Badam Milk (Almond Milk Shake)

badam milk

Badam milk or almond milk is a nourishing and very tasty drink. It's ideal for kids. I prefer to have a chilled glass of badam milk in summers. Almond milk shake is very easy to prepare so try it and fall in love with it.

Recipe of badam milk/ almond milk shake

3 cups milk

1/2 cup badam (almonds)

A big pinch of saffron (kesar)

1/2 tsp cardamom (elaichi) powder

2 tbsp sugar or to taste

1. Soak badam for 4-5 hours. Drain and peel them. Grind badam to a paste.

2. Bring the milk to a boil in a heavy bottomed pan. Lower heat and stir in the badam paste.

3. Cook on a low heat for 15 minutes.

4. Add saffron, cardamom powder and sugar. Cook till sugar dissolves. Pour into glasses and serve hot or refrigerate and serve badam milk chilled.

Til Chutney (Sesame Mint Chutney)

til chutney

Til chutney or til ki chutney has a distinct nutty taste. We savored til chutney with our meals and it definitely perked up the meal. It's a rather unusual chutney but worth trying.

Recipe of til chutney

2 tbsp til (sesame seeds)

2 green chillies

1 big onion

1/2 cup mint (pudina) leaves

2 tbsp imli (tamarind) pulp

1/4 tsp salt or to taste

1. Roast til on a tava (griddle). Set aside 1 tbsp roasted til for later.

2. Grind together rest of the ingredients with 1 tbsp til to a paste. If needed, add little water for grinding.

3. Take out til chutney in a bowl and add 1 tbsp til reserved for later. Mix well. Your til chutney is ready to be savored.

Mushroom Pulao

mushroom pulao

Pulao usually comes to my rescue when I am not in the mood of elaborate cooking and hence prefer to cook 1 pot meal. Yesterday I cooked mushroom pulao which is not just easy to make but also very tasty. Mushroom pulao is a nice variation from the usual matar pulao or vegetable pulao.

Recipe of mushroom pulao

2 cups basmati rice

100 gms mushroom (khumb)

1 onion- sliced

2 tejpatta (bay leaves)

2-3 laung (cloves)

A piece of dalchini (cinnamon)

2 big cardamoms (moti elaichi)

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

Salt to taste

1 1/2 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)

mushroom

1. Wash and soak rice for 20 minutes. Drain. Wash and slice mushrooms.

2. Heat 1/2 tbsp ghee in a pan and sauté mushrooms till light brown. Drain and set aside.

3. Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a pressure cooker and add cumin seeds, tej patta, dalchini, laung and big cardamom. Fry till cumin seeds change color.

4. Add sliced onion and sauté lightly.

5. Add rice, mushrooms, salt, red chilli powder and 4 cups of water. Mix and close the lid of the cooker.

6. Cook to 1 whistle.

7. Take out in a serving dish and fluff with 2 forks. Serve mushroom pulao hot.

Mirchi Vada

mirchi vada

Mirchi vada or mirchi bajji is basically potato stuffed mirchi ka pakora (chilli fritter). This is a Rajasthani snack which is liked by people who like their food hot. Take large, thick mirchi which is also called 'Bhavnagari mirch' or Anaheim pepper, for this dish.

Recipe of mirchi vada/ mirchi bajji

8-10 large, thick mirchi (Anaheim pepper/ bhavnagri mirch)

1 cup besan (gram flour/ chickpea flour)

3-4 potato (boiled, peeled and mashed)

1/4 tsp red chilli powder

Salt to taste

3/4 tsp chaat masala

Oil for deep frying

1. Make a vertical slit in mirch without separating them. Remove seeds from mirch.

2. Add salt and chaat masala to mashed potato.

3. Stuff this potato mixture in mirchis.

4. In a bowl, take besan and add salt and red chilli powder. Add water little by little, mixing with other hand to prepare smooth, lump free batter. The consistency of the batter should be like that of pakora (fritter) batter like.

