ALOO GOBHI !!!!!!!

This is a very popular side dish of Punjab. Goes well with rice/rotis.

INGREDIENTS :-

boiled potatoes, peeled & cut into large cubes - 1 1/2 cup
gobhi, cut into big florets - 1 1/2 cups
cumin seeds - 1 tsp
whole red dry chillies, broken into pieces - 4
chopped ginger - 1 tbl sp
chopped garlic - 1 tbl sp
chopped green chillies - 1 tsp
chopped tomatoes - 1/2 cup
turmeric pow - 1/4 tsp
red chilly pow - 1 tsp
garam masala - 1/2 tsp
hing - a pinch
lemon juice - 1 tbl sp
chopped coriander - 2 tbl sp
oil - 4 tbl sp
salt to taste

METHOD:-

1. Heat the oil in a pan & add the cumin seeds. When they crackle, add the dry red chillies, ginger, garlic & green chillies.
2. Add the gobhi & salt. Mix well & cook for a few mins till the gobhi florets get a slight brown colour.
3. Add the tomatoes,, turmeric pow, chilly pow, garam masala, hing & 1 cup of water. Cook for 10 mins till the veggies are tender.
4. Add the potatoes, lemon juice & coriander.
5. Mix well & cook till all the water dry up.
6. Serve hot with rice/rotis.

HAPPY COOKING :))))))

KHANDVI !!!!!

I adapted this recipe from SEEMA'S DINE DEVINE who is an ace cook & very good FB friend of mine.

INGREDIENTS:-

besan flour - 1 cup
curds - 1 1/2 cups
water - 2 cups
turmeric pow - 1/4 tsp
ginger-green chilly paste - 2tsp
oil for greasing
salt to taste 

For seasoning:-

mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
curry leaves - few

For garnishing:-

grated coconut
chopped coriander leaves

METHOD:- 

1. In a mixing bowl add besan flour+curds+water. Mix properly without any lumps. Add salt to taste+bit turmeric pow+ginger-green chilly paste. Mix thoroughly.
2. In a pan pour the mixture stir gently on a gas, once it starts boil, simmer the flame & keep stirring it for about 5 mins. ..when the batter leaves its sides turn off the gas.
3. Meanwhile grease the flat plate or clean kitchen slab with oil in which you are going to spread the batter.
4. Now spread the batter with the help of spoon, spread as thin as possible very quickly.
5. When batter is cooled, with the help of knife cut it lengthwise...turn it a bit, use your finger & roll it nicely as shown in pic...now khandvi rolls are ready.
6. For the seasoning, take a small pan, heat bit of oil, add some mustard seeds & few curry leaves, pour the tadka on khandvi rolls.
7. Garnish it with freshly grated coconut & some chopped corr. leaves.
8. Serve with mint chutney/pickle.

HAPPY COOKING :))))))

CELERY SOUP !!!!!!

INGREDIENTS:-

butter - 2 tbl sp
celery - 12-15 large stalks, sliced 1/2 inch thick crosswise(about 6 cups), leaves reserved for garnish
onion, coarsely chopped - 1 medium
potato, peeled & cut in 1/2 inch cubes - 1
fresh lemon juice - 1 to 2 tbl sp
salt to taste

METHOD:-

1. Heat butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add celery, onion & potato & season with salt.
3. Cook, stirring occasionally, until veggies begin to soften, 8-10 mins.
4. Add 6 cups of water to saucepan & bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat to medium & simmer until veggies are very tender, about 20 min.
6. Allow it to cool & puree it in mixer.
7. Return soup to pan. Stir in lemon juice & season with salt.
8. Serve garnished with celery leaves.

HAPPY COOKING :))))))))

BASIC KADAI GRAVY !!!!!!!!!!!

