Welcome back to my page. I am so glad you have stopped by. Call me crazy but yeah this is my third tandoori recipe on my blog after Whole Tandoori Cauliflower and Tandoori Chicken. I do really like the flavors here, just marinate and bake. It doesn’t get any easier than this. Without wasting any more time, let’s make some delicious tandoori salmon. Feel free to use your choice of fish here.
Ingredients:
Salmon Fish – 1 pound
Thick yogurt – 3 tbsp
Ginger and Garlic paste – 2 tbsp.
Lemon Juice – 1 tbsp
Oil – 2 tbsp., more for basting the fish, as needed
Salt to taste
Tandoori Masala – 2 tbsp. (See notes for recipe or use store bought)
Method:
Wash your fish well and soak it dry. Meanwhile, mix together the yogurt, ginger garlic paste, lemon juice, salt and the tandoori masala. Now coat the fish well in marinade. Finally drizzle 2 tbsp. oil on top and mix well. The oil helps the marinade to stick to the fish.
A zip lock works best here. Just transfer the marinade and fish pieces to a zip lock, mix well and let it rest in the fridge for at least 1 – 2 hours.
Once you are ready to cook, preheat your oven to 400F. Line a baking dish with foil. Carefully place the marinated fish on the baking dish and bake for 15 minutes, turning mid ways to ensure even cooking. Apply some oil, if needed.
You know the fish is done when it flakes easily with a fork. Now, turn on the broil or grill mode and cook for a few minutes to get a beautiful color and crisp to your fish.
Serve it hot with some mint chutney and onion rings.
Notes:
Tandoori Masala Recipe
Red Chilly Powder – 1 tsp
Coriander Seeds – 1 tsp
Cumin Seeds – 2 tsp
Nutmeg Powder – 1/2 tsp
Black pepper Corns – 1 tsp
Whole Cloves – 1 tsp
Cinnamon Stick – 1 inch piece
Paprika – 1 tsp
Red color – 1/4 tsp (optional)
Roast all these spices in a pan for a few minutes until fragrant and ground to a fine powder. Use as needed.
So that is how I made this delicious fish. Do let me know if you give this a try.
A big hello to all of you. I am so excited the spring will be here soon. With the New England weather, you can’t really predict much but at least with all the Easter stuff floating around, it makes both me and my daughter very happy. She is looking forward to all the egg hunting and I can’t wait for some warmer days and outdoor activities. We have been lucky enough to have a reasonably warm winter this year and are really looking forward to a gorgeous summer ahead. How is the weather like at your end..?
Healthy is my favorite kind of food. I do enjoy eating all the junk and the not so good for you desserts but they make me so guilty afterwards. Dang. So not worth it. 😦 I am therefore always on the lookout for healthy recipes – oats, quinoa, kale, chia seeds are some of the most frequent ingredients used in my kitchen. I have been cooking with oats a lot off lately and this dhokla or steamed cake recipe was as healthy as it was delicious. 🙂
Without wasting any more time, lets make this yummy treat..
Ingredients:
Oats – 3/4 cup, dry roast and make a powder – will yield 1/2 cup oats flour
Sooji or Semolina – 1/2 cup
Yogurt – 1/2 cup
Ginger and green chilly paste – 1/2 tsp
Chopped Spinach or grated carrots – 1/2 cup (Use your choice of veggies)
Salt to taste
Lemon Juice – 1 tbsp.
Sugar – 1 tbsp.
Eno Fruit Salt – 1 tsp
Water – 1/4 cup, use as needed
Oil – 1 tbsp.
Mustard Seeds – 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves – a few
Chopped Cilantro for garnish
Method:
In a bowl mix together the oats flour, sooji, yogurt, salt, lemon juice, sugar, ginger and green chilly paste. Add water as needed to make a smooth batter of pouring consistency. Let it rest for at least 30 minutes.
Now mix in the spinach and give it a good stir. Add some more water if needed. The batter should be of pouring consistency but not too thick or thin.
