White Peas Masala

Dry white peas masala is just like Ragada Patties masala. I had taken this peas masala in Thane , Bombay. I would never forget the taste. This warming vegetarian lentil dish is easy to make and perfect served with chapatti.

Ingredients For boilng Peas

Dry White Peas

Dry white peas                              1 cup

Water                                           2 cup

Soda salt                                       ¼ tsp.

Salt                                                ¼ tsp.

Ingredients for adding after peas are boiled

Ghee                                             1 tbsp.

Chili powder                                    1 tsp.

Coriander powder                            ¾ tsp.

Garam masala powder                     ½ tsp.

Amuchur powder                              ½ tsp.

Chopped Tomatoes                          ¾ cup

Ginger paste                                   1 tbsp.

Green chilies sliced                           2 no.

Curd                                                1 tbsp.

Water                                               1 -1 ½ cup.

Salt                                                  to taste

For Seasoning

Butter                                             1 tsp.

Cummin seeds                                 ½ tsp.

Bay leaves                                         1 no

  

For Garnishing

Finely chopped Cilantro                     few

Wedges of lime                              ½ no.

Tomato slice                                   1 no.

Chopped green chili slices                few

Method:

• Soak peas overnight with 1/8 teaspoon of soda bi carb. Next day drain the soda water and use fresh water and pressure cook the peas after adding little salt.
• Take a heavy bottomed vessel, add butter, splutter all seasonings and stir fry for few seconds.
• Then add chopped tomatoes, ginger paste,green chilies and fry.
• Now add all chili powder, amchur powder, garam masala powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder and fry again.
• When masalas are cooked ,add curd and cook till raw smells goes away.
• Add 3 cups of water and let it boil.10. Add the boiled peas when it starts boiling.
• Let it boil for about four to five minutes on low medium flame. Ensure that the curry is thick.
• Turn off the heat and Garnish with all above garnish ingredients.
• Serve hot with chapati, phulka, batura, bread.

Chidambaram Gosthu

Chidambaram is very famous for its own popular dish “Gosthu”.  It is main dish for every marriage takes place in Chidambaram. This Gosthu is a main Prasadam in Chidambaram Nataraja Temple. They serve this Gosthu with Samba Sadam (Rice).

Ingredients

 

Tender small Brinjals        8  no.

Tamarind                        small lemon size

Turmeric powder              ¼ Tsp

Curry leaves                    few

Jaggery                          1 Tbsp.

Oil                                2 Tbsp.

Salt                               to taste.

For  Gosthu Powder

Oil                               1 Tsp.                                         

Grated Coconut              2 Tbsp

Coriander seeds             1 Tsp.

Chenna dal                    1 tsp

Urad dal                       1/2 tsp

Cumin seed                   ½ Tsp.

Red chilies                    3 no. 

Fenugreek seeds            a pinch.

 Asafetida powder            ½ Tsp.

• Heat the pan and Fry the above in little oil till good smell comes cool it and make a powder.

For Seasonings

Ghee                             1 Tsp.

Mustard seeds                ½ Tsp.

Chenna dal                    ½ Tsp.

Urdh dal                         ½ Tsp.

Red chili                        1 no.    

Curry leaves                   few

       

Method

• Soak the tamarind in hot water and extract the pulp.
• Wash and cut the Brinjals into lengthwise. Keep aside.
• Heat a oil in a pan,  add  curry leaves and chopped Brinjals and fry till its shrinks. Pour the tamarind extract and sprinkle 3-4 tsp of Gosthu podi.
• Add salt, turmeric powder, Asafetida powder into it  and boil it till the tamarind raw smell goes away. Gently smash the cooked Brinjals.
• At this stage check the salt and spices, Add more if you need. 
•  Lower the stove heat ,Add jaggery powder  and cook it for few more minutes.
• Cook till oil floating on the top. Turn off the stove .
• Heat a ghee in a pan, add all seasonings and fry it for a minute and pour it into the Gosthu.
• Gosthu is best served with Arisi Upma, Dosa , Samba Rice and Pongal. 

ALOO DUM

Aloo Dum is a mouthwatering vegetable recipe with boiled& fried small potatoes cooked in delicious gravy.
My readers know that there is Kashmiri Aloo Dum here. Now let us see Bengali version of it now.

 Ingredients

Baby or Medium size Potatoes        12 no.

Organic Tomato sauce                   ½-3/4 can

Thick Plain Curd/Yogurt                  ¼ cup

Silted Green chilies                          2 no.

