Dahi bhindi

Ingredients 

• 200 to 250 gms bhindi/okra
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 medium ripe red tomatoes + 6-7 whole cashews, chopped – blended to a smooth paste
• ½ cup yogurt/curd, whisked till smooth
• 3-4 garlic + ½ inch ginger – crushed 
• 1.5 tbsp besan
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• ½ tsp coriander powder
• ¼ tsp red chili powder
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• ¼ or ½ tsp garam masala powder
• 2 cups water
• 2 tbsp cream
• 2 tbsp oil for sauting the okra
• 1 tbsp ghee or oil for the sauce
• salt as required

Instructions

1. chop the okra or bhindi in 1 inch pieces.
2. heat the 2 tbsp oil in a pan.
3. add the chopped okra and saute for atleast 8-10 minutes on a low flame till they change color and are cooked.
4. remove the sauted okra and keep aside.
5. puree the tomatoes and cashews to a smooth paste in a blender or chutney grinder.
6. with a wired whisk, whip the yogurt till smooth.
7. heat up the same pan in which we sauted the okra.
8. add 1 tbsp oil or ghee.
9. crackle the cumin seeds first.
10. add the chopped onion and saute till the onions caramelize or turn golden.
11. add the ginger-garlic paste and saute for about 15-20 seconds or till the raw aroma goes away.
12. add the tomato-cashew paste and saute till oil starts to leave the sides of the mixture.
13. the onion-tomato-cashew masala paste has to be sauted very well.
14. keep on stirring often for uniform sauting.
15. the whole masala should come together and you should be able to see the oil or fat leaving the sides of the masala.
16. add gram flour and saute for 1-2 minutes or more on a low flame till the raw aroma of the gram flour goes away.
17. add all the spice powders and saute again for a minute.
18. switch off the fire and place the pan down.
19. add the whisked yogurt and water to the pan.
20. stir well with a wired whisk and add the sauted okra and salt.
21. keep the pan on the fire and simmer the sauce till the mixture starts to thicken and you see the oil or ghee floating on top.
22. add the crushed kasuri methi along with the cream and simmer for half a minute

Kadai paneer

Ingredients

• 250 gms paneer/cottage cheese, cubed
• 5-6 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 or 2 green chilies/hari mirch, chopped
• 6-7 garlic, crushed
• 1.5 inch ginger, half crushed and half julienned
• 2 green bell peppers/capsicum, julienned
• 5-6 kashmiri red chilies
• 1.5 tbsp coriander seeds/dhania seeds, roasted
• 2 tsp crushed kasuri methi/dry fenugreek leaves
• ½ tsp garam masala powder
• ½ cup chopped coriander/cilantro leaves/dhania
• salt or black salt

Instructions

1. in a kadai heat oil. add the crushed ginger and garlic. saute these till the raw smell disappears.
2. now add the chopped tomatoes. saute the tomatoes till they become soft.
3. pound the coriander seeds and red chilies to a roughly fine powder.
4. after 8-10 minutes add the spice powder to the tomatoes.
5. saute the tomatoes till the whole mixture become like a paste and starts to leave oil.
6. now add the juliened capsicum and chopped green chilies. and saute the capsicum for some 8-10 minutes.
7. add salt and garam masala powder. mix these with the rest of the masala.
8. its time to add the paneer. cook the paneer for 5 minutes in the masala.
9. lastly add kasuri methi, julienned ginger and coriander leaves. mix and saute for 2-3 minutes

Aloo Matar

Ingredients

• 3 potatoes 
• 1.5 cup fresh or frozen matar
• 1 tsp jeera
• ½ or 1 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder/dhania
• 1 tsp cumin powder/jeera powder
• 1 tsp dry mango powder/amchur
• 1 tsp chaat masala powder
• ½ tsp garam masala powder
• 1 or 2 green chilies, chopped
• 1 inch ginger, chopped
• 2 to 3 tbsp oil
• salt as required

Instructions

1. heat oil in a pan. fry the cumin seeds first. then add chopped potatoes and peas and stir. saute for 7-8 minutes.
2. add chopped green chili & ginger and stir for a minute.
3. now add red chili powder, cumin powder and coriander powder
4. cover and simmer the veggies for 10-12 minutes or till done.
5. Add dry mango powder, chat masala and garam masala powder.
6. garnish aloo matar with chopped coriander leaves

Aalo Gobi

Ingredients

• 1 cauliflower 
• 3 medