BEANS GRAM RICE

It is a perfect rice dish, one can make it on a lazy day and when feel like having a simple, but proteinous meal, very healthy and wholesome dish. An interesting combination of legumes-lentils-rice, an aromatic dish loved by all.

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 Cup Kidney Beans (Rajma)
1/2 Cup Bengal Gram (Chana Dal)
1 1/2 Cup Basmati Rice
1 Medium Onion (thinly sliced)
1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
2 Bay Leaves
1/3 tsp turmeric powder
1" Ginger, cut into small pieces
2 Cloves
2 Green Cardamoms
1" Cinnamon
8-10 Peppercorns
1 small star aniseed
1/2 tsp Sugar (optional)
1 1/2 tbsps fresh Lemon Juice
25 nos Cashew nuts
3 cups of warm water
2 tbsps Clarified Butter (Ghee)
Salt as per taste

METHOD:

Soak kidney beans overnight in warm water. Drain water. Keep aside.

Soak Bengal gram for 2 hours, drain water and set aside.

Wash and soak basmati rice in water for 30 minutes. Drain water, keep aside.

Grind ginger, cloves, cinnamon, cardamoms, star aniseed and peppercorns with 1 tbsp water to make a paste. Set aside.

Heat clarified butter in a pan. Add bay leaves and cumin seeds in it. Saute for 10-12 seconds. Add onions and cashew nuts in it. Fry till onion turns golden.

Now add spice paste in it. Stir continuously till spices leave oil. Add kidney beans in it. Stirring for 2 minutes. Add Bengal gram and rice in it. Saute for another 2-3 minutes.

Pour 3 cups of warm water and salt in it. Fold well. When it starts to boil, cover with lid and cook it for 15 minutes exactly on lower heat. Switch off the heat now. Add sugar and lemon juice in it. Fold well by tossing.

Serve hot with any curry dish or raita.

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GROUND CHICKEN CURRY

This is a great dish to serve in dinner. I love it because it tastes so good and very easy to make. Has just the right amount of spicy kick. It makes a very good combination with basmati rice or Indian flat bread both. It amazes me how a simple combination of basic, on-hand spices can yield such delectable results. A perfect blend of flavor and spices! If any left overs, it makes great filling for sandwich or flat bread.

INGREDIENTS:

12 OZ (340 gm) Ground/minced Chicken
2 medium Potatoes
1 large Onion (finely chopped)
1 Tomato (chopped)
1 1/2 tbsps Garlic paste
1 1/2 tbsps Ginger paste
1/2  tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Red Chilli powder
1 tsp Coriander powder
1 tsp Chicken masala
1/2 tsp Garam masala
1 Bay leaf
1/3 tsp sugar
1/2 cup Plain Yogurt (beaten)
3-4 Green Chillies
1 tsp Butter
2 tbsps chopped Cilantro (coriander leaves)
1 tbsp Lemon Juice
4 tbsps Oil
Salt as per taste

METHOD:

Wash the chicken and make it pat dry. Marinate the chicken with ginger paste, garlic paste, turmeric powder, 1 tbsp oil, lemon juice and little salt. Keep aside for 1 hour.

Peel and wash potatoes. Cut each potato in 4 pieces.

Heat remaining oil in a wok. Add potato pieces in it. Fry till it turns golden brown. Remove from oil and set aside.

Add bay leaf and sugar in the same oil. Saute for few seconds. Now add onions in it. Fry for 2-3 minutes on medium heat till onion gets translucent.

Now add red chilli powder, coriander powder, chicken masala and garam masala. Fry for another a minute or two. Then add tomatoes, green chillies and salt, mix thoroughly. Cover with lid. Stir occasionally till tomatoes are getting soft and leave oil towards edges of the wok.

Transfer marinated chicken and fried potatoes in it. Fold well, cover and cook for another 8-10 minutes on medium heat by stirring occasionally.

Add beaten yogurt in it. Mix well. Again cover and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Add ¾ cup warm water, stir for another 4-5 minutes uncovered.

When the gravy becomes thick, remove from heat. Add butter and chopped cilantro in it. Transfer it to serving bowl.

Serve hot with steamed rice, pulao, roti, paratha or naan.

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WRAPPED PEAS-PANEER

I miss that much 'monsoon masti' in US. This year I enjoyed this rains with severe thunderbolt in here, Ohio valley. Clouds covered the daylight fully at afternoon time, feeling nostalgic and just thought about 'Kal Boishakhi'  of West Bengal and prepared some evening snacks with a piping hot coffee mug to celebrate this rainy day here. This is a quick and easy evening snack or appetizer. Very less amount of oil used here, so it is healthy too. The secret to making this recipe is, in its filling. Paneer mixed with paprika and cheese, which gives an elegant taste as well as flavor. It is one of the simple cheesy snacks,which is amazingly tempting.

