Siri's Kitchen

Veg Dum Biryani ( 4 people)

2016-05-09T19:25:00.000+02:00

Ingredients:
- few beans, cut into 2 inch
- 2 potatoes, cut into big cubes
- 3 carrots, cut into 2 inches
- 2 half tbsp ginger garlic paste
- 1/2 cup green peas
- 3 big onions slit length wise
- 250 g tomato puree
- 300 g yoghurt
- 2 lemon
- whole garam masala (4 cardamom, 4-6 cloves, cinamon stick, 2-3 bay leaves1/2 tbsp sajeera)
- 200 g fried onions
- 4 cups Basmati rice ( pre soaked for 30 mins)
- 2 half tbsp gram masala
- a handful of cashewcashew
- 1/2 tbp chili powder
- 1/2 turmeric powder
- few drops of color (optional)

To grind biryani masala:
3 red chillies
2 table spoons coriander seeds( grind chilli and coriander seeds first)
1/2 spoons ginger garlic paste
1 onion
3 green chilies
Coriander
Mint
Dil
Salt Coriander

Method:

Cooking and marinating vegetable layer:
1. add 3 tbps oil in a pressure cooker.
2. Add whole garam masal to the oil in the cooker
3. Add all the vegetables and cook for 1 mins.
4. Add 1/4 tbps gg paste and toss for another 1 min.
5. Add ground biryani masala papast 1/4 tbp of turmeric powder, salt to taste and cook for around 3 mins.
6. Now add 150 g yoghurt, juice from 1 whole lemon and presure cook for 2 whistles.
7. Once the pressure is released stir until most of the water evaporates and let it to cool down.

Rice preparation:
1. In an another pressure cooker add 3 tbps oil, 1/2 tbsp sajeera and add the soaked rice along with some salt to taste, 1/2 tbsp garam masala powder and 5-6 cups of water and pressure cook for 1 whistle.

Second layer:

1. In a pan add 2-3 tbps of oil, nuts, onions,1/2 tbsp gg paste and salt toss for 2-3 mins
2. Add tomato paste, turmeric, red chilli pwd, 1/4 tbsp garam masala pwd and cook for 6-8 mins.
3. Add 150 g yoghurt, juice from one big lemon and stir until most of the water evaporates and let it cool down.

Assembling the layers:
1. In a baking tray, spread the marinated vegetables into a layer (1st layer from botttom
2. Spread half of the rice ( 2nd layer )
3. Spread the tomato-onion paste and sprinkle some fried onions (3rd layer)
4. spread rest of the rice, sprinkle fried onions and a few drops of color
5. Cover the tray with alu-foil, make some holes in the foil and bake for 20-30 mins.

Enjoy it with some raitha.

Note: adjust the salt at every stage

Tomato Pickle

2013-11-26T15:54:00.002+01:00

Ingredients:

500gms Tomatoes

1 cup Oil

1 (lemon size) Tamarind

1 tbp Methi seeds

2 tbp Mustard seeds

½ cup red chilly pwd

1 tbp Sugar

¼ th tbp Turmeric Pwd

1 tbp Salt

7-10 pods of garlic

Method:

In a small pan dry roast Methi seeds first and then add Mustard seeds. Turn off the heat when they start to splatter. Cool it and make powder of it.
Chop tomatoes and coarsely grind them.
Add oil in a pan and start cooking the tomatoes. Add tamarind juice and cook till almost all the water evaporates.
Add salt, sugar, chilly pwd, turmeric pwd and mustard-methi pwd. Mix it well.
In a small pan add 2 tbp of oil and fry the garlic pods. Add it to the above Pickle.

Tip:

Fry garlic until it turns brown in a very low flame.
If you don’t like to use Garlic, you can replace it with Asafetida.

Microwave Cake!

2013-11-07T11:51:00.000+01:00

50 gms butter
2 eggs
1 pkt baking pwd
1 1/4 th cup all purpose flour
1 cup of sugar
2 tbp of coco pwd
1 tbp of Rum essence (Optional)
1/4 th cup of hot milk

Method:

Add butter n sugar and mix it properly. Now add 2 eggs and beat in high speed.
Add all purpose flour, baking pwd n coco pwd using a net (put it in a net n stir it. This is done to avoid lumps.)
Add rum essence and beat it in high speed for 1 min.
Now add hot milk and beat it once again.
Grease a microwave safe bowl and put this batter and microwave it for 5mts in High.

