Author: Sameera's Kitchen

Amul Butter Dal

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Few years back whenI was working, I had been to Nagpur for an audit,my station manager had bought a parcel for lunch from a small dhaba very famous for its amul butter Dal…minimal spices but amazing taste….served with crisp tandoori roti and brown rice….

A few days back I saw a reel by one of the food blogger about this Dal from Param da dhaba in Nagpur and I was immediately tempted to try it out… This recipe is from how he is making it in that video.

Trust me you will fall in love with these simple flavours….do give it a try.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Toor Dal

1/2 up Chana Dal.

50 gms Amul Butter.

1 tsp Jeera.

1 Onions chopped.

1Tomato chopped.

2 tsp Chilli powder

1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder.

1/4 cup Coriander Leaves chopped.

Salt to taste.

Method:

Wash and cook dal with water for upto 6 whistles. Let the pressure release naturally,open the cooker and mash the dal well.keep aside.

In a large, heat Amul butter add jeera and onion, sauté on high flame for a min, nowadd chilli powder, mix well.
Add the cooked dal with salt and mix well.

Add chopped coriander along with tomatoes and bring it to boil.

Let it simmer for 7  to 8 minutes on slow flame.

Remove in a serving bowl, top up with chopped coriander leaves and little amul butter.

Serve hot with roti or rice of your choice.

Happy Cooking!!!

Sameera.

Palak Paneer Rice.

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If you are a fan of Palak paneer,you will definitely live this dish.

It’s a one pot meal and can be made in a jiffy,tastes yummy when served with raita and papad.

Ingredients:

2 cups Spinach (Palak) roughly chopped.

2 Green  Chillies.

6 cloves Garlic peeled and chopped.

1 Onion chopped  finely.

1 Tomato chopped finely.

200 gms Paneer,cut into triangle pieces.

2 cup cooked Basmati Rice.

1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder.

1tsp Chilli Powder.

1 tsp Dhana Jeera Powder.

1/2 tsp Garam Masala Powder.

1 tbsp Butter.

Salt to taste.

2 tbsp Cheese grated for garnishing.

Method:

Wash and blanch spinach with chillies in boiling hot water for 5 minutes,drain and give it a cold water wash.

Once cold add to a blender jar and make puree,keep aside.

In a pan heat butter,add a pinch of turmeric powder and chilli powder,add paneer pieces,saute for a minute.

Remove in a dish and keep aside.

In the same pan add garlic and sauté for a minute, add  chopped onions and tomatoes saute well,add chilli powder, dhana jeera powder and turmeric powder saute till oil starts separating, add pureed spinach and salt,saute well.

Now add cooked rice,mix gently cover and cook for 2 minutes,add paneer pieces and garam masala powder mix gently.

Remove in a serving bowl,top up with grated cheese and serve hot with raita of your choice.

Tip:Fried potacan also be added to this rice along with or instead of paneer.

Happy Cooking!!!

Sameera.

Rosy Mocktail.

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This year summer is very extreme in pune,temperature reaches upto 36°,so I am exploring all my mocktail options.

This is very easy to assemble drink…cools you from within.Serve it chilled and it will taste amazing.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp Rose Syrup.

1 tbsp Lemon Juice.

1 tbsp Ginger Juice.

1 tsp dried Rose Petals.

1/2 cup Ice.

chilled Soda.

Method:

In a glass add rose syrup,lemon juice and ginger juice.mix well,top it up with chilled club soda.

Add ice,garnish with dried rose petals and serve immediately!

Happy Cooking!!!

Sameera.

Lettuce and Potato Salad

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This salad is easy and delicious summery dish.I usually serve it with garlic bread as dinner.

Is easy to make with minimal ingredients and delicious.
Traditionally this salad is made using only potato and lettuce,I had few florets of broccoli in fridge so added it.

Ingredients:

1 cup Lettuce.

1 big Potato.

1/2 cup steamed Broccoli(Optional)

2 tbsp Mayonnaise.

Salt and Pepper to taste.

Method:

Boil the potato with its peel, drain and peel it. Cut into small cubes.keep aside.

Wash and tear the lettuce into small pieces.keep it aside.

Cut Broccoli into florets,steam with a pinch of salt,drain and keep aside.

In a medium size glass bowl mix the salt,pepper and mayonnaise well toss with lettuce,Broccoli and potato.

Serve immediately.

Tip:Boiled eggs,shredded boiled chicken or sweet Corn kernels can also be added to this dish.

Also you can add Bread croutons or cheese balls for crunch.

Happy Cooking!!!

Sameera.

Moong Bhel

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Bhel is the most commonly sold chaat in the streets of Mumbai. Almost every street has its own friendly bhelwala with his inimitable blends of chutneys and masalas. Bhel is a delectable combination of papadis, farsan,puffed rice, sev, onions, potatoes, raw mango and chutneys.

Here the twist is that instead we have replaced puffed Rice with Sprouts,making it rich in protein and fibre.

Ingredients:

2 cups Moong Sprouts(steamed with salt and turmeric)

1/2 cup Nylon Sev

1/2 cup mixed Farsan.

