Karela Kadhi

by Tarla Dalal

Another karela delicacy - an innovative calcium rich kadhi! Keep in mind however that the karelas must be well cooked before adding the curds and spices to remove most of its bitterness. Enjoy it unusual flavours.Ingredients1/4 cup finely chopped bitter gourd (karela)1 cup low-fat curds (dahi)2 tbsp besan (bengal gram flour)1 tsp oil1/2 cup finely chopped onions1 tsp ginger-green chilli pastesalt to taste

For The Garnish2 tbsp finely chopped coriander (dhania)Method 1. In a deep bowl, combine the curds, besan and 1 cups of water, mix well and whisk till smooth and no lumps remain.2. Heat the oil in a deep non-stick pan, add the onions and saut on a medium flame for 1 to 2 minutes.3. Add the bitter gourd and salt and cook on a medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes or till they are soft.4. Add the ginger-green chilli paste and the besan-curd-water mixture, mix well and bring to a boil, while once in between.5. Add the little salt and cook for 1 minute.6. Serve hot garnished with the chopped coriander.Paneer biryaniShilpa March 11, 2009 Rice items 36 Comments 6

We had great weather over the weekend and I thought we are done with winter. But as they say, mid west weather is extremely unpredictable. This week again, we have very cold weather :(.When I came home yesterday, I wanted something spicy to eat. I was missing home so much. So I thought of making something special for us. It took a while to prepare this, but was totally worth the effort. The biryani was just out of this world.This biryani is based on my two favorite biryani recipes Shns Egg biryani and my Belgaum style biryani. The spicy paneer pieces take this one to a whole new level.Ingredients:1 and 1/2 cups basmati rice1/4 cup fresh/frozen peas1 cup paneer cubes1/4 cup green beans1 tea spn chilli powderA pinch turmeric powder3-4 strands coriander leavesGhee/Oil1/2 cup yogurt1 big + 1 small cardamom1 bay leaf3 green chillies1 tea spn ginger1 tea spn garlicFew strands saffronSaltSpice powder(grind into powder):1 tea spn coriander seeds1 tea spn cumin seeds5 cloves1 cinnamon1 tea spn poppy seeds5-6 peppercornsMethod:Add chilli powder, turmeric, 1/2 tea spn spice powder, 2 tbl spn yogurt, salt to paneer pieces and keep aside for 2 hrs.

Heat ghee/oil and add cardamom (big and small), bay leaf, washed rice, salt. Fry for 3-4 minutes. Take the rice on a clean plate.

Grind green chillies, garlic, ginger into a paste.Add little more oil/ghee, add paneer pieces till they turn brownish. Take them out.

In the same pan, add vegetables, ginger-garlic-chilli paste and fry till the raw smell goes off. Add yogurt, little salt and fry for few minutes.

Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves and few pinches of spice powder.

Spread half the amount of rice.

Spread few pinches of spice powder on top and then cover with remaining rice.

On top, spread few strands of saffron.

Now pour 2 cups water, cover and cook till all water is absorbed.

Preheat the oven at 300F for 10mins.Apply some oil to a baking dish. Now add 1/2 the amount of cooked rice mixture.

Spread the fried paneer and spread remaining rice on top.

Add about 1/2 cup water. Bake in oven at 300F for about 30mins. Cover with aluminum foil.Serve hot.Serves : 3-4Preparation time :60minsKarela-capsicumIngredients2 cups bitter gourd (karela) strips , cut approx. 21 cup coloured capsicum strips (green and yellow)2 tbsp oil1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)a pinch of asafoetida (hing)1 cup sliced onions1/2 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)1 1/2 tsp chilli powder2 tsp coriander-cumin seeds (dhania-jeera) powder1 tbsp sugarsalt to tasteMethod 1. Combine the karela strips and salt in a deep bowl, mix well and keep aside for 10 minutes.2. Squeeze out the excess water from the karela and keep aside.3. Heat the oil in a broad non-stick pan, add the cumin seeds and asafoetida.4. When the seeds crackle, add the karela strips and onions and saut on a medium flame for 2 minutes.5. Add the turmeric powder, mix well and cover and cook on a medium flame for 6 to 8 minutes, while stirring occasionally.6. Add the capsicum and salt, mix well and cover and cook on a medium flame for 5 minutes, while stirring occasionally.7. Add the chilli powder, coriander-cumin seeds powder and sugar, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 2 minutes, while stirring occasionally.8. Serve immediately.Egg curryIngredients:4-5 boiled eggs1/2 cup fresh/frozen coconut3-4 cloves1 cinnamon1 tea spn fennel seeds(badishepi)1/4 piece nutmeg1/2 tea spn caraway seeds (shah jeera)4-5 pepper1 tea spn chopped garlic1/2 cup chopped onion4-5 red chilies1/4 chopped tomatoesOilSaltMethod:Heat oil and fry cloves, cinnamon, fennel seeds, nutmeg, caraway seeds, pepper, red chilies till nice aroma comes out. Add garlic, 1/4 cup onions and fry till onions turn slightly brownish. Now add coconut and fry for 2-3mins. Grind these together to a smooth paste.Heat little oil and fry remaining onions till they turn brownish. Add the tomatoes and fry for 2-3 mins. Pour the coconut paste, salt, little water to bring it to thick gravy consistency and cook till the paste starts boiling.Remove the shells off the boiled eggs and cut into half. Slowly slide these pieces into the gravy and cook for another 2mins.Serve hot with chapathis.Serves : 3-4Preparation time : 20minsarbi curry or arbi masala

