Rice-Veggie Cutlets

These cutlets are great and easy to make if you already have leftover rice, moong dal or chana dal. It is crunchy and healthy as it includes veggies of your choice. Cutlets are perfect snack for everyone. These cutlets can be used in breakfast, lunch as a burger, evening snack with tea-lemonade or as an appetizer before formal dinner. Kids love this easy to eat snack in their lunchbox too. So try this healthy and tasty snack anytime of the day.


Ingredients:
For Rice-Veggie Cutlets [12 cutlets]

Rice- 1.5 cups (cooked and leftover even better)
Whole green moong dal – ¾ cup (cooked)
Chana dal -1/2 cup (cooked)
Green beans -1/2 cup chopped
Corn kernels – 1/2 cup frozen or fresh
Carrots-1/2 cup chopped
Bread slice- 1
Cashews- 1/3 cup chopped
Walnuts- 1/3 cup chopped
Cilantro -1/3 cup chopped
Cooking oil for frying

Dry Ingredients:
Chaat Masala – 1 tbsp
Red chili powder – 1 tsp
Amchur(Dried mango powder) -1 tsp
Garam masala -1 tsp
Roasted Cumin seeds – 1 tsp (powdered)
Sugar – 1 tsp
Salt as per taste


Method:

• Cut green beans and carrots accordingly and add corn kernels (or you can use mixed vegetables for the frozen section) in a bowl.
• Pressure cook cut vegetables till done.
• In a large bowl, combine cooked rice, cooked moong dal, cooked chana dal, boiled veggies, bread slice, chopped nuts and all dry ingredients and mix well.
• Oil your palm, take lemon sized mixture and flatten it in desired shape.
• Deep fry the cutlets using very little oil.

Serve hot with ketchup or green chutney.

Red bell pepper wheels

This super easy and tasty Red bell pepper recipe is not just the feast for taste buds but for the eyes too.

Ingredients:
For Red bell pepper wheels [4 servings]

Red bell peppers – 2 fresh whole
Potatoes – 3 medium (boiled and peeled)
Onions – 1 medium chopped
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Mustard Seeds -1 tsp
Asafoetida (Hing) powder -1/4 tsp
Chaat masala – ½ tsp
Olive oil – 3 tbsp

Dry Spices:
Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
Red chili powder – 1 tsp
Coriander powder – 1 tbsp
Garam masala powder – ½ tsp
Amchur powder(dried mango powder) – ½ tbsp
Kitchen King masala – 1 tsp
Salt as per taste

Method:

• Wash fresh red bell pepper and make a hole on the stem side. Take all the seeds out of the bell pepper. Keep aside.
• Peel and mash the potatoes. In a pan, heat 2 tbsp oil. Add cumin seeds, mustard seeds and asafoetida powder. When it crackles, add chopped onions. Sauté it for few minutes till it becomes transparent but not brown. 
• Add mashed potatoes to it. Add all dry spices (turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder, amchur powder and salt). Mix well. Turn the heat off and cool it down a little bit.
• In the red bell peppers fill the above potato filling. Bell peppers should be nice and firm.

• Carefully with a sharp knife, cut ¾ inch slices of the bell pepper.

• Pre heat oven at 375 degrees.
• On a greased baking tray arrange all the slices in single layer. Very lightly spray the slices with cooking oil. Bake the slices for 15-20 minutes.
• Gently take the slices off the baking tray using flat turner/spatula, arrange the slices in the serving plate.
• Sprinkle some chaat masala before serving.

Enjoy hot with fresh roti or paratha.

Paneer pakora (Cheese fritters)

Paneer pakora (Cheese fritters)
Easy to make and yummy in taste, is the perfect explanation for this snack. It is appetizing to even look at. Kids absolutely love it.

Ingredients: For Paneer pakora (4 servings)

Paneer (Indian cottage cheese) – 1 lbs
Besan (Bengal gram flour) – 2 cups
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Red chili powder – 1 tsp
Garam masala – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1tsp
Baking soda – 1 pinch [optional]
Green chutney – 1 cup
Chaat masala – 1 tbsp
Water – 1 cup approx. (for making the pakora batter)
Cooking oil to fry
Salt as per taste

Method:

• Cut the paneer in 2*2 inch square thin slices. Keep aside.  
• Prepare pakora batter by adding besan, salt, garam masala, red chili powder, turmeric and a pinch of baking soda in a bowl. Add water and mix well into a thick batter.  
• On the paneer slices, apply a layer of green chutney and cover it with another paneer slice. It will look like a sandwich.  
• Heat cooking oil for frying the pakoras. Check the temperature, if it is medium hot.  
• Gently cover these sandwiches in the pakora batter and fry it in the oil.  
• Fry till it turns golden and then drain it on the kitchen towel. Sprinkle some chaat masala to the pakoras when they are still hot.
• After 2-3 minutes, cut the pakoras diagonally and serve hot.  

