Potato in Curd Gravy…

Ingredients:
3 medium. potatoes boiled and peeled
1 cup curd or yogurt beaten
1 tsp. red chilli powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dhania powder
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
1/4 tsp. garam masala
2 pinches asafoetida
1 stalk curry leaves
1 tbsp. coriander leaves chopped
1 1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp. each ginger, garlic grated
2 green chillies slit
1 tsp. each cumin, mustard seeds
1/4 tsp. wheat flour
1 tbsp. oil

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Method:
Cut potatoes into big pieces. Mash 3-4 pieces fine with hand. Keep both aside.
Mix all the dry masala in 1/4 cup water.
Heat oil. Add the seeds (cumin and mustard). When they splutter, add ginger-garlic, chilli and curry leaves.
Add the masala mixture and fry for 2 minutes.
Add beaten curd and fry for 5 minutes or till the curd loses its whiteness. Stir continuously after adding curd.
Add the remaining water and all the potato and flour. Stir well.
Boil and simmer for 10 minutes or till gravy thickens
Garnish with chopped coriander.
Serve hot with thin wheat chappaties and rice.

Shahi Paneer…

Ingredients:
250 gms. paneer (cottge cheese)
3 tbsp. ghee or butter
1 onion chopped into strips
1/2″ piece ginger chopped fine
2 green chillies chopped fine
4 tomatoes chopped fine
2 cardamoms crushed
1/4 cup beaten curd
1/2 tsp. red chilli powder
1/2 tsp. garam masala
salt to taste
1/2 cup milk
2 tbsp. tomato sauce
To garnish:
2 tbsp. grated paneer
1 tbsp. chopped coriander

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Method:
Chop the paneer into 2″ fingers.
Heat half the ghee. Add onion,ginger, green chilli and cardamom. Fry for 3-4 minutes.
Add tomatoes and cook for 7-8 minutes, covered.
Add curd and cook for 5 minutes.
Add 1/2 cup water and cool.
Blend in a mixie till smooth.
Heat remaining ghee, add gravy and other ingredients except milk and paneer.
Boil to get a very thick gravy.
Just before serving, heat gravy, add milk and paneer fingers and boil for 3-4 minutes.
Garnish with chopped coriander and grated paneer.

Sindhi Saibhaji…

Ingredients:
1 each – carrot, capsicum, onion, small cabbage,potato, brinjal, tomato, ladyfinger (okra)
100 gms. french beans
1/2 bunch each spinach, coriander,
1/2 bunch any other leafy greens.
1 cup green gram dal
1/2 cup horsegram dal (channa dal)
4-5 green chillies
2-3 clovettes garlic
1 tsp. red chilli powder
1 tsp. dhania (coriander seed) powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. turmeric
3 tbsp. oil
1/2 tbsp. ghee
2 pinches asafoetida

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METHOD:
Clean and wash dals.
Clean, wash and chop spinach and vegetables except tomato.
Heat oil in a pressure cooker, add all the vegetables, spinach and dals.
Mix well, add enough water to cover the contents.
Add all masalas and mix.
Place whole tomato on top, cover and pressurecook for 3 whistles.
Cool the cooker, open and handblend the contents.
Heat 1/2 tbsp. ghee add a pinch of asafoetida add to the mashed vegetable.
Serve hot with paratha or steamed rice

Gobi Manchurian…

INGREDIENTS:
1 medium. cauliflower clean and broken into big florettes.
1 small bunch spring onion finely chopped
2 tsp. ginger finely chopped
1 tsp. garlic finely chopped
1/4 cup plain flour
3 tbsp. cornflour
1/4 tsp. red chilli powder
2 red chillies, dry
3 tbsp. oil
1 1/2 cups water
1 tbsp. milk and soya sauce

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METHOD:
Boil the florettes for 3-4 minutes in plenty of water, to which a tbsp. of milk has been added.
Drain and pat dry on a clean cloth.
Make thin batter out of flour and 2 tbsp.cornflour, adding 1/4 tsp. each of ginger and garlic and red chilli powder and salt
to taste.
Dip the florettes in the batter one by one and deep fry in hot oil. Keep aside.
In the remaining oil, add remaining ginger, garlic and crushed red chilli and fry for a minute.
Add the salt and spring onions.
Stir fry for a minute. Add 1 1/2 cups water and bring to a boil.
Add 1 tbsp. cornflour to 1/4 cup water and dissolve well.
Gradually add to the gravy and stir continuously till it resumes boiling.
Boil till the gravy becomes transparent. Add florettes and soya sauce.
Boil for two more minutes and remove.
Serve hot with noodles or rice.

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Variations:
Dry manchurian can be made by omitting the gravy.
Make florettes as above and instead of adding water as above, add fried florettes, spring onions and soya ce at this stage.
Sprinkle 1 tsp. cornflour on the florettes and stirfry for 2 minutes.
Serve piping hot with toothpicks or miniforks and chilligarlic sauce or tomato sauce.
Same procedure for veg. manchurian (with gravy or dry), but instead of using only cauliflower, use finely chopped minced
vegetables and
bind with some cornflour or bread crumbs and make small lumps the size of a pingpong ball.
Fry as above and proceed as above.

Aloo Palak…

Ingredients
3 cups chopped spinach
2 large onoins chopped fine
2 large potatoes boiled and peeled
1 tomato grated
2 green chillies
1″ piece ginger
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. wheat or other flour
1 tsp. red chilli powder
1 tsp. cinnamon-clove powder
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2 pinches asafoetida
1/2 tsp. garam masala
1/2 tbsp. butter
4 tbsp. ghee
salt to taste

METHOD:
Put the washed spinach in a pan, add very little water (just a sprinkle) and a pinch of salt.
Cover and boil over a high flame for 2 minutes. Cool quickly, or hold under running water in a colander.
Put in a mixie, add green chilli and run for a minute. Keep slightly coarse, do not make very smooth.
Keep aside.
Cut the potatoes into big pieces. Heat ghee and fry potatoes till light brown.
Drain the potatoes, keep aside.
In the same hot ghee add the cumin seeds.
Add the ginger, onions and fry till very tender.
Add the tomato and further fry for two minutes.
Add all the dry masalas and fry till ghee separates.
Add spinach and potatoes.
When it resumes a boil sprinkle the flour and stir well. Boil for 2-3 minutes. Add lemon juice
Just before serving heat butter in a tiny saucepan and add the asafoetida.
Pour over the vegetable and mix gently.
Serve hot with naan or parathas or even rice.

Pitlai …

Ingredients
2 med bitter gourds (“karela”)
3/4 can chickpeas ( you can add other sambhar vegetables also).
1/2 cup cooked toovar dal
3 green chillies slit
1 1/2 tspn tamarind paste
3-4 red dry chillies
2 tspns urad dal
1 1/2 tspn coriander seeds
1/2 cup grated coconut
few peppercorns
a little jaggery or sugar
turmeric, salt to taste
mustard seeds, curry leaves, oil for seasoning

Preparation
Slit bitter gourd into four quarters and cut 1/2 inch thick pieces across.
In a little oil, saute cut bitter gourd and green chillies. Add 2 cups water, tamarind, turmeric and salt. Let simmer until bitter gourd are tender. Add chickpeas and jaggery/sugar.
While bitter gourd are cooking, in another pan sprinkle a little oil and fry coriander seeds, urad dal, red chillies and peppercorns until well roasted. Add coconut, stir a min or two and then grind in a blender. Add a little tomato paste if handy for color.Blend in cocunut paste into the bitter gourd-tamarind mixture. Add the dal. Mix well and reheat a till it begins to simmer. Take off stove. Pour seasoning on top.

Milky Oat Soup…

Ingredients
Oats – 1 cup
Onion – 1/2 (finely chopped)
Green Chilly – 1 (finely chopped)
Garlic – 1 clove (minced)
Salt – to taste
Pepper powder – a pinch
Water- 1 cup
Milk – 1 cup
Oil – 2 tsp
Cilantro – for garnish

Method
1. Heat oil in a pan and saute the onions, green chilly and garlic till they begin to sweat.
2. Now add the oats and fry along with it for 2 minutes.
3. Add salt and water and let it come to a boil.
4. Now add the milk and pepper powder to it and bring to a boil.
5. Garnish the rich and creamy oats soup with cilantro or green onions. Serve piping hot with a slice of bread.

 

Variations

    – You can add some finely chopped vegetables to the soup like carrots, green peas, etc.

    – You can also add a pinch of garam masala or cumin powder to make the soup more flavourful.

Oat Tomato Soup…

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup oats
• 5 large tomatoes, halved and sliced
• 1/3 cup onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 3 cups water, divided
• 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro
• 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Heat a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Pour in the olive oil, and let it heat up. Add the oats; cook and stir until toasted.
2. In a blender or large food processor, combine the tomatoes, onion, garlic, 1 cup of water, and cilantro. Blend until smooth. Pour into the pan with the toasted oats. Stir in the remaining 2 cups of water, and bring to a boil. Mix in the salt and chicken bouillon. Cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Enjoy hot or warm.