Punjabi Chole

Prep Time:15 m      Cook Time:15+20 m

Serves:3

Ingredients

Chickpeas              - 1/2 cup(soaked overnight or for six hours)
Onion                    - 1(large)
Tomato                  - 2(medium sized)
Red Chilli               - 2
Cumin Seeds          - 1/4 tsp
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp
Coriander Powder  - 2 tsp
Chilli Powder        - 1/2 tsp
Cumin Powder      - 2 tsp
Turmeric Powder   - 1/4 tsp
Amchur Powder    - 1/4 tsp
Pepper Powder      - 1/2 tsp
Anardhana Seeds  - 1 tsp(powdered)
Salt                      -as needed
Oil                       - 2 tsp
Coriander Leaves - to garnish
Chopped onions   - to serve
Lime juice           - to serve

Method

• Pressure cook the soaked chick peas for three to four whistles with little salt.Set aside.
   
• Heat oil in a pan,add cumin seeds and red chillies followed by finely chopped onions.Add little salt and saute.Add ginger garlic paste and fry till raw smell goes off.Now add chopped tomatoes and saute.
     
• Now add all the spice powders one by one,give it a mix and add required water and salt.Bring this to a boil and add the cooked chick peas.Cook this for another five to ten minutes until desired consistency is reached and transfer to serving bowl.Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with roti,chappathi,poori,pulao...
                           
                    
                    
  

Little Words

• A lip smacking dish that goes well with roti and pulao varieties.
• Adjust the water quantity according to desired consistency.Can be had with idli and dosa by making it as a gravy.

Mutton Gravy

Prep Time:15 m      Cook Time:25 m

Serves:3

Ingredients

Mutton                - 400 g

Shallots               - 15

Onion                  - 1

Ginger                 - 1"piece

Garlic                  - 4

Curry Leaves       - 2 sprigs
Curry Powder      - 1& 1/2 tblsp
Fried Gram Dal/
Pottukadalai         - 1 & 1/2 tblsp
Turmeric Powder  - 1/4 tsp
Aniseed                - to splutter
Salt                       - as required
Oil                        - 2 tsp

Method

• Heat a teaspoon of oil in a pan,add the shallots,ginger and garlic and saute for a few minutes.
  
• Transfer this to a mixer jar.Add fried gram and curry powder to this and grind this into a paste.
     
• Now heat oil in a pressure cooker,splutter aniseed,add curry leaves,sliced onion,little salt and saute till onion becomes soft.
     
• Add turmeric powder and the lamb pieces to this and saute for two minutes until the meat has turned brown on all the sides.
     
• Now add the curry paste and required salt and water.Close the lid and wait for six to eight whistles.Once the pressure is released open the lid and transfer to a serving bowl.
                            
     

Little Words

• Excellent with idli,dosa,rice,poori,chappathi,parotta,nan,bread...

Green Veg Gravy

Prep Time:15 m      Cook Time:20 m

Serves:3

Ingredients

Mixed Vegetables - 1&1/2 cup(carrot,green peas,potato)

Coriander Leaves  - 1/4 cup

Mint Leaves          - 1/4 cup

Curry Leaves        - 2 sprigs

Onion                    - 1

Tomato                 - 1

Ginger                   - 1"piece

Garlic                    - 3 clove

Green Chilli          - 1

Salt                        - as required

Oil                         - 2 tsp

Method

• Heat a teaspoon of oil in a pan and add the chopped garlic and ginger.Saute for a while and add chopped onin and saute till onion becomes soft.
     
• Now add green chilli and chopped tomatoes and saute till tomato becomes mushy.
     
• Switch off the flame and then add curry leaves,mint leaves and coriander leaves and give it  a mix.
     
• Let this cool.Meanwhile add the chopped vegetables to a pan of  salted boiling water and cook them for about ten minutes.
  
• Now grind the onion tomato mix into a paste.Heat oil in a pan and add the onion tomato mint paste.Saute this for a while and then add the boiled vegetables along with water.Mix them all together,add required salt and let it boil for another five minutes and serve.
                                    
     

Little Words

• Goes well with rice.roti,idli,dosa...
• Use minimum water for cooking vegetables so that it can be used as such in the gravy.
• The choice of vegetables can be varied as desired.

Mixed Vegetable Chutney

Prep Time:15 m      Cook Time:15 m

Serves:3

Ingredients

Mixed Vegetables - 1 & 1/2 cup(carrot,peas,cauliflower)

Onion                    - 1(medium sized)

Capsicum              - 1(any colour)

Coconut                - 1/4 cup

Salt                       - to taste

Oil                        - 1 tsp

To Temper

Oil                  - 1 tsp

Mustard Seed - to splutter

Curry Leaves  - 1 sprig

Method

• Heat oil in a pan,add onions and saute for a while.Then add finely chopped carrots,cauliflower and peas.Add salt,cover with a lid and cook on medium flame tossing in between for five to ten minutes.
                                   
     
• When the vegetables are almost done add the chopped capsicums and saute for two minutes.Switch off the flame and add grated coconut.Let it cool slightly and grind.
                                        
     
• Lastly temper with curry leaves and mustard seeds.Serve with hot spongy idlis.
                                
  

Little Words

• A great way of incorporating veggies for fussy little ones.
• Tastes great with idli,dosa...can also be used as spread for sandwiches,as a dip for snacks...
• I haven't used chillies as the spiciness of capsicum was enough.You can use red or green chilli as well.
• Sprinkle little water if needed to cook veggies.
• Finely chopping the veggies helps in easy cooking for the chutney.Adjust the consistency of the chutney as desired.

Mushroom Masala

Prep Time:15 m      Cook Time:20 m

Serves:3

Ingredients

Mushroom               - 250 g

Onion                      - 1

Tomato                    -1

Red Chilli                - 4

Curry Leaves           - 1 sprig

Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tbl sp

Turmeric Powder     - a pinch

Curry Powder           - 1 tsp

Mustard Seeds          - to splutter

Method

• Heat oil in a kadai,splutter mustard seeds,add curry leaves,red chillies,onion and saute for a while.Add ginger garlic paste and saute till raw smell goes off,
     
• Add chopped mushroom,salt and saute for a while and then add chopped tomatoes.Add turmeric powder and curry powder,add little water,cover with lid and cook until the mushrooms are done.
                      
  

Little Words

• Mushroom goes well with rice and roti varieties.Adjust the consistency for idli dosa by adding coriander powder and garam masala.
• Add little water as the mushrooms are juicy in nature.