Chhole Masala

                     Chhole Masala is a protein packed curry from the northern region of India. The beans are cooked in a tangy curry with onions and garlic. There are many variations and methods to make this curry. Here is the recipe on how I like it. So do try and leave a comment on how you like it.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups dry Garbanzo Beans (Chhole or Chickpeas)
• 1/2 cup finely chopped Onions
• 2 finely chopped Tomatoes
• 2 tsp Red chili-garlic paste
• 2 tsp Turmeric powder
• 4 tsp Red Chili powder
• 2 tsp Coriander-Cumin powder
• 2 tsp Chhole Masala (I used Everest Chhole masala)
• 1 tsp Amchur powder (Dry Mango powder)
• 2 tsp Cumin seeds
• 3-4 Cloves
• 1 Cinnamon stick
• 2 dry Red Chilies
• Cilantro to garnish
• A pinch of Asafoetida
• Salt to taste

Instructions:

• Wash and soak the beans for 6-8 hours or overnight in cold water.
• Cook the beans in the pressure cooker. It should take 3-4 whistles or around 10-12 minutes. If you don't have a pressure cooker, you can cook in open pan. It will take around 40-45 minutes or cook until the beans are soft to bite.
• Now heat some oil in a pan. Add asafoetida and cumin seeds along with cloves and cinnamon.

• Once the seeds start to crackle and the spices are fragrant, add the onions.

• Saute the onions till they are translucent and then add the tomatoes.

• Add all the spices (salt, chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander cumin powder, chhole masala and amchur powder) and mix it well.

• Add a cup of water and mix. Now add the cooked beans and mix well.

• Add another 2 cups of water, and cover with a lid and let it simmer for 10 minutes or till the gravy thickens. I like to crush some of the beans with back of the spoon to thicken the gravy.
• Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with Puris, Roti, Naan or rice. 

Artichoke Risotto

                Risotto is a rice dish from northern Italy, which is traditionally cooked in a broth to a creamy consistency. This is the most common style of cooking rice in Italy. The rice variety generally used are the short grain white rice, which can absorb liquids and release starch, hence making nice creamy risottos. The primary variety used is Arborio rice which is high in starch and makes good risottos.
               Risotto can be made in various ways, with different vegetables, wines, broths, cheeses etc. Here is one variation, Artichoke Risotto.

Ingredients;

• 1 cup Arborio rice
• 3 cups Vegetable broth
• 1 cup Artichoke hearts
• 1/4 cup Sun-dried tomatoes
• 1/2 cup finely chopped Onions
• 2 tbsp Pine nuts
• 2 Garlic cloves sliced
• 1 tsp lime zest
• 2 tsp Olive oil
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp black pepper
• Dried Parsley (optional)

Instructions:

• Take a medium pan, roast the pine nuts for 3-4 minutes on medium heat and keep it aside.
• Heat some olive oil in the same pan. Add the garlic and stir it till it golden brown.

• Now add the onions and salt. Cook the onions till they are translucent.

• Then add the Arborio rice and stir it properly. Make sure all the rice kernels are coated with oil.

• Cook the rice for 2-3 minutes.
• In the meantime, heat the vegetable broth in another pan on medium heat.
• Once the rice is sizzling, start adding the vegetable broth, one cup at a time.
• After the first cup of broth is absorbed, add the next cup.
• Be sure to stir frequently between additions.
• Continue adding the broth in this way, until the rice fully cooked. It should take around 18-20 minutes.

• The risotto should be loose. If it is too dry, you can add a bit more broth.
• Once the risotto is almost done, stir in the pine nuts, artichoke hearts and sundried tomatoes.

• Finally, add the lime zest and black pepper and give a stir lightly.

• Garnish with little parsley and serve hot.

Rasiya Muthiya

                 Rasiya Muthiya is a traditional Gujrati recipe. The Muthiyas are basically rice dumplings and Rasiya means with gravy. So Rasiya Muthiya can be literally translated to rice dumplings with gravy. They gravy here is usually yogurt based and typically spicy.

