Pau Bhaji

 

A dish which everyone loves to eat outside. But now you can make it  this at home very easily and it will be much more nutritious and hygenic.

 

    

Ingredients

1. Two fresh medium diced tomatoes

2. One small boiled potato (mashed)

3. 1 cup of chopped green beans, carrots, bell pepper and peas.

4. One big Onion (chopped)

5. Three cloves of garlic ( minced)

6. 4 tsp. of Pau Bhaji Masala (MDH recommended)

7. 1 tsp. of Red chili powder

8. Salt to taste

9. 2 green chilies (chopped)

10. 3 tsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil/Vegetable Oil

11. 2 tsp. butter

12. 2 cups of water.

13. 10 buns cut in half with butter on one side. (2 whole buns for family of four)

Directions

1. Puree Tomatoes and keep it aside.

2. Heat Oil in non stick pan and throw mix veggies inside the pan.

3. When veggies are turning light golden brown add tomato puree and stir till oil leaves sides of the pan.

4. Simmer to medium low and add mashed Potatoes.

5. Stir and close the lid let it simmer for five minutes till we prepare the masala to go in this pan. (You must close the lid, as soon as the potatoes are added tomatoes puree will be bubbling up and will make your stove top dirty).

6. Take another small non stick skillet / pan and heat 2tsp. of butter or Oil

7. Add minced garlic and green chilies and onions.

8. Add Salt, Red Chili Powder and add Paubhaji masala and add one tsp of Tomato puree from another pan.

9. Now add this garlic masala to main pan.

10. Add two cups of water.

11. Let it simmer on low heat for 15-20 mins till color is red-orange.

12. Till the Bhaji is ready heat the bread buns and chop one onion for garnish.

13. Now serve it hot to your family their favorite dish from your kitchen. I am sure they will ask for more.

-Enjoy Chitra

Chicken Jalfrezi

Ingredients

1. 2 Chicken breasts skinless shredded / chopped in bite size pieces

2. 1 big onion chopped finely vertically

3. 2 cloves of garlic minced

4. 2 tbsp of grated ginger

5. 1 green chili finely chopped without seeds

6. 1 cup of mixed bell pepper sliced vertically( red, green, yellow, orange)

7. 2 cups of boiled basmati rice

8. 4-5 tbsp of butter

9. 1 tbsp of olive oil

10. 2 tbsp of tomato puree

11. Salt to taste

12. 2 tsp of (mild one) curry powder or use mixture of 2 tsp turmeric powder, red chili powder, garam masala powder, cumin powder, and coriander powder.

13. 1 cup of water

Directions

1. Heat the Oil in non stick pan and add 1 tbsp of olive oil and 3 tbsp of butter. This will prevent butter to burn.

2. Add the chopped onions, garlic and chili when the oil and butter is hot. Fry till the onions turn golden brown but do not burn.

3. Now add curry powder and stir.

4. Now add tomato puree and salt to taste and let it cook for 1 minute.

5. Add the chopped chicken to the pan, and cook for 4-5 minutes till chicken is almost cooked. Be careful it does not stick to the pan.

6. Now add water to the pan and turn down the heat.

7. Put the lid on and let the chicken cook for 3-4 minutes.

8. Now add bell peppers and stir in and close the lid again and let it cook until bell peppers turn little soft.

9. Now add grated ginger and turn off the gas. Close the lid and set it to other side.

10. In the mean while add 2 tbsp of butter in another non stick pan on low heat. When the butter turns liquid and little hot add the boiled basmati rice without water.

11. Turn off the gas and remove from heat and stir with fork so that rice does not break.

12. Transfer the rice into bowl and push it down. Now tilt the bowl carefully in the middle of tray and spread the cooked chicken jalfrezi around the rice and serve hot.

13. Garnish with spring onions chopped.

Sambar and Rice

 

 

Ingredients

1. 2 cups of tuar / arhaar daal soaked in water for 30 minutes.

