Alu (Batata) Ras Bhaji & Puri

For Bhaji

Ingredients

2 medium sized potatoes - cut into bite size pieces

1 medium onion - finely chopped

2 dried red chillies

1 tomato - chopped OR 4 kokums

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

a pinch of asafoetida

2 tablespoons oil

4 cups water

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon kashmiri chilli powder

1/2 teaspoon garam masala

1 teaspoon dhania jeera powder

salt to taste

chopped cilantro for garnish

Method

In a saucepan add oil - when it heats up, add the mustard seeds. When they crackle add the cumin seeds and the dried red chillies. Add the chopped onions and fry till they turn transparent. Then add the tomatoes OR the kokum and add 2 cups of water. Add turmeric, chilli powder, dhania jeera powder, garam masala powder and mix well. Add the chopped potatoes and salt to taste. Close the lid and let the mixture boil. Once it boils - lower the heat and let it simmer for about 20 minutes or till the potatoes are cooked. Add more water if required - this water tastes good with the puris. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with puris.

For Puri

Ingredients

1 cup wheat flour

4 teaspoons oil

pinch of salt

water to knead into a hard dough

oil for deep frying

Method

Once the puri dough s knead - let it rest for 15 minutes. Make small round balls and roll into small tortillas - about 4 inches diameter. Deep fry in hot oil till they turn a golden color. A good puri will fluff up.

Chicken Vindaloo

Ingredients

2 pounds of boneless chicken pieces - cubed

5 tablespoons oil

3 medium onions - finely chopped

salt to taste

For Vindaloo Masala

4 teaspoons kashmiri chilli powder

2 teaspoons dhania jeera powder

1 teaspoon garam masala powder

6 to 8 garlic cloves - finely chopped OR 2 tablespoons of garlic paste

1 teaspoon tamarind paste

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup vinegar

Method

In a bowl - mix all the ingredients for the vindaloo masala. Mix very well - do not add water. Leave it aside. Use part of the masala to marinate the chicken pieces in and let it stay for 15 to 20 minutes.

In a kadhai - add the oil and when it gets hot, add the onions and fry till they turn golden brown. Then add the remaining vindaloo masala and mix well. Add 1/2 cup of water. To this add the marinated chicken pieces. Mix well and let it cook. Generally cooks in 20 to 30 minutes. The gravy should be a thick consistency as in the picture. Add water only if required. Check salt and add if needed.

Serve with Naan or Neer Dosa - If serving with rice the gravy needs to be a little less thick.

This is a dish generally prepared with lamb. If using lamb, cook it in a pressure cooker for upto 3 whistles - lamb cooks faster in a pressure cooker.

Chicken Pakoda

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts - boneless - cut into bite size pieces

2 tablespoons corn flour/corn starch

1 tablespoon rice flour

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons chilli powder

salt to taste

pepper powder

1 egg - beaten

oil - for deep frying

Method

Clean the chicken and pat dry all the pieces. To this add the garlic powder, chilli powder, salt and pepper. Let it sit and marinate for at least an hour. Now add the egg and let it coat all the pieces. Add the corn flour and rice flour. Mix well.

In a karahi - heat oil. Fry the chicken pieces till you get a nice golden brown crust.

Serve with tomato ketchup or green chutney.

I love this as a side dish with dal & rice.

Sarson ka Saag aur Makke di Roti

The other day when we went to get our groceries - we found some frozen mustard greens. Mom said - chalo lets make it. This has been my moms all time favourite - so, it was fun cooking it for her.

Ingredients

For Saag

1 cup mustard greens - I found frozen mustard greens

1/2 cup spinach leaves - frozen

You can make it with fresh mustard leaves and fresh sipnach too. I took 2:1 ratio

1 onion - roughly chopped

6 cloves of garlic - halved

2 inch ginger piece - roughly chopped

2 tablespoons ghee/clarified butter

1 teaspoon jeera/cumin

2 dried red chillis

3 to 4 cloves garlic - finely chopped

1 onion - finely chopped

2 tablespoons makke ka atta/maize flour (finely ground cornmeal - the one used to make tortillas)

1 teaspoon red chilli powder

1/2 teaspoon tumeric powder

1 teaspoon dhania jeera powder

1/2 teaspon amchur/dried mango powder

salt to taste

For Makke di Roti

2 cups makke ka atta/maize flour (finely ground cornmeal - the one used to make tortillas)

1/2 teaspoon salt

water to knead atta (hot water makes the dough nice and soft)

Method

For Saag

In a pressure cooker - cook the mustard greens, spinach, roughly chopped onion, halved garlic and chopped ginger and about 1 cup of water for upto 5 whistles. Once the pressure is released - blend the mixture into a coarse paste. Let it sit for sometime.

