Hasselback baby potatoes with mushroom sauce

Hasselback Potatoes are the Swedish version of baked potatoes. The name is derived from the restaurant where they were first introduced in the 1940s, Hasselbacken in Stockholm, Sweden.
Traditionally medium sized potatoes work best for this, but I tried making these with new baby potatoes and they looked even more beautiful. There are many variations of this dish, I served this with creamy mushroom sauce.

A perfect fancy side dish to please your guests....

Hasselback potatoes

Ingredients:

• 8-10 baby potatoes unpeeled
• 2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp dried mixed herbs (basil, thyme, oregano and rosemary)

Method:

• Preheat oven at 200 degree Celsius for 10 minutes.
• Place potatoes horizontally on a cutting board. Starting at one end, thinly slice each potato. Be careful not to cut through, the base should remain intact.
  


• Drop potatoes in cold water to remove starch from inner layers. 
• Drain out the water and pat dry the potatoes with a kitchen towel 
• Heat 2 sticks of butter in a pan, mix in the herbs, salt and black pepper, warm for 30 seconds and toss them over the potatoes. 
• Bake potatoes for 40 minutes at 200 degree celsius, until crispy from outside and soft from inside.

Mushroom sauce

Ingredients:

• 8-10 white button mushrooms thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 tbsp butter + 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup fresh cream
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp dried mixed herbs (optional)

Method:

• Heat oil and butter in a pan, add minced garlic, saute till you get mild aroma. 
• Add sliced mushrooms and saute for 2-3 minutes or until thery begin to shrink up a bit. 
• Stir in fresh cream, spices and mixed herbs, cook for 2 minutes. 

• Spoon the sauce over hasselback potatoes and serve.

P.S. You can try different seasonings and spices as per your taste.

Sunehra Paneer

Sunehra Paneer 
Restaurant style Paneer cooked in rich delicious, silky aromatic gravy will just melt in your mouth, it is perfect blend of spiciness and sweetness .

Ingredients:

• 200 gms cottage cheese
• 2 medium sized onions paste
• 3-4 medium sized tomatoes
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic and green chilly paste 
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1-2 cloves
• 1 big cardamom
• 3-4 green cardamom
• 2 tbsp kasuri methi
• 10-15 cashews soaked in water
• 2-3 tbsp beaten curd
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 sticks butter
• 1/4 cup cream
• Salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp sugar
• Red chilly powder to taste
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 2-3 tbsp oil

Method:

• Cut cottage cheese into rectangular pieces and set aside.

• In a deep bottom pan heat oil add cumin seeds, cloves, crushed green and big cardamom, cook for a minute.
• Add ginger garlic and chilly paste, saute till it leaves aroma, then add onion paste and fry till light brown in colour.

• Blend together tomatoes and cashews and saute till oil separates, put salt, red chilly powder,coriander powder, turmeric powder and saute for a minute.
• Add beaten curd and stir well, now add butter, cream, milk, kasuri methi, sugar and bring it to a boil, reduce flame and cook for 2-3 minutes.

• Add paneer cubes and cook for 2-3 minutes and simmer the flame.Discard whole masalas before serving.

• Switch off flame and garnish with coriander leaves.

Potato Chatpati Frankie

Much delighted to have this guest post today from the very talented Shreya Tiwari. An incredible cook, she is a wonderful person always looking forward to helping everyone around her. While she easily cooks to taste that brings joy from her preparation, she is a powerhouse of ideas that add immense health with just no compromise on taste.

Today, she picks from the best of her creations, a typical street food popular in Mumbai as 'Potato Chatpati Frankie'  !!!!

From the kitchen of Shreya:

I have known her for just a few months now... but we really did click over food. She's a really nice girl! We met through a food group and became friends... discussing recipes and stuff.
I love her food, it's delicious n honest. Do try her Rava Muruku! I did...it's fabulous ☆☆
So.....
When she asked me to do a guest post for her blog....I didn't think twice before agreeing!!
But I did think about what I wanted to make for her.. and played with a few ideas that didn't sit well with me...
However, Potato Chatpati Frankies seemed to work... and will be sharing the recipe here.
I am super proud of Deepti... and I know Cookoholichomemaker will Rock!!

Potato Chatpati Frankie!

