Kala chana pulao| Brown chickpea pulav|black gram pilaf

Kala Chana Pulao…. one of the rare pulaos which I saw in a marathi cookery show.. The taste of the pulao was just heavenly.




Give a twist to your usual pulao/biryani by adding chick peas. Legumes are not only rich in protein, but also high in fiber. Channa pulao is mild, aromatic and full of flavor!

The chickpea or chick pea (Cicer arietinum) is a legume of the family Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae. It is also known as gram, or Bengal gram, garbanzo or garbanzo bean, and sometimes known as Egyptian pea, ceci, cece or chana(in Nepal), or Kabuli chana (particularly in northern India). Its seeds are high in protein



The pulao has to be made with basmati rice and ghee or else something will be a little amiss if you do not use basmati rice and ghee. Hmm frankly speaking, its a little time consuming process to make this pulao. But I bet you would not regret the time spent. Trust me, it tastes simply fantastic.

You can use fresh black /brown chickpeas or even use leftover kala chana curry for this pulao.


Ingredients:
1.5 cup cups boiled brown gram/uble kala sukha chane/ukadlela kale chana
2 cup rice
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
 ½ cup curd
2 onions  sliced
1 tomato
1 or 2 green chilies
1 tsp kasoori methi
few strands of saffron
2 tbsp warm milk 
1 tsp red chilli powder
½ cup chopped coriander and mint leaves
salt
water  4 cups

Garam Masala to be ground in mixer
½ tsp  caraway seeds (shahjeera)
 1 black cardamom ( badi elaichi)
 2/3 small green cardamom  (elaichi)
 1/2 strands of mace  (javitri)
 2 tsp badishep (fennel seeds)
 2 cloves
 1 inch cinnamon

Tempering2 tbsp ghee
 1/2 tsp black jeera (shahijeera)
 1 bay leaf
 2 cloves
 1 black cardamom
 1/2 inch cinnamon






Method:

1. Wash basmati rice till water is clear  & keep it soaked in water for atleast 30 minutes .Drain & keep aside.



2.Soak the chickpeas overnight in water and pressure cook them for 4-5 whistles till done. Add some salt while pressure cooking the chickpeas.



3.Chop  onions, tomatoes, chillies, coriander and mint leaves and keep aside.

4.Smoothen the curd and keep aside. Soak the saffron in warm milk. Grind all ingredients under garam masala to fine powder in mixie.

5.In a kadhai heat the ghee and splutter the caraway seeds. Next add  whole garam masala –  bayleaf ,cardamoms, cinnamon, cloves.Fry the whole garam masala for few seconds and then add the onions. & fry till it is golden brown.


Now add the ginger garlic paste and saute till the raw smell of the ginger-garlic disappears.  Add the chopped tomatoes & green chillies.Add red chilli powder ,garam masala powder prepared in step 4

6.Saute for a minute  and add. the basmati rice. Mix well and saute the entire mixture for a minute. Add the curd, saffron-milk mixture and boiled black chana, coriander and mint leaves,kasoori methi with 1.5 cups of water .





7.Season with salt and allow the rice  to cook on medium flame. Once water gets absorbed cover with lid & cook till done.



8.Serve hot with raita, pickle, papad or any veg salad.  I had served with pickle papad,spinach pakoda & masala chas

Dhaniya paratha,coriander leaves parathe,kothimbir parantha

sometimes simple small things give us happiness. when you are lazy enough to clean a bunch of methi or palak  these Coriander leaves paratha comes to your rescue

 

they are extremely simple and make for the most wonderful breakfast or dinner.
I had made this paratha with skp chicken curry.

you can enjoy it with chole,paneer butter masala or even with plain curd and pickle.
i equally enjoy methi paratha,Kasuri methi paratha,palak paratha and methi thepla ,but when you are running short of fresh methi  or palak, coriander leaves akka dhaniya patta or kothimbir saves you ..try it and it will be a regular item in your lunch box....

i have kept spices minimum as i wanted a dominant flavour of coriander leaves ,but you can add any spices of your liking like garam masala,coriander cumin powder ,pinch of turmeric or red chilli powder ..

