Vangyache bharit... Hot

This is a different style of bharit. This is more common in the Nagpur region, where my father's family came from. It's my personal favourite style.

1 large eggplant roasted and peeled
1 medium onion finely chopped
4-5 garlic cloves chopped or through a garlic press.
Salt
1 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp turmeric
4 TBS oil
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
Coriander leaves chopped
4 aamsool or kokum
1 TBS jaggery

Roast the eggplant as mentioned in the previous recipe. Heat oil in a wok, add the mustard seeds and let them sputter. Add turmeric and the chopped garlic cloves. Fry till the garlic starts to change color. Add the onion and saute for about 3 minutes. Add the minced eggplant, salt, chili powder and jaggery. Cover and let it steam for 3 or 4 minutes. Then saute it till you see it all blend together. Add the aamsool and coriander leaves, give it a stir and take off the heat.
The rice bhakri is perfect with this bharit.

Vangyache bharit.. Roasted eggplant. Salad style

1 large eggplant
1 medium red onion finely chopped
Salt to taste
1 tsp red chili powder
Chopped coriander (Cilantro ) leaves
3 TBS extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 F. Wash and dry the eggplant. Poke a few times with a fork. Apply a thin coat of oil. Place on a cookie sheet and bake till done. Depending on the size of the eggplant this can take about an hour. When completely roasted, let it cook and then peel the skin off.
Finely mince the roasted eggplant, add the salt, chili powder, onion, coriander leaves and olive oil. Mix well. Let it sit for about 5 minutes for the flavours to blend.
Serve with chapati or bhakri.

Variation

Everything else remains the same. Only add about 4 TBS of gel yogurt instead of the olive oil.

Bhakri - Rice flour

I have explained what a Bhakri is in another post. We make these out of rice flour as well and they are made a little differently.
We make the dough using hot water. This makes the flour a bit sticky and easier to pat out the bhakris. And the bhakris do turn out super soft as an added bonus.

2 cups rice flour (try and get fresh flour when you want to make the bhakris)
2 cups boiling water
1/2 tsp salt
ghee

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan. Add the salt. When it comes to a full boil, take it  off the heat. Add the 2 cups of flour to the water and mix. Cover it and keep aside for 5-6 minutes.
Transfer the dough to a bowl and let cool. Knead well using wet hands if required till soft and pliant.
Either roll out the bhakris or pat them out on a rolling board.
To roast thee bhakris, heat a flat tawa to medium, lay the bhakri on the tawa, with the bottom side up. Put about 2 tsp water and spread evenly. Let cook till the water evaporates and the top is damp. Flip the bhakri over. Cook till that side is done. Then remove it from the tawa and flip it over an open flame till done and it puffs.
Smear with ghee and enjoy.

You can see the pictures of how the roasting is done on the other post where I have made jowar bhakris.
Rice flour bhakris are the easiest to make and go really well with seafood and eggplant bharit (more on that later)

Sambhar - South Indian Dal stew

Ah Sambhar! It can make or break your reputation as a good cook in some places in India. But there is no bad sambhar! Each house has its own unique recipe for making sambhar. The recipe is usually passed on from mother to daughter or maybe to the daughter-in -law and is a well guarded secret. Usually.
Of course each cook makes it in his or her own way and there are slight variations even if you make it multiple times. But here is the basic recipe for sambhar powder first - which is the foundation for any sambhar!


For the Sambhar powder:

1 TBS chana dal (bengal gram)
1 TBS udad dal (split black gram)
1 TBS coriander seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
4-5 dry red chillies

All the above ingredients except chillies have to be dry roasted till the dals turn light brown. Grind everything with the chillies in a spice grinder to a fine powder.

For the sambhar

1/2 cup toor dal ( pigeon peas)
cook till totally soft with :
a pinch of asafoetida
1/4 tsp turmeric
water as needed

This can be done either in a pressure cooker or even in a slow cooker. 1/2 cup of dry dal will give you about a cup and a half of cooked dal.

