Soya Matar Shahi Korma

Ingredients :

Soya chunks – 1 packet

Peas – ½ cup

Onion – 1 ( finely chopped )

Cumin seeds – ½ tsp

Cumin powder – 1 tsp

Coriander powder – 2 tsp

Red chilly powder – To taste

Garam masala powder – A pinch

Salt – To taste

Oil – 2 tbsp

Coriander leaves – little ( finely chopped )

Water – As required

To grind into paste :

Tomatoes – 2 ( chopped )

Cinnamon – 1 stick

Cardamom – 2

Clove – 1

Ginger – 1 inch piece

Garlic  - 4 to 5

Coriander seeds – 1 tsp

Peppercorns – ½ tsp

Almonds – 4

Cashew-nuts – 4

Method :

Boil water . After the water boils turn it off and immediately put the soya chunks into boiled water for a minute. Then , remove the soya chunks and squeeze them gently to remove excess water. Chop them into half. Keep aside.

Grind tomatoes + clove + cardamom + cinnamon + peppercorns + ginger + garlic + coriander seeds + almonds + cashew-nuts into a smooth paste. Keep aside.

In a kadai , heat oil. Add cumin seeds to it. After it crackles , add chopped onion and fry till golden browned. Add the ground paste , cumin powder , red chilly powder , garam masala powder , coriander powder and salt. Mix evenly and add ½ cup of water. Bring to boil for 4 to 5 minutes. Add peas. Cover the kadai with lid and cook till peas get little soft. Add the soya chunks and mix evenly. Add chopped coriander leaves. Cover the kadai with lid again and cook for 5 minutes.

Serve hot with rotis / chapatis.

Matar - Kumbh ( Matar - Mushroom )

Ingredients:

Button Mushrooms - 15 to 20 ( cleaned and quartered )

Fresh Green Peas – ¾ cup

Dry Red Chillies ( Byadagi or Kashmiri Chillies preffered ) - 3 to 4 or accordiing to taste ( slit / halved )

Onion - 1 cup, finely chopped

Tomatoes - 3 , large ( pureed )

Cashewnut paste - 2-3 tbsp

Garlic Flakes - 3 to 4 ( thinly sliced )

Ginger - 1 inch piece ( finely chopped )

Jeera / Cumin Seeds – 1 tsp

Garam Masala – ½ tsp

Cumin powder – ½ tsp

Coriander powder – ½ tsp

Lime Juice – ½ tsp

Sugar – 1 tsp

Oil / Ghee – 1 ½ tbsp

Salt to taste

Method:

Heat ½ tbsp of oil in a pan and add a teaspoon of cumin seeds to it. When cumin starts to crackle , add finely chopped garlic and ginger to it. Sauté on medium flame till the garlic turns light golden. Then , add finely chopped onions and halved red chillies and sauté till onion turns golden in colour. Let it aside to cool. Once the onion mixture has cooled a bit, grind it into a smooth paste without adding water .

Heat a tbsp of oil in a pan. Add ground onion paste to it and fry on medium flame till the whole mixture becomes dry and light brown in colour. Now , add garam masala and fry for half a minute. Mix quartered mushrooms and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add tomato puree, green peas, cashewnut paste, cumin powder , turmeric powder , coriander powder and salt to taste. Mix well. ( Add ¼ cup of water if required )

Cook covered for 10 minutes on low flame, stirring occasionally. Add little more water if required for the gravy consistency. Then ,remove the lid and let it cook for another 5 minutes so that the flavours to blend well.

Serve it hot, garnished with finely chopped coriander leaves.


Linking this recipe to Herb and Spice Event ( cilantro and cumin ) hosted at 

Erivum Puliyum

Navratan Palak

Ingredients :


Spinach – 2 bunches
Carrot – 1 ( Chopped into small pieces )
Potato – 1 ( Chopped into small cubes )
Tomato  - 2 ( pureed )
Capsicum – 1 ( chopped )
Asofoetida / Hing – 1 tsp
Paneer – 10 to 12 ( cubed pieces )
Ghee – 2 tsp
Ginger - 1 tsp ( chopped )
Raisins and Cashew nuts - handful
Turmeric – 1 tsp
Coriander powder – 2 tsp
Red chilly powder – ½ tsp
Garam masala powder – ½ tsp
Cumin powder – 1tsp
Pepper  powder – 1 tsp


Method :

Chop the spinach and cook in the pressure cooker for one whistle.

