SAMBHAR

Ingredients

For Sambhar:

1 cup toovar (arhar) dal
2 tomatoes , chopped
1 onion , chopped
1/2 cup brinjal (baingan / eggplant) cubed

1/2 cup bottle gourd (ghiya or lauki) 
1 drumsticks (saijan ki phalli / saragavo) , cut into 4 pieces
1 potato cubed

1 small carrot cubed

8 french beans

1 small capsicum cubed

1/4 cup cauliflower 

1 tbsp tamarind (imli) pulp

2 dry red chilies

1 tsp mustard seeds ( rai / sarson)
6 curry leaves (kadi patta)
1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing)
2 tbsp oil

1 tsp moong dal 
1 tsp urad dal (split black lentils)

2 tsp sugar or a small piece of gur

salt to taste

For The Sambhar Masala:

 4 to 6 whole dry kashmiri red chillies
1 tbsp coriander (dhania) seeds
1 tsp toovar (arhar) dal
1 tbsp chana dal (split bengal gram)
1 tbsp urad dal (split black lentils)
1 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
1/2 tsp asafoetida (hing)
1 tsp oil

Method:

For the sambhar masala

1. Heat the oil and roast all the ingredients for the sambhar masala in it. 
2. Grind to a fine paste. Keep aside.

For Sambhar:

1. Wash and pressure cook the dal, onion, brinjals, bottle gourd,drumstick, and potato with 2 cups of water. Mash the vegetables in the boiled dal.
2. Then add the tamarind pulp, salt ,sugar and 4 cups of water and bring to a boil.
3. Prepare the tempering by heating the oil and frying the mustard seeds, curry leaves, asafoetida,1tsp urad dal,1 tsp moong dal and dry red chilies until the mustard seeds crackle.
4. Now add chopped tomatoes and cook till the tomatoes become compeletely soft.
5. Now add rest of the vegetables in the tempering pan along with 1/2 tsp salt and 2 tbsp of water and cook till the vegetables are crunchy.
6. Now add  sambhar masala and 1/2 cup of water and cook for 2 minutes.
7. Add this to the sambhar and simmer for 15 minutes.
8. Serve hot with upma,idli ,lemon rice,steamed rice,uttapam,vada or dosa. 

Note:

1. You can use more or less of vegetables as per availability of vegetables.
2. You can use 3-4 tsp ready made sambar masala or sambar mix available in market. 

Read More

SAMBHAR WITH VEGETABLE UPMA

FOR UPMA

Ingredients:

1 cup roasted semolina (sooji, rava)
1 medium sized onion, chopped finely
1 green chilly, chopped
1 tbsp chana dal/spilt and skinned bengal gram
½ tbsp urad dal/spilt and skinned
½ inch ginger grated or chopped finely

1/2 cup finely chopped vegetables (carrot,french beans,peas,capsicum,cauliflower)
2  cups water
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 sprig of curry leaves
7-8 ground nuts
2 tsp sugar (optional)
2 tbsp oil or ghee
salt as required

Method:

1. Heat oil or ghee in a pan.
2. Add mustard seeds,when they start to crackle add the chana dal and urad dal.
3. Fry till they start to brown a little.
4. Add ground nuts and let them get browned.
5. Now add onions and fry till they become transparent.
6. Add the green chilly, ginger, curry leaves and fry for a minute.
7. Add all the vegetables and when they become tender add the roasted semolina to it.
8. Now add water to this mixture and let it come to a boil.
9. Add salt and sugar.
10. When the water comes to a rolling boiling, lower the flame and keep on stirring .
11. The semolina will absorb water and swell and begin to cook.
12. If the mixture looks dry, then add some more water.
13. Keep stirring so that the upma leaves sides of the pan.
14. Garnish upma with curry leaves and mustard seeds by making a tempering of the two in a little oil.
15. Serve upma with hot sambhar or coconut chutney.

