Mix Vegetable cooked in Coconut Milk

HE is a big fan of Punjabi curries and I just do not like that typical taste of spices in onion and tomato gravy. So I thought to use generous quantity of fresh veggies and coconut milk to lower down the spiciness of the curry. I made this first time for guests and they loved it. You can keep the same gravy and try out different veggies.

Serves 6

Preparation Time: 30 Minute

Cooking Time: 30 Minute

Ingredients

Cut veggies,

2 cup cauliflower

1 cup beans

1 cup corn

½ cup green pepper

½ cup peas

2.5 cup thinly sliced onions

2 tsp oil

Whole garam masala (A baly leaf, 2 pc cardamom, 1” cinnamon stick, 2-3 pc clove, 8-10 whole black pepper)

1 tsp cumin seeds

½ tsp green chili paste

½ tsp ginger paste

¼ tsp turmeric powder

½ tsp kitchen king masala

1 tsp red chili powder

1 tsp dhaniya powder

½ cup coconut milk

2 cup tomato sauce

1 small can evaporated milk (5 oz)

Salt

Coriander leaves for garnishing

Note: quantity of sliced onions should be half of all veggies.

Procedure

1. Steam green beans in microwave and keep them aside

2. Heat oil in skillet, add whole garam masala, cumin seeds, sliced onions, ginger and chili paste

3. When onions turn golden brown, add kitchen king, salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder and dhaniya powder

4. Stir it for a while and add all the veggies

5. Cook them covered on low flame and preferably without adding water

6. When veggies are almost cooked, add tomato sauce, coconut milk and evaporated milk

7. Mix well and bring it to boil uncovered, stirring occasionally

8. Turn off the heat and garnish with coriander leaves

Dal Fry

I have never been much into Dal. I would have typical Gujarati Dal (Which is there for lunch at least 5 days a week) only if mom has prepared it. And later on, I also learnt to make it to get the exact taste. Still, I avoid having this dal in any function or at somebody’s place. Similarly, I avoid Dal Fry as well. Generally when people go out at restaurants, they order Dal Fry or Dal Tadka with Jeera Rice/Pulao. But I would still prefer rice with sabzi gravy. But HE loves dal fry like anything (or any dal for the fact), so I had no choice but to make it more often :(

Serves 2-4

Preparation Time: 10 Minute + soaking time

Cooking Time: 30 Minute

Ingredients

½ sup toor dal

½ cup moong dal

½ cup chopped onion

½ cup chopped tomato

1 tsp cumin seeds

4-6 whole pepper

½ tsp green chili paste

½ tsp garlic paste

¼ tsp ginger paste

½ tsp turmeric powder

½ tsp red chili powder

½ tsp dhaniya powder

¼ tsp kitchen king

¼ tsp garam masala

¼ tsp aamchur

1 tbsp tomato paste

Salt

Coriander leaves for garnishing

Procedure

1. Soak both dals for couple of hours and pressure cook them together

2. Stir it with hand blender while it is still hot. Avoid using electric blender

3. Add salt and bring dal to boil on low flame. Add desired quantity of water at this time only

4. In a separate skillet heat oil. Add cumin seeds, pepper, onion, chili paste, garlic paste and ginger paste

5. When onions turn golden brown, add tomato and kitchen king masala

6. Stir it until tomatoes turn soft and add remaining spices

7. Mix well and add this mixture to boiling dal

8. Add tomato paste, mix well and turn off the heat (When you add onion-tomato mixture to dal, it should be boiling. Once you mix them, do not cook for long)

9. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot

PS Same recipe can be used with only toor dal too.

Potato in creamy spinach

Here at Indian Restaurants, we get limited varieties in Punjabi/ North Indian Curries. Sometimes, more or less they taste same due to the fact that same gravy is used as a base for several dishes. I am not very much fond of using fried onion and tomato in gravy. On experimental level, I reduce tomato/onion quantity and used spinach instead in gravy. And it worked fine!

Serves 3-4

Preparation Time: 20 Minute

Cooking Time: 30 Minute

Ingredients

4 cup chopped spinach

1 cup diced potato

¼ cup dice green pepper

Whole garam masala (a bay leaf, a cardamom, 2 pc clove, 1” cinnamon stick, 6-8 whole pepper)

1 tsp cumin seeds

1.5 cup finely chopped onion (3 medium pc)

1 tsp green chili paste

½ tsp ginger paste

½ tsp kitchen king masala

1 cup tomato sauce

½ cup evaporated milk

Pinch of sugar

Salt

Procedure

1. Heat oil in skillet. Add whole garam masala and cumin seeds

2. Add chopped onions and stir until they turn golden brown

3. Now add potato, green pepper and spinach

4. Add salt and stir well. Do not add water

5. Cook it covered on low-medium flame until potatoes are cooked and spinach starts leaving oil on the edge

6. Add kitchen king masala, tomato sauce and evaporated milk

7. Add sugar and mix well

8. Bring it to boil until it forms thick consistent gravy

9. Serve hot with naan or rice

PS: Alternatively, you can keep the same gravy and try different veggies like peas or corn.

