Slow Cooked Jeera Aalu/potato stir fry

Jeera Aalu is supposed to a Dhaba comfort food. Low maintenance, super easy to put together and hardly anything can go wring with this one. The version I love, has crispy edges and a pillow-y center. Oh it is to die for.

You shall need:

3 medium Size… Potatoes (Washed, peeled and cut in equal size pieces)

2 … green chillies (Slit in the center)

2 tsp… Oil

1 tsp… Jeera/Cumin seeds

2 tsp… Dhaniya powder/coriander powder

2 tsp… Jeera powder/roaster cumin powder

1 tsp… Amchoor powder/Dry mango Powder (Optional)

Salt to taste

Method:

• In a Kadhai/wok, heat the oil.
• Add the cumin seeds and green chillies.
• Reduce the heat for medium-low.
• Drain the potatoes well and wipe them with a kitchen towel/cloth. We dont want much moisture on it.
• Add them to the wok.
• Keep stirring until all the potatoes are covered with oil.
• Let it cook for about 30 min, stirring occasionally.
• Add the masalas and salt. mix well.
• Now let it cook for 20 more min, so that the potatoes are cooked through and have a crispy exterior.
• Serve with love.

Cheers,

Yam Chips with Tomato Chutney

For July Secret Cooking challenge I was paired with Lakshmi who blog here. Thank you to the gorgeous blogger Priya who has brought together this crazy mix of bloggers with love to experiment with ingredients.
So basically this is an ingredient swap. Every month the interested people are paired and we exchange ingredients (only virtually)

For the last month i got, Yam and tomatoes. I had never cooked with yam before except in undhiyo and there it is no brainer actually. I wanted to try something different. All google gave me was curry, roast, soup etc. However the sweet potato chips caught my fancy and I wanted to try this with my favorite flavors.

I ordered sliced yam from Bigbasket.com and it was all a breeze then.

You shall need:

For the chips-

200 gms… Yam (Peeled, washed and cut in thin strips)

1 tsp… Salt

1 tbsp.. Black Sesame seeds

2 tsp… Thyme (dried)

1 tbsp… lemon juice

1 tbsp… olive oil

For the chutney-

1/2 tsp… oil

1/2 tbsp… panch poran (Mix of five spices- fenugreek seed, nigella seed, cumin seed, black mustard seed and fennel seed)

4-5… Tomatoes (Blanched, peeled and cubed)

2.. dried red chillies (cut in small pieces)

1 tsp… Sugar

1/2 tsp… red chilly powder

Method:

• Pre heat oven to 180C.
• In a bowl, mix the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, sesame seeds and thyme.
• Toss the thin strips of the yam in the mix and let it sit for a few min.
• In a tray, lay a parchment paper/butter paper and arrange the yam strips one by one.
• Bake it for 25-30 min rotating the side of the yam once in the middle.
• We need crisp strips, so bake it as long as it takes to draw all the moisture out.
• For the chutney, in a pan, heat oil and add panch phoran and red chillies.
• Once the oil is smokey, add the tomatoes, salt and red chilly powder.
• When the water of the tomatoes is almost dried up, add the sugar and let it cook.
• Taste and adjust the spices to make it a sweet and sour chutney.
• Serve with love.

Cheers,

Quick pasta for Dinner

I am fan of easy to put together ingredients. They save the time and effort on the workdays without using too much brain.

All you shall need as an extra for this is Sun-dried tomatoes (I made mine at home, recipe to follow soon)

You shall need:

One cup… Boiled Al dente pasta of your choice (I have used the bambino  shell shape pasta)

5-6 tbsp…. water in which the pasta was boiled.

1/2 tbsp… Oil

Salt and pepper

3 tbsp… tomato paste (Really thick tomato puree, I use a fine mesh to strain the water of the puree and then use the thick portion)

1 tbsp…. cream/malai

Herbs of your choice, I added oregano.

Few sprigs of coriander

Cheese (If you please)

Method:

• In a pan, heat oil and add the tomato puree.
• Cook it for a few min.
• Now add the Pasta and the water.
• Season it well, to taste.
• Add the herbs.
• Finish off with the cream.
• Mix it well to incorporate it all.
• Towards the wee end of the cooking process, add the sundried tomotoes (Cut in smaller pieces if they are too big) and coriander.
• You can also put some garlic bread on the side.
• Serve with love.

Cheers,

 

Vegetable Layer Rice

Oh I am so proud of what I churned out today for lunch 🙂 We are having a pot luck and I offered to make the main.

This “layer rice” is also notoriously called Vegetable Biryani. However I would like to keep it the way it is 😉 Layer Rice.

