Natal Fruit indian relish (Karonde ki chutney)

Natal Fruits is referred as Karonda in India and is grown in gardens and orchards as hedge plants.

Its  botanical name is Carrisa carandas. This ivory colored fruit has a plunge of pink or red color on it and tastes sour. This particular fruit is useful to cure anemia and is used to remove Worms from the intestinal tract.

People of India make use of karonda to prepare jams , jellies and chutneys.Here is an an home made recipe of Karonda chutney which is a blend of sweet as well as sour flavor.

INGREDIENTS:
Karonda-250 grams                                            Preparation Time:20 minutes
Sugar- 1/2 cup                                                     Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Salt- 1/2 tsp
Red Chilli Powder- 1/2 tsp
Cumin Seeds(  jeera) - 2tbsp
Mustard oil- 1 tbsp
Water- 1 cup
Bengali Five Spice ( Panch Phoran)- 1/2 tsp
Note: Panch Phoran consists of fenugreek seed, nigella seed, cumin seed, black mustard seed and fennel seed in equal parts.
For Cumin seeds: Put a pan on the flames and add the cumin seeds.Heat it on low flame stirring continuously until you get a aromatic smell. Do not over heat as it may burn the cumin seeds.Grind this cumin seeds to fine powder. 

Method:

1. Cut the karonda's into half  and remove the seeds with the tip of the knife.
   
2. Wash the karonda's properly.
3. Take a heavy bottomed pan and heat mustard oil in it.
4. When the oil is hot turn off the flame and add the Bengali five spice to it.
5. Now turn on the flame add add the karondas and mix it properly.
6. Add water along with the salt and sugar in it and cover it with a lid.
7. Let it cook for 10 minutes on medium flame.
8. Add red chilli powder and cumin seeds powder to it along with some water and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. 
9. Let it cool down and crush it with a blender.
10. Put it in a refrigerator and serve chilled.

Chicken Roll

Rolls originated on the streets of Kolkata and is finding its way to different locations in different parts of India. A really easy and quick dish to prepare and the best part is that everybody finds it to be yummy. Easy to get ingredients and hassle free preparation along with its spicy and vibrant taste makes it a real try to incorporate in your recipe book.

INGREDIENTS:

For the wrap:

Flour- 2 cup

Refined oil- 1 tbsp

Salt- 1 tsp

For the filling:

Boneless chicken-250 grams

Onion paste-1 cup

Garlic paste-2 tbsp

Ginger paste-1 tbsp

Red chili powder- 1 tsp

Coriander powder-2 tsp

Vegetable oil- ½ cup

Salt- according to taste

For extra fill-ins

Sliced Onions- 1and ½ nos

Capsicum -1 nos

To serve:

Tomato Sauce

Chili Sauce (optional)

Mustard sauce (optional)

METHOD:

For the filling:

1.       Heat a kadai and add oil to it. When the oil is hot add the onion paste followed by the garlic paste and ginger paste and heat the mixture on high flame till water is reduced.

2.      Turn the burner on medium flame and heat till the onion paste turns brownish.

3.    Add the boneless chicken pieces along with the spices and salt and sauté the mixture on reduced flame for 10 t0 15 minutes till the color turns dark brown.

4.     Add a little water to it and cover the kadai with a lid and let it cook on low flame for further 5 to7    minutes.

5.    Remove the lid and see if the chicken is cooked up or not. If nor repeat the process for another 2 minutes.

6.       Open up the lid to see the water content. If it is too watery reduce the water on high flame.

Extra fill-ins:

1.       Saute sliced onions and capsicums with some oil in a fry pan to be used as extra add on to be filled in the wraps

For the wrap:

1.       Take flour in a vessel and add refined oil and salt to it.

2.       Mix well and add water and knead it to soft dough.

3.       Divide it into equal proportions to make round balls enough to make a chapatti.

4.       Now Take a round ball and with the help of a rolling pin spread it in circular dimensions.

5.       Heat a tawa and spread it over it. When brownish bubbles start to appear on this side, flip the chappati and let it turn brown on the other side also.