                 If you have leftover rice, then this simple and quick dish is one of the best to use them. You can add green chilies, ginger or cilantro to it as well. But since I made it for a Jain festival, where green vegetables are avoided, I didn't use any of it.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup boiled Rice
• 3 tbsp Whole wheat flour
• 2 tbsp Chickpea flour (Besan)
• 2 tsp Turmeric powder
• 4 tsp Red Chili powder
• 2 tbsp Yogurt
• Salt to taste
• 2 tsp Oil
• A pinch of Asafoetida
• 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
• 2 cup Buttermilk (yogurt+water mix)
• 1 cup water

Instructions:

For the Muthiyas:

• Take a big mixing bowl, add the rice, turmeric powder, chili powder and salt and mix it well

• Now add the whole wheat flour and the chickpea flour and mix well.

• Then add the yogurt and make it in a dough. Make sure you don't add any water to the dough.
• If the dough is too hard, add more yogurt, whereas if the dough is too tough, add some more wheat flour and chickpea flour.

• Make small oval shape muthiyas and keep them aside

For the Gravy:

• Heat some oil in a pan. Add the Asafoetida and cumin seeds.
• Once the seeds start to crackle, add about 1/2 a cup water to it.

• When the water starts to simmer a little, add a couple of muthiyas to it and stir it lightly
• After that add the buttermilk and the remaining water and mix it well.
• Now add the salt, turmeric powder and red chili powder and mix it well.
• Once this mixture starts boiling, add the muthiyas one by one.

• Now let it cook on medium heat till the muthiyas are soft and cooked, about 10-12 minutes.
• If the gravy is less or it dries up, add a little water. Once the muthiyas are cooked, take it off the heat.
• Serve it hot and enjoy.

Cabbage Kofta Curry

        What do you do when you have lots of cabbage in the refrigerator and don't want to eat the regular simple curry? I had this situation recently, and I also had some frozen garlic naan. So I decided to use everything and try something new. So here it is, Cabbage Koftas(dumplings) in a rich creamy gravy.
        Malai Kofta is a popular dish in the mughlai cuisine. Typically, the koftas or the dumplings are made from potato and Paneer and served with a rich tomato gravy. But this is a variation, the koftas are made from cabbage. They are delicious and slightly spicier than the traditional ones.
         One more variation is, the traditional gravy has lot of cream for the richness. But the recipe here is vegan, made from cashews and whole spices.

       Hope you all like this variation of the traditional Kofta curry.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups shredded Cabbage
• 1 cup Gram Flour (Besan)
• 2 tbsp Green Chili paste
• 2 tbsp Ginger-Garlic paste
• 1 tsp Garam Masala
• 1 finely chopped Onion
• 2 finely chopped Tomatoes
• 2 Garlic cloves
• 1 Cinnamon Stick
• 2-3 Cloves
• 1/2 cup raw Cashews
• 1 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp Chili powder
• 1 tbsp Coriander-Cumin powder
• 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
• 1/2 tsp dry Fenugreek leaves (Kasturi Methi)
• Chopped Cilantro for garnish
• A pinch of Asafoetida
• A pinch of Baking Soda
• Salt to taste
• Oil

Instructions:

For the Koftas:

• Take a big mixing bowl, add the cabbage, baking soda and salt and mix well.
• Add the chili paste, ginger-garlic paste and garam masala and mix well.
• Now, add the gram flour, 1 spoon at a time and mix well to make a dough.
• The dough has to be a little harder than the normal medium consistency. If the dough is too hard, add some water. And if the dough is too soft, add some more flour.
• Now, drop a spoonful of mixture in a heated oil and deep fry till they are golden brown. We can also make discs and shallow fry them with little or no oil.
• Drain on absorbent paper and keep it aside.

• Now heat some oil in a pan. Add asafoetida and cumin seeds along with cloves and cinnamon.
• Once the seeds start to crackle and the spices are fragrant, add the onions and garlic. 
• Saute onions till they are translucent.
• Now add the tomatoes and cashews and mix it well.
• Saute them for 3-4 minutes, till all the raw smell of cashews is gone.
• Take it off the heat and let it cool for some time.
• Now, grind this mixture into a smooth paste. Add some water if needed.
• Then add some oil in the same pan and add the paste.

