Bread Cutlet Recipe 

It is a delicious and hearty Indian snack which can be served as a starter, appetizer or simply evening snack. This easy bread cutlet recipe uses bread, mashed potatoes, boiled green peas and few veggies and uses shallow fry technique to make them stomach filling and healthy. Whether you serve it with tea or classic Indian green chutney, you are going love every bite of it.


Ingredients:

4 White Bread Slices (or brown bread)
1 large Potato, boiled, peeled and mashed
1/3 cup Green Peas (fresh or frozen), boiled
1/3 cup grated Cabbage
1/3 cup grated Carrot
2 tablespoons + 1/3 cup Dry Breadcrumbs
1 medium Onion, finely chopped
1-2 Green Chillies, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon grated Ginger
1/4 teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
1 teaspoon Lemon Juice
1 tablespoon + 3 tablespoons Oil
Water
Salt to taste
2 grated Cheese Cubes and Tomato Ketchup, for garnishing


Directions:

(1)Heat 1-tablespoon oil in a pan over medium flame. Add finely chopped onion and sauté until light brown or for approx. 1-2 minutes. Add grated ginger and green chillies, sauté for 30 seconds.

(2)Add grated carrot, grated cabbage, boiled peas and garam masala powder.

(3)Sauté for 1-2 minutes. Turn off the flame and transfer prepared mixture to a bowl. Let it cool for 4-5 minutes at room temperature.

(4)Dip each bread slice in water and immediately take it out. Squeeze it to remove excess water and add to the veggie mixture. Add mashed boiled potato, 2 tablespoons dry breadcrumbs, lemon juice and salt.

(5)Mix well and taste for salt, add more if required.

(6)Divide mixture into 8 equal portions and give them ball shape. If you are not able to form balls, then add 1-2 tablespoons dry breadcrumbs and try again. Take each ball and flatten it to form 1/2-inch thick pattie.

(7)Take 1/3 cup dry breadcrumbs in a plate. Roll each pattie into it to coat its surface with it and transfer it to another plate. Repeat the process for each pattie.

(8)Heat non-stick shallow-frying pan on medium flame and drizzle 2-3 teaspoons oil over it. Put 2-3 cutlets on it and shallow fry them over medium flame until bottom surface turns light golden brown.

(9)Flip them gently, spread 1-teaspoon oil over each of them and shallow fry another side until it turns golden brown. Flip and cook as required to make both sides golden brown. It will take approx 2 minutes on medium flame to cook each side. Transfer shallow fried cutlet to a plate.

(10)Shallow-fry remaining ones and prepare for serving. Garnish each one with grated cheese and tomato ketchup.



Taste: Crispy from outside and soft from inside.
Serving Ideas: Serve it with tomato ketchup or tea as an afternoon snack. It is an appetizing starter when served with green coriander chutney.

Bread Upma Recipe 

Breakfast, Instant, South Indian, Upma Recipes


Bread Upma is easy to prepare and instant healthy dish for your breakfast. It can be eaten at any time of the day. This recipe prepares bread as an upma and goes through same process as making rava upma.


Ingredients:
5 Bread slices (white or whole wheat)
1/4 teaspoon Mustard Seeds
1/4 teaspoon Cumin Seeds
1/4 teaspoon Urad Dal
1 pinch Asafoetida
1 sprig Curry Leaves
1 large Onion, finely chopped (approx. 1/2 cup)
2 medium Tomato, finely chopped (approx. 3/4 cup)
1 Green Chili, finely chopped
1 teaspoon Raw Peanuts, optional
4-5 Cashew nuts, optional
A pinch of Turmeric Powder
1½ tablespoons Oil
2 tablespoons Water
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons finely chopped Coriander Leaves, for garnishing
Sev, for garnishing, optional


Directions:

(1)You can use white bread or whole wheat bread according to your choice in this recipe. To make healthy dish for breakfast, we recommend using whole wheat bread in place of white bread. Cut bread slices into small pieces or cubes and keep them aside.

(2)Heat 1½ tablespoons oil in a kadai or pan over medium flame. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and urad dal. When seeds begin to crackle, add asafoetida and curry leaves and mix well.

