Vegetable Biryani

VEGETABLE BIRYANI

Ingredients:

• 1 cup assorted veggies (Carrot/ green peas/ beans and potatoes)
• 2 finely chopped onions
• 2 finely chopped tomato
• 2 tsp ginger garlic paste
• 2  green chili
• 1tsp mint leaves
• Finely chopped coriander
• 2 bay leaf

2 cloves 2 small size cinnamon sticks 2 cardamon ½ tsp cumin seeds ½ tsp fennel seeds ¼ tsp turmeric powder ½ tsp red chili powder 2 tsp coriander powder Salt to taste Oil 3 tsp ghee 3 ½ cup water ½ cup yogurt Method:  Take a kadhai, heat oil or ghee (or take half of each), add all dry spices bay leaves, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, cumin seeds and fennel seeds. Toast them for a while, then add slit green chilies, mint leaves and finely chopped coriander leaves. Fry them until they turn crisp. Now add chopped onions, fry till golden, and then add crushed ginger garlic. Saute for couple of minutes. Then add chopped tomatoes along with turmeric, chili powder and coriander powder. Let the tomatoes cook till soft and then add the veggies along with salt.  Wash and add Basmati rice at this stage. In a pressure cooker, just add 1/2 cup curd and 3 1/2 cup water to the gravy and cook for up to 2 whistles.  Wait for the pressure to release then add a tsp of ghee (optional). Garnish with coriander leaves cashew nuts and mix carefully without breaking the rice.

Upma

UPMA Ingredients:

1 Cup Sooji/Rawa  1 chopped Onion  2 tbsp Ghee  2 Cups water  1 tsp Urad Dal  2 chopped Green chilies 1/4 tsp Ginger paste  1/4 tsp Cumin seeds  1/4 tsp Mustard seeds  Curry leaves  8 Cashew nuts  Salt to taste

Method:

1. Roast sooji/ rawa in a kadhai on low flame until it starts to give off a distinct aroma. Keep it aside. 2. Heat ghee in the same and add cumin seeds, curry leaves, mustard, urad dal and cashew nuts. 3. Now add chopped greed chili, ginger, onions and cook again for 3 minutes. 4. Now add salt, roasted sooji/ rawa and water. 5. Stir well and cover it. 6. Upma is ready. Serve it with pickle or chutney. Quick and Healthy breakfast :-)

Sakhar Bhat

SAKHAR BHAT

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Basmati rice, washed and drained
• 1 tbsp ghee
• 1 ¼ cup sugar and a little more than ½ cup water for the paak (sugar syrup)
• 4-5 cloves
• ¼ tsp cardamom powder
• 8-10 cashew nuts, halved and raisins
• pinch of keshar (saffron) strands, soaked in a little milk or water
• 1 tsp lime juice (optional)

Method:

1. Heat the ghee, when hot add the cloves and cook till the color of cloves starts changes.
2.  Add the rice and saute a bit.
3. Add two cups water and cook the rice.
4. When the rice is cooked, gently spread it in a plate and let cool.
5. Combine the sugar and water. Let the mixture cook till you get a thick syrup.
6. You know the paak (sugar syrup) is done when a drop of paak put on a metal plate holds it shape and doesn't run. 
7. Add the lemon juice (optional), saffron, cardamom powder, cashews, and the rice to the syrup.
8. Cover and cook till the water evaporates.
9. Serve it hot. Garnish with cashew and raisins.

Mainly prepared on festive occasions :-)

Mutter Paneer

MUTTER PANEER

Ingredients:

• 200 grams Paneer
• 1 cup Cooked green peas
• 1 Onion
• 1 Tomatoes
• 2 Bay leaves
• 3-4 Cloves
• 1/4 tsp Black pepper powder
• 1 tsp Ginger-garlic paste
• 1 Green chili
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
• 1 tsp Red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp Coriander powder
• 1 tbsp Poppy seeds
• 1 tsp Roasted cumin powder
• 1 tsp Garam Masala Powder
• 5-6 tsp Vegetable oil
• Salt to taste
• Green coriander leaves for garnishing

Method:

1. Heat oil in a kadhai.
2. Cut paneer into small cubes. Fry over medium heat until light brown. Turn pieces while frying. Be very careful as it splatters. Keep aside the paneer pieces.
3. Cut onion, tomato and green chili. Grind it and make paste. Add ginger-garlic paste.
4. Heat remaining oil and fry bay leaves and cloves for 30 secs. Add the paste and fry on medium heat until golden brown (The oil starts separating from the mixture).
5. Add red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala, black pepper powder, poppy seeds and salt. Mix well. Add green peas and fry for 2-3 minutes.
6. Add water just enough to make thick gravy. Bring the gravy to boil.
7. Add paneer pieces. Stir well and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes.
8. Garnish with chopped green coriander leaves and serve hot.

