Tarri poha

Tarri poha is a quintessential dish that is popular across all parts of Maharashtra especially in Nagpur. A plate of piping hot poha is one comfort food that is healthy.

In Nagpur, its popular as a street food. Many vendors sell poha in the wee hours of the morning. They serve it along with a tarri which has thin gravy made extremely spicy and a piece of tomato. Tomato balances the spiciness.

INGREDIENTS:

To prepare Aloo poha:
2 cup thick flattened rice
1 medium sized Onion, julienne
3 Green chillies, chopped
1 Potato, cut in medium size
1 tbsp Oil
1 tbsp Mustard seeds
1 tbsp Cumin seeds (jeera)
1 tsp Turmeric powder
Salt to taste

To garnish:
Grated fresh/dry coconut to garnish (Optional)
Coriander leaves to garnish
1 Lemon

To prepare chick pea curry:
1 and 1/2 cup dried green chickpeas, soaked overnight
1 tbsp Oil
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1 tsp Cumin seeds
1 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tbsp Garlic-ginger paste
1 medium sized Onion, chopped
1 Tomato, chopped
6 Curry leaves
1 tsp Red chilli powder
Salt to taste
Garam masala
1 cup water
Coriander leaves

To garnish:
 Sev
 1 Small onion, chopped
 1 tbsp Lemon juice

METHOD:

Preparation of aloo poha:

1. Heat oil in a non-stick wok on medium flame.
2. Add mustard & cumin seeds. 
3. Add the onion & green chillies, saute till the onion becomes translucent. (You can brown it also if you want)
4. Add turmeric powder and salt. Mix well.
5. Once it starts splutter, add potatoes.
6. Cover the lid and let it fry till potatoes are cooked.
7. Take flattened rice in a bowl. Add water and clean it.
8. Drain the water immediately. 
9. Now add this soaked flattened rice.
10. Saute the poha for 5 mins on medium flame. 
11. Garnish the poha with grated coconut and coriander leaves

Preparation of Chickpea curry:

1. Wash the soaked chick peas and pressure cook the green vatana till two whistles.
2. Heat oil in a wok. Add mustard & cumin seeds.
3. Once it starts spluttering, add the curry leaves, chopped onion & saute till the onion turns golden brown.
4. Add the garlic-ginger paste & saute till the raw aroma goes away.
5. Add the turmeric powder & red chilli powder. 
6. Add chopped tomato. Saute till it melts.
7. Add garam masala.
8. Add salt to taste and add the cooked green chick peas.
9. Add one cup water & let it boil for 5-10 mins.

Preparation for Tarri poha:

1. Place the aloo poha on the plate. 
2. Pour the curry over the poha slowly.
3. Garnish with some sev, chopped onion and coriander leaves.
4. You can add lemon juice, if you want.

Serve the hot tarri poha.
       

Machha Ambula Besara

Fish in mustard and dry mango gravy.
A typical odiya fish curry.

It is one of the most cherished recipe from Mom's kitchen, a quick version of fish recipe that would have not much spices and would have a thin gravy, but would taste divine.
In odisha, normally people prepare this recipe with Rohu fish.

But I have used Farsi fish instead of rohu. And it tasted amazing.
Here I am sharing this recipe with my fish love ;)

Ingredients:

To Marinate: 
6 whole Farsi Fishes
1 tbsp mustard oil
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp salt

To prepare gravy:
1 tbsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp cumin seeds
8 garlic cloves, minced
6 to 8 green chillies, slit
1\4 tsp red chilli powder
1\2 tsp of turmeric powder
6 tbsp mustard oil
6 dry sliced mangoes (Ambula) each 1 inch
2 medium sized onion, finely chopped
1\2 tsp panch phutana
5 curry leaves (optional)
3 cups of water or more as required
Salt to taste

NOTE:

1. Panch phutana is whole spice mixture consisting of fenugreek seed, nigella seed, cumin seed, black mustard seed and fennel seed in equal parts.
2. Ambula is dried salted green mango under sun. Sour in taste.