4-5 Indian shallots (ask for sambhar onions) - you can use pearl onions - even the frozen ones instead
1/2 cup pumpkin pieces (skin removed) - about 1 inch square
1/2 cup eggplant pieces
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 lemon sized ball of tamarind soaked in 1/2 cup of water
2 dry red chillies
10-12 curry leaves
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp udad dal
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
1/4 tsp asafoetida
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 cup chopped cilantro leaves
salt to taste
oil
1 to 2 TBS ghee or butter

In a large pot, heat oil, temper with mustard seeds, asafoetida, turmeric, fenugreek seeds, udad dal and curry leaves. Add the chopped tomatoes, red chillies and curry leaves to this oil and saute for about 5 minutes till the tomato starts to soften. Then add the vegetables - onions, pumpkin and eggplant and saute, so the tomato and oil coats the vegetables very well. Add the sambhar masala powder and saute till you can smell it frying. Add a little water and cover and let the vegetables cook. Once the vegetables are done, add the dal and the tamarind pulp.  You may need to add water at this point - you can always reserve the cooking water from the dal if any is left and use it. Add salt to taste and the chopped cilantro leaves. Finish it with a dollop of ghee or butter.
Serve hot with idli, wada, dosa, rice .....

Notes: You can use so many vegetables in sambhar, there is specific rule. You can use cauliflower, okra, eggplant, pimpkin or any other kind of squash, drumstick (indian drumstick here - not a chicken drumstick). I have even seen potatoes used. You can steam or parboil the veggies so your sambhar is done faster if you like. This is not an exact science - once you start making this regularly, you will know what vegetables you like in it, you will know how sour you like it or how spicy you like it. Keep cooking!

I have included some pictures here - but these are not mine - I guess I should make this more often so I can upload my pictures here. But for now- these are for reference purpose only. You will see what is a drumstick and the various vegetables that can go into a sambhar and what the finished product looks like.

Tomato Rasam

This spicy soup is a staple in every South Indian home. It's quick and easy to prepare. Needs only a few ingredients which are usually always available in the pantry and its spiciness is the perfect way to wake up your taste buds. You can dip your idlis and wadas in this, you can eat this with rice or enjoy it as a soup on a cold winter day.


4 large ripe tomatoes
1 lime sized ball of tamarind soaked in 1/4 cup water (or 1 TBS tamarind extract)
1/2 inch piece of ginger
3-4 garlic cloves
1 TBS black pepper corns
1/2 TBS cumin seeds
1.2 TBS coriander seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric
2-3 dry red chillies (depending on your spice tolerance- you can de-seed them if you like)
the stalks from the cilantro leaves (mentioned below)
2 TBS cilantro leaves finely chopped
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1/8 tsp asafoetida powder
10-12 curry leaves
salt to taste
oil for tempering

Blend together with 3 cups of  water - everything from Tomatoes to cilantro stalks. Strain it, sqqueeze out every bit of goodness and keep aside.
In a deep pot, heat oil, add the mustard seeds and asafoetida powder and the curry leaves. Pour the blended tomato mixture into the tempered oil, add salt to taste and bring to a boil. Sprinkle the cilantro leaves on top and serve hot!.

Note: You can find all these ingredients in any Indian store. I strongly recommend using tamarind instead of the ready extract, but if you have to use the bottled kind try find one that is brown in colour and not black, as the black one spoils the looks of the rasam.

Shahi Paneer - Paneer in rich creamy tomato gravy

Shahi Paneer is a favorite on any Indian buffet- the bright red sauce, the tangy taste- the creamy finish- yum!!
The prep takes a bit of time but the end result is totally worth it. And it's not at all complicated.

For the base sauce

5 Large tomatoes
1 medium onion
7-8 garlic cloves
1 TBS sliced ginger
2-3 red chilies
4-5 cardamoms
3 bay leaves
2-3 pieces of cinnamon
1/2 cup cashews
2 TBS butter
1 cup water

Put everything in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower heat and let it simmer, covered for about 20 minutes. Then pick out the pay leaves and blend it to a smooth consistency.

