Gobhi Aaloo

Gobhi Aaloo is one of the very simple recipe that we can include in our day to day meal. Best to be served in lunch or dinner or for tiffins.

Ingredients:

Gobhi (Cauliflower) – 1 medium size

Potatoes (aaloo) diced - 250 grams

Onions finely sliced - 100 grams

Tomatoes chopped - 100 grams

Oil  - 1 tablespoon

Turmeric powder  - ¼ teaspoon

Red chili powder  - ½ teaspoon

Salt  - to taste

Coriander to garnish

Method:

Heat oil and add onions. Saute for 2-3 minutes.

Add ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, red chili powder and salt. Mix and add ½ cup of water. Allow the spices to get cooked. It will take 2-3 minuted

Add gobhi and potatoes. Cook for 5 minutes on low heat. Now add tomatoes.  Cook for 3 minutes and add ½ glass of water. Now cover and cook on low flame for 7-8 minutes.

Check whether all vegetables are perfectly cooked or not. If they are not well cooked, cook further 3 minutes. When they are cooked sprinkle some chopped coriander and switch the heat off.

Serve hot with rotis or white rice.

P.S.- You can use tomatoes puree also. to make tomato puree, roughly chop tomatoes and blend it and then sieve it.

Gudd (jaggery) ki kheer

Gudd(jaggery) ki kheer is just a twist given to kheer by cooking it with jagerry instead of sugar. It gives kheer a very desi aroma and flavor.

Ingredients

Rice  - 100 grams

Milk 1 liter

Jaggery(gudd)  - 100 grams

Cardamom(crushed)  - 5 pieces
Clove(laung)- 1 piece

Almonds and pistachios (peeled) handful( or around 1 tablespoon)

Method:

In a heavy bottomed pan heat milk. When it boils, add rice.

Cook on a low to medium flame for around 45 minutes, or till the rice is soft. To check rice take just ½ teaspoon cooked rice out and check whether it is perfectly cooked or not. In the mean time add crushed cardamom in the kheer.

On another flame heat 1 cup of water and add crushed jaggery, one cardamom and one clove and cook for 20 minutes.

Sieve it and add to the kheer and cook further for 5 minutes.

Allow it to cool and then garnish it with peeled almonds and pistachios.

P.S.-You can use nut of your choice. You can use cashews and raisins as well. I had used gol dana rice, but it is not easily available in every part of the country, so you can use kheer rice that is easily available in your area.

Qeema Biryani/ Minced mutton Biryani

You must have tasted biryani in many forms, you may have tasted Qeema, but here is combo, Qeema Biryani. I haven’t seeen this recpe anywhere. This is my personal invention and I like it alot, you may also like it. Try this new form of biryani. It’s simply awesome.

Ingredients:

Basmati rice (soaked in water for half an hour) -  1 kg

Minced mutton – 1 ¼ kg

Onion sliced  - 1 kg

Ginger garlic paste  - 3 teaspoon

Green chilies chopped  - 4 pieces

Oil  - 3 tablespoon

Turmeric (Haldi) powder  - 1 teaspoon

Red chili (Mirch) powder  - 1 1/2 teaspoon

Garam masala powder - 2 teaspoon

Ghee 1 tablespoon

Green Cardamom  - 4 pieces

Clove  - 5 pieces

Cinnamon  - 1 stick

Black cardamom  - 2 pieces

Shahi jeera(black cumin seeds)  - A pinch

Bay leaf  - 2 leaves

For garnishing:

Chopped coriander

Deep fried crisp onions

Method:

To prepare Deep fried crisp onions heat enough oil in a heavy bottomed pan. When oil is hot add one big finely chopped onion. Fry till it is brown. Take it out on a kitchen towel or tissue paper to let the extra oil get absorbed.

Heat pressure cooker and add oil. When oil is hot add ginger garlic paste and stir fry for 30 seconds.

Now add onion, green chilies and bay leaf. Cook for 3 minutes on medium heat.

Add haldi powder, mirch powder and garam masala powder. Add ½ cup water and cook for 3 minutes.

Now add minced meat and cook for another 7-8 minutes.

Close the lid of cooker and after the first whistle put the heat on low and pressure cook for 15 minutes.

