Vada Pav.. (Mumbai Street Food)

Vada Pav.. I have eaten this many times in Goli Vada Pav in bangalore, in starting I use to feel good and use to have 2 to 3 times in a week, then the masala what they use started giving me problem and I totally stopped eating Vada Pav. I always wanted to try at home, but use to feel why to do some much of work when you can get it from opposite of the road and stop myself from cooking.. But here there is no option what ever we want to eat I have to cook at home only and I really feel this is a very good opportunity for me to try out many recipes which I have been waiting to try from ages..

This was my second attempt to cook Vada Pav at home and it turn out to be the tastiest Vada Pav we have ever had and my H loved it and he ate 2 Vada Pav along with 2 green chilli. where he use to always by 1 and eat only half.. When ever he eats happily and more I feel my this much of effort is worth.. Enjoy the simple and tasty recipe of Vada Pav and make your family members happy..

Ingredient's For Vada.

3 medium boiled potatoes (peeled and mashed)

1 tsp ginger garlic paste

1 green chillies, 1 medium onion (finelychopped)

1/4 tsp tumeric powder

1/4 tsp mustard seeds

6-7 curry leaves

2tbsp oil

Salt to taste.

Ingredient's For Batter of Vada

1 1/2cups gram flour (besan)

Oil for deep frying

1 pinch of red chilli powder, 1 pinch of turmeric

1/4tsp ginger garlic paste

1 pinch of cooking soda (optional)

Salt to taste

6 Pav buns (square buns).

Ingredient's For Spicy Red Dry Chutney.

1tbsp red chilli powder

1/4 tsp cumin

8 curry leaves

1tbsp grated coconut

1/4 cup peanuts, 3tbsp sesame seeds

5 garlic cloves, 1 green chilli (finely chopped)

1 pinch of asafoetida

Salt to taste.

Cooking Method.

Step-1. First dry roast all the ingredients of spicy red dry chutney. and grind them into powder (do not add any water) and set it aside.

Step-2. Then in a mixing bowl, add all the ingredients of batter for vada and mix them nicely and make a thick batter like we make for bajji.. set it aside.

Step-3. Now in a deep frying pan, add 2tbsp oil, mustard seeds, curry leaves, when they start spluttering, add onion and green chilli and fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Then add ginger garlic paste, turmeric, potato and salt, fry for another 3 to 4 minutes. Take out the mixture in a separate plate and allow the mixture to cool. when the potato mixtures is cooled, make 6 to 7 large lemon size balls and keep it aside.

In the same frying pan add oil for deep frying the vada's. When the oil is hot, dip one potato ball at a time into the gram flour batter to coat well and then deep fry till golden. Drain on paper towels.

Take one Pav bun, slit in half (not completely - leave one edge joined) and put a spoonful spicy red chutney on it. Place a potato ball on the bun and fold over, pressing down gently.

Serve while the Vada is still hot with fried green chilli..

Kasuri Meethi Chicken Curry..(Dired Fenugreek Leaves Chicken Curry. Pressure Cooker Version)

Kasuri Meethi Chicken Curry!!! I have taken this picture almost a year back and never post it.. When ever I plan to post this but some how I use to end up posting some other recipe. As I'm fully prepared to clear all my draft, so this was the first recipe to come up on my blog.. 

Kasuri Meethi has lots of medicinal value and I'm not very good at explaining but I know it is very good for health and I always make a point to add few leaves in my veg or non-veg dishes.. I really love the taste of kasuri meethi. This chicken curry is often asked to cook in my family and I'm sure once you people get the taste of it you can't stop yourself cooking this atleast twice a month..

Ingredient's.

1/2kg chicken (cut into medium size pieces)

2 medium onion, 1 large tomato (finely chopped)

2tsp ginger garlic paste

1tsp red chili powder, 1/2tsp turmeric, 1tsp coriander powder

2tsp chicken masala

2tsp kasuri Meethi (dried fenugreek leaves)

1/2tsp cumin seeds

2 bay leaves

3tbsp Oil

Salt to taste.

Ingredient's To Grind.

3 green chilli

1 black cardamom, 2 cloves, 1 cinnamon stick

1 green cardamom, 1 star anise

Handful of chopped coriander leaves.

Cooking Method.

In a mixer jar, add all the grinding ingredients and make a smooth paste by adding little water and set it aside.

