Black eyed peas in yoghurt sauce/ Lobia dhai curry

A soothing mild spicy gravy high in protein, folate and iron prepared in minutes.

Serving size: 2-3
Total Preparation time : 20 mins

Ingredients :
For cooking :
1 cup black eyed peas, pressured with salt
1/2 cup whipped yoghurt
1 tbpsn gram flour/besan/ chickpea flour
1 tspn turmeric powder
1 tspn kasmiri red chili powder/ paprkia
2 tbpn water of as per required consistency
Salt to taste.

For Tempering :
1tbpsn oil
6-7 curry leaves
3 green chillies slit
1 tspn mustard seeds
1 tspn cumin seeds
Pinch of asafetida.

For Garnishing :
1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves

Method :
Heat oil in a pan and temper with curry leaves, green chilies,asafetida, mustard and cumin seeds. The add the cooked black eyed peas with the whipped yoghurt and 1 tbspn gram flour/besan and season turmeric, Kashmiri red chilli powder and salt to taste. Simmer for 5 mins on low heat while stirring.Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Best served with rice or Phulkas.

Tip :
Whip the yoghurt and besan together and add to the gravy, add water as per required consistency
Add the stock from the lentils if you need to add water.

Chipotle Mexican Grill Vegetarian burrito bowl copycat recipe

This is the home made from scratch copycat version of the Chipotle veggie burrito bowl.

See hot sauce and salsa recipes included.

Serving size : 2-3

Total Preparation time : 35- 40 mins

Cooking time :20 mins.

Ingredients and Method : 

Lime Cilantro Rice :  2.5 cups steamed white rice cooked with bay leaf, 5 tspn fresh lime juice, 1 tspn lemon juice, cilantro 1/2 cup, 1/2 tspn black pepper powder, kosher salt to taste

Black beans :  Pressure cooked 1/2 cup black beans with 1 cup water, oil, black pepper, salt, 1/2 tspn cumin powder and a bay leaf. Sauté 2 tbspn chopped Yellow Onion, garlic paste/ 2 chopped garlic cloves, and 1 Chipotle Chile/ jalapeño. Add the beans and mix with Oregano and lemon Juice. 

Green bell peppers Fajita : sauté 1 sliced red onion and 1 sliced green bell pepper on high heat in olive oil, add lime juice and kosher salt.

Tomato salsa( mild) : 1 cup chopped ripened Roma tomatoes, 1/2 finely chopped red onion, 1 finely chopped jalapeño, 2 tbspn chopped cilantro, 2 tspn lime/ lemon juice, and salt.

Roasted Chili-Corn salsa ( Medium) :  Mix 1 cup steamed sweet corn kernels, with 2tbspn chopped red onion, 1 japaleno finely chopped, 1 tbspn chopped and roasted large poblano pepper, 1 tbspn lime juice, 1 tbspn chopped cilantro, salt to taste.

Tomatillo-Green Chili salsa ( medium) : Grind together in a blender 1/2 fire-roasted large Tomato, 2 fire- roasted Tomatilloes, 1 roasted Jalapeño, Salt, 1 tbspn lime juice, 1/4 tspn toasted Cumin powder, 2 Garlic cloves, 1/2 tspn Black Pepper, 2 tbspn chopped Red Onion, 1 tbspn chopped Cilantro, a pinch of Mexican Oregano, vinegar and sugar (optional) 

Tomatillo-Red Chili salsa ( Hot) : Sauté 2 chopped Tomatillos with 2 cloves of garlic, 1/4 tspn cumin and Salt. Add 2 Chile de Arbol (chillies), 1/2 tspn Black Pepper, 1 tbspn Red Tabasco® Sauce and grind in a blender with 1 tbspn water. 

Guacamole : 1 mashed Avocado nicely whipped with salt, and 1 tspn lime juice. Mixed with 1 tbspn finely chopped Red Onion ,1/2 tspn finely chopped Jalapeño. 1 tspn Cilantro. 

