March 2020 – TamarindtoAmchur

Tandoori Tofu frankie

Tofu is an acquired taste for sure. While we Indians heavily depend on Paneer for extra protein , tofu is famous in the vegan world, it originated in China. Tofu has a lot of good benefits along with proteins and other nutrients.

Need –

Roti – 6
Firm tofu – cubed
Tandoori powder – 1 tsp
Turmeric – 1 tsp
Pepper- 1/4 tsp
Salt
Amchur – 1/2 tsp
Curd – 1 cup
Cherry Tomatoes – 10
Onion – 1- cubed
Avocado – 1
Lemon juice -1 tbsp
Pepper powder – 1 tsp
Salt
Kale chips
Green chutney

Process –

Mix curd with salt , turmeric , tandoori powder , amchur , pepper and marinate tofu , cherry tomato and onion for 15 minutes. Save the excess marinade to use as a sauce. Bake at 200 degrees for 17- 20 minutes till brown.
Mash the avocado with salt , pepper and lemon juice.
In the roti , place the tofu , top with avocado , kale chips and green chutney. Roll and enjoy.

Beetroot Pav Bhaji

Fusion Food

Pav Bhaji is the favourite street food of Bombay. It was a lunch delicacy developed for the then mill workers before it became famous and spread everywhere. Pav is bread and bhaji is vegetables. The bhaji is a mix of vegetables with spices. The original bhaji does not contain beetroot. It’s an addition to make it more nutritious.

Need –

Potatoes – 2
Onion – 1 – large
Capsicum – 1
Carrot – 1
Cauliflower – 1
Beetroot – 1
Tomato – 4
Green peas – 1 cup
Butter – 6 tbsp or cubes
Oil – 1 tsp
Ginger garlic paste – 1 tsp
Jeera/ Cumin seeds – 2 tsp
Red chilli powder – 2 tsp
Turmeric – 1/2 tsp
Pav bhaji masala – 5 tsp (Substitute with garam masala ONLY if pav bhaji masala is not available)
Salt
Lemon
Chopped onion – 1
Coriander leaves – handful

Process –

Peel potatoes , carrot ,beetroot and cube them. Clean the cauliflower and blanch it. Pressure cook all for 4 whistles. Cool and mash it
In a pan take 2 tbsp butter and oil (oil prevents burning) and temper jeera. Add chopped onion and cook till translucent , add the ginger garlic paste. Cook till raw smell goes away. Add chopped tomatoes. Cook till tomatoes turn mushy and add chopped capsicum and saute it; keep it crunchy. Add the peas
Add the red chilli powder , turmeric , half pav bhaji masala , salt. Add the mashed vegetables and mix. Add water to adjust the consistency. Add the remaining pav bhaji masala and switch off when you see a boil. Squeez half a lemon and add the remaining butter and coriander.
Serve with butter toasted pav , chopped onions , lemon wedge.

Aloo Paratha

North & South Indian, Roti / Flatbread

Tell me one Punjabi who doesn’t love their parathas. Aloo parathas are love , a comfort food for many , can be breakfast or lunch or dinner or snack. We love it absolutely and salivate at its thought. Paratha is a thick roti, it can be plain or stuffed. So the ingredient getting stuffed becomes the hero.

Need –

Potatoes – 3 – boiled – peeled
Green chilli – 2 – chopped
Salt
Amchur – 1 tsp
Garam masala – 1 tsp
Coriander leaves – handful – chopped
Ginger – 1 inch – grated
Jeera dhania powder – 1 tsp
Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
For dough – Wheat flour – 2 cups + water + salt + ajwain + oil 1 tsp
Ghee

Process –

Mix all ingredients for dough into a soft dough by adding water slowly and keep it aside closed till you make the filling.
Grate the potatoes (if you mash it , make sure there are no lumps , hence it is better to grate). Add the rest of the spices and mix well. To this you can add paneer or cheese to make a different variation. Roll into 10 balls.
Heat a pan (prefer a iron pan) in slow heat. Since I cannot use iron pan I used non-stick .
Make 10 ball of the dough. Take a dough and make a cup using your fingers (similar to filling momo) and fill the potato ball. Using your finger press it down while using the dough to seal it. Keep the sealed part touching your palm and roll it.
Now flatten a bit with palms and use dry flour to dust both sides. Keep the sealed part touching the dusted surface and roll it using the rolling pin. Do not roll it too thin. Keep it a cm thick.
Lay it on the pan and cook till spots appear on one side Flip and cook the other side. Apple ghee and see it fluff up.
Serve it with curd and pickle.

Veg Hariyali

Dal / Gravy

Vegetable Hariyali is a extended version of Hariyali Kebabs or hara Bharati kebab. Instead of mashed up vegetable baked or fried with spices, you chop them and make a gravy out of it. Hariyali means ‘green’ so theses a good combination of all green vegetables.