1 package paneer - cut into cubes or slices
1 tsp ginger - peeled and cut into think matchsticks
2 green chilies sliced lengthwise
salt to taste
2 TBS honey
1/2 tsp red chili powder (or more if you like it spicy)
2 TBS oil
1 TBS butter
1/2 cup heavy cream (half and half will do)
1 TBS kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
fresh coriander leaves for garnish - optional

In a large saucepan, heat the oil, add the chilies and ginger, paneer cubes and red chili powder and fry for a couple of minutes. Then add the sauce and give it a stir. Add the salt and honey. Crush the kasoori methi (simply rub it between your hands) and add it to the sauce. Bring it all to a boil. Finish it with the cream and butter.
Just before serving garnish with fresh coriander leaves. (thats cilantro leaves)
The ubiquitous Naan is the best side dish with this regal dish.

Chicken and vegetable soup

Chicken soup for the soul...Comfort food at its best. And so easy to make.

Like all soups this one needs a good stock to start with. That is what will give the soup its true flavour. You can find  the recipe for chicken stock right here http://mykitchenbyswati.blogspot.ca/2014/11/learn-basics-chicken-stock.html
A good stock, with all the other vegetables and aromatics we add will make a really good soup.


2 litres chicken stock
1 cup cubed chicken (boneless) I usually use the thigh meat, it holds up better
1/2 cup celery diced
1/2 cup carrots diced
1/2 cup yellow onions diced
2 garlic cloves
1 sprig thyme
salt
pepper
lemon
1/3 cup pearl barley
2 tbs finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic finely chopped
olive oil

Use a big enough pot, so you don't crowd the ingredients.
Heat about 2 TBS of olive oil, add the 2 TBS chopped onion and 1  clove of garlic and saute till transparent. You do not want to brown the onion. Add the barley and saute well. You will notice a difference - the barley will feel sandy when its been sauteed well. This will take about 5 minutes.
Add the cubed chicken, Saute till chicken changes colour.
Add the celery, carrots and onions. Give it a quick stir and add the chicken stock. Drop in the whole garlic cloves, the sprig of thyme. Add salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cover and let it cook, till the barley is soft.
Fish out the thyme and the garlic cloves. Add a healthy squeeze of lemon. Check for seasoning.

A perfect meal for a winter evening.

Herb and Cheese Dip - Dips and Chips

A quick fix appetizer, no cooking required! Get a french baguette and you are good to go!

1 package cream cheese
1 small package feta cheese
1 cup basil leaves
1 cup mint leaves
3 - 4 garlic cloves (pass through a garlic press)
1/2 tsp pepper
2-3 TBS extra virgin olive oil

Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature.
Mix all ingredients in a food processor till well mixed.

Serve with a sliced baguette.

Sauteed fresh corn salad

This recipe is perfect to use some of the fresh corn that you could not resist buying at the farmer's market.


8 ears of corn on the cob - kernels removed.
4 TBS onion - finely chopped
2 jalapenos finely chopped
1 red pepper finely diced
4 TBS red onion finely diced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp sugar
1 TBS red wine vinegar
4 TBS olive oil
4 TBS basil leaves chopped

Heat the oil in a large pan, add the corn and saute till the oil coats the corn. Add the chopped onion and jalapenos and saute on medium-high heat till the onion gets transparent.
Add the chopped red onion, red peppers, salt, pepper and sugar and saute for 5-6 minutes till the flavours blend. Stir in the red wine vinegar and chopped basil leaves.

You can serve this as a side or as a salad, warm or room temperature. Just make sure the corn is really fresh.

Egg Curry Version 2

Egg curry is 'go to' dish - simple enough when you want it to be simple. Anagha this one is for you. Make it a dry version and you have a fancy egg masala dish. The onion puree in the recipe is made in a blender using a tiny bit of water. See the Learn the Basics section of my blog for perfect boiled eggs! Never compromise on...cooking the onions, they have to be brown..

