Mint chutney

For long I was searching for the recipe to make the perfect mint chutney and finally came across something we both liked. Here it is -

Ingredients

1 small bunch mint leaves
1 small bunch cilantro
1 medium onion
1 lemon juice
1/2 green chili pepper
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 pinch black pepper
Salt to taste

Put all the ingredients in a grinder with a little water and grind well.

Here's a pic of the chutney with some dhoklas that I prepared.

My cooking spree is on like never before! (thanks to the taking some time off :P)

Mom's recipe: Vegetable Pulao

Ever since mom has come to the US, I have been getting the pleasures of eating all the stuff at home that I missed for 4 years! One of her recipes that I really like (and that I think I can make myself) is Vegetable pulao. Here is the recipe -

Ingredients:
Rice
Oil
1 tblsp Jeera
2-3 Tejpaat
10 Black pepper
3 Badi Ilaichi
3 Laung
2 Cinamon sticks
1 Ripe tomato made into puree and mixed 
1 Onion chopped
1/2 inch ginger grated
1 Potato chopped
2 Carrot chopped into long slices
1/2 cup cauliflower chopped
1/2 cup beans chopped. 
1 Large spoon oil
Salt as per taste
1 Cup rice cooked

1. Heat 1 spoon oil. Put jeera, tejpaat, pepper, cinamon, laung ang ilachi
2. Fry onions until light brown. Fry grated ginger too.
3. Put all vegetables and let them cook for some time.
4. Once the vegetables are done, add tomato puree and stir for sometime.
5. Add cooked rice and mix.

Shahi Paneer

After long I prepared something I liked :)

Ingredients

Paneer
2 medium onions
4 cloves garlic
1/2 inch ginger
2-3 green chillies
2 ripe tomoato
1 cup milk
1/2 cup yoghurt
dry fruits - 10-12 kaaju, 5-6 badaam, 5-6 raisins
1/2 tsp garam masala (optional, I like it without it as well)
1 tblsp anardaana dry
1 tblsp cumin seeds
1 pinch hing
1 pinch black pepper powder
Oil
Salt, turmeric to taste

Preparation:
1. Grind onions, ginger, garlic, chillies, anardaana into a fine paste.
2. Heat oil and add cumin seeds and hing after that add the mixture.
3. Fry it till it turns golden brown. Add turmeric powder, salt, 
hing, garam masala, black pepper powder
4. Grind tomoto with dry fruits
5. Once it starts leaving oil, add yoghurt and milk and bring it to boil.
6. Fry paneer cubes and add it to the mixture.
7. Add corriander leaves for garnishing

Veggie Pasta

(Recipe courtesy my sis-in-law.)

Serves 2
You would need:
Two cups boiled Penne pasta (add salt while boiling)
2 Tbsp Black Olives
3 Tbsp coarsely chopped sun dried tomatoes
3 Tbsp water soaked artichokes
3 Tbsp Tomato Puree
1 small red onion finely chopped
1 green pepper finely chopped
1 tbsp ketchup
some minced garlic
Spices : Oregano , black pepper , salt , red pepper flakes
3 Tbsp Olive oil

Method :
Set pan on high flame, add oil
Add onions , saute it for a minute.
Add green peppers , saute it for a minute.
Add : olive , sun dried tomatoes, artichokes , garlic , oregano - a pinch.
When veggies look done, add ketchup , puree, salt, mix it well for half a minute
Add boiled Penne pasta
mix it well. cover it and simmer it for 5 minutes.

Serve topped with parmesan cheese(optional)

Brinjal fry

I learned this today (yeah I am in Delhi!). It looked absolutely yummy and I thought I should note it down lest I forget.

Ingredients - (for 2 people)
Small brinjals - 6
Amchur powder - 2 tblsp
Dhaniya powder - 3 tblsp
Souf powder - 3 tblsp
Sarso oil
Turmeric powder
Salt
Jeera - 1 tsp


Recipe 1 - Bharma Baigan
Make 4 vertical cuts in brinjals without removing the lower stem so that the brinjal is still a single piece. Mix dhaniya powder, souf powder (souf grinded), amchur powder, salt, turmeric powder, 1 tblsp sarso oil in a bowl. Fill the masala in brinjals without spilling it over. Put 2 big spoons oil in a frying pan. Put jeera in the oil when heated. Add 1 tsp dhaniya powder to it. Put the brinjals in the oil and cover it until they get cooked. Point to be noted do not put water in the brinjals, the brinjals need to be cooked in oil. If needed put water on a plate with which the brinjals are covered.

Recipe 2 - Aaloo baigan
Take 2 tblsp oil in kadai. When the oil gets heated put 1 tsp jeera, 1 tsp souf powder, 1 tsp dhaniya powder in it. Add the brinjals and potato. Add salt and turmeric. Add already fried and cut onion. Cover the kadai with a plate of water. You can sprinkle water in this one. After the brinjals are done add 1 tsp of amchur powder to it and cook for 2 mins.