Easy Pulav

Long grained Rice - 1 cup soaked for 10 minutes

Jeera - 1 tsp

Peppercorn - 5

Cloves - 3

Cinnamon - 2 1inch pieces

Ghee - 3 tbsp

Carrot - 1 medium cut into big cubes

Beans - 5  cut into 1 inch pieces 

(and /or)

Peas - 1/2  cup
Cauliflower - 1/2 cup (flowerets)

(opt) Lime juice - 1 tbsp

(opt) Garnish:
Fried cashewnuts - 2 tbsp
Fried Raisin - 1tbsp
Onion - 1 cup cut into thin slices and deep fried till golden and crisp
Coriander leaf - 1tbsp

1. Heat 2tbsp of  ghee and splutter the spices.

2. Fry the rice for 3 minutes.

3. Add 2 cups of hot water*, rest of ghee, salt and the vegetables. Mix well. Bring to a boil.

4. Cover with a tight lid, reduce flame to a minimum and let cook for 10 minutes. Do not open for a further 10 minutes. 

5. Fluff the rice with a fork  (add the lemon juice and garnish, if using) and serve hot.

*Tip:
A 1:1 ratio of water : milk adds more taste to pulav but the shelf lif goes down drastically.

Paneer in a jiffy

If you get the ingredients chopped and ready, this curry takes hardly any time to get made.

Note: Keep the flame high until it has been mentioned to reduce the temperature. Therefore, keep all the ingredients cut and handy.

Ingredients:
Paneer - 1 packet

Onion- 1

Capsicum - 1

Tomato - 2

Ginger paste - 1/2 tsp

Garlic Paste - 1/2 tsp

Vinegar - 1 tbsp

Coriander leaf - 2 tbsp

Jeera - 1 tsp

Oil - 1 tbsp

Masala powders:

Turmeric powder - a pinch

Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Method:

1. Cut the paneer, onion, tomato and capsicum into equal sized cubes.

2. Heat oil on high flame and do not reduce until mentioned. Splutter the jeera and add the onion, capsicum and ginger garlic paste. Toss till onion starts to turn colour ( about 1 minute).

3. Add the masala powders. Toss for half a minute.

4. Add the paneer, coriander leaf and the vinegar. Reduce flame to medium heat. Toss for 2 minutes.

5. Add the tomato and salt. Toss until tomato skin starts to peel.

This dish is great to take along as a wrap.

Everyday Dal by Shefali

Tur Dal - 1 cup (boiled and mashed)

Oil /Ghee - 2 tbsp

Tempering:

Mustard - 1tsp

Jeera - 1 tsp

Fenugreek Seeds - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaf - 3 no:s

Red chilli - 1 , split

Cloves - 2 no:s

Cinnamon stick - 1 inch

Asafoetida Powder - 1 pinch

Masala Powders:

Salt

Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp

Coriander powder - 1tsp

Chilli powder - 1 tsp

Ginger - 1 tsp

Coriander leaf - 2tbsp

Optional:

Jaggery - 1 tbsp

Kokum - 2 pieces

1. Heat oil / ghee. Add the temperings. Once they splutter ; add the tur dal and 1 cup water.

2. Add all the masala powders, ginger and coriander leaf. Add the optional items, if using, now.

3. Boil and simmer for 5 minutes.

Pasta inspired by Jamie

Pasta - 5 cups

Tomato - 7 medium ; Ground with skin and seeds
Garlic - 2 cloves, chopped
Onion - 1 medium, chopped
Brinjal - 2 medium, cut into very small cubes.
Olive oil - 4 tbsp
salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary, chilli flakes

Garnish : grated cheese.

Boil Pasta al dente.
Heat olive oil. Sear the brinjal cubes till brown and insides are soft (about 2-3 minutes). Dust with salt, pepper, chilli flakes, thyme and rosemary.
Use a perforated spoon to keep aside the Brinjal.
Into the same oil saute the garlic (till golden brown) and add the onion. Fry till transparent.
Add the tomato puree. Season with salt and pepper. Boil for 3-4 minutes.

For Serving:
On the plate put a layer of Pasta, then some tomato sauce. Top with Brijal and some grated Cheese. Serve hot.

