Chana Masala (Choley/chickpeas)

 

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup chana (chickpeas) soaked overnight 

2. 2 red onions 

3. 2 hot house tomatoes 

4. 4-5 cloves of garlic 

5. 1 bay leaf 

6. 1 black cardamom 

7. 1 anise seed 

8. 1 stick of cinnamon 

9. 1 tablespoon cumin powder 

10.  2 tablespoons chana masala ( MDH or Badshaah or Shaan) 

11. 1/4 teaspoon turmeric 

12. 1 tablespoon coriander powder 

13. pinch of red chilli powder 

14. 1/2 teaspoon of Amchur powder ( dry mango powder)

15. 1 tablespoon fenugreek leaves 

16. salt to taste 

17. 4 teaspoons of cooking oil- mustard, canola, avocado, ghee 

18. 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 

19. Chopped fresh coriander 

Method- 

1. In an instant pot or pressure cooker put the soaked chana with the water it was soaked in. Add more water if needed. Add bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom, anise seed, and salt.  Let it whistle at least 10 to 12 times. 

2. Chop/grind the garlic and red onions together, and keep them separate. Grind the tomatoes separately. 

3. In a deep, thick bottomed pan (nonstick or iron cast) heat the oil. Add cumin seeds. Once they begin to splutter add the onion garlic paste. Turn heat to medium and fry until golden brown. 

4. Add the other dry spices. Keep mixing until you see some oil separate on the side. 

5. Add tomatoes puree and continue stirring.

6. Add the boiled chanas from the cooker to the mix. 

7. Keep stirring until you see the oil come up and it begins to bubble. Slow cook it but stir occasionally. 

8. In the end add fenugreek leaves and chopped coriander to garnish. 

Serve with naan bread or white basmati rice. 

******If cooking in an instant pot then fry the above mix and add raw washed chanas to the mix, add 4 cups of water for every cup of chana. If you want more sauce then add another cup of water and cook for 20-30 mins in the instant pot. When you open it the chanas should mush in between your fingers, if not then let it go for another 20 mins. 

Rajma (Red Kidney Beans curry)

 Rajma ( Red Kidney Beans curry)

Ingredients- 

1. 1 cup Red kidney beans 

2. 1 large red onion 

3. 2 large house tomatoes 

4. 4-5 cloves garlic 

5. 1 green chilli or more (optional)

6. 1 stick cinnamon 

7. 1 big black cardamom 

8. 1 bay leaf 

9. 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 

10. 1/4 teaspoon red chilli powder 

11. 1 teaspoon coriander powder 

12. 1 teaspoon garam masala 

13. 1 tablespoon salt or salt to taste 

14. 4-5 tablespoon cooking oil or ghee 

15. 1/2 cup tomato cooking sauce or paste 

16. 2-3 sprigs of fresh coriander chopped finely. 

Method - 

1. Pressure cook the kidney beans in 5-6 cups of water with the salt in a pressure cooker or instant pot on medium heat for 15-20 mins 

2. Let the beans sit in the pressure to soften. When you open the cooker if the beans are still a little hard then give another 10 minutes of pressure. Set aside 

3. In a frying pan, add oil and heat on medium, add the cinnamon stick, bay leaf and cardamom to the oil until they crackle. 

4. Grind the garlic and onions beforehand together and add to the heated oil. 

5. Keep frying the onions on medium heat until they change colour to light brown. Do not leave them unattended or they will burn. 

6. Grind the tomatoes and green chilli together and add to the frying onions. 

7. Add the rest of the spices to the sauce including the tomato paste/sauce. 

8. Let the mix simmer until the oil separates. 

9. Add the boiled kidney beans to the mix. 

10. Stir and keep mixing for 10-15 mins. 

11. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve on a bed of rice or with naan. 

