Punjabi Kadhi

So IT'S MY BIRTHDAY, and I am going to treat myself with Punjabi kadhi today :) I love "Kadhis"..Gujarati Kadhi, Kokum Kadhi, Bhindi Kadhi, Cilantro-Mint Kadhi, and more. Being Gujarati, I grew up eating Gujarati Kadhi, and it was my favorite, but since past few years, i started liking and eating Punjabi kadhi more and more, and it is becoming my new favorite. The Punjabi Kadhi & Chawal is perfect combination, and I can eat it without roti or sabji, and it still feels me up.

Ingredients:-

-- For Pakoda/Dumplings

• 1 cup Besan
  
• 1/4 cup Onion, chopped
  
• 1/4 tsp Cumin Powder
  
• 2 Green Chilies, chopped
  
• Pinch of Turmeric Powder
  
• Salt to taste
  

-- For For Kadhi

• 2 cups Yogurt
  
• 1/2 cup Besan
  
• 1/2 tsp Green Chili-Ginger Paste
  
• 1/2 tsp Red Chili Powder
  
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
  
• 1/4 tsp Garam Masala
  
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
  
• 3 cups Water
  
• Salt to taste
  
• Cilantro, chopped
  

-- For Tadka/Tempring

• 2 tbsp Olive Oil
  
• 1/4 tsp Cumin Seeds
  
• 1/8 tsp Kalongi
  
• 1/8 tsp Cracked Fenugreek Seeds
  
• 2-3 Whole Dry Red Chilies
  
• Pinch Of Hing
  

Method:-
-- For Pakoda/Dumplings

1. Heat oil in kadai for frying. In bowl mix besan with 75-80ml water. Add onion, cumin powder, turmeric, red chili powder, and salt.

2. Mix well and take small portion of mixture and deep fry them till brown. Take out on paper napkin and keep aside.

-- For Kadhi

1. In large bowl, mix besan with yogurt and beat well till no lumps remain. Then add turmeric powder, red chili powder, green chili-ginger paste, garam masala, water, and salt. Mix well again.

2. Heat oil in heavy bottom pan/kadai. Add hing, cumin seeds, kalonji, and cracked fenugreek seeds. Whemn they turn little brown add whole red chilies, and curry leaves.

3. Turn down the heat and pour yogurt-besan mixure in kadai slowly.

4. Stir and turn your gas on medium-high till the kadhi starts boiling.

5. Now turn down heat on low and simmer kadhi for 20-25 minutes. Stir occasionally.

6. At this point add pakodas, mix and again simmer for another 10 minutes.

7. Now add kasuri methi, and chopped cilantro.

8. Mix well and serve hot with jeera rice.

Enjoy...

Green Peas and Pigeon Peas Thepla

Theplas are staple food in Gujarati Cuisine. It is also called Dhebra in some part of Gujarat. Methi theplas are very popular. One can make theplas with wheat flour, jowar flour, besan, rice flour, and bajri flours with combinations of diffrent vegetables, It goes perfect with gravys and curries. They are perfect for breakfast too. This recipe is very similar to my Hariyali parathas but jowar flour with yogurt make them super soft and very tasty.

