Makhani Rajma…Kidney Beans in a Makhani Gravy

 

 

hi!

Makhani gravy is one of the most popular gravy’s from North India. I make various versions of this gravy and one can check out more options here and here.

Today I’m posting an extremely delicious and finger-licking curry which my family thoroughly enjoyed. If you enjoy restaurant style food, this gravy is a must try. S loved it to the core and demanded more of it. Sadly I could not provide him more as whenever I try something new I make a small batch and if we like it  I make more again. Surely the next time I make this I will make it more.

The gravy is delicately flavoured and is a winner in itself. I used rajma/kidney beans to bring about some innovation and I must admit that the beans go very well with this gravy. It’s an excellent side dish for a north Indian party.

To read step by step, how the basic makhani gravy was made, read here.

 

Ingredients

basic makhani gravy

a cup of cooked kidney beans

2tbsp of cream for garnish

powdered roasted kasoori methi

Method

Take the basic makhani gravy (prior to adding cream) in a pan and bring it to a boil. Add the kidney beans and cook on low flame. Now add the cream and switch off the flame.

Garnish with cream and powdered kasoori methi.

Serve hot with Naan or Jeera Rice.

Sending this to my event ‘Only’ Curries guest hosted by Kamalika and also MLLA41 guest hosted by Simona and is the brainchild of Susan.

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Sarson-Aloo ka Saag

Hi.

With the onset of winter one can see the market getting flooded with greens, though this year because of floods there’s no overflow of greens yet but one can see some sight of greens surely. So when my regular veggie vendor asked  me for mustard greens, I nodded happily and picked up a small bunch.

Sarson ka Saag and Makke di roti is one of the most popular searched items  from my space and I can assure you that the recipe is a winner and I have tried to explain the entire procedureit in great detail.  I will surely post another version of the saag later, but today, I post a simple combination of these flavorful greens with potato. This tastes best  again with  makke ki roti but also with plain steamed rice. I normally do  not add tomatoes to these leaves but for a change I used them and was extremely happy with the result, but of course I would not add them to my sarson ka saag. 

Ingredients

a bunch of mustard greens

2 potatoes cubed

1/2 tomato

2 onions chopped

4-5 garlic pods

4-5 green chilies

a piece of ginger

1 tbsp tomato paste

ghee for cooking

some cumin seeds

red chilies for tempering

1/4 tsp turmeric

1 tbsp coriander pwd

a large pinch garam masala (optional)

a pinch of asafetida

Method

Wash the greens and chop finely. Mix 3-4 garlic pods, green chilies and ginger and pressure cook with a cup of water. I was in a hurry so used the pressure cooker method. Best is to blanch the greens and then grind it to keep the green color intact, check out the sarson da saag post for that.

Cool and grind to a paste.

Heat a tbsp of ghee and add the onions and brown them.

Add the chopped tomato and potato. Add salt to taste.

Add the tomato paste and mix.

Add the turmeric and coriander pwd and saute for a few seconds. Cover and cook till potatoes are done.

Once the potatoes are done, mix the mustard greens paste. Add half a cup of water and some garam masala (optional).

Heat another tablespoon of ghee/oil and add cumin seeds, once they crackle add one finely chopped garlic, asafetida and 2 red chilies. Pour this tempering on the curry.

Mix and serve immediately.

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Paneer Makhanwala

Hi!

Cottage Cheese/Paneer is an all time favorite with my kids especially my younger one. I keep trying various preparations with it so that it can be enjoyed every time we eat. One can surely read many recipes with this versatile product here in my space.

When I say it is versatile it means that it can be used to make curry, starters, desserts etc. Since it has quite a plain taste, as a foodie we can play with many flavors and spices with it. I personally like my curry a little spicy. This particular preparation is quite simple to prepare and does not need any special ingredient and surely tastes good. S, who is on a diet could not stop asking for more of this. As for my younger one he could not resist it and had an early dinner and loved eating it.

For the simplest of the curry to get the right flavor I insist that the masala be roasted properly, that surely is the key to any curry and I am quite patient about it, I surely do not compromise on that. I might use low oil while roasting/bhuno the masala but I ensure that it’s well cooked and the aroma spread out. When I was roasting the masala for this curry, my elder one had just come back from school and the first question he asked is “What are you making?” I could smell the masala at the main gate. Now the main gate is about 40m from my place but as the masala was well roasted the aroma had spread out. Check out this simple but amazingly tasty curry and yes, well roasted too!!!

