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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Dahi Bhindi Masala - Curd Okra Masala

A very rich and heavy bhindi dish made with authentic Hyderabad ingredients. This mouthwatering dish made from bhindi, almond paste and yogurt.  This is very good side dish for chapati, Naan & Pulka.

Ingredients

Frozen small bhindi                              3 cups

Chopped tomatoes                                1 cup

Finely chopped capsicum                       ½ cup

Curry leaves                                          a few

 Beaten Yogurt  (curd)                           ½ cup

Masala Powders

Kashmiri red chili powder                       1 tsp.

Fennel powder                                      ½ tsp.

Garam masala powder                           ¼ tsp.

Turmeric powder                                    ¼ tsp. 

To be ground into a paste

Almonds                                                8 no.
Khus khus.(Poppy Seed)                        1 Tbsp.

Shredded coconut                                  2 Tbsp.

Ginger paste                                          1 Tbsp.

 Seasoning:

Cumin seed                                            ½ tsp.

Whole red chili                                        1 no.

Curry leaves                                            few
    

For Decoration:

Chopped coriander leaves

Method:

• Sprinkle a salt into frozen bhindi and keep aside for 30 minutes. Later cook it in the microwave for 8 minutes.
• Soak the almonds and khus Khus in hot water for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the almond skin. Grind with coconut, khus khus, and ginger paste with little milk. Keep aside.
• Heat 1 tbsp. of oil in a pan and shallow fry the okra’s for about 7-10 min, until they turn slightly brown but still remain crisp. Keep aside.
• Heat a bit more oil in the same pan. Fry the curry leaves, dried chilies, and cumin seed. Lower the stove heat.
• Then add chopped tomatoes and all masala powders and cook well until the the tomatoes have become pulpy and oil comes out from the sides.
• Now add the almond paste and salt , continue to cook for few more minutes , add yogurt  into the mixture.
• Add the sautéed bhindi and cook for a few minutes. You may need to add some water if you think the gravy is too thick.
• Garnish with cilantro.  Serve hot with pulka , chapatti, and pulao.

Note:  You can use fresh Okras also. Clean the okras and chopped evently.

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.

 

Mirch ka Salan (Tangy Mirch masala)

Mirchka Salan is a popular chili and peanut curry of Hyderabad. This is atraditional Hyderabad dish prepared in weddings and special occasions. Salan isHyderabadi lingo for curry or gravy based dishes. The Mirch is cooked in spicesand peanut adds a grainy texture to this amazing dish. Originally this is madewith long spicy chilies available in India, but here(In US) I triedsubstituting this with Anaheim &Banana chilies and it tasted great. Forthis particular dish, you don't want to go over-board and use fiery chiliessuch as Habaneros. I chose milder Anaheim & Banana peppers.

Greenchilies with addition of spices like poppy seeds, sesame seeds, groundnuts andcoconut, the gravy has a mellow and creamy attribute which is utmost delicious.This is spicy and goes well with rice,Biryani or chapatti. 

Ingredients:

Bananachilies                                    8nos.

Anaheimchilies                                   2no.

Dry paste masala

 White Sesame seeds (Til)             3tbsp.

WhitePoppy seeds (Khus-Khus)   1tbsp.

 Dry fried Peanuts                        3tbsp.

Dryfried coriander seeds              1tbsp.

Drydesiccated Coconut                ½ cup

For Gravy

Tomatoes                                         2 no

GingerPaste                                    1tbsp.

Redchili powder (optional)                1tsp.

Vegetableoil                                   2-3 tbsp.

Turmericpowder                             1/2 tsp.

finely chopped coriander leaves        3 tbsp

Tamarind                                         a small lemon size

Saltto taste  

For Tempering:

CookingOil                                  1tsp.

 Curry leaves                                2 sprigs

Cloves                                          2no.

 Mustard seeds                             1/2 tsp.

 Nigella seeds (Kalaunji)                 1/3 tsp.

