Bhindi-do pyaaza

Bhindi (ladyfinger) is a very simple and quick dish to prepare. This bhindi do pyaaza is made using just 3 ingredients: tempered with minimal spices and a fried in a lot of onions.

Ingredients:

Ladyfinger (bhindi): 300 gm
Cooking oil: 2 tsp.
Onions (sliced): 2
Cumin seeds: 1 tsp.
Salt to taste
Red chilli powder: 1 tsp.
Turmeric powder: 1 tsp.
Mango powder: 1/2 tsp. (optional)

1. For making dry bhindi subzi, you need absolutely dried ladyfingers. So I recommend wash thoroughly and leave them to air-dry for about an hour. I spread them on a newspaper which soaks all the moisture. There should be absolutely no moisture when we begin to prepare this dish.
2. When the bhindi is ready, remove the tops and tails of each ladyfinger and cut all the ladyfinger in small, fine rounds.
3. Heat oil and crackle the cumin seeds. Add the onion and saute until it starts turning transparent. 
   
4. Add the chopped ladyfingers and sprinkle salt, red chilli and turmeric, mix very well and let cook for about 10 minutes. DO NOT COVER. Check if they are done by trying to break one bhindi, it should break softly and should not be hard. 
   
   
5. Add the mango powder, mix well and remove from flame. Serve as a side dish. 
   

100 Indian recipes for chappati and rice

It has always been a challenge for me to decide on "what to cook today".. phew !! I try not to eat out, not to heat up frozen meals, not to eat canned food. The biggest challenge that comes is always deciding the menu. Also, eating at home everyday the same kind of food can get boring as well, no matter how healthy and economical it is. So I try to come up with various versions of the same ingredients by making twists and changing the curry base or the spices base to present new flavors which do not get boring and monotonous but a new dish every time (not really every time but well...) So today I'm sharing 100 different types of dishes (vegetarian and non-vegetarian) you can prepare and serve with simple chappati/paratha or plain rice.

VEGETARIAN DISHES:

STIR FRIES AND DRY VEGETABLES: 

Aaloo Baingan Korma

Aaloo Methi
Achaari Tomato Masala (can also be used as a base for different curries)

Bharwan Bhindi

Bhindi Masala

Capsicum Tomato Masala

Corn Capsicum

Fried Eggplant masala

Hariyali Corn
Jeera Aaloo
Matar Do pyaaza
Mix vegetable fry
Navratan Korma
Plum Tomato Fry (can also be used as a base for different curries)
Pudina Lauki masala
Punjabi Tomato Fry (can also be used as a base for different curries)
Vegetable Jalfrezi
White corny spinach

CURRIES AND VEGETABLES:

Aaloo Matar Subzi
Aaloo Tamatar Subzi
Achaari Baingan Kadhi
Achaari Paneer Masala
Baby onion ka salan
Black Eyed beans curry
Bottle gourd (lauki subzi)
Instant Arugula Kadhi
Kaju Curry Korma
Kashmiri Rajma (No onion-garlic)
Mirch Ka Salan
Nawabi Rajma Masala
Paneer Makhani
Peas Masala Kurma
Pindi Chhole
Punjabi Dum aaloo
Punjabi Kadhi with pakoda
Punjabi Rajma Masala
Quick Chhole Masala
Stuffed capsicum tomato fry
Stuffed Paneer capsicum
Stuffed Tomato
Tamatar Ka Salan


DALS:

Beetroot Dal

Chana Dal

Dal Bukhara

Dal fry with a twist

Dal Makhni: The royal taste of Punjab

Hot and Spicy Sambhar 

Lauki-Chana Dal

Lehsuni Dal Tadka

Mint Dal Fry

Mix dal: Moong, moth and chana

Nepali Daal

Panchmel Dal with baati (Rajasthani delight)

Punjabi Dal fry

Shahdani Dal

Spinach Dal

Sprouted Dal with Spinach

Urad Dal

NON VEGETARIAN DISHES

EGG RECIPES: 

Achaari Egg Curry

Egg Curry

Egg Curry in Coconut Milk

Egg Rezala

Fried Egg Curry

Goan Egg curry

Goan Egg Vindaloo

Green Egg Curry

Maharshtrian Style Egg Curry

Roasted egg pulusu

Rustic Egg Curry (Dhaba Style)

CHICKEN RECIPES:

Amritsari Murg Makhani

Beetroot Chicken

Butter Chicken

Chicken Achaari

Chicken Cafreal

Chicken Curry Masala

Dahi masala kadhai chicken

Dhaba Style Chicken Curry

Green Walnut Chicken Curry

Herbal Chicken

Himachali Tawa Murg

Kashmiri Chicken Curry

Kodi Kura (Andhra Style Chicken Curry)

Mint Chicken Korma

Olive Green Chicken

Orange Chicken

Red Chicken

Simple Chicken Cury

Sri Lankan Chicken Curry

Thai Chicken Curry

FISH RECIPES:

Achaari Fish Masala

Fish Curry in Mustard Sauce

Fish Molee

Green Meen Kuzhambhu

Lehsuni Fish Curry

Meen Vindaloo

Mint Fish Curry

Nepali Meen Peera (Fish curry in Coconut)

Red Fish Curry

Rustic Salmon Curry

Saffron Fish Curry

I hope you loved this post and found it useful. Please do leave your feedback and a comment in the comments section below as it really motivates me. Do join my Facebook Page for regular recipe updates. 

Apple Walnut Salad

Apple Walnut Salad is one healthy salad without the use of any preservatives, any dressings and all natural, flavorful salad which can be eaten as quick breakfast which will keep you full for long time. Here I'm sharing the recipe keeping in mind for 1 person, the quantity can be adjusted accordingly with number of persons.

Ingredients:

Apples: 2
Walnuts: 4
Almonds: 10
Rock salt to taste
Black pepper according to taste
Parsley leaves (or coriander leaves if parsley not available)
Half lemon

1. Soak the walnuts and almonds separately overnight. In the morning, drain all the water and add the soaked dry fruits to a bowl of chopped apples. 
2. Chop the parsley (or coriander) leaves finely and sprinkle all over. The aim is just to include any type of greens.
3. Squeeze the lemon juice over this salad. Sprinkle little rock salt and black pepper. 
4. Toss nicely and serve. How I toss salads: cover the salad bowl with another equal sized bowl, hold both the top and bottom bowls firmly and shake for few seconds. Automatic toss !!
5. Consume immediately as the apples start blackening after a bit. Enjoy health breakfast !!

Olive Green Chicken

Ingredients:

Chicken: 250 gm
Mint leaves: a handful
Coriander leaves: a handful
Kasuri methi: 2 tsp.
Green chilli (chopped): 1
Cooking oil: 3 tsp.
Star anise: 1
Cinnamon stick: 1 inch
Cloves: 2
Pepppercorns: 1 tsp.
Onion (chopped): 1
Salt to taste
Coriander powder: 1 tsp.
Red chilli powder: 1/2 tsp.
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp.
Cumin powder: 1/2 tsp.
Tomatoes (chopped): 2
Dhansak Masala: 2 tsp. (Dhansak Masala Recipe)
Desiccated coconut: 1 tsp.
Almonds: 6
Black pepper: 1/2 tsp.
Saffron strands: a pinch

1. Soak the almonds in little water (or milk for a richer taste) and keep aside. 
2. Grind the mint leaves, coriander leaves, kasuri methi and green chilli together to a fine green paste and keep aside.
3. Heat oil and add the whole spices: star anise, cinnamon, cloves, peppercorns. Let splutter and add the onions. Let fry till they are transparent.
4. Add the tomatoes and sprinkle salt. Mix well and cook until tomatoes are soft and mushy. Now add all the dry spices: red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder and dhansak masala. Mix everything and let cook for about a minute.
5. Now add the coconut and stir. Grind the almonds into a fine (or coarse) paste and add to the masala. 
6. Add the prepared green masala in step 2 and the chicken. Mix everything well and let fry for 5 minutes. Add a cup of water and cover, let cook on medium flame for 10 minutes. 
7. Remove cover and cook for another 5 minutes. Turn off the flame, sprinkle black pepper and decorate with saffron strands. Serve immediately !!

Dhansak Masala

Ingredients:

Coriander seeds: 1 tsp.
Mustard seeds: 1 tsp.
Cumin seeds: 1 tsp.
Dried red chilli: 1
Shah Jeera: 1 tsp.
Fenugreek seeds: 1 tsp.
Star anise: 1
Peppercorns: 1 tsp.
Poppy seeds: 1 tsp.
Cinnamon stick: 1 inch
Cloves: 3
Bay leaves: 2
Mace: 1
Nutmeg: 1
Aniseed: 1 tsp.

