Quick Indian Tomato Soup

Serves Six medium cups

Ingredients

• 1 can Campbell Tomato Soup
• 1 can water
  
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon kalaunji seeds
  
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/4 stick butter
  
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
• Salt to taste
  
• 2 pinches of coarse ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh coriander leaves
  

How To

1. Melt butter in a nonstick pan and crackle all the different seeds.
2. Add the turmeric, salt, black pepper and chilli powder and saute for 15 seconds.
3. Add the soup and water and bring it to a boil, stirring occasionally.
   
4. Add the coriander leaves before serving

Serving Suggestion

• Serve with mini croutons and thick cream
  

Dal Bukhara (Kali Dal)

Serves Twelve

Ingredients

• 1.5 cup black urad dal
  
• Half cup rajma
  
• Half cup chana dal
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• Half cup ginger/garlic paste
• Half teaspoon turmeric powder
• Three teaspoon coriander powder
• Two teaspoon chilli powder
• Two cups thick tomato puree
• One teaspoon garam masala
• Two tablespoon dried methi leaves
  
• One tablespoon oil
  
• One stick butter (or alter to suit diet :))
• One cup half and half cream (or yogurt for the healthier alternative)
• Salt to taste

Preparation

• Soak all the dal/lentils in water overnight.
• Pressure cook the dal mixture in little water for 15-20 min.

How to

• In a deep non-stick pot, crackle the cumin seeds in oil.
• Add the ginger/garlic paste and turmeric and saute for 5-10 min stirring frequently
  
• Add the tomato puree, salt, chilli and coriander powder and saute for 20 min on a medium flame, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is a thick paste.
• Add the butter to the pot and cook for 5 min
• Mix in the dal, garam masala, methi leaves and 3 cups of water to the pot. Reduce flame to avoid spatter and let the mixture cook for at least 30 min. The longer you let the mixture cook, the better the end result!
  
• Stir in the cream and cook for 10 more minutes.
• Bonus points - transfer the dish to a slow cooker at least 3-4 hours before serving and enjoy the compliments :)

Serving Suggestion

• Best with hot rotis/naan.

Torta di Spinach

Courtesy Lauren Veisz

Ingredients

• 1 pk. chopped spinach, cooked and drained
• 1 cup cooked rice
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup grated cheese
• salt and pepper to taste
• small container of ricotta
• 2 eggs

How To

1. Combine all the ingredients mentioned and place in a pie crust, top and bottom.
2. Place in oven at 475 for 10 min., 325 for 1/2 hour or until golden brown

Aloo Matar Anda (Potato Peas Egg) in Coconut curry

Courtesy Tanya Sarang

Serves Four

Ingredients

• 8 eggs hard boiled and sauteed in very little oil till the outer layer is golden brown.
• 2 medium potatoes cubed into 8 pieces each
• 1 ½ cup of shelled peas
• ½ Coconut – coarsely grated
• Ginger – 1 inch piece coarsely chopped
• Garlic -10 cloves coarsely chopped
• 2 medium Onions – chopped finely
• 2 medium tomatoes – chopped finely
• 2 green chilis – chopped finely
• Salt
• Powdered spices – 1 table spoon garam masala, 1 tea spoon turmeric and 1 Maggi Bullion
• 4 table spoon oil
• Half cup of finely chopped coriander for garnishing

How to

• Put two table spoons of oil in a deep pan and fry the chopped onion, garlic and ginger till golden brown
• Now add the grated coconut and sautee till the coconut is slightly brown.
• Grind this mix in a mixie and create a puree.
• Put two table spoons of oil in a deep pan and fry the rest of the chopped onion till golden brown
• Now add the chopped tomatoes and green chili and the powdered spices and cook till it is mushy.
• Add the pureed coconut, onion, garlic and ginger into the pan and cook for 5 minutes on medium flame, stirring occasionally, till it mixes well.
• Now add the peas and potatoes and cook for 5 more minutes
• Add 2 cups of water and the eggs and boil for 10 minutes.
• Garnish with coriander and serve

Garam Masala

Courtesy Tanya Sarang

Ingredients

To Dry Grind

• 2 bay leaves
• 5 green cardamom
• 2 black cardamom
• 2 table spoons cumin
• 2 table spoons corriander seeds
• 2 table spoons poppy seeds
• 1 piece of cardamom
• 5 black pepper
• 10 cloves
• 5 red chillis

How to

• Slow dry roast and grind to a powder.

