Aloo Paratha with Boondi Raita

Ingredients :

• Potatoes- 2 Large
• Onion - 1
• Coriander leaves - 1 bowl
• Garam Masala- 1/2 tsp
• Amchoor powder - 1/2 tsp
• Black salt - 1/2 tsp
• Coriander Cumin Powder- 1/2 tsp
• Salt
• Sugar - 1/4 tsp
• Lime juice - 1/2 tsp
• Red chilli Powder - 2-3 tsps
• Oil - 4 Tblsp
• Ghee - 2 Tblsp
• Wheat Flour/ Ata - 4 small tea cups
• Water

Procedure :

Aloo Paratha:

• Microwave potatoes (with water) for about 15-20 minutes.
• Discard the water, peel the outer cover and mash the potatoes smoothly.
• Add chopped onion, chopped coriander leaves, garam masala, amchoor powder, black salt, red chilli powder (2 tsps), coriander-cumin powder, salt, sugar, lime juice and mix well.
• Check taste and adjust red chilli powder/salt.
• Potato stuffing is ready !
• Add 2 tsps oil to the ata/wheat flour. Add 1 tsp salt and adding water as required, start kneading the dough. Knead it into a smooth ball of dough. Apply oil on the dough ball from all the sides and let it rest for atleast 15 minutes.
• Pinch a small ball of dough ( of the size of a lemon) and roll out a small circular paratha. Place the potato stuffing on the circle and fold the paratha from all sides. It forms a stuffed circular ball.
• Dust some flour on the rolling surface and the stuffed ball. Roll out a paratha.
• Heat a pan and spray little oil on it.
• Place the paratha on the pan and cook it on medium heat for 2-3 minutes.
• Apply ghee on top and flip. Cook again for 2-3 minutes.
• Check if the paratha is cooked from both the sides. If not, cook some more flipping the sides.
• Apply ghee on top and then remove paratha from the pan.
• Serve hot with Boondi Raita/Curd.

Boondi Raita:

• Beat about 2 Tblsp yogurt. 
• Add 1 cup water to it and beat well.
• Add khari boondi and salt.
• Serve with Parathas.

Instant Rava Uthhapam

Ingredients :

• Rava/Soji - 2 cups
• Yogurt - 3/4 cup
• Onion - 1
• Green chillies - 7-8
• Black Pepper cons - 12-15
• Salt
• Oil
• Water

Procedure:

• Add 1 n half cup water to the yogurt and beat thoroughly. This is  called buttermilk.
• Soak the Rava/Soji in buttermilk. Add buttermilk enough to soak the rava completely and there is about an inch of buttermilk above the rava/soji surface.
• Let this sit for 10-15 minutes.
• The rava soaks the buttermilk and puffs up. If the batter appears too thick/dry, add some more buttermilk. 
• Note: The batter should be liquidy so that we can pour it on the pan and it spreads all over the pan, it should not be too liquidy, else we get very thin rava dosas. We are looking for a little thick batter for uthhapam.
• Add finely chopped onion, finely chopped green chillies, salt, black pepper cons to the batter. 
• Heat a pan, sprinkle/pour 1 tsp oil. 
• Once hot, pour the batter using a round serving spoon.
• Cover with a lid and let it cook for about 3-4 minutes on medium flame. The uthhapam changes colour. Flip and cook again for 3-4 minutes covered with a lid.
• Serve hot with chutney/podi. Also good to have as it is without any chutney.

American Thali (Salmon fry with a side of Mac & cheese, Garlic beans and some red wine !)

I have had this menu in many American restaurants and wanted to try it out at home. There is a Desi twist to all the recipes, but mac and cheese with salmon and beans along with red wine is a very good combination. Perfect as a "Hatke" dinner menu. Here we go...