Yellow Daal Tadka ( Toor Daal)

Kofta Curry

Koftas 

Ingredients 

1. 1 Lauki (Bottle gourd)
2. 3 boiled potatoes 
   
3. 1 cup chickpea flour 
4. 3-4 cloves of garlic
5. 1-inch ginger 
6. 1 large or 2 medium onions 
7. 4 tomatoes 
8. 2 green chillies (optional)
9. 1 teaspoon chilli powder 
10. 1 teaspoon turmeric 
11. 2 teaspoon coriander powder 
12. salt to taste 
13. vegetable oil 1 cup to fry the dumplings 
14. 2 tablespoon vegetable oil for the curry 
15. fresh coriander for garnish 

Method 

1. Medium grate the lauki and ginger, with clean hands take ball sizes of the lauki and squeeze out all the excess water as much as possible in a bowl, keep the squeezed lauki in a separate bowl. We will use the squeezed liquid later.
2. Add boiled potatoes to the squeezed lauki. Crush and knead it in. Add spices- salt, 1/2 spoon chilli powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder. Add chick pea flour and knead all well. Do not use water as lauki has its own water. Keep the mixture as dry as possible. Roll into meatballs size balls. 
3. Heat oil in a pan and when it reaches medium heat start frying the balls (pakodi). Do not fry on high flame or they will burn from the outside and stay raw in the middle. 
4. Keep aside. 
5. For the curry grind the garlic and onions together. Heat oil in a pan and add the onion-garlic mixture. Fry until golden brown. 
6. Grind tomatoes separately and add to the onion-garlic mix in the pan. 
7. As it comes to splatter, add spices and green chillies sliced. 
8. Add 2 cups of water. 
9. Simmer 5-10 mins. 
10. When ready serve the curry over the balls in a separate bowl and garnish with fresh cut coriander. For best results let the lauki balls (Pakodi) sit in the curry for 5 minutes before beginning to eat.
11. Eat with roti, naan or basmati rice. 

Don’t forget to tell me how it turned out. 

Palak-Corn-Paneer

Palak-Corn-Paneer

Ingredients

1. 1 bag or 2 bunches of Spinach (Palak)
2. 1 slab of paneer 
3. 1 cup of frozen corn or 2 fresh grated corn (optional)
4. 1/4 cup tomato puree 
5. 3-4 cloves of garlic
6. 1 teaspoon cumin
7. 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder 
8. 1 tablespoon coriander powder 
9. salt to taste 
10. 2 tablespoons cooking oil
11. 2 tablespoon sour cream (optional)

Method 

1. Boil a big pot of water 
2. Put in the spinach once it comes to a boil.
3. Boil for 5-10 mins, strain and keep to cool
4. Roughly puree the spinach in a mixer once cool
5. In a pan heat the oil, add cumin and garlic.
6. Once it begins to splutter add red chilli powder and coriander powder 
7. Add the spinach and stir until it begins to change colour. 
8. Add corn and tomato puree
9. Mix well and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes
10. Add paneer and cream and stir until the paneer is covered with the palak.
11. Turn heat off and serve with warm naan bread 

Don’t forget to tell me how it turned out. 

Papaddom Kadi

Papad (Papadom) Kadi

Ingredients:

1. 2 tbs Besan (chick pea flour)
2. 2 cups plain yogurt ( the older the better)
3. 5-6 Papad ( any kind, jeera one is best though)
4. 1 tbs methi seeds (fenugreek seeds)
5. 1 tbs mustard seeds
6. 2 dried red chillies
7. 1/4 cup curry leaves or less
8. 1 tbs turmeric
9. 1 tbs red chilli powder
10. 1 tbs coriander powder
11. 3 cloves of garlic
12. salt to taste
13. 5-6 tbs veg oil
14. 5-6 cups water

Method:

1. Heat oil on medium in a deep bottom pan.
2. Add mustard seeds, methi seed, curry leaves and dried chilli to the oil.
3. In a seperate bowl mix the yogurt with all other spices and besan. Stir until all is mixed.
4. As the spices int he oil start to roast add the papad ( break it up into rough pieces)
5. When the papad looks half way cooked, add the yogurt mix , stirring continuously.
6. Add the all the water at the same time.
7. Keep steering until it comes to a rolling boil. ( turn heat lower if the kadi threatens to boil over)
8. Turn the heat to the lowest and keep the kadi boiling for 8-10 mins.
9. Turn heat off an cover.

