Masala Bhindi - snack

Spicy, deep-fried ladies fingers. A spicy accompaniment to dal and chawal.
Prep. time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 10 mins
Serves 4
Ingredients:

2 cups bhindi (ladies fingers), slit into four lengthwise
2 tablespoons Bengal gram flour (besan)
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
1 teaspoon chilli powder
2 teaspoons chaat masala
1 teaspoon lemon juice
salt to taste
Oil for deep frying

Method:

• Mix together all the ingredients in a bowl. Toss well.
• Heat the oil in a kadhai and deep fry the bhindi till crisp.
• Drain on absorbent paper.
• Serve hot
  

These have to be fried almost immediately after you mix them as otherwise they will not be crisp as the bhindi will release water, making them soggy.

Coconut Rice - main course

Rice and creamy coconut milk make a unique combination.
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 20 mins
Serves 4
Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups long grained rice
1 tablespoons urad dal (split black gram)
2 tablespoons moong dal (split yellow gram)
6 red chillis
4 to 5 curry leaves
2 tablespoons salted peanuts crushed lightly
2 1/2 cups (500ml) coconut milk
2 tablespoons oil
salt to taste

For the garnish
1/4 cup grated coconut

Method:

• Clean, wash and soak the rice for about 20 minutes. Drain and keep aside.
• Heat the oil in a pressure cooker. Add the urad dal and moong dal and fry for 2 minutes.
• Add the red chillis, curry leaves and peanuts and fry again for about 1 minute.
• Add the rice and saute for another 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add the coconut milk and salt and pressure cook for 2 whistles.
• Serve hot, garnished with the grated coconut.
  

You can also garnish this dish with chopped onions and tomatoes.

Dal Fry - curry

Creamy, rich and smooth. This is the perfect accompaniment for the rice or rotis.
Prep time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 25 mins
Serves 4
Ingredients:

1 cup masoor dal (split red lentils)
1/4 cup yellow moong dal (split yellow lentils)
2 green chillis,slit
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 teaspoon grated garlic
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
salt to taste

For the tempering
1/2 teaspoon mustasrd seeds (rai)
1/2 teaspoon nigella seeds (kalonji)
1 red chilli
1 onion, sliced
1 tomato, chopped
2 tablespoons ghee

For the garnish
3 tablespoons chopped coriander
1 tablespoon butter

Method:

• Wash the dals together.
• Combine the dals, chillis, ginger, garlic, turmeric, salt and 3 cups of water and pressure cook till the dals are tender.
• Remove the chillis and discard. Whisk the dal till it is smooth. Keep aside.
  

For the tempering

• Heat the ghee in a pan and add the mustard seeds, nigella seeds and red chilli.
• When the mustard seeds crackle, add the onion and saute till it is translucent.
• Add the tomato and saute for another 3 to 4 minutes.
  

How to proceed

• Add the dals to the tempering, mix well and bring to a boil. Serve hot, garnished with the coriander and butter.

Vegetables and Dal curry

Vegetables simmered with pulses. A simple dish that needs no accompaniment other than rotis or rice.
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cooking time: 40 mins
Serves 4
Ingredients:

For the dal
2 tablespoons yellow moong dal (split yellow lentils)
1/4 cup masoor dal (split red lentils)
1 green chilli
1 teaspoon ginger, grated
1 teaspoon garlic, grated
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)

For Vegetables
6 to 8 bhindi (okra / ladiesfingers), cut into 25mm.(1") pieces
1/2 cup cluster beans (guvar), cut into 25mm.(1") pieces
1 carrot diced
1 sweet corn, cut into circles
2 potatoes, diced
2 brinjals, diced
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
6 to 8 curry leaves
1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi)
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
1 teaspoon chilli powder
2 tablespoons oil
salt to taste

Method:
For the dal

• Wash the moong dal and masoor dal. Drain.
• Pressure cook the dals, green chilli, ginger, garlic, turmeric powder, salt with 1 cup of water, till the dals are tender.
  

How to proceed

• Whisk the pressure cooked dal till smooth and remove the green chilli.
• Heat the oil in a large pan and add the cumin seeds, curry leaves, fenugreek seeds and asafoetida and stir for a few seconds.
• Add the bhindi, cluster beans, carrots, sweet corn, potatoes, brinjal and chilli powder and saute for 5 to 7 minutes till the vegetables soften.
• Add the cooked dal and 1 cup of water and salt and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
  

Serve Hot.

