METHI GOBI ALOO HODGEPODGE

INGREDIENTS:
2 medium sized Potatoes (parboiled)
1 medium sized Cauliflower (taken florets only)
2 bunches of Fenugreek/methi Leaves (chopped)
1/4 tsp Asafoetida (Hing)
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
2 Garlic pods (crushed)
1/2 tsp Ginger paste
1 tsp Green Chilli paste
1 tsp Dry Mango powder
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp Salt
Oil as required

METHOD:

Cut the potatoes lengthwise into thick pieces. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wok, shallow fry the potato pieces. Keep aside.

In the same wok again heat 3 tbsps of oil. Add the cauliflower florets, cover the lid and stir occasionally. Fry for 3-4 minutes on medium heat. Then keep aside the fried florets.

Again, heat 2 tbsps of oil in same wok. Add cumin seeds, asafoetida. When seeds start spluttering, add crushed garlic pods, ginger paste and green chilli paste in it. Stir for a minute.

Now add fenugreek leaves and stir fry for 3-4 minutes, till it gets brown texture. At this point add fried cauliflower and potato pieces. Saute properly. Now add dry mango powder, lemon juice and salt. Mix well and switch off the oven.

Serve hot with rotis or parathas.

SPINACH RAITA / SPINACH YOGHURT SALAD

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups of Spinach leaves
2 cups of yoghurt (thick)
1 green chilli (finely chopped)
1 dry red chilli
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 pinches of chat masala
1 tsp sugar
Salt to taste.

METHOD:
Boil spinach leaves for 2-3 minutes and dont cover the lid at this time. Drain all the water. Squeeze out all the water from spinach leaves also and chop finely.

Roast dry red chilli and cumin seeds. Grind roughly and keep aside.

Take yoghurt, green chilli, sugar, salt with 1/2 cup of water in a large bowl. Blend it nicely.

Now add chopped spinach, roasted cumin-red chilli powder with the blended mixture and mix well. Sprinkle chaat masala at the top.

Serve cold with rotis, parathas or any kind of rice dishes.

FULKOPIR MALAI CURRY

INGREDIENTS:
1 large Cauliflower (taken florets only)
3 Green Cardamoms
2" long Cinnamon stick
3-4 cloves
1 bay leaf (Optional)
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
1 cup of Coconut milk
3/4 cup yoghurt (beaten)
1/2 cup Onion paste
1 tsp ginger paste
1/2 tsp Red Chilli powder
2-3 green chillies (finely chopped)
1 tsp sugar
1/2 cup Oil
1 tbsp Clarified butter (ghee)
Salt to taste

METHOD:
Roughly crush cardamoms, cinnamons and cloves.

Heat oil in a wok. Fry the florets of cauliflower till light brown. Keep aside.

In the remaining oil, add cumin seeds, crushed cardamom-cinnamon-cloves and bay leaf. Saute for 30-40 seconds. Then add onion and ginger paste in it. Stirring till it leaves oil.

Add beaten yoghurt, red chilli powder and fried cauliflower pieces. Mix well. Cover with lid and stir occationally cook for 2-3 minutes.

Now add coconut milk, green chillies, sugar and salt. Stir well for mixing. Cover with lid till cauliflower get almost cooked.

Remove from heat and add clarified butter, again mix well.

Serve hot with steamed rice or pulao.

BHAPA ILLISH / STEAMED HILSA (King of Fish)

It is a micro oven preparation, very easy and simple recipe. Tastes great!

INGREDIENTS:
4 large pieces of Hilsa fish (Illish mach)
2 tbsp Mustard seeds (Rai)
1 tsp Poppy seeds (posto)
A pinch of Onion seeds/Kalonji (optional)
5 Green Chillies
2 tbsp Yoghurt
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tbsp finely chopped Coriander leaves
1/2 tsp Salt
2 tbsp Mustard Oil.

METHOD:
Soak mustard seeds and poppy seeds in warm water for 1 hour. Grind in a smooth paste. Add yoghurt, turmeric powder and 3 green chillies. Blend again. Your masala paste is ready now.

Wash the fish properly. Take a micro oven safe flat bowl. Arrange the fish pieces in it. Pour masala paste, onion seeds, salt and mustard oil. Mix gently.

Now slit the remaining green chillies and arrange on the top of the fish pieces.

At 100% heat in micro mode, put the covered bowl in micro oven.  Cook it for 10 minutes. In between, after 5 minutes turn the reverse side of the fish pieces.

Keep 5 minutes in stand time. Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves on top. Your Bhapa Illish is ready to serve with steamed rice.

