KURKURI BHINDI (Main Course - Vegetarian)

This dish is sure to turn even the non bhindi eaters into a fan of the vegetable commonly known as Lady Finger!

Ingredients: (Serves 6)

Bhindi (Lady Finger) – ½ Kg (Trimmed and cut finely either in roundels or slant)

Potatoes – 4 Medium (grated and kept in water)

Dhaniya (Coriander) Powder – 2 ½ Tsp

Jeera Powder – 1 ½ Tsp

Kala Namak – 1 Tsp

Amchur Powder – 1 Tsp

Salt to Taste (if required)

Oil for deep frying

Method:

-Deep fry the trimmed bhindi till they are crisp but not burnt.

-Wash the grated potatoes in plenty of runny water to remove all the starch. The grated potatoes should feel non sticky. Drain the water well and deep fry the potatoes by spreading them in the oil. Deep fry till golden brown and crisp.

-In a large pan add the bhindi, potatoes, all the dry masalas and cook on low flame for a minute. Mix well so that the masala coats the bhindi and potatoes.

-Serve Hot with Rotis and Dal Rice.

(Do not reheat the bhindi too much. 
Kurkuri Bhindi can be kept in the refrigerator for 5 to 6 days and idle if you are travelling.)

ENJOY EATING, KEEP COOKING!

MASALA OATS CREPE (Veg - Chai Nashta)

Ingredients:

Oats – 2 Cups

Semolina (Sooji) – 1 Cup

Finely Chopped Onion – 1 large

Finely Chopped Tomato – 1 large

Finely Chopped Green Chillies – 3

Finely Chopped Coriander – 1 Cup

Red Chilli Powder – 1 Tsp

Curds – 2 Cups

Salt to Taste

Method:

-In a large bowl, take oats, semolina (sooji), chopped onions, tomatoes, green chillies, coriander, red chilli powder, salt and mix well. Blend the curd either with hand or a blender. Put the curd over the ingredients in the bowl. Add 1 cup water and mix well. Check the barter; it should be of thick pouring consistency. Keep aside for 15 – 20 minutes, till the oats and semolina (sooji) swell up. Mix well with the back of a spoon and if it is too thick add a little water. Check the seasoning.

-Now heat a dosa tawa (non stick flat pan). Pour a ladle full of mixture and spread a little in circular motion with the back of the ladle. Cook for 2 minutes. Add a little olive oil on the sides of the crepe. Cook a little and flip and cook on the other side.

-Serve Hot with Green Chutney, Nariyal Chutney or Ketchup.

Tip: If the crepe sticks to the pan then -

Pour ½ tsp oil on the pan and rub a half cut onion all over it. This prepares the tawa (pan) for making dosa or crepes.

ENJOY EATING, KEEP COOKING!

EGG CASSEROLE (Chai - Nashta)

Ingredients: (Serves 6)

Eggs – 6

Chopped Onions – 2 large

Chopped Tomatoes – 3 large

Finely Chopped Green Chillies – 3

Chopped Coriander – 1 Cup

Red Chilli Powder – 1Tsp

Pepper Powder – ¾ Tsp

Turmeric Powder – 1 Tsp

Olive Oil – 4 Tbsp

Butter – 2 Tsp

Salt to Taste

Method:

-Take a non stick pan and add olive oil. Once hot add the chopped onions and green chillies. Saute for 2 - 3 minutes on medium flame till the onions are translucent and the oil separates. Now add the tomatoes and stir fry for 2 - 3 minutes. Add red chilli powder, pepper powder, turmeric powder and salt. Mix well, cook till the tomatoes are mushy. Now add half the coriander and cook till the tomatoes are done.

Spread the mixture evenly in the pan. Break the eggs into the pan leaving distance between each egg so that they do not overlap. Now sprinkle some salt, pepper and red chilli powder over the eggs. Cover with a lid and cook on a medium flame till the eggs are cooked.

-Uncover and sprinkle the rest of the coriander.

-Serve Hot with toasted bread. 

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STEWED NOODLES (Main Course Veg & Non Veg)

A One Pot Meal 

This is a quick and easy recipe, which is complete in itself. It can be both Veg and Non Veg dish, depending on your preference. The recipe given below is Vegetarian. Non Vegetarians can add boiled shredded chicken, mushrooms, fish to the same recipe while the vegetables are being sauted.