(3)Add chopped onion, chopped green chili, raw peanuts and cashew nuts.

(4)Sauté until onion becomes translucent.

(5)Add chopped tomato, turmeric powder and salt and mix well.

(6)Sauté until tomatoes turn soft.

(7)Add 2-tablespoons water, mix well and cook for 2-minutes.

(8)Add bread pieces.

(9)Mix well. Cover with a lid and cook for 2-3 minutes over medium flame.

(10)Turn off the flame and remove the lid. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with tea as afternoon snack. You can also garnish it with sev.



Taste: Salty, soft and mild spicy
Serving Ideas: Serve Bread Upma with tea as evening snack or as a breakfast. Many south Indian households serve this food item as a dinner.

Aloo Tikki Burger Recipe 

Fast Food, Snacks,


It is a delicious combination of Indian aloo tikki and a soft bun. This is a derived snack food that combines Indian tradition with new western fast food craze. This Indian veggie burger with potato patties recipe uses soft bun, which is shallow fried in a butter and homemade aloo tikkis for complete burger experience preferred by Indian palate.

Ingredients:
2 Aloo Tikkis
2 Burger Buns
1 tablespoon Butter
1-2 tablespoons Tomato Ketchup
2 Lettuce leaves
2-3 tablespoons Mayonnaise
1 large Tomato, cut into round slices
1 medium Onion, cut into round slices
2 Cheese Slices

Directions:

(1)Cut bun horizontally into two halves. Heat butter in a flat pan and shallow-fry bun halves until light brown.

(2)Prepare the tikkis by following the aloo tikki recipe.

(3)Take bottom base of bun and spread tomato ketchup over it.

(4)Place lettuce leaf followed by aloo tikki.

(5)Spread 1-tablespoon mayonnaise over it.

(6)Place 1-2 tomato slices and 3-4 onion slices in given order

(7)Finally place cheese slice over it.

(8)Cover it with top base of the bun.

(9)Aloo tikki burger is ready for serving. Serve it with ketchup and soft drink.


Taste: It is outright delicious in every bite. The use of veggies like tomato, onion and lettuce adds subtle taste, flavor and crispness.
Serving Ideas: Serve it as a snack or as light evening dinner. It tastes even better when accompanied by fresh veggie salad or French fries and Coke or Pepsi.

Dry and Spicy Aloo Mutter Recipe 

Dry and spicy aloo matar is one of the classic Indian curry recipes with a fusion of potato and healthy green peas. This is such a common recipe that you will find this on every Indian restaurant’s menu cards. Learn how to make simple yet delightful curry from potato, green peas and Indian spices having taste as good as restaurant one with this dry aloo mutter recipe.

Ingredients:

2 cups chopped Potato cubes
2/3 cup fresh or frozen Green Peas
1 large Onion, finely chopped
4 cloves Garlic, minced or crushed
1-2 Green Chillies, finely chopped
1/2 tablespoon grated Ginger
2-3 Tomato, crushed or finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon Cumin Seeds (jeera)
1 teaspoon Coriander Powder (dhania powder)
1/2 teaspoon Red Chilli Powder (lal mirch)
1/4 teaspoon Turmeric Powder (haldi)
2 tablespoons Cooking Oil
2 tablespoons Fresh Coriander Leaves, chopped
Salt
Water


Directions:

(1)Heat oil in a kadai over medium flame and add cumin seeds in it. When they begin to splutter, add finely chopped onion and sauté until onion turns light brown. Add minced garlic, chopped green chilli and grated ginger, sauté for 30 seconds.

(2)Add and mix crushed tomato.

(3)Stir and cook until oil starts to separate for approx. 2-3 minutes.

(4)Add cubed potatoes, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder and salt.

(5)Stir and cook for 3-4 minutes.

(6)Add 1/2 cup water and let it boil. Reduce flame to low and cook covered for 7-8 minutes. Stir in between 2-times to prevent sticking.

(7)Add green peas and another 1/3 cup water and mix well.

(8)Cover with the lid and cook until potatoes and peas are fully cooked and almost moisture is absorbed (about 12-15 minutes). Add more water if required and stir occasionally in between to avoid sticking.

