Sabu Daaney ki Khichri

Another tried and tested recipe from Ash !

Ingredients
Sabu daana (sago seeds) - 1/2 cup
Oil - 1 tablespoon
Jeera (cumin seeds) - 1/2 teaspoon
Green chillies - 2 chopped fine
Curry Leaves - 4 - 6
Potato - Diced finely

Method
Soak the sabu daana  overnight in plenty water so it swells up.
Drain off the excess water, season with salt, sugar, a dash of pepper powder and lime juice (prevents it from going gooey)

Heat the oild in a wok and add jeera, green chilly, kadipatta and the finely chopped potato. Stir fry for a minute and cook covered till the potato is done. Add the saabu dana, mix well, cover and cook for about 5 minutes (stir occasionally). Garnish will coriander if you like.

Cauliflower Pickle

This is a patented recipe from one of my besties Ashwini.

This is something that you can make quickly and spikes up a very ordinary meal.


Cauliflower ½ kg
Mustard seeds 1 tbsp (use yellow mustard if you like a mild mustard flavor and the black one if you prefer a robust flavor)
Tendli / tindora 5-6 tender ones (optional)
Red chillies 6-7 (use either kashmiri /bedgi varieties that give you both color and moderate heat)
Asafoetida powder ¾ - 1 tsp
Salt To taste
Lime 1

Clean cauliflower. Chop florets fairly finely (about ½ cm dices). Top and tail the tendli, slice into quarters lengthwise and then finely dice into the cauliflower. Grind together the chillies, mustard, asafoetida with a little water to make a thick, fine paste. Add paste to the cauliflower, salt to taste and the juice of one lime. You may want to add some more lime juice if your chillies are really spicy. Mix well and let it sit for a couple of hours. Ready to serve.

This stays good for 7-10 days if you refrigerate it. You can easily replace cauliflower with seasonal veggies like carrots etc. This tastes great with raw mango as well, in which case you don’t need to add any lime juice.

Grilled Fish

Ingredients
Cream dory fillets - 250 gms
4 clove of garlic and 2 red bird chillies ground to a paste with 1 tsp with olive oil
Juice of 1 lime
Salt to taste

Method
Marinade the fish with the chilly-garlic paste, lime juice for 30 minutes.Heat a grill plate or a nonstick pan. Season the fish with salt before cooking. Cook the fish for 2 - 3 minutes on each side.

You can use any firm white fish for this.

Other options for marinades:
1. 1 green chilly, 1/2 cup of coriander leaves, 4 cloves of garlic ground to a paste.
2. 1 teaspoon garlic paste, 1 tablespoon oilice oil, 1/2 teaspoon of chilly flakes and 1/4 teaspoon of oregano.
2. Lemon juice, fresh dill leaves and butter.

Mangalorean Chicken Ghee Roast

This one comes from a super cook and dear friend Ashwini
Ingredients
Chicken - 1kg
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Salt - as per taste
Gram masala - 1 tsp
Marinade
Whole red chillies - 15 - 20
Coriander seeds - 1 tsp
Fenugreek seed - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seed - 1 tsp
Tamrind - 2 tbsp

Method
Grind all the ingredients for the marinade into a fine past. Marinate the chicken with it for atleast 12 hours.

Warm the ghee in a flat bottomed pan, slide chicken pieces in it with the marinade. Ensure the chicken is seared on both sides, add the salt, cover and cook till done. Add the garam masala and cook the last minute on high flame uncovered and dry out the masala.

Tomato Fish Curry

Ingredients

King Fish/ Surmai - 500 gms
Tomatoes - 4 medium sized (pureed in the blender)
Ginger - 1 inch peice grated
Marinade for the fish - 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and tumeric powder)
Salt - as per taste
Tumeric - 1/4 teaspoon
Red chilly powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Sugar - 1/2 teaspoon
Nigella (Kalonji) - 1/2 teaspoon
Green chillies - 4 (slit, de-seed if you want a milder curry)
Vegetable Oil - 2 tablesoons
Mustard oil - 1/2 teaspoon (optional)
Water - 200 mls
Coriander for garnishing - 1 teaspoon chopped fine.

