Punjabi Chole

Punjabi chole cooked with tea leaves, gives a dark color to the chole. Usually it's served along with poori or batura or roti. I have used mustard oil to cook chole, but if one doesn't prefer mustard oil, then use ghee or any other vegetable oil.

Ingredients

To cook Chana

500 gram - Kabuli chana, soaked overnight

2 tsp - Tea leaves

Salt to taste

Other ingredients

1/2 tsp - red chili powder

1 tsp - Coriander powder

1/2 tsp - Black salt

2 - Bay leaves

1/2 tsp - Jeera/ cumin seeds

Masala -1 { grind to a paste }

2 big - Onion, chopped

2 big - Tomato, chopped

6 to 8 flakes - Garlic

1.5'' - Ginger

2 to 3 - Green chili

4 to 5 sprigs - Coriander leaves

Garam masala - Roast & powder

1.5 tsp - Jeera /cumin seeds

4 - Cloves

2 to 3 sticks - Cinnamon

2 - Black cardamom

1/2 tsp - Black peppercorns

Masala -2 { to powder }

1 tbsp to 1.5 tbsp -Powdered pomegranate seeds

1 big pinch - Kasoori methi leaves

Method

1 ) Soak chana over night in enough water. Wash and drain well. Then transfer the chana to a pressure cooker. Pour enough water to cover the chana, tea leaves wrapped and tied in muslin cloth and salt to taste. Pressure cook for 20 minutes or till the chana is soft. Open the cooker, once cool and discard the muslin cloth.

2 ) Prepare the masala's - First prepare the dry masala's. In a pan dry roast the ingredients listed for garam masala on low heat till the spices release a good aroma and the jeera is well roasted. Powder the spices in a blender and set aside. Then powder the second masala mix and set aside. Then grind to a smooth paste all the ingredients listed for masala -1 and set as side.

3 ) In a big kadai, heat 2 to 3 tbsp mustard oil to a smoking greenish color. Once the mustard oil is smoking hot, turn off the stove and cool the oil a bit. Once cool add jeera, bay leaves and fry for a second. Keep the heat low, then add masala -1 mixture to the oil, stir and cook the masala till oil separates. To prevent splashing of the masala all over when frying, cover with a lid and cook. Stir in between.

4 ) Once the oil separates, add, red chili powder, coriander powder, black salt, and the prepared garam masala powder. Stir and fry for a few seconds. Then add the cooked chana and water. Cover and cook for 5 to 10 minutes on low heat. Adjust salt to taste.

5 ) Now open the lid and add powdered masala -2 mix, stir and cook for few more minutes. Turn off the stove and garnish with coriander leaves and serve with onion rings, green chili, lemon wedges.

Serve hot with batura/ poori or roti.

Punjabi Masala Stuffed Tinda

Tinda, a vegetable more widely used in the northern part of India, looks more or less like a green tomato. They are also called as Indian round gourd or apple gourd. Here is an interesting recipe i had noted down long time back from a friend. Got to try it now when i got some fresh tinda, that i could slit to stuff masala powder in.

Ingredients

400 grams / About 8 to 9 - Fresh Tinda

Dry masala powders

1 tsp - Coriander powder
1/2 tsp - red chili powder
1/2 tsp - Turmeric powder
1 to 1.5 tsp - Amchur powder / dry mango powder
1/4 tsp - Black pepper powder
1/2 tsp - Garam masala powder
1/4 tsp - Dry ginger powder
1/4 tsp - Hing powder
1 tsp - Fennel powder/ Saunf powder
Salt to taste

Seasoning

1/4 tsp - Jeera/ cumin seeds
2 medium - Onion, thinly sliced
1 cup - Coriander leaves, finely chopped

Method

1 ) Scrap the tinda skin off. Slit them slightly vertically and horizontally like a cross. Remove any hard seeds. Mix all the dry masala powders listed above together. Add salt to taste and mix well.

2 ) Now stuff this dry masala powder into the slits of the tinda, like in the picture below. Save the extra masala powder towards the end.

3 ) Heat a flat bottom pan with oil. Add jeera and splutter jeera. Then place the masala powder stuffed tinda in the pan and cook on low heat covered with a lid.

