Shorshe Begun (Eggplant in Mustard Sauce)

Lau Bishori (Milky Bottle Gourd Curry)

Ingredients for Lau Bishori:

Lau - 250 gm 
Potato - 250 gm
Milk - 250 ml
Nigella Seeds - 1 tsp
Nigella Powder - 2 tbsp
Ginger Paste - 1 tbsp
Green Chili - 4-5 nos
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Mustard Oil - 2 tbsp
Salt as per taste
Enough Water 

For flavour: 
1 tsp Garam Masala Powder / 2 tbsp Lemon Juice / 2 Lime Leaves 

Process for cooking Lau Bishori:

1. Peel the Lau and Potato, and cut them into cubes. 
2. Pour oil into a cooking pan. Once it is hot, add Nigella Seeds. Wait till it releases its aroma. Add Green Chilis. Now add Lau Cubes and them Potatoes. Stir well for 5-7 minutes.
3. Add Ginger Paste and mix well with Potato+Lau cubes. Then add Salt. Mix well. 
4. Add enough water to cover Potato+Lau cubes. Cover it with a lid. Let it boil for 10 minutes -  till the water gets dried up. 
5. Meanwhile boil Milk. Add Nigella Powder to the boiled Milk. Mix well. 
6. Pour this milk to the pan. Fold well. Let it boil once again and adjust the Salt. Cook for few more minutes to have a thick gravy. In the meantime add Ghee and any of the flavour mentioned above. Mix well. Turn off the heat. Set the pan covered with the lid until you serve.   

Lau Bishori is ready. You can have it with steamed Rice. 

Mirchi Ka Salan

Ingredients to cook Mirchi ka Salan:

A. For Curry:

Jalepeno Pepper – 10-12

Tamarind Pulp – 1 cup (2 tbsp dissolved in ½ cup of water)

Mustard Seed –

Nigella Seed –

Cumin Seed –

Curry Leaves or Curry Leaves Powder

Oil to cook

Salt to taste

Water to make gravy

B. For Masala Paste

Dessciated coconut – ½ cup

Roasted Peanuts – 2 tbsp

Roasted Sesame Seed – 1 tbsp

Onion –

Garlic –

Ginger –

Tomato –

Red Chili Powder

Turmeric Powder

Garam Masala 

Method to cook Mirchi Ka Salan:

Preparing Masala Paste:

1. In a pan lightly brown the onions. 

2. Add the dessicated coconut and brown it.

3. Later add ground nuts and sesame seeds to this mixture and roast for 1-2 minutes.

4. Make a smooth paste of the above with garlic, ginger, all the spice powders adding little water.

Preparing the Curry:

1. Remove the chili crowns or you can also keep them intact.

2. Rinse and wipe dry the green chilies.

3. Slit the chilies vertically but do not break them.

4. Heat about 2 tbsp oil in a pan.

5. Fry the chilies till light brown.

6. Remove and drain on kitchen tissues.

7. Now in the same pan add more oil.

8. Fry the mustard seeds till they pop.

9. Then add nigella seeds and cumin seeds.

10. Add curry leaves and fry for a minute.

11. Add the ground masala paste.

12. Fry for 3-4 minutes or more till you can see oil floating on the top and sides of the masala.

13. Now add tamarind pulp and 2 or 2.5 cups water.

14. Stir & simmer for 5 minutes. 

15. Add fried green chilies plus salt and simmer for 7-9 minutes more.

16. Garnish Mirchi Ka Salan with coriander leaves.

Serve mirchi ka salan hot with hyderabadi veg biryani or even plain steamed rice.

Beetroot Poori

 ....So another beetroot recipe in a row!....

I am planning to making pooris of different colors,... filling with different vegetables such, carrot, spinach  leaves, tomato, beetroot, mint leaves, coriander leaves etc. For me, or say  my family, color in poori is something which we love to have too...

