Rajma Masala

"Rajma Masala" is a popular North Indian dish, thick delicious gravy that is little spicy, aromatic and flavorful; made of red kidney beans with some ground Indian spices. This is one of the popular and common dishes from the Punjabi cuisine.

Rajma,the red kidney bean is a popular ingredient in the Mexican cooking. Similar to other beans, red kidney beans is high in starch, protein and dietary fiber and is an excellent source of iron, vitamin B6 and folic acid.

For the dried beans, this dish is prepared by soaking beans in water overnight. Next day it is boiled in a pressure cooker till becomes soft. Curry spices are generally cooked before hand and then added at a later time.

This goes well with Chappathi, Poori and Rice. You might wonder whether it can be consumed with Rice?? Why not? In North India, they call it as Rajma Chawal..

Ingredients
Rajma or Red Kidney Beans - 200 gms
Oil - 4 tbsp
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Asafoetida - less than 1/4 tsp
Onions - 2 (finely chopped)
Tomatoes - 3 or 4
Ginger Galic Paste - 2 1/2 tsp
Green Chillies - 1 (finely chopped)
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Red Chilli Powder - 1 1/2 tsp
Corriander Powder - 3 tsp
Garam Masala Powder - 2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Lemon Juice - 2 tsp
Water - to pressure cook Rajma

Preparation
(1) Pressure cook the Rajma that had been soaked overnight
(2) Cook with enough water until it becomes soft
(3) Heat Oil in a pan and add cumin seeds to the hot oil
(4) Add asafoetida and allow the cumin seeds to splutter
(5) Add the finely chopped Onions and saute till it turns golden brown
(6) Add the Tomato Puree and allow it to cook until oil separates
(7) Add all the dry powders one by one and half the salt to it
(8) Saute it well and add 1 cup water and allow it to cook for few minutes
(9) Now add the cooked Rajma along with its stock
(10) Cook till the gravy becomes thick
(11) Add lemon juice and saute for 2 min
(12) Transfer the Rajma Masala to a serving dish

(13) Serve it hot with your Chappathi, Poori or Rice

Mooli Paratha or Radish Stuffed Paratha

"Mooli Paratha" - Radish stuffed Paratha is one such dish that I make very frequently. You need little patience to prepare this dish. At the end of it, you will feel it that worthy.. :)

Ingredients
Wheat Flour - as required
Oil or Butter - for the Parathas
Salt - for dough alone

For the Stuffings
Radish - 3 (Peeled, Finely grated)
Ghee - 3 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Cumin Powder - 1/2 tsp
Onions - 1 (very finely chopped)
Green Chillies - 1 (small, very finely chopped)
Turmeric Powder - less than 1/4 tsp
Red Chilli Powder - 1/4 tsp
Corriander Powder - 1 tsp
Garam Masala Powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - for Raddish alone

Preparation
(1) Grate the Radish and squeeze out the water
(2) Preserve the raddish juice for the dough
(3) Heat Ghee in a Pan and add the cumin seeds
(4) Add a pinch of asafoetida and saute it for few seconds
(5) Now add the chopped Onions and saute for a min
(6) Add the water squeezed Raddish & saute for 3 to 4 min in a medium flame
(7) Its the time to add all the dry powders and salt
(8) Add a teaspoon of ghee or oil if required
(9) Saute this until raw smell is off
(10) Keep it aside and allow it to cool
(11) Prepare a tight dough with the wheat flour, raddish juice and salt
(12) Take some dough and roll into small puri
(13) Put 3 tsp of stuffing and cover all the sides
(14) Roll again into a thick, round Paratha
(15) Heat a tava and cook both sides of the Paratha with oil or butter

(16) Serve the Mooli ka Paratha hot with Raita and Cucumber slices

Chilli Gobi

"Chilli Gobi" is a Indo-Chinese recipe similar to Gobi Manchurian except for extreme spicy, more Indianized. Unlike manchurian this is not chunky or wet, its very dry with less saucy stuff.

Chilli Gobi is a very good Appetizer or Vegeterian Starter commonly found in Restaurant menus. It can be even served as a side dish (though dry one) for Veg. Fried Rice, Veg. Noodles, Butter Naans, Butter Rotis and Phulkas.

