Mixed saag

JAMMU is all set to enjoy winters with lots of local saag and white makhhan, Desi ghee and also the waist meter is deliberately hidden.

Saag is not boiling and blending into paste and then tadka with lot of onion tomatoes to kill the actual flavors.

For Dogra households saag is just chopping leaves very fine. Then stir frying and cooking in its own juices. Throw in green chillies and it's ready with just few spices.

Mixed saag

baby spinach 1/2 kg
Mooli leaves fresh 250 gms
Coriander leaves bunch
Soy leaves /dill leaves 100 gms
Few methi leaves
Red chilli flakes 1 tsp
Desi ghee generous
Hing pinch
Haldi 1/2 tsp
Zeera powder 1 tsp
Green chilies
Salt to taste

Method

Wash n chop all leaves very fine .

In wok heat Desi ghee. Add hing, splutter, Add saags and stir fry and cover. Cook in very low flame. When saag half cooked, add spices and green chilies. Cook till ghee leaves sides.

Enjoy with Rotis.

Bhindi sambhariya

Bhindi sambhariya

A Gujrati Delicacy 

Use fresh tender baby ladyfingers.

Ingredients

250 gms ladyfingers (bhindi)
Pinch asafoetida (hing)

Filling

2 tbsp grounded peanut
2 tbsp coriander powder
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tbsp cumin seeds powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 tbsp sesame seeds
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp oil
salt to taste

Method :

Cut caps of bhindi. Slit ftom lengthwise .

Mix in filling ingredients
Stuff each bhindi carefully

Heat the oil in a wok till smokey and add the asafoetida.

Add the stuffed ladies finger and mix well.

Cook with less stirring uncovered toll cooked

Banarasi Chuda Matar

Today evening I made Banaras ka Chuda matar from Her www.banaraskakhana.com  Website.

I love her recipes and Love her desi Indian touch .

Her recipe

Banarasi Chuda matar

Ingredients

thick variety of chiwra/pohe/flattened rice flakes 1.5 cup
peas 2 cup
cumin seds/sabut jeera 2 tsp
ginger 2 inch piece, finely chopped
green chillies 4 finely chopped
green coriander 1 cup, finely chopped, stems and leaves separated
lemon juice 3 tbsp/lime juice 1 tbsp or to taste
sugar 1-2 tsp depending on how fresh are the peas
black pepper powder 1 tsp
garam masala powder 1.5 tsp[without coriander powder]
salt to taste
milk 1/2 cup
cream 1/2 cup[optional]
ghee 2 tbsp

preparation

Rinse the chiwra through a strainer, drain well and soak in milk and cream for 10 minutes [less if it is finer].
Heat ghee in a pan and add cumin/jeera into it, add in the ginger and green chilies when the jeera crackles,after a few seconds add in the powder masalas. Stir and immediately add in the peas with sugar and salt, stir, add the coriander stems and add 1/2 cup of water and cook covered on medium heat until the peas are done. Open the pan, there should be still some water left, add in the soaked chiwda and mix well, fluffing it up.
Serve garnishing with dry fruits

Stuffed Aloo tikki

Stuffed Aloo tikki

Ingredients

1/2 cup boiled green peas
1 cup boiled and mashed potatoes
1/2 cup small cubed paneer
2 breads soaked in water and squeezed. 

2 tbsp fine flour

Few chopped green coriander leaves

1 tsp Chaat Masala

2 green chillies, 

oil  for frying

2 Tsp grated ginger

Salt

Red chilli flakes

Cumin seeds

Method

In a bowl combine peas, mashed potatoes, cubed paneer and all spices, corriander, ginger . Add squeezed bread and fine flour . Mix like a dough
Shape them into tikkis.
Heat oil in non-stick frying pan and fry

Breakfast Cutlets

Valentine special

Breakfast Cutlets 

Ingredients

Boiled and mashed potatoes 1 cup
Very fine chopped veggies ( capsicum, onion, carrot, etc ) 1 cup
Chopped corriander handful
Bread crbs 1/2 cup
Fine flour 3-4 tbsp
Grated ginger 2 tbsp
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Salt
Pepper
Poha (beaten rice ). 1 cup

Method

Mix potato and veggies in big bowl. Add spices , ginger and corriander . Mix in bread crumbs and flour.

