Tofu with Red bell pepper

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 tablespoon ginger garlic green chili paste

• 1 red bell pepper diced

• 1 red onion diced into 1 inch cubes

• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

• ½ tablespoon corn starch

• ¼ cup roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

• 1 package firm or extra firm tofu, cut into desired shape

• 1/2 tablespoon tamarind paste

• 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar

• Salt as per taste

Method:

1. Cut tofu in desired shape and Airfry for 10 minutes on vegetable setting.

2. In a bowl, add corn starch in a cup of water and create a slurry. Add tamarind paste to it and mix well. Keep aside.

3. Add olive oil in a large pan and place over medium high heat. Add in cut onions and red bell peppers and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Add peanuts to the pan and sauté for another 2 minutes. Next stir in ginger garlic green chili paste to it. Sauté for 2 minutes.

4. Add tamarind slurry to the pan. Mix well. Add in salt, brown sugar, and ground black pepper to the pan.

6. Gently add in airfryed tofu and stir. Garnish with green scallions. Serve immediately with rice.

Enjoy!

Holi Special: Instant Gulab Jamun

होली और रंग पंचमी के शुभ अवसर पर,
होली के रंग, मिठाइयों के संग।

Gulab Jamun
Gulab Jamun is my favorite dessert since my childhood. My mom makes the yummiest gulab jamuns of all. On almost all the occasions, in India, she makes them from scratch.But here in US, since I don’t get mava as we get in India, so with my mom’s suggestion, I tried these Gulab Jamuns from the Chitale gulab jamun mix [from Pune]. They turned out pretty good.
Chitale gulab jamun mix is now available is most of the Indian grocery stores in Bay Area.

Ingredients: For Gulab Jamun (50 pieces)

Chitale Gulab Jamun mix- 1 pkt [400 gms]
Sugar – 6 cups
Cardamon powder (Elachi powder) – 2 tsp
Saffron strands (Kesar) – ¼  tsp
Goldan raisins (kismis) – 1/2 cup
Water – 240 ml (1.5 cups for making gulab jamuns)
Water – 6 cups [for syrup] 

Method:

• In a bowl, gradually add little by little, 1.5 cups of water to the mix. Mix well.
• Gently knead the mixture to make it an even dough.
• In another large vessel, take 6 cups of water and add 6 cups of sugar. Also add saffron and cardamom powder to it. Bring it to a boil. Mix it well and boil again.
• Take the dough and divide it into small 50 parts. Take golden raisin and put one raisin in the center of each portion. Roll each portion into a smooth ball. Make all the balls and keep aside.
• In a pan, heat cooking oil for frying the gulab jamuns. Deep fry the gulab jamuns on medium high heat. It should take approx 7-8 minutes to become golden brown. If it happens before that, oil is too hot and jamuns won’t be able to cook all the way through. If it takes more time than 7-8 minutes, the oil is not hot enough.
• Drain all the fried gulab jamuns on a kitchen towel. Let it sit for 4-5 minutes and then add all jamuns to the sugar syrup. Let them completely soak for couple of hours.
• Gulab jamuns are ready to eat.

Serving Suggestions:
Enjoy Gulab jamums hot or chilled. I prefer them hot with chilled vanilla ice-cream on the side.

Indian Thali: A special treat on Festivals

Thali means platter. This platter is special because it has all the dishes served on festivals. This particular is for Navmi (last day of Navratra). This food is offered to Goddess and then to nine little girls. The compulsory dishes for the offering are Halwa (Pudding), Puri (Fried Indian flat bread) and Kala chana (Black gram). Rest of the menu is optional.

I have already posted the recipes for Halwa(Pudding), Kala Chana, Khaman Dhokla and Shahi Kheer.

Link for Aata Halwa or Pudding recipe:
https://shvetahora.wordpress.com/2011/04/11/aate-ka-halwa-or-kada-prashad-wheat-pudding/

Link for Kala Chana recipe:
https://shvetahora.wordpress.com/2009/02/12/protein-packed-punjabi-kala-chana-black-chickpeas/

Note: But for this special festival navratri menu, avoid using onions and garlic in the food.

Link for Khaman-Dhokla recipe:
https://shvetahora.wordpress.com/2009/08/23/khaman-dhokla-a-gujrati-speciality/

Link for Shahi Kheer recipe:
https://shvetahora.wordpress.com/2009/02/06/shahi-kheer-rice-pudding-indian-style/

Methi Paratha (Fenugreek leaves Indian bread)

Methi paratha is a great source of nutritious elements. Methi has antidiabetic medicinal value for type-1 and type-2 diabeties. Aside its nutritional and medicinal benefits, methi parathas are great for breakfast, travelling, picnics or just snacking with pickles anytime.

