Plantain Kofta Curry

From: http://www.bawarchi.com/contribution/contrib2015.html
For KOFTAS:
Green Plantains - 4
Besan - 1/2 cup (basically enough to bind the green plantain together when frying the koftas)
Bread - 2 slices
Cumin seeds - 1 tbsp
Red Chilli Powder to taste
Salt to taste

For GRAVY:
Oil - 4 tbsp
Ginger - 2 inches long piece
Garlic - 4-5 cloves
Onion - 1 1/2 cups finely chopped
Tomatoes - 1 1/2 cups finely chopped
Cumin seeds - 1 tbsp
Cinnamon - 1 inch long
Cardamom - 3-4
Clove - 5-6
Bay leaves - 2
Cumin Powder - 2 tbsp
Corriander Powder - 2 tbsp
Garam Masala Powder - 1 tbsp
Amchur - 1/2 tbsp
Red Chilli Powder & Salt to taste

Method:

For KOFTAS:
Boil the plantains with in salt water. Peel and mash to fine paste.
Add cumin seeds, 'besan', crumbled bread slices (i think they add to the crispness of the kofta), salt and chilli powder. The consistency should be such that the mix can retain a firm shape when dropped into the oil to deep fry. Let this mix set for maybe an hour or more.
Heat oil (like the way you would do to fry 'pakodas'). And then with a tbsp, scoop mix into the boiling oil and fry it into koftas.

For GRAVY:
Heat oil in deep pan.
Mildly fry bay leaves, cumin seeds, and crushed mix of the cinnamon, cloves & cardamom.
Add finely chopped ginger & garlic (or ginger garlic paste, which you can prepare in blender) to the oil. Once this turns brown, add chopped onions and cook till they turn transparent or brown.
Then add the tomatoes, cumin powder, corriander powder, garam masala powder, amchur, chilli powder and salt. And let cook till the tomatoes are tender.
Add 2 cups of water to this mix and let it cook for a while till everything blends well together. Adjust the spices at this time if you feel something is less or more.
Once the gravy is cooked, drop the koftas into it, and let them soak it in for atleast 2 hours.
Garnish with cilantro & serve hot.
You can make koftas substituting the plantain with grated 'lauki' or assorted vegetables (like boiled potatoes & peas), etc.
Serve hot with 'rotis' or rice.

Lauki with Coconut Milk

From Debarati!
1 onion slices
2 tomatoes chopped
1 lauki peeled + cut into thin, long strips

(Adjust tomatoes and onions depending on the size of the lauki!)

Add oil, then add some whole jeera and the onions
Fry onions till light brown then add tomatoes.
Cook until oil comes out
then add jeera pwder, chilli powder, turmeric and salt.
Add some water and the lauki; cover andcook till almost fully cooked
Add a little bit of cocunut milk and boil a few minutes

Shahi Paneer

Ingredients
1 block of paneer, grated
Blend to a paste, the following
2 medium onions
1" ginger piece
4 flakes garlic
2 green chillies

Powder together, the following
2" cinnamon stick
2-3 cardammoms
2-3 cloves
1 tbsp poppy seeds
2 tbsp cashewnuts(or almonds)

2 tomatoes pureed
2 tsp red-chilli pwd
A pinch of turmeric
2 tsp coriander pwd
1 tsp cumin pwd
1 cup of cream
Salt to taste
2 tbsp cooking oil

Method
Heat a little oil and fry the onion paste till it begins
to brown.
Mix in the poppy-cashew powder and the other dry powders.
Fry for a minute and then add the pureed tomatoes.
Add some water and bring to a boil.
Add salt to taste.
Add the cream and mix well.
Add the grated paneer,heat through and eat it hot
with chapathi/naan.

Cilantro Pesto Pasta

Cilantro Pesto
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1 1/2 cups cilantro leaves
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 Tbs. fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
Onion Mixture
2 tsp. vegetable oil
1 cup chopped sweet onion, such as Vidalia
1 cup diced red bell pepper
4 1/2 oz. can mild green chilies
1/2 oz. dried orecchiette, gnocchi or medium shell pasta
1 cup grated Pepper Jack cheese (3 oz.)

Directions:
1. Bring large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.

2. Meanwhile, make pesto: In small dry skillet, toast almonds over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until light golden and fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes.Transfer to small bowl and let cool.