Ingredients:

Wheat flour (Atta) - 2 cups
coriander leaves  - 3/4 cup
green chilli chopped - 2-3 or Red chilly powder - 1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/8 tsp (optional - i didnt add as i wanted my parathas to be whitish in colour)
Ginger grated - half inch
pepper powder - 1/4 tsp
amchoor powder /chat masala - 1 tsp
oil /ghee  - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste
Water - to knead into a dough

other ingredients
oil /ghee to roast - as needed
flour for dusting


Method:

1.Mix all  ingredients together in a bowl.Add just enough warm water to make into a dough which is smooth (but not sticky).



2.Keep aside for 10 minutes. Divide the dough into 8-10 balls.




3.Roll out each dough ball into a circle of about 6-7 inches diameter,use some flour for dusting while rolling paratha .Heat a griddle and place paratha on the hot griddle.



4.Cook until light brown spots appear on the first side.Flip the paratha over and cook until the second side is cooked, and light brown spots. now again flip paratha and Drizzle a bit of ghee/butter/oil if needed on both sides and serve in plate

5.if not serving immediately, put in a caserrole .serve with pickle,curd and any spicy chicken curry or paneer curry

tips
1. can replace coriander leaves with fresh methi leaves.
2. i have kept spices minimum as i wanted a dominant flavour of methi ,but you can add any spices of your liking like garam masala,coriander cumin powder ,pinch of turmeric or red chilli powder ..

Plain cheese sandwich,Easy grilled cheese sandwich

I am a sandwich lover ,both plain and grilled sandwiches.

This is a simple plain cheese sandwich which i tried from Mrs VAH RE VAH chef you tube video.

 

 

you can even make grilled cheese toast sandwich with below recipe by applying some butter on top of it and grilling it in a toaster or on tava

It is easy quick sandwich seasoned with cheese , butter, pepper powder , pasta seasoning .i havent used apple slices as mentioned in the original recipe ,but you can use the apple slices too

good option for kids tiffin box.



you can use any bread namely white sandwich bread,multigrain or wheat bread .i generally dont remove the edges of bread while making sandwich.

but in case you dont prefer you can trim bread edges. you can use mozarella cheese or processed cheese. i used britannia cheese cubes.



Ingredients:

Bread slices(white sandwich bread,multigrain or wheat bread)-2/4
Butter(room temperature)
2-3 cubes of Processed cheese ( use more or less quantity as per your liking)
1 tbsp Apple(finely sliced) - optional
1/2 tsp Pepper powder
1/2 tsp mixed herbs/pasta seasoning
1/4 tsp Salt to taste

Garnishing
Some grated cheese
red garlic chilli chutney or tomato ketchup

METHOD:
1 Take the bread slices ,in case you dont like cut the edges.i prefer to keep edges intact
2 Now apply butter(room temperature) on both slices .Grate processed cheese on it.
3 If using .Add and spread apple slices.Sprinkle little pepper powder,pasta seasoning and  salt on it.
4 Just take the other bread slice and cover the stuffed bread slice.Cut it into 2 vertical rectangles or triangles
5 Dot it with ketchup or red garlic chilli chutney ,sprinkle some extra cheese on top of sandwich and serve.

Tips
1. just apply some butter on top of above sandwich and grill above sandwich in a toaster or tava
2.can add veggies to above sandwich like slices of cucumber,beet,tomato,boiled potato,onion
 

Methamba recipe

A Maharashtrian quintessential recipe ,tangy yet with a difference .this is my second recipe of the summer season

METHAMBA is supposed to be a combo of sweet/sour/spicy.

methamba is derived from words methi {fenugreek seeds} and amba { mango}
A yummy relish to be paired with some rice and dal and you will have a delicious meal

Methamba,  uses very few ingredients and takes no time to cook. You can even make some in advance and store it in the refrigerator for up to a week
 Note you will have to adjust the amount of jaggery and red chilli powder as per sourness of mangoes.

