Gugani [Dry Peas Lentil With Potatoes]

A very popular spicy street dish of eastern India enjoyed equally by all walks of life,made using dry peas and cubes of potatoes.

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Dry Peas Lentil / Mattar Dal
• 2 Medium sized Potatoes
• 3 Medium sized Onions
• 1 tsp Garlic paste
• 1 tsp Ginger paste
• 3 Green Chilies
• ½ Cup Coriander Leaves
• 2 Medium sized Tomatoes
• Salt to taste
• Oil
• ½ tsp Garam Masala
• 1 tsp Turmeric Powder
• 1 tsp Red Chili Powder
• ½ tsp Cumin Seeds / Jeera
• ¼ tsp Nigella / Black Cumin Seeds / Kalonji
• 1 tsp Coriander Powder
• Water

Method:

• Keep the Dry Peas Lentil soaked in water for about 6 hours adding Salt to it.
• Pressures cook it then for about 5 min.
• In a frying pan fry small cube pieces of potatoes till golden brown.
• Now heat some Oil in the pan, add Cumin seeds and Black Cumin seeds into it and let it to splatter.
• Add chopped Onions to it  and sauté till golden brown.
• Add Garlic & Ginger paste along with finely chopped green chilies.
• Now add chopped Tomatoes adding little water till they get soft.
• Now add all the remaining ingredients to this along with spices.(Add water if required)
• Keep covered to cook on medium flame for 10 min.
• Garnish with Garam Masala and Coriander Leaves.
• Serve hot with Roti, Puri, Paratha or Bun.

For any further clarification please do watch the video.

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Microwave Aloo Paneer Curry [Potato and Cottage Cheese]

Cooking in microwave can be fun and easy plus tasty. Today we are going to make a very tasty recipe of cottage cheese that even a child can prepare.

Ingredients (Serving 4) :

• 300 gms Cottage Cheese / Paneer
• 2 Medium sized Potatoes / Aloo
• ¼ Cup Milk
• Oil
• 2 to 3 Cups Water
• Salt to taste
• ½ tsp Red Chili Powder
• 1 tsp Turmeric Powder / Haldi
• 1 tsp  Fennel Powder / Saunf
• ½ tsp Ginger Powder / Saunth
• 1 tsp Dry Fenugreek / Kasoori Methi (Optional)
• ¼ tsp Green Cardamom Powder
• 3 Cloves
• ¼ tsp Cinnamon Powder
• ¼ tsp Cumin Seed Powder
• 1 to 2 Bay leaves
• ¼ tsp Garam Masala

Method:

1. In a bowl take some Oil and add diced Potatoes, Cottage Cheese, Salt, Bay Leaves and Dry Fenugreek Leaves.
2. Cover up the bowl and keep cooking on high power in microwave for about 8 to 10 mins.
3. Take out and add the rest of the spices along with water.
4. Cover up and keep to cook for another 5 to 8 min on high power.
5. After this add milk and cook for another 3 min.
6. Serve hot with Rice or Paratha.

Tips:

• In microwave cooking use small vessels when possible and cook covered, this saves time and energy.
• Don’t add at once too much water while cooking.

For any further clarification please do watch the video.

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One Pot Sookhe Ya Tariwala Kala Channa [Black Chickpea]

Black Chichpea make a very tasty soup recipe .You can also evapourate the whole of water from it and have it dry as Masala Wala Kala Channa. Its a low Calorie diet and as being anti sugar good for diabetic patients.

Ingredients:

• 500 gms Bengal horse gram / Black chickpea / Kala Channa
• 2 tsp Salt or as per taste
• 2 tbsp Oil
• 3 medium sized Onion
• 7 to 8 Garlic cloves
• 1 inch Ginger paste
• 2 Green Chilies
• ½ tsp Baking Soda / Edible Soda / Metha Soda
• ½ tsp Turmeric Powder
• 1 tsp Cumin Seeds / Jeera
• 1 tsp Garam Masala
• ½ tsp Grounded Peppercorn (Optional) to make more hot
• 1 tsp Coriander / Dhania Powder
• 1 tsp Dry Mango Powder / Amchoor
• ½ tsp Carom Seeds /Ajwain

Method:

1. Keep the Kala Channa soaked in enough water adding 1 tsp of Salt and Baking soda for about 8 to 12 hours.
2. Take a pressure cooker and heat some Oil in it.
3. Add now the Cumin seeds and Carom seeds in the hot oil and let them to splatter.
4. Now add the chopped Onions and green chilies .Let the onions fry till golden brown.(Take out a part of fried onions to use for garnish later.)
5. Add the Ginger & Garlic paste and sauté for a while.
6. Pour the whole of the soaked Kala Channa with its water (You can add more water if required.) in the cooker adding all the grounded spices and salt as per taste and requirement except Garam Masala.
7. Keep it to pressure cook for about 30 to 45 minutes till the kala Channa gets tender.
8. After this add the Garam Masala and the remaining fried onions and keep on to cook for just 5 minutes more.
9. Serve hot with Puri or Paratha.

