Masala Chole With Garlic Naan

Masala chole is one of my favorite vegetable dish in Indian cuisine. You can havechana masala with puri, bhatura or naan.

Ingredients: For Garlic Naan

1) 2 1/2 bowls maida

2) 1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast

3) 1/2 cup milk

4) 5-6 chopped garlic cloves

5) 2 tsp curd

6) 1/2 tsp baking soda

7) Sugar to taste

For Masala Chole

1) 3 cups cooked chickpeas

2) 2 medium size onions

3) 2 small chopped tomatoes

4) 3-4 dry red chilies

5) 1 bowl dry coconut powder

6) 1 tsp cumin seeds

7) 1 tsp coriander seeds

8) 1 tsp mustard seeds

9) 1 tsp ajwain

10) 2-3 cardamom

11) 2-3 cloves

12) 2-3 black pepper

13) 1/2 cinnamon stick
14) 1 bay leaf

15) 2 tsp turmeric powder

16) 3 tsp tamarind juice

17) 4-5 chopped garlic cloves

18) 1/2 inch chopped ginger

19) A pinch of asafoetida

20) 4-5 tbsp vegetable oil

21) Jaggery to taste (optional)

22) Salt to taste

23) 10-12 sprigs coriander

Method: For Garlic Naan

1) Mix maida with garlic, sugar, baking soda & curd.

2) In a bowl, mix yeast with milk. Add this mixture into the maida & make it into a dough.

3) Place a wet cloth on dough & keep the dough in a warm place for atleast 2 hours for fermentation.

4) After 2 hours, knead the dough with oil for 5 mins.

5) Pinch off small handfuls of dough about the size of a golf balls. Roll of the balls into either triangular or circular shape like chapati.

6) Now, place the uncooked naan on a hot frying pan.

7) Cook until both sides of naan are brownish in color. Apply butter if required on both sides.

8) Hot naan is ready.

For Masala Chole

1) Soak chickpeas in water for overnight. On next day, add desired quantity of water to chickpeas & cook them in a pressure cooker until they become tender.

2) To prepare chole masala, take a nonstick container & add oil (1/2 tsp) in it.

3) Add onions & saute it until they are reddish brown. Shallow fry all the spices on a medium flame.

4) Keep the onions aside. Now, add 1/2 tsp oil in a nonstick container & shallow fry the red chilies for 2mins.

5) Keep the red chilies aside. Now, again add 1/2 tsp oil in a nonstick container & shallow fry the dry coconut powder for 2 mins.

6) Keep the dry coconut aside. Add 1/2 tsp oil in a nonstick container & shallow fry the remaining spices together namely, cumin seeds, ajwain, cinnamon stick, cardamom, cloves, corriander seeds, black pepper.

7) Now mix all the spices in a plate namely onions, red chilies, coconut, ajwain, cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, cardamom, cloves, corriander seeds, black pepper, garlic, ginger. Allow it to cool for 5-10 mins.

8) Add all the above spices & desired quantity of water in a mixer blender. Blend all the spices until it is semi-liquid & soft in texture.

9) Heat 5-6 tbsp oil in a nonstick container. Add bay leaf, mustard seeds, a pinch of asafoetida, turmeric & above masala. Allow it to cook for 15mins on a medium flame.

10) Add cooked chickpeas, tamarind juice, jaggery, salt & chopped tomatoes in the above masala. Allow it to cook for 15mins on a low flame.

11) Masala chole is ready. Garnish it with chopped coriander.

Veg Pasta in Pesto Sauce

The most famous varieties & recipes of pasta comes from Italy. There are hundreds of different shapes of pasta. My favorite pastas are penne rigata, farfalle, fusilli, conchiglle (shells),spaghetti etc. You can cook pasta in any sauce such as pesto sauce, marinara sauce, alfredo sauce etc.

