Potato & Baby Lima Beans Curry

I am sharing a very healthy and vegetarian curry dish that my son loves to eat with naan-bread. You can get frozen Lima beans in frozen vegetables section in local grocery store.  These beans are very good source of folate and magnesium also known to be good for people with cholesterol and blood sugar problem.

Ingredients: For 4-6 persons

• 500 grams baby Lima beans (frozen)
• 1 tbs of cooking oil
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder & cumin seed each
• 1 tsp coriander powder & coriander seed (crushed)
• 1 medium cooking onion finely grind
• 2 medium sized potatoes
• 2 cups of water
• 4 cloves of fresh garlic (minced)
• 1 inch long piece of fresh ginger (minced)
• Salt according to taste
• A pinch of heeng powder (aka Asafetida)
• 3 green fresh chillis (chopped)
• 2 tomatoes (chopped)
• Cilantro or green coriander for garnishing

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan and add heeng powder(Asafetida ).
2. Now add cumin seeds till become light to dark brown & you can smell the aroma of cumin.
3. Add crushed coriander seeds, minced garlic for till garlic turned into light brown.
4. Add onion paste & saute until light brown & then add minced ginger to the mixture & keep on stirring until it is cooked.
5. Add crushed tomato & green fresh chilies to it.  
6. Now add all the spices and keep stirring in mixture.
7. Once onions and spices are cooked, pour 2 cups of water, add baby lima beans, cut potatoes & cover it with a lid for 20 mins to be cooked.
8. Remove from heat & serve hot with rice or roti (Indian bread) .

Patta gobhi Paratha (Cabbage Stuffed Bread)

Patta Gobhi (Cabbage) Paratha

Ingredients (serve 5 people):

•          Cabbage (Patta gobhi)  (grated 4 cups)
•          Salt (according to taste)
•          Red chili powder (1 tsp)
•          Cumin powder (1 tsp)
•          Coriander powder (1 tsp)
•          Garam masala (1/2 tsp)
•          Chunky chat masala MDH brand (1 tsp)
•          Cumin (jeera) seeds (1 tsp)
•          Crushed coriander seeds (1 tsp)
•          2 green chilies finely chopped
•          Grated ginger (1 inch piece)
•          Black peppers (1/2 tsp)
•          Fenugreek leaves dried (1 tsp)
•          Onion chopped fine  (2 medium sized)

For making paratha

•          Whole wheat flour dough to make paratha
•          Cooking oil (4-5 tsp for frying pratha on hot plate)

Grated Patta Gobhi with spices

 Method

1.  Grate pattagobhi (cabbage).
2.  Add 1 tsp of salt and mix in grated cabbage, keep aside for 5 minutes. (as cabbage will lose some water)
3. Squeeze the water from grated cabbage.
4. Mix all the spices and ingredients in grated cabbage.
5. Now, take 2 small balls of dough and flatten both of them (do not fully roll into chappati yet).
6. Place 1 tbsp of cabbage mix on the flattened dough ball and place the other on the mixture to enclose. It becomes shell for the cabbage mix.
7. Now roll it slowly into a size of a chappati and place it on a hot plate or tavaa to cook. When one side is done flip over so the other side is also cooked.
8. Now apply some oil on the first side and flip over. Cook it till that side turns golden and again flip over. Apply oil on both sides. When it’s cooked on both sides, remove it.
9. Very delicious and light parathas are ready to be served with yogurt, pickle and chutney. Enjoy.

Punjabi Besan De Gatte

Punjabi Besan Gatte

Total Cooking Time: Approximately 40 minutes
Ingredients for 4-6 persons
Besan Gatta Curry is considered a healthy dish, mostly used in rural Punjab.  Besan is Gram flour and Gatta or Gatte is finger thick chunks. Neighboring states of Rajasthan and Haryana also cook this dish fondly and give another flavor. Ladies usually cook this curry when there is no green vegetable is available at hand : ).  I have served it many guests and all liked it and asked for recipe.  So here it is…

Method: It is two-step process, in first you prepare besan gattas by boiling it and in second you cook it with gravy. Be careful about yogurt (dahi) that you add, if its couple of days old, its gonna give sour taste to gravy/curry.

