Aloo Methi

Cooking Time: 30 Minutes

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup fresh methi (fenugreek) leaves (cleaned, washed and finely chopped)
2-3 medium peeled and cut into small pieces aloo (potatoes)
1 medium tomato (chopped)
1-2 flakes of garlic (crushed)
Salt To Taste
1/4th tsp turmeric powder
Red chili powder to taste
1/2 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
2-3 whole dry red chilies
2-3 tbsp vegetable oil

Preparation:

• Heat oil and add crushed garlic and fry till brown. Add cumin seeds and dry red chilies.
• When cumin seeds are done and chilies turn brown add salt, turmeric, chili powder and chopped tomato. Sauté foe a moment.
• Now add potatoes and mix well. Cook till potatoes are half done on a medium flame.
• Add methi and cook on a medium flame till done and till water is fully absorbed.
• Serve the aloo methi hot with chapati or paratha.

Pav Bhaji

Pav bhaji also known as pao bhaji and pau bhaji) is a fast food dish native to Maharashtrians and is popular in most metropolitan areas in India, particularly in the Maharashtrian city of Mumbai & Pune.^[1] Pav in Marathi means bread, Bhaji is a term for a curry and vegetable dish. Pav bhaji consists of the bhaji (a potato-based curry) and the pav, garnished with coriander and chopped onions. Pav is high in carbohydrates and fats (if served with butter), while bhaji, the vegetable-based curry portion, is high in carbohydrates.

Ingredients:

1 small head of cauliflower, cut into florets (about 3-4 cups)
3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
2 tbsp oil
1 green bell pepper, minced
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp chili powder or red chili paste
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
salt to taste
2-3 cups tomato puree
1/2 cup peas (fresh or frozen)...optional
1 tbsp MDH pav-bhaji masala (or more to taste)
1 tbsp butter

Steps:

1. Boil the cauliflower and potatoes till tender and set aside. I usually do this in a pressure cooker.
2. Heat oil in a deep saucepan and saute the pepper. Add ginger-garlic paste and saute some more.
3. Add turmeric powder, chili powder to taste and salt to taste. Saute for a few seconds.
4. Add tomato puree, peas, boiled potatoes and cauliflower, pav-bhaji masala and butter.
5. Keep sauteeing and mashing it together till it is a smooth mixture, adding water as required (you can use a potato masher to help you along). Be aware that the mixture can spurt up as it boils, so keep a lid on it while you are not actively stirring it. Simmer for 20-25 minutes to really get the flavors to meld together.
You have to keep tasting and adjusting salt, masala and tomato till you like the balance between the tomato-ey tang and the heat of the masala.

Egg Burji

Egg Burji, Anda Burji or Egg khagina (as it is known in Pakistan), is a dish popular in north and western India. Its preparation and appearance are similar to scrambled eggs. The difference lies in the addition of sauteed chopped onions, chilies, and optional spices. Paneer may substitute for the eggs.

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

1. Eggs 6
2. Onions chopped - 1 cup
3. Tomatoes chopped - 3/4 cup
4. Green chili chopped – 2
5. Frozen/cooked green peas - 1/4 cup
6. Garam masala powder – 1/2 tsp.
7. Red chili powder 1 teaspoon.
8. Ginger paste – 1/4 teaspoon
9. Vegetable oil – 3 tablespoon.
10. Chopped coriander leaves for garnishing
11. Salt to taste

Steps:

1. Beat the eggs in a bowl. Add salt, red chilli powder and beat again so that salt and red chili powder
mix well.
2. Heat oil in a non stick pan. Add green chilli, ginger paste and onions and saute over medium heat till
onions become slight brown in color.
3. Add tomatoes and cook until tender.
4. Add green peas and cook for about 3 minutes. Since the peas are already cooked, you should not
heat more.
5. Add beaten eggs and mix well. Using a spatula (wooden, in case of non-stick pan), turn the scrambled
eggs upside down so that the eggs get fully cooked (for 4 minutes).
6.Sprinkle garam masala and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Serve hot with green chili sauce/tomato sauce and have it as a protein filled breakfast or just as a snack by itself.

