Kobij na Thepla - Cabbage Flatbread

This is a simple cabbage flatbread. One important thing while making this thepla is to use grater (large holes ok) to grate the cabbage and not to chop it with a knife. My food processor doesn't produce same shreds that the grater does. Very fine cabbage shreds are needed to knead and roll the dough.



Kobij na Thepla - count 12 - 15
Cabbage Flatbread
Ingredients
1 cup grated cabbage
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1/2 tsp coriander-cumin seed powder
1/4 tsp ajwain/owa/ajmo
1 1/4 cup wheat flour
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp chili-ginger paste
salt to taste
1/4 cup flax powder (optional)
1 tsp oil

oil for roasting
wheat flour for dredging

Method
1. Mix all the dry ingredients with hand. Add cabbage. Try to bring everything together using the moisture from cabbage.
2. Add water gingerly, to bind a dough. Add 1 tsp oil and knead again.
3. Cover and keep aside for 10-15 minutes.
4. Make 12 - 15 equal sized balls. Roll into thin flatbreads using wheat flour as necessary.
5. Roast on a hot pan/griddle/tawa till brown spots appear on both sides.
6. Keep covered, in an aluminum foil or clean cotton towel.
7. Serve with chundo - Gujarai grated mango sweet-sour-spicy pickle.

Note -
1. As mentioned in the introduction above, it is imperative to grate the cabbage to knead and roll the flatbread easily.

Methi nu Shaak

A simple stir fry with fenugreek leaves -

Methi nu Shaak
Fresh fenugreek leaves stir fry
Ingredients
1 1/2 cup chopped fresh methi leaves
2 small potatoes, peeled & finely chopped - approx = 3/4 cup
salt to taste
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp coriander-cumin seed powder
1/3 cup vada nu loat or besan
1 tbsp oil


Tempering
1 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp asafoetida
1/4 tsp owa
1 tbsp sesame seeds
2 cloves garlic, finely minced

Garnish
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice


Method
1. Heat oil in an iron or nonstick kadai. Add all the ingredients for tempering. As they sizzle, add potatoes and fenugreek leaves. Saute them from time to time, sprinkling little water as needed.
2. Now, add all the powders, salt and sugar to taste. Stir fry till potatoes are cooked.
3. Add vada nu loat or besan. Stir well. This will make the "shaak" extremely dry. Add 1 tbsp oil to mix well.
4. Cover and let it cook for 5 minutes.
5. Switch off the gas. Squeeze some lemon juice just before serving.


Note -
1. The potatoes are chopped very finely like we may chop onions.

Tamarind Quinoa

My beloved new grain gets a makeover, South Indian way.

Tamarind Quinoa
Ingredients
3 cups cooked quinoa
salt to taste
2 tbsp tamarind paste
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp MTR Vangi bhaath powder
1/2 tsp jaggery

Tempering
1 tbsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp asafoetida
1.2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp urad daal
1 tsp chana daal
1 sprig curry leaves, torn
2 red chilies, halved
2 tbsp raw, unsalted peanuts

Method
1. Cook 1 1/2 cup raw quinoa in double amount of water to get 3 cups cooked quinoa. Set aside to cool down completely.
2. Heat oil in a saucepan. Add all the ingredients. Saute till daal change the color and peanuts appear crunchy.
3. Mix tamarind paste, water and MTR Vangi Bhaath powder. Add it to the saucepan. Add salt, jaggery. Bring to boil.
4. Add cooked (& cooled) quinoa. Mix well. Let it cook through on low flame.
5. Serve warm.

Note -
1. I do not know if addition of jaggery is authentic or not. We prefer a smidgen of sweetness in this recipe.

Asan Khana's Nimona for Blog Bites#1

When Not Yet 100 of Aasan Khana blogged about Nimona, I knew I will try it for sure. Nupur's Blog Bites#1 event encouraged me to try it sooner than expected. I used pressure cooker as suggested by Asan Khana. This was totally different recipe for me. Green peas are crushed with mortar and pestle. Now I do not have that big mortar and pestle so I crushed half of green peas in the blender. They did not have coarse texture so I kept the remaining half as is.