Heated and Cooled Noodle Salad

Noodles - 1 pkt

Chinese Cabbage - 5 cups , julienned
Carrot - 2 medium , julienned
Capsicum - 1 1/2 cup (red, yellow and green) , julienned
Cucumber - 1 small , cut diagonally
Onion - 1, cut into thin slices
(opt) Baby corn - 4 , julienned
(opt) Tofu or Paneer - 15 cubes , pan fried in oil

Red chilli flakes- 1 tsp
Garlic - 1 clove - smashed and seperated
Oil - 2 tbsp (preferably til)

Sauce :
Soy sauce - 3tbsp
Sugar - 1tsp
Salt
Pepper - 1 tsp
Chilli (fresh red) - 2, mashed (or) Chilli sauce - 2 tbsp
Oyster mushroom sauce - 1 tbsp
Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
Vinegar - 1 tbsp
Oil (til) - 2 tbsp
Garlic - 2 pods
Shallots - 5 , cut into rings
Heat oil and fry the garlic and onion until crispy.
Mix this garlic-onion oil with the rest of the ingredients and mix well.

Garnish:
Til seeds - toasted - 4 tbsp
Groundnuts - toasted and pounded by hand
Toasted and pounded salt and pepper

Celery - 1 stem - cut into thin rings
Spring onion - 1 stems with white part - cut into thin rings


Heat oil and add the garlic and red chilli flakes.
Once good smell comes add the onion and cook till transparent.
Then add the vegetables and tofu.
Mix thoroughly and turn off flame after a minute.
Boil the Noodles and once cooked , drain.
Add the vegetables to the noodles while it is still hot.
The Vegetables will cook in this heat.
Add the sauce and mix thoroughly.
Cool and keep refridgerated until ready to serve.
Serve garnished with til seeds, ground nuts, greens (celery and spring onion) and toasted salt/pepper.

Cool Tomato Salad

Tomato - 2
Onion - 1 small
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Lime juice - 1 tbsp
Coriander leaf - 2 tbsp

Mix all the above and refridgerate

Pasta with mushroom and spinach

Pasta - 4 cups uncooked
Onion - 1 medium
Garlic - 3 pods
Olive oil - 3 tbsp
Mushroom - 1 tin (or)
Fresh mushroom - 100gms + Veg stock - 1 cup
Spinach - 1 bunch
Wine - 1/2 cup
White sauce - 4 cups
Cheese - 1 cup

1. Cook Pasta al dente.
2. Heat olive oil. Fry onion and garlic for 1 minute.

3. Drain the mushroom and save the liquid. Add to onions. Saute for 3 minutes.
4. Now add the spinach. Cook till spinach starts to wilt.
5. Add the reserved liquid or veg stock and wine.
6. Cook till the mixture thickens. (will take minimum 5 minutes)
7. Add the pasta, white sauce and half the cheese.
8. Mix well.
9. Transfer the pasta to an oven-proof dish and garnish with rest of the cheese.
10. Bake at 200C for 15 minutes, till cheese browns
or
Microwave high for 4 minutes.

Serve hot with cool Tomato salad and toasted garlic bread

Sweet Corn 'my style' soup

Sweet Corn Cream style - 1 can
Onion - 1 small - thinly sliced
Garlic - 2 large pods
Carrot - thin strips - 2 tbsp
Cabbage - thin strips - 2 tbsp
Capsicum - thin strips - 2 tbsp
Baby corn - 1 - cut into small rounds
Soya sauce - 2tbsp
Olive oil - 2tbsp
Cheese - 2tbsp
Salt
Pepper

1. Heat olive oil and saute garlic and onion for half a minute
2. Add all the vegetables and saute for a further half minute
3. Add the sweet corn cream style and add 1 tin of water
4. Add salt, pepper and soya sauce.
5. Mix well and boil for 2 minutes.
6. Add cheese and mix again.

Serve hot with toasted bread

Stuffed vegetables

This stuffing can be used for different vegetables like Okra, Big Green Chillies (bhajia chillies), Potatoes, Brinjal etc..

Stuffing :
Besan (Kadalamav, Chickpea flour) - 5tbsp
Coconut Grated - 3tbsp
Salt
Turmeric Powder
Chilli powder - 2tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
Cilantro leaves - 2tbsp
Lime juice - 4tbsp
Asafoetida - 1tsp
Sugar - 2 tsp
Oil - 1tbsp

Mix all the above and stuff the vegetable . Steam well.

Okra need not be steamed.

Splutter Mustard - 1tsp, Jeera - 1tsp , Dried red chilli - 2no:s and a pinch of asafoetida in about 3 tbsp of oil. Fry the steamed vegetables till they brown a bit.

