Spicy Rajma

Many common types of beans are served in my kitchen in one form or another. Beans are highly versatile foods and can easily be served as a side dish, appetizer, main dish and even a dessert. Given that we’re in the middle of winter, I like to return to my comfort foods, which includes hearty dark red kidney bean stew. Nothing is more satisfying to me than a big bowl of hot rajma on a blustery winter day. However you define them – legumes, dried beans, pulses or dals (in my nani’s kitchen) – they are an essential and nutritious part of many ethnic cuisines around the world.

Today I wanted to share a simple recipe using dried red kidney beans which can be prepared with any combination of roots or your choice of vegetables and spices. Bean dishes are generally served with chapati, nan, or simply over plain boiled rice (my preference!). Spicy red kidney beans or rajma (really Indian version of chili without meat) is a one of my childhood comfort foods and remains so to this day. Enjoy!

1/2 pound dried red kidney beans, soaked overnight
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste
1/4 teaspoon turmeric and salt to taste
1/2 tablespoon ground coriander-cumin
1 teaspoon mild chili powder or to taste

1/2 Teaspoon Kasoori Methi
2 medium tomatoes, chopped or canned crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon garam masala – optional
Coriander leaves for garnishing

1) Wash and drain the red kidney beans thoroughly. Place beans in a heavy-bottomed 3-quart saucepan and add 3 to 3 1/2 cups water. Bring to a full boil over high heat and skim off any foam that rises to the top. At this stage I like to add 1 teaspoon salt, 2 large crushed garlic cloves, 1-inch crushed ginger slice, 1 bay leaf, 1 2-inch cinnamon stick and 1 teaspoon oil. Cover partially with a tight-fitting lid and reduce the heat to medium. Simmer beans for approximately 50 to 55 minutes or until kidney beans are fork tender. Or if you like to use drained canned red kidney beans omit the step # 1 and simply follow the step # 2 except use a larger saucepan rather than a skillet.
2) Meanwhile in a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil and sauté the onion until lightly brown. Add the remaining ingredients except garam masala and coriander leaves. Cover and cook for approximately 8 to 10 minutes or until tomatoes are softened. Cool the onion-tomato mixture and puree until smooth. I omit this step.
3) Add the onion-tomato puree and garam masala to simmering beans and mix thoroughly. Cover; turn heat to very, very low and cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the crushed garlic, ginger, bay leaf and cinnamon stick. At this stage mash about 1/8 cup of beans to make the bean dish thicker if needed. Again I omit this step. Adjust the consistency of the dish by adding more liquid as needed. Taste and add extra seasonings. Remove the whole spices and discard. Before serving allow beans to rest for at least 30 minutes so that the flavors have a chance to blend. Serve the spicy red kidney beans garnished with freshly chopped coriander leaves and lemon wedges on the side.
Yield: approximately 6-8 servings

Note: Most bean dishes are best tasting if prepared in advance and some varieties freeze quite well. Traditionally ghee (clarified butter) was used in this dish and asafetida (and a bunch of whole spices – cumin seeds, whole black peppercorns, red chili and black cardamom pods and acidic ingredients – cider vinegar, dried mango powder or tamarind etc.) is a must-have seasoning. Depending upon the consistency of the dish use about 1 teaspoon flour while sautéing the onion. When it comes to these dishes there are as many variations as there are cooks. My favorite bean dishes (whole beans – kidney beans, soybeans, chickpeas or whole urad) are always cooked in the pressure cooker.

MUTTON BIYANI

The easiest way to cook mutton biryani is first of all cook the rice( basmati rice ) seperatly and boil it till it is half done then drain out the water in a strainer and let it settel for a few minutes and yes! not to forget add a few drop of oil while cooking the rice this will help the rice from not sticking......before boiling the rice take a small piece of muslin cloth and add a little sauf, dal chini,cloves,elaichi and tej patta to the rice this will help give some flavor then continue with the procedure as mentioned above. 

Cook the meat seperatly in a non stick dish or a pressure cooker. 
Ingredients:( 1 pod of garlic 
A piece of ginger as to hom much you may like but please do not put in tooo much of Ginger as it may get too strong.) Grind these to gether to a fine paste. 
1 cup of Yogurt 
Some biryani masala you should get it in the grocery store. 
( 2 -3 bay leaves 
2-3 cloves 
2-3 elaichi ) put all of this whole in to the curry. 
1tbs Red chillie pepper 
Add salt to taste 
Now heat up the pressure pan and add acup of oil ...then add the Ginger & Garlic paste with the whole spices brown all of these ingreidients till you see the oil floating on top and then finally put the meat in brown well and then add in the yogurt and add may be a cup as you should always remember that the meat will leave some water. 
Next step: is steam everything for about 10minutes and then take the cooker off the burner and let it stand for a few minutes till the steam lets out. 
When you think the meat is ready then in a seperate deep non stick vessel add a layer of rice then meat rice then meat continue till end then you can sprinkle some cut green chillies and golden brown onions on top of the rice . Final Step: is to seal the container with kneaded ATA then take the pan and place it either in the oven if you have one or on the Gad burner on very slow heat pls don't forget to place the pan on a TAVA as this will help prevent it from getting burnt. Do not open the vessels until you see the ATA dryis up and begins to crack then you know then the Biryani is ready . 
Finally you can serve hot with raita and salad.

