Spaghetti & Roasted Ham with Italian Red Sauce

Ingredients for Spaghetti Ham with Homemade Italian Sauce:

1. Spaghetti
2. Raw Ham (You can use sausage, meatballs as alternative)
3. Homemade Italian Sauce

Ingredient for homemade Sauce:
1 cup of onion paste
2 tbsp of garlic paste
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cups of tomato paste (made out of 5-6 tomatoes)
1 tbsp white sugar
Salt as per taste
2 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves
1 tsp dried Mint (Pudina) leaves
Chili flakes
Rosemary / Oregano / Parsley (any of these flavour as per your choice)
1 tbsp black Pepper Powder)

Process for Spaghetti Ham with Homemade Italian Sauce:

A. Making Sauce:
1. Heat oil in a non stick pan. 
2. Once the oil hot, add Rosemary / Oregano / Parsley 
3. Add Onion paste. Stir for few minutes until it changes the colour. 
4. Add Garlic paste. Stir for 1 minutes.
5. Add Tomato Paste
6. Add Sugar and Salt. 
7. Add Chili Flakes and Black Pepper Powder. Mix well.
8. Add little water if you want to increase the amount of the sauce. Your Sauce is almost ready.
9. Add half of the Coriander leaves and Mint leaves to the Sauce. Turn off the heat.

B. Preparing Spaghetti:
1. Boil Spaghetti as per the instructions mentioned in the packet.

C. Making Grilled Ham:
1. Cut the packet and take the Ham sheet out of the packet.
2. Apply oil on both sides of the Ham sheet.
3. Switch on the oven. Place a grilling net on the oven. Place  the Ham sheet on top of the grilling net. 
4. Start grilling until you see burning black spot on the Ham sheet.
5. Take the sheet out of the heat.
6. Now cut the sheet as per your desired shape.

D. Assembling:
1. Transfer the boiled Spaghetti in a bowl.
2. Place the Ham pieces on top of the Spaghetti.
3. Spread the Sauce over the Spaghetti.

Your Spaghetti Ham with Homemade Italian Sauce is ready to be served. 

ThoNr Moog Daal Ghonto (Banana Stem Curry with Moong Lentil)

Ingredients to cook ThoNr Moog Daal Ghonto: 

ThoNr - 250 grams
Moong Daal - 1 cup
Cumin Seed - 1/2 tbsp
Bay Leaf - 1 
Cumin Paste - 1 1/2 tbsp
Ginger Paste - 1 tbsp
Tomato - 1 (chopped finely)
Green Chilis - 3-4 (slit)
Salt as per taste
Sugar - 1/2 tbsp
Water as per your gravy requirement
Oil for cooking

Process to cook ThoNr Moog Daal Ghonto:

1. Boil Moong Daal in a pressure cooker till 2 whistles. Set aside.
2. Take oil in a cooking pan. Heat well and add Cumin seeds and Bay Leaf. 
3. Add green Chillies to the Oil. Wait till they splutter. 
4. Add Ginger paste. Stir well. 
5. Now add Cumin Paste. Cook well.
6. Then Add Tomato and cook well till it gets mixed well with the spices. Meanwhile add little Sugar. Fold well. 
7. Add ThoNr and Salt; fold occasionally. Cook until it becomes soft; it will release water.
8. Now add boiled Moong Daal. Fold frequently. Add water as per your gravy requirement.
9. Adjust the seasoning with Salt and Sugar. Then turn of the heat.

You can serve ThoNr Moog Daal Ghonto with hot steamed Rice. 

Kancha Golla

Ingredients to make Kancha Golla:

Full Cream Milk - 1.5 ltr.
Lemon Juice - 2.5 tbsp
Fresh Cream / Malai - 1/2 cup
Khoya Kheer - 1 cup
Nolen Gur / Sugar - 1 cup

Process to make Kancha Golla:

1. Boil entire milk in a deep vessel at medium flame.

2. Mix lemon juice with 1 cup of water.

3. When the milk comes to a boil add Lemon water into the milk slowly.

4. When the milk starts curdling cook for another 5 minutes and after that when you see green colored water separating from the curd remove the vessel from flame.

5. Now drain the water with the help of a clean cotton/muslin cloth and collect the Chana.

6. Run fresh water over the Chana for 5-7 minute to get lemon flavor out of the Chana.

7. Once you are done with the washing, bring together the edges of the cloth and tie both the end properly and place it in a plate and put a weight over the cloth for 15 minutes. 