Different Ways to Cut Food

• Julienne, Batonnet, Baton, Allumette: They're all stick-shaped. Think small, big, bigger, biggest. Julienne is short and slender, as in celery sticks on a vegetable platter, the other three are increasingly longer and thicker, as in French fries.
  

• Rondell: Use for carrot coins, zucchini or any vegetable with a rounded or long shape. Cut at 90 degrees.

• Diagonal: Use for any longish vegetable you want to stir-fry, such as celery, green onion or carrot. Cut at a comfortable 45-degree angle. A mandoline makes this fast and easy.
  

• Brunoise: Dice into smallest possible cubes, 1 to 2 millimetres wide. Use for root vegetables or firm fruits.
  

• Lozenge: Purely ornamental, these are diamond shapes cut from a firm vegetable that's already been thin-sliced. Pretty in clear soups. Sweet potatoes and turnips are good candidates.
  

• Mince: Exactly what it says -- chop as finely as possible. Eggs for egg salad are minced.
  

• Shred: It may look like a chiffonade, but it's used on heavier leaves (as in shredded cabbage) or roots such as carrots or ginger. A mandoline is wonderful for shredding.
  

• Chiffonade: Use for spinach, chard or romaine. De-stem leaves and stack 8 or 10 of them. Roll tightly like a cigar and slice into fine shreds. Good technique for creating a bed of greens or a garnish

Punjabi Chole (chickpeas) Recipe

Courtesy Anjali Aggarwal

Serves Four

Ingredients

• Chick Peas – 1 ½ cups – soaked overnight
• Onion – 1 large – chopped finely
• Ginger – 1 inch piece – 3/4^th brunoise, 1/4^th julienne
• Garlic -10 cloves – brunoise
• Tomato – 2 medium – chopped finely
• Salt
• Powdered spices – 1 tea spoon chilli powder, 1 table sp cumin powder, 1 table spoon coriander powder, 1 tea spoon garam masala
• Whole spices – 2 bay leaves, 5 cloves, 2 big black cardamoms, 1 inch piece cinnamon tied in a muslin cloth AND 5 small green cardamoms
• 1 table spoon Amchur powder
• 2 table spoon oil
• Half cup of finely chopped coriander for garnishing

How To

1. Put the soaked Chick Peas, chopped onion, tomatoes, salt, brunoise ginger and garlic and the whole spices (the ones tied in muslin and the green cardamoms) in a pressure cooker with 2 cups of water (the peas should be just about immersed in the water) in a pressure cooker and cook at medium flame for three whistles.
2. Let the cooker cool and then open and remove the muslin with the whole spices.
3. In a shallow pan add the oil and heat on medium flame.
4. Add the julienne ginger and saute for one minute, then add the ingredients under ‘Powdered spices’ and saute on low flame for 1 minute. Now add this to the chick peas and mix well.
5. Put the chick peas on medium flame and cook for a few more minutes to allow the spices and chick peas to mix well.
6. In another pan – dry roast the Amchur till it is coffee colored। Now add this to the chick peas and cook for a few more minutes.

Serving Suggestion :

1. Garnish with coriander and serve with puris, bhatura or kulchas.

Amaranthus (Cholai saag) Coconut Milk Curry

Courtesy Nibha Kumar (aka Nitu)

Ingredients

• 150 gms amaranthus
• 11/2 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 medium sized onion,chopped
• 3 cm piece ginger ,chopped
• 10 green chillies,chopped
• 1 stalk curry leaves
• 1 tsp black pepper powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup coconut milk(1st extract)

How to

1. Wash amaranthus and chop finely
2. Heat oil in pan and sprinkle mustard seeds ,when it starts sputtering add onion ,ginger,green chillies and curry leaves and fry till onions turn translucent.
3. Mix amaranthus, pepper and salt and cover pan and cook over low heat for 5 mins
4. Pour in coconut milk and cook for two mins.

