Tandoori Fish Tikka

Ingredients:

• 1 Kg fish (centre bone and skin removed and cut into square pieces)
• 1 lemon juice
• 1 tsp garlic paste
• 1 tsp ginger paste
• 1/2 cup drained beaten curd
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp crushed ajwain
• 1 tsp garam masala
• a pinch of tandoori colour(optional)

Preparation:

Rub the fish with lemon juice, garlic, ginger paste and leave for 1/2 an hour.

Mix and smear the fish tikka with 1 tsp salt, chilli powder, ajwain, garam masala, tandoori colour and add 2 tbsp oil.

Arrange the fish tikka on a greased skewer and barbecue on a charcoal fire or cook under the grill.

Sprinkle hot masala just before serving (optional)

Serve it hot with onion rings or salad.

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Khaskhas Kalaunji Roti

Nigella seeds (kalonji, black cumin) are a spice harvested from the plant Nigella sativa and are used as a spice in Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine. These black seeds are approximately 0.125 inches in length and have a slightly triangular shape, and may also be confused with black sesame seeds. The dry roasted nigella seeds flavor curries, vegetables and pulses. The black seeds taste like oregano and have a bitterness to them like mustard-seeds. It can be used as a "pepper" in recipes with pod fruit, vegetables, salads and poultry.

They form the basis for several Indian dishes, particularly in Northern regions, and are popular as sprinkled on naan, which is Indian flatbread, or in rice pilau.A five spice mix common in Bengal called paanch phoron may include nigella seeds as one of the five spices, mixing them with fennel, cumin, fenugreek and mustard seeds.

The Nigella oil is an anti-oxidant and popular for its medicinal value.

Ingredients:

• 200gm maida
• 3/4 tsp castor sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp soda bicarb
• 1/2 egg beaten
• 1/4 cup yoghurt (hung)
• 1/4 cup cup milk
• 1/4 tbsp melted ghee or butter
• 1/2 tbsp poppy seeds
• 1/2 tsp Nigella seeds (Kalaunji)

Preparation:

Sieve the flour, sugar, salt and soda bicarb twice. Add the ghee and rub with fingers till the mixture looks like breadcrumbs. Keep aside. Beat the egg, yogurt and milk together. Now add it to the flour and knead a smooth dough. Knead well for 8-10 minutes. Cover and keep in a warm place for 2-3 hours.

Divide the dough into 5 portions and using a little flour, roll out rotis. Apply a little ghee on the top with a brush and sprinkle poopy and Nigella seeds. Press a little with the hand. Apply water on the bottom side and cook in a hot tandoor or oven. When done, remove from the tandoor and apply a little butter on top and serve hot with any curry


In Indian and Persian medicine, kalonji has been used as a cure to all ills. Some suggest the seeds take the sting out of scorpion bites, help treat intestinal problems, end facial paralysis, stop rheumatoid arthritis in its tracks, and treat kidney problems, heart ailments, and hemorrhoids. Though the seeds cannot possibly be the silver bullet cure for everything, they are high in antioxidants, and their smell is said to repel some insects. You may find kalonji in naturally made or organic insect repellents. (Source :wiki)


Nigella oil is used for sinus problems, you can use ½ tsp of the oil and very hot water for a facial steam. You can rub the oil on the chest for cough and flu symptoms.It is known to be effective in the treatment of colic in babies,just rub the Nigella oil on the tummy.

It is used as a conditioner for the hair and a skin moisturizer. When buying Nigella oil, you should make sure that it is 100% cold pressed with no additives.


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Tandoori Aloo Lajawab

Ingredients:

3 large potatoes
1/4 tsp red chilli flakes

For filling:

1 small carrot (chopped and boiled)
75g peas(boiled)
150 gm paneer
1 tbsp leaves of spring onions(chopped)
Salt to taste
pepper(freshly ground) to taste

1tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp garam masala

Preparation:

Wash potatoes well and dry.Prick them over with a fork and bake at 350°F in an oven or a tandoor till they are soft(for about 40 minutes)

Cut potatoes in halves and scoop out the flesh, leaving 1 cm of the shell. Keep the flesh aside.

Place the shells back in the oven and cook for about 10 minutes.

Now make the filling. Mash the paneer and stir potato flesh, carrots, peas, leaves of spring onions, salt, pepper, lemon juice and garam masala into it and mix well.

With a spoon, fill the mixture in the potato shells and brush with oil, sprinkle with chilli flakes and bake at 350°F for about 15 minutes or until they are thoroughly heated and golden. Serve with green salad.


