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 :)

Orange Cake

Eurekkaaa!! No...no...don't take me in a wrong way...I am not proving to be Archimedes & neither am I trying to copy his invention ;)...it is just the reflection of my feeling when I discovered the real way to introduce the flavor of juicy oranges into the cake! After hunting a lot for 'lemon zest' in maharashtrian stores (A sincere request to those who already know about 'zest'....do not laugh please!! :) ) & ending up with nothing in hand & nobody knowing about it, I almost decided to drop that particular ingredient from the recipe. But so much thankful I am to google search that I came across some videos where its very well explained what the 'zest' is & how to derive it from the fruit & that is how I ended up saying 'Eureka' :)

The only reason of giving so much importance to the 'zesty' para of this post is because- the real flavor of the fruit is introduced into the cake due to this zest. Be careful though!! You might also end up into a 'bittery' cake....this is where lies the crux of the whole matter! As I have already tried this one...just go ahead & bake it! The result is going to be a wonderfully Orange flavored Cake. I can assure, you will end up 'burping' in Orange flavor!! :)

Orange Cake

Serves: 2-3                        Preparation Time: 20 mins                        Baking Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup refined vegetable oil

1 egg

1 cup powdered sugar OR 3/4 cup granulated sugar (I used powdered)

Juice of one Orange

Zest of one Orange

a pinch of salt

1 1/2 tsp baking pwd

1/2 tsp soda/ sodium bicarbonate

1/2 tsp vanilla essence

1/2 tsp orange food color (optional)

Step 1: Get the zest of one Orange. I used a fine grater for this. Make sure you grate only the upper part & no white part of the Orange...else it will add the bitter taste to the cake.

Step 2: Put the pressure cooker on the gas top to pre-heat as explained in previous post. Prepare the batter till then.

Step 3: Sieve the flour, baking pwd & soda. Mix well. Set aside.

Step 4: In a mixing bowl, mix the sugar & oil till creamy.

Step 5: Add egg & continue to beat till frothy.

The Orange zest

Step 6: Add vanilla essence, food color & mix well. Add orange juice, orange zest, salt & continue mixing.

Step 7: Add the flour mixture in batches. Do not overbeat now. Just mix well.

Step 8: Grease the pan & pour the mixture into it. Put it inside the cooker.

Step 9: Cover with a plate placed upside-down.

Step 10: Bake of a medium flame for 15 mins. Reduce the flame & bake for another 5 mins or till the knife inserted comes out clean. Its ready!! :)

Chicken Chilly

Didn't I stick to the promise I made during Chicken Curry/Rassa post?? I like to keep promises :)

The Non Vegetarian food cooked on a regular basis in my home includes the non-veg curries, however when it comes to make something special which can be served as a side dish or will work fabulously as a starter, I always get into a deep-thinking mode. Dry chicken or some egg roast or egg masala also works well..but I dont know why it is categorized as 'regular' & not 'special or hatke'.

A similar kind of situation aroused when few of our friends visited our home for the first time! I started hunting for something quick & less time consuming. That is how this particular dish took birth in my home. Its quick & really easy requiring very less attention. Try it!!

Chicken Chilly

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

Ingredients:

1/4 kg Chicken (with bones) or (boneless), I prefer with bones

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

2 green chillies, slit  

1/2 tbspn ginger garlic paste

1 tsp haldi

1/2 tbspn kashmiri red chilly pwd

1/2 tbspn soya sauce

1 tsp vinegar

2 1/2 tbspn oil

1 1/2 cup water

salt as per taste

Step 1: Wash & clean the chicken pieces. In a mixing bowl, put the chicken, add haldi & salt. Mix well. Set aside. 

Haldi & salt applied on chicken pieces

Step 2: Boil water.

Step 3: Heat 1/2 tbspn oil. Add chicken pieces & saute on high flame for 4-5 mins. Add water & cook covered till the chicken is just cooked & tender but chewy! This will take approx. 10-12 mins.

Step 4: Heat rest of the oil in another pan. Once its piping hot, add green chillies followed by onions & saute till translucent. 

Step 5: Add ginger garlic paste & saute for a minute. 

Step 6: Increase the flame. Add vinegar, soya sauce & red chilly pwd. Mix well. Add chicken with leftover water if any. 

Step 7: Keep stirring on a high flame till the water evaporates & its dried out.

Step 8: Can be served as a starter or a side dish.

Note: 

* In case of a hurry & no extra gas burner available, Step 3 can also be done in a pressure cooker. In that case, reduce the amount of water to 1 cup & cook upto 1 whistle on medium flame.

* A small green bell pepper can be chopped & added. If you have it, add it after adding   onions & saute for 2-3 mins.

* If you have spring onions, they can be used for garnishing.

