Garlic Methi

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh methi leaves, finely chopped

1 tsp oil

1/4 tsp haldi (turmeric powder)

1/4 tsp mustard seeds

2 tbsp dahi (curd)

1 1/2 tsp besan

1 tsp rice flour

pinch of hing (asafoetida)

3/4 cup water

salt to taste

Tempering:

8 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1/4 tsp haldi powder (turmeric powder)

1/4 tsp mustard seeds

2 green chillies, chopped

Method:

• Heat a kadai on a medium high flame.
• Add 1 tsp of oil and mustard seeds, when they crackle add haldi and hing, mix well. Add chopped methi. Stir well. Cover the kadai with the lid. Let the methi cook for 4-5 mins.
• Open the lid and stir. Once the methi is cooked, add besan and rice flour and stir well for a minute.
• Add dahi and mix well. Add water and salt and mix well. Cover the kadai with the lid for another 5 mins.
• In the meantime, heat a pan for tempering. Once the pan is hot add 1 tsp of oil, add the mustard seeds and let them crackle, add hing and garlic. Once the garlic starts to change colour add 1/4 tsp of haldi and mix well. Add green chillies and let it cook for 1 minute. Turn the gas off.
• uncover the kadai, mix well, add sugar, mix well, pour the tempering and cook uncovered for 2 mins. Serve

Tips:

• this is one methi recipe where the bitterness of methi is neutralized tremendously. You could increase the amount of besan and/or rice flour if you feel the bitterness of methi needs to be toned further.
• curd gives a very distinct flavour in this recipe, you can increase the quantity of curd.
• water in this recipe can be substituted with buttermilk.
• you could add tamarind/lemon instead of curd. However, if you use lemon add it after the tempering is mixed.
• jaggery can be used instead of sugar.
• instead of rice flour, coarsely ground rice gives this recipe a better texture and taste too.
• the quantity of hing can be adjusted to suite one's taste.
• this preparation tastes good with bhakri or rotis.

Kadhai Paneer

This is one paneer dish which does not require too much of preparation......predominantly tomato flavour with just the right amount of kasoori methi makes this a unique blend of flavours...must try for the paneer lovers!

Ingredients:

1 capsicum, cut lengthwise

1 medium tomato, grated

1 medium sized onion, finely chopped

4 cloves of garlic, crushed

1" ginger, crushed to paste

2 tbsp tomato ketchup

1 tbsp oil

1 tsp kashmiri mirch powder

3/4 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp jeera powder

1/2 tsp kassori methi

1/2 tsp sugar

salt to taste

Method:

• Heat oil in a skillet add the onions and saute for a minute. Add ginger and garlic paste and mix well. Cook the onions on a medium low flame till onion turn light brown in colour.
• Add the grated tomato and let it cook on a medium low flame till the tomatoes start leaving oil.
• Add tomato ketchup, capsicum and sugar and mix well. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes till the capsicum are crisp but done.
• Uncover and add coriander powder, jeera powder, kashmiri mirch powder and mix well.
• Add water as per required and mix well.
• Add salt and the paneer pieces. Cook for 3 minutes.
• Sprinkle kasoori methi and cook for a minute.
• Serve with any Indian bread!!!!

Tips:

• At any stage if the masala gets dry add 1 table spoon of water at a time.
• The consistency of the gravy should such that it coats the paneer pieces. This dish does not have thin gravy.
• When you add grated tomato, you can cook it by covering the skillet.
• You can also use homemade tomato puree or blanched tomato instead of grated tomato.
• When using grated tomato ensure that you do not add the skin of the tomato.
• You can also use readymade tomato puree in such a case you will have to reduce the use of tomato ketchup.
• You can also add yellow and red capsicum along with the green capsicum to give varied colour to the dish.

Dry Bhindi with Moist Onion

Ingredients:

100 gms bhindi

1/2 onion grated

3 cloves of garlic crushed

2 tsp oil

1/4 tsp haldi

1/2 tsp jeera powder

1/8 tsp black pepper powder

salt to taste

Method:

• Cut the head of bhindi and keep aside.
• In a pan add 1 tsp of oil and shallow fry the bhindi on a low flame. Add salt and mix. cover the pan and let the bhindi cook on a low flame. stir occasionally.
• Once the bhindi is cooked transfer in a plate and keep aside.
• In the same pan add 1 tsp of oil and add the grated onion and crushed garlic and cook till the onions turn pink in colour and there is no raw smell of the onion.
• Once the onion is cooked add the bhindi and mix well.
• Add salt, jeera powder and haldi powder and mix well.
• Cover the pan and let the bhindi cook with the masala for a minute.
• Uncover the pan and add black pepper powder and mix well.
• Serve hot with roti!!!!

