Cook Without Book

                               Skewer Now, this is what one would call a colourful and flavourful dish! the marinade is what makes this recipe unique. Use any vegetable of your choice, serve to your guests and win abundant praises. As this is cooked without oil, it is both nutritious and low in calories. In case skewers are not available, use toothpicks… it turns out as good as with skewers, believe me! Preparation Time:  15 mins Cooking Time:  10 mins Makes 6 servings Ingredients 1/2 cup   blanched baby corn  , cut into 13 mm ( 1/2”) pieces 1/2 cup   capsicum cubes 1/2 cup  deseeded and cubed  tomatoes 1/2 cup   low fat paneer (cottage cheese) cubes 1/2 cup   onion cubes To Be Mixed Into Marinade 3/4 cup   low fat curds  (dahi) , whisked 1 tsp   chilli powder 1/4   turmeric powder (haldi) 1/2 tsp   ginger (adrak) paste 1 t...

Makai Kofta Aur Hariyali Curry America meets india. Grated american corn dumplings in a coconut milk and coriander flavoured gravy, which is sure to tickle and tease your gastronomic senses! Preparation Time:  5 mins Cooking Time:  5 mins Makes 2 servings Ingredients For The Makai Koftas 1/4 cup   grated corn (makai) 1 tbsp   rice flour (chawal ka atta) 2 tsp   chopped coriander (dhania) 1/2 tsp   chopped green chillies salt  to taste For The Hariyali Curry 1 tsp   ginger-garlic (adrak-lehsun) paste 6 mm  (1/4") piece of  cinnamon (dalchini) 2   cardamoms  (elaichi) 2   cloves (laung / lavang) 1/2 cup   coconut milk 2 tsp   cornflour  dissolved with 1/4 cup  water 2 tsp   oil salt  to taste To Be Ground Into The Hariyali Paste 1 cup  roughly  chopped coriander (dhania) 1/2 tbsp   lemon juice 3   green chillies For The Garnish 2 tsp   fresh cream Method ...

Thai Stir-fried Noodles Go thai, with this stir-fried noodle recipe! the unusual peanut butter based sauce adds a classy touch to this simple noodle recipe. Preparation Time:  10 mins Cooking Time:  10 mins Makes 4 servings Ingredients 2 cups   cooked rice noodles  , refer handy tip 3/4 cup   sliced baby corn 3/4 cup   cauliflower florets 1 cup   paneer (cottage cheese)  cubes 1 tsp   soy sauce 1 tbsp   lemon  juice 3 tbsp   oil salt  to taste For The Peanut Sauce 2 tbsp   lemon juice 2 tsp   soy sauce 4 tbsp   castor sugar 4 tbsp   peanut butter salt  to taste For The Garnish 1/4 cup  coarsely  crushed peanuts Method   For the peanut sauce Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan, with ½ cup of water. Bring to a boil and simmer till the sauce thickens. How to proceed Blanch the baby corn and cauliflower in a vesselful of salted water. Drain and keep...

Hot and Sour Vegetable An occasional treat which the entire family will relish. The freshness of lightly cooked vegetables is further enhanced by the aromatic flavours of ginger, garlic, chillies and tomato-chilli sauce. It's a simple and easy way of disguising vegetables and make them lip smackingly delicious, while also adding a wealth of nutrients like vitamin a, vitamin c, calcium and iron. In addition this dish is low in calories and carbohydrates and high in fibre which is great for a diabetic diet. Preparation Time:  20 mins Cooking Time:  15 mins Makes 4 servings Ingredients 1/2 cup   blanched carrot  roundels 1/2 cup   blanched baby corn  , cut diagonally 1/2 cup   blanched broccoli  florets 1/4 cup   capsicum cubes 2   tomatoes  , blanched , peeled and grated 1/2 cup   onion cubes 1 to 2   green chillies  , chopped 1 1/2 tsp   chopped ginger (adrak) 1 1/2 tsp   chopped garlic (lehsun)...

