masoor ki daal

Ingredients

• m1 cup (180 g) dhuli masoor ki daal
  
  2 tsp salt
  
  1/2 tsp haldi (turmeric)
  
  2 Tbsp ghee
  
  1 tsp jeera (cumin seeds)
  
  1/8 tsp heeng (asafoetida)
  
  1 Tbsp ginger, finely chopped
  
  1/2 cup onions, finely chopped
  
  1/2 cup tomatoes, finely chopped
  
  1 tsp powdered dhania (coriander seeds)
  
  1/2 tsp chilli powder
  
  1/2 tsp garam masala
  
  2 Tbsp chopped hara dhania (coriander leaves) for garnishing
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Method:

Clean and wash the lentils and place them in a heavy pan. Add 3 cups of water, haldi, ginger and salt. 

Place the pan over high heat, partially covered, and cook till tender. 

Heat the ghee in a heavy based pan and add the heeng and the jeera. When they begin to splutter add the chopped onions. 

Sauté till the onions are brown, add the tomatoes and stir fry till the fat separates. 

Add the dhania, chilli powder and garam masala, mix well and add the daal and bring to a boil, then simmer for about 1 minute. 

Garnish with the coriander leaves, and serve hot.

besan chilla

• 1 cup besan
  
  1 cup water
  
  2 tsp salt or to taste
  
  1/2 onion, sliced
  
  1 tsp chilli powder
  
  1 tsp ajwain
  
  1 green chilli - finely chopped
  
  1/2 cup methi leaves-finely chopped
  
  4 tsp oil for frying the chilla

Method:

Mix all the ingredients, except oil, to a thick pouring consistency, adding the water a little at a time. 

Leave to rest for 15-20 minutes. 

Heat a tbsp or so of oil in a frying pan, then pour it off into a container. 

Keeping the heat high pour some batter in the center of the pan, spreading it out a little. 

Lower the heat and let cook till the edges brown a little and can be lifted easily. 

Dribble a little oil around it, turning the pan so the oil goes under the cheela. 

Flip it over to cook slightly on the other side and before serving it hot with a green chutney

potatoes and green beans

• French Beans - 250 gms/ 1 cup
• Potatoes - 3 or 4
• Turmeric/Haldi Powder - ½ tsp
• Red Chilli Powder - ½ tsp
• Garam Masala Powder - ½ tsp
• Amchur/Dry Mango Powder Powder - 1 tsp or according to taste
• Oil  2-3 tbsp
• Salt - As per taste

Method

1. Start by cleaning and cutting the french beans and potatoes. In a thick bottomed kadai or pan add the oil. When the oil becomes hot, add the potatoes and saute these for 3-4 minutes.
2. Add the beans now and saute both the veggies 8-10 minutes on a low flame.
3. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder and salt except garam masala powder and amchur powder.
4. After 8-10 minutes the veggies will get cooked. Now add the amchur powder and garam masala powder. Stir.
5. Serve the aloo beans with rotis  This Aloo French Beans Sabzi can also be served as a side veggie dish.

make ahead banana patties

Ingredients:

2 large Raw Bananas

1 medium Potato

3-4 tbsp Chickpea flour(Besan)

2-3 tbsp Raisins

1 small Onion, finely chopped

2 Green chillies, finely chopped

1/2" Ginger, finely chopped

2-3 tbsp Coriander leaves, chopped

1/2 tsp Amchur powder

1/2 tsp Coriander powder

1/2 tsp Cumin powder

1/4 tsp Garam masala

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

Salt to taste

Oil,to deep fry

Method:

• Cut the ends of raw bananas and cut them into 2-3 pieces and pressure cook along with potato for 3 whistles. After it cools down, peel the skin of raw bananas and potato and mash it nicely using potato masher while it is still warm and keep it aside.
• Dry roast chickpea flour until you get nice aroma from it and let it cool.
• Add all the masalas - red chili powder, coriander  powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder , garam masala powder and salt to the mashed raw banana and potato mixture and mix it nicely. The mixture would be very soft and mushy at this point.
• Add finely chopped onion, green chillies and coriander and mix well. Now add roasted chickpea flour and mix nicely, do not add all the quantity of besan at once, add in small portions and mix until you feel the mixture is not very sticky. Do not add more besan, the kebabs would be softer when the dough is slightly smooth instead of stiff dough.
• Grease your palms with oil and make gooseberry sized kebabs or like regular shaped cutlets and try to stuff raisins in it - by initially making it like a cup and stuff raisins and close it to form a round kebab or flattened tikki. Refrigerate them for half an hour so that they will firm up slightly, you can use them immediately too if you are short of time.
• Heat oil in a deep curved pan until it is hot and add kebabs and fry them on medium flame until they turn in deep brown color. Remove them with the slotted spoon on to a kitchen napkin. If You have prepared them in the shape of flattened tikkis(cutlets) you can shallow fry on tawa with 1-2 tbsp. of oil and fry them on both sides.
• If you are looking for healthy option to fry round kebabs - you can fry them alternatively in an Aebliskever pan. Heat the pan and add 1/2 tsp of oil in each impression and when it is piping hot keep the flame on LOW and place the kebabs in it and fry them by turning them slightly in between until they get roasted on all sides.

