Kadai Paneer Gravy

Kadai paneer is one of the most popular recipe in India specially in northern part of India. It is usually served with all the indian breads and it is very exotic in its taste.

Ingredients:

• Paneer (200 gm, cubes)
• Onion(200gm, cubes)
• Ginger (small piece, julienne cut )
• Capsicum (1, cubes)
• Oil (7 tsp)
• Butter (1 tsp)
• Fresh Cream (1 tbs)
• Coriander Seeds (1 1/2 tsp)
• Kasuri Methi (1 tsp)
• Salt (to taste)
• Ginger-Garlic Paste (1 tsp)
• Bay Leaf (1)
• Red Chili Powder (Kashmiri, 1/2 tsp)
• Red Chili (Kashmiri) (4)
• Coriander Powder (1 tsp)
• Turmeric Powder ( 1/4 tsp)
• Jeera [Cumin Seeds] (1 tsp)

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 40 minutes

Total time: 50 minutes

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Lunch \ Dinner

Serves: 3

Method:

To Grind:

• In a grinder bowl add red chili and coriander seeds to grind coarse and set aside.
• Grind sauteed onion, tomato and ginger-garlic paste and set aside.

Main Recipe:

• Heat a shallow skillet to low and place the paneer cubes carefully in the skillet.
• Flip it over after 2 minutes and set aside.
• In the same skillet add onions, tomatoes and ginger-garlic paste.
• Sautee till it’s cooked.
• Grind to a fine paste.
• In a deep skillet add butter and oil.
• Add a bay leaf and jeera.
• Add the onion, capsicum, tomato cubes and julienne cut ginger.
• Add the slit green chili and sautee for few minutes.
• When it’s half cooked add salt, turmeric, red chili and coriander powder.
• Add the coarse masala powder and the ground paste.
• Add half a cup of water and stir well
• Let it cook for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Add paneer and mix well.
• Add fresh cream and kasuri methi.

Step by step pictures of the recipe:

Notes:

• Paneer should be fresh and soft.
• Butter can be substituted for oil to have a very rich recipe.
• While frying paneer just sautee for few minutes to retain the softness.

Beans Paruppu Usili

Beans paruppu usili is a crumbled lentils combined with other spices and cooked beans. It’s a very popular dish in southern part of India where people make for weddings and on other special occasions. It goes well with rice and vatha kuzhambu or mor kuzhambu.

INGREDIENTS:

• Beans (finely chopped, 1 cup)
• Urad Dal [Black Gram] (split, 2 tsp)
• Toor Dal [Pigeon Peas] (split, 1 cup)
• Hing [Asafoetida] (cake, small)
• Mustard Seeds (1 1/2 tsp)
• Red Chilies (5)
• Salt (to taste)
• Oil (12 tsp)
• Curry Leaves (few, chopped)
• Coriander Leaves (chopped, as desired)

Ingredients

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 45 minutes

Total time: 55 minutes

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Lunch \ Dinner

Method:

• Wash and soak dal, red chilies and hing for an hour.
• Filter the water and grind the above three soaked ingredients with required salt to a coarse consistency.
• In a skillet add oil and mustard seeds.
• After the seeds splutter add urad dal and curry leaves.
• Wait for the dal to turn golden.
• Add the chopped beans and salt.
• Add little water and cook till they cook soft.
• Set aside the cooked beans.
• In the skillet add oil and the ground dal mixture.
• Cook for 25 minutes on a low flame.
• Cook till crisp and crumbled.
• Add the cooked beans and mix well.

Step by step pictures of the recipe:

Mango Kheer [Vegan]

This recipe is made of ripe mangoes, jaggery and coconut milk. This recipe is healthy, light and very easy to make.

Ingredients:

• Mango Puree (1 1/4 cup)
• Coconut Milk (1 1/4 cup)
• Jaggery (1/2 cup)
• Almond (slivered,3 tbs)
• Cardamom Powder (1/4 tsp)
• Saffon (few strands)
• Ghee (2 tsp)

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Total time: 25 minutes

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Dessert

Serves: 4

Method:

• Heat a deep skillet and add ghee and slivered almonds.
• Sautee for 2 minutes and set aside.
• In the same skillet add the mango puree and cook for 5 minutes.
• Add jaggery and cook for 5 minutes and then add coconut milk.
• Garnish with cardamom powder, roasted almonds and saffron.
• It can be served either hot or cold.

Step by step pictures of the recipe:

Notes:

• Use fresh mangoes to make mango puree.

Foxtail Millet Idli and Dosa

Millet recipes are very healthy and loaded with nutrients and antioxidants. Since millets are very good substitute for rice many recipes like pongal, khicdi, idli and dosa can be made by using millets.