3. In food processor, combine almonds, cilantro, jalapeño, garlic, salt and pepper; process until finely chopped. With motor running, add 2 Tbs. oil and lime juice through the feed tube, processing until mixture forms paste and stopping to scrape down sides of work bowl as necessary. Transfer mixture to small bowl.

4. Add pasta to boiling water; stir to prevent sticking. Cook, stirring often, until just tender, 8 to 12 minutes. While pasta is cooking, in large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tsp. oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and bell
pepper; cook, stirring often, until tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Add green chilies and cook, stirring, 1 minute.

5. Just before pasta is cooked, scoop out 13 cup of pasta cooking water and add to pesto, stirring well. Drain pasta and transfer to large, warm bowl.Add onion mixture and cheese; toss to coat well. Serve immediately.

Orange, Mint and Asparagus Salad

Modified from vegetarian times
SERVES 8
1 lb. asparagus, trimmed
3 large navel oranges
1 cup chopped scallions
1/3 cup chopped fresh mint
1 Tbs. white wine or cider vinegar
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions:


Bring large pot of water to a rolling boil. Drop asparagus in water, return to a boil and remove from heat. Let asparagus stand in water 1 minute, then drain and rinse under cold water. Cut asparagus on diagonal into 1-inch pieces.

Put in large bowl with asparagus, scallions and chopped mint. Toss well.

3. Juice one navel orange. Whisk together 2 Tbs. orange juice, vinegar, oil, salt and pepper in small bowl. Stir dressing into asparagus mixture.

Cut the remaining oranges and add it to the mixture. Gently toss to combine. Chill one hour, or overnight. Retoss before serving.

Chilled Cucumber Soup

From vegatarian times
SERVES 4 -- Egg-free

1 large English cucumber peeled, seeded and chopped
¼ cup chopped fresh dill
3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 cup vegetable stock
4 cups plain low- or nonfat yogurt
2 scallions, trimmed and chopped (white part only)
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Lemon slices and dill sprigs for garnish

Directions:
Combine ingredients in blender and purée until fairly smooth. Adjust seasonings to taste. Cover tightly and chill at least 3 hours. Garnish with dill sprigs and lemon slices before serving.

Stuffed Green Pepper

6 small green peppers, slit each into 4 sections and remove centers
1 cup gram flour (besan), sieved and lightly roasted
1 tsp chili powder
2 onions, finely chopped
1/2 tsp garam masala
Salt to taste
2 tbsp jaggery
2 tbsp tamarind pulp
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp mustard seeds
A pinch of asafoetida
Coriander leaves for garnishing
Stuffed Green Pepper

Method:
Soak green peppers in warm water for 15 minutes. Then drain off the water.
Roast mustard seeds till they pop. Add asafoetida, chopped onions and stir till dry. Remove from heat.
Add chili powder, garam masala, roasted besan, salt, jaggery, tamarind pulp, turmeric powder and some of the coriander leaves. Mix well with a little water. Stuff green peppers with this mixture.
Place these green peppers in a shallow vessel. Spread any remaining mixture on top. Pressure cook without weight for about 5 minutes or till tender.
Grill in a hot oven till browned. Sprinkle rest of the coriander leaves. Serve with pulao rice or parathas
Serves: 4-5
Preparation time: 30-35 minutes

FROM Daawat: http://www.daawat.com/recipes/indian/veg/gravy/stuffedgreenpepper.htm

Mysore Sambar Powder

MYSORE SAMBAR POWDER Ingredients: 2 tsp: oil, 3 tbsp.Corriander Seeds; 1/8 tspn. Whole Fenugreek seeds; 1/2 - 1/3” pc. Of Asafotedia,(2.5cm) Cinnamon Stick broken up, 3 tbsp.whole dried Red chillies (or less if you wish the sambar to be medium hot put in just 1 ½ tbsp.dried whole Red Chillies), 2 tbspn. Chana Dhal, 4 tbsp.dessicated Coconut; A few - fresh or dried curry leaves.
Method
Method: Heat 1 tspn. Oil in a small cast iron frying pan, when hot, put in the corriander seeds, cinnamon, asafortedia & fenugreek seeds stir until the corriander seeds turn a shade darker & emit a roasted aroma. Empty into a bowl. Put in the Red Chillies into the same frying pan. Stir & roast until they start to darken. Put them too into a bow. Now put the remaining 1 tsp. Of Oil into the frying pan, when hot add the Chana Dhal stir & fry until it turns reddish. Put it into a bowl. Put the Coconut & Curry Leaves & fry until the Coconut turns a light brown. Remove from heat. Now put all the fried spices into a bowl along with the Coconut & Curry leaves – leave the spices to cool. Now place the spices in batches into the dry grinder & grind to a slightly coarse powder. Put into tightly sealed bottles & use when necessary.