Added roasted makhna(Lotus seeds) just for fun

Need –

Spinach – a bunch
Mint leaves – a handful
Coriander leaves – handful
Green garlic -2 pods(if available ) else use normal
Ginger -1 inch
Cinnamon – 1 inch
Bayleaf – 1
Fennel seeds – 1 tsp
Jeera – 2 tsp
Onion – 1 – optional
Tomato – 1 – optional
Green chilli – 2 – thin
Green beans, broccoli , peas , Zucchini , carrot , babycorn chopped kale- 1 1/2 cup
Kasuri methi – 1 tbsp
Garam masala – 1 tsp
Amchur – 1 tsp
Salt
Oil
Water

Process –

Wash Spinach , coriander and mint leaves to remove sand and dirt.
Dry roast the garlic , ginger , cinnamon , bayleaf , fennel seeds , chilli , onion and tomato. Grind it with spinach, coriander and mint.
In a pan take oil, temper jeera , add the ground mix and cook till oil separates. Meanwhile steam the vegetables. Add the spices to the mix and the vegetables .Add water to get a gravy consistency.
You could dry roast the lotus seeds and add it while serving for a crunchy addition.

Methi Matar Malai

Dal / Gravy

Methi Matar Malai translates to “Fenugreek leaves -Peas – cream” gravy. During the onset of summer comes in abundance. It has a slight bitter taste but so good and healthy. Unfortunately in this part of the world it is not easy to find this, hence I have substituted it with Kasuri mere – dried fenugreek leaves. These definitely has a lovely aroma and flavour and can turn any gravy into a hit when added.

Compensating with the mildly sweet gravy with the spicy “Thecha”

Need –

Frozen or fresh peas – 1 cup
Fresh methi leaves – 1 bunch or Kasuri methi – handful
Malai or Cream – 3 tbsp or substitute with curd
Cashewnuts – 10 – soaked
Khus Khus or poppy seeds – 2 tsp (replace with sesame seeds)
Onion – 1
White pepper – 4 tsp
Ginger – 1 inch
Garlic – 2 pods
Cardamon – 1 pod
Oil
Garam masala – 1 tsp
Milk – 1/4 cup
Salt
Kalonji – 1 tsp

Process –

In a pan take little oil and sauce cashews , onion , ginger garlic , cardamon, and sesame seeds till it become translucent and aromatic. Cool and grind
Take oil and temper kalonji. Add the cleaned and chopped methi leaves if using and the peas. Cook till soft. Add half of the kauri methi if using that. Crush them between the palms. Now add the ground mix and cook till oil separates.
Now add the milk , salt , white pepper powder and garam masala. Add the cream and switch off when a boil occurs.
Serve with roti and Thecha – a mix of sautéed green chilli + garlic + peanuts + salt + coriander leaves.

Chayote Kurma

Dal / Gravy

R has new found love in kurma and has been requesting me to make it more often. So this time I decided to use chayote and make one instead of my usual dishes made using it. Chayote is loved by south Indians and we also use the skin to make a chutney to go with Idli dosai. Kurma is made with coconut but I decided to skip it and make my own masala .

Need –

Chayote – 1- chopped
Chana Dal – 2 tbsp
Coriander seeds – 1 tsp
Jeera – 1 tsp
Curry leaves – 10
Ginger – 1 inch
Dry chilli – 2
Asafoetida – 1 tsp
Urad dal – 1 tsp substitute with peanuts
Garam masla – 1 tsp
Turmeric – 1 tsp
Curd – 2 tbsp
Salt

Process –

Clean , peel and chop the chayote. Microwave it for 4 minutes till soft. In a pan take water and cook it in medium heat.
Meanwhile , dry roast all spices except garam masala till you see it turn brown. Cool and grind into a powder.
Now add the powder to the chayote , salt and garam masala and turmeric. Cook till it integrates. Now add the curd and bring to a boil.
Switch off and serve with rotis.

Rajma Chawal

North & South Indian

Rajma Chawal is a staple for for Punjabi’s and it’s all heart. If you have lived in north, you know a true punjabi will delay anything to have Rajma Chawal even if it is about having it for breakfast. Rajma is red kidney beans which can be had with roti but it has a special charm with rice. It is also served as street food in Delhi (sweet nostalgia) and I am drooling already while typing this.

