Shanti's Home Cooking

 Grilled Paneer Kababs Here is a simple , yet awesome looking starter to jazz up your party menu. We are always looking for easy to make and serve finger foods that look good and taste good. These grilled Paneer Kababs fit the bill beautifully. The paneer is marinated before hand in a tangy yoghurt and spice mix and then grilled just before serving. This is also a great way to include salads to young children. A whole host of veggies can be added to bring in the crunch factor. I have used toothpicks to skewer the Paneer Kababs, so it is easy to serve and eat. Paneer is a wonderful nutritious food product that is rich in protein, folate and calcium. It is good  for cardio health, maintains blood sugar levels, improves digestion and aids weight loss. Ingredients: For the Kababs: 250 gms  Paneer - cut into 1 inch squares 1 Capsicum - cut into 1 inch squares 1 Large Tomato - Deseeded and cut into 1 inch squares 1 large Onion - cut into 1 inch squares For the marinade:  1...

 Peanut and White Sesame Seed Chutney When you are fed up of the routine chutneys that you make with your Idlis and Dosas, you can try this Peanut and White Sesame Seed Chutney. This is a mild and nutritious chutney that tastes great and which you can store for a week in the refrigerator.  Peanuts are a great source of proteins, vitamins and minerals. If you make this chutney with the peanut skin, a lot of fiber is added.  White Sesame seeds are a good source of energy and Omega 6. They are also rich in fiber, iron, calcium, magnesium and phosphorous, which help boost energy levels. Sesame seeds also have the highest quotient of Vitamin D. Try including this in your morning diet at least a few times a month.  Ingredients: 1 Cup Peanuts 1/4 Cup White Sesame Seeds A small marble sized ball of tamarind ( soaked in 1/4 cup of water and pulp removed) Salt to taste 1/4 Tsp Turmeric Powder 1/2 Tsp Cumin Seeds ( Jeera) 1/2 Tsp Chilli Powder 5 Dry Red Chillies For the temperi...

 Tangy Omelette Curry This is a curry for egg lovers. When you get tired of eating omelettes or boiled egg curry, but still crave for eggs , here's something that will satisfy your cravings. This is a tangy tomato gravy with  thick omelette pieces that soak in all the flavour and juiciness. It has to be eaten to actually understand the taste. This is my current egg favourite.  Ingredients: 4 Eggs 1 Large Onion , diced 2 Large Ripe Tomatoes , diced 1/2 Tsp Turmeric Salt to taste 1 Tsp Chilli Powder ( Or as per your taste) 1 Tsp Coriander Powder 1/2 Tsp Garam Masala Powder 1/4 Tsp Ginger Garlic Paste Coriander leaves for garnish 3 Tbsps Oil Let's get started: In a mixer, blend the Onion and Tomato pieces to a paste. Keep aside. In a large bowl, beat the eggs till fluffy. Add a 1/4 Tsp of Turmeric and just a pinch of salt to the eggs while beating them. Take a small but deep non stick sauce pan and heat 1 Tsp oil in it. When hot, pour in the well beaten eggs , lower the flam...

 Alu Paratha One of the most versatile and loved parathas is the Alu Paratha. Each family has a slightly different recipe because they add different ingredients, but all taste good.  I'm sharing a recipe that I love making and eating. This tastes good hot off the tawa, with a small blob of butter meting on it, or cold - in a lunch box. You don't need any accompaniment with it- just a bowl of curd would suffice.  Ingredients: 2 Cups of Atta ( Wheat flour) 3 Large Potatoes ( Boiled soft) 4 Green Chillies 1/2 Cup Coriander Leaves 1/2 Tsp Chilli Powder 1/2 Tsp Cumin Seeds ( Jeera) Salt to taste A pinch of Turmeric Powder Oil Let's get started : Knead the wheat flour with 1/4 Tsp of salt ( or to taste) and water and mix it to a firm dough. Add one Tsp of oil and knead well. Cover with a damp cloth and keep aside for about 15 to 20 minutes. In a Mixer, blend coarsely the Green Chillies, Coriander Leaves and Cumin Seeds.  In a large bowl, mash the boiled potatoes. Add the c...

  Morning health shot - Papaya Juice What better way to start the day than with a healthy drink? This Papaya juice can be had with breakfast or any time thereafter. It is a refreshing drink with just three healthy ingredients - Papaya, Honey and Lime Juice. This works especially well when the papaya is ripe and mushy and you are unable to cut it into cubes.  Papaya is a wonder food and has numerous health benefits. It is loaded with Vitamin A and antioxidants which promote eye health. It aids digestion, boosts immunity, helps in weight loss, said to improve kidney and heart health  and is great for diabetics. Honey and Lime Juice are also great for health. The beauty of this juice lies in its simplicity and ease of making. Include this in your  breakfast routine and see the effortless change it brings to your wellbeing.  It is also a wonderful way to hydrate after your morning walk. Ingredients: 1 Cup Papaya Pulp 1 Tsp Honey 1 Tsp Lime Juice Let's get started: B...