Ingredients

250gms Cottage Cheese/Paneer cut into cubes

3 onions roughly chopped

1/2 tsp cumin

4-5 garlic pods

1/2” piece ginger

2-1/2  tbsp Tomato Paste

2 tbsp Kasoori Methi

1 tsp degi mirch

1 tsp red chili pwd

1 tbsp coriander pwd

2 tbsp fresh cream

1/2 tsp garam masala (mine is verry strong)

1/4 tsp of turmeric pwd

salt to taste

oil for cooking

Method

Grind together onion, ginger, garlic and cumin together.

Heat about 2 tbsp oil and add the onion paste and saute on low flame till it’s cooked.

 

Meanwhile in a shallow pan in few tsp oil roast the cottage cheese cubes on either side till golden brown.

To the onion paste add the tomato paste and mix thoroughly.

Add salt to taste, both the chili pwds, turmeric and garam masala and cook till oil separates.

 

Add about 1-1/2 cups water and bring the curry to a boil.

 

Add the cream, simmer and cook.

Finally add the Paneer and kasoori methi and cook for about 5 mins.

Garnish with some cream and grated paneer and serve hot with roti/ naan or jeera rice.

Sending this to Flavours Of Punjab hosted by me, an event started by Nayna of Simply.food

Also reposting Flambeed Capsicum in Red Gravy without any Liquor

Paneer- Kaju Pasanda and Garlic Naan

Paneer Dilkhush

Dhaba Style Palak Paneer

Kadhai Paneer

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No Oil Chana Masala and Instant Whole Wheat- Bread Bhatura

Hi Friends!

The food from the state of Punjab is extremely popular throughout India and one can find many restaurants catering to this world famous cuisine. I am sure everyone  is fond  of the world famous combo food Chana-Bhatura but as it’s high on oil and calories we eat that once in a while.

Today I share this extremely popular combo food recipe cooked in my style and in a healthy way. I guess all Indian food blogs will surely have the recipe to this, so one might ask, what’s new here?

New is that, I have still not read any one contributing to a NO OIL CHANA, yes this recipe has absolutely ZERO OIL but is high on taste and one surely does not miss out the oil factor.

I had learnt this recipe from my colleague who is a Punjabi Sikh. She would bring this in her lunch box and we all used to love it. When I had asked her for the recipe, I was shocked and surprised to hear that it had absolutely no oil, as one can’t make out that difference. I found it a very unusual recipe, very healthy, low on calories and still scrumptious….unbelievable, right?!?!  Do try this and then believe it. As for me, as I finished cooking S entered the kitchen saying, “What are you cooking? It’s smelling good” .

A normal bhatura is made with refined flour and yogurt and the process of fermentation takes 3-4 hrs. This Bhatura recipe is my Mom’s. I have repeatedly mentioned that she is a marvelous cook and I still can’t match the speed with which she cooks. My Mom uses bread which has natural yeast in it so it helps fermenting fast and the bhatura can be rolled in half an hour after the dough is kneaded.

I have always found Bhatura made in this  way is crispy, does not soak the oil  and also  it does not turn chewy on becoming cold unlike the regular bhaturas. One can make this completely with refined flour but being a health conscious Mom I replaced the Apf largely and made a whole wheat version.

The Combo made in this fashion becomes a healthier substitute to the normally high fattening version. So next time you are scared on binging chana-bhatura try my method and you will never regret.

Normally after eating Chana-Bhatura for lunch I would have skipped my dinner too, as I find it very heavy to digest. But today with this version I was hungry by 4 PM to have some snacks. This version is surely easy to digest and light on the stomach.

 

Ingredients For NO OIL Chana

4 hand full of Chana/ Garbanzo soaked overnight
a tsp salt salt
a pinch of cooking soda
spices
3 black cardamom
a cinnamon stick
3-4 green cardamom
6-7dry amla/gooseberry pieces
Fresh Whole Spice Masala
1-1/2 tsp carom seeds/ajwain
3-4 tbsp coriander seeds
3 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp rock salt
1 tsp white pepper pwd
2 tsp red chili pwd
1 tsp kashmiri chili pwd
1/2 tsp clove pwd
3 tsp anardana pwd
1-1/2 tsp amchoor pwd
1 tsp ginger pwd
& like I said – NO OIL
Method
Soak Chana/garbanzo overnight.
In a pressure cooker take the soaked chana,  cooking soda, salt, green and black cardamom, cinnamon and dry amla. Cook it on a high flame till the first whistle then simmer and cook for 20 mins.
The chana should be cooked soft. When the pressure drops remove the whole spices and amla.
Roast the carom, coriander and cumin seeds. Grind it along with the other ingredients mentioned under whole spice masala.
Add this to the cooked chana and mix properly. Now using back side of the ladle crush some chana. Add a cup of water and cook this on low flame for another 15-20 mins or till the chana absorbs the masala.
Sprinkle some finely chopped onion on the chana and serve hot with the Bhatura.



