Thursday, January 28, 2010

cabbage bhaji






















Ingredients
Cabbage -small, about 1 lbs, finely chopped
potato - 1 small, thinly sliced
Green chilies 3, chopped
Turmeric powder 1/2 teaspoon
Oil 3 tbsp.
Curry leaves 1 sprig
Mustard seeds 1 tsp

Heat the oil in the kadhai and put the mustard seeds and once they start spluttering add green chillies and curry leaves. Add potato,cabbage and turmeric, cover and cook the cabbage( without adding any water) till done. Add salt and keep stirring the bhaji every once in awhile to roast the vegetable.
Serve with hot Rice or Chappathis.

bhindi fry bhaji



















Ingredients
Bhindi/ lady's finger/okra 1 lb
garlic, 3 cloves, crushed
jeers 1/2 tsp. crushed
turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
red chilli powder 1 tsp
amchur powder 1/2 tsp
salt

Method:
Cut okra into slices and keep aside.
Heat oil in a pan add jeera and bhindi and fry till most of the sliminess has disappeared and the bhindi has browned its edges. this will take about 15 mins.
Add amchur powder, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt. Fry for a few more mins to evenly coat the bhindi and get it crispy.

ghardhudhi upkari


 
Ingredients:
1 ghar dudhi/ Bottle Gourd,washed, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 cup Channa Dal/Split Chickpeas, soaked in water for 30 mins
1 Onion, thinly sliced
2 Green Chillies, slit
1 tsp Garam Masala
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Jeera
1 tbsp Oil
Salt to taste

Method:
Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds sliced onions. Saute till they turn translucent.Add slit chillies, garam masala, turmeric powder, soaked chana dal, 1 cup of water and cover and cook for 5 mins. when the chana is half cooked, add ghar dudhi and mix well. cove and cook till done.
Serve with chapathi's.

Beet's with greens bhaji

  • As I picked up this bunch of beets, I pondered on the thought that there must be a reason why the beets in American groceries always have the greens still attached to it....I haven't seen beets used in any restaurants that I've been to nor have I heard by my friends who use beets regularly...but beets must be a sure sell for the groceries to carry it all year long.
We met up a friend at the store and he saw beets in my cart and asked me what I was going to make with it. 'The usual bhaji', I replied and saw disappointment in his eyes as he was expecting some great recipe, I guess. I was now on a mission to cook it in a few different ways and get my family's opinion on what tasted best.

The first favourite is roasted beets, of course since we love roasted veggies. Second runner up is the 'upkari' recipe posted below and the third preparation is still stirring up in my thoughts.

The normally thrown out greens and stems was put up to good use today. I cringed with the thought; the amount of wastage of greens done by me in the past 10 years...what was I thinking! Well, no use, crying over thrown beets: I say, and as a strong believer of 'better late than never'....so here's a start!
The side dish that turned out very tasty and was just as beautiful to look at! I wish I had a picture before we relished this savoury sweetish side!


Ingredients
beets - 2 peeled and thinly sliced
greens - from 2 beets, finely chopped
mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
red chillies 2-3
oil 1tbsp
salt

In a kadai, heat oil and season with mustard seeds and red chillies. Add beets, hald a cup of water cover and cook for 10 mins. When cooked, add greens and saute till greens wilt. Cook for 3-5 mins.