Anda Aloo Curry (Egg Potato curry)

It is a popular dish made of hard-boiled eggs and potatoes cooked in onion masala gravy with a richness of cashew paste.

Ingredients:

• 6 Eggs (hard boiled)
• 1 cup green peas or 1 big potato boiled, cut into big chunks
• 1 medium onion sliced
• ¼ cup fresh yogurt
• 3-4 pods of garlic
• ½ inch piece of ginger
• 1-2 green chilies
• 5 cashew nuts
• 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
• Salt To Taste
• 1 brown cardamom
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp Red chili powder
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 5-6 tbsp vegetable oil / ghee

Method:

• Remove the shell of boiled eggs and keep aside.
• Make a paste of onion, garlic, ginger, green chilies and cashew nuts in a grinder mixer.
• Heat oil in a non-stick pan, add bay leaf and brown cardamom and fry till they change color. Now add onion-garlic paste, and fry until golden brown.
• Add all the spices (salt, turmeric, coriander and chili powder) except garam masala and fry for a minute. Now add yogurt and fry until masala starts leaving oil.
• Add boiled eggs and the green peas or boiled potato chunks (whichever using).
• Add 2 cup of water and bring to boil. After a minute reduce the flame and simmer for 8-10 minutes till you get gravy consistency of your choice. Mix in garam masala before serving in a dish.
• Garnish egg curry with cilantro leaves.
• Serve hot with paratha, roti or rice.

Do You Know?
Eggs are one of the most complete, naturally produced foods containing many essential nutrients for a balanced diet for adults and children alike. Eggs are an excellent source of protein, which is one of the cheapest available proteins. They are rich in vitamins A, D, E, B12 and niacin - and minerals - calcium, zinc and iron.

Keema Lobia (Minced Lamb with Black Eyed Beans Curry)

Minced Lamb/Goat cooked with Lobia (Black Eyed Beans) makes a delicious curry; can be enjoyed with Roti or Rice.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound minced Lamb/Goat
• 1 cup Lobia soaked in water for 4-5 hours
• ½ cup yogurt
• 1 tomato finely chopped
• 2 medium onions finely chopped
• 2 tbsp ginger paste
• 1 tbsps garlic paste
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp green chilies paste
• 1 tbsp red chili powder
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tbsp coriander powder
• ½ tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 bay leaves
• ½ ” cinnamon stick
• Salt to taste
• 4 tbsps cooking oil
• Ginger juliennes to garnish
• Fresh chopped coriander to garnish

Method:

• Heat 3 tbsp oil in a pan on medium flame and add bay leaf and cinnamon stick; fry till they are light brown.
• Add onion slices and sauté in oil until light brown. Add ginger, garlic, green chili paste and fry for a minute. Now add all dry spices, yogurt and chopped tomatoes. Cook on medium heat until water is almost dried. Add minced meat and dry the water again.
• Add soaked Lobia and 2-3 cups of water (adjust the consistency of gravy according to your choice). Season it with salt.
• Pressure-cook up to three pressure releases or whistles.
• Turn off fire, garnish with ginger juliennes and coriander leaves.
• Serve with salad and hot roti (Indian Flat Bread) or Nan.

Do You Know?
Lobia or Black Eyed Beans are leguminous plants. Legume plants have symbiotic relationship with certain bacteria known as rhizobia found in the root nodules of these plants. With the help of these bacteria, legumes have ability to fix up atmospheric nitrogen. This reduces fertilizer costs for farmers and gardeners who grow legumes, and allows legumes to be used in a crop rotation to replenish soil that has been depleted of nitrogen.

Legume seed and foliage have comparatively higher protein content than non-legume material, probably due to the additional nitrogen that legumes receive through nitrogen-fixation symbiosis. This high protein content makes them desirable crops in agriculture.

Bedmee Ke Aloo (Potato Curry for Puri)

Boiled potatoes are cooked in masala of Fenugreek, Fennel and Coriander seeds. Eat with poori or Kachori.

