Aloo Sabzi

Aloo Sabzi is prepared with minimum ingredients, very simple to prepare yet flavorful. Aloo sabzi is liked by every Indian and it tastes best with poori.

Yield : 4 servings Prep time : 10 minutes Cooking time : 20 minutes Difficulty : Easy

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 potatoes, boiled and cut into cubes
  • 1 tbsp jeera (cumin)
  • 3 green chilies, chopped
  • asafoetida (hing) – a pinch
  • 1 tsp sesame seeds
  • 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp chaat masala
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • salt to taste
  • 1/2 cup water

METHOD

  1. Boil the potatoes and chop into cubes. In a kadai or wok, heat oil add jeera and green chilies, saute for 2 minutes.
  2. Add hing, chopped coriander leaves sesame seeds, turmeric powder chaat masala, salt and water, mix well.
  3. Add chopped potatoes and simmer it for 2 minutes. Serve hot with chapati or poori

Cabbage Rice

Cabbage rice is a mildly spiced Indian flavored rice that uses only cabbage as the main ingredient. It has a unique flavor of garlic and crunchiness of the cabbage makes this dish more tasty. Since the rice is mildly spiced, raita is the best combination that goes with it. Cabbage rice can also be made with leftover rice.

Yield : 4 servings Prep time : 10 minutes Cooking time 20 minutes Difficulty : Easy

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup basmati rice
  • 2 cups shredded cabbage
  • 2 medium onion, chopped finely
  • 2 tbsp ginger garlic & chili paste
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp vegetable masala
  • 2 tbsp ghee/oil
  • salt to taste
  • water to cook the rice

Print

METHOD

  1. Wash, soak and cook the rice grainy. The rice should not be overcooked and mushy. Keep aside the cooked rice.
  2. Add ghee/oil in a pan or kadai, add bay leaf, ginger garlic and chili paste and saute for a minute.
  3. Add finely chopped onions, saute well. Add salt, turmeric powder, chili powder, and vegetable masala. Combine everything together.
  4. To this, add shredded cabbage and continue to saute until the cabbage turns slightly golden yet crispy. This takes only 2 – 3 minutes.
  5. Simmer the flame, add cooked rice and mix well and fry for about 2 minutes. Cabbage rice is ready to be served!

NOTES

  • Usually I cook rice first, cool it and then add to the fried veggies.
  • If you are cooking rice in pressure cooker, add 1.5 cups of water and cook it for 2 whistles or for 10 minutes on a medium flame.

Cabbage oondi/undi/Steamed cabbage dumpling

Cabbage oondi/undi or steamed cabbage dumpling is a traditional konkani breakfast recipe which is basically steamed dumplings made out of rice, coconut and cabbage. Konkani cuisine has a variety of recipes which is highly nutritious, tasty and healthy. cabbage oondi/undi/steamed cabbage dumpling is one such recipe. It is served hot with coconut oil.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1.5 cup white/red boiled rice
  • 2 cups grated coconut
  • 2 tbsp red chili powder
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1/2 tsp asafoetida/hing
  • salt to taste
  • 2 cups of finely chopped cabbage
  • water to soak and grind

METHOD

  1. Wash or soak the rice for 5 – 6 hours or overnight. Grind the soaked rice along with 1/2 cup water, red chili powder, turmeric powder, grated coconut into a coarse paste (like rava).
  2. Transfer the batter into a large bowl; add salt, asafoetida (hing) and finely chopped cabbage. Mix well and set aside for 10 minutes. Adjust water and salt.
  3. Boil Water in steamer, place a steel plate lined with muslin cloth in the steamer. Now, take fist full of batter in your hand and roll out into a dumpling and place it over the plate lined with muslin cloth.
  4. Cook under steam for around 25 minutes. You can check by inserting a tooth pick, If it comes out clean, its done!
  5. Serve hot with coconut oil.

Kela Kofta curry | Raw Banana/plantain curry

Kela kofta curry or raw banana curry is made with plantain fried dumplings served with a rich flavorful gravy. Kofta is generally made during special occasions or festivals in the north Indian households. The deep fried kofta can be served as starter too with any chutney or sauce it works as a great appetizer and is perfect during fasting too.

Yield : 5 Servings Prep time : 10 minutes Cooking time : 45 minutes Difficulty : Medium

INGREDIENTS

For Kofta

  • 2 plantain/raw banana
  • 1 large potato
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp chat masala
  • 4 -5 tbsp chickpeas flour/ besan
  • oil to deep fry
  • salt to taste

For Gravy

  • 2 large onion, roughly chopped
  • 2 large tomato, roughly chopped
  • 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 1 tbsp red chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp vegetable masala
  • 2 tsp coriander powder
  • salt to taste
  • 1-2 cups of water
  • chopped coriander leaves

METHOD

For Frying

  1. Cut the ends of plantain, divide into two pieces and pressure cook it along with potato for 2 whistles.
  2. Mash the cooked plantain and potato add chili powder, chat masala, and besan. Combine everything well and make it into a smooth dough. (makes around 10-12 balls)
  3. Divide the dough into equal portions and roll out into smooth balls. Repeat the same for rest.
  4. Heat oil for deep frying in a kadai or wok. Gently slide the kofta into hot oil and fry on a medium flame until the kofta turns golden brown from all sides.
  5. Drain in tissue paper and keep aside.

