Friday, November 28, 2008

Spring Rolls - Tempting vegan appetizer with Indian twist.

I love making those spring rolls. Sweetness of corn+green peas+carrot and hotness of ginger and green chillies give it zesty taste.Try those refreshing colorful crunchy spring rolls.

Ingredients :-

  1. One Medium size onion - finely chopped.
  2. 8 Big size cloves of Garlic - finely crushed.
  3. 2 inch piece of ginger - finely crushed.
  4. 6-7 Green chillies - finely chopped.
  5. 2 cups frozen Green peas. (preferably use petite peas).
  6. 2 cups frozen Corn.
  7. 1 cup grated carrot.
  8. 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro.
  9. 1 Tb.spoon cooking oil and little salt for making filling.
  10. half cup all purpose flour - Add some water and make thick paste.
  11. Oil to fry Spring Rolls.
  12. Packet of Spring roll sheets ( 50 count packet of medium size).

Method Of Preparation :- ( Spring roll filling)

  1. Heat 1 Tb.spoon oil and add chopped onions. Stir it for 4 minutes on high heat.
  2. Add crushed Garlic,Ginger and green chillies. Stir for 2 minutes on medium heat.
  3. Add grated Carrot and stir for 2 minutes.
  4. Add Green peas and corn. Add some salt. Stir for 5 minutes and high heat. Shut off the Gas.
  5. Let it cool for some time. Now add fresh chopped cilantro.

Method of Making/Frying Spring Rolls :-

  1. Keep Spring roll sheets out from freezer for One hour.
  2. At a time take 4-6 spring roll sheets and spread on counter. Fill One Tb.spoon of prepared filling. Fold the spring rolls as per instructions on the packet.
  3. At last fold stage apply little paste of all purpose flour at top corner and close the spring roll.
  4. Heat the oil and set gas at medium temperature. Gently drop the spring rolls and fry them for 3-4 minutes. Do turn them in between. After frying keep them on Paper towel.
  5. Enjoy them with sweet and sour tamrind chutney or Ranch.

Note :-


  1. If you find little water in filling then add 1 Tb.spoon potato spuds. Watery filling might break spring roll and crack while frying.
  2. As you fold spring roll be gentle and roll it tight.
  3. While frying take care that spring rolls are not broken. Broken spring roll will spoil oil and give stains on remaining spring rolls. Proper folding will avoid this mess.








Thursday, November 20, 2008

Banana/ Plantain Peel StirFry




Ingredients :-

  1. One medium sized onion – chopped
  2. 2-3 chopped green chillies.
  3. 1/2 Tb.Spoon Oil.
  4. 1 T.Spoon Mustard seeds.
  5. 2 Stems of curry leaves.
  6. 1 Tb.Spoon split skinless Urad Dal.
  7. 1/2 Cup shredded fresh coconut.
  8. 1/2 T.Spoon Turmeric powder.
  9. 2 curd chillies OR Dry whole red chillies (optional).
  10. 2 Cups Banana peel - (chop into thin stick cut).

Cooking Method :-
  1. Peel Fresh Green banana/Plantain skin. (skin of 3 banana- yields almost two cups) Chop them in stick cut.
  2. Heat 1/2 Tb.Spoon oil.
  3. Add 1 T.spoon mustard. wait till they start to splutter.
  4. After 15 seconds add curry leaves.
  5. Immediately add 1 Tb.spoon split skinless Urad Dal.
  6. As Urad Dal start to turn slight brown add one small cut onion.
  7. Add 2-3 chopped green chillies.Add little turmeric.Fry for 3-4 minutes.
  8. Add Cut Banana skin and increase the heat to high and stir for 3 minutes.
  9. Add half cup water.Add salt. Close lid. lower the heat to medium low and cook for 8 minutes.
  10. Remove the lid and check if all water is evaporated.Add few more fresh curry leaves and for zest add 2 small crushed Curd chillies.Stir it for one minute.( If you don't have curd chillies then add two dry red whole chillies at step 4 ).
  11. Finally garnish with fresh shredded coconut.
It has amazing taste and high nutrition...it goes well with rice/roti.

Note :- Use knife to get little thicker banana peel. If that is difficult then use Potato peeler but give good pressure while peeling to avoid getting very thin peel.

Friday, November 7, 2008

Desi Style Stir-Fry with Chicken Hot Dogs & Baby Bella Mushrooms.






This recipe will refresh you when you want some break from routine Desi subzi cooking...This is for the first time that I thought of using chicken Hot dogs in routine Indian cooking...it worked well...Try this stir-fry when you are in hurry and want something zesty to eat.


Ingredients :-

  1. One medium sized onion - chopped
  2. 8-10 garlic cloves
  3. 2 Green chillies
  4. 1 Tb.spoon Oil
  5. 6-8 Baby Bella mushrooms - duly cut. ( any mushrooms are fine)
  6. 2 chicken hot dogs sliced into disc shape
  7. Little dash of Garam Masala
  8. One big size fresh diced tomato
  9. Half cup fresh cilantro- chopped

Method of cooking :-

  1. Heat 1 Tb.spoon oil in pan...Add chopped onion...Saute them for 5 minutes on high heat.
  2. Add cut Garlic and green chillies...Saute for a minute.
  3. Add diced tomato...Saute for 2-3 minutes.
  4. Add little Garam masala and little cilantro...and little salt.
  5. Add sliced hot dogs and mushrooms...Saute for 6-7 minutes on medium heat.
  6. Lastly garnish wish remaining cilantro and enjoy with roti/rice or use as sandwich filling.

Note :- Hot dogs contain quite high amout of salt so use very less salt.