Aloo Mazedar

This is a simple curry where potatoes are slow cooked with spices in one pot. 

Serves 4 to 6Category - Lunch/ Dinner

Oil - 4 to 5 Tbsp

Cinnamon - 1 stick

Bay leaf - 1

White Potatoes - 5 small, cubed 

Onions - 1 finely chopped

Tomato Purée or Marinara Sauce - 1/4 cup

Red chilli Powder - 1tsp (adjust to preference)

Dhaniya Powder - 1tsp

Jeera Powder - 1tsp

Turmeric powder - 1 pinch

ginger garlic paste - 1tsp

Green Chili - 2 finely chopped (Optional)

Salt to taste

In a wok heat oil, add the whole garam masala. After few seconds add the potatoes. Cook for few minutes and later add the onions. Sauté till the onions turn soft, at this point add the tomato purée and cook further. for few minutes. Later add all the spices including ginger garlic paste and salt. Cook this till the oil floats. Add 1/2 cup water and cover the wok. Cook till the potatoes are fully cooked. Lastly add the green chillies and cover the wok for few more minutes and serve with your favorite side of rice/breads.

Vegetable Kadai - Instant Pot Recipe (One Pot Meal)

Veg Kadai needs no introduction, every Indian would know about this curry. This consists of a simple blend of spices. Goes well with rotis or any kind of Indian bread. And good for fried rice, jeera rice too!

Serves 4 to 6
Category - Lunch/Dinner

Onions - 2 (Finely chopped)
Bell peppers - 2 (Finely to medium chopped, can use colored peppers too)
Carrots - 4 (Finely chopped)
Beans - 1 cup (Finely chopped)
Peas - 1 Cup (Fresh/Frozen)
Potatoes - 2 (Finely to medium chopped)
Tomato puree - 2 cups (Add a few cashews while blending)
Ginger garlic paste - 2tsp
Oil - 2tbsp
Red Chilli powder - 1tsp (Adjust according to your spice level)
Coriander powder - 2tsp
Cumin powder - 1tsp
Gram masala powder - 1/4tsp
salt to taste
Water - 1/4 to 1/2 Cup



Switch on the IP on Sauté mode with normal, once its hot add the oil, onions n bell peppers, sauté for ten minutes or till the peppers turn a bit soft. Later add all other veggies and tomato puree, mix well. Let it cook further for five minutes. Now add the ginger garlic paste, all the spice powders... mix well after five minutes add the water n put on the lid, hit cancel button. Hit the manual mode high pressure for 5 minutes, sealing position.... Here we are doing five minutes since all veggies n masalas are a bit uncooked n this will cook perfectly at 5 minutes!

NPR after ten minutes. Open lid add salt to taste n adjust water n while doing this turn the sauté mode for five to ten minutes or until the required consistency! Just before serving add a small dollop of butter/ ghee for that extra richness (just like the restaurant style).


(Pressure cooker method - Follow the same exact steps using a pressure cooker base and at the end cook for two whistles.)

Black Eyed Peas Curry - Instant Pot

This curry is such a breeze to make it in the IP. Also this curry can be made with zero oil, suitable for weight watchers and is healthy too.

Category - Entreé / Lunch / Dinner

Serves 6 to 8

Black eyed peas (Dry) - 2 cups

Salt to taste 

Dry methi leaves (Kasuri Methi) - 1tsp (Optional)

Butter - A dollop (Optional)

Grind the following to a paste using a blender - 

Onion - 1 (Peel n roughly chopped)

Tomato - 2 Large 

Red chilli powder - 1/2 to 1tsp (Adjust accordingly)

Turmeric Powder - 1/4tsp

Dhaniya Powder - 1tsp

Jeera Powder - 1/2tsp

Ginger - 1/2 inch

Garlic - 4 Pods

Place the rinsed beans to the IP Liner and pour water two inches above it. Close the lid n set it to Manual High 10 minutes, Sealing position and follow to hit the timer option, put the timer to 1 hour. 

NPR!

Once its cooked, open the lid. Transfer the excess water to a bowl, save this for later. 

