Bhendi Fry

Bhendi Fry

Okra is one vegetable that my husband says a big yes to. All my childhood I was made to believe that eating okra improves one's math skills. I have no idea how true that is but it is definitely my family favorite vegetarian dish, and I guarantee it will be yours soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients:


Okra - 1 lb
Onion - 1 large
Curry leaves - few
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Red chilli powder - 2 tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Dry coconut powder - 2 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Oil - 3 tbsp

Method:

1. Wash the okra and pat dry each okra with a paper towel. Chop them to 1/2 inch thick pieces and keep aside.
2. Heat a wide non-stick pan and pour the oil in it. After the oil is medium hot, add the cumin seeds and allow them to splutter.
3. Now add the chopped onion, some salt and saute till the onions turn translucent. 
4. Add in the curry leaves, ginger garlic paste and fry till the raw flavor of the ginger garlic paste is gone.
5. Add the turmeric powder, red chilli powder and the coriander powder and saute for a minute. 
6. Now add in the chopped okra. Sprinkle some more salt. 
7. Keep mixing till the stickiness from the okra is gone and you see oil oozing out. Do not walk away, keep stirring continuously, otherwise the okra on the bottom of the pan tends to burn easily.
8. After the okra is dry and cooked through, sprinkle the coconut powder. Mix well and serve hot.
9. It goes excellent with chapati.

Tasty Tips:

1. Okra has a lot of capsules in it. It tends to get slimier when you cut through these capsules. So, be very careful while chopping the okra.
2. Choose the okra that are thin, long and tender.
3. Water contact is what makes okra more slimier. So make sure okra is really dry before you chop. Skipping this step increases the cooking time.
4. Make sure you do not fry the onions too much before adding the okra. Onions fry along with the okra through the cooking process otherwise they tend to darken even before the okra is cooked.
5. If your okra is taking too long to lose the stickiness, add in a few teaspoons of buttermilk. 
6. A wide non-stick pan is definitely helpful.

Kaaram Appaalu

Kaaram Appaalu

Appaalu is a traditional Telangana snack usually made during festive season. It is also called 'Chekkalu' in Andhra. Though this dish has many names, it is a simple and savory version of rice crackers. These are so good that you cannot just stop with one or two. Enjoy!!

Ingredients:
Rice flour - 4 cups
Chana flour (besan) - 1/2 cup
Chana dal - 1/4 cup
Crushed peanuts - 1/2 cup

Sesame seeds - 2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Red chilli powder - 3 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Oil - 3 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Oil - for deep frying
Water - to make the dough

Method:

1. Soak the raw chana dal in water for half-an-hour.
2. In a large bowl, take the rice flour, chana flour(besan). Mix them well.
3. To this add the red chilli powder, salt, cumin seeds, sesame seeds, chopped curry leaves, soaked chana dal and the crushed peanuts. Mix well crushing with your fingers till all the peanuts and the chana dal is coated with the dry flour.
4. Now heat the 3 tbsp oil till its warm  enough. Add this oil to the above flour mixture. Mix all the ingredients well. Be careful the oil you added in is hot. Try mixing it with a spoon if its too hot for you. The goal here is that the flour should soak up all the oil. The mixture now looks like a pastry crust, dry but the flour still comes together when pressed between two fingers.
5. Now heat some water in a microwave for 2 minutes. Add this water to the above mixture slowly as you keep mixing it with a spoon. When mixed well the dough should be of a chapati dough consistency. 
6. Cover it with a damp cloth and let the dough rest for 20 minutes.
7. In a kadhai, heat the oil to deep fry the appaalu.
8. Take a small golf-ball size dough, while pressing between your palms, make it into round disc. 
9. In a small bowl take some oil. Dip this disc in some oil. 
10. To make the pooris you need a Poori-press (refer to the picture below)  
    

    

    Tortilla Press
    

11. Place a plastic sheet inside the poori-press to avoid the dough from sticking to the poori press. Apply some oil to this sheet as well. 
12. Place the dough disc inside the poori-press and press it till its thin poori like shape.
    

    

    Tortilla press
    

13. Don't worry if the poori tears, press it with your fingers to cover any imperfections. 
14. Deep fry it in the oil on a low flame till golden brown and crispy.

Tasty tip:

1. Appaalu goes excellent with a hot cup of Indian tea. One crunchy bite into this appaalu and a sip of hot tea is a tea lovers delight.
2. Poori press is sold as 'Tortilla Press' in US.  I bought mine at Target for $15.