Ingredients :

Mac and Cheese:

• Elbow Macaroni / Pasta- 1 cup
• Olive oil -2 Tblsp
• Garlic cloves - 4
• Milk - 3 cups
• All purpose flour - 1 Tblsp
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper- 2 tsps
• Red chilli flakes- 2 tsps
• Grated cheddar cheese - 3 Tblsp
• Nutmeg powder - 1 tsp

Salmon fry:

• Salmon fillets - 2
• Oil - 2 Tblsp
• Ginger Garlic paste - 2 tsps
• Fish Seasoning Masala - 2 tsps
• Red chilli powder - 3 tsps
• Turmeric - a pinch
• Kasoori Methi - 1 tsp
• Salt
• Lime juice- 2 tsps
• Water

Garlic Beans:

• Green Beans - 2 cups
• Garlic cloves - 4
• Salt
• Oil - 2 tsps
• Lime juice - 3 tsps

Procedure:

Mac and Cheese:

• Add a few drops of oil to water and boil macaroni / pasta in it.
• Once cooked, drain the water and soak the cooked macaroni in cold water. Drain the water after a couple of minutes and repeat this procedure 3-4 times. Once the macaroni is cooled, spread it on a plate.
• Boil milk in microwave.
• Mix all purpose flour in 2 Tbslps cold milk to form a paste with no lumps.
• Mash Garlic and keep aside.
• In a pan, heat some olive oil.
• Once hot, add mashed garlic to it. Saute for a minute.
• Add boiled milk to it. Keep stirring and add the all purpose flour-milk paste.
• Keep stirring. As the sauce starts to thicken, add cooked macaroni/pasta, salt, pepper, nutmeg powder and mix well.
• Note : If the sauce appears too liquidy, make some more paste of all purpose flour and milk and add it to the milk before adding the pasta. The all purpose flour thickens the sauce.
• Take a baking tray and spray olive oil in it. Pour half of the pasta along with the white sauce. Sprinkle grated cheddar cheese, red chilli flakes on this.
• Now pour the remaining half of the pasta and the sauce. Sprinkle some more cheddar cheese and red chilli flakes.
• Bake this at 375 F for about 20-25 minutes.
• Yummy Mac and cheese is ready !

Salmon fry:

• Thaw the frozen salmon fillets by soaking them in hot water for about 30 minutes.
• Marinate the salmon with olive oil (2 tsps), turmeric(a pinch), ginger garlic paste(2 tsps), fish seasoning masala (2 tsps), red chilli powder(3 tsps), salt, kasoori methi (1 tsp), salt and lime juice(1 tsp).
• Marinate the fish for atleast 30 minutes.
• Heat oil in a pan. Once hot, add the marinated fish fillets.
• Let the fish fry on hot oil for a couple of minutes. Do not stir the fish.
• Now add about 3-4 Tblsps of water , cover with a lid and cook the fish on high flame.
• After about 4-5 minutes, once the water evaporates, flip the fish and let the other side fry for a couple of minutes.
• Now add more water, cover with a lid and cook for another 5-6 minutes.
• Check if the fish is cooked. If not, add more water, cover with a lid and cook for some more time. Do not add too much water, 2-3 Tblsps is enough to steam cook the fish.
• Once the fish appears cooked, remove lid and let the remaining water evaporate.
• The fish should be cooked on medium-high flame and should be browned from both sides.
• Finally sprinkle some lime juice and serve hot .

Garlic Beans:

• Microwave the green beans for 5-7 minutes. Drain the water.
• Heat some oil in a pan, once hot add mashed garlic to it. Saute for a minute.
• Add the cooked green beans and fry without covering with any lid for about 5-7 minutes until the beans start turning brown.
• Add salt and lime juice.
• Serve as a side dish !

Red Wine : I prefer Sangria as its made from fruits and good for heart :P

Malvani Kolambicha Kalvan (Shrimp Curry)

Ingredients :

• Large shrimps - about 30
• Onion - 1 large
• Tomato - 2
• Green chillies- 5
• Ginger
• Garlic cloves - 5-6
• Coriander leaves - 1 small bowl
• Shredded Coconut - 1-2 Tblsp
• Kokam - 4-5/ Tamarind - small lemon size ball
• Malavani Masala - 4-5 tsps
• Byadgi Red Chilli Powder - 2-3 tsps
• Salt
• Sugar - 1 tsp
• Oil - 2 Tblsp
• Cumin seeds- 1tsp
• Asafoetida- a pinch
• Turmeric - a pinch
• Curry Leaves- 8-10

Procedure :

