Veg. Maki Sushi Rolls - Japanese style

 

          Japanese Cuisine is full of surprises and are basically simple and healthy. So check out these yummy and visually appealing Japanese Maki Sushi Rolls. Kids will enjoy if they are involved in making them. In fact, it is a best way to serve fussy kids with their favorite dips. They can be packed in their lunch box with their favorite stuffing. They will be a sure hit with them.

          These Maki Sushi Rolls are made with Sushi rice. Very few ingredients goes into making them. They can also be relished as appetizers, snacks or main course with soya sauce. For a change, I sprinkled some red chili flakes and pepper powder over the boiled rice. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare my version of these yummy Veggie Maki Sushi Rolls. 

            

          Cooked sushi rice which is sticky and seaweeds are the two main ingredients in this recipe. However, in the absence of the former, I used Egyptian rice. They came out perfect. 

          Seaweed is widely used by the Japanese and the Chinese as well. It contains a lot of minerals, nutrients, iodine, calcium, is low in calories and helps in purifying the blood. So it is highly recommended for a well balanced diet. You can make various dishes with it. 

          

• 1 cup Sushi / Egyptian rice
• 1 & 1/4 cup water
• 3 nori sheets
• mixed veggies (capsicum, spring onion, cucumber, carrot, red & yellow bell pepper), juliennes
• 2 tbsp. vinegar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. sugar
• mayonnaise as required
• tomato sauce as required
• pinch of pepper powder
• pinch of red chili flakes
• soya sauce to serve

          Wash the soaked rice 3-4 times or until the water comes out clean. Then soak in fresh water for 30 minutes. Drain well and keep aside.

          In a saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add the drained rice and simmer, covered on a low flame for 12-15 minutes. Set aside and let it sit covered for 10 minutes. 

          In a small bowl, mix together the vinegar, sugar and salt. Add this mixture to the cooked rice and combine well. Keep it covered. 

          Take a sushi (bamboo) mat and place a nori sheet on it with the glossy side down. Now wet your hands and spread a handful of the cooked rice over the nori sheet. 

          Sprinkle some red chili flakes / pepper powder over it. Then add some mayonnaise / tomato sauce place, followed by some of the stuffing.

          Now with the help of the sushi mat roll the nori sheet by gently pressing it as you go. 

          Once done, transfer to a chopping board and cut them into equal size portions by cleaning the knife with a damp cloth each time you slice the rolled sushi. 

          Serve immediately with soya sauce and tomato sauce as an appetizer or main course. 

Mixed veggies (capsicum, spring onion, cucumber, carrot, red & yellow bell pepper), juliennes.

Wash the soaked rice 3-4 times or until the water comes out clean. Then soak in fresh water for 30 minutes. Drain well & keep aside. In a small bowl, mix together vinegar, sugar & salt. Add this mixture to the cooked rice & combine well. Keep it covered. 

Take a sushi (bamboo) mat & place a nori sheet on it with the glossy side down. Now wet your hands & spread a handful of the cooked rice over the nori sheet. Sprinkle some red chili flakes over it. Then add some mayonnaise,

                     followed by some of the stuffing.

Now with the help of the sushi mat, roll the nori sheet by gently pressing it as you go. 

Take a sushi (bamboo) mat & place a nori sheet on it with the glossy side down. Now wet your hands & spread a handful of the cooked rice over the nori sheet. Sprinkle some pepper powder over it. Then add some tomato sauce,

                    followed by some of the stuffing.

With the help of the sushi mat, roll the nori sheet by gently pressing it as you go. 

Transfer to a chopping board & cut them into equal size portions by cleaning the knife with a damp cloth each time you slice the rolled sushi. 

Serve immediately with soya sauce & tomato sauce as an appetizer or main course. 

Ande Ki Burfi (Egg Dessert - Hyderabadi style)

 

          Want to surprise your family and friends with a really unique dessert? So let me share a very easy and an unique Burfi recipe made of eggs. They come out real yummy and takes very little time to dish out. This is my first try and it turned out real awesome. 

          I bet no one will be able to guess the core ingredient. So you can play the guessing game. Adjust the ghee and sugar according to your preference and surprise your loved ones with this Hyderabadi delicacy. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this amazing dessert.

  

• 3 eggs
• 4-5 tbsp. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
• pinch of yellow colour (opt)
• 1 tsp. rose water
• 1-2 tbsp. pistachios, chopped
• 2 cups milk
• 3/4 cup bread crumbs
• 2 tbsp. ghee 
• pinch of saffron strands
• chopped pistachios to garnish
• crushed dry rose petals to garnish

          Heat 1 tbsp. ghee in a pan and sauté the breadcrumbs till they turn slightly brown in colour. Transfer to a bowl. Add milk to it and keep aside for 5 minutes.

          In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, cardamom powder, pinch of colour, rose water and the chopped pistachios till the sugar melts.

          Heat remaining ghee and add the soaked breadcrumbs. Keep stirring on a low flame till it becomes thick and starts to leave the sides of the pan.

          Now add the egg mix and keep stirring continuously on a low flame till it turns into a solid mass and leaves the sides of the pan. 

          Transfer to a greased serving dish. Garnish with the remaining pistachios, saffron strands and crushed dry rose petals. Cut into desired shapes once it cools down and serve.