Ginger paste                                  ½ Tsp.

 Sugar                                            1 Tsp.

Salt                                                To Taste.

For Masalas

Red chili Powder                             1 Tsp.

Turmeric Powder                             1/8 Tsp.

Snafu powder                                  ½ Tsp.

Roast and Grind  Coarsely

Cinnamon stick                        1 big

Green Cardamom                     4 no.

Cloves                                     3 no.

Fennel seeds                            1/8 Tsp.

Black Pepper                             ¼ Tsp.

For Seasoning

Mustard oil (Or) /Ghee                 1 Tbsp.

Bay leaves                                  2 no.

For Decoration

Coriander leaves                     few

Method:

• Boil the potatoes and then peel off the skin (make sure that you do not over boil them).
•  Prick the potatoes with a fork to punch some holes all around for even cooking.
• Sprinkle 2 pinches of turmeric powder and ¼ tsp of salt in it and rub it and keep aside for 15 minutes.
• Roast the spice and grind coarsely and keep aside.

•  Heat 2 tablespoon of oil in a kadai, and shallow fry the potatoes in golden brown and drain the oil and transfer into paper towel.
• In the same kadai, heat the ghee and add & fry the seasonings.
• Now add the green chili and ginger paste, fry for a second.
• Now simmer the stove heat, add all masala powders and half of the freshly ground gram masala powder and sauté well till the oil separates.
• Now add the tomato sauce, salt and sugar in it and sauté well.
• Once the oil start leaving sides, lower the flame and add curd (yogurt) Sauté well.
•  Now add potatoes. Check for salt and add more according to taste.
• Add 1 glass of water and bring to boil .Simmer and cook for 15 minutes.
• Add rest of the gram masala powder and mix it well.
• Make it semi dry as per your choice.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and slit green chilies. 

 Note: 

• For health reason, I shallow fry the potatoes in little oil. If you want you can deep fry the potatoes in oil.
• You can substitute cooking oil for mustard oil to match with your taste preference.

Pea Malai Kofta

Malai Kofta is  a classic dish of Moghul origin. The pea balls are  fried and then added to the special creamy sauce/curry and served along with rice and rotis/Naans (Indian flat bread).  I have used the Paniyaram pan /skillet here to make the pea balls. This helps to cuts down on the calories.  You need a very little oil to fry the pea balls.

Ingredients

For Kofta

Green peas                           3 cups

Gram flour                            2 tbsp.

Finely chopped green chilies    3 no.

Chopped coriander leaves       2 tbsp.

Cumin seeds                         1 tsp.

Finely chopped ginger             1 tbsp.

Salt                                    to taste

Bread crumbs                       ¼ cup

Oil                                      for fry

For Gravy

Organic Tomato puree         ½ cup

Finely chopped tomato         ½ cup

Water                                1 cup

Ginger Paste                       1 tbsp.

Cumin                               1/3 tsp.

Coriander powder                1 ½ tsp.

Turmeric powder                ½ tsp.

Red chili powder                  1 tsp.

Cloves                              2 no.

Salt                                   to taste.

Oil/ Ghee                           1 tsp.

For Decoration

Cream                                1 tbsp.                    

Method:

• Boil the green peas in salted water till tender. Cool and mash.
• Add cumin seeds, chopped green chilies, ginger, coriander leaves and little salt.
• Take  the gram flour in a heavy pan over the fire. Stir till it turns brownish.
• Add the pea paste. Mix it well till it becomes smooth. Divide into 10- 15  equal pieces. Roll it in breadcrumbs.
• Heat the Paniyaram pan and add little oil in all the groves. When it is medium hot, add the pea balls in the groves.
• Within a minute turn it on all the sides and make sure it browns evenly (This cooks very fast so be careful). Keep aside.

For the Gravy

• Heat the oil and splutter the cumin seeds, and the ginger paste and fry for a minute.
• Add all the powdered spices , cloves, tomatoes, tomato puree  and salt.
• Stir it until leaves the oil. Add water and cook it in low flame.
• Put the gravy in a dish and add the Kofta to it.
• Decorate with cream and serve hot with rotis, Biryani , Pulao

  Note: See my other Malai Kofta Recipe

Paneer Capsicum Fry

Want to eat some light food but want Paneer too…?? Treat your tongue with this Paneer capsicum Masala recipe. I am sure it will tickle your taste bud.

