Grated Mango Chutney

Mango pickle refers to a variety of pickles prepared using mango. This is a very popular pickle in South India especially in Telangana & Andhra regions. Pickles are main side dishes and many varieties of vegetables are used. However, raw mango or tender mango is the most popular variety of fruit used for pickling. There are special varieties of mangoes specifically used just for pickling and they are never consumed as ripe fruit. These sometimes spicy pickles are also available commercially. This post is a variation where mangoes are grated to prepare a chutney-like pickle.

Cooking Time:  15 mins                                                                             Servings: 6
Preparation Time:  10 mins                                                                       Category:  Indian pickled chutney
 
Ingredients:
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Pickled Mango Chutney

Raw Mangoes - 4
Ginger garlic paste - 1 TBsp
Red chilli powder - 4 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Mustard seeds - 2 tsp
Jeera seeds - 1 tsp
Red Chillies - 4
Curry leaves - 10 to 15
Cooking oil - 2 TBsp
Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp



Preparation Method:
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• Peel the skin off of mangoes, grate them and keep it aside. Throw off the seeds.
• Heat the oil in a vessel and add mustard, jeera seeds.
• When they start to splitter, add red chillies, curry leaves, turmeric powder, ginger garlic paste  and saute for a min.
• Add asafoetida, mix well and let it simmer for another min.
• Now add chilli powder, salt and mix thoroughly.
• Simmer the stove and cook for 10 mins. Keep stirring it at short intervals.
• Turn of the stove and let it cool. When done store in a tight air container.
• When refrigerated this pickled mango chutney will stay afresh for a week to 10 days.
• Along with ghee serve this pickle for hot steam rice, phulkas and for bread toasts with butter.

Tawa Surmai with Assorted Vegetables.

Fish is one of the main staple foods in many parts of Coastal India. Tawa Surmai or Tawa Macchi is a regular dish specially in Konkani, Mangalorean & Kerala cuisine. It is a very simple recipe where thick slices of King fish is marinated in aromatic spices are shallow fried. Other variations may include adding tamarind juice or fresh coconut paste. Again this post is a recipe with my own twist.

Cooking Time:  30 mins                                                                             Servings: 3
Preparation Time:  20 mins                                                                       Category:  Starters, Non-Veg


Ingredients:
========

Tawa Surmai with Assorted Vegetables

King Fish slices - 6
Ginger garlic paste - 2 Tbsps
Coriander seeds - 1 tsp
Sesame seeds - 1 tsp
Jeera seeds - 1 tsp
Red Chillies - 4
Pepper corns - 2 tsps
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Cooking oil/Vegetable oil - 3 Tbsps
Salt to taste
Lime wedges - 4
Freshly chopped coriander leaves - 1/4 cup

Preparation Method:
==============

• Wash fish slices in warm salt water thoroughly such that all the smell is gone. Keep them aside.
• Heat a tsp of oil in a pan and add coriander, jeera, sesame seeds, red chillies & pepper corns.
• Saute them for couple of minutes and let them cool. When done blend all these into a fine paste.
• In a bowl, mix the spices paste, ginger garlic paste, salt to taste & turmeric powder.
• Marinade the fish slices in this mix for about 15 mins in order them to soak all the spices well.
• Heat 1 Tbsp of oil in a tawa or pan. Add 2 marinated fish slices and shallow fry them until they are finely cooked on both sides.
• Repeat until all slices are cooked. Take them into a serving plate. Garnish with finely chopped coriander.
• Serve hot along with the assorted vegetables, lemon wedges.

For assorted vegetables,
---------------------------
Carrot - 1
Bell pepper - 1
Beans - 1
Corn kernels - 1/2 cup
Onion - 1
Salt to taste
Pepper powder - 1 tsp
Chat masala - 1 tsp
Chilli vinegar - 1 tsp
Cooking oil - 2 tsps

• Chopped all the veggies vertically.
• Boil them for 10 mins and drain out the water.
• Heat oil in a pan, saute all the veggies for 5 mins.
• Add salt, pepper powder, chat masala and vinegar.
• Mix well and take it into a serving plate.