You shall need: (Serves 4)

For the rice-

600 gms… Basmati Rice (Soak for 30min)

3… Bay leaves

2 tsp… shahi jeera

4…. Green cardamoms

5… peppercorns

Boiling water

2 tbsp… ghee

For the vegetables-

1 cup… cauliflower florets

3 tbsp… Oil

3-4… cubed potatoes

1/2 cup… peas

1/2 cup… cubed carrots (I didn’t add, as I didn’t have any)

1 tbsp… Kasuri Methi

3-4.. green chillies

1 tbsp… dried mint or 2 sprigs fresh mint leaves

2 tsp… Shahi jeera

3-4… green cardamoms

2-3… black cardamoms

2… bay leaves

For the Marinade-

1.5 cup… Curd (a little sour is good)

2 tbsp… Almond-Khus Khus seeds paste (Make it with a few tbsp of curd)

2 tbsp… kasuri methi

2 tsp… garam masala

Salt

Red chilly powder

1 tsp… Turmeric powder

For Assembling-

Browned Onion slices (fried)

2 tbsp… Ghee

10-12 strands of Saffron soaked in warm water

Method:

• To the boiling water, add the bay leaves, pepper corns, shahi jeera, ghee and cardamoms.
• Add the rice and salt. Let it cook for 15-17 min or until they are a little short of being fully cooked.
• Drain it in a colander and keep aside.
• In a wok, heat the oil. Add jeera, cardamoms and bay leaves.
• Add the vegetables and methi with little water.
• Cover and cook the veggies until they still have a bite. We dont want them to be over done.
• In the curd, mix the spices, some fried onion and the almond khus khus paste.
• Mix the curd with the veggies that are still warm.
• Let it sit for about 10-12 min.
• In a microwave safe bowl, add a layer of half the rice and put a sprinkle of garam masala, saffron, ghee and some brown onions.
• Layer the veggies on top of this.
• Now cover them with the remaining rice and add the ghee, saffron, garam masala and onions.
• Before serving, put it in the lowest temperature setting of the microwave to heat everything through.
• Serve with raita and salan.

Cheers

Pearl Onion Brown Rice Burrito #BM38

Oh Burritos save the dinners for me most of the time. They are my oh-My-God-what-do-I-made-today savers. Best part about them is that its one hand meal which makes flipping channels/clicking pictures easy 😛

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 38

You shall need:

4-5… Big chapatis

1 cup… Hung curd

2 tsp… oil

3/4 cup… cooked brown rice

1/4 cup… chopped pearl onions

2 tsp… chilly flakes

Salt to taste

1/2 cup… grated carrot

1 tsp… lemon juice

2 tsp… milk

Cheese spread (optional)

Method:

• In a pan, heat oil.
• Add the pearl onions and a little salt.
• Cook until they are soft.
• Now add the chilly flakes and rice.
• Mix well and cook until everything is combined.
• Bring it out of the pan and let it cool.
• In the hung curd bowl, add the carrots, salt and lemon.
• Add milk if needed, we need the consistency of a spread.
• Lay the chapati on a flat surface, add cheese spread (if you like)
• Now add a generous helping of rice and the hung curd dip.
• Fold it and serve it with your favorite tv channel 🙂

Cheers,

Beignet #BM38

I have been fascinated by Bignet’s ever since I laid my eyes on them on a TLC show. These pillows of fried dough with loads of sugar on top are as delicious as well. Love love love them.

For the BM#38 series for the week, I have chosen fried dough as the theme.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 38

You shall need:

1/4 cup …butter (melted)
1/4 cup… water
1/4 teaspoon… salt
1 cup …all-purpose flour
1/2 cup…. yogurt
1/2 tsp… Baking soda
2 tbsp… castor sugar
oil for deep frying
icing sugar

Method:

• In a bowl, mix slat, baking soda, castor sugar and all purpose flour.
• Now add butter and mix it in the flour.
• Add the yogurt next.
• We need to make a soft dough.
• Now add water as need be.
• The dough will be little sticky, but we need to knead it until it all comes together properly.
• Let it rest on the table counter in a oiled pan, covered with cling film, for about 2 hours.
• It shall be fermented till then, roll it out and cut shapes that you desire.
• Fry them in the hot oil  (on a medium high heat) until they get an even color.
• Take them out on a paper towel.
• Serve with a generous amount of dusting of icing sugar on top.

Cheers,

 

Dessert Naan

Well I am doing the Blogging Marathon after ages and boy I am glad to be back 🙂 This week I am doing 3 variations of naan’s. I thought let me start by doing something sweet.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 38

For me things that ring a bell of dessert are nuts, cinnamon, sugar and nutella. So I used up all this in the naan. 🙂

Here is all that you shall need: (Makes about 5-6)

1 cup… All purpose flour

3.5 tbsp… Ground sugar

2 tbsp… Granulated sugar

1 tsp… Baking soda

1/2 tsp… salt

1/4 cup… Almonds

2 tsp + 2 tsp… cinnamon powder

2-3 knobs of butter

1/2 tbsp… Oil

4-5 tbsp… curd/yogurt

Nutella/honey

Method:

• In a small bowl mix, granulated sugar and 2 tsp cinnamon powder.
• In a medium size bowl, add the flour, baking soda, salt and powdered sugar. Mix well using a fork.
• Now add the curd and knead it into a dough. Add a touch more curd, in case it is dry.
• Knead until nice and soft.
• Now add the oil and knead again.
• Put it on a oiled bowl and leave on the kitchen counter (covered with a tea towel) for about an hour.
• Pre heat oven at 190C.
• Make 5-6 balls out of the dough with the help of little oil/butter in your hand.
• Oil/ butter a tray and place the balls about 2 inch apart.
• Press the balls down gently to form discs, you may use rolling pin but I like the more rustic form.
• Sprinkle some of the sugar and cinnamon mix on it and top with some almonds.
• Bake for 10 min and then take them out. Smother some butter on top using the back of a spoon/a brush and bake for another 5 min.
• To serve, top it with nutella or honey.
• Serve with love.

