White Sauce Pasta

Pasta with white sauce, Pasta with Bechamel Sauce, Alfredo Pasta

Bechamel Sauce which is popularly known as the White Sauce is one of the mother sauces. It is made by cooking equal quantities of butter and flour under low heat to form a roux. The whole sauce has to be done in low heat to retain the white color of the sauce. Once the roux is cooked, milk is added gradually with constant stirring and cooked until the sauce thickens. It can be flavored with any of the optional ingredients that I have mentioned below.

This sauce is used to make a variety of other sauces which I have listed below. So lets learn to make this basic sauce. I have given the recipe for Pasta with white sauce below. This sauce can also be used to make lasagnas, sandwiches, macaroni and cheese, alfredo pizza etc. The measurements given below makes a medium thick sauce. If you want to thin it out, add an additional 1 cup of milk.

Ingredients

• Butter - 2 tbsp
• All Purpose Flour - 2 tbsp
• Milk - 1 cup
• Salt - 1/2 tsp (or as needed)
• Black Pepper Powder - 1/4 tsp

Optional Ingredients

• Onion Powder - 1/2 tsp
• Italian Seasoning - 1/2 tsp
• Nutmeg Powder - 1/4 tsp

Method

1. In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium low heat.
2. Add the flour and keep mixing till the raw smell of the flour is gone and a nice nutty aroma comes.
3. Add warm milk little by little and keep mixing the mixture.
4. Add salt, pepper and other optional ingredients (if you are adding) and bring it to a boil.
5. Simmer for 2-3 minutes and switch off. This basic white sauce is also called Bechamel Sauce. You can use this sauce immediately or store it in the refrigerator for up to a week for later use.

Variations

• Use heavy cream instead of milk and you have Cream Sauce.
• Add about 1/2 cup of cheese to the sauce and you have Cheese Sauce. This sauce is also used for pastas and is called Alfredo Sauce.
• Add 1 tsp of mustard powder and you have Mustard Sauce.

Pasta with White Sauce (Alfredo Pasta)

Ingredients

• Pasta - 2 cups
• White (Bechamel) Sauce - 2 cups
• Cheese - 1/2 cup (Mozzarella, Cheddar or Parmesan Cheese)

Method

1. Boil any variety of pasta according to the package instructions. The pasta should be cooked al dente i.e. it should have a cooked but with a firm bite to it and not get mushy. 
2. Drain the pasta. 
3. Heat required amount of white sauce in a pan, add 1/2 cup of your favorite cheese and melt it. I usually prefer a combination of mozzarella and cheddar cheese. 
4. Add little milk (about 1/2 cup to 1 cup) to thin out the sauce as needed. 
5. When the sauce is heated through, mix in the cooked pasta. Yummy Alfredo Pasta is ready to serve.

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italian

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Egg Kurma

(Muttai Kurma)

Ingredients

• Eggs - 6 (Hard Boiled / Raw)
• Red Chilly Powder - 1 tsp
• Coriander Powder - 2 tsp
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
• Garam Masala Powder - 1/2 tsp
• Cilantro - for garnish
• Salt - to taste
• Oil - 2 tbsp

Pic 1 - Egg Kurma with hard boiled egg

List I

• Fried Onions (store bought) - 1/2 cup
• Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp
• Tomato - 2

List II

• Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup
• Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
• Poppy seeds (kus kus) - 1 tsp
• Cashew nuts - 5

Method

1. First of all, grind all the ingredients under 'List I' and keep it aside.
2. Similarly, grind the ingredients under 'List II' and set aside.
3. You can make this kurma in two ways
   • (i) Hard Boil the eggs and add it to the gravy.
   • (ii) Break a raw egg into the gravy and cook it.
   • The recipe is the same for both the kurmas.
4. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan/kadai and add the ground paste of 'List I'.
5. Saute for 2 minutes on medium high flame and then add the dry spice powders.
6. Next add the ground paste of 'List II', about 2 cups of water and required salt.
7. Boil this for about 7-8 minutes till everything is cooked and oil separates.
8. Add the egg at this stage and simmer for 4-5 minutes.
   • If you are adding hard boiled eggs, make few slits for the gravy to be absorbed (Pic 1).
   • If using raw egg, break open the egg and gently add to the simmering gravy for the egg to get poached (Pic 2).
9. Garnish with cilantro. Egg kurma is ready to be served

Pic 2 - Egg Kurma with poached eggs

Serving Suggestion

• Serve the egg kurma curry with pulao, chappatti or dosa.

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non veg

0

Oats Soup

(Oats Congee, Oats Porridge)

 Oats soup is one of the most easiest way of getting oats into your daily diet. It is simple to make with very few ingredients and can be served as a healthy meal with a slice of bread or as a satisfying appetizer. This soup is suited for people of all ages and for ailing patients.
 
Ingredients
Oats - 1 cup
Onion - 1/2 (finely chopped)
Green Chilly - 1 (finely chopped)
Garlic - 1 clove (minced)
Salt - to taste
Pepper powder - a pinch
Water- 1 cup
Milk - 1 cup
Oil - 2 tsp
Cilantro - for garnish

Method
1. Heat oil in a pan and saute the onions, green chilly and garlic till they begin to sweat. 
2. Now add the oats and fry along with it for 2 minutes.
3. Add salt and water and let it come to a boil. 
4. Now add the milk and pepper powder to it and bring to a boil. 
5. Garnish the rich and creamy oats soup with cilantro or green onions. Serve piping hot with a slice of bread.
 
Variations
    - You can add some finely chopped vegetables to the soup like carrots, green peas, etc.
    - You can also add a pinch of garam masala or cumin powder to make the soup more flavourful.

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healthy

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Butter Chicken

(Chicken Makhani, Murg Makhani, Butter Turkey, Turkey Makhani)


Ingredients
Turkey/Chicken - 1 lb (boneless, skinless)
Onion - 1 (chopped)
Tomato - 3-4 (chopped)
Cashews/Almonds - 5-6
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
Green chilly - 1 (chopped)
Kasoori Methi -  1/2 tsp + 1/2 tsp
Fresh Cream ( or Heavy cream) - 1/4 cup
Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp + 1/4tsp
Corriander cumin powder - 1 tsp + 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Garam masala - 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cilantro - for garnish
Butter - 2 tblsp                            
Salt - to taste                                                 
Oil - 2 tblsp

Method

1. Wash the turkey/chicken and cut it into 1 inch thick cubes. 
2. Apply little salt, chillipowder, corriander powder, kasoori methi and ginger garlic paste. Shallow fry in little oil and keep it aside. You can also put it in skewers and bake it in the oven.
     Tip :- To keep things simple, use 2 tblsp of tandoori chicken masala powder instead of all the individual spices (any brand is fine).
3. Heat some oil/butter in a pan and saute the onions followed by ginger garlic paste, green chilly and tomatoes.
4. When all these are nicely sauteed, remove from stove and let it cool a bit.
5. After it is cool enough to handle, grind everything in a blender/ mixie with the cashew nuts to make a paste.
6. Melt the butter in a pan, splutter some cumin seeds. Add this groud mixture and cook it for few minutes until the nuts gets cooked.
7. Next add the fried turkey/chicken pieces, with all the dry spices like chilly powder, corriander powder, turmeric powder, kasoori methi, garam masala and salt.
8. Cover and let it cook for 10-15 minutes in medium low flame so the flavours combine nicely.
9. Add the heavy cream, mix everything and let it simmer for few minutes.
10. Garnish with chopped cilantro or some cream and serve with pulav, naan, roti. It goes well with anything.

Tips
- If you do not have heavy cream on hand, substitute with whole milk and butter/cheese.
- In restaurants one spoon of sugar is usually added to the butter chicken gravy. I prefer without the sugar. You can add it to get the restaurant flavour.

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non veg

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Benefits of Amla - Amla is bitter - sour in taste

The original taste of Amla is like an Pineapple. The English name of Amla is Indian Gooseberry.

