BEETROOT AND CARROT PACHADI

Today the topic of conversation between some dear friends was housemaids.  They have become such important parts of our lives that so many decisions revolve around them.  Is that true???

I made the decision not to return to a 9 to 5 job only because I didnt dare to leave my 1 n 1/2 year old in the hands of the Nanny.  It made me shudder to think what she could do with her behind my back.  I did not expect her to treat her well.

But there my friend was who trusted her so much, or was it her trust in God.  She said, I pray and trust.  I do that too, but I guess everybody has a different perspective.

I  had a bad experience with a maid who I trusted and gave whole heartedly, and was shocked when I realized that she has been stealing unashamedly!!!

I think everybody has such encounters with people they trust.  Dont we all??

Today's recipe hails from the Southern part of our country.  A blend of beets and carrots, vegetables which normally people dont like so much.  After I taught this recipe to someone, she said that her mom grows beets and they didnt know much but to make juice out of it.  Now she's got something great to make, and so simple too.

Ingredients:-

1 cup - grated beetroots

1 cup -  grated carrots

1/2 cup -  grated coconut

1 tsp -  cumin seeds / jeera

1 onion – chopped finely

1 tsp- f red chilli powder  or 2 green chillies (optional)

1/4 tsp - turmeric powder

1 tbsp-  coconut oil  or any other oil

1/2 tsp - black mustard seeds

1 strand of curry leaves

1 tsp of salt (adjust to taste)

1 clove of garlic

Method :-

 Heat oil and add the mustard seeds. When the mustards pop, add the grated beetroot, carrots, and some salt. Mix well to coat the beets with the oil and cook on low flame, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile put the  grated coconut, onions, chilli powder, turmeric, garlic, and cumin into a course mixture without adding any water.

 When the beets are almost soft, add the ground coconut mixture to it along with the curry leaves. Mix well and continue to cook on low flame, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are completely cooked and soft.

Serve with chappatis. 

Make into filling for toasts / sandwiches

PANEER SHIMLA MIRCH

I cant think of a flavour that would be universally loved by ALL. No there isint!!?? Please correct me if I am wrong - chocolates "some like it, some dont", sweet "some like it, some dont", sour "some like it, some dont". Even something as lovable as a potato, I have heard some people say they dont like it, and that is to my utter amazement!!!

I realize this when I live here in Nairobi, where someone like my household help runs miles away from chillies or pili pili as she calls it. When I am dousing a teaspoon of chillies or chopping green chillies into my curries after I take out her share, her eyes are splitting wide open sometimes i feel they will just pop out. And she asks me "how much pili pili do you eat?", "I cant do without it Aunty" I say!! There are some for whom too sweet is never too sweet, while I cringe and put back the spoon. I never liked "too sweet". What is perfectly salted for me, is sometimes too salty for DH. So no two tastes can ever match, can they??

 My next recipe is somewhat like that, or maybe it is not. Its bell peppers and cottage cheese. Some just hate the taste of bell peppers but others love it. It is only after coming here that I first tried yellow and red peppers and I found that they have a lot less strong flavour than the green ones. Since then, I have favoured them. Not just do they do add a lovely colour to the dish, but also add the flavour. Its a simple to do, yet flavourful dish. No harm trying :)

Ingredients :-

250 gms - cottage chesse or paneer (diced into cubes)
1 red bell pepper - (diced into cubes)
1 yellow bell pepper (diced into cubes)
1/2 green bell pepper (diced into cubes)
1 big onion - diced into cubes
2 medium tomatoes - pureed
4-5 pods garlic - grated
1/2 inch ginger - grated
1 tbspn - cream
1/4 tspn - turmeric / haldi powder
1/4 tspn - red chilli powder
1 tspn - corriander / dhania powder
1/2 tspn - garam masala powder

Recipe :-

In a wok add a tbspn of oil and add the onions. Fry on low heat till they get soft and pink.
Try doing it on slow heat so as not to burn it.
Add the ginger and garlic and fry well
Add the turmeric and fry well
Add the corriander and chilli and garam masala and fry well
Add the tomatoes and fry till the oil separates. Add salt to your liking.
Now add the bell peppers and mix and cover and cook for about 5 minutes
Add the cottage cheese and cream and toss everything together and cook for about 2 minutes on high. Close the flame and garnish with corriander leaves.

