Kolkata Egg Curry

Ingredients
Boiled eggs: 4
Potato: 2
Chopped tomato: 2
Green cardamom: 2
Cinnamon: 1 inch
Cloves: 4
Fennel seeds: ½ tsp
Cumin seeds: ½ tsp
Coriander powder: 1 tsp
Red chili powder: ½ tsp
Turmeric powder: ¼ tsp
Kasoori methi: 1 tsp
Garam masala: ¼ tsp
Salt: To taste
Oil: 3-4 tsp
Coriander leaves: 2-3 tsp

Kolkata egg curry

Method
Prick slightly on all the sides of the boiled egg and rub coriander powder, red chili powder and salt.
Heat oil in a non-stick pan and fry the eggs till golden brown. Remove from the eggs from the oil and cut them carefully into half.

To the same pan with oil, add green cardamons, clove, cinnamon, cumin seeds, fennel seeds and stir till they start sizzling. Add onion and saute well, add tomatoes and potatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes, before adding salt, red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and turmeric powder. Add little water, close the lid and simmer till the oil starts separating from the mixture.

Add kasoori methi, garam masala and stir well. Delicately add the eggs and simmer for a few minutes so that the masala enters the eggs. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot with chapati or paratha or poori or roti.

Bitter Gourd Curry

Ingredients
Bitter Gourd: 2 cups (sliced thin into 3 inch long strips)
Onion: 1 cup (thinly sliced)
Coriander powder: 1 tsp
Red chili powder: ½ tsp
Turmeric Powder: ¼ tsp
Dry mango powder: ¼ tsp
Garam masala powder: ¼ tsp
Fenugreek seeds: ¼ tsp
Salt: To taste
Oil: 3-4 tsp

Bitter gourd curry

Method
Heat oil in a non-stick pan and add fenugreek seeds. Add coriander, chili, turmeric powder and cook for 30 seconds. Add bitter gourd and salt. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes by stirring once in a while. Once the bitter gourd is half done, add the onion and cook till onion is golden brown. Add garam masala and mango powder and stir well. Serve hot with roti.

String Beans Curry

IngredientsString beans: 2 cups (cut into 3 inch long)
Chopped onion: 1 cup
Sliced green bell pepper: 1 cup
Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
Cloves: 4-5
Cinnamon: ½ inch
Grated ginger-garlic: 1 tsp
Turmeric: 1 tsp
Red chili powder: ½ tsp
Oil: 2 tsp
Water: ½ cup
Dry mango powder: ½ tsp
Kasoori methi: 1 tsp
Salt: To taste
Chopped coriander leaves: 1 tsp

String beans curry

Method
Heat oil in a non-stick pan and add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. When they crackle, add cloves and cinnamon and stir. Add ginger-garlic, onion and sauté well. Add salt and cook till onion turns golden brown. Add turmeric, chili powder, tomato, bell pepper, beans and water. Stir and cook till beans are tender, yet firm. Add dry mango powder and kasoori methi and stir well. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with roti or paratha or chapati.

Karah Prashad

I had Karah Prashad for the first time at Gurudwara Nanak Jhira Saheb Bidar. It was so yummy that I had tried it at home and preparing it at home is also very simple. Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients

Wheat flour: 1 cup

Ghee: 1 cup

Sugar: 1 cup

Water: 3 cups

Karah Prashad

Method
Heat ghee in a thick bottomed vessel and add wheat flour to it. Roast it till golden brown. In another vessel, add sugar to water and bring it to boil. Add sugar water slowly to the roasted flour and keep stirring continuously to avoid any lumps. Once the mixture starts leaving the vessel, transfer to a serving bowl.

Note: You can add cardamom powder at the end. But Prashad given at gurdwaras will normally  have only four ingredients: wheat flour, ghee, sugar and water.

Huevos Rancheros

Huevos Rancheros is a classical Mexican breakfast dish.

