Chholey masala

            There are times when I just hate to enter the kitchen, cut a whole bunch of vegetables and cook. So that time Chholey comes for my rescue. Moreover  I feel there is something about this dish is so comforting. It taste better if cooked way ahead of time like 4-5 hours so that all the spices blend together nicely.

INGREDIENTS:

White chickpeas dry - 1 cup
Oil - 2 tbsp
Onion shopped - 1 large
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
Tomatoes chopped - 2 large
Bay  leaves - 2
Cloves - 3
Cinnamon sticks - 2
Turmeric powder - 1tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Chholey masala - 2 tsp
Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp
Salt to taste

METHOD:

• Soak the chickpeas for 8-10 hours in enough water. Then pressure cook chickpeas using enough water, turmeric powder, salt and the whole spices(Bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon sticks). Keep aside.
• Puree the tomatoes in a blender. Keep it aside.
• Heat oil in a pan add onions and saute it till light brown.Then add ginger garlic paste and saute it for another 4 mins.
• Add tomato puree, chilli powder and chholey masala and keep cooking until oil separates.
• Then add the cooked chickpeas along with the water and simmer it for 8-10 mins. so that all the spices will blend in nicely.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with roti or steam rice. you can squeeze in little lemon juice too. Tastes even better the next day :-).

Makes 2 servings.

CHICKEN LOLLIPOP

        Chicken lollipops are nothing but chicken on a bone which resembles our childhood favorite lollipop. These are made from chicken wings. Each chicken wing will give you 2 lollipops. so you do the math. 

INGREDIENTS:
Chicken wings - 4
Eggs - 1
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Chilli flakes - 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste 
Pepper - 1/4 tsp
Ajinomoto - 1/4 tsp
Garam masala - 1/4 tsp
chilli sauce - 1/4 tsp
soya sauce - 1/4 tsp
food color orange - a pinch
Corn flour - 1 tbsp
Flour - 2-3 tbsp
Oil to deep fry

METHOD:

• Cut the wings into two, chop the end bone, pull the flesh up with the skin and remove the thin bone and mould into a lollipop.
• Mix all ingredients thoroughly, except lollipops and prepare a thick batter. you can adjust the heat according to your taste. Don't add any water, eggs are enough to make thick batter.
• Heat oil in a deep pan, dip lollipop into the thick batter and fry on medium heat to a light brown colour.
• Serve hot with hot chilli sauce.

Makes 3 servings.

MUSTARD FISH

      It is a classic Oriya dish, where mustard is the most popular spice. And it is best if prepared with mustard oil. Mustard oil has really strong aroma and flavor.

 INGREDIENTS:
Fish fillets or slices - 1lb I used Rohu fish here you can use catfish or red snapper.
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - 3/4tsp
Onions chopped - 1 cup
Garlic - 4 cloves
Green chilli slit in half - 2
Cumin seed - 1 tsp
Indian mustard powder - 1tbsp if you don't have mustard powder you can use whole mustard seeds as we are anyway going to blend it.
Red chilli powder- 1/2 tsp
Mustard oil - 2 tbsp
Coriander leaves chopped - 1 tbsp

METHOD:

• Wash fish and pat dry. Combine turmeric powder, salt and little bit of water to a make a paste then coat fish on both sides with this paste. Set aside.
• In a blender take onions, garlic, 1 green chilli, mustard powder and red  chilli powder and a paste with a little water if needed.
• Heat mustard oil in a pan on high heat until smoking then cool down a little bit then fry the fish until half done. Then remove from the pan and keep aside.
• Heat the same pan then add cumin seed, 1 green chilli when it crackles add the mustard paste and saute it for 4 mins adding little water if needed.
• Return the fish to pan, add 1/4 cup of water and coat the fish with mustard paste by turning it. Let the fish cook through.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with steamed rice. 

Makes 3 servings.

