PALAK KOFTA GRAVY|PALAK KOFTA CURRY RECIPE

Palak kofta gravy we first tasted in a restaurant in Vietnam and as i mentioned in the Aloo capsicum gravy post, this is another restaurant style gravy which you can try at home . I didn’t deep fry the Koftas but coked in the paniyaram pan as i did in the Cabbage Kofta recipe. We had this with Lachha parathas which i have posted here.

INGREDIENTS FOR KOFTA (MAKES 7 KOFTAS)

PALAK (Chopped)	1/4 CUP
POTATO(bolied and peeled)	2
BESAN | GRAM FLOUR	1 TBLSP
CORIANDER POWDER	1/2 TSP
RED CHILLI  POWDER	1/2 TSP
JEERA POWDER	1/4 TSP
OIL	1-2 TBLSP

FOR GRAVY :SERVES 4

ONION	2
PALAK	1 CUP (TIGHTLY PACKED)
TOMATO	1
RED CHILLI POWDER	1/2 TSP
CORIANDER POWDER	1/2 TSP
JEERA	1/4 TSP
GARAM MASALA POWDER	2 PINCHES
KASOORI METHI	2 PINCHES
MILK	1/4 CUP

METHOD:
FOR MAKING KOFTAS

• Combine all the ingredients under the  Ingredient table “Kofta”,except oil and mix well. Ensure that the mixture is tight. If you feel it isbit loose add 1 tblsp of besan to this to make it thick.
• Make small balls( koftas )out of this and heat the paniyaram pan.

• Add little oil in each hole and place the koftas into it.
• Cook in a medium flame by turning it on both sides. Let it turns into a golden brown colour. Add little oil if needed.

• when the koftas are firm and cooked, switch off the flame and keep it aside.

FOR GRAVY

• Chop the onions finely. In a pan add oil and saute the onions till they become light brown.
• allow this to cool and add the tomato and jeera.

• Meanwhile wash and chop the palak and and cook it hot water for 2 minutes. Add 1/2 tsp of sugar while cooking to retain the colour.
• When it is cool, take out the water and make the spinach into a fine puree. Reserve the water to use it for gravy.

• Finely grind the onion tomato mixture into a smooth paste. Heat oil in a pan and add this paste and saute well. Add the coriander powder, garam masala and red chilli powder.

• when the raw smell of the masala powder goes, add the palak puree and add the reserved water which we kept aside after cooking the palak.
• Now add in the milk and mix well. Let this boil for 2 minutes. Add kasoori methi and switch off the flame.

• Palak gravy is ready . Before serving add in the kofta balls to the hot gravy and serve with roti | parathas.

             
NOTES:

1. Green chilli can be added instead of red chilli powder. If adding green chilli grind with the palak.
2. You can replace cream instead of milk.
3. Koftas can be deep fried too instead of making in paniyaram pan.
4. I have kept the koftas in the gravy for 3 hours and it didn’t break in the gravy.

Technorati Tags: palak koftagravy,palak recipes,healthy recipes,side dish for rotis,side dish for chapathi,northindian recipes,kofta recipes,vegetarian kofta balls

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ALOO CAPSICUM MASALA | ALOO SIMLA MIRCH RECIPE | SIDE DISH FOR ROTI

Aloo Simla Mirch is a very flavourful, onion tomato based masala which i can say a very perfect side dish for Roti. This Aloo Simla Mirch , we tried in a Indian restaurant in Hanoi (Vietnam) during our holiday. I wanted to recreate a similar one at home and tried this few days back at home . It was a super duper hit and the taste was close to the one which we tasted in the restaurant. I have few restaurant style recipes coming up here in the coming weeks.

INGREDIENTS: SERVES 4-5

ALOO |POTATO	2
CAPSICUM	1/2
ONION	2
GINGER GARLIC PASTE	1 TSP
CUMIN SEED	1/4 TSP
TOMATO PUREE	2 TBLSP OR 1 TOMATO
CORIANDER POWDER	1/2 TSP
CUMIN SEED POWDER	1/4 TSP
RED CHILLI POWDER	1/2 TSP
SALT	AS NEEDED
OIL	1 TBLSP

METHOD:

• Par boil the potatoes. Ensure not to over cook the potatoes. Let this be firm. Peel the skin and cut them length wise.

• Chop the onions very finely. In a pan add oil and the cumin seeds and add in the ginger garlic paste. When the raw smell goes off add in the chopped onions.
• When they turn translucent add the tomato puree.

• Throw in the red chilli powder, coriander powder , cumin seed powder, slat and garam masala.
• Keep in a low flame and saute well till the oil separates.

• Add  the potatoes and add 1 to 1 and 1/2 cups of water. Cover and cook for 5-7 minutes. Stir in between.

• Cut the capsicums lengthwise. Add it to the potato gravy.
• Mix well and let it boil for a minute and switch off the flame.
• Let the capsicum be crunchy.

• Flavourful aloo simla mirch is ready t serve. I didn’t add kasoori methi or coriander leaves in the last for garnishing as i want to enjoy the flavour of capsicum fully.

Note:

• You can add 1-2 tblsp of cream to bring richness to the gravy.
• Do not cook the capsicum, let this be crunchy.