• Grind ginger, garlic cloves, Green chillies, Shredded Coconut, cumin seeds( 1/2 tsp), Coriander leaves adding very little water into a coarse paste.
• Marinate the Shrimps with the above paste for about 30 minutes.
• Soak Kokam/Tamarind in 2-3 Tbslsps of water for about 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, mash the kokam/tamarind with hand into the soaked water and discard the seeds.
• In a pan, heat about 2 Tblsps oil.
• Once hot, add cumin seeds ( 1/2 tsp), asafoetida, turmeric and curry leaves.
• Now add finely chopped onion and fry until it turns translucent.
• Add chopped tomato and fry some more.
• Now add the marinated shrimps to the pan. 
• Add Malvani Masala( 3-4 tsps), salt, sugar (1/2 tsp), Byadgi red chilli powder(2 tsps) and pulp of Kokam/Tamarind.
• Add about 1 -2 cups of water, cover with a lid and let the shrimps cook on medium flame for about 10-12 minutes.
• Check taste and adjust red chilli powder/salt/sugar/malvani masala. Also check if the shrimps are cooked at this point. If not, cook for some more time with the lid closed. Add a little water if required.
• Finally, garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with Bhakri and Rice.

Note: 

• The Malvani Masala gives a special flavor to the dish. If this is not readily available, use Chicken Masala instead. 
• Byadgi red chilli powder has rich red color, so its used for its color. If this isnt available, use normal red chilli powder.

Gongura Pachhadi (Ambadi chi chutney)

Ingredients :

• Ambadi leaves/ Gongura leaves - 2 bowls.
• Groundnut powder - 2 tsps
• Red chilli powder - 2-3 tsps
• Salt
• Sugar - 1/4 tsp
• Oil- 2 tsps
• Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Asafoetida- a pinch
• Turmeric - a pinch
• lime juice - 1/2 tsp

Procedure :

• Heat about 2 tsps of oil in a pan.
• Once hot, add mustard seeds.
• As they splutter, add asafoetida and turmeric.
• Add the chopped gongura leaves.Fry the gongura leaves for a minute.
• Add about 2 tsps groundnut powder, red chilli powder (1 tsp), salt, sugar (1/4 tsp).
• Mix well and add 2 tsps water.
• Check taste and add red chilli powder/salt/sugar if required.
• Cover with a lid and cook for about a couple of minutes.
• Remove the lid and fry the contents until the chutney is dry.
• Check taste and add lemon juice if required.
• Serve with hot rice and onion slices.

Mashed Sweet Potato

Ingredients :

• Sweet Potato - 1 Medium size
• Milk - 1 small tea cup
• Jaggery - 1/2 small tea cup
• Dry fruits (cashews, almonds, pistachios )- each 7-8.
• Ghee- 2 tsps

Procedure :

• Peel the outer skin of the sweet potato and cut into 2-3 pieces.
• Microwave the sweet potato pieces for about 10-12 mins adding water.
• Once cooked, discard the water and mash the sweet potato pieces.
• In a pan  heat some ghee.
• Once hot, fry dry fruit pieces.
• Add the mashed sweet potato to it.
• Add about 1/2 cup of boiled milk and 1/2 cup grated jaggery and mix everything well.
• Check taste and add more jaggery if required as per your taste.
• Add more boiled milk as well if the mashed potatoes appear too dry. In this dish, the potatoes are supposed to be mushy and not dry.
• Serve hot  with a side of potato chips !

Ratalyacha Kees ( Spicy Grated Sweet Potato)

Ingredients :

• Sweet Potato - 1 Large.
• Coarse Groundnut powder - 4-5 tsps.
• Oil - 3 tsps
• Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Asafoetida - a pinch 
• Turmeric - a pinch
• Curry leaves - 8-10
• Red chilli powder - 2 tsps
• Salt
• Sugar- 1/4 tsp
• Lime juice - 1 tsp

Procedure :

• Peel the outer cover of Sweet Potato and grate it.
• In a pan, heat some oil.
• Once hot, add cumin seeds, asafoetida, turmeric and curry leaves. 
• In goes the grated sweet potato.
• Add about 3-4 tsps of groundnut powder, red chilli powder (1-2 tsps), salt, sugar (1/4 tsp) and mix well.
• The groundnut powder should be less than half of the grated sweet potato. If required add a little more groundnut powder.
• Sprinkle some water, cover with a lid and let this cook for 3-4 minutes.
• Stir after a couple of minutes to make sure the potatoes do not stick to the pan.
• Sprinkle some more water and cook for another 3-4 minutes covered with a lid.
• This takes about 10-12 minutes to cook. Keep stirring in between and sprinkle very little water so that the sweet potatoes are cooked in steam.
• Finally, add some lime juice (1/4 tsp). 
• This a power packed low calorie snack. 
• Serve hot with Chai !

