Masale Bhat

The other day for lunch I made 'Masale bhat'. I remember my aunties preparing this during Ganesh chaturthi. they use to prepare this rice without onion, garlic or ginger. its aroma while cooking feels sooo good....so here's the recipe...n yes a must have thing for this recipe is Maharashtrian goda masala.

Ingredients:
1cup - Basmati Rice
2 cups - water to cook rice
3/4th cup - length wise cut Tindora
1/4th cup of Green Peas
1tbsp- Ginger and Garlic paste (optional)
2tbsp of Dry Coconut Powder
2 Bay leaves
1 Cinnamon Stick
2 Cloves
2 Cardamom Pods
3 Black pepper
1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
1/4Th tsp Methi Seeds
1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds
1/2 tbsp Coriander Powder
10 Cashews halved lengthwise
10-12 Curry leaves
1 slit green chili
1/2tbsp Red Chili Powder
1/2tbsp Turmeric Powder
1 tbsp Goda Masala (kala masala)
2-3 tbsp Oil
Salt to taste
Fresh Cilantro and Fresh grated Coconut to garnish

Directions:-
1)Take oil in a pressure cooker and add all the dry spices accordingly- when mustard seeds pop,add cumin, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf, cardamom, black pepper,Methi seeds, sauté for few seconds

2)Now add green chilies, curry leaves, dry coconut powder, ginger garlic paste

3)Throw in washed peas and Tindora, sauté them now add all powders and salt and now finally add soaked basmati rice with 2 cups of water.

4)Make 2 whistles that should be enough to cook rice.

5)In another pan heat little oil or ghee and fry halved cashews till they change color to light brown

6)Open pressure cooker when its cooled and garnish with finely chopped cilantro, cashews & fresh coconut if you like.

7)Serve it along with any raita, papads and pickle.

Moth beans

Moth beans...tiny little ones packed full of protein...healthy choice to make...can make various recepies out of it...one can eat it as SALADS, mix it with other sprouts and make some spicy curry out of it...

Ingredients:

1 1/2cups of sprouted Moth beans

1 large onion finely chopped

1 small potato chopped

2 wine tomatoes chopped

5-6 cloves of garlic chopped

1/2" ginger grated

pinch of asefoetideia / hing

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp corriender powder

1 1/2 tsp Usal Masala (k-pra brand) or Maharastrian black masala

or any garam masala

1/4 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/4 tsp methi / fenugreek seeds

salt to taste

1 tbsp Oil

Directions:

• cook sprouted moth beans and potato before making gravy / masala
• take oil in a pot and all seeds...when they sizzle and hing and curry leaves
• now add chopped onions, let it turn pink then add tomatoes cook till it leaves some juice
• add all powders now mix well and let it cook for 2 minutes
• now add cooked beans and potatoes mix again properly add s0me water as required
• add salt and garnish with chopped corriender leaves

serve with Indian flat bread or even rice will work.

KADHAI BHINDI

wow! My husband loves bhindi recepies...so made this one yesterday from a book named 'Indian Vegetarian cooking a reginol guide' by Monisha Bharadwaj. well i made slight changes to recepie..this one goes extremery good with chappati or phulkas...so here are the

Ingredients:

3 cups of Okra/Bhindi washed dried and cut length wise

1 onion sliced length wise

1/2 bell pepper sliced length wise

1 wine tomato sliced length wise

pinch of mustard seeds

1/4th tsp cumin seeds

1/4th tsp kaloji/ onion seeds

pinch of methi seeds

pinch of hing/asefotideia

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp paprika powder

1/2 tsp garam masala powder

oil to cook

salt to taste

Cilantro to garnish (chopped)

Directions:

• heat oil in a kadhi, when hot add mustard,cumin,methi,kalonji seeds and hing to it....


• then add onions and fry for few minitues till soft.


• add green bell peppers stir well for few minitues then add sliced okra to it again stir well (do not cover the pot any time)


• add tomotes, and all dry masala and salt to this and stir well so all masala is coated to bhindi.


• cook over low heat, stirring in between...not to cover the kadhi or else bhindi gets sticky...let it cook till all vegetables are tender..sprinkle chopped cilantro.


• nice colourful kadhi bhindi is ready...serve hot along with chappatis or phulkas.