Ingredients:

• Foxtail Millet [Thinai Arisi] (2 cups)
• Black Gram [Udad Dal] (whole, white,1/2 cup)
• Puffed Rice (2 tbs)
• Oil (12 tsp)
• Salt (to taste)

Prep time: 10 minutes

Soak time: 10 hours

Grind time: 40 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Serves: 20 Idlis

Dosa: 10

Method:

Foxtail Millet idli:

• In a wide bowl wash foxtail millet and soak for 10 hours.
• In another bowl add udad dal and soak for 10 hours. After 2 hours it should be kept in the fridge till we grind.
• First grind udad dal like how we grind for regular idli without adding much of water.
• Pour in a wide bowl and set aside.
• Next grind soaked foxtail millet. Before grinding add washed puffed rice along with foxtail millet
• Grind to a fine paste and add the ground paste to the already ground udad dal paste.
• Add salt and mix well.
• Ferment it overnight.
• Mix the batter well before we pour it on a staeamer.
• Grease the idli steamer plates with oil.
• Take a ladle full of batter and pour into greased plate.
• Close with a lid and steam for 10-12 minutes.
• Allow it to cool and remove idlis from the idli mould.
• Use the same batte

Foxtail Millet Dosa

• Heat the skillet or tawa to make dosa.
• Pour the batter on a heated tawa and spread from the center to outward.
• Drizzle with oil and cover with a lid.
• Cook till it is nicely golden and crisp.
• Remove the lid and flip the dosa if require drizzle some more oil.

Step by step pictures:

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Notes:

• The batter should be neither too thick nor too watery.
• Humid temperature is very ideal for fermentation.
• Puffed rice should be soaked 10 minutes before grinding.
• Atleast 7-10 minutes rest time should be given after steaming.
• Usually after fermentation the batter should be kept in the fridge for few hours before making idlis .

Rava [Semolina] Upma

Rava upma is one of the easiest, quickest breakfast recipes one can prepare in a jiffy. We can prepare upma with or without onions and vegetables can also be added if required to make it healthy.

Ingredients:

• Rava [Semolina] (chopped, 1 cup)
• Onion (chopped, 1/2 cup)
• Chili (green, chopped, 3)
• Ginger (grated, 1 tsp)
• Oil (6 tsp)
• Mustard Seeds (1 tsp)
• Urad Dal [Black Gram] (de-husked, split, 1 tsp)
• Chana Dal (Chickpeas, split, 1 tsp)
• Ghee (1 tsp)
• Lemon Juice (1 tbs)
• Salt (to taste)
• Curry Leaves (chopped, few)
• Cilantro (chopped, 2 tbs)

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Total time: 30 minutes

Cuisine: South Indian

Category: Breakfast \ Tiffin

Serves: 2

Method:

• In a deep skillet dry roast rava for 3-4 minutes and set aside.
• In the same skillet add oil and mustard seeds.
• Wait for the seeds to splutter.
• Add urad and chana dal and sautee till they turn golden.
• Add chopped onions, ginger, green chilies and salt.
• Sautee till onions are cooked.
• Add ghee and roasted semolina.
• Sautee for 5 minutes and add water.
• Mix well and cover with a lid and cook for 5-7 minutes.
• Add lemon juice.
• Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Step by step pictures

Dry roast rava.

Add oil and mustard seeds.

Add urad and chana dal.

Add chopped onions.

Add chopped, green chilies and grated ginger.

Add ghee and rava.

Add water and cover with a lid and cook.

Garnish with the chopped cilantro.

Notes:

• The texture and the quantity doubles when rava is dry roasted and also roast in oil or ghee for few minutes before we add water.
• Since we add rava first and then water. The main advantage here is we avoid formation of lumps.
• While dry roasting the color of the rava should not change.

Ribbon Pakoda

Ribbon pakoda is a festival snack especially made during Diwali. This snack is made with many variations depending on the tradition of a household. It’s a simple recipe with a few ingredients.

Ingredients:

Chickpea Flour [Besan] (1 cup)

Rice Flour (1/2 cup)

Red Chili Powder (1 tsp)

Asafoetida [Hing] (1/4 tsp)

Salt (to taste)

Butter (1 tbs)

Oil (to fry)

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Total time: 40 minutes

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Snack \ Tiffin

Yield: 9-10

Method:

• In a wide bowl add chickpea flour, rice flour, red chili powder, salt, asafoetida, and butter.
• In a pan heat oil and when it’s hot pour on the dry ingredients.
• Mix all the ingredients well using your fingers.
• Add water gradually to make a soft dough.
• Place the ribbon mould and grease with oil.
• Take a small portion of the dough and make a cylindrical shape.
• Place the dough inside the snack maker.
• Heat oil in a deep skillet.
• Press the snack maker directly over the oil.
• Flip and fry pakoda till they turn crisp.
• Drain on a paper towel.

