Asparagus chi Bhaaji

I decided to make simple Maharastrian style bhaji with my bunch of fresh Asparagus today. Guess what, another recipe idea with Asparagus is already bubbling in my head. I hope it works , if it does, I will share it with you all real soon.

 

Asparagus Chi Bhaaji

Sautéed Asparagus

Ingredients

1 bunch Aspragus, tail ends removed, chopped into small bits

salt to taste

A pinch of sugar (optional)

 

Tempering

1/2 tbsp. oil

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/4 tsp asafetida

2-3 red chilies, halved

1/3 cup minced onion

4-5 cloves of garlic, peeled & sliced

 

Garnish

1 tbsp. fresh coconut

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

 

Method

1. Heat oil in a saucepan.

2. Add spices and red chilies. Add garlic, as it changes color, add onion. Saute till onion is soft.

3. Add chopped asparagus. Mix well. Cover with a lid. Pour some water on the lid

4. Let it cook. Add salt and sugar - if using.

5. Add coconut + black pepper.

6. Serve with your daily meal.

 

Note -

1. You may also add cooked black chanas, black vatana or soaked chana or moong daal for a protein boost. If using cooked chana, add it after the asparagus is cooked. If using soaked/drained daal, add it after onion.

Cabbage Thoran

Traditionally coconut oil is used in GSB kitchens. Later due to health concerns, it was curbed to bare minimum usage. Once scorned for saturated fat issues, now coconut oil is making an impressive comeback. Personally speaking, I use several different oils in my daily cooking and I use oil sparingly anyways.

Today's dish is Kerala style cabbage stir fry - using coconut oil.

Cabbage Thoran
Cabbage Stir Fry
Ingredients
1 medium cabbage, cored and shredded
salt to taste

Tempering
1 tbsp. oil - preferably coconut oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp asafetida
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 springs curry leaves
1 tbsp. grated ginger

Garnish
1/4 cup fresh coconut

Method
1. Shred cabbage thinly. Set aside.
2. Heat oil. Add all the ingredients for tempering.
3. Add cabbage. Mix.
4. Cover and let it cook on low flame.
5. Add salt to taste
6. Garnish with freshly scraped coconut.

Note -
1. For authentic flavor, use coconut oil.



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Aloo Baingan

I bought some small, long baby eggplants from our local farmers market. I decided to toss them with potatoes and bell peppers, sprinkling some Punjabi spices to make my version of Aloo Baingan.

Aloo Baingan
Baby Eggplants with Potatoes
Ingredients
9-10 baby eggplants (long, violet variety), Sliced, stems removed
2 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled & sliced
1 firm tomato, sliced
1 green bell pepper, cored and sliced

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp. Punjabi Garam Masala

Tempering
1 tbsp. oil
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
2 cloves
1/4 tsp. asafetida
1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
1 tsp. Kashmiri chili powder
1 tsp. coriander-cumin seed powder
1 tbsp. Ginger-garlic paste

Garnish
2 tbsp. minced cilantro

Method
1. Sliced eggplants and potatoes and soak them in water till ready to use.
2. Heat oil in a nonstick kadhai.
3. Add spices. As they sizzle, add ginger-garlic paste and spice powders. Sauté for 1 minute.
4. Add potatoes. Sauté for 5 minutes.
5. Add bell peppers, tomatoes and eggplants.
6. Keep on stirring without closing it with the lid.
7. When cooked, add salt and Garam masala to taste.
8. Garnish with cilantro.

Note -
1. Drain eggplants and potatoes before adding to the kadhai.
2. I add spice powders in tempering, as they get nicely absorbed by the eggplants. But make sure not to burn them in the tempering.


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Vangi-batata bhaaji

This is bhaji can be made dry or with gravy (rassa) by adding more water.

Vangi-Batata Bhaaji

Eggplants-Potatoes Curry
Ingredients
6 small purple eggplants/brinjals/vaangi, sliced, stems removed
2 medium potatoes, peeled & sliced
salt to taste
1/2 tbsp jaggery
1 tbsp goda masala
1 tbsp daaNyache koot/roasted unsalted peanut powder (optional)

Tempering

2 tsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp asafoetida
1/2 tsp turmeric powder

Garnish

1 tbsp fresh coconut
1 tbsp. chopped cilantro

Method
0. After slicing the vegetables, soak them in water, so they won't turn dark.

1. Heat oil in a saucepan. Add mustard seeds, asafoetida and turmeric powder.
2. As the mustard seeds splutter, add goda masala. Sauté on a low flame for 1 minute. Do not let it burn.
3. Add drained vegetables. fry for 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water. Cover and let it cook. Keep some water on the lid.
4. Now add chili powder, jaggery , peanut powder - if using and salt.
5. You can add more water to keep some gravy or evaporate the water completely.
6. Garnish with coconut and cilantro.

