Baingan Bharta (Mashed Eggplant/Brinjal Curry)

INGREDIENTS:

1 large sized eggplant (brinjal)
1 – medium sized onion (finely chopped)
2 – medium sized tomatoes
2 - Green chilies (coarsely chopped)
¼ cup – green peas
8-9 cloves of garlic finely chopped
1 tsp - Ginger paste
1 tsp - Lime juice
2 tbsp - Oil (Preferably Mustard)
¼ tsp – Asafoetida ( Heeng powder)
½ tsp - Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Coriander Powder
½ tsp Cumin Powder
1 tsp ghee (optional)
½ tsp Garam masala
½ tsp Red Chili powder
Chopped fresh coriander/cilantro leaves
Salt to taste


Method:

Wash the eggplant (brinjal) and 1 tomato. Wipe them properly. Apply 2-3 drops of mustard oil on their surface. Make a vertical cut in the eggplant and poke it with a knife at 7-8 places to avoid bursts while roasting. Don’t cut the tomato.
Preheat your oven to 400 - 450 F and bake the eggplant and tomato for 30 min or until their skin starts to peel off easily. They will become soft and wrinkles will be visible due to burnt skin.

I personally prefer roasting eggplant and tomato on a stove at medium low heat, but it is a bit inconvenient for some people. But, I bet it is worth as the taste improves considerably. Keep rotating the eggplant and tomato regularly so that they cooked uniformly. Roast them until the skin becomes soft and you can peel them easily with your hands. Be careful; don’t get your hands burnt.

Remove both eggplant and tomato from heat. Keep them in a bowl of cold water and let them cool for 10 min.
Peel off their skin and remove the stem of eggplant.
Mash them with your hand or a potato masher so that there does not remain a lump.
Heat the oil in a pan and add chopped green chili, garlic, ginger paste and asafoetida powder. Fry it over medium heat for 30-40 sec. Add chopped onion and sauté till they turn translucent. Add 1 chopped tomato, green peas, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala, red chili powder and fry at medium heat for 3-4 min or until oil starts separating from the mixture.
Add mashed eggplant and tomato to this mixture. Add salt and mix it well. Cook it for 8-10 minutes on low heat.
Remove it from heat. Sprinkle lime juice over it. Add a teaspoon of ghee if you want to make it rich. Garnish it with chopped green coriander leaves. Serve it hot with rice or chapattis (made of 50% wheat flour + 50% gram flour) or litti.

Mustard oil is a key ingredient. Although it is ok to use any other oil, but traditionally mustard oil is preferred.
Try to remove as many seeds as possible. Remove the portion of the pulp which is a bit lumpy and does not get mashed properly.

Kathal biryani

INGREDIENTS:

1 can green jackfruit (drained weight 250 gm) - cut in to bite size
1 cup non-fat yogurt (curd)
Garlic paste-1 tbsp
Ginger paste-1 tbsp
Cloves-4
Green cardamom-4
Cinnamon stick-1 (1 inch)
Bay leaf-1
Cumin seeds-1 tsp
Coriander powder-1 ½ tbsp
Cumin powder-1 tsp
Turmeric powder-1 tsp
A pinch of Saffron (soaked in water)
Red chili powder-1 tbsp
Garam masala-1 tsp
Chopped coriander leaves-1 tbsp
1 large onion (roughly chopped)
1 medium tomato (chopped)
1 medium size red onion (cut in to slices)
4 tbsp butter/ghee/olive oil
4-5 tbsp olive oil/vegetable oil
8-10-cashew nuts
8-10- dry grapes
8-10-almonds
1 ½ cups white basmati rice (soaked in water for 1 hr)
Salt to taste


METHOD:

Drain water from soaked rice in a colander and let it be in it for 20 minutes. Now place the rice in a heavy bottomed vessel with 2 ½ cups of water, 1/2 tbsp of salt and few drops of oil. Cover it and bring to boil over high heat. Uncover it and cook without stirring on medium heat for about 7-8 min or until rice becomes just tender (take a few grains and chew them. Are they cooked??). Remember, rice should not be overcooked otherwise rice grains won’t remain separated from each other. Turn off the stove and cover it.
Now heat a pan with 2 tbsp oil. Add jackfruit pieces and sauté them for 10 min on medium heat. (Traditionally, we should deep fry the jackfruit pieces, but I prefer to sauté them for health reasons.) Turn off the stove.
Take a bowl and place sautéed jackfruit, yogurt, cumin powder, bay leaf, garam masala powder, 2 cardamom pods, 2 cloves and garlic-ginger paste in it. Mix them well and keep this bowl in refrigerator for 1-2 hr for marinating jackfruit.
After that, heat a pan with 3 tbsp of olive oil. Add cumin seeds, 2 cardamom pods, 2 cloves and cinnamon stick. When they crackle, add coarsely chopped onion and salt. Fry on medium heat until onions turn translucent. Now add chopped tomato and fry for another 2-3 min on medium heat. After that, add marinated jackfruit, turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder and mix well. Fry them for 4-5 min on medium high heat and stir occasionally. Add 1 cup of water and cook till jackfruit pieces get cooked and become tender. Turn off the stove.
Again heat a pan with butter/ghee/oil. Add cashews, dry grapes & almonds and fry them for 1 min on medium heat. Now add red onion slices and sauté them till they turn to golden brown. Remove this pan from heat.
After that, take a heavy bottomed pot. Spread a layer of nuts and onion mixture (1/3 of the mixture prepared in the previous step) in it. Now, spread a layer of cooked rice (1/3 of total rice) over it and sprinkle saffron water. After that, spread 1/3 of jackfruit mixture prepared .
Repeat this procedure for rest of the nuts & onion mixture, rice, saffron water and jackfruit mixture.
Cover the pot with lid and cook on low heat for 25-30 min or until steam starts coming out of the lid. Turn off the stove.
Place it in serving dish or bowl. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve with raita.

Mushroom and Peas Curry ( Mushroom Matar )

INGREDIENTS:

White button mushrooms – 5-6
Green peas – 1 cup (frozen or fresh)
Onion Paste ( 1 medium sized onion)
3 tbsp butter/olive oil
Cashew nut paste-2 tbsp
½ tsp garam masala
Garlic paste – 1 tbsp
Ginger paste – 1 tbsp
Coriander powder – 1 tbsp
Cumin powder – 1 tsp
Bay leaf – 1
½ cup milk
Salt to taste
Sour cream – 2-3 tbsp
½ tsp turmeric powder (optional)
Mint leaves (for garnishing)

METHOD:

Wash all mushrooms under running water. Wipe them softly and cut into slices. Now heat a greased pan and saute the mushroom slices till they turn light brown.
Now again heat a deep pan with butter/olive oil. Add cumin seeds & bay leaf to heated oil. When they crackle, add onion, ginger, garlic paste & salt and fry on medium heat for 5-6 min.

Now add cashew paste and all spices (cumin, coriander,garam masala powder). Keep stirring otherwise cashew paste would stick to the bottom and get burnt. Cook them on medium low heat for 4-5 min.
Add green peas and fry for another 2-3 min on medium high heat. After that add sauteed mushroom slices in this mixture and mix well. Keep stirring it and slowly add milk. Reduce the heat to medium and cover the pan. Cook them for 4-5 min on medium heat. If gravy becomes thick then you can add little water to make it thinner.
Remove the pan from heat. Place mushroom peas curry in serving bowl and garnish with sour cream and mint leaves. Serve it with fried rice, roti, naan or parantha.

Spinach Rice

Spinach is good for health but it can be really boring and monotonous to eat regular salad and other bland dishes. If you are really bored of it then try this dish. It is really easy to cook and does not take much time either.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup white basmati rice (soaked in water for 1 hr)

2 cups spinach (chopped)

½ red onion (roughly chopped)

2-3 green chilies (cut along length)

1 tsp chopped ginger

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 tbsp butter/olive oil

1 ¾ cups of water

Salt to taste

METHOD:

Soak the rice in water for 1 hr. Drain the water in a colander and leave the rice for 15 min to drain the extra water.

Take spinach leaves and wash them properly. Drain the extra water.

