Begun Bhaja or Bengali Eggplant Fry

Serving- 4

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Prep time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

1. 1 large eggplant cut into half inch round slices
2. 1 tsp chili powder
3. 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
4. 1 tsp garam masala powder (optional)
5. 1 tsp dried mango/amchur powder (optional)
6. rice flour as required
7. salt as required
8. mustard oil or sunflower oil for frying

Method:

• Rinse the eggplant well in water.
• Pat dry with a kitchen towel.
• Now slice the eggplant in 1/2 inch thick roundels.
• Soak these slices in salted water for 15-20 minutes. Remove and pat dry all the slices.
• Now add all the spice powders and salt and mix the slices well.
• Marinate for 5-7 minutes.
• Heat oil in a pan.Take rice flour in a plate and coat each slice with rice flour.
• Dust off the extra rice flour.
• Now pan fry the eggplant slices till crisp and golden brown on both sides.
• Drain on paper tissues.
• Serve it hot with dhal and rice or chappathis 

Note:

• Eggplant absorbs oil while cooking. So, it is always better to coat the slices with some flour. Here in this recipe I have used rice flour. It serves two benefits– firstly, the eggplant does not absorb much oil and secondly, rice flour makes the coating crisp from outside. So from outside the eggplant is crisp whereas from inside it is soft.
• You can also use chickpea flour/besan or all purpose flour/maida.

Batata Vada /Aloo Bonda

Ingredients
Vada stuffing Ingredients:

1. 5 big potatoes boiled, peeled and mashed
2. 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
3. 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
4. Curry leaves few
5. 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
6. 4 green chilies paste
7. 3-4 strands coriander leaves
8. 1/2 cup chopped onion
9. A pinch turmeric
10. A pinch of Asafoetida
11. Oil for frying
12. Salt to taste

Method for the stuffing

Heat a little oil in a pan and add mustard, cumin seeds. When it starts popping, add curry leaves, green chilies paste, ginger garlic paste, onions and fry till onions turn translucent. Add the mashed potatoes, turmeric, salt , Asafoetida and mix well. Cover with lid and cook for 5 mins. Add chopped coriander leaves and mix. Let it cool a bit.

Vada coating:

1. 1/2 cup gram flour (besan)
2. 1tsp chili powder
3. ½ tsp turmeric
4. ½ tsp soda
5. Salt to taste

Method:
Mix all the above ingredients with water to make a smooth paste. As soon as water it added to the flours, it starts becoming lumps, so mix it with hand to remove lumps. Do not make it too thin, otherwise the coating does not hold on to the stuffing if it is too thin.

Making Vadas:
Heat oil in a pan for deep frying.Make a small ball from the stuffing. Dip the ball into the batter and deep fry in hot oil till it gets slight golden brown colour. Then Take it out on a paper towel.
Serve hot with Tomato ketchup or Coconut Chutney.

Egg Curry

Ingredients

1. 3 - 4 hard boiled eggs
2. 3 tbsps vegetable/ canola/ sunflower cooking oil
3. 2 medium sized chopped onions
4. 2 medium sized tomatoes cut into quarters
5. 2 green chillies
6. 2 tsps garlic paste
7. 2 tsps ginger paste
8. 2 tsps coriander powder
9. 1 tsp cumin powder
10. 1 tsp garam masala
11. 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
12. 1/2 tsp red chili powder
13. Salt to taste
14. Chopped fresh coriander leaves to garnish

Method

• Heat 2 tbsps of the cooking oil in a deep pan and when hot, add the onions. Fry till slightly golden. Turn off the fire. Use a slotted spoon to remove the onions from the pan and put them in a food processor. Grind the onions, tomatoes, green chilies into a smooth paste. Try not to add water while grinding, if possible.
• Heat the remaining oil in the same pan and add the paste you just made to it when it is hot. Fry for 2-3 minutes.
• Add the ginger and garlic pastes, all the dry spices, mix and fry till the oil begins to separate from the masala (onion-tomato-spice mix).
• Now add 2 cups of warm water and required amount of salt to taste into this masala and bring to a boil on a medium flame.
• Half slit the boiled eggs vertically and add them gently to the gravy. Simmer the flame and cook for 10 minutes or till the gravy is thickened/ reduced to about 3/4 of the original quantity (when you added the water).
• Turn off the fire and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot with rice or chappathi.

