Happy Cooking: BHINDI JEERA DO PYAZA....Indian Masala

Bhindi,Okara or Ladyfinger- a vegetable available almost around the world and during most part of the year. This vegetable, has no flavor whatsoever but when cooked in any recipe blends in well with the condiments/ spices used and all types of cooking.The vegetable it self does boasts of having medicinal property which serves well in the cure of Jaundice, provided it is cooked with a very little oil or ghee. The seeds offer useful assistance in motivating the movement of the bowels.

This recipe is not my original. I had picked useful tips from my late Aunt, who like my late Mother was a very good cook. This is essentially a Punjabi dish, that is usually served with 'Phoolka'.

To prepare for FOUR servings assemble the following:

Bhindi/Okara-washed, cleaned dried,Diced 3/4" long.......................500 gm

Onion, large- peeled quartered & leafed...........................................02

Tomato,large- pulp & seed removed, quartered................................01

Ginger & Garlic paste.........................................................................02 tps

Green Chili-diced...............................................................................03

Curry leaves (optional).......................................................................10

Jeera/Cumin- whole...........................................................................01 tps

Red Chili powder................................................................................01 tps

Turmeric powder................................................................................1/2 tps

Coriander powder...............................................................................02 tps

Garam Masala......................................................................................1/2 tps

Salt ...............................................................................AS PER TASTE.

Cooking Oil...................................ENOUGH TO DEEP FRY BHINDI.

METHOD

Place a wok/kadai on medium flame and pour enough Oil to deep fry the Bhindi. Stir fry till each Bhindi looks slightly shrivelled, bright green and the seeds has just begun to brown.

Switch off flame. Remove, keep aside to drain.

Empty out the wok, and again place on low flame. Pour in 02 tps of heated oil and put in the ginger & Garlic, green Chili, Jeera and fry.

As soon as the Green Chili begins to fry, put in the fried bhindi along with the Onion.

Increase the flame to medium, and stir fry for 02 minutes. Sprinkle in red Chili powder and Turmeric, adjust salt and cover to cook. Reduce the flame to low.

Soon the wok will give out rich aroma, uncover and put in half of the Tomato. Stir lightly and cover again to cook. After 02 minutes switch off the flame.

Before removing to serving plate add the remaining diced Tomato. Give final stir.

Dust the Garam Masala and serve with Phoolka

Happy Cooking: Chicken Nugget Creme.....Indian Masala

This recipe, is versatile, in that it can be a centre piece on a Continantal lay out, as well as it completes a typical Indian Mughalai spread. This will not only satisfy the palates of those who enjoy smart chili preparation, but also of those who prefer low spice fare. Hence, its in your hands to adjust the spices accordingly. The listing below is of a medium spiced dish.

For Two servings you would require:-

Chicken boneless, cut to twice the bite size...............300 gm

Onion (boiled) paste...................................................1/2 cup

Cream..........................................................................1/3 cup

Hung curd.....................................................................01 cup

Milk..............................................................................01 cup

Cooking Oil...................................................................03 Tps

Curry leaves..................................................................06

Fresh Green Chili...........................................................04 seeded, striped lengthwise

Ginger & Garlic paste.....................................................01 tps

Chicken Masala/ Garam Masala......................................01 Tps

White Pepper................................................................01 tps more, if you so desire.

Salt................................................................................As per taste

Cloves...........................................................................04

Cinnamom stick.............................................................02"

Whole Jeera / Cumin......................................................01 tps

Green Cardamum...........................................................06 crushed

Method

1. In a wok/kadai on medium flame, pour half of the cooking oil along with 01 tps of cream and on heating add the Ginger & Garlic paste and Jeera.

2. Fry, but dot not brown. Pour in all of the remaining Oil & cream. Put in the Chicken and stir fry on full flame. As the Chicken starts to get golden, put in half of the green chili, all of the Onion, a little Salt and fry. DO NOT LET THE OINON TO BROWN.

3. Add all of the dry masala, reduce the flame to low and half of the Green Cardmum. Put in the Curry leaves, remaining fresh Chili & blend. Stir in the hung curd, adjust Salt, toss to coat all of the Chicken and cover to cook. As and when the the mixture reduces keep adding milk.

4. Achieve a thickish near white gravy. Remove to shallow wide dish, sprinkle the remaining green Cardamum and serve, hot.

Happy Cooking: Baigan Sugandhi Bhartha....Indian Masala

You must be wondering why am I listing this dish which every mom had made, prepares every now & then and will always be making in days and years to come. Bhartha is traditionaly cooked by roasting the brinjal. This is not possible, when we don't have the traditional 'ANGITHI' OR 'CHOOLA'. I am also aware that the same effect can be achieved by roasting on the gas burner. But, gas now being so expensive, one would not waste it on a lowly baingan. So, we will have the bhartha cooked in a microwave oven.

