Matar Do pyaaza

Ingredients:

Cooking oil: 2 tsp.
Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp.
Bay leaf: 1
Onion (chopped): 1
Spring onions (crushed): 2
Garlic (chopped): 2 cloves
Ginger (crushed): 1/2 inch
Poppy seeds: 1/2 tsp.
Garam masala: 1/4 tsp.
Red chilli powder: 1/4 tsp.
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp.
Coriander leaves: a few
Green chilli (chopped): 1
Tomato (chopped): 1
Salt to taste
Coriander powder: 1/2 tsp.
Cumin powder: 1/2 tsp.
Mango powder: 1/4 tsp.
Peas (shelled): 1 cup

1. Heat oil and crackle cumin seeds and add bay leaf. Add the chopped and crushed onions and let fry until the onions start becoming transparent.
2. Add ginger and garlic and give it a quick stir. Add poppy seeds, garam masala, red chilli, turmeric, coriander leaves and green chilli. Mix everything together and let cook for about 2 minutes.
3. Add the tomato and peas. Add salt and mix well. The peas will get cooked while the tomato becomes soft and mushy. 
4. Add coriander powder, cumin powder and mango powder and stir. If the peas are cooked, turn off the flame, cover for 5 minutes and then serve. If peas are not done, cover and let cook on medium flame for another 5 minutes. Remove cover, sir, turn off the flame. Cover for 5 minutes and then serve. 

Lauki-Chana Dal

Ingredients:

Chana Dal: 1 cup
Lauki (chopped): 1
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp.
Cooking oil: 2 tsp.
Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp.
Ginger-garlic paste: 2 tsp. (I used minced in mortal-pestle)
Onion (chopped): 1
Green chilli (chopped): 1
Tomato (chopped): 1
Red chilli powder: 1/2 tsp.
Mango powder: 1/4 tsp.
Coriander leaves to garnish

1. Soak the chana dal in water for about 30 minutes. Drain from the water and pressure cook with salt and turmeric until soft. Keep aside.
2. Heat oil and crackle the cumin seeds. Add the ginger-garlic paste and fry well until the raw smell goes away.
3. Add the onions and fry until they are transparent. Add the chopped lauki and green chilli and mix well. Add tomatoes after about a minute and sprinkle a little salt. Add the red chilli and mango powder. Mix well and add little water (3-4 tsp.) if required. Cover and let cook until the lauki is soft and done.
4. Remove cover and add the cooked chana dal. Mix well and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the flame, garnish with coriander leaves and serve.

Lemony Dal Tadka

Ingredients:

Toor Dal: 3/4 cup
Split green moong dal: 1/4 cup
Lemon pickle: 1/2 tsp. (I used home-made lemon pickle, alternatively small lemon wedges can be used)
Cooking oil: 3 tsp.
Onion seeds: 1/4 tsp.
Ginger (crushed): 1 inch
Onion (chopped): 1
Tomato (chopped): 1
Green chilli (chopped): 1
Salt to taste
Red chilli powder: 1/2 tsp.
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp.
Dhansak masala: 1/2 tsp.
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp.
Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp.
Curry leaves: 3-4
Asafoetida: 1 pinch
Garlic (crushed): 4 cloves
Dried red chilli: 1

1. Wash and boil both the dals togather with the lemon pickle and a little salt if required. Let it cool and keep aside.
2. Heat 2 tsp. oil and crackle the onion seeds. Add the crushed ginger and fry for half a minute. Add the onions and fry until they are transparent.
3. Add the tomatoes and green chilli, sprinkle salt and let cook until the tomatoes are soft and mushy. Add red chilli and turmeric and mix well. Add this masala to the dal after about 30 seconds. Mix well with the dal and simmer all this mix for about 10 minutes.
4. Now prepare the tempering: Heat the remaining oil and crackle mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Add the dried red chilli, asafoetida, curry leaves and garlic and fry until the garlic starts browning. Add this temper to the dal and mix well. Turn off the flame and cover. Remove cover after 10 minutes and serve.

Rustic Salmon Curry

Ingredients:

Salmon Fish: 200 gm
Ginger-garlic paste: 2 tsp.
Coriander seeds: 1/2 tsp.
Black peppercorns: 1/2 tsp.
Star Anise: 1
Lemon juice: 2 tsp.
Cooking oil: 2 tsp.
Dried red chilli: 1
Fenugreek seeds: 1/2 tsp.
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp.
Onion seeds: 1/2 tsp.
Onion (chopped): 1
Tomato (chopped): 2
Green chilli (chopped): 1
Salt to taste
Red chilli powder: 1/2 tsp.
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp.
Cashew nuts (soaked in water and ground): a few
Coconut (dessicated): 2 tsp.
Tamarind extract: 1 tsp.

1. Crush the coriander seeds, peppercorns and star anise in mortal-pestel. Add the ginger-garlic paste and lemon juice. Marinate the washed and sliced fish fillets in this mix for 15 minutes.
2. Heat oil and fry the fish pieces in medium heat for 5 minutes on both sides. Remove from the pan and keep aside, leaving the oil in the pan itself.
3. Heat the same pan again and add dried red chilli, fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds and onion seeds. When all the dry spices begin to splutter, add the onions and fry until they are transparent. 
4. Add tomatoes and green chilli and sprinkle salt. Let cook until the tomatoes are soft and mushy. Add the cashew paste, coconut and tamarind. Mix everything well and add 2 cups of water. Cover and let cook for 10 minutes.
5. Remove cover and add the fried fish. Mix and let cook for another 2 minutes, do not mix a lot as it will break the delicate fish. Remove from flame and serve with jeera rice. 

