Dal Makhani

Happy Vinayaka Chavithi

Ingredients:
Whole Urad Dal - 1 cup
Rajma - 1/2 cup
Green Chillies - 6
Onion paste - with 1 onion (optional)
Tomato puree - with 4 or 5 tomatoes
Ginger - Garlic Paste - 1 tbsp (or you can use ginger and garlic pieces)
Fresh cream/Milk - 1/2 cup
Garam Masala - 2 tbsp
Butter/Oil - 3 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 2 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Turmeric - a pinch
Salt to taste
Cilantro - handful

Method:
Soak the washed Urad dal and Rajma in lots of water overnight.

Pressure cook the dal with lots of water and along with little salt until fully cooked.

Later drain the water and keep aside.

Heat the butter in a pan, add the cumin seeds, asafoetida andlater add in onion paste.

After 3-4 mins add the ginger-garlic paste and fry for 2 more mins.

Add in the tomato puree. Cook this mixture on medium heat for 5 mins. And turmeric at this point.

Add the cooked urad dal and mix well. Add 1 cup of water if it is too thick.

Add cream/milk and garam masala now and check for salt.

Let it cook on low-medium heat for atleast 30 mins.

Lastly add cilantro for garnishing.

Priya

Rajma Masala

Hi folks,

Sorry for the long absence, been a lil busy doing nothing.

Ingredients:
Rajma - 2 cups (soaked and pressure cooked)
Onion - 1 big
Tomatoes - 3 (I used Roma tomatoes)
Green chillies - 4 small
Ginger-Garlic Paste - 1 tbsp
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Coriander Pwd - 1 tsp
Red Chilli Pwd - 1 tsp
Rajma Masala - 1 tsp (optional)
Channa Masala - 1 tsp (optional)
Turmeric - a pinch
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Curry leaves - 1 few
Cilantro - handful
Oil - 2 tbsp

Method:

Take a heavy bottomed pan, heat 1 tbsp oil in medium flame, add in cumin seeds and curry leaves, after they are done, add in onions and green chillies.
After the onions turn translucent, add the ginger-garlic paste and fry for a minute.
Then, pop in the tomatoes along with 1/2 of water and close the lid.
After the tomatoes are fully done remove from heat and let it cool and grind this mixture into a smooth paste.

Take an other pan, heat the remaining oil, and add the Rajma, salt, turmeric and chilli pwd. Fry for a while.
Add in the onion-tomato paste, all the masalas and let it cook until everything comes together.
Lastly, add in chopped cilantro and you are done.

Tomato Pulao

Ingredients:
Basmati Rice - 2 cups
Water - 3 cups
Roma Tomatoes - 3 (chop 2 tomatoes & grind 1 tomato)
Onion - 1 big chopped
Cloves - 3
Garlic - 1 pod
Cinnamon Stick - 1 inch stick
Shah Jeera - 1 tsp
Bay Leaf - 1
Cardamom - 2
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Red Chilli Powder - 1/2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Oil

Process:

Heat 2 tsps of oil in a pan, roast rice for a few minutes and keep aside.

Add some more oil (if needed) and put in cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaf, shah jeera, garlic to the pan and fry till nice aroma comes out.

Add finely chopped onion and fry till translucent.

Grind 1 tomato into a smooth paste & add it to the pan and add 2 chopped tomatoes and till done. Add turmeric, red chilli powder and salt.

Add water and allow it to come to a boil.

Add rice into boiling water. Cover and cook till done.

Peanut Potato Masala

Its real simple to prepare and tastes great......

Ingredients:

for Gravy:
Potatoes - 3 big (or baby potatoes - 15)
Onion - 1 big
Tomato - 1 big
Green Chillies - 4
Red Chilli Powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves - handful

for Masala:
Roasted Peanuts - 1/2 cup
Ginger-Garlic Paste - 1 tbsp
Poppy Seeds - 1 tbsp
Dry Coconut Powder - 2 tbsp
Cloves - 4
Cinnamon Stick - 2 1" pieces
Star Anise - 1
Cardamom - 4
Shah Jeera - 1 tsp

Process:

Grind all the masala ingredients into a paste.

Boil the potatoes in the microwave for 5 mins with 1 tsp of salt.

Heat oil in a pan, fry the onions and green chillies, then add the ginger-garlic paste and fry for a min.

Add tomatoes and fry till they become soft (add water if needed), then add the masala paste, red chilli pwd, turmeric and fry for a while.

Add the potatoes, salt, some water. Cover and cook until done.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Serve hot with rice or rotis........

Carrot Rice

Ingredients:

Cooked rice - 1 cup
Shredded Carrot - 1.5 or 2 cups
Cloves - 4
Cardamom - 1
Cinnamon Stick - 1 small
Bay leaf - 1 (optional)
Red chilli powder - 1 tbsp
Salt - as per taste

Method:

Heat oil in a pan, add cloves, cardamoms, cinnamon stick, bay leaf and fry for a min.

Add shredded carrot and fry for 4 mins. Then add red chilli powder and salt and fry for an other min. Add the cooked rice and mix well.

You are all set to have your delicious carrot rice within 15 mins :)

Senagapappu Kobbari Fry (Channa Dal Coconut Fry)

Ingredients:
Senagapappu/Channa dal - 1 cup
Grated coconut - 1 cup (Fresh/Frozen)
Onion - 1 small
Green chillies - 4
Salt as per taste
Turmeric - a pinch
Red Chilli powder - less than 1 tbsp
Garam Masala - 1 tsp (optional)
Cilantro - a handful

Method:
1) Soak senagapappu/channa dal in enough water for 2hrs
2) Take a pan, add 2 tsp of oil. Add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, green chillies and fry for a min. Now add onions and sauté till onions become transparent and add turmeric.
3) Drain water from the senagapappu/channa dal and throw them into the pan along with the grated coconut. Add salt and fry for 2 mins.
4) Add red chilli powder and fry for 5-6 mins
5) Add garam masala and garnish with cilantro