Vegetable Jalfrzi

You Will Need: Serves 4

Carrots - 1 big

Potato - 1

Beans - handful

Capsicum - 1 small

Tomatoes - 2 (grind to a paste)

Onions - 1

Green Chillies - 2

Giner - 1/2 " chopped finely

Salt

Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp

Lemon Juice - 1/2 tsp

Oil - 3 tbsp

Coriander Powder - 1/2 tsp

Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp

Coriander Leaves - to garnish.

Slice all vegetables lengthwise. Heat Oil in a pan add onion slices and cook till they turn transparent. Add turmeric, chilli, coriander pwder, green chillies, vegetables, tomato puree, ginger. Mix well and cook with lid covered. Stir Occassionally.

Once done add salt, garam masala. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Turn off gas add lemon juice and garnish with coriander leaves.

Lemon Rasam

You Will Need

Tuvar Dal (red lentil) - 1/2 cup

Lemon Juice - 3 tbsp

Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp

Urad Dal (split black gram) - 1/2 tsp

Green Chillies - 1 chopped

Curry Leaves - handful

Pepper Powder - 1/2 tsp

Coriander Powder - 1/2 tsp

Cumin Powder - 1/2 tsp

Water - 3 cups

Coriander Leaves - to garnish

Cook Dal till soft (cool and smash). Heat Oil in a pan Add mustard seeds; wen it splutters add urad dal, green chillies and curry leaves. Add little water. Add pepper powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, water, dal and salt. Bring to a boil till you get the aroma. Turn off the gas. Add the lemon juice and garnish with coriander leaves.

Tomato Rasam (Curry Soup)

You Will Need - Serves 4

Tomato - 1 large sliced

Tamarind - lemon size soaked in water to remove juice

Rasam Powder - 3 tsp

Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp

Curry Leaves - pinched handful

3 cups Water

Salt

Green Chillies - 1 chopped

Tuvar Dal - 1/4 cup

Coriander Leaves - 3 tbsp

Cook Dal with water until very soft (cool and smash). Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, green chillies and tomatoes. Fry till tomatoes are cooked. Add rasam powder, curry leaves, tamarind juice and water (if required). Bring to a boil Add salt and the dhal paste Mix well. Add water if required to bring to a soup consistency. Boil and garnish with coriander seeds.

Mixed Healthy Salad

You Will Need:

Sprouted Moong / green gram - 1 cup

Tomatoes - 1 medium chopped

Carrot - 1 chopped

Apple - 1 medium diced

Orange - 1

Cucumber - 1 diced

Lemon Juice - 1 tbsp

Salt

Pepper - 1/2 tsp

Coriander Leaves - 2 tbsp

Mix All ingredients together and Serve

Beetroot Soup

You Will Need :

Beetroot - 1 Large chopped

Onion - 1 medium size chopped

Carrot - 1 chopped

Salt

Sugar - 1/2 tsp

Pepper Powder - 1/2 tsp

Tomato Sauce - 1 tsp

Water - 2 cups

Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp

Oil - 1 tsp

Coriander Leaves - chopped for garnish

Heat Oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds. When it splutters add chopped onions beetroot carrots. Stir. Cook for 5 minutes. Add 1 cup of water and bring it to a boil. Turn off the gas. Let it cool for a while and grind it to a paste.

Pour the mixture in a sauce pan add water, sugar, tomato sauce and bring it to a boil. Turn off the gas. Add salt and pepper garnish with coriander leaves.

Coconut Chutney

You Will Need

Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup Green Chillies - 1"

Ginger - 1/2 "

Salt

Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp

Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp

Urad Dal - 1/2 tsp

Chana Dal - 1/2 tsp

Curry Leaves - few

Oil - tbsp

Grind coconut, chillies, ginger, asafoetida, salt to a smooth fine paste adding water. Remve in a bowl. Heat oil add mustard seeds when it splutters add urad dal curry leaves and chana dal. Fry and add to the paste. Mix well and Serve

Bell Pepper Vegetable

You will need : Serves 2-3

Green Bell Peppers - 2 cut into cubes

Chick pea flour / besan - 3/4 cup

Potatoes - 2 medium size boiled and mashed

Chilli Powder - 1 tsp

Coriander Powder - 3 tsp

Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp

Salt

Fenugreek Seeds - 1/2 tsp

Oil/Ghee - 5 tbsp

Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp

Fry the flour lightly till it gets a light reddish colour and till you get the aroma. Turn off the gas.

mix bell peppers, mashed potatoes, flour, chilli powder, coriander powder, fenugreek seeds, asafoetida, salt in a bowl. Leave for 15 minutes till the vegetable gets marinated.

Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds when it splutters add the vegetables. Mix well. Keep on a low flame and keep stiring. Add oil if required and stir till all ingredients mix well and the pepper is fried well. The flour should be cooked well and the raw flavour should not be there.

Vegetable Pulav / Biryani

You Will Need : Serves 4

2 cups of Rice/ Basmati

4 cups - Water

Bay Leaves - 2

Cinnamon - 1" Stick

Cloves - 4

Cumin Seeds - 2 tsp

Garam Masala - 3 tsp

Pepper Corns - 8-9

Mix Vegetables - 1 cup (Carrots, Cauliflower, Beans, Peas, Onions - Slit lengthwise or chopped finely)

2 tsp - Some Raisins and Cashews (optional)

Ghee / Oil - 3 tbsp

Salt

Wash rice thoroughly and Soak in Water for 20 minutes. Cook rice with 4 cups of water along with cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves and peppercorns. Keep Aside. Heat Oil in a pan. Add cmin seeds; Once it splutters add onions fry till onions turn golden brown. Add the remaining vegetables and Cook for 5 minutes. Add salt, Garam masala mix well and cook till done. Add the Rice and Nuts (fried separately) to the Vegetables. Mix Well till the rice is coated well with vegetables. Serve with Raita / Dal /Vegetable.

Tips: You can also prepare biryani in the same way. Take a Oven friendly Dish grease with butter/oil/ghee add a layer of rice and then a layer of vegetables. You may also fry some onions separtely till golden brown and add a layer of onions. Garnish with Nuts. (You may also add ginger garlic paste to the vegetables). Bake for 10 minutes before Serve.

Kozhakattai (Steamed Rice Balls)

You Will Need - Serves 5-6

2 cups rice - soak in water overnight

1/2 cup - mixed dals/lentils (chana dal / urad dal / tuvar dal) soak in water separately overnight

Oil - 3 tbsp

2 red chillies

Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tbsp

Urad Dal - 1 tsp

Chana Dal - 1 tsp

green chillies - 1 chopped finely

ginger - 1 " chopped finely

grated coconut - 4 tbsp (optional)

curry leaves - 2 strands

4 cups - water

salt

Grind rice to a rough paste. Grind dals to a smooth paste with red chillies and asafoetida. Keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, urad dal, chana dal, green chillies, ginger grated coconut, curry leaves. Mix Well. Add water when the water boil add the rice and dal paste. Keep stirring continuously till the mixture turns thick like a dough and leaves the sides. Turn off the gas.

Let to cool for a while then take water in a small bowl to dip ur finger tips and make rounds balls of the prepared mixture. Steam for 15 minutes. Serve with Coconut chutney / Sambhar.

Dal/Lentil - Method 1

You Will Need - Serves 4

Dal - 1 cup

Water - 1 1/2 cup

1 Onion - chopped finely

1 Tomato - chopped finely

ginger - garlic paste - 2tsp

1 green chilli - slit finely

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

garam masala - 1 tsp

coriander/cilantro leaves - 3 tbsp copped finely

cumin seeds - 1 tsp

oil/ghee - 2 tbsp

chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt

Pressure Cook Dal/lentil with water and turmeric powder upto 3 whitles. Heat oil in a sauce pan add cumin seeds once it splutters add ginger garlic paste green chillies stir and add onions and tomatoes. Stir and cook for 5 minutes till done. Till onions turn transparent.

Add chilli powder, garam masala and salt. Mix well. Add the cooked dal and cook till it boil. Add water if its too thick to make a gravy consistency. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with rice / chappatis.

Broccoli Vegetable

You Will Need:

Broccoli - 1 bunch chop florets ; stems chopped finely

Oil - 2 tsp

Mustard Seeds - 2 tsp

Chana Dal - 1 tsp

Urad Dal - 1 tsp

Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp

Water - 1/2 cup

Heat Oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, chana dal, urad dal. Fry till it splutters. Add broccoli, chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt and water. Mix well. Cover with a lid. Cook till water evaporates and broccoli is cooked.

Sambhar

This is one of my favorite dish and relish it to the core. This one is my m-in-laws recipe. The tastiest finger licking Sambhar you would have ever had!!... You will need : Serves 4

Tamarind - lemon size soaked in water to remove pulp

Tuvar Dal - 4 tbsp

Water - 4 cups

1 - large onion chopped

1 - tomato chopped

2 tbsp - Sambhar Powder

2 tbsp - Coriander Seeds

4 tbsp - grated coconut

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp

Oil - 3 tbsp

Mustard Seeds - 2 tsp

Curry Leaves - 2-3 strands

Coriander Leaves - to garnish

Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp

Pressure Cook Dal with 1 cup water and turmeric powder. Dal must be cooked to form a very fine paste.

Grind coconut, sambhar powder, coriander seeds to a fine paste (add water to grind to a paste)

Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, curry leaves when it splutters add the onions and tomatoes. Cook for 5 minutes till onions turn transparent. Add the tamarind pulp, asafoetida, Coconut paste and water. Bring to a boil. Add the cooked dal and salt. Mix Well. Bring to a boil and garnish with coriander leaves.

Tips: You may also use vegetables other than onion and tomatoes. You can use carrots, beans, radish, pumpkin, squash, drumstick, brinjal, fenugreek leaves. These vegetables may be used separately.

Tips for North Indian Kitchen

These are just a few ingredients/spices I thought might be useful if listed down to prepare some north indian cuisines. The below ingredients are part of the cooking and are easily available in the Indian Grocery Store.

Spice and Condiments Names in English and Hindi

Cumin Seed - Zeera

Coriander Seeds / Powder - Dhania

Mango Powder - Amchur

Cinammon - Dalchini

Cloves - Lavang

Bay Leaves - Tej Patta

Poppy Seeds - Khus Khus

Pomegranate Seeds - Anar Dana

Nutmeg - Jaiphal

Dry red chillies / Chilli Powder - Lal Mirch

Turmeric Powder - Haldi

Fennel/Aniseed Seeds - Sauf

Dry Black Peppercorns - Kali Mirch

Mixed Spices - Garam Masala

Turmeric Powder - Haldi

Asafoetida - Hing

Green Cardamom - Choti Elaichi

Brown Cardamom - Moti Illaichi

Dry fenugreek leaves - Kasoori Methi

Ginger - Adrak

Garlic - Lasoon

Watermeon/pumpkin seeds - Magaz

Mustard Seeds - Rai

Sesame Seeds - Til

Milk - Doodh

Cream - Malai

Onions - Kanda

Tomatoes - Tamatar

OtherVegetables

Paneer Bhurji

One of my favourite and the simplest paneer recipe to make..

You will need:

150 gms Paneer - crumbled/mashed

2 onions - chopped finely

1 green bell pepper - chopped

1 big tomato - chopped finely

cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

green chillies - 1 chopped finely

lemon juice - 2 tsp

garam masala - 1 tsp

oil / ghee - 2 tbsp

coriander leaves - to garnish

salt

sugar - 1/2 tsp

Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds once it splutters add onions and peppers. Cook till done Stir occassionally. Add Turmeric powder. Add tomatoes and green chillies cook till done and turns dry. Add garam masala, salt and sugar. Mix well. Add paneer mix well in to the veggies. turn off the gas. Add the lemon juice stir well and garnish with coriander leaves.

Chilli Paneer

You Will Need :

150 gms Paneer - cut 1" inch rectangle

ginger - 1" inch chopped finely

garlic - 8-9 ponds chopped finely

green chillies - 2 chopped finely

Bell Pepper - 1 Slit Lengthwise

corn flour - 3 tbsp

water - 1 cup

Oil - 1 cup for deep frying

Soya Sauce - 2 tsp

vinegar - 2 tsp

Salt / Ajinimoto - to taste

Spring Onions with leaves - Garnish chopped finely

Mix 2 1/2 tsp of corn flour, salt with water to make a batter (running consistency). Heat Oil in a Deep frying pan. Dip paneer pieces in the corn flour batter and deep fry in oil. Keep aside once done.

Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pan add ginger, garlic and green chillies, bell peppers mix well. Add 1/2 tsp of corn flour and stir well.

Add a cup of water and bring to boil. Add the paneer pieces, soya sauce, vinegar and salt.

Mix well. Garnish with spring onions.

Tips: You may substitute spring onions with coriander leaves.