Channa dal palak

Channa dal palak is yet another Punjabi recipe from Parul’s stable. Thank you Parul for the beautiful picture and tasty recipe. Rich in iron and protein, channa dal Palak is a very good recipe for kids who otherwise don’t like to have palak as it has channa that they will love to have. Palak is spinach in English and paalakura in telugu.

Preparation time: 20-30 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:
Spinach leaves (palak/paalakura) 1 cup(400 gms/2 bunches)
Chick peas (Kabuli channa/senagalu) 1 cup(200 gms)
Finely chopped medium sized onion 1
Big tomato 1
Green chillies 2
Ginger 1 tsp
Refined cooking oil 4 tsp
Red chilli powder 1 tsp
Coriander powder (dhania powder) 1 tsp
Pinch of turmeric
Salt to taste

Method:

Chop 400 gms SPINACH, grate a big tomato, slit the green chillies.

Wash the chana dal.

Pressure cook 1 cup of channa dal, chopped spinach, pinch of salt, chopped green chilli, and a pinch turmeric. After 4-5 whistles allow to cook on simmer for 10-15 mins.

Add oil in pan/kadai (bandli/mookudu).Add onions and ginger. Once the onions are golden brown, add tomatoes and leave to cook for 2-4 mins. Add pinch of red chilli powder, coriander powder, salt to taste and a pinch of turmeric.

Add this mixture to the boiled vegetable and dal, leave on simmer for 5 mins.

Channa dal palak is ready to serve. Channa dal palak is a perfect combo with phulkas or any of the Indian bread. It also goes well with any of the flavored rice or just plain rice. Bite a green chilly in between for the extra spice.

Microwave Cabbage Capsicum rice

Cabbage Capsicum rice, with loads of greens is a nutritious yet simple recipe. Making cabbage capsicum rice using the microwave just makes it quicker than usual. Thank you Pallavi for this awesome recipe.

Serves: 2

Preparation time: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients:
Cooked rice 1 cup (250 g)
Cabbage 1 cup (200g)
Capsicum 2
Green peas 1 cup (50g)
Finely chopped onion 1
Green chillies 2
Ginger 1tsp
Refined cooking oil 2tsp
Cumin seeds (jeera/jeelakarra) 1tsp
Coriander powder (dhania powder) 1tsp
Cumin powder (jeera powder) 1tsp
Pinch of turmeric
Salt to taste

Freshly grated coconut/ lemon juice to garnish
Fresh and chopped coriander to garnish

Method:
Finely chop or grate a medium sized cabbage. Chop the capsicum and slit the green chillies.

In a microwave safe dish, Add 2 tsp oil, 1 tsp jeera, a tsp of ginger, finely chopped onions, slit green chillies, a pinch of turmeric and microwave on medium heat for 3 minutes.

Once the tempering is done, add the chopped cabbage, capsicum, green peas, salt, coriander powder, cumin powder and mix well. Add a tsp oil if required and microwave for 6 minutes. Check if done, or microwave for 2 more minutes.(Most of the time, the capsicum and green peas are cooked, while cabbage takes a while.)

Once done, add to pre-cooked rice and mix well. Adjust the salt and garnish with grated coconut and chopped coriander. Instead of coconut, sprinkle a few drops of lemon juice and garnish with chopped coriander. (Do not use lemon and coconut at the same time.)

Either way, Cabbage capsicum rice tastes awesome. Cabbage capsicum rice can be a main course dish, as well as an evening quickie when guests are home and there is something substantial to be made. With all the veggies chopped, cabbage capsicum rice takes less than 10 minutes of preparation time and is also a healthy food at the same time. We however enjoyed cabbage capsicum rice with boondi raitha, and yes it did taste amazing.

Hommos

After almost a year and a half in this Arabic land, we decided to bring some simple Arabic cuisine on to the blog. Hommos is definitely the easiest to make and regularly available food anywhere in the Arab world. In fact, the khuboos (Arabic bread) and Hommos combo is the staple food here.

