Bread Pakoras (Potato Stuffed Deep Fried Bread) Recipe!!

Monsoon is finally here in IL. We have been getting rain almost everyday and on such days I crave for Pakoras :) Usually I go for Cauliflower Pakoras (Recipe here) or simple Potato-Onion Pakoras but this time I wanted something different and at the same time wanted to make use of Bread that was lying in my kitchen unopened. I made Bread Pakoras! I love Bread Pakoras because they are filling, easy to make as well as are super crunchy and yummy. Here you go guys, enjoy the step by step process:

Yumminess :x

Prep time: 20min(s) Cook time:20min(s) Total time: 40min(s)  

Things you will need:

• Bread Slices (4-5)
• Potato (1 large, boiled/microwaved and mashed)
• Onion (1, medium size, finely chopped)
• Ginger-Garlic Paste (1 table spoon)
• Cilantro (1/2 cup, finely chopped)
• Salt (according to taste) 
• Serrano Pepper/Green Chilies (1-2, finely chopped)
• Red Chili Powder (optional, 2 tea spoons)
• Cumin-Coriander Powder (1 table spoon)
• Oil (3 cups)
• Besan/Gram Flour (1 cup)

Directions:

1. On a deep dish, add mashed potatoes, chopped onion, Serrano pepper, cilantro, ginger-garlic paste, salt, red chili and cumin-coriander powder. Mix everything well.
2. On a bowl, add besan and 2 and 1/2 cups of water. Stir well and make sure liquid is thinner in consistency.
3. Heat oil on a heat between medium and high. Before you go to next steps.
4. Take a slice of a bread and top it with potato mixture from step 1. Close it up with a regular slice and cut in whichever shapes and sizes you want. I prefer diagonal.
5. After cutting, dip bread in Besan Mixture (step 2). Make sure to stir the mixture before you dip.
6. Fry dipped bread until red and crispy.
7. Enjoy with tomato chutney (Golbheda ko Achar) (Recipe Here) or any kind of ketchup :)

Teej Celebration 2014 :)

This year again we ladies had lots of fun :) Theme was same traditional red attire, food was Nepali but everyone were allowed to be creative, dance was just in Teej numbers, taking pictures was the same if not even more, and gossiping as always with ladies was a must ;) Even though, I do not follow any ritual procedures (Click here if you want to know about Teej more) of this fiesta, I have started liking it a lot. I just like everything about Teej: dressing pretty, dancing, taking pictures, eating great food, and gossiping about our husbands ;) 

Girls this year looked more well dressed than last year. It looks like everyone were prepared and had brought Nepali goodies all the way from home. The designs of their necklaces, beautiful embroidered sarees, wonderful gold hair-clips, and the excitement on their faces were just amazing :x This year too, we had decided to celebrate Teej at my place and only girls were invited. The only different we did this year compared to last year was that we collected some funds for flood victims back home. This made Teej more special and I especially am so proud of ourselves. Living abroad has taught me to appreciate our cultural values as well as our society as a whole. 

I first was little hesitant to put this idea in front of everyone because I didn't know if my friends would agree but they were so kind. I just had to type a text and they were all excited to make a donation. We will be giving money collected to Blinknow.org to help the flood affected victims in Surkhet. Our Teej this year ended with fun, excitement, and a hope to make a small change in peoples' lives back home. Below is a glimpse of what we did this year and if want more, click here to view our Teej last year. Enjoy and happy Teej to all Nepali ladies around the globe >:D<

 :)

Aloo Bodi ko Tarkari (Long Beans-Potato Curry)!!

It's been years since I hadn't had Young Beans (Bodi) until I saw it yesterday in the Indian Store. Bodi is like other basic vegetables in Nepali kitchen. It is very simple to cook and is extremely popular back home. We get so many varieties of Bodi in Nepal, for example the ones that are grown in hilly areas, shorter in length as well as longer ones. And each vary slightly in taste. Even though we do not get every kind of Bodi here in the United States, I am more than happy to find one of the many kinds. I found the longer ones and I made a simple everyday curry out of it. Enjoy :)

Prep time: 10mins(s) Cook time: 20min(s) Total time: 30min(s) 

Things you will need:

• Young Beans ( a bunch (10-13), wash and break it two inches apart and)
• Potato (2 medium, peeled and cut in cube sizes)
• Tomatoes (2 medium, finely chopped)
• Ginger-garlic paste (1 table spoon)
• Fenugreek Seeds (1 tea spoon)
• Black Mustard Seeds (1 tea spoon)
• Cumin Seeds (1 tea spoon)
• Salt (according to taste)
• Turmeric Powder (1 tea spoon)
• Cumin-coriander powder (1 table spoon)
• Timur Powder (1/2 table spoon, optional)
• Red Chili Powder (1/2 table spoon)
• Oil (3 table spoons)
• Water (4 cups)

Directions:

1. Heat oil and add cumin, mustard and fenugreek seeds. Fry until brownish black.
2. Add potato, salt and turmeric powder until slightly golden brown.
3. Add Young beans. Stir, cover and cook for 3-4 minutes on a medium heat.
4. Add all of the remaining ingredients except water.
5. Stir cover and cook for 5 minutes.
6. Add water. Stir cover and cook for another 5 minutes.
7. Done!! Enjoy with rice or bread :)

Easy Cabbage Potato Salad (Achar) Recipe!!