So you will require the following:-

Baigan (Brinjal/Aubergine) round purple shinny big 01 (300gms-400gms)

Onion diced 01 cup

Fresh green peas 1/2 cup

Green chili diced 02 Tsp

Curry leaves 06

Tomato diced 1/2 cup

Cinnamon 1/2" 02 pc + 1" 01 pc

Cloves 04 pc

Green Cardamom 04 pc

Fresh Coriander leaves 01 tsp

Ginger Garlic paste 02 tsp

POWDERED SPICES

Red chili 01 tsp

Dry Coriander 01 tsp

Jeera 01 tsp

Turmeric 1/2 tsp

Garam Masala 01 tsp

SALT TO TASTE

COOKING MEDIUM Oil/Ghee

METHOD

Step One

De stalk and peel the baingan.

Wash and make tiny 03 deep slits at different places, with the kitchen knife. Insert in each slit two pieces each of Cinnamon, Cloves & green Cardamom.

Very lightly smear the baingan with oil. Place in the microwave oven and roast for 03 mts on 100% power.

Cool the Baingan and then smash it in the plate. Keep aside.

Step Two

On low flame, in a kadai/wok pour 1/2 tsp oil. Heat, put in the green Peas and gently fry. When Peas turn bright green, pour in water to drown the Peas and moment the water begins to boil on the peripheri, switch off the flame. Remove and keep aside. This will ensure the Peas will remain bright green.

In the same wok on medium flame pour in 75ml oil. Heat, put in the onion along with the green chili, curry leaves and stir fry.

When onion starts to turn transparent add Ginger Garlic paste and fry. when the Onion starts to turn golden, put in the smashed baingan and fry to lightly brown.

Sprinkle in all the dry spices, adjust salt to taste and fry. Add the tomato and stir fry on high flame, till the baingan browns.

Put in the green Peas, stir and remove to serving plate.

Garnish with fresh Coriander. Serve with Chapati/Paratha.

Happy Cooking: Mushroom Bouquet La Creme....Indian Masala

This is a mildly spiced, highly flavored, profusely fragrant vegetarian dish. Monsoon perforce does not make spiced dishes to be of appeal to the appetite. Serve this dish fresh, rather than cold.

To make for FOUR servings, you will require:

Fresh double cream ½ cup

Button Mushrooms sliced boiled 01 cup

Soy nuggets presoaked 01 cup

Cottage Cheese 1”diced 01 cup

French Beans threaded 1”diced 01 cup

Potato boiled diced ½ cup

Fresh green Peas boiled ½ cup

Baby Corn diced ¼ cup

Broccoli florets ½ cup

Lightly crushed mix nuts & resin 02 Tps

SPICES

POWDER THE FOLLOWING

Cinnamon 2” stick

Green Cardamom 06

Cloves 04

Cumin powder 01 Tps

ALSO ARRANGE----

Salt As per taste

White pepper powder As per taste

Fresh curry leaves 06

COOKING MEDIUM

Butter /Desi Ghee 02Tps

METHOD

1. In a wok, over low flame, pour the cooking medium and on heating put in the curry leaves, Soy nuggets, Broccoli florets & Baby Corn.
2. Fry till the curry leaves turn crisp. Sprinkle all the spices, adjust salt, stir to fry. Mix in half cup of water and cover to cook the Soy nuggets. Uncover and evaporate the excess water.
3. Add the rest of the vegetables and lightly toss to blend and fry on medium flame.
4. Pour half of the cream and blend. Cook for 05 minutes.
5. Remove to serving platter and garnish with the remaining cream.

Sprinkle the nuts & resin. Serve with lightly buttered Dinner rolls/Bread.

Happy Cooking: Cool Salad Divine....Indian Masala

The heat of the Summer is making us want to consume excessive cool liquids, to not only quench the thirst, but also to cool the body down, so to be able to combat the tremendous heat, surrounding us. I am listing a recipe, to go with our coolants like Panna (raw mango squash) or Thandai (a sorbet prepared of specially selected dry nuts etc).

The following will be required for FOUR servings.

The Cheese and all boiled items should be cooled and kept in refrigerator for an hour to achieve cooling.

Ø Paneer (Cottage Cheese ) 200 gm

Ø Boiled Potato peeled diced 01 cup

Ø Boiled fresh green Peas ½ cup

Ø Apple washed diced fine ½ cup

Ø Tomato skinned diced fine 01 cup

Ø Lettuce washed hand torn 01 pc

Ø French beans boiled diced 01 cup

Ø Ground nuts skinned roasted ¼ cup (non salted)

Ø Resins (kishmish) presoaked 03 Tps

Ø Almond Brocken each 04-06 pc 10 pc

Ø Cashew nuts =do= 10 pc

DRESSING:

v Olive oil 02 tps (substitute: Ground nut oil)

v Juice of Lemon /Lime 04 tps (adjust as per requirement)

v White Pepper 02 tps

v Cinnamon powder 02 tps

v Cardamom powder 01 tps (small elaichi)

v Sugar powder 02 tps

v Salt to taste

METHOD:- Dressing.