8. After 15 minutes, place the entire Chana in a hot pan. Stir with a spatula. 

9. Add Fresh Cream or Malai. Stir again for 3-5 minutes.

10. Add Khoya Kheer and Sugar (or Jaggery). Stir continuously. Chana will now change its colour. It will get brown colour.

11. Once the Chana mixture becomes sticky, turn off the flame. 

12. Now make round balls of your desired size and shape out of the hot mixture. You have to make ball as soon as the mixture is cooked. If mixture cools down, it will become hard. You wouldn't be able to give any shape. 

You can garnish Kancha Golla with chopped dry fruits. 

Mirchi Ka Salan

Ingredients to cook Mirchi ka Salan:

A. For Curry:

Jalepeno Pepper – 10-12

Tamarind Pulp – 1 cup (2 tbsp dissolved in ½ cup of water)

Mustard Seed –

Nigella Seed –

Cumin Seed –

Curry Leaves or Curry Leaves Powder

Oil to cook

Salt to taste

Water to make gravy

B. For Masala Paste

Dessciated coconut – ½ cup

Roasted Peanuts – 2 tbsp

Roasted Sesame Seed – 1 tbsp

Onion –

Garlic –

Ginger –

Tomato –

Red Chili Powder

Turmeric Powder

Garam Masala 

Method to cook Mirchi Ka Salan:

Preparing Masala Paste:

1. In a pan lightly brown the onions. 

2. Add the dessicated coconut and brown it.

3. Later add ground nuts and sesame seeds to this mixture and roast for 1-2 minutes.

4. Make a smooth paste of the above with garlic, ginger, all the spice powders adding little water.

Preparing the Curry:

1. Remove the chili crowns or you can also keep them intact.

2. Rinse and wipe dry the green chilies.

3. Slit the chilies vertically but do not break them.

4. Heat about 2 tbsp oil in a pan.

5. Fry the chilies till light brown.

6. Remove and drain on kitchen tissues.

7. Now in the same pan add more oil.

8. Fry the mustard seeds till they pop.

9. Then add nigella seeds and cumin seeds.

10. Add curry leaves and fry for a minute.

11. Add the ground masala paste.

12. Fry for 3-4 minutes or more till you can see oil floating on the top and sides of the masala.

13. Now add tamarind pulp and 2 or 2.5 cups water.

14. Stir & simmer for 5 minutes. 

15. Add fried green chilies plus salt and simmer for 7-9 minutes more.

16. Garnish Mirchi Ka Salan with coriander leaves.

Serve mirchi ka salan hot with hyderabadi veg biryani or even plain steamed rice.

Rabdi Sandesh

Ingredients to make Rabdi Sandesh:

1 cup Chhana (Homemade cottage cheese)

6 cups full cream milk

1/4 cup + 2 tbsp. sugar

2-3 pods of green cardamom

1/2 tsp. ghee for greasing

Few Cardamom for garnishing

Process to make Rabdi Sandesh:

1. For making homemade cottage cheese or chhana take 5 cups of milk in a heavy bottom pan. Bring it to a boil on high heat. When the milk starts boiling reduce the heat and add vinegar or lime juice to it. As soon as the milk curdles turn off the heat and stir it well.

2. Line a strainer with cheese cloth and pour the curdled milk over it. Wash chhana with running cold water to wash off any residual acidity. Bring the sides of the cheese cloth together and squeeze it to drain the excess water. Don’t drain it too hard.

3. Take chhana in a flat tray and knead it with the heel of your palm. Add 2 tbsp. of sugar and crushed cardamom seeds. The chhana mixture should be moist. If you feel its not moist enough add few drops of milk to it.

4. Grease a steel Tiffin box with ghee and spread the chhana evenly. Pour half cup water in the cooker and carefully place the closed tiffin box inside it. The water level should cover 1/3 of the height of the tiffin box. Cook it on medium heat without the pressure-weight for 15 minutes.

5. Allow the tiffin box to cool down completely. Remove the cover and place a plate upside down on top of the open tiffin box. Turn it over. Now your Sandesh is ready. Cut it into squares.

6. In a heavy bottom pan take milk and cook it on medium heat till the color changes to one shade darker of its original one. Don’t forget to stir it continuously. By this time it will be reduced to its half. Add 1/4 cup of sugar and freshly crushed cardamom seeds. Stir well.

Add steamed chhana cubes and turn off the heat. Let it stand for couple of hours before you serve.

