Scrambled Egg Curry

Have you ever come across a situation when you wish to eat some egg curry & have few eggs at hand any many takers?? This particular dish will run for your help during such kind of situation. It is really easy to prepare and will also satisfy your demand of eating eggs even after facing the shortage issue :)

My husband is not fond of this and loves egg curry itself so on his working day (Saturday) and my holiday, I prepared this for me & my toddler who enjoyed it a lot & made me happy :D

Scrambled Egg Curry

Serves: 1-2                   Preparation Time: 5-10 mins           Cooking Time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

1 egg

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 small tomato, finely chopped

1 tsp ginger garlic paste

1 tsp red chilly pwd

1 tsp black masala or 1/2 tsp garam masala

a pinch of haldi

mustard & cumin seeds for tempering

3 tbspn oil

salt as per taste

1 cup water

chopped coriander leaves for garnish

Scrambling the eggs as mentioned in Step 5

Step 1: Heat oil in a kadhai. Once hot, add mustard seeds & cumin seeds.

Step 2: Add chopped onions & fry till pink.

Step 3: Add ginger garlic paste, tomato & salt. Saute till it is nicely smashed & the oil separates.

Step 4: Add red chilly pwd & masala. Saute for a min.

Step 5: Break the egg and scramble it will till its cooked. Do this on a medium flame.

Step 6: Add water and let it cook for another 3 mins. 

Step 7: Garnish with coriander & serve with chapati/ bhakari or rice.

Til/ Sesame Wadi

It was a long break from blogging!! However, I do have some excuses for the same :)

We shifted to our new 'Home' on 6th day of March. We had a small house warming ceremony & all ladies out there will surely be able to wonder what kept me busy! New place, new furniture, shopping, arrangements & what not. Its not all over & is still going on but had a guilt of not blogging anything since many days & my hands took the hold of the keyboard!!

What keeps me at my seat today is also the Quarter Finals between India & Australia! I wish India luck & wish they achieve a golden victory.

I had prepared this sweet in the month of January. It was for the Sankranti festival and the photos were lying in my mobile since then!

Its very easy to prepare but needs lot of attention during preparation & time management as well. But the end result is a crunchy sesame/ til wadi which will surely win appreciation.

Sesame/Til Wadi

Preparation Time: 10 mins               Cooking Time: 3 mins          Making Time: 3 mins

Ingredients:

1 cup roasted sesame/ til

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tbspn ghee + some for coating the rolling pin and base

Check the consistency

Step 1: Grease some surface with ghee (I cleaned & used the granite which works best) to pour the mixture. Also grease a rolling pin & keep it ready.

Step 2: Heat a pan. Add half the sugar. Keep stirring till it turns into syrup.

Step 3: Add half the ghee & half the sesame/ til. Mix well for the sesame/ til to get well coated with the syrup. 

Step 4: Pour the mixture on the greased surface & start rolling with the rolling pin. Be careful at this stage. Make it as thin as possible.

Step 5: Repeat the same with rest half the til/ sesame.

Step 6: You can break the sheets later & store in air tight containers.

Note: 

Few roughly crushed roasted groundnuts can also be added to til/sesame. You can also add some chopped dry fruits of your choice!

The most surprising thing of this sweet is the color. They look like they are prepared using Jaggery/ gul, but the color is of the sugar! 

Aloo-Methi Puris

On the last lazy Sunday, wanted to prepare something quick & still different from the regular preparations. Was really bored eating regular roti/chapati/phulka & thought of frying some Puris which are very rare in my house since Y does no prefer anything which is deep fried!! (I always wonder if he actually does not like them or he avoids it for me...he's my weight watcher ;)) But that was the day when I had made up my mind to just go for it!!

In my hostel days, I used to enjoy batata-puri in the mess.  They were mostly prepared on Sunday & we used to have a real heavy breakfast that day & used to sleep and directly wake up for 'feasty' lunch served specially on Sundays!! Lovely days!! These one's which I have prepared are still the same with slight variation of 'methi' but taste the same.

Aloo-Methi Puris

Serves: 3-4                  Preparation Time: 10-15 mins               Cooking Time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

2 cups whole wheat flour + more for rolling puris

2 large potatoes, boiled, peeled & mashed

3 tbspn crushed kasoori methi

2 tbspn sesame seeds

1/2 tsp ajwain

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tbspn red chilly pwd (adjust as per taste)

1/2 tsp haldi

1 tsp chaat masala (optional)

salt as per taste

oil for deep frying

water for kneading

Step 1: Mix all the above ingredients & knead into soft dough using very little water at a time.

