How I make "Curdy Musk" - Curdy Musk - A shake of musk melon & curd?

Curdy Musk - A shake of musk melon & curd

1. Grate pulp of musk melon.
2. Create a shake with curd, pinch of salt, sugar as per taste in Juicer/Mixer.
3. Sugar is optional if your musk melon is sweet and curd is not sour.
4. Add few whole musk melon cubes to the shake and you would enjoy it more.


Chill it and enjoy during summers. A perfect desert after dinner, which leaves you soothed.
Have it in mini sips, will add to your delight.

How I make Shahi Paneer, Paneer Makkhani, Paneer Butter Masala?

What is the difference between Shahi Paneer, Paneer Makkhani and Paneer Butter Masala?

If you check out the recipe for preparing Shahi Paneer, Paneer Makkhani and Paneer Butter Masala, you would find that all of the three are cooked almost in a similar way using similar ingredients. All of three also look same after preparation.

Paneer Makkhani and Paneer Butter Masala are one and the same. Makkhani in Hindu is nothing but Butter in English. We all know.

The major difference between Paneer Makkhani and Shahi Paneer is that we use 'Kasuri Methi' for cooking Paneer Makkhani unlike for Shahi Paneer. Also, use of Cashewnuts is ideally a way to cook Shahi Paneer. But people tend to use it while cooking Paneer Makkhani as well. Dry fruits play important role in royal dishes - Shahi.

Less significance difference between these two is that, due to the use of 'Kasuri Methi' renders, Paneer Makkhani a slightly deep color compared to Shahi Paneer. And of course it adds a slightly bitter flavor.

Shahi Paneer

1. Cut Onion length wise.
2. Fry them along with three four cloves, eight nine cashewnuts, small stick of Dalchini, two Cardamon using little oil.
3. When onion turns light brown and starts spreading a nice aroma full of cashews not spices, turn off the stove and let the mixture cool down.
4. Grind it to paste.
5. On the other side, cut the Paneer loaf into small cubes.
6. Deep fry them till light brown and keep them in hot water for half an hour. This makes them soft.
7. Now take cooking pan, heat butter. Three table spoon.
8. Add the paste we prepared.
9. Add ginger-garlic paste.
10. Add turmeric, Kashmiri Red Chilly powder, salt to taste, tomato puree.
11. Stir and heat till the oil starts separating from the Masala.
12. Add the Paneer cubes. Stir and let it heat for next five minutes.
13. Now add water as per required consistency and cook it till the gravy doesn't start separating oil.
14. This is the time to off the stove. Put some fresh cream and it is ready to serve after five minutes.

Paneer Makkhani

We cook Paneer Makhanni/Paneer Butter Masala, exactly the same way as we did for Shahi Paneer with a slight difference.

For Paneer Makkhani We will add a pinch of Kasuri Methi when we add tomato puree.

NOTE:
In both the recipes use of cummin-Coriander powder, Garam Masala powder, sugar is absolutely as per your taste buds.

How to make Tomato Puree?

Traditionally people opt to prepare Tomato puree by simply grinding it in juicer. A couple of others boil the tomatoes first and then grind them removing their skin.

I prefer doing it by using microwave. I have a microwave safe glass ware. I wash and put the tomatoes in that jar and place the jar in microwave for about 10 minutes. If I am lucky enough, I get my puree ready otherwise I grind them in juicer.

Puree prepared using this technique renders a different taste to your cuisines.

How I make the Kanda Poha tastier?

Kanda Poha (Onion Poha or Rice flakes) is famous, quick and healthier option for Indian breakfast or snax. Kanda Poha is originally a Maharastrian dish and plays important role in fixing marriages. If a girl pleases a boy - who has come to see her - with Kanda poha, chances of them getting tide in a nuptial knot increases.

Khamang Kanda Pohe

1. Heat 50-50 % of both oil and ghee in a pan. Ideally two-two table spoon each. Ghee could dominate over oil. No problem.
2. Crackle mustard seeds.
3. Add finely chopped onion, chopped green chillies and curry leaves.
4. Heat till onion becomes pink and starts spreading a nice mixed aroma of onion, chilly, ghee, curry leaves and mustard seeds.
5. This is the time to add the soaked poha.
6. Add turmeric, salt, sugar.
7. Mix well, till all pohas become yellow.
8. Cover with lid, lower down the stove and let it steam for 10 minutes.
9. Open, garnish with grated coconut, coriander leaves and serve.