Sour cream: whipped milk and cream or whipped ready sour cream

Cheese: Shredded  jack pepper cheese or Parmesan cheese

Lettuce : Blanched romaine lettuce

Sauces: Chiptole Tabasco red pepper sauce, Chiptole Tabasco green pepper sauce 

Spicy pumpkin triangles

Serving size : 3-4 

Total preparation time : 20 mins 

Tangy and sweet appetizers rich in vitamin A.

Method and Ingredients:

Pumpkin pieces cut into thin triangles and marinated for 20 mins with salt, turmeric, lime juice, paprika/ chilli powder, black pepper and cumin powder. Pan fried with ghee/ oil till crisp. Best served with green mint chutney or tomato ketchup. Can be had as a fasting food.( Garlic and ginger paste optional, Mango powder/ Amchoor can be added instead of lime juice) 

Chinese Vegetable egg fried rice

Serving 4-5

Total preparation time : 40 mins 

Ingredients :

1 cup raw rice, cook only 70% with salt and veg stock/ chicken broth. ( evenly separated grains and not sticky)  (See Homemade veg stock recipe)

4 eggs, well beaten, scramble with oil and set aside. 

Veggies to sauté: 

6 finely chopped green beans 

1/2 cup green peas

1 cup finely chopped carrots

1/2 cup finely chopped celery 

1 cup finely chopped green onion

1/2 cup white onion/ white part of green onion

3 tbspn finely chopped garlic

1 tbspn finely grated ginger

Seasoning :

1 tspn sugar 

2 tspn black pepper 

1 tbspn rice vinegar

1 tbspn chilli sauce 

2.5-3 tbspn dark soya sauce

Salt to taste 

Garnishing : 

3 tbspn finely chopped green onion

2 tbspn grated carrot

A few roasted peanuts deskinned. 

To cook :

Sesame oil  3 tbspn

2 cups water or 1 cup veg/ chicken stock to cook the rice 

Method 

Heat a nonstick large skillet/ pan on high heat with 1 tbspn oil, add ginger, garlic and black pepper. Then stir fry with white onions and set aside in the bowl with the scrambled egg. Now take another 1 tbspn oil in the same pan, add rest of the veggies one by one and stir fry on high heat till partly cooked.( don't overcook). Adjust the heat to low, add the rest of the seasoning and simmer for 2 mins. Add cooked rice, the egg and sautéed ginger, garlic and onion. Mix well without breaking the rice and cook covered for 3 mins. Mix well 2-3 times and garnish with green onion, carrots and peanuts. Serve immediately with your choice of stir fry/ curry. 

Tips:

-Rice should not be over cooked, use straining method if using water.

-Add easily cooking veggies like celery, bell peppers last while you sauté and cook veggies till crispy.

-Setting aside the sautéed onion garlic and ginger doesn't let it overcook along with the veggies.

- If adding chicken/ shrimp or tofu, marinate it with rice wine, rice vinegar, soya sauce black pepper and salt, sauté it and set aside before starting. 

Homemade Vegetable stock

Method and Ingredients :

Heat 2 tbspn butter or olive oil in a large stock pot, add 1 bay leaf, 1 clove,2 pepper corns and sauté freshly grated/chopped 1 inch ginger, 3 garlic cloves and 1/2 med sized onion. 

Then add finely chopped veggies - 

1/2 cup celery, 

1/4th cup carrots, 

1/4th cup green beans, 

1/4cup tomatoes,

1/4 cup green peas,

1/4 cup cabbage, 

1/4 cup cauliflower, 

1/4 cup capsicum.

2 tbspn cilantro 

Now add 2 cups water, salt and cook covered on high heat for 15mins. Check if all veggies have becomes mushy and that the water has changed it's color. Add more water if needed and simmer for another 5 minutes. Strain and use/refrigerate to store once cooled.

Tips:

You can also add cinnamon powder, Italian herbs like oregano, thyme, basil, parsley etc.

You can use the veggy residue after straining for making cutlets or purée it and use it in soups/sauces and gravies. Without straining it becomes a veg clear soup ready to serve.

Dont miss out on onion, celery, tomato, and cabbage as it's the essence of a good tasty stock

Add potatoes pieces if you want a thick stock. 

