Aloo baingan sabzi
Aloo baingan sabzi is one dish which can be made very easily and you don’t have to do fine chopping for it. Big sized pieces work just fine for this sabzi. I frequently make aloo baingan with few variations here and there like sometimes I also add garlic and ginger to it for enhanced flavor.
Recipe of aloo baingan sabzi
1 medium round baingan (eggplant/ brinjal/ aubergine)
2 potatoes- peeled and cubed
1 big tomato- roughly chopped into big sized pieces
1 onion- cut into 8 pieces
Salt to taste
3/4 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder (cayenne pepper)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
1 1/2 tbsp mustard oil or any other oil
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
A pinch of asafoetida (hing)
1. Wash and cut baingan into 1 inch pieces. In a pan, heat mustard oil to smoking point that is till vapors start coming out of it. Add cumin seeds and when they change color, add hing.
2. Throw in all the vegetables including onion and tomato. Add salt and all the spices except garam masala powder. Mix well and cover the pan. Turn the heat to medium-low.
3. Cook till done, stirring in between. Add garam masala powder and increase heat so that all moisture evaporates if there is any. You have to frequently stir at this stage so that the aloo baingan sabji doesn’t get burnt. Turn off heat and serve hot with roti or paratha. You can even have aloo baigan sabzi with steamed rice.
Tomato soup
This is a very simple and fast recipe for the delicious, ever popular tomato soup. There is nothing like home made fresh tomato soup. It can beat the canned soup anytime. It is very healthy and can be given to the babies and also to sick people.
Recipe of tomato soup
6 tomatoes- chopped
1 small onion- chopped
1 tsp sugar
4 cups water
Salt to taste
1 tsp butter
1/4 tsp Black pepper powder
1. Melt butter in a pressure cooker. Add onion and sauté till it turns light brown.
2. Add tomatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add 4 cups of water and close the lid of the cooker. Cook to 2 whistles. Cook further on low heat for 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it cool down.
3. Blend this mixture in a blender to a smooth puree. Strain through a sieve or a soup strainer.
4. Reheat soup in a saucepan and add salt, sugar and black pepper powder. Serve hot. You can also garnish tomato soup with cream and bread croutons.
Stuffed parwal
Parwal vegetable is a squash like gourd also known as pointed gourd or potol. Parwal is popular in North Indian cooking. There are many ways to cook parwal including aloo parwal that is parwal with potatoes both in curry and dry sabzi form.
Recipe of stuffed parwal or bharwa parwal sabzi
250 gms parwal (potol/ pointed gourd/ parval)
3/4 tsp fennel powder (saunf)
1/2 tsp red chilli powder (cayenne pepper)
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
A pinch of hing (asafoetida)
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp amchoor (dried mango powder)
1 tbsp mustard oil or any other oil
scraped and slit parwal
1. Scrape parwal in a manner that hard skin remains there. Wash them. Make a slit lengthwise on 1 side of each parwal. Remove any ripe, mature seeds. Keep parwal aside.
2. In a small bowl, mix salt and all the spices except turmeric powder and hing. Stuff them in the parwals with the help of a spoon.
3. In a pan, heat mustard oil to smoking point that is till vapors start coming out of it.
Add hing and turmeric powder and mix with the oil. Add stuffed parwal and lower heat to medium-low.
4. Cook covered for 20-25 minutes turning over twice in between. Cook till done. Serve hot stuffed parval sabzi with roti or paratha.
Parwal (pointed gourd)
Dahi pakora
Dahi pakora is very similar to dahi bhalla. While dahi bhalla is made with urad dal (split black gram), dahi pakora or dahi pakori is made with moong dal. You can also pour sweet tamarind chutney over them if you like. It is quicker to make than bhallas but taste excellent.
Recipe of dahi pakora
1 cup dhuli moong dal (skinless split green gram)
2 cups dahi (curds/ yogurt) – well beaten and chilled
1 tsp chironji (optional)
2-3 green chillies- chopped
A pinch of hing (asafoetida) - dissolved in 1 tsp water
1/2 tsp salt
Black salt to taste
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp red chilli powder (cayenne pepper)
1 tsp roasted cumin seeds (bhuna jeera)
1/2 inch piece ginger- grated
Chopped coriander leaves (cilantro) – for garnishing
Oil to deep fry
1. Soak moong dal for 2-3 hours. Drain and grind along with 1/2 tsp salt, ginger and hing. Add green chillies and chironji to the grinded dal. Beat well.
2. Heat oil in a kadhai (Indian wok). Drop a small portion of the batter, if it sizzles and comes to the surface, your oil is hot enough. Turn the heat to medium.
3. Drop portions of batter by a spoon or your hands in the hot oil. Fry from both sides by turning over till golden brown. Drain the pakodas.
4. Soak these pakoras in water for 15 minutes. Take them out and press gently between your palms to squeeze out excess water.
5. Add black salt and sugar to the curd and mix. Add pakoris to the dahi. Add roasted cumin seeds, red chilli powder. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve chilled.
Tinda sabzi
Tinda vegetable is native to India and popular in South Asia. Tinda is a squash like gourd. It is also called Apple gourd, Indian baby pumpkin and Indian round gourd.
Recipe of tinda sabzi
250 gms tinda (Indian baby pumpkin)
3/4 tsp fennel powder (saunf)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder (cayenne pepper)
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
A pinch of hing (asafoetida)
1/2 tsp amchoor (dried mango powder)
1 tbsp mustard oil or any other oil
1. Scrape tinda and wash. Cut into big slices.
2. In a pan or a kadhai, heat mustard oil to smoking point that is till vapors start coming out of it. Add cumin seeds and when they splutter, add hing.
