JODHPURI GATTE KI SUBZI

Chickpea flour (gram flour / besan) dumplings flavored with lots of spices, steamed and cooked in a tasty yogurt gravy, is a traditional as well as versatile Rajasthani speciality. This is such a recipe, without which a 'Rajasthani Thali' is simply incomplete. It always makes for a hearty, homey meal in every Rajasthani household. One of my lovely friends 'A' narrated this recipe to me, while we visited her place. Her native is Jodhpur, accordingly I given the name of this curry, 'Jodhpuri Gatte Ki Subzi'. Just tryout and enjoy this toothsome Rajasthani delicacy....

INGREDIENTS FOR GATTE:
1 Cup Gram Flour / Chickpea Flour (besan)
1/4 tsp Red Chili Powder
1/2 tsp Carom Seeds (ajwaan)
3/4 tsp Fennel Seeds (saunf)
1 tsp Dry Roasted Cumin Seeds (lightly crushed)
1/2 tsp Dry Roasted Coriander Seeds (lightly crushed)
1 tbsp Dried Fenugreek Leaves (kasuri methi)
1/4 tsp Asafoetida (hing)
2 tbsps Sour Curd / Plain Yogurt (dahi)
1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
1/4 tsp Salt
Water as required

INGREDIENTS FOR GRAVY:
1&1/2 Cups Sour Curd / Plain Yogurt (dahi)
1/4 tsp Asafoetida (hing)
1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
3 tsps Coriander Powder
1 tsp Ginger Paste
1/2 tsp Cumin Powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Red Chili Powder
1/2 tsp Garam Masala Powder
1 tbsp Gram Flour / Chickpea Flour (besan)
2 tbsps Clarified Butter (ghee)
Salt to taste
Cilantro / Coriander Leaves - few sprigs (chopped) for garnishing

HOW TO MAKE GATTE:
In a large bowl, combine gram flour, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, carom seeds, fennel seeds, red chili powder, kasuri methi, asafoetida, oil, sour curd and salt.

Mix nicely. Knead the mixture by adding very little water to make a medium soft dough like chapati dough.

Divide the dough equally and make four balls. Grease your palms with little oil, press and roll out each ball into a cyllinder of 3/4" diameter. Keep those aside.

Heat 3-4 cups of water in a pan, boil rolls for 15 minutes. Remove from water.

Allow those cyllinders to cool before cutting them in 1/2" pieces or gattes. Here, don't discard the boiling water, preserve it, as it will be used in the later step.

FOR THE BASE OR GRAVY:
Take the curd in a bowl and mix turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder and salt in it. Whisk it till smooth. Set it aside. Take two cups of reserved boiling water in a separate bowl, add 1 tbsp chickpea flour (besan) in it. Keep the bowl aside.

Heat clarified butter in a pan or wok. Add asafoetida and cumin seeds in it. Let cumin seeds to sizzle. Add ginger paste and cumin powder in it. Fry for a minute. Add gattes in it and fry for 2-3 minutes on medium heat.

Now add the curd mixture and stirring continuously, till the gravy leaves oil.

At this time add 2 cups boiling reserved water with chickpea flour (besan). Cover and cook for low heat for 20 minutes. Remove from heat now.

Silky and creamy textured gatte ki subzi is ready to serve now. Garnish with the coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or missi rotis.

Sending to: Virtual Eid Potluck Party 2013

Sending to: Gujarati zaika

BHINDI RASA MALABI

My hubby mostly likes okra or bhindi among all green vegetables. So, very often I prepare this green vegetable in my kitchen and experimenting maximum on bhindi or okras. This vegetable is highly available in tropical, sub-tropical and warm temperate regions around the world. Here is an easy recipe of bhindi, which I adapted from my Mom's Kitchen. I modified it according to me. Do try it once, trust me it makes a lovely dish.

