EGG TARKA

It is a very popular North Indian dish, hot favourite among Punjabis. You may add minced chicken or mutton with this tarka, but vegetarian tarka also tastes good without adding any non-veg item in it. This dish is widely avialable in dhabas. It is not only fulfilling, but nutritious also.

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup Green Mung Beans
2 Eggs
1 medium Onion (finely chopped)
1 chopped Tomato
2-3 Green chillies (chopped)
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
A pinch of Asafoetida
1 tsp minced Garlic
1 tsp minced Ginger
1/2 tsp Dry Fenugreek Leaves (kasoori methi)
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp Coriander powder
1/2 tsp Red Chilli powder
1/2 tsp Shahi Garam masala
1/2 tsp Kitchen King masala
2 tbsps Sour Cream
2 tbsps finely chopped Cilantro
1 tbsp Butter
3 tbsps Oil
Salt to taste

METHOD:
Wash and soak mung beans in water for 4-5 hours. Drain water.

Transfer the mung beans in pressure cooker with 1 & 1/2 cup water. Pressure cook the lentils upto 5 whistles. Let it cool naturally. Set aside.

Heat 2 tsps oil  in a wok and make scrambled eggs with the two eggs. Set aside.

Now heat the remaining oil in wok. Add cumin seeds and asafoetida in it. Saute for few seconds. Add minced garlic and ginger, saute for another 10-15 seconds. Now add chopped onion and green chillies in it. Fry till onions turns golden in colour.

Now add turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder, shahi garam masala and kitchen king masala in it. Fry for 2 minutes in medium heat. Add tomatoes, dry fenugreek leaves and salt in it. Fry till tomatoes become soft, mashy and spices leave oil from sides.

Then add cooked mung beans and sour cream in wok with little water (if extra water is needed). Fold well. Cover the lid and cook for another 3 minutes. Add scrambled eggs in it. Cook for another 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat, add chopped cilantro and butter in it. Mix nicely. Egg tarka is now ready to serve.

Serve hot with roti, naan or paratha along with onion slices, green chilli and lemon pieces.

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SALMON IN WHITE GRAVY





Salmon is a versatile, ultra heart-healthy superfood, with loads of Omega-3 fatty acids. It's preparation possibilities are also endless. A number of ways we can make white gravy, no doubt, have many creative ideas of your own. But here I used flavourful cashewnut paste in lemony buttery white gravy. Different kind of bell peppers gave an colourful looks. So, enjoy this delectable & luscious salmon dish.

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb Salmon Fillet
1 Medium Onion, cut in cubes
1/4 Red Bell Pepper (small cubed)
1/4 Green Bell Pepper (small cubed)
1/4 Yellow Bell Pepper (small cubed)
2-3 Green Chillies (chopped)
1 tsp Garlic paste
1/2 tsp Ginger paste
1 tsp Flour
1 tbsp Cashew nuts paste
2 tbsps fresh Lemon juice
1/2 tsp Black Pepper powder
1/2 tsp Red Chilli powder
1/2 tsp Sugar
4 tbsps Oil
1 tsp Butter
Salt to taste

METHOD:

Wash and cut the Salmon fillet into 9 small pieces. Marinate the pieces with 1tbsp lemon juice, ginger paste, 1/2 tsp garlic paste, flour, little black pepper powder, red chilli powder and little salt. Set aside for 30 minutes.

Heat oil in a wok. Add marinated fish in it. Fry till it turns golden brown. Remove the Salmon pieces from oil and set aside.

Add remaining garlic paste in the same oil, followed by onions, green chillies, remaining black pepper powder and bell peppers. Saute till onions are getting translucent. Now add 1 cup warm water in it.

While it starts to boil, add cashew nut paste, sugar and salt. After 2 minutes, add fried Salmon pieces in it. Cover with lid, and keep it on low heat for 4-5 minutes. Switch off the heat. Sprinkle with remaining lemon juice and butter. Fold well.

Serve hot with any rice dish or bread.

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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.

Linking to: Spotlight "Curries / Gravies" @ Recipe Junction & Cuisine Delights

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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Linking to: Spotlight "Curries / Gravies" @ Recipe Junction & Cuisine Delights