Serve with fluffly rotis or naans.

MUTAR MUSHROOM WITH A TWIST OF ALOO - BUTTON MUSHROOMS WITH PEAS & POTATOES

Looking out of my office window gives a clear view of the sky, I often stop by to look at the clouds forming beautiful shapes & often wonder which one looks like what - some looking like a horse, some like a dragon, one looks like Mickey's face - the list goes on & on. I really enjoy doing that, as it gives me a break once too often. Being winters and a particularly cold day with thick fog in the moring the aura was a depressing one. The clouds brought gloom and cheerlessness....when I looked out sometime during the afternoon, what I saw was the sun struggling between a big, thick, black cloud and a few other white clouds. The white ones allowed the rays to brighten them, making them glow strangely, as if they had a light of their own. As the black one approached faster, the rays tried their best to penetrate the black one, but were soon engulfed & the atmosphere became gloomy again, but soon the cloud passed away allowing the rays to shine again, & as the warmth of the rays touched my face, I could feel that warmth flow through my whole being and spread a sort of unexplained comfort & cheer & warmth.

I think that is how life is. Once in while it throws something at us which covers us with a blanket of gloom around us, but if we allowed that to pull us down we would do no good to either ourselves or the people around us. Our victory lies in shining through and through everything & spreading a warmth & cheer around.

.....was that too much of lecture.....chalo then, lets hit the kitchen.

One evening I had just about little mushrooms & little peas which would not have been adequate for dinner for 2, so what I did was add 2 potatoes to fill the gap!!! Here's how I did it. I am giving you full ingredients, not my make do measurements.

Ingredients
250 gms - button mushrooms (sliced fine)
1/2 cup - green peas
2 medium potatoes - diced
2 onions - roughly chopped
2 onions - pureed
5/6 flakes - garlic (grated)
1/2 inch pc - ginger (grated)
salt as per taste
3 green chillies
1/2 tsp - turmeric / haldi
1 tbspn - corriander powder
1 tspn - garam masala
2 tbspn - curd

Method
In a cooker add some oil. Add the grated ginger & garlic & let fry for about half a minute.
Add the onions & fry till pink.
Add the tomato puree & cook till the oil separates.
Add all the masalas & the green chillies & fry till done
Now add the curd & mix well.
Add salt
Add the mushrooms, peas & potatoes & stir so that that masalas coats properly. Fry for about 2/3 mins.
Add about 1/4 cup water & cook for about 1 whistle on high & then another 7/8 mins.


We were content with the dinner, served with chappatis & a bowl of raita!!

Hope you enjoy it too

MIXED VEG - SPECIAL

There are some things that you would not be regularly cooking, they are going to be a special treat for a special time. Things that would be on the richer side of calories....but they really make for a treat at times, or maybe just like that you would like to prepare the dish. I call this dish "special" coz I make it rarely & it does taste yumm, but I would rather restrict myself & Rajeev to such a treat once in a while.

I made this recently to take over to a cousin's house as a pool-in, coz his wife was making the rest of the food. It turned out really good - how wouldnt it have....anything fried n smothered in cream would taste awesome - wont it??? Maybe you could try it for yourself.



Ing
1/2 cauliflower - cut into florets
4 carrots - scraped & slit into two & diced into 1 inch pcs
1/4 cup - green peas
3 potatoes - scraped & chopped into fingers
100 gms - paneer
8/10 stalks of green beans
1 capsicum - diced into cubes
1/2 tspn - jeera / cumin seeds
4 tbpn - cream
4 tbspn - thick curd
1/4 tspn - turmeric / haldi powder
1 tspn - garam masala powder
1 tspn - dhaniya powder
1/2 tspn - red chilli powder
3/4 onions - finely chopped legthwise
3/4 tomatoes
4/5 flakes of garlic
1/2 inch ginger
4 cloves
1/2 inch pcs of cinnamon broken
2 pods of cardamom - crushed

