Lauki Kofta

Serves: 4

Ingredients:
1 small lauki (bottleguard)
1 1/2 medium onion diced
1 1/2 medium tomato diced
1 tsp ginger grated
1 tsp garlic cloves grated
1 bay leaf
1 black cardamom
2 green cardamoms
2 cloves
1 slit green chili
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ajwain (carom seeds)
Pinch of heeng (asafoetida)
2 tbsp coriander powder
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp garam masala powder
1 tbsp Madras curry powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp kasoori methi (fenugreek leaves)
4 tbsp of besan (chickpea flour)
1/4 cup of coconut milk or fresh cream
1/4 cup of cilantro finely chopped
Oil for frying
Salt to taste

Directions:

Preparing Kofta:
Wash and peel lauki (bottleguard). Grate the lauki, and mix a tsp of salt, leave it for 10 minutes. Now squeeze excess water from the grated lauki. Add 1 tsp of red chili powder, salt, ajwain, and besan to the lauki. Mix it well and make medium sized balls. Heat up oil, and fry the kofta balls until its deep brown in color.

Preparing Curry:
Heat up oil in a pan, add cumin, heeng, bay leaves, black cardamoms, green cardamoms, cloves, and green 1 chili. Let it crackle, then add onions. When onions are translucent, add grated ginger and garlic. Saute for a few seconds, add the spices - turmeric, coriander, red chili powder, garam masala powder, and curry powder. Add about 2 tbsp of water so the spices don't burn. Cook for a few seconds then add the tomatoes. Add salt, then cover and cook until the tomato is fully cooked. Add tomato sauce to make the curry thicker, let it simmer. Add about 3/4 cup of water to the pan and let it boil. Add coconut milk or fresh cream, let it simmer. Add sugar and kasoori methi to the curry, and mix it well. Add kofta to the curry, garnish with cilantro and turn off the heat. Serve with rice, roti, or naan. 

Tadka Dal

Serving Size 6

Ingredients:

1/2 cup toor dal
1/2 cup moong dal
1 tsp cumin seeds
pinch of asofoetida
1 slit green chilli
1tsp finely chopped ginger
1/2 medium onion chopped
1/2 medium tomato chopped
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp garam masala powder or Madras curry powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves finely chopped
1 tbsp lemon juice
21/2 cups water
1 tbsp ghee

Directions:
Soak toor dal and moong dal for about 20 minutes. Heat ghee in a medium sized pot or instapot. Add cumin seeds, asofoetida, green chilli and ginger. Let it splutter, add onions and saute until translucent. Add tomatoes and saute until cooked. Add the spices - turmeric, red chilli powder, garam masala powder or madras curry powder and salt. Now add dal and 2 1/2 cups of water. Let the dal cook on medium flame until its fully cooked and soft. If you are using instapot let it cook for about 8 minutes on beans settings. Once dal is done, mix it with a serving spoon. Add lemon juice and fresh coriander leaves. Serve with rice or roti.

Note: If you don't have a pressure cooker you can cook in a pan. Follow the same steps but let the dal cook for 20 minutes. Make sure it is cooked completely before you serve.

Vegetable Puff

Ingredients:
1 medium onions chopped
1 green chilli chopped
2 medium sized potato chopped
1 cup green beans chopped
3/4 cup carrots chopped
1/2 cup frozen or fresh green peas
1/4 cup cilantro chopped
Pastry Sheets, Pepperidge Farm brand
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1/2 cup paneer cut into small pieces
2 tbsp Oil

Spices:
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp amchur (dry mango) powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
Salt to taste

Directions:
1. Leave the pastry sheets out for about 40 minutes until it is thawed.
2. Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds and green chillies.
3. Add onions and saute until golden brown.
4. Add potato, green beans, and carrots. Cover and cook until it is partially cooked.
5. Add ginger garlic paste, turmeric, green peas and salt. Cover and cook on a low flame until the vegetables are tender but not overcooked.
6. Add coriander powder, red chilli powder, amchur powder, and cumin powder. Saute it so the spices are mixed properly.
7. Add paneer pieces and cilantro. Mix it well.
8. Now cut the pastry sheets in rectangular shape. Apply milk on all sides of the pastry sheet.
9. Place cooked vegetables in the center and fold it from the sides, press the edges.
9. Preheat over on 400 degrees. Bake the pastries for about 20-25 minutes or until it is golden in color.
10. Remove the pastries from the oven and serve it with tomato ketchup or coriander chutney.

Undhiyo

Ingredients:

1 large Onion chopped

1 large Tomato, grind to make a paste

1 medium sized Sweet Potato peeled and chopped in squares

1 medium sized Raw Banana, peeled and cut in rounds

100 gms fresh or frozen Surti Papdi, chopped

100 gms fresh or frozen Purple Yams (Ratalu in Hindi), peeled and cut in squares

100 gms fresh small Bringals cut in half

150 gms small Baby Potato cut in half (no need to peel the skin)

1/2 cup Green Peas fresh or frozen

1/2 cup Cilantro leaves chopped

1 packet frozen Deep Muthiya (store bought) This is optional.

