Dal Makhani...

So, after a year I'm finally back to doing what I like most... cooking... and the recipe that has been on my list for a long long time is Dal Makhani... I got the recipe from here, but as usual made a lot of adjustments so the below is my version of Dal Makhani and it tasted fabulous... and one tip I can give you is, the more you cook it the better it tastes....honestly it tasted even better the next day. I think going forward if I want to serve Dal Makhani for lunch I'll prepare it the previous night :)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole black lentils
• 1/2 cup Kidney beans
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 4 green chillies, finely chopped
• Paste of a 2 inch piece of ginger and 4-5 cloves of garlic
• 1 tsp cumin-coriander powder (freshly ground)
• 1 tsp cardamom powder (freshly ground)
• 1 onion (chopped)
• 1 tsp dried Fenugreek leaves ( Kasuri Methi )
• 3 tbsp butter
• 4 cloves
• 1/2 tsp of cinnamon powder
• 1 Bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 3 tomatoes (pureed)
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup cream
• salt to taste and chopped coriander leaves for garnish

Method

1) Soak the lentils and kidney beans overnight.

2) Cook them in a pressure cooker for 7-8 whistles (until it is quite mushy). Remove from the cooker and mash the lentils.

3) Heat the butter in a pan and add the cloves, cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, cumin-coriander powder,bay leaf, ginger-garlic paste, chillies and onions. Saute until aromatic and onions gets soft.

4) Add the Tomato puree and cook till the raw tomato smell leaves.

5) Add the lentil mash and salt and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

6) Add the fenugreek leaves along with cardamom powder, stir and then add the cream and cook for 5 minutes.

7) Add the tomato sauce and water and cook well.
8) Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and a dollop of cream.

9) Serve with rotis or plain rice.

Khandvi

Again I owe thanks to Bhavini, my guru when it comes to Gujarati speaking and cooking :)

Ingredients:

1 cup besan (gram flour)
3 cups thin buttermilk (preferably sour)
1 green chill (crushed)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste

For the tadka:
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp sesame seeds
1/4 tsp chilli powder
Ghee

For Garnishing:
Chopped corriander leaves
Grated Coconut.

Method:
1) Lightly heat the buttermilk.
2) Mix the besan and buttermilk whilst ensuring that no lumps are formed.
3) Add the turmeric powderm crushed green chilly and salt and mix well.
4) Place this mix on the stove and bring it to a boil while stirring continuously.
5) The mixture will begin to thicken, keep stirring to ensure that no lumps are formed.
6) When the mixture reaches a thick shrikhand like consistency remove from the heat.
7) Now in a large plate spread a large spoonful of the mixture like a dosa and let it dry.
8) Once it dries, roll the dosa and cut in to one inch cubes.
9) Heat the ghee and add mustard, once the mustard splutters add the cumin seeds, sesame seeds and the chilly powder.
10) Spoon the tadka over individual pieces of the khandvi.
11) Garnish with chopped corriander leaves and grated coconut.

Gujarati Kadhi!

Thank you Bhavini for this super recipe!!!

Ingredients:

1/4 ltr curd

2 tbsp besan (gram flour)

2 green chillies (slit)
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tbsp chopped corriander leaves.
For Tadka:
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
4-5 fenugreek seeds
3 cloves
1 inch piece cinnamon
1/2 tsp asafoetida
curry leaves
1tbsp ghee


Method:
1) Mix water in the curd and make a thin buttermilk.
2) Heat the butter milk on the gas for 2 mins, remove and keep aside.
3) Mix the besan with water and make a thin runny paste.
4) Mix the heated butter milk and besan paste, add the salt and slit green chillies to this mixture.
5) Prepare the tadka, heat ghee and add the mustard seeds, once they splutter add the cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, cloves, cinnamon, curry leaves and asafoetida.
6) Add the tadka to the buttermilk mixture.
7) Now heat the buttermilk mixture for about 20 mins, alternating between high heat and low heat to ensure that the mix does not boil over.
8) Add the sugar and chopped corriander leaves and simmer for one mins.
9) Serve hot with rice.

Dal Khicidi

Ultimate Comfort Food!!!