main ingredients: 10-12 arbi or colocasia roots tsp carom seeds/ajwain tsp turmeric powder tsp red chili powder tsp garam masala powder 2 tbsp oil 2 cups water salt as required some mint & coriander for garnishingfor making the paste: 3 medium size tomatoes 1 green chili inch ginger 1 tsp cuminInstructions1. wash the arbi well.2. pressure cook the arbi till cooked.3. drain and let the arbi cool.4. when warm or cool, peel the skin and slice the arbi in to 2 or 4 pieces vertically.5. grind all the ingredients mentioned for making the paste to a smooth paste.6. heat oil.7. add the carom seeds and fry them.8. then add the tomato paste.9. stir and add all the spice powders one by one.10. fry the tomato paste till the oil separates.11. this will take about 6-7 minutes.12. then add water, rock salt and the boiled arbi pieces,13. simmer for some 6-7 minutes till the gravy becomes smooth and thickens a little bit.14. garnish with mint or coriander leaves and serve arbi curry hot.

Bhatura (Bhature) Recipe: How to make Bhatura

Save Print Prep time8 hours 15 mins Cook time45 mins Total time9 hours Bhaturas are thick leavened fried Indian bread often eating with chole/channaAuthor: DassanaRecipe type: Leavened Fried BreadCuisine: North IndianServes: 8-9Ingredients (american measuring cup used, 1 cup = 250 ml)main ingredients: 21/2 cups atta or whole wheat flour 1 tsp salt or as required 1 tbsp oil or ghee or butter or cup warm water vegetable oil for deep fryingfor overnight fermentation: cup (150 ml) plain curd/yoghurt or cashew curd tbsp sugar or brown sugar tsp baking powder cup all purpose flour/maida cup water (optional)Instructions1. You will have to start the night before.2. In a bowl take the yoghurt, sugar, baking powder and all purpose flour.3. Mix well all the above 4 ingredients mentioned for overnight fermentation.4. If the yogurt has whey in it, then don't need to add the cup water mentioned above.5. If the yogurt is thick, then to thin the batter, add cup water.6. Cover the bowl with a cloth and set it aside in a warm place overnight or for 8 hours to allow natural fermentation to take place.7. The next day you will see tiny bubbles on the surface of the mixture. The mixture is ready for the next step when tiny bubbles appear on the surface.8. In another bowl, mix together the wheat flour with salt and rub the ghee or butter into it with your fingertips. Into this bowl, add the fermenting mixture and the warm water. Form a dough with these two mixtures.9. Knead the dough for 5 to 10 minutes or until it is silky smooth. Add a little flour if it is too wet. Gather the dough into a compact ball and cover it with a damp cloth. Again set it aside in a warm place for 2 hrs.10. This is how the dough appears after 2 hours.11. Knead the dough again.12. Form it in to 15 balls and roll them into 5-6 inch discs. Heat oil or ghee and deep fry the bhaturas in the same way as you would fry pooris. Serve the bhaturas hot with chole and wedges of lemon and sliced onions.

