Tawa Bhaji

Ingredients

2 big red onions
1 green bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
2 small brinjals
1 medium potato
10 to 12 lady fingers (bhindi)
1 bitter gourd

(all of these cut into 1 inch pieces)

1 cup cauliflower florets
25 to 30 cubes of paneer

1/2 cup oil
salt to taste
2 teaspoons pav bhaji masala

Method

In a karahi - add half the oil and let it heat up. Fry the potatoes till they are cooked through. Remove them from the karahi and drain on a paper towel. Now fry the other veggies one by one except for the onions. Add oil whenever required.
In the remaining oil, fry the onions till they turn transparent. To this add salt and the pav bhaji masala and all the fried vegetables. Mix well and cover and let it simmer on low flame for 5 minutes.
Eat hot with chapatis, naan or just plain

Alu, Gobhi & Capsicum Bhaji

Ingredients

1 cup cauliflower florets

2 medium potatoes - cut into bite size pieces

2 medium capsicums - cut into bite size pieces

2 medium onions - roughly chopped

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

a pinch of asafoetida

1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seed powder

1/4 cup roasted and ground peanut powder (optional)

2 tablespoons oil

salt to taste

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/2 teaspoon chilli powder (can be altered as per need of spice)

1 teaspoon garam masala powder

Method

In a karahi add the oil. When it gets hot add the mustard seeds. When they splutter, turn the heat to medium low and add the cumin, asafoetida and fenugreek powder. To this add the onions and turn the heat to a medium high. Fry the onions till they turn golden brown. Add the turmeric, chilli powder and the garam masala and then add the potatoes and capsicum. Add 1/4 cup of water and cover and cook for 10 minutes. Now add the cauliflower florets and salt and let the vegetables cook on medium low flame till all of them are cooked (It would take 15 to 20 minutes). Once they are cooked, add the groundnut powder and mix well.

Serve hot with Chapatis or Naan.

Toor Dal (Dal Tadkaa)

Ingredients

1 cup toor dal - soaked for at least 4 hours

1 onion - chopped

5 to 6 cloves of garlic - chopped finely

2 dried red chillies (I use the round ones - the Gujarati chillies)

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

2 teaspoons jeera

a pinch of asafoetida

2 tablespoons ghee

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

2 teaspoons ghee

salt as per taste

Method

Pressure cook the dal with the chopped onions in 2 cups of water. Mash the cooked dal with a potato masher, add some water if the mixture is too thick. Keep aside.

In a kadhai add the ghee. When the ghee gets hot add the jeera and the asafoetida. In 10 seconds add the garlic and reduce the flame to a medium low. Be careful not to let the garlic burn else the dal will turn bitter. To this mixture add the crushed red chillies and the cilantro. Mix all well and then add the mashed dal to this mixture. Add turmeric and salt to taste and let the dal come to a boil. You can now increase the flame on the burner.

Serve it with Rice, Chappati or Naan

Nawabi Chicken

Ingredients

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken (I used the tenderloins)
2 medium onions
6 to 7 cloves of garlic
1 tomato
1/4 cup of cashews
1 teaspoon chicken masala
1 teaspoon tandoori masala
1 teaspoon dhania jeera powder
5 tablespoons oil
salt to taste

Method

Cut the chicken into 1/2 inch pieces. Mix it in 2 tablespoons oil, 1/2 teaspoon tandoori masala, 1/2 teaspoon chicken masala and some salt. let it marinate for at least 2 hours.
In a kadhai, add the remaining oil. When it gets hot, add the roughly chopped garlic and onions. Fry it till the onions turn golden brown. To this mixture add the roughly chopped tomato and the cashews. Fry till all the water is evaporated. To this mixture add the remaining masalas and the dhania jeera powder. Let this mixture cool and then blend it to a smooth paste in a mixer/blender. Add water if needed - but do not make the mixture too watery, it has to be thick.
In the same kadhai, add the marinated chicken pieces. Fry till the chicken pieces are nicely browned on the outside. To this add the onion and cashew blended mixture. Mix well and cover and cook on medium flame. When the mixture comes to a boil add salt to taste.
Serve with Chappatis, Naan or bread.

Mooga Randai (Moong Curry)

Ingredients

1 cup sprouted moong

1 medium onion

2 to 3 cloves garlic

2 to 3 dried red chills ( you can alter as per your need of spice)

1/2 cup shredded coconut

2 teaspoons coriander seeds

1 teaspoon paprika powder

salt to taste

2 tablespoons oil

7 to 8 curry leaves

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

Method

In a blender, add the coconut, roughly chopped onion, garlic, red chillies, coriander seeds and paprika powder and make a smooth paste of it.

In a kadhai add oil. When it gets hot, add the mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds stop spluttering, add the cumin and the curry leaves and in 5 to 10 seconds add the sprouted moong. add some water and cover and cook on medium flame for 10 to 15 minutes.

Then add the coconut mixture to the moong in the kadhai and mix well. add salt to taste. Bring this mixture to a boil and check if the moong has been cooked. If not, then cover and cook till the moong gets cooked through.

Serve this with hot steaming rice or chappatis.

Clam Masala

The other day I wanted to eat clams very badly - just cos my mom had made nice clam curry back home and that's one of my favourites. However, I did not get clam on the shell - but something much better. I got only clam meat. Hence, instead of curry made clam masala.
Ingredients
1 pound pack of clam meat
2 onions - chopped finely
1 tomatoes - chopped finely (optional)
7 to 8 cloves of garlic - chopped finely
2 tablespoons oil
cilantro - chopped
salt to taste
a pinch of turmeric powder
1 teaspoon garam masala OR fish masala
1 teaspoon paprika powder (if you want it spicy - you can add any other chilli powder)
Method
Even though they say the meat is cleaned - I still clean it under running water to remove any sand that may be still lying there. Let the meat then sand aside.
In a kadahi add the oil. When it gets hot add the garlic and onion. Fry it till the onions turn golden brown. Then add the tomatoes to this mixture. Mix well till all the water is evaporated. Then add the salt, turmeric, masala and paprika to this mixture along with the cilantro and mix well. Add a few drops of water if you feel the mixture is too dry. Then add the meat to it and cover the kadhai and cook on low medium heat for 15 to 20 mins. Check it once in a while, just to avoid the mixture from touching the bottom of the kadai and burning.
I serve this with chappatis. If there are any leftovers - you can make clam sandwiches in a sandwich maker.

Yogurt Chutney

Ingredients

1 cup of fresh yogurt - whisked
2 cloves garlic
2 green chillis (more can be added if you like it spicy)
a pinch of salt
10 to 12 spigs of coriander leaves (cilantro)

Method

Take 2 to 4 tablespoons of yogurt in a blender. To it add all the other ingredients and whisk into a smooth paste.
Add this mixture to the whisked yogurt and mix well.
Yogurt chutney is ready.

I serve this chutney with fish tikka, chicken tikka, chicken tandoori, chicken kebabs etc etc.