South Indian Baby Corn Curry   Microwave Recipe Baby corn in a delicious curry form, flavoured subtly and aesthetically with a blend of south indian spices. Preparation Time:  10 mins Cooking Time:  7 mins Makes 2 servings Ingredients 1 1/4 cups  diagonally cut  baby corn 2 tbsp   tamarind (imli) water 1/2 tsp   mustard seeds ( rai / sarson) 1/2 tsp   cumin seeds (jeera) 1/4 tsp   asafoetida (hing) 1/2 tsp  finely  chopped garlic (lehsun) 1/2 tsp  finely  chopped ginger (adrak) 1 tsp   coriander (dhania) powder 1/4 tsp   turmeric powder (haldi) 1 tsp   chilli powder 1/2 tsp   curry powder 1/2 tsp   sugar 2 tbsp   milk 2 tsp   oil salt  to taste Method Combine the baby corn with 2 tablespoons water in a microwave proof plate and microwave on high for 2 minutes. Keep aside. Combine the oil, mustard seeds, cumin seeds and asafoetida in a microwave-proof bowl, cover ...

Babycorn, Bean Sprouts and Cucumber Salad with Lemony Basil Dressing These colourful vegetables are dressed in a delicious garlic and basil flavoured dressing. The lemon and basil dressing in this salad serves as an excellent source of vitamin c which further aids in the absorption of iron from our diet. If you cannot find fresh basil, substitute it with ¼ teaspoon of dried basil, as dried herbs are more potent than fresh herbs. Preparation Time:  10 mins Cooking Time:  2 mins Makes 4 servings Ingredients 1/2 cup   spring onions  , chopped 1/2 cup  fresh  mushrooms (khumbh)  , blanched and sliced 1/2 cup  blanched and cubed  baby corn 3/4 cup   bean sprouts 1/2 cup  red and green  capsicum cubes 1/2 cup   cucumber cubes For The Dressing 1 tsp   olive oil 3   garlic (lehsun) cloves  , finely chopped 1 tbsp  finely chopped fresh  basil  leaves 2 tsp   lemon juice 1 ...

Hakka Noodles ( Diabetic Recipe ) A chinese meal is not complete without noodles, but diabetics are often asked to avoid refined foods like noodles, refined bread and pasta which have a high glycemic index. I have taken the liberty of adding noodles to this menu along with loads of flavourful vegetables and have tossed it in very little oil. The trick is to add lots of fibre by way of vegetables so that the dish looks colourful and also suits the diabetic diet. Vitamin a, vitamin c, iron, protein, calcium and fibre are the nutrients that fortify this recipe. Preparation Time:  10 mins Cooking Time:  10 mins Makes 2 servings Ingredients 3/4 cup  cooked  noodles 1/2 tsp  finely  chopped garlic (lehsun) 1/2 cup   chopped spring onions  with greens 1/4 cup  thinly sliced and parboiled  carrot 1/4 cup  thinly sliced and parboiled  baby corn 1/4 cup   capsicum  , thinly sliced into strips 1/2 cup   bean s...

8 Treasure Vegetables The number 8 is a lucky one for the Chinese and this dish is one made on auspicious occasions using a combination of eight vegetables tossed in a simple sauce. Preparation Time:  15 mins. Cooking Time:  25 mins. Serves 4.  Ingredients 1/2 cup   snow peas , cut into 2 vertically 1/2 cup   baby corn, cut into 2 vertically 1/4 cup   dried shitake mushrooms, soaked 1/4 cup   fresh mushrooms (khumbh), chopped 1/2 cup   carrot jullienes 1/2 cup   broccoli florets 1/2 cup   asparagus , cut into 50 mm. (2 ") pieces 1/2 cup   bean sprouts 1/4 cup   chopped onions 1 1/2 tsp  finely  chopped garlic 1 1/2 tsp   oil salt  to taste To be mixed into a sauce 1/2 tsp   soy sauce 1/2 tsp   sesame (til) oil 1/4 cup   water 1 1/2 tsp   cornflour 1 tsp   hoisin sauce Method Parboil the snow peas, baby corn, fresh mushrooms, carrots, broccoli and asparagu...

