10-Minute Salmon Fry Fish Recipe

 

These salmon bites are great on top of dal rice, salad, or in a bowl with veggies and sauce. We love salmon as it’s quick, doesn’t make a mess, and comes out perfectly. Finger fish is also one of our favorites, so I hope you enjoy these tender bites as much as we do. To fry salmon for quick meals and bowls, I love to cut them into medium sizes and season them with spices and finalize with a squeeze of fresh lemon.

Dill Leaves Dhokli

Dill leaves when dropped in salad, curries or soup strengthens the overall spirit of nourishment. They are piled up with different nutrients adding value to our pink health. They taste excellent when added in keema or minced meat, Hashim enjoys the hint of its flavor in minced keema with pav which is the form of soft bread from inside and crispy layer from outside. If you want to dedicate the entire dish to this greens, there is a little trick - You can merely chop the leaves and toss together with few Indian seasonings or join my orbit and deliver this simple looking recipe into something rare and stunning.

Tantalizing Food { Mix Veggies + Yellowish Khichdi + Stuffed Bullet Peppers }

My super favorite combo of food. Its summer time and all I look for something light and healthy with a zing of spice. Khichdi is always a great option when it comes to something soothing, Previously, I had also shared another recipe of khichdi made with the amalgamation of split moong beans and rice. The only difference between this particular dish is that it comprises of red lentils and rice that are not excessively cooked together on a slow heat. The rice granules are prepared closely like we make normal white rice. That’s it.

Semolina Upma

This is my another semolina recipe, previously, I had shared the recipe of Semolina pancake means uttapam! Upma is the quick and easy peasy recipe on my blog, so far. As it is said, don't judge a book by its cover, I think, the same goes with food! So please don't make that awful face by just looking at the color of the food. I think all food that has a tint of white always taste better than the spicy red or appealing yellow one's. If I can name a few, take it simple vegetable or chicken pulav, white chicken kadhai, idlis, dosa's, white dhokla's or some non-desi food like Chinese fried rice and noodles, creamy white sauce-pasta, mashed potatoes, and so many more! See, hence proved!

Can Bitter Gourd taste Sweet?? YES!!!

Since childhood, the only vegetable I enjoyed the most has been bitter gourd or karela is what we call. As soon as we hear the name karela! memory gets populated with a sense of its smell and taste of its bitterness. Eww! this is the only expression I have ever come across when it came to this particular veggie. I remember, nobody in our house used to like this one. It was only me and mama who used to relish every bite of it. Hashim always felt hesitant about this underdog veggie. But not anymore! one of the best things about our relationship is the diversity in tastes due to the difference in our cultures. On mama's side, the influences were veggies and little sweet versions of food. And his side, he takes pride in his pakistani cuisine and there were often differences in the name and etymology of certain dishes, for instance, hashim would call scrambled egg as anda ghotala, and I would call it egg bhurji and hashim would say, well it's the Indian version.

Finger Fish Delight

I hope everyone had a groovy holiday week! We were away for a family vacay, so I'm little late this year. To help you restrain your goals for 2018, I am sharing another kids-friendly and freezer friendly sapid dish you can enjoy with no endeavour. You can even daub the fish strips and prepare them night before but, I prefer this recipe freshly done.I love the inside softness of its flesh that totally melts in the mouth giving the lovely and pleasant taste of aromatic spices, worthy of each bite. I love to dive in the pool of fish dishes, perfect for non-veg hoggerz who love their meal on platter in no time, and you can count this recipe as one. Easily coated with breadcrumbs and not to mention the minimum level of elements fishes asks for. Fishes fried with out without spices, they taste stupendously better anyways.

Soupy Maggie Noodles

Tried and nibbled Maggie noodles from the divergent belt of mores, but none can beat the taste maker of Indian Maggie noodles. Kick of sour tang, punch of spicy flavor is what always let me down in noodles resulting in disillusion of choices, maybe this is the reason why my hands are always on the Indian masala Maggie noodles considering its minimal taste in spices and perfect makings of noodles with any blends of veggies. I usually love the cotton soft and gentle spirals that melts quickly in my mouth, curls with amazing mild piquancy, savoriness and loving taste of garlic and flavorsome cilantro balances well with sliced onions and other set of refreshing veggies of course. 

Touch Of Turkish Chicken Shawarma

The discovery of roasting the meat shavings patiently around the sun gold flames for a perfect pole dance of meat or chicken concentrating with the selection of veggies and freshness, their creamy juice dressed up with all manners of pickled salad, such becomes the value added dish for brunch. I always want to add something new to my menu, I always wanted to make this with a lot of veggies inside continuing with a splash of sauces, and then I came upon this recipe that I always wanted to try at home. I look to splurge a little and have something delightfully satisfying and exquisitely comforting.