Get your steamer ready or boil some water in a large pot or cooker. If steaming in the cooker, do not use the whistle.
Grease a 7 inch dish and keep it ready.
Once the water comes to boil, add in the eno fruit salt to the dhokla mix and give it a gentle mix, making sure not to over mix.
Pour the dhokla mix in the greased dish and let it steam on medium flame for at least 15 – 20 minutes till a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
While the dhokla is steaming, we can prepare our tempering.
Heat oil in a pan and add in the mustard seeds. Allow them to splutter. Throw in the curry leaves and once they crackle, switch off the flame.
Once the dhokla is ready, pour this tempering over it and allow it to rest for 10 minutes. Garnish with chopped cilantro leaves.
Finally, cut your dhokla pieces and serve with your favorite chutney. Enjoy this healthy snack.
….
So here is how I made this healthy and delicious dhokla. Do let me know if you try this out.
Seekh Kebabs are such a delicious way to enjoy minced meat. I am using the turkey mince to make kebabs today but chicken mince would work just as fine for this recipe. If you are looking for a quick and delicious non vegetarian appetizer, this is it. These are traditionally made in a Tandoor or clay oven but turn out just as delicious in your conventional oven, on the stove top or also in an appe pan. And now that the grilling season is here, this would definitely be a great option.
I would also like to take this opportunity to wish Ramadan Mubarak to all my fasting friends. May this fasting month bring lots of happiness to all of you. Stay blessed.
Now fasting or not, lets make some delicious Kebabs. 😛
Ingredients:
Turkey Minced – 1 pound (Can use Chicken or lamb mince meat as well)
Lemon Juice – 1 tbsp.
Onion – 1 small chopped
Garlic Cloves – 4, finely chopped
Ginger – 1 inch piece, finely chopped
Green Chilies – 2, finely chopped
Egg – 1 (or use 1/2 cup roasted Besan/gram flour)
Garam Masala – 1 tsp
Black pepper Powder – 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Cilantro leaves – 2 tbsp., finely chopped
Oil – 1 tbsp. (more, as needed for basting)
Method:
Soak your wooden skewers in water for at least an hour before cooking to make sure they do not burn.
Mix all the ingredients, except oil and keep it covered to marinade for at least an hour, if you can. I have made them without marinating too and they turn out fine.
If you plan to bake these, preheat your oven to 400 F. Wet your hands, put the chicken paste on to the skewers and place them in a greased baking sheet. If your chicken is not sticking to the skewers, you can just shape your mixture like a rod and insert the skewers in it.
Bake for about 15 minutes, turning midway to ensure even cooking. Baste your chicken with oil as needed.
Once done, broil/grill the kebabs for another 2 minutes to get a beautiful brown color.
You can also make these on the stove top. Just heat a tawa or a skillet pan and drizzle some oil on it.
Place your skewers on the tawa and cook them, turning around to ensure even cooking. Baste your kebabs with oil as needed.
Your delicious kebabs are ready. Serve them with Onion rings, lemon wedges and some green chutney.
Notes:
For a variation, I sometimes add a mashed ripe avocado to the kebabs. This makes super soft and delicious kebabs or burgers.
You can enjoy them as is or as a roll in between a tortilla or roti. Or make them like a patty and enjoy a delicious burger.
So that is how I made these yummy kebabs. I hope you will give these a try and let me know if you like them.
Hello everyone. I am so glad you have stopped by. Today I am sharing another beautiful dish for your next get-together. I like to call it Stuffed Tomatoes – Indian style. This is so versatile that it can be served as an appetizer or as a main course, dry or in a gravy. Also, the stuffing I have used here is the good old potato mix, but cottage cheese (or paneer) works great here. You can also use your choice of minced meat and make this a non-vegetarian version. Just use your creativity. I am sure you will love it and so will your guests.
Lets make some pretty looking stuffed tomatoes 🙂
Ingredients:
Firm Tomatoes – 8
Oil as needed to coat the tomatoes
Boiled and mashed potatoes – 3
Oil – 2 tbsp.
Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp
Frozen Corn – 1/2 cup (You can also use frozen peas if you like)
Onion – 1 medium, finely chopped
Green Chilies – 2 chopped, optional
Ginger garlic paste – 1 tbsp.
Red Chilly Powder – 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder – 1/4 tsp
Garam Masala Powder – 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Shredded Cheese and tomato ketchup – for garnish
Method:
Cut a thick slice on top of each of the tomatoes and scoop out the seeds and pulp. If your tomatoes are not balancing, you can also cut a thin layer at the bottom to make sure they stand well.
Coat the tomatoes well with oil and keep aside. We will make the stuffing now.
Heat oil in a medium pan and add in the cumin seeds. Once they crackle, add the ginger garlic paste and the green chilies and cook for a minute or two. Now add the chopped onion and let them cook till they are nicely brown, about 5 minutes.
Finally, add in the mashed potatoes and frozen corn and mix well. Mix in the dry spices – salt, red chilly powder, turmeric and garam masala. Make sure everything is well combined. Cook the stuffing on medium heat till its well heated through and all flavors have blended in, another 5 – 6 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow it to cool.
Pre heat your oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place your tomato cups on that.
Once the stuffing has cooled down to touch, fill it inside the tomatoes and cover the tomatoes with their tops. Bake them for about 20 minutes till the tomatoes are soft to touch. Make sure not to over bake them as the tomato skins will rupture.
Take them out when done and garnish each of the tomatoes with some shredded cheese and some tomato ketchup. Serve hot.
You can also make these on the stove top. Just cover and cook them till soft.
😛
So there was another gorgeous dish for you. I hope you will give it a try and let me know.
In continuation with my love for Indian street food and Gujarati cuisine, I am making some Dabeli today. It is a delicious Indian street food that originated in Kutch, Gujarat. Spicy potato mixture is placed between Buns and topped with chutney, pomegranate seeds, peanuts and sev.
Dabeli is one of my favorite street food. I have such fond memories of my father treating me with this delicacy. When I moved out of India, I dearly missed eating all the street food, especially Dabeli. So I finally decided to try it at home, and I am so glad I did as its super easy if you have everything handy. Do give it a try and I am sure you will like it.
Lets make some delicious Dabeli…:P
Ingredients:
For Dabeli masala – you can also use store bought – use 1.5 tbsp. or make your own as below
Whole Red chilly – 1
Cumin Seeds – 1/2 tsp
Corainder Seeds – 1 tsp
Cloves – 2
Black pepper – 4
Cinnamon Stick – 1/2 inch
For Potato stuffing:
Boiled and mashed potato – 1.5 cups
Oil – 1.5 tbsp.
Cumin Seeds – 1/2 tsp
Tamarind Chutney – 2 tbsp.
Salt to taste
Water – 1/2 cup
To Serve:
Buns or Pav – 4
Butter to toast the Pav – 2 tbsp
Roasted Peanuts – 1/4 cup
Sev – 1/4 cup
Pomegranate seeds – 1/4 cup
Chopped onions – 1 small
Sweet tamarind Chutney – 3 tbsp.
Red Chilly Garlic Chutney – 3 tbsp. (Can substitute this with mint & cilantro chutney)
Method:
Lets start with making the Dabeli masala. Skip this step if you have the store bought masala readily available. Roast all the ingredients listed under Dabeli masala until fragrant and then grind to a fine powder. Use as in the recipe.
To make the potato filling, heat oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds. Once the seeds crackle, add the potatoes, Dabeli masala, salt and tamarind chutney. Mix everything well.
Now add 1/2 cup of water and let it come to a boil. Mix everything well and let it cook for a few minutes until the filling is like a thick paste.
Slice the buns in half and toast them with butter till they are nice and crispy. I make my own buns using this amazing recipe at Shital’s Kitchen. Check it out here.
