Stuffed Bhindi

 Stuffed Bhindi

Ingredients

Lady's Finger                                                                                  250 gm

Gram flour                                                                                       3/4 cup

Grated Coconut                                                                               4 tbsp

Coriander powder                                                                            3 tsp

Red chilli powder                                                                             2 tsp

Cumin powder                                                                                 1 tsp

Turmeric powder                                                                            1/2 tsp

Chopped Onion                                                                              2 tbsp

Cumin seeds                                                                                  1/2 tsp

Asafoetida                                                                                      1/2 tsp

Salt                                                                                               To taste

Oil                                                                                              As required

Preparation

Wash and wipe bhindis. Remove the ends and make slit lengthwise.

 

For the Filling :

In a bowl mix gram flour, grated coconut, coriander powder, chilli powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, finely chopped onion, salt and one and half tbsp oil. If you wish, can make it spicy as per your taste.

Now stuff each bhindi with this mixture.

Take a kadai, heat 2 tbsp oil, add cumin seeds and asafoetida till the cumin seeds turns golden colour.

Before frying, remove the other end too.

Now put the stuffed bhindis in the oil and turn on all sides till it gets cooked and fried (not too crispy). You can add more 2 tbsp of oil to it.

I love it to be little bit crispy :-)

Garnish it with fresh coriander leaves and grated coconut. It came out really yummy !!!

Thanks to Nita Mehta's book Taste of Gujarat :-)

Vethappam or Kuzhipaniyaram

Vethappam or Kuzhipaniyaram

Hi, this is a simple, easy and tasty snack and breakfast :-)

Ingredients

Idli Batter                                                                                                  1 small bowl

Onion                                                                                                            1 (big)

Green chillies                                                                                               3 - 4

Ginger                                                                                                      1 small piece

Grated coconut                                                                                              2 tbsp

Asafoetida                                                                                                    A pinch

Coconut oil                                                                                               As required

Curry leaves                                                                                                A sprig

Mustard seeds (optional)                                                                              1 tsp

Preparation

Take a kadai, heat oil, add mustard seeds and when it splutters, add asafoetida powder, green chillies (chopped), onion (chopped), ginger (chopped), and saute well till it turns golden brown colour.

Take idli batter in a bowl and add the above ones to it and mix well. Add grated coconut(optional). Check for salt.

Take an appachatti (i used non-stick)

 

Add 1/4 tsp of coconut oil to each moulds, when it starts boiling, pour one tbsp of the batter into each one.

Turn both sides till it becomes light brown colour. Mmmm... the aroma of the coconut oil.. it gives u a really tasty vethappam.. :-)

Make it a day after keeping the batter for two days... or left over batter.. if the batter becomes little bit sour in taste, it gives more taste !! Have it with coconut chammanthy or chutney :-P

 

Kasoori Paneer Tikka

Kasoori Paneer Tikka

Ingredients

Cottage cheese (paneer)                                                                      250 gms

Capsicum                                                                                         1 (medium)

Onion                                                                                                1 (medium)

Tomato                                                                                              1 (medium)

Kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)                                                 2 tbsp 

Yogurt                                                                                                     1/2 cup

Milk                                                                                                         2 tbsp

Ginger - Garlic paste                                                                               2 tsp

Green chutney                                                                                        2 tbsp

Green chilli sauce                                                                                   2 tbsp

Cumin powder                                                                                          1tsp

Garam masala powder                                                                             1 tsp

Turmeric powder                                                                                    1/4 tsp

Chaat masala                                                                                           1 tsp

Salt                                                                                                        To taste

Vegetable oil                                                                                           To fry

Mustard oil                                                                                              2 tbsp

Lemon juice                                                                                           2 tbsp

Preparation

It's sooo easy :-)  Cut the paneer into 1 & 1/2 inch pieces and put the paneer in a cup of hot water for 5 minutes. Cut the onion, tomato and capsicum too into same length.

In a bowl mix yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, green chutney, green chilli sauce, cumin powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, half a tsp of chaat masala, milk, crushed kasoori methi and salt.

Then add the paneer cubes to it,  marinate it well and keep it aside for about 20 minutes.

Heat the mustard oil in a high flame to smoking point and keep aside to cool. When it becomes completely cold, add it to the marinated paneer.

You will get wooden skewers from shops or you can use clean home made thin sticks neatly sharped and shaped. Soak it in water for fifteen minutes.

Now thread capsicum, paneer, tomato, onion, one after the other to the skewers or thin sticks.

Cook this thread on an oiled grill or normal tawa. Keep on turning the skewers a few minutes and cook the tikkas on all sides. 

Ready ! Arrange them on a plate, sprinkle the remaining chaat masala, squeeze lemon juice and serve hot ... mmmm... yummy!!