Besanwali Bindi

Serving- 4

Cooking time: 15-20 minutes

Prep time: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients:

1. Gram flour (besan)- 1/4 cup
2. Ladyfingers (bhindi),small- 400 grams
3. Salt to taste
4. Turmeric powder- 1/2 teaspoon
5. Garam masala powder - 1 teaspoon
6. Roasted cumin powder- 1 1/2 teaspoons
7. Amchur powder- 1 teaspoon
8. Fennel seeds (saunf),crushed- 1 1/2 teaspoons
9. Red chilli powder to taste
10. Coriander powder- 1 tablespoon
11. Oil-4 tablespoons
12. Shallots 8-10

Method:

• Trim the lady fingers and make a slit on one side without cutting through. 
• Take salt, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, roasted cumin powder, amchur, fennel seeds, red chilli powder and coriander powder in a small bowl and mix. 
• Fill this mixture into the slits. Sprinkle the remaining mixture (if any) over the lady fingers and add a tablespoon of oil. Mix and set aside. 
• Heat the remaining oil in a kadai, add shallots and saute for one minute. Add gram flour and sauté for a couple of minutes. Add the stuffed lady fingers and mix. Lower the heat, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, till the lady fingers get cooked and turn crisp.
•  Serve hot. 

Green Peas Soup

Serving- 4-5

Cooking time: 30-35 minutes

Ingredients:

1. Green peas – 2 cup (Frozen Peas)
2. Milk – ½ cup
3. Cottage Cheese (paneer) -3-4 small cubes
4. Onion – 1 no 
5. Green chili – 1 no
6. Garlic – 3 cloves
7. Fresh ground black pepper – 1 tea spoon (adjust as per your taste)
8. Corn flour – 1 tea spoon
9. Lemon juice – 1 tea spoon
10. Low fat butter – 2 tea spoon
11. Mint leaves – few
12. Salt – as per taste

Method

• Chop onion, mint, garlic and green chili.
• In a sauce pan, add 1 teaspoon of butter, chopped items and fry for 2 minutes just to remove raw smell.
• Add green peas, milk, 1 cup water cook for 5-6 minutes.
• Cool and grind it by adding in the paneer cubes with the peas to a smooth paste
• Now in a pan, add remaining butter, corn flour and cook in low flame for few seconds; add 1/2 cup of water and mix briskly to get a white sauce; now add ground peas
• Mix and let it get hot well; add salt, pepper powder and mix.
• Before serving, mix with lemon juice.
• You can serve it with a slice of toasted bread or regular wheat bread.

Note: Dry grind pepper just before adding in soup to give nice aroma to the soup

Kashmiri Dum Aloo

Baby potatoes cooked in yogurt gravy with masalas.

Ingredients

1. Potatoes,peeled-10-15 small baby potatoes
2. Oil for deep-frying
3. Kashmiri red chilies,ground-5-6
4. Yogurt- 2 cups
5. Fennel seed (saunf) powder-2 tablespoons
6. Mustard oil-1/4 cup
7. Asafoetida a pinch
8. Salt to taste
9. Roasted cumin powder-1/2 teaspoon
10. Garam masala powder-1/2 teaspoon

Method

• Prick the potatoes all over with the help of a fork. 
• Keep in salted water for fifteen minutes. Drain and wipe dry. 
• Heat sufficient oil in a kadai and deep-fry the potatoes on medium heat till golden brown. 
• Drain on absorbent paper and set aside. Whisk the yogurt with Kashmiri red chili paste, cumin powder, garam masala powder and fennel powder. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan. Add the asafoetida. 
• Add half a cup of water and salt to taste and bring the mixture to a boil. 
• Stir in the yogurt mixture and bring the mixture to a boil. 
• Add the fried potatoes and cook till the potatoes absorb the gravy and the oil surfaces.
• Serve hot with rice or chapathi. I have served it with pudina pulao.