Ingredients:

• 2 big potatoes boiled, peeled and chopped roughly
• 1 tomato chopped
• 3-4 tbsps cooking oil
• 2 green chilies finely chopped
• Chopped cilantro leaves to garnish
• Pinch of asafetida
• 1 tsp cumin seeds

For Bedmee Masala:

• 1 tsp fenugreek seeds roasted and crushed coarse
• 1 tsp Fennel Seeds roasted and crushed coarse
• 1 tsp coriander roasted and crushed coarse
• 1 tsp amchur powder (dry mango powder)
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp garam masala powder
• Salt to taste

Method:

• Heat the vegetable oil in a small pan and add the cumin seeds to it. When the seeds stop spluttering, add the asafetida, chopped tomatoes, salt and green chili chopped. Fry until tomatoes become pulpy. Add crushed fenugreek seeds, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, red chili powder, turmeric powder, mango powder and 3 cups of water. Boil for 7-8 minutes.
• Now add mashed potato and simmer for 5-6 minutes.
• Take out in a dish when the gravy is thick. Mix garam masala powder.
• Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot with Bedmi Puri or Kachori.

Do You Know?

Fenugreek seeds contain a high percentage of mucilage, which is a natural gummy substance. This mucilage does not dissolve in water and when fenugreek seeds are exposed to fluids, they swell up and form gooey mass. This soft mass is not absorbed by the body, but instead passes through the intestines and also triggers intestinal muscle contractions. Both actions promote the emptying of intestinal contents.

Therefore, fenugreek is a mild but effective laxative.

Matar Bhari Aloo Ki Kachori

Kachoris are very popular in North India. Variations are always there. In general, kachori is a round or flattened ball made of fine flour filled with a stuffing and deep-fried.

Here I have made round balls of spiced potatoes, which are stuffed with peas masala and deep-fried.

Ingredients:

• 2 big potatoes
• 2 tbsp yellow corn meal
• Salt to taste
• ¼ tsp Black pepper powder
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Oil for deep-frying

Stuffing:

• 1 cup green peas
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• Pinch of asafetida
• 2 tbsp cilantro leaves chopped fine
• 1 tbsp ginger grated
• 2 green chilies chopped fine
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp cooking oil

Method:

• Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pan on a medium flame. Add cumin seeds and asafetida. When cumin stops spluttering add peas, grated ginger, chopped green chilies, and salt. Fry till peas are half done. Take out peas in a bowl, add cilantro leaves and lemon juice, keep aside to be used later to stuff kachori.
• Boil and mash potatoes. Add cornmeal, black pepper powder, salt and lemon juice and mix well. Knead potato mix in the same way as you knead the wheat flour dough to make the roti (flat bread).
• Now apply some oil on your palms and put some of the potato mix in the cupped palm of your hand, and form it into a hollowed cup about size of half a lemon. Add some of the pea mixture in the potato cup, and cover with the potato mix around it to make a ball. Roll the ball between the palms to make a smooth ball.
• Heat oil in a deep pan or kadhai on medium heat and fry the potato kachoris until light brown.
• Serve with chutney or ketchup of your choice.

Do You Know?

Cornmeal is flour ground from dried corn, is a common staple food, and is ground to fine, medium, and course consistencies. In the United States, the finely ground cornmeal is also referred to as corn flour. However, the word corn flour denotes cornstarch in recipes from the United Kingdom.

Stone ground cornmeal retains some of the hull and germ, lending a little more flavor and nutrition to recipes. It is more perishable, but will store longer if refrigerated. Steel ground yellow cornmeal, commonly used in the United States, has the husk and germ of the maize kernel almost completely removed. It is conserved almost indefinitely if stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.