Method -
In a wok heat some oil for deep frying.
When first add the cauliflower florets & fry them - remove them on a tissue when done
next add the potatoes & fry them till done - remove on a tissue
Next add the carrots & take remove them on a tissue when done.
Boil the beans & the pease together (you can use the microwave to retain the colour)
Take another pan & take some oil in it
Add the khada garam masala i..e, the cinnamon, cloves, jeera & the cardamom
Add the onions and fry till pinkish brown
Meanwhile puree the tomatoes, garlic & ginger
Add this into the pan & fry till the oil separates
Add the turmeric & fry
Add the red chilli powder, garam masala, corriander & fry well
Now add the cream & fry till it is well blended
Add the curd & again fry till well blended
Now add the chopped capsicum & some salt
Close the lid & cook till capsicum is done - stirring in between
Once this is thru, add the fried cauliflower, potatoes & carrots along with the beans, peas & the diced paneer cubes.
Mix everything well with a light hand, to ensure that the veggies retain their shape & dont get mashed up.
Close the lid & let cook for a minute or two.
Garnish with corriander leaves

This goes very well with parathas, chappatis or as a side dish to rice.

Do try this "special" dish & let me know.

SHAHI PALAK MATAR - SPINACH AND PEAS

Tired of making the same old palak-paneer, I wanted to do something different with the palak....something I thought would retain the creamy texture of mashed palak & yet add a zing to the dish. Strage are we sometimes - right?? There are times when we yearn for the comfort of the "known", & yet there are times when we are struggling to come out of the "known" i.e., the routine etc. etc. Strange is this being called "human".....well coming back to my palak...this is what I finally did with it.





Ing -
1/2 kg - spinach / palak washed chopped & microwaved for 8 mins (stirring once in between)
1/2 cup - peas (boiled)
1 onion
2 tomatoes
3/4 garlic flakes
1/2 pc ginger
50 gms - khoya
2 tbspn - cream
1 tspn - garam masala
3/4 green chillies
2 tspn - corriander / dhaniya powder
1/4 tsp - sugar

Method -
Grind the onions & tomatoes along with ginger & garlic into a smooth paste
In a pan add some oil & when hot fry the paste adding a little salt till the oil separates.
Now add the garam masala, corriander powder - fry well
Grate the khoya & add into the pan & mix well
Add the cream too & mix well.
Coarsely grid the spinach with the chillies (before griding remove any excess water)
You can use that water as a stock for anything else
Add this paste into the already cooked masala
Add the sugar & the peas
Mix well & let cook for another 5 minutes

The dish was excellent & I will surely make it more often. If you cant find khoya you may substitute it with 2 tbspn of cream or finely grated paneer.

CRISPY GARLIC POTATOES - LAHSUNI ALU

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I am once again going to say something about the most versatile root in the whole wide world - POTATOES. Day or night, ample or lack of time, exotic or simple -you can use them anyway your heart pleases.

I am not going to waste any more time on praises of this , but give you the recipe........

Ing -
4/5 potatoes - scraped and diced
8/9 flakes of - garlic chopped finely
1 big onion - diced roughly
juice of 1/2 lime
2 tbspn - mustard oil
1/4 tspn - ajwain / bishop seeds
1/4 tspn - jeera / cumin seeds
1/2 tspn - turmeric oil
1/4 tspn - garam masala
1/2 tspn - red chilli powder

Method -
In a kadai smoke the mustard oil & add both cumin & bishop seeds. They will sputter immediately.
Add the garlic & just about 2 secs later, add the onions.
Add the potatoes & some salt.
Close the lid of the pan & let them turn crisp on high flame. Keep stirring in between so that the potatoes dont burn.
In this process the garlic & onions will roast(i.e, turn dark brown in colour).
Once the potatoes are a golden brown in colour, just slice one or two to ensure that they are fully cooked.
Add the turmeric first & stir to coat evenly.
Then add the garam masala, chilli powder.
Lastly sqeeze the lime on top & stir.
Without the lid, on high flame let the potatoes roast on high flame for about a minute or two - stirring in between.

This made a lovely lunch for the both of us with chappatis, though they were not as crispy as they initiatlly were. I feel that they can be served as an excellent side-dish for cocktails or for a dinner.

The roasted garlic & onions gave an excellent flavor to the potatoes .

I am also sending this over to dear Sunita for her "THINK SPICE ......THINK GARLIC" event. Hope she likes it.

