Stuffed Ladyfingers

                                                

Yet another way of making Okra or Ladyfinger or bhindi. Recipe is from Nishamadhulika Ji's blog, with lil bit changes from me. 

Ingredients 

250 gm medium sized Ladyfinger

1 tbsp Gram flour 

2 tbsp oil

2 tsp Saunf Dhaniya powder

1/2 tsp Red Chilli powder 

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 

1/2 tsp  Amchoor powder

Pinch of garam masala

Pinch of heeng

1/2 tsp jeera 

Salt according to taste 

Method

Wash & dry the ladyfingers.

Cut the stem of the ladyfingers & part it lengthwise so that it remain joined from the one side.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a small pan & tamper cumin seeds & add heeng.

Add gram flour & roast it well.

Put all the spices & fry the masala for 1 minute & turn off the flame. 

Stuff this masala equally into the ladyfingers. 

Heat remaining 1 tbsp oil in the pan & put the stuffed lady fingers into it. 

Stir them with light hands 2-3 times & cover it for 5 minutes on a medium flame. Open the lid & flip the ladyfingers. Cook it for an another 2-3 minutes with covered lid on a low flame. 

Open the lid, flip & cook it for 2-3 minutes on high flame.

Serve it with hot paranthas, chapatis and naan.

Tips

* Ladyfingers should be fresh.

* I used very less oil so it took few minutes extra to cook.

* Keep eyes on it as it can burn easily.

Lauki Chane Ki Dal

A very simple & healthy dal recipe from North India. It is very light & tasty & can be enjoyed either in lunch or dinner.

Ingredients (Serves 4)
2 cups chopped bottlegourd/ghia or lauki
¼ cup chana dal/split bengal gram
2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
1 green chili, chopped
½ inch ginger, finely chopped
½ tsp cumin/ jeera
¼ tsp turmeric powder/haldi
3 tsp saunf-dhaniya powder
a pinch of asafoetida/hing (optional)
1 cup water for pressure cooking
1 tsp ghee
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
salt as required
½ tsp garam masala powder

For Tadka
1 tsp ghee
5-6 curry leaves.
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
¼ tsp red chili powder

Method
Rinse & soak the chana dal for atleast 45 mins to 1 hour. drain & keep aside.
Heat ghee in a pressure cooker & crackle the cumin first.
Add the ginger & green chilies & saute for 10 seconds.
Add tomatoes & all the dry spice powders. Sauté till the tomatoes soften.
The ghee should start releasing from the tomato masala.
Now add the chana dal & chopped lauki/bottle gourd & salt. Pour water & stir.
Cover with the lid & pressure cook for about 4-5 whistles on a high flame.
When the pressure drops on its own, remove the lid & mash it a little.
The curry has a medium consistency.
Add tadka & garnish with coriander leaves.
Serve hot with phulkas or rotis & steamed rice.

For Tadka
Take ghee in ladle, heat on medium flame.
When ghee is hot enough, remove from flame & add mustard seeds, curry leaves, & red chilli powder.
Add to ready dal & stir.

Tips
* To make the curry in a pan, add about 1.5 cup water & cover & cook. If the water dries up whilst cooking you can add some more water. But I would still recommend the use of pressure cooker for healthy cooking.
* Bottle gourd or lauki should be fresh.
* I use my home made saunf-dhaniya powder in all my recipes, it gives very nice flavour.

Stuffed Capsicum Rings

The dish looks great and tastes yummy, made it for my in laws, when they visited me. They don't eat most of the things due to religious reasons. So I was always busy trying new things for them & it is one of those experiments

Ingredients
2 big round & firm green capsicum
3 raw bananas boiled
1/2 cup boiled green peas
1/2 tsp jeera powder
1 tsp saunf-dhaniya powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp amchoor powder
Salt to taste
Chat masala to sprinkle
Oil to shallow fry

Method
Cut thick rings out of capsicum & keep aside.
Mash bananas & peas & mix together with all masalas.
Fill the capsicum rings with the mixture & press little.
Take a non stick griddle & apply very little oil on it.
Arrange stuffed rings on it & let them cook on slow flame for some time.
Turn them carefully to cook on other side.
When cooked on both sides, sprinkle little chat masala & serve either as starters or as a side dish with main meal.

