Poori with Saagu

Here is the recipe for poori with saagu which is a curry prepared mainly with besan flour.

Saagu Recipe:

Ingredients:

1 large onion finely sliced
Besan flour 2 sp
Mustard seeds 1 sp
Cumin seeds 1/2 sp
Curry leaves few
Turmeric 1/2 sp
Freshly grated Coconut 1 sp
Green chillies 2
Garlic cloves 4
2 small potatoes
Green peas 1/2 cup
1 small Carrot chopped
Few green beans chopped (optional)
Salt to taste
Oil 1 sp

Method:

  1. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and let them splutter.
2. Then add onions, curry leaves and fry till onions turn slightly brown.
3. Make a paste of green chillies, grated coconut, garlic cloves by adding some salt and add this paste to the onions and cook for a minute.
4. Now add turmeric powder and mix.
5. Then add all the vegetables like potatoes, peas, carrots, beans and add some salt and cook for 3-4 mins.
6. Now add a cup of water and cook the vegetables till they are soft.

7. Take the besan flour in a small cup, add water and mix well and make sure there are no lumps.
8. Now add this besan mixture to the pan and keep mixing to avoid lumps.
9. Add some more water if required as this curry will thicken when it cools flown. So leave it a little thinner consistency and simmer for few minutes, garnish with coriander leaves and then serve hot with poori.

Poori Recipe:

Ingredients:

1 cup wheat flour
1 cup maida/plain flour
Curd 2 sp (optional, this makes poori to be soft and fluffy)
Salt to taste
Oil for frying

Method:

1. Prepare the dough by mixing all the ingredients listed except oil by adding enough water. The dough should not be too soft/sticky and if should not be too hard.
2. Kneed it properly so that poori will be fluffy.
3. Now take small dumplings of the dough and roll them using a rolling pin.
4. Now heat oil in a pan for deep frying. Make sure oil is not too hot and fry the pooris in medium flame. Serve hot with Saagu or Chole masala or Methi Chole .

Munakkaya Tomato Curry (Drumstick Tomato Curry)

Ingredients:

2 Drumsticks chopped finger length
1 large onion finely chopped
1 large tomato chopped
3 garlic cloves crushed
Green chillies 2
Mustard seeds 1 sp
Cumin seeds 1/2 sp
Curry leaves few
Turmeric powder a pinch
Coriander powder 1 sp
Red chilli powder 1 sp
Oil 1 sp
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and let them crackle.
2. Now add onions, curry leaves and cook till onions turn slightly brown.
3. Then add crushed garlic, turmeric and green chillies and fry for a minute.
4. Now add the drumsticks and fry for 2-3 mins and then add salt and tomatoes and cook till the tomatoes become mushy.
5. Then add coriander powder, red chilli powder and cook for a minute.
6. Now add a cup of water and cook till the drumsticks are soft.
7. Serve hot with rice.

Methi Ridgegourd Curry ( Methi Beerakaya Curry)

Ingredients:

Ridge gourd 250gms
1 large onion finely chopped
Methi leaves 2 cups
Mustard seeds 1/2 sp
Cumin seeds 1/2 sp
Urad dal 1/2 sp
Curry leaves few
Ginger garlic paste 1 sp
Coriander powder 1 sp
Cumin powder 1/2 sp
Green chillies 2
Turmeric pinch
Garam masala powder 1/4th sp
Salt to taste
Oil 1 sp

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and cumin seeds and when they crackle, add urad dal and fry for few seconds.
2. Add onions and cook till they turn slightly brown and then add curry leaves, green chillies, turmeric and mix.
3. Now add ginger garlic paste and cook for few seconds.
4. Now add coriander powder, cumin powder and cook for a minute.
5. Peel the skin of ridge gourd slightly and chop them into small pieces and add to the onions and cook for 5 mins by adding salt.
6. Now add the chopped methi leaves to it and cook for another 5 mins.
7. Finally add garam masala powder, mix well and server hot with rice or roti.

Methi Chole

Ingredients:

Kabuli chana (white chana) 1 cup
One small onion
2 tomatoes
Cumin seeds
Garlic cloves 2
Ginger garlic paste 1 sp
Turmeric a pinch
Methi leaves 2 cups
Tamarind paste 1 sp
Coriander powder 1 sp
Cumin powder 1/2 sp
Red chilli powder 1 sp
Garam masala powder 1/4 th sp
Green chillies 2
Salt to taste
Oil 1 sp

Method:

1. Soak chana over night and then boil them in pressure cooker by adding water and little salt.
2. Take oil in a pan, add cumin seeds and when they splutter, add the finely chopped garlic.
3. After few seconds, add finely chopped onions and cook till they turn slightly brown.
4. Now add turmeric and green chillies and fry for few seconds.
5. Now add ginger garlic paste and cook till the raw smell goes.
6. Wash and chop fresh methi leaves and add it to the onions and cook on high flame for 3-4 mins till the water in methi evaporates and it looks dry.
7. Now add coriander powder, cumin powder, chilli powder, salt and cook for a minute.
8. Now add the chopped tomatoes and cook for 3-4 minutes till the tomatoes become mushy.
9. Take 2 sp of boiled chana, mash it and keep it aside.
10. Now add the tamarind paste, 1 cup of water and the boiled chana to the tomato mixture and cook for 5 minutes.
11. Now add the mashed chana and cook for 3-4 mins till the gravy thickens.
12. Finally add garam masala powder, mix well and serve hot with rotis.

Tangdi Kabab

Ingredients:

Chicken drumsticks skinless 4

Thick yogurt 4 sp

Ginger garlic paste 1 sp

Coriander powder 1 sp

Cumin powder 1/2 sp

Red chilli powder 1 sp

Garam masala powder 1/4th sp

Turmeric 1/2 sp

Chat masala 1 sp

Lemon juice 4 sp

Milk 2-3 sp

Cashew nuts 8

Besan powder 2 sp

Butter

Oil 1 sp

Salt to taste

Method:

1. First wash the chicken drumsticks and wipe with a kitchen towel to remove any moisture and make few gashes.

2. Marinate the drumsticks with all the ingredients except cashew nuts, besan powder, milk and butter and keep it overnight preferably or at least 2-3 hours.

3. Soak the cashew nuts in warm water for an hour and grind them into fine paste by adding little milk or water if required.

4. Dry roast the besan powder till it becomes little darker shade and nice aroma comes from it.

5. Now add this besan powder, cashew nut paste to the marinated chicken drumsticks and add little salt if required.

6. Pre heat the oven to 180C.  Take a baking tray and line it with some foil paper and brush with some butter and place the drumsticks on the tray. Coat the drumsticks also with some melted butter and baked for 20-25 mins.

7. Now turn the drumsticks to the other side, coat with some butter on the top and bake again for another 15-20 mins.

8. Squeeze some lemon juice on top and serve hot with some onions and green chutney.

Paneer Veg Biryani in Oven

Today I prepared this paneer veg biryani in the oven for lunch for my veggie friends which is very easy to prepare if you have all the ingredients ready. I prefer to use home made paneer as most of the time, the store bought paneer becomes rubbery if over cooked. Otherwise, you can skip adding the sautéed paneer in the cooking tray and instead add them at the end once the biryani is ready.

Ingredients:

Basmati rice 3 cups

Cumin seeds 1/2 sp Cinnamon stick 1/4th inch
Clove 1
Star anise 1
Black cardamom 1

Green cardamom 3 Bay leaf  1

Coriander leaves 1/4 cup

Mint leaves 6 Cubed paneer 1/2 cup

Milk 1/4th cup

Saffron 1/2 sp

Biryani onions 1/4th cup

Ghee 1 sp

Cashew nuts sautéed in ghee 10

Oil 2 sp

Salt to taste

For marinade,
Mixed vegetables 2 cups like Potatoes, carrots, beans, gobi etc
Yogurt 1.5 cup whisked
Coriander powder 1sp
Cumin powder 1/2 sp
Red chilli powder 1 sp (adjust according to taste)
Turmeric 1/2 sp
Garam masala powder 1/2 sp ( dry roast Cinnamon stick 1/4th inch, 2 cloves, 1 small star anise, little mace and crush them and add immediately to the marinade to preserve the flavour)
Bay leaf 1
Biryani onions 1/2 cup ( store bought or home made )
Cardamom powder 1/2 sp
Whole black pepper corns 6
Slit Green chillies 2
Coriander leaves 1/4 th cup
Mint leaves 10 chopped
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Mix all the ingredients mentioned for marinade and leave it for at least half an hour.
2. Soak the rice for 20 mins.
3. Heat 1 sp oil in a pan and add all the marinated veggies and cook till the vegetables are half cooked.
4. Heat 1/2 sp ghee in another pan and sauté the paneer cubes abt adding little salt for 2 mins till they turn golden brown on the edges. Now immediately add these cubed paneer to the cooked veggies and mix.
4. Boil 4.5 cups water in a bowl by adding salt, oil 1sp, cumin seeds 1/2 sp, cinnamon, clove, black cardamom, green cardamom 3, bay leave, star anise, chopped coriander leaves and 3 mint leaves.
5. When the water is boiling, add the rice and cook till it is slightly watery and not completely dry and the rice is 3/4th cooked.
6. Grease an aluminium foil tray with ghee, add the half cooked vegetables in a single layer.
7. Now spread the rice on top of the veggies evenly.
8. Add saffron to the warm milk and add this milk to the rice.
9. Spread some fried onions on top.
10. Add some chopped coriander leaves, mint leaves (2-3), and cashew nuts on top and cover the tray with foil paper tightly.
11. Per heat the oven to 180C and keep the tray in oven for 25-30 mins.
12. Switch off the oven and do not open the tray for 15 mins.
13. Now open the tray, mix slightly with a fork and serve hot with any raitha or gravy curry of your choice.