Semiya Upma

Vermicelli Vegetable Upma makes for a decent breakfast or evening snack.

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup Semiya(Bambino)
1 green chilli
1 medium size onion, sliced thin
1 tsp mustard
1 tsp urad dhal
1 tsp channa dhal
few curry leaves

Steps:
Add 1 tsp of oil in a pan and roast the vermicelli to light golden colour.
Add 2 tsp of oil in a pan and add the mustard, uraddhal , channadhal and curry leaves.
When the mustard pops add the Onions and green chillies and fry till translucent.
Now add 1 1/2 cups (one and a half)of water, salt to taste, a pinch of turmeric and cover the pan with a lid.
When the water comes to a boil add the roasted vermicelli and cook for few minutes till the water is absorbed.
Garnish with few sprigs of cilantro.

Khichdi

Cooking Time: 20 min

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Split green gram with skin (chilkewali moong dal)
1 cup Rice
2 tablespoons Pure ghee
1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
1 Green chillies, slit
3-4 Black peppercorns, crushed
Little grated ginger
1/4 sliced onion

Steps:

Soak dal and rice in four cups of water for one hour. Drain.
Heat ghee in a pressure cooker/rice cooker.
Add cumin seeds, ginger,onions, green chillies and sauté for two minutes.
Add dal and rice and mix well.
Add salt, peppercorns and four cups of water.
Cover the cooker with the lid and pressure cook till one whistle.
Serve hot

Goes well with:
Ghee or Raita

Substitute dal:
Yellow moong

Upma

Ingredients:

1 cup of sooji
1/2 small chopped onion
1/4 tomato
Some peanuts
Some chana dal
Some urad dal
Green Chilies
peas
Some curry leaves
Jeera
Mustard seeds
Chopped ginger
Some peas

Steps:

In a pan, heat some oil/ghee.
Add mustard seeds, jeera, chopped ginger, green chillies, chana dal, urad dal, curry leaves and peanuts and saute.
To that add chopped onions and saute for 2 min.
Add tomatoes and peas and cook for a while.
Add 2.5 cups of water and let it to boil.
Now add the sooji and stir continuously while adding the sooji to avoid lumps.
Mix the sooji well for a minute.
Cover the pan with a lid and lower the flame.
Switch off the gas after couple of minutes.

Goes well with:

peanut chutney, lime pickle

Green Chutney

Contributor: Anuradha

Ingredients:

1 bunch of Coriander(dhaniya)
1 tbsp lemon juice
4-5 greenchillies
2 pinches of heeng
salt to taste
1tsp jeera
small piece of ginger
1/2 tomato
1 clove of garlic

Steps:

Remove the stem of dhaniya
Then cut the bumch of dhaniya in 2 pieces.
Put all the ingredients in the blender and blend.
Add 1tbsp of water to grind if required.

Kadai Paneer

Kadai Paneer is a preparation of cheese, cream and tomato curry. It is thick, creamy and spicy, and is a mainstay of Indian cuisine.^[1]Kadai paneer is primarily a Punjabi dish, most popular in the northern part of India. The word Paneer is the Hindi term for Cottage Cheese

Serves: 4

Cooking Time : 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups paneer cubes/ 200 grams packet of paneer or homemade paneer
• ½ cup diced onions
• ¼ cup diced green bell peppers
• 1 teaspoon chopped ginger
• 1 teaspoon garlic paste
• 1 cup chopped red tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon cardamom powder or 1 badi elaichi
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon black pepper powder
• 1 tablespoon kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
• 1 tablespoon Vegetable/Sunflower oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• Salt to taste

Steps:

Heat oil in a frying pan; add onions, ginger,garlic and sauté until the onions are tender. Add the tomatoes, turmeric powder,cumin powder, black pepper powder, red chilli powder and saute until the water from the tomatoes have evaporated and become a thick paste.

