Onion Tomato Raita

Preparation Time : 5 minsIngredients :1 large Tomato1 large Onion2 cups curdBlack salt (according to taste)CorianderMethod :Beat curd. Add Tomato, onion & black salt.Garnish with coriander.Tips :If you do not prefer too much of black salt you can also use a mix black salt + regular salt

Vegetable Biryani

Biryani is originated in Persia and might have taken couple of different routes to become part of Indian Cuisine. Biryani is derived from the Farsi word 'Birian' which means "fried" or "roasted". There are many different kinds of biryanis and each one has its own uniqueness. The moment someone says B-I-R-Y-A-N-I we normally remember the famous Hyderabadi Biryani. Although the recipe below is not for Hyderabadi Biryani, it is equivalently delicious & healthy with lots of vegetables boiled or sautéed instead of fried.

Thai Red Curry Paste

No. of Servings : 6 tbspPreparation Time : 25 minsIngredients :5 dried chillies 1 tbsp Ginger paste5 cloves Garlic 3 tbsp roasted Coriander seeds1 tbsp roasted Cumin seeds 6-7 Peppercorn1 Onion chopped6 stalk of corianderZest of 1 Lemon ¼ tsp SaltMethod :Soak red chillies 15-20 mins in ¼ cup of boiled water. Then drain water, crush red chilliesGrind all the ingredients in the grinder or food processor. Store the paste in the airtight container (approx upto a month) or can freeze it upto 4 monthsTips/Variations :If storing the paste it is recommended to add oil (heated & then cooled) to the pasteOne can also add 3tbsp of chopped lemongrass if available.

Coconut Chutney

It is a great condiment with all South Indian dishes like Dosa, Idli, Uttapa, Upma, etc.No. of Servings : 8-9 personsPreparation Time: 10 mins (once dal is soaked)Ingredients:225 gms or 8oz of Grated coconut½ cup Chana dal2 green chilliesSalt as per tasteFor tempering:1 tsp Mustard seeds1 tsp cumin seeds6 curry leaves1 tbsp oilMethod:Roast Chana dal in 1 tsp oil, till it starts changing its colour.Add water & let it soak for 20 minutes.Grind coconut, dal & chillies in a grinder & blend well.In a pan add oil, mustard seeds & let it splutter.Add udad dal & then cumin seeds followed by curry leavesAdd it to the grinded mixture.Tips/Variations: One can add “Daliya” in place of Chana Dal. But chana dal tastes better.

Vegetable Upma

Upma is a very famous South Indian dish. But nowadays it has become popular in many others parts of India especially as a form of snack & morning breakfast as it is easy to cook. Initially I used to cook the other version (mentioned in variation) which is slightly liquidy. But Kartik always loved South Indian style upma (which is less liquidy), the one which we get at South Indian restaurants in Matunga, Mumbai. So I learnt it from one of my South Indian Friend in my neighborhood. So now I make both alternately.No. of Servings: 3Preparation Time: 20Ingredients:2/3 cup Semolina (Rawa or Sooji)1 Carrot chopped½ cup Frozen peas1 Onion chopped1 tbsp ghee1 tsp Udad dal1 tsp Chana dal½ tsp Mustard seeds½ tsp Cumin seeds5 Curry leaves2/3 cup Water1½ cup fatfree Milk (also see variation)2tbsp Sugar1tsp Lemon juice½ tsp Ginger paste½ tsp chilly paste 5 cashews3 tbsp Coriander Salt as per tasteMethod:Roast rawa on a medium flame for approx 10 mins or till it turns light brown & one get the aroma of roasted rawa.On the other side heat ghee in a pan.Add mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add udad dal & chana dal and saute it till they start changing colours.Add cumin, curry leaves and saute for half a minute.Add carrots followed by onion & saute.Add waterThen add ginger paste, chilly paste, salt, sugar & lemon juice to water & let it boil for 1 min.Add Milk, peas and cashews & bring it to boil.Now keep on adding small amounts of rawa while stirring it continuously.After all the rawa is added, keep stirring for an additional ½ minute.Garnish with coriander. Serve hot with Coconut chutneyTips/ Variations:You can also make Upma with Buttermilk instead of Milk. For that there is minor changes as follows :Ingredients:1 cup Semolina (Rawa or Sooji)1½ cup buttermilk in place of milkMethod:The Initial 4 steps are the sameNow add roasted rawa and saute it for 1 min. Add 1½ cup boiled water. Add ginger chilly paste, lemon , sugar and let it boil.Add 1½ cup buttermilk followed by salt and then simmer till cookedAdd cashews.

