Jhatpat Bhendi Masala#Alphabet Challenge

I, was multi tasking today. The bread was baking in the oven, on the other side I was making phulkas for lunch and it was already past 12.30 in the noon and the sabji was not ready. I actually wanted to make Rajasthani Bhendi Masala but I knew that would take helluva of long time. So I made this Jhatpat Bhendi Masala. No stirring, no need to keep a watchful eye. Still this sabji became very tasty, my daughter's prompt comment on eating this sabji. Mummy this bhendi curry is tasting very nice which recipe this is. I smiled, very happy in mind and replied really, good .. enjoy it! So here is the recipe. 

Ingredients
250 Grams Bhendi
1 Large Onion
2 Tomatoes
1 Small piece Ginger
5 Flakes Garlic
1 Tablespoon Malai / Fresh Cream
1 Teaspoon Chilly powder
1 Teaspoon Coriander - Cumin powder
½ Teaspoon Goda masala
½ Teaspoon Kitchen King masala
½ Teaspoon Magic Masala
¼ Turmeric powder
1 Teaspoon Sugar
2 + 1 Tablespoon Oil
Salt to taste
Method 

Wash, wipe and cut the bhendi into ½ inch roundels. 
In a nonstick pan add a tablespoon oil and the bhendi and fry on high flame stirring off and on till stickiness vanishes and lightly brown in color. Switch off the flame and keep aside.

Grind the onion, tomatoes, ginger, garlic and malai together to a fine paste.

In a kadai add 2 tablespoons oil and the ground past with ½ cup water and place it on high flame till it comes to a boil, cover with a lid and keep on slow flame till oil floats. Then add all the spices and again ½ cup water give it a quick stir, cover and cook again till the masala is cooked and oil floats. Add water to adjust the consistency of the gravy , add salt, sugar and the bhendi , give a quick stir, cover and cook for 3 minutes. Garnish with coriander and serve hot with phulkas.

Check here to see other Bhendi/Okra Recipes

Aloo Bhendi Fry - No Onion, Garlic & Tomato
Bhendi / Okra Masala Dry
Bhendi (Okra) Sabzi With Pickle Masala
Bhendi Do Pyaza
Bhendi Masala 

Chilli Garlic Lady Finger / Okra / Bhendi - Baked
Jhatpat Bhendi Masala
Stir Fry Bhendi / Lady Fingers
Tangy Creamy Sabzi

Labels: Alphabet Challenge, Bhendi, Okra, Main course, Vegetarian, Indian, Curry, Vegan, Gluten free

• Mayuri’s Jikoni: Jeera Bhaat | Jeera Rice 
• Sneha’s Recipe: Jhatpat Bhendi Masala 
• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya 
• Culinary Cam: Bulgogi-Inspired Oven Beef Jerky 
• Jolene’s Recipe Journal: Blueberry Jam Palmiers 
• Karen’s Kitchen Stories: Johnnycake Cobblers 
• Blogghetti: Jam-Filled Corn Flake Muffins 
• Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice: Brown Sugar Caribbean Jerk Seasoning 
• Magical Ingredients: Jackfruit Paratha 
• Food Lust People Love: Java Dry Spice Mix Chops 

Cauliflower Curry Pathare Prabhu Style#SundayFunday

This is a quick and delicious Vegan & Gluten free Cauliflower Curry.  Perfect mildly spiced curry that can be enjoyed with rice or phulkas. 

Ingredients 

1 Medium Cauliflower - cut into florets
1 Medium Potato - cubed
2 Tablespoons Heaped Pathare Prabhu Masala - Homemade
1 Medium Onion - finely chopped
1 Medium Tomato - finely chopped
4 Tablespoons Freshly Grated Coconut
1 Teaspoon Heaped Ginger Garlic paste
Salt to taste
4 Tablespoons Oil

Method
Immerse the cauliflower florets in warm water and a tablespoon of sea salt, Keep it aside for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes wash in fresh running water 2 -3 times. Keep it to drain in a colander.

 Grind the coconut to a fine paste add the pathare Prabhu masala and grind again it well mixed. 

In a kadai heat oil , add the ginger garlic paste and saute for 2 minutes , then add the onion and fry till starts to turn golden.

Now add the ground masala paste and  ¼ cup water fry the masala till oil starts to leave the sides. 