This time I am presenting the red color beetroot puree. Look at the picture. All the pooris have a very nice red hue from red, soft beetroot puree... And let see which color to have next...:-)

Ingredients:

1 medium size beetroot

2 cup of atta (white floor) for 3 persons

1.5 tsp of ajwain seeds

Salt and oil as per your requirement 

Method:

1. Have you peeled the beetroot? Now chop it into small pieces.

2. Take water in your pressure cooker and boil the beet pieces till you listen to 2 whistles.

3. Remove the pressure cooker from the oven and let the beetroot cool down.

4. Once they get cool, grind them into smooth puree. Take it in a bowl and set aside.

5. Take white flour (atta), salt and ajwain seeds in bowl. Mix them well. Now add beetroot puree and again mix well.

6. Now knead the dough to make it pliable and make small balls from the dough.

7. Now start rolling those balls. It is always fun to see how poori is puffed out. And I’m sure, you would love to see it. So roll all the balls with little thickness.If you make it thin, your poori would not be puffed out.

8. Heat oil in a frying pan. Now deep-fry them. Fry them one by one and remove from the oil. Serve the beetroot poori with curd or any spicy curry. 

For other beetroot recipes click here

Tangy Mango Kadhi

Ingredients to cook Green Mango Kadhi:

For Curry: 

Green Mango - 3 
Curd - 2 tbsp
Coconut (grated) - 1 cup / Coconut milk - 3/4 cup
Green Chili - 5-6 or more as per your taste
Ginger Paste - 1 tbsp


For Tempering: 

White Oil - 1 tbsp
Hing - 1/4 tsp
Fenugreek Seed - 1/2 tsp
Cumin Seed - 1/2 tsp
Mustard Seed - 1/2 tsp
Curry Leaves Powder -1/2 tsp
Dried red chili - 2 
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt 
Sugar 
Water

Method to cook Green Mango Kadhi:

1. Mash mangoes preferably with hand. Or you can grind the chopped Mango in a mixer grinder. Add very little water if you want. Mix curd, coconut, Green Chillies and Ginger into a fine paste. You have to make it a pulp type mixture.
2. Heat oil in a deep bottom frying pan, add Hing, Fenugreek, Cumin and Mustard seeds. Let it splutter, then add whole Red Chilli and Curry Leaves Powder.
3. Add Mango pulp mixture. 
4. Add Turmeric Powder, Red Chili Powder, Salt and Sugar according to your taste. 
5. Add water to form a good consistency. At this step you can adjust the taste by adding Salt and Chili accordingly.
6. Cover and boil for 5 mins on high flame, then 5 -7 minutes on low flame. 

You can serve Green Mango Kadhi with Rice.

Jalepeno Fritter

Ingredients for Jalepeno Fritter:

Jalepeno - 200 gms
Potato - 2 nos.
Onion - 1 big size
Garlic + Ginger + Chili Paste - 2 tbsp
Cumin Seed - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Egg - 1 nos
Corn Flower - 2 tbsp
Salt as per your taste
Oil for frying

Process for making Jalepeno Fritter:

Makki Atte ki Kadhi Pakode (Cornmeal Fritter in Yogurt based Sauce)

Ingredients for Makki Atte ki Kadhi Pakode: (For 2 persons)

A. For pakode:

Makki Atta- 1 cup
Onion-1 cup (finely chopped)
Green chili- 3-4 or more as per your taste (finely chopped)
Cumin Powder- 1/2 tsp
Baking Soda- a pinch
Water to knead the cornmeal
Salt as per your taste
Oil for frying the fritters

B. For Kadhi (Yogurt Sauce):

Yogurt- 1.5 cup
Gram Flour- 1 tbsp
Turmeric Powder- 1/2 tsp
Ginger Paste: 1/2 tbsp
Water- 1 cup or more as per your need

C. For Tempering: 

Black Mustard Seed- Little less than 1/2 tsp 
Fenugreek Seed- Little less than 1/2 tsp 
Dried Red Chili- 2
Curry Leaves - 4-5 (I used curry leaves powder)
White Oil 

Process to cook Makki Atte ki Kadhi Pakode:

Making Pakode:

1. Combine all the ingredients mentioned in list A (except oil). Now knead it to make a thick dough. 
2. Make small size balls from the dough. Keep the balls aside for 10 minutes. 
3. Meanwhile heat oil in a deep bottomed frying pan. Fry those balls in batches. Set them aside. 