Recipe by
Asan Khana

Recipe Source
http://asankhana.blogspot.com/2010/01/nimona-green-pea-curry-from-my-mothers.html

I am sending this entry to Blog Bites#1 started by Nupur of One Hot Stove.

Musical's Mothaan Di Khichdi for Blog Bites#1

I am blogging about Musical's Mothaan Di Khichdi for Blog Bites#1 event started by Nupur of One Hot Stove. I also made Ven Pongal & Eggplant Gostu for this event using rice cooker from Nupur and Sukanya's blogs. But since Nupur had already blogged about it (well, that's how I came to know about this recipe, in the first place!), I decided to blog about the pressure cooker recipe. I can't imagine my life without pressure cooker. I own 4 different types of them - Prestige regular pressure cooker, Prestige Handi, Prestige Pressure Pan and one small & cute pressure cooker. (Thanks to mom, mom-in-law & aunts!)

I always wonder why pressure cooker is not so popular in the US? I mean with its energy and time saving benefits, I would think this versatile cooker should have been a regular appliance in every American kitchen.

I bookmarked Musical's Khichdi as it's a super comfort food. It's easy to make and nutritious too.

Recipe by

Musical of Musical's Kitchen

Recipe Source -http://musicalskitchen.blogspot.com/2007/07/mothaan-di-khichdi-sukke-aloo-and.html

My Modifications -

1. I added turmeric powder and asafoetida - out of habit!

I am sending Musical's Mothan Di Khichdi to Nupur's Blog Bites#1

Katori Chaat - American Desi way

I have subscribed to Tarla Dalal's recipe emails which I get weekly in my inbox. A fortnight or so ago, I saw "chaat" special email. I browsed through it and found Katori chaat rather interesting. But instead of deep frying katoris to hold the chaat, I decided to use baked Tostitos scoops. I decided to make two garnishes - one with sweetened yogurt and the other with sev.

Katori Chaat
Recipe inspired by Tarla Dalal
Ingredients
1 pack baked Tostitos scoops
3 medium potatoes, boiled, peeled, finely chopped
1 small onion, peeled, finely chopped
1 cup moong sprouts, steamed with a pinch of salt
Chat chutneys

Garnish 1
Sweetened yogurt - 1/2 cup yogurt, salt, 1/2 tsp sugar (or to taste)
A pinch of chili powder/paprika (mild)

Garnish 2
Fine sev
1/2 lemon

Sprinkle
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
A generous pinch of chaat masala



Method
1. Place the scoops in one big serving platter.
2. Place potatoes and sprouts in each scoop.
3. Top with chutneys.
4. For sev garnish, add chopped onion & few drops of lemon juice
5. For yogurt garnish, add yogurt & mild chili powder/paprika
6. Sprinkle cilantro & chaat masala.
7. Serve immediately.

Note -
1. This snack needs to be consumed immediately else will turn into a soggy mush.

Recipe inspired by -

http://www.tarladalal.com/Recipe.asp?id=2820&MailerId=290&RecipientId=381205

Tender Coconut Ice-Cream

Tender coconut used to be one of my favorite flavors at Naturals. I didn't know it will be my reward at the end of weekend spring cleaning. I discovered a can of young coconut in syrup, condensed milk, coconut milk, evaporated milk and coconut extract. All of them were well within the expiration date. So decided to use them immediately rather than letting them hibernate in the back of the pantry till next spring!;-)

Tender Coconut Ice-Cream

Ingredients

1 can young coconut in syrup, drained, roughly chopped

1 can reduced fat coconut milk

1 can fat-free sweetened condensed milk

1 can fat-free evaporated milk

2-3 drops of coconut extract

Method

1. Mix evaporated milk, coconut milk, condensed milk and coconut extract.

2. Pour in the ice-cream maker. Freeze according to the manufacturers instructions.

3. In the last stage, stir in chopped coconut pieces.

4. Freeze.

Note -

1. For richer taste, use full fat evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk and coconut milk. I used fat free /reduced fat version.

Recipe inspired by

No-cook coconut Ice-cream

Edmame Dosa

It may appear that we are on Edmame diet these days. :-D But I had to share this one. This edmame Dosa got created at the very last minute. Gudiya came back from her soccer practice. She was ravenous. I totally underestimated dhokla steaming time. I didn't want Gudiya to eat anything from the pantry. So in desperation, I took some remaining batter of the dhokla, added more water to resemble dosa batter and took out dosas - just in time! I perfected the recipe over time to blog about it here.