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Chunky Cheese with Herb Crumble

Ingredients:

• 250 gm paneer (cut into chunks)
• 1 cup brown breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves (chopped)
• 1 tbsp mint leaves (chopped)
• Salt to taste
• Black pepper to taste (freshly ground)
• 2 tsp cornflour
• 2 tsp maida (dissolved in 1/3 cup water)
• 1/2 tsp chat masala

Preparation:

Sprinkle salt and freshly ground black pepper on the panner and keep aside for 5 minutes. Combine breadcrumbs, lemon juice, coriander leaves, chat masala and mint leaves. Add salt and pepper if desired. Keep aside.

Dip paneer chunks in cornflour mixture and then roll in breadcrumb mixture and then roll in breadcrumb mixture. Put on skewers and cook in the tandoor or in an oven at 375°F for 10 minutes or till they are golden.

Sprinkle more chat masala if desired.Serve with a salad of your choice.

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Shahi Paneer Khazana

Ingredients:

• 1 onion (finely chopped)
• 1 Clove garlic (crushed)
• 1/2" piece of ginger(chopped finely)
• 15gm maida
• 60 ml milk
• 124gm mixed nuts(chopped - Cashew, almonds, walnuts, raisins, pista, etc)
• 30gm fresh breadcrumbs
• 1tbsp green chillies(chopped)
• 1 carrot grated
• 1/2 tbsp coriander leaves chopped
• 1 cup paneer mashed
• 1/2 tbsp cornflour (dissolved in 4 tsp water)
• dried breadcrumbs for coating
• salt tor taste

Method:

Fry the onion in oil till it is slightly soft.Add ginger and garlic and fry for a few seconds. Add the flour and cook for 102 minutes.

Gradually stir in milk and bring it to a boil. Remove from fire and stir in the nuts, breadcrumbs, chillies, carrots, coriander, mint, paneer, lemon juice and salt. Leave until absolutely cold.

Divide the mixture and roll into balls. Dip each piece first into cornflour mixture and then coat in breadcrumbs.

Thread into skewers and put into a hot tandoor or an oven at 180°C for about 20 minutes or till they are light brown and crisp.

Remove from Skewer and serve hot with salad

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Tandoori Vegetables

Ingredients:

6-8 cauliflower spears (blanch for a few seconds and cut into chunks)
1/2 cabbage small
1 red capsicum
1 green capsicum or bell pepper
2 large sized onion ,cut into wedges
3 pineapple slices (cut into wedges)
a few mushrooms
a few baby corn
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp garlic paste
salt to taste
1 tsp chilli powder
2-3 tbsp besan (Chickpea flour , Gram flour)
2-3 tbsp thick yogurt
3 tbsp cooking oil
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Chaat masala

Preparation:

Mix garlic, ginger paste, salt, chilli powder, cooking oil, Worcestershire sauce in a bowl. Pour the mixture on vegetables.

Apply Chickpea flour and yogurt on them. Arrange the vegetables on greased skewers and brush with oil. Barbecue on charcoal fire or keep the skewers on the wire rack. Keep a baking tray underneath to collect the juices.

Grill the vegetables under a hot grill and sprinkle chat masala to this.


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Broccoli, baby corn and Mushroom Tak-a-Tak

Ingredients:

• 200gm broccoli
• 200gm baby corn
• 100gm mushrooms

For gravy:

• 2 tbsp oil
• 1tsp jeera
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 1/2 cups fresh tomato puree
• 2 tbsp brown onion paste
• 1/2 tsp red chilli paste
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp kasturi methi
• 1/2 tsp kali mirch (black pepper powder)
• 1/2 tsp broiled zeera powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ginger chopped
• 1 tsp coriander leaves chopped



Preparation:

Clean broccoli, cut baby corn into 2 pieces and mushrooms into quarters.

To prepare gravy:

Heat oil on a tawa. Add jeera and cook till it crackles. Add ginger-garlic paste and brown it. Add fresh tomato puree and red chillies paste and cook till oil separates. Add broccoli, baby corns and mushrooms. Cook till vegetables are tender. Add rest of the ingredients and serve hot.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.


Source:WomensEra

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Mushroom Tikka

Mushroom tikka can be served as an appetizer, well its a pleasure food like chaat. spicy and tasty, quite different from regular tikkas. Mushrooms are consumed for their nutritional and occasionally medicinal value. We have to be careful with mushrooms as some mushrooms that are edible for most people cause allergy in some individuals. Old improperly stored specimens could also cause food poisoning.

Ingredients

• 1 pack mushrooms
• 1/2 tsp garlic paste
• 1 tsp ginger paste
• a pinch of saffron colour
• 2 tsp gramflour
• salt to taste
• 1tsp oil
• 2 tsp curd

For garnishing:

1/2 tsp chaat masala and onion rings

Method:

Wash and dry mushrooms.
Marinate mushrooms with rest of the ingredients for 1/2 an hour
Roast them in a tandoor or grill (or even you can deep fry the mushrooms , in case you don't have a tandoor).
Sprinkle chaat masala
Garnish with onion rings and serve hot.

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Pao Bhaji

You don't always eat to assuage hunger and get nourishment. At times we eat for pleasure too. And some foods which we love to eat are from street vendors and dhabaa's. The food tastes exotic and we keep returning to such place again and again with friends and family. Pav or Pao Bhaji is a mumbai fast food, Pao meaning the bread and Bhajji - the curry.To prepare Pao bhaji

Ingredients:

• 6 pieces of bread ( Pav bread or Hamburger bread)
• 100gm carrot chopped
• 100gm French beans chopped
• 100gm peas shelled
• 250gm potatoes chopped (small)
• 200gm cauliflower chopped
• 4 onions chopped
• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
• 3 green chillies chopped
• 200gm butter
• 250gm grated tomatoes
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 4 tsp lime juice
• 1 tsp amchur
• 1 tsp garam masala

For Garnishing:

Chaat masala, onion rings and coriander leaves

Method:

Boil carrots, beans, peas and cauliflower till tender.
Melt 2 tbsp butter in a karahi/kadai
Fry onions, ginger-garlic paste, green chillies till it is brown in colour.
Add tomatoes, salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder,lime juice, amchur and garam masala.
Cook for 5 minutes. then add this masala to the boiled vegetables
Mash these vegetables
Put butter and garnish with chaat masala, onion rings and coriander leaves.
Melt butter on a griddle , divide the Pav / hamburger bread into two and fry them pressing a liitle
Serve hot with the Bhajji

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Fish Molly or mollie

Kerala fish molly (stew) is a traditional dish prepared with fish mainly King fish, Shear fish, promfret, red sanpper or any fish steak mixed with rich coconut milk. Extremely tasty although not being spicy. Can be served with appam, iddiappam, puttu and even rice. To enjoy the sweet taste of this dish follow the preparation instruction.

Ingredients

• About 1 ¼ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. ground turmeric
• 1 lb (450g) fish steaks or fillets, cut into 2 inch cubes
• 4 Tbs. coconut oil or vegetable oil
• 1 medium large red onion finely sliced
• 6 fresh hot green chilies finely sliced
• 1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely shredded
• About 30 fresh curry leaves, if available
• 7 fl oz (1 cup) coconut milk, well stirred from a can or fresh
• 2 Tbs. lime juice

Procedure

Mix ¼ teaspoon of the salt and ¼ teaspoon of the turmeric together.
Rub over the fish. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large wide, non-stick pan or wok over a medium heat.
When hot add the onion, chilies and ginger. Stir once or twice.
Add the curry leaves.
Stir and fry for three to four minutes until the onion is soft.
Add ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder and 5 fl oz (3/4 cup) water. Mix well.
When the mixture boils add the fish.
Spoon the sauce over the fish. Add 3/4 teaspoon salt. Turn the heat down.
Cover and simmer for four to five minutes, spooning the sauce over the fish and shaking the pan gently to prevent sticking.
Add the coconut milk, shake pan and add more salt if needed. Cover and simmer for a further three to four minutes, shaking the pan occasionally.
Add the lime juice. Shake again and remove from the heat, then serve.

Alternate Recipe

Ingredients:

• 12 fillets of pomfret or red snapper
• 2 tbs (30 ml) coconut oil
• 1 tsp (5 g) mustard seeds
• 8 flakes (16 g) garlic, chopped fine
• 2.5 cm ginger, julienne
• 6 green chillies, slit lengthwise, deseeded and julienne
• 150 g onions, sliced into rings
• salt to taste
• 24 curry leaves
• 3 (225 g) tomatoes, cut into 8 slices each
• 1/2 tsp (2 g) turmeric powder
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) coconut milk (third extract)
• 3/4 cup (180 ml) coconut milk (second extract)
• 3/4 cup (180 ml) coconut milk (first extract)
• 1 tbs (15 ml) lemon juice

Method:

Heat oil in a pan and season with mustard seeds. Stir over medium heat until they begin to splutter. Add garlic and ginger and stir for a minute.

Add green chillies and stir lightly. Add the onions and sauté until translucent and glossy. Add turmeric powder and stir well.

Add fish and the third extract of coconut milk. Bring it to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, turning carefully once, for three minutes. Add salt and stir well.

Add curry leaves, tomatoes and the second extract. Cover and simmer for three minutes.

Remove the pan from heat and gently (to make sure that the fillets do not break) stir-in the first extract of coconut milk. Return the pan to heat and bring to a boil over low heat.

Sprinkle lemon juice and stir carefully.

Remove from heat and adjust the seasoning Remove to a bowl and serve with steamed rice.

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