Vegetable Fajita

Very quick and easy to prepare recipe from the Tex-Mex cuisine. Order these in any fine restaurant and they will come as a loud sizzling platter (usually on metal) right in front of you, which of course one can't resist digging into (in spite all of the emanating smoke :D ) .

Wrap it with a tortilla or side it with some guacomole, gobble it on a weekday or nibble on it on a Sunday brunch, prepare it in haste or dawdle along - that's Fajita for you !!

 INGREDIENTS

• 2 Cups of Vegetables including Capsicum, Onion, Baby Corn, Mushroom, Beans or/and any other seasonal vegetable
• 1 Tbspn Olive Oil
• 1 TspnCumin Powder
• 5-6 Garlic Cloves, minced
• 1 Tspn Chilli Powder, or as per taste
• Salt, as per taste
• Lemon Juice, as per taste
• 3-4 Sprigs of Coriander 

METHOD

• Cut all the vegetables length wise.
• Heat a pan and add oil. Add all the vegetables, cumin powder, minced garlic, chilli powder and salt. Saute on high flame, till the veggies start getting brownish.
• The vegetables should retain their crisp.
• Drizzle lemon juice as per requirement.
• Relish fajita as a side dish or wrap it with a tortilla or pair it with some Mexican rice. Be it any way, it is sure to make you ask for seconds ;) .

Tips:
Serve fresh, hot and sizzling !!

Cheese Stuffed Mushroom

This delectable baked mushroom is my guy's absolute favourite !! In fact he has a special name for these yummy creatures - li'l drops of mushroom heaven :D .

Easy to make, they do not demand a lot of prep work. Since they are baked, they turn out be an absolute  hit with health conscious people too !

INGREDIENTS

• 8-10 Mushrooms
• Olive Oil
• Salt, as per taste
• 1 Tbspn Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
• 1 Tbspn Cheddar Cheese, shredded
• 4-5 Sprigs Coriander, finely chopped
• 1 Tspn Pepper Powder or as per taste
• 2-3 Cloves of Garlic, minced
• 1 Tbspn Bread Crumbs

 METHOD

• Rinse the mushrooms and pat dry. 
• With the help of a small spoon, scoop out the insides of the mushroom cap. Be careful not to break them.
• Remove stalks from the caps. Chop the stalks into small pieces along with the insides of the mushroom cap, and fry them in about a teaspoon of olive oil, till tender. 
• In a container, add the fried stalks, shredded mozzarella, 2 tspn of the breadcrumbs, chopped coriander, minced garlic, salt and pepper powder. Mix well. Check the seasoning.
• Coat the mushroom caps (both exterior and interior) with olive oil, salt and pepper.
• Stuff each hollowed out mushroom cap with the stuffing. Keep aside.
• Drizzle olive oil on a baking tray, so that the base is well coated. Place the stuffed mushrooms with stuffing side up.
• Sprinkle cheddar cheese on each of these, followed by a drizzle of breadcrumbs.
• Toss them into a pre-heated oven of 200C.
• Bake until cheese starts to brown, which will be around 10minutes.
• Serve warm and be ready to amaze some taste buds !!

Scoop out the insides with the help of a small spoon.

Chop the stalks.
Fry the stalks along with the scooped out insides.

Mix the fried mushroom stalk, minced garlic, shredded mozzarella cheese, bread crumbs, salt and pepper.

Coat the baking tray with olive oil. Coat the mushroom ( insides and outside) with olive oil, salt and pepper.
Fill them with the stuffing.

Sprinkle shredded cheddar.

Drizzle bread crumbs over the cheese.
Bake it for around 10minutes, at 200C.

Voila!! Li'l drops of mushroom heaven are ready.

Vegetable Biryani

There's a carrot...and a pea, and a bean....a cauliflower too, ohh there's potato too and orange orange  rice - that's what my li'l nephew excitedly announced when he tried vegetable biryani for the first time :D. Much to our amazement and delight (of course!!), for the first time, this little brat happily munched away all the veggies without any tantrums.
All we could conclude was that 'Biryani' sure did appease the munchkin's budding taste buds !

This exotic main course dish is a combination of rice, vegetables, curd, spices and nuts, cooked in layers over a slow flame. It sure does take quite some time to prepare but then, which exotic thing has ever been easy to achieve ;) ?!  
Probably, a mouthful of this dish is a sure way to food heaven (if any :P) !!

