Val seeds(avarekai) Usal

Winter is the season of fresh Avarekai (Val beans) and I got my hand on really fresh beans. This Usal or gravy goes very well with Bhakari, Phulka or Rice and is full of flavours. As always with very few ingredients and no long text, let's get started with the recipe itself. This is quick recipe that you can make even on a busy day if the seeds are already removed from beans and kept ready. So I have customised/shortened steps to cook val seeds, making gravy etc.

Ingredients:
1. One bowl full of fresh Val (pavate val/chapte val/avaerkai) seeds 
2. 1 medium-sized onion
3. 1 large tomato

4. 6-7 garlic cloves

5. 1 inch piece of ginger

6. 1 green chilli

7. 1/2 tbsp turmeric powder

8. 1-1/2 tbsp red chilli powder

9. 1/2 tbsp garam masala

10. Salt to taste

11. 1/2 tsp each rai, jeera

12. 3 tbsp oil

Preparation:

1. Add the fresh val seeds in a bowl, add pinch of salt and 1/2 cup water. Pressure cook it for 1 whistle. Release the pressure and keep the cooked val seeds aside

2. Roughly chop onion, tomato, ginger ad garlic and add it to mixer jar and make fine puree of it.

3. In a pan heat oil and add the rai, jeera, chopped green chilli and as it crakles, add the puree

4. Add all masalas like turmeric powder, red chilli powder, garam masala and salt. Mix well

5. Let the gravy fry for few minutes till oil seperates

6. Now add the cooked vaal beans to it. fry for 1-2 minutes and add water to adjusr usal/gravy consistency. Let it boil for another few minites and turn off heat.

Server hot with phulka, bhakari or rice. You can also garnish with fresh coriander leaves and freshmly grated coconut.

Amale ki lunji (आवळा लुंजी) - Sweet and sour Indian Gooseberry Pickle

 Amale ki lunji is easy and interesting way to include this super food in your daily diet. This can be made in less than half and hour and can be easily stored in  refrigerator for 15 days. Have it in your lunch or dinner and it will surely lift the taste of whole meal.

Ingredients:

1. 250 gm amla (Indian Gooseberry)

2. 2 tbsp red chilli powder

3. 1 tbsp roasted jeera powder

4. 1/2 cup grated jaggery

5. 1 tsp rai

6. 1 tsp jeera

7. 1 tsp methi seeds

8. 2 tbsp oil

9. 1 tbsp black salt (sanchal)

Preparation:

1. Wash keep amla in pressure cooker container. Do not add water to amla. Only add water in cooker. Cook amla for 2 whistle in pressure cooker.

2. Once pressure escapes, remove amla and gently press around it's lines with a fork to open. Remove all amla seeds. Cut each separated petal into half. Keep aside

3. Heat oil in a pan, add rai, jeera and methi seeds. As they crackle, add the amla pieces and give it a quick stir.

4. Add black salt, red chilli powder, roasted jeera powder and mix well.

5. Add jaggery and few tbsp water if needed and let the lunji cook till jaggery becomes slightly thick

6. Once jaggery becomes slightly thick, off the flame. Don't make it too thick, as after cooling it will become some more thicker. 

7. Once cooled to room temperature, transefer to airtight glass jar. Store in refrigerator. You can have it with phulka, chapati, daal-rice as side dish.

Mirch ka salan - Green chili curry

 If you are looking for a side dish to change the routine taste of your lunch or dinner, try this tasty  mirch ka salan! If you love spicy food, replace the fat green chillies with spicy hot green chillies. I used the bhajji chilli and even that was spicy! 

Ingradients:

1. 4-5 large(bhajji) green chilli

2. 2 tbsp peanuts

3. 2 tbsp coconut powder

4. 1 tbsp sesame seeds

5. 1 tbsp poppy seeds

6. 1 Large onion chopped 

7. Few close of garlic

8. 1 inch piece of Ginger

9. Half tbsp turmeric powder

10. 1tbsp red chili powder

11. 1 tbsp Garam masala 

12. 1 tbsp lemon juice or 1 tbsp tamrind pulp

13. 4 tbsp oil

14. Salt to taste

15. 1  tbsp chopped coriander for garnishing

Preparation:

1. Dry roast peanuts, coconut powder, sesame seed and poppy seeds, one after other in the same pan

2. Cool to room temperature. Add all the roasted peanuts, coconut powder, sesame seeds, poppy seeds and garlic, ginger, turmeric powder, chilli powder, garam Masala and salt in a mixer jar. Grind to fine paste using very little water.