6 eggs hardboiled and peeled
1 1/2 cup onion puree
3/4 cup fresh tomato puree
2 TBS tomato paste
3 TBS ginger-garlic paste
5-6 cherry tomatoes or 1 large tomato cut into big pieces
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp salt
4 TBS oil
2 TBS chopped mint leaves
2 TBS chopped coriander leaves

Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan, add the onion puree, cover and let cook till the water evaporates. Then saute on medium heat till brown. Really caramel brown. This step will take at least 15 minutes. Add the tomato puree, tomato paste and the ginger garlic paste. Cook on medium heat till the oil separates from the masala. This step takes another 10-12 minutes. Add the chili powder, salt, tomatoes and the mint leaves. Add water to the prepared masala, to desired consistency. Add the garam masala and mix.
Make a slit in the eggs - lengthwise and place them carefully , cut side down - in the gravy. Sprinkle the coriander leaves and cook on low heat for 2-3 minutes only.

Serve hot with parathas or rice.
You can adjust the thickness of the gravy as per your liking. Instead of boiled eggs, add steamed and fried whole little potatoes or fried chunks of paneer for a change.

Pithla - Spiced chick pea flour

Pithla is the go to dish in most Maharashtrian households when you are pressed for time, or haven't been to the market to buy fresh vegetables. Unless, it was the house I grew up in, then we had pithla every week! My dad just loved this dish and asked for it every week almost. So dad, this post is for you. And what I really love is that Anagha loves this dish as much...and she actually asked for the recipe.

There are variations, you can use spring onions, radish, regular onions, or fenugreek leaves. You can make it dry, or semi-solid or even liquid like a thick curry. Its all in the proportion of water to chick pea flour. So feel free to experiment and adjust to your taste. The recipe I have put here is for a semi solid consistency. Kinda like mashed potatoes!

1 cup chopped onion
2 green chillies
6-7 curry leaves
1 cup besan (chick pea flour)
3 cups water
4 TBS oil
1/4 tsp hing
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric
3-4 garlic crushed
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sugar
2 TBS chopped coriander leaves

Heat oil in a wide bottomed pan. Temper with hing, mustard seeds, garlic and turmeric. Add the chopped green chiliies, onion and curry leaves. Saute till the onion is soft. Add the chili powder and mix. Add the 3 cups of water, salt and sugar and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and add the besan, stirring all the time. Cover and let steam for 5-7 minutes. Garnish with the chopped coriander and serve hot with chapatis or bhakri.

Chicken Biryani

Yes - finally. Chicken Biryani is a step forward! Remember it's all in the rice. How your biryani turns out will depend on how your rice is cooked. The other part is the prep. There is a lot of prep involved and it has to be done in time. The entire time to cook the biryani is about 3 hours. Be prepared for a long time in the kitchen. But the end result can be so satisfying and oh so delicious. Biryani is the only rice preparation that my daughter Anagha will eat without complaint!

Ingredients:

9 chicken thighs, skinless, bone in.
2 cups of basmati rice - washed and drained. Soak for couple of hours. This is very important
3 TBS ginger garlic paste
1 tsp turmeric
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
salt
1 cup yogurt
3 TBS biryani masala (recipe follows)
4 cloves
4 green cardamom
6 pepper corns
few pieces of cinnamon
1 tsp lemon juice
oil
1 tsp saffron
5 TBS milk
15 whole almonds blanched and slivered
20 cashews
2 large tomatoes (or 3 medium) tomatoes
1 cup chopped coriander leaves
1 cup chopped mint leaves
4 large red onions sliced thin.
4 TBS ghee
4 eggs


For Biryani masala

1 Bay leaf
4 TBS coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp black cumin seeds
8 cloves
8 pepper corns
5 green cardamom
2 black cardamom
2 star anise
1/2 tsp mace
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
1 TBS crushed dagad phool
3 pieces - 1 inch - cinnamon.

Dry roast these ingredients and grind to a fine powder. This can be done anytime. The masala can be stored in an airtight container.