Note -

1. If you like, you can also add some onion in tempering. In that case, sauté till it is soft before adding vegetables.

Kohlrabi Upkari

The original recipe of upkari does not include moog daal. But I added it -  borrowing from my Maharashtrian roots - for some protein boost.

 

Kohlrabi Upkari

Kohlrabi Stir Fry

Ingredients

3 small /medium kohlrabi, peeled and chopped

1/4 cup yellow moong daal, soaked for 2 hours in water before cooking

salt to taste

 

Tempering

1/2 tbsp. coconut oil

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/4 tsp asafetida

3 red chilies, halved/broken

 

Garnish

Freshly scraped coconut

 

Method

1. Heat oil in a kadai. Add tempering ingredients. As they splutter, add drained moong daal.

2. Saute for 5 minutes.

3. Add kohlrabi pieces. Stir.

4. Cover with a lid. Place some water in the lid.

5. Check from time to time. Each grain of daal should be separate. So do not let it overcook.

6. Add salt to taste.

7. Garnish with fresh coconut

 

Note-

1. Do not add water while cooking otherwise, it will overcook the daal.

Vangyache Kaap - Shallow Fried Eggplant

Keeping up with my theme of celebrating my kitchen garden, I am sharing this much loved kaap/kaachrya or fodi recipe.

Vangyache Kaap
वांग्याचे काप 
Shallow Fried Eggplant
Ingredients
1 Japanese eggplant, cut into thick circles

salt to taste
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
3/4 tsp chile powder
1/4 tsp asafoetida

To dredge
1 tbsp rawa/semolina
2 tbsp rice flour

Oil for shallow frying

Method
1. Rinse and pat dry the eggplant. Remove the stem. Cut into thick circles.
2. Sprinkle salt, turmeric powder, chile powder and asafoetida, making sure that all the eggplants circle are uniformly covered with these spices.
3. Heat an iron pan/griddle. Add oil.
4. Dredge the spiced eggplant circles into rice & semolina mixture. Shake off excess flour.
5. Place on the hot pan carefully. Cook on a low flame, adding oil as needed so they are cooked and are crispy.
6. Serve with your daily meal.

Note -
1. Depending on the actual size of the eggplant, the spices needed may vary.

Mooli ke parathe(2)

This is the traditional method of making radish flatbreads. My earlier version was a quick fix where I knead all the ingredients together.

Mooli Ke Parathe(2)
Radish Flatbread
Ingredients
For the stuffing
1 1/4 cup grated radish
2 tbsp grated onion
1/2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
1/2 tsp ajwain/ajowan/owa
salt to taste
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp minced green chilies
1 tsp pomegranate seeds powder or amchoor powder
1 tbsp besan/chickpea flour

For the Dough
2 cups wheat flour
salt to taste
2 tsp oil
water as needed

Oil for roasting
flour for dredging

Method
0. Mix wheat flour and salt. Adding water as needed, knead to a smooth dough. Add oil and knead again. Cover and set aside for at least 1/2 hour.
1. Squeeze water out of grated radish and onion.
2. Mix all the remaining ingredients and set aside.
3. Make about 9 - 12 uniform balls of the dough. Make the same number of the stuffing mixture.
4. Heat tawa/pan. Roll out a disc using flour for dredging. Add the stuffing and bring the ends of the disc together to form a ball. Dredge in flour and roll into a thick paratha.
5. Roast the paratha on the hot tawa, adding oil as needed. Cook on both sides till brown spots appear.
6. Keep in an aluminum foil till all the parathas are rolled out and roasted.
7. Serve with raita and pickle of your choice.

Note
1. Do not make stuffing ready too much in advance as it will get soggy.

Bhendi Kanda - Bhendichi Bhaaji (2)

My aunt makes this delicious bhaaji, which tastes even better when onion is fried using lots of oil and the entire bhaaji is stir fried adding oil as needed. However, I try to limit our oil intake.

Bhendi Kandyachi Bhaaji
Okra with Onion
Ingredients
2 cups okra, remove both ends, halved and slit
2 cups thinly sliced onion
salt to taste
1 tbsp coriander-cumin powder
1 tbsp goda masala
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp sugar or jaggery
3 kokums, rinsed

Tempering
2 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp asafoetida

Method
1. Rinse and dry okra. Remove both ends. Cut into 2" pieces. Make a slit on each piece.
2. Heat oil in a nonstick or iron kadhai/wok.
3. Add asafoetida and turmeric powder. Add thinly sliced onion. Saute till onion is soft.
4. Add okra. saute for 5 minutes.
5. Add all the powders. Keep on stir frying, adding more oil if needed.
6. Keep stirring from time to time till okra is cooked.
7. Add salt, jaggery or sugar and kokums.
8. Stir well. Switch off the gas.
9. Serve with chapati.