4 ) Check if the tinda is cooked and fried on the bottom. Then carefully turn over and cook on the other side. Cook till tinda is tender and browned lightly. Scoop the tinda off the oil and transfer to a plate. To the remaining oil add the onion and fry it to light brown color. Then add the remaining masala powder and fry for a second. Adjust salt to taste. Now place the cooked tinda back into the pan. Stir onion and tinda to mix in . Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with roti.

Methi / Fenugreek Dal

Some in my house will not eat anything bitter, where in i just go for it. Methi with it's characteristic bitterness, when cooked with dal /lentil will reduce the bitterness and balance the taste. Adding coconut oil enhanced the flavors to this simple dish.

Ingredients

1 cup - Toor dal

1 tsp - Red chili powder 

1/2 tsp - Turmeric powder

Salt to taste

Seasoning

1/2 tsp - Mustard seeds

1/4 tsp - Hing powder

1 big - Roma tomato

6 big - Shallots, chopped
5 big - garlic, crushed & chopped

1 bunch - Fenugreek / methi leaves

Method

1 ) Pluck the methi leaves off the stem, rinse and clean well in water. Drain off the water

2 ) Cook dal in enough water with red chili powder, turmeric powder and little coconut oil.Once the dal is cooked add salt to taste and take off the stove.

3 ) Now heat a kadai /wok, add coconut oil for seasoning. When the oil heats up add mustard seeds and let the mustard seeds splutter. Then add hing, shallots and fry till light brown in color, then add garlic fry for a minute. Then add tomato and fry till tomato is well fried. Then add the methi leaves and fry till the leaves wilt on medium flame.

4 ) Now pour in the cooked dal to the kadai. Stir and mix, adjust salt to taste. Simmer and cook for a minute. Take off the stove and serve.

Serve with rice or roti.

Navratan Korma

Navratan meaning 'nine gems' is the name given to this mughlai korma dish, that is a mixed combination of vegetables, paneer, fruit & nuts. Add in your choice of vegetables to make this korma. This will make a good side dish with naan, roti or pulao.

Ingredients

1 cup - Potato,cut to small cubes

1 cup - Carrot, chopped

1 cup - French beans, chopped

1 cup - Green peas

1 to 1.5 cup - Paneer cubes

1/4 cup - Pineapple cubes

Few cashew nuts, broken

1 big - Onion, chopped

2 big - Tomato, pureed

3 to 4 tbsp - Powdered cashewnuts

2 to 3 - Green chili

2 tsp - Ginger, crushed

2 tsp -Garlic, crushed

1/2 cup - Curds /yogurt

1/4 tsp - Turmeric powder

1 to 1.5 tsp - Kashmiri chili powder

1 tsp - Garam masala powder

Garnish with some coriander leaves

Method

1 ) Grind green chili, ginger and garlic to a paste and set aside. Boil carrot, peas and the beans, with salt to taste.

2 ) Heat enough oil to fry paneer and potato in a kadai. Once the oil is hot, add cashew nuts and fry to a golden color.Drain off the oil and transfer to a plate. Then add paneer cubes and fry to a golden color. After all the paneer cubes are done, add potato and fry till golden brown. Take off the oil and transfer to the plate.

3 ) In the remaining oil, fry onion to a golden brown color. Then add the ginger, garlic and green chili paste. Fry for few seconds, then add tomato puree, curds, garam masala, red chili powder, turmeric powder, cashew nut powder and salt to taste. Simmer, cover and cook till oil separates.

4 ) Now add all the veggies, paneer, cashew nut and about 1 to 1.5 cup water, simmer and cook till the gravy thickens. Now add pineapple cubes, garnish with coriander leaves and take off the stove.

Serve hot as a side dish with roti.

Kali Dal

Kali dal is yet another delicious Punjabi dish, that is wholesome and rich in taste. Whole black urad dal with skin is used for making this dish. Earlier i had posted 'Dal Makhani' recipe, cooked in slow cooker. This dish also can be cooked in a slow cooker to get the creamy texture for the dish. But now this a pressure cooker recipe, which is equally good.