Biryani - The aroma and the flavours, the spices and the condiments, the rice and vegetables... in short, a full meal in itself - for both the tongue and the tummy!!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Cup Basmati Rice, soaked for at least 30 minutes
• 2 Cups Chopped Vegetables (Cauliflower, French Beans, Potato, Carrot)
• 1 Large Onion, sliced
• 1 Tbspn Ginger Garlic Paste
• 1-2 Green Chilly, chopped finely
• 100 gms Paneer (optional)
• 1/2 Cup Curd
• 1/2 Cup Mint/ Pudina Leaves
• 1/2 Cup Coriander Leaves
• 10-12 Cashews
• 10-12 Raisins
• 1" Cinammon
• 2-3 Green Cardamom
• 1 Black Cardamom
• 1 Star Annise
• 2-3 Strands of Javitri
• 2 Tspn Shahi Jeera/ Cumin Seeds
• 1 Tbspn Biryani Powder
• 2-3 Strands of Saffron (optional)
• 1 Tspn Milk, warm
• Oil or Ghee
• Salt, as per taste

METHOD

• Soak the basmati rice for at least 30 minutes. In a deep container/ pan, boil water. Add a tspn of oil along with a green cardamom and 1/2" cinnamon. Cook the rice in this water till it is 80% cooked. 
• Strain out water and keep aside to cool.

• Heat about 3-4 tbspns of oil/ghee in a pan. Add shahi jeera and all the whole spices (cinnamon, green cardamom, star anise, javitri and black cardamom). Saute for half a minute.
• Add the onion slices and saute till it turns
• Add the ginger garlic paste and saute till raw smell disappears. Do not let it burn.
• Add the chopped vegetables and salt. Saute on medium flame till all the vegetables are almost 80% cooked.
• Add chopped coriander and mint leaves. Add the paneer (optional), curd, biryani masala and cashews. Mix well. Saute for another minute before switching off flame.

Vegetable & Gravy Mix

• Add a couple of strands of saffron to a couple of teaspoons of warm milk and mix well. Pour this over the rice. With the help of a fork, mix gently, taking care not to break any of the rice grains. All the rice grains do not need to be coated.

• Take a bigger container (big enough to contain the rice and gravy mix). Spread half of the gravy mix on the bottom. Top it with half of the rice. Layer it with the rest of the gravy. And, then the rest of the rice. And, finally sprinkle some chopped coriander and mint leaves on top. 
• Cover with a lid and let it cook on a very low flame for about 20-25 minutes.

In layers- Rice and Vegetable Gravy

• Relish biryani with an accompaniment of a salan and raita.

Tips

• For a brighter yellow, add a pinch of turmeric powder to the milk and saffron.
• Cooking vessel should be heavy and sealed.
• To avoid the bottom layering from burning (in the last stage of cooking), be sure that the lid is covered properly i.e, without any leakage. This ensures the moisture is intact inside helping in the cooking process rather than escaping. Pressure cooker bottom and lid are the best examples to use.
• Place the cooking container on a tawa. This will ensure a thick bottom base and ensure that the dish does not get burned.
• Cook on the lowest flame (the last stage).
• Be doubly sure to check the gravy seasoning before putting it in layers.

Lasooni Palak

Popeye, the sailor man..... that's the song which pops up in my brain every time I see a bunch of Spinach leaves.
The high iron content in these leaves sure were Mr.Popeye's secret for his super powers.
And, I sure hope some day mine :D ...!!

Dal Palak, Palak Paneer, Palak Paratha, Aloo Palak are the more usual palak dishes on any menu. Here's one more to the list -

INGREDIENTS

• 300-400 gm Palak/ Spinach Leaves
• 1 Medium Onion, chopped finely
• 1 Tspn Ginger Garlic Paste
• 1 Green Chilly or as per taste, chopped fnely
• 8-10 Garlic Cloves, roughly chopped
• 10-12 Mint Leaves/ Pudina Leaves
• 1/2 Tspn Nutmeg 
• 1/2 Tbspn Cream (Optional)
• Salt to taste
• Oil/ Butter

METHOD

• Rinse the palak well. Blanch it. Keep aside.
• Heat about a tbspn of oil in pan. Add cumin seeds and as they begin to crackle, add the chopped onion and green chilly. Saute till translucent. 
• Add the ginger garlic paste and fry for a couple of minutes. 
• Add the mint leaves and strained palak leaves. Saute for about half a minute.
• Blend the above palak mix to a fine paste and transfer to a container.
• Add some oil/ butter to the pan. Add the chopped garlic and saute for about a minute. Add the pureed spinach mix. Mix well. Add in the cream. Let it simmer for about a couple of minutes before switching off flame.
• Sprinkle a dash of nutmeg and lasooni palak is all set to be eaten.
• Roti or naan makes it a delight to eat with.

