Rajma Curry

                                                           RAJMA CURRY

Ingredients:

Rajma/kidney beans- 2 fistful
Potatoes-2 medium, quartered
Onion-1 large, sliced
Cumin seeds-1tsp
Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
Garam masala powder- 1/2 tsp
Aamchur powder-1/2 tsp
Sambar powder-1/2tsp
Coriander powder-1/2tsp
Cumin powder-1/2 tsp
Salt-to taste
Oil-3tbsp

Grind to paste:

Ginger-1 inch piece

Garlic- 3 cloves

Coriander leaves- 2 tbsp

Mint leaves-1 tbsp

Cinnamon-1 inch stick

Cloves-2

Tomato- 1 medium, quartered

Onion-1 medium, quartered

Method:

1. Soak rajma overnight with enough water.

2. Cook the rajma with 2 cups of water, pressure cook for 3-4 whistles. set it aside

3. Grind the ingredients of list 2, into a fine paste, set it aside.

4. Cook the potatoes and set it aside. 

5. Heat oil in a kadhai and add cumin seeds and wait till it splutters.

6. Throw in the chopped onions and saute for sometime.

7. Next, add the ground paste into the kadhai and saute on medium flame for sometime

8. Throw in the masala powder and stir well and let it simmer till the rawness goes.

9. Put the rajma beans, potato cubes and combine well to coat it with the masala.

10.Let it cook for a few seconds, next add some water,salt and mix well to make it  gravacious enough

11.Turn of the gas after a few seconds and garnish with coriander leaves and serve with rice/roti.

                            

 

Mixed Vegetable Vaag

                                                        Mixed Vegetable VAAG

Ingredients:

Potato ......................... 2 no., peeled, cubed,cooked

Brown Chana............... ½  cup, soaked overnight, cooked

Capsicum green...........1 no., chopped length wise, cooked

Tomato........................1 no, roughly chopped

Salt .............................to taste.

For the Masala:

Coriander seeds............1 tsp

Fenugreek seeds..........4-6 seeds

Red chillies...................5-6

Oil.................................1/4^th tsp

Grated coconut...........1/4^th cup

For  the Seasoning:

Curry leaves..............1 sprig

Mustard seeds...........1 tsp

Oil..............................1 tsp

Method:

In a skillet heat about 1/4 tsp oil and fry the coriander seeds, methi and red chillies till they give out aroma.

Grind all the fried ingredients along with enough water and  grated coconut. Make it into a fine paste. Set it aside.

Heat  about  1 tsp oil in a kadhai and put in the mustard seeds and curry leaves, when they begin to splutter add the ground paste and fry for sometime.

Throw in the chopped tomatoes and fry for till it turns mushy.

Add the cooked vegetables ,brown chana, salt  mix well and cool till it starts to boil.

Turn off the flame. Serve it with rice or roti.

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                                                                  Award!!!

Chandrani of Cuisine Delights has generously passed on a lovely award to me.Thanks a lot dear it really is a great encouraging gesture :P

As it's hard to choose just a few names I'd like to pass on the award to every foodie friend of mine who drops by to read this post :P Please feel free to collect the award and display it in your blog. Cheers!!!!!! 

Broken Wheat Khichdi

Ingredients:

Broken wheat/lapsi.......... 1 cup, stone picked, wash it thoroughly, drain the water, set it aside

Cabbage........................... 100 gms, roughly chopped

Yellow pumpkin............... 1 cup, chopped into bite size

Potato............................. 1, chopped into bite sized pieces

Carrot............................. 2, chopped into bite sized pieces

Onion.............................. 1, chopped roughly

Turmeric powder............ 1/2 tsp

Cumin powder................ 1 tsp

Coriander powder.......... 1 tsp

Ginger.............................1/2”  piece, finely chopped

Ghee............................... 1-2 table spoons

Salt ................................ to taste

Method: 

      Heat ghee in a pressure cooker, add ginger and fry for a few seconds. 
       
   Add all the vegetables and spice powders, salt, broken wheat and mix  
                
   Add 3 cups of water and mix well again. 
     
   Pressure cook it for 3 whistles. 
      
   Once the pressure cooker cools,empty the khichdi into another vessel.

   Serve it hot with a drizzle of ghee, pickle and raita.