Lamb Korma

The recipe is for 2 pounds of lamb.
Step 1:
Paste 1: Grind together about 3 tablespoons garlic + ginger paste + 3 green chillies
Paste 2: 1 cup yogurt + 1/2 tsp turmeric + 1 tsp chilli powder + 3 tomatoes chopped + salt
Paste 3: 1 cup coconut + 4 tsp saunf + 2 tsp poppy seeds.

Step 2:
Slice 1 + 1/2 large red onions

Step 3:
Add oil
Then add: 3 cinnamon sticks, 2 star anise, a few whole black peppercons, 6 cardomoms, 6 cloves
Add the onions, when slightly golder add Paste 1.
When they are kind of cooked add the meat and let the water come out of the meat.
Then add Paste 2 and cook until meat is tender.
Then add Paste 3 and cook until the meat is fully cooked.
I had to add some water between the steps whenever it started sticking to the bottom!

Shahi Paneer

Ingredients
Paneer - 250 gms (cut into cubes of 1" each)
Grated Paneer or Cheese - 1/2 tbsp.
Garlic Cloves - 8-10
1 Onion Ginger - 1" piece
Bay Leaf - 1
Cinnamon - 1" stick
Cloves - 2
Cardamom - 2
Red Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt - to taste
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Malai or Cream - 2 tbsp
Butter - 1/2 tbsp
Coriander (chopped) - 1/2 tbsp
Tomato Puree - 3 tbsp
Sugar - 1/4 tsp
Kasoori Methi - 1 tsp
Ghee to deep fry paneer
Pre-Preperation N/A
Method Deep fry paneer in hot ghee till light golden. Keep aside.
Grind the onions, ginger and garlic to a paste.
Heat 1/2 tbsp. of ghee (use the one in which paneer was fried) in a heavy saucepan.
Add clove, bayleaf, cardamom and cinnamon. Fry for 3-4 seconds.
Add the paste and fry till golden.
Add the dry masala, sugar and tomato puree. Fry for 2 minutes.
Add 2 cups of water. Simmer on low flames for 7-8 minutes.
Add the malai, butter, methi, paneer pieces and cook for 2 minutes till paneer softens.
Transfer to serving dish.

Black Eyed Pea Curry

Cook 1 cup raw black-eyed peas by placing them in a saucepan with enough water to cover, bringing to a boil and discarding the water 2 times. Then add 3 cups water again, bring to a boil, and simmer until the peas are soft, about 45 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Make a hot pepper mixture by grinding together and setting aside:
1/2 jalapeño pepper
1/2 clove garlic
1/4 pinch fresh ginger, grated
pinch cumin seeds
Heat in a saucepan:
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
tiny pinch hing
1/2 teaspoon cumin/mustard/sesame seed mixture
When the seeds pop, add and sauté until the onions are soft:
2 medium onions, diced
1 1/2 tomatoes, diced
the hot pepper mixture
1 Tablespoon tomato paste (opt.)
Add powdered spices and whole spices:
2 teaspoons cumin/coriander powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/4-1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper powder (opt.)
6 whole cloves
10 black peppers
2 inch cinnamon stick, broken into pieces
1 Tablespoon Indian bay leaves
Then add:
the cooked black-eyed peas (about 1 1/2 cups)
2/3 cup water
2 Tablespoons fresh coriander leaves, chopped
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
Simmer for 10 minutes. Serve hot.

Paneer South Indian Curry

250gm paneer
4 tbsp oil
1 large onion-finely chopped
10-12 curry leaves
3 tomatoes- chopped
1/2 tsp haldi
1 tsp Chilli powder
salt to taste.
1 tbsp lemon juice or to taste
1inch piece ginger
8-10 flakes garlic
1 tbsp khus-khus (poppy seeds)
2 tbsp cashewnuts-soak together with khus-khus in hot water
Masala
Finely roast and grind 1/2 cup fresh grated coconut(remove brown skin before grating)
1 tsp whole dhania seeds
1/2 tsp jeera
1 tsp saunf(fennel)
2-3 dry whole red chillies
seeds of chotti illaichi(green cardamoms)
2-3 laung(cloves)
1inch dalchini (cinnamon sticks)
1 tbsp oil

