Mung Beans Dosa / Mung Beans Savory Crepe

Mung Beans - 2 cups
Salt
Grated Ginger - 1 tsp (optional)

Soak green mung beans in plenty of water overnight.

Drain and wash in running water once. Add a little water and grind in a blender to make a smooth paste.

Add salt and mix the batter well with your hands.

Cover with a plastic cling loosely (or make a few holes on the cling) and place the batter inside the oven to ferment for 8 hours.

Remove and mix the batter well. You can add some ginger paste and chopped green chilies to the bather. Heat an iron skillet. Brush with oil and pour a ladle full of the batter. Spread with the back of the ladle. Add a few drops of oil to the edges of the dosa.

Cook till the bottom browns. Flip and cook on the other side till brown and crisp. Serve with sambar and potato curry.

Spicy Matki Usal (dry)

Matki / Moth Beans - 1 cup
Oil - 1 tbsp
Onion - 1 big, finely chopped
Garlic Cloves - 6, crushed
Shredded fresh Coconut - 1 tbsp. (optional)
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Hing / Asafoetida - a pinch
Goda Masala - 1 tsp (optional)
Red Chili Powder - 1/2 tsp
Dry Kokum - 2
Lemon Juice

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pressure cooker pan. Add the mustard seeds, hing, crushed garlic and sliced onion and cook till the onion starts to caramelize.

Mix in the dry shredded coconut, goda masala, red chili powder and cook till the coconut gets light brown.

Add the matki, kokum, salt, 2 cups of water and mix well. Cover and cook till full pressure is reached. Reduce the heat to minimum and cook for a couple of minutes more or for total 2 whistles.

Add a little lemon juice on top and serve with chopped raw red onions.

 

 

 

Surti Papdi Curry

Surti Papdi / Hyacinth Beans - 1 lb (trim the edges and cut into one inch pieces)
Potato - 1 small, cut into thin cubes
Olive Oil - 1 tbsp.
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Green Chili - 2, finely chopped
Garlic - 4 cloves, minced
Ginger - 1 inch piece, grated
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder - 2 tsp
Salt

Heat a pan and add the olive oil and cumin seeds.

Immediately add the green chili, minced garlic and ginger and cook on low heat for a minute.

Now add the chopped beans and potato, turmeric, coriander and salt. Mix well.

Cover and cook till the vegetables are soft and done.

Serve hot.

Phodni Bhaat

Leftover rice - 2 cups
Olive Oil - 1 tbsp.
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Hing / Asafoetida - a pinch
Curry leaf - a few
Onion - 1/4 cup, chopped
Green Chili - 2, finely chopped
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Tomato - 1, grated
Roasted Peanuts - a handful
Salt
Cilantro - a handful (optional)

Fluff the leftover rice and keep aside.

Heat a heavy bottomed pan. Add oil, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, hing and curry leaf.

Now add the chopped onion and green chili and cook till it becomes soft.

Add the grated tomato and turmeric and cook for a few minutes more.

Now add the rice, salt and peanuts and mix everything well. Cover and cook for a few minutes more.

Sprinkle chopped cilantro and serve hot.

Mung Beans Chaat

 

Green Mung Beans - 1 cup (cooked with water till done but not too soft)
Cucumber - 1 small, chopped
Red Onion - 1/2 cup, chopped
Green Chili - 1, finely chopped
Tomato - 1 small, chopped
Boiled Potato - 1 small, chopped (optional)
Cilantro - a handful, chopped
Roasted Unsalted Peanuts - 1/2 cup
Lemon Juice - of 1 whole lemon
Rock Salt - to taste
Aamchur powder / Dry mango powder - 1 tsp (optional)
Tamarind Date Chutney - 2 tbsp.
Sev / Crispy gramflour noodles  - 2 tbsp

Mix all the above ingredients together, drizzle some more chutney on top and serve immediately.

