Aloo, Gajar, Matar (Potato, Carrot and Peas)

It is a typical North Indian curry, made especially during winter, when fresh fenugreek, carrot and peas are available.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup potato cubed
• 1 cup shelled peas
• 1 cup carrot cubed
• ½ cup fresh fenugreek leaves chopped finely
• 1 tsp ginger grated
• 1 tsp garlic grated
• Pinch of asafetida
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 2 green chilies chopped fine
• 3 tbsp of oil
• Salt to taste
• 1 tbsp cilantro leaves chopped fine to garnish

Method:

• Heat 3-4 tbsp of oil in a skillet on medium flame. Add asafetida and cumin seeds. Stir-fry the potato cubes until light pink.
• Stir in peas, cubed carrot, fenugreek leaves, grated ginger and garlic.
• Add red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala and salt.
• Cook covered on low flame till potato, peas and carrot are tender.
• Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve.
• This vegetable tastes great with Dal and Roti/Chapati/Paratha.

Kala Chana (Black Gram Curry)

Black Gram (Kala Chana) is boiled and cooked with spices.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of black gram ( Kala Chana)
• 1 large onion sliced
• 1 cup diced tomato
• 1 tsp garlic paste
• 1 tsp ginger paste
• 3-4 Green chilies chopped
• 1 bay leaves
• 1” Cinnamon stick
• 2 brown cardamoms
• 4 tbsps cooking oil
• 2 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp red chili powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tsp garam masala
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2-3 tbsps fresh cilantro leaves finely chopped

Method:

• Wash and soak gram in water for 5-6 hours or overnight.
• Place gram, salt, water, one bay leaf, cardamom and cinnamon in a pressure cooker. Close the lid and bring to boil, until you hear hissing sound. Turn heat down to low and cook for 10-15 minutes. Cool and check that they are soft when pressed. If not, cook for another 4-5 minutes more.
• Meanwhile grind onion, diced tomatoes, and green chilies to a fine paste.
• Heat the oil in a thick-bottomed pan on a medium flame. Add onion, ginger garlic paste, tomato paste, chopped green chilies and fry until it becomes little transparent. Add dry spices - cumin, coriander, red chili, turmeric and salt. Fry until the oil begins to separate from the paste.
• Add this masala to the boiled gram mix in the pressure cooker. Mix well. Add water to make gravy of your choice.
• Add garam masala and half the cilantro leaves. Simmer for 10-12 minutes. Take out in a serving bowl and mix in lemon juice.
• Garnish with rest of chopped cilantro leaves.
• Serve with hot plain boiled rice or roti/paratha and pickle.

Note: You can add chopped potatoes during the last 10 minutes of simmer cooking.
You can also add a tsp of tamarind pulp in place of lemon juice and 2 tsp Chana Masala for extra bite.

Do You Know?
Bengal gram is also known as Black Chickpea, Black gram, Yellow gram or Brown gram.
It is ‘Desi’ (meaning country or local in Hindi) kind of Chickpea. It has small, darker seeds and a rough coat, cultivated mostly in the Indian subcontinent, Ethiopia and Iran.
Desi is likely the earliest form since it closely resembles seeds found on both archaeological sites and the wild plant ancestor of domesticated chickpeas (cicer reticulatum) which only grows in southeast Turkey, where it is believed to have originated.
Desi chickpeas have markedly higher fiber content than Kabuli Chickpeas and hence a very low glycemic index which may make them suitable for people with blood sugar problems.
The desi type is used to make Chana Dal, which is a split chickpea with the skin removed.

Aloo Bonda

Aloo Bonda is prepared by deep frying spicy potato filling dipped in besan (gram flour) batter.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound potatoes
• 1 tbsp ginger finely chopped
• 3-4 green chilies finely chopped
• 2 tbsp cilantro leaves finely chopped
• 1 tsp garam masala powder
• 1 tsp chat masala or amchur
• ½ tsp red chili powder
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp lime/lemon juice
• 2 tbsp roasted crushed groundnut
• Salt to taste
• Oil for frying

Batter:

• 2 cups besan (gram flour)
• ½ tsp baking powder
• Salt to taste

Method:

• Boil and skin potatoes. Mash and mix all ingredients except oil.
• Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan. Add potato mix in it and fry for 3-4 minutes.
• Remove from heat. Shape into small balls or patty like flatter discs. Keep aside.
• Now in a separate pan mix besan, baking powder, salt and enough water to prepare batter of thick dropping consistency.
• Heat oil in a kadhai or deep frying pan, on medium flame. Dip potato balls or patties in batter and deep fry until golden brown.
• Serve hot with tamarind chutney or tomato chutney or cilantro chutney.

Do You Know?
Bonda is a typical South Indian snack. Keralites prefer Sweet Bonda while the savory version of Bonda is common in the rest of India.
The Sweet Bonda is prepared with chana dal and jaggery while spicy or Savory Bonda is prepared by deep frying potato (or other vegetables) filling dipped in besan (gram flour) batter.
The spicy flatter version is called as Batata Vada in Maharashtra.
Some regional variants in Kerala replace the potato with tapioca (Tapioca Bonda) or sweet potato and some add onion, hardboiled egg, masala (Mutta Bonda), minced meat and other ingredients.