Take a heavy bottomed vessel and heat oil/butter. Add cumin seeds, chilies & ginger. Sauté them for 1-2 min on medium high heat. Now add roughly chopped onions and fry them till they turn to translucent. Add chopped spinach and mix well. Keep stirring for 3-4 min on medium heat.

Now add soaked & washed rice. Fry for 3-4 min. Keep stirring otherwise rice will start to stick to the bottom.
Add 1 ¾ cups of water. Mix well and cook on high heat till water gets evaporated. Reduce the flame to low heat and cover with lid. Let it cook for 4-5 min.
Remove the rice from heat. Let it stay for a while so that the grains become separated.
Spinach rice is ready to serve. Serve hot with any curry.

Chickpeas curry (Channa Gravy)

INGREDIENTS

Chickpeas – 2 cups (soaked in water for 5-6 hr) / 2 small cans
Onion – 1 ½ medium size ( finely chopped)
Tomato – 2 medium size (pureed)
Garlic paste – 1 tbsp
Ginger paste – 1 tbsp
Bay leaf – 2
Clove – 2-3
Cardamom – 2
Cinnamon stick – 1
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Red chili powder – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
Coriander powder – 1 ½ tbsp
Cumin powder - ½ tbsp
Yogurt (beaten) - ½ cup
Kashmiri chili powder / paprika – 1 tsp
Olive oil / vegetable oil – 3 tbsp
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves / cilantro leaves (chopped) – 1 tbsp

METHOD

Soak the chickpeas for 5-6 hr in water. Cook in a pressure cooker till chickpeas get tender (3-4 whistles). Do not discard the water. If you are using chickpea cans then you don't need to soak and cook but discard the liquid.
Now heat a heavy bottomed vessel with oil & add cumin seeds, bay leaves, cloves, cardamom and cinnamon stick. When they crackle, add finely chopped onion, ginger, garlic paste and salt. Fry on medium heat till onions turn translucent. Now add tomato puree and all spices (chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder) and keep stirring. Cook this mixture on medium heat for 5-6 min.
Now add yogurt and pressure cooked chickpeas with water or canned chickpeas. Mix them well and cover this vessel .If you are using can then add ½ cup of water. Cook for 10-12 min on medium low heat or until it gets nicely cooked. Turn off the stove. Channa masla is ready to serve. Serve with rice, roti, naan or paratthas.

Veg Soy Burger

INGREDIENTS

Burger buns – 4
Soy chunks – 20-25
Milk - ½ cup
2 tbsp grated carrot
2 tbsp green peas
2 tbsp cut corn
2 tbsp red onion (chopped)
1 tsp ginger (chopped)
2 tbsp all purpose flour
2-3 green chilies
Olive oil – 2-3 tbsp
Ranch (salad dressing) – 3-4 tbsp
Tomato sauce – 3-4 tbsp
lettuce leaves
4 slices of tomato
4 slices of red onion
Salt to taste

METHOD

Soak soy chunks in hot milk for ½ hr. After that take a processor and add soy chunks, carrot, green peas, corn, chopped onion, green chilies, ginger, salt & grind them .Take this mixture in a bowl and add all purpose flour. Make a smooth dough.
Divide this dough in 4 equal portion and make 4 flat patties.
Now heat a flat greased pan and put patties and cook them on medium high heat for 7-8 min or until bottom side gets golden brown. Now turn the other side and cook for another 7-8 min or until this side also gets golden brown.
Now heat the burger buns on a pan. Now take bottom piece of bun and put ranch, prepared patty, tomato slice, onion slice, lettuce, tomato sauce. Cover it with the other half of the bun. Veggie soy burger is ready to serve.