Add green bell peppers and cover the pan and simmer it for about 5 minutes until the pepper are half cooked.

Add butter, salt, cardamom powder or badi elaichi and and sauté for few more minutes. Add the paneer pieces and kasuri methi.

Goes Well with:

Palak Paneer

Image by di.wineanddine via Flickr

Contributor: Snigdha

Cooking Time: 1 hr

Ingredient:

1 Spinach Packet(Fresh)
2 Onions
2 Tomatoes
1 tbsp Coriander Powder
1 tbsp Cumin Powder
Salt and chilly powder to taste
1 whole packet of Paneer
Cumin Seeds
Pinch of asafoetida.
Crushed Bay leaves
Small cinnamon stick
cloves
Crushed Garlic
Butter
Kasuri Methi
Whipping Cream

Steps:

Boil the Spinach in water in an open vessel.
Once the palak is boiled, grind it in a blender.
Heat oil in a kadai and add cumin seeds, hing, bay leaves, crushed garlic, cinnamon stick and cloves.
Add the chopped Onions in the kadai.
Once the onions are cooked, add the tomatoes.
Cook the onions and tomatoes.
Add salt , cumin powder , coriander powder and red chilly powder.
Add 1/4th stick of unsalted butter.
Once the butter melts, add the palak paste.
Do not put the lid on at any point of time.
Let the Palak boil so that the rawness is completely gone.
Add Kasuri Methi and some whipping cream.
Now add the paneer pieces.
Cook the paneer for sometime.

Goes well with: Rotis, Naan bread and Rice.

Easy Egg Curry

Serves: 3

Cooking Time:40 min

Ingredients:

6 Boiled eggs
2 Large tomatoes (1 can of tomato puree)
1 Large Onion
4 green chillies
Jeera


Steps:

In a kadhai or pan, add oil and heat it.
To it, add Jeera, Ginger-Garlic paste and green chillies and saute it for 2 min.
Add finely chopped onions and fry then until they are pink.
Add the tomatoes(small pieces) to the onions and cook until the tomatoes are cooked(The masala leaves oil....)
Add 2 spoons of Chicken masala/egg masala or 1 spoon each of coriander powder and garam masala.
Make small cuts on the boiled eggs and add them to the masala and mix them with the masala for 5-10 min.
Add appropriate water depending on how dry you want the curry to be.
Add salt and chilly powder to taste.
Cook for another 15 min on medium flame .
Granish with cilantro.

Goes well with: Roti and rice

Tomato Bhurta

Contributor: Gayatri

Ingredients:

2 green chillies chopped

5-6 pods of garlic chopped big

2 small onions chopped

4 tomatoes chopped

5 table spoons chopped corriander

5 table spoons chopped pudina
Sugar to taste

Salt to taste

cumin seeds

oil

Steps:

heat oil in a kadai.

add cumin seeds.

add green chillies and garlic.

after 1/2 a minute, add onions.

let the onions fry till they are transparent.

add little salt after 3 minutes of adding onions.

Now add the chopped corriander and pudina

After frying the above for 2 more minutes, add tomatoes.

Let the mixture fry till it becomes dry and all the ingredients are mixed well together.

Now adjust the salt.

add 21/2 cups of water.

let the mixture boil well on medium flame.

add sugar.

mix well.

adjust salt and sugar according to taste.

Goes well with: Rice and khichdi

Spring Onions and Besan curry

Contribution From : Gayatri

Ingredients:

2 bunches of spring onions(available in walmart)

1/2 tea spoon of cumin seeds

1/2 a tea spoon of mustard seeds

1 table spoon of cumin powder

1 table spoon of corriander powder.(alternatively u can use rasam powder in place of cumin and corriander powder)

red chilly powder according to taste

5 table spoons of Besan

salt according to taste

1.1/2 table spoons of oil.

Steps:

heat oil in a pan.

Add cumin and mustard seeds

let them crackle.

now add the chopped spring onions.

let the spring onions fry. you can see the quantity reduce.

