Kadhi Pakori

Ingredients
Gram flour – 2tbps
Sour Curd – 2 cups
Salt as per taste
Haldi – ½ tsp
Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
Dhania powder – 1tsp
Garlic – 5-6 cloves
Onion – 2 med cut long.
Methi seeds – 1tsp
Jeera seeds – 1tsp
Mustard seeds – 1tsp
Hing – a pinch
Curry leaves - 4-5
Oil – 2 tbsp

For the pakories

Gram flour – 200 grms
Salt as per taste
Saunf – 1tsp
Ajwain – 1tsp
Red chilli powder- ½ tsp
Haldi powder – ½ tsp
Jeera powder – 1tsp
Chaat masala – ½ tsp
Onion – 2 cut small
Green chilies - 2 cut small
Potato – 1 cut small
Oil to deep fry.

Procedure
1. Take a big kadai with thick bottom. Pour the curd. Add 2 cups of water. Add 2 tbsp of gram flour and mix thoroughly.
2. Add all the spices ie , salt haldi, red chilly and coriander powder.
3. Keep on the stove and cook till the gram flour is cooked. It may take around 20 to 25 minutes to cook. Switch off the gas.
4. Take another pan. Add 2tbsp of oil. As the oil heats add pinch of hing, mustard seeds, jeera seeds and methi seeds. As they crackle add the grated ginger, garlic and onion and curry leaves. Sauté for some time. Let the onion brown.
5. Mix the sauté to the kadhi.
6. For the pakori –Mix all the above ingredients with little water and make a thick batter.
7. Heat a kadai , pour sufficient oil to deep fry.
8. Put a table spoon ful of batter. Put as many in the kadai to make pakories. Remove when golden brown on both sides.
9. Remove the pakories and add to the kadhi.
10. Garnish with green coriander leaves or rings of onions.
11. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Methi Ka Parantha

How I learnt it – Love for learning new and different dishes. All the credit goes to my father. He is not only a great!!! Cook but also a wonderful father and husband. At the tender age of 13 he taught me how to make round chapattis. To be frank, I just knew how to make good phulkas before marriage.
It is an easy recipe for professionals. Due to lack of time they are unable to make stuffed paranthas. Add the fresh green methi leaves to the flour with all the spices and make the paranthas. They taste heavenly!!!!


Ingredients


Methi – 1 cup (chopped fine)
Wheat Flour – 3 cups.
Green chilies – 2 chopped fine
Onion – 1 chopped fine.
Ginger – 1” grated
Salt – as per taste.
Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
Saunf ( fennel seeds) – 2 tsp
Refined oil – 2 tbsp



Procedure



1. Wash the fresh green methi (fenugreek) leaves thoroughly.
2. Chop them fine.
3. Add the methi leaves to the wheat flour.
4. Add all the above spices and onion, ginger and green chilies.
5. All the ingredients should be mixed well.
6. Add 2 tbsp of oil. Make the dough using little water.
7. Place a girdle/ tawa on the gas stove.
8. Take a small ball of dough. Dust it with the wheat flour.
9. Make a circular/ square shaped pancake.
10. Put it on tawa and cook it. Turn the other side after few seconds.
11. Splatter some refined oil/ ghee on both sides and cook.
12. Remove from heat and serve hot with yogurt/ butter or pickle.




Tip - The salt should be little on the higher side. We have to take into consideration both the quantity of methi leaves and the wheat flour.