Pav Bhaji

Pav Bhaji is one of the most popular Mumbai street foods. Pav means bread and Bhaji means vegetable dish in Marathi. Pav bhaji consists of bhaji (a thick potato-based curry) garnished with coriander, chopped onion, and a dash of lemon and lightly toasted pav. The pav is usually buttered on all sides. Pav Bhaji is so wholesome that you can have it as an evening snack or as a meal in itself. Many road side hand carts, kiosks all across the country serve this dish. It is also available in hotels and eateries serving fast food. If your kids at home don't like veggies, Pav Bhaji is a great way to get them eat veggies.

The recipe varies greatly as it is essentially a fast food dish which is prepared quickly. Many restaurants these days have come up with more varieties of Pav Bhaji like Paneer/Mushroom Pav Bhaji, Cheese Pav Bhaji etc. In this post, I am going to share my own recipe.


Cooking Time:  45 mins                                                                             Servings: 6
Preparation Time:  15 mins                                                                       Category:  Main-course/Snack, Veg


Ingredients:
========

Pav Bhaji

Potatoes,boiled and mashed - 5
Carrot, chopped - 2
Tomatoes,chopped - 4 
Onions,finely chopped - 3
Green Bell peppers (capsicum), chopped & remove the seeds - 2
Cauliflower, cut into small pieces - 2 cups
Green peas - 1 cup
Ginger & Garlic paste - 1 1/2 Tbsp
Red chillies paste - 3/4 cup
Badshah Pav bhaji masala - 3 Tbsps
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Butter - 8 Tbsps
Bombay Pav - 12
Finely chopped fresh coriander leaves - 1/2 cup
Lemons,cut into wedges - 2




Preparation Method:
==============

• Boil carrot, green peas, cauliflower until they are soft. Drain out the excess water and keep the boiled vegetables aside.
• Heat 5 Tbsp of butter in a pan or kadai and add the onions. Saute them for a minute and add green bell peppers. Mix well and saute for another 2 mins.
• Now add ginger garlic paste, red chillies' paste and saute till onions & capsicum softens.
• Add turmeric powder, Badshah Pav Bhaji masala, tomatoes, salt. Mix well and cook for about 3-5 mins.
• Now add the mashed potatoes and boiled vegetables. Mash all the vegetables thoroughly using a masher. Keep adding small cups of water during the process until the entire dish's consistency becomes semi-solid. Let it simmer for 2 mins.
• Meanwhile, heat little butter in another pan and slice each Pav horizontally into 2.Cook these sliced Pavs on both sides till they turn lightly brown in color. Repeat this for all the remaining Pavs.
• Sprinkle some pav bhaji masala on the insides of these slices else spread little red chillies' paste.
• Serve these hot pavs along with hot bhaji & lemon wedges in a plate. Garnish the bhaji with chopped coriander and onions

PS: Badshah Pav Bhaji masala is readily available in may grocery stores and is the best one among all other brands which sell this masala

Jeera Aloo

Jeera aloo is another popular Punjabi dish with potatoes cooked with cumin and other spices. It is a typical tradition dish of North India prepared in every home. This simple dish is a real treat for all potato lovers. It is one of the simplest & easy fasting recipes. This dish can compliment any meal. Cumin has a unique nutty flavor and adds an earthy, strong essence to this dish.
Cooking Time:  15 mins                                                                             Servings: 4
Preparation Time:  10 mins                                                                       Category:  Main-course, Veg 

Jeera Aloo

Ingredients:
========

Large sized potatoes - 4
Cumin Seeds - 3 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Vegetable Oil - 2 tbsp
Finely chopped green chillies - 2
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Finely chopped coriander - 2 tsp
Amchur powder - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste
Lemon juice (optional) - 1 tsp


