Kadai Tofu Curry

Kadai Tofu is a low calorie version of the Kadai Paneer.  It is very healthy and nutritious dish, as it consumes very less fat. Try this recipe and give me your feedback.

Ingredients:

Extra firm tofu, cubed                     1 Box

Tomato                                          1 no.         

Green Bell Pepper                            1 no

Yellow Bell Pepper                            ½ no

Red Bell Pepper                                ½ no

Green chilies                                    2 no.

Organic Tomato Sauce                     ½ tin

Cooking Oil                                     2 tbsp.

Salt                                                to taste.

Masala – Coarsely Grounded  

Coriander seeds                               3tsp.

Red chilies                                       3 tsp.

Green Cardamon                              2 no.

Masala Powders

Kashmiri Red chili Powder                1 tsp.

Turmeric Powder                             ¼ tsp.

Snafu powder                                   ½ tsp.

Dry fenugreek leaves                          1 tsp.

Decoration

Chopped coriander leaves

Method:

• Cut tofu, tomatoes& bell peppers into ½ inch pieces. Keep aside.
• Shallow fry the tofus cubes and keep aside.
• Coarsely blend the coriander seed, red chilies & cardamom.
• Heat the oil in the nonstick pan, add the coarsely grounded power and fry for 3 minutes in a low flame.
• Add the all bell peppers, green chilies and tomato and fry for few more minutes.
• Add all masala and cook till all masala raw smell goes away.
• Now add the tomato sauce and salt in it. Turn the flame up to a high flame and cook for further two minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Now add Kasoori Methi& Tofu pieces  in it.  Cook it in a low heat for few more minutes.
• Decorate with chopped coriander leaves.
• Now tasty Kadai Tofu curry is ready to serve.
• Serve hot with Naan, Pulka, and Pulao.
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Methi Thepla Roti

Methi Theplas is a very good type of Indian bread which keeps good for a week and especially a healthy travel food. Methi Theplas is one of my favorite Gujarat dishes .It is very easy to cook and nice to eat. This theplas are very good for Diabetic patients.

Ingredients:

Wheat Flour                                     1 cup

 Crushed Green Chillies                      2 no.

Chopped freshly fenugreek leaves        ½  cup

Red chili powder                                1 tsp.

Turmeric powder                                1/4tsp.

Ginger paste                                     1 tsp.

Ajwain                                              ½ tsp.

Jeera powder                                      1/2 tsp.

Hing                                                   2 pinches

Ghee                                                 1 tsp

Curd                                                  1 tsp.

Salt                                                   to taste.

Oil                                                   as needed                                                                          

Method:

• Remove the fenugreek leaves from the stem and wash thoroughly. Chop the leaves coarsely.
• Take a wide plate or vessel, put wheat flour.
• Mix all the ingredients and fenugreek leaves in it.
• Add a teaspoon of oil and knead it. Keep aside for 30 minutes.
• Then make even size small balls of the dough. Roll out into disc shape of 5” diameter.
• Heat the griddle (tawa) on a medium flame. When hot, pour some ghee or oil and roast the Rotis on both sides ,till they are well-cooked.
• Keep adding ghee/oil at regular intervals till the Methi Roti is golden brown in color.
• Serve them hot with chutney or curd.

Restaurant Type Gulab Jamun/Kala Jamun – Version 2/

I already posted my version of gulab jamun with khoya recipe in my blog. This jamun are made with milk powder only. This recipe is used in many Indian Restaurants around the world.

Ingredients:

Dry Milk powder                       - 2 cups

Self-rising flour                        - ¾ cup

Milk                                           ½ cup

Water                                       ¼ cup

Thickened cream                         150grams

Oil                                            for deep frying

Almond pieces for decoration

For Sugar Syrup:

White sugar                                 2 ½ cups

Water                                         2 ½ cup-3 cups

Saffron                                        – a few

Cardamom powder                        -1/2 tsp.

