Yellow Dal Fry

After a long break I am here again in my blog. Due to some other priorities I was not able to post any new recipes in my blog and for that I am really very sorry to all my followers. As a foodie I never stopped to cook good food but any how didn't manage to take photos and write recipes. Missing my blog and page very much so no more regrets because I am not going to stop cooking.

As a daily routine I need to cook dal at my home because without a dal my husband doesn't want to eat. So often I try to find out a new dal recipe. Last week one of my friends called us for dinner and she prepared some nice YELLOW DAL FRY. The taste of the dal was  really awesome so I didnt stop myself to prepare it at home to share with all of u.

Ingredients:

1.Mixed Dal: half cup.

2.One large chopped onion.

3.One large chopped tomato.

4.One tea spoon ginger garlic paste.

5.Turmeric powder, Rec chili Powder, Cumin Powder, Coriander Powder (half tea spoon of each item).

6.Salt and sugar as per taste.

7.Sunflower oil for cooking.

For Tarka:

1.Few cumin seeds, 2 dry red chili, 1 bay leaf.

2.One tea spoon chopped garlic.

3.One tea spoon chopped ginger.

4.One tea spoon Kashmiri red chili powder.

5.One table spoon ghee.

6.chopped Coriander leaves for garnishing.

Process:

Wash and soak the dal for 30 mints.

Now in a pressure cooker add some oil, allow it to hot now add the chopped onion and chopped tomatoes and cook till the onions are transparent.

Now add the ginger and garlic paste and cook till the raw smell goes off. Now add some salt and sugar and mix well.

Now in bowl add all the spices powder and mixed with some water and add it to the cooker and cook it till the oil separate.

Now add the soaked dal (without the water) and cook for few mints.

Now add some water (around one cup) and cook till 4 to 5 whistle.

Your dal is ready now time for tarka.

In a small pan add half off the ghee and the Kashmiri red chili powder and fry for some time, now sprinkle it on top of the dal.

Now in the same pan add rest of the ghee and slowly add the cumin seeds, dry red chili, bay leaf, chopped ginger and garlic and fry for some time.

Now sprinkle it on top of the dal, and garnish with some chopped coriander leaves.

Your YELLOW DAL FRY is ready serve hot with plain rice or roti.

Methi Malai Matar.

Took a small break from my blog world because my husband was not in the country so I was actually not in a mood to cook anything special for me and my daughter. He came back on last weekend so I also got some inspiration and energy to cook something special and different for him. But while entering into the kitchen my mind was completely empty, there was some fresh methi leaves in my fridge so I thought to prepare some dish with the methi leaves. And finally I prepared some delicious METHI MALAI MATAR.

The specialty of this dish is fresh methi leaves and peas /Matar which makes it super yummy with some fresh cream. The recipe is super easy which I ate long time back in one of my friends house. This dish is perfect with plain roti or paratha.

Ingredients:

1.Fresh Methi Leaves: 1 bunch.

2.One cup frozen peas.

3.One medium sliced onion.

4.Two clove chopped  garlic.

5.One inch chopped ginger.

6.One table spoon charmagaz (melon seeds).

7.Pinch of garam masala, Pinch of cumin powder, Pinch of red chili powder, Pinch of kasoori methi.

8.Few cumin seeds, few cloves, few cardamom.

9.Half cup milk.

10.Two table spoon fresh cream.

11. Salt and sugar as per taste.

12.Sunflower oil for cooking.

Process:

Wash and chopped the methi leaves and keep it aside.

Now add one tea spoon oil in a vessel and allow it to hot, now add the cloves and cardamoms now add the sliced onions, chopped ginger, chopped garlic and fry for some time.

Now add the melon seeds and saute for few seconds now switch of the flame and allow it to cool down.

Now make a fine paste with some water with the fried ingredients and keep it aside.

Now add some more oil in the same vessel and allow it to hot, then add the cumin seeds and next add the frying onion paste and cook till the raw smell goes off.

Now add the chopped methi leaves and mix well and cook with a lid for 5 mints in low flame.

Now remove the lid and add the frozen peas and cook for another 5 mints with the lid, next add some salt, sugar, red chili powder, garam masala powder, cumin powder, kasoori methi and mix well and cook for another couple of mints.

Now add the milk and cook for 4 to 5 mints in low flame with a lid and finally add the fresh cream and mix well and cook for 2 more mints with the lid.

Now remove the lid and your easy METHI MALAI MATAR is ready serve hot with Roti or Paratha.

Badhakopir Ghanto/Cabbage mishmash: From my maa's kitchen.