Tips : 

• To blanch the spinach leaves - immerse in boiling water for 30 seconds, then remove and dip in cold water immediately. This helps in retaining the colour as well as the taste of the spinach.
• The mint/pudina leaves give a distinctive flavour to the dish.
• Cream is optional !
• Nutmeg and cream with spinach are a very good combo. They enhance each others taste.

Medu Vada

Our very own local donut - the Vada or medu vada or simply bara !
A sure mention in any South Indian restaurant's menu. Made of urad dal, this crispy and tasty vada is quite a popular breakfast as well as snacking item.

Urad dal, being high in protein, is very nutritious. Iron, Calcium and Potassium too are an integral part of this lentil.

In South Indian restaurants, usually it is served with a side dish of sambar and coconut chutney.
However, in the eastern parts of the country, bara and guguni combo, is the one that prevails. Even the bara aludum combo is no less popular. Finely chopped onions, coriander leaves and green chilly on the side with a dash of black salt and roasted cumin powder.... more than enough to make a foodie crave !!
 

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE BATTER

• 1 Cup Urad Dal, soaked for a minimum of 4 hours and then blended to a thick consistency
• Curry Leaves
• Salt as per taste
• Asafoetida, a pinch
• 1 Large Onion, chopped finely
• 1-2 Green Chilly, chopped finely
• 1/2 Tspn Ginger, minced finely 
• 4-5 Tspn Rava/ Sooji
• 1 Tspn Cumin Seeds 

Oil, for frying

METHOD

• Soak the urad dal for at least 4 hours. Blend to a smooth paste of thick consistency. Add very little water while blending. Let it rest for at least an hour.
• Mix all the vada ingredients. Mix well. Check the seasoning. Beat the batter to make it fluffy. To test if the batter is ready, drop a little globule of the batter into a bowl of water. If it floats, its ready, else keep whipping it.
• Once the batter is ready, heat oil for deep frying the vada.
• With a moistened (with water) palm, take about 1" globule of the batter. Roll it a bit in your palm to give it a roundish/ flattish shape. Insert your thumb in the center to give it a central hole. Then gently drop into hot oil. Fry on medium flame, so that the insides get cooked properly too.
• Fry the vada’s till they are golden brown in colour.
• Now, sit back and relish your hard-work ;). A pre-planned side dish of sambar or guguni or aludum or just chutney simply adds to the wonders.

Baby Corn Masala

A few baby corns lying in the fridge. And I was in no mood to have the all-time family favourite - the 65's or the chilli's. Had been quite some time since I wanted to try out the creamy masala version of baby corn and voila! today was my day.
Turned out to be quite a hit - taste wise as well as preparation time wise.
And, they are supposed to be quite healthy too !

Cornlettes or as we commonly call it, baby corn is the immature version of corn. Even though immature in form, it is high in nutrients like pottasium and folic acid.

The low calorie and zero fat content in these makes it further appealing to the health conscious.
All the more reason to get started with this high fiber and low carb baby !

Takes around 30 minutes to make the dish.

INGREDIENTS

• 6-7 Baby Corn
• 1 Medium Onion, chopped finely
• 2 Tspn Ginger Garlic Paste
• 1 Small Tomato, pureed
• 4-5 Cashews, blended
• 1 Tspn Cumin Seeds
• 1 Green Chilly or as per taste, chopped finely
• 1 Tspn Garam Masala
• 1 Tspn Turmeric Powder
• Salt, as per taste