Remove it and check it in the middle if the knife comes out clean its done. Run a knife along the sides n transfer it to a greased plate by inverting it. Do it in less than 5 mts after u remove it form the microwave.

Buttercream icing!

2013-11-07T11:38:00.000+01:00

1 cup (250gms) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
6 cups confectioners sugar (Pwd)
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Food coloring (optional)

Method:

In the bowl add butter, 4 cups of sugar, milk, and vanilla.
Set timer to 5 minutes. Using electric mixer, whip it on medium speed beat until smooth and creamy.
Add remaining sugar 1 cup at a time and beat well after adding each cup. Set timer to 2 minutes before each addition. Add more sugar for thicker consistency.
Add a few drops of food coloring to get desired color and beat until color is mixed in. With rubber spatula, fold icing over a few times to make sure the color is mixed in thoroughly.

Tip:

Place in an airtight container at room temperature or in a refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Fresh cream icing!

2013-11-07T11:33:00.001+01:00

250 ml of Whipping cream refrigerated

50 gms of Pwd sugar (optional)

Whisk

Some ice cubes

Method:

Pour the Cream into the smaller bowl and add sugar. Place it into the bigger bowl and fill it with ice cubes.
Whisk whisk whisk... to incorporate air into it.
Whisk till you see soft peaks on the cream and your whipped cream is ready to be used.

Tips:

It is easier to whip cream at cold temperatures.
I don't add pwd sugar generally.You can also add few drops of color if you wish to it in the beginning.
If you have an hand-held electric whisk it is always better. Else you will have a very good exercise for your arms ;-)

Chocolate icing!

2013-11-07T11:26:00.001+01:00

250gms Cooking chocolate bar

50-100ml Milk

Using Microwave:

Cut the bar in cubes and microwave it in low heat for 30 secs. Remove it and mix it and again heat it for 30 secs. Continue doing it till the chocolate melts.
After all the chocolate melts keep adding 1 tbp of milk at a time and mix it. Check the consistency how you want it to be. Don't make it too thin.

Tips:

If you heat the chocolate continuously for more than 1 min it will burn. So be patient when you are doing it.
If you add the whole milk at once it will break or separate.
Once you start to add the milk please don't over mix it. The more you mix after adding milk the more it tends to separate.

Using regular stove:

Take a large cooking pot and fill it half with water. Take another small vessel which fits into this. Here you are creating a double boil method.
Add the chocolate cubes to this small vessel and keep string it continuously till the choco melts.
Now add milk 1 tbp at a time and mix it gently. Once the desired consistency is reached stop adding milk.

Tips:

If you add the whole milk at once it will break or separate.
Once you start to add the milk please don't over mix it. The more you mix after adding milk the more it tends to separate.

I prefer to use regular stove rather than microwave.

Mango Jam!

2013-11-06T23:05:00.000+01:00

1 kg of Mangoes

2 cups Water

500 gms Sugar

1/4 Tbp Citric Acid(Nimma uppu)
1 Tsp of Mango essence

1 Cup Pectin

Method:

Cut the mangoes in to pieces. You can use both cut mangoes or the juice mangoes.

Grind the above mixture and using a soft cloth ( I used cotton cloth) squeeze out the juice into another cooking pot.
Now add the sugar, citric acid, mango essence, pectin (Details below) and bring it to boil. This should take about 5-10 mts.

Now pore it into glass jars once you turn off the stove. Let it cool down n set.

Tips:

Stir now and then after adding the sugar. When it starts to boil remove the froth and throw it.

Transfer it immediately into the glass jars. Coz then it looks like the one which we buy from the shop ;-)

Close the lid immediately so that it creates vacuum.

For 1Kg of fruit we add 500gms of Jam sugar.

Don't forget to sterilize the glass jars. To sterilize them boil them in water for about 10-15 mts.
For people living out of India you can find jam sugar separately. I used Gelier Zucker 2plus1. This contains the gelling agent pectin, the citric acid and the preservative sorbic acid. If you are using this jam sugar please don't add citric acid, pectin and sugar from the above list.

