Zunkha, Jhunkha, Pitla (Maharashtra)

Ingredients

• 1 medium sized potato cut to small pieces
• 1 medium sized onion chopped fine
• 1/2 inch ginger, cleaned and grated
• 5-6 curry leaves
• 1 small lemon
• Coriander (dhania) leaves chopped fine
• Green chillies or red chilli powder - to taste
• Salt - to taste
• Besan (chickpea flour) - 2-3 tbsp (make a fine paste in some water)
• 2 cups water
• 1 tbsp oil
• Mustard Seeds
• Hing
• Chana dal - 1 tsp
• Urad dal - 1 tsp
• Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Procedure:

1. Heat oil in a kadai (wok)
2. Add mustard seeds.
3. When the mustard seeds stop spluttering, add Hing.
4. Add urad dal and chana dal.
5. When they turn brown, add curry leaves and green chillies.
6. After 20 seconds of stir frying, add onions and ginger.
7. Cook till onions are translucent.
8. Add potatoes, a little salt and turmeric, and cover and cook till potatoes are done.
9. Add two cups water, and salt (to taste)
10. Blend in the besan paste.
11. Cook till the froth disappears or till you feel it is done. (Taste, Taste!)
12. Garnish with lemon juice and shredded coriander leaves.

Goes well with both rotis and rice.

Gawar (cluster beans, chaulekayi) sabzi

If this doesn't get Gawar going into your mouth, nothing will!
Ingredients

• Gawar (cluster beans) - 1/4 kilo
• Onions - 2 small
• Tomatoes - 2 small
• Curry leaves
• Tamarind paste - 1 to 1/2 tbsp
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• Oil - 1 tbsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Methi ke daane (Fenugreek Seeds) - 5 seeds
• Jeera - 1 tsp
• Hing (Asafetida) - 1 pinch
• Salt - to taste
• Red chilli powder - to taste
• 6-7 bhakar waadis (if you don't have it, dry roast peanuts, sesame seeds, red chillies, and 2 red chillies, and blend them to a coarse powder)

Procedure

1. Heat oil in a pressure cooker.
2. Add mustard seeds. After they stop spluttering, add jeera (cumin seeds), methi ke daane, and Hing.
3. Add curry leaves and stir fry for 20 seconds.
4. Add Onions and stir fry till golden brown.
5. Add tomatoes and stir till tomatoes are done.
6. Add tamarind paste and turmeric powder and cook till the raw paste of tamarind paste goes away.
7. Add one cup water, salt, and red chilli powder, and cook for three whistles.
8. After the pressure cooker cools down, remove lid, and mix in the ground bhakar waadi mixture.

Goes best with rotis or phulkas although you can eat it with rice too.

Tendli (Tondekayi) bhaat - Konkan recipe

If you are a rice lover from the coast, you'll love this dish!

For the pressure cooker:
Tendli (1/4 kilo) - Slit each tendli lengthwise into four pieces.
Rice - 1 cup
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Tamarind paste - 2 tbsp (or to taste)
13/4-2 cups water
Salt (to taste)
Masala
2 tbsp coriander seeds
5-6 fenugreek (methi) seeds
4 cloves
1 inch cinnamon stick
4 red chillies (byadgi/kashmiri/low spice variety)
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp roasted gram (chana)
1 tsp urad dal
1/4 cup grated coconut
Seasoning
1 tsp chanal dal
5-6 curry leaves
1 tsp groundnut
1 pinch Hing
Coriander leaves finely chopped.
Procedure

1. Dry roast the masala in a kadai or frying pan, and grind it without using water to a coarse mixture.
2. In a pressure cooker, add 1 tbsp oil. When hot, add tendli and stir fry for two minutes. Add tamarind paste, and roast till the raw tamarind smell goes away.
3. Add washed rice, water, salt, and pressure cook for two whistles. Allow to cool.
4. After pressure cooker cools, remove the lid, and allow the rice to lose the water content.
5. Add the masala, ghee (1 tbsp - optional), and mix.
6. In a Kadai, add oil. When hot, add the Channa dal, hing, and wait till channa dal turns golden brown. Add groundnuts, and roast them. Add curry leaves.
7. Add the seasoning to the rice.
8. Garnish with chopped coriander.

Best served with plain curd.

Paneer Pasanda

Slightly tedious but the end result is mind blowing!

Making the Paneer
Cut 200 gm Paneer into cubes
Make paste of 1 tbsp maida + 1 tbsp cornflour + salt
Coat paneer with paste and deep fry.
In the same oil, deep fry cashewnuts and keep aside.

Masala
Dry roast the following : 1 tbsp coriander seeds + 1 tbsp poppy seeds (khus khus) + 1/2 tbsp Jeera + 1/2 tbsp kalongi seeds. + 1 cinnamon stick + 3 cloves
Add the roasted mixture to 1 cup coconut + 1 inch grated ginger + 2 cut onions + 4 cloves garlic + 1 cup cut coriander leaves + fried cashewnuts.
Grind all the ingredients to a pase using minimum water.

Tomato Puree
Boil two tomatoes in water. Peel skin and make a paste.

