Tips for garam masala

- Add garam masala only after curry is cooked. This will retain the taste and colour of vegetable.

- Roast ingredients of garam masala before grinding to enhance its flavour and taste. It also grinds easily in rainy season.

Tips

Figs is good for health, especially in rainy season.

Stuffed Karela and Onion Curry

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:
Karela (Bitter guard): 6 small pieces
Mustard Oil: 2 tablespoon
Onions: 4 medium size

For Stuffing:

Onions: 2 medium size, ground
Turmeric powder: 1 teaspoon
Coriander seeds: 3 teaspoon

Cumin seeds: 1 teaspoon

Chilly powder: 1 teaspoon

Fennel seeds: 1/2 teaspoon

Aamchur powder: 1 teaspoon
Salt: to taste

Method:
Peel karela and break them open in the middle vertically for stuffing.
Dry roast coriander, fennel and cumin seeds together and grind them and mix with all other ingredients of stuffing together to make a thick paste.

Add stuffing to karela and close the opening using a thread or tooth pick.Heat mustard oil in a pan till starts leaving smoke.
Now remove from the burner and keep it aside for cooling for 5 minutes.Add stuffed karelas one by one to the pan and place it on the burner again.
Turn karelas as they are being cooked.
Add full medium size onions cut into four part without breaking after karelas are half cooked. After 20 minutes or so, karela will be fully cooked from all sides.
Serve hot with chapatis or plain prathas.

Tip:

1. To remove bitterness from karela, smear salt after peeling them and keep it aside in a slanting dish for 1 hour.

2. Replacing aamchur powder with fresh raw mango paste gives a different taste.

Corn Coriander Soup

Cooking time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

Fresh corn (Bhutta): 1

Coriander leaves: 50 gm

Corn flour: 1 tablespoon

Amul Butter: 1 tablespoon

Soya sauce: 1 teaspoon

Black pepper: 1 teaspoon crushed

Milk: 2 tablespoon

Vegetables for garnish: Carrot, Cauliflower, beans finely chopped

Fresh Milk cream for garnishing

Water: 4 cups

Salt: to taste

Method:

Remove corn seeds and grind them coarsly.

Add water and corn in pressure cooker till 3 whistles.

Grind coriander along with its stem.

Mix ground coriander in the cooked corn and boil for 5 mins.

Now add corn flour after mixing in a little water.

Add black pepper and salt and boil for another 5 minutes.

Add soya souce, chopped and boiled vegetables and butter and boil for 2 more minutes.

Garnish with fresh milk cream and serve hot.

Variation:

Corn flour and butter can be replaced with white sauce (made of maida [1 teaspoon] and butter [2 tablespoon]) to add extra flavour.

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Custard with Milk Cream

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:
Custard Powder: 4 tablespoon
Milk: 1 litre
Fresh Milk Cream: 1/2 cup
Sugar: 5 tablespoon
Fruits: Banana, Apply, Pomegranade or any other seasonal fruit.

Method:
Boil milk till it reduces to 1/3rd. Add sugar to it.
Mix custard powder in water and add it to the boilling milk and stir to avoid formation of lumps, for 2-3 minutes.
Leave it to cool to room temperature and then add fresh cream.
Keep custard in refrigerator to chill.
Add fruits 15 minutes before serving.

Variation:

When custard is in room temperature, divide it into two halves. Pour first half in a serving dish and let it set in refrigerator for 1/2 an hour. Now form a layer of rex strawberry jelly on the top it and another layer of remaining half portion of custard and let the whole mixture set in the refrigerator again.

Dal Makhani

Photo by Raj (son-in-law)

Cooking time: 1 hr

Ingredients:
Urad Dal: 1/2 cup
Rajma: 1/2 cup
Onion: 1 cup chopped
Ginger: 1 inch piece grated
Garlic: 7-8 flakes chopped

Tomato: 1 cup puree
Chilli Powder: 1 teaspoon
Ghee: 2 tablespoon
Fresh milk cream: 3 tablespoon

Milk: 1/2 cup

Garam masala: 1/2 teaspoon
Coriander leaves

Method:
Soak together rajma, and urad dal overnight.
Wash and pressure cook for 35 mins. Add ginger and garlic paste while pressure cooking.
Now take a pan and heat ghee in it, add onions and chillies and saute for 2-3 minutes till onions are golden brown.
Add tomatoes and red chilli powder and cook till tomatoes are cooked and masala is cooked.
Add boiled dal; cook for 1 min, now add salt and coriander leaves, garam masala and fresh milk cream and cook on low heat for 5 mins.
Garnish with coriander and fresh milk cream before serving.
Serve with roti, naan, paranthas or rice with salad and raita.

Tip: To give a good flavor, add milk to the boiled dal and cook for 5 mins.