Punjabi Chole Masala

Punjabi Chole Masala

Hi, I have tried Punjabi Chole. Hope you all will love it !  Its really sooo yummy :-)

Ingredients

Chickpeas                                                                                         1 & 1/2 cup

Onion                                                                                                2 (medium)

Tomato                                                                                              3 (medium)

Ginger                                                                                      1 tsp (grated or paste)

Green chillies                                                                                       2 (slit)

Kashmiri chilly powder                                                                          1 tsp

Amchur powder                                                                                     1 tsp

Garam masala powder                                                                        1/2 tsp

Salt                                                                                                       To taste

Oil                                                                                                         3 tbsp

Spices for the masala :

Cardamoms (i have used green)                           4 - 5 ( black gives more flavor )

Cinnamon                                                                                         1 inch

Cloves                                                                                                   3

Black peppercorns                                                                            5 - 6

Cumin seeds                                                                                  1 & 1/2 tsp

Coriander seeds                                                                             1 & 1/2 tsp

Fennel seeds                                                                                  1 & 1/2 tsp

Dry red chillies                                                                                      2

Bay leaf                                                                                           1 (whole)

Preparation

Wash and soak the chana overnight. Add a pinch of baking soda to it.

Pressure cook it for 5-6 whistles adding salt and a pinch of turmeric powder.

In a pan, dry roast all the spices, allow it to cool and grind it to a fine powder. (masala)

Take care that you dont burn it.

In the same pan, heat oil, add the chopped onions and fry them till they become golden brown.

Add the ginger paste, saute it till the raw smell goes.

Now add the chopped tomatoes, saute it well adding a pinch of salt till the oil starts to leave the sides of the pan.

When it is ready, add the ground spices along with the red chilli powder, garam masala powder, green chillies to the onion mixture. Saute for two minutes.

Then add the cooked chana (chole) to it. Add some stock to the mixture. If you need more gravy, can add more stock, also check the salt because we have already added salt to the cooked chickpeas and onion - tomato mixture.

Simmer the stove to a medium flame and let the gravy boil for 10 minutes till it thickens and cooked well.

Finally, add the amchur powder.

Garnish the Chole masala with chopped onions and fresh coriander leaves. I have also added 2 tsp butter to it :-)

You can have it with Bhaturas, Puris, Rotis along with sliced onions and lime.

Elo Jhelo

Elo Jhelo

Ingredients

All purpose flour ( Maida )                                                                   2 cup

Water                                                    As required for the dough (approx. 1/2 cup)

Oil                                                                                    2tbsp (dough) & For frying

Salt                                                                                                      A pinch

Cardamom powder                                                                        1 tsp (optional)

Sugar syrup :

Sugar                                                                                               1 cup

Water                                                                                            1/2 cup

Preparation

In a bowl add flour, a pinch of salt, oil (2tbsp), water and make a dough as we do for puris. Dont make the dough too watery.

 

Divide into small balls and flatten it just as we do chapatis.

 Take a knife and cut through the circle as shown in the picture. Take care not to cut the edges.

 

Roll it into this shape as in the picture. You have to just roll it ad will get this shape.

 

Now heat oil and deep fry them. 

 For sugar syrup: Add sugar and water in a pan and boil it till the syrup thickens and becomes sticky. Add cardamom powder to it.

 Dip them in the sugar syrup for one second and keep aside. Do all the fries in the same way. 

You can store them in a air tight container for a long time.

This is a Bengali crunchy sweet and is made on Bijoya dashmi that is vijayadashami :-)

I tried this and it came out well. Wish all of you to try and taste this special Bengali sweet !!

Rajasthani Gatta Curry

Rajasthani Gatta Curry

Ingredients

For the dough :

Gram flour (besan)                                                                          2 tbsp

Coriander seeds (crushed)                                                              1 tsp

Chilli powder                                                                                    1 tsp

Turmeric powder                                                                             1/4 tsp

Asafoetida                                                                                     A pinch

Salt                                                                                                To taste

Oil                                                                                                   1/2 tsp

                                    

In a bowl add all these ingredients one by one slowly and make a dough adding a little bit of water.

Now make small dumplings with this dough.

 

Add this to boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain the water and keep it aside (the water too).

Cut the dumplings .

Now fry the dumplings.

 Ingredients for the gravy :

Gram flour                                                                                                   1 tbsp

Yogurt                                                                                                         1/2 cup

Coriander powder                                                                                  1 & 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder                                                                                         1/4 tsp

Chilly powder                                                                                                1/2 tsp

Mustard seeds                                                                                            1/2 tsp

Cumin seeds                                                                                               1/4 tsp

Hing                                                                                                           A pinch

Garam masala powder                                                                              1 tsp

Salt                                                                                                            To taste

Preparation

Add the gram flour (chickpea flour, kadalamavu, besan) to that stock (in which u boiled the dumplings), mix well and keep it aside.