Note:

1. You can boil chana dal (in an open pan for 5-10 minutes) and vegetables before adding them to the upma. 

Read More

MATAR MUSHROOM

Ingredients:

200 gms mushrooms

1 cup peas

1/2 tsp cumin seeds(jeera)

1 cup onions finely chopped

2 tsp ginger garlic paste 

1 cup tomatoes puree
1 tsp coriander powder (dhania powder)
1/2 tsp red chili powder (degi mirch)
1 tsp sabzi masala
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 tbsp oil
2 dry red chilies
1 pinch of asafoetida (hing)
8-10 cashew nuts ground to paste
1 tbsp melon seeds ground to paste
1 tbsp fresh cream
salt to taste

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a pan add cumin seeds,asafoetida powder, dry red chilies and onions and saute till onions turn golden brown in colour.
2. Add the ginger-garlic paste, mix well and cook for 2 minutes on a medium flame.
3. Add the tomato puree, chilli powder, coriander  powder, turmeric powder, sabzi masala and salt and cook till the oil leaves the masala.
4. Add 1/2 cup of water and bring it to a boil.
5. Add the green peas and mushrooms and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes or till the green peas are cooked.
6. Add the cashewnut paste , melon seed paste and fresh cream and mix well.
7. Serve hot garnished with coriander and fresh cream.

Read More

CHILI CHEESE

Ingredients:

200 gms cottage cheese cut in cubes
2 medium sized onions diced
1 capsicum diced
2 tbsp corn flour
1 tbsp maida
1 tbsp besan
2 green chilies slit length wise
1/4 tsp red chili powder(degi mirch)
7-8 cloves garlic
2 tsp soya sauce
1/2 tbsp vinegar
3 tbsp tomato ketchup
1 tbsp schezwan sauce or chili sauce
salt to taste
1/4 tsp black pepper
oil for frying

Method:

1. Mix 1 tbsp each of maida,besan and corn flour with approximately 3-5 tbsp of water ,1/2 tsp salt and red chili powder to make a thick batter or coating consistency.
2. Coat the cheese cubes with the batter and deep fry then in hot oil. Keep them a side.
3. Now in a pan take 2 tbsp oil and fry the green chilies,garlic,onions and capsicum.
4. Reduce the flame an add all the sauces,vinegar, salt and black pepper.
5. Now add 1/2 a cup of water and when it is hot add 1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 1/2 cup of water and cook for 3-5 minutes till the cornflour is cooked.
6. Add the fried cheese and cook for 2 minutes.
7. Serve hot and garnish with coriander leaves or spring onions.

Read More

PAV BHAJI

Ingredients:

4 medium sized boiled potatoes
1/2 cup cauliflower chopped
1/2 cup carrot chopped
1/2 cup brinjal  chopped (baingan)
1/2 cup peas
1 finely chopped capsicum
5-6 finely chopped french beans
1 inch ginger grated
5-6 cloves of garlic chopped or ground to paste
1 finely chopped green chili
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup finely chopped tomatoes
2-3 tsp pav bhaji masala
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp degi mirch (or red chili paste)
1-2 tsp salt to taste
1 lemon
1/4 cup chopped corriander leaves
3-4 tbsp butter or desi ghee
2 tbsp tomato ketchup
1 packet Pav  (10-12 pieces)

For Garnishing:
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
2 chopped green chilies
chopped coriander leaves
cubes of butter

Method:

1. Boil cauliflower,carrot and brinjal in 1 cup of water in a pressure cooker till 2-3 whistles and after the pressure releases mash the vegetables with the help of potato masher in the cooker itself.
2. Take a kadahi and melt the butter add chopped onions,ginger and garlic and cook till the onions are light brown in colour.
3. Add chopped tomatoes,green chilies,peas,capsicum,french beans an stir till the vegetables become tender.
4. Now add all the spices like pav bhaji masala, coriander powder, red chili powder and salt.
5. Now add boiled potatoes and  mashed vegetables and 1/2 cup of water and cook for 15-20 minutes till you reach the desired consistency of the bhaji.
6. Now add chopped  coriander leaves ,lemon juice and ketchup.

