Navrattan Korma

 

Ingredients

3 cups Mixed vegetables (potatoes, carrots, green peas, french beans, cauliflower, capsicum, bottle gourd, cluster beans)
1 cup paneer, cubed
2 Tomatoes 

1 Chopped onions
1 1/2 tsp Ginger paste
1 1/2 tsp Garlic paste
Salt To Taste

3 tbsp Olive oil
1 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Red chilli powder
1 tsp Coriander powder
2 tsp Garam Masala Powder

1 cup tomato puree or 1/2 cup tomato paste
2 tbsp Cream
2 cups Milk
1/4 cup Dry fruits (cashew nuts, raisins)
Cilantro leaves for garnish

Method:

• Heat oil in a non-stick pan. Fry onions, cubed paneer and ginger-garlic paste till golden brown.
• Add turmeric powder, dry fruits and fry for 2-3 minutes.Then add the mixed vegetables and fry them for 5 minutes on medium heat.
• Next add tomato paste, garam masala, red chili powder, coriander powder, salt to taste and cook the mixture for 4 minutes.
• Add milk and cream to the pan. Reduce the heat and cook until the gravy becomes thick and the vegetables are tender.
• Serve navratan korma hot. Garnish with chopped cilantro leaves. 

Masala Pasta Ratatouille

Ingredients:

1 tsp Olive Oil

1-1/2 cups Water

1 cup chopped red onions

4 garlic cloves, minced or 1/2 tsp garlic paste

1 medium eggplant, cubed

1 large Persian cucumber, cubed

1 cup mixed vegetables, baby corn, beans, carrots and mushrooms

1 tomato, chopped

1 cup Penne pasta or any regular or whole wheat pasta,

2 tsp tomato paste,

1 tsp Basil leaves,

1/2 tsp Rosemary leaves,

1/2 tsp Oregano leaves,

Salt to taste,

1 tsp Garam masala powder, 

1 tsp Amchur powder,

1 tsp Chaat masala,

1 tsp cumin seeds,

Fresh ground black pepper to taste.

Method:

1.  In a non-sick frying pan over medium heat, pour 1 tsp olive oil. Add the chopped onions, garlic, cumin seeds and fry for 2 minutes.

2. Then add to the pan, eggplant, persian cucumber, mixed vegetables, tomato and cook stirring frequently for 5 minutes.

3. Now add the pasta to the pan and stir in for 2 minutes, then add 1-1/2cups of water, garam masala, amchur powder, chaat masala, salt to taste, basil, oregano and rosemary leaves, cover the pan and cook until the pasta is al dente or the water has been absorbed.

4. Sprinkle some fresh ground pepper and serve hot.


Note:
You can find amchur powder and chaat masala at any Indian store, but if you cannot find them, you can give them a miss and still enjoy the masala flavored pasta.

Pasta with Lentil Soup Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) package uncooked Penne Pasta
• 1 cup Red Gram (pigeon peas) lentils 
• Curry powder 1 Tsp
• Cumin seeds 1 Tsp
• Mustard seeds 1 Tsp
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 Tsp Olive oil
• Basil and Oregano leaves
• Salt to taste

Directions

1. Boil 1 cup of Red gram (pigeon peas) lentils in a pressure cooker or stove top until they are tender.
2. In a pan, pour the 2 Tsp Olive oil, in it add cumin seeds, mustard seeds and the boiled red gram lentils.
3. Pour 2 cups of water along with Penne Pasta, curry powder and salt to taste.
4. Cook till the pasta is al dente, add ground black pepper, basil and oregano and serve hot.

BisiBelaBath Rice Dish

Ingredients

Mixed Vegetables: Beans, Carrots, Potato, Eggplant, Green peas, Broccoli - 1/2 Cup
Onions -1 diced
Rice - 2 cups
Red gram lentils or the pigeon peas- 1 cup
Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup
Sambar masala powder - 6 tsp
Ghee - 3 tsp
Cashew nuts - 10 nos
Cloves - 2 nos
Tamarind juice
Cilantro leaves - As required
Coriander seeds - 1 Tsp
Cardamom - 3
Cumin (Jeera) seeds - 1 Tsp

Mustard seeds - 2 Tsp

Turmeric - 1/4 Tsp

Salt - to taste

Method:

1) Cut all vegetables evenly and steam them in a pressure cooker along with the 2 cups of rice.