Homemade Fruit Pectin:
Pectin is a natural carbohydrate found in fruits, causes jam or jelly to set.

Combine 1 kg (2 lbs) sliced unpeeled apples and 750 mL (3 cups) water.

Simmer 30 to 40 minutes, adding water as needed.
Drain through moistened cheesecloth. To clear, heat the fruit juice to a boil and can or freeze the pectin for later use.

Pectin Test:
To determine if a fruit juice has enough pectin for jelly, do a pectin test.

Stir together 5 mL (1 tsp) fruit juice with 15 mL (1 tbsp) of non-methyl alcohol. (This is a poisonous mixture, so do not taste it and destroy it immediately after the test.)

If the juice forms one big clot, which can be picked up with a fork without breaking, it has sufficient pectin. If the juice is low in pectin, several small clots will form.

If a clot doesn’t form, simmer gently to reduce the water content of the juice.

Egg less Microwave cake!

2013-11-06T22:49:00.000+01:00

1 cup Sugar
1 cup Whole Milk

1 n 1/2 cups All purpose flour (Maida)

3 tbp Coco Pwd

1/2 tsp Backing powder

1/4 tsp Baking soda

1/2 tsp Vanilla essence

3 tbsp (optional) Sunflower oil

1 tbsp Lemon juice

Method:

Add sugar and milk and whisk until the sugar is dissolved well in milk.
Add all purpose flour, baking pwd, baking soda n coco pwd using a net (put it in a net n stir it. This is done to avoid lumps.)
Mix milk and all the dry ingredients together to form a batter.
Add vanilla essence n oil and mix well.
Add lemon juice at the end and mix it quickly.
Grease a microwave safe bowl and transfer this batter and microwave it for 5mts in High.

Remove it n check it in the middle if the knife comes out clean its done. Run a knife along the sides n transfer it to a greased plate by inverting it. Do it in less than 5 mts after u remove it form the microwave.

Tip:

You can also replace oil with 100 gms of unsalted n melted butter.
Adding lemon juice will react with the baking pwd n baking soda and create bubbles.
Make sure in your microwave safe bowl there is enough place for the batter to become double. Don't fill more than half.
Once you transfer in to the microwave safe bowl give it a tap twice so that there are no air bubbles in between.

Dry Bhindi Masala!

2013-11-06T22:28:00.000+01:00

400 gms Bhindi

2 large Onions

1 large Tomato

3 tsp oil

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

Few curry leaves

1/2 tsp of Turmeric

1/2 tsp of chilli pwd

Salt according to taste

Fry Masala n make pwd of it:

1/2 tsp oil

2 large tbp of Peanuts (almost 2 handfuls)

1 tbp of sesame seeds

1/2 tbp of coriander seeds

1/2 cup of dry grated coconut

1 dry chilly

Method:

Cut Bhindi in length wise in 4 parts and in 2 inches length.
Adding 2 tbp oil fry them in a non sick pan until cooked (sticky part is gone) and keep them aside adding little of salt to it.
To the same pan add 1 tbp oil and fry cumin seeds, mustard seeds, curry leaves. Once they start to splatter add onions and fry them till they are half cooked.
Add tomato and cook until it is soft. Add turmeric pwd, chilli pwd n little salt.
Add the grinded pwd and cook until it starts to leave oil.
Now add fried bhindi and mix well.
Serve it with hot rice.

Tip:

Wash and dry the vegetable before hand to avoid too much stickiness.
Don't fry bhindi continuously. The more you fry it the more you are increasing the stickiness. Fry it occasionally.
Try using a wide pan to fry the vegetable.
Distribute the salt in two parts. Half add to the bhindi and the other half to the onion-tomato mixture.
When you are frying the masala. Add the ingredients in the following sequence: oil, peanuts, coriander seeds, sesame seeds n chilly, coconut.