Spinach Rice/ Palak Pulao

Long back I used spinach as a main ingredient in Pulao. That time I just wanted to use leftover spinach in some experimental way. Pulao came out good, more than taste I fell in love with lush green texture. I suddenly remembered this dish and thought to make it again. This time I searched for recipe online. I did find a few but all of them were saying to use chopped spinach. I did not find this method very appealing since chopped spinach will not change color of rice grain and also it will not be evenly distributed. Instead I decided to use spinach in a puree form. And here I am with another delicious pulao recipe.

Serves 2-4

Preparation Time: 10 Minute + soaking time

Cooking Time: 45 Minute

Ingredients

1.5 cup rice

Couple of handfuls of spinach

1 cup corn kernels

1 cup sliced onions

2 pc of clove

1” cinnamon stick

6-8 pc whole pepper

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp oil

¼ cup cheddar cheese (Optional)

Salt

Procedure

1. Soak rice for 1-2 hrs and cook it covered on low flame with salt and 1.5 cup of water

2. Boil the spinach, once cool down grind into a thick puree

3. Heat oil in a skillet. Add clove, cinnamon, pepper and cumin seeds

4. Add onions, when turn golden brown add spinach puree, corn, salt and lemon juice

5. Stir it for a while and turn off the heat

6. Now in a large oven safe bowl, mix rice and spinach mixture

7. Cover this bowl with aluminum foil and put it in oven for 25-25 minute at 350 F

8. Sprinkle cheese as soon as you take it out from oven and serve hot

Veggie Stuffed Vada

My mom shared this recipe a few days ago. She told me if I was tired of having Idli in a traditional way; try an alternative use of Idli flour to make this Vada. Due to soda bi-carb in store bought idli flour, it swells and looks like stuffed vada. These crispy vadas are somewhere between Alu-Vada and Cutlets. Ideally it should have a ball like shape and deep fried. Instead, I made flat patties and shallow fried them. They are quite filling and easy to prepare.

Makes 16-18 vadas

Preparation Time: 20 Minute

Cooking Time: 30 Minute

Ingredients

2 cup potato, boiled and mashed (About 3 medium pc)

1 cup idli flour

½ cup green beans, finely chopped

½ cup carrot, finely chopped

½ cup peas, coarsely crushed

1 tsp oil

½ tsp cumin seeds

½ tsp sesame seeds

1 tsp sugar

½ tsp aamchur

¼ tsp garam masala

¼ tsp clove-cinnamon powder

½ tsp green chili paste

¼ tsp ginger paste

Salt

Oil for frying

Procedure

1. Heat oil in skillet. Add cumin seeds, sesame seeds, beans, peas and carrots

2. Stir it on low flame until it becomes dry

3. Turn off the heat and let mixture cool down

4. Now mix these veggies with mashed potatoes and add remaining ingredients

5. Mix well and form small flat patties

6. In a separate bowl, mix idli flour with water so it forms thick, consistent batter without any lumps

7. Heat oil in skillet. Deep each pattie in batter and shallow fry on both side until brown and crispy

8. Serve hot with green chutney and tomato ketchup

Rajagara(Raagi) Paratha/ રાજગરા થેપલા

I have to come up with creative ideas in this category since HE fasts on Saturdays. I know a few dishes like રાજગરા શીરો, થેપલા, સૂકી ભાજી, સાબુદાણા ખીચડી, ફરાળી પેટીસ, મોરૈયો, સૂરણ-શક્કરિયાનુ શાક but somehow I have to drag myself to cook Saturday lunch. I try to bring variety yet keep it simple. As we both love સાબુદાણા ખીચડી very much, 7 out of 10 time we settle for this dish. But now I am fed up of this and badly want some change. So I made these parathas last Saturday.

