Recipe: Corn on the Cob in spinach gravy

CORN ON THE COB IN SPINACH GRAVY

Served with Lachha Parantha / flaky Indian bread

Sweet corn is the only variety of maize, which is eaten directly off the cob. For years, I don’t even remember since when, this has been a popular snack here in Delhi, especially around this time of the year. It’s amazing how the weather plays around your taste buds. Come rains and the craving for fried food and corns appear. Roasted or boiled and seasoned with salt, lemon and pepper or red chili, there are different ways you can enjoy your corn on the cob. I prefer the corn on the cob rather than taking out the kernels and serving. The cob surely gives it a more juicy texture.

Although, one cannot also ignore the yummy Italian, masala and classic salted flavors the sweet corns are served with these days.

My family just loves corns. Especially my son can live on corns. And I totally allow and encourage his madness due to the endless health benefits corn has. It’s amazing to know that in some parts of the world corns are also available in different colors like brown, blue, purple and red.

In India, I still haven’t come across with any of these varieties till now. And the health benefits it has are countless. Corns are good for digestion. They provide the body with vitamin B12 and folic acid, which means you’ll never be anemic. It contains high amounts of carbohydrates, so they are full of energy, it lowers your cholesterol levels and yes for growing children it’s a very good grain as its high caloric value helps weight gain. So, when children are going crazy about junk food, there is one ingredient which can be included to increase the nutrition count of the dish, even if it’s fast food, don’t you agree?

Corns also have anti –cancer properties.

And being a rich source of folic acid it’s very good for pregnant females. Well, we can go on and on with the amazing list of health pluses it provides, but I guess you must have got an idea, why are we corn crazy. Its health and taste together….simple!

Now, among the many yummy recipes available on the web, but mostly continental. I just wanted to make it a little more to our tastes. I also prepare corn on the cob with coconut milk. That gives it a bit of Thai flavor and its lovely recipe again. It has a bit sweet touch to it due to the coconut milk; this is my personal favorite as you can make it a bit chili with a nice tempering. I normally find out ways of simple cooking, as it’s difficult to spend too much time in the kitchen due to my kids. This recipe too is a simple and easy preparation. The flavors are rich and you can even serve this dish for any of your gatherings too.

Things to remember while cooking corn: You need to take care of a few things while boiling a corn on the cob. But before that, selecting a good corn is also important. Just note that while buying the corn, the husk (its outer green cover) should be bright green. Also just peel the green husk a little from the top and press the kernels with your nail and see it should be plum and milky.

Husking the corn: Some people like to boil the corn with the husk intact and remove it only once ready to serve or added to the dish. But I prefer to peel the husk and then boil. Remember not to put any salt while boiling the corn as it gets hard. For this dish, cut the corn into ½ inch disks like shapes as it is easier to cook in the curry later and tastes yum to eat with spinach.

Boiling the corn on the cob: Take water in a deep pan, let it come to a boil and add corn. Let it boil for a few minutes approx. 5-8 minutes and check. The corn should be done by now. If not, let it remain in the boiling water for another 5 minutes and take out and put it on a sieve. Let it cool and keep aside. Keep the softness as per your preference. Some people like very soft and some like it a bit chewy. Adjust it as per preference. But do keep a check while boiling. WE MUST NOT OVERBOIL.

Why is this dish a healthy treat: The endless benefits corn has have been summarized above and if it combines with the healthy spinach. Needless to mention about spinach, as its well-known for a rich source of iron,magnesium and vitm k,a,c and much more.

This is how you make this delicious spinach corn on the cob.

Prep time:             20 minutes

Cook time:             15 minutes

Cuisine:                  Indian

Difficulty 

Level:                     Easy

My cup size:          200ml

Ingredients:

1kg / 4 cups boiled and pureed Spinach

1/4^th cup Onion paste

6-7 Garlic cloves ( crushed to paste)

½’ inch ginger stick crushed to paste

1 cup (boiled, pureed and sieved) Tomato paste

½ cup tomato puree ( market bought)

2 tbsp. Sweet chili sauce (I used kissan twist)

2 Corn on the cob (sliced and boiled) / 7-8 disc like pieces

Seasoning:

Salt to taste

2 tsp. coriander powder

3 tbsp. Mustard Oil (Burnt to cook)

2 Green cardamoms

½ tsp. Garam Masala

½ tsp. turmeric powder

2 dry red chilies and ½ tsp. Red chili powder for tempering

Garnish:

½ cup Amul Cream

Method:

1. Preparation: Boil the corns and spinach separately and grind the spinach to paste. The corn on the cob cut into thick disc like pieces can either be boiled in an open vessel or pressure cooked until 3 -4 whistles on medium flame.
2. How to cook :In a pan, heat the mustard oil and add the pureed onion paste. Add ginger garlic paste and stir well. Cook this on medium flame till brown. Keep stirring the onions to avoid burning and ensure its cooked and browned evenly. Now, add salt, turmeric powder, coriander powder and add 1/4^th cup water along with these masalas. Water helps the onion paste to mix well and masalas to blend nicely.
3. Now, add the pureed tomatoes and simmer and let this cook till the mixture leaves oil. Add the tomato puree and kissan twist/ sweet chili sauce and mix well.
4. Once the mixture leaves oil, add the spinach paste (sieve the water of spinach before adding here and keep the water for later use to match consistency if needed) and stir. Cook further on low flame till the spinach curry leaves a bit of oil.
5. Now, add the corn and cook for another 10 minutes covered on simmer, so that the corns may absorb the curry a bit.
6. Add half the cream and stir on low flame and let it cook for 2-3 minutes.
7. Pour in the serving dish and garnish with the left over cream poured on top along with the tempering tempering.
8. For Tempering: Heat 1 tbsp. ghee in a pan, add the dry red chilies and red chilli powder( adjust the chilie powder to your taste ,as the curry as chilli sauce also) and pour the tempering on the spinach curry.
9. Serve hot.

RECIPE :Samosa...the best samosa recipe

Samosa…..

A fried or baked pastry with savoury filling.

The filling usually consists of potatoes,peas and condiments.There are vegetarian as well as non-vegetarian fillings done.I always thought that Samosa must have had an Indian origin.To my surprise, I found that it initially originated in the middle east as early as in the 10^th Century and was called sambosa. Interestingly,they came to India with the middle eastern cooks ,which were brought here during the mughal era. Well their origin may be middle eastern and eaten in the whole world,but the love for Samosas in the whole country in truly Indian.Here in India, its majorly a vegetarians treat and potato beings the main filling.

I personally am just a samosa lover.I just keep finding a reason to cook them or order.But as mentioned in my earlier posts RAINS just bring these in my kitchen automatically.Anyone who knows me well, knows that if its raining you can surely visit my kitchen and get yourself a yummy samosa treat.

Preparation time: 15 min
Cooking time:7 min
Total Time:22 minutes
Recipe Category: Indian snacks

Serves: 8 mini/5 Big

Ingredient:

Maida/All purpose Flour: ¾ cup

Wholewheat Flour: ¼ cup

Clarified butter/Ghee: 2 tbsp

Refined Flour: 1 tsp

Carom seeds/Ajwain: ½ tsp

Salt: ½ tsp

Filling:

Potatoes:2

Peas: ¼ cup boiled

Green Chili:1 chopped

Jeera: ½ tsp

Ajwain: ¼ tsp

Amchoor powder: ½ tsp

Saboot Dhania/Coriander seeds:1 tsp dry roasted n crushed

Garam Masala: ¼ tsp

Red Chili Powder: ½  tsp or to taste

Asafoetida/Hing: 1/8  tsp

Method:

1.  First Prepare the Filling: Heat oil. Add jeera ,hing,ajwain,green chilies,saboot dhania seeds/coriander seeds.Add all the masalas and now add potatoes and peas.Sprinkle some water over it and simmer.Cover and cook for 5 minutes for the masalas to mix well.
2.  Keep aside to cool.
3. Now In a bowl, take maida and wholewheat flour.Add salt and carom seeds and clarified butter or ghee.Rub I nicely with your hands and mix well.Now, add water one tsp at a time and knead it into a medium hard dough.Cover and keep aside for 15 minutes.
4.  Now, the dough is ready.With a soft hand knead it a bit to mix well.Make lemon sized balls of equal proportion.Meanwhile keep oil for deep frying in a kadai/wok.Now, roll the balls into a thick  roti.Cut them from the centre .Take one piece at once and apply water on all sides.Keep filling in the centre and fold both corners meeting in the centre and stick them together.Press gently with your hands to stick together.Now slide them into the kadai.Now, the secret of a crispy samosa lies within the right frying technique.As soon as you slide the Samosas into the oil reduce the flame to low and let them cook.That means heating the oil on high and when you slide the samosa in simmer and cook.This will ensure  that there are no boils on the surface and it gets cook deep within.
5. Serve hot with sweet imli chutney: I have a recipe posted on my blog for the Imli Chutney.

 Please click on link for the recipe.Sweet Imli Chutney. 

RECIPE :Dahi Bhalla Recipe,easy no fail recipe,market style.

Dahi Bhalla Recipe

…..easy, no fail…fool proof soft and spongy Dahi Bhalla!