INGREDIENTS:
300 gm Okras (bhindi)
1/2 tsp Nigella Seeds (kalonji)
4 Green Chillies, Cut into slits
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
2 tsps Mustard Paste
2 tsps Poppy Seeds Paste
1 tbsp Tamarind Pulp
4 tbsps + 2 tbsps Mustard Oil
Salt to Taste

METHOD:
Wash and cut okras in 1" pieces. Set it aside.

Heat 4 tbsps mustard oil in a kadhai. Temper with nigella seeds and slitted green chilies. Saute for 20-30 seconds. Add okras followed by turmeric powder and salt in it. Fry till okras turn into light brown.

Now add mustard paste, poppy seeds paste and 1/2 cup water in it. Mix well. Cover and cook for 5 minutes on medium heat. Pour 2 tbsps mustard oil and tamarind pulp in it. Keep stirring for 2 minutes and turn off the heat now. 

Serve with steamed rice, a great side dish for lunch. 

SUBZ DO PYAZA (MIXED VEGETABLES WITH ONION-TOMATO)

If you really like Indian food, will surely love this recipe with full of veggies flavoured by Indian spices. It is a very simple to make, colourful, filled with flavours, yet delicious! Its a vegetarian dish, which can be served with chapathi/naan/paratha or even boiled rice. A good way to incorporate different veggies in your meal. It is too yummilicious, may serve it at party, potluck or in any occassion. Enjoy this North Indian delicacy!!!

INGREDIENTS:
2 Cups Chopped Mixed Vegetables (cauliflower, carrot, sweet corn, green beans)
1 Medium Potato, peel and cut into small cubes
1/2 Cup Onion Cubes
1/2 tsp Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Garam Masala Powder
1 tsp Coriander Powder
2 Tomatoes (pureed)
4 tbsps Oil
1 tbsp Cheese Spread (I used 'Amul Cheese Spread')
2 tbsps Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves / Cilantro (for garnishing)
Salt to taste

TO BE POUND INTO PASTE:
2 Onions (chopped)
4 Pods of Garlic
2 Green Chillies (as per taste)

METHOD:
Grind all ingredients which are mentioned as 'to be pound into paste' to make a coarse paste. Set it aside.

Boil all vegetables alongwith potato cubes in little salted water for 5 minutes. Drain water completely. (Don't waste that water, you may use it as 'vegetable stock' for making soup or stew in near future) Keep it aside.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan or kadhai. Add onion cubes in it, fry till they turn into translucent. Remove from pan and set it aside.

Pour the remaining 3 tbsps oil to the same pan. Add pounded paste in it and fry till it turns into golden brown. Add all dry spices in it and fry for 2 minutes on medium heat. Mix tomato puree and salt in it, fry till spices mixture leaves oil.

Now add parboiled vegetables, sauteed onion cubes and 1/2 cup warm water in it. Fold nicely. Cover and cook for 5 minutes more. Remove the lid and add cheese spread in it. Give a nice stir to mix it well, turn off the heat now.

Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves and serve warm with chapathi/naan/paratha or steamed rice.

Sending to: Guru’s Cooking Giveaway Kids Special ’13

NARKEL POTOL (POINT GOURDS IN COCONUT GRAVY)

Pointed gourd or potol is a Summer vegetable in India. In Hindi, we known it as 'parwal'. So, Today I come with a traditional Bengali dish made with pointed gourd. My mom use to make this yummilicious dish. Hope, you will enjoy this flavour of Bengal!

INGREDIENTS:
300 gm / 6 Pointed Gourds (potol/parwal)
1/2 Cup Grated Coconut
1/2 tsp Ginger Paste
1/2 tsp Cumin Powder
2 Green Chillies, cut into slits
1" Cinnamon, 2 Green Cardamoms, 2 Cloves (crushed)
1 Bay Leaf
1 tsp Sugar (for flavour only)
2 tbsps Oil (preferably mustard oil)
1 tbsp Raisins, soaked in water (optional)
1/2 tbsp Clarified Butter / ghee (optional)
1 tsp Fresh Lemon Juice
Salt to taste