Bhoplyacha Bharit (Pumpkin Bharit)

Ingredients :

• Lal Bhopla / Pumpkin - 1 small
• Yogurt - 3 Tblsps
• Groundnut Powder - 1/2 Tblsp
• Oil- 2 tsps
• Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Asafoetida- a pinch
• Turmeric - a pinch
• Green chillies - 5
• Curry Leaves - 7-8
• Sugar - 1/4 tsp

Procedure :

• Peel the skin of the pumpkin and chop the pumpkin into pieces.
• Pressure cook the pumpkin in a pressure cooker without adding any water to the vessel that has the pumpkin pieces. Note : We do need to add water at the bottom of the Pressure Cooker. Place a steel vessel in the cooker, add pumpkin pieces to the vessel. Do not add water to the vessel.
• Pressure cook the pumpkin pieces for about 4-5 whistles.
• Mash the cooked pumpkin pieces and let them cool down.
• Take about 3 Tblsps of yogurt in a vessel and beat it thoroughly.
• Add the mashed and cooled pumpkin pulp to the yogurt.
• Now add groundnut powder, salt, sugar.
• Mix well. 
• Heat oil in a pan.
• Once hot, add mustard seeds.As they crackle, add asafoetida, turmeric, green chillies (chopped), curry leaves.
• Add this to the pumpkin - yogurt mix.
• Mix everything well. Check taste and adjust salt if needed.
• Serve this Pumpkin Bharit with Daal n Rice.

Pesto Pasta

Ingredients :

• Basil Leaves - 1 small tea cup.
• Green chillies - 4
• Garlic cloves - 2
• Pine nuts - 1/2 small tea cup.
• Heavy whipping cream - 1 Tblsp
• Medium sized Olives - 1/2 small tea cup
• Olive oil - 2 Tblsp
• Angel Hair Pasta- 2 small tea cups
• Water - 3 small tea cups
• Salt 
• Lime juice

Procedure :

• Soak the pine nuts in water for about 10 minutes.
• In a blender, blend basil leaves, green chillies, pine nuts, garlic cloves, 1 Tblsp Olive oil  adding very little water. Pesto sauce is ready !
• Note: You can also use 2 Tblsp of Basil Paste instead of fresh Basil leaves.
• Boil angel hair pasta in water adding a few drops of oil. Do not overcook, else pasta gets mushy. 
• Drain the water and soak the cooked pasta in cold water. Drain the cold water after a few minutes and keep the pasta aside.
• In a pot, heat some olive oil( 1 Tblsp)
• Once hot, add the pesto sauce to it and fry until the raw smell of garlic goes away.
• Add 1 Tblsp of heavy whipping cream (optional)
• Add about 2 tsps of water and medium sized olives to the pot.
• Add salt and mix everything together.
• In goes the cooked angel hair pasta.
• Mix everything well and cook for a couple of minutes.
• Add lime juice(1/4 tsp). 
• Check taste and adjust salt.
• Enjoy hot pasta on cold snowy days :)

Improvisations : 

Reduce the basil leaves to 1/2 cup and add 1/2 cup of sun dried tomatoes in the pesto sauce. This gives a different tomato flavor to the dish.

Guacamole Egg Rolls

Ingredients :

Guacamole filling:

• Avocado - 1
• Onion - 1/2
• Tomato- 1
• Green Chillies - 2
• Garlic cloves - 2
• Lime juice - 1 tsp
• Black Pepper - 1/4 tsp

Egg Rolls :

• Egg - 1
• All purpose flour - 1 cup
• Water- as required
• Salt
• Black Pepper- 1 tsp
• Mozzarella Cheese grated - 3 Tblsp

Procedure:

Guacamole Filling :

• Peel the outer cover of the Avocado and mash the pulp.
• Add chopped onion, chopped tomato, chopped green chilli, mashed garlic, salt, black pepper powder and lime juice to the avocado pulp.
• Mix everything well. 
• Check taste and adjust salt, lime juice as required.