Sprinkle Chaat masala on them while they are still hot and serve them immediately with Tomato sauce of Green chutney and Meeta Chutney.

aloo and spring onion bhaji

Ingredients

•	1 cup thickly chopped onion greens
•	1 medium potato,Cut into bhaji style
•	2 tbs. mustard or other cooking oil
•	1 tsp. cumin seeds
•	A pinch of heeng or asafoetida powder
•	1/3 tsp. turmeric powder
•	1 tsp. coriander powder
•	1/2 tsp. chilli powder (coarsely ground chillies taste better)
•	Salt to taste
•	1/4 tsp. Garam Masala (optional) Method 1. Wash and slice spring onions, including their green stalks, thickly. 2. Heat oil in a wok or kadhai. 3. Add cumin seeds and heeng or asafoetida powder and allow the seeds to splutter or turn brown. 4. Add spring onions, potatoes, all the spices and salt, stir for a few seconds and cook covered on medium heat, until potatoes are cooked. 5. Sprinkle garam masala if used, turn heat up and stir fry until all water is absorbed and the vegeatble look shiny. Serve with paratha or as part of a main meal.

raw banana kofta curry

ngredients you will need:

For the Gravy:

1 large White/Red Onion, Diced

2 small Tomatoes

3-4 Green Chillies

10-12 Whole cashews

1 Tbsp Poppy Seeds/Khus-khus

1 Tbsp Unsalted Butter

1 Tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste

1/2 Tsp chilli powder or adjust to taste. Also depends on the heat of green chili you will be adding.

1/2 Tsp coriander powder

1/2 Tsp garam masala

1/2 Tsp sugar

1-1.5 Tbsp kasuri methi/dry fenugreek leaves

2-3 Tbs of Fresh cream (malai)

Salt to taste

Coriander leaves for garnishing

Preparation of the gravy: (Differs from the original recipe)

1. Boil onion in water till it becomes tender. Yeah you read it right! Instead of sautéing onions in oil to get rid of the raw flavor, boiling onion in water, is a healthier option, gives a creamier texture and remaining water is used while cooking the curry. This is a wonderful method to avoid oil and butter in  any gravy recipe involving onions without sacrificing taste and flavor. I have followed this method for three or four years now!

2. As the onions are cooking, purée the tomatoes and green chilies to a very fine paste. I do not prefer to blanch the tomatoes for this recipe cause I feel this way it tastes better and richer.

3. In a pan, put the

butter, when it  to melts add the ginger-garlic paste. As it cooks, add the tomato and chili paste. Add salt, sugar and all other spices expect kasuri methi.

4. After the onions are cooked, switch off the stove and add poppy seeds and cashews. Let it soak for 8-10 minutes. Make a fine purée of it. Add to the well sauteed tomato paste. Mix well and bring to a boil. If it is too thick, dilute with little milk/water.

5. After the first boil add kasuri methi (before adding crush it in your palms gently and then add) and fresh cream/Malai. Add salt if needed.

6. Garnish by adding finely chopped coriander leaves.

For the Koftas/fried dumpling:

1 Large/2 small potatoes, cleaned, boiled and mashed or grated

1/2 cup soft paneer, crumbled

1 large Plantain, Peeled, boiled to soft and mashed

Lightly sauteed chopped onions in clarified butter/ghee

A few raisins- optional. This goes as a stuffing in the koft

A few raisins- optional. This goes as a stuffing in the kofta.

Salt-to taste

1/2 tsp of chilli powder or adjust to taste

1/4 teaspoon of turmeric and asafoetida

1/2 tsp Dhaniya jeera powder/ Cumin and coriander powder

1/4 tsp garam masala

Oil for deep-frying

The Original recipe did not mention paneer and raisins, I tried once and loved it, ever since its become a part of the recipe.

For the Kofta/Dumplings:

1. In a mixing bowl, add all the ingredients mentioned for the kofta except raisins.

2. Knead to a soft dough. Do not over knead. Take a golf sized portion and push one or two raisin into it. close it well. Do the same with the rest. Set aside.

3. Heat the oil. Fry the kofta, one by one. Do not add more than two at a time. If the first kofta is breaking, add a spoon of corn flour to the mixture and roll into a tighter ball. Fry the rest.

Arranging:

Once the koftas and gravy are ready, pour the gravy/curry in the serving dish and arrange the koftas on top. Serve Hot.

This delicacy is lightly on sweeter side and a great party food.

Happy cooking.

tomato nu shaak

Ingredients

250 gms green tomatoes
100 gms nylon sev
2 to 4 cloves of garlic (lehsun) (optional)
2 cups water
2 tsp oil
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1/4 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
1 tsp chilli powder
2 tsp coriander (dhania) powder
a pinch of asafoetida (hing)
1 to 2 tbsp jaggery (gur)
salt to taste
few springs of coriander (dhania) leaves for garnishing

Method

1. Chop the tomatoes into small cubes. chop the garlic very finely.
2. Heat the oil in a frying pan. add the cumin seeds and aloow them to splutter. add the asafoetida and the chilli powder and immediately add the chopped tomatoes, garlic and water.
3. Cook on a medium flame till the tomatoes are done. add a little more water if required.
4. Add the jaggery, salt and dhania powder. cover and cook till the jaggery melts completely.
5. Do not let all the water to evaporate. maintain a watery gravy to soften the sev.
6. At the time of serving, fill half of the serving bowl with the vegetable and top it with the nylon sev. garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
7. Serve hot with rotis, parathas, steamed rice or khichdi.