Method:

•  Wash both the chilies and cut and slit lengthy.  Shallow fry the chilies in hot oil, take them out and drain on a tissue paper. keep aside.
• Soak the tamarind in a cup of water and extract pulp. Keep aside.
• In bowl soak the fried chilies along with tamarind water.
• Dry roast masalas ingredients, and grind all into a smooth paste.
• Heat a large non-stick frying pan at medium high heat, and as soon as it warms up add the chopped tomato, ginger paste fry until they become soft. Puree them in a grinder until smooth. Keep aside.
• In the same pan, heat oil and add the mustard seeds, when crackling add all tempering, sauté for a minute.
• Now add a pureed tomato masala and add red chili powder, turmeric powder .Fry for some time on a low heat.
• Now add the grounded dry paste masala and stir fry for few more minute until the oil separates out.
• Now add the tamarind water and salt. Mix thoroughly, gently adds the tossed chilies to it.
• Cover the lid and let cook on simmer for 20-25 minutes while stirring frequently, until the oil has all separated and the chilies well cooked in the masala gravy.
• Serve the hot Mirch ka Salan with Hyderabadi biryani, the best accompaniment it can get.
• Garnish with coriander leaves.

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.

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.

Paneer Tikka & Paneer Tikka Masala

Paneer Tikka is an Indian dish made from chunks of Paneer marinated in spices and grilled in a tandoori. It is a popular dish that is widely available in Indian Restaurants. Chunks of Paneer, are marinated in spices and are then arranged on a stick with capsicums, and tomatoes. These sticks are grilled in a tandoor and the dish is thereafter served hot, seasoned with lemon juice and chaat masala. When Paneer Tikka is served with gravy, it is called Paneer Tikka masala.  I made it at home and it came out very well.   It can be made in the oven, on the stove top or in a Tandoor. Here I cooked it in the Electric Skillet.

Ingredients

 Paneer cubes      -                                  2 cups

Green Bell Pepper/Capsicum                      1 no

Tomato                                                 1 no

(Cut Paneer and Veggies into 1” square pieces)

Butter                                                  1tsp

Ajwain                                                   1/4tsp.

Satay bamboo sticks                               few

For the Marinade

Ginger pastes                                        1 tbsp.

Mustard paste                                       ½ tsp.   

Thick Yogurt                                         1/4 cup

Kashmiri Red chili powder                      1 tsp.

Gram masala                                       1 tsp.

Turmeric Powder                                  1/4tsp.

Lemon juice                                       2tsp.

Besan                                                1 tsp.

Corn flour                                          1tbsp.

Oil                                                     1tbsp

 Sugar                                                ½ tsp.

Salt                                                    to taste.         

For Garnish

Coriander leaves

Lemon Juice

Chat masala                                     3 pinches

For Garnish

Method For the Tikkas

• Heat the butter in a pan, put Ajwain, besan flour. Roast it till you get nutty flavor. Mix it with corn flour. Add little water and Blend it well.  Keep aside.
• Take a bowl, add besan mixture, curd, red chili powder, gram masala, sugar, mustard paste  and salt.
• Heat one teaspoon of oil, add turmeric powder in it.  Add it to above mixture. Blend whole thing very well.
• Mix Paneer cubes, capsicum cubes and tomato cubes into the marinade mixture.  Mix it very well. And leave it  in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
• Soak the satay sticks in the cold water for ½ an hour.
• Arrange the marinated vegetables and Paneer on a skewer. Grill it in a tawa/skillet, until slightly golden brown.
• Sprinkle with chaat masala, coriander leaves and lemon juice over the Paneer Tikka and serve as appetizer  .

Method for the Paneer Tikka Masala:

Ingredients For Tikka Masala

Marinade Paneer and vegetables

Tomato puree                                       1 1/2 cup

Butter                                                  1 Tsp.

Ginger Paste                                         1 Tsp.

Tandoori masala                                    1 Tsp.

Bay leaves                                            2 nos

Salt                                                      To taste

Sugar                                                   1 Tsp.

Cream (optional)                                   2 Tbsp.

Freshly crushed cardamoms & cloves      1 tbsp.

