Kaddu Ka Raita (Bottle Guard Yogurt Sauce)

Made with Yogurt, Bottle Gaurd and Cilantro; it is cool and refreshing condiment which goes well with hot and spicy dishes.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Yogurt beaten smooth
• 3” piece of Bottle Gourd finely chopped
• A pinch of Turmeric powder
• ½ tsp Mustard seeds
• ¼ tsp Cumin seeds
• ¼ tsp Urad dal
• 1 dry whole Red chili
• A pinch of Asafetida
• 4-5 Curry leaves
• 1 chopped Green chili
• 1 tbsp chopped cilantro
• 1 tbsp Cooking oil
• Salt to taste

Method:

• Heat the oil in a pan. Add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds. After they splutter, add the urad dal and let it turn red. Add the dry red chilies, curry leaves, asafetida, green chilies, turmeric powder, salt and bottle gourd pieces.
• Cook covered on a medium flame for 8-10 minutes or till the bottle gourd pieces turn soft. Crush the cooked bottle gourd with the help of spoon to smaller pieces. Remove from the flame and keep aside to cool.
• Combine the cooked mixture with the beaten yogurt. Adjust the consistency of Raita by adding little water.
• Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve chilled with Roti and Sabji of your choice.

Do You Know?

Because of the acid content of yogurt, it makes a fabulous marinade to tenderize meats. Do not use aluminum pans when preparing anything with yogurt. The acid in the yogurt will react with the aluminum.

Nimbu Shikanji (Lemon Flavored Drink)

Shikanji is a refreshing lemon drink spiced up with black salt. The flavor and taste are truly splendid...just what you need after a long day at work during hot summer.

Ingredients:

• Juice of 4 lemons
• Sugar to taste (depends on the sourness of lemons)
• ½ tsp Salt mix
• Pinch of black pepper powder
• 1 glass Crushed ice
• 1 glass ordinary water
• 2 glasses of Chilled water
• Lemon slices to garnish

Method:

• Squeeze all lemons to remove juice. Pour into a large jug. Add a glass of ordinary water.
• Now add sugar according to desired strength of sweetness.
• Mix in black pepper powder and salt mix.
• Stir for sometimes so that the sugar and salt dissolve completely. Now add chilled water and crushed ice.
• Serve in chilled glasses garnished with lemon slices.

Lehsun Ki Chutney (Garlic Chutney)

It is delicious and strong flavored chutney which is generally made in winters. It goes well with plain Daal and Roti.

Ingredients:

• 15 cloves of lahsun (garlic)
• 15 whole dry red chilies
• ½ cup diced raw unripe mango
• ½ tsp coriander powder
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• Pinch of asafetida
• Salt to taste
• 3-4 tbsp cooking oil

Method:

• Remove the stems and break red chilies into small pieces. Remove the seeds from chilies by tapping open ends. Soak them in ½ a cup of hot water for 1 hour.
• Put garlic, diced raw mango, coriander powder, salt and soaked chilies along with the water in which they were soaked, in a grinder. Grind them to a fine paste.
• Heat oil in a non-stick pan and add asafetida and cumin seeds. When seeds stop spluttering, add garlic paste. Cook on low heat, stirring occasionally, till oil separates.
• Turn off heat and allow it to cool. Spoon out chutney in a glass container.
• Serve with plain Daal and Bajrey Ki Roti

Do You Know?

The smell of garlic is caused by allicin (diallyldisulfide-S-oxide), which is derived from precursors such as alliin (S-allyl-L-cysteine sulfoxide) by the enzyme alliinase which is liberated when the clove is broken up.

The active compound resembles the well known drug N-acetyl-L-cysteine (Mucomyst), which has mucolytic and antioxidant properties.

Achari Lal Mirch (Red chili Pickle)

In this recipe fresh Lal Mirch (red pepper) is used to make pickle. If kept in air tight containers, away from moisture, it can last for months.

Since the pickle serves as a flavor enhancer, it is eaten typically with the main meal.

Ingredients:

• 10 whole fresh red chilies
• 1 tbsp sarson (ground yellow mustard seeds)
• 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
• 1 tbsp fennel seeds
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp dry mango powder (amchoor)
• 1 cup mustard oil
• Salt

Method:

• Wash and thoroughly dry the chilies.
• Slit the chilies up to just under the stem. Do not cut right through them. Scoop out all the inner flesh and seeds and discard.
• Dry roast cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds and fennel seeds on slow fire. Cool and transfer to Mortar and Pestle. Crush the spices to make a coarse mix.
• Heat half of the oil and mix crushed spice masala, mustard powder, raw mango powder, and salt to taste to form a thick paste.
• Cool it and stuff each chili well with the paste.
• Put the chilies in a dry, wide-mouthed glass jar.
• Pour rest of the oil on the top of the chilies in the jar.
• Keep the pickle in sunlight for 2-3 days. Shake gently each day to make sure the oil coats the chilies well.
• Stuffed Red Chili Pickle is ready
• Serve with Daal, Sabji and plain Roti (Indian flat bread flatbread) or rice.

Do You Know?

Homemade pickles are prepared in the summer and kept in the sun during daytime while stored in porcelain or glass jars with airtight lids. The high concentrations of salt, oil and spices act as preservatives. Many commercially produced pickles use preservatives like citric acid and sodium benzoate.