In a karahi - add the ghee/clarified butter. Once it gets hot add the cumin and the red green chillis. Once they splutter - add the finely chopped garlic. Stir well and then immediately add the finely chopped onions. Be careful not to burn the garlic - else the saag will turn bitter. Fry well till the onions turn golden brown. Then add the turmeric powder, chilli powder, dhania jeera powder, amchur powder and mix well. Then add the maize flour and stir for 2 minutes. Add the blended greens to the karahi and mix well so that the onion and masala mixture is incorporated well with the blended greens. Add salt according to taste. Cover and let it cook on medium flame for about 10 minute. The mixture splutters a lot so be careful to cover the vessel well.

Serve it hot with makke ki roti and a dollap of butter

For Makke di Roti

Mix the makke ka atta/maize flour and salt - add some hot water and knead the dough. Add enough water to make a pliable dough - the dough shoud not be soft. Once the dough is knead - it should be used immediately. Make about 7 to 8 balls. Place a plastic sheet on the platform - I used a ziploc quart freezer bag - Place a dough ball on it and roll with your fingers - pressing the dough to form a disc about 1/8th inch thick. Put some water on your fingers to avoid the dough sticking and breaking. On a heated griddle - put the roti and cook on both sides till brown specks appear. Remove from heat and spread some ghee on top of the roti.

It tastes good with saag, baingan bharta or just with jaggery.

Goat meat Curry - Mutton Masala

A few of our friends wanted to eat goat curry - so I decided to give it a try. I am not a fan of red meat and hence never learnt how to cook it. Now - there was a challenge. Well, it turned out pretty well and its easy to make too.

Ingredients

4 pounds of goat meat - take a mix of the chops and the shoulder/neck piece - medium pieces

4 onions - roughly chopped

4 tomatoes - roughly chopped

a bunch of cilantro - roughly chopped

a whole garlic - roughly chopped

2 teaspoons ginger paste

1 can coconut milk

1/2 cup of oil

1/2 cup of yogurt

2 tablespoons tamarind paste

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

4 teaspoons chilli powder

2 teaspoons  garam masal powder

2 teaspoons dhania jeera powder

3 to 4 Bay leaves

2 inches cinnamon

2 green cardamos

1 black cardamom (badi elaichi)

2 star anise

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon aniseed (badishep/saunf)

3 to 4 dried red chillies

salt to taste

Method

Wash the goat meat well and then marinate in yogurt, salt and turmeric and let it sit for an hour.

In a big pressure cooker (I used a 5 liter) add the oil. When it gets hot add the bay leaves, the dried chilies, the black cardamom, the green cardamom, the cinnamon stick, the star anise, the black pepper and the aniseed all together. After about 30 seconds, add the chopped onions and the garlic. Fry till the onions become golden brown. To this add the tomatoes, the ginger paste and half of the chopped cilantro. Mix well and let this mixture fry till the oil leaves the side of the cooker. Add the garam masala, the chilli powder, the dhania jeera powder and the tamarind paste and mix well. Get the flame to a medium low and then add the coconut milk - be cautious to continuously stir, else the milk will curdle. Add the marinated goat meat and let all the pieces be covered with the masala mixture. Add a cup of water. Put the lid on the pressure cooker and let it cook for 3 to 4 whistles. 

Once the pressure is gone - open the lid and check if the meat is cooked. Generally its cooked beautifully in 4 whistles - but, if its not cooked then cook it again for another 2 whistles. 

Add salt to taste and add a little water if its too dry.

Garnish with the remaining chopped cilantro and serve with rice, rotis, naans or even dosas.

Chicken Masala - Quick Fix

Ingredients

2 pounds of chicken, cut into medium pieces (I used thighs - skinless but with bone in)

2 tablespoons of curd 

2 medium onions - roughly chopped

2 medium tomatoes - roughly chopped

7 to 9 flakes of garlic - finely chopped

1 teaspoon - ginger paste

3 tablespoons of tomato ketchup

1 teaspoon chilli powder

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon dhania jeera powder

1 teaspoon garam masala powder

2 tablespoons of oil

salt to taste

chopped cilantro for garnish

Method

Marinate the chicken in curd, salt and turmeric powder and keep aside for 1 hour.

