BAKED RED POTATOES

Ingredients:
4 large unpeeled red potatoes
1tbsp butter; melted
3 cloves minced garlic
1 stem green onion finely cut
1/4 tbsp black pepper
3/4 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp dried onion
3/4 tbsp salt
shredded cheese to garnish

Preparation:

• In a bowl mix garlic, green onions, black pepper, oregano, dried onion and salt.
• Cut the potatoes into wedges (about 1 inch thick).
• Mix the potato in the bowl and toss.
• Preheat the oven to around 425F
• Coat a baking pan with melted butter and add the mixture to it. Sprinkle the cheese on top of it
• Bake the potatoes till golden brown (around 1/2 hour). Halfway through the baking, stir the potatoes.

VEGETABLE CUTLET

This recipe has been handed down from my mother. One bite of it takes me back to my childhood.

Ingredients:

2 potatoes boiled
1/2 carrot grated
1/4 beet root grated
1 tbsp coriander powder
1/2 tbsp cumin powder
1 tbsp chaat masala
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp red chilli powder
salt to taste
oil for frying
3-4 tbsp corn flour
1/4 cup milk
1 cup bread crumbs

Preparation:

• Boil the potatoes and mash them.
• Add salt, red chilli powder, garam masala, chaat masala, cumin powder, coriander powder and mix them well.
• Now add the grated carrot and beet root and mix them with the mashed potato.
• Heat about 2 tbsp oil in a frying pan. Add the mashed mixture to it and fry it for about 5-6 minutes.
• When the mixture cools down, take handful of the mixture and make oval patties out of it.
• In a flat bottomed bowl mix corn flour and milk In another plate take the bread crumbs.
• Now dip the patty in the corn flour-milk mixture and then roll it in the bread crumbs. To make a crispier cutlet dip it again in the corn flour-milk mix and roll it again in the bread crumbs.
• Heat oil in frying pan. Shallow fry the cutlets.
• Serve them hot with onion rings, cucumber slices and ketchup. 

DAL MAKHANI

Ingredients:
2 cups whole urad dal
1 large onion chopped
1 large tomato chopped
3-4 green chillies chopped
2 garlic cloves minced
1/2 tsp ginger grated
2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp turmeric power
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 cup stirred fresh cream (malai)
2 tbsp plain yogurt
1 tbsp butter
Fresh coriander for garnish
salt to taste

Preparation:

• Soak the dal overnight in water. 
• In a pressure cooker add the soaked dal, water, chopped onion, tomato, ginger, garlic, green chillies, coriander, cumin, red chilli powder, garam masala, turmeric, salt.
• Pressure cook them in high flame for about 5 minutes and then in low flame for around 20 minutes.
• After opening the cooker, keep cooking the dal in low flame.
• Add the cream and yogurt and continue stirring every few minutes to avoid it being stuck in the bottom.
• Keep mashing them as you stir so that the dal becomes half whole half mashed and it gets a medium thick consistency.
• Keep cooking for about 35-40 minutes. Add the butter just 2 minutes before taking it down.
• Garnish it with coriander and butter
• Serve with rice, roti, parothas or naan.

Tips:

You can add 1/2 cup of Kidney beans (rajma) along with the urad dal.

CRISPY GREEN BEAN FRIES

Ingredients:

1 egg beaten
1 cup milk
4 cups chicken broth / water
6-8 ounces green beans cut to about 2 inches
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup plain breadcrumbs
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
oil for frying

Preparation:

• Bring the chicken broth/water to boil. Add the beans and bring to boil for about 15 minutes.
• Now plunge the beans in ice cold water to prevent them from getting soft.
• In a bowl beat the egg with milk. In another bowl mix the bread crumbs with salt, black pepper, onion powder and garlic powder. And take all-purpose flour in another bowl.
• Remove the beans from the cold water and coat them in flour. Shake off the excess flour and dip them in egg-milk mixture and then coat them in the breadcrumb mixture.
• Heat oil in a fryer and fry the beans for about 1 minute or till they are golden brown.
• Drain them on a rack or paper towel.
• Serve hot as appetizer with dips like blue-cheese or ranch or wasabi-cucumber ranch.

CHICKEN 65

This recipe was given by my brother-in-law even before he married my sister. This is now one of our favorites at our home and also among my friends who keep asking me for it.

Ingredients:
1/2-1 lbs boneless chicken cut in small pieces
2 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar
1/2 cup all purpose flour (maida)
1 tbsp corn flour
1 egg
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp red chilli powder
2 cloves garlic cloves
8-10 curry leaves
3-4 green chillis finely chopped
2 tbsp plain yogurt
salt to taste
oil for frying
2-3 drops red food color (optional)

Preparation:

• Marinate the small cut pieces with lemon juice/vinegar and salt for about 30 minutes.
• In a bowl mix the flour, corn flour, egg, black pepper powder, red chilli powder and add salt. Mix it into a batter. Add the color if you want.
• In a pan heat the oil.
• Mix the chicken pieces in the batter and fry them till they are brown.
• In another pan heat a little oil.
• Now add the garlic, curry leaves and green chillies.
• Fry for a few seconds and add the yogurt.
• After frying for 1-2 minutes add the fried chicken pieces.
• Serve hot as an appetizer

GHUGNI

Ingredients:
2 cups soaked white peas
2 tbsp oil
1 small stick of cinnamon
3 pods cardamom
1 bay leaf
1 tsp ginger  grated
1 tsp garlic  finely chopped
1 onion chopped
1 tomato chopped
1 1/2 tsp cumin powder
1 1/2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp tamarind paste
salt to taste

Preparation:

• Soak the peas overnight. Boil it till it is soft.
• Heat the oil and add garlic and ginger to it. Add cardamom, cinnamon and bay leaf to it.
• Add onion to it. Fry them till they are soft and pink.
• Now add the tomatoes and tamarind and fry.
• When the tomatoes turn soft and pulpy add cumin, coriander, turmeric and chilli powder. Fry them well.
• Now add the boiled peas to it with a little water.
• Add salt to taste. Let them boil.
• Add garam masala and simmer for a few minutes.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and onion rings.

PEANUT/GROUNDNUT CHUTNEY

Ingredients:

1 cup roasted and peeled peanuts
1 small onion sliced
3 dry red chillis, de-seeded
small lemon sized tamarind paste
3 garlic flakes, crushed
salt to taste
3/4 cup water
1 tsp oil

Ingredients for Tadka:


1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp split black gram dal
8-10 curry leaves
1/2 tsp oil

Preparation:

• In a pan heat oil and add the garlic and red chillies, stir fry for a few seconds.
• Now add the sliced onions and saute for another 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and allow it to cool.
• Now grind the peanuts, sauteed onion and garlic, tamarind along with salt and half a cup water.
• Now for seasoning heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds.
• Once the mustard seeds splutter add the split gram dal and let it turn golden brown.
• Now add the curry leaves and remove it from heat.
• Pour it over the chutney and serve it with idlis or dosas.