Ingredients

1.5 cup - Whole black urad dal, washed well

5 cups - Water

3 to 4 tbsp - Heavy cream / malai

5 tbsp - Ghee

Salt to taste

Grind to a paste

2'' piece - Ginger

10 to 15 big flakes - Garlic

4 - Green chili

Seasoning

1 tsp - Jeera

2 medium - Onion,chopped

1/2 tsp - Hing powder, Asafoetida

1/2 to 1 tsp - Garam masala powder

1/2 tsp - Red chili powder

1/4 tsp - Turmeric powder

8 medium - Ripe tomatoes, pureed

Garnishing

3 to 4 tbsp - Heavy cream / malai

Some Coriander leaves, finely chopped

Method

1 ) Soak urad dal for an hour or two in enough water. You can also soak overnight and sprout it, which will be more nutritious. Then transfer to a pressure cooker along with ground ginger-garlic-green chili paste, 1 tbsp ghee, salt to taste and 5 cups of water. Pressure cook for 50 minutes. Cool the cooker then take some of the cooked urad dal and grind to a creamy consistency. Pour it back to the cooker.

2 ) For tadka / seasoning - Heat 3 to 4 tbsp of ghee in a pan or kadai, add jeera, let it splutter, then add onion and fry till the onion is well fried to a golden color then add the powders, hing, red chili powder, turmeric and garam masala powder. Let the powders get fried for a few seconds, then add the tomato puree. Stir and cook till the tomato is well cooked on low heat and the oil separates. Pour half the heavy cream and mix in well. Now pour this tadka on top of the cooked urad dal, stir in. Adjust salt to taste. Keep the cooker back on stove, simmer and cook for few minutes.

3 ) Now garnish with some coriander leaves and when serving pour some heavy cream on top and serve hot.

Serve hot with roti or basmati rice.

Arbi in Yogurt Sauce

Arbi /Taro cooked in a yogurt based gravy. Will be a good side dish with rice.

Ingredients

400 gm - Arbi / Taro

2 medium - Onion, chopped

1 tsp - Garlic paste

1 tsp - Ginger paste

Make a mixture

1/2 cup - Sour yogurt

1 tbsp - Besan / gram flour

1/2 tsp - Chili powder

1/4 tsp - Turmeric powder

2 cups - Water

Salt to taste

Seasoning

1 tsp - Mustard seeds

3 sprigs - Curry leaves

Granishing

Few coriander leaves

Method

1 ) Pressure cook abri for 5 minutes. Cool, peel and cut into small pieces. Mix yogurt, gram flour, chili powder, turmeric powder, salt and water.

2 ) Heat ghee in a kadai, add mustard and let it pop, then add curry leaves, onion and fry till onion is translucent, then add ginger and garlic paste and fry till golden brown in color. Then add arbi pieces and fry for 5 minutes. Add more ghee if necessary.

3 ) Add yogurt mixture, cover and simmer till the gravy thickens and the ghee floats on top. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Serve hot with rice.

Mixed Vegetable Korma

A flavorful korma with a mixed vegetables like mushroom, peas, potato and carrot which is cooked with aromatic spices, will make a good side dish to go with appam, steamed basmati rice or roti.

Ingredients

2 cups - Button Mushroom, chopped
1 big - Potato, quartered

1 cup - Green Peas

1 medium size - Carrot, chopped

1 big - Tomato, quartered

3 medium - Onion, diced

1 - Bay leaf

1 small piece - Cinnamon stick

2 - cloves

1 to 1.5 cup - Freshly made thick coconut milk

Grind to a paste

3 tbsp - Poppy seeds / Khus khus

6 to 8 - Green chili

6 flakes - Garlic

Garnishing

1 cup - Coriander leaves, chopped

Method

1 ) In a pan boil with enough water, peas, potato, carrot and tomato till half cooked along with bay leaf, cinnamon and cloves. Then add mushroom and cook till all the veggies are fully cooked with salt to taste.

2 ) Soak poppy seeds in warm water for 10 minutes. Then grind to a smooth paste along with green chili and garlic.

3 ) In another pan heat some oil, add onion and fry till light brown in color. Now add the ground poppy + chili + garlic paste and fry in oil for 5 minutes till the raw smell goes. Now add boiled veggies with stock, mix well and bring to a boil. (If there is no enough stock along with boiled veggies then add little water and bring to a boil). Adjust salt to taste. Now simmer and add coconut milk, bring to a boil. Garnish with coriander leaves and take off the stove.

Serve hot with appam, rice or chapathi.

Dahiwalli Gobi - Cauliflower In Spiced Yoghurt Gravy

A north Indian style of preparation of cauliflower in spiced yogurt gravy. Will go well with Chapati /Roti / tortilla.