2) Separately cook 1 cup of red gram (pigeon peas) in a pressure cooker.

3)Grind grated coconut with sambar masala powder and keep this paste aside.

4)Heat a frying pan and pour ghee into it. When it becomes hot, add cashews, mustard seeds, turmeric, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, Cardamom and cloves.

5)Then, add the diced onions into the frying pan and fry till lightly brown.

6)Add tamarind juice, salt and half of the ground paste and bring it to boil.

7)When the raw smell of tamarind is gone, add the steamed rice-vegetables-red gram (pigeon peas) mixture and stir well for about 5 minutes.

8)Add the remaining coconut paste at the end before removing BisiBelaBath from the flame.

9)Add some cilantro leaves and ghee on the top to BisiBelaBath before serving.

Serve BisiBelaBath hot.


Bisi Bele Bhath is a signature dish of many regions in Karnataka, South India. It is a wholesome meal-in-one and has rice, lentils and vegetables.

Channa (Chickpeas) Chaat

Ingredients:

2 cups chick peas
2 big boiled potatoes, peeled and chopped
1-3 green chillies finely chopped
2 tsp ginger finely chopped
1 - 2 medium onions chopped
3 Tbs lemon or lime juice
1 tsp fine sugar
2 Tbs coriander leaves chopped
2 med tomatoes, chopped
Sea Salt to taste
Chat masala to taste - start with about 1 spoon, and add more if you want it spicier. You can find this at any Indian store.


Method:


1. Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate for 1-2 hours. And the chaat is ready!

Chat:

The word chat or chaat means to lick and the word masala, as we have seen before, actually means spice mix in Hindi. So generally, the word chat is used for a collection of savory and highly spicy snacks that would make you lick /smack your lips – if that was acceptable in Indian etiquette.

Chat is traditionally sold by street hawkers in India and comes under a group of foods known as ‘Indian Street Foods’.

5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
A small splash of vanilla extract
1 large coffee mug (Microwave Safe)

Method:

1. Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. 

2. Add the egg and mix thoroughly before pouring in the milk and oil in. Keep mixing. 

3. Add the optional chocolate chips next and vanilla extract, and mix again.
4. Put your mug in the microwave and cook for three minutes at 1000 watts. The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don’t be alarmed.

5. Allow it to cool a little and tip out onto a plate as desired.

Sun Dried Tomato Hummus

Ingredients:

(1) 15 ounce can chickpeas, drained (garbanzo beans)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil or rehydrated
2 tbsp lemon juice
3 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp paprika or chili power
2 tbsp water
1/4 tsp salt

Preparation:

1. Process all ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth, adding more liquid if needed. 

2.That's it! Enjoy your homemade hummus.

Spinach Rice

Ingredients:

Cleaned and Chopped Spinach - 4 cups
Cooked Rice - 2 cups
Thinly Sliced Onions - 1 medium
Ginger Garlic Paste
Slit Green Chillies - 2-4
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Jeera/Cumin Powder - 1/2 tsp
Curry Masala Powder - 1/2 tsp
Oil/Butter - 2 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Cook 2 cups of Basmati rice and keep aside. Make sure it is not overcooked.
2. Heat oil/butter in a wok and splutter mustard seeds, add onions, green chillies, Turmeric powder, ginger garlic paste and saute till the onions begin to brown.
3. Add some of the cleaned and chopped spinach and saute till the spinach becomes a little tender but make sure its not completely cooked. You can cover and cook the spinach on low flame for 2 minutes.
4. Next, add the two cups of cooked rice to the wok and along with it add 1/2 tsp cumin powder, 1 tsp Curry Masala Powder, Salt to taste and saute for 2 minutes. Add more salt if required.
5. Switch off the flame on the stove and sprinkle some remaining chopped spinach and stir in the rice mixture and cover the wok.
7. Serve along with Raitha.

Note: Make sure that you don't cook the spinach completely, it needs to be crunchy and hence sprinkling some spinach at the end helps give that taste.

