Soya chunks (meal-maker) kurma

Soya chunks cooked in a rich coconut-cashew ground mixture along with the onion- tomato spice mix. Chapathi along with  soya chunks gravy  is like a marriage made in heaven .I prefer mini chunks as there is no need to cut it again after pressure cooking.As soya chunks has good nutritive value,I like to include it either in gravy or in soya chunks biryani(I will post that soon!!)or as an appetizer. This post is specifically posted now (during navrathri) to help fight with your non - veg cravings. Here is a glimpse of the recipe.



Ingredients :

1.Soya chunks - 1 cup(1 cup= 250 ml)
2.Big onion(medium sized) - 1
3.Tomato (medium sized) - 2
4.Ginger         - 1 inch
5.Garlic         - 4 cloves
6.Chilli powder - 1 tsp
7.Coriander powder - 1 tsp
8. Garam masala - 1 tsp
9.Green chilli - 2 
10.Bay leaves - 1 
11. Kasoori methi - 1 tbsp

To grind :

1.Coconut (grated) - 2 to 3 Tbsp
2.Cashew nuts - 5 to 6
3.Roasted gram - 1 - 2 Tbsp
4.Coriander seeds - 1 Tbsp
5.Fennel seeds - 1 tsp

Method :

1. Pressure cook soya chunks with water and little salt for just one whistle.
2. Wash it in cold water. Squeeze out the water gently from the soya chunks and keep it aside.  
3. Meanwhile, take a pan and pour oil into it.
4. Then add chopped onion, ginger and garlic and fry for a while until the onion turns translucent.
5. Then add tomatoes and fry them till the tomatoes turn mushy.
6. Add chilli powder, coriander powder and garam masala to it. Fry for just 1 min.
7. Switch off the stove and allow them to cool.
8. Meanwhile, blend the items given under "To grind" for just 5 seconds.
9. Add the fried  onion -tomato mixture to the blender and blend everything together.
10. Now take a pressure cooker and add 1 tsp oil to it.
11. Add the bay leaf and green chilli to it.
12. Then add the ground masala to it and fry for 2- 5 minutes.
13. Then add kasoori methi to it.
14. Finally add soya chunks and enough water and salt. Pressure cook this for 1 or 2 whistles.
15. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with chapathi/roti.

Rajma masala

Kidney beans been cooked and tossed in a rich blend of onion ,tomato along with the spices. Rajma masala is a very healthy and traditional recipe of north India.  I had this once in our friends' home and it tasted very well and my kid too liked it so much. Badshah rajwadi masala or MDH garam masala is more preferable for this recipe. And the end product should not be watery too. And the aroma fills the entire house making everyone crave for it.

Ingredients : 

1. Rajma/Kidney beans - 1 cup (210 ml )

2. Onion - 1

3. Tomato - 2

4. Ginger garlic paste - 1 Tbsp

5. Jeera - 1 tsp

6. Red Chilli powder - 1 tsp

7. Coriander powder - 2 tsp

8. Garam masala - 3 tsp

9. Kasoori methi(Optional) - 2 tsp

10 Salt and Oil - As required


Method : 

 

 

1. Soak rajma for atleast 2 hrs. Then pressure cook it for 5-6 whistles.

2. Take a pan and pour oil .Add jeera to it.

3.When it sputters, add onion to it. Add some salt to onions, so that the onions brown uniformly.



4. Then add ginger garlic paste. When its raw smell goes off, add garam masala.



5. Then mix well and add finely chopped tomatoes to it.

6. When the tomatoes turn mushy, add chilli and coriander powders.



7. Add the water from cooked rajma to the pan



8. Cook it covered for atleast 8 minutes.When everything in the pan blends well, add rajma and salt to the pan.





10 .Then add kasoorimethi to it.And cook for another 10
minutes so that all the spicy flavour get into rajma.



11. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with chapati/roti/poori/rice.

Peas masala

Ingredients :

1. Peas - 2 cups

2. Big onion - 1

3.Tomato - 2

4. Ginger - 1 inch

5. Garlic - 5-6

6. Cinnamon - 1 stick

7. Cloves - 2

8. Bay leaves - 1

9. Coriander leaves - 1 sprig

10. Kasoori methi - 1/2 tsp

11. Chilli powder - 1 tsp

12. Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

13. Coriander powder - 2 tsp

14. Garam masala powder - 2 tsp

15. Oil - As required.

Method :

1. I prefer using the dried peas for this recipe. Soak dried peas for atleast 2 hrs or overnight.
2. Take a pan and pour oil in it. Add chopped onion,ginger and garlic.