Ingredients

1 big - Cauliflower, cut into medium size florets
1/2 tsp - Turmeric powder
1 tsp - Coriander powder
1 tsp - Jeera / Cumin powder
1/2 tsp - Red chili powder
1 cup - Thick & sour yogurt / Curds
Salt to taste

Grind to a smooth paste

2 medium size - Onion
2''piece - Ginger
8 big flakes - Garlic
3 to 4 - Whole dry red chili
1'' piece - Cinnamon
4 - Cloves
1 - Cardamom
1 tbsp - Poppy seeds, soaked in water for 1/2 hr

Garnishing

1/2 cup - Coriander leaves, chopped

Method

1 ) To clean cauliflower well - Take enough water to soak cauliflower in an utensil, add 1 tsp turmeric powder into the water. Add cauliflower to it and keep it soaked for 15 to 20 minutes. Then wash well with plenty of water.

2 ) Grind the ingredients listed to be ground to a paste well. Heat a kadai or a wok with 4 tbsp of oil, add the ground paste into the kadai and fry on medium heat till the raw smell goes and till the oil starts separating. This will take a while, let the ingredients get cooked well and get lightly browned.

3 ) Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, chili powder and salt to taste. Stir and fry the powders well. Then add cauliflower florets and saute lightly.

4 ) Add yogurt / curds, stir in well. Close with a lid and cook the cauliflower on low heat till the cauliflower turns tender. Now open the lid and dry off excess liquid gravy on high heat, stirring the cauliflower in between. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve.

Serve with chapati /roti / tortilla.

Note - The dish is more reddish in color, since i used more than suggested chili powder in the recipe.

Mixed Dal with Spinach

Mixed dal/ lentil used here is masoor dal and moong dal. Both the dals have their distinct flavor and taste. Combining both dals and adding spinach to it, makes it even more healthy dish to have.

Ingredients

1/2 cup - Masoor dal
1/2 cup - Moong dal
1 big bunch - Spinach, washed & chopped
4 to 6 - Green chili, slit in center
1/2 tsp - Turmeric powder
3 to 4 big - Garlic, chopped
1 tbsp - Ghee
Salt to taste

Seasoning

1 tsp - Mustard seeds
1/4 tsp - Jeera
A dash of - Hing powder
2 - Dry whole red chili, split into two
3 to 4 big - Shallots, chopped
2 to 3 sprigs - Curry leaves

Method

1 ) Wash both dals. Heat 4 to 5 cups of water in a pan, add dal, turmeric powder, garlic, green chili, ghee and bring to a boil. When dal is 1/4 th cooked add spinach, salt to taste, simmer and further cook till dal and spinach is fully cooked, covered partially with a lid.

2 ) In another pan for seasoning, heat some ghee or oil on medium heat. Add mustard and pop it, then add jeera, hing, chili, shallot, curry leaves and fry till shallot is browned lightly. Pour this seasoning on the dal, stir and mix.


Serve hot with basmati rice, pappad and curds / yogurt.

Note - You can add one tomato, for sourness and a slight different taste.

Cucumber Dal

Dal and rice is like a comfort food, which is so simple yet an tasty meal to have. Now this preparation of moong dal and cucumber is simply irresistible in its taste.

Ingredients

1 cup - Moong dal, washed well
1 - Cucumber, cut to small pieces,without skin
1 - Green chili, slit in center
1/2 tsp - Red chili powder
1/4 tsp - Turmeric powder
2 big pinches - Seedless tamarind
Salt to taste

Seasoning

1 tsp - Mustard seeds
1/2 tsp - Jeera / Cumin seeds
1/8 tsp - Hing powder
3 flakes - Garlic, finely grated
1 to 2 sprig - Curry leaves
4 - Dry red chili, split into two

Method

1 ) In a pan add 3 to 4 cups of water, bring to a boil, add moong dal, green chili, red chili and turmeric powder. Simmer and cook dal covered with a lid, till dal is half cooked. Then add cucumber and continue cooking till the dal is fully cooked.

2 ) Meanwhile add little water to tamarind and extract the juice. Pour the juice into the dal, add salt to taste and cook till tamarind and salt flavors are incorporated in dal. Add little more water if the dal is too thick, to make a semi thick consistency.

3 ) Heat oil in another pan, add mustard and pop it. Then add jeera, hing, garlic, red chili and curry leaves. Fry for few seconds. Pour the seasoning on the dal, stir and mix in.