Preparation Method:
=============

• Pressure cook the potatoes for 3-4 whistles, let them cool and peel of the skin.
• Cut these potatoes in to small cubes.
• Heat the oil in a non-stick pan and add cumin & mustard seeds. When they start to pop, add potatoes.
• Saute the potatoes until they turn light golden brown color.
• Add turmeric, chopped green chillies, amchur powders and salt to taste. Stir all these ingredients well and cook for 5 mins.
• Take it in a serving bowl and garnish with chopped coriander
• It can either be served with hot Indian breads, rotis, puris or as a side dish with daal

Punjabi Chole Masala

Chole masala is a popular dish in Indian and Pakistani cuisine. It is popular mainly in the Punjab region of northern-India, and also notably in the regions of Gujarat and Rajasthan. It commonly cooked dry, with tangy spices. The main ingredient is chickpeas (called "Kabuli Chana" in India).  Indian food is all about layering of the flavors and spices in a particular order and this recipe teaches you how to do just that.

Though there are many variations of making chole, I've tweaked the punjabi chole masala recipe a little and here is the recipe


Cooking Time:  20 mins                                                                             Servings: 5
Preparation Time: 20 mins                                                                        Category:  Main-course, Veg

Ingredients:
=========

Punjabi Chole Masala

Kabuli Chana/Chick peas - 250 gms
Onions - 2
Potato - 1
Tomatoes - 1
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Red chilli powder - 2 tsp
Sliced Green chillies - 4
Salt - to taste
Ginger & garlic paste - 1 tsp
Punjabi Chole Masala - 2 tbsp (ready-made Badshah chole masala powder)
Vegetable or cooking oil - 2 tbsp
Chopped coriander - 1/2 cup (for garnishing) 

Preparation Method:
==============

• Pressure cook kabuli chana and potato for 3 whistles. When done, keep them aside.
• Peel out the potato skin and mash the potato nicely.
• Cut onions and tomatoes into small pieces and blend them into a paste.
• Heat oil in a vessel and add cumin seeds. When they start to pop, add the boiled kabuli chana  and mix well.
• Saute for about 5 mins and add ginger garlic paste, green chillies and mix well.
• Now add the onions & tomato paste, mashed up potato to this and stir well. Cook for about another 5 mins.
• Add salt, red chilli powder, turmeric, Badshah punjabi chole masala powder and mix thoroughly and cook for another 2 mins.
• Now add a 2 small cups of water, mix well and let the dish come to a boil.
• Take the entire dish into a cooker bowl and pressure cook it for 2 whistles.
• When done, take the dish into a serving bowl and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
• Serve this hot with Batura or Poori or Romali Roti or Phulkas along with sliced onions & lime

Out of the all brands which sell ready-made chole masala powder, I like "Badshah" brand. There are other good ones too like MTR, Everest, MDH etc but nothing beats the Badshah masala. Instead of getting the ready-made masala, we can prepare the same masala at home too and here is its recipe

Ingredients:
=========
Dry Red chillies - 3
Cumin Seeds (Jeera)  - 1 tbsp
Coriander Seeds - 1 tbsp
Shahi-Jeera(caraway seeds) - 2 tsp
Black pepper corns - 2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Sesame seeds (til) - 2 tsp
Cloves - 8
Cinnamon - 5 sticks
Bay Leaf (Tejpatta) - 2
Green Cardamom - 8
Black Cardamom - 4
Dry Ginger powder - 2 tsp
Dry Mango Powder (Amchur powder) - 2 tsp
Rock Salt (Kala Namak) - 1/2 tbsp
Nutmeg powder - 1/2 tsp

Preparation Method:
===============

• Dry roast all ingredients one by one and allow them cool. No need to roast powder ingredients
• When all these ingredients are cool, grind them into smooth powder and store in air tight container.
• The shelf life of this powder is 3-4 months when stored in cool area.