Procedure

1. Heat 3 tbsp oil in kadai
2. Add paste and cook on low flame till oil separates (15 minutes)
3. Add tomato puree and cook on low flame for 10 minutes.
4. Add salt.
5. Add panneer and cook for a minute
6. Add fresh cream and mix.
   

Aate jo Chilro

Ingredients

• 1 cup gehun ka aata (wheat flour)
• 1 small onion (finely chopped)
• A few sprigs of coriander (finely chopped)
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 green chillies (finely chopped)
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• Water to get a batter consistency
• Oil
• Salt

Procedure

1. Mix all ingredients with water except oil, and make batter ensuring that there are no lumps. The consistency should be the same as that for idli/dosa.
2. Heat a griddle (tava) and drizzle some oil.
3. Take a ladleful of batter and spread it on the griddle. Thickness should be more than that for dosa (more like uttappam)
4. Pour oil on the sides, and shallow fry till golden brown on one side.
5. Flip and cook the other side too.
6. Remove from tawa when they are crisp and done.

Serve with curd/chutney.

Besan ka cheela

Minimum effort, and ideal for breakfast - much better than eating Maggi every day.
Indredients

• Besan - 1 cup
• Tomato chopped very fine - 1 medium sized
• Onion chopped very fine - 1
• Coriander leaves (dhania leaf)
• Salt
• Green chillies chopped very fine
• Ginger chopped very fine

Procedure

1. Sift besan
2. Add all the vegetables and salt and mix well
3. Add water to pouring consistency
4. Take a ladleful of batter and spread on a heated tava.. Add oil on the sides.
5. Cook on both sides until done

Best eaten with chutney or curd.

Dahi Wada

The ideal starter when you have someone over for dinner

For the vada
1 cup urad dal soaked overnight
salt
zeera
fine sooji rawa
For the seasoning
Jeera powder
Red chilli powder
Coriander leaves
Imli Chutney
Sweetened and chilled curd

Procedure (for the vada)

1. Grind the dal to a smooth vaste using minimum water (half cup)
2. Add salt and jeera (cumin) seeds
3. Add sooji (optional) and keep aside for 3 hours.
4. Take tablespoonfuls of the batter and deep fry till golden brown.
5. Transfer to a plate with absorbent paper.
6. Soak the vadas in cold water, and squeeze out the water gently.
7. Arrange them in a bowl.

Seasoning

• Add the chilled curd over the vadas.
• Add jeera powder and red chilli powder
• (optional) Add chaat masala
• Spread Tamarind chutney (boil tamarind paste and jaggery. Cool and add roasted jeera powder, garam masala, red chilli powder.)
• Garnish with coriander and ginger (Optional)

Kadi Pakodi

My all time favorite recipe. I wonder how I forgot to post the recipe for this earlier.

For the pakodis:

• Cut potoates, onions, and ginger real fine, and mix them well.
• Add finely cut coriander and green chillies, and mix well.
• Add salt, amchur powder (optional), and mix well.
• Add water and besan till you get a binding consistency. You should be able to spoon it without the ingredients dropping off.
• Deep fry in oil and keep aside.

For the kadi:

• Make a batter 1 parts besan, 4 parts buttermilk, salt, red chilli powder, coriander powder.
• In a kadai, add 2 tblspoon oil.
• Add jeera, kalongi, fenugreek seeds, hing.
• Add the batter.
• Cook till the froth disappears.
• Add the pakodis just before serving so that they don't soak all the kadi.

Best had with Khichdi:

• 3/4 cup rice, 1/4 cup moong daal
• 21/2 cups water
• Salt
• Cook the above ingredients in a pressure cooker.
• After it is cooked, add a dollop of ghee.

Dum aloo, Aloo dum (Kashmiri recipe)

It is a very subtle dish, and high on calories. But then, if you are the ones who eat to live, I am not sure how much you will enjoy this dish.
Dum aloo is best described as fried baby potatoes in spiced yoghurt sauce.

Veggies
Baby Potatoes - 500 gms, boiled and peeled
Ginger - 1 tbsp Grated/paste

Masala
Aniseed powder / Fennel powder - 1 tbsp
Hing - A pinch
Bay leaf - 1
Cinnamon stick - 1
Cloves - 4
Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste

For the sauce
1 cup yoghurt diluted with 1 cup water

Other ingredients
Oil

Procedure:

1. Cook the potatoes, peel them, and pierce them with a fork so that they can take in the masala.
2. Deep fry them till they are golden brown.
3. In a vessel, heat oil.
4. On low flame, add bay leaf, cloves, Hing, and cinnamon and fry for 10-15 seconds
5. Add ginger and fry for 30 seconds.
6. Add the diluted yoghurt.
7. Add aniseed powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, and salt.
8. Add the potatoes.
9. Cook till the gravy is reduced to a minimum

Goes well with rotis. Can be eaten with rice too.