Serve hot with white steamed rice and pappad.

Note : You can use toor dal instead of moong dal for this recipe. Usually indian cucumber is used for this recipe.

Mango Dal

This is an Andhra preparation of dal with unripe sour mango and other spices. The tartness of mango gives this dal an unique taste, which you can enjoy with some rice.

Ingredients

1 cup - Toor dal, washed well
1 - Unripe sour mango, cut to small pieces
1/2 tsp - Red chili powder
1/4 tsp - Turmeric powder
2 - Green chili, slit in center
Salt to taste

Seasoning

1 tsp - Mustard seeds
1/4 tsp - Jeera / Cumin
1/4 tsp - Hing powder
2 big flakes - Garlic, finely grated
4 - Dried whole red chili
2 sprigs - Curry leaves
Ghee or peanut oil

Method

1 ) To a pressure cooker add, washed dal, mango pieces, green chili, red chili and turmeric powder. Then add 3 to 4 cups of water, close the cooker lid and pressure cook for 3 to 4 whistles. Take off the stove and let it cool. Open after all the pressure is released. Add salt to taste, stir and mix in with dal.

2 ) In a pan heat ghee / peanut oil, add the ingredients for seasoning. Add mustard and pop it, then add jeera, red chili, curry leaves, hing and garlic. Simmer and fry for few seconds.

3 ) Pour the cooked dal to the seasoning, stir and mix in well. Simmer and cook for a minute. Take off the stove and serve.


Serve hot with rice and pappad. On the side serve little ghee and salt, that you can mix with rice and have along with dal.

Stir Fried Masala Bhindi / Okra

Bhindi is what okra is known as in Hindi. American English this vegetable is known as okra and in British English as lady's finger- wiki
Here in this preparation i have cut the okra, lengthwise in strips to make this stir fry. The masala can be stuffed into the okra, to make stuffed okra. You can try either way.

Ingredients

1 lb - Tender Okra/ lady's finger
1/4 tsp - Jeera / cumin seeds
1 pinch - Hing
Oil to fry

Masala powder

1/2 tsp - Coriander powder
1/2 tsp - Red chili powder /kasmiri chili powder
1/2 tsp - Turmeric powder
1/4 tsp - Garam masala powder
1/8 tsp - Hing powder
1/2 tsp - Amchoor powder/ dry mango powder
1/4 tsp - Black pepper powder
1/2 tsp - Dry ginger powder
1/2 tsp - Fennel powder / Saunf powder
Salt to taste

Stir Fry Method

1 ) Mix all the powders listed in masala powder with little oil. Wash and dry the okra. Trim the top and end of the okra. Cut okra lengthwise into long strips. Apply the masala on cut okra and keep aside for 5 minutes.

2 ) Heat 1 to 2 tbsp oil in a pan. Add jeera, let it brown lightly, add hing powder, let it sizzle and immediately add the marinated okra. Lower the heat and cook the okra covered with a lid. Occasionally in between cooking, open the lid and stir fry the pieces, so that the okra gets browned evenly. Add little more oil if necessary. Cook till the okra is cooked and browned. Take off the stove and serve.

Serve with roti and raita.

To make stuffed okra -

Slit the okra partially in the center, fill mixed masala powder inside the okra. Heat oil in a pan, add jeera and follow as above recipe.

Kale Dal Curry

Kale is a cold weather crop, but available year round. Kale has a strong flavor to it, so when selecting kale go for the smaller and young leaves. With all its health benefits, it's good to make kale part of your diet. Usually i prepare greens like, spinach, drumstick leaves along with toor dal/lentil and it goes so well together. So i had to try kale with dal and it happens to go well too.

Ingredients

1 cup - Toor dal

2 bunches - Kale, finely chopped

1/2 tsp - Turmeric powder

2 - Green chili, slit in center

1 - Tomato, quartered

1 - Baby potato, cubed

Salt to taste

Grind to a smooth paste

1/2 cup to 3/4 cup - Freshly grated coconut

1/4 tsp - Jeera

2 - Shallots, chopped

4 - Dry whole Red chili

1/2 tsp - Turmeric powder

Seasoning

1 tsp - Mustard seeds

3  - shallots, diced

2 sprigs - Curry leaves

sesame or coconut oil

Method

1 ) Cook dal in enough water along with turmeric powder, green chili, potato and tomato. When dal is half cooked add chopped kale and cook till dal and kale is cooked well.Use only the leafy part of kale.

2 ) Now add the ground ingredients to cooked dal and kale. Add little water to make a thick gravy. Add salt to taste and bring to a boil. Cook for a minute or two and take off the stove.

3 ) To season, heat oil, pop mustard seeds, then add shallots and curry leaves. Fry till shallot is browned. Pour the seasoning on the curry and stir in.

Serve with rice.

When making spinach-dal or drumstick leaves-dal curry, you don't have to add potato and tomato. Rest just follow the above recipe.

Cauliflower Sabzi

A dry preparation with cauliflower. The masala spikes up the flavor and taste of the cauliflower. This has been a favorite sabzi to go with roti. Mix the sabzi with little yogurt, it tastes so good.

Ingredients

1 - Cauliflower, cut into florets
Oil to fry

Masala powders

2 to 3 tbsp - Coriander powder
1/2 to 1 tsp - Red chili powder
1/4 tsp - Turmeric powder
1.5 tsp - Chat masala powder
1/2 tsp - Amchur powder/ dry mango powder
1/4 tsp - Black salt
1/4 tsp - Jeera powder
1 tsp - Salt

Method

1 ) Wash and drain cauliflower florets very well. Heat a good amount of oil in a kadai /wok to deep fry cauliflower. In small batches, fry cauliflower till crisp and lightly brown in color. Drain excess oil out, by spreading fried cauliflower in a kitchen paper towel.

2 ) Mix all the masala powders together and keep ready. In the same kadai, heat little oil on low heat. Add the mixed masala and stir well. Take care not to burn the masala. Immediately add the fried cauliflower and mix with the masala and fry for 2 minutes. Take off the stove and serve.

Serve with roti. In picture is Richa's soft and tasty sweet potato paratha.

Chana Dal Curry

A simple, yet a tasty chana dal curry.

Ingredients

1 cup - Chana dal
1 cup - Freshly grated coconut
1/4 tsp - Red chili powder
1/4 tsp - Turmeric powder
About 1'' piece - Tamarind, seedless
Salt to taste

Seasoning

1/2 tsp - Mustard seed
1/4 tsp - Jeera
1 sprig - Curry Leaf
2 - Dry whole red chili
2 pinches - Asafoetida / hing (optional)
2 to 3 flakes - Garlic, crushed

Method

1 ) Soak chana dal for one to two hours. This helps in reducing cooking time. Cook dal in 4 cups water on low heat till 3/4 th cooked.

2 ) Warm tamarind in little water, in the microwave and soften it. Add to the cooking dal. Then add red chili powder, turmeric powder and salt to taste. Cook till the dal is fully cooked.

3 ) Add grated coconut and mix with dal. Cook till water evaporates and reaches a thick gravy consistency. Take off the stove.

4 ) Heat oil in a pan, pop mustard, then add jeera, garlic, red chili, hing and curry leaves. Pour the seasoning onto the chana dal curry.

Serve with rice or roti.

Kantola Subzi

Kantola is a Indian gourd, which i was not familiar with, until i came across it in the freezer section in the Indian store. It's mildly bitter in taste, but nothing like the bitter gourd bitterness.You can simply fry it in oil, sprinkle some red chilly powder and salt, which makes a tasty kantola fry.

Ingredients

12 oz / 340 gm - Kantola, chopped
1/2 tsp - Crushed red chili powder,
1/4 tsp - Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp - Garam masala powder
2 medium - Shallots, chopped
4 to 6 big flakes - Garlic, crushed

Seasoning

1/2 tsp - Mustard seeds
1/4 tsp - Jeera seeds
1 sprig - Curry leaves

Method

1 ) Heat a pan with oil, add mustard seed and let it pop. Then add jeera, curry leaves, shallots, garlic and fry lightly. Then add red chili, turmeric and garam masala powder. Stir and mix.

2 ) Add kantola and mix with all the masala. Add salt to taste, sprinkle little water and cook on a low heat, covered with a lid. Once the kantola is cooked, add little more oil and stir fry. Take off the stove and serve.

Serve with rice or chapati.

Tinda Sabzi

I got a packet of frozen tinda, from the Indian store. The packet says "punjabi Tinda", which is also a Indian baby pumpkin. Then i looked up the web and wikipedia says -

Tinda,also called Indian round gourd or apple gourd, is an annual vine grown for its immature fruit, a vegetable especially popular in South Asia.

This vegetable is cooked in different ways in India, especially in the northern part of India. I heard about this vegetable from a close friend in school and was on the look out for this vegetable. Though i didn't get any fresh ones, these frozen ones turned out equally good.

Ingredients

350 gm - Tinda, cut to small pieces

1 small - Onion, chopped

1 medium - Tomato, chopped

1 tsp - yogurt / curds

Salt to taste

Grind to paste

4 flakes - Garlic

3 - Green chili

1/2 inch - Ginger

Masala powders

1 tsp - Coriander powder

1/2 tsp - Red chili powder

1/2 tsp - Turmeric powder

1/2 tsp - Garam masala powder

1 tsp - Chat masala powder

Seasoning & garnish

1/2 tsp - Jeera / cumin seeds

1cup - Coriander leaves , chopped

Method

1 ) Wash and dry tinda. Cut into medium size pieces.

2 ) Heat oil in a kadai or wok, add jeera, onion and fry till onion is lightly brown in color. Then add garlic-ginger-green chili paste. Fry for a minute.

3 ) Add masala powders - coriander, red chili, turmeric and garam masala. Stry and fry for a minute, then add tomatoes and yogurt. On low heat, covered with a lid, cook till tomato is well cooked. Add a little water to cook tomato.

4 ) Add chopped tinda, stir and mix. Close with a lid and cook on very low heat. Add salt to taste.Cook till tinda is well cooked. Garnish with coriander leaves.

5 ) Sprinkle chat masala powder generously, stir and mix well.

Take off heat and serve

Serve with roti / chapathi. Since this is a sabzi, it's in a dry form.

Spinach / Palak Paneer Kofta

To make palak paneer kofta seemed to be a long process. Since i was making paneer fresh at home. But when i started cooking, it didn't take too long to finish it.

Ingredients

To make fresh paneer
1.5 cup - Whole milk
3 tsp - Vinegar

To make spinach paneer dough

Prepared fresh paneer
10 oz ( 283 gram) - Frozen Spinach packet or use fresh spinach,chopped
3 to 4 tsp - Besan / bengal gram flour
1/2 tsp - Red chili powder
1/2 tsp - Ginger paste
1/2 tsp - Coriander powder
1/2 tsp - Garam masala powder
1 pinch - MDH kofta masala powder

To make gravy

1/2 tsp - Jeera / cumin
1 pinch - Hing
3 flakes - Garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp - Ginger, grated
1 - Green chili, chopped
1 medium size - Onion, chopped
2 - Tomato
1 tsp - Tomato paste
5 - Almonds
5 - Cashew nuts
3 to 4 tsp - Whipping cream Or
1.5 tsp - yogurts /curds
1.5 cup - Water

Garnish

Coriander leaves, chopped

Method

1 ) To make paneer - In a heavy bottom utensil, bring milk to a boil. Simmer heat and add vinegar. Stir continuously. The milk will curdle and whey will separate. Take off the stove and let it stand for a few minutes. (In picture, boiling milk and then curdled milk.)

2 ) Pour the contents to a cheese cloth placed on a sieve. Squeeze & drain out all the whey to get fresh paneer.

3 ) To make the kofta - Mix fresh paneer with rest of the ingredients listed for the kofta dough.When using frozen spinach, wash and drain all the water. Squeeze out all the water and then mix with other ingredients to make a dough.

4 ) Make small balls of the dough. Heat enough oil to deep fry kofta's. Fry kofta's to deep brown color. Take out and set aside.

5 ) To make the gravy - In a heavy bottom pan, heat some oil, add jeera, hing, garlic, ginger, green chili. Stir and fry for a minute. Add chopped onions and brown it well. Now add chopped tomatoes and tomato paste, stir and fry till oil separates. Add almonds, cashew nuts and salt to taste. Take off the stove and cool.

6 ) Add the cooked gravy ingredients to a blender, add whipping cream or you can use yogurt and make a smooth paste.

7 ) Place a saucepan on stove, add the ground gravy paste and water in it. Bring to a boil, simmer and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Adjust salt to taste. Now add the fried kofta's to the gravy and cook for a minute or two. Take off the stove.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot as a side dish with roti or steamed basmati rice.

This is my recipe contribution for JFI-WBB greens, hosted by Indira of Mahanandi.