Baba Ganoush - (Roasted Eggplant Dip - Middle Eastern Style

          Baba Ganoush, which is also known as Moutabel is a very delicious smoky eggplant dip, that is very popular in Middle Eastern countries. Roasted eggplants are blended with tahini paste or sesame seeds, olive oil and few other seasonings. It is traditionally served with Khubz (Arabic pita bread). 

          But they also tastes great with crackers, veggie crudités, our very own paratha, naan, roasted papad or as a spread on sandwiches. Excellent with any appetizers or snacks as they are far healthier to any store bought sauces and ketchup. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 1 large eggplant, roasted
• 2 tbsp. sesame powder / paste / tahini paste
• salt to taste
• 2-3 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. lime juice
• 2 fresh red / green chilies
• 2 tbsp. yoghurt
• pinch of red chili powder to garnish
• pinch of roasted cumin powder to garnish
• few mint leaves to garnish
• 1-2 tbsp. extra olive oil to garnish

          Discard the charred skin of the eggplants. Puree it along with all the ingredients (except those for garnishing).

          Transfer to a serving bowl and drizzle some olive oil. Serve, garnished with cumin powder, red chili powder and mint leaves. 

         Relish with some pita bread, crackers or veggie crudités. They can also be had with our very own paratha, naan, roasted papad or as a spread on sandwiches.

                                  Discard the charred skin of the eggplants. 

                        Puree it along with all the ingredients (except those for garnishing).

                  Transfer to a serving bowl & drizzle some olive oil. Serve, garnished with
                  cumin powder, red chili powder & mint leaves.

                     Relish with pita bread, crackers or veggie crudités. They can also be had 

                     with paratha, naan, roasted papad or as a spread on sandwiches.

Chettinad Mutton Chukka

          This is a traditional dry mutton curry in the authentic Chettinad style. Chettinad is a region in the Southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, known for its spicy veg. and non-veg. recipes. Chukka means dry and the mutton is cooked with a concoction of various spices, freshly ground and strongly flavoured by the use of peppercorns. 

           This yummy preparation can be enjoyed with either plain steamed rice, plain Biryani, jeera rice, pulao, dosa, appam, idiyappam, parathas or any Indian bread. So go ahead and give it a try by following a step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 450 gms. mutton on bones, cubed
• 3 tbsp. oil
• 2-3 onions, chopped
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1 tsp. tamarind paste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• salt to taste
• 3-4 tbsp. Chettinad spice paste

Chettinad Spice Mix-

• 2-3 tbsp. coriander seeds
• 8-10 dry red chilies (I used Kashmiri red chilies)
• 2-3 green cardamoms
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 5-6 cloves
• 1 tbsp. cumin seeds
• 2 tbsp. fresh grated coconut
• 1 javitri (mace)
• 1 tbsp. stone flower
• 1 star anise
• 1/4 tsp. fenugreek seeds
• 1/2-1 tsp. peppercorns
• 1 tbsp. fennel seeds
• 1 tbsp. sesame seeds (opt)

          Dry roast the coconut first till light brown. Then add rest of the ingredients and sauté for a minute on a low flame or till you get a nice aroma coming through. Keep aside to cool. Then grind into a fine paste by adding some water. Set aside.

          Pressure cook the mutton in 1 cup water for 20-25 minutes on a low flame after the first whistle. Separate the mutton from the stock and keep aside.

          Heat oil in a pan and fry the chopped onions till light brown. Then add the ground  Chettinad paste. ginger-garlic paste and turmeric powder.

          Sauté till the oil separates. Add the tomatoes and continue to fry on a medium flame till it is mashed.

          Now add the boiled mutton, salt and the curry leaves. Mix everything well and add 1/4 cup water. Cover and simmer till the gravy turns thick. 

          Serve as desired, with any form of rice preparation or Indian bread like plain biryani, pulao, jeera rice, paratha, naan, appam, dosa or idiyappam.

