Dal Rice - Pressure Cooker Style

Ingredients:

Rice - 1 tumbler
Toor dal - handful
Shallots - 1/4 cup chopped
Garlic - 8 pods full
Green chilli - 2 (slit on top)
Dry red chilli - 2 deseeded
Tomatoes - 2, chopped fine
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Sambar powder - 1 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 1/2 tsp
C. Salt - 1 1/4 tsp
Water - 3 times rice

To temper:
Oil - 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds -1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds -1/2 tsp
Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - few


Method:
Soak rice and dal together for half an hour.

In a pressure cooker, pour oil. Add all the tempering items, shallots, garlic and chilli. Sauté we'll and add the tomatoes. Cover and cook till they turn mushy. Add the powders. Sauté for 2 mins and add the required water. Cover and bring it to a boil. When the water boils, add rice and dal. Check for taste. Pressure cook for 2 whistles.

Quick dal rice ready!

Chicken & Veggies Soup

Ingredients:

Chicken -100gms (8 to 10 pieces approx)
Veggies -1/3 cup ( carrot, peas, beans, cabbage)
Ginger paste ->1/2 tsp
Turmeric -1/4 tsp
Water - 3 cups
Curry leaves - few
Palak leaves - 6 to 10 ( don't chop)
Corn flour -1/2 tsp (dissolved in water)
C. Salt - 1 1/4 tsp


To coarse grind: ( alternatively - use rasam powder+ garlic + shallots)
Cumin seeds -1 tsp
Coriander seeds -1 1/4 tsp
Peppercorns - 1 1/4 tsp
Garlic -5 pods
Shallots - 15( handful)


Method:
Pressure cook all items from chicken till curry leaves along with the grinder mixture for 3 whistles. After pressure releases, take out chicken and shred them. Take off bones. Add the meat back to the
cooker along with salt. Add palak leaves and cook for 5 mins. Just before serving, add corn flour paste and bring it to boil.

Soup ready!

Savoury French Toast

Ingredients: ( makes 4)

Bread -4 slices
Eggs -2
Milk - 2 tsp
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Onion - 1/2
Green chilli - 1 (deseed half)
Tomato -4 thin slices
Oil- to toast


Method:
Pulse onion and chilli in mixie. In a bowl, combine all items except bread, tomato and oil. Mix well.
Heat a grill pan and spray some oil. Dip bread in the egg mixture. Place it on the pan and top it with a thin slice of tomato. Toast with little oil. Flip the bread when the bottom side turns golden brown. For best result, flip bread only once.

Spicy, crunchy French toast ready!

Gobi Methi Matar Sabzi

Ingredients:

Cauliflower - 1/2 of a big 1

Methi/ Fenugreek leaves - 1 1/2 cups/ 1 bunch

Peas - 1/2 cup

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Onion -1 finely chopped

Asafetida - a pinch

Ginger - 1/2 tsp grated

Tomato - 1/2 finely chopped

Turmeric - a pinch

Chilli powder - 1 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder -2 tsp

Cumin powder -1/2 tsp

Curd -2 tbsp

Cashews -7 (soaked in milk- grind to paste)

C. Salt -1 1/2 tsp

Garam masala -1/2 tsp

Water - 1 cup

Method:

Bring a saucepan with 3 cups of water and 1/2 tsp salt to boil. Add the cauliflower florets and take off heat Imm. Let it sit in hot water for 5 mins. Drain and keep aside.

Wash methi leaves, add little salt & sugar. Keep it aside for 15 mins. Squeeze out water from the leaves.

In a pan, pour oil. Sauté items in order from cumin seeds till ginger. Add methi leaves and sauté for 5 mins. Add tomatoes. Sauté with the 4 powders except garam masala. Add peas and cauliflower along with a cup of water. Cover and cook till done. Add curd and stir well till combined. Add garam masala and cashew paste. Check for seasoning.

Channa Masala/ Chickpeas Masala

Dry chickpeas - 3/4 cup ( soak overnight / min 6 hrs)

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Bay leaves -2

Cinnamon -1" piece

Cloves -2

Asafetida - a pinch

Onion -1 finely chopped

Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp

Tomato - 2 big, chopped

Turmeric - a pinch

Salt- 1/2 tsp + 1 tsp

Red colour chilli powder - 1 tsp

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Garam masala - 1/4 tsp

Water -1 1/2 cups

Coriander leaves - to garnish

Method:

Pressure cook chickpeas with 1/2 tsp salt for 3 whistles.

In a pan, pour oil. Fry the above items in order. After the tomato turns mushy, add the dry powders. Finally add the cooked chickpeas. Cover and cook for 10 mins. Check for seasoning. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Sprinkle chopped onion on top before serving.

Green Gram Curry

Ingredients:

Green gram - 1/2 cup (soak for 2 hrs)
Shallots - 10
Tomatoes - 2 finely chopped
Garlic - 4
Green chilli - 3 slit into two
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
C. Salt - 1 1/4 tsp
Water - as needed
Coriander leaves - to garnish

To temper:
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Asafetida - a pinch
Turmeric - a pinch


Method:
Pressure cook moong dhal along with its water for 6 whistles. Gently mash and keep aside.

In a pan, pour oil. Add the tempering items, onion, garlic and chilli. Sauté and add the tomatoes. Cook till they are mushy. Transfer this to the PC, add salt and chilli powder. Pour water if needed. Cook for 5 mins and garnish with coriander leaves.

Bread Pizza Cups

Ingredients:

Bread - 2 slices
Onion - 1/4 chopped
Capsicum - 3 tbsp
Tomato - 1/4 chopped
Mozzarella cheese - 1/4 cup grated
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Sriracha sauce - 2 tbsp
Tomato ketchup/ pizza sauce - 2 tsp


Method:
Similar to bread spinach cups.

Preheat oven to 375F.

Flatten bread using a rolling pin and cut circles from them.  Oil muffin tin and line them with bread. Spread tomato ketchup on bread. In a mixing bowl, combine all other ingredients. Stuff bread with the mixture. Bake for 15-17 mins.

Bread pizza cups ready!

Bread, eggs & spinach cups

Ingredients:

Bread - 2
Eggs - 2
Garlic -1 chopped fine
Spinach - 1/3 cup frozen
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 1 tsp + Pam spray
Pepper (freshly ground) - 1/4 tsp

Method:
Preheat oven to 375 d F.

Using a rolling pin, flatten the bread. Cut them into a circle using a round cutter. Oil muffin tray with Pam and place the bread to form a cup.

Squeeze out excess water from the frozen spinach and chop them. In a pan, pour oil. Sauté with garlic and spinach. Add salt and chilli powder when half cooked.

Place the spinach mixture inside the bread on all it's sides. Break an egg in the middle. Sprinkle salt and pepper powder.  Bake for 17-18 mins.

Crunchy, healthy bread cups ready!

Spicy Kale Chips

Ingredients:

Kale -1 bunch
Sriracha sauce -3 tbsp
Salt -1/2 tsp
Olive oil -1 tbsp

Method:
Preheat oven to 300 d F. Use the second lowest rack.

Cut the kale leaves off their thick stems. Wash and pat dry. Mix kale with the remaining ingredients. Line the leaves on a baking sheet. They should be arranged in a single layer. Bake for 30 mins tossing every 10 mins. Kale will shrink as it bakes. Crispy, spicy kale chips ready! Then can be stored in an air-tight container