Cheers,

 

Lauki Methi Koftas

Oh yes yes I cant get enough of that previous Kofta sauce okay. Mom usually makes Lauki kofta in tomato onion sauce, well since I am her offspring I need to make my own changes to it 😛

Here is that you shall need for the Koftas, the recipe for the gravy remains the same as here.

1.5 cup…. Bottle gourd (Wash, peel and grate it)

3-4 tbsp…. besan (gram flour)

3/4 cup… Fenugreek leaves (wash and chop)

Salt and red chilly powder to taste

1/2 tsp… Turmeric powder

1  tbsp… Dhaniya powder (coriander)

1 tsp… carom seeds

2 tbsp… warm oil (keeps the koftas soft on the inside)

Oil to fry

Method:

• In a bowl, add the lauki and the methi, mix well.
• Squeeze the lauki juices using the palm/with a fist.
• Add the spices, oil and gram flour.
• Make a dough that is of a fritter consistency.
• Test a small dollop of the koftas in the oil.
• If it splits, add little gram flour at a time and test.
• Be very careful and add only that much flour that will make sure that the kofta dont split, we dont want a pakora flavour. 🙂
• Fry them on a medium-high heat until nice and golden.
• Lower them in the gravy as described in this blog post.

Cheers,

 

Bharwan Bhindi/Stuffed Okra

Bhindi is my first love. I have fond memories of loving the bhindi that my school friend’s , Nupur, mom used to pack in her lunch box. I can never make it her way even if I want. 🙂

Today I got up super early with the husband who had a flight to catch. Bangalore Airport’s distance is such a pain I tell you 😦

Anyway. Here is my fav concoction for the bharwaan bhindi.

You shall need: (Serves 2)

250-300 gms… Fresh medium/small size Okra/Ladies finger/Bhindi (wash them and wipe with a cloth to soak them. Cut the ends and keep)

1 tbsp… Sesame seeds/Til

1 tbsp… Cumin/Jeera powder

1 tbsp… Dhaniya powder/Coriander powder

1/2 tbsp… Amchoor powder/Chat masala *optional

1/2 tbsp… Anardana powder

Salt and red chilly powder to taste

1 tbsp… oil

1 tsp… jeera/ cumin seeds

Method:

• Slit the bhindi length wise making a pocket to stuff the masala.
• In a small bowl, add all the masalas and mix well.
• Carefully fill the bhindi with the masala, generously.
  If a little masala is left, it is good 🙂
• Once they are all done, heat oil in a pan and add the jeera.
• Once it browns a little, reduce the heat to low-medium.
• Add the bhindi one at a time and lay them properly in the pan.
• Let them cook on one side for a few min.
• Toss them gently and let the other side cook.
• Sprinkle the extra masala on top and mix with a light hand.
• The bhindi shall be done once it changes color to dark green.
• Serve with roti/bhakri/paratha.

Cheers,

Lauki chana dal

I often get super super worked up when I have not planned what to make for lunch. Since we both work and I do all the cooking in the house, I wake up early and finish all of it before the pati is up.

Since I was tired of all the cabbage and cauliflowers, I decided to make mom’s special. Chana Dal with Lauki/Ghiya/bottle gourd.

You shall need:

1 cup… Chana Dal (Soaked in warm water for 1 hour)

1.5 cup… Lauki/bottle gourd pieces (Wash, peel and dice)

1… Big tomato (cut in chunks)

1 tsp… Jeera/Cumin seeds

1 tsp… Rai/mustard seeds

a pinch of hing/asafoetida

1/2 tbsp.. Oil

3/4 cup… Water

1/2 tsp… Haldi/turmeric powder

3-4 … green chillies or red chilly powder as you like

Salt

Lemon juice

Method:

• In a pressure cooker, heat the oil.
• Add the hing, jeera and rai.
• Once the rai splutters, add the tomato, salt, green chillies/red chilly powder and haldi.
• Cook it well until the tomatoes soften.
• Now add the lauki and chana dal (minus the soaking water)
• Stir them around in the spices.
• Now add the water and close the lid.
• Once the first whistle comes, reduce the heat to medium and let it cook for 10 min.
• Turn off the gas and let the pressure drop.
• Once it is done, open the lid and add the lemon juice as per taste.
• Serve hot with roti or bhakri.

Sending this to:

at Simply.food

at Gayathris cook spot

Cheers,