Kadhai Paneer Pasta

Kadhai Paneer Pasta

Kadhai Paneer pasta is a fusion of Indian and Italian cuisine. I combined two classic dishes from Indian and Italian cuisines to satisfy my family's taste buds. Spicy red pepper flakes gives this dish a zing. Home-made crunchy garlic bread is an excellent accompaniment. A glass of good Moscato white wine definitely cleanses your palate. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Pasta – 1 lb

Paneer – ½ lb

Bell pepper – 2 (1 yellow, 1 red)

Red chillies – 5

Coriander seeds – 3 tsp

Oil – 3 tbs

Butter – 2 tbs

Garlic – 6 cloves

Marinara sauce – 2 cups

Heavy cream – 3 tbsp

Kasoori methi – 1 tsp

Sugar – ½ tsp

Coriander leaves – a bunch

Cheese – ¼ cup

Salt – to taste

Method:

1.      Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add some salt to the water when it’s rolling boiled. Add in the raw pasta, stir well and cook as per the instructions on the box for not less than 8 minutes till al dente.  Drain the pasta well and preserve some pasta water. Keep it aside.

2.      Cube the paneer into 1 inch cubes. Cut the bell peppers into 1 inch pieces.

3.      In a pan, add 1 tbsp of oil, add in the cubed paneer and fry it till golden brown on all sides. Remove the paneer cubes into a separate plate.

4.      In the same pan, add the bell peppers and cook half way through. Make sure the peppers are not fully cooked and that they still have a bite. Put them in a plate.

5.      Now blend together the red chillies and the coriander seeds into a coarse powder.

6.      In the same pan, put the remaining oil and the butter and add in the red chilli and coriander powder. Fry for 2 – 3 minutes.

7.      Add in the finely chopped garlic and fry till golden brown.

8.      Now add in the marinara sauce and stir well. Add in some salt and sugar.

9.      Add in the heavy cream and stir well. The sauce now has a pink hue color.

10.  Add in the paneer and the bell pepper cubes. Stir well. If you feel that the sauce is thick add in the pasta water that you preserved earlier.

11.  Now add in the cooked pasta. Stir well. Cover it and let the flavors of the sauce stick to the pasta.

12.  Crush the kasoori methi between your palms and drizzle it over the pasta. Add in the chopped coriander leaves.

13.  Turn the stove off. Sprinkle some shredded cheese.

14.  Serve hot with home-made garlic bread (recipe follows).

Tasty tips:

1.      For the pasta, I used Rigatoni. You can use any pasta of your choice. Penne, farfalle are some of the best options.

2.      Be careful while you fry the paneer. Paneer tends to splutter a lot in hot oil. Make sure you use a splutter screen.

3.      Kasoori methi is dried fenugreek leaves that have a unique aroma and taste. I use this in a lot of my dishes.

4.      For the marinara sauce I use the brand Prego.

5.      For cheese you can use any cheese of your choice. I prefer shredded mozzarella. 

Garlic Bread

Bread slices – 4

Butter – 6 tbsp

Garlic – 6 cloves

Coriander leaves – 4 tbsp

Method:

1.      Preheat the oven to 400 F.

2.      Cut each bread slice into two triangles diagonally.

3.      Put the butter in a bowl and whisk it well. Room temperature butter speeds up this process.

4.      Mince the garlic cloves into a coarse paste. This can be done by adding some salt on to the finely chopped garlic and crushing it with a rough edge of a knife. Salt gives good grip on the knife, because the knife tends to slip when the oil in the chopped garlic is released.

5.      Finely chop the coriander leaves.

6.      Add the minced garlic, chopped coriander leaves to the butter and whisk well.

7.      Now apply this garlic butter onto one side of each bread slice generously.

8.      Bake these in the oven for 2 - 3 minutes or till they are golden brown.

Tasty tip:

This crunchy garlic bread tastes excellent when dipped in warm marinara sauce.