MUSHROOM MASALA FRY

INGREDIENTS:
Onion finely chopped - 2 medium size
Mushroom cut in quarters  - 1 lb
Tomato chopped - 1
Oil - 2tbsp
Ginger garlic paste - 1tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2tsp
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2tsp
Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
METHOD:

• Heat oil in a pan and sauté onion till golden brown.
• Add the ginger garlic paste and continue sautéing for 2 mins.
• Then add the tomatoes, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and cook till the oil separates.
• Now add mushrooms , salt and garam masala and simmer it for 3-4 mins.
• Remember mushroom cooks fast so keep a eye on it. You can add in some water if needed.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with roti.

Makes 3 servings.

CABBAGE KOFTA CURRY

     Kofta is nothing but deep fried dumplings. You can make these kofta from different vegetables like lauki, carrot, cabbage and sometimes from paneer too. I like cabbage as its low in calorie so you can have little more than usual guilt-free. There is the kofta dish from cabbage.

INGREDIENTS:
FOR KOFTA:
Cabbage finely shredded - 2 cups
Besan - 3/4 cup or more as needed
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Ginger finely chopped - 1 tsp
Green chilli chopped - 2
Coriander leaves - 2 tsp
Oil to fry
Salt to taste
FOR CURRY:
Onion chopped- 1/2
Tomato purée of  3 medium sized tomatoes
Yogurt - 2tbsp
Oil - 2 tbsp
Cumin - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1tsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Besan - 1tbsp
Coriander leaves chopped - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

METHOD:
FOR KOFTA:

• Mix all the ingredients for kofta  except oil . Adjust quantity of besan as needed to make the mixture a really thick dough. Make sure to make the mixture just before you fry otherwise it'll become watery.
• Heat oil in a frying pan. Make small balls or you can drop 1tbsp of the dough and fry them on medium heat. Make sure not to overcrowd the pan.
• Turn the koftas and fry them till golden brown.
• You can make these koftas ahead also. It can be stored in the freeze up to 7 days.

FOR CURRY:

• Heat oil in a pan. Add jeera then onions. Sauté onions till light brown.
• Add in the cumin powder and besan. Continue stirring for a min.
• Now add tomato purée , coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and cook for another 4 mins.
• When the oil is separated, add the whisked yoghurt, salt and cook further for 2 mins.
• Adjust the thickness of the gravy by adding water. Remember the koftas are going to soak up some of the gravy. Let it boil.
• Then add in the koftas and simmer it for another 4 mins.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with roti.

Makes 4 servings.

PAV BHAJI

            This is a very popular street food of Mumbai., liked by everyone. You can't go wrong with this one. It's a nice blend of vegetable and spices.

INGREDIENTS:
Potatoes boiled and mashed - 2 large
Tomatoes chopped - 2 large
Onions chopped - 2 medium
Green bell pepper roughly chopped - 1 medium
Cauliflower chopped - 3 cups
Peas - 1/4 cup
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Oil - 2-3 tbsp
Green chilli chopped - 3
Everest pav bhaji masala - 2 tbsp
Lemon - 2 cut in wedges
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves chopped- 2tbsp
Butter - 3 tbsp
Pav - 8

METHOD:

• Boil cauliflower green, bell pepper and peas till tender in a pressure cooker and set aside.
• Heat oil in a deep pot and sauté onions till light brown and add green chilli and ginger garlic paste.
• Sauté it for 3 mins, now add tomatoes and cook on a low heat for 3 more mins or till the oil separates.
• Then add the boiled vegetable and  mashed potatoes with 2 cups of water.
• Simmer it for 4 mins. Then add pav bhaji masala and mash it further with potato masher or back of the spoon . Be aware that the mixture can spurt up as it boils so keep a lid on it.
• Add salt , simmer it for another 7 mins. You can adjust the masala and salt at this piont by adding more.
• Now put the heat off and add the lemon juice may be 2 tbsp and of course a dollop of butter. It can't get any better than this . Garnish with coriander leaves.
• Heat butter in a tawa and pan fry the horizontally sliced pav till its crispy brown.
• Pav with bhaji is ready to serve.

Makes 4 servings.

LAUKI MASALA

                      This dish is made quite often in my home.Very common vegetable in indian cooking. It is a versatile vegetable as you can make it so many ways like stuff them or even make desserts like Halva too. And not to mention its health benefits.