Normally made with Moong Dal, but I used Tur Dal and it tasted just fine!!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Tur Dal
1/2 cup Rice
1 large tomato (chopped)
1 tbsp Ghee
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2 Red Chillies (dry)
1 tsp Turmeric Powder
1/2 tsp Asafoetida
Hot Water
Salt to Taste

Method:

1) Wash the Rice and Dal, rinse a couple of times till the water used to rinse runs clear. Keep aside.
2) Heat Ghee in a pan (I used a pressure pan).
3) Add the Mustard seeds, let it splutter and then add the Cumin seeds.
4) Add the dry red chillies and fry for a while.
5) Add the washed rice, dal, turmeric and asafoetida and toss for a couple of minutes.
6) Add the chopped tomato.
7) Add hot water to cover the rice and dal twice over.
8) Cover with the lid and cook till the rice and dal are soft.
9) Open and use a hand whisk to mash the softened rice and dal.
10) Add more water if the mash feel too dry.
11) Simmer for a few minutes.
12) Serve hot with curd or raita.

Jeera Rice...

Easy Peasy Recipe for great tasting rice that stays seperate when cooked!!!

Ingredients:
1 cup Basmati Rice (preferably long grained not the tukda variety)
2 cups hot water
Whole Spices
- 5 Cardamon pods (slightly opened)
- 5 cloves
- 1 tbsp Jeera
- 2 tbsp Ghee

Method:

1) Wash the rice a couple of times to get rid of the starch ( you know you have succeeded when the water in which you rinsed the rice is clear), keep aside.
2) Heat a large pan and add ghee.
3) Once the ghee is hot add the jeera and then after 30 seconds add the other whole spices.
4) Fry till the aroma of the spices wafts through the air.
5) Add the washed rice and keep frying till all the moisture evaporates (the rice will start clinging to one another).
6) At this point add the hot water and salt to taste, the proportion is 1:2, which means for 1 cup rice add 2 cups of water.
7) Cover and cook.
8) Uncover occasionally and see how the rice is doing.
9) Tip: you may want to shift the position of the pan on the stove, to ensure every area is getting cooked evenly.
10) Remove from heat and serve with raita or curd.

Chicken Biryani

I got this recipe from here and after making a few changes this is what I ended up. All you connoisseurs out there may argue that this is actually a pulav, but trust me this dish actually smells like and tastes just like biryani, even though it is prepared like a pulav!!!

Ingredients:
150 gms boneless chicken (cut in to large pieces)
3 medium sized onions (grind to a paste)
2 potatoes (cut in to one inch pieces)
2 medium sized tomatoes, chopped
3 cloves of garlic (minced)
1 inch piece of ginger
1 tbsp mint leaves. finely chopped
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp pepper powder
2 tbsp yoghurt
1 tbsp garam masala (We were out on Biryani Masala, hence this substitution, pls use Biryani Masala)
1 piece of cinnamon (1 inch)
5 cardamons
Oil for cooking
Salt to taste

For rice:
2 cups of long grained basmati rice
4 cups boiling water
5 cardamons
10 pepper corns

Method:

1) Marinate the chicken pieces in turmeric powder and salt.
2) Wash the Rice and keep aside for 30 mins.
3) Heat 4 tsp of oil and fry the potato cubes until brown, remove and keep aside.
4) Heat 2-3 tsp of oil and add the onion paste, minced ginger and garlic and cook till the raw smell disappears.
5) Add the chilly powder, cumin seeds,turmeric powder, pepper powder and tomatoes and cook for a couple of minutes.
6) Now add the chopped mint leaves, yoghurt, cardamom and cinnamon stick and salt. Add a little water if the mixture gets too dry.
7) When the tomatoes are reduced to a pulp add the marinated chicken pieces. Cover and cook on low heat till the chicken is tender.(At this point the gravy should be fairly thick).
8) In a large pan heat about 3 tsp of ghee and fry the cardamons and pepper corns.
9) Add the rice and, fry till the rice is coated with the ghee (couple of mins).
10) Add the 4 cups of boiling water to the rice.
11) Add the fried potato pieces and the chicken mixture, stir gently to mix into the rice.
12)Bring to a boil and then cover vessel, reduce the heat to very low and let it steam for about 20 mins.
13) Every now and then keep shifting the pan, so that the rice at the bottom is evenly cooked and does not burn, ten minutes into the steaming open and mix the rice, I know this is not advisable, but this ensured that all the rice is evenly cooked)
14) Serve hot with cucumber and tomato raita.

Mutter Paneer

Simple dish with great flavours...