What makes this recipe perfect for brunch are, its easy ingredients and it comes up with readily available pita bread! I know usually I am all about making things from the kick start, but sometimes when I find a good product I have a good shortcut. And believe me, once you start eating the chicken shawarma you won’t know where to stop. Hashim loved each bite of it with amazing pieces of flavor and a scatter of flakes roasted chicken. They are great addition and dangerously delicious. Who doesn’t love a superdelicious brunch!! Head to the store if you don’t have the ingredients for the recipe and get cooking with love!

Chicken Shawarma

Preparation Time: 60 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Serves: 2-3 persons

Ingredients:

½ kg Chicken, boneless and cut into strips

½ cup thick yogurt, without water

2 tablespoons vinegar

2 tablespoons Barbeque powder (click here for its recipe)

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon crushed black pepper

3-4 garlic cloves

1 cup finely chopped cucumber with skin

1 cup chopped olives

Olive oil as needed

Salt to taste

For Toppings:

1 cup shredded lettuce

½ cup pickled cucumber

½ cup beetroot, jullienne

½ cup pickled chili

4 Pita bread or wraps

For Hummus Sauce:

1 cup white chickpea, boiled

½ cup cream, readily available

½ cup olive oil

1 teaspoon paprika powder

3-4 garlic cloves

Salt as per taste

For Tahani Sauce:

1 cup sesame seeds

4-5 garlic cloves

½ cup cream

½ cup olive oil

Salt to taste

Method:

• In a non-stick pan, heat 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil and add 1 tablespoon chopped garlic, add chicken strips as soon as the garlic turns fragrant and fry the chicken on a high flame.
• When the chicken strips change the color, instantly add 1 cup thick yogurt and mix well. Lower down the heat and add 2 tablespoons vinegar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1-2 tablespoons barbeque powder, 1 tablespoon crushed black pepper , salt to taste and mix well. Cook chicken strips on a high flame until the chicken turns juicy and its sauce becomes creamy and the water dries up. Later add 1 cup finely chopped cucumber with skin, ½ cup chopped olives and mix well. Remove the chicken mixture to a plate.
• Meanwhile, let’s make hummus sauce, In a  blender, add 1 cup boiled chickpeas, 1/2 cup cream, ½ cup extra virgin olive oil, ½ teaspoon paprika powder, 1 teaspoon salt and 4 garlic cloves, blend until smooth, creamy and rich in texture. You can add 3-4 tablespoons of water for easy blending. Remove the hummus mixture to a bowl.
• For tahini sauce, add 1 cup water in a pot, add washed sesame seeds and 3-4 garlic cloves, allow the elements to boil until the smell flies away. Once the mixture is boiled evenly, pass it down to the strainer and blend the ingredients with ½ cup cream, ½ cup olive oil and a pinch of salt. Blend the mixture with ½ cup of water for a little thin and smooth paste. Tahini sauce comes out little thinner and light in texture than the hummus sauce.
• Let’s do the final touch, roast pita bread or wrap on both the sides over a non stick pan, place the bread flat on the butter paper, spread hummus and tahini sauce all over it, pile the chicken mixture as per your preference, 1-2 slices of pickled cucumber, 1 slice of beetroot jullience, 1-2 slices of pickled chili and wrap the bread neatly with the help of the butter paper or foil by twisting the paper to seal the ends. This makes the whole thing easier to eat without falling apart. Enjoy hogging guys!

Saucy, Braised Red Radish And Greens

Beautiful salads made with enticing lush love apple, crisp red radish topped with peaches, olives and greens, I mostly make the salads in a jar and keep them chilled for refreshing and light salad onto a plate. I love radish and decided to play around with this peppery heat salad essential and make this Asian inspired saucy radish recipe. I was pretty astounded the way the entire meal turned out a complete hit for a veggie lover like me, I am so obsessed with the radish curry that I make a generous portion of this satisfying bowl for myself, a great way to add radish in our regime. The recipe is perfect if you’re craving for something quick with pretty common ingredients.

Personally, I love the combination of contrasting crimson rims and white insides, maybe that’s why I am hooked on buying dragon fruits, red sweet potatoes, lovely red apples and nice looking red radish, even though they all taste amazingly different and smashing but, they have one thing in rife with bonus, all are loaded with hearty and healthy bombs. It’s a good idea to count reds in your diet on a regular basis as their natural ability in lowering diabetes to curtail cancer and to bolster healthy heart is so good. I prefer to add them as in salads and amazing blends of sauces so that even he enjoys each bite of its taste in every form without being faddy! The first taste of radish curry was one of the assorted experience of little tangy with a punch of its natural warm spice, I have paired the chopped radish with its fresh leafy head becoming a full meal with chapatis or Indian flat bread. I love the simplicity and versatility of radish, as it often features regularly on our brunch table in different variations, sometimes the crunchy flesh complimenting with white flaky salt, sometimes with whipped ricotta and now in a form of flavorful Indian curry!