Despite of having a sour-bitter taste Amla is very nutritious. It is also known as Dhatri Phal due to its beneficial qualities. Dhatri means "the one who raise you i.e Mother".

Amla is present in high quantity in Chayawanprash. You can make Amla Murabba, pickle, jam, chutney etc with Amla. No matter in what way you consume Amla, you will definitely benefit from it in all forms.

Amla contains 20% more Vitamin than Orange. It helps in healing skin related ailments and delays the process of ageing. Amla makes your nervous system strong and is helpful in improving the memory power along with your beauty.

People who suffer from cough and cold and faces the problem with digestion can benefit from Amla

If you among those people who eat lots of junk food, then you should include Amla in your daily meals to keep yourself all the stomach related problems at bay. Eat Amla before going to bed at night. This will help in digestion and will dissolve all harmful elements present in the body.

Amla helps is flushing out all the toxic substances in the body. It clears the blood and makes your teeth and gums strong. If you will eat Amla daily it will definitely benefit you.

In summers eat one Amla Murabba everyday in the morning along with water. This will keep your mind and body cool. Amla Chutney is very tasty and increases the digestive power of your body. So lets start including Amla in our daily and consume it everyday to have a healthy life.

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healthy

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How to make Kesar Peda in Microwave

Making sweet, soft and tender kesar (saffron) peda is very easy. Preparing these pedas in microwave is more easy and less time consuming than making them on flame or wok.   

Ingredients for Kesar Peda

• Mawa - 1 cup (250 grams)
• Boora - 1 cup (175 grams)
• Milk - 1 tbsp
• Saffron - 20-25 (threads)
• Pistachios - 7-8

Allow the mawa to cool. When mawa is slightly warm then add boora. Meanwhile thinly slice pistachios. 

When mawa is bit cooled or is slightly warm, add boora and mix well. Grease your hands with some ghee. Take little amount of mixture or 1 tsp mixture, roll it  in a round shape and then flatten gently giving it a shape of peda. Keep 2-3 pistachios slices on the top and press gently. Place the peda in a plate. One by one prepare rest of the pedas.

Mouth drooling and luscious Kesar peda is ready. Store them in refrigerator and relish eating for 8-10 days. 

Suggestion:

If you'll add boora in hot mawa then mixture can get thin in consistency and it might get difficult in making peda. If this happens then place the mixture in refrigerator and use it day after for making pedas. 

If you add boora in too cooled mawa then the mawa-boora mixture can turn dry and may scatter. This will also make it difficult in making pedas. If this happens add 1/2-1 tsp hot milk and mix well. Now you can use this mixture for making peda. 

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indian

0

Macaroni Cheese Samosa Recipe

Macaroni and cheese stuffed samosas are relished alot as street food nowadays. You can prepare them as packets and samosas, Kids will love them for sure.

Ingredients for Pasta Samosa

For dough:

• Refined flour – 2 cups (250 grams)
• Ghee – ¼ cup (60 grams)
• Salt – ½ tsp

For stuffing

• Macaroni – ½ cup (boiled)
• Mozzarella cheese – 100 grams
• Tomato – 1 (paste)
• Green chilly – 1 (paste)
• Ginger paste – 1 tsp
• Green coriander – 2 to 3 tbsp (finely chopped)
• Red chilly – ¼ tsp
• Salt – ½ tsp or as per taste

How to make Macaroni Cheese Samosa Recipe

Add ghee and salt in refined flour and mix well. Now knead stiff and tight dough for making the samosa. Cover and keep aside the dough for 20 to 25 minutes to set.

Prepare the stuffing

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan. When the oil is sufficiently hot, add ginger paste, tomato-green chilly paste, followed by red chilly powder and salt. Now sauté the masala until oil starts separating from it.

Turn off the flame once the masala is ready. Mix boiled macaroni in the masala and mix well. Add some green coriander as well. Transfer the stuffing to a bowl.

When the stuffing cools downs, add grated mozzarella cheese and mix well.

After the dough is set, knead it again until smooth. Divide the dough into two equal portions or lumps.

Use the one dough ball for making the samosas and the other one for making the packets.