Ingredients: (Serves 6)

Veg. Hakka Noodles – 2 packets

Onions – 2 (Thickly Julienne)

English Carrot – 1 (Thickly Julienne)

Capsicum – 1 (Thickly Julienne)

Cabbage – ½ (small) (Thickly Julienne)

Corn flour – 5 Tsp (Mix with water to make a runny paste)

Chopped Green Onion Leaves – 1 Cup

Chopped Garlic – 2 ½ Tbsp

Green Chillies – 4 (Cut Slant)

Red Chilli Powder – 1 Tsp

Pepper Powder – ½ Tsp

Ajinomoto – ¾ Tsp

Soya Sauce – 2 Tbsp

Oil – 3 Tbsp

Salt to Taste

Method:

-In a vessel, add 6 cups of water and keep for boiling.

-Take oil in a wok. Once it heats well, add chopped garlic and green chillies. Stir fry for half a minute. Add the onions, keep stirring. Add Ajinomoto, black pepper powder, red chilli powder and fry.  Now add the Julienne vegetables and stir fry on high flame. Now add the noodles after breaking them into two. Stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes till the noodles turn moist. Now add 6 cups of boiling water to the noodles. Bring it to a boil. Check the seasoning.  Add corn flour mixed with water. Once it thickens and looks like a soup, add the green onion leaves.

-Serve Hot.

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SHARAABI KUKAD / DRUNK CHICKEN (Main Course - Non Veg)

Ingredients: (Serves 6)

Chicken Drumsticks – 1 Kg

Garlic Cloves – 20 large

Green Chillies – 8 to 10

Olive Oil/Vegetable Oil – 4 Tbsp

Black Pepper Powder – 1 ½ Tsp

Honey – 1 ½ Tbsp

Chopped Coriander – 1 ½ Cup

Orange-Red Colour – ½ Tsp

Red Chilli Powder – 1 ½ Tsp

Brandy/Rum  – ¾ Cup

Salt to Taste

Method:

-Make a paste of garlic and green chillies. After making a few gashes with a help of a knife or a fork on the chicken drumsticks, rub in the paste, pepper powder and salt all over the chicken. Keep aside for an hour.

Add oil in a pan and add the chicken pieces. Mix well. Add honey over the pieces and mix again. Cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Now add the brandy to the chicken and mix well. Add the colour and red chilli powder and mix again. Cook covered for another 10 minutes or till the chicken is completely dried. Add coriander and cook for a few minutes.

-Serve Hot! 

ENJOY EATING, KEEP COOKING!

ALOO KI SABZI (Main Course - Veg)

Ingredients: (Serves 6)

Potatoes – 6 Large (Boiled & Broken into small pieces)

Jeera – 1 Tsp

Saunf – 1 ½ Tsp

Meethi Seeds – ½ Tsp

Finely Chopped Tomatoes – 3

Finely Chopped Green Chillies – 4 to 5

Haldi Powder – 1 ½ Tsp

Red Chilli Powder – 2 Tsp

Coriander Powder - 2 Tsp

Achaar Masala – 1 ½ Tsp (taken from any mango pickle)

Chopped Coriander – 1 cup

Oil – 3 Tbsp

Hing – ½ Tsp

Chopped Ginger – 1 ½ Tsp

Salt to Taste

Method:

-Add oil to a kadhai. Once it is hot add hing, jeera, saunf, meethi seeds. Keep stirring. Once the methi seeds turn brown add haldi powder, coriander powder, salt and red chilli powder. Stir for a minute. Add the achaar masala and mix well. Add the potatoes, green chillies, chopped ginger, tomatoes and chopped coriander. Stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Add water as required. Bring to a boil. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes or till the gravy thickens.

-Serve Hot with Puri’s or Kachouri of your choice.