For Pav:

1. Slice each pav into 2 horizontally. Apply a little butter to each side.
2. Heat a large tava and cook the pav on both sides till the pieces are lightly browned.

Servicing:

1. Serve the hot bhaji on individual plates and top with the chopped onion,tomatoes,green chilies,coriander and a small cube of butter.
2. Serve with the hot pav , lemon wedges,salad and cold drink.

Read More

INSTANT DHOKLA

Ingredients:

For Dhokla

1 cup besan (gram flour)

1 cup sooji (semolina)

1 cup water

1/2 inch ginger and 1 green chili ground to paste

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp powdered sugar

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1 tbsp oil

1tsp meetha soda or eno

salt to taste

For tempering:

1 tsp mustard seeds (rai)

a pinch of asafoetida powder

1 tbsp oil

8-10 curry leaves

2-3 green chilies 

Method:

1. Mix all the ingredients of dhokla except for the meeta soda or eno.
2. The batter has to be slightly thicker than the idli batter.
3. Keep aside for 15-20 minutes.
4. Meanwhile add 3-4 cups water in the steamer and heat it.
5. Grease a pan or idli mold with oil.
6. Add the eno or meetha soda and mix it with a light hand.
7. Quickly pour the batter in the prepared pan or idi mould.
8. Keep the mould in the steamer.
9. Cover the steamer and steam for approx 15-20 minutes.
10. Check with a knife ,if the knife comes out clean, then the dhokla is ready.
11. Remove the dhokla and allow to cool for 5-6 minutes.
12. De-mould the dhokla carefully in a serving plate and then temper it.
13. Heat oil in a small pan.
14. First add the mustard seeds then hing,curry leaves and then green chilies and stir a while and pour the tempering on the idli shaped dhoklas and mix well.
15. Serve hot with chuttney or sauce. 

Notes: 

1. If idlis are big in size then cut them into 2 or 4 pieces and then add tempering.
2. If you are using a pan  mould then pour the tempering on cooked dhokla after or before de-moulding it and then cut it into pieces.  

Read More

CRISPY FRIED ARBI

Ingredients:

250 gm Arbi (Taro root)

1 medium sized onion thinly sliced length wise

1/2 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp garam masala powder

1/4 tsp red chili powder 

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

salt to taste

oil for frying

Method:

1. Peel Arbi ,wash it and pat dry.
2. Thinly slice the Arbi.
3. Heat oil in a kadahi and fry the slices of arbi in it.
4. Drain out the Arbi  from oil on a tissue paper or kitchen towel.
5. Fry the onions till light brown in colour and drain these out on a tissue paper (or you can stir fry the onions in a tea spoon of oil in a separate pan).
6. Mix onions,Arbi and rest of the ingredients except jeera.
7. Dry roast cumin seeds on a Tava and sprinkle it on the Arbi.
8. Serve hot with daal and chappati.   

Read More

HARA BHARA KEBAB

Ingrdients:

1/4 cup chana dal (split bengal gram)
2 tsp finely chopped ginger
2 tsp finely garlic

1 tbsp finely chopped green chilies
1 cup blanched spinach
1/2 cup boiled green peas
1/2 cup grated paneer (cottage cheese)
1 tsp chaat masala
1/4 tsp garam masala
salt to taste
1/2 cup plain flour (maida) dissolved with 1/3 cup water
3/4 cup bread crumbs
oil for deep-frying

For filling:

2 tbsp finely chopped mushrooms

2 tbsp grated cottage cheese

1 tbsp kaju tukra

1 tsp grated ginger 

1 tsp finely chopped green chilies

1/2 tsp jeera

1 tsp oil

sat to taste

Method:

1. Wash and soak the chana dal for 1 hour and drain.
2. In a pressure cooker add the chana dal, garlic, ginger, green chilies and ½ cup of water, mix well and pressure cook for 2 whistles. Drain.
3. Add the chana dal, green peas, spinach and blend in a blender till smooth using ½ tbsp water if needed.
4. Transfer into a bowl and add the paneer, salt, garam masala, chaat masala and ¼ cup bread crumbs, mix well.
5. Divide the mixture into 12 equal portions.
6. Now for filling take oil in a pan add jeera and when it starts to splatter add grated ginger, green chilies, mushrooms and then rest of the ingredients and cook for 2-3 minutes and keep a side.
7. Now make a ball of one portion of kebab mixture, flatten it and place 1/2 a spoon full of stuffing in it's center  and wrap the stuffing with kebab mixture like you put stuffing while making parantha and give kebab desired shape.  
8. Dip each kebab into the prepared flour- water paste and roll in the remaining bread crumbs.
9. Heat the oil in  kadhai and deep-fry them till they are golden brown in colour from both the sides.
10. Cut the kebab length wise and serve hot with tomato ketchup and green chutney.

Note:

1. You can also cook the kebabs on a greased tava (griddle) by following the same procedure and cook until golden brown in colour from both the sides.

Read More

CUTLETS

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

4 boiled potatoes and mashed

2 tbsp grated cottage cheese

1 green chili de-seeded

1 tbsp chopped coriander
4 tbsp bread crumbs
1 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp red chili powder or red chili flakes
 salt to taste
oil for frying

Method:

1. Mix all the ingredients keeping one tbsp bread crumbs aside
2. Make small balls of the size if your choice 
3. Coat the balls with bread crumbs and fry in hot oil.
4. Serve them hot with the dip or chuttney of your choice.

Note:
Try frying one cutlet if it splatters then you can add more bread crumbs or a tabsp of corn flour.

Read More

CANAPE CHAAT

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Serves: 6

Ingredients:

6 canapes

1/2 cup hung yogurt

6 small cutlets

2 tsp sugar

salt to taste

2 tbsp barik sev

2 tsp pomegranate seeds

mint or coriander leaves for garnishing

oil for frying

Method:

1. Take hung yogurt in a bowl and mix sugar and salt and blend it well.
2. Deep fry the canapes in hot oil or bake them in OTG.
3. Place one or half cutlet as per size of canape in the canape cups.
4. Pour sweet yogurt 
5. Sprinkle sev and pomegranate seeds 
6. Garnish with coriander or mint leaf and serve immediately.

Note:

1. You can use bhalla ,sprouts boiled or fried potatoes and crushed paapri instead of cutlet as per choice.
2. You can fry or bake canapes and store them in an air tight container and all the other things ready but assemble the canape only at the time of serving because otherwise they will become saggy.   

Read More

CHANA CHAAT

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 25-30 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients:

1 cup black chick pea (black chana)
1 finely chopped small onion
1 small chopped tomato
1 green chili de-seeded and chopped
1 boiled potato
1 lemon
1 tsp chaat masala
1/4 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp jeera
1/8 tsp asafoetida  (hing powder)
1 tbsp oil
salt to taste

Method:

1. Soak the black chick peas over night and drain the water.
2. Take 4 cups of water in a pressure cooker, add salt to taste and pressure cook for half an hour.
3. Check whether they are tender or not if required you can cook for some more time.
4. If there is water then cook without lid on high flame till they the chick peas are almost dry.
5. Now remove from flame and put them in a bowl.
6. Add chopped onion,chopped tomatoes,green chili,boiled potato,red chili powder , chaat masala and salt in to it.
7. Take a pan and heat the oil now add jeera and hing powder and pour the tempering on the chaat and cover with a plate for 10 minutes so that the aroma of the tempering is absorbed in the chaat.
8. Now add lemon juice and chopped coriander and serve hot or cold.