Bendi chutney or Okra chutney

2013-10-01T22:34:00.002+02:00

To serve 4 people:

Ingredients:
• 500 gms of Bendi or Okra's
• 3-4 tbps of oil
• 2 big tbp of urad dal
• 5 dry red chillies
• Very little tamarind (small marble size)
• Asafoetida a pinch
• Pinch of turmeric
• Salt to taste

Method:
• In a pan add 3tbpsof oil and fry bendi. Fry till they don't stick to each other. Some of them may turn into little black in color. Cool it after it is done.
• Heat oil in an another pan add urad dal and fry for about a minute. Add asafoetida and dry red chillies. Fry till are cooked.
• Grind the above fried tempering (tadaka) into a coarse mixture. Add tamarind just for taste.
• Now add the cool fried bendi to the grinder and just grind it into a coarse mixture. Serve it with hot rice.

Tips:
• Don't fry bendi often. The more you keep frying it the more sticky they become.

Tomato-Yoghurt Chutney

2013-10-01T22:04:00.000+02:00

To serve 4 people:

Ingredients:
• 500gms of yoghurt
• 2 tbps of oil
• 3 large tomatoes
• 3-4 methi seeds
• 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
• ½ teaspoon of mustard seeds
• 1 tbp of urad dal
• 2 dry red chillies
• 2 green chillies
• Asafoetida a pinch
• Pinch of turmeric
• Salt to taste
• Coriander to garnish

Method:
• To the yoghurt add salt and turmeric powder.
• Heat oil in a pan add methi seeds, urad dal and fry for about a minute. Add cumin, mustard, asafoetida and dry red chillies. Fry till they start to pop up. Now add green chillies.
• Add chopped tomatoes and fry till they are cooked. Add this to the yoghurt mixture once it cools down.
• Garnish with coriander and serve it with rice.

Mixed Fruit Jam

2013-09-27T21:46:00.000+02:00

These are the fruits I used. You can also add some other seasonal once like mango, papaya etc. But do not add Guava coz it will have too many seeds. Also change the ratio of different fruits according to your taste.

Mixed fruit total 1kg :

Grapes 300 gms

Bananas 200 gms

Strawberry 200 gms

Apple 200 gms

Lemon 2 Tbl

Water 1 Cup

Mixed fruit essence 5 drops

Strawberry essence 2-3 drops

Red Color (optional) 2 drops

Sugar 500 gms

Citric Acid(Nimma uppu) 1/4 Tbp

Pectin 1 Cup

Method:

Wash the grapes and soak them in warm salt water for about an hour. Meanwhile cut rest of the fruits.

Add all the fruits in a cooker and add water. After one whistle remove it and let it cook. Add Lemon juice.

Grind the above mixture and using a soft cloth ( I used cotton cloth) squeeze out the juice into another cooking pot.
Now add the sugar, citric acid, pectin (Details below) and bring it to boil. This should take about 5-10 mts.

Now pore it into glass jars once you turn off the stove. Let it cool down n set.

Tips:

Stir now and then after adding the sugar. When it starts to boil remove the froth and throw it.

Transfer it immediately into the glass jars. Coz then it looks like the one which we buy from the shop ;-)

Close the lid immediately so that it creates vacuum.

For 1Kg of fruit we add 500gms of Jam sugar.

Don't forget to sterilize the glass jars. To sterilize them boil them in water for about 10-15 mts.
For people living out of India you can find jam sugar separately. I used Gelier Zucker 2plus1. This contains the gelling agent pectin, the citric acid and the preservative sorbic acid. If you are using this jam sugar please don't add citric acid, pectin and sugar from the above list.

Homemade Fruit Pectin:
Pectin is a natural carbohydrate found in fruits, causes jam or jelly to set.

Combine 1 kg (2 lbs) sliced unpeeled apples and 750 mL (3 cups) water.

Simmer 30 to 40 minutes, adding water as needed.
Drain through moistened cheesecloth. To clear, heat the fruit juice to a boil and can or freeze the pectin for later use.

Pectin Test:
To determine if a fruit juice has enough pectin for jelly, do a pectin test.

Stir together 5 mL (1 tsp) fruit juice with 15 mL (1 tbsp) of non-methyl alcohol. (This is a poisonous mixture, so do not taste it and destroy it immediately after the test.)