2. Salt to taste

3. Different vegetables 3 cups ( carrots,beans, brinjal, kadu, petha, tori, plantain (hara kela), potato, okra /bhindi)

4. 1 Onion chopped

5. 1 big red tomato chopped

6. Salt to taste

7. 4 tbsp of sambar masala (any brand)

8. 1 ½ of amchoor / mango powder

9. 1 cup of kadi pata

10. 2 cups of plain white boiled Rice ( while boiling rice add 2 tsp of lemon juice)

11. 1 tbsp of sarso seeds

12. 2 whole lal mirch / red chili

13. Water

14. Oil

Directions

1. If you don’t have sambar masala you can make your own by roasting some dry spices. Take ½ cup coriander seeds, ¼ cup cumin seeds, ¼ cup chana daal (large split yellow lentils), ¼ cup urad daal (black gram), ¼ cup fenugreek seeds, ¼ cup black peppercorns, ¼ cup dry red chilli flakes, ¼ cup grated dessicated coconut, ¼ cup mustard seeds, 20 dried curry leaves, 2 tbsp tumeric powder, 2 tsp asafetida powder. Roast all the ingredients except the asafetida on a hot griddle till they begin to release their aroma. Cool on a tray. Add the asafetida and grind into a fine powder. Store in an air-tight container.

2. Boil the daal in pressure cooker or pan till it is turned into soup with pinch of salt and turmeric powder and ½ tsp of oil.

3. In the mean time boil water with 1 tsp of salt and add your vegetables to it. Boil them until they are cooked.

4. Till the vegetables are cooking make tadka for sambar. Add oil in non stick tadka pan add sarso seeds, when they splutter add kadi pata, whole lal mirch. Cook for 1 minute and add onions. When the onions turn golden brown add tomato and sambar masala, salt and amchoor powder.

5. Now add vegetables and tadka to the daal . Cook for 10 minutes.

6. Serve hot with white rice with onion rings dipped in lemon.

-enjoy Chitra

Peppers and Broccoli Thai Stir Fry

Ingredients

1. 2 cups of yellow, green and red bell peppers sliced

2. 2 cups of broccoli florets

3. Salt and Pepper to taste

4. 1 tbsp of soy sauce

5. 1 tsp of sesame oil

6. 1 tbsp of thai red sauce

7. ½ cup of mix vegetable ( peas, carrots, beans and corn)

8. 1 cup of almonds and peanuts roasted

9. 2 tbsp of pickled vegetables

10. 2 tbsp of olive oil

Directions

1. In a non stick pan add peppers and broccoli and mix vegetables.

2. Stir fry them until they turn little crispy golden.

3. Now sprinkle, sesame oil, soy sauce and thai red sauce.

4. Sprinkle salt and black pepper.

5. Cook for 5 minutes.

6. Serve hot stir fry. Garnish with almonds, peanuts and pickled vegetables.

-Chitra

Sweet and Saucy Stir Fry

Ingredients

1. 1 cup of zuchinni chopped in 1-2 inch cubes

2. 1 cup of brocolli florets

3. ½ cup of chopped carrots

4. 1 cup each of yellow, green, red bell peppers chopped

5. 1 small can of water chestnuts / singhara or ½ cup of chopped in 1 inch cubes

6. 1 tsp of sesame oil

7. 2 tsp of soy sauce

8. 1 tsp of conrstarch with 1 cup of water

9. 1 tsp of honey

10. 2 tbsp of vinegar

11. ½ cup of pineapple juice with crushed pineapple pieces

12. 2 teaspoon of fresh minced ginger and garlic

13. Salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

1. For vegetables. Boil 3-4 cups of water and add salt.

2. Drop in all vegetables except water chestnuts to take the edge off but still being crunchy just for 3-4 minutes.

3. Take out the veggies and scatter them in an open tray to cool them quickly.

4. In the mean time add seasme oil, soy sauce, vinegar, honey and corn starch water in a small bowl. Whisk and heat the mixture till sauce turns little thick.

5. Heat oil in a non stick wok (khadiy) or deep dish pan.

6. Add ginger garlic paste.

7. When the mixture little pink add all cooled down vegetables in the wok add water chestnuts now. Keep on stirring in between.

