Bagara Baigan / Aubergine in Spicy Indian Gravy..

Out comes another recipe from my drafts... One of my favoriteeeeeeeee Hyderabadi recipes.., I've grown up eating Bagara Baigan in almost all of the weddings I've attended as a child :D.., It is a Hyderabadi speciality and whem teamed up with smoking hot Hyderabadi biryani.., it paves way to gastronomical heaven (literally).., It is in fact a very simple recipe.., and let me tell you.., MY DAD taught me how to make this heavenly recipe.., It is a bit high on the oil content.., but is worth every last bit of it.., :) :) :).., Without wasting any more time.., let me introduce you to Hyderabad's very own.., Bagara Baigan., Happy reading...

Recipe Courtesy :Vahchef @ Vahrevah.com

Bagara Baigan

Serves: 4

Preparation Time: 45mins-1hour

Ingredients

Small baby Brinjals: 8 - 10
Roasted Peanuts: 1 Cup
Roasted Sesame Seeds: 3 tbsp
Roasted Dry Shredded Coconut: 2 tbsp
Finely Chopped Onion: 1 Big
Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves: 1 tbsp
Sliced Green Chilllies: 2
Ginger Garlic Paste: 1 tsp
Tomato Paste: 1 tbsp
Curry Leaves: 1 Spring
Tamarind Paste: 1 tbsp
Jaggery or Sugar: 1-2 tsp
Cumin Powder: 1 tbsp
Coriander Powder: 1tbsp
Red Chilli Powder: 1 tbsp
Whole Garam Masala Powder: 1 tsp
Turmeric: 1/2 tsp
Cumin Seeds (Jeera): 1 tsp
Mustard Seeds : 1 tsp
Fenugreek Seeds: 1 tsp
Asafoetida (Hing): 1/2 tsp
Cloves: 3-4
Cinnamon Stick: 1 (cut into pieces)
Elaichi: 3
Bay Leaf: 1
Salt to Taste
Water

Procedure:

Grind peanuts, sesame seeds, coconut with water. Make a smooth paste. Keep aside. Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and when they start spluttering, add cumin seeds and curry leaves. Add cloves, bay leaf, cinamon stick, elaichi. Fry for a minute. Then add chopped green chillies, onion and hing. Fry onions till it gets golden brown. Add turmeric powder, ginger - garlic paste, red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala. Fry for a minute. Then add tomato paste and some salt. Add some water and bring it to boil. Then add paste of peanuts, sesame seeds & coconut powder & water. Cook for 10 minutes. In mean time, make slits to eggplant (don't cut end). Shallow fry or deep fry them till they are 80% done. Add these brinjals to gravy. Then add salt, tamarind juice, jaggery. Cook this gravy on medium heat till brinjals are 100 % cooked. Garnish this with chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot with pulao, biryani or chapati.

Butter Chicken

Now this one has been lying in my drafts for over four months now.., And it would have still been there for another year if I hadn't taken pity on it.., :D Seriously.., I hardly get the time to blog nowadays., I'm always preoccupied with so many things that blogging has taken a backseat.., Hmm.., about the recipe., this is one of my husband's favorite recipes.. He is a hardcore non vegetarian and it is a challenge for me to whip up different NV dishes for him.., But Butter chicken as I told you.., is a favorite of his and I've made it sooo many times that its almost a childs play for me.., Happy reading..,

Butter Chicken:

Serves: 6

Preparation Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• Chicken - 1 kg, skinned, boned and diced
• Curd - 150 ml
• Almonds - 50 gms, crushed
• Cinnamon - 1/4 tsp, crushed
• Cloves - 1/4 tsp, crushed
• Bay leaves - 1/4 tsp, crushed
• Green cardamom - 4
• Ginger pulp - 1 tsp
• Garlic pulp - 1 tsp
• Tomato - 400 gms, chopped
• Onion - 2, chopped
• Fresh coriander - 2 tbsp, chopped
• Fresh cream - 4 tbsp
• Chilli powder - 2 1/2 tsp
• Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
• Food color- A pinch
• Olive oil - 1 tbsp
• Butter - 75 gms
• Salt as per taste

Method:

To the curds, add all the dry spices, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, ground almonds, food color and salt and half of the chilly powder. Blend well.., Marinate the chicken pieces properly with this curd mixture and let it it stand for 10 minutes. In a pan, heat butter and olive oil. Add chopped onions and fry till pink. Add the chicken mixture and saute for about 10-12 minutes. Add the remaining chilly powder and stir properly. Add half the coriander leaves and blend well.., Add in the cream and simmer. Give it a proper stir and let it cook on low heat till the chicken is done.. Check for salt. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with paranthas., or chapathis.. :D :D :D

Chole/ Chickpea in Gravy

Fun weekend!! Yeah couldn't have been better. And two consecutive wins for India.. All the more reason to smile. So getting back to food..., todays recipe is of the very yummy Chole.., Ideally, it is served with Batura or Puri. But I didn't have so much patience so I just made some good old Chapathis. This one has been in my drafts for a long time now., So I quickly want to get

done with this.., Here goes ..,

Chole/ Chickpeas in Gravy:

Serves: 2

Preparation Time: Half an Hour

Ingredients:

• 250 gms Kabuli Chana , Soaked overnight and boiled
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 tsp Tea powder Optional
• 3-4 Cloves
• A 1/2 inch Cinnamon Stick
• 1/2 tsp Black pepper
• 2-3 Green chillies (or according to taste)
• A 1 /2 inch piece of Ginger, finely chopped
• 3 tsp Annardana powder / Pomegranate seeds powder
• 1/4 tsp Dry Mango powder / Amchur
• 1 tsp Garam Masala powder
• 1 Potato , boiled and mashed
• 1 Tomato, Finely chopped
• 2 tsp Ghee/ Oil
• Salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp each of Cumin, Mustard and Fenugreek Seeds

