Methi Thepla-Gujrati Style

Ingredients:

1 cup finely chopped methi/fenugreek leaves
9-10 tblsp wheat flour
3-4 tblsp crushed jaggery
1/4 tblsp chilly powder
1/4 or less tblsp turmeric powder (haldi)
1 tblsp white sesame seeds
4 tblsp yogurt
2 tblsp oil
1 tblsp jeera

Butter or ghee for roasting

Method

1) Heat 1 1/2 tblsp oil in a pan. Add jeera and methi leaves.
2) After 2 mins add chilly powder, jaggery, haldi and salt.
3) Once the jaggery melts, turn off the gas. Add yogurt and sesame seeds to the methi mixture.
4) Add 1 tblsp of oil and wheat flour. Knead it to a soft dough.
5) Make balls out of the dough and roll it into thin chapatis.
6) Heat the pan. Place the thepla in the pan. As it cooks, the dough will change color. Turn the thepla. You should see golden brown spots on the semi cooked side. Spread ghee/butter over it
7)Turn it and apply ghee/butter on the other side. Remove it. Dont over cook it or the thepla will become crispy.

Note: 1) You can freeze the dough and use it the next day.

Aloo Bhindi sabji

Ingredients:

1/2 kg bhindi/okra/lady finger cut into small pieces
7-8 tblsp oil
1 big potato cut into small pieces
1 small onion finely chopped
1 small tomato finely chopped
1/2 tblsp garam masala or pav bhaji masala
4 tblsp lemon juice
1/2 tblsp jeera
salt to taste

Method:

1) Heat oil in a kadhai. Add the chopped potatoes and  fry it in medium heat.(It will be like french fries, but smaller ones). Once potatoes are fried remove it in a oil absorbent paper.
2) In the same oil add the bhindi. Keep on stirring the bhindi. After a min add lemon juice and let the bhindi cook nicely.
3) Once bhindi is cooked add the salt. Remove bhindi in a plate
4)Take 1 tblsp oil in a kadhai. Add jeera, chopped onions and fry it. Now add the tomatoes, pav bhaji masala and 2 tblsp water Let it cook for 2 mins.
5)Mix in the bhindi and the potato. Check the salt.
6) Cut the pav and stuff it with the above mixture.
7) Serve this sabji with chapatis or phulkas.

Baingan Bharta

Ingredients

 1 big Brinjal
 4-5 tblsp oil
 1/2 tblsp Cumin seeds
 1 big onion chopped
 2 inch Ginger finely chopped
 2 chopped Green chillies
 1/2 tblsp Red chilli powder
 2 garlic
 Salt to taste
 1 large chopped Tomatoes

Method

Wash, pat dry and prick eggplants.Insert two garlic into the brinjal. Roast them over open flame until the skin scorches and starts peeling off and eggplants start to shrink. Let them cool. You can cool them by dipping them in water. Remove skin and mash the pulp completely. 

Heat oil in a kadai. Add cumin seeds. Cook for half a minute and add onions and sauté until translucent. Add ginger and green chillies and cook for a minute. Add red chilli powder and mashed roasted eggplants. Cook for seven to eight minutes over medium heat, stirring continuously. Add salt to taste. Add tomatoes and cook on medium heat for seven to eight minutes or till oil separates. Serve hot with phulkas. 

Methi Thepla

Ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat flour (atta)
1/4 cup gram flour (basen)
1/8 teaspoon asafetida (hing)
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric (haldi)
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
1 1/4 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
1/2 cup methi leaves finely chopped
2 tablespoons oil
1/4 cup yogurt (dahi)
About 3 tablespoons of water as needed
Approximately 1/4 cup of oil for cooking

Method

Mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl: flour, gram flour, asafetida, cumin seeds, turmeric, chili flakes, salt, and fenugreek leaves.
Add oil and yogurt to the bowl and mix well. Add water as needed to make firm dough.
Knead the dough for 2 minutes.
Set the dough aside.Let the dough rest for at least ten minutes.
Divide the dough into 6 to 8 equal parts. Using your palm, roll each one into a smooth ball and press flat.
Take each dough and press it in some dry flour on both sides. Using a rolling pin roll each dough into 5 to 6” diameter circle. If dough starts sticking, dust it with more flour. However, do not use any dry flour towards the end of the rolling. This will make the Thepla dry.

Cook the thepla

Lemon Rice

Ingredients:

1 cup rice
2 tablespoons oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin seed
1/2 teaspoon mustard seed
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 red whole red chili/ 3 green chillies
12 to 15 fresh curry leaves
2 tablespoons chana dal, pre-soaked in water for at least half an hour
1/4 cup unsalted roasted peanuts
1 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
1/4 cup lemon juice

Method:

Boil the rice with some salt. You can use the leftover rice also.

Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium heat; stir-fry the peanuts for about 2 minutes until peanuts changes the color to light brown.
Take out the peanuts from oil and use the same oil for rest of the seasoning.
Add cumin seeds and mustard seeds after seeds crack add chilies, curry leaves and stir for a few seconds.
Add the chana dal, stir-fry for about a minute.
Add turmeric and mix it well.
Add the pre-cooked rice, peanuts and sprinkle salt and lemon juice over the rice.
Mix gently, making sure do not break the rice and stir-fry for about 2 minutes. Rice is ready, Enjoy!

Tur Dal Pulao

A wonderful combination of dal and rice.

Ingredients:
3 tbsp oil

1 medium size onion


1/2 tblsp mirchi powder
1 inch ginger
7-8 garlic
3 green chillies
1 small tblsp shahi jeera
1/2 tblsp turmeric powder
1 tblsp pulav masala(you can get this in any regular store) or garam masala powder
Tomato puree(5 medium sized)
2 big cups Basmati rice
1/2 cup tur dal 
3 cups water
1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves
salt to taste

Directions:


Wash and soak the tur dal in water for 10 mins.
Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan. Add jeera. Fry for 2 mins. Add the chopped onions. Saute for 2-3 mins. Make paste  of ginger,garlic and green chilly. Add it to the oil. Fry for 3-4 mins. Add tomato puree, turmeric powder, mirchi powder and pulav masala.Let it cook for 5 mins. Add the soaked tur dal and 1 1/2 cup water. Cook for 10 mins or almost the dal is cooked. After the dal is cooked mix in the rice and add salt. Add remaining 1 1/2 cup of water and chopped coriander. Cook for 5 mins in high flame then slow down the flame till the rice cooks.
Serve it with raita.

Reference:
My school friend used to bring this pulao. Dont know the actual recipe. Just tried it out in my own way.

Cheese parantha

Ingredients:
1 cup Wheat flour
1 tblsp oil
salt to taste


Stuffing

1cup grated cheese

1 tblsp chopped ginger
1 tblsp chopped chilly or according to taste
Ghee

Directions:

Make a soft dough with oil, water and wheat flour

Grate the cheese cubes. Mix in the chopped chillies and ginger.

Make small balls of the dough. Roll out each ball into a medium sized chapati.
Spread a portion of the cheese mixture. Fold up like an envelope and roll out into square paranthas. Heat a tawa, place the parantha on it and shallow fry, drizzling a little oil or ghee, till both sides are lightly golden brown and crisp.

Serve it immediately

Reference:
Anjali's recipe :)(My office colleague)

Onion paratha

Ingredients:

11/2 cup Wheat flour
1/4 cup chickpea flour(besan)
1 large onion finely chopped

1 tblsp red chilly powder

1 big tblsp oil
1/2 tblsp haldi powder
1 tblsp dhania powder
1 green chilly finely chopped
1/2 cup coriander leaves
Ghee
Salt according to taste

Directions:

Mix all the above ingredients together. Add water accordingly to make a nice thick dough(dont make it too soft)

Now prepare the balls from the dough and then rolls the balls to give it a roti shape.

Now fry the paratha from both sides in ghee(pour ghee generously :)).

Serve it with sauce or pudina-mirchi chutney

Reference:
Anjali's recipe :)(My office colleague)

Paneer and Potato chilly

Ingredients:


200 gm paneer (cottage cheese) cut into cubes
2 potatoes cut into big pieces
Cornflour
oil for deep frying


For the Sauce:


Oil 2 3 tbsp
Garlic 1 tbsp,chopped coarsely
Green chillies (slit) 3 4
Onion 1 big ,cut into cubes
Soya sauce 2 3 tsp
Tomato sauce 1 tbsp
Chilli sauce 1 tbsp
Capsicum ,cut into strips
Black pepper 1 tsp
Salt to taste


Directions:
Cut the paneer and potatoes into half inch cubes.
Make a thick paste of cornflour (so as to coat paneer properly)
First fry the potatoes and then paneer cubes with paste till golden brown. Keep aside.