Add the cauliflower, potato and fry 

till the masala coats it.

Add a cup of water and salt to taste, mix it well, bring it to a rolling boil. 

Cover with a lid and cook till the potato and cauliflower is  cooked and oil surfaces. Add the chopped tomato and mix well, let it simmer for 2 minutes . Taste for seasonings.

 Serve garnished with fried curry leaves. Enjoy with rice or phulkas.  

Check out these easy Cauliflower recipes

Baked Cauliflower Breadsticks
Baked Tandoori Cauliflower /Tandoori Gobhi
BBQ Whole Cauliflower Tikka 
Cauliflower / Gobhi Sabzi
Cauliflower Rassa
Doi Gobhi/Yogurt Cauliflower
Gobhi Kolhapuri Masala / Cauliflower Kolhapuri Masala 
Grilled Cauliflower Tikka Masala
Mughlai Cauliflower 
Pasta in Cauliflower Cream Sauce

Roasted Cauliflower And Garlic Soup
Stuffed Gobhi (Cauliflower) Parathas 
Tandoori Gobhi/Cauliflower Made On Gas Stove
Vegan & Gluten Free Tomato Cauliflower Rice

Lables: Cauliflower,Gobhi, Potato, Pathare Prabhu, Masala, Homemade, Curry, Vegan, Gluten free, Vegetarian, Sunday Funday   

Buffalo Cauliflower Quinoa Bowls from Amy's Cooking Adventures
Cauliflower Cheese from Karen's Kitchen Stories
Cauliflower Curry Pathare Prabhu Style from Sneha's Recipe
Copycat Cracker Barrel Broccoli Cheese Casserole from Palatable Pastime
Creamy Cheddar Cauliflower Soup (Instant Pot) from Food Lust People Love
Stirfry Chicken, Broccoli, and Cauliflower from A Day in the Life on the Farm
Tandoori Cauliflower Steaks from Mayuri's Jikoni  

Black Eyed Peas Curry /Safed Lobia ka Salan#SundayFunday

This is a delicious, vegan and gluten free curry, a main course dish , which can be enjoyed with steamed rice or rotis.

Ingredients
1½ Cups Black Eyed Beans /Safed Lobia
½ Cup Oil
1 Medium Onion - sliced
¾ Teaspoon Cumin seeds
2 Bay leaves
2 Teaspoons Ginger Garlic paste
2 Medium Tomatoes - chopped
1+ 2 Green chilies - chopped
Salt to taste
1 Teaspoon Red chili powder or to your spice level
½ Teaspoon Turmeric powder 
2 Teaspoons Coriander powder 
To Be Added Last
1 Vegetable cube
½ Teaspoon Garam masala 
½ Teaspoon Coriander powder 
¼ Teaspoon Cumin powder 
For Garnishing
Fresh Coriander leaves - chopped

Method

Wash and soak the black eyed peas in water for at least 4 hours.

In a pressure cooker, heat oil and sliced onions, cumin seeds, bay leaves. Sauté until the onions start to turn light golden. Then add ginger and garlic paste and sauté until the raw smell vanishes. Add chopped tomatoes and one chopped green chilly cook until the tomatoes are soft & mushy and the oil separates from the gravy. 

Now add salt, red chili powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder, sauté for two minutes. Now wash the black eyed peas once again with fresh water and add to the gravy. Add 3 - 4 cups of water and pressure cook on high flame for one whistle then for 7 to 10 minutes on low flame. After that switch off the flame, let the pressure release and the cooker cool completely.

Open, remove the lid and cook for 5-8 minutes stirring occasionally until completely done and you have the gravy consistency you require. Now add vegetable cube, garam masala, coriander powder, cumin powder and remaining two chopped green chilies. Mix and let is simmer for just two minutes, then turn off the flame. Garnish with fresh chopped coriander leaves.

Serve hot with rice. Enjoy!!

Labels: Black Eyed Peas, Curry, Main course, Indian, Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten free, Sunday Funday, Lentils, Pressure Cooker, One Pot Meal 

• Anti-Hero Appetizers from Culinary Cam
• Banana Cream Pie from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Black Eyed Peas Curry - Safed Lobia ka Salan from Sneha's Recipe
• Crab Rangoon Ravioli from Food Lust People Love
• Crockpot Pulled Pork with Ale from Amy's Cooking Adventures
• Mini Chicken Tostada Appetizers from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Shrimp, Papaya and Pineapple Salad from Palatable Pastime

Mahahrastrian Misal Pav#SundayFunday

Misal-Pav” is a another favorite meal of a“Maharashtrians / Mumbaikar's ” after the most famous Vada Pav. Misal pav is a pretty popular dish from Maharashtra and every region has it’s own version of making misal.