Rose water – ½ tsp. (OR) Rose essence – 2 drops

Method:

Jamun Preparation:

• Take a bowl, Sieve in the flour, milk powder together. Add cream and milk into it.
• Mix well to form soft dough. Use as much milk as required for kneading.
• Make even size small round shapes. Make about 25-30 pieces.
• Heat oil on a medium flame. Slip the Jamun one by one into the oil. The flame has to be sufficiently low so that the Gulab Jamun get cooked well inside
•  Lower the stove heat,(very very low heat), and deep fry those balls till golden brown .And keep aside the fried Jamun.

 To make Sugar Syrup

• Take a sauce pan, add sugar and water.
• Add the cardamom powder in the water. Bring the water to boil.
• Let it thicken by cooking over medium heat about to 15 – 20 minutes.
• Once the syrup has thickened a bit, then keep it aside.
• When syrup is warm, add crushed saffron, rose water, and mix it well.
• The syrup should be warm not hot.
• Transfer this hot syrup into a serving dish.

 To Make Gulab Jamun:

• Drop all the fried Jamun in the warm syrup and let it soak for at least 1 hour. The Gulab Jamun are ready.
• You can store jamun in the refrigerator with the syrup. 

Note:

• Do not leave the dough for a long time on the shelf, just make the dough when you are ready to fry the Gulab Jamun.
• If you want to make Kala Jamun then let the balls fry in the oil for bit longer till they turn almost black colored.

Gulab Jamun/Kala Jamun

Gulab Jamun

Shahi Tukda- 300 th Post

This Valentine’s week, I had a craving for some dessert. It reminded me of Shahi Tukda, which I decided to make for dessert. Shahi Tukda includes fried sweet syrupy soaked triangular breads topped with rabdi (rabdi is nothing but milk having sugar and saffron reduced to ¾) and few dry fruits. The dish is similar to “Double ka meetha”,which has its roots in Pakistani cuisine and is a famous dessert in Mughlai cuisine

Ingredients

For shahi tukda

 White Bread slices                     - 4no

Ghee                                          - 2tsp.

For Rabdi

Evaporated milk                              1 tin

2 % Milk (or) whole milk               1 cup

Sugar Free                                   3 tbsp.

Green Cardamom powder                1 tsp.

 Blanched Almonds                         15 no.

Saffron                                         a few strand

Rose drops                                    2 drops

For decoration

Pistachio                                        2 tbsp.

Almond flakes                               2 tbsp.

Method

For Rabdi

• Soak the almonds in a little hot milk and grind it to a coarsely paste.
• Take a heavy bottom pan, add evaporated milk, 2%  or whole milk, almond paste, green cardamom powder, saffron and 1 tbsp. of  sugar.
• Heat a milk till it reduces to one third.
• Remove and cool aside. Either refrigerate or cool it at room temp
• Make a sugar syrup(2tbsp of sugar free with 1 tbsp. of water).  Remove from heat and cool adding Rose drops in it.

For Tukda

•  For the health reasons, first I toasted the bread slices into the toaster. (It will reduce the ghee uses).
• Cut off the edges of the bread and cut it diagonally into 2 triangles .Heat ghee in a pan and shallow fry bread slices. Remove and allow it to dry .
• Soak these fried hearts in sugar syrup for 10-15 min to absorb all syrupy sweetness

Serving: 

• Take a serving platter, put one syrup soaked bread  and top it with other syrup soaked bread slice. Likewise make all Shahi tukdas.
• Now spread the rabdi mixture on top of it and sprinkle some almonds, pista and saffron strands on top. Cover it and refrigerate
• Serve chilled.

For Low Fat Version:

•  Use 2 % milk, low fat  Evaporated milk  & whole wheat bread slices.

