Malai Kofta Curry

One of our favourite curries in all Indian restaurants is the Malai Kofta. In fact, my husband uses this dish as his criterion for judging restaurants:) The place that can dish out a rich, delicious and freshly-spiced Kofta Curry goes on his wishlist. Though I've made similar curries before, I had never really ventured into making the authentic malai kofta, but when we planned a pre-Diwali dinner with family and friends, I knew it's now or never!! So I made the Malai Kofta Curry and am proud to say that it was a hit with everyone and was also complimented as being "restaurant-style"!! This dish does involve some planning and preparation time, but at the end, it is truly worth it.

Ingredients

For Koftas
2 cups Paneer - grated
3 Potatoes - boiled and mashed
1 cup Green Peas
1 small Carrot boiled and grated
1 tsp Garam Masala
1 1/2 tsp Kitchen King Masala
3-4 tbsp Maida
2 tbsp Cashews slit in halves
3 tbsp Raisins
Oil for deep frying
Salt to taste
1 tbsp lemon juice

For Gravy
2 medium Onions - finely chopped
1 can of Tomato Puree
12-15 Cashews
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tsp Garam Masala
2 tsp Kitchen King Masala
2 tsp Jeera
1 tbsp Cumin-Coriander Powder
2 tbsp Red Chilli Powder
2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 cup Fresh or Whipping Cream
1 inch Cinnamon Stick
2 Green Cardamon
2 Cloves
1 Bay Leaf
1 big tbsp Tandoori Masala
1 tbsp Oil/Ghee
2 tbsp Coriander Leaves, finely chopped
Salt to taste

Method

For Koftas
Mix the boiled and grated carrot, green peas, boiled and mashed potatoes and the grated paneer in a big bowl. Add the garam masala, kitchen king masala, salt, lemon juice, turmeric powder and maida and mix them well using your hands. Do not add water. In fact, remove any water from boiled vegetables to make a thick mixture that can be rolled into tight balls.

Make small egg-shaped balls and deep fry them in batches in hot oil at slow to medium flame till they turn golden brown and crisp from outside. Transfer the fried koftas on paper towel to remove excess oil. If you see that your koftas break while frying, try rolling them in more maida or bread crumbs before frying.

For Gravy
Blend the tomato puree with cashews, kitchen king masala, cunim-coriander powder, garam masala, chilli powder and turmeric powder to smooth paste; add 3 tbsp water to form a liquid paste.

Heat oil in a pan and add jeera, cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamom and bay leaf and saute it for a few mins, then add the chopped onions to it till they are pinkish golden in color. Add the ginger-garlic paste, and then the tomato-cashew puree. Add 1 1/2 cups water and mix well to form the gravy. When it starts simmering, add the dry spices, salt and whipping cream and cook for further 10-15 minutes over a low flame. If you think it is thick and need to make it liquid, add some whole milk. Finally add the tandoori masala to get the nice yellow color. Remove from heat, mix in finely chopped coriander and keep it aside.

When it's time to serve, arrange the koftas in a serving dish, pour the gravy over them and garnish with fresh cream and chopped coriander. Serve hot with Parathas or Jeera Rice! Hope this delicious Malai Kofta curry finds a place on your dinner table and helps liven your meal, just as it did ours!

Similar Recipes:
Doodhi/Lauki Kofta Curry
Hariyali Paneer Koftas

Basbousa - Semolina (Sooji) Cake with Rose Syrup

I have made cakes with all-purpose flour all the time, so this time I decided to try something new. While looking for ethnic cake recipes, I came across this one called "Basbousa", which is a typical middle-eastern dessert (mainly Egyptian) with Semolina as a main ingredient. Also, unlike the traditional way of making cakes, this is unique as it uses a sugar syrup topping for a plain cake, which in fact induces the softness, flavor and sweetness to the cake. Also, almonds and lemon juice are an important part of the traditional recipe. I was excited with the idea of making a cake with semolina, or sooji as it is known in India, as it sounded healthy and different. I have to say this was one of my favorite and satisfying baking escapades!

The concept of using sugar syrup was fascinating, as I've made a Tres Leches Cake before which uses milk syrup in the same way. As I'm not too huge a fan of lemon flavor in my cakes, I cut down on the lemon juice a little and added Rose essence instead as I thought it would give a nice aroma and a mildly sweet taste that would accentuate the recipe. The result, a perfectly moist and healthy cake with a distinct taste, flavor and texture, thanks to the semolina, almonds and rose essence.

