Hotel style creamy rajma masala

Punjabi Rajma masala  is a popular North Indian dish that is made very often in Punjabi households. Boiled Red kidney beans (rajma) are simmered in spicy onion-tomato gravy.This can be made in a simple manner with onion tomato gravy wIth spices & also in a restaurant style manner where in you can add some butter ,cream or curd or milk to give it a rich taste.

There are two types of rajma available in market. One is lighter in color and other is darker. Both takes different time to cook. I have tried both & in my experience dark ones take more time to cook than light ones

One important point is that the rajma has to be perfectly cooked they should melt in your mouth when you bite into them . this is very crucial and the most overlooked aspect of cooking rajma or else it may also affects your stomach.

So its important to soak the rajma or kidney beans overnight or for 8-9 hours and then cook them really well. 

This rich rajma masala goes well with rice and eating rajma chawal combo with some achar & papad is heavenly.Or you can even eat it with roti,naan or chapati

Today we will see the hotel style creamy rajma masala

Ingredients

Method :

1 Wash rajma under running cold water till water runs clear. If using canned beans then no need to soak or pressure cook them. Just rinse under the water and use beans in the recipe.

2 Soak them in enough water for at least 8 hours or overnight. It should get bigger in size after soaking. This helps to reduce the cooking time.

3 In a pressure e cooker, take both the rajma and 4 cups water.pressure cook on a medium to high flame for 12-18 whistles .when the pressure settles down on its own, open the lid,check if the rajma is cooked or not by taking a bite or pressing a bean .if they are not cooked completely, then pressure cook again adding some water if required for some minutes.

4Heat oil + butter in another pot or pan. add cumin first and let them crackle & get browned ,then add onions and saute them till they caramelized or golden browned .add the ginger-garlic-chili paste. stir and saute for 5-10 seconds on a low flame.

5.Add the tomatoes. saute for 2-3 minutes till the tomatoes become soft .add all the spice powders one by one - turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, asafoetida/hing and garam masala powder .stir and saute the whole masala mixture till the fat starts leaving the masala.

6. use a slotted spoon or a strainer and remove the beans and add them to the masala keep the stock also aside. stir and saute for a minute.take 1.5 to 2 cups from the stock and add to the rajma add salt and simmer with a lid for 10-12 minutes or more till the curry thickens slightly. it should not be too thick or thin.mash a few rajma beans with the spoon. this helps to thicken the curry.

7.when curry has thickened slightly , add the kasuri methi and cream.stir & simmer rajma masala for 30 seconds to 1 minute. switch off the fire.garnish with coriander leaves

8.Serve rajma masala restaurant style with steamed basmati rice,Jeera rice or naan

Tips :

1.Can add whole garam masala like bayleaf,cloves,cinamom,green cardamom in step 4 at the time of tempering

2.you can make onion tomato puree or can even add half chopped & half puried onions & tomatoes ( if using half half first let chopped onion & tomatoes be soft than add tomato onion puree& follow the rest of the recipe as it is .

3.Can add 1/4-1/2 cup milk in step 5 along with rajma stock in case you dont have cream or you can even add 1.5 tbsp of cashew poppy seeds paste for creaminess instead of cream

4.dont skip kasuri methi 

Egg Mayo Garlic Sandwich

Todays recipe is a simple sandwich packed with protein as it contains eggs.I have used brown bread & eggless garlic flavoured mayoinaiise for same .You can even make it using normal white bread.

Also I have used marathi garlic flavoured coconut wada pav chutney to give a zing to this sandwich

Very easy recipe which cane be made by your kids too

Ingredients :

brown bread – 6-8 slices

boiled egg – 3 (cut into round slices)

Eggless garlic mayoinaise – as needed

garlic chutney – one bowl

pepper powder – 1tbsp

salt – As needed

Method :

1. Apply mayoinnase to a pair of bread slices. Sprinkle some garlic chutney on both slices.

2.Now place egg slices four pieces in a square as shown below . Sprinkle some salt & pepper powder.you can place another layer of egg slices & sprinkle it with pepper powder & salt.

3.Lastly place the second bread slice on top of egg slices,presss slightly with your palms

4.Cut it into triangles or any other shape you desire. You can top it with mayoinaise , tomato sauce or garlic chutney before serving

Palak Methi Thepla

Thepla is a favorite gujarati snack bread. Theplas are an inherent part of gujarati meals, and are used for regular meals, travelling and for picnics! eaten with curds and chunda, theplas can be enjoyed hot or otherwise.





 Sometimes whole jeera or til can be added to enhance the flavour of theplas. normally you will find theplas made using methi ie fenugreek leaves .....You can even add other ingredients like palak and doodhi to this recipe, to add more variety to your menu. 

Visit a gujarati house, you will find theplas. You can eat it just without any accompaniment, giving you the satisfaction that you have actually had sopalakng substantial to eat.
Serve it for breakfast, in a lunch box or to children as a snack.

Todays recipe is about palak & methi theplas which is packed with lots of iron & addition of greens makes it a healthy recipe

Ingredients:-

1.5 cup Wheat Flour
1 tbsp besan (chickpea flour)
2 crushed Green Chillies
1 tsp Red Chilli Powder
1/2 tsp Haldi (turmeric) 
1 tbsp Ginger & Garlic paste
1 tsp Ajwain (carom seeds) / 1 tsp jeera (cumin seeds)
1 pinch Hing 
1/2 cup Palak (spinach) Leaves 
1/2 cup methi Leaves 
1 tsp Coriander powder 
1 tsp Cumin Seeds powder
1 tsp sugar
1/4 cup dahi (curd)
Salt to taste 
Oil as needed 

Method :

1.Clean palak and methi bunch & pluck palak and methi leaves. Immerse them in salt water for 10 minutes.Wash the leaves carefully 3-4 times in water & drain the leaves.Crush the green chillies in a mixie.

