Ginger Pickle

ngredients Fresh young ginger 2 lb Rice vinegar 3 cups Sugar 2 cups Salt 2 tsp Method Wash the ginger root and rub off skin. Slice the ginger very thinly into very thin and salt them. Leave salted ginger slices in a bowl for one hour. Dry the ginger slices with paper towels and put them in a sterilized container or jar. Mix rice vinegar and sugar in a pan and bring to a boil. Pour the hot mixture of vinegar and sugar over the ginger slices. Cool them. Pickled ginger changes its color to light pink. Cover the jar and store it in the refrigerator.

Radish and Carrot Salad

Radish and Carrot Salad Radish 250gm Carrots 2 Rice Vinegar 120 ml Salt to taste For garnishing Black sesame seeds 1 tsp Lemon rind or fine strips of lime 2 tsp Method Finely grate the radish and carrots and keep these separately. Cover with very cold water and leave to soak for about 15-20 minutes. Drain well, add salt, stir and separate into portions in individual bowls. Garnish with black sesame seeds, lemon rind or fine strips of lime. Pour the rice vinegar over the salad or serve separately to be used as per taste.

Potato Salad

Ingredients Potatoes 4 -5 Carrots 2 Onion 1 Oil 4 tsp Vegetables stock 1 cup Rice Vinegar 4 tsp Sugar 2 tsp Eggs beaten 4 Cucumber 1 Salt to taste Method Peel the potatoes and cut into pieces. Scrape the carrots lightly and cut into chunks and cut the onions. Heat the oil in a pan and stir fry the potatoes, carrots and onions for 1 minute. Pour in the vegetable stock. Lower the heat and add the rice vinegar, sugar and salt. Cover and simmer till the potatoes are just tender but not over cooked. Increase the heat to dry up all the liquid. Remove the vegetables before these stick to the bottom of the pan. Allow the potato mixture to cool for only 30 seconds and ten mix in the beaten eggs, stirring so that the eggs mix well into the potato mixture. Do not peel the cucumber. Cut into small pieces and add salt and leave aside for five minutes. Drain out all the liquid from the cucumber and add the cucumber pieces to the potato egg salad and serve.

Apple Salsa

Ingredients Red apples: 2 Lime juice: 2 tbsp Chopped orange segments: half a cup Onion, finely chopped: half a cup Green pepper, finely chopped : half a cup Jalapeno pepper, finely chopped: 1 Garlic minced: 1 clove Cilantro chopped : 2 tbsp Cider vinegar: 1 tbsp Ground cumin: half tsp Vegetable oil: 1 tbsp Method Core and dice the apples. Toss immediately with lime juice. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Chill 2 hours before serving. Serve with pork, chicken, turkey and fish. The hindu Wellness December 11 2008

Spicy chicken with Groundnuts

Boneless chicken cut into 1 inch 500gm Cyster sauce 1 tbsp Vegetable oil 2 tbsp Spring onions 3 Garlic 4or 5 flakes Groundnuts ½ cup Green chillies 2or 3 Black peppercorns 8-10 Red chilli flakes 1 tsp Cinnamon powder ¼ tsp Salt to taste Tomato ketchup ¼ cup Salt to taste Lemon juice 1 tbsp Cornflour 2 tbsp Water 1 ½ cups Spring onions greens 2 Method Place the chicken in a bowl add the oyster sauce and marinate for at least one hour preferably in the refrigerator. Heat the oil in a pan add the spring onions and sauce for a few seconds. Add the garlic and continue to sauté for a while. Add the groundnuts and sauce for a few seconds. Add the marinated chicken and sauté for two minutes. Stir in the green chillies, four or five of the crushed black peppercorns and the red chilli flakes. Add the cinnamon powder salt tomato ketchup and lemon juice. Mix the cornflour` into half a cup of water and add to the pan with one cup of water. Cook till the sauce thickens. Add the spring onion greens and serve hot, sprinkled with the remaining crushed black peppercorns.