In a pressure cooker, add oil, when oil is hot, add cumin and bay leaves, when they crackle. Add onion and fry to golden brown. Add the grounded paste along with red chili powder, turmeric, coriander powder, chicken masala and ginger garlic paste. and fry till the raw smell goes.. Add the tomato and fry till the oil start separating.(keep smashing the tomato in between)

Then add chicken, kasuri meethi, salt and 1 to 2cup of water and close the pressure cooker and cook for 2 whistle on a medium low heat.. Allow the pressure to escape before opening the cooker.

Garnish with some more fresh coriander leaves.

Serve hot with Rice or Roti..

Kathal Kofta.. (Jack-Fruit Dumplings In a Tangy Yoghurt Curry)

Kathal Kofta.. I had heard of this curry before but never eaten in my life before marriage and blogging.. When I had gone to visit my In-Laws place, there I had this curry and I was not knowing till they told me, that curry was made out of jack-fruit. I thought that is mutton kheem, because it was not at all looking like jack- fruit and it was tasting like mutton only. When I asked my elder co-sis then she told me that curry was not mutton kofta curry it was jack-fruit kofta curry. I was shocked and I had no words to say, then I told my MIL to bring again jack-fruit tomorrow so that even I can learn to make this curry.

From then I have cooked this curry in many other version and my H loves it... Actually there in my In-Law's house they only cook one type of green curry, some how I don't like that curry much so only I keep trying other recipes too... This recipe is the best so far, it has got a tangy taste of yoghurt and lovely reddish color...

Ingredient's For Kofta.

250 grams jack-fruit (peeled and chopped in chunks)

A pinch asafoetida

1/2tsp ginger garlic paste

1/2tsp garam masala powder

3tbsp besan (ground bengal gram)

1/4tsp red chili powder

1/4tsp salt

Oil for frying.

Ingredinet's For Gravy.

2 medium onions (grated)

1 medium tomato (grated or finely chopped)

1 tsp ginger garlic paste

1/2 cup beaten yoghurt

1/2 tsp red chili powder, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp garam masala powder

1½ - 2 tbsp oil

1 pinch asafoetida 

1/2tsp cumin seeds

Salt to taste

2 cups water

2 tsp fresh chopped coriander (for garnish).

Cooking Method For Koftas:

Boil the jack-fruit with a asafoetida till it is tender. ( pressure cooked them till one whistle escaped)

Smack them by using fork or hands. Add the besan along with the rest of the kofta ingredients to the jack-fruit, gently mix everything together. Make balls and keep them aside on a greased plate.

Heat oil and fry kofta balls in batches on a medium low heat till golden brown. Remove on a kitchen towel and keep aside.

Cooking Method For Gravy:

Heat the oil and add asafoetida and cumin seeds. Once they crackle, add the onions and on medium heat fry till they turn goldenish brown.

Add 2-3 tbsp of water and add the ginger garlic paste. Fry till the masala becomes aromatic and brownish again.

Add the tomato and rest of the gravy ingredients. Fry them on low heat till the oil separates.

Add water and let the masala come to a boil. Add koftas and cook further for 3-5 minutes on medium low heat. Then add beaten yoghurt and swtich off the flame.

Garnish with chopped fresh coriander and Serve hot with chapatti or rice.

Lauki (Bottle Gourd) Kofta With Tangy Yogurt Curry.

Lauki Kofta With Tangy Yogurt Curry!! I have cooked the lauki kofta curry with yogurt for the first time and it turn out to be the best and yummy curry.. I usually cook any rich gravies by adding cream or a milk but adding yogurt to this curry it gave a very nice texture and tangy taste and it was going very well with hot rice.. i simply love it... Every time i cook any kofta curry in my family everyone loves it, even i feel good because i don't have to cook any other side dish, this will do both the job, we can eat with Roti's and Rice too..

 

 

This recipe is adopted from Anjana Ji from Mayeeka. She is wonderful cook and i love her almost all the recipes. This was one of the best dish and i have followed her almost all the steps and the curry was delicious...

 

 

Ingredient's.
For Kofta

Grated bottle gourd/Lauki-2 cup
Ginger-1/2 tsp
Raisins-2 tsp
Gram flour-1/2 cup
Cornflour-1bsp
Turmeric -1/4 tsp
Chilli powder-1 tsp
Salt- as per taste.

 

 

Ingredient's.

For Gravy
Tomato-3
Ginger-1/2 tsp
Yoghurt-6 tbsp
Cumin seeds-1/2 tsp
Turmeric-1/4 tsp
Chili powder-1 tsp
Salt-as per taste
Water-1.5 cup.

 

 

Cooking Method.