RAJMA RECIPE 1 cup rajma or kidney beans (any variety) 1 large onion or pyaaz 2 medium to large tomatoes or tamatar 3-4 garlic + 1 inch ginger + 1 green chili - crushed to a paste in a mortar-pestle 1 tsp coriander powder or dhania powder to tsp red chili powder or lal mirch powder tsp turmeric powder or haldi powder a pinch of asafoetida or hing (optional) tsp to tsp garam masala powder tsp cumin seeds or jeera 1 tsp kasuri methi or dry fenugreek leaves, crushed 2 tbsp butter + 1 tbsp oil or 3 tbsp butter 2 to 3 tbsp cream 4 cups water for pressure cooking 1.5 to 2 cups of rajma stock (the water which is used to cook the rajma) or plain water for the gravy or curry salt as requiredInstructions1. rinse and soak the rajma or kidney beans in enough water overnight or for 8-9 hours.2. next day, discard the water and rinse the beans again in fresh water.3. in a pressure cooker, take both the rajma and 4 cups water.4. pressure cook on a medium to high flame for 15-20 minutes.5. when the rajma is cooking, you can chop the onions, tomatoes etc.6. when the pressure settles down on its own, open the lid,7. check if the rajma is cooked or not by taking a bite or pressing a bean.8. if they are not cooked completely, then pressure cook again adding some water if required for some minutes.9. heat oil + butter in another pot or pan. add cumin first and let them crackle & get browned.10. then add onions and saute them till they caramelized or golden browned.light browning the onions is also alright.11. add the ginger-garlic-chili paste. stir and saute for 5-10 seconds on a low flame.12. add the tomatoes. saute for 2-3 minutes till the tomatoes become soft.13. add all the spice powders one by one - turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, asafoetida/hing and garam masala powder.14. stir and saute the whole masala mixture till the fat starts leaving the masala.15. you can also strain the rajma first and keep it aside.16. keep the stock also aside. stir and saute for a minute.17. take 1.5 to 2 cups from the stock and add to the rajma.18. add salt and stir the whole curry mixture.19. simmer without a lid for 10-12 minutes or more till the curry thickens slightly. it should not be watery.20. mash a few rajma beans with the spoon. this helps to thicken the curry.21. when the rajma masala has thickened and comes to the right consistency which is neither too thick nor thin, then add the kasuri methi and cream.22. stir & simmer rajma masala for 30 seconds to 1 minute. switch off the fire.23. serve rajma masala restaurant style with steamed basmati rice, jeera rice or naan.Notes1. to make this dish gluten free, omit the asafoetida in the recipe.2. canned kidney beans can also be used. in this case, just make the curry or sauce first and then add the rajma beans and water.

if cooking rajma in a pot or pan:first soak the rajma as usual for 8-9 hours. drain them and rinse them with fresh water. then in a huge pot, boil enough water first. add the rajma and salt. cook covered for about 45 to 1 hour or more if required. it takes a long time to cook rajma without a pressure cooker.

dal makhani dhaba style

dhaba style dal makhani - a delicious creamy lentil preparation as made in the dhabas. 1 cup black gram or sabut urad dal cup kidney beans or rajma (optional) to 1 cup tomato puree (approx 2 medium tomatoes pureed) 8-10 garlic, crushed or finely chopped tsp red chili powder or kashmiri red chili powder 2.5 tbsp oil or 3 tbsp butter 2 to 3 tbsp cream salt as requiredInstructions1. rinse and soak the lentils in enough water overnight or for 8-9 hours.2. drain and then add them in a pressure cooker.3. add 4 cups water and pressure cook on high or medium flame for 12-15 whistles.4. when the pressure settles down on its own, remove the lid.5. drain the water and rinse the lentils.6. put back the lentils in the pressure cooker.7. add 4 cups fresh water, tomato puree, butter or oil, garlic, red chili powder, cream and salt.8. stir and mix well.9. pressure cook again for 12-15 whistles on a medium to high flame.10. when the pressure settles down on its own, remove the lid and check the lentils and the consistency of the dal.11. the lentils should be completely cooked and mushy.12. now simmer the dal without any lid on a low to medium flame, till the consistency becomes medium and smooth.13. mash some lentils with the back of a spoon to thicken the dal.14. the lentils should become so soft, that they should melt in your mouth.15. check the seasoning and add more salt or red chili powder if required.16. simmer for 15-18 minutes or more till you get a creamy smooth consistency like the way you see in the dhabas and restaurants.17. serve the dal makhani hot plain or topped with some butter or cream along with rotis, naan, paratha or plain or jeera rice.Notes1. the consistency of dal makhani can be easily adjusted by adding more or less water. 2. if in the third stage of cooking the consistency becomes thick, add some water. 3. if the consistency is thin, then simmer dal makhani for a longer period of time till you get the desired consistency.