STUFFED TAWA BHINDI

My hubby is a big fan of bhindis. Everytime we do our grocery, the first thing he picks is this fresh green bhindis, and this is his favorite preparation. The masala stuffed in the bhindis nicely marinates and stir frying makes it more crispy. This is a very regular preparation at our place as it goes irresistibly with hot rice dal.

Preparation Time: 10 mins

Cooking Time: 5 mins

Serves/ Makes: 3

You Need:

2 cups Bhindis (Okra)

For the Stuffing:

1 tsp Turmeric

1 tsp Chilli Powder

1 tsp Cumin Powder

1 tsp Coriander Powder

1 tsp Garam Masala

Salt for taste

Oil

Method :

Cut the edges of okra and slit in between for stuffing. In a bowl, mix all the stuffing ingredients together. Stuff it in slit okra. In a pan, heat 2-3 tsp oil and stir fry this okra till it cooks. Put lid on it and let it cook for 2 minutes. Serve hot with rice and dal.

JUICY FRUIT SALAD

Me and My hubby are big fan of fruits. After every dinner we both have fruits. This is one of salad perfect for dinner where we don’t have to end up with fruit again. My refrigerator is always full of fruits, so I decided to make this salad which is not only healthy but tasty too.

Preparation time: 10 mins

Cooking time : 5 mins

Serves/ Makes: 3-4

You Need:

Finely chopped mix fruits (don’t use bananas)

1 lemon juice

Pinch of salt

½ cup Fruit juice (any fruit juice will do)

½ cup sugar

¼ cup water

Vanilla Ice cream

Method:

Chop all the fruits finely . Make sugar syrup from sugar and water. Add lemon juice, syrup, fruit juice, salt to fruits and mix well. I also added mango pulp. Mix all well and top up with ice cream and serve.

MANGO SHEERA

I don’t like to eat sheera plain, so I keep on experimenting with different flavors. I like to use fresh fruit juices to give flavor and it really taste awesome. When it comes to plain sheera, its only of satanarayan pooja’s prasad that I like. This time in mango season I brought ratnagiri mango pulp, which was really good and fresh. So tried this flavor for my sheera, and was so good and rich in color. I served to my guest, they were so happy for this Indian mango taste in the sheera making it more tasty. Its also quick and easy dessert.

Preparation Time: 5 mins

Cooking Time: 15 mins

Serves/ Makes: 4

You Need:

2 Cups Dry Roasted Coarse Rava (Semolina)

2 Cloves

1 ½ Cup Clarified Butter/Unsalted Butter

2 Cups Mango Pulp

1 Cup Milk

1 Cup Sugar

1 Tsp Cardamom Powder

¼ Cup Cashew Nuts

Method:

Dry Roast Semolina and keep it aside. In a skillet, melt butter, add cloves and cashews. Add Semolina and mix well. Now add Mango pulp and milk and mix well. Cover with lid and let it cook for 3 mins. Now add sugar and cardamom powder and mix well. Garnish with cashew nuts. Serve it after cools.

PANI PURI

Pani Puri, Golgappa, Phuchka, just name it and your mouth will start watering. Ever since I came here, I crave for this street food. Miss all those days in Mumbai, I use to have pani puri every day on the streets. This is the one of street food which people enjoy on streets only. With that thelas and pani puriwala serving you the puris dip in that spicy tangy water feels so next to paradise.

Pani puri with the crispy shells filled with spicy water makes your mouth full. The filling is made of potatos, chickpeas, moong, bundi, curd, ragda , it differs from the region of india where it is served. Being from Mumbai, I love the Mumbai style pani puri with Ragda, tamarind water, mint water and ending it up with sukha puri. I make Puris at home , as the pani puri taste the best with this fresh crispy puris.

You Need:

For the Puris:

1 cup Semolina

2 tsp All- Purpose Flour

Pinch of Salt

½ cup Warm Water

For Spicy Mint Water :

1 cup Mint Leaves

1 big piece of Ginger

5-6 Green Chillis

1 ½ tsp Pani Puri Masala

¾ tsp Chat Masala

½ tsp Pepper Powder

2 tsp Black Salt

1 Lemon Juice

½ tsp Amchur Powder

¼ tsp Hing

2 cups water

Tamarind Water:

1 Lime size Tamarind

5-6 Dates

1 cube Jaggery

½ tsp Chilli Powder

1 tsp Cumin Seeds

¼ tsp Salt

For Ragda:

2 cups White dry Peas

½ tsp Turmeric

Salt

Method:

For the Puris:

Mix all the Puri ingredients to form a hard dough. Keep it side for ½ hour .Heat oil for deep frying puris. Now make peanut size balls and on the surface rub oil and roll into thin small puris. Apply oil as needed to roll , don’t use flour for rolling into thin puris. Once oil is hot, turn the flame on medium and drop the puris . They will puff up, then slightly push them into oil dipping them with back side of spoon. Let the puris stay in oil for atleast 2 minutes .Once golden remove them. They should be crispy.

For Spicy Mint Water:

Grind mint and ginger into paste. Add the rest ingredients and grind again. Add water to paste and refrigerate it for an hour.

For Tamarind Water:

Soak tamarind, dates, jaggery into warm water for 4 hours. Remove seeds from dates. Grind into paste. Add the rest ingredients and grind again. Add water if required for watery consistency.