Making Yogurt Sauce:

1. Take Yogurt in a mixing bowl. Add Ginger paste, Gram Flour, Turmeric Powder. Mix well. Add water little by little. Mix well to make a smooth and running batter. 

Tampering and making Kadhi Pakode:

1. Heat oil in the pan. Once oil is hot, add Mustard Seeds and Curry leaves (or powder). Wait till it crackles. Add Dried Red Chili, then Fenugreek Seeds. 
2. Reduce the heat. Pour the batter to the hot oil. And stir well. Wait till it starts boiling. Keep stirring occasionally. 
3. Add the fried balls to the Yogurt Sauce. Cook for few minutes,
4. Turn off the heat. Set Kadhi Pakode inside pan as the fritter would take time to soak the sauce. 
5. Transfer the Kadhi Pakode in a serving bowl. 

Serve your Makki Atte Ki Kadhi Pakode with Steamed Rice or Roti.  

Dahi Bhalla (Dahi Vada)

Ingredients to cook Dahi Bhalla: 

A. For Bhalla: 
Urad Dal - 1 cup (For 10 Vadas)
Asafoetida (Hing) - a pinch
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp (crushed)
Ginger + Green Chili Paste - 2 tsp
Salt
Oil to fry

B. For assembling Dahi Bhalla:

Yogurt - 3 cups
Water - 1/2 cup
Sugar 
Salt
Date-Tamarind Chutney
Green Chutney

D. To sprinkle

Roasted Cumin
Red Chili Powder
Black Salt
Black Pepper Powder
Chat Masala
Sev or Boondi (I used Sev)

Process to cook Dahi Bhalla: 

1. Soak Urad Dal in water over night or at least 6-7 hours. 
2. Drain the water. 
3. Place it in mixer grinder bowl to make a smooth paste. Add water to make the paste. Remember, you need a thick paste, the consistency of the paste should be like cake batter, not like running water. 
4. Add crushed cumin seeds, Ginger + Chili Paste, and Salt. 
5. Beat well until the paste becomes fluffy and airy. Beat it for 4-5 minutes continuously. Set aside. 
6. Take oil in a deep bottom frying pan. Heat the oil.
7. Put few dollops of paste on hot oil. Reduce the hear.
8. Fry till it gets golden brown colour. Take out the dumpling from the oil and set them in a paper lined plate or bowl. Fry rest of the dollop this way in different batches.
9. Now prepare the salt syrup. Take water in a sauce pan. Add little salt to water. Heat the water. You don't need to boil it. Lukewarm water is required.
10. Dip the dumpling into warm salt syrup.

This dumpling is known as Bhalle. Leave them as it is. You have to take it just before serving. 

11. Now assemble Dahi, Chutney and other garnishing spices.
12. Take Dahi in bowl and add little water, sugar and salt. Whisk well.
13. Take out Red Chutney and Green Chutney from Refrigerator.
14. Squeeze excess water from the Bhalle. Arrange them on a serving plate.
15. Pour 1 ladle of Dahi on top of Bhalle. Make sure Dahi coats all the Bhalle very well.
16. Spread 2 Tbsp of Red Chutney over Dahi. Now spread Green Chutney.
17. Sprinkle Roasted Cumin Powder and Red Chili Powder, Black Salt, Pepper Powder and then Sev. 

Homemade White Cream Sauce - A creamy cheesy chilly sauce

Ingredients required for White Cream Sauce at home:

Butter- 2 tbsps

Plain flour/maida- 2 tbsp

Milk- 2 teacups (You can add more if you want watery sauce)

Salt as required

Grated cheese- 4-5 tbsps

Pepper powder as required

Rosemary – a pinch (Optional)

Process for making White Cream Sauce: 

1. Melt butter in a pan.

2. Add the flour. Mix well. Keep stirring for a few minutes till the smell of flour goes away. 

3. Switch off the flame. Add milk slowly to mix with the flour. Start stirring continuously. Check if there is any lump formed. The cream should be uniform suspension.

