Potato Peas Masala / Aloo Matar

Ingredients:
Potato - 3 small (peeled & cubed)
Peas - 1 cup (frozen)
Onion - 1 sliced long
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Tomato - 2 medium (purée)
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder - 1tsp
C.salt - 1 1/4 tsp
Cilantro - to garnish
Water - as needed

To temper:
Oil - 2 tbsp
Cinnamon - 1" stick
Cloves - 2
Cardamom - 1
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Carom seeds / Ajwain - 1 tsp
Asafetida - a pinch

Method:

In a heavy bottomed pan, pour oil and add all items under to temper. Then add onion and sauté till they become translucent. Add GG paste. Cook till there is no raw smell. Add potato and sauté for a few mins till it is well coated with oil. Now add the puréed tomato. Add turmeric, chilli powder, salt and enough water to cook the potatoes. When the oil separates, add peas. Add required water to make gravy. Cook covered for 15 mins till everything is combined and well cooked. Garnish with cilantro.

Notes:

• Garam masala can be added when potato and peas are cooked.
• Adding fresh cream or milk will make the gravy rich.

Green Gram/ Whole Moong Dal Fry

Ingredients:

Green gram - 1/2 cup (soak for at least 2 hrs)
Oil - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
Channa dal - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Asafetida - a pinch
Onion - 1/2 chopped fine
Green chilli - 2 slit
Ginger - 3/4 tsp grated
Turmeric - a pinch
Salt - 1 tsp
Water - as needed


Method:
Pressure cook soaked green gram with 1/2 tsp salt, turmeric and enough water for 5 whistles. Keep aside.
In a pan, pour oil. When hot, temper with ing. from mustard seeds till ginger in order. When onion is sautéed well, add the cooked green gram. Add salt. Cook for 5 mins.

Healthy evening snack!


Note:
Cook onion such that it retains a little crunch.

Easy Chicken Curry

Ingredients:
Chicken - 1/2 kg
Oil - 2 tsp
Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
Onion - 1 sliced long
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Tomato - 1 big chopped
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
C.salt - 3/4 tsp
Chilli powder -  3/4 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/4 tsp
Garam masala - 1/4 tsp
Water - 1 1/2 cup
Chicken stock - 1 cube (optional)
Cashew - 6
Milk - 1 tbsp
Coriander leaves - to garnish


Method:
Clean chicken and soak in buttermilk for 10 mins. Remove chicken from buttermilk and keep aside.
Soak cashew in milk for 15-20 mins. Grind to a paste and keep aside.
In a heavy bottom pan, pour oil. Add fennel and wait till it crackles. Add onion! Then curry leaves. Sauté for 2 mins and add GG paste. Sauté till there is no raw smell. Add tomato and sauté till it turns soft. Add turmeric and the remaining masala powders. Add chicken. Sauté for a while and then add water(dissolve the stock cube in it). Cover and cook for 20 mins. Finally add the cashew paste. Garnish with coriander.


Notes:

• Tomato can be replaced with tomato purée for a thicker gravy.
• Chicken stock has salt. So take into consideration while adding salt.

Maggi Noodles Spring Roll

Ingredients:

Oil - 1 tsp
Capsicum - 1/4 cup sliced long
Carrot - 1/4 cup julienne style
Maggi noodles - 1 packet
Water - 3/4 cup
Sriracha sauce - 1 tbsp
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Tomato ketchup - 1 tbsp
Cabbage - 1/4 cup
Salt - 1/4 cup
Spring roll sheet - 4
Maida paste - 1 tbsp
Oil - for frying

Method:
Maida paste - take a tbsp of maida and add little water. Make a thick paste and keep aside.
In a pan, pour oil. Sauté capsicum and carrot till half cooked. Then add maggi noodles, water and the taste maker. Cook till water is absorbed by the noodles. Then add the sauces. Cook till it becomes dry. Finally add cabbage and sauté for a min.
Ensure that all items are only 80% cooked as they will cook while frying as well.

Completely cool the mixture.

Wrap the mixture in the spring roll sheet and deep fry.

Serve with a spicy dipping sauce.


Note:
Chilli powder can be replaced with green chilli paste.

Spicy Dal with Tomato

Ingredients:

Toor dal - 3/4 cup
Moong dal - 1/4 cup
Oil - 2 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

curry leaves - few

Dry red chilli - 2

Onion - 1/4 chopped

Tomatoes - 3 roughly chopped
Turmeric - a pinch
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
C.salt - 1 tsp
Tamarind paste - 1 tbsp
Coriander leaves- to garnish

Method:

Soak both the dals for 1/2 hr. 

Pressure cook dal, onion, tomato, turmeric & 1 red chilli along with enough water for 6 whistles. Gently mash and keep aside.