Palak Paneer

This Indian dish combines fresh spinach and paneer (cottage cheese) in a creamy sauce. I have tried many variations of Palak Paneer and the one below is one of my best. It is a vegetarian dish cooked in an onion-tomato-spinach based green sauce moderately spiced. It is a great accompaniment with rotis, naan or hot steamed rice. This is the healthy recipe for Palak Paneer since the Paneer is not fried but is still soft & tastes good.

No. of Servings: 3-4 persons
Preparation time: 25 mins



Ingredients:
2 bunches of fresh Spinach
300 gms of Paneer (Cottage Cheese)

1 onion
2 tomatoes
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp Garlic paste
1 tsp ginger paste
3 green chillies
1 tsp garam masala
½ tsp turmeric
1 tsp coriander powder
½ tsp Kasuri Methi (dry fenugreek leaves)
2 tbsp butter or oil
Method :
Wash Spinach, & boil it in a pan without adding water (i.e. allow it to boil in its own water).

Once spinach is boiled, drain the excess water (don’t throw it) and grind it.
In a pan take ½ tsp butter or oil, add cumin seeds & let them splutter.

Add onion followed by green chillies & tomatoes.

Saute for 2 mins.

Let the mixture cool & grind it.
In a pan add the remaining butter or oil.

Saute the onion-tomato mixture till fully cooked.
Add garlic & ginger paste, followed by garam masala, coriander powder and turmeric. Saute for additional 5 mins.
Now add the pureed Spinach, let it boil (if required add water) followed by Kasuri Methi
Finally add paneer and simmer for additional 5 mins.
One can also garnish it with more butter. Serve hot with Paratha.

Tips / Variations:
One can add more chilli paste as per taste & one’s liking.
To make paneer soft, place paneer cubes in warm water for approx 15 -20 mins.

Pasta Salad

The pasta salad is easy to make, fresh, flavorful, filling as well as healthy. Being a cold salad it is an excellent compliment to the Southern California summer heat. These days it also fits into our summer dishes very well.No. of Servings: 3-4Preparation Time: 15 minsIngredients:For salad:½ cup Wheat Pasta½ Yellow Bell Pepper½ Red Bell Pepper½ Green Bell Pepper¼ cup Cherry Tomatoes1 Carrot4 Spring Onions2/3 cup Lettuce½ Jalapeno (optional)¼ cup Boiled Broccoli5-6 Pitted Olives slicedFor Dressing:1 tbsp Olive oil6 tbsp Vinegar1 tbsp fresh chopped Parley1 tsp fresh chopped Basil 1 tsp dried Oregano½ tsp Italian Seasoning½ tsp Garlic pasteSalt & pepper to tasteMethod :Boil Pasta & let it coolMix all the ingredients of dressing & keep asideCut all Veggies in bite sizeMix veggies & PastaAdd in the dressing & tossKeep it in refrigerator for half atleast ½ hours and let it marinateServe Cold

Paneer (Cottage Cheese)