Pindi Chole

Ingredients


Kabuli chana – 200 grms
Soda bicarbonate – ¼ tsp
Chana masala – 4 tsp (available in supermarkets)
Green chilies – 2 ( slit half).
Oil – 3 tsp
Onions – 3
Tomatoes – 2
Ginger – 1”
Garlic - 4-5 pods
Methi leaves – few sprigs
Coriander leaves – 2-3 sprigs
Sugar – 1 tsp
Amchur powder/ chaat masala – 1tsp
Salt – as per taste
Tea leaves – 1tbsp



Procedure


1. Wash and soak gram overnight with soda bicarbonate.
2. Take a muslin cloth and put a tablespoon of tea leaves and make a tight knot. Keep inside the pressure cooker along with the gram.
3. Add equal quantities of water to the gram and salt to taste.
4. Pressure cook till the gram is tender.
5. Remove the muslin cloth.
6. Make a paste of onion, tomatoes, ginger and garlic in the grinder.
7. Take a deep pan/ kadai. Pour oil. Heat it.
8. Add the above paste and green chilies. Add the ready chana masala, amchur powder and sugar.
9. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes at low heat. Add the finely chopped methi leaves.
10. Add a very little salt as you have already added to the gram earlier. When the oil leaves the sides of the kadai, put the paste into the pressure cooker.
11. You can add more water depending on the consistency of the gravy you desire.
12. Pressure cook till one whistle.
13. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
14. Serve hot with steamed rice or bhaturas and raita.

Tamatar Bhaath ( Tomato Rice)

How I learnt it - It was my first microwave dish which I made at home. The sweet sour taste was awesome. My hubby liked it so much that invariably for few days he would insist me to make the same tomato rice. It is a very easy recipe for the professionals who are always on the run.



Ingredients



Rice – 1 cup
Oil – 2 tbsp
Cardamoms –2 black
Cinnamon – 1’’ stick
Peppercorn – 1/2 tsp
Cloves – 2-3
Turmeric powder – a pinch
Onion (med) – 2 sliced
Garlic – 3-4 crushed
Green chillies – 2-3 slit half.
Tomato – 2 large pureed.
Salt to taste


Procedure


1. Take a heavy bottom deep pan.
2. Add oil. When hot add all the whole spices.
3. Add onion, garlic and green chilies
4. Cook till the onion is golden brown.
5. Add the tomato puree and cook for 2 minutes.
6. Add turmeric powder, rice, salt and water.
7. Let it come to a boil than keep at low heat till the rice cooks.
8. Serve hot with raita, pickle and pappad.

Egg Veg Noodles

How I learnt it – My daughter is a great noodles freak….. She loves noodles so much that I started experimenting on various Chinese dishes. I too love the authentic Chinese recipes. More over at home and for the Birthday parties, I prefer the recipe which kids love. It has to be less spicy and with out spring onions.



Ingredients

Hakka Noodles – 200 grms
Onion- 1 (chopped fine).
Carrot – 1(chopped fine)
French beans – 4-5 (chopped fine)
Eggs – 2
Salt as per taste
Pepper – ¼ tsp
Tomato sauce – 2 tbsp
Oil- 2-3 tbsp


Procedure

1. Take a deep pan. Pour 4-5 cups of water.
2. Let it come to boil. Add the noodles and cook it for 3-4 minutes or till it is semi cooked. Remove it from heat.
3. Add some cold water to it. It separates the noodles.
4. Drain the water away using a sieve.
5. Add a tablespoon of oil and stir it.
6. Take a wok or a shallow pan.
7. Pour 2 tbsp of oil. Heat it. Add chopped onions, let it fry add carrot, beans and salt and pepper.
8. Cook it for 3 to 4 min and then add the 2 eggs. Stir it till the eggs are cooked in scrambled form.
9. Add the noodles and tomato sauce.
10. Stir it to mix the veg and noodles well.
11. Remove from heat. Serve hot with different sauces.



Tips – 1. If you are cooking for small kids you can chop the veggies very small as kids now-a-days are apprehensive of eating green vegetables. In case for elders you can chop the veggies thin and long. It makes it more presentable.
2. You can use other veggies like baby corn, mushroom, capsicum etc too.

Fish Masala Fry.

How I learnt it – My brother-in- law came to visit us. He loves to eat fish. The coastal city, kochi, kerala gave him ample opportunity to relish different preparations of fish. Invariably, I made fish everyday. It allowed me to experiment few dishes. This is the one which he liked the most. Gyan this recipe is dedicated to you. Thanks for all the support and motivation shown by you.





