Dal Makhani

Dal Makhani, a flavourful robust lentil preparation, is a celebrated delicacy from Punjab. Rajma and whole urad provide protein and calcium which are extremely important for maintenance of your body cells and healthy bones. Cooking the dal in tomato purée adds a little sharpness to this dish and also enriches it with folic acid and vitamin A.

Ingredient's
1 cup Whole black gram
2 tsp Kidney beans

1 onion chopped
1 cup Tomato(puree)
1" piece Ginger
4 Cloves Garlic
2 Whole dry red chillies (soaked for 15 minutes
3 tsp Ghee
2 tsp Dhania (coriander) powder
1/2 tsp Garam masala
1 tsp Butter
1/4 cup Fresh cream beaten well and mixed with 1/4 cup milk
1 tsp Ghee
5 cups Water
Salt to taste

Cooking Method
Soak kidney beans and black gram together for atleast 5to6 hours
Grind ginger, garlic and dry red chillies together to a paste.
Drain out all water from the pulses and add six cups of fresh water.
Pressure cook with 1 tsp ghee, salt and half of the ginger-garlic paste. After the first whistle, reduce the flame and cook for about 45 minutes. Remove from fire.
Open the cooker and mash the contents.
Prepare tadka (tempering) with tomatoes,onion, leftover ginger-garlic paste, garam masala and coriander powder. Add this to the dal.
Add butter and simmer on low flame for 20-25 minutes, stirring and mashing the dal occasionally with a ladle against the sides of the cooker.
Add beaten cream mixed with milk. Simmer for 15-20 minutes more and serve hot.

DrumSticks and Potato Khurma

The drumstick is a fairly common vegetable grown all over India. It is valued mainly for the tender pod. It is antibacterial and a wonderful cleanser. The drumstick tree is perennial, erect, slender, medium sized with many arching branches. It is mostly grown as a backyard tree in most of the South Indian homes. It has drumstick like fruits, small white flowers and small and round leaves which are cooked and eaten as vegetable.
Nutritionally, drumstick pods and leaves are of great value as sources of acrotene, calcium, phosphorus and vitamin C. The leaves, flowers and fruits of drumstick which are used as vegetable have great nutritional value. The tender fruit is used in samber and most dishes in South Indian homes. The leaves and flowers are used to prepare curry and cake. Source from (BEST HOME REMEDIES)

Ingredients

2 Medium drumsticks, pealed washed and cut into 2 inches pieces
1 Medium potato, pealed washed and cut into 2 inches cubes
2 to 3 small pieces of coconut, 1 onion, few stems of coriander leafs, 2 tomatos
10 - 12 curry leaves (optional)

1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp red chili powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1/4 tsp mustard seeds
Salt to taste

2 tsp oil

Cooking Method
Grind coconut , onion, coriander leafs and ginger garlic paste together/Puree the tomatoes seprately
Heat the oil in pressure cooker, add mustard seeds and curry lefas, when they splutter, add the grinned paste and fry to golden brown

Add the masala powder, potato and a pinch of salt, mix and cook for 2 minutes, then add tomato puree, drumsticks cook for another 30sec. Add enough water just to cover everything.

Close the pressure cooker
Cook for 2 whistles.
Once the pressure is out, open and boil till you get the required consistency for the gravy.
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with Rice/Phulka /Roti/chapati and papad.

Tamarind, Mint and Fennel Chutney

Fennel Seeds (Sauf) are very effective for digestive problems. These seeds can be chewed upon or had as a tea decoction for beneficial effects upon the stomach. In India, these are routinely chewed upon after meals to aid in digestion after a rich meal while acting as a herbal mouth freshener.Fennel seeds often provide quick and effective relief from many digestive disorders. They help to overcome gas, cramps, acid indigestion, and many other digestive tract maladies. Making this chutney is very very easy and one of my all time favorite chutney, u can make this chutney and store in the fridge for atleast 2 to 3 weeks. it goes with every thing, i love to eat with plain rice when ever i am lazy to cook. and it is one of the best chutney what i feel.

Ingredient's

1 bunch of mint leafs
1 small size ball tamarind
3 green chillies, 3 stems coriander leafs,5 to 6 curry leafs and 1 small onion
1/2tbsp cumin seeds, 1tbsp of funnel seeds
Salt to taste.

Making Method
Grind all together in a mixture grinder to smooth paste, add salt in the last.
Remove in a serving bowl and Serve with any thing which u like.. specially with Roti and Dosa.

I am sending this recipe to Cooking with Fennel Seeds hosted by Priya, and Jagruti of (joy of cooking)

Black Channa Masala in my style

On last Friday i soaked the Channa thinking of making a simple snack for the evening after my hubby is back from the office because he loves black channa. Unfortunately i was feeling bore to cut vegetable then i thought why not to try some other recipe in this soaked channa itself. then i ended up making this recipe and it was very delicious and tasty:)

Ingredient's
Black channa 300 grms
1 big onions , 3 green chillies, grind it to a paste  

2 tomato's grind to smooth paste (separately )
2 potatoes cut in to medium pieces
Chilly powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Garam Masala - 1 tsp

1/2tsp mustard seeds

15 curry leafs
Salt - To taste
Oil - To fry.

Cooking Method

Soak the channa over night and pressure cooker channa for 20 minutes

Take a pan and add oil, when the oil is hot add curry leafs and mustard seeds, when they splutter add onion and chilly paste, fry it to golden brown, then add all the masala powder and fry for few minutes, add tomato paste and fry for another 2 to 3 minutes. add the potato and salt, allow it cook for few sec, now add the channa and 1 cup of water, salt if needed, close the lid and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes.

Garnish with coriander leafs

Serve hot hot with Roti, Poori..

Kheema Masala

Kheema or mince can be made with any meat you prefer. It is extremely versatile and just changing the masala can result in a great new taste each time. Masala Kheema tastes delicious with Chapatis (Indian flatbread) or Parathas (pan fried Indian flatbread). Even you can add Potato, Mutter and many more vegetables but i wanted to cook just kheema without any veggies, and i'll try next time with different kind of veggies........ 

Ingredient's
1/2 kg kheema
2 onion finely chopped
4 green chillies, 2 tomato's, 25 gram coriander leafs
1tbsp ginger garlic paste, 1/2tbsp black pepper seeds, 1/2tbsp red chilly powder, 1/2tbsp turmeric
10 to 15 curry leafs
Oil and Salt ad per taste

Cooking Method
Make a thick paste of green chillies, tomato, coriander leafs, ginger garlic paste, black pepper seeds, red chilly and turmeric powder
In a deep fry pan add oil when it is hot add curry leafs and chopped onion, fry for few minutes and then add kheema and salt cook for 10 to 15 minutes , keep stirring in between 
Add the grinned masala and salt if needed , mix all together and cover the lid and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes in a medium flame
Garnish with Coriander leafs and serve hot hot with Roti