mushroom roast/mushroom 65

This is one of my all time favourite. After trying with lots of variations i found this simple one as the best. You can use this as an appetizer or as an accompaniment to any meal. I usually prepare in large batches as it can always be eaten as snacks.

Ingredients:

• Button mushrooms - 500gms
• salt - 2 tbsps or according to taste
• Chilli powder - 2 tbsps or according to taste
• White pepper powder - 1 1/2 tsps
• Egg white - 1
• Juice of 1 large lemon
• Rice flour - 2 tbsps
• Cornflour - 2 tbsps
• Plain flour - 1 tsp
• Oil for frying

method:

• Slice the mushrooms into half. Do not slice the mushrooms into small pieces as this will make them mushy. If the mushrooms are small in size like the baby button mushrooms just keep them as whole.
• mix all the ingredients except the mushrooms and oil in a mixing bowl. Add a bit of water (say 2 tbsps) if the batter is too thick. the batter should be in a dropping consistency.
• Heat the oil in the shallow pan. 
• Dip the mushrooms in the batter and deep fry then until golden brown. Serve with onion rings and a wedge of lemon.

 I took this mushroom for my little girl's Stay and Play group when they had a Party Theme. I just skipped the chilli powder and increased the amount of lemon juice a bit as it was for babies and toddlers. I found out that this made a great finger food. Hope you all like it too :)

cuisine - the culinary art

Hello friends
                Welcome to ''my cuisine''. According to me cuisine or the culinary art is just that an art. The art of creating delicious foods with a conscience to health has various dimensions  with which we can experiment and I have just started to experiment in my kitchen. Its almost like reading a novel(which by the way I love to do), there is a prologue- preparation of ingredients, then the main part- the actual cooking, then an epilogue- garnishing or the presentation. There is nothing more heartwarming than a hot aroma filled food on a cold rainy day to cheer us up or nothing more satisfactory than satisfying the taste buds of our loved and dear ones.This was the reason i found my new love for cooking. Hope you would enjoy my various recipes......

Garam masala

Garam masala is the mixture various spices which lends the fragrant aroma and the exotic twist of the taste in the Indian foods.

freshly prepared garam masala

Ingredients

• Coriander seeds - 5 tbsps
• Cumin seeds - 5 tbsps
• Black peppercorns - 4 tbsps
• Green cardamom pods - 20
• Cinnamon sticks - 3
• Cloves about 10 or 12

          Toast the spices in a pan with no oil until it releases the aroma. let it cool and then grind it in a mixer.
           Store in an airtight container.

Stuffed Pepper/Capsicum

This is a dish which is known worldwide. It can be used as a starter or as a midday snack. Its a delicious dish which I prefer to eat hot but can be eaten hot or cold.

stuffed pepper one with rice and other without

Ingredients :

• Bell Pepper/Capsicum  4
• minced meat - 250 gms
• Garlic paste - 2 tbsps
• Ginger paste - 2 tbsps
• Green chilies - 3
• Garam masala (see here for spice mixture)
• Red chilli powder- 2 tbsps
• Onion medium size - 1
• Oil - 5 tbsps
• Salt - according to taste
• Rice preferably basmati - 100 gms(optional)

Method

• Dice the onions.
• Slit the chillies length wise and deseed them. The best way to i find to deseed the chilli is by using a spoon with a thin edge. Just scrap them along chillies. Then cut them into small pieces.
• Take a shallow bottom pan add the oil and then add the ginger garlic paste with the diced onion and chillies. saute them for a minute or so.
• Add the minced meat along and fry well until the meat turns brown. Add the salt, garam masala and keep frying. Add a bit of water (say half a cup) if necessary. As the final consistency of the meat should be dry and not gravy like.
• Set the cooker on slow, cover the pan and cook till the meat is done. If the meat is not dry just fry on high till it becomes so.
• When the meat is cooking you can prepare the peppers but cutting around the stalk and removing the top of the peppers and removing the seeds and insides of  pepper. You can cut the pepper into half or leave it as whole for stuffing
• Cook the basmati rice and fluff it with a fork. mix the meat mixture with the rice and keep the mixture aside. (This step is optional as just the cooked meat alone could also be used as the filling). I mix just a part of the meat with rice so that i can have two fillings one with rice and the other without.
• Now stuff the pepper with the prepared stuffing taking care not to over stuff, replace the tops, set in a baking dish on the middle of a conventional oven and bake for 30 min at 150deg cel.
• Another method is to steam by placing the capsicum in a pressure cooker with water at the bottom. Do not place the weight of pressure cooker, cook for about 15 min till the skin of the pepper is chaffed and done.

Serve with tomato sauce and sprinkle with cheese if desired and serve hot.