Kaju katli

Ingredients Cashew nuts: 1 cup Sugar: three fourth cup Milk: 2 tbsp Ghee: 1tbsp Vanilla essence: 1 tsp Boiling water: 1 cup Method Soak the cashew nuts in boiling water for 1 hour. Drain them and process them smoothly in a food processor by adding milk and then sugar. Heat the ghee in a large pan, add the cashew nut paste and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture becomes thick. Then, add vanilla essence and mix thoroughly. Put this mixture in a greased tray and spread it evenly. Let it cool for 45 minutes. After it is cooled, cut into diamond shaped pieces. Supplementary: Metro plus + Wellness The hindu dated march 13 2008

Passion Fruit Milk shake

Ingredients Cold milk 1 cup Passion fruit:2 Chocolate icecream: 2 large scoops Whipped cream for granish (optional) Method: Scoop the pulp from the two fruits and put it into the milk. Stir the mixture with a fork to extract the juice from the pulp. Strain if desired to remove the seeds. Put the ingredients in a blender and process on high for 30 seconds or till smooth and creamy. Serve in a tall, chilled glass with a straw. Garnish with whipped cream, if desired. Note: use more fruit if a stronger flavor is desired.

Corn Bhel

American Sweet corn boiled: 4 tea cups Potatoes, boiled and cut into cubes: 4-5 Spring onions, chopped with the leaves: 3 Tomatoes, chopped: 3 Capsicum , chopped:3 Green chillies:6-7 Ginger: a piece( to be grounded into paste with juice of lemon) Asafoetida: a pinch Cooking oil: 3-4 tbsp Sugar: 3-4 tsp Salt to taste For Garnishing Gujrati sev(optional):100gm Coconut, grated Coriander, chopped Method In a frying pan heat the oil and stir fry the chilli ginger paste. Add the asafetida, spring onions, potatoes and stir fry for a few minutes. Then add the corn and stir fry for a few minutes. Then add the potatoes and stir fry again. Add the tomatoes, coriander leaves and sugar, salt and lemon juice. Spread the corn mixture in a serving dish. Sprinkle sev over it. Top with grated coconut and chopped coriander. Serve hot. The hindu metrol plus dated september 2 2008.

Chocolate cherry smoothie

Ingredients Unsweetened, frozen pitted cherries: one to one and a half cups Low fat vanilla soy milk: 1 cup Cranberry – raspberry juice: quarter cup Chocolate hazelnut spread: one tbsp Non-fat vanilla yoghurt: half cup Method Combine all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree them until smooth. Supplementary the wellness the hindu dated february 7 2008

Bread chat

Ingredients Bread Slices: 8-10 Big potato, finely chopped: 1 Onion, finely chopped:1 Capsicum, finely chopped: 1 Tomato, finely chopped: 1 Lemon juice: 2 tsp Chat masala: 1 1/2tsp Corinader leaves, finely chopped Salt to taste Method Cut the bread slices into medium size cubes. Deep fry. Mix all the chopped ingredients with the fired bread cubes. Add chat masala, lemon juice and salt to taste. Sprinkle coriander leaves and serve immediately. he hindu metrolplus september 2 2008.

Stuffed bitter melon (Karela)

Ingredients Karela(bitter melon/gourd): 1 Ib Select medium-sized ones. Salt: 1 tsp Stuffing Cooking oil: 1 tsp Onions:2 Garlic cloves:4 Fresh ginger:1 piece Cumin powder: 1 tsp Coriander powder: 1 tsp Turmeric powder: half a tsp Salt: half a tsp or to taste Amchoor(mango powder): 1 tsp Water: 1 tbsp Cooking /Frying Thread to wrap and tie up the bitter Gourd Cooking oil:quarter cup Water: 2 tbsp Method: Step1 to prepare the karela, wash it well and scrape off the skin with a knife. Cut a slit vertically into the belly of the karela. Rub the skin and the insides with salt. Set aside for 20 minutes. During this time the stuffing may be prepared. After 20 minutes, you will see lots of water as a result of salting. Squeeze out as much water as possible. To control salt, wash rinse, squeeze out water and pat the karela dry. Step2 To make the stuffing first the vegetables must be prepared. Chop the onions finely, about the size of cooked rice with a knife or a grater. Peel and mince the garlic cloves. Peel and chop the ginger finely. In a heavy pan, heat cooking oil. Add onions and salt. Sauté till onions are transparent. Add garlic and ginger stir well. Add cumin, coriander turmeric powder and amchoor. Stir well. Sauté for about two minutes. Add water and sauté another two minutes. Turn off the heat. Step3: to cook/fry the karela first fill the belly of the karela with the stuffing. Wrap karela with thread so that the stuffing does not fall out. Ina heavy bottomed pan, put cooking oil, water and stuffed karela. Turn on the heat. As soon as the steam starts to build, cover the pan with the lid, and turn the heat to medium low and cook for about four minutes. Turn over the karela, cover and cook for another four minutes.