3. Add tinda pieces and add salt and all the spices except amchoor. Mix well.
4. Lower heat and cook covered till done. Uncover and increase heat. Roast them, stirring to slightly brown them. Turn off heat and add amchoor and mix. Serve hot tinda sabzi with roti.
This recipe of tinda vegetable can also be called tinda masala.
Mushrooms
This is a simple yet tasty recipe of mushroom. Mushroom is not so commonly cooked in Indian kitchens so whenever it does get cooked, it makes a nice change to the routine meals and as they say ‘variety is the spice of life’.
Recipe of mushroom stir-fry
250 gms button mushrooms (khumb/ dhingri)
2 big onions- sliced
1 tbsp oil
Salt to taste
3/4 tsp black pepper powder (kali mirch)
1. Wash and slice mushrooms. Slice onions.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add mushrooms and onion. Stir fry them for 3-4 minutes.
3. Add salt and black pepper powder. Lower heat and cook covered till mushrooms are tender.
4. Uncover and cook till all moisture dries up. You can add chopped green chillies at this stage. Serve hot.
Microwave besan ladoo
Microwave besan ladoo is a very easy and quick substitute for traditional ladoos in kadhai. You don’t have to go for endless stirring lest the besan burns. You can get accolades without going through the grind. They taste absolutely great and you cannot tell the difference between microwave besan laddu and those made the traditional way.
Recipe of microwave besan ladoo
2 cups besan (gram flour)
1 cup ghee (clarified butter)
1 cup powdered sugar
4-5 pods hari elaichi (green cardamom) - crushed
2 tbsp chopped nuts like almonds, cashew nuts and raisins
1. In a microwave safe bowl, mix besan and ghee.
2. Microwave on High for 6 minutes. First stir after 2 minutes, then after 2 minutes, then after 1 minute, then after 30 seconds till you get desired brownness. Let it cool.
3. Add powdered sugar, cardamom powder and chopped nuts.
4. Now using your hands make ping pong size balls. These are now called besan ka ladoo. Store besan ladoos in an airtight container.
achari baingan
This recipe of achari baingan uses baingan without deep frying them. This is a healthier version of traditional achari baigan. Achari means using spices which are used in pickling. This recipe uses 5 exotic spices which are also called ‘Panch Phoran’. I am a fan of baingan or eggplant so I try new recipes to cook it in a tastier way and this is one recipe which I recommend for all eggplant lovers.
Recipe of achari baingan
3-4 long slender chinese eggplants (baingan/ brinjal/ aubergine)
1 medium onion- chopped
2 tsp ginger- garlic paste
3 tomatoes- chopped
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp nigella seeds (kalonji/ onion seeds)
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds (kali sarson)
1/4 tsp methi dana (fenugreek seeds)
1/2 tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder (cayenne pepper)
1 1/2 tbsp mustard oil
baingan pieces
1. Cut baingan in thick pieces. Heat mustard oil to smoking point in a pan.
2. Add kalonji, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, methi dana and saunf. When they change color, add onion. Sauté onion till light brown.
3. Add ginger- garlic paste and sauté for 1 minute.
4. Add tomatoes. Add turmeric, coriander and red chilli powders and salt. Cook covered till tomatoes turn soft and pulpy.
5. Add baingan pieces and mix well. Cook covered for 10 minutes on medium heat. Serve hot achaari baingan with roti, paratha or steamed rice.
sabudana thalipeeth
Sabudana thalipeeth or sago chappati is a delicious fasting food which you should not miss out on. You can also have it for a breakfast or snack item whether you are fasting or not. If you like sabudana just the way I do, you can check out other sago dishes in Fasting foods category especially sabudana khichdi which also comes from Maharashtrian cuisine.
Recipe of sabudana thalipeeth
1 cup Sabudana (sago) - soaked
2-3 green chillies- chopped
2 medium potatoes- boiled, peeled and mashed
Salt to taste
1/2 cup dry roasted and grinded peanuts
Coriander leaves (cilantro) - chopped
Ghee (clarified butter) or oil to shallow fry
Sago dough
1. Mix together all the ingredients except oil or ghee.
2. Divide the dough into tennis size balls.
3. Grease a thick plastic sheet or polythene and place the ball at its center. Pat with moistened fingers to form a thick round. Make small holes in it.
3. Heat a tava (griddle) and grease it with ghee. Gently and carefully turn the thalipeeth onto the tava and peel the plastic off.
4. Put ghee in the holes. Cover the thalipeeth with a plate or a lid and turn the heat to medium. Cook it for 1-2 minutes.
5. Remove the plate and gently turn over. Cook it for another minute or two. Cook till sabudana thalipeeth is golden brown from both sides. Serve sago rotti hot.
sabudana thalipeeth
banana peel sabzi
Banana peel sabzi or kele ke chilkon ki sabzi is mommy dearest’s recipe. Whenever I feel like cooking this sabzi, we eat the banana and collect its peel in a plate. When there are 3-4 peels collected, its time to turn it into subzi. Please note this recipe uses peel of ripe banana. This subzi is very nutritious and good source of dietary fiber.
Recipe of banana peel sabzi
3-4 peels (chilke) of ripe banana
1/2 tsp carom seeds (ajwain)
A pinch of asafoetida (hing)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp amchoor (dried mango powder)
1 tbsp oil
1. Trim the ends of banana peels. Chop them into 1/2 - 1 inch pieces.
2. Boil 2 cups of water in a pan and add pieces of kele ke chilke or banana peel. Boil for 2 minutes. Drain.
3. Heat oil in a pan or a wok. Add ajwain and when it splutters, add hing. Add peel pieces. Add salt, turmeric and coriander powders. Mix well and lower heat. Cook till done, stirring occasionally. Increase heat and roast till subzi becomes dry and crisp.
4. Add amchoor and mix well. Serve hot with phulkas.
