Kitchen Confidential

Hot & Sour Zucchini

I don’t know of many ways of cooking zucchini. But of the very few that I do, this recipe tops my list. The tangy and spicy combination is totally in sync with the hint of bitterness that comes from the vegetable’s natural juices. So try not to get too imtimidated by its intensity and give a shot at this recipe. I guarantee you will be never see the zucchini in the same light ever again!

Hot & Sour Zucchini

Ingredients:

2-3 medium-sized zucchini, seeded and cut into thin slices 1 onion, finely chopped 2 tomatoes, chopped 2-3 green chillies, finely chopped 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste 1 tsp cumin seeds 1/2 tsp red chili powder

1/4 tsp turmeric powder 1/2 tsp coriander powder 1/4 tsp garam masala 1/4 tsp amchur (dried mango powder, available at the local Indian grocery store) salt, to taste 2 tbsp cooking oil

Method:

1. Saute cumin seeds in hot oil in a deep pan. once it begins to sizzle, add in onions and green chillies. Fry till onions tenderize and brown.
2. Add red chili powder, turmeric, coriander powder and salt and saute to blend in spices.
3. Add in chopped tomatoes, ginger-garlic paste and amchoor, and fry till tomato juices dry up.
4. Add salt and sliced zucchini and cover cook for 7-8 minutes till done. Sprinkle garam masala on top.

Enjoy with warm rotis and side of piping hot Dal.

Moong Dal

Certain dishes in the Indian cuisine, as very simple to make, take very little time and effort and are all-time favourites, especially when one desires comfort. Dal is one such dish. Dal or lentils, is a staple in Indian cuisine. It is eaten in almost every part of India, each having their own variations and tastes. On average, almost every Indian meal consists of rice, rotis, dal and a vegetable, accompanied by pickles, raita (youghurt) and salad.

Moong Dal

Ingredients:

1 cup yello moong dal
1/2 cup sliced onions
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp chopped green chiliies
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp aniseed
a pinch of asafoetida powder
salt, to taste
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp red chili powder
fresh chopped coriander leaves for garnish
2 tbsp ghee
water, as needed

Method:

1. Boil lentils in about 1-2 cups of water till they become soft. Add more water as required.
2. Heat ghee in a pan and add asafoetida, cumin and aniseeds. When they start to sizzle, add in the sliced onions and fry till slightly brown.
3. Add salt, chili powder, turmeric powder, green chillies and tomatoes and cook for 3-4 minutes till tomatoes dry up.
4. Add the boiled dal alongwith a little water, depending on consistency desired and let come to a boil.
5. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot.

Mushroom Stir-fry

One look into my fridge and I just knew the mushrooms were going to see its day. Another quick peek into the crisper and the ball was set to roll. Hubby dearie was all too happy to hear what was on the menu. A quick few minutes later, we had a hearty lunch waiting to be devoured!! On a day like this when all I want to do is lounge around and relish good ‘ol home-cooking, I want something quick and simple. With a quick thought, one can easily put on a pot of Dal and a deliciously quick meal in minutes! Loaded with crisp veggies and a blend of spices, this dish is definitely a mouthful and an easy contender to the ever-growing list of comfort foods.

Mushroom Stir-fry

Ingredients:

10-15 button mushrooms, sliced  1 large onion, diced into big chunks 2 cups mixed bell peppers (green, read and yellow), diced into 1-inch cubes 1 large tomato, diced into cubes 2-3 green chillies, sliced

1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste 1/4 tsp turmeric powder 1/2 tsp red chili powder 1/2 tsp coriander powder salt, to taste 2 tbsp cooking oil 2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped for garnish

Method:

1. Heat oil in a kadhai (Indian wok), and add cumin seeds. Once they begin to sizzle, add in diced onions and saute till transparent and tender.
2. Add mushroom slices, green chillies and giner-garlic paste and fry for a few minutes till mushrooms lose all moisture.
3. Add salt, chili powder, coriander powder and turmeric and stir fry till spices blend well.
4. Add in chopped tomatoes, and cover cook for 10-15 minutes on medium-low heat, till chicken is cooked through.
5. Add mixed peppers and cover cook for another 3-5 minutes. You don’t want to overcook the peppers and want to still have a slight crunch.
6. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with warm fluffy rotis!