Tips:

• You can also deep fry the bhindi. But this way it taste good aswell.
• you can add 1 slit green chilli if you need.
• keep adding 1 tsp of water at a time when cooking the bhindi.
• don't overcook the bhindi, keep it juicy.

Vegetable Stew (Kerala Style)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup vegetables (french beans, carrot, potato, green peas,corn)

1 tetra pack of coconut milk

4-5 curry leaves

3 green cardamom

3 black pepper corn

3 cloves

1" cinnamon stick

1 tbsp ginger garlic paste

1 green chilli

1 tsp corn flour

1/4 tsp sugar

1 tsp of oil

1 cup water

salt to taste

Method:

• Mix All the vegetables and add into a microwave proof dish. Add salt and sprinkle 1/2 tsp of water. Microwave covered for 4 minutes.
• Heat a skillet and add oil. Add green cardamoms, black peppercorns, cloves and cinnamon stick. Add onions and stir well. Add ginger garlic paste and stir well. Cook the onions on flame. The colour should not change.
• Add the microwaved vegetables and mix well. Add the green chillies and curry leaves and mix well.
• Add the Coconut milk and mix well on low flame.
• Mix cornflour in 1/2 cup of water and add to the vegetable.
• bring to boil.
• Add salt and sugar and mix well.
• Serve hot with malabari paratha!!!

Tips:

• You add any veggies that you like.
• Addition of corn flour gives a good thickness and binding to the gravy you can avoid it too.
• you may cook the veggies in the coconut milk, however in such a case you must use the second milk of coconut to cook the veggies and then add the thick or first milk.
• You can use fresh cocnut milk too.
• Anything between 2-4 minutes is normally good enough to cook the veggies in the microwave.
• the colour of this gravy is white hence ensure that the colour of the onion is not changed when its cooking.
• You can add white pepper powder to increase the spice content.

Dry Paneer with Whole Spices

Ingredients:

75 gms paneer, cut into small bite size cubes.

8 black pepper balls

1 " cinnamon

2 cloves

1 medium sized onion finely chopped

1 medium sized tomato finely chopped

1/4 tsp haldi

1/4 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp kashmiri mirch powder

1 tbsp coriender leaves finely chopped

3/4 tsp sugar

salt to taste

Method:

• Heat oil in a kadai on a medium high flame. Add the cloves, cinnamon stick and black pepper balls together. Let the oil infuse the flavours for 1 minute.
• Add the chopped onion and saute till the onion turn light pink in colour.
• Add the chopped tomatoes and stir well.
• Add the haldi powder, red chilli powder, kashmiri mirch powder, salt and sugar and stir well.
• Add 1/4 cup of water and mix well. Cover the kadai with a lid and bring it to one boil.
• Uncover the kadai and add the paneer pieces. Bring to one boil. and dry the vegetable.
• Once all the water dries up add the coriander leaves and serve!!!!

Tips:

• This is a very dry vegetable with suttle flavours of whole masalas.
• This preperation goes well with rotis.
• You can adjust the red chilli powder to suite your taste.
• I have not ground the whole spice as I like the subtle flavour. This also helps to discard the whole spices once the dish is ready, so that you don't end up biting into the whole spices while eating.
• Its important to add all the whole spices together. Normally whatever goes first into the oil, the food will get its taste till the end. Hence, I have added all the whole spices together so that the flavours of all the three spices are infused into the oil.

Cabbage Salad

Ingredients:

1 cup cabbage shredded

1/3 cup broccoli, cut into medium sized florets

1/2 cup carrots, cut into 1" cubes

1 spring onion, sliced

1/2 cup mushroom, cut into 4 pieces

1 tbsp sweet corn

1/2 tbsp green peas

1 green chilli slit into 4

juice of 1/2 medium sized lemon

1/2 tsp roasted jeera powder

1/2 tsp black pepper powder

salt to taste

pinch of cardamom powder

pinch of cinnamon powder

Method:

• Heat a kadai on a medium high flame, add oil in the kadai and once its hot add all the vegetables together.
• Simmer the gas and let the vegetables cook.
• Cover the kadai with the lid and stir occasionally. The vegetables should be just done. They should be crunchy.
• Once the vegetables are done, add black pepper powder, roasted jeera powder and salt.Mix well.
• Turn off the gas and sprinkle lemon juice, cardamom powder and cinnamon powder. Stir well and serve!!!