Saucy, Braised Red Radish And Greens

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Serves: 2 persons

Ingredients:

1 cup finely chopped radish

1 cup finely chopped radish greens

1 large diced tomato

1 tablespoon of olive oil

½ teaspoon cumin seeds

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

½ teaspoon coriander powder

1 tablespoon red chili powder

½ teaspoon garlic paste

Salt to taste

Method:

• Start by washing and chopping the greens and white in two different plates, add a trickle of olive oil in a non-stick pan, add cumin seeds and allow it to heat.
• Later add diced tomatoes, pound the garlic into a fine paste, add it to the tomatoes along with the turmeric powder, red chili powder and coriander powder and fry the aromatics until the mixture forms a paste like texture and toasted.
• Add the whites and greens altogether with salt as per the taste, fry for a few minutes and add 1 cup of water, bring it to boil, cover the pan and reduce the flame allowing it to simmer for 10 minutes, the radish should be almost soft, tender and cooked evenly, bring the contents of the pan to a rigorous boil until all the water dries up giving a saucy texture.
• Remove to a plate and serve hot with indian flat bread or you can simply add pearl millet dumplings into the initial process of curry so that the bite size dumplings sucks in all the juices and taste of the mixture and cooks along with the radish, your one-pot radish meal is ready to eat. Enjoy hogging!

A Recipe Of Perfect Scrambled Protein Eggs With Mexican Touch

It is our kitchen table that gives the essence and color to our mixed heritage and habits, my Indian breakfast of oats porridge pepped up with seasonal fruits or methi thepla with chilled fresh yogurt dusted with sugar was very different from the fried anda paratha and halwa puri of my kin, Throwing in whites and yellows for a perfectly light and fluffy dish is all he plump for in the morning. If you want a mind blowing breakfast with hot parathas or repast, this is an enjoyable and light dish. A salubrious and scrummy version of Mexican-inspired breakfast, as it has more veggies cut down together with the amazing whiff of cilantro juxtaposed with deep pink strawberry jam, cream and whole wheat bread.

Multigrain bread overspread with healthy scrambled toppings with thin-sliced radish, cucumber, and baby arugula is ready in under 10 minutes, what else you need! Add grated cheese or prepare beaten eggs with simple salt and pepper, or take this breakfast bowl with wheat flat bread, eat the way you want and quench your sense of taste with this amazing kick start breakfast recipe. It's quick, easy and requires a little patience and the outcome is wonderful, tell me what you topped your scrambled egg with? I could use some new ideas. 

A Recipe Of Perfect Scrambled Protein Eggs With Mexican Touch

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: 5-8 minutes

Total Time: 13 minutes

Serves: 2 persons

Ingredients:

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 tablespoon canola cooking oil

1 small, finely diced onions

1 large, finely chopped plum tomatoes, seeded

1-2 finely chopped jalapeno, seeded

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder or haldi, optional

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Handful of chopped cilantro

Salt to taste

Method:

• Heat cooking oil in nonstick pan, add chopped onions and fry until it becomes semi-transparent. 
• Add finely chopped tomatoes and allow it to cook for 2-3 minutes on a medium flame until the tomatoes become soft and mushy in texture.
• Add chopped jalapeno, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder, salt and pepper, cook until the oil separates from the sides of the mixture. Now add chopped cilantro and lightly beaten eggs and cook, immediately start folding the egg evenly.
• Serve hot with avocado or with roast potatoes, simply yummy fulfilling light breakfast goals.

The Chicken Tikka Biryani

Firstly, I am eminently grateful for all of you who allow me to do what I love to do every single day! When I decided to lay the first stone in 2016, I never dreamed my food blog would turn out as good as prodigious. When I look back to some of my fan’s recipe requests and my popular recipes to see which one made it to top 15, it pushes me to try something new and different with food. I’m completely flabbergast at where my little hobby has taken me. None of it would be possible without all The Hoggerz fans trying and sharing my recipes, A huge THANKYOU! If you’re new here, this is always a great place to start!

I have decided to try something a little different with tikka recipe and give it a new angle this cold winter nights. Everyone heartily adores the smells and taste of tikka in my house, I have been getting tons of requests that fits in this newly developed recipe, which you can see here I thought to give a try this week and see how it goes. If you too have requests for anything in particular such as a vegetarian meal, gluten-free, kid friendly, freezer friendly, low carb, slow cooker etc let me know! For all you tikka lovers, don’t worry I’m still eating my veggies and I will continue to share a variety of recipes for you’ll as I always do!

If you’re sick of hogging tikka with naans, paratha’s or indian flat bread, then tikka biryani will be a total amazeballs meal for you and family! Tikka biryani is the same smoke filled tikka recipe, but it has a lot of different techniques and ingredients. If you love experimenting in your kitchen like I do then you should try this one. Tikka biryani is a marination of flavorful indian spices, kick of food color and aromatic yogurt gravy! My husband is a huge fan of tikka flavored meal so I thought to put the rice together and steam chicken tikka with amazingly flavored yogurt curry and this was born. Enjoy this with your loved one’s on this new year's eve! If you would like to see some of the previous easy and quick chicken tikka/tandoori recipe for weekend dinner plans then simply click here!

The Chicken Tikka Biryani

Preparation Time: 60 minutes

Cooking Time: 60 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours

Serves: 2-3 persons

Ingredients:

2-3 Chicken pieces, as we are a family of two I have prepared this recipe with minimal elements, you can double the quantity as needed.

