kadhayi for deep frying the pakodas. When the oil is ready , fry the pakodas one by one. Fry them for 5 to 6 minutes over low flame so that they turn out crunchy. Remove the pakodas after frying and keep on a kitchen napkin. Serve them with cold curd , sprinkled with black salt.

Sending this to Anyone can cook : series 26 event.

Italian Lamb

A perfect combination of lamb and chicken. Here you will find an Indian flavor in International look.

Ingredients :

1. Lamb (boneless cut into medium size)- 5 to 6 pieces

2. Chicken (boneless)- 6 to 7 pieces

3. Black pepper powder- 2 tsp

4. Salt to taste

5. Oilve oil

6. Cornflour- 3 tsp

7. Vinegar- 2 tbs

8. Onion (chopped)- 1 small

9. Garlic (chopped)- 5 to 6 cloves

10. Tomato (chopped)-1 medium

11. Tomato ketchup- 1 tbs

12. Green chilly (chopped)- 1

13. Sugar- 2 tsp

Procedure :

First marinate the lamb pieces in a bowl with salt, olive oil and 1 tsp black pepper powder. Cover the bowl with film. Now fry the chicken pieces in 1 tsp oil and when they turn brownish, remove them and mash them properly. Heat water, mashed chicken, salt, vinegar, black pepper in a pan. When the mixture starts boiling, add cornflour and a little water. Mix it well. Cook it till the water dries up a little. Fry the chopped onion, garlic, chilly in 1 tsp oil till onion turns translucent. Add a little water and the chopped tomato. Add a little salt, sugar and tomato ketchup. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes till it turns a little thick. Now fry the lamb pieces in a flat surface pan. Fry each side till it turns dark brown in color. 

Now take a serving plate and put one tbs of chicken stock and then place one piece of the lamb on it. Next put some of the tomato chutney on top of it. Serve it hot.

Sending this to the event Dish name Starts With I.

Also to the event What's everyone having for Iftar .

And Signature recipes event.