Ingredients:
Approx. 8 Methi parathas

• Whole wheat flour – 2 cups
• Besan (gram flour) – 2 tbsp
• Fresh methi or Fenugreek  leaves – 2 bunches
• Ginger-garlic paste – 1 tsp
• Yogurt (dahi) – 2 tbsp
• Oil – 4 tsp

Dry Spices:

• Chaat masala – 1/2 tsp
• Ajwain (Carom seeds) – 1/4 tsp
• Jeera (Cumin) seeds – 1 tsp
• Green chilies – 2 finely chopped
• Garam Masala Powder – 1/4 tsp
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Clean methi leaves thoroughly.
2. Finely chop methi leaves and keep aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine whole wheat flour, besan, chopped methi leaves, chopped green chilies, yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, all the dry spices and salt. Mix well.
4. Knead soft dough of the above mixture, adding little water at a time. Keep the dough aside for half hour.
5. Divide the dough into small balls of suitable size and roll it out.
6. Cook these parathas on the medium hot griddle. Turn them over to cook evenly in golden color on both sides. Apply little ghee/oil on each side and cook more for 30 seconds.

Serve garma garam Methi paratha with raita (flavored yogurt) on the side.

Paneer pasanda

Paneer Pasanda is Indian cottage cheese in mild gravy. It has unique flavor of fenugreek leaves.

Ingredients:
For Paneer pasanda : Approx. 6 servings

• Paneer – 1 lbs

For sauce or gravy:

• Onion – 1 (pureed)
• Tomato puree – 1 cups
• Ginger paste – 1 tbsp
• Garlic paste – 1 tbsp
• Paneer – 2 tbsp grated
• Cashew nuts – 1/4 cup tbsp powdered
• Green chili – 1 tsp (finely chopped) [OPTIONAL]
• Heavy cream – 3/4 cup
• Olive oil – 1 tbsp
• Butter – 1 tbsp
• Sugar/Honey – 2 tsp

Dry Spices:

• Whole garam masala – 1 tbsp
• Cumin – 1 tsp
• Turmeric Powder – 1/2 tsp
• Red chili powder – 1/2 tsp
• Coriander powder – 1/2 tsp
• Garam masala powder – 1/2 tsp
• Tandoori masala – 1/4 tsp
• Dry Fenugreek leaves(kasoori methi) – 2 tsp
• Salt as per taste

Method:

1. Cut paneer in 1X1 inch cubes. Put them in boiling water for 3-4 minutes. Drain, add some salt and tandoori masala on paneer pieces and keep aside for at least 20 minutes.
2. Very lightly shallow fry paneer cubes in 1 tbsp of oil. Keep aside.
3. Heat olive oil in a pan. Add whole garam masala. Let it crackle. Add cumin to it. Then add pureed onions and saute them, till turns light golden. Add ginger paste, garlic paste and chopped green chilies (optional). Cook for 2 minutes.
4. Add tomato puree, turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder and salt.
5. Add grated paneer and cashew nut powder to the gravy. Bring it to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add honey to it. Stir in heavy cream and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
6. Add paneer pieces to the gravy. Simmer for another 5 minutes.
7. Add kasoori methi and mix well. Paneer pasanda is ready to be served.

Enjoy with fresh naan, paratha or steamed basmati rice.

Celebrating Milestone: Blog reached 100,000 hits

A big Thanks to all my readers! I would like to share the joy of celebrating a great milestone with you all. The blog hits 100,000 views! Yes, and with all fairness it doesn’t count my own visits to the blog :-).

Thanks for being with me for last two years. This month, I’ll be celebrating blog’s Second Anniversary as well. This wouldn’t have been possible without you. Hope to get your support in the future too.

I’ll continue bringing vegetarian delights to you each week. Thanks again!

Chana dal-Lauki Stew: Comfort in a bowl

Ingredients:
For Chana dal Lauki: [6 servings approx.]

Chana dal (Split yellow) – 3/4 cup
Lauki (Bottle guard) – 1

Dry Spices:
Whole garam masala – 1 tbsp
Red chili powder – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder -1/2 tsp
Coriander powder – 1 tbsp
Garam masala powder – ½ tsp
Kasoori Methi -1/2 tbsp

Wet Ingredients for tadka:
Onion -1/2 (finely chopped)
Tomatoes -1 cup (finely chopped)
Ginger – 1 tbsp (finely chopped)
Garlic – 1 tbsp (finely chopped)
Green chili -1 tsp (finely chopped) [Optional]
Olive oil – 2 tbsp
Salt as per taste

Method:

• Wash dry chana dal a couple of times. Keep aside.
• Peel and cut Bottle guard (Lauki) in medium size cubes and keep aside.
• Pressure cook it with turmeric powder, salt and 2.5 cups of water for 10 minutes on medium heat.
• Now open the pressure cooker (when all the pressure is released), and add cut bottle guard (lauki) to it.
• Pressure cook the above for 10 more minutes.
• For tadka, heat olive oil in a pan. Add whole garam masala. Let it crackle. Then add chopped onions and sauté it, till turns light golden. Add ginger, garlic and chopped green chilies (optional). Cook for 2 minutes.
• Add chopped tomatoes, red chili powder, garam masala powder, coriander powder in the gravy and let it simmer for 5-6 minutes on medium-low heat.
• Add the tadka to the cooked chanadal lauki and add 1/2 cup water and simmer it on low heat 4-5 minutes.
• Finally, add kasoori methi and let it simmer for 2 more minutes.

Garnish:
Garnish the Chana dal Lauki with freshly chopped cilantro and serve with halved lemons.
Enjoy with fresh naan, paratha or steamed basmati rice.