Pizza Made at Home

Ingredients for making Pizza at home:

A. For Pizza Base:
Refined Flour - 2 cups
Semolina - 2 tbsp
Yeast*** - 1 tsp 
Sugar 1 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp 
White Oil - 1 tbsp
Lukewarm water - 3/4 cup

***I have taken dry active Yeast, so I added it directly to the Refined Flour. If you take dry Yeast, you need to mix it in lukewarm water. Add little sugar. mix well. keep it aside for 5-7 minutes. Then mix with flour mixture. 

B. Pizza Sauce
Olive Oil - 2 tbsp
Tomato - 4-5 nos (Make paste out of it)
Garlic Paste - 1 tbsp
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Chili Powder - 1/2 tsp
Oregano - a pinch 
Rosemary - a pinch

C. For Toppings:
Capsicum - 1/2 
Onion - 2 
Mutton Sausage - 1 link 
Olives - 2 tbsp 
Mozzarella Cheese - 2 cups 

D. For Garnishing: 
Chilli Flakes 
Pizza Seasoning 

Process for making Pizza at home:
A. Pizza Base
1. Take Refined Flour in a mixing bowl. Add Semolina, Sugar, Salt, Yeast, Oil to the Flour. Mix them and then add lukewarm water to knead the dough. Add little water at a time to make the dough soft enough. Knead the dough until it gets soft. It would take 4-5 minutes. You can grease your hand while kneading. 
2. Divide the dough into two parts i.e. big size ball. 
3. Now you have to roll each dough. Spread little dry flour on the rolling board. Place one dough ball on the board. Now roll it with 1/2 centimeter thickness. Now prick the base with the help of a fork. The base is ready to be baked. 
4. Place a butter paper on baking tray. Grease it with white oil. Now place the base in the tray. 
5. Make another Pizza Base from remaining dough. Prick with fork. Like wise place this base too in the baking tray. 
6. Keep them aside for 2 hours so that they become puffy. 
7. Now preheat the oven at 200 degree centigrade. Place the base in the oven. Bake them  for 5-7 minutes. Now your Pizza base is ready. 
8. You can store Pizza Base in dry place for max. 4-5 days. 

B. Pizza Sauce
1. Heat oil in a cooking pan. 
2. Add Tomato paste to the oil. Keep stirring. 
3. Add Garlic Paste. Mix well. Add Salt and Chili Powder, then Rosemary, Oregano. 
4. Keep stirring until the sauce becomes thick and dark red in colour. 

C. Topping Preparation and Pizza Baking
1. Cut the Capsicum into two halves. Remove the seeds. Now slice it thinly. 
2. Chop onion in square size.  
3. Chop the link of Mutton Sausage in small square or semi circle size.  
4. Take Oil in a frying pan. Shallow fry the capsicum and onion. Take them out of the pan. 
5. Add little more oil to the pan. Fry Sausage pieces. Take them out of the oil. Set them aside. Turn off the heat. 
6. Grate Mozzarella Cheese with the help of the slicer. Keep it aside in a separate bowl. 
7. Apply Pizza Sauces on each Pizza Base. Then spread grayed cheese on top of the sauce. Now place all types of toppings above the cheese. Like wise prepare another pizza base with topping. 
8. Preheat the microwave at 200 centigrade. Place the pizza base (one at a time) in the oven. bake for 10-15 minutes. 

Your pizza is ready. Place the hot pizza in a plate. Now you just sprinkle the seasoning mentioned in the List D as much as you want. 

Oreo Chocolate Truffle

Ingredients to make Oreo Chocolate Truffle

Oreo Biscuits – 1 packet (grind it in mixer grinder)
Cream Cheese - 2-3 tbsp
Dark Chocolate – 50 grams
White Chocolate- ½ bar

Process to make Oreo Chocolate Truffle

1. In a mixing bowl combine ground Oreo biscuits with cream cheese. Make a stiff dough & pinch out equal lemon size balls.
2. Arrange in a tray & refrigerate for 1 hour.
3. Melt dark chocolate in a microwave safe bowl for 1 minute. Give a nice stir.
4. Dip the Oreo balls in this melted chocolate mixture & refrigerate the balls for 1-2 hours.
5. Melt white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. Give a nice stir. 6. Drizzle each truffle with lines of white chocolate.

Serve chilled !!

Fish Kofta Curry - A Mughlai Touch

Along with the recipe of Fish kofta Curry, today I am sharing few facts of Mughlai cuisine.