Pressure cooking will be fast but not nutritious and healthy, slow cooking and simmering is recommended for best taste.

Egg drop masala

Serving size : 4

Total preparation time : 5 mins 

Total cooking time : 30 mins

Ingredients :

2 medium sized onions, finely chopped 

2 large tomatoes, finely chopped 

2 jalapeños or 3 thai green chilies finely chopped

2 inch fresh ginger grated

8 garlic cloves finely chopped

2 tbspn oil 

Salt to taste 

3 tbspn water

1/2 cup coconut milk 

8 whole raw eggs 

1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves chopped 

1.5 tsp cumin seeds

1 tspn Everest garam masala

1/4 tspn black pepper powder

1 tspn coriander powder

1/2 tspn cumin powder

1/2 tspn cinnamon powder

1.5 tbspn paprika powder/ Kashmiri Degi mirch powder 

Method : 

Heat oil in large heavy bottom broad saucepan. Add cumin seeds and let them splatter. Add green chilies and ginger garlic. Once fried, add onions and little salt only for onions. Fry onions till golden brown and add tomatoes. Cook till tender. Add all the spice powders and cook covered on medium heat for 2 mins. Stir and add 3 tbspn water and cook covered on high eat for another 3 minutes till spices are well cooked making sure it doesn't get burnt at the bottom. Add coconut milk and simmer for another 2 minutes. Now on low heat, break the eggs one by one into the spice mix making sure the egg yolks are separated and not on top of each other. Once all eggs are added, sprinkle some salt over the eggs and immediately cover without stirring or disturbing the eggs. Simmer covered for 5 minutes. Top it with coriander leaves and cook covered for another 2 minutes. Take the spoon and carefully try to scoop each and every egg making sure it's not stuck at the bottom,and properly cook,  do not press/ stir but carefully try to separate all the eggs. Once all eggs are cooked, serve hot over steamed rice or with Phulkas. 

Tri color rotini with broccoli and fire roasted red bell pepper sauce.

Serving size : 2

Total preparation time : 30 mins 

Cooking time : 20 mins

Ingredients : 

3 cups boiled tri color rotini pasta with salt. 

3-4 large red bell peppers, fire roasted chopped or chopped and sautéed on high heat till slightly burnt on the sides and mushy. 

2 cups broccoli florets steamed with salt. 

1/2 white onion finely chopped

4 garlic cloves finely chopped

1 tbspn fresh parsley leaves

1 cup veg stock

Salt to taste

1 tbspn butter

1 tspn olive oil

1 tspn Black pepper powder

1 tspn dried/ fresh finely chopped basil 

Grated cheese as desired.

Method: 

Heat butter in a pan, add the garlic and onion with salt and sauté till transparent. Now add the chopped roasted bell peppers, and half of the parsley leaves. Mix well and blend into a purée. Now heat olive oil in the same pan, add the puréed red bell pepper mix, add veg stock, black pepper and simmer covered for 10mins. Add more water or stock for the desired thickness and consistency.Stir in intervals as the sauce leaves the sides of the pan, sprinkle fresh basil on top. Check salt and spice and adjust as desired. You can add the hot boiled pasta at this stage and mix it well in the sauce, add the steamed broccoli and serve topped with grated cheese. 

Tip : Use dark red peppers to get a deep red color. Fire roast the bell peppers on a flame and then blanch it for better aroma and taste. 

Caesar salad

Serving size: 2
Total Preparation time :10 mins

Ingredients : 

4-6 Romaine lettuce leaves blanched or torn by hand.

1/2 Stalk celery chopped 

3 baby carrots chopped

4 cherry tomatoes or 1 small chopped salad tomato 

1 sliced pink radish

1 cup butter garlic croutons

1 tbspn grated Parmesan cheese.

Dressing : 

1 tspn garlic powder

1 tspn freshly grounded black pepper powder 

1 tbspn Olive oil 

1 tbspn lime juice 

Salt to taste

1 Raw beaten egg white ( optional)

Method: 

Toss all the ingredients together and serve immediately. 

