Cabbage Kofta

Cabbage Koftas:


Ingredients for Dumplings:


1) 2 cups of shredded cabbage
2) 1 cup gram flour 
3) 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds 
4) Pinch of ajwain
5) 1 inch of ginger, finely chopped
6) 2 green chili, finely chopped
7) Pinch of haldi
8) 1/2 teaspoon of red chili powder
9) Salt to taste
10) Oil for frying


Ingredients for Gravy:


1) 1 small onion
2) 1 large tomato
3) 3-4 cloves of garlic
4) 1 inch of ginger
5) 2 green chili
6) 1 teaspoon of mustard seed
7) 1teaspoon of cumin seeds
8) Pnch of hing
9) Pinch of haldi
10) 1/3 cup of Heavy cream (optional)
11) 1 teaspoon of red chili powder


Method for dumplings/Koftas:


1) Mix kofta ingredients 1-9 and make soft dough. Adjust besan or add very little water, if needed. Make round balls/dumplings as shown in the pic. using oil.


2) Cook them in the pressure cooker (2-3 whistles)


3) Remove these dumplings from the cooker and shallow fry them.


4) Now, for gravy. Grind gravy-ingredients 1-5. 


5) Heat oil in the pan. Add, mustard seeds, cumin seeds and hing. Stir it.


6) Now add, grinded ingredients 1-5. Stir for 3-4 mins.


7) Add haldi, salt and red chili powder. Stir it.


8) Add 2 cups of water. Give it a boil.


9) Slow down the heat and add heavy cream. Cover it, turn on the heat to medium and keep stirring till the oil oozes out.


10) Now add, fried koftas. Simmer it for 4-5 mins.


11) Garnish it with cilantro and serve it with roti or paratha

Cabbage Kofta

Yellow Squash Indian Recipe

Yellow Squash Sukhi Sabzi

Ingredients:

1) 1 medium size yellow squash or summer squash or crookneck squash, cut it in coin shape (Fig. 2)
2) 4-5 tablespoons of oil/ghee
3) 1 teaspoon of roasted, crushed cumin seeds
4) 1 teaspoon of amchoor powder
5) 1 teaspoon of red chili powder
6) Salt to taste
7) Fried green chilies and 3-4 sprigs of cilantro for garnishing


Method:

1) In a large non-stick pan heat oil on medium
2) Arrange squash coins as shown in fig. 3
3) Shallow fry them on both the sides (4-6 mins on each side)
4) Take them out and sprinkle roasted cumin powder, amchoor powder, red chili powder and salt
5) Garnish them with chopped cilantro and fried green chilies. Eat them as appetizer/snacks or with roti/paratha

Yellow Squash

Fig. 2 - Squash coins

Fig. 3

Salty

Spicy Yellow squash

Recipe by: Geetanjali S. Mahadik

Cauliflower/ Gobhi Manchurian

Cauliflower/ Gobhi Manchurian


Ingredients for Gravy/sauce:


1) Half cauliflower, cleaned and broken into florettes
2) 3-4 tablespoons of vegetable oil
3) 2 teaspoons of ginger, chopped 
4) 5-6 cloves of garlic, chopped and 2-3 green chilies, chopped
5) Half large or one small onion, chopped
6) 1 tablespoon of soya sauce
7) 2 tablespoons of tomato ketchup
8) 2 teaspoons of white vinegar
9) 2-4 tablespoons of red chilli sauce
10) 1 tablespoon of sweet and sour sauce or brown sugar or white sugar
11)  4-6 spring onions, chopped
12) 6-7 sprigs of coriander, chopped
13) 1 teaspoon of corn starch dissolved in 1/4 - 1 cup of water
14) Oil for frying

Ingredients for batter:

1) 4-5 tablespoons of maida or all purpose flour
2) 1 tablespoon of rice flour (optional)
3) 1 tablespoon of corn starch
4) Salt and pepper
5) Water

Method:

1) Heat oil in a pan and add garlic, green chilies, ginger and onion. Stir for 2-3 mins.
2) Add, soya sauce and ketch up and stir for 1-2 mins.
3) Add, vinegar, red chili sauce and sweet and sour sauce or sugar. Stir for a min or so.
4) Add, corn starch + water solution. Stir it. You can add less or more water, depend on consistency you are looking for.
5) Now, make batter by mixing all purpose flour, rice flour, corn starch, salt, pepper and water. (Consistency should be like pakora/dosa batter)
6) Heat oil in pan for frying.
7) Dip cauliflower florets in above batter and fry then till golden brown in color.
8) Add fried cauliflower florets to sauce/gravy and garnish it with chopped spring onions and coriander.
9) Eat as appetizer or with rice/noodles.

