Chinese Combo Meal

India and China are two very populous countries with ancient civilizations, friendship between the two countries has a time-honoured history, which can be dated back 2,000 years, and since the establishment of diplomatic ties between our two countries, in particular the last ten years, friendship and cooperation has made significant progress.

Indian Chinese Cuisine is the adaptation of Chinese seasoning and cooking techniques to Indian taste.I just read on wiki that this cuisine has been developed by a Chinese community that lived in Kolkata for over a century and we know that today its  an integral part of Indian culinary scene, in Northern India you can find Chinese food at every nook and corner of the streets, serving Momos,Soups, Chowmein,Fried Rice,Spring Rolls, wontons, Manchurian..and mostly in places like  Delhi NCR in front of the MNC offices,I still remember the taste of  yummy  momos with the hot sauce which was served by the vendor outside my last office in  Sec 58, Noida, our favorite snack with  Mazaa ,the mango drink ...ummm jus loved it , miss those days though.Do you know as of 2007 Chinese cuisine is India's most favorite cuisine, growing at 9% annually.

Whenever i go back i make sure i satisfy my cravings, and when i cannot i try to make them at home.After being in US i have starting loving TOFU a lot.Though i am still not able to post any recipe for that coz after making it we can't resist to eat it and therefore no clicks, but soon i will be posting some recipes on Tofu too.So Keep visiting.

I think everybody here knows how to cook Egg Noodles,Manchurian and must have tried their hands on it and wud not like to know my version..So just posting the details for the Chinese Eggplant which was new to me untill i tasted it in a restaurant and quite liked it .

Ingredients:

• Chinese Eggplant

• 1Tbs minced garlic

• 1 large onion chopped

• 1-2 Tbs Ketchup

• 1 Tbs Soy Sauce

• 1/2 tbs Vinegar

• 2-3 Spring onions chopped

• Red Chilli flakes

• Salt to taste  

Directions:

1. Slit the eggplants length wise and sprinkle a little salt on it and keep aside for 5-10 minutes,it will remove the sourness from the eggplant.
2. Fry the eggplants on a electric griddle or fry them in pan on medium heat .
3. Heat Oil in a pan and add garlic to it.
4. Now add onions and salt to it and fry for 3-4 minutes.
5. Add the sauces and red chilli flakes to it and add the fried Eggplant.
6. Saute for few minutes ,garnish with chopped green onions and serve hot with Rice.

Stuffed Tomatoes in Gravy

I like this dish and love making it when i have fresh red tomatoes , it is simply scrumptious.Though i don't cook it as often as i would love to but its always cherished when i cook.While Tomato is botanically a fruit ,its considered as a vegetable for Culinary purposes.Its such an important ingredient just imagine your cooking without Tomato,No Ketchup, No Tomato soups, No salsa and hw abt Pizza n pasta..and there wud be No Bloody Mary..and yes No La Tomatina in Spain (If you have watched Jindagi na milegi Dobara u might know) and their consumption is beneficial for heart So Thank God we have tomatoes...:)

Ingredients: Serves 2-3 ppl

• 6-7 Tomatoes(While selecting tomatoes make sure it should be hard from outside when u pick them and not soft and try to choose medium sized tomatoes)
• Wash and dry tomatoes
• Slice thin tops off, as lids,Save lids
• Scoop out tomato pulp , using a potato peeler/scooper or the back of you spoon.
• Save the pulp for gravy.

For stuffing:

Ingredients:

• 2-3 Potatoes boiled and mashed.
• 100gm Paneer(Indian Cottage Cheese)
• 1tsp asfoetida
• 1tsp cumin seeds
• 1tsp turmeric powder
• 1tsp chilli powder
• 1tsp Mustard seeds
• 1/2tsp garam masala powder
• 1tsp amchur/Mango powder
• 5-6 cashewnuts chopped
• 100 gm Peas boiled/frozen ( you can use corn kernels instead of peas tastes good too.)
• salt to taste

Method:

1. In a skillet add little oil and add cumin seeds ,mustard seeds and asfoetida to it
2. Now add all the spices to it and then you can add the potatoes and peas to the mixture .
3. Add the crumbled/grated paneer and cashews to the mix give it a stir and and the stuffing is ready.
4. Fill the scooped tomatoes with the stuffing and cover it with lid.
5. After replacing the lid you can hold it on top with the help of a toothpick.