5. Heat sufficient oil in a kadhai/wok. Dip stuffed mirchi in besan batter and deep fry in oil till golden from all sides. Serve mirchi vada hot with chutney or sauce.

Note- Mirch or peppers used for this dish are not very hot and after you remove their seeds, they become mild.

Microwave Palak Paneer (Spinach and Cottage Cheese Curry)

microwave palak paneer

It never fails to amaze me how quick and hassle free microwave cooking is and palak paneer in microwave is no exception. I also cook palak paneer on a stovetop. When I tried it in microwave, I found it to be equally tasty and easier.

Recipe of microwave palak paneer

400 gms palak (spinach)

150 gms paneer (cottage cheese)

3 green chilles - washed and caps removed

2 onions

3 medium tomatoes

1 inch piece ginger

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp cumin powder

1/2 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp garam masala powder

1 tbsp oil

1/4 cup malai (cream of milk)

palak before microwaving

1. Remove stems of palak and retain the leaves. Wash palak leaves thoroughly under running water, drain. Chop them coarsely.

2. Grind together onions, tomatoes, ginger and green chillies to a smooth paste. Cut paneer into cubes. Set aside.

3. In a microwave safe bowl, place chopped palak leaves and cook covered for 2 minutes on a High. Take out and puree the cooked palak leaves.

4. In the same microwave safe bowl, place oil and add onion-tomato paste and all the spices and salt. Cook uncovered on a High for 3 minutes.

5. Add palak puree and mix. Cook uncovered for 5 minutes.

6. Add paneer cubes, malai and cook uncovered for 1 minute. Serve hot palak paneer with naan, paratha or rice.

Dhaniya Panjiri Prasad Recipe

radha krishna

Dhaniya panjiri is made especially on birthday of Lord Krishna, that is Janmashtami. This panjiri is offered to the lord and then taken as a prasad. Some people also do the process of roasting dhaniya seeds and then grinding them but this is an easier and fast method. Dhaniya panjiri is also known as 'dhaniya kassar'.

Recipe of dhaniya panjiri prasad for Janmashtami

1 cup dhaniya (dhania/coriander) powder

1/2 cup grinded sugar or boora

Few chopped nuts like almonds and cashew nuts

1 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)

dhaniya panjiri

1. Heat ghee in a kadhai and roast dhaniya powder. Take out of kadhai.

2. Mix grinded sugar and chopped nuts in the roasted dhania powder.

3. Your dhaniya panjiri is ready. You can also add chopped cucumber and chopped fruits like banana, apple, orange and grapes to the panjiri.

Makki ke Pakore (Cornmeal Fritters)

makki ke pakore

Makki ke pakore was made in my kitchen by chance. When I was in a condition of slight sleep deprivation, my hubby asked for pakoras. Instead of taking besan, I took makki atta and added salt and spices to it. Then I suddenly realized, it was not besan but cornmeal. I decided to go ahead and made pakoras or bhajiyas from it. It was a hit and my hubby asked me to make them again.

Recipe of makki ke pakore/ bhajia

1 cup makki atta (cornmeal/maize flour/makai ka atta)

1 onion- finely chopped

1 tomato- finely chopped

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp ginger-green chilli paste

Oil to deep fry

1. Take makki ka atta in a bowl and add all the above ingredients to it except oil. Mix.

2. Add water to make a batter of pakora (fritters) batter like consistency. Beat well.

3. Heat oil in a kadhai/wok. Drop small portions of the batter in the oil and deep fry till golden. Fry the pakoras in batches. Drain makki ke pakore on an absorbent paper and serve hot with tomato sauce or chutney.

Bharwa Tinda Recipe 2 (Stuffed Apple Gourd)

bharwa tinda

Earlier also I made a blog post about bharwa tinda but in this recipe stuffing is different. Here I have made bharwa tinda in Punjabi style using onion and ginger-garlic.

