Aloo Gobi Adraki

I first tasted this curry in my friend N's place. She said that she had got the recipe from Sanjeev kapoor's  Punjabi cook book. So I guess the credit for this lovely recipe goes to the chef extraordinaire himself. The combination of Cauliflower,and Potatoes  with the humble ginger gives out a flavor that is unique and pleasant. The fact that this curry can be made in a jiffy makes this recipe extra special. 

Aloo gobi adraki recipe:

Preparation time: 15 mins

Cooking time:15 mins

Serves- 4

Ingredients:

Cauliflower:1 med, Cut into florets

Potatoes- Peeled and cubed, 2 med

Cumin seeds- 1tspn

Ginger- 1inch minced+ 1/2 inch grated

Turmeric- 1/4 tspn

Red chilli powder- 1/2 tspn

Green chilli-1

Thick Curds- 2 tbsp

Tomato-1 chopped fine (optional)

Coriander leaves to garnish

Salt- to taste

Oil- 2tbsp

Method:

• Par boil or steam the potatoes till half done and keep aside.
• Blanch the cauliflower florets in hot salted water  for two mins. Drain and keep aside.
• Heat oil in a pan and add the jeera/ cumin seeds.
• Once they sputter, add the minced ginger and green chilli saute for 1/2 a min.
• Add the potato cubes and cauliflower and stir for 2 more mins.
• Add the turmeric powder, red chilli powder,  salt and mix.
• Add the curds and mix again. Cover and cook the vegetables for 2 more mins.
• Add the chopped tomato and stir. Garnish with grated ginger and coriander leaves.
• Serve hot with rotis.

Southekayi Hasi Gojju

Hasi gooju means, raw stew. is normally prepared with cucumber, tamarind and jaggery. This dish has two versions. I will be posting the second version soon. I love this recipe because it uses very simple ingredients and is a breeze to prepare. So here goes the recipe.

Southekayi Hasi gojju recipe:

Cooking and preparation time:20mins

Serves-4

Ingredients:

Cucumber- 1 big or 2 small, peeled and chopped fine

Tamarind- Lime sized

Jaggery- Lime sized or to taste

Coconut- 3-4 tbsp

Salt to taste

Roast together:

Channa dal- 2tbsps

Fenugreek or methi seeds- 1/4 tspn

Jeera- 1tspn

Red chillies- 3

Oil- 1tsp

Seasoning Ingredients:

Oil- 2tsp

Mustard- 1tsp

Hing- a pinch

Curry leaves- 1sprig

Method:

• For the powder, heat oil in a pan and add the jeera and methi seeds.
• Once they pop, add the channa dal and saute till the dal turns brown.
• Add the red chillies and saute for one more min. Take of from the heat and cool.
• Once cooled, greind the mixture to a fine powder.
• Add coconut, Tamarind pulp, Jaggery and salt to the powder and grind to a fine paste.
• Add the ground mixture to the chopped cucumber and mix. DO NOT ADD any water as the cucumber will give out water.
• For the seasoning, Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard.
• Once it sputters, Add the curry leaves and hing.
• Add the seasoning to the gojju. Check for salt and serve with rice or rotis.

Sakkare Holige for Varamahalakshmi

Sakkare Holige aka Sugar filled flat bread is a delicacy that is prepared during the festival of Varamahalakshmi. This sweet, crisp, melt in the mouth bread is so good that even my 14 month old daughter liked it.  This holige or poli is surely the food of the Gods. Which with little effort can be yours as well.

The step by step pictures for this recipe can be found  here. I could only take this one picture due to some time constraints. I promise to post more pictures of this sweet the next time I make it. I guess that would be during the next Varamahalakshmi. :)

Sakkare Holige Recipe:

Preparation time: 20 mins+ Soaking time

Cooking time 20 mins

Makes: 10 Holiges

Ingredients:

For the Covering:

Maida- 1 cup+ 2 tbspns to dust

Chiroti rawa/ Fine Semolina- 1 Cup

Salt- 1/2 tspn

Ghee/ Dalda- 2 tbsp

For the Stuffing:

Powdered Sugar-11/4 cup

Grated dry coconut- a little more than 1/2 cup

Elaichi or cardamom- 1 tsp

Poppy seeds- 1 tbsp

Ghee to mix the filling ingredients

Aluminium foil to roll the dough

Method:

• For the filling, Mix the maida, chiroti rawa and salt and mix well. Slowly add water and mix to form a soft dough. 
• Add the ghee and mix for some more time. Cover the dough with a wet cloth and keep it aside fo an hour.
• For the Stuffing, Mix sugar, coconut, elaichi, and poppy seeds along with some ghee and mix well. Add more ghee and knead the mixture till a soft and firm dough is formed.
• Divide the filling as well as the covering dough it equal sized balls and keep as ide.
• Take one portion of the rawa-maida dough and slightly press it. Place the ball of the "sugar filling" and draw the edges of the dough from all sides to cover the filling mixture completely.and gently roll 
• Place a sheet of aluminium foil on a the rolling board. Using the maida to dust, gently roll each ball to a 4" to 6" diameter holige/poli
• Rub some maida on the poli  and Shallow fry the holige on a tawa or a girdle on a low flame. Rubbing maida on the holige will ensure that sugar does'nt melt while roasting.Smear some ghee when done and serve warm.

Vegetable Shabhnam Curry

I got this recipe by accident. It was in an old savvy magazine which was lying in my friend's place. I knew I had to try this recipe the moment I read it. The sweet flavor of the cashew with the mild tangy flavor of kalonji, makes this curry, exotic, rich and delectable. I hope you enjoy trying this curry as much as I did.

Shabhnam Curry recipe:

Preparation time- 30 mins

Cooking time- 20 mins

Serves- 4

Ingredients:

200 gms of mixed vegetables like carrot, beans, peas, cauliflower, potato

Peas- 1/2 cup

Corn- 1/2 cup

1/4 cup or 4 tbsp of Cashews soaked in water.

Curds- 1/2 cup

Oil-3-4 tbsp

Onion-2 Finely chopped

Kalonji- 1/4 tsp

Cumin seeds- 1/2 tsp

Tomatoes-2,  Blanched and pureed

Ginger-Garlic paste- 1 tsp

Kasoori methi- 1Tbsp

Red chillli powder- 1/2 tsp

Turmeric- 1/4 tsp

Garam Masala- 1/2 tsp

Salt- to taste

Cloves- 2, crushed

Sugar- 1 tsp

Cardamom- 2 crushed

Ghee- 2tspn

Method:

• Boil vegetables peas and corn and keep aside.
• Drain cashews and grind them along with curd to a fine paste.
• Heat oil and add the Kalonji and cumin seeds. Stir on med. heat till brown.
• Add the onion and fry till brown.
• Add the tomato and fry till it almost dries up.add ginger-Garlic paste and stir for 2 more mins.
• Add Kasoori methi, Red chilli, Turmeric, Garam masala salt and sugar and stir for 2 mins.
• Add the cashew-curd paste. Simmer and stir for 2 more mins.
• Add the cooked vegetables amd water and bring to a boil. Simmer without covering for 5min.
• Add the peas and corn and boil for a few more mins.
• Before serving, Heat ghee in a pan and add the crushed clove and cardamom and saute for a min.
• Add the seasoning  and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with rice or rotis.

Hesaru kalu Bassaaru

I would like to dedicate this post is to my grandmother from whom I got this recipe.  This recipe uses the green moong which is packed with proteins and other valuable nutrients. I always relish this rasam along with rice,  and a bowl of curds. It makes a healthy, tasty and a satisfying meal. This rasam is so tasty that you end up eating  more rice than usual. So here goes the recipe.

Hesaru kaalu Bassaru recipe:

Preparation time- 20 mins

Cooking time-20 mins

Serves- 4

Ingredients:

Green moong- 1 cup

Onion-1 med

Tomato-1

Jeera-1 tspn

Coconut-2 tbspns

Tamarind-1 small lime sized

Rasam powder- 2 tspns

Jaggery- ½ tspn

Salt to taste.

Coriander to garnish

Seasoning ingredients:

Oil or ghee- 2 tspns

Mustard- 1/2 tspn

Jeera- ½ tspn

Curry leaves- 1 sprig

Hing- 1 pinch

Method:

Soak the mung for half an hour and pressure cook the mung with enough water till done and keep aside.

Grind the onion, tomato, jeera, coconut along with 3 tbspns of boiled mung to a fine paste.

Add the ground paste to the boiled mung and bring the mixture to boil.

Add the tamarind paste, salt, jaggery, rasam powder and boil for a few more mins.

For the seasoning, heat ghee in a pan and add the mustard seeds.

Once it pops add the jeera and curry leaves and fry for a min more.

Add the hing and transfer the contents to the cooked rasam

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.