Step by step pictures of the recipe:

Heat oil in a pan.

In a bowl add chickpea flour, rice flour, red chili powder, asafoetida, salt, butter and hot oil.

Mix all the ingredients.

Add water gradually to make a soft dough.

Dough is ready.

Place the ribbon mould inside the snack maker.

Grease the snack maker with oil.

Make a cylindrical shape out of the dough.

Fill the snack maker with the dough.

Press the snack maker over the hot oil.

Flip and fry till they turn golden brown and drain on a paper towel.

Notes:

• The dough should be soft. Neither the dough should be too soft nor too tight. If the dough is hard it will be too hard to press the snack maker and pakoda will be hard too if the dough is too loose then it will absorb more oil.
• Keep the dough covered after the small portion has been taken out.
• The oil should be at medium high, if the heat is too low it will absorb more oil.
• When the sizzling sound stops pakoda should be taken out from the pan.
• Ribbon moulds are serrated and non-serrated. Anything can be used.

Methi Dal

This recipe is cooked with lentils, fenugreek leaves and spices. Here I made with moong dal it can be made with toor dal and chana dal too. It goes well with chapatis, breads and rice.

Cook time: 30 minutes

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Lunch \ Dinner

Serves: 2

Method:

• In a shallow skillet melt butter and add jeera.
• Add coriander, red chili powder, fenugreek leaves and salt.
• Sautee for 5-7 minutes and set aside.
• In a pressure cooker add moong dal, chopped tomatoes, water, turmeric powder, salt and slit green chili.
• Pressure cook for 3-4 whistles.
• Add the cooked methi leaves and chopped cilantro.
• Serve hot with bread or rotis.

Step by step pictures:

Melt butter and add jeera, coriander powder, red chili powder.

Add methi leaves and salt.

Cook for 5-7 minutes or till it shrinks to half.

In a pressure cooker add moong dal, chopped tomatoes, turmeric powder, slit green chili and salt.

Pressure cook for 3-4 whistles.

Add the cooked methi leaves.

Add chopped cilantro and serve hot with bread or rotis.

Pistachio Barfi

Pistachio barfi requires a very few ingredients and takes less time to make. The nutty flavor and color temps the sweet lovers.

Ingredients:

• Pistachio (1 cup, unsalted, unroasted)
• Color (green, few drops)
• Almond (sliced 3 tbs)
• Sugar (1 1/2 cup)
• Milk Powder (6 tbs)
• Ghee (6 tsp)

Cook time: 30 minutes

Total time: 40 minutes

Cuisine: Indian

Category: dessert

Yield: 15

Method:

• Grind pistachio to a fine powder.
• In a deep skillet add sugar and water.
• Boil sugar till it dissolves.
• Grease the tray, flat plate and knife.
• Stir constantly till it thickens.
• Add 3 teaspoons of ghee.
• Keep stirring and add the remaining ghee.
• Cook until the mixture stops sticking to the sides.
• Transfer the mixture to a greased tray.
• Use a greased plate to gently smoothen the mixture.
• Garnish with sliced almonds and again gently smoothen the mixture.
• Use a knife to make pieces before it cools down.

Step by step pictures of the recipe:

Grind pistachio to a fine powder.

Add sugar and water in a deep skillet.

Boil till the sugar dissolves.

Add powdered pistachio and milk powder and stir constantly.

Add a few drops of green color.

Add ghee and stir constantly.

Cook until the mixture stops sticking to the sides.

Transfer to a greased tray.

Smooth the mixture using a greased plate.

Garnish with sliced almonds.

Use a greased knife to cut to pieces.

Notes:

• Boil sugar till it dissolves and no need for string consistency.

Puri Bhaji [ Potato Masala]

Puri Bhaji is a very popular dish in India. Puri is a fried indian bread and bhaji is made with potato. It’s prepared in almost all the states of India.

Ingredients For Bhaji:

• Potato (275 gm)
• Onion (chopped, 1/2 cup)
• Green Chili (slit, 1)
• Ginger (grated, 1 tsp)
• Curry Leaves (chopped, few)
• Oil (3 tsp)
• Mustard Seeds (1 tsp)
• Chana Dal [Chick Peas] (Split, 1 tsp)
• Turmeric Powder (1/4 tsp)
• Urad Dal [Black Gram] (split, 1 tsp)
• Salt (to taste)
• Red Chili Powder (1 tsp)

Ingredients For Dough

• Aata [ Whole Wheat Flour] (1 cup)
• Maida (2 tsp)
• Suji [Semolina] (1 1/2 tsp)
• Oil (1 tsp)
• Salt (to taste)

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 50 minutes

Total time: 1 hour

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Breakfast \ Lunch \ Dinner

Serves: 2

Method For Bhaji:

• Pressure cook potatoes for 3-4 whistles.
• Peel the skin and using a spoon mash partially.
• In a skillet add oil and mustard seeds.
• Let the seeds splutter and then add urad dal, chana dal .
• Add the chopped onions, green chili and ginger.
• Add salt to your taste, curry leaves, turmeric powder and red chili powder.
• Sautee until onions are translucent.
• Add a cup of water and allow it to boil.
• Add the cooked potatoes and cook for 10 minutes.