MUTAR MUSHROOM KORMA

Mushrooms are aplenty during winters, n with their lovely texture they are a delight to cook and eat. I tried this version a few days back, n it was an instant hit. I hope to make it more often n I am sure you will also enjoy it.

Ing -
500 gms - mushrooms
4 onions - big
1/2 cup - green peas
a pinch of sugar
1/2 tsp - garam masala
1/4 tsp - red chilli powder or green chillies
1/4 tspn - haldi / turmeric powder
two pinches - black pepper powder
salt to taste

Method -
Wash the mushrooms & slice them very fine
slice the onions thinly
In a frypan / kadai, heat some oil & add the onions & the sugar
Fry till just about pink
Add the haldi, red chilli & mix well
Add the mushrooms & peas & close lid
Cook till tender
Add the salt, garam masala & black pepper.
Cook on high till the moisture is all dried up.

Serve hot with parathas or chappatis. The flavor / texture comes out beautifully in this preparation

SPRING ONION N POTATOES - HARA PYAZ AUR AALU KI SUBZI

Winter season is seen with the vegetable vendors "thela" (cart) loaded with a variety of greens!! I mean, just looking at the cart loaded so beautifully makes you wanna buy something or the other, even if your refigerator is loaded. My friends always wonder n are amazed at my love for the subzi market (veggie market). The shine in my eyes is something that they cant connect with, n just walking past or driving past one makes me wanna stop n maybe just walk around the whole place, n of course pick up the freshest of produce that mother Earth has given us in full!!! I dont know how many of you agree with me, or have such feelings - but I surely do, n honestly I love that feeling!!

Spring onions are one such greens that the market is so very flooded with these days, n here is my all time fav recipe for this simple but excellent veggie.

Ing -
1/2 kg - spring onions
4 potatoes
1/4 tspn - jeera
1/4 tspn - turmeric powder
3 green chillies
a pinch of hing
1/2 tspn - amchur powder / dried mango powder (pls use this only if you like your dish to be chatpata)
1/2 tspn - garam masala
salt as per taste

Method -
Chop off the roots of the spring onions & chop finely the leaves n the onions.
Scrape n dice the potatoes into small cubes
Wash both of them together
In a kadai / pan, heat some oil
Add the jeera n hing
When they are turning brown, add the turmeric & green chillies.
Quickly add the washed veggies before the masala burns
Add salt.
Close lid & let cook on low flame
Keep stirring in between till both the potatoes n the leaves are cooked.
Sprinkle amchur powder & garam masala & check salt.

Serve with chappatis.

This is a very simple recipe but is very much liked by me and my hubby. So I am hoping that you will like it too.

A WHOLE NEW THOUGHT

In the morning, while wondering what breakfast would be made, n while rolling the dough for a salt-chilli paratha, my hand just reached out to the leftover palak subzi lying next to me, n voila ........there I had a wonderfully flavored, n coloured parathas, which was loved by my husband, n he asked for a 2nd one, to his usual just one paratha once in a while!!! So I am going to share the recipe for the same........








Ing -
Wheatflour dough - as per requirement
ghee / butter for shallow frying

For the filling -
Though I used left over palak from y'day palak paneer subzi. You can use the following recipe.
1/2 kg spinach leaves - cleaned & chopped
1 onion - chopped
1 tomato - pureed
1/2 tspn - red chilli powder
1/2 tspn - garam masala powder
salt as per taste

I would here suggest to keep the seasoning a little more than you would do for a normal curry coz the taste gets lost in the parathas if the seasoning is less.

Method -
For the filling
Boil the spinach till tender - or better still m'wave it for 5 mins.
Coarsely grind the palak, leave aside the residual water (you can use it for kneading dough, or add to any gravy)
In a fry pan, saute the onions till pink. Add the tomato puree & fry till oil separates. Add the seaonings & coarsely ground palak
M'wave it till it is thick & dry without moisture (it is very imp) or stir fry till there is no moisture. Here the m'wave works excellently.