Kadhai Paneer Pasta

Hyderabadi Mutton Dum Biryani

Hyderabadi Mutton Dum Biryani

Biryani is such a comforting dish with a perfect blend of right spices. There's an interesting story on how the  Biryani was born. In ancient times when the kings went on wars they used to set camps after the sun sets. On the camp sites the nawabi chefs didn't have enough resources to make a king size meal that has ten different dishes. Then the chefs created this biryani, which is a blend of meat, aromatic spices, nuts and rice, a one pot satisfying meal. There are a number of methods to make biryani. Two basic methods are Paki biryani and Kachchi biryani. Paki meaning cooked, Kachchi meaning raw. In the Paki biryani the meat is cooked first and then layered with rice. In Kachchi biryani the meat and rice are cooked together in an earthen pot called Handi. The lid on the pot is sealed tight with a dough, the steam inside the pot helps the meat and rice cook. The steam is called the dum in Hindi, hence the name Dum Biryani. Hyderabad, a region in South India is famous for Kachchi Biryani.
      Biryani can be made with a variety of meats like chicken, goat meat, lamb, fish or even fried vegetables. After number of failures, I found this recipe easy to make and the results are satisfactory. The leftover biryani tastes even better. Enjoy!!


Ingredients:
Tender goat meat - 1 lb, cut into 1" pieces
Basmati rice - 3/4 lb
Onions - 4 medium, slice
Ginger garlic paste - 4 tsp
Red chilli powder - 3 tsp
Coriander powder - 3 tsp
Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
Garam masala powder - 3 tsp
Nut meg powder - 1/8 tsp
Meat tenderizer - 1 tbsp
Coriander leaves - 1 bunch
Mint leaves - 1 bunch
Green chillies - 4
Shahi jeera(black cumin) - 2tsp
Cashew nuts - 2 tbsp
Bay leaf - 2
Yogurt - 3 cups
Lemon juice - 3 tbsp
Milk - ½ cup
Saffron food color - 2 pinches
Oil - 8tbsp
Ghee - 4tbsp
Salt to taste

Method:

   1. Rinse and soak the basmati rice for at least 40 minutes.

   2. Wash the cut mutton pieces clean and drain the water well.

   3. In a kadai, pour some oil enough for deep frying. Deep fry the onions to golden brown and crispy. Put them aside to cool.

   4. In a bowl, mix the chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, salt, meat tenderizer, ginger garlic paste, garam masala, 6 tbsp oil, 2tbsp lemon juice and the yogurt. Mix this marinade well.

   5. To this add some of the fried onions, and add some of the coriander and mint leaves Crush the onions and the coriander and mint leaves as you mix.

   6. Add the mutton pieces to this mixture and mix well. Add the slit green chillies to it. Cover it and let it marinate for at least 3-4 hours (preferably overnight in a refrigerator).

   7. Now take a big bowl of water and let it boil, to this add shahi jeera, the nutmeg powder, remaining 2tbsp oil, cashew nuts, the bay leaves and salt. Check for the salt before you add the rice. The water should taste like sea water. As soon as the water comes to a boil add the drained rice. You can see that the rice starts to dance in the water, which is when you drain the rice from the hot water. Make sure all the water is well drained. Put this aside.

   8. Now to the bowl you are going to make the biryani, apply some oil/butter. (I prefer a non-stick bowl that is deep enough, to make this kachchi biryani) Then arrange all the marinated mutton pieces, so that it covers the bottom of the bowl.

   9. Add some fried onions on the meat, some mint and coriander leaves, and drizzle some lemon juice on top of it.

  10. Now layer the rice over the meat and spread it well. Sprinkle the remaining fried onions, lemon juice, mint and coriander leaves over the rice.

  11. In a small cup, dissolve the saffron food color in water. Add this saffron solution to the milk, mix well and spread this over the rice.

  12. Now pour the ghee on the rice.

  13. Cover the bowl with a tight lid so that the air doesn’t escape. I put the chapati dough around the lid to seal it tight.

  14. Put it on a high flame for 10 minutes, reduce the flame to the lowest number and let it cook for another 30 minutes. You can smell the aroma when it is done.

  15. Serve hot with raita, mirchi ka salan, or any non-vegetarian gravy. Garnish with sliced vegetables and a lemon wedge.

 Tasty Tips:

   1. Make sure the lid is properly sealed. If there is any air escape, it dries out the moisture from the rice and   the meat. If the meat dries out it is burnt and tastes bitter.
   2. Make sure the rice is not over cooked.
   3. The pot in which you are making the biryani should be a thick bottom pot. If not place a pan underneath the pot and put it on the stove.
   4. To know more about meat tenderizers please check my mutton fry recipe.

Hyderabadi Mutton Dum Biryani

Egg Puff

Egg puff

Egg puff is such an easy snack that you can whip up in no time. It makes a perfect party appetizer too. Enjoy!!