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter - unsalted
3/4 cup sugar
1 tspn vanilla essence
2 eggs
2 cups fine semolina (sooji)
1 tspn baking powder
1/2 tspn soda-bicarbonate
3/4 cup plain or vanilla-flavored yogurt
12-15 almonds - blanched and split

For the Syrup Topping
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups water
2 tsp rose essence
1/2 tsp lemon juice

Method
Take a bowl and mix the butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and beat well.

Sift the semolina, baking powder and soda in another bowl. Add this slowly into the butter mixture alternately with yogurt. Beat well so you can allow semolina to expand once it gets into the oven.

Now grease a cake pan and spread batter into it. Pinch in the almonds on top of the cake at equal distances so that when you cut into pieces later, each piece has an almond topping in the center.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F and bake for 30-35 minutes until cake is cooked.

Making the Syrup
To prepare the syrup topping, dissolve sugar in water over medium heat, add the lemon juice and the rose essence and bring to a boil.

Let it boil for 5-7 mins, then allow to cool by placing the container in another larger bowl filled with cold water (indirect cooling).

Assemble the Cake
When the cake is done, slowly pour the cooled syrup over the hot cake. Let the cake soak the syrup and set it aside for 15 mins or so. Once it is completely cooled, cut into diamond or square shapes. Serve each piece topped with whipped cream or desired fruit topping!

Basbousa, or Semolina Cake as I'd call it, is a perfect traditional dessert and we really enjoyed its light and spongy texture. I'll surely be making this again, perhaps with shredded coconut next time!

Similar Recipes:
Coconut & Poppy-Seed Coffee Cake
Raspberry Jelly Swiss Roll Cake
Festive Chocolate-Banana Bread/Cake

Ambala Dhaba Restaurant - Los Angeles, CA

I realized that staying in the Bay Area, I have visited so many nice restaurants that I have neglected writing about the ones I have loved visiting in other places! You do tend to get biased for the place you live in, but then again, its also because in Bay Area I have discovered a culinary heaven like nowhere else. I know I know...some of my friends from the East Coast are going to pounce on me for this, but hey, I believe in what I see:) I spent almost 2 years in Los Angeles, CA, and there are definitely a few restaurants worth mentioning. One such quaint yet appealing place is the Ambala Dhaba, a reasonable restaurant in Westwood Santa Monica that appeals to me not only for their food, but also the ambience!

Located between Santa Monica Blvd and Massachusets Avenue in West LA, this Indian restaurant has a setting of a "dhaba", or a village-like setting that makes you feel like you are sitting in a small cottage with a thatched roof. Dhaba is actually a nick-name for food joints along roads and highways in India so people can stop over for food and some rest on their long drives. This idea might not be so attractive to non-Indians who have never been to a place like this before, but trust me, it's cozy and comfortable. The entire place is decorated in a rustic fashion, with ancient Indian props, and delicate lighting is provided using standard lamps which are covered with dry-grass-like material to give it an old-world look, yet lively, unintruding and pleasant at the same time. The walls have large paintings of Indian village life on one side, while there are LCD TV's playing indian music on the other end for people who are interested in tuning to it.

Next comes the food. I wouldn't say that it is inexpensive, definitely not a place for everyday lunches or dinners, but it is very reasonable. They have vegetarian and non-veg entrees, and other than a few curries and biryani which is a bit on the higher side, the average price ranges from 9 to 12 dollars, which I think is standard for a place like Westwood. The quality of food is excellent. It's not like they reheat food and serve it to you. You can actually feel the authentic north-indian flavor and spices in the curries. the breads are fluffy and tasty, and there is a wide variety to choose from, some unusal ones being Makki Paratha, Amritsari naan, Pudina paratha and the Ambala Kulcha. They also have seafood, lamb and goat for the meat-lovers and the Vegetable Biryani is highly recommended.

Among drinks and desserts, the Almond shake, Pistachio shake, Rasmalai and Malai Kulfi available in several flavors is a must-try! The service is a bit slower compared to some other restaurants I have been to, but the food is worth the wait. Overall, I'd give it 8 on 10 for the cute and homely setting and the tasty food that could make any occassion a special one! So the next time you are in Los Angeles, give Ambala Dhaba a try and come back to share what your experience has been.