Tips :

• Instead of adding all these spices you can also try out ready made Channa Masala available in the market.

For any further clarification please do watch the video.

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Original Kashmiri Shahi Dum Aloo

Today we will be making Dum Aloo a very famous vegetarian recipe from Kashmir made with fried potatoes in yoghurt gravy sauce and cooked on a low flame tightly covered over a long period of time -this is exactly what is signified as Dum Aloo.

Ingredients(Serving 4): 

• 12 Baby Potatoes
• 2 tsp Fennel Seed Powder
• ½ tsp Dry Ginger Powder
• 1 ½ tbsp Curd
• 1 ½ tsp Red Kashmiri Chili Powder ( It has a different flavor giving dark color yet is not too hot )
• ¼ tsp Turmeric Powder
• ¼ tsp Cinnamon Powder
• 2 Black & 3 Green Cardamom Powder
• 3 Crushed Cloves
• ½ tsp Shahi Jeera / Black Cumin Seeds
• ½ tsp Cumin Seed / Jeera Powder
• ¼ tsp Garam Masala
• Salt to taste
• Oil to fry 
• 3 Glasses Water

Method:

1. Boil and peel the Potatoes.
2. Pierce them with a tooth pick.
3. Heat enough oil in a frying pan to deep fry the Potatoes till golden brown.
4. Keep the fried Potatoes aside, put off the burner and take out the excess oil out of the pan.
5. Now in the hot oil add Red Chili powder along with Black & Green Cardamom powder and crushed cloves. Mix well for a while.
6. Pour the curd in it now and mixing, properly for a minute put on the burner keeping it on a low flame. ( Be careful that the curd doesn’t curdle )
7. Add water.
8. Now add all the other remaining spices and salt.
9. As the gravy comes to boil add the fried potatoes and cover the pan.
10. Keep this to cook, covered for about 25 to 30 min on a low flame.
11. By this time the Dum Aloo turns tender and absorbs gravy in it turn of the stove.
12. Serve hot with Rice.

Tips:

• Don’t boil your Potatoes to become too tender, but if steaming in a pressure cooker just give them 1 whistle.
• Piercing help in absorption of oil and gravy.

For any further clarification please do watch the video.

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Khatay Karela Baingan Sabzi [Bitter Melon With Eggplant]

Bitter Melon along with Eggplant makes a very tasty simple easy to cook recipe that can be enjoyed with Rice or Roti. It’s a bit tangy in flavor because of the use of curd in it. This dish is a part of Kashmiri Cuisine.
Ingredients (Serving 4) :

• 400 gms Karela / Bitter Gourd / Bitter Melon
• 400 gms Baingan / Egg Plant
• Oil to fry
• Salt to taste
• 1 Cup or 200 gms Curd
• 1 tsp Turmeric Powder
• ½ tsp Chili Powder
• ¼ tsp Shahi Jeera / Caraway/Black Cumin Seeds
• ¼  tsp Garam Masala
• 1 ½ tsp Fennel Seed Powder / Saunf
• ½ tsp Dry Ginger Powder / Saunth
• ¼ tsp Cumin Seed Powder
• 2 Cloves
• 2 Chilies

Method:

1. Peel and wash the Karela’s and cut into half. (Take out any hard seeds if found)
2. Wash and cut the Eggplant too into long squarely pieces.
3. Heat the oil in a pan and then put the Eggplant to fry till golden brown.
4. After frying take out the Eggplant in a bowl and repeat the process with Bitter Melon.
5. Now in the remaining oil (Take out the excess oil if you want) add Curd, Turmeric powder, chili powder, Shahi Jeera, Cumin seed powder, Cloves, Fennel powder, Dry Ginger powder and Salt
6. Mix well and then add the fried karela and Baingan along with a glass of water.
7. Cook for 10 min covered on medium flame till the Karela becomes tender.
8. Serve with Rice or Roti.