Paneer (Cottage Cheese) [Wikipedia reference] is a primary ingredient in many dishes in North Indian cuisine and is a good source of Protein. It is also used in making many Indian sweets. In India we also prefer having Paneer with some chat masala sprinkled on it as an appetizer.No. of servings: 100 gmsPreparation Time: 5 mins (once milk is boiled)Ingredients:1 litre of MilkJuice of 1 lemon or 1 cup curdMethod:Put the milk to boil.When it starts boiling, remove from the heat and wait for 2-3 minutes.Add the lemon juice/curd and stir gently till all milk curdles.Leave covered for some time.Pour over a thin muslin cloth and drain out the whey.Cover with cloth and place a weight on top to drain out the water.Cut into pieces or crumble as required.Tips/Variations:Use of curd gives the paneer a smoother textureOne can also use Fat Free Milk for a low fat paneer. Just add salt along with lemon or curd. This may result in lesser amount of paneer.Pressing for a shorter time (approximately 20 minutes), results in a softer, fluffier cheese.

Vegetable Frankie

Frankie is the most popular fast food on the streets of Mumbai. The one I liked the most is near my house at Ghatkopar, Mumbai. Frankie is a crepe filled with spicy & tangy stuffing of potatoes, vegetables and dry mango powder (Amchur). The other variations for stuffing is paneer. But the recipe I am sharing here is typical Bamabiyaa style Frankie. There are also various style of making the Crepe batter. One can also use ready Tortilla, but for authentic Frankie try out the crepe batter as suggested below.No. of servings: 6 personsPreparation Time: 30 minsStuffing:Ingredients for Stuffing:¼ tsp Mustard seeds¼ tsp Cumin seeds7 medium size Potatoes (boiled & mashed)2 medium size Onion (finely chopped)2 small Green Bell pepper (finely chopped)1 cup Tomato puree3 tsp Garlic paste½ tsp Ginger paste½ tsp Green chilly paste¼ tsp Turmeric powder2 tbsp Red chilly powder3 tsp Garam Masala¼ cup finely chopped Coriander2 tbsp OilSalt as per tasteMethod for stuffing:Heat oil in a pan and then add mustard seeds and let it splutter & then add cumin seedsNow add onion and saute till it becomes translucentAdd ginger, chilly & garlic paste and stir for 2 minsThen add tomato puree followed by red chilly powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, salt and cook it for 5 minsNow add mashed potatoes and then finally Bell pepper and coriander.Mix well.Crepe Batter:Ingredients for Crepe Batter:2½ cup White/All purpose Flour (Maida)5 tbsp Gram flour (Besan)2 cups WaterPinch of SaltMethod for Crepe Batter:Mix all the above ingredients thoroughly except water.Now slowly add water with simultaneously stirring the batter so that no lumps are formed.Note:If required adjust the water to get the consistency as that of Dosa Batter (i.e. neither too thick nor too liquidy)Seasoning:Ingredients for Seasoning:½ cup Dates & Tamarind paste (Kahjur Imli Chutney)½ cup Mint coriander chutney (Phudina Chutney)Frankie Powder (4tbsp dry mango powder (Amchur) + 2 tbsp black salt (Snachal) + 1 tbsp Red chilly Powder)1 Onion (long & thin slices)2 cups grated Cheddar cheese (optional)Note:One can also use Apple sauce in place of Dates & Tamarind Paste (Khajur Imli Chutney)Final Steps:How to proceed:Heat the pan on medium heatNow spread the batter like dosa or omlette or crepeAfter approx 30 secs flip the crepe (do not wait till it turns completely brown)Take approx 1 tsp of Mint coriander chutney & spread on the crepeSimilarly spread 1 tsp of Khajur Imli ChutneySprinkle little bit of Frankie powderPlace the stuffing in the centre of the crepe as shown in the pictureGarnish it with onion, Frankie powder and cheese as per tasteWrap it up and enjoy hot Frankie with or without Tomato Ketchup

Garlic Sauce/ Garlic Chutney

A must have ingredient in any chaat. Make this chutney in large quantities. It stays well refrigerated for upto two weeks and also can freeze it for approx a month. Sorry don’t have a picture of it, but will upload it at the earliest.Preparation Time: 5minsNo. of servings: 3/4 cup.Ingredients:1 cup Garlic cloves, peeled1 tbsp Chilli PowderJuice of ½ LemonSalt to tasteMethod:Combine all the ingredients in a blender with ¼ cup of water and grind to a fine paste.Before using, dilute with water and use as requiredNote:Oil your hands before you peel garlic to prevent having a lingering garlic aroma throughout the day.Technorati Tags: dip, condiment, chutney, sauce, paste