Method:

1. Clean the fish by removing the gallbladder to avoid bitter taste.
2. Wash fish properly.
3. Add mustard oil, salt and turmeric powder. Mix well.
4. Marinate the fishes with above mixture and keep them for about 30 minutes.
5. Heat mustard oil in a wok and shallow fry fishes till both sides become brown/golden yellow in colour.
6. Make a fine paste of mustard seeds, cumin seeds and garlic. Keep aside.
7. Place the fried fishes on tissue napkins to remove excess oil from them.
8. Now in the same wok, add panch phutana.
9. Once it starts to crackle, add chopped onion and saute them till it starts to brown.
10. Add curry leaves if you want.
11. Add the paste, salt and turmeric powder.
12. Stir it for maximum 2 minutes in medium flame.
13. Add one cup water and let it boil for 10 minutes.
14. Then add 2 cups water.
15. Once water is hot, add dry mangoes and cover it for 5 minutes in high flame.
16. Add fried fish and cook in medium flame for 5 minutes.
17. Remove the cover and cook them till the gravy thickens.

Serve this curry with rice and enjoy.

Pomfret Recheado

A traditional goan fish preparation is originated from portuguese cuisine.
Recheado means “stuffed” in Portuguese.
A tangy spicy with little sweetness paste best suited for most seafood dishes like shrimps and mackerels. 
Tried this mix and the outcome was just wonderful. The flavor and taste was so authenticate.
It looks super tempting and the recipe is truly unique, loved it:)

INGREDIENTS

4 medium sized whole pomfret
16 Garlic cloves
1 and 1/2 Inch Ginger chopped
1 and 1/2  tbsp Cumin seeds
4 Tamarind Pieces
10 Peppercorn
4 Green Cardamoms
8 Red dried Chiles/roasted green chillies
5 Cloves
2 and 1/2 tsp Turmeric
1 tbsp Sugar (optional)
10 tbsp Vinegar
10 tbsp Oil to fry
4 tbsp Semolina
2 tbsp Rice flour/Wheat flour
Salt as per taste

To garnish :
Onion slices
Tomato slices
Mint leaves
Coriander leaves
Lemon slices

METHOD

1. Clean the pomfrets and remove the unwanted flesh from the mouth with your hands and discard them. 
2. Make a few slits on the fish including the sides of the fish.
3. Combine all the above listed ingredients except oil, semolina and flour (garlic, ginger, cloves, pepper corn, cardamom, Red chilies, tamarind(without seeds), sugar, turmeric, salt in a grinder). 
4. Add vinegar to it and blend them to a smooth thick paste. 
5. Stuff this paste into the pomfret's slits and coat this paste on the outer cover of pomfrets. 
6. Keep the pomfrets for about an hour or overnight.
7. Heat oil in a pan on low flame.
8. Take semolina and flour in a plate and mix well.
9. Dip the marinated pomfrets in the above mixture. Coat them from both the sides.
10. Shallow fry the pomfret from both sides until crisp and brown in color from both sides.
11. Place the fried pomfrets on tissue napkins to remove excess oil from them.

Garnish with sliced onion, mint leaves, coriander leaves and lime.
It tastes terrific with pav, bread, roti or just have it. This Pomfret Fish is a must try.

