Chakh... Le... Re!

Rajma is a very popular Punjabi dish. It’s like almost staple food for Punjabi families. Like all the other Punjabi dishes Rajma is also one of our favorite. I just can’t resist a plate of hot steaming jeera rice and yummy Rajma.

I have tried making this many ways. But I loved this Rajma recipe from Sanjeev kapoor the most. I just made some minor changes. It’s a great hit.

Ingredients:-

• 1 cup of Rajma/ red kidney beans.
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil.
• 1 medium onion finely chopped.
• 2 teaspoons ginger garlic paste.
• ½ cup tomato puree.
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder.
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder.
• 2 teaspoon red chili powder.
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder.
• 1 ½ teaspoon garam masala.

Recipe:-

• Soak the beans overnight in water and then pressure cook till nicely cooked and tender.
• Heat the oil in another wok; add chopped onions and sauté till cooked.
• Add in the ginger garlic paste, mix nicely.
• Stir in the tomato puree and fry the mixture for a minute.
• Now add all the dry masalas and mix everything nicely.
• Fry this gravy for 2 to 3 minutes till oil separates.
• Now add the cooked rajma along with the water in the pot and mix nicely.
• Add salt to taste.
• Cover and simmer for 5 to 6 minutes.
• Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro.
• Serve hot with hot jeera rice or steamed rice.

The New Year is here. I wish you all a very healthy and yummy new year. So the first recipe of the year 2010 is very healthy and quick Moong Dosa. I got the recipe from Tarla Dalal’s recipe portal. When I saw this recipe I was searching for something nice and yummy and also quick to make for the dinner.

You can make this absolutely anytime. You just need half an hour to soak the moong dal and the batter is ready in five minutes after that. Green peas make them so yummy also healthy.
So lets go to the recipe...

Ingredients:-

• 2 cups yellow moong dal.
• 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste.
• ½ cup green peas.
• ¼ cup cilantro springs.
• 2 to 3 green chilies.
• Salt to taste.
• Oil for making dosas.

Recipe:-

• Wash and clean moong dal till water runs clear.
• Soak it in water for 30 minutes.
• If using frozen green peas thaw them in microwave for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Now mix moong dal, chopped cilantro, green chilies, ginger garlic paste and green peas.
• Blend together in blender to get a smooth batter.
• Add salt to taste.
• Heat skillet and spread one teaspoon oil on it.
• Make dosa and fry till crispy on both sides.

Serve it with sour crème or pickle or coconut chutney.

I wish all my readers and friends a Very Happy and Prosperous New Year. May this year brings all the happiness, success, love in your life.

We had invited some friends last weekend for brunch. As it was lunch plus breakfast time I made Pav Bhaji, an all time favorite brunch item. But due to heavy snowfall and storms they couldn’t make it and plan was canceled on last minute. So I was left with a big pot of Pav Bhaji and just two of us. Although we love it very much how much we two are going to eat it? We had it for lunch and dinner. After that also I had some leftover. So I thought of making this very traditional “Tava Pulav”...which the Pav Bhaji walas make.

Earlier I had posted Pav Bhaji Pulav which is made with using the masala of Pav Bhaji...but this is made using actually the “Bhaji” along with the masala. Believe me it became the Pulav of the year. We couldn’t believe the taste of the Pulav. It was just amazing and yummy. I made a pot of hot tomato soup and raita to go with it became a very satisfying dinner.

Off course you need to have Leftover Pav “Bhaji” to make this Pulav.

Ingredients:-

• 1 cup Pav Bhaji.
• 1 cup basmati rice.
• 1 medium onion finely chopped.
• 1 tablespoon tomato puree.
• 2 tablespoon of butter.
• 2 teaspoon Everest Pav Bhaji masala.
• 2 teaspoon or as required red chili powder.
• Freshly chopped coriander for garnishing.
• Salt to taste.

Recipe:-

• Wash and soak rice in water for 15 minutes.
• Cook rice with exact 2 cups of water so that rice is nicely cooked as well as each grain is separated from each other.
• In a big skillet/pot heat butter and sauté onions in it, till they are tender.
• Add the Bhaji and tomato puree to it, mix well.
• Put in the Pav Bhaji masala and chili powder.
• Mix everything nicely and fry for a minute.
• Add bit of salt because the Bhaji already has salt in it.
• Fluff op the cooked rice with fork and mix in the prepared masala.
• Mix slowly and nicely so the grains are not broken.
• Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro and serve hot wit raita or just curd.

This is a recipe born out of my experiments in kitchen. I was again left with a bunch of mix vegetables in my fridge... mix vegetable was the only option left. So I tried this different gravy with sour crème. This was totally experimental gravy, which came out very yummy and flavorful.

Ingredients:-

• 1 cup mix vegetables. (Peas, corn, chopped carrots and chopped cauliflower.)
• ½ cup boiled and cubed potatoes.
• ¼ cup chopped onions.
• For grinding :-
1) ½ cup sour crème.
2) 3 garlic cloves.
3) a small piece of ginger.
4) 2 to 3 cut green chilies.
5) Handful of cilantro spring.
6) 1 medium tomato chopped.

• 2 tablespoons of cooking oil.
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder.
• 2 to 3 teaspoon chili powder.
• 2 teaspoon kitchen king masala.
• 1 teaspoon dry mango powder.
• Salt to taste.
• Some freshly chopped cilantro for garnishing.

Recipe:-

• Grind sour crème, ginger, garlic, green chilies, cilantro and tomatoes in to fine paste.
• Heat oil in the pan, add onions and sauté till they are cooked.
• Now add the sour crème paste and fry everything nicely together for 3 to 4 minutes.
• Mean while boil and cook the veggies in the microwave for 6 to 8 minutes or till tender.
• Now add the cooked veggies the pan and mix everything nicely.
• Add in all dry masalas and salt to taste.
• Add a bit of water if required.
• Cover and simmer for 5 to 8 minutes.
• Serve hot wit hot jeera rice.

I wish all my readers and friends Merry Christmas and a Very Happy and Prosperous New Year. Have very joyful, yummy and safe holidays with your family and friends.

I am kinda making this week as Paratha week, as my darling is enjoying the hot Parathas direct from skillet to his plate with yummy raita and pickle. So he is like coming up with so many menu suggestions everyday which has Paratha varieties. Also good for me, as I don’t have to make other side dishes. Just soothing curd rice can give nice and cool end to dinner. Today was Aaloo Paratha menu. Though they are full of calories...being our favorite we can’t resist them some time.

It also makes very filling breakfast and lunchbox option. Here it goes...

Ingredients:-

• 2 cup all purpose flour. (Whole wheat can be used if making for kids to make healthier.)
• 2 medium potatoes boiled and mashed.
• ¼ cup minced onion.
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder.
• 1 teaspoon dry mango powder.
• 1 teaspoon garam masala.
• Salt to taste.
• 2 teaspoon chili powder.
• 2 tablespoons of oil for dough.
• Oil or butter for frying Paratha.

Recipe:-

• Make soft dough of flour by adding oil, salt and water. Make sure that dough is softer.
• Mash the boiled potatoes finely so there are no lumps.
• Add all the spices, salt to taste minced onions and mix everything nicely.
• Take a small ball of dough with a rolling pin make a small disc
• Keep a spoon full of potato filling on it.
• Take it in hand and close all sides of that disc like making a modak or momo.
• Make sure that it sealed from top.
• Now slowly roll that stuffed ball with the rolling pin on a floured surface into a big circle.
• Dust off the flour and fry on the hot skillet with a spoon of oil or butter.
• Fry until nice golden brown on both sides.
• Serve hot with raita boondi raita and pickle.