Navratan Korma

Navratan Korma is a Mughlai Dish generally served with naan or parotha or kulchas.

The name Navratan means nine gems so this korma is made by using nine kind of vegetables , dry fruits & paneer.



Ingredients

• 4 tbsp oil or butter
• 1/2 cup cashews & raisins
• 1 cup paneer cubes
• 2 medium-sized onions chopped or fine paste
• 2 tsp garlic paste
• 1 tsp ginger paste
• 3 tomatoes chopped or paste
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp garam masala powder
• 1 cup peeled, cubed potato
• 10-12 french beans chopped in to 1-2 inches
• 2 medium carrots chopped into small cubes
• 1/2 cup green peas
• 1 cup cauliflower florets
• 1 medium-sized green bell pepper, seeds removed and cut into 1" squares
• 1 cup pineapple cubes (optional)
• 3 tbsp heavy cream or sour cream
• Salt to taste

Method

• Cut all the vegetables & boil in a microwave or in pressure cooker. In microwave cook for 10-15 min. In pressure cooker make two whistles.
• Heat a deep pan on medium flame and add 1 tsp of butter to it. Now add the cashews & raisins and fry till slightly darker. Remove and keep aside on paper towels, for later use.
• Do the same for the paneer cubes and keep aside for later.
• In the same pan, add the remaining butter and heat. Now add the onion paste and fry till slightly browned.
• Add the garlic and ginger pastes and fry for 1 minute. Now add the tomato paste and fry for another 1 minute.
• Add all the spice powders and fry the masala till the butter begins to separate from it.
• Stir often to keep the masala from sticking to the pan and burning.
• Now add 1 cup of warm water to this masala and mix well. Cook for 1 minute.
• Add all the vegetables, pineapple, paneer and previously fried cashews & raisins. Mix gently but well making sure not to mash or break the pieces of the vegetable. Cook till veggies are done.
• Add the cream, season with salt to taste, stir and turn off heat.
• Serve with hot roti or naan.

Masala Idli

Sometime I am wondering what to do with leftover idlis, there are number of dishes which we can be prepared by using leftover idlis. Here is the one of the dish that I prepared first time & it came out very good with different taste.


Ingredients

• 6-8 leftover idlis cut into half
• 1 small onion chopped
• 1 tsp ginger paste
• 3-4 green chilies finely chopped
• 4-5 curry leaves
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp sugar
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp urad dal
• Chopped cilantro

Method

• Heat oil in a nonstick pan. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds.
• Once they splutter add urad dal, chopped green chili, ginger paste & curry leaves. Fry for 2 min.
• Then add chopped onion & fry till its little brownish.
• Then add turmeric powder, salt & sugar. Cook for 1 min.
• To this add the idli pieces. Simmer for 2 min.& cover with lid.
• Idli will absorb the oil & it will become soft you may add some water also for softness.
• Sprinkle some chopped cilantro & cook for 1-2 min.
• Serve with green chutney or podi.

Dal Makhni

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  Ingredients:
• Black grams 1 cup
• Bengal grams or black masoor dal 1/2 cup
• Kidney beans 1/4 cup
• Ginger 1 inch
• Green chili 2-3
• Butter 2 tbsp.
• Sour Cream 2 tbsp.
• Milk 1 tbsp
• Finely chopped tomatoes 3
• Finely chopped onions 2
• Garlic 7-8 pieces
• Cumin seeds 1 tsp.
• Asafoetida 1 pinch
• Red chili powder 2 tsp.
• Garam masala 2 tsp
• Salt to taste
  
  Method:
  
• Thoroughly wash black grams, bengal grams or masoor dal and kidney beans. Then soak it in water for about 7-8 hours .
• Pressure cook for about 10 minutes (3-4 whistles).
• Heat 2 tbsp. of butter in a pan.
• Fry asafoetida and cumin seeds in it. Add thinly sliced green chili. Heat till it gets slight brown in color.
• Add ginger-garlic paste and finely chopped onions. Fry until golden brown.
• Add chilli powder, finely chopped tomatoes, garam masala and salt. Cook until the mixture thickens into pulpy sauce (about 3 mins).
• Then add 1 tbsp. of heavy cream or sour cream & 1 tbsp milk. Cook again for 2 min.
• Then add cooked grams and kidney beans to the mixture. Heat for 4-5 minutes. You can add a little water if you find it too thick.
  
  Dal Makhni is ready to serve. Decorate with sour cream.
  

Gujarathi White/Khata Dhokla

Ingredients

• 3 cup Rice
• 1 cup Urad dal
• 2 tbsp oil
• Salt to taste
• 1 tbsp ginger paste
• 1 tbsp black pepper crushed
• 1 tsp sugar ( optional)
• 1 tsp soda bi-carbonate

For Seasoning

• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp sesame seeds
• 5-6 curry leaves
• 3-4 green chillies slitted
• chopped cilantro

Method

• Soak rice & urad dal separately for 5-6 hours.
• Then grind both of them into a fine paste & mix them together.
• Cover it & keep it for around 6-7 hours for fermentation.
• After 6-7 hours in the fermented batter add ginger paste, salt, sugar, soda, oil & mix very well.
• Oil the dhokla stand plates, pour a little batter, sprinkle coarsely ground pepper corns or you can use black pepper powder and steam it in a pressure cooker without the whistle or in a steamer.
• The dhokla should be ready in about 15 minutes time. You can check if dhoklas are cooked by passing steel knife through it, if it comes out clean it is done.
• Cut it in diamond shapes.
• Now make the seasoning, heat 11/2 tsp oil in a pan then add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, sesame seeds.
• When they stop spluttering add curry leaves & slitted green chillies.
• Pour this seasoning over the dhokla & sprinkle chopped cilantro.

Serve hot or cold with green chutney or tamarind chutney.

Khandvi / Surali Wadi

This is one of the yummy Gujarathi dish. This is a perfect dish for teatime snack. But the key to making Khandvi is to get the batter to the right consistency and to get it to roll . By personal experience lots of time I have made big flop in this if my measurement goes wrong. But I am sure you will have fun to make this dish & while eating this khandvi it is alway yummy .........!!!!!!


Ingredients :
• Bengal gram flour - 1 cup
• Buttermilk - 1 cup
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
• Oil - 2 tablespoon
• Sesame seeds - 1 teaspoon (optional)
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
• Coconut scraped - 1 tablespoon
• Coriander leaves - A few
• Asafoetida - 1/8 teaspoon
• Green chillies - 2 no's chopped
• Curry leaves - A few
• Salt to taste

Method :
• Mix besan, salt and turmeric powder in buttermilk to form a batter.
• Heat oil in a heavy pan, add batter and stir continuously to avoid lump formation.
• Cook till the mixture does not taste raw, stirring continuously, when done pour a ladleful on a plate or you can use aluminum foil.
• Spread as thin as possible with the back of a large flat spoon, in circular outward movements as for dosas.
• When cool, cut into 2" wide strips carefully roll each strip, repeat for all plates.
• For seasoning heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds , asafoetida, curry leaves and chillies.
• Finally add sesame seeds and immediately pour over rolls, garnish with coconut and coriander leaves.
• Enjoy khandvi with garlic/green chutney.

Carrot/Gajar Ka Halwa

Ingredients

• Grated carrots -3 cup
• Milk -2 cup
• Milk powder or mawa - 3-4 tbsp
• Sugar - 2 cup
• Ghee - 2 tbsp
• Dry fruits (almond, cashew nuts, pista & raisins) - 1/2 cup
• Cardamom powder - 1 tsp

Method

• Add milk & grated carrots in heavy base pan & bring it to boil.
• Cook over on medium heat until all milk gets dried up. Stir the mixture occasionally.
• Add sugar, cardamom powder & dry fruits & stir continuously for 5 min.
• Add ghee & mawa. Again stir well & cook on low heat until ghee start separating.
• Decorate with dry fruits & serve hot or cold.

Beetroot Pulao

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup small beetroot peeled and diced
• 1/2 cup grated beetroot
• 2 cups basmati rice
• 1/2 cup coconut grated
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 bay leaf
• 3-4 cloves
• 1 inch cinnamon
• 2 cardamom
• 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
• 3-4 whole black pepper
• 1/2 small onion chopped
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• 1-2 green chilly chopped
• 5-6 curry leaves
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• Salt to taste

Method:

• Wash the basamati rice & keep aside for 15-20 min.
• Heat oil in a vessel, add all whole spices like bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, black pepper & cumin seeds.
• Add curry leaves & green chillies after that add onion, ginger & garlic, Saute them until the onion are transparent.
• Add grated coconut, diced beets & turmeric powder & saute it for 3-4 min.
• Pour 1 cup water & season with salt.
• Add washed rice, stir it. After it comes to a boil reduce the flame & add grated beet.
• Cover & cook until the rice is done.
• Garnish with coriander leaved & grated beet.

Stuffed Green Chillies

Ingredients:

• 5-6 Big or long green chillies
• 1 small onion chopped
• Garlic paste 1/2 tsp
• Peanut powder 1/2 cup
• Besan or gram flour 1/2 cup
• Amchur or dry mango powder 1/2 tsp
• Pinch of asafoetida or hing
• Red chilly powder 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
• Garam masala 1/2 tsp
• Dhana-Jeera powder 1/2 tsp
• Chopped cilantro 1/2 cup
• Salt to taste
• Oil for shallow fry

Method

• Slit the green chillies lengthwise, remove all the seeds & keep aside.
• In a frying pan heat 1tbsp oil, after heating oil add hing, chopped onion & garlic paste, saute for 4-5 min till onion become transparent.
• Now add besan, peanut powder, amachur powder, turmeric powder, red chilly powder, garam masala, dhana-jeera powder & salt to taste.
• Roast all these ingredients till it become golden colour.
• Add chopped cilantro & roast it again for 2 min.
• After making this stuffed masala keep this aside & let it cool completely.
• Fill in each of the green chilly with the masala mixture as prepared.
• Grease frying pan with 1 tbsp oil.
• Place the chillies in the pan, shallow fry all of them until chillies are done.
• Remove in a serving plate & garnish with some roasted masala.