Paneer Veg Noodles

I prepared paneer mix veg noodles today using simple maggi noodles which is very quick to prepare. You can follow the same recipe using any other noodles also, but cook the noodles according to the instructions given on the pack.

Ingredients:

Maggi noodles 2 small packets
Paneer cubes 1/2 cup
Mixed vegetables like baby corn, asparagus, broccoli 1 cup ( you can use any other vegetables of your choice like green beans, peas, spring onions)
Carrots and Capsicum julienne cut 1/2 cup
Soya sauce 1 sp
Red chilli sauce 1 sp
Green chillies 2
1 small onion finely sliced
Ginger garlic paste 1/2 sp
White pepper powder 1/4th sp (optional)
Oil 2 sp
Ghee 1/2sp
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Boil water in a bowl by adding some salt and 1/2sp and when it is boiling, add the maggi noodles and cook only for 1 minute as they will become mushy otherwise. Cook according to the instructions if using any other noodles. 
2. Drain the water in a colander and put under running cold water so that the cooking stops further. Now add 1/2 sp oil to the noodles and keep it aside.
3. Heat ghee in a pan, add the cubed paneer, add little salt and sauté for 2 mins till it becomes slightly brown on the edges and keep it aside.
4. Heat remaining oil in a non stick pan, add the onions and cook till they turn slightly brown.
5. Now add ginger garlic paste and sauté for few seconds till the raw smell goes.
6. Now add the mixed veggies like baby corn, broccoli, asparagus, green chillies and cook on high flame for 2-3 mins and then add the julienned carrots and capsicum and cook for 2 mins. Add salt as required as the noodles also has some salt added.
7. Now add the panner cubes, soya sauce, chilli sauce mix well and add the noodles and toss well on high flame. 
8. You can sprinkle little pepper powder now if you are using and toss well and serve hot with any chilli sauce or tomato ketch up.

Avocado Sandwich

Avocados have many health benefits and they are an excellent source of  dietary fibre, vitamins, proteins and healthy fats. It is mainly used in the Mexican dip Guacamole. It can be used as a sandwich spread also and here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

Brown bread slices 2
Spreadable butter 1 sp
Avocado mashed 2 sp
1 Small onion very finely chopped
1 green chilli finely chopped
Coriander leaves finely chopped 1sp
Curry leaves finely chopped 1 sp
Red chilli sauce 1 sp
Salt to taste
Ghee 1/2 sp

Method:

1. Spread butter onion one side for the bread slices.
2. Apply the red chilli sauce on the other side.
3. Mix the mashed avocado, onions, green chillies, coriander leaves, curry leaves and very little salt. It should look like a paste.
4. Apply this avocado mixture on the bread on the side where red chilli sauce is applied.
5. Coat ghee on top of the spreaded avocado.
6. Place the bread on heated nonstick tawa with the avocado side facing up and toast for half a minute and then turn to the other side carefully and toast for few seconds. Make sure the avocado mixture won't stick to the tawa.
7. Serve this yummy and healthy sandwich with some sautéed veggies and a juice.

Cheese Onion Tomato Toast on Tawa

Ingredients:

Brown bread slices 2 ( You can also use white bread for the same recipe)
Grated Mozarella cheese 3sp
1 small onion finely chopped
1 small tomato finely chopped
1 green chilli finely chopped (optional)
Chilli powder 1/2sp
Spreadable Butter 2sp
Tomato ketchup 1sp
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Take grated cheese in a bowl, add the tomatoes, onions, green chillies, chilli powder, and salt and mix well.
2. Apply butter on both sides of the bread slices, apply some tomato ketchup on one side and put the cheese mixture on ketchup side and keep it on a heated Tawa with the cheese side facing top and toast for few seconds.
3. When the cheese starts slightly melting, tap with the spatula so that the onions and tomatoes will stick with the cheese and won't fall down.
4. Now turn the bread to the other side and toast only for few seconds. Make sure the cheese won't stick to the pan.
5. Serve the yummy cheese onion tomato sandwich made on Tawa for breakfast or as a snack for kids. It tastes like pizza and kids love it.

