Indian Recipes......
1. Chutney spread:
1/2 cup grated coconut 4 red chillies or 1 tsp. red chilli powder
1 long bean tamarind
2 flakes garlic
1 tbsp. groundnuts
salt to taste
Grind all ingredients together to form a firm chutney. Use very little water.
2. Channa Bhatura
Ingredients
For Channa
1 cup kabuli channa soaked overnight
1 large tomato
2 large onions
1 1/2 tbsp. chopped coriander
1 tsp. ginger grated
1 tsp. garlic crushed
1 lemon (juice extracted)
2 tbsp. oil, 1 tbsp. ghee
1 tsp. tea leaves (tied into a pouch in a
small piece of clean muslin cloth)
4 green chillies slit
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. cumin seeds
Dry masalas :-
1 tsp. red chilli powder
1/2 tsp. each cinnamon - clove powder,
turmeric powder
1/4 tsp. each garam masala, pepper
powder
salt to taste
For Bhatura
2 cups plain flour (maida) 2 tbsp. curds
2 tbsp. butter or oil
1/2 tsp. soda bicarb
salt to taste
Milk to knead dough
oil to deep fry
Method:
Sieve together flour, salt and soda.
Add and mix in curds and oil.
Add enough milk to knead into a soft pliable dough.
Cover with a wet cloth.
Keep aside for 5-6 hours. Make sure the cloth does not dry up, or wet again.
Knead dough again. Take fistful of dough. Roll into 1/4" thick 5" diameter round. Fry in hot oil.
Turning only once. Till very light golden in colour. Repeat for all. Serve hot with hot channa and
slices of onions and lemon.
Method for Channa
Put the soaked, washed channa in a cooked with enough water, teapouch and bay leaves.
Pressure cook till done. (approx. 6-7 whistles).
Cool about 5 tbsp. channa for grinding.
In a mixie, blend together 1/2 tomato, 1 onion, cooled channa and 1/2 tbsp. coriander. Keep aside.
Chop remaining tomatoes and onions fine.
Heat oil in a large skillet.
Add cumin seeds to splutter.
Add ginger-garlic and fry for a minute.
Add chopped tomatoes, onion and fry till tender.
Add channa-paste, fry further 3-4 minutes.
Add all dry masala except cinnamon-clove powder.
Stir and fry till oil separates. Add drained channa and 2 cup water which was drained from channa.
Stir and bring to boil.
Simmer for 7-8 minutes till gravy thickens.
Take in serving dish.
Heat ghee in a small sauce pan.
Add the chillies and cinnamon-clove powder.
Add chopped coriander and pour hot over the channa.
Squeeze lemon over channa.
Stir in seasoning gently.
Making time :- 30 mins (excluding pressure cooking)
Serves - 5
40
3. Pav Bhaji
Ingredients
8 pavs (squarish soft buns about 4" x 5" size)
butter to shallow fry.
For Bhaji
1 capsicum chopped fine
2 onions chopped fine
2 tomatoes chopped fine
2 1/2 cups chopped mixed vegetables (beans, carrots, cauliflower, potota, beans, bottle gourds, etc.) 1/2 cup shelled
peas
2 tbsp. butter
2 tsp. pavbhaji masala
1 1/2 tsp. chilli powder
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
1/2 tsp. sugar
salt to taste
1 cup water (in which vegetables were boiled)
1/2 tsp. each ginger grated, garlic crushed
juice of 1/2 lemon.
To Garnish
1 tbsp. coriander chopped
1 onion chopped
small pieces of lemon
Method
Pressure cook mixed vegetables and peas till well done.
Mash them coarsely after draining.
Heat butter in a pan.
Add ginger-garlice, capsicum, onion, tomatoes.
Fry for 2-3 minutes till very soft.
Add pavbhaji masala , chilli powder, turmeric, salt, sugar and fry further 2-3 minutes.
Bring to boil.
Simmer till gravy is thick, stirring and mashing pieces with masala, in between.
Add lemon juice, stir.
Garnish with chopped coriander and a block of butter.
For Pavs
Slit pavs horizontally leaving one edge attached. (To open like a book).
Apply butter (as desired) and roast open on a griddle till hot and soft with the surface crisp on both sides.