Lauki (Bottle Gourd) Kofta Curry

Lauki Kofta Curry

Ingredients:

Recipe Source: Googled

For  the Koftas: 

Bottle gourd/Lauki  - 1. Number

Besan/ gram flour – 1 cup

Onion – 1

Potato  - 1

Green chilli – 2

Ginger – ½ “ piece

Turmeric – ¼ tsp

Curry leaves – 1 tbsp

Coriander leaves – 1 tbsp

Red chilli powder – 1/2 tsp

Cooking soda – a pinch

Salt  - to taste

Oil – for frying

Ingredients :

For the Gravy: 

Onion – 3

Tomato – 2

Garlic cloves – 5

Ginger – ½ “ piece

Turmeric  - ¼ tsp

Red chilli powder  -  ½ tsp

Coriander powder – 2 tbsp

Cumin powder , roasted – ¼ tsp

Garam masala – ½ tsp

Coriander leaves – 1 tsp

Cumin seeds – ½ tsp

Salt – to taste

Oil – 1 tbsp

Method:

 

 For the Koftas:

·         Boil potato, peel, mash
·         Chop  onion, green chilli, ginger, curry leaves, coriander leaves
·         Peel, grate the bottle gourd, squeeze excess juice and keep it aside for the curry.
·         Take the gram flour in a wide mouthed vessel, to it add onion, ginger, curry leaves, coriander  leaves,  turmeric powder, red chilli powder, salt, mashed potato mix  all these and make it into a dough.
·         Make it into small balls and deep fry in oil and set it aside.

For the  Gravy:

 

·        Chop 1 onion, 2 green chillies

·        Grind  ginger, garlic, 2 onions, 1 green chilli coarsely, set it aside.

·         Grind tomato, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala powder and set it aside.

·        Heat oil in a sauce pan, add the chopped onion and green chillies and fry till onion is soft

·        Next, add the ground ginger-garlic-onion-green chilli paste and fry for a few seconds

·        Now, add the tomato and spice powder ground paste and mix well.

·        Cook for 4 – 5 minutes till the rawness of the masala goes off and oil starts seperating at the edges.

·        Add a little milk/ beaten curd /water to get the desired consistency.

·        Add a little sugar to enhance the taste.

·        Drop the koftas into the gravy and gently mix well to coat it with the gravy. Simmer for a couple of seconds and turn off the flame.

·        Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot.

Khaman Dhokla, Simple Chickpea Curry and a T & T

The combination of dhokla and chickpea curry sounds really weird...I HAD to post these two recipes as they were snoring off in the draft for a very long time :P

Aha!Now for  news from my kitchen, I can crown myself a bread baker now :P yipeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!! I've got it right after umpteen number of efforts. It's an achievement in itself and gives a beaming sense of satisfaction. Am sure many of you will agree to this :P

Thanks to prathibha of The Chef and Her Kitchen,She had posted khara bread recipe for which I fell for :P, As I wanted to get the plain bread right first,didn't add the masala part. But nevertheless, the recipe is a keeper!!

Plain Bread

 

Today's Recipes

 

Khaman Dhokla

Recipe source: An old Googled one

Ingredients:
1 cup - Bengal gram ( besan)
2 tbsp - Rawa
3 tsp - Sugar
1 tsp - Green chilli- ginger paste
1 and 1/2  tsp - Eno's fruit salt
1-2 cups - Buttermilk

Tempering:
1/4th tsp - Mustard seeds
1/2 tsp - Sesame seeds ( til)
2 no.  - Green chillies, chopped
Hing - A pinch (asefoetida)
1 Sprig - Curry leaves
1 tsp - oil
Garnish - chopped coriander leaves and Grated coconut

Method:

• Mix together all the ingredients except eno, with enough buttermilk to make a thick batter.
• Add eno, sprinkle little water over it and mix well
• When the mixture rises, pour it intoa greased tin and steam for about 10 - 15 minutes.
• Once done, take it out of the steaming utensil and set it aside.
• In a small saucepan, heat oil add mustard seeds, green chillies, curry leaves, hing and fry till seeds crackle.
• Garnish with coconut and coriander leaves.
• Cut into desired shape.
• Take half a cup of hot water and add 1/4th tsp of sugar and stir well, sprinle this on the dhoklas just before serving to keep it soft and moist.

Simple Chickpea Curry

Ingredients:
1 and 1/2 cups - Cooked chickpeas ( kabuli chana)
1 tsp - Cumin seeds
1 medium sized - Onion, finely sliced
1 medium sized tomato - Finely chopped
1 tsp - Ginger garlic paste
1 - Green chilli, finely chopped
1 tsp - Cumin powder
1 tsp - Coriander powder
1/2 tsp - Garam masala powder
1/2 tsp - Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp - Aamchur powder ( dry mango powder)
Salt - To taste
1- 2 tbsp - Chopped coriander leaves
2 -3 tbsp - oil

Method:

• In a kadhai heat oil, add cumin seeds and fry for a couple of seconds.
• Add sliced onions and fry till translucent.
• Next, add the chopped tomatoes, chillies, ginger garlic paste and fry till the tomatoes are mushy
• Add all the spice powders - cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder, turmeric powder, aamchur powder, salt and very little water.
• Give this content of the kadhai a nice stir and let it cook till the rawness of the spice powders dissappear.
• To this add the cooked chickpeas and mix so that they are well coated with the spice blend.
• Add little water and simmer for a couple of minutes and turn off the flame.
• Garnish with chopped coriander leaves, chickpea curry is  ready to serve.