To assemble, apply some tamarind chutney on one side of the bun and the garlic or mint chutney on the other bun.
Take some potato filling and place it on one of the bun slices. Top it with some chopped onions, chopped cilantro leaves, peanuts, pomegranate seeds and sev. Close with the other Bun slice.
Garnish with some more sev and chopped cilantro leaves. Enjoy
So that is how I made one of my favorite street food and relished some good old days. See how I have served it on a newspaper, just like they do in India 😉
Hello everyone. Its that time on the month again when I do my monthly column for the B’Khush Magazine – Healthy Bites. Do check out the website if you haven’t. It has lot of interesting content ranging from women health to fashion, foods etc.
For today’s post I am cooking up some Avocado Kebabs. I cam across this recipe at Cook with Priyanka. Such an easy and delicious recipe and super healthy. Full credit to Priyanka for such a delicious take on Avocados. Do check out her blog for some interesting recipes.
I have modified the recipe to include some veggies just to make it healthier. 🙂
Here is my take on Avocado Kebabs or Burger.
Ingredients:
Ripe Avocado – 1
Onion – 1, small, finely chopped
Carrot – 1 medium, finely shredded (you can also use beetroot here)
Garlic – 2 cloves, finely chopped
Ginger – ½ inch, finely chopped
Green chilies – 1, finely chopped
Semolina or Sooji – 1 tbsp
Corn flour – 1 tbsp (this is for binding, other options you can use here is half a small boiled and mashed potato or mashed rice – 2 tbsp)
Cumin Powder – ½ tsp
Chopped Cilantro – 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Oil – 1 tbsp
Method:
Cut the avocado and scoop out the flesh. Discard the seed. Mash the pulp well with a fork.
Add in the chopped onions, garlic, ginger, green chilies, shredded carrots, sooji, cornflour, cilantro, salt and the cumin powder. Mix everything well.
Heat oil in a large griddle and make small patties of the mixture.
If the mixture is a little runny, wet your hands. That really helps to form the shape.
Cook them on medium flame, 3 minutes on each side.
Serve hot with mint chutney and onion rings or with some salad on the side.
For the salad I have just mixed shredded carrots with salt, pepper and vinegar.
Thanks so much for reading I hope you liked the recipe.
I really enjoy eating Gujarati cuisine. It is so different from our usual Punjabi food, simple, sweet, flavorful and so delicious. Most of their dishes are steamed vegetables or flour that are then tempered to enhance taste. Some of my favorite dishes include Thepla, Daal Dhokli, Handvo, Dhokla, Khandavi and of course Muthiya. Today I am making some healthy and delicious Muthiya but with a twist. 😉
Muthiya gets its name from the action of “gripping the flour” in your hand (or Muthi, as called in hindi). It is traditionally made with chick pea flour (Besan) and fenugreek leaves (methi) flavored with spices and finally steamed. This is then either tempered or fried, as preferred. The steamed version really appeals to me as its a pretty healthy snack and so flavorful. You can also make this ahead of time and temper it right before serving. Such an easy and healthy snack item.
I have always had Muthiya with Methi but when I came across this recipe of Cabbage Muthia at Spusht, I was impressed. It looked delicious, healthy and was using cabbage. I can hardly find any uses for cabbage other than the boring sabji we make (Or koftas, salad, cole slaw etc.) And when I finally tried it, it was delicious. I could hardly tell, it had cabbage and the taste was so good. Thank you Nisha Sarda for this amazing recipe. I loved it and will surely make it again. Do check out her blog guys, she is an amazing cook and a great photographer too – Spusht.
Here is the recipe for Cabbage Muthiya
Ingredients:
To make Muthiya:
Grated Cabbage – 2 cups
Chick pea flour – 1/4 cup
Whole wheat flour – 1/2 cup
Semolina or sooji – 1/4 cup
Lemon juice – 1 tbsp.
Oil – 1 tbsp.