Those chilli and onions ARE ARE necessary

Need –

Rajma – 3 cups – soaked overnight or longer
Onion – 1 large – chopped
Tomato – 4
Rajma masala – 3 tsp
Ginger garlic paste – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
Red chilli powder – 2 tsp
Salt
Bay leaf – 2
Jeera – 2 tsp
Cardamon – 2 pieces
Cinnamon – 1 – finger size
Amchur – 1 tsp
Ghee
Water
Ginger – julienne
Coriander leaves – handful

Process –

Soak the rajma at least overnight or one whole day. Drain the water and pressure cook with 5 cups of water till soft. Keep the water
In a pan take ghee, temper jeera , bayleaf, cardamon and cinnamon . Add the ginger garlic paste and cook till raw smell goes.
Meanwhile puree 3 tomatoes and half onion . Chop the remaining half onion and 1 tomato.
Add the chopped item to the ginger garlic paste and sauce till tomatoes go mushy. Now add the puree and all spices. Cook till oil starts leaving and appears on the sides.
Now add the cooked rajma and salt. Bring to a boil. Using a masher or the back of the ladle mash a few rajma to thicken the gravy. If you think it still needs to thicken add some cream or a teaspoon of chickpea flour. Add the julienne ginger and coriander
Serve hot with rice , lemon , chilli and onions.

Masala Veg Toast

Fast Food

This recipe was taught to my by a cousin many years ago. It has somehow stuck on my mind even when I do it years later. Usually instead of eggs , Besan is used but this recipe calls for Malai – cream from milk or curd.

Need –

Bread Slices – As needed
Chopped – Onion , Capsicum, Cabbage , Baby corn , Green chilli
Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
Asafoetida – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
Amchur – 1 tsp
Garam masala – 1 tsp
Rava/Semolina – 2 tbsp
Salt
Cream – 1 tbsp or Curd – 1 tbsp
Ketchup or green chutney
Butter

Process –

Mix vegetables , spices, salt , rava and cream.
Spread ketchup or green chutney on the bread. This is optional
Spread the mix on bread. Add a tsp of oil or a little butter and cook on a pan the spread facing the pan. Butter helps it avoiding sticking to the pan. Once cooked flip and cook the base.

Ulundu Sevai

North & South Indian

Sevai is the Indian noodles or pasta. It is made of rice /rice flour pressed to make noodles and them steamed. It is also called Idiyappam served with stew. South Indian also mix it with tomatoes or lemon to make variations.

Here I mix it with black gram and serve with a stew or kurma .

Need –

Sevai – Instant packeted
Skinless Black gram – 2 handfuls
Dry red chilli – 1 or 2
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Curry leaves – 6-7
Asafoetida – 1/2 tsp
Salt
For the Stew – cut veg (Carrot, potatoes, Zucchini , green beans, capsicum)
White and green beans – 1 cup
Coconut milk or Coconut powder – 2 tbsp
Fennel seeds – 1 tsp
Cinnamon -1 inch
Green chilli – 1 thin
Onion – 1 small
Jeera – 1 tsp
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Curry leaves – 6
Ginger – 1 inch – chopped
Oil
Salt

Process –

Soak the Urad dal and red chilli for about an hour.
Drain and pulse in a mixed. Steam this till cooked either in a pressure cooker or microwave. Cool it and pulse it again
Pour hot water over the sevai and keep aside for 5-10 minutes till it absorbs the water
In a pan take oil , temper mustard , curry leaves and Asafoetida. Add the pulsed urad mix , saute and salt and the sevai and give a mix.
For the Stew , microwave the veg for 3 minutes to cook.
Take little oil , add fennel seeds , onion , green chilli and cinnamon , saute till aromatic. Add grated coconut if using instead of milk or powder, at this stage. Cool and grind it.
In a pan take oil and temper mustard , jeera and curry leaves. Add ginger and the vegetables. Add the powder , salt and the vegetable. Now pour in the coconut milk and little water and cook it till it boils.

Palak Kala Chana

Dal / Gravy

Palak chole is something we usually make . Since I was running out of soaked cholesterols (white chickpea) I used kala chana literally translating to black chickpea. I tend to make palak(spinach) every week- best way to include iron.

Need –

Soaked Kala chana – 4 cups
Palak – 1 bunch
Onion – 1 – small
Tomato – 1 – small
Ginger – 1 inch
Jeera – 1 tsp
Kalonji (onion seeds) – 1 tsp
Green chilli – 2
Garam masala – 2 tsp
Amchur – 1 tsp
Ghee – 2 tsp
Bay leaf – 1
Salt

Process –

Soak the chana overnight. Clean and blanch the spinach
Grind the palak ,tomato , half onion, half the ginger, green chilli.
In a pressure cook take ghee and temper jeera , kalonji, chopped ginger and bayleaf
Add the chopped onions and when cooked add the puree and cook till oil seperates.
Add 1 tsp garam masala, chole and water. Pressure cook for 4 whistles
When pressure subsides open , adjust water , add garam masala , amchur and salt.