Recipe of bharwa tinda

300 gms or 7-8 small tinda (apple gourd/Indian baby pumpkin)

1 onion- chopped

2 tsp ginger-garlic paste

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/4 + 1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp saunf (fennel) powder

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp amchoor (dried mango powder)

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

2 tsp +1 tbsp oil

1. Wash and wipe tinda dry. Remove both ends and scrape the skin of tinda.

2. Make '+' cuts on the tinda so that each tinda is slit into 4 without separating form the base.

3. For preparing the stuffing, heat 2 tsp oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. When they change color, add onion and ginger-garlic paste. Fry for few minutes.

4. Add salt, all the spices and 1/4 tsp turmeric powder. Mix and after few seconds, turn off the heat and let it cool down.

5. Stuff this masala into each tinda.

6. Heat 1 tbsp oil in the same pan and add 1/4 tsp turmeric powder. Add tinda and lower heat. Cook covered till tinda turn tender and slightly brownish from the base. Turn over and cook tinda from other side as well. Serve bharwan tinda hot with rotis.

Roti ki Sabzi

roti ki sabzi

If you have some leftover rotis from last night’s supper, then you can put them to good use by making roti ki sabzi.

Recipe of roti ki sabzi

5 sookhi (dry) roti

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

A pinch of asafoetida (hing)

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1 tbsp oil

Salt to taste

2 tomatoes- chopped

1. Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. When they change color, add hing.

2. Add tomatoes and all the spice powders and salt. Cook till tomatoes get mushy.

3. Break sookhi rotis into small pieces and add to the pan. Cook till rotis become soft. Serve roti ki sabzi hot.

Mirchi ke Pakore (Green Chilli Fritters)

mirchi ke pakore

My hubby and FIL love mirchi ke pakore. Here I have given the recipe of stuffing chilli with chutney but I also make them by stuffing aloo (potato) masala. Mirchi pakoda tastes great both ways.

Recipe of mirchi ke pakore/ green chilli fritters

8-10 bhavnagri mirch (large, broad not so hot green chilli)

1 cup besan (gram flour/ chickpea flour)

Salt to taste

Green (dhania pudina) chutney- for stuffing

Oil to deep fry

1. Wash and wipe mirchi. Make a slit on one side without separating from the base or slitting other side. Remove seeds of mirchi.

2. Take besan in a bowl and add salt. Add water little by little, mixing with other hand so as to prepare lump free batter. Batter consistency should be like pancake batter.

3. Stuff green chutney into each mirchi.

4. Heat sufficient oil in a kadhai/ wok. Dip each stuffed mirchi in besan batter and put in hot oil. Deep fry on medium heat, turning as needed till golden brown.

5. Drain bharwa mirchi ke pakore on absorbent paper and serve hot.

Simple Potato Fry

simple potato fry

I make this simple potato fry often and everyone in my family relishes them. It's quite easy to make and you can use amchoor (dried mango powder) if anardana powder is not available. Potato fry is made in many different ways and this is my version of the delicious potato dish.

Recipe of simple potato fry

3 medium potatoes- boiled, peeled

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp red chilli powder (cayenne pepper)

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp coriander powder

3/4 tsp anardana powder (dried pomegranate powder)

1 tbsp oil

1. Break the potatoes unevenly by hands or you can cube them.

2. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When they pop, add potato pieces. Add all the spices and salt. Mix well.

3. On a medium heat, stir fry the potatoes. Keep removing the scrapings on the walls of the pan. Fry till potatoes turn crisp. Take out from the pan and serve potato fry hot.

Kairi ki Sabzi (Raw Mango Curry)

kairi ki sabzi

Kairi ki sabzi is a delicious accompaniment to meals. It stays fresh for 2-3 days in fridge. This is my mom's recipe of using unripe mangoes. So, instead of kairi, you can also use mango which is not ripe enough to consume.