Gatte ki Kadhi / Steamed gram flour dumplings in yogurt gravy

  Rajasthan is not only famous for its art and crafts but also famous for its rich tasty dishes and exotic flavors. This Kadhi is one of the famous dishes from rajasthani cuisine. This dish involves steamed gram flour dumplings dunked into a yogurt based curry. This mouth-watering recipe that will complement both rice and parathas. Make delicious Rajasthani Gatte Ki Kadhi using this simple recipe from my Madappalli.

 Ingredients

For Gatte:

Besan (gram flour)                        3/4 cup-1cup

Ajwain (omam)                              1/8 tsp.

Red chili powder                           1 tsp.

Fennel seed powder                      2 pinches

Oil                                              for frying

Salt                                             to taste

Yogurt                                         1tbsp.

Water                                          for cooking the Gatte

Chopped coriander                         1tbsp.

For The Kadhi

Plain thick yogurt (Curd)                 1 cup

Besan                                           1tbsp.

Turmeric powder                             1/4tsp

Hing                                              1/4tsp.

Curry leaves                                    1 stem

Grated ginger                                   ½ tsp.

Water                                             2 1/2 – 3 cup

For Seasoning

Ghee                                               2tbsp.                                     

Jeera                                               ½ tsp.   

Whole red chilies                               2no

Broken cinnamon stick                        1 no (small)

For Garnishing

Chopped coriander leaves                few

Method

For the gatta

• Mix all the stuff for the Gatte and knead firm dough by adding very little water. The dough should not be too soft and not as hard.
• Divide dough into equal portions and shape into long not to thin cylindrical roll.
• Boil the water in a broad pan, add the rolls to the boiling water and cook them till they float on top.
• Drain and cool it 10 minutes. After ten minutes, take the roll and  cut each into ½” pieces.
• Deep fry the pieces (if you want to make it authentic, then it should be fried in ghee). For the health reasons, here I fried into the cooking oil. Keep aside.

For the Kadhi

• Combine the curds, Besan, curry leaves and in a bowl and whisk well. No lump should there.
• Heat ghee in a kadai; add all seasonings, sauté on a medium flame for 30 seconds.
• Add turmeric powder, ginger to it and sauté for 5 seconds.
• Add whisked curd, and water, Salt and bring to a boil.
• Lower the flame, add gattas and cook for 10 minutes, stirring continuously.
• The gattas will soak up more and more water as they sit in the Kadhi.
• Garnish with coriander leaves. Now Kadhi is ready to serve.
• This Kadhi is a complement both rice and parathas.

Note:

•  If the Kadhi is thick, add more water, you can do that at a later stage.

 

Rumali Roti

A chef preparing Rumali roti.

Rumali Roti is a thin bread popular in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and northern part of India.. A large thin roti folded like a handkerchief or roomal, from which it get its name.  The roti is extremely thin. The roti is usually made with a combination of whole and white wheat flours and best cooked on top of an inverted Indian griddle (kadai).

Ingredients

All-purpose flour (Maida)            1 cup

Whole wheat flour                       1 cup

Oil                                               1 tbsp.

Salt                                          to taste

Water                                       for kneading                 

Method

• Take a mixing bowl and add Atta , Maida and salt. Make very soft dough like smooth elastic dough. Spray oil on it and cover and set aside for one hour in an airtight container.
• Knead again and, make small balls of the dough and roll it like thin Chapatti of about 12 inches diameter circle. ( roti should be almost translucent ).

• The dough should be rolled to a paper thin thickness (whatever practically can be achieved), You can use a little dry  rice flour to help you rolling it.
• The griddle (tawa) is to be kept inverted, convex side up, on the heat.
• Place the Rumali roti carefully over it and cook till done. Once the roti is placed the cooking takes seconds to complete because the roti is very thin.
• Rumali roti is served folded in half and then quarter.
• Serve with Dhal,Paneer Tikka Masala

Note:

• You can cook it over the tawa .The tawa should be in very hot. Place the Rumali roti carefully over it and cook till they puff up . Fold it like a handkerchief.
• Though best had hot, in case it is to be served later the rotis should be steamed or the container placed in an oven on medium heat for 5-minutes.