1. Mughlai cuisine is the fusion of Persian and existing north Indian cuisine. 
2. Mughal were Moslems and didn't eat Pork. Hindus didn't eat Beef. So both beef and pork were avoided in Mughal cooking. Fowls, sheep and goat, and venison were the main meat dishes. 
3. For elegance, silver and gold edible foils were used to decorate foods. The gold and silver ones were used to make dinner-ware. 
4. Chinese porcelain was used for beverages. The Durbar became a complete community dinning affair. 
5. The Turkic and Afgan during Mughal Sultanate period introduced underground Tandoor (oven) to make Naan (flattened bread). Other items introduced later are Keema, Kebab, Yogurt, Paneer. 
6. During Akbar period, the royal kitchen had become a laboratory of Mughal Culinary. 
7. Tenure of Jahangir and Shahjahan were the golden period in the evolution of Mughlai Cuisine. 
8. Portable Tandoor was developed during Shahjahan's period. 
9. During Shahjahan's period Portugese introduce new agricultural products to India such as Maize, Potato, Tomato, Papaya, Pineapples, Cashew, Chili pepper etc. Finally these products got integrated to Mughlai Cuisine. 
10. After Aurangzeb's tenure, new centre of ruling power emerged. The centre included Hyderabad, Lucknow, Lahore. 

Ingredients to cook Fish Kofta Curry:

Katla Fish – 6 pieces (medium size)

Egg – 1

Onion Paste – 3/4 cup 
Onion - 1/4 cup (finly chopped)

Green Chili – 5-6

Ginger + Garlic paste - 1 tbsp.  

Mustard Oil – 3 tbsp.

Cumin Seed – 1 tsp

Garam Masala – 1 tsp.

Coriander Powder – 1 tsp.

Red Chili Powder – 1 tsp.

Bay leaf – 1 (big size)

Cloves – 4-5

Cardamom – 2-3

Tomato – 1 (medium size, I made paste from tomato in mixer grinder.)

Lemon Juice – 1 tbsp

Green Coriander for garnishing (Finely chopped)

Salt to taste
Water 

Process to  cook Fish Kofta Curry

1. Wash the fish pieces under running water.
2. Spread little turmeric and salt over the fish. Rub them very well. Keep it aside for 10-15 minutes.
3. Heat oil in a deep-bottom frying pan. Once the oil is hot, fry the fishes. But DON’T DEEP-FRY THEM.
4. Take out the fried fishes from the oil and set aside for cooling down.
5. After 10-15 minutes, you have to remove bones from the fish pieces. It takes much time. It is a low-effort but high pay-off task. Make sure that there is not a single tiny pin bones inside the fish pieces.
6. Now add finely chopped Onion, half portion of ingredients such as Ginger+Garlic Paste, Cumin Powder, Coriander powder, Lemon Juice and chopped green chili to the fish. Mix and mash it well.
7. Break the egg on top of mashed fish. Mix well again. Set aside for 10 minutes.
8. Now make small balls from the mixture. Keep the balls aside.
9. Heat the same oil which you used to fry the fishes. Fry these balls. You just need to fry them till golden brown as shown in the image. DEEP-FRYING IS NOT REQUIRED. Set these half-done Fish Kofta aside.

[If you don’t want to fry the fish balls in oil, you can put them in the micro-oven for 10 minutes.]

10. In the same pan, add little more mustard oil. Heat the oil. Add cumin seed, bay leaf, cardamom, cloves. It will crackle in few seconds.
11. Add onion paste. Stir gently and let it be cooked till slightly brown.
12. Add tomato Puree and stir well. Cook it till you feel the raw smell of tomato goes away.
13. Now add rest portion of the ingredients like Ginger+Garlic paste, Cumin Powder, Coriander Powder and Green Chili. Stir well.
14. Add Turmeric Powder, Red Chili Powder and Garam Masala and mix well with the boiling curry. 
15. Add little water as per your requirement for gravy. Let it be boiled.
16. Check the seasoning and adjust according to your taste. I added salt at this stage. Because after marination, I didn’t add salt.
17. Now reduce the heat. Place the fried Kofta in the curry one by one. Stir once. Turn off the heat after 5-7 minutes.
18. Sprinkle little Lemon juice over the Kofta Curry. Cover the pan with a lid. Let them inside the pan for 10 minutes, so the Kofta can absorb little gravy. 

You can serve it with Steamed Rice. 