Sprouted Moong Dal Chat ( Green Bean sprouts salad)

Ingredients :

1 cup whole moong (green lentils)
1 large potato
1 large tomato
1 large onion
4 green chillies
1 lemon
1 cucumber
Salt to taste
½ tsp chilli pd.
½ tsp pepper
½ tsp kala namak
½tsp jeera powder.
1 bunch dhania

Method :

• Wash and soak the moong overnight.
• Remove water and put the soaked moong (lentil) in a shallow container.
• Cover it and leave for 24 hrs in winter and 10-12 hours in summer.
• Boil and cut potatoes into small pieces.
• Cut onion, tomatoes, cucumber, cilantro and green chillies into small pieces.
• Mix all vegetables together with moong sprout and masalas.
• Sprinkle lemon.
• Allow it to cool and serve

Note: Green beans (Moong Dal) is high in protein and is a very good substitute for vegetarians.

Andhra Pesarattu (Moong Dal Dosa, Green Bean Pancake)

Ingredients:

2 cups Whole Green Moong Dal ( Whole Green Beans)
2 tblsp Rice Flour
1" fresh Ginger (peeled)
2-3 Green Chillies
1- 1 1/2 cup Water to grind
Salt for taste 

For Garnish
1 medium Onion (finely chopped)
1" Ginger (finely chopped)
2-3 Green Chilies (finely chopped)
2 tblsp Cumin Seeds
2-3 tblsp Oil

Method:

• Soak moong dal (green lentils) overnight (at least 8-10 hrs)
• Wash and grind dal (Lentil) along with ginger and green chillies into smooth batter (not too thick/thin). Shift the batter into bowl and add rice flour and salt.
• Keep the frying pan or non stick pan on medium heat and grease it with little oil.
• Pour a ladle of batter on it and spread it into a thin round layer like a pan cake and drizzle little oil around the edges of Pesarattu.
• Sprinkle small quantity of chopped onions, cumin seeds and green chilies on the Pesarattu.
• Cook until the edges become brown. Then flip the Pesarattu over and sprinkle little oil over the edges.
• Cook it for a minute, keeping a watch that it does not get charred.
• Remove from the pan, and your Pesarattu is ready for eating.
• Serve it hot with coconut or ginger chutney.

Upma-Pesarattu is a very common breakfast dish in Andhra Pradesh (India) and among Telugu people.  For this dosa you do not ferment the batter. If your not making dosas immediately refrigerate the batter

Kashmiri Dum Aloo

Preparation Time : 15-20 minutes
 Cooking Time : 15-20 minutes
Servings : 4


INGREDIENTS

Potatoes, peeled 18-20 small
Oil for deep-frying
Kashmiri red chillies, ground 5-6
Yogurt 2 cups
Green cardamom powder 1/2 teaspoon
Dry ginger powder (soonth) 1 teaspoon
Fennel seed (saunf) powder 2 tablespoons
Mustard oil 1/4 cup
Clove powder a generous pinch
Salt to taste
Roasted cumin powder 1/2 teaspoon
Garam masala powder 1/2 teaspoon

METHOD

1. Prick the potatoes all over with the help of a fork. Keep in salted water for fifteen minutes. Drain and wipe dry. Heat sufficient oil in a kadai and deep-fry the potatoes on medium heat till golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper and set aside. 
2. Whisk the yogurt with Kashmiri red chilli paste, green cardamom powder, dry ginger powder and fennel powder. 
3. Heat the mustard oil in a pan. Add the clove powder and asafoetida. Add half a cup of water and salt to taste and bring the mixture to a boil. 
4. Stir in the yogurt mixture and bring the mixtuer to a boil. 
5. Add the fried potatoes and cook till the potatoes absorb the gravy and the oil surfaces. Serve hot, garnished with roasted cumin powder and garam masala powder. 

Schezwan Vegetable Curry

Ingredients:

1 onion
1 carrot

8-10 french beans
4-5 babycorns
1 very small cucumber
1 green capsicum

Sauce Ingredients:

2 dry red chillis, de-seed and tear into pieces
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
large pinch of clove powder
8 crushed garlic flakes
1 1/2 tsps light soya sauce
2 tbsps vinegar
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp tomato ketchup
2 tbsps tomato puree
1 tbsp cornflour
1 1/4 cups water
salt to taste
pepper to season
2 cups vegetable stock or water
2 tbsps olive oil
2 tbsps finely chopped spring onion greens

Method:

• Cut onions, carrots into small round pieces, french beans into thin long strips, cut baby corns and capsicum into small pieces.
• Heat oil in a large wok and once the oil is piping hot, add the onion and cook till soft.
• Add carrots, beans and babycorn and cook for 3 mins. Add cucumber and capsicum and saute for 30 secs.
• Add the prepared sauce mixture and bring to a boil. Combine well and cook for 2 mins on low flame till the sauce thickens slightly and vegetables turn crisp tender.
• Turn off heat and garnish with spring onion.