Punjabi mango pickle

Punjabi mango pickle is a spiced mango pickle. Popular in the Punjab region of India. The combination of fennel seeds, nigella seeds (Karu Jeera) with mustard and other pickling spices used in this pickle

This is a very simple recipe to follow. . If you are a pickle lover like me, you are going to love this pickle. Just keep in mind the basics of pickle making - use a clean sterilized jar, see that there is no moisture and ensure that oil forms a covering layer over the ingredients in the jar. You can Storage this up to 1 year in a cool dry place.

Ingredients:

Raw mangoes                      4 cups

Fennel seeds                      ¼ cup   (coarsely grounded)

Fenugreek seeds                 4 tbsp.

Kalonji (Karum jeeragam)   3tbsp.

Mustard seeds                    2 tbsp.

Asafetida powder               1tsp.

 Red chili powder             acc. to taste

Salt                                to taste

Mustard oil (OR)Gingili oil   - ¼ cup (Mustard oil gives the pungent flavor)

Method:

• Wash and wipe the mangoes well with a kitchen towel. Cut the mangoes into 1’’ pieces and add them in a bowl.
• Combine the mangoes, turmeric powder and salt and toss well.
• Cover and keep it under the sun for 4 to 6 hours.
• Grind coarsely the 1 tbsp. mustard seeds, 2 tbsp. fenugreek sees, 1/8 cup of fennel seeds in a mixer.
• Combine the rest of the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. .
• Add the mangoes and toss well. pour the entire mango mixture in a jar.
• If you are using gingili oil, heat the oil and pour to the jar. If you are using mustard oil, you can directly add to the jar.
• The pickle stays good for a year even without refrigeration.

Note:

• You can choose to add more red chili powder if you want a spicy and hot pickle.
• Keep the jar and the plates everything clean.
  
  
  
  

  

  Punjabi Mango Pickle

  
  

Almond Shrikhand

A Shrikhand is and Indian dessert made by mixing thick and creamy strained yogurt with sugar, cardamom and saffron. . It is one of the main desserts in Maharashtra cuisine. It is very easy to make. Here I used low fat Greek yogurt for this shirkand.

Ingredients:

 Whole Milk                                            2 cup        

 Plain Greek yogurt (Or) thick plain curd   -    1 pound

Sugar                                                      3 tbsp.

 Smashed Almond                                    4 tbsp.

Saffron                                                 a pinch 

Elachi Powder                                          1 tsp.

Method

• In a thick pan, add saffron and milk. Boil them.
• In a bowl, add Greek yogurt/ curd, sugar and add half the infused milk. Mix them well.
• Now add the remaining milk and mix them well.
• Add chopped almond. Fold them together.
• Set them in a glass bowl and garnish it with chopped almonds.
• Keep it in the fridge for 5-6 hours.
• Serve cold.

Bharwan Bhindi /Stuffed Okra

Ladies finger, stuffed with a delicious mixture of spices.  This Marwari style Stuffed okra is an excellent side veggie dish for chapattis and Rice.

Learn how to make Rajasthan style stuffed Bhindi by following this easy recipe.

Ingredients:

Tender Ladyfinger/Okra/Bhindi -                30 no.

Oil                                                       6 tbsp.

Salt to taste

Water for mixing masala powder

For Stuffing Masala  Powder:

Bengal gram powder/Besan                      ¼ -1/2 cup

Red chili powder                                     1 tbsp.   

Coriander powder                                    1 tbsp.

Turmeric powder                                     1/2 teaspoon

Roasted cumin powder                               1tbsp.

 Crushed fennel seed                               1tbsp.

Amchur powder                                        1 tsp.

 Salt                                                      1 /8tsp.