Karela Chana (Bitter Gourd stuffed with Black Bengal Gram)

Courtesy Anjana Kumar (aka Mummy, Mumma, Ma)

Ingredients

• 1 cup black chick peas soaked over night
• 2 dried red chili (khadi mirchi)
  
• 2 big size Karela (Bitter Gourd)
• 1 big onion - chopped finely
  
• 10 cloves Garlic and 1/2 inch ginger ground to a fine paste
  
• 4 tablespoons oil
  
• Salt to taste
  
• 1 tsp Turmeric powder
  
• 1 tsp Red Chili
  
• 1 tsp Cumin powder
  
• 1 tsp Coriander powder
  

How to :

1. In a non-stick deep pot - add the oil and let the cumin and red chili sputter.
   
2. Add the chopped onions and saute till golden brown.
   
3. Add the ginger garlic paste and saute for another 6 minutes till the paste starts to leave the surface of the cooker.
   
4. Now add the salt and all the powdered spices like coriander, cumin, turmeric and chili.
   
5. Cook for several minutes till everything mixes well.
   
6. Now add the black chick peas, minimum water and close to pressure cook. On medium flame cook till u hear two whistles.
   
7. Take the karela and slit it lengthwise and remove all seeds and contents from inside the karela. Now boil it in salty water for 10 minutes.
   
8. After cooling the karela, stuff it with the seeds and the cooked chick peas.
   
9. Now heat oil in a shallow frying pan and lay down the karelas lengthwise to shallow fry the karela. Let the Karelas get crispy brown on the outside.
   
10. Serve with Rotis or Parathas.
    

French Green Beans in Garlic Sauce

Serves Four

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound french green beans, tips and tails removed
  
• salt to taste
  
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
  
• 10 cloves of garlic - minced finely
  
• 1 tea spoon sugar
  
• 2 table spoons oil
• 2 table spoons soy sauce
• 1 dried red chili crushed coarsely
  

How to :

1. Blanch the green beans by boiling in hot water for 3 minutes and then shocking in ice cold water.
   
2. In a non-stick deep pot - add the oil and let it heat.
   
3. Now add the garlic and let it cook for a couple of minutes till it starts to turn red.
   
4. Add the vinegar, salt, sugar, soy sauce and the crushed red chili.
5. Cook for a few minutes till everything is mixed evenly.
6. Now add the french beans and cook in the open for 5 minutes.

Serving Suggestion

• Serve with chowmein, lomein or Chinese fried rice
  

Green Garlic Chutney

Courtesy Anjana Kumar (aka Mummy, Mumma, Ma) - and termed Dynamite by her

Ingredients

• 1 bunch of Garlic Chives snipped finely
  
• Salt to taste
  
• 10 green chillies
  
• 1 tablespoon Mustard Oil
  
• 4 small tamarind pieces - soaked and softened in 1 cup water
  

Steps

• Grind the Garlic chives, salt, green chillies and the tamarind paste together into a smooth chutney.
  
• Now add the mustard oil and mix it well in the chutney
  
• Refrigerate in a plastic container - it stays for months.
  

Poha (Spicy Rice Flakes)

Serves Two

Ingredients

• Curry leaves
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1 tsp Mustard seeds
  
• Potato - 1 medium, chopped into small pieces
  
• 1 big Onion - chopped
  
• 1 big Tomato - chopped
  
• 3 green chillies - chopped finely
  
• Oil
• Salt to taste
  
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
• 1 and 1/2 cup thick rice flakes - soaked for a few minutes and then drained of water
  
• 20 Peanuts - roasted and crushed coarsely
  
• 1/2 cup chopped Coriander
  

How to :

1. In a non-stick deep pot - add the oil and let the cumin, mustard oil and curry leaves sputter.
   
2. Add the potatoes and cook till the potatoes are golden red.
   
3. Add the chopped onions now and cook and cover till the potatoes are soft and onions are translucent.
   
4. Now add the chopped tomatoes, green chillies and salt and cook covered for 5 minutes till the tomatoes are mushy.
   
5. Now add the turmeric powder and cook for two more minutes.
   
6. Now add the rice flakes and mix it evenly and cook for a few minutes more.
7. Now add the crushed peanuts and mix.
   
8. Finally add the chopped coriander. Cook for a minute and ready to serve.
   
9. Best served with green coriander or garlic chutney
   

Aloo Gobhi Masala

Ingredients

• Potato - 2 medium, cut into 6 pc. each
• 1 Cauliflower
• 3 Bay Leaf
• 1 tsp Coriander Powder
• 1/2 tsp Cumin Seed Powder
• 1 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp Garam Masala Powder
• 1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp Sugar
• 1/2 cup Cooking Oil
• 2 cups Water
• 7 pc, slit into half Green Chili
• 1 large finely cut Tomato
• 1/2 inch, grated Ginger
• 1 tsp Ghee
• 1 tbsp Coconut

