Breakfast Recipes : Methi Paratha | Spiced Stuffed Fenugreek Roti

As every one knows, Methi Leaves are very good for health. Here is a yummy, stomach filling breakfast recipe.

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• 2 big bunch of Methi Leaves(Fenugreek Leaves) finely chopped
• 4 cups of atta / wheet flour
• 1 table spoon chilli powder
• ½ table spoon turmeric powder
• 1 table spoon garam masala powder
• 2 table spoon butter
• ½ table spoon sugar
• 1 table spoon oil
• Salt as per taste

 Method:

• Separate out the Methi leaves from the bunch. Clean the leaves by washing in water and keeping them in salt water for 15 minutes.
• Take out the Methi Leaves and finely chop them.

• Take a big bowl, add wheet flour, finely chopped Methi Leaves, chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, butter, salt and sugar.
• Add water, kneed it nicely and prepare a soft dough.

• Apply oil and kneed it once again at the end. Leave it for 1 -2 hours.

• Roll out each and cook on a tawa or griddle until both sides are golden brown.

• Apply ghee on both the sides, while frying.

• Serve hot with curds and tomato catchup.

PS:  Finely chopped onion also can be added, if one likes it.  This dough can be prepared the previous night, which would make the parathas soft and less work in the early morning. One can even try with Kasoori methi leaves and ajwain, which increases the taste and food value.

Dosa Recipes : Instant Dosa | Dhideer Dosa

No time for soaking, grinding and fermenting….. Here is a quick breakfast recipe which suites best on busy working days. Dhideer means sudden/without prior notice. Grated vegetables like carrots, cabbage also can be added which not only increase the taste of dosa, but also increase the food value.

  

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• 3 cups rice flour
• 1 cup wheet flour
• ¾ cut maida flour(all purpose flour)
• 1 table spoon red chilli powder
• 4-5 green chillies
• ¼ - ½ cup buttermilk
• 2 medium size onion, finely chopped
• ½ table spoon mustard seeds
• 2-3 strands coriander leaves
• 1 strand curry leaves
• 1 table spoon oil for seasoning
• Salt as per taste

Method:

• Mix all the 3 flours in a bowl.
• Add finelly chpped onion, red chilli powder, finely chopped green chillies, salt, finely chopped coriander leaves, beat and mix well.

• Add not very sour buttermilk and mix well.
• The consistency of the dosa batter should be not as thick as masala dosa batter. It should slightly thicker than that of buttermilk
• Set the batter aside for about 20 minutes.

• In a non stick pan, add oil, mustard seeds. When it starts spluttering add curry leaves.
• Add this seasoning to the dosa batter mix.

• Make normal dosas as shown in picture (this dosa is thinner than normal masala dosa).

• Serve hot with your favorite chutney.

PS:  You can add 2 table spoon of grated coconut, which gives a grate taste to the dosa. Here in the picture I have not put green chillies, but if one wants the dosas spicier, it can be added. A pinch of baking soda can be added, if you want puffy dosas.

Indian Fast Food Snack Recipes : Delicious Aloo Bonda | Alu Bonda | Batata Vada

Batata Vada, a popular vegetarian fast food snack in Maharashtra, India. “Batata” means potato in English. This dish is mumbai’s very popular dish, in which besan is used to dip potatoes and then deep fry. It is one of the most popular snacks.

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• 4 medium size Potatoes
• A pinch turmeric
• 4 green chillies
• 2-3 strands coriander leaves
• ¼ th table spoon mustard seeds
• 1 strand curry leaves
• A pinch asafoetida(hingu)
• 1 cup besan (gram flour)
• 1 table spoon chilli powder
• Oil
• Salt as per taste

 Method:

• Cut the potatoes into half and cook with a pinch of turmeric in a pressure cooker.
• Peel all of them. Smash them nicely with hand and keep it aside.
• Make a smooth paste of green chillies and coriander leaves using mixer.

• Add this paste to the smashed potatos.
• On a separate tawa, add 1 table spoon oil, mustard seeds, asafetida and curry leaves.
• Now add this seasoning to the above mix of potatoes.
• Make small balls of the potato mix as shown in picture.

• For the batter, in a bowl mix besan, chilli powder, a little salt and a pinch of asafoetida with sufficient water to make a thick paste.
• Heat oil in a kadai.