(9)Turn off the heat and garnish it with freshly chopped coriander leaves. Spicy dry aloo mutter is ready. Serve it hot.

Taste: Spicy
Serving Ideas: Serve it with phulka roti or plain paratha in lunch or dinner.

Paneer Pakora Recipe 

Paneer pakora is a deep fried popular north Indian snack with a crispy outer layer of gram flour and soft and moist paneer from the inside. Paneer slices (or cubes) are coated with the batter of gram flour(besan) and then deep fried until crispy. These pakoras can be made in two different ways- 1).simple (without stuffing), and 2). with the stuffing of green chutney (or tomato ketchup or chaat masala powder). For simple pakoras, paneer cubes are directly dipped into the gram flour batter and then deep fried. In this recipe, we have made the pakoras with the stuffing of green chutney. You can make the pakoras either simple or with the stuffing as per your preference. Both ways they taste delicious with the green chutney.

Ingredients:
125 grams(4 oz) Paneer
2 tablespoons Green Chutney + more for serving
1/4 teaspoon Chaat Masala Powder
3/4 cup Gram Flour (besan/ chickpea flour)
A pinch of Baking Soda, optional
1/4 teaspoon Garam Masala Powder, optional
1/4 teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
Salt to taste
Oil, for deep frying


Directions:

(1)Make thick green chutney by following this recipe. Add less water while making to make thick chutney. You can also use garlic chutney or chaat masala powder or any other chutney instead of green chutney.

(2)Cut paneer into 1½-inch wide and 1/3-inch thick(or 1/2-inch) 8-9 slices or small rectangles or squares.

(3)Take a slice of paneer and cut it from the middle keeping the other side intact using a knife. Cut all the slices in a similar way.

(4)Take one paneer slice and stuff it with the green chutney.

(5)Repeat the same process for remaining ones. Sprinkle chaat masala over it.

(6)Heat oil in a deep frying pan or a kadai over medium flame. Meanwhile, let’s make the batter. Take 3/4 cup gram flour, a pinch of baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon garam masala powder, 1/4 teaspoon red chilli powder and salt in a medium bowl.

(7)Mix all ingredients using a spoon. Add water little by little (used approx. 1/3 cup, add more or less as needed) and mix well to make smooth and thick batter having pouring consistency. Make sure that there are no lumps in the batter.

(8)When the oil is medium hot, dip a stuffed paneer slice in the prepared batter and coat it evenly.

(9)Place it gently into the hot oil. Add 3-4 slices at a time depending on the size of the pan. When the top surface turns light golden brown, flip them using a slotted spoon.

(10)Deep fry them until crispy and light golden brown from both the sides. Take them out using a slotted spoon.

(11)Drain excess oil and place them over the paper napkin in a plate. Hot paneer pakoras are ready to serve with green chutney or tomato ketchup.


Taste:  Crispy from outside and soft from inside
Serving Ideas: Serve pakodas with tomato ketchup, green coriander chutney and tea/coffee as an evening snack or side dish or starter in the party.
Author: Foram

Shahi Paneer Recipe

Curries, North Indian, Paneer Curries Snacks and Starters

It is a delicious North Indian curry made with paneer (cottage cheese) and tomato based spicy gravy laced with spices. This is a traditional recipe that has been followed from generations and has been mainstay preparation in Indian cuisine since the time of Moguls. This shahi paneer recipe uses cashew nut based tomato gravy to bring in the rich texture and flavor.

Ingredients:
250 gms Paneer (cottage cheese), cubed into 1-inch pieces
1 medium Tomato, crushed
2 medium Onions
5-6 Cashew Nuts
1 teaspoon Coriander Seeds, roasted
1-2 Cloves (lavang)
1/2 piece of Bay Leaf
A small piece of Cinnamon Stick
2 Green Cardamoms
1 tablespoon Ginger Garlic Paste
1/4 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
1/2 teaspoon Red Chili Powder
1/2 teaspoon Coriander Powder
1 drop of Red Food Color, optional
1/3 cup Curd (not sour), beaten
1/3 cup Warm Water
1/2 teaspoon Sugar, optional
2 tablespoons Fresh Cream
1/4 teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
2-3 strands of Saffron, dissolved in 1 teaspoon water, optional
3 tablespoons Cooking Oil or Ghee (clarified butter)
Salt to taste
1-2 teaspoons Kasuri Methi , for garnishing


Directions:

(1)Grind cashew nuts with roasted coriander seeds into smooth powder and keep aside until required.