INGREDIENTS:-

coriander seeds - 1 tbl sp
whole dry red kashmiri chillies - 10
oil - 2 1/2 tbl sp
finely chopped garlic - 2 tbl sp
finely chopped green chillies - 1 tbl sp
finely chopped tomatoes - 2 1/2 cups
tomato puree - 1/4 cup
dried fenugreek leaves(kasuri methi) - 1 tsp
garam masala - 1 tsp
salt to taste

METHOD:-

1. Combine the red chillies & coriander seeds & dry roast on a hot tawa(griddle), for 30 secs.
2. Remove & keep aside to cool.
3. Blend in a mixer to a fine powder. Keep aside.
4. Heat the oil in a kadai, add the garlic & saute on a medium flame for a few secs.
5. Add the prepared pow & saute on a medium flame for a few secs.
6. Add the green chillies & saute on a medium flame for another 30 secs.
7. Add the tomatoes, mix well & cook on a medium flame for 10-12 mins or till the oil separates, while stirring occasionally.
8. Mash it a little using potato masher.
9. Add the tomato puree, dried fenugreek leaves, garam masala, salt & approx 2 tbl sp water. mix well & cook on a medium flame for 1 to 2 mins, Use as required.

Storage:-

1. Use this gravy on the same day to make recipes of your choice.
2. If you wish to store it in the deep-freezer for a few weeks, cool the gravy completely, pour in food-grade zip lock bags or airtight containers & store under refrigerated conditions.
3. While making the subzi using the stored gravy, thaw & use it as per the recipe.

HAPPY COOKING :))))))

VANILLA SPONGE CAKE !!!!!!!!

INGREDIENTS:-

eggs - 3
maida - 1 cup
corn flour - 1/2 cup
vanilla essence - 1 tsp
butter - 3/4 cup
powdered sugar - 1 cup
baking pow - 3/4 tsp
mitha soda - a pinch
(btw, i used only half a quantity of these proportions)

METHOD:-

1. Beat eggs very well using electric beater.
2. Now add butter+sugar+vanilla essence & again beat well.
3. Now add maida+mitha soda+cornflour+baking pow & mix well & beat well.
4. Now transfer this batter into a greased m/w safe bowl & m/w it for 5 mins. Let it stand for 5 mins in m/w.
5. Let it cool for 3 mins, then remove it to a serving platter.
6. Decorate it with chocolate glazing.

HAPPY COOKING :)))))

and here's an tip:-

Check the consistency of dough. It should be like dosa batter. If it is thick, add little milk(milk should be at room temp) & beat well. If the dough is too watery, add little maida & beat well.

PAV BHAJI !!!!!!!!

PAV BHAJI...a very quick & tasty recipe for evening snacks, parties, picnic & lunch box...if you don't have pav at home can use bread also as i did here.

INGREDIENTS:-

Potatoes- 175gms

Fresh/frozen green peas- 50 gms

Butter- 4 tbl sp + some more to roast pav/bread

Ginger-garlic paste- 1/2 tsp

Onion- 35 gm

Capsicum- 50gm

Tomatoes- 175gm

MTR pav bhaji masala- 2tsp

Red Chilly Powder - 1/4 tsp

chopped coriander leaves+ chopped onion+ lemon slices- for garnishing

Salt to taste

Pav/ bread - as required

METHOD:-

1. Smash, cook & peel potatoes.

2. Cook fresh/frozen green peas until tender & keep aside.

3. Melt 4 tbl sp of butter & saute ginger-garlic paste+chopped onion+chopped capsicum for 2-3 mins.

4. Now add chopped tomatoes & cook until soft.

5. Add MTR pav bhaji masala+rad chilly pow.

6. Add mashed potatoes+cooked green peas_salt to taste.

7. Add water to get desired consistency & simmer for 5 mins.

8. Garnish with chopped onions+chopped corr leaves+lemon slices while serving.

9. Serve it hot with roasted pav/bread.

HAPPY COOKING :))))))

CHEESE PARATA !!!!!!!

INGREDIENTS:-

2 cup whole wheat flour 

Water + lil oil + salt for kneading a dough

1 cup cheese, shredded( i used mozzarella)
1 tsp black pepper powder ( i added 1/2 tsp red chilly pow+ 1/2 tsp pepper pow)
Salt to taste
Chopped green coriander
3-4 tblsp oil( i used ghee)

METHOD:-

1.First knead a simple soft dough by adding water+lil oil_salt  to the flour.
2.Now make small equal balls of the dough
3.Roll each ball into a small round.
4.Mix the grated cheese+ salt+ pepper+coriander together and stuff a spoonful in the rounds.
5.Seal all the sides together and make small patties
6.Now roll these back again into sizable rounds keeping in mind that the cheese does not break the pastry and come out.
7.Heat the tawa and put one rolled round on it and make paratas.

