Lau ( Lauki ) Chopa Raee

Cooking Time Required: 15-20 mins
Cost of Preparation: 10-12 Rupees

Ingredients: Lau chopa/lauki peels, potato ( 1 no., medium ), mustard ( 2/3 tsp ), garlic ( 5-6 flakes ), mustard oil ( 1 tsp ), salt, turmeric, pancha phutana ( 1/6 tsp ), red chillis ( 2 nos ).

Preparation: Grind the mustard seeds and garlic flakes into a fine paste.

Cooking: Wash and cut the peels into very small pieces. Also cut the potato into very small pieces.


















































Heat the oil in a wok. Break the red chillis and add to the wok along with the pancha phutana. Add the peels and the potato pieces.

Stir fry for 2-3 mins. Add the mustard-garlic paste, crushed garlic flakes, turmeric, salt and 1 cup water.

Cover with a lid and allow to boil for 10 mins. Add more water if required.

Cook till the potato turns mashy and all the water evaporates.

Serve with rice/rotis.

Bottle Gourd

Lau ( Lauki ) Pitha

Cooking Time Required: 30-35 mins
Cost of preparation: 25-30 rupees

Ingredients: Rawa ( 2 cups ), lau/lauki/ridge gourd ( cut into large pieces, 2 cups ), freshly grated coconut ( 1 cup ), ghee ( 2 tbs ), sugar ( 1-2 tbs ), cardamon ( 2 nos ), salt ( 1/5 tsp ).

Preparation: Put the lau pieces in a pressure cooker. Cook for 1-2 whistles. Drain excess water if any. Grind to a fine paste.

Wash the rawa and drain excess water. Add the lau paste and the coconut ( cut into small pieces ). Also add sugar, salt, cardamon powder and ghee. Mix well.

Cooking: Grease a baking tray with ghee. Sprinkle some flour to prevent the pitha from sticking to the sides and bottom.

Pour the batter into the baking tray forming a 1-2 inch thick layer. Sprinkle ghee on top of the batter.

Pre heat the oven to 160 degrees. Place the baking tray and cook for 35-40 mins . Remove from oven and allow to cool down completely.

Cut into small squares and serve.

This pitha is very wobbly and sticky when hot. It becomes firm after cooling down.


Bottle Gourd

Kadali Bhanda Raee ( Banana flowers cooked in mustard paste )

Cooking Time Required: 15-20 mins


Ingredients:

• 1 no Kadali Bhanda/ banana flowers bunch
• 1 small potato
• 1 small tomato ( optional )
• 5-6 garlic flakes
• 2 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 green chilli
• 1 dry red chili
• 1 tsp mustard oil
• 1/5 tsp turmeric
• 2 tsp vegetable oil
• salt to taste

Preparation: Preparing the banana flowers is a time consuming and messy affair. It might just seem to be a daunting task for first timers.

Here is the list of steps that one needs to follow :

1. Rub a little bit of oil on your palms and fingers. This is to prevent blackening caused due to the sticky juice of the flowers.

2. Keep a bowl of water with salt and turmeric at hand.

3. Remove the outer hard dark pink/crimson-colored bracts. These are not edible.















4. Now remove the bunch of yellowish pink flowers just under the hard layers. Remove the thin long stamen (with a thick head) and a hard petal-like layer (tepal) from each flower. These two parts are not edible.

5. Cut up the flower into small pieces and immediately dunk it into the turmeric water. This prevents the flowers from darkening due to oxidation.

6. Repeat the process for each layer. After the first 5-6 layers, the flowers will be closed. Hold each bunch in one hand and rub your palm over the top part to open up the flowers. Now it will be easier to remove the stamen and the tepal.

7. The flowers will keep getting smaller in size. Once it reaches a length of 1.5 inch, one need not remove any of the parts. These can be chopped and added to turmeric water.

8. Boil the flowers along with the salt and turmeric water for about 3-4 mins. Drain and wash under running water to get rid of the bitterness. ( It is preferable to taste the flowers at this stage. If it still tastes too bitter for one's palate, it should be discarded ).


Cooking: Heat 3 tsp oil in a wok. Drain and squeeze the banana flowers and add to the wok. Stir fry for 5 mins. Remove from wok and transfer to a pressure cooker.

Cut the rest of the vegetables into small pieces and add to the pressure cooker.

Grind the dry red chili, mustard seeds, and half of the garlic flakes into a smooth paste. Add to the pressure cooker along with 1/4 cup of water.

