Tandoori Aloo Matar Sabzi - A Side Dish

This is a lovely recipe for vegetarians, vegan, its gluten free too. Tandoori Aloo Matar is midly spiced yet delicious and mouthwatering with homemade tandoori masala which is so colorful. You can add different seasonings to change the dish as well, a must try dish.

Ingredients
1½ Cup Fresh Green Peas - boiled
4 Potatoes - cut into medium size cubes
2 Onions - sliced
3 Tomatoes - chopped
2 Teaspoons Cumin seeds
4 Green chilles - chopped
1 Tablespoon Ginger
½ Teaspoon Amchur powder
1 Tablespoon Tandoori Masala - Homemade
½ Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Coriander powder
2 Tablespoons Coriander leaves - chopped
¼ Cup Oil
½ Teaspoon Red Chilly powder

Method

Heat oil add cumin seeds, sliced onion, fry till light golden add chopped ginger and tomatoes, fry for 5 minutes add coriander powder, chilly powder, amchur powder, salt and ¼ cup water, fry well add peas, potatoes, tandoori masala, cover and cook on low flame for 10 minutes till oil surfaces.  

Serve garnish with coriander leaves and slit green chillies. Enjoy!!

Labels: Vegetables, Gluten Free, Green Peas, Potato, Vegetarian, Vegan, Sabzi

Chicken Biryani-Gujarati Style#SundayFunday

This is a Memoni Muslim style Gujarati Biryani, it's aromatic, mouth watering biryani with succulent chicken in fluffy rice and full of fragrance from the screw pine water. As you all know Biryani is a complete meal in itself, apt to suit all occasions; whether a hearty meal on a lazy Sunday or for a party, it's a scrumptious indulgence at the dining table - this is loved by one and all. 

This biryani you can assemble in advance and just an hour before you serve, keep it to cook, it's that easy to make.

Serves 3
Ingredients
For the Chicken Marination
425 Grams Chicken - made into biryani cut pieces
½ Cup Yogurt
1" Piece Ginger - grind to fine paste
5 Cloves Garlic - grind to fine paste 
½ Tablespoon Red Chilly Powder
½ Teaspoon Turmeric powder
½ Teaspoon Garam masala powder
1 Teaspoon Salt
¾ Teaspoon Roasted Coriander powder
¾ Teaspoon Roasted Cumin powder
Other Ingredients
¼ Cup Oil
¾ Cup Brown onion
¼ Teaspoon Nutmeg powder
¼ Teaspoon Mace powder
¼ Teaspoon Green cardamom powder
¼ Teaspoon Biryani color
1 Teaspoon Screw pine water
1 Large Tomato - sliced
4 Whole Green chilies
3 Tablespoons Coriander leaves
3 Tablespoons Mint leaves
3 Potatoes - boiled & halved
Ingredients for the Rice
Boil the Rice with these till full done
¼ Kg Rice
1 Tablespoon Salt
1 Bay Leaf
2 Cloves
½ Teaspoon Black Peppercorns
½ Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
½ Teaspoon Shahjeera
1 Stick Cinnamon
2 Green Cardamom
2 Brown Cardamom

Method 

Marinate chicken with yogurt, ginger, garlic, salt, red chilly, turmeric, cumin and coriander powders for 30 minutes.
Heat oil add the boiled and halved potatoes and fry on high flame till light golden, remove and keep aside. In the same pan add another tablespoon or two of oil and add the brown onion with marinated chicken, rinse the bowl with ¼ cup water and add that too, give it a good mix. Bring this to a boil on high flame, then reduce the flame to low, cover with a lid and let it cook till done and the gravy is saucy.
Mix the screw pine water and biryani color, keep aside. 

In a another thick heavy bottom pan add ¼ cup oil and water each then add half of the rice. Spread all the chicken with gravy then sprinkle whole green chilies , arrange the tomato

slices 

and the fried potatoes, then sprinkle the nutmeg, mace and cardamom powder, sprinkle half of the mint and coriander leaves then add the remaining rice sprinkle the screw pine water and color mix.

Dot it with butter and sprinkle the remaining coriander and mint leaves. Cover with a lid, keep on high flame for 5 minutes then on low flame for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes switch off the flame and let is rest covered for 5 minutes.
                             

Open give it a mix with a fork and serve with Raita of your choice.

This is delicious biryani, you will love it.

Labels: Biryani, Chicken, Gujarati, One Bowl, Sunday Funday, Complete Meal, Main course

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 Stacy of Food Lust People Love. 

