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