Paneer Palak

Ingredients :
Spinach/ Palak : 1 medium Bunch
Paneer : 1 cup of cubes
Onion : 2
Tomato's : 3
Green Chilli : 4-5
Chilli Powder : 1 tsp
Cumin Powder : 1/2 tsp
Jaggery : 2 tsp (Optional)
Oil : 1 tsp

Procedure :
1. Wash the leaves 3 to 4 times to remove the mud if any present on the leaves.
2. Heat a pan add the cleaned leaves and cook till they shrink. Grind them in a blender.
3. Also grind the onion, tomato's and green chillie and make a paste.
4. Heat oil in a pan and roast the onion paste till they start leaving the oil on the side and keep it aside.
5. Now add oil and roast the spinach paste and cook till the oil leaves the side again.
6. Now add the roasted onion paste and add water to make it of a gravy consistency.
7. Add chilli powder, cumin and salt according to taste.
8. Add the chopped paneer pieces and bring it to a boil.
9. Add the powdered jaggery and serve hot with ghee rice or roti.

Sweet Potato and Pecan Salad

This was my second Thanksgiving in US.And I finally decided to embrace the American Holidays. Thought about preparing an Indian style Thanksgiving meal. I was very confused as to what to cook. I didn't want to miss the basic essential elements of American Thanksgiving meal at the same time. This one dish particularly impressed me a lot. I picked it up from a food group.

Ingredients :
Sweet Potato : 1
Orange/ Clementine : 2
Pecan : 3/4 cup
Cinnamon : 1 tsp
Honey : 1 tbsp

Procedure :
1. Peel the skin and cut them into small cubes.
2. Grate the zest of one clemetine around 1 tbsp and keep it aside.
3. Squeze the juice of both the clementine, add the cinnamon and honey to it and add the cut sweet potatoes and pecans to it.
4. Pre Heat the oven to 350 degree faranheit.
5. Bake them for 20 to 25 minutes.

Masala Bhindi

This is a dish that I learnt from my mom. Plus I have altered it a little.

Ingredients :
Lady's Finger/ Okra : 1/2 kg
Ginger : 1 tsp (Finely Chopped)
Green Chilli : 1 (Finely Chopped)
Tomato : 2 (Finely Chopped)
Cumin Seeds/ Jeera : 1/2 ts
Oil to Temper
Salt according to Taste

Spice Powders:
Turmeric Powder : 1/4 tsp
Coriander Powder : 1 tsp
Chilli Powder : 1 tsp
Amchur Powder : 1/2 tsp


Procedure :
1. Wash, wipe and cut the head and tail of Lady's Finger; and chop it into tiny pieces.
2. Heat oil and add cumin seeds; once the seeds start crackling add green chilli and ginger.
3. Now add the tomatoes and cook till it turns mushy; and add the spice powders.
4. Now add the chopped Okra and close the pan with a lid and cook it in the mushy Tomato.
5. Sprinkle salt. You will know its cooked when the stickiness of lady's finger disappears.

Bhenda Songa

This is a very spicy Lady's Finger curry with a little amount of gravy. Very simple to make and easier to eat. This is a jhatpat curry when we are in a hurry to eat

Ingredients:

Onion : 1/2 (Cut lengthwise)
Onion :1/2 (cut into tiny pieces for tempering)
Tomato : 1 ( Chopped finely)
Ladies Finger : 15-20 (Cut into 1/2 inch pieces)
Coriander Powder : 1 tsp
Garlic : 5-6 pods (Crushed and Chopped)
Asafoetida : a pinch
Garam Masala : 1 tsp
Chilli Powder : 1.5 tsp
Oil : 2(cookimg)+2 (Tempering) tbsp

Procedure:
1. In a Tawa heat oil, add chopped onions and garlic;fry till they turn slightly brown.
2. Add Chopped tomatoes and cook till they turn mushy.
3. Add the chopped ladies finger and add the spice powders (Chilli Powder, Coriander Powder, Garam Masala along with salt and cook till the stickiness disappears.
4. Add half cup of water and bring it to a boil.
5. In a pan add oil add finely chopped onions and fry till they turn brown and temper it on the boiling curry.

Palak Mushroom

Palak is one of my favorite veggie. I recently tried another recipe from veg recipes of India and as usual it turned out yummy.

Ingredients :
Spinach : 1 bunch
Mushroom : 20
Green Chilli : 4 -5
Ginger : 1 inch
Garlic : 2-3
Oil : 2 tbsp
Cumin Seeds : 1/2 tsp
Cardamom : 2
Cloves : 2-3
Bay Leaf : 1
Onion : 1 large
Tomatoes : 1 large
Kasuri Methi : 1tsp
Turmeric Powder : 1/4 tsp
Chilli Powder : 1 tsp
Garam Masala : 1/2 tsp
Fresh Cream : 2 tbsp
Salt according to taste


Procedure :
1. Wash and blanch the spinach leaves and puree the blanched leaves with green chilli, ginger and garlic.
2. In a kadai heat 2 tbsp oil and add cumin seeds,cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, bay leaf and saute till they become fragrant.
3. Add the finely chopped onions and cook till they turn pink in color.
4. Once the onion turn brown add ginger paste and garlic paste.
5. Now add the finely chopped tomatoes and cook till they turn mushy.
6. Once the tomatoes turn mushy, add the chopped mushrooms and cook till they release water and cook till all the water dries up.
7. Now add 1 tsp crushed kasuri methi.
8. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder and garam masala.
9. Add the spinach puree add the water and and let it come to a boil.
10. Add the required amount of salt and fresh cream.