Recipe of kairi ki sabzi/ raw mango curry

2-3 kairi (raw mango/kachcha aam)

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp red chilli powder (cayenne pepper)

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp saunf (fennel) powder

1 tbsp gur (jaggery)

1 tbsp oil

1/2 tsp garam masala

1. Peel and cube kairi.

2. Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. When they change color, add kairi pieces.

3. Add salt and all the spices except garam masala. Add 1 cup water and let it come to boil.

4. Add jaggery and lower heat. Cook covered till kairi softens, stirring occasionally.

4. Add garam masala and cook for 1 more minute. Turn off the heat and kairi ki sabzi is ready to have as an accompaniment to your meals.

Tahari/ Tahiri (Spicy Vegetable Rice)

tahari

Tahari or tahiri is a spicy vegetable pulao from Uttar Pradesh. You can also call it vegetable biryani. Tahari is usually eaten with curd or raita.

Recipe of tahari/ tahiri

1 cup rice - washed and soaked for 20 minutes

1 big onion- sliced

2 tsp ginger-garlic paste

2 cups chopped vegetables like cauliflower, potato, carrot, beans and green peas

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

2 bay leaves (tej patta)

4-5 cloves (laung)

1 big cardamom (moti elaichi)

A small stick of cinnamon

Salt to taste

1 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)

1. Heat ghee in a pressure cooker and add cumin seeds, bay leaves, cloves, cardamom and cinnamon. Let them change color.

2. Add onion and sauté till light brown. Add ginger-garlic paste and fry for 1 minute.

3. Add chopped vegetables and stir fry for 1 minute.

4. Drain the soaked rice and add to the cooker. Add salt and red chilli powder. Stir fry for 1 minute.

5. Add 2 cups of water and mix everything. Pressure cook to 1 whistle. Serve hot tahiri with curd or chutney.

Sirka wala Pyaz (Vinegar Onions)

sirka wala pyaz

Sirka wala pyaz is also known as vinegar onions or pickled onions. This is a very easy recipe and correct way to prepare sirka onions.

Recipe of sirka wala pyaz/ vinegar onions

10-12 small onions (pyaz)

1/2 cup white vinegar (safed sirka)

1/2 cup water

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

1. Peel and wash pyaz. Pat dry on a kitchen towel.

2. Keep pyaz in a bowl and rub salt on them.

3. In a pan boil sirka, water and sugar. Turn off the heat

4. Pour sirka water over onions.

5. When sirka cools down, fill onions along with vinegar in a bottle and keep it in fridge. Sirka pyaz is fit for consumption after 1 day.

Aloo Parwal (Potato with Pointed Gourd)

aloo parwal curry

Aloo parwal ki sabzi is also known as aloo potol in Orissa. Parwal is one of the lesser known vegetables of India but we cook it regularly. I had an earlier blog post of bharwa parwal or stuffed parwal. Parwal is both delicious as well as nutritious being green vegetable.

Recipe of aloo parwal ki sabzi

200 gms parwal (pointed gourd/parval/parmal/potol)

2 big potatoes (aloo) - peeled and cubed

2 tomatoes

1 onion

1 inch piece ginger

3-4 cloves garlic (optional)

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

3/4 tsp coriander powder

1/4 tsp garam masala powder

1 tbsp oil

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

A pinch of hing (asafoetida)

scraped parwal

chopped aloo parwal

1. Scrape parwal using a knife (not peel), removing tips and tail. Wash and slit vertically from 1 side so as to remove any hard seeds. If there are no hard seeds, then chop the whole parval.

2. Grind onion, tomatoes, ginger, and garlic to a paste.

3. Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add cumin seeds. When they change color, add hing. Add onion-tomato paste and all the spices and salt.

4. Cook till oil begins to separate from the masala. Add aloo parwal and 2 cups of water.

5. Cook to 4 whistles. Open the lid of cooker when pressure drops down naturally. Take out aloo parwal ki sabzi in a serving bowl and serve hot as a side with any Indian bread.