Step 2: Set the dough aside for 10-15 mins. Till then heat oil in a kadhai.

Step 3: Prepare puris & deep fry in oil on medium heat. Place on a tissue paper to drain excess oil.

Step 4: Serve 'garma-garam' with sauce or pickle.

Note: For rolling the puris, I rolled a big chapati & then cut the puris with the help of one katori. This reduces the rolling time & all puris are of the same size then :). You can also roll each puri separately.

Healthy Idlis

I was never ever so much health conscious or diet conscious in my past life. But ever since I have become a Mom, I have always been keeping any eye on how do I provide the correct nutrition to my toddler, which is the most basic question all mothers face since they are all fussy eaters & above all its important to keep their interest in food sustained!! Along with him, we also get to enjoy all the nutritional & health benefits from the food ;)

Last Sunday, I prepared these Idlis for the breakfast which my little one enjoyed with tomato sauce (his favorite these days). They were so easy to prepare without much preparation in advance & will surely become a routine breakfast for us now!! 

Healthy Idlis

Serves: 3-4            Prep Time: 10 mns (excluding soaking time)       Cooking Time: 15-20 mns

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup rice

1/2 cup urad dal (black gram dal)

1 cup mix vegetables of your choice

(I used sweet corns, green peas, french beans, carrot, capsicum)

 few chopped coriander leaves

3-4 green chillies, finely chopped (adjust as per spice level)

2 tsp Eno fruit salt

salt as per taste

Oil for greasing the pan

Idli Batter

Before Steaming, added grated carrot in between just for fun!!

Step 1: Soak the rice & urad dal separately, overnight or approx 5-6 hrs.

Step 2: Drain the water completely & grind the dal & rice together.

Step 3: Transfer to a bowl. Add salt, chopped coriander & vegetables. Mix well.

Step 4: Grease the Idli moulds with oil. 

Step 5: Add Eno fruit salt. Mix well & you will find the bubbles appearing in the batter.

Step 6: Pour the batter in the moulds & steam the Idlis for 15-20 mins.

Step 7: Serve hot with green chutney or sauce.

Raw Tomato Sabji

Its been long since I have posted something. A few things are keeping me busy these days...but its just limited to finding out the time to write & post something. It has not stopped me from trying different things in the kitchen :). Many things getting up the hold of my brain & many pictures lying in my mobile, today I finally thought of letting the things out!! 

A month before, we had been to our village & its pretty normal always that I take a single bag while going & come back in multiples ;) There were plenty of fresh vegetables directly from the farm to our house & my bag was loaded with them. My mouth was saying 'No' but my heart was saying 'Yes' to all those freshly picked vegetables. I ended up quarreling with 'Y' for carrying all that with us...but finally 'woman rules'! I was so happy when my refrigerator was full of vegetables.

This is a lovely recipe for the raw tomatoes, which I think, are not much used on a routine basis. I have just tried some rice preparation & this particular sabji with them. In case anybody knows some other way to use raw tomatoes, please let me know for sure. Till then, just check this simple, sweet & tangy recipe.

Raw Tomato Sabji

Serves: 2-3                       Preparation Time: 5 mins                Cooking Time: 10-15 mins

Ingredients:

3-4 raw tomatoes, washed & finely chopped

3 tbspn roasted sesame seeds

3-4 tbspn grated jaggery (adjust as per taste) (I like it sweet!)

2 tsp red chilly pwd

a pinch of haldi

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

3 tbspn oil

salt as per taste

chopped coriander leaves for garnish

Step 1: Heat oil in a kadhai. Add mustard seeds. As they crackle, add cumin seeds. 

Step 2: Reduce the heat. Add haldi, red chilly pwd, immediately followed with the tomatoes.

Step 3: Mix well. Add salt & cook for 5 mins. (No need to cover)

Step 4: Add jaggery, sesame seeds. Mix well & cook for another 10 mins or till the water evaporates. Saute well on high flame for last 2 mins. 

Step 5: Turn off heat & garnish with coriander. 

Note: This sabji does not look green in spite of using green raw tomatoes. The red chilly, jaggery & last 2 mins sauteing process is something that will make the difference.

Stuffed Baingan Masala- Gravy

A very popular recipe in Maharashtrian homes is Stuffed Brinjal Curry. With many guests at home, it becomes easier to approximate the number of people with the number of brinjals (which might also go wrong at times, if the curry turns out really well ;)) as my Mom used to say. There are very less chances of any leftovers & it is enjoyed by all & is also prepared as a main course vegetable in many Maharashtrian families.