Khow Suey in Burmese Cuisine --- Literally Coconut Milk Noodles

Ingredients to cook Khow Suey (For 2 persons)

A. For Curry:

Boneless Chicken pieces (shredded) - 3/4 cup
Garlic+Ginger Paste - 1 tsp
Thai Yellow Curry Paste - 2 tbsp (store bought)
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Red Cilli - 2 pcs
Turmeric Powder - A pinch 
Curry Leaves Powder - 1/2 tsp
Coconut Powder (Store bought) - 2 tbsp
Kaffir Lime - 1 leaf
Salt as per your taste (I didn't used)

B. For Toppings:

Eggs - 2 (Boiled and peeled)
Spaghetti / Egg Noodles (boiled as per the instruction mentioned in the packet) - 1 cup
White Oil for deep frying - 1 1/2 tbsp
Thinly chopped onion - 1/2 cup (You have to deep-fry it)
Grated garlic pieces - 1 tbsp (You have to deep-fry it)
Chopped Green Onion - 1 tbsp
Chopped Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp
Chopped Green Chilis - 1 tbsp
Dry-roasted peanut - 2 tbsp (You need to grind it coarsely)

Process to cook Khow Suey:

A. Preparing toppings:

1. Cut the egg into two halves.  
2. Spaghetti, Peanuts, Green Onion, Coriander leaves, green chili  is ready.
3. Heat oil in a deep-bottom frying pan.
4. Deep-fry the Onion until it gets crispy and dark brown colour. Set aside in a bowl.
5. Deep-fry grated Garlic. You need fry till dark brown colour. Set aside in another bowl.

[Do not deep-fry Onion and Garlic together, because one can get stick to other. And after frying don't mix the. Set the separately.]

B. Preparing Chicken 


1. Is your chicken shredded? You can cut the boneless chunk in small and thin pieces. Wash them well. 
2. Add Ginger+Garlic paste to it. 
3. Add Turmeric Powder and Salt. Mix well and set inside the refrigerator for 30 minutes. 
4. Now prepare the Coconut milk. Heat 2 cups of water in a sauce pan. Set it aside. Now add coconut powder and mix well by stirring. Your Coconut Milk is ready. Make sure there is no lump in the milk.  
4. After 30 minutes, heat oil in a frying pan. Add Red Chili and Cumin seeds. Wait till they crackle. Now add Curry Leaves Powder. Stir well. 
5. Now add marinated Chicken. Stir well frequently until the Chicken gets ALMOST done. 
6. Now reduce the heat. Add Coconut Milk. Keep stirring well for 2-3 minutes.
7. Add Kaffir Lime. 1 leaf is enough. Stir well occasionally for 2-3 minutes. Turn off the flame. 
8. Place the curried Sauce with Chicken pieces in a serving bowl. 

C. Garnishing 

1. Place the Spaghetti inside the bowl, just above the chicken pieces. 
2. Place the egg halves on top of Spaghetti. 
2. Spread the fried onion beside the egg. Then spread fried Garlic.
3. Now spread chopped Coriander, Green Onion, Green Chili. 
4. Now sprinkle over dry-roasted Peanut on top. 
5. Serve it with steamed rice.

Tempting Ras Bara - You can't take off your eyes!

Ingredients to make Ras Bara: 

A. For Bara

Urad Dal - 1 cup (for 15 pieces)
Fennel Seeds - 1 tsp
Salt
Oil to fry

B. For Syrup

Water - 3 cups
Sugar - 2 cup
Juggary - 1 cup or less as per your taste (I used date palm juggary)

Process to make Ras Bara:

1. Soak the Urad Daal in water overnight (or 7-8 hours).
2. After 7-8 hours wash the soaked daal under running water. You need to wash it until you find water runs clear.
3. Pour it in a mixer grinder bowl and add little water. Make the paste with it.
4. Pour the paste in a bowl. Add little salt and fennel seeds.
5. Now beat the paste very well. If you don’t beat well, the dumpling would be hard. And It would not be able to soak the sugar syrup.

[To know if beating is fine or not, place a drop of paste to a glass of normal water. If the drop floats, you don't need to beat any more. But if it sinks down, it indicates that further beating is required.]

6. Heat enough oil in a deep bottom frying pan. If oil gets hot, reduce the flame. Place one drop of paste to the hot oil to check whether the oil is ready for frying or not.
7. Now place a spoonful of paste to the oil. It would look life dumpling in hot oil. You can place 7-8 dumplings at a time. Fry them till light brown colour.
8. Take out the dumplings from the oil and keep them aside in a bowl. Ideally you should keep those dumplings on a napkin lined plate, so it can absorb the extra oil.

Making Sugar Syrup for Ras Bara

1. Heat water in a pan.
2. Once it starts boiling add sugar. keep stirring. It would help sugar dissolve fast.
3. Add juggary and mix well. Stirring is required again. Once the juggary mix well with water, turn off the flame.
5. Place the fried dumpling to the syrup one by one. Let it be there for 1-2 hours. Dumpling would float in the syrup.
6. Serve  hot or cold as per your choice.