Preparation:

Wash and drain the rice, let sit for at least a couple of hours.
Marinate the chicken in the ginger garlic paste,turmeric, chili powder and 1 tsp salt.
Fry the sliced onion till crisp. (You can use store bought fried onions - just make sure they are fresh)
Soak the saffron in warm milk.
Blanch the almonds and remove the skins. Cut them into slivers.
Fry the almonds and cashews in a little oil and keep separate.
Blanch the tomatoes in boiling water till the skin splits. Remove and peel them. Chop into 4 pieces each.
Boil and peel the eggs and make a slit in them - but do not cut them all the way.

Cooking:

Heat a large pot, add 3 TBS of oil. Add the 4 cloves,4 green cardamom,6 pepper corns and few pieces of cinnamon and fry for a minute. Add the pre-soaked rice and  at least 3-4 times the water - by volume. Add 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp lemon juice. Bring to a rolling boil. Cook till the rice is almost done. Al dente. Then drain and run cold water over it. Make sure you spread out the rice in a tray, or the residual heat will cook the rice and then you won't get the perfect biryani.
Take about 3 TBS of the rice and add to the saffron/milk mixture.

Heat a large pot, add 4-5 TBS oil and add the marinated chicken. Saute the chicken till you see it turn white. Cover and cook. DO NOT add any water. Once the chicken is cooked, add the yogurt, biryani masala and tomatoes and cook till the yogurt is absorbed and the tomatoes start to break up. Remove from heat.
Add the fried onions and chopped coriander and mint leaves. Reserve a few fried onions for garnish.
Let cool for a few minutes.

Layering:
Pre heat oven to 275.

I use a lasagna pan. But any large oven proof casserole will work. Grease the bottom of the pan with a little oil. Add the chicken to the pan, arrange the chicken pieces so they are spread evenly over the pan. Add the eggs to this layer, arranging them in between the chicken pieces. Spread the rice evenly over this layer. Spread the saffron soaked rice over the rice. If any of the milk is left over just pour it over the rice, make sure you use all the saffron strands. Sprinkle the reserved fried onion and the fried nuts on top. Melt the 4 TBS ghee and 'glaze' the biryani. Cover entirely with aluminium foil.
Place the prepared pan on the bottom rack and let it cook for 30 minutes. Then MOVE the pan to the top rack and let it cook for another 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let it sit for about 10 minutes before opening the foil. When you serve the biryani, make sure you use a spatula that will reach all the layers.

Serve with onion raita and either bagare baingan or mirchi ka salan. Enjoy!!

Chicken Curry - Traditional

Ah chicken curry!

Each cook has his/her unique way of making chicken curry at home. Even if I give you the recipe here, it will never taste the same - so don't worry- make it a couple of times and you will hit upon the magic proportions that you and your family love. It never has to be exactly the same as someone else's. The biggest fan of my chicken curry is my little one- Anagha...this is especially for her.

I use either whole chicken,cut up or chicken thighs for chicken curry. That's simply because the leg meat always tastes better when braised and personally I love the chicken thigh meat. But feel free to use breast meat if that's what you like. The only rule is that it should be skinless and bone IN. Never boneless.

1 medium chicken cut into medium sized pieces.
2 cups yellow onion chopped
2 bay leaves
2 TBS chopped coriander leaves
3 TBS oil

For the marinade:
1 TBS turmeric
1 1/2 TBS chili powder
1 TBS salt
1 cup yogurt

Clean the chicken and pat dry. Apply the marinade and make sure all the pieces are covered. Ideally this should be marinated overnight in the fridge, but if you don't have the time, at least an hour or so.

Green Masala paste:

15 cloves of garlic
1 TBS ginger
2 TBS sliced onion
3-4 cloves
5-6 peppercorns
2 star anise
2 black cardamoms
4 green cardamoms
2 TBS coriander seeds
1 TBS cumin seeds
1/2 TBS fennel seeds
2 inch piece cinnamon
2 bay leafs
1/2 tsp black cumin seeds

Grind all of the above to a fine paste.