There are many varieties in which the 'stuff' can be prepared. This type is a bit time consuming but worth the efforts you take. I prepared this on the day of Makar Sankranti along with some Potato fries & Amrakhand.

Stuffed Baingan Masala- Gravy

Serves: 1-2                    Preparation Time: 15 mins                    Cooking Time: 15-20 mins

Ingredients:

2 purple/ green brinjals, slit for stuffing

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp haldi

4-5 tbspn oil

2 cups water

For the Stuff:

1 small onion, thinly sliced

3-4 garlic cloves

1 small piece of ginger

2 tbspn grated dry coconut

1 1/2 tbspn finely powdered roasted groundnuts

1/2 tbspn kashmiri red chilly pwd

1/2 tbspn red chilly pwd

1/2 tsp garam masala OR 1/2 tbspn home made kala (black) masala

salt as per taste

Step 1: Heat a pan. Dry roast the grated coconut. Set aside. 

Step 2: In the same pan, add 1 tsp oil. Roast the thinly sliced onion till pink. Set aside.

Step 3: Blend garlic, ginger, onion, few coriander leaves finely without water.

Step 4: Add finely powdered groundnuts, spice powders & salt. Just blend to mix well. Do not make it very fine. Just a short burst is enough.This stuff is not a paste. Its dry due to crushed groundnuts & no water.

Step 5: Stuff the brinjals with this stuff.

Step 6: Heat remaining oil in kadhai. Let the mustard seeds & cumin seeds splutter. Add haldi. Add the stuffed brinjals. Add water. 

Step 7: Let this cook covered for 10 mins. Open the lid & cook for another 5 mins or till the brinjals are well cooked at the stalk. Check for the consistency of the gravy. It should not be very thin. Garnish with coriander & serve with rice/ chapati/ bhakari.

Note: You can also cook the brinjals in a pressure cooker. I do this when in a hurry. Prepare the tempering in the cooker itself. Add 1 cup water. Cook upto 1 whistle on medium flame & let the pressure release on its own. Do not cook for more time else it will loose its taste & brinjals will get overcooked!

Stuffed Brinjal/ Bharli Wangi- Dry

This is the most simplest version of 'Stuffed' recipe & can be prepared in a hurry. I generally go for this one, when there is no time in hand for blending & grinding but still want to enjoy something rich, spicier, other than regular stir fries! If you have some finley crushed groundnuts at hand...that's it then! You are all set for the preparation!

Stuffed Brinjal/ Bharli Wangi- Dry

Serves: 1-2                 Preparation Time: 5 mins                Cooking Time: 15-20 mins

Ingredients:

2 purple brinjals, washed, make a slit at the top for stuffing

2-3 tbspn finely powdered roasted groundnuts

2-3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

few coriander leaves, finely chopped

1/2 tbspn kashmiri red chilly pwd

1/2 tbspn red chilly pwd

1 tsp coriander seeds pwd

1 tsp garam masala

1 tsp homemade kala (black) masala

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp haldi

salt as per taste

3-4 tbpn oil

1/2 to 1 cup water

Step 1: Mix the powdered groundnuts, half the garlic, half the coriander leaves, salt and the spice powders.

Step 2: Stuff the brinjals with above mixture. Reserve rest of the stuff mixture if any.

Step 3: Heat oil in a kadhai. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds. Once they splutter, add haldi & stuffed brinjals. Saute for a min.

Step 4: Add rest of the stuff mixture. Add water. Cover with a lid & let it cook on low to medium flame till brinjals are nicely cooked at the stalk and the gravy is completely dried out.

Step 5: Remove from heat, garnish with rest of the coriander leaves. Serve with chapati/ bhakari.

Spring Onion Soup

The most soothing soup I have ever tried!! It was one of our Company Canteen hits & we were hunting all the way for its recipe. It was made just twice in our canteen & we all members just kept aside our lunch boxes & enjoyed 2-3 katori soup! Lovely...heart warming....perfect in winter & really easy to prepare. My toddler enjoyed it to the fullest & I was a happiest Mom then :)

Spring Onion Soup

Serves: 2-3                Preparation Time: 10 mins               Cooking Time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

1 cup tender spring onion leaves, finely chopped

1 tsp ginger-garlic paste (I just grated 2 cloves garlic & a small piece of ginger)

1 tbspn butter/ ghee

1/2 tsp pepper pwd (adjust as per spice levels)

For White Sauce:

1 tbspn butter/ ghee

1 tbspn all purpose flour

1 1/2 cup milk

1/2 tsp sugar

salt as per taste

Step 1: Prepare the white sauce. Add butter/ ghee in a pan. Once melted, add flour and salt. Roast it continuously for 4-5 mins on a medium flame. This will help to minimize the 'flour taste' of the soup. 