NOTE:
1. You may opt to garnish the poha with nylon sev.
2. You may opt to put in some peanuts as well. For this you need to fry the peanuts for two three minutes when you initially heat the oil. Then proceed with next steps.
3. To soak the poha, put them in a jar, preferable with net at the bottom for draining excess water and pour in water till all the pohas get wet properly. Else you can take any bowl, put in pohas, pour water, let it stand for twenty seconds and drain the water. Do it trice and keep aside.
4. You may opt to add boiled potatoes as well.

How to roast semolina for Upma/Sheera?

Traditional Way

1. Take a thick bottom pan.
2. Heat it.
3. Once hot, bring the flame to medium and add semolina.
4. Keep stiring slowly.
5. Semolina once heated starts burning fast. So be careful.
6. Keep stiring till semolina doesn't spread a nice aroma.
7. This is the right time to turn of the stove.
8. Stir for 2 more minutes and keep the pan aside.
9. After cooling you will notice that the semolina has popped a bit and has turned a bit brownish.
10. If you don't have a thick bottom pan, use pressure cooker vessel.
11. In case you don't have no other choice then to use thin bottom vessel, keep the flame low.

Roast Semolina using Microwave

1. you can also roast the semolina using microwave.
2. Take a microwave safe ware, preferrable glass ware.
3. Add semolina to it and keep for 2 mins.
4. After 2mins, stir through the semolina, upside down.
5. This will ensure that the semolina doesn't burn at any one place.
6. Also, sometimes the semolina starts living moisture in it. in such situations the semolina gets a bit sticky at the base.
7. If this happens, do not worry. Scrap the semolina stuck to the base with the help of a spoon.
8. Then again heat for 2 mins, remove and stir.
9. Continue this till semolina doesnot spread nice aroma.
10. In 4-5 rounds the semolina gets popped. But there may be exceptions.
11. So aroma, popped grain and bit brownish texture are the characterestics of a perfectly roasted semolina.

NOTE: We also get roasted semolina in the market. This is ready to use. But I would still advice that you should heat it atleast for some time. This is because, I have noticed that the already roasted semolina sometimes give a damp smell. In such cases heating it for some time, releases the moisture if any and also reduces this damp smell.

How I make Pineapple, Banana Sheera?

"Sheera" is a typical Marathi word used for a pudding made out of semolina. In Hindi it is called as "Suji Ka Halwa".

1. As it is Pineapple, Banana Sheera you need a cup of poperly ripped and finely chopped Pineapple and Banana.
2. You may increase or decrease the quantity as per your liking and as per the quantity of semolina.
3. For two cups of semolina, I take 1, 1/2 cup of Pineapple and Banana mix.
4. Roast the semolina as we do for making upma. Remember that both for Upma and Sheera the semolina needs to be roasted properly.
How to roast semolina for Upma/Sheera?
5. On other side boil water and milk. You may make a 50-50 mixture of both and boil. But I prefer boiling them separately because the entire quantity may not be used. In this case the milk may go waste.
6. Generally, double the quantity of semolina, the water and milk mix is a standard. But since we may vary on exact measures, I would suggest you be ready with some more quantity.
7. Heat ghee in a pan.
8. Once heated, lower the flame add cashew nuts, raisins, charoli (optional).
9. When they turn little brown, add fruits and semolina.
10. Stir the mixture properly, till all the contents spread a nice mixed aroma.
11. Once you start getting the aroma, this is the time when you have to put in the mixture of boiling water and milk.
12. Add slowly, then stir. Then add some more, then stir.
13. Adding, stiring and waiting will give you an idea whether you need to add more water or not.
14. Ensure that all the semolina grains have obsorbed some water and very little amount is yet to be cook. At this time stop adding any more water/milk.
15. Ensure that the semolina does not become too dilute.
16. Add sugar as per your liking and mix well. Sheera should be sweet enough.
17. Put three pinches of cardamon powder and you may opt to cover the pan.
18. Turn off the stove.
19. Let the Sheera stand for 4-5 minutes.
20. Open it and ensure it is cooked completely.
21. Serve it hot or when at normal temperature. I like it at normal temperature.