Edmame Dosa
Ingredients
1/2 cup chana daal
1/2 cup urad daal
1/2 cup rice

1 cup fresh edmames, shelled - if frozen, thawed completely
1" ginger, peeled & chopped
salt to taste
1/2 tsp asafoetida

sesame oil for roasting (any other oil will work too)

Method
1. Soak 2 daals and rice overnight.
2. Grind with remaining ingredients except oil.
3. Cover and keep aside for 2-3 hours.
4. Add water to get the pancake batter consistency.
5. Heat pan/tawa/griddle. Spread dosa batter. Roast using oil as necessary on both sides.
6. Serve with chutney of your choice. My choice is Edmame chutney.

Note -
1. Make sure that edmame are completely thawed.

Edmame Dhokla

Inspired by my mom-in-law's green peas dhokla, I decided to make fresh soybeans/edmame dhokla. It turned out decent enough to blog here!:-D

Edmame Dhokla
Edmami & Daal dumplings
Ingredients
1/2 cup urad daal
1/2 cup chana daal
1/2 cup rice

1 cup fresh shelled soybeans/edmame - frozen, thawed
1" ginger, peeled
2-3 green chilies (optional)
1/2 tsp asafoetida
salt to taste

Just before steaming
1/4tsp - 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp oil

Tempering
1 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
2 tsp sesame seeds

Garnish
1 tbsp chopped cilantro/coriander leaves
1 tbsp fresh coconut (optional)

Method
1. Soak rice & daals overnight.
2. Next morning, drain and grind with ginger, green chilies - if using, asafoetida and edmames. If using frozen edmames, make sure they are completely thawed.
3. Pour the batter in a big bowl. Cover and keep for fermenting for 7 - 8 hours.
4. Stir in salt. Add oil and baking soda. Add some water to make idli like consistency.
5. Grease the dhokla plates. Steam in a pressure cooker, steamer or any big container for about 15 minutes or till dhokla pieces are cooked. If using pressure cooker, do not use pressure.
6. Let the dhokla cool down completely before cutting.
7. Heat oil in a saucepan. Add seeds and drizzle oil over the dhokla.
8. Garnish with coconut - if using and cilantro.

Note -
1. The amount of baking soda depends on the degree of fermentation. If the batter is fermented well, use very small amount of baking soda. In any case, do not exceed 1/2 tsp.
2. I didn't use coconut for garnish.
3. You may add cilantro while grinding to get greener dhokla.

I am sending this dhokla to Jivha - Breakfast at Veggie Platter.
Jihva event is started by Indira of Mahanandi.

Edmame Chutney

During our last library visit, I chanced upon "Biggest Loser Family cookbook". The recipe that attracted me the most was "Edmamus - Edmame Hummus". The accompanying picture reminded me of Indian chutney. So I wasted no time creating this Edmamus in its Indian avatar!


Edmame Chutney
Recipe inspired by "Edmamus" - Biggest Loser Family Cookbook
Ingredients
2 cups frozen edmame/fresh soybeans, shelled, steamed, cooled completely,
3-4 green chilies (more or less per taste)
salt to taste
1/4 tsp sugar
1/4 cup cilantro/coriander leaves
1 1/2" ginger, peeled & chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 lemon, freshly squeezed


Tempering
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp asafoetida
1 sprig curry leaves, torn


Method
1. Thaw the frozen edmame completely so there is no ice particle. Steam them per instructions. Drain.
2. Grind with all the ingredients adding 1/4 cup water. Pour in a bowl.
3. Heat oil in a small saucepan. Add the tempering ingredients. As they sizzle, drizzle the oil over the chutney. Mix well.
4. Serve with idli or dosas.


Note -
1. Store the leftovers in the refrigerator. Use within 2 days.

Credits
"Edmamus" - Biggest Loser Family Cookbook

Bataka Thepla

Simple potato flatbread as instructed by my MIL.