Dry roast all the ingredients. Cool and grind to a fine powder and store in an air-tight container. Use this powder for a different taste to stir-fry vegetables, pulao, veg and non-veg curries. I had used this for Olive Green Chicken (recipe coming soon).

Saffron Fish Curry

Ingredients:

Fish: 250 gm (I used Salmon fish)

For the marinade:

Coconut milk (thick): 1/2 cup
Saffron: 2 pinches
Coriander powder: 1 tsp.
Garam masala: 1/2 tsp.

For the curry:

Mustard oil: 3 tsp.
Mustard seeds: 1 tsp.
Fenugreek seeds: 1/2 tsp.
Dry red chilli: 1
Onion (chopped): 1
Ginger-garlic paste: 3 tsp.
Coriander powder: 1/2 tsp.
Cumin powder: 1/2 tsp.
Red chilli powder: 1/2 tsp.
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp.
Tomato (chopped): 6 (I used small cocktail tomatoes, can be replaced with 2 big sized tomatoes)
Salt to taste
Garam masala: 1/2 tsp.
Coconut milk: 1/4 cup
Lemon juice: 2 tsp.
Coriander leaves to garnish
A pinch of saffron to decorate

1. Wash and clean the fish and marinate in the marinade ingredients and keep aside for about 15 minutes. 
2. Heat oil on medium flame and add the fish and the marinade. Fry well on both sides, turning carefully and drain from the oil and keep aside. This frying will take about 5-7 minutes as the fish is very delicate. 
   
3. Heat the same oil and splutter mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds. Add the whole chilli and the onions. Fry until they become transparent.
4. Add the ginger-garlic paste (I used grated ginger and garlic, it gives a rustic flavor) and fry until the raw smell goes away. 
5. Add the dry spices: coriander, cumin, red chilli and turmeric and mix everything well. 
6. Add the tomatoes and sprinkle salt. Let cook until the tomatoes are soft and mushy. 
   
7. Add the garam masala and the coconut milk and mix everything very well. Add a cup of water and cover. Let cook on medium flame for about 10-15 minutes. 
8. Remove the cover and add lemon juice. Mix and add the fried fish. Turn off the flame and cover again. Let sit for about 10 minutes so the flavors get blended.
9. Remove cover, garnish with coriander leaves, decorate with a pinch of saffron and serve with rice !!

Achaari Paneer Masala

Ingredients:

Cottage cheese: 100 gm
Dried red chilli: 1
Fennel seeds: 1 tsp.
Coriander seeds: 1 tsp.
Mustard seeds: 1 tsp.
Fenugreek seeds: 1/4 tsp.
Cloves: 2
Bay leaf: 1
Cooking oil: 3 tsp.
Onion (chopped): 1
Garlic (chopped): 3 cloves
Tomato (chopped): 2
Green chilli (chopped): 1
Ginger (chopped): 1 inch
Salt to taste
Yogurt: 1/2 cup
Cream to garnish (optional)

1. Dry roast all the whole spices: red chilli, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, cloves and bay leaf. Cool and grind to a powder. Keep aside.
2. Grind the onions and garlic together to a smooth paste and keep aside. Grind the tomato, ginger and green chillis together and make another smooth paste and keep aside.
3. Now begin the preparation for curry. Heat oil on medium flame and temper the remaining mustard seeds. 
4. Add the onion-garlic paste and mix well. Let this cook until it gets brown and starts leaving oil on the sides. This step is very important and if the onion masala is not cooked properly it will give a bitter taste to the curry. This will take about 10-12 minutes. Keep stirring so that the masala does not stick to the base or get burnt.
5. When it is done, add the tomato-chilli-ginger paste and mix well. Add the salt and let this masala also cook properly until it starts leaving oil on the sides.
6. Add the ground spice powder prepared in step 1. mix everything well and let cook for another minute. 
7. Add the yogurt and give it a stir. Cover and let cook the whole masala for another 10 minutes on low flame. You can also add a bit of water at this stage according to the required curry consistency. You need to add water if serving with rice, not required if serving with chappati/ paratha.
8. Remove the cover and add the cubed cottage cheese. Mix well and turn off the flame. Let sit for another 10 minutes. 
9. Remove cover and garnish with coriander leaves and cream (optional). Serve hot !!