COCONUT TAMARIND CHAMANDI

Ingredients:

Coconut - 1/2 cup

Tamarind - gooseberry size

Red chilli -2-3

Urad dal - 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Salt - To taste

Method:

Heat oil in a kadhai and season urad dal ,mustard seeds and red chilli.

Grind coconut,tamarind,red chilli and salt to a smooth paste.

Once grinded to smooth paste, add urad dal and mustard seeds and pulse for 1-2 secs.

Serve with rice and any kootu.

HORSEGRAM DOSA

Ingredients:

Rice - 1/2 cup

Boiled rice - 1/2 cup

Horsegram - 1/2 cup

Urad dal - 1/2 cup

Chana dal - 1/4 cup

Salt - To taste

Method:

Soak everything(except salt) in water for about 3-4 hrs.

Grind to a smooth batter.

Leave it in a warm place for about 6-7hrs or overnight.

Make thin dosas and serve with onion-tomato chutney or onion sambar.

ONION-TOMATO CHUTNEY

Ingredients:

Onion - 1 med chopped

Tomatoes - 2 large chopped

Red chilli - 1-2

Salt - to taste

Curry leaf - few

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Oil - 2 tsp

Method:

Heat 1 tsp oil in kadhai and saute onions and red chilli till golden brown.

Grind onions,red chilli,tomatoes and salt into smooth paste.

Transfer the paste to a kadhai and boil it until raw smell of tomatoes disappear.

Heat oil and season mustard seeds and curry leaves. Add this to chutney and serve with dosa/idli.

HOMEMADE PANEER

Ingredients:

Whole or 2% milk - 5 cups

Lemon juice - 1 tbsp

Method:

Boil the milk on stove or microwave.

As the milk is boiled, add lemon juice and mix it.

Reduce the heat and stir continously until the milk is curdled.

Remove from heat when greenish-yellow whey and curds are separated.

Strain the mixture through a muslin cloth or unused cotton handkerchief which is washed.

Hold it under running water for a minute. Press the excess water.

Hang the muslin for 15-20 minutes so that all the whey is drained out.

Knead the curd so that a smooth ball is obtained.

Wrap in muslin cloth and place block of weight such as a can of milk or couple of books above so as to make paneer for 30- 40 minutes.

Paneer can be now cut into cubes and used as required or store in freezer for longer life.

SHAHI PANEER

Ingredients:

Paneer (cottage cheese) - 250 gm

Beaten curd - 1/4 cup

Milk- 1/2 cup

Tomatoes (chopped fine) - 1 1/2 cup

Onion (chopped into strips) - 1/2 cup

Ginger (chopped fine) - 1/2" piece

Green chillies (chopped fine) - 2-3

Cardamoms (crushed) - 2-3

Garam masala - 1/2 tsp

Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

Tomato sauce/ketchup - 2 tsp

Ghee or butter - 3 tsp

Salt - to taste

Paneer (grated) - 2 tsp for Garnish

Coriander(chopped ) - 1 tsp for Garnish

Method:

Chop paneer into 2" cubes and saute in ghee(1 tsp) until all sides are golden brown.Keep aside.

In same pan heat ghee(1 tsp). Add onion, ginger, green chilli and cardamom. Fry for 3-4 minutes.

Add tomatoes and cook for 7-8 minutes, covered. Add curd and cook for 5 minutes.

Add 1/2 cup water and cool.

Blend in a mixer till smooth.

Heat remaining ghee, add gravy and other ingredients except milk and paneer.

Boil to get a very thick gravy.

Just before serving, heat gravy, add milk and paneer cubes and boil for 3-4 minutes.

Garnish with chopped coriander and grated paneer.

BAINGAN KA BHARTA

Ingredients:

Baingan (eggplant) - 1 medium

Green peas - 1/2 cup

Onions - 1 medium (finely chopped)

Tomatoes - 1 medium (finely chopped)

green chilli - 2 (chopped)

Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

Garam Masala Powder - 1/2 tsp

Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp

Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp

Oil - 1 tbsp

Salt - to taste

Coriander leaves - 4-5 sprigs

Method:

Brush baingan (eggplant) with oil and roast it on a gas burner over medium heat.Or broil on high for 5-10 min.

Frequently turn the eggplant upside down, until fully roasted.

Cool it and peel off the blackened skin.Mash the flesh and keep aside.

Heat oil in a kadhai . Add green chilli and onion and fry over medium heat until light golden brown.

Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala,coriander powder ,cumin powder and salt and stir for 30-60 sec. Add tomatoes and cook until oil separates.

Add green peas and mashed baingan (eggplant). Stir well. Fry the baingan bhartha for 5-7 minutes over medium heat.

Garnish the baingan bharta with coriander leaves and serve hot.