Add the green chilies ( slit into 2 ), remaining garlic flakes, mustard oil, salt, and a pinch of turmeric.

Mix the contents of the pressure cooker and close the lid. Put on stove and allow to cook for 2 whistles.

Allow the steam to escape. Open the lid and check if there for excess water remaining. If so, put it back on the stove and cook on a high flame with the lid open to evaporate the water.

Serve with rice.

Note: This curry tastes best when cold and it is even better the next day. Most of the curries prepared with mustard and garlic taste best when served cold.

Khira santula

Cooking Time Required: 15-20 mins
Cost of preparation: 40-50 rupees

Ingredients: Raw papaya pieces ( 2 cups), pumpkin pieces ( 1 cup ), lau/lauki pieces( 2 cups ), janhi ( ridge gourd, 1 cup ), potato pieces( 1 cup ), red chillis ( 2-3 nos), onion ( 1 small), pancha phutana ( 1/2 tsp ), turmeric, salt, khira/milk ( 1/2 cup ), jeera-lanka (cumin-chilli ) powder ( 1/5 tsp ), oil ( 1 tsp ).

Preparation: Cut the onion in small pieces .

Cooking: Heat a wok .Add 1 cup of water along with the vegetables, turmeric and salt. Close the lid and cook till all the vegetables soften.

Add the milk and cook for 2 mins.

Heat the oil in a pan. Add the pancha phutana and red chillis. When the seeds start spluttering, add the onion pieces. Fry till the onion turns translucent.

Pour over the boiled vegetables. Sprinkle cumin chilli powder. Mix well.
Remove from fire after 30 secs.

Delicious and healthy santula is ready to eat. Serve with rotis.


Note: One can also add vegetables like sweet potato/ brinjal/ parwal/raw banana according to ones taste. Using ghee instead of oil adds a lovely aroma to the santula. On osa bara or vrat days this recipe is made without adding the onions.

The milk maybe skipped if one is lactose intolerant.

Spicy Chicken Jholo ( with herbs )

Cooking Time Required: 15-20 mins
Cost of Preparation: 60-70 rupees


Ingredients: Chicken ( 350 gm ), potato ( 1 medium sized ), maggie bhuna masala ( 2 tbs ), mint paste ( 1 tsp ), coriander paste ( 1 tsp ), methi paste ( 1 tsp ), kasuri methi ( 1 tsp ), tomato puree ( 2 tbs ), sour curd ( 1 tsp ), cumin powder ( 1/2 tsp ), coriander powder ( 1/2 tsp ), whole red chillis ( 4-5 nos ), chilli powder ( 1/2 tsp ), turmeric powder ( 1/3 tsp), salt, oil ( 4 tsp ).



Preparation: Soak the kasuri methi with 2-3 tsp warm water for 5 mins.



Marinate the chicken with mint paste, coriander paste, fenugreek paste, sour curd, tomato puree, turmeric and salt. Add the soaked kasuri methi to the marinate. Mix well and allow to stand for 2 hours.



Cooking: Heat the oil in a wok. Peel and cut the potato into small cubes. Add to the wok and stir fry for 4-5 mins. Remove and keep aside.



Add a pinch of turmeric and whole red chillis to the wok. When the chillis darken, add the bhuna masala. Stir for a minute.



Add the marinated chicken pieces with the chilli powder, coriander powder and cumin powder. Stir fry for 2-3 mins on a high flame.



Add 3 cups of warm water along with the potato pieces and salt. Bring to a boil. Close the lid and allow to simmer on low flame.



Cook for the 10 mins or till the chicken softens.



Serve hot with rice/rotis.



Note: Each paste is prepared from ground fresh leaves.

Matar Paneer ( with Maggie Bhuna Masala )

Cooking Time Required: 20-25 mins
Cost of preparation: 70-80 rupees

Ingredients: Panner ( 200 gm ), green peas ( 2 cups ), Maggie bhuna masala ( 3 tbs ),
boiled potatao ( 1 no ), whole red chilli ( 2 nos ), cinnamon ( 1/2 inch ), bay leaf ( 1 no ), cardamon ( 2 nos ), red chilli powder ( 1/3 tsp ),cloves ( 2 nos ), cumin seeds ( 1/3 tsp ), fennel seeds ( 1/3 tsp ), cumin powder ( 1/2 tsp ), coriander powder ( 1/2 tsp ),kasuri methi ( 1 tsp ), tomato sauce ( 1 tbs ), turmeric, salt, oil ( 3 tsp ).