Cauliflower/ Gobhi Manchurian

Recipe by: Geetanjali S. Mahadik

Instant Papad ki Sabzi / Papad curry

Papad ki Sabzi

Ingredients:

1) 2-3 papad, break each papad into 4-5 pieces
2) 2 tablespoons of oil or ghee
3) 1/2 tablespoon of coriander seeds, crushed
4) 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
5) Pinch of hing
6) 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder
7) Salt to taste
8) 1 teaspoon red chili powder or to taste
9) 1 cup of water

Method:

1) Heat ghee/oil in the pan
2) Add, hing, crushed coriander seeds, cumin seeds and stir
3) Add, turmeric powder, salt and water. Boil it
4) Add, papad and red chili powder. Boil it for 2-3 mins.
5) Serve it with roti or paratha.

Instant Papad ki Sabzi

Recipe by: Geetanjali S. Mahadik

Sarson da saag / Sarson ka saag

Sarson da saag / Sarson ka saag Ingredients:
1) 1 bunch of mustard leaves, washed
2) 1.5  bunch of spinach leaves ( RATIO - 1:1.5 - Mustard:Spinach), washed
3) 3-4 green chilies
4) 2 teaspoons of ginger, finely chopped
5) 3-4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
6) 1 onion, finely chopped
5) 1 tomato, finely chopped
6) Salt to taste
7) 4 tablespoons of ghee/unsalted butter
Method:
1)  In a pressure cooker, add washed and chopped mustard leaves, baby spinach leaves, pinch of salt and gree chiles. Cook for 2-3 whistles.
2) Grind the above mixture. Avoid water.
3) In a pan or kali kadai heat ghee or butter.
4) Add, ginger, garlic, onion and tomatoes. Stir for 2-3 mins. Make a fine paste (tadka with no visible chunks. Add little water, if needed)
5) Add grinded mixture from step - 2.
6) Add salt (little less than usual)
7) Cook for 10 -12 mins with constant stirring. Be careful! (Hold pan cover with one hand and stir with other) Try to evaporate the water completely.
8) Add red chili powder if you want to.
9) Garnish it with ghee (Be little generous). Serve it with makki di roti or chapati or naan

Recipe by Geetanjali S. Mahadik

Navratan Korma / Mix veg. - Punjabi style

Navratan Korma
Ingredients:
1) 2 tablespoons of broken cashew nuts
2) 1/2 onion, chopped
3) 2-3 cloves of garlic
4) 2 teaspoons of ginger, grated
5) 3-4 green chilies, chopped
6) 1 medium size tomato, chopped
7) Pinch of hing
8) 1 teaspoon jeera seeds
9) 1/2 table spoon of crushed coriander seeds
10) 1-2 bay leaf
11) 2 cups of mix veg. (Potato, peas, green beans, carrots, bell pepper, cauliflower, corn, paneer etc.)
12) 1 cup of milk
13) 1teaspoon of corn starch
14) Salt to taste
15) 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
16) 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper (optional)
17) 1 teaspoon of shahi paneer masala or dal makhni masala or kitchen king masala (OPTIONAL)
18) 1 tablespoons of raisins
19) 2 + 3 tablespoons of oil/ghee/ butterMethod:1) In a small pan heat 2 tablespoons of oil. Add, ingredients 1 to 6. Stir for 2-3 mins and grind them to a fine paste.
2) In a large pan or kadai take 3 tablespoons of oil. Add, hing, cumin seeds, coriander seeds and bay leaf. Give a quick stir.
3) Add paste from step -1 and stir for 2 mins or till oil oozes out.
4) Add all veg. Stir and cover the pan. Cook for about 5-6 mins with occasional stirring.
5) After 5-6 mins slow down the heat and add cold milk and starch with constant stirring.
6) Add, salt. black pepper, red pepper, paneer/dal makhni or kitchen king masala and raisins. Mix well. Cover the pan and cook for 3-4 min or until the veggies are done.
7) Garnish it with coriander leaves and serve it with roti or naan.