Ingredients:-

• 2 cup Whole Wheat Flour
  
• 1/2 cup Jowar Flour
  
• 1/2 cup Pigeon Peas, boiled
  
• 1/4 cup Green Peas
  
• 1/8 cup Mint
  
• 4 Green Chilies
  
• 1/2 tsp Ginger
  
• 1 tbsp Sesame Seeds
  
• 1/8 tsp Turmeric Powder
  
• 1/2 cup Yogurt
  
• 1 tsp Light Brown Sugar or 1/2 tsp Jeggary
  
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil
  
• Pinch Of Asafetida
  
• Salt To Taste
  

Method:-

1. Mix pigeon peas, green peas, mint, green chilies, ginger, and sesame seeds in food processor and make course paste.

2. Mix flours, hing, salt, oil, and sugar.

3. Now add peas mixer and yogurt to the flour. Add very little water and make dough.

4. Wrap the dough with plastic wrap and set for 30 minutes.

5. Roll out theplas from the dough.

6. Heat non stick skillet on medium-high heat.

7. Cook theplas on hot non-stick skillet.

8. Flip the thepla after one side is cooked a little bit, apply little oil on it.

9. Then flip to the other side and apply little more oil on that side, cook both sides until cooked.

10. Serve this hot theplas with mint chutney, mango pickle, or with sweet chhunda.

Enjoy...

Panela

This is one of those recipe which is being made in our family from very long time. My mom learned it from great grandmother and still no one in my family knows what panela means. So I googled it and to my surprise and happy coincidence, "Panela" means "Jaggery" in Spanish, which is most important ingredient in Panela. How cool!!

Ingredients:-

• 2 cups Pumpkin, grated
  
• 1/2 cup Cucumber, grated
  
• 1 cup Rice Flour
  
• 3-4 tbsp Besan
  
• 1 tbsp Green Chilli Paste
  
• 1 tsp Red Chilli Powder
  
• 1 tsp Ginger paste
  
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
  
• 1/4 tsp Hing
  
• 4-5 tbsp Jeggery or to taste
  
• 2 tbsp Oil
  
• Salt to taste
  

Method:-

1. Mix all the ingredients in large bowl with little water until there are no lumps.

2. Set the batter aside for 10-15 minutes. Stir well, taste again, and adjust seasoning.

3. In the meantime, preheat steamer or pressure cooker with some water in it. Grease deep dishes or pressure cooker containers with oil.

4. Pour the batter in it and steam for 15 minutes on high heat.

5. Turn down the heat on low for another 5 minutes. Let the steamer cool a little and then open it.

6. Take the panela out of the steamer, and let deep dish cool a little more.

7. Cut the panelas into diamonds, rounds, or squares.

8. Drizzel some oil on them and serve hot with mango pickle.

Enjoy...

Bengali Bahu Khuda Pulav (The Hungry Bride's Pulav)

What I can say about this Pulav ? It is simply awesome. Once I was watching a cooking show where they were showing some traditional Indian dishes, which are being forgotten. As per chef, this was being made by newly-wed brides who were not yet used to tradition of eating leftovers after husbands. This gets cooked quickly and easily, hence brides won't go hungry.

I don't use mustard oil for my cooking, but to make this authentic as this is cooked in mustard oil, I dry roasted mustard seeds and crushed them to powder form, and to my surprise that actually worked well.

Ingredients:-

• 1 Cup Basmati Rice
  
• 2 Big Red Onion, Sliced
  
• 4 Thai Green Chilies, chopped
  
• 1 tsp Whole Coriander Seeds, roasted and coarsely ground
  
• 1 tsp Whole Black Pepper, lightly roast and coarsely ground
  
• 1/8 tsp Mustard Seeds
  
• 1/4 Cup Mint, chopped
  
• 1/4 Cup Cilantro, chopped
  
• 1 tbsp Cashews
  
• 1 tbsp Mustard Seed Oil/Olive Oil
  
• 1 tsp Ghee
  
• Pinch Of Turmeric Powder
  
• Salt to Taste
  
• Oil for frying
  

Method:-

1. Deep fry onion slices until golden brown.

2. Heat oil and ghee in pan. Sauté cashews, and green chili for 30 seconds.

3. Now add rice, turmeric, mustard seed powder, ground pepper, ground coriander, salt, and half fried onions.

4. Again sauté for 30 seconds. Add water and bring it to boil, turn down the heat on medium low, cover with lid, and cook until rice is done. Fluff up the rice with fork.

5. Take out rice in serving bowl or platter, sprinkle mint, cilantro, and remainder fried onions on top and serve.

Enjoy...