Bataka na Thepla - makes 12 count
Potato Flatbread
Ingredients
1 1/2 cup boiled & mashed potatoes
1 cup wheat flour
1/4 cup flax powder (optional)
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp coriander-cumin seed powder
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp carrom seeds/owa/ajmo/ajwain
2 tbsp kasoori methi, crushed by hand
salt to taste
1 tsp oil

wheat flour for dredging
oil for roasting

Grind to a fine paste
2-3 cloves garlic, peeled & chopped
1" ginger, peeled & chopped
1/4 cup cilantro/coriander leaves

Method
1. Mix all the dry ingredients together. Add potatoes, green paste. Start mixing slowly without adding any water. The moisture from potatoes and green paste should be enough to bind the dough. If absolutely necessary, just sprinkle some water to knead the dough. Add 1 tsp oil. Knead again. Cover and set aside for 15 minutes.
2. Make 12 equal sized balls.
3. Roll into thin theplas - flatbreads, dredging into wheat flour as necessary.
4. Roast on a hot tawa/griddle/pan, using oil as necessary - till brown spots appear on both sides of the thepla.
5. Store theplas wrapped in a clean cotton napkin till ready to use.

Note
1. Instead of kasoori methi, fresh methi leaves can be used. For fresh methi leaves, you can use 1/4 cup chopped fresh methi leaves.

Matki-Methi chi UsaL

Maharashtrians use methi sprouts in their usaLs as well as pulaos. If you find using just methi sprouts a bit daunting, start with combining them with matki sprouts, like my mom does.

Matki-Methi chi UsaL
Methi & Muth sprouts Stir fry
Ingredients
1 1/2 cup matki sprouts
1 1/2 cup methi sprouts
salt to taste
1/2 tbsp jaggery
1 tbsp goda masala
1/2 tsp chili powder

Tempering
2 tsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp asafoetida
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 small onion, chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, chopped

Garnish
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tbsp scraped coconut (optional)
lemon wedges

Method
1. Follow the instructions to sprout muth beans and methi seeds.
2. Pressure cook both the sprouts adding adequate amount of water for up to 2 whistles. Make sure they do not turn into a mush. Set aside to cool down.
3. Heat oil in a saucepan or kadai. Add mustard seeds, asafeotida and turmeric powder. As they sizzle, add onion and garlic. Saute till they are soft.
4. Add goda masala. Saute for 1 minute. Add cooked sprouts, 1/2 cup water, jaggery, salt and chili powder.
5. Simmer till all the water is evaporated.
6. Garnish with cilantro and coconut - if using. Serve with lemon wedges along with chapatis.

Note -
1. I didn't use coconut.
2. If you have never tried methi sprouts and are skeptical about using them, try muth sprouts:methi sprouts ratio 1:1/4 and gradually start increasing the amount next time.

Dryfruit Shrikhand for Gudhi Padva 2010

Today is Gudhipadva - new year for us. Nothing makes me feel like Gudhi padva as devouring homemade shrikhand. Since I haven't yet blogged about Dryfruit Shrikhand, I have decided to celebrate today with this delicious yogurt with nuts.



Dryfruit Shrikhand

Sweetened Greek yogurt with nuts and dryfruits

Ingredients
2 cups Greek Yogurt

1 cup sugar

1/8 tsp salt

1 tbsp unsalted almond slivers, roasted

1 tbsp unsalted pistachios, chopped

1 tbsp unsalted pecans, powdered

1 tbsp unsalted walnuts, powdered

1 tbsp raisins

1 tbsp seedless dates, chopped

few strands of saffron



Garnish (use any one)

3-4 green cardamoms, peeled & powdered

1/8 tsp nutmeg powder

OR

2-3 drops of ice cream essence

OR

1 tsp rose water



Method

1. Mix salt, sugar and yogurt well. Set aside.

2. Take saffron in a steel spoon. Switch on the gas. Keep spoon over the top of the flames without actually touching the fire, for 15- 20 seconds. Take off. Mix with 1 tbsp milk. Add to the yogurt mixture

3. Stir in remaining nuts and dryfruits.

4. Use any one of the garnishes.

5. Chill in the refrigerator. Serve chilled



Note -

1. Sometimes, people also add tutty-fruity, candied orange peels. I do not like that flavor.

2. Use only one of the garnishes else it will be too overpowering with a confusing flavor.

3. You can increase or decrease the quantity of dryfruits & nuts based on your personal preference.

नूतन वर्षाभिनंदन

Happy Gudhipadva.

