Falafel

Ingredients:

• 2 cups dried garbanzo beans
• 1 cup cilantro 
• 1/2 cup parsley
• 1 small onion
• 6-8 garlic cloves minced
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tbs coriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp black pepper powder
• 3-4 tbs all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda 
• vegetable oil for frying 

Method:

• Soak the garbanzo beans in water over night the day before cooking. 
• Blend the garbanzo beans and  in a food processor until the beans are the consistency of fine crumbs. 
• Put in a large bowl. Next put the onion, garlic, cilantro and parsley in the blender and blend until it is a paste consistency, add to bean mixture. 
• To the bowl add the cumin powder, coriander powder, salt, black pepper, flour and  mix very well. 
• Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan, turn to medium-low heat. 
• Add the baking soda to the bean mixture before frying and mix well. 
• Mold the falafel mixture into small balls and drop into oil to fry, continually turn over the falafel balls to keep the color an even brown on all sides, when they are a medium brown color, remove the balls and drain on a paper towel for a minute. 
• Serve warm and fresh with pita bread and vegetables.

Green Gram Dosa / Pesarattu

Ingredients:

• Green gram - 1 Cup
• Rice  - 1/4 cup
• Green chilli chopped - 2
• Ginger chopped - 1/2 inch piece
• Cumin seeds - 1 2 tbsp
• Oil - for making dosas
• Salt to taste
• 1 Small Onion finely chopped 
• 2 Green chilli chopped 
• Coriander chopped 

Method:

• Take both rice and green gram into a large bowl and wash it thoroughly under cold water.
•  Soak them over night or for at least 8 hours.Grind them along with green chilli,ginger and salt by adding required water.Don't add too much water.
• Heat nonstick pan on a medium heat. Take a ladle full of batter and spread on nonstick pan evenly.
• Sprinkle onions,chillies and coriander leaves.Drizzle some oil around the dosa and on the onions.
• Cook for a few minutes and flip over to the other side. Cook a few more minutes.
• Serve hot with your favourite chutney.

Dalia (Cracked/ Broken Wheat) Dhokla

Ingredients:

• 1 cup roasted dalia or broken wheat
• 1 cup buttermilk or 1/2 cup sour plain yogurt 
• 1 small carrot grated
• 1-2 green chilly finely chopped
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• 4-5 curry leaves
• 1 tsp sesame seeds  
• 1 tsp ajwain / carom seeds
• 2 tbsp finely chopped onion
• 1 tbsp kasoori methi / dry fenugreek leaves
• 1 tsp udad dal
• 1/4 tsp hing
• pinch of turmeric powder
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp ENO fruit salt
• 2 tsp oil for tempering
• 1 tsp cumin & mustard seeds

Method:

• Soak dalia in buttermilk or yogurt for 30 min. Then add grated ginger, chopped chilly, ajwain , grated carrot & chopped onion.
• Add little water if batter is thick and adjust the consistency. Add salt to taste and kasoori methi.
• Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan. Add cumin, mustard seed, udad dal, sesame seeds, curry leaves & turmeric powder. When seeds starts popping, add some seasoning to dalia batter and mix well. Keep remaining seasoning aside for later use.
• Allow batter to rest for 10 min.
• Meantime, prepare a stock pot or pressure cooker with 1 cup water. Bring it to a boil.
• Prepare dhokla stand plates by spraying cooking oil.
• Once the Water comes to a boil, add ENO fruit salt to the batter and mix well. The batter will foam up.
• Pour batter immediately into the Dhokla plates (filling only half way up) and place Dhokla stand into the stock pot.  If using a pressure cooker, do not place the weight or whistle on the cooker.
•  Cover the stock pot and cook the Dhokla on medium heat for 15 minutes.
•  Switch off stove and remove the Dhokla stand from the stock pot. Let is cool for a few minutes.
•  Sprinkle chopped Cilantro Leaves on the Dhokla and pour above seasoned oil over the top.
•  Cut Dhokla into desired square pieces and serve with mint/coriander chutney

Vermicelli / Sevai Upma

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sevai (vermicelli)
• 1/2 cup medium sized onion finely chopped
• 1/4 cup roasted peanuts
• 1 tsp cumin seeds 
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp udad dal
• 2 green chilies finely chopped
• few curry leaves
• pinch of asafoetida/hing
• 1 tbsp lemon juice 
• 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander 
• 1 tbsp oil
• salt to taste
• sugar to taste
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder 

Method:

• Boil 2-3 cups of water & add the vermicelli to it along with some salt. 
• Cook till they are done. Drain & soak in cold water to prevent them from cooking further. 
• Drain again & sprinkle some oil & mix to prevent them from sticking. Keep aside.
• In a pan, heat oil & when hot add the cumin seeds, mustard seeds & udad dal when they splutter add the green chilies & curry leaves. 
• Add the onions & asafoetida. Saute till onions turn translucent. 
• Now add the roasted peanuts & saute for a minute.
• Then add lemon juice, turmeric powder, sugar & salt. Mix well & cook for a minute. 
• Add the cooked & drained vermicelli. Mix thoroughly. 
• Garnish with some coriander leaves. Mix till all is well combined. Cover & cook for a minute

Spinach Nuggets

Ingredients:

• 1/2 Cup chopped & cooked spinach
• 1 Cup smashed potato
• 1/2 Cup bread crumbs
• 1/2 Cup grated any cheese
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 1 tsp olive oil

Method:

• Preheat oven to 400 F. Line baking sheet with aluminium foil, lightly coat with cooking spray.
• Mix together bread crumbs and salt.
• In a medium sized bowl, combine smashed potato, cooked spinach, grated cheese & olive oil.
• Season with salt & pepper. Use hands to form bite sized nugget pieces. 
• Roll each one in bread crumb mixture to coat. Place nuggets on a baking sheet & bake for 10-12 min.or until lightly browned.
• Serve hot with any dipping sauce or ketchup.

Bottle gourd / Lauki & Potato Curry

Today I would love to share my friend's Lauki curry recipe.   This curry is so delicious, try serving this curry using this recipe, I bet everyone will surely love it.....

Ingredients:

• 1 Medium Bottle gourd (dudhi/lauki) 
• 2 Small Red Potatoes 
• 2 cups of water.
• 1/2 tsp salt

Masala for Grinding

• 1/2 Onion slices
• 6-7 Red Kashmiri Red Chillies
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 tsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp methi seeds
• 1 flake garlic
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• small lemon size ball of tamarind
• 1/2 Cup  dry Coconut  powder or fresh grated coconut
• 1 & 1/2 cup of water 

For Tempering 

• 1/2 onion slices
• 5-6 curry leaves
• 2 tbsp oil

Method:

• Peel the bottle gourd and red potato cut it into big pieces. 
• In a deep casserole put 2 cups of water , cubed bottle gourd and potato with 1/2 tsp salt and boil until soft. 
• Grind all the above masala to a fine smooth paste with 1 1/2 cup of water, add more if you need.
• Add the ground masala to the cooked bottle gourd and on high flame give a quick boil.
• Adjust the salt and the thickness of the curry by adding little more water.
• Take a pan with 2 tbsp oil, once the oil is hot put curry leaves and onion slices and fry until onion become brownish .
• Temper the curry with sliced onions and curry leaves.