Spices:

1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder

2 tsp Coriander Powder

1/2 tsp Red Chilli Powder

1/2 tsp Cumin Powder

1/2 tsp Amchur Powder

1/2 tsp Garam Masala Powder

2 tbps grated Coconut

1 tbsp Dry Kasoori Methi

1 tsp Ginger Paste

1 tsp Green Chilli Paste

1 tbsp Garlic Paste

Salt to taste

1 tsp Sugar

1 tbsp Oil 

Whole Spices for Tempering:

2 tbsp Sesame or any other oil

1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds

1/2 tsp Sesame Seeds

1-2 Bay Leaves

Directions:

1. Add water and make a paste of the following spices - Turmeric, Coriander Powder, Red Chilli Powder, Cumin Powder, Amchur Powder, Garam Masala Powder, Grated Coconut, Oil, Sugar, and Salt.

2. Mix all the vegetables together and add the Masala paste in Step1, and mix it well. 

3. Heat oil in a big pan. Add cumin seeds, bay leaves, and sesame seeds. 

4. Now add garlic, ginger, and green chilli paste. Saute for a couple of minutes.

5. Add Tomato paste. Cook till it leaves oil.

6. Add the vegetables to the pan and mix it well. 

7. Cover and cook on medium flame until the vegetables are cooked properly.

8. Follow the instructions on the packet to fry the frozen Muthiya's. Break it in halves, and add it to the cooked vegetables.

9. Add Kasoori Methi and garnish with Cilantro leaves.

10. Serve with Puri or Chapati.

Sprouted Moong

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup green whole moong (soak overnight in warm water)
1 small onion chopped
1 small green chilli (optional)
2 small chopped tomato
1/2 tsp ginger grated or paste
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cups of water
1 tbsp lemon juice
Spring of cilantro chopped
Salt to taste

How to Sprout Moong:
Wash and soak whole moong in warm water overnight. Strain the water completely and put it in an air tight container. Leave the moong to sprout for almost 12 hours, it may take longer depending on the weather. If the weather is warm, then it takes less time to sprout. After it is sprouted, it can be left in a refrigerator before it is cooked.

Directions:
Heat oil. Add cumin seeds and green chilli. Add onions and saute until translucent in color. Add ginger, turmeric powder, coriander powder, and red chilli powder. Saute for a few seconds then add tomato. Cover and cook the tomato until soft. Add Moong, salt and 2 cups of water. Cover and cook on medium heat till Moong is cooked. Make sure not to overcook it. Add lemon juice and garnish with cilantro leaves. It can be served with Roti or Rice or it can taken for breakfast or lunch.

Aloo Gobhi Matar Sabji

Ingredients:
1 medium sized cauliflower cut in florets
3 medium sized potato chopped
1 large onion chopped
2 small tomato chopped
1 tbsp ginger grated or paste
1 green chilli chopped (optional)
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 pinch of heeng (asafoetida)
3 cloves garlic paste
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp amchur powder
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
1/2 cumin powder
1 spring of cilantro chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt to taste

Directions:
Heat oil, add cumin seeds, heeng, and black mustard seeds. Let it sprinkle, then add onions. Saute onions till it is golden brown in color, Add cauliflower, potato, and turmeric powder. Mix it well, then cover and cook on medium heat till the vegetables are half cooked. Add ginger garlic paste, and saute for a few seconds. Add fresh or frozen green peas, cover and cook for a few minutes. Add turmeric, salt, red chilli, coriander, amchur, and cumin powder. Mix the spices well, cover and cook on medium heat till the vegetables are tender. Garnish with cilantro leaves. Serve with Roti (Indian bread) or Rice.

Khichari (Rice and Lentil dish)

Khichari is one of my favorite food. It is Satvic, and very light on the stomach. In Ayurveda, khichari diet is recommended for cleansing the body, it actually acts as a detox. 

Serves 4

Ingredients:

Split moog daal 1/2 cup

Basmati rice 3/4 cup
1 medium sized potato diced
1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas

7 cups of water

1 tsp turmeric powder

1/4 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp garam masala

1 tbsp ghee

Pinch of hing (asoefetida)

1 tsp cumin seed

2 cardamom whole

2 cloves whole

1 bay leaf

1 whole red chilli

Salt to taste

Directions:

1. Soak rice and moong daal for about 20 to 30 minutes.

2. Heat ghee in a pan, add cumin seeds, heeng, bay leaves, cardamom, and cloves. Let the cumin cook till it turns brown.
3. Add potato, peas, turmeric, red chilli powder, and salt. Saute for 2 minutes.
4. Strain water from the rice and daal and add it to the pan. Saute for a couple of minutes.

5. Add water, boil on medium heat till rice and daal is completely cooked. It should not be watery, but of thick consistency.

6. Once cooked, add garam masala powder and mix well.

7. Khichari is now ready to be served. You can have it with Aloo chokha (mashed potato), yogurt, papad and achar (pickles).