Mint Coriander Chutney

This chutney is an awesome dip as well as accompaniment to many Indian dishes and chaats. It is a little spicy dip with flavor of mint.Preparation Time: 10 minsIngredients :1 bunch Coriander leaves½ bunch of Mint leaves (half the quantity of coriander)1 inch Ginger3 Green Chilies or Jalapenos½ Onion½ tsp sugar (optional)1 tsp lemon juiceSalt to tasteMethod:Coarsely chop coriander, mint leaves, ginger & green chilies Put all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and grind themIf needed add very small quantity of water (as required) to make a smooth paste.Use as and when required.Tips/Variations:The spiciness can be adjusted to one’s taste.This chutney can be refrigerated for a week and can also be kept frozen upto a month

Khajur Imli Chutney

This sweet & sour chutney is an essential accompaniment to most Indian chaats. No. of servings : 2 cupsPreparation time : 25 minsIngredients :2 cups Dates (Khajur) deseeded¼ cup Tamarind deseeded1 cup grated Jaggery1 tsp Chilli PowderA pinch of asafoetida (hing)Method :Wash the dates and place them in a saucepanAdd jaggery, chilly powder, asafoetida and 4 cups of waterBoil it on a medium heat for approx 20 minsAllow it to coolPuree the chutney in a food processor & then strain itUse as requiredTips/Variations :Jaggery makes the chutney sweeter, but one can omit it if you prefer a more tangy flavourThis chutney can be stored refrigerated for upto a month and deep frozen for more than 6 months.

Ragda Patties

No. of servings: 5Preparation Time: 30 minsIngredients for Ragda:2 cups Yellow peas dried (Vatana)2 tbsp Oil½ tsp Mustard seeds½ tsp Cumin seeds1 tsp Garam Masala¼ tsp Turmeric powder1 tsp Red chilly powder3 tsp Ginger chilly paste2 tbsp Lemon juice3 tbsp Grated jaggery6 cups Water or as per required consistencyA pinch of AsafoetidaSalt to tasteMethod for Ragda:Soak the peas overnight.Drain, add fresh water and pressure cook until 3 whistlesIn a pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds and let it splutterAdd cumin seeds & add asafoetidaAdd in all the ingredients for ragda with 1 cup of water and mix well mashing the peas slightly so that the gravy thickens.Simmer for 10 mins and keep asideIngredients for Patties:7 big Potato2 tbsp corn flour1 tsp Aamchur i.e. Dry Mango Powder (or can substitute with juice of half lemon)1 tbsp Ginger chilly paste1 tbsp Garam masala½ cup Coriander ½ cup Mint leaves (finely chopped)Salt as per tasteMethod for Patties:Boil, peel & mash potatoesAdd all the ingredients for patties and mix well.With the help of greased hands form 12-14 round flat 1/2" thick 2" round patties, (use mould if you want any other shapes, eg. hearts, diamonds, etc.) Roast few at a time on a greased hot griddle. Turn once to roast other side, making them crisp and golden brown. Keep aside.Ingredients for garnishing: Sweet Chutney / Tamarind ChutneyGreen Chutney / Mint ChutneyGarlic Chutney1 Onion chopped1 cup Nylon SevFew strands of Coriander Leaves choppedFinal Steps:Place 2 warmed patties in an individual bowl and pour some hot ragda over it so that patties are covered completlyTop with all chutneys. Sprinkle some sev & onions on top.Garnish with Coriander leavesServe immediately