Procedure for making parathas
Heat the girdle
Take a big lump of dough & roll it as you would roll a chappati.
When it quite big, spread a little ghee on the surface.
Add a tbspn full of the palak & spread it, ensuring it doesnt go too much towards the edges
Now fold one portion of the roti till the center of the roti.
Take the unfolded side & overlap it on the already folded part.
You will have a log shaped roti.
Apply some ghee on top of this & fold one side to the middle of the log & then overlap the other side on the already folded bit.
I am sorry if it sounds complicate_ will ensure photos posted the next time I do it.
NOw comes the difficult part....
Very carefully dust the the folded dough & roll very very gently
You may have to dust it more often than regular parathas, coz the filling is a very very tender & might break out.
Gently lift the paratha with a spatula & place it on the hot tava on medium flame
Cook till one side is browned by drizzling ghee / butter on the sides of the paratha.
Flip it over & drizzle some more ghee.
Cook till both sides are golden brown.
You can avoid the butter / ghee if you are very concious. but I guess it will taste best with these ingredients!!!

Hope you will enjoy this recipe as much as I did

MAKAI KI ROTI

Makai ki roti (Indian Corn meal bread) is something that is relished throughout the Northern part of India, especially during winters - piping hot, with a dollop of butter on it. Given below is the recipe for this wonderful bread ....

Ing -
250 gms - cornmeal / makkai ka atta
1 - raddish / mooli.
A few raddish leaves (optional)
2 - green chillies
a few stalks of fresh corriander leaves.
salt as per taste
ghee to shallow fry

Method -
Scrape the raddish & grate it into the flour
Chop the green chillies, both the leaves & the salt
Add salt & water to knead it into a dough
Let me tell you one thing, this dough will not be kneaded the way we do for chappatis
You will just have to add enough water to bind all ingredients together.
It shouldnt be too wet.
Heat a non-stick girdle / tawa
Add 1/2 a spoon fo ghee
Take big lump of the dough & flatten it onto the tawa.
Pat it as as thin as you would like your bread to be.
Let it cook till it turns golden brown on one side
Using a flat spatula, gently flip it over, adding more ghee.
Cook till both the sides have turned beautifully golden.

I served it with a delish mutar alu subzi, with which the bread blended so very well!!....and a peice of mango pickle & fresh radish as salad!!

I shall soon be posting the recipe for the mutar alu

METHI PANEER BHURJI

Hmmmmmm, so where was I for sometime now. Well, life had been hectic & life has been throwing a few troubles here n there, to make me realize that it is not a bed of roses after all. The office is front is an all tiime low.....it just sucks going to work, n I just hate the faces of everybody out there, except my good friend Diji, n my dear Husband. I guess we three are a solace to each other. What happened, why it has happened, has no reasons, but that whole "low-low", "blue-blue" feeling is so prevalent that its not funny anymore. I wonder why "low" is associated with "blue"?? Any guesses here??? N tomorrow being Monday - its an all time high "BLUE/LOW"!! Yikeees.

God knows when this will end, but I just hope it ends sooner than I expect it too. I guess winters approaching has a big role to play in the moods. No sun at all. Nobody to spread cheer around. The sun plays so much a big role in spreading warmth, n consequently cheer into people's lives. It just feels soooo very good to soak the warmth of the sun on a winter day, its like a gentle caress on your face, so much to lift your spirits n make you soar. I really wish I can meet the sun tommorow.....this is the same sun that I so detest during the summers when its scorching my skin, n I just wish I dont see it anymore........ever.

Life is so ironical........that is why it is LIFE!!! God's basic gift to the very existence of mankind.....it has the joys of a wind blowing across your face, the fragance of jasmine lingering in the air, the tenderness of a new born baby, the flight of a bird, the instant miss of a heartbeat to see someone you love, and this very same life, throws right onto your face, very harsly things like - loosing someone you love dearly, n dont know how to proceed with life, yet you have to do - coz you yourself are alive, the pain that a heartbreak brings - a feeling that you will never be able to recover, the loss of a precious peice of jewellery all because of your carelessness - n you can never forgive yourself.......the list is endless of the goods n bads in life, n with all this added in .....life carries on........n so do we.....

Oh, did I wander off somewhere....

Coming to my list of precious good things in life, a delightful blend of methi (fenugreek leaves) & the tender paneer (cottage cheese). Here goes the recipe.