6.       Now add some oil on both sides and fry it.

How to Serve:

1.       Place a hot fried paratha or wrap on a plate.

2.       Now place some filling on one side of this wrap in a straight line.

3.       Add fried onion and capsicums followed by adding tomato sauce, chili sauce or mustard sauce.

4.       Roll over the wrap from one side to another covering the filling.

5.       Take a paper napkin or foil paper and roll it over half of the wrap and serve it.

Dahi Vada

We all must have ate this in most of the marriage parties and get together or during any festival season. One of the most popular dishes among various parts of India. Dahi vada is chat prepared from Urad dal which is served along with yogurt and sweet chutneys.Generally the chutney is prepared from tamarind but I prefer the chutney made from the dry wedges of raw mango.

 

INGREDIENTS:

For the vada:                                                              Preparation Time:20 min
Ovenight Soaked in White Urad dal                          Serves:4
( Urad Dhuli)- 1cup

Salt
Oil for frying
Buttermilk- for dipping the Vada

For the Chutney:
Dry wedges of raw mango-8 to 10 nos

Jaggery- 75grams

Sugar- 8 tbsp

Black Salt-1/2 tsp

White Salt-1 tsp

Roasted Cumin seeds- 1 tbsp

Red Chilli Powder-1 tsp

For serving:
Yogurt(Dahi)- 400 grams
Red Chilli Powder
Black salt
White Salt

METHOD:

 For the Vada:

1. Grind the overnight soaked white urad dal with a little amount of water.
2. The batter of dahi vada should have a fine texture and do not have any coarse granules in between.
3. Add salt to this batter.
4. Now stir the batter with your hands.Stirring and sifting will make the batter lighter and make the vada soft.
5. Pour oil in a kadhai and heat it.
6. Take enough batter in your hands to make a round ball and put the batter in the oil for frying. Make sure to put little water in your hands so that when you put these vada in kadai for frying, they do not stick to the kadhai.
7. Turn the balls upside down and fry them till they are golden brown and crispy. 
8. Put them in buttermilk and let them soak in it for half and hour.

For the Chutney:

1. Wash the dry wedges of raw mango and pressure cook them with 2 cups of water, jaggery, sugar, red chilli powder, salt for 5 minutes.
2. Turn off the flame and let the whole mixture cool down. Blend the very mixture and add crushed in roasted cumin seeds.
3. Now take a pan and put all this mixture in it and boil it on low flame till it is reduced to half and have a required consistency.

Yogurt:

1. Blend the yogurt well that it is smooth without any lumps in it.Keep it in the refrigerator.

Tip:  If the yogurt is a bit sour add a lilltle milk to it to reduce the sour taste.

How to serve:

1. Arrange the vadas on a plate and pour enough yogurt to cover the vadas.
2. Pour in the sweet chutney on it and sprinle the red chilli powder, white and black salt.
3. Taste best when served chilled.

Missi Roti

Missi roti is a Indian flat bread prepared by mixing two or more kinds of flour along with spices and other ingredients. Originally this recipe belongs to Rajasthan and ate in a traditional way with raw onions, green chillies, and garlic chutney.However this flat bread can be served along with any of the pulses (dals) and other vegetable curries as well.

INGREDIENTS:
Wheat Flour- 1 cup
Gram flour (chane ka aata) -1 cup
Chopped onions-1 big sized
Chopped green chillies- 2 nos
Chopped coriander leaves- 2 tbsp
Asafoetida - 1 pinch
Carom seeds-1/2 tspKasoori methi- 1 tbsp
Salt
Mustard oil

Method:

1. Sieve the wheat flour and gram flour and add salt to it.
2. Further chopped onions,green chillies , coriander leaves and the spices are added to this flour mix and mixed well.
3. Now pour in water and knead the flour mixture. The kneaded mix should be stiffer than the normal wheat roti aata as the onion addeed contains a lot of water which will be released and further make the aata mix a bit meshy to handle.
4. Now take enough aata and make a round ball and flatten it with a rolling pin.
5. Put the flattened bread on a hot tawa plate and fry it with the help of mustard oil.
6. You can use any other oil , ghee or butter also, but the traditional taste of these Rajasthani missi roti is highlighted with the use of mustard oil.
7. Serve hot with garlic chutny, butter, raw onion and green chillies.

Colocasia with onion and garlic gravy (Arbi Ki curry)

 Colocasia is basically an ornamental plant whose corms are edible and used to prepare different food preparations.Colocasia is also known as Arbi . Colocasia is also popular in different parts of India with different names such as Elephant ear, Cocoyam or Chembu.

This particular recipie is a blend of India spices and colocasia cooked together in mustard oil.

INGREDIENTS:

Colocasia( Arbi)- 1/2 kg                              Preparation Time: 30 min

Onion paste - 2 medium sized                      Serves:4

Garlic paste- 1 whole

Turmeric powder- 1 and 1/2 tsp

Coriander Powder- 2 tsp

Red Chilli Powder- 2 tsp

Garam Masala-1 tsp

Mustard oil.- 4 to 5 tbsp

METHOD:

1. Peel the skin of the colocasia and wash them properly.
2. Now cut the colocasia into 1" inch size.
3. In  a  pressure pan, take the mustard oil and heat it till smoke is visible from the oil.
4. Now add the onion and garlic paste and saute on medium flame till the onion colour turns brown.
5. Add the requisite amount of the spices except the garam masala and heat the mixture on medium flame for 10 to 15 minutes stirring it continuously with a laddle till the mixture turns crispy brown and oil begins to separate from this very mixture.
6. Now put the colocasia pieces in this mixture and mix it properly so that the mixture gets on to the colocasia pieces and heat it on low flame for 5 minutes or so. 
7. Pour in the water followed by addition of salt and garam masala.Cover the pressure pan and wait till you get a whistle on high flame. Reduce the flame at once and let it cook for 5 minutes.
8. Your colocasia dipped with onion and garlic gravy is ready.

Gramflour pancake(Besan Ka Chilla)

 Gram- flour is a very good source of proteins. Along with a high protein content, the carbohydrates proportion is also very high.Combining the protein and carbohydrates value makes gram flour an excellent nutritional supplement.

INGREDIENTS:
Gram flour( Besan)- 2 cup
Salt- 1 tsp
Water
Chopped Onions- 1/2 medium sized
Chopped Green Chillies - 2 nos
Freshly Chopped Coriander leaves-2 tbsp
Oil

Method:

1. Take the gram flour in a bowl and add the salt to it.
2. Now pour in enough water to get a smooth batter with no lumps in it. The batter should not be too watery nor too thick. The consistency should be such that it is easy to pour with a laddle on the hot plate and doesnot stick very fast to the plate just like the dosa batter.
3. Now add the chopped onions, green chillies, coriander leaves to this mixture.
4. Heat a cooking plate and pour around 1 tsp of oil on the cooking plate. Let it get hot and then reduce the flame and add around 2 laddles of the batter on the cooking plate.
5. Spread this batter evenly on the hot cooking plate with the help of the laddle in a circular fashion.
6. Let it cook on the plate for 2 to 3 minutes till the side facing the cooking plate turns brownish.Now add some oil around the corners of this pancake and with the help of  a spatula gently release the pancake from the cooking plate. Be gentle so you do not break the pancake.
7. Flip this pancake and repeat this procedure on the other side also.
8. The crispy  gram flour pancakes can be served hot along with spicy green coriander chutney.

Chole Bhature

Chole bhatura is basically a punjabi dish and has lots of spices and oil involved in the preparation.An exotic preparation of crispy bhaturas are served along with chole.

Though this dish is very popular in India and is easily available in any of the Indian restaurants and even along with street vendors,you can easily make these puffed bhaturas and chick pea curry at home and serve it hot  to your guests.

