Spice box secrets.....just a simple collection of recipes !!

Pasta with mushrooms and cherry tomatoes

2014-08-12T04:00:00.002-07:00

Ingredients:
250 grams cherry tomatoes (halved)
500 gms button mushrmooms (sliced)
1-2 cloves garlic (minced)
lemon juice
zest of a small lemon
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp black pepper
a handful of chopped flat leaf parsley
salt to taste
700 gms small pasta (penne or macaroni)
red chilli flakes - garnish
parmesan cheese - garnish

Method:
1. Cook the pasta as per instructions on the box. I prefer the pasta to be soft but al dente.
2. Heat the olive oil in a fry pan on medium heat. Add sliced mushrooms, salt, pepper and saute them till soft and tender
3.Once the mushrooms are cooked add minced garlic,lemon zest,oregano,cherry tomatoes.Adjust the seasoning if needed. Add some lemon juice.
4.Toss the pasta and mix well.
5.Garnish with red chilly flakes, parmesan cheese and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Paneer Palak

2014-08-12T03:28:00.002-07:00

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups pureed spinach
500 gm paneer-cubed and lightly fried
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp finely chopped ginger or paste
1 tsp finely chopped garlic or paste
1/2 cup onions-grated
1 cup tomatoes-chopped fine
salt to taste
1/4 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp red chilly powder
1 tsp coriander powder

Method:

1.Remove the stems and wash spinach thoroughly in running water. Blanch in salted boiling water
for two minutes. Refresh in chilled water.
2.Squeeze out excess water. Grind into a fine paste. Cut the paneer into one inch by one inch by
half inch pieces and keep aside.
3.Heat oil and add cumin, when it splutters, ginger and the garlic (chopped or paste), and saute
till a light brown about 1 minute.
4.Add onions and saute till a golden brown, then add tomatoes and stir fry over medium heat.
5.When fat separates, add the salt, garam masala, coriander powder and the red chilly powder.
and stir till well mixed.
6.Add spinach puree and saute for 2-3 minutes and add paneer.
Turn around a few times and serve hot.
Serve hot with rotis, naan or jeera rice.

Matki Vada

2014-01-25T13:35:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

1 cup matki (moth beans) soaked in water and cooked aldente (almost cooked)
1/2 inch ginger
1-2 green chillies
2-3 pods garlic
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 tsp dhaniya jeera powder
1 chopped onion
2 tbsp besan
Salt to taste
Oil for frying

Procedure.

- Grind coarsely the cooked matki along with green chilly, ginger and garlic.
- Remove the mixture in a plate and add the onion, besan , turmeric, dhania jeera powder and salt.
- Make medium sized pattice.
- Shallow fry on medium heat until golden brown.

Serve hot with green chutney and ketchup.

Amritsari Aloo ke kulche

2014-01-25T13:27:00.002-08:00

Ingredients:

For the dough :

250 gms Maida (Flour)
1 tbsp dahi (curd)
1/2 tsp Salt

- Mix all the above ingredients and knead to make a soft dough.
- Cover the dough with a damp cloth and keep the dough aside for an hour.
- After an hour knead the dough again. Make 8 equal portions of the dough. Cover and keep aside.

For the filling :

2 big boiled potatoes
1 finely chopped small onion
a little coriander
a little grated cauliflower
1 teaspoon red chilly powder
3/4 tsp garam masala
1 green chilly finely chopped (optional - only if you like it really hot!!)
Salt to taste

- Mash the potatoes.
- Add all the above ingredients.
- Mix well. Make 8 equal portions and keep aside.

Stuffing the kulchas:

- - Take one portion of the dough and flatten it with your fingers.(Use dry flour if you feel the dough is sticky and you are finding it difficult to flatten the dough.)
-- Now, place on portion of the potato stuffing in the center.

-- Fold the dough from all sides to make a smooth ball.

-- Spread some flour (maida) on the kitchen top or chakla and roll gently to make a circle. (Alternatively, you can also pat stuffed ball and make a circle out of it)

To cook the Kulchas:

In an oven:

- Preheat the oven at 220 degree C/425 deggree F/Gas Mark 7 for about eight minutes.