Chivda Mixture

INGREDIENTS 

2 cup aval/flattened rice/chuda
½ cup peanuts
¼ cup roasted chana
½ cup cashews
2 tbsp raisins (you can skip if you dont want to sweet taste in mixture)
Oil for deep frying

1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp white sesame seeds
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
A pinch of asafoetida
1 tsp sugar (you can skip if you dont want to sweet taste in mixture)
1 tsp oil for tempering
Salt as required

METHOD

1. Heat oil for deep frying in a kadai.
2. Once it is hot, take a fine sieve with a handle.
3. Place half cup flattened rice in it and immerse the sieve having rice flakes in hot oil.
4. Fry till the flattened rice become crisp. Make sure not to brown them.
5. Take the fried  crisp rice lakes on a plate lined with paper towel.
6. Repeat the above steps for remaining flattened rice.
7. Add the chana dal in the sieve and fry them for some seconds till they become crisp.
8. Do not brown them.
9. Drain them on different plate.
10. Fry the peanuts till they become crisp. Here also make sure not to brown them.
11. Deep fry cashew nuts for some seconds (max 30 seconds).
12. Deep fry raisins till they swell and become like balloon.
13. Deep fry coconut slices.
14. Deep fry curry leaves till they become crisp and dark green in color.
15. Keep all of them separately in a plate lined with paper towels.
16. heat 2 tbsp oil for tampering in a pan. 
17. Add the mustard seeds. 
18. Once the mustard seeds pop, add the cumin and sesame seeds. 
19. Once sesame seeds change color, switch off the flame. 
20. Add the turmeric powder, red chili powder, asafoetida. Mix well.
21. Add sugar and salt.
22. Mix again and switch on the flame.
23. Add all the deep fried ingredients - flattened rice, cashews, peanuts, raisins,  dried coconut slices and chana dal. Mix well.
24. Crush the crisp curry leaves and sprinkle them on the mixture. Mix well.
25. Roast for 2 minutes on a low flame. Keep on stiring in between.
26. Add more salt or sugar or red chili powder if required.

Let the chivda mixture cool and store in an air-tight box and container.
serve the poha chivda as a tea time snack any time of the day.

Stuffed Capsicum

INGREDIENTS 

4 medium capsicum
4 medium potatoes
⅓ cup steamed peas
1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 to 3 green chili, chopped
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chili powder
A pinch of asafoetida
1 tsp dry mango powder or 1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp garam masala
2 tsp chopped coriander leaves
1.5 tbsp oil for sauteing the onions
1 tbsp oil for brushing the capsicum
Salt as required

METHOD

Preparing the stuffing:

1. Boil the potatoes. Peel and grate/mash the potatoes. Keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan. Once hot, add the cumin seeds.
3. Once they start spluttering, add chopped onions.
4. Saute the onions till translucent. 
5. Add chopped green chilies.
6. Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, asafoetida. stir again.
7. Add the potatoes and mix well.
8. Saute the potatoes for 2 mins.
9. Add garam masala powder, dry mango powder/lemon juice and salt.
10. Mix well and then add chopped coriander leaves. Mix again. Keep aside.

Preparing the Stuffed Capsicum:

1. Remove the top of the capsicumand slice it off. Remove the seeds. 
2. Brush oil outside the bell peppers.
3. Stuff the potato stuffing in the capsicum.
4. Heat oil in a pan and place the stuffed capsicum in the pan.
5. Cover the pan and cook the stuffed capsicum on a low flame.
6. Check in every 5 mins and keep on changing the sides of the capsicum.
7. Make sure that all sides are cooked well. 
8. Fry them till the capsicums get golden and wrinkled.

Serve these stuffed capsicum warm with rotis, steamed rice.

Note:

You can also bake them at 200 degree celsius for 15 to 20 minutes. Make sure to bake capsicum till it turns golden and wrinkled.

Paneer Pasanda

Fried paneer cubes and pureed onion, tomato and cashew nut paste to make delicious curry with rich creamy gravy.

Extremely tempting dish, sure to satisfy all cravings!