Stuffed Katori Chat

Ingredients For the katori Maida : 1 cup Suji(semolina) : ½ cup Refined oil: 2 tsp A little Salt Oil for frying For the filling Potatoes(boiled and chopped):1/2kg Sprouts(red gram and moong-parboiled):1 cup Thick curd: 2 cups Sweet and sour chutney Green chutney Gujrati sev Salt Char masala Pepper Roasted jeera Red Chilli powder: to taste Coriander leaves: finely chopped Method Mix the two flours. Add salt and oil. Add sufficient water and make a stiff dough. Roll out small puris and stick at the back of small greased katoris or tart moulds. Deep fry on a medium flame. The katoris will come out in hot oil. Mix the sprouts and potatoes with salt, chat masala, roasted jeera and red chilli powder. Mix well. Fill the katoris with this filling. Spread the curd over it. Then spread sweet and sour chutney and green chutney over the curds. Sprinkle Gujrati sev and top it with coriander leaves. The hindu Metroplus dated september 2 2008

Peppermint Oatmeal shake

Ingredients Condensed milk: half a scoop Sugar – free vanilla ice cream : 1 cup Oatmeal: 1 cup Non-fat milk: 2 cups Water: 1.2 cups A dash of mint extract Method Blend the oatmeal, water and milk. Now add condensed milk, vanilla ice cream and a dash of mint. Blend again for four minutes. Served chilled.

Panzanella

Ingredients White bread cut into ½ inch pieces 6 to 7 Salt to taste Tomatoes deseeded and cut into ½ inch 5 nos Onion 1 Cucumber cut into ½ inch pieces 1 no Fresh basil leaves, chopped 1 bunch For the dressing Salad oil ¼ cup Vinegar 1 tbsp Salt to taste Black pepper powder ½ tsp Mixed dried herbs ½ tsp Mustard paste ½ tsp Method Add a pinch of salt to two cups of water, dip the bread pieces in this and remove. Press the bread to squeeze out the water. In a salad bowl, mix together the bread tomatoes onion cucumber and the fresh basil. Chill in the refrigerator for half an hour. To make the dressing mix together the salad oil vinegar salt pepper powder dried herbs and mustard paste. Just before serving remove the salad bowl from the refrigerator add the dressing to the salad and mix thoroughly. Served Chilled.

Power Punch

ingredients Carrots 1 kg Beetroot 500 gm Oranges 4 Ice cubes 10 Black salt to taste 1 piece orange rind, cut into thin strips Method Put the carrots, beetroot and oranges through a juicer and collect the juice. Put the juices in a blender with the ice cubes and black salt. Blend for a minute and pour into glasses. Decorate with strips of orange rind

Chilli Mushrrom Fried Rice

Ingredients Vegetable Oil 3 tbsp Ginger piece finely chopped 1 inch Garlic flakes finely chopped 8 Green chillies finely chopped 4 Spring onions finely chopped 6 Fresh button mushrooms sliced 1 1/2 cups Ajinomoto a pinch White pepper powder ½ tsp Salt to taste Cooked rice 1 1/2 cup Soya sauce 1 tbsp Spring onion greens finely chopped 3or 4 Method Heat the oil in a wok. Add the ginger, garlic and green chillies and stir fry for two minutes. Add spring onions, mushrooms, ajinomoto white pepper powder and salt and stir fry on high heat for two minutes Add cooked rice soya sauce and spring onion greens. Stir fry over high heat for three minutes. Serve hot.

Nimona Ingredients

Ingredients Green peas: 250gm Potatoes: 100gm Moong dhal vadi: 50gm a dash of hing (asafetida) Cumin seeds: 5gm Bay leaf: 2 Big Cardamom: 10 gm Turmeric powder: 5gm Ginger, chooped: 10 gm Red chilli, chopped:3 gm Water: 1 ltr Salt to taste Desi ghee: 25 gm Method Heat ghee in a pan add jeera, cardamom, bay leaves, ginger, chillies, hing and water. Add turmeric and fresh peas. Then add water and cook for 15 minutes. Mash the peas, add potato cubes and cook for a few minutes. Add the fried monng vadi and more water, let it cook till the potatoes are well done and start breaking up. Adjust the seasoning and serve hot with poories. Poories Ingredients Maida: 500gm Milk: 300 to 350ml Salt as per taste Oil for frying: 1ltr Method Make a tight dough of all the three ingredients. Divide it into small 20 gm portions. Roll each ball out with a rolling pin. Deep-fry each till it turns golden brown. The hindu metro plus august 26 2008