1 cup basmati rice

1 cup whisk, greek yogurt

½ cup fried onion

2 sliced tomatoes

1 cup cooking oil

1 teaspoon ginger paste

1 teaspoon garlic paste

1 tablespoon red chili powder

1 teaspoon coriander powder

1 teaspoon black pepper powder

½ teaspoon hot spice powder

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

½ teaspoon cumin powder

¼ teaspoon fennel seeds powder
1 big cardamom

2-3 cloves

½ inch cinnamon piece

¼ teaspoon orange food color

1 piece of charcoal, for smoky flavor

1 teaspoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons cilantro

2-3 slit green chilies

Salt to taste

Method:

• Let’s marinate the chicken first, In a bowl, marinate chicken pieces with lemon juice, 1 teaspoon ginger paste, 1 teaspoon garlic paste, ½ tablespoon red chili powder, ½ teaspoon hot spice powder, ½ teaspoon black pepper powder, orange food color and salt to taste. Mix well and keep aside for 30 minutes or 2 hours.
• In a non stick pan, heat cooking oil and cook the marinated chicken pieces undisturbed for 10-15 minutes until it becomes tender and little crisp from outsides. You can either grill, barbecue or bake the marinated chicken pieces. Drizzle cooking oil over the chicken when needed.
• Once the chicken absorbs all the flavors and gets evenly tender, give smoke with burnt coal and cover the pan for at least 15 minutes so that the chicken turn out to be smoky!
• Meanwhile, In another pan, heat ¼ cup cooking oil and fry half moon sliced onions until golden brown, add 2-3 cloves, ½ inch cinnamon piece, 1 big cardamom, sliced tomatoes, add ½ teaspoon red chili powder, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder, ½ teaspoon cumin powder, ½ teaspoon fennel seeds powder, ½ teaspoon black pepper powder and cook on medium flame.
• Now add ½ cup greek yogurt and fry or bhuno until the gravy forms a smooth and thick paste. Add chopped cilantro and 2-3 slit green chilies and cover the pan, allow it to cook for 3-5 minutes on a low flame.
• Add roasted chicken tikka pieces in the gravy and mix well. Adjust the seasoning and salt of the gravy as needed.
• In a saucepan, add basmati rice in 2-3 cups of boiling water, add 2 teaspoons of salt and steam for 2-3 minutes until the rice is half cooked. Immediately strain the rice and discard all the water.
• In a pot, drizzle cooking oil and 3 tablespoons of water, layer half cooked rice and spread the chicken gravy on the top of rice spread. Add the remaining rice all over the gravy and make layers, lower the heat and cook covered for 10-15 minutes until the rice is completely steamed.
• Serve hot without breaking the rice and chicken pieces. Tikka biryani tastes best with plain yogurt raita. Enjoy!

Kidney Beans Curry / Rajma Masala Recipe

It’s a well-known fact that north Indians love rajma chawal, my bff has punjabi heritage and it is here that I first witnessed being happily scooped up kidney beans, years later when I got married or discovered that he has a similar love for rice, when it comes to Pakistani food he loves the intensive biryani with a heady masala base, a simple and judiciously spiced chicken pulav or even a gentle veg pulav. He is partial to schezwan fried rice, singaporean rice, shashlik fried rice and even Spanish prawn rice, it should never come to a surprise that he took instantly to spice up kidney beans perfectly balanced with steamed rice.

Dark amber, smooth, silky and the hue of cherry - kidney beans or rajma may sound unfamiliar to those of south Asian origin, a restorative rice and lentil dish with aromatics that not only tastes good but is healthy at the same time. Kidney beans are associated with lunch and features rice that goes well with the thick gravy of flavors, it is finished with chopped cilantro, some versions include cream to provide thicker texture, my first taste of rajma chawal was when her mama served it to us for lunch at her house in breach candy in early 2010. The origin of Rajma or red kidney beans is disputed with one line of thought that it has come from Mexico and Guatemala, soon became the regular diet of north Indians as it is a good source of proteins and cholesterol lowering fiber!

I have been making it since I have been married and given it a regular appearance on our dinner table, I have always cooked it from the memory of my first taste and from my understanding of the sub-continent cooking process, hence I start by soaking beans overnight for a quick start and allowing it to boil for a thick broth laced with the subtle scent of bay leaf and all spice powder, it is a broth based on extracting the essence of the red kidney beans. You can even use canned beans to cut down the time but my choice by default lies in dry beans as comparatively it is simple with zero preservatives and has a lot of nutritional value. If you’re beans lover like me, you’ll love these!