2.Chop palak and methi leaves coarsely & add salt ,red chilli ,cumin coriander powder,turmeric ,sugar,ginger garlic paste & keep aside for  10 minutes.

3.Mix wheat flour,ajwain / cumin seeds  & besan in a flat  bowl. 

4.Mix the palak and methi leaves  kept aside in step 2 along with besan & wheat flour. 

5.Add 1 tsp oil and knead it. Dont add water while kneading as palak and methi leaves will ooze out some water . Add little water only if required.Let it stay for 15 minutes. 


6.Then make even size small balls of the dough. 
7.Roll them separately with a rolling pin into a round shape. 
8.Heat the griddle and roast each of the rolled out theplas one by one. 


9.First roast one side,turn it upside down. 
10.Then put 1/2 tsp oil on the turned side and again it upside down. 
11.Repeat the same with the other side. 
12.When evenly roasted remove it from griddle. 
13.Repeat this for all the balls. 
14.Serve them hot with butter or  mango pickle /garlic-chutney or curd.

Alternative Additions:

Instead of palak and methi leaves add ½ cup grated doodhi/grated bottle gourd to make Doodhi theplas. This has to be cooked on medium heat.

Serving Suggestions
Serve it as a snack with tea or coffee.
Serve for breakfast with chevdo and some pickle
Last but the least, serve it with a subzi of your choice

Microwave Kothimbir wadi |how to make kothimbir wadi in microwave

Kothimbir Vadi, a savory cilantro cake which is first steamed and then fried until crisp.kothimbir leaves are known as cilantro or coriander leaves in english.This is a quintessential Marathi dish, Cilantro is my favourite herb and this dish really showcases cilantro instead of giving it the seemingly superfluous role of a garnish.

Kothimbir vadi can be served as a snack with any chutney but I really love eating it as a side dish with dal and rice. . The one special equipment you need to make this dish is a steamer. If you own a pressure cooker, it was be used without the "weight" to steam this vadi.

The steamed vadi is perfectly fine for eating on its own (a very tasty and healthy snack indeed). Of course it tastes even better when fried and crispy :)

 Alternatively, if you would like something in between, make a "tadka" of oil, mustard and cumin seeds and pour over slices of steamed vadi. Made during festivals like ganpati chaturthi in maharashtra.

I have two versions of kothimbir wadi ,first version in which batter is  steamed ,then cooled & cut in cubes like dhokla & then deep or shallow fried & second one where batter is shaped in the form of rolls which are steamed,sliced & then  fried somewhat similar to aluwadi

In todays method we are going to make kothimbir wadi in microwave instead of steamer or cooker which will reduce steam time from 20 minutes to  5-6 minutes




Ingredients  :
2 cups chopped  cilantro/coriander leaves (Kothimbir),
1 cup gram flour(besan)
1 tablespoon rice flour,
1/4 cup bhajani (mixed flours such as rice flour, wheat flour, millet flour, barley flour and udad flour etc. however this is optional),
10 green chilies,
1 small piece ginger,
4 garlic cloves,
1 teaspoon roasted sesame seeds,
1/4 cup coarsely roasted groundnut powder (shengdana koot bharad)
1 teaspoon lemon juice,
1 tbsp Cumin coriander powder
1 teaspoon turmeric powder,
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida,
1 tsp sugar /jaggery
1 teaspoon garam masala,
1/4 teaspoon Sodium Bicarbonate (Soda) (optional)
salt to taste,
Oil for frying,



Method:

1. Chop coriander leaves finely. Mix in gram flour, bhajani and rice flour.

2. Grind chilies, ginger and garlic into a fine paste. Add this paste, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, lemon juice,,peanut powder, garam masala, turmeric powder, asafoetida and salt to the above mixture.

3. Add some water to make a thick batter (dosa batter consistency) and mix well. Remove the lumps.

4. Grease a flat microwave safe bowl or cake tin ( 6 INCH PAN) with oil . Pour the batter into the vessel .Cover it with its lid or a microwave safe lid.
5. Microwave on high for 4-5 mins .After 4-5 minutes Insert a knife or toothpick and if it comes out clean, the vadi is cooked well.The mixture should be cooked and firm.



6.Even after 5 minutes the batter is not cooked, then microwave for a minute or two.Let it cool.Then remove the steamed wadi in a plate
Cut it into diamond shaped or square shaped slices.Shallow fry or deep fry in hot oil till crisp and browned.
Serve Kothimbir Vadi hot with green chutney or lahsun (garlic) chutney


Tips :

1.The steamed vadi is perfectly fine for eating on its own (a very tasty and healthy snack indeed). Of course it tastes even better when fried and crispy 

2. Alternatively, if you would like something in between, make a "tadka" of oil, mustard and cumin seeds and pour over slices of steamed vadi.

3. you can even use besan and kothimbir in 1:1 ratio

4. check out another method of making kothimbir wadi here

5. Adding bhajani is optional but recommended