Urad Dal Puri (Crispy Deep Fried Puffed Flat Breads)

Make stiff dough of wheat flour, semolina and Urad dal powder; deep fry in hot cooking oil on medium heat until crispy brown, serve hot with curry and pickle of your choice.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Whole wheat flour
• ¼ cup semolina
• ¼ cup Urad dal powder ( available in Indian Grocery Store)
• ¼ tsp red chili powder
• ¼ tsp dry mango (amchur) powder
• ¼ tsp coriander powder
• ¼ tsp garam masala powder
• ½ tsp fennel (saunf) powder
• Pinch of asafetida
• 3 tbsp cooking oil
• Salt to taste
• 2 cups cooking oil for deep frying

Method:

• Mix all dry ingredients except cooking oil for frying.
• Add water and make smooth dough but little harder than dough for roti. Cover the dough and keep it to rest for at least 1 hour at a warm place. Punch and knead the dough again before rolling out.
• Divide the dough into small balls about golf-ball size, and roll out into 4" rounds on an oiled board.
• Heat cooking oil in a wok or saucepan. Fry the puri one at a time, holding them under the oil on the first side until they puff up. Turn and fry until light brown. Drain and take out in an absorbent paper.
• Serve crispy Dal puri hot with Aloo Gobhi/Aloo methi/ Rajma or any other vegetarian curry.
  

Jackfruit Sabji

It is a quick recipe of spicy, raw jackfruit sabji. Roasted gram flour gives it a different flavor and texture.

Ingredients:

• 1 can of young green Jackfruit (Drained wt: 10 oz or 280g)
• 1 medium onion chopped fine
• 1 tbsp garlic chopped fine
• 1 tbsp ginger chopped fine
• 3-4 tbsp dry roasted Besan (gram flour)
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp garam masala powder
• ½ tsp amchur powder (modify according to your taste)
• 6 tbsp cooking oil
• Salt to taste

Method:

• Cut jackfruit into small pieces and wash in running water thoroughly.
• Heat 3 tbsp oil in a pan and fry jackfruit pieces until they are pink. Remove jackfruit from the pan, add 3 tbsp cooking oil more and fry chopped onion, ginger and garlic until light brown. Now add coriander, chili, garam masala and turmeric powder. Add 4-5 tbsp water and fry until oil separates out from the masala. Add salt and jackfruit pieces. Mix well and simmer for 6-8 minutes with about ¼ cup of water. Do not use much water because jackfruit sabji is dry. Stir in amchur powder and roasted besan.
• Take out in a serving dish. Garnish with coriander leaves.
• Serve with Dal and hot roti.

Do You Know?

The jackfruit is native to India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka. The outside of the fruit is greenish yellow, and it has a thick leathery spiky skin. The sap inside is as sticky as glue, and it takes some work to get the fruit out.

Young jackfruit has a mild flavor and distinctive texture. When fully ripe, the unopened jackfruit emits a strong disagreeable odor, resembling that of decayed onions, while the pulp of the opened fruit smells of pineapple and banana.

Anda Roti Roll (Egg Flatbread Wrap)

Make tasty egg wraps of old chapatis/rotis and serve for breakfast. For stuffing, you either cook onion tomato mix or use any leftover vegetables.

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp milk
• Pinch of salt
• Pinch of black pepper powder
• Stuffing (onion tomato mix):
• 1 small onion chopped fine
• 1 green chili finely chopped
• 1 tbsp green coriander leaves chopped fine
• 1 small tomato diced in small pieces
• 1 tsp ginger chopped fine
• 2 tbsp capsicum diced in small pieces
• 2 tbsp cooking oil
• Salt to taste
• Pinch of black pepper

Method:

• Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pan. Stir fry all the ingredients together for stuffing till little soft or according to your choice. Keep aside for making the wraps.
• In a bowl, beat one egg; add 1 tsp of milk, salt and fresh-ground pepper. Mix well.
• Heat the oil in a frying pan on low flame, pour the egg mixture in the frying pan and swish it around so that a fine uniform layer of egg sticks to the bottom and side of the pan. Do this by picking up the frying pan and rotating it slightly.
• Leave the egg mixture alone for a few minutes to allow it to cook and "set up."
• When the egg is about 70% cooked solid, it is time for layering the roti over omelet. After layering the roti over the omelet, let it continue to cook until the crispy thin egg edge starts to pull away from the pan.
• Take a spatula, run it under the omelet and flip it. Now roti is underside towards the frying pan and the omelet is on upper side. Arrange stuffing in the centre of the omelet and roll it. Roti will be on the outer side and omelet will be on the inner side of the roll but visible from the sides.
• Serve hot.