METHOD

• Cut the baby corn into small pieces. Shallow fry them in oil till tender. Alternatively, it can be deep fried too. Strain out the baby corns and place on kitchen towel. 
• In the same pan, add cumin seeds and as they splutter add finely chopped onions. Saute till translucent. 
• Add ginger garlic paste and fry till raw smell disappears. Add pureed tomato, chopped green chilly, salt and turmeric. Fry till oil starts oozing from the masala. 
• Add the cashew paste and saute for a couple of minutes. Add a cup of water and bring to a boil. Add garam masala.
• Add the pre-fried baby corns and let it simmer for about 5-6 minutes or till a thick gravy is attained. 
• Serve hot with roti or naan..... and I am sure you will be asking for at least a second helping :P

Gujarati Bhindi Kadhi

INGREDIENTS

• 8-10 Medium Sized Bhindi/ Okra/ Lady's Finger
• 1 Cup Sour Curd
• 2 Tbspn Besan/ Gram Flour
• 1 Tspn Turmeric Powder
• Salt, as per taste
• 1 Tspn Sugar or Jaggery, or as per taste
• 1 Sprig Curry Leaves
• Chilly Powder, as per taste
• 1 Tspn Mustard Seeds
• 1 Tspn Cumin Seeds
• A pinch of Hing/ Asafoetida
• 1 Dry Red Chilly
• 1-2 Sprig Coriander Leaves

METHOD

• Chop the bhindi into 1" pieces. Shallow fry till tender and crispy. Keep aside.
• Whip the curd. Add in the salt, sugar or jaggery and besan and mix well. Add around 2 cups of water to it to attain a thin and watery solution. 
• In a pan, heat a tbspn of ghee or oil, as per preference. Add mustard seeds and when they begin to splutter add the dry red chilly, hing, cumin seeds,curry leaves and turmeric powder. When the cumin seeds start crackling, add the curd besan solution. Add chilly powder. Mix well.
• Bring the solution to a boil and then let it simmer. the top layer shall start getting frothy. Cook on low flame till this froth disappears  (indicates besan is cooked) which will be around 8-10 minutes. Add water in case the kadhi gets thick. The final consistency should be thin.
• Add the pre-fried bhindi and simmer for another couple of minutes.
• Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
• Relish hot. 

Carrot & Peas Pulao

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Cup Rice, soaked for 15 minutes
• 1/2 Cup Carrot, chopped
• 1/2 Cup Green Peas, fresh or frozen
• 1 Medium Onion, sliced finely
• 1 Tspn Ginger Garlic paste
• 1 Green Chilly
• 1 Tspn Cumin Seeds
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 2-3 Cloves
• 2-3 Green Cardamoms
• 1 Black Cardamom
• 1 Star Annise
• 1" Cinnamon 
• 2-3 Sprigs of Coriander
• Salt as per taste
• Ghee or Oil 

METHOD

• Rinse and soak the rice for at least 15 minutes.
• In a deep pan, heat 1-2 tbspn ghee/oil. Add the cumin seeds and whole masalas. Fry for about half a minute.
• Add the ginger garlic paste and saute till raw flavour vanishes.
• Add the onion slices along with the carrot and peas (chop the carrot as small as the peas). Saute for a couple of minutes. Add salt and coriander.
• Drain the water from the rice and add to the pan. Mix well and saute for another couple of minutes.
• Add 2 cups of plain water (double the rice quantity). Give it a stir. Cover with a lid and cook o a slow flame. Check occasionally. Cook till the water is absorbed and rice is cooked.
• Serve this yummy pulao hot, with any dal of your choice and raita as a side dish !

Palak Paratha/ Roti

INGREDIENTS

• 1.5 - 2 Cups Wheat Flour /Atta
• 200gm Palak/ Spinach Leaves
• 1 Tspn Ajwain/ Carom Seeds
• 1/2" Ginger 
• 1-2 Green Chilly, or as per taste
• Salt, as per taste
• Ghee (optional)

METHOD

• Rinse the palak well. Drain out all the water. Chop the spinach roughly.
• Blend the spinach, ginger and green chilly to a fine paste. Add very little water if required.
• In a mixing bowl, add the flour and the spinach paste. Add the ajwain and salt. Knead and make a soft dough. Cover and let it sit for 15minutes.
• Pinch out 1" dia balls out of the dough and roll into chapati shapes. Heat a tawa and cook this chapati on both sides. Cook on one side till small brownish spots appear, then flip and repeat. Palak roti is ready !!
• In case of palak paratha, add 1 tspn ghee to the atta mix before kneading. And, apply ghee on the paratha while it is cooking on the tawa. Palak paratha will be ready !
• Goes very well with curd as well as tomato ketchup. Turns out so yummy that it can be eaten by itself alone !!

