Bhindi Do Pyaza [Lady's Finger with Onion]

The lady's finger [bhindi] is generally available throughout the year and there are varieties of recipes possible with it.My family has found Bhindi Do Pyaza most desirable dish in the meal.

 

Ingredients:

• Bhindi [Lady'sfinger]  250 gm
• Onion               2 big size
• Green chilli          4-5 pieces
• Lemon juice Of 1 lemon
• Turmeric powder     1/2tsp
• Red chilli powder     1/4tsp
• Dry garam-masala powder  1/2tsp
• Fenugreek seed       1/4 tsp
• Mustard oil           2 tbsp
• Salt to taste

For preparing kalaunji masala:

  a.Ingredients:

• Aniseed(saunf)  1tbsp
• Coriander seed  1tsp
• Fenugreek seed  1/2tsp
• Onion seed     1/4 tsp

  b.Method:
  Mix aniseed,feungreek seed,coriander seed & onion seed together,roast and grind the mixture into mixer(kalaunji masala).

Preparation:

• Wash lady's finger properly and keep aside for about 15minutes. Then cut it into lengthwise fine pieces  
• Chop onions lengthwise into fine pieces.

 

 

 

 

Method:

• Heat oil in deep frying pan. Add fenugreek seed and fry until brown.
• Now add onion pieces and fry till it becomes transparent.Keep stirring the onion so that it is not over fried.
• Add turmeric powder and green chilli,stir for a few seconds.
• Add lady's finger,mix well and stir for a minute on low flame.Cover the pan with lid.
• After about 5-6,minutes remove the lid,add red chilli powder, garam masala & kalaunji masala.Mix well.Cook on the high flame.Keep stirring until color of lady's fingers becomes darker.
• Add lemon juice and salt.Keep stirring the mixture on high flame till its stickness is gone. 
• Remove the pan from the flame.
  

The bhindi do pyaza is ready. 

Serve hot with paratha, puri or dal & chaval.

         

Methi Aloo [Potato Fenugreek Fry]

   Methi or the Fenugreek is regarded as a powerful herb.The benefits of fenugreek leaves or its seeds include its various usages,varying from its culinary usages to medicinal properties.Medicinal usages include cholestrol control,diabities,skin problem,indigestion and much more.Its seeds as well as leaves are important spice.Its dried leaves [kasuri methi] are used as flavouring for potato curries etc.

   In the present recipe,dry leaves [kasuri methi] have been used with little fried boiled-potatoes.My family and our aquaintances just love it!

Ingredients:

Fenugreek [kasuri methi]

• Boiled potatoes- 5-6 pieces (medium)
• Dry fenugreek leaves(kasuri methi)- 1/2 cup
• Fenugreek seeds(methi dana)- 1/4 tsp
• Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
• Red chilli powder-1/4 tsp
• Coriander powder- 1 tsp
• Garam masala powder- 1/2 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Mustard oil- 1 tbsp

Preparation:

• Boil the potatoes,peel and cut them into square pieces.
• Dip fenugreek leaves into water for at least 5 minutes

Method:

• Heat oil in deep frying pan on high flame and add fenugreek seeds in pan.
• When seeds turn red,add potato pieces,mix & stir them for a few seconds.
• Sprinkle turmeric powder,red chilli powder and coriander powder.Saute them until all is mixed well and fried.
• Filter the fenugreek leaves and add to potato mixture.Saute again until all is mixed well.

• Add garam masala powder & salt to taste and fry for a few seconds.

The Methi Aloo is ready.

 



Serve hot with puri or paratha,or, roti/chappathis,daal & boiled rice.

Pin Wheel Sandwhich

It is a holiday.Kids and other family members crave something special in breakfast,leaving the housewife in a dilemma to search her memory disk! So Pin Wheel Sandwich is an option difficult to ignore!!

Ingredients:

• Bread slice- 6-7 pcs
• Coriander chutney- 1/2 cup
• Tomato sauce- 1/2 cup
• Paneer- 50 gms
• Cheese- 50 gms
• Butter- 3-4 tbps
• Black pepper powder- 1/2 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Water- 2-3 cups

Preparation:

For chutney:

• Coriander leaves- 1 bunch
• Green chilli- 4-5 pcs
• Ginger- 1 inch pc
• Mango powder- 1/2 tsp
• salt to taste

Mix all the things and grind them.