Ingredients: For Pesto Sauce

1) 4 cups washed, torned, stems removed spinach leaves

2) 4 chopped garlic cloves

3) 1 tsp ginger paste

4) 4 chopped green chilies

5) Salt to taste

For Veg Pasta

1) 1/2 bowl chopped onion

2) 1/2 bowl chopped potato

3) 1/2 bowl chopped green capsicum

4) 1/2 bowl chopped carrot

5) 1/2 bowl chopped cauliflower

6) 1/2 bowl chopped cabbage

7) 1/2 bowl chopped cucumber (optional)

8) 1 bowl chopped tomato

9) 1/4 bowl green peas

10) 1/4 bowl corn

11) 1/2 bowl chopped mushrooms

12) 500gm pasta (I used farfalle pasta)

13) 2 tbsp red chili powder (optional)

14) 2 tbsp shreeded parmesan cheese

15) 2 tbsp Olive oil

Method: For Pesto Sauce

1) Place the spinach leaves, garlic, ginger, green chilies, salt in a blender or food processor container.

2) Cover & puree until spinach leaves look crushed.

3) Once the spinach puree is formed, add salt to taste. Pesto sauce is ready. (If the sauce seems too thick, add little water)

For Veg Pasta:

1) Cook pasta according to package directions; drain in colander. Allow it to cool for 10 mins.

2) In a non-stick container, heat 2 tbsp Oilve oil & add onion. Saute it for 2 mins.

3) Add all the vegetables & cook them for 10-12mins on a medium flame.

4) Mix pasta, pesto sauce, red chili powder, & salt with the above vegetable mixture. Cook the entire mixture for 10mins. on a medium flame.

5) If veg pasta in pesto sauce seems too thick, add little water.

6) Serve the delicious hot veg pasta in pesto sauce with parmesan cheese.

Veg Quesadilla (Spinach)

A quesadilla is a mexican food made primarily of cheese inside a folded corn or wheat or spinach tortilla & cooked until the cheese melts. Most times, to make it quick i use up old rotis & make quesadillas out of them.

Ingredients:

1) 6 spinach tortillas (available in market)

2) 1 cup grated cheese either Monterey jack or sharp cheddar cheese

3) 1 bowl chopped onion

4) 1 bowl chopped cabbage

5) 1 bowl chopped carrots & capsicum

6) 1/2 bowl chopped mushrooms

7) 1 bowl chopped tomatoes
8) 4-5 chopped green chilies

9) 4-5 chopped garlic cloves

10) 1 tbsp garam masala

11) 1 tbsp red chili powder (or to taste)

12) 1/2 tbsp turmeric powder

13) Butter/Oil for roasting the tortillas

14) Salt to taste

Method:

1) Heat oil in a pan. Saute the green chilies, garlic, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, carrots & cabbage until tender.

2) Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, garam masala & salt. Turn off heat & set aside the vegetable mixture.

3) Heat a frying pan. Add little oil on a frying pan & place 1 tortilla on it.

4) Toast the tortilla for about 10 seconds each side until air pockets begin to form within tortilla.

5) Spread 1 tbsp of cheese over one half of the tortilla. On top of cheese layer, add 2 tbsp of vegetable mixture.

6) Fold the tortilla covering the mixture into a half moon shape. Press down on the tortilla for a few seconds, allowing the cheese to melt.

7) Flip the quesadilla to toast the other side, making sure neither of the sides get too brown. Toast until golden spots appear & tortillas are lightly crisp.

8) Serve with tomato ketchup or sour cream or salsa.

Veg Kebab

Lucknow is proud of its kebabs. Vegetarian kebabs include Dalcha kebab, Kathal ke kebab, Arbi ke kebab, Mix vegetable kebab etc. Veg Kebab are an excellent starters.

