Bandha Kobi Muga dali tarkari ( cabbage-moong dal curry )

Preparation time: 15-20 mins

Ingredients: Cabbage ( 1 no., medium sized ), muga dali/moong dal ( 1/2 cup ), ginger ( 1/2 inch, juliennes ), cinnamon powder ( 1/4 tsp ), coriander powder ( 1 tsp ), red chilli powder ( 1 tsp ), ghee/oil ( 2 tsp ), turmeric ( 1/4 tsp), salt to taste.

Preparation: Chop the cabbage into small pieces.

Dry roast the muga dali till it gives off a faint smell.

Cooking: Transfer the muga dali along with 1 cup water, salt and turmeric into a pressure cooker and cook for 1 whistle.

Heat the oil in a wok. Add the turmeric and red chilli powder masalas followed by the ginger juliennes and fry for 1 minute. Add the chopped cabbage and fry for sometime till it starts releasing water. Add the cooked muga dali at this stage and mix well.

Transfer the wok contents into a presure cooker and cook on medium flame for 1 whistle. Remove and serve hot with rice/rotis.

Note: This recipe can be had on Osa bara/ Vrats as it does not contain onion and garlic. For added flavour garnish with freshly grated coconut and coriander leaves before serving.

Chicken Meatballs Gravy ( tandoori meatballs in butter chicken gravy )

Preparation time - 30-40 mins

Ingredients:
For meatballs - minced chicken ( 1 cup ), chopped onion ( 1/3 cup ), garlic flakes ( 5-6 nos ), chopped coriander leaves ( 1 tbs ), fresh bread crumbs ( 1/3 cup ), egg ( 1 no ), tandoori chicken masala ( 2 pinch ), green chilli ( 1 no. ), salt to taste, oil for deep frying.

For butter chicken gravy - chopped onion ( 1 large ), ginger ( 1 inch ), garlic flakes ( 6-7 nos ), tomato ( 1 no ), cinnamon stick ( 1 inch long ), cloves ( 2-3 nos ), cardamon ( 1-2 nos ), red chilli powder ( 1/2 tsp ), turmeric ( 1/4 tsp), coriander powder (1/4 tsp), cumin powder ( 1/4 tsp), garam masala ( 1/5 tsp ), butter ( 2 tbs ), almonds ( 6-7 nos), fresh cream ( 1 tbs), tomato ketchup ( 1-2 tsp), salt to taste.

Preparation - Take all the ingredients( except for oil) for the meatballs in a food processor and blend into a smooth paste ( no need to add water ). Rub some oil onto the palms of your hands and shape the paste into lemon sized balls.

Soak the almonds for 4-5 hours. Remove the skin.

Cooking: Heat sufficient oil in a wok for deep frying. Add the meatballs a few at a time. Fry uniformly on all sides till brown. Remove from wok and put on a paper towel to absorb excess oil. Repeat for the remaining meatballs.Keep aside.

Heat 1 tbs of butter in another wok. Add the chopped onion, ginger and garlic. Fry till onion turns translucent. Add the whole garam masalas and tomatoes. Stir fry till tomatoes soften a bit. Remove from wok and allow to cool down.

Transfer into a food processor along with the almonds and grind into a smooth paste.

Heat the remaining butter in the wok. Add the above paste and fry for 2-3 minutes. Add all the powdered masalas along with salt and cook for 2 minutes.

Add 1 1/2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Put the meatballs into the wok and cover with a lid. Let it simmer for 5-6 minutes.

Add the fresh cream and ketchup, mix well and switch off the flame. ( Add an extra dollop of butter if desired )

Garnish with onion rings and lemon. Serve hot.

zucchini raita ( zucchini yogurt salad )

Preparation Time: 10 mins

Ingredients: zucchini ( 1 no), curd/yogurt ( 1 cup ), green chilli ( 1 no ), mint ( 5-6 leaves), salt to taste, 1 tsp oil for frying the zucchini.

Preparation: Take the curd in a mixing bowl and beat it till smooth.
Chop the zucchini into small pieces.

Cooking: Heat the oil in a wok. Add the zucchini and stir fry for 3 minutes. Remove and allow to cool down.
Transfer the zucchini, green chilli and mint leaves into a food processor and grind into a coarse paste. Remove and add it to the mixing bowl containing the curd.
Add salt to the above and mix well.