Tips:

• Don't overcook the vegetables. They must be crunchy.
• You could add the vegetable one by one but adding them together also works fine.
• You can add any other vegetable or avoid any of the vegetables given above to suite your taste and of course availability!!!
• This salad has Indian spices and it really tastes good. You can serve this with any Indian meal.

Batata Kaap/Fodi ( Crispy Pan Fried Potatoes (Goan Style))

Ingredients:

1 potato

3 tbsp sooji (+ 1/2 tsp haldi powder and 1/2 tsp of red chilli powder)

1 tbsp red chilli powder

1 tsp haldi powder

salt to taste

Method:

• Cut the potatoes into round of 1/4 inch thickness. Wash, and sprinkle salt, haldi powder and red chilli powder. Keep aside.
• Heat a pan on a medium flame and add oil.
• Spread the sooji on a plate. Add 1/2 tsp haldi powder and 1/2 tsp of red chilli powder to the sooji and mix well.
• Take each piece of the potato and roll it in the sooji so that the sooji coats the potato completely and place it in the pan.
• Sprinkle some drops of water on th epan and cover the pan with a lid.
• Let the potatoes cook on a very low flame.
• Uncover the pan and check if the potatoes are cooked. If the potatoes are cooked turn each piece of potato and cook it on the other side on a medium heat.
• Cook both the sides of the potato till golden brown.
• Serve hot with rice and varn!!!!

Tips:

• The thickness of the potatoes can be varied. Even if you slice them thin they taste good.
• I also add 1/2 tsp of haldi and 1/2 tsp of red chilli powder to the sooji to enhance the flavours.
• The potatoes must be moist only then will the sooji stick to the potato. If its dry add a tsp of water.
• Do not marinate the potato for too long, it will turn dark and very soft.
• You can check if the potatoes are cooked by pricking a knife/fork.
• Only one side has to be cooked with the lid closed. do not cover the pan while cooking the other side.

Dahi Baigan

Ingredients:

3 small brinjals cut vertically into 4 pieces

8 grains of methi dana

1/2 tsp mustard

1 green chilli

1/2 tsp roasted jeera powder

1 tsp sugar

1/2 cup dahi

7-8 leaves of karipatta

1 whole red chilli

1 green chilli slit into 2

1 1/2 tsp oil

salt

Method:

• Heat a kadai on a medium high heat. Add 1 tsp of oil. Add the brinjals and stir fry. Turn the flame to sim. Cover the kadai with a lid and stir occasionally. Add salt and let the brinjals cook. Switch off the gas and keep the brinjals aside.
• Soak the mustard seeds in 2 tbsp of water. Grind the mustard seeds and 1 green chilli into fine paste using the mortar and pestle.
• Whip the curd and add roasted jeera powder, sugar, salt and the ground mustard paste and mix well. Keep aside.
• Heat a kadai on a medium high flame. Add 1/2 tsp of oil. Add methi seeds. When the methi seeds begin to crackle add the whole red chillies and karipatta leaves. Add green chillies and fried brinjal and switch off the gas.
• Add the curd mixture and stir well. Let the mixture cook in the heat of the kadai.
• Serve as an accompaniment!!!

Tips:

• Becareful when you add the dahi, the flame should be switched off or else the curd can curdle.
• Be careful when you use methi seeds, if they are raw they will give a punjent taste and if they get burnt they will give a bitter taste.
• The amount of sugar would depend on the sourness of the curd.
• you can also use large brinjals.
• You can replace brinjals with other vegetables.

Khatta Meetha Sitaphal (Sweet and Sour Pumpkin)

Ingredients:

1 cup sitaphal/pumpkin/doodhi/kaddu

1 medium sized onion, sliced

1 medium sized tomato, roughly chopped

1 green chilli slit into 2

7-8 leaves of karipatta

1 tsp oil

1/4 tsp rai

1/2 tsp haldi powder

1/2 tsp jeera powder

2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp coriander powder

1/4 tsp red chilli powder

2 tbsp tamarind pulp

salt to taste

2 tbsp water

Method:

• Cut the sitaphal into 1" cube along with the skin.
• Heat a kadai on medium high flame.
• Add oil, add rai. When the rai begins to crackle, add karipatta leaves. Add onion and fry on medium heat till the onion turn light brown in colour.
• Add sitaphal and the tomato and mix well.
• Add the green chilli, haldi powder, jeera powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder, sugar and salt and mix well. Add 1 tbsp of water and close the lid and let the sitaphal cook well. Stir occasionally. Add 1 tbsp of water if required.
• Once the sitaphal is almost cooked, add the tamarind pulp and cook for 3 minutes.
• Take the vegetable off the flame and serve!!!