Spicy Bread Chaat

INGREDIENTS:

Croutans/fried bread pieces – 20
½ tortilla (cut into small pieces) deep fried
Chat masala – 2 tsp
Roasted cumin powder – 2 tsp
Boiled chickpeas/canned chickpeas / chickpeas curry ( chana masala ) – 1 cup
½ red medium size onion (chopped)
1-2 green chilies (chopped)
2 tbsp tamarind chutney/tomato sauce
Mint leaves – 4-5
Chopped coriander leaves – 1 tbsp
Chopped tomato – 1-2 tbsp
Boiled & peeled potato – 2 (sliced)
Salt to taste
Beaten & salted yogurt - ½ cup

METHOD:

If you do not have croutans then you can use deep fried bread pieces.
Soak the dry chickpeas in water for 5-6 hr and after that boil in pressure cooker with salt and water. Drain the chickpeas in colander. You can also use canned chickpeas.
Cut the boiled and peeled potato in thin slices.
Now take a bowl or snacks plate and spread half of potato slices & half of boiled chickpeas. Pour salted yogurt over them. Sprinkle cumin powder, spread half of croutans, chopped onion, green chili and coriander leaves. Now pour 1 tbsp of tamarind chutney and add some of deep fried tortilla pieces. At last sprinkle 1 tsp of chat masala. Mouthwatering bread chat is ready to serve.

Garlic Paneer Roll

INGREDIENTS:

2 zesty garlic herb tortilla/plain tortilla
1-2 tbsp coriander/cilantro chutney
3 tbsp olive oil
8-10 paneer pieces (in 1” size)
2 baby corn (cut in lengthwise)
1 mushroom (cut in thin slices)
Garlic salt to taste
seasoning salt to taste (optional)
White pepper powder – 1tsp

METHOD:

For roll filling, heat a pan with 2 tbsp oil. Now add cut baby corn & mushroom slices and saute them for 2 min on medium high heat. After that add paneer pieces and fry on medium heat for 2 more minutes. Sprinkle garlic salt, seasoning salt & white pepper powder and mix them well. Turn off the stove and mix cilantro chutney in paneer mixture. Keep it aside.
Now heat a pan and heat all tortillas on this pan. Place heated tortilla on plain surface and keep ½ of paneer mixture in the mid of tortilla. Make a roll .
Now heat a pan with ½ tbsp of oil or pam spray and fry these prepared rolls each side until they get light brown. Cut into 2 pieces of roll and serve hot with tomato sauce or tamarind chutney.

Pita Bread Pizza

INGREDIENTS:

8 inch flat pita bread – 1

5-6 thin slices of bell pepper/capsicum

5-6 thin slices of mushroom

1-2 tbsp grated carrot

4-5 olives (diced)

2 tbsp of hummus

2-3 tbsp of salsa

2 tbsp of cheddar cheese

METHOD:

Preheat an oven at 370 degree for 10 min.

Meanwhile take a pita bread and spread over hummus & salsa. Place all thin sliced vegetable and diced olives. At last sprinkle grated cheddar cheese.

Now place this bread in greased baking tray and place this tray in a preheated oven. Bake this bread for 12-15 min or until cheese melts and pita bread has reached desired crispiness. Turn off the oven and take it out. Cut into 4-5 pieces and serve hot

Kalakand (Milk Burfi)

2 litres milk
1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar
chopped nuts to decorate (pista, almonds)
silver foil (optional)
1/2 tsp citric acid dissolved in 1/2 cup water.

Method

Boil half the milk and add the citric solution as it comes to boil
Switch off gas. Once the chenna settles sieve through muslin cloth, press out excess water, take in a plate and press
down.
Do not knead.
Put the remaining milk in a heavy pan and boil to half.
Add the chenna and boil till the mixture thickens, stirring continuously.
Add the sugar and continue to cook, stirring all the while till softly thickens in a lump.
Set in a tray, apply silver foil and sprinkle the chopped nuts.

Kaju Barfi

Ingredients

150 gm cashewnuts
400 gm sugar
elaichi powdered
silver foil (optional)
500 gm khoya

Method

Dry grind the cashew
Mix khoya (grated) and sugar
Heat in a heavy pan, stirring continuously.
Once the sugar dissolves, add the cashew (powdered) and elaichi
Cooking, constantly stir till soft lump is formed and does not stick to sides
Roll on a flat surface to desired thickness and apply silver foil.