Stuffed Bhindi

Veggies
Bhindi (Okra) - 1/4 kilo
Onions - 1-2 medium sized chopped fine
Stuffing
Coriander powder - 3 tbsp
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp or to taste
Saunf powder - 1 tbsp
Amchur powder - 1 tbsp
Besan (chickpea flour) - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste (1/2 tbsp)
Seasoning
1 tsp jeera
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp kalonji
1 pinch hing
Procedure

1. Clean and dry the bhindis. Cut the top and bottom ends.
2. Slit bhindisall the way down but not cutting them at the base. Remove the seeds.
3. Stuff them with the masala.
4. In a flat bottomed vessel, heat oil.
5. Add mustard seeds. After they stop spluttering, add kalongi, jeera, and hing.
6. Add onions and fry till golden brown.
7. After 10 seconds, place the stuffed bhindis on the seasoning.
8. Cover, and cook for ten minutes, or until done. Toss the bhindis once after five minutes.

Stuffed bhindis are best had with rotis.

Seyal Phulka

1. In a kadai or frying pan, take 1 tsp of oil, heat it, add chopped garlic, saute till it changes colour, add curry leaves and mustard seeds and let the seeds splutter.
2. Quickly add grated tomatoes, chillies, salt , turmeric and coriander powder and fry on high heat till the raw smell of tomatoes go away.
3. Add about a cup and half or more of water. Depending upon how OLD are your Rotis, the quantity of water required differs.The more stale (please do not use rotis more than a day old, that too if you have stored it well) ) and stiff the rotis, the more amount of water required.The softer and fresh the rotis, lesser the water quantity.
4. As soon as the mixture starts bubbling, torn off the rotis into bite size pieces, and add to the boiling mixture.
   Add coriander leaves and let it cook on medium to low flame.Go with your instincts as you watch the pieces of rotis, get dunked into water.If you feel that there isnt enough water in curry to soften the chapati, just cook the mixture on lowest flame, with lid put on the pan.
5. Cook till all the water is dried up .Garnish with some more coriander and a drizzle of freshly squeezed lemon juice adds the holy tang to the yummy and easy to cook Seyal phulka.Enjoy !

Koki (Sindhi roti)

1. In a vessel, mix finely chopped onions (3-medium sized, green chillies (to taste), finely chopped coriander, grated ginger, 1 cup oil (yes!), zeera, 1 pinch Hing, red-chilli powder, and turmeric powder (1/2 tsp).
2. Add wheat flour and salt and mix with some water (if needed) into a smooth dough. The dough should be brittle (break easily). It should have more of the veggies and less of the dough.
3. Rest the dough for 15 minutes.
4. Invert a plate, and spread some oil on it.
5. Make round balls of the dough, gently pat it on the plate, and roll it gently with a belan. (rolling pin). You will not get a round roti, so don't worry about the shape. The thickness should be that of any paratha.
6. Transfer the roti to the tava, and prick with a spoon at multiple places. Add a little oil in these holes.
7. Cook on low-medium flame till the rotis brown on either side.

Server with curd or dal.

Puri upma (Mandaal vaggarne, mandakki vaggarne)

In Kannada, Vaggarne = vagar, phodni, tadka etc. Substitute poha with mandaal (puri (as in bhel puri), mandakki), and you have this dish. There is one slight variation. It tastes best when you add a mixture of blended roasted gram with dry coconut (kopra0 that have been roasted and ground together.

1. Wash the puri (250 gms) in water, and remove all the dirt. Use a colander so as to not lose your puri in the process.
2. Soak the puri in water till it is wet enough. Gently press them in your palms to drain the excess water, and transfer to a dry container. Repeat till you are done.
3. Roast puthani (roasted bengal gram) and kopra in 1 tsp oil, and grind it to a coarse powder.
4. In a kadai, add 1-2 tbsp oil.
5. Add mustard seeds and wait till they stop spluttering. Lower the flame.
6. Add 1 tsp of urad dal, 1 tsp of channa dal, and roast till golden brown.
7. Add hing, turmeric, and groundnuts and roast till groundnuts are properly roasted.
8. Add onions, green chillies and fry them. DO NOT wait till they are golden brown. They should be lightly cooked till their raw smell disappears.
9. Add the puri, roasted gram powder, salt, and mix well. Cover and cook for around 3 minutes on low flame.
10. Garnish with coriander and lemon juice.

Daali tai (Marathi dal)

1. Cook the toor daal in a pressure cooker with 1/2 tsp turmeric, drain excess water, and mash well. Add the drained water back into the dal.
2. In a kadai (wok), heat around a tablespoon of oil. This is a very healthy dish. You will not need too much oil for this one.
3. Add mustard seeds and zeera (1tsp each). Wait for them to stop spluttering.
4. Add hing and methi and wait for the methi seeds to turn a darker shade
5. Add curry leaves and green chillies (5-10), and stir for 10 seconds
6. Add tomatoes and cook till the tomatoes are done
7. Add the dal along with the water, and cook on low flame for 10 minutes
8. After it is done, garnish with coriander leaves, and add 1 tsp of lemon juice. Mix well.
9. (Optional) Add fresh grated coconut.

Daali tai is eaten along with rice. It isn't a great combination for rotis because it is pretty dilute, and doesn't make a great accompaniment either.