In a karahi, add the oil - when it gets hot, add the onions and garlic and saute/fry till the onions turn golden brown. Then add the tomatoes and the ginger paste and mix well. Saute till the oil leaves the sides of the karahi. To this add the tomato ketchup and mix well. Then add the dhania jeera powder, chilli powder and the garam masala powder and mix well. Add the chicken pieces and mix well. All the chicken pieces should be covered in the masala. Add some water to get a thick gravy consistency - be careful not to add more water as the chicken will lose some water into the gravy too.

It takes around 20 minuted for the chicken to cook through. Add salt if required. Remember, you marinated the chicken in salt and turmeric and curd - and also you added ketchup which has salt.

Garnish with cilantro - serve with rotis, naan or plain rice. I served it with plain dosas.

Honey & Cajun glazed shrimps

Ingredients

20 to 25 large shrimps

1 teaspoon cajun seasoning

1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons honey

2 tables spoons extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon paprika

1/4 cup marsala wine

2 tablespoons corn/canola/olive oil

Method

Wash and clean the shrimps. You can leave the tail on if you like. In a ziploc bag - add the extra virgin olive oil, cajun seasoning, worcestershire sauce, honey and paprika. Mix well and then add the cleaned shrimps to it. Close and let it rest in the refrigerator for atleast 1 hour.

Heat a pan or a wok - to it add the corn/canola/olive oil. when it gets smoking hot - add the marinated shrimps and let it cook for 5 minutes. Lower the heat to medium and then add the marsala wine to it. Let the wine reduce and become a thick coating on the shrimps. 

Remove from heat and enjoy as an appetizer.

Gulab Jamuns (made with milk powder)

Ingredients

1 cup skimmed milk powder

1/4 cup all purpose flour (maida)

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

milk to knead the dough

ghee (clarified butter) for frying the jamuns

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups water

2 to 3 pinches of cardamom powder

4 tablespoons mixture of chopped nuts - almonds, pistachios, cashews

a few strands of saffron

Method

Mix the milk powder, baking powder and all purpose flour and knead into a dough with milk. Be careful to add very little milk - as the milk powder absorbs liquid fast and get mushy. You may not require more than 1/4 cup milk. Add 1 teaspoon of ghee and mix well - this is done to avoid the mixture from sticking to your fingers.  Leave the dough for half an hour to set.

Make a mixture of the water and sugar and bring it to a boil. When it boils - add the saffron, cardamom and the chopped nuts. Place this mixture in a serving bowl.

Make small balls of the dough - you should be able to make about 25 to 28 balls.  Fry them in ghee at medium heat - they will take about 7 to 10 minutes to get golden brown. Once done - remove them from the ghee and add it to the hot sugar syrup.

let it stand for 45 minutes to an hour - this way the sugar syrup goes deep into the jamuns.

You can eat it hot or cold.

Fish Fry - Red Masala

Ingredients

1 Black Pomfret - you get approximately 7 to 8 medium sized pieces

2 teaspoons salt + 2 teaspoons turmeric - to marinate the fish

15 dried red chillies (I used byadgi mirchi)

3 teaspoons tamarind paste

12 cloves garlic

salt to taste

a mixture of semolina and rice flour for coating

oil to shallow fry 

Method

Clean the fish and marinate it in the salt and turmeric mixture and let it rest for atleast 1/2 hour.

In a blender - make a fine paste of the red chillies, tamarind paste, garlic and a little salt - add very little water. The mixture should have a paste consistency. Add more salt if needed.

Apply this mixture to the fish pieces on both sides. store it in a glass container - cover and let it marinate in the refrigerator for atleast 5 hours - if overnight, its the best.

When ready to fry - take a pan and add oil upto 1/4 inch inside the pan. Coat the marinated fish in the semolina and rice flour mixture and fry in the oil over medium heat. It takes 10 minutes per side to get a nice crispy fried crust.

Enjoy with plain rice and yellow dal or fish curry.

Fish Curry - Coconut Gravy

I made fish curry and fish fry over the weekend. Ofcorse, had a long long chat with mom about the method and the ingredients and then finally made it.

Ingredients

1 medium size Mackerel or Black Pomfret (usually would get around 7 to 8 medium size pieces)

2 teaspoons salt + 2 teaspoons turmeric powder - to marinate the fish.