Ingredients for the filling:

• 6 boiled & mashed potatoes 
• 3tbsp butter /oil 
• 1 tbsp chat masala 
• 1/2 tsp red chilly powder
• Salt to taste
• 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves 
• 1.5 tbsp ginger garlic paste 
• 1/4 tsp garam masala (optional)

Method:

• In a pan heat butter/oil, add the mashed potatoes and all the other ingredients one by one and saute for 3-5 mins. 
• The filling is ready.
  

Ingredients for Onion Salsa:

• 3/4 cup finely chopped onion.
• Red chilly powder to taste
• Dry mango powder/Amchur to taste.

Method:

• Mix the above ingredients well in a bowl & set aside.
  

Ingredients for Vinegar Sauce:

• 5 tsp vinegar 
• 1/2 tsp chat masala 
• 1/4 tsp red chilly powder
• 1/2 tsp frankie masala (optional)

Method:
Mix all the ingredients well in a bowl and set aside.

Ingredients for the Base of the Roll:

• 3 cups Wheat flour/All purpose flour
• Salt to taste
• Water to knead the dough.
• 1/2 tsp Oil 

Method:

• Make a soft dough using the above mentioned ingredients, set it aside for 10 mins.
• Make 5-6 thick paratha and cook them well on both sides on a tava using ghee/ butter, keep them aside.

Assembling:

• Take a paratha, put the potato filling vertically in the centre. 
• On top of that drizzle some vinegar sauce & onion salsa. (Add grated cheese if you wish)
  
• Now roll the paratha to make a tight parcel, wrap it in a foil paper & serve with ketchup /mayonnaise /any dip of your preference.
• Repeat for all the parathas.
  

Note:

• One can pack these for lunch box too.
• Use any other variations in the filling like Paneer /non veg..etc
• I used wheat flour for the dough to make it healthier, originally it is prepared using All purpose flour(Maida)

Raj kachori

Raj Kachori, the royal chaat bowl from Rajasthan.

Crispy and puffed puris are filled with yummy goodies and topped with different chutneys.These can be made well in advance and stored in air tight container.

Ingredients:
For the kachori:

• 1 cup semolina (Sooji)
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour (Maida)
• Salt
• Water to knead
• Oil to fry

For stuffing:

• 1/4 cup boiled channa and boiled whole moong dal
• 1 med sized boiled potato
• Salted boondi
• Papdi(optional)
• 1/2 bowl beaten curd
• 2 tbsp tamarind chutney
• 2 tbsp Mint Coriander chutney
• Salt to taste
• Red chilly powder to taste
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder

For Garnishing:

• 2 tbsp pomegranate seeds
• 2-3 tbsp besan sev (for recipe click here)
• Chopped coriander leaves.
• 1/2 tsp chaat masala
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp red chilly powder

Method:
Sieve semolina, all purpose flour in a bowl add little salt

Knead into a tight dough using little water at a time.

Cover this flour with a damp kitchen towel and rest it for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes knead again to a smooth dough.

Divide the dough into equal lemon sized balls.
Roll into thin round roti/puri using little oil.

Heat oil in a wok. Drop single kachori at a time (leaving the rest covered with damp cloth), press the kachori lightly with a ladle so that it puffs well.
Once it is puffed, lower the flame and fry till it turns golden brown from both sides.
Take out on an absorbent paper and repeat the similar process for all the kachoris.

Before serving break the kachoris from the middle and stuff with few pieces of boiled potatoes, boiled moong dal, channa, crushed papdi, tamarind chutney, mint and coriander chutney, beaten curd, add salt, red chilly powder,cumin powder.

Top it with some besan sev, pomegranate seeds and chopped coriander leaves.
Sprinkle chaat masala,cumin powder and red chilly powder on top and serve immediately.

Notes:

• Roll the puri/roti very thin to make it crispy.
• Fry puris in moderately hot oil. If the oil is too hot you'll get burnt puris and less hot oil will makethe puris absorb too much oil.
• Ingredients and quantity of stuffing can be changed as per taste.

Wheat flour soup

The best way to beat the winter chill is a steaming hot bowl of soup.Try this healthy wheat flour soup with goodness of vegetables, aromatic spices and condiments.

