Stuffed Bitter Gourd (Bharwa Karela)

Stuffed bitter gourd is a popular indian dish served with roti (indian bread) or rice. While picking the gourds small or medium size are preferred for better taste.

Ingredients:

• Bitter Gourd (medium size, 400 gm)
• Onion (chopped, 1/2 size)
• Coriander Powder ( 3 tsp)
• Red Chili Powder (kashmiri, 2 tsp)
• Sesame Seeds ( 1 1/2 tsp)
• Tamarind Juice (12 tsp)
• Turmeric Powder (1/2 tsp)
• Oil (10 tsp)
• Salt (to taste)

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 45 minutes

Total time: 1 hr

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Lunch \ Dinner

Yield: 8

Method:

• In a bowl add onions (sauteed optional for a better taste), coriander, turmeric, red chili powder, sesame seeds and salt.
• Mix all the above ingredients well.
• Make a vertical cut of bitter gourd to remove the seeds. Then stuff the dry spice ingredients.
• Add 1 or 2 teaspoons of tamarind juice.
• Tie a thread to tighten both the ends of bitter gourd. The spices remain intact by tying it.
• Do this with the remaining bitter gourd.
• In a broad skillet add oil and place gently all the bitter gourd.
• Cover with a lid to cook till it’s soft.
• Turn to the uncooked side and repeat the process till they are crisp and cooked nicely.

Step by step pictures of the recipe:

Notes:

• The size of the bitter gourd is preferred either small or medium.
• Onion can be raw but for the better taste and flavor sautee the onion and then stuff alon with other dry ingredients.
• I used cast iron skillet but non stick can be substituted.
• Remove the thread once both the ends are sealed completely. But, flip as many times required.
• Add 1-2 tbs water if required while cooking the stuffed bitter gourd.

Rajma [Red Kidney Beans] Sundal

Red kidney beans [Rajma] sundal is a dry snack made with red kidney beans and spices. It’s made specially in southern part of India during navratri / durga puja.

Ingredients:

• Rajma [Red Kidney Bean] (1/2 cup)
• Urad Dal [Black Gram, Whole, White] (1 1/2 tbs)
• Hing (cake, a small piece)
• Mustard Seeds (1 tsp)
• Oil (3 tsp)
• Red Chili (3)
• Coconut (3 tbs)
• Curry Leaves ( a few)
• Salt (to taste)

Soak time: 8 hrs

Cook time: 45 mts

Cuisine: Indian

Category: snack / tiffin

Method:

• Wash and soak rajma for 8 hours.
• Pressure cook for 4-5 whistles. Add water if required.
• Strain the water and keep aside.
• In a skillet dry roast urad dal till golden and set aside.
• Add oil, hing cake and red chilies.
• Sautee till hing will double its size and crisps up.
• Remove chilies and hing from the pan and set aside.
• Dry roast the grated coconut till golden and keep aside.
• Grind red chilies, hing, and urad dal to a coarse powder.
• Add oil and mustard seeds to a pan and wait for the seeds to splutter.
• Add the cooked rajma, salt, coarse powder, coconut and chopped curry leaves and mix well.
• Cook till all binds together.

Step by step pictures of the recipe:

Notes:

• The rajma should be properly cooked. So add the exact amount of water showed in my video.

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.

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.

TOMATO CHUTNEY RECIPE

It’s a spicy, tangy condiment can be made in a jiffy. It can be served with indian breads, bakery breads, rice, as well as used as a dip for pasta and other dry snacks.

Ingredients

• Tomato (chopped, fine, 2 cups)
• Hing [Asafoetida] (small, cake)
• Mustard Seeds (1 tsp)
• Curry Leaves (few)
• Urad Dal [Black Gram] (de-husked, split, 2 tsp)
• Methi [Fenugreek] (seeds,1/4 tsp)
• Salt (to taste)
• Oil (4 tsp)
• Red Chilies (3)

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Cuisine: South Indian

Category: Breakfast\ Lunch\ Dinner\ Tiffin

Serves: 2

Method:

• In a shallow skillet add oil and methi [fenugreek seeds] and sautee till they turn deep red in color.
• Set aside the seeds and add urad dal [split black gram] and sautee till golden.
• Set aside and add red chilies and sautee for a minute.
• Set aside the red chilies and add hing [asafoetida].
• Wait for it to double its size and set aside.
• In the same skillet add tomatoes and salt.
• Cook till the water evaporates.
• In a grinder bowl add the sauteed dry ingredients and grind to a coarse consistency.
• Transfer the ground mixture to a bowl and add the cooked tomatoes and grind.
• Mix the ground tomatoes to the spice mixture.
• Add some oil to the skillet and add mustard seeds.
• Wait for the seeds to splutter and add curry leaves.
• Pour the hot oil mixture on top of chutney.

Step by step pictures of the recipe:

Sautee urad dal, methi, red chilies and hing and keep aside.

Cook tomatoes and salt.

Cooked tomatoes.

Grind the sauteed ingredients.

