Pindi Chana or Chana masala is a very popular Punjabi dish in India. Pind in punjabi native language is often referred to as native village or own land. This dish originated from Rawalpindi and hence the name. One can find this dish in almost all punjabi dhabas across India. Whole dark Bengal gram is used in preparing the authentic chana masala dish. It is often confused with chickpeas used in preparing punjabi chole masala. This is one of the fastest prepared dishes at home or dhaba as there is no chopping of onions or any other vegetables (provided you already have the bengal gram soaked over night and ready). You can always use canned chana to save time on soaking and boiling it. This dish is usually dry with chana coated with all spices. I've just tried to give it my own little twist though.
Cooking Time: 20 mins Servings: 5 Preparation Time: 10 mins Category: Main course, Veg.
Ingredients:
 |
| Pindi Chana Masala |
========
Whole Bengal gram (small) - 250 gm
Anardana/dry pomegranate seed powder - 1 tsps
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tbsps
Ajwain/Carom seeds - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Punjabi chana masala powder - 2 tbsp (I usually use ready made Everest or MDH masala)
Jeera/Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Fenugreek seed powder - 1/2 tsp
Red chilly powder - 2-3 tsps
Garam Masala powder - 1 tsp
Crushed dry Kasuri methi - 2 tsps
Amchur/dry mango powder - 1 tsp (you can use thick tamarind essence or paste as an alternative)
Powdered sugar - 1/2 tsp
Preparation Method:
=============
- Soak the gram in water over night and drain them out in to a vessel the next morning.
- In a pressure cooker, add this soaked gram, tea bag, 1-2 bay leaves and boil it for about 2-3 whistles. Tea bag(I used green tea) give it the authentic darker color and bay leaves add to the flavor.
- Once done, drain the gram out from the stock and keep aside. Keep the stock as well.
- In a small vessel, take all the spices/masala powders (in generous quantity), ginger garlic paste, powdered sugar and add 1 cup of fresh milk, 1 cup of stock. Stir it well so that this forms into a thick masala paste with no lumps.
- Heat oil in a pan and add ajwain/carom seeds. As they start to spatter, add the masala paste.
- Cook the masala paste till it releases all the oil. (This shouldn't take more than 5-7 mins on medium heat). Add boiled chana, kasuri methi and 2 small cups of the stock.
- Mix well and close the vessel with a dish. Let it simmer for 15 mins. The chana will absorb all the spices and stock and is properly cooked.
- Take the dish into a serving bowl and garnish it with sliced onion rings, lemon wedges, green chilli and chopped coriander.
Pindi chana masala goes well with roti, chapati, pulka and best with poori or bathure. Since this dish is dry, it serves as one of the best evening snacks too.
Raw Banana belongs to the plantain family and is often referred as Kacche Kela in India. It is most popular in South Indian states like Kerala, Tamil Nadu. They are a staple food in tropical regions of the world and are used in varied ways like steamed, fried etc. They are referred to as "potatoes of the Caribbean" since they resemble in flavor. These cannot be eaten raw unlike the regular yellow bananas and hence need some cooking (usually boiled).
Lot of wonderful curries can be prepared with raw bananas and one such is 'Kofta Curry'. Now, let us see the recipe
Cooking Time: 30 mins Servings: 5 Preparation Time: 20 mins Category: Main course, Veg.
Ingredients:
 |
| Raw Banana Kofta Curry |
===========
Raw Bananas - 2
Finely chopped onions - 1
Finely chopped green chillies - 2
Potato - 1
Besan/chick pea flour - 1 cup
Finely chopped garlic cloves - 4
Kaju/Cashew nuts - 1 cup
Tomato - 1
Onions - 2
Cooking oil - 2 tbsps
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Cardamom stick - 1
Cloves - 4
Bay leaves - 1
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
Red chilly powder - 2 tsps
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Fennel seed powder - 1 tsp
Crushed Kasuri Methi - 2 tsps
Salt to taste
Finely chopped coriander strings - 2
Preparation Method:
==================
Koftas
--------
- Boil raw bananas along with potato in a pressure cooker for 2-3 whistles.
- When done, peel off the skin and mash bananas along with potato.
