Chhattisgarh Tamatar Chutney | Central Indian Tomato Sauce / Dip – No Cooking Required! Summer Special

If we tell you there is one dish that absolutely requires no cooking but goes well with Rice, Roti or any other bread, would you believes us! Well, you have to as we bring before you a Tamatar (Tomato) Chutney from the central Indian state – Chhattisgarh. It’s really quick and easy to make with easily available ingredients at home.

Ingredients:

·  4 medium Tomatoes

·  3-4 cloves of Garlic

·  Coriander Leaves

·  4 Green Chillies

·  Salt to taste

Method:

·   In a mixer jar, add tomatoes, garlic, green chillies, coriander leaves and salt and blend it to a smooth paste.

·  The Chutney is ready. Serve it with Roti/ Paratha or Dal Chawal.

Matar Paneer Recipe | Indian Green Peas and Cottage Cheese Curry | Festive Season Special

‘Matar Paneer’ – the name is enough to pleasure your culinary senses. Be at home or restaurant, Matar Paneer does become a part of our main course meal. Today we bring before you our homestyle Matar Paneer – no dash of sweetness, rightly spiced and tangy. Our American guest loved it and you’ll love it too! 😊

Ingredients:

1 large bowl Green Peas

250 gms Paneer (Cottage Cheese)

1 large Onion

15 cloves of Garlic

2 medium Tomato

1 tbsp Ginger

5-6 Green Chillies

1/2 tsp Turmeric

1 tsp Red Chilli Powder

1 tsp Dhaniya Jeera Powder

1/2 tsp Garam Masala

1 small cup Cashewnuts

4 tbsp Oil

Salt as per taste

Coriander Leaves (for garnishing)

Lemon Juice (optional)

Method:

1. Lightly fry Paneer and soak in salty water. Don’t discard this water.

2. Grind onion, tomatoes, garlic, ginger and green chillies into a smooth paste.

3. In a wok/ heavy bottom pan, add oil and let it heat.

4. Once hot, add the ground paste, turmeric, red chilli powder, Dhaniya Jeera powder, Garam Masala and salt and cook till oil separates. Keep stirring in intervals.

5. Add green peas and cook for further 5-7 mins while stirring continuously.

6. Add the cashew paste and let it cook further for 2-3 mins.

7. Add the salty water from Paneer as required (1 glass preferably) and bring it to a boil.

8. Once boiled, add paneer, mix well and cook for 2-3 mins.

9. Now switch off the flame and garnish with coriander leaves and some lemon juice.

Serve with Roti/ Naan/ Rice.

Tips & Suggestions:

You can use Tofu if you don’t find Paneer easily.

Kerala Moru Curry | Indian Spiced Buttermilk | Summer Special

Summer is a time when you feel like cooking something which is quick to make and consumes less time in preparation. Kerala is famous for having traditional healthy food which is good for summers and aids in keeping the body cool in the heat and humidity.

Kerala Moru curry (Moru means buttermilk in Malayalam) or Spiced Buttermilk is a Curd curry which is easy to prepare and tastes best with steamed rice and a Papad.

Ingredients

·        Curd – 1 Kg

·        Water – 1/2 Glass

·        Onion –  ½  (medium size cut in long slices)

·        Curry Leaves – 10 leaves

·        Cumin Seeds – 1 ½ tsp

·        Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp

·        Fenugreek Seeds – 1 tsp

·        Green Chillies - 3 Nos

 ·       Dry Red Chillies - Nos

·        Ginger – ½ piece

·        Turmeric – ½ tsp

·        Cooking oil – 5 tbsp

·        Salt as per taste

Method

1.  Churn the curd without water. Add water to smooth churned curd and mix well.

2.  Add ½ tsp of Salt and mix well.

3.  Heat oil in a pan. Add fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, green chillies, pieces of ginger and let it splutter.

4. Add turmeric and onions and fry till translucent. Add ½ tsp salt and mix.

5. Turn off the gas. Add buttermilk and mix well.

6. Switch on the gas and let the curry become hot. (Do not let it boil or else it will curdle)

7. Serve this spiced buttermilk with hot steamed rice.

Veg Masala Pulao | Indian Mixed Vegetable Rice Dish in Pressure Cooker | Festive Season Special

Festivals and India are inseparable as our connection to food. Since the festive season has kicked in, our household favourite go-to dish during festivities is Indian homestyle vegetable Masala Pulao - quick and easy to make and healthy at the same time.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Rice (soaked in water for 15 minutes)

• 1 medium Tomato

• 10-12 cloves of Garlic

• 3 Green Chillies

• 2 tsp Ginger

• 1 large Onion (finely chopped)

• 1 cup Green Peas

• 2 tbsp Carrot (diced into small pieces)

• ¼ Cauliflower (cut into florets)

• 1 tsp Red Chilli Powder

• ½ tsp Turmeric

• 1 tsp Dhaniya Jeera Powder

• ¼ tsp Garam Masala

• 4 tbsp Ghee

• 2 glass Water

• Salt to taste

Method:

• Grind tomatoes, ginger, green chillies and garlic into smooth paste.

