Lemon Rice

Lemon Rice is a very popular South Indian dish. What makes it so tasty is the nutty flavor of the peanuts and cashews mixed with the tanginess from the lemon. They work so great together.  It’s traditionally a breakfast dish but is perfect for lunch and dinner as well. It gets done within five minutes if you have left over rice. This is one of the simplest rice recipes that add color and flavor into plain boring rice. Here’s my version of Lemon Rice. Enjoy!!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Boiled Basmati Rice
• 1 tbsp. Clarified Butter or Oil
• 1 tsp. Mustard Seeds
• ¼ tsp. Asafetida
• 7-8 Cashews split into halves
• 4 tbsp. Peanuts
• 1 tsp. Split Black Gram (Optional)
• 1 sprig Curry Leaves
• 2 tbsp. Lemon Juice
• Salt to Taste
• ½ tsp. Turmeric Powder
• 2 Green Chilies finely chopped
• 2 tbsp. finely chopped Coriander Leaves

Method:

• Heat Clarified Butter in a Pan.
• Add the Mustard Seeds and split Black Gram and allow them to crackle.
• Add Peanuts and Cashews and sauté for half a minute.
• Add Asafetida and Green Chilies.
• Now Add the curry Leaves.
• Add in the Turmeric Powder, Rice and Salt and toss gently.
• Add the Lemon Juice and Chopped Coriander Leaves and Toss again.

Bottle Gourd with Split Bengal Gram Curry/ Chana Dal Lauki

I was never familiar with the combination of Bottle Gourd and Split Bengal Gram when I lived down South.  Until I found out this combination after I moved to Gujarat, I used to hate Bottle Gourd. But now I’m so much in love with Bottle Gourd that I cook this dish almost every week. Bottle Gourd and Split Bengal Gram are made for each other. I’ve cooked this curry using a pressure cooker because it gets done in a jiffy. However you can cook it in a heavy based pan with the lid covered on low to medium heat. Make sure you cook until the gram turns soft but not mushy. Here’s the recipe.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup Split Bengal Gram (Chana Dal) washed and soaked in water for an hour
• 1 ½ cup diced Bottle Gourd (Lauki)
• 2 inch piece Cinnamon
• 1 tbsp. Oil
• 1 tsp. Cumin Seeds
• ½ tbsp. Clarified Butter
• 1 tbsp. finely Chopped Garlic
• 1 tbsp. Finely Chopped Green Chili
• ¼ cup finely chopped Onion
• ¼ cup finely chopped Tomato
• 1 tbsp. finely chopped Coriander Leaves
• 2 cups water
• Salt to Taste
• 1 tsp. Red Chili Powder
• 1 tsp. Garam Masala Powder
• ½ tsp. Cumin Powder
• ½ tsp. Coriander Seeds Powder
• 1 tsp. Ginger Garlic Paste

Method:

• In a Pressure Cooker, heat 1 tbsp. Oil.
• Add Cinnamon Stick and Cumin Seeds and allow it to crackle.
• Now add the Green Chili and Ginger Garlic Paste and sauté for half a minute.
• Add the Onion and cook until Golden Brown.
• Now add the Bottle Gourd and Tomatoes and mix well.
• Drain water from the soaked Split Bengal Gram and add the Bengal gram into the Pressure Cooker.
• Add Salt, Turmeric Powder, Red Chili Powder, Cumin Powder, Coriander Powder and Garam Masala Powder.
• Now add 2 cups water and Pressure cook until 4 whistles.
• Open the Pressure Cooker once the pressure is released.
• In another pan heat the Clarified butter.
• Add Garlic and fry until Golden Brown and then add it into the Curry and mix well.
• Sprinkle chopped Coriander Leaves on top.

Pepper Cottage Cheese Tikka/ Paneer Kali Mirch Tikka

Paneer Kali Mirch Tikka is one of my favorite starters. This is a dish that can never go wrong. It is super simple to make, but the outcome looks just beautiful. The ingredients used in the recipe too are very easily available. It matches perfectly with Green Chutney. I’ve made these Tikkas in an Oven but you could also grill them on an open grill. It is however traditionally made using a Tandoor (Indian Clay Oven). The difference is similar to the pizza you bake at home in an electric oven and the ones made in wood fired ovens. But this is the best you can make at home, which is still very delicious. So here’s the recipe for Paneer Kali Mirch Tikka. Enjoy!!