8. Fry them little brown and then add soy sauce mixture and stir with tongs.

9. When it is incorporated add pineapple juice with chunks and stir. Let it simmer for sometime till it turns little thick sauce.

10. Plate them and garnish with chopped green onions. You can serve with steamed rice.

This will make you say yummy , saucy. I am sure. Try this.

-Chitra

Fattoush

 

Zesty Lebanese Salad made from toasted pita / Arabic bread combined with mix vegetables and herbs is a perfect starter for your meal. It’s super healthy and refreshingly delicious. Try it today.

Ingredients

1. 2-3 tomatoes chopped in cube size

2. 1 cucumber chopped in cube size (quartered lengthwise and chopped)

3. 1 green pepper seeded and diced

4. 4 scallions / green onions chopped roughly

5. 1 cup of romaine lettuce chopped

6. 2 tbsp of parsley chopped

7. 1 tsp of dried mint

8. 1 cup of cilantro / dhaniya/ coriander chopped

9. 2 pita bread toasted and cut into cubes

10. ½ cup of oilive oil

11. Salt and pepper to taste

12. ½ cup of lemon juice

Directions

1. Add the tomatoes, cucumber, scallions, lettuce and herbs (cilantro, mint, parsley) in a bowl.

2. Whisk oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper and add to the bowl. Toss.

3. Put the toasted, baked pita bread cubed already at the top and serve.

-Chitra

Pickled Vegetables

Ingredients

1. 2 cups of your choice of diced vegetables

(Red Reddish, Beetroot, Carrots, Cauliflower, Cucumber, Red bell pepper)

2. 1 ½ cup of Vinegar

3. 2 cups of water

4. ½ tsp of salt

5. ½ tsp of sugar

6. Sterilized jar

Directions

1. Boil water with vinegar, salt and sugar. When it is reduced very little remove from the flame.

2. Fill in the jar with vegetables until they are full packed.

3. Now cool down the water till the temperature changes to hot to warm.

4. Pour the syrup to jar but leave little space.

5. Close the lid and store in warm place. In about 3-4 days pickle will be ready.

6. Use Pickle vegetable with anything Wraps, Pasta, Salads.

-Chitra

All Peppery Pasta

Ingredients

1. 2 cups Spiral Pasta (preferably Rainbow Color)
2. 1 medium Onion (chopped vertically)
3. 2 cups/one can Roasted Tomato Puree/ Paste /Sauce
4. 2 cups of Red, Orange , Green and Yellow Bell Pepper chopped thinly and vertically
5. 2 cloves Garlic (chopped)
6. Salt and Pepper to taste
7. 2 tsp. Vegetable Oil / Extra Virgin Olive Oil
8. One finely chopped green Onion/Scallions
9. Coriander/Cilantro
10. Olives
11. 1 fresh Lemon Juice

Directions

1. Heat a large pot of water to boil for pasta for 10 minutes and add some Salt (only time to flavor the pasta)
2. Add Pasta and turn heat to low.
3. Heat Oil in non stick pan on Medium low heat.
4. Add Onions. When the Onions turn light brown add Garlic.
5. Add Bell Peppers.
6. Add Salt and Pepper.
7. Add Tomato Sauce and stir it well let it simmer for 3-5 mins. (Turn heat to Low and cover the pan)
8. Drain the Pasta and toss it in the serving tray.
9. Now toss the sauce over the top and lightly mix it.
10. Garnish with Jalapenos, Olives and Vinegar and fresh Lemon juice and with chopped green Onion/Scallions, Coriander/Cilantro.
11. Quickly divide into individual bowls and Serve bowlfuls of Peppery Pasta.
    