Ingredients
Eggs: 4
Olive oil: 2 tsp
Corn tortillas: 4 (each of 6 inch)
Refried beans with green chilies: 1 cup
Butter: 1 tsp
Shredded Cheddar cheese: 1 cup
Chicken: 1 cup (cooked and crumbled)
Salsa: 1/2 cup

Method
Heat oil in a pan over medium-high flame. Fry tortillas one at a time until firm, but not crisp. Remove on paper towels and drain extra oil. Meanwhile, combine the refried beans and butter in a microwave-safe dish. Cover and cook in the microwave until heated through. When tortillas are done, fry eggs in the same pan. Spread tortillas onto a plate and spread a layer of beans on them. Top with cheese, a fried egg, crumbled chicken and salsa.

Turkish Menemen

Menemen is fast and easy to prepare and very nutritious. It’s a favourite for breakfasts in Turkey. But it can be a tasty lunch or a quick supper. 

Ingredients
Eggs: 4
Chopped tomatoes: 1 cup
Chopped capsicum: 1/2 cup
Chopped onion: 1/2 cup
Chopped green chili: 1 tsp
Diced olives: 2-3 tsp
Olive oil: 2 tsp
Salt: To taste

Method
Heat olive oil in a pan and add green chili, onion, capsicum and tomatoes and saute for 2-3 minutes on a low flame. Add eggs and scramble them well and add salt to taste. Cook the eggs till they are fairly firm. Serve warm.

Kashta Kachori

Ingredients

All-purpose flour: 2 cups

Salt: To taste

Oil: For frying

For stuffing

Split green gram dal (Moong dal): 1 cup

Ghee: 2-3 tsp

Ginger paste: 1 tsp

Green chili paste: ½ tsp

Asafoetida: A pinch

Turmeric powder: ¼ tsp

Coriander powder: 1 tsp

Cumin powder: ¼ tsp

Red chili powder: 1 tsp

Fennel seeds powder: ½ tsp

Lemon juice: 1 tsp

Salt: To taste

Add caption

Method

Soak split green gram dal for 3-4 hours.

Sift flour and salt in a bowl. Add 2 tsp of ghee and mix well. Knead into soft dough using sufficient water. Cover with a moist cloth and set aside.

Coarsely grind soaked green dal. Heat ghee in a pan and add ground dal, ginger, green chilli, asafoetida, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chilli powder and fennel powder. Cook till all the moisture dries. Add salt and lemon juice, mix well and remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Divide the dal mixture into 20 equal portions. Divide the flour dough also into 20 equal sized balls. 

Roll them into small puris and place a portion of stuffing in the centre and bring the edges together to form a ball. Lightly press them with your palms to make thick puris.

Heat oil in pan. Deep fry kachoris on a low flame till golden brown.

Serve with tamarind chutney or tomato ketchup.

Roasted Broccoli

Ingredients
Broccoli florets: 2 cups
Pepper powder: ½ tsp
Toasted sesame seeds: 2-3 tsp
Olive oil: 2-3 tsp
Salt: To taste

Method
Heat olive oil in a pan and fry broccoli till crisp. Add pepper powder and salt and toss well. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds.
If you want to bake it, preheat the oven to 400⁰ F. In a bowl, toss one tablespoon of olive oil, salt, pepper and broccoli and place on a large baking sheet. Roast till the broccoli is tender and blackened on the bottom. It will take about 10 minutes. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and serve warm.

Shakshouka

Shakshouka in Hebrew means “all mixed up.” It is a staple of Tunisian, Egyptian, Libyan, Algerian and Moroccan cuisines and is very popular in Isreal and the dish has been said to challenge hummus and falafel as a national favourite, especially in the winter.

Ingredients
Eggs: 4
Finely chopped onion: 1 cup
Finely chopped capsicum: 1 cup
Peeled and crushed tomatoes: 4
Olive oil: 2-3 tsp
Salt: To taste
Pepper powder: To taste

Method
Heat olive oil in a large frying pan and add onion and capsicum. Saute them till lightly brown.Peel and grate tomatoes on largest holes of a grater. Add the grated tomatoes to the frying pan and close the lid. Cook over low flame for 15-20 minutes.Remove the lid and add the the eggs. Stir gently to break yolks. Cover the lid again and cook on a medium flame for about 5 minutes or till the eggs are firm. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve warm.