Claypot Vegetarian/Tofu Rice

Claypot is an essential Malaysian cooking style. Cooking in the claypot gives your dish an interesting extra flavor, and it means you can transfer straight from the stove to the oven without a dish transfer, which helps retain all of those awesome flavors. Claypot is quite common at the hawker stalls, and it is awesome.  I happen to see this recipe on Sanjeev Kapoor's show last week, and thought to share it here. 

Difficulty: Easy

 

Time Required: 10-15 minutes (for Tofu and vegetables) up to 1 hour (for meat dishes)

Tips:

1. If you don't already own a clay pot, it's easy enough to buy one. And if you go to the right place, they're also inexpensive. Look for a medium-sized clay pot (like the one shown in the picture) at Asian/Chinese stores or markets - they'll be much cheaper here than in specialty cooking stores.
2. If it's brand new, clean your clay pot thoroughly and dry it.

Claypot rice is often garnished with spring onions. If you don't have a claypot or couldn't find one, you can use a pot with a tight lid, or a rice cooker.

Ingredients:

• 1 cake firm tofu
• 2 cups rice
• 2 tbl dark soy sauce
• 2 tbl light soy sauce
• 1 piece of ginger (fresh ginger is essential to this dish)
• half a teaspoon of caster sugar
• pepper
• quarter tsp of powdered stock (Vegetable stock)
• half a dozen dried mushroom pieces
• a handful of wombok/chinese cabbage leaves (thickly sliced)
• some carrot (julienned)

Method:

• Combine one tablespoon of dark soy and one tablespoon of light soy with half a teaspoon of Castor sugar, a shake of ground pepper, and a quarter of a tablespoon of powdered stock. Into this marinade add about one piece of ginger, crushed. Combine well, until things which are powdered have dissolved. Slice up the tofu into chunks of about one inch in length, and cover in marinade. Allow to marinate for half an hour to an hour.
• Soak the mushrooms in hot water for twenty minutes.
• After the mushrooms have soaked, it is time to prepare the rice. Rinse the rice. Then add two cups of water, plus a teaspoon of dark soy, a teaspoon of light soy, a shake of pepper, and a shake of some olive oil. Julienne some ginger finely, and add this as well.
• Start to cook this above mixture on gas, lid on with low flame.
• In the meantime, lightly fry the tofu in a little olive oil. Be sure to fry both sides. Drain the mushrooms, and add this, then add the carrots for another half a minute. The carrot won't be cooked, but that's okay at this point.
• After the rice has been cooking for about seven or eight minutes, it should have just started looking 'dry.' Throw the tofu, mushrooms, carrots, and cabbage on the top, then put the lid back on and keep cooking for another fifteen minutes. After the rice is cooked right through, leave to sit, still with the lid on, for another twenty minutes. This will give the flavors a chance to seep in.
• Serve in the claypot, if you've prepared it that way, or in bowls.

Chinese Bhel

Ingredients:

• 2 cups noodles (Any kind noodles like small bags of Hakka noodles, Ramen or Maggi Noodles are good to use).
• 2 tablespoon chopped red onion
• 2 Serrano peppers chopped (Optional)
• ½ cup cabbage very finely shredded
• 1 Roma tomato chopped
• 2 tablespoons green bell pepper chopped
• 2 tablespoons Cilantro very finely chopped
• 2 stalks of green/spring onion chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon very very finely julienned fresh ginger
• 2 tablespoons Oil

Optional:

Any vegetable of your choice (Shredded carrots, chopped baby corns etc)

For the sauce:

• 1.5 teaspoon chunky peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon of light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• 1 teaspoon any hot sauce (Optional)

Preparation:

• Break the noodles in to pieces (Do not crumble them), so they are separated, and not in clumps. Heat oil and fry the noodles at low heat, frequently tossing it around so all the noodles are cooked. It should look light brown and should be crispy to taste. Set aside.
• Whisk all the ingredients for the sauce.
• Place the fried noodles in the serving bowl and add all the above ingredients except the sauce. Toss.
• Spoon the sauce uniformly over the noodles and toss again.