Cabbage Kofta curry in tomato, yogurt and cashew sauce

Even those who don't care for cabbage will enjoy it making it this way. koftas are always an all time favorite for many and a must for Indian parties. 

Ingredients: 
For Koftas
1 cup- finely chopped or thinly shredded cabbage
2-3 tsp- boiled channa dal 
1-2 green chillies finely chopped
1 tsp- jeera
a pinch of turmeric and red chilli powder
1 tsp- Besan for binding
Salt to taste


For the gravy
2 medium size tomatoes
1 tsp- jeera
1 tsp- ginger paste
1/4 tsp- turmeric powder
1/4 tsp- asafoetida (hing)
1 tsp- red chilli powder
11/2- coriander powder
1 tsp- cumin powder
2 tbsp- cashew powder
1 cup- beaten yogurt
Coriander leaves (cilantro) for garnishing
Salt to taste
Oil for cooking


Servings: 4-6


Process:

Baked Kofta might not get the actual fried shape

1. Boil some water in a pan,then add the finely chopped cabbage.Boil the chana daal till its 70% done.
2. Add this channa to the cabbage and cover and cook until the cabbage is soft and completely cooked.

3. when the channa dal and cabbage are well done,put them in a muslin cloth and and squeeze out the excess water. You can reserve this water for cooking the curry.
4. Transfer the cabbage and channa to a bowl, add rest of the kofta ingredients and knead it well and make small balls out of it. 
5.You can either fry or bake the Koftas.


For Baking: Pre-heat the oven at 400 F and   grease the baking dish with some oil. Place the kofta balls on the dish and pour some oil on top of each one of them, Bake it for 30 - 40 mins or until they are cooked.
For frying: Heat enough oil in a pan and drop the kofta balls in it and fry them in medium heat until they turn golden brown in color and set them aside.


Curry
1. Heat some oil in pan, add jeera and asafoetida and allow the jeera to crackle. 
2. Add the chopped tomatoes, salt, ginger paste and the spice powders (turmeric, red chilli, coriander and cumin) cover and cook the tomatoes until they turn soft.
3. Add the water we had reserved from cooking the cabbage to it and allow it to simmer for 2-3 mins.
4. Add the beaten curd to it and bring it to a nice boil til the gravy is cooked and thickens.
5. Now, add the powdered cashew powder which will further thicken and add richness to the gravy.
6. When ready to serve, drop the kofta balls in this gravy and garnish it with chopped coriander leaves. 


Serve it with roti or any rice variety. 

Stuffed Masala Bhindi/ Stuffed Okra (lady finger)

Okra, bhindi or otherwise sweetly called lady finger is a versatile vegetable. Its healthy a vegetable as long as you retain the nutrition value without over frying or slicing them small. Well, now thats tricky as okra tastes best when deep fried. Here's the solution that not just brings out the taste of this vegetable but also retains its nutrition and is easy to make. Great as party food!

Ingredients:

1 pound okra washed and dried

1 tsp- Besan/ Bengal gram powder

1 tsp- amchur powder/ dry mango powder (available at all India grocery stores)

2 tbsp- Ready made sambhar masala powder  (If you are running out of sambhar masala, you can substitute it by making  a mix of 1 tsp- red chilli powder, 1/8 tsp- hing, 3/4 tsp- coriander powder, 1/4 tsp- turmeric powder)

Salt to taste

Oil 

Servings- 7-8

Process:

1. Wash and dry the okra. Cut the stalk of okra and make a lengthwise slit.

2. Make a mix of the sambhar masala, amchur powder, besan and salt. Amchur is for the tangy taste and besan is the binding agent)

3. Now stuff each okra with this mixture (handle the okras delicately while stuffing them- this is the only time consuming part of the preparation)

4. Meanwhile preheat your oven at 400 F.

5. Grease your baking tray with some oil and place the okras on the tray.

6. Spray oil on top of the okras. (This is to get the deep oil fry effect)

7. Place the tray in oven and allow it to bake for 30 mins or until the okras get cooked.

8. Switch of the oven and turn the sides (flip) of the okras and allow it to be in the oven for another 20-30 mins.

Now instead of baking, you can do the traditional way of frying the okras in oil. You can also saute some green peppers (capsicum) and mix with this baked/ fried okras for more flavor. 

Serve it with rice or roti or just snack it away!

Bottle gourd in milk gravy

This is a simple and different dish made from bottle gourd (dhoodhi / Sorakaya/ lauki). A wonderful recipe gifted by one of my old neighbor aunty.So, this takes me back to India and home! And here's what you need for this nostalgic dish :)

Ingredients:

A medium size bottle gourd or half of it cut bite size

3/4 cup- Milk

1 tsp- cumin seeds (jeera)

1/4 tsp- turmeric powder

3-4- slit green chillies

4-5- curry leaves

2 tsp- oil (coconut oil preferred)

Salt to taste

Servings: 3-4

Process:

1. Heat oil and crackle jeera. I use coconut oil as it gives a very distinctive taste and aroma to the whole dish.

2. Then add the curry leaves and slit green chillies and fry them for couple of seconds. 

3. Add the cut bottle gourd. Add salt and turmeric to it and give it a good mix.

4. Now pour the milk and little bit of water to adjust the consistency of the gravy and boil the bottle gourd in it  until it gets cooked. 

5. Mix it occasionally while the vegetable is getting cooked and the milk gravy thickens. 

Serve it with rice and add a dash of more coconut oil on top of the gravy for that extra richness. 

 

Soy Chunk Rice

One of my favorite main course dish. It's simple and easy to make and an absolute yummm!

Ingredients:
1 cup- Basmati Rice (cooked)
1/4 cup- Soy chunks
1/2 cup- Mixed vegetables (carrots, peas, beans etc)
1 tsp- chopped ginger
5- green chillies
1 tsp- turmeric powder
1/2 tsp- asafoetida (hing)
1/2 tsp- Black pepper (optional)
4- cloves
1- bay leaf
1tsp- fennel seeds (saunf)
2 tbsp- tomato ketchup
Coriander leaves (cilantro) to garnish.

Servings- 2

Process:
1. Soak the soy chunks in one cup warm water for 30 mins. After that pour and squeeze out the excess water from chunks.
1. Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan.
2. Add hing, fennel seeds, bay leaf and cloves and saute them for a minute.
3. Add ginger and green chillies and fry them for couple of seconds.
4. Add the mixed veggies, salt and pepper and saute them until the veggies are cooked.
5. Now, add the soaked soy chunks, cover and cook it for 5 mins so that the chunks can absorb the flavor.
6. After that add rice and the tomato ketchup and give it a good mix.
7. Fry the rice for couple of mins in medium- low flame.
8. Garnish it with some chopped cilantro.

Serve it hot with Gobi manchurian or some other spicy/ tangy side dish.