Sindhi Dal

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups yellow lentils (Tur dal), cleaned, washed and drained
• 4 tablespoons oil 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi)
• 1 teaspoon cumin seed 15 fresh curry leaves, washed and torn
• 3 inches fresh ginger, peeled, washed and finely chopped
• 2 pinches asafetida powder (commonly called 'hing' in Hindi)
• 2 medium green chilies, washed and chopped
• 2 medium fresh tomatoes, washed, peeled and chopped
• 2/3 cup tamarind pulp
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
• 2 teaspoons turmeric powder 4 teaspoons salt
• Water

Procedure

1. Pressure cook the lentils (toor dal) in a pressure cooker alongwith 6 cups of water until the lentils are tender.
2. Heat oil in a pot on medium-high flame.
3. Once its hot, add mustard seeds, methi seeds and cumin seeds. Allow to splutter and crackle. Once they stop doing so, add in the curry leaves and ginger. Stir-fry for 5 minutes until the raw smell of ginger is gone.
4. Add asafoetida powder and continue to stir-fry for another 5-7 minutes.
5. Toss in the green chillies, mix well and continue to stir-fry for another 2-3 minutes.
6. Then add in the tomatoes and 1/4 cup of water to cook the tomatoes.
7. Mix well and cook on high flame until the tomatoes are softened.
8. Add salt, red chilli powder and turmeric powder. Mix well.
9. Measure out 2/3 cup of tamarind water in a cup and add this tamarind water to the tomato mixture. Mix well and allow it to cook on medium-high flame for 5 minutes.
10. In the meantime, open the pressure cooker (by this time the lentils will be tender and the whistle would have blown), drain the water, and with the help of a beater/mashing tool (we use what we call a'mandira' in Hindi. This is a long wooden spoon with a round base that we use for mashing lentils, bananas, etc), in round circular motions, mash the lentils completely, until they mix with the water in which they were being cooked.
11. Now add 5 cups of water alongwith the lentil and water mixture that was used to cook the lentils. Add the tamarind-tomato mixture, mixing gracefully, till it comes to a boil.
12. Lower flame and cook for 10 more minutes on a simmer. Remove from flame and serve immediately with cooked long-grain white Basmati rice.

Zafrani (Saffron) pulao

This is again from the nawabi kitchens of hyderabad.

1. Warm roast saffron and dissolve in lukewarm milk
2. Soak basmati rice for half an hour.
3. In a pan, add oil, and add the dry spices (Jeera, Bay leaf, dalchini, laung, elaichi)
4. Add cashewnuts and raisins
5. As soon as the cashewnuts turn a shade of brown, add onions and ginger garlic paste
6. Add dhania and pudina after the onions are golden brown
7. Add biriyani masala or dhania powder
8. Add salt
9. Add water (1 3/4 cup of water) and cook till 3/4 done
10. Add fried onions and butter (Optional)
11. Add pomegranate seeds (optional)
12. Add the saffron mixture
13. Cook till the rice is done

Mirchi Ka Salan (Hyderabadi recipe)

This dish has quite a few ingredients - pretty much all spices used in Indian cooking. I will just run you through the recipe without listing the ingredients. Mirch ka salan goes very well with biryani and pulao.

1. Roast groundnuts and sesame seeds in a little oil. Add dry coconut powder, and blend all the ingredients using some water.
2. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pan. Add masala patta (bay leaf), dalchini, cloves, and cardamom
3. Add mustard seeds
4. When the mustard seeds stop splutttering, add red chillies, hing, turmeric, fenugreek seeds, and kadi patta
5. Add onions and ginger garlic paste and fry till golden brown
6. Add water, yoghurt, and mix well
7. Add a little tamarind paste, salt, red chilli powder, and sugar
8. Add the peanut-sesame-coconut paste
9. Take long green chillies, split them in the middle, and add them to the gravy
10. Simmer on low flame for 15 min.

Pongal

Ingredients
1 cup rice
1 cup moong dal
Water - 5-51/2 cups
Ghee - 4-5 tbsp
Kadi patta (curry leaves) - 10 leaves
Pepper pods - 5-6
Pepper powder - to taste
Salt - To taste
Procedure

1. Cook the dal and rice in the pressure cooker for 4 whistles
2. After the pressure cooker cools, remove lid, and mix in the salt and pepper
3. In a vessel heat 4 tbsp of Ghee. Add cashewnuts, and fry till golden brown. Add the pepper pods, and curry leaves
4. Add the seasoning made in Ghee to the rice, and mix well

Groundnut powder

Ingredients
Roasted and peeled groundnuts - 1/4 kilo
Red chillies - to taste (depending on the variety) I use Kashmiri mirch 14 nos
Copra - 1/4 cup
10-15 leaves kadi patta fried in a little oil
Garlic - 4 cloves
Salt - to taste
Sugar - to taste

Procedure

Blend all the ingredients to a coarse powder in a mixer

Curry leaf (karbevu, karbevina) powder

Ingredients:

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Jeera (cumin) seeds - 1 tsp
Hing (Asafetida) - 1 pinch (1/4 tsp). Replace with three cloves garlic if you want to
Fenugreek (methi seeds) - 1/4 tsp
Chana dal - 1 tbsp
Roasted gram (chana) - 1 tbsp
Curry leaves - 2 cups. Dry leaves in the sun for faster cooking
Red chillies - 6 (or to taste). Depends on the variety of chilli
Salt- to taste
Oil - 1 tbsp

Procedure
1. Heat oil in a kadai.
2. Add mustard seeds. After they stop spluttering, reduce the flame to low.
3. Add Jeera, fenugreek seeds, Hing and roast for 30 seconds
4. Add chillies, Chana dal and roasted gram. Roast till dal is golden brown.
5. Add the leaves and stir for about two minutes or until you feel that they are dry.
6. Add salt

Blend to a coarse texture in a blender.