What is Misal? Misal is basically a spicy curry made of moth beans/matki or mixed beans sprouts. The dish is topped "farsan" or "sev", onions, lemon and coriander before serving. It's eaten with bread or pav, a katori of yogurt/curd or a glass of buttermil.
In Konkan where the spice levels are so high that a glass of solkadi is guzzled down to cool the heat!

Misal has in three steps
1. Making of the usal/curry
2. Making the kat/tarri spicy water based thin gravy!
3. The toppings - tomato, onion , lemon juice and farsan

Ingredients
For The Sprouted Mixed Beans Curry
2 Cups Mixed Bean Sprouts - see notes
1 Large Onion - finely chopped
2 Medium Tomatoes - finely chopped
1 Green chilly - chopped
1 Teaspoon Heaped Ginger Garlic paste
1 Teaspoon Mustard seeds
½ Teaspoon Cumin seeds
A Spring Curry leaves
1 Teaspoon Heaped Goda masala - see notes
½ Teaspoon Turmeric powder
2 Teaspoons Heaped Kacha Masala - East Indian - see notes
A Small Lemon Size Ball Tamarind, soaked in 1/2 cup water
1 cup water or add more if you want thin consistency
2 - 3 Tablespoons Groundnut Oil
Salt to taste

Method
Soaked the tamarind in ½ cup water for 15 - 20 minutes. Squeeze the tamarind and remove the plup, keep this aside.

Rinse the bean sprouts first in running water well. Drain them completely and then add the sprouts, a little turmeric powder, salt and water 2 inch's above the sprouts, in a pressure cooker till done. Pressure cook for 2 to 3 whistles, or until the beans are cooked yet firm.
Take a deep pan/kadai, heat oil, add in the mustard seeds and cumin seeds when they splutter. Add onion and curry leaves, sauté the onion till they turn translucent. Add ginger-garlic paste and green chilly, stir and sauté till the raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away. Now add the dry spices - kacha masala, turmeric powder and goda masala. Stir and then add the tamarind pulp. Keep stirring till the raw aroma of the tamarind goes away. 

Now drain the bean sprouts ( reserve the stock to make the tarri), lighlty mix and add a cup water or more water if required. I added more because the sprouts while getting cooked makes the curry thicker. Bring this to a rolling boil. Reduce the flame and let it simmer for 15 minutes, so the flavors infuse, keep stirring in between so that the beans don’t stick to the bottom of the pan.  

Garnish with coriander leaves.

Ingredients
For The Tarri/ Kat
3 Tablespoons Grated Dry Coconut (lightly dry roasted)
1 Medium Tomato chopped
1 Medium Onion - chopped
½ Teaspoon Ginger Garlic paste
1 Teaspoon Goda Masala
½ Teaspoon  Red chili powder
1 Tablespoon Groundnut Oil
Salt to taste

Method

Heat the pan with oil, add the  garlic-ginger paste, fry for till they turn light brown. Add onion and fry till they turn golden and soft. Add tomatoes and fry for few minutes. Turn off the flame and let it cool. Once cool add above made onion masala, dry coconut, garam masala, red chilly powder and grind to a smooth paste.
Heat the pan with 4-5tsp oil, add above made masala paste and cook till the oil starts leave the sides. At this point you can add red chili powder, salt. Add stock from the beans and little more to make a watery consistency. Cook till it comes to boil.  

Kat or tarri is very thin watery consistency is ready.

Assembling The Misal Pav  

In a bowl or divided plate take the usal curry. Fill it to half. Add in the tarri. Garnish it with tomatoes, onions, farsan, potato sallis, as much as you would like to. Squeeze in lemon juice and garnish with coriander leaves.  