3. Add onion and fry for a while. When the onion turns translucent,add the chopped tomatoes.




4. Fry for a while until the tomato turns mushy. Then add all the spice powders and leave for 2 minutes.




5. Allow it to cool and then grind it into a paste. Cook peas with minimum amount of water along with salt in a pressure cooker for 2 whistles .




6.Take a pressure cooker and add oil to it.Then add cinnamon,clove and bay leaves.

7.When it sputters, add the ground paste and leave for 2 minutes until the oil seems to separate.





8. Then add the peas along with the water in it.(If you have much water with peas discard the excess amount).

9.Then add kasoori methi and pressure cook for 1 whistle.

10.Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with
chapathi/roti/paratha/pulav.

　

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paneer Mutter Masala

Mutter paneer masala is a very good alternative to the usual paneer butter masala and chana masala too . And it has added nutrients too as we add peas here. It goes well with naan , roti or chapathi. I like to have it with  Kashmiri pulav. Many of us think that paneer gravies cant  be made at home just like the restaurant .But that is absolutely wrong and you would feel it once you try it…have fun enjoying it..

Ingredients :

1.Paneer                       - 1 packet

2.Peas                         - 1 cup

3.Big onion                   - 2

4.Ginger                       - 1 inch piece

5.Garlic                        - 4 pieces

6.Tomato                     - 3

7.Casher nuts               - 5

8.Kasuri methi              -1 pinch 

9.Red chilli powder        -1 tsp    

10.Coriander powder      -1 ½ tsp

11.Garam masala powder-2 tsp

12.Turmeric powder             -1/2 tsp

13.Green chlli               -1

        14.Jeera                      -1 tsp

15.Fresh cream             -1/4 cup

16.Salt and oil                     - As required

Method :

1.Boil the peas separately (If you are using frozen peas , soak in water overnight ).Chop onion and grind it along with ginger and garlic.

2.Boil tomato and peel off the skin. Let it cool and grind and then filter the seeds and keep it aside.

3.Grind the cashew nuts along with 1 Tbsp milk.

4.Take a pan and heat butter and fry the paneer cubes in it.(Be very careful not to overboil it).

5. Then immerse the paneer cubes immediately into warm water.

6. Take a pan and pour butter into it. Then add jeera . When it sputters, add green chilli.

7. Now add the onion,ginger and garlic paste to it.

8. Cook it in medium or lowflame until the raw smell goes off and the oil gets separated at the edges.(its colour also would change)

9. Add all the specified powders to it.

10.Then add the tomato paste or readymade tomato puree.

11. Cook it for few mins and then add the cashew paste to it.

12.Now add the boiled peas along with the boiled water(don’t add too much water).Then add the kasuri methi.

13.Allow it to boil until the fine consistency is reached. Just before switching off the flame, add the paneer cubes to it.

14.Add the fresh cream before serving.

Note  :

1.   If you want the paneer to be very soft, u can avoid frying it .

2.   You can also add milk to replace fresh cream(but be sure to add it while n low flame).

Fenugreek lentil Subzi

Ingredients :

       1.  Paasi paruppu                                     -              1 /  2 cup

        2. Fenugreek leaves                               -              As shown in picture

        3.  Turmeric powder                               -              1 tsp

        4.  Sambar powder                                 -              2 tsp

        5.  Salt                                                      -              As required

        6.  Coconut milk                                     -              1 / 2 cup

To Temper  :

        1.    Jeera                                               -              1 tsp

        2.    Ural dhal                                         -              1 tsp

        3.   Curry leaves                                     -              1 sprig  

        4.    Small onion                                      -              5 to 6

        5.    Tomato                                            -              1

Method :

1.      1.              Chop the methi and keep it aside.Take a pan and roast the lentil without any oil until                U get the fragrance of the lentil(Obviously in low flame).
2.   2.    Take a pressure cooker and boil the lentil in open with around 1 ¼ cup of water.