Note: If you want, you can use minced garlic. If you love it to be spicy, you can add crushed chili powder and for taste variation, you can add oregano.

Panko Lamb Chops

Ingredients
Thick bone-in lamb chops: 2
Panko breadcrumbs: ½ cup
All-purpose flour: ¼ cup
Grated Parmesan cheese: 2 tsp
Minced Italian Parsley: 1 tsp
Eggs: 2
Salt: To taste
Black pepper: To taste
Oil: 5-6 tsp

Method
Preheat the oven to 400⁰ F.

Season lamb chops with salt and black pepper and set aside.

Mix Panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan, parsley and salt. Keep flour in one bowl, beaten eggs in another and the Panko mixture in another bowl.

In a heavy bottomed pan, heat 3 tablespoons of oil over medium high flame. Roll the lamb chops first in the flour, then in the egg and lastly in the Panko mixture. Make sure to coat the chops evenly. Add the chops to the pan and cook till golden brown and crispy on each side.

Remove the chops from the pan to a baking sheet. Cook the chops in the oven, uncovered, for about 12-15 minutes. Serve the crisp and juicy lamb chops with slices of onion.

Stuffed Chili Bajji

Ingredients
Baji Chilis: 10
Gram flour (besan): 1 cup
Rice flour: ¼ cup
Carom seeds (Ajwain): 1 tsp
Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
Salt: To taste
Oil: For deep frying

For stuffing
Peanut: 2-3 tsp
Sesame seeds: 2-3 tsp
Dry coconut powder: 2-3 tsp
Tamarind juice: 1 tsp
Coriander seeds: 1 tsp
Salt: To taste

Stuffed Chili Bajji

Method
Dry roast peanut, sesame, coconut, coriander and grind it to smooth powder adding tamarind paste. Do not add any extra water.

Wash and pat dry the chilies. Make a vertical slit with a sharp knife in the middle of the chili. Remove the thick vein with seeds if you do not want bajjis to be too spicy. Stuff the peanut paste in the chilies and keep aside.

Meanwhile, mix gram flour, rice flour, cumin, ajwain and salt and prepare medium thick batter.

Heat oil in a pan on medium high flame. Dip the bajjis in the flour batter and deep fry till golden colour. Serve hot with onion and tomato slices.

Spinach Dip

Ingredients

Chopped fresh spinach: 1 cup
Sour cream: ¼ cup
Cream cheese: ¼ cup
Yogurt: 1 cup
Chopped fresh mint: ¼ cup
Soy sauce: 1 tsp
Honey: 1 tsp
Red chili flakes: 1 tsp
Salt: To taste

Method
Mix all the ingredients and chill for at least 4-5 hours before serving with crackers.

Milk Peda

Ingredients

Paneer: 2 cups

Milk powder: ¼ cup

Milk: ¼ cup

Sugar: ½ cup

Butter: 2-3 tsp

Cardamom powder: ¼ tsp

Saffron: 2-3 strands

Sliced pistachios or almonds: 2-3 tsp

Milk peda

Khoya

Sugar and cardamom to be mixed with khoya

Peda garnished with sliced almonds

Method:

Prepare paneer from milk. Heat a thick-bottomed pan and melt butter. Add milk, milk powder, saffron and paneer and mix well. Keep stirring continuously till the mixture starts leaving the sides of the pan and becomes like dough. This dough is called Khoya. Transfer khoya to a bowl and allow it to cool. Add sugar and cardamom powder and knead the khoya for 2-3 minutes so that everything is blended well. Divide the dough into 12 equal parts and roll them into small balls. Lightly press them and garnish each peda with sliced pistachios or almonds. 

Note: If you add sugar when the khoya is hot, it becomes too soft and will be difficult to make balls.

Paneer

Ingredients

Milk: 1 litre

Lemon juice: ¼ cup

Water: 1 cup

 

Method

Boil milk in a thick bottomed pan and bring it to a boil. Mix lemon juice in one cup of water and add it to the boiling milk stirring the milk gently. The milk curdles and will start separating from the whey. Once the milk water looks pale green, remove from the heat and drain it using a strainer with muslin cloth. 