Method
Coat the fish with salt and turmeric and leave aside for 15 minutes. Fry the fish in a non-stick pan ( 1 minute on each side).
Heat oil in a wok (karahi). Add the nigella seeds and the green chillies. Add the pureed tomatoes and stir fry for 3 - 4 minutes. Add the salt, tumerice, red chilly powder, sugar and grated ginger and fry well (till the oil starts to leave the sides). Add the water and bring to a boil. Let it boil for 2 mins on high heat. Add the peices of fried fish and let it cook covered on low heat for 10 minutes. Do not stir too much (else the fish will disintegrate). Add the mustard oil, cover the wok and turn of the heat. Garnish with coriander leaves before serving.

Serve with steamed rice.

Stir Fried Veggies - Version 3

Ingredients
Broccoli - Florets 1 cup (100 gms)
Carrots - Cut into 1 inch pieces (100 gms)
French bean - Cut into 1 inch pieces (50 gms)
Capsicum - cut into 1 inch squares
Onion - 1 medium sezed on cut into large peices
Garlic - 3 cloves (crushed)
Oregano - 2 teaspoon
Olive oil - 1 tablespoon
Salt as per taste

Method
Steam the veggies. Heat oil in a wok and add the garlic. Stir fry till the garlic turns light brown, add veggies and stir fry on a high flame for 2 minutes. Add the salt and oregano. Add the onions and capsicum, stir fry for 1 minute and remove from the heat.

Stir Fried Veggies - Version 2

Ingredients
Broccoli - Florets 1 cup (100 gms)
Carrots - Julienned (100 gms)
Baby corn - Cut in half length wise (50 gms)
French bean - Cut into 1 inch pieces (50 gms)
Capsicum - cut into thin strips (either green or a mix of different coloured ones)
Moong Beans sprouts - 50 gms
Garlic -1 tablespoon (chopped fine)
Oyster sauce - 2 tablespoons
Vinegar - 1 teaspoon
Oil - 1 tablespoon
Salt as per taste

Method
Heat oil in a wok and add the garlic. Stir fry till the garlic turns light brown, add the oyster sauce & veggies and stir fry on a high flame for 3 minutes. Add the beans sprouts and the capsicum, stir fry for 1 minute. Season with salt and vinegar, mix well and remove from the heat.

Stir Fried Veggies - version 1

Ingredients
Broccoli - Florets 1 cup (100 gms)
Carrots - Julienned (100 gms)
Baby corn - Cut in half length wise (50 gms)
French bean - Cut into 1 inch pieces (50 gms)
Capsicum - cut into thin strips (either green or a mix of different coloured ones)
Garlic -1 tablespoon (chopped fine)
Olive oil - 1 tablespoon
Chilly flakes -1 teaspoon (adjust quantity if needed)
Salt as per taste

Method
Bring 500 ml of water to boil with a pinch of salt. Add the broccoli and let it boil for one minute. Add the baby corn, carrots and beans and boil for another minute. Remove from heat and drain the water.

Heat oil in a wok and add the chilly flakes and garlic. Stir fry till the garlic turns light brown, add the boiled veggies and stir fry on a high flame for 2 minutes. Season with salt, add the capsicum, mix well and remove from the heat.

Microwaved Eggs

A quick and easy snack/ breakfast option

Ingredients
Eggs - 4
Onion - 1 small one chopped finely (about 2 tablespoons)
Tomato - 2 tablespoons chopped
Capsicum - 2 tablespoons (chopped fine - you can use a mix of red, yellow and green ones)
Coriander leaves - 1 teaspoon finely chopped
Chicken Sausage - 1 (chopped into cubes) - optional.
Cheese - 1 tablespoon grated - optional
Salt and pepper as per personal preference

Method
Whisk the eggs along with the salt and pepper. Add all other ingredients and mix well. Pour this into a flat microwave safe container (preferable ceramic or glass). Microwave at 100% power for 4 minutes and then for 6 minutes at 80% power.