Take a pan, heat ghee. Add raisins , cashew nuts , ginger and  fry it for 2 minutes. Add paneer and sauté for a while. Add palak , carrot , potato , capsicum pieces and salt. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Add tomato puree and cumin powder , coriander powder , red chilly powder , turmeric powder and garam masala powder. Cook till most of the liquid is absorbed.

Serve hot with rotis / chapatis / pooris. 

Mushroom , Baby-corn and Capsicum Masala

Ingredients :


Mushrooms – 250 gms
Tomatoes – 3 ( finely chopped ) or tomato puree
Onion – 1 , chopped
Baby- corn – 100 gms ( halved )
Ginger-garlic paste – 1 tsp
Green chillies – 2 , chopped
Red chilly powder – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Garam Masala powder – ½ tsp
Cumin powder – ½ tsp
Coriander powder – ½ tsp
Salt – To taste
Spring onion / Green onion – 3 to 4 strands ( finely chopped ) or Coriander leaves - little, finely chopped
Oil – 1 tbsp
Ghee – little


Method :


Cook mushrooms and baby-corn till they become tender . Keep aside .
Heat oil in a pan and fry onion till golden browned . Add ginger-garlic paste, sauté and allow it to cook on low flame for 2 minutes . Add tomato puree, green chillies , red chilly powder and mix evenly . Add salt , garam masala powder and turmeric powder and saute . Add cooked mushrooms + baby-corn and capsicum pieces. Stir evenly for 5 minutes . Garnish with finely chopped spring onions .
Serve hot as a side dish with roti / chapattis or with white rice .

Palak Mushroom

Ingredients :

Spinach – 1 bunch
Button Mushrooms – 200 gms
Onions – 2 medium 
Tomato - 1
Green chilies - 2 
Ginger – 1 inch 
Garlic – 4 cloves

Cloves - 2
Green Cardamoms- 2
Black pepper corns – 4 to 5
Cinnamon stick – ½ inch
Cumin ( Jeera ) powder -1/2 tsp

Salt to taste
Red Chili powder – ½ tsp 
Coriander powder – 1 tsp 

Turmeric powder -1/2 tsp

Water - 1 cup

Method :

Wash the spinach leaves thoroughly cut one of the onions and tomato in quarters. Steam the Spinach, quartered onion and tomato. Cool. Chop the other onion and fry in little oil till they are golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towel.

Once the Spinach Mix and fried onions are cooled to room temperature, grind them along with green chillies + black peppercorns + ginger + garlic + cinnamon + green cardamoms + cloves.

Heat water in a saucepan,add the mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes till done and water evaporates. Drain the remaining water. Keep aside.

In the kadai , heat oil. Add the coriander powder , turmeric powder , Cumin powder and red chili powder .Cook for a minute. Add the ground mixture . Cover immediately and cook on low flame till the oil separates, stirring occasionally. Add the mushrooms. Keep covered till it stops spluttering. Add salt and extra water ( if required ) according to the required consistency. Cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.

 Serve hot with Naan /roti/ Chapati

Indo-Mexican Corn Tortilla

Ingredients :

Corn Flour / Cornmeal ( Makke ka atta ) -  1 cup

Maida – ¾ cup

Salt – to taste

Oil  - few drops

Lukewarm water – ¼ cup

Baking soda – a pinch

Method :

Add all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix evenly . Prepare a dough and set it aside for 10 minutes . Then, make round lemon-sized balls from dough and prepare a roti/ Tortilla either as usual ( press slightly when rollong ) or by using roti / tortilla maker ( by dusting maida ) .

Heat oil on a Tava / griddle . Roast the prepared tortillas one-by-one for 2 minutes.