I do not like Mondays at all!! I feel tired and am still in the weekend mood. Today, I was so tired that I literally ate Cabbage Potato Salad (Achar) combined with beaten rice. Hungry and exhausted me ate every bit of it. Writing recipes has helped me to eat well otherwise on days like today, I would have just gone straight to bed and forget about the dinner. Most of you in my opinion are already familiar with this recipe and if not here you go guys, have fun :)

Prep time: 10mins(s) Cook time: 5min(s) Total time: 15min(s) 

Things you will need:

• Cabbage (half of a small size, finely chopped)
• Potato (2 medium sized, boiled, peeled and cut in cube sizes)
• Sesame Powder ( if seeds: roasted and grounded to a fine powder)
• Turmeric Powder (2 tea spoons)
• Red chili Powder (1 table spoon)
• Onion (1 small, finely sliced)
• Serrano Pepper/Green Chilies (1-3, finely chopped)
• Salt (according to taste)
• Oil (4 table spoons)
• Fenugreek seeds (1 tea spoon)
• Lime Juice (3 table spoons)
• Water (1/2 cup)

Directions:

1. On a large bowl, place all of the mentioned ingredients except fenugreek seeds, oil and lime juice.
2. Heat pan and add oil. Add fenugreek seeds and fry until brownish black.
3. Pour over the mixture in the bowl. 
4. Add lime juice, water and mix everything well.
5. Done!! Enjoy with rice, bread or beaten rice :)

Khasi Ko Masu (Nepali Style Mutton Curry) Recipe!!

I usually make chicken curry (recipe here) and always think both mutton and chicken curry are same. But people disagree!! Especially my friends they are crazy about Khasi ko Masu (Mutton Curry). They say nothing can beat Khasi ko Masu made in Nepali way. Since, it had been a while that I hadn't made one, I decided to make it today and guys seriously my friends are correct. The dish came out to be so delicious and surprisingly the taste was just like what my mom used to make back home :) So, without any further due lets get started :x Also, click here for Nepali Style Pan Fried Mutton (Khasi ko Bhuteko Masu) Recipe!!

Superb >:D<

Prep time: 5mins(s) Cook time: 30min(s) Total time: 35min(s)

Things you will need:

• Mutton (Boneless/ With bones. I used with bones. 2 lbs)
• Cumin Seeds (2 tea spoons)
• Fenugreek Seeds (1 and 1/2 tea spoons)
• Fennel Seeds (2 tea spoons)
• Cloves (3-5)
• Black Mustard Seeds (2 tea spoons)
• Cinnamon stick (2, halved)
• Cinnamon leaves (2, hand crushed)
• Salt (According to taste)
• Turmeric powder (2 tea spoons)
• Onion (1 large, finely sliced)
• Green Chilies/Serrano Pepper (1-3)
• Oil (half cup)
• Tomato (1 large, finely chopped)
• Cumin Powder (1 table spoons)
• Coriander Powder (1 table spoons)
• Meat Masala (2 table spoons)
• Red Chili Powder (1 table spoon)
• Ginger-Garlic Paste (2 table spoons)
• Water (3 cups)

Directions:

1. On a pressure cooker, heat oil and add cinnamon leaves, cinnamon sticks, cloves, cumin, mustard, fenugreek, and fennel seeds. Fry until brownish black.
2. Add onion and serrano pepper (Green Chilies) and fry until golden brown.
3. Add mutton, turmeric powder and salt. Cover, stir and cook on a heat between medium and high for 15 minutes. Make sure to stir periodically until meat looks slightly red and crispy.
4. Add ginger-garlic paste, tomatoes, cumin, coriander, meat masala, and red chili powder. Stir, cover and cook for another 5 minutes. 
5. Add water and stir couple of times. Close the pressure cooker lid and on a medium heat cook it until it whistles thrice. 
6. Mutton Curry is done :) Simple but extremely tasty :D

Chicken Chili Recipe!!

Chicken Chili is very famous in Nepal. Almost every restaurant carrying MOMOs will offer this dish as well. I love stir fry vegetables and when combined with meat it becomes delicious. In order to make Chicken Chili, you will first need to make Chicken Roast (Click here for recipe). This is my first time making this dish and I am so amazed by the results. It came out to be  exactly what we get back home. I am so proud of myself ;) and this definitely made me forget my stressful day at work today. Now a days, cooking has became a serious passion for me :) I want to learn more and more as I cook and share recipes with you all :x Here you go guys, make your day with this easy Chicken Chili recipe:

Fantastic >:D<

Prep time: 1 hr  Cook time: 1 hr 20 mins Total time: 2 hrs 20mins

Things you will need:

• Chicken Roasts (4 cups, Click here for recipe)
• Yellow/Red/Green bell peppers (1, I used half yellow and half green, cut in cube sizes)
• Onion (1 small, cut in cube sizes)
• Zucchini (optional, 1 small, cut in sizes)
• Garlic (4-5 cloves)
• Serrano Pepper/Green Chilies (1-2, finely chopped)
• Tomato (1, cut in cube sizes)
• Ginger-Garlic Paste (1/2 table spoon)
• Red Chili Paste (1 table spoon)
• Tomato Ketchup (4 table spoons)
• Soy Sauce (2 table spoon)
• Oil (3 table spoons)

Directions:

1. Heat oil and add all of the above mentioned ingredients except Chicken Roasts and tomatoes.
2. Stir and cook everything for 5 mins on a high heat.
3. Add Chicken Roast, stir and cook for another 3-5 minutes. 
4. Add tomatoes and lightly stir the mixture.
5. Garnish with Cilantro and enjoy the yumminess :)