South Indian Style- Peanut Baingan/Eggplant

 

This is new version of eggplant, I ever made and tasted, but I have some of the ingredients used in south Indian cooking. When I bought this week to try something with this, I never found any recipes for green eggplant other than green bharta, which I don’t want to try. So I created my own version, I hope you will like it too like my family loved it.

Ingredients

1. 5 green round Eggplant/ Baingan cut in ¼ inch slices

2. One Onion (chopped roughly)

3. One tomato diced

4. 3-4 green chilies (according to you, you can also opt for dry red chilies)

5. 3-4 garlic cloves

6. ½ cup of peanut

7. 2 tbsp or 8-10 leaves of kaddipatta / curry leaves

8. 1 tsp of cumin seeds

9. 1 tsp of fennel / sauf seeds

10. ½ tsp of fenugreek seeds

11. ½ tsp of coriander seeds

12. Salt to taste

13. 1 tbsp of imli / tamarind concentrate

14. Oil

15. ½ tps pf turmeric, red chili powder, cumin and amchoor / mango powder each

Directions

1. Heat oil in a non stick pan and add slices of eggplant in it.

2. Stir fry them till both the sides are slightly brown.

3. Take them out and keep them aside in a bowl.

4. In the same pan add little bit oil again and add onion garlic and green chilies and saute them till light golden.

5. Add peanuts and curry leaves also now and keep on shaking the pan, so that they don’t burn.

6. Now with a spoon just shift all the onion aside and add the dry spices, let them stand for 2 minutes and then mix with onion mixture.

7. Now mix in the tomatoes and let the mixture cook for 5 minutes.

8. Add all the dry spices now, salt, red chili powder, turmeric, mango and cumin powder and cook for another 2 minutes. Let it cool down and take off the heat.

9. In a mixing bowl or cup add tamarind concentrate in little water.

10. In a mixer/grinder add the onion/peanut masala with tamarind water and blend it really well. The mixture will be turned out as little grainy, but this is what you are looking for.

11. Add the mixture in same pan and cook with ½ cup of water. Bring it to boil.

12. Add the sliced green eggplant and let it cook in low heat for 5-8 minutes.

13. Serve with hot roti or parantha , naan or rice.

- enjoy

Chitra

Parwal Two Ways (Pointed Gourd Plant) Parwal Aloo Ki Sabzi and Chatpate Parwal

 

Parwal is also known as Trichosanthes dioica is also known as the pointed gourd, parwal/parval (from Hindi), or potol (from Assamese, Oriya or Bengali (পটল) pôţol) "Paror" in Maithili, "Parol" in Magahi and "Parwal" in Bhojpuri, Urdu and Awadhi. Colloquially, in India, it is often called green potato. It is widely cultivated in the eastern and some northern part of India, particularly in Odisha, Bengal, Assam, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh. It is a good source of carbohydrates, vitamin A, and vitamin C. It also contains major nutrients and trace elements (magnesium, potassium, copper, sulfur, and chlorine) which are needed in small quantities, for playing essential roles in human physiology.

Parwal Aloo Ki Sabzi

 

Ingredients

1. 250 gms of Parwal

2. 2 small Potatoes

3. 1 tsp of coriander seeds

4. 1 tsp of zeera / cuminsseds

5. Salt and red chili powder to taste

6. 1 tsp of red chili powder

7. Pinch of Hing

8. 1 tsp of turmeric powder

9. 1 tsp of coriander powder

10. Oil and ½ cup of water

11. 1 tbsp of Ginger

 

Directions

1. Wash, and peel the Parwal, as some of them will have really hard skin. If they are really fresh, you don’t have to peel them.

2. Heat Oil in nonstick pan.

3. Add ginger, coriander and cumin seeds.

4. When it turns little pink add all dry spices except Hing.

5. Now add Potatoes and Parwal.

6. Keep on sautéing as they are little brown

7. Add hing and water and stir.

8. Cook at low heat till they are soft will take around 15 minutes.

9. Serve hot with fresh hot roti or rice.

 

Chatpate Parwal

 

 

Ingredients

1. 250 gms of Parwal

2. 1 big onion sliced thinly

3. Salt to taste

4. Oil

5. 1 tbsp of amchoor powder

6. 1 ½ tsp of turmeric powder

7. 1 tbsp of red chili powder

8. 1 tsp of coriander powder

9. 1 ½ tsp of cumin powder

10. 1 tsp of anardana powder

11. 1 tsp of fennel (sauf) powder

 

Directions

1. Was and peel the parwal, and cut them in half.

2. Mix all dry spices together in a bowl.

3. Put all the parwal in a mixing bowl with mixture of spices. Shake it well, and let it sit for 30 minutes altleast.

4. Heat a nonstick pan with 2 tbsp of oil. When the oil is really hot drop in the parwal one by one. When they turn little bit brown and crispy turn eth other side with spatula.