For Gravy:

Ingredients:

• 2-3 Red onions grated or blended
• Tomato pulp(saved above) pureed
• Ginger/garlic paste
• 1tsp cumin seeds
• 1tsp turmeric powder
• 1tsp chilli powder
• 1tbs garam masala powder
• 1-2tbs dhania powder
• 10-12 cashewnuts grinded into a paste
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. In a skillet add oil (2-3 tbs) and add cumin seeds to it then add the ginger/garlic paste.
2. Add the onion paste to it ,fry it till it turns golden brown then add the pureed tomatoes to the mix
3. Keep stirring it till the oil separates from the mixture .
4. Now add the spices to it.
5. Place the tomatoes in the gravy carefully.
6. Keep rotating the tomatoes slightly so that they don't get overcooked from anyside.
7. Keep the tomatoes for atleast 5-7 min and then switch off the heat as the remaining heat will allow the tomatoes to get cooked completely.
8. Add fresh cilantro on top before serving.
9. Tastes good with both Naan or Rice

Reposting the recipe with few updates and new clicks...recipes also needs improvements with time..

Dum Aloo (Potatoes in yoghurt gravy)

I have been always inspired with the Kashmiri Cuisine as they have some world famous recipes and the spices they have are really awesome.Kashmir is a heaven on earth as they say in India, i have not been lucky enough to visit it yet but gonna go there for sure, but i have some kashmiri friends so i think m gonna visit them soon.This dish is always called as Kashmiri Dum Aloo  but i think its cooked in almost every home in North India.I believe every1 has its own version of Dum Aloo.Here goes my version with my secret ingredient ..


Ingredients:

• 10-12 small potatoes peeled
• 2-3 Onions pureed
• 2-3 tomatoes pureed
• 1 tbs ginger-garlic paste
• 1 star anise( secret agent ;))
• 1 -2 cardamom pods and cloves
• 1 small Cinnamon
• 1tbs Saunf powder (fennel seed powder)
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 1 cup curd whisked
• salt to taste

Directions:

1. Peel the potatoes and prick them at few places with the help of fork.
2. Heat Oil in a pan and deep-fry the potatoes till they are cooked. 

For the gravy

1. Heat Oil on medium heat in a pan and add the cloves, cinnamon and cardamoms and Star Anise
2. Add Cumin seeds,When they crackle, add the ginger -garlic paste n  pureed onions paste and sauté it till it changes color.
3. Add the tomato puree and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes.
4. Add a cup of curd to it and simmer further.
5. Now Add in the fried potatoes and keep covered on medium heat for 4-5 minutes.
6. Enjoy with Naan/Roti or Rice.

Dal Makhani (Creamy Black Lentils)

Dal Makhani or  Maa ki Dal as called by hardcore Punjabi's.It is one of the important part of the North Indian Punjabi Cuisine.Its a signature dish in  the menus of  most restaurants may be its a roadside dhaba or a  classy restaurant..and loved by everyone ..goes with everything  as it have such a  rich and creamy texture and taste.Its just perfect and as u know perfection cannot be improved but u just like it the perfect way..The only thing that is important for making it perfect is time ..u should have a little time in hand to cook this dal if you want to relish the taste.
Ingredients:

• 1 Cup whole black urad dal(Black Lentils)
• 1/4 cup Rajma(Red kidney beans)
• 2 tbs of Chana dal(Split Black gram Lentils)
• 1-2 medium onions chopped
• 2 tomatoes pureed
• Ginger garlic paste
• 1 tsp Chilli powder
• 1tsp garam masala
• 1tsp Coriander powder
• 1/2 cup cream
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Wash and soak the dals ,and rajma  overnight
2. Combine the dals, and salt with 3 cups of water and pressure cook till the dals are overcooked. 
3. If you don't have cream handy,you can add the milk and 1 cup of water to the dals and simmer for 10 minutes while stirring occasionally.
4. Heat the oil in a pan  on medium heat and add the cumin seeds,add the onions and ginger-garlic paste and sauté till the onions turn golden brown,then add tomato puree.
5. Add the chilli powder, coriander powder,garam masala powder and when the oil oozes out of the mixture,its ready.
6. Add this to the dal mixture and simmer on low heat till the Dal is thick and creamy.Just let it simmer while stirring occasionally.
7. Garnish with a  dollop of butter and serve hot with Naan/Roti.