Pressure cook bottle gourd with 1/ 2 cup water for 1whistle only.
Drain and let it cool down,then squeeze the water from the bottle gourd (reserve the water to use in the gravy).
Take bottle gourd in a bowl and add gram flour, corn flour, salt, chili powder, pinch of garam masala, 1/ 2tsp grated ginger, and chopped raisins.
Mix well and make walnut size smooth and round balls.
Deep fry in hot oil on medium flame till golden in colour,drain and keep aside.

 

For The Gravy.
Grind the tomatoes with 2 green chilies, ginger and make a smooth puree.
Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds,when start crackling then add tomato puree and saute for approx 2- 3 minutes on medium flame.
Now add turmeric, chili powder, salt, coriander powder and mix well and cook for few seconds.
Blend yogurt with 1.5 cup water and add in the gravy.
Cook for approx 5 minute on low flame, now add koftas and cook for a minute.
Add fresh corinader and serve hot, garnished with Rice Or Roti's.

Chicken Dum Briyani..

Chicken Dum Briyani. I had cooked this Briyani on my 3rd year marriage anniversary. From that time i had kept this in draft but never got the right time to post it. I think now i can't make this post to wait for any more, because for me tomorrow never comes. I used to think cooking Dum briyani is difficult then the normal briyani which is cooked by mixing every things together, but it is not right. They both take same effort and same time.. Now I prefer dum briyani because it taste better then the normal briyani... I have not used deep fried onion in this recipe, i have saved it for one more recipe of dum briyani. Do try and let me know.

Ingredients.

1/2 kg Basmati rice 

Chicken 1/2 kg

Few strands for saffron 

2 big size onion, 4 tomato (finely chopped)

3 green chilly (chopped) 

4 to 5tbsp of chopped coriander and mint leafs

2tbsp Ginger, garlic paste

2tbsp red chilly powder, 1tbsp turmeric powder 

1tbsp coriander powder, 1tbsp garam masala 

1cup curd, 2tbsp lemon juice

Salt as per taste.

For Tempering.

2 bay leafs, 1 cinnamon stick, 2 green cardamom

2 cloves, 1 big black cardamom, 2 star anise

1tbsp shah jeera 

Oil as per your requirment.

Cooking method.

Wash and soak the rice in enough water for 20 to 30 minutes. In the same time soak the saffron also in warm water. 

Heat the deep frying pan add oil, when oil is hot, add all the tempering ingredients and leave till it become's brown. 

Then add onion, ginger garlic paste fry for till the onion becomes lite golden brown, then add chicken, turmeric, and salt, fry it till the chicken starts leaving oil. 

After that add red chilli powder, coriander powder and garam masala, give a quick stir, then add tomato, curd, lemon, green chilly, and cook till the tomatos becomes soft, then add 2tbsp of mint and coriander leafs and mix it well.

Half boil the rice in a seprate pan. add water in to rice as per it required's. Then in a separate big pan add one layer of chicken and one layer of half boiled rice. Then sprinkle from top saffron water and left over mint and coriander leafs. (you can make as many as layers you like, but i have made one 2 layers). Cover the lid and cook till the rice is completely cooked in a medium flame.

Serve hot hot with (Raita)

Moong Dal And Vegetable Pulao.. (Pressure Cooker Version)

Vegetable Pulao. Usually people make pulao in so many different ways and there are many recipes and versions to it. Even i cook many version by adding different kinds ingredients, you can make recipe taste different by changing or adding any ingredients. In south India pulao's are very famous in every household because it is easy to make and very very tasty to eat any time of the day. As i have mentioned in my previous post that i don't like to eat much of rice items, i cook all types of rice items just because my hubby finds it very tasty and he feels cooking rice is easy then cooking roti's and sabji, but i feel both are the same.. When it come's to vegetable pulao i cook very often not because it taste good because it looks and smells good..

Ingredient's

1cup vegetable (potato, carrot, beans, mutter, cauliflower)

2cup rice (Basmati or normal rice)

2tbsp moong dal

1 medium onion and 2 green chilli (finely slice)

1 medium tomato (finely chopped)

1tsp turmeric, 1tsp coriander powder, 1tsp garam masala

Salt to taste

Coriander leaves for garnishing.

For tempering

1 bay leaves, 2 dry red chili

2 star anise, 1 cinnamon stick

2 cloves, 2 green and black cardamom

1tsp cumin seeds

3tbsp oil.

Cooking Method

If you are using basmati rice then soak the rice in water for atleast 30minutes, no need to soak the rice if you are using normal rice, just wash and keep it aside.