INGREDIENTS

For Stuffed Cottage Cheese:
250 grams cottage cheese
2.5 tbsp grated cottage cheese
6-8 raisins, chopped or add per your taste
8 cashews, finely chopped
2 green chilies, chopped
1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
½ tbsp chopped mint leaves
¼ tsp red chili powder
½ tsp cumin powder
Salt  as required
4 tbsp oil for frying

For corn flour paste:
6 tbsp corn flour
4 tbsp water

For Tomato paste:
3 medium, roughly chopped
12 cashews
½ inch cinnamon
2 green cardamoms
2 single thin strands of mace
2 cloves
1 cup water

For Onion paste:
2 large onions chopped onions
2 tbsp oil
4 tbsp water

For gravy:
2 tbsp of the fried oil or fresh oil
½ tsp caraway seeds (substitution: cumin seeds)
1 Indian bay leaf
1.5 tsp ginger garlic paste
½ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp kashmiri red chili powder or 2 green chilies, slit
½ tsp coriander powder
1 tsp Garam masala
¼ tsp sugar or as per taste (You can skip it if you don't want)
1 tsp dry fenugreek leaves, crushed
1 cup water
2 tbsp low fat cream
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves for garnish
Salt as required

METHOD

Preparing onion paste:

1. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan and add chopped onions.
2. Add pinch of salt. Stir and saute the onions on a low flame till it turns golden brown.
3. Switch off the flame. Let the onions cool.
4. Blend the fried onions along with 4 to 5 tbsp water to a smooth paste. Keep this paste aside.

Preparing tomato paste:

1. In same pan, take tomatoes, cashews, cinnamon, green cardamoms, single thin strands of mace, cloves and 1 cup water. Cook it in medium flame.
2. Stir this mixture till the tomatoes start melting.
3. Switch off the flame. Let this mixture cool. 
4. Blend the cooked tomatoes-cashews-spices mixture to a paste. Keep this paste aside.

Preparing Stuffing :

1. In a bowl, take grated cottage cheese, raisins, cashews, green chilies, coriander leaves and mint leaves.
2. Add red chili powder, cumin powder and salt. You can add few Lemon juice drops to make it tangy.
3. Mix everything and keep aside.

Preparing Stuffed Cottage Cheese :

1. Slice the Cottage Cheese in triangles/squares/rectangles. 
2. Again slice each triangles/squares/rectangles into two halves gently.
3. Repeat above two steps for all cottage cheese.
4. Place some of the stuffing on the cottage Cheese triangle.
5. Top it with its other half slice gently. Don't press. 
6. Make all cottage cheese triangles stuffed with the filling this way.
7. In a bowl, make a batter of corn starch with water with medium consistency. Add little salt.
8. Dip the stuffed cottage cheese slice in the batter.
9. Use a spoon to coat the slices as the stuffing may come out while turning to coat it using hand.
10. Place the cottage cheese slices in a medium hot oil for shallow frying.
11. Shallow fry till the base is golden, turn over and continue to shallow fry. 
12. Drain the fried cottage cheese slices on paper towels. keep aside.

Preparing the gravy:

1. In the same pan, in which the tomatoes were cooked, add oil. 
2. Add  tej patta and shahjeera/cumin seeds. Saute till the seeds crackles. 
3. Add ginger garlic paste. Stir and saute till raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away.
4. Add the tomato-cashew-spice paste. Stir and saute for 5 minutes on a medium flame.
5. Add the fried onion paste. Stir and saute for 3 to 4 minutes.
6. Add turmeric powder, coriander powder and kashmiri red chili powder. Mix well.
7. Add 1 cup water. Mix well.
8. Simmer the gravy on a low flame and cover the pan with a lid.
9. Saute the gravy for 5 minutes. The gravy should also thicken. 
10. Add salt as required.
11. Add sugar as required.
12. Stir and then add garam masala, kasuri methi and 2 tbsp low fat cream.
13. Stir very well.
14. Place the stuffed cottage cheese in the gravy. 
15. Coat the paneer pasanda in the gravy.

Serve paneer pasanda hot garnished with some coriander leaves.

It tastes good with all varieties of Indian breads and jeera rice or veg pulao.