• Heat the pressure cooker to medium flame and add ghee.

• Once the ghee is hot, add onions and fry till it changes colour.

• Add the paste, red chilli powder, turmeric, Dhaniya Jeera Powder and Garam Masala till ghee separates from the mixture.

• Add cauliflower, carrots and green peas and fry them for few minutes.

• Add rice and stir well.

• Add water and pressure cook till 2 whistles.

• Garnish the Pulao with coriander and mint leaves and serve with Raita or any of your favourite curry.

Tips & Suggestions:

• Learn to make Garam Masala at home: https://youtu.be/COGmYIH2UMc

• The best time to have rice is afternoon.

• In summers, one should have rice to prevent dehydration.

Palak Bhang ke Pakode | Uttar Pradesh Mixed Vegetable Dumplings | Holi Special

The festival of colours – Holi is all about splashing water, throwing coloured powder and enjoying the Holi delicacies. Bhang or cannabis leaves is an indispensable part of the Holi festivities. After the day-long festivities and enjoying Holi, you crave for some delicious and hot fried food. Bhang is almost added to every Holi dish in India but is not advisable for kids and people who do not consume it. We instead show you how to make Palak Bhang ke Pakode - fried mixed vegetable dumplings which is a speciality from the state of Uttar Pradesh.

Ingredients:

To make Paste

·       10 Leaves of Spinach (Palak)

·       1 cup Fenugreek Leaves (Methi)

·       1 tsp chopped Ginger

·       1 1/2 tsp chopped Garlic

·       1 tsp chopped Green Chillies

·       2 tsp Chopped Coriander Leaves

·       3 tbsp Poppy seeds (soaked in water for 15 mins)

Vegetables to Fry

·       1 medium sized Onion

·       1 medium sized Potato

·       ¼ small sized Cauliflower

For the Batter

·       2 cups Gram Flour (Besan)

·       1 tsp Carom seeds (Ajwain)

·       Salt as per taste

·       1 tsp Turmeric

·       1 Glass of Water

·       2 Cups of Oil for frying

To Sprinkle on Pakoda

·       1 tsp Chat Masala

·       1 tsp Chilly Powder

Method :

·   Grind Spinach, Fenugreek Leaves , Ginger, Garlic, Green Chillies, Chopped Coriander along with soaked poppy seeds to fine paste with little water.

·   Cut Onion and Potato into thin round slices. Boil florets of Cauliflower for five minutes in water with little salt and turmeric.

·   Mix gram flour with water and make a batter of medium consistency. Add Carom seeds, turmeric, salt and the ground paste.

·  Heat Oil in a wok. Dip the vegetables in the batter and deep fry in the oil.

·  Sprinkle Chat Masala and Red Chilly Powder on the Pakoda and serve it with mint chutney.

How to make Nachani Chapati | Ragi Roti | Healthy Indian Finger Millet Flatbread

Nachani or Ragi or Finger Millet helps control diabetes and aids in weight loss. Nachani Chapati is undoubtedly way healthier regular wheat Roti.

Ingredients:

·  1 cup Nachani Flour

·  1 cup Water

·   Salt (Optional)

Method:

·   Keep the water for boiling.

·   Meanwhile, in a vessel, add the nachani flour.

·    When the water is boiled, add it immediately to the flour. This step is important as it will ensure that the chapatis turn out soft.

·   Add salt as per taste and mix everything well and knead the dough. If the mixture becomes warm to touch, use your hands to knead. Apply a little oil to your palms if you the dough is sticking to your hands.

·   Take out small portions from the dough and form little balls.

·   Switch on the gas to high flame and place a tawa/ flat pan.

·   Dust the Chakla/ Rolling board with a little nachani flour and start rolling the roti with a rolling pin. Ensure to flatten out the edges.

·   Now place the roti on the pan. Apply little water on top of the roti to get rid of the dusted flour from the rolling board. Let the roti cook till the water dries out.

·  Once the water dries out completely, flip the roti and let it cook on another side. Flip the roti until it’s cooked well on both the sides.

·  Serve the chapatti with your favourite Sabzi.