Smart and Healthy cooking

A very good starter especially when hosting a party. Loved by both children and adults.

Ingredients:

1 packet of crackers like monaco or Ritz like we get in Uk

4 large potatoes boiled and mashed

3 tomatoes finely chopped

1 cup coriander chutney

1 cup tomato ketchup

chaat masala as per taste

Sev and coriander for garnishing

Method :

1) Mix the coriander chutney and tomato ketchup in a bowl

2) Spread this mixture on one side of all the crackers evenly

3) Top each cracker by mashed potato and chopped tomatoes

4) Sprinkle chaat masala as per taste on top of it

5) Finally garnish it with sev and coriander

Ready to serve..Enjoy...

This recipe has been inherited from my mom which my husband just loves to eat especially during fast. This snack is so tempting that you just cant resist it and once you had few you just cant stop having more.

Ingredients:
3-4 raw bananas
1 tsp salt
pepper to sprinkle
oil for frying

Method:

Take a bowl of water and add the salt to it and stir well.

Peel the outer skin of the raw bananas leaving some of the inner skin on the banana. Heat oil in a pan for frying. When the oil is hot, slice the bananas with the slicer directly in to the oil and lower the gas flame. Sprinkle 2 tsp of salt water in the oil. This will create some noise which might be scary at first but slowly the noise will die down. Cook the chips on medium flame. When the chips turn slight red/brown, remove from the pan and place it on the tissue (to allow the oil to drain out). Sprinkle pepper on the chips when hot.
Store in an airtight container.

Banana chips are ready to eat.

A spicy and quick dish and can be used as alternate to traditional Pav-Bhaji.



Ingredients-:
6 Piece of Pav (Bread rolls/buns)
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 tbsp Pav Bhaji masala
2 tbsp Olive oil
1/4 tsp Cumin seeds
3-4 Cloves of Garlic
1 Cup Onion finely chopped
3/4 -1 Cup Capsicum finely chopped
1 Cup Tomatoes finely chopped
4-5 Long red chillies
Pinch of turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Black salt (sanchal)
2 tbsp tomato ketchup (optional)
Finely chopped coriander (for garnishing)

Method-:
1) Boil the red chillies in a pan of water until they are tender. Drain the water and allow it to cool. Mix the red chillies with garlic cloves and blend into a smooth paste in a mixer. Keep aside. (You can remove the seeds optionally to make this less spicy)

2) Take the oil in a non stick pan and when little hot add the cumin seeds. Add the Onions and then add the ginger garlic paste. Saute for 2 mins.

3) Add the chopped capsicum and saute till tender.

4) Add the tomatoes, turmeric powder, Pav bhaji masala and salt. Add little water around 1/4 glass to the mixture and let it cook while stirring at regular intervals.

5) Add half of the red chilli paste prepared in step 1 along with black salt and tomato ketchup(optional).Mix properly and cook for some time. Taste the masala mixture and if required you can add more red chilli paste and pav bhaji masala to make it more spicy. Keep aside.

6) Slit the Pav from center and apply butter on the insides and also on outside. Microwave on medium for 30 secs- 1 min depending upon the oven until the pav becomes soft. Take care not to overheat it else pav will become hard.

7) Take the pav and apply the prepared mixture on inside evenly. Close the pav and apply some mixture on top of the pav as well. Cut into 4 pieces and garnish with chopped coriander and serve with Lemon wedges and Onion rings as shown in pic below.

Yes you read it right. Something different from the normal veg pastry that we make. This idea was suggested by my husband who always likes to try new things while cooking. I wasn't sure of it initially but thought of giving it a try anyways and to my surprise it turned out to be quite delicious. Hope you all would try too and agree with me.

Ingredients-:
1 packet Puff pastry roll or sheet (can be obtained at any superstore)
5-6 Potatoes boiled and mashed
1/2 cup peanuts (optional)
8-10 tbsp Dabeli masala (depending on flavour)
1/2 cup Pomegranate seeds
Salt as per taste
2 tsp Olive oil
Little qty Maida for rolling

Method-:
1) Heat 1 tsp Oil in a vessel and add the mashed potatoes to it. Add 7-8 tbsp Dabeli masala and salt as per taste. Stir well and cook till all the masala mixes well. Keep aside.

2) If using Peanuts then follow this step. Heat 1 tsp oil in a vessel and roast the peanuts till they turn light brown. Add 2 tbsp dabeli masala and salt as per tatste. You can add 1/2 tsp sugar if you want to give it a sweet taste. Ensure that the peanuts are brown and fully covered with the masala.

3) Add the Peanuts and Pomegranate seeds to the mashed potato mixture when ready to stuff the pastries.