PASTA WITH CHICKPEAS SAUCE

Ingredients:

Chickpeas - 1½ cups(cooked)

Onion -1 med(chopped)

Ginger - 1 tsp(grated)

Tomatoes - 3small (chopped)

Fresh cilantro - 1 tbsp (chopped)

Red chilli powder - 2 tsp

Garam Masala powder - 1 tsp

Pasta(Any variety) - 1 cup

Oil - 2 tsp

Salt - to taste

Pepper - to taste

Cheese - for garnish

Chopped cilantro - for garnish

Method:

Heat oil in a deep pot, saute onion, and ginger until soft.

Stir in tomatoes, red chilli , garam masala and salt and cook until tomatoes are softened.

Stir in 1 cup of chickpeas (reserve the rest for later),cilantro, 1 cup of water and cook for 3-4 min.

Remove from heat, and blend the mixture until smooth. Return to heat, keep warm.

While you are preparing the sauce on one side, bring a pot of water to boil and cook pasta following package instructions. Pasta should be cooked, but still firm. Drain pasta.

Mix cooked pasta with the chickpea sauce, along with the reserved whole chickpeas.

Serve with a garnish of cheese and fresh cilantro. Omit cheese for a healthier version.

OKRA STIR-FRY

Ingredients:

Okra(chopped) - 2 cups

Salt- To taste

Tumeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Red chilli powder - 1 tsp

Asafoetida - a pinch

Curry leaf - a sprig

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Urad dal - 1 tsp

Oil - 1 tbsp

Method:

Heat non-stick pan ,add oil and season the mustard seeds, urad dal.

Add cut okra ,salt,tumeric,red chilli powder and mix well.Cook covered.

When cooked add asafoetida, curry leaf & fry for 1-2 more min.Turn off heat.

Serve hot with rice/rotis.

POTATO BHAJI

Ingredients:

Onion - 1 medium

Potatoes - 3 small

Green chillies - 3

Ginger - 1 tsp grated

Mustard -1/2 tsp

Chana dal -1/2 tsp

Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

Curry leaves -1 sprig

Coriander leaves - 5-6 sprigs

Oil 1 tsp

Salt

Method:

Cook potatoes in pressure cooker. Peel and mash them with hand.

Heat oil and add mustard seeds. When they start spluttering, add chana dal, curry leaves and green chillies. Fry for a while.

Then add chopped onion & ginger and fry till onions are transparent. Now add potatoes, salt and tumeric.

Add a half cup of water. Cook for 2 minutes(till the water gets absorbed) and remove from flame.

Garnish with coriander leaves.

MALAI KOFTA

Ingredients:

Potato - 1 large (boiled and peeled)

Paneer - 1/4 cup

Green Peas - 1/4 cup

Carrot - 1 (shredded)

Cilantro - 4-5 sprigs (finely chopped)

Cashews - 1/4 cup (chopped)

Oil - 2 Tbsp

Onions - 2 medium (finely chopped)

Tomatoes – 2 cups(pureed)

Ginger - 1 Tbsp (grated)

Salt - to taste

Sugar - to taste

Garam Masala - 1 tsp + 1/2 tsp

Coriander Powder - 1 tsp + 1 tsp

Cumin Powder - 1/2 tsp + 1/2 tsp

Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp

Red Chilli Powder - to taste

Evaporated Milk - 5 oz can

Milk - as needed

Method:

For the Gravy:

Heat Oil in a medium pan.

Add onions and salt, saute until moisture is evaporated.

Add ginger and cook for 1-2 minutes.

Add pureed tomatoes and cook until oil separates from the mixture.

Add in turmeric, cumin, coriander, red chilli and garam masala powder. Mix well.

Add evaporated milk and stir.

Add milk to make the gravy to desired consistency.

Add sugar to taste.

Bring gravy to a boil and switch off the stove.

For the Koftas:

In a microwave safe bowl, cook peas and carrot with 2-3 tbsp of water for 3-4 minutes.

Squeeze out all excess water from the above mixture.

In a bowl crumble paneer and add mashed potatoes,peas,carrots, cilantro, cashews, salt, coriander, cumin and garam masala - knead well.

Line a baking tray with foil and spray with Cooking Oil.

Roll Koftas into small Golf Ball size balls and place on baking tray.

Lightly spray Cooking Oil on all of the koftas.

Place tray in the oven and Broil on High until koftas turn a golden brown.

Flip koftas to the other side and broil once again until golden brown.

Remove koftas from oven and allow them to cool slightly.

Arrange koftas in a dish and cover them with the gravy.

Garnish with remaining cashews and raisins.

Microwave the entire curry for 1-2 mins.

Serve hot with Naan or Rice.