Now add salt and fry until u smell the raw flavor of spring onions disappear. now add the red chilly powder corriander and cumin powders. Mix well.

Now sprinkle besan in the above mixture.

Adjust salt.

if needed add very little water and mix.

do not cook the curry for more than a minute or two after adding besan.

serve with white rice. Best if served immediately after cooking.

Goes well with: Rice

Punjabi Chole

Image by DeathByBokeh via Flickr

Cooking Time: 40 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

2 cups of soaked white chole (garbanzo beans)
3 green chillies
1 large Onion
2 Medium tomatoes
3 spoons of MDH chole masala
4 cloves
2 spoons of amchoor powder


Pre-steps:

Soak chole in water for 8-10 hours.
Remember to add the cloves and pieces of ginger to the chole.This gives a lot of flavor


Steps:

In a pressure cooker, add Chole, some salt and red chilly powder.
Add double the water and let it pressure cook for 2 whistles.
Continue cooking the chole on medium flame. Add 1 spoon amchoor powder.
In another pan, add cinnamon stick, jeera,green chillies, ginger-garlic paste and onions.
After the onions get sauted, add 2 spoons of chole masala.
Add the tomatoes to the masala and cook till the masala leaves oil.
Now add the masala to the chole and mix well.
Add salt and chilly powder according to taste.
Cook for another 10 min and garnish with coriander leaves.
Serve hot.

Goes Well With: Roti and Rice

Rapid Sambar

Image via Wikipedia

Sai loves this!!!

Cooking Time: 30 min

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 cup toor(arhar) dal
1 cup sliced sorakaaya(lauki)
1/2 medium tomato
1 medium onion
3-4 cut baby carrots
4-5 okra(bhindi) cut
5 spoons of sambar powder
1 tbsp of tamarind paste
5-6 drumsticks
Jeera
Cumin seeds
4 garlic cloves
4 dry red chillies
4-5 Curry leaves
4 green chillies

Steps:

In a Pressure cooker add the dal.
Cut the onion, tomato into medium pieces and add to the dal along with the okra,sorakaaya and carrots.(You can cook bhindi, onions,tomato,lauki and carrots and add it to the dal later... This is the better way...)
Add 8-10 cups of water. Add 3 spoons of sambar powder,turmeric powder, tamarind paste and green chillies.
Let this presssure cook for 4-6 whistles.
When the dal is pressure cooked, keep the cooker on medium flame and add 2 spoons of sambar powder,salt and red chilly powder to taste.
Keep cooking the dal for another 5 minutes.

In a small pan, add some oil and heat it.
Add mustard seeds, jeera to the pan.
Then add the finely chopped garlic cloves, curry leaves.
Crush the dry red chilly and then add it into the pan...
Now add the contents of the pan into the cooker.
Mix them well and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Serve hot.

Goes well with: Rice and ghee.

Aloo Gobi

Image via Wikipedia

Shweta's contribution and Neetu bhabhi's secret ingredient

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Serves:3-4

Ingredients:

1 Medium cauliflower cut (2 packs of frozen cauliflower)
Finely chopped ginger.
3 medium potatoes cut into small pieces.
1 spoon of panchpooran masala(you get this in any Indian store)
salt
2 spoons of amchoor powder
3 green chillies

Steps:

In a kadai or pan add some oil and heat it.
Add the panchpooran (secret ingredient)
Add the chopped green chillies and ginger and saute.
If you have the frozen cauliflower, it is better you defrost it before hand to reduce the cooking time.
Add the cauliflower to the pan and let it cook for 10 minutes.
To the cauliflower, add the potatoes.
Close the lid and cook for another 10 minutes.
Add the amchoor powder, salt and red chilly powder and mix.
Cook for another 5 min on medium flame with the lid open.

Goes well with: Roti, naan

Palak koora Pappu (Dal)

Thanks to Chaitanya!!!