Ingredients:

1 raw/green mango
1/4 tsp methi (fenugreek seeds)
1/4 cup jaggery (approximately...this will depend entirely on how sour the mango is)
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp oil
hing (asafoetida)
salt to taste

method:

1.Peel the mango and cut into small cubes. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Once the oil is hot, add mustard seeds and let them splutter.

2. Add asafoetida powder. Add ground fenugreek seeds and wait until they give out their aroma.

3. Add mango pieces. Stir them well, so that they get coated with the seasoning.Add a little bit of salt and let the mango cook. Normally you would not need to add water, but if the mixture starts drying out, only then add a few teaspoons of water to prevent it from burning. Don't add too much because once you add the jaggery it will let out some moisture.

4 Once the mango is completely cooked, and feels mushy, add the jaggery and red chilli powder and cook till everything is cooked together. Check for taste and adjust the salt/chilli powder and jaggery.

5.It keeps fresh outside the fridge for about three days. If stored well-covered in the refrigerator, it should stay fresh for at least a week.

tip:
1) Keep the thickness of sauce according to your choice.

Idli Upma Recipe,Easy South Idli upma with Leftover idlis

DONT KNOW WHAT TO TO WITH LEFTOVER IDLIS ?

Answer is : "IDLI UPMA"




Idli upma is a very simple and delicious dish made with leftover idlis.This is a very common breakfast dish in South India, which can be prepared in no time.
It is really interesting to see how a simple boring idli turns into this colorful upma...

You can prepare this upma even if your idlis are hard.This upma is so delicious that you will find yourself making extra idlis just to prepare this upma.

Ingredients 

Crumbled idli - 2 cups
Onion -1 cup finely chopped
Tomato chopped- 1 small
Finely chopped carrot -2 tblsp
Green chilli -3 finely chopped
Ginger - 1 inch piece finely chopped
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Idli Podi - 1 1/2 tsp (optional but highly recommended)
Salt as required

Seasoning /Tadka

Oil - 1 1/2 tbsp
Mustard -1 tsp
Bengal gram (Chana dal) - 3/4 tsp
Urad dal(urad dal) - 3/4 tsp
Red chillies -2
Hing - generous pinch
Curry leaves - few




Method:

1.Crumble the idlis  coarsely with your fingers or you can use the mixie for better results.Cut the idlis into 2-3 pieces and put it in the mixie and pulse it for a few seconds.

2.Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, when it splutters, add bengal gram, urad dal, red chillies, hing and curry leaves.

3.When dal turns golden brown, add finely chopped onions, green chillies,Carrots,tomatoes, ginger, turmeric powder, salt needed and saute till onions turns transparent.Then add the crumbled idli, idli podi and mix well.Check for salt.

4.Garnish with coriander leaves .It tastes good by itself but if you prefer you can have it with coconut chutney

Tips

Refrigerating the idlis gives beautiful crumble of the idlies. More you refrigerate, easy to crumble. 
 Do not prepare this upma with hot idlis.The idlis have to be cold, so that it will get crumbled nicely.
You can add a tsp of coconut with onions which gives a nice flavour.
can add veggies of your choice to above recipe

Gummadikaya pulusu recipe,Andhra Pumpkin curry,Bhopla,kaddu rassa bhaji

Another Andhra special recipe today - Gummadikaya pulusu recipe  .if you are a regular visitor you must be aware of my love for hyderabad and andhra food



Now for all people wondering what is this ,gummadikaya means pumpkin in english,kaddu in hindi and bhopla in marathi and stew .

Pulusu is a simple sweet, sour stew of andhra. pulusu made using gummadikaya is gummadikaya pulusu. It is served with rice and makes a comfort meal .

pumpkin is loaded with an important antioxidant, beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is one of the plant carotenoids converted to vitamin A in the body. In the conversion to vitamin A, beta carotene performs many important functions in overall health.