Green Chutney Rice

Stir fry leftover rice with leftover green chutney (Coriander or Mint Chutney) and enjoy the dish with plane yogurt.

Ingredients:

• 2 cup of boiled rice (leftover)
• 3-4 tbsp green Cilantro or Mint chutney
• ½ tsp sugar granules
• 1 tbsp lemon juice ( adjust according to your taste)
• 2 green chilies
• ½ tsp white pepper powder
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• a pinch of asafetida powder
• 3 tbsp cooking oil
• salt to taste

Method:

• Heat oil in a frying pan on medium heat. Splutter cumin seeds. Add asafetida, green chilies, curry leaves and fry for a few seconds.
• Add chutney and sugar. Fry for a minute. Before chutney changes its green color, mix in cooked rice, pepper powder and salt. Fry on low flame for another minute.
• Remove from fire. Stir in lemon juice.
• Serve with yogurt or pickle of your choice.

Do You Know?

In India, chutney is often made to be eaten fresh, using whichever strongly flavored ingredients are locally available at the time. It would not normally contain preserving agents, since it is intended to be consumed quickly after preparation.

Many authentic types of chutney contain significant amounts of fresh green chili peppers; the other main ingredient can be any of a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. Most vegetable chutneys are prepared cold in a blender, while many fruit chutneys require cooking.

Stir-Fried Idlis (Stir-Fried Steamed Rice Cakes)

This is an excellent way to utilize leftover Idlis (Steamed Rice Cakes). Stir fry bite-sized pieces of idlis with curry leaves, spices; and serve with coconut chutney as a tea time snack.

Ingredients:

• 5-6 left over Idlis cut into bite sized cubes
• 2-3 tbsp cooking oil
• ½ tsp mustard seeds
• Pinch of asafetida
• 5-6 curry leaves
• 1 dry red chili broken in 3-4 pieces
• 2 tbsp chopped cilantro leaves
• 1 green chili chopped fine
• 1 tbsp lemon juice or 1 tsp amchur powder (dry mango powder)
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp red chili powder
• 2-3 tbsp warm water
• Salt to taste

Method:

• Heat oil in a pan; temper with asafetida, mustard seeds and red chili pieces. When mustard seeds stop spluttering, add chopped green chilies and curry leaves; fry until they crackle.
• Add turmeric and red chili powder; immediately add 2-3 tbsp of warm water and diced Idlis. Shake over little salt (remember Idlis already have some salt). Stir-fry for two to three minutes on medium flame.
• Take out in a dish, drizzle lemon juice.
• Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve hot with coconut chutney as a teatime snack.

Do You Know?
The idli , also romanized "idly" or "iddly", is a savory cake most often eaten at breakfast or as a snack, popular throughout South India. The cakes are usually two to three inches in diameter and are made by steaming a batter consisting of fermented split and skinned black gram and rice. The fermentation process breaks down the starches so that it is more readily metabolized by the body, and is considered a health food.

Dal Bhujiya (Black Gram with Cilantro and Fenugreek Leaves)

Boil Urad dal with cilantro and fenugreek leaves; temper it with seasoned ghee; serve with buttered roti.

This was one of the favorite dals of my father, which he used to enjoy with lots of ghee and Bajra (Pearl Millet) roti.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup urad dal (skinned split black gram)
• ½ cup cilantro leaves chopped finely
• ½ cup fenugreek leaves chopped finely or 2 tbsp dry kasoori methi
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• Salt to taste

Tempering:

• Pinch of asafetida
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 2 dry red chili whole
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 3-4 tbsp ghee

Method:

• Wash and boil the dal in a pan with 1 tsp of oil, turmeric powder and salt.
• Cook until done on medium flame. If required add little hot water.
• When dal is cooked, add coriander leaves, fenugreek leaves, green chilies and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from fire.
• Prepare tempering to garnish dal: Heat the ghee on a medium flame, in a small pan till hot.
• Now add cumin seeds, fry until spluttering stops. Turn off the fire and add the asafetida powder, dry whole red chili and red chili powder. Immediately pour this tempering mix over the boiled lentil mixture before red chili burns, stir well.
• Garnish with some of the tempering and chopped cilantro leaves.
• Serve with buttered roti (Indian flatbread) and Sabji (curry) of your choice.

