Archive | December 2013

Undhiya

This is a classic Gujarati preparation of vegetables and fenugreek dumplings cooked in an aromatic blend of spices. A traditional recipe from surat,

I didnt have a picture of this recipe,picture by my friend Deepti Prabhu.

Ingredients:

For The Methi Muthias (makes Approx. 18 To 20)

3 cups chopped Methi (fenugreek leaves)

Salt to taste

1/2 cup Whole wheat flour

1/2 cup Besan

3 tsp Ginger-green chilli paste.

2 1/2 tsp Sugar

1/2 tsp Haldi

1 tsp Chilli powder

a pinch Fruit Salt

3 tbsp Oil

Oil for deep frying

Other Ingredients
1 cup Baby Potatoes , peeled

1 Raw Banana (1”) cubes

3 to 4 Brinjal(small black variety)

1 1/4 cups Surti papdi(fresh val) , stringed and cut into halves

3/4 cup Purple Yam (Kand) , peeled and cut into cubes

3/4 cup Yam (Suran) , peeled and chopped

3/4 cup Sweet potato(ratalu)

1/4 cup fresh Toovar dana(arhar)

2 tbsp Oil

1/2 tsp Ajwain

1/4 tsp Asafoetida

a pinch of Fruit Salt

Salt to taste

To Be Mixed Together For Coriander-coconut Masala

1 cup freshly grated Coconut

1/2 cup finely chopped Coriander leaves

1/3 cup finely chopped Green Garlic (fresh lehsun)

1 tbsp Dhana-jeera powder

2 tsp Ginger-green chilli paste

1 1/2 tsp Chilli powder

1 tbsp Sugar

1 tbsp Lemon juice

Salt to taste

3 tbsp finely chopped Coriander leaves

Method

For the Methi Muthias

Combine the fenugreek leaves and a little salt in a bowl and mix well. Allow to stand for 5 to 7 minutes and squeeze out all the liquid form the fenugreek leaves.Add all the remaining ingredients and knead into a soft dough, adding water only if required.

Divide the dough into 18 to 20 equal portions and shape each portion roughly into a round by rolling it between your palms and fingers.

Heat the oil in a kadhai and deep fry the muthias a few at a time on a medium flame till they turn golden brown in colour from all the sides.
Drain on an absorbent paper and keep aside.

How to proceed:

Make a criss-cross slit on each baby potato, banana piece and brinjal taking care not to separate the segments.

Stuff the vegetables evenly using ½ of the coriander-coconut masala mixture and keep aside.

Combine the fresh vaal, purple yam, yam,sweet potato, toovar dana and the remaining masala mixture in a bowl, mix well and keep aside to marinate for 8 to 10 minutes.

Heat the oil in a pressure cooker, add the carom seeds, asafoetida and soda-bi-carb and sauté on a medium flame for a few seconds.

Add the stuffed baby potatoes and brinjal, all the marinated vegetables, salt and 2 cups of hot water, mix gently and pressure cook on a high flame for 2 whistles.

Allow the steam to escape before opening the lid.

Transfer the cooked vegetables into a big non-stick pan, add the stuffed bananas and methi muthias, toss gently and cook on a slow flame till the bananas are tender, while stirring occasionally.

Serve hot garnished with coriander.

Happy Cooking !!!

Sameera.

Sev Tamata (Tamatar)

Dec27

Tomatoes tempered with mustard seeds and spices served with sev is a mouth watering delicacy from Gujrat.Mostly served with Phulka.

Ingredients:

3 cups chopped Tomatoes

1 cup chopped Onions.

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds.

1/2 tsp Jeera

1/2 tsp Asafoetida

1 tsp Ginger-Garlic paste.

1/2 tsp Haldi

1 tsp Chilli powder

1 tsp sugar

2 tbsp oil

salt to taste

2 tbsp chopped Corriander leaves.

1 cup Bhavnagri Gathia/Sev

Method:

Heat the oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and asafoetida.Add chopped onions and ginger-garlic paste, stir for 30 seconds.

Add tomatoes, turmeric powder,chilli powder, sugar and salt,mix well,add 4 tbsp water and simmer for a while.Add chopped corriander leaves and mix well.

Just before you wish to serve, add the ganthia and mix well.

Serve hot with phulkas.

Happy Cooking!!!

Sameera

Baingan Bharta

Dec27

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In winter season you will see markets flooded with these big size baingans which are used for making Bharta.

While buying baingan make sure it is not too heavy or else it has lots of seeds in it.

We at home make 2 types of Bhartas one is made using only green chillies which is a maharashtrian style and another one with all the dry spices which is north indian style.

Today I am posting the recipe for north indian style baingan Bharta.

Ingredients:

I kg Brinjal (Bharta wala)

3 tbsp Oil

1 cup chopped Onion.

½ cup chopped Tomatoes

2 tsp Ginger-garlic paste.

2 Tamal patra ( Bay leaves)

½ tsp Jeera.

1/8 tsp Asafoetida.

2 chopped Green Chillies.

1 tsp Red Chilli powder.

1 tsp Haldi powder.

1/2 tsp Dhana/Jeera powder.

2 tbsp chopped Corriander leaves.

Salt to taste

Method:

For this recipe you need to use Bharta baingan,which is easily available during winter season.

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Wash, pat dry and prick brinjals. Roast them over open gas flame or in a preheated oven until the skin scorches and starts peeling off and eggplants start to shrink.

Let them cool. You can cool them by dipping them in water for 10 inutes. Remove skin and mash the pulp completely.Keep aside.

