Lentil Rice!!

Lentil Rice!!

Ingredients

1.5 cups Soaked Green Lentils/Masoor dal whole.
1.5 cups Basmati rice .
1 tsp cumin powder.
1 tsp Crushed Pepper powder.
1 bay leaf.
1 inch cinnamon stick whole/1/4 tsp cinnamon powder.
1 big onion chopped.
5-6 Garlic cloves finely chopped.
2 big Onions sliced lengthwise.
Salt as per taste

Procedure

Soak green lentils /masoor dal whole overnight.
Wash rice and keep aside for about an hour(you can skip this step..but rice fluffs up nic when soaked)
Heat some oil in a pan add in sliced onion and saute till dark brown or till caramelized.
At the same time heat a pot,add in 2 tbs oil.
Add in the chopped onion and Garlic.
Add in cinnamon and bay leaf.
Saute till translucent.
Add in Pepper Powder and cumin powder.
Saute for a min.
Add in lentils.Saute for 2 mins.Add in little salt.

Add in about 4.5  cups of water.(1.5 cups for lentils and remaining for rice)
Cover and cook till lentils are almost cooked.(can be pressed but not entirely mushy)

Add in the rice and salt as required.(keeping in mind that you added salt to the lentils before)

Cook completely.
while serving top it of with the caramelized onions.(that crunch and flavor makes a lot of difference)
Eat it as is or with any curry of your choice or kebabs.

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Methi paratha!!

Methi Paratha/Methi Thepla!!!

Ingredients

1 bunch Methi or 1 n half cups chopped Methi leaves.
2 cups wheat flour.
1 tsp sesame seeds.
1 tbs salt (or as per your taste)
1 tbs coriander cumin powder.
Paste of 3-4 green chillies and 3-4 cloves of garlic.
1 tsp turmeric powder.
1 tbs powdered jaggery.
Oil to roast the parathas.

Procedure

Take the chopped methi leaves in a bowl.
Add jaggery,turmeric,salt,coriander cumin powder,sesame seeds and the garlic green chilli paste.
Mix it.

Then add 2 cups wheat flour.

Knead it into a dough like we do for rotis.
Add oil to coat the dough.Set aside for 15 mins.
Make lime size balls.
Roll the balls into flat rotis or tortillas.
Roast the on both the sides by applying oil on both the sides.
Roast till it light brown on both the sides.
Eat with butter ,yogurt ,pickle or chutney.
Stays good 3-4 days if properly roasted.

Mango Sheera!!

Mango Sheera !! or Mango Sooji Halwa

Ingredients

1 n 1/4 cup coarse Sooji.
1 n 1/4 cup Canned mango pulp.(chunky kinds)
1/4 cup and 2 tbs ghee.(clarified butter)
1 cup Sugar.(if the pulp is fresh add 1/4 cup more sugar)
3 cups milk.(or you can also use 1.5 cup each of milk and water)
1/4 cup Cashewnuts.

Pistachios for garnish.

Procedure

Start heating the milk on low medium flame.

On another burner heat a pan and add ghee.
Once ghee melts add in cashews and roast for 2--3 mins.
Add sooji and roast till it just changes the color.About 3-4 mins.(don't let it turn brown)
Then add in the Mango pulp.
Cook for 2 mins the sooji will absorb most of the pulp.Keep stirring to avoid lumps.
Add in milk slowly stirring the sooji to avoid lumps.(do not add in milk at once)
Keep it covered for 2 mins.
Then add in sugar.
Keep stirring it till the sugar dissolves.
Cook covered for 3-4 min.

Switch of the burner.
Serve it warm for the best flavours.

Sabudana Vada/Sago Patties.

Sabudana Vada/ Sago patties

Ingredients

2 cups Soaked sabudana / Sago.
3 medium sized potatoes boiled and mashed.
3-4 Green chillies finely chopped.
1 cup Roasted Peanut Powder.
Salt and Sugar as per taste.
2 tbs cashewnuts .
About 1/4 cup warm milk..

1/2 cup coriander finely chopped(optional)
Oil for frying.