Ingredients

Fish – 500 grms (sheer fish)
Lemon – 1 med size
Salt as per taste
Chilly powder – 1 tsp
Pepper powder – ½ tsp
Coriander powder – 1 tbsp
Ginger garlic paste – 1 tbsp
Mustard powder - ¼ tsp
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Corn flour – 2 tbsp.
Chaat masala. – a pinch
Oil – for shallow fry.




Procedure



1. Take the fish. Clean it thoroughly under water.
2. Cut into thin pieces to fry. Dry pat them with the tissue or muslin cloth.
3. Take out the lemon juice and add salt.
4. Apply the lemon salt to the fish on both sides.
5. Keep in the refrigerator for half an hour.
6. It marinates the fish, removes the smell and it tastes deep inside.
7. Add all the spices above with the corn flour and very little water.
8. Take out the fish, apply the spice mix on both sides.
9. Take a broad non stick pan.
10. Pour 4 to 5 tbsp of veg/ refined oil.
11. At medium heat fry the fish. Turn it when golden brown on one side. Fry the other side.
12. Once cooked on both sides, remove from heat.Sprinkle some chaat masala on the top.
13. Serve hot with green salad and lemon.





Tip - Don’t turn the fish too frequently. They are soft and tend to break. Let the one side cook and then turn after 2-3 minutes.

Soya Chunk Kababs

Ingredients


Soya chunks – 100 grms
Onion – 1 finely chopped
Chilli powder – ½ tsp
Coriander powder – 1tsp
Green chillies – 2 finely chopped
Chaat masala/ aamchur – 1 tsp
Jeera powder – 1tsp Chaat masala/ aamchur – 1 tsp Ginger – 1” (grated)
Ginger – 1” (grated)
Salt – as per taste
Bread slices – 3-4 (crumbs)
Veg oil for shallow frying.
2 table spoons of corn flour binds the mixture well. The bread slices also work well.




Procedure



1. Put soya chunks in boiling water. Drain the water when soft.
2. Once cold squeeze out the water totally.
3. Grind them coarse into a mixture.
4. Add chopped onion, finely chopped green chilies, grated ginger, chilly powder, salt, chaat masala, jeera powder, and coriander powder and salt to taste.
5. Add bread crumbs of 3 to 4 slices. It works as binding agent.
6. Make round kababs with the mixture.
7. Shallow fry on both sides on a non-stick pan.
8. Serve hot with green chutney or sauce.

Chana Dal Vada

Ingredients

Chana Dal – 1 ½ cup(soak overnight)
Hing – a pinch
Salt to taste
Red chilly powder- ½ tsp
Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
Onion – 1 chopped
Coriander leaves – few sprigs (chopped)
Green chilies – 2 chopped fine
Curry leaves – 4-5 cut small.
Oil to fry.


Procedure

1. Soak the chana dal overnight. Remove the water. Grind it into a coarse paste.
2. Add all the above spices and chopped onion, coriander leaves, green chilies, and curry leaves to the chana dal paste. Mix well.
3. Take a sallow non stick pan. Pour refined/ veg oil.
4. Take a small potion of the mix; make a round on your palm. They should not be too big neither too small. Too thick a round does not cook inside properly.
5. Make 4-5 rounds and shallow fry them. Once one side is brown turn it to the other side.
6. Remove when fried on both sides and golden brown in color.
7. Cook in medium flame as, high flame tend to brown the surface fast but does not cook it inside.
8. Serve hot with sauce/ green chutney.

Crispy Carrot Sandwich

How I learnt it – It was the New Years celebrations that were happening at sea. A boat cruise with few friends was fun……..
This lady who was our friends friend served us the sandwiches. They were soft, creamy and tasted great!!!!
She was an entrepreneur and did catering to various institutions in Goa for different occasions. This recipe was copied and pasted in my mind at sea. Very easily made and eaten.


Ingredients

Bread Slices/ Hot Dog – 4 / 1
Carrot – 3 tbsp per sandwich
Mayonnaise/ butter – 1 tsp
Black pepper – as per taste
Salt as per taste.


