Category Archives: Category

Corn Capsicum Curry

October 17, 2020 – 10:40 am

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup sweet corn kernels
  • 1 large red capsicum, chopped
  • 1 large or 2 medium tomatoes
  • 1 green chili
  • 10 to 12 cashews
  • 2 tbsp ghee
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp coriander powder
  • 1/2 tsp ginger paste
  • 1/2 tsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp salt or to taste
  • 2 to 3 tbsp coriander leaves, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)

Method:

Prepare gravy

  1. Make a smooth paste of the tomato, green chili and cashews and put aside
  2. Put a pan on medium heat and add 1 tbsp ghee to it
  3. Add cumin seeds and when they start crackling, add turmeric powder, coriander powder, ginger paste and sauté for 5 seconds
  4. Add the chili-tomato-cashew paste and roast till the ghee separates and floats over it… keep stirring and checking at regular intervals
  5. When the paste is roasted well, add 3/4 cup water and mix well

Prepare vegetables

  1. In a separate pan, heat 1 tbsp ghee on medium heat and sauté the corn and capsicum for 2-3 minutes. Add 1/2 tsp salt and sauté for 2 more minutes and then turn off the heat

Prepare curry

  1. Add cooked vegetables to the gravy
  2. Add salt, garam masala, chopped coriander, kasuri methi and stir well and then cover and cook for 3-4 minutes on low flame
  3. Serve hot with your favorite Indian bread

Serves: 2

 

Inspiration source:

https://nishamadhulika.com/en/1695-corn-capsicum-masala.html

By Dilip Shah | Also posted in Curry | Comments (0)

Baingan Bharta

September 24, 2020 – 7:42 pm

 

Ingredients:

  • 2 eggplant medium size
  • 3-4 garlic cloves
  • 1 tbsp mustard oil
  • 2 tbsp any vegetable oil, such as peanut oil
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 1 inch ginger, finely chopped
  • 1 green chili, chopped
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp red chili powder
  • 1 tsp salt or to taste
  • 1 large tomato, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh coriander leaves chopped

Method:

  1. Make vertical slits in eggplants and stuff with peeled garlic cloves
  2. Roast eggplants in an over or on flame until it is cooked
  3. Put the eggplants in some container for 10-15 minutes and then peel them, mash them along with the garlic cloves and keep aside
  4. In a pan, add both the oils and heat on high heat
  5. Add cumin seeds and let them crackle
  6. Add chopped chili and sauté for 5-10 seconds
  7. Add onions and ginger and sauté for 4-5 minutes till the onions become light brown
  8. Add turmeric powder and red chili powder and sauté for 2-3 minutes
  9. Add chopped tomatoes, salt and sauté till the tomatoes are cooked and the oil starts separating from the sides
  10. Add mashed eggplant and mix well and take it off from the flame
  11. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with any Indian bread

Serves: 4

 

Inspiration source:

By Dilip Shah | Also posted in Curry | Comments (0)

Millet khichdi (Curried mix vegetable millet) – Instant Pot recipe

September 23, 2020 – 8:07 pm

 

Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 1 tbsp ghee
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp grated ginger
  • 1/2 onion, chopped
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • 1 potato, peeled and chopped
  • 1 cup chopped French / green beans
  • 1 big or 2 small tomatoes, large chopped
  • 1/2 cup chopped baby spinach leaves
  • 1 cup little millet or any millet mix (we used Ancient Grains by ’24 mantra’ that is a mix of Foxtail millet, Little millet, Barnyard millet and Kodo millet)
  • 1/2 cup moong dal
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
  • 1 tbsp coriander powder
  • 1 tsp red chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 1 tbsp kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
  • 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
  • 3.5 cups water

Method:

  1. Wash millets a couple times till the water is no longer very cloudy
  2. Then soak them in 2 cups of water for an hour (and use the same water for cooking)
  3. Similarly, wash moong daal a couple times till the water is no longer very cloudy and keep it aside
  4. Put Instant Pot on sauté mode
  5. Add oil / ghee and when hot, add cumin seeds
  6. When cumin seeds start crackling, add grated ginger and sauté for 5-10 seconds
  7. Add chopped onion, potato, beans, carrots and sauté for a couple of minutes
  8. Add chopped tomatoes, spinach and sauté for a couple of minutes
  9. Add salt, coriander powder, chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala and kasoori methi and mix well
  10. Add millets along with its water, moong beans, additional 1.2 cups of water and mix well
  11. Put the lid and switch the Instant Pot to a mode that would cook for 15 minutes on high heat under pressure
  12. After the cooking cycle is complete, let it cool till the lid can easily open without any force
  13. Stir in ghee and chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with yogurt on the side

Serves: 4

 

Inspiration source:

By Dilip Shah | Also posted in Rice | Comments (0)

Cantaloupe curry

August 30, 2020 – 8:49 pm

(ચીભડા નુ શાક)

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb cantaloupe, cut into about 3/4 inch pieces
  • 0.5 lb tomatoes, cut into medium size pieces
  • 1 tbsp peanut oil (or any other vegetable oil)
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1/2 asafetida powder
  • 1 tsp red chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp salt or to taste
  • 2 tsp cumin coriander powder
  • 1 tbsp jaggery powder / dark brown sugar

Method:

  1. Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat
  2. Add mustard seeds and when they start popping, add cumin seeds and let them splutter for a couple of seconds
  3. Add asafetida powder, chili powder and turmeric powder and fry for a few seconds (make sure they don’t become too dark)
  4. Add cantaloupe pieces and mix well so that the spices coat the cantaloupe
  5. Add tomato pieces, salt, mix well, cover and let it cook for 5-6 minutes till cantaloupe is cooked and becomes soft
  6. Add jaggery / brown sugar, cumin coriander powder, mix well, cover and cook for 2-3 minutes
  7. Serve the curry hot with any Indian bread, preferably with thepla

Serves: 4

 

Inspiration source:

By Dilip Shah | Also posted in Curry | Comments (0)

Paneer Bhurji

August 24, 2020 – 9:33 pm

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 3-4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 green chili, finely chopped
  • 1/2 inch ginger, finely chopped
  • capsicum, chopped
  • 2 tomatoes, chopped
  • 14 oz (400 gms) paneer, coarsely grated
  • 2 tbsp ghee
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp red chili powder
  • 2 tsp freshly ground coriander powder
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 2 tsp pav bhaji masala
  • 1 tsp kasuri methi

Method:

  1. Heat the ghee in a pan on medium heat
  2. Add cumin seeds and saute till they start crackling
  3. Add the onions and saute for 2-3 minutes, till it becomes translucent
  4. Add garlic, ginger and chili and saute for a couple of minutes
  5. Add capsicum and saute for 2-3 minutes, till somewhat soft
  6. Add chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, pav bhaji masala and kasuri methi and saute for a couple of minutes
  7. Add tomatoes, salt and saute for 3-4 minutes till most of the water is evaporated
  8. Add grated paneer, mix well, cover the pan and cook on medium / low heat for 2-3 minutes
  9. Serve this paneer bhurji hot with lightly grilled bread or some nice Indian bread

Serves: 4

Inspiration source:

 

PANEER BHURJI

By Dilip Shah | Also posted in Curry | Comments (0)

Vegetable Roastie (Rice and potato pancakes with vegetables)

August 8, 2020 – 2:51 pm

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup rice (any kind, such as Basmati or jasmine rice) soaked for 5-6 hours
  • 1 medium size potato
  • 1 medium size tomato, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup chopped carrot
  • 1/2 cup chopped capsicum
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1 green chili, finely chopped
  • 2-3 tbsp chopped coriander
  • 1 tbsp ginger paste
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds (Jeera)
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper powder
  • 1 tbsp chopped curry leaves
  • 1 tsp Eno fruit salt
  • 4-5 tbsp vegetable oil, such as peanut oil

Method:

  1. Steam / boil the potato and once cooled, remove the skin
  2. Drain the rice and grind with minimum water in blender
  3. Add the potato and blend well till somewhat smooth paste / mix
  4. Take out the mix in a large bowl and add all the vegetables, spices, herbs and salt
  5. If necessary, add 1/4 cup water and mix well. The final consistency of the mix should be relatively thick and not too runny
  6. Let the mix ‘rest’ by keeping it aside for 15-20 minutes
  7. When ready to make roasties, add 2 tbsp water to the mix and in that  water add 1 tsp Eno fruit salt and gently stir it in thoroughly
  8. Alternatively, you can add 1/4 cup yogurt and let it rest for 15-20 minutes. When ready, add 1 tsp baking soda + a few drops of lemon / lime juice and stir it in thoroughly
  9. Heat 1 tbsp oil in skillet on medium heat
  10. Once hot, pour 1/2 cup of the mix and spread it evenly in the skillet to get 1/2 cm thick layer
  11. Cover the skillet, turn the heat to low and cook for 6-7 minutes. Periodically check to see that the cooked side is not burning / charring
  12. Add 1/2 tbsp oil on the uncooked side of the roastie and flip over
  13. Cook this side for 6-7 minutes. Periodically check that it is not burning / charring
  14. Once done, keep the roastie aside for 3-4 minutes before eating. This ensures that any moisture inside is absorbed
  15. Serve the roastie with green chutney

Serves: 4

 

Inspiration source:

By Dilip Shah | Also posted in Entree, Side dish, Snacks | Comments (1)

Falafel (Baked!)

August 8, 2020 – 2:05 pm

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup dried chickpeas, soaked overnight (this recipe will not work with canned chickpeas)
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1 cup chopped parsley
  • 1 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1 small green chili pepper, Serrano or jalapeno pepper
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1 tsp roasted cumin seeds powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper powder
  • 2 tbsp chickpea flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tbsp olive oil

Method:

  1. Drain the chickpeas and let it dry for a few minutes
  2. Make sure that the chopped herbs are not very wet. Access water will make the falafel wet and soggy from inside. You want them moist and soft inside and not soggy!
  3. In our experience, blending raw onions make the end product somewhat bitter. We lightly saute the chopped onions in small quantity of oil, let them cool and then add to blender / food processor
  4. Add chickpeas and onion, parsley, cilantro, pepper, garlic, cumin, salt, cardamom and black pepper to the food processor and pulse to coarse mix. If the mixture is too wet, you can add another tablespoon of chickpea flour. If it’s too dry and crumbly, you can add a teaspoon or two of water or lemon juice
  5. Transfer the falafel mixture to a bowl and add the chickpea flour and baking soda. Mix well, cover it and refrigerate the mixture for 30 minutes to one hour
  6. Preheat the over to 350F
  7. To the baking pan, add 1 tbsp oil and spread it evenly to cover the baking surface
  8. Pour falafel mix to the baking pan, gently spread it evenly in the pan. Add 1 tbsp oil on the surface, spread it evenly and bake it for 25-30 minutes, keeping an eye to make sure it doesn’t get overcooked and become too dark
  9. Take out the pan from the oven, insert a knife and take it out. If the knife is dry, your falafel is fully cooked from inside. If the mix sticks to the knife, you may need to bake the falafel for a few more minutes
  10. Cut into pieces and serve with tahini / yogurt sauce

Serves: 4

 

Inspiration source:

Falafel

By Dilip Shah | Also posted in Entree, Side dish, Snacks | Comments (1)

Moroccan Chickpea Stew

August 8, 2020 – 1:45 pm

 

Ingredients:

  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large red onion, chopped
  • 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 large sweet potato, skinned and chopped to roughly 1 cm cubes
  • 2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tbsp sweet paprika
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
  • fresh thyme leaves from 10-12 sprigs
  • 2 cups cooked chickpeas or 2 cans of 400 ml chickpeas
  • 2 large tomatoes, chopped or 1 800 ml can of good quality tomatoes
  • 2 tsp salt or to taste
  • 2 bunches of collard greens or baby spinach or any other green
  • 1/4 cup sweet dried raisins
  • 2 tbsp fresh chopped flat leaf parsley