Serve on a bed of white basmati rice.

Warning: Its a quick dish to make but can burn easily. Cook on low heat and always be present as it can boil over or if not steered the yogurt can curdle.

Chicken Curry

Chicken Curry

Ingredients :

1. 1 Kg Chicken ( Legs, thighs, breast mixed) skinned and washed
2. 4 Red Onions finely chopped
3. 1 Entire flower of garlic peeled and finely chopped
4. 2 house tomatoes chopped
4. 1/s cup vegetable cooking oil
5. 2 tablespoons coriander powder
6. 2 teaspoons paparika
7. 2 teaspoons garam masala
8. 1 bayleaf
9. 1 cinnamon stick
10. 2 teaspoons cumin powder
11. 1/4 cup lemon juice
12. 1 litre chick broth
13. salt to taste
14. Ground black pepper


Method:

1. In a large, thick bottom pan pour in the oil on medium heat
2. Put in the bay leaf, cinnamon stick let them cook for 1 minute
3. Then put in the garlic and onions and continue to fry them until they turn brown.
4. Put in the chicken pieces
5. Continue to stir occasionally until the chicken looks semi cooked.
6. Put in the tomatoes and lemon juice as well as all other spices.
7. Keep stirring until the chicken seems well coasted with all spices.
8. Continue to add the chicken brother 1/2 cup at a time to get a consistency of your liking.
9. Let the chicken cook on low heat, stirring occasionally , until the oil separates and floats to the top.
10. Cover the chicken and let it cook in its own juices.

Serve with naan bread or Basmati Rice

Mutton Curry

Mutton Curry (Lamb/Goat) :

1 KG Mutton. More boneless just a few bones in.
10 Red Onions copped
1 bulb of Garlic chopped
1 Bay leaf
1 Moti Elaichi
4 -6 Whole black pepper
2-3 cloves
4 teaspoons coriander powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon Turmeric
3 teaspoons MDH Meat masala
5-6 Teaspoons Red Chilli Powder
Half cup lemon juice
Salt to taste
1/4 cup veg oil

Coriander and ginger to Garnish.

Method:

Wash and Marinade the mutton in the red chilli powder and entire lemon juice.
Set aside for 6-8 hours minimum.

Pour and heat entire oil in a huge pressure cooker,
put in bay leaf, moti elaichi, black pepper and cloves.
When they begin roasting put in the entire garlic.
Then in a minute put the onion.
Roast until brown.
Put in the entire mutton and roast until it looks almost cooked from the
outside.
Put in the rest of the masalas. (Be generous and increase the amount to suit your taste)
Pour in 1/2 liter of water.
Stir and close cooker.
wait for it to whistle 5-6 times on medium heat.
Turn it off and let it sit until all the steam is gone.
If you think its not completely cooked then give it a few extra whistles.

Garnish with a little coriander and thinly sliced ginger.

Let me know how it turned out!!!

Shrimp and Celery Curry

Shrimp and Celery curry

Total cooking time 15 mins.

Ingredients:

1. 2 Cups of washed frozen (fully cooked) Shrimp
2. 2 Stalks of Celery , chopped
3. 3 Table spoons of Butter
4. 1 Table spoon of lime juice
5. 1. Table spoon of Worcester Sauce
6. 1 Teaspoon of chilli flakes
7. 1 Teaspoon of Oregano flakes
8. 1 cube of chicken broth flavor by knor
9. 1Teaspoon of coriander leaves
10. 1 Teaspoon Turmeric powder
11. Salt to taste
12. 1/2 cup of water or vegetable or chicken stock.

Method:

1. In a pot on a medium heat add butter , as it melts add the lime juice.
2. Add the shrimp to the pan and saute for 1 minute.
3. Add celery.
4. Add all the other ingredients to the pan.
5. Add 1/2 cup of water and let it simmer for 1-2 minutes. (Do not over cook)
6. Turn heat off and cover.

Serve the curry over a bed of Basmati or Jasmine Rice.