To make the Kulchas in a pressure cooker: ( Like we make it a home ...in India)

- Heat the pressure cooker.

- Dip the fingers in a little water and moisten one side of the kulcha. Press the moist kulcha onto the inner wall of the pressure cooker. (Make sure the kulcha is moist enough to stick to the cooker.)

-Place the cooker upside down over an open flame to make a kind of tandoor. Cook on high heat for two to three minutes, lower the heat and cook for two to three minutes more.

Maanh ki Daal ( Dal Makhni)

2014-01-25T11:38:00.003-08:00

Ingredients:

Urad saboot - 1/2 cup
Rajma - 1 tbsp
Chana dal - 1 tbsp
Water - 2 glasses
Salt to taste
Onion - 1 medium
Garlic 2-3 flakes
Ginger 1 inch

1 medium tomato

2-3 green chillies ( as per taste)

Cream - 1 tbsp

Jeera - 1tsp

Rai - 1 tsp

Methi dana - 1 pinch (15-20 seeds)

Ajwain - 1/2 tsp

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Ghee - 1 spoon
Hing (Asafoetida) - 1/8 tsp

Procedure:

1. Soak (preferably in a pressure cooker) overnight urad saboot, rajma, chana dal in 2 glasses water with salt to taste.
2. In the morning keeping the cooker on Sim (low) gas cook the dal for about 1/2 and hour (or 10-12 pressure cooker whistles)
3. Grind together onion, tomato, ginger,garlic, green chillies and cream to a fine paste.

4. Heat ghee in a pan add rai ( after rai crackles ....turn the gas low and then add the other ingredients) jeera, methi dana, ajwain turmeric. Give it a quick mix.

5. Now add the grind onion-tomato paste. Cook till the paste leaves oil.

6. Add the cooked urad saboot, rajma and chana dal. Leave the dal to simmer for about and hour, stirring at frequent intervals.

Garnish with a swirl of cream and a little corainder leaves. Serve hot with rice or naan.

Moong saboot

2013-11-27T14:05:00.001-08:00

Ingredients
50 gms Moong ( whole green gram)
8 tablespoons water
½ inch ginger (finely chopped)
½ teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon red chilly powder
1 teaspoon ghee
1 teaspoon jeera
½ teaspoon garam masala
Salt to taste

Procedure:

Wash the moong.

Add water, salt, ginger and turmeric.

Leave it aside for an hour.

After an hour keep the moong in a pressure cooker and cook it for 1 whistle.

Open the cooker after 10 minutes.

Remove the moong in a serving bowl and add the tadka.

Tadka:

Heat ghee in a small pan add jeera and garam masala to it.

Pour it over the cooked moong.

Serve hot with rice.

Mix Veg Pakoras

2013-07-08T11:45:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

100 grams cauliflower , cut in small pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium potato, diced into small pieces
few sprigs coriander finely chopped ( optional)
1 green chilly, finely chopped
1 tsp red chilly powder
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 heaped tsp cumin-coriander powder ( dhania jeera)
a pinch of ajwain (carom seeds / bishop's weed) (optional)
1 - 1 1/2 cup gram flour (besan)
1 tbsp flour (maida)
salt to taste
oil for frying

Procedure:

1. Wash and chop cauliflower, onions and potatoes in small pieces.
2. Add green chilly, coriander sprigs to the chopped vegetables.
3. Add gram flour, plain flour (maida), red chilly powder, turmeric, cumin-coriander powder, carom seeds and salt. Add enough water to make a thick smooth batter.
4. Heat oil in a medium size pan. The pan should be filled with 1 1/2 inches oil.
5. Drop spoonfuls of batter in the hot oil. Fry pakoras in small batches. It takes 4-5 minutes to fry. Turn over the pakoras occasionally.
6. Fry till golden brown.
7. Serve hot with mint and coriander chutney .