                                Heat oil & fry chopped onion till light brown. 

                    Add ground Chettinad paste, ginger-garlic paste & turmeric powder.
                    Sauté till oil separates. 

                     Add tomatoes & continue to fry on a medium flame till it is mashed.

                Add boiled mutton, salt & curry leaves. Mix well & add 1/3 cup stock. Cover
                and simmer till gravy turns thick. 

              Serve with any kind of Indian bread or rice preparation like plain biryani, pulao,
              jeera rice, paratha, naan, appam, dosa or idiyappam.

Green Peas Paratha

          This is a healthy stuffed Peas Paratha made with whole wheat flour. It is a complete meal in itself. Very filling and wholesome, it is best had with yoghurt or pickle. It equally tastes yummy with butter too. Besides having in breakfast, they can also be served for lunch, dinner or as a lunch box meal for young and old alike. So check out an easy step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

Filling-

• 1 & 1/2 cups frozen green peas, ground to a paste
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp. of asafoetida
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp. green chilies paste
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1 tsp. kasoori methi (dry fenugreek leaves), crushed

Dough-

• 1 & 1/2  cups atta (whole wheat flour)
• 1 tbsp. oil
• pinch of salt
• oil to shallow fry

          For the Filling - Heat oil in a non-stick pan and temper with cumin seeds and asafoetida. Sauté for a few seconds and then add the ginger-garlic and green chili paste. 

          Sauté for a minute on med. flame. Then add the green peas paste and all the dry spices. Sauté till dry. Keep aside to cool.

          For the Dough - Knead together the atta, salt, oil with required quantity of water. Set aside for 15-20 minutes. Divide the dough into equal portions. Roll out each into a small puri and stuff a tbsp. of the filling in it.

          Close all edges and roll out into a circle / chapatti by dusting some flour. Roll the rest of the dough along with the filling in a similar manner.

          Heat a tawa / griddle and fry one paratha at a time with a tsp. of oil till brown on both sides. Fry the rest of the parathas in the same manner. Serve hot with yoghurt and pickle.

                 Stuffing - Heat oil in a non-stick pan & temper with cumin seeds & asafoetida. 
                 Sauté few seconds & add ginger-garlic green chili paste. Sauté for a min. Then
                 add green peas paste & all the dry spices. 

                                  Sauté till dry. Keep aside to cool.

                 Divide dough into equal portions. Roll out each into a small poori & stuff a 
                 tbsp. of the filling in it.

                                  Close all edges.

                 Roll out into a circle by dusting some flour. Roll rest of the dough along with 
                 the filling in a similar manner.

                        Heat a tawa & fry one paratha at a time with a tsp. of oil till brown 
                        on both sides. Fry rest of the parathas in same way. 

                                Serve hot with yoghurt & pickle.

Oats Poha Cheela (Oats - Flattened Rice Crepes / Pancakes)

          The combination of oats and poha is just perfect for some guilt-free crepes / pancakes that can be relished with any side dish, chutney, raita or pickles. I gave a slight twist to the usual cheelas by adding some tadka (tempering) to the batter to give a different flavour. 

         These cheelas are a great substitute to any kind of flat Indian bread. You can go ahead and add any sort of finely chopped greens or veggies of your choice to make them more healthy and nutritious. Relish them for breakfast, lunch, dinner or lunch box meal. So go ahead and give it a try by following a step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 1/2 cup oats
• 1/2 cup poha (flattened rice)
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• pinch of asafoetida
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• 1-2 green chilies,  chopped
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. roasted coriander powder
• 1 tsp. kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves) crushed
• buttermilk / water as required
• oil to shallow fry

          Dry roast the oats and poha for 2 minutes or till you get a nice aroma coming through. Set aside to cool down. Blend into a fine powder and keep aside.

          Heat 1 tbsp. oil and temper with the cumin seeds. Sauté for a few seconds. Now add the asafoetida, ginger, green chilies and turmeric powder. Stir fry for a minute on a medium flame.