• Add all the spices (salt, chili powder, turmeric powder and coriander cumin powder) and fenugreek leaves and mix it well.
• Also add a cup or two of water and mix. Simmer the gravy till it thickens and reaches medium consistency.

• Add the koftas only at the time of serving, else they may become soggy.
• Garnish with some cilantro and serve with any kind of Naan, Roti, paratha or rice

Diwali Festivities

               As many of you might be aware, last week was Diwali, the festival of Lights. Diwali, also known as Deepavali spiritually signifies the victory of good over evil. It is usually celebrated over 5 days. Each day has a special significance.

               First day is the Dhanteras, followed by Naraka Chaturdasi or Kali Chaudas. The third day is the main day, Diwali. For some parts in India, mainly western India, the fourth day marks the beginning of their new year. The festivities end with Bhai Beej dedicated to the sister-brother bond.

               So, wish you all a very Happy Diwali and a prosperous new year too. Hope you all had a great celebration too. In the spirit of the festival, plus my husband's birthday, we had a fun filled weekend which included a special Diwali dinner on Friday evening with a group of friends. The menu for the evening was:

Main Course/ Entrees:

• Masala Cups
• Jeera Paratha
• Shaam Savera
• Corn Capsicum Curry
• Peas Pulao
• Dal Fry

               No meal can be completed without a good dessert, so how can I miss the yummy dessert that we had.

• Chocolate Pani Puri

               Saturday was reserved for his birthday. I made a special plan for him, took him out for Sunset Sailing under the beautiful Golden Gate bridge followed by an amazing dinner.

               Sunday was another Diwali lunch with another group of friends, but this time it was a potluck. The theme for the potluck was regional specialties, so we had a nice variety of food. Some of the items from the huge menu, whose recipes I will be posting in the near future, were:

• Peas Kachori
• Undhiyu - A special curry recipe from Gujarat
• Baked Pakodas
• Sev Khaman - Another Gujarati recipe
• Dal Dhokli
• Tamarind Rice - A Southern Indian Specialty
• Puran Poli - Specialty of Maharashtra, western part of India
• Bajri(Millet) Bread - A specialty from North Gujarat and Rajasthan
• Choorma Ladu - A sweet dish

              Do let us know how your celebrations were. Also, how do you generally plan parties and do you have any tips on managing and executing the plan successfully?

Shaam Savera

                 As many of you know I am a big fan of spinach and I always have it in my refrigerator. Recently, it so happened I had lot of spinach but didn't want to make any of my usual spinach recipes. And so I started looking online for other options to use it. And then I stumbled upon a recipe from Sanjeev Kapoor and immediately decided to give it a shot.
              So here is my version of the Classic Shaam Savera recipe. In other words, Spinach dumplings in Tomato Gravy. Hope you all enjoy it like we did.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups Spinach leaves
• 1 cup grated Paneer (Cottage Cheese)
• 1 tsp Cardamom powder
• 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
•  5 tsp Ginger-Chili-Garlic paste
• 2 tbsp Gram flour (Besan)
• 2 tbsp Corn flour
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
• 2 cups Tomato puree
• 2 tsp Red Chili powder
• 2 tsp Dried fenugreek leaves
• 1 tbsp Butter
• Salt to taste
• Oil

Instructions:

For the Koftas:

• Blanch the spinach leaves in 7-8 cups of boiling water for 2 minutes.
• Drain and wash them in cold water to stop further cooking
• Now, squeeze the water from the leaves and chop finely and keep it aside
• Heat about 2 tbsp Oil in a pan
• Add the cumin seeds, garlic-chili-ginger paste to the pan
• Once the cumin seeds starts to crackle, add the gram flour and saute for about 2 minutes.
• Add turmeric powder to the pan
• Then add the chopped spinach leaves and stir continuously.
• Continue stirring till the mixture is completely dry
• Take it off the heat and keep it aside to let it cool

• Meanwhile in another bowl, take the grated paneer. Add salt and cardamom powder and mix it well

• Divide this paneer mixture in 8 equal portions and roll them into balls and keep it aside
• Now divide the spinach mixture in 8 equal portions. 