Tip:
1) Oil check : Let the oil heat for 4-5 minutes. Put a small drop of batter in the oil. The batter should come up immediately but is should not change color to brown. If it becomes brown then the oil is too hot.
2) Adding flour (maida) makes the pakoras crispier.

Tava Mushrooms

2013-07-08T11:27:00.002-07:00

Another favourite from www.tarladalal.com

Ingredients:

400 gms fresh mushrooms (khumbh)

1 tbsp plain flour (maida)

2 onions , grated

2 large tomatoes

2 medium capsicum, 1/2 inch julienns

1/2 tsp garam masala

1 tsp chilli powder

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

1 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)

3 tbsp oil

salt to taste

For The Ginger-garlic Paste

12 mm (1/2") piece ginger (adrak)

3 to 4 cloves of garlic (lehsun)

or

1 tsp readymade ginger garlic paste

For The Topping

2 tbsp chopped coriander (dhania)

Procedure

1.Wash the mushrooms and cut in halves. Sprinkle the flour and keep aside.

2.Heat the oil and fry the onions till brown. Add the ginger-garlic paste and fry again.

3.Add the garam masala, chilli powder and coriander-cumin seed powder and fry again.

4.Prepare tomato puree by putting the tomatoes in hot water for 10 minutes and then grating into a pulp.

5.Add the tomato puree and fry again.

6.Add the mushrooms, kasuri methi and salt and cook for a few minutes. Sprinkle a little water while cooking.

Serve with hot rotis or make a wrap with some salad leaves, sour cream and the mushroom curry.

Kadhai Paneer ( Serves 2-3)

2012-06-17T22:31:00.001-07:00

Inspired by Tarla Dalal's Kadhai Paneer.

Ingredients:

Paneer 250 gms
Onion - 1 medium size
Green chillies - 2-3
Garlic 2-3 cloves
Ginger - 1 inch peice
Tomatoes - 2-3
Red chillies ( Kashmiri) 2
Coriander seeds - 1tsp
Capsicum - 2 medium size
Salt
Sugar 1tsp
Oil 1 spoon
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Jeera dhania powder - 1 tsp
Kasuri Methi - 1 tsp

Procedure:

1. Grind onion and garlic cloves together to make a thick paste.

2. Grind together tomatoes, green chillies and ginger to a fine paste.

3. Pound together the red chillies and coriander seeds and keep aside.

4. Dice the paneer and capsicum.

5. Heat oil in a pan and add the onion-garlic paste. Fry till it turns pink.

6. Now add the tomato paste and saute till it leaves oil. It takes about 3-5 minutes.

7. Add the turmeric, garam masala and jeera dhania powder, salt and sugar, red chilly and coriander powder. Mix well.

8. Add the capsicum and let it cook for 2 minutes. Add a little water if required.

9. Add the paneer and gently toss it.

10. Take kasuri methi. Put in on a hot gridle for a few seconds. Remove it from the gridle. Take it in your palms and crush it. Add this to the gravy.

Serve with hot rotis.

Coconut Chutney

2011-10-13T22:37:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

1 cup coconut (grated)

4-5 green chillies

sugar (to taste)

salt (to taste)

fresh coriander a handful

1-2 tsp lemon juice

1tsp oil

8-10 curry leaves

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp white urad dal

pinch of hing

1 kashmiri whole red chilly

Procedure:

In a mixer add coconut, green chillies, salt, sugar, coriander and make a thick paste. Remove this in a bowl and add the lemon juice.

For the tadka:

Heat oil, add the mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds begin to crackle add urad dal, hing, curry leaves and kashmiri whole red chilly.

Pour over the chutney and mix well.

Sevaicha Upma (Vermicilli Upma)

2011-10-13T22:14:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

1 cup sevai (vermicilli)

1/4 cup coconut (grated)

1/2 inch ginger (grated)

2-3 green chillies (chopped)

8-10 curry leaves

1 tsp ghee

1tsp jeera/mustard

1 tsp sugar

salt to taste

coriander leaves (garnish)

Procedure:

1. Heat ghee in a kadhai , add ginger and saute it, add jeera. After the jeera crackles, add the curry leaves and chopped green chillies. ( I prefer big peices of chilly ....so I don't accidentally bite into it)

2.Add the vermicilli and stir it till it gets brown ( do this on a low or med flame so it doesn't become charcoal).