Serve chilled.

( Unable to post the pics due to browser problem )

Bhendi (Dahi) kanji (Bhindi kadhi)

A super light and easy to prepare dish for those days when one is feeling lazy or the stomach cries out for some rest. This one does not compromise on taste though !! Best when prepared with day old curd, the original recipe (my Mom's) does not call for the use of a thickening agent like besan. Rather it is something I added to give some texture and more taste to the gravy.

It goes very well with plain white rice and maybe some papad to go with it !!  I prefer to have it with rotis too though few folks do not like the kadhi-roti combination. Read on for the recipe -

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Chopped okra/bhindi 
• 100 ml curd
• 1 1/2 tsp besan/gramflour
• 1-2 dry red chilli 
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 2 garlic cloves 
• 2 pinch asafoetida/hing ( 2 pinch )
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds 
• 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
• salt to taste
• 2 pinch turmeric 
• 3 tsp oil

Preparation: Mix the curd with the besan in a bowl. Add about 3 cups of water and salt to taste. Mix well.

Cooking: Heat 2 tsp oil in a wok. Add the okra along with salt and turmeric. Fry till the okra is just cooked and still a little crunchy.

Lower the flame and sprinkle a few drops of water to cool the wok. Now add the besan-curd mixture slowly and stir continuously for 3-4 minutes. Increase the flame amd bring to a boil.

Heat the remaining oil in another pan. Add broken red chilli, fenugreek seeds and mustard seeds followed by the crushed garlic flakes.

Once the seeds start to splutter, add the asafoetida and curry leaves and remove from flame.

Pour the tempering mixture over the contents of the wok. Switch off the flame and cover with a lid to retain the aroma.

Serve hot/cold with white rice.

zucchini shrimp stir fry/salad

Preparation time: 10 mins

Ingredients: zucchini ( 1 no.), dried shrimp ( 1/2 cup ), garlic flakes ( 3-4 nos, finely chopped), chilli flakes ( 1/3 tsp or as per taste ), turmeric ( 1 pinch ), salt ( to taste ), cooking oil ( 2 tsp ).

Preparation: Wash and soak the shrimp for 2 hours. chop the zucchini into small pieces.

Cooking: Heat oil in a wok. Toss in the shrimp and fry for 3-4 minutes.

Add the zucchini, salt and turmeric, and fry for 1-2 mins. The zucchini should retain their crunchiness and not start to wilt.

Sprinkle the chilli flakes and garlic, mix well and remove from the wok.

Serve as a side dish.( Instead of using dried shrimp, use fresh ones and serve the dish as cold salad.)

Things to stock up for a quick meal

Tired of having Maggie or the Ready to eat stuff every other night. Craving for the comfort and satisfaction of a home-made meal but not finding time to prepare one from scratch everyday.

These are tried and tested tips for those who are constantly battling deadlines(AKA my life before my son was born) and for those harried moms of infants/toddlers who always find themselves running short on time (AKA my life as it is now).

For a hearty meal in a jiffy look no further than our mecca, or the refrigerator as we call it. Some strategic planning and preparation done in advance during the weekend will ensure that you sail through the weekdays without succumbing to the devil in disguise( READ 'Delivery boy' ). Not that i have a thing against those godsend messengers who feed hungry folks, its the 'unplanned calories' that i can do without.

Things i cannot do without:
1. Cooked rice (stays fresh upto 5 days)- Cuts down on your cooking time by 15 mins. Throw in a few ingredients and voila, you have a quick tomato rice/chicken fried rice/egg fried rice/vegetable pulao at hand.

2. Tomato gravy ( Stays fresh for 4-5 days ) - Made by frying and pureeing onions, ginger, garlic, cinnamon, cardamom, red chillis and tomato. If you want a richer version add some cashew / watermelon seeds. This is the staple gravy for most dishes. Boil a little water, add some of this gravy and throw in some fried veggies/paneer/boiled egg/chicken, and you have a side dish ready in 5-10 minutes.