Serves 4

Ingredients
Chickpeas 1 cup (200 g)
Warm water
Olive oil 4 tsps
Tahini (sesame seed paste/nuvvulu paste) ½ cup
Lemon juice 2 tsps
Cumin powder (jeera powder) 1 tsp
Lemon salt (optional)
Salt to taste

Method:
Soak 1 cup chick peas(kabuli chana) for 18 to 20 hours i.e overnight.

Boil the chick peas in warm water for almost an hour or more, that is until they turn tender and soft.

Leave to cool. Grind into a fine paste the boiled chick pea’s along with ½ a cup of tahini and salt to taste. Tahini is sesame seeds paste that is available in the supermarkets. (To prepare tahini at home, roast a cup of sesame seeds and grind with 1/4th cup of vegetable oil into a smooth paste. Store in a glass, air tight jar. We have however not tried preparing tahini at home.)

To the ground chick pea paste add olive oil, 2 tsps lemon juice, a tsp of cumin powder(optional), salt if required to be adjusted and mix. Serve as is or garnish with chopped spring onions and serve.

Incase the hommos is to be stored for 2 days and more, add lemon salt or citric acid, mix well and keep in the refrigerator frozen.

Hommos is ideally had with khuboos, the Arabic bread. Hommos itself is also had as a salad. Hommos is anyway a part of every Arabian menu, a welcome relief for vegetarians. So, the next time you are touring an arab country, you know what to ask for!

Microwave Tomato Rice

We are in the process of shifting home between two countries and unable to update the blog on a regular basis. Its been close to a month in a serviced apartment without a stove. We have learnt to cook in the microwave and using an electronic rice cooker.

Tomato rice is a simple rice recipe that we experimented in the microwave and have been successful. Not much to chop, not much to clean afterwards, it is as simple as any of the ready-to-eat stuff and yet yummier than them.

Preparation time: 40 mins

Serves 2

Ingredients:
Raw Rice (Biyyam/Akki/ Chawal) 2 cups (100 gm)
Chopped Tomatoes 2
Finely chopped onions 1
Green Chilly 1
Refined cooking oil 2 tsps
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Sambar powder 2 tsps
Pepper powder 1 tsp
Pinch of turmeric
Salt to taste
Fresh and chopped coriander or Freshly grated coconut to garnish

Method:
Wash and soak rice for 10-15 mins.

In a microwave-safe bowl add 1.5 tsp oil, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, green chilly, turmeric, onions and microwave on medium-high for 2.5 mins. Add the chopped tomatoes and microwave for 1.5 mins.

Add 2 tsps sambar powder, 1 tsp pepper powder, salt (a little less than usual), and mix once. Add the soaked rice and 3 cups of water and microwave for 20 mins. Check, add required water and microwave for another 5 mins if the rice feels hard.

Adjust the salt and mix well. Garnish with coriander/coconut as preferred.

Fresh, yummy tomato rice is done. Tomato rice tastes awesome as it is, but can also be had with any of the raithas or just plain curd.

Badam Burfi

Deepavali is the festival of lights. A festival, that fills light, inspiration, hope and joy in every household. Among the popular Deepavali festivities is distributing sweets to friends and family, thus sharing and spreading prosperity. Almond burfi or badam burfi is the perfect sweets for Deepavali. Simple to make, rich to present and sweet to savour, it completes the meaning of a celebration, a Deepavali.

Preparation time: 30-45 mins.


Ingredients:
Almonds (Badam) 200 gms
Sugar 100gms
Cardamom powder (Elaichi) 1tsp
Ghee 3tsp
Silver paper 1 sheet

Method:
Soak almonds for 4-5hours. Dry and peel them. Grind the almonds into a fine powder.Fry for 2 mins in a tsp of ghee.

In a kadai/pan(Bandli/mookudu), melt the sugar. Once the sugar melts, add the almond powder, a tsp of cardamom powder and ghee to make a thick paste of batter consistency.

Pour the mix into a flat vessel or plate and spread uniform and smooth. Cover with silver sheet. Cut into diamond shaped cakes.

Badam burfi or almond burfi is an amazing sweet that goes well in a lunch/dinner menu and can also be served along with evening snacks and tea. Of course it can also be had whenever the heart is happy as that’s a reason enough for celebration..