Ingredients:

• 250 grams Cottage Cheese cut into 2 inch squares
• 1 tbsp. Black Peppercorns dry roasted and coarsely Ground
• 1 Tomato deseeded and cut into 2 inch square
• 1 Green Bell pepper deseeded and cut into 2 inch square
• ½ Onion Quartered and separated
• Salt for seasoning
• ½ tbsp. Ginger Garlic Paste
• 2/3 cup Fresh Cream
• 1 tsp. Softened Butter
• 3-4 Skewer Sticks
• 1/2 Lime

Method:

• In a Mixing Bowl, add Fresh Cream, Butter, Ground Pepper, Salt and Ginger Garlic Paste and mix well.
• Marinate the Cottage Cheese, Tomato, Bell Pepper and Onion in this mixture.
• Transfer it into the fridge for half an hour.
• Pre-heat the Oven at 275 °C
• Grease a baking tray.
• Now insert the marinated Cottage Cheese, Bell Peppers, Tomato and Onion into skewers sticks.
• Place the skewers on the baking tray and bake them for 10-12 minutes.
• Transfer the skewers on a serving plate and squeeze half a lime on top.

Almond Cookies

I love the freshly baked cookies. You will always find a box of home baked cookies at my place. This time I decided to make Almond cookies.  I made the powered almond myself at home because I feel the almond flour bought from the market is too fine. All I did was I took a handful of almonds and put it into the food processor. Make sure you pulse blend so that you can control how fine you want the powder to be. Make sure the powered almond is not chunky too. Once you get this right, the cookies will absolutely turn out perfect.  Here’s the recipe for my Almond Cookies.

Ingredients:

• 1¼ cup All Purpose Flour
• 1 cup powered Almond (not too fine)
• ¾ cup powered Sugar
• ½ cup softened Butter
• 1 Egg
• 1 tsp. Almond Essence
• 1 tsp. Baking Powder
• 10 Almonds split into halves

Method:

• Pre-heat Almond at 175°C
• Add Sugar and Butter into a mixing bowl and mix well using an electric beater.
• Add the Egg and Almond Essence and mix again using the beater.
• Now add the Baking Powder and powered Almond and mix well using a spatula.
• Finally add the All Purpose Flour and mix using the spatula.
• Place a baking mat or a sheet of butter paper on the baking tray.
• Make lime size balls out of the cookies dough and place them on the baking tray at least 2 inches apart from each other.
• Give a gently press on each of the balls and then place one Almond half on each of the cookie.
• Transfer the baking tray into the oven and bake for 14-15 minutes.
• Once the cookies are baked, transfer them to a cooling rack and let the cookies cool.

Bread Upma

I used to end up going to my grandparent’s house every weekend during my schooldays. My grandmother cooks excellent food and all she loved doing was making me eat what she cooked no matter how stuffed I was. I guess food is one of the main way grandparents show their love. One of my favorite breakfast dishes my grandmother cooked was Bread Upma and I used to ask her to make it often. I love the idea of using bread in an Indian dish as a main ingredient. Makes it sound interesting.  I feel nostalgic each time I cook this dish. So here’s the recipe for Bread Upma, my childhood favorite.

Ingredients:

• 5 slices Bread roughly cut into small cubes
• 1 tbsp. Oil
• 1 tsp. Mustard Seeds
• ½ tsp. Cumin Seeds
• 6 Cashews split into half
• 7-8 Curry Leaves
• ¼ tsp. Asafetida
• 1 tsp. Split Black Gram (skinless)
• ¼ cup finely chopped Onion
• ¼ tsp. Turmeric Powder
• Salt to Taste
• ¾ tsp. Red Chili Powder
• 1 tbsp. chopped Coriander Leaves
• Some water to sprinkle

Method:

• Heat Oil in a Pan.
• Add Mustard Seeds, Split Black Gram and Cumin Seeds and allow them to crackle.
• Add Cashews and toss until golden brown.
• Add Asafetida and Curry Leaves.
• Add the chopped Onion and cook until it turns soft.
• Add the Red Chili Powder, Turmeric Powder and Salt.
• Now add the Bread cubes and sprinkle a few drops of water using your hand.
• Mix well gently and keep tossing for 3-4 minutes.
• Turn off the heat and add the chopped Coriander Leaves and give a gently toss.

