Rajma Masala - Dilli wali style!

I had some colleagues in Bangalore who were from Northern parts of India and were cribbing about not finding good North Indian restaurants in Bangalore. Bangalore being a cosmopolitan city, at least in the last decade or so, I can never agree that there are restaurants serving some particular cuisine missing! Especially when the cuisine in question is North Indian - which has been there from the time i was a kid...

But then, it is a natural tendency for people to miss their native cuisine in other parts, as they will be looking for 'that particular taste, aroma and combination' that they are used to from years, and any small change in taste, one is not satisfied. But whereas for other cuisines, we are generally more forgiving - because we are not so used to that taste and small changes does not matter, as long as the dish tastes good on the whole.

Also, we just generalize food as North Indian, whereas that comprises of so many varieties of cuisines from different parts of Northern India... just like someone saying Neer Dosa is South Indian. Well, it is, but if you ask a Kannadiga, they'd say it is Mangalorean, to be precise :)

Well, coming back to Rajma Masala, the colleagues of mine always had high standards for it, and they regarded it as one of the simplest, most common but often spoilt dish! They'd never be satisfied with the quality of Rajma Masala anywhere else but in their homes and in some places in their home towns!

And all said and done, i tasted the Rajma Masala in a restaurant in Delhi when we were there for a visit, and then realized what my colleagues were saying!! It was the best rajma ever i had had!! And i was bent upon learning to make it the same way, taking tips and recipes from them/their wives! 

And now, this version has been certified as almost as good as a Rajma Masala made in Delhi! Here it is...

Rajma Masala

Ingredients:
Rajma (Red kidney Beans) - 1 cup, Soak overnight
Tomato - 3 medium sized
Onion - 2 medium sized
Cloves - 3-4
Cinnamon - 1" pc
Cardamom - 1
Green chilies - 2-3
Ginger - 1” cube
Garlic - 2-3 cloves
Garam masala powder - 1/2 Tsp
Red chili powder - ½ - 1 tsp, depending on taste
Jeera powder - ½ tsp
Coriander powder - ½ tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt - 1 tsp, as per taste
Sugar - ¼ - ½ tsp
Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp, chopped

Method:
• Soak rajma overnight in enough water.
• Tie the whole spices - cinnamon, cardamom and cloves in a muslin cloth and drop it into the pressure cooker along with the soaked beans.
• Pressure cook rajma and spices with enough water for 3-4 whistles, and then put it on sim for at least 30 more minutes. At the end of this time, the rajma beans should be cooked soft but not mushy.
• When cool enough to handle, remove the muslin bag and discard along with the spices in it. The beans would have the flavors imparted by now.
• Boil tomatoes in water till tender, cool and make puree
• Heat oil in a pan
• Add chopped onion and sauté for 2 minutes
• Crush ginger and garlic and add the paste and continue to sauté till the onions turn translucent
• Add all the spice powders and mix thoroughly so that no lumps are formed
• Mix in tomato puree, salt and sugar and bring to a gentle boil
• Add the boiled beans, and water if necessary to maintain a gravy consistency
• Let it boil for 5-10 minutes, till the beans absorb the taste and flavors from the gravy
• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with steamed rice or rotis.

Notes:
• Cooking for at least 40 minutes ensures the rajma is cooked well - as my Delhi friends insist it should be :D
• The tomatoes can just be crushed well and added too, instead of grinding it to a puree, but i prefer grinding it.

Hara-Bhara Kabab

I’ve always loved Hara Bhara Kababs at restaurants. Love their soft inner and crispy outer texture, the taste bursting with flavors, the color, all of it. I’m missing eating out in North Indian restaurants here ;) There are a few, but not good for an Indian foodie, I’ve heard. So for me, it is better to try out the European restaurants rather than bad Indian ones!

To compensate for what I am missing, I made these at home, when we had called over guests. And it came out very good, satiating my Indian taste buds :D. it was well relished by our Swedish guests too, as I had made it with very little chilies. Next time I’ve got to make it with lots of them!

Here’s the recipe…

Hara Bhara Kabab

Preparation Time: 20 min

Cooking Time: ~5 min per batch

Makes:  ~ 18 kababs

Source: The chef and her kitchen

Ingredients:

Potatoes - 2 medium, boiled

Green peas - 1/2 cup, boiled

Fresh spinach - 1 small bunch, washed

Green chillies - 2-3

Ginger - 2", chopped

Besan /Gram flour - 1/4 cup

Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp

Dhania powder - 1/2 tsp

Garam masala / Chat masala -1 tsp

Coriander - 2-3 tbsp finely chopped

Salt to taste

Cashew nuts - 10-12, split

Oil - 2-3 Tbsp

Method:

• Dry roast besan until aromatic and keep aside.
• Blanch spinach in hot water for 5 mins. Refresh in cold water, drain excess water from it.
• Grind the blanched spinach with ginger and green chilies to a coarse paste without adding any water.
• Add boiled green peas to it and grind in pulse mode until thick coarse paste.
• Grate the boiled potato or mash if fine and add the ground mixture
• Add roasted besan and all the spice powders, chopped coriander, salt and mix well.
• Grease your hand and make small balls and press a cashew gently into it, flattening it. Repeat with the remaining kababs.
• Place them in refrigerator for about 1 hr to set well.
• Shallow fry in oil on medium flame for 2-3 min until cooked. It takes very little oil if using a non stick pan
• Serve hot with Green chutney or Ketchup.

Notes:

• Instead of blanching the spinach, it can also be sautéed on medium flame for a couple of minutes.
• These kababs can be prepared ahead without shallow frying and refrigerated for up to a day and can be shallow fried just before serving.

Baked Aloo Tikki with Green Chutney

I’ve made aloo tikkis a couple of times before, but not the baked version. Back home, while cooking for a sizeable party, shallow frying the tikkis felt too elaborate; esp with all the other items to be taken care of alongside. Though the idea of baking would cross my mind, with the small oven that I had, baking them would mean more time consuming, so never bothered to try.

Now that I have a big oven here, wanted to try out the baked version. Also because I need to keep a check on the calories! With all the cooking experiments I’m making, I’m afraid we’ll both bloat up by the time we return to India!! Of course potatoes are a high-cal food, but I felt baking does reduce the amount of oil that went in and also saves time.

I’ve not used bread crumb to coat, instead used chickpea flour in the mixture for binding.

Here’s the recipe…

Baked Aloo Matar Tikkis

Ingredients:

Potatoes – 4 medium sized

Green Peas – ¾ cup

Green chilies – 2, chopped

Garlic - 1 tsp, chopped

Ginger - 1 tsp, chopped

Coriander leaves – 2 Tbsp, chopped

1 tsp chat masala (or garam masala)

Gram flour – 2 Tbsp

Salt to taste

Olive oil – to brush the patties (or any other oil)

Method:

• Boil the potatoes. Cool, peel the skin and mash them well
• Boil green peas till tender and drain out the water
• Mix potatoes, peas and add the rest of the ingredients and mix well
• If the mixture feels very sticky add a bit more of the gram flour
• Line the baking tray with foil. Grease slightly with oil.
• Make small balls out of the potato mixture and flatten them over the prepared baking sheet
• Keep it in fridge for a few minutes to set well
• Preheat the oven to 220C
• Bake it for 15 - 20 min, or until the crust turns golden
• Serve hot with Green chutney

Green Chutney

Almost all the north Indian starters like tikkis, kababs, etc taste good only with this green chutney! I’m not much of a ketchup person for Indian snacks; I’d rather prefer a chutney that’ll go well with the dish.

With a huge bunch of mint and coriander bought from the local market, I needed no excuse to make this chutney for the aloo tikkis :)

Ingredients:

Mint leaves – ½ cup

Coriander leaves – ½ cup

Green chilies – 2 or to taste

Thick Curd – 2-3 Tbsp

Lime juice – 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Method:

• Take all the ingredients in a blender and blend till smooth
• Do not add water, the curds should facilitate the blades
• Adjust the consistency with more curd if required
• Serve with any north Indian starter/snack or chats

Methi Malai Matar

It was decided that we’d be gathering for a pot luck lunch at a cousin’s place for a party. And I had committed on making a rice item. I was traveling the whole of the week before and returning home only on the previous evening, but I was anyway prepared to cook a Methi Peas pulav. So bought the greens on the way back and came home and picked and cleaned it too. Then the cousin’s wife calls up to say that she has prepared for a pulav herself as she didn’t want me to strain myself as I was traveling.

I had prepared myself for this rice and even my insistence didn’t help. She had even gotten ready for a side dish and chapathis. Then I thought why not make a second side dish and carry, as that would not go waste. I declared to her that I would be getting a second side dish and she couldn’t say no to it.

Since the ready ingredients at hand were Methi and Peas, my obvious choice was Methi Malai Muter. I had been wanting to try it out from a long time and remembered having seen it on Champa’s blog. So opened her blog from my phone and set out cooking next morning!
It did come out well, and everyone liked it. Thanks Champa, for a non-baking recipe. I had doubled the ingredients and made a larger quantity, but here I am using Champa’s quantities. I did make some variations, and here’s the recipe....

Methi Malai Matar

Preparation time : 15 min Cooking time : 15 min Serves : 5-6 Ingredients: Methi / fenugreek leaves - 1 big bunch cleaned and only leaves are picked and chopped Frozen green peas - 2 cups (If using fresh peas, use boiled and cooked) Red Onion - 2 big chopped to chunks Green chillies - 7 or more depending on your taste Cashews - 1/4 - 1/3 cup Garlic - 1 pod chopped Ginger - 1/2 inch piece peeled and chopped Cloves - 5 Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp Cinnamon - 1" stick Oil - 3 Tbsp divided use Ricotta cheese / Cottage cheese - 1 cup (optional - to make a rich gravy) Cream - 1/2 cup Milk - ¼ cup or enough to thin down the curry to desired consistency Salt - to taste Method: • In a skillet, heat 1 Tbsp of oil. When hot, add cumin seeds. • When they splutter, add green chillies, garlic, ginger, cloves and cinnamon. • Sauté till the coves pop. Add cashews and let them toast well. • Now, add onions and stir. Let it cook stirring occasionally. • When they are cooked, take it out into a blender or mixie jar. • In the same pan, heat the remaining 1 Tbsp of oil. • When hot, add green peas and chopped fenugreek leaves. Sauté till peas are tender. • Meanwhile blend the ingredients in the blender. You can add a little bit of water to facilitate the blades. But don't make it too runny. • Add this paste and stir. • Add the ricotta cheese if using and the cream and stir well. • Adjust the consistency with milk • Add salt and let it simmer for couple of minutes and turn off the heat. • Serve hot or warm with rotis, naans, chapathis or even rice. Notes: • I skipped the ricotta cheese - may be it would have tasted richer with it • Red chili powder can be added to increase the heat

I'm posting this from one of my old drafts as i'm not able to spend time clicking pics and writing with with so much of work at home and at work. I've made this dish many times now, esp for parties and it is always a hit!

Arvi (Taro Root) Cutlets - Guest post by Sandhya

Today's post is a guest post from an old friend of mine - Sandhya Pradeep. She was my classmate in college and a smiling, calm, friendly girl. Of late she had been posting a lot of wonderful food pictures on Facebook and i was kinda impressed. When I asked her to start a blog, she didn't quite make up her mind. So I asked her to at least make a nice post for my blog, from her big collection of recipes. She immediately obliged and here is the recipe she sent about a week ago. Since I was on a vacation, I took time to post it, and now here it is for you!

Over to Sandhya...

Recently Sumana asked me to write a guest post for this delightful blog filled with delicious recipes. I was excited and started digging through my personal collection of recipes and found this one – Arvi cutlets an absolute favorite of mine.

When we think of cutlets, the first thing that comes to our minds is the regular potato cutlet. I have substituted taro roots for potatoes thereby making this snack a light, healthy and guilt-free alternative.
It is both quick to prepare and packed with authentic Indian zest.

I thank Sumana for inviting me to be a part of this culinary rendezvous and hope the readers will enjoy trying this recipe as much as I did.

Arvi (Taro Root) Cutlets

Makes about 8-10 cutlets

Ingredients:
• Taro root (arvi, colocasia) – 7
• Onion – 1 medium-sized finely chopped
• Ginger- 1” grated
• Garlic – 4 large pods finely chopped
• Salt- to taste
• Green chilies – 2 finely chopped
• Red chili powder – 1 tsp or adjust to your spice level
• Chat masala – ½ tsp
• Garam masala – ¼ tsp
• Mint leaves – a handful finely chopped
• Coriander leaves – few strands finely chopped
• Turmeric – a pinch
• Corn flour – 2 tbsp or as needed for binding
• Oil for shallow frying.
• Lime juice – to garnish

Method:
• 1. Wash the taro root with skin and place them in the pressure cooker and pour enough water to immerse them. Cover the lid and pressure cook them with 2 whistles. Allow to cool.
• 2. Once cooled, drain the water and transfer it into a large bowl. Remove the skin of the taro root.
• Mash well using your palms.
• To this add onion, ginger, garlic, salt, green chillies, red chilli powder, chat masala, garam masala, mint leaves, turmeric, coriander leaves and mix well.
• Add cornflour and mix.
• In a shallow pan heat 3-4 tsp oil. Swirl the pan so that the entire pan is coated with oil.
• Lightly oil your palms. Pinch off a lime-sized ball of the mixture and flatten it using your palms to form a round patty.
• Place the patties in the pan and drizzle oil and cook both sides until it turns golden to dark brown color.
• Remove onto a plate. Squeeze some lemon juice on top and serve with tomato ketchup.

Notes:
• The patty should not be too thick as it needs to be cooked evenly.

Thank you so much Sandhya, for a wonderful post for my blog.... I'm sure we'll all try your recipe and enjoy...

Methi Chapathi

When you want a twist to your usual plain chapathis, you should try this. Adding methi and some spices to the chapathis makes it totally different and so flavorful.... The monotonous flat bread is gone and is replaced by something special... accompanied by a nice gravy, it makes for a special meal....

Here is how to make Methi Chapathis...

Methi Chapathi

Preparation time : 15 min Cooking time : 2 min per chapathi Makes : 8-10 Ingredients: Wheat flour / Atta - 2 cups Methi/Fenugreek leaves - 1 medium sized bunch or 2 small bunches Garam masala - ½ tsp Red chili powder - ½ tsp Salt - ½ tsp, or as per taste White sesame seeds - 2 tsp Water as needed Cooking Oil - 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp per chapathi Method: • Pick, wash and chop methi leaves finely • Mix wheat flour, salt, chili powder, garam masala powder in a large bowl • Add the methi leaves and mix in oil • Slowly add water and knead into a soft dough • Coat it with a little oil and keep aside for half an hour • Take the dough and pinch out lemon sized balls • Roll into thin chapathis and sprinkle methi seed on top. Roll again slightly so that the seeds stick to the rolled dough • Heat a skillet and cook on both sides drizzling a few drops of oil on each side. Remove when small brown spots start appearing • Repeat with the entire dough • Serve hot with one of the below lip smacking gravy as side dish Tips n Tricks: • Making very big chapathis out of this is difficult because of the addition of methi - so a lemon sized ball should be enough to make a 6” chapathi

Simple Gravy

If you want to fix up a gravy for your Jeera rice or Veg Puloa or Ghee rice etc, and do not want to go for an elaborate one with veggies and other ingredients, here’s an alternative. It is very simple to make, does not need any vegetables, other than onions and tomatoes, of course, and goes well with some rice.

Here’s how to make it...

Simple, Plain Gravy

Preparation time : 10 min Cooking time : 15 min Serves : 4 Ingredients: Onions - 3 medium sized, chopped, divided use Tomatoes - 2 medium sized, chopped Green chilies - 2, slit Garlic - 6-8 flakes Cashew nuts - 2 Tbsp, divided use Cooking oil - 3 tsp Curd - 3-4 Tbsp, optional Salt - ½ tsp or as per taste Sugar - ¼ tsp Ginger Garlic paste - ½ tsp Coriander pwd - ½ tsp Garam masala pwd - ½ tsp Red Chili pwd - ½ tsp Grated coconut - 2 tsp Method: • Heat 1 tsp of oil in a pan and sauté half of the cut onions, garlic till golden brown • Add the cut tomatoes and cook till done • Cool it, add to it coconut and half the cashew nuts and grind to a puree • Heat the remaining 2 tsp oil in a another pan, and add ginger garlic paste and slit green chilies • Add the remaining cashews, chopped onion, and stir till golden brown • Add red chilli powder, garam masala powder and coriander powder • Now add salt, sugar and the ground paste prepared in 3 and bring to boil • Add water if the consistency is too thick and boil for 3-4 min, stirring intermittently. • Switch off the flame and add the curd if using and mix well. • Serve it with any flavored rice and enjoy Variations: • Curd is optional – It gives a different taste with and without it • Coconut can be omitted

Carrot Baby corn Masala

The next few posts of mine will be some old dishes that I had saved as drafts but not posted. Some of them are even as old as last year, and now comes the time to post them all....

