Stuffed Mushroom

My pen pal Kannika and I finally got in touch after more than a decade of not writing to each other. We both had moved to the same town and decided to meet. Since my daughter was too young to be taken out, i invited Kannika home. She said she loves mushrooms. I wanted to make something very special and unique,,,, and I came up with this yummy recipe..
To all Mushroom Lovers,,, you will simply love this,,, you will crave for more..

Ingredients
For 4
16 Button mushrooms
5 slices Jalapeño
1 small onion
7 to 8 slices olives (black/green)
4 salted baby gherkin(optional)
4 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp mixed herbs
Salt to taste
pepper to taste
2tsp olive oil
2 tsp lemon juice
2 tbsp butter
Grated Mozzarella/cheddar cheese

How to make
* wash and separate the stem from the mushroom to get a hollow pit. Keep aside.
* Finely chop the mushroom stem and all ingredients.
* Take olive oil. Add garlic and mixed herbs. sauté for a minute. Add Jalapeño, gherkins, onion, olives, mushroom stem.
* Add salt and saute on high flame for 5 to 7 minutes. Add lemon juice, pepper powder and sauté for another 2 minutes. Turn off flame.
* Stuff the button mushroom with the mix made. Top with grated cheese.
* In a shallow pan, take butter. Sprinkle salt. Gently place the stuffed mushroom.
* Cover and cook on low flame for 10 to 12 minutes.
* Serve hot...

Four pepper Noodles

Hmmmm,,, now how do i start with this recipe?
I sent my dad to get capsicum. I had planned to make capsicum rice. My dad bought red and yellow bell pepper along with green. The guests were on their way and i was in a fix. 5 friends and my family of 4 plus 4 kids and only 4 green capsicum. My daughter, a huge Dominos fan started screaming,,, 5 pepper pizza madu amma,,, (make 5 pepper pizza),, that's when idea struck... and i made the most yummy 4 pepper noodles. Interestingly, my typical south Indian dad who never eats noodles, tried it and loved it. 4 Pepper noodles was a huge success.
It's very simple and easy...

Ingredients
For 4
2 packet chungs noodles
7-8 cloves garlic
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
1 green capsicum
1 tsp black pepper powder
3 tsp soya sauce
1tsp vinegar (optional)
1 tbsp butter (optional)
Oil to cook
Water to boil
Salt to taste

How to make
* Bring 2ltr water to boil. add salt, 2 tsp refined oil and the noodles. Cook for 10 mins. make sure the noodles doesn't overcook. once the noodles is 90% cooked, drain water. cool it using cold water and keep aside.
* slice the peppers. chop garlic finely.
* Take oil in a wok. add the garlic and cook on low flame for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the sliced peppers, salt and sauté until its a little soft. Don't cook it completely. Add soya sauce, vinegar and pepper powder. mix well. turn off the heat.
* in a huge vessel, add the noodles and the peppers together while its hot. Add butter and keep closed for 5 minutes.

* Garnish with spring onion or coriander leaves before serving...

Thondekai Gojju/ Thindora/Ivy Gourd

What do u do when u buy thonde /ivy gourd which is ripe...? Throw them away...? So did I. But one day, when i was pregnant, a neighbor gave me gojju n asked me to guess what it is made of. I was surprised when she said it's made out of ripe thonde. Though she shared the recipe, n i was crazy not to have noted it down, i tried experimenting instead of asking her. Here is my version of the yummy Hannu Thonde Gojju....

Ingredients

8 ripe thonde
1 tbsp tamarind pulp
2tsp jaggery
1 small green chilli
1tsp rasam pwd
Salt to taste
Water for consistency

To be dry roasted
2tsp jeera
1tsp coriander seeds
1 pinch methi seeds
1tbsp channa dal
1 tsp urad dal
1tsp mustard
4 dry red chillies

Seasoning
1tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp jeera
1 dry red chilli
1/2 tsp mustard
5 to 6 curry leaves
2 pinch hing powder


How to make

Grind to paste thonde, green chilli, jaggery, tamarind, dry roasted spices, salt and rasam pwd with water for consistency.
Take coconut oil in a wok.
Add mustard, jeera, dry red chilli, curry leaves, hing. Let mustard splatter.
Add the paste, mix well and cook for 5 to 7 mins on low flame.
Add 1/2 cup water and bring to boil.
Turn off heat once u reach the required consistency.

Serve with hot rice, dosa or idli.