Cooking Time: 30 min

Serves: 4


Ingredients:

1 cup toor(arhar) dal
1 cup of chopped spinach (frozen will also do)
1/2 medium tomato
1 medium onion
Jeera
Cumin seeds
4 garlic cloves
4 dry red chillies
4-5 Curry leaves
4 green chillies
mustard seeds

Steps:

In a Pressure cooker add the dal.
Cut the onion, tomato into medium pieces and add to the dal along with the spinach.
Add 8-10 cups of water. Add turmeric powder and green chillies.
Let this presssure cook for 4 whistles.
When the dal is pressure cooked, keep the cooker on medium flame and add salt and red chilly powder to taste.
Keep cooking the dal for another 5 minutes.

In a small pan, add some oil and heat it.
Add mustard seeds, jeera to the pan.
Then add the finely chopped garlic cloves, curry leaves.
Crush the dry red chilly and then add it into the pan...
Now add the contents of the pan into the cooker.
Mix them well and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Serve hot.

Goes well with: Rice and ghee.

Variations:

You can substitute the following in place of spinach(palak):

Tomato
Lemon
Raw Mango
Sorakaaya (Lauki)

Easy Chicken Curry

Image via Wikipedia

Thanks to Ketan !!!!!

Chicken Curry is a common delicacy in South Asia (specifically India). A typical curry consists of chicken in an onion, tomato, and yogurt-based sauce, flavoured with ginger, garlic, chillies and a variety of spices, often including cumin, cinnamon, cardamom. Chicken curry is sometimes made with pre-made curry powder.

Cooking time 30 min

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

2 lb boneless chicken breast/thighs
1 Large Red Onion
1 small cinnamon stick
3 tbsp Ginger Garlic paste
3 tbsp MDH Karahi Chicken Masala
Jeera
Chilli Powder

Marinate:

Cut the chicken into small pieces and wash them well.
Add 2 spoons of yogurt
1 spoon salt
2 spoons ginger garlic paste
1 spoon chilly powder
2 spoons of chicken masala
Mix all of them and refrigerate for an hour.

Steps:

Cut onions into small pieces. Add cinnamon stick, jeera and onion and fry them.
After the onions become red, add a spoon of ginger garlic paste and add 2 spoons of chicken masala.
Add the chicken pieces to the onions and fry them for 10 minutes.
Add 2 cups of water and close the lid and cook on medium flame for 15 minutes.
Add some kasoori methi .
Remove the lid and add some salt if necessary.
Cook for another 10 min.

Goes well with : Roti and Rice

Desi Pasta

Image by ex.libris via Flickr

Cooking Time: 20 min

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

1 packet of Pasta shells
1 Large Onion
1 medium green pepper
4-5 Pasta mushrooms
some broccoli
1/2 bottle RAGU Pasta sauce
Salt
Chilli flakes
Oregano
Garam Masala

Steps:

In boiling water, add the packet of pasta shells. Add some oil to the boiling water so that the pasta does not stick. Add some salt also to the pasta to add some flavor
In another pan, add some oil. Cut onions length-wise and saute.
Also add green pepper and saute along with the onions.
Add the pasta sauce to the onions and let it cook on medium flame.
Add chilli flakes, salt, oregano, garam masala to the sauce.
Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and mix well.
Check for salt and chilli flavor.
Sprinkle some chilli flakes and grated cheeze on the top and serve hot.

Aloo Capsicum

Appa's recipe!!!

Cooking Time: 30 min

Serves: 4

Ingredients

4 Green Pepper or Capsicum... cut into small pieces
4 Potatoes peeled and cut into small pieces
2 tbsp Jeera
Cilantro,
Little Turmeric Powder,
Red chilli powder,
Salt
mustard seeds

Pre-Steps:

1. Heat the pieces of potatoes in the microwave for 3-4 minutes till they are 40% cooked (to save time)

Steps :

1. Put oil in a pan and let it heat for some time.
2. Put in jeera and mustard seeds fry on medium for 2 mins.
3. Add the Capsicum and let it cook for a while.(put the lid on and cook on medium flame...)
4. Add potatoes and let them cook for a while until they are 70% cooked(use a spatula to break the potato to determine how much the potato is cooked...)
5. Add little coriander powder, salt and red mirchi.
6. Put the lid on the kadai and cook on slow flame.
7. See to it that the sabji does not burn.....
8. Check for the salt/mirchi in between and do the damage control.
9. Add finely chopped cilantro or "Kothimir" to garnish.