Pasta with lemon

Pasta - 4 cups ; uncooked
Garlic - 10 pods
Tofu - 1 packet
Tomato - 3 large
Mint leaves - 7
Juice of 1 lemon
(opt) lemon rind - 1 tsp
Oregano - 1/2 tsp
Parsley - 1 tsp
Chilli flakes - 1/2 tsp
Pepper corns - 8 - crushed
Salt
Olive oil - 3 tbsp

1.Cook Pasta al dente in plenty of water. Drain . Coat with a tbsp of olive oil and keep aside.
2.Heat the rest of the olive oil and fry 9 garlic pods till golden brown and add half the chilli flakes. Move the garlic aside for garnishing.
3.In the same oil, fry the crumbled tofu and 1 garlic until light brown. Now add the rest of the chilli flakes.
4.Add the tomato to the tofu. Fry for about 3 minutes.
5.Add tofu, spices and  lemon juice to the cooling Pasta and mix well.
   Garnish with fried garlic and mint leaves.

Chole -1

Channa (Chick peas) - 1 cup soaked over night

Tomato - 2 large pureed
Ghee + Oil - 4tbsp
Mustard - 1 tsp

To be ground:
Onion - 1 large
Cloves - 2
Red chillies - 3
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
cardamom - 3
cinnamon stick - 3 pieces of 1 inch
peppercorns - 6
jeera (cumin seeds)- 1 tsp
garlic - 4 pods
ginger - 2 inch piece
opt:
Curry leaf - 4
Coriander (cilantro) leaf - 1/2 cup

Pressure cook the Channa till it is cooked. ( 2 whistles and 10 minutes)
Heat fat in a large pan. Splutter the mustard.
Add the ground paste and saute till the raw smell of onion is gone.
Add the tomato paste and cook till oil floats on the side.
Add the Channa with the water. Add salt to taste.
Add a little more water and cook on low flame till gravy is thick and salt gets absorbed.
Decorate with some onion rings and cilantro.

Pulav

Rice (basmati or any small grain white rice) - 1 1/4 cup
Onion (minced) - 1
Potato - 1
Carrot - 1 large
Beans - 4 long ones
Cauliflower - 3 large flowerets
Peas - 1/2 cup
Ghee - 2tbsp
Salt
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Ginger- garlic paste -1 tbsp

Spices :
Pepper - 6 corns
Cardamom - 2
Jeera - 1 tsp
Cinnamon stick - 1 inch pieces - 3
Cloves - 4
Bayleaf - 1 - broken

Vessel : A flat pan with tight lid.

Wash and soak rice in water for 10 minute.
Cut vegetables into small or big cubes depending on preference.
Heat ghee in the pan.
Add the spices to the hot ghee. Once they splutter, add the rice.
Fry for 2-3 minutes. Add salt and turmeric powder.
Boil 2 cups of water separately and add to the rice. Cover with lid. Reduce flame and cook for exactly 10 minutes. Do not open after turning off the flame. Wait till the vessel cools down.
Transfer to serving bowl.

Heat a little oil. Fry onions till transparent. Add the ginger garlic paste and fry for 2 more minutes. Add to the rice.

Boil the vegetables with a little salt. Once cooked add the chilli powder and boil till all the water has evaporated. Add to the rice.

Mix the onions and vegetables well with the rice.

You may garnish with fried cashew nuts and raisins.

Serve with raitha or mixed vegetable salad.

Pasta with Mushrooms and white sauce

Pasta - 4 cups
Mushroom - 1 pkt
Carrot - 3 tbsp
Onion - 1 big
Garlic - 3 large pods
Mozarella cheese - 100gms
Olive oil
White sauce - 3 cups
salt
thyme
pepper
chilli flakes

1. Boil pasta al dente
2. Mince the garlic , onion and carrot into fine pieces
3. Cut mushroom into thin slices
4. Heat olive oil in a sauce pan and add garlic. Next add the onions, carrots and mushrooms. Saute uncovered on slow flame and add salt, pepper, thyme and chilli flakes. Add this to the white sauce.
5. Take an oven proof vessel. Grease with olive oil. layer pasta then white sauce. Add the shredded cheese on top and microwave high for 4 minutes.

Pasta with Tofu and Spinach

Pasta (any shape) - 3 cups
Onion - 1 small
Garlic - 1 large pod
Tofu - 200gms
Mushroom - 100gms
Spinach - 1 handfull
Sundried Tomatoes - 5
Olive oil - 4Tbsp

1. Boil the pasta al dente. Drain and coat with olive oil
2.Slice the onion lenghtwise.
3.Chop the garlic finely.
4. Cube the tofu.
5.Chop the mushroom into half or large segments.
6. Tear the spinach and cut the tomatoes into small pieces.

Procedure:
1.Heat the olive oil and add the garlic, onion, tofu and mushroom. Stir fry for about 4 minutes or till onion is transparent.
2. Add the spinach and the sun dried tomatoes and heat until the former wilts.
3. Add the Pasta . Mix well and serve hot.