Preparation: soak the kasuri methi in 4-5 tbs warm water.

Cooking: Boil salt and turmeric in a deep vessel. Cut the paneer into cubes and add to the boiling water. Boil for 5 mins , drain and keep aside.

Peel and cut the boiled potato into small cubes.

Heat 1 tsp of oil in a wok. Add the potatoes and green peas. Stir fry for 2-3 mins and keep aside.

Heat the remaining oil in wok. Add the red chillis, cumin seeds, fennel seeds and bay leaf. Fry for 1 minute and then add the maggie bhuna masala. Stir fry for 2 mins.

Add the fried peas and potato cubes along with chilli powder, cumin powder , coriander powder and salt.

Fry for 1 minute and then add 2 cups of boiling water.

Close the lid and boil for 10 mins. Add tomato sauce, kasuri methi and powdered garam
masala. Boil for 1-2 mins.

Add the boiled paneer and simmer for another 2 mins. Remove from fire. Allow to stand with lid covered for another 5 mins.

Serve with white rice and dal fry / rotis / puris.

Corn Kheer ( with Sugarfree )

Cooking Time Required: 20-25 mins
Cost of Preparation: 30-35 rupees

Ingredients: Sweet Corn ( 1 cup ), milk ( 300 ml) , condensed milk ( 4 tbs ), sugarfree powder ( 3-4 spoons, use the measuring spoon provided with pack ), cardamon ( 1 no ).

Preparation: Add 3/4 th of the corn and 50 ml milk to a wok. Boil for 4-5 mins. Remove from fire and keep aside to cool a bit.

Transfer to a mixer-grinder and grind into a smooth paste.

Cooking: Boil the remaining milk in a wok. Add the corn-milk mixture and remaining corn and boil for 10 mins. Keep stirring in between to prevent the milk from sticking to the bottom.

Add the condensed milk, sugarfree powder and powdered cardamon. Boil for 2 mins and remove from fire.

Serve chilled.















Fresh Corn

Khichudi/Khechedi/Kichdi with Alu Bharta

Cooking Time Required: 20-25 mins
Cost of Preparation: 40-45 rupees

Ingredients: Rice ( 1 cup ), moong dal ( 1/2 cup ), masoor dal ( 1/2 cup ), cauliflower ( small pieces, 1 cup ), beans ( small pieces, 1/2 cup), carrot (small pieces, 1 cup ),potato ( 1 medium sized cut into small pieces ), onion ( 1 medium sized ), green peas ( 1/2 cup ), garlic flakes ( 4-5 nos), ginger ( 1 inch long ), whole red chillis ( 5-6 nos ), cumin seeds ( 1 tsp ), paan mahuti ( 1 tsp ), oil ( 2 tsp ), ghee ( 1 tbs ), turmeric, salt.

Preparation: Cut the onion into thin long pieces. Mince the garlic and ginger into very small pieces.

Cooking: Dry roast the moong dal for 5-6 mins. Wash the moong dal along with the massor dal and rice and keep aside to drain away the water.

Heat 2 tsp of oil in a pressure cooker. Add the onions and stir fry for 1-2 mins. Add the remaining vegetables and fry for 5-6 mins.

Add the washed rice and dal. Stir for 5 mins and add sufficient boiling water along with salt and turmeric.

Close the lid and allow to cook for 3-4 whistles .Remove from stove and allow steam to escape.

Heat the ghee in a pan. Add the cumin seeds, paan mahuri and red chillis . Stir for 30 secs.

Add the minced ginger and garlic. Stir fry for 2 mins. Pour over the khechudi and mix well.

Serve hot with aloo bharta/badi chura.

For the Alu Bharta:
Ingredients: Potato ( 1 large ), onion ( 1 small ), red chilli ( 2 nos ), pancha phutana ( 1/4 tsp ), oil ( 1 tsp ), salt.

Preparation: Boil the potato and keep aside to cool. Peel the potato and mash it. Add the finely cut onions.

Heat the oil. Add the pancha-phutana and broken red chillis. Pour over the mashed potatoes . Add salt and mix well.