Ingredients for Whole Wheat-Bread Bhatura
8-10 bread slices
3 cups APF
2 cups Wheat Flour
1 tsp salt
water
Method

Remove the edges of the bread and soak it in water and mash it into a smooth paste ( I used my food processor).

Add the salt and both the flours. Using water knead a soft dough, cover it with a lid and leave it to rise for half an hour in a warm place.

Heat oil in a pan (use medium high).

Take a small portion of the dough (as big as ping pong ball).

Grease the dough ball lightly and on a marble slab pat it into a 6inch circle, 3-4 mm thick (Like poori). If you find patting difficult, one can use a rolling pin.

Lift it gently and slide it into the frying pan, check that the oil is not extremely hot, else one can see the bhatura browning instantly.

Using a slotted spoon fry the bhatura and let it puff evenly.

Remove on a kitchen towel.

Serve hot with Chana.

I am sending this recipe to My Legume Love Affair started by Susan and hosted by Siri's Corner.

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Sprouted Masoor Pilaf and Restaurant Style Punjabi Dal Fry

Hi!

There are days when you do not want to cook elaborately but the taste buds demand for tasty food. An option would be to make a one pot meal, another option can be to order out but this time I did not do either of that, I utilized things in my refrigerator and did cook an wholesome  combination. Today I am writing about a very interesting, extremely tasty and a healthy combo.

A few days back when everyone in the family had left for school and office, I finished my morning chores and sat down quietly on my bed. My thoughts took me back to about 20 yrs back when I was still a school going girl and my Mavshi (maternal aunt) and cousins had come to stay with us at my Mom’s place and all of us had gone to see the dam. While returning back it rained heavily and we had fun in rain and then played antakshari while we drove back home.

After reaching home, everyone was tired and the ladies in the house were surely in no mood to cook elaborately. My aunt initiated to cook and introduced us to this simple pilaf using Masoor while my Mom made the raita and fried some crispies.

I was suddenly extremely excited remembering this Pilaf and wanted to try it immediately. Though my aunt had used masoor directly, I thought of sprouting them to make the preparation more healthy. Along with the pilaf I made S’s all time favorite Punjabi Dal Fry or Dal Tadka. Whenever we go to eat out in North Indian restaurants, DH prefers to order this and the last few times the dal was not up to his taste, so I decided to pamper his taste buds.

The dal turned out extremely tasty and everyone was asking for more of it. S’s compliment was the best …he said, this beats any of these Punjabi restaurant preparation!!! So, if you are in a mood to try restaurant style, err sorry better than that dal fry, do try this, I will vouch for the taste! Pilaf is very light to eat and has no heavy flavors. We just loved it for it’s simplicity.

                                              Sprouted Masoor

Ingredients for  Sprouted Masoor Pilaf

2-1/2 katori basmati rice
4 handfuls of Masoor sprouts
3 medium onions sliced
3-4 green chilies
a tsp shahjeera
mixed spices-
3-4 bay leaves
5-6 cloves
2 inch pieces cinnamon
4-5 green cardamom
3-4 black cardamom
salt to taste
oil for cooking


Method to make Pilaf

1. Heat oil in the pan and add the shahjeera, once it crackles, tip in the  mixed spices and let them crackle.

2. Add the green chilies, followed by sliced onions ( I used 2 onions here, 1 onion was fried to garnish later).

3. Add the sprouts and mix properly. Also add in the salt as per taste.

4. Wash and  soak the rice for 15 mins. Drain the water in a separate utensil and add this rice to the sauted onions and mix lightly for about 2-3 mins.

5. Add the drained water and more water for cooking ( 2 parts water is taken for 1 part rice). Once the water comes to a boil, simmer the flame, cover the pan  partially with a lid so that the steam can escape and the froth will not rise up.

6. Check it once or twice in between, ensure that the grains are not broken while stirring. Cook till done.

 

Finally  remove the pilaf  in a serving bowl and garnish with fried onions and serve.