In a half a cup of yoghurt, add a pinch of hing, salt, coriander powder, turmeric powder, chilli powder and mix it well.

Heat oil , add mustard seeds, when it splutters, add cumin seeds.

When it is ready, add the yoghurt mix, stir well. Then add the gram flour mixture. Let it boil. If the mixture is more thick, add little more water.

Now add the fried gatta to it and close the lid. Let it be on sim for few minutes. If you wish you can add more spices and can make it more spicy too !! I have made it simple. You can add ginger-garlic paste, green chillies, onion, and kasoori methi too to the dough. It gives a different taste..

Garnish with coriander leaves.

 

Vegetable Fried Rice

Vegetable Fried Rice

Ingredients

Basmati rice                                                                                 2 cups

Carrot                                                                                          1 (sliced)

Beans                                                                                            6-8

Cabbage                                                                                       1/4 cup

Capsicum                                                                                       1/2
Spring onion                                                                                 1/4 cup
Red chilli powder                                                                         1/2 tsp

Black pepper powder                                                                    2 tsp

Sugar                                                                                          A pinch

Soya sauce                                                                                  1 tbsp

Salt                                                                                             To taste

Oil or Ghee                                                                                  2 tbsp
 

Preparation

Wash and cook the rice and allow it to cool.

Wash, cut and cook the carrots and beans adding little salt to it. Slice the cabbage and capsicum and keep it aside.

Take a kadai, heat ghee, add cabbage to it and saute well till the raw smell goes. Now add capsicum, spring onion and salt to it . Saute it adding pepper powder, red chilli powder, sugar and soya sauce till the veggies become tender.

When it is ready add the cooked rice and the other vegetables (cooked carrot and beans). If you wish, you can also add green peas. Blend it well equally. Switch off the flame.

Add chilli Gobi fry or paneer fry to this vegetable fried rice and have it. Mmmm.... it will be really yummy !!

This is my daughter's collection and purely her preparation......her favourite fried rice in her college canteen and she used to have it with chilli Gobi fry :-P   She tried one Sunday and it really came out well :-) 

Paneer Makhani

Paneer Makhani

Ingredients

Cottage cheese                                                                                           200 grams

Tomatoes                                                                                      3-4 (ripe & medium)

Cream                                                                                                            3 tbsp

Ginger Garlic paste                                                                                         1 tsp

Green chillies                                                                                                1-2 (slit)

Chilli powder                                                                                                 1/2 tsp

Bay leaf                                                                                                           1-2

Garam masala powder                                                                                 1/2 tsp

Sugar                                                                                                        1/2 - 1 tsp

Ginger                                                                                                         1/2 inch

Kasoori methi                                                                                               1/2 tsp

Butter                                                                                                          2 - 3 tbsp

Water                                                                                                        1 & 1/2 cup

Salt                                                                                                            As required

Preparation

Wash the tomatoes, chop them and grind them in a blender to make a smooth puree.

Take a kadai, melt butter, add bay leaf and saute for seconds. Then add ginger garlic paste and saute again.

Now add the tomato puree and stir well. Add red chilli powder and saute the mixture well till the fat leaves.

Keep stirring on low flame for 10-15 minutes. Add water to it and keep it in low flame till the gravy thickens.

Add the slit green chillies and ginger julienne (cut into thin long strips), stir for a minute.

Then add kasoori methi and sugar, stir well.

Add the paneer cubes and allow it to boil for 2-3 minutes till the paneer is cooked.

Atlast add cream and stir it slowly. Switch off the stove and sprinkle garam masala powder, stir it again so that it blends well with the gravy.

You can have it with roti, naan or ghee rice.

Chilli Garlic Cassava

 Chilli Garlic Cassava

Ingredients

Tapioca                                                                                             1 1/2 cup

Rice flour                                                                                          2 1/2 tbsp
Turmeric powder                                                                                 1 tsp

Garlic                                                                                                10 cloves

Green chillies                                                                                       3-4
Pepper                                                                                               2 tsp
Salt                                                                                                As required
Onion                                                                                               1 (small)
Lemon                                                                                              1 (small)
Curry leaves                                                                                      A sprig
Oil                                                                                                      To fry

Preparation

It's a easy recipe and can be eaten as evening snack too.

Peel off the skin, cut the tapioca into small, not too small pieces.

 Boil it adding salt and turmeric powder.

Grind rice flour, garlic, green chillies, pepper and salt. If you wan to make it more spicy, increase the quantity.

Marinate the tapioca in this ground mixture and keep it aside for atleast 20 minutes so that it blends well.

Take a kadai, heat oil and deep fry the marinated tapioca. Serve it in a plate.

In the same oil, fry some sliced onions, curry leaves and garnish it, also squeezing lemon juice to make it more yummy !