Mint / Pudina Chutney !

I love all the chutneys & pickles for that matter whatever my mom cooks…. there must be some chutney or pickle at home always…and this time it is more special when I made this Pudina / Mint chutney and the reason is… we got The Home grown fresh Mint from ♥ly couple Ragini & Vijay Garu !! A big Thanq to them !

&….. the home grown fresh mint enhanced the taste much more !!!

Pudina Chutney

Ingredients :

Mint / Pudina Leaves - 2 to 3 cups

Dry red chili - 5 to 6 ( depends on the spicy you prefer)

Tamarind - 1 tea spoon

Garlic cloves - 2 to 3

Cumin seeds - 1 tea spoon

Coconut shred - 1 to 2 table spoons

oil - 1/4 tea spoon

Salt - As per the taste

Water - 2 to 3 table spoons

Preparation :

- Separate the Mint / pudina leaves from the strands & wash them in the cold water and lay them on dry paper towel to drain out the excess water.

Mint chutney

- We can use freshly grated coconut shred or dry coconut shred as per the availability.

Pudina Chutney

- Dry roast the dry red chili, cumin seeds, garlic cloves, and coconut shred. Once done, take them in to a separate plate and keep them aside.

Mint Chutney

- Now add the mint leaves to the pan and add the oil and let it fry under lowest heat, add the tamarind as well & cover the pan with the lid ( make sure mint leaves don't burn).

Pudina Chutney

- Don't have to fry for longer..just until the leaves turn little brownish..it just takes max 2 minutes under low heat !

Mint Chutney

- Now all these are ready to go in to the blender or mixer grinder along with salt, add water little by little and grind the chutney.

- Don't grind it in to too fine paste..just leave it little coarser.

and that is it ….Pudina / Mint Chtney is ready & can be served with dal rice & ghee, akki roti as well !

Pudina Chutney

Lamb / Mutton Shorba !

We miss the smoky mutton paya that we get in India…but now, we are used to cooking Lamb Shanks in Shorba style !
Shorba is a hot, spicy, rich & flavorful soupy recipe & on any cold day this recipe is a great treat to your tastebuds !!

Mutton Shorba

I follow the same recipe of mutton paya soup recipe which requires no additional oil & for the lamb shanks as they already have lot of fat.

Ingredients :

Lamb shanks / mutton - 1 to 1 1/2 lb

Red chili powder - 2 table spoons

Ginger & Garlic paste - 1 table spoon

Turmeric powder - 1 tea spoon

Coriander powder - 2 tea spoons

Cumin powder - 1 tea spoon

Chopped coriander leaves - 2 table spoons

Chopped mint leaves - 1 table spoon

Lemon juice - 1 tea spoon

Salt - As per the taste

Water - 3 to 4 cups

Whole Garam Masala :

Cinnamon stick - 1

Cloves - 2

Cardamom / Elaichi - 2

Anis flower - 1 or 2

Bay Leaves - 2

Preparation :

- I prefer to cut the lamb shanks into small pieces, it is easy for me to cook small pieces but if you have bigger cooking vessels / cooker use the whole lamb shank.

- Wash the mutton thoroughly in the running water & remove any excess fat.

Mutton Shorba

- Add all the ingredients to the mutton except the lemon juice, bay leaves & chopped coriander, mint leaves.

- Mix well so that all the pieces are well covered with the masala.

Mutton Shorba

- Leave it to marinate for 30 to 60 minutes.

- After marinating for some time, take the marinated mutton / lamb shanks into cooker or thick bottomed cooking vessel ( I prefer pressure cooker ).

Mutton Shorba

- Add 2 cups of water & bay leaves to the marinated mutton and cover with the lid and let it cook for 15 to 20 minutes under low to medium heat. If using pressure cooker, let it cook until 2 whistles.

Mutton Shorba

- after 2 whistles, turn off the heat, let all the pressure go & open the lid..stir well, add the remaining water, adjust the salt and add the chopped mint leaves and cook for another 10 minutes without covering with the lid under low to medium heat.

Mutton Shorba

- Once done, turn off the heat and add the lemon juice & chopped coriander leaves to the mutton shorba.

Mutton Shorba

Lamb Shanks / Mutton shorba is ready to be served with bagara rice / any type of biryani / pulav / paaratha !!

Mirchi Ka Salan !

This rich, luscious & spicy... Hyderabadi Mirchi ka Salan recipe for you all…. this recipe comes from the family of Baghara Baingan… yet with distinct taste !!

It goes well with Biryani / any type of Roti … checkout the Butter Kulcha recipe @Butter Kulcha

Mirchi Ka Salan

Ingredients :

Mirchi / Green Peppers - 4 to 5 depends on the size (Choose any kind which are medium to bigger)

Chopped Bell peppers / capsicum - 1 cup (OPTIONAL)

Chopped Onions - 1 cup 

Cumin seeds - 1 tea spoon

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tea spoon

Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tea spoon

Ginger & Garlic paste - 1 table spoon

Cinnamon stick -1 

Anise flower - 1

Small cardamom - 1

Red Chilli powder - 1 table spoon

Turmeric powder - 1 tea spoon

Coriander powder - 1 tea spoon

Oil - 2 to 3 table spoons

Water - 1 to 2 cups

Peanuts - 3 to 4 table spoons

White sesame seeds - 2 table spoons

Shredded coconut - 3 table spoons

Tamarind extract - 1/2 table spoon

Jaggery powder / sugar - 1/2 table spoon (OPTIONAL)

Preparation :

- Wash the Mirchi in the water & dry them with a napkin, slit and remove the seeds.

Mirchi ka Salan

- Heat 1 table spoon of oil in the pan and fry the mirchi until splutter and skin turns little brownish or darker.

Mirchi ka Salan

- Once done, take out the mirchi into a plate and keep them aside.

- In the same pan, roast the peanuts, sesame seeds & coconut shred. 

Mirchi Ka Salan

- Grind these ingredients into a fine paste adding little water.

- Heat the remaining oil in the pan & add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, cinnamon stick, anise & cardamom and fry them.

Mirchi ka Salan

- Add the chopped onions & capsicum to the pan and fry them until golden brown.

Mirchi ka Salan

- Add the ginger & garlic paste to the fried onions and sauté for few seconds.

Mirchi ka Salan

- Add the ground paste to the seasoning and give it a nice stir.

Mirchi ka Salan

- Add the tamarind extract, red chilli powder, salt, turmeric, coriander powder, jaggery / sugar (but I didn't add any sweet) and mix well.

Mirchi ka Salan

- Add water to the gravy, as per your preference the thickness of gravy you are looking for.

- Cover the pan with lid and let it cook under low heat for 5 to 7 minutes.

Mirchi ka Salan

- Open the lid & adjust the thickness if you want to add more water, or want to adjust the salt.

- Add the fried Mirchi to the Salan and stir through the gravy. Cover the pan with the lid and leave it to cook for few more minutes.

Mirchi Ka Salan

Hyderabadi Mirchi ka Salan is ready…enjoy !!!

Butter Kulcha !

It's been long time that I made kulcha…..&here they are.. yum yum yummy !!!

Butter Kulcha

Ingredients :

All purpose flour / Maida - 1 cup 

Yogurt / Curd - 2 table spoons

Baking powder - 1/2 tea spoon

Baking soda - 1/2 tea spoon

Sugar - 1/2 tea spoon

Oil - 1 table spoon ( this is to mix the dough)

Salt - 1/4 tea spoon

Milk - 1/4 cup

White / Black sesame seeds / Kalonji - 1 table spoon

Chopped mint leaves - 2 table spoons.

Butter - 1 to 2 table spoons

Preparation :

- Sieve the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt & sugar together in to a mixing bowl.

Butter Kulcha

- Add the oil, yogurt to the dry ingredients and mix well.

- Knead the dough adding milk little by little while kneading the dough, DO NOT ADD MILK, ALL AT ONCE, It might make the dough runny.

Butter Kulcha

- Knead the dough well.. & cover the dough with a lid and keep it aside for 2 to 3 hours.

Butter Kulcha

- After 3 hours, we can use the dough to make the kulcha. For 1 cup of flour, we can make 4 or 5 kulchas.

- Divide the dough into equal parts and roll the kulcha, use some extra flour while rolling the kulcha.

Butter Kulcha

- I could make 5 kulchas with the dough, I made medium sized kulchas.

Butter Kulcha,

- Heat the Tawa / Iron skillet, grease with some oil / butter, also keep the heat low to medium.

- Place the rolled Kulcha on the skillet & wet your palm and tap on top of the kulcha and then sprinkle some chopped mint leaves & sesame seeds on the kulcha.

Butter Kulcha

- Once you observe the edges coming up, slowly turn the kulcha on to the other side and fry..once done transfer the kulcha from skillet to the plate & apply some butter.

Butter Kulcha

Butter Kulcha is ready…enjoy it with any gravy curry of your choice…we did with Mirchi Ka Salan !!

Check out the Mirchi Ka Salan recipe @ Mirchi ka Salan

Chana Masala (Chole) !

mmm…who doesn't like chole bhature…I do !! OR I don't …. well..this is confusing sometimes to put the answer in a simple way.. I meant to say … 'I don't come under that list of those who don't like chole bhature'… ☺☺ !!

Confession, couldn't make bhature but had it with paratha !!

Chana Masala

Ingredients :

Soaked chickpea / Chana - 1 cup

Finely chopped tomato - 1 cup

Asafoetida / hing - 1/2 tea spoon

Minced garlic - 1 table spoon

Minced ginger - 1 table spoon

Cinnamon stick & Anise - 1 or 2 (OPTIONAL)

Cumin seeds - 1 tea spoon

Red chilli powder - 1 table spoon

Turmeric powder - 1 tea spoon

Garam Masala powder - 1/2 tea spoon

Chopped coriander - 2 table spoons

Oil - about 2 to 3 table spoons

Salt - As per the taste 

Water - about 1/4 cup

Preparation :

- Soak the chickpea / Chana overnight (preferably) or else you can soak them for 2 to 3 hours.