3. Add the coconut, salt and sugar. Add enough water to cover the vermicilli. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes. Garnish with fresh coriander and coconut chutney.

Tip : You can also add sev or bhujia while garnishing.

Shengdanyachi chutney

2011-10-13T21:54:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

2 tbsp peanut powder (Shengdanyache koot)

1 tsp red chilly powder
1 tsp jeera
1 tsp powdered sugar
salt to taste

Procedure:

1.Dry roast jeera in a pan, when the jeera changes color and you can smell the aroma it is ready to be pounded to a coarse powder. Make the powder and keep it aside.

2.In a bowl mix all the ingredients.

To be served as an accompaniment with thalipeeth, batata wada etc.

Shengachi Amti - Drumstick Curry (From my Mom's kitchen)

2011-06-16T06:54:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

Drumsticks (Shenga)2-3
3/4 cup coconut scraped
1/2 tsp methi dana(fenugreek seeds)
1/2 tsp mustard seeds(rai)
hing (to taste)
Tamrind paste 2 tbsp
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp red chilly powder
1/2 tbsp rice flour
1/2 tbsp oil
jaggery about size of a small lemon
salt

Procedure:

1.Peel the drumsticks and cut into 2 inch peices. Wash well and keep soaked in a bowl of water.
2.Grind together the coconut, 1/4 mustard seeds(rai) and 1/4 methi dana(fenugreek seeds)alongwith half tbsp rice flour to a fine paste and keep aside.
3.For the tadka, heat oil in a thick bottomed vessle eg:kadai add the remaining 1/4 tsp mustard seeds, 1/4 tsp methi dana and hing.
4.Put the drumstick peices and add a cup of water. Cover and cook till the drumsticks are cooked.
5.Add the turmeric, red chilly powder, tamrind paste, jaggery,salt and bring it to a boil. Let it boil for 5 minutes approximately.
6.Add the ground coconut mixture and let the curry come to a boil. Switch of the gas immediately.

Serve with hot steamed rice.

Tip: Same curry can be made with Raw mango (kairi).

Arbi

2011-06-06T01:01:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

1/4 kg. Arbi (taro root)
pinch hing
1/2 tsp ajwain
salt to taste
1/2 tsp red chilli pd.
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp haldi
1/4 tsp amchoor pd.
1/4 tsp saboot dhaniya(whole dried coriander seeds)
1/2 tsp jeera
half bunch coriander leaves
few mint sprigs (optional)
lemon juice
1/2 inch ginger (peeled)
salt
oil for frying
coriander leaves for garnish

Procedure.
1.Wash the arbi.
2.Pressure cook the arbi for 1 whistle.
3.Remove from pressure cooker and let the arbi cool.Peel the arbi once it is cooled.
4.Coarse grind coriander leaves,ginger,mint leaves. Keep it aside.
5.Cut the arbi into bite size peices.
6.Marinate the arbi with the ground coriander mix. Add lemon juice,amchoor,red chilly powder, garam masala,pinch of haldi,ajwain,coarsely pounded coriander seeds and salt.
7.Keep aside the marinated mixture for 2 hours.
8.Heat oil in a pan and fry the arbi.
9.Garnish with coriander and serve hot.

Bhein (Lotus Root) Masala.

2011-03-09T07:48:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

2-3 Bhein
1 Boiled Potato (Diced)
1 tsp Jeera
1 tsp Ginger paste
1 tbsp Besan (chickpea flour)
1 tsp red chilly powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp amchoor
2-3 green chillies
Salt to taste

Procedure:

1.Wash the lotus root. Remove all the mud. Cut into thin slices.
2.Pressure cook the thinly sliced Bhein with salt. 2-3 pressure cooker whistles should be sufficient.
3.Dice the boiled potato.
4.In a kadhai heat oil, add jeera. After jeera changes color add ginger paste, finely chopped green chillies and mix well.
5.Add besan and fry lightly.
6.Add the boiled lotus root and potato.
7.Add red chilly powder, turmeric, garam masala, amchoor and salt. Mix well.
8. Cover and cook for 5-7 minutes.
9. Garnish with coriander.