In a pressure cooker, add oil, when the oil is hot add cumin seeds and all the tempering spices, when they turn brown, add moong dal, when dal turns lite golden brown, add onion and green chillies, fry to golden brown.

Then add turmeric, coriander powder and garam masala, fry for 1 to 2minutes, then add all the vegetables and tomato, fry for another 1 to 2minutes. Now add the rice, salt and enough water, cover the lid and cook for 3 whistle (1 in high flame, 2 in low flame), then allow the pressure to go and open the lid and mix well.

Serve hot with Onion Raita.

Tomato Briyani..(Pressure Cooker Version)

Tomato Briyani is very similar to Tomato rice with a little twist of ingredients. Tomato rice taste more a like tangy taste, but i have kept very less sour taste in briyani. Last week during his holidays i had cooked this one pot meal for the lunch and i serve with chilled yogurt raita. When ever you ask him shall i cook tomato rice he will never say no to it, he loves tomato rice but i'm not a big fan of rice items, i cook rice items just because he likes it and i enjoy seeing him eating.. This is my new innovation in briyani and my hubby like it very much. I hope my blog readers also like this recipe :)

Ingredient's

2cup Raw rice

1 Bay leaf, 1 Cinnamon stick, 2 Cardamoms

2 dry red chillie, 2 star anise 

2 Onions, 2 green chillies (finely sliced)

2 ginger garlic paste 

1 hand full of mint leaves 

1tsp Kasoori methi 

1tsp red chili powder, 1tsp turmeric, 1tsp coriander powder 

1tsp Cumin, 1/2tsp mustard seeds 

1/2cup curd

a pinch of food color 

Tomato 2 (large red tomatoes, finely chopped) 

Oil 2 tbsp 

Salt to taste 

Coriander leaves for garnish.

Cooking Method

Heat oil in a pressure cooker, add cumin, mustard, cinnamon, cardamoms, star anise, red chillies and bay leaf, stir fry 30 secs. Add the sliced onions and saute for 3minutes. Add green chili, ginger-garlic paste, mint leaves and kasoori methi and saute for 4-5minutes. Add red chili powder, turmeric and coriander powder and mix. Add chopped tomatos, curd and salt to taste, mix and cook till oil separates. Reduce heat, add the raw rice, food color, mix gentely, then add 3cup of water, close the lid and pressure cook for 3whistles (1 in high flame 2 in low flame)

Remove onto a serving bowl. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves. Serve warm with raita or any curry of your choice.

Chakli...

Ingredient's

2cups rice flour 

2tsp Urad dal flour

1tsp sooji (Rava)

1tsp maida 

2tsp melted butter

1/4 tsp Asafoetida powder

1/2tsp black and white sesame seeds

1/2tsp cumin

Salt to taste

Water as per reqs

Oil for deep frying.

Cooking Method

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Adding water little by little, form a stiff dough. 

Take the 1 star attachment and fix it to the maker. Alternatively take a plastic sheet lightly brushed with oil/butter.

Now take a small amount of dough and place it inside the maker. Press the dough on the plastic sheet and you will find the dough coming out shaped as per the one star attachment.

Slightly rotate the maker round and round until you make a circle. Press it until a sufficient amount has dropped into the oil and break off the rest of the dough from dropping - just stop pressing the maker.

Now fry them until done - You can make it red, light brown or golden as per preference.

Drain them on paper towels. Let them cool and store in air tight containers.

Tomato Rice.. Pressure Cooker Version.

Tomato rice is one of the best rice dish in my opinion. Because it gives a very tangy taste and i love it. Even in my family also every one likes it. When i got newly married i was not sure to pack this rice for my hubby in his lunch bcoz i had no idea whether he will like it or not. Few months back i wanted to give something different for his lunch. Without telling him i packed tomato rice for his lunch box and he liked it very much and he requested me to give tomato rice very often. My recipe is very different from a usual tomato rice. Do try and let me know..