3. Cut each chilli in 3 to 4 pieces and give it a slit. Remove seeds from inside.

4. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and add cut Chilli pieces. Fry it it till slightly soft. Remove from oil and keep aside.

5. Now add remaining oil and add chopped onion. Fry it till translucent.

6. Add the prepared masala paste and for few minutes. Add 1/2 cup water to adjust the consistency. Add the cooked Chili pieces and mix well. Let the salan cook for few more minutes.

7. Add lemon juice or tamrind pulp. When the salan starts living oil from all sides, off the flame.  Garnish with choped coriander. 

Serve hot and spicy mirch ka salan with paratha or daal-rice.

Cabbage and Sattu balls

 Very easy and quick recipe with healthy ingredients. You can have it for snacks or as starter. These are made in appe pan with very less oil. Alternatively you can also deep fry it.

Ingredients:

1. 1 small piece of cabbage 

2. 2 cup sattu flour 

3. 2 tbsp corn flour or besan

4. 1 inch piece of ginger

5. 1 green chilli 

6. 2 tbsp freshly chopped coriander 

7. 1 tbsp red chili powder 

8. Salt to taste 

9. Pinch of sugar 

10. 1/2 tbsp aamchur powder or lemon juice 

11. Oil for shallow frying 

Preperation:

1. If you have food processor, use chopping attachment and add cabbage, ginger and green chilli and run it on pulse till the cabbage is finely chopped.

Alternatively you can grate the cabbage using grater and make fine paste of ginger and green chilli and add to the cabbage 

2. Transfer the cabbage mix to a bowl. Add sattu, corn flour or besan, red chili powder, salt, sugar, aamchur powder/lemon juice and gently mix together. If you find the mixture too moist, add more sattu & accordingly adjust salt and other masala

3. Roll the mixture into small balls

4. Heat appe pan, add oil in each section and place one ball in each. Cover for 1-2 minutes and cook on medium flame. Now turn each ball and add some more oil and let it cook on other side too. Remove when golden brown on all sides.

Serve hot with tomato sauce or chutney of choice.

Sweet and sour Amla Chutney

There is a lot written and said about importance of Amla or Indian gooseberry. And when you are looking for options to get the much needed vitamin C in your daily food, what best can be there than amla. 

Today I am sharing a quick Amla chutney  that can be easily stored for couple of weeks in refrigerator and tastes great with paratha, daal-rice or phulka.

So let's make it!

Ingredients

1. Around 200 g of Amla

2. 1 cup grated jaggery 

3. 1 tbsp red chili powder

4. 1/2 tbsp jeera

5. Salt to taste 

Preperation:

1. Wash and place the amla in a vessel. Add water to pressure cooker and keep the amla vessel in the cooker. Do not add water to amal directly. Cook the amla for 2 whistles 

2. After the pressure escapes, remove the amla seeds by gently pressing it with fork. Cool the amla completely 

3. Now add red chili, salt, jaggery, jeera and cooked amla to mixer jar and grind to smooth paste 

Our alma chutney is ready!

Store it in a glass jar or steel container in refrigerator. Enjoy with any meals!

Masala Corn Sticks

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup maze flour 

2. 2 tbsp maida

3. 1 tbsp red chili powder 

4. 1 tsp jeera

5. Salt to taste

6. Oil for frying 

7. For masala mix: 1 tsp red chili powder, 1/2 tbsp pepper powder, 1/2 tbsp aamcur powder, pink salt

Preperation:

1. Mix maze flour, maida, salt, red chili powder, jeera and 1 tsp hot oil together. Add little water at time and make soft dough.