5. Remove the parwal and then add onions sauté them for 5 minutes with salt and red chili powder, and add Parwal again.

6. Cook it for 8-10 minutes with low heat and close lid.

7. Serve hot with ice or roti, or parantha.

 

So here are two easy ways to prepare Parwal, you can do many other ways. If I will try something I will definitely share the recipe with you.

 

-Enjoy Chitra

Pan seared Tilapia and Rice

Ingredients 1. 2 fillets of tilapia 2. Salt to taste 3. 2 tsp of red chili powder 4. 1 tsp of cumin powder 5. Juice of one lemon 6. 1 tsp of cayenne pepper 7. 1 tsp of coriander powder 8. ½ tsp of garam masala powder 9. 2 tbsp of Oil 10. 1 cup of boiled basmati rice 11. ½ cup of mix vegetables (peas/corn/ edamame, carrots) Method 1. In a tray, marinate the fish with lemon juice salt and other spices. Marinate for around 30 minutes minimum. 2. Boil rice till then. In a non stick pan add one tbsp of oil, when oil is hot, stir fry the veggies. Add cooked rice and mix it well with little salt. Rice is ready. 3. In a flat non stick pan, griddle or grill brush little oil. 4. When pan is really hot add the fish and let it cook light brown on one side for 3-4 minutes and then flip over. 5. When it is cooked serve hot on bed of rice with lemon wedges and garnish with cilantro leaves or green onions. -Chitra

Grilled Thai Chicken over Brown Rice Medley and Rosemary Roasted Vegetables

 
Ingredients

Grilled Thai Chicken
1. 1 chicken breast halved
2. 1 tsp of peanut butter
3. 1 tbsp of soy sauce
4. 2 tsp of red hot sauce
5. 1 tbsp of vegetable oil
6. 1 tsp of grilled seasoning
7. 1 tsp of red pepper flakes
Rosemary Roasted Vegetables
1. 1 Zucchini
2. 1 yellow squash
3. 2 big red potato
4. 2 cups of diced yellow, red and orange bell pepper
5. 2 tbsp of fresh rosemary
6. 3 cloves of garlic
7. Salt and pepper to taste
8. 1 tsp of grilled seasoning
9. 2 tbsp of olive oil
Brown Rice Medley
1. ½ cup of brown rice medley
2. 1 tbsp of olive oil
3. ¾ cup of yellow and red bell pepper
4. Salt to taste


Directions

Grilled Thai Chicken
1. In a mixing bowl add all ingredients except chicken and whisk it well.
2. After washing your chicken, pat it dry.
3. Now poke chicken and put the chicken in zip lock bag or marinating bowl/tray. Pour the marinating mixture over the chicken.
4. Shake it well and let it sit for at least 2-4 hours.
5. Heat the grilled pan and grilled the chicken till golden brown on each side. Do not flip in between otherwise the meat will tear.
6. Whenever it is ready cool down before cutting into slices so that juices can run over and chicken will remain moist.
Rosemary Roasted Vegetables
1. Dice all the vegetables in bite size pieces, not to small as they need to be roasted.
2. Preheat the oven at 400 F.
3. Mix all ingredients with garlic cloves and chopped rosemary, salt and pepper, grilled seasoning, olive oil.
4. In a roasting pan add these vegetables and roast them until golden brown.
Brown Rice Medley
1. In rice cooker add 1 tbsp of olive oil and add those vegetables.
2. Now add rice and roast them for 2 minutes before adding water.
3. Then add 1 cup of water and salt to taste to cook the rice.
For serving the whole dish make a bed of rice and lay the grilled chicken slices on top. On the side serve roasted vegetables.
-Chitra

Butter Tangri Chicken / Butter Drumsticks

My husband and my brother love butter chicken, so I had to learn this. I went through all the recipes and combined few and came up with my version. It came out so yummy that even the bowls were licked…hope you will like it too.

Ingredients

For Marinating

1. ½ kg (500 gms) skinless Chicken(you can use boneless if you want, I used the Chicken thigh and drumsticks only)

2. 1 lemon (juice)

3. ½ tsp of red chili powder / cayenne pepper

4. Salt to taste

5. 1 ½ cup of fresh hung curd

6. 2 tbsp of heavy cream

7. 1 tbsp of ginger minced

8. 1tbsp of garlic minced

9. 1 tbsp of kasuri methi/dried fenugreek leaves

10. Pinch of red –orange food color

11. 1 tsp of garam masala

For Gravy Paste

1. 4 medium fresh red tomatoes

2. 1 cup tomato ketchup

3. 2 big red onions puree

4. 2 tbsp ginger paste

5. 2 tbsp of garlic paste

6. 3 tbsp white / unsalted butter

7. 1 tbsp fresh cream

8. Salt to taste

9. 1 tsp red chili powder

10. 3 tbsp fresh cashew nut paste

11. ½ tsp turmeric powder

12. 1 tsp dhania / coriander powder

13. 1 tbsp kasuri methi / dried fenugreek leaves

14. 2 tsp garam masala powder

15. 1 bay leaf dry or fresh

16. 2 cloves

17. ½ tsp of sugar

Directions

1. Wash the chicken pieces well; poke them with fork for marinating well.

2. Take a zip lock bag and add marinating wet and dry items and shake it well.

3. Now add the chicken to it and toss, keep this in fridge aside(minimum 6-8 hrs or overnight)

4. Grill the chicken pieces for 40 minutes, 20 minutes each side by rubbing oil on each side.

5. For gravy paste now take 2 cups of water and boil now add fresh tomatoes (halved).

6. When they turn little soft remove from flame and throw the water in another bowl.

7. Cool the tomatoes and peel them and puree them. Keep it aside.

8. Now dip the cashews in warm water for 15 minutes and then make the paste of it.

9. Puree the blanched onions.

10. In a non stick pan heat the butter on low heat. (Let it melt slowly)

11. Add the bay leaf and cloves.

12. When they change little color add ginger and garlic paste. Let the garlic cook for two minutes.

13. Add Onion paste and sauté till light brown.

14. Now add fresh tomato puree.

15. Stir it well and then add tomato ketchup.

16. Let it cook for 10 minutes so that it reduces down.

17. Add red color and chili powder.

18. Add crushed kasuri methi, coriander powder, turmeric powder, garam masala.

19. Now sugar and add the cashew paste and stir for two minutes.

20. Add salt to taste and a ½ cup of water (which was left for tomatoes to blanch) and let it cook on medium heat till you get the desired curry consistency.

21. Add the chicken pieces and simmer for 10 minutes on low heat with closed lid.

22. Garnish with fresh cream.

23. Serve the Butter Tangri Chicken with Naan (Indian flat bread) or plain steamed rice.

TIP :- To puree the onions for curry, skin the onions and blanch them in hot water for 3 - 4 minutes then puree them to form a paste. It will give good paste rather dry oinions.

-Chitra

Lucknowi Daal

Traditional Daal recipe is spicy and tangy.

Ingredients

1. 1 cup of soaked tuar / arhaar daal

2. ½ tsp f turmeric powder

3. 2 tbsp of tamarind pulp

4. Salt to taste

5. 1 tsp of cumin seeds

6. 1 tsp of dried Red chili

7. 4 chopped finely garlic cloves

8. A pinch of Asafetida

9. 1 cup of milk

10. 2 tbsp of Oil

11. Cilantro / dhaniya leaves for garnishing

Directions

1. In a non stick deep pan add two cups of water.

2. Now add soaked daal to it.

3. Add milk and green chili and stir.

4. Bring the daal to boil.

5. Now reduce the heat and add tamarind pulp and turmeric powder.

6. Cook on simmer and meanwhile in a non stick pan prepare the tadka.

7. Heat oil and add cumin seeds and let them splutter.

8. Now add dry red chili and chopped garlic and reduce heat.

9. Add asafetida powder and salt.

10. Pour the cooked daal in a serving bowl.

11. Mix in the tadka and chopped dhaniya leaves to daal and stir.

Serve hot with roti or steamed rice.

-Chitra