Ringna Bataka nu shaak

Eggplant and potatoes make such a hit combination. If you love this combo, do try this Gujarati recipe.


Ringna Bateta nu Shaak
Gujarati Eggplants-Potatoes
Ingredients
6 small Indian eggplants, stem removed, each cut into 6 slices
2 potatoes, peeled, cut into 6 slices
salt to taste
1/4 tsp sugar
2 tbsp roasted, unsalted peanuts, powdered
2 tbsp puffed chana daal/daliya, powdered


Tempering
1 1/2 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp asafoetida
3 garlic cloves, peeled & sliced
1/2 tbsp sesame seeds
1 red chili, broken
1 tsp dhana-jiru/coriander-cumin powder
1/2 tsp mild chili powder/paprika


Garnish
1 tbsp chopped cilantro (optional)


Method
1. Soak sliced vegetables in water till you make tempering ready.
2. Heat oil in a wide non-stick kadai or pan. Add mustard seeds, sesame seeds, asafoetida, red chili and turmeric powder. Now add garlic cloves. Stir fry till they change color. Add powders and stir fry for 30 seconds.
3. Drain water completely from the vegetables. Add to the pan. Stir fry till all the powders coat the vegetables.
4. Stir fry for 15 minutes or so, till veggies are cooked. Add salt & sugar. Mix well, taking care not to mash the vegetables.
5. Add powdered peanuts and daliya. Mix well. cook for 2 more minutes. Take off the gas.
6. Garnish with cilantro, if using


Note -
1. The original recipe has oodles of oil. I tried to reduce the amount which is still more than my usual 1 or 2 tsp oil. I had to use wide nonstick kadai for this recipe. Make sure that all the veggies are placed in a single layer so they are cooked well.
2. Generally, each eggplant and potato are cut into 4 slices and then almost fried in oil. I try to make thin slices so they are cooked well in less amount of oil.
3. I used one purple potato and one regular potato for the above recipe. Purple potatoes are not same as Indian root vegetable - kand or koanfaL. Regular potatoes work just fine for this recipe.

Chilkawala Dhokla

This dhokla is made from the green moong daal with skin.


ChilkawaLa Dhokla
Ingredients
1 cup green moong daal with skin,
1/2 tsp asafoetida
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2" ginger, peeld & chopped
2-3 green chilies (or to taste)
1 tsp Gujarati Sambhaar masala (pickle masala)
3/4 cup sour yogurt
salt to taste (Note - Sambhaar masala already has salt)

Just before steaming for two batches-

1/2 tsp eno fruit salt + 1/2 tsp oil

&

1/2 tsp eno fruit salt + 1/2 tsp oil

Garnish
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tbsp fresh coconut (optional)

Method
1. Soak green moong daal in water for 6 hours. Drain.
2. Grind drained daal with ginger, green chilies, salt, sambhaar masala, asafoetida and turmeric powder.
3. Pour the above batter in a container. Add whisked yogurt. Mix and cover. Set aside for at least 4 hours.
4. Divide the batter into 2 portions.
5. Grease two dhokla plates. Add (1/2 tsp eno fruit salt + 1/2 tsp oil) to each portion, only when it is about to be steamed.
6. Steam for 15 minutes. Let it cool down. Cut into squares or diamonds.
7. Garnish with chopped cilantro and coconut - if using. You can also add some tempering if you like.
8. Serve with some more Gujarati sambhaar masala on side.

Note -
1. Gujarati sambhaar masala already has salt. So adjust the salt content accordingly.
2. This dhokla has denser consistency than usual dhokla.
3. Use green moong daal (with peels). For yellow moong daal dhokla, check here.

Marcha nu loat waLu Shaak

This type of vegetable preparation is called "Peeth perun bhaaji" at my maaher/mom's place. The same type with little changes here and there, is called "Loat vaLu shaak" at my saasar/MIL's place. I have come across many dishes with astonishing similarity in Maharashtra and Gujarat. But then they are next door neighbors after all.