Paneer Zaikedar and Jackfruit Dessert------- 100th Post

Hi pals, It's my 100th post! actually it's quite unbelievable to reach such a big number with my snail pace :P First of all I'd like to start off with thanking all my blogger friends for dropping by and leaving such encouraging lines and also, the awards shower from time to time. Secondly, this whole food blogging concept is so enlightening. Before I move further I'd like to thank Shobhaji of Food Mazaa for the wonderful award she generously offered me.


Over the years, visiting numerous food blogs has left me more knowledgeable about food, cooking methods, kitchen tips and many more things. It's an a on going process for life...as they say learning never ceases.....

Today being a celebration post, I've chosen what seems to be the favourite of most of the foodies and undoubtedly the most versatile ingredient to work with...yes, indeed it's paneer. I've selected one of Nita Mehta's paneer recipes and for dessert I've experimented and dished out a simple humble dessert using jackfruit. Without much ado, let me present to you the recipes....

Jack fruit Dessert

Ingredients:

Jack fruit ------------------ 8 - 9 segments, chopped
Coconut grated ------------- 1/3rd cup
Green cardamom ----------- 2
Crushed Jaggery ----------- -2 tbsp ( more or less, depends of your sweet tooth ;P)
Water -----------------------1 cup
Thick coconut Milk ---------- 1/2 cup

Method:

• In a sauce pan cook the chopped jackfruit pieces with 1 cup of water.

• Meanwhile, grind to a fine paste the grated coconut, cardamom, crushed jaggery with just enough water.

• Once the jackfruit pieces are soft and cooked, add the ground paste, coconut milk and give it a nice stir.

• Let it boil for a few seconds and turn off the flame.

• Serve it hot or chilled, both taste awesome

• Note: I've not added any thickening agent as I wanted it runny

Garnishing tips : top the dessert with fresh cream or crushed nuts or just anything out of your creativity :P


Paneer Zayekedar

Recipe Source: Nita Mehta's book - More Paneer

Ingredients:

vegetables:

Onions ------------------- 2 , sliced
French beans ------------- 10-12
Carrots ------------------- 2
Paneer ------------------- 200 gms, 1/2" cubes
Cooking oil --------------- 4-5 tbsp
Bay leaf ------------------ 1
Lime juice ---------------- juice of 1/2 a lime


Paste:

Garlic flakes (Opt) -------------- 6-7
Ginger -------------------------- 1" piece
Saunf ( aniseeds) ---------------- 1 tsp
Jeera ( cumin seeds) ------------ 1 tsp
Dry red chillies ------------------ 3
Dhania powder ------------------ 1 tsp
Cinnamon ----------------------- 1 stick
Cloves --------------------------- 3 - 4
Pepper corns -------------------- 3 -4
Brown cardamom ---------------- seeds of 2 no.

Method:

• Grind all the ingredients of the paste column together with little water.

• Chop the beans and carrots into tiny pieces and cook them in water with a little salt. once cooked drain the water and set it aside.

• Heat oil. Add sliced onions. Cook till golden brown

• Add the boiled vegetables and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes.

• Add the ground paste and bay leaf. cook for 1-2 minutes.

• Add 1/4 cup of water or milk. Boil.

• Add salt to taste and paneer cubes. Mix well. Sprinkle lime juice. Mix and serve garnished with chopped coriander leaves.
  

Mango Chitranna - Tangy seasoned mango flavoured rice

Mango Chitranna

Ingredients:
1 -Raw mango, peeled, grated
1 cup -Cooked rice
3/4th cup - Grated coconut
1/2 tsp - Turmeric powder
1 tsp -Mustard seeds
1-2 no. -Green chillies
1-2 -Strands of coriander leaves
Salt -To taste

Tempering:
2 tsp -Oil
1tsp -Mustard seeds
1 tsp -Udad dal
1 tsp -Chana dal
1 sprig -Curry leaves


Method:

• Grind into a coarse paste the grated mango, coconut, green chilli, mustard seeds, turmeric powder, coriander leaves ,salt with very little water. Set it aside.


• Heat oil in a kadhai and add chana dal, udad dal, mustard seeds, curry leaves and fry till it splutters.


• Next, add the ground paste to the kadhai and fry for a couple of seconds.


• To this paste that is getting fried add the cooked rice and mix well so that the rice blends in with the paste.(Add salt if necessary)


• Take it off the flame, garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve with accompaniment of your choice.