For cheese and paneer:

• Grate cheese and paneer separately.Mix black pepper powder(1/4 tsp) in cheese and paneer separately.

Method:

• Cut the edges of all bread slices.
• Take warm water in a bowl.
• Add salt to taste.
• Dip 1 slice of bread into warm water,rinse it by pressing between palms,and then press it delicately by a roller(belan). Keep it separately on butter paper.Repeat the same process for other slices of bread.
• Spread butter on rinsed slice,then spread layer of green chutney,thin layer of grated paneer,tomato sauce and grated cheese in that order.Make sure the spread should be smooth without lumps.
• Now roll each slice and press edges against each other.
• Keep all slices,covered in wet cloth,in the freezer for about 1 hr.
• Cut the rolls into 1/2inch thick round pieces. 

Serve with tomato sauce and chilli sauce.

[Note:stuff inside bread can be chosen according to your own wish like cooked keema,grated cabbage,etc.]

Paneer Masala

   It is not always that we like lengthy process to have a spicy dish.So nothing like paneer masala,a nutritious,spicy,tasty,and quick n simple to cook recipe!

Ingredients

• Paneer  250 gm
• Curd  3/4 cup
• Caraway [Ajwain]  1 tsp
• Dry garam-masala powder 1/2 tsp
• Red chilli powder  1/2 tsp
• Salt to the taste
• Coriander Powder  1 tbsp
• Onion  2 big size
• Ginger  1 small piece
• Green chilli  4 piece
• Coriander leaves  a small bunch.
• Oil  2 tbsp

Preparation

• Chop the paneer into uniform pieces of 1"x1 1/2".
• Whip the curd in a pot.
• Slice the onion into thin pieces.
• Chop finely the ginger,coriander leaves and green chilli. 

Serves: 4

Method

• Heat oil in a pan and fry caraway for half a minute.
• Add onion,green chilli and ginger.Fry till onion turns brown.
• Now add red chilli powder and coriander powder.Mix and fry again for 1 minute.
• Add paneer.Mix well.
  
  
  
• Add whipped curd,salt and garam masala powder.Mix well and fry on low flame till oil oozes in the pan.

Paneer Masala is ready.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Serve hot.

 

Curd Chicken

Less spicy,superb taste,process quicken;so is the yummy curd chicken!

Ingredients

 

• Chicken  500 gm
• Curd  250 ml
• Garlic  6-7 cloves

  

• Ginger  1 medium piece
• Black pepper  1 tsp
• Green chillies  3-4
• Coriander leaves  25 gm
• Red chilli powder  1/4 tsp
• Turmeric powder  1/4 tsp
• Garam masala  1/2 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Refined oil or Ghee  2-3 tbsp

                            Preparation

  1. Marination of chicken

• Peel off garlic clove
•  Cut ginger into small pieces.
• Crush [dardara] the black pepper. 
• Wash the chicken.Make deep cuts on its surface at various places.Make paste of curd,salt,crushed black pepper,turmeric powder, green chillies,ginger & garlic.Process it well in a mixer.
• .Apply this mixture on the chicken pieces so that each piece and every part of it is well covered.

Marinate for about 3-4 hours.

2. Chop finely the coriander leaves.

                          Method

1. Heat oil or ghee in a heavy bottomed pan.
2. Add all the pieces of marinated chicken,and garam masala,mix well and saute uniformly for 5-6 minutes on high heat till the chicken turns light brown.
3. Add marinade,left in the pot of marinated chicken,to the pan and mix well.Cover the pan and lower the flame.
4. Cook for about 10 minutes or until the chicken is tender.When the colour of gravy changes to golden.Close the flame 

The Curd chicken is ready.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot. 

Matching companion: Nan, rumali roti or jeera rice.

Fruit Cake

       Let us have a change of taste.Let us have a break from meals,breakfast or even purchased bakery edibles...So prepare a home made fruit cake and surprise the family members & friends!