Marcha nu Loat walu shaak
Bell peppers with puffed chickpea flour
Ingredients
3 bell peppers, stems & seed removed, chopped
salt to taste
1/2 cup powdered daliya
1/2 tsp coriander-cumin powder
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 cup yogurt

Tempering
1 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp asafoetida
1/2 tsp turmeric powder

Method
1. Heat oil in a saucepan. Add all the ingredients for tempering. As they splutter, add chopped bell peppers. Stir fry for 2 minutes.
2. Cover and let them cook till soft.
3. Whisk yogurt, salt, powdered daliya and powders. Gently pour the yogurt mixture. Stir well till porridge like consistency is reached. Simmer for 2-3 minutes till it appears cooked.

Note -
1. Besan or chickpea flour can be substituted for powdered daliya.

Dudhi Kofta nu Shaak

I learnt this Gujarati kofta curry from my MIL. Deep frying the koftas enhances the taste but I steam the koftas like muthiya or shallow fry them in the Appe pan.

Dudhi Kofta nu Shaak
Bottlegourd Balls curry
Ingredients
For Koftas -
1 small bottlegourd/dudhi, peeled, seeded & grated; approx = 1 1/2 cup
1 cup besan/chickpea flour (or as needed)
1/4 cup bajra flour
1/4 cup ground flax seeds (optional)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp ajwain or owa or ajmo
1/2 tsp Gujarati garam masala
salt to taste
1 tsp chili-ginger paste
2 tsp kasoori methi

For Gravy
2 medium onions, peeled & finely chopped, approx = 1 1/2 cup
2 small tomatoes, approx = 3/4 cup
1 tbsp Gujarati garam masala
1/2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
salt to taste
1/2 tsp sugar

Tempering
1 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp asafoetida

Garnish
2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro/coriander leaves
Sev, as needed
Lemon wedges

Method
1. Grate bottlegourd. Squeeze and take the water out. Add all the ingredients for Koftas. Mix well to make a dough. Add more chickpea flour if necessary. Make balls (koftas) of equal size and deep fry or shallow fry or steam and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a saucepan. Add turmeric powder and asafoetida. Now add onions. Saute till it is soft.
3. Add tomatoes, ginger-garlic paste and Gujarati garam masala. Saute for 10 more minutes, sprinkling water in between if necessary.
4. Add 1 1/2 cup water. Bring to boil. Add salt and sugar.
5. When you are ready to serve, bring gravy to boil. Place koftas gently. Let it simmer. Add more water so the koftas are nicely immersed in the gravy. Simmer till a thick gravy is obtained. 6. Garnish with cilantro and sev, just before serving. Serve with lemon wedges on side.

Note -
1. Deep fried koftas taste better.
2. Bottlegourd has lots of water in it. So you can bind the dough without adding any water.
3. Sprinkle sev on the individual servings.
4. Make sure that onions and tomatoes are very finely chopped.
5. If you do not have Gujarati garam masala, use any kind of garam masala.

Paneer Shalgam

I picked those turnips because they looked very fresh. After coming home decided to toss them in a pan along with paneer and homemade garam masala. I do not know if this is the traditional way of cooking turnips or not. but we enjoyed every bit of it. Refreshingly delicious!

Paneer Shalgam
Turnip with Indian cottage cheese
Ingredients
6 medium turnips, cut into pieces
1 cup paneer cubes
1 tsp punjabi garam masala
1/2 tsp chili powder

Tempering
2 tsp oil
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 roma tomatoes, chopped
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste

Garnish
1 tbsp chopped cilantro/coriander leaves

Method
1. Heat oil in a saucepan. Add cumin seeds and turmeric powder. As they sizzle, add onions.
2. Saute till onion is soft. Stir in tomatoes and ginger garlic paste. Saute for 5 minutes.
3. Add Punjabi garam masala. Saute again for 10 minutes.
4. Add turnip pieces. Mix well. Add 1/2 cup water and chili powder. Switch the gas to low. Cover and let it cook till turnip pieces are soft.
5. Add salt to taste and paneer pieces. Mix well. Add more water if necessary. Simmer till thick gravy is formed.
6. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Note -
1. For fancier version, you can fry paneer pieces before adding to the curry. I didn't fry paneer.

