Ridge Gourd Skin Chutney

Ingredients:

• Ridge Gourd Peel about 3 cups of peel
• Oil – 1 tbsp
• Chana Dal – 1 tbsp
• Urad Dal – 1 tbsp
• Dry Red Chilies – 4 to 6
• Garlic – 4 to 6 cloves
• Tamarind – 1 tbsp or to taste
• Salt as per taste
• Water as needed

For Seasoning:

• Oil – 1 tbsp
• Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp
• Urad dal – 1 tsp
• Curry leaves – 2 sprig
• Asafoetida / Hing – 1/4 tsp

Method:

• Wash and peel the skin of ridge gourd. You can use the flesh in other recipes, for this one you need only the peel.
• Heat 1 tbsp nof oil. Add the peel,chilies,1 string of curry leaves, garlic,1 tbsp of tamarind paste, Fry till with medium flame till it is cooked.
• Now take it in blender and puree to a coarse mix. Take this in a bowl and set aside.
• Now make seasoning. Heat oil in a pan, add in mustard seeds, urad dal, asafoetida and curry leaves. Let them fry, Pour this into the chutney and mix well.
• Serve with rice, idli or dosa.

Panjabi Kadhi Pakoda

Ingredients:-

For Kadhi:

• Besan - 1 cup
• Plain yogurt  - 2 cup
•  Red chili powder - 1 tbsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tbsp
•  Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
•  Water - 6 cup
•  Oil - 2 tbsp
•  Methi seeds fenu greek seeds - 1 tbsp
•  Cumin seeds - 1/2 tbsp
•  Asafoetida(Hing) - 1/4 tbsp
•  Red onion sliced thin - 1 big sized
• Green chili chopped - 2 nobs
• Chopped ginger - 2 tbsp
• Chopped garlic - 2 tbsp
•  Salt as per taste
• Chopped Coriander leaves  - 2 tbsp

For the pakora

•  Besan - 1 cup
• Thinly sliced onion from - 1 large red onion
• Green chili chopped - 1 nob
•  Chopped coriander leaves - 1/4 cup
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tbsp
•  Red chili powder - 1 tbsp
•  Ajwain - 1/4 tbsp
•  Salt as per taste
•  Water as needed
• Baking soda - 2 pinch
• oil for frying

For Tadka

• Ghee or use oil - 2 tbsp
• Cumin seeds - 1/4 tbsp
• Hing  a pinch
• Whole dried red chilies - 2 nobs
•  Kashmir red chili powder - 1 tbsp
•  Green chili sliced - 1 nob

Method :-

Make the kadi

• To a large bowl, add 1/2 cup besan  and 2 cups yogurt. Make sure the yogurt is at room temperature.
• Whisk until besan and yogurt are well combined.
• Add 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder and 1 teaspoon coriander powder and whisk until you have a lump free mixture.
• Add 6 cups water (around 1.4 liters of water) and mix until it's all mixed together. Set aside.
• In a large and deep pan, add 2 tablespoons of  oil on medium-high heat.
• Once the oil is hot , add the methi seeds and cumin seeds. Let them splutter and then add hing.
• Add the sliced onion along with chopped green chili and cook for 2 minutes.
• Then add the chopped ginger and garlic and cook for another 1 minute or so until the ginger and garlic start changing color.
• Add the prepared besan-yogurt mixture into the pan. Now with heat on medium-high, stir continuously until the kadi comes to a boil.
• Stir continuously until the kadi comes to a boil, then lower the heat to low-medium and let it cook for around 30 minutes. Keep stirring it in between.
• Add salt after the kadi has been cooking for 15 minutes or so. While the kadhi is cooking, make the pakora.