Tips:

• Keep the peeled Bitter Melon soaked in salted water for couple of hours to minimize the bitterness.
• Fry the Eggplant before frying Bitter Melon

For any further clarification please do watch the video.

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Spicy Shahi Paneer

Paneer or the Cottage Cheese is easily available in the grocery stores or can be prepared at home. As the Paneer is made of milk it is rich in calcium. Shahi Paneer is a house hold Indian dish that is made with lot of delicacy. Usually all the recipes made out of Paneer are awesome and difficult to resist. But Shahi Paneer is the most common yet too tasty and easy to make recipe.

Ingredients (Serving 4) :

• Oil
• 500 gms Cottage Cheese / Paneer
• Few Bay leaves
• Water
• 3 Cloves
• 2 Medium Sized Onions
• Salt to Taste
• ½  inch Ginger & 3 Garlic Paste
• 3 Green Cardamom Powder
• 1 Black Cardamom Powder
• 1 ½ tsp Kashmiri Red Chili Powder(Mild hot but has a good color and flavor)
• ¼ tsp Cinnamon Powder
• 1 tbsp Tomato Puree
• ¼ tsp Turmeric Powder / Haldi
• ¼ tsp Shahi Jeera / Caraway/Black Cumin Seeds
• 1 tsp Coriander Powder / Dhania
• ¼ tsp Cumin / jeera Seed Powder
• ¼ tsp Garam Masala

Method:

1. Cut the Paneer pieces in any shape as you like.
2. Deep fry or shallow fry them in a non stick pan just for a while till they are golden in color.
3. Strain out the fried Cottage cheese pieces and keep it dipped in water till we prepare the curry or gravy.
4. In the hot Oil add the Bay leaves and Cloves then the finely grated Onions.
5. Add Salt and then sauté the Onions till they are transparent.
6. Now add the Ginger & Garlic paste and again sauté for a while.
7. After this add Green & Black Cardamom Powder, Red Chili Powder and Cinnamon Powder.
8. And then pour the Tomato puree in it.
9. Mix well and then add Turmeric Powder.
10. After sautéing this for a minute adds the Paneer pieces along with as much water in the pan that they are completely dipped in it.
11. Then we will add and mix the rest of the spices that is Black Cumin seeds, Coriander powder and Cumin seed powder.
12. Cover the pan now and keep the Paneer to cook for 15 minutes on a low flame till the water is a bit evaporated and the pieces of Paneer absorb the masala turning spongy increasing a bit in size.
13. This will make sure that the Shahi Paneer is ready.
14. Garnish it with Garam Masala and Coriander Leaves.
15. You can serve it hot with Paratha or Rice.

Tips:

• The gravy and a Paneer recipe is more tasty when it is made of full cream milk.

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Dahi Besan Ki Kadhi With Onion Pakora

Dahi Besan Ki Kadhi is basically an North Western Indian recipe but prepared and enjoyed all over India. It has a tangy and a bit spicy flavor. It is a very healthy and light dish low in calorie made usually during summer days.Its main ingredient is Gram flour and Yoghourt that gives it a tangy taste.

Ingredients:

• For Pakoras
• 2 Onions-Medium Sized
• ½ tsp Salt
• ¼ Red Chili
• 3 tbsp of Besan /Gram Flour/Chickpea Flour
• 1 tsp Kasoori Methi/Dried Fenugreek Leaves
• Water
• Oil for Frying
• For Dahi Besan Gravy
• 300 gms or1 ½ Cup Curd
• 3 tbsp of Besan /Gram Flour/Chickpea Flour
• 2 tbsp Oil
• 3 Dry Red Chilies
• A Few Bay leaves(optional)
• A few Curry Leaves
• ½ Onion Seeds (Kalonji)
• ½ tsp Fenugreek seeds (Methi)
• 2 Onions-Medium Sized
• 1 tsp Salt
• ½ tsp Turmeric Powder
• ½ tsp Red Chili Powder
• Cloves {Optional}
• Water
• ¼ tsp Garam Masala

Method (Pakoras)

1. Take finely chopped Onions, salt, Gram Flour, Kasoori Methi, Red Chili Pwdr and atleast 2 to 3 tbsp of water in a bowl and mix well to form a paste like consistency batter.
2. Heat Oil in a frying pan and when oil is hot enough add teaspoonful of batter in the hot oil for frying 4 to 5 each time in batches.
3. Tilt and move the Pakoras upside down so that they are properly fried till they turn golden brown in color.
4. Take them out and keep aside.