Aloo achari recipe (Kashmiri)

One of my favorite recipes. This is supposed to be a Kashmiri recipe, although I am not very sure of its origins.
The dish takes around an hour to make if you have to start from scratch.

• Potatoes (2 big, or half kg baby potatoes): If you have big ones, slice them into one inch strips as you see in potato wedges. If you have small, baby, potatoes, peel them. The peeling is optional. Cook the potatoes in a pressure cooker for three whistles. Deep fry the cooked potatoes till they are golden brown. Keep aside.
• Masala: Coarsely grind the following together: Red chilli (to taste), Mustard seeds (1/2 tsp), Fennel (1 tsp), Fenugreek/methi seeds (5-6 grains), Kasuri methi (1 tsp), coriander seeds (1-2 tsp)
• Vegetables: Cut onions and garlic very fine. Grate 1" ginger. Puree 2 tomatoes in a blender (grinder).
• Other spices: Cumin/Jeera (1 tsp), Kalonji/Onion seeds (1 tsp) - optional
• Water - 2 cups
• Salt- To taste

Preparation:

1. Heat oil in a kadai till smoking hot, and lower the flame
2. Add zeera and kalonji
3. When zeera stops spluttering, add the masala and fry for around a minute
4. Raise the flame, and add onions
5. Fry onions till golden brown, and add ginger and garlic
6. Saute on high flame for around 30 seconds
7. Add tomato puree
8. Cook till the tomato paste separates from the oil
9. Add potatoes, water, and salt
10. Cover, and simmer for ten minutes
11. If you like your curry slightly thicker, make a paste of 1 tablespoon bean (chickpea flour) and add it to the curry before you let it simmer

Goes well with both rotis and rice.

Ratatouille - French vegetarian recipe

This dish is very simple to make provided you have the right ingredients. Ratatouille can be eaten with rice, pasta, or rotis (bread).

Ingredients

• Brinjal (aubergine, eggplant) - 2 numbers, sliced into thin circles
• Capsicum (1 yellow, 1 green) - Sliced horizontally into strips
• Zucchini (2) - Sliced horizontally into circular strips
• Onions - 1 big, sliced fine
• Garlic - 4 pods crushed
• Tomato paste (puree) - equivalent to 3 to 4 tomatoes
• Olive oil
• Herb mixture (Basil, rosemary, thyme, parsley) - Fresh/dried
• Salt

Procedure

1. Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a flat bottomed pan.
2. When the oil is hot, add onions, and stir fry for a minute on medium flame
3. Add garlic paste and tomato puree, and cook for about a minute.
4. Add the eggplant slices, and cook for ten minutes
5. Add the other vegetables, herbs, and salt
6. Add around half a cup of water
7. Cook for 20 minutes on a low flame, mixing intermittently. Add water if the mixture dries up.
8. Add 1 tbsp olive oil and mix

Sundal (Boiled and seasoned chickpeas) - South indian recipe

This dish is best served as a snack along with tea/coffee.

Ingredients

• Bengal gram (Kabuli Chenna) (Chick pea) 250 grams
• Mustard - 1 tea spoon
• Coconut scraping - 1 cup
• Black gram dal - 1 tea spoon
• Green chillies - To taste
• Asafoetida powder (Hing) - pinch
• Salt to taste
• Curry leaves

Procedure

1. Soak the chickpeas overnight.
2. In a pressure cooker, cook the chickpeas for 7 whistles, or until done
3. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a wok (kadai)
4. Add mustard seeds
5. After the seeds stop spluttering, add black gram, and wait till it turns a shade of brown
6. Add asafetida. You can substitute this with 1/2 tsp of garlic paste
7. Add the green chillies and curry leaves
8. Add salt
9. Add coconut scrapings. You can substitute this with coconut powder (but it is not really the same thing)

Mix well, and remove from fire. Serve hot.

Cabbage muthia (Gujrati snack)

I am not a big cabbage fan, and this is one of the few cabbage dishes that I really like. The seasoning is optional. If you are on a diet, skip the seasoning.

Ingredients

• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon citric acid /1 tsp lemon juice
• 4 cups very fine shredded cabbage
• 1 cup gram flour (besan)
• 2 tablespoons whole-wheat flour
• 2 tablespoons chopped fenugreek leaves (can be substitute with 2 tablespoons of dry fenugreek leaves or kastoori mathi)
• 2 chopped green chili (adjust to taste)
• 1 teaspoon cumin seed (jeera)
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
• 2 tablespoons oil

Procedure

• Combine gram flour, whole-wheat flour, fenugreek, cumin seed, turmeric, green chili, sugar, citric acid, oil, and salt in a bowl.
• Add the cabbage to the flour mixture and mix well. Mixture should be like a very soft dough.
• Divide the mixture with greased fingers into about 14 pieces and drop them on steamer slowly and steam them covered for 18 to 20 minutes. Check them if muthias are ready put a knife through and it should come out clean.
• Let the muthias cool off and then slice them in two pieces.
• For seasoning heat the oil in frying pan on medium high. Add mustard seeds after they crack add sesame seeds and red chili and stir-fry for few seconds.
• Add muthias and stir-fry them for three to four minutes until they are light brown.
• Garnish them with chopped cilantro.
  