Next add in the paste (Masala). Hit the steam mode, High pressure n Normal should be the reading!

Add salt to taste and allow it to cook for ten to fifteen minutes (Consistency should build by then). Adjust the consistency by using the saved stock. 

Lastly add Dry methi n butter.  Switch off the IP and close the lid for couple of minutes. 

Ready to serve with Rice, Roti, Dosa.

Stuffed Baby Eggplant Masala (Curry) IP Version

This gravy is an authentic recipe from the south.

Serves 4 to 6
Category - Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner 

Baby eggplants - 5 to 6 (wash throughly and pat dry)

Oil - 3tbsp

Curry leaves - A few (Optional)

Dry roast separately -  

Whole dry red chillies - 4 (You can add red chili powder instead)

Poppy seeds - 1tsp

Peanuts - 2tsp

Ground to smooth paste - Add little water only

Onion - 1

Garlic - 2 pods

Ginger - 1 inch

Tomato - 1

Coconut - 2tbsp

Tamarind paste - 1 to 2 tsp

Jaggery / Brown sugar to taste

Salt to taste

Garam masala powder - 1tsp

Also Add the dry roasted red chillies, peanuts & poppy seeds.

Slit the eggplants to four sections keeping the steam intact. Fill the ground paste in between the slit eggplants n place them inside the IP liner. Pour the excess masala on the eggplants along with half cup water. Set the IP to Manual low pressure 5 minutes , The vent in sealing position. NPR.Enjoy the curry with plain white rice or dosa or chapatis.

Stuffed Eggplant Masala (Curry)

Dal Makhani (Dhaba Style)

How many of you love dal makhani?  This is typically dhaba style one!

Category - Lunch / Dinner
Serves - 4 to 6

Whole masoor dal or whole brown lentils - 1 cup (soaked 2 hours in water)

Red chori beans - 1/4 cup (soaked in water for 2 hours)

Onions - 1 chopped
Tomatoes - 1 finely chopped
Ginger garlic paste - 2tbsp

Red chilli powder or paprika - 1/4 to 1/2 tsp, adjust accordingly

Green chillies - 1 to 3 slit lengthwise, adjust accordingly

Curry masala powder - 1/4tsp (optional)

Coriander n cumin powder - 1bsp
Turmeric - 1/4tsp
Oil or butter - 3tbsp
Salt to taste
Fresh cream - 2tbsp (optional)
Kasuri methi - 1tbsp

Method -

Rinse the soaked beans together, strain n add only beans to the ip.
Now add fresh drinking water, about 3.5cups. Manual high pressure 10 mins. NR.

Once beans are cooked, remove the beans n separate the stock...

Turn the ip to sauté mode, add oil or butter, onions, let it turn pink add in the ginger garlic paste, let it brown a bit, keep stirring in between.

Once the onions are brown add green chillies n chopped tomatoes, after three minutes add in coriander n Cumin powder, red chilli powder, curry masala, turmeric. Sauté for about five mins or till oil separates. 

Add the cooked beans, mix n use the back of the ladle to mash lightly the dal. Add required stock(reserved) adjust the curry consistency, add kasuri methi...Let it cook for ten mins on low, add salt n water if required. Garnish with fresh cream.

Serve hot with your favorite Indian bread. N some onions!

Mango Chutney

Mango chutney is a tangy chutney, perfect to accompany white rice.

Serves - 4 to 6
Category - Lunch / Dinner

Raw green Mango - 1 (Finely Shredded)
Green chillies - 4 to 5 (Adjust to taste)
Coconut scrapings - 1/4 Cup
Turmeric powder - 1/4tsp
Coriander leaves - A few
Salt to taste
Oil - 4tsp
Mustard seeds - 1tsp

In a blender add mango, chillies, coconut, salt, coriander, turmeric, blend for a minute (Do not add water).  Keep aside.

In a wok heat the oil, add mustard seeds, after they pop add the blended mixture. Sauté the mixture for ten mins on low flame. Switch off the flame and serve hot with white rice.

Gowda's style Pulao

I learnt this flavorful pulao from a gowda friend, so I have named this "Gowda's Style Pulao".