1 cup shredded coconut (fresh)

3 teaspoons coriander seeds

10 to 12 dried red chillies (I used Byadgi mirchi)

6 to 7  cloves garlic

1/2 cup finely chopped onions

2 teaspoons of coconut oil (you can use corn oil, peanut oil, olive oil, vegetable oil too)

2 teaspoons tamarind paste

salt to taste

2 to 3 kokums (optional)

to know more about kokum visit - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garcinia_indica

Method

Clean the fish and apply salt and turmeric powder to it and let it marinate for about half an hour. 

In a blender - mix the coconut, chillis, garlic, corinader seeds and tamarind paste. Mix it well to make a fine paste - add just enough water to get a thick gravy consistency. The coconut must be very finely processed.

In a karahi - add the coconut oil. When it gets hot add the onions and fry till they are transparent. Then add the ground gravy paste and stir and mix well. Cover the karahi and let the mixture come to a boil. Now add the marinated fish pieces one by one very slowly. Cover and let it cook for 10 to 15 minutes. Check if fish is cooked. Be very careful when you stir/mix now - as the fish is very delicate after its cooked. Add the kokum and salt if needed - remember, the fish was marinated in salt and turmeric. 

Serve with plain white rice.

Malai Kofta

Ingredients

For the koftas

2 mashed potatoes

1 cup grated paneer

chopped cilantro

a few golden raisins 

2 teaspoons cornflour/corn starch

salt to taste

oil for frying

For the dry masala

1 star anise

4 cloves

2 green cardamoms

1 inch cinnamon stick

1 teaspoon cumin

For gravy

1 medium size onion - roughly chopped

2 medium size tomatoes - roughly chopped

5 cloves of garlic - roughly chopped

1/2 cup cashews - coarsely ground

1 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons oil

salt to taste

2 teaspoon chilli powder (you can use more if you wish to make it spicy)

Method

First grind the dry masala - for this dry roast all the dry masala ingredients in a karahi and then grind it to a fin powder. Keep it aside.

To make the koftas - in a deep dish, mash the potatoes, to it add the grated paneer, the chopped cilantro, salt to taste,the golden raisins and the cornflour. Mix all well together. it will form a dough. make small balls out of this mixture - the size of a golf ball. You can deep fry them or shallow fry the koftas till they turn golden brown. Drain them on a paper towel and keep aside.

For the gravy - in a karahi, add 2 tablespoons of oil. When it gets hot, add the onions and the garlic and fry till golden brown. then add the tomatoes and saute till the oil leaves the sides of the pan. To this mixture, add salt, cashews, chilli powder and the dry masala powder and mix well. Let this mixture cool. Then grind it to a fine paste, adding water only if required. This paste has to be thick like gravy.

In the same karahi - add the thick gravy and when it starts to boil, add the heavy cream and stir continuously. When the whole gravy is mixed well and has boiled - add the koftas to it. Cover and let it simmer for 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Koftas are ready - can be served with rotis, parathas or jeera rice.

Usal Pav

We had a potluck lunch a few days ago - and we had this awesome usal made by a dear friend. Loved it a lot. Thanks Vandu - for the lovely usal and the recipe.

Unlike Misal which is a maharastrian delicacy - Usal is comon in Karnataka.

Ingredients

1 cup safed vatana (dried yellow peas) - soaked overnight

1 medium onion - chopped

1 medium tomato - chopped

2 green chillis - chopped

2 teaspoons shredded coconut

2 teaspoons coriander seeds

6 to 7 Red chillis - I used Byadgi Mirchi

2 teaspoons Tamarind Paste

salt to taste

2 tablespoons of oil

1 teaspoon garam masala

2 tablespoons lemon juice

For Garnish

Hot Mix

chopped onions

chopped cilantro

Method

In a pressure cooker - cook the soaked vatana along with the onions, tomatoes and green chillis and two cups of water for 3 whistles.

Grid to a fine paste the shredded coconut, coriander seeds, red chillis and the tamarind paste. Add a little water if required.

In a karahi - add the two tablespoons of oil. Then mix the pressure cooked vatanas and the ground mixture. Add salt, lemon juice and garam masala and bring it to a boil.

In a bowl, garnish it with chopped onions, chopped cilantro, hot mix and serve with pav (burger buns, bombay pav, potato buns)