Curried Zucchini Soup

Ingredients Onion 1 medium sized chopped Garlic 1 small clove minced Carrot A small one shredded Butter 1 tbsp Zucchini: 2 medium sized ones sliced or chopped Apples: 2 peeled and diced Chicken/vegetable stock: 4 cups Curry powder: two and a half tsp Salt to taste Method In a large saucepan, melt the butter over low heat sauté that onion, garlic and carrot slowly till the onion starts turning yellow. Add the zucchini, diced apples, chicken/vegetables stock and curry powder. Boil for two minutes. Reduce heat to low cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Puree the hot soup in a blender. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve the soup garnished with cilantro. The hindu Metro plus wellness November 13 2008

Chilli Cauliflower

Cauliflower – 400 gm Cooking oil 2 tbsp Onion 1 finely sliced Ginger (shredded) 4cm piece Garlic (finely chopped) 2 large cloves Mustard seeds half tsp Celery leaves – 2-3 springs For Paste Chilli powder – 1tbsp Corriander powder-1tbsp Cumin powder- half tsp Turmeric powder – 1 heaped tsp Water – 4 tbsp For Sauce Vinegar – 3tbsp Sugar – 4tbsp Salt to taste Water – half cup Chillies (red and green) 3 each Preparation Cut cauliflower into small pieces and season it with salt. Heat oil in a pan and fry onion, ginger and garlic for a couple of minutes. Put in mustard seeds and celery leaves and continue frying until onions gets light brown. Add cauliflower into it and toss well. To this add sauce ingredients stir for 15 minutes. Pour half a cup of water into it, and stir continuously over low flame. When the cauliflower becomes almost soft add chillies, stir well until the sauce becomes thick. Remove from fire and serve hot The hindu metro plus November 25 2008

Cauliflower Tika

Cauliflower 250gms (clean and cut into one and a half inch pieces) Capsicum- 1 medium cut into fine rings Tomato- 2 medium cut into strips Onion- 2 medium cut into fine rings Curd(thick) 1 tbsp Ginger one and a half inch piece Garlic 3-4 flakes Red chilli(dry) 3 Salt to taste Garam masala-half tsp Jeera powder one fourth tsp Oil – 4 tbsp Lemon juice one and a half tbsp Preparation Grind ginger, garlic and chillies to fine paste. Mix it with curd jeera powder salt, lemon juice, gram masala and 2 tbsp oil. Apply half of the paste to cauliflower pieces and marinate for 2 hours. Grill cauliflower in a greased oven proof dish in a hot oven till the cauliflower gets light brown from the sides. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan, add capsicum and onion. Stir well, till onion gets light brown. Add the remaining paste into it and mix well. Add tomato strips and stir lightly. Remove from fire. Add cauliflower pieces to it and stir lightly. Serve hot with rice or chappathi The hindu Metro plus November 25 2008

Broccoli Corn Cutlets

Ingredients Finely chopped broccoli: 1 cup Boiled American corn: 1 cup Grated boiled potatoes: 11/2cup Finely chopped onion: 1 Butter: 2 tbsp Thick white sauce: 1/2cup Grated cheese: 1 cup Salt and pepper to taste For the batter Plain flour mixed with water: 1 cup Bread crumbs Oil for frying Method Heat the butter. Stir fry the onion for 2-3 minutes. Add the chopped broccoli, boiled corn and grated potatoes. Then add the grated cheese, salt and pepper. Mix well. Allow the mixture to cool and keep it aside for at least 2 hours. Make desired shapes of cutlets of the above mixture. Mix the plain flour with water. Dip the cutlets in the batter and deep fry. The Hindu Metro plus December 2 2008.

Continental Classics

Add the right flavour to your winter brunch with these recipes Grilled Mushroom Toast Ingredients Bread: 10 slices Mushroom: 200gm Onion: 1 Capsicum: 1 White sauce: 1 cup Butter: 2tbsp Grated cheese: 4-5 tbsp Salt and pepper to taste Method Cut the bread into desired shape. Apply butter on one side. Parboil the mushrooms. Remove their skin and slice the mushrooms finely. Slice the onion and capsicum equally fine. Heat the remaining butter in a pan. Add the onion and capsicum and stir fry for a few minutes. Then add the sliced mushrooms and stir fry again. Add the white sauce, salt and pepper. Mix well.On each slice of bread spread the above mixture. Sprinkle grated cheese over it and bake in a hot oven until crisp.Serve hot with tomato ketchup.