Tips
* Can be easily made with potatoes instead of bananas.
* Capsicum should be firm.
* Can use red & yellow ones too.

Mooli Ki Bhaji or Bhurji (Radish Leaves Vegetable)

This is a healthy punjabi dish & is very easy to make. It tastes excellent with hot chapaties or parathas & is one of the favorites in my family :)

Ingredients

2 bunches Radish leaves, Chopped fine

1 Radish, Peeled & chopped fine

1 tsp Ghee / Oil

½ tsp Ajwain Seeds

1 tbsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 Green Chili slit (optional)

Salt to taste (use less here)

Method

Heat Oil in a wok & add ajwain seeds & green chili.

Add Radish & Radish leaves. Sauté for a minute.

Add Salt & cover the vessel and cook for about 2 to 4 minutes.

Once the vegetable is soft in its own moisture, add coriander powder & turmeric powder. Sauté till its little dry.

Serve hot with chapaties & Parathas.

Tips

* This vegetable becomes less (almost half of what you have cut), after cooking so always take care of amount of salt.

* Remember the radish leaves should be tender & green.

* I never add any water; vegetables are cooked well in their own moisture.

* Don't cover the vessel for more than 2 to 4 minutes or the beautiful green color will be lost.

Aamla Sabji

Gooseberries or aamlas are very good source of vitamin C & should be included in your diet. Its health benefits are numerous. Here is a simple & quick to make recipe of Aamla which even kids enjoy

Ingredients
1/2 kg green aamla (gooseberries)
3 tbsp mustard oil
1/2 tsp jeera
1/2 tsp ajwain
2 tsp Saunf-Dhaniya powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp haldi powder
Salt to taste

Method
Wash aamla & pressure cook till two whistle with just 2 tsp water.
Open & let them cool slightly.
After steaming like this, it's easy to chop the aamlas.
Take oil in a wok & heat.
Add jeera & ajwain & all other masalas.
Add chopped aamlas.
Sprinkle just half a tsp of water & cover the wok with a lid.
Keep the flame minimum & let it cook for about 10 minutes, stirring in between.
Your Aamla Sabji is ready, it's eaten like a pickle with roties or parathas.

Tips
* This vegetable can be kept for about 10 days in refrigerated condition.
* Always take fresh green aamlas.
* If your aamlas are overlooked in pressure cooker then don't sprinkle water while cooking in wok.

Khatta Meetha Karela

Health benefits of Bitter Gourd or Karela are many. But it's not easy to feed them to everyone due to its bitterness. Here is a simple recipe that I tried from Archana's Kitchen & my son & in laws just loved it.

Ingredients
6 bitter gourd
¼ tsp mustard seeds
¼ tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp turmeric powder
¼ tsp asafoetida powder
½ tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp coriander powder
¼ tsp cumin powder
1 tsp dry mango powder OR 1 tbsp tamarind paste
4-5 curry leaves, finely chopped
1 tbsp of jaggery, or more to suit your taste
¼ cup of roasted crushed peanuts
2 tbsp oil
2 tbsp of freshly chopped coriander leaves

Method
Scrape bitter gourd lightly, slit & remove seeds if they are hard.
Boil bitter gourd in salty water for few mins & dice them.
Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan on medium heat.
Add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves and allow them to crackle.
To this add the asafoetida, turmeric powder & stir in the steamed bitter gourd and simmer for a few minutes.
Stir in the red chilli powder, dry mango powder or tamarind paste, coriander powder, cumin powder & jaggery.
Continue to stir on low flame, until the jaggery melts & gets well combined into the vegetable.
Turn off the heat at this stage & stir in the crushed peanuts & coriander leaves. Serve hot.

Tips
* I made it without peanuts as my Father-in-Law has it's allergy
* You can use tamarind paste instead of mango powder.
* Don't over boil bitter gourd.