Cabbage stir fry with roasted split chickpeas

Serving size : 4
Total preparation time : 7 mins
Cooking time : 8-10 mins

Ingredients :
1/2 medium size cabbage, finely chopped
4 green chilies. finely chopped
5 curry leaves
1 tspn cumin seeds
1tspn mustard seeds
A pinch of asafetida
1 tspn Salt
1 tbspn oil
1 tbspn roasted split bengal gram/ roasted split chickpeas (Daliya/chana dal)


Method :
Heat oil on medium heat in a saucepan or wok. Once the oil reaches its boiling point, add the cumin seeds, mustard seeds and asafetida and let it splatter. Then add the curry leaves, the green chilies followed by the roasted gram. Stir fry till well browned and then add the cabbage, salt and turmeric and mix well. Stir fry this on medium heat for 5 mins. Once the cabbage is tender stir fry occasionally with the heat on low for another 2 mins. Turn off the heat and serve hot with rotis or chapaties.

Whole brown lentils with potatoes/ Aloo masoor dal

Serving size :4
Total preparation time :10 mins
Cooking time 10 mins

Ingredients :

1 cup sabut masoor/ whole brown lentils
4 garlic cloves, minced.
1/2 inch ginger, minced
5 curry leaves
4 green chilies, finely chopped
2 small tomatoes, finely chopped
2 potatoes, cut into wedges.
1/2 cup coriander leaves, finely chopped
1 tspn cumin seeds
1 tspn mustard seeds
A pinch of  asafetida
1/2 tspn coriander powder
1/4 tspn turmeric
1 tspn salt
1 tbsp ghee/ oil


Method :
Wash and pressure cook the lentils with 3 cups water for 2-3 whistles. Heat oil/ghee in a saucepan on medium heat and temper with mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafetida, and curry leaves. Add the ginger, garlic green chilies and turmeric and cook for a minute. Add the tomatoes and potatoes along with salt. Let it simmer for 2 mins and then add 1 cup water and cook on high heat for around 5 mins until the tomatoes are mushy and the potatoes are soft forming a tangy tomato gravy. Add coriander powder followed by the boiled lentils at this stage. Stir well and then top it up with coriander leaves. Simmer for another 2 mins on medium heat and turn off the heat. Serve hot topped with ghee with white steamed rice or roti.


Tip :
You can add chopped onions to this or avoid garlic as well to make it a pure veg recipe.
You can use presoaked sprouted lentils instead of directly pressure cooking whole unsoaked lentils.
This recipe can be prepared with green gram (moong), turkish gram (moth) or a combination of various lentils.
You can add garam masala to this to give it a spicy flavor.

Bread potato rolls

Crispy fried potato bread rolls make a mouthwatering tea time snack with Indian spicy flavors blending the crunchiness of the bread on the outside and the softness of the mashed potato on the inside.

Serving size : 8 bread rolls
Total preparation time : 20 mins
Cooking time : 15 mins

Ingredients :
2 medium size potatoes
4 bread slices
1/4 cup green peas
1 finely chopped/minced green chili
1 tspn ginger paste
1/4 cup chopped onion (optional)
1/4 tspn cumin seeds
1/2 tspn red chilli powder
1/2 tspn mango powder/amchoor
1/4 tspn coriander and cumin powder (optional)
1 tbspn finely chopped coriander leaves
1/2 tspn salt
1 tspn oil
2 cups oil to deep fry
A bowl of water

Method :
Boil, peel and mash the potatoes to get around 1 cup mashed potato. Trim the edges of the bread slices cut them into two pieces each ( rectangular pieces). Heat oil in a skillet and temper the cumin seeds along with green chili and ginger. Add the onions, green peas and stir, followed by the mashed potatoes, coriander leaves,salt and the spices. Turn off the heat and mix well. Taste the mixture to check the salt and spice level.

Take some oil on your palm, and take 1.5 tspn of this stuffing for each ball and make the oval balls ready. Now take the bread slices and a bowl of water to start making the bread rolls. Wet only one side of the bread by dipping in the water and then press and squeeze out the excess water by holding the bread slice between your palms. This is to make the bread moist and hold the filling. Now place the oval potato ball in the center of the moist bread on your palm and overlap the bread slice over the ball to mould it in oval shape and lock it completely. Make the other rolls one by one in this fashion and let them sit for around 5 minutes for water evaporation before frying which will help them become crispier and yet less oily.

Heat oil in a deep frying pan on medium heat. Once the oil reaches its boiling point, drop a few rolls one by one without overlapping each other and deep fry till golden brown. Fry them evenly turning occasionally on medium heat and make sure not to burn them, removing from heat within 2-3 minutes. Place these on a paper towel to remove excess oil. Serve hot with coriander mint chutney and date and tamarind chutney.

Tips :
The stuffing should be spicier and saltier than your prefer as after the bread coat it will taste milder.
You can skip the onion to make it a pure veg dish or add garlic too for better taste.
The bread should be firm, the size of the roll will depend on the size of the bread.
The bread should not be too moist with water or it will absorb too much oil.

Cucumber and mint raita/ Cucumber and mint Yoghurt

Cucumber mint raita gives a soothing feeling on the throat with its refreshing yet cooling effect. This is a mild raita recipe that only has the astringent tingling flavor of ground fresh black pepper balancing with the sweetness of sugar and the sour and salty hint given by rock salt.

Serving size : 4
Total preparation time : 8 mins

Ingredients :

1 cup thick yoghurt
1 cup water
1/2 cup shredded cucumber
2 tbspn finely chopped mint leaves
1 tspn sugar
1/2 tspn freshly ground black pepper powder
1/8 tspn rock salt
Salt to taste.

Method :
Whip the yoghurt and water together with a whisk. Add all the spices and seasoning and mix well. Lastly add the cucumber and mint and stir. Serve chilled.