If the juice forms one big clot, which can be picked up with a fork without breaking, it has sufficient pectin. If the juice is low in pectin, several small clots will form.

If a clot doesn’t form, simmer gently to reduce the water content of the juice.

Bhel Puri

2010-06-10T14:33:00.000+02:00

Ingredients:
• 250gms murmura or puffed rice
• 1 cup sev
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 1 tomato finely chopped
• 2 green chillies finely chopped
• 1 boiled potato finely chopped (optional)
• Potato chips handful crushed
• Cornflakes hand full
• ½ teaspoon of sugar
• ¼ teaspoon of red chilli pwd
• ½ teaspoon of chat masala
• 3tbp of tamarind paste
• Salt to taste
• Coriander leaves to garnish

Method:
• In a large bowl mix all ingredients other than puffed rice and sev.
• Now add puffed rice, sev and mix it well.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve.

Tip:
• You can also mix date and tamarind chutney.

Palli Pachadi (Peanut Chutney)

2010-06-10T14:01:00.000+02:00

Ingredients:
• 100gms roasted peanuts
• 2 garlic pods
• 3 green chillies
• 1tbp of tamarind paste
• Salt to taste
• 100ml of milk
• 1 teaspoon of oil
• ½ teaspoon of mustard seeds
• ½ teaspoon of cumin seeds
• Asafoetida a pinch
• 2 dry red chillies

Method:
• Grind peanuts, garlic, green chillies, tamarind paste and salt to a smooth paste by adding milk.
• In small pan heat oil, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida and red chillies.
• Add seasoning to the grinded paste.
• Serve it with idly, dosa etc.

Capsicum and Green peas curry (Bell pepper and Green peas curry)

2010-06-10T13:22:00.001+02:00

To serve 4 people

Ingredients:
• 3 medium size capsicum(I used long light green once)
• 2 medium size onions(chopped length wise)
• 1 cup of green peas
• 3tbps of Oil
• Salt to taste
To grind:
• 2 tbps of cumin
• 5 dry red chillies
• 3 tbps of besan (gram flour)

Method:
• Heat oil in a nonstick pan add capsicum, green peas and onions and fry till they are soft.
• Now add salt and the finely grinded powder and fry for another 3mins.
• Serve it with hot rice.

Tip:
• Besan adds lot of taste.
• It is always better to use a nonstick pan as the curry consumes less oil.

Simple Fried Rice

2010-06-10T12:57:00.000+02:00

To serve 4 people:

Ingredients:
• 2 onions finely chopped
• 4 medium size carrot finely chopped
• 1 small cup of beans chopped in 1” inch length
• 400gms rice cooked
• 3 tbps of oil
• 1 tbp of pepper pwd
• Salt to taste

Method:
• Cook rice and put it aside.
• In a nonstick pan add oil and fry onions. Cook them till they r soft.
• Add chopped vegetables and cook till they are soft. Add pepper pwd and salt.
• Now cooked rice and mix well. Fry rice for about 3mins.
• Serve with raitha.

Tip:
• You can also add chopped spring onions.

Bruschetta with Tomato and Onion

2010-06-10T12:54:00.001+02:00

Ingredients:
• 1 good loaf of Italian bread, sliced thin
• 1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive oil
• 2 pods garlic
• 1large onions finely chopped
• 3 tomatoes finely chopped
• 1 tbp of dry basil or (2 tbps chopped fresh basil )
• ½ tea spoon pepper
• Salt to taste

Method:
• Slice your Italian bread into 1/2 inch slices on the diagonal. Put slices onto baking sheet and place in oven to brown on one side (say at 350 for 5 minutes) then flip bread and toast the other side till light brown.
• Now remove it from the oven and rub the garlic pod on one side of each slice and bake it for another 2mins.
• In a bowl add chopped onions, tomatoes, basil, pepper, salt and 2 tbps of olive oil.
• Take 1 tbp of the above mixture and place it on each slice and add ½ teaspoon of olive oil on top.
• Now bake it for about 5 to 8 mins. Serve it hot.

Tip:
• Fresh basil will add lot of taste than the dried once.
• Rubbing garlic will also add lot of flavor.