I’ve messed up with my camera, or rather Dee’s camera. I tried doing a favor for a friend by recovering her mistakenly deleted pictures and borrowed her card. Just as Dee was trying to stop me from inserting that card into his camera, I just inserted it, and whew.... the camera broke down :(. Now it can’t write on any card nor can we take pictures. I felt so so bad about it that I almost spoiled a couple of days over it.....
Now we should get it fixed over the weekend, and till then no way of clicking food pics. I don’t even have my other old camera here and may be if I get it, I can click some in the next week. So till then, no new recipes to post. But well, I have loads of them in drafts and will be posting them one by one!
This one is a dish I had tried out sometime last year, but hadn’t posted. Here it goes....

Carrot Baby corn Masala

Preparation time : 10 min Cooking time : 15 min Serves : 4 Ingredients: Carrots - 2, cut into 1’ x ¼’ pieces Baby corn - 8-10, cut into 1’ x ¼’ pieces Onions - 3 medium sized, chopped Tomatoes - 2 medium sized, chopped Green chilies - 2, slit Garlic - 6-8 flakes Almonds - 12-15, soaked in water for sometime Cooking oil - 1 Tbsp Salt - ½ tsp or as per taste Ginger Garlic paste - ½ tsp Coriander powder - ½ tsp Garam masala powder - ½ tsp Red Chili powder - ½ tsp Kitchen king masala - ½ tsp Method: • Heat 1 tsp of oil in a pan and saute half of the cut onions till golden brown• Add the cut tomatoes and cook till done • Once cool enough to handle, add soaked almonds and grind to a puree • Heat the remaining oil in a another pan, and add ginger garlic paste and slit green chilies • Add the remaining chopped onion, and stir till golden brown • Now add the chopped carrots and baby corn and cook till tender. Sprinkle a little water if needed. • Add red chilli powder, garam masala powder, kitchen king masala and coriander powder • Now add salt and the ground paste and bring to boil • Add water if the consistency is too thick and boil for 3-4 min, stirring intermittently. • Switch off the flame and garnish with chopped coriander • Serve it with rotis/phulkas/chapathis. Tips n Tricks: • Do not overcook the veggies, let it be slightly crispy

Pasta in White Sauce

Ever since I had visited an Italian restaurant a few years ago, I had become a fan of pasta in white sauce. And later when I tried other varieties of pasta in red sauce, I was not so impressed. May be my choice was bad; but pasta in white creamy sauce was something I was drooling for. Sometime ago, when I ordered the newly introduced pasta in WS in Dominos, Dee hesitatingly tasted it first, and then later, I had to literally stop him from finishing it off, and demand my share! And finally, when leaving from there, he dropped in to their kitchen and complimented the cook for the wonderful pasta!

Whew! He too had fallen for it..... Now of course I had to learn how to prepare it myself, seeing him like it so much. The plain Bambino Macaroni that I had bought was just lying in the kitchen shelf for a few weeks. And one fine day, I decided to give it a try and browsed through some sites and as always, finally came up with my modifications and set out to prepare it.

He too got into the kitchen to help me with my new venture. He asked me at least 3 times if I am sure that I can make the white sauce myself, or should he see if it can be bought! Yeah, he hadn’t guessed how simple it was to make the white sauce. And as we started preparing, even in laws were curious and peeped into the kitchen often ;)

It was ready in just a few minutes, and when served, of course, Dee who knew about it, started licking his plate even before it was served for others. In laws too loved it, and believe me or not, both MIL and FIL asked for a second helping! After finishing it off with second helpings for everyone, when I settled down with my plate, I realized how good it was, indeed! It was very close to the taste at Dominos!

The next time I prepared it at mom’s place too, it was the same story. Even my grandma became a fan of it, and the maid, who praised it for more than 3-4 times, finally told my mom, “Akka, you too learn how to make this, from your daughter, and prepare it often!”