Note: 

1. You can use white chick peas instead of black chick peas. You can also make the recipe with sprouted chick peas after boiling them for 10-15 minutes.

Read More

SPRING ROLLS

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves: 6

Ingredients:

For spring roll sheets

1 cup all purpose flour (maida) 1/2 cup for dusting and making paste

3 tbsp refined oil

 salt to taste

Filling:

2 tbsp oil

1 finely chopped onion

1/2 carrot finely chopped or shredded

8-10 finely chopped french beans

1/2 cup shredded cabbage

1/2 cup shredded capsicum

1/2 tsp white pepper

1/2 tsp sugar

salt to taste

2tsp soya sauce

Method:

1. Heat oil add onions stir fry for 1 minute add all the other vegetables stir a bit and add salt pepper and sugar.
2. Add soya sauce and mix well and keep it aside.
3. For spring roll sheets sift flour and salt and gradually add water and make a smooth dough.
4. Keep the dough on rest for 10-15 minutes.
5. Now take two lemon sized balls of dough and roll out into a really thin translucent roti using maida for dusting. Keep aside.
6. Now roll out another part in the same way.
7. Brush with oil, sprinkle lightly with all purpose flour and place the first roti on top of the second one.
8. Roll out both the rotis together again and spread them to the maximum with the help of rolling pin.
9. Now, cook this roti on a medium hot Tawa/pan for 10 seconds on one side then flip the side and cook the other side as well for 10 seconds.
10. Lift off from tava and carefully peel open to separate the two rotis that were earlier stuck together. 
11. Make rest of the sheets the same way. 
12. In a bowl, mix 3 tbsp all purpose flour and 2 to 3 tbsp water..
13. Stir very well to make a thick paste without any lumps.
14. Now take one sheet and keep the cooked side facing you. make sure that the sheets are at room temperature before using them.
15. Now with your fingertip, apply the paste on the edges of the sheets and place 1 tbsp of the veggie stuffing in the center lengthwise.
16. Seal both the sides from sideways. spread some batter on the sealed edges then bring the open side on top of the roll. Press gently and seal it.
17. Do the same with rest of the sheets. You can brush them with little oil and keep them in fridge wrapped in a foil of cling film till the time of serving. 
18. Deep fry at the time of serving. Heat oil in a pan or kadahi and gently slid on spring roll in medium hot oil .
19. Deep fry them till they are crisp and golden in color from all the sides.
20. Remove them with a slotted spoon and keep them on a kitchen towel or absorbent paper.
21. Serve the spring rolls hot with red chili sauce or tomato ketchup.

Read More

CHEESE CORN ROLLS

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves: 6

Ingredients:

Pancakes:

1/2 cup flour

1 cup milk if not using egg other wise one cup water

1/4 tsp salt

1 egg or a pinch of soda-bi-carb

oil for shallow frying

Filling:

2 tsp oil

1 finely chopped onion

2 tbsp sweet corns

100 gms cottage cheese

1/4 tsp white pepper 

salt to taste

Method

1. Heat oil add onions stir fry for 1 minute add all the corn and grated cheese stir a bit and add salt and pepper .
2. For pancakes sift flour and salt and gradually add water or milk, egg or soda-bi-carb and make a smooth batter.
3. Heat a non stick pan and make pan cakes cooking underside only don't cook the other side.
4. Cool the pan cakes 
5. Place the filling on cooked side of the pancakes at one end now fld left side and then the right side.
6. Holding the sides roll upwards
7. Seal the edges with the batter of pan cakes or cornflour disolved in water.
8. Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry both sides of the roll till golden brown.
9. Drain out of oil and serve cutting diagonally.

Note:  If you find it difficult to roll the pan cakes then make a chapati like dough using less water or milk and more of maida  then wrap the stuffing in the chapati and and deep fry the rolls.

Read More