Method (Dahi Besan Gravy) :

1. In a bowl mix Curd and Besan well enough adding 2 glasses of water to form a semi thick syrup.
2. Take a Pan and heat 2 tbsp of Oil.
3. Then add Red Chilies, Bay Leaves, Curry Leaves, Onion Seeds, Fenugreek Seeds, Cloves in the Oil
4. Let it splatter for a while.
5. After this add chopped Onions and saute it till they turn translucent
6. Now pour the Besan and Curd mixture in the pan and add salt, Red Chili Powder, Turmeric Powder along with 2 glasses of water.
7. Add the Pakoras in the Kadhi now and keep it cooking to boil for 5 minutes on medium flame.
8. At last dash it with little Garam Masala and serve hot with Rice or Bread.

Tips:

• If you are to serve the recipe a couple of hour after preparation then leave the kadhi on a thinner side while cooking as it will itself become thick after keeping for time being.
• Using Mustard Oil for frying does not make the reuse of left out oil unhealthy.
• Make sure that the Oil is hot enough for frying otherwise the batter will stick to the base of frying pan while frying. For this just drop a little bit of batter in the oil, if it doesn’t stick and you see bubbles in the oil then its ready to go.
• Fry the Pakoras on medium flame heat.

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Bottle Gourd In Curd Gravy- Dahi Wali Lauki

This tasty plus easy to make recipe made of Ghiya or Lauki is a very lite dish, good for digestion and low in calorie. It’s ideal to have it during summers with rice
Ingredients: (Serving 4)

• Bottle Gourd ( Lauki) 750gms
• Fresh Curd 750gms
• Shahi jeera (caraway) 1tsp
• Salt 1 tap or as per taste
• 3 Cloves
• Cumin Seed Powder 1tsp
• Cinnamon (Dalchini) 1" inch stick
• Fennel seed Powder (Saunf) 2 tsp
• Garam masala ½ tsp
• Ginger Powder (Saunth) ½ tsp
• 3 Green Cardamoms
• 1 Black Cardamoms
• Oil
• Water

Method:

• Peel and cut Bottle Gourd ( Lauki) in big cube size pieces.
• Heat oil in a frying pan and fry the Lauki pieces till they are golden brown.
• After frying take out the pieces of Lauki and keep them aside.
• In the remaining oil (You can take out the excess oil if you want before preparation of gravy)add Shahi Jeera and cloves.
• As soon it splatters add the fried Lauki in it.
• Now pour 1 ½ glass of water.
• Add the other grounded spices now – Fennel seed powder, Cumin seed powder, Ginger powder and salt. Mix all these properly.
• Cover up the pan and keep it to cook for 10 min on medium flame.
• After this remove the cover and add the Yoghurt (Curd), powder of Cinnamon, powder of Green & Black Cardamom.
• Keep it to cook for another 3 to 4 min.

Please do see the video above.

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Egg And Potatoes Spicy Masala Curry

Egg and Potatoes spicy masala curry is a delicious, very different and unique recipe in which the egg and potatoes are fried before cooking. Perfect tasty dish to cook for unexpected guest at home with ingredients:-

Ingredients:


• Onion 2 Big Size
• Potatoes 4 Medium Size
• Tomato Puree 2 tbsp
• Hard Boiled Eggs 5
• Oil 4 tbsp for frying
• Cumin Seeds 1 tsp
• Kashmiri Chili Powder 2 tsp
• Turmeric Powder 1 ½ tsp
• Coriander Powder 1 ½ tsp
• Fennel Seed Powder 1 tsp
• Ginger & Garlic Paste 2 tsp
• Garam Masala 1 tsp
• Salt 1 ½ tsp or to taste
• Coriander (Dhania) Leaves
• Water

Method:

1. Take a frying pan and heat the oil. (Check if the oil is ready for frying by putting a Cumin seed into it; if there is a crackling sound then it can said to be ready)
2. When the oil is hot enough ready to fry, put semi round cut pieces of Potatoes into it.
3. Fry the Potatoes till they are crispy and golden brown in color. (Pierce the Potatoes before frying)
4. Take out the excess oil from the pan.
5. Now put the Eggs to fry till the outer layer is golden brown and crispy (Pierce the Eggs before frying)
6. Take out the Eggs now and keep aside.
7. In the remaining hot oil add Cumin seeds. After they start crackling put onions in the frying pan and fry till golden brown or translucent/.
8. Add now ginger & garlic Paste. Sauté for a minute.
9. After this now add all the remaining ingredients that are - Cumin Seeds, Chili Powder, Turmeric Powder, Coriander Powder, Fennel Seed Powder, Garam Masala, Tomato Puree and Salt.
10. Stir and mix the entire ingredients properly and add 2 glasses of water to make the gravy.
11. At last put the fried Potatoes & Eggs in the gravy, cover the pan and put it on medium flame for 10 min to cook.
12. After 10 min check your curry and then garnish it with Coriander leaves

Tips:

1. Piercing help better absorption of oil, spices and moisture by the food; thus helps in fast and evenly cooking of food from both inside and outside.
2. Don’t boil the Eggs for more than 10 min to avoid its internal chemical reaction that results in blue color.

