Rajma Rasmisa#SundayFunday

This is a vegetarian mughlai dish in which red kidney beans are cooked to perfection flavored with aromatic spices. The combination of this delicious curry with steamed rice is one of the most favorite food of North India.

Serves 2 to 3
Ingredients
1 Cup Red Kidney Beans/Rajma Beans
Salt to taste
2 Teaspoons Ginger Garlic Paste
1 Large Onion - finely sliced
2 Medium Tomatoes - blended
2 Green Chilies - chopped
1 Teaspoon Coriander powder
1 Teaspoon Red Chilly powder - or to your spice level
½ Teaspoon Heaped Cumin powder
¼ Teaspoon Black Pepper Powder
2 Tablespoons Oil
½ Teaspoon Cumin seeds

Method

Clean & wash the red kidney beans & soak over night or for at least 4 -6 hours. Drain the water, wash them in clean water and pressure cook them in water 2 inches above the rajma, till they are soft & tender. On high flame for one whistle then reduce it to low flame and cook for 15 minutes. Switch off the flame let the cooker cool. Open and drain all the stock.

Heat oil in a kadai/ wok add cumin seeds, when they crackle add the sliced onion, sauté it till they turn light golden. Then add ginger & garlic paste sauté for a minute, the boiled red kidney beans, sauté for 2 minutes. add the blended tomato fry till oil surfaces. Then add the spices, coriander, cumin, red chilly and black pepper power, salt to taste, mix well , add the reserved stock from the beans, let it come to boil. Cover and cook for 5 - 6 minutes giving it a stir after every 2 minutes. Then add the green chillies and little coriander leaves mix well and cover with a lid and let is simmer for 2 minutes.  

It's done, serve hot garnish with coriander leaves, sliced tomato and lime slices. Enjoy with  chapattis or steamed rice. 

Labels: Rajma Beans, Pressure Cooker, Red Kidney Beans, Sunday Funday, Vegetarian Curry, Vegan, Gluten free, Indian

• Super Easy Baked Beans from Amy's Cooking Adventures
• Aquafaba from Dried Chickpeas from Cook with Renu
• Rajma Rasmisa from Sneha’s Recipe
• Southwest Chicken Foil Packs from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Sausage, Green Beans and Potatoes from Palatable Pastime
• Dry-Fried Sichuan Beans from Karen's Kitchen Stories

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

Vegan Moonga Gathi#SundayFunday

This is a traditional Goan, Maharashtra Konkan coastal side, which is soupy and delicious curry, called Moonga Gathi. This is a soupy gravy prepared by cooking sprouted moong in ground coconut . It's normally prepared during festive seasons like Ganesh Chaturthi or some holy ocassions or for a Pooja etc., Since it is complete vegan and also no onion no garlic, gluten free recipe, a perfect vrat recipe. 

Do not skip adding jaggery in this recipe, because renders a beautiful taste to the gravy, it's soupy, but you can mash some to moong beans to make a thick gravy or increase the coconut quantity to enhance the thickness.

Ingredients
1 Big Bowl Sprouted Moong Beans - Whole Mung Beans
2-3 slit green chillies
1 Teaspoon Level Garam masala
1 Teaspoon Level Turmeric powder
1 Teaspoon Jaggery
2 Tablespoon of Cooking oil
1 small marble size ball of tamarind
1 Teaspoon Level Sea Salt or to taste
To Dry Roast
1 Tablespoon Coriander seeds
¼ Teaspoon Whole Black peppercorns
3 Tablespoon Grated Dry Coconut - See My Notes
For The Tadka
1 Tablespoon Oil
1 Teaspoon Mustard seeds
A Pinch of Asafoetida
2 Dry Red Chillies
A Sprig Curry Leaves
Method

Dry roast pepper corns and coriander seeds in a pan on medium heat) until you get a aroma. Remove this into a plate and in the same pan add the dry coconut and lightly toast it, do not brown it. Cool and then grind all the roasted coconut, coriander seeds and peppercorns , along with tamarind, turmeric powder and garam masala in the grinder. Make a smooth paste adding just a tablespoon or two of water.

In a pressure pan heat the oil add the ground paste and wash the blender with water add that too and fry till oil separates. Now add the moong and sauté it lightly by tossing it up and down trying not the break the sprout or 2 minutes on high flame. Now add the slit green chillies, salt and 1½ cup water. Bring it to a rolling boil on high flame, once it comes to a boil, lower the flame and let it simmer for 2 minutes. Cover with lid and on high flame take one whistle. 