Chivvina Sorakai  Kura ( Pierced Bottle Gourd Curry) This is a special family vegetarian dish that we all enjoy. Though very painstaking to make, the final taste makes it worth the effort. This dish brings back memories of the whole family sitting with wooden boards in front of us and armed with either Silver Bindi sticks or new Juda hairpins – piercing away the tender bottle gourd squares till they were almost transparent and till it met the approval of my mother in law. The end result was a juicy and spicy fried curry unlike any other. Ingredients: 1 Very tender Bottle Gourd ( About ½ Kg – depending on the size) 1 1/2 cup Onion pieces ( ground into a paste) 2 Tsp Chilli Powder 3/4 Tsp Garam Masala Powder 1 ½ Tsp Coriander Powder ½ Tsp Turmeric Salt to taste Oil for deep frying Fresh Coriander leaves Let’s get started: Peel the Bottle Gourd and cut into 2 inch squares. Use a fork, Kebab Skewer or a Juda Pin to pierce holes in the Bottle gourd pieces. Pier...

 Khoa Badam Laddus If you need a quick fix sweet for unexpected guests or just to satisfy your sweet tooth, this simple Khoa Badam Laddu will do the trick. It uses four ingredients and can be made in 15 minutes - with ready made Khoa, that is. It has a rich taste and melts in the mouth. So what are you waiting for - get started. Almonds are rich in Vitamin E, Magnesium and Potassium. They are also said to lower LDL Cholesterol. It is also known as a bone building food.  Of course, these laddus are to be eaten more for the lush taste rather than the health benefits.  Ingredients: 200 gm Unsweetened Khoa 100 gm Almonds 1/2 Cup Sugar 2 Tbsp Ghee Let's get started: Powder the Almonds in blender. It need not be too fine. Keep aside. In a pan add the sugar and 1/4 cup water and stir till the sugar is dissolved.  Crumble the Khoa and add it to the sugar . Keep mixing till well combined. The Khoa will become a bit runny when heated. Mix till it thickens a bit. Add the powder...

 Grated Yam Curry ( Kandha Khima Kura) This is a delicious slow cooked dish from Andhra Pradesh using the humble Yam. It is grated and cooked on slow flame with onions  and a delightful mix of spices and an added crunch of fried cashew nuts. This dish is usually served on special occasions as part of a festive meal.  Yams are rich in fiber and nutrients. They are said to have cancer fighting properties and help control blood sugar levels. Ingredients: 1/2 Kg Yam 1 1/2 Cups Diced Onions 1/4 Cup Cashew Nuts 1 sprig Curry leaves 1 Tsp Chilli Powder 1 Tsp Coriander Powder 1/2 Tsp Garam Masala Powder 1 Tsp Ginger Garlic Paste 4 Tbsps Oil Salt to taste Pinch of Turmeric Powder Let's get started: Remove the hard bark like covering of the Yam till you come to the orange part. Grate the Yam into watery buttermilk ( 1 Part Curd and 6 Parts Water). This will remove any itchiness that is present in the Yam. Heat a pan and pour in 4 Tbsps Oil. Fry the cashew Nuts till light golden bro...

 Vegetable Upma ( Khara Bhath) One  of my favourite dishes during my teenage years was this Vegetable Upma that we  were served in a relative's house in Bangalore. It is the Karnataka style Uppit or Khara Bhath. At home, my mother used to make Upma in a different way and so this Vegetable Upma stuck on in my mind. This is quite a versatile dish and a number of vegetables can be added according to taste or availability. This recipe was given to me by a dear friend.  Vegetables are a must have in every person's diet and this recipe can accommodate a variety of vegetables. Carrots, Peas, Capsicum, Beans, Tomato, Corn - all can be used. Ingredients: 1 Cup Upma Sooji/ Rava 1 Cup finely chopped Assorted Vegetables - I used Peas, Carrots and Capsicum 1 Onion finely diced 1 Large Tomato finely chopped 5 Green chillies - Chopped 1 Tsp Ginger Garlic Paste 1/2 Cup finely chopped Green coriander leaves 1 Sprig Curry Leaves 10 Cashewnuts 1/4 Tsp Mustard Seeds 1/4 Tsp Channa Dal 3...

 Thotakura Vadiyalu ( Spinach and Moong Dal Pakoras) This is a simple , yet delicious crunchy snack that is a specialty of Andhra Pradesh.  Thotakura Vadiyalu ( Amaranthus/ Spinach and Moong Dal Pakoras) are usually served as a part  of a meal and goes very well with rice, sambhar and rasam. This is a great way to incorporate spinach in the meal. For this recipe, we use moong dal with the skin ( pottu pesarapappu / chilka moong dal). It is then removed before cooking. This recipe can also be made with yellow moong dal.  The health benefits of Spinach is well known. It is rich in Iron, Magnesium, Vitamins , benefits eye health and is said to reduce blood pressure. Moong dal is packed with nutrients and contains antioxidants. It is rich in Potassium, Magnesium and Fiber. So, a combination of two healthy foods in a crunchy avataar, is something one should include in your diet. Ingredients: 1 Cup Moong Dal with green skin ( Or Yellow Moong) 1 Bunch Amaranthus/ Spinach...