Mix well

Soak Poha on water for ten mins . Squeeze water from Poha and spread in a plate

Make hear shaped cutlet from potatoes mixture

Place over Poha and let Poha stick we'll all over Heart .

Fry in hot oil. . Serve with ketchup

Mirchi Palak

Mirchi Palak

Ingredients

Spinach 1 kg
Corriander leaves handful
Green chilli 3-4 crushed
Red chilli flakes 1 tsp
Corriander powder 1 tsp
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Salt
Turmeric 1 tsp
Garlic crushed 2 tbsp
Curd 1/2 cup

Method

Wash Chop fine spinach and corriander leaves . Keep aside .

Heat mustard oil in kadai till smokey .
Add cumin seeds and garlic . Stir fry till pink colour .

Add spinach and corriander leaves and crushed green chillies .

Add all spices .
 Stir fry at medium heat till spinach cooked and oil leaves sides .

Add salt to taste
Add curd and again bhuno till oil leaves sides . Keep stirring in the process.

Add chopped green chilli if you want more hotness.

Note :- the whole cooking process to be done in wok uncovered

Hare pyaj aur aloo ki sabzi

Hare pyaj aur aloo ki sabzi

Ingredients

3 potatoes
Half kg spring onion
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Red chilli flakes 1 tsp
Salt
Turmeric powder pinch
Garlic crushed 2 tbsp
Oil

Method

Wash peel and cut potatoes in cubes
Wash and cut spring onions .
First separate the white bulb part with tender green part from all the long leaves .

Peel the bulb and cut in roundles and keep separate.

Cut the long leaves discarding the ends and chop them fine and keep aside.

In wok, heat oil. Crackle cumin seeds
Add garlic , when get pinkish , Add potatoes and stir fry at medium heat till crispy . Add salt , red chilli flakes and turmeric powder and stir for two secs .

Then add chopped green leaves and cook till they get stir fried and soft .

At last add white part of spring onion. We do not want to cook them full.

Let it be crunchy keeping onion flavour intact .

Switch off the flame and serve with rotis.

Don't make it like saag.

Samosas

Winter and Hot samosa with cup of tea. A bliss in evenings

Just make these simple samosas, the truly old style evergreen samosa

 

Potli of happiness.

 

Simply Samosas

 

Ingredients

 

1/2 kg Refined flour/ maida
5 tbsp desi ghee
Salt to taste
1 cup boiled potatoes coarsely mashed
1/2 cup boiled peas
1tbsp red chili powder
1tsp Garam masala
2tbsp Coriander powder
2tbsp raw mango powder
1tsp cumin seeds
Salt
Vegetable oil for frying

 

Method:

 

Take 2tbsp oil in heavy pan.

Add the cumin seeds , potatoes and peas and sauté on low flame till the mixture is crisp and fragrant.

Add salt, garam masala, coriander powder, chili powder and raw mango powder.

Sauté for 30 seconds and Set aside to cool.

Sieve the flour, add salt. Add melted ghee and mix it very well.

Add small quantity of water

and knead to a stiff dough. Set the dough aside for 20 minutes.

Knead the two for a minute and divide the dough into 10- 15 balls of equal size.

Roll out each ball to a small rotis Cut it into 2 semicircles .
Wet the edges with a little water along the diameter. Bring the two ends together to overlap a little. Join and press together to make a cone.

Place a tbsp. of filling in the cone and seal from above.

Fill all the cones and set aside.