Let it stand in the microwave for 2 minutes before you serve it.

Khattey Chaney (Spicy Chickpeas)

This one is for Jessie!

Ingredients
Kabuli/ Safed Channey (chick peas) - 250 gms
Tej Patta (bay leaves) - 4
Badi Elaichi (brown cardamom) - 4
Daal Chini (cinnamon) - 2 inch piece
Channa Masala - 2 tablespoons (any chana masala like mdh or everest brands etc)
Anardana (dry pomegrante seeds) powder - 1 tablespoon
Bhuna zeera powder (roasted cumin powder) - 1 tablespoon
Salt as per taste ( I usually put 1/2 a teaspoon)
Onions - 2 medium sized sliced fine
Tomato - 2 medium sized sliced fine
Ginger - 2 inch piece julienned
Green chillies - 4 chopped fine (optional)
Coriander leaves - chopped fine (optional)


Method
Wash and soak the chickpeas overnight. If you dont have the time to do that then soak them in hot water and leave aside for 2 hours.

Pressure cook the chickpeas for 15 minutes along with the bay leaves, cardamom and cinnamon. If you dont have a pressure cooker - boil the chickpeas till they are soft.

Drain the water and reserve (should be about 500ml).

Mash 1/4 of the boiled chickpeas. Add the dry masala and oil to the balance chickpeas and mix well.

Bring the reserved water to a boil and add the chickpeas. Mix well. Add half of the onions, tomatoes and green chillies and cook uncovered over a low flame for 10 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves and the balance onions, tomatoes and green chillies.

Garlic Methi Chicken

Ingredients
Chicken - 700 to 800 gms (cut in to medium sized peices)
Yoghurt - 200 gms
Garlic paste - 3 tablespoons
Red chilli flake - 1 teaspoon (adjust according to personal preference)
Kasuri Methi (dry fenugreek leaves) - 2 tablespoons
Onion - 2 medium sized (sliced fine)
Green Chillies - 2-3 slit into half (adjust according to personal preference)
Garam Masala - 1 Bay leaf, 2 Cardamoms, 4 Clove, 1 inch peice Cinamom
Oil - 2 tablespoons
Coriander leaves - for granishing (optional)

Method
Mix together the yoghurt, garlic paste, kasuri methi and red chilly flakes. Marinate the chicken in this for atleast 1 hour (longer if possible)

Heat oil in a pan or kadhai. Add the gram masala, then the onions and green chillies. Add salt as per taste. Fry till the onions turn light brown.

Add the chicken along with the marinade and stir fry till the chicken changes colour. Then cover cooked (stir occasionally). Add a little water if needed (use as little water as possible). Garnish with coriander leave before serving.

Variation
You can uses 2 table spoons of tomato puree in the marinade. Use ghee or butter to fry the onions. (turns out kind of like a butter chicken preparation).

French Beans with Garlic

This one came from a dear friend Uma

Ingredients
French Beans - 250 gms (chopped as finely as possible)
Garlic - 4 large cloves (crushed)
Whole Red Chillies - 4
Oil - 2 tablespoons
Salt as per taste

Method
Heat oil in a wok. Reduce heat and add the red chillies and garlic. Stir fry till the garlic is light brown. Add the beans & salt and stir fry on a high flame (stir constantly) for 3 minutes.

PS: Do not cook covered as the beans get really soggy!

Potato Curry (Rasedaar Aloo)

This one came from 'Dida' my maternal grandmother.

Ingredients
Potatoes - 500gms (boiled and diced into cubes)
Tomatoes - 4 large ones (pureed in a blender)
Jeera (Cumin seeds) - 1 teaspoon
Hing (Asafoetida) - 1/4 teaspoon
Haldi (tumeric powder) - 1/2 teaspoon
Red chilly powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Salt as per taste
Water - 250 ml
(Mix the salt, tumeric & red chilly powder in water and set aside)
Oil - 1 tablespoon
Chopped Coriander - 1 tablespoon

Method
Heat oil in a wok (karahi) add the jeera and then the boiled potatoes. Stir fry the potatoes for 2 minutes.