3. Spinach gravy (stays fresh for 1 week) - Made with blanched spinach, garlic, ginger and green chilli, this can be used with almost anything like chicken, cauliflower, paneer, peas and even pasta.

4. Chopped vegetables ( carrots, cauliflower, bell peppers, okra ) - If nothing else, it saves a few minutes.

5. Grilled chicken (Stays fresh for 3-4 days)- This is one of the most versatile non-veg dishes. One can rub some butter on it, sprinkle a few herbs , wrap in a foil an pop into the micro/oven for 2-3 mins. It is as good as fresh.
Fry some onions and combine with the gravy mentioned in either 2. or 3. and you have a butter chicken/palak chicken at hand. Shred some and throw in a wok with cooked rice, garlic, chillies and soy sauce, and you have a fried rice at hand.

6. Boiled yellow peas/ green peas ( stays fresh for 6 days )- from a quick chaat, ghuguni to a handful added to any curry, one can find many uses for it.

7. Boiled potatoes ( stays fresh for 3-4 days in their jackets )- Jeera aloo, chatpati aloo, aloo palak, aloo chaat, aloo parantha and the list goes on and on.

8. Eggs/Paneer or Chenna ( variable, check date mentione on carton)- From a quick bhurji, omlette to egg parantha, eggsmake for a wholesome and tasty adition to any meal. Similarly, paneer or chenna can be made into a bhurji, parantha or combined with gravy mentioned in 2. or 3. for a side dish.

9. Condensed milk/milk powder - This is for those with a sweet tooth. Cuts down on the cooking time for kheer ( rice/semolina/vermicelli) and gajar ka halwa.

 

Suji Nadia Ladoo ( Semolina coconut ladoos )

Preparation time: 30 mins

Ingredients: 1 medium sized coconut ( grated ), 1 1/2 cups bombay rawa/suji, ghee ( 2-3 tbs ), sugar ( 1 1/4 cup ), water ( 1 cup ), cardamom powder ( 1/5 tsp ), dry fruits ( 1/3 cup, optional ).

Cooking: Heat 1 tbs ghee on a pan. Add the suji and roast for 3-4 minutes on medium heat. Remove from pan when it reaches a light brown colour ( khova colour ).
Add another tbs of ghee to the pan. Now add the grated coconut and roast for 3-4 minutes on medium heat. Remove from pan and keep aside.

Dissolve the sugar in the water and bring to boil in a wok. Let it boil till the sugar reaches a stringy consistency. ( Test this by taking a little of the liquid, cool it to a tolerable temperature and keep a drop of it between the thumb and forefinger. When you try to separate the fingers, a fine thread of the liquid appears )

Add the cardamom powder and coconut to the sugar syrup. Reduce the flame and mix it for 2 mins. Now add the suji in small batches and stir rigourously to mix all the ingredients. Remove from the flame once the mixture thickens enough to form balls/laddoos ( ideally its better to do it a little before it becomes this thick so the mixture further solidifies on cooling ) .

Keep aside till the temperature drops a few notches and it becomes tolerable to work with your fingers.

Spread a nice amount of ghee on your palm and fingers. Take a little amount of the mixture and gently shape into laddoo.

Spread a little ghee on your hands after every 2-3 laddoos as it prevents the mixture from sticking to your fingers. Makes 20 medium sized laddoos.

Store in a airtight container when completely cool. Keeps fresh for 1 week.

Note: Adding more ghee while roasting the semolina adds to the flavour.

Palak mattar ( yellow peas in spinach gravy )

Preparation time - 15-20 mins

Ingredients - 1/2 cup yellow peas, 1 cup chopped spinach ( palak, use only the tender leaves with stems chopped off ), 1 large sized onion, 1 tsp ginger garlic paste, 1 green chilli, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/3 tsp chilli powder, 1/3 tsp garam masala (optional), 2 tsp oil, pinch of turmeric, salt to taste.

Preparation: Bring water to boil in a pan. Add spinach to it for 3 mins. Drain off and fill with cold water.
Drain and squeeze out excess water from spinach. Also kown as blanching, this step retains the green color of spinach.
Chop the onions into small pieces.
Soak the yellow peas overnight. Wash and cook in a pressure cooker for 2 whistles. Allow the cooker to cool down and drain off the excess water.

