Bhindi Fry!

Ingredients

Bhindi(Ladies Finger)-1/2 kg

Kalonji(Black seed)-1/4 teaspoon

Onions-1-2

Tomotoes-2-3

Tumeric powder-1/4 teaspoon

Green chilly- 1 and if you like can take seeds out of 2 whole chilly and cook them too.

Salt-1/2 teaspoon

Oil-1 cooking spoon.

Recipe:-

1. Wash and cut bhindi into small round pieces.

2. Take oil in a pan and put kalonji in it , followed by onions and cut green chilly and fry them golden brown.

3. Add tomotoes, tumeric powder and salt to it and fry for some time.

4. Add bhindi and whole green chilly to it and cover the pan.

5. Cook for 5 minutes or till bhindi is nicely done.

Variations

1. One can also add jeera(cumin seeds) along with kalonji or use kaloji and jeera alternatively to make bhindi.

Lauki Raita!

Ingredients

Lauki(Bottle guard)-1

Curd-500 ml

Ginger garlic paste-1/2 teaspoon

Jeera powder(Cumin seeds)- 1/2 teaspoon

Red chilly powder-1/4 teaspoon

Black salt-1 teaspoon

Water

Recipe:-

1. Wash lauki and peel off it skin and then grate it.

2. Put the lauki in cooker and add water enough for boiling and then close the lid . It will be done in 2 whistles.

3. Blend the curd nicely with a fork and add ginger garlic paste, jeera powder, red chilly powder and black salt.

4. Add the boiled lauki in it and keep it in fridge for some time.

Amazing lauki raita is ready.

Variation

1. One can also use grated cucumber instead of lauki for raita. We don't need to boil cucumber for the raita.

Aloo Beans!

Ingredients

French beans-1/2 kg

Onions-1-2

Tomotoes-2-3

Potatoes-2-3

Panch Phoren-1/2 teaspoon

Rai(Mustard seeds)-1/4 teaspoon

Tumeric powder-1/4 teaspoon

Salt-1/2 teaspoon

Oil-1 cooking spoon

Green chilly-1 cut and 2 whole with just seeds removed.

Water-1-2 teaspoon

Recipe:-

1. Wash the beans and potatoes and cut them small.

2. Take oil in a pan and heat it.

3. Put panch and rai in the oil. Then add onion and fry them a bit and then add tomotoes, small green chilly and followed by tumeric powder and salt. Also add potatoes during this time and fry a bit.

4. Add french beans during this time and mix it properly. Add whole green chilly during this time.

5. Close the lid and let it cook. See after 2-3 minutes if beans doesn't let out water put little water and close the lid to let it cook.

6. Cook it for 7-10 minutes till beans and potatoes are done. And then open and mix it nicely so all excess water is evaporated.

Aloo beans are ready!

Variations

1. Sem ki phalli(broad beans) are made is same way. Adding rai is not necessary.

2. Long beans (also called lobia beans) are also made similarly without rai.Just give 3-4 whistles in a cooker so it gets cooked.

3. Snake beans (long thin beans) are made similarly and cooked in cooker for 3-4 whistles and added some water.

Turai ki Sabzi!

Ingredient:-

Turai(zucchini) -1/2 kg(8-10 pieces)

Oil-1 cooking spoon

Onions-1-2

Tomotoes-2-3

Green chilly-1

Panch Phoren(5 spices)-1/2 teaspoon

Rai(mustard seeds)-1/4 teaspoon

Tumeric powder(Haldi)-1/4 teaspoon

Salt-1/2 teaspoon

Red chilly powder-1/4 teaspoon(optional)

Ghee-1 teaspoon(optional)

Masher

Recipe

1. Wash the turai nicely and cut into small circular pieces.

2. Take oil in a cooker and put oil to heat.

3. Once oil is heated, add panch and then rai in it.

4. Add onion to be fried till golden brown and then add tomotoes, Tumeric and salt. Also add red chilly powder if you want. Mix it properly for few minutes.

5. If you want add ghee at this stage and then add turai in it. Mix it properly and cook for 1 minutes.

6. Close the lid and keep it at low flame and let it cook for 5-7 minutes till it let 2-3 whistles.

7. Open the lid and mash the turai with a spoon or masher so it get diluted in the curry.

Turai ki sabzi is ready!

Mong Dal Halwa/Katli!