Tips:

• You can add jaggery instead of sugar.
• You can add amchoor powder (dry mango powder) instead of tamarind.
• You can add fenugreek seeds to the tempering.
• You can also add asafoetida.
• The sitaphal should hold its shape even after cooking hence do not overcook the sitaphal.
• Adjust the sugar and tamarind to get the right balance of sweet and sour for this recipe.
• Tis vegetable tastes good with rotis or puris esp. stuffed kachoris!

Cauliflower and Matar Bhaji (Goan Style Cauliflower and Green Pea Subji(vegetable))

Ingredients:

1 cup cauliflower florets

1/4 cup green peas

2 tbsp of grated coconut

1 green chilly roughly chopped

1/4 tsp rai

1/4 tsp jeera

7-8 leaves of karipatta

pinch of hing

1/4 tsp haldi powder

1/2 tsp sugar

2 tsp oil

salt to taste

coriander for garnish

Method:

• Cut cauliflower into medium sized florets.
• Heat a kadai on a medium high heat. Add oil. Add rai. When the rai begins to crackle, add the jeera seeds. When the jeera seeds crackle add the karipatta leaves and hing.
• Add the cauliflower florets and green peas. Mix well. Add haldi powder, green chillies and salt. Add 2 tbsp of water. Cover the kadai with a lid and let the cauliflower and green peas cook in steam. Stir occasionally.
• Once the cauliflower is cooked add the sugar and grated coconut. Stir and let the vegetable cook for a minute or two.
• Mix well. Switch off the flame and garnish with coriander leaves.

Tips:

• This is a vegetable without onion and garlic, if you want you can add 1 medium sized onion finely chopped and 2 cloves of garlic finely chopped to this recipe.
• You can also add 1 medium sized potato, cut into medium sized cubes, to this recipe.
• You can add 1 tsp garam masala and 1 tsp red chilli powder to this recipe.
• This vegetable tastes good with rice and varn!!!

Methi Matar Malai

Ingredients:

1 cup methi leaves, chopped

1 "ginger, crushed to paste

4 cloves of garlic, crushed to paste

1 medium sized onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup green peas

1 /2 tsp shahi jeera

1 tsp fresh cream

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup water

1/4 tsp white pepper powder

1/2 tsp kasoori methi

1 1/2 tsp oil

1 green chilli, finely chopped

1/2 tsp amchoor powder

pinch of cardamom

salt to taste

Method:

• Heat oil in a kadai on a medium high flame, add the shahi jeera, when it crackles add onion, cook till the onion turns translucent. Add the ginger and garlic and stir well.
• Add the methi leaves, green chilli and matar. Stir fry till the methi leaves and the green peas are cooked.
• Add the amchoor powder, white pepper powder and salt, mix well.
• Add fresh cream, milk and water and let the liquid reduce.
• Once the cream and milk reduces switch off the gas and sprinkle cardamom powder and kasoori methi.
• serve hot!

Tips:

• To give a rich texture increase the amount of oil and the cream. Add atleast 1 cup of cream and skip the milk however if the mixture is too thick add water.
• You can add sweet corn, baby corn instead of green peas.
• Methi should be cooked uncovered, it would normally take around 10-12 mins to cook.
• You can add a pinch of sugar to balance the flavours.
• Serve methi matar malai hot with roti or paratha!!

Kathal Tarkari (Jackfruit Vegetable)

Ingredients:

300 gms kathal

1 1/2 tsp dahi

1 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp jeera powder

1/2 tsp haldi powder

1/8th tsp chilli powder

1 1/2 tsp oil

1 medium sise onion, finely chopped

1 medium sized tomato, grated.

5 cloves of garlic, finely grated

1' ginger, grated.

2 cloves

1 dalchini

1 green cardamom

Cardamom, cinnamon powder and coriender leaves for garnish.