Maze flour is not very fine, so you dough will be somewhat crumbly, but that is fine. Use water as needed to keep it moist 

2. Heat oil in kadhai 

3. Roll long cylindrical strips of the dough and cut them in small pieces.

4. Fry in hot oil on medium flame till crisp. Drain on absorbent paper. Repeat for all the sticks

5. Add the masala mix together and sprinkle in on the sticks when the sticks are slightly warm. Toss together well.

Crispy masala corn sticks are ready. Enjoy it with hot tea or coffee.

Savoury Vegetable Muffins

Tasty savoury muffins have it for breakfast or as tea time snacks. Very easy to make or I say bake!!!

Ingredients:

1. 2 Cup fine rava( 0 number rava or chiroti rava, I learned these names recently 😊)

2. 1/2 cup whole wheat flour 

3. Atleast any 3 of these vegetables (you can experiment with different veggies)

2 tbsp finely chopped carrot

2 tbsp green peas

2 tbsp finely chopped cabbage 

2 tbsp finely chopped French beans

2 tbsp sweet corn

2 tbsp finely chopped capsicum 

4. 1 tbsp finely chopped garlic

5. 1 tbsp salted butter 

6. 2 tbsp red chilli powder 

7.  1 tbsp turmeric powder (optional)

8. Salt per taste 

9. 2 tbsp sour curd

10. 1 tbsp oil

11. 1/4 th tbsp cooking soda or eno

Preperation:

1. Mix all ingredients except butter, garlic and eno in one large bowl 

2. Slowly add water and mix together to form batter of cake consistency 

3. Covers and rest the batter for 15 minutes 

4. Add soda/eno and mix gently 

5. Grease muffin tray with oil and dust it with some wheat flour, add spoonful of batter in each part

6. Melt the butter and add finely chopped garlic to it and keep aside 

7. Preheat oven for 10 minutes at 180° and bake muffins at 180° for 7-8 minutes 

8. Take out muffins and apply butter-garlic mix all over it

9. Bake for another 5 minutes. Check by inserting a toothpick. If it sticks to toothpick, you can cook for another 3-4 minutes and check again.

Serve yummy hot savory muffins with tomato ketchup!

Tamrind kadhi ( चिंचेची कढी)

Kadhi is one satisfying side dish that can lift your moods almost immediately and also soothes your digestive system. Kadhi is made with buttermilk mostly and each region has it's variations of making kadhi taste unique.

Ingredients:

1. 1/4 cup tbsp tamrind soaked in a cup of lukewarm water for 10-15 minutes 

2. 3 tbsp besan

3. 2 tbsp grated jaggery

4. Few curry leaves 

5. 1/2 tsp rai 

6. 1/2 tsp jeera 

7. 1/2 tsp  methi Dana

8. 1/2 tbsp turmeric powder 

9. 1 tbsp red chili powder 

10. Sallt to taste 

11. 2 tbsp oil

Preperation:

1. Make tamrind pulp with soaked tamrind in same water. Discard the solid pieces of tamrind after removing all pulp

2. Add the besan to this tamrind water and mix well so that no lumps are left

3. Add salt, red chilli powder and mix well and keep aside 

4. Heat oil in pan, add rai, jeera and curry leaves. Add methi dana and let it fry well

5. Add turmeric powder and give it a quick stir 

6. Add tamrind and besan mix to this. Add another 1/2 to 3/4th cup water to adjust consistency to that of kadhi.

7. Add grated jaggery and mix well

8. Bring to boil

Serve hot with rice or khichadi.

Spicy paratha (गोडा मसाला पराठा)

With lockdown everyone is looking to cook with minimal ingredients or with available ingredients. At kitchenkatta 

it has always been my focus to cook with minimal, simple ingredients. So here is one more such recipe for you all.

