Alu bhendi Bhaja/Charchadi

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

Ingredients: Ladiesfinger(bhendi) (200 gm), Alu(potato) ( 1 no., large ), green chilli (1-2 no.), cumin seeds (1/4 tsp), mustard seeds (1/5 tsp), turmeric powder(1/4 tsp), mustard oil ( 2 tsp ), salt to taste.

For the mustard garlic paste: mustard seeds (1 tsp), garlic cloves ( 4-5 nos).

Preparation: Wash the ladiesfinger and cut into small pieces . Cut the potatoes into smaller pieces than the ladies finger so that they get cooked in the same time.

Grind the mustard seeds and remaining garlic pods into a fine paste.

Cooking: Heat 2 tsp oil in a deep vessel and add the broken green chilli, mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Add the potatoes and ladiesfinger to the spluttering seeds.

Fry the ladiesfinger and potato pieces on a high flame for 3-4 mins.

Mix the garlic-mustard paste with 1/3 cup of water and add to the wok. Add salt and turmeric and close with a lid.

Cook till water evaporates and veggies are cooked. Sprinkle a little mustard oil towards the end (options).

Remove from wok and serve with rice/rotis/parathas.

Muga Bara

Cooking Time Required: 15-20 mins
Cost of Preparation: 30-35 rupees

Ingredients: Green moong dal ( 1 cup ), sugar ( 3-4 tsp ), baking powder ( 1/3 tsp ), salt to taste, oil for frying.

Preparation: Soak the moong dal for 5-6 hours. Wash and grind into a thick & coarse paste along with a little water.

Add the sugar and baking powder. Add salt to taste. Mix well.

Cooking: Heat oil in a wok for deep frying.

Drop spoonfuls of the batter into the hot oil. Cook evenly to a reddish brown color.
Remove from the wok and put on a absorbent paper.

Serve hot.

Note: While the sweet version of muga bara is hugely popular, one can also prepare the spicy version by substituting the sugar with green chillis, coriander leaves, onion and cumin powder.

Muga bara is also offered to Goddess Lakshmi as a prasad.

Fish and brinjal Curry

Cooking Time Required : 15-20 mins
Cost of preparation: 30-35 rupees

Ingredients: Rohu/Mirkali pieces ( 2 nos, medium sized ), potato ( 1 no, small ),
brinjal ( 1 no, small), garlic flakes ( 2 nos ), green chilli ( 1-2 nos), turmeric ( 2 pinch), mustard oil ( 2-3 tsp ), kala jeera ( 1/2 tsp ), salt.

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

Cut the potato and brinjal into small pieces.

Cooking: Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan . Add the marinated fish and fry on both sides for
6-7 mins.

Heat the remaining oil in a wok. Add the chopped green chilli, kala jeera and crushed garlic flakes. Stir fry for 30 secs.

Add the potato and brinjal pieces along with a pinch of turmeric. Fry for 3-4 mins.

Add 1 cup of water along with salt and bring to a boil. Add the fried fish.

Cover with a lid and simmer for 7-8 mins til most of the water evaporates. Remove from the stove.

Serve hot with white rice.

Note: My MIL picked up this recipe during her stay in Kolkatta. Not sure about the name though.

Chicken Tandoori with lacchedar Pyaz

Cooking time required: 30 mins
Cost of preparation: 30-35 rupees

Ingredients:

For marinate: Chicken pieces( 150-200 gms), ginger garlic paste (1 tsp), onion ( 1 half, small ), mustard oil ( 1 tsp), yogurt ( 1 tbs), Tandoori masala ( 1 tsp ), Kashmiri Lal Mirchi powder ( 1/3 tsp), salt, turmeric ( a pinch ), vinegar ( 7-8 drops).

Ghee/butter for brushing the chicken pieces.

Preparation: Make cuts in the chicken pieces. Rub salt and vinegar all over and keep aside for 10 mins.

Mix ginger-garlic paste, yogurt, turmeric, tandoori masala, Kashmiri Lal Mirchi powder, salt, chopped onion and mustard oil.

Drain any excess liquid from chicken pieces and pat dry. Add the masala paste and rub evenly over the pieces.

Put in a bag and marinate chicken pieces overnight in the fridge.















Cooking: Preheat the oven for 5 mins. Remove the chicken from fridge and keep at room temperature for 40-50 mins.
















String the chicken pieces using a skewer rod and brush ghee/butter all over.

Put into the oven and bake at 200 degrees for 15 mins. Remove from oven and brush some more ghee/butter and again cook at 200 degrees for 15 mins.

Remove from oven and keep aside for 5-10 mins.















Remove from the skewer rods.
Serve with lemon wedges and lacchedar pyaz ( thinly sliced and marianted onions ).


For the lacchedar pyaz : 1 onion ( small ), lemon juice ( 1 tsp ), pepper ( 2-3 pinch), salt.