In daily food menu needs to be cooked in less oil for health purpose and I also love to follow this. Because oily foods are not good for every day, so better to use some less oil in our daily items. Today I was actually thinking to share one of my Mother’s cabbage recipes which is a very tasty dish and you can cook  this in very less oil. This is an authentic Bengali dish called BADHAKOPIR GHANTO.

Cabbage is not my favorite that’s why maa tried to cook in this way some time, and this one is my favorite. Few of my vegetarian friends are asking for a simple cabbage recipe from long time hope this one can be a perfect dish for them. In Bengali term ‘GHANTO’ means where veggies mishmash in their own way and the dish looks like bonding of veggies.

Ingredients:

1.Cabbage: Cut into small square shape (one big cup).

2.One medium potato: Cut into medium size.

3.Brinjal or Eggplant: Half of a medium size ( Cut into small square shape).

4.One small size chopped tomato.

5.Paanch Foron: ½ tea spoon. (Methi seeds, cumin seeds, Mustard seeds, Kalonji, Fennel seeds).

6.Mustard seeds: 1 tea spoon.

7.Poppy seeds: 1 tea spoon.

8.Turmeric powder: ½ tea spoon.

9.Two split green chilies.

10.Salt and Sugar as per taste.

11.Two to three table spoon of mustard oil (if you want you can add more).

Process:

In a vessel add half table spoon of oil allow it to hot then add the brinjal pieces with some salt and fry it with a cover for 2 to 4 mints. Now remove from the heat and keep it aside.

Now first make a paste with poppy seeds and mustard seeds with some water and keep it aside.

Now in the same vessel add rest of the oil and allow it to hot, now add the paanch foron, after few seconds add the potato pieces, tomato pieces and the green chilies and saute for few mints.
Next add the cabbage and mix well. 

Now add the turmeric powder, salt and sugar and mix well, now cook this in medium heat till the veggies 80% done.

Now add the fried brinjal and mix well, finally add the mustard and poppy seeds paste and mix well.

Now cook this with a lid for few more mints or till the veggies mix with each other nicely.

Your BADHAKOPIR GHANTO is ready before serving sprinkle some ready made fried Bori or lentil dumplings.

Andhra Style Brinjal Curry or Baby Eggplant Curry

After a long time I purchased some baby eggplants or Brinajl from shop, while buying only I am really excited because eggplant is one of my favorite vegetables. I really didn’t want to cook them in simple way so I tried to cook it in Andhra style. And they turned out too good. The taste of tamarind made this dish so different. I think this one is perfect for Roti or you can have with rice also.

The baby eggplants are really soft so you don’t need to cook for a long time, but the freshness of the brinjals gave this dish a different look also. I added some fresh coconut also to make the gravy thick. A very easy way to feast yourself with this simple EGGPLANT CURRY, and perfect for vegetarian guests too.

Ingredients:

1.Few baby eggplants (4 to 6).

2.One medium sliced onion.

3.One large chopped tomato.

4.Two green chili.

5.One tea spoon ginger paste.

6.One tea spoon garlic paste.

7.Half cup shredded coconut.

8.Half tea spoon red chili powder.

9.Half tea spoon coriander powder.

10.Few mustard seeds, Few meethi/fenugreek seeds, one dry red chili, Few curry leaves.

11.Sunflower oil for cooking.

12.Salt and Sugar as per taste.

13.one table spoon tamarind pulp water.

Process:

Wash the baby eggplants, now cut them on top horizontally and vertically like + but don’t cut it completely.

Now add some oil in a vessel and fry the brinjal pieces with a cover, just fry till the brinjals look soft and keep them aside.

Now in a different vessel and some oil, allow it to hot then add the sliced onions and fry them till the onions are soft. Now add the ginger garlic paste and sauté for some time.

Now add the chopped tomato, red chili powder and coriander powder salt and shredded coconut and cook for 4 to 5 mint in low flame with a cover.

Now allow it to cool and make a fine paste with the masala mix.

Now add some oil In a separate bowl, then add the mustard seeds, meethi seeds, curry leaves and dry red chili then slowly add the masala mix and cook for few mints.

Now add some sugar and the tamarind pulp water and some extra water also and mix well, now cook this with a cover till the oil start floating on top.

Now add the fried baby eggplants and cook for another 3 to 4 mints with cover.

Now switch off the flame you easy BABY EGGPLANT  CURRY or MASALA BRINJAL  is ready to serve.