Semiya/Vermicelli Payasam

2010-06-10T12:52:00.000+02:00

To serve 4-6 people:

Ingredients:
• 150gms of vermicelli
• 750ml milk
• 100ml of condensed milk(optional)
• 50gms sugar
• 15 cashew nuts broken into half
• 15 raisins
• 1 tbp of ghee

Method:
• In a pan add ghee and fry nuts, raisins until golden brown and put them aside. In the same pan fry vermicelli and put it aside.
• Boil milk and add sugar. Add the roasted vermicelli and condensed milk. Cook for about 10 to 15mins. After the vermicelli becomes soft turn off the heat and cool it.
• Garnish it with fried nuts and serve it.

Tip:
• Add 100ml of cold milk after it cools. This will prevent from absorbing milk.
• Condensed milk will add lot of taste.

Fruit Salad

2010-06-10T12:47:00.001+02:00

To serve 6 people:

Ingredients:
• 750ml milk
• 50ml cold milk
• 3tbps of custard pwd (I used vanilla flavor)
• 1tbp of corn flour
• 80gms sugar
• 1 apple finely chopped
• 1 banana chopped
• 5-6 strawberries

Method:
• In a pan boil milk. Add sugar and mix it well.
• Take cold milk in a small bowl. Add custard pwd and corn flour pwd and mix it well.
• Add the above mixture to the boiling milk and stir continuously. When it becomes little thicker turn off the heat and cool it down.
• Add chopped fruits, refrigerate it for few hours and then serve.

Tip:
• You can also add any other fruits of your choice like mango, pineapple, peach, grapes etc.

Bruschetta with Tomato and Cheese

2010-06-10T12:44:00.000+02:00

Ingredients:
• 1 good loaf of Italian bread, sliced thin or normal bread slices
• 1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive oil
• 2 pods garlic
• 100gms of grated cheese
• 3 tomatoes finely chopped
• 1 tbp of dry basil or (2 tbps chopped fresh basil )
• ½ tea spoon pepper
• Salt to taste

Method:
• Slice your Italian bread into 1/2 inch slices on the diagonal. Put slices onto baking sheet and place in oven to brown on one side (say at 350 for 5 minutes) then flip bread and toast the other side till light brown.
• Now remove it from the oven and rub the garlic pod on one side of each slice and bake it for another 2mins.
• In a bowl add chopped tomatoes, basil, pepper, salt and 2 tbps of olive oil.
• Take 1 tbp of the above mixture and place it on each slice. Add grated cheese on top and add ½ teaspoon of olive oil.
• Now bake it for about 5 to 8 mins till the cheese melts. Serve it hot.

Tip:
• Fresh basil will add lot of taste than the dried once.
• Rubbing garlic will also add lot of flavor.

Bendi fry or Okra fry

2010-04-21T00:02:00.000+02:00

To serve 4 people:

Ingredients:
• 750gms okras chopped
• 7 tbps of oil
• 10 cashew nuts chopped
• 1 tbp urad dal
• ½ tbp of cumin seeds
• ½ teaspoon of mustard seeds
• 4 garlic pods chopped
• 2 dry red chillies
• 2 big onions finely chopped
• 5-6 curry leaves
• ½ tbp of red chilli pwd
• ½ tbp of turmeric pwd
• Salt to taste

Method:
• Heat oil in a nonstick pan. Add cashew nuts, urad dal and once they start to turn brown add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, once they start to pop up little add garlic fry for about 2 mins. Add curry leaves and dry red chillies.
• Now add onions and fry for about 2mins. Add chopped okras and keep frying it now and then.
• Once they are cooked add salt, turmeric pwd and chilli pwd and fry for about 2mins.
• Serve hot with rice.

Tip:
• After washing okras dry properly so that when you chop them they will not be sticky.
• Don’t fry them continuously. Fry them once in a while. This prevents sticking.