Kasoori Methi Chicken

Ingredients:

Chicken: 250 gm
Cooking oil: 2 tsp.
Kasoori methi: 3 tsp.
Garam masala: 1/2 tsp.
Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp.
Cinnamon stick: 1 inch
Black peppercorns: 1/2 tsp.
Shallots: 4 (crushed in mortal-pestel)
Garlic (chopped): 4 cloves
Tomato (chopped): 2
Green chilli (chopped): 1
Ginger (crushed): 1 inch
Salt to taste
Red chilli powder: 1/2 tsp.
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder: 1/2 tsp.
Coriander powder: 1/2 tsp.
Asafoetida: 1 pinch
Milk: 1/4 cup

1. Heat oil and add the asafoetida and the chicken. Add kasoori methi and garam masala and mix well with the chicken. Fry for about 2-3 minutes and then draining the oil in the pan, remove the chicken and keep aside.
2. Heat the same oil again and splutter cumin and peppercorns. Add the shallots and mix well till they become transparent. 
3. Add the garlic and mix, fry well for about a minute and add the tomatoes, green chilli and ginger. Sprinkle salt and mix well. Let cook until the tomatoes become soft and mushy. 
4. Add the dry spices: red chilli, turmeric,  cumin and coriander and mix well. Add the chicken in and fry everything together for about 2-3 minutes. 
   
   
   
   
5. Add in the milk and stir. Add a little water if required and cover. Let cook for about 10 minutes and remove cover. After about 2 minutes, turn off the heat and serve.

Lehsun- Adrak Ka Kaadha

Yes. Another cold-post (the cough and cold curing post I mean) after the Chai Masala recipe by my Nani-Ji. When I was growing up, I remember this kaadha being made every alternate day at home during winters and mom and dad sitting in rajaai and sipping this slowly while me and my brother used to make faces at them, watching TV. They used to tell me this keeps cough and cold at bay and is wonder drink for the stuffed nasal passage and cough, and I used to say I would rather die of cough and cold than drinking this awful looking drink (yes I thought it was awful because it sure never looked pretty to me).

But well, time changes. And when you live alone away from home everything changes so drastically. And the day me and hubby were both experiencing symptoms of cold and craving something hot, I went back on thinking of this "Kaadha" and there was a flashback of past memories :) I, who detested this all my life, made this AND drank it. And not to mention, it made me feel instantly better. Now I understand why my parents always wanted me to drink this. It does not look pretty and tastes a little bitter but well, it will make anyone feel a lot better.

Over to the recipe:

Ingredients:

Onion (chopped): 1 small
Ginger (chopped): 3 inches piece
Garlic (chopped): 7-8 cloves
Cooking oil: 1 tsp.
Black peppercorns: 6-7
Cloves: 2
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp.

1. Add the ginger, garlic and onion to a blender, add little water and blend it to a smooth paste without any lumps. Take out in a bowl and keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a non-stick pan and splutter the peppercorns and cloves. Add the ginger-garlic-onion paste to the pan. 
   
3. On medium flame, begin to stir this mixture. Stir for a bit and let cook then stir again. Do not leave unstirred for long time as it needs to be cooked evenly. 
   
4. Keep stirring and after a while the masala will leave the oil on the sides. But we need to cook it more because we consume this as it is and there should not be the bitter taste of raw masalas. 
   
   
   
   
5. After the masala has browned and gathered in the centre of pan and left all the oil on the sides, add the salt and turmeric and mix well. Add 3 cups of water and cover on medium flame. Let cook for 10 minutes until the flavours are blended together and the water is mixed with the masala, making it a thin soup consistency. 
    
   
6. Turn off the flame, pour in a bowl and drink hot !!

Disclaimer: This is an original recipe of the author. The recipe and the pictures may not be copied in any form without the author's permission.

Incredible Chili Chicken

Ingredients:

Boneless chicken thighs: 300 gm
Mustard oil: 6 tsp.
Cumin seeds: 1 tsp.
Spring onions: 2
Onion (sliced finely): 1 big size
Green chilli (sliced): 2
Garlic (crushed): 4 cloves
Ginger (grated): 1 inch
Chilli flakes: 1/2 tsp.
Salt to taste
Red chilli powder: 1/2 tsp.
Tomato (chopped): 1
Coriander powder: 1/4 tsp.
Mango powder: 1/4 tsp.
Soy sauce: 3 tsp.

1. Heat mustard oil to the smoking point and lower the flame. Add cumin seeds so they splutter. Add the spring onions (whole) and the sliced onions too. Let them fry well until they starts browning, keep turning sides to spring onions for even cooking. 
   
2. Add the sliced green chilli and fry. 
3. Add the chopped chunks of chicken and increase the flame to high. Turn the chicken pieces and then add the crushed garlic. I crushed in mortal-pestle. Also add salt, ginger and chilli flakes. Mix everything well and stir again so the chicken is coated. Then leave the chicken to get fried for 3-4 minutes on one side and then 3-4 minutes on another side. By this time chicken will be charred a bit at both sides. 
    
   
4. Add red chilli powder and mix. Add the chopped tomato and mix well. Let fry everything for 3-4 more minutes until the tomato becomes mushy. Keep alternating between high and medium flame so as not to burn the masala and not become too watery too as this will be a fried dish, not a curry dish. 
   
5. While the tomatoes are being done, add the soy sauce, coriander powder and mango powder and mix well. Let everything cook on medium flame for 10 more minutes. Do not cover. 
6. Remove from flame and serve hot !!

 

Disclaimer: This is an original recipe of the author. The recipe and the pictures may not be copied in any form without the author's permission.