5. If you are making it first time, lumps may be formed. In that case, let it be cool for 5-7 minutes. Then blend it in a mixture grinder.

4. Now pour the liquid mixture in the same pan. Let it be boiled. Add cheese, salt, pepper powder and keep mixing well. Add salt carefully as required, because you have already used salted butter and cheese.

5. Keep stirring till the sauce thickens. Your sauce is ready. At this stage, you can add a 1 tsp of rosemary, although it is an optional ingredient.

Your homemade White Cream Sauce is ready. You can pour it to boiled pasta, steamed vegetables etc.

Badshahi Khichri - when my city is soaked in rains

Cooking Kichri is synonymous to writing love letter!...Why? Because more and more punch and accompaniments are required to make it tasty. With punch I mean - a romantic thunderstorm, dark rolling clouds in the sky, torrential rains with bursting clouds and your soul craving the great Khichri. 

And accompaniments? They are fried or frittered brinjal/pumpkin, fired pointed gourd / potato /cauliflower / fish or omelette or onion rings...whatever you like to have. If you believe in a bit of opulence in food, I am suggesting some more luxurious accompaniments as dry roasted papad, chutney, butter fried coconut pieces, these are optional but quintessential. Otherwise you can have Kichri itself as a complete meal. 

How to make Badshahi Khichri

What ingredients I used: (For 2 persons)

Basmati Rice - 1 cup 
Moong Lentil - 1 cup  
Poppy seeds - 1 tbsp
Cashew - 7-8 pcs
White Curd - 2 tbsp
Ginger + Chili paste - 1 tbsp
Whole garam masala - 3 cardamom, 3 cloves, 2 cinnamon
Bay leaves - 2 
Garam Masala Powder - 1 tbsp
Turmeric Power - 1 tsp
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Sugar 1 tsp
White oil - 2 tbsp
Lots of water
Biryani Masala - a pinch (optional)
A few peanuts and raisin (optional)

How I cooked Badshahi Kichri:

1. Dry-roast the rice and lentil in a frying pan for 10 minutes. Wash them properly and rinse the water. Keep them aside. 
2. Make a smooth paste with cashew and poppy seeds. Then add curd to the paste. Mix well.
3. Add while oil in a deep bottom frying pan. Once oil becomes hot, add bay leaves, whole garam masala and sugar. Fry them for 2 minutes. 
4. Add ginger-chili paste and stir for 1 minutes or until the raw smell gets off.
5. Add the paste made of cashew, poppy seeds and curd. Stir well. 
6. Add turmeric powder and stir again. 
7. Now add rice and lentil. Stir well and then add lots of water. I prefer to add 1 litre of water at this stage. Then I add more water if required later. 
8. At this stage you can add Biryani Masala, peanuts and raisins. 
9. Now let the rice and lentil be boiled. Once it is cooked nicely, add little ghee and garam masala powder. And mix well. 

Your Badshahi Khichri is ready. You can enjoy your Kichri with any of the accompaniments mentioned above. 

Mouri Potol

Things required to cook Mouri Potol (Pointed Gourd with Fennel Seed)

Potol / Pointed Gourd – 500 Grams

White Curd – 2 tbsp (If you need thick gravy, add one more table spoon)

Fennel Seed – 1.5 tbsp (You can grind the roasted fennel seed)

Ginger + Chili Paste – 1.5 tbsp (You can add more chili to the paste according to your taste)

Dry Red Chili – 2

Cardamom + Cinnamon + Bay Leaf + Cloves – 3 (Crushed) + 2 (Small Size)+1 (Big Size)+2

Shah Jeera (Black Cumin)- 1.5 tsp

Turmeric Powder + Red Chili Powder – 1 tsp +1 tsp

Salt and Sugar as per taste

Oil

Water

How to cook Mouri Potol

1. The very first job is making a smooth powder of fennel seed. Roast the fennel seeds in hot frying pan. Then keep it aside for cooling down. After that, grind the roasted seed in mixer grinder. But don’t use water. If you wish, you can make this powder in large amount for future use. If you add water, you can’t use it in future.