Refried Beans

No. of Servings: 4 cupsPreparation Time: 15 minIngredients:2 teacups red kidney or pinto beans (rajma)2 large tomatoes, chopped1 clove garlic, crushed2 to 3 green chillies, finely chopped2 large onions, chopped1/2 teaspoon chilli powder1 teaspoon roasted cumin seed powder2 tablespoons oilSalt to tasteMethod:Wash the beans and soak in water overnight. Next day, drain.Add the tomatoes, garlic, green chillies and one onion and put to cook in a pressure cooker. Drain. Keep aside the drained water. Heat the oil and fry the remaining onions for 1/2 minute.Add the beans, chilli powder, cumin seed powder and salt and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Mash the beans coarsely.If the mixture dries, add the drained water.Serve hot.Technorati Tags: Mexican, Beans, Vegan, Dip, Side,

Guacamole

Guacamole is a paste or sauce made from Avocado is originally from Mexico. It is used in many Mexican dishes & also as a dip with Nachos. To be used as a dip there is a minor variation, the recipe of which I will post in some days with the pictures of the same. The trick of making best guacamole is by using ripe avocados. The over ripen avocados are also bad in taste.How to scoop Avocados – Hold avocado in one hand and with a large sharp knife in other hand cut it lengthwise around the seed. Open the two halves, remove the seed and scoop out with a spoon.No. of Servings: 1 cupPreparation time: 5 minsIngredients:2 ripe Avocados halved 3 tbsp lime juice2 tbsp Cilantro1 Jalapeno finely chopped1 Garlic budSalt & PepperMethod: Mash Avocados with a forkAdd all other ingredients to it & mix well.Note: If Avocados are not ripe, keep it in a brown paper bag and let it ripe.Do not refrigerate Guacamole for a longer period; it will lose its color & tasteTechnorati Tags: Mexican, Dip, Sauce, Paste, Condiement

Chunky Salsa

Salsa is great Mexican condiment which in Spanish means Sauce. It is not only one of the primary ingredients of most Mexican dishes, it tastes awesome with tortilla chips, nachos and scoops. I normally prefer homemade salsa then getting readymade from stores.During the Memorial Day long weekend, we had our friends coming over from San Francisco and were planning to go to San Diego, so thought of making some salsa to have with Tostitos Baked Scoops during our journey. It turned out to be awesome and everybody loved it.Preparation Time : 25 minsIngredients :1 Jalapeno, seeds removed, chopped fine (wear gloves)6 medium fresh tomatoes (boiled, skinned & then chopped into 1/4-inch chunks) 1 Large onion chopped1 Bell pepper (roasted, peeled off the black skin & then chopped)3 Green onions (spring onion) chopped with green tops included½ cup loosely-packed fresh cilantro, finely chopped¼ tsp cumin powder½ tsp chili powder½ tsp oregano, crushed between your palms¼ tsp garlic paste1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce2 tbsp VinegarSalt and pepper to tasteMethod: Mix Jalapeno, tomatoes, red onion, green onions, bell pepper, cilantro, cumin powder, chili powder, oregano, garlic paste, tomato sauce, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Refrigerate for 5-6 hours for the flavors to blend.Serve with crisp tortilla chips as dip or serve as a condiment with other dishes. Store any leftover salsa in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.Note:If you don't like it hot, it's just as good without the chillies. Feel free to adjust to your own tastes.

Thai Red Curry

Kartik’s favorite cuisine is Thai. One day I decided to surprise him by making the same. Since I had never made any Thai food earlier, I referred n number of recipes… & finally decided to make Veg. Thai Red Curry with homemade red curry paste. The recipe below is a combination of the many recipes referred. It is one of the easiest & simple to cook recipe when one gets the craving for Thai food. Hope u all Like it!