Ingredients:

For making paratha dough 

1. 2 cup whole wheat flour 

2. 2-3 tbsp kasuri methi

3. 1 tbsp turmeric powder 

4. 2 tbsp red chili powder 

5. 1 tbsp oil to add in dough making 

6. 1/2 tbsp jeera

7. Salt to taste

8. Water as needed 

For masala 

1. 2 tbsp Maharashtrian goda masala 

Alternatively you can use garam masala mixed with 1/2 tbsp red chili powder 

2. 2 tbsp oil 

Make thick paste of the goda masala in oil and add pinch of salt to it

Oil for cooking 

Preperation:

1. Mix all ingredients of paratha dough except water together in a bowl. Add little water at a time and make soft dough like roti dough. Apply 1 tbsp oil and knead the dough well. Cover and rest it for 15 minutes 

2. Divide dough in equal parts. Roll a ball in round shape and apply the goda masala paste all over

3. Fold the paratha as shown below to give a square shaped parata 

4. Gently roll the paratha keeping the shape, apply dry flour as needed while rolling 

5. Heat tava and cook the paratha on both sides applying oil

Repeat for all paratha. Chatpata spicy paratha is ready. Serve with rita of your choice or simple fresh curds.

Sweet corn, palak , paneer pulav with bujia sev raita

There are times when you need to prepare simple and quick meals and this one is handy not just during lockdown but any day when you are running really busy. With little preparation you can make this rice really quickly.  And yes, you don't have to blanch spinach and it does not taste raw.

Ingredients:

For pulav:

1. 1 bowl of fresh palak leaves

2. 1/2 cup sweet corn kernels

3. 1/2 cup paneer cubes

4. Few garlic cloves

5. 1 medium onion cut into long slices

6. Cooked rice, 3 cups

7. 1 tsp jeera

8. 1 tbsp red chili powder

9. 2 tbsp sambar powder

10. 4 tbsp oil

11. Salt to taste

For Raita

1. 1 cup fresh curd

2. 1/2 tbsp chat masala

3. 1/2 tbsp sugar

4. Salt to taste

5. Red chili powder for garnish

6. 1/2 cup aloo bhujia sev

Preparation:

1. Add garlic cloves and chopped palak to mixer jar and puree it

2. Heat a non stick tava or pan, and add 1 tbsp oil, add paneer cubes and roast it till slightly brown on both sides. Off flame and keep it aside

3. Heat a pan, add remaining oil and add jeera to it.

4. As it crackles, add onion slices and fry till golden

5. Add sweet corn kernels, cover and cook till they turn soft

6. Now add the palak puree and mix well.

7. Add red chili powder, sambar powder and salt, mix well. Cook till palak puree turns slightly darker in color and starts leaving oil from sides

8. Add cooked rice and mix well

9. Add paneer cubes and mix well. You can also sprinkle some salt on paneer cubes before adding

Cover and let it cook on steam for few minutes

Sweet corn, palak paneer pulav is ready

For preparing raita, mix curd, chat masala , salt, sugar in a bowl. Add bhujia sev, preferably before serving to keep the crunch. Garnish with red chili powder and serve with the pulav.

Oats shake with mangoes and crunchy muesli

Simple and filling breakfast for busy morning, this oats shake is filling and satisfying

Ingredients:
1. 1/2 cup rolled oats 
2. 2 cup milk
3. 1 cup freshly chopped mango pieces 
4. 2 tbsp muesli 
5. 3 tbsp honey or dates syrup 

Preparation:
1. Mix oats and milk, 2 tbsp honey or dates syrup and make the shake. You can add couple of ice cubes 
2. Pour the milkshake in 2 glasses, top it with chopped mangoes, and 1 tbsp muesli each. Add remaining honey or dates syrup on top

Tomato saar

Tomato che saar is a traditional Maharashtrian tomato side dish/soup. It is yummy, easy to make and sure to lift your mood if you are looking for something to satisfy you taste buds. You can have it with rice, khichadi or just drink a cup of it for evening snacks time.

Ingredients:

1. 4 medium tomatoes 

2. 1/4 cup fresh coconut pieces 

3. 3 cloves of garlic 

4. 1 tbsp red chili powder 

5. 1/4 th tbsp sugar

6. 1/2 tbsp cumin seeds 

7. 1 tbsp oil 

8. 1 tbsp ghee 

9. few curry leaves and 1 dry red chili 

10. Salt to taste 

Preparation:

1. Pressure cook tomatoes with some water for 2 whistles. Cool them completely. Peel of the skin and discard it.

2. In mixer, add cooked tomatoes, coconut pieces, garlic and grind to fine paste.  

3. In a pan heat 1 tbsp oil, add cumin seeds, curry leaves, red chilli to it. Add 1 tbsp ghee to this

4. Add the tomatoes, coconut paste, salt, red chili powder and sugar.

Add water to adjust consistency like that of soup

Bring it to boil. 