Eggplant Curry with Peanuts

Eggplant - about a pound, cubed
Potato - 1, cubed
Yellow Onion - 1 small, chopped
Oil - 1 tbsp.
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Cayenne Powder - 1/4 tsp
Sambar Powder - 1 tbsp. (can use coriander powder if you don't have sambar powder)
Salt
Roasted peanuts - 1/4 cup, coarsely ground
Water - if required

Heat a large pan. Add oil and cumin seeds. Then add the chopped onion and cook till soft.

Now add the chopped potato and cook for a few minutes.

Mix in the chopped eggplant, turmeric, cayenne and coriander/sambar powder. Sprinkle some salt and mix well.  If you want a dry curry, there is no need to add water but if you want a little gravy add a cup of water while the eggplant and potatoes are cooking. Cover and cook till the eggplants and potatoes are soft and cooked.

Sprinkle the crushed peanuts and mix well. Serve hot with steamed rice or flatbread.

The above is a picture of the dry curry, cooked without any water.
Adapted from http://kichukhonn.blogspot.com/2015/07/aloo-baingan-ki-sabzi.html

Squash / Green Papaya with Chana Dal

Green Papaya / Bottle gourd Squash / Lau - 1/2 lb, cut into small cubes
Yukon Gold Potato - 1 small, cubed (optional, helps to make the gravy thicker, can be omitted)
Chana dal - 1/2 cup (soaked overnight)
Ghee / Clarified Butter - 1 tbsp
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Asafoetida / Hing - a couple of pinches
Green Chili - 3, finely chopped
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Red Chili Powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander Cumin Powder - 2 tsp
Water - 2 cups
Cilantro - a handful, chopped
Lemon Juice




Heat a pan. Add ghee, cumin seeds, hing and green chili. Then add the chopped papaya / squash, potato, salt and turmeric, coriander cumin powder. Mix well and add the soaked chana dal.

Add 2 cups of water, lower the heat and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes.

Once the vegetables are soft and the gravy slightly thickens, sprinkle chopped cilantro on top, squeeze some lemon juice and serve.


Adapted from http://kichukhonn.blogspot.com/2016/04/lauki-aur-chana-dal-ki-sabzi-or-cholar.html

Instant Chili Pickle

Jalapenos - around 10, remove the stem, wash and dry well
Mustard Oil - 1/4 cup
Mustard Seeds or Paanch Phoron - 1/4 tsp
Rock Salt - 1/2 tsp
Hing / Asafoetida - a pinch
Coarsely Crushed Yellow Mustard and Fenugreek Seeds - 2 tbsp.
Yellow Mustard Powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric - a pinch
Red Chili Powder - 1/4 tsp (optional)
White Vinegar - 3 to 4 tbsp.
Jaggery / Gur - 2 tsp

Cut the jalapenos into thick roundels

Heat mustard oil in a sauce pan. Add the mustard seeds or paanch phoron. Add a pinch of Hing.

Then add the jalapenos, crushed mustard and fenugreek seeds. Cook for a minute.

Add salt, jaggery, red chili powder, turmeric, mustard powder, vinegar and mix well and cook for a minute more.

Remove from heat, cool and transfer to a glass bottle. Store it in the refrigerator.

Adapted from http://kichukhonn.blogspot.com/2015/04/is-teacher.html

Fish in Yogurt Gravy

Fresh Fish Steaks / Fillets  - 5 (I used red snapper here)
Oil - 2 tbsp, if possible use mustard oil
Green Cardamom - 1
Cinnamon - 1 inch stick
Cloves - 4
Bay Leaf - 1
Dried Whole Red Chilies - 2
Red Onion - 1 small, finely grated
Plain Whole Milk Yogurt - 1 cup
Water - 1/2 cup
Gramflour / Besan - 1 tbsp
Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp (reduce the quantity if you want a light yellow gravy)
Green Chili - a couple, depending on your taste
Salt
Raw Sugar - 1/2 tsp

Apply a little bit of turmeric and salt to the fish pieces. Heat a skillet with a little mustard oil and shallow fry the fish steaks till light brown on both sides. Keep aside.

