ALOO SHIMLA MIRCH

A small twist to the dish, not just by adding another color but also by adding a zing to its making.  Watch out for the twist.

Ingredients

for 2-3 persons

• Green bell peppers diced 1 cup
• Red bell pepper diced 1 cup
• Mustard oil as required.
• Carom seeds ½ tsp
• Potato diced 1 cup
• Salt to taste
• Ginger chopped 1 tbps
• Turmeric powder 1 tsp
• Red chilli powder 1 tsp
• Cumin powder 1 tsp
• Garam Masala 1 tsp
• Coriander seeds coarsely ground 1 tsp

Method

• Heat mustard oil in pan and add carom seeds. Saute for few seconds.
• Add diced potatoes. Cook for 4-5 minutes and keep stirring.
• Add green and red diced peppers.
• Mix and cook for another 4-5 minutes.
• Add salt. Mix well.
• Add chopped ginger. Saute well
• Cover and cook on low heat for 5-6 minutes.
• Add powdered spices into yogurt except coriander powder. Whisk the yogurt mix and add to pan and mix welll.
• Coat vegetables with masala well, cover and let cook 4-5 minutes on low heat.
• Lastly add coarsely ground coriander seeds.
• Aloo Shimla Mirch is ready.
• Serve hot with Roti/Chapati.

ALOO KASOORI METHI

Ingredients

                                                            for 2-3 persons

• Baby potatoes 10-12.
• Kasoori Methi dry 1 cup.
• Carom seeds 1 tsp
• Red chilli powder 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder 1 tsp
• Garam masala 1 tsp
• Coriander powder 1 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Mustard oil as required.
• Ginger chopped 1 tbsp

Method

• Wash methi throughly 2-3 times and drain
• Cut potatoes in half.
• Heat mustard oil till smoking point.
• Add carom seeds
• Add potatoes.
• Saute and cover for 10 minutes on low heat.
• Add chopped ginger and mix. Saute for few seconds.
• Add powdered spices and salt. Mix well. Cook for another 4-5 minutes.
• Add methi and mix well.
• Cover and cook for 7-8 minutes. Cook till potatoes are soft.
• Add coriander powder and garam masala. Mix well.
• Aloo Kasoori Methi is ready.
• Serve hot with roti or paratha.

VRAT KE KEBAB

VRAT KE KEBAB                                   

A delicious and healthy food for fasting. Fasting is the time when we restrict from frequent meals, so these kebabs are feeling as well as nutritious. Also make mint chutney for these kebabs, all with the special ingredients used in Hindu fasting for Navratri, Ekadashi, Poornima and other Vrat.

Ingredients                                                                                        for 3-4 persons

• Sweet potatoes 4-5
• Potatoes 1-2
• Kuttu or Singhada flour 1/2 cup
• Red chilli powder 1tsp
• Garam masala 1 tsp
• Ginger powder 1tsp
• Black pepper powder half tsp
• Dry Mango powder half tsp
• Coriander powder 1tbsp
• Pomegranate powder 1 tsp
• Dry mint 1 tsp
• Carom seeds half tsp
• Rock salt to taste
• Oil as required

Method

• Boil and peel sweet potatoes and potatoes. 
• Mash them well.
• Heat oil in a pan and roast kuttu/singhada flour
• Roast till aromatic and golden brown.
• Add roasted flour to mashed potato mixture.
• Add all spices and 1 tbsp oil to it and mix well.
• Shape the kebabs on sticks.
• Make the kebabs flat and thin.
• Roast well on both sides on pan or tawa on medium low heat.
• Serve hot with Chutney.
  

DHABA STYLE TADKA DAAL

Ingredients                                                                                for 3-4 persons

• Chana daal 1 cup
• Urad daal 1/4 cup
• Onion 2 big size
• Ginger 1/2 inch piece
• Garlic 3-4 cloves
• Tomato 1 chopped
• Red chilli powder 1 tsp
• Garam Masala 1 tsp
• Clove powder 1/4 tsp
• Cumin powder 1/2 tsp
• Corriander powder 1 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp

Method

• Mix chana daal and urad daal, wash and woak for 30 minutes.
• Finely chop ginger garlic and onion.
• Put daal and 5 cups water in cooker.
• Add turmeric powder, some red chilli powder, ginger, garlic, salt and ghee/oil. Mix and close the lid. Cook on medium heat for 3 whistles.
• Check the daal when cooked.
• Heat oil in pan. Add cumin seeds. After they change color, add chopped onion and saute till transparent then add ginger-garlic. Saute for 2-3 minutes.
• Add chopped tomatoes and dry spices and salt to taste and mix well. Cook till oil separates. 
• Add daal to tadka. Mix well and let simmer for 4-5 minutes.

Baghaar

• Heat ghee in a small pan.
• Add fried whole chilli and red chilli powder and garnish daal with this additional tadka.
• Dhaba style Tadka Daal is ready.
• Serve hot with roti, naan/paratha or rice.

MATAR VADI PULAAV

Ingredients

for 3-4 persons

• Onion 2 large
• Garlic 2-3 
• Ginger 1" piece
• Amritsari vadi 60-70 gms
• Basmati Rice 2 cups
• Green peas 1 cup
• Tomato 1 chopped
• Red Chilli powder 1 tsp
• Garam Masala 1 tsp
• Corriander powder 1 tbsp
• Cloves 4-5
• Black cardamom 1
• Cumin seed 1 tsp
• Cinamon 1 stick
• Bay leaves 2
• Black pepper 5-6
• Green Cardamom 2

Method

• Wash and soak rice for 20-25 minutes. Finely crush ginger-garlic.
• Thinly slice onions
• Heat oil in pan and shallow fry vadi on low heat. Take out the vadi and soak in water.
• Heat oil in large pan and saute whole spices till fragrant.
• Add sliced onion and saute
• When onion turn soft, add crushed ginger-garlic.
• Add tomatoes and cook well.
• Add dry spices and salt to taste and mix well.
• Add 1/4 cup water.
• Add green peas and mix well. Cook for 7-8 minutes then add soaked vadi and rice.
• Add cups water. When water starts to boil cover and simmer on low heat for 15-20 minutes.

Matar Vadi Pulaav is ready. Serve hot with chutney or with your favourite raita.