Ground spice mixture.

Add the ground tomatoes to the spice mixture and mix well.

Add oil and mustard seeds, wait to splutter and add curry leaves.

Add the hot oil mixture on top of chutney.

Mango Cookies

Whole wheat flour mango cookies are easy to make recipe with no eggs. This recipe has whole wheat flour, natural sugar and carom seeds so it’s pretty healthy too. Mangoes add flavor to the cookies.

Ingredients:

• Wheat Flour (1/2 cup)
• Mango Puree (1/4 cup)
• Baking Soda (1/2 tsp)
• Milk (2 tbs)
• Salt (a pinch)
• Ghee (1/8 cup)
• Pistachio (pieces, 2 tsp)
• Baking Powder (1/2 tsp)
• Ajwain [Carom Seeds] (1 tsp)
• Natural Brown Sugar (1/8 cup)

Ingredients

Ingredients

Prep time: 15 minutes

Bake time: 18-20 minutes

Total time: 35 minutes

Category: Snack

Yield: 13

Method:

Step 1:

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.

Step 2:

• In a large bowl add whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and carom seeds.
• Mix all the dry ingredients.
• In another bowl add mango puree, ghee and sugar and with the help of a hand mixer or hand beater and beat until the mixture is increased in volume and the color is paler.
• Combine the puree-ghee mixture and dry ingredients well to form a dough. Add milk if the dough is stiff.
• Roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thick.
• Cut the dough into desired shapes using a biscuit cutter.
• Roll out the spare dough again and repeat the process with the rest of the dough.
• Transfer the biscuits on to a baking sheet lined tray.
• Garnish the biscuits with nuts.
• Bake for 18-20 minutes at 180 degree celsius.
• Leave on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes.
• Cool on a wire rack to cool completely.

Step by Step pictures of the recipe:

Mix all the dry ingredients.

Add mango puree, ghee and natural sugar in a bowl.

Beat the wet ingredients using a hand beater.

Mixture ready.

Combine both wet and dry ingredients to form a dough.

The dough is ready to roll out.

Cut the dough into desired shapes.

Garnish with nuts.

Bake for 18-20 minutes at 180 degree celsius.

Notes:

• Ingredients should be at room temperature.
• Spoon or Manual or electric hand mixer can be used for beating.
• More sugar can be added if preferred. The cookies I baked had less sweet because we prefer less sweet.
• The dough can be kept in between two parchment papers and rolled out.

Masala Vada |Paruppu Vadai |Dal Vada

Masala Vada is a south-indian snack made during the monsoon seasons, festival times (but no onions) and also for guests. it’s eaten with coconut chutney and a staple breakfast menu along with idli sambar in the restaurants. Vadai goes well with curd rice too.

INGREDIENTS:

• Chana Dal [Chick Peas] (split, 1/4 cup)
• Toor Dal [Pigeon Peas] (split, 1/4 cup)
• Onions (chopped, fine, 1/2 cup)
• Coriander Leaves (as desired)
• Curry Leaves (chopped, few)
• Green chili (chopped, fine, 1)
• Ginger (grated, 1 tsp)
• Rice (raw, 1 tsp)
• Oil (to deep fry)
• Salt (to taste)
• Red chilies (2)

Ingredients

Cook time: 45 minutes

Cuisine: South Indian

Category: Snack \ Tiffin

Yield: 12

Masala Vada recipe video

Method:

• Wash and soak chick peas, pigeon peas and rice for 1 1/2 hours.
• Soak red chilies along with the peas.
• Strain the water and add the peas to a grinder bowl.
• Save the water and add if required.
• Grind to a coarse consistency.
• Add chopped onions, green chili, grated ginger, salt, curry leaves and coriander leaves.
• Mix all the ingredients.
• Heat oil in a pan.
• Make a small lemon sized balls with the batter.
• Wet a plastic sheet and flatten the ball.
• Gently lower the balls and fry on a medium flame.
• Cook on both the sides.
• Transfer the vadas on a paper towel to remove excess oil.

Rice, Pigeon,and Chick Peas

Wash and soak them in water for 1 1/2 hours.

Soak red chilies along with the peas.

Strain the water.

Transfer the ingredients to a grinder bowl.

Grind them to a coarse consistency.

Add chopped onions,coriander leaves, curry leaves, green chili, grated ginger and salt.

Use the saved water if needed to adjust the consistency.

Spread out a sheet of plastic wrap and dampen it.

Take a lemon-sized ball with the batter and flatten it.

Wet your fingers and take off the batter.

Gently lower vada into the hot oil.

Cook vada on both the sides.

Cook till the vadas turn crisp.

Transfer on to a paper towel.

Notes

• Strain the water using a strainer and leave the soaked rice and peas for 10 minutes.
• While grinding water should be added using a spoon .Water decides the crispness so add little by little and do not pour.
• Plastic sheet helps vada to give a bulge at the center and thin on the sides.
• Initially after dropping the vadas into oil allow them to cook for 5-6 minutes.This will prevent them from breaking.