Heat plenty oil in a pan. Put the samosas in hot oil,

Keep low medium and deep fry till light brown.
Drain and enjoy

Adrak wali ALOO GOBI

Adrak wali ALOO GOBI

 

Ingredients

 

Phool gobhi /Cauliflower ,(cut into large florets )1 medium sized
Potato 2 cut in cubes
Ginger 4 tbsp, Finely crushed
Red chilli powder 1 tsp
Green /red fresh Chillies 1-2, slit
Oil 4 Tbsp.
Hing pinch
Cumin seeds /zeera 1 tsp.
Coriander powder 2 tsp.
Turmeric ½ tsp.
Garam Masala Powder 1 tsp.
Salt To taste

Method
Wash cauliflower florets.

Put florets in hot water and let it soaked for half an hour. Rub each floret again and Drain and keep aside

Heat oil in a large pan and add cumin seeds. When they splutter add hing and green chillies.

Add finely chopped ginger and sautee at low heat for few of minutes.

Now add all the powdered spices and salt except garam masala. Add cauliflower and potato and stir. Ensure that the vegetables are coated well with the spices.

Fry them on high heat first to brown them. Then cook at low heat till done.

Add Garam Masala and stir. Garnish with chillies.

Soya kababs

Soya kababs

Ingredients

Soya chunks 1 cup soaked in water for one hour
Capsicum deseeded chopped 1
Onion chopped 1
Salt
Green chilli 2 chopped
Zeera 1tsp
Red chilli flakes 1 tsp
Besan. 2 tbsp
Oil to fry

Method

Squeeze soya chunks from water well. Put every ingredient in blender with soya chunks except besan
You will get a courses mixture .
Add besan and with wet hands make kababs and fry till golden in hot oil.
:
Serve with coriander yogurt dip.

Dhuni wali chutney

Dogricuisine

 

  Dhuni wali chutney

Ingredients...

1 bunch mint leaves
1 bunch coriander leaves
5-6 green chillies
black salt
1 tbsp carrom seeds / ajwain dry roasted
lemon juice 5-6 tbsp
1 tsp sugar

Method

Blend all with little water in mixer.

Pour in Bowl.

Take burning charcoal in a Katori. Place katori in centre of bowl. Pour 2-3 drops of mustard oil over burning charcoal and immediately cover bowl with big plate. Keep as it is for 5 mins. Remove plate and katori. Serve immediately

Potato crusted saffron Rice

Potato crusted saffron Rice

 

 Ingredients

1 cup basmati rICE...
4 potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced in rounds
Desi ghee 1 ladle
Saffron threads 2-3
Salt to taste

Method:

MIX Saffron in 2-3 tbsp water.

Wash and cook rice with salt.

The rice should be grainy and not sticky.

Take a non-stick pan. The shape of pan will decide the shape of rice.

Put the ghee. Heat over medium heat. Add 50 ml water &salt to taste and boil. Remove from flame.

Place the potato slices, one next to the other in the bottom of the pan. Just make sure they form a layer at bottom. No base of the pan should be seen.

Pour half of the rice on top of the potato slices. Press firmly with the back of a ladle. Then spread the rest of the rice to make a shape of pan

Make 4-5 holes in the rice and pour saffron milk over holes.

Put a thigh lid over the pan and put it back on the flame. Cook on high heat for 2 minutes and then lower to very low heat and cook for 20-30 minutes.

By that time, the crust should be form. Take the pan out of the heat for a few minutes and then, turn out the pan on the serving dish.

Urad Dal Khichdi

MakarSankranti celebrations

 

 Urad Dal Khichdi

 

Ingredients...

Rice 1 cup
Urad dal 1/2 cup
Ginger thin strips 6-7
green chilli cut in half lenghtwise 2
red chilli flKes 1 tsp
Turmeric powder 1 tsp
Garam masala 1/2 tsp
Salt
Butter/desi ghee

Method.

Wash dal and rice. Soak them together for 1 hour jn water.

Drain water and put in pressure cooker. Add 5 cups of water. Add salt, green chilli and ginger strips and turmeric powder. Close lid and pressure cook upto 3-4 whisles.

In tampering pan add butter. Put on med heat. When butter melts. Switch off flake. Imm add red chilli flakes and garam masala. Mix well. Put this tempering over khichdi after opening pressure cooker lid.