Raw Banana Pepper Fry

Ingredients:

Raw banana 250gms
Fennel seeds 1sp
Oil 1.5sp
Garlic cloves 8
Pepper corns 1sp
Red chilli powder 1/2 sp
Amchoor powder 1/2 sp
Turmeric pinch
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves for garnishing

Method:

1. Cut the bananas into halves and boil in water by adding salt.
2. Cool the bananas and peel the skin and cut into half inch cubes.
3. Add oil in a pan, add fennel seeds and let them splutter.
4. Now crush the garlic and pepper corns together and add it to the pan and fry for a min.
5. Add the red chilli powder now if using and also add turmeric and mix well.
6. Now add 3-4 sp water and mix well.
7. Add the banana cubes, mix well so that the pieces get all the spice flavors and cook for 5 mins. You can add little salt if required. 

8. Sprinkle Amchoor powder and some more crushed pepper if required at the end and garnish with coriander leaves and serve as a side dish with rice.

Palak Paneer Bhurji

Ingredients:

Paneer 200gm

Spinach 2 Cups

1 medium size onion

Garlic cloves 2

Coriander powder 1 sp

Cumin powder 1/2 sp

Chilli powder 1 sp

Garam masala powder small pinch

Turmeric 1/4 sp

Cumin seeds 1/2 sp
Ginger garlic paste 1 sp
Oil 1 sp

Method:

1. Take oil in a pan, add cumin seeds and let them splutter.

2. Now add chopped garlic and saute for few seconds.

3. Add finely chopped onions and fry for 4 mins till they become brown colour. 

4. Now add turmeric, ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute till the raw smell goes.

5. Add chopped spinach and fry in high flame till the water evaporates and becomes dry.

6. Now add coriander powder, cumin powder, red chilli powder, salt and combine and cook for 2 mins.

7. Now add crumbled paneer and mix well and cook for 3-4 mins.

8. Now add garam masala powder, mix and serve hot with rotis.

Pudina Chutney (Mint Chutney)

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh mint leaves
6 garlic flakes
1 small onion chopped
1 small tomato chopped
2 green chillies
1 sp oil
1/2 sp cumin seeds
1/2 sp tamarind paste
Salt to taste

For tempering:
1/2 sp oil
1/2 sp mustard seeds
1/2 sp urad dal
Curry leaves
Small pinch hing

Method:

1. Add 1/2 sp oil in a pan, add cumin seeds, add garlic flakes, when they turn little brown, add onions and fry for 3 mins till they become slightly brown.
2. Now add green chillies, fry for a minute and take all these into a bowl.
3. Now add 1/2 sp oil in the same pan, add tomatoes and fry for 3 mins till they become slightly mushy.
4. Now cool all the ingredients and grind them by adding tamarind paste and salt without adding any water.
5. Now for tempering, add 1/2 sp oil in a pan, then add mustard seeds and when they crackle, add urad dal and fry on medium heat till they turn little brown, then add curry leaves and hing and pour this tempering on to the mint chutney.
6. This chutney goes very well with dosa, idli.

Gutti Vankaya Kura (Stuffed Brinjal Curry)

Ingredients:

12 small brinjals
2 large onions chopped
8 Garlic cloves
3 sp oil
3 sp freshly grated coconut
1sp coriander powder
1/2 sp cumin powder
1 sp red chilli powder
1/2 sp turmeric
1 sp ghee
1/2 sp jaggery
1/2 sp cumin seeds
Small pinch fenugreek seeds
Salt to taste
Tamarind ( small gooseberry sized)

Method:

1. Take 1 spoon oil in a non stick pan, when heated, add the garlic cloves. 
2. When they slightly turn brown, add chopped onions and fry for 3-4 mins till they slightly turn brown.
3. Now cool them and grind by adding the grated coconut, jaggery and little water as required.
4. Now add the coriander powder, cumin powder, chilli powder, turmeric, ghee, salt and mix. 
5. Make slits to the brinjals and stuff the paste.
6. Now add the remaining oil in the pan, and add cumin seeds, methi seeds and fry for few seconds.
7. Now keep the stuffed brinjals in the pan in single layer, add any left over paste also on the top, add 1/4th cup water and let it cook by slowly turning the brinjals once in a while so that they don't burn 
till the brinjals are 3/4th cooked.
8. Now add the tamarind pulp ( made with about 1/4th cup) water and let it cook till the brinjals are completely cooked.
9. Let the gravy become completely dry and coating the brinjals nicely.
10. Serve with hot rice or roti.