Cut the onion into thin long strips. Add the rest of the ingredients and keep aside for 1 hour.

Sending this yummy recipe to Kirthi's event 'Serve it -Grilled'. Do check this out : Krithi's Kitchen: Announcing "Serve It" Series.. Serve It-Grilled

Kala Channa & Soya Chunks sabzi

Cooking Time Required: 12-15 mins
Cost of Preparation: 15-18 rupees

Ingredients: Kala channa ( 1 cup ), onion ( 1 no., small ), green chilli ( 1-2 nos
), Nutrela soya chunks ( 1 cup ), cumin powder ( 1/4 tsp), chaana masala powder ( 1/4 tsp ),
garam masala ( a pinch), coriander powder ( 1/4 tsp ), turmeric ( 2 pinch ), salt, oil ( 1 1/2 tsp ), pancha phutana ( 1/5 tsp), coriander leaves for garnish ( optional ).

Preparation: Soak the kala channa overnight. The soya chunks can also be soaked
overnight else 2-3 hours also suffice.

Cooking: Wash and add the kala channa & soyabean chunks to a pressure cooker with a
little salt and turmeric. Add 1 cup of water. Cook for 2-3 whistles. Drain away excess water.

Heat oil in a wok. Add the pancha-phutana, followed by the chopped onion and green
chillies. Fry till the onions turn translucent.

Add the boiled channa and soya-chunks along with the cumin powder, coriander powder and channa masala .Stir fry for 3-4 mins.

Add 1/2 cups of water and boil for 5 mins or till most of the water evaporates. Remove from the stove.

Serve with white rice / rotis.

Cheesy Dip

Ingredients: Cheese spread ( 1 tbs ), thick sour curd ( 2 tbs ), garlic & pepper tabasco sauce ( 2/3 tsp ), lime juice ( 1/3 tsp), garlic flakes ( 2 nos ), salt.

Prepartion: Crush the garlic flakes and add to the rest of the ingredients. Mix well.

Serve with Nancho/Salsa Chips/samosa.

Note: Keep refrigerated and use with 1-2 days.

Paneer Kaliyan

Cooking Time Required: 15 mins
Cost of Preparation: 20-25 rupees

Ingredients: Paneer cubes ( 200 gm), fennel seeds ( 2 tsp ), cumin seeds ( 1 tsp), soonth/dry ginger powder ( 2 nos ), garam masala (2 pinch), coriander powder ( 2 pinch), red chilli powder ( 1/2 tsp ), turmeric ( 1/4 tsp), salt, ghee ( 1 tsp ), milk ( 1 cup).

Preparation: Grind the coconut into a fine powder without adding any water and keep aside.

Cooking: Heat the ghee in a pan. Add the paneer pieces and fry till slightly golden on all sides.

Boil water in a saucepan with 1/2 tsp salt. Add the fried paneer and boil for 3-4 mins for softening.

AT the same time, combine the remaining spices except for garam masala with 1 cup of water in another wok and bring to a boil. Boil for 4 mins.

Remove the paneer pieces from the salt water and add to the boiling spices mixture. Add mil and garam masala. Boil for another 5 mins.

Remove from pan and serve hot.


Note: This recipe is adapted from Tarla Dalal's cookbook. Made a few changes to suit my palate.

Reposting: Bharwa Shimla Mirch

Cooking Time Required: 25-30 mins
Cost of Preparation: 35-40 mins

Ingredients: Capsicum ( medium sized, 2 nos ), fresh green peas ( 1/2 cup ), potato ( 1 no., large ), onion ( 1 no., small ), paneer cubes ( 1/2 cup ), ginger garlic paste ( 1 tsp ), chilli powder (1/3 tsp ), cumin powder ( 1/5 tsp ), coriander powder ( 1/5 tsp ), garam masala ( a pinch ), fennel seeds ( 1/4 tsp ), turmeric ( 1/5 tsp ), salt, oil for cooking.

Cooking: Boil the potato and keep aside to cool down.

Cut the onions into small pieces . Crumble the paneer cubes.

Cut off the top of the capsicum. Remove the seeds and the inner pith.

Heat oil in a wok. Add fennel seeds . Follow with the onion pieces. Fry till translucent. Add ginger garlic paste. Fry till the raw smell goes off.

Add the green peas, crumbled paneer, corinader powder, cumin powder , turmeric, chilli powder and salt.

Cook till the stuffing starts leaving the sides of the wok. Sprinkle garam masala and mix well. Keep aside to cool down a bit.

Stuff the capsicum to the maximum capacity.
















Slice into two.
















Heat 3-4 tsp oil in a wok. Place the sliced capsicum and fry on both sides. Cover with a lid for faster cooking with lesser oil.

Serve as a snack or a starter.

Note: Do not go overboard with any of the aromatic spices ( coriander/cumin/garam masala ) if you want to retain the distinctive taste of capsicum.