Ingredients:

• Refined flour [maida]  150 gm
• Egg 2
• Caster sugar  125 gm
• White butter or ghee  75 ml/gm
• Baking powder  1/4 tsp
• Vanilla essence  1 tsp  

    Preparation 

1.For caramel colour [brown sugar]:

Cashew nut

• Sugar  30 gm
• Lemonjuice  1 tsp

   Preparation:

 Sprinkle a few drops of water over sugar.Heat till it becomes brown,then add lemon juice and  water [ 1/2 cup] to form liquid consistency.Close the flame.
2. Cut the cashew nut & almonds into fine pieces and keep aside.

   Dry fruits:

Cherry

• Cashew nut  10 pieces
• Almond  10 pieces
• Cherry  10-15 pieces
• Currant  50 gm

Raisins

• Tutti fruity 2 tbsp
  Other items:
• Milk  1cup
• Honey 1tbs
• Curants

Almond

   Method:

• At first mix maida [refined flour] & baking powder and filter 2-3 times.

 

• Take white butter & sugar in a clean bowl.Cream them till the mixture gets light and fluffy.

 

• Wash all the dry fruits except cashew nut and cut them in equal 
• sizes.Spread them on a napkin to dry.Then mix them into maida mixture.
• Separately,prepare enamel colour with help of water,lemon juice and sugar.

• Beat both the eggs in a clean bowl.Then mix vanilla essence and caramel colour.
• Now add gradually the beaten egg mixture to mixture of white butter & sugar.

 

• Now,mix dry fruit to mixture of maida & baking powder.Now add this mixture gradually one spoon at a time to mixture of beaten egg and keep on beating regularly [make sure] till all the mixture is used.If this batter is getting thick enough to obstruct beating,then add 1 tbsp of milk. 

• Now the cake batter is ready.

• Either apply butter or ghee on the bottom of mould or spread a butter paper over the bottom of mould.Mould may be of any shape or size.

 

 

• Next  folding process is done with the batter.Add honey and pour the batter into cake mould.Over it spread pieces of almond,cashew nut and cherry.

Cake batter

Preheat the oven,put the mould in it and bake at 120 degree centigrade for about 20 minutes.

•  After baking is over,take the mould out,put it on the wire rack and cool it.

Fruit Cake is ready.
Slice and Serve!  

Sabudana Khichadi [Fried Sago Mix]

Sabudana [Sago] Khichadi is a fast to cook, tasty and nutritious breakfast item liked by young or old alike.Even on occasions of fasting, it can be taken.

Ingredients:

• Sabudana [Sago] 250 gm
• Pea nuts 1cup
• Potato 3-4medium
• Cumin seeds 1/2tsp
• Black pepper 1/2tsp
• Ginger 1small pc
• Green chilli 4-5pcs
• Coriander leaves 1small bunch
• Lemon 1-2pcs
• Salt to taste {during fasting,use sendha namak [rock salt] }
• Refined oil  4tbsp

Serves: 4

 

Preparation:

• Wash sabudana 2-3 times and soak into 2 cup of water for at least 4-5 hours.
• Then drain water and keep the sabudana aside.Keep in mind that the same should be moist till its use.With the time it will increase in volume.This is to be ascertained that pearls of sabudana should be soft.
• Chop the green chilies finely into small pieces.
• Roast peanuts in a heavy bottom pan, continuously stirring so that the same is not burnt.Then peel off the skin.Grind the peanuts for broken or coarse small pieces.
• Boil the potatoes.Then mash coarsely.
• Grind pepper.
• Chop the coriander leaves finely.
• Grate ginger. 

 

Method:

• Heat refined oil in a deep fry pan on high flame and add cumin seeds.When it becomes red,add green chili,grated ginger and mashed potato.Mix and fry for 5-6 minutes.
• Add salt and ground peanuts.Mix well again.Keep on stirring for 2-3 minutes.Add soaked sabudana.Mix well and fry with continuous stirring till its pearls turn transparent.
• Add 1 tbsp lemon juice and ground black pepper.Mix well.
• Close the flame.
• Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve hot.