G : CHILI MUSHROOM

INGREDIENTS :

Mushroom, 500 gms

Onion, 1 whole, chopped finely
Capsicum/bell-pepper, 1 whole, cut into thin strips

Spring onion/green onion/scallion (pneyajkoli), a big fat bunch, finely diced

Ginger-garlic paste, 1 tbsp,
Chili sauce, 1 and 1/2 tbsp

Soya sauce, 1 and 1/2 tbsp
Tomato ketchup, 3 tbsp,

Cornflour/flour, 2 tbsp
Salt/pepper (adjust to taste)

Oil-4 tbsp

Water, 1 cup

METHOD :

Heat oil.

Add onions and sauté till glassy.

Add capsicum/bell peppers and sauté till tender.

Add ginger-garlic paste and mix-well.

Add mushrooms. Cover at low heat for 2-3 mins. Remove cover and stir.

Add spring onions (pneyajkoli)/green onions/scallions and fry.

Add 2 tbsp of chili sauce and sauté well.

Add a cup of water and bring to a boil.

Add soya sauce and tomato ketchup.

Stir continuously till the mixture is even in consistency.

Thicken with 1 tbsp of cornflour/flour dissolved in milk.

Add salt and pepper if needed.

Serve with chowmin or fried rice.

G : JHINGE NARKEL (ZUCCHINI COCONUT)

INGREDIENTS :

Jhinge/zucchini, peeled and finely diced
Onion, 1 whole, finely sliced
Dried red chili, 2 whole
Green chilli, 2, slit lengthwise
Cumin powder, 1 tsp
Turmeric powder, 1 tsp
Mustard seeds, 1 tsp
Grated coconut, a fistful
Salt, adjust to taste
Sugar, adjust to taste

METHOD :

Heat oil.
Add whole red chilli and mustard seeds. Allow to splutter.
Add onions. Saute for a few mins till soft and glassy.
Add turmeric and cumin. Stir well and sauté for 2 mins.
Add jhinge/zucchini. Mix well with other ingredients.
Simmer, covering pan.
Cook till tender, adding salt when the vegetable looks dry and water if the need arises.
Sprinkle the coconut powder when the vegetable is cooked through.
Stir for 5 mins.
Remove from heat.

G : TOMATO-MUSTARD BRINJAL

QUANTITY :

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS :

Brinjals, large, 2 whole (cubed)

Mustard seeds, 1 ½ tbsp

Onions, 1 large (chopped)

Ginger ½ inch (chopped)

Tomatoes , 1 medium (chopped)

Turmeric Powder, ½ tsp

Coriander Powder, ½ tsp

Red chilli powder, ½ tsp

Salt ( adjust to taste)

Oil - 3 tbsp

METHOD :

Soak mustard seeds in ½ cup water for 1 hour. Discard the water and make a paste of mustard seeds, ginger and 2 tbsp water.

Heat oil, add chopped onions and sauté well.

Next add the mustard-ginger paste and fry well.

Add tomatoes and sauté well till tender.

Add brinjal/eggplant to it and mix well. Reduce heat.

Add salt, red chili powder, turmeric and coriander powder to it and sauté well.

Cover and cook, stirring frequently, till the brinjal becomes tender.

Check the seasoning and adjust accordingly.

Serve hot with rice or chappatis/rotis.

G : DOODH LAU (SQUASH WITH MILK)

This is usually considered a very healthy dish in summer in West Bengal because of the few spices it involves, the high water content of squash and the fact that the medium of cooking is less of oil and more of milk, which as you know, always provides a sense of satisfaction to health freaks like me. The best part is that you don't have to compromise on taste !

QUANTITY :

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS :

Squash/lau/lauki, 3 medium-sized (cubed)

Paanch phoron (5 spices), 1 tbsp

Whole dried red chili, 1

Milk, 1/2 cup

Flour, 3 tbsp

Salt, adjust to taste

Sugar, adjust to taste

Oil, 2 tbsp

METHOD :

Heat oil, add paanch phoron (5 spices) and red chili. Allow to splutter.

Add squash in instalments, stir-frying all the while.

Mixing well with spices, fry for several minutes till tender and watery.

Introduce the flour, mix briskly to prevent the formation of lumps.

Season with salt and sugar.

Add milk, bring to boil, stir frequently.

Once the water reduces slightly, reduce the heat and cover.

Cook on low heat, stirring often, till the desired consistency of gravy is attained.

Serve hot with rice or chappatis.

G : PALAK PANEER

This time, I was a bit apprehensive since :

1) K has begun to entertain high hopes from me, especially when it comes to paneer-based preparations.

2) I'd heard that palak or palong shaak recipes are usually tricky. If they come out well, you are lucky. If they don't, you'll have to eat it all by yourself.

