Spiced Baby Potatoes

Aloo, being everyone's favourite is made often in most of the households. I'm a big time aloo lover. I was thinking of making a different flavour in aloo, so planned on making spiced baby potatoes. Sometimes the simple tthe better and the same rule applies to the food also, sometimes, Right? This is midweek already, It's the busiest part of the week. So many times midweek demand for some simple food. So here i am with a simple, hearty and comfy dish made with baby potatoes. Yes, everyones's favourite ALOO ALOO ALOO...Everyone just loved this one the most. They told me how much they loved this simple pickled and exotic looking side dish and then i realized sometimes people just need something simple. So, simple is better sometimes.
I do believe in these simple words. "I just find myself happy with the simple things. Appreciating the blessings God gave me. Sometimes we should express our gratitude for the small and simple things like the scent of the rain, the taste of your favourite food or the sound of a loved ones's voice." People just don't have time to spend in the kitchen for so long and at those times some uncomplicated recipies are the ones who saves our lives. Today i decided to share pickles aloo. This dry prepration is a regular one at my place. I have added some new ingredients to tweak this traditional recipe. Don't worry this is all for the love of a good taste. It's really hard for me to keep my recipies mundane, so every once in a while i add a couple of new ingredients other than the ones i use regularly adding a new ingredient takes the regular dishes to the next flavour profile. This 'spiced pickled aloo' is one of those dishes which i never needed recipie for. It's that frequent at home.  Whenever i am in doubt what to cook, a hearty potatoes would be there to solve my all worries and i start cooking even before thinking what i am making with potatoes that day! It can only happens when something is too familiar. The spiced potatoes are full of flavour and is such an quick and easy dish to prepare. I always have achaari masala in my kitchen. Love the flavours of fennel seeds, onion seeds, cumin seeds. pickling spice gives potatoes the spicy, tangy flavour and a lovely aroma. One can u small whole baby potatoes or the regular potatoes cut into cubes. I must say baby potatoes are much tastier than their adult counterparts, when coupled with some spices, tangy ingredients they can render a very classy taste. It goes very well with laccha parantha, masala poori and can be packed for the lunch box as well and it is a great meal to pack for the long distance travelling with family. So make it soon, i'm sure YOU WILL LOVE THIS!!

INGREDIENTS:

Baby potatoes - 30 to 35 boiled nad peeled. i boiled in a pressure cooker 1-2 whistles and then off. Prick them with the help of fork.

Onion- 2 finely chopped
Garlic - 5-6 pods finely chopped
Tomatoes - 2 finely chopped
Dry red chillies - 2
Bay leaf - 1
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Green chillies - 2
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Roasted cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Dry mango powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Achaari masala - 1 - 2 tbsp
Tamarind pulp -  2 tsp or more ( adjust acc to ur taste ) ( optional )
Vegetable oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard oil - 1 tbsp
Kitchen king masala - 1 tsp
Sugar - Acc to taste
Coriander - 2 tbsp chopped

METHOD:

1. Take ustard oil+ vegetable oil in a non stick pan and add a little salt.

2. Heat to a smoking point, so that the smells go away. Turn off the flamme and allow it to cool down.

3. After it cools down, turn on the flame, add dried red chillies, cumin seeds, bay leaf, then garlic. saute for a few seconds.

4. Now add chopped onions and cook till it turns pink.

5. Add green chillies & all the dry masalas and achaari masala and cook for 10 mins on low flame.

6, Add tomatoes and cook till they becomes soft and mushy.