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PYAAZ KI KACHOURI

Ingredients: For Filling (Serves 6)

Finely Chopped Onions – 4 (large)

Finely Chopped Green Chillies – 4 to 6

Saunf – 2 Tsp

Kalongi – 1 Heaped Tsp

Sabat Dhaniya – 1 Tsp

Oil – 2 Tbsp

Salt to Taste

Ingredients: For Dough

Maida – 4 Cups

Besan – 1 Cup

Baking Powder – 1 Tsp

Salt – 1 Tsp

Oil – 4 Tbsp

Ajwain – 1 Tsp

Cold Water to knead the dough

Method: For Filling

Heat oil in a kadhai. Once hot, add saunf, sabat dhaniya and kalongi. Stir fry for a minute. Now add the chopped onions and salt and green chillies. Mix well and cook till the water evaporates. Keep aside and let the mixture cool.

Method: For Kachouri

-In a large vessel, add maida, baking powder, salt, ajwain and oil. Mix together with both your hands so that it feels like bread crumbs. Now add water and knead a stiff dough. Cover with a wet cloth and keep aside for 15 to 20 minutes.

-Make small pedas from the dough; roll a little into the size of a small puri. Fill each puri with 1 heaped Tbsp of the pyaaz masala. Close in the sides and then roll it lightly.

-Heat oil in a kadhai and deep fry the kachori, till it turns golden brown and crisp.

-Serve Hot with Green Chutney, Imli ki Chutney and Aloo ki Sabzi.

(Recipe for Aloo Ki Sabzi will be posted soon.)

ENJOY EATING, KEEP COOKING!

MUTTER KI KACHOURI

Ingredients: For Filling (Serves 6)

Green Peas (Mutter) – 4 Cups (boiled & roughly mashed)

Oil – 2 Tbsp

Hing – ½ Tsp

Jeera – 1 Tsp

Dhaniya (Coriander) Powder – 2 Tsp

Haldi (Turmeric) Powder – 1 Tsp

Grated Ginger – 2 ½ Tsp

Finely Chopped Green Chillies – 2

Red Chilli Powder – 1 ½ Tsp

Chaat Masala – 1 Tsp

Amchur Powder – 1 Tsp

Garam Masala – ¾ Tsp

Besan (Gram Flour) – 2 Tbsp

Salt to Taste

Ingredients: For Dough

Maida – 4 Cups

Besan – 1 Cup

Baking Powder – 1 Tsp

Salt – 1 Tsp

Oil – 4 Tbsp

Ajwain – 1 Tsp

Cold Water to knead the dough

Method: For Filling

-Heat oil in a kadhai. Add hing and jeera. Then add dhaniya powder, haldi and ginger. Stir fry for a minute. Next add the chopped green chillies, mix and cook for 2 minutes. Now add the mashed green peas and cook on low flame for 4 to 5 minutes. Add salt, red chilli powder, chaat masala, amchur, garam masala and besan. Mix thoughroly and cook for 2 minutes. Switch off the gas and let the filling cool.

Method: For Kachouri

-In a large vessel, add maida, baking powder, salt, ajwain and oil. Mix together with both your hands so that it feels like bread crumbs. Now add water and knead a stiff dough. Cover with a wet cloth and keep aside for 15 to 20 minutes.

-Make small pedas from the dough; roll a little into the size of a small puri. Fill each puri with 1 heaped Tbsp of the mutter masala. Close in the sides and then roll it lightly.

-Heat oil in a kadhai and deep fry the kachori, till it turns golden brown and crisp.

-Serve Hot with Green Chutney, Imli ki Chutney and Aloo ki Sabzi.

(Recipe for Aloo ki Sabzi will be posted soon!)

ENJOY EATING, KEEP COOKING!

WADIYAN ALOO MUTTER (Main Course - Veg)

A true punjabi delicacy!!! Made by my Husband and relished by us!