Just a note: This will lead to 'Thin White Sauce' and not a thicker one. This soup is thinner.

Step 2: While roasting the flour, heat butter/ ghee in another pan. Once hot, add ginger-garlic paste. Add chopped spring onion & saute for 3-4 mins. Set aside.

Step 3: In the white sauce pan, once the flour is roasted, slowly add the milk stirring continuously to avoid formation of lumps. Add sugar. Add the sauteed spring onion, pepper pwd & let it bubble up. Do not overcook. Once the bubbles appear, turn off the heat & serve warm. 

Bhogi Special- Mix Veg & Bajra Roti/ Bhakri

Bhogi...a day before Sankranti!! Sankranti is celebrated as a 'harvest festival'. Its winter time, lots of fresh vegetables are harvested. At some places, Bhogi is also celebrated as a worship to 'Lord Indra', "the God of Clouds & Rains".

Really don't know very well about the rituals, but there was something which made me wait for this day....the wonderfully 'sesame' flavoured 'Mix Veg' & 'Bajra Bhakri with sesame seeds on it'....served warm & is the food specialty of the day..again, sesame/til being the main ingredient!! I have been following this thing after my marriage & do not skip preparing this food delicacies & doing a simple pooja at home.

Thought of posting this Maharashtrian specialty for you all, but do let me know your way of celebrating this festival....would love to know about it.

Bhogi Special- Mix Veg & Bajra Roti/ Bhakri

Serves: 2-3                      Preparation Time: 20 mins               Cooking Time: 15-20 mins

Ingredients:

The Veggies used

1 purple brinjal, chopped

1 cup broad beans, cleaned & broken

1/2 cup fresh chickpeas

1 small carrot, peeled & chopped

1/4 cup fresh/ frozen green peas

8-10 dry peanuts

1 medium tomato, blanched in hot water for 5 mins & peeled

1 tbspn sesame seeds (dry roast & powder) + 1 tbpsn roasted sesame seeds

1/2 tbspn kashmiri red chilly pwd

1/2 tbspn red chilly pwd

1/2 tbspn home made kala masala/ 1 tsp garam masala

   1/2 tsp haldi pwd

   1/2 tsp mustard seeds

   1/2 tsp cumin seeds

   3-4 tbspn oil

   1 1/2 cup water

For the Masala/ Gravy:

1 small onion, thinely sliced

2 tbspn dry grated coconut

3-4 cloves garlic

small piece of ginger

few strings of coriander

                                                                                    1 tsp oil

                                                                                    salt as per taste

Step 1: Mix & wash all the vegetables.

Step 2: Heat a pan. Dry roast the grated dry coconut. Set aside.

Step 3: Add 1 tsp oil. Roast the onion slices till translucent. Set aside.

Step 4: Puree the blanched tomato.

Step 5: Blend the 'Masala/ Curry' ingredients into fine paste. Set aside.

Step 6: Heat oil in a kadhai. Add mustard seeds & cumin seeds. Once they splutter, add tomato puree. Fry till water evaporates.

Step 7: Add the 'Masala/ Curry' paste. Fry till oil seperates. Add haldi & spice powders. Saute for a min.

Step 8: Add all the Vegetables. Mix well. Add water. Let it cook on medium heat for 8-10 mins. Check the consistency of the gravy as per your choice. Serve hot with Bajra Roti/ Bhakri & ghee!!

Bajra Bhakri with Sesame seeds & Ghee Wish u all a very HAPPY MAKAR SANKRANTI!!

Vegetable Fried Rice & Vegetable Manchurian

Chinese cuisine....errrrr....I am sorry, I should say 'Indo-Chinese' is my all time favorite. To be specific, it was one of my very few food cravings I had during my Pregnancy!! 'Y' is although not at all a fan of it. Basically he can't go with just  the noodles or rice & needs some sort of 'roti' preparation in his meal. But there are times when he has no option but to 'enjoy the food!!' since he cannot cook anything..hehe! 

This was the first time when I tried Vegetable Manchurian & it came out perfect. I had prepared Gobi Manchurian at home but had a very big, fresh cabbage lying in the refrigerator with some carrots & thought of using it up!!