Do You Know?
Urad dal, also referred to as Urad (Vigna mungo), udad dal, black gram, or black lentil. These beans have black skins covering creamy white interiors.
Black gram was originated in India, where it has been in cultivation from ancient times. Indian immigrants have introduced it to other tropical areas.
It is very nutritious and is recommended for diabetics, as are other pulses.

Namkeen Roti

It is an excellent way to use up leftover pulp from soup of vegetables like tomatoes, beans, carrots, spinach etc. Instead of throwing strained pulp in the trash, I knead it in wheat flour to make Namkeen Paratha.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• ½ cup besan (optional)
• 1 cup pulp of strained vegetables
• ½ tsp carom seeds
• 2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro leaves
• Salt to taste
• Desi ghee

Method:

• Put whole-wheat flour in a large bowl. Add all the ingredients except ghee. Add very little water to knead the flour. Knead softly until you get smooth, medium-soft dough. Add more flour if the dough is too sticky or too soft.
• Add 2 tbsp of ghee now and continue to knead. Once the dough is done, put it in a closed container and keep it in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
• Divide the dough into equal sized portions and roll each portion into a ball between your palms. Use dry flour or oil to make smooth balls.
• Lightly flour a rolling board and roll out each ball into a 6-7” circle.
• Place the roti on heated griddle or tawa.
• When toasted on one side, turn it over and let the other side cook for few seconds, until tiny brown spots appear on the side facing the griddle.
• Turn it over once again and press it with a muslin cloth all around the chapati. Flip the chapati and press gently around the other side too. When it is light brown on both sides, remove from heat.
• Apply butter on the upper surface of the roti.
• Serve with Dal (lentil) and Sabji (curry) of your choice.

Do You Know?

Dietary fiber or roughage is the indigestible portion of plant foods that pushes food through the digestive system, absorbing water and easing defecation.

Chemically, dietary fiber consists of non-starch polysaccharides such as cellulose and many other plant components such as dextrin, inuline etc.

Fiber-rich plants can be eaten directly or through supplements and fiber-rich processed foods.

Benefits of eating fiber are many: The consumption of soluble fiber has been shown to protect you from developing heart disease by reducing your cholesterol levels. The consumption of insoluble fiber reduces your risk of developing constipation, colitis, colon cancer, and hemorrhoids.

Chicken Korma II

Chicken Korma is rich with mild, thick, creamy gravy. Serve it with hot Tandoori Roti or Parathas or plain boiled rice.

Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts halves cut in cubes
• 1 large onions thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp ginger paste
• 1 tbsp garlic paste
• ½ cup yogurt
• ½ cup sour cream
• 2 tbsp cashew paste
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 bay leaves
• 3-4 green cardamoms
• ½ tsp caraway seeds
• 2 tbsp coriander powder
• 1 tbsp red chili powder
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp garam masala powder
• Salt to taste
• ¼ cup oil

Method:

• Heat oil in a heavy based sauce pan and fry onions to a golden color, remove onions with a slotted spoon and grind to a fine paste. Mix the onion paste with yogurt, cashew nut paste, and sour cream; and keep aside.
• Reheat the oil over medium heat, add bay leaves cloves, green cardamom, black cumin and fry for few seconds till golden brown.
• Now add garlic paste, ginger paste, coriander powder, garam masala, chili powder, and salt. Stirring frequently sauté for about 5 minutes. Add chicken cubes and fry for another 5 minutes. Cover the pan, reduce the heat and allow cooking for 25 - 30 minutes or until the chicken is almost tender.
• Stirring continuously, add a little yogurt mixture at a time to the chicken to blend it into the mixture. Repeat until the entire yogurt mixture has been added. Stirring frequently fry for 5-8 minutes or until the meat is tender. Add 1-2 cups of water to adjust the consistency of gravy to your choice. Bring to a boil and remove from heat.
• Sprinkle with coriander and serve hot with Paratha, Tandoori Roti or plain rice.