Palak Kofta Kadhi - curry

Spinach dumplings simmered in a yoghurt curry
Prep time: 15 mins
Cooking time: 20 mins
Serves 4
Ingredients:

For the palak koftas
1 cup spinach leaves (palak), blanched, drained and chopped
1/4 cup bengal gram flour (besan)
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
a pinch of soda bi-carb
salt to taste
oil for deep frying

For the kadhi
1 cup curds
2 tablespoons bengal gram flour (besan)
1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
a pinch asafoetida (hing)
5 curry leaves
1 onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
1 tablespoon oil
salt to taste

Method:
For the palak koftas

• Mix the spinach leaves, gram flour, chilli powder, cumin seeds, soda-bi-carb and salt in a bowl to get a soft dough.
• Mix well, divide into 16 equal portions and shape into even sized rounds.
• Heat oil in a kadai and deep fry the koftas.
• Remove and drain on absorbent paper. Keep aside.
  

For the kadhi

• Mix the curds and gram flour in a bowl. Keep aside.
• Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the cumin seeds. When they crackle, add the asafoetida, curry leaves, onion and garlic and saute for 4 to 5 minutes.
• Add the curds and gram flour mixture, turmeric powder, salt and 1 cup of water and bring to a boil.
  

How to proceed

• Add the palak koftas to the hot kadhi and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes.
• Serve hot with rice.

Makai ki Roti - main course

A bread made of fresh sweet corn and spices
Prep. Time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 15 mins.
Makes 6 Rotis
Ingredients:

1/2 cup sweet corn kernels
1/2 cup whole wheat flour (gehun ka atta)
1/4 teaspoon chilli powder
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped coriander
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon oil
salt to taste

oil for cooking and butter to serve

Method:

• Grind the sweet corn kernels to a fine paste in a food processor (without using any water).
• Mix the corn paste with the rest of the ingredients in a bowl using water only if necessary and make a soft dough.
• Divide the dough into 6 equal portions.
• Roll out each portion into a circle of 100 mm. (4") diameter.
• Heat a tava (griddle) and cook each roti on both sides on a slow flame until golden brown, using little oil.
• Serve hot topped with a dollop of butter.

Paneer Masoor Paratha - Main Course

Paratha envelopes filled with lentils and cottage cheese.
Prep. time : 15 mins
Cooking time : 45 mins
Makes 4 parathas
Ingredients:

For the dough
1/2 cup whole wheat flour (gehun ka atta)
1 tablespoon oil
salt to taste

For the filling
1/2 cup paneer (cottage cheese), crumbled
2 tablespoons whole masoor (whole red lentils), cooked
1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
1 teaspoon coriander powder
2 tablespoons chopped coriander
1 tablespoon oil
salt to taste

oil for cooking

Method:
For the dough

• Combine all the ingredients and knead into a soft dough using enough water
• Cover with a wet cloth and keep aside for 10 min to 15 min
  

For the filling

• Heat the oil and saute the onion till it turns translucent.
• Add the paneer, masoor, ginger, chilli powder, coriander powder, coriander and salt and mix well.
• Cool, divide into 4 parts and keep aside
  

How to proceed

• Divide the dough into 4 equal parts and roll out each portion very thinly into circles of 250mm.(10") diameter.
• Put one portion of the stuffing in the centre of each paratha and fold all the sides in such a way so as to form a rectangle.
• Make a paste using a little flour and water and use this to seal the edges of the paratha.
• Place the paratha on a tava (griddle) with the open edge at the bottom. Cook for a few minutes, turn over on the other side and cook again till crispy, using al little oil.
• Repeat for the remaining dough and filling to make 3 more parathas.
  

Serve hot with curds.

Kaddu Palak ki Roti (Red pumpkin & Spinach Roti)

Spinach and pumpkin make delicious chapatis
Prep. time : 10 min
Cooking time : 15 min
Makes 5 rotis
Ingredients:

1 cup red pumpkin (kaddu), peeled and grated
1 cup chopped spinach (palak)
1 cup whole wheat flour (gehun ka atta)
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1/2 green chilli, chopped
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
1 tablespoon oil
salt to taste
oil for cooking

Method:

• Heat the oil, add the spinach and saute for 2 min.
• Remove from fire.
• Mix all the ingredients to make a soft dough using enough water. Knead well.
• Divide the dough into 5 equal portions.
• Roll out each portion into a circle of 125mm (5") diameter.
• Heat a tava (griddle) and cook each roti on both sides, until golden brown using a little oil.
  

Serve hot