Ing -
1/2 kg - fenugreek / methi leaves - washed & leaves seaparated.
250 gms - paneer
4/5 garlic flakes - chpoped finely
2 tbspn - mustard oil
a handful of peas
1 big onion - chopped
1/4 tspn - jeera / cumin seeds
1/2 tspn - red chilli powder
1/2 tspn - garam masala powder
1 tbspn - cream

Method -
In a kadai smoke the mustard oil.
Add the jeera n when it sputters, add the chopped garlic.
When the garlic is just about turning brown, add the onions & saute till pink.
Add the washed leaves & peas.
Add some salt & cover & let cook till peas are done
Will take about 5 minutes.
Add the diced paneer.
Now increase the flame to full & let any moisture dry up
Add more salt to taste, red chilli powder, garam masala powder & on high flame cook for about 2 minutes. Keep stirring.
Lastly add the cream & stir till well blended.



Serve hot with chappatis or parathas

MUSHROOM KURMA

Mushroom is one of my favorite veggies - or should I say fungus - sounds so very inedible, right?? My grandma always used to say that we shouldnt eat mushrooms coz they are are something grown out of something to do with snakes!! N we really used to be very vary........today when have a mind of our own, I really laugh at those days & her thoughts - LOL!!!! Well I dont know what she would say if she knows that I am a big fan of mushrooms..hmmmmmm. Here's my recipe for mushroom kurma




Ing -
200 gms - mushrooms (I have seen just one variety in India - the white ones with a brownish-black interiors)
a handfulf - peas
4 tbspn of chopped methi leaves
50 gms - khoya
100 gms - paneer
2 medium onions and a big tomatoe, and 3/4 flakes of garlic - pureed finely
1 tspn - red chilli powder
1 tspn - garam masala powder
1 tspn - haldi / turmeric pwoder
1/4 tspn - sugar
2 tspn - corriander powder

Method -
In a kadai, heat some oil & add the puree.
Fry till the oil separates & the raw taste goes
Add all the masalas (except sugar) & fry till done.
Grate the khoya & add to the masala. Fry well.
Slice mushrooms very thinly & add to the masala along with the peas.
Add 1/2 a cup of water & place the lid and cook till the peas are done.
Now cut the paneer into small cubes or you can crumble them with your hands & add it to the kadai, at this stage also add the methi leaves.
Mix well & close the lid.
Cook till you get a desired thickness of the curry.
If you want more gravy add some water.
Lastly add the sugar & mix well

Serve with chappatis or as a side dish with rice.

TARI WALE ALU

With MIL not at home for two days (she is visiting her sister), n lazy me so being used to coming home to a prepared meal.......was in no mood to do anything but cook the simplest of food. Something which was effortless....... so here goes my recipe. I am also contributing the same to the lovely SRA of WHEN MY SOUP CAME ALIVE, who is hosting the Event of Grindless Gravies. Here you go Sra....this is for you!!!



Ing -
4 big potatoes
1 tbspn - jeera / cumin seeds
4/5 flakes of garlic
a big pinch of asofetida / hing
1 small - onion
3/4 green chillies
1 tspn - garam masala powder
2 tspn - dhaniya / corriander powder
1 tspn - kasoori methi
1/2 a lime juice
salt as per taste

Method -
Boil the potatoes till they are more than cooked - they should crumble to the touch.
In a kadai, add some oil, n when hot add the jeera.
Grate the garlic right into the oil (be careful of the sputtering)
when the garlic turns brown, add thinly sliced onions.
Let fry till they start browning.


Add the slit green chillies, the haldi & mix well
Now add the rest of the masalas & fry well.
Add two cups of water & bring to boil
Now use your hands to crumble the potatoes right into boiling water.
Mix well & let boil for about 3/4 minutes.
Stir well in between, mashing some more potatoes here n there, right into the gravy.
The result will be a thick, spicy n chatpata gravy.
Top it off with the lime juice & the kasoori methi.

Had it with rice & some leftover mushroom kurma - recipe for which will be posted ASAP.

GAAJAR MATAR

Gaajar has started flowing in the subzi-markets & my MIL brought quite a lot, just because she hasnt seen it yet in Kanpur. Well, we made two dishes, starting with Gaajar Matar with chappatis & Gaajar ka Halwa!!! Am posting both recipes one by one. Hope you enjoy them both.