Kidney Beans Curry / Rajma Masala Recipe 

Preparation Time: 6-8 hours

Cooking Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 10 hours

Serves: 3-4 persons

Ingredients:

1 cup Red kidney beans/Rajma, soaked overnight

2 tablespoons cooking oil

2-3 tablespoons fried onions

1 teaspoon garlic paste

1 teaspoon ginger paste

1 cup tomato puree

1 tablespoon red chili flakes

½ teaspoon coriander powder

½ teaspoon all spice powder

¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

¼ teaspoon raw mango powder

¼ teaspoon cumin seeds

1 bay leaf

3-4 cloves

2 green chilies

2 tablespoons roughly chopped cilantro

A pinch of asafetida

Salt to taste

Directions:

• Wash and throw away the water of soaked kidney beans or rajma and rinse with fresh water.
• In a pot, add kidney beans with 2-3 cups of water and 1 teaspoon salt, allow it to boil until the beans turn soft and delicate in your mouth.
• In a blender, add 4-5 roughly chopped tomatoes, 2-3 tablespoons fried onions and 2 green chilies, blend into a smooth texture.
• In a non-stick wok, heat cooking oil and add ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds, 1 bay leaf, 3-4 cloves and ginger-garlic paste, let it fry for a few seconds until fragrant. Transfer the tomato paste and allow it to cook until its raw smell vanishes into thin air.
• Add 1 teaspoon red chili powder, ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon coriander powder, ½ teaspoon all spice or garam masala powder and mix well. Cook or bhuno until the oil oozes out from the mixture. Add raw mango powder and a pinch of asafetida or hing.
• Add boiled kidney beans with the remaining stock of beans, the water which was left while boiling beans as it has all the flavor and juices of kidney beans. Allow it to cook covered for 10-15 minutes over a medium flame until the rajma absorbs all the hidden flavors of the gravy.
• Once the gravy becomes thick and yummy, adjust the salt and add chopped cilantro. Mash the beans a little bit with the help of the spatula. Serve hot with flat bread or steamed rice and mango pickle. Hope you enjoy digging!
• You can also add cream, butter or ghee for richer and classic gravy.

How To Make Delicious Chicken Ginger

I hope everyone is loving my recipe’s and finds them helpful, we are just a few weeks away from Christmas and the holiday countdown has begun, isn’t this crazy! We’re a family of two, wherein I prefer vegetables and my better half would fancy non-veg cuisine, I have been making chicken dishes for him, but now that Fall is here, I wanted to try a variation with some special sharp ingredients instead. I often think up of recipe that sounds good in my head but may not always turn out great for blog worthy recipes, this chicken ginger recipe was one of those I wasn’t sure about how it would turn out. The addition of ginger as the main ingredient was amazing and the outcome never disappoints.

I love to sup ginger tea as somewhere it makes me feel fresh and rejuvenating from inside, winter reminds me of crunchy salad with ginger turmeric root dressing and ginger turmeric root halwa. When I was a kid we had a spoonful of ginger halwa after our main dish whether we like it or not. I was usually not the finicky one’s and loved the sweet and little spicy taste of the halwa while my siblings were forced to have it, because of its powerful and wonderful affects combating against the bad effects in this weather!

When added to chicken, its fresh, spicy and distinct flavor blended perfectly to create a simple yet delicious dish. I think chicken ginger is the perfect meal to comfort during winter time. Serve this with hot naan, cauliflower rice to keep the carbs low, I served it with stuffed peppers and it really balances the flavors well. Soon I will be sharing stuffed peppers recipe with you’ll.

Chicken Ginger

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 25-30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Serves: 2-3 persons

Ingredients:

½ kg boneless chicken pieces

2 roughly sliced tomatoes

2 tablespoons cooking oil

2-3 tablespoons greek yogurt

1 tablespoon garlic paste

1 tablespoon ginger paste

1 teaspoon red chili flakes

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

½ teaspoon black pepper

2 green chilies, slit

2 tablespoons ginger julienne

2-3 tablespoons ghee/clarified butter or butter

1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro

Salt to taste

Method:

• In a wok, heat cooking oil and add ginger and garlic paste, sauté for a few minutes and fry chicken cubes until it changes the color.
• When the chicken is no longer pink, immediately add sliced tomatoes, slit green chilies, 1 teaspoon red chili flakes, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ginger julienne and salt to taste. Allow it to cook for 8-10 minutes until the tomatoes soften and the oil oozes out.
• Add whisk greek yogurt and mix well, cook under low flame until the chicken is cooked. Splash a little water only if needed. Add butter and adjust the seasoning, garnish with chopped cilantro and ginger julienne. Enjoy!

Vegan Lentils Stew With Flat Dumplings/Dal Dhokli

Fusion is all about mixing cooking ideas into a marked outstanding dish, I have always battled in cooking Gujarati dishes as it entails a lot of patience and time from you. Done that, my favorite veg fusion recipe dal dhokli is the one I wait, crave and eat time to time again. Alas, I couldn’t learn to cook my favorite dishes from mama, but I always try to reach somewhere at her level of taste and excellence.