Note : The tortilla should be medium thick. i.e not too thick and not too thin.

Mushroom Tava Masala

Ingredients :

Button Mushrooms – 150 grams

Onions – 3 medium ( pureed )

Tomato – 2 ,pureed

Capsicum – 1 , chopped

Cashewnuts – 6 to 7.

Ginger-garlic paste – 1 tbsp

Jeera – 1 tsp

Cumin powder – 1 tsp

Coriander powder – 1 tsp

Garam masala powder – 1 tsp

Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

Red chilly powder – 1 tsp

Kasuri methi – 1 tsp

Salt – to taste

Oil – 2 tsp

Coriander leaves – little , finely chopped

Method :

Wash mushrooms thoroughly . Cut them into 2 pieces .

In a kadai , heat oil . Add cumin seeds , turmeric powder , red chilly powder . Saute for a while. Then , add ginger-garlic paste and saute . Add onion paste and cashewnuts . Saute till golden brown in colour . Add tomato puree and cook . Then , add coriander powder , cumin powder , kasuri-methi , garam masala powder and salt . Mix evenly .

Now add mushrooms and capsicum pieces . Cover and cook over medium low heat till mushrooms get cooked . Garnish with coriander leaves . Serve hot with rotis .

Thick Rava Crispy Rottis

Ingredients :

Thick Rava ( thoru rulavu ) – 2 cup

Wheat flour – 2 cup

Green chillies – 7 to 8 ( Finely chopped )

Red chilly powder – 2 tbsp

Curry leaves – ½ cup ( Finely chopped )

Grated coconut – 2 tbsp

Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

Asafoetida – 1tsp ( diluted in 1 ½ tsp water )

Salt – To taste

Oil – 2 cup + 1 tsp

Method :

In a mixing bowl , add green chilly pieces + red chilly powder + salt + chopped curry leaves + grated coconut + Diluted asafoetida . Smash and mix evenly . Then , add thick rava and wheat flour. Meanwhile , in a seasoning laddle , add 1 tsp oil and mustard seeds. When it begins to crackle , add the seasoning to the mixing bowl which contains thick rava, wheat flour and other ingredients . Mix them and prepare a dough ( like poori dough ) by adding water as required . Make lemon sized balls of the prepared dough . Then prepare rottis ( poori ) from the dough balls.

In a deep bottomed kadai , heat oil . Finally , deep fry the rottis.

Serve as snack with tea or coffee .


This recipe is submitted for Winter Carnival event @ Tickling Palates.

Rajma Masala

Ingredients :

Rajma – 1 cup

Tomato – 2 small

Onion –1 big ( chopped into thin 1 inch pieces )

Red chilly – 2

Red chilly powder – 1 tbsp

Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

Coriander powder – ¾ tsp

Asafoetida ( Hing ) powder – ½ tsp

Garam masala powder – ½ tsp

Ginger – Garlic paste – 2 tsp

Bay leaf – 1

Cumin ( Jeera ) – ½ tsp

Salt – To taste

Butter – 2 tbsp or Oil – 2 tsp

Lemon juice – 1 tbsp

Coriander leaves – little ( finely chopped )

Method :

Wash and soak rajma overnight . Pressure cook until soft . ( Do not drain the water. It is to be added while cooking ) .

Prepare a fine paste of tomato + red chilly . Keep aside .

Heat butter or oil in a thick bottomed kadai . Add jeera , bayleaf , asafoetida and allow to crackle . Add onion pieces and saute till golden browned . Add ginger-garlic paste and fry. Add the ground paste to it and cook until oil seperates .

Add turmeric powder , coriander powder , red chilly powder , garam masala powder and salt . Mix evenly. Add 1 cup of water and cook covered for 3 minutes . Add cooked rajma alongwith the stock. Mix evenly . Cook on low flame for 5 minutes . When masala gets thick consistency , remove kadai from flame .

Add lemon juice and mix evenly .

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves .

Serve hot with chapatis / naan / white rice .

Sweet for 1st Anniversary of my blog