Cheese 'n' Herb Corn

Summer Treat, Picnic, Barbecue or Monsoon!!! A link between all 4 of them is "Corn (Makai)". Grill or boil or roast... it serves a fantastic flavor in all 3 ways :)

I'm a makai-lover, especially when it comes to be a road-side roasted one in those rainy days!!! Boiling them is probably quickest and simplest way if you are planning to infuse external flavors :) This time when I got a bunch of them from market, I was sure to apply different ideas stored in back of my mind for a long time... Cheese is something we always love and I love herbs too... Combined both of them and here you go!!!

CORN ON THE COB:

Pre-processing required to make 'Cheese 'n' Herb flavored corn is given below:

- Remove husks, silk and ending of makai.
- Pressure-cook it for 3 whistles in salted water.
- Drain excess water and pat-dry it.
- Corn on the cob is ready to get cheesy flavors!!! :)

 ADD A DASH OF FLAVORS:

• Get a small hole grater and a cube of your favorite cheese! I used a combo of cheddar n parmesan here... Grate it over corn on the cob, turn it on the other side and repeat the same.

• I didn't have any fresh herb on hand, so used mixed dried herbs for this flavor! Sprinkle a pinch of herbs for making it more aromatic... 

• And simply serve it :) 

Linking it to Preeti's Welicious Delicious - Corn Mania and Guru's Cooking Giveaway:

Masala Vada

Every morning after getting up from bed, 1st activity of the day is to enter in my kitchen and take a tea-pan in hand. It has been a routine call for me, skipping which I can't expect a good day!!! It happens at times when hubby is in hurry to leave for job, I still manage to have a quick tea-time :) If not, I don't specially make one for me... as I always believe, it's not something you can enjoy alone!!!

But now I wonder if that's the case of morning time only??!!! Naah... Whenever I make it, I expect myself to sip on a cuppa tea n do non-stop chattering with my hubby.. No matter if it's 8 am or 11 pm! :P

I do try a variety of flavors while making tea i.e. Ginger, Cardamom, Mint, Cinnamon, Cream etc.. Even iced/lemon tea is also included in my list! Many a times, it doesn't turn out to be the best... we still love it always! And to add an extra element to those beautiful tea-sessions, I keep a plate of some munching entity around ;) To bite something new, I tried this delicious, crunchy snack - "Masala Vada" and it worked great...

Makes: 12-15 

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup Chana Dal

1 tbsp Rice

2 tsp Besan 

2 tbsp Chopped Onions

1 tsp Ginger Paste

2 tsp Chopped Mint Leaves

1/2 tsp Garam Masala

1/2 tsp Roasted Cumin Powder

1/8 tsp Baking Soda

Salt, to taste

Oil, to deep-fry

STEPS TO FOLLOW:

- Soak chana dal and rice together in a bowl of hot water for 2 hours. Drain excess water out of it.

- Take them in a grinder jar and grind coarsely with minimal use of water (possibly no water).

- Transfer it to a bowl and add rest of all ingredients. 

- Mix everything well and heat oil in a deep pan.

- Make flatten tikkis of a small ball and slide 3-4 carefully at a time in frying pan.

- Deep-fry them till dark brown in color. Take them out on a crumpled paper towel to absorb excess oil.

- Serve hot with onion rings and Coriander-Mint Chutney.

SJ's NOTE:

- Besan can be eliminated completely as soaked chana dal doesn't need much binding. 

- I kept 2 tsp of soaked chana dal aside and added it later while mixing all ingredients for extra crunch!

Moong Sprouts Usal

A first sight in any Asian Stir-fried dish usually include Moong Sprouts lending nutty flavors n crisp texture to the dish! I used to wonder if I can make the same long, big n thick sprouts ever in-house! When I didn't know the technique, I found it tedious task to do!!! But when I tried it for the first time, I felt like a child who recently discovered a secret path to cookies jar :P 

I had a very popular Maharastrian dish - Usal, a long time back at my sister-in-law's place... It authentically is prepared using matki or moth beans! But I felt like making it with my moong sprouts for a change in taste. I kept them slightly under-cooked to retain its crunchiness but you can cook it for some more time according to your preference!!! 