Cilantro – 1 tbsp, chopped
Mint – 1 tbsp., chopped
Ginger – 1 tsp, grated
Baking Soda – a fat pinch
Salt – to taste
Sugar – 1 tsp
Red chilly podwer or chopped green chilies – to taste
Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
Water – as needed
For Tempering:
Oil – 1 Tsp
Mustard Seeds – 1/2 tsp
Sesame seeds – 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves – about 5, crushed
Green chilies – slit, optional
Lemon Juice – 1 tbsp
For garnish – Chopped Cilantro, grated coconut
Procedure:
Mix all the ingredients listed under Muthiya except the soda and leave it aside for about 10 minutes. The cabbage releases some water which should be good enough to bind it all together. You can add more water if needed. Add the baking soda. Conversely, If the mixture becomes too watery you can add more flour till it all comes together as a soft dough. You should be able to give it a log shape when you grip the mixture between your hands. That’s when you know its done.
Get your steamer ready with some hot water. Coat your hands with some oil and pick up little balls of the mixture and shape them into logs. You can also use an instant pot for steaming.
Steam for about 20 minutes on medium heat. Check with a toothpick to make sure its cooked from inside.
Let them cool for a few minutes before tempering. You can also let them cool completely and keep it in the fridge in a zip lock bag or air tight container and temper them when you are ready to eat.
For the tempering, heat oil in a pan. Add the mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add the sesame seeds and the curry leaves and also the green chilies, if using. Let them cook for a few seconds and add in the sliced Muthiya. The size and shape of the muthia is totally as per your preference.
Cook the Muthiya for a minute or two till all the tempering is well coated and you see a pretty golden color. Drizzle some lemon juice on top, mix well and switch off the gas.
Finely garnish with chopped cilantro and/or grated coconut and enjoy your delicious and healthy snack.
So thanks again Nisha for this recipe. I will surely be making it again, May be with Kale this time. 🙂
Some other options would be raddish, bottle gourd, or spinach Muthiya.
Thanks so much for reading. I hope you will try this and let me know if you liked it.
We are always looking for easy appetizer options while entertaining people. Its so much more fun to enjoy the food together, rather than laboring for hours in the kitchen. These cucumber rolls are such a fabulous option. You can make them in minutes and they are such a delightful treat. One look and you know, summer is right here.
I wasn’t planning on doing a blog post for this one, just cause its such an easy dish, pretty self explanatory. But then it occurred to me, I would not have thought about it, had someone not posted this idea. So thanks to you, here is what I came up with.
The ingredients are pretty simple:
cucumber – 1, fresh, English cucumber preferred
Hummus – 2 tbsp., more or less, as per taste
Salt and pepper to taste
paprika – for garnish
Here is how to assemble this:
Peel thin slices of cucumber using a potato peeler. You can also keep them in ice cold water to maintain the crunch. Just pat them dry before assembling.
Take a slice of cucumber and generously spread some hummus on top with a butter knife. You can make your own hummus here or use store bought.
Season the hummus with some salt and pepper.
Finally roll the cucumber slice, making sure the filling does not ooze out.
Repeat similarly for all the slices.
Sprinkle some paprika on top and serve immediately.
You can keep the peeled cucumber slices and hummus ready and roll them up just before serving as they tend to get soggy after some time.
Some other great filling options are guacamole, flavored Greek yogurt, hung curd or even some finely sliced carrots or bell pepper. Feel free to use your creativity and create new versions every time.
So there you have it, one of the easiest and quickest appetizer. Do try it at your next get-together. Or just make one for yourself. Enjoy this healthy delight.
Thanks for stopping by. Hope to see you again soon.
India is hugely popular for its street food. Pav Bhaji, Golgappe, Vada Pav, Chole Kulche, Bhel Puri and the list goes on. Each region has its own specialty. When I moved out of India, I dearly missed those delicacies. Because seriously eating the same food in a restaurant is not half the fun as eating it on the streets. Yesterday I had a sudden craving for some delicious Indian street food. Having a fridge full of veggies made the choice easier. I decided to make some Pav bhaji.