INGREDIENTS:

For Chole:

Overnight Soaked White chick pea (Kabuli chana)-2 cup

Chopped onions-1 medium sized

Chopped Tomatoes- 1 nos

Garam Masala Powder- 2 tsp

Water

For the chutney:

Dried mango powder( Amchur) -2 tsp

Water- 1 and 1/2 cup

Red Chilli powder-1/2 tsp

Jaggery(Gur)- 20 g

Sugar- 2 tbsp

Salt - 1/2 tsp

For the bhature: 

White Flour-2 cup

Yogurt- 1 cup

Sugar- 1tbsp

 Salt- 1tsp

Baking powder- 1 and 1/2 tsp

Oil for deep frying

 

Garnishing:

Chopped onions

Green Chillies

Ginger julians

 

 
Method:

For the chole:

1. Pressure cook the White chick pea with enough 1 and a 1/2 litres of water .Keep on high flame till you hear the first whistle. Reduce to low flame and let the chana cook for 45 minutes.
2. Turn off the burner and let the steam evade at normal pace.
3. Now take some oil in a pan and add the chopped onions.Saute it till the onions turn brown.Now add in the tomatoes and heat it on medium flame till the tomatoes get soft .
4. Add this saute mix of onion and tomato to the white chick peas in the pressure pan and mix well followed by adding the garam masala powder.
5.  Now pressure cook these chick peas again. If water is insufficient then add water otherwise cook it as it is on highy flame till you get a whistle. 

For the chutney:

1. Take water in a pan and add the dry mango powder and mix well so that no lumps are formed.
2. Now add the jaggery and heat it  so that the jaggery gets melt into this water mixture.
3. Now add the sugar, red chilli powder, and white salt and let this chutnet cook on low flame till the conistency of a smooth chutney is achieved.

For the bhature:

1. Add the sugar and salt to the yogurt and mix well.
2. Now mix the baking powder to the white flour and add the above yogurt.
3. Knead this dough very well till it is smooth.
4. Now add the oil and knead it further.
5. Cover  this prepared dough with a wet muslin cloth and let it ferment for 3 to 4 hours.
6. Divide the dough into  equal parts and roll out into circles of 125 mm. (5") diameter. 
7. Stretch the bhaturas from the sides.
8. Deep fry in hot oil till the bhaturas puff up and both sides are golden brown.
9. Serve hot with the chole garnished with chutney, chopped onion, green chillies and ginger.

Healthy Snacking with Dry Black Chick Peas

HEALTHY SNACKING WITH DRY CHICK PEAS

Dry black chick peas is an excellent source of proteins as well as easy to make. So why not engulf yourself in healthy snacking rather than consuming any junk food. A very simple and convenient dish to make at home

INGREDIENTS:

Black chick peas(kala chana)- 2 cups                 Preparation Time:12 hours 10 min

Vegetable oil-1 tbsp                                             Serves: 4

Salt- according to taste

Coriander powder- 1 tsp

Dried mango powder- 3/4 tsp

METHOD:

1. Wash the black chick pea and soak them overnight.
2. Pressure cook the black chick peas along with salt and 1/2 a cup of water. As soon as you get a whistle, reduce the flame to low and pressure cook for 1/2 an hour.
3. Turn off the flame and let the pressure evacuate at its own pace.
4. Take the vegetable oil in a large pan and heat it.
5. When the oil is hot remove the pan from fire and add the coriander powder and dried mango powder.
6. Mix well and add the black chick peas.
7. Saute it for 2 to 3 minutes and your dried black chick peas are ready.
8. Enjoy this healthy snacking.

 

Garlic and Bengal Gram Stuffed Parathas

GARLIC AND BENGAL GRAM STUFFED PARATHAS

This particular paratha was taught to me by my sweet MIL(mother-in-law).She actually possess one of the best culinary skills I have ever seen. Cooks mouth watering dishes and this particular savory is one of those which is made best by far and tastes best when served hot with butter, yogurt and green coriander chutney.

INGREDIENTS:

For the dough:

Whole wheat flour-1 and 1/2  cup

Oil-1 tsp

Salt to taste

For the stuffing:

Bengal gram- 2 cups

Garlic- 2 whole

Diced Onion-2 big whole

Chopped Green chilies- 5 or 6 nos

Water

Procedure:

1.      Soak the Bengal gram in water for around an hour or more.

2.      In the mean time, take the whole wheat flour in a vessel. Add the required amount of oil and salt and knead the flour well to make a dough.

3.      Cover the dough with a wet muslin cloth and keep aside.

4.      Now start with preparing the filling. Pressure cook the Bengal gram and garlic with a cup of water on high flame. When you hear the first whistle, turn on to the medium flame to get 2 more whistles.