          Add this tempering to the blended powder along with the rest of the ingredients. Make a smooth batter of pouring consistency by adding required quantity of buttermilk. 

          Keep aside for 15-20 minutes. Add more water if required. Heat a non-stick tawa and brush with some oil. Pour 1-2 ladleful of the batter and gently swirl around to make a round cheela.

          Drizzle some more oil around the edges and fry on a medium flame till it is cooked on one side. Gently flip it over to the other side and cook till done. Transfer to a serving plate.

          Make similar cheelas with the remaining batter and serve them hot with chutney, yoghurt, pickle or any side dish.

          

                 Dry roast oats & poha for 2 minutes or till you get a nice aroma coming
                 through. Set aside to cool down. 

                               Blend into a fine powder & keep aside.

                  Heat 1 tbsp. oil & temper with the cumin seeds. Saute for a few seconds. Now
                  add asafoetida, ginger, green chilies & turmeric powder. Stir fry for a minute
                  on a medium flame.

                 Add this tempering to the blended powder along with rest of the ingredients.
         

                        Make a smooth batter of pouring consistency by adding buttermilk. 
                        Keep aside for 15-20 minutes. 

                    Heat a non-stick pan & brush with some oil. Pour 1-2 ladle full of the batter
                    and gently swirl around to make a round cheela.

                  Drizzle some more oil around the edges & fry on a medium flame till it is 
                  cooked on one side. 

                               Gently flip it over to the other side & cook till done. 

                               Serve them hot with chutney, yoghurt, pickle or any side dish.

 

Stuffed Chili Pepper in Tomato Gravy

          Having any leftover dal / lentil curry? Then go ahead and dish out this wonderfully delicious stuffed chili pepper in tomato gravy. Sure to say was delighted with the outcome. It can be relished as a side dish with plain steamed rice, jeera rice, pulao, plain biryani, naan, kulcha, tandoori roti or just plain chapatti. You may also try with dosa, appam, uttapam or idiyappam for a fusion. So get going and check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 5-6 chili peppers
• leftover cooked dal (lentil curry), simmered till dry 
• 2-3 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• pinch of asafoetida
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 2 tomatoes, pureed
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1 tsp. roasted coriander powder
• coriander leaves to garnish

          Cut the top off the chili peppers and stuff with the reduced leftover dal. Heat oil in a pan and sauté the stuffed peppers till light brown. Drain and keep aside.

          Temper the same oil with cumin seeds and asafoetida. Saute for a few seconds. Add the onion and curry leaves. Stir fry till the onions turn light brown in colour.

          Now add the ginger-garlic paste and turmeric powder. Continue to saute till it is well fried. Pour in the tomato puree and the rest of the dry spices.

          Mix everything well and saute till the oil separates. Add 1 cup water and bring it to a boil. Drop in the fried and stuffed chili peppers.

          Cover with a lid and simmer on a medium flame for 3-4 minutes till done. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve as a side dish with pulao, plain steamed rice, jeera rice, naan, tandoori roti or just plain chapatti.

                    Cut the top off the chili peppers & stuff with the reduced leftover dal. 

                            

                     Heat oil & sauté stuffed peppers till light brown. Drain & keep aside.

                Temper the same oil with cumin seeds & asafoetida. Add onion & curry leaves.
                Stir fry till onions turn light brown in colour.

                               Now add ginger-garlic paste 

                               and turmeric powder. Continue to sauté till it is well fried. 

                               Pour in tomato puree 

                               and the rest of the dry spices.

                               Mix everything well & sauté till oil separates. 

                               Add 1 cup water & bring to a boil. 

                          Add fried & stuffed chili peppers. Cover with a lid & simmer on a
                          medium flame for 3-4 minutes till done.

                  Garnish with coriander leaves & serve as a side dish with pulao, plain steamed
                   rice, jeera rice, naan, tandoori roti or just plain chapatti.