Wrap the muslin cloth and rinse well in cold water so that the lemon smell goes out from the paneer. Squeeze the cloth thoroughly to remove excess water. You can keep the wrapped paneer under a heavy object for about an hour, but this can remove all water and paneer can become little hard. 

After removing water from the paneer, take a pinch of it on your palm and rub with your finger for about 10 seconds and see if you are able to make a firm, but a smooth ball. After removing all the excess water, place the paneer on a dry clean surface and knead it well for 5-6 minutes. This helps to smoothen the paneer like soft dough. If the paneer is too crumbly, you can add half a tablespoon of water.This can be used to prepare sweets or any veg curries.

Grilled Apple

Ingredients

Apple: 1-2 (peeled and sliced into ½ inch thick round)
Oil: 1-2 tsp
Sugar: 1-2 tsp
Parmigiano Reggiano cheese: 2-3 tsp (cut in thin strips)
Chopped peacons: 2-3 tsp
Honey: 2-3 tsp

Method
Preheat grill on medium heat.

Toss apple slices with oil and sugar in a large bowl. Grill the apple slices till tender and lightly golden, turning once. It takes about five minutes in total.

Transfer the grilled apple slices to a serving plate and sprinkle cheese, nuts and drizzle honey.

Note: Instead of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, you can use Cheddar cheese also.

Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients
Potatoes: 4-5 (washed, peeled and quartered)
Minced garlic: 2-3 cloves

Grated Parmesan cheese: ¼ cup

Butter: ¼ cup

Cream: ¼ cup

Pepper: To taste

Salt: To taste

Method

Cook potatoes in salted water till tender. Drain water and add garlic, cheese, butter, cream, salt and pepper. Mash the potatoes till smooth. Sprinkle coriander or Italian seasoning if you wish, before serving.

Crispy Chicken Strips

Ingredients
Boneless chicken breasts: 6 (sliced in strips)
Spicy mustard: ½ cup
Breadcrumbs: 2-3 cups
All-purpose flour: ½ cup
Italian Seasoning: 1 tsp
Garlic powder: 1 tsp
Water: 2 tsp
Salt: To taste
Pepper: 1 tsp
Oil: For frying

Method
Heat oil in a pan. Mix flour, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a bowl. In another bowl, mix the spicy mustard and water. In another bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Roll all the chicken strips one by one, in the flour mixture first, and then in the mustard mixture and then in breadcrumbs, and deep fry in oil till golden brown.

Serve hot with tomato ketchup.

Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients
Butter: ½ cup
Peanut butter: ½ cup
Sugar: 1 cup
Egg: 1
All-Purpose flour: 1 ¼ cup
Salt: ¼ tsp
Baking powder: ½ tsp

 

Method
Whisk together butter, peanut butter and sugar. Beat in eggs. 

In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Stir into batter and refrigerate the mixture for one hour.

Roll the mixture into equal size 12 balls and flatten them lightly with your palms and put on a greased baking sheet. Make criss-cross pattern with a fork. Bake in a preheated 375 degrees F for 10 minutes or till the cookies begin to brown. Do not over-bake.

Onion Dosa

Ingredients
Rice: 2 cups
Urad dal: 1 cup
Chopped onion: 1 cup
Cumin powder: ¼ tsp
Sesame seeds: 1 tsp
Chopped green chilies: 2 tsp
Chopped coriander leaves: 2-3 tsp
Salt: To taste
Oil or butter: As required

Method
Soak Urad dal and rice separately for five to six hours and grind them separately to make a smooth batter. Add salt and allow it to ferment overnight.

Mix chopped onion, green chilies, coriander leaves, cumin powder, sesame seeds and salt in a bowl and keep aside.

Heat a non-stick tava and drizzle little oil. Pour one ladle full of batter and spread it evenly in a circular shape and spread out little onion mixture and press lightly. Drizzle oil or butter and cook for a few seconds. Turn over the dosa and cook on the other side for a minute before transferring it to a serving plate. Serve hot with coconut chutney.

Red Chili Chutney

Ingredients
Grated coconut: ½ cup
Red chili: 7-8
Roasted split chickpeas: 2 tsp
Curry leaves: 1 sprig
Tamarind: ½ tsp
Chopped coriander leaves: 2 tsp
Salt: To taste

Method
Grind all the ingredients using little water at a time and prepare thick chutney. Serve with dosa or idli.