Add the pureed tomato and asafoetida to the potatoes. Stir well and let it cook for 2 minutes. Add the salt, tumeric & red chilly mixture and let it cook covered for 8 minutes on a low heat.

Add the coriander before serving.

Goes best with puris!

Aloo ki Sabzi (bengali - bati chorchori)

This one came from 'Laldi' my great-grandmother.

Ingredients
Potato - 2 large one (about 300 gms), Chopped into small cubes
Kalonji (Nigella seeds) - 1/2 teaspoon
Onion - 1 medium one diced fine
Green chillies - 2/3 sliced
Haldi (Tumeric powder) - 1/2 teaspoon
Red chilly powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Salt - as per taste
Vegetable oil/ Ghee (clarified butter) - 1 tablespoon
Mustard oil - 1 teaspoon
Water - 1 cup (approx 100ml)

Method
Heat the oil/ ghee in a wok (karahi), reduce the heat and add the kalonji, green chilly and onion. Stir fry for 2 minutes. Add the potatoes and stir fry for 2 minutes.

Mix the salt, turmeric & red chilly in water and add the the wok. Stir to enure it is mixed well

Cover cooked on low heat for 10 - 12 minutes (till the potatoes are done). Stir occasionally. Cook without the lid till most of the liquid is dry. Add the mustard oil and mix well just before you take it off the heat.

Shahi Paneer - my version

Ingredients
Cottage cheese (paneer): 250 gms (cut into small cubes)
Tomatoes: 2 large ones pureed
Kasuri Methi: 1 tablespoon
Green chillies: 2 slit into half
Oil: 1 tablespoon
Water: 1/2 cup or 6 tablespoons
Salt: As per taste
Red chilly powder: 1/2 teaspoon
Cummin (Jeera): 1 teaspoon - coarsely ground
Coriander leaves to garnish
Fresh cream to garnish - optional

Method
Heat oil in a wok (karahi) add the tomato puree and stir fry on a high flame till it leave the oil. Add the salt, red chilly powder, half of the kasuri methi and the cumin powder. Add about the water and mix well. Add the paneer and cook covered for 3 minutes on a low flame. Sprinkle the balance kasuri methi and then cook without the lid for 2 minutes. Garnish with cream and coriander before serving.

Optional: You can add 1 - 2 tablespoons of fresh cream and mix it well after removing from the heat.

Another version of Steamed Prawns

Ingredients
Prawns: 500 gms (20 medium sized). Cleaned and deveined. You can keep the tail on if you like.
Grated coconut: 4 table spoons
Tender coconut water: 100ml
Coriander leaves: 4 tablespoon
Green chillies: 8
Mustard oil: 1 - 1/2
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves to garnish

Method
Grind the coriander leaves, 2 green chillies and coconut in to a paste with a little salt. Put this in a bowl add the coconut water and mustard oil. Add the prawns and mix well to ensure each prawn is coated nicely in the marinade. Set aside for thirty minutes.

Put the entire mixture (add the balance of the sliced green chilies on top with) in steel container with a tight lid and set it in a pressure cooker for 4 - 5 whistles. Cover the container with aluminium foil before you put the lid on ... this ensures the flavour is not diluted.

If you do not have a pressure cooker. You can steam it in a regular steamer for 30 minutes.

Bhapa Chingri (steamed prawns... the bengali way)

Ingredients
Prawns: 500 gms (20 medium sized). Cleaned and deveined. You can keep the tail on if you like.
Grated coconut: 4 table spoons
Mustard seeds: 1 teaspoon
Green chillies: 8
Mustard oil: 1 - 1/2
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves to garnish

Method
Grind the mustard seeds, 2 green chillies and coconut in to a paste with a little salt. Put this in a bowl add the mustard oil and mix well. Add the prawns and mix well to ensure each prawn is coated nicely in the marinade. Set aside for thirty minutes.