Serve hot with chapatis or rotis.

Amla Ginger Sherbet

2011-03-07T04:59:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

1 Kg amla (indian gooseberry)
250 gms ginger
750 gms sugar
12 lemons

Procedure:

1. Roughly slice the ginger, put in a blender add very little water and grind it to a very fine paste. Strain the juice with a strainer. Let the juice rest for atleast 2hours.

2.Grate the amla. Put it in a blender and grind it using very little water. Strain the juice.

3.Squeeze the juice of lemons. (Preferably do this as the last process)

4.In a thick bottomed pan, put about 2 cups of water, add the sugar. As the sugar beings to melt add about a tablespoon of milk. With the help of a strainer remove the scum that floats on top.

5.Mix together the ginger, amla and lemon juice. Add it to the sugar syrup and bring it to a boil.

Tip:You can add a 1/4 tsp of sodium benzoate (preservative) if you would like to store it for a long period.

Amla Ginger Sherbet is ready.
This aids digestion and cures acidity.

Chinese Five Spice Rice

2010-04-05T01:47:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

1 Cup rice
1 Bell Pepper (diced)
1/2 cup boiled corn
1/2 cup mushrooms (sliced)
1 tbsp butter

Five Spice Powder
2 teaspoons pepper
8 whole star anise
6 cloves
5 sticks cinnamon
1 tablespoons fennel seeds

1 Maaggi cube (optional)

Procedure:

For the 5 spice powder
- Dry roast the pepper in a pan till it releases aroma. Then add all other ingredients and dry roast them to gether. Grind to a coarse powder.

For the Rice
- Soak the rice for 10-15 minutes.
- Drain the rice. Keep it aside.
- Heat about 3 glasses of water. Bring to a boil.
- When the water comes to a rolling boil add the rice.
- Add a spoonful of oil.
- Cook till aldente (almost done).

The veggies
- Heat butter in a pan.
- Stir fry the mushrooms, bell pepper, corn.
- Add salt and black pepper(if u like it).

The final works ..........
- Mix the veggies, the rice, add 1-2 spoonfuls of five spice powder and salt(to taste).
- In a cup of water crush the maggi cube (to make vegetable stock). Add less salt if you are using stock.
- Add vegetable stock simmer till rice is soft.

Serve hot.

P.S: Five spice powder is very concentrated. Use as per taste.

Chilly Lemon coriander noodles

2009-07-02T10:19:00.000-07:00

Chilly Lemon coriander noodles

Ingredients:

1 packet hakka noodles
2-4 dry red chillies
1 carrot (juliennes)
1 capsicum (juliennes)
cabbage (Finely chopped)
a handful of french beans (finely chopped)
1 onion (Finely sliced)
a handful of coriander (Finely chopped)
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 tbsp oil
salt to taste

Procedure:

1. Cook Hakka noodles as per instructions on the packet and keep aside.
2. In a heavy bottomed pan or WOK heat oil. Break the red chillies.
3. Stir fry the vegetables; onions, carrots, french beans, capsicum, cabbage.
4. Add turmeric and salt. Toss well. Add the fresh coriander and mix.
5. Add the noodles pour the lemon juice. Toss well.

Serve hot.