Steps

1. Cut the cauliflower flowerets into big to medium sizes. Wash it and keep it aside. Cut the potaoes into cubes and stab with toothpick.
2. Add a pinch of salt and turmeric to the potato cubes and cauliflower pieces and leave to dry a little
3. Heat the oil in a frying pan, and deep fry the potatoes till golden red. Keep it aside.
4. Then fry the cauliflower in the same oil till it gets light brown. Keep it aside.
5. Grind cumin seeds, coriander, ginger, two bay leaves, three green chili and coconut with little water to a fine paste.
6. Add oil to a pot and add Bay leaf and cumin seeds. Fry for 1 minute in medium heat.
7. Add the ground masala paste and four green chili Cook for a couple of minutes.
8. Add tomato pieces and cook for a minute. Add 1 teaspoon ghee and garam masala and cook till well fried.
9. Add the fried cauliflower, potatoes, silted green chilies, salt, and rest of water. Bring it to boil. Reduce heat and cook till the potatoes are properly cooked. Serve with hot rice or chapatti.

Addai

Courtesy - Venkat's mom


Ingredients:


For grinding :

Chana Daal - 2 cups
Tuvar Daal - 1 cup
Hing (Asafoetida) - 1 tsp.
Curry Leaves - 5-6
Ginger - small piece
Salt
Rice Rava - 1 cup

For topping :

Onion - 1, finely chopped
Green Chillies - chopped finely
Cumin seeds - 1 tblsp.
Coriander - finely chopped

How to :

* Soak both the lentils together for a couple of hours or overnight.
* Grind the lentils, ginger, hing, salt, curry leaves in the blender with minimum water.
* Add the rice rava to the ground dough and some water to make it a thick batter.
* On a non stick shallow pan - put a ladle full of the batter and spread it. It will be a thick crepe.
* Sprinkle coriander, cumin, onion and chillies on each adai on the crepes. Put oil around the edges and cover it for 1 minute on high flame.
* Let it cook till it looks red on the edges for crispy adai. Now flip it and let the other side cook.
* Repeat the steps above till your batter is finished.
* Serve with peanut chutney or mint chutney.

Peanut Chutney

Ingredients

• 1 Teaspoon Mustard seeds
• 1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
• 3-4 Full dried red chillies
  
• 3-4 Fresh green chilies
• 1 medium-sized piece fresh ginger
• 1 small onion
• 2 small pieces of Dried Tamarind
• Handful of curry leaves
• Pinch of Hing
  
• Small cup of peanuts
  
• Black/Rock Salt (Kaala Namak)
• 1 Tablespoon oil
  
• Salt

Steps

• Soften dried tamarind pieces in warm water. Alternatively use tamarind paste.
• In a shallow pan heat 1 tablespoon of oil and add the dried red chillies, cumin, curry leaves and mustard seeds.
  
• When the mustard starts to sputter - add the peanut and roast till peanuts are lightly red. Add the hing now and remove from heat.
  
• In a blender grind onion, garlic, fresh green chillies, tamarind paste and salt with minimum water.
• Add the roasted peanut, dried red chillies, cumin, curry leaves and mustard seeds in the blender and blend all the contents to a smooth paste.
  
• Ready to be served with dosa, adai or fritters.
  

Kela Pua (Banana Fritters)

Courtesy Nani/Anjana Kumar (aka mummy)

Ingredients:

• 3 over-ripe bananas
• Handful of raisins
• 3-4 dried dates - soaked overnight
  
• Dried coconut shavings
• Handful of chopped walnuts/pecans
• Half cup Flour or wheat flour
  
• Milk (for measurements see below)
  
• Jaggery or brown sugar (to taste)
• Teaspoon of Sauf (Aniseed)

How to:

• Soak dried dates to soften them - easier to chop.
  
• Mash the bananas in a big bowl till there are no big lumps.
  
• Add sauf, raisins, walnuts/pecans, cocunut shavings, jaggery/sugar.
• Pour in the flour gradually, mixing it well to form a consistent batter - prevent formation of lumps.
  