Tomato Polao

My daughter doesn't like to have rice this days I don’t know why, may be she is bored with the simple dal rice.  So I started to give her Roti, Noodles types of things. But anyhow I felt she needs to have some rice at least once in a day. So I started to make veg polao, egg poalo and she really likes to have little sweet taste rice preparation. Today while making her lunch I thought to try something else so that I can also have, and I made some TOMATO POLAO. She just loved it and me too. I had this before in one of my friend's place but never tried something at home.

A quick one but this is very tasty rice preparation. This dish is very famous in south India as Tomato Rice but i love to call this Tomato Polao. Any kind of veg curry is perfect with this dish but I love to have with a bowl of curd only. 

Ingredients:
1.Raw Rice or Sonamusuri Rice : one cup.
2.Two medium chopped tomato.
3.One medium fresh tomato puree.
4.One small sliced onion.
5.One tea spoon ginger and garlic paste.
6.Few curry leaves.
7.Few mustard seeds.
8.Cumin Powder, Red chili powder: ½ tea spoon of each item. Pinch of turmeric powder.
9.Few clove, 2 cardamom, One small cinnamon stick.
10.One green chili (you can add more).
11.Pinch of kasuri meethi.
12.Few methi leaves.
13.Few coriander leaves for garnishing.
14.Salt and sugar as per taste.
15.sunflower oil: 2 tea spoon
16.Ghee: ½ tea spoon.

Process:

Wash and clean the rice and keep it aside.

In a heavy bottomed vessel add the ghee and the oil, now add the mustard seeds, cardamom, clove and cinnamon stick wait for 30 seconds now add the sliced onions add the curry leaves , Saute for 3 to 4 mints.

Now add the chopped tomato and tomato puree and cook for 3 to 4 mints.

 Now add the ginger garlic paste with all the spices powder and cook till the oil separate.

Now add the kasuri methi, fresh chopped methi leaves and some salt and sugar and mix well.

Now add the washed rice and mix well with everything for few mints.

Now add enough water and cook till the rice done.

Your easy TOMATO POLAO is ready serve hot with raita and sliced onion.

Dahi Paneer or Paneer Cooked in Yogurt Gravy

Paneer or Indian cottage cheese is an important dish at my place or I can say Paneer is a best substitute for non-veg dishes. I love to cook paneer in different ways so that he likes to eat otherwise he only loves Palak Paneer. Few days back in a cookery show I saw a nice paneer dish and that is DAHI PANEER - Paneer cooked with lots of whole spices in yogurt gravy. The taste is really different than any other Paneer dish.

I made this dish in his birthday and he liked it so much and I am really happy for that. I love to add potato in few of the paneer dishes. After I finished cooking somehow I felt if I added potato also this dish would become more tasty. 

Ingredients:
1.Paneer: 100 gm.
2.One small cup of curd.
3.Two table spoon besan or gram flour.
4.One small piece of tomato.
5.One inch ginger.
6.One green chili.
7.Turmeric powder, Red chili powder, Cumin powder:1/2 tea spoon of each item.
8.Few cumin seeds, Few fenugreek seeds, Few ajwain, Few fennel seeds, Few mustard seeds.
9.Pinch of garam masala.
9.Salt and sugar as per taste.
10.Sunflower oil for cooking.

Process:

Cut the paneer in cube size pieces.

Now add some oil in a vessel lets it become hot now add the paneer pieces and fry for some time and remove it from the vessel and keep it aside.

Add the besan into the curd and mix it nicely and keep it aside. Make a paste with ginger tomato pieces and green chili.

Now add some more oil into the vessel and slowly add all the whole spices (no 8) and allow them to start leaving the smell.

Now add the ginger tomato paste into the vessel and stir for some time. Now add all the spices powder with some salt and sugar and mix well. Cook till the oil come out from the masala.

Now add the curd and besan mixture into the vessel and mix well, cook for a minute.

Now add enough water and the fried paneer pieces and cook with a lid for 5 to 6 mints.

Now remove your DAHI PANEER from heat, now its ready to  serve. Perfect with Roti Paratha or any kind of rice, simple and tasty.

Misti Cholar Dal

Today is Janmasthami - lord Krishna’s birthday, almost every part of India celebrate this auspicious day with lots of wishes and some mouthwatering dishes. For hindus lord Krishna is symbol of intelligence and we all believe that lord Krishna is a small kid and try to make him happy with our puja and prasad. 

Today I prepared few of the authentic Bengali dishes to celebrate JANMASTAMI, and among them one of my favorite dish is MISTI CHOLAR DAL or SWEET CHANA DAL. This one is a signature dish of Bengal and a perfect breakfast item. With LUCHI or PURI this dal just makes your breakfast perfect. My MAA made this with lots of love so I wanted to share my mother’s love with all of you.