- To this add finely chopped onions, green chillies, garlic, salt to taste, half cup of gram flour, 1 tsp of chilly powder, 1/2 cup crushed cashew nuts, coriander powder.
- Mix all together to a thick dough. Take small quantities from this dough and make it into small/medium balls.
- Roll these balls over the remaining flour and deep fry in oil until they are properly cooked.
- When done, keep these kofta balls aside.
Gravy curry
--------------
- Cut onions and tomato into cubes. Put them into a blender along with the remaining cashew nut and blend them into a paste.
- Heat oil in a vessel and add cardamom stick, cloves, cumin seeds and bay leave. After about 20-30 secs add the blended paste in the oil.
- Mix well and cook for about 10 mins on medium heat. Then add chilly powder, turmeric, salt to taste, fennel seed powder, cup of water and mix well.
- Let is simmer for another 5 mins and then add the crushed kasuri methi. Mix well and add the kofta balls to this gravy. Cook for another 10 mins on low heat.
- Turn of the stove and take the dish into a serving bowl. Garnish with finely chopped coriander or fried curry leaves and green chillies.
- Serve hot with any of Indian breads, pulka or roti, jeera rice etc.
Egg roast or Mutta roast is a spicy dish native to Kerala, India, consisting of boiled eggs roasted in a masala gravy. It is commonly consumed as an accompaniment mainly with appam or idiyappam and puttu or less often with phulkas (Indian flat bread) mostly for breakfast. The same recipe without the gravy can be consumed as side dish or as starters.
Cooking
Time: 10 mins Servings:
5
Preparation
Time:
10 mins Category: Main course, Egg.
 |
| Egg Roast |
Ingredients:
=========
Boiled eggs - 10
Onions - 2 (finely diced)
Tomatoes - 2 (finely diced. This is optional for me. I like this dish without tomatoes)
Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup
Green Chillies - 4 (sliced)
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder - 2 tbsp
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tbsp
Curry leaves - 1/2 cup
Salt to taste
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp (optional)
Cooking oil or butter - 2 tbsp
Preparation Method:
==============
- Heat oil/butter in a pan, shallow fry or roast boiled eggs in it and keep them aside.
- Add onions and saute them until they turn golden brown.
- Add mustard and cumin seeds, curry leaves and saute them for another couple of mins.
- Now add tomatoes, ginger garlic paste and all spices. Mix well and cook until it gets caramelized into a thick sauce.
- Add roasted eggs to it and stir gently so that the sauce/masala get coated well to it.
- Simmer for couple of minutes and turn of the stove.
- Sprinkle garam masala and garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.
- Serve hot with appam/idiyappam or puttu or phulkas or as a side dish with steam rice.
Mutton/lamb cooked in spices with raw mangoes makes this a unique dish which is commonly known as 'Mamidikaya Mamsam Kura (Mango Mutton curry)'. It is one of the popular mutton dishes in the Telugu states of South India.
One of my favorite dishes along with Chinta Chiguru Mamsam. They are just irresistible!
Cooking
Time: 30 mins Servings: 3
Preparation
Time:
15 mins Category: Main course,
Non-Veg
Ingredients:
========
 |
| Mamidikaya Mamsam Kura |
Mutton/lamb - 250 gms (cut into small pieces)
Fresh raw mangoes - 2 (peel the skin and cut into medium sized pieces)
Onions - 1 (finely diced)
Coriander leaves - 1 small cup
Green Chillies - 4 (sliced)
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder - 2 tbsp
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp (optional)
Cooking oil - 3 tbsp
Preparation Method:
==============
- Wash the mutton or lamb in warm water couple of times, drain the water out and keep it aside.
- Heat oil in a cooker and saute onion until they turn golden brown or get caramelized.
- Add green chillies and half cup finely chopped coriander leaves and mix well. You can use coriander powder as an alternative instead of coriander leaves.
- After couple of minutes, add mutton/lamb, ginger garlic paste and turmeric powder.
- Mix well, add 1 cup of water and pressure cook for 3 whistles. Turn off the stove and let the pressure settle down.
- Open the lid and add chilli powder, salt to taste, mango pieces and two cups of water.
- Now turn on the stove and cook for 10 mins.
