Peas Cauliflower Bhaji

It was one of those evenings when you have guests and you want to make something quick, that has a twist to it....This was one of those recipes... I always make this vegetable except this time, I added huge chunks of a tomato (uncooked) while cooking the veggies...The juice of the tomato added a little bit of tartness and loads of flavor to the seemingly simple Curry....

Cauliflower - 1 large cut into big pieces

Peas - 1.5 cup

Tomato - 1 large cut into 8 pieces

Oil - 1 tbsp

Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp

Turmeric Pdr - 1/2 tsp

Chilli Pdr - 3/4 tsp

Kadipatta Leaves - 10

Salt - 1.5 tsp

HEat oil, add mustard seeds , 2 pinches of hing and kadipatta leaves to seasoning. Then add turmeric and chilli pdr. Saute the cauliflower in this for a couple minutes on high heat. then add peas and tomatoes, mix well and cook on a low flame until the cauliflower is cooked but still has a bite to it.

Add salt and garnish with cilantro..

Enjoy with Rice or hot rotis... Tastes very good if you have Kadhi...( recipe to follow)

Vaange Bhareet (Eggplant Raita)

I love Eggplant...in all shapes and forms...pakodas, curries and Raitas...This recipe is of a Eggplant Raita, that is easy to make and keeps folks coming back for more....

Eggplant - 1 Large

Onion - 1 medium chopped

Chillies - 2 slit vertically

Cilantro - 2 tbsps chopped

Oil - 2tsp

Turmeric + Chilli Powder (1/8 tsp each)

Salt - 3/4 tsp

Yogurt - 2 tbsps

mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Cut the Eggplant vertically to make 2 long pieces. Apply oil on the skin of the eggplant and the flesh. Heat the oven at 450, place the Eggplant skin down and cook for about 20 -25 minutes. At the end, probe with a fork and ensure its fully cooked.

Remove the Eggplant and scrape off the fleshy part from the skin...set aside to cool. Now add Raita, Salt, cilantro, onions. Time to garnish...

Heat Oil, add mustard seeds, when they are done spluttering, add chillies, turmeric and chilli powder...Turn off the heat and add the seasoning to the eggplant... Mix, enjoy with Hot rotis....

This recipe stores well in the fridge for a day. The raw onion tends to get stronger in flavor as this dish rests...so best eaten fresh...

Enjoy!!

Misal - A Maharashtrian Delicacy...

Misal means 'mix'. This dish is used as a mid meal / snack or is another weekend Brunch Dish. It has a combination of pulses (protein) + Pohe (Carbs), so makes for a healthy delish meal. The recipe has a lot of ingredients, so it may sound complicated...but it really is not....My husband and I love it...and our little girl has come to love a few ingredients so I do not need to cook a seperate meal for her.... The components of Misal in this recipe are - soaked brown chana + potato pohe + rassa (the life of this dish) + condiments (Sev, onion, cilantro,lemon , chillies.....) Brown Chana:

Soak 2 cups of Brown Chana overnite.

The next morning, put them in the pressure cooker with 2 cups of water, 1 tsp salt, a pinch of turmeric + chilli powder. Cook until 4-5 whistles and set aside..

Potato Pohe:

2 potatoes cut into slices

4 cups THICK pohe

2 tbsp oil

10 kadipatta leaves

1.5 tsp salt

1/2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp turmeric

2 pinches hing

1 tsp mustard seeds

Heat oil, season with mustard seeds...when it finishes spluttering, add hing, kadipatta, turmeric and sliced potatoes. Let the potatoes cook. In the meanwhile, wash the pohe in a colander and remove water.Let them sit for 5-10 minutes. When the potatoes cook, add salt, sugar and Pohe. Mix, put the lid on the vessel and cook on a low flame until the pohe are cooked through...this should not take more than 5 minutes...Set aside...

Rassa - The yummiest part of this dish

2 tbsp oil

2 tsp mustard seeds

Kadipatta 10 leaves

Onion 1 chopped

Red Chilli Powder / Kanda Lasun Masala 1.5 tsp...whatever you have on hand

Salt 1 tsp

Sugar 1/2 tsp

a splash of lemon

Water 6 cups

Heat oil, add mustard seeds...when they are done spluttering add onions, kadipatta and cook until onions are translucent. Add chilli powder / kanda lasun masala , mix and then add water. Add sugar salt and let this concoction boil on a low-medium heat for about 40 minutes. Ad the end, add a dash of lemon and taste it...it should be spicy ...add salt to taste....

Ok so now bring the condiments of your choice... I like Sev , chopped cilantro, chopped raw onions and a wedge of lemon...

Set out a wide dish. Add couple tbsps each of the chana, pohe and rassa....top with sev, chopped onion, lemon, cilantro...and enjoy with a slice of bread...

Palak Paratha and Mixed Vegetable

When I wake up on a Saturday / Sunday morning, all I can think of are the meals that I will cook for my family that are different from weeknite meals. So I end up cooking elaborate breakfasts and lunches.
I happened to stumble upon this combination that both my kid and husband enjoyed and is fir for brunch.... Its easy to make , nutritous and yummy.

Palak Paratha
Take 2 -2 2.5 cups of palak, blanche and grind with a green chilli, couple cloves of garlic and salt.
2 cups wheat flour
2 tbsps oils
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp haldi
1/2 - 3/4 tsp of sesame seeds

Make a dough of all the above and let it rest for 20 minutes
Roll out the dough balls into parathas, cook with a little oil on both sides.

Mixed Vegetable:
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1 Big carrot, cut into chunks
1/2 medium cauliflower cut into chunks
10 - 12 red raddish split into half
1/4 cup lite sour cream
1.5 tomatoes crushed.
oil 1 tbsp, with hing, mustard seeds and kadipatta to taste.
1/4 tsp haldi
1/4 tsp chilli powder.
1 cup warm water.

Heat Oil, add mustard seeds, let them splutter, add hing and kadipatta in a pressure cooker. Add crushed tomatoes and cook them till they leave oil on the sides, then add haldi, chilli powder. Add vegetables and saute for a couple minutes. Then add sour cream, salt, water and give 2 whistles...

Serve hot with PArathas...Enjoy!