Wheat flour soup

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup wheat flour
• 2 cups water
• 2 tsp oil
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 small cinnamon stick
• 2 cloves
• Salt to taste
• Black pepper powder
• Sugar a pinch( optional)
• 1/4 bowl chopped veggies of your choice( I used carrots and beans)
• Some chopped coriander leaves
• 1/4 tsp mixed herbs( oregano, thyme, rosemary)
• 1/2 tbsp lemon juice ( optional)
  

Method:

• In a wok heat oil, add chopped garlic, cinnamon stick and cloves and sauté for few seconds.
• Add wheat flour and cook for a minute or two just to eliminate the raw flavour, do not over cook.
  
• Add water, salt, black pepper, sugar, herbs, chopped vegetables, coriander leaves and mixed herbs and cook for 3-4 minutes stirring continuously to avoid lumps.
• Add lemon juice for tanginess.
• Discard cinnamon stick and clove before serving.
• Add butter if you want.
  

Notes:

I like my veggies little crunchy you can choose to par boil or steam your vegetables before adding it to the soup.

Smoked dal fry baingan bharta and tandoori roti

For all the Indian highway food lovers here are some authentic Dhaba food flavours: Smoked dal fry, Baingan ka bharta and tandoori roti

 Smoked dal fry

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup yellow moong dal
• 1/4 cup pigeon peas split
• 1/4 cup bengal gram split
• 1/8 cup red split lentil
• Salt as per taste
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder

For tempering:

• 2 medium sized onions chopped
• 2 tomatoes chopped
• 1/2 inch ginger piece finely chopped
• 5-6 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 1 green chilly chopped
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp red chilly powder
• Some chopped coriander leaves
• 2 tbsp Ghee

For smoking:

• A chunk of Charcoal
• A pinch of asafoetida
• 1 tbsp ghee/ clarified butter

Method:

• Wash all the lentils, soak them in water for at least 2 hours.
• Pressure cook with salt and turmeric for 4-5 whistles, let the pressure release naturally do not force open, keep aside.
• In a deep bottomed pan heat ghee, add chopped ginger, garlic, green chilly and saute for a for few seconds.
• Add chopped onions and cook on medium flame till golden brown.

• Add chopped tomatoes and cook till oil leaves sides.
• Put chilly powder, coriander powder and add the cooked lentils and cook on medium flame for 5-7 minutes.

• Add some chopped coriander leaves and stir. Temper once again with cumin seeds and red chilly powder.

Smoking:

• Take a big charcoal piece and heat it  directly on flame till it turns red on both sides.

• Put a bowl in your in the dal pot, place the charcoal piece carefully, add pinch of asafoetida and a spoon of ghee on hot charcoal, add immediately cover for at least 5 minutes.

• When done take out the charcoal bowl and serve.

Baingan ka Bharta

Ingredients:

• 2 big Brinjals /Eggplant
• 1/4 cup green peas
• 2 onions chopped
• 2 tomatoes chopped
• 1 green chilly chopped
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• Salt to taste
• Red chilly powder to taste
• Some fresh coriander leaves
• 2 tbsp Oil

Method:

• Clean and wipe brinjal and apply little oil and roast on open flame, keep turning brinjal after every 2-3 minutes to roast evenly, roast till the skin is charred and the inside flesh becomes soft.

• When done, allow it to cool completely ad discard the charred skin. Coarsely mash and keep aside.
• In a pan add oil, when hot add cumin seeds and cook till the splutter.
• Add chopped onions and green chillies and cook till onions turn golden brown.

• Add chopped tomatoes and dry spices and cook on medium heat for 3-4 minutes.

• Add green peas and cook till the peas are tender.

Now add roasted and mashed brinjal and mix well, add some coriander leaves, mix and cook for about 5-6 minutes.

• Serve hot.

Tandoori Roti

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• Salt to taste

Method:

• Knead a soft wheat flour dough using required water, wrap with a damp cloth and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.
• Divide dough into 12-15 equal parts and roll with the help of a rolling pin, slightly thicker than the normal roti.
• Turn on the flame, place the girdle/wired rack over the flame.
• Put the rolled roti over it.

• Cook from one side till bubbles appear and flip and cook from the other side too.(Generally this takes around 1-2 minutes)

• Remove from flame and serve hot.