Serve it warm with pav, cold buttermilk or Solkadhi

My Notes

Do not sprout the beans too much or else the misal will be mushy.
If you do not have goda masala then you can use garam masala powder but half the quantity of goda masala.
Instead of Kacha Masala - use 2 or more teaspoon of red chilly or according to spice level, a teaspoon heaped of coriander powder and a teaspoon cumin powder.
Labels: Mixed Beans, Sprouts, Curry, Street food, Maharastrian Cuisine, Maharashtra, Sunday Funday, Main course

For our event called Sunday Funday, wherein we share recipes our families will love to enjoy on a Sunday. Our theme for Sunday Funday: "Sprouts".

Chinese Cuban Fried Rice from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
Korean Banchan (Bean Sprout, Pickled Radish and Cucumber) from Palatable Pastime
Masala papad with sprouted moth bean chaat from Mildly Indian
Mahahrastrian Misal Pav from Sneha’s Recipe
Quick and Easy Pork Pho from A Day in the Life on the Farm
Spicy Tofu Bowl from Mayuri’s Jikoni
Sprouted Wheat Bread (Wet Sprouted - No Dehydrating or Grain Mill from Amy’s Cooking Adventures
Tomato and Sunflower Sprout Salad from Pandemonium Noshery
The Goan Usali Recipe from The Mad Scientist’s Kitchen

 

Khuboni/Khube Curry - East Indian#FishFriday

With various types of seashells found along the sea coast, most of them are eaten as food. The type of shells that I cooked is the small sea snails/ sea shells, we East Indians call them khuba/khube which are also known as pin shells since a pin is used to remove the flesh from the shell. These shells are got from the rocks in the sea, they generally cling to these rocks and usually found in the market during the monsoons. My sister in law got these for me, I have eaten these after many years. I love these khubas. 

They are delicious to eat but tiresome to clean, they take a lot of time to clean. When I make this curry, I first enjoy eating the rice or hand bread/Appas, then clean all the khubas. Try this recipe and you will enjoy it.
How to clean shells and prepare for cooking.

Immerse the shells in a big pot water for 10 to 15 minutes to let the sand settle down. I put a pinch of potassium permanganate in the water, so that all dirt is removed completely, this is optional.
Now lift the khubas and immerse them in another pot of of water and like wise wash them well a three to four times in fresh water. When the water is clean and clear the khubas are ready to use, then transfer them into a big vessel.

Ingredients
Grind To Fine Paste
4 Dried Red Chillies
½ Teaspoon Cumin seeds
A Pinch Turmeric powder
1/3 Cup Fresh Grated Coconut
4 Whole Black Peppercorns
1 Teaspoon Tamarind
6 Cloves Garlic
Salt to taste
Other Ingredients
50 Khubas
1 Teaspoon Oil - optional

Method

Soak the chillies in hot water till they soften. 
Grind all the given ingredients to fine paste. 

Mix the oil and grounded paste well. Wash the mixer jar with water, add enough water to make thick consistency gravy. Add salt to taste. 

Boil this till it comes to a boil. Cover with a lid and low flame let it simmer for 7 minutes. Taste for salt and sourness, add if necessary. Add the Khubas and bring it to a boil. Reduce the flame to low and cook it for 8 to 10 minutes. Switch off the flame. 

Enjoy eating this with steamed rice or Hand Breads. 

To clean them take a safety pin, flip open the covering and pull out the snail from the shell. Enjoy, this is super delicious!!

Labels: East Indian, Khubas , Pin Shells, Fish Friday, Seafood/Fish, Main Course, Curry, Healthy

Sustainable Seafood #FishFridayFoodies Event: February 18, 2022 Hosted by Camilla  of Culinary Adventures with Camilla   

• Braised Cod with Potatoes and Onions by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Broiled Asian-inspired Red Snapper Fillets by Food Lust People Love
• Khuboni/Khube Curry - East Indian by Sneha’s Recipe
• L'Uovo di Seppia by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Pasta with Spiced Vegetables and Anchovies by A Day in the Life on the Farm

Black Eyed Peas With Punjabi Vadi#SundayFunday

My friend got this Urad Dal Vadi from Punjab, so I thought of combining both and made a main course dish which is so quick and lip smacking. This is made in the pressure cooker.

Ingredients
1 large Urad Dal Vadi  - broken into small pieces
1 Cup Dried Black Eyed Peas/Chawli
½ Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
½ Teaspoon Turmeric powder
1 Teaspoon Red Chilly powder - or your spice leve
2 Teaspoon Coriander powder
1 Teaspoon Sea Salt or to taste
Oil as required
Grind To Paste
1 Medium Onion
1" Piece Ginger
3 Big Cloves Garlic
2 Large Tomatoes - pureed

Method
Wash and soak the black eyed peas for at least 2 -3 hours.

