Suran Shengdana Kadhi

Suran Shengdana Kadhi is a quick alternative to usual dal and kadhis. It is wholesome with veggies and peanuts.

Ingredients

1 packet frozen suran/yam
1/4 cup raw peanuts
2 tsp til/sesame seeds
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
2 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp red chili powder
1 tblsp jaggery
1 tsp methi seeds
1 small tomato, chopped
Cilantro for garnishing
salt to taste
2 tsp ghee

Method

- Pressure cook suran, peanuts, jaggery, tomatoes and all the above except til with 3 cups of water.
- Cook for 3 whistles.
- Add til and ghee.
- Garnish with cilantro.

Serve hot with rice or roti.

Mughalai Biryani

Mughalai Biryani is a royal dish with dry fruits in a rice. It is best served with Paneer butter masala and mint raita.

Ingredients

1 cup Basmati rice
3 tbslp ghee
4 cloves
2 cardamom
1 small onion, cut lengthwise
1 tblsp cashew peices
1 tbslp golden raisins
1/4 cup carrots and peas
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp cumin powder
2 bay leaves
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander powder
1/4 cup green + red peppers
salt to taste
1/4 cup Paneer, optional

Method

- Cook rice along with rasins al dente.
- Heat ghee in a pan.
- Add cumin seeds.
- Add the onions and cook till they turn pink.
- Add cloves, cardamom and bay leaves
- Add the cashew pieces and roast till brown
- Add Bell peppers, carrots and peas.
- Cook for a few minutes and add all the dry masalas.
- Add paneer if available at this point.
- Add salt, rasins and rice to the above mixture.
- Toss well making sure rice is not broken.

Serve this hot with raita to make any day special.

Creamy Pesto Macaroni

Creamy Pesto Macaroni is an alternative to Mac n Cheese. Kids and adults will love this twist.

Ingredients

1 cup elbow pasta
1 bunch fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup cream
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup walnuts
1 tsp red chili flakes
Salt to taste
1/2 tbslp butter

Method

- Bring water to boil in a pot.
- Add salt and pasta
- Cook until its al dente
- In a blender, add basil, salt, walnuts and olive oil. Grind well to a smooth paste. This is basic
pesto sauce.
- Melt butter in a pot.
- Add pesto sauce and cook for a few minutes.
- Add the cream and pasta.
- Add chili flakes and mix well.
- Preheat oven to 350 Deg F.
- Bake the pasta for 15min.

Enjoy the creamy pasta with a side of greens or broccoli.

Green Beans Fry

Green Beans Fry is a nutritious spring time vegetable. Quick recipe that can be made in a jiffy.

Ingredients

1/2 lb French green beans
2 tsp Cumin seeds
2 tsp garam masala
2 tsp Dhaniya Jeera(Coriander-Cumin) powder
1 tsp sugar
Salt to taste
2 tsp red chili powder
2 tblsp Oil

Method

- Cut the beans into 1 inch size
- Heat oil in a pan
- Add cumin seeds
- Add garam masala and dhaniya jeera powder
- Add sugar, salt and chili powder
- Add the beans and fry for few minutes
- Cook covered for another 15-20min

Serve along with dal chaawal.

Matar Paneer Butter Masala

Paneer Butter Masala is a great dish for one of those special days. Its so easy that you may want to make it every day.

Ingredients

1/2 cup Paneer, cut into cubes
1 small tomato, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
3 tsp Kasoori Methi
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup fresh cream
2 tsp sugar
salt to taste
2 tsp garam masala powder
2 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp ginger, chopped
2 tsp garlic, chopped
1/4 cup Sweet peas
1 tblsp butter

Method

- Melt the butter in a pan.
- Fry the paneer peices until they are golden brown on all sides.
- Remove the paneer from pan onto a paper towel.
- In the remaining butter, add onion and let it turn pink.
- Add ginger and garlic.
- Add tomato and let it cook well.
- Add turmeric, garam masala and red chili powder.
- Add salt and sugar.
- Add the milk followed by cream.
- Bring it to a boil.
- Add the kasoori methi and cook for few minutes
- Add the paneer and peas.