Variations:

• Instead of Tomato Puree you can use fresh Tomatoes also.

Please do watch the video above.

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Aloo Gobi [Potatoes & Cauliflower] Masala Fry Curry

Simple, healthy and easy to make potatoes and Cauliflower recipe using minimum spices and ingredients. You just need some main ingredients that are Turmeric powder, Cumin seed, Cumin powder, Coriander powder, few cardamons, coriander leaves and fresh ginger.

Ingredients(Serving 4)

• Cauliflower 1 Medium Sized
• Potatoes 3 Big to Medium Sized
• Cumin Seeds(Jeera) 1tsp
• Coriander (Dhania)Leaves 1 tbsp
• Shredded Fresh Ginger 1 inch
• Turmeric powder 1 tsp
• Coriander Powder 1 tsp
• Cumin(Jeera) Powder ½ tsp
• Oil 2 tbsp
• Salt 1 tsp (as per taste)
• Garam Masala ½ tsp
• Green cardamom 2
• Black Cardamom 1
• Water 2 Glass

Method

1. Heat the oil in a frying pan
2. Next add the cut pieces of potatoes into it and fry them till golden brown.
3. Take out the fried potatoes in a bowl and keep aside.
4. Now add the cauliflower in the pan to fry it till golden brown.
5. After the cauliflower gets fried up take it out.
6. Now in the remaining oil add ginger, cumin seeds, turmeric powder, Coriander Powder, Cumin Powder, crushed green & black cardamom and garam masala. Sauté the spices for a while. Be careful not to over cook the spices.
7. Pour 2 glasses of water to it along with salt.
8. Add now the fried potatoes and cauliflower kept aside.
9. Cover the pan with the lid and keep on cooking at a medium flame for 7 to 10 min till its soft.
10. Take the curry out now and sprinkle with garam masala and coriander leaves to garnish.

Tips:

• As we are frying the vegetables here, use a frying pan having depth so that potatoes and cauliflower get fried up nicely using less oil/
• Cauliflowers splatter while adding it in oil so be at a bit distance.
• You can test if the oil is hot enough for frying by adding a cumin seed into it; if the cumin seed start crackling and comes up its good to go.
• Pierce the potatoes before frying so that it gets soft inside and absorbs all the spices and salt nicely.

Please do watch the video above.

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Lotus Root Curd Curry

This tangy and tasty vegetarian dish is made of lotus stem and it is low in calorie but high in iron.The main ingredients required are curd, Fennel seed powder, Dry Ginger Powder and Garam Masala

Ingredients: (Serving 4)

• 500gms Lotus Root
• Oil
• ½ tsp Garam Masala
• ½ tsp Cumin seed Powder
• 2 tsp Fennel seed Powder
• 2 Black Cardamom
• 2 Green Cardamom
• Few Cloves
• 1 inch Cinnamon stick
• ½ tsp Ginger Powder
• Salt (According to taste)
• 250gms or 1 Cup Curd

Method
Take some oil in the Frying Pan and fry the cut pieces of Lotus stem for just 5 minutes.Take them out aside and put them in another Pan. Now pour a glass full of water over it and add salt to taste, 1 tsp fennel seed powder, 1 tsp powder of 2 cloves + Cinnamon stick + Green Cardamom + Black Cardamom all grinded together, ¼ fry Ginger powder, ¼ tsp Cumin seed Powder. Cover the Pan with a lid and keep it to cook for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile on the other side prepare the curd gravy by adding curd in the oil along with the spices, which are 1 tsp Fennel seed powder, ¼ tsp Dry Ginger Powder,¼ tsp Cumin seed Powder. Evenly mix all the spices with the curd and boil the gravy for couple of minutes. After this pours your gravy into the Lotus stem that you had left to cook. Now cook your curry for just 10 minutes. At last sprinkle a bit of Garam Masala over it. Serve this tangy dish hot along with rice
Please do watch the video above.

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