3.     When it is boiled, add fenugreek leaves.
4.  4.      Then add turmeric and sambar powder and also salt.
5.   5.     In the meanwhile,take a pan and pour oil separately.
6.   6.    Add the items under to temper.

7.       Then add this to the fenugreek  n  lentil in the cooker.
8.   8.     Finally add some coconut milk and leave for a minute .

9.       Serve with rice or roti.

                                      

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Spicy chicken gravy

 

Everyone in my home from kids to adults, love this recipe . Its' authentic spicy taste can never be challenged by any other chicken recipe. It tastes very great with rice and chapati or roti .This recipe travels along more than three generations as of I know..My grandma used to make it very very spicy as anyone who eats couldnot control tears flowing ( :) ) although the taste s heavenly..and my mom n all of my aunts make it have made it moderately spicy and Im presenting it 2 u in a form that s suitable for our age...Try this n enjoy... 
 
 

                             Recipe Cuisine: Indian | Prep Time: 10 mins | Cook time: 45 mins | Serves - 5

 

Ingredients :

• Chicken - 1/2 kg
• Big onion - 1
• Tomato - 1
• Salt and oil (As required)

To saute and grind:

• Small onion -1/4 kg (around 30)
• Garlic - 7
• Ginger - 2 pieces(1 inch each)
• Black Pepper - 2 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 3 tsp
• Fennel seed - 2tsp
• Cardamom - 2
• Coriander powder - 2 Tbsp
• Red chilli powder - 2Tbsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Oil (as required)
• Salt
• Coconut - 1/3 quantity of small onion (Optional)

Method:

1.Take a pan and pour 2 Tbsp of oil and then add cinnamon,cumin,fennel,pepper and elachi.
 


 2.Then add garlic and ginger .Fry for a while and then add small onions.
 


 3.When the onions turn golden simmer down the stove.Then add turmeric,coriander and red chilli powders.
4.Finally add coconut and switch off the stove.
 

 
5.When it is cooled down,grind the mixture.
 


 6.Now take a cooker and pour 2 Tbsp of oil into it.Add mustard and fennel seeds.When the mustard seed sputters, add chopped big onion.
7.When the onion turns golden, add tomato and saute for two more minutes.Then add the ground masala and the chicken into the cooker.
 

 
8.With it add water until chicken is covered (less water is preferable)and salt.Leave for 2-3 whistles.Let the pressure release and then cook uncovered for 15-20 mins until the gravy thickens.
Serve with coriander garnishing.For sure everyone in your family would love this one and ask for more n more :) :) :) .

 

 
Note :

• U can add red chilli powder as per your taste .
• The taste of the gravy depends on the ground masala (Dont overcook or under cook it)

Channa masala

Channna masala

Chana masala is one of my favorite dishes.Can make it for kids as it is very nutritious. Had tried this recipe from mallika badrinath's books which came out successfully.My mom-in law loves it very much . It tastes as if prepared in a restaurent. It goes well with roti , chapathi r poori .

Ingredients :

• Channa dhal - 1cup
• Tomato - 2
• Tamarind - smaller than lemon size
• Grated Jaggery - 1 tsp (Optional)
• Cumin seeds - 11/2 tsp
• Oil with ghee - 31/2 Tbsp
• Salt - As required
• Green chilli - 2 (cut lengthwise)
• Red chilli powder - 11/2 tsp
• Coriander leaves(Chopped) -1 Tbsp
• Lemon -1

To Grind :

• Big onion - 3
• Ginger -1 small piece
• garlic - 7 to 8
• cardamom - 3
• cloves - 3
• cinnamon - 1 inch stick

Method :

1.Soak channa overnight (almost 10 hrs). After that wash channa and pressure cook for 20 mins.Grind the ingredients under the column "To grind".

2.Soak tomatoes in hot water and then peel the outer layer. Grind and filter the seeds.Take a pan and pour oil and ghee. Add Cumin and green chilli.











3.Then add the ground masala and salt. Fry until oil separates from the masala. Then add tomato juice and fry for a while.











4.Now add tamarind paste,jaggery and red chilli powder.Add the channa along with water (used for boiling). Leave until the gravy thickens

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5.Garnish with coriander leaves . Serve with a lemon n enjoy.

 

Notes :

• U can also use tomato puree.
• Be careful as not to add much water along with channa.