Til/ Sesame Ladoo

After Mawa Ladoo, here comes another post dedicated to the cold weather. Its the most simplest recipe with minimal ingredients & minimal efforts as well. These ladoos are ghee-less which might be a great news for weight watchers! What works in place of ghee is the natural oil released by unpolished til/sesame seeds. Do not use the polished ones as they don't release the same oil & will not help in binding & also the similar taste. But to assure, the absence of ghee does not at all lessen the taste of them & are enjoyed by all in the family including kids.

Have a look at the health benefits of sesame seeds:

(I have been making these ladoos, but went through the health benefits for the first time ;), thanks to Eat & Burpp!!) 

Sesame seeds are a very good source of manganese and copper. They are also a good source of calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, vitamin B1, zinc and dietary fiber. In addition to these important nutrients, sesame seeds contain two unique substances: sesamin and sesamolin. Both of these substances belong to a group of special beneficial fibers called lignans, and have been shown to have a cholesterol-lowering effect in humans, and to prevent high blood pressure and increase vitamin E supplies in animals. Sesamin has also been found to protect the liver from oxidative damage. 

Til/ Sesame Ladoo

Makes: 15-17 medium sized     Prep. Time: 15-20 mns   Making/ Binding Time: 15 mns

Ingredients: 

2 cups unpolished til/sesame seeds

1 cup crushed jaggery (adjust as per taste)

1 1/2 tsp cardamom pwd

1/2 tsp nutmeg pwd

Step1: Roast the til/sesame seeds on medium flame stirring continuously till they change color. Let them cool.

Step 2: Put the roasted til/ sesame into the grinder & grind coarsely.

Step 3: Add jaggery, cardamom pwd, nutmeg pwd & grind till fine & mixed well.

Step 4: Roll ladoos out of this mix, store and enjoy as a healthy dessert in winter.

Note: You can also add some Cashews or Almonds if you wish. Coarsely crush & add.

A Secret Bake!!

How would you feel if you are biting a piece of chocolate cake & something suddenly struck your teeth....and when using your super fabulous testing skills, you try to identify what was that...and suddenly you realize, it was an almond or a pistachio or a raisin!! How would you feel then?? Won't  you feel as if it is some secret within that bake? Does that sound funny....but that was something Y felt after having the first bite of this cake which I surprisingly made on the 1st day of this year and so I thought of naming it this way.

After the Winter Special- Mawa Ladoo post this one is again dedicated to one of the same categories- The Dry Fruits!! After sharing with one of my friends about what did I do on the New Year, he composed a Quatrain for my post understanding my special love for Dry fruits this season. Would like to share it with you all here:

Rooms shift seasons, sometimes in Summer & sometimes in Winter

Tastes shift occasions, sometimes in Watermelon & sometimes in Almond

Its a taste, its a passion

Its a journey, its a bond!!

- Amit Ghosh

This is a simple chocolate cake with some dry fruits added to it. I assure you, it will not last longer once you give it a try :)

Dry Fruit Chocolate Cake

Serves: 3-4                Preparation Time: 15 mins                      Baking Time: 20-30 mins

Ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat flour + 1 tbspn for dusting the pan

1 egg

1/4 cup refined vegetable oil

1/2 cup milk

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 tbspn cocoa pwd

1 tsp vanilla essence

1 1/2 tsp baking pwd

small pinch of baking soda

7-8 raisins

1/2 tsp ghee

Coarsely Powder:

3 cashews, 3 pistachios, 3 almonds, 2 dry dates( kharik)

Step 1: While you prepare the batter, keep the Pressure cooker on the gas stove to preheat. Refer Pressure Cooker Magic- Choco Lava Cake post.

Step 2: Grease a pan with oil & whole wheat flour. Keep aside & work with the batter.

Step 2: Sieve whole wheat flour, baking pwd, baking soda & cocoa pwd. Mix well & keep aside.

Step 3: Heat ghee in a pan & saute the raisins till golden. Set aside.

Step 4: Beat the egg & oil till smooth & creamy. Add milk & mix well.

Step 5: Add sugar & beat well till it dissolves & gives a creamy liquid base.

Step 6: Add vanilla essence. Add the whole wheat flour mix prepared in Step 2 in batches. Mix well. Make sure not to overbeat now. It should just be mixed nicely with the liquid base.

Step 7: End up adding the powdered Dry Fruits & golden raisins. Mix again.

Step 8: Pour the batter in the greased pan. Put the pan in the preheated pressure cooker. Cover with a plate placed upside down.

Step 9: Cook on a medium flame for 15 mins. Reduce the flame & cook till the knife inserted comes out clean. 

Step 10: Once cooled, remove from the pan & serve with a cup of Ginger Tea!! Heaven!! :)

Note: You may vary the type of Dry Fruits and their quantity as per your choice! I ran out of walnuts but they will surely add a crunch!