Sabut Masoor Dal (Whole Brown Lentils)

sabut masoor dal

I love to eat my sabut masoor dal curry with rice and we call it dal-chawal. It's a very nutritious dal being whole that is with the skin. After I started blogging, I came to know from fellow bloggers' blogs that some people sprout sabut masoor dal. Never tried it but love to some day.

Recipe of whole masoor dal

1 cup sabut masoor dal (whole brown lentils)

1 medium onion- chopped

1 medium tomato- chopped

3-4 cloves garlic- chopped

1 inch piece ginger- finely chopped

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

A pinch of hing (asafoetida)

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

Salt to taste

4 cups of water

1/4 tsp garam masala powder

1 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)

1. Wash and soak masoor dal for 1 hour. Drain.

2. In a pressure cooker, place masoor dal, salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and 4 cups of water. Pressure cook to about 15 minutes on a high heat.

3. In a pan, heat ghee and add cumin seeds. When they turn darker, add hing.

4. Add onion and fry till pink. Add ginger, garlic and fry for 1 minute.

5. Add tomato and fry till ghee begins to separate. Pour this tadka or tempering over boiled dal and mix. Add garam masala and bring the dal to boil. Adjust the water levels according to the consistency of the gravy that you want.

6. Garnish the dal with chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot sabut masoor dal curry with plain boiled rice or roti.

Palak Kadhi (Spinach Kadhi)

palak kadhi

Palak kadhi is a healthier type of kadhi since we are adding palak instead of fried pakoras (fritters) as in kadhi pakora. Palak kadhi or spinach kadhi is made both in Rajasthan and Punjab. Spinach in yogurt and chickpea flour sauce makes for a satisfying meal with plain boiled rice.

Recipe of palak kadhi/ spinach kadhi

2 cups sour curd (dahi/ yogurt)

4 cups of water

1/2 cup besan (gram flour/ chickpea flour)

Salt to taste

A pinch of hing (asafoetida)

1/4 tsp methi dana (fenugreek seeds)

1/4 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

3/4 tsp turmeric powder

1 tbsp oil

A very small bunch of palak (spinach) - stems removed, washed and finely chopped

1. Mix together curds, besan, salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and water. Mix well using a blender.

2. Heat oil in a kadhai/ wok. Add cumin seeds and methi dana. When they change color, add hing.

3. Add curd besan mixture. Cook stirring till it comes to boil.

4. Lower heat and add chopped palak. Simmer on a medium-low heat, uncovered for about 25 minutes. Stir occasionally.

5. If it is too thick, add 1 cup of water and boil again. Serve hot palak kadhi with roti or rice.

Misal Pav

misal pav

Misal pav is a famous street food of Maharashtra. Cooked sprouted dals also called ‘usal’ is served with chopped onion, sev, farsan on top of it along with pav bread is called misal pav or missal pav. It’s a very tasty food and if you don’t add sev or farsan over it, it’s a  low calorie food.

Recipe of misal pav

2 cups sprouted moong dal (green gram) and moth dal (matki/ brown gram)

2 onions- chopped

2 green chillies- slit

1 tsp ginger-garlic paste

1/2 cup farsan

Coriander leaves- chopped

1/2 tsp rai (small mustard seeds)

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp garam masala powder

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp cumin powder

Few curry leaves

1 tbsp oil

A pinch of hing (asafoetida)

Lemon juice

Lemon cut into slices

6-8 pav

1. Heat oil in a pan and add rai. When it splutters, add hing. Add curry leaves and half of the chopped onions. Sauté till onion turn light pink.

2. Add ginger-garlic paste and green chillies. Saute for 1 minute.

3. Add sprouted dals. Add coriander, turmeric, red chilli and cumin powders. Mix well.

4. Add 3 cups of water and salt. Bring it to boil.

5. Add garam masala and cook covered for 10-12 minutes.

6. To serve the misal pav, place ladleful of cooked dal or usal in a bowl. Sprinkle remaining onion, farsan over the dal. Pour lemon juice and coriander leaves over it.

7. Serve it with pav and lemon slices.