 

Pulusu is made mostly with vegetables like potato, drumstick, pumpkin, ladyfinger, yam, bottle gourd and ridge gourd.Some folks use rice flour, methi powder or coriander powder to make the pulusu slightly thick.

This is a No garlic, no garam masala recipe .Yummy is a word which i use to describe it - A perfect healthy balance of sweet,sour and spicy



Ingredients
1 cup of cubed pumpkin pieces
2 green chili sliced
2 red chilli broken into pieces
1 medium chopped onions
1 sprig curry leaves
pinch of mustard
pinch of cumin / jeeera
pinch of fenugreek seeds / menthulu
1 tsp chana dal
1 tsp urad dal
tamarind juice as needed ( about 2-3 tbsp)
2 tsp red chili powder(adjust as per your taste)
1 tsp coriander cumin powder
grated jaggery as needed (1.5 to 2 tbsp)
salt to taste
coriander fistful chopped
Oil 2 tbsp

Method

1.soak tamarind in warm water for 15 minutes, squeeze and extract the thick juice.remove skin of pumpkin and cut into 1 inch cubes ,chop onion and slice green chillies
2.Heat the oil in a deep skillet on medium heat and add channa dal, urad dal, red chilli and fry , add cumin and mustard seeds once the dals starts turning into golden brown and allow them to crackle, add hing and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Now add green chillies, curry leaves, ginger, and sauté for couple of minutes
3.Add onions and sprinkle salt and fry till they turn slightly pink, needs no browning of onions
4.Add the pumpkin pieces, fry on high for 2 mins.
5.Add red chili powder, turmeric and fry for a min.now cover and cook on low flame till pumpkin is slightly cooked
6.Add jaggery and  tamarind juice, mix, cover and cook on a low flame for 3 mins. this enhances the taste of the pumpkin pieces.
7.Add 1 tbsp rice flour mixed with 1/4 cup of water enough to cover the pumpkin pieces , add coriander cumin powder.
8.Cover and cook till pumpkin is fully done. cooking on a very low flame makes the pulusu tasty.
9.switch off the heat and add coriander .This goes really well with rice, ghee

Green Peas Masala Recipe,Hotel style Matar Masala,how to make matar masala

I had never tried this hotel style green peas masala recipe before .Now i wonder why didnt I try it before ?

 

 

usually i combine peas with other veggies to make dishes like mint green pea ,matar hariyali, aloo matar, matar paneer, matar bhaji, gobi matar or aloo gajar matar etc




Green Peas Masala is a great side dish for chapati,phulka or even jeera rice. this matar masala recipe does not use  milk,or cream like most of the restaurant style recipes .




cashews and milk powder and curd are added to make this gravy creamy, smooth and slightly sweet. i made the gravy a bit spicy, but you can always add the amount of spices as per your requirements.


Ingredients
Fresh or Frozen Peas - 1 cup
Onion - 1 small chopped finely
Chana/ chole masala - 1.5 tsp
corinader cumin powder - 1.5 tsp
garam masala- 1 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1tsp
Sugar - 1/2 tsp
Kasoori methi - a generous pinch
Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp
Cloves - 2
Cinnamon - 1/4 inch piece
Jeera - 1/2 tsp
Butter - 1 tbsp
Oil - 2 tsp
Salt - to taste

To saute and grind:
Tomatoes - 4 medium sized
Onion - 2
Ginger - 1/4 inch piece
Garlic - 5 pearls
Green Chillies - 2

To grind (for the cashewpaste) :
Whole Cashews - 6-7 / 1 tbsp magaj (melon seeds)
Curd - 2 tbsp
milk powder - 1 tbsp.