INGREDIENTS:
4 Egg Roll wraps
3/4 cup Crumbled Cottage Cheese (Paneer)
1/4 cup Frozen Green Peas (defrosted)
2 tbsps finely chopped Onions
1 tsp finely chopped Green Chillies
1/2 tsp Paprika powder
1/3 tsp Chat Masala
2 tsps Lemon Juice
1 tbsp Shredded Cheese
1 tbsp finely chopped Cilantro (coriander leaves)
1 tbsp Olive Oil
Salt to taste

METHOD:

Take paneer and green peas in a bowl. Add chopped onions, green chillies, paprika, shredded cheese, chat masala, lemon juice, cilantro and salt in it. Mix nicely.

Divide the mixture into 4 equal parts. Now wrap paneer filling like an envelope style. Spread an egg roll wrap on a plain surface. Place 1 part of mixture on the centre of the wrap, being sure to keep the filling in the center and not near the edges. 

Fold the right side over toward the middle, then the left side, so that one is overlapping the other.

Now little moist the edges of other two opposite sides and bring the bottom flap up over the previous folds.

Fold the top flap down, tucking it inside the opening to seal the parcels nicely.

It is very important to make sure the parcels are well sealed so that no oil seeps in.

Now heat oil in a non-stick pan on medium flame. Place 4 parcels on pan. After 2 minutes, when the side is little crunchy and little browned, turn over the other side of each parcels. Remove from heat after a couple of minutes. Make ensure that each side of parcels will be fried well.

Serve hot with piping hot coffee or tea.

Enjoy!

TIPS: Instead of shallow fry, you may bake these on oven at 350 F for 15 minutes. Don't forget to

         preheat oven before inserting the 'Wraps'. If you wish, you may add chopped green onions with

         the paneer filling.

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PUY LENTIL (KALE MASOOR) CURRY

This is one of my favourite recipes. When I first started cooking immediately after marriage, didnt know any pros and cons about it. No experience on cooking, usually put vegetables easy together with lentils and had come up good. That time we were in Maharashtra, so puy lentil was easilly available there and it was such an experimental recipe of my early-age cooking. Puy lentil is highly rich in protein, nutritious, delicous and very simple, goes well with chapathi and rice both.

INGREDIENTS:
1 Cup Puy/Whole Red Lentil (Kale Masoor)
1 medium Onion (finely chopped)
1 tbsp minced Garlic
1 tsp Ginger paste
3/4 cup chopped Tomatoes
2 chopped Green Chillies
1 tsp Coriander powder
1/3 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Red Chilli powder
1/2 tsp Chole masala (optional)
A pinch of Garam masala
2 tbsps grated Coconut
2 tbsps Chopped Cilantro (coriander leaves)
1/2 tsp roasted Cumin seeds + 1 dry Red Chilli (pounded)
1 tbsp Oil
1 tbsp Clarified Butter (Ghee)
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
5-6 Curry Leaves
Salt as per taste


METHOD:

Rinse and soak whole red lentil in warm water for 2-3 hours.

In a pressure cooker, put lentil alongwith double amount of water, onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, coriander powder, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, chole masala, 1 green chillies and garam masala.

Now heat the pressure cooker pan, when it starts to boil, add grated coconut, cilantro, oil and salt. Pressure cook it till 5 whistles. Let it cool naturally, then open the lid.

Heat clarified butter in a wok. Add mustard seeds, when it pops up, add curry leaves and green chillies. Saute for few seconds. Now add boiled lentil in it. As it starts to boil, switch off the heat. Garnish with cilantro and roasted cumin-dry chilli powder.

Serve hot with steamed rice or chapathi.

TIPS: If urgent, it could be cooked without soaking. For that you have to pressure cook it upto 7
         whistles.

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PEPPER FISH

Sugar & pepper, classic Vietnamese relies, results spectacular. Broadly, may call it an indo-chinese recipe, made by soft salmon fillet, which tastes awesome! It goes excellent finger snacks with drinks (without gravy) and also can be served as a side dish with asian main course of rice or noodles.

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 lb Salmon Fillet
1/2 Green Bell Pepper(cubed)
1/2 Red Bell Pepper (cubed)
1/2 Yellow Bell Pepper (cubed)
4 pods of Garlic (crushed)
1/2 tsp julienned Ginger
1 medium Onion (cubed)
1/2 tomato (cubed)
2-3 leaves of Spring Onion (chopped)
2-3 Green chillies (cut in 1/4"sliced)
1/2 tsp coarsely pounded Black Pepper
1 tbsp Soya Sauce
1 tbsp Hot & Sweet sauce (used Maggi)
1 1/2 tbsps Corn Flour
1/2 cup warm water
1 tbsp Lemon juice
1/4 tsp Sugar
3-4 tbsps Oil
Salt to taste

METHOD:

Wash and cut the fish fillet into 6 slices. Marinate the fish with a little black pepper powder, 1/2 tbsp corn flour, lemon juice and little salt. Set aside for 30 minutes.