Do You Know?
Meat, like any food, can transmit certain diseases. Chicken is often contaminated with Salmonella enterica, disease-causing bacteria.
Minced beef can be contaminated during slaughter with disease-causing E.coli 0157:H7 deriving from the intestinal tract if proper precautions are not taken.
Undercooked pork sometimes contains the parasites that cause trichinosis or cysticercosis.

Aloo moongodi Ki Rasedar Sabji (Potato and Sun dried ground lentil dumplings curry

Potato and Moong (lentil) dumplings (moongodi) cooked with mild spices to make a delicious curry. If you have time prepare fresh moong wadia (moongodi) at home otherwise get the ready made moongodi from Indian grocery stores.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup moongodi
• 1 big potato cut in 1” cubes
• 2 green chilies finely chopped
• 2 large onions cut into quarters
• 1 medium tomato cut into quarters
• 1 tbsp garlic paste
• 1 tbsp ginger paste
• 2 tbsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp red chili powder (reduce quantity if you want less heat)
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 6-8 tbsp cooking oil

Method:

• Grind the onion and tomato together in a food processor until you get a smooth paste. Try not to add too much water while grinding.
• Heat 2-3 tbsps of oil in a pan and gently stir-fry the cubes of moongodi until golden. Remove onto a plate and keep aside.
• In the same vessel heat 4-5 tbsp of oil and add the onion tomato paste. Fry until it turns light brown. Add green chilies, ginger and garlic paste and fry for another 2 minutes. Add the coriander, red chili, cumin, and turmeric powders, and fry stirring continuously, until the oil begins to separate from the masala.
• Stir in the moongodi and add desired amount of water and salt. Transfer in a pressure cooker and cook till two pressure releases.
• When the pressure drops, open the lid of the pressure cooker. Add potato cubes and pressure cook it again till one pressure release. (Remember that cooking time of moongodi and potato is different, moongodi takes longer to cook than potato).
• Transfer curry to serving bowl. Add garam masala powder.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with roti or paratha.

How to Make Mangodi (Sun dried ground lentil dumplings)

Main requirement for fresh Mangodi to be made at home is good sun light for at least 2-3 days.

Ingredients:
1 cup split and skinned Green gram dal (Dhuli moong ki dal)
1” Ginger piece
2-3 Green Chilies
pinch of Asafetida

Method:

• Soak Green gram dal overnight.
• Drain it and grind with Ginger, Chilies and asafetida to fine paste without adding water.
• Grease a polythene sheet or a steel thali.
• Pour ½ spoonful of the paste all over the sheet or thali and let it dry in the sun for a day or two.
• When dried store them in airtight jars.
  

Tangy Potato Salad

Serve this tangy potato salad as starter; I am sure even non-potato lovers will also fall in love with potatoes after eating this.

Ingredients:

• 1 large potato boiled and cubed
• 2-3 spring onions finely chopped
• 1 green chili chopped fine

Dressing:

• 3-4 tbsp thick yogurt
• 1 cloves of garlic minced
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp salad oil
• ¼ tsp sugar
• ¼ tsp black pepper powder
• Salt to taste

Method:

• In a big bowl, take all the ingredients for dressing. Mix them well. Now add potato cubes, chopped spring onion and green chilies.
• Gently mix everything together to avoid breaking the potatoes.
• Refrigerate covered for at least two hours.
• Serve as starter.

Do You Know?

Spring Onion is also commonly known as green onion, scallion or salad onion. These are milder than other onions because they are harvested before the bulb are developed fully.

Khagina (Scrambled Egg Curry)

Egg Khagina is a common and favorite breakfast dish in Hyderabad. It is served with Paratha /Bread/Bun. A typical egg khagina contains eggs, scrambled with fried onions, tomatoes and spices; but variations can occur according to the taste and method of cooking.