Procedure

1. Cut the edges of the bread slice.
2. Wash the carrot and grate it.
3. Mix mayonnaise / butter with salt and pepper.
4. Add grated carrot to the mix.
5. Fill the bread slices with the filling.
6. Cut them into triangle shape.
7. Serve them with tomato sauce or green chutney.

Tip - you can use cabbage instead of carrot or can make club sandwiches using both the ingredients and making three layered sandwich.

Mixed Vegetable Curry

How I learnt it - My school friend, a fighter pilot, Rakesh spends a lot of time in the kitchen when he is not flying. He loves to cook and try different recipes. According to him cooking is a great stress buster. I cooked his recipe and found its taste incredible….
Now, It’s for all you friends to enter the kitchen and enjoy the finger licking dish yourself.

Ingredients

Green peas – 2 cups (200 grms)
Beans – 7-8 cut long
Capsicum – 1 big (cut into squares)
Cauliflower – 1 cup (cut small)
Carrot – 2 med (cut into semi circles)
Butter/ veg oil – 3 tbsp
Sugar – 1tsp


Masala to grind and make puree

Onions – 2
Tomatoes – 3 med
Green chilly – 2
Ginger – 1” long
Garlic – 3-4 cloves
Salt – 1 ½ tsp
Red chilly powder – 1tsp
Coriander powder – 1tsp
Cumin powder- 1tsp
Garam masala – 1tsp




Procedure


1. Wash the vegetables thoroughly and cut them.
2. Take a kadai. Heat 2 tbsp butter/oil at low flame.
3. Add all the vegetables and cover it. Remove the vegetables after three minutes.
4. Put 1 tbsp of butter/ oil in the same kadai and heat it.
5. Add the masala which has been ground to puree.
6. Stir it and cook till the masala leaves the sides of the kadai.
7. Now add the vegetables, 2 tbsp of fresh cream and 1 tsp of sugar.
8. Add a cup of water and cook for 8 to 10 mins or till the vegetables are cooked.
9. Garnish with coriander leaves or onion roundels.
10. Serve hot with paranthas.


Tip – To make the gravy richer, you can add 2 tsp of cashew/ almond paste.

Italian Pizza

How I learnt it - She is one of my friend who’s been almost together throughout my married life. Jyothsana is a great cook and has keen interests in finance, taxation, beauty products and contemporary styling. I learnt the intricacies of good pizza making while celebrating her daughter’s 1st birthday.

Ingredients

Pizza base – 3 medium

Tomato – 3-4 (chopped fine)

Sugar – 1tsp

Onion – 1 (chopped fine)

Capsicum (finely chopped) – 4-5 tbsp

Butter – 2 tbsp

Oregano powder – 1tsp

Veg/ refined oil – 1tbsp

Cheddar / parmesan Cheese – 1 cup (grated)

Salt – a pinch

Seasoning

Red chilly flakes

Mustard sauce

Tomato sauce

Procedure

1. Take a pan, pour oil. Heat it. Add finely chopped tomatoes.

2. Add sugar, a pinch of salt and oregano powder.

3. Mix well. Cook it till it leaves water and becomes a smooth paste.

4. Switch off the stove. Add chopped capsicum, onion and finely grated cheese.

5. Take the pizza base; spread little butter on the top.

6. Spread the prepared topping over it.

7. Microwave each at 600 degree centigrade on grill + cook mode for 2 minutes.

8. Remove and cut into four.

9. Serve hot with one’s preferred seasoning.

Tip

1. To make the pizza crispier, keep on the tawa for few seconds till it becomes golden brown.

2. Paneer, chicken bits, baby corn and mushroom can be used to make the toppings. They are optional depending on the availability in the market.

3. Already cheese has enough salt so it can be used judiciously.

Hari Chutney

How I learnt it– I always used to make the pudina chutney using sugar and lemon. One day my neighbor suggested why don’t you add jaggery and tamarind instead. It tasted great! Everybody appreciated my chutney in all my parties after that. You too can try it and get applauds.