Murmure Ka Salad

This is a simple and delicious salad made from puffed rice (Murmure), cucumber, onion, tomato and cilantro leaves.

Murmure are easily available at most of the Indian grocery shops. These are also used to make Bhelpuri.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Murmure (puffed rice)
• 1 cucumber peeled and chopped finely
• 1 medium onion chopped finely
• 2 tomato chopped finely
• 2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro leaves
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• salt to taste
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 green chili finely chopped

Method:

• Mix all ingredients well in a bowl.
• Serve immediately so that the Murmure Salad does not get soggy.

Do You Know?

Puffed rice is referred to as mur mure in some parts of India.

It is a type of puffed grain made from rice; usually made by heating rice kernels under high pressure in the presence of steam, though the method of manufacture varies widely.

A traditional way of making Murmura is heating rice in a sand-filled oven just like popcorn.

Hare Dhaniye Ki Chutney (Green Coriander Chutney)

The Hindi translation of "to make chutney" is a common idiom meaning, "to crush".

This is because the process of making chutney often involves the crushing of ingredients together.

In India, chutney is often made to be eaten fresh, using whichever strongly flavored ingredients are locally available at the time.

Ingredients:

• 2 cup fresh coriander leaves chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 green chilies
• Pinch of asafetida
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• 4-5 roasted groundnuts
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp lime juice or 2 tbsp dry mango powder (amchur powder)

Method:

• Grind all the ingredients into a smooth paste in a food processor.
• Serve it with hot snacks like samosas, cutlets, fritters, besan pakodas, and chats. You can also serve with stuffed parathas.

Do You Know:

Chutney is a term for a variety of sweet and spicy condiments, usually involving a fresh, chopped primary vegetable or fruit with added seasonings.

In India, normally chutneys would not contain preserving agents, since it is intended to be consumed quickly after preparation.

In North America and Europe, chutney is more familiar in a form, which can be stored. To this end, vegetable oil, vinegar, or lemon juice are used to enhance keeping its properties.

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.

Onion Raita

Onion Raita tastes very good with Biryani (rich rice-meat dishes).

Ingredients:

• 2 cups thick yogurt (must not be sour) whisked till smooth
• 1 medium onion chopped finely
• 1 tbsp fresh mint leaves chopped finely
• 1 tbsp fresh coriander leaves chopped finely
• 1 green chili finely chopped
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp Raita Masala (available in Indian Stores)

Method:

• Put yogurt, mint, coriander, onions, green chili, salt and chat masala in a bowl and mix well to blend.
• Garnish with raita masala.
• Chill and serve with Pulao or Biryani or Paratha and Curry .

Do You Know?

Onions are widely-used in India, and are fundamental to Indian cooking. They are commonly used as a base for curries, or made into a paste and eaten as a main course or as a side dish.

Wide-ranging claims have been made for the effectiveness of onions against conditions ranging from the common cold to heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, and other diseases.

They contain chemical compounds believed to have anti-inflammatory, anticholesterol, anticancer, and antioxidant properties such as quercetin (The American Cancer Society says that ‘quercetin’has been promoted as being effective against a wide variety of diseases, including cancer.

In India some sects don't eat onion due to its Aphrodisiac properties. An aphrodisiac is a substance which is used in the belief that it increases sexual desire. The name comes from Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of sensuality.

Roti / Chapati / Phulka (Whole Wheat Flat Breads)

Roti, Chapati or Phulka are same except for the size. Phulka is smaller and lighter than Roti or Chapati. Some people prefer to eat buttered Roti/Chapati/Phulka.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole-wheat flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• Warm water

Method:

• Mix the whole-wheat flour, salt and oil. Knead with enough water to make smooth dough. Cover and keep aside for 1 hour.
• After about 30 minutes (or right before rolling out), punch the dough and knead again without any more water.
• Divide the dough into lemon-sized balls. Dip each one into dry whole-wheat flour, and roll out into thin, 6" circles.
• Place a flat, griddle on the stove at medium-high heat. When hot, place a rolled-out chapati "right side" down on the griddle. (The "right side" is the one facing you when you roll it.)

• When bubbles are visible, turn over and cook until tiny brown spots appear on the side facing the griddle.

• If you have a gas stove, hold the chapati with a pair of tongs, and place it directly over the burner flame for a few seconds, until the chapati puffs up.

• Turn and repeat on the other side.

• If you have an electric stove, keep the chapati on the griddle. With a muslin cloth, press gently all around the chapati. Flip the chapati and press gently around the other side. This procedure should make the chapati puff up.
• Some of the foods that are usually served with rotis / chapatis are Dals, Chicken andMutton curries, Green and Non Green Vegetable dishes.