Channa Palak curry

2010-04-20T23:35:00.000+02:00

To serve 4 people:

Ingredients:
• 200gms of channa(chickpeas) soaked over night
• 250gms of Palak (I used frozen spinach)
• 2 big onions finely chopped
• 3 tbps of tomato puree(optional)
• 3-4 tbps of oil
• ½ tbp of cumin seeds
• 1 tbp of ginger and garlic paste
• ½ tbp of chilli pwd
• 1 tbp of kitchen king masala
• ½ tbp of garam masala
• Salt to taste
• Coriander leaves to garnish

Method:
• In a pressure cooker heat oil and add cumin seeds. Once they start to pop up add onions and fry till they are cooked.
• Add ginger and garlic paste and fry for about a minute. Add tomato puree and mix well.
• Add spinach and fry for about 3 mins.
• Add chilli pwd, kitchen king masala, garam masala and salt.
• Now add soaked channa and mix it well. Add 1 ½ cups of water.
• Cook for 3 whistles and put it aside.
• After removing the pressure cook for about 5mins in high flame.
• Garnish it with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or roti.

Tip:
• If you are using fresh spinach then chop finely 3-4 bunches.
• Don’t use tomato puree more than 3 tbps because tomato and spinach combination is not good for health.

Cauliflower and kidney beans curry

2010-04-14T10:38:00.000+02:00

To serve 4-6 people:

Ingredients:
• 25-30 cauliflower florets
• 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
• ½ teaspoon of mustard seeds
• 2 large onions finely chopped
• 200ml of tomato puree
• 1 tbp of ginger and garlic paste
• 1 cup of kidney beans (I used tined once)
• 1 tbp of garam masala
• 1 ½ tbps of kitchen king masala
• ½ teaspoon of turmeric
• 1 tbp of chilli pwd
• Salt to taste
• Coriander leaves to garnish

Method:
• Heat oil in a nonstick pan. Add cumin, mustard seeds and fry for about half a minute. Add onions, ginger and garlic paste and fry till they are cooked.
• Now add tomato puree and cook until oil starts separating.
• Add salt, turmeric, garam masala, kitchen king masala and chilli pwd.
• Add cauliflower florets, kidney beans and fry for about a minute. Now add 2 cups of water.
• Close the lid and then cook for about 20mins.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or roti.

Tip:
• Better to cook in a pan than in a pressure cooker.
• If you are using fresh tomatoes add 3 medium size tomatoes finely chopped.
• If you are using socked kidney beans you have to pressure cook it for 2 whistles.

Spinach dal (Palakura pappu)

2010-04-14T10:10:00.000+02:00

To serve 4 people:

Ingredients:
• 140gms of toor dal (kandi pappu)
• 200gms of spinach (I used the frozen once)
• 2 large onions finely chopped
• 5 green chillies
• ½ teaspoon of turmeric
• 4 cups of water (double of dal in 1:2 ratio)
• 4 tbps of tamarind juice
• ½ teaspoon of mustard seeds
• ½ teaspoon of cumin seeds
• 2 tbp of ghee
• 2 red dry chillies
• Asafoetida a pinch
• 5 curry leaves
• Salt to taste

Method:
• In a pressure cooker add dal, spinach, turmeric, green chillies and water.
• Cook for 3 whistles and put it aside.
• In a small pan add ghee, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida, red dry chillies and curry leaves.
• After it starts to pop up add onions and fry till they are cooked. Add this to the dal.
• Now add tamarind juice and salt.
• Add ½ cup of water and cook for about 5mins.
• Serve hot with rice or roti.

Tip:
• If you are using fresh spinach add 3-4 bunches of finely chopped once.

Menthi majiga (Yoghurt rasam)

2010-04-14T09:48:00.002+02:00

To serve 4-6 people:

Ingredients:
• 400gms of yoghurt
• 1 large onion finely chopped
• 2 tbps of oil
• 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
• ½ teaspoon of mustard seeds
• 1 tbp of ajwine (vamu)
• 7-8 methi seeds
• 2 dry red chillies
• Asafoetida a pinch
• Pinch of turmeric
• Salt to taste
• Coriander to garnish

Method:
• Mix yoghurt in 500ml of water, add salt and turmeric powder.
• Heat oil in a pan add methi seeds and fry for about a minute. Now add cumin, mustard, ajwine, asafoetida and dry red chillies. Fry till they start to pop up.
• Add chopped onions and fry till they are cooked. Add this to the yoghurt mixture once it cools down.
• Garnish with coriander and serve it with rice.