CHICKEN KABABS

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb Boneless Chicken Thigh pieces
1 tbsp Sour Cream
2 tbsp hanged yoghurt
2 tsp Lemon juice
2 tbsp Ginger-Garlic paste
1/2 tsp Black pepper powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
A pinch of garam masala
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
2 green chillies
1/2 tsp Chat masala
1/2 tsp Dry Mint leaves
Food colour (optional)
2 tbsp Melted Butter
2 tbsp Cheddar cheese 
Salt to taste

METHOD:
Cut the chicken into small pieces. All the water from the chicken pieces absorb by the paper towel.

Put the chicken pieces in a bowl. Take 1 tbsp of ginger garlic paste, squeeze all the water and keep it in the bowl. Add chicken pieces, 1 tsp lemon juice, black pepper powder and little salt. Mix well. Keep it in refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Dry grind corriander leaves and green chillies. Keep aside.

Now take a large bowl. Put cheese on this bowl, smash well. Squeeze all the water from ginger garlic paste, mix with the cheese. Add sour cream, hanged yoghurt, coriander powder, cardamom powder, garam masala. dry grinded coriander leaves-green chillies, orange food colour (optional) and salt. Blend into a smooth paste. While adding salt, please keep in mind, cheese obtains little bit salt. 

Pour marinated chicken into the blended smooth paste, making sure it is all well coated. Cover the bowl and keep it in refrigerator for minimum 3-4 hours. Soak wooden or bamboo skewers in water for several hours from preventing oven burning.

Take one baking tray, Grease the tray with little butter. Skewer the marrianated chicken pieces, 6-8 pieces on each skewer.  Arrange all the skewers on the baking tray. Brush a little butter on the top of the chicken pieces.

Preheat the oven at 450 F broiler mode. Place the baking tray inside the oven on the top rack and cook for 30 minutes. In between, after 15 minutes, reverse the skewers and brush with little butter on the chicken pieces again. You may get some burnt spot on the chicken pieces, that's okay.
(If you dont have any oven, may grill it in microoven on convectional mode for 20 - 25 minutes, till it gets tender)

Now place the Kababs on the serving plate, sprinkle with chat masala, powdered dry mint and 1 tsp lemon juice.

Serve hot with green salads and mint chutney.

EGGPLANT IN YOGHURT/ DAHI BAINGAN

INGREDIENTS:
1 large Egg Plant (Brinjal)
1 cup of Yoghurt
3 nos of Green Cardamom
A pinch of Asafoetida
1 1/2 tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
1 tsp dry ginger powder
1 Green chili (chopped)
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp Bengal Gram flour (besan)
1/2 tsp sugar
Salt to taste
2 tbsp coriander leaves (finely chopped)
Oil for deep frying and 2 tbsp oil

METHOD:
Cut eggplant into thin 3"-4" long pieces. Place them on salted water.

Grind fennel seeds roughly.

Deep fry the eggplant pieces to a golden brown colour. Remove and place them on a paper towel.

Blend yoghurt with Bengal gram flour, salt and sugar. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a wok. Add green Cardamom and asafoetida in it, stir for 20 seconds. Now add yoghurt mixture and stir continuously for 2 minutes.

Add green chili, dry ginger powder, fennel seeds powder and red chili powder. Mix well, stirring continuously for another 2 minutes.

Now add fried eggplant pieces. Reduce the flame and cook for another minute.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with pulav or steamed rice.

LEMON RICE

INGREDIENTS:
2 Cups of steamed Rice (you may use left over rice)
3 Dry Red Chillies
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds (Rai)
1/3 tsp Fenugreek seeds (Methi dana)
1/2 tsp Black split gram (Kala Urad)
1/2 tsp Bengal gram (Chana dal)
1/4 tsp Asafoetida (Hing)
Curry Leaves 6-8
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
2 tbsp grated coconut
1 Lemon
2 tbsp Oil
1/2 tsp Salt
Chopped Coriander Leaves for garnishing.

METHOD:
Grate the zest of a lemon, cut it and squeeze all of the juice discarding the seeds and keep aside.

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wok. Add dry red chillies, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, black split gram, bengal gram and asafoetida in it. Staute for 1 minute.

Lower the heat, add grated coconut, zest of lemon, turmeric powder and curry leaves. Stir for about another minute. Then add lemon juice, salt and the steamed rice. Mix all well. Keep it on low heat for another 3-4 minutes.

Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

Serve hot with any curry dish.

Linking to: Spotlight: Rice/Rotis @ Cuisine Delights & Recipe Junction