Laukee / Lauki ki sabzi

I don't know too many people who live Lauki (doodhi/bottle gourd), and just in case you are one, try this recipe out. For starters, you might want to add aloo (potatoes) to be on the safer side.

I learnt this recipe from a friend of mine from Uttar Pradesh. However, I am not sure if this is something exclusive to that state.

Ingredients

• 1/2 medium sized laukee. Peel the skin, and cut into small chunks
• 3 tomatoes pureed. If you are too lazy, just blend the tomatoes in a mixer.
• 2 onions (medium sized)
• Ginger garlic paste
• Coriander
• Cumin seeds (Jeera)
• Turmeric
• Coriander Powder
• Cumin (Jeera) Powder
• Red chilli powder
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp Sugar

Procedure

1. Heat oil in a pressure cooker
2. Add jeera.
3. When jeera stops spluttering, add onions and ginger garlic paste
4. Fry the onions till golden brown
5. Add turmeric
6. Add the tomato paste, and cook till the tomato paste separates from the oil
7. Add laukee pieces
8. Add a cup of water, salt, red chilli powder, sugar
9. Mix, and close the lid of pressure cooker
10. Add the stopper to the lid
11. Cook for around three whistles
12. After the pressure cooker cools, remove lid, and taste the sauce. Adjust ingredients accordingly.

Aloo poshto, posto (Bengali dish)

Aloo posto (poshto) is a bengali dish. It has a very subtle flavor, and if you are looking for something real spicy, this dish will not suit your requirements. On a day when you feel like eating a filling, uncomplicated dish, try out Aloo Poshto. You can eat it with rice/rotis. I am sure the Bengalis eat it with rice, but I prefer rotis.

Ingredients

• 5-6 medium sized Potato (1 inch cubes)
• 4 tbsps Poppy seeds (khus khus)
• 5-6 broken cashewnuts
• 2 tbsps Mustard oil 1/2 tsp. Use any vegetable oil if you don't have mustard oil. However, the authentic flavor of this dish comes from Mustard oil.
• Onion seeds (kalonji) - Optional
• Salt to taste
• 2 Green chilli (slit)

Procedure

1. Soak poppy seeds in one-cup warm water for fifteen to twenty minutes. Drain and grind to a smooth paste.
2. Heat mustard oil in a pan till it just reaches smoking point. Remove, cool and heat the oil again on medium heat.
3. Add cashewnuts and onion seeds (kalonji) stir-fry briefly.
4. Add potato pieces and cook on medium heat for five minutes, stirring frequently.
5. Add poppy seeds paste. Stir and add half a cup of water.
6. Cover and cook on low heat till the potatoes are almost done.
7. Remove the lid, add salt, and slit green chillies. Continue to cook for a minute more or till potatoes are completely cooked.
8. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves

Dal pakwan recipe (Sindhi snack item)

Dal ingredients

• 250 gm chana dal(adjust the quantity of dal and other ingredients according to your requirement)
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 5-6 of curry leaves(karipatta)
• one small tomato(optional)
• 5 green chillies
• 3 cups water
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• 1-2 tspn oil

Pakwan (Ingredients)

• 3 cups All purpose flour (Maida)
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds/Ajwain (caraway)seeds
• 2-3 tspn oil
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp Red chilly powder
• Sufficient water to make a dough
• Oil for deep frying

Procedure for dal

• Wash dal and soak it for an hour
• Pour 1-2 tspn oil in a cooker and allow it to heat.
• Add cumin seeds, curry leaves and green chillies and fry for a couple of minutes.
• Add grated tomato(optional)and fry it till cooked
• Add dal, turmeric powder and salt
• Add little water and close the lid of cooker
• Wait for one whistle
• Open the lid,check the dal, it should be tender but not mushy
• While serving ,sprinkle mango powder(Amchoor), chilly powder, coriander leaves and tamarind chutney and/or coriander chutney,and chopped onions(optional)
• Serve hot with crisp pakwans

Procedure for Pakwan

• Sieve the flour
• Mix the flour with the cumin seeds/Ajwain, oil, salt and sufficient water and make a dough. Dough should not be too hard nor too soft
• Let the dough rest for 15 min. Later,divide the dough into small portions.
• Roll out a portion like a chapati
• Prick the surface with fork/ knife,so that it don’t puff out(don’t forget to do this)
• Heat the oil till smoking point ,Slide in the Pakwan and carefully fry it,on medium or low flame till it turns crisp and golden in color.
• Serve with hot dal

Procedure for the coriander chutney

Grind cut onions, dhania (coriander leaves), green chillies, salt, sugar, and ginger in a mixer.

Procedure for imli chutney

1. Boil Imli+water+jaggery till the raw smell of jaggery goes away
2. Add chat masala, kala namak, garam masala, and red chilli powder
3. Roast jeera powder and add

When serving mix the dal with coriander and imli chutney, and serve.