I make this dish very frequently, almost on every Thursday. So I kept the powder in an air-tight bottle.

2. Now we have to make the paste by mixing fennel seed powder, ginger, chili and little water. This time you can add more chili as per your requirement. Keep it aside.

3. Add sugar and salt to the white curd. Check if there is any lump in the curd. Add little water to the curd and beat well with little water.

4. Peel the skin of the Pointed Gourd. Sprinkle little turmeric powder, red chili powder and salt on them. Heat oil in a deep-bottom frying pan. Fry those pointed gourd till golden. Take them out of the pan and set aside.

5. Now we have to fry whole spices. Check if more oil required on the pan. Add whole spices i.e. red chili, bay leaf, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and at last Shah Jeera. Wait till it leaves a nice aroma. Now add the paste that you made with fennel, ginger and chili. Keep stirring for 2-3 minutes.

6. Reduce the heat, because now you are going to add the curd. Now add the curd. And don’t forget to stir continuously. Otherwise it would create lump. Do you notice oil separating from the curd? That means the curd is almost done.

7. Now add other spice powders i.e. turmeric powder, red chili powder. Add fried pointed gourd and mix well. Pour water as per your gravy requirement. After 1 minute, you must see the gravy boils. Add salt and sugar. Let it be boiled for 1 minute. Adjust the seasoning. Reduce the flame and cover the pan with a lid. Cook for next 5-7 minutes.

8. You can serve it with hot steamed rice. 

Brinjal in Curd (Doi Begun)

If you have any association with Bengali food, I am sure, you must have heard about Doi Begun, right? This item I learned from my mom. Mom probably leaned it from grand mom. That is how Bengali girls learn cooking.

This Bengali preparation contains Brinjal and curd as main ingredients. Its gravy should be thick and smooth. I prefer to add very little spices, so that it would not overpower the taste of Brinjal. Get the recipe here below. 

Ingredients for Doi Begun

Brinjal - 3
Curd - 3 tbsp 
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Chili Powder - 1 tsp
Cumin Seed - 1 tsp
Ginger paste - 1 tsp
Green Chili - 3-4 
Water
Oil
Salt
Sugar

Kohlapuri Misal Pav

Ingredients for Kohlapuri Misal Pav

A. For Pav

Buns (Pav) - 6 pieces (for 2 persons)
Butter - 2 tsp (to roast the buns)

B. For Usal

Moth beans
Boiled Potato
Onion
Ginger+Garlic paste
Garam Masala
Turmeric powder
Red Chili Powder
Curry Leaves
Mustard Seeds
Asafoetida
Salt
Oil

C. For Gravy

Onion
Tomato
Dried Coconut
Ginger + Garlic Paste
Red Chili Powder
Coriander Powder
Cumin Powder
Turmeric Powder
Coriander leaves
Sugar
Oil
Salt

D. For garnishing

Mixed Farsan
Beaten Curd
Onion
Coriander Leaves
Lemon

Method for cooking Kohlapuri Misal Pav

Making gravy:
First we have to make the gravy. The gravy should be thin.

1. Heat oil in pan. Don’t take much oil. You just need 1 table-spoon full to fry onion until it gets slight golden brown color.

2. Add ginger-garlic paste and fry for 2-3 minutes. Add grated coconut to it and fry again for few minutes until it gets burnt.

3. Add chopped tomato and fry until it get mashed well. Fry for 5 minutes until you see a pulpy mixture in the pan. Take it out of the oven. Cool it down. Grind the mixture to have a smooth paste. 

4. Take 2 table-spoon of this paste aside. It will be used in making Usal.

5. Heat the frying pan again. Pour rest of the paste to pan. Let it be boiled for 3-4 minutes.

6. Add chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala and salt. Mix well and cook for 3-4 minutes.

7. Now add water (3 cups) and boil it for 10 minutes until you see a thickly paste.

8. At the end, add coriander leave. Stir well and take out of the oven.

Usal:

1. We need to sprout the moth beans first. To do that we have to soak it overnight – at least 6-7 hours in water. Drain the excess water and keep aside.