Serves 4 to 5

Category - Lunch / Dinner

Cinnamon - 1 inch, 2 Pieces
Cloves - 4
Elachi / cardamom - 3 to 4
Bay leaf - 3
Turmeric - 1/4tsp
Shahi Jeera - 1/4tsp
Green chillies - 12 to 15 adjust to taste (Slit lengthwise)
Onion - 1/2 (Thinly sliced)
Tomato - 2 to 3 (Finely chopped)
Mixed veggies - 1Cup (Carrots, beans, potato, green peas; chop accordingly)
Methi leaves / Kasuri Methi - 3tbsp
Mint leaves - 1 sprig ; finely chopped
Coriander leaves - A handful , finely chopped
Lemon Juice - 1 tsp (Optional)
Basmati rice - 2Cups (Soaked in water for 1 hour before cooking, must rinse before soaking)
Oil - 8 to 10tsp


Grind to smooth paste, the following - (Add very little water)
Coconut - 1/2Cup
Nutmeg - 1/8tsp
Marathi Moggu - 2
Cinnamon - 1/2 inch one piece
Jeera - 1tsp
Cloves - 2
Elachi / cardamom  - 1
Fennel - 3/4tsp
Poppy seeds - 2tsp (Soak in warm water for 1 hour)
Ginger - 2 inches
Garlic - 5 to 7


In a cooker base add oil, once heated add the cinnamon, cloves, elachi, bay leaf, turmeric, shahi jeera and green chillies let it splatter, later add onions let it turn transparent, now add in the coriander, methi and mint. After two minutes add in the tomatoes, cook till mushy. Add the ground paste, cook till oil separates. Add the veggies sauteé for 5 minutes. Now add the soaked and drained rice. Sauteé well for five to ten minutes. Add 3 cups water and salt to taste, let the water start to boil, simmer and close a lid. Cook for about 15 to 18 minutes or till cooked, on low flame. Serve hot with raita.

Bhel Puri Chutney - A spicy green chutney used in chats

Serves one cup

Green chillies - 10 to 15 (adjust to taste, can add up to 20 for a spicy version)
Jeera - 1tsp
Coriander - A big handful
Mint - A handful
Black peppercorns - 2 to 3
Chat masala - 1tsp
Water as needed
Salt to taste

Place all the above ingredients into a blender and blend to smooth chutney consistency paste. Transfer the mixture to a clean dry air tight container and store it in the refrigerator. Just before using the paste add little water and use.

This chutney can be used in any chat preparations such as Bhel puri, Sev puri, etc.

Vegetable Biryani - cooked in pressure cooker

Vegetable biryani, pressure cooker method is easy and also saves time. Good for potlucks too.

Serves 6 to 8

Category - lunch / dinner

Soak 3 cups of basamati rice in plenty of water. (Rinse several times before soaking). I soak my rice for one hour, before cooking!

In a cooker base add 2 ladle full of oil, once it's hot add 6 cloves, 2 one inch cinnamon sticks, 2 elachi, 2 bay leaf. After 10 sec add one thinly sliced onion, once this turns pink add 2 tbsp of ginger garlic paste, 10 leaves pudina (chopped), a tsp of kasuri methi, 5 green chillies (chopped). Sauté this till the onions turn light golden brown, next add in 3 large chopped tomatoes cook till mushy.

Next add 1 1/2 tsp red chilli powder or adjust, 2 tsp dhaniya powder, 1 tsp jeera powder, 3/4 tsp garam masala powder, 1/2 tsp turmeric. Add finely chopped coriander leaves.

Next add 1 big cup of mixed veggies such as carrots, beans, peas, potato, cauliflower, sauté for 10 mins. Drain the soaked rice n add to cooker n sauté for 5 mins. Later add 4 3/4cups water, salt to taste n cook for 1whistle on medium heat.

Open after few mins n serve with raita and lemon wedges.

Variations - You can replace half quantity water with coconut milk. Makes the Biryani more tasty.
Add any combination veggies also you can add hard boiled eggs....