Method:

• Clean the kathal and cut the fruit and seeds into medium sized pieces.
• In a vessel add water, salt and haldi powder and the kathal pieces and boil.
• After the kathal has been almost 90% boiled, drain and keep it aside.
• In a kadai, add 1 1/2 tsp of oil, add the kathal pieces and fry till the kathal is totally cooked, remove it from the kadai and keep it aside
• Add 1 tsp of oil in the same kadai, heat it on a medium low flame, when the oil is hot, add green cardamom, dalchini and cloves, when they crackle, add the ginger, garlic and fry, add the onion, stir fry and cook till the onion turn pink in colour, add the tomato puree and mix well.
• Mix dahi in 2 tbsp of water.
• Add dahi in to the onion and mix well. Add jeera powder, coriander powder, haldi and red chilli powder, mix well. Cover the kadai with a lid and let the masala cook well.
• Add salt and sugar and mix well.
• Once the masala is cooked, add the fried kathal pieces and mix well. Add 3 tbsp of water and mix well till the masala coats the vegetable.
• Once done switch off the gas.
• Sprinkle cinnamon powder and cardamom powder.
• mix well and transfer to a serving plate and garnish with coriander.

Tips:

• Kathal is to be 90% cooked when it is boiled.
• If you cook the kathal completely when its boiled you can avoid frying the kathal...its healthy too!
• You can also deep fry the kathal, in such an case, you can avoid boiling the kathal.
• You can increase the quantity of dahi in this recipe.
• This recipe is a dry preparation.
• When cleaning the kathal apply oil to your hands and the knife it makes the task easier.
• For this recipe, I normally retain only the seed and the flesh of the fruit and not the periphery, however in some preparations I do use most of the fruit (will post it shortly).
• you can also use canned jackfruit.
• you can also add green peas to this preparation.

Tendli Vangi Masala Bhat (Gherkin and Eggplant Masala Rice)

Ingredients:

1 cup rice

3 baby brinjal (egg plant/ baigan)

6 tendli (kundru/gherkin)

3 baby potatoes

1/2 cup green peas

1 medium onion, sliced

1 tsp jeera powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp garam masala powder

1/2 tsp haldi

1/4 tsp red chilli powder

1/3 cup grated coconut

2 tbsp coriender leaves finely chopped

1/2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp ghee

2 tsp oil

salt to taste

Method:

• Wash rice and soak it in water.
• Slit the brinjal, baby potato and tendli into two keeping the stem (or eye) intact, so that the coconut stuffing can be filled in the slits.
• For the stuffing, to the grated coconut, add coriander powder, jeera powder, haldi, red chilli powder, garam masala, salt, sugar and coriander leaves.
• Stuff the coconut stuffing in the brinjal, baby potatoes and tendli.
• In case there is excess of the stuffing, keep it aside.
• Place a presure cooker on a medium high flame, add the oil and ghee. When the oil and ghee is heated, add the mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds begin to crackle, add the onion and mix well and cook for a minute. Place the stuffed brinjal, baby potato and tendli and stir fry gently on medium high flame. Add the green peas and remaining coconut stuffing and gently stir fry.
• Drain the rice and add to the vegetables and mix very gently. Add water and salt, give one good gentle stir and cover the lid of the cooker. Cook on high till one whistle. Turn the gas off. Let the pressure drop by itself.
• Once the pressure drops transfer the rice in a serving dish and serve immediately!
  
  

Tips:

• This rice preparation is a traditional Maharashtrian rice. You can also add peanuts to this recipe. You can also replace green peas with peanuts.
• You can make this preparation as only tendli bhat or even only brinjal bhat.
• You can add hing if you like the taste.
• I do not keep any vessel in the cooker i just cook the rice directly in the cooker hence i give only one whistle on high, which is normally sufficient and makes the rice cook to perfection.
• Mix the stuffed vegetables and rice with a gentle hand otherwise the stuffing may leave the slits and spread and the rice may break.
• You can use only ghee or oil, I prefer to use a combination as ghee gives taste and oil gives the gloss to the food.
• Ghee also has less resistance to heat hence the addition of oil increases its resistance.
• If you do not have baby potatoes, you can use normal potatoes, cut them into thick slices and then slit each slice so as to add the stuffing in the slit.
• You can make this rice preparation for any fasting, avoid onion in that case.
• Serve this rice with curd or have it just like that,it tastes divine!