For the Sauce:


Heat oil in a pan.
Add garlic, green chillies ,and onions.
Saute till onions are done.
Add capsicum and cook till tender.
Add soya sauace, green chilly sauce, tomato sauce, salt and pepper.
Add the paneer and potato pieces.
Simmer for few minutes till the sauce coats the pieces.

Kadai Tofu

Ahhh.. Thanks Sree for posting this recipe. You Rock :)

Ingredients:

2 tsp oil

2 tsp ginger-garlic (adrak-lehsun) paste

1/2 cup finely chopped onions

1/4 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)

1 tsp coriander-cumin seeds (dhania-jeera) powder

1 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp garam masala

1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)

1/2 cup fresh tomato or tomato purée

1/4 cup sliced capsicum

1 cup tofu, cut into thick strips/cubes

1/2 tsp sugar (as per taste)

2 tbsp low fat creamsalt to taste

2 tbsp chopped coriander (dhania) for garnishing

Method :

Heat the oil in a non-stick kadhai, add the ginger-garlic paste and onions and sauté till the onions turn light brown in colour.Add the turmeric powder, coriander-cumin seeds powder, chilli powder, garam masala and dried fenugreek leaves and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.Add the tomato pieces or purée and ¼ cup of water and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the capsicum & let it cook & then add tofu, sugar, cream, salt and ¼ cup of water, mix lightly and cook for another 5 minutes. Serve hot garnished with coriander.

Paneer Butter Masala

This one is again by Miss Sreevidya Nair...

Paneer cooked in spicy rich tomato gravy-

a recipe without the usual matar/palak with paneer :)

You need:

Cottage cheese (paneer),
400 gramsButter
2 teaspoonsOil
1 teaspoonBay leaves
2 Cloves
2 Cinnamon
2 one-inch sticksDried red chillies, broken 2
Coriander seeds, crushed 2 tablespoons (optional)
Onion , sliced 1-2 medium
Ginger-garlic paste 2 teaspoons
Coriander powder 1 teaspoon
Red chilli powder 1 teaspoon
Tomatoes, chopped 6-7 medium
Salt to taste
Kasoori methi , crushed 1/2 teaspoon
Fresh cream 2 tablespoons (cheese can also be used)


How to :
Heat butter with one teaspoon oil in a kadhai. Add bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, red chillies (and half of the crushed coriander seeds-if using). Sauté for half a minute. Add onion and stir-fry for thirty seconds and add ginger paste and garlic paste. Cook till the mixture is cooked. Add coriander powder, red chilli powder and tomatoes. Cook on high heat till oil leaves the masala. Add paneer pieces and salt. Add half a cup of water. Cook covered on low heat for five minutes. Sprinkle kasoori methi and mix in lightly. mix in cream/cheese.Remove from heat. Serve hot. Yummy paneer butter masala is ready.

Yellow vatana Sambhar

A typical manglorean sambhar which goes well with idli.

Ingredients:
1/4 kg yellow vatana
5 medium sized tomatoes
3 tblsp sambhar powder
1/2 tblsp hing powder
Tur Dal 1/2 the qty of yellow vatana
15 curry leaves
2 medium sized chopped onions
1/2 tblsp mustard seeds
pinch of turmeric powder
7 garlic crushed
2 big tblsp oil
salt to taste

Directions:
Soak the yellow vatana overnight. Cut the tomatotes into long pieces.Clean the tur dal.

Boil the yellow vatana, tomatoes, turdal, sambhar powder, turmeric powder, haldi powder, onions, hing and salt in pressure cooker with 1 litre water. Cook for 4-5 whistles.

For tempering:
Heat oil, add the mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds start crackling add the curry leaves and garlic. Pour this tempering over the sambhar.

Reference:
My mom

Karela Fries

Ingredients:

3 karela(bitter melon)
3 tblsp besan
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 1/2 tblsp chilly powder
Pinch of Turmeric
Pinch of Hing(asafoetida)
oil for frying
Salt to taste

Directions:

Cut the karela into two parts and make thin long slices of it(The thiner the slices, the crispier will be the fries). Place it in salt water to reduce the bitterness.