Make the Pakora

• To a large bowl, add 1 cup besan , along with 1 cup sliced onion, 1 chopped green chili, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, 1/4 teaspoon turmeric, 1/8 teaspoon red chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds, 1/4 teaspoon ajwain and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
• Add 2 tablespoons yogurt and mix.
• It should not be very runny but not super thick either. I added around 1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons water.
• Add 2 pinch of baking soda and mix the batter for a minute using your hands. This will make the pakoras nice and soft.
• Meanwhile heat oil (around 2 cups) in a kadai on medium heat to fry the pakoras.
• Once the oil is hot, mix the batter again for a minute using your hands and then start dropping the batter into the hot oil.
• I take handful of batter using my thumb and four fingers and drop is straight into hot oil, you may use a spoon.
• Let it cook and turn golden brown from one side and then flip and cook the other side. Make sure to cook on medium-low heat so that the pakoras cook nicely from inside too.
• Cook until pakoras are golden brown from both sides. Drain on a paper towel.
• After 30 minutes or so, kadhi would have considerably thickened and completely cooked. Add cilantro. You can little extra water here if kadhi looks too thick to you.
• Add the pakora and transfer kadhi into a serving pan.

Make the Tadka:

• Heat ghee in a small pan on medium heat. Once ghee is hot, add 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds and generous pinch of ajwain. Add 2-3 dried red chilies and sliced green chili.
• Once seeds crackle, add 1/2 teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder and turn off the heat immediately.
• Pour tadka over kadhi, garnish with more coriender leaves and serve punjabi kadhi pakora with plain white  rice!

Aloo Gobi/Dhaba Style Aloo Gobi Masala

Ingredients:-

• Cauliflower - 500gms
• Potatoes - 4, medium size
• Tomato - 1, large
• Onion - 1 large, chopped and 1 for sliced
• Capsicum - 1 nob(cut into cubes)
• Oil to deep fry cauliflower & potatoes
• Cumin seeds - 1 Tsp
• Green chilies - 2, slit
• Ginger and Garlic paste - 2 tbsp
• Salt - 2 Tsp
• Turmeric - 1/2 Tsp
• Red chili powder - 1/2 Tsp
• Coriander powder - 2 Tsp
• Cumin powder - 1 tbsp
• Yogurt - 2 Tbsp
• Garam masala - 1/4 Tsp
• Coriander leaves - 2 Tbsp, chopped

Instructions:-

• Cut the cauliflower into florets and wash them thoroughly with lukewarm water to remove any dirt. Peel the potatoes, wash them and cut into big cubes. Pat them dry completely on a paper towel.
• Cut the capsicum into cube size and slice some onions into big pieces and keep it aside.
• Deep fry the cauliflower and potatoes until half done. Take them out on a paper towel to drain the excess oil.
• Then fry the capsicum and sliced onion for 2-3 minutes on medium flame ,then remove it into a plate and keep it aside.
• Heat 3 tbsp oil in a pan ( take the same oil in which the cauliflower and potatoes are fried ). Add cumin seeds, let it crackle, add chopped onions and saute it for few minutes till it start changing the color.
• Then add ginger and garlic paste,Saute for a minute. Add in tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes are soft.
• Lower the flame now. Add in turmeric, coriander powder,cumin powder, red chili powder and salt. Mix it well and cover the lid and let it cook for 5-7 minutes.
• Open the lid, add beaten yogurt and stir it continuously with low flame.
• Finely add the fried cauliflower and potatoes,capsicum and sliced onions and Toss it gently with the masala.
• Sprinkle garam masala Cover the lid and let it cook in a slow flame for 4-5 minutes
• Finally add some chopped fresh coriander leaves and serve.
• Dhaba style Aloo Gobhi masala is ready to serve with hot chapati, parantha or rice and dal.

Pepper Chicken Dry

Ingredients :-

• Chicken(Chopped to cubes with bone) - 500 gm
•  Onion(chopped) - 1 nobs
• Garlic (minced ) - 2 tbsp
• Ginger (grated ) - 2 tbsp
•  Green Chilies , chopped - 3 nobs
• Tomato (chopped) - 1 nobs
• Salt as per taste
•  Lemon juice  - 2 tbsp
•  Curry leaves - 2 tbsp
• Coriander Powder (Dhania) - 2 tbsp
•  Turmeric powder (Haldi) - 1/2 tbsp
• Sunflower Oil , to cook
• Whole Black Peppercorns ( freshly crushed) - 3 tbsp
• Coriander (Dhania) Leaves , chopped - 1/2 cup
• Cinnamon stick - 1 small pieces
• Clove - 4 nobs

