Dum Aloo

      Dum Aloo is a typical North Indian delicacy. You can have it with Naan, Roti or Phulkas. It tastes good with all. 

      It is said to be originated in Kashmir. There are many variations of it like dum aloo amritsari, dum aloo kashmiri etc..

      Small potatoes (baby potatoes) are used in making it. They are deep fried and then cooked with the spices on low heat.

Ingredients:

Baby potatoes - 8 to 10
Onion - 2
Tomatoes - 1
Coriander - for garnishing
Dried Red Chillies - 3 to 4
Ginger paste - 1 tsp
Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Cashew nuts - 5 to 6
Dessicated dry coconut - 3 tsp
Poppy seeds - 2 tsp
Cardamom - 2
Cinnamon - 1" piece
Clove - 3 to 4
Curd - 1/2 cup
Cream - 2 tsp
Sugar - 2 tsp
Oil - for frying.
Salt to taste

Method:

Soak the cashews, coconut and poppy seeds in half a cup of water.

Wash the potatoes thoroughly and boil it in water for around 10 mins. They need to be semi boiled.

Once the potatoes are boiled, prick them with a fork on all sides and keep aside.

Grind the soaked ingredients along with tomato, onion and red chillies to a smooth paste.

Heat oil in a pan enough to fry the potatoes. Once the oil is hot deep fry the potatoes until the skin becomes crunchy. Remove from flame and keep aside.

Heat two tsp oil in a handi and add ginger and garlic paste. Add the cinnamon, cardamom and clove to it. Once they release aromas, add the ground paste to it. Add the curd on low heat and mix well. Also, add salt and sugar. Add half a cup of water. Cook on low heat for around 2 mins. 

Now drop in the potatoes. Close the lid and cook on low heat for another 5 mins. Once the potatoes soak the flavours, add cream and garnish with coriander.

Serve hot with Phulkas. 

Enjoy Cooking.. :)

Note:

You can use the potatoes without deep frying. Also, you can peel the skin of potatoes and add it to gravy.

Phulka

For diet friendly people, Phulkas are the best way to fill your stomach. They are also easy to make.

Ingredients:

Wheat flour - 1 cup
Salt - 1 tsp
Oil - 1 tsp
Ghee
Water

Method:

Add salt and oil to the wheat flour. Need it into a soft dough with enough water.

Divide it into small balls of the size of a small lemon. Roll it as thin as possible.

Heat the tava and put the rolled dough onto it. Once small dots start appearing on both the sides, take it and place it on flame directly.  Roast on both sides and remove from flame. 

Smear a little ghee on it and serve hot with any side dish. I personally like it more with Diwani Handi.

Christmas Special - Chocolate Fudge

Christmas celebrations bring back some beautiful memories of school. Decorating the Christmas tree and indulging in delicious plum cakes.. 

Here I am posting one such beautiful and easy to make Christmas recipe - Chocolate Fudge.. I am posting it in advance so that you can try it in your home tomorrow..

Enjoy a fun filled and joyful Christmas..

Ingredients:

Maida - 100 gms
Butter - 100 gms
Powdered Sugar - 1/2 cup
Choco powder - 3/4th cup
Almonds(chopped) - 1 cup
Condensed Milk - 1 tin

Method:

Mix all the ingredients except almonds. Cook it on slow flame. The ingredients mix well on heating. 

Continue to cook until it comes to a soft ball consistency. Now add the almonds to it and mix well. Grease a plate with butter and pour the fudge on it. Spread it well and allow it to cool. 

Once it is semi cooled, cut it into cubes with knife. 

Enjoy it with your family and friends..

Note: 

1. Dip the knife in cold water before cutting so that the cubes come out well.

2. Do not cook this on high flame. The chocolate gets burnt.

Happy Cooking.. :)

Vaangi bhath - Eggplant Rice

  This is a simple and easy to make lunch box recipe. Vaangi bhaath powder is used in making it.  You can make this powder and store it in an air tight container. Also, it can be used for other vegetables like Potato and Ladies Finger. The procedure would be the same as below. 