Punjabi Garam Masala

This masala is my interpretation. I am not claiming for its authenticity. But one thing is for sure, when you start grinding your own spices from scratch, you really wonder why it took you so long? You just can't compare the fragrance of freshly ground spices to the store bought packet.

Punjabi Garam Masala
Ingredients
1/2 cup coriander seeds
1/2 cup cumin seeds
1 tbsp black peppercorn
3 black cardamoms
1/2 tbsp green cardamoms
1/2 tbsp cloves

Method
1. Spread all the spices in a single layer. Sun-dry for at least 30 minutes.
2. Make sure there is no moisture.
3. Grind to a fine paste using heavy duty spice grinder.


Note
1. If you do not have black cardamoms, just leave them out. But they add a nice fragrance. However, do not add more than 3 as they tend to overpower, if used in excess.

Methi Puri or paratha from Indore

Just the other day, I was browsing through my own MS Word cookbook. I had made this cookbook before I discovered blogging. I wrote down the recipes from my family, friends, acquaintances thinking this is going to be my final family cookbook. But still my recipe diary, notebooks, pages continued to grow. Hopefully, blogging will resolve this problem eventually. Anyway, so as I was browsing, I came across my friend's Indori methi puri recipe. Since I had fresh methi with me, I decided to make paratha instead.

Indore is a beautiful city in Madhya Pradesh.

Indori Methi Paratha - (15 count)
Methi Flatbread
Ingredients
1 1/2 cup wheat flour
1/4 cup chickpea flour
2 tbsp rice flour
2 tbsp corn flour
1/4 cup flaxmeal/ground flax seeds (optional)
salt to taste
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp asafoetida
1/2 tsp cumin seed powder
1/2 tsp chili powder
2 cups roughly chopped fenugreek leaves
1/4 cup hot oil (optional)

oil for roasting or deep frying

Method
1. Combine all the dry ingredients. Mix well. Add water as needed to knead a dough. If you are using 1/4 cup hot oil, you can use a spoonful at a time, and keep kneading till you use up all the oil.
2. Cover and keep aside for 10 minutes.
3. Make 15 equal sized balls. Roll into thin flatbread.
4. Roast in a hot tawa/pan/griddle till brown spots appear on both sides. Use oil as needed for roasting.
5. Cover in an aluminum foil or clean kitchen napkin till ready to use.


Note -
1. I didn't use 1/4 cup oil
2. This recipe was meant for making puris.
3. Flax seed powder was not a part of the original recipe.
4. Spinach may be substituted for Methi
5. The above proportion gave me 15 flat breads. The count will change depending on the thickness and diameter of the flatbread.

Beet Greens ZuNka

This zuNka is similar to the other ZuNka recipes I shared on this blog. However, the beet greens add a nice change to eyes and palette.

Beet Greens ZuNka
Ingredients
1 bunch beet greens, shredded
salt to taste
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp sugar
1/3 cup besan/chickpea flour (or as needed)
1 tsp oil

Tempering
1 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp asafoetida
1/2 tsp turmeric powder

Method
1. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed wok or kadai. Add mustard seeds, asafoetida and turmeric powder.
2. As they sizzle, add beet greens. Stir fry till they are wilted and cooked. You may need to sprinkle some water but do not put too much water.
3. Add salt, chili powder. Stir well. Now sprinkle some besan, a spoonful at a time. Add 1 tsp oil. Stir till besan appears cooked.
4. Cover and let it cook for 2 minutes. Switch off the gas. Serve with chapati.

Note -
1. More oil can be added if your diet permits. It adds better taste.

Bharli Vangi - (1) Stuffed Eggplants

"Bharli vangi" is a delicacy. In my own family, we have at least 5 versions. I wanted to start with the very basic one. So I called mom to get the exact recipe. Although it is the simplest version the key factor is to have freshest Goda Masala.