7. Add little water and boiled potatoes.

8. Cover the lid and cook for 15 mins on low flame. Add tamarind water and toss on high flame for 5 mins.

9. Add a sugar and mis well.

10. Garnish with coriander leaves.

ENJOYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Burnt Chilli Garlic Noodles

Oh god! My love for chinese food will never die! This is insanely good! If u love the aroma of fried garlic and  the dried red chillies you are going  to get under the influence of the flavours pretty soon. The heat, spice and the strong aroma blend in perfectly with the mild noodles. I just fell in love with the name even before  i started eating. The name brings back memories of street foods and fast food stalls. Noodles are magical things. I have heard of single child not loving them. If you Got leftover veggies???  Make these chilli garlic noodle bowl! May be i should have called it leftover veggie heaven..So what i mean? This recepie uses not just one or two kinds of leftover veggies- i used up  different kind. Bell pepper, carrots, capsicum,onions,scallions & mushrooms. The colors not only add the vibrancy of the dish but they also denote the type of nutrition that particular vegetables rich in. So more the colors the better it is for you. It's all there along with soy sauce, chilli garlic sauce, schezwan sauce that packs a lot of flavour with a hint of smoke. It is one of my go to meals when time is short and inspiration is sorely lacking. Easy, quick to make, it is one of those delicious meals which plays a regular role in my house. There are immmense varieties of this famous dish available with each cook book. I don't have a specific version since i tend to add ingredients whatever i have in hand on that particular day. Each time i make it tends to taste a little different. I sometimes add cottage cheese to add proteins. But on this particular day, i was inspired by colors and added as many different  colors as i could. So here u go sharing my recepie and story for you.. Enjoyyyyyyy!!!!!


INGREDIENTS:

Noodles- 2 cups
Oil - 2 tbsp
Soy sauce - 1 tbsp
Garlic- 1 tsp minced
Green chilli sauce- 1 tbsp
Chilli vinegar- 1  tsp
Bell pepper red, yellow and green - 1 1/2 cup
Carrot - 1 medium
Cabbage - 1/2 cup
Onions - 1-2 sliced
Scallions - 1/ 2 cup
black pepper- 1 tsp
Dried red chilli- 2 crushed
Chilli flakes - 1 tsp
White pepper - 1 tsp
Salt to taste


METHOD:

Boil the noodles as per the package instruction. Add 1 tsp oil to the water.

When it is about 85-90% cooked, drain the noodles and toss it lightly with cold water. Drain it completely  and set aside .

Meanwhile heat a wide skillet. Add oil and heat about it smokes.Make sure you have all the veggies ready by the side since its all about quick cooking.

Add soy sauce, chilli vinegar to the oil.

Now add minced garlic and dried red chillies ( this infuses the oil with the garlic flavour ).

Add  spring onions, cabbage, bell pepper, onions, carrots, onions. Toss on high flame for 2-3 mins. Don't leave the vegetables on their own since at this stage they can easily burn.

Add shezwan sauce, white pepper, green chilli sauce, soy sauce, tomato ketchup, salt to taste. Give it a good toss and saute  for another min or so.

Once veggies are becoming tender add the cooked noodles to the wok and stir it quickly with alll the vegetables.

Add chilli flakes to it and  mix properly, it gives a slight spicy kick to the noodles.

Transfer these into the bowl and top with chopped spring onions & serve hot...

Dubki wale Aloo

Why is it that when you are stuck at "what should we cook today" the answer is always "make some aloo"! Potatoes are like this...extremely popular and have multi purpose usage. And did you always think that eating a potato will make you fat? Well, don't - it is a surprising source of vitamin C and provides useful amounts of starch, thiamine and niacin and around a hundred grams  will provide about eighty calories.
This weekend special..spicy & tangy dubki waale aloo mathura style. Only few ingredients and so so delicious, just perfect for this wet and cold winters.
DUBKI WALE ALOO  is famous in Mathura, one of the holy city in Uttar Pradesh where Mathura is a birth place of Lord Krishna. A traditional recepie from the streets of Mathura. Aloo poori & Chole  are the most popular combination. Every part of India has their own version of making it. Boiled potatoes and tomato puree is used for making aloo side dish. It is also spiced with regular spices. Dubki wale aloo is spicy, slightly tangy and delicious. The slight tang is coming from tomatoes and mango/ amchur powder. Mathura ke also recipie is so easy to make and you just need some spices and potatoes. The curry is  thin and no onions, or garlic are used. The addition of the spices give a lot of flavour and taste to the cury so no wonder, all the pooris and potato curry got over in no time.. This recepie is particlarly good, as apart from green chilies, you don't need to chop anything, saves time and makes for  a wholesome weekend breakfast.This potato curry is served hot hot with the hot hot pooris, all puffed  up and straight out from the kadai along with some chopped onions and lemon wedges..