Option 1
Put the entire mixture (add the balance of the sliced gren chilies on top with) in steel container with a tight lid and set it in a pressure cooker for 4 - 5 whistles. Cover the container with aluminium foil before you put the lid on ... this ensures the flavour is not diluted.

If you do not have a pressure cooker, you can steam it in a regular steamer for 30 minutes.


Option 2
Wrap 4 -5 prawns and a slice of green chilly each in banana leaf parcels. Place in a steamer and steam for 30 minutes.

Liver Fry/ Metey Chorchori

Ingredients
Mutton liver - 500 gms (cut into small cubes)
Onion - 2 medium sized chopped fine
Tomato - 1 large chopped fine
Green chilies - 1-2 chopped fine
Ginger - 1 teaspoon chopped fine
Garlic - 2 teaspoons chopped fine
Coriander leaves - chopped fine
Coriander powder - 1 teaspoon
Cummin powder - 1 teaspoon
Garam masala - 1/2 teaspoon (optional)
Red chilly powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Lime/ lemon juice - 2 tablespoons
Salt - as per taste
Oil - 2 tablespoons

Method
Wash and drain the liver.

Mix all the other ingredients except for the salt in a bowl. Add the liver, mix well and let it marinate for 30 minutes.

Heat oil in a wok. Add the entire liver and marinade mixture and stir fry on a high flame for 2 minutes - till the liver changes colour. Add the salt and cook covered for about 5 minutes. Remove lid and dry out the water ( the liver should be cooked by now).

To check if it is cooked pierce the liver with a knife if it goes through easily and no blood comes out, Once the liver is cooked. Remove from heat and add the lemon juice and garnish with a little chopped coriander.

Baingan ka Bharta

This one came from a dear friend 'Deepu'. I have never gone wrong with this recipe.

Ingredients
Aubergine (baingan): 1 large one
Onions: 1 cup chopped fine (2 medium sized ones)
Tomato:1 cup chopped fine
Green chilies: 2 chilies chopped fine (optional)
Peas: ½ cup fresh/ frozen - boiled or frozen
Oil: 1 – 2 tablespoons
Red chilly powder: ½ teaspoon
Coriander leaves: Chopped fine 1 tablespoon
Salt to taste.

Method
Smear a little oil on the aubergine and roast it on a direct flame till it is well done. Leave it to cool and then remove the skin and mash into a pulp. You may want to remove the seeds as that sometimes causes allergies.

Heat oil in a wok add the chopped onions and chilies till the onions for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and fry till the oil leaves the side. Add the salt and chilly powder and the boiled peas and stir fry for a minute. Add the aubergine and mix well. Cook covered for 5 minutes. Stir occasionally to ensure it does not burn.Remove lid and stir fry for a 1-2 minutes to dry out any water. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

This goes well with rotis/ parathas.

Palak Paneer

Ingredients
Spinach: 1 large bunch
Cottage cheese (Paneer): 250 gms cut in to cubes
Onion: 1 small one diced fine
Garlic: 2 - 3 cloves chopped fine
Whole Dry red Chillies: 2 - 3
Cummin (Zeera): 1/2 teaspoon
Asafoedtida (Hing): 1 pinch
Oil or ghee: 1 tablespoon (ghee tasted better!)
Salt to taste.

Method
Wash and clean the spinach either steam it or blanch in hot water with a little salt. Let it cool and then puree the spinach in a blender.

Heat oil in a wok (karahai) and then add the cumin, dry red chilies and the asafetida and salt. (you can add red chilly powder or chopped green chilies if you want to make it spicy).Add the onions and garlic and saute till the onion is light brown.

Add the pureed spinach and cook for 4 -5 minutes on slow flame. Add the cottage cheese and cook covered for 2 minutes.