Moong Ussal!

This recipe is made in different types all over India. My mother always said that moong is very rich in fibre and proteins but I actually never liked moong; till I tasted moong ussal in Mumbai. Next day I could not wait to make it at home for my husband so I had to use non-sprouted moong (and it turned out quite well). Here it is-

GRAVY STYLE!

DRY MOONG!

Ingredients:

2 cups moong/matki (sprouted or plain)

1 onion, chopped

1/2 of a tomato

2 tsp of ginger garlic paste

1 tsp lime juice

1-2 green chillies, chopped

A pinch of turmeric powder

1 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp grated jaggery or sugar

2 tbsp oil

Salt to taste

Method:

1. Heat oil and add the onions and green chillies. Cook till the onions turn light brown.
2. Add ginger garlic paste and fry till raw smell vanishes.
3. Then add the coriander, chilli powder, turmeric, and salt, and jaggery or sugar. Fry for another minute.
4. Lastly mix in it moong and chopped tomato. Pour some water and cook covered for 8-10 minutes.
5. When the beans have turned crunchy and chewy, add the lime juice, and garnish with chopped coriander (I used carrots!:-P). 

Serve hot with bread or Rice. 

Tip: - I made it dry; you can add more water to have gravy style moong.

-Use them to fill in pani puri and a healthy style of pani puri is ready.

"PULAO OR BIRYANI"

Having a party at home and not sure what to cook? And you are also tired of making chapatti and parathas? If answer to both the question is Yes....Then try making rice with a twist. Pulao and Biryani is easy and exotic dish that everyone will love. 

Ingredients:

• 2 cup Basmati rice
• 3 tbsps vegetable/ canola/ sunflower cooking oil
• 1 large onion chopped fine
• 2 tsp ginger garlic  paste
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp garam masala powder (see link below for recipe to make your own)
• 2 tomatoes chopped fine
• 2 cups chopped mixed vegetables of your choice - I use beans, peas, carrots, corn (even frozen mixed veg works well))
• Salt to taste
• 4 cups warm water
• 3 tbsps coriander leaves
• 1 tbsp oregano

Preparation:

• Take rice and add water to wash. Pour out water. Add more water and wash again and again till water is clear. Drain off all water and keep the aside.
• Heat the cooking oil in a deep pan on medium heat. Add the onions and fry till soft.
• Add the ginger and garlic pastes and fry for 1 minute.
• Now add all the spice powders and mix well. Cook the masala (onion-ginger-garlic-spice mix) till the oil begins to separate from it. You may need to sprinkle a little water over the masala as it cooks, to keep it away from burning. Stir frequently while browning masala.
• When the masala is cooked, add the tomato to it and cook till pulpy.
• Add the rice and the mixed veggies to the masala, add salt to taste and pour in the warm water. Stir well. Cook till the water comes to a boil. Stir and monitor the cooking till most of the water dries up and the rice begins to develop on its surface. Turn the heat down to low/ simmer and cover the pan. Cook till done. You will know the rice is done when you press a grain between your thumb and index finger and it squishes completely.
• Turn the heat off now as some cooking will continue to take place even after you do that. Let the dish rest on the stove (turned off) for 5 minutes.
• Add chopped fresh coriander leaves and oregano.

Have this hot with raiata or chutney.!

"STUFFED MIRCH"

Stuffed mirch is my mom's recipe. Its very simple to make. One can use this as side or even main course dish. If you are bored of serving same old chutney and pickles then do give this recipe a try. So lets begin!. 

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Ingredients:

• Fat or big mirch (Green chilies)- 7-8
• Salt to taste
• Red chili powder- 1 tsp
• Potatoes-Medium size boiled and mashed
• Turmeric Powder- half tsp
• Grated Cheese to garnish

Steps:

1. Wash and wipe the green chilies.
2. Cut them in two pieces vertically.
3. In a separate bowl mix together mashed potatoes, turmeric powder,salt and red chili powder.
4. Now stuff the above mixture in the chilies.
5. Lastly lay over it grated cheese.
6. Finally grill it in the oven for 10 minutes or till cheese is completely melted.

So bid goodbye to old chutney and pickles and  enjoy stuffed chilies!!

Kadai Paneer

Kadai Paneer is my all time favourite paneer curry. Chunks of capsicum, onion and paneer bathed into delicious gravy are just irresistible. Like all curries, everyone have their own way of making this. I, on the other hand feels that a good kadai paneer should:

-have good orange/red colour gravy. So I highly recommend using kashmiri red chilli powder.

-bell peppers/capsicum and onions must be cooked half, or let’s say must be bit crunchy.

-butter is must. Butter brings that nice shine and creamy texture which I think is very important.

-Whole spices-green and black cardamom, cinnamon and bay leaf is avoidable. If you don’t have of these please postpone the idea of cooking kadai paneer

-Lastly the texture of the gravy. It should not be runny but should be thick and the massala/gravy should be coated well onto paneer, capsicum and onions.

So here is my way to make Kadai Paneer.

Ingredients:

• 10 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 5 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons cashews/kaju
• 10 tablespoons oil
• 2 bay leaf/tej patta
• 1 large cinnamon stick/dal chinni
• 2 green cardamom/elyachi
• 1 black cardamom/kali elaychi
• 2 onions chopped into cubes
• 2 bell peppers chopped into cubes
• 2 cups paneer chopped into cubes
• 1 tablespoon kashmiri red chilli powder
• 1 tablespoon red chilli powder (normal one)
• 1 tablespoon coarsely broken coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 tablespoons coriander powder
• 1 tablespoons cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon garam massala
• Salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons Kasturi methi
• Coriander leaves to garnish

Method:

1. Heat 5 tablespoons oil in a pan. Add bay leaf, cinnamon, green and black cardamom. Sauté for 20 seconds.
2. In a blender, blend cashews, garlic and tomatoes.
3. Pour this blended mixture in the pan. Add 1/2 cup water. Mix. Cover and let it cook on medium low heat for 20 minutes.
4. In another pan heat 1 tablespoons oil and sauté bell peppers till its half done.  Set aside.
5. Heat 1 tablespoons oil and sauté onions till its half done. Set aside
6. Heat 1 tablespoon oil and sauté panner till slightly golden. Set aside.
7. Add salt, sugar, turmeric, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chilli powder, kashmiri red chilli powder and garam massala in tomato gravy. Add 1/2 cup water. Mix. Cover and cook again for 10 minutes.
8. After 10 minutes you will see that massala is cooked and oil has been separated from gravy. Let this mixture cool down. Blend this again in a blender to smooth paste.
9. Heat remaining oil and sauté coriander seeds till its fragrant and golden brown. Add the remaining water and blended paste. Thrown in bell peppers, onions and paneer. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
10. Mix in butter and kasuri methi.
11. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Notes:

Kasmiri red chilli powder brings nice sharp red colour to your gravies but it is not spicy at all, that is why you will have to add two kinds red chilli powder.

Serving suggestion:

Serve as side with parthas, puris, roti –basically any indian bread.

It will be great for wraps as well. Just throw in some salad and you are good to go.