Ingredients:

1) 3 medium size boiled potatoes

2) 1 bowl boiled green peas

3) 3-4 garlic cloves

4) 1 tsp ginger paste

5) 3-4 curry leaves

6) 3-4 green chilies

7) 1/2 bowl chopped corriander

8) 1/2 bowl bread crumps

9) 1 tsp turmeric powder

10) 2 tsp dhania powder

11) 2 tsp red chili powder

12) 1 tsp garam masala

13) 1 tsp dry mango powder (optional)

14) 1 tsp chaat masala

15) 4 tbsp vegetable oil

16) Sugar to taste

17) Salt to taste

Method:

1) Mash the boiled potatoes & sweet peas together.

2) Add all the ingredients namely, garlic, ginger paste, green chilies, curry leaves, corriander, red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, dry mango powder, dhania powder, chaat masala, salt & sugar into the mashed potatoes & mashed green peas mixture.

3) Mix all the contents properly (if reqd add bread crumps, to make the mixtur solid) & divide the mixture into 20 equal portions. Shape each portion into a ball & then press it in between your palms to give it a flat tikki shape. (As shown above)

4) Heat oil in a frying pan. Coat each tikkis with bread crumps.

5) Place the tikkis on a frying pan & shallow fry, until they are golden brown from both sides.

6) Serve hot Veg Kebabs with ketchup.

Butter Paneer

Butter Paneer is immensely popular in North India. It is typically eaten with roti, chapati or other Indian breads.
Ingredients:
1) 300gm Paneer
2) 2-3 Cloves
3) 2-3 Black pepper
4) 3 medium size tomatoes
5) 1/2 tsp chopped Garlic
6) 1/2 tsp Ginger paste
7) 2 chopped Green chilies
8) 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
9) 1 tsp Red chili powder
10) 1 tsp Garam masala
11) 1 tsp Dhania powder
12) 3/4 cup Heavy cream/milk
13) 1 tsp Oil
14) 2 tsp Butter
15) Honey/Sugar to taste
16) Salt to taste
17) Fresh corriander leaves

Method:
1) Heat the oil & butter in a container.
2) Add cloves, black pepper, garlic, ginger, turmeric powder, red chili powder, dhania powder, garam masala & green chilies into the container.
3) Prepare tomato puree. Add this, tomato puree into the container.
4) In another container, shallow fry the paneer on a low flame.
5) Once the paneer is shallow fried, mix the paneer & tomato puree together.
6) Add heavy cream, honey/sugar & salt.
7) Garnish the butter paneer with chopped corriander leaves.

Gobi Manchurian

Gobi Manchurian is a perfect appetizer or may be served as a side dish. Manchurian dishes can be made with cauliflower, mixed vegetables, paneer or chicken & is extremely popular in India.
Ingredients:
1 medium Cauliflower
1/2 bowl chopped Green Onion
1/2 bowl chopped Onion
1/2 bowl chopped Carrots
1/2 bowl chopped Capsicum
1/2 bowl chopped Cabbage
1/2 tsp chopped Garlic
1/2 tsp Ginger paste
1/2 tsp chopped Green chilies
4 tbsp All Purpose Flour/Rice Flour
2 tbsp Corn starch
1 tbsp Soya sauce
1 tbsp Red Chili sauce
1 tbsp Tomato ketchup
1/2 tsp Vinegar
1/4 tsp Aginomoto (optional)
Vegetable oil for frying
Salt to taste

Method:
1) Mix All Purpose Flour, 1 tbsp corn starch, little salt in a bowl. Add water to it & make it into a thick paste.
2) Dip cauliflower florets into a paste & deep fry them in oil until they are golden brown in color.
3) Heat oil in a wok. Add ginger, garlic & green chilies.
4) Add onion, carrots, capsicum & cabbage. Saute it for 4-5 mins on a medium flame.
5) Add soya sauce, red chili sauce, tomato ketchup, vinegar. Add 2 cups of water.
6) In a bowl,mix 1 tbsp cornstarch & 3 tbsp water. Add cornstarch paste into a wok. Boil the mixture for 5 mins on a high flame.
7) Add deep fried cauliflower florets into the above gravy.
8) Garnish the gobi manchurian with finely chopped green onion.