Tava Pulao

This is a street food of Mumbai. It is made with pav bahaji masala powder, select vegetables and long rice. As the name suggests, it is made in a tava or big iron griddle that is used to make pav bhajis. Loads of butter and pav bhaji masala powder are the key ingredients that bring flavour to this rice.

However, I have substituted the butter with oil. I have used the one pot method to make this recipe instead of tava or griddle. 

 

Ingredients:

Cubed potatoes - 1/2 cup 

Cubed carrots - 1/2 cup

Green peas - 1/4 cup

Chopped beans - 1/4 cup

Tomatoes puree - 2 cup

Chopped capsicum - 1/4 cup

Chopped onion - 1 cup

Garlic paste - 1/2 tsp

Ginger paste - 1/2 tsp 

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Pav bhaji masala powder - 3 tsp

Chilli powder -1 tsp

Pepper powder -1/2 tsp

Asafoetida -1/4 tsp

Chopped coriander leaves - 2 tsp

Sugar - 2 tsp

Long rice - 2 cups

Oil and Salt - as required

Method:

Wash the rice once and soak it in four cups of water.Keep aside.

In a non stick cooker, heat few teaspoons of oil. Add the chopped onions. Stir fry till it turns translucent. Add the garlic and ginger paste. Stir cook for few seconds till the raw smell goes away. Then, add the asfoetida powder, chilli powder and pepper powder. Stir for few seconds. Then, stir in the turmeric powder and pav bhaji masala powder. Add the tomato puree, sugar and salt. Cook for few seconds. Next, add the vegetables except the capsicum and coriander leaves. Stir for few seconds. Then, add the soaked rice along with the water. When the water begins to boil, close the cooker and put the weight. Cook for just two whistles. Allow the pressure to come down. Garnish with capsicum and coriander leaves.

Serve with sliced raw onion and lemon wedges.

Strawberry Halwa/Kesari

Plain Kesari or semolina halwa is flavoured with kesar or cardamom. Sometimes it is also flavoured with different fruits. It is usually flavoured with ripe bananas when it is an offering to god. In restaurants it is flavoured with fresh pineapples or Sapota/chikoo. Here, I have tried with strawberries and the outcome has been excellent.

Ingredients:
1 cup - Semolina
1 cup - Sugar
2.5 - Cups water
1 cup - Chopped strawberries
1 cup - Clarified butter
Few Cashew nuts for garnishing

Method:
In a frying pan, toast the cashew nuts in little clarified butter. Remove in a plate. In the same pan, roast the Semolina with few teaspoons of clarified butter. Add the straw berries. Stir cook for few seconds. Switch off the flame. Then, in another pan keep the water to boil. When it begins to boil, reduce the flame and add the roasted semolina and strawberries. Cook stirring continuously, till everything becomes a mass. Then, add the sugar. It will become little loose and diluted. Then, add the clarified butter and continue to cook on low flame. When it leaves the sides of the pan, remove from heat. Garnish with fried cashew nuts.
No need to add cardamom or colour.

Shahi paneer masala

Shahi paneer masala is a creamy rich gravy made with cottage cheese. It has a distinct flavour of the select Indian spices and is eaten with flat breads.

Here, I have simplified its making without compromising the taste.  

Ingredients:

Cottage cheese/paneer - 100 gm

Chopped onions - 2 cup

Green chillies - 1

Garlic pods - 7 to 8

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

Cardamom - 2

Cloves - 2

Cashew nuts - 1/4 cup

Fresh curd - 1 cup

Fresh cream - 1 tbsp (optional)

Dried frenugreek leaves - 1 tsp

Kitchen king masala powder - 2 tsp

Chopped coriander leaves - 2 tsp

Oil and salt to taste

Method:

Heat a griddle or tava. Grease it with little oil. Toast the paneer on both the sides. Cool and cut into small rectangle pieces. keep it aside.

In a frying pan, fry the cashew nuts. Remove and keep aside. In the same pan fry half the onions, green chillies and garlic till it is well cooked. Need not brown them. Cool and grind them along with the fried cashew nuts to fine paste. Keep it aside.

In the same pan, add little oil and fry the cardamom and cloves. When it emits sweet flavour, add the balance onion. Fry the onions till it turns translucent. Then, add the turmeric powder, salt and dried fenugreek leaves. Fry for few seconds. Take care not to burn the leaves. Next, add the kitchen king masala and curd in quick succession. Finally, add the toasted paneer pieces. Cook for a minute. Stir in the fresh cream. Switch off the flame. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

P.S. Butter can also be used instead of oil to make the gravy rich.

 

My fourth cook book

 My friends and family members have repeatedly requested me for a book on breakfast that can be prepared quickly. The result is this book on Tiffin. I hope they will pore over it everyday and be rewarded. Considering that most Indians would prefer breakfast recipes prepared in their region, I have made every effort to include some of the popular breakfast recipes prepared across India. This book on breakfast is different, as all the recipes in it are nutritious, low on calorie and easy to prepare.  It is also an excellent book for everyday cooking.  In fact, everyone at home looks into it to prepare a breakfast the next day.

  

   https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NYH8J67

Get it free on kindle unlimited.