Ingredients:
Puff pastry sheet - 1
Boiled Eggs - 4
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Chaat Masala powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Crushed pepper - 1/2 tsp

 Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F.
2. Boil the eggs and keep aside to cool.
3. Thaw the puff pastry sheets for half-an-hour.
4. Dust the counter-top lightly with flour. Dust the pastry sheet with flour. Using a rolling-pin roll it to 1/4" thick.
5. Cut the sheet into 9 squares. 
6. Shell the eggs and cut them into slices.
7. Place 4 to 5 slices of egg on one side of a puff pastry square. Sprinkle the chaat masala, chilli powder, pepper powder and salt on the egg slices. 
8. Cover the eggs with the other end of the sheet. Using a fork press the edges.
9. Prepare the rest similarly.
10. Bake it at 400 F for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
11. Serve hot with tomato ketchup.

Tasty Tip:
For the puff pastry sheets I use the brand 'Pepperidge farm'. You can find this product in any grocery store in the freezer section.

This recipe yields 9 egg puffs.

Egg puff

Mutton Fry

Mutton Fry

                                                                        
Mutton fry is a unique dish that leaves non-vegetarian lovers crave for more. This is one of my husband's favorite dishes, so I make it very often. Try it yourself and feel like a master chef. Enjoy !!!

Ingredients:
Mutton (with bones cut to 1 inch pieces) - 1 pound
Onions - 1 large
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tbs
Garam masala powder- 1tsp
Curry leaves - few
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder - 2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Dry coconut powder - 2 tsp
Meat tenderizer - 1 tsp
Lemon juice - 2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Coriander leaves - few
Oil - 5 tbsp

Method:

1. Wash the mutton pieces clean and drain the water and keep it aside. 
2. Heat some of the oil in a wide non-stick pan. When the oil is medium hot, add the chopped onions. Fry till the onions are golden brown. Turn off the flame and let the onions cool down completely. Once the onions are cooled, blend it into a smooth paste. Keep it aside.
3.  In the same pan, heat the rest of the oil and add in the garam masala powder. Then add in the onion paste. Fry for a while.
4. Now add the ginger garlic paste and the curry leaves. Fry till the raw flavor is gone. 
5. Add the turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder and the salt. Fry the spices well. 
6. Add in the clean mutton pieces. Stir well till all the meat is coated with the spices and onion mixture. 
7. Add in the meat tenderizer and the coconut powder. Mix well, cover and let it cook on a medium low flame till the oil leaves the sides of the pan. Make sure you check in between. If it sticks to the bottom of the pan, add some water. Check to see if the meat is cooked. When the meat shrinks and separates from the bone, it is cooked.
8. Check the seasonings and finish it off with the lemon juice and the chopped coriander leaves.

         Serve hot with fried rice or jeera rice. Since this is a dry dish, it makes an excellent appetizer too. Enjoy!!

Tasty tips:

1. I use goat meat for most of my mutton dishes. In India people prefer lamb over goat. But the lamb meat we get in California is tough. The goat meat is a better option for this dish in particular.

2. While buying goat meat, make sure its pale pink in color, which means its tender and cooks fast.

3. To make garam masala powder please check my Mushroom fry recipe.

4. Meat tenderizer is found in the spice section of any Indian grocery stores. I use the brand 'Shan'.
     
The traditional meat fry preparations doesn't involve pressure cooking. When meat is pressure cooked, it actually boils the meat whereas an open pan cooking fries the meat, giving it a nice caramelized coating.

        Raw papaya paste, dry pomegranate seeds and pineapple paste are the most commonly used meat tenderizers in Nawabi Mutton dum Biryanis. These meat tenderizers not only help the meat cook faster but also enhance the flavors of the meat. The Shan meat tenderizer that I use is a powder version that has dried raw papaya and pomegranate seeds.

Mutton Fry

                                                                       

Bread Pizza

Bread Pizza

This dish was born when a hungry toddler was whining and bread was the only edible thing lying around. Apparently, my daughter is not a big fan of peanut butter or jam. She loves plain cheese, I combined cheese and bread with some veggies for a picky eater. The best part is its healthy and is ready in no time. Enjoy !!

Ingredients:
Bread slices - 3
Cheese - 1/2 cup
Chopped Veggies - 1/2 cup
Marinara sauce - 3 tbsp

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F.
2. Take the bread slices, spread a tablespoon of marinara sauce on each slice. Top it with your favorite veggies. Top the veggies with shredded mozzarella cheese.
3. Bake it for 2 to 3 minutes or until the cheese melts.
4. Serve hot.

Tasty tip:
You can use any cheese you want but mozzarella cheese melts beautifully.

For marinara sauce, I use the brand Prego.

Bread Pizza