I am sending this entry to Let's Cook Rice by Radhika.

Tindora Cashew Palya

First I would like to thanks Mosmi for this lovely recipe.:-) Me and DH loved it :) My mom is very happy to know that I started eating Tindora :) When I was kid, I used to hate it very much. Whenever Tindora served, I used to make excuses and distribute it among friends at school or my brother at home.

DH really likes tindora, and I used to make it for him and kind of started liking it a bit but this recipe made me fell in love with Tindora. :-) Simple and yummyyyy.

Ingredients:-

• 2-1/2 cups Tindora/Tondekai/Ivy Guard - Cut quartered lengthwise
  
• 1 cup Cashews - Soak in hot water for half hour
  
• 3-4 tbsp Grated coconut
  
• 3-4 Green Chilies, Slit
  
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil
  
• 2 tsp Urad Dal
  
• 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
  
• Pinch of Turmeric Powder
  
• Dash of Hing
  
• Cilantro, chopped for garnish
  

Method:-

1. Heat oil in pan and add mustard seeds.

2. When they start to splutter, add urad dal, hing, green chilies, and sauté till urad dal is little golden.

3. Add turmeric, tindora, and salt. Mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes.

4. Now add little water in pan, cover pan with lid and cook for 10-15 minutes or till tindora is cooked on medium heat.

5. Add strain cashews, mix and cook for another 3-4 minutes.

6. Turn of the heat, add coconut. Mix and Cover pan with lid, leave it for minute.

7. Garnish with cilantro, and serve hot with chapatis/rice.

Enjoy...

Mexican Salsa Soup

Wass' up y'all ? Hope everyone had a great Diwali. Right after diwali weather starts getting colder and colder. For me and DH, piping hot soup with gram cracker or croutons is perfect dinner. Soups are healthy, satisfying, and feels you with warmth in cold nights, and not to mention very less dishwashing.

This is one of my favorite spicy soup and most ingredients will be mostly readily available in pantry. One can make their own salsa but that's a separate recipe for some other day, but I tried many different brands of store-bought salsas for this and I don't like anything better than Hot Pace Picante (One can use mild or medium) in this soup. I also add taco seasoning for more mexican flavor, but it is totally optional as per your taste buds.

Ingredients:-

• 1 cup Black Beans, boiled
  
• 1/2 cup Yellow Sweet Corn
  
• 1 Medium Potato, chopped
  
• 2 Jalapeño, chopped
  
• 1/2 Red Onion, chopped
  
• 1/2 cup Hot Picante
  
• 1 tsp Paprika
  
• 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
  
• 1 tsp Red Chili Powder
  
• 1 tsp Cumin Powder
  
• 1/2 Taco Seasoning (Optional)
  
• 2-1/2 cups Vegetable Stock/Water
  
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil
  
• Salt to taste
  

-- For Serving

• Sour Cream
  
• Cheddar cheese
  
• Cilantro
  
• Tortilla Chips
  

Method:-

1. Heat oil in soup pot/pan and cook potato and onion with pinch of salt for 3-4 minutes.

2. Add corn, black beans, jalapeño, picante, cumin powder, garlic powder, red chili powder, paprika, taco seasoning, and salt. Mix well and cook it for 2 minutes.

3. Add vegetable stock and bring it up to the boil. Turn down the heat and simmer on medium low heat for 10-15 minutes or until potatoes are cooked.

4. Serve hot with dollop of sour cream, cheese, cilantro, and tortila chips.

Enjoy...

This is my entry to Radhika's, Winter Carnival



Enjoy...

HAPPY DIWALI & HAPPY NEW YEAR :))

Dear Friends,

Wish u and your family a very happy diwali & prosperous new year. May God fulfill all your wishes in wealth, health & happiness in your life.




May this diwali be a wonderful new beginning to a year filled with happiness and prosperity for you.



God Bless You All..Have a rocking year ahead :)



Enjoy ...