Ing -250 gms - carrots, scraped & diced into small pcs
a handful - matar /peas
5 flakes - garlic
1 big - tomato
1/2 tspn - amchur / dried mango powder
1/2 tspn - dried red chilli powder
1/4 tspn - turmeric / haldi powder
1/2 tspn - garam masala pwoder

Method -In a kadai, add some oil.
Grate the garlic & let fry well.
Chop the tomato very fine & let fry till oil separates
Add the turmeric, mix well
Add the other masalas & fry well.
Add both the carrots & the peas and mix well.
Close lid & cook till the carrots and peas are done.
Garnish with corriander leaves.

CRISPY ALU STIR FRY

Cooking these days is a low key affair, coz of bad health. I make whatever comes handy is effortless. Therefore, tiffin today was alu, which has been stir fried till crisp, & seasoned well.

Ing -
5 medium sized potatoes
1/2 tspn - red chilli powder
1 tspn - lime juice
1/2 tspn - turmeric / haldi
1 tspn - garam masala
5 flakes - garlic
a bunch of corriander leaves
1/4 tspn - jeera / cumin seeds
1/4 tspn - ajwain / bishop seeds

Method -
Peel & dice the potatoes into cubes.
Soak them in some water, along with a pinch of salt till you make the other preparations.
In a kadai heat some mustard oil - smoke it well
Add the jeera, ajwain & the minced garlic
When the garlic is turning brown, add the potatoe pcs.
Add some salt.
Cover the lid, n keep stirring in between till the pcs turn brown n crisp
Add the rest of the masala & the limejuice.
Cover the lid once more & let the masalas fry for about 2 mins.
Serve garnished with corriander.

Goes well with chappatis / parathas.

DHANIYA PANEER

This is one simple recipe, but is loaded with flavorfull dhaniya / corriander leaves. It tastes absolutely yum.



Ing -250 gms - paneer
50 gms - corriander leaves
2 big onions - chopped finely
3/4 green chillies - chopped finely
1/2 tspn - garam masala
salt to taste

Method -
In a kadai add some oil. When hot, add the onions & fry till pink in colour.
Add the green chillies & mix well
Crumble the paneer & add into the kadai.
Mix well & let cook till any moisture evaporates
Sprinke the salt & garam masala & stir till mixed properly.
lastly add the finely chopped corrainder leaves & stir till everything is combined.

Serve with hot rotis.

STIR FRIED WHITE BAINGAN

I have never made white small oblong baingan in my life, but this week while doing my regular shopping for grocery, I saw them beckoning to me & I very quicking obliged by picking up a batch. While doing so, there was this lady next to me, who asked me how I made them coz she had never made them. ......now I cooked up a very recipe in my mind & told her so, but also added that I've never tried it. She gave me a wiered look & walked away without buying the eggplant. Here goes my recipe & it indeed was wonderful.

Ing -

250 gms - white baingan (small oblong ones)

1 onion - chopped finely

1/2 inch pc of ginger - grated

3/4 flakes - garlic grated

1/2 tspn - haldi

1/2 tspn - amchur

4/5 - green chillies (I made them really spicy)

Method -

Wash & dice the eggplants.

In a kadai, add some oil & add the garlic & ginger grated

When they turn brown, add the onions & stir for about 1/2 minute

Add the baingan, green chillies & some salt & close the lid.

Let the baingan cook thoroughly.

Now add all the masalas & cook for about 2 minutes with closed lid

Serve with chappatis.

AJWAIN ARVI - COLOCASIA WITH CAROM SEEDSD

Lunch at home after stuffing yourself with so much outside food was a major relief & the tummy was happy to get some rest.

The refigerator showed only some arvi (colocasia) & ghiya (bottle gourd). Decided on a Menu of ajwain- arvi, mutar-paneer gravy & chapatis.

Ingredients -

1/2 kg - arvi / colocasia

3/4 tbspn - ajwain / carom / bishop seeds

1 tspn - haldi

1/2 tspn - amchur

1 tspn - chilli powder

a pinch of hing

1/2 tspn - garam masala

1 big onion - finely sliced

Method -

When you are buyin arvi try and keep them of the same size as much as possible & avoid ones with small protrusions.