Method:

In a pan, heat the oil. Add the cumin, mustard, fenugreek, cinnamon and cloves. Let them splutter. Add the onions, ginger and the green chillies and fry them till the onions turn pink. Now add the chopped tomatoes and the mashed potato and fry for about 5 minutes. Add the Kabuli Chana and add a cup of water. Take the tea powder in a clean cloth and tie up the ends to form a pouch. Drop this pouch into the mixture. This is an optional step. The tea powder just enhances the color of the dish. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Discard the tea pouch. Now, add in the garam masala, anaardana powder, amchur powder and salt as per your taste. Cook for a few more minutes. Serve hot with a squeeze of lime :)

Rajma Capsicum - Kidney Beans and Green Peppers

I love "RAJMA".., there are 3 reasons for it.., One., I love all kind of legumes.., and Amma made it a compulsion for us to have any one kind of Legume everyday.. Not that it was forced upon us.., "We" as in my Bro and me were rather fond of these colorful and nutritive (which amma described them) beans in different shapes and sizes.. :D Reason number two for liking Rajma.., is that my husband also lovessss Rajma ( one, among the many similar tastes which we both share).., and thirdly I love RAJMA cause the name itself suggest Two of my most favorite people in the World.. Raj., my Hubby and My Ma.. :D and I keep trying out different types of Rajma at home.., Its a wonder that I'm posting a recipe about RAJMA so late into my blog.., anyways.., Here is the recipe.., Hope you like reading it as much I like cooking it.. (Clichéd, but sounds good nevertheless) :D :D :D

Rajma Capsicum:

Serves: 2

Preparation Time: 20 Minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 Onion, finely chopped
• 2 Green capsicum, chopped into 1/4 inch cubes
• 1 Tomato, pureed
• 1 cup Red or White Rajma- Soaked overnight and Boiled ( usually you use the red Rajma., but I used white one here., simply because i was out of Red Rajma) :)
• 2 tsp Chilli powder
• 1 Tsp Ginger Garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp Garam masala
• 1/4 tsp each of Mustard and Cumin seeds
• Salt to taste
• 2 tsp oil

Method:

Heat oil in a pan, add the Mustard Seeds and the Cumin Seeds. Let them splutter. To this, add the chopped Onions, the Ginger garlic paste and the Tomato puree .Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Add the chopped Capsicum and cook for 3 more minutes. Now, add the boiled Rajma, Salt, Chilli powder and the Garam masala powder. Cook for 3 more minutes. Transfer the contents to a serving dish. Serve hot with Steamed Rice. (yummy combination)

Paneer Butter Masala/Cottage Cheese in Indian gravy

Recipe Courtesy : Sanjeev Kapoor :)

The IPL is almost coming to an end and I have bitten off almost all my nails..., I will miss all the action :(.., Well.., nothing to lose., I better start looking up to the World T20.., Till then I just cant stop CHANTING (literally).., Go Chargers'!!!!!!!!!!!

Haan, so the other day, I was going through one of my many Sanjeev Kapoor cookbooks.. I wanted to make something colorful that would attract the kids.., But Ashu (the naughtiest one) was adamant that I make him a Paneer curry. The rest of the kids too joined in.., :D the best part about making this Paneer butter masala was that I had the kids patiently helping me out in the kitchen.. It was fun.., Here goes the recipe and as I mentioned I read it in a Sanjeev kapoor book.. :)

Paneer Butter Masala:

Serves: 4

Preparation Time: 30-40 minutes

Ingredients :

• 3 big Tomatoes - pureed
• 250 gms Paneer/Cottage Cheese - cubed
• 2 big onions
• 1 Bay leaf
• 2 Cloves
• 1 tbsp Ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp Red chilli powder
• 3 tbsps Cashewnut paste
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
• 1 tsp Dhania powder (dry coriander powder)
• 1/2 tsp Kasuri Methi (dry fenugreek leaves)
• 1 tsp Tandoori masala (optional for color)-The recipe says tandoori masala., I didn't have any at home.., So I used simple Food color
• 2 tsp Garam Masala powder
• Salt and Lemon juice - to taste
• 3 tbsp Butter
• 3 tbsp Fresh Cream
• Fresh Coriander for garnishing

Method:

Skin the onions and blanch them in hot water for 3 mins, then puree them to form a paste. Do the same with tomaotes, unless you are using tomato puree directly.Take 1 tbsp of ghee, heat in a pan for 2 mins, the saute the paneer cubes in it till golden brown; Now take 1 cup hot water, add a pinch of salt and turmeric powder to it and immerse the paneer cubes in it for 10-12 mins. Then remove the pieces, drain them on a tissue paper and keep aside.Heat 2 tbsp of butter in a pan, add the bay leaf and the cloves, then add the onion paste and saute till light-brown. Add ginger-garlic paste. Saute for 3 minutes. Add chilli powder, followed by the cashew paste and fry for 5 mins.Add tomato puree, crushed kasuri methi,coriander powder, turmeric powder, garam masala and salt. Stir and let it simmer for some time.Add the paneer cubes and simmer for 4-5 minutes. Add a small cup of water and let it cook on medium heat till you get the desired curry consistency. Remove from fire, stir in remaining butter and fresh cream. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves. Serve hot with Chapatis, Naan or any Rice/Pulao.. :)