Aamras (Mango Pulp)

Fresh mango pulp, with hints of cardamom.
This is a classic summer cooler and It is the perfect antidote to a searing Indian summer day.
It can be enjoyed at any part of the day.

With every bite you can feel the goodness of the fruit.

INGREDIENTS 

1 alphonso mangoes
2 pods of cardamom, crushed finely
2 strands of saffron (optional)

2 tsp of sugar
2 tsp of milk/water

METHOD

1. Wash the mangoes. 
2. Peel the mangoes, remove the stone and chop them. 
3. Blend the mangoes, sugar, milk/water, cardamom powder together. 
4. Mix the saffron in the mango pulp.
5. In small bowls, pour the mango pulp.
6. Chill in the refrigerator.

Serve Aamras with hot pooris.
or
Serve the aamras as a dessert topped with cream.
or
If adding cashew-nuts, fry the cashew-nuts till golden brown and then mix it with the aamras.

NOTE:

Sugar quantity is depending on the mangoes.
If your mangoes are sour then you need more sugar.
If mangoes are sweet then you need less sugar or sometimes no sugar.

You can also make aamras with any ripe mango variety like Alphonso, Sundari, Banganapalli, Kesari and Dashehari.

Paneer Manchurian

There are two versions of Paneer Manchurian, wet and dry. Made with generous amount of garlic and ginger and flavored with soy sauce and vinegar, the Paneer Manchurian with gravy complements steamed rice, fried rice or noodles. The dry Paneer Manchurian is best served as an appetizer. 

INGREDIENTS

200 gms cottage cheese or tofu
1 small green bell pepper - chopped or thinly sliced
1.5 cups veg stock or water
½ tsp black pepper powder
½ cup chopped spring onion
1 green chilli, finely chopped
½ inch ginger, finely chopped
5-6 garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp chopped celery
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1.5 tbsp tomato sauce
1 tsp white vinegar
Salt as required
Oil for frying the paneer

For the corn flour paste:
2 tbsp corn flour
½ cup water

For the Paneer marinade:
2 tbsp corn flour
½ tsp chopped ginger-garlic
Salt and pepper as required

METHOD:

1. Mix all the ingredients for the paneer marinade.
2. Add paneer to the marinade. 
3. Toss the mixture well, so that the paneer is well coated with the marinade.
4. Shallow fry the paneer cubes in hot oil. 
5. Drain on paper napkins and keep aside.
6. Remove the extra oil from the kadai. Make sure to have 4 tbsp in kadai.
7. When the oil becomes hot add the onions.
8. Stir fry the onions on high flame. Do not burn.
9. If you can not handle high flame, do it in medium flame.
10. Make the corn flour paste with water.
11. Saute onions till it becomes translucent. 
12. Add the ginger, garlic, green chili and celery. Stir for some seconds or a minute.
13. Add the green bell pepper. Stir fry it for 2 mins.
14. Add all the sauces, veg stock or water. Stir and simmer. 
15. Add the cornflour paste and let the sauce thicken.
16. Now add the fried paneer cubes, vinegar, pepper and salt. Stir and simmer for a minute.

Serve Paneer Manchurian hot with veg fried rice or veg noodles.

Veg Fried Rice

Fried rice is more healthy since its loaded with lots of vegetables and less sauces. This fried rice is easy to make if you have leftover rice handy. It is best to use a day old rice, as they are drier because stored in refrigerator and rice grains will stay separated after tossing them with veggies.  Fried rice is cooked on a high flame, and the trick is to cut the vegetables small, so that they do not remain raw inside.

A very mild rice variety to treat our family and friends. Kids would surely love to enjoy this dish with Manchurian.This dish is actually a lot simpler than most of us perceive it to be.