Make 6-7 parathas

Preparation Time: 10 Minute

Cooking Time: 20 Minute

Ingredients

1 cup raagi flour

1 tsp oil

¼ tsp red chili powder

½ tsp sesame seeds

½ tsp chopped green chilies

1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

Salt

Oil for making parathas

Procedure

1. Mix flour with oil and sieve it

2. Add remaining spices and knead medium soft dough

3. Divide dough into balls and roll it between two oil applied plastic sheets

4. Cook them on griddle with oil

5. Serve hot with yogurt or alu curry

Patties from leftover Khichdi/વધેલી ખીચડીના મૂઠિયા

This dish is the best example of how something tasty can be created from leftover dish. Whenever my mom would make khichdi, the next day morning she would make these મૂઠિયા as a side dish for lunch. And she literally had to hide them from me and my brother otherwise we would finish them before lunch time. When I was working in Mumbai, when all roommates were tired, khichdi would be our dinner menu. And then I started making these for next day breakfast and my roomies loved them. Instead of મૂઠિયા , this time I shaped them as small patties to reduce cooking time and bring crispier texture.

Make 25-30 small patties

Preparation Time: 10 Minute

Cooking Time: 20 Minute

Ingredients

1 cup leftover khichdi

½ cup coarse wheat flour *

¼ cup Handvo/Dhokla flour **

¼ tsp turmeric powder

¼ tsp red chili powder

¼ tsp ginger paste

¼ tsp chili paste

1 tsp yogurt

½ tsp oil

½ tsp mustard seeds

½ tsp fenugreek seeds

Salt

Oil for shallow frying

* Flour used to make શીરો/લાપસી. If you do not have this one, use ભાખરીનો લોટ

** This can be substituted with coarse wheat flour.

Procedure

1. Mix both flours and sieve with oil

2. Mix khichdi with the flour and add turmeric powder, chili powder, ginger-chili paste, salt and yogurt

3. Mix well and form soft dough

4. Do not add water. If required, wet your palms to knead the dough

5. Divide dough into small balls and shape each ball like a Pattie. If mixture sticks to your hand apply little oil on your palms

6. Heat oil in skillet. Add fenugreek seeds and mustard seed. Add patties and cook them on both sides until golden brown

ખારી પૂરી

This is one of our favorite snacks. I used to make it quite often when HE had long commutes, so he can have it while driving. At my mom’s place, this is available virtually round the year. With tea/coffee, pickle/chutney or just by itself, these puris are all time preferred snacks. It is also known as તીખી પૂરી/ મસાલા પૂરી, but it’s one and the same. These puris are quite filling, easy to make (For me very easy since now I have electric tortilla maker) and healthy. Though they are deep fried, still considered healthy due to the fact that they are made using whole wheat flour and do not absorb much oil.

Makes about 35 puris

Preparation Time: 45 Minute

Cooking Time: 30 Minute

Ingredients

1.5 cup whole wheat chapatti flour

1 tbsp gram flour (besan)

1 tbsp coarse soji flour

½ tsp turmeric powder

½ tsp red chili powder

½ tsp cumin seeds, coarsely crushed

½ tsp ajwain seeds, coarsely crushed

1.5 tsp oil

Salt

Oil for frying

Procedure

1. In a large bowl, mix all three flours and sieve with oil

2. Now add all dry spices and kneed a hard dough like ભાખરી(Harder dough = crispier puris)

3. Divide dough into small balls and roll them into puris

4. Spread these puris on a plastic sheet so they do not touch each other. Let them dry uncovered at room temperature for 1-2 hours. Reason is, dry puris absorb very little oil while frying

5. Heat oil in a pan, gently prick puris using knife/fork and deep fry them on both the side until golden brown

6. Let them cool down for a while and store them in a tight container

They stay good for at least 2-3 weeks.

Garlic Pickle

I have never been much fond of Pickle. I mainly like ખાટુ અથાણુ only. So whenever mom sends parcel from India, I ask her to send this pickle. As consumption is very less, I tell her to send it in a small jar only and instead send extra dry pickle masala. Whenever I really crave for pickle, I make it fresh using this masala and finish it within a week or so. Apart from traditional ingredient i.e. mango, I also use carrot, peas and ટીન્ડોળા. Being winter, I thought to experiment, to try the same masala with garlic. We tried it with Khichdi and went nicely.