My husband loved this curry. He was pleasantly surprised at himself that he relished "vanga" - eggplant/brinjal so much.:-D

Bharli Vangi/Bharle Vange

भरली वांगी
Stuffed Eggplant

Ingredients

6 small eggplants

6 small potatoes

For stuffing

2-3 onions, chopped very finely, approx = 1 1/2 cups

1 bunch cilantro/coriander leaves, chopped finely, approx = 1/3 cup

fresh coconut = 1/4 cup

2 tbsp goda masala

salt to taste

1 tsp grated jaggery

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp chili powder (or per taste)

1 tsp oil

Tempering

1 tbsp oil

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp asafoetida

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

Garnish

1 tbsp chopped cilantro/coriander leaves

Method

1. Rinse eggplants and potatoes. Take off the stem of eggplants. Peel potatoes. Give 4 slits to both the veggies keeping them whole. Soak them in water till ready to use.

2. Mix all the ingredients for stuffing in a big plate. Mix them nicely - preferably with your hand.

3. Drain the veggies. Carefully, stuff the mixture inside. Some mixture will remain. It is needed for the gravy.

4. Heat oil in a wide saucepan where all the veggies can be kept in a single layer. Add mustard seeds, asafoetida and turmeric powder. As they start spluttering, switch the gas to low. Place the veggies in a circle - one stuffed eggplant, next potato and so on. Spread all the remaining stuffing around and in between the veggies. Add 1/2 cup water. Bring to boil.

5. Add more water if necessary. Cover with a lid. Keep some water on the lid. Let it cook on a slow flame. Make sure the veggies are not burnt. If needed, you can add some water from the lid and replace it with more water on the lid.

6. When they are cooked, remove the lid. Let all the water evaporate leaving a thick but not dry gravy.

7. Keep covered for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped coriander leaves.

Note -

1. Traditionally, this curry is made with lots of oil. So instead of using water for cooking, more oil is used without adding water. We (mom and I) prefer using water instead.

Methi Pulao

Thanks to my lethargy, my plan of alu-methi and paratha suddenly got changed into one dish meal of methi pulao. :-D

Methi Pulao
Methi Rice
Ingredients
1 cup basmati rice, washed and drained
1 cup fresh fenugreek leaves, roughly chopped
1 medium potato, peeled & diced
salt to taste


Tempering
2 tsp oil
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 brown cardamom
5 black peppercorns
3 cloves

1/2 onion, chopped, approx = 1/4 cup
1 tomato, chopped, approx = 1/4 cup
1 tsp garam masala


Method
1. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Add all the spices. As they sizzle, add onion and ginger-garlic paste. Saute for 5 minutes. Add tomatoes. Saute again for 10 minutes. Sprinkle some water if needed to avoid getting stuck to the bottom of the pan.
2. Add roughly chopped fenugreek leaves. Saute for 1 minute till the leaves are wilted.
3. Add potato. Fry for 1 minute. Add rice. Fry for 1 minute.
4. Add 2 1/4 cups water and salt. Bring to boil.
5. Switch the gas to low. Cover and let it cook till rice is cooked.


Note -
For a fancier version, you can fry the potatoes first before adding it to the pulao.

Fresh Garbanzo Chhole with moong vadi

As I mentioned yesterday, I picked these fresh garbanzo beans thinking they are green chanas (harbhare). After shelling those, I got just about 1 cup. I decided to make the usual chholay. But I added some moong wadis to it.

Fresh Garbanzo Chhole with Moong wadis
Ingredients
1 cup fresh garbanzo beans
1 cup moong vadi

salt to taste
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp chili powder

Tempering
1 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 - 2 onion, chopped approx = 1 cup
2 tomatoes, chopped, approx = 1/2 cup
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste


Garnish
1 tbsp chopped cilantro


Method
1. Heat oil in a kadai or saucepan. Add cumin seeds, turmeric powder. Add onions. Saute for 5 minutes. Add ginger-garlic paste and tomatoes. Saute for 15 minutes, sprinkling water in between to avoid sticking it to the bottom of the pan.
2. Add chili powder, garam masala, garbanzo beans and wadis. Add 1 cup water. Bring to boil. Switch gas to low. Cover and let it cook till the beans are soft.
3. Add salt and more water if needed. Let it simmer for 5 - 7 minutes. Garnish with cilantro.
4. Keep it covered till ready to serve. Squeeze some lemon juice just before serving.

Note -
1. If you want you can fry the wadis first before adding to the chhole