Ingredients

Mong Dal (Green gram)- 3 cups

Suji(Semolina)- 1 cup(optional)

Sugar-4-5 cups

Kishmish(Raisans)-10-15

Small Cardomom seeds-4-5

Cocunut (Dry )-1

Almonds, Cashew, etc (optional)

Chironji(melon seeds)-10-15

Khoya/Malai (optional)

Milk-2-3 cups

Water-1 cup for syrup and 4-5 cups for soaking dal

Kevda- few drops

Ghee

Recipe

1. Soak mong dal in water overnight in a bowl ( or 2-3 hours atleast).

2. Strain water from the dal.

3. Put it in a cooker with milk enough to cover the dal and then cover the lid to let it give out 2-3 whistles(about 5-10 minutes).

4. Take it out and if u want u can remove the crumbles and soften it.

5. Take about 2-3 cooking spoon of ghee in a kadai and let it heat.

6. Saute some suji in a kadai till it turns golden brown and let out a distinct smell and then mix dal in it and saute it nicely till it turns golden brown and leaves out a distinct smell. If u want to make with ghee once can again saute with about 2 katori ghee. You can also add grated cocunut, chironji, malai and other nuts in it at this time.

7. In another utensil, heat 1 cooking spoon of ghee and put raisins in it so that they swell. Also add elaichi seeds at this time and immediately add sugar and 1 cup water so that raisins don't get burned. Let the syrup cook till sugar get mixed with water. Cook it for 5-7 minutes.

8. Switch on the flame of the kadai and pour this hot syrup in it and saute it at fast speed. Make sure no lumps are formed and remove them if they do. Keep doing it till the mixture becomes too heavy to be mixed. Pour few drops of kevda at this time.

9. If you want to have halwa , its ready to be eaten hot.

10. Chances are there that this halwa would not freeze into katli as mong dal doesn't soak water. So one can mix it with chana dal(bengal gram) or suji in equal quantities or more than half chana dal to make it into a katli.

11. Take a dry flat platter(Thali) and moisten it with little ghee. To make the katli pour the whole kadai on a flat plate where to freeze it. Flatten the surface with hands and let it cool for some hours.

12. Once the katli becomes cold , cut it into squares and then let it harden for some hours . The katli should be cut before it hardens as it would not be able to be cut after that.

Mong dal halwa tastes awesome when eaten mixed with vanilla ice cream!

Variations

1. Suji and besan katli can be made in similar way. The process is same since step 5. Take equal amounts of suji and half of besan and take sugar as much as both. Eg. Suji-2 cups,Besan-1 cups and Sugar-3 cups. Suji katli doesn't requires khoya but requires 1 cup of milk to be poured once the syrup is poured in suji as it soakes easily. There is no need to add extra nuts in it like almond and cashew. Suji katli hardens immediately so cut it immediately and then remove from platter after few minutes and store in a box.

2. Suji and besan halwa is made in same way. Just add 4 cups of water for every cup of suji. and saute with 2 cups of ghee

3. If u want you can make plain suji katli and suji halwa leaving out besan.

4. Chana dal Katli are made in the same way and usage of suji is optional in it due to water soaking qualities of chana. But I mostly use suji for better taste

4. Suji katli are harder than mong dal katli.

Mong Dal Halwa

Dahi Baigan(Patlajan)!

Ingredients

Egg Plant(Baigan)-1 Large

Oil-1 Large spoon

Curd-2-3 cups

Masala

Ginger Garlic Paste-1 teaspoon

Red Chilly powder-1/2 teaspoon

Tumeric powder-1/2 teaspoon

Salt to taste

Recipe:-

1. Take all ingredients of the masala in a bowl and mix them.

2. Wash the baigan and cut it in thin circular shapes.

3. Put the masala on the baigan and mix it nicely over it.

4. Take oil in a kadai and deep fry the baigan pieces nicely.

5. Take the baigan out and keep it aside in the serving bowl.

6. Take curd in a bowl and blend it nicely with the fork.

7. Pour the curd over the baigan according to consistency and mix them proper.

8. Add more salt if needed.

Dahi baigan are ready to be eaten as a side dish.

Note/tip : If curd causes you to get sick or its rainy season then one can give tadka to dahi and it becomes harmless. Take about 1-2 tbsp of oil and put 1/2 tsp jeera and a pinch of hing to it and then put this mixture to the seasoned curd. Add this mixture after you have blended curd and added whatever masala you wanted to add.