Cooking:
Heat 1 tsp oil in a wok. Add cumin seeds and allow to splutter. Add 3/4th of the chopped onions and saute them for 2 mins. Put in the ginger garlic paste and fry till the raw smell is gone ( 2-3 mins ). Add the chilli powder, turmeric, half of the garam masala and blanched spinach. Cook for 3 mins.
Allow to cool down. Transfer to a grinder along with a green chilli and 3-4 tbs of water/vegetable stock. Make a smooth paste.
Heat the remaining oil in a wok. Add the rest of the chopped onion and fry till translucent. Add the spinach paste and boiled peas. Cook for 5 mins. Sprinkle the garam masala and remove from stove.
Serve as a side dish with rice/rotis.

Biri Poda Pitha ( Sweetened Rice cake from Odisha )

Ratha jatra or the Car festival is one of the most important and eagerly awaited festivals in the Odiya calendar. It marks the annual trip made by Lord Jagannath to his mausi's abode. It is being celebrated on 10th of July this year.

Among the famous offerings being made to the Lord during his visit the one that stands out most is the 'Poda pitha'. This slowly baked cake made by using firewood and an earthern hearth is an intrinsic part of many odiya folklores.

Not to be confused with the 'Raja poda pitha', this one  has it own unique flavour. While the 'poda' prepared during Raja has 'chaula chuna' or rice flour as its main ingredient, Lord Jagannath's favorite makes use of 'biri chaula pithau' or black lentil and rice batter. Enriched with many aromatic ingredients like desi ghee, crushed ginger, crushed peppercorns, cardamom powder, jaggery, freshly grated coconut and coconut slices, this 'desi' cake can easily give the imported variants a run for their money.

I have given a slight twist to this traditional recipe by substituting the freshly grated coconut with a roasted and slightly caramelized version. Also, adding a tiny bit of baking powder helps with the leavening ( as fermentation takes longer in the cool climate of Bangalore ).

Here's the recipe :

Ingredients:

• 1 cup skinless black lentil ( chopa chada biri )
• 2 cups rice  ( arua chaula )
• 3-4 tbsp sugar/Jaggery ( adjust as per requirement )
• a handful of dry fruits ( raisins and chopped cashews )
• 1/2 cup chenna ( ricotta cheese ) 'Optional'
• 1/2 cup grated coconut
• 1/2 cup thin coconut slices
• 3 tbsp ghee
• 1/3 cardamom powder
• 1 tsp coarsely ground peppercorn
• 1 1/2 inch ginger ( finely crushed )
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• salt to taste

Preparation: Soak the rice and lentil overnight. Wash and grind into a fine paste the next morning. Allow to ferment for 10-20 hours depending on the climate.

Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a frying pan. Add the grated coconut and roast on a low flame till it starts turning brown. Add 2 tsp sugar and cook till the sugar melts and coats the coconut evenly giving it a beautiful brown hue. Allow this mixture to cool down.

Mix the salt, remaining sugar/jaggery , dry fruits, cardamom powder, pepper, ginger, ghee, coconut slices and also the caramelized coconut into the batter. Finally add the baking powder and give it a good whisk. Let it stand for 5 mins before popping into the pre-heated oven.

Cooking: Preheat an oven to 180 degrees centigrade.

Take a good quality ovenproof dish which is about 2 inches deep. Grease the container with a good quantity of ghee.

Pour the batter into the baking dish.

Put in the oven and cook at 180 degrees for 30 mins. Then lower the temperature to about 150 degrees and bake for another 30 mins. Insert a toothpick to check if it comes out clean.

Remove from oven and let it cool down completely . Cut into pieces and serve with ghuguni and kheeri.

Have a great time enjoying the Poda pitha !!

Corn Khichdi ( makai khichdi )

Preparation time - 10-15 mins

Ingredients - Sweet corn kernals ( 1 cup ), milk ( 2/3 cup ), cumin seeds ( 1/5 tsp ), mustard seeds ( 1/5 tsp ), a pinch of asafoetida, pinch of turmeric, dry red chilli ( 1 no ), curry leaves ( 3-4 nos ), salt to taste, lemon juice ( 1/2 tsp ), a bit of butter, cooking oil ( 1/2 tsp ), coriander leaves for garnish.