4) Keep the pastry sheets out for some time if refrigerated so that it becomes soft. Make small balls of the pastry and roll them into small circles like rotis around 12 cm diameter, with help of rolling pin. Use plain flour (maida) to help while rolling.

5) Cut the prepared circles into half. Take one half of the roti and make a cone shape out of same just like a samosa. Fill the cone with the prepared mixture of mashed potato, peanuts and pomegranate. Seal the sides of cone by pressing lightly with hands and ensure that it is properly sealed.


6) Repeat the above procedure for all remaining pastries as shown in pic above.

7) Preheat the oven for 5-6 mins at around 200C .

8) Meanwhile take a baking tray and grease with little oil or alternately place a non stick cooking liner on the tray. Arrange the pastries on the tray and bake it for 10-15 mins depending upon the oven.

9) Keep checking the pastries at regular interval and turn them over so that they are evenly cooked at both sides. Remove when brown in color. Serve with Coriander chutney or Ketchup.

Ingredients:

2 Cups washed coriander
5-6 Green chillies
Small piece of ginger
1/2 cup Peanut powder
1/2 lemons juice
1/2 tsp sugar
Salt to taste

Method:

Mix all the above ingredients in a mixer jar until they all all mix well into a fine thick paste. Add little water if too thick.

This is one of our fav recipe taught to me by my Mother in Law who is an excellent cook herself.

Ingredients:
1 cup grated Cucumber
1 cup grated Carrots
2 Onions finely chopped
4 cups curd
6 Slices of white bread
1 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp black rock salt (sanchar)
1 tsp sugar
1/2 cup coriander finely chopped
1 cup ketchup
1 cup coriander chutney (Click here for Recipe)
Sev for garnish
Salt to taste

Method-:
1) Beat the curd with little water to make it thin but make sure its not too watery.

2) Add red chilli powder, garam masala, black rock salt, sugar , salt and coriander to the curd. Mix well and keep it in fridge for some time.

3) Tale a bread slice and cut the crust from all sides. Cut the bread slice into 4 equal squares as shown below. Repeat for all the remaining bread slices.


4) Take a square bread piece and apply coriander chutney on one of its side. Take another square piece and aply tomato ketchup on one of its side. Stick the two bread slices together with applied portion facing each other on inside. Repeat for all remaining bread squares.



5) Arrange the bread squares in a bowl. Pour the chilled curd mixture over it ensuring that bread squares are completely soaked in it. Sprinkle grated cucumber, grated carrot and chopped onion over it.


6) Finally garnish with sev and serve.



Enjoyy and let me know if you like it.

Ingredients:

250 gms of Paneer (grated)
2 large onions (finely chopped)
1 capsicum (finely chopped)
3-4 tomatoes (for gravy)
4 garlic cloves (for gravy)
1 onion (for gravy)
2-3 green chillies (for gravy)
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
¼ cup coriander (finely chopped)
2 tsp red chilli powder
Garam masala as per taste
Salt as per taste


Preparation:

For the gravy:
Chop tomatoes, garlic, onion and green chillies and grind them in a fine paste. Add 1 tsp of red chilli powder, garam masala and salt as per taste. Add a pinch of sugar if required. You can also add tomato ketchup or tomato puree to give it the red colour.

Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds to it. As the cumin begin to splutter, add chopped onions. As they begin to turn brown, add ginger garlic paste and sauté for 2-3 mins. Add the chopped capsicum and sauté till they become tender. Then add the gravy and allow it cook for 5-10 mins. Once the gravy is well cooked, add the grated Paneer. Add salt and Garam Masala as per taste and mix it well and allow it to cook for some time until all gravy mixes well with the Paneer. Garnish it with coriander before serving.

A very simple and quick recipe that can be made by anyone in 10 mins.



Ingredients:
1 Packet Veg stir fry (you can get one from any super store)
1 Packet Stir fry sweet chilli sauce (Again can be bought from super store)
1-2 Onions cut into long slices
1 tbsp oil
1 1/2 tsp soya sauce
Salt & Vinegar as per taste
5-6 tbsp tomato ketchup
1 large cup rice noodles

Method-:
1) Take a big pan filled with 3-4 cups of water. Add the noodles and heat on high flame until water starts boiling and noodles are properly cooked. Once done strain the water and keep aside.
2) Meanwhile take a non stick fry pan and add 1 tbsp oil to it. Add the onions and saute till light brown.
3) Add the contents of stir fry along with 1 1/2 tsp soya sauce and fry for 2-3 minutes.
4) Then add the stir fry sweet chilly sauce, tomato ketchup and the boiled noodles.
5) Add salt to taste and mix well. Continue frying for 3-4 minutes and mix well so that flavour sets in.
6) Add the vinegar and mix well and now its ready to serve.

Hope you try and enjoy the recipe.

Note : You can also use other flavours of the stir fry sauce for variation.