Tava Pulao

My husband was craving for Tava Pulao that we get in a restaurant chain called ‘Honest’. It is super famous here in Gujarat. Honest is in almost every city in Gujarat but sadly not here where we live. So I decided to replicate the dish at home and it turned out 99% like the one we get in Honest. And honestly, my husband was very impressed. It’s a super quick dish if you have some leftover boiled Basmati Rice. Just make sure that the rice you use is at room temperature. If you use hot rice, you end up with a mess. I’ve used Pav Bhaji Powder in the recipe. I’m sure you’ll find it in any Indian Market. However if you can’t find it, replace it with Garam Masala Powder. Here’s the recipe for my version of Tava Pulao.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups boiled Basmati Rice
• ¾ cups par boiled Mixed Vegetables (Carrot, French Beans, Green Peas)
• ½ tbsp. Cumin Seeds
• 1 tbsp. Clarified Butter (Ghee)
• 1 tsp. finely chopped Green Chili
• 1 tsp. Ginger Paste
• ¼ cup finely Chopped Onion
• 2 tbsp. finely chopped Coriander Leaves
• ¾ tsp. Red Chili Powder
• ½ tsp. Turmeric Powder
• 1 tsp.  Pav Bhaji Powder (Substitute: 1 tsp. Garam Masala Powder)
• Salt to Taste

Method:

• Heat Clarified Butter in a Pan.
• Add the Cumin Seeds and allow it to crackle.
• Add the Green Chili and sauté for half a minute.
• Add Onion and cook until it turns soft.
• Add the Ginger Paste and cook for a minute.
• Now add the Red Chili Powder, Turmeric Powder, Salt and Pav Bhaji Powder and mix well.
• Add the Vegetables and keep tossing for a minute and a half.
• Add the Rice and mixing gently for 3-4 minutes. While doing so, make sure you don’t crush the rice. So be gentle.
• Finally add the Chopped Coriander Leaves and mix gently and take it off the heat.

Egg Masala

Here is another all time favorite dishes of mine. It always is a hit with rice and also goes well with rotis and naans. My husband claims he could eat this everyday. I make two versions of Egg Curry. This one is with Chopped Onions and Tomatoes and the other is with the Onions and the Tomatoes put in the blender and ground into a paste. They both taste great. I’ll post the recipe for the other version as well pretty soon. I also sometimes make the Egg Curry my mom used to make, that is in Coconut Milk and that tastes amazing as well. So here’s the first variety of my Egg Curry. Enjoy!!

Ingredients:

• 6 Hard Boiled Eggs cut into halves
• 1 cup finely chopped Tomatoes
• ¾ cup finely chopped Onion
• ¼ cup Tomato Puree
• 1 Cup Water
• 1 Green Chili finely chopped
• 4 Cloves Garlic finely chopped
• 2 tbsp. Oil
• 1 tsp. Cumin Seeds
• 1 inch piece Cinnamon
• 1¼ tsp. Chili Powder
• 1 tsp. Garam Masala Powder
• ¼ tsp. Turmeric Powder
• ½ tsp. Coriander Powder
• 1 tsp. Ginger Paste
• Salt to Taste
• 2 tbsp. finely Chopped Coriander Leaves

Method:

• Heat oil in a Pan.
• Add Cinnamon and Cumin Seeds and allow it to crackle.
• Add the Green Chili, Ginger Paste and Garlic and let it cook for half a minute.
• Add the Onion and cook until Golden Brown.
• Add the Tomatoes and cook until they turn soft.
• Then add The Tomato Puree and cook for 2-3 minutes.
• Add the Red Chili Powder, Coriander Powder, Turmeric Powder, Garam Masala Powder and Salt and mix well.
• Now add the Water and Eggs and cook over low her for 10 minutes.
• Add the Chopped Coriander leaves and it’s done.