1. In a mixing bowl pour in the Juice of lime.

2. Add all the spices and sugar, salt to taste.

3. Whisk & keep adding the oil drop by drop.

4. Taste to check for adjustment of any ingredient.

METHOD: Salad

I. In a large mixing bowl, tear to bite size the Lettuce, and throw it in.

II. Pour in 1/3^rd dressing and cover the Lettuce completely.

III. Add all of the items except cottage cheese.

IV. Pour in half of the remaining dressing and toss to evenly cover the salad.

V. Finally, crumble the cottage Cheese and add. Pour over it the remaining dressing. Give a final toss & serve

NOTE: To skin the tomato-

Drown the tomato in boiling water for 02 minutes and immediate remove to ice cold water for 02 minutes. Peel away the tomato and keep aside to dice later.

Happy Cooking:Yogurt Chicken Divine....Indian Masala

Its summer, its’ very warm and one does wish to burden the stomach. Yet, one has to eat to live.For the pure vegetarians, replace the Chicken with crumpled Paneer (Cottage Cheese) For a nice cool dish for two you will require the following:

§ Hung curd 02 cups

§ Boneless Chicken 200 gms

§ Cucumber Diced 01 cup

§ Boiled Potato Diced 01 cup

§ Boiled fresh Green Peas ½ cup

§ Fresh Coriander leaf 02 tps

§ Icing Sugar 01 Tps (or more as per requirement)

§ White Pepper powder ¾ tps

§ Juice of lime 01 lime

§ Fresh Pomegranate 02 Tps

§ Salt As per requirement

METHOD

a) Take chilled Curd and sprinkle in the icing sugar and stir lightly.

b) In a muslin cloth hang the Curd to drip away the whey (water )

c) Boil the Chicken with a little white Pepper& Salt. On cooling, remove from the stock, and shred it. Keep stock for use, in some other dish.

d) Chill a glass mixing bowl (or any serving bowl) and put in all the above ingredients except the Pomegranate

e) Season with Salt, Pepper& lime juice. Toss, with half of the fresh Coriander.

f) Prior to serving, garnish with Pomegranate and fresh Coriander.

Best enjoyed with, soft buttered buns or plain Dinner rolls.

Happy Cooking:WHOLESOME BOWL OF RICE....Indian Masala

There would be times when (you are alone and) perforce have to cook only for self and you are not inclined enough to go through the motions of doing a variety of things to present yourself a lunch or dinner. May be, you have only cooked rice (left over, perhaps) and have to cook Dal (lentil) or a gravy dish to complete the meal. I have for you, a recipe that is simple, tasty and fun to prepare as the finished product is unique and healthy. The quantum of spice is essentially as per your personal taste, I’ll list out for a medium flavor.

IF YOU BE A VEGETARIAN JUST SUBSTITUTE Chicken for Paneer (Cottage Cheese)

Accompaniment to this dish could be, Pickle and/or Curd and/or Onion & Tomato Rhetta.

One serving will require:-

v Cooked Rice 03 cups

v Onions Diced 01 cup

v Boneless Chicken bite size 01 cup

v Tomato Diced 03 tps

v Green Peppers Diced 01 cup

v Potato Diced 01 cup

v Green Peas 04 tps

v Green Chili Diced fine 02 tps

v Fresh green Coriander 01 tps

v Cinnamon powder 01 tps

v Cardamom Powder ½ tps

v Jeera Powder 01 tps

v Coriander Powder 01 tps

v Red Chili Powder 01 tps

v Javitri flower Petals 01 tps

v Salt to taste

v Cooking Medium Oil / Butter / Desi Ghee

v Water

METHOD

I. Marinate the chicken in 01 tps of ginger garlic paste, a little salt. (Paneer does not require marinate)

II.

1) Cook the Rice, if not previously cooked. Ensure the grains are separate.

2) In a deep wok pour some oil enough to deep fry the potato to light brown and the chicken to light brown. Remove and keep aside.

3) Fry Peppers and green Peas for a minute remove and keep aside.

4) Fry, in 04 tps of Oil, to golden brown the Onion, lower the flame, add the spices and the tomato.

5) Toss & blend for a few minutes.

6) Now add to the mixture,previously fried Potato,Peppers,Peas and the precooked rice. Pour in 03 tps of Oil and toss the Rice and Chicken on high flame, till the complete ensemble is well blended and effuses the sweet fragrance of the spices.

Garnish with fresh green Coriander leaves and Cardamom powder. Serve yourself & enjoy.