Switch off the flame and let the cooker cool down a little. When the steam settles down then open and add the jaggery and mix it well, taste for salt. Again cover the cooker with the lid and take one more whistle on high flame. Switch off the flame and the cooker steam settle completely. Open the cooker, I like the sprouted moong to be whole and not mushy , if you prefer a thick and mushy moong gravy , then take 2 whistles on high flame, or else mash a tablespoon of moong, it will thicken the gravy.

Now let's prepare the tadka
Heat oil in a tadka pan add mustard seeds, when it crackles then add the red chillies and asafoetida and curry leaves. Switch off the flame and pour this over the gravy. Moonga Gathi is ready to serve.

We enjoyed eating it with a spoon and chapatti. This goes well with poee or any crusty bread or bakri or boiled rice, mildly spiced and yummy.
My Notes
If you do not have dry coconut then used desiccated coconut ( toast this lightly) OR ½ Cup freshly grated coconut, do not roast this.

Labels: No Onion No Garlic, Sprouts, Moong Beans, Coconut, Vrat, Goa, Pressure Cooker, Vegan

Sunday Funday

Vegan Main Dishes

• Crispy Tofu Noodles by Palatable Pastime
• Mushroom Eggplant Stir fry (Indian-style Mushroom Baingan Masala) by Cook with Renu
• Mushroom Ragù by Culinary Cam
• Quinoa Stuffed Zucchini by Sid's Sea Palm Cooking
• Vegan 3 Bean Soup by Amy's Cooking Adventures
• Vegan Moonga Gathi by Sneha’s Recipe
• Vegan Tofu Steak by Mayuri’s Jikoni
• Vegetable Biryani by A Day in the Life on the Farm

Pressure Cooker Pork Dry#SundayFunday

Want something that is quick, then this is a recipe for you. For I have never made anything as simple and easy as this. No oil is added in this recipe. This is a one pot dish/meal.

Ingredients
1 Kg Boneless Pork - cut into cubes
Grind To Paste
1 Tablespoon Kashmiri Chilly powder
15 Cloves Garlic
2 " Piece Ginger
½ Teaspoon Heaped Black Pepper powder
12 Shallots
¾ Teaspoon Pink Himalayan Salt
¼ Cup Water
½ Teaspoon Turmeric powder
1 Tablespoon Heaped Vinegar - I used coconut vinegar

Method

Marinate the pork with the ground paste got one hour in the pressure pan itself.

After one hour place it on high flame and take one whistle. Reduce the flame to low and let is cook for 12 - 15 minutes. After 15 minutes switch off the flame and let the cooker cool. When it cools open the cooker and dry off the excess liquid in the cooker on medium high flame and the renders all the fat.

Switch off the flame and serve this as a side dish. Taste awesome.

Labels: Pressure Cooker, Pork, Side Dish, Sunday Funday, One Pot Meal, Gluten Free, Low Carb  

For Sunday Funday we are sharing sides dishes for barbecues.

• 45 Minute Hamburger Buns from Amy’s Cooking Adventures
• Avocado Salad with Fresh Herb Dressing from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Carrot Apple Salad from Mayuri’s Jikoni
• Pressure Cooker Pork Dry from Sneha’s Recipe
• Quinoa Salad with Fennel & Garbanzo Beans from Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
• Spaccatini Rolls from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Spinach Madeline Stuffed Potatoes from Food Lust People Love
• Sweet and Tangy Cucumber Salad from Palatable Pastime
• Sweet Potato and Fennel Fronds Salad from Cook with Renu

Pork Chops In Homemade Recheado Masala#SundayFunday

These are spicy and flavorful pork chops! With a few simple tricks to make them delicious and fall of the bones. If you have tender pork chops then do not pressure cook them first. Just brush them with mayonnaise and fry them in Keto friendly oil. Check the recipe for my Homemade Recheado Masala to make these delicious chops.

Serves One
Ingredients
2 Pork chops
3 Tablespoons Homemade Recheado Masala 
Coconut Oil/ Desi Ghee -as required for frying

Method 

Marinate the pork chops in the Recheado Masala and refrigerate them overnight or for at least an hour so that the meat can tenderize and absorb all the flavor.

Place the marinated pork chops in a pressure pan and take one whistle on high flame then reduce the flame and keep it for 10minutes. After 10 minutes switch off the flame and let the cooker cool completely.

Once cooled brush them with mayonnaise and then fry it in coconut oil or desi ghee.

Enjoy.. these fall of the bones pork chops, which are gluten free and keto friendly.  

Labels: Keto, Pork Chops, Goan, Recheado Masala, Homemade, Pressure Cooker, Sunday Funday, Side Dish, Serves One

For Sunday Funday today we are honoring Elvis Presley with food.   

• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Brown Sugar Glazed Salmon 
• Karen's Kitchen Stories: Buffalo Chicken Baked Mac and Cheese 
• Food Lust People Love: Hatch Chili Pepper Meatloaf
• Culinary Cam: Oysters Rockefeller 
• Palatable Pastime: Pineapple Poke Cake 
• Sneha's Recipe: Pork Chops In Homemade Recheado Masala 
• Amy's Cooking Adventures: "The Elvis" Peanut Butter, Bacon, & Banana Sandwich

Colorful Peppers Pulao#Improv

Colorful Peppers Pulao is an easy, quick and delicious one-pot meal rice made with 3 different bell peppers/capsicum, aromatics and herbs. The best thing about this recipe is that you can use leftover rice too. Perfect for lunch box or kid's tiffin.

Ingredients
½ Each of Red, Yellow, Orange & Green Bell Peppers
½ medium sized Red/ purple Onion
3 Green Chilies - thinly sliced
1 Teaspoon Urad Dal
1 Tablespoon Homemade Curry Powder
1½ Cups  Rice 
2-3 Tablespoons Oil 
2½ Cups Water

Method  

Dice into little cubes all the colored bell peppers
Heat a frying pan with a tablespoon of oil and sauté the peppers, sliced green chillies and with a pinch salt, and a teaspoon of curry powder. Remove and keep aside.

In the same pressure cooker heat 2 tablespoons of oil, add the urad dal, when it starts to brown add in the rice and sauté it for a minute lightly stirring it or else the rice will break. Then add in the curry powder and sauté again for a minute, add salt to taste and give a good mix. Add in the water and bring this to a rolling boil. Close the cooker and take 2 whistles on high flame. After 2 whistles switch off the flame. 

Let the pressure release on it's own. Open the cooker and stir in the sautéed bell peppers and green chillies lightly fluff the rice with a fork so that the bell pepper as incorporated and the rice is loosen nicely. Serve warm, garnished with chopped coriander leaves.

Enjoy this simple yet completely healthy and wholesome one pot meal! 
Labels: Colored Bell Peppers, Capsicum, Pulao, Pressure Cooker, Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten free, Improv Cooking Challenge, Main course, Curry powder, Homemade

December Improv Cooking Challenge

Red & Green Foods
• • Red and Green Quinoa and Steak Bowl by Pandemonium Noshery
  • Strawberry Spinach Salad by Palatable Pastime
  • Colorful Peppers Pulao by Sneha’s Recipe
  • Tuscan Tortellini Soup by A Day in the Life on the Farm
  • Grinch Green Pancakes by Cookaholic Wife 

Bisi Bele Bath#Improv

Bisi Bele Bath or Bisi Bele Huliyanna is a dish meal which is flavorsome, spicy and slightly tangy complete meal made with lentils, rice, mixed vegetables and a super aromatic spice powder. This is a famous Karnataka cuisine dish. It's actually a masala khichdi with lots of veggies. The term “Bisi bele bath” translates to “Hot Lentil Rice Dish”. “Bisi” is a Kannada word meaning “Hot”, “Bele” translates to “Lentils” and “Bath” is a word that denotes a “Soupy Rice".

Bisi Bele Bath is so popular that you get it so easily in the South Indian restaurants in Bangalore.  To make this dish I have used readymade Bisi Bele Bath masala, which is readily available in any store. I am sharing the quick and delicious way to prepare this dish/ a pressure cooker version. 

Serve 5 as a complete meal
Ingredients
1 Cup Short Grain Rice(- washed)
1/3 Cup Tur Dal
1 Medium Onion - chopped
1 Teaspoon Finely Chopped Ginger
1 Large Tomato - chopped
8 - 10 Beans - cut into big bits
½ Cup Green Peas - I used frozen
½ Cup Cauliflower Florets - I used frozen
½ Cup Pumpkin - cut into medium cubes
½ Cup Carrot - cut into medium cubes
2 Small Potato - cut into medium cubes
½ Cup Diced Capsicum - I used Red , Yellow and Green - you can use any one color
½ Cup Tamarind Juice
1½ Tablespoons Level Bisi Bele Bath Powder
¼ Teaspoon + ½ Teaspoon Salt or to taste
For The Tadka
½ Cup Oil
1½ Teaspoon Mustard Seeds
¼ Teaspoon Asafoetida
2 Sprig Curry Leaves
¼ Cup Cashewnuts or Raw Peanuts - I used Cashewnuts
2 Dried Red Chillies

Method
For Cooking The Veggies

In a pressure cooker add the all the veggies, beans, pumpkin, potato , carrot ( since I used frozen cauliflower and peas I did not add to the cooker. If you are using fresh then add this to the cooker). Add ¼ teaspoon salt and ½ cup water. Take one whistle on high flame. Let the cooker cool completely. Strain the stock & veggies. Keep them aside separately.