Ingredients:

For Paneer

Paneer                                    1 pound (450 Gms)

Corn flour                                2 tbsp.

Rice flour                                 1 tbsp.

Red chili powder                      ½ tsp.

Salt                                        1 pinch

Red color                                 a pinch.

Sugar                                      ½ tsp.

Water                                      a little

Oil                                           for frying   

Vegetables

Big Red capsicum                     ½ no

Big Green capsicum                   ½ no

Big Orange capsicum                 ½ no

Yellow capsicum                       ½ no

Big tomatoes                           2 no.

Jalapeno                                 1 no.

Grated ginger                        1 tbsp.

Masalas

Kashmir Red chili powder        1 tbsp.

Dhania Powder                      1 tbsp.

Turmeric powder                     ¼ tsp.

For Tempering 

Oil                                        1 tsp.

Cumin seed                           ½ tsp.

Fennel seed                           ½ tsp.

Curry leaves                           few

Method:                               

  

For the Paneer

• Cut the Paneer as medium size cubes.
• Take a big bowl, add Paneer cubes, add corn flour, rice flour, chili powder, red color, a pinch of salt and little water. Mix well.
• Heat oil in a kadai; fry the Paneer cubes in golden color. Keep aside.

For the vegetable masala

• Cut all the capsicums into medium size pieces.
• Chop the tomato into small size pieces.
• Heat the oil in a kadai; add all tempering, fry for a second.
• Now add the grated ginger and jalapenos, fry for a second.
• Then add the chopped tomatoes and a pinch of salt and fry for 2 minutes.
• Reduce the stove heat into low.
• Now add all masala powders and fry till the raw smells goes away .
• Then add the chopped all capsicums into it and fry for 5 minutes.
• Now add the fried Paneer cubes into it and mix it well.
• Add salt and sugar in it and fry for few more minutes in low flame.
• Switch off the stove and transfer the Paneer capsicum fries into serving dish.
• Now Paneer capsicum fry is ready to serve.
• Serve hot with Steaming rice, Pulka, Naan, Kashmiri Pulao
•  

Note:

• I like this dish to be very spicy. So adjust the spice level according to your taste.
• If the dish turns out too spicy, add   little lemon juice.
• I compeletely made this into south indian version. If you want to make this like North Indian version, just add garam masala, and cream .

Rawal Pindi Chole

Pindi Chole got its name from the place of its origin in Rawalpindi city , now in  Pakistan .Pindi Chole is very famous main course recipe in Punjabi cuisine which serves with Baturas. This Chole is a dry dish, where the Chole are coated very lightly with the gravy.

Ingredients

For Boiling chickpeas

Dried white Chickpeas/ kabuli chana                1 cup

Tea bags                                                       2 no.

Black cardamoms                                           1 no

Cloves                                                           2 no

Crushed green cardamoms                              1 no

Cinnamon                                                      1 no.

Water                                                            2 cups

Salt                                                               To taste.

For Masalas 

cumin seeds                                                   1 teaspoon

ginger    paste                                                1 tablespoon

Amchur powder (dried mango powder)             1 tsp.          

Red chili powder                                             1 tsp.

Coriander powder                                           1 tsp.
Chenna masala powder                                   1tbsp.                                          

Dried pomegranate seeds                                1 teaspoon

Seasoning 

Oil                                                                 1 Tsp

Bay leaves                                                     1 no.

Grated ginger                                                 1 tsp.

Thinly sliced green chilies                                1 tsp.

Cumin seed                                                    1/4 tsp.

Finely chopped tomato                                     1 no.

For Decoration 

Melted ghee                                                   1 tsp.

Chopped coriander leaves                               1 tbsp.

Method:

• Wash the Kabuli chana and soaked overnight.
• Make a small potli by tying the cardamom, cinnamon and tea leaves in a 2" x 2" piece of muslin cloth.
• Place the chickpeas in the pressure cooker, with the water& masala potli, and cook for 2 whistles.
• Strain the chickpeas and reserve the water after discarding the tea bag and whole spices.
• Heat the oil in a pan, add the all seasoning items, fry for few minutes.
• Now add the dried mango powder (Amchur powder)red chili powder, coriander powder, Chenna masala powder and dried pomegranate seeds and fry for 3 minutes.
• Now add the reserved water and cook till the oil separates from the gravy.
• Add the kabuli chana
• Cook till the chole is completely dry.
• Serve hot and garnished with ghee and coriander leaves. 

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.
• 
  

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.