2. Steam the beans in pressure cooker for 10 minutes. Don’t forget to add salt while boiling the beans. 

3. Heat oil in a frying pan and add mustard seeds. Fry for few minutes until it crackles. You need to add asafoetida and curry leaves powder at this point of time.

4. Add onion and fry for few minutes – until it get soft. Add ginger-garlic paste and fry till you feel the raw smell.

5. Add that paste which you prepared for gravy. Saute for few minutes.

6. Add moth beans. Stir for 5 minutes.

7. Now add turmeric powder, red chili powder, garam masala and salt. Fry for few minutes.

8. Add water (1 cup is enough) and cover the pan with a lid. Let it be cooked for 7-8 minutes – until it becomes less-gravy.   

Roasting the buns:

Cut the each bun into 2 pieces. Apply little butter in one side of the bun pieces. Roast them on hot pan. You can skip the step of applying butter on bun. Roast them till they stay soft.

Garnishing:

9 layered garnishing is required for an ideal missal pav.

Layer 1: 1 ladle of Usal

Layer 2: 1 ladle of gravy

Layer 3: 3-4 tbsp of poha

Layer 4: 2-3 tbsp of beaten curd

Layer 5: Chopped onion

Layer 6: Chopped Coriander leaves

Layer 7: You can squeeze Lemon at this layer.

Layer 8: 2 tbsp Mixed Farsan

Layer 9: If you skip the layer 7, you must squeeze lemon at this stage. 

Bell Pepper Salsa

Ingredients I used:

White Oil
Red Bell Pepper
Yellow Bell pepper
Capsicum
Onion
Ginger - Garlic Paste
Tomato
Cumin Powder
Curry Powder
Brown Sugar
Coriander Leaves
Chili Flakes
Vinegar
Salt

Method I followed:

1. Chop onion, bell peppers, capsicum. Make a combined paste of ginger and garlic. 
2. Heat oil in a frying pan. Saute the onion. Then add bell peppers, capsicum. Keep stirring occasionally. 
3. Add ginger-garlic paste. 
4. Add cumin powder, brown sugar, chili flakes, vinegar. 
5. Simmer over medium heat until you get a salsa-like consistency. 
6. Serve with chopped coriander leaves on top.

Arvi ka Bharta

Ingredients I used:

250 gram of Arvi
2 tsbp of gram flour
3 tbsp of white oil
1/2 tsp of Ajwain
1 medium size onion (chopped)
2 green chili (chopped)
2 medium size Tomato (chopped)
2 tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp of garlic paste
1/2 tsp of ginger paste
2 cloves
2 green cardamom
2 tsp Butter
1 tsp Honey (Optional)
Kasturi Methi
Salt
Lemon Juice
Garam Masala

Method I followed:

1. Peel the arvi and cut into halves. Place all the arvi pieces in a pressure cooker and add some water to boil them up to one whistle. 
2. Remove the pressure cooker from the fire. Take out all the arvi pieces from the water.  Set aside for cooking down. 
3. After 5-7 minutes mash the arvi well.Sprinkle some salt, chili powder and gram flour on mashed arvi. 
4. Now get ready to prepare masala for Bharta. Take tomato, 1 cup of water in skillet and let it be boiled. Add ginger-garlic paste, green chili, red chili powder, clove and cardamom to tomato mixture. keep stir frequently. Once you find sauce consistency of tomato mixture, add butter, honey, salt and kasturi methi. Stir again. 
5. Keep it aside for cooling down. 
6. Now blend the tomato texture in mixer. 
7. heat little oil in the same skillet and add ajwain. Shift the mashed arvi to the skillet and saute in medium heat. 
8. Add tomato mixture to arvi and keep stir until it becomes thick. 
9. Sprinkle lemon juice over the arvi and stirring once again. 
10. Your Arvi ka Bharta is ready. Serve immediately with hot rice.  

For other Arvi recipes click here.