This yummy chaat snack does not need any introduction .There are many recipes on float on the web for this north Indian delight. These delicious balls dipped in curd and garnished with my favorite sweet Imli chutney are always welcome in my house. Some guests expected…a lunch or a dinner planned with friends and family or just to celebrate RAINS…I can cook these delectable vadas anytime of the year, with or without reason. Rains have a special connection with these and a very important reason for me to make these and a few other snacks like Samosas ,Bread Pakora…delish!! Umm…Anyways many would agree with me that being a delhiwala chaats are a must on our menu. Dahi bhallas are an extremely popular dish served in various ways and garnish. They are sometimes used as even fillings like in Rajkachoris.  However simple they look, it can still be tricky sometimes to cook them perfectly.The secret of cooking perfectly soft and spongy Dahi bhalla rests into a perfect beating to have them filled nicely with air. Fermentation too helps in achieving the right sponge.I also make them instantly sometimes.Like soaking the Dals for about 2 hours and after a fine grind ,beating them for about 10 -15 minutes to get that nice fluff in the batter and straight into the oil for frying.This time around, I had time and had planned them little ahead.I soaked the dals in the afternoon,around 14:00hrs.Then around evening say about 8:00pm ,I ground them to a fine thick paste with very little water.So,this means the dals were soaked for about 5-6 hrs.Post grinding,beat them with an electric mixer well ,season them and leave them overnight to ferment.And the results are praiseworthy.Fermentation enhances the flavor many folds.Now, may I say this is one of those recipes which do well in both the methods,instant as well as with time. I must mention the chutneys here.They have a big role to play in enhancing the tastes of these dahi bhallas many folds.So, enjoy the recipe and do make these easy and fail proof method of dahi bhallas.

Preparation time: overnight
Cooking time:10 min
Recipe Category: Indian snacks/accompaniment.

Serves: 28 bhallas

Ingredients:

For Bhalla:

Udad Dal:1 cup

Moong Dal: 1/2 cup

Chana Dal: 1/2

Ginger: chopped 1 tbsp

Green Chillies : chopped

Raisins: 2 tbsp

Dahi:

Dahi/Curd: of 1 ltr milk home made/or 1Kg market bought.

Cream :1/2 cup

Sugar : 2 tbsp

Sweet ImliChutney- click for recipe.

Garnish:

Sev : ½ cup

Mixed Bhel/All in one namkeen (optional): ¼ cup (chili or salted as per preference)

Ginger: Slivers 2 tbsp

Coriander Leaves: 2-3 tbsp

Pomegranate Seeds:  3 tbsp /Optional

Roasted Cumin Powder: ½ tsp

Chaat Masala/Mixed masala: a pinch or two.

Salt : Just little as Bhalla and dahi are both seasoned.

Red chili powder: 2-3 pinch

Method:

1.       Soak the Dals for minimum 2 hours if you are preparing at a short notice.Otherwise, soak the dals a day before for about 4-5 hrs.Then drain excess water if any and just grind the dals with 2-3 tbsp of water to ensure a thick paste.

2.       Grind to a fine paste.

3.       Leave it in a warm place to ferment overnight.

4.       In the morning, Beat the fermented mixture nicely until fully and looks bit pale in colour. The fermentation will not look like double in size, but the taste does enhance. Add grated or chopped ginger, green chillies, salt and raisins. Mix well and fry small balls on medium flame.

5.       Once, fried take a bowl full of water and put the bhallas straight into the water from the kadai/wok.

6.       If you are making them ahead of time, then keep then aside and soak them in warm water an hour before serving.

7.       How to plate: Take a bhalla at a time and squeeze and drain the excess water with your hands. Place them in the serving dish. Pour the thick creamy curd over it. The bhallas soak a bit of curd so make sure you put enough to have a bit extra curd for individual serving. Garnish with imli chutney, green chutney(optional),salt, mixed masala or chaat masala,red chili powder,bhuna jeera, sev, all in one namkeen ,pomegranate seeds, ginger slivers.

Enjoy these chatpata melt in mouth  bombshell. It’s a all time hit for any occasion.

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Gulab /Rose Phirni Recipe...

Rose Phirni.

Phirni ,A popular summer cooler dessert .Especially liked in the north of India.It not only goes well with your vegetarian menu ,but also compliments the tastes of non-vegetarian delights. Make this and I guarantee a very delighted guest. We make this often for our lunch party as with a elaborate snacks and main course to cook, phirni definitely given you a easily cooked and relished dessert. Phirni traditionally prepared with just the cardamom flavor, a hint of rose just elevates the taste to another level.I learnt to prepare this yummy

dessert from my mother in law.Since then , i must have cooked this numerous times and every time the taste just went better and better.One just cannot get bored with this light and delectable dish.

