Nisha and Nishanth's Culinary Debacles

This is one of the traditional dawoodi bohra recipes that is easy to make, not spicy and useful at the time of exams ! Kadhi Ingredients 1 tsp haldi powder 3 tbsp besan (channa dal flour) 1 tsp chopped garlic 2 green chillies chopped fine 1/2 tsp cumin seeds 1/2 tsp mustard seeds 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds 5 curry leaves 1 cup sour curd 2 cups water 1 tbsp oil 1 tbsp chopped corriander leaves Salt to taste Method: Heat the oil in a pan Add the mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds and cumin seeds Add the garlic and green chillies Mix besan flour, salt, curd and haldi powder seperately in a bowl and beat Add this mixture and stir Add the water and heat on medium for around 5 minutes Garnish with chopped corriander leaves Khichdi Ingredients: 1 cup moong dal (yellow or green) 1 cup rice salt to taste 4 cups water Method: Mix the above ingredients and cook till done.

We bought this book around 4 years back and its a worthwhile investment. Although, i have not tried any of her other recipe books i am sure they would also be just as good. Below is the link to her recipe books. http://nitamehta.com/Product_Display.asp?currentPage=2&cid=1

Serves: 8 to 10 Ingredients 20 to 25 large lychees ( i tried this with tinned lychees got from the indian store) 20-25 almonds-blanched (soaked in hot water and skin removed) 10 sheets of varq(silver sheets) - Makes the dish look pretty - i did without it 1/2 tin of milk maid or sweetened condensed milk (3/4 cup) 1/2 cup of milk 250 gm paneer grated ( i tried with the paneer grated long - its better to grate it fine) 1/4 tsp kesar(saffron) soaked in 1 tbsp of rose water 300 gm cream - chilled nicely and whipped until it turns thick (i bought whipped cream) Garnish A few rose petals a few green pistas sliced Method Peel and carefully deseed the lychees keeping the lychees whole Insert one almond in each lychee in place of the seed (The dish tastes just as good if this step is ommited). Open up a varq carefully and place two lychees on the broad end(open end) downwards on the sheet leaving some space in between the lychees.Carefully lift the paper beneath the varq to coat the lychees wit...

This is a chicken recipe from East Africa. One of my favourites that my husband made on his birthday. http://www.congocookbook.com/chicken_recipes/kuku_paka.html

This is one of my favourites that reminds me of back home. It is served with kuku paka http://www.congocookbook.com/rice_recipes/wali_wa_nazi.html

Ingredients 2 cups curd 2 green chillies chopped fine 1 onion chopped fine 1 tomato fine 1/2 cucumber chopped 2 tsp coriander leaves chopped fine Salt to taste Method Mix all the ingredients Preparation time 5 minutes

Ingredients: 2 tsp butter 2 cups atta (whole wheat flour) 5 medium size potatoes Salt to taste 1 tsp chilli powder 2 tbsp chopped corriander leaves Water Method: Add salt to the atta and mix Add water to prepare the dough as one would for chapathis Knead the dough for at least 5 minutes and cover the same and set aside for at least 15 minutes. This makes the dough soft and easy to roll out Cut the potatoes into half and boil. Add salt to the water. Mash the potatoes and add the chilli powder and corriander leaves Heat the tava Divide the dough into 8 equal sized balls. Similiarly divide the potato mixture into 8 equal sized balls Roll out each ball of dough to a diameter of about 5 inches. Place the ball of potato mixture in the middle and bring the corners of the dough together Roll this out softly like a normal chapathi Roast on both sides until done Spread a layer of butter on the paratha Serve with curd and pickle Cooking time: 20-30 minutes

I tried out a new recipe today which is my own creation.. Its come out pretty ok Ingredients: 1/2 cup boiled chicken shredded 1/4 cup finely chopped onions 1/4 cup finely shredded cabbage 1/4 cup grated carrot 1/2 tsp coriander powder 1/4 tsp garam masala 1/4 tsp chilli powder 1 cup whole wheat atta Salt to taste Method: Add salt to the atta and mix. Add water to the atta and make a dough as for chapatis Mix the chicken, onions, cabbage and carrots,salt and the rest of masalas Divide the dough into medium sized balls Roll out each ball into a circle with a diameter of around 6 inches Add two tablespoons of chicken mixture onto the centre and fold up the edges together Roll the dough lightly until a diameter of 4 to 5 inches Heat the tava and roast parotha until golden brown on both sides - similiar to chapathis Serve with curd and pickle Cooking time: Approximately 20 minutes

This recipe was passed down to me by my mami in Mysore who is an awesome cook. I spent almost a month with her in 2002 and her recipes have been a hit. This is mainly meant for the indian audience for i am yet to find equivalent ingredients in the US supermarkets. Ingredients: 1 small tin milkmaid around 150 to 200 gm 250 gms fresh cream 1 small tin chopped pineapple around 250 gm 1 tbsp gelatin Method: Mix the pineapple, milkmaid and fresh cream in a bowl Heat water in a pan and in the a smaller pan add the gelatin and pineapple syrup from the tinned pineapples Place the smaller pan in the bigger pan and continue stirring until the gelatin dissolves Add the syrup and gelatin mixture to the rest of the mixture Stir and place in freezer until set Cooking time: 5 -10 minutes Tips: One could also used any other variety of fruits. I have tried the same recipe with tinned lychees and peaches but found that the combination was a little too sweet to my liking... Pineapple on the other hand ha...

This is a favourite dish of mine that anyone who is brought up on the Kenyan Coast loves! Easy to make and ideal on a cold day with a cup of tea or coffee Ingredients: 10 small potatoes boiled, peeled and cut into slices 1/2 inch thick 1 tsp chilli powder mixed with 1 tsp lime juice 1/2 cup gram flour 1/4 cup water Salt to taste Oil for frying Method: Take a slice of potato and smear a layer of chilli paste on it. Cover it with another slice of potato thereby making a "packed potato". In this manner you will get at least 10 depending on the size of your potatoes Mix the gram flour with water and salt to make a batter which has a consistency similiar to what we use for making pakodas. Heat oil for frying Dip the "packed potatoes" into the gram flour and therefter fry them until golden brown Serve with tomato ketchup or coconut chutney! Cooking time: 10-15 minutes

This is an all time favorite recipe with my guests. I tried it several years using the recipe at this website: http://www.cookingmarvel.in/rice/vegetable_biryani.html It is mostly the same with a few changes. Ingredients: 2 cups rice soaked in 4 cups of water 2 cups chopped vegetables of your choice(i generally use potatoes, french beans, carrots and peas) 1 medium size onion sliced 1 tsp garam masala powder 1 tsp cumin (jeera) seeds 1 tsp coriander powder 1 tsp red chilli powder(if its extra hot 1/2 would suffice) 2 inch long cinammon stick 2-3 cloves 2-3 white cardamom (elaichi) Salt to taste 2 tbsp oil or ghee or butter Method: Heat the oil in a pressure cooker Add the cinammon stick, cardamom and cloves Fry the onions until golden Add the chopped vegetables and fry for around 5 minutes on medium heat. Keep stirring. Add the rice along with the water Add the rest of the masalas Cover the pressure cooker and cook on medium heat for 2 whistles Serve with ...

New year debacles: a) plan of cooking chicken fried rice never worked out!!! One cool recipe we found was here: http://mydhaba.blogspot.com/2005/07/chicken-fried-rice-chinese-style-with.html b) found a cool mallu blogger link here: http://malluspice.blogspot.com/ -> gotta try beef fry some day soon..