Serving Suggestions: 
Serve with maggi tomato ketchup and tea on the side.

Palak Paneer (Spinach n Indian cottage cheese)

Palak paneer is a well known north Indian dish served in almost all Indian restaurants. It is flavorful and super healthy. Home cooked palak paneer is as good as we can get in a restaurant. Sharing with you the simple recipe to make it at home.

Ingredients:

For Palak Paneer: [6 servings]

Palak [Spinach] – 2 lbs (fresh)
Paneer [Indian cottage cheese]- 1 lbs
Onion -1 cup chopped finely
Tomato-1 cup chopped finely
Fresh chopped Garlic -1/2 tbsp
Fresh chopped Ginger -1/2 tbsp
Green chilies- 1tsp finely chopped
Cilantro -1/4 cup finely chopped
Heavy cream – ½ cup [optional]
Olive oil -2 tbsp

Dry Spices:
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Mustard Seeds -1 tsp
Asafoetida (Hing) powder -1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
Red chili powder – 1 tsp
Coriander powder – 1 tbsp
Garam masala powder – ½ tsp
Everest Kitchen king masala-1/2 tsp(for extra flavor)
Kasoori methi [Dried fenugreek leaves] – 1 tbsp
Salt as per taste

Method:

• Wash Spinach thoroughly in cold water. Boil the washed spinach using very little water or pressure cook it. Gently blend the cooked spinach with hand blender and keep aside.
• Cut paneer into 1 inch thick, long strips. Shallow fry the paneer pieces using 1 tbsp olive oil till it turns golden. Drain on the paper towel and keep aside.
• In a pan, heat 2 tbsp oil. Add cumin and mustard seeds. Let it crackle. Add asafoetida powder. Then add chopped onions and sauté it, till it turns translucent and light golden. Add chopped green chilies, garlic and ginger to it. Sauté for 2 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes to the pan and let it sit for further 5 minutes.
• Finally add palak puree to the above masala and mix well. Also add turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala and salt.
• Mix it all together and sauté it for 8-10 minutes. When you see the palak paneer is little thick in consistency, it is almost done.
• Add fried paneer pieces, kitchen king masala and kasoori methi. If you like it creamy, add heavy cream to the finished palak paneer and mix gently.

Serve hot with fresh roti or paratha or basmati rice.

Besan wali Aloo – Bhindi (Crunchy Okra)

If you are in a mood of cooking Bhindi (Okra) differently, without using onion-garlic, probably this is the recipe for you. It is also known as Rajasthani style Bhindi. Besan gives a crunch to the dish.
Ingredients:
For Besanwali Aloo-Bhindi [4 servings]

Bhindi (Okra) whole – 1lbs fresh or frozen
Potatoes – 2 (peel and cut long slices)
Besan (Bengal gram flour) – ½ cup
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Mustard Seeds -1 tsp
Asafoetida (Hing) powder -1/4 tsp
Olive oil – 4 tbsp

Dry Spices:

Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
Red chili powder – 1 tsp
Coriander powder – 1 tbsp
Garam masala powder – ½ tsp
Amchur powder(dried mango powder) – ½ tbsp
Kitchen King masala – 1 tsp
Salt as per taste

Method:

• Wash fresh Bhindi in plenty of running water and dry it thoroughly with the kitchen towel. If using frozen, thaw the frozen bhindi in microwave for 3 minutes. Cut the tops and tails and slice lengthwise in half.
• In a pan, heat 2 tbsp oil. Add sliced bhindi and shallow fry it till it turns half green and half golden brown. Keep fried bhindi aside.
• In the same pan heat 2 tbsp oil again. Add cumin seeds, mustard seeds and asafoetida powder. When it crackles, add sliced potatoes. Sauté for another 2-3 minutes mix well and cover the pan with the lid. Turn the heat to medium-low for 5 minutes.
• Add fried bhindi to sautéed potatoes. Add one spoon at a time besan to the bhindi and mix well. After adding all the besan to the pan, cover it for 4-5 minutes to cook the besan thoroughly. 
• Add all dry spices (turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder, amchur powder and salt). Mix carefully without mashing bhindi or potatoes.

Enjoy hot with fresh roti or paratha.