Ingredients

Mint leaves (Pudina) – 1 cup Coriander leaves – 1 cup

Onion – 1 medium peeled Garlic – 5-6

Green chillies – 3-4 jagerry – 1 ball lemon sized

Tamarind paste – 2 tbsp salt to taste

Procedure

1. Take coriander leaves, mint leaves, green chilies. Wash them and chop them.

2. Peel the onion, garlic and wash them.

3. Put all the above ingredients in the grinding jar.

4. Add salt to taste, jaggery and tamarind paste.

5. Grind it to a fine paste. There is no need to add any water.

6. It is an excellent accompaniment with samosa and kababs.

Tip - To make the chutney last for 3-4 days add a tea spoon of veg oil and mix it thoroughly.

Vangi Bhaath (Brinjal rice)

 

Ingredients –

rice – 2 cups  

 Brinjal – 3 med size               

Bay leaves – 2

green chilies – 2-3 (slit)

onion – 1 chop fine      

tomato puree – ¾ cup    oil – ½ cup

fresh grated coconut – 4 tbsp

fresh coriander leaves – 2tbsp.

 

Masala to grind

 

Coriander powder -1tbsp   

Cumin powder – 1tsp

Red chilly powder – 1tsp

Pepper powder – ¼ tsp

Garlic – 3-4                   ginger – 1 inch

Cardamom – 2               clove – 2-3

Lemon juice- 2tsp

1. Add the above masalas with grated coconut, fresh coriander leaves and grind it in the mixer to a fine paste.

Procedure

 

1. Soak rice in water for sometime.

2. Wash the brinjal and cut them round shape .  Apply salt to brinjal and keep aside.

3. Heat oil in a pan and fry the brinjal pieces. Fry till golden brown.

4. Take a heavy bottomed pan . Add the remaining oil. Sauté with bay leaves, chopped onion, and green chilies. Mix well.

5. Add the ground masala paste, tomato puree and salt to taste. Stir it and keep moving till the oil leaves the side of the pan.

6. Add rice and mix well for 1-2 min.

7. Add 4 cups of water and let it come to boil.

8. Add  the lemon juice and cover the pan half and let it cook.

9. Cut few brinjal roundels into four pieces and add to the rice after the rice is almost done.

10. Once the rice is cooked garnish with the remaining fried brinjals on the top.

11. Serve hot with raita, pickle and pappad.

 

 

 

 

 

Pulihara (Tamarind Rice)

 

An Andhra recipe cooked during festivals……..

 

HOW  I LEARNT IT -   My colleague in Bangalore college used to get this dish in her lunch box. She used the traditional spices and it tasted so good that we would swap our lunch boxes. One day she came home and cooked it for me.

 

Ingredients

 

Rice-  1 cup (cooked)

Tamarind  paste – 4 tbsp

Jaggery – lemon sized

Ground nut – 3 tbsp

Urd dal –  1tsp

Channa dal – 1tsp

Red chillies – 3-4

Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

Asafoetida (hing)– a pinch

Ginger paste-  1 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves-  6-7

Salt to taste

Oil – 3 tbsp 

 

Procedure

 

1. Make the tamarind paste by boiling tamarind pulp.

2. Once the pulp thickens into paste, add some salt, turmeric powder and jaggery in the paste

3. Boil for some more time.

 

Saute

 

1. Heat groundnut oil/ refined oil in a pan .Add mustard seeds, Red chilies and Asafoetida (hing).

2. Add a bit of urad dal, channa dal and ground nuts. Roast properly.

3. Add curry leaves and a paste of ginger and green chilies into the pan Fry them properly in oil.

4. Add the tamarind paste. If the paste is thick add little water to it. Cook it till it leaves oil on the sides of the pan. Add the cooked rice along with the tamarind paste. Mix well.(Salt can be further added according to taste)

 

 

Tip: Can roast a bit of fenugreek seeds (methi) and mustard seeds, powder them and add them to the paste and then mix with rice. It adds a good flavour but turns bitter if the quantity of mustard or fenugreek seeds (methi) is more.