Serve hot with bhaji, a piece of lemon and chopped onion.
Making time : 30 mins. (excl. pressure cooking time)
Serve : 4 (2 pavs each)
4. Vegetable Pie
Ingredients
2 cups plain flour (maida)
100 gms. chilled butter
1/2 tsp. salt
chilled water
For Filling
2 cups Chopped vegetables of choice (eg. potatoes, peas, beans, carrot, spinach, cauliflower etc, All or any)
2 onions
1 tomato
2 green chillies
1/2" piece ginger
1 tbsp. oil
1/2 tsp. red chilli powder
1/2 tsp. curry masala (or garam masala)
1 tbsp. cream
1 tsp. corn flour
salt to taste
Method
Sieve together flour and salt.
Add chilled butter. Mix with fork till mixture is crumbly.
Sprinkle chilled water over it.
Quickly, with light hand mix the dough into a lump.
Do not over knead.
Chill dough for 15 mins. in a plastic bag.
Roll dough into 4" thick round.
Place over a greased pie plate.
Prick with a fork all over.
Bake in a pre-heated oven for 12 mins., or till light brown. Keep aside.
Filling
Grate tomato, onion, ginger.
Finely chop green chillies.
Chope and boil other vegetables.
Heat oil in a skillet, add the grated vegetables and chillies.
Cook for 4-5 mins. Stirring occasionally.
Add all other ingredients except cream.
Cook till the water evaporates and curry is thick.
Sprinkle a little cornflour over the crust.
Pour and spread the filling in the shell.
Pour cream all over.
Bake for 8-10 mins. in pre-heated oven.
Slice and serve warm.
5. Poha
1 cup beaten rice (poha)
1/4 cup crushed groundnuts
1/4 cup grated or scraped coconut
1/4 cup coriander leaves
1 stalk curryleaves chopped
1/4 tsp sugar
salt to taste
5-6 green chillies
1 tsp lime juice
1 1/2 tbsp oil
2 onions chopped
1 small potato chopped
1/2 tsp each cumin & mustard seeds.
Wash poha till clean. Drain water sprinkle a handful of clear water and keep aside.
After 15 minutes loosen the poha gently, and break lumps with fingers. In a heavy saucepan, heat oil, add seeds and
then potatoes. Stir for
2-3 minutes. Add onion, chillies and curry leaves. Stir and fry onions till tender. Take off fire.
Add poha and all other ingredients. Save some coconut and coriander leaves for garnishing. Mix very well. Adjust salt
and lime as per taste.
Return to low flame till hot. Stir gently every now and then. Transfer to serving dish and garnish with coriander and
coconut. Serve hot with
freshly brewed coffee.
Making time: 15 mins (excluding soaking time)
Serves: 3
Shelflife: best fresh
6. Bhel
1 1/2 cups puffed rice
1 onion
1 tomato
1 small boiled p eeled potato
1/2 tbsp coriander leaves
1/2 cup fine sev
1/4 cup parboiled moong sprouts -- optional
1 tsp roasted peanuts -- optional
1 tsp hot green chutney
1 1/2 tsp tamarind chutney
salt to taste
1/4 lime juice
10-12 puries (used for bhel or panipuri optional) crushed
Method
Just before serving. In a large mixing bowl, add puffed rice, and all ingredients except 1/4 the coriander and sev. Mix
well. Sprinkle a few
drops water if too dry. Adjust taste and salt. Spoon into individual bowls. Sprinkle some sev and coriander to garnish.
Serve immediately.
Making time: 15 minutes (excl chutney making time)
makes: 3 servings
Shelf life: best fresh.
7. Tandoori Roti (without Tandoor)
Ingredients
2 cups slightly coarse wheat flour
1/4 cups maida
2 tbsp ghee
2 tbsp curd
salt to taste.
Knead slightly stiff dough cover and keep for 2 hours.
Take naan sized dough and make a ball.
Roll to a thickish roti (4-5 mm thick).
Heat griddle (tawa) place on tawa and dry one side.
Wet upper side with water and invert.
Invert griddle and roast over gas flame (or if available a barb- que coalfire). It will fall off when done.
Serve hot with desired vegetables.