Beat the yogurt well. Add a tbsp of besan, salt, sugar, turmeric, mix well and keep aside

Heat a heavy bottomed pan. Add mustard oil and once the oil is hot, add cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaf and dried reed chili. Then add the grated onion and cook on low fire till the onion begins to caramelize.

Remove the pan from the heat and keep aside for a few minutes. Slowly add the yogurt mixture and  green chilies and bring the pan back to low heat. Gradually increase the heat and cook on medium heat till the gravy reaches desired consistency. Add the fried fish steak and simmer for a minute more. You could also reduce the gravy considerably and make it a dry curry.

Serve hot with steamed rice.

Adapted from http://kichukhonn.blogspot.com/2011/02/doi-maach-rohu-fish-in-yoghurt-gravy.html

Kanta Chorchori

Mix of Fish Bones & Head
Mustard Oil - 2 tbsp.
Onion - 1, thinly sliced
Ginger - 1/2 inch, grated
Potato - 1 thinly sliced
Green Chili - 2 chopped
Tomato - 1, thinly sliced
Raw Sugar - 1/2 tsp
Salt
Coriander Cumin Powder - 1 tsp
Red Chili Powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric - 1 tsp
Steam the bones lightly to half cook them. Alternatively the bones can be kept raw. It will only increase the cooking time a little.
Heat a tbsp. of mustard oil till smoking hot in a cast iron pan. Add the bones and fish head, sprinkle some salt and turmeric and cook till they are done. Remove and keep aside.
Heat the remaining oil in the pan. Add sliced onion, green chili and ginger. Cook for a few minutes and then add the sliced potato. Cook on medium high heat till the potatoes are almost done.
Add sliced tomato, salt sugar, turmeric, red chili powder, cumin and coriander powder and mix well. Cook till the tomato gets mushy. (Instead of tomato and the other spices you can also use fresh mustard paste, salt  and turmeric. This will give a totally different taste).
Add the fish bones and mix. Cook for a few minutes more. Sprinkle chopped cilantro on top and serve hot.

Fried Pompano Fish

Pompano - 1, cut into 3 steaks
Vinegar - 1 tsp
Ginger - 1/2 inch,
Garlic - 2 pods
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Onion - 2 tsp, grated
Cayenne powder - a pinch
Tamarind extract / Lemon Juice - 2 tsp
Pink Salt
Brown Rice Powder - 1 tbsp
Semolina - 1 tbsp.
Oil for shallow frying the fish

Add a tsp of vinegar to the fish steaks and keep aside for a few minutes..

Make a paste of ginger, garlic, onion, turmeric, cayenne powder, tamarind extract, salt. Discard the vinegar, wash the fish and apply the prepared paste well all over the fish pieces and marinate overnight or for at least an hour in the fridge.

Heat oil in a cast iron skillet. Roll the pieces first in brown rice powder and then in semolina and pan fry on both sides till they are fully cooked and crisp on the outside.

Oven Roasted Vegetables

Mixed Vegetables - Any combination of  Red onion, White Sweet Potato, Carrots, Cauliflower, Broccoli, Bell Peppers, Brinjal, Butternut Squash, Zucchini, Tomato

Garlic - 3 to 4 cloves, minced
Olive Oil - 2 tbsp.
Dried Herbs - Mix of Thyme, Rosemary, Oregano, Basil or any one of them
Salt & Pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

Dice all the vegetables into pieces that are approximately the same size (no larger than 1/2 inch).

Place the vegetables into a baking dish. Season with salt, pepper, minced garlic and herbs to taste and then pour the olive oil over the vegetables. Mix thoroughly but gently.