 

Samosa

 

One of the favorite among children and elders in all the birthday parties…..

How I learnt it - My neighbors mom-in – law had come from Delhi. She happens to be the chef for Sonia Gandhi. Aunty travels with her wherever she goes for campaigning. She had done a mouth licking menu for her grand daughters Birthday. The Samosas were instant hit. Aunty promised us to teach us how to make it. I had to get up early in the morning to learn the samosas as aunty was leaving back for Delhi that day.

 

Ingredients  for Dough

Maida – ½ kg                                        salt – ½ tsp

Ajwain – 1 tsp                                       oil – 2-3 tbsp

 Ingredients for the filling

Boiled Potatoes – 1 kg                             green chilies – 3-4

boiled green peas – ½ cup (optional)   ginger – 2 inches  

salt to taste                                               turmeric – ½ tsp

Chaat masala – 1 tbsp                          coriander powder – 1 tsp

Jeera powder – 1 tsp                       red chilly powder – ½  tsp

Veg oil for sauté and frying the samosa.  

Anaardaana – 1 tsp (opt)

Procedure

To make the dough

 

1.  Take maida, add salt, veg oil, and ajwain. Rub the flour till the ingredients are evenly mixed.   

2. Take a handful of the flour press it in the palm. The flour mixture should not break.

3. If it breaks in the hand add some more oil and mix well.

4. Add little water to make the dough. It should neither be too hard nor too soft.                                                    

 

To make the filling

1. Take 3 tbps of veg/refined oil/ ghee in a kadai.

2   Put crushed ginger and green chilies into the pan. Sauté it for some time.

3 Add the mashed boiled potatoes and boiled green peas.

4. Add jeera, coriander powder, salt to taste, turmeric powder, red chilly powder, chaat masala, and anaardaana. 

5. Mix it well and cook till the kadai leaves oil on the sides.

 6. Remove from heat. Cool it.

 

To make the Samosa.

 

1. Take a lemon sized dough. Spread it evenly on a flat surface. It should be as thin as possible.

2. Cut it into two halves.

3. Take one part of the semi circle. Apply water on the diameter side and stick it one over other so as to make a cone.

4. Close the lower end by folding it.

5. Fill the dough with the filling already prepared.

6. Once all the samosa are made take a kadai and pour oil into it.

7. Keep the stove at medium heat.

8. Put samosa  in the kadai to deep fry them.

9. When golden brown remove them from the kadai.

10. Serve hot with hari chutney or tomato sauce.

 

  

Tip-  Raisins, cashews can be added so as to enhance the taste.It is optional

Khandavi

 

 

Ingredients

 

Besan/gram flour – 1 cup                               Hing – a pinch

Curd/ yogurt – 2 tps                                        Salt  - as per taste

Red chilli powder -  ½ tsp                              Water – 3 cups

 

Garnish

 

Mustard seeds – 1 tsp                                      Green chillies – 2 (chopped finely)

Sesame seeds  - 1 tsp                                       Fresh coconut – 1 tsp (grated)

Oil – 1tsp                                                        

 

Method

 

1. Take besan/ gram flour in a bowl.

2. Add hing, salt, red chilli powder, curd and water.

3.  Mix well so that there are no lumps.

4.  Heat a kadai, pour the mixture cook at medium heat.

5.  Cook the mixture till it is a semi solid consistency.

6.  Remove from heat.

7.  Take a thali, apply oil at the back. Spread the mixture on the plate evenly forming a thin layer.

8.  Cut it into half .

9.  Once cool roll it. Cut it into small pieces.

10. Take oil in a small pan and heat. Put mustard seeds, sesame seeds, finely chopped green chillies and grated fresh coconut.

11. Turn off the gas stove immediately.

12. Garnish the Khandavi and serve with  coconut/ groundnut chutney.