Method :-

• To begin making Pepper Chicken dry Recipe, take a big bowl and marinate the chicken pieces with turmeric powder, ginger garlic paste,  salt and lemon juice, mix and keep refrigerated for 30 minutes.
• Heat oil in a deep frying pan, once the oil is hot, temper the oil with cinnamon stick, cloves and 3/4 portion of curry leaves and saute it for about 30 seconds.
• After 30 seconds, add the chopped onions and saute till they turn golden and start to caramelize.
• Once the onions are starting to brown, immediately add chopped green chilies and marinated chicken,chopped tomato saute it for about 5 minutes.
• Add coriander powder and crushed pepper, mix well and cook on low flame until the curry comes together from sides of the pan.
• Stirring, intermittently sprinkle water as and when required. This will take about 5 to 7 minutes.
• Add about 1/4 cup water, once water starts boiling, reduce the heat and cover. Cook until the chicken is tender and cooked.
• Once the chicken is soft cooked, open the lid and stir on medium heat till the moisture evaporates .
• Sprinkle chopped 3/4 cup of coriander and cook for 2 minutes.
• Before serving garnish with 1 teaspoon crushed pepper, 1 teaspoon lemon juice and remaining coriander leaves.
• Serve Andhra Pepper chicken with white Rice/Roti or Paratha and enjoy!!!

Mushroom Dum Biriyani

Ingredients:-

Biriyani Spices:

• Green cardamom: 6-7
• Black cardamom: 1-2
• Cloves: 1 tsp
• Cinnamon: 1” x 2
• Mace: 1 floret
• Nutmeg: ¼
• Star anise: 1
• Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
• Fennel: 1 tsp
• Black peppercorn: 1 tsp

For Biryani Rice:

• Basmati rice: 500 gm
• Bay leaves: 1
• Green cardamom: 3-4
• Black cardamom: 1
• Cloves: 4-5
• Cinnamon: 2” stick
• Mace: 1 floret
• Nutmeg: ¼
• Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
• Black peppercorn: 1 tsp
• Salt: 1 tsp
• Biriyani Masala - 1 tbsp
• Ghee or clarified butter: few drops

Other Ingredients:

• Onion - 3 large
• Tomato - 1 large cut into big cube
• Mushroom - 500 gm
• (Clean properly and cut it into half)
• Potato - 2 medium cut into half
• Ginger and Garlic Paste - 2 tbsp
• Chili powder - 2 tbsp
• Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tbsp
• Cumin powder - 1/2 tbsp
• Coriander Powder - 1 tbsp
• Green Peas - 1/2 cup (optional)
• Curd - 1/2 cup
• Saffron strands - 8 -10
• Warm milk - ⅓ cup
• Metha Attar - 2-3 drops
• Kewra water- ½ tsp
• Ghee or clarified butter - ¼ cup

INSTRUCTIONS:-

• Take a cast iron skillet or tava. Dry roast all the ingredients separately and make a powder of all dry roasted spices. This mixed spices is known as Biryani Masala.
• Wash and clean the rice and soak for 30 mins. Make a pouch of muslin with all the ingredients of rice except rice, salt, ghee and bay leaves and seal. Bring water to boil with bay leaves, salt, ghee and spice-bag in a large pot, add rice and cook until rice is half done.
• Drain water and spread the rice on a flat surface. Discard the bay leaves and spice-bag.
• Heat 3 tbsp of ghee in a wok and fry thinly sliced onion till golden brown. This is known as Barista. Remove from oil and keep on paper towels until needed.
• Fry potatoes in separately in the same pan. It will make the potatoes juicier , Fry until potato is half-one. Remove from oil and keep them aside.
• Take a pan add oil for cooking, once oil is hot add chopped onions and saute it till it transparent, then add ginger garlic paste saute it till the raw smell go out.
• Then add chopped tomatoes, salt,chili powder,turmeric powder, cumin powder,coriander powder, then saute it nicely till the Masala cooked well and start living oil.
• Now add the curd into the masala and cook it with low flame for 5 mints.
• Then add the Mushroom and Potato pieces into the pan and continue frying on medium flame until is half done and the gravy became thick little.
• Then Remove half of the Mushroom gravy and keep separately.
• Soak the saffron strands in warm milk and keep aside for 5 mints. Rub the strands in milk to dissolve them completely. Add metha attar and kewra water and keep aside.
• Now take a large pot and arrange the rice, Mushroom gravy and potato in layers,adding with chopped coriander and mint, separated by ghee, saffron milk only and biryani masala only. Cover the edge of the pan with atta dough and seal with the cover.
• Heat a heavy duty iron tawa on gas top and place the biryani pot on it. Now cook it on lowest flame for 30mints.
• Once done switch off the flame, keep biryani on tawa for another 10-15 mins to absorb the flavors. When its ready to eat break seal of atta dough and serve yummy Mushroom dum Biriyani wirh raita and Enjoy it!!!!