Pav Bhaji originated in Maharashtra but is now popular all over India. There are various methods to make this but the basic remains the same. Mashed vegetables and potatoes are seasoned with onion, tomatoes and pav bhaji masala. This is known as Bhaji and is served with toasted bread, called Pav. A lot of butter goes into the authentic preparation of this dish but I like to keep it light due to personal preferences. Here is how I make it.
Ingredients:
Potatoes – 4 medium
Green Pepper/Capsicum – 1 medium, finely chopped
Carrots – 2
Cauliflower – 1/2 small (I have also substituted this with half a cabbage, tastes equally good)
Green peas – 1/2 cup
Beetroot – 1 small (It gives a beautiful red color)
Onion – 2 medium, finely chopped
Tomatoes – 4 medium, finely chopped
Garlic gloves – 5, minced
Ginger – 1 inch piece, minced
Butter – 2 Tbsp (or more if you like)
Green chilies – 2 chopped
Pav Bhaji Masala – 2.5 Tablespoon (Or more if you like it spicy)
Salt to taste
Kashmiri red chilly powder – 1/2 tsp (gives a good color)
Lemons – 2
Water – 1 cup, as required
Cilantro for garnish
Method:
Pressure cook potatoes, carrots, cauliflower and beetroot till they are soft and mushy. Should take about 15 minutes. Once done, mash them well with a potato masher or the back of a spoon.
In a large pan or kadai, melt the butter and add the garlic and ginger. Once the two get some color add in the chopped onions and cook them till they get a nice brown color. Add in the chopped green pepper and green chilies and cook for another 3 minutes.
Its time to add in the tomatoes and cook them till they leave some oil. Add in the salt, red chilly powder and the pav bhaji masala. Mix everything well.
Finally, add the mashed and pressure cooked veggies and the green peas to the masala and mix everything. Add in water a little at a time and let it cook covered till it reaches the desired consistency.
Do a final taste test, add in the chopped cilantro, drizzle some lemon juice and serve hot with a dollop of butter.
To prep the Pav, heat some butter in a pan. Cut the Pav horizontally and heat them till they get nice and crispy.
Enjoy your pav bhaji with some chopped onions and lemon wedges.
So go ahead and make some Pav Bhaji and enjoy a taste of India right in your home. And make sure to eat lots of street food in your next India trip, if your stomach allows it. 🙂
Notes:
If you do not get Pav in your area, you can make your own by following this recipe at Shital’s Kitchen. Thanks to her I make my own now, and they always come out wonderful. Here is how she makes them:
Tofu, made with soy milk, is a very low calorie and high protein food. It has a subtle flavor that can be cooked to suit your taste preferences, both in sweet and savory dishes. Its available in different varieties – Silken, Soft, Firm or Extra Firm. For this particular dish we will be using the Extra Firm Tofu. Feel free to use the Firm Tofu too, if Extra Firm is not available. It will just need to be handled with a little more TLC.
On to the recipe now.
Ingredients:
Extra firm tofu – one packet 14 oz 1 medium onion 1 medium green pepper
1 medium tomato – Deseeded
For Marination: 1/2 cup sour cream or hung yogurt 1/2 tsp Kashmiri degi mirch 1/2 tsp cumin powder 1/2 tsp garam masala Salt to taste 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 tbsp oil 1 tbsp Chat masala – optional
Method: Press the tofu with a heavy utensil for at least 30 mins to drain out its water. Then cut this into bite sized pieces. Chop onion, tomato and green pepper similarly. I haven’t used tomato here. Mix all the marination items listed above and gently add the tofu and veggies to it. Let it sit in the fridge for at least an hour. In the meanwhile soak the skewers in water. Finally skew the tofu and veggies alternatively and broil/grill them in your oven for about 15 mins, turning sides occasionally till you get a beautiful color. You can also cook them on a skillet.
Finally drizzle some lemon juice and chat masala before serving for that special kick. Enjoy.
Here is how I make it.