Brown masala paste:

4 TBS sliced onion
2 TBS grated coconut
1 TBS poppyseeds
1 tsp oil

Roast the onion in 1 tsp oil till brown, add the coconut and poppy seeds and roast till coconut turns brown. Grind to a fine paste.

Heat oil in a large thick bottomed pan, add the bay leaves and the chopped onion. Saute till onion is browned. Add the green masala and saute till oil separates. Add the marinated chicken with the marinade. Saute the chicken pieces till they turn white. Add 1 cup of water, lower heat, cover and cook. Stir frequently to make sure the chicken does not stick to the bottom of the pan. You may need to add a little more water, but do not add too much.
Once the chicken is cooked, Add the brown masala and then adjust the thickness of the gravy to your liking. Taste for seasoning. Add the chopped coriander leaves and bring to a boil. Remove from heat.

Serve with cucumber raita, chapati or paratha and basmati rice.

Learn the Basics - How to boil an egg

Sounds so simple right? Boil an egg, what could be simpler? It's as simple as boiling water.
But things can go wrong- especially for a new cook.
The perfect boiled egg is with the white done well, the yolk just done- and still bright yellow - no greenish edges - and perfectly peeled.

Always use the freshest eggs you can find. Start with cold tap water. The eggs should be immersed in the water. Add a teaspoon of salt or a splash of vinegar, so if an egg accidentally cracks in the water, the white does not spread. Bring the water to a rolling boil. Turn off the heat and cover and keep the eggs in the water for 10-12 minutes. Then, run cold water in the pot. Take out the eggs and lightly roll them on the counter till the entire shell is cracked, then carefully peel them- under water. Peeling them under water helps to separate the thin membrane that holds the shell to the egg.

Voila! you will have the perfect boiled egg...every single time.

Sabudana Khichadi - Fasting food

Fasting Food - Oxymoron if I ever have heard one- but yes. Fasting in India basically means we cannot eat certain types of food which includes any meat or fish of course, cereals and most vegetables. There are certain 'fasting' approved foods - which are so delicious - you would never know you were fasting.

Sabudana Khichadi is a replacement for the rice that we would normally eat. Sabudana is Sago. You can find it in grocery store.

1 cup sabudana (pre-soaked. explained below)
1/2 cup to 3/4 cup crushed peanuts (see note below)
1/2 cup diced potatoes (small dice)
1/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp sugar (for the potatoes)
3-4 green chillies chopped
1/2 tsp jeera (cumin)
2-3 TBS ghee
1 tsp salt
1 TBS sugar
2 TBS chopped cilantro leaves (just the leaves)
1 TBS finely chopped cilantro stems (only the tender part)
2 TBS fresh grated coconut.

To soak the sabudana.
Wash the sabudana and drain the water. Leave just about 2 TBS of water in the bowl and cover and keep aside. After about an hour check - if it is too dry sprinkle some water, mix it up and keep it covered. The sabudana needs to soak and soften completely. This takes about 2 hours. Best is to soak it overnight.
Do not soak it in standing water like we do with beans, it makes the final product lumpy.
Test it by squeezing the sabudana between your fingers, there should be no hard particle when you squeeze. Under soaking can result in a chewy final product.

To make crushed peanuts
Roast the peanuts in a pan till light brown, run them through a chopper to get a coarse chop. You want it a but chunky. And NO- please do not use peanut butter instead.

Once the sabudana is soaked, add the 1 tsp salt and 1 TBS sugar and the crushed peanuts to the sabudana. Mix well and keep aside. Keep it covered so it doesn't dry out.

Heat a saute pan, put in the ghee and when it is hot..not smoking ..add the jeera. Fry the jeera for about 30 seconds. Add the chopped coriander stalks and the green chillies. Add the diced potatoes, the salt and sugar marked for the potatoes, Saute for a minute. Lower the heat and cover and cook till the potatoes are tender.
Add the sabudana mixture and saute till the potatoes, ghee and sabudana are mixed together thoroughly. Test for seasoning, adjust if necessary. Cover and let it steam for about 5-6 minutes. Add the chopped coriander leaves and coconut. Give it a good stir.

Serve hot.