Sunday Funday: " Chicken Delights".   

• Chicken and Stuffing Bake from Palatable Pastime
• Chicken Biryani-Gujarati Style from Sneha's Recipe
• Chicken and Ramen Dump Dinner from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Chicken Fajitas from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Creamy Spinach and Red Pepper Chicken from Making Miracles
• Saucy Pepperoni Roasted Chicken from Food Lust People Love
• The Best Brine for Whole Roast Chicken from Amy's Cooking Adventures

Steamed Rawa/Semolina Balls#SundayFunday

These are delicious small round delights which is made with rawa/semolina, an easy and quick breakfast. It's a great breakfast, Taste Bhi Health Bhi, has all the needed nutrients and is yummy. 

This can be had just as it is, it doesn't required any sauce or chutney.

Ingredients
1 Cup Semolina/Rawa
1½ Cups Water
1 Teaspoon Black Pepper powder
1" Grated Ginger
Salt To Taste
For The Tadka
2 Tablespoons Heaped Oil
1 Teaspoon Urad Dal
1 Teaspoon Mustard seeds
A Sprig Curry Leaves
2 Dried Red Chillies
1 - 1½ Teaspoon Heaped Sambar Powder -Homemade
Salt To Taste
¼ Cup Heaped Freshly Grated Coconut

Method

In a big saucepan bring the water to a rolling boil, add in the black paper , ginger and salt and give it a good mix, then as you are stirring add in the semolina, switch of the flame and mix it very well. Cover with a lid and let is rest for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes mix it well with oiled hand and knead it into a smooth and soft dough (taking care that there are no lumps).

Make small balls out of the dough.

Arrange them in an oiled steamer

Let it steam on covered with a lid on medium low flame for 18- 20 minutes. 

After 20 minutes switch off the flame and let the semolina balls cool down completely.

Let's prepare the Tadka

Heat a kadai pan with oil , add the mustard seeds when they crackle add the urad dal, stir till it starts to brown, add the curry leaves and dried red chillies, give it a good stir. Take this pan off the flame add the coconut, sambar powder and mix it well. Place this kadai back on medium low flame and add the steamed semolina balls and give it a good mix till the spices and coconut has coated the balls well. Cover it with a lid and reduce the flame to low, let is heat for a 2-3 minutes. Switch off the flame.

Our breakfast is ready. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Serve it in a plate with a tooth pick. 

Enjoy this delicious and healthy breakfast...Taste Bhi Health Bhi!! 

Labels: Breakfast, Semolina, Homemade, Sambar powder, Coconut, Healthy, Steamed, Sunday Funday, Vegan

For our event called Sunday Funday, wherein we share recipes our families will love to enjoy on a Sunday. I thank our host for this week's event - Sue of https://palatablepastime.com/.

Sunday Funday: Breakfast for Supper

• Baked Grits with Sausage Gravy from Food Lust People Love
• Breakfast at Tiffany's Burgers from Making Miracles
• Breakfast Spelt and Oats Muffins from Cook with Renu
• Egg & Bacon Sandwich (Homemade Egg McMuffin) from Amy's Cooking Adventures
• Eggplant Shakshuka from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Famous Breakfast Burritos (copycat Lucky Boy) from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Shrimp and Grits from Palatable Pastime
• Steamed Rawa /Semolina Balls from Sneha's Recipe
• Zege from Mayuri's Jikoni

Peas & Potato Stew#Soupswappers

This stew is a pure comfort food for the soul and it's sure to be a family favorite too. If you do no have fresh peas then frozen too will do which are always there in the freezer.

Serves 4
Ingredients
1 Cup Fresh Green Peas
3 Medium Potato - cubed - I used boiled potatoes
2 Medium Onion - finely chopped
2 Green Chillies - slit and de seeded
1 Teaspoon Ginger Garlic paste - mixed in ¼ cup water
2 Medium Tomatoes - blanched, skinned & chopperized
¼ Cup Tomato Puree
1 Small Vegetable Stock Cube
½ Teaspoon Level Sea Salt or to taste
2 Tablespoon Groundnut Oil or Any Vegetable oil of your choice
For the Dry Spices
1 Teaspoon Red chilly powder
½ Teaspoon Level Cumin powder
1 Teaspoon Heaped Coriander powder
¼ Teaspoon Turmeric powder
1 Tablespoon Chopped Coriander leaves for garnish
1 Teaspoon Sugar

Method

In a pot/kadai add the oil and ginger garlic paste. Cove the pan ( or else it will splutter and dirty the kitchen) on medium low flame let it cook till all the moisture evaporates and it starts to leave oil at the sides. Now add the finely chopped onions and slit green chillies , fry till the onions are translucent and start to change color. Add the tomato puree, chopperized tomatoes and all the dry spices, vegetable stock cube, salt and fry well till oil surfaces. Now add the fresh green peas ( and if you are using raw potatoes then add it) , add ½ cup water, give it a good stir, cover and cook till the peas are cooked. 