(2)Blanch the onions by following the directions given in the “How to Blanch Onion” recipe and crush the blanched onion to medium coarse paste in a grinder. Heat oil in a kadai (or pan) over medium flame. Add cloves, bay leaf, cinnamon and green cardamom. When they begin to crackle, add crushed onion.

(3)Stir-fry until it becomes light brown for approx. 3-4 minutes.

(4)Add ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, a drop of red food color, cashew nut powder (prepared in step-1) and stir-fry for a minute.

(5)Add crushed tomato puree and salt.

(6)Stir-fry for approx. 2-minutes.

(7)Add curd, sugar and 1/3 cup warm water.

(8)Mix them and let mixture boil until oil starts to separate.

(9)Takeaway kadai from flame and let the mixture cool for 5 minutes. Discard whole spices (cloves, bay leaf, cinnamon and green cardamom), transfer mixture to a blender jar and blend it to smooth puree in blender or food processor. Again, transfer it to same kadai and place on the stove.

(10)Add fresh cream, garam masala powder and dissolved saffron.

(11)Mix well and cook for a minute.

(12)Add paneer cubes and mix properly to coat them with gravy.

(13)Cook for 3-4 minutes and turn off flame.

(14)Garnish it with kasuri methi and serve hot with Punjabi butter naan or tandoori roti in lunch.


Taste: Spicy
Serving Ideas: Shahi paneer can be served with butter naan, tandoori roti, paratha, kulcha, etc. for lunch or dinner. It also tastes better when served with steamed rice or peas pulao.

Vegetable Khichdi Recipe 

Pulao, Rice


Vegetable Khichdi is a tempting and nutritious comfort food from Indian cuisine. This recipe requires sautéing basmati rice, dal and mix veggies in ghee with spices followed by boiling in deep pan to make one of the best veg khichdi. Unlike other khichdi recipes, this recipe uses a deep pan with the lid to get a sparse, uncompressed texture. However, you can use pressure cooker to make it in a traditional way too (see tips given below).

Ingredients:
2/3 cup Basmati Rice
1/3 cup Moong Dal (split green gram)
1 medium size Onion, finely chopped
1 cup Mix Vegetables, chopped
3¼ cups Water
2 tablespoons Ghee
4 Cloves
5 Black Peppercorns
5-6 Curry Leaves
1 Cinnamon stick, broken into 2-pieces
2 small pieces of Bay Leaf
1/4 teaspoon Cumin Seeds
1/2 teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
1/4 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
2 tablespoons Coriander Leaves (chopped)
Salt

Directions: 
(1)Wash and soak rice and moong dal in water for 30 minutes. Drain and keep aside. Finely chop mix vegetables.

(2)Heat ghee in a deep pan over medium flame. When ghee is hot enough to sauté, add cumin seeds, cloves, bay leaves, cinnamon, black peppercorn and curry leaves. Sauté for 30-40 seconds.

(3)Add chopped onion and sauté until it turns light brown or for approx. 1-2 minutes.

(4)Add mixed vegetables (cabbage, green peas, potato, carrot, french beans) and sauté for 2 minutes.

(5)Add soaked rice, moong dal, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and salt. Mix well and sauté for 2-3 minutes.

(6)Add 3¼ cups water and bring it to a boil. When it starts boiling, cover it with a lid and cook for 10-15 minutes over low flame. Stir occasionally in between to prevent sticking.

(7)Open/remove the lid and let it cook until rice grain is tender and almost all water is absorbed; approx. 2-3 minutes.

(8)Turn off the flame and garnish it with coriander leaves.

Taste: Salty and spicy
Serving Ideas: Serve it on its own or with cucumber raita and mango pickle as a light and healthy dinner. Veg khichdi and Punjabi kadhi is a traditional combination menu for scrumptious dinner.