Ingredients
Cauliflower florets - 25 to 30
Oil - to Deep Fry
Garlic - 10 (very finely chopped)
Onion cubes - 10 to 15
Capsicum cubes - 10
Green Chillies - 1 (very finely chopped)
White Pepper Powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilli Sauce - 1/2 tsp
Red Chilli Sauce - 1/2 tsp
Dark Soya Sauce - 1/2 tsp
Light Soya Sauce - 1 tsp
Tomato Ketchup - 2 tbsp
Vinegar - 1 tsp
Ajinomotto - a pinch
Salt - little
Corn Flour Paste - 1 tbsp(Corn flour with water as a thin paste)

For the Batter
Corn Flour - 4 tbsp
Maida - 1 tbsp
Rice Flour - 1 tbsp
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp
Ajinomoto - a pinch
Salt - for frying alone
Turmeric Powder - a pinch
Corriander Powder - 1/4 tsp
Black Pepper Powder - 1/4 tsp
Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Red Food Color - a pinch
Water - for the batter

To Garnish
Onion - few diced cubes
Capsicum - few diced cubes
Split Green Chillies - 2
Green Chillies - 1 (finely chopped)
Spring Onions - few green leaves (chopped)

Preparation
(1) Prepare a batter with the ingredients given in "For the Batter"
(2) Heat Oil in a Non-stick kadai
(3) Dip the Cauliflower florets in the batter
(4) Deep fry the dipped florets in batches and keep it aside
(5) Heat 2 tablespoon of Oil in a pan
(6) To the hot Oil, add the finely chopped Garlic
(7) Saute it for a min and then add diced onions & capsicum pieces
(8) Saute it for 2 min and then add White Pepper Powder
(9) Start adding all the sauces one by one other than Tomato Ketchup
(10) Saute it for a while, and then add ajinomotto, little salt
(11) Finally add Vinegar and Corn Flour paste to it
(12) Saute this for a min and then add the fried florets
(13) Now add the Tomato Ketchup
(14) Transfer the Chilli Gobi to a serving dish
(15) Garnish with the ingredients given in "To Garnish"

(16) Our hot Veg. Starter is now ready to be served

Chicken Kulambhu

The recipe name is actually "Ramanathapuram Chicken Kulambhu", a Chicken gravy blended with coconut and dry powders. This goes well with Rice, Dosa, Idly, Idiyappam and almost all Southern Indian main courses.

I got this recipe from a famous cookery show. I made some changes to it and tried for the first time and it turned out pretty amazing!

Ingredients
Chicken - 500 gms
Oil - 1 tbsp
Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp
Home made Sambar Powder - 3 1/2 tsp (Red Chilli Powder + Dhaniya Powder)
Water - as required

To Grind
Coconut - 5 tbsp
Corriander Powder - 2 tbsp
Shallots or Small Onions - 10
Ginger Garlic paste - 1 1/2 tsp
Fennel Seeds - 1 tsp
Salt - as required

To Season
Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Curry Leaves - few sprigs

To Garnish
Green Chilli - 1 (finely chopped)
Curry Leaves - 5 or 6 leaves

Preparation
(1) Grind the items given in To Grind to a fine paste
(2) Heat Oil in a pan and add the items given in To Season one-by-one
(3) Pour the grinded paste to it and saute till the raw smell is off
(4) Add the dry powders, half salt and saute it for another few minutes
(5) Pour the required amount of water to it and stir for few minutes
(6) Add the Chicken pieces and the remaining salt
(7) Pressure cook if for 2 whistles or until the chicken is soft
(8) Transfer the Chicken Kulambhu to a serving dish
(9) Garnish it with chopped green chillies and curry leaves

(10) Delicious Chicken Kulambhu is ready to be served hot

Pudhina Chicken or Mint Chicken

We don't need an introduction for this "Pudhina or Mint Chicken",as the name itself says it. It goes good with Phulkas, Rotis and even Rice too.

Pudina(Mint) has a distinct aroma. More than a distinct aroma, its a wonderful medicinal herb that facilitates good digestion. "Mint for Health and Beauty" is the right phrase to be used.