• Take the balls of potato mixture one by one, dip them in the besan paste so that there is a thick layer of besan paste on potato balls and deep fry in oil.
• Fry till they get a slight brown color.

• Serve hot with tomato ketchup and amsani gojju (coriander leaves and tamarind chutney).

 PS:  If you prefer the crisp vadas, then add 2 table spoon rice flour along with the besan while preapreing the besan paste. Even 1 table spoon of heated oil to the basan paste makes the vadas crispy.

Kannadiga Havyaka Recipes : Jeerige Tambli | Jeerige Saaru

Tambli is a very common and very traditional dish in Havyakas. There are many different kind of Tambli we can make.. ie Ginger(Shunthi) Tambli, Heerekai(Ridge Gourd) Tambli, Mavina Midi(Raw Mangoe) Tambli, Jeerige(Jeera/Cumin Seeds) Tambli. Jeerige Tambli  is one of the easiest and tastiest recipe I have ever tried. No boiling , no heating  just seasoning. Jeerige Tambli is to be served with white rice.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Servings: 2

Ingredients:

• 2 table spoon Jeerige(Cumin Seeds)
• 4 red chillies
• ¾  cup grated coconut
• 4 spoon curds/ butter milk
• 3 table spoon ghee
• 1 table spoon mustard seeds
• 1 strand curry leaves
• A pinch of asafoetida 
• Salt for taste

Method:

• Heat 2 table spoon ghee on a non stick thawa. Fry 3 red chillies, Jeera and coconut for 2 minutes.
• Blend all of these to smooth paste using water if needed. Don’t dilute it a lot.
• In the same mixer, put salt and curds for another round.

• Pour it into a medium size bowl. Stir well to mix and keep it aside.
• Heat the remaining ghee on a different small pan, add mustard seeds, curry leaves and red chillies. When the mustard seeds splutter, add asafoetida powder and pour it over the Tambli. 

• Jeerige Tambli is ready, for the combination of plain rice

PS:  If you have had a heavy meal in the afternoon, then here is a best recipe for the night. Jeera(cumin seeds) is very good for digestion.

Kannadiga Recipes : Bassaru With Sabasige Soppu Palya

Dill leaves are called as "Sabbasige Soppu" in kannada. Bassaru and Palya is a combo,  an Authentic Karnataka dish usually made with a variety of lentils. Bassaru or Basida Saaru means rasam made of the water which is used to cook the lentils in kannada. Traditionally this was made more with horse gram (huruli kaalu) but here I have used Green Moong Dal with Dill Leaves, as the combination of both tastes great. The dish sounds a tedious recipe but easy when you get the hang of preparing it and the taste makes it worth the job done.

So the below listed ingredients are for both. 

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 4

  Ingredients:

• 1 bunch Sabbasige Soppu(Dill Leaves)
• 1 cup Green Moong Dal
• 7 to 8 Garlic pods chopped
• 2 medium Onion chopped roughly
• 2 tea spoon Sambar powder
• 2 table spoon grated Coconut
• Pinch of Turmeric powder
• 2 tea spoon Mustard seeds
• 2 tea spoon Urad dal
• 3–4 Green chillies
• 2 table spoon Chilli powder
• Salt for taste

 Method:  Dry Palya

• Soak Green Moong Dal for atleast 4 hours.

• Pressure cook Green Moong Dal and Dill Leaves with little turmeric and more water for 3 whistle.
• When dal is cooked drain the water and keep it aside.
• Keep 3 table spoon cooked dal for the Bassaru.
• Cut the onions and tomatoes roughly and keep aside. 

• Heat oil in a kadai, saute urad dal and mustard seeds.
• When it crackles add green chillies and onion.
• When onion starts turning brown in color, add cooked dil leaves and Moong Dal mix.

• Saute for 2 minutes on a medium flame.
• Add 1 table spoon grated coconut and saute for 1 more minute.

• Add salt for taste and simmer for 5 mins.

   Method:  Bassaru

• Heat oil in a kadai,  saute garlic, jeera and onion one after the other.
• Blend together 3 table spoon of cooked dal, 1 table spoon grated coconut and the rest of the mix got from 1st step.

• Add water to make smooth paste.
• Heat oil in a kadai. Saute mustard, curry leaves in oil.
• Add the collected dal cooked water(veggie stock or broth), cook for 5 minutes.

• Add ground masala paste and sambar powder, chilli powder .
• When it starts boiling add tomatoes.