Serve hot!

Crispy corn

Wanted to make something chatpata yet hutke today when I got my hand on the corn kernels that I had. So decided to make this crispy corn. This is easy to prepare, no mess recipe if you have air fryer at hand. I used my Samsung Smart Oven's Slim fry mode which is just perfect for this recipe and also has a pre-loaded setting for this dish. Though with the quantity I made, the exact timing of the pre-loaded setting was not sufficient, so I ended up cooking ~27 minutes on slim fry option.

If you have air fryer, you can use similar time, or keep checking every 10 minutes for crispiness. I am not specifying exact time here as I don't want to restrict the recipe to specific appliances.

It is also fine to shallow fry/deep fry the crispy corn, only in that case make sure your batter used for coating is slightly more moist than used for air frying option so that it does not spread in oil. Also make sure to fry in small batches. 

Ingredients:

1. 2 Cup fresh sweet corn kernels

2. 4 tbsp corn flour 

3. 2 tbsp red chilli powder

4. 1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper powder

5. 1 tbsp honey

6. 1 tbsp lemon juice

7. Salt to taste

8. 6-7 tbsp oil (if deep frying, 1/2 cup oil for frying)

For garnishing:

1. 1 Medium sized onion, cut into thin slices

2. 1 tbsp spring onion (I have used spinach mircogreens as I just wanted to use them :) )

3. 1 tbsp Chat masala

4. 1/2 tbsp freshly ground black pepper powder

Preparation: 

1. In a bowl take corn kernels and add 4 tbsp corn flour, chilli powder, salt, 1 black pepper powder, honey and lemon juice

2. Mix gently so that all corn kernel are covered well with corn flour and spices

3. Add 2 tbsp oil and mix gently. Keep doing so till corn kernel are coated well and moisture is absorbed well. If corn kernel are too dry, use 1-2 tbsp water to coat with flour. Keep it aside for 10 minutes

4. Grease the crusty plate with oil and spread the flour coated kernels on it. Drizzle some more oil over and fry on slim fry option for ~27 minutes.

If using Samsung Smart Oven use crispy corn setting.

5. Keep checking and stirring occasionally

If deep frying, fry in small batches till corn turn crispy and slightly golden from outside.

6. Garnish with onion slices, spring onion greens, chaat masala and black pepper power

Serve yummy crispy corn as snacks or starter (or even have it for breakfast like we did ;) )!

Homemade Boondi and Boondi Raita

Special situation, needs special treatment too! Oh nothing serious but as extended time at home for kiddo and some boredom too, I am looking for ways to make him happy and same time ensuring that we avoid external food as much possible..

As boondi raita is favourite of my LO, and I did not have boondi at home, I decided to make it. This is very easy and you need ingredients that are readily available at home. So let's get to the recipe 

Ingredients:

For making boondi 

1. 1/2 cup besan

2. 2 tbsp red chili powder ( optional)

3. pinch of cooking soda

4. Salt to taste 

5. Oil for frying

For raita:

1. 1 cup Thick curd (not so sour)

2. 1 tbsp sugar

3. 1/2 tbsp chat masala

4. Salt as per taste 

5. Pinch of red chili powder 

Preperation:

For making boondi:

1. In  bowl mix besan, red chilli powder, salt, cooking soda and 2 tbsp oil

2. Add very little water at time, mix well  and make batter of dropping consistency 

3. Heat oil for frying 

4. Now use one frying zara with holes to drop the batter in hot oil. Fry boondi on low heat, till crisp. Use another to remove fried boondi and drain on absorbent paper 

Repeat for remaining batter 

Let the boondi cool completely. You can store it in airtight container for use later

For making raita:

1. Mix salt, sugar and chat masala with the curd

2. Add boondi and mix gently 

3. Garnish with red chilli powder

Enjoy fully home made boondi raita with any paratha!