Cholar Dal Paneer (Chana Dal with Paneer)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup chana dal

1/2 cup water

1oo gms paneer

1 medium sized onion, finely grated

1 tomato, finely grated

3 cloves of garlic, finely grated

1" ginger, finely grated

1 green cardamom (elaichi)

1" cinnamon (dalchini)

2 cloves (laung)

1/2 tsp coriander Powder

1/2 tsp jeera powder

1/2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder

3/4 tsp haldi powder

2 1/2 tsp oil

1/2 tsp sugar

salt to taste

for garnish

pinch of cardamom powder

pinch of cinnamon powder

Method:

• Wash chana dal and soak it in water, keep aside.
• In a pressure cooker, add chana dal, water, haldi and salt, cover with the lid and light the flame to high. Take one whistle on high flame and three on medium whistle. Turn the gas off and let the pressure drop by itself.
• Cut paneer into cubes.
• Heat a kadai add 1 1/2 tsp of oil add the paneer pieces and shallow fry the paneer pieces till light golden in colour. Transfer on a tissue paper.
• Heat 1 tsp of oil in a kadai, add elaichi, dalchini and laung, when they crackle add onion, ginger and garlic. Let the onion cook till it changes colour.
• Add grated tomato and stir well. Let the tomato cook well. Add jeera powder, coriander powder, salt, kashmiri red chilli powder and mix well.
• Once the masala is cooked add sugar and the cooked dal. Mix gently.
• Add the paneer pieces and garnish with cinnamon powder and cardamom powder.

Tips:

• You can use ghee in this recipe instead of oil, it gives a very distinct and good flavour.
• Paneer pieces can be deep fried.
• Raw paneer pieces can be added, but I prefer to fry the paneer.
• Once the paneer is fried , it can be drained on a tissue paper. Paneer pieces can also be soaked in water (or salt water), it helps keep the paneer soft.
• The chana dal for this recipe should not lose its shape. It should hold its shape hence do not overcook.
• If you soak the dal the cooking time of the dal would be reduced.
• Instead of grated onion you can grind the onion in the mixie. The same applies to tomato, ginger and garlic.
• Ready-made ginger garlic paste can be used instead of fresh ginger and garlic, however, I feel fresh paste give better taste...its healthy too!
• The consistency of this dal is quite thick, it does not have a very thin consistency.
• The recipe given above gives two servings! its a treat for those who love paneer.
• This recipe taste good with any type of roti...you can also have it with rice!!!

Sitaphal Tarkari (Pumpkin Vegetable)

Ingredients:

200 gms sitaphal (pumpkin),cut into big cubes

2 tbsp raw rice

3 tbsp grated fresh coconut

1 tsp oil

1/4 tsp panch phoren

1/4 tsp jeera powder

1/4 tsp coriander powder

1/4 tsp haldi

1/2 tsp sugar

1 green chilli

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

salt to taste

water

Method:

• Wash and soak rice in 5 tbsp of water.
• Soak mustard seeds and green chilli in water for 5-7 mins. Drain and grind to a paste.
• Heat a kadai. Add oil and heat it on a medium low heat, add panch phoren. When the panch phoren crackles add the sitaphal and mix well. Add rice (after draining the water) and mix well.
• Add haldi powder, jeera powder, coriander powder, sugar and salt and mix well.
• Add 3 tbsp of water, cover the kadai with the lid and let it cook on sim. Occasionally stir and keep adding 1 tbsp of water at a time so that the rice is done. Approximately 4-5 tbsp of water would be required.
• Once the rice is almost done, add grated coconut and stir. Cover and cook for 2 mins. Add the mustard and chilli paste. Stir and cook for 1 minute.
• Garnish with eliachi powder and cinnamon powder and serve.

Tips:

• Panch phoren is a mixture of equal quantity of 5 seeds viz: rai (mustard seeds), methi (fenugreek seeds), saunf (fennel seeds), kalonji (nigella seeds) and jeera (cumin seeds).
• In Bengali cuisine rai (mustard seeds) are replaced with radhuni. Radhuni has a peculiar fragrance and imparts its distinct taste and flavour to the food its added to. Since the above recipe is Bengali, you can also add radhuni.
• Mustard paste/ sauce can also be added instead of ground mustard.
• You can grind the mustard in a mortar and pastle.
• The sitaphal should not be peeled, the skin should be retained.
• Do not add all the water together, add the water in parts and cooked covered on sim. Sitaphal (pumpkin) should retain its shape.
• The quantity of green chilli can be altered according to taste.
• The above recipe is for two servings.
• This is an everyday recipe hence is prepared in less quantity of oil, you can increase the quantity of oil if you so desire.