Divide the one dough ball into three equal lumps Take one dough lump and roll giving it a round shape with your hands. Place it on the rolling plate and roll out lengthwise, thinly. Divide the rolled sheet into two equal halves with help of a knife. Lift one part and keep it in your palm. Spread some water on the inner side and fold it in a cone shape (you can see the method for making cone in the video).

Stuff the cone with 2 to 3 tsp filling and give a fold or plate the back of the cone. Stick both the upper corners together with help of water and keep the prepared samosa on the plate. Likewise prepare all the samosas. 

Macaroni Cheese Packets

Now prepare 8 small lumps from the second dough lump. Lift one dough lump and roll giving it a round shape and roll out into 3 to 4 inch diameter rounds. Keep it thin. Place 2 to 2.5 tsp stuffing over this and fold giving it a shape like a packet. Use water to stick the edges. Packets are ready, place them on the same plate. 

Heat enough oil in a wok for deep frying the samosas and packets. The oil should be medium hot for frying the samosas. Place as many samosas or packets as much as possible in the wok and keep the flame medium. Fry until they get golden brown in color and drain out the fried ones in a plate. Likewise fry all the samosa and packets.

Piping hot and super delicious samosas and packets are ready. Serve with green coriander chutney, sweet chutney or any other sauce as per your desire and relish eating.

Suggestions:

• After stuffing the samosas and packets, stick them nicely using water.
• Fry the samosas on medium hot oil and fry on medium flame until golden brown.
• After stuffing the samosas, cover and keep them aside for half to 1 hour and fry later. With this the samosas get no bubbles on the top. Also, if you add moen while kneading the dough, even then there will no bubbles on the surface and samosas taste super delicious. 

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veg

0

Eggless Mayonnaise Recipe - How to make homemade mayonnaise

Mayonnaise is often used for salads, bread sandwich, burger or as a dip. You can very easily prepare this eggless mayonnaise at your home. Eggless Mayonnaise can be prepared with numerous styles. We are making two types of mayonnaise. 

Cream Mayonnaise Recipe

Ingredients 

• Cream - 1 cup (200 grams)
• Oil - 1/4 cup (50 grams)
• Vinegar - 2 tsp
• Black pepper - 1/4 tsp (coarsely ground)
• Mustard powder - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - 1/2 tsp
• Powdered sugar - 1 tsp

Milk Mayonnaise Recipe

Ingredients

• Full cream - 1/4 cup (60 ml)
• Vegetable Oil - 3/4 cup (150 ml)
• Salt - 1/2 tsp
• Black peppercorns - 1/4 tsp (coarsely ground)
• Mustard powder - 1/2 tsp
• Powdered sugar - 1 tsp
• Vinegar - 2 tsp

How to make Milk Mayonnaise 

Take chilled full cream milk for making mayonnaise. Place the milk in mixture jar, followed by powdered sugar, chilled oil (half quantity), salt, black pepper and mustard powder. Churn everything together. Open the lid of the jar and mix rest of the oil and remaining vinegar to it. Now churn until it gets thick and dense in consistency. 

Milk mayonnaise is now done and ready. Transfer it to another bowl.

Serve this lip smacking mayonnaise with salad, bread, sandwich, momos and so on. You will like the flavor of this mayonnaise. Store in any container and relish eating for up to a week.

Suggestions:

• You can use any kind of vinegar for this recipe or replace it with lemon juice. 
• Vinegar increases the taste and shelf life of mayonnaise.
• You can use hand blender to make the mayonnaise as it is easily visible how thick the mayonnaise is getting. Once it gets gets the desired consistency, stop whisking.
• While making mayonnaise in mixture jar, keep checking occasionally that it gets appropriate thickness. The moment mayonnaise gets thick, stop churning.
• Use chilled cream, milk and oil for making the mayonnaise. If these ingredients are chilled then you will get thick and dense mayonnaise else it will get thin in consistency.
• If the mayonnaise is getting thin in texture then place the jar inside the freezer for half an hour. Churn again to get the desired thickness in the mayonnaise.
• If the cream is too chilled and you whisk it too much then the milk and butter will start separating. If this happens then hold for 5 to 10 minutes and let the temperature reduce a little. After this whisk the mixture a little. You will get perfect mayonnaise.
• Time - 10 minutes

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veg

0

Instant Rava Uttapam with Besan - Instant Besan Sooji Uttapam Recipe

Instant besan uttapam prepared with semolina, fresh vegetables and chickpea flour can be served with chutney, tomato sauce in breakfast and also can be packed in tiffin for kids.