Ingredients
Boneless Chicken - 500 gms (washed, dried)
Oil - 3 tbsp
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp
Onions - 1 (chopped)
Tomatoes - 1 or 2(chopped)
Corriander powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt - little

To Grind
Mint Leaves - a small cup
Green Chillies - 2
Cmin Seeds - 1 tsp

To Marinate - 1
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - a pinch
Yogurt - 1 1/2 tbsp
Salt - for Chicken alone

To Marinate - 2
Garam Masala Powder - 1/4 tsp
Grinded Green Paste (To Grind)

To Season - 1
Cloves - 2
Cardamom - 1
Cinnamon - 1 (small piece)
Green Chilli - 1 (finely chopped)
Dry Red Chilli - 1/2 (crushed)
Curry Leaves - a sprig

To Season - 2
Fennel seeds - 1/4 tsp
Dry Red Chilli - 1/2 (crushed)
Curry Leaves - few sprigs
Mint Leaves - 15 to 20 leaves (washed,fresh)

To Garnish
Mint Leaves - few fresh leaves

Preparation
(1) Marinate Chicken with ingredients given in To Marinate - 1 for 15 minutes.
(2) Grind the items given in To Grind, to a fine paste.
(3) To the marinated chicken add the ingredients given in To Marinate - 2 for another 20 minutes.
(4) Heat 2 tablespoons of Oil in a non-stick pan.
(5) Add the items one-by-one given in To Season - 1.
(6) Add the finely chopped Onions, little salt & saute till the onions turn light brown.
(7) Add the remaining Ginger Garlic Paste and saute for a while till the raw smell is off.
(8) Now add the chopped tomatoes and saute till it leaves out oil.
(9) Add the dry powders(Corriander & Turmeric Powders) and saute for a while
(10) Add the marinated Chicken and little water if required.
(11) Cover the pan with its lid and cook in a medium flame for 15 min.
(12) Open the lid, add few mint leaves and saute it once.
(13) Cover the pan with its lid and cook for another 15 min.
(13) Heat an another pan with 1 tablespoon of Oil.
(14) To the hot Oil, add the items one-by-one given in To Season - 2.
(15) Add the cooked chicken and reduce the flame.
(16) Cook it in a low flame till oil separates out.
(17) Transfer the Pudhina Chicken to a serving plate.

(18) Garnish it with Mint Leaves and Green Chillies.

Chicken Tomato Gravy

"Chicken Tomato Gravy" - Chicken in rich Tomato based gravy, gives a very good tangy flavour and to add on, I have used little Tomato Ketchup.

How I arrived at this dish?

Have heard many dishes like Chicken in White Sauce, Red Sauce etc..Wanted to give a try but in South Indian style. I could find kilos and kilos of Tomatoes at home. So thought like, I will use those tomatoes as main thing to prepare the Chicken gravy and ended up with this mouth-watering dish.

It turned out pretty amazing!!

Ingredients

Chicken - 500 gms
Onion - 2 (chopped)
Salt - for Onions alone
Tomato Ketchup - 2 tsp
Water - a very small cup

To Grind - Tomato Puree
Tomatoes - 2 (ripe,large,chopped)

To Grind - Red Powder
Cloves - 3
Cinnamon - 1 (a small stick)
Green Cardamom - 1
Cumin Powder - 1/4 tsp
Pepper Powder - 1/2 tsp
Fennel Powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder - 2 tsp
Salt - for the marination alone

To Grind - Green Paste
Green Chilli - 1
Ginger Garlic Paste - 2 1/2 tsp

To Garnish
Tomato - 1

Procedure
1)Add half of the Grinded - Red Powder, and Grinded - Green Paste to the Chicken and marinate it for an hour.
2)Heat Oil in a kadai and add the chopped onions, salt.
3)Saute the onions till it gets light golden brown color.
4)Add the remaining Grinded - Green Paste & saute it till the raw smell is off.
5)Add the remaining Grinded - Red powder & reduce the flame to low.
6)Saute it, till oil separates out.
7)Add the Tomato Puree & cover the kadai with its lid.
8)Cook it in a medium flame for a few minutes.
9)Add the marinated Chicken, when you find bubbles in the tomato gravy.
10)Add water & stir it for a minute.
11)Cover the kadai with its lid & cook the gravy in a medium flame for 15 minutes.
12)Stir it once in a while.
13)Open the lid and cook the gravy in a low flame for another 10 minutes.
14)Add Tomato Ketchup to the thickening gravy and cook for another 3 mnutes.
15)Transfer the gravy to a serving dish.

16)Garnish the Gravy with a Tomato flower
17)Chicken Tomato Gravy is ready to be served.