KARELA VADA

Bitter gourd :) KARELA people can run miles in a minute if u make them eat this. This bitter but yum vegetable has won my heart:)
The max I would have eaten this veggie was soon after I delivered... karela;s made by my mom soaked in ghee. Well that was a different recipe which ill share soon.
This recipe is my mom's actually, my mom’s mom's :) means my nani;s :)I would love to try karela in every possible way, salads, veggies, starters, munch snack :)
The best part is my husband who could never in his wildest dreams think of eating karela absolutely LOVES it now:)
If u are another fan of karela do give KARELA VADA a try:)

KARELA VADA

2-3 Bitter gourds’ (karela, Goya in Japanese)
3 boiled potatoes
1 tbs chopped garlic
1 tbs chopped ginger
1tbs chopped g.chili
1tsp cumin
1tsp mustard seeds.
1tsp hing
All dry masala's
Oil
Ghee

First Peel the bitter gourd and remove all the flesh. Cut them into long pieces and slit them. Fry them until golden brown and keep aside.

Next boil the potatoes, peel and mash them. In a pan add oil hing, mustard, cumin, garlic, ginger, g.chili and saute well. Then add boiled potatoes and all the dry masala's like red chili, turmeric, coriander pwd, garam masala. And then saute well untill masala is coated well. last add fresh corriander and some lemon juice.

Next fill this mixture into the fried bitter gourd. In a non-stick pan add little ghee and slowly put the stuffed bitter gourd in it and let it cook on low heat for 10-15 min. If you feel that the veggie is sticking to the pan add little water to it and let it cook.
Keep turning sides to cook evenly :)

SPINACH SOUP

This is my dad;s recipe. He drinks this soup everyday. This trip 2 india my hubby tried this soup n he loved it.Healthy, low-cal, a negative calorie burning vegie:), quick and easy WHAT MORE do u want ?? lol Ofcourse what i make is not even close to what my dad;s recipe is, but m trying:)

SPINACH SOUP

1 tbsp Butter
2 cups Spinach chopped
2 cups Milk
1 tbs garlic paste
1 tbs ginger paste
Oil
Salt & pepper

Heat oil in a pan,
Add crushed garlic and ginger.
Add chopped Spinach and saute well.
Slowly add the milk and water.
Drizzle salt and pepper and let it boil for 15 to 20 min.

**For people who dont care of calories can add cream n hi-fat milk.

CHOCO ORANGE CAKE

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO U
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO U
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR PAAAA
:))
24th was my honey's birthday and as a birthday tradition a egg less cake was imp.
But this time a egg less LOW FAT cake was more important:)
So got back to my moms recipes and altered it a bit and made this cake :)
He loved it... that's all mattered then n now:)
U can eat this cake without any guilt ;)

CHOCO ORANGE CAKE.

2 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup cocoa

1 1/2teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup yogurt

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

1/2 cup fresh orange juice

1/2 cups water or low fat milk

1tablespoons grated orange peel

Greese a cake pan oil or butter and dust it lightly with flour. Preheat oven to 170 deg C

Mix the flours, sugar, soda, salt and cocoa.

Add yogurt, vanilla, water, and orange juice.

Beat well to combine.

Add in the grated orange peel, and pour into the cake pan.

Bake for about 30-40 minutes, until cooked.

As there is no icing,i decorated it with dusted powdered sugar fresh fruits and droplets of choco orange glaze.

CHOCO ORANGE GLAZE.

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon cocoa

2 teaspoons orange juice

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Combine all the above ingredients in a nonstick n cook on low flame until a mild paste forms.

drizzle it over the cake.

BROWN RICE TOFU SALAD

I always wanted to experiment with Brown rice, and make something healthy out of it.
So decided to make a salad of it.I just threw in the bowl what came to my mind and ended up making this:)My hubby loved it.Hope ull give it a try.

Healthy Lemony Brown rice salad.
1 1/2 cup Brown cooked rice
One bowl of mixed salad leaves.
One red pepper cut in strips.
Half a block of age tofu(fried tofu. u could use regular too) cut into small pieces.
Half a lemon skinned and chopped into cubes.

Dressing.
4 Tbs soyu sauce
2 g.chillies finely chopped
1 tsp red paprika
1 tsp black pepper
1 clove garlic finely chopped
1inch ginger finely chopped
2 basil leaves finely chopped
Half squeezed lemon.

First prepare the dressing and leave it for half hour for the flavours of garlic and chili
to combine.
Later, when about to serve mix the leaves, rice, tofu, pepper , lemon and the
dressing.You could sprinkle more salt if required.**Optional. Add in whatever veggies suit ur taste.

Thai Green Curry.

The exhilarating factor of returning back from a fantastic 2 month trip from India was visiting Pattaya, For a relaxed holiday or say relaxed first holiday with our daughter, after the mad 1 year grind of delivering a baby, sleepless nites, cooking, cleaning etc.

It was insanely satisfactory, With the infinite view to Heaven it was like refueling our selves for the next year.

Thai and herbs and spice go hand in hand. Of the Thai i ate there i could taste that they use their herbs very profuse manner.

Every spoon worth bite leaves a beautiful persisting taste to your buds.

So her;s my pledge again to derive the best from this cuisine:)

Wish me luck.

Here's my version of Thai green curry. Hope u like it.

THAI GREEN CURRY.

Green chillies - According the the spice u like.

4 - 5 garlic cloves

2 shallots or half onion

One bunch of coriander

1 inch ginger

1 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp lemon rind

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

Few sweet basil leaves

Salt

2 or 3 lemon grass stalks,(optional)

2 or 3 kaffir lime leaves (optional)

Make the curry paste, with the above ingredients.You can make more of it and store it in the refrigerator for months.

For the curry
Half an onion, chopped finely

One tablespoon of the curry paste, or more to taste.

One can coconut milk

One cup of water or stock

Tofu

Broccoli

Baby corn

Zucchini

Carrot

(u can add any veggies u like)

Basil

Juice of half a lime

Salt

Lightly cook the onions in a little oil .

Add the curry paste and saute for a couple of minutes .

Par boil the veggies you want to add.

Add the boiled veggies to the paste and saute for some more time.

Add the coconut milk, and the stock or water. (quantity depends on the gravy u
prefer.)Throw a few basil leaves in it and squeeze lemon juice in.Simmer and let the herb flavours blend in.
Serve with hot steamed rice.:)

I would strongly recommend if u are a spice lover, throw in a lil more green chilling than u would n ull love it! specially during those chili nites:)