Method For Dough:

• In a wide bowl add aata, maida, suji, salt and oil.
• Mix all the ingredients.
• Add water slowly to make a dough.
• Cover the dough using a wet cloth or a lid.
• Rest the dough for 10 minutes.

Method For puri:

• After ten minutes knead the dough again.
• Divide the dough into small lemon-sized balls.
• Dust the ball with the wheat flour and flatten it slightly.
• Roll out to 3-4″ diameter.
• Repeat the process with the rest of the dough.
• Start frying when it is not totally dry.
• Heat oil in a pan.
• Deep fry the puris one after another.

Step by step pictures of bhaji recipe:

Pressure cook the potatoes.

Pressure cook for 3-4 whistles.

Peel the potatoes.

Cut using a spoon or a knife.

In a skillet add oil and mustard seeds.

After seeds splutter add urad dal and chana dal.

Add chopped onions, green chili and grated ginger, salt, turmeric and red chili powder.

Cook till onions turn translucent.

Add water and boil for 5-10 minutes.

Add cooked potatoes.

Cook for 10 minutes.

Step by step pictures of the dough:

In a wide bowl add aata, suji, maida, salt and oil.

Add water little by little to make a soft dough.

Rest for 10 minutes.

Step by step pictures of puri recipe:

Divide the dough into small lemon sized balls.

Dust the ball in wheat flour.

Roll out the ball to 3-4 inches.

Keep the puris ready before deep frying them.

Deep fry one after another in hot oil.

Press gently on the sides while frying to puff up.

Bisi Bele Bath

Bisi bele bath is made with rice, lentils, tamarind, vegetables and spices. This can be served with fried papads, chips or roated potato.

Ingredients:

• Tamarind (a gooseberry size)
• Rice (1 cup)
• Toor Dal [Pigeon Peas, split, 1/2 cup)
• Chana Dal (Chick Peas, split, 2 tsp)
• Dhania [Coriander] (seeds, 3 tsp)
• Coconut (grated, 5 tsp)
• Cinnamon (stick, small, 1)
• Clove (2)
• Cardamom (pods, 2)
• Red Chili (Kashmiri, 10)
• Turmeric Powder (1 tsp)
• Curry Leaves( few)
• Oil (10 tsp)
• Ghee (1 tsp)
• Shallot (1/2 cup)
• Carrot (1/4 cup)
• Beans (1/4 cup)
• Drumstick (1/4 cup)
• Potato (1/4 cup)
• Brinjal (1/4 cup)
• Peanut (2 tsp)
• Salt (to taste)

Prep time : 10 minutes

Cook time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Total time: 1 hour 40 minutes

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Lunch \ Dinner

Method:

For the spice mixture:

• Dry roast chana dal, dhania, cinnamon, clove and cardamom separately and set aside.
• Dry roast the grated coconut and set aside.
• Add oil to the skillet and roast red chilies and set aside.
• In the same skillet add shallots and curry leaves and set aside.
• Coarse grind all the above ingredients.

Bisi Bele Bath :

• Cook both rice and dal separately and set aside.
• Add salt and mash, mix both the rice and dal.
• Heat a deep skillet and add oil and shallots.
• Cook till they shrink half its size.
• Add brinjal, carrot, potato, beans and drumstick.
• Add salt and diluted tamarind pulp and turmeric powder.
• Cover with a lid and cook for 10 minutes.
• After vegetables are cooked add water if required.
• Add the rice-dal and ground spice mixture.
• Cover and simmer gently for about 10-12 minutes.
• Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
• Add a teaspoon of ghee and serve hot.

Step by step pictures of the recipe:

Soak the tamarind in water.

Cook rice and dal and mix well.

Dry roast chana dal and dhania.

Dry roast coconut, cinnamon, clove and cardamom and roast red chili, shallots and curry leaves in oil.

Grind the ingredients to a coarse powder.

Add shallots, brinjal, carrot, potato, beans and drumstick.

Add tamarind extract, salt and turmeric.

Cover with a lid and cook for 10 minutes.

Add the mashed rice-dal mixture.

Add the spice mixture.

Add ghee and garnish with coriander leaves.