Pasta in White Sauce

Preparation time : 10 min Cooking time : 15 min Serves : 5-6 Ingredients: Macaroni Pasta - 200 gms, I used elbows Capsicums - 1, cut into thin pieces Onions - 1 medium sized, chopped (optional - I omitted) Carrot - 2 medium sized, chopped into thin pieces French beans - 10-12, slit and chopped into thin pieces Green chilies - 1, slit (optional) Garlic - 6-8 flakes Olive oil - 3 tsp (or any other oil) Butter - 3 tsp Milk - 350 ml All purpose flour - 1 Tbsp Mixed Italian herbs/ Oregano / Thyme - 1 tsp Pepper powder - 1 ½ tsp, adjust acc to taste Salt - ½ tsp or as per taste Ginger Garlic paste - ½ tsp Grated cheese - 1 Tbsp Method: • Cook pasta for 5 minutes or till cooked, in 4-5 glasses of boiling water, adding ¼ tsp of salt and a few drops of olive oil • Drain the water completely and wash the pasta with plenty of running cold water, keep aside for draining • Heat 1 Tsp of oil in a pan and sauté the cut vegetables with green chilly and garlic, till they are cooked but slightly crunchy • In another pan, add butter and flour and sauté well till the flour starts to turn brown and butter starts separating out of flour • Let it cool for 5-10 minutes • Add half of the milk and mix the flour thoroughly, not letting lumps to form. If there are any lumps, lend it in a blender or with hand • Bring this to gentle boil. The white sauce starts thickening. • When boiling, add the sautéed vegetables, dried herbs, pepper powder and salt and continue stirring. Add remaining milk and water to adjust consistency to be thinner than what you require • After a couple of minutes of boiling, add pasta and mix gently, not to break the pastas • Mix in shredded cheese and mix well • If the pasta appears to be too thick, add a little more boiled milk • Garnish with more dried herbs, and serve hot. Tips n Tricks: • Do not overcook the vegetable, let it be slightly crispy • I used Bambino macaroni (elbows) first time. Next time I replaced it will MTR, but found the latter too delicate. Most of the elbows were broken when cooked. My choice is bambino Variations: • Onion, garlic and ginger garlic paste can be omitted - in fact, I had not used it in my version

P.S. - This dish is participating in the event 'Pasta Party' hosted by Jyoti of http://panchpakwan.blogspot.com/

Channa Masala

As a kid, Channa batura used to be my all time favorite in some of the restaurants that we would visit. While ordering food for me, dad used to be quite sure always that my choice would be Channa Batura! The huge round poori and the fat kabuli channa cooked soft with a simple yet flavorsome masala would surely be a hit for all kids, and of course to the elders too! :)

We used to have this dish only at restaurants initially, and later mom started making it at home for us, which is definitely much healthier than what is available out at restaurants. And the oily Bhatura can be substituted with little healthier regular pooris. The channa masala, if made well, even tastes great with chapathis, making it best for people cutting down on oily stuff.

This is a slight variant of the authentic Channa masala, to suit our taste buds, learnt from my mom.

Channa Masala

Preparation time : 10 min Cooking time : 20 min, other than time taken to soak and cook the channa Serves : 5-6 Ingredients: For cooking Channa Kabuli channa - 2 cups Baking soda - a small pinch Salt - ¼ tsp For the masala Tomatoes - 3-4 medium sized Onion - 3-4 medium sized Garlic - 4-5 cloves Ginger - 1” cube, grated Green chilies - 2-3, vary depending on taste Red chili powder - ½ tsp Coconut - 2 Tbsp, grated Salt - ½ tsp or as per taste Sugar - ¼ tsp Coriander leaves - 1 Tbsp, chopped Channa masala powder - 1 tsp. If you do not have this, you can simply add about ¾th spoon of garam masala, and half a spoon of dhania-jeera powder Cooking oil - ½ Tbsp Method: • Soak kabuli channa overnight • Cook it in a pressure cooker with a pinch of soda and salt for 4-5 whistles, or till cooked soft • Boil tomatoes. Tomatoes can also be boiled along with the channa in the cooker • Meanwhile, slit green chilies, and chop onions into medium sized pieces • Grind the cooked tomatoes, half of chopped onions, coconut into a fine paste • In a heavy bottomed pan, heat oil and add crushed garlic, ginger, slit green chilies • Add the remaining chopped onions and sauté till they turn translucent • Now add the ground paste and cook for a few minutes till the raw smell of onion is gone. • Add Channa masala, red chili powder, salt, sugar and mix well • Now add the cooked channa and bring to boil for a few minutes. Adjust the consistency with suitable amount of water. The channa should absorb the flavors and taste of the masala. • Garnish with chopped coriander • Serve with baturas / pooris / chapathis Tips n Tricks: • If the gravy turns out to be too thin, then, just take out a tablespoon of the cooked channa, and grind it to a coarse paste and add it back to the gravy. This way, you get the right consistency and a creamy texture, without compromising on the taste Variations: • The onion can also be sautéed before grinding, to avoid boiling for a longer time later to eliminate the raw smell

