Mixed Vegetables

Ingredients

Blanching vegetables
- 1 cup cauliflower florets
- 1 carrot cubed
- 1 capsicum cubed
- 2-3 potatoes diced
- 1 cup peas
Boil water, add some salt, then put in above vegetables and cook for like 2 mins. Strain and keep aside

Getting paneer ready
- cut paneer( around 1/2 pound) in cubes and fry them and keep aside.

Batch 1:
- couple of cloves of garlic
- an inch of ginger
- couple of green chillies
- one medium onion chopped in big chunks.
- 1/2 tsp oil

In a pan, heat oil, add the other ingredients and roast for around 2-3 mins. The onions will kindof become transparent. Allow to cool, then puree in a blender.

Batch 2 :
- 1 cup tomato puree
- couple of bay leaves.
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1/2 tsp anise seeds
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp coriander powder.
- 1 tablespoon,
- 2 brown cardomoms.
- 1/2 tsp mango powder
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
- a few pinches of nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp cumin powder.
- the above prepared puree.
- 1 tsp oil

In a pan, heat oil, when hot add Bay leaves, cinnamon and cardomon, stir,
Then add anise seeds, mustard, cumin,
Once it sputters add corainder powder, roast for a min.
Now add the the onion puree and roastfor few

Aloo matar

Simple potatoes and peas.

Ingredients :
2 cloves garlic
1/2 inch ginger, chopped
2 green chilies
1/2 medium onion
2 tomatoes.
some coriander leaves.
-- Grind the above into a paste.
3 medium potatoes, cut in cubes
1/2 cup peas.
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp mango powder ( or tamarind paste, to give it sourness )
salt.

Method:
- Heat 1 tsp oil/ghee. Add mustard and cumin. Saute a little.
- Add coriander powder and saute for a minute and then add ground paste.
- cook it, its color will change( abt 5 mins )
- add remaining spices and 1 cup or so of water.
- when water is hot enough, add potatoes and peas and salt and cook till done. Add more water as needed.

I generally make it in pressure cooker.

Paneer Tikka kebab

These were experimented in the broiler :)


Ingredients:
250 gms paneer, cut in cubes
1 capsicum - cut in square
1 onion - cut in square
1 tomato - cut in square

For marinating
1 Tsp garlic paste
1 Tsp ginger paste
1 tsp green chilli paste
1 tspoon cumin
couple pinches of nutmeg and mace powder
2 Tsp lemon juice
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 Tsp honey
1/2 cup yougurt
salt to taste

Mix the above, I also added a little food color and 1tsp tikka masala.
Marinate veggies in the above for couple of hrs.
Arrange of skewers and broil, turning them every few mins.

Pav bhaji ! :)

This weekend I showed a friend to make pav bhaji :). So here is how my mom makes it and how we like it :)

Serves : 4 hungry ppl.

Ingredients :
3 medium potatoes peeled and chopped.
1/2 medium cauliflower cut in small pieces
1 medium carrot peeled and chopped
1 cup shelled peas
1 small eggplant ( i don't put it, if I don't have it )
- little salt to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
--> Boil the above ingredients in minimal amount of water( I pressure cook them ). and then mash them roughly

For the gravy.
7-8 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced.
1 inch of ginger, peeled and minced.
2 green chillies, minced.
1 big onion - chopped fine.
3-4 tomatoes - chopped fine
1 medium size capsicum - chopped fine.
2 teaspoon of butter/ghee
2 teaspoon of tamarind paste ( or lemon juice )
2 teaspoon of pav bhaji masala.

Method:
In a wok like vessel,
Heat the ghee/butter. Add the minced garlic, ginger and chillies and saute for like 30 secs. Then add chopped onions and saute till they lose color and become translucent. Then added tomatoes and capsicum. Cover and cook for like 10 mins.
Once tomatoes are all tenderised and the whole thing seems like a paste. add mashed vegetables. Mix and add tamarind and pav bhaji masala. Cook for like 10 mins of slow heat to allow mixing of flavors.
Thats it, garnish it with butter, cilantro and fresh onions ( bombay style ) and have it with any bread.

Baigan (Eggplant)

Simple recipe liked by even those who dislike baigan

Ingredients :
Ground to paste:
One medium onion,
Two medium tomatoes.
1 cubic inch ginger,
1 green chilli,
2 cloves of garlic

Peeled And cut to small cubes.
One Medium sized baigan ( around 1 pound )
One large potato.
1.25 cup of water

For sauteing:
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp garam masala.
1/2 tsp jeera powder
1 tsp dhaniya powder
1/2 tsp mustard seeds,
1/2 tsp cumin seeds.
3-4 curry leaves
1 tsp Oil

Method:
In a pressure cooker, put oil, when hot add curry leaves, mustard, cumin. Saute for 2 mins.
Add jeera powder and dhaniya powder, mix in ground paste. Let it cook a little.
Add 1/4 cup water, add salt, red chilli powder and garam masala. Let it simmer for 5 mins.
Add rest of water and the cut potatoes and baigan. Close the lid of pressure cooker and cook on high until first whistle, then lessen heat and cook for another 5 mins
Turn off, and let it depressurise.
This can be had with rotis or rice.

(If pressure cooker is not available, cook a little longer with extra water till potatoes are cooked )

Aloo Sabji ! ( Potatoes sauted ! )

Pardon my translations. This is a very basic simple dry potato vegetable. Easy to make, goes with bread and chapati(indian bread) and simply delicious........

I make sandwiches with it. By just toasting bread a little, using this as a filling between two slices and then grilling it, a good treat is ready.

Servings - 2
Calories - DNDC

Ingredients
3-4 Boiled medium-sized potatoes( any type work fine )
1 Green chilli
7-8 Curry Leaves ( also called Methi Neem )
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds (Rai)
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds ( Jeera )
1/2 tsp salt ( to taste )
1/4 tsp Turmeric ( haldi )
1 tsp oil.
1 Tblsp Chopped coriander.

Procedure.
Peel and cut potatoes in cubes.
Heat oil in a wok, add mustard, cumin, then in a few secs, curry leaves and cut chlli.
Within 30 secs add potatoes, mix, sprinkle salt and turmeric and let it cook on slow heat for 5 mins, turning in between.
Add coriander leaves and mix, turn off heat. And its all set.