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.

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.

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.

Asparagus & Snake Gourd Stir-Fry

Asparagus is not popularly used in Indian cooking but I love to cook with Asparagus. Here is simple Stir-Fry recipe (Asparagus Thoran). It is quick to cook and very rich in taste.

Ingredients :-

1. 2 Bunches of Asparagus. (Always pick bunch with thin stems.Chop out one inch base.Thoroughly rinse under water and cut into half inch long pieces. If asparagus heads are crisp and Green then use them. If you find them soft with dull color then you may chop-out top half inch heads.)
2. One Medium sized snake gourd ( Cut in half inch long size).
3. One medium size chopped onion.
4. 4-5 small chopped green chillies.
5. 2 stems of curry leaf.
6. 1 T.spoon turmeric powder.
7. 1 T.spoon whole cumin.
8. 1 Tb.spoon cooking oil.
9. Chopped fresh cilantro.
   

Method of Preparation :-

1. Take thick gauge Pot. Add 1Tb.spoon oil. Add chopped onions. Fry on high heat for 2 minutes.
2. Add 1 T.spoon cumin seeds, One stem of curry leaf and Green chillies. Fry for 2 minutes on High-Heat.
3. Now add cut Asparagus and Snake gourd. Add 1 T.spoon Turmeric powder and salt. Reduce flame to medium low and let it cook for 8-10 minutes. Do not add any water. Keep stirring.
4. Add another stem of curry leaf and chopped cilantro. Enjoy this with Roti or rice.

Singada Flour Halwa/Kesari for Navaratri Vrat. (Indian Dessert with water chestnut flour.)

Navaratri festival season has began...every home is busy celebrating different rituals ,pooja's and fasts are observed for all nine days. This singada flour halwa can be offered as Prasadam as well as enjoyed as Vrat food. I was amazed at the end result...absolutely tender soft texture that gently melts in mouth.One must try one time this delicious Halwa.



Ingredients:-

1. 1 Cup Singada flour.
2. 1 Cup Ghee.
3. 1 Cup Sugar.
4. 10 whole cashews roughly crushed.
5. 20-25 Golden Raisins
6. 8 Almonds roughly crushed.
7. 10 Cardamom finely powdered.
8. 2 Cup water.

Cooking Process:-

1. Take thick gauge pot.Anodized metal gives best results.Add half cup Ghee and One cup Singada flour.Mix well and keep stiring on medium flame for 12 minutes.Flour will turn little brownish and aromatic.
2. Now add crushed Cashews,Almonds,Raisins and Cardamom powder. Mix well and stir for 2-3 minutes on low flame.
3. Add one cup sugar and stir for 2-3 minutes on medium flame.Add remaining half cup Ghee.
4. Add one cup water and mix well by stiring on medium flame. At this stage it will appear like thick gravy.As it start to get drier in consistancy add one more cup of water.Mix well and reduce flame to low and cover it with lid and let it cook for 5-6 minutes.
5. Open the lid and check the consistency...increase flame to medium high and stir till Ghee shine appears all over..shut the gas off and let it stand covered for few minutes.. shape it with mould or just enjoy in bowl.
   
   

Note:- Shingada flour is very delicate so always keep stiring and be attentive while preparing Halwa. Don't let it burn.

Always serve this Halwa warm.