Baby Corn Salt and Pepper Quick and easy to make, this stir-fry tingles the taste buds. Preparation Time:  15 minutes Cooking Time:  15 minutes Serves 4  Ingredients 3 cups   blanched baby corn, cut into 1" pieces 1/4 cup   cornflour 3/4 cup   sliced spring onions 1 tbsp   finely chopped garlic (lehsun) 1 tbsp   peppercorns 1 tbsp   oil salt  to taste oil  for frying Method Dry roast the peppercorns in a wok over a medium flame for a few minutes, grind coarsely and keep aside. Mix together the cornflour, salt, 1 teaspoon of coarsely ground pepper and ¼ cup of cold water. Dip the baby corn in this mixture and deep-fry till golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper and keep aside Heat the oil in a wok, over a high flame, add the spring onions, garlic, the remaining pepper and salt and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the fried baby corn and toss well. Serve hot.

Baby Corn and Soya Stir-fry When it comes to health food, stir-fries are always on top of my list, as it is quite easy to monitor the amount of fat used. I have chosen soya nuggets because of their low 'bad' cholesterol, and baby corn adds the much-needed crunch without adding to the fat as well. Preparation Time:  15 minutes Cooking Time:  10 minutes Serves 4.  Ingredients 1 cup   parboiled baby corn   , cut into 25 mm (1") pieces 1/2 cup   soya chunks (nuggets) 2 tsp   chopped garlic (lehsun) 1/4 dozen   chopped spring onions whites 1/2 cup   capsicum cubes 3/4 cup   sliced mushrooms (khumbh) 3 tsp   soy sauce 2 tbsp   tomato chilli sauce 1/2 cup   chopped spring onion greens 1 tbsp   oil a pinch of  sugar salt  to taste Method Soak the soya nuggets in warm water for 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and squeeze out a...

3 B Stir-fry ( Healthy Diabetic Recipe ) Rich in the goodness of the 3 bs – broccoli, bean sprouts and baby corn, this dish is a real hit on all occasions and on all counts! since all three of the key ingredients have different textures, the overall feel is unique… and awesome! just don’t miss this one! Preparation Time:  10 mins Cooking Time:  10 mins Makes 4 servings Ingredients 2 tsp   oil 1/2 tsp  finely  chopped green chillies 2 tsp  finely  chopped garlic (lehsun) 1 1/2 cups   blanched broccoli   florets 1 cup   bean sprouts 1 cup   sliced and blanched baby corn 2 tsp   tomato ketchup 2 tsp   vinegar 2 tsp   soy sauce salt  and  freshly ground black pepper powder to taste a pinch  sugar 2 tsp   cornflour  mixed with 1/2 cup of  vegetable stock Method Heat the oil in a non-stick kadhai, add the green chillies and garlic and sauté on...

Italian Sizzler ( Quick Recipe) Sizzlers are a great addition to a dinner menu, especially for parties. Served steaming hot, they tempt the diners with the surge of fresh flavours and amalgam of aromas that is reflective all the ingredients in the sizzler. This italian sizzler is a recipe par comparison that combines nutritious veggies like carrots, broccoli and baby corn with luscious cheese, cream and pasta. It is a treat that pampers the taste buds, while also serving as a wholesome meal that satiates your hunger! Preparation Time:  15 mins Cooking Time:  10 mins Makes 1 sizzler Ingredients For The Vegetables 2 tbsp   butter 3/4 cup   blanched broccoli florets 1/2 cup   blanched carrot  strips 1/2 cup   sliced and blanched baby corn 1/2 cup   blanched mushrooms (khumbh)  , cut into halves salt  and to taste 1 tsp  fresh  cream For The Pasta 1 tbsp   olive oil 1 1/2 c...