For Gravy

  1. Grind the onion and tomato separately into smooth paste. Do not add water while grinding.
  2. Heat oil in kadai or wok and add the ground onion paste, ginger garlic paste fry until oil starts to separate on a medium flame.
  3. Add chili powder, salt, vegetable masala, turmeric powder to the onion paste and fry until the raw smell disappears.
  4. Add the tomato puree at this point and fry again for 5 minutes stirring in intervals. Add 1- 2 cups of water and bring it to good boil.
  5. Add fried kofta and combine it very well with the gravy. Simmer it for another 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or chapati (Indian flat bread).

NOTES

  • Before starting with the gravy, fry the kofta first to make this curry faster.
  • Fried kofta might get soggy while kept in gravy for a long time. I suggest to add the fried kofta to the gravy just 5 -10 minutes before serving.
  • You can add soaked paste of cashew/almonds (8-10) for a rich gravy.

Broken Wheat Dosa

Broken wheat dosa is yet another healthy version of dosa. It is crispy and yummy dosa prepared with broken/cracked wheat along with urad dal. It goes very well along with any type of coconut chutney. If you want to include broken wheat in your diet then this dosa is the best option.

Yield : 4 servings Prep time : 10 minutes Cooking time : 5 minutes Difficulty : Easy

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup broken wheat
  • 1/2 cup urad dal
  • 1/4 cup poha
  • water to soak and grind
  • salt to taste
  • 1 medium onion finely chopped
  • 2 – 3 green chilies chopped
  • 1 tbsp chopped ginger
  • 1 strand curry leaves

METHOD

  1. Soak all the ingredients with right amount of water separately for 3 – 4 hours.
  2. Drain the urad dal and grind it into a smooth batter
  3. Grind the soaked broken wheat and poha into a smooth batter. The batter should neither be too thick nor too thin just the consistency for dosa.
  4. Ferment the batter at the room temperature for 3 hours. Once the batter is fermented, add salt, chopped onion, green chilies, ginger and curry leaves.
  5. Heat dosa pan or skillet until hot. On a medium flame pour a ladle full of batter and spread the batter in a circular pattern. Drizzle oil. Let it cook for 30 seconds or until the dosa turns brown on both sides. Serve broken wheat dosa hot with coconut chutney.

NOTES

  • Do not ferment the batter overnight as the dosa batter takes very less time than regular idli batter.
  • Soak broken wheat only with required water.

Broken Wheat Idli

Broken wheat or cracked wheat is made by breaking down the whole raw wheat grains coarsely. It is highly nutritious and also helps reducing the risk of diabetes. Cracked wheat is high in fiber content and low on calories making it an and ideal food for weight loss. Broken wheat not provide fiber, but more vitamin B, iron and antioxidants than any other refined grains.

yield : 4 servings prep time : 10 minutes cooking time : 10 minutes difficulty :Easy

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup broken wheat
  • 1/2 cup urad dal
  • 1/4 cup red poha
  • 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
  • water to soak and grind
  • salt to taste
  • 1 tbsp oil

METHOD

  1. Soak all the ingredients with right amount of water separately for 3 -4 hours. (refer notes)
  2. Firstly drain the urad dal and grind it into a smooth paste. Transfer the batter in a separate vessel.
  3. Grind poha and broken wheat into a smooth batter by adding water as required. Grind the batter into a thick consistency.
  4. Ferment the batter in room temperature overnight or for 10 -12 hours.
  5. Once the batter is fermented, add salt, combine the batter. Greece idli mould with oil, pour the batter and steam it around 10 minutes. Serve idli hot with chutney, sambar or any other curry of your choice

NOTES

  • Soak broken wheat with very little water as the it absorbs all the water.
  • Add fenugreek along with urad dal while soaking.
  • Idli batter must be thick.

Dal Fritters/ Parippu Vada

Parippu Vada/ Dal Vada is a famous street food in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. It  is peas dal/ yellow split peas ground into a coarse paste and mixed with onion, ginger, green chilies, curry leaves ,cumin and deep fried. Its crispy, crunchy and yummy usually washed down with a steaming hot cup of chai (tea).

yield :6 servings Prep time : 5 minutes cooking time : 15 minutes Difficulty : Easy

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cups peas dal/mattar dal/yellow split peas
  • 6-7 green chilies,finely chopped
  • 15 to 20 small onion (shallots),finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp coriander seeds
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped ginger
  • 2 spring curry leaves
  • salt to taste
  • oil for deep frying

METHOD

  1. Soak dal in water for 2 hours and drain.
  2. In a food processor add the soaked peas dal and coriander seeds and grind into a coarse paste adding very little water (only if it is needed) as the dal absorbs water when it soaks. The ground paste should be thick, so it can be shaped into discs.
  3. In a separate vessel, add the ground mixture and combine with chopped onion, green chilies, curry leaves, ginger and salt.
  4. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan.
  5. When the oil is hot, wet the palms of your hand and shape about 2 tbsp of dal mixture into 2 inch round disc.
  6. Slide the discs gently into hot oil. Repeat the same with remaining mix. Fry for about 3 to 5 minutes or till they turn golden brown.
  7. Serve hot with steaming hot chai (tea).