Ingredients:

1 liter Milk

1/2 cup rice soaked for 2 hours in water

1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder

Some soaked saffron strands (optional, but better if added)

White Rose essence few drops

Some rose petals to garnish.(use the Indian one as it has the beautiful fragrance)

Dry Fruits optional.

Method:

1.  In a heavy bottom pan( don’t use a steel pan as the milk gets the burnt smell often) keep the milk on high flame till one boil. Then reduce the flame to low-medium and let it cook for another 20-25 minutes. Keep stirring in short intervals.

2. On the other hand, take the soaked rice and grind it course in a mixer. Don’t add too much water  while  grinding, just add much needed to have the rice fully dipped.

3. Now, Sieve this rice mixture along with its water and keep aside.

4.Once the milk changes color (it’ll get a bit yellow as cooked), add this sieved rice mixture. You need to keep stirring as you add the rice mixture as it should not stick at the bottom of the pan.

5. Cook for 5 minutes and add rose essence and saffron and sugar.Stir well to mix the sugar well.

6.Cook till a little thick and put it off flame.

7.Pour this phirni into the ramekins or serving cups or mitti katoras and put in the fridge to set.

8. Garnish with slivered pistachios n almonds and rose petals.

Enjoy the Rose Phirni

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RECIPE :Parsada Halwa Barfi...the 3 grains halwa.Best ever tasted halwa so far.

Parsada Halwa

Halwa Prasad...

Pooja, Havan or any festival,Halwa is prepared inevitably for any religious ceremony in all Indian Homes.You must have tried sooji,atta,besan halwa before but this 3 grain halwa is by far the best in Taste.Any such occasion or just like that i just prepare this halwa now .

I gave it a new avatar ,HALWA BARFI.

Easy to eat and store and one can even serve it to guest and my guarantee they'll love it.

Here is what you'll need to prepare this Halwa Barfi:

Ingredients

Sooji:1 cup

Atta: 1/2 cup

Besan: 1/2 cup

Water: 6 cups

Ghee: 3/4 cup

Sugar: 2 1/2 cups
4 tbsp milk

Green Cardamom-4-5

Silver work: to garnish

Kesar stands : few( optional)

Almonds slivered and raisins to garnish.

( i put dry coconut cut into thin small pieces too,optional)

Method:

1. Heat Ghee in kadhai.Add sooji,besan,atta and keep cooking on slow flame till nicely brown.Remember don't leave it unattended and stir constantly or it may burn.
2. Meanwhile,in another saucepan,take 6 cups of water ,add cardamom and sugar.Let it boil till the sugar is dissolved completely.Add milk now.Add kesar strands and Keep aside till our grains are well cooked.
3. Come back to the grains and keep stirring till they get a nice brown colour and leave aroma. Now,slowly add the water and while adding keep stirring the halwa on medium heat.
4. Add coconut,almonds and raisins. Stir well.
5. Line a baking tray with foil or nonstick paper( leave extra on the sides to pull it off later)
6. Keep stirring the halwa till it thickens and you see the ghee separates on sides.Put it off flame and quickly pour this in the lined tray.Garnish with almond slivers.Let it cool completely before applying work.
7. Cut into small pieces like barfis and serve. This can be stored for a day outside in cold weather and refrigerated for 4-5 days.
8. Enjoy your halwa barfi.

RECIPE :KRISPY CHAPATI ' N' CHEESE KEBAB'S

KRISPY CHAPATI ' N' CHEESE KEBAB'S

This is the most fun recipe must have made. A tikki made from chapatis.You may specially use the leftover ones….sounds unbelievable?? 

True ,but once you try this recipe you'll stop eating chapatis in dinner and purposely leave the rotis uneaten….

Made from just 3 main ingredients…this is another …Super easy to make and super yummy to eat.

A must try for all mums….

No one would believe that its made from rotis….it was a hit at my place.

You need:
Poha :1/2 cup  (soaked in water for 1 hour and drained well.)
Peanuts: 3-4 tbsp. ( ground in a mixer)
Salt to taste
Red chilli to taste
Green chilli to taste
Chaat masala: 1/2 tsp
Dhania powder:1 tsp
Garam masala :1/2 tsp
Dhania leaves : 1/4 cup
Oil for frying.
Rotis :6-7

Method:

1. Mix all of the above in a pan. Keep it in the fridge for 1/2 hour.
2. After a while, take them out.Make small balls and shape them into kababs/Tikkis.
3. Heat 2 tbsp oil in pan. Fry the kababs on high flame.
4. Serve hot with mint / khatti meethi chutney.
5. Enjoy these amazing tikkis!!