Bharwan Tinde

2009-07-02T09:38:00.000-07:00

Bharwan Tinde

Ingredients:

Tinde 250 gms (small and tender)
Tomatoes 4-5
Ghee 1 tbsp
Jeera 1 tsp
Red chilly powder 2 tsp
Turmeric 1/2 tsp
Dhania jeera powder 1 heaped tsp
Aamchoor 1 tsp
Garam masala 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Sugar to taste
Kasoori methi 1 tbsp
Mint 1 tsp (finely chopped)
Fresh coriander (finely chopped)
Fresh Cream 2-3 tbsp

Procedure:

1. Wash the Tindas and lightly peel the skin with a peeler.
2. Make a slit in + shape. Just ensure the cut is deep enough but not too deep that the four slices will fall apart.
3. Mix together red chilly powder, turmeric, dhania jeera powder, amchoor, salt and garam masala.
4. Fill a pinch of masala in the tindas and keep aside. Keep aside the remaining masala powder mix.
5. Make tomato puree in a blender or mixer.
6. Heat ghee in a pan and add jeera.
7. After the jeera crackles, add the tomato puree. Add the remaining masala powder mix, adjust salt to taste. Add a little sugar just for taste.
8. Place the tindas in the pan. cover and cook till tender.
9. Beat the fresh cream till smooth.
10. Heat a girdle (tawa) and put the kasoori methi on it for a few seconds. Remove it and crush is between your palms and add sprinkle it on the gravy.
11. Add fresh coriander and mint.
12. Finally, add the cream. Mix well and serve with rotis or parathas.

Kothimbir Wadi

2009-04-08T05:04:00.001-07:00

Kothimbir Wadi

Ingredients:

2 cups of green coriander (kothimbir)
1 1/2 cup of besan (gram flour)
2-3 tbsp rice flour
2-3 tsp of red chilly powder
1/2 heaped tsp of turmeric
1 tbsp coriander powder
Salt to taste
Oil (to fry).

Procedure.

1.Wash the coriander and finely chop it.
2.In a vessle, add besan rice flour,red chilly powder, turmeric, coriander powder, salt.
3. Add the finely chopped coriander leaves to it and mix well.
4. Slowly add water to this mixture till it becomes a thick paste.
5. Take a plate, grease it lightly with oil. Pour the mixture and pat it to make a medium layer.
6. In a pressure cooker, add some water, place the plate on a stand (like the one used to keep hot utensils). Remove the whistle of the pressure cooker and let it cook on steam for 5-7 minutes on medium flame.
7. Once it is cooked, let it cool. Cut into 1 inch peices.
8. Shallow fry or deep fry and serve hot.

Panha

2009-04-08T04:48:00.000-07:00

Panha

Ingredients:
2-3 Raw Mangoes
2 cup jaggery
1 tsp Cardamom Powder
Pinch of Saffron

Procedure:
1.Wash the raw mangoes. Add sufficient water in the pressure cooker, put the raw mangoes and let it cook for 2-3 whistles. Let it cool down. Peel cooked mango and remove the pulp from it. Put the pulp in the blender to make a smooth paste. Alternaitively, you can pour the pulp in a strainer and strain it. Do not add water.

2.Take a pan, add the jaggery and a little water. Wait till the jaggery melts.

3. Add the raw mango pulp to the melted jaggery. Mix well.

4. Add cardmom powder and saffron.

5. After this mixture cools down store it in an airtight container.

6. Add 2-3 tbsp in a glass, add cold water. Stir well.

Garnish with a sprig of mint. Serve chilled.

Kachumbar

2009-03-18T02:54:00.000-07:00

Kachumbar

Ingredients:

1 tomato
1 onion
1 cucumber
1 radish (optional)
salt to taste
1 tsp black peper
a dash of sugar (optional)
juice of one lime
a handful of finely chopped coriander leaves

Procedure:
Mix together diced tomatoes, onions, cucumber and radishes. Season with salt, pepper, a dash of sugar and a dash of vinegar. Sprinkle with finely chopped coriander leaves.

Brown Rice

2009-03-18T02:48:00.000-07:00

Brown Rice

Ingredients:

2 cups basmati rice
2 onions, finely sliced
4 teaspoon sugar
2 inch pieces of cinnamon
6 cloves
salt to taste
4 tablespoons melted ghee

Procedure

1. Soak rice in water for 1/2 hour.
2. Heat oil or ghee in a pan and fry onion in it till brown. Remove pan from fire and drain excess oil.
3. Put sugar in a small pan and brown it over fire till it is very dark brown.
4. Place pan with fried onion back on fire, drain water from rice and add to onion.
Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes or more till rice is nicely fried.
5. Add caramel water and cook 4 or 5 minutes till rice is well blended.
6. Add cinnamon stick, cloves, salt and 3 1/2 cups water. Bring to boil, then cover, lower flame and continue cooking till water is absorbed and rice is cooked.
7. Sprinkle some fried onion over rice before serving.