Serve hot with Naan.

Cucumber Mint Raita

Cucumber raita is great accompaniment to Pulao or biryani. Mint and cucumber form a perfect pair on a hot summer day.

Ingredients

1 cup Yoghurt
1/2 cucumber
Salt to taste
1 tsp chat masala
2 sprigs of mint

Method

- Add little water to yoghurt
- Shred the cucumber in a food processor
- Add the cucumber to yoghurt
- Chop the mint and add it.
- Add chat masala and salt
- Mix well and refrigerate it.

Serve it cold along with your main dish

Mango Eggplant Dal

Mango Eggplant Dal is a nice change to the usual dal. It has almost sambar like taste but much lighter.

Ingredients

1/2 cup raw mango pieces
2 small eggplants, cut lengthwise
1/2 Tomato chopped
1/2 cup cooked Toor Dal
1 tsp Amchur powder
Salt to taste
1-2 green chili, chopped
2 tsp Dhaniya-Jeera(Coriander-Cumin) Powder
1 tsp Cumin seeds
1 small onion, chopped
1 tsp garlic, chopped
1 tsp ginger, chopped
1 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tblsp Oil/Ghee
Cilantro to garnish

Method

- Heat Oil. Add cumin seeds
- Add onions, ginger, garlic and green chili
- Add turmeric, amchur and dhaniya jeera powder
- Add eggplants and cook well
- Add mango pieces and cook a bit more
- Add chopped tomato and salt
- Add a cup of water and let it cook for 5min
- Add the cooked toor dal and let it simmer for 10min.

Enjoy with hot rice.

Morukali - Savory Yoghurt Cake

Morukali is a dish from Tamilnadu that is a nice snack. It is prepared of rice and youghurt.

Ingredients

1/2 cup parboiled rice
2 Green Chili
Salt to taste
Pinch of Hing
1 cup buttermilk
1cup water
4-5 tbslp Oil

Method

- Soak rice for 2 hrs
- Grind with chili, salt and hing
- Add buttermilk and water and mix well
- Heat Oil
- Add mustard, Urad dal, Cashew pieces
- Add the above mixture and keep stirring until rice is cooked and gooey
- Pour in a plate
- After its cooled down, cut into squares


Enjoy it hot!!

Zucchini Raita

Zucchini Raita is a nice variation to usual cucumber raita. Its served best with paratha.


Ingredients

1 Zucchini, peeled
1/4 cup Yoghurt
1 tsp chat masala
Salt to Taste

Method

- Shred zucchini
- Boil shredded zucchini in water for 5min or in microwave for a minute
- Remove the water
- Add yoghurt and little water
- Add Chat Masala
- Add Salt
- Mix well


Serve chilled with Paratha and Pickle

Snake Gourd Curry (Podalan kai)

Snake gourd curry is a South Indian curry. Its a good accompaniment along with rice and sambar or rasam.


Ingredients

3 Snake gourds
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
1 tsp Urad Dal
2-3 Red Chillies
1/2 tsp Sugar
1 tblsp grated coconut
Salt to taste
1 tblsp Oil
1 pinch hing/asofetida

Method

- Wash the snake gourds well
- Cut into half vertically and remove the central pulp
- Cut into small cubes
- Heat Oil, add mustard seeds and hing
- After they splutter, add urad dal
- Once its browned and add red chillies
- Add the cut vegetable and the coconut
- Cook covered for 10-15 min
- Add salt and sugar and mix well
- Cook without cover for another 5 minutes

Enjoy with Rasam or Sambar rice

Soya Matar Subzi

Soya Matar subzi is a nutritious gravy veggie. It can be prepared quite fast and served with both rice and chapati. Make it as spicy or mild as you like.



Ingredients

2 medium Potatoes
1 Cup cauliflower, peas, Carrots (all together)
2 tsp Jeera/Cumin Seeds
1 tblsp oil
2 tsp dhania-jeera powder
1 small onions
1 big tomato
2 pinches turmeric
10-15 soya chunks

Method

1. Boil the potato in cooker, cauliflower or any other veggie
2. Heat oil and add jeera
3. When jeera is fried add onion
4. When onion turns golden brown, add turmeric, dhaniya jeera powder
5. Cut 1 tomato into small pieces and add it to the above
6. Add 1 cup water
7. When tomatoes are cooked, add all the boiled vegetables
8. Soak soya chunks in hot water for 10-15min or until soya chunks are soft
10. Add salt.

Serve it hot with chapati or rice

Sauteed Kale

This is the quickest side dish to any main dish. Kale is a nutritious green that is rich in folates.

Ingredients

2 tsp Walnuts
2 tsp cranberries or golden raisins
2 Cups Chopped kale
2 Garlic cloves
Salt to Taste
Red chilli flakes, optional
1 tblsp olive oil/butter

Method

- Heat olive oil or butter in a pan
- Slice the garlic and add to the oil.
- As garlic is slightly brown, add the halved walnuts and cranberries.
- Add the kale and let it wilt.
- Add salt to taste
- Add chili flakes and toss it a bit.

Note: Be sure not to brown the garlic too much as it will turn bitter.
Serve it with pasta or any main course.

Batata Poha

Batata Poha is a maharashtrian dish. You can make this for breakfast or light lunch.

Ingredients

1 small size potato, cubed
1/2 medium size red onion, chopped
2 green chillies
1 tsp chopped ginger
3 cups thick poha
Salt to taste
1 tsp lemon juice
2-3 tblsp Oil
2 tsp cumin seeds
3 tsp turmeric powder
Chopped cilantro for garnishing

Method

- Heat Oil and add cumin seeds
- Add turmeric powder
- After the splutter, add ginger, onion and green chili
- Cook for few minutes
- Add the cubed potatoes and let them fry
- Let the potato cook a bit
- Soak the poha in warm water for 5 minutes
- Remove the water and transfer the poha to above mixture
- Add salt
- Mix it all well till the poha is colored and salt is mixed
- Make sure not to break the poha
- Cook for 5 minutes
- Remove off the heat and add the lemon juice and mix well
- Garnish with cilantro

Enjoy it hot!!

Paperdelle Alfredo

This is a rich and quick pasta for a sumptuous dinner. Its perfect those who love diary products as it has it all: cheese, milk, heavy cream.

Ingredients

Alfredo Sauce

- 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
- 1/4 cup Milk
- 2 Cloves Garlic
- 1 tsp Basil
- 1 Cup Parmesan + Mozzarella Cheese
- 1tblsp butter
- 1 tsp crushed black pepper
- salt to taste

Pasta

- 1/2 packet paperdelle pasta
- Salt to Taste
- 1 pan water

Method

Alfredo Sauce

- Heat a pan and melt the butter
- Add the garlic and let it slightly brown
- Add the heavy cream and milk
- Let the milk boil a little
- Add the salt and pepper
- Add basil
- Add cheese and mix it well so that cheese melts
- Leave it on the heat for few minutes

Pasta

- Bring the water to rolling boil
- Add salt and mix well
- Add the pasta and cook according to directions on the packet
- When the pasta is al dente, take the pasta out and toss it into the sauce

Serve it immediately

Note: Paperdelle normally is made of egg. For pure vegetarians look for the ones made of semolina.

French Onion Soup

French Onion soup is a comfort food for those cold days. This soup is enjoyed with toasted bread and cheese.

Ingredients

2 Cups Vegetable broth
1 Cup white wine/light beer
3 Large Red Onions
2 Cloves garlic
1 Bay leaf
1 tsp Thyme
3 tsp Black Pepper
2 tblsp Butter
1 tblsp Olive Oil
2 tsp all purpose flour
Salt to Taste
1 Cup Gruyere or Mozzarella Cheese
Slices of Bread

Method

- Chop onions length wise
- Chop garlic nicely
- Heat a deep pan and add the butter and olive oil
- Add the onions and garlic and sautee until Onions are cooked turns pink
- Add bay leaf and thyme
- Add the flour and toss till its brown
- Add the beer and vegetable broth
- Add Salt and black pepper
- Cook for 45min
- Toast the bread slice until crisp on both sides
- Place the soup in oven safe bowls and sprinkle cheese on the top liberally
- Keep the bowl under broiler on high for about 5 min until cheese is bubbling and slightly browned.

Enjoy it hot with the toasted bread.

Spaghetti and Meatless Balls with Marinara Sauce

Ingredients

Pasta

1/2 packet spaghetti
1 pot water
2 tsp sea salt or regular salt
2 tsp Olive Oil

Marinara Sauce

3 Tomatoes
1/4 Onion
3 Cloves Garlic
2 tsp Parsley
2 tsp Basil
1 tsp Oregano
2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
Salt to Taste
1 tsp crushed black pepper
1 tblsp butter
2 tblsp Tomato paste/sauce
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Note: If you are hard pressed for time you can get any store bought pasta sauce

Meatless Balls:

2 cups Bread crumbs
3 Cloves chopped garlic
1/4 cup crumbled tofu
2 tsp Parsley
2 tsp Basil
1 tsp Oregano
2 tsp Crushed black pepper
1/4 cup boiled peas and carrots
Salt to Taste

Oil for frying

Note: If you are in hurry, you can get meatless balls from Trader Joes and it tastes as good.

Method

Pasta

- Boil pot of water till its rolling
- Add salt and mix well
- Add Pasta and cook till Al Dente (2min less than suggested on packet)
- When Pasta is cooked, decant and save some pasta water for sauce
- Toss pasta with olive oil so it doesn't stick together

Note: Pasta water has starch that makes the sauce rich.

Marinara Sauce

- Heat Butter and add chopped onions, garlic
- When onions are translucent, add chopped tomatoes
- Cook for 3-4min
- Add the pasta water and add the tomato paste/sauce
- Add the herbs
- Add red chilli powder, crushed black pepper and salt to taste
- Let it simmer on low for 10min
- Add more water as needed to make sauce consistency
- Add Parmesan Cheese

Meatless Balls

- Mash boiled peas and carrots with a spoon or masher
- Mix the above ingredients well
- Make balls of lemon size.
- Heat Oil and fry the balls until they are golden brown

Note: Breadcrumbs act as binder. Add more if you have trouble making balls. As a healthy alternative, you can bake the balls in oven at 350 Deg F for 30min

- Add the balls to sauce

Serve Pasta on a plate and pour the sauce with meatless balls

Note: You can also make meatless ball sandwiches. Toast hot dog buns. Lay 2 slices of mozzarella cheese. Add 2 Meatless balls with sauce.

Vegetable Upma

Upma is a quick snack that can be made in jiffy. It is also quite filling and so a good option for lunch.



Ingredients

1.5 cups Semolina/Rava
2 Green chilies
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
1 tsp Urad dal
1/4 Onion
10-15 Green Beans
1/4 cup Carrots
1/4 cup Peas
5-6 Cashew pieces
Salt to taste
Coriander/Cilantro leaves for garnishing
2 tblsp Oil
2 tsp chopped ginger
3 Cups water

Methods:

- Heat Oil in a pan
- Add mustard seeds and wait till it splutters
- Add Urad dal and let it brown
- Add cashew pieces and let it brown (Cashew browns quickly)
- Slit Green chillies and add to above
- Add onions and cook till its translucent
- Add the vegetables and cook them till they are cooked
- Add the rava and fry for few minutes
- Add ginger
- Add water and mix well
- Add salt to taste
- Cook on medium for 10-15 minutes
- Garnish with chopped Cilantro

Enjoy with mango pickle!!

Ghee Roast Dosa with Tomato Chutney

Ghee Roast is crispy dosa that is found in most South Indian Restaurants. Tomato chutney makes a perfect accompaniment to this ultra crisp entree.


Ingredients:

Dosa

1 cup raw rice
1 cup par boiled rice
1/2 cup urad dal
5-10 methi/fenugreek seeds
1/2 cup ghee
2 tsp salt

Tomato Chutney

2 Large tomatoes
1/2 onion
1 tsp turmeric powder
1/2tsp hing/asofetida
1 tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp urad dal
1 tsp oil

Method:

Dosa:

Preparing Batter:

- Soak the rice together, urad dal and methi seeds separately for at least 2 hrs
- Grind the rice with as much water needed and urad dal and methi with as littke water needed.
- Mix the above two batter along with 2 tsp salt
- Preheat the oven to 170DegF
- Keep the batter in oven for 10min covered
- Leave the batter overnight

Making Dosas:

- Heat a round pan
- Pour 2 ladles of batter and turn into round shape
- Pour little ghee on the side and the middle
- When the side on the pan has turned brown, flip to the other side
- Apply ghee on the brown side
- In 2-3 min flip back with brown side down
- This makes really crispy dosa

Tomato Chutney

- Chop tomatoes to small pieces
- Cut onions lengthwise
- Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds
- After Mustard seeds splutter, add urad dal
- When urad dal turns brown, add hing, turmeric and chili powder
- Add the oinion and wait till its translucent
- Add the chopped tomatoes
- Add salt and cover the pan
- Let it cook for 10-15min until the tomatoes are completely cooked.

Serve with Dosa.

Note: You can make dosas same day of grinding but they will not have the fermented taste.

Phulka

Phulka is simple yet sometimes most painful when it doesn't real puff up. Here's simple recipe that always works:

Ingredients

2 cups whole wheat/atta
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp oil
1 cup warm water


Method:

- In a bowl, mix flour, salt and oil and mix them.
- Add water slowly and keep mixing. Be careful not to add all the water at once
- When its a bit hard, wet your hand and mix the dough one more time
- Knead the dough for 5 more min with occasional punching.
- Set aside for at least 2 hours covered with wet cloth

Its a good way to reduce stress :-)

- Take a lemon size ball and dry flour.
- Make a round shaped bread
- Heat a pan
- Put the bread on it till pinkish spots appear on the side facing fan
- Take the bread off the pan and on to flame/coil on the other side
- Let it puff up and add little ghee on top.

Chatpata Gobhi

Chatpata Gobhi is an alternative to making usual Gobhi a little more tangy. Serve it with Paratha and everyone will rave it.

Ingredients

1 Cauliflower (cut into small florets)
1/4 cup cut green beans (optional)
1/4 cup green peas
1 tblsp chaat masala
1 tsp Red Chilli Powder
1/2 tsp Garam Masala Powder
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp Cumin seeds
2 tblsp oil
Salt to taste

Method

1. Boil water in a large pot
2. Par boil cauliflower (boil for 15min)
3. Remove all the water
4. Heat Oil and add cumin seeds
5. When they crackle, add turmeric, chillie,chat masala, garam masala and salt
6. Add the cauliflower florets
7. Let them fry for 5min
8. Add beans and peas
9. Cover it and cook for 10min
10. Remove cover and cook until dry

Paneer Bread with Sauteed Mushrooms

Paneer Bread is a nutritious snack on its own. When served with Sauteed Mushrooms and tomato soup makes a wholesome dinner.

Paneer Bread:

Ingredients:

- 1 Packet hot dog buns
- 1 cup paneer
- 2-3 green chillies
- Coriander/Cilantro leaves
- Salt to taste
- Butter for toasting

Method:

- Crumble paneer into a bowl
- Add salt to taste
- Chop green chillies and cilantro and add to paneer
- Mix the above mixture well
- Heat a frying pan
- Open the bun and spread paneer mixture all over the bread
- Put the mixture side down making sure the paneer stays within the bread
- Add butter on the side
- As the bread toasts, paneer would have cooked and become golden brown in color
- Flip the pan on top of a plate so the bread and paneer fall perfectly

Serve hot with hot and sweet sauce

Sauteed Mushroom

Ingredients:

- Mushrooms: cremini or button: 2 cups (Cleaned)
- Basil
- Salt
- Lemon juice (half lemon)
- Parsley
- Salt
- crushed black pepper
- Olive Oil

Method:

- Heat Olive oil in a pan
- Cut mushroom into halves or quarters depending on size
- Add the mushroom
- Mushroom will leave water, so keep tossing until all the water is absorbed
- Add salt, chopped parsley, Chopped basil, Crushed black pepper
- Sautee it on high heat until mushrooms have golden brown marks on them
- Take off the heat and add lemon juice and toss it well.