• To make the koftas, take one portion of spinach mixture, flatten it in your palms. Place the paneer ball in the center of it. Take the edges and roll it to make a ball.

 

 

• Roll the ball in corn flour and keep it aside. Repeat the process for the remaining mixture

• Heat sufficient oil in a pan. Deep fry the stuffed koftas on a low heat till they are golden brown.
• Drain on absorbent paper.

For the Gravy

•  Heat some oil in a pan. Add the cumin seeds.
• Once the seeds start to crackle, add the ginger-chili-garlic paste and saute it for a minute.

• Then add the tomato puree, salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder and mix it well.
• Then add the butter and fenugreek leaves and cook for another 2 minutes and take it off the heat

• In a serving bowl, pour the gravy. Cut the koftas into halves and place them on the gravy
• Serve immediately with your favorite roti/naan or rice

Paneer Hariyali Pizza

                       Every one around me seems to have caught the football fever. Everyone is only talking about the matches, teams and the excitement of the goals. And, so in the spirit of the ongoing FIFA World Cup, let us have a look at a common sport snack, Pizza. But, like the recent matches which have been full of excitement and unexpected twists, this pizza is also with a twist.
                    Instead of the traditional Italian pizza with subtle herb flavors, this one is loaded with Indian flavors and some heat. The pizza is loaded with greens and the sauce has a beautiful green color and hence the name, Hariyali. I hope you all enjoy it.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cubed Paneer
• 1/2 cup Mint leaves
• 1/2 cup Spinach leaves
• 1/4 cup finely chopped Cilantro leaves
• 1 cup chopped Onions
• 2 Tbsp Ginger-Garlic-Chili paste
• 1/4 cup Yogurt
• 1 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 tsp Red chilli powder
• 1 tsp Coriander powder
• 1 tsp Dry Mango (Amchur) powder
• 1 tsp Lemon Juice
• 2 tsp Cumin Seeds
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp Oil
• 3 Pizza Base/Crust
• 1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese

Instructions:

• Heat some oil in a pan. Add the cumin seeds.
• Once the seeds starts to crackle, add the garlic-ginger-chili paste and saute it for a minute.
• Now add the onions and saute them. Once the onions are translucent, add the yogurt and mix it well.
• Meanwhile, puree the mint and spinach leaves and add to the pan and mix well.
• Then add the red chilli powder, turmeric powder, dried mango powder and salt.
• Let it cook for 2-3 minutes, then add the paneer to the gravy.
• Finally add the lemon juice and mix it lightly. 
• Cover and let it cook for additional 2-3 minutes.

• Now take the pizza crust/base. I used a ready base from a local baker.
• Brush the base lightly with Olive Oil.
• Spread the prepared Hariyali Paneer on the base.
• Sprinkle some cilantro and cheese.

• Bake in a preheated oven for 12-15 minutes at 425^o F or as per the package instructions
• You should bake till the cheese is melted and turns golden brown

• Serve hot and enjoy the best combination, pizza and football

Pad Kee Mao (Drunken Noodles)

           Pad Kee Mao or as it is more commonly known, Drunken noodles, is one of the popular noodle dishes served in Thai restaurants in the US. This is the dish that I order most frequently and absolutely love. So, I decided to try it at home today with a bit of my twist on it. It was a big risk because my husband is not a fan of this dish but, thankfully, he loved it.

Ingredients:

• 16 oz flat, wide rice noodles (I got the fresh pre-cut)
• 1 Onion, cubed
• 1 Bell Pepper cubed
• 1 cup Broccoli florets
• 1 cup Tomatoes, cubed 
• 3-4 Garlic cloves
• 2 Thai chillies
• 3 tbsp Soy sauce
• 2-3 tbsp Chili-Garlic sauce
• 1.5 cup cubes of Firm Tofu
• 8-10 fresh Basil leaves
• 1 tbsp Oil
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp Black Pepper

Instructions: 

• Take a pan, add little oil to it and fry the tofu until golden brown and keep it aside.