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp ginger finely chopped
• 1 tsp garlic finely chopped
• 1 medium onion finely chopped
• 1 green chili finely chopped
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• Salt to taste
• ½ cup tomato chopped finely
• 1 tbsp cilantro finely chopped
• 3-4 tbsp cooking oil

Method:

• Heat oil in a frying pan on medium heat and add chopped onions.
• Fry them until they become light brown.
• Stir in chopped ginger garlic, tomato, green chilies, red chili powder, turmeric powder, salt and cook until the tomatoes become soft.
• Crack the eggs into the frying pan and cook them on top of the onion tomato masala. Keep stirring to avoid the onions sticking to the pan.
• When eggs seem to cook through, break them with a wooden spatula, not to cut them into too small pieces.
• Garnish with chopped cilantro.
• Serve with Paratha ( Pan-fried Indian flat bread) / Bread Slice/ Bun.

Do You Know?

A boiled egg can be distinguished from a raw egg without breaking the shell by spinning it. A hard-boiled egg's contents are solid due to the denaturation of the protein, allowing it to spin freely, while viscous dissipation in the liquid contents of a raw egg causes it to stop spinning within approximately three rotations.

Galawati Kebabs (Minced Lamb Kebab)

These delicious kebabs are the mainstay of Awadhi cuisine from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh (North India). 'Galawati' means 'melt in your mouth'.

The actual recipe is supposed to have more than 100 aromatic spices and high fat content. The secret of making juicy and soft Galawati kebabs is the use of high fat content i.e. about 20% of the fat. High fat also makes it responsive to tenderizers.

In my recipe of the Galawati kebabs less fat and less aromatic spices are used. The minced lamb meat is tenderized by raw Papaya to make kebabs soft. Round patties formed are stir fried over griddle and served with Green Coriander Chutney.

Ingredients:

• 1pound goat/lamb very finely minced
• 2 tbsp raw papaya paste
• 1 large onion in the form of paste
• 1 tbsp ginger paste
• 1 tsp garlic paste
• ½ tsp green chili paste
• 1 tbsp finely chopped mint leaves
• 1 tbsp milk powder
• 4 tbsp butter/ghee
• ½ tsp red chili powder
• ¼ tsp Ground Cloves
• ¼ tsp Ground Cinnamon
• ½ tsp Ground Cardamom
• ½ tsp Black pepper ground
• 1 tsp Kewra water (available in Indian Grocery Stores)
• Pinch mace powder (Javitri)
• 3-4 tbsps Bengal Gram Flour, lightly roasted
• Salt to taste
• 4 tbsps oil/ghee to pan-fry the kebabs

Method:

• Combine ground lamb, papaya, salt and pulverize it in the Food Processor or grind it fine into mincing machine. Keep it aside to marinate for one hour.
• Heat 4 tbsp of ghee/butter in a pan. Add Onion, Green chili, Garlic and Ginger paste. Sauté until moisture is evaporated and the paste is almost brown. Remove it from heat.
• Mix in cloves, cinnamon, cardamoms, red chili, mace and black pepper powder. Add milk powder and Kewra.
• Stir in marinated lamb including the papaya and finely chopped mint leaves.
• Sprinkle roasted Besan over the mixture. Knead well into soft dough. Add more Besan if needed. Let mixture rest for 1 hour in refrigerator.
• Remove the mix from the refrigerator and knead again. Divide the mix in to small portions. Form the balls and press them into round patty like structures.
• Heat the ghee in a heavy-bottomed skillet (on a medium flame) and pan-fry the kebabs until golden on both sides.
• Serve with Mint-coriander chutney and Khasta Paratha.

Do You Know?

Avadh was the birthplace of some of the finest food in the land. The Nawabs of Avadh had always craved the best foods even when old and toothless. This led to the innovation of one of the most celebrated kebabs of the day, the Shahi Gilawat ka Kebab, reputed to be so tender that even a toothless person could eat it without difficulty. It is also said to contain over a hundred aromatic and digestive spices that were supposed to ensure one's continued health and well-being.