Ingredient's

2cup Raw rice

3tbsp green peas

1 Bay leaf, 1 Cinnamon stick, 2 Cardamoms, 2 dry red chillie

2 Onions, 2 green chillies (finely sliced)

1 1/2tsp ginger-garlic paste 

1 hand full of mint leaves 

1tsp Kasoori methi 

1tsp red chili powder, 1tsp turmeric, 1tsp coriander powder 

1tsp Cumin 

1/2cup curd 

Tomato 3 (large red tomatoes, finely chopped) 

Oil 2 tbsp 

Salt to taste

Coriander leaves for garnish)

Cooking Method 

Heat oil in a pressure cooker, add cumin, cinnamon, cardamoms and bay leaf stir fry 30 secs. Add the sliced onions and saute for 3mts. Add green chili, ginger-garlic paste, mint leaves and kasoori methi and saute for 4-5 mts. Add red chili powder turmeric and coriander powder and mix. Add chopped tomatos, curd, green peas and salt to taste, mix and cook till oil separates. Reduce heat, add the raw rice, mix gentely, then add 3cup of water, close the lid and pressure cook for 3whistles (1 in high flame 2 in low flame) 

Remove onto a serving bowl. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves. Serve warm with raita or any curry of your choice.

Meethi Pulao.. Fenugreek Rice!!!

Meethi Pulao. I love greens and make it a point to prepare all kind of green vegetables at least 4 to 5 days a week as I strongly believe that we are what we eat. I always prefer the mini meethi leaves which are available here very easily, this mini meethi leafs perfect for a meal rather than those huge bunches which give me a headache when it comes to cleaning!! This is a simple and flavorful pulao made in jiffy and perfect for lunch box also. Nowadays i'm giving more rice items for my hubby in a lunch box, so that even i can get a chance to cook different differnt kinds rice items. Because it is easy to prepare to and delicious to eat...

Ingredients 

2cup Basmati Rice 

1 cup chopped veggies Beans, carrot, peas, potaos. 

1cup meethi leafs 

1 large onion. 2 green chillies, 1 large tomato 

1 star anise, 1 big cardamom, 1 cinnamon, 1tsp cumin 

1tsp turmeric, 1tsp coriander powder, 1tsp garam masala 

2tbsp chopped coriander leafs 

Oil and Salt as per taste

Cooking Directions 

Wash and soak the rice for at least 1/2 hour. In a pressure cooker add oil, when the oil hot, add cumin, star anise, cardamom and cinnamon, when they starts spluttering, add onion and green chillies, fry to golden brown. 

Then add chopped veggies, meethi leafs, turmeric, coriander, garam masala and salt. fry for another 3 to 4 minutes. 

Add chopped tomatos and basmati rice. mix it gently and add 2cups of water and close the lid and cook for 3 whistle (1 in high flame and 2 in low flame) 

Garnish with coriander leafs and Serve hot with Raita.

Channa Dal And Snake Gourd Curry

Ingredient's

1 snake gourd cut into small pcs

1 1/2cup channa dal

1onion, 2tomato's, 4tbsp chopped coriander leafs, 6tbsp coconut paste

1/2tbsp cumin, 2tbsp red chilly powder, 1tbsp turmeric, 1tbsp coriander powder

2tbsp ginger garlic paste

3tbsp Oil and Salt to taste

Cooking Method

Soak the channa dal for 2 to 3 hours. Grind the onion, coriander leafs and cumin to a smooth paste, then grind the tomato's to a smooth paste separately. In a pressure cooker add oil, when it is hot add the onion and coriander paste, fry for 2 minutes, then add all the masala powder, ginger garlic paste and coconut paste, fry for another 2 to 3 minutes, then add the tomato paste and fry till the oil separates, add channa dal and salt, mix it well. Close the lid and cook for 2 whistle. Then open the lid and add the snake gourd, and 2 to 3 cup of water and mix it gently, add salt if needed and cook for another 1 whistle in high flame and switch off the stove and don't open the pressure cooker lid till all the pressure is gone... 

Serve hot with Plain Rice and Roti.

Raw Mango And Drumstick Dal !!!

Ingredient's

2 drumsticks, cleaned, scraped and chopped into 2-2.5 inch pieces

1 raw mango (cut into medium pieces)

1 cup toordal

1 medium onion, 1 green chili, 1 medium tomato chopped

1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1/4 tsp coriander powder

1tbsp tamarind pulp

2cup of water 

Salt to taste

For tempring

1/4 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

a pinch of hing-asafoetida

1 sprig of curry leaves

Cooking Method

In a pressure cooker, add all the above ingredient's, except drumsticks and raw mango. Cook for 3 whistle (1 in high flame 2 in low flame) Then allow pressure to go and open the lid and smash the dal little bit. In a mean time, take a tarka pan and prepare for tempering. Then add tempering it into the cooked dal with drumsticks and raw mango, close the pressure cooker lid and cook for another 1 whistle in a high flame.

Serve hot with Plain Rice..