Imarti

Ingredients

2 cups urad dal
3 cups sugar
300 ml. water
saffron colour
1/2 tsp. cardomom ground
500 gms. ghee to fry

Method

1.Soak urad dal overnight in plenty of water.
2.Wash and drain. Grind to fine thick batter. Put water little by little.
3.Add colour and mix very well.
4.If using a mixie, beat the dal well by hand till fluffy after grinding.
5.Keep aside for 3 hours. More is weather is cold.
6.Make 1 tar sugar syrup as shown in introduction.
7.Add cardomom powder to syrup.
8.Using either an imarti bottle (with nozzle) or cloth as shown in note, form imartis in the hot ghee. Lower flame and allow to crisp turning once.
9.Remove from ghee, drain and dip in hot syrup.
10.Soak for 3-4 minutes, drain and serve.
11.Repeat for remaining batter.
12.Make 4-5 imartis at a time, depending on size of frying pan.

Note:

Use a flat bottomed frying pan.
The imarti bottle can be substituted with a soft plastic sauce bottle with a nozzle.
If not available, take a 12"x 12" thick cloth, make a buttonhole type hole in centre.
Place over a tumbler and pour in some batter.
Hold like a pouch and press out imartis like icing.
Shape the imartis as follows, make a ring first, then form small ringlets all along the ring.
Till you come to the start.

Making time: 1 hour (excluding soaking and keeping time)
Makes: 20 imartis

Coconut Burfi

Ingredients

250 gms. finely grated coconut
250 gms. sugar
150 ml. water
ghee for greasing plate

Method

1.Prepare syrup with sugar and water to 2 1/2 thread consistency.
2.Warm coconut in heavy saucepan, pour in the syrup.
3.Stir well and cook till soft lump forms.
4.Spread in a greased plate. Cool.
5.Sprinkle cardamom powder (optional).
6.Cut into squares, store in airtight container.

Making time: 30 minutes
Makes: 20-25 pieces
Shelflife: 2 weeks

Patisa (Soan Papdi)

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup gramflour
1 1/4 cup plain flour (maida)
250 gms. ghee
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cup water
2 tbsp. milk
1/2 tsp. cardamom seeds crushed coarsely
2 tsp. charmagaz (combination of 4 types of seeds) refer glossary
4" squares cut from a thin polythene sheet

Method

Sift both flours together.
Heat ghee in a heavy saucepan.
Add flour mixture and roast on low till light golden.
Keep aside to cool a little, stirring occasionally.
Prepare syrup simultaneously.
Make syrup out of sugar, water and milk as shown in introduction.
Bring syrup to 2 1/2 thread consistency.
Pour at once into the flour mixture.
Beat well with a large fork till the mixture forms threadlike flakes.
Pour onto a greased surface or thali and roll to 1" thickness lightly.
Sprinkle the charmagaz seeds and elaichi and gently press down with palm.
Cool, cut into 1" squares, wrap individually into square pieces of thin plastic sheet.
Store in airtight container.

Making time: 45 minutes
Makes: 20 pieces

Puranpoli

Ingredients

300gms. channa (yellowgram) dal
300 gms. jaggery (molasses)
1 tsp. cardamom powder
150 gms. plain flour
1 tbsp. ghee
warm water to knead dough
ghee to serve

Method

Boil dal in plenty of water till soft but not broken.
Drain in a colander for 10-15 minutes.
Pass through an almond grater little by little till all dal is grated.
Mash jaggery till lumps break. Mix well into dal.
Put mixture in a heavy saucepan and cook till a soft lump is formed
Take care to stir continuously, so as not to charr. Keep aside.
Mix ghee, flour, add enough water to make a soft pliable dough.
Take a morsel sized ball of dough, roll into a 4" round.
Place same sized ball of filling in centre, life all round and seal.
Reroll carefully to a 6" diameter round.
Roast on warm griddle till golden brown.
Repeat other side.
Take on serving plate. Apply a tsp. of ghee all over top.

OR

Shallow fry on griddle like a paratha for a better flavour.
But this method will consume more ghee and therefore calories.
Serve hot with dal or amti.

Note: The water drained from boiling dal is used to make the amti. ( a thin curry made using black masala, garam masala and some mashed dal.)

Making time: 45 minutes
Makes: 7-8 puranpolis
Shelf life: Best fresh (puran {filling} may be stored in the refrigerator for a week.