Rajma Paratha (Kidney bean)

Kidney Beans are rich in soluble fibre, so these are good in controlling cholesterol .They are a good source of protein, folate, iron, manganese and zinc. Kidney bean is also a good source of iron and potassium, thiamin, riboflavin, phosphorus and copper. The bad thing about kidney beans is that they are high in saturated fat and sodium. Serve these all-in-one Parathas to your loved one for lunch or dinner, and be ensured of their calcium, caloric, protein and iron intake.

Ingredient's

2 cups cooked and mashed rajma (kidney beans) 

2 cups wheat flour 

1 onion, 2 green chillies, 1/2cup coriander leaves, finely chopped 

1/2 tsp turmeric powder 

1/2 tsp red chilli powder 

1/2 tsp garam masala powder 

Oil/Ghee as required 

Salt to taste.

Cooking Method.

Make a soft dough of flour, salt and water and keep covered for 1/2 hour. 

Heat 1 tsp oil, add onion, green chillies, turmeric powder and mashed rajma 

After 2minutes, add salt, red chilli powder and garam masala powder and mix well and cook for another 2 to 3minutes.

Cool and add coriander leaves. Make small balls of it. 

Make balls of the flour dough. Roll a ball into a thick poori, place the stuffing in the center.

Now cover well with the dough from the corners. Dust with flour and roll into thick parathas.

Cook on hot tava with oil/ghee as required.

Serve with Coconut chutney or Yogurt.

Vangi Bhath (Brinjal Rice)

Vangi Bhat is a delicious one pot meal. It is a wonderful combination of eggplant and rice combined with lovely aromatic spices. This is a typical Maharashtrian specialty but enjoyed throughout Southern India as well. Usually Vangi bhath is cooked with Eggplant but i like to add some other vegetables also like capsicum, potato, green peas. One of colleague use to bring vangi bhath for me in lunch, when she cooks vangi bhath she use to call me and say dont bring lunch today, because i have prepared VB. She was an expert when it came to cooking this dish. Whenever i would visit to her place, this dish was made. And she use to serve me with home made papads (crispy then lentil wafers), it was a wonderful and delicious combination. When i was cooking this dish i was really missing her alot. Iam waiting when i'll go back to india so that even i can cook VB and serve her in the same way, which she use to do it for me.

Ingredient's

1 Long brinjal, 1 red or green capsicum, 1 medium size potato, cut into large pieces 

1-1/2 cup Basmati rice 

4 tbsp Ghee 

4 Cloves (finely chopped) 

1 tsp Urad dal 

1/2tbsp cinammon, 1-1/2 tbsp Coriander seeds, 1/2tbsp musturd seeds 

5 dry red chillies 

2 Green chillies, 1 onion, and 1 tomato (chopped) 

6 Peppercorns 

1/2 tsp Turmeric 

1 tsp Oil for frying the masala 

1/2 Cup sour buttermilk or 2 tsp lemon juice 

Salt to taste

Cooking Method

Take a broad pan and heat oil. Fry 3 dry red chillies, gearlic cloves, cinammon, coriander and peppercorns, for 5 minutes. Grind them to form a fine powder. Heat ghee in a pan and add mustard seeds, urad dal, 2 dry red chillies, green chillies, onion and turmeric, stir it till the seasoning is done. Add the brinjal, capcisum, potato pieces and little bit of salt fry for 20sec. Add tomato, lemon juice, powdered masala, and mix them together properly. After that add water and check for salt, add salt if req. Then add rice and mix together gentely, cover the lid and cook till the rice is completely cooked in a medium flame.

Delicious Vangi Baath is ready to serve.

Aaloo Paliya (Potato Stir Fry)

I am big fan of Potato's, i always like to cook different kinds of dishes using potato's. This recipe is one the easiest and fastest to cook... It goes well with all kinds of Indian Flat Breads.

This dish is used to prepare Alu Bonda, Masala Dosa, stuffed into Chillies/Capsicum to make Chili Bhajjis etc!!!!