Gatte ki sabzi (Rajasthan)

• Mix besan (chickpea flour), salt, 1/2 tsp chilli powder, 1/2 tsp haldi, 1/2 tsp coriander powder, 1/2 tsp kasuri methi, 1/2 tsp garam masala and 1 tsp oil. Add lukewarm water to make a tough dough.
• Shape the dough in the form of a long cylinder around 4" diameter.
• Add water to a container, add the dough, and cook on a stove.
• When the dough rises to the top, remove it, and allow it to cool.
• Slice the dough into 1cm thick circles.
• Take 1 tsp chilli powder, 1/2 tsp haldi, 1/2 tsp coriander powder and 1/2 tsp garam masala in yogurt and mix well.
• Heat oil in a wok. Add cumin seeds, and hing. When the seeds splutter, then add curry leaves, the yogurt-spice mixture and stir well. Cook for 5-7 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water and mix well
• Cover the vessel and cook for around 5 mins on low flame.
• Garnish with coriander leaves.

Dhansak (Parsi recipe)

Dhansak is a very healthy Parsi recipe. It is essentially a non-vegetarian dish, but why should the veggies be denied their slice of heaven?
If you are traveling to Pune/Mumbai, you can get the masala from one of the Parsi shops, but if you are nowhere close, you can make the masala yourself. You cna store the masala for quite some time, and use it for other dishes too, if you like it.

Dhansak masala

Ingredients

You can leave the peppercorns and red chillies out if you prefer adding them directly to the veggies. If you have nutmeg/mace, you can add them too. Dry roast the ingredients below together, and powder them.

• 8 dry red chillies or to taste
• 2 flat tsp. cumin seeds
• 5 tsp. coriander seeds
• 2 tsp. black mustard seeds
• 2 medium bay leaves
• 6 tsp. fennel seeds
• 10 cm. or 4 inch cinnamon stick
• 24 black peppercorns
• 1/2 tsp. methi (fenugreek) seeds
• 3 green cardamom
• 8 cloves

Other Ingredients

Lentils

It doesn't matter if you do not have all the dals. Adjust the ratio accordingly

• 1/4th cup Toor dal
• 1/4th cup Moong dal
• 1/8th cup Urad dal
• 1/4th cup Masoor dal
• 1/4th cup Chana dal

Greens

• 1 medium sized bunch of spinach (palak)
• 1 small bunch of fenugreek leaves

Veggies

• 1 small brinjal/ aubergine: chopped and diced.
• Two inch square of red pumpkin
• 1 cup tomatoes with the seeds removed
• 1 large onion
• 3 inch square piece of fresh coconut ground finely.(If not available use one tablespoon of desiccated coconut or a small pack of coconut milk)
• 1small potato diced
• 1 carrot diced
• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste (optional)
• 1 tbsp tamarind paste / 1 tbsp vinegar

Procedure

• Soak the dals overnight. Pressure cook and mash to a fine paste
• Pressure cook the veggies and grind to a paste
• In a thick bottomed vessel, add 1 tbsp of oil, and heat the vessel
• When the oil is hot, add the dal
• Add ginger garlic paste and tamarind. Cook for 5 min
• Add greens and vegetables and continue cooking
• Add dhansak masala, 1 cup water, and salt to taste
• Simmer (cook in low flame) for at least 30 min. Stir occassionally, and add water to prevent the dish from getting burnt.

This dish is eaten with brown rice.

• Add 1 tbsp of ghee to the pressure cooker
• Add 1 tbsp of sugar and stir till golden brown
• Add 1 cup rice and 2 1/4 cups of water
• Cook for three whistles
• In a wok, heat ghee, and add 4-5 peppercorns, 1 stick dalchini (cinnamon), 3 cloves (laung), and 2 tez patta (bay leaves)
• Add the seasoning to the rice.

Sookhi aloo gobi

Ingredients

• 1 medium-large cauliflower (about 800 gm or 1.5 lbs), cut into 1″ size florets
• 2 medium-large potatatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-3/4″ dice
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon mild hing (asafoetida) - a pinch or two will do
• 3/4″ knob of ginger, grated
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 11/2 teaspoon coriander powder
• 3/4 teaspoon red chilli powder
• 1/3 teaspoon garam masalasalt
• 1 1/2 tablespoon oil (peanut or mustard)

Procedure

• Heat oil in a karahi.
• Add cumin followed by hing and grated ginger, and stir till fragrant.
• Add turmeric, coriander, and red chilli powders and stir.
• Lower heat and add the prepared cauliflower and potatoes.
• Add salt and stir to mix.
• Cover and cook for 15 minutes or to desired tenderness, stirring once in between.
• Sprinkle with garam masala, and stir.
• Cover and cook another 5 minutes till the vegetables are lightly browned.
• Take off the fire, and let rest covered. Toss to mix after a few minutes.
• Sprinkle with fresh chopped coriander and serve with a bowl of plain yoghurt with roti.