5.      Turn off the pressure cooker and let it cool. The content should be dry and not watery. If there is water left in there, then parch the mixture well.

6.      Mash coarsely the Bengal gram and garlic mixture followed by adding the chopped onions, green chilies and garam masala.

7.      Now  take a small portion of the wheat dough prepared and make a ball out of it and flatten it.

8.      Pour some dry wheat flour on the flattened dough and with the help of a rolling pin spread this dough a little. Now make a small ball of the filling prepared and put in the center of the flattened  dough.
9. Cover this filling with the help of wheat dough aon all sides to make a potli.
10. Now with the help of a rolling pin, spread this potli in circular motion to make a round paratha. Make use of dry wheat flour so that the paratha do not stick to the rolling board.
11. Heat  tawa on a medium flame and put the rolled out paratha over it.
12. Flip  the parathas when you begin to see raised brown bumps on its upper surface. Make use of a  spatula to turn it on to its other side.
13. Apply oil generously all over the upper surface and flip the paratha again.Repeat the oiling step for this side also.
14.Press down all over the surface of the Paratha gently and in circular motions using the spatula. Flip if needed and repeat on the other side till you have the desired crispness.

Shahi paneer

SHAHI PANEER

A richly prepared mouthwatering cottage cheese dish which can make u lick your fingers right away.It's gravy is a blend of cream along with tomatoes and other spices to add texture as well as taste to this Indian cuisine.

Shahi Paneer word itself is composed of two words: Shahi+ Paneer

While Shahi is an Indo- Persian term used for depicting the Royal, paneer is the Indian word for cottage cheese

INGREDIENTS:

Cottage cheese- 200grams                              Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Onion- 1 medium sized                                    Serves:4

Tomato puree-400 grams   

Ginger Paste- 1 tbsp

Garlic paste- 1 tbsp

Cream-100grams

Almond paste-4 tbsp

Cloves- 4 nos

Cardamom- 4 nos

Cinnamon - 1 big stick

Peppercorns-4nos

Bay leaves-2 nos
Kasuri methi- a little

Vegetable oil- 2 tbsp
Water-1/2 litre

Preliminary preparations

• Peel the onion and slice it followed by boiling the onion along with a cup of water.Strain the water and grind the onions to make a paste.
• Soak the almonds around 20 nos in a little bit of hot water and peel the almond skin.Now grind this almonds along with some milk to make a fine paste.
• For tomato puree either you can use ready made tomato puree or pressure cook about a kg of tomatoes with some water. Strain the water and peel the tomatoes and remove the seeds and pulp. Make the tomato puree by blending these tomatoes.

Method:

1.  Take the oil in a heavy bottomed pan and heat it until it is very hot.
2. Add the bay leaves along with the cloves,cardamom,peppercorns,and cinnamon stick and let it sputter.
3. Now add the onion paste and saute it for 4 to 5 minute on medium flame.Make sure that the onion paste does not turn brown.
4. Add the ginger and garlic paste to the mixture and again saute for 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Now mix in the almond paste and heat the gravy on medium flame while stirring it continuously.
6. Next step is to add the tomato puree in this and heating it continuously till the tomato puree is out of water and appears thick rather than watery.
7. Now add the fresh cream followed by water.Sprinkle dried and crushed kasuri methi  and  boil the whole mixture.
8. Slice the cottage cheese into small cubes and add it to the gravy and cover it and let it cook on low flame for 4 to 5 minutes. 

Nutritional Facts

Calories	510
Total Fat	25g
Saturated Fat	10g
Polyunsaturated Fat	0g
Monounsaturated Fat	0g
Cholesterol	30mg
Sodium	500mg
Potassium	0.0mg
Total Carbohydrates	52g
Dietary Fibers	4g
Sugars	16g
Protein	20g

Vitamin A	15%
VitaminB-12	0%
VitaminB-6	0%
Vitamin C	25%
Vitamin D	0%
Vitamin E	0%
Calcium	25%
Copper	0%
Folate	0%
Iron	15%
Magnesium	0%
Manganese	0%
Niacin	0%
Pantothenic Acid	0%
Phosphorus	0%
Riboflavin	0%
Selenium	0%
Thaimine	0%