For preparing Bharwa Shimla Mirch without onion and garlic:

Replace the ginger-garlic paste with grated ginger and the onion can be replaced with finely shredded cabbage. To retain the richness of the dish, one can add fried cashews and raisins to the stuffing.

Shimla mirch



Sending this wonderful recipe to Vatsala's LGSS event( http://showandtell-vatsala.blogspot.com/ ):

Cookies Stuffed Paratha (meetha parata)

Cooking Time Required: 15 mins
Cost of Preparation: 20-25 Rupees


Ingredients:

For Paratha: Wheat flour ( 1 1/2 cups ), ghee ( 1 tsp ), ripe banana ( one half ), salt ( a pinch), water to knead the ingredients into a soft dough.

For Stuffing: Crumbled chocolate-chips cookies ( 3-4 nos), sugar ( 3 tsp).















Ghee to fry the parathas.


Preparation: Mix all the ingredients for the paratha togather along with a little warm water. Keep aside for 10 mins covered with a warm moist cloth.















Divide the dough into 4 equal parts. Roll out the balls into small roties ( more like a puri )and keep aside.

Spread the crumbled cookie and sugar over one roti and close by putting another roti over it.















Roll the sides or press a little to close the parathas.

Repeat for the second paratha.

Cooking: Heat 1 tsp of ghee on the pan. Add the parathas and cook on each sides for 2mins each.

Serve hot.

Quick capsicum stir-fry

Cooking time Required: 5-8 mins
Cost of Preparation: 15-20 rupees

Ingredients: Capsicum ( 1 no, large), garlic flakes ( 2-3 nos ), mustard-poppy-garlic paste ( cooked, 1 tsp), green chillis ( 1-2 nos ), oil( 1 1/2 tsp ), salt , turmeric ( a pinch ).

Preparation: Cut the capsicum into even sized pieces. Remove the seeds.


Cooking: Heat the oil in a pan. Add the chopped green chillis and garlic flakes. Stir fry for 30 secs.

Follow with the cooked mustard-poppy-garlic paste. Add the capsicum pieces along with a pinch of turmeric and salt to taste.

Stir fry for 5-6 mins or cover with a lid to get it done faster. Stir fry is ready to eat.


Note: I had made Gota Bhendi Bhaja ( Stuffed Okra ) the previous day and was having the cooked mustard-poppy-garlic paste sitting in the fridge . While rummaging through the fridge contents the next morning, i decided to use it with capsicum ( the lone veggie in my stock along wth a half slice of tomato and a limp bunch of greens ) for a quick stir fry.

Packed it with white rice and had a lovely lunch.

Fiery Red Chicken Curry

Cooking time required: 30 mins
Cost of preparation: 110-120 rupees

Ingredients:

For marinate: Chicken pieces(500 gms), ginger garlic paste (1 tsp), mustard oil ( 1
tsp), yogurt ( 1 tbs), salt, turmeric.

For the gravy: Potato (1 large), Onion( 1 large), tomato( 2 nos, medium), cumin seeds (1/2 tsp), coriander seeds( 1tsp), cinnamon ( 1 inch ), green cardamom (2 pods ), star anise ( 1 no ), javitri/mace ( 1 flower), cloves ( 3-4 nos), bay leaf ( 2 nos), whole red chillis ( 4-5 nos ), sunflower oil ( 4 tps), mustard oil( 2 tsp), Kashmiri lal chilli powder (1 tsp), ginger garlic paste (1 tbs), turmeric (1 tsp ), salt ( to taste ).

For tempering: Cumin seeds ( 1/3 tsp), fennel seeds ( 1/3 tsp).

Pre-cooking: Marinate chicken pieces with ginger-garlic, yogurt, turmeric, salt and
mustard oil. Set aside for 1 hour.

Cooking: Cut the onion and tomato into two halves. Transfer to a pressure cooker with a little water and boil for 3 whistles . Allow to cool down .Drain away the excess water and mash the onion and tomato. Do not throw this water.

Cut the potato into 4 pieces , fry for 3-4 mins and keep aside.

Heat a pan. Add cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cardamon, cinnamon, mace and star anise. Dry roast for about 2 mins. Grind into a fine powder in a mixer grinder.

Heat the sunflower oil in a pressure cooker. Add cumin, fennel seeds, bay leaves and red chillis followed by the mashed onion and tomato. Cook for 3 mins.

Add the ginger garlic paste and salt. Fry the paste for about 5 mins.

Add the marinated chicken pieces along with the roasted spices and kashmiri lal mirch powder and cook for 10-15 mins with the lid open. Keep stirring in between.

Add potato pieces, 2 cups hot/warm water, salt if required and allow for 1 whistle.

Keep aside till steam is released. The chicken should be just tender and not overdone. If it is still not done, cook for another whistle.

Serve with white rice .

Note: Use spicy whole red chillis for making the curry really hot and Kashmiri lal mirchi to give it a lovely red color.