In the same cooker add the rice and lentils, with ½ teaspoon salt. Measure the stock from the veggies. Add total 5 cups water. Keep it on medium high flame and take 5 whistles. The rice and lentils should be mushy, then you do not need to mash them.

In a big kadai/ pot heat oil, add the mustard seeds, when they splutter add the asafoetida, curry leaves , dried red chillies and cashewnuts sauté for a minute or till the cashewnuts turn golden. Remove ½ of the tadka and keep aside for garnish ( this is optional).
Now add the capsicum, peas and cauliflower, saute for a minute or two. Then add all the cooked veggies, the bisi bele bath powder and saute till it releases an aroma, say for 2 minutes on medium low flame. 

Add the tamarind water and cooked rice dal mix. Give it a good mix, add more hot water if necessary to make it a soupy dish. Let this simmer for 4-5 minutes so that the flavors infuse on very low flame, covered with a lid. Taste for salt,  add accordingly.  After 4 -5 minutes switch off the flame. 

Serve garnished with the remaining tadka this hot. As this cools the rice and dal will absorb most of the stock and will thicken. 

We enjoyed this hot with fried rice papad or falafel. pickle and raita. Bisi bele bath is a delicious complete and healthy meal. My guest enjoyed this meal. Do try this recipe, you will definitely fall in love with it.

Labels : Khichdi, Karnataka, Rice, Lentils, Mixed Veggies, Pumpkin, Complete Meal, Healthy, Vegan, Gluten free, Main course, Tur Dal, Pressure Cooker, Improv Cooking Challenge

Improv Cooking Challenge

Squash & Rice

Bisi Bele Bath by Sneha's Recipes
Butternut Squash Methi Pulao by Magical Ingredients
Butternut Squash Rice Pudding by A Day in the Life on the Farm
Butternut Squash and Wild Rice Pilaf by Palatable Pastime

Hunter Beef Roast#SuperClubSaturday

Hunter beef is a method, where in, the meat is cured in curing salts/salt petre (potassium nitrite), this is similar to corned beef. This meat has to be refrigerated for at least 5 days in spices and salt petre to enhance the flavor of the meat.

Once cooked till fork tender, you can cut thin slices or shred the meat, use it as side dish or make sandwiches. It's delicious and aromatic.

Ingredients
1½ Kg Boneless Beef
6 Cloves Garlic
1 Inch Piece Ginger
5 Whole Red Chillies - broken in two paces
½ Cup Fresh Lemon Juice or Juice of 4 - 5 Lemons
2½ - 3 Teaspoons Salt or to taste
3 Tablespoons Jaggery or Brown Sugar 
1½ Tablespoon Salt Petre/Curing Salts
4 Cups Water
To Grind To A Coarse Powder 
1½ Tablespoon Salt Petre/Curing Salt 
1½ Teaspoons Level Cumin seeds 
2 Teaspoons Level Black Peppercorns
2 Teaspoons Level Cloves
4 Sticks ( An Inch Each) Cinnamon

Method

Fork the meat well with lemon juice and then add the paste, press the whole garlic cloves and small piece of ginger into the meat add the red chillies and rub i well into the meat. 

Tie the meat and the red chillies with thread into a nice long log. Keep it for 5 days  or more (maximum a week)in the refrigerator turning the sides every day.  After 5 days add the water and cook when the meat, turning after every 15 minutes check the water and add hot water if necessary. 

When the meat is fork tender, dry up all the water/stock. Cool the meat well then wrap it in a aluminum foil and refrigerate for a day or two. 

Cut it into thin slices or shred it as required and enjoy making sandwiches or as a side dish. 

I cooked this in the pressure cooker for 60 minutes, added only 500Ml water. One whistle on high flame then reduced the flame to low and cooked it for 55 to 60 minutes, depending on the cut of meat.

Labels: Beef, Roast, Pressure Cooker, Side Dish, Super Club Saturday

• Chocolate Chip Brownie Cookies  by Patyco Candybar
• Hunter Beef Roast by Sneha’s Recipe
• Menestra de Lentejas/Ecuadorian Lentil Stew by Magical Ingredients
• Shredded Italian Beef Sandwiches by A Day in the Life on the Farm