Sweet Corn Soup

Serving- 4-5

Cooking time: 30-35 minutes

Ingredients:

1. 8 ears white or yellow corn, shucked or canned corns or frozen corns
2. 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/4 stick)
3. 2 teaspoons salt
4. Freshly ground black pepper
5. 6 scallions, thinly sliced (white and light green parts only)
6. 1 1/2 cups whole milk
7. 6 beans (finely chopped)
8. 1 1/2 cups water
9. 1 clove of garlic

Method

• Remove the corn kernels from the cobs. Using a paring knife, slice downward, letting the kernels fall into the container. Rotate the cob and continue until all the kernels have been removed; discard the cob. Repeat with the remaining corn (you should have about 6 cups of kernels). Set aside 1/2 cup of the kernels. (If you are using the canned or the frozen ones this step is definitely skipped)
• Melt the 1 tablespoon of  butter in a large saucepan over medium heat until foaming. Add the garlic clove ,salt, a pinch of black pepper, and about two-thirds of the scallions. (Set aside the remaining scallions to use as a garnish.) Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions have softened, about 3 minutes.
• Add the corn kernels, remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, milk, and water and stir to combine. Increase the heat to medium high and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the flavors have melded and the corn kernels are tender (not mushy), about 15 minutes.
• Set a fine-mesh strainer over a large, heatproof bowl. Using a blender, purée the soup in batches until smooth, Pour the blended soup through the strainer, pressing on the solids with a spatula; discard the solids.
• In a sauce pan add the remaining butter add the finely chopped beans and reserved 1/2 cup corn kernels cook it for 3-4 mins and then add the pureed corn soup stir in well until it comes to a boil. Season with salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with the remaining scallions and serve.

Pumpkin Soup

Halloween Special ;)

Ingredients:

1. 1/2 or (250grams) butternut pumpkin, peeled, seeded and cubed
2. 1 large potato, peeled and cubed
3. 1 garlic clove
4. 1 onion, diced
5. 2 tbsp olive oil
6. Salt and pepper
7. 1 tablespoon butter

Method:

• Heat oil in a pan, add garlic, onion, potato and pumpkin fry all vegetables until golden brown.
• Add 2 cups of water to the pan.
• Bring it to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes until all vegetables are soft.
• Remove all the boiled vegetables by draining the water in a separate cup dont throw it away you might need in the next step. 
• Puree the drained vegetables in a blender until it’s nice and smooth.
• In a pan add 2 tablespoon of butter, pureed vegetables and then add the drained water as well let it boil for another 10 mins in medium heat.
• Season with salt and pepper accordingly to your taste.
• I prefer to just serve it with a dollop of sour cream and some crusty bread.

Cabbage Masala Rice

Ingredients:

1. 2 cups chopped cabbage
2. 1 cup fine rice (cooked)
3. 1/2 cup boiled peas (optional)
4. 1 medium size onion chopped
5. 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
6. 1 teaspoon red chili powder
7. 1/2 teaspoon of garam masala powder
8. Juice of lemon
9. Salt to taste
10. 3 tablespoon sesame seed oil
11. 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
12. 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
13. 1-2 green chilies, slit
14. Coriander leaves.

Method: 

• Cook rice so that each grain is separate (a rice cooker is best for this). Transfer cooked rice onto a plate, allow to cool.
• Heat oil, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds  and allow it to splatter, now add chopped onions and green chilies let it turn to golden brown.
• Add cabbage, salt and turmeric powder, stir for 3-5 min. On 'sim'; keeping pan covered allow to cook (sprinkling some water, if necessary).
• When cabbage has turned soft, add boiled peas, red chili and garam masala powder; mix thoroughly, frying all the while till it becomes dry.
• Transfer the cabbage onto the rice, mix very lightly using a fork adding lemon juice.
• Transfer rice to a serving bowl, garnish with coriander leaves.
• Serve with any raitha.