Mix and serve hot with vegetable achaar and more butter on top

The khichdi should not be too dry

Muji Kael

A vegetarian Kashmiri pandit cuisine

 

Khatti Mooli

 

Muji Kael

 

Ingredients

 

Radish(  fresh nd sweet ) 500gms
Fennel powder 2-3 tsp
sounth powder 1 tsp
Ajwain 1/2 tsp
Black cardamom 1tsp
cloves 2
asfeotida pinch
mango powder 1/2 tsp
Kashmiri red chilli powder 1 tsp

Method

Peel and cut radish in strips. Soak in water so that they remain soft.

Heat the oil in wok till smokey. Fry radish pieces.

Remove in keep aside.

In another wok add 1/2 ladle oil. Add asafetida and  Add cumin seeds and crackle.

Crush cloves and black cardamom and add to cumin seeds.

Add red chilli powder and  2-3 tbsp water and stir so that the colour get extracted.
.
Add fried radish and stir. Add fennel, ginger powder, mango powder and carrom seeds  and salt.

Add small amount of water so that spices do
not burn. Stir till oil separates. Serve with rice.

Remember always take sweet taste Radish.

  

Paneer Chana Masala

Paneer  chana masala

Ingredients

Paneer cubes 5-6
White channa/chickpeas - 1 cup
Green Chilies - 2
Onion -2 Large
Ginger/Garlic Paste - 1 tbsp
Tomatoes - 3
Red chili Powder -1 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Oil - 2 tbls
Salt to taste

Special chana masala powder

Corriander seeds 2 tsp
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Black peppercorns 4-5
Chana dal 2 tsp
Black  cardamon 1
Garlic cloves 2
Dry red chilli 2

Dry roast all above ings and blend to coarse powder

Method

Soak the Channa/chickpeas overnight .

Pressure Cook the Channa with some salt.

Fry paneer cubes till pink. Dip them in bowl of warm water containing pinch of haldi. Keep aside.

Grind the onions and tomatoes together.

Heat oil in a pan.
Fry the grounded onion-tomato paste along with the ginger-garlic paste.

Add some red chili powder, turmeric powder and salt.

Add the boiled channa .

Fry till the oil leaves sides.

Add garam masala .

Stir well. Add special chana masala .

Mix well and cook for two mins.

Add fried paneer cubes discarding the water in which they are dipped .

Mix and add one cup  water.

Simmer for 20 mins at low heat. The panner cubes will soak all chana flavours.

When serving garnish with green chilies.

  

Eggless spinach Raviolis

Eggless spinach raviolis

INGREDIENTS

1 cup maida
1 cup of suji
A pinch of salt
2 tbsp refined oil

For the filling:

Boiled spinach and potato mixture
2 tbsp oil
Salt and pepper

For the sauce:

2  small tomatoes
Butter
Lemon juice 2 tbsp
Salt n pepper

METHOD

Combine the flour, semolina, salt,  oil and warm  water together to make a semi stiff dough.

Cover and let it rest for 30-40 minutes.

For the filling:

Stir fry spinach potato mixture in pan with oil

Season it with salt, pepper.

Knead the dough on a floured surface

Roll out the dough in small balls

Make square outer shells    by rolling thin rotis 2cm thin and cutting the edges to make a square.
You can use cutters too

Brush a little milk on the ravioli shells.

Put the filling in centre of one square.

Place another square on it and seal the filling by fingers. A tomb like structure appears in centre.

Make designs with fork in outer frill of the ravioli.

Put all raviolis in boiling water till it rises on top or float.

Take out and keep aside.

For the final assembling

In a  pan add butter on low heat. Add tomato pieces and smear in butter. Add raviolis and pan fry in butter. Season with salt and pepper. Add lemon juice and mix well.

Serve.

  

Teliye Maa

 

Teliya Maa

Urad daal cooked in raw mustard oil

This is very tasty kangra Himachal pradesh dish.

One of best Dhaam dishes.

Very easy to make.

The best part is the flavour of Mustard oil.