Goes well with: Roti

Mutter Paneer

Image by su-lin via Flickr

Mutter paneer is an Indian dish consisting of paneer (cheese) and peas in a sweet and spicy sauce. It is usually served with an Indian type of bread (Naan, paratha, poori, or roti depending on region). This is one of the best known dishes in Indian cuisine. It is quite nutritious and high in calories.

Valuable contributions from Shweta!!!

Cooking Time: 45 min

Serves: 4-5

Ingredients

400g Paneer(fresh or fried and cut into small cubes)
2 onions chopped
3 tomatoes,
4 green chillies,
4 cloves,
2 tbsp Jeera
Garam masala,
Ginger garlic paste,
Cumin powder,
Cilantro,
Little Turmeric,
Red chilli powder,
Salt
2 tbsp of cream (optional)


Pre-steps(for frozen paneer and mutter)

1. Boil water in a bowl and then add the frozen paneer in it for 5 min. When you remove the paneer from the water rremeber to squeeze the water from it.
2. Defrost the frozen peas for 5 min in a bowl of water in a microwave.

Steps :

1. Put oil in a pan and let it heat for some time.
2. Put in Jeera and cloves and fry on medium for 2 mins.
3. Put in finely chopped onions and fry them till golden brown..
4. Add 1.5 table spoons of ginger garlic paste and
5. When the masala is light brown, add garam masala, coriander powder, salt and red chilli powder.
6. Add chopped tomatoes.
7. Fry them for 10 gud minutes, till the oil starts to separate from the masala.
8. Add the peas and the cubes of paneer to the masala and mix them properly.
9. Add 2 cups of water so that the paneer soaks the masala easily.
10. Cover the Kadai(vessel) with a lid and cook for 15 min on slow-med flame.
11. Check for the salt/mirchi in between and do the damage control.
12. You can add 1-2 tbsp of Cream and then cook for 5 min.
13. Add finely chopped cilantro or "Kothimir" to garnish.

Goes well with: Roti and Rice(Add more water and make the gravy thinner....balance the salt/spices..)

Aloo Curry

This recipe is our friend, Parikshit's contribution.

Cooking Time: 45-60 min

Ingredients

4 large potatoes,
5 tomatoes,
3 large onions
4 green chillies,
4 cloves,
1 small cinnamon stick,
Mustard Seeds
Garam masala,
Ginger garlic paste,
Cumin powder,
Cilantro,
Turmeric,
Red chilli powder,
Curd,
Salt


Steps :

1. Put oil in a pan. at u r discretion.
2. Put in 4 cloves, 1 small cinnamon stick, raee[ mustard seeds] and fry on medium for 3 mins
3. Put in finely chopped onions and fry them till golden brown..
4. Add 1.5 table spoons of ginger garlic paste and "cubically cut small sized potatoes"
5. Fry em till potatoes r semi cooked..** dont let em cook completely..they might b get completely mashed.
6. Add chopped tomatoes dat r small in size...
7. Fry them for 10 gud minutes, till they loose gain their tenderness
8. Slice the potatoes and check for their tenderness...
9. Add in, cumin powder[ 1/2 spoon], garam masala [1/2 spoon], 1/4th spoon of turmeric powder,red chilli and salt r upto u r discretion.
10. Mix em well and cover it for 10 minutes to retain the flavor.
11. Add 3 or 4 table spoons of curd
12. Fry em well..for 7 minutes...and lastly...add finely chopped cilantro or "Kothimir"...and stir and let it rest for 10 mins.
and U R DONE

Goes Well With: Poori, Roti.