Once the peas are cooked add the boiled potatoes , sugar, add sufficient water to make stew gravy, give it good mix. Cover and let is cook for 5 minutes stirring after every 2 minutes. When the oil starts to surface, switch off the flame. 

Garnish it with coriander leaves and serve this fragrant, flavorful and delicious Peas & Potato Stew is ready to enjoy!!

We enjoyed this with Gurasa- A Sudanese Flatbread, this was a perfect combo.

Labels: Potato, Green Peas, Tomato, Stew, Vegan, Gluten free, Soup Swappers, Soup, Main course


For this month our Host is Wendy Klik of A Day in the Life on the Farm , who s also the brain child and creator of our group Soup Swappers. Since February is national potato month and national sweet potato month, she asked us to "Celebrate by sharing a soup or stew that features potatoes".

• Chicken Chili with Sweet Potatoes by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Chunky Sweet Potato and Ham Soup by Sid's Sea Palm Cooking 
• Crockpot Sweet Potato Peanut Butter Curry Soup by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
• German Potato Soup by Making Miracles
• Peas & Potatoes Stew by Sneha's Recipe
• Peruvian Potato Soup (Locro de Papas) by Karen's Kitchen Stories 
• Potato Cauliflower and Peas Soup by Magical Ingredients 
• Spiced Sweet Potato-Red Lentil Stew by Culinary Adventures with Camilla 
• Spicy Chorizo Vegetable Soup by Palatable Pastime

East Indian Clams / Shimpies Curry#FishFriday

The Clams / Shimpies are called by various names like cockles, mussels, tisrya etc.

The theme for Fish Friday Foodies this month is "Bivalves", our Host is Stacy of Food Lust People Love. For this event made our traditional East Indian recipe which is delicious curry which can be enjoyed with rice or Handbreads (Apas) - East Indian.

Ingredients
50 Clams / Shimpies - washed, rinsed
1 Medium Onion - finely chopped
2 Dried Kashmiri Chillies
2 Dried Bedki Red chillies
5 Cloves Garlic
1/3 Cup Freshly Grated Coconut
½ Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
A Pinch of Turmeric powder
1 Small Ball of tamarind or as per taste
2 Tablespoons Oil

Method

In a pot add the washed and rinsed clams, add water to the level of the clams. Cover with a lid and let it come to a rolling boil. Switch of the flame. 

The clams will open. 

Let them cool and them remove the meat from them. Gently pour the stock taking care not shake the bottom which will have the fine pieces of shell ends. Keep this stock aside.

Soak the dried chillies and tamarind in seperate bowls in hot water for 15 to 20 minutes. Then grind it in a small blender, with the garlic, cumin seeds, turmeric powder and coconut to fine paste adding water to make a thick fine paste. Keep this a aside.

In a pot/kadai heat oil add the onion, sauté till it starts to change color

add the ground paste and wash the blender add that water, fry till oil starts to surface, now add the salt, tamarind juice 

and the strained stock from the boiled clams and water just enough to make a thick gravy, bring this to a rolling boil, stir it. Cover with a lid and let it simmer till oil surfaces. Now add the clams and take one or two boils, taste for salt and sourness, adjust accordingly

let this simmer for 3 -4 minutes covered with a lid, after 4 minutes 

your clam curry is ready.

Enjoy this with rice or Handbreads (Apas) - East Indian.
It makes a delicious meal.

Would also like to check this recipe 

Clams/Shimpies in Coconut Gravy With Mini Steamed Rice Dumplings

Labels: Clams, Shimpies, East Indian, Curry ,Fish Friday, Seafood/Fish, Main course

Fish Friday Febraury 2021  

• Bacon Clam Chowder from Making Miracles
• East Indian Clams/Shimpies Curry from Sneha's Recipe
• Lemon Garlic Butter Baked Scallops and Shrimp from Food Lust People Love
• Mussels with Leeks and Chilies from Karen's Kitchen Stories