Ingredients:
250 gms Mutter (green peas)
250 gms Paneer ( Cottage Cheese)
2 large Onions (grind to a paste)
3 medium sized Tomatoes (pureed)
3 big cloves of garlic (grated)
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chilly powder
1 tbsp Garam Masala powder
4 tsp Cooking Oil
Salt to taste

Method:1) Defrost the green peas and keeps aside, I prefer to use the frozen variety as you can use them straight after defrosting and need not boil them seperately.
2) Cut the paneer into small pieces and shallow fry on tawa, ensuring that they get slightly brown all over and keep aside.
3) Heat the oil and add the onion paste, fry till it is half cooked.
4) Add the grated garlic and cook till the raw smell disappears.
5) Add the tomato puree, chilly powder, turmeric powder and salt.
6) Once the moisture evaporated (about 10 mins) add the peas and a glass of water and cook for a further 15 mins till the peas are well (you can add more water if you want a more gravy like consistency).
7) Add the fried paneer and bring to a boil then let it simmer for a few mins.
8) Serve hot with chappaties or bread.

Chole a la Sen...

This is a very simple way to make Chole, it is delicately spiced and tastes just great.


Ingredients:
250 gms chickpeas (soaked overnight and boiled, retain the water used to boil the chick peas)
2 medium sized onions (grind to a paste)
3 medium sized tomatoes (pureed)
3 large cloves of garlic (grated)
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp Chole Masala
4 tsp Oil

Method:
1) Heat the oil and add the onion paste and fry till about half cooked.
2) Add the grated garlic and fry till the raw smell dissappears.
3) Add the tomato puree and turmeric powder and cook well.
4) Once all the tomato is well cooked add the Chole masala and mix well.
5) Fry for another couple of minutes and add the boiled chickpeas and water used to boil the chickpeas.
6) Incase you feel the Chole is turning dry, add a cup of water.
7) Check for seasoning, add salt of required(I put salt while boiling the chickpeas).
8) Bring to a boil and simmer for about 5 minutes.
9) Garnish with corriander leaves and serve hot with chapatties or bread.

Koal Sukka (Clams in semi-dry coconut gravy)

This one is for you Manju, thank you for sharing the Dry Pasta and Sidhi Kadi recipe !

I am basically from the coastal village of Someshwar which is just outside Mangalore,Karnataka and five minutes from the Kerala border. So I am a Malyalee from Karnataka and as usually happens with the border people our cusine is a mix of the best of Mangalorean and Keralite cusine. I have some really great memories of my summer and winter vacations at Mangalore and it is still something that I look forward to. Koal Sukka is my all time favourite Mangalorean dish and I love the way it is made at home. The aromas that waft from the kitchen when it is being prepared are quite capable of rousing Kumbhakarna from his sleep. Wake up and smell the Koal Sukka I say!!!

So without much ado, I proudly present the recipe to the delectable manna from heaven!

P.S.: I will put up a picture soon!!

Ingredients

50-60 clams (small sized, black in colour and with thin shell,my mum says that big thick shelled clams have very little flesh in them, the smaller ones are better and much tastier)

For the White Masala
1/2 (half) a Coconut, grated
4-5 garlic cloves
1/2 (half) an onion
1/2 (half) tsp cumin seeds

For the Red Masala
3 Bedgi Chillies (for colour)
2 Madras Chillies
10-12 fenugreek seeds
6-7 black pepper corns
2 tsp corriander seeds
Tamrind (about the size of a small lemon)
1/2 (half) tsp Turmeric powder

Method:

1) Clean the clams throughly to dislodge any impurties sticking to the shells.
2) Add a little water to a pan and steam the clams for about 2-3 mins. Do not cover the pan while steaming. Once steamed the clams will open up. Retain the water left over from the steaming. (Tip: Do not drown the clams in water, just use a little water, enough to cover an inch off the bottom of the pan).
3) Dry roast all the ingredients for the red masala, except the tamrind and turmeric powder. Put the tamrind in lukewarm water and let it sit. (Tip: My mum dry roasts the spices as soon as she buys them, the same ingredients are used for other curries, so it saves time while actually making the dish)
4) Put the roasted spices in a mixer with a little water and make a fine paste. When the paste is just about done add the turmeric powder and tamrind (along with the water in which it was soaked) and blitz for about 30 seconds.(Tip: Ensure that the paste is is not too watery)
5) Grind the grated coconut in the mixer, we are not looking for a fine paste, a coarse mixture is just fine. Just before removing the mixture, add the cumin seeds, garlic cloves and onion. Blitz for about a minute. (Tip: Do not add water).
5) Mix the red masala with the water retained from the steaming of the clams and bring to a boil.
6) Add clams and simmer for 5-6 mins.
7) Add the white masala and cook till the coconut is nicely done.
8) Garnish with chopped coriader leaves.