Gatte Ki Sabzi(Rajasthani)

Ingredients

Cumin seeds- 1 teaspoon

Asafoedita(Hing)-1-2 pinch

Oil-2 cooking spoon

Salt to taste

Gatte

Gram flour(besan)-1-2 cups

Ginger garlic paste-1teaspoon

Carom seeds (Ajwain)-1/2 teaspoon

Coriander powder-1/2 teaspoon

Fennel seeds(Saunf)-1 teaspoon (optional)

Asafoetida(hing)-1-2 pinch

Red chilly powder-1/4 teaspoon

Salt-1/2 teaspoon

Water

Curry

Onion- 1

Tomotoes-2

Coriander powder(Dhaniya)-2 teaspoon

Red chilly powder-1/2 teaspoon

Tumeric powder(Haldi)-1/2 teaspoon

Green chilly- 1

Recipe:-

Gatte

1. Mix all the ingredients of making gatte and make it into a stiff dough (like that used for making chappaties)

2. Make long and thin strips from this dough.

3. Take some boiling water(1-2 cups) and put these strips in them and boil them for 5-6 minutes.

4. Strain the water out from the gatte and keep the water aside.

5. Cut these strips into small pieces.

6. Take 1 spoon oil in a kadai and heat it.

7. Put the gatte in it and fry till golden brown and then remove it into a plate.

Curry

1. Take all the ingredients of the curry and mix in a blender.

2. Take oil in a pan and heat it.

3. Put cumin seeds in the oil.

4. Add the masala in the oil and fry it. Cook the masala nice by adding few drops of water now and then. Make it a bhuna masala. Also add hing during this time. Fry the masala till its cooked and leave out oil.

5. Add the fried gatte to the done masala along with the strained gatte water. Mix it properly.

6. Add some water according to consistency.

7. Close and lid and let gatte to cook for 4-5 minutes.

8. Garnish with fresh coriander(optional)

The rajasthani gatte ki sabzi is ready.

Chicken Curry!

Ingredients

Chicken-1 Kg

Oil-1 cooking spoon

Ginger garlic paste- 1 Tablespoon

Small cardimon- 2

Salt-1/2 teaspoon

Masala

Onion- 3-4

Tomotoes- 2-3

Coriandar Powder(Dhaniya)- 2 teaspoon

Red chilly powder- 1 teaspoon

Curry

Oil- 2 cooking spoon

Tumeric-1/2 teaspoon

Cardomom- 2

Cinnamon stick-1

Indian bay leaf-1

Salt- 1 teaspoon

Curd- 2 tablespoon

Fresh coriander

Water

Recipe

1. Take 1 cooking spoon oil in a cooker and let it heat.

2. Wash the chicken and put in the oil to fry.

3. Put the ginger garlic paste and 2 cardomoms. Put the cardomoms with mouth open to it . Add salt to taste too.

4. Fry the chicken nicely by mixing with spoon and then leave it with the cover on top for sometime so it leaves some water. Do it on low flame.

5. Fry it till it soaks all water and leave out nice smell.

Curry

1. Mix all the ingredients of the masala in a blender.

2. Put 2 cooking spoon of oil and put the masala mixture in it.

3. Add some tumeric, cardomom,cinnamon stick,indian bay leaf and salt to it.

4. Fry the masala nicely by adding water once a while till it gets cooked nicely.

5. Once the masala is done, add the chicken to it and fry it with it nicely.

6. Add curd blended with a fork at this time to give a nice flavour. You can add few spoon of water to make it bhuna masala.

7. Fry it nicely to make it give out more flavour before adding water.

8. Add the water according to consistency and let it boil.

9. Once boiled, put on the cooker lid and cook for about 10 - 15 minutes or till 1 -2 whistle.

10. Add salt if less and boil for 1-2 minutes. Garnish with fresh coriander.

Variations to make it into a Korma

The onions used in korma is less and tomotoes is optional. Water to be added is less too. Coriander powder is optional too or just about 1 teaspoon.

1. In the masala also add 1 tablespoon of fennel seeds(Saunf), nuts(optional) and blend. You can also add 1 tablespoon grinded poppy seeds( khaskas grinded with pestel) when frying this masala. .

2. Another variation is to use blend only Sauf in masala. After the chicken is fried with masala, take a 1 tablespoon curd, 1 spoon cooking chicken masala, 1 tablespoon grinded kaskas and 1 teaspoon kewda and mix them using pestle and then put it in the cooker. Then cook the chicken with lid closed and cook for 10 minutes. This gives a flavor of korma.

Mutton Biryani!