Note - 
1.  You may increase the quantity of ghee as per your preference. 
2. You can substitute cardamom powder & rose water for vanilla essence.

                      Heat 1 tbsp. ghee & sauté the breadcrumbs till light brown in colour. 

                               Transfer to a bowl. Add milk to it & keep aside for 5 minutes.

                     In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, cardamom powder, pinch of colour,

                    rose water and the chopped pistachios till the sugar melts.

                                  Heat remaining ghee and add the soaked breadcrumbs. 

                        Keep stirring on a low flame till it starts to leave the sides of the pan.

                     Add the egg mix & keep stirring continuously on a low flame till it turns

                     into a solid mass and leaves the sides of the pan. 

                    Transfer to a greased serving dish. Garnish with the remaining pistachios

                    saffron strands and crushed dry rose petals. 

                                  Cut into desired shapes once it cools down and serve.

Stuffed Chili Pepper

         A nice way to introduce these lovely colorful chili peppers as appetizers. Do not forget to serve them with some green chutney for a real visual treat. I stuffed them with paneer and few interesting ingredients that I could lay my hands on. So it is a great party recipe and a sure hit. You can make a non-veg. version too, with some chicken / mutton mince. So check the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this exotic delicacy. 

          Two secret ingredients that I added are some powdered hajmola for a bit of a tang in place of chaat masala and powdered makhana, besides other basic ingredients. They turned out very yummy. You can make them healthy by grilling them in the oven to perfection. So enjoy this fusion style Gourmet delicacy.

Ingredients - 

• 10-12 chili peppers
• 2 tbsp. oil 
• green chutney to serve

Stuffing - 

• 2-3 tbsp. fresh grated coconut, dry roasted
• 2 tbsp. roasted peanuts, coarsely ground
• 1 tsp. hajmola, powdered
• 2 tbsp. makhana, powdered
• 2 tbsp. fried onion
• 1/2 tsp. red chili flakes
• 2-3 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 tsp. kasuri methi, crushed

Tempering - 

• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. garlic, chopped
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt or to taste
• 1 tsp. fennel powder 
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder
• 100-150 gms. paneer, mashed

          Make a slit in the center of each chili pepper and deseed them. Keep aside.

          Tempering - Meanwhile, heat oil in a pan. Sauté the garlic and green chilies for a few seconds. 

          Now add all the dry spices and mix well. Add the paneer and sauté for 2 minutes. Switch off the flame and allow it to cool down.

          Stuffing - Mix the sautéed paneer with the rest of the ingredients mentioned under stuffing and keep aside. 

          Stuff the chili peppers with the paneer stuffing. Heat oil in a pan and arrange all the stuffed chili peppers. Sprinkle some salt and cook, covered on a low to medium flame for 2 minutes.

          Gently flip them over and cook the other side too till done. Switch off the flame. 

          Ladle the green chutney on a serving dish and arrange the stuffed Chili Peppers over it. Serve them as appetizers.  

           

                        Make a slit in the centre of each chili pepper & deseed them. Keep aside. 

                        Heat oil & sauté garlic & green chilies for a few seconds. 

                        Add all the dry spices and mix well.

                       Add the paneer & sauté for 2-3 minutes. Switch off the flame & allow it to
                       cool down.

                      Mix the sautéed paneer with rest of the ingredients mentioned under stuffing

                      and keep aside. 

                       Stuff the chili peppers with the paneer stuffing. 

                      Heat oil & arrange all the stuffed chili peppers. Sprinkle some salt & cook, 
                      covered, on a low to med. flame for 2 minutes.

                       Gently flip them over & cook the other side too, till done. 

Ladle the green chutney on a serving dish and arrange the stuffed Chili Peppers on it.

                                Serve them as appetizers.

Lotus Stem Stir Fry

          This is a simple and a quick homemade style stir fry recipe of lotus stem. I prepared it in a South Indian style where I added some sambar powder along with other dry spices. It goes well as a side dish with either rice or any Indian bread for a nice comfort meal. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 

• 250 gms. lotus stem, scraped & sliced
• 2 tbsp. oil 
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida 
• 1-2 sprig curry leaves
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• 1 tsp. garlic, grated
• 1 green chili, chopped
• salt to taste 
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. roasted coriander powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. sambar powder
• 1 tsp. tomato paste (opt)
• 1 tsp. lime juice
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Pressure cook the lotus stem for 5-6 whistles. Drain and chop them into small pieces. Keep aside. 

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds. After it stops spluttering, add the asafoetida and curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds. 

          Add the onion, ginger, garlic and green chili. Stir fry till light brown. Add the lotus stem and all the dry spices. Mix everything well and sauté for 2-3 minutes. 

          Now add the tomato paste, lime juice and coriander leaves. Continue to sauté for a minute more. When done, switch off the flame. Serve as a side dish with rice or chapati. 

                  Heat oil & temper with mustard seeds. Then add asafoetida & curry leaves.
                  Saute few seconds. Add onion, ginger, garlic & green chili. Saute till light brown. 

                  Add lotus stem & all dry spices. Mix well & saute for 2-3 min. 

                 Add tomato paste, lime juice & coriander leaves. Saute for a minute more. 

     

                                Serve with rice or chapati / any other Indian bread.