Chole Bhature

Addiction ...Oh my God its getting on my nerves and actually i am  getting addicted to it and  i happily accept it now.Yes none other than Blogging,my hubby says it all the time.I keep checking my blog ,comments, updates and the rest of the time checking my blogger friends updates,hmm so carrying on this addiction forward with Chole Bhature, the name itself fills your mouth with water,had a craving to eat something gud  in this rainy weather so wat can be better than Chole Bhature.Its a fulfilling and mouthwatering dish , from punjabi north Indian cuisine and my love for it is immense .

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Chane/chickpea soaked for 4-5 hrs
• 2 Onions chopped
• 2-3 tomatoes pureed
• 1 tbs ginger -garlic freshly grated or paste
• Chana Masala Homemade or MDH
• Salt to taste
• 2 pods of cardamom
• 1tsp Chilli powder
• 1tsp cumin seeds
• 2 Tbs Oil

Method:

1. Pressure cook the soaked Chole .(For coloring the chole for a nice dark color, boil tea leaves in some water,sieve it and add  the water in the cooker ) 
2. Heat Oil in a pan  and add cumin seeds and ginger garlic paste. 
3. Add onions to it and fry them ,then add pureed tomatoes.
4. Now add  the spices to it , i use a homemade Chana Masala which makes it so delicious , will be soon posting the recipe for it, and add the cardamom pods too.
5. You can add this masala to the cooked chole and simmer for 10 minutes.
6. Use a Flat spoon to mash the Chole coarsely and Mix well.

For Bhautre:

I have used the replacement  for instant bhature here,"Tortillas" which is a real quick way to satisfy your urge for bhatures. Just buy the small flour tortillas any brand and for making bhature out of it you have to deep fry them like a regular poori and they come out very nice and  less oily.Or you can make the regular ones with flour.

Serve it hot with Chole and  with some onions and achaar(pickle) on the side,Onions are my weakness with Chole or Rajma they add to the taste.

Palak Paneer (Spinach with Cheese)

Its a North Indian dish made with spinach and cottage cheese ,very healthy to eat and interesting to cook and its a treat for your taste buds.Its not tough to cook as it looks.I have seen a lot of Americans friends buying the ready to eat version from the desi store and they say they really relish it .So here is the recipe for all those friends. There are lot of variations you can do to it like instead of cottage cheese you can use Peas/Corn/Mushroom or  indeed Tofu is a very healthy option to substitute.

Ingredients: Serves 3-4 ppl

• 2 lb of fresh spinach leaves or baby spinach leaves
• 1lb of Paneer(Indian Cottage Cheese)
• 2 Medium size Onions Chopped
• 3-4 Garlic cloves minced
• 1-2 tsp Ginger paste
• 2 Green chillies
• 1/2 Cup milk
• 1 Tbs Gram flour/Chickpea flour(Besan)
• 1tsp Garam Masala
• 1tsp Cumin seeds
• 1tsp Red Chilli powder
• 1tsp Coriander powder
• 1tsp Sugar
• 2-3 tbs Ghee/Clarified Butter/Vegetable Oil
• Salt to taste

Method:

• Wash and drain the spinach .
• Add ginger and green chillies and steam or pressure cook the spinach in 1 whistle .Let it cool
• Make a paste of the steamed spinach and add Gram flour & milk along with it in your Mixer/ Blender.
• In a skillet on medium heat add Ghee/Oil add cumin seeds to it,then add garlic paste to it and saute it till it turns light brown.
• Now add the chopped onions to it and keep stirring it till it turns golden brown.
• Add salt in the onions while cooking it helps the onions to cook faster.Now Add the spices to it.
• Mix in the pureed spinach ,add sugar ,let it cook for 15-20 min on medium heat
• Add the cubed paneer into the gravy.(You can also fry the paneer before adding if you want )
• If the gravy is bit dry you can add little water to it.
• Let it cook further on low heat for 5-10 min
• Garnish with a tsp of ghee before serving.
• Ready to serve,tastes good with Naan/Chapati .