Paneer Tikka Masala

I got this recipe from here. A few minor changes and this is what I made :),

Ingredients

For the paneer tikka

250 gms paneer
1tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tsp chilly powder
1/2 cup curd
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
salt to taste

For the gravy (masala)

2 Tomatoes (chopped)
2 Green Chillies (chopped)
1 Onion (chopped)
15 cashew nuts (chopped)
1 tsp chilly powder
1/2 cup of tomato ketchup
marinade left over from the tikkas
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
salt to taste
corriander leaves

Method:
For the Tikkas

1) Mix the curd, ginger-garlic paste, chilly powder, garam masala powder and salt.
2) Cut the Paneer pieces into cubes and marinate half the cubes in the above mixture for a few hours (I marinated it for 10 hours).
3) Place the marinated paneer cubes on a tava and fry them, when nicely done on one side, flip over and cook the other side.
4) There will be some marinade left after the cubes are taken out, keep it aside for the gravy.

For the gravy

1) Heat oil and fry the onions until translucent.
2) Add the left over marinade and cook well
3) Add the tomatoes and green chillies and cook till the tomatoes are nice and soft.
4) Add cashew nuts and cook for a few minutes.
5) Add the garam masala amd chilly powder and let it simmer for a while.
6) Remove from heat and cool.
7) Blitz this mixture in a blender.
8) Return the mixture back to the stove, add a little water and bring it to a boil.
9) Add the tomato ketchup and let it simmer for a while.
10) Add the fried paneer and raw paneer pieces.
11) Cook well and top with chopped corriander leaves.
12) Serve hot with chappaties.

Vegetable Kadhai

I got this recipe at Jaishree's blog, as usual I managed to bungle on the steps but the outcome was not too bad :)...very edible!!!...incase you want the correct recipe click here. My camera needs to be replaced, the dish actually looks better in real life :p

I have listed below the recipe with steps as I made it :)

Ingredients

15-20 French beans

1 medium sized carrots

2 medium sized capsicums

1/4 medium sized cauliflower

2 large sized tomatoes

1 medium sized onions

10-12 bite size cubes of paneer

1/4 cup shelled green peas

3 red chillies (whole)

1 tbsp coriander seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

12-15 cloves garlic

2 one inch pieces of ginger

3-4 green chillies

A few sprigs of fresh coriander leaves

4 tbsps oil

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tbsp coriander powder

1 tsp red chilli powder

Salt to taste

1 tsp garam masala powder

Method:

1.String and wash French beans. Peel and wash carrots. Wash, halve, and deseed capsicums. Cut all the vegetables into ¼ th inch cubes. Separate cauliflower into small florets and wash. Wash tomatoes and chop roughly. Peel, wash, and slice onion. Wash and drain green peas. Remove stems and break red chillies into two.

2.Grind coarsely three of the red chillies with coriander and cumin seeds. Peel and wash ginger and garlic. Remove stems and wash green chillies. Clean, wash, and chop coriander leaves.

3.Grind half of the ginger with garlic and green chillies. Make julienne of the rest of the ginger.

4.Heat oil in a pan. Add the coarsely ground masala (coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and red chillies). Add ginger-garlic-green chilli paste and sauté till the water evaporates.

5.In a seperate pan fry the sliced onions till golden brown. Once brown add this to the paste (Per the original recipe we were to put in the onions once the ground masala was nice and brown, followed by the ginger-garlic-green chilli paste, I forgot and put the ginger-garlic-green chilli paste, so this extra step).

6.Add the vegetables except capsicums and tomatoes and stir. Cook covered on low heat till carrots are almost done. Sprinkle a little water if necessary.

7.Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, and red chilli powder. Stir continuously. Add tomatoes, paneer cubes, salt, and half cup of water. Cook till the vegetables are cooked and water dries up.

8.Add capsicums and cook for 4-5 minutes on low heat. Sprinkle garam masala powder.

8.Serve hot garnished with ginger julienne and coriander leaves.