- When the dish starts to ooze out the oil and the sauce thickens, turn off the stove, add garam masala and take the dish into a serving bowl.
- Garnish with remaining finely chopped coriander and serve hot.
- This dish goes best steam rice and can also be served with any of the Indian breads.
Methi Chicken or Murgh methi is a dish prepared with chicken combined with fresh methi (fenu greek) leaves. Both chicken and methi compliment each other. The earthy aroma of the methi leaves blends well with the chicken and when cooked properly, the outcome is an out-rightly delicious curry. This is one of the popular dishes in Telangana home cuisine. An ideal dish for lunch/dinner or any get together/parties.
In few restaurants this dish is served under North Indian or Punjabi cuisine, where kasuri methi is used instead of fresh methi leaves. It tastes good but lacks the punch of the fresh methi leaves. There are only few restaurants that serves this dish better in Hyderabad and Ulavacharu is the best among them.
Cooking Time: 40 mins Servings: 5
Preparation Time: 15 mins Category: Main course, Non-Veg
 |
| Methi Chicken |
Ingredients:
========
Boneless Chicken breast - 250 gms (diced into medium cubes)
Fresh Methi leaves - About 1 medium cup (soak it in water with salt for 10-15 mins and then drain out the water)
Onions - 1 (finely diced)
Coriander leaves - 1 small cup (for garnishing and in curry)
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder - 2 tbsp
Saunf powder - 1/2 tsp
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Yogurt - 1 small cup
Vegetable or cooking oil - 2 tbsp
Preparation Method:
=============
- Take chicken in a bowl and add ginger garlic paste, chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt, and about 1/2 cup yogurt. Mix them well and keep it aside to marinade.
- Heat oil in a cooking vessel and saute onion until they turn golden brown or get caramelized.
- Add saunf powder and half cup finely chopped coriander leaves and mix well. You can use coriander powder as an alternative instead of coriander leaves.
- After couple of minutes, add the marinated chicken. Mix well and cook for about 15 mins.
- Add methi leaves to the dish, stir well and cook for another 10 mins with a closed lid.
- Open the lid and add the remaining yogurt. Mix well to avoid it to form lumps. Let the dish simmer for another 10-15 mins.
- When the dish starts to ooze out the oil and the gravy thickens, turn off the stove, add garam masala and take the dish into a serving bowl.
- Garnish with remaining finely chopped coriander and serve hot.
- This dish goes well with any of the Indian breads, steam rice, fried/jeera rice and Hyderabadi Bagara rice.
Aalu or Alu or Aloo or Potatoes being one of the staple vegetables in India, had lot of variations and methods to prepare. Potatoes cooked in spices and then adding besan (chana/chick pea flour) to it at the end makes this dish so irresistible. It's mostly prepared in gravy style but I like it to be little dry as it goes well as a side dish and can also be served with steamed rice.
Cooking Time: 45 mins Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 15 mins Category: Main Course - Non-Veg
Ingredients:
 |
| Aloo Besan |
========
Potatoes/Alu - 250 gms
Besan/Chick pea flour - 2 tbsp
Vegetable/cooking oil - 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Dry red chillies (crushed) - 2 or 3
Curry leaves - 8 to 10
Red chilly powder - 2 tsps
Salt - to taste
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Chopped coriander leaves - 1 stem
Preparation Method:
=============
- Peel the skin of potatoes (I don't like it with skin) and chop them into regular sized cubes.
- Heat oil in a kadai/vessel. Simmer the flame and add mustard, cumin, curry leaves and dry red chillies. Saute them for a minute.
- Add the potatoes and stir well.
- When they are about half cooked and turn gold in color add chilly powder, turmeric, salt to taste, ginger garlic paste. Mix them well and cook for about 10 mins on medium flame.
- Now add coriander power and two medium cups of water in the vessel and cook with a closed it until water comes to a boil.
- Now simmer the flame and start adding chick pear flour and keep mixing the dish to ensure flour won't form into any lumps. Cook on medium flame until the water is completely absorbed.
- Keep stirring delicately until entire dish is completely cooked (on low flame) and the flour is not sticky anymore.
- Turn off the stove, take the dish into a serving vessel and garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves.
- Serve hot with phulkas, chapathis, rotis, pooris or steam rice.