METHOD:
Wash, trim from both ends and peel the skin of pointed gourd in strips. Now make deep cuts on the body of each pointed gourd with the tip of your knief. Make sure the spices will enter inside the pointed gourd pieces. 
Heat oil in a pan. Add bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamoms and cloves in it. Saute for few seconds till nice aroma comes out. Add pointed gourds in it. Fry till pointed gourd turns in golden brown in colour. 
Add ginger paste, green chillies, cumin powder and salt in it. Sprinkle little water on it and fry for 2 minutes on medium heat. Add grated coconut in it. Fry for another 2-3 minutes.
Lower the heat, add sugar in it. Cover and cook for another 5 minutes. Keep strring occasionally. Open the lid now, add raisins, clarifie butter and fresh lemon juice. Fold for a minute and turn off the heat.
Garnish with raisins on the top, serve immediately with plain rice and enjoy your meal.

PHULKO LUCHI R ALOO CHORCHORI - PUFFED FRIED INDIAN FLAT BREAD & POTATO DRY CURRY

I have always been a fan of 'Luchi & Aloo Chorchori'. Today I come with this traditional, luscious and mostly cherished Bengali breakfast, "phulko luchi r aloo chorchori". "Luchi" is nothing but a puffed deep fried Indian flat bread made by maida, which is very similar to 'poori'. Luchis goes very well with a very mild spicy dry potato curry, seasoning with nigella seeds, a wonderful combo and great compliments to each other. In our childhood days, it was the staple breakfast on every Sunday morning. This dish is very appropriate for kid's lunch box too. Each and every child loves to eat this yummy dish and enjoys totally. Hope you will tryout this delicious and classic Bengali breakfast and relish it!

INGREDIENTS:
TO MAKE ALOO CHORCHORI:
500 gms Potatoes
1/2 tsp Nigella Seeds/Kalo jeera (kalonji)
A Pinch of Asafoetida
2-3 Green Chillies, Cut into Slits (if dish is only for kids, please omit it)
1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
A Pinch of Red Chilli Powder (optional)
1/2 tsp Dry Roasted Cumin seeds & Coriander Seeds powder
1 tsp Sugar (optional)
3 tbsps Oil (preferably mustard oil)
Water as Required
Salt to taste

TO MAKE LUCHI:
2&1/2 Cups Maida/Plain Flour
3 tbsps Cooking Oil + Oil for Deep Frying
1/4 tsp Salt
Lukewarm water

METHOD:
HOW TO MAKE ALOO CHORCHORI:
Wash, peel and cut the potatoes in small cubes.
Heat oil in a wok. Add asafoetida, nigella seeds and slited green chillies in it. Saute for few seconds.
Add potato cubes in it. Keep frying till potatoes turn into golden colour.
Add turmeric powder, roasted cumin-coriander powder, a pinch of red chilli powder and salt in it. Mix thoroughly.

Add 2 cups warm water in it. Mix well. Cook it on high flame till it starts to boil. Reduce the heat now, cover and cook till potatoes are well cooked. Add sugar in it. It must be a dry curry, so need not any gravy in it. Turn off the heat now. Sprinkle roasted cumin and coriander powder on the top. Serve warm with hot 'phulko phulko' (puffed) luchi.

HOW TO MAKE 'PHULKO' LUCHI:
In a large bowl, add APF, salt, 3 tbsps oil. Mix nicely. Make a dough by using little lukewarm water. Knead it nicely to make a very smooth dough. Smear with few drops of oil and cover with a damp cloth, set it for 30 minutes.
after 30 minutes, knead the dough once again, and make 20 equal balls from it.
Grease each ball with a drop of oil. Flatten each and roll into a disc of aprx. 4"-5" diameter.
Heat oil to deep fry in a wok. When oil is enough hot, fry one luchi at a time. Press the luchi a little with a spatula to make them puffed perfectly, gently flip it to the other side. Each luchi will take 20-30 seconds to fry. Drain on paper towel to absorb excess oil from it.

Immediately serve hot 'Luchis' with 'Aloo Chorchori' and enjoy this popular and traditional Bangali delicacy!

NOTE: For making white luchi, use wheat flour/maida, but not All Purpose Flour. You may mix atta flour for healthier option.

Sending to: Guru’s Cooking Giveaway Kids Special ’13

ACHARI BHINDI (OKRAS IN PICKLE SPICES)

Among all green vegetables, my hubby mostly likes okra or bhindi, so very often I make bhindi/okra dish in my kitchen. Long before, I saw this recipe and made it. It was with onions, but I skipped onion and reduced the spice level too. Since then, I make oftenly this simple yet tasty side in my kitchen. A very delicious dish goes very well with warm chapati, paratha or any Indian flat bread. The pungent achaari masala, makes this dish very flavourful and yummy! Tryout, will admire it.

INGREDIENTS:
350 gms Okras (bhindi)
1 Tomato (Chopped)
2 Green Chillies (chopped)
1 tbsp Pickle Spices (take spices from any pickle available in your pantry)
1/4 tsp Asafoetida
1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds
1/4 tsp Fenugreek Seeds
1/2 tsp Fennel Seeds
1/4 tsp Cumin Seeds
A Pinch of Nigella Seeds
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder
2 tsps Lemon Juice
3 tbsps Mustard Oil (preferably)
Salt to taste

METHOD:
Wash and wipe okras with a kitchen paper towel. Trim both ends and slit from the centre of each okra.

Heat mustard oil in a pan or kadhai. Add mustard, fenugreek, cumin, nigella and fennel seeds. Whatn they are cracking, add asafoetida in it. Add choped tomato and green chillies. Saute for a minute.

Add okras, Kashmiri red chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt. Mix nicely. Cover and cook till okras are tender.

Now add lemon juice and pickle spices. Fold well and turn off the heat now. Serve hot with rotis, parathas, naan or dal-rice & enjoy!

CRISPY STIRFRIED ARBI (COLOCASIA)

Stirfried crispy seasoned "Arbi" is a mildly spiced and a wonderful side dish or you may serve it as a snack too. I am so fond of arbi/colocasia root, that I make it oftenly atleast once in a week. The main aroma comes from the carom seeds/ajwain, which makes the dish more inviting. This is also a 'Vrat' or a 'fasting meal's recipe.

INGREDIENTS:
500 gms Arbi / Colocasia (taro root)
1 tsp Carom Seeds (ajwain)
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1/2 tsp Asafoetida (hing)
2 tsps Coriander Seeds (roasted and then pounded coarsely)
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
3/4 tsp Dried Mango Powder (amchur)
1/2 tsp Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder
3-4 Chopped Green Chillies
1/2 tsp Garam Masala
1&1/2 tsps Grated Ginger
7-8 Curry Leaves (chopped)
2 tbsps Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves / Cilantro
1 tsp Sugar
Salt to taste
3 tbsps Oil + Oil for frying arbis

METHOD:

Wash arbis nicely. Put arbis in a pressure cooker. Let full pressure comes, then cook 2 minutes more on low heat. Cool down the pressure cooker normally and remove the peels of arbis. Place a arbi within your two palms, press a little to make arbi little flat and keep it aside. Follow the same with the rest of the arbis.  

Heat enough oil for frying arbis in a pan. Add few arbis in it. Fry till arbis turn golden and crispy. Follow the same process and fry rest of the arbis. Keep those aside.

Heat 3 tbsps oil in a wok or pan. Add cumin seeds, carom seeds and asafoetida in it. Saute for few seconds. Add grated ginger, curry leaves and green chillies. Saute for a minute.

Now add turmeric powder and coarsely pounded coriander seeds in it. Add fried arbis now. Add dried mango powder, kashmiri red chilli powder, garam masala, salt and sugar in it. Sprinkle little water in it. Ensure that spice powders do not burn. Stir gently for 3-4 minutes on low heat, so that all arbis are coated well with the spices.                      

                                                                                                                                                             Add chopped coriander leaves in it. Fold nicely and turn off the heat now.                                                                                                                                      

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve with rotis, parathas or rice as you wish. You can serve it as an appetizer/snack with any kind of chutney.