8. Serve hot.

HAPPY COOKING :)))))))))))

LIMA BEANS/AVAREKALU CURRY !!!!!!!!!!!

INGREDIENTS:-

avarekaayi/lima beans - 500 gms

garam masala pow - 1 tsp

red chilly pow - 1 tsp

coriander pow - 1 tsp

cumin pow - 1 tsp

turmeric pow - 1/4 tsp

ginger-garlic paste - 1 tsp

green chillies - 6-7

onions, chopped - 2 medium

tomatoes - 2-3, medium

oil - 3-4 tbl sp

sugar - 1 tsp

salt to taste

chopped coriander leaves for garnishing

METHOD:-

1. First of all if you are using fresh field beans/lima beans cook them soft with enough water. If you are using dried ones, soak them overnight with a pinch of baking soda.

2. In the morning, wash the soaked beans thoroughly with water at least 3-4 times & pressure cook till soft.

3. Heat oil in kadai, add the ginger-garlic paste & fry well, it becomes brownish, then add the chopped onions & fry till brown.

4. Add the masala powders & fry it further few more mins.

5. Then add the chopped tomatoes, fry for further few more mins until it is well done.

6. Then add the cooked lima beans & the slit chillies+sugar+salt to taste, with enough water making it into a gravy consistency.

7. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

HAPPY COOKING :)))))))

MUSHROOM SUKHKHA ( AMCHI STYLE) !!!!!!!!

This recipe is given by my dearest & nearest cousin Laxmi Bhat who is an ace cook.

INGREDIENTS:-

Mushrooms - 2 pkt

long red chilly (byaadagi menasu) - 12

onion -1

tamarind - small (size of chana)

turmeric pow - 1/2 tsp

jeera - 1 tsp

methi seeds - 1/4 tsp

coriander seeds - 2 tsp

grated coconut (or desiccated coconut) - 3 tbl sp

garlic flakes - 6

salt to taste

coriander leaves for garnishing

oil 

METHOD:-

1. In a kadai, put lil oil. Fry methi seeds+red chillies & make a fine paste of it in a mixer (add tamarind while grinding these ingredients), And keep aside.

2. Finely chop onion. In a kadai, put lil oil & fry chopped onion until lil brown.

3. Add grounded paste to this & fry for a while.

4. Now add chopped mushrooms (chop mushrooms into half if they are small/chop them into 4 equal parts if they are big0 to the kadai & let them cook properly. ( if you want you can add 1/2 cup water too...actually not necessary). Keep stirring in between.

5. Make a course paste of grated coconut (if you are using dessicated coconut, no need to fry it otherwise fry it in lil ghee for a while)+garlic flakes+jeera. Add this paste to kadai once mushrooms cooked properly. Now add 1/2 tsp turmeric pow to this & mix it well.

6. Add salt according to your taste & again mix well. 

7. Garnish it with corr leaves.

HAPPY COOKING :)))))

EGG MASALA !!!!

Yummilicious egg curry...a must try one.

INGREDIENTS:-

Long Red chilly - 4+2
oil - 2 tsp
onion, chopped - 2
tomato, chopped - 2
coconut - 1 cup
pepper pow - 1/4 tsp
coriander pow - 3/4 tsp
egg, boiled - 4
garam masala pow - 1/4 tsp
salt
coriander leaves for garnishing 

METHOD:-

1. Grind coconut+coriander pow + pepper pow+red chilly pow+garam masala pow and make a paste.
2. Keep pan on the stove & pour oil.
3. Put 2 red chillies ( cut into 3 pieces each) to hot oil.
4. Now fry chopped onion till brown.
5. Next fry chopped tomatoes, cook till soft. 
6. Put coconut & masala paste to pan & add salt.
7. Now put boiled eggs & lil water close the lid & cook for a minute. Don't forget to stir carefully.
8. Last add chopped coriander leaves.
(Draw small cuts on egg with a sharp knife, taking care not to break eggs).

HAPPY COOKING :))))))