Dalia kitchadi

Dalia contains high fibre and complex carbohydrates. This keeps the hunger pangs at bay for long time. Hence, it is an excellent food for diabetics. 

Ingredients:
Dalia - 2 cup
Shelled peas - 1/2 cup
Carrot - 1 
Beans - few 
Onion  - 2
Tomato - 2
Garlic - 3 pods
Mint leaves - few
Coriander leaves - few
Turmeric powder -1/2 tsp
Garam masala powder -1/2 tsp
Sambhar powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt and oil - As required

Method:
Chop the vegetables into small pieces. Crush the garlic pods. Heat little oil in a frying pan or cooker. Add the onions and crushed garlic. Stir fry for few seconds. Then, add all the powders, tomato and salt. Cook till the tomatoes turn mushy. Add the vegetables, coriander leaves and mint leaves. Stir cook for few seconds. Add four cups of water. When the water begins to boil, add the broken wheat. Close and cook till the vegetables are done. 

Raw turmeric lemon pickle

Raw turmeric has a lot of health benefit. No wonder that it is used widely in Indian cooking. It is considered to have antioxidant, anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-carcinogenic and anti-inflammatory properties. It helps in aiding digestion, regulating blood sugar besides curing various skin problems. Preserving them in pickle form not only makes it palatable but also helps in consuming it regularly. Along with lemon the health benefit of this pickle increases further.

                                          raw turmeric 

Ingredients:
Raw turmeric -100 gms
Lemon - 5 
Mustard seeds -1 tsp
Asafoetida powder -1/2 tsp
Sesame oil -4 tsps
Chilly powder - 8 tsps
Salt to taste

                               Chopped raw turmeric and lemon

Method:
Wash and scrap the outer skin of the raw turmeric. Cut it into small pieces. Cut the lemon also into small pieces. Add the required salt and chilly powder. Set it aside for five or six days. Keep stirring it daily during this period.  On the sixth day, temper mustard seeds and asofoetida in sesame oil and add to the pickle. Stir well and store it in airtight jars. 

Special Kara Kuzhambu

There are various types of kuzhambu that are eaten with steamed rice. Kara kuzhambu is one such tangy spicy gravy that does not use lentils in its preparation.The name of the kuzhambu also changes with the type of ingredients that is used. If eggplant is used then it is called kathrika kuzhambu. If dried beeries are used then it becomes vathal kuzhambu. Unlike other kuzhambu, kara kuzhambu generally has onion, garlic and tomato in its prepartion.
Here, I am presenting a special kara kuzhambu that has the ingrediets of vathal kuzhambu and kara kuzhambu.

Ingredients:
Drumstick -1
Shallots - 250 gm
Tomato - 2
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Tamarind - lemon size
Brown sugar - 1 tsp (optional)
Dried black night shade berries - 2 tsp
Garlic - few pods
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Chilli powder - 3 tsp
Sambhar powder -4 tsp
Asofetida powder/hing - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - few sprigs
Mustard seeds -1 tsp
Black gram - 1tsp
Sesame oil - 1/2 cup
Salt to taste

Method:
Soak the tamarind in water. Extract the pulp from it. Add all the powders to the tamarind water. Keep it aside.
Cut the drumstick into 1 inch length. Skin the shallots. Stir fry half the shallots and drumstick. Fry the night shade berries in oil. Add the fried berries and vegetables to the tamarind water. Cook till the vegetables are done.
In the meantime, chop the garlic and balance shallots. Fry them in generous amount of oil. When the onions turn translucent, add the tomatoes. Keep frying till it turns mushy. Then, add the grated coconut. Stir fry for few seconds. Set aside to cool. Then, grind it into a smooth paste.    
Combine the ground paste, brown sugar and curry leaves with the cooked vegetables. Add more water and check the consistency. Bring it to a boil. Temper mustard seeds and black gram in little oil and garnish the kuzhambu. Serve along with steamed rice. 

Note:
Black night shade berry is known as manathakali in Tamil and makoy in Hindi. The leaves of this plant are prepared as vegetable, while its  berries are made into vathal(sun dried preserve). Vathal is prepared by soaking the green berries in salt and buttermilk for few days and drying it in sun till it becomes hard and crispy. It is stored in air tight containers for over a year. The dried berries are fried and added to kuzhambu or eaten along with curd rice. This berry is considered to have a lot of health benefits, besides aiding in digestion and keeping the tummy clean.

Extract the tamarind pulp from tamarind

Add the turmeric powder, chilli powder, sambhar powder and asafoetida powder

The tamarind water will look like this

Add the sauteed shallots and drumstick

   




Add  the fried night shade berries to it and boil till the vegetables are cooked well.     

Chop the balance shallots and garlic                                                               

                                                                             






When it becomes translucent  add the tomatoes   

When it becomes mushy add the grated coconuts

Stir fry for few seconds

Cool it well before grinding

Grind it to a smooth paste

Add the ground paste and curry leaves to the prepared vegetable

Check for consistency and bring to a boil.

Finally, add the mustard seeds and black gram tempered in oil

yummy ! kara kuzhambu is ready to be served