For Besan Gatta

1.5 cup of Besan (Gram Flour)
2 tsp cooking oil
1/2 tsp Garam Masala powder 
3/4 tsp salt
1/2  tsp Cumin (Jeera) seeds
1 tsp crushed dry kasoori methi powder (Fenugreek)

For Gravy

4 tbsp of unsalted butter (instead of cooking oil)
pinch of asafoetida (heeng)
1 tsp Cumin (Jeera) seeds
1″ piece ginger (minced)
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 large-sized cooking onions (finely chopped)
2 green chillies  (minced)
1 tsp curry powder or garam masala powder
1 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
1 tsp coriander (dhania powder)
1 tsp red chilli powder
Salt according to taste
1/2 cup fresh yogurt (not sour)
Green Cilantro to garnish

 Making Gatta:

1. Mix besan gatta ingredients in a bowl. Knead a dough using water. Make finger sized rolls of hotdog length.
2. Take pressure cooker, add enough water and put besan gatta in to boiling water  for 10 minutes (or alteast 2-3 whistles needed).
3. Take out gattas out of water, save the water for gravy.
4. Cut gattas into 1/2 inch long pieces. Keep it aside.

Making Gravy:

1. Heat butter in  pan.
2. Add pinch of heeng, jeera and mustard seeds.  Mustard seeds should pop.
3. Add finely chopped onion, saute it till light golden brown.
4. Add ginger and green chillies to it and keep it till golden brown. 
5. Add coriander powder, chilli powder, turmeric, garam masala and salt. Stri it well for 1 minute.
6. Now add fresh yogurt. Mix it well on medium heat till butter is separated from onions.
7. Pour 3 cups of boiled water (saved from boiled gatta) into mix and cook it for another 1 minute.
8. When water starts to boil, add gattas, pressure cook it for 4 whistles.
9. Garnish with cilantro, serve hot with indian bread.

Punjabi Rajmah (Red Kidney Beans)

 Punjabi Rajmah is north India’s favorite dish that goes perfectly with rice on any given weekend. Its very good source of protein and children love it with rice and yogurt.  Key for success is subtle flavor from spices and richness of curry. It requires some preperation, like soaking rajmah overnight and then boiling rajmah till they are soft. I bet you will love it, so did my daughter.

Punjabi Rajmah

Cooking Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients for 8-10 persons:

1. 2 cups of Rajmah (red kidney beans) soaked overnight with 1 tsp salt
2. 2 tbsp cooking oil
3. Dry Masala for punjabi flavor 
   

   Sample Dry Masala

   1. a pinch of asafoetida (heeng)
   2. 2 green and 2 black cardamoms
   3. 2″ cinnamon (daal cheenee) stick
   4. 5 whole back peppers
   5. 1 tsp fennel (saonf) seeds
   6. 2 whole cloves
   7. 1/2 tsp each coriander (dhaniya) and cumin (Jeera) seeds
4. 5 cloves garlic  (minced)
5. 1″ piece ginger (minced)
6. 1 large-sized cooking onions (grinded)
7. 2 green chillies  (minced)
8. 1 tsp curry powder or garam masala powder
9. 1 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
10. 1 tsp coriander (dhania powder)
11. 1 tsp red chilli powder
12. Salt according to taste
13. 2 finely chopped tomatoes (or 1/2 cup of crushed tomato)
14. 1 tbsp dried methi (fenugreek) powder and 1 tbsp cilantro for garnish
15. 1 tbsp butter to be added at the end

Method:

1. Take the overnight soaked rajmah and boil in pressure cooker (with 4 cups of waster) till rajamah is little soft but not mushy. Keep it aside, do not throw the water. It will be used for curry.
2. Heat oil and add all 7 ingredients in dry masala for flavor, cook for 1 minute.
3. Add onions, saute till medium brown.
4. Add garlic, ginger and green chillies. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Now add crushed tomatoes and keep cooking till oil start separating from onions. Cook it at medium heat.
6. Add turmeric, red chillies powder, coriander and cumin powder, garam masala and salt.  Add 1 tbsp of water from boiled rajmah.  Make sure that all the onions and tomatoes are blended in a paste with spices.
7. Now add boiled rajmah and remaining water (almost 3 cups) to it.
8. Cover it and cook it for at least 20 minutes till all the ingredients are blended in the curry.
9. Now garnish by adding butter for richness of taste and methi (fenugreek) powder for flavor.
10. Serve it with hot roti (Indian bread) and/or plain white rice.

Aaloo Dhaiwale (Potato in Yougurt)

Yogurt Curry Potato

Ingredients for 8-10 persons:

1. 5 tbsp cooking oil
2. 600 gms boiled potatoes (peeled and chooped in medium cubes)
3. 1 medium sized cooking onions
4. 2 spring onions
5. 4 green chillies (chopped)
6. 4 cloves garlic
7. 1 piece ginger (minced)
8. 1 tsp cumin seeds
9. 1 tsp garam masala powder
10. a pinch of asafoetida (heeng)
11. 16-20 curry leaves
12. 1 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
13. 1 tsp coriander (dhania powder)
14. 3 cup whipped curd (plain)
15. 2 tsp red chilli powder
16. Salt according to taste
17. 1/2 tsp sweet fennel seeds (sauf)
18. a pinch of Ratanjot Powder (for food colouring)
19. methi for garnish (fenugreek)

Method:

1. Take  3 cups of curd, red chilli powder, garam masala, salt, turmeric powder, coriander powder,  and whisk it vigorously and keep aside.
2. Heat oil,saute asafoetida (heeng), cumin seeds, curry leaves and fennel seeds. Add green chillies, ginger, garlic, spring onions, and cooking onions for about 5 minutes or till onions turns golden brown. Then add a pinch of Ratanjot Powder.
3. Now pour curd mixture in the pan and stir till boiled.
4. Add potatoes into the mixture and let simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and garnish with dried methi (fenugreek leaves).
6. Serve hot with roti.

Note – Ratan Jot (Alkanet Root) is herb grown in Kashmir region. The root is finely ground to a powder and used as a natural rich red food color in India.

Rajasthani Boondi Sabji

Rajasthani Boondi Sabji

Ingredients for 4 persons:

1. 2 tbsp cooking oil
2. 1 cup boondi (chick pea puffs)
3. 1 medium sized cooking onions
4. 2 spring onions
5. 2 green chillies
6. 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
7. 1/2 tsp garam masala powder
8. a pinch of asafoetida (heeng)
9. 1/2 tsp trumeric powder
10. 1 tsp coriander (dhania powder)
11. 1 cup curd (plain)
12. 1 tsp red chillie powder
13. Salt according to taste
14. 1/2 tbsp gram flour (besan)
15. few leaves of fresh green coriander chopped for garnish
16. 2 1/2 cups water

Method:

1. Take  2 1/2 cups of water, red chillie powder, garam masala, salt, turmeric powder, coriander powder, besan, curd and whisk it vigorously and keep aside.
2. Heat oil, add asafoetida (heeng), cumin seeds, green chillies and spring onions, and cooking onions for about 5 minutes or till onions turns golden brown.
3. Now pour curd mixture in the pan and stir till boiled.
4. Add boondi (chick pea puffs) and cook for 4-6 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
6. Serve hot with roti.

Arbi-Karela (Eddos & Bitter Melon)

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Ingredients for 3 -4 persons: 2 tbsp cooking oil Arbi (or Eddos) – 1 pound Indian Karela (Bitter Melon) – 1 pound 2 medium sized cooking onions 2 spring oninons 3 cloves of garlic 1″ ginger 3 green chillies 1 tsp … Continue reading →