Vaangi means Brinjal (Eggplant) in Marathi. Hence this is called Vaangi bhaath... 

Ingredients:

Cooked rice - 2 large cups
Eggplants - 5 to 6
Green chillies (slit) - 2 to 3
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Channa Dal - 1 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Oil - 2 tbsp
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Curry Leaves - 5 to 6
Tamarind paste - 1 tsp
Salt to taste

For the masala:

Coriander seeds - 2 cups
Cumin seeds - 5 tsp
Black peppercorns - 2 tsp
Clove - 15
Cinnamon - 2" stick
Capers (Marathi Moggu) - 2
Hoovu - 2 tsp
Urad dal - 1/2 cup
Channa dal - 1/2 cup
Dry coconut dessicated - 1 cup
Dried red chillies - 100 gms
Oil - 2 tsp

Method:

Roast all the ingredients for masala with oil and grind. Masala is ready. Store in a dry air tight container.

Slit the green chillies and Eggplants lengthwise. Heat oil in a pan. 

Add mustard seeds and once they start to splutter, add channa and urad dal. Now add curry leaves and turmeric. 

Add the eggplant pieces and green chillies and mix well. Keep frying it on medium flame till the eggplant is cooked. Add the tamarind paste and salt to this and mix well.

Add 2 to 3 tsp of vaangi bhath powder to it. Fry for around two mins and remove from heat. Add the cooked rice to it and mix properly.

Vaangi bhath is ready to be relished. Enjoy this with sev or as it is.

Enjoy Cooking.. :)

Purple Grapes Ice Cream

Ice Cream with goodness of natural fruits is something very rare to find. This is actually possible with simple recipe and you can make it at home.

Enjoy this superb ice cream filled with antioxidants as grapes are loaded with nutrients. 

 Ingredients:

Purple Grapes - 250 gms
Whipping cream - 1 cup
Sugar - 1 1/2 cup
Red food colour - 1 pinch (optional)

Method:

Blend the grapes coarsely. Deseed them and add sugar to it. Mix well till the sugar is dissolved completely.

Take the cream and whip it till it becomes thick. This takes around 10 mins if you have a electric mixer. If done manually this would take around 15 to 20 mins.

Now add the grapes and sugar mix to the cream. Also add the food colour. Mix slowly from the sides so that the cream is not disturbed. 

Freeze it for about 6 to 8 hours before serving. Serve it chilled.

Note:
1. If the grapes are very sweet or sour, adjust the sugar quantity accordingly. 
2. Add the grape juice along with the pulp. This gives a good texture and taste to it.
3. Food colour is optional. I have used the food colour used for cake icing.

Enjoy making Ice cream.. :)

White Chocolate Pudding

A delicious dessert made in few minutes, will make you feel proud of yourself.

Ingredients:

White Chocolate - 50 gms
Cream - 2 tsp
Corn flour - 2 tsp
Milk - 2 cups
Sugar - 1 cup

Method:

Melt the chocolate using double boiler method.  Meanwhile mix the other ingredients like corn flour, sugar, cream and one cup of milk. See that no lumps are formed and sugar is completely dissolved.

Mix the rest of the milk with the melted chocolate and keep aside.

Now heat the cornflour mix in a thick bottomed pan on low heat. Slowly add the chocolate mix to it and mix well. Keep stirring for five minutes or till the mixture thickens and forms cream consistency. 

Allow it co cool down. Pour it in the dessert bowls and seal them with aluminium foil. Refrigerate it for atleast one hour and serve chilled garnished with almonds and pistachios.

Note:

1. This serves around three people. 

2. You can also prepare it with milk chocolate or dark chocolate.

3. If the chocolate is already sweet, you can use less sugar.

Enjoy Cooking.. :)

Masala Uppittu

One of the most famous and a favourite South Indian breakfast of all times. Though you can call it with different names like upma, kharabhath etc.., it is always a stomach filling breakfast. No wonder people even refer to it as 'concrete'.. :)

I have made little variation to the normal recipe with garam masala and carom leaves. 

Ingredients:

Upma Rava (Semolina) - 1 bowl
Carom leaves (Ajwain) - 2 
Green chillies - 2
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Channa dal - 1 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp
Salt to taste

Method:

Dry roast the semolina on medium flame till it starts releasing aroma and turns golden brown.

Grind the garam masala, cumin and coriander powder and carom leaves with little water and keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan, and add mustard seeds. Once they start to splutter, add channa dal and urad dal. Chop the green chillies and add it to the pan.

Now add 2 1/2 cups of water. Once the water starts to boil, add the semolina slowly while stirring so that no lumps are formed.  

Add the ground masala paste to it. Also add salt. Mix well and cook on medium flame till the semolina is cooked properly.

The distinct aroma of carom leaves gives it a superb taste. Serve hot with chutney or chutney powder.

Enjoy cooking... :)

Beetroot Rice

A very healthy and nutritious lunch box recipe. It is also very easy to prepare.

Ingredients:

Beetroot - 1 med
Potato - 1 large
Carrot - 1 large
Cooked Rice - 2 cups
Oil - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Bengal gram - 1 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Asafoetida - 1 pinch
Turmeric - 1 pinch
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Sugar - 1/2 tsp
Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste

Method:

Cut the carrot and potatoes into small cubes.  Grate the beetroot and keep aside. Boil the potato and carrot till they are cooked.

Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. Once they start to splutter, add bengal gram and urad dal. Also add turmeric and asafoetida. Once the dal turns golden brown add the grated beetroot to it and mix well. 

Now add the boiled vegetables to it. Mix well. Add chilli, pepper powder and sugar. Add little water about half a cup and allow it to simmer for five minutes or till the water evaporates.

Now add rice to the pan and mix. Add salt and serve hot.

Butter Naan

Naan is one such recipe which is liked by many. Though it is made of Maida it can be had occasionally.. and the butter topping on it makes it more tastier.

Butter naan is not so difficult to make the way I had assumed before trying it. You can make healthier naan's in your home and I assure that they taste the same as restaurants.

I am also posting the recipe for Mutter Paneer along with Butter Naan, so that you can enjoy it with the naan and make a complete meal.

Ingredients:

Maida (All purpose flour) - 3 cups
Yeast (dried) - 2 tsp
Sugar - 2 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Oil - 1 tsp
Butter - 1/4 cup
Water

Method:

Heat one cup of water just to warm it. Do not boil the water. Add the yeast, sugar and salt to it and mix well. Cover it and leave it for five minutes for the yeast to rise.

Take Maida in a bowl and add the yeast mix to it and mix well. Add one tsp oil and knead well. If required add little more water. Cover it with a cling film or in an air tight container and leave it to rise for half an hour. 

Make sure that the air tight container is big with enough space for the dough to rise.

Now take the dough and knead well around five minutes. If you press the dough and leave, it should bounce back. 

Divide this dough into six to seven equal parts and roll it into naan shape. 

Roast on the tava for few seconds and then on the flame directly for another five seconds. 

Apply butter over it and serve hot.

Enjoy cooking.. :)

Mutter Paneer

Mutter Paneer is the perfect side dish for Naan, Kulcha or Roti's.

As I had mentioned in my previous post on Butter naan, here is the recipe....

Ingredients:

Paneer (Cottage Cheese) - 250 gms
Green Peas (mutter) - 1 cup boiled
Onion - 1 large
Tomatoes - 3 to 4
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
Poppy seeds - 1 tsp
Cashewnuts - 10
Green Chillies - 2
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Curd - 1/2 cup
Cream - 2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Kasoori Methi (dried fenugreek leaves) - 2 tsp
Cinnamon - 1 inch stick
Cardamom - 2
Cloves - 3
Bay leaf - 1
Oil - 2 tsp
Sugar - 2 tsp
Salt to taste

Method:

Take onion, tomatoes, poppy seeds and cashews and grind them to a smooth paste.