Wishing everyone a very Happy and sweet Deepavali that brings prosperity and success to all

Gatte ki Sabji

Rajasthani cuisine has a distinctive flavor, different form other Indian cuisines and that is what makes it so special. One of the well known Rajasthani sabjis is gatte ki sabji, a simple, delicious and filling preparation. We would like to thank Shraddha Siroya for the wonderful recipe and pictures.

Preparation time: 20-30 minutes

Serves: 4



Ingredients:

For Gatta preparation:

Chickpeaflour/gramflour(Senagapindi/Kadlehittu/Besan) 2 ½ cups
Red chilly powder 1 ½ tsp
Turmeric powder (Pasupu/Haldi) ½ tsp
Asafoetida( Inguva/Hing) ¼ tsp
Refined cooking oil 3 tsp
Water ½ cup
Salt to taste

For seasoning the gattas:

Refined cooking oil 1 ½ tsp
Cumin seed(Jeelakarra/Jeera) 1 tsp
Asafoetida(Inguva/Hing) ¼ tsp
Turmeric powder (pasupu/Haldi) ½ tsp
Finely chopped green chillies 2
Finely chopped onion (optional) ½
Ginger paste (optional) 1 tsp
Curry leaves (optional) 3-4
Coriander power (Dhania powder) 1 tbsp
Mango powder ( Amchur) 2 tbsp
Gram masala ½ tbsp
Water ½ cup
Curd 1 cup

Fresh and finely chopped coriander to garnish


Method:

Gattas:

Mix all ingredients together and make dough. Add more water to make it softer and easier to beat the dough.

Take small amounts of dough (as much as equal to 2 rotis dough) and prepare thin pipe like rolls by hand (the thinner, the better but again not too thin).

Once the rolls are done, boil water in kadai/pan ( Bandli/mookudu). When water begins to boil, put the rolls into the water. Let them boil for 20 minutes.

Check if the gattas are cooked. Now, switch the stove off, remove from water and keep aside to cool. Cut the gattas into average sized round pieces.

Seasoning:

Heat the oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds, asafoetida, green chillies and turmeric powder.

Add chopped onions, ginger paste and curry leaves if preferred and cook until onion turns golden. (This step is optional)

Add coriander powder, mango powder and garam masala and add water. Leave to cook for 2 minutes and add the gattas into it. Allow to cook for 5-10 minutes.

Serve it dry at this stage or add curds and cook for 5 more minutes to make a gravy curry. Garnish with fresh and chopped coriander.

Gatte ki sabji is done. When served dry, gatte ki sabji tastes heavenly with rotis and other Indian bread. When served with the gravy, it goes well with any of the Indian bread or rice.

Brinjal fry/Vankaya vepudu

Brinjals are our most favourite veggies and we have seen amma make so many variety dishes with them. Brinjal fry or vankaya vepudu in telugu is one of these. It is a quick recipe and easy to make.

Preparation time: 10 mins

Serves 2


Ingredients:

Round medium sized Brinjals (Vankaya/baingan/badnekayi) ½ kg
Refined cooking oil 1 cup
Chilli powder 1tsp
Curry leaves 4-5
Salt to taste

Method:

Wash, wipe and chop the stems. Make a plus shaped cut on the bottom of the brinjals. Please look into the brinjal and throw off any spoilt ones. Keep the cut brinjals in water or they turn black.

Heat oil in a kadai/pan(bandli/mookudu). Once hot, wipe the brinjals to remove any moisture/water and fry in the oil till they turn dark purple. Please be careful to ensure that there is no water in the oil else it shall result in oil spluttering all over. Place the brinjals on tissues to remove any extra oil.

Add a tsp of chilli powder and salt to taste and mix well so that the brinjals, by now dry absorb the spice and taste. Garnish with curry leaves shallow fried in a tsp of oil.

Brinjal fry or vankaya vepudu is done. Brinjal fry goes well with plain rice and phulkas. It is advisable not to have them with pooris though as the brinjals are already fried.