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Heat oil in a kadai. Add asafoetida,tamal patra and jeera, Cook for half a minute and add onions and sauté until translucent. Add ginger-garlic paste, green chillies and tomatoes, cook for a minute.Add red chilli powder,turmeric and dhana Jeera powder,mix well and cook till oil separates.

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Add mashed roasted brinjals and salt.Cover and cook for seven to eight minutes.

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Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with roti or paratha of your choice..

Happy Cooking!!!

Sameera.

Matter Pattice

Dec22

Ingredients :

4 cups boiled and mashed potatoes

1 cup boiled green peas

1/2 cup finely chopped Onions.

1/4 cup finely chopped Tomatoes.

1 tbsp Oil.

1 tbsp Butter.

1 tbsp Ginger-Garlic paste.

1/4 tsp Haldi powder.

1/2 tsp Chilli powder.

1/2 tsp Dhana-Jeera powder

2 tbsp chopped Corriander leaves.

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp Sugar

1/2 cup Cornflour

1/2 cup Barik Rava

Oil for shallow frying

Method:

Add the salt n cornflour to the potatoes, mix well and keep aside.

For filling :
Heat the oil in a pan, add chopped onions and ginger garlic paste ,saute for 2 muinutes.

Add the chopped tomatoes,haldi powder,chilli powder and dnana jeera powder,mix well and cook for 2 minutes,add boiled green peas and saute for more 2 minutes.

Add the salt,sugar and chopped corriander leaves,mix well.

Cook till completely dry,keep aside to cool.

Ina plate mix together equal amount of cornflour and barik rawa.Keep aside.

Take a small amount of mashed potatoes and spread it on your palm.

Fill it with the peas filling and cover it like the shape of ball.

Press gently to shape like a pattice.

On a non stick griddle heat oil,roll pattice in mixture of cornflour and rava.

Fry on medium heat on both the sides till golden brown and crispy.

Drain on absorbant paper,serve hot with tomato ketch up.

Happy Cooking !!!

Sameera.

Masala Khichdi (Rice and Moong dal)

Dec20

My husband is an hotelier,and his chef makes mouth watering masala khichdi….so yesterday I decided to add veges and masalas to our humble Dal Rice khichdi….which can be made in a jiffy. Let me warn you,in this recipe so much of chopping and tempering is required……one could easily make a Biryani in that time….but trust me the final result is just mouthwatering.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Rice washed and soaked for half an hour.

1/2 cup Split green gram skinless (bina chilkewali moong dal)

1 cup mixed vegetables cubed(Carrots,Potatoes,Beans,Green peas.)

1 Onion chopped .

1 Medium sized Tomato chopped.

1tbsp Ginger and Garlic finely chopped.

2 Green chillies finely chopped.

1/4 tsp Haldi powder

1 tsp Red chilli powder.

1 tsp Dhania Jeera powder.

1/2 tsp Garam Masala.

1 tbsp Oil.

Salt to taste.

1 tbsp chopper Corriander leaves.

For Tempering:

1 tbsp Ghee

2 Red Chillies (dried)

6 Curry leaves.

1/4 tsp Asafoetida.

Method:

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a cooker or pressure pan,add chopped ginger and garlic,saute for a minute and add green chillies and onion.once onion turns translucent add chopped tomatoes, mix well and cook for 2 minutes.

Now add haldi powder,chilli powder and dhana jeera powder. Fry for a while, add 2 tbsp of water and let it cook for 2 minutes.

Add chopped vegetables,drained dal and rice,add salt.Mix well.

Add 3 cups of boiling water,mix well and cook on high for 3 whistles and on low for another 2 whistles.

Open the cooker after the pressure is realised.

Make a tempering of ghee,jeera,asafoetida,red chilli and curry leaves,add to the cooked khichdi,mix well.

Garnish with chopped Corriander leaves.

Remove in a serving plate and serve hot with pickle and papad.

Happy Cooking!!!

Sameera.

Chole Biryani

Dec19

This dish is an innovative blend of rice and Kabuli chana.When served with a bowl of raita, this can be a really healthy and satisfying dish.

Ingredients:

2 cup cooked biryani rice

3 tbsp chopped corriander (dhania)

2 tbsp chopped mint leaves (phudina)

1/4 tsp saffron (kesar) strands dissolved in 1/4 cup mlilk

1 tsp oil for greasing

For The Kabuli Chana Gravy

1 cup kabuli chana (white chick peas)

1 packet Maggi bhuna masala(with onion and garlic)

1 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp Chole masala

1/2 tsp Haldi powder

1 cup Dahi

1 tbsp oil

salt to taste

Method:
For the kabuli chana gravy

Soak the kabuli chana overnight

Boil with a little water for 6 whistles the next day. Drain.

Heat the oil in a non-stick pan, add bhuna masala and fry for a while.

Add the red chilli powder, turmeric powder,chole masala and 2 teaspoons of water and fry for 1 minute.

Add the dahi and stir for a while.

Add the cooked kabuli chana and salt and mix well. Keep aside.

To make Biryani:
To the cooked biryani rice, add the coriander, mint, and saffron milk. Keep aside.

Grease a large baking dish. Make 5 layers by spreading 1/3of the rice, then spreading ½ the kabuli chana gravy, next spreading 1/3of the rice and finally the remaining kabuli chana gravy and another layer of rice.

Cover with an aluminium foil and bake in a pre-heated oven at 200°c for 20 minutes.