-Chitra

Sautéed Chinese Style

Ingredients

1. 5 Asparagus chopped in 2 inch cubes

2. ½ cup of corn

3. ½ cup of chopped carrots

4. ½ cup of chopped mushrooms

5. 2 tsp. of Oil

6. 1 tsp of sesame oil

7. 2 tsp of soy sauce

8. 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

9. ½ teaspoon of fresh minced ginger and garlic

10. Vinegar and Sesame seeds

Directions

1. In a non stick wok (khadiy) or deep dish pan add oil

2. Add cumin seeds and ginger garlic paste.

3. When the mixture little pink add vegetables in the wok.

4. Fry them little brown and then add soy sauce and sesame oil and stir with tongs.

5. Plate them and garnish with toasted sesame seeds and one tsp of vinegar.

- Chitra

Soup and Chips

Stop buying preserved soups from stores, you never know what is in that soup and chips. But one thing is sure, they are good for your health and neither your childrens or not. Instead of that buy these ingredients and make homemade soup and chips which is full of protein and nutrition and budget & figure friendly too.

Ingredients

1. 2 cups of Mix Vegetables chopped ( Corn, Carrots, Peas, Spinach, Beans)

2. 1 celery stick chopped thinly

3. 1 small can of tomato puree and 1 cup of diced tomatoes

4. ½ chopped Onions

5. ½ tsp of Ginger

6. 1 teaspoon of Garlic

7. 1 cup of Pasta

8. 3 cups of Vegetable Stock or Water

9. Salt and pepper to taste

10. 1 tsp of Olive Oil / Canola Oil

11. 10 Wonton Wrappers

12. Lemon

13. ½ teaspoon red chili powder

Isn't this amazing, you will love it... keep going. Cook it on sunday for your busy week ahead and home made lunch is ready and guess what you don't have to go out for To Go sandwiches or oily fast foods...

Directions

1. Boil 2 cups of water for pasta.

2. In a non stick pan add Onions, Ginger and Garlic.

3. When Onions turn little pink brown add Mix Vegetables and Celery.

4. When they turn little brown add Tomatoes and Tomatoes Puree.

5. When the tomatoes start leaving little oil in pan add Salt and Pepper

6. After that add Vegetable Stock and let it cook for 15-20 minutes.

7. Now take out the pasta from boiling water and add to the soup.

8. Cut Wrappers in triangles and bake them in oven at 300 degrees.

9. When they are turned golden brown take them out of oven and add little lemon and sprinkle salt and red chili powder.

10. Serve the Soup with Chips, garnish with coriander / Cilantro / dhaniya leaves

-Chitra

Chinese Veg Fried Rice

Bored with your chinese takeout, want to make your own fired rice. Here's is the trick:-
This is so easy even your kids can try it when you are working. You can also try making this over your busy weekday.It's ready in 15 minutes.

 
Ingredients

· 3 cups boil rice
· 4 tsp. of Soy Sauce (low sodium-optional)
· 4 tsp. of Vinegar
· ½ tsp. of Red chili powder
· 1 cup Mix vegetables
· 1 tsp. of Cumin seeds
· 2 tsp. of Oil

Directions

· Heat oil in non stick pan and add cumin seeds.
· When seeds splutter add mix vegetables.
· Fry the vegetables just for a very little time and then add red chili powder.
· Then add Boil rice and let them fry for five minutes.
· Now add Soy sauce and Vinegar.
· Garnish with fresh chopped scallions /green onions.

-Chitra

Vegetarian Pulao

 

A very easy dish to make with leftover Rice

Can make in less then ten minutes and everyone will enjoy this, nobody will know that these were leftovers twisted in with fancy garnishing.

Ingredients

1. Two cups bolied rice
2. Salt to taste
3. 1 cup Mixed vegetable (cube size peas, carrots, corn, green beans)
4. 1 cup cubes of cottage cheese/ Paneer
5. 2 tsp. Cumin / Zeera seeds
6. 2 tsp. Vegetable oil / Olive Oil

Directions

1. In a non stick pan put oil and add Cumin seeds.
2. When Cumin seeds splutter add mixed vegetables.
3. As soon as vegetables get light brown add Paneer cubes.
4. Add Salt and turn flame to low.
5. Add Rice into the pan and stir thoroughly with fork, be careful they should not stick to each other.
6. Serve hot over red cabbage leaf with green salad on the top.

Njoy n ssshhhh dont tell anyone these were leftovers :)

-Chitra