INGREDIENTS:
Lauki or bottle gourd - 1 large
Potato diced - 1 small
Oil - 1 tbsp
cumin seed - 1 tsp
Green chilli - 2 split in half
Tomato purée - 2 tbsp
Ginger garlic paste - 2tsp
Turmeric powder - 1tsp
Dhania powder - 1 1/2 tsp
Jeera powder - 1tsp
salt to taste
Coriander leaves chopped - 1 tsp

METHOD:

• Remove the skin and cube lauki.Put lauki and potato in a pressure cooker.
• Add turmeric powder and salt and give 1 whistle.
• In a pan heat oil add cumin seed when crackles put green chilli and ginger garlic paste.
• Saute it for 2 mins then add tomato puree, keep saute for 3 more mins.
• Add dhania and jeera powder then mix in the boiled lauki, simmer it for 3 mins.
• Finish it with coriander and Serve hot with roti. 

Makes 3 servings.

VEG PIZZA FROM SCRATCH

              Even though it has italian roots, Pizza is worldwide favorite. Making pizza from scratch is not at all difficult and you don't have to go for a trip to grocery store for this as you probably have everything on hand. In this recipe I'm not using any yeast. But using yeast the pizza dough comes out really moisted so soon I'll post the recipe for that too.

INGRADIENTS:
FOR DOUGH:
All purpose flour - 2.5 cups
Baking powder - 3 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Water - 1 - 1 1/2 cup
FOR TOPPING:
Mozzarella cheese - 1.5 cup
Tomato sauce - 3 tbsp ( tomato puree + little garlic + little italian seasoning + salt + papper)
Toppings of your choice, I used
Onion sliced
Green pepper sliced
Pineapple small chunks
Tomatoes thinly sliced

METHOD:

• Mix dry ingredients for dough and 3/4 cup water and oil.
• Mix well until it forms a ball. If dough is stiff, add more water.
• The dough should be soft not sticky. Knead on a floured surface for 3-4 mins.
• Let it rest for 15 mins covered. Then pat and roll it to desired size,Like thick or thin crust as you want, I made it to a rectangle as my kid loves the shape. :-) and poke it all over with a fork to avoid any bubbles.
• Bake at 400 Degree Fahrenheit for 12 mins.
• Get it out of the oven, Spread the tomato sauce, cheese and your desired toppings. sprinkle little salt and pepper powder.if you want you can put italian seasoning and chilli flakes too.
• Bake at 350 Degree Fahrenheit for 10 mins or till the cheese is bubbling.
• Serve it hot.

Makes 4 servings.

P.S. It is not really necessary  to follow the cheese quantity you can put as much as possible.

BAGHARA BAINGAN

A typical Hydrabadi dish, goes very well with biryani.

INGREDIENTS:
Brinjals - 250gms (I used chinese eggplants but u can use small baby brinjals too.)
Oil - 3tbsp
Mustard seed - 1 tsp
fenugreek seed - 1/2 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves - 4

Onions chopped - 1 medium sized
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander power -1/2 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Red Chilli Powder -  tsp
Desiccated Coconut or fresh grated - 1 tbsp
Peanuts - 1 tbsp
Sesame Seeds - 1  tbsp
Tamarind Extract - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

METHOD:

• Heat two tablespoons of oil in a thick and wide pan and add the brinjals. Sprinkle some salt and leave the brinjlas to cook untill well done and soft.
• In the meantime roast the peanuts, coconut powder and sesame seeds one after another on low heat. and blend it to a fine paste.
• Transfer the cooked brinjals to another container leaving the oil behind ( if there is any).
• In the same pan heat one tablespoon of oil and add mustard seed, fenugreek seed, cumin seed and curry leaves. To this add onions and saute for 2 mins.
• Then add ginger garlic paste and saute for another 3 mins. Now add turmeric powder. coriander powder, cumin powder, red chilli powder and mix well.
• Then add your blended peanut paste. add little water if needed and cook for 5 mins on low heat while keep stirring it or else it will settle down to the bottom of the pan.
• Then add tamarind extract and salt and cook on a low heat untill the oil separates, by continuously stirring them.
• Add the cooked brinjals, simmer it for 5 mins. Serve hot.

Makes 4 servings.