White Beans Masala - Cooking good things is so easy!

Who says cooking is difficult? Of course there was one time when I too used to think cooking is a fractious job. I would dread at the thought of cooking alone when mom was ill or away, in high-school or college days. I would occasionally cook well too, but that would have taken an epoch. I would take hours to chop vegetables get things ready and check and re-check the recipe some zillion times, and still make some mistake and get nervous how to fix it and so on and so forth.

I feel like laughing thinking of those days. There has been a world of difference now. I can now say confidently that I can cook a good meal for about 20 people in a couple of hours. And if something goes wrong I can easily be sure to get it fixed. And the proportions too will quite be apt.

And also guessing the ingredients and method for a food that I taste somewhere and later trying it out myself is another thing I like and enjoy.So this time it is White beans masala that I wanted to try out without looking into any recipe but just taking guesses. And it did turn out to be quite tasty. We just loved it with simple Ghee rice. It would be good with chapathis / rotis too.

Here’s the recipe...

White Rajma Masala

Preparation time : 10 min, apart from soaking time Cooking time : 20-25 min Serves : 4-5 Ingredients: White Rajma (Bean seeds) - 1 cup, fresh/dried; Soak overnight if using dried Tomato - 3 medium sized Onion - 2 medium sized Green chilies - 2-3 Ginger - 1” cube Garlic - 5-6 cloves Garam masala powder - 1 Tsp Red chili powder - ½ - 1 tsp, depending on taste Kitchen king masala - ½ tsp, optional Jeera powder - ½ tsp Coriander powder - ½ tsp Oil - 1 tbsp Salt - 1 tsp, as per taste Sugar - ¼ - ½ tsp Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp, chopped Method: • Soak rajma overnight if you’re using dried ones. I used fresh ones so didn’t have to soak, and the cooking time was less too. • Pressure cook rajma with enough water for 3-4 whistles, or till well cooked • Boil tomatoes in water till tender, cool and make puree • Heat oil in a pan • Add chopped onion and sauté for 2 minutes • Crush ginger and garlic and add the paste and continue to sauté till the onions turn translucent • Add all the spice powders and mix thoroughly so that no lumps are formed • Mix in tomato puree, salt and sugar and bring to a gentle boil • Add the boiled bean seeds, and water if necessary to maintain a gravy consistency • Let it boil for 5-10 minutes, till the bean seeds absorb the taste and flavors from the gravy • Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with rotis/chapathis/ghee rice Tips n Tricks: • Cook the bean seeds just tender enough for the right taste

Potato-Bread Rolls - Fat free, hot ‘n crisp evening snack

Dee : Are there potatoes at home?

Me: Yeah, there are some. Why?

Dee: Shall we make Potato bajji?

I start drooling over the thought of my favorite potato bajji. But immediately the thought of my dieting plans flashes across my mind.

Err, not that I have a lot of accumulated fat, but just that I don’t want any fat to get accumulated, that’s it! But how can I resist the temptation of having that lovely evening snack? And is it not unfair that I restrict him also not to have what he wants to?

Me : Hmmm..... How bout something else with aloo?

Dee: Like? What’s your idea?

I remembered reading an oil-free version of aloo bread rolls in a book that came along with my Microwave. I just got up to find the book, without answering him, in the next moment we were looking into this recipe. It seemed to be a quite a simple one, just that we wanted bread for it, which Dee immediately set out to get. And I headed to the kitchen to cook potatoes.

The potatoes were cooked by the time he returned with a loaf of bread, and we started off our experimentation! Since we were using the Grill combo mode for the first time, we were almost hooked onto the Microwave – as if the rolls would get grilled only if we stood there!! Anyways, our effort paid off, when the crisp, fat-free rolls were ready to be munched.