Ingredients:

URAD DAAL or black lentils 1/2 cup
Mustard  oil: 1 cup
Garlic cloves 10 (finely-chopped)
Ginger: 1 medium sized (finely chopped)
Onion: Medium sized (finely-chopped)
Green chilles: 5-6 (finely chopped)
Salt to taste
Red chilli powder 1 tsp garam masala 1 tsp

Method

Soak urad daal overnite in water  and next day drain water and  put it in a pressure cooker.

Add chopped garlic, ginger, onion, green chilles and raw mustard oil in it.

Add 2-3 cups water

Add salt and chilli powder .

Close the lid and after one whistle lower the heat to minimum.

Cook for 15 mins for 7-8 whistles.

Open lid after it releases its own pressure.

The consistency of dal should be thick  and daal thoroughly cooked.

Sprinkle garam Masala on it and stir for three mins.

Enjoy

  

Shahi Kadhi

Another winner from 1970's  era wedding menu.

At that time Halwais add fried vegetables to simmering flavoured yogurt gravy and serve with  tandoori roti and zeera chawal.

Shahi Kadhi

Ingredients:

Baby potatoes 3
baby onions 2
long eggplants 2
zeera seeds 1 tsp
Methi seeds - 1/2 tsp,
salt to taste,
heeng - 1/2 tsp,
Red Chillis - 4 full
Haldi/ turmeric powder 1/4 tsp,
red chilli pdr 1 tsp
Dhania powder - 1 tsp
Dhaniya seeds 1/2 tsp,
Mustard oil - 2 tbsp
Green chillies 2
Besan - 1/3 cup,
Curd - 1-1/2 cup,
water 3 cups
Garam masala 1/2 tsp

Method

Peel potatoes and onion.

Fry in oil till crispy.

Cut eggplant in small roundels and sprinkle salt.

Let water extract from it. Wash and fry in hot oil. Keep aside.

Mix besan and curd with a hand mixer and then add water to it to make it smooth thin batter.

Heat oil till smokey add methi seeds and when it splutters add zeera seeds and dhaniya seeds after , 3-4 seconds add heeng and whole red chillies.

Then add green chillies and fry one sec.

Add haldi, red chilli and dhania powder. saute for 1/2 minute.

Add the curd besan mix and then add salt.

  Bring to a boil and then let it simmer on medium for 20 minutes.

Add fried vegetables and simmer for 5 mins.

Sprinkle garam masala and serve

You can add fried fresh peas and fried cauliflower florets.

Enjoy

  

Potato and soya cutlets

Potato and soya cutlets

A breakfast option

Ingredients:

1 cup - potatoes boiled and mashed
1/2 cup - soya granules, soaked and squeezed
1/2 cup - panner, crumbled
finely chopped green chilli and ginger 2-2 tsp
salt
Red chilli flake
Chaat masala pinch

Method

Mix all the ingredients one by one in a large bowl without any lumps.
Do not add water at all.
If you feel sticky you can add some flour.
Oil your fingers and make small cutlets  out of the mixture.
Lightly roll the cutlet in bread crumbs
fry the cutlets one at a time till golden brown.
Serve with your fav dip and half fried egg on top

Veg Nargisi Kofta

Veg Nargisi Kofta.

Ingredients

Potatoes –3 medium
Paneer – 1 cup grated
Bread – 2 slices
Cumin powder – 1 tsp
Black pepper –1/2
Salt as per taste
Turmeric powder 1 tsp
Oil for frying the kofta
Lemon juice 2 tsp
Method
In a small bowl add mashed potato,. Add  cumin powder, black pepper, turmeric powder, lemon juice and salt. Mix well and make small balls.
Grate paneer and mash , put  in a bowl. Add crushed bread and salt. Mix very well and form a smooth dough if it.
Take each portion in your palm and place the potato ball in the center. Cover the filing completely and form an oval shaped koftas.
.
In a pan heat cooing oil and deep fry these koftas carefully till they are brown in color.
Serve with chutney.
You can make gravy and make curry also.