In Mumbai, we fitfully relish a fuse of Gujarati and Marathi traditional cuisine on our dining table to please and match the taste buds of multi-cultural elements within us. My bhabhi (sis-in-law) belongs to Pune side of city, we enjoy eating every cuisine of her specialty, dada and I would favor Marathi food over Gujarati food for a change, but dal dhokli is the only break in the pattern. Dal dhokli or Varan phal is on the cusp of Gujarati and Marathi flavors; the ingredients list is the spares as the savory dhokli is the star, garnishing elements when combined with the final output of the dish emphasizes its taste and aroma.

The recipe is the hue of sunflower and gold, I associate it with happiness, warm harmony, and it reminds me of the glossy growth of sun with the freshness of the greens in the park, albeit slightly subdued in its brightness as it is lightened with the addition of silky soft dumplings or dhokli. Dhokli are basically uncooked Indian flatbread that is cooked in a slow cooker with lentil stew, thus the fusion of two Indian recipe blends together giving a yummy and flavorful taste. 

I think this is the perfect dish for the one's who disrelish veg cuisine, as the taste of dumplings and lentil stew will keep you hooked and away from those non veg appetency. If you soak lentils overnight, then this dal dhokli recipe will become an easy task for you or you can simply put the lentils to boil for a longer time, any route you take. I recommend reading the entire recipe at least once before you start making it!

Vegan Lentils Stew With Flat Dumplings/ Dal Dhokli

Preparation Time: 8-10 hours

Cooking Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Total Time: 11 hours, 30 minutes

Serves: 4 persons

Ingredients:

½ cup split pigeon peas/ toor dal (washed and soaked overnight)

½ cup wheat flour

1 tablespoon chickpea flour

2-3 tablespoons cooking oil

1 large finely chopped onion

½ teaspoon cumin seeds

½ teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 tablespoon red chili flakes

½ teaspoon coriander powder

4-5 curry leaves

3-4 slit green chilies

1 tablespoon lemon juice or raw mango powder

3-4 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons finely chopped coriander leaves

Salt to taste

3-4 cups water

Method:

• Add clean and soaked split pigeon peas in a slow cooker, put in 2 cups of water and salt to taste, leave it to boil for about 20-30 minutes on a medium heat. If you haven’t soaked the lentils night long, then boil the lentils for 1-2 hours until it is cooked evenly.
• Meantime, let’s start with the dhokli preparation, all we need to do is prepare the dough and make the Indian flat bread or tortilla like thin flat bread. In a large bowl, add ½ cup wheat flour, 1 tablespoon chickpea flour, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon red chili flakes, ½ teaspoon coriander powder and salt to taste. Knead the dough into a smooth form with the help of water, cover the dough and keep it aside.
• When the lentils or the dal is done, let it cool down to a room temperature. In a blender, add boiled lentils and blend it into a smooth consistency.
• Heat cooking oil in a slow cooker and add mustard and cumin seeds, once they start to pop, add curry leaves, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon red chili powder and slit green chilies.
• Transfer the blended lentil mixture into the slow cooker and add a cup of water, cook uncovered for about 10 minutes on medium flame.
• Meantime, make round shape balls from the dough and flatten the balls with the palms of your hand. Use a rolling pin to roll a piece into a thin shape like tortillas. On an unoiled skillet, roughly warm the flat bread on both the sides to kill the raw smell of the flour. Make sure you do not warm it completely, just a flip will do. Make two Indian flat breads and refrigerate the remaining dough using a zip lock.
• On a clean surface, place flat bread and cut it into square or diamond shape with the help of a pizza cutter. We are finally ready with our dumplings or dhokli’s!
• Straight away, drop (one-by-one) the pieces of dhokli’s into the boiling lentil stew and let it cook for a minute. Now add another batch of dhokli’s and repeat and stir occasionally. Allow the dal dhokli to cook for 20-25 minutes until the dumplings turn soft and the consitency becomes little thick, add water if needed.
• Later, add 2-3 tablespoons of sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and salt to taste. Adjust the sweet, sour and spicy taste of the stew and serve hot with pickles. Don’t forget to garnish with chopped onions and finely chopped coriander leaves! Enjoy!

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Slow Cooker Meatballs/ Kofta curry recipe

I hope everyone had an awesome Happy Halloween, party with your little ghosts, goblins and clicking selfies! We were busy trick or treating so I had put my slow cooker to work with meat balls.

Sometimes mince curry gets boring and unexciting menu for us so I always go with a teeny-weeny modification in ordinary meal, meat balls act as a great replacement of mince curry as they are pleasantly tender and delicious in taste, it’s one of those heavy meals that we oft plate with hot Indian flat bread, the perfect meld of flavors that gets easily sucked in meat balls giving a juicy and delicate texture. This non-veg, meat balls recipe can be eaten with or without curry resulting in a marvelous tang, a great freezer friendly meal. Hubby usually removes balls from gravy and makes a fusion of burger with an extra addition of butter and cheese. He loves to hog deep fried meat balls right away so I have to make an extra lot to fulfill his hankering!

We call it as kofta as this meatloaf dish is basically packed with spices, unique aroma and of course its savory dish, in India kofta’s are basically prepared from mixed varieties of veggies, corn, cottage cheese or tofu.