Method:

• Wash and wipe the bhindi with paper towel.
• Trim the lady fingers and make a slit on one side without cutting through.
•  Take a bowl, add all above stuffed masala powder ingredients and mix with little water & oil.

• Stuff this mixture into the slits.  And keep aside for 10 minutes.

• Heat the oil in a nonstick tawa, add stuffed bhindis, and shallow fry for a minute.
• Lower the heat, and cover and cook, stirring occasionally till bhindis get cooked.
• Uncover and stir fry until the ladyfingers are crunchy.
• Serve hot with chapattis, Rice.
• Bharwan bhindi can also be served as starters.

Matter Paneer Masala / Green Peas Paneer Curry

This North Indian curry made with mutter ( Green peas) and Paneer is probably the most frequently ordered dish in Indian restaurants.    Every home cook will have their own version for this gravy with few minor changes.  My recipe is very simple and you can make this very easily.

Ingredients:

Frozen Peas (or) Fresh Green Peas -   1 cup

Paneer (diced) -                              1 cup

Grated carrot   -                              2 tbsp.

Organic tomato sauce –                   ½ cup

Diced tomatoes -                            1no

Green chilies (diced) -                      2 no

Ginger paste   -                               1 tbsp.

 Gram Masalas

 Broken Cinnamon stick   -                 1 no

Bay leaves   -                                  1no.

Big cardamom –                               1no

Kashmiri chili powder –                      1 1/2 tsp.

Coriander powder –                           1tsp.

Pav bhaji masala powder -                  1tsp.

Other ingredients

Cooking Oil   -                                  2tbsp.

Water              -                              1 1/2 cups

Salt to taste

Heavy cream    -                             3 tbsp.

Chopped Coriander leaves –               for garnishing.

Method:

• Heat oil in a pan and gently stir-fry the cubes of Paneer till golden. Remove onto a paper towel and keep aside.
• In the same oil crackle the bay leaf and cinnamon &, cardamom pieces.
• Now add ginger paste, green chilies and tomato pieces and fry for few second. Then add all masala powders and tomato sauce.
• Let it fry, stirring continuously till the oil begins to separate from the masala.
• Pour in a glass of water; add the peas, grated carrot. Cover and let it simmer for about 5 minutes.
• Then add the Paneer, water and salt, reduce flame to a simmer and cook till the gravy thickens.
• When the gravy is as thick, turn off the flame and stir in the cream.
• Garnish with coriander leaves, cream and serve hot.
• Mutter Paneer tastes great with naans, parathas, and fried rice.

Jaljeera

This is a perfect summer cooler. Jal Jeera, or jaljira, is an Indian beverage. In Hindi, "Jal" means water and "Jeera" means cumin. Jaljira powder generally consists of cumin, ginger, black pepper, mint, black salt, some fruit powder (usually either mango, or some kind of citrus zest), and chili or hot pepper powder.

Jaljeera has a very long history, originating on the banks of the Ganges river At one time, the powder was ground on stone slabs, and stored in clay pots. It is still a common drink at Indian cultural events. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jal-jeera

The cumin is a medicinal ingredient which aids digestion. The mint has a cooling effect. Black salt or rock salt acts as a digestive. It is sometimes served as an appetizer, as it is intended to “startle” the taste buds

Jaljeera is popular in northern India because it is thought to have cooling properties, against the temperature of the region. It is generally served with appetizers before a meal, but is also drunk between meals. Some versions do not involve any added sugar.

Health Benefits:

 The ingredients in jal jeera are very health  beneficial. Let me list a few

• Rock salt: helps in cooling the body, a good digestive and anti-acidic.

• Cumin: Also known as jeera helps in digestion, good for respiratory disorders and anemia.

• Lemon: Packed with vitamin C, boosts immunity. Helps give you a clear complexion and an excellent appetizer. It is a very commonly used ingredient in detox juices.