Dal Fry/Lentils

Lentils are to India as meatloaf is to America: the comfort food.

For all those Singles or Husbands whose wifes or families are out on a holiday and then you have to experiment with the food to satisfy your hunger.Some easy tips and recipes to cook .

Any Dal:

Moong Dhuli (Yellow small dal) - 2-3 Whistles

Arhar/Tuvar(Yellow round dal ) - 2-3 whistles

Chana(Yellow split gram dal )- 4-5 whistles

Urad Dal(White color dal) - 2-3 whistles

Black split Urad dal(Black color dal) - 4-5 whistles

Masoor dal(Brown /orange color dal) - 3-4 whistles

Ingredients: Serves - 1-2 ppl

• 1 Cup dal
• 1 chopped onion
• 1 chopped tomato
• 2-3 cloves of garlic
• 1tsp Asafoetida
• 1 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 tsp Chilli powder
• 1tsp Garam Masala powder
• 1tsp Corianader powder
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• Cilantro to garnish

Method:

1. Wash/Rinse the dal throughly till water is clear , by draining it 3-4 times.
2. Now as u will not be able to soak the dal in water for sometime , No worries .Add the washed dal in a cooker , add 2 cups water to it and add salt and turmeric powder .
3. Pressure cook it for 2-3 whistles on medium heat and turn off the heat.
4. Now prepare the tadka and do not open the cooker till the steam is all gone say for 10 minutes.
5. Take a pan add oil/ghee on medium heat, add cumin seeds ,asafoetida & garlic to it.Wait till it turns light brown.
6. Add the chopped onion and saute it till light brown and then add tomatoes to it.
7. Mix in all the spices and stir it further for few minutes till the oil separates.
8. Now check the cooker if the steam is finished and check if the dal is cooked then add tadka to it.
9. Let it cook further on medium heat for 5-7 minutes.
10. If the dal is uncooked still add the tadka to it ,Also check if the water is less you can add another cup to it, but now give it another whistle and do not open till the ...u r right ..steam is finished.
11. Add a little garam masala n Garnish with cilantro. Enjoy while missing ur wife/Mom .

Gobhi Mussallam(Cauliflower in Gravy)

I am great fan of Cauliflower ,and keep experimenting with it a lot ,i was watching a TV show on Food and heard of this recipe and i tried it with a little variation and came out really good .Its very presentable and yes a treat to tongue as well.

Ingredients:Serves 3-4 People

• 1 medium size cauliflower
• 2 Onion chopped
• 2 Tomatoes chopped
• Ginger-Garlic Paste
• 6-8 Cashewnuts
• 1/2 Cinnamon stick
• 1 Cardamom pod
• 1 Clove
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 1tsp Red chilli powder
• 1 tsp Garam Masala
• 1/2 cup milk
• Orange Food color
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Remove the leaves and cut the cauliflower into big florets
2. Boil the florets in salted water for 5-10 min
3. Dip the florets in Orange color
4. Now take Oil in a skillet and stir fry the cauliflower florets, by stirring so they are fried from all sides.Keep it aside.
5. On medium heat in a wide pan add oil and put in the whole garam masalas.
6. Put Cumin powder and Ginger garlic paste and fry it till it turns brown.
7. Add Chopped onions and cashews to it, saute the onions and add tomatoes.
8. Add salt and the spices to it .Turn the heat off.
9. Now puree the paste and put it back to cook .
10. Heat the mixture ,add milk to the mix and cook it further for few minutes.Add water if necessary.
11. Add in the cauliflower florets
12. Garnish with cilantro and its ready to eat.