Crispy Nachos, Salsa and Dip

Simple, quick and yummy snack that will lift up your mood 

Ingredients:
For Nachos 
1. 1 cup corn flour 
2. 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
3. 1/4 tsp turmeric powder 
4. 1 tbsp ajwain seeds
5. Salt as per taste 
6. Oil for frying 

Spice Mix:
1. 1 tbsp red chili powder 
2. 1 tbsp all purpose seasoning 
3. 1/2 tbsp black paper powder 

For Salsa 
1. 1 ripe, red tomato 
2. 1 small onion 
3. 1 green chilli 
4. 1 tbsp chopped coriander
5. 1/2 tbsp red chili powder
6. Salt as per taste 
7. 1/2 tbsp all purpose seasoning 

For dip:
1. 2 tbsp veg mayonnaise 
2. 2 tbsp tomato ketchup 

Preparation:
Nachos:
1. In a bowl mix corn flour, whole wheat flour, salt, turmeric powder and roughly crushed ajwain seeds and  2 tbsp oil 
2. Using water, knead stiff dough 
3. Cover and keep the dough aside for 10 minutes 
4. Divide the dough in small balls and roll a small size Puri. Make marking with fork so that while frying nachos will remain flat and crisp
5. Divide the puri in 12 equal parts with help of knife or cutter
6. Repeat for all the balls
7. Heat oil and fry nachos on low to medium heat till crisp and slightly Brown
8. Drain on absorbent paper and let them slightly cool

Prepare the spice mix by mixing red chili powder, seasoning and black pepper powder and sprinkle on nachos and toss it together. Crispy nachos are ready. Can be stored in airtight container after fully cool.

For Salsa
1. Finely chop tomato, onion, green chilli and coriander and mix it together 
2. Add salt, red chili powder, seasoning and mix well
Salsa is ready

For making the dip mix veg mayonnaise and tomato ketchup to form smooth dip

Serve you yummy nachos with salsa and dip!

Homemade strawberry yogurt

This is super easy and very satisfying presentation. You can enjoy as mid meal snack or as dessert post meal to satisfy your sweet cravings.

Ingredients:
1. 2 cup Thick curd, not so sour. Prefer homemade.
2. 2 tbsp powdered sugar. Optional but use it if you want to get the taste as near as store bought yogurt and want kids to have it!
3. 3-4 strawberries

Preperation:
1.  Hang the curd for 5-6 hours in a muslin/thin cotton cloth and then use the thick curd
2. Cut and crush the strawberries using mixture 
3. Add sugar to the strawberries pulp and crush together 
4. Gently mix this strawberries crush with the hung curd
5. Chill for half an hour and enjoy you homemade strawberry yogurt !!

Kitchen Gyan: Use the leftover whey after you make hung curd in kneading chapati dough. It will make chapati soft.

Sattu Paratha

Sattu is staple made with chana daal and spices and is routinely used in many parts of northern India. Sometime back I got my hand of Chana sattu when shopping at Khadi Bhandar in Lucknow and made these sattu paratha.

While there paratha are very good for breakfast they are super healthy too, as they bring in all goodness of Sattu and are protein rich too.

Let's get to the recipe:

Ingredients:

1. Chana sattu 1 cup 

2. 1 1/2 cup wheat flour 

3. 1 medium onion, finely chopped 

4. 1 tbsp of spicy mango pickle( take small pieces or mash them completely)

5. 1 tbsp red chili powder 

6. Salt to taste 

7. Oil for cooking 

8. Water as needed 

Preperation:

1. Knead a soft dough with wheat flour. Add salt while making the dough, apply oil, cover and keep aside 

2. In a bowl, mix sattu, choppes onion, red chili powder, mango pickle and some oil. Mix it well, Add water one tbsp at a time and keep mixing. Sattu mixture should become just moist but not watery 

3. Divide the sattu mix in equal parts. This is going to be stuffing for paratha.
4. Divide the wheat flour dough in equal parts too

5. Roll the wheat flour balls in small circle, place the sattu stuffing and close the paratha. Gently roll paratha and cook on hot tava by applying oil on both sides
Prepare all paratha is similar way.

Serve hot with pickle or curd.