Bhindi Aloo

INGREDIENTS

• 200gm Bhindi/ Bhendi/ Okra/ Lady's Finger
• 1 Medium Potato
• 1 Medium Onion, thinly sliced
• 1 Tspn Ginger Garlic Paste
• 1 Medium Tomato, chopped finely
• 1 Tspn Cumin Seeds
• 1 Tspn Chilli Powder
• 1/2 Tspn Sugar
• 1 Tspn Turmeric Powder
• 1 Tspn Cumin Powder
• 1 Tspn Coriander Powder
• Salt, as per taste

METHOD

• Boil the potato. Cut into small cubes. Keep aside.
• Chop the okra into 1" long pieces. Shallow fry them in hot oil till tender. Strain out the okra pieces and keep aside (preferably on a kitchen towel to get rid of any excess oil).
• In the same pan, add cumin seeds. As they splutter, add sliced onion. Saute till onion becomes translucent.
• Add the ginger garlic paste and fry till raw smell disappears. Add in the chopped tomato, chilly powder, salt and turmeric. Fry till tomato becomes soft and oil starts leaving the masala mix.
• Add the pre-fried okra along with the potato cubes. Mix well. Add the cumin powder and coriander powder. 
• Cook for another couple of minutes till all the vegetable pieces are well coated with the masala.
• Goes best hot with roti.

Tindora Salan

INGREDIENTS

• 5-6  Small Tindora/ Ivy Gourd/ Kunduri, slit at the bottom
  
• 1 Tbspn Sesame seeds
• 1 Tbspn Cashews
• 1 Large Onion, sliced
• 1 Tbspn Ginger Garlic Paste
• 1 Sprig Curry leaves
• 2 – 3 Sprigs of Corainder Leaves
• 2 – 3 Sprigs of Mint Leaves
• 1 Tspn Mustard seeds
• 1 Tspn Cumin seeds
• 1-2 Dry Red Chilli
• 1 Tbspn Cumin Powder
• 1 Tbspn Coriander Powder
• 2 Tbspn Whipped Curd
• Salt as per taste
• Chilli Powder as per taste

METHOD

• Slit the tindora at the base. Deep fry the slit tindoras till tender.
• On a low flame, the sesame seeds.
• Once lightly roasted, blend them into a smooth paste with the cashews and water. Keep aside.
• Heat a pan and add oil. When the oil gets hot, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and the dry red chilli.
• Then add the sliced onions and curry leaves. Saute till onions are well cooked and appear golden brown. Add ginger garlic paste. Cook till raw flavor vanishes.
• Add salt, turmeric powder, chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and salt as per taste. Now add the previously made sesame and cashew paste. Mix well. Add water to the pan till the contents attain a watery consistency.
• Cook on a low flame till oil starts separating. This will take at least 20 minutes of slow cooking. Keep stirring occasionally and keep covered with a lid. The final gravy should be thick in consistency.
• Add finely chopped mint, coriander leaves and whipped curd. Mix well and bring to a boil.
• Add the fried tindora and simmer for another 5 minutes. 
• A silky textured Ivy Gourd ka salan will be ready. Serve hot with biryani or plain rice.

Horsegram Dal/ Kolatha Dali

A protein rich wholesome dal !!

INGREDIENTS

• 200gm Horsegram or Kolatha Dali
• 1 Dry Mango Piece/ Ambula
• 2-3 Green Chilly or as per taste
• 1 Medium Onion, chopped finely
• 1 Tspn Garlic, minced
• 1 Sprig Curry Leaves
• 1 Dry Red Chilly
• 1 Tspn Mustard Seeds
• 1 Tspn Cumin Seeds
• Pinch of Hing/ Asafoetida
• 1 Tspn Turmeric Powder
• Salt, as per taste

METHOD

• Soak the kolatha dali for half an hour.
• Pressure cook with salt, turmeric powder, slit green chilly and ambula, for around 20 minutes or till dal is soft and mushy. Let it cool.
• Mash the dal with the help of a ladle. Alternatively, it could be mashed with a blender too.
• Heat mustard oil in a pan. Add the mustard and cumin seeds. Once they crackle, add the hing, dry red chilly and curry leaves. Saute for a while.
• Add finely chopped onion and garlic. Saute till onion starts getting brown.
• Add the mashed dal and let it come to a boil. Add water in case it becomes thick. Simmer for another 5-6 minutes.
• Kolatha dali is best relished with plain rice.