Ingredients: (Serves 6)

Potatoes (cut into big squares) – 5 Medium

Finely Chopped Onions – 3 Medium

Finely Chopped Tomatoes – 4 Medium

Finely Chopped Green Chillies – 3

Long Dried Red Chillies – 3

Green Peas (fresh or frozen) – 1 ½ Cup

Black Cardamom – 1

Kadi Patta – 4 to 6

Jeera (cumin) – 1 Tsp

Chopped Ginger – 1 ½ Tsp

Chopped Garlic – ¼ Tsp

Corriander Powder 1 ½ Tsp

Red Chilli Powder – 2 Tsp

Haldi Powder – 1 ½ Tsp

Chopped Coriander – ½ Cup

Amritsari Wadi – 2 (Broken into large pieces)

Oil - Tbsp

Salt to Taste

Method:

-Take a pressure cooker. Add oil to it. Then add garlic, ginger, green chillies, long red chillies, haldi powder and sauté for 2 minutes. Now add the wadi and sauté till the wadi are coated with the masala. Add the potatoes, mix well and fry till the oil seperates. Now put in the onions and green peas. Mix well. Add the tomatoes and cook till the onion and tomatoes turn soft. Now add the kadi patta and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Add red chilli powder, salt, coriander powder. Keep cooking. Now add 1 ½ litre of water. Put the lid back on the cooker and cook for 5 whistles. Once the cooker cools down and the pressure releases, open the lid and cook till it boils.

-Sprinkle Coriander. Serve Hot with Rotis, Paranthas or Rice.

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BHARWAN MASALA BHINDI (Main Course - Veg)

Ingredients: (Serves 4)

Small Sized Bhindi (Trimmed) – 500 gm

Besan – 3 Tbsp

Haldi Powder – 1 Tsp

Garam Masala – 1 Tsp

Jeera Powder – 3 Tsp

Amchur Powder – 3 Tsp

Saunf – 3 Tsp

Red Chilli Powder – 2 Tsp (or to taste)

Dhaniya Powder – 5 Tsp

Kalunji – 2 Tsp

Finely Chopped Green Chillies – 6

Oil – 5 Tbsp

Sliced Onion – 2 (large) or Shallots – 15 to 20

Salt to Taste

Method:

-Make slits in the centre of the bhindi. Do not cut it completely.

-In a bowl mix salt, haldi powder, garam masala, jeera powder, dhaniya powder, amchur powder, saunf and red chilli powder. Mix well and fill this mixture in the bhindi. Pour 1 Tbsp oil over the bhindi and mix well so that all the masala sticks to the bhindi. Keep aside.

-Heat oil in a pan. Add kalunji and sauté till it crackles. Then add onions and green chillies and stir fry till the onions are translucent. Now add besan and cook till the besan changes colour, then add the bhindi, mix well, cover and cook. Stir occasionally. Cook till the bhindi is done. Now remove the lid and cook for 2 – 3 minutes.

-Serve Hot with Roti or Paranthas.

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BREAD POHA (CHAI - NASHTA)

Bread Poha is a variant of the usual poha dish. Poha is very common almost throughout India and is made with beaten rice. But in the case of Bread Poha, Bread forms the core ingredient. It is quite a favourite when it comes to preparing a quick fix breakfast dish.

Enjoy the sumptuous breakfast!!!

Ingredients:

Sandwich Bread – 1 Loaf (Preferably a day old)

Finely Chopped Onions – 2 Medium

Finely Chopped Green Chillies – 5 to 6

Kadi Patta – 10 to 12

Lemon Juice – 1 Lemon

Chopped Coriander – 1 Cup

Curd – 1 Cup (Made into thin Buttermilk)

Turmeric (Haldi) Powder – ¾ Tsp

Red Chilli Powder – 2 Tsp

Mustard Seeds – 1 Heaped Tsp

Long Dried Red Chillies – 3 to 4 (broken into large pieces)

Sugar – 2 Tsp

Hing (Asafoetida) – ½ Tsp

Oil – 4 Tbsp

Salt to Taste

Method:

-Take the buttermilk in a large bowl. Add salt and mix well. Now take 2 to 3 bread slices and dip them in the buttermilk. Press with your palm, crumble the bread and keep side. Do this with all the slices. (Do not dip for too long as the bread will become soggy and turn into a large lump.)

-Heat oil in a kadhai (deep pan). Add mustard seeds. Once they splutter, add hing, onions, kadi patta, long red chillies, and green chillies. Mix well and add haldi powder, red chilli powder and stir fry for 2 minutes. Now add a little salt and the lime juice. Mix well.

-Now add the soaked bread, chopped coriander and sugar. Mix well till the bread is coated with all the masala. Check seasoning.

-Serve Hot for breakfast with Tea or Coffee.

ENJOY EATING, KEEP COOKING!