Scrape the arvi & cut them lenghtwise into 1/4 app. inch slices i.e., not wafer thin nor very thick.

Wash them & pat dry them well.

In a kadai heat a good amount of oil. Dont use too much oil, lest the rest needs to be reused, but take enough to fry a small batch of arvis.

Fry the arvis till golden brown. Dont worry the arvi will not soak up too much oil & you will see after all the arvis are done that not much oil has been consumed.

In another kadai, take very little oil just about 1 tspn (or even less if you're using a non-stick pan) & add the ajwain / carom seeds.

Add the hing & the onions & fry till pinkish brown.

Add the fried arvi, the haldi, amchur, red chilli powder & garam masala.

Close the lid & cook for another 2 minutes & serve with a dash of lemon

MY FIRST ALU METHI FOR THE SEASON & A BREAK

Methi is just about arriving in the vegetable markets, but its always such a nice feeling to pick up something after such a long time, though come winters, it is going to be the only thing that you make on & off!!! Methi is a veggie which some people hate totally & some people love completely.

I never liked it all that much - more so because it is very tedious to clean it. I miss my FIL a lot when it comes to cleaning veggies, coz he was such a sweetheart & used to keep all veggies cleaned so perfectly & cut them up & put them into dubbas whenever he visited us here in Delhi. Even if someone would be coming down from Kanpur he always handed over a box of cleaned methi leaves, or a bottle of peeled garlic flakes. He used to worry that since I am working I wouldnt have the time to do all this & therefore he would be more than willing to help me out this way. God bless his soul.

Ing -

1/2 kg - Methi leaves (cleaned & chopped)

2 potatoes - scraped & diced

2 tbspn - mustard oil

1/2 tspn - jeera

5/6 flakes garlic - grated

1 tspn - garam masala

1 tspn - chilli powder

1/2 tspn - haldi

1 tbspn - malai / cream

Method -

In a kadai burn the mustard oil. Add the jeera & the garlic. When brown add the potatoes.

Cook till the potatoes are half done.

Add the methi leaves. Cover & cook till the potatoes & the leaves are cooked fully

Add the haldi first & stir well

Add the salt, garam masala & chilli powder - mix well

Cover & cook till the oil start separting & the methi / alu has turned crispy - stir in between.

Lastly add the malai & the sugar. Mix once more. Let cook for another minute & remove from fire

Serve with chappatis or parathas.

I know the dish does go with the subzi, but I absolutely had to show off the new dish that I purchased from The Home Store - Noida. I couldnt wait for something more perfect to display on the dish!!!

2nd Oct is a holiday & therefore me & Rajeev are off to Agra for a small break. I will miss you all & blogging. Its so become a part of my life & enjoy everything very much, especially you girls!! I was secretly hoping that he would agree to pick up the laptop, but he gave me a dirty look - knowning fully well why I was enquiring.

Will catch you girls soon with more news & recipes & hopefully something new from Agra!!!

Love you all & miss me !!!

KARARA KARELA

This blogging is really doing me a lot of good - at least my culinary skills. I tried my hand at Karela for the first time. First time because, I myself am not a fan of Karela & also because my husband never eats Karela. But yesterday when I made it I was so glad to him eat up the whole lot, (though I myself did not)..........but it made me really happy coz he said that he liked it very much!!!

Ing -

250 gms - Karela / bitter gourd / pavvaka

4 onions - chopped finely

1 tspn - haldi

1 tspn - red chilli powder

1/2 tspn - garam masala

1/2 tspn - amchur

1/4 tspn - saunf

Method -

Wash the karela nicely & skin them using a peeler. Dont throw away the skin.

Chop the karela into very small pcs. Apply some salt on both the pcs & the skin & leave overnight. If you like yours really bitter, you can avoid this step.

In a kadai, heat some oil add some saunf to it.

Now add the karela, the skin & the onions into the kadai & add some salt (I know you might wonder that if I had to add the skin into the kadai then why peel it in the first place - I dont know, I felt like & so I did, but then the skin came out really criply & I liked it).

Cover & cook till the karela is cooked.

Now add all the masalas, cover & cook till the karela turns cripsy all over. You have to keep stirring in between.