Alu Paneer Curry

Yesterday was such lovely day. After four crazy hours of shopping, we went home and decided to make our most favourite meal. An hour later, we were comfortably settled in front of the TV, watching a funny movie and relishing a wonderfully fabulous team-work dinner!

Alu Paneer Curry

Ingredients:

• 400 gms of Paneer (cottage cheese), cut into 1-inch cubes and fried till lightly brown on all sides
• 2 cups onions, finely chopped
• 1 cup tomatoes, chopped
• 1 cup chopped potatoes 
• 2-3 green chillies, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp red chili powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1 tbsp cumin seeds
• salt, to taste
• 2 tbsp cooking oil
• 2 cups of water es, chopped for garnish
• 1/4 cup fresh coriander leaves

Method:

• Add cumin seeds to warm oil and let it begin to sizzle. Add in onions and fry till they turn slightly brown.
• Add green chillies and tomatoes and cook till all the juices dry up and it forms a thick consistency.
• Add ginger-garlic paste, tomato paste, red chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric and salt and cook till fragrant and all spices blend in nicely.
• Add water and let it come to a boil. Throw in paneer pieces and potatoes, and cover cook for 10-15 minutes till potatoes soften.
• Sprinkle garam masala and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Serve warm with rotis or naan.

Spiced Coffe

I’m a coffee person, and if I can say so myself, kind of a coffee addict. I’ve never like tea and that has always shocked people around me. You see, tea is sort of the national drink in India. A hot cup of tea is always served to guest right as they enter the door. I’ve got many a wierd look when I kindly refuse to take the steaming cup and ask for coffee instead.

Spiced Coffee

Ingredients:

• 2 cups water
• 2 tsp instant coffee powder
• 1/2 cup milk
• 5-6 cloves
• 5-6 green cardamom pods
• a pinch of cinnamon powder 
• sugar, to taste

Method:

• Boil water in a small pan and add coffee and spices.
• Add in milk, lower the heat and allow it to come to a boil.
• Pour into cups through a strainer and add sugar according to taste.
• Serve hot and feel your nerves begin to relax.

Peas & Corn Pulao

When I decided to make dinner last night, I knew I would once again be cooking what else, but rice. So I settled for a recipe that was simple and so delicious - Pulao or as some call it, Pilaf. Pulao is very common in the North Indian cuisine. It is often served as a side to exotic curries and salads.

Corn & Peas Pulao

Ingredients:

2 cups Basmati rice 1 cup frozen peas and corn each 4 cups water 1 small onion, thinly sliced 5-6 cloves 5-6 black peppercorns

1-2 bay leaves 1 tsp cumin seeds salt, to taste a pinch of saffron, mixed in 2 tbsp water 1 tbsp cooking oil

Method:

1. Heat oil in a non-stick pan and saute cumin seeds and sliced onions, till tender and slightly browned.
2. Add rice, water, salt, peppercorns, cloves, and bay leaves, and cover cook on medium-low heat till rice is tender.
3. Add in peas, corn and saffron water and cover cook for another 5-6 minutes till peas heat through.

Best eaten warm with any curry or on its own!

Potato & Peas Curry

Sometimes, when I’m short of time and patience, and yet still crave for a good home cooked meal, I take out my food processor and instead of chopping things, just blend them! This saves time and also makes a deliciously rich gravy, saving up on both, my time and effort. But don’t let it fool you, no matter how easy the style and method of cooking may seem, the end result will always leave you licking your fingers clean!!