In a pan, pour oil and temper with mustard, cumin, curry leaves n dry red chilli. Add dal to the same. Add salt, chilli powder and tamarind paste. Bring it to a boil and garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve with rice.

Notes:

Alternatively, do not pressure cook onion and tomato. Sauté them in oil after tempering and then add dal like so.

Green Chutney/Coriander Mint Chutney

Ingredients:

Coriander leaves - a bunch
Mint leaves - 1/4 of a bunch
Ginger - 1" piece
Garlic - 4
Green chilli - 1 or 2
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Onion - 1/2 (optional)
Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp

To temper:
Oil - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
Channa dal - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - few



Method:
Wash the leaves thoroughly with lots of water.
Grind all items till cumin seeds with no or minimal water.
Heat oil in a pan and do tempering. Then add the paste and cook for 5 mins.


Notes:

• Tempering is optional if used as a condiment.
• Replace lemon juice with a small piece of tamarind. This can be preserved in the fridge for days.

Bitter Gourd Tamarind Curry ( Puli Kuzhambu)

Ingredients :

Bitter gourd - 1 sliced thin and seeds removed
Onion - 1 chopped
Garlic - 8
Tomato - 2 purée in mixie
Chilli powder - 1 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
C.salt - 1 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Tamarind concentrate - 1 tbsp

To temper:
Oil - 3 tsp + 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal  - 1/2 tsp
Channa dal - 1/2 tsp
Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek - a pinch
Asafetida - a pinch
Dry red chilli - 2
Curry leaves - few

Method:
In a kadai, pour 3 tsp oil and fry the bitter gourd. Sauté till it is 80% cooked. Keep aside.
In a same kadai, pour remaining oil and temper. Then add garlic and sauté for a minute before adding onion. Once onion turns translucent, add the tomato purée. Cook till its raw smell goes. Add turmeric,  chilli powder, coriander powder and salt. Add water if necessary. Sauté for 2 mins and add tamarind paste. Check for taste. Finally add bittergourd. Bring it to a boil and turn off immediately.

Best when served with rice.


Notes:

• To remove bitterness from the gourd, you may initially bring the veggie to boil and cook for 5 mins. Drain the water and pat dry. Then fry in oil till 80% done.
• Turn off heat immediately after adding the veggie to the gravy. Else the gravy will turn bitter. Prepare an hour in advance to ensure that the bittergourd absorbs salt and other flavor from the gravy.
• To make the gravy thick, add rice flour or raw papad at the end.

Chicken Curry

Ingredients:

Chicken - 1 lb
Oil- 1 tsp + 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Coriander seeds - 2 tsp
Peppercorns - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 3/4 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Garlic - 3
Onion - 2 big roughly chopped
Tomato - 2 medium roughly chopped
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Curry masala - 1 1/2 tsp
C.salt - 2 tsp
Water - as needed


Method:
In a pan, pour oil and add ing from mustard to garlic. Sauté well and keep aside. Cool and grind to a paste with little water.
In the same pan, pour remaining oil and sauté onion till translucent. Then add tomato and turmeric. Once tomato is well cooked, cool and grind the onion-tomato mixture.
Turn the heat to high and add the chicken pieces. Sauté for a min till the meat turns white or it releases water. Then lower the heat and add both the masala & onion-tomato paste. Mix well. Add chilli powder, garam masala, curry masala and salt. Cover and cook for 15-20 mins till chicken is done. Check for seasoning. Add water to adjust the gravy to desired consistency.

Tastes good with rice and roti.


Notes:

• Soak chicken in buttermilk and turmeric for 15 mins before cooking- removes stink. Drain the buttermilk and keep chicken ready.
• For a quicker/easier version, substitute coriander seeds, cumin seeds and peppercorns with their respective powders.

Egg Florentine

Ingredients:

Eggs - 2
Spinach - handful chopped
Milk - 2 tbsp
Cheddar cheese - 2 tbsp grated
Salt - a big pinch
Pepper - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 1/2 tsp / use spray

Method:
Break eggs into a bowl and whisk till frothy. Add the remaining ingredients except oil. Combine well.
Take a nonstick skillet and spray Pam. Once hot, pour the egg mixture and cook till ready.

Egg & spinach omelette ready!

Vanilla Cupcakes

Ingredients:

Butter - 1/2 cup or 1 stick
Granulated sugar - 1 cup
Eggs - 2
Vanilla essence - 2 tsp
All purpose flour - 1 1/3 cup
Baking powder - 2 tsp
Salt - 1/8tsp
Milk - 1/3 cup


Method:
Preheat oven to 350F
Line a 12 cup muffin tin with cupcake liners or grease well with butter.
Combine the 3 dry ing. except sugar and sift them to remove lumps.
In a mixing bowl, combine butter and sugar using a stand mixer/hand mixer until creamy. Then add the eggs and vanilla essence. Whisk well. It may look curdled but that's ok. Turn of the mixer and add the dry ing. Turn the mixer back on on low speed. Gradually pour milk. Turn off once the mixture comes together. The batter is slightly thick.
Scoop and fill the liners 3/4 th the way up.

