Fish Patties

Fish is said to be in rich in Omega Fatty - 3 acids. It primarily contains 'good fat' and is a rich source of protein. Other sources of Omega Fatty - 3 acids mainly for vegetarians are the flaxseeds, flaxseed-oil, walnut.This recipe is basically for the kids and the weight watchers as the fish is steamed and then shallow-fried. 

An important thing to remember here is while the fish is being prepared there is a foul smell to avoid this one must apply loads of turmeric and some amount of salt an dkeep it aside for sometime say 20 minutes. Turmeric cuts the smell of the fish.

Here I've used Surmai (King Fish) fish fillets (boneless) for this recipe. The fish has been steamed with the whole spices so that the delicate flavours and aroma blend into the fish giving it a nice flavour. Delicately flavoured with pepper, I've used boiled mashed potato to help in binding. A very healthy and tasty dish for the kids as kids usually avoid spices. 

INGREDIENTS -

Fish Fillets - Surmai - 1

Boiled Potato -1 small

Whole Spices -

Cloves - 2/3

Bay Leaf - 1

Cinnamon - 1 inch stick

Black Cardamom - 1

Green Pepper - 5/6

Garlic pods - 3/4

Seasoning-

Salt - to taste

Black Pepper Powder - as per taste

Turmeric powder - 2-3 spoons

Garnish -

Grated Carrot - 1 Large

Lettuce - 2-3 tender leaves

Oil - Vegetable Oil - as required.

METHOD -

• 
  
  Sprinkle turmeric and some salt on the fish fillet pieces and keep aside
• 
  
  Keep some water to boil in a pan.
• 
  
  In a silver foil put the fish pieces and put all the ingredients under whole spices.
• 
  
  Prepare a parcel and keep this on a colander.
• 
  
  Colander has to be kept on the boiling water pan
• 
  
  Cover the colander. (See picture)

• 
  
  Steam the fish for 10 minutes.
• 
  
  Open the parcel fish would look like this picture.

• 
  
  Mash the fish with the back of a fork.
• 
  
  Add to it boiled and mashed potato.
• 
  
  Mix well.
• 
  
  Sprinkle seasoning to taste.
• 
  
  Form patty shape and shallow fry on a non-stick pan.
• 
  
  Assemble on a serving dish.
• 
  
  Garnish as shown in the picture.
• 
  
  Serve Hot.

Strawberry Smoothie

The lip smacking fruit "Strawberry", is a red coloured fruit which has a bright appearance and looks really tempting. The goodness quotient of Strawberry is that it is packed with vitamins especially Vitamin 'C' and is a powerful antioxidant which reduces aging factors. The kids should get a daily dose of Vitamins and the strawberry can be of great help. Children get tempted to buy it but when actually served cannot have more than one or two as it tastes sour. Same was with my kids so I thought to present strawberries in a form which should be really presentable, eye catching and also very good to the taste-buds. So all Moms enjoy presenting this recipe to your kids and let me know your feedback.

Strawberry SmoothieStrawberries - 1 box,
Milkmaid - 1/2 tin
Readymade Edible Cream - 3 tspns

Method - Chop Strawberries, reserve a few for garnishing and make a puree of the rest in the food processor. Add milkmaid and cream to the puree.

Pour this in seperate glasses and decorate with a piece of shopped strawberr.

Chill in the refrigerator.

And serve.

Note :- The sweetness can be reduced by reducing the quantity of milkmaid.

If you require a thin consistency, add little cold milk to it.

Bihari Mutton Stew

A real hot and spicy dish, using whole spices, gives it a beautiful taste. A tremendous hit in Bihari homes as it's an easy preparation prepared with choicest fresh pieces of meat. Unlike the metros Bihari's purchase the meat fresh. The meat vendors open their shops in the morning and by mid-morning the whole meat is "Sold-out". Bihari's thus get to taste the fresh meat. Simply packed with flavours as the whole spices emit their aroma and flavours making the dish outstanding. It’s a great meat dish for the dinner or lunch time. Enjoyed well with chapati or rice. This recipe comes from my mother-in-law's collection and one would truly enjoy that authentic and it's traditional flavours.

INGREDIENTS -
Mutton (Goat Meat with bones ) - 350 GMS
Onions - 4 Medium - Sliced
Ginger - 1 inch stick - finely chopped
Garlic - 10-12 pods
Mustard Oil - 2-3 tblspn

(Whole Spices)

Black Cardamom - 2 
Cinnamon Stick - 1 inch
Green Cardamom - 4-5
Cloves - 3-4
Bay Leaf - 2
Black Pepper - 7-8
Nutmeg - grated - a pinch
Mace - 3-4 strands
Dried Red Chillies - 2 whole (broken into 2)

(Dry Spices)

Red Chilly Powder - 1/2 tblspn
Garam Masala Powder - 1/2 tspn
Coriander Powder - 1 1/2 tspn

Salt - to taste
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tspn
Fresh Coriander - 1 tblspn

Method- 
Heat Oil in a Pan/wok to smoking point.
Add Bay Leaf and all the whole spices
When it emits the aroma add onion.
Sauté till the onion turns pink.
Add Garlic and Ginger. Mix well.
Add to it the meat and sauté till you see brown specs on the meat.
Good time to add salt and turmeric.
Mix well.
Add all the dried spice powders.
Mix well. Add 1 cup water and mix well again
Transfer in to a prestige cooker.
After 4-5 whistles open the lid of the pressure cooker.
Sauté well again at this point.
Add a little water for thinning the gravy.
Cook on low flame for 20-25 mins.
Transfer in to a serving dish (after the pressure drops).
Sprinkle a pinch of garam masala powder and fresh coriander
Serve hot with chapati or rice.