Yields ½ cup

Preparation Time: 5 Minute

Cooking Time: 10 Minute

Ingredients

¼ cup garlic (10-12 cloves)

1 tbsp oil

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp pickle masala

Procedure

1. Fine chop garlic and keep it aside

2. Heat oil in a skillet on low flame

3. When heated, add garlic

4. Sauté it for about 7-8 minute without letting it burnt

5. Turn off the heat and let the garlic cool down completely

6. Now add pickle masala and lemon juice. Mix well

7. Refrigerate in air-tight glass jar and consume within 5-7 days

Boondi Raita

Here I am with another raita recipe. This is quite common one and generally served in restaurants. Being not a huge fan of yogurt, I had always preferred ‘Dahi-Boondi’ instead of ‘Boondi-Raita’. In Dahi-Boondi, quantity of Boondi is more and it’s little thick where Boondi remains crispy. Raita is little watery where Boondi quantity is less and it becomes soggy. The other day when I made Pulao/Biryani, I was bored of making anything fancy as a side dish so thought to give it a try. Combination worked fine, but I would still prefer Dahi-Boondi 

Yields 1 cup

Preparation Time: 10 Minute

Cooking Time: NIL

Ingredients

½ cup yogurt

2 tbsp boondi

¼ tsp sugar

¼ tsp red chili powder

½ tsp cumin powder

¼ tsp mint powder *

Pinch of black salt

Salt and pepper

Coriander leaves for garnishing

*Grind dry mint leaves and make a powder. You can also substitute it with fresh leaves.

Procedure

1. Beat the yogurt and mix all ingredients except Boondi and Coriander Leaves

2. Refrigerate for couple of hours and add Boondi and coriander leaves hen ready to serve

Alu Pudina (Mint) Raita

As much as I hate plain yogurt, I love chutney and raita. I had this raita first time at Sachin’s in Mulund, Mumbai. And since then, it has become my favorite raita. Whenever I buy mint for pani-puri or chutney in bulk, I make sure to make this raita couple of times. With rice or paratha or just as a side dish, it fits well with all kinds of menus.

Yields about 1 cup

Preparation Time: 10 Minute

Cooking Time: NIL

Ingredients

½ cup plain yogurt

8-10 mint leaves, chopped

¼ cup potato, boiled and diced

½ tsp sugar

¼ tsp crushed cumin powder

¼ tsp red chili powder

¼ tsp green chili, chopped

1 tsp coriander leaves, chopped

Salt

Procedure

1. Beat the curd and all ingredients

2. Add little water if required

3. Refrigerate it and serve cold

Moong Dal

I had never imaged that I would end up posting this recipe on my blog (Hence I do not have photo either). First reason is, I started this blog with intention to note down my experiments, at least I would not write common dish which we have in our everyday food. Secondly, I did not like this dish at all. It’s a very good example that using more or less same ingredients, how totally different varieties can be created. As much as I love મગની છૂટી દાળ (where moong dal is cooked directly on low flame, with minimal water hence final dish is dry and each grain is perfectly cooked and separated, hence the name છૂટી દાળ. Generally eaten with કઢી/ભાત/શાક/રોટલી), I hate the regular મગની દાળ (Dal is boiled, generally in pressure cooker with generous amount of water. It has liquid texture and generally eaten with ભાખરી/શાક/ભાત). This is my dad’s favorite dish and my mom would usually make it when I am fasting or eating outside.

But after getting married, I did not get much of a choice since this happens to be HIS favorite dish as well. Usually, I avoid making it, but once in a while, I give in to his requests. Recently when I made it, to my surprise I fell in love with it!! Now I am thinking to make it often with exact amount of ingredients and hence noting down the recipe :)

This is also very a good dish to be served when someone is sick. Avoid using ginger-chili-garlic and pepper if it is served to a sick person. It's full of protein, but still easy to digest. I have seen people in North India make it using Ghee, but I am sticking to oil only due to my love for ghee! ;)

Serves 2

Preparation Time: 20 Minute + soaking time

Cooking Time: 20 Minute

Ingredients

½ cup moong dal

1 tsp oil

¼ tsp mustard seeds

1/4 tsp cumin seeds

Pinch of asafetida

5-6 pc whole black pepper

2 cloves of garlic, minced

½ tsp ginger

½ tsp chili

¼ tsp turmeric powder

½ tsp red chili powder

½ tsp dhaniya powder

½ tsp shredded jaggery

¼ tsp aamchur powder

¼ tsp garam masala

Salt

Coriander leaves for garnishing

Procedure

1. Soak dal for couple of hours in warm water and pressure cook it

2. Heat oil in a pan. Add pepper, mustard seeds, cumin seeds and asafetida

3. Add garlic, chili and ginger paste and stir it for a while

4. Now pour dal into the pan and add remaining spices

5. Add water as required and bring it to boil. Stir in between

6. Turn off the heat, garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot

PS. This dal tends to thicken as it starts cooling down. So add sufficient water in the beginning.