INGREDIENTS:

To grind and make puree:

Tomatoes- 2-3 chopped
Ginger- 1 inch piece
fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp ( soak overnight and drain water in the morning )
green chilli -
cardamom - 1-2
cloves - 2


FOR ALOO GRAVY:

Pototoes - 4-5 boiled, peeled and  roughly mashed
Oil - 2 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Saunf - 1tsp
Red chilli powder - 1 2/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Homemade garam masala - 1 tsp
Asofotedia- 1 pinch or  two
Water- 1-2 cups
Green chillies - 2 slit
Dry mango powder - 1/2 tsp
Cilantro- 2 tbsp chopped
Kitchen king masala - 1 tsp
Chicken masala - 1 tsp
Dry red chilli- 1-2
Bay leaf- 1

METHOD:


1. Boil the potatoes in a pressure cooker for 2-3 whistles by adding 1tsp salt in it.

2. Once potatoes are done, cool them and chop into medium size pieces.

3. Make a smooth puree of tomato and ginger, keep it aside.

4. Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat. Once oil is hot add cumin seeds and saunf. let it  sizzle & add asofotedia, dry red chillis and bay leaf.

5. Now in the blender put the soaked fenugreek seeds, cloves, cardamom, green chillie, tomatoes, ginger & black pepper. Make a smooth paste.. Now add prepared tomato puree+ 1 tbsp ready made tomato puree. Mix well and let is cook for 10-15 mins on low flame.

6. Cook till all the moisture  evaporates & oil starts ooze out from sides.

7. Add all the masalas  and cook for another 10-12 mins on low flame.

8. Add boiled water and stir well,.

9. Now add potatoes and mix well.

10. Continue cooking on medium low heat for 8-10 mins. If it dries out then add some more water.

11. Mash few of the potatoes pieces, it gives thick gravy.

12. Add garam masala and garnish with chopped cilantro and slit green chillies.

13. Serve hot with pooris.

METHOD TO MAKE POORIS:

1. Take whole wheat flour, add carom seeds,1 /2 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp red chilli powder, salt to taste, 1/2 tsp kitchen king masala & 1/2 tsp garam masala powder.

2. Now add freshly 1 tbsp chopped mint leaves ( optional ) & 1 tbsp kasuri methi or u can also use fresh  methi leaves.

3. Add 1 tsp cumin seeds.

4. Now add 2 boiled and mashed potatoes.

5. Add milk while kneading the dough. knead into a firm dough with sufficient milk.

6. Add 1 tbsp oil and knead well to make a smooth dough.

7. Your dough is ready now, cover with cling wrap and let the masala poori dough rest for 30 mins in refrigreator.

8. Divide the dough into small sized balls.

9. Tkae each ball, flatten it and spread a bit of oil on both sides. using oil while rolling is better than using wheat flour, as the whole wheat flour particles get browned or burned in oil while frying.

10. Heat oil in kadai, slid the rolled poori and deep fry in hot oil.

11. With the help of slotted spoon, gently nudge and press so that the pooris puff up. When the oil stops sizzling, turn over and fry the other side of the masala poori.

12. when golden remove  from the slotted spoon and drain the masala poori on kitchen paper to remove excess oil. Make all the pooris this way.

13. Pooris are ready now.

ENJOYYYYYYY.....