In a pressure cooker add a teaspoon heaped fry the vadi for a minute or two. Remove and keep aside.

In the same cooker add 2 tablespoons of oil, when heated add the cumin seeds and when it splutters, add the onion ginger garlic paste and sauté well till the onion starts to turn golden and oil seperates. Then add the puréed tomatoes along with all the dry spices, salt, turmeric, red chilly and coriander powder and fry well till oil surfaces. 

Now add the fried vadi and 

black eyed peas, sauté for a minute. 

Add water an inch above the level of the black eyed peas and give it a good mix Cover the cooker with a lid and one medium high flame take one whistle and reduce the flame to low. Reduce the flame to low and keep it for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, increase to high and take one whistle. Switch off the flame and let the cool for 5 minutes. 

Open and check for the consistency of the gravy, add water accordingly. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

Serve hot with hot chapattis or steamed rice. The flavor of this dish was just too good.

Labels: Black Eyed Peas, Vadi, Main course, Curry, Vegan, Gluten free, Sunday Funday, Indian 

For our event called Sunday Funday, wherein we share recipes our families will love to enjoy on a Sunday. Our host for this week's event is Rebekah of Making Miracles and the theme is Sunday Funday 30 Minutes Or Less.     

• Beef and Bean Sloppy Joes from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Beef Steak Tips with Mushrooms and Balsamic Gravy from Amy's Cooking Adventures
• Black Eyed Peas With Punjabi Vadi from Sneha’s Recipe
• Minestrone Soup from Mayuri’s Jikoni 
• Pasta Fagioli for Christmas from Our Good Life
• Quick and Cozy Turkey Stew  from Making Miracles

Fried Surmai Fish With Surmai Chinchoni#FishFriday

This is without coconut and oil. In this recipe the 'chinch' or the sourness comes from tamarind. This is tangy and lightly spicy curry. This can be had with steamed rice or Hand Breads (Apas) -East Indian.

I had purchased a small seer/surmai fish, cut two slices of the fish for frying and remaining used to make a curry.
Serves 2
Ingredients
3 -4 Pieces Seer Fish / Surmai
500 ml water
1 Teaspoon Salt
2 Teaspoons Tamarind paste

For the Masala Paste 
8 - 9 Dried Red Kashmiri chillies
5 Big Cloves Garlic - roughly chopped
1 Teaspoon Heaped Cumin seeds
1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric powder
2 Teaspoons Rice - washed
For the Fried Fish
2 Slices Seer Fish / Surmai
2 Tablespoons Of The above ground masala
Salt to taste
1 Tablespoon Lemon juice

Oil as required for frying
Method
Soak red chillies in hot water for 1 hour. Drain and grind with remaining masala ingredients to a smooth consistency, gradually adding 3-4 tablespoons of water, or as required.

Wash fish and set aside to drain. 

In a pan or mud vessel (which we East Indians call it a treezal), add the ground masala, tamarind paste, water and over low flame, let this boil for 10 to 15 minutes. 

Adjust the consistency of the gravy and sourness accordingly, then only add the fish. After 15 minutes add fish and bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 7 - 8 minutes or until the fish is cooked. Serve hot with steamed rice and the fried fish.

For the Fried Fish

Wash and pat dry the slices of fish and then mix the salt and lemon juice to the ground masala. Apply this well to the fish and keep it aside for 15 minutes. Then fry it in a cast iron pan with a tablespoon or two of oil, till done on both sides. 

Labels: Chinchoni, East Indian, Seafood/Fish, Curry, Oil Free, Tamarind, Main course, Seer Fish , Surmai

Fish Friday Foodies - November 2021 
Today we are sharing favorite recipes for Seasonal Fish and Seafood.

A Day in the Life on the Farm: Bay Scallop Chowder
Sneha’s Recipe: Fried Surmai Fish With Surmai Chinchoni
Palatable Pastime: Pan Fried Oysters
Culinary Adventures with Camilla: Roasted Salmon Over Sage-Scented Stuffing with a Cranberry Relish
Karen’s Kitchen Stories: Stir-Fried Scallops and Broccoli