CHOLAR DAL

Ingredients:
  
1 tblsp ghee
4 -6 green chillies slit
1 tsp garam masala powder
1 tblsp coriander powder
3 bay leaves
1/4 coconut
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 - 4 tsp sugar
250 gms bengal gram divide (chana dal)
1 tblsp cumin powder
salt to taste 
1 tblsp raisins
How to make cholar dal :
Wash the dal and boil with 4 cup of water.
Mix in turmeric, cumin, garam masala, and slit green chillies.
Mix in salt and sugar to taste.
Mix well and stir fry till the time the dal is soft and thick.
Heat up ghee in a kadhai.
Mix in bay leaves and garam masala.
When it stops spluttering mix in it to the dal.
Mix thoroughly.
Cut the coconut into small dices and fry in ghee till light brown.
Mix in this to the dal and stir.
Serve hot along with luchi.

Chicken Egg Rolls

Ingredients

24 egg rolls (change servings and units) 

2 cups chicken, cooked and shredded 
1 cup finely diced onion 
3 garlic cloves, minced 
2 tablespoons cooking oil 
2 (16 ounce) bags packaged coleslaw mix, with shredded carrots 
1 (12 ounce) bag bean sprouts 
1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts, diced 
1/2 cup bottled teriyaki marinade 
1/4 cup soy sauce 
24 egg roll wraps 
hot oil (for frying)

Method:

Cook onion and garlic in the 2 tablespoons cooking oil until the onions are tender but not browned.
Add the chicken, packaged coleslaw mix, bean sprouts, teriyaki sauce and soy sauce to the onions and garlic; mix well.
Cover and steam for 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in the water chestnuts; drain the liquid from the chicken and cabbage mixture; taste and season with salt if desired.
Heat 1 1/2 inches of vegetable oil in a wok or large frying pan.
While oil heats, wrap about 1/4 cup of the chicken and cabbage mixture in egg roll wraps, rolling tightly and sealing edges with beaten egg.
Fry until a deep golden brown, a few at a time; drain on paper towels.

Puchka Churmur

Ingredients:
5 puchkas (water in fried bread), crushed
Few potatoes, mashed
2 besan pakoras (gram flour balls), crushed
Imli (tamarind chutney.)
Salt
Chilly
Crushed cumin seeds

Method:  
Add the mashed potatoes to the crushed puchkas.
Add the gram-flour balls wetted in water.
Add the tamarind chutney, salt, chilly, crushed cumin seeds.

CHINGRI MAACHER MALAIKARI

Ingredients:
1 lb uncooked deveined Prawn/Shrimp
1.5 tablespoons of ginger paste
2 Small Green Cardamoms
2” stick of Cinnamon
2 Bay Leaves
3/4 can Coconut milk
Salt to taste
½ teaspoon of sugar
1 teaspoon of turmeric
1 teaspoon of red chili powder
2 slit Hot Green Peppers.
2 tablespoons Ghee (Clarified Butter)
1 teaspoon oil
1 tablespoon of shredded coconut(optional)
1/2 teaspoon Jeera/Cumin seeds

 

Preparation:

Shell the Shrimps and baste with ¾ spoon of turmeric, little bit of salt and half the amount of red chili powder. Let it sit for about 20 minutes.

Heat about the oil and lightly sauté the shrimps till they are almost done.

Heat the Ghee. Add the cracked cardamoms, bay leaves and cinnamon sticks. Once they start sizzling, add Cumin, the green hot peppers and the ginger paste.

Fry for sometimes till the ghee leaves the sides of the pan. Be careful and see that the paste does not burn and turn dark brown.

Add the sautéed Shrimps, sugar, salt, and the rest of the chili powder and turmeric and the coconut milk & the shredded coconut. Boil this till the coconut milk start getting creamy. You will see little bubbles coming up.

Gently stir for some more time and when the gravy coats the spoon you will know that its done.

Serve with white basmati rice.