• Add salt according to taste. 
• Add finely chopped coriander leaves and switch off the flame.

PS:  This dish goes well with raagi mudde (ragi balls) and rice.

Restaurent-Style Punjabi Paneer Butter Masala Recipe | Paneer Makhani Recipe | Paneer Makhni Receipe

 Paneer Butter Masala is one of  a popular Indian dish. A delicious Punjabi recipe made with, paneer, cooked in spicy rich tomato gravy. Here is a restaurant style mouth watering recipe where I have used home made Paneer, home made fresh cream, all the home made purees and pastes.

Preparation Time: 60 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• 3 big tomatoes - pureed
• 250 g paneer – cubed or paneer made with ½ ltr milk
• 2 big onions
• 1 table spoon ginger-garlic paste
• 1 table spoon red chilli powder
• 3 table spoon cashew nut paste
• 1 table spoon tomato ketchup
• ½  table spoon turmeric powder
• ½  table spoon kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves)
• 2 table spoon garam masala powder
• salt and lemon juice - to taste
• 3 table spoon butter
• 3 table spoon fresh cream
• ½ a cup milk
• fresh coriander - chopped for garnish

Method:

• Take 1 table spoon of ghee, heat in a pan for 2 mins, the saute the paneer cubes in it till golden brown; Now take 1 cup hot water, add a pinch of salt and turmeric powder to it and immerse the paneer cubes in it for 10-12 mins. Then remove the pieces, drain them on a tissue paper and keep aside.

• Skin two onions and blanch them(boil in hot water for 3 mins, then transfer to cold water) then puree them to form a paste.
• Do the same with tomatoes, unless you are using tomato puree directly.
• Prepare a paste of cashew soaked in water for 2 hours.

• Heat 2 table spoon of butter in a pan,  and 1 big chopped onion. Fry until golden brown. 
• Add ginger-garlic paste. Fry for a minute.
• Add  prepared onion paste, saute for 3 minutes, till light-brown.. Add chilli powder followed by the cashew paste and fry for 5 mins.

• Add tomato puree, tomato ketchup, crushed kasuri methi, turmeric powder, garam masala and salt. Stir and let it simmer for some time.
•  Add a small cup of milk and let it cook on medium heat till you get the desired curry consistency. 

• Add the paneer cubes and simmer for 4-5 minutes.Remove from fire, stir in remaining butter and fresh cream.

• Garnish with coriander leaves. 

• Serve the Paneer Butter Masala with any bread of your choice, roti , pulao or simply jeera rice.

Stuffed Brinjal | Bharwan Baingan | Stuffed Eggplant | Konkani Style Bharyl Vayngan

Brinjal is a very tasty vegetable, which enhances the flavor and nutrition value of any dish when added.  Stuffed Brinjal is a delicious Maharashtrian recipe, made by slicing Brinjal lengthwise and filling it with an awesome blend of Indian spices.

Preparation Time: 45 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• 8 small Egg plant or Brinjal
• 2 large sliced Onion
• ½ a cup grated coconut 
• 1’’ ginger
• 6 clove of garlic
• 6 cloves
• 4 or 5 green cardamom pods
• 1" piece of cinnamon
• 5-6 Red chillies
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 3 tblsp chopped finely coriander Leaves
• 5 table spoon  Oil 
• Salt to taste

Method:

• Wash and split the Brinjal into four parts, while keeping them together at the stalk as shown in picture. Put them aside.

• Heat oil on medium heat in non stick pan.
• When it is hot, add the spices (cardamom, cloves, cinnamon), sauté them first.

• Now add half of the sliced onions and fry until brown.
• Add coconut and red chillies, stir fry until browned, remove and allow to cool.

• In a separate pan, put 1 table spoon of oil, put garlic, ginger and coriander leaves and sauté for 2 minutes.

• Grind all the above mixture, along with turmeric powder, salt to taste, to a paste using mixer.
• Add little water if needed.
• Stuff the Brinjal with this mixture, reserving some.

• Heat the remaining oil in a pan and add remaining onions and fry till brown.
• Keep the stuffed Brinjal on the pan one by one as shown in picture.

• Cook over low heat without burning, add the remaining mixer and little water if necessary, until done.

• Keep an eye. Serve hot with roti and curds.

PS:  Don’t put tamarind as the recipe tastes great with sour curds.