Chichinda Ki Sabji (Snake Gourd)

Snake gourd/Potlakaya/Chichinda is another Indian gourd variety with which you can make many dishes. First time I ate snake gourd when I went to Hyderabad to stay. In this recipe I have added roasted besan to stir fried sliced snake gourd. It goes well as a side dish with Daal and Roti.

Ingredients:

• 2 medium Snake gourds /Potlakaya / Chichinda
• ½ tsp Mustard Seeds
• 1 tsp Chana Dal
• 2 – 3 whole dry Red Chilies broken in pieces
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp amchoor powder
• 1 medium Onion chopped
• 3-4 Curry leaves
• 3 tbsp Cooking oil
• Salt to taste
• 4 tbsp Gram Flour (besan)

Method:

• In a small kadhai or pan roast the besan (without adding oil) until light brown. Keep aside for later use.
• Wash snake gourd and scrape the outer skin with a knife. Cut lengthwise into half and scoop out seeds and white pith. Chop it into small pieces.

• Heat oil in a pan and put mustard seeds. After they crackle, add chana dal, curry leaves, red chilies, onion in the same order and sauté till it turns light golden brown in color.
• Add sliced gourd pieces, salt, red chili powder, turmeric powder; stir to mix well. Cook covered on low medium heat until tender. Do not add water because on low-medium heat gourd is cooked in its own juice.
• Add the roasted besan and amchoor powder; stir-fry for 2-3 minutes till all are blended.
• Serve with Daal and Roti.

Do You Know?

Snake gourd is the best household remedy for heart problems. The juice of the fresh leaves is useful in heart disorders like palpitation and pain in the heart on physical exertion.

Khatta-Meetha Kaddu (Sweet and Sour Pumpkin)

It is salty, tangy, sweet and spicy; altogether very tasty and gives a great taste when eaten with Parantha or Poori and Raita.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound yellow Pumpkin
• Pinch of Asafetida
• ½ tsp Fenugreek seeds
• 2 Green chilies chopped
• 1 tbsp grated Ginger
• 1 tsp Red chili powder
• ½ tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 tsp Coriander powder
• Salt to taste
• ½ tsp Garam masala powder
• 1 tsp Amchoor powder
• 1 tbsp Lemon juice
• 2 tbsp Sugar
• Coriander leaves chopped
• 3-4 tbsp Cooking oil

Method:

• Wash and peel pumpkin. Dice it into small pieces.
• Heat oil in a kadai or wok. Add asafetida, fenugreek seeds and whole dry red chili. When seeds turn brown; add ginger, green chilies and diced pumpkin.
• Add red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder and salt; mix well. Cover and cook on a low medium heat for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until done.
• Now add sugar, amchoor powder and lemon juice; mix well. Cook for another 3-4 minutes without lid. The pumpkin pieces should look like mashed.
• Garnish with chopped coriander.
• Serve hot with Roti/Paratha, Daal and Raita of your choice.

Do You Know?

The word pumpkin originates from the word pepon, which is Greek for “large melon". The French adapted this word to pompon, which the British changed to pumpion and later American colonists changed that to the word we use today, "pumpkin".

Tamatar Kadhi

Tangy, tasty Tomato Kadhi goes well with plain boiled rice and Aloo Ki Sookhi Sabji.

Ingredients:

For the Kadhi:

• 2 cups yogurt ( sour)
• 4 cups water
• 2 big red tomatoes chopped fine
• 1 medium onion chopped fine
• 2 tbsp gram flour (besan)
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• ½ tsp mustard seeds
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• ½ tsp fenugreek seeds
• 2-3 green chilies split lengthwise
• 5-6 curry leaves
• 4-5 cloves of garlic chopped very fine
• 4 tbsp cooking oil
• Salt to taste

For Tempering:

• 2 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
• Big pinch of asafetida
• ½ tsp red chili powder
• 2 dried whole red chilies

Method:

• Mix the yogurt, water, besan and turmeric powder, Whisk to ensure there are no lumps. Set aside.
• In a deep pan or wok heat 2 tbsp of oil. Add cumin, fenugreek, mustard seeds, curry leaves and green chilies. When they stop spluttering, add the besan yogurt mixture slowly, stirring constantly, and bring it to a boil, cooking about 4-5 minutes.
• Make sure you stir the yogurt mixture or it will curdle. Reduce wok heat if ingredients start to boil over.
• Once liquid comes to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is smooth and silky, for about 45-50 minutes.
• In a separate frying pan heat 2 tbsp of oil. Add onion and garlic and fry until the onion is tender. Now add chopped tomatoes, red chili powder, coriander powder and salt to taste; cook until tomatoes are mushy. Add this tomato mixture to the boiling Kadhi and stir well.
• Adjust thickness of sauce with the extra cup of boiled water (continuous simmering of Kadhi makes it thicker so go on adding boiled water if Kadhi becomes very thick).
• When Kadhi is ready turn off the heat. Add ¼ cup of chopped cilantro and take it out in a serving dish.
• Prepare ‘Tadka’: To temper Kadhi, heat ghee in a small pan, add asafetida, dry red chili and ½ tsp red chili powder; immediately pour this over Kadhi in dish before chili powder gets burned.
• Serve with piping hot plain boiled rice.

Do You Know?

Method to make Gram flour at home:

Take pre-cooked chickpeas, rinse thoroughly and drain. Spread evenly across an un-greased baking tray and cook on medium heat for 2–3 hours then turn off oven and leave overnight to cool. Place into a mortar and pestle and grind to a fine consistency.