Potato & Peas Curry

Ingredients:

2-3 medium potatoes, cut in quarters
2 medium-sized onions, made into a paste
2-3 large tomatoes, made into a paste (this is not the same as the store-bought canned tomato paste)
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste (equal amounts of fresh ginger and garlic blended together)
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp cumin powder
salt, to taste
1 cup frozen peas
fresh chopped coriander leaves for garnish
1 tbsp cooking oil

Method:

1. Add cumin seeds in hot oil till it begins to sizzle. Add ginger-garlic paste and onion paste, and fry for 3-5 minutes till slightly browned.
2. Add salt, chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and turmeric powder and cook for another minute till fragrant. Add tomato paste and let cook for a few minutes till all the spices blend in.
3. Put in the potatoes and peas, and cover cook for another 15 minutes till potatoes are cooked through.
4. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve warm with fresh rotis or rice.

Saffron Chicken Curry

When I thought of using saffron in a recipe, I was overwhelmed. It was simple to highlight the taste of saffron in any recipe. One really simple dish would be Saffron Pulao. But I wasn’t in the mood for simple. I wanted exotic. A quick peek into my freezer gave me the inspiration. And this is how the story goes…

Saffron Chicken Curry

Ingredients:

1 kg boneless chicken, cut into 1-inch cubes 7-8 red baby potatoes, cut in halves 2 cups onions, finely chopped 1 cup tomatoes, finely chopped 1 tsp cumin seeds 1/2 tsp red chili powder 1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1 tbsp coriander powder 1/4 tsp saffron, mixed with 2 tbsp warm water salt, to taste water, as required 2 tbsp cooking oil coriander leaves, finely chopped for garnish

Method:

1. Heat oil in a thick-bottomed pan and saute cumin seeds till it begins to sizzle.
2. Add in onions and fry till lightly browned.
3. Add salt, red chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric and tomatoes, and cook till tomatoes pulp and form a thick consistency.
4. Mix in chicken pieces to coat with spices. Add about a cup or two of water and put on the lid. Let simmer over medium-low heat for 20-25 minutes till chicken is done.
5. Add in potatoes and saffron water and cover cook for another 10-15 minutes to cook potatoes through. Feel free to add in as much extra water as needed.
6. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve warm with hot Rotis or Naan.

Masala Rice

I love having left-over rice. Most times I always cook an extra cup of plain rice just so I will have some left-over to work with the next day.

Masala Rice

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked white Basmati rice
1 medium onion sliced thinly
2 garlic clove, finely chopped

salt, to taste
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
a couple of dried curry leaves
freshly chopped coriander for garnish
1 tbsp cooking oil

Method:

Heat oil in a non-stick pan and add curry leaves and mustard seeds. When they start to sizzle, add sliced onions.

Cook till onions turn transparent and add chopped garlic. Add salt, turmeric and chili powder and allow spices to blend in.

Add in cooked rice and stir-fry till mixes in with all spices. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve warm.

Beetroot Parathas

This recipe is a definite keeper in my secret stack of pleasurable indulgences. No doubt, the nutritional qualities of beets excel all else, but don’t let convince you to try this out. Afterall, everyone needs to indulge once in a while, even if it IS good for you!

Beetroot Parathas

Ingredients:

2 cups whole wheat flour (atta) 1 cup grated beets, excess water squeezed out 1/4 tsp red chili powder 1/4 tsp garam masala

1/4 tsp coriander seeds salt, to taste 3 tbsp ghee/oil water as needed

Method:

1. Mix flour (atta) with salt and one tbsp of ghee and form into a smooth dough with water.

2. Separate dough into golf-sized balls and set aside.

3. Make sure all the water is thoroughly squeezed out of the grated beets.

4. For each dough ball, roll out the dough into a small circle and put around one tbsp of the beets mixture in the centre. Bring the ends of the circle together and form into a ball.

5. Seal the edges completely so that the stuffing does not come out. Roll out these dough balls into a 6 inch circle.

6. Fry on a heated pan adding a bit of ghee around the edges to crisp it up.