Green Peppers and Potatoes with Lotus seeds

Ingredients
Capsicum (medium size) 2 nos
Potato, Onion, Tomato (medium) 1 nos each
Cottage cheese 1/2 cup
Makhana (puffed lotus seeds) 1/2 cup
Cashew nuts 1/4 cup
Curd 1/2 cup
1- teaspoon red chilli powder, salt to taste, ginger to garnish, Oil to fry
Method
Dice Potato & cheese in cube form & chop Capsicum, Onion , tomato in small pieces.
Deep fry - potato , cottage cheese cubes & Makhana and keep aside.
Saute the onions to golden brown.
Add tomato pieces and saute till done.
Add curd to above, and stir continuously till oil comes up.
Add salt & chilly powder
Add fried potato, cheese, makhana, capsicum, cashew nuts & mix well.
Cover and cook for two minutes on sim flame.
Garnish with ginger. "

Green peppers in yogurt sauce

Cut 2 green peppers into small pieces
Add 1 tsp oil then add the following:
1/2 tsp sesame seeds
1/4 tsp fenugreek
12 tsp mustard seeds
few curry leaves
When they sputter add giner (chopped finely) + green peppers

In the meantime mix 2 tbsp gram flour (besan) + 1 cup yogurt + 1/4 cup water.

Once green peppers are about 1/2 cooked (almost tender) add yogurt mixture + 1/4 tsp turmeric + 1/4 tsp chilli powder
Besan will start making the gravy very thick so cook on low heat for very little time.. until besan is cooked but not till it is very thick.

Onion + Karela

Chop 1 small onion
slice the karela into circular pieces
Add some oil (mustard or sesame oil will be nice)
Add panch phoron - the fenugreek seeds
Add the onion
When golder add the karela
Then add 1/4 tsp turmeric + 1/4 tsp chilli powder + salt + a pinch of amchur
Fry karelas till brown.

Eggplant in yogurt sauce II

Add 2 tbsp oil and add 1 chopped onion + 1 tsp garlic/ginger paste (or finely chopped) + a few curry leaves + 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, 1/2 tsp fenugreek + 2 red chillies.
Cook until brown then add 1 tsp garam masala or 1 tsp curry pwder + 1/4 tsp red chilli powder.
Add the turmeric + yogurt + mixture above.

Deep fry small eggplants separately, make large slits in them before deep frying.

When yogurt comes to a boil add the eggplants.

Eggplant in yogurt sauce I

Slice 1 eggplant and deep fry. it is ideal to use small eggplants for this recipe.
Make a paste with 1 tbsp mustart + cayenne pepper + 1 cup yogurt + ginger.

Add oil + panchphoron
When they satrt to pop, add the paste above (slowly)
Then add some turmeric + salt to the yougurt sauce.
Add 1/4 cup water
Add eggplant and cook until 1/4 of the water has evaporated.

Aloo Gobi (Dry)

Cut cauliflower + Potatoe. Equal quantities. Kind of big pieces
Shallow fry both (separately) with salt and turmeric
Add oil + 1+1/2 tsp panchphoron (qual quantities of fennel, cumin, mustard, fenugreek and onion seeds)
and 2 dried chillies.
When they start to pop add the potatoes
When they are about 1/2 done mix the following in a little bit of water:
1/2 tsp cumin pwoder + 1/4 tsp coriander powder + 1/6 tsp amchur + a pinch of sugar + salt to taste. If you like it spicy, also add some chilli powder.
When potatoes are almost done add the cauliflower.
Fry until fully cooked.

Lauki & Moong Dal

1 Liaki (bottle gourd) grated
3 tbsp moong dal
1 bay leaf
1 tsp cumin
DRY MASALA
1/2 tsp cumin + anise + fenugreek seeds + 2 red chillies

Boil Lauki + Moong Dal + bay leaf + salt until moong is fully cooked. Pressure cook if required.
Grind together DRY MASALA
Add some oil in a pan, then add 1 tsp cumin + 1 bay leaf
Then add DRY MASALA Powder
Add the boiled Lauki immediately
When fully cooked, add 1 tsp flour, belnd well and take of heat.

Lauki with milk

Cut the lauki and soak in water
Add Ghee & oil in a pan
Add 2 Green chillies, slit
Add 1/2 spoon of jeera pwder.
When they pop add the lauki and cook.
When cooked, add peas + salt + a pinch of sugar
When water has dried out add 1/4 cup of milk.
When veggies are tender garnish with coriander leaves