Slit the green chllies length wise and keep aside. Take oil in a pan and heat.

Once the oil is hot, add the cloves, cinnamon, cardamom and bay leaf to it. Fry for a min and then add ginger garlic paste and green chillies to it. Fry again for few seconds and add ground onion paste. 

Add little water and allow it to simmer to five minutes.  Take the pan away from flame and add curd to it and mix well. 

Once the oil starts to separate, add garam masala, cumin and coriander powder. Also add chilli powder, salt, sugar and cream and mix well. 

Chop the Paneer into small cubes and add it to the pan. Then add the boiled peas and kasoori methi. Mix well and leave it for another two minutes.

Serve hot with the Butter Naan...

Enjoy cooking... :)

Beetroot Paratha

Healthy, nutritious and wholesome dish. This can be the best description for Beetroot Paratha. The colour itself is so radiant that you can enjoy it all by itself.

Ingredients:

Beetroot - 1 med
Wheat flour - 2 cups
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Cumin Powder (jeera) - 1/2 tsp
Sugar - 1 tsp
Oil
Salt to taste

Method:

Make dough with the flour with little salt and a tsp of oil. Knead it well and keep aside.

Peel the beetroot and grate it finely. Squeeze it to remove excess water since it becomes difficult to roll the dough.

Add garam masala, jeera powder, salt and sugar to the beetroot and mix well.

For each paratha take two small sized dough and roll them about the size of poori.

On one of the rolled dough, spread a little bit of beetroot mix. Place the other rolled dough over it and seal the ends. Now roll them again and make paratha.

Roast it on the tava on both sides with little oil. Serve hot with raitha and tomato ketchup.

Note:

The juice squeezed out from the beetroot can be added to the raitha, or you can simply add little salt and pepper and have a superb drink.

Enjoy Cooking.. :)

Moong dal with Capsicum

This is a very simple recipe and easy to make. A recipe which can be prepared when you get bored of cooking with toor dal everyday.

Ingredients:

Moong dal - 1 bowl
Capsicum - 1 large
Green chillies - 3 to 4
Onion - 1 med
Tomato - 1 med
Cumin Seeds (Jeera) - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Coriander (chopped) - 2 tsp
Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
Lemon juice - 1 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp
Salt to taste

Method:

Wash the moong dal thoroughly. Cut the Capsicum into small pieces and add it to the moong dal.

Add two cups of water to it and pressure cook it for up to two whistles.

Chop the onions and tomatoes finely. Take a pan and heat two tsp oil in it. 

Once the oil is hot, add the cumin seeds and ginger garlic paste. Next add the onions and shallow fry till the onions are translucent. Now add chopped tomatoes and turmeric to it.

Saute for few seconds till the tomatoes turn soft. Slit the green chillies and add it to the pan. 

Now add the cooked dal and capsicum to it. Add little water if required. 

Add the rest of the ingredients like coriander powder, garam masala and salt and mix well. Add the lemon juice.

Garnish with chopped coriander and serve with rice and sliced onions.

Happy Cooking... :)

Bendekayi Gojju

Bendekayi Gojju is a traditional Karnataka cuisine which is a very important side dish prepared during festivals. It is made with Lady's finger (bendekayi). This is a very easy dish that tastes best with rice or chapathi.

Gojju can also be prepared with many vegetables like onion, bitterguard, raw mangoes, chillies etc.

Ingredients:

Lady's Finger (okra) - 10 to 15
Tamarind paste - 2 tsp
Jaggery (mashed) - 3 tsp
Curry Powder - 2 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Bengal gram - 1 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 5 to 6
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida - 1 pinch
Rice flour / Corn flour - 1 tsp
Salt to taste

Method:

Chop the okra into small pieces and keep aside. 

