KEEMA MATAR/ALOO OR SOYA GRANULES WITH MATAR/ALOO

Ingredients

1/2 kg mutton mince
2  medium sized onions
3t. sps. ginger garlic paste
2tb. sps tomato puree or 3 large tomaoes chopped or grated.
1/2 t sp haldi powder
1/2 t sp chilli powder
1tbsp heaped dhania (coriander) powder
salt to taste
2-3 sticks of cinnamon
5 green cardmoms
3 cloves
1 bay leaf      
1 small bowl of peas or 5 small potatoes peeled
2 tb sps veg. oil

• Heat oil in a pan or pressure cooker.
• Add onions and the whole masalas and fry till golden brown.
• Add washed keema and fry for atleast 15 minutes.
• Add ginger garlic paste and fry till the raw smell goes.
• Mix the powder masalas with a tb. sp of water and add to the keema and fry till well blended, taking care not to let it stick. Sprinkle a little water if it sticks and fry till well browned.
• Add tomato puree or chopped tomatoes and fry for a further 5 minutes or till the tomatoes are well cooked.
• Add the peas. If using potatoes, add and fry for 2-3 minutes till they are coated with the masala.
• Add one glass of water and pressure cook till high pressure. Lower the heat and cook for 3-4 minutes.
• Remove from heat and  do not open the cooker till its cool.
• Open the cooker ,check if the potatoes are done and dry out extra water.
• Garnish with chopped corriander leaves and serve with hot rotis or parathas.

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NOTE:  My veg. friends can use the same recipe by replacing mutton mince with soya granules and adjusting the cooking time accordingly.

Besan Chirla/ Panjabi Purra

Makes two

Ingredients

3tb. sps besan (channa dal flour)
1/4 t. sp. aniseed/ajwain
salt to taste
red chilli powder a pinch
1tb. sp. finely chopped onions
1-2 chopped green chillies
3-4 curry leaves chopped
oil to fry

• mix besan with 2 tb.sps of water till no lumps are left.
• add the dry and chopped ingredients .
• add enough water to make the batter easy to spread but not watery.
• Leave aside for at least 15 minutes for better results.
• heat 2 t sps of oil to smoking point  in a non stick fry pan and coat the pan well with the oil.
• drain the extra oil into a bowl.
• put two tb. sps of batter in the hot pan ,spread it around evenly and cover the pan for a few seconds till the chirla begins to set.
• flip the chirla, add a few drops of oil around it and fry till evenly brown.
• flip again and brown the other side
• serve hot with green chutney/tomato sauce/pickle.

Note:  Paste made with soaked(for 4-5 hours) and finely ground mung/ channa daal can can be used to replace besan.

Emily's Favourite Mutton Kalia

Ingredients
1 kg mutton
6-8 potatoes
4 tb. sps tomato puree
3 heaped t. sps garlic paste
3 heaped t. sps ginger paste
2 heaped tb. sps dhania powder
1 t. sp haldi powder
garam masala made with cinnamon, cloves and small cardamom
salt to taste
red chilli powder to taste
4 big onions finely sliced
3tb. cooking oil

• Heat oil in the pressure cooker.
• Add sliced onions and fry till golden brown.
• Add mutton and fry for 10- 15 minutes.
• Add ginger garlic paste and cook till the raw smell goes.
• Add the dry masalas mixed with 1/4 cup water and cook for another 5 minutes.
• Add tomato puree and cook till reddish brown.
• Peel potatoes and prick with a fork and fry with the mutton for 5 minutes.
• Add 1/2 glasses  of water and pressure cook on high heat till pressure is teached.
• Reduce heat and let it cook for 7-10 minutes.
• Remove from heat and let the cooker cool down naturally.
• Open the cooker and check if the mutton is tender,cook without the lid for another 2-3 minutes.
• Transfer to a shallow dish, sprinkle garam masala, chopped coriander leaves and serve with hot rotis.

Note: Vegetarians can cook the same dish with soya chunks instead of mutton, reducing the  amount of water and cooking time as required.
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Ranee Paneer

Ingredients
200 gms paneer
2tb sps finely chopped onions
1/2 tb sps tomato puree or 2 medium sized tomatoes
1/2 t sp whole jeera
1/4 t sp red chilli powder
salt to taste
2 green chillies slit length wise
1/2 cup milk
2 tb sps cream
3 t sps veg. oil

• Heat oil in a kadai or fry pan
• add jeera and onions together and fry till light brown.
• blanch tomatoes in hot water for five minutes, remove skin and chop roughly
• add tomatoes or tomato puree  to the pan and cook till soft and well blended
• add green chillies, salt and chilli powder and fry a little
• add 2 tb sps of milk and cook for 2-3 minutes
• add paneer and gently mix together
• add rest of the milk and cook for two minutes till paneer is well coated with the masaala
• add cream and lightly blend together
• transfer to a dish and garnish with dhania/coriander and  ginger julliens
• serve with hot chapaties