Address
1781 Westwood Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90024
Phone(310)966-1772
The Menu

Hot and Tasty Dum Aloo

As winter starts setting in, our senses crave for something hot and comforting, and that's exactly what we want our food to be too, right? So what could be better than hot and spicy curry served with parathas or rice?! That was precisely the thought in my mind when I decided to pick up these baby potatoes over at the vegetable market. They were so cute and so inviting I had to buy them and put them to good use. And there is no other way to enjoy these than to make Dum Aloo - a vegetable curry packed with spices and flavor. "Dum" means strength, and that is precisely what's packed in these tiny potatoes that are flavored with spices to the core and are simmered in a rich curry. Here goes my recipe!

Ingredients
1/2 kg baby potatoes - boiled and peeled
3 tbsp lemon juice
Few coriander leaves - chopped
green spring onion - chopped for garnish
4 tbsp cup ghee
Salt to taste
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp tandoori masala (available in indian stores)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup whole milk.
oil for shallow frying the potatoes

For the masala paste
2 tbsp coriander seeds
2 tbsp poppy seeds (optional)
2 small onions, chopped
a small piece of ginger
1/2 cup grated coconut
8-10 cashew nuts
2-3 green chilies
2 tsp red chili powder
6 garlic cloves
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp turmeric and curry powder
1/2 tsp garam masala

Method
Mix all the ingredients of masala paste and blend to make a fine and smooth paste.
Peel the potatoes and make 5-6 holes in them using a toothpick. Then shallow fry them in a little oil and remove immediately. This is just to give them a crispy texture on the outside. Now heat ghee in a pan and fry the ground paste. When it starts giving out an aroma and ghee starts to separate at the edges, add water and milk and let it simmer. Next add the lemon juice and the potatoes. Add the tandoori masala and cook covered partially for 8-10 mins to allow the masala to seep into the potatoes.

Once it's cooked and the potatoes look tender, remove from flame and transfer to a serving bowl or kadai. Garnish with chopped coiander and spring onion leaves and serve hot with Parathas or Rice.

Peach Malai (Cream) Sandwich with Kulfi on the side

I have been exposed to so many different kinds of fruits after coming to the US, and this gave me ample opportunities as a chef to try new combinations and variations using these fruits. From delicious berries to juicy nectarines and peaches, it has been a long journey, and I'm just halfway trying out all the options out there! So as peaches seem to be moving out of the Farmer's Markets, I decided to try something fancy with them before they ran out of season. I paired it with bread and cream to make a beautiful yet simple Sandwich with Peach and Mixed-Fruit filling and served it with the Peach Kulfi to make this complete dessert dish that you see!!

This is my contribution to the AFAM-Peach Event (click on the logo on the side) that we are hosting on this blog this month. You have 2 more days to meet the deadline. So get cooking and send in your lovely peach entries if you haven't already!!

Ingredients

Malai Sandwich
12 slices of regular white bread
1/4th cup almond slices
1/4th cup pistachio slices
6 tbsp shredded coconut
1 small can of condensed milk (Nestle, sweetened)
1/2 cup regular plain milk
6-7 strands of saffron
1 tsp cardamom powder
A round cookie cutter or katori

Peach and Mix-Fruit Filling
1 whole peach - diced
4-5 strawberries - diced
8-10 pineapple chunks
sugar - to taste
6-7 tbsp water - to make fruit puree

Peach Kulfi
6-8 slices of canned peach - remove from syrup and wash under running water
6 tbsp condensed milk (from the same can as above)
a small serving of chopped almonds and pistachios (again take this from those above)
1 cup fresh cream
small roll of aluminium foil

Method

For the Sandwich, first cut the bread slices with the cookie cutter or a round katori to form 12 circles. In a bowl, mix 1/2 can of condensed milk, plain milk, and cardamom powder. Take a pan, add 1 tbsp butter, and roast the almonds, pistachios and shredded coconut till they attain a light golden color. In a small bowl, take 2 tsp water, warm it for 10 seconds, then add the saffron strands to it and let stand for 5-8 mins. This will extract the orange color from saffron. You can rub it with your fingers a little more to get a stronger color. Now add the roasted nuts and saffron water to the milk mixture. Leave half of the nuts-coconut mixture aside for the peach kulfi and the final garnish.

Layer all the bread slices on a glass tray, pour 4 tbsp of the condensed milk mixture on each slice. Now freeze this tray till it is time to serve.