Note
1. Add more oil if necessary.
2. Do not cover while cooking.
 

Kadai Mushrooms

I make this curry when I am in a hurry. :-D

Kadai Mushrooms

Stir Fried Mushrooms

Ingredients

2 cups sliced button mushrooms

salt to taste

2 tsp coriander-cumin powder, preferably fresh

1 tsp Punjabi Garam Masala

1 tbsp tomato paste

 

Tempering

2 tsp oil

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

2 red chilies, halved (optional)

1 cup minced onion

1/2 cup minced tomato

1 1/2 tsp ginger-garlic paste

 

Method

1. Heat oil in a wok or kadhai.

2. Add cumin seeds and chilies - if using.

3. As they splutter, add onion and turmeric powder. Saute till onion is soft.

4. Now add ginger-garlic paste. Saute for 5 minutes.

5. Add tomatoes and saute till they are pulpy.

6.  Sprinkle some water from time to time if masala sticks to the bottom of the kadhai.

7. Add coriander-cumin powder, garam masala, paprika and tomato paste. Saute for 5 minutes.

8. Add mushrooms and salt. Saute till mushrooms is cooked.

9. Garnish with cilantro on top.

 

Note -

1. Sometimes I add bell pepper/capsicum with mushrooms.

Mughlai Mushroom

This is my version of Mughlai Mushroom. This curry doesn't need turmeric powder. But due to antioxidant properties of turmeric, I tend to use turmeric in pretty much every recipe.

 

Mughlai Mushrooms

Mushroom Curry

Ingredients

1 pack Button Mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

1/2 cup green peas (fresh or frozen)

salt to taste

1 tsp Mughlai Garam Masala

 

Tempering

1/2 tbsp oil

1/2 tsp turmeric powder (optional)

 

Grind to a fine paste

10-12 raw cashews, preferably unsalted - soaked in water for 2 hours

1 tbsp white poppy seeds, soaked in water for 2 hours

A pinch of nutmeg powder

1 cup boiled onion, approx 1 medium onion

 

Method

1. Slice onion and pressure cook. Set aside to cool down.

2. Soak cashews and poppy seeds in a separate container.

3. Grind drained cashews, poppy seeds, nutmeg powder and boiled onion to a smooth paste.

4. Heat oil in a kadhai or wok. Add turmeric powder if using. Saute for few seconds without letting it burn. Add ground paste. Saute for about 10  - 15 minutes. Add a splash of water if necessary.

5. Now add mushrooms, green peas, salt and sugar. Mushroom will leave water. Let it cook in that moisture. Sprinkle Mughlai Garam Masala.

6. Simmer till extra moisture is evaporated or keep some gravy if you desire.

7. Switch off the gas and serve with flatbread of your choice.

 

Note -

1. I use white button mushroom or baby portbella mushroom for this recipe. Use about 2 cups sliced mushrooms for this recipe.

2. To make the gravy richer, you can add 1/4 cup heavy cream after sprinkling garam masala.

Kobichi Bhaaji (2)

As a kid, cabbage was not exactly my favorite. but as my tastebuds and I grew, I think I started liking cabbage more. Mom generally made two types of kobichi bhaaji for our lunchbox. One was with addition of chana daal and the other was with potato and/or green peas. I personally like cabbage + Potato + green peas combo more than just cabbage and potato.

 

Kobichi Bhaaji (2)

Cabbage with potatoes and green peas

Ingredients

1 small cabbage, shredded

salt to taste

1/2 cup green peas, fresh or frozen

1 medium potato, peeled and chopped, soak in water till ready to use.

 

Tempering

1 tbsp oil

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/4 tsp asafoetida

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2" ginger, peeled & grated

2-3 green chilies, slit

 

Garnish

1 tbsp fresh coconut

1 tbsp minced cilantro

 

Suggested accompaniment

Fulke

or

Ghadichya Polya

 

Method

1. Heat oil in a kadhai/wok. Add tempering ingredients till turmeric powder. As they sizzle add green chilies and grated ginger. Saute for 2 minutes.