Caribbean Guava Mousse

Ingredients Guavas, peeled and chopped: 10 nos Sifted, powdered sugar: 4 tbsp Heavy cream: half a cup Egg whites: 4 nos Method Place the guavas and sugar in the jar of a food processor and puree until smooth. Force the puree through a food mill and refrigerate it for at least 1 hour. The hindu Wellness November 6 2008

Pineapple salsa with grilled or broiled fish, chicken or pork

Ingredients Fresh pineapple finely chopped : 1 cup Purple onion, finely chopped: 2 tbsp Green onion, finely chopped: 2tbsp Red bell pepper, finely chopped: 1 tbsp (optional) Fresh cilantro, finely chopped: 1 tbsp Honey: 1 tbsp A dash of ground red pepper, cayenne or chipotle Jalapeno pepper, finely minced: 2 tbsp (optional) Juice of 1 fresh lime: about one and a half to 2 tblsp Black pepper: quarter tsp Method Combine all the ingredients cover the mixture and refrigerate it for an hour or more to blend the flavours. Serve with grilled or broiled fish, chicken, or pork. Makes about one and one third cups. Supplementary: wellness The Hindu September 25 2008

Goat Cheese Tatin

Ingredients Goat cheese sliced:80 gm Onion sliced:150gm Green pepper corns:10gm Short crust tart:1 Balsamic vinegar:100ml Iceberg lettuce: 75gm Basil oil Method Arrange salad leaves in the centre of the plate. Drizzle balsamic vinegar over it after reducing it. Grind onion and peppercorn to make chutney. Fill tart with chutney, place cheese slice on top and gratin ate. Drizzle balsamic vinegar and basil oil around the tart randomly. Garnish with tempura fried herbs.

Eggs Tomato Gravy

Ingredients Eggs:4 Oil: 3 tbsp Finely chopped onion: 1 Curry leaves: 5 sprigs Ginger paste: ½ tsp Garlic paste: 1 tsp Tomato puree: 1 1 ½ cups Cumin powder: 1/2tsp Garlic paste: one tsp Tomato puree: 1 1/2 cups Cumin powder:1/2tsp Salt: to taste Chilli powder: ½ tsp Coriander powder:1/2tsp Finely chopped green chillies:2 Corinader leaves (for garnishing): 1 tbsp Method Heat oil in a saucepan. Add onion and fry until golden brown. Add curry leaves and fry for a minute. Mix in ginger and garlic pastes and fry for two to three minutes. Add cumin powder, chilli powder, coriander powder, green chillies and salt along with tomato puree. Cook over medium heat until the oil separates. Transfer gravy to a baking dish. Break one egg into a cup and slide it on to the gravy. Similarly, slide remaining eggs on top of the gravy. But served hot with rice or parathas. Supplementary: Metro plus The Hindu March 11 2008

Palak and Egg Curry

Ingredients Eggs:4 Palak (spinach) leaves:1 large bunch Garlic paste:1 tsp Onion(ground into paste):1 Oil: 3 tbsp Tomato puree:1 tbsp Curd(Whisked): 2tbsp Dry ginger powder:1/4tsp Salt: to taste Method Cut the stems of the palak, wash and drain. Prepare two omelettes and keep aside. Heat oil in pan, and onion paste and fry till golden brown. Add garlic paste and for another two minutes. Add palak, curd, tomato, puree, dry ginger powder, chilli powder, a pinch of fennel seed powder and salt. Cover the pan and allow the mixture to simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cut, the omelette into large strips and add to the palak mixture. Bring to boil. Remove form heat. Best served hot with steamed rice. Supplementary: Metro Plus The hindu dated March 11 2008

Stuffed Mushrooms Italin Style

Ingredients Large, fresh mushrooms 12 Salad or olive oil: 6 tbsp Salt to taste Soft breadcrumbs: 1 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese; one third cup Chopped onion: half tsp Basil leaves, crumbled: quarter tsp 1 Egg slightly beaten:1 Method Preheat the oven to 350 degree. Rinse the mushrooms and pat them dry. Remove the stems and reserve them for later use. Brush the outsides of the caps with 4tbsp of oil; sprinkle lightly with salt. Place the mushrooms, cavity side up in a shallow baking pan. Chop the stems finely (makes about 1 cup). Mix them with breadcrumbs, cheese and half a tsp of salt. Saute chopped onion and basil together. Stir in the egg. Spoon the mixture into the mushroom caps. Dribble with the remaining 2 tbsp of oil. Bake the mushrooms for 30 minutes. Serve hot.