How I Roast the Peanuts using Microwave?

The procedure is applicable only for the peanuts without the Shell.

1. For roasting the peanuts using Microwave, take a Microwave Safe Glass ware.
2. Put peanuts into in.
3. Place the ware into Microwave for 2 mins.
4. Open and Stir.
5. Place again and heat for more 2 mins.
6. Open and Stir.
7. After doing this for 4-5 times you would realise that the peanuts have started leaving Oil.
8. After this do only once and let the peanuts cool in Microwave.

NOTE: At some times the peanuts may start leaving Oil early. Not necessarily after 4-5 times. Also note that after it has started leaving Oil, be careful while heating after. Sometimes too much heating may burn them black.

How I make Baingan (Brinjal) Curry & Bharva Baingan?

For making Baingan Bharva/Curry you should choose the Brinjal which are small and circular in shape. They may be green, white or dark crimson in color. Don't go for elongated or huge ones. They are fleshy and turn into mash when cooked.

Baingan Curry

1. Cut Onion length wise. The quantity of Onion will vary as per your choice. If you are making a curry and require rich gravy, you can take them in 2:8 ratio i.e. 2 big Onions for 8-10 Brinjals. For thin gravy you may take 1 or 1/2 as you like it.
2. Heat a pan. Roast dried cocunut. Keep it aside.
3. Roast peanuts. Keep them aside. You can also roast the Peanuts using Microwave.
How I Roast Peanuts using Microwave?
4. Put little oil so as to grease all the Onion. Roast the Onion till brown and turn off the stove.
5. After all the three have cooled down. Grind them with sufficient quantity of water to make a thick consitent gravy along with a green chilly, half spoon of Tamrind, red Chilly powder, Garam Masala powder, Salt, Tumeric, Cumin seeds, Cumin-Corriander powder, 2 table spoon of Ginger-Garlic paste, 2 cloves of Garlic, 2 Curry Leaves, pinch of Asafoetida.
6. On the other side wash the Brinjal thoroughly and we have to cut them. While cutting be careful. For Curry we don't cut them into pieces. We need to keep it whole along with its stem. Just make plus sign deep slit at the bottom. The depth of the slit should be till just before the stem.
7. Now heat a pan for cooking the curry.
8. Add 4 table spoon of Oil and Crackle the Mustard seeds.
9. Add a "Old Spice" leaf.
10. Add the grinded masala we prepared earlier and let it heat for 2 mins on a medium stove.
11. Add the Brinjals and let them cook for another 5 mins.
12. Stir and add water to required consistency.
13. If you wish you can add popato as well.
14. Let the curry cook till the Brinjal, Potato are cooked well and till a nice red oily layer starts forming from at the top.
15. Turn off the Stove and serve after 3 minutes.

Bharva Baingan

1. For making the Bharva, I create the stuffing(masala) exactly in the same way as for making the curry. The only difference is that it should be grinded in very less water.
2. Sometimes if the stuffing becomes dilute make it thick with Corn Flour.
3. In either of the case you have to add Corn Flour because it adds a nice Corn flavor to our recipe.
4. Unlike Curry, we have to first Stuff the Splits of Brinjal with the masala a bit tightly. Don't force too much otherwise chances are there that the Brinjal breaks into pieces.
5. Procedure of cooking the Bharva is also different.
6. First heat a pan. Pan should be shallow enough so that it could be covered.
7. Put Oil and Crackle Cumin seeds & Asafoetida.
8. Add the stuffed Brinjals and left over stuffing.
9. Stir once, so that the all the Brinjals get covered with Oil.
10. Cover the pan and let the Brinjal cook on low stove.
11. Turn off when all the Brinjals are cooked well. Cooked once will turn sheeny dark.
12. Ensure that after every 3 mins you stir the Brinjal slowly as to the uncooked part turns down and cooked one up.
13. Garnish with Coriander leaves and serve.