These Asian inspired beefy meatballs are cooked in a simple yogurt curry with few handy spices giving a nice deep color and turning the whole look of the recipe into an inviting tempting dish. You can make them for dinner or simply serve them as an appetizer by making them half their size and setting out toothpicks for dipping into that delicious cranberry or BBQ sauce, they also wonderfully serve over steamed rice, pasta or Italian bread. Hope you enjoy!

Slow Cooker Meatballs/ Kofta curry recipe

Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 60-80 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 40 minutes

Serve: 3-4 persons

Ingredients:

½ Kg Mince meat

½ cup cooking oil

½  cup, fried onion paste

1 tablespoon garlic paste

1 tablespoon ginger paste

1 cup Greek yogurt

1-2 teaspoon roasted chickpea flour

1-2 tablespoons coriander powder

1-2 tablespoons red chili powder

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon all spice powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon powder

1 teaspoon black pepper powder

1 teaspoon mace powder

1 teaspoon nutmeg powder

1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1 teaspoon roasted cumin seeds

3-4 small cardamom

4-5 green chilies

2-4 tablespoons roughly chopped cilantro leaves

Salt to taste
3-4 cups Water

Method:

• In a blender, add mince, 2 tablespoons fried onion paste, half cup greek yogurt, 5 green chilies, ½ teaspoon ginger paste, ½ teaspoon garlic paste, 1 tablespoon poppy seeds, roasted gram flour, ¼ tsp mace powder, ½ tablespoon salt, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg powder, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder, 1 tablespoon red chili powder, 1 teaspoon roasted cumin seeds, ½ teaspoon all spice or garam masala powder and handful of cilantro or coriander leaves.
• Blend everything into a smooth paste and make walnut size balls out of the blended mince mixture.
• Apply a little bit of cooking oil on your palms while making mince balls as the oil is slippery and keeps the meat from sticking to your skin. Apply oil all over the surface of the plate before setting the balls onto the plate.
• Lets make the gravy, in a wok, heat cooking oil and saute ½ teaspoon ginger and garlic paste for 2-3 minutes.
• When the paste changes its color to the slightly brown side, then add the fried onion paste and mix, add ½  cup Greek yogurt on a medium flame. Keep stirring the mixture until the yogurt mixes well without curdling.
• Immediately add 1 teaspoon coriander powder, 1 teaspoon cumin powder, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ tablespoon red chili powder, ½ teaspoon garam masala powder, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder, 1 teaspoon black pepper powder, ¼ teaspoon mace powder, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg powder, 3-4 small cardamom and salt to taste.
• Bhuno the mixture for 2-3 minutes on a high-medium flame and add 2-3 cups of water. Cover and allow the mixture to cook under a low flame for 15 minutes.
• When the gravy comes to a boil, slowly and gently drop in meatballs, allow it to cook for 45-60 minutes on a low heat. In between do not stir the gravy otherwise you may end up breaking a few meat balls or kofta.
• Adjust the consistency of the gravy, seasoning and salt, add roughly chopped fresh cilantro and enjoy!

Make Chicken Mince With Potatoes In Just 30 Minutes!!

This is one of the much needed quick and simple keema recipe that is tummy filling and satisfying meal requiring at best minimal portion of ingredients. All, I love to do is, possibly exploring out food recipes with handy ingredients as I feel that simple yet appetizing food not only helps us cook effortlessly but it adds fun, diversion and variation in our recipe! 

Keema aloo or mince chicken is the traditional chicken recipe that is cooked by continuously bhunoing or frying the minced chicken and spices, letting all the water to dry up developing into a tender and juicy bites. As it is said “a balanced diet is a cookie in each hand” hence I have always opt for chicken keema option over meat keema due to its lower fat content!

The leftover makes a great kebabs, keema paratha’s, toppings and puff pastry fillings too! He prefers to eat keema aloo with a combination of zeera rice and salad where I like to stuff it in a soft bread roll giving a touch of burger. Go with any of the delicious bewildering fusion with the divine and exquisite mince chicken and you’ll simply love it! 

You can also try our Keema and Peas Curry recipe.

Make Chicken Mince With Potatoes In Just 30 Minutes!!

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 Minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Serves: 3-4 persons

Ingredients:

½ Kg Minced Chicken

½ cup cooking oil

2 large potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 large tomatoes, sliced

1 tablespoon ginger paste

1 tablespoon garlic paste

1 teaspoon fresh ginger julliene 

2 tablespoons crushed red chillies 

1 tablespoon zeera or cumin seeds

½ teaspoon turmeric powder or haldi

1 tablespoon coriander powder or dhania powder

½ teaspoon all spice powder or garam masala powder

3-4 green chilies, sliced

½ cup chopped cilantro 

Salt to taste

1 cup water

Method:

• In a non-stick wok, heat cooking oil and fry sliced onions with ginger and garlic paste, fry on a medium flame until they turn golden brown in color. At once, add chicken mince and keep stirring it on a high flame until the mince changes its color. Use a wooden spatula to stir fry the mince and break it up before adding any flavorings to it.
• As soon as the water vapor and the oil seeps out, add sliced tomatoes and ginger julienne on a medium flame.
• Add 1 tablespoon red chili flakes, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 tablespoon coriander powder, 1 tablespoon cumin seeds and salt to taste. Mix everything on a high flame and adjust the seasoning, Allow it to cook on a high flame until the tomatoes are evenly reduced to form a smooth paste or masala. Whenever you have turned the heat to high flame always bhuno or fry the mixture continuously.
• Add diced potatoes and mix it well, add 1-2 cups of water and let it cook on a medium flame until the potato cubes are cooked.
• When water entirely dries away, switch the flame to high and mix in chopped coriander leaves and add slit green chilies with ½ teaspoon of all spice powder. Cook for a minute or two and serve hot with Indian flat bread or roti, zeera rice or bun.

Vegetarian Stuffed Eggplant Recipe / Easy Baingan Recipe

Winters are back in action with fun and freezing feel around, but wait! This lovely and pleasant weather not only embosom our skin, but it offers beautiful bright colored vegetables channelizing our hunger meter. Veggies like eggplants or typically known as baingan have always been on a warm list of Indian veg food, I just love the fresh smell and taste of eggplant recipes either cooked by simply mashing, roasting or stuffing them. This pure amethyst color fruit is one of the must try vegetable that blends easily with other veggies like drumsticks, potatoes, raw banana’s and even with meat, maybe that’s why it is considered as a king of vegetables in India. This particular veggie behaves the same way like potatoes when they are cut open and kept for a longer time, by rapidly changing the white color of the inner flesh in brown color. Let me give you a quick tip, whenever you chop eggplants or potatoes, promptly soak them into salty water so that its freshness stays intact!

Stuff eggplant is a simpler version of a Gujarati dish Undhiyo that is prepared with the combination of all winter gifted vegetables with deliciously spongy fenugreek dumplings, this Indian vegetable casserole can easily win any vegetarian’s heart by its sweet, tangy, spicy taste and aromatic flavor. This time, I have simply cut down the traditional Undhiyo recipe by particularly working on the stuffing ingredients of eggplant to uplift its flavor. I love to stuff my veggies with different spices and tricks and I hope you too enjoy this little twist of cooking at home.

Vegetarian Stuffed Eggplant Recipe / Easy Baingan Recipe

Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 30-40 minutes

Total Time: 60 minutes

Serves: 3-4 persons

Ingredients:

3-4 medium size dark purple colored Eggplants

½ Cup cooking oil

3-4 finely chopped tomatoes

1 large size onions, thinly sliced into half moons

1 tablespoon coriander seeds

2 tablespoons sesame seeds or til
½ teaspoon mustard seeds or rai

2 tablespoons peanuts

2-3 tablespoons of grated fresh coconut

A pinch of fenugreek seeds or methi dana

3 tablespoons of red chili flakes

1 tablespoon coriander powder

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

1 tablespoon of lemon juice or raw mango powder/ amchur powder

½ teaspoon grated jaggery

½ Cup chopped cilantro

1 teaspoon garlic paste

1 teaspoon ginger paste

Salt to taste

2 cups of water

Method:

• Wash brinjals and gently slit them so that the stem doesn’t cut off, add 1 tablespoon of salt in water and immerse these brinjals until we prepare its stuffing.
• In frying pan, add 1 tablespoon coriander seeds, 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, 2 tablespoons peanuts, 1 tablespoon of red chili flakes, a pinch of fenugreek seeds and 2-3 tablespoons of grated coconut. Dry roast everything for a few minutes until fragrant and changes its color to a little dark shade.
• In the same pan, heat cooking oil and add thinly sliced onions and fry them for a crunchy and golden brown texture, transfer the fried onions onto the wide plate with absorbent paper and leave it aside to cool down.
• Now grind the fried onions and roasted spices together in a blender to form a smooth mush for our eggplant filling.
• In a bowl, add the blended paste, turmeric powder, lemon juice or amchur powder, chopped cilantro, jaggery and salt to taste, adjust the seasoning, sweet and sour taste of filling as per your preference.
• Now fill this stuffing into the slit eggplants and keep them aside on a plate.
• In a wok, heat cooking oil and add ½ teaspoon of mustard seeds, once they start to splutter immediately add chopped tomatoes and allow it to cook for a thicker consistency. Once the tomatoes are mashed up evenly add the remaining stuffing paste, garlic paste, ginger paste, 2 tablespoons of red chili flakes, 1 tablespoon of coriander powder and bhuno the mixture for a few minutes until the tomatoes releases oil from its sides. 
• Bhunoing is the simple and necessary technique in Indian cooking that helps the spices to cook collectively on a medium-high flame without letting the masala or spices burn, bhunoing means constantly stirring the mixture to kill the rawness of spices.
• Transfer eggplants into the pan and let it fry for 5-8 minutes, add 2 cup of water and leave it to cook for 15-20 minutes.
• Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot with steam rice or any flat bread of your choice.

Enjoy!