Chana Masala

- Add 2 to 3 cups of water & pressure cook the chana upto 2 to 3 whistles or it depends on the pressure cooker that you are using, mine takes 3 whistles to boil the chana softer that I can mash them with fingers.

- Once done, drain the water & keep the boiled chana aside. Also you can save the water to add to the gravy while cooking.

- Heat the oil in the pan, add the hing, minced garlic, ginger and cumin seeds one by one and fry for few seconds.

Chana Masala

- Add the chopped tomato to the pan and mix well, add some salt and let the tomato be cooked softer.

Chana Masala

- Once tomato is softer, add the chili powder & turmeric powder and throw in the cinnamon stick & Anise for more flavor.

Chana Masala

- Give a nice stir & cook for 2 minutes and then add the boiled chana to the gravy. and mash the chana slightly with a laddle.

Chana Masala

- Mix well and let it cook under low heat, adjust the salt and add in some water it the gravy is getting drier

- Add the garam masala powder to the Chole / Chana Masala and stir well and let it cook slowly.

Chana Masala

- Once done turn off the heat & add the chopped coriander leaves to the Chole / Chana Masala….

Chana Masala

Chole / Chana Masala is all decked up to go with Bhature / Roti or Paratha…enjoy the good food !!!

Carrot Poriyal !

Except eating raw carrots…I didn't use to like the carrot as a vegetable in the recipes as a child..but never noticed / observed when... I slowly started eating the carrot poriyal…and then moved from 'ok' to 'like to'…stage !! & now we have a oath to eat all the vegetables without any bars!!
This is a simple and yet another my mom's style of making this with ginger & garlic.

Carrot Poriyal

Ingredients :

Carrots - chopped into small pieces - 2 to 3 cups

Chopped green chili - 1 table spoon

Chopped onion - 1/4 cup (OPTIONAL)

Ginger & garlic paste - 1/2 table spoon

Red chili powder - 1/2 table spoon

turmeric powder - 1 tea spoon

split chana dal / mustard seeds / urad dal / moongdal / cumin seeds mix (seasoning) - 1 table spoon

Oil - 1 to 2 table spoons

Curry Leaves - 2 to 3

whole dry red chili - 1 or 2

Salt - as per the taste

Preparation :

- Heat the oil in the pan and add the seasoning mix, dry red chili, green chili, curry leaves, chopped onions (I didn't use onions) and splutter.

Carrot Poriiyal

- Add the ginger garlic paste to the seasoning and then add the chopped carrot to the tampering.

Carrot Poriyal

- Give a nice stir, add little salt and cover the pan with the lid and let it cook under slow heat, also stir the pieces occasionally.

Carrot poriyal

- It might take 5 to 7 minutes to let the carrot cook softer, now throw in the chili powder and turmeric powder and give quick stir, cover the pan with the lid and continue to cook for few more minutes.

Carrot poriyal

- Adjust the salt & leave it to cook for few minutes, afterwards, Carrot poriyal will be ready & can be served with roti or dal - rice.

Also can add in some beans, peas or beets to the poriyal to enhance the taste and the nutrients !!

Chicken & Spinach Kabob ..on Tawa !

Though Kabobs are traditionally made in Tandoor / Oven but using Tawa to make kabobs doesn't change the scrumptious taste of Chicken Kabob… try this on Tawa…you would like this…

Chicken & Spinach Kabob

Ingredients :

Minced chicken / Ground Chicken / Chicken keema - 1 lb
Chopped spinach leaves - 2 cups
Cilantro & Greenchilli paste - 1 table spoon
Dry Red chilli powder - 1 table spoon
Ginger - Garlic paste - 1 table spoon
Chopped Coriander leaves - 2 table spoons
Coriander powder - 1 tea spoon
Cumin powder - 1/2 tea spoon
Lemon juice - 1 tea spoon
Garam masala power - 1/4 tea spoon
Salt - As per the taste
Oil - about 2 to 4 table spoons

Preparation :

- Use minced or chicken keema or you can get the boneless chicken and grind it.

Chicken & Spinach Kabob 

- In a mixing bowl add all the ingredients to the minced chicken except oil and mix together well.

Chicken & Spinach kabob

- Take small portion of kabob mix on to your palm and gently make the kabob patties.

- Heat 1 to 2 table spoons of oil on the tawa and place the kabob patties on the tawa.

Chicken & Spinach Kabob

- Turn the kabob on to the other side time to time and fry them..until they are well cooked.

Chicken & Spinach Kabob

Once done…enjoy the hot Chicken & Spinach Kabob with raw onion on the side…