Wednesday, October 7
Pickled onions
Whenever i used to go to resturants , was always fascinated by these red small cute onions, and liked them a lot. By tasting it i could only understand that they are vinegar soaked, but how??, Can i do it at home?? howa'z the color so bright red?? So just browsed , and got to know that as simple they look, they are as simple to make, and can be stored for later use too...
The seasonings can also be varied as per your taste, so enjoy these pickled onions...
Ingredients:
Shallots 10 -15 in number
Sugar 2 tsp
Whole black pepper 10-12
Bay leaves 2-3
Cinnamon 1 piece
White rice vinegar 1/2 cup
Beetroot, small cubes 3-4
Salt to taste
Method:
Simply peel the small onions, set aside.
In a small non reactive bowl add vinegar, sugar, whole black peppers, bay leaves, cinnamom and bring it to a boil.
Add small onions and salt to taste.
Add canned cubed beetroot, and let it simmer for some time(4-5 minutes).( Your whole house would be filled with the aroma of vinegar...)
Switch off the gas and allow it to cool.
Have it as side dish with your daily menu.
Tips:
You can store it it fridge for upto a month in sirtight jar
If beetroot is not there , you will get a slight pink color, and not much difference in taste. For red color , you can add etable red color to it.
These vinegar soaked pickled onions can also be made with thinly sliced onions rings in a similar fashion.
Can be done with red wine vinegar too..
Also read somewhere , you can also make pickled red beet egg , by replacing onions with hard boiled eggs. I shall also try it out soon..
Read more...
Friday, February 27
Boondi Raita
This is the easiest and quickest side dish , anyone can ever make. Boondi raita is one of the most traditional North Indian raitas, served on festivals and at traditional wedding .Raitas are usually salads in yoghurt, but this one has boondi in it. Boondies are small, round, crisply fried droplets made from gram flour and are easily available in indian stores. If not available can be made also at home(Though if feel its a bit tough...). For me, this raita is really easy to make, as i always have the Haldiram's 'Boondi' with me.
Ingredients:
4-5 tbsp Boondi
1 cup Yoghurt
1 tsp Red Chilli Powder
1 tbsp roasted cumin Powder
1 tsp sugar
Coriander leaves Chopped 1 tbsp
Green chillies chopped 2-3
Black salt to taste
Method:
Soak boondi in 2 cups water for 5-10 mins
Squeeze water out gently or drain in a strainer. Keep aside
Beat together all the ingredients. It should be of a bit thick consistency.
Finally add boondi and mix well.
Garnish with a sprinkle of chilli powder and ground cumin.
Serve chilled as a side dish .
Tips:
Adding a tsp of Chat Masala gives a nice new flavour to the raita.
You can directly add boondi to yoghurt, if you are in a hurry (though it'll reatain a bit oil then)
If yoghurt is too thick, add a water to thin it.
Raita can also be tempered. Heat 1 tsp. oil in a ladle, add mustard seeds, 6-7 curry leaves and 2-3 small, whole red chillies. When seeds splutter, pour over the raita.
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Saturday, January 24
Stuffed chillies ( bharleli mirchi)
I'm not much into cooking stuffed foods,(i feel it a bit lenghty, first cook stuffing and then cook it again stuffed into something else. Isin't it) . But this one is quite a regular, as it goes with anything n everthing and also can be stored upto a week in the fridge. Also here in singapore we get all the veggies (and also the same veggies,quite boring) throughout the year. So its always available too. One more reason, my hubby likes it very much. So many reason's to cook it..wow.. so this one goes just for you my dear....
Ingredients:
12 15 long thick green chillies
1 tsp mustard seeds
a pinch heeng (asofetida)
1 tsp oil
For stuffing:
1/2 cup gram flour (besan)
2 tsp Amchoor powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
4 tbsp oil(approx.)
Salt to taste
One more, aren't they beautiful....
Method:
Dry roast Gramflour ,till the aroma comes.(Usually this is not done, but somehow i feel if i don't roast it before stuffing,i wouldn't get cooked fully afterwards.And no one likes it have it raw, isin't it.)
Mix all ingredients for stuffing. And yes you need to add so much oil ,so that mixture holds its shape when pressed into a fist. The oil keeps the stuffing moist and crumbly. Anyways we eat 1 or 2 only at a time, so its ok.
Make a slit in each chilli and remove the seeds. If you like them hot ,like i do, better don't remove the seeds.
Stuff the gram flour mixture into the chillies tightly.
Heat the oil in a pan ,add musturd seeds. When they splutter, add hing and finally gently place all the chillies in the pan one by one. Toss it and cover.
Reduce the heat and cook on a low heat for 10- 15 minutes, tossing in between, so that chillies are cooked evenly from all sides. Serve.
These can ke keep refrigerated upto a week in air tight container, and can be served as a side dish with either rice or chapati.
Tip:
Instead of Amchoor ,you can use about 2 tbsp lime juice to it too, so as you can decrease the amout of oil used in stuffing.
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Sending this to ,
JFI: Chickpeas and
Just for you at Sindirasoi.
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