Vegetable Fried Rice

Serves: 2-3                           Preparation Time: 20 mins                  Cooking Time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

Could not prevent myself from adding a snap of this fresh cabbage :)

1 1/2 cup basmati rice (Cooked in plenty of water with 1/2 tsp salt, rinsed under cold water, drained, cooled)

1 cup finely cut cabbage

1 carrot, peeled & chopped

1 small green capsicum, chopped

1/2 cup spring onion whites

4-5 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1-2 green chillies, finely chopped

1/2 tbspn black pepper pwd

1 tbspn soya sauce

1/2 tbspn vinegar

few chopped spring onion & coriander leaves for garnish

4 tbspn oil

salt as per taste

Step 1: Boil the chopped cabbage & carrots in water for 2 mts. (I added a pinch of sugar & sodium bicarbonate to this water to retain the color of the veggies. I used the same water as vegetable stock for Vegetable Manchurian)

Step 2: Heat oil in a pan. Once piping hot, add garlic followed by spring onion whites & green chillies. Saute for a min.

Step 3: Add capsicum, cabbage & carrot. Mix well. 

Step 4: Add pepper pwd, soya sauce, salt & vinegar. Mix well.

Step 5: Add cooked rice, mix well & saute on high flame for 2-3 mins.

Step 6: Garnish with chopped spring onions & coriander. Serve hot with Vegetable Manchurian.

Vegetable Manchurian

Serves: 2-3                Preparation Time: 10-15 mins                       Cooking Time: 10-15 mins

Ingredients:

Manchurian Balls:

1 cup finely grated cabbage

1/2 cup finely grated carrots (peeled before grating)

1-2 green chillies, finely chopped

2-3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tsp grated ginger

1 1/2 tbspn corn flour

2 tbspn all purpose flour

salt as per taste

Oil for deep frying

Manchurian Gravy:

1 small green capsicum, chopped

1/2 cup spring onion whites

4-5 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tbspn corn flour mixed with 1/2 cup water

1 tbspn kashmiri red chilly pwd

1 packet red paprika (optional, I had a pouch from Pizza Hut home delivery & used it up!!)

1/2 tbspn black pepper pwd

2 tbspn soya sauce

1/2 tsp vinegar

2 tbspn oil

2 cups water or Vegetable Stock

salt as per taste

For Serving:

Chopped Spring onions & coriander for garnish

Step 1: Mix all the ingredients for Manchurian Balls. (No additional water is needed, if required, add a few drops) Shape into balls & deep fry in the oil. Set aside.

Step 2: Prepare the gravy. Heat oil in a pan. Once hot, add garlic followed by spring onion whites. Saute for 30 secs.

Step 3: Add capsicum, red chilly pwd, pepper pwd, soya sauce, vinegar, salt & water.

Step 4: To this, slowly add the cornflour mixed with water. Let it cook for 5 mins.

Step 5: If you find the gravy to be too thick, you can adjust by adding some warm water.

Step 6: Put Manchurian balls in the gravy, garnish with chopped spring onion & coriander. Server hot with Vegetable Fried Rice.

Gajar Halwa

It is really difficult to find someone who does not like this dessert. Or is there anyone?? Let me know then, with a valid reason though!! :)

With lovely 'Desi' variety of Carrots arriving in the market, its so difficult to bypass them & walk away..at least for me. This is a rich dessert & this one is the simplest & one of the quickest recipe..I believe (excluding the time to grate carrots...ufff...that is something I cannot do without Y's help ;) )!! Just an another "Pressure Cooker Magic"!!

 

Gajar Halwa

Serves: 2-3                   Preparation Time: 15-20 mins                    Cooking Time: 10-15 mins

Ingredients:

4 long carrots (peeled & grated), which will approx. measure 2 1/2 cups

3 tbspn ghee

1 cup milk

5 tbspn sugar (or as per taste)

1 tsp cardamom pwd

pinch of Orange food color (optional)

8-10 raisins

finely chopped nuts of your choice

Step 1: Mix the food color with milk. Set aside.

Step 2: Heat 1 tbspn ghee in a non stick Pressure Cooker. Add grated carrots. Saute on high flame till water evaporates & rawness of carrots is gone. (Approx 2-3 mins)

Step 3: Add milk. Cover the cooker with lid & cook up to one whistle on medium flame.

Step 4: Release all the steam of the cooker. Open the lid. Add sugar, cardamom pwd, raisins & cook on medium flame for 5 mins. Stir in between.

Step 5: Add rest of the ghee. Cook on high flame stirring continuously till a lump is formed & you have a nice shiny texture of the halwa due to the additional ghee.

Step 6: Garnish with chopped nuts of your choice & serve warm. My toddler enjoyed it with Chapati :)