Chingri Mach Bhape

Ingredients :

Large sized chingri (shrimp) : 10-12
Musrard seed : 2 tbsp.
Poppy seeds : 1 tbsp.
Green chillies : 1-2(according to taste)
Mustard oil : 2 tbsp.
Shredded coconut : 1/4 cup
Curd or yoghurt : 1/2 cup
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves for garnishing

Method :
Wash the prawns, take out the shells and devein them. Then wash properly. Apply little turmeric powder and salt and keep aside for at least 1/2 and hour.
Traditionally, this dish is made without frying the fish but if you want you can fry a little.
Make a smooth paste with mustard seeds, poppy seed, green chillies, salt and little water. Now in a container, mix together mustard-poppy seed paste, curd and a little salt. Sprinkle coconut over it, place 2-3 slit green chillies and drizzle 1 tbsp. mustard oil.

Now you can steam or you can place the container in a pressure cooker. If you're using a pressure cooker, pour water at the bottom of the cooker and place the container. After 1-2 whistle, take it out.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice.


Note : When you're making paste in small quantity, wet grinder is not a good option. I use my coffee grinder. Whenever you make mustard paste, always add little vinegar and a pinch of salt. Otherwise, paste tastes bitter.

CORN PALAK

Ingredients:
1 cup Sweet corn kernels (boiled)
1 cup Fresh cream 
3 medium bunch of Spinach leaves (Palak) 
2 tbsps Refined Oil 
2 medium sized Onions (chopped) 
1 tsp Ginger paste 
1 tsp Garlic paste 
3 Green chillies (chopped) 
Salt to taste 
1 tsp Dry mango powder (amchur) 
1/2 tsp Caraway seeds (shahi jeera)
1 tbsp Lemon juice 
1 tbsp Dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi) 

Method
Clean and wash palak leaves thoroughly and ensure no sand grains are left on the leaves.
Then blanch palak in plenty of boiling water for a minute or two, drain and refresh the leaves in ice-cold water.
Now blend the palak and make a puree.
Heat the boiled corn in half or one cup of water.
Take a Karai and heat oil in a pan, add caraway seeds and stir-fry till it changes colour.
Now add chopped onions and cook until golden brown.
Add ginger and garlic pastes and sauté for 5-7 min.
Now add green chillies and stir-fry for ten seconds.
Time to add corn, palak puree, salt and amchur powder to this mixture of onion masala.
Mix it well and let it cook for two to three more minutes.
Add fresh cream and simmer till you reach the desired .
Take off the heat and add lemon juice.
Now sprinkle roasted crushed kasuri methi to enhance the flavour.
Mix and serve immediately.

BLACK FOREST ICECREAM CAKE

Ingredients (serves 16) 
Melted butter, to grease 
250g butter, at room temperature, chopped 
315g (1 1/2 cups) caster sugar 
4 eggs 
2 tsp vanilla extract 
225g (1 1/2 cups) self-raising flour 
115g (3/4 cup) plain flour 
95g (1 cup) cocoa powder 
250ml (1 cup) milk 
2 x 415g Canned Black Cherries 
2 cups vanilla ice-cream, softened 
1 x 300ml thickened cream 
250g dark cooking chocolate, finely chopped 

2 tsp vanilla extract

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C. Brush a 23cm (base measurement) springform pan with melted butter to grease.

Line the base with non-stick baking paper. 

Use an electric beater to beat the butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. Sift the combined flours and cocoa into a bowl. Use a large metal spoon to fold the flour mixture, alternately with the milk, into the egg mixture until well combined. Pour into the pan and smooth the surface.

Bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Set aside in the pan for 10 minutes to cool. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Use a serrated knife to cut the cake in half horizontally. Place the base, cut-side up, in pan. Drain cherries, reserving 125ml (1/2 cup) of syrup.

Arrange cherries over the cake. Top with ice-cream and smooth the surface. Brush the cut side of the remaining cake with the remaining syrup. Place, cut-side down, in the pan. Press firmly to sandwich together. Place in freezer for 6 hours or until firm. 

Remove cake from freezer and set aside for 15 minutes to make cutting easier. Place cream, chocolate and extra vanilla in a saucepan over low heat. Stir with a metal spoon for 5 minutes or until the chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. 
Cut the cake into wedges and drizzle over the chocolate sauce to serve.

MISTI DOI

Cooking time: 35min
Preparation time: 5min
Incubation: Overnight (10-11hr)
Makes half-litre of yogurt

Ingredients:
Full Cream Milk (Dudh): 1ltr
Sugar (Chini): 8 tablespoon
Yogurt (Dahi): 1 tablespoon
1 Earthen pot (optional)

Preparation:
Pour the milk in a thick bottom vessel and start heating over low flame
As it starts boiling add 4 tablespoons of sugar and keep on simmering till the volume is reduced to little less than half
Take the remaining sugar with 2 tablespoons of water and heat till the sugar melts and attains a golden brown color
Gradually add the molten sugar over the milk and boil for another 15 minutes over low flame
Take out of flame and let it become lukewarm
Pour the milk over the earthen pot and add the yogurt
Keep the pot in a cool dry place, and let the yogurt set over night
Refrigerate the set dahi and serve as a dessert