Heat oil in a wok. Add fish fillets in it. Lightly fry till golden. Keep aside.

Add garlic and ginger in the same oil. Saute for few soconds followed by adding onions, bell peppers and saute for 2 minutes. Add soya sauce, tomato, green chillies, black pepper powder and salt in it (check while you adding salt, because soya sauce contains salt also). Saute for another 2-3 minutes.

Now add fried fish fillets and spring onions in it. Fold well. Mix remaining corn flour, sugar with warm water and pour it in the wok. While gravy thickened, add hot and sweet sauce. Fold well and remove from heat.

Serve hot with any fried rice or noodles.

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PIYAJKOLIR TORKARI / SPRING ONION WITH SHRIMPS

An adorable mouthwatering dish, can be made in simple way but savoriness excellent. Basically, it is a delicious side dish of eastern part of India. Not only shrimps, any small fishes (like mourala, puti, chuna mach) may be add with spring Onions curry. Goes fabulous with warm cooked rice.

INGREDIENTS:
24 nos small sized Shrimps (devained, cleaned and washed)
A bunch of Spring (green) onion
2 medium Potato
1 medium Onion
1/2 Tomato (chopped)
1/3 tsp Nigella seeds
2-3 Green chillis, cut into slits
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Red Chilli powder
1/2 tsp Coriander powder
1 tsp Mustard paste
2 tbsps chopped Cilantro (coriander leaves)
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
3 tbsps Mustard Oil
Salt to taste

METHOD:
Marinate shrimps with little turmeric powder, little red chilli powder, lemon juice and salt. Set aside.

Peel and wash the potatoes. Cut potatoes and onion into slices.

Wash spring onions. Remove 1/2" from bottom portion and cut into 1" long pieces.

Heat oil in a wok. Add marinated shrimps in it. Fry for 2 minutes, take out the shrimps from oil and set aside.

Add nigella seeds and green chillies in the same oil. Saute for few seconds. Now add potatoes and onions in it. fry for 2-3 minutes on medium heat. Now add turmeric powder, red chilli powder and coriander powder. Stir for another 2 minutes.

Now add chopped tomatoes and salt in it. Saute for another 4 minutes till tomatoes leave oil. This time add spring onions and shrimps in it. Fold well and stir for another minute.

Add mustard paste with 1/2 cup of warm water, mix well. Cover and cook for another 3 minutes. Add cilantro and fold well again. Remove from heat.

Serve hot with steamed rice or roti.

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OMELETTE CURRY

This a very easy and day to day recipe from eastern India, you may call it as a popular Bengali dish. It is an exotic dish made by omelette cut into pieces. But here I kept omelette as a whole and put it in a flavorful tangy spicy tomato- mustard gravy. It is usually a simple recipe, when you have friends or guests visiting you unannounced. Goes well with roti or rice both, an exceptionally comfort side dish.

INGREDIENTS:

FOR OMELETTE:
4 Eggs
2 tbsps finely chopped onions
1/2 tsp miced Ginger
2 green chillies (finely chopped)
4 tsp Oil
Salt to taste

FOR GRAVY:
1 Medium Onion (finely chopped)
1 medium Tomato (finely chopped)
1 tsp Ginger paste
1 tsp Garlic paste
1 Bay Leaf
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
1/2 tsp Red Chilli powder
1/3 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Coriander powder
1/2 tsp Curry masala (any)
1/2 tsp Mustard paste
1/3 tsp Garam masala (preferably home made)
1 tbsp finely chopped Coriander Leaves
2 tbsps oil
1 tsp Clarified Butter (Ghee)
Salt to taste


METHOD:
For making omelette, equally divide the ingredients into 4 parts (except eggs & oil). Heat 1 tsp oil in a frying pan. Beat 1 egg with one portion of ingredient in a bowl. Pour it in frying pan. Let it set for 1-2 minutes. Fold omelette. Remove from heat and set aside on a plate. Follow this same rules for making other 3 omelettes also.

For making gravy, heat 2 tbsps oil in the same pan. Add cumin seeds and bay leaf. Saute for 30 seconds. Add chopped onions in it and fry till light pink. Add garlic and ginger paste in it. Fry for another 2 minutes. Now add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder and kitchen king masala. Saute for another 2 minutes.


Add chopped tomato and salt in it. Fry till tomato becomes soft and leaves oil from the edge of pan.This time add 1 cup warm water and mustard paste in it. Let it come to boil.


After 3-4 minutes, add fried omelette in it. Cook it for 2-3 minutes on medium low heat. Sprinkle with garam masala, chopped coriander leaves and clarified butter. Remove from heat and set aside.

Serve hot with streamed rice / roti.

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