Technorati Tags: aloo capsicum,aloo simla mirch,side dish for chapathi,roti,potato recipes,easy recipes,north indian side dish

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RAJMA MASALA RECIPE | RED KIDNEY BEANS MASALA

   Rajma masala is an authentic Punjabi dish which i have tasted many times in restaurants. Though i make Dal makhani at home , rajma masala is a rare one that i make at home. Recently during our trip to Vietnam, we were served jeera rice and rajma masala in the flight and my son Varun enjoyed it a lot. He asked me to make rajma masala at home one day. I totally forgot that and last week one day he pleaded me to make rajma masala for dinner after coming from school. But i didn’t soak rajma previous night. Finally i bought  the canned red kidney beans and rajma masala for him.

INGREDIENTS: (SERVES 3-4)

RAJMA | RED KIDNEY BEANS (COOKED)*	1 AND 1/2 CUP
ONION	2
BAY LEAF	1
TOMATO	2
GARAM MASALA	1/4 TSP
CORIANDER POWDER	1/2TSP
JEERA POWDER	1/4 TSP
RED CHILLI POWDER	1/2 TSP
OIL	1 TBLSP
SALT	TO TASTE
KASOORI METHI	1/4 TSP
MILK | CREAM	1/4 CUP

* I used 2 canned red kidney beans.

METHOD:

• If using the dry rajma, soak it for 10 to 12 hours and cook till 6-7 whistles in a pressure cooker or till it becomes soft. Add salt and bay leaf while cooking. Discard the bay leaf later. Reserve the cooked water.
• If using canned one, drain the excess water and wash it thoroughly.
• Chop the onions very finely. Alternatively you can make the onion into a fine paste too.

• In a pan add the oil and add the bay leaf ( since i used the canned rajma i have added bay leaf now) If using dry one, add bay leaf while cooking itself.
• Throw in the onions and saute for few minutes in a low flame till it turns pink.
• Add the garam masala powder at this stage and saute for few minutes. Adding garam masala at this stage will give a nice flavor to the curry.

• Puree the tomatoes and add it to the onion garam masala mix.
• Add the red chilli powder, coriander powder, jeera powder and coriander powder.

• Mix well and saute well till the raw smell goes off and the gravy oozes out oil.
• Add the red kidney beans to this.

• If you cooked the rajma add the reserved water which u used for cooking else add 1 to 1 and 1/2 cup of water.
• Add the kasoori methi. Check for salt.

• Allow this boil for few minutes and add the milk.  I used full cream milk for a creamy texture. You can use cream or evaporated milk too.
• Keep the flame low and cook it for 20 minutes . Stir in between.
• Creamy and finger licking Rajma masala is ready to serve.
• Serve with roti | jeera rice.

Note:

• Ginger garlic paste can be added after adding onions.
• Use the best variety of red kidney beans, else it will not get cooked.

Check out these recipes too:

• DAL MAKHANI
• CHANNA MASALA
• JEERA PULAO
• SOFT ROTIS

Technorati Tags: Rajma masala,red kidney beans curry,punjabi rajma masala,side dish for rotis,red kidney beans recipes,recipes using rajma

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MIRCHI KA SALAN | HYDERABADI MIRCHI KA SALAN RECIPE

Mirchi ka salan is a hyderabadi delicacy which is generally made as an accompaniment for Biryani and can also be had with rotis and rice too. I wanted to try this Mirchi ka salan  for a long time and last week when i saw this bajji chiilies in the nearby Indian shop i picked it up to try out the Mirchi ka salan. I liked the taste of this and it went well with Vegetable biryani(will post the recipe later)

INGREDIENTS: Serves 2-3

LONG GREEN CHILLI	5
TAMARIND EXTRACT	1 CUP
ONION	1
TOMATO	1
GINGER GARLIC PASTE	1 TSP
ROASTED PEANUTS*	2 TBLSP
CUMIN SEEDS	2 TBLSP
FRESH COCONUT | KOPPARAI*	2 TBLSP
SESAME SEEDS	2 TSP
RED CHILLI POWDER	1/2 TSP
OIL	2-3 TBLSP

*I used the store bought roasted peanuts, if you are the raw peanuts , dry roast them and phew the skin.
*If using fresh coconut, dry roast it till golden brown and add.

METHOD:

• Wash and cut the slit the mirchis and take out the seeds from inside and cut them in lengthwise.

• In a pan add2 tblsp of oil and saute the mirchi. Generally it has to be deep fried but i avoided deep frying. But shallow frying makes the mirchi shrink. So it is up to to you whether to make it deep fry or not.
• Drain the excess oil in a kitchen towel.

• In the same pan, add ginger garlic paste and when the raw smell disappears add the finely chopped onions. Saute till the onion turns golden brown. Add the chopped tomatoes and saute till they become mushy.
• Allow this to cool and grind smoothly into a paste.

• Roast the sesame seeds and grind this into powder along with peanuts,cumin seeds and coconut. Since i used roasted peanuts and kopparai(dry coconut) i didn’t roast it. and i forgot to roast the sesame seeds !!

• Add oil to the pan and add the ground onion tomato paste to this. Saute for a few minutes in a low flame. Add the peanut masala to this and saute for a while.
• Now  add the red chilli powder and saute well. Add 1/4 cup of water to this.

• Add salt to taste. Now add the tamarind extract to thisand let it boil for 2-3 minutes in a low flame. Stir in between. Now add the shallow fried chillies and mix well. Let it boil for a minute.

• Switch off the flame and garnish with curry leaves.

Technorati Tags: mirchi ka salan,side dish for roti,hyderabadi mirchi ka salan,biryani side dish,recipes using mirchi

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