Ingredients:
1.Cholar Dal or Chana Dal or Bengal Gram: One small cup.
2.One inch crushed ginger.
3.Few raisins.
4.Few cashew nuts.
5.One bay leave.
6.One dry red chili.
7.Few cumin seeds.
8.One small cinnamon stick.
9.Turmeric powder: 1 tea spoon.
10.Cumin Powder: Half tea spoon.
11.Bhaja Masla: ½ tea spoon (few cumin seeds, 2 dry red chili and  few coriander seeds, dry roast them and grind them). Garam Masla : ½ tea spoon.
12.Shreded coconut: 1 table spoon..
13.Chopped coconut (small bite size): one tea spoon.
14.Mustard oil for cooking.
15.Few drop of ghee.
16.Salt and sugar as per taste.

Process:

Boil the dal in a pressure cooker with some salt around 3 to 4 weasel (don’t over boil the dal).

Now take one heavy bottomed vessel and add the mustard oil, after the oil become hot add the cumin seeds, bay leave, cinnamon stick and the dry red chili, stir for few seconds.

Now reduce the heat and add the raisins and the cashew nuts and fry for few seconds.

Now add the crushed ginger, turmeric powder and cumin powder and stir for few seconds.

Now add the shredded coconut stir for few seconds, then add the boiled dal with the water and add some salt and sugar.

Cook with a lid in medium flame till the dal boil completely and a nice gravy come out with the water which we added while adding the boiling dal. Now add the garam masala and mix well.

Now in a separate vessel add the ghee and fry the chopped coconut till they turn little brownish.

Now serve the dal in a bowl and sprinkle the bhaja masla on top and garnish with fried chopped coconut. Enjoy this hot dal with some Luchi or Puri.

Stuffed Alur Dam

We may get bored with all other vegetables but never feel bore to have POTATO. The love towards potato will never end. And especially we Bengali’s just can’t think any curry without potato. Same for my husband, he also loves potato very much, if I ever ask him what vegetable  you want to have with Roti or Chapati his answer always the same any potato curry. That’s why I want to make potato curry in different style.

In Biye Bari or Wedding party a very famous dish is stuffed potato curry and one of my favorite items. Once I tried this at home long time before so I thought to share the recipe with all of you. There are so many recipes in the web but I cooked it in my own process. Potato is something which makes a dish perfect and tasty so you can’t stop yourself to make this dish.

Ingredients:

1.Two large potato.
2.Paneer or Indian cottage cheese: 100 gm.
3.Ten to Twelve chopped cashew nuts.
4.Eight to ten chopped raisin.
5.One table spoon smashed khoya or Milk Powder, One tea spoon corn flour.
6.One large sliced onion.
7.Two to three clove garlic.
8.One inch ginger.
9.Two chopped green chilies.
10.One medium chopped tomato. Chopped coriander leaves: A hands full.
11.Cumin Powder, Coriander Powder, Turmeric Powder, Kashmiri red chili powder (Half tea spoon of each item).
12. Pinch of Garam Masala.
13.One bay leave, Few clove, Few cardamom, Few cumin seeds, One dry red chili. 
14.One tea spoon curd.
15.One table spoon fresh cream.
16.Salt and sugar as per taste.
17.Sunflower oil for cooking.
18.Half tea spoon ghee.

Process:

Pill and boil the potatoes. Let it cool now smashed it with your hand and keep it in refrigerator for 30 mints (just to dry the smashed potatoes).

Now in a bowl add the paneer, khoya, chopped raisin and cashew nuts, pinch of salt, pinch of cumin powder and chopped green chilies. Now mix them all and make soft dough.

Now take out the smashed potato from the refrigerator and add pinch of salt and corn flour, and mix well. Now make small balls with the smashed potatoes, in each ball make a hole in the middle and add some paneer mixture on it and join the edges and make a stuffed ball.

Now add Ghee or Sunflower oil in a vessel and fry the stuffed potato balls in high flame till they turn little brown and remove from the heat.

Now for gravy, make a paste with onion, tomato, garlic and ginger with some water.
Now in a vessel and some oil, and slowly add the whole garam masala, now add the onion paste and stir for some time.

Now in a bowl whisked the curd with all the spices powder and mix well with some salt and sugar.

Now add the curd mixture in to the vessel and cook this in medium heat with a lid for 8 to 10 mints or till the oil came out.

Now add some water and chopped coriander leaves and again cook this with a lid for 5 mints.

Now your gravy is almost ready, add the fresh cream and the fried potato balls and sprinkle some ghee and cover with a lid for 3 to 4 mints.