Dal Makhni

Dal makhni requires a lot of patience. If you are planning to make a quick dal, try another. This recipe (borrowed from youtube, and works very well) is Dal Bukhara, a better and more richer variant of Dal Makhni. Dal Makhni is ideal when you have guests for dinner, and you want to serve them something really special. The dal makes a perfect accompaniment to rotis/rice/pulao.
Ingredients
Lentils
Urad dal (1 cup)
Kidney beans/Rajma ( 1/4 cup)
Vegetables
Onion (2 large finely chopped)
Tomato puree (Boil three tomatoes in water, remove skin, and grind to a fine paste)
Ginger garlic paste (1 tbsp)
Coriander leaves (a small bunch cut fine)
Spices
Coriander powder (1 tsp)
Chilli powder (To taste)
Kasuri methi (1 tsp)
Garam masala (11/2 tsp)
Salt (to taste)

Butter: 200 gms
Cream: 100 gms

Procedure

• Soak the dal and rajma for six hours. Add the dal with the water, pressure cook till one whistle, lower the flame, and cook for half an hour. Do not discard the broth.
• Heat around 2 tsp oil in a flat bottomed vessel
• When oil starts smoking, add onions, and stir fry till golden brown
• Add ginger garlic paste, tomato puree, and cook for around 10 minutes on a low flame or till the oil separates from the mixture
• Add coriander powder, and red chilli powder
• Add the broth and cook on a low flame for 10 minutes. Add extra water if needed.
• Add the dal+rajma, butter, kasuri methi, and salt.
• Simmer for half an hour mixing intermittently.
• Remove from flame, and garnish with coriander and cream (optional)

Dhaas Karela (Sindhi recipe for Stuffed Karela)

The best Karela recipe, ever!

Ingredients

• Karela (Bitter Gourd) - 4 small
• Onion Large - 2 nos
• Tomatoes - 2 medium
• Ginger Garlic Paste - 3/4 tbsp
• Coriander leaves (finely cut) - 1/2 cup
• Oil - 4 tbsp
• Jeera - 1 tsp
• Hing (optional) - 1 pinch
• Coriander (dhania) powder - 1 tbsp
• Garam Masala - 1/4 tsp
• Red Chilli Powder - To taste
• Salt - To taste
• Amchur powder - 1 tbsp
• Besan - 1 tbsp
• Sugar - 1 tsp

Method

1. Peel the Karela’s,slit them in midlle and salt them for about 30 minutes. Rinse it with water.
2. Remove the insides of the karela.
3. Microwave the karela for 3-4 minutes
4. In a thick-bottomed pan, heat oil.
5. When oil is hot, add jeera. Add Hing.
6. Add onions, and fry till golden brown.
7. Add ginger garlic paste, and fry.
8. Add tomatoes and cook till tomatoes are completely done.
9. Add the scraped out karela insides and mix.
10. Add besan, and cook for a minute.
11. Add salt, coriander powder, garam masala powder, amchur powder, sugar, and red chilli powder. If you have fennel powder, go ahead.
12. Add coriander leaves, and mix.
13. Stuff the masala inside the karelas, and tie it with a cotton thread.
14. Smear the karelas with oil, and cook on a tava (adding oil if required). Shift the position of the karelas so that they are cooked on all sides.

Best served with rotis.

Rajma recipe

A lot of people have been asking me for the Rajma recipe. Here goes.

Ingredients

Vegetables
Rajma (1 cup)
Onions (2 small/1 big)
Tomatoes (2 small/1 big)
Ginger garlic paste (1 tsp)
Spices
Jeera (1 tsp)
Jeera powder (1 tsp)
Asafetida/Hing (1 pinch). This is optional.
Turmeric powder (1/2 tsp)
Coriander powder (1 tsp)
Rajma masala (1 tsp)
Garam masala (1 tsp)
Chilli powder ( to taste)
Salt (to taste)
Amchur powder (optional) - to taste
Kasuri methi (1 tsp)

Others
Butter - 1 tsp
Oil - 2 tbsp

Procedure

1. Wash and soak the Rajma in water overnight (6-8 hours)
2. Cook the Rajma in a pressure cooker. After the first whistle, lower the flame, and cook for around 30 minutes. Don't discard the water (broth).
3. Heat around 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok (Kadai)
4. Add 1tsp jeera (cumin seeds)
5. After the seeds stop spluttering, add a pinch of hing (asafetida). This is optional. Hing cuts down the gas that the beans generate.
6. Add finely chopped onions (2 small onions, or one big onion), ginger-garlic paste (1 tsp), and stir till the onions are golden brown in color.
7. Add finely chopped tomatoes, and mix well. The oil should separate from the tomatoes.
8. In a bowl, add a little water. To the water, add 1 tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp rajma powder, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tsp jeera powder, chilli powder (to taste), 1/2 tsp amchur powder (optional)
9. Add this mixture to the wok (kadai). The water prevents the masala from getting burnt.
10. Add rajma with the water (broth), and mix well.
11. Add salt to taste, and 1 tsp sugar (optional).
12. Add 1 tsp of butter.
13. Crush Kasuri methi (1 tsp) and add to the rajma.
14. Cover and cook on low for 15 minutes to let the masala cook well.
15. Taste the broth and adjust the salt/spice as required.
16. Remove from flame, and garnish with chopped coriander and garam masala