Gobi Masala

This is a recipe that I adapted from Veg Recipes of India. It came out really good.

Ingredients :

Cauliflower : 1 medium Sized (Cut the florets into medium sized pieces)

Onion :1 (Finely chopped)

Ginger Garlic Paste : 1 tbsp

Tomato : 2

Cashewnuts : 15 (Soak in hot water for 30 minutes)

Oil : 1 tbsp

Bay Leaf : 1

Cumin Seeds : 1 tsp

Yogurt/ Thick Curd : 1/2 cup

Kasuri Methi : 1 tbsp (Crush with your palms)

Fresh cream / Milk : 1/4 cup

Salt according to taste

Spice Powders :

Coriander Powder : 1.5 tsp

Chilli Powder : 1.5 tsp

Garam Masala : 1 tsp

Turmeric Powder : 1/4 tsp

Procedure :

1. Boil the cauliflower florets in 3 cups of water for 15 to 20 minutes. On a non- stick deep bottomed tawa put the drained cauliflower florets and cook till it turns brown in color and keep them aside. This will take 10- 15 minutes. Cook them on a low flame.

2. In the same heat oil add bay leaf and cumin seeds and once they start sizzling add finely chopped onion and cook till they turn slightly brown in color.

3. Add ginger garlic paste. Make a paste of Tomato and cashew in a blender and add them into the tawa. 

4. Once the paste comes to a boil add all the spice powders. Once the oil starts floating on top add the whisked yogurt. 

5. Add around 1 cup water and let it come to a boil.

6. Finally add fresh cream, salt according to taste and crushed Kasuri Methi. (If adding milk add 1/2 cup of milk).

Mushroom Ghee Roast

Ingredients :

Mushroom : 15- 20

Red Chiilies : 18 -20 (Byadagi: 8 and Kashmiri Red Chillies: 8-9)

Coriander Seeds : 1 tsp

Curry Leaves : A sprig

Turmeric Powder : 1/4 tsp +1/4 tsp

Tamarind : A cherry sized ball

Garlic Cloves : 5-6

Ghee : 3 tbsp

Oil : a few drops

Salt According to taste

Procedure :

1. Clean and chop the mushrooms into thin slices.

2. In a pan roast red chillies, coariander seeds, curry leaves and off the flame add turmeric powder.

3. Once the roasted items cool down grind them with tamarind, garlic, salt and little water into a smooth paste.

4. In a non- stick pan heat ghee and add turmeric powder; add chopped mushrooms and salt; saute the mushrooms till they release water and are cooked properly. The mushrooms should be cooked in about 5 minutes.

5. Now add the grinded paste and add 1/2 cup of water to get a little gravy consistency. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes till the water evaporates and at the same time you have a little gravy left in it.

Bharwen Bhindi/ Stuffed Okra

I love Lady's Finger in any form. So I keep experimenting with it. And recently I had tried stuffed Ivy Gourd. So I did the same with Lady's Finger. It is my co-sister's recipe. No one can prepare this as tasty as her.

Ingredients:
Lady's Finger : 20-25 (Cut the head and tail; clean and make a vertical cut from top to bottom so that we can stuff the spice powder)
Cumin Seeds : 1/2 tsp
Green Chilli : 2-3
Oil : To temper (1 tsp)
Coriander Leaves : for garnishing

Stuffing for the Lady's Finger:
Gram Flour : 3/4 cup
Chilli Powder : 1 tbsp
Amchur Powder : 1 tsp
Coriander Powder : 1 tsp
Cumin Powder : 1/4 tsp
Turmeric Powder : 1/8th of a tsp
Oil : 1 tbsp
Salt according to Taste

Procedure:
1. Make a crumbly powder of all the ingredients listed under stuffing.
2. Now stuff the cut Ladies Finger with the Spice Powder mixture.
3. In a tawa heat oil add cumin seeds and green chilli.
4. Once they start spluttering add the stuffed Lady's Finger.
5. Cook on low flame for 15 to 20 min.
6. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Soya Granules Sabzi

I definitely crave good food here in US. I like eating different kind of food. Especially you get very good quality of Soya in US.

Ingredients:
Soya Granules : 1 cup
Onion : 1 (Finely Chopped)
Tomato : 2 (Finely Chopped)
Ginger Garlic Paste : 1tsp
Chilli Powder : 1 tsp
Coriander Powder : 1 tsp
Amchur Powder :1 tsp
Salt
Green Chilli (Optional) : 2-3
Coriander Leaves to Garnish

To Temper :
Oil : 2 tbsp
Cinnamon : 1 inch
Cloves :2
Fennel Seeds : 1/2 tsp
Curry Leaves : 6-8

Procedure :
1. Soak Soya granules in water for 10 min. In other bowl with a small piece of garlic and a little milk bring soya granules to a boil.
2. The soya will be well cooked by now; strain them and keep the granules aside.
3. Now Temper the ingrediets given under temper.(Can also add green Chillies)
4. Add onion and once it turns brown; add ginger garlic paste; add chopped tomatoes and once it turns mushy add all the spice powders (Chilli Powder, Coriander Powder, amchur powder) along with salt.
5. Garnish with Coriander leaves.