Bihari Mutter Kachori with Bihari Aloo Sabji

Winter is settling in and in this weather one would love to have hot Bihari Mutter Kachori's with Bihari Aloo ki Sabji. Traditionally there is no filling in Bihari Kachori's but I've slightly modernised it by using a pea-filling. Home made is hygienic and one would definitely enjoy cooking it as it does not take much time to prepare this. So without wasting time let me come to the recipe-

INGREDIENTS FOR MUTTER KACHORI

Fresh Green Peas - 300 gms

Ginger - 1 inch grated

Green Chillies - 1 chopped

Roasted crushed cumin (Bhuna Kuta Jeera) - 1/4th tspn

Asafetida (Hing Powder)- 1/4 tspn

Roasted crushed Fennel Seeds (saunf)- 1/4 tspn

cooking oil - 1/2 tspn

chopped coriander - 1 tblspn

salt - to taste

Refined Flour (Maida) - 1 cup

salt - to taste

Hot  Ghee (Moyan) - 2-3 tblspn

Carom Seeds(Ajwain) - a small pinch

Nigella Seeds(Mangrella/Kalonji) - a small pinch

Luke Warm Water - for kneading

Oil - for deep frying - as required

METHOD-

In a flat plate mix refined flour, salt, ghee, carom seeds and Nigella seeds..

Knead a hard dough.

Cover and keep it aside for 20 minutes.

For the filling -

Heat the oil.

Add raw peas. Sprinkle salt.

Saute till oil is well coated on the peas and peas turn slightly soft.

Crush the peas.

Add salt, roasted crushed cumin, fennel seeds and asafetida 

Add grated ginger and chopped chillies, coriander leaves.

Mix well.

Making of Bihari Mutter Kachori-

Take a small ball from the dough.

Flatten it and place 1 tblspn filling.

Close/Seal and prepare a kachori slightly thick. (As shown in the pic)

Deep Fry in hot oil.

Drain in an absorbent paper.

Ingredients for Aloo Sabji

Boiled Potatoes - 4-5 small

Tomatoes -2 medium

Ghee/oil - 1  1/2 tspn

Asafetida (Hing Powder) - 1 tspn

Panchforan - 1 tspn

Bay Leaf - 1

Roasted Cumin powder - 1 tspn

Roasted Coriander powder - 1 1/2 tspn

Garam Masala powder - 1/4 tspn

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tspn

Red Chilly Powder - 1 1/2 tspn

Amchur Powder (Dry Mango Powder) - 1 tspn

Salt - to taste

Chopped Coriander - 1/2 cup

METHOD -

Peel Potatoes and crush it with your hand. do not cut.

Cut tomatoes unevenly into 5-6 pieces.

In a vessel boil 1 1/2 cups of water with the tomatoes till done.

Keep it aside.

In a kadhai (Flat Bottomed Pan) heat oil or ghee.

Add bayleaf.

Add to it panchforan. Let it crackle.

Add asafetida. Mix don't let it burn.

Add potatoes. Mix well to coat the potatoes well with hing and panchforan.

Add all the dried masalas one by one.

First add coriander powder followed by turmeric powder.

Then add red chilly powder, cumin powder and salt.

Mix well. Add tomatoes with the left over water in which the tomatoes were boiled.

Add chopped coriander.

Now add 1/2 cup water and let it boil well for 7-8 minutes on very low flame.

Sprinkle dry mango powder and garam masala powder.

Mix well. Now crush a few potatoes in the vessel itself so as to form a thick gravy.

Use the back side of the kalchul to crush the potatoes.

Serve hot in eco friendly dishes with kachori.

Note - Paanch foran - is a mixture of equal quantities of fennel seeds(Saunf), onion seeds (Kalonji),  fenugreek seeds (methi dana), carom seeds (ajwain), yellow mustard (peeli sarso).

kacche kele ke kebab

Raw Banana is used in Bihari homes mainly for the fasts or for the wedding. Today I present raw banana for a snack item. You can serve these with any mocktail or hot tea. I am sure you would love to have this hot snacks  in the chilly winters.

INGREDIENTS

Raw Banana - 3

roasted gram flour - 1 1/2 tblspn

Boiled Potato - 1 1/2

Chopped Ginger - 1 tblspn

Chopped Green Chillies - 1 tblspn

Crushed Cashewnuts - 1/2 tblspn

Crushed black pepper - 1/2 tspn

Green Coriander chopped - 2 - 3 tblspn

whole cumin roasted - 1/2 tspn

Roasted cumin powder - 1 tspn

Salt - to taste

Oil- for deep frying

For the filling

Anjeer - 10-12 chopped

Chopped Almonds - 1/2 tspn

For the garnish-

Red Bell Pepper - 1/2

Yellow bell pepper - 1/2
Green Chillies - 2 slit
Tooth picks - as required

METHOD-

1. Using very little water boil the potaotes and raw bananas.
2. When cool mash it with your hand.
3. Add roasted gram flour.
4. Add chopped ginger and chopped green chillies.
5. Add crushed cashews and crushed black pepper.
6. Add cuming powder and whole cumin.
7. Add chopped coriander leaves.
8. Add salt to taste.
9. Mix well to form a sort of dough.
10. Prepare filling by mixing chopped anjeer and chopped almonds.
11. Form a ball from the prepared dough.
12. Fill 1 tspn of the filling in the centre of the kebab.
13. Heat oil.
14. Deep fry these kebabs till golden.
15. Drain on an absorbent paper.
16. Serve hot garnished with bell peppers - as shown in the picture.
17. Serve with green chutney.

NOTE - Do not use food processor or blender to mash the banana and poatato as it would become too runny.