Makes: 3-4 servings

INGREDIENTS:

2 cup Moong Sprouts

1 Chopped Onion (medium)

1 Green Chilly (finely chopped)

1 tbsp Tomato Puree

1 tsp Ginger-Garlic Paste

2 tsp Lemon Juice

1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder

1/2 tsp Coriander Powder

1/2 tsp Goda Masala

1/2 tsp Red Chilly Powder (optional)

1 tsp Sugar

Salt, to taste

For Tempering--

2 tsp Cooking Oil

1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds

1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds

A pinch of Hing 

STEPS TO FOLLOW:

- Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds into it. Once it splutters, add cumin seeds and hing as well.

- Once they start sizzling, add chopped green chillies and ginger-garlic paste into it and saute for a while.

- Mix chopped onions and cook it for a min till onions become translucent. 

- Add moong sprouts into it along with tomato puree and all the dry spices with sugar. Mix everything well.

- Cook it covered for around 3-4 mins and turn off the heat. 

- Add lemon juice over it and mix well. 

- Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve with phulka roti or rice :) 

SJ's NOTE:

- If you have a left-over Usal - Add chopped tomatoes, your favorite chutney, sev and a dash of chat masala!!! Enjoy it as a chat... :) 

- Here is a recipe link to make moong sprouts at home: 

http://myownfoodcourt.blogspot.com.au/2013/05/mung-sprouts.html

Linking this dish to Arthi's Curries n Gravies Event:

Paneer-Mooli Paratha

I had been to 'Jassi De Parathe' thrice when I was in India and since then I have got a long list of stuffed parathas to try in-house! I enjoy making them not only with different flavors but different texture too.

A few days back, I got a mooli (radish) from veggie market n thought of cutting it into slices for salad! Just forgot to do it before dinner every time... Finally, got to try my hands on making a new stuffing! Used my big-hole grater and worked on mooli first... Made some paneer at home and turned the gas on :)

These parathas looked a little crisp from outside but were so soft to melt in mouth! They had quite a distinct flavor of mooli and paneer mixed up with a pinch of ajwain... And how can I forget to mention, it smelled wonderful too :) My friend, Shalvi is definitely going to give it a try... How about you??!!! :)

Makes: 6-8

INGREDIENTS:

For Dough--

1 cup Wheat Flour

1 tbsp Yogurt

2 tsp Clarified Butter (ghee)

Salt, to taste

Lukewarm water, as required

For Stuffing--

1 cup Grated Mooli (Radish) 

1/2 cup Paneer (Cottage-Cheese)

1/2 tsp Ginger paste

1 tbsp Chopped Coriander

1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder

1/2 tsp Red Chilly Powder

1/4 tsp Ajwain

A pinch of Hing

2 tsp Cooking Oil

Salt, to taste

STEPS TO FOLLOW:

- Mix all ingredients of dough and knead to make a soft (roti) dough. Cover it and keep aside for 10 mins. 

- Add a pinch of salt in shredded mooli, keep it aside for 5 mins and squeeze all water out of it.

- Heat oil in a pan and add ajwain and hing with shredded mooli.

- Crumble paneer and add it into pan along with all the spices. 

- Mix everything well and cook it for around 3-4 mins. 

- Transfer it to another bowl and cool it down to room temp. Divide the stuffing in 6-8 portions and make balls. 

- Divide the dough in equal portions as well and roll them to make 3-4" in diameter. Put one balls of stuffing into it and fold covering it completely with dough.

- Roll it out again to make 7-8" in diameter (use wheat flour for dusting).

- Heat the pan and cook this paratha on both side by applying clarified butter (or oil). 

- Cook it evenly and serve hot with a bowl of curd! :)

SJ's NOTE:

- You can eliminate using paneer and make this paratha only with mooli.
- Ideally, finely chopped green chillies are used for stuffing. As I can't have much of it, I used red chilly powder here :)