Preparation - Take 2/3rd of the corn in a grinder cup and grind for 1-2 secs to get a coarse mix.

Cooking - Heat the oil in a pan. when it smokes, add red chilli, cumin and mustard seeds. once the seeds start spluttering, add curry leaves and asafoetida.

Add all the corn after a couple of seconds. Sprinkle salt and turmeric. Stir for a minute.

Pour in the milk and cover with a lid. Allow to cook for 6-7 mins till the corn is done.

Serve hot with a dash of lemon juice, a little butter and some freshly chopped coriander.

Hariyali Pasta ( Pasta with green sauce )

Preparation time - 15-20 mins

Ingredients - 1 cup paste, 1 cup chopped spinach ( palak, use only the tender leaves with stems chopped off ), 1 medium sized onion, 1 tsp ginger garlic paste, 1 green chilli, 2-3 garlic flakes, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/3 tsp chilli powder, 1/5 tsp garam masala (optional), 2-3 tsp tomato ketchup, 1 tsp oil, 1 small cube of butter, inch of turmeric, salt to taste.

Preparation: Bring water to boil in a pan. Add spinach to it for 3 mins. Drain off and fill with cold water.
Drain and squeeze out excess water from spinach. Also known as blanching, this step retains the green color of spinach.
Chop the onions into small pieces. Slit the garlic flakes along their length into thin slices.

Cooking:
For pasta - Heat sufficient water in a pan. When the bubbles start to come, add pasta and salt. Boil till the pasta is cooked yet firm. Drain all the water in a colander and give it a shake to prevent pasta from sticking to each other.

For the sauce - Heat oil in a wok. Add cumin seeds and allow to splutter. Add chopped onions and saute them for 2 mins. Put in the ginger garlic paste and fry till the raw smell is gone ( 2-3 mins ). Add the chilli powder, turmeric, garam masala and blanched spinach. Cook for 3 mins.
Allow to cool down. Transfer to a grinder along with a green chilli and 3-4 tbs of water/vegetable stock. Make a smooth paste.

Heat the butter in a wok so that it just melts. Throw in the garlic slices and stir them so that they give off their smell. Toss in the pasta and saute for 1-2 mins. Add the sauce along with the ketchup. Allow the sauce to coat all the pasta.

Garnish with chilli flakes or crumbled ricotta cheese if desired.Serve hot .


Note: Cook the pasta a few degrees softer when preparing for kids. Also reduce the chilli content and cut up the cooked pasta into bite size portions. Sending this to

Soya Bhurji

Preparation time: 15 mins

Ingredients: Soya chunks ( 1 cup ), onion ( 1 medium ), garlic pods ( 5-6 nos ), tomato puree ( 2-3 tsp ), cloves ( 2-3 nos ), green chilli ( 1 no ), chilli powder ( 1/3 tsp, optional ), garam masala ( 1/5 tsp ), salt to taste, turmeric ( a pinch ), oil ( 1-2 tbs ), chopped coriander for garnish.

Preparation: Wash and cook the soya chunks in a pressure cooker. Allow 1 whistle and then remove the cooker from the stove.
Once it cools down, squeeze all the water from the soya chunks. Repeat twice with fresh water.
Chop the soya chunks in a mixer for 3-4 mins into a rough mixture. DO NOT overdo it else the soya will turn into a smooth paste.
Roughly chop the onions and green chillis into small pieces. Crush the garlic pods into a paste using a mortar and pestle.

Cooking: Heat the oil in a pan. When it starts smoking, add the green chilli and cloves. Fry for 30 secs.
Add the onions and fry till it just starts turning golden. Add tomato puree and cook for 2-3 mins.
Add the soya along with salt, turmeric, chilli powder and garam masala. Cook the soya like an egg bhurji, spreading the
 mixture around the pan instead of heaping it in one place. Once the soya starts turning a little brown, it is done.
Garnish and serve hot with rice/chappati. Else use as an filling for paratha/sandwich.

Note: One can also use chopped tomatoes instead of puree.
This is an excellent and nutritious recipe for children. Reduce the amount of chilli and garam masala if preparing for children.