Your Stuffed potato curry is ready. Slowly take out the stuffed balls from the gravy and serve hot with Plain Paratha or NAAN.

Bharwa Karela or Poor Bhora Ucche or Stuffed Bitter Gourd

Among all vegetables I really dislike Bitter gourd because of the bitterness and I find there is no taste also. But bitter gourd is really good for our health so for this reason some time I cook bitter gourd but try to cook some different way every time. This time tried some BHARWA KARELA  or STUFFED BITTER GOURD. 

My husband also doesn't like bitter gourd so for him also I tried this one for the very first time. And with the stuffed stuffs the bitterness of this is also not felt that much. So people like me who don’t like bitter gourd this recipe can be ideal for them.

Preparation time: 10 mint.
Cooking time: 20 mint.

Ingredients:
1.Two medium size bitter gourd or Kerela or Ucche.
2.One medium chopped onion.
3.One tea spoon poppy seeds.
4.Half tea spoon mustard seeds.
5.One tea spoon shredded coconut.
6.Pinch of kalonji.
7.Turmeric powder: Cumin Powder: Aamchur Powder:half tea spoon of each item.
8.One or two chopped green chilies.
9.Salt and sugar as per taste.
10.Mustard oil for cooking.

Process:
Wash and scrap the bitter gourds. First cut the edges of the bitter gourds, and then cut the bitter gourds form the middle. Now slit the karelas. Now with the help of a spoon take out all the seeds from the insides.

Now rub some salt into the bitter gourds (inside and outside both) and keep it like that for 20 mints.

After 20 mints wash them nicely to excess salt and bitter ness and boiled them in salted water till the karela pieces 90% cooked.

Now add some oil in a vessel and allow it to hot now add the kalonji and after the smell come out add the chopped onions and fry for some time.

Now add all the spices powder and fry for some time.

Now make a smooth paste with poppy seeds, mustard seeds and shredded coconut with some water. And add the mixture into the vessel with some salt and sugar and cook till the mixture dry.

Allow it to cool now with a help of  a spoon stuff the mixture into the bitter gourds.

Now add some oil in a frying pan and fry the stuffed bitter gourds slowly (all the sides except the side you stuff the mixture.

Serve hot with plain rice and dal.

Karahi Paneer

Except Paneer I didn't have anything at my home so planned to cook an authentic Paneer dish. Among all other Paneer preparation KARAHI PANEER is one of the famous North Indian dish. Especially in Dhaba, KARAHI PANEER is very popular. While making veg dinner my always first choice is KARAHI PANEER. I love the colorful pepper and the white paneer’s combination. 

KARAHI PANEER is made with lots of fresh bell pepper which gives the dish a nice look. The recipe is really easy but after having the dish you will get the restaurant flavor. My motto is to cook the authentic recipes but the steps should be easy to understand and especially for those who don’t have enough time for cooking.

Preparation time: 10 mints.
Cooking time: 20 mints.

Ingredients:
1.Paneer or Indian cottage cheese: 100 gm. (cut into cube size)
2.One medium onion: cut into cube size.
3.One inch ginger.
4.Four clove of garlic.
5.Two green chili, Two medium size tomato.
6.Red, Yellow, Green bell pepper: one cup (cut into cube size).
7.Two table spoon heavy cream.
8.One dry red chili, few coriander seeds.
9.Pinch of kasoori methi.
10.Half tea spoon Kashmiri red chili powder, Half tea spoon turmeric powder.
11.Salt and sugar as per taste.
12.sunflower oil for cooking.

Process:

Crush the dry red chili and coriander seeds with the help of rolling pin.

Now take one vessel and add some oil, fry the paneer cubes till both the sides turn light brown. Remove form hit and keep it aside.

Now add some more oil and fry the bell peppers don’t fry more, remove form the hit and keep it aside.

Now make a smooth paste with ginger, garlic and green chilies with some water. Add the turmeric powder and Kashmiri red chili powder into the mixture.

Now add some oil in a vessel and slowly add the crushed red chili and coriander seeds, after few seconds add the onions and fry till the onions are transparent.

Now add the ginger garlic mixture with some salt and sugar and cook till the oil separate from the mixture.

Now add the finely chopped tomatoes and cook with a lid till the tomatoes melt nicely.

Next add the fried paneer pieces with some warm water, and cook for 5 mints in low hit with a lid.

Now remove the lid and add the fried bell peppers and mix well.

Now add the kasoori methi and the fresh cream. Mix nicely and cook for another couple of minute.

Your karahi paneer is ready serve hot with Roti or Paratha.