Mushroom Matar

Ingredients:

5 button mushrooms cut into 6 pieces each

1/4 cup fresh green peas

1 medium sized onion

1 large tomato

1 " ginger

3 cloves of garlic

1tsp tomato ketchup

2 cloves

1 cardamom

1/2 tsp dry coriander powder

1/2 tsp kashmiri mirch powder

1/2 tsp jeera powder

pinch of garam masala

1/2 tsp sugar

1 tsp oil

salt to taste

1/2 tsp kasuri methi

1 tbsp cream

Method:

• Grind ginger, garlic and onion into a fine paste and keep aside.
• Grind the tomatoes into a puree.
• Heat a kadai on a medium flame, add oil, add cloves and whole cardamom. Stir and add the onion paste. Simmer the gas and cover the kadai with a lid. Let the onion cook well. Stir occasionally.
• Once the onions turn dark pink in colour, add the tomato paste. Stir. Cover the kadai and let it cook on sim. Stir, Add salt and green peas. Cover and let the masala cook.
• Once the tomatoes are cooked add coriander powder, jeera powder and kashmiri mirch powder. Add 2 tbsp of water. Mix well and let the masala cook well.
• Once the masala is cooked, add tomato ketchup, 1/2 cup of water and mushrooms. Let the gravy come to a good boil. Once the mushrooms are cooked, discard the cloves and cardamom and add kasuri methi, garam masala and sugar. Simmer for a minute and turn the flame off.
• Add the cream, mix and serve.

Tips:

• The onion paste should be cooked well, otherwise it will give a raw smell to the gravy.
• At any stage if the gravy sticks to the kadai keep adding 1 tsp of water at a time.
• If using frozen peas then add them along with the mushrooms as it need less time to cook.
• Peas can separately boiled and added to this recipe. In such a case just add 1/2 tsp of sugar and salt while boiling the peas, sugar will help the peas retain its green colour.
• Fresh peas can also be microwaved. Just add salt and microwave covered for 4 mins.
• Mushrooms take very less time to cook, hence add it after the masala is cooked.
• Once the tomato puree leaves the sides of the kadai, it indicated that it is cooked.
• If using readymade tomato puree, reduce the quantity to half.
• Sugar enhances the other flavours in this preparation.
• Add the cream only after turning off the flame or else it may cuddle.
• Best way to store kasuri methi is to put it in an airtight box and keep it in the freezer.
• You can retain the cloves and cardomom in the recipe given above, i discard them cause it may get difficult for the guest to eat and in any case the flavour are already absorbed in the gravy before discarding.
• I normally use less oil in my recipes, you may increase the quantity or even use mixture of ghee and oil to enhance the flavour.
• Cream can be avoided, but i feel it gives a very good flavour, colour and texture to this preparation.
• You can even replace the mushroom with paneer to get matar paneer!!!!
• The above recipe gives two servings.
• Serve mushroom matar with roti or any rice preparation.

Tadka Masala Raita

Ingredients:

1 cup dahi (curd)

1/4 tsp roasted jeera powder

black salt to taste

salt to taste

for the tempering

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 clove of garlic

1 tbsp finely chopped onion

1/4 tsp haldi

1/4 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp coriander finely chopped

Method:

• mix black salt, jeera powder and salt into the dahi.
• heat the pan for tadka. Add oil, when the oil is heated add mustard seeds, when the mustard seeds crackle, add garlic and onion. cook on medium heat till the garlic and onion turn brown in colour, add haldi and mix well.
• switch off the flame and add red chilli powder and coriander leaves. let it rest for a min.
• add the tempering to the curd and mix well.

Tips:

• you could vary the quantity of the spices mentioned above.
• you could also add mint powder or black pepper powder to the curd.
• red chilli powder should be added to the tempering after switching off the gas or else the red chilli powder will get brunt. the heat in the pan will be good enough.
• let the tempering cool a bit before mixing it with the curd otherwise it can cuddle the curd.
• this raita can be served chilled.
• you can add a pinch of sugar to enhance the flavours.
• after you transfer the tempering on to the curd put 1 tsp of water or curd in the tadka pan and pour it over the curd so that the spices are completely transferred into the curd.
• this raita can be served as an accompaniment to parathas, chillas, rice etc.

Mix Vegetable

Ajwaini Aloo