Ingredients

Yakhni

Mutton-1/2Kg

Onion-1

Garlic-1 big whole

Coriander seeds( Dhaniya)-1 tablespoon

Fennel seeds( Sauf)- 1 tablespoon

Thin white cloth

Salt to taste- 1/2 teaspoon

Masala

Oil-2 cooking spoon

Desi Ghee-1 cooking spoon

Onion- 1 (Thinly sliced)

Ginger garlic paste-1 teaspoon

Green chilly - 1 (optional)

Big cardoman - 1

Small cardoman- 2

Cloves-3

Black pepper- 1 teaspoon

Cumin seeds- 1 teaspoon

Cinnamon stick-1

Indian bay leaf-2

Kevda-1 tablespoon

Saffron- 1 pinch

Zarda colour-1 pinch

Rice-3 to 4 cups (basmati)

Milk-1/2 cup

Salt to taste- 1 teaspoon

Water-5 cups

Recipee

Yakhni

1. Wash the meat properly. Put some water according to the meat in a cooker to boil.

2. Put the meat in the cooker along with the full onion and full garlic.

3. Take a thin cloth and put coriander seed and fennel seeds in equal quantity. Bring all the four corners of the cloth in middle and take one side to tie it tightly in shape of a potli.

4. Put salt to taste and let the water boil.

5. Once the water is boiling , close the lid and let meat to cook. It will take about 2-3 whistles or 15-20 minutes.

6. After meat is cooked, take it out and store the water as well as all the spices.

Biryani

1. Wash the rice properly and keep aside.

2. Put oil in cooker and fry the sliced onions. Fry till golden brown and then remove them and keep it in a plate.

3. Take the cumin seeds, black pepper, cumin seeds , cardoman seeds(taken the skin out) and put it in the oil .

4. Put a spoon of desi ghee and then the cooked meat and then ginger garlic paste, cloves, Cinnamon stick, bay leaf and green chilly. Also squeeze the masala cloth, grate that boiled garlic from yakhni and squeeze it completely into it . Fry the meat properly till oil starts coming out of it.

5. Put yakni water in it and then put the rice into and mix it nicely. Don't mix the rice too strongly or more times or chances are there of them breaking.

6. Add more water if required. Fill the water till above the rice.

7. If meat is done and rice have been in water for too long dont close the lid or let ciij till rice soaks water and then add milk. Then Cover the lid and let it cook for some time. Don't cook for more than 5-10 minutes. Cook it on low flame only till all water dries up.

8. Once the lid opens, mix saffron in kevda and milk along with zarda colour and pour slantwise into the rice in all four corners.

9. Also decorate the fried onion on top and let the rice dum for 5 more minutes.

10. Mix the rice properly once done to mix the onion in it.

Bharwa Karela!

Ingredients

Bitter gourd (karela) -8-10 pieces

Panch Phoran( 5 spices)- 1/2 teaspoon

Mustard seeds(Rai)- 3/4 teaspoon

Ginger garlic paste- 1 tablespoon

Fennel seeds(sauf)-1-2 teaspoon

Coriander seeds(dhaniya)-1 teaspoon

Tomatoes- 2-3

Onions- 4-5

Green chilly-1-2

Red chilly powder-1 teaspoon

Turmeric(Haldi)-1/2 teaspoon

Amchoor (khatai)/green mango - 1 teaspoon

Salt-2 tsp

Threads to wrap

Recipe

1.Wash Karela. Cut a slit vertically in to the belly of the Karela and scrap out the filling inside. Keep the scrapping from inside for the filling. Rub the skin and the insides of the Karela with 1 teaspoon salt. Set aside for some hours so that it leave out some water.

2.One will see a lots of water as a result of salting. Squeeze out as much water as possible.

Stuffing

1. Heat about 2 tablespoon of oil in a pan . Put the panch and rai in it. Then put the onions and ginger garlic paste along with green chilly. Then add the karela scrapping along with the tomatoes. Also blend dhaniya and sauf in a mixer and add them here. Then put turmeric, red chilly, aamchur and salt to taste.

2. Let the stuffing fry for a few minutes till the mixture is ready. Close the lid till it is made.

Cooking

1. Take the karela and fill them with the filling and tie with the thread( optional).

2. Pour some oil in the pan and put the karela.

3. One can also put some raw onions and tomatoes in the pan to aide the karela to cook and leave water.

4. Let the karela fry for some time and keep turning. If it doesn't leave out enough water put about 2 tablespoon of water and let it cook till the karela are cooked well.

5. Check the karela after some time with a fork to see if its done. It will take about 20-30 minutes.

Have them hot with roti and dahi . They are not spoiled soon and tastes good cold too.

Note: Panch is a mixture of five spices namely:-

1 tbsp nigella seeds(Kalonji)
1 tbsp black mustard seeds(Rai)
1 tbsp fenugreek seeds(Methi dana)
1 tbsp fennel seeds(Sauf)
1 tbsp cumin seeds(Jeera)

Note: One can always fill the karela with some keema if you are a non vegetarian...I have never had it but my naani used to makes and mom says it tastes awesome.