Khatta Palanga Chutney

My grandma had a old tin stowed away in the corner of her room. We fondly referred to it as her 'bihana baksa' or seeds tin. She used to carefully collect the seeds from the plants once they had reached the end of their life cycle, dry them in the sun and then carefully wrap in small pieces of paper. These small parcels would be stored away till the next sowing season. I used to watch each step carefully and understand the process. In due course of time, I was able to identify most of the seeds. But during the initial days I used to get all confused with the names. The only exception to this was the 'Khatta palanga' whose seeds were still contained in small pretty flowers when we dried and stored them. It made the identification a breeze.

Khatta palanga or 'khatta palak' or 'chukka kura' leaves have a sour taste ( something like the 'Gongura' leaves used in South indian cusine ). This chutney combines the sour taste of these leaves with sugar/jaggery to get a wonderful side dish that gets ready in no time at all !!

Cooking Time required: 10 mins
Cost of preparation: 10-15 rupees

Ingredients:

• 3 cups Khatta palanga Saaga ( loosely packed )
• 1 small onion ( chopped into medium sized pieces )
• 1/3 tsp red chilli powder
• 2 whole red chillis
• 1/5 tsp pancha-phutana
• 3-4 tsp sugar/jaggery
• 1 tsp oil
• salt to taste

Cooking: Wash the saag and cut into large pieces.

Heat oil in a wok. Add the pancha-phutana. Break the red chilli into 2-3 pieces and add to wok.

Add the onions and fry till translucent.

Add the washed palanga leaves. Sprinkle salt and chilli powder. Cover with lid and stir at intervals.

Cook till the leaves soften and turn mashy. Add sugar and mix well. Cook till the
sugar/jaggery melts and mixes with the saaga. Remove from the fire.

Serve with rice/rotis.

Bandha Kobi Chencheda ( Cabbage curry with Fish )

Cooking Time Required : 30-35 mins
Cost of preparation: 40-50 rupees

Ingredients: Bandha kobi (cabbage, 400 gm ), potato ( 1 medium ), green peas ( 1 cup ),tomato ( 1 medium ), ginger ( 1/2 inch ), garlic ( 8-9 pods ), onion ( 1 large ), cinnamon stick ( 1 inch long ), cardamon ( 2 nos ), cumin seeds ( 1/3 tsp), red chilli ( 2-3 nos), turmeric (1/5 tsp), Bhakura/rohi maccha munda/lanja ( fish head and tail, 1 pc each ), oil ( 6-7 nos ), turmeric ( 1 tsp ), salt.

Preparation: Wash the cabbage and cut into small pieces. Keep aside

Marinate the fish with salt and turmeric for about 5 minutes.

Grind the onion, garlic, ginger, cardamon and cinnamon into a thick paste.

Cooking: Heat oil in a large wok. Add the fish and fry till it turns reddish. Crush in the wok itself and stir fry for 3-4 mins .Remove from wok and keep aside.

Add the red chillis and cumin seeds. When it starts to splutter, add masala paste and turmeric, and cook till the raw smell goes away.

Add the diced potatoes . Stir fry for 5-6 mins and then add the bandha kobi along with the salt. Add the finely minced tomatoes and green peas when the cabbage softens a bit.

Cook for another 5-10 minutes and then add the crushed fish pieces. Cover with a lid and cook for 10 minutes till the fish mixes thoroughly with the vegetables and excess water disappers.

Tastes best when served hot with rotis.

Note: Do not add any extra water. If using frozen peas, defreeze and add 5 mins before removing the curry from the stove ( frozen peas need less time for cooking and become mashy if cooked for too long ).

Vegetarians can also prepare this curry without the fish.

Malpua

Cooking Time Required: 20-25 mins

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Whole wheat flour
• 1 overripe banana 
• 1/2 cup condensed milk 
• 2 tsp cream 
• 1 tsp fennel (pana mahuri)
• oil for frying
• pinch of baking powder
• 1/2 cup sugar ( as per taste  )
• milk required to get desired consistency

Preparation: Add milk, condensed milk and baking powder to the flour. Make a semi-thick paste. Allow to stand for 15 mins.

Mash the banana and add to the flour paste along with the paana mahuri.

Cooking: Heat oil in a deep wok for frying. Put spoonfuls of batter into the oil. Fry on both sides till cooked.

[Or pan fry them just as I do to reduce the number of calories consumed. They are not crispy at the edges but taste equally delicious. ]

Heat 1 cup of water. Add the sugar . Bring to a boil and allow to simmer till it turns into a light sugar syrup( do not make it very thick ).

Remove the fried malpuas from the wok and add to the sugar syrup. Soak for 10 mins.

Serve hot.