Punjabi Kadhi Pakora

Tops the list of my favourite food, kadhi ..Love it and so does my hubby but he doesn't like eating it with Pakoras so i will give you a variation too for those who want to make it without the pakoras n still so yummy to eat. Ingredients:Serves 4-5 For the kadhi: 3 Cups Sour Yoghurt/buttermilk(Keep yoghurt out of the fridge for sometime like 1-2 hrs it will turn a little sour ) 2 Cups water 3/4 Cup besan(Chickpea/Gram flour) 1 tsp cumin seeds ¾ tsp mustard seeds 1/4 tsp Asfoetida(Hing) 1 ½ tsp turmeric powder 1 tsp Methi seeds 4-5 whole red chillies Salt to taste For the pakoras 1 Cup+ besan (chickpea/gram flour) 1 medium onion, chopped ½ tsp red chilli powder ½ tsp turmeric powder ¼ tsp baking soda Oil for frying Method: Mix the Besan with Yoghurt and give it just 1-2 churns in your blender,Add water to the mix so that it is of medium consistency its not thick and neither very thin. If you see any lumps, just let the mixture stand for a few minutes and then stir again,the lumps will dissolve. Now take some Oil in a pan(Use a thick bottomed and wide pan) and add Cumin seed ,Asfoetida and add mustard seeds to it.Let it splutter. Now add the Methi seeds to it (It gives a very nice flavour and adds to the taste) let it turn light brown ,be careful not to burn it. Now add the Yoghurt and Besan batter to it and bring it to a boil while stirring it . Turn the heat down to a simmer. Cover and cook for 20 minutes to half hour, stirring occasionally to keep it from sticking to the bottom. Variation: If you don't want to add pakoras then before adding the batter to the pan you can add a thinly sliced onion into the pan and cook it slightly you dont have to make it brown and then add the batter to it .(I usually make it this way for the two of us ) For the Pakoras To the besan add some water and make a thick smooth batter. Add turmeric, red chilli powder, chopped onion , and mix. Heat the oil in a pan till just below smoking. You can test by putting a drop of the batter into the hot oil -- it should sizzle and rise to the top but not get browned right away. Add the baking soda, and mix well. Drop batter by spoonfuls (I use a teaspoon) in batches to make small pakoras, not more than ¾ inches across. Fry till medium brown, and drain on a paper towel. Do not add salt to the pakora batter for two reasons. One, it supposedly keeps them from sucking up too much oil. Baking soda makes the pakoras light and soft. If you want a lower sodium version, and wish to avoid baking soda, beat the batter till light, and then add the chopped onions ,Fry similarly in hot oil. For the final tadka (tempering):If you love it spicy.. 1 tbs ghee or oil 3-4 Whole dried red chillies ¾ tsp (or to taste) Kashmiri mirch or regular red chilli powder Method: Heat Ghee in a pan add the whole red chillies to it ,fry them let it turn dark in colour and take it out . Add cumin seeds and chilli powder to it ,turn off the heat. Transfer the kadhi to the serving bowl. For the final flourish add the tadka just before serving it and add the fried red chillies. Serve hot with rice.

Khoya Paneer

Ummm..As for most of the veggies the most loved thing is Paneer or so called Indian cottage cheese and so is for me being a vegan this is one of the favorite dishes from my childhood days and the taste of which still dwells on my tongue,whenever my Mom used to make something like Ghiya(Lauki) or Karela(Bittergourd) which i used to hate at that time she used to cook Paneer for me or my dad used to get this Khoya Paneer for me from one of my fav Dhabas.So wanted to share this recipe with you guys and brings back to me all my childhood memories.

Ingredients:Serves 2-3 people

• Paneer cut into big cubes
• Khoya(Mawa) 100gm Grated
• 2-3 Onions chopped
• 2 Tomatoes Pureed
• 1tbs Ginger garlic paste
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1-1/2tsp Chilli powder
• Dhania Powder
• Garam Masala
• Salt to taste
• Dhania(Cilantro to garnish)

Method:

1. In a pan, add 2 - 3 tbsp ghee/Oil and fry the grated Khoya , Stir it till it turns light brown. Keep it aside.

2. Now add cumin seeds and a paste of ginger/garlic , green chillies(optional) and Stir well.

3. Add chopped onions and fry it turns golden brown and then add tomato puree to the mix.

4. Add salt, chill powder,turmeric pwdr ,Dhania n Garam masala pwdr and stir. Pour approx 1/4 cup of water to the mix and allow it to cook for 5-7 min.

5. Add the fried khoya to it now.

6. Now Cut the paneer into square cubes and deep fry them in oil till golden colour or you can add it without frying(Tastes good either way i choose to add it without frying ). Add the paneer cubes into the gravy and give a gentle mix.

7. Garnish with cilantro and its ready to eat.

This is my first recipe post and i hope i will keep sharing more from what i love to cook .