2. Add drained potato pieces. Add 1 tbsp water. Cover and cook for 5 minutes till potatoes are semi cooked.

3. Add shredded cabbage and green peas. Sprinkle some water. Stir well.

4. Cover and place water on the lid.

5. Cook till cabbage is cooked to your liking. Sprinkle water from time to time if needed.

6. Add salt to taste after cabbage is cooked.

7. Garnish with coconut and cilantro.

 

Note -

1. This bhaaji can be made by adding just potatoes or just green peas along with cabbage.

 

Vegetable Biryani

I try to make my Biryani using less clarified butter than the traditional requirement. I think the spices adjust quite well and it tastes good too. But if you are looking for richer taste, please feel free to add more ghee.

Biryani is a very elaborate affair. But once it's ready it is worth the wait.

 

Vegetable Biryani - (1)

Layered Basmati Rice with Vegetables

Ingredients

2 cups Basmati rice, soak for 30 minutes, drain

 

Whole spices/Khada Masala

3 cloves

1 green cardamom

1 black cardamom

1 bayleaf

2 pieces of 2" cinnamon

salt to taste

 

Garnish 1

1 tbsp milk

Few strands of saffron

 

Grind to paste

4 Kashmiri chilies, soaked in water till they are plump

1 medium red tomato, chopped

2" ginger, peeled, chopped

3 cloves garlic, peeled, chopped

1 green cardamom, seeds only

6 fresh mint leaves

 

Tempering

1 tbsp clarified butter/ghee

1 cup chopped onion

1 medium red tomato, chopped

 

Garnish 2

1 tbsp oil

1 cup thinly sliced onion

A pinch of sugar

5 fresh mint leaves, shredded into ribbons

 

Vegetables

2 cups mixed vegetables like carrots, green peas, green beans, cauliflower florets, potatoes

1/4 cup yogurt

1 cup water

salt to taste

 

Gravy

1/4 cup yogurt

1 tsp Mughlai Garam Masala

1 tbsp coriander-cumin powder

1 tsp sugar

 

Suggested Accompaniment

Raita

Papad

Pickles

 

Method

1. Cook Basmati rice adding double amount of water and whole spices and salt. Make sure it is not cooked fully. Set aside. Discard whole spices.

2. Warm milk and saffron strands and stir to get a bright yellow orange color. Add this mixture over half-cooked rice so only some rice grains get coated with saffron mixture.

4. Grind masala paste for the gravy and set aside.

4a. Heat oil in a saucepan for garnish (2). Add a pinch of sugar. As it caramelizes, add thinly sliced onions and fry till they are brown. Add shredded mint leaves. Set aside for later use.

5. Heat oil and ghee in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Add onions. saute till onions are browned. Add masala paste and tomatoes. Saute for 15 minutes adding spoonful of yogurt from time to time. Add coriander-cumin powder with Mughlai garam masala. Add salt to taste.

6. Add vegetables and 1 cup water. Bring to boil. Cover and let it cooked till vegetables are semi-cooked. Adjust for salt and sugar.

7. Spray or butter an ovenproof container. Spread a layer of rice at the bottom. Add vegetable mixture on top. Layer with another layer of rice and then vegetables. Continue till all the mixture is over. Make sure that rice is the topmost layer.

8. Spread browned, caramelized onion on top. Drizzle saffron + Milk Mixture.

9. Cover tightly using aluminum foil.

10. Bake in the preheated oven (350F) for about 30 minutes.

11. Serve with Raita, achar and papad.

 

Note -

1. For garnish, you can also fry cashews and raisins and add along with caramelized onion. Even potatoes can be cut into chips/French fries and deep fried and added as a garnish along with caramelized onions.

2. Use more ghee for tempering. Add ghee for cooking rice and also drizzle more ghee around before sealing the biryani with aluminum foil. This gives richer taste but more calories as well!
3. Instead of using oven, biryani can also be "baked" using indiret heat method. In that case, heat an iron tawa. Place Biryani pot on top and let it cook on a very low heat for about 1 hour. Tratitionally, wheat dough is sealed around the lid so that the steam is not escaped. This method is called "Dum chadhana".

 

Garden Kachumbar

My generous neighbor gave me these gorgeous tomatoes. They were red and golden tomatoes. I made a simple kachumbar. Since most of the ingredients were from the backyard garden - either my neighbor's or mine - I decided to call it "Garden Kachumbar".

 

Garden Kachumbar

Ingredients

2 red tomatoes, ripe yet firm

2 Golden tomatoes, ripe yet firm

2 green chilies - minced

1 red onion, finely chopped

1 or 2 sprigs of mint, shredded

1 lime

salt to taste

1/2 tsp chaat masala

 

Method

1. Mix all the ingredients and serve as an accompaniment with spicy curries or Biryani/Pulaos.

 

Note -

1. You can use any salad friendly veggies of your choice.
 

 

Red and Golden Tomatoes