Take water equals to 1.5 times to that of rice and heat it.

In a handi add ghee. When its hot add Green Cardamom, Clove, Cinnamon, Black cardamom, Shahi jeera(black cumin seeds) and 1 bay leaf. Stir fry till they crackles.

Now add soaked rice and fry it for 3-4 minutes. Stir gently so that rice doesn't break. Add hot water and cook it till rice is 70% done.

Add cooked qeema and mix very gently.

Allow it to simmer on very low flame for 20 minutes.

In the mean time add few saffron strands in a tablespoon of hot milk and add it to the biryani.

Garnish with deep fried crisp onions and chopped coriander leaves.

P.S.- You can use any essence of your choice, i personally like saffron, that's why i had used saffron.

Banarasi Sewai

Sewai is a popular dessert across Indian subcontinent and is very popular during festive season of eid. It can be prepared in different styles. Banarasi sewai is very popular across eastern and north part of India.

Ingredients:

Sewai/vermicelli  - 100 grams

Milk  - 1 litre

Dalda/ vanaspati  - 1 tablespoon

Cardamom (powdered)  - 5 pieces

Cashews  - around 1 tablespoon

Almonds(peeled)  - around 1 tablespoon

Raisins  - around 1 tablespoon

Sugar  - 3 tablespoon

Method:

Heat dalda and add sewai and roast for 5 minutes and keep it aside.

In a heavy bottomed pan heat milk. When it boils add sugar. Now heat milk so as to reduce its quantity.

When milk thickens add sewai. Cook for around 5 minutes and then add cardamom powder.

Add cashews, almonds and raisins and then cook for 2 minutes.

Allow it to cool and serve as you want. You can serve it at room temperature, warm or even cool.

P.S. If you wish you can roast sewai with either oil or ghee. Add sugar as per your choice.

Egg Noodles

Noodles are Chinese food and widely accepted across the world. Chinese cuisines have found great place in India and we Indians really love it. You can find street stalls selling Chinese food everywhere in India and almost every restaurant in India serve Chinese food. We Indian love Chinese food with an Indian touch.

Ingredients:

Noodles  - 200 grams

Egg  - 3 pieces

Onion (finely chopped)  - 2 medium

Tomato chopped  - 200 grams

Bell peppers  - 2 pieces (you can use of all the three colors, but remember the total amount should not be more than 2).

Carrot  - 1 medium size

Cabbage  -  ½ small

French beans (chopped)  - 12-14 pieces

Garlic (finely chopped)  - 4 cloves

Red chili powder  - 1 teaspoon

Turmeric powder  - ½ teaspoon

Tomato ketchup  - 1 table spoon

Soya sauce  - 1 teaspoon

Green chili sauce  - ½ tablespoon

Oil 2 tablespoon

Salt to taste

Mustard oil 1 tablespoon (optional)

Method:

Heat enough water. Add salt and noodles in it. Cook for 8-10 minutes or till the noodles are perfectly cooked. Take out one strand and check if it is cooked or not. Add one tablespoon oil in boiling noodles. Mix and drain excess water. Run through cold water to avoid over cooking of noodles.

Add a tablespoon of mustard oil in a pan. When it is enough hot and you can smell the oil then add onions. Add salt and cook for a minute. Add a handful of chopped green bell pepper. Cook for 3 minutes and then add eggs. Cook for 4-5 minutes and keep stirring. When eggs are cooked take it out and keep aside.

Put oil in a pan and add finely chopped garlic cloves. Saute for a minute. Add onion and cook for 2-3 minutes or till it becomes transparent. Add red chili powder, turmeric powder and salt. Cook for 2 minutes.

Now add all the vegetables (bell pepper, carrot, French beans and cabbage). Mix and cook for 5 minutes. Add water and cook for 10 minutes on slow heat.

Now add tomato ketchup, green chili sauce and soya sauce. Add cooked eggs and mix. Cook for 2 minutes and add a teaspoon of sugar and Cook for another minute.

Add cooked noodles. Now cook for 2 minutes on slow heat.

Serve hot.

P.S. I had used mustard oil because it balances the pungent smell of eggs. Instead of that you can use refined oil as well.