Salt is not added extra as the sun dried tomatoes are usually very salty.

Lasagne

Lasagne sheets - 6

Olive oil - 2tbsp
Onion - 1 large, minced
Garlic pods - 4, minced
Celery - 1 stick , minced
Tomato - 2 medium, diced
Brinjal - 1 large, diced
Tomato ketchup - 2 tbsp
Pepper - 2 tsp
Oregano -1/2 tsp
Thyme - 1/2tsp
Red chilli flakes - 1/2tsp
Salt
White sauce - 1 cup
Cheese grated - 1/2 cup

Heat olive oil and fry the garlic, onion and celery in it till transparent.
Add the brinjal and cook covered on a slow flame till brinjal softens.
Add the tomato with the salt and pepper. Cook till pulpy.
Add the tomato sauce and the spice mixture.
Taste and add some sugar if necessary.

Cook the lasagne sheets as instructed and store on greased baking sheets.

Take an oven proof vessel. Grease with olive oil.
Put a sheet of lasagne and then a layer of brinjal mixture.
Repeat till all the sheets are exhausted.
End with a layer of brinjal on top.
Over the white sauce over this.
Top with the grated cheese.

Bake in a preheated oven at 200C for about 10-15 minutes.

Vegetarian Coleslaw

Making Coleslaw at home is very easy.

Ingredients:
Cabbage shredded - 1 cup
Carrot slivers - 1/4 sup
Eggless Mayonnaise - 3/4 cup
Sugar powder -1/2 tsp

Method:
Mix all the above ingredients well and serve chilled.

Potatoes with oregano

Potatoes - 4 (cut into thick wedges)
Olive oil - 2tbsp
Garlic paste - 1tsp
Salt -1tbsp
Oregano - 2 tsp

In a thick bottomed vessel , add all the above ingredients. Toss well. Cover with aluminium foil and top with a thick tight lid. Reduce flame to minimum and cook for about 20 minutes. Stir once in between. Serve hot.

Vegetable Biriyani

This was one of my first Biriyani. It is heavy in masala with all the mint and cilantro leaf ground. The house gets over-powered with these fragrances!
I would advice you to try some of my newer biriyani recipes if you like things milder and more sophisticated like the Baluchi Biriyani or the Kozhikode Vegetable Biriyani.

Ingredients:
Basmati Rice - 1 1/2 cups washed and soaked
Oil/Ghee - 4tbsp
Clove-2
Cardamom - 2
Cinnamon stick - 1inch broken into pieces
Cumin seed (jeera) - 1/2tsp
Ginger paste - 1/2 tsp
Garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
Tomato -2 medium - ground into pulp
Salt - 1 tbsp
Vegetables (Carrot, beans, cauliflower, potato) - 4 cups - cut into big chunks and parboiled with a pinch of garam masala

To be ground into paste (masala)
Mint leaves - 1 cup
Coriander leaf/Cilantro - 1 cup
Onion - 1 large
Red chillies - 2
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Cloves - 3
Pepper - 6
Cardamom - 2
Star anise - 1/2 star
Cinnamon - 1 1/2"
Cumin seed - 1tsp
Ginger - 2 "
Garlic - 6 pods

Garnish:
Onion - 1 big sliced into thin strips and fried till brown/crisp
Cashewnuts- 2 tbsp fried
Raisins - 1 tbsp fried
Milk - 1/2 cup
saffron - 1 pinch

Method:
Boil 2-3/4 cups of water with a tsp of salt in another vessel and add to the former. Cover and reduce flame to minimum. Turn off after 10 minutes, but DO NOT OPEN lid.
After about 20 minutes, open lid and fluff up the rice with a fork.

Heat the oil/ghee in a thick bottomed vessel with heavy tight lid. Saute the whole spices till aromatic. Add the masala paste to this and fry on medium flame till raw smell goes.

Then add the tomato pulp with salt.
Cook till fat separates.
Add the parboiled vegetables .Cover and cook on slow flame till the vegetbles are done well, but do not lose shape. Taste for salt.

Layering:
In the heavy bottomed deep serving dish melt a tsp of ghee.
Layer half the rice on this. Press down and top with vegetable curry.
Top with rest of the rice. Press down slowly.
Drizzle the milk mixed with saffron evenly over the rice.
Garnish with a pinch of garam masala and some of the fried onion, cashew and raisins.
Cover tightly and put over the stove on the lowest flame. Cook for about 20 minutes till heated through and the lid feels hot.
Garnish with the rest of the fried onions, cashew and raisins.
Serve hot with Raitha, Pappad and Salaan.