Khaman Dhokla

Dhokla a perfect breakfast From the streets of Gujrat right into the comfort of your homes, tuck into these fresh and fancy bits made in a few simple steps. If you're looking for something to bite into without having to count your calories, this recepie is just the ticket. Dhokla is so versatile that it's fascinating to see how you can bung in ingredients that could be piling up in your kitchen cabinets and all you can steam away your very own concoction. If calorie is  worry, Dhokla comfortably top the health charts. when you are looking for a protein fix, this is just what you need, as gram flour is packed with protein. They are light, steamed, easy to digest and a healthy way to ease your mid meal cravings. We Indians love eating a lot. Every state has its own variety. No matter how hard we try making a Punjabi dish in south India or Bengali dish in Gujrat, we miss out the authentic flavour. Every state has got its own little secret ingredients that are very difficult for any other state to capture. The makkhan maar ke punjabi dishes, mustard and curry laves tempered south indian cuisine, fluffy Gujrati dhokla and mishti doi of Bengal, the moment you hear these names, it brings water to your tongue. Yes, that is the love we Indians have for food. These lovely dishes bring our appetites to life, we keep eating and then we complaing that we are putting on weight. So today's post is famous gujrati snack Khaman dhokla. Finally i nailed it. i succeeded to make it after many failed attempts in past. I don't remember the name but i got the recepie from some other food group and i thanks to that lady. It was a big hit in my family.  Super soft, super healthy, fluffy, moist and melts right in your mouth. Perfect comfort food for a lazy evening.


INGREDIENTS:

1 tbsp -  semolina/ rava
1 cup - gram flour/ besan
1tsp - ginger chilli paste
1 1/2 tsp - lemon juice
1/4 cup - curd
3/4 cup water
salt to taste
1 tsp eno fruit salt
oil for greasing
1-2 pinch turmeric powder

FOR TEMPERING:

2 tbsp- oil
12-15 - curry leaves
1 tsp- powdered mustard seeds
1 tsp- mustard seeds
2-3 slit green chillies
A pinch of hing
1/2 tsp - lemon juice
1 tbsp - sugar
2 tbsp- chopped cilantro
1 tbsp- grated coconut ( optional )
1/3 cup water

METHOD:

1. In a bowl take gram flour, smolina, lemon juice, green chilli paste, curd, salt to taste and water.

2. Mix them properly into smooth batter. make sure that there are no lumps.

3. Keep this mixture aside for 10-15 mins.

4. Add fruit salt in batter and stir in one direction for 1 min.

5. Now, pour the batter immediately into each greased plate and fill it upto 1/2 inch thickness..

6. Place plates in a steamer and steam for 10-15 mins over medium flame.

7. After 15 mins, insert a knife into dhokla and check if it comes out clean. If it does, then cook it for another 2-3 mins more.

8. Take it out and let it cool. cut into small squares.

9. Now heat oil in a pan.

10. To this add mustard seeds, hing and slit green chillies, curry leaves and saute them for few secs.

11. Now add 1/3 cup of water and sugar & bring it to boil on high flame.

12. Pour it over the dhoklas and garnish with chopped cilantro leavves and grated coconut and serve with chutney.

ENJOYYYYYYY....

TIPS:

# Eno can be substituted with one tsp baking powder. Same way citric acid cane be substituted for lemon juice, though citric acid works the best. It gives great results.

# Do not over beat the batter after adding eno or other rising agent.

# Make sure the steamer is properly heated before placing the plates filled with batter in it otherwise it wil take more time to cook.

# If u want to prepare dhokla in batches then prepare batter without adding eno salt and divide into two equal portions.

# Add 1/2 tsp eno in one portion, whisk well and pour it imediately into the greased tin, when first batch is cooked, dd 1/2 tsp eno in remaining batter and follow the same process.

# Steam the batter over medium flame to make the spongy. Do not steam it on high flame otherwise it will not cook from inside.