Friday, December 25, 2015

Cabbage and Bengal gram stir fry


Cabbage is a member of the food family traditionally known as cruciferous vegetables and is related to kale, broccoli, collards and Brussels sprouts. All cruciferous vegetables provide integrated nourishment across a wide variety of nutritional categories. Sturdy and inexpensive, cabbage is a dietary staple throughout the world and is so widely cultivated and stores so well that it is available throughout the year. However, it is at its best during the late fall and winter months when it is in season. Health benefits include cancer prevention, anti-inflammatory properties, digestive tract and cardio vascular support. Cabbage is an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin C, and vitamin B6. A very good source of manganese, dietary fiber, potassium, vitamin B1, folate and copper. Additionally, cabbage is a good source of choline, phosphorus, vitamin B2, magnesium, calcium, selenium, iron, pantothenic acid, protein, and niacin. (source)
Combining cabbage with a pulse ups its protein and fiber content and enhances the flavor. Pair with roti and a side dish of raita.

Cabbage and Bengal gram stir fry (पत्ता गोभी और चना दाल)
Split Bengal gram (source)
Ingredients:
3 cups finely chopped cabbage
1/3 cup Bengal gram (chana dal)
1 tbsp oil
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
Few curry leaves
1/2 inch fresh ginger, julienne
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp red chili powder
Salt to taste
Fresh coriander to serve
  1. Soak chana dal in hot water for 30 minutes. While it is soaking prep all your ingredients. Wash and shred the cabbage and ginger.
  2. Drain chana dal and keep aside.
  3. Heat oil in a pan, add the mustard seeds and let them crackle for a few seconds. Add curry leave, ginger and the soaked and drained chana dal. Saute on medium high for a minute.
  4. Now add the cabbage and all other spices and mix well to combine. Sprinkle 2 tbsp of water in the pan and cover. Simmer the heat and cook covered for 5-7 minutes stirring once or twice in between.
  5. Check to see if the chana dal is cooked through. It should be fully cooked with a slight bite. The cabbage should be tender crisp.
  6. Remove from heat, garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot with roti.

Friday, December 18, 2015

Green beans and Bengal gram stir fry




Commonly referred to as string beans, green beans belong to the same family as shell beans, such as pinto beans, black beans, and kidney beans. However, since green beans are usually picked while still immature and while the inner beans are just beginning to form in the pod, they are typically eaten in fresh form, pod and all.
Green beans are an excellent source of vitamin K. Very good source of manganese, vitamin C, dietary fiber, folate, and vitamin B2. In addition, green beans are a good source of copper, vitamin B1, chromium, magnesium, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, choline, vitamin A (in the form of carotenoids), niacin, protein, omega-3 fatty acids, iron, vitamin B6, and vitamin E. (source)

This recipe here is a combination of green beans and split Bengal gram. The soaked and toasted pulse adds a wonderful texture to the dish and tastes great with roti.

Green beans and Bengal gram stir fry (बीन्स और चना दाल)
Split Bengal gram (source)
Ingredients:
2 cups finely chopped green beans
1/3 cup Bengal gram (chana dal)
1 tbsp oil
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
Few curry leaves
1/2 inch fresh ginger, julienne
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp red chili powder
Salt to taste
Fresh coriander to serve
  1. Soak chana dal in hot water for 30 minutes. While it is soaking prep all your ingredients. Wash and chop the green beans and ginger.
  2. Drain chana dal and keep aside.
  3. Heat oil in a pan, add the mustard seeds and let them crackle for a few seconds. Add curry leave, ginger and the soaked and drained chana dal. Saute on medium high for a minute. 
  4. Now add the beans and all other spices and mix well to combine. Sprinkle 2 tbsp of water in the pan and cover. Simmer the heat and cook covered for 7-10 minutes stirring once or twice in between.
  5. Check to see if the beans and chana dal are cooked through - tender crisp.
  6. Remove from heat, garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot with roti.


Friday, December 11, 2015

Chili Garlic Shrimp


Quick and easy dish that can be prepared in minutes. Large chunks of onion and chilies sauteed with shrimp in a sweet and spicy sauce. Serve as a starter, or as lunch over steamed rice, or as a filling inside a wrap. Either way it tastes wonderful.

Ingredients:
25 large shrimps
1 large red onion
Red chili peppers as per your spice quotient
1 Green pepper
2 green onions
2 cloves of garlic crushed
Vegetable oil
Sauce (mix all together)
1/4 cup Soy Sauce
2 tbsp Sambal or any hot sauce
2 tbsp honey
2 tsp Sesame Oil
1 tbsp grated ginger
  1.  Peel and de-vein the shrimps, rinse and pat dry.  
  2. Cut large chunks of red onion and green pepper. Cut red chilies into rings and chop green onions fine (reserve some for garnish). 
  3. Take 2 tbsp oil in a wok on high heat and add garlic, green peppers and red onion chunks. Saute for a few a minute. Add green onion and red chili rings and toss for another 30 seconds. 
  4. Arrange the veggies on the side of the wok and add a tsp oil in the center. Add the shrimp and cook for 2 minutes per side. Now toss them with the sauteed veggies from the sides till shrimps are cooked through. 
  5. Add the sauce and toss for a bit till everything is coated with the sauce. Taste and adjust the flavors by adding more soy sauce and/or honey. Garnish with reserved green onion. Serve hot.


Friday, December 4, 2015

Chicken Bites

Spicy chicken bites served in a big platter for a crowd
Spicy chicken bites are perfect little bite sized morsels, fit for a cocktail party or as a starter. These tender juicy bites are marinated in a concoction of spices and fried till crisp. Then coated with a spicy, sweet and sour sauce to give it the shiny gloss. A great dish to make ahead. Just pop it in the oven when ready to serve and heat till the bites sizzle a bit. Serve with onion rings and green chilies or accompanied by mint sauce. I prefer to use boneless chicken thighs for this recipe.

Spicy chicken bites served in small individual appetizer plates. 

Ingredients:
10 chicken thighs (boneless, skinless)
Oil for frying
Grind to a coarse paste
1 inch piece fresh ginger
5-6 large cloves of garlic
2-3 green chilies
Palm full fresh coriander
Marinade
1 tbsp thick plain yogurt
3 tbsp cornstarch
3 tbsp rice flour
1 tbsp Kashmiri chili powder
1 tsp sambal
1/4 tsp cumin powder
salt to taste
Sweet and sour sauce
1 tsp oil
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp honey
1 tbsp Chili garlic sauce (I used Sriracha sauce)
1 tbsp frozen orange juice concentrate
  1. Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces.
  2. Coarsely grind all the ingredients listed under 'Grind to a coarse paste' using very little water. 
  3. Add all the ingredients under marinade to the above paste to form a smooth red marinade. You can add a few drops of red color if you like, but I find that using the Kashmiri chili powder does the trick.  
  4. Marinate the chicken pieces in this mixture and keep aside for 5-10 minutes. 
  5. Shallow fry the marinated chicken on medium high for 3-4 minutes per side, till cooked through and crisp from outside. Do not over crowd the pan. Fry in batches. Remove and keep aside.
  6. Now use the ingredients listed under sauce. Using the same pan, remove all but a tsp oil. Saute ginger garlic paste for 30-40 seconds until fragrant, then add all the other ingredients and bring to a rolling boil. 
  7. Boil for a few seconds to allow everything to combine well and the sauce to become slightly syrupy. Add the fried chicken bites and toss well to coat. Check the seasoning here adjust as per your taste. 
  8. Serve hot with onion rings and mint chutney.