No. of Servings : 2 persons
Preparation Time : 20 mins

Ingredients :

• 4 tbsp Red curry paste
• 1tbsp Paprika or Kashmiri chilly powder
• 1¼ cup Coconut milk
• 1 cup Boiled vegetables (French beans, broccoli, baby corn)
• ½ cup Carrot
• ½ cup Bell Pepper (red and green)
• ½ cup Onion
• 1 tbsp Basil leaves
• 1 tbsp Sugar
• ½ tsp Soy sauce
• ½ cup Extra firm tofu (small cubes)
• 2 tbsp Olive oil
• Salt to taste

Method :

• Heat oil
• Saute tofu & remove it on the side
• In the same oil add carrots and saute for 1 min
• Add onion saute for 2 more mins
• Add bell pepper for additional 1 min
• Reduce to low flame and add curry paste
• Add paprika or kashmiri chilly powder & saute for few more mins
• Then finally add coconut milk followed by boiled veggies, basil salt & sugar.
• In the end add sauted tofu & soy sauce
• Serve with plain boiled (Jasmine) rice

Tips/Variations :

• One can adjust spicy taste by reducing or increasing red chillies or by using oil with red chilly.
• Also if anyone likes more of Basil, you can definitely increase the quantity of the same.

Garlic Bread

Garlic Bread reminds me of Pizzas etc, an eating place in Mumbai. We friends used to hangout at this place just to have garlic bread. It is just a mix of some butter or olive oil, garlic & oregano, applied on the bread and baked in the oven at 250 degree for around 10 mins.

Vegetable Pasta

It is very easy to cook Italian dish. Whenever I feel lazy to cook but still want to eat something tasty as well as easy, Pasta is one of the dishes that comes to my mind. Here it goes…

No. of Servings : 3-4
Preparation Time : 25 mins


Ingredients :

• 2 ½ cup wheat Pasta
• 1 Onion (long & thin)
• 2 Carrots ( long & thin)
• ½ cup chopped French beans (partially boiled)
• 1 cup Broccoli (partially boiled)
• 1 small yellow Bell Pepper
• 1 small green Bell Pepper
• ½ diced tomato
• 2 spring onions
• 1 tbsp Minced garlic (if u like more garlic, u can increase the qty)
• 2cups tomato puree
• 1tsp finely chopped fresh basil
• 2 tsp Parsley
• ¼ tsp red chilly flakes
• Salt & Black pepper to taste
• 1tsp Oregano
• ½ tsp Italian Seasoning

Method :

• Boil pasta & keep aside
• Heat oil in a pan, Fry ½ tbsp minced garlic & some oregano…but don’t let it get burnt
• Add Carrots and saute for 1 min then add onion-saute for 2 mins & finally add bell pepper-saute it for 1 or 2mins.
• Now add Tomato sauce, followed by tomatoes, spring onions
• Add all spices like black pepper, chilly flakes, Italian seasoning, rest of oregano.
• Lastly add basil & parsley and followed by pasta.

Basic Salad Recipe

Few days back Kartik & I decided to go light on food in the evenings and so decided to go with soup & salad few times a week. So I started hunting for different kinds of salads, salad dressings & soups. Here below is the basic salad which goes well with different dressings.

No. of Servings : 3-4 persons
Preparation Time : 15 mins


Ingredients :

• 1 cup lettuce
• ½ cup cherry tomato (split into 2)
• ½ Bell pepper
• 3 spring onions
• 1 cucumber
• 1 carrot
• ½ cup boiled Garbanzo Beans

Method :

• Chop all veggies in bite size
• Put Beans & all veggies on the salad platter and mix well
• Enjoy with any ready salad dressings or homemade dressings.

Tips/Variations :
One can substitute Garbanzo beans with any variety of beans.

Curd Dressing

Preparation Time : 5 mins

Ingredients :
¼ cup Beaten Fat free yogurt
¼ tsp Mustard sauce
¼ tsp Chat masala
¼ tsp Roasted cumin seeds powder
Salt to taste

Paneer Bhurji

We love paneer/cottage cheese in all forms. This is one of our favorite & easy to cook paneer recipe without any rich and creamy sauce like other paneer recipes. It is just a simple stir fry of scrambled paneer, with green chilies, onions, bell pepper & tomatoes. Paneer can be bought from any Indian Grocery store or can be made at home, the recipe of which i will add soon. The Paneer used in the recipe below is homemade Paneer from Fat free milk.