Ingredients for Punjabi Dal Fry/ Dal tadka

2 small handfuls chana dal/ Bengal gram dal

3 small handfuls Tuvar dal/ split pigeon pea

5-6 garlic pods

an inch piece of ginger

1 tsp cumin

a mix of oil and clarified butter for cooking
1-1/2 tbsp coriander pwd
1/2 tsp cumin pwd
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp red chili pwd (adjust as per your taste)
1 tbsp kasoori methi
2 chopped onions
3 medium tomatoes chopped
salt to taste

Method

1. Heat oil and ghee mix and add the cumin. Once the cumin crackles, add crushed ginger garlic followed by kasoori methi.

2. Add chopped onion and saute till they are brown in colour (do not burn).

3. Tip in the chopped tomatoes and add the salt. Cook till they are mushy, now add the turmeric,  red chili, coriander and cumin pwd, saute for a min.

4. Wash  and  soak the two lentils together for half an hour and then pressure cook it along with some turmeric and few drops of oil. When the  pressure drops,  add this dal to the onion-tomato mix.

5. Mix the dal properly with the mix and add a little water (about a cup) and bring it to a boil.

6. Sprinkle the garam masala and give final stir before serving.

 
Serve the dal hot with the pilaf (if one wants, can put a spoon of tadka  again on it, I did not do that).

Sending the pilaf to Priya’s Let’s Sprout event.
and the dal fry to  Sunita and Priya Mitharwal’s Think spice-Think Fenugreek event.
Tips

The dal should not be overcooked and grains should be visible. One can add a glass of cold water to the cooked dal so that the grains do not become mushy.

The Shahjeera adds an amazing flavour to the pilaf, so do not avoid that.
A dash of lime juice to the dal tastes really good.

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Mixed Veggies In a Very Low calorie Makhani Gravy…but no compromise on taste!!!!

Hi friends! My regular readers would know that these days I am trying to cook and post curries which are low in fat. I  am trying to make curries without compromising on the flavour but surely the calories.

As foodies we all know that a Makhani gravy as the name describes is made in butter (makkhan) and cooked in a cream. I have posted two of these variants earlier Daal Makhani and Cauliflower Butter Masala, which also happens to be a very popular recipe from my site.

In the Makhani gravy the main base is tomato flavoured with whole spices. It’s easy to work with tomato and whole spices as they do not add to the fats, the real work goes in replacing cream and the butter as they are the fattening agents and add to the overdose of calories.

One can surely use a low fat butter and a low fat cream but that reduces calories to some extent but if one wants to indulge in an extremely low calorie affair then there comes the real challenge. I have surely not used any cream or butter here, so then what did I do? I found a very interesting ingredient which provides a creamy texture and still does not add much to the calories, this does not let one miss that creamy texture added by the cream…it’s the skimmed milk powder. It just conveniently replaces the cream in the makhani and one just does not miss it!!

Ingredients

a large handful of peas (I used frozen)

2 potatoes cubed

8-10 french beans chopped

1 small cauliflower cut into small pieces

1 carrot cubed

one onion boiled and pureed

2 tbsp ginger & garlic  paste

3/4 pack of tomato puree

6-7 tbsp milk powder

whole spices (bay leaves-3, cinnamon stick-1, black cardamom-2, green cardamom-4, cloves-4)

a pinch of nutmeg

1 tbsp kasoori methi

1 tsp sugar

2-3 tsp kashmiri chili pwd

2 tbsp coriander pwd

a pinch of turmeric

a pinch of garam masala

oil for cooking about 1 tbsp+ 1 tbsp ghee

salt to taste

Method

Boil  and cook all the vegetables in water.

Heat the oil and ghee mix and add the whole spices and let them crackle.

Now add the kasoori methi and saute for few seconds without letting it burn.

Add the g-g paste and add the kashmiri chili pwd.

Put the boiled onion paste and cook for a minute, now add the tomato puree and sugar.

Add the coriander pwd, turmeric and mix. Remove from fire and add the milk powder mixed in water, this prevents curdling of the milk. Saute for a few more minutes.

Now add the veggies, salt and garam masala and cook for a few more mins. Just before removing from the fire add the nutmeg and mix.

This curry goes well with Jeera rice, Whole wheat Naan, Paratha or Roti.

Just show off with some cream on top.
Tips-

One needs to be careful using the milk powder as it curdles easily. That’s the reason salt is added at the finishing stage plus when the milk powder is added as a slurry, remove the pan from fire.

I have used the skimmed milk powder, one is free to use any.

Sending this to Sara and  Sunita’s- Think Spice Think Garam Masala.

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