Bake for 20- 25 mins or until done.

I added a spoon of nutella on top of the batter and gave it a swirl for extra flavor.
The plain cupcakes don't crack on top. So no need to cover on top with frosting!


Notes:

• Butter and eggs should be at room temp.
• After adding milk, turn of the mixer quickly once combined. If the batter is over mixed, it will become doughy.

Source: Laura Vitale

Paneer Peas Masala

Ingredients:

Paneer -250gms cubed
Peas - 1/2 cup
Oil - 2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/4  tsp
Onion - 1 chopped fine
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
Tomato - 2 small puréed
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 2 tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Garam masala - 3/4 tsp
C.salt - 1 1/4 tsp
Cashews -1 tbsp
Poppy seeds - 1 tsp
Hot water - 2 tbsp
Coriander leaves - to garnish
Water - as needed

Method:

Soak cashew & poppy seeds in hot water for 15 mins. Then grind to a paste and keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan. When hot, add cumin seeds. Then add onion and GG paste. Sauté till onion is translucent and there is no raw smell from GG paste. Add the tomato purée. Cook for a few mins. Then add the 5 powders. Sauté for 2 mins and add paneer &peas. Add little water and bring it to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover and cook till the gravy thickens. Finally add the cashew paste and cook for another 5 mins. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Best when served with chapathi/roti

Notes:

• Cashew and poppy seed paste is optional. I usually avoid. Using the paste gives richness to the gravy.
• I used frozen peas. If fresh peas is used, cook them first separately and add to the gravy.

Brown Channa/Chickpeas Curry

Ingredients :

Brown sundal/channa - 3/4 cup (soak overnight)
Shallots -6 chopped
Brinjal - 2 small chopped
C. Salt - 1 1/2 tsp
Tamarind paste - 2 tbsp
Water - 2 cups
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

To roast and grind:
Oil- 1 tbsp
Shallots -12
Curry leaves - few
Tomato - 1 roughly chopped
Coconut - <1/2 cup
Curry kuzhambu powder - 1 tbsp + 1/2 tsp

To temper:
Oil - 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
Channa dal - 1/2 tsp
Dry red chilli - 1
Curry leaves - few

Method:
Pressure cook brown channa with turmeric and water for 8 whistles.

In a pan, pour oil and fry the items mentioned under roast and grind. Turn off heat immediately after adding the curry powder. Cool and grind.

In the same pan, pour little oil and sauté the chopped shallots. Add brinjal and sauté till it is cooked. Add the grinder curry paste and bring it to a boil. Pour the content into the PC and add salt. After all the raw smell subsides, add tamarind paste and cook for 10 mins.

Meanwhile, temper separately in a small kadai and add to the PC.


Notes:

• Pressure cook channa till it is well cooked and retain its skin intact. 
• Chilli powder may be added if more spice is needed.

Radish Poriyal

Ingredients:

Radish - 2 chopped bite size
Onion - 1 finely chopped
Garlic - 2 finely chopped
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Coriander power - 1 tsp
Salt - 3/4 tsp
Coconut - 2 tbsp grated (optional)

To temper:
Oil - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Dry red chilli - 1

Method:
In a pan, pour oil and do the tempering. Add onion and garlic. Sauté till they are cooked. Add the 3 powders and sprinkle some water. Then add radish and cook covered till it's done. Sauté every now and then to ensure it doesn't stick to the pan. Add salt when radish is half cooked. Finally add coconut when radish is done.


Notes:

• Pressure cook radish for a whistle and add to the onion mixture for a quick version.

Stuffed Baguette Recipe

Ingredients:

Baguette - 2 small or cut into 6" slices.

Eggs - 2

Buttermilk - 1 tbsp

Oil - 1 tsp

Onion - 1/2 sliced long

Mushroom - 5 chopped

Spinach - 1/4 cup chopped

Cheddar cheese - 2 tbsp

Salt - 1/2 tsp

Pepper - 1/2 tsp

Method:

Preheat oven to 350d F.

Line a baking tray with parchment paper and keep aside.

Cut open the top of the baguette and empty the bread leaving a half inch at the base.

In a pan, pour oil. Sauté onion and mushroom till half done. 

In a mixing bowl, blend eggs and buttermilk well. To it, add onion-mushroom mixture, spinach, cheese, salt and pepper. Place the baguette on the baking tray. Pour the egg mixture into the bread and bake for 30 mins or until the egg is set.