Serve with Dhansak and kachumbar

Dhansak

2009-03-18T02:32:00.000-07:00

The traditional parsi favourite. This dish is made up of 2 main portions Dhan (the combination of different lentils) and Sak (a variety of greens). A one meal dish.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp ginger and garlic paste

1 tbsp oil

salt to taste

1 tsp tamrind paste

Dhan (The dals - Lentils)

------------------------------

1/4th cup Toor dal

1/4th cup Moong dal

1/8th cup Urad dal

1/4th cup Masoor dal

1/4th cup Chana dal

Sak (Greens and other vegetables)

The Greens

----------------
1 medium sized bunch of spinach (palak)

1 small bunch of fenugreek leaves or a tablespoon of kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)

1 small bunch of coriander leavesAround 10-15 mint leaves.

The Vegetables

-------------------

1 small eggplant/ brinjal/aubergine chopped and diced.

1 two inch square of red pumpkin

1 small squash cleaned and chopped into small pieces.

1 cup deseeded tomatoes.

1 large onion

1 cup coconut finely ground

1 small potato diced

1 carrot diced

The Masala

--------------

I prefer to use Mangal Dhansak Masala. Easily available in Indian grocery stores. But if you would like to make your own masala here is the recipe.

To be roasted

------------------

1 tsp Fenugreek seeds

1 tbsp Coriander seeds

1 tbsp Cumin seeds

1 tsp Sesame seeds

Not to be roasted

----------------------

2 red chillies

1" inch cinnamon

8-10 Black peppercorns

3 bayleaves

8-10 cloves

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 1/4 inch peice of mace

1 tsp turmeric

Dry roast first four ingredients one at a time on hot dry griddle.

Add roasted and the remaining ingredients together and grind together.

Mix the turmeric and store in an air proof bottle.

Procedure:

The Dals:
1. Soak the dals overnight or atleast for four hours. Cook them in a pressure cooker. Mash them to a fine paste.

The Greens:
2. Steam the greens and grind them to a soft paste.

The Vegetables:
3. Pressure cook the vegetables and grind to a fine paste.

4. In a really thick bottomed pan add a tablespoon of oil. Add the dals followed by ginger garlic and tamrind paste. Let it simmer for 5-7 minutes. Keep stirring to prevent the mixture from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

5. Add the finely ground greens and vegetables. Add a cup of water to adjust the thickness. Add salt.

6. Add the dhansak masala.

7. Let the dhansak simmer slowly for half an hour to 45 minutes. Stirring occasionally.

8. If the dhansak is too thick, add a little water.

Serve with kachumbar and brown rice.

Fodnicha bhat

2009-02-20T08:13:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:
1 cup cooked rice (left over or fresh)
4 green chillies - washed and chopped fine
10-15 curry leaves - washed
1 small onion - chopped finely
1 tsp mustard seeds
Pinch of hing
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
a handful of chopped coriander leaves

Method:
1.Take the rice in a plate. Add salt to taste and red chilli powder, turmeric in the rice and mix well.
2.Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, and once they splutter, add hing.
3. Now, add the green chillies and curry leaves. Fry for around 30 secs. Add the chopped onion and fry till it turns light brown.
4.Add the rice and mix together all the ingredients. Cover and cook on low heat for 5-7 minutes.
5. Garnish with coriander.

Tip: You can also use garlic cloves instead of mustard seeds and curry leaves for tempering to give it a different flavor.

- You can also add a handful of peanuts after the tempering to add crunch to the rice.

- Green chillies can be replaced with red chillies as a variation. Just remeber to add an extra bit of red chilly powder too.

Serve hot with takachi kadhi or raita or plain curd.