PANEER GULBAHAR

Ingredients

100 gms paneer/tofu                               
1/2 red capsicum (bell pepper)       
1/2 yellow capsicum                    
1/2 tomato                                    
2-3 shallots                                     
5-6 florets broccoli                               
8 thick slices of zuccini                                     
 4 babycorns                                

Marinade
1/2 t.sp jeera/Cumin  seeds whole          
1/4 t. sp red chili powder                     
salt to taste
chaat masala
few drops of lime juice
2-3 t. sps olive/veg. oil                             

• Switch on the grill to 250C
• Cut paneer into small cubes
• Cut red and yellow peppers into 1/2" pieces
• Remove seeds from tomato and cut into 1" pieces
• Cut shallots into half
• Put paneer into an oven proof dish, sprinkle all the maslaas,oil and lemon juice and coat well
• Add all the vegetables and mix well
• Adjust seasoning if required
• Leave for 10 minutes or till the grill is hot
• Place under the hot grill for about 12 minutes,till the vegetables are just beginning to turn soft but are still crunchy
•  Can be served as a snack with cocktail sticks or as a main dish with rotis.

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Pindi Chole / Chana (Chickpeas)

This one is on a special request!
A delightfully simple and quick recipe with yummy results. 

Ingredients (Serves two):

1 1/2 cups of white chana soaked over night or 3-4 hours in hot water.
                                or
1 can of pre cooked chana drained and washed.
1 t sp. jeera roasted and powdered
2 cups of water
2 brown cardamoms
3 cloves
3 small sticks of cinnamon
2 tb. sps coriander powder
1 t sp. pepper powder
1 t sp garam masala powder
11/2 t sp mango powder
Salt to taste
3 green chilies slit 
1 tb sp ginger julliens (cut into long thin strips)
1 tb sp. veg. oil
3 t sps ghee
1 medium onion sliced thick
1 lemon cut into wedges

• Put raw chana in the pressure cooker with 2 cups of water, salt and the whole spices (cardamom, cloves, cinnamon), close the lid and bring to high pressure. 
• Lower heat and cook for 15-20 minutes. 
• Remove cooker from heat and allow to cool naturally. 
• Open the cooker and drain out the liquid and reserve.
• If using pre cooked chana, wash and drain and put in a kadai or frying pan.
• Add all the dry powdered masalas to the dry chanas and mix well till evenly coated with the spices. Sprinkle green chillies and ginger on top.
• In a pan heat oil till smoky and pour evenly over chanas. Add cooking liquid.(if using pre cooked chana, add 1 cup hot water).
• Place on medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, till liquid is almost dry and oil shows separately.
• Remove pan from heat and transfer chanas to a serving dish.
• In a small pan heat the ghee/butter till smoky and pour evenly over the chanas.
• Garnish with onions, coriander and lemon wedges.
• Serve with lightly buttered bread and warmed up bread of your choice.

Burnt Garlic Soup

Ingredients:

Light basic stock (see recipe below)

Cabbage

Carrots

Green pepper

Pepper powder

Garlic

Lemon juice

Soy sauce

Coriander / parsley and red pepper for garnish

• Heat 3 cups of the Light Basic Stock.
• Add finely chopped or grated cabbage, carrots, green pepper, pepper powder, and bring to a boil and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
• Brown very finely chopped garlic in a bit of oil.
• Add the fried garlic to the soup and squeeze in a few drops of lemon juice.
• Add a few drops of soy sauce. 
• Serve in bowls garnished with coriander / parsley, and finely chopped red pepper.....better still leave the garnishing to your imagination............Sllurrrrp and enjoy with toasted garlic bread!!

Light Vegetable Stock

A basic and useful stock, light vegetable stock can also be made with leeks and cauliflower, or any light vegetable peelings.

Ingredients:

4 medium sized onions

2 whole celery stalks

1 medium sized carrot

3 cloves of garlic

6 cups of water

A few pepper corns

Bouquet garni, consisting of 2, parsley sprigs

1 bay leaf

1 thyme spray

Salt to taste

1 tb spoon veg. or corn oil

(Vegetables, except onions, can be replaced with any other such as, mushroom stalks, turnip, cauliflower, and leeks).

• Slice onions, wash the vegetables but do not peel them, and cut into small pieces.
• In the pressure cooker heat the oil over moderate heat.
• Add the vegetables and fry them till the onions become soft but not brown. 
• Add water, bouquet garni and pepper corns and pressure cook till high pressure is reached, reduce heat and cook for a further 5 minutes.
• Strain the stock into a bowl and press down with the back of a spoon to take out all the juices. Discard the vegetables and seasonings left in the strainer.
• Cool and put in the fridge ready for use. Can also be frozen in small containers to be used one at a time.

Introducing the Blog

The inspiration behind this blog is a young friend who created and gifted it to me on my birthday - the idea being to give a bit of zing to her  adventures in the kitchen. Keeping in mind that she's a vegetarian and extemely busy (as most young people are  today), the first few recipes I blog are are going to be quick vegetarian affairs that do not require too much time and effort. 

Bon appétit!