Bhindi Rai

INGREDIENTS

• 200gm Bhindi/ Bhendi/ Lady's Finger/ Okra
• 1 Medium Onion, chopped finely
• 2-3 Green Chillies or as per taste, chopped finely 
• 1 Tbspn Mustard Oil
• 1-2 Dry Red Chilly
• 1 Tspn Cumin Seeds
• 1 Tspn Kalonji Seeds
• 1 Tspn Sugar
• 1 Tspn Coriander Powder
• 1 Tspn Cumin Powder 
• 1 Tbspn Mustard Paste
• 1 Tspn Turmeric Powder
• Salt as per taste

METHOD

• Cut the okra into 1" length pieces. 
• Heat a pan and add oil. Shallow fry the okra in mustard oil till well cooked. Drain out excess oil and keep aside.
• To the now empty pan  (add more oil if required) add dry red chilli, kalonji and cumin seeds. 
• Add finely chopped onions and green chilly. Saute. Add salt, sugar and turmeric. Saute till onion starts browning. 
• Add about a couple of tablespoons of water, mustard paste, cumin powder and coriander powder. Simmer and fry for about a minute before adding the fried okra. Mix well.
• Simmer. Cover and cook for another couple of minutes or till most of the water evaporates. Keep stirring occasionally. 
• And, bhindi rai is ready !!

Aloo Palak (dry)

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Bunch Palak/ Spinach Leaves
• 2 Medium Potatoes, boiled
• 1 Medium Onion, chopped finely
• 2-3 Tspn Garlic, minced
• 1 Dry Chilly
• 1 Tspn Cumin Seeds
• 1 Tspn Garam Masala
• Pinch of hing/ asafoetida
• 1/2 Tspn Turmeric Powder
• Salt, as per taste

 METHOD

• Boil the potatoes. Cut into cubes. Keep aside.
• Rinse the spinach well and drain off the water. Chop finely.
• Heat oil in a pan and add dry red chilli, hing and cumin seeds. 
• As the seeds crackle, add the onion and garlic. Saute till onion turns golden brown. Add salt and turmeric.
• Add the chopped spinach leaves. Saute till spinach is tender and well cooked.
• Add the potatoes. Mix well. 
• Simmer for another couple of minutes and your healthy and yummy side dish will be all ready to go with your roti or paratha or simply rice.

Vegetable Cutlet

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Large Potato
• 1/2 Cup Green Peas, fresh or frozen
• 1 Tbspn Beetroot, chopped finely
• 1 Tbspn Carrot, chopped finely
• 1/2 Cup Cabbage, shredded
• 2-3 Green Chillies, chopped finely
• 1/2 Tspn Ginger Paste
• 1 Tspn Chat Masala
• 1 Tspn Cumin Powder
• 1 Tspn Lemon Juice
• 3-4 Tbspn Bread Crumbs
• Chilli Powder as per taste
• Salt, as per taste

METHOD

• Boil the potatoes. Mash them. Keep aside.
• Finely chop all the vegetables.
• Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds.
• As the cumin seeds crackle, add the finely chopped and shredded vegetables and fry till they are cooked.
• Add salt and turmeric.
• After about 5-6 minutes, the vegetables should be done. Add the mashed potatoes.
• Add all the spices and stir well. Let this mixture cook for another 5 minutes.
• Switch off flame and allow it to cool down. Mould into flat round shapes.
• Dip the pieces into the bread crumbs.
• Heat a tawa and grease it with oil. Cook the cutlets on both sides, flipping each side.
• Remove and drain excess oil on a tissue paper.
• Enjoy this healthy veggie snack with ketchup or green chutney.