INGREDIENTS 

To cook rice:

1 cup long grained rice or basmati rice
5 cups water
½ tsp salt
2 drops of sesame oil/regular oil

¼ cup finely chopped spring onion whites/scallions

¼ cup finely chopped carrots
¼ cup finely chopped french beans
¼ cup finely chopped cabbage
¼ cup finely chopped mushrooms
¼ cup finely chopped capsicum
¼ cup finely chopped cauliflower
1 tbsp finely chopped garlic
1 tbsp finely chopped
2 tbsp finely chopped celery, skip if you do not have
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp regular vinegar
½ tsp black pepper powder
1 star anise
2.5 tbsp sesame oil or any other oil
salt as required

METHOD:

To cook the rice:

1. Rinse rice very well, drain and keep aside.
2. In a pot, take 5 cups of water with salt and 2 drops of oil. Bring to a gentle boil .
3. Add the rice to the hot water.
4. On a medium flame cook the rice without the lid.
5. When the rice becomes 80% cooked, remove the pot from fire and drain the rice.
6. Cover the rice and keep aside till the rice cools completely.

To prepare the fried rice:

1. Chop the veggies finely and keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan in high flame.
3. Add the star anise and fry till the oil becomes fragrant.
4. Add the garlic and saute for some seconds.
5. Add ginger and add the spring onions whites/scallions and saute for about 1 minutes.
6. Add all the finely chopped beans first as it takes time to cook. Cook it for 1 minute.
7. Then add chopped cauliflower and cabbage. Cook it for 1 minute.
8. Do not lower the flame. Add rest chopped veggies.
9. Stir fry the veggies on a high flame.
10. If you cannot handle stir frying on a high flame, then stir fry on a medium flame.
11. Toss continuously and stir while frying so that the veggies are uniformly cooked and do not get burnt.
12. Stir fry till they are just cooked and their crunchiness and crispiness should be retained.
13. Add the soy sauce, vinegar, salt and pepper.
14. Stir quickly and add the rice. Stir fry for a few minutes till the sauce has coated the fried rice well.

Serve the veg fried rice hot plain or with an indo chinese vegetable gravy.

Vada Pav with Green Chutney

Vada Pav or Indian Burger, is made up of a deep fried potato patty that is stuffed in a bun bread.

INGREDIENTS

Vada Preparation:
4 medium sized potatoes
8 curry leaves

1 tsp mustard seed
A pinch of asafoetida
½ tsp turmeric powder
½ cup chopped coriander leaves
2 green chilies
6 garlic
1 tsp chat masala
salt as per taste
3 cups oil + 1 tbsp oil for tempering

For the batter:
2 cups of gram flour
1 cup water
½ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp baking soda (optional)
½ t/s red chili powder (optional)
salt as per taste

Rest Ingredients:
6 pav

For the green chutney:
2 tbsp water
1 cup coriander leaves
¼th cup mint leaves (optional)
3 green chilies or as required
4 garlic cloves
½ tbsp lime juice
black salt as per taste

METHOD

Preparing Green Chutney:

1. Grind everything into a blender with little water to a smooth paste. Keep it aside.

Preparing the filling:

1. Boil the potatoes until tender and cooked. Peel and mash them.
2. Heat oil in a pan. 
3. Add mustard seeds.
4. When seeds crackle, add curry leaves and asafoetida.
5. Add this mixture to the mashed potatoes.
6. Crush garlic and chillies in a mortar.
7. Add all spice powder, coriander leaves, crushed chilies, garlic and salt.
8. Combine all nicely. 
9. Make medium sized balls. Keep aside.

Preparing the vadas:

1. Make the batter by mixing all the ingredients. The batter should be smooth and thick enough to coat the vadas. Don't add too much water.
2. Heat oil a pan on high heat. Once oil is hot, lower the flame to medium.
3. Dip the vadas in the batter and coat from all sides.
4. Fry till it turns golden brown.
5. Slit the pav from center. 
6. Apply the green chutney on both sides of the pav.
7. Top some chopped onion if using.
8. Lastly fry some green chilies.

Serve your vada pavs hot with a cup of tea.