10  Papadi

1/2 cup chopped Onions

1/2 cup boiled & chopped Potatoes.

1 tbsp finely chopped raw Mango (optional)

2 tsp fresh Mint chutney

4 tbsp Khajur Imli ki chutney

1 tsp Black Salt

1/2 tbsp Lemon juice.

chopped Corriander leaves.

Method:

Wash and soak moong for 6 hours,drain water cover and keep it overnight for sprouting,once sprouted, add little water,salt and turmeric and steam them covered for 2 minutes on medium flame.

Drain water and keep Prepared Sprouts aside to cool.

Once the sprouts have cooled down to room temperature,take a big bowl and combine all the ingredients in it,toss gently till all the ingredients are mixed well.

Divide into 4 equal portions and garnish each portion with the Sev,chopped corriander leaves and papdi.

Serve immediately.

Tips-Nylon sev is a very thin variety of deep fried besan sev used as a topping for chaats. It is readily available at most provision stores.

Happy Cooking!!!

Sameera.

Cold Pasta Salad.

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Since childhood, I have a weird habit of enacting to be a part of cookery show while cooking 😀
Today I got a chance to do that in reality, my darling friend Mrs Shilpa Dhage approached me to do a small recipe video for her Youtube Channel…amazing experience it was.

Few days back we friends had planned a pot luck I was assigned the task of making salad so i had made this super delicious cold pasta salad,was loved by everyone…..so we recreated it for her channel today.

This salad is easy to make with whatever vegetables or fruits u have at home.

Here I have used fusilli,can be made with any type of pasta,penne or even macaroni.

Instead of orange,tomato or cherry tomatoes can also be used.

I have added boiled egg as protein,instead shredded boiled chicken or cooked prawns can also be used,vegetarians can use tofu or paneer.

Can be given in tiffin to kids they will love it, also can be made in no gas cooking competitions in school.

So here goes the recipe,do try it to beat this scorching heat…

Ingredients:

1 cup each Cucumber,Lettuce,Red and Yellow Bell Pepper, Capsicum.

1 cup Broccoli (steamed)

1 cup each grated Carrot and Beetroot.

1 cup Boiled Sweet Corn and Green Peas.

1 cup Orange Wedges,cut into pieces.

1 cup Pomegranate  pearls.

8 Lettuce Leaves.

6 Boiled Eggs ( deskinned and cut into cubes)

2 cups Pasta cooked al dente.

1 cup Mayonnaise.

Salt to taste.

Mint or Basil Leaves for garnishing.

For  Dressing:

2 tbsp Olive Oil.

1 tbsp Honey.

Juice of 1 Lemon.

1 tsp Black Pepper.

Method:

Prepare all the fruits and vegetables and put it in fridge to cool.

Mix all the ingredients for dressing together and keep aside.

Line a big bowl with lettuce leaves.

Start spreading one ingredient at a time on it starting with beetroot, carrot,corn and green peas,bell peppers, Capsicum, Lettuce, orange Wedges,pasta and boiled eggs.

Sprinkle salt and add the prepared dressing,spread mayonnaise on top,sprinkle Pomegranate pearls and mint leaves.

Cover with cling film put in refrigerator to cool for half an hour.

Serve.

Tip:The salad gets it’s creamy texture and taste from mayonnaise,but if u want to skip it,you can use hung curd instead.

Fried bread croutons can also be added for extra crunch.

Happy Cooking!!!

Sameera.

Double Cheese Paratha.

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Parathas form an important part of North Indian breakfast and there is no way you can ignore them. Stomach-filling and delicious, stuffed parathas can be enjoyed with curd, pickles and even your favourite sabzi. You must have heard of the usual parathas like aloo paratha, paneer paratha, gobhi paratha; however, here is a paratha recipe that will make you eat them in no time. Double Cheese Paratha is something that you can easily prepare in the comfort of your home.They are really easy-to-make and can be prepared in a jiffy. It is a perfect dish to pack for your kids’ lunch box and they will love you for it!

It’s my son’s anytime favourite paratha.

Ingredients:

For Dough:

2 cups Whole Wheat flour.

A pinch of Carom seeds.

2 tsp + 1 tsp Ghee.

Water for kneading the dough.
Salt to taste.

For Stuffing:

4 Cheese slice.

4 tbsp grated Cheese.

Mixed herbs .

Other Ingredients:

Ghee for smearing.

Dry Flour.

Method:

For Dough:

In a bowl, add whole wheat flour, salt to taste, ghee and mix once.
Now, add water and knead it properly, apply ghee cover and keep aside for half an hour.

Make equal size balls and keep aside.

Now take a ball of dough and roll it using a rolling pin,spread little ghee and sprinkle dry flour,now place a slice of cheese in center,sprinkle 1 tbsp grated cheese and mixed herbs.

Close by overlapping cheese to form a square.

With light hand,using some dry flour roll into a square shape.

Now, apply some ghee on a pan and place the paratha and cook slightly crisp from one side,flip it and cook from the other side till done.