Ingredients for Instant Rava Uttapam with Besan

• Chickpea flour - 1 cup (100 grams)
• Semolina - 1/2 cup (100 grams)
• Curd - 1 cup (whisked)
• Capsicum - 1
• Tomato -1
• Green chilly - 1
• Oil - 2 to 3 tbsp
• Green coriander - 2 to 3 tbsp (finely chopped)
• Ginger paste - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - 3/4 tsp or to taste
• Eno fruit salt - 3/4 tsp

How to make Instant Besan Sooji Uttapam

Take chickpea flour and semolina in a big mixing bowl, add curd into it and whisk until lumps dissolve completely. Now add water in small portions and prepare a thick and dense batter. Cover and keep the batter aside for 10 to 15 minutes to set.

Finely chopped the tomatoes, capsicum and green chilies. 

Add these finely chopped veggies to the chickpea-semolina batter and stir to mix well. Now add salt, ginger paste, green coriander and mix everything nicely. If the batter appears to be too dense then add little water to it to get the right consistency.

Now in the end add eno fruit salt to the batter and mix gently. After adding eno fruit salt to the batter make sure you don't whisked it too much. Just stir to mix the eno fruit salt.

Heat a non stick pan or pan on a flame and spread some oil over it using a ladle or spatula.

Pour 1 tsp batter over the tawa and spread it evenly into thick roundel (we are making small sized uttapam, so we can pour batter to prepare 2 to 3 uttapams at the same time). Pour some oil all around and over the uttapam.

Cover the uttapam and let it roast on medium-low flame for 2 minutes. After this flip the sides.

Uttapam is roasted from beneath, turn the side and let it roast from the other side as well until it gets brown spots. Cover again and let it cook 

Now the uttapam is roasted well from both the sides, take it off from plate and likewise prepare rest of the uttapams as well. With this batter almost 12 uttapams can be prepared.

Serve these super scrumptious and steaming hot uttapams with green coriander chutney, tomato sauce or any other dip or chutney as per your taste and relish eating.

Suggestions:

• Make sure that the batter for uttapam is not too thin nor too dense in consistency.
• Keep the flame low-medium while roasting the uttapams.
• You can use cauliflower, peas, spinach or any other vegetable you like eating can be used for making these uttapams.
• Instead of eno fruit salt, you can use 1/3 tsp baking soda as well.

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veg

0

Chicken Sukka

Ingredients
Chicken - 1 lb (1/2 kg)
Onion - 1/2 ( diced in medium sized pieces)
Red Chilly powder - 1 tsp
Black Pepper powder - 1 tsp
Coriander/dhania powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
Garam masala powder -¼ tsp
Yogurt(curd) -2 tsp
Ginger garlic paste -1 tsp
Salt - to taste
Oil - 2 tsp
Coriander leaves - (for garnishing)

Method 
1. Wash and cut chicken in small pieces.
2. Take a bowl mix chilly powder, pepper powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, salt, garam masala, ginger garlic paste, yogurt and form a paste. Add the chicken pieces to this and rub at the masala on the chicken. Let this marinate for at least an hour in the refrigerator.
3. Now heat oil in a kadai and saute the chicken. Cover and cook it for 7 minutes or until it is thoroughly cooked.
4.Open the lid and fry on medium high flame for about 6 minutes or until all the water evaporates.
5. Add onions and fry for 2 more minutes.
6. Garnish with coriander leaves, split chillies and lemon or tomato slices .

Tips
- This can be served with biriyani, curd rice, chapatti.
- The juice of one lemon can be poured on top to enhance flavour.

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snacks

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