Lauki Halwa

A lip-smacking dessert with all the goodness of Lauki !!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Cups Lauki/ Bottle Gourd/ Doodhi, grated finely
• 1/2 Lt Milk
• 1/2 Cup Sugar
• 2 Tbspn Ghee
• 1 Tspn Cardamom Powder
• 8-10 Cashews
• 8-10 Raisins
• 8-10 Almonds, sliced 

METHOD

• Boil the milk for about 10-15 minutes. Keep aside.
• Peel the lauki and grate it finely. Try to use lauki with less seeds.
• Heat the ghee in a pan and add the cashews and almonds. Saute. Add the raisins and saute till raisins puff up, indicating that they are cooked.
• Add the grated lauki and saute. Stir frequently as it tends to stick to the bottom of the vessel and burn.
• Saute till the lauki turns soft. Add the previously boiled milk and mix well. Stir frequently.
• Cook till the milk almost evaporates. Add sugar and cardamom powder. Mix well and cook for another 8-10 minutes.
• Lauki halwa is ready. Can be enjoyed hot as well as cold.

Cottage Cheese Kofta / Chenna Tarkari

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Lt Milk
• 2-3 Tspn Vinegar or Juice of 1 Lemon
• 1-2 Tspn Maida 
• 1 Medium Potato, boiled
• 1 Medium Onion
• 1 Tbspn Ginger Garlic paste
• 1 Large Tomato pureed
• 1-2 Green Chilly, chopped finely
• 1 Tspn Cumin Seeds
• Pinch of Hing (Asafoetida)
• 1" Cinnamon
• 1 Tspn Garam Masala
• 1 Tspn Turmeric Powder
• Salt, as per taste

METHOD:

• Boil the milk. As it boils add vinegar (or lemon juice) and let the milk curdle. A clear whey shall separate out from the solid cottage cheese. If required add a little more vinegar (or lemon). 
• Strain the cottage cheese with the help of a muslin cloth.
• Crumble the cottage cheese so that there are no lumps. Add maida and salt. Knead to a soft dough.
• Make small balls out of the dough and deep fry in hot oil. Drain out excess oil by placing on a paper towel. 
• Boil potato. Keep aside.
• In a pan, heat oil/butter and add cumin seeds as well as cinnamon and a pinch of hing.
• After the cumin seeds stop crackling, add minced onions and saute them till golden brown.
• Add ginger garlic paste. After the raw smell vanishes, add the pureed tomato.
• Add turmeric powder and salt to taste. Stir occasionally till oil oozes out of the masala.
• Cut the boiled potatoes into cubes and add. Add water and let it come to a boil. Let it cook on simmer for another 5-6 minutes. Add garam masala and give it a stir.
• Add the previously deep fried cottage cheese balls and let it simmer for another couple of minutes. Be careful while mixing the cheese balls as they tend to absorb moisture from the gravy and become very tender and might break.
• Yum yum yummy chenna tarkari is ready !!

Mexican Rice/ Spanish Rice (without tomato)

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Cups Cooked Rice (White or Brown)
• 1 Cup Vegetables (include carrot, french beans, green capsicum), chopped finely
• 1/2 Tbspn Sweet Corn
• 1/2 Tbspn Rajma/ Kidney Beans,  boiled
  
• 1 Medium Onion, chopped finely
• 2 Tspn Garlic, minced
• Pinch of Turmeric
• 1 Tspn Chilly Powder or as per taste
• 1 Tbspn Oil
• Salt, as per taste

 METHOD

• Heat oil in a pan. Add minced garlic. Saute for about half a minute by which the garlic fragrance shall start coming out. 
• Add all the other vegetables (chopped finely) along with the onion and boiled rajma. Add salt and saute till vegetables are almost cooked. Add a pinch of turmeric and chilly powder as per taste. Mi well.
• Add the rice and toss well till each grain of rice is well coated. 
• Enjoy it hot, as an accompaniment to enchiladas or other Mexican delights !!
  

Chilli Baby Corn

INGREDIENTS

• 10-12 Baby Corns
• 1 Large Onion
• 1 Medium Capsicum
• 1 Tspn Ginger, minced
• 1 Tspn Garlic, minced
• 2 Tspn Maida/ All purpose flour
• 2 Tspn Rice Flour
• 2 Tspn Soya Sauce
• 2 Tspn Vinegar
• 2 Tspn Tomato Ketchup
• 1/2 Tspn Sugar
• Salt as per taste
• Chilli powder as per taste

METHOD

• Mix the maida, rice flour, chilli powder and salt, with a little water. The batter should be of a thick consistency. Slice the baby corn and coat them with the batter.
• Deep fry the coated bay corn pieces in hot oil. Drain on a paper towel and keep aside.
• In another bowl, mix the soya sauce, vinegar, tomato ketchup, chilli powder, salt and sugar. Keep aside.
• Heat about a tbspn of oil in a pan and add the minced ginger and garlic. Saute.
• Add chopped onion and capsicum. Saute on high flame.
• Add the sauce mix. Bring to a boil and then add the fried baby corns. Mix well and lower the flame. Switch off flame after a couple of minutes.