Potato Bhaji

Ingredients
Potatoes: 3-4
Chopped onion: ½ cup
Chopped green chilies: 1 tsp
Split Bengal gram (chana dal): 1 tsp
Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
Asafoetida: A pinch
Curry leaves: 1 sprig
Turmeric powder: ½ tsp
Chopped coriander leaves: 2-3 tsp
Lemon juice: 1 tsp
Salt: To taste
Oil: 1 tsp

Method
Boil potatoes, peel and chop them. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, when they splutter, add asafoetida and split Bengal gram and sauté till golden brown. Add green chilies, curry leaves and onion and sauté till onion is translucent. Add potatoes, turmeric powder and salt. Mix well. Sprinkle a tablespoon of water and cook till the potatoes are heated through. Add coriander leaves and lemon juice and mix well. Serve with chapati or dosa.

Crispy Masala Dosa

Ingredients
Parboiled rice: 3 cups
Rice: ½ cup
Urad dal: 1 cup
Fenugreek seeds: 1 tsp
Salt: To taste
Oil or butter: As required

Method
Wash both the rice well and soak in water for four to five hours. Wash and soak split black gram with fenugreek seeds in water separately for four to five hours.

Drain and grind the rice and split black gram separately to a smooth texture. Add salt and mix both the batters thoroughly. Keep the batter in a large vessel and close the lid tightly and allow the batter to ferment overnight.

Mix the batter well and adjust to pouring consistency. Heat a non-stick tava and grease with a little oil. Pour a ladle full of batter and spread as thin as possible. Sprinkle oil around the dosa and cook till it becomes crisp on the edges and turns golden brown. Apply Red Chili Chutney on the dosa and place about four tablespoons of Potato Bhaji in the centre. Fold the dosa to the desired shape and serve hot with coconut chutney.

Chicken Dum Biryani

Ingredients

Basmati rice: 4 cups

Chicken pieces: 1 kg

Mint leaves (Pudina): 1 cup

Coriander leaves: 1 cup

Chopped onion: 2 cups

Yogurt: 2 cups

Ghee: 6-7 tsp

Ginger Garlic paste: 2-3 tsp

Lemon juice: 4-5 tsp

Coriander powder: 2 tsp

Garam masala powder: 1 tsp

Chili powder: 2-3 tsp

Bay leaves: 5

Cinnamon: 5-6 medium sized

Cloves: 8-10

Caraway seeds (Shah Jeera): 1 tsp  

Black cardamom: 2-3

Green cardamom: 2-3

Star Anise: 2-3

Mace: 2-3

Nutmeg: ¼th piece

Salt: To taste

Method

Grind mint and coriander leaves. And the grinded paste, ginger garlic paste, coriander powder, garam masala, lemon juice, chili powder and salt to yogurt and mix well. Marinade chicken in this paste for 5-6 hours.  

Heat 2-3 tsp of oil in a vessel and add onion, sauté till golden brown, remove from the heat and keep aside. Heat another 2-3 tsp of oil and add bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, black cardamoms, green cardamoms, star anise, mace, nutmeg and caraway seeds. Sauté well and remove the spices from heat and keep aside.

Wash basmati rice, add the fried spices and cook the rice and keep aside.

Heat ghee in a vessel and add the marinated chicken pieces. Cover the lid and cook till the chicken is tender. Remove lid and cook till water evaporates and chicken is left with a thick gravy. Keep aside.

Take a large vessel and spread a layer of chicken with gravy and top it with some fried onion. Spread some cooked rice on this layer. Again spread a layer of the remaining chicken with gravy and top it with some more fried onion and spread the remaining cooked rice over this layer. Top it with the remaining fried onion. Cover tightly with the lid so that the steam does not escape (I use flour dough to seal the lid tightly around the vessel). Cook on a very low flame for 10 minutes (I keep the vessel on a hot tava and cook it for 15 minutes. When cooked on indirect heat, the rice and chicken does not get burnt). Remove from the flame and serve with cucumber raita.