Here’s how we made them.......

Aloo-Bread Rolls

Preparation time : 15 min Cooking time : 25 min Makes : 12 rolls Ingredients: Potatoes - 2 large Onion - 2 med sized, finely chopped (optional - original recipe does not use) Green chilies - 1-2, depending on taste, finely chopped Ginger - 1 inch pc, grated Coriander leaves - 1 Tbsp, finely cut Garam masala pwd - 1 Tsp Red chili pwd - ½ - 1 Tsp, depending on taste Salt - ¾ Tsp or as per taste Bread slices - 12 Cooking oil - 1 Tbsp Method: • Boil potatoes in a pressure cooker till it is well cooked • In a pan, sauté onions with a Tsp of oil, till it turns translucent • Meanwhile, cut and take off the brown part of the bread slices one by one, leaving only the white slices • Once potatoes are cool enough to touch, peel them and mash them thoroughly, not leaving any lumps • Mix in sautéed onions, green chilies, coriander, garam masala powder, chili powder and salt • Mix thoroughly for even distribution of spices • Make 12 cylindrical, sausage shaped rolls and keep aside • Grease a non stick microwave tray with a little oil • Now take a slice of bread, dip it in water and immediately take it out • Squeeze out the water, spread the wet slice on your left palm, and place the potato filling roll in the middle • Roll over the bread slice so that the potato filling is completely covered with a layer of wet bread • Cover the two sides as well, and remove extra bread at the ends if extra • Smear a few drops of oil over the bread roll and place it on the greased microwave tray • Repeat for all the rolls, and place the rolls evenly on the tray • Grill the rolls in microwave for 15 to 18 minutes in Grill-combination mode • Turn the rolls every 5 minutes to ensure even browning on all sides • Once done, let it cool slightly for 5 minutes, before serving • Serve with Sonth (Recipe will follow soon) or tomato chili sauce Tips n Tricks: • Ensure that potato is boiled properly, else there will be lumps when mashed Variations: • In case you do not have a microwave, then roast it in a pan adding little oil by constantly turning over the rolls. This is if you want a relatively fat-free version. Else, go ahead and deep fry them!

Methi Malai Dal

There’ll be times when you don’t feel like cooking or eating anything complicated or spicy and just wish for something very simple – but yet tasty. The routine Rasam and Sambhar are just too boring to give them even a thought. Cutting vegetables, grinding spices are just out of question. But then the appetite? And your wish to eat good food?

It was one such weekend, when only both of us were home. (Well, that’s when I can be so lazy as well as try any new thing without getting worried how it’ll turn out!). And I wanted to cook something very quick and get back to my relaxing mode :P. At the same time, didn’t want to disappoint Dee with boring stuff either!

I remembered a dish which I had had at a restaurant the week before – ‘Methi Malai Matar’. And there was a bowl of methi leaves left over; I didn’t want to waste it either. But I didn’t feel like using any matar that day. So, I decided to make a variant of Dee’s favorite – Dal in that style!

So I started out cooking the dal and in parallel worked on the Methi combination. And in 15-20 minutes was ready a cool new variety of dal, yummy with hot rice or chapathis. The addition of cream gives it a totally different taste.

Methi -Malai- Dal

Preparation time : 5 min Cooking time : 10 min with cooked dal Serves : 4 Ingredients: Tur dal - 1 cup Methi leaves - 1 cup, chopped Cooking oil - 1 Tsp Cumin seeds - 1 Tsp Water - 1 cup Turmeric - a pinch Salt - ½ Tsp or as per taste Green chilies - 4-5, depending on taste, chopped/slit Ginger - 1Tsp, grated Curry leaves - 10-12 Milk cream - 1 Tbsp, optional Method: • Pressure cook Tur dal with water and turmeric for one whistle and keep aside • Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds, chilies, grated ginger • After half a minute, add the chopped methi leaves and sauté for 2-3 minutes • Add cooked lentils and salt and bring to boil • Turn off the heat and add milk cream and mix thoroughly • Serve hot with hot rice or chapathis Tips n Tricks: • Don’t add methi in excess as it gives the dal a bitter taste. Variations: • Onion can also be added to give a different taste