Stuffed Karela

INGREDIENTS

• 3-4 Karela/ Bitter Gourd/ Kalara
• 1 Medium Potato
• 1 Medium Onion, thinly sliced
• 1-2 Green Chillies or as per taste
• 1 Tspn Ginger Garlic Paste
• 1 Tspn Mustard Seeds
• 1 Tspn Cumin Seeds
• 1 Tspn Coriander Powder
• 1 Tspn Turmeric Powder
•  Salt, as per taste

METHOD

• Wash the karela's and make a length wise slit in each. With the help of a small spoon or finger, scrape out the insides.
• Par boil the slit karelas (to lessen the cooking time). Drain the water and let it cool.
• Boil the potato and peel off skin. Mash and keep aside.
• Blend the green chillies, mustard seeds and cumin seeds  to a fine paste. Keep aside.
• Heat a pan and add oil. Add onion and saute till golden brown. Add ginger garlic paste and stir till raw flavour goes away. Add the masala paste with salt and turmeric. Add the mashed potato and mix well. Cook for a couple of minutes before switching off flame. Let it cool.
• Stuff each karela with the stuffing..
• Heat a pan, add oil and stir fry the stuffed karela's, till the vegetable is well cooked and crispy on the outside. Cover with a lid to hasten the cooking process. Stir occassionally.
• A yummy side dish is all-ready to devour !!

Pumpkin Flower Fry

INGREDIENTS

• 10-12 Pumpkin Flowers
• 1 Tbspn Rice
• 1" Ginger
• 5-6 Garlic Cloves
• Green Chilly, as per taste
• 1 Tspn Cumin Seeds
• Pinch of Turmeric
• Salt, as per taste
• Oil

METHOD

• Soak the rice for a couple of hours.
• Rinse the soaked rice and blend to a coarse paste along with the ginger, garlic, green chilly and cumin seeds. The batter should not be too watery nor too thick.
• Wash the pumpkin flowers and carefully remove the petals.
• Heat a tawa and drizzle oil on it.
• Take two flowers at a time and dip them into the batter. Coat them completely. Place on the pre-heated tawa and cook till golden brown. Flip and repeat for the other side.
• Relish it as a snack with chutney or have it as a side dish.

Methi Roti

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Cups Wheat Flour
• 1 Cup Methi Leaves
• 2 Tspn Garlic, minced
• 1 Tspn Green Chillies, minced or as per taste
• Oil
• Salt, as per taste

METHOD

• Rinse and drain the methi leaves. Chop finely.
• Mix the wheat flour, methi leaves, garlic, chillies and salt with couple of tspns of oil. Mix well. Add required amount of water and knead into a soft dough. Cover and let it rest for half an hour.
• Pinch out 1" dia balls and roll into round chapati shapes.
• Heat a tawa and cook on both sides. Apply ghee/oil/butter for an enhanced roasted taste.
• Serve immediately.

Kala Chana (dry)

INGREDIENTS

• 100gm -150gm Kala Chana
• 2 Medium Onion, chopped
• 2 Medium Tomato, chopped finely
• 2-3 Green Chilly, chopped finely
• 1 Tspn Cumin Seeds
• 1 Tspn Garam Masala
• 1 Tspn Chat Powder
• 1 Tspn Turmeric Powder
• Salt, as per taste
• 1 Sprig Coriander Leaves, chopped finely

METHOD

• Soak the chana overnight. Rinse. Boil in salted water for around 20 minutes or till chana is soft.
• Heat a pan and add oil. Add the cumin seeds. As they splutter, add onion and green chilly. Saute till onions are translucent.
• Add the tomatoes, salt and turmeric. Fry till oil starts oozing from the masala.
• Add the chana and mix well. Cook on a low flame for 5-6 minutes. Add the garam masala and chat powder. Give it a final stir and garnish with julienned ginger strips and coriander. Serve hot !