Garnish
Capsicum julienes

Method
1.Add a tsp of oil and add the ingredients under 'to saute and grind' and saute till tomatoes turn mushy. Cool down and grind it a fine paste.boil peas till they are almost done in microwave or stove top or pressure cook for 1 whistle and immediately release pressure manually to release the pressure
2. grind cashews ,milk powder with curd to a smooth creamy paste, set aside.
3.Heat butter,add the Cloves, cinamom, jeera ,add onion and saute till slightly browned. Then add the tomato paste and saute.
5.Saute for 3-5mins then add channa masala,red chilli powder ,coriander cumin powder and required salt. Add water as required to bring it a running consistency. Allow it to boil for 2 mins. Then add the cashew paste and give a quick stir.
6.Add cooked peas, sugar and cook in low flame for 5mins.Then add kasoori methi,garam masala and coriander leaves and switch it off. garnish with capsicum julienes and serve with roti or jeera rice

Tips:
Use kashmiri red chilli powder for a dark red color as in restaurants.
Channa masala powder gives a great flavour to the gravy.
Adjust chilli powder according to your taste.







 

Summer recipes | healthy summer marathi recipes menu

Summer is approaching & its already hot in bangalore.

So thought of compiling various summer recipes which includes salads ,dal,sweets & summer cooler drinks,milkshakes ,lassi coolers  & ice creams.

CLICK ON RECIPE NAME FOR DETAILED RECIPE

Lettuce raita

 Lemon Pickle








Upwas batata kees

AAM RAS - AAMRAS

Sabudana chikodi -chikwadya recipe

MANGO (KAIRI) PICKLE 

BATATA WAFERS  

MINT CORIANDER GREEN CHUTNEY

PANI PURI RECIPE 

KAIRI CHI KADHI 

ONION TOMATO CUCUMBER YOGHURT( DAHI) RAITA 

Fruit chaat recipe

Vegetable Grilled Sandwich

Mint coriander coconut chutney 

 YOGHURT MINT CHUTNEY-HOTEL STYLE| DAHI PUDINA TANDURI- KABAB CHUTNEY

 KAIRI CHI KADHI

 











VEGETABLE SANDWICH




 
Dahi  Batata Sev Puri Recipe 

CORN FLAKES CHAT RECIPE 

Dry Bhel | sukha bhel | mumbai street food

 










Paneer Hariyali | Indian Cottage Cheese in Green Makhani Gravy 




Veg Yakhni Pulao |vegetarian yakhni pulav - aromatic rice pilaf



SWEET CORN PANEER GREEN PEAS PULAO | CORN  CAPSICUM  PULAV




SPROUTED MOONG SALAD





HARA(Green)Pudina Pulav - Pulao| Mint rice





GREEN CHUTNEY SANDWICH 



Beetroot Raita - raite

 


LETTUCE CORN SPROUTS CUCUMBER CAPSICUM PANEER CAPSICUM TANGY SALAD



PUNJABI PAKORA KADHI RECIPE



MASALA DAHI /SPICED YOGHURT (HOTEL STYLE)



DAL KHICHDI / SIMPLE TOOR DAL KHICHDEE 








COOL CUCUMBER RAITA| KAKDICHI KOSHIMBIR

 


Gajarachi  koshimbir  / CARROT SALAD



INSTANT MANGO PICKLE

BHELPURI

Shrikhand |Kesar dryfruit elaichi shrikhand with Home made chakka

 

GUJARATI KADHI RECIPE

 

Lettuce salad 



KALA CHANA SALAD - CHAT

 

Khamang kakdi/Maharashtrian cucumber salad



SWEET CORN CHAT  | MAKAI CHAT (SALAD)



Kanda Tomato koshimbir(kachumber)



BEETROOT SALAD

AWLA  PETHA - AMLA(INDIAN GOOSEBERRY) CANDY 

 




Amla chutney - awla (indian gooseberry) chutni




Awla supari | Homemade amla (indian gooseberry) supari









 Amla  awla loncha - indian gooseberry pickle

 



Red purple cabbage walnut salad



Broccoli, Lettuce, Sprouts and Green Peas Salad

 



Purple (red ) cabbage and  pista  salad recipe



Red Cabbage Salad Recipe | Purple cabbage carrot radish salad



BHINDI RAITA



Palak ka raita | Spinach Yoghurt  Raita (dip)

 Cabbage apple  walnut salad

SUMMER COOLER DRINKS

DUDHI RAITA