Soak the jaggery in the tamarind paste. Add little water if required.

Heat one tsp oil in a pan and shallow fry the okra till they are cooked properly. Remove them and keep aside.

Add one tsp oil to the same pan. Add mustard seeds to it. Once they start to splutter, add bengal gram, urad dal, turmeric and asafoetida. Also add curry leaves. 

Mix rice flour with tamarind paste and see that no lumps are formed. Add this paste to the pan.

Add little water about half a cup. Let it simmer for 2 minutes. It starts to thicken due to rice flour. Now add the okra to the pan. 

Add salt, chilli powder and curry powder and mix well. Let it simmer for another 2 to 3 minutes on low flame. Once the dish reaches sugar syrup consistency, remove it from the heat since it thickens little more after some time.

Serve hot with rice and ghee.

Note:

1. If you are using readily available tamarind paste, use only one tsp. Here I have used soaked tamarind paste. 

2. Okra become very light when shallow fried. This is the indication that they are done.

Enjoy Cooking.. :)

Ghee Rice

This is the best dish to be prepared on lazy days, when you are in no mood to do some serious cooking.. It can be prepared within no time and tastes best with coconut chutney.

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice (cooked) - 2 cups
Onion - 1 large
Cumin seeds - 2 tsp
Green chillies - 3 to 4
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Cashewnuts - 10
Salt to taste

Method:

Chop the onions and slit the green chillies lengthwise.

Add the ghee in a pan, and add jeera (cumin seeds) when it is hot. Then add cashews, onions and green chillies and fry till the onions become soft and translucent. 

Now add the rice, salt and pepper powder and mix well.

Serve hot with coconut chutney.

Kesari bhath / Sheera

Kesari bhath is a simple sweet dish originated in Karnataka. It is made of sooji (semolina) with very less ingredients. The best combination for kesari bhath is uppittu (khara bhath) and is very famous in Karnataka restaurants.

Kesari bhath is also famous as sheera and sooji halva in North India.

Ingredients:

Sooji (semolina) - 1 cup
Sugar - 1 1/2 cup
Milk - 2 cups
Water - 1/2 cup
Ghee - 3 tsp
Cashewnuts - 10
Saffron threads - 1 pinch

 Method:

Soak the saffron threads in two tsp milk and keep aside.

Dry roast the semolina on medium flame till they turn slightly brown. Also roast the cashews in one tsp ghee till they are golden brown.

Mix water and milk in a thick bottom pan and heat it. Once the milk starts to boil, add semolina to it while stirring continuously. 

Once the semolina start to thicken, add the sugar and ghee and mix well. Also add the saffron infused milk. Cook on low flame for another five minutes or till the semolina thickens completely. 

Add the roasted cashews to it. Enjoy a super delicious sweet dish.

Note:

1. You can vary the proportions of milk and water depending on the percentage of fat in the milk. I have used milk with 3% fat.

2. You can also add sugar to milk before adding semolina, but adding sugar later gives a shine/ glaze to the dish.

Aloo Paratha

A wholesome dish which can be eaten any time of the day..This dish tastes best with raitha, pickle or tomato ketchup.

Ingredients:

Potatoes (mashed) - 3 med
Coriander (chopped) - 2 tbsp
Wheat flour - 2 cups
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Carom seeds powder (Ajwain) - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Oil / Butter - 3 to 4 tsp
Salt to taste 

Method:

Take wheat flour in a bowl. Add a tsp of oil and salt to it. Make soft dough using water and keep aside.

Add the rest of the ingredients to the mashed potatoes and mix well. This is the filling to be used inside the dough.

Take a small amount of dough and roll it a little. Now place a small amount of filling in side the dough and close it. Take care so that the entire filling is covered with dough.

Now once again roll the dough carefully. Paratha should be little thicker than the usual chapathi.

Roast on the tava on both sides. You can apply oil or butter to it. Serve hot with raitha..

Enjoy Cooking.. :)