NOTES

  • If small onion/ shallots is not available you can use medium sized onion.

Egg Biryani

Egg biryani which is cooked in Hyderabad dum biryani style is easily one of the best eggs recipes ever. The specialty of egg biryani is that it is cooked in ‘dum’ (cooked with steam) in such a way that each grain of rice is separated yet masala is fully absorbed. Egg biryani is definitely a delicious combination of fragrant rice with hard boiled eggs and aromatic masala.

Course: Main Cuisine: South Indian Difficulty: Medium

Servings : 6 servings Prep time: 15 minutes Cooking time : 1 hour 

INGREDIENTS

For Eggs

  • 4 eggs, hard boiled and peeled
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • salt to taste
  • 1/2 tsp red chili powder
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1/4 tsp coriander powder
  • For biryani
  • 3 cups cooked long grain basmati rice
  • 2 tbsp ghee
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • whole spices
    1 bay leaf
    1-2 star anise
    1 mace flower
    7-8 pepper corns
    1″ cinnamon
    2 cardamom
    3-4 cloves
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp red chili powder
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp coriander powder
  • 1 tsp garam masala powder
  • salt to taste
  • 2 – 3 green chilies, slit
  • 1/ 4 cup curd, beaten
  • 4 tbsp coriander leaves, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp pudina/mint leaves, finely chopped
  • For garnishing
  • 1/4 cup fried cashew nuts
  • 1 cup fried onion (onion birista)
  • 10-12 saffron strands
  • 1/2 cup warm milk

METHOD

  1. For rice
  2. Boil water in a big vessel and par boil the rice or till the rice is 80% cooked. Do not cook the rice completely. Transfer the cooked rice into a colander. Keep aside and allow it to cool.
  3. For garnishing
  4. Fry 2- 3 thinly sliced onion until brown color. Similarly fry cashew nuts separately until brown and keep aside.
  5. Warm milk and soak the saffron strands and keep aside.
  6. For Biryani
  7. In a deep bottomed pan heat ghee add whole spices and saute for a minute on a low flame till the spices are fragrant.
  8. Add finely chopped onions, saute for 2 minutes. Add salt, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala, turmeric powder and mix well. Saute until golden brown.
  9. Next, add chopped tomatoes and cook until mush. On a low flame add slit green chilies and curd / yogurt and keep it stirring.
  10. Finally add chopped coriander leaves and pudina/ mint leaves.
  11. For eggs
  12. Heat oil in a separate pan, add red chili powder, salt, turmeric powder, coriander powder and fry the hard boiled eggs in oil till its brown and crispy on both the sides.
  13. For assembling
  14. In a deep bottomed pan make first layer with rice. Gently spread gravy over the rice. Finally add the remaining rice and spread it all over.
  15. Sprinkle few coriander leaves and mint leaves followed by fried onions (onion birista), fried cashew nuts, and finally add warm saffron milk over the rice and cover it tightly with a lid.
  16. Cook the assembled biryani over the lowest flame for about 15 minutes and serve hot along with pickle, pappad and raita.

Carrot halwa | Gajar ka halwa

Gajar ka halwa, also known a Carrot halwa is a carrot-based sweet dessert. It is a traditional Indian sweet dessert made with fresh grated carrots with specific amount of water, milk and sugar and then cooking while stirring regularly. Carrots are loaded with Vitamin A. Also, it is a very good source of Fiber, Vitamins C and K. Carrot halwa is made for almost all the functions in the Indian household and is one of the most loved dessert of all age groups.

Yield : 6 Servings | Prep time: 15 minutes | Cooking time: 1 hour | Difficulty: Easy

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 cups thickly grated carrot
  • 4 tbsp Ghee
  • 4 cups milk
  • 10 to 12 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp golden raisins
  • 3 tbsp chopped almonds & Pistachios
  • 1/2 tsp cardamom Powder
  • a pinch of saffron/kesar (optional)

METHOD

  1. Rinse, peel and grate the carrots. Use around 8 to 10 medium carrots for 4 cups.
  2. In a thick bottomed pan, add ghee once the ghee heats add the grated carrot on a medium flame for 4 to 5 minutes while stirring continuously.
  3. Simmer the mixture and add milk, the carrots will cook in milk and will start reducing.
  4. When the milk is almost absorbed by the grated carrots, add sugar and saffron to the carrots and keep on stirring.
  5. In the end, add chopped almonds, pistachios, golden raisins and cardamom powder. Serve carrot halwa hot, warm or cold.
Design a site like this with WordPress.com
Get started