Ingredient's

• 4 Potatoes
• 1 Onion, Chopped
• 4 Green Chilies, Chopped
• 1tbsp Coriander Leaves, Chopped
• Few Curry Leaves, Chopped
• 1tbsp Lemon Juice
• 2tbsp Oil
• 1tsp Mustard Seeds
• 1/2tsp Turmeric Powder
• Salt to taste

Cooking Method

• Boil and peel Potatoes. Mash them and keep it aside
• Heat Oil in a broad pan, and add Mustard Seeds and when they start to splutter, add Turmeric Powder, Green Chilies, Curry Leaves and Onion. Fry until the Onions turn translucent
• Add mashed Potatoes, Salt, Coriander Leaves and Lemon Juice and mix it together gentely.
• Garnish with coriander leafs
• Serve hot with Roti, Dosa.

Bon appétit:-)

Puliogare (Tamarind Rice)

To make Puliogare you first need to make Puli Kachal or the Tamarind Paste. If properly prepared, this can be stored for a very long time just like any pickle. It can be mixed with rice anytime you want Puliogare. Stored in a fridge, Puli Kachal can last over 8 months... Tamarind rice is a very popular in Tamil Nadu and parts of Karnataka. It is spicy, sour, and typically served all by itself or accompanied by salad. You may like the puliogare with boiled Egg, because it taste delicious with Egg. If your planning a short time trip then dont forget to pack Puliogare, because without Puliogare your picknick will be not complete. My picknic will never be complete without my favourite puliogare..:-)

Ingredient's
2cups Rice
A small ball of tamarind
8 to 10 Curry leaves
Asafetida
A few peppercorns
5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2tbsp mustard seeds
A pinch of methi seeds
4 tbsp groundnuts roasted
50 gm split black gram
50 gm split bengal gram
2 to 4 dry red chilies.

Cooking Method
Cook the rice with salt. Cool slightly. Soak tamarind in water and extract its juice. Roast black gram (channa dal), Bengal gram (urad dal) and red chilies separately and coarsely grind them together. Heat oil, add asafetida, mustard, peppercorns, ground nuts, garlic and curry leaves. When mustard splutters, add the tamarind extract, powdered splices and salt, and cook till all water thickens. Mix the tamarind mixture thoroughly with the rice. Serve with boiled Egg and Tamarind Chutney.

Cabbage Sabji (Band Gobi Stir Fry )

It is good to add cabbage into your diet as it helps you reduce weight. Cabbage is one of the negative calorie food. Meaning that when you eat cabbage, the energy that you spend in digesting cabbage is more than what you are getting from that cabbage. So do not forget to add it to your meals regularly in soups, rice, subjis or in snack items.Cabbage (Band Gobi) is a rich source of Vitamin C,E and folic acid. Serve this simple veggie with hot Chapatis (Indian flatbread) and a tangy pickle.

Ingredient's 

1 medium size cabbage (Shred finely) 

1/2 cup mutter 

1/2 cup channa dal 

1 onion, 2 red chillies, 1 tomato (chopped) 

4 to 5 stem of coriander leafs (chopped) 

5 garlic cloves (finely chopped) 

2tbsp coconut powder or grinded coconut 

1/2tbsp musturd seeds, 1/2tbsp cinnamon seeds, 1 tbsp turmeric powder 

4 to 5 dry red chillies (optional) 

Salt, Oil to taste.

Cooking Method

Boil channa dal and mutter with little bit of salt for 5minutes 

Meanwhile, heat oil in a deep frying pan, add musturd, cinnemon seeds, dry red chillies and garlic, saute to golden brown 

Add onion and chopped red chillies, once the onion starts leaving oil, add turmeric and tomato, fry it for another 1minute 

Then add boiled channa dal and mutter, mix it and allow dal and mutter to cook for 2 to 3 minutes, because dal and mutter can soak the masala. 

Now add cabbage, coconut powder and 1/2 cup water, mix it together and check for salt, and add salt if needed 

Cook the cabbage till it is completely cooked 

Garnish with coriander leafs 

Serve with Roti, Dosa, or as a side Dish.