Cottage Cheese Curry/Chenna Curry

Odisha Famous Chenna Curry

Ingredients -

• Whole milk - 1 litre
• Lemon juice/Vinegar - 2-3 tbsp
• Maida - 2 tbsp
• Finely chopped onion - 1 no.Large
• Ginger and garlic paste - 2 tbsp
• Tomato puree -1 cup
• Cardamon - 2 nob
• Cloves - 2 no
• Cinnamon stick - 2 inch long
• Bay leaf - 1 nob
• Garam Masala Powder - 1 tbsp
• Sugar - 1 tsp(optional)
• Turmeric - 1/3 tsp
• Red chili powder -1 tbsp
• Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
• Coriander powder -1/2 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Sufficient oil for shallow/deep frying.

Method :-

• To prepare chenna - Bring milk to a boil. Add the lemon juice/vinegar and wait for a few minutes till the milk soilds separate from whey. The whey should have a clear apperance at this point. If not add more vinegar boil for another 5 mins.

• Once all the solids separate, strain the chenna using a fine cloth or even a strainer with very fine mesh. Allow to stand for sometime till excess water is drained.

• Take the chenna in a vessel/mixing bowl and add the maida. Crumble and knead the chenna to remove lumps and it just comes together into a soft dough ( takes abt 5-6 mins, do not overdo the kneading ). Pinch small lumps out of the dough and shape into balls. These balls can either be shallow fried or deep fried.

• Heat sufficient oil in a wok. Put one ball into the wok and test if it holds together. If yes, add the remaining balls into the wok and fry them to a brown color on medium heat. (If it starts to crumble/break, add little more maida to the chenna dough and knead for another 2-3 mins.)

• Once the balls are fried, keep them aside and drain the excess oil from the wok.


• Put the whole spices into the remaining oil in the wok and stir fry for 30 seconds. Add the chopped onion and saute on low flame till light brown. At this stage add the sugar and allow it to melt. Once the sugar melts, it gives a deep brown color to the onion. 

• Aded ginger garlic paste and stir fry for 2-3 minutes till its raw smell goes away. Pour in the tomato puree and cook for another 5 minutes.

• Now add turmeric, chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and salt. Roast the masalas for 5-7 mints.

• Add about 1 1/2 - 2 cups of water and bring to boil. Allow water to reduce to 2/3rd.

• Put in the fried chenna balls and simmer on medium flame for 2 minutes.
• Add the garam Masala powder mix it nicely then , Cover with lid and switch off the flame. Allow to stand for 5-10 minutes.
• Then serve the gravy with plain white rice/Roti/paratha and enjoy...

Mango Lassi

Ingredients :-

•  Mango pulp  - 1 cup use fresh if possible from 2 sweet mangoes

• Curd - 500 ml, plain whole milk yogurt

• Cold water - 1 Glass to thin out the lassi

•  Sugar  adjust to taste

• Cardamom powder - 1/4 teaspoon

• Pistachios to garnish,(optional)

Method :-

•  Take the juice blender add the fresh mango pulp,curd(yogurt), water, sugar and the cardamom    powder.
• Blend everything until well combined.
• You can adjust sugar as per your taste and water as per your requirements.
•  Finally Pour the mango lassi into serving glasses and chill before serving! You may garnish with pistachios strands before serving.