Put the dish/tray in the oven and cook for 45 minutes to an hour. Halfway through the cooking process, remove the dish from the oven and very gently stir the vegetables so that the ones at the bottom come to the top.

Towards the end of the cooking process, stir a second time. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Check for seasoning and serve.

 

 

 

 

Sauteed Radish Greens

Red Radish - 1 bunch, with the greens
Oil - 2 tsp
Garlic - 4 cloves, minced
Dried Red Chili - 1
Turmeric - a pinch
Salt
Roadted Peanuts - a handful (optional)

Cut away the radish from the bunch. Wash well and grate using a box grater. Keep aside.

Soak the radish greens in a big bowl of water for a couple of minutes to remove sand and dirt. Remove from the bowl and wash under running water. Chop the greens along with the stems and keep aside.

Heat a pan and add the oil. Immediately add the garlic and dried red chili. Once the garlic starts to brown, add the grated radish.

Stir fry on high heat till the radish starts to brown.

Then add the greens, turmeric and salt. Cook for a minute till the greens wilt. Add peanuts, mix well and remove from heat.

Serve hot.

Shrimp Biryani

Basmati Rice - 1 cup
Water - 2 cups
Oil - 2 tbsp.
Shahi Jeera / Caraway Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Green Chilies - 3, slit
Vegetables - a mix of potatoes, cauliflower, carrots, cut into 2 inch lengthwise
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Red Chili Powder - 1/4 tsp
Yogurt - 1/2 cup
Homemade Biryani Masala - 2 tsp
Fresh Mint Leaves / Pudina / Dried Mint leaves
Shrimp - 15 to 20
Boiled Eggs - 2 (optional)
Red Onion - 1 small, thinly sliced
Roasted Cashewnuts, Golden Raisins or Soaked Almonds - a handful (optional)

Cook the rice with water till done. Do not overcook the rice. Fluff with fork and keep aside to cool down.

Heat a tbsp. of oil in a pan. Add the sliced onion and cook on medium heat till the onion caramelizes.

Heat 1 tsp of oil in a large pan. Add the boiled eggs, a little turmeric, red chili powder and salt. Toss on all sides till the eggs become golden brown. Remove and keep aside. Add the shrimp and cook till done. Remove and set aside.

In the same pan, add some more oil and the shahi jeera. Then add all the vegetables, little turmeric, salt and green chilies. Cook on medium high till the vegetables are almost done.

Beat the yogurt well and add the biryani masala and mint to it. Remove the pan with the vegetables from heat and add the yogurt.

Cook on low heat for a few minutes. Then add the cooked rice and mix well.

Add cooked shrimp and egg and mix together. Sprinkle fried onions and nuts on top and serve hot with cucumber raita/salad.

Green Papaya Curry with Fresh Coconut

Raw Papaya – half, peeled and cut into small cubes
Potato – 1 small, peeled and cut into cubes (optional)
Water – 2 cups
Turmeric – 1/4 tsp
Red Chili Powder – a pinch
Salt
Fresh Coconut – ¼ cup, made into a paste with little water

Coconut Oil – 1 tbsp
Mustard Seeds – ½ tsp
Curry Leaves – 4
Green Chili – 3
Some grated ginger and coriander powder can also be added.

Place the papaya cubes, potato cubes (if using), water, turmeric, red chili powder and salt in a pot and bring to a boil.

Reduce and cook on low heat till the papaya is half cooked. Add the coconut paste and cook till the papaya is soft.

 
In a small pan, heat coconut oil. Add mustard seeds. Once the seeds begin to pop, add the curry leaves and green chili and pour the oil over the papaya curry.


Alternatively, to speed up, it can be cooked in a pressure cooker. Temper the oil with spices and then add papaya and potato,  2.5 cups of water and cook on medium low heat for 2 whistles or for 2 minutes after the full pressure is reached.

Serve hot with steamed brown rice and dal.

 

Adapted from http://malluspice.blogspot.com/2007/12/green-papaya-curry.html