Coriander leaves for garnishing

Method for Masala

• Heat the oil in skillet on a medium heat. Put marinated Paneer in it, and gently stir-fry for about five minutes until Paneer becomes light brown.   Take out the Paneer and keep aside.
• Heat the butter in a same skillet. Add bay leaves and ginger paste and sauté for a minute.
• Add the marinated capsicum and tomatoes pieces and sauté for few minutes.
• Now add the tomato puree, tandoori masala, cream (optional), crushed cardamoms, salt ,and sugar ,and cook until oil separated (medium slow flame).
• Add the stir-fry Paneer in the tomato gravy and let it cook for 5 minutes on low medium heat.
• Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with Pulao, Naan, Pulkas

Pav Bhaji

Pav Bhaji is a very popular fast food recipe in India, liked by almost everyone.  In Mumbai , you can find ‘Pav Bhaji ki Gaadi’ (Hand cart) anywhere on the streets.This cheap and filling Pav Bhaji can be eaten for Breakfast, lunch dinner- anything.

 Addition of vegetables takes care of the nutrition aspect of this dish. So when you make it at home add vegetables of your choice (mostly the so called ‘English vegetables’ like carrots, cauliflower, peas etc.) to boost its nutritive value.

 The Pav is heated on the griddle and buttered generously. This gravy is served hot in a flat dish with a tablespoon of butter on top. 

In restaurants some more varieties are available including;

Cheese Pav Bhaji,  - in which the bhaji had an additional garnishing of cheese

Paneer Pav Bhaji, Paneer as one of the ingredients in the bhaji along with the vegetables.

Mushroom Pav Bhaji,  - mushrooms as one of the ingredients in the bhaji along with the vegetables.

Khada Pav Bhaji, ('खडा'). Vegetables are not mashed, but small pieces cooked with masala gravy.

Jain Pav Bhaji, replacing the potatoes with unripe bananas, Onion and Garlic is not added either.

Kathyawadi Pav Bhaji   - with buttermilk, eaten particularly in the Kathyawadi.

Dry fruit Pav Bhaji   - with added dry fruits.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pav_Bhaji

I am sure everyone knows how to make Pav Bhaji. My method is going to be the simplest of all.

 

Ingredients: 

 Vegetables:

 Big Potatoes                                            3 no

Green Peas                                             a handful

Grated carrot                                           1 no

Finely chopped/grated capsicum               1 no

Finely chopped Jalapenos (optional)          2 nos

Other ingredients

 Organic Tomato sauce                             3/4-1 tin

Pav Bhaji Masala powder                          2 tbsp.

Kashmiri red chili powder                         1 tbsp.

Butter                                                       2 tbsp.

Jeera                                                        1 tsp

Salt                                                         to taste

Coriander leaves                                     to garnish

Lemon juice                                            1 tbsp

Pav buns                                                (sweet dinner rolls or Potato buns)

Butter                                                     to toast the buns

Method:

• Peel the potatoes. Pressure cook carrot, peas, cauliflower and potatoes together for 3-4 whistles.   Take out from the cooker and strain the water and mash the vegetables  well. ( Keep the vegetable water for pavbhaji).
• Heat two tablespoons of butter in a tava, temper the jeera, once it starts crackling, add  ginger paste, Jalapenos  and finely chopped capsicums,  and sauté for few more minutes.Add, chili powder and pavbhaji masala Sauté for three minutes.
• Now add tomato puree and little butter, and cook over medium-high heat until the oil begins to separate.
• Now add the mashed vegetables, vegetable water and the salt in it and mix it well. Very carefully, using a potato masher or the back of a ladle, mash the  very well.
• Bring the mixture to a boil, turn down the heat, and simmer another 20 minutes or until the vegetables are really tender.
• Be aware that the mixture can spurt up as it boils, so keep a lid on it while you are not actively stirring it. Simmer for 15-20 minutes to really get the flavors to meld together.
• Switch off the gas. Garnish with coriander leaves. Squeeze lime and add tiny bits of butter.
• Toast pav buns lightly with some butter and serve with Bhaji.