For the Mix-Fruit filling, blend the diced, peaches, pineapples and strawberries with sugar and water to form a thick jam-like puree. Then store and refrigerate.

And now for the Peach Kulfi. Take the fresh cream in a bowl and whip it for 2-3 mins, Then add 4 tbsp condensed milk to it. Add the remaining almond-pistachio-coconut mixture (reserving some for garnish) and fold in the small peach cubes into the mixture. Mix well to blend, but do not beat a lot. Now take a small cake pan (or any other kulfi mould that you like) and layer the kulfi mixture into it. Cover with aluminium foil and set to freeze. Remove after 2 hours, let it thaw, and then churn it again in a blender for 1 min. This makes the kulfi more creamier, and set to freeze again.

When it is time to serve, take one slice of bread, top it with the mix-fruit filling, then layer another slice of bread on top of it to form the sandwich. Repeat for all 6 sandwiches. Garnish the top with remaining jam puree and roasted nuts. Remove the kulfi from the freezer. Cut into desired sized pieces and serve in a plate with the Peach-jam filled Malai Sandwiches. Indulge into a fruity Peach delight! This is a perfect dessert for parties, and will surely be a hit with kids!!

Tip:This recipe can have a lot of variations; just substitute the peach with a fruits of your choice. You can even get creative and add melted chocolate to the condensed milk micture to form chocolate sandwiches! Just let your imagination run wild, and enjoy!!

Lemon and Coconut Rice with Sambhar

Being from western India, I've never quite experimented with south-Indian cooking a lot, but my husband being one of the true south-indian food fans, I had no choice but to jump right in! And I have to say I loved this!! Dosas and Idlis is something everyone finds interesting, but I was new to the wide variety of rice dishes that my friends kept cooking. So after trying stuff like Puliyogare, Tomato Rice, Curd Rice and Tamarind Rice, next in line was the famous Lemon Rice. I was intrigued by the subtle taste of this dish, and how the flavors of lemon and spices gave a nice touch to the simple art of making rice. I made some modifications to the traditional recipe and decided to add coconut to this, which made it taste even better. We had the Lemon-Coconut Rice with the not-so-traditional sambhar. I'm not sure if this is a widely accepted pair or not, but I can tell you it had us licking our fingers and the plates!!

Ingredients

For the Rice
4 cups long-grain basmati rice
a fistful of peanuts
a fistful of chana dal (raw, soaked in water for at least 5-6 hours)
6-7 curry leaves
2 dry red chillies
7-8 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp sugar
3-4 tbsp ghee
1/2 cup shredded coconut
4-5 green chillies - finely chopped
1/2 cup coriander - finely chopped
3-4 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp mustard seeds
2 tsp jeera
a pinch of asafoetida
salt - to taste

For the Sambhar
5-6 cups tuver dal - pressure cooked
water - to give desired consistency
4 tbsp tamarind paste
2 tsp mustard seeds
spices - red chilly powder, turmeric, salt, garam masala - to taste
4-5 tbsp sambhar masala (you can get this in Indian stores)
1/2 cup onions - chopped
1/2 cup other vegetables of your choice - boiled (optional, you can use potatoes, peas, etc)
3 tbsp oil

Method
Make the rice as you would in a rice cooker or pressure cooker. Add a tbsp of ghee to it while cooking. In a wok, add 3 tbsp ghee, then add the jeera, mustard, green chillies, dry red chillies, soaked chana dal and asafoetida. When seeds start spluttering, add the peanuts and saute them till they get roasted. Now add the cooked rice to it. Add salt and sugar amd mix well. Next add the turmeric powder and half of the lemon juice. Gently mix everything so the rice get evenly coated by the masala. Keep adding more lemon juice till you get the tangy flavor in your rice that you are comfortable with. It should not be too sour, but the flavor of lemon had to be highlighted. Finally add the chopped coriander and the shredded coconut. Leave some of the rest for garnish. Let it cook on medium flame for 8-10 mins, not more.

For the sambhar, pressure cook the Tuver dal as you would for any normal dal. Now take some oil in a pan, add the mustard seeds and the onions and saute them till lightly golden. Then mix in the tamarind paste and the sambhar masala and let it cook with some water till it becomes thick and oil starts to separate. Next add the boiled vegetables of your choice, and the cooked dal. Mix everything together. Add salt, turmeric powder, red chilly powder and garam masala according to your taste. Add enough water to make it like a curry, but not too liquid. Sambhar is supposed to be a little thick. Bring the mixture to a boil and keep stirring occasionally. Garnish with chopped coriander if you want.