Smear ghee and serve hot with pickle, green chutney, mayonnaise or ketchup.

Happy Cooking!!!

Sameera.

Mango Mojito.

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Today I made this refreshing mocktail just to beat the heat of pune.

Mango Mojito is a refreshing summer mocktail made using fresh mango pulp and some simple ingredients,and can be made in less than 10 minutes..

This drink has the perfect sweetness from mango,tanginess from lemon and the fizz from soda and is a perfect summer mocktail to serve for sunday brunches and potlucks.

If you want to make an alcoholic version just add 30 ml white rum and you have an awesome cocktail ready.

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh Mango pieces.(from 1 mango)

1 tbsp Lemon Juice.

1/2 Lemon cut into Wedges.

10 mint leaves and some.more for garnishing.

1 tbsp Powdered Sugar.

1/2 cup Ice.

chilled Soda.

Method:

Add mango pieces to the small jar of a blender and blend until smooth,keep aside.

In a broad glass add lemon wedges, lemon juice,powdered sugar and mint leaves,muddle well with muddler.

Add mango pulp and ice,mix well,top it up with chilled club soda. Garnish with  mint leaves. Serve immediately!

Happy Cooking!!!

Sameera.

Raw Mango Rassam.

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I had seen this recipe on an Instagram reel and saved it to try someday..
This popular South Indian dish, Rasam means “juice” in Tamil.

In Southern India this delicacy is usually served along with steamed rice or as a drink,it is known to cool your stomach from within.

With lots of raw mangoes available in market, trying this recipe turned out to be not only interesting but also soul-refreshing.

I was a little skeptical to have it with rice as it is not served hot but at room temperature, but trust me tastes amazing with hot steamed rice.

So, if you are looking to make a new recipe using raw mangoes this summer,do give it a try…

Ingredients:

1 Raw Mango.

2 Green Chillies.

1 Onion thinly sliced.

2 tbsb Corriander Leaves finely chopped.

1 tbsp Jaggery Powder.

Salt and Pepper to taste.

For Tempering:

2 tsp Oil.

½ tspn Mustard Seeds.

¼ tspn Asafoetida.

2-3 Dry Red Chillies.

6 Curry Leaves.

Method:

Wash the mangoes and make slits in them using a knife.Roast the mango and green chillies on gas flame,rotating from all sides.

Keep aside to cool.

Once cool,peel the skin and chop mango into small pieces,add chopped mango and green chillies to mixie aling with some water.

Blend well to form puree,remove in a bowl,add 1 cup water,sliced onions, jaggery powder, Corriander leaves,pepper powder and salt,mix well.

Add more water if required,rasam should be watery in consistency.

Heat oil in a pan,add mustard seeds,asafoetida, dry red chillies and curry leaves and let them splutter for a few seconds.
Pour the tempering over the rasam.

Serve rasam with hot steamed rice or as a beverage.

Happy Cooking!!!

Sameera.

Satyanarayan Prasad.

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At my home every year in the auspicious month of Shravan we have Satyanarayan puja.

It’s a very popular ritual in many of the states of India and done yearly in many homes.This pooja is incomplete without offering special tirth and prasad to the lord.

This sheera which is made as prasad has a distinctive flavour,It is believed that any day other than Pooja,if you make this prasad with same measurement and technique still it won’t taste the same.

Traditionally it is made with equal measure of all the ingredients,and mostly 1.25 either cup,glass or kg.

Will be posting tirth recipe also soon.So next time you plan Satyanarayana Pooja you can definitely try these 2 recipes..
So here goes the recipe…

Ingredients:

1.25 kg Rava.

1.25 kg  Sugar.

1.25 Litre Milk.(Boiled)

1.25 kg Ghee.

8 Bananas(over riped) chopped finely.

15 Cloves(lavang).

2 Pinch salt.

1/2 cup chopped Dry Fruits (cashew nuts, Charoli,almonds and pistachios)

2 tbspn Cardamom (elaichi) Powder.

Few dried Rose Petals and sliced dry fruits for garnishing (Optional)

Method:

Heat 1/2 Ghee in a kadhai.Add rava and roast till it changes colour(turns into light brown) stiring continuously.Keep aside.

Bring milk to boil,keep aside.

In a Kadhai heat 1/4 kg ghee add cloves and chopped banana.stir well.
Cook stiring continuously till bananas are cooked and turn golden in colour.
Add chopped dry fruits,mix well.
Add roasted rava and salt.Stir well.
Boil 1/2 litre of milk,pour on hot rava,mix well once the water is absorbed add hot milk,mix well.

After the milk is completely absorbed in rava add sugar,mix very well.
Cover and cook till sugar melts completely.Now add remaining ghee,mix well and let it cook for another 2 minutes.

Switch off the gas and add cardamom powder.

Stir well garnish With sliced nuts and dried rose Petals.

Present to Lord and relish this yummy prasad with family and friends.

Tip:Make sure to use heavy bottom pan for making prasad or else it may stick to the base.

Happy Cooking!!!

Sameera.