For Ragda:

Soak white peas overnight. In a pressure cooker, cook peas with turmeric and salt added for 5 whistles. It should be well cooked.

Assembling Pani Puri:

Make hole in puri , add ragda, Bundi , boiled potatoes, sweet water and dip into spicy mint water and have your mouth full.End it up with sukha puri by topping some ragda and boiled potato on non puffed puris (papdi) and sprinkle some chat masala and fine sev on top and enjoy after pani puri…..hmmmmmm!!!!

PANEER MAKHANWALA

This is one of the rich, creamy, famous punjabi preparation. The name itself says it all, paneer pieces in rich butter gravy making it finger licking delicious. This preparation is all time favorite with no leftovers.

Preparation Time: 15 mins

Cooking Time: 15 mins

Serves / Makes: 3-4

 

Ingredients :

2 cups Paneer (cut in big cubes)

½ cup Unsalted Butter

1 Big Onion ( finely chopped)

1 Big  Tomato (finely chopped)

6-7 cloves Garlic (grated)

2 inch Ginger (grated)

1 Bay Leaf

1 tsp Cumin Seeds

2 inch Cinnamon Bark

2 Cloves

4 Peppercorns

2 Green Cardamom

2 tsp Cashew Nuts

2 tsp Poppy Seeds (optional)

1 tsp Chilli Powder

½ tsp Turmeric

1 tsp Coriander Powder

½ tsp Garam Masala

2 tsp Kasori Methi

1 tsp Tandoori Masala (optional)

½ cup Heavy Cream

Salt to taste

oil

For garnishing: Coriander leaves , Heavy cream and grated cheese / Paneer.

 

Method:

1.       Deep fry paneer pieces in oil till they turn golden brown.

2.      In a wok, heat 2 tsp oil , add bay leaf, cinnamon, cumin seeds, peppercorns, cloves, cardamom, cashew nuts. Sauté  for a min.

3.      Now add chopped ginger – garlic paste, onion sauté till they turn golden, then add tomatoes and poppy seeds and cook till they form into sauce. Then let it cool down and grind into paste.

4.      Now in the same wok, melt butter add the paste, add the paneer pieces, add dry masalas , salt and cream.

5.      Garnish with chopped coriander leaves, grated cheese or paneer and drizzle some heavy cream.

6.      Serve it hot with hot naans or tandoori rotis.

NAAN

Naan is a round flatbread made of white flour(maida). It bears a resemblance to pita, but is softer in texture. Naans are traditionally cooked in a Tandoor.  It can also be made in your oven at home. Serve this delicious bread hot, with Non Veg or any Punjabi gravy. The dough for Naans needs to be made in advance so factor that into the preparation time.

The first thing which we use to order in restaurants in Mumbai was this hot from tandoor naans. The best combination I like is paneer makhanwala and hot naans. This is the best naan ever I had, fresh from our own oven.

Ingredients:

2 cups All purpose flour

1 tsp Yeast

¾ cup Warm water

¼ cup Milk

2 ½  tsp Yogurt

1 tsp Sugar

Pinch of Baking Powder

1 tsp Salt

For Butter Naan: Melted Butter

For Garlic Naan: Minced Garlic

For Chat Naan: Chat Masala

Method:

In a bowl mix warm water and yeast. Add milk to it and keep it for 10 minutes. In a mixing bowl, mix all dry ingredients and yogurt. Add yeast mixture and knead into dough. Keep this dough aside for four hours. The dough will rise. Pre- heat the oven at highest or 500 F for 20 minutes. Now make balls and roll into naan oval shape or simply pull it to form shape. Bake it nearest to flame in oven for 3 minutes or till u get golden brown spots. Flip it to bake both the sides equally. Apply butter to both the side. Serve it hot.

For garlic naan, sprinkle some of the minced garlic on top and roll before baking it. For chat naan, sprinkle some chat masala on top once baked. Enjoy!!!

TANDOORI ROTI

Who doesn’t like Punjabi food. Punjabi food is popularly known for its Tandoor cooking. Food cooked in this special oven –Tandoor is such heavenly. I had gurdwara near my office, every time when I forget my Tiffin I use to rush for their free meals. Lentils cooked in buttery sauces and hot from Tandoor rotis. Hah!!! I am just missing those days. Fascinated for Punjabi food, I made this Tandoori rotis in my toaster, and guess what…it was perfect as it is cooked in Tandoor. Tandoori rotis with dal makhani in your plate a straight way to heaven.

You Need:

Utensils:

Mixing bowl

Iron skillet

Toaster

Ingredients:

1 ½ cup Whole wheat flour

2 tsp Curd

½ Sugar

2 tsp Clarified butter

Salt

Water

Method:

Mix the above ingredients to form a soft dough. Keep this dough for atleast half an hour aside. Now make small balls (Size of chapatti dough ball) and roll round shape of puris. Roast it on pre- heated pan on both side. Don’t cook it completely, keeping it little bit kuccha (half cooked). Now do the same with other balls too. Place the half cooked rotis in toaster and on medium heat toast it. It will rise like puri and have golden spots as cooked in Tandoori. Remove the rotis brush ghee. Tandoori rotis are ready.