Procedure

Soak overnight about a 1 cup sabudana/sago in water just so that it covers the sabudana.DON'T ADD TOO MUCH WATER.
Roast 1cup peanuts in microwave for about 6 mins tossing after every 2-2-2 mins and the let it cool and powder it.Keep aside.
Soak the 2 tbs cashewnuts in 1/4 cup warm milk keep aside for 10 min.Then grind coarsely it in a grinder.

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Mix Soaked sabudana ,Boiled mashed potatoes, Peanut powder ,chopped green chillies , salt, sugar,coriander and milk cashew mix.
Make flat patties /vadas about 1.5 inches or any size and shape you like.

Heat oil and test it by putting in a small piece of vada and if it floats its heated enough.

Fry till golden Brown on medium high heat by gently splashing the oil on vadas.

Kadhai Paneer!!

Kadhai Paneer!!

Ingredients

1 Big Green Pepper cubed into chunky pieces.
1 Big Red Bell Pepper cubed into chunky pieces.
1 Small onion cubed and layers separated .(all the three should be around the same size.
1 and half cups of cubed paneer.
3 large tomatoes finely chopped.
1 small onion finely chopped.(optional )
2 tbs of ginger garlic paste.
1tbs Butter .

 

Spices
2 tbs whole coriander seeds.
1 tbs Cumin .
1 tsp Black pepper corns.
1 tsp fennel seeds.
2-3 whole red chillis.(as per your spice requirement)
1 tsp Garam Masala.
1 tbs dried fenugreek leaves/kasuri methi.
1 tbs tomato ketchup (Optional ..I add it just for the tanginess)

Procedure

Dry roast pepper corns ,Cumin,Coriander seeds,fennel seeds and red chillies.Grind them into a coarse powder and keep aside.

Add a little oil in a pan.Add in the cubed paneer ,slightly toss them and then soak them in warm water.Keep aside.
Then add some more oil in the pan add in the cubed peppers and onions .Sprinkle some salt and pepper over it .keep tossing till partially cooked keep aside.

Then heat 3 tbs oil  and 1 tbs butter in a kadhai or pan.
Add cumin.
Thean add chopped onion.Saute for a min and then add ginger garlic paste.
Saute till the onions turn translucent.

Then add the ground dry spice powder.
Add in 1 tsp garam masala.
if you want 1 tsp chilli powder.(according to you spice preference..optional)
Cook till it starts leaving oil.
Add salt as per taste.

Add in chopped tomatoes.
Cook them completely till they turn mushy.
Add in the tomato ketchup(OPTIONAL)
Add in 1/2 cup of water cook for a min.
Then add the partially cooked veggies.Cook for 2 mins.
Take the paneer cubes out discard the water squeeze out excess water and add in the pan.
Simmer for 2 mins .add in Kasuri methi and switch of the burner.(don't cook too much after adding paneer.

Serve hot with naan or rice.

Green chutney/Sandwich Chutney

I call this a multi purpose chutney.I use it in sandwiches as well as chaat.Add mayo and it turns into a tangy panini chutney or add yogurt and use iit in kathi wraps or to serve with tandoori tikkas.

Green chutney/Sandwich Chutney!!

Ingredients

4-5 green chillies.
1 bunch coriander.
3-4 Garlic cloves.
1 n 1/2 tbs roasted chana dalia .NOT THE CHANA DAAL.
Salt.
Lime juice.

Procedure

Mix all the ingredients in a mixer and make it into a smooth chutney.

Dry Red Chilli Chutney!!

Mumbai ki chaat is so popular,especially the roadside chaat thelas(street food carts).Whenever you order sev puri ,ragda pattice ,Bhel or papdi chaat this red chutney is a must.It makes a whole lot of difference in the way a particular chaat tastes.

Dry Red Chilli Chutney!!

Ingredients

3-4 Dry Red Chillies.

2 big cloves of Garlic.

Salt.

Procedure

Soak the Red Chillies in hot water for about 1/2 an hr.

Then grind them into fine paste with Garlic and salt.