3) I was trying to effect a mix-and-match of 2 net recipes.

Well, since it was obviously my lucky day, I dare to divulge my own take on the net recipes :

QUANTITY :

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS :

Spinach/palak/palong shaak ( 1 or 2 bunches)
Paneer cubes (500 g)
Onion (1 medium)
Tomato (1 medium)
Green chilli (quantity according to taste, 1 would do)
Salt (to taste)
Kasoori methi (a pinch)
Ginger-Garlic paste (1 tbsp each)
Coriander powder (a pinch)
Cumin powder (a pinch)
Oil

METHOD :

Pluck the spinach leaves, wash and boil them.
Puree the boiled spinach.
Puree onions and tomato separately.
Fry the paneer cubes till golden. Retain the oil.

Keep the paneer cubes immersed in mildly hot, salted water for about 20 mins.

Heat oil.
Add kasoori methi and onion paste.
Add ginger-garlic paste.
Add the pureed tomato
Add the pureed spinach.
Add salt, coriander powder and cumin powder.
Add green chilli.
Add a little water, cover and cook for 5-8 minutes.
Add the drained paneer cubes, cover and cook till tender.

TIPS :

Do not fry kasoori methi for too long, as it tends to impart a bitter taste to the dish.

Add a little flour dissolved in whole milk (for a richer, creamier gravy).

Adjust the water added according to preferred consistency of the gravy.

Bon appetit !

STUFFED MASALA BRINJAL

QUANTITY :

Serves 5

INGREDIENTS :

Brinjals, 10 (choose fresh and small ones)
Tomatoes, 1 large (finely chopped)
Onions, 1 large
Chilli powder, 1 tsp
Green chilli, adjust to taste
Oil, 6 tsp
Mustard seeds, ¼ tsp (whole)
Cumin (jeera), ¼ tsp
Turmeric powder, ¼ tsp
Coriander leaves-, 2 tsp (finely chopped)

Stuffing mixture :

Peanuts/cashew nuts, 6 tsp
Coconut, 2 tsp (grated)
Ginger-garlic paste, 2 tsp
Garam masala, 1tsp
Salt to taste

METHOD :

Wash the brinjals without removing the stem. Slit them vertically and horizontally like a plus sign (starting from the other end of the stem) without breaking them into halves.


Grind the ingredients to a fine paste.. Stuff the paste into the brinjal slits.

Heat oil.

Add mustard seeds and jeera.

When the former begin to splutter, add onions and green chillies.

Saute till well mixed and then add the brinjals and the remaining paste.

Fry for some time and add the chopped tomatoes, turmeric powder, chilli powder, salt and half a cup of water.

Cook covered on low flame and keep stirring gently every 5 minutes, taking care not to smash the brinjals.

This takes a long time ( almost 30 minutes) to cook.

Remove from heat when brinjals are tender and when the oil begins to separate out.

Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve hot with rice/ rotis.

G : CREAMED MIXED VEGETABLES

I've been trying to experiment with a simple mixed veggies preparation for quite some time now and this one's come up trumps each time, so I thought I'd share it with all you guys. Here's the recipe :

QUANTITY :

Serves 4



INGREDIENTS :

Butter/Margarine – 3 tbsp
Flour – a pinch
Milk – half a cup
Table Cream/Sour Cream/Plain yoghurt – 1 tbsp
Onion -1 medium, finely chopped
Potato -2 large, cubed
Salt – adjust to taste
Sugar – adjust to taste
Crushed Black Pepper Flakes – 1 tsp

A big serving bowl of mixed vegetables:

E.g. Tomato – finely diced
Capsicum –finely diced/cut into thin strips
Beans – finely sliced
Carrots –finely sliced
Mushroom – finely sliced
Corn
Peas


METHOD :


Boil potatoes for about 10 min. Keep aside.

Heat butter on low flame till frothy.

Add a pinch of flour and stir immediately to prevent lumps from forming.

Add onions and increase the heat to medium. Stir often.

Add boiled potatoes. Stir well and often till mixture is fragrant.

Add milk and stir well and often.

Season with salt, pepper and sugar.

Add tomato and capsicum.

Keep stirring till well mixed and you can smell the cooked capsicum.

Add the rest of the vegetables. Decrease heat.

Cook alternately on high and low flame till the mixture emits water.

Add the cream/yoghurt and stir thoroughly.

Remove when you have enough gravy and all the vegetables are tender.



TIPS :


To dilute the preparation or re-heat, add a little milk.

To concentrate gravy, add a pinch of flour and/or cream.

To add depth and flavour to the preparation, add paanch-phoron (Indian 5 spices) to heated butter.


Have fun !