Egg Rolls :

• Beat 1 egg in a bowl.
• Add 1 cup all purpose flout to the egg and mix well.
• Add about  1 cup water and start beating everything together to get a smooth batter.
• Add more water if required. Note: The batter should be liquid in consistency. We are going to pour the batter on a pan using a large serving spoon.
• Add salt and balck pepper to the batter.
• Heat a pan and add some oil.
• Pour the batter on the pan to form a circle. 
• Spread the batter using a spoon , so that the batter is distributed all over the pan and is not very thick in a particular area.
• Cover with a lid and cook for a couple of minutes.
• Flip and spread grated Mozzarella Cheese on it.
• Cover and cook for another 2 minutes.
• Take it out on a plate with the cheese side upwards.Spread the guacamole filling on it.
• Roll up starting from one end.
• Cut into 2 halves and serve hot with red chilli sauce.

Shepuchi Bhaji (Dill Curry)

 Ingredients :

• Shepu/ Dill - 3 bunches
• Moong Daal - 1/2 cup
• Kanda Lasun Masala - 2 tsps
• Salt
• Lime juice - 1/2 tsp

Tempering:

• Oil- 2 tsp
• Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Asafoetida- a pinch
• Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

Procedure:

• Soak Moong daal in water for not more than an hour.
• Seperate the dill leaves from the main stem. 
• Clean the dill leaves and chop them finely.
• Heat oil in a pan.
• Once hot, add mustard seeds, asafoetida and turmeric.
• Drain the moong daal and add it to the tempering. 
• Add 2 tsps of Kanda Lasun Masala.
• Note: Kanda Lasun Masala is a special masala used in Maharashtrian cooking. Its made from garlic, onions and other spices. If this masala is not available, add chopped onion, garlic cloves  to the tempering to get the flavour. Then use ordinary red chilli powder instead of the masala.
• Cover with a lid and cook for a couple of mins.The moong daal should not get mushy. It should be crunchy.
• Add the chopped dill leaves and salt.
• Fry the contents for a minute.
• Sprinkle water over the dill leaves. Do not add too much water. This curry is supposed to be dry.
• Close lid and cook for a couple of minutes.
• Finally, add lime juice.
• Serve hot with Chapati/Bhakri/Curd Rice.

Batata Vada

Ingredients :

Potato Stuffing

• Potatoes- 5
• Onion - 1 
• Green chillies - 12-15
• Cumin - 2 tsps
• Salt - per taste
• Coriander leaves - 4 tblsps
• Garlic cloves - 5
• Ginger- grated- 2 tsps
• lemon juice - 1-2 tsps
• Sugar - a pinch

Cover:

• Besan - 3 tea cups
• Salt - per taste
• Red chilli powder - 1 n half - 2 tsps
• Rice Flour - 3 Tblsps
• Water - 1-2 tea cups -as required

Oil - for frying

Procedure :

• Boil Potatoes(5). Let them cool down. Peel the cover and mash.
• Grind greenchillies (12), garlic cloves(4), ginger(small piece), cumin (2 tsps) together adding very little water.
• Check taste and add more green chillies if required. Grind together once more.
• Chop 1 onion. Heat some oil( 1/2 tsp) in a pan  and fry the chopped onion on it until translucent.
• Add  greenchilli paste, fried onion, salt, sugar(a pinch) , chopped coriander leaves to mashed potatoes.
• Mix well. Potato stuffing is ready.
• For the cover, take besan and rice flour and mix them. 
• Add water, red chilli powder  and salt to the flours. Add water in parts so that the batter doesnt get too liquidy. The batter should be a little thick so that it binds to the potato stuffing. 
• Heat oil . Take a small portion of the potato stuffing, make a round ball with your plans, dip it in the batter for the cover and deep fry until golden brown.
• Serve hot with chopped onion and garlic chutney !