Capsicum Masala

What do u do when u have nothing at home but a few onions tomato n capsicum. ..? You try ur luck,  experiment and come up with an amazing dish. ...

Ingredients
Serves 4

2 large capsicum
2 onion
4 tomato
1 tsp ginger garlic paste OR 1/2 inch ginger n 8 cloves garlic
1 cup peanuts
2 dried red chillies
1/2 tsp white pepper
1 tsp jeera
1/2 tsp black jeera
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 inch cinnamon
2 cardamom
5 cloves
1 tbsp refined oil
Salt to taste
Chopped corriander to garnish


How to make
Take oil in a wok.
Add pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, peanuts and Sauté for 2 minutes.
Add roughly chopped onion, gingery, garlic and Sauté until onion is transparent.
Add 1/2 capsicum roughly chopped.
Add tomato, turmeric powder,  salt and mix.
Cook until oil separates. Add jeera and black jeera. Mix and turn off heat.
Let it cool.  Grind to paste.

Take 1tsp oil.  Add diced capsicum. Mix and close lid. Cook on medium flame for 5 mins or until capsicum is cooked 75%.
Add the grinded paste, water for consistency and bring to boil.
Garnish with corriander.

Serve hot with roti.

Dill Leaves Rice

Everyone knows I am crazy about food. This is just a part of my craziness tasting good. I had nothing at home except dill leaves and i was craving for something with rice,,,,

Ingredients
Serves 3
2 cups Basmati rice soaked for half hour
4 cups water
2 cups chopped Dill Leaves
1/2 cup green peas soaked overnight
1 large onion chopped
8-9 cloves garlic chopped
1 tsp jeera
1 lemon juice
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp refined oil
1 tsp ghee
salt and red chilli powder to taste

How to make
Take oil and ghee in a cooker
Add jeera, garlic and onion. Saute until onion is transparent.
Add Dill leaves, saute for 3 minutes on low flame.
Add green peas, saute.
Add Turmeric powder, red chilli powder, salt and water.
Add rice.
Let water come to boil. Add lemon and close lid.
Turn off heat after 5 whistles.

Please note,
you can add tomato instead of lemon.

Serve hot with Raita.

Pindi Chole Biryani

This recipe is completely my own and I am not sure about the authenticity of the same.

Ingredients
Server 4
3 cups Basmathi rice soaked for half hour
1/2 cup peas soaked overnight
1 cup Channa soaked overnight
2 potatoes cut into fingers
2 onions roughly chopped
4 tomatoes finely chopped
1 large carrot
7-8 beans
2tsp ginger garlic paste
1 inch cinnamon
4 cardamom
6 clove
1 tsp jeera
2 bay leaf
2 large tsp chole masala
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
2 tbsp ghee
1 lemon
Salt to taste
2 cups kokam water
4 cups water

How to make
In a cooker, take Ghee
Add the garam masalas-Jeera cinamon cardamom cloves n bay leaf.
Add ginger Garlic paste and onion. Saute until onion is transparent.
Add tomato, salt and red chilli powder, Saute until oil separates.
Add all the vegetables, channa and Chole masala. Saute.
Add Kokam water. Bring to boil.
Add the rice and the remaining water.
Once the water comes to boil, add the lemon juice, close the lid.
Turn off hear after 4-5 whistles.

Serve hot with Raita...

Creamy Mushroom Parsley Mac

Ingredients
Serves 3

For macaroni
3 cups bambino macaroni
6 cups water
Salt to taste
1tsp oil

For sauce
7-8 mushrooms plus another 6-7
5 cloves garlic
5-6 whole cashew nuts
Handful parsley
100ml amul cream
1tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp Oregano
Water for consistency
Salt n pepper to taste

Preparing macaroni
Bring the water to boil.
Add salt
Add macaroni.
Cook until mac is 90% cooked.
Strain the excess water.
Add oil,  mix well.

For the sauce n bringing them together.
Take mushrooms,  cashews, garlic, parsley, and grind to paste.
Take oil in a wok.
Add the remaining mushrooms chopped as u desire.
Add salt and Sauté until mushrooms are cooked.
Add the mushroom parsley paste. Sauté for 5 mins on medium flame. Add salt,  pepper,  oregano n cream. Add water or milk for consistency.
Mix well. Turn off heat.
Add macaroni and keep aside closed for 5 mins before serving.
Serve hot with garlic bread.