• Take the garlic cloves and Thai chillies and pound to a rough paste and keep it aside.
• Chop all the vegetables and keep it ready

• Heat some oil in a wok or a pan over high heat, and add the chilli-garlic mixture to it
• Stir for a couple of minutes till the garlic starts to turn golden brown.
• Now, add the onions, peppers and broccoli and toss them.
• Saute for another 2-3 minutes and then add the tomatoes and fried tofu and mix it well.
• Add the Soy sauce, chili-garlic sauce, salt and pepper and toss it again.
• Then add noodles and let the noodles spread apart and mix well
• Let the noodles be in the pan for about 2-3 minutes and absorb the sauce, make sure to flip it once or twice
• When the liquid is all absorbed, take it from the heat and add the basil leaves and mix well
• Serve hot

Chickpea Patties

                I am sure everyone must have tried Falafels, which are flavorful Mediterranean chickpea balls. I really love the Falafels, but they are typically made with flour and are deep fried. So today I tried to take my spin on the Falafel without the flour and the deep frying. So here it is.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups Chickpeas / Garbanzo Beans
• 1 cup chopped Onion
• 2-3 Garlic cloves
• 1 cup chopped Cilantro
• 3-4 Green Chilies
• 3 Tbsp Parsley
• 2 tsp Black Pepper
• Salt to taste

Instructions:

• Soak the beans in water for 6-8 hours. 
• Then cook the soaked beans. I prefer to use the pressure cooker. If using a pressure cooker, cook for 4-5 whistles or till they are cooked.
• You can skip the above steps if using canned beans.
• Now, drain the beans completely. They should be completely dry.
• Take a big bowl, add the beans, onions, crushed garlic, cilantro, chili paste
• Now add the parsley, black pepper and salt to taste
• Mix it well. It should be of thick consistency.
• Now, take some of the mixture in your hand and form small size balls and press them in shape of a disc. Make sure they are not too thick or too thin
• Then, put them on a heated pan or a griddle and shallow fry them with little or no oil.
• Serve them hot with Hummus or hot sauce. You can also use these to make a Falafel Sandwich with pocket Pita breads and some veggies.

Crispy Spaghetti Balls

                     Tonight, me and my husband were in the mood for some Italian food, but wished for something different than the usual pasta dishes. So, I tried to think of some new Italian dish that would be fun, and not too difficult to make. And I thought of making Spaghetti balls with Tomato sauce. So, here is my recipe for this unorthodox Italian dish. I hope you like it.

Ingredients:

• 1 packet Spaghetti
• 1 cup finely chopped Onions
• 1 cup boiled Corn
• 4 cups Hot Milk
• 3/4 cup Refined flour (Maida)
• 2 tbsp Butter
• 1/2 cup Mozzarella Cheese
• 2 tsp Black Pepper
• Salt to taste
• 1 cup Semolina 
• Oil for frying

Instructions:

• Boil the Spaghetti according to the package directions. Drain and keep it aside
• Heat some butter in a pan, and add the onions
• Saute them for a minute or so till they are translucent.
• Now add the refined flour and mix it well.
• Saute the mixture till it is golden brown.
• Then whisk it in the hot milk slowly and mix it well so that no lumps are formed.
• Continue cooking till the mixture thickens.
• Now mix in the corn and spaghetti. Add salt and pepper according to the taste and mix well
• Let the mixture cool down completely.

• In the meanwhile, heat the oil in another pan for deep frying
• Once the mixture has cooled down, add the cheese to it and mix it well
• Then, shape them into small balls. Roll these balls in some semolina properly

• Fry them till they are golden and crisp.
• Serve hot with the pasta sauce of your choice. I tried it with a reduction of this Pasta Sauce.