Minestrone soup with tri color rotini pasta, beans and vegetables

Serving size :4

Cooking time 15 mins.
Total Preparation time : 45- 60 mins

Ingredients :

1/4 cup pre soaked and boiled kidney beans 

1/4 cup pre soaked and boiled black eyed peas
1 cup boiled tri color rotini pasta

3-4 cups home made veg stock

1 tbspn tomato purée

1 zucchini chopped into cubes

3-4 baby carrots finely chopped

1/2 finely chopped med sized white onion

1 stalk of celery chopped

3 cloves garlic finely chopped

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

1 tspn finely chopped fresh basil leaves.

1 tspn black pepper powder

Salt to taste

1 tbspn butter

1 tspn olive oil

1/2 tspn oregano and thyme

Method:
Heat butter in a stock pot, add the garlic and  onion and sauté. Add the celery, zucchini and carrots with salt and black pepper and sauté for 1 min. Now add the veg stock and tomato purée and bring it to a boil. Add the boiled kidney beans and black eyed peas along with the pasta, the fresh parsley, basil, thyme and oregano and add more water/ stock if needed. Simmer for another 2 mins. Serve hot topped with grated cheese and fresh herbs. 

Methi Murg/ Fenugreek chicken drumsticks

Serving size :4-5

Cooking time : 30 mins.
Total preparation time : 60 mins
Marinade Time : 4-8 hours.

Ingredients :

For the marinade:

6 skinless chicken drumsticks

1 tbspn sour cream

2 tbspn yogurt

1 tspn oil 

1 tspn turmeric

1 tspn Reshampatti red chilli powder

1 tspn roasted coriander cumin powder

1 tspn home made garam masala

1 tspn salt 

2 tbspn kasoori methi 

For the fried masala paste : 

1 tbspn oil 

2 bay leaves

1 tspn shahi jeera

1 tbspn paprika/ Kashmiri red chilli powder 

2 purple onions finely chopped

2 small ripe tomatoes finely chopped

7 cloves of garlic finely chopped

1 inch ginger finely chopped

1-1.5 cups kasoori methi leaves

1 cup water.

Salt to taste

Method :
Marinade the chicken overnight or atleast for 4 hours. Heat oil in a wide saucepan and temper with shahi jeera and bay leaves. Sauté the ginger, garlic and onion one by one. Once transparent add the tomatoes, turmeric and salt  and simmer for 15mins on low heat  stiring at intervals till saucy. Grind this into a purée and set aside. Now in the same pan add more oil, and cook the marinated chicken along with the methi leaves for 5mins. Once the chicken is tender and oil starts to leave  the sides, mix in the masala paste and simmer for another 5mins. Add water if required to make a thick gravy. Stir in intervals and simmer for another 2 mins. Serve hot with roti/ Phulkas or garlic naan.

Vegetable pulav

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

Ingredients :
1 cup basmati rice presoaked for 10 mins
2 cups water.
2 tbsn chopped onion.
2 tbspn chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped green capsicum/bell peppers
1/2 cup cauliflower florets
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped green beans
6-8 garlic cloves. minced
1 tspn ginger paste/ 1 inch grated ginger
2 red chilies
1/8 tspn turmeric
1 inch cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
1 black cardamom
2 cloves
2-3 star anise petals.
3 black pepper corns
1 tspn cumin seeds
1 maggi/knorr vegetable stock seasoning cube

Method :
Heat oil on medium oil in a pressure cooker. Once the oil is hot,add the whole spices and chilies. Saute them for 30 secs and add the ginger and garlic followed by the chopped onion. Add the turmeric. Once the onion is transparent add the rice and saute for 2 mins on medium heat. Now add all the chopped veggies and mix well. Add the water and mix in the vegetable stock cube. Mix well and close the pressure cooker lid and cook until 2 whistles on medium heat. Once the steam is out, remove the rice and transfer to a serving bowl. Serve hot with yoghurt or pickle.

Tip :
Do not skip caulifower, green beans, carrot and capsicum in this recipe. You could add more veggies of your choice.You could use vegetable stock instead of the water and skip the veg stock cube.