Aluchi Vadi

Aluchi Vadi

Ingredients: 

• 6 Tender large Taro leaves

• 2 cup Besan (Chickpea Flour)
• 2 tsp Chili Powder 
• 1 tsp Goda Masala
• 1 tsp Coriander Powder
• 1 tsp Cumin Powder
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric
• Chopped Coriander
• 2 tsp Tamarind Pulp
• 1 tsp Jaggery
• Salt to taste
• Water as required
• Oil as needed for shallow fry 

Method:

1. Wash taro leaves thoroughly, flip and remove the veins keeping the leaf intact. Set these aside.
2. Mix all the remaining ingredients except water in a bowl. Add little water at a time and make thick paste. Consistency should be like idli batter. 
3. Now spread leaf, spread the paste on the leaf making sure its covered but the batter layer is thin. Now spread another leaf on top and spread thin layer of batter.
4. Fold sides of the leaf, cover with more batter so the sides stick properly. Now make tight roll.
5. Similarly make two more rolls from remaining leaves and batter.
6. Arrange all the rolls in a greased plate.
7. Steam for 15-20 mins.
8. Remove and let them cool completely. Now using sharp knife cut thick rounds vadis.

 

9. Shallow fry these vadis from both the sides.

 

 10. Serve hot with Chutney/ Sauce or any dip of your choice.

 

Tip:

You can make tempering using mustard, cumin, sesame seeds, 

asafetida, turmeric and curry leaves. 

Pour it on the vadis.

Kothimbir Vadi / Coriander Vada

Kothimbir Vadi

It’s a Maharashtrian Dish. Kothimbir Vadi means Coriander

Vada. It’s a snack which is very popular in Maharashtra.

I tried doing this for the weekend snacks menu. My Mother 

in law have totally different recipe for this which I would 

share soon. 

Easy to make snacks for weekends.. try it!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups chopped Coriander leaves
• 1 cup besan (chickpea flour)
• 3 tbsp bhajniche peeth
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp red chili powder
• Pinch of asafetida
• ½ tsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 green chilly finely chopped
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp sugar
• Oil to fry
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Mix all the ingredients in bowl except the oil.
2. Use little water and make a thick batter. The batter consistency should be like bhaji/pakoda batter.
3. Take one plate grease it and pour the batter in it.
4. Steam for 15-20 mins.
5. Allow to cool and then cut in to pieces.
6. Take a kadhai pour oil in it for frying.Fry until golden brown and appear crisp.
7. Serve it with any dip/ chutney/ sauce of your choice. 

Tip: When you have lot of guest coming this can be steamed and refrigerated and fried at time of serving.

Veg Jaipuri

Veg Jaipuri

Ingredients:

• 1-cup French beans
• 1 cup chopped potatoes
• 1 cup chopped carrot
• 1 cup chopped cauliflower
• 1 cup green peas

Take all the vegetables in 1 bowl and boil it for 5 mins in microwave. You can add little salt to it while boiling.

Ingredients for the paste:

• 2 tbsp grated coconut
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped tomato
• Grated ½ tsp ginger
• 3-4 pieces garlic

Mix and grind in to paste

Ingredients for Dry Masala:

• 2-3 pieces cinnamon's
• 2 cloves
• 5-5 black peppers
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 1tsp cumin seeds
• 10 roasted cashew nuts

Mix and grind in to dry powder

Ingredients for curry:

• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 cup paneer cubes
• 1 tsp Makhaan/ butter
• Salt to taste
• Coriander leaves to garnish
• 10 cashew-nuts and raisins for garnishing

Method:

1. Heat the oil in kadhai and add ground paste in it.
2. Then add the dry masala powder and heat for 2 mins.
3. Then add turmeric, chili powder, salt and sugar
4. Now add boiled vegetables and paneer cubes and cook for 2-3 mins. Mix well.
5. Turn of the flame and garnish with coriander leaves, cashew and raisins
6. Add Makhaan on it :-)

Serve it hot!