• Ginger: It has soothing properties which keeps your body warm when you have a temperature. It relieves colds and body aches.

• Coriander and Mint: Boost immunity and is a rich source of fiber.

Most of the people use readymade store bought Jaljeera powder. I was not keen on the idea. Basically, I think it’s very uneconomical to buy readymade masalas as they all taste the same and by the time you use up the entire packet, the masala has already lost its flavor and aroma. So I prefer making them in small batches at home, whenever possible.

My version of making Jaljeera differs a bit, but no major changes.

Ingredients:

 Chopped Mint leaves                          – 3 tsp.

Chopped coriander leaves                    – 3 tsp.

Dry roasted cumin powder                    – 1 tbsp.

1” piece ginger                                – crushed roughly

Amchur powder (mango powder)         1 tbsp.

Red chili powder                              – ½ tsp

Black Salt                                       1/2 tsp.

Lemon Juice                                   2 tbsps.

Ice cubes

Water                                            3 glass

For Garnish

Chopped coriander                   – ½ tsp.

Chopped mint                          – ½ tsp.

Boondi                                      – ½ tsp. (optional)

Method:

• In a mixer, make a paste from Cumin, Mint leaves, ginger, cilantro, black salt and Amchur powder.
• Mix in all the other ingredients (except Boondi) & keep the jal jeera in the fridge to chill.
•  At serving time, strain the jal jeera & serve in small juice glasses.
•  Finally, sprinkle with some Boondi, coriander and mint leaves and cool off with this great summer drink.

Dhal Makhani

Dal makhani is delicacy from Punjab, and filled with rich proteins and fiber. Makhani is the Punjabi word for “buttery”, and these sure lives up to its name of Buttery Lentils!  Traditionally this dal was cooked on low flame, for hours, on charcoal. This gave it a creamier texture. It had malai (cream) or fresh butter added to it. Cooking the dal in tomato purée adds a little sharpness to this dish and also enriches it with folic acid and vitamin A.

Incredirents:

Whole urad dal (black lentils)                    1 cup

Red kidney beans   (Rajma)                        3tbsp.

Chenna dhal                                                 1 tbsp.

Chopped tomato                                         ¼ cup

Chopped green chilies                               2 no

Chopped coriander                                   1 tbsp.

Ginger paste                                               1 tbsp.

Ghee/ Butter                                               2tbsp.

Amchur powder                                       2 pinches

For tadka:

 Organic Tomato Puree                             ¾ tin

Kashmiri chili powder                             1 tsp.

Fresh gram masala powder                     ½ tsp.

Brinji leave                                                1no

Cumin seed                                               1 tsp.

Freshly crushed coriander seeds             1tsp.

Kasturi methi -                                         1/4 tsp

Butter                                                           2tbsp. 

To finish:

Cream   -                                                 ¼ cup 

Method:

•   Wash the dhals, soak together for 6 hours or overnight.
•  Boil all dhals with the ginger, green chilies and salt, and simmer until lentils are well cooked. Drain off excess water and mash the lentils lightly with the back of a ladle.   Keep aside.
• Now, for the tadka, take a separate large frying pan, add ghee to it and put it over medium heat.
• After a minute add cumin seeds and Brinji leaves, stir it for 15-30 secs. Add crushed coriander seeds, tomato puree, gram masala powder and Red Chili Powder to the pan and cook further on medium flame, until ghee separates.
• Add Mashed Dal mixture and salt to the large frying pan and turn the heat to high, stir it well. When it starts boiling, turn the heat to low, cover the pan and boil further for 8-10 mins.
• In case you need to add more water, do add it; but cook the whole dish on low flame.  Now add Kasturi methi to the mixture.
• Let boil the dal for next 30 – 35 minutes on a low flame. Keep on stirring otherwise the Dhal will stick at the bottom. At this stage you may add Amchur powder . Mix it well.
• Add butter and cream to the dal and garnish it with chopped coriander leaves.