Method:

  1. Heat up a pot / pan on medium heat. Add the olive oil
  2. Add the cumin seeds
  3. Once cumin seeds start crackling, add the onion and garlic and saute for 3-4 minutes
  4. Add the sweet potatoes and saute for 4-5 minutes. This will caramelize the vegetables and bring out their sweetness
  5. Add chili powder, paprika, cinnamon, thyme, salt and mix well
  6. Add the chickpeas and mix well
  7. Add the tomatoes and crush with ladle to release their juices
  8. Add 1 1/2 cups water, turn up the heat to bring to boil. Then let it simmer on medium heat for 15 minutes
  9. Add the greens to the stew along with the dried raisins
  10. Transfer about half the quantity of stew to a blender and blend to puree
  11. Pour the blended stew back into the pot and mix well
  12. Add freshly chopped parsley and serve the stew with your favorite bread

Serves: 4

Inspiration source:

By Dilip Shah | Also posted in Soup | Comments (0)

Chickpea and Brown Rice Stew (Instant Pot recipe)

July 3, 2020 – 5:52 pm

 

Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium / large yellow onion, diced
  • 1 large fennel bulb
  • 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 cup brown rice
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt or to taste
  • Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
  • 4 cups (950 ml) vegetable broth
  • 1 cup chickpeas, cooked or from a can
  • 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
  • 1/2 cup Italian flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
  • 1 to 2 cups baby spinach or kale (or other greens of choice), chopped roughly
  • 1 (14.5-ounce / 410g) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 (8-ounce / 227g) can tomato sauce
  • 1 to 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Method:

  1. To the pot, add the oil and put it on saute mode
  2. Add onion, fennel, garlic and saute for 3-4 minutes
  3. Add rice, pepper flakes, bay leaves, salt, black pepper and salt and saute for 2 minutes
  4. Add vegetable broth, chickpeas, thyme leaves, parsley leaves, spinach leaves, crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce and gently mix well
  5. Cover the pot and switch it to a mode with cooking time of 15 minutes
  6. When cooking is done and cooled, open pot, add lemon juice and gently mix well
  7. Serve with your favorite bread

Serves: 4

Inspiration source:

https://www.rainbowplantlife.com/blog/vegan-instant-pot-fennel-chickpea-stew

By Dilip Shah | Also posted in Soup | Comments (0)

South Indian Green Chutney

June 18, 2020 – 9:12 pm

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup Coconut (Grated or dry dry desiccated)
  • 2 tbsp Roasted Bengal Gram or ready chana dal (also known as daliya)
  • 2 tbsp Curd
  • 1-2 Green Chilies
  • 1/2 inch Ginger (Chopped)
  • 1/2 cup Fresh Coriander
  • 1/3 cup Curry leaves
  • 10 – 15 Mint leaves
  • 1 tbsp Tamarind Paste
  • 1 tsp Salt or to taste
  • 1/2 cup water or as needed for grinding smooth chutney

Optional

  • 1 clove garlic

For tempering

  • 1 tbsp Vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
  • 1 tbsp Urad Dal
  • 1-2 Dry Red Chilies (Broken)
  • 10-12 Curry Leaves
  • 1/4 tsp Hing

Method:

  1. Blend all the ingredients for chutney in a blender to make a smooth paste
  2. Transfer in the serving bowl

Tempering

  1. Heat oil in a small pan
  2. Add mustard seeds and when the seeds start popping add urad dal
  3. Fry till the dal turns brown
  4. Add dry red chilies, curry leaves and hing
  5. Pour the tempering over the chutney
  6. Mix the tempering with the chutney
  7. Let the chutney rest for an hour or two so that the urad dal gets soft
  8. Serve with idli, dosa or paniyaram

Serves: 4-6

Inspiration source:

Green Coconut Chutney

South Indian Green Chutney

 

By Dilip Shah | Also posted in Chutney / Dip | Comments (1)