Serve the hot Lemon and Coconut Rice with the Chatpata Sambhar and enjoy a delicious meal with a tangy twist which is sure to arouse all your taste buds!!

Green Tea and Health - A perspective study of the truths and the myths

For a long time now, I've been hearing about the health benefits of Green Tea, and when I see the skinny chinese and asians roaming around in my office sipping tall cups of green tea or herb tea, I am all the more intrigued to find the truth behind the hype of this tea, and why it is labelled to be "Healthy", and whether there is any real substance to this claim. So I finally decided to get all the information about this herbal concoction, and here I present to you the facts, with the associated myths, to help you make your own choice!

Ordinary tea, as most people know it, comes from the leaves of the camellia sinensis plant. There are three main types of tea: green tea, oolong tea, and black tea, categorized according to their oxidation levels (called the fermentation process). Green tea is steamed, baked, or pan heated to prevent oxidation and thus the leaves remain green. Unlike green tea, oolong tea is partially fermented, and black tea is fully fermented. So why is green tea getting all the attention in the health world? It's mainly because of the antioxidant epigallocatechin-3 gallate ( EGCG ), the main component considered good for one's health which is preserved in green tea but lost in oolong and black varieties when fermented. Antioxidants are thought to prevent free radicals.

A little scientific knowledge is in order here. What is a Free Radical, you may ask. Well, in scientific sense, a free radical is any molecular species capable of independent existence, that contains one or more unpaired electrons not contributing to intermolecular bonding, and is, in that sense, "free". In the human body, oxidized free radicals are believed to cause tissue damage at the cellular level, causing damage to our DNA, mitochondria and cell membrane, and have often been referred to as one of the causes attributed to aging, cancer, heart disease, and other human ailments harmful to one's health, which are aggravated by things such as excessive alcohol intake, smoking, and various chemical exposures. To prevent free radicals from damaging the body, the latter uses a defense system of antioxidants.

The Truth
Antioxidants are molecules which can safely interact with free radicals and terminate the chain reaction before vital molecules are damaged, and green tea has EGCG as an anti-oxidant which is found to be 100 times more effective than vitamin C, 25 times more effective than Vitamin E and twice as powerful as its peers!

Limited studies have shown gargling with green tea may prevent cavities, and it may slow the course of arthritis by reducing inflammation and retarding cartilage breakdown. Early research on a product called FertilityBlend, which contains green tea extracts, shows it may help women to conceive. Regular consumption of green tea is purported to possibly reduce the risk of heart attack and clogged arteries. This drink may also help asthma sufferers. Because it contains theophylline (a muscle relaxant), it can help the muscles surrounding bronchial tubes to relax easily. It is also seen to aid in lowering blood pressure by preventing blood clots.

Myth: Green Tea is a Miracle Fat Burner
Green Tea definitely helps boost your metabolism, but the story ends there. There are two reasons why it CANNOT cause your body to burn large amounts of fat. First, the actual increase in your metabolism from Green Tea is very small, even if you take multiple doses of Green Tea each day. And second, your body probably gets used to this. It can be a prudent choice as it is free of sugar and calories that other beverages may be loaded with. So drink it for its other health benefits, not because someone told you that it'll help you lose weight fast!

Myth: Green Tea Prevents Cancer
There is some supporting evidence to this statement, but most of the supporting research has been done on animals, and not humans. It's not hard to believe, considering the antioxidant properties of tea, but that it prevents prostate and other cancers is still disputable, and has not yet won the FDA approval. NCI - National Cancer Institute recently did some research with 42 patients drinking about 4 cups of gree tea, daily for four months. However, only one patient experienced a short-lived improvement, and nearly 70 percent of the group experienced unpleasant side effects such as nausea and diarrhea. The study concluded drinking green tea has limited antitumor benefit for prostate cancer patients.

My Conclusion: That there are several health benefits packed in these tiny green leaves is irrefutable. Some have already been publicized, but there are plenty that are still to find fame. The ongoing research suggests that in the coming years, we will surely see this player make its impact in the health industry. Meanwhile, besides the fact that it isn't a real tasty drink, I see no harmful effects in drinking green tea, and I am going to continue drinking it. Hope this article helps you in making a right choice too!