Oct 7
Tikha Chana Alu (Spicy Chickpeas and Potatoes)

Ingredients:
250 gms red chana (red gram or chickpeas); soaked overnight.
3 large potatoes; boiled and diced,
1 tsp rai (mustard seeds),
1/4 tsp heeng (asafoetida),
2 tbsp red chilli powder,
1 1/2 tsp dhania-jeera (coriander-cumin) powder,
Salt to taste,
1/2 tsp chaat masala,
2 tbsp tamarind paste,
1 small tomato chopped,
1 small onion chopped,
Coriander leaves to garnish,
Oil for frying.

Method:
Boil the chana with little salt till it is soft.
Mix 1 tbsp red chilli powder, asafoetida and salt with water to form a thin paste. Heat oil in a pan, add this red chilli paste and then add boiled potatoes, mix well, cover and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Heat 2-3 tbsp oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and let them splutter. Then add heeng, 1 tbsp red chilli powder, dhania-jeera powder, mix and add onion, tomato, chana. Then add salt, stir well, cover and cook for 3-4 minutes. Then remove from flame. Mix together chana and potatoes, sprinkle chaat masala, tamarind paste and coriander leaves. Mix and serve.

Aug 8
Dry Methi Mutter (Maharashtrian)

Ingredients:
1 bunch of methi (fenugreek); leaves and tender stems separated, washed and coarsely chopped,
1 1/2 cup green peas (mutter);
2 medium size onions; finely chopped,
5-6 cloves garlic; finely chopped,
1/2 tsp heeng (asafoetida),
1 long green chilli; deseeded and chopped into 1/2″ pieces,
3-4 tbsp freshly grated coconut,
Salt to taste,
3-4 tbsp oil.

Method:
Sprinkle some salt on chopped methi leaves and leave them aside for some time. Heat oil in a kadhai (wok), add green chillies and chopped garlic and fry on low flame till it is nice fragrant. Then add onion and saute on low-medium flame till it is soft and light brown in color. Meanwhile pick up a handful of methi leaves and then press between your palms and remove the excess juice. This would help you get rid off the bitterness of the vegetable. But do not press hard to remove all the juice, this way we would drain away all the nutrients too. Then add asafoetida and turmeric powder to the onion, mix well. Add the methi leaves, green peas and cover and cook till both the vegetables are tender. Add some salt and stir. In the end add coconut, mix and serve.

Jun 28
Corn Palak

Ingredients:
2 cups palak (spinach) leaves,
1/2 cup sweet corn; boiled,
1/4 cup cream,
1 small onion,
1 small green chilli; deseeded and chopped,
1/2 tsp garlic paste,
8-10 cashew nuts,
1 tbsp tomato puree,
1/2 tsp roasted jeera (cumin) powder,
Salt to taste,
Oil for frying,
Water.

Method:
Wash spinach leaves till they are clean. Then put them into boiling water for 5 minutes. Then drain well and grind them into smooth puree and set it aside. Grind together onion, chilli and cashew nuts to smooth paste. Heat oil in a pan, add this onion paste to it and saute on a low flame till it turn pinkish. Add garlic paste and tomato puree and fry for 2 minutes. Then add jeera powder, mix and pour in the spinach puree. Add little water and bring to boil. Then add boiled corn, salt and cook for 2 minutes. Beat the cream and add to it. Stir and remove from flame. Serve with hot parathas.

Jun 6
Palak Pakoda (Spinach Fritters)
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Ingredients:
2 cups palak (spinach) leaves,
1 cup besan or gram flour (or as per requirement),
2 green chillies, finely chopped,
1/2 tsp turmeric powder,
1/2 tsp red chilli powder,
1/2 tsp ajwain (carom seeds),
Salt to taste,
Water,
Oil for frying.

Method:
Wash and coarsely chop the spinach leaves and mix all the other ingredients (except oil) to form a thick batter. Heat oil in a kadhai (wok) on a medium-high flame. Take out a spoonful of hot oil and mix with the batter. Now reduce the flame to low-medium and drop small balls into the oil. Fry at lower flame till they turn golden evenly. Serve with any chutney of your choice.

Jun 4
Egg Pakoda (Anda Bhaji)

Ingredients:
4 eggs; hard boiled,
1/2 cup besan / gram flour,
1 tbsp cornflour or rice flour,
1 green chilli; very finely chopped,
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves,
1/4 tsp turmeric powder,
1/4 tsp red chilli powder,
A pinch of black pepper,
Salt to taste,
Water,
Oil for frying.

Method:
Peel and cut the boiled eggs into 3 slices each. In a bowl mix all the ingredients for the batter and add water as per requirement to get a dropping consistency but still thick. Heat oil in a kadhai (wok) on a medium flame. When oil is hot enough, take out a tbsp of oil and add to the batter, mix well. Now lower the flame, drop each egg slice into the batter, coat it well and then slowly drop it into the oil. Fry on lower flame till it turns golden all over and crisp. Serve hot as a snack with tomato ketchup.

TIPS:
1. Adding cornflour or rice flour to the batter makes the pakodas more crisp.
2. Experiment with the taste by adding 1 tsp of ginger-garlic paste to the batter.

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