In a bowl take besan,salt,chilly powder,turmeric,hing and lemon juice. Add very little water, the batter should be thick. Mix in the sliced karelas(the batter should only coat the karela).

Keep it aside for 1 hr(so that the masala is soaked by the karela)

Deep fry it in oil. Remove it in tissue paper once its crisp.

Note: You can sprinkle some chaat masala

Pasta in Red Sauce.

This delicious recipe is given my friend sreevidya.

Ingredients:

200gms Pasta
8-9 tomatoes ,chopped (if using less tomato, use tomato puree or tomato sauce)
3 - 4 Cloves Garlic, Chopped
3 - 4 Basil Leaves, Chopped
4 - 5 Fresh Oregano, Chopped
1tsp Chili Flakes
1tbsp Olive/Sunflower oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

For cooking the Pasta :
Boil the pasta with 25gms Salt. Cook for 10 - 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain the Pasta and rinse in fresh cold water. Keep aside
For the Sauce :
Heat Oil add Garlic and saute.Now add the chopped tomatoes (and if using puree, that too), Salt and pepper and cook until the sauce becomes thick. To this add the Basil,oregano & the chilli flakes.


Once the sauce is ready , add the pasta.Toss gently. Serve hot.


Note:
If you have any sachets of oregano/chilli flakes from any pizza parlour, that helps a lot in this dish :) and for a healthy one, try the Wholewheat Pasta.

Tomato Rice

We had a get together of college friends recently and there namya has prepared this recipe. A different version of veg pulav. Enjoy it.

Ingredients:
4 tbsp butter
1/2 tblsp oil
1 onion
2 bayleaves
1 stick dalchini
1/2 spoon mirchi powder
1 inch ginger
7-8 garlic
1 small tblsp shahi jeera
1/2 small tblsp turmeric powder
1 tblsp pulav masala(you can get this in any regular store) or garam masala powder
Tomato puree(5 medium sized)
veggies
1cup peas,carrot and beans (If you want, else veggies can be excluded)
2 big cups Basmati rice
salt to taste

Directions:
Add butter to heavy bottom pan, add half tblsp oil so that the butter doesnt burn. Add jeera, bay leaves and dalchini. Fry for 2 mins. Add the chopped onions. Saute for 2-3 mins. Make paste  of ginger and garlic. Add it. Fry for 3-4 mins. Add tomato puree, turmeric powder, mirchi powder and pulav masala.Let it cook for 5 mins. If you are adding the vegetables then add the carrot at this point and  boil the beans and peas with some water seperately. After the masala is cooked you can add the beans and peas. Mix in the rice and add salt. Add 4 cups water. Cook for 5 mins in high flame then slow down the flame till the rice cooks.

Serve it with raita.


Reference:
My college Friend Namrata. Hey Namya i have modified the recipe a bit :)

Veg Pulav

This is a Simple rice recipe tried on my own. Goes well with chole or some nice chicken gravy.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup peas
1/2 cup beans
1/2 cup carrots
2 cups basamati rice
3 tblsp ghee
1 pinch turmeric
2 big elaichi
5 small elaichi
1 stick dalchini
5 cloves
5 peppercorns
2 bay leaves
2 green chillies(chopped)
1 medium sized onion(chopped)
1/2 tblsp shahi jeera

Directions:

Boil the peas and beans with some salt.
Clean the rice in water. Seperate the water and keep aside.
Heat the vessel. Add ghee,jeera. Once the jeera is fried add onions, fry for 2 mins. Add chillies and the spices(elaichi, peppercorns, dalchini, cloves, bay leaves) and turmeric. Fry for 2 mins. Add the carrots. After the carrot is cooked, add the peas and beans. Mix in the rice. Add 4 cups of water(the rice and water proportion should be 1:2).Salt to taste. Keep in high heat for first 5 mins and then slow down the heat. Pulav is ready

Serve it with salad.

For salad:

1/2 cup chopped cucumber
1/2 cup chopped onions,
few coriander chopped,
1/4 cup curd
1 chopped green chilly
Salt to taste.

Mix all the ingredients to make the salad