• Pour a little milk to make the batter just enough to keep it thick. The consistency could be similar to a thick batter used for Uttapa or pancakes.
• Take a shallow pan and coat the pan evenly with a few drops of oil (to prevent the batter from sticking)
• Pour the batter (in small circles) into the pan to cook for around 2-3 minutes - on both sides - till it is reddish brown.
  

How to serve this dish:

This recipe comes from Central India and is native to the states of Bihar and Jharkhand. The dish is traditionally sweet and accompanied with spicy pickles (like Chilli pickles or other spicy accompainments). This dish can make a good breakfast dish or can serve as a nice tea time snack.

The recipe:

This recipe has been developed by Ms. Ibha Kumar (the author of this blog). While we encourage you to use this dish for personal use, no part of this recipe or minor alterations can be published in any form (in print or electronic media) without the express consent of the author and must accompany a full reference of the author and the blog.

Pindi Chole

Ingredients:


1 cup chickpeas ( kabuli chana)
1 tea bag or 1 tbsp black tea leaves tied in a cheesecloth
21/2-inch ginger, 3/4th of it shredded finely for garnish
2-3 tbsp oil
2 onions chopped
2 tsp garlic, finely crushed
2 green chilies, sliced
3 medium sized tomatoes, chopped
2 tsp ground coriander
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 - 1tsp red chili powder or as per taste
Salt To Taste
1/2 tsp garam masala
finely chopped coriander leaves

How to :

* Soak Chole in water overnight or for about 6 hr.
* Cook the chole with salt, tea leaves and enough water in the cooker for about 20 minutes or till fully done.
* Drain, reserving 1 cup of cooking liquid.
* Finely chop the remaining ginger. Heat oil and sauté onions till golden, then add garlic and chopped ginger and green chilies. Sauté for 5 minutes.
* Add tomatoes, coriander, cumin, turmeric and chili powder and sauté over low heat until the oil separates.
* Add chole, the reserved cooking liquid, salt and half of the coriander leaves. Simmer, uncovered until the liquid has been absorbed.
* Add a pinch of garam masala and serve pindi chana sprinkled with the remaining garam masala, coriander leaves and shredded ginger.

Skillet Red Potatoes with Garlic

Courtesy Nitin Malik (aka hubby)

Serves Four

Ingredients

• 10 cloves of Garlic - halved
• 4 Red skin medium sized Potatoes - cut bite size
• 1 pinch thyme
• 1 pinch crushed red pepper
• Salt to taste
• Fresh Onion/Garlic chives chopped finely - to garnish
• 1 pinch black pepper
• 1 tablespoon oil

How to

• Heat the oil in a skillet and add the garlic halves.
• Add potatoes when garlic starts to turn golden and stir it together.
• Add all the spices and mix well
• Cover it on low flame, stirring occasionally
• When the potatoes turn crispy red - remove from fire
• Garnish with chive and serve.

How to serve this dish:

This dish is a healthy alternative to French Fries and is an accompaniment to wraps, burgers, rice or can be relished just by itself. This dish can serve well with Mexican, American, Continental or Indian dishes.

The recipe:

This recipe has been developed by Ms. Ibha Kumar (the author of this blog). While we encourage you to use this dish for personal use, no part of this recipe or minor alterations can be published in any form (in print or electronic media) without the express consent of the author and must accompany a full reference of the author and the blog.

Kerala Coconut Chutney

Courtesy Nibha Kumar (aka Nitu)

Ingredients

To Grind

• ½ medium sized ,fresh coconut ,grated
• 4 green chillies,chopped or 6 dry red chillies torn into pieces
• 2 shollots,chopped
• 3 cm piece ginger,chopped
• ¾ cup water

To Sizzle

• 11/2 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp husked urad dal
• 2 shallots bv,chopped
• 1 stalk curry leaves
• ½ tsp salt

How to

• Grind to a thick paste all the ingredients under 'To Grind'
• In a shallow pan heat the oil and bring the mustard to sputter, add the urad dal saute for a minute.
• Add the curry leaves and chopped shallot
  
• Stir on fire for 2 minutes
• Add the ground paste and salt to taste
• Cook on fire for 5 more minutes
  
• Ready to eat with Dosa, Idlis and Vadas