Recipe by Geetanjali S. Mahadik

Dakre wali Kadi / Gatte ki Kadi

Dakre wali Kadi / Gatte ki Kadi
Ingredients:
For Dakre:
1) 1.5 cup of gram flour or besan
2) 1/2 teaspoon of cumin seeds or jeera
3) Pinch of ajwain
4) 1/2 teaspoon of red chili powder
5) 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
6) 2-3 tablespoons of oil
7) 1 teaspoon of salt
8) 1 tablespoon of crushed kasoori methi (optional)
9) 1 teaspoon of crushed coriander seeds
For Kadi:
1) 3-4 tablespoons of oil/ghee
2) 2-3 whole red chili
3) 1/2 teaspoon of mustard seeds
4) 1 small onion, chopped
5) 1 teaspoon of red chili powder
6) Salt to taste
7) 4-5 sprigs of coriander, chopped
Method:
For Dakre:
1) Mix all ingredients and make a firm dough using oil and warm water (Fig. 1).
2) Divide the dough in 6-7 and roll them as shown in fig. 2
3) Boil 4 cups of water and place there logs in the hot water. Let it boil for 6-7 mins. They are cooked when they stats floating. (fig. 3)
4) Remove it from hot water. Let it cool for a min. or so. Cut them in small pieces as shown in fig. 4 and set them aside.
For Kadi: (You can use curd in this recipe but my mom's recipe does not include any curd and my taste is developed without it...) 
1) In a pan, add oil. Add, mustard seeds and whole red chili. Stir for few secs.
2) Add, chopped onion and salt. Cook for 1-2 mins.
3) Add, dakre and stir for 3-4 mins. Sprinkle water in between. Add Red chili powder.
4) Add 3 cups of water  (You can use the leftover water after boiling)
5) Give it 1-2 boils. Switch off the heat. Add cilantro. After cooling gravy will become thick.

Fig.1

Fig. 2

Fig. 3

Fig. 4

Dakre wali Kadi

Recipe by Geetanjali S. Mahadik

Chakolya / Varan Phal

Chakolya /  Varan Phal - Pulse with wheat dumplings
Ingredients:
For Varan/dal
1) 1 cup of toor dal, washed and boiled
2) 1/2 teaspoon of haldi
3) 2 tablespoons of ghee/butter
4) 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds
5) 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
6) 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
7) Pinch of hing
8) 1 large tomato, chopped
9) 4-5 kokum pieces, soaked in 1/3 cup of water for 10 mins.
10) Salt to taste
11) 2 teaspoon of red chili powder
12) 2 teaspoon of jaggery or gur
13) 2-3 sprigs of cilantro, chopped
For phal/wheat dumplings:
1) 2 cups of whole wheat flour
2) 1 teaspoon of salt
3) 1/2 teaspoon of red chili powder
4) 1 tablespoon of oil
5) 1/2 teaspoon of ajwain
6) 1/2 teaspoon of cumin seeds
7) Water
Method:
1) Pressure cook toor dal, haldi and water (4-5 whistles)
2) For phal: In a bowl, take flour, salt, red chili powder, oil, ajwain and cumin seeds.Knead it using warm water to stiff and smooth dough. Let it sit for 5-10 mins
3) Heat oil in a large pan on medium heat. Add ghee, mustard seeds, cumin seeds and garlic. Stir for a min
4) Add, hing, boiled dal,tomato, water, kokum pieces, salt and red chili powder. Stir for 2-3 mins.
5) On low heat add gur and mix well
6) Now, take dough and roll it to chapati thickness and with the help a knife cut the chapati into square or diamond shape. One by one drop them to the dal mixture. Mix well. Cover it and cook for 10-15 mins. on low heat or till the dumplings/phal are completely cooked.Add water if needed.
7) Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with desi ghee

Chakolya / Varan Phal

Recipe by Geetanjali S. Mahadik

Nawabi Curry (Veg) in 5 easy steps

Nawabi Curry in 5 easy steps
(Serve: 2-3)

Ingredients:

1) 100g of Soya chunks (half packet of Nutrela), soaked in water for 15-20 minutes
2) 1 small potato, sliced to medium size pieces (optional)
3) 4 tablespoons of ghee/butter/oil
4) 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
5) 1 bay leaf
6) 2 cloves
7) 1/2 teaspoon of fenugreek seeds
8) 1 teaspoon of ginger, finely chopped
9) 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
10) 2-3 green chilies, chopped
11) 1 small onion, finely chopped
12) 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder
13) 1 large tomato, finely chopped
14) 1 teaspoon of red chili powder
15) 1 teaspoon of garam masala or Nawabi Meat Masala
16) 1/2 cup of cold yogurt/curd
17) Salt to taste
18) 2-3 sprigs of coriander/cilantro, chopped

Method:

Step 1: Heat ghee/butter/oil in a pressure cooker and add, cumin seeds, bay leaf, cloves & fenugreek seeds

Step 2: When seeds begin to splutter add, green chilies and onion. Saute over medium-high heat for a min.

Step 3: Add, turmeric powder, tomatoes, salt & red chili powder. Stir for 2-3 minutes over medium heat.

Step 4: Add, soaked soya chunks, potatoes & 1/2 cup of water. Pressure cook until 2-3 whistles on medium heat. Turn off the heat.

Step 5: Uncover it. On low heat, add garam masala or nawabi meat masala and cold curd/yogurt. Stir & cook till fat separates (10-15 minutes)

Garnish with cilantro and serve with roti or rice.

Nawabi Curry (Veg)

Shahi Paneer

Punjabi Shahi Paneer in 5 easy steps
(Serve 3)

Ingredients:

1) 200 gms of Paneer cut into pieces (cottage cheese)
2) 3 tablespoons of ghee/butter/oil
3) 1 small onion
4) 2-3 green chili
5) 2 medium tomatoes
6) 1" piece of ginger
7) 2 cloves of garlic
8) 2 whole red chili
9) 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder
10) 1 teaspoon of red chili powder
11) 1 teaspoon of shahi paneer masala or garam masala
12) 1/2 cup of cold curd
13) 1/2 cup of cold milk
14) Salt to taste
15) 2-3 sprigs of cilantro/coriander

Method:

Step 1: Grind together - onion, green chili, tomatoes, ginger and garlic to a paste (Ingredients: 3-7)

Step 2: Heat ghee in a pan on medium heat. Add, whole red chili, paste, turmeric powder, red chili powder, shahi paneer masala or garam masala and salt. Stir for 3-4 minutes or until oil separates

Step 3: In a coffee mug add, COLD curd and COLD milk. Mix well

Step 4: Reduce the heat and slowly add curd-milk solution with constant stirring. Cook until the gravy becomes thick (10-12 minutes)

Step 5: Finally, add paneer cubes and heat for a minute. Garnish with cilantro and serve with naan, roti or rice

After Step 1

After Step 2

Step 3

After Step 4

After Step 5 - Shahi Paneer

Egg Curry

Egg Curry Recipe

Ingredients:

1) 3 eggs (hard boiled and halved)

2) 2 green chili

3) 1 small onion
4) 3 cloves of garlic

5) 2 teaspoons of ginger

6) 2 tomatoes

7) Pinch of turmeric powder

8) 1 teaspoon of coriander powder
9) 1 teaspoon of cumin  powder
10) 1 teaspoon of red chili powder
11) 3 tablespoons of ghee/oil
12) Salt to taste

13) 5-6 sprigs of cilantro/coriander, chopped

Method:

1) Grind green chili, onion, garlic and ginger to paste
2) Heat a pan with ghee/oil and fry the paste to golden brown in colour
3) Grind 2 tomatoes
4) Add, tomatoes, salt, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and red chili powder to the pan. Stir for 2-3 minutes
5) Add 1/4 cup of water and stir for 2 minutes. Repeat this (adding water & stirring) 2-3 times
6) Reduce heat, add eggs and simmer for 3 minutes
7) Garnish with coriander

                              

After step-5

After step-7

Moong-Masoor dal recipe

Moong-Masoor dal
(Serve: 2-3)
Ingredients:
1) 1/2 cup moong dhuli dal ( lemony yellow lentils), washed
2) 1/2 cup masoor dal (red lentils), washed
3) 3 cups water
4) 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
5) 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
6) 2-3 chopped green chilies
7) 1 teaspoon chopped ginger (1/2 inch piece)
8) 1/2 small onion, chopped
9) 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi seeds)
10) Salt to taste
For Seasoning/Tadka:
11) 3-4 tablespoon ghee/butter/oil
12) 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
13) 2 whole red chilies
14) Pinch of hing powder
15) 3-4 curry leaves
16) 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
17) 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
18) 1 teaspoon red chili powder
19) 1/2 teaspoon garam masala/goda masala
20) 5 sprigs of cilantro/coriander, chopped
Method:
1. In a pressure cooker, add both well washed dals, water, turmeric powder, cumin seeds, green chilies, ginger, onion, fenugreek seeds and salt to taste. (Ingredients 1 to 10).
2. Cook for 3 whistles.
3. For seasoning or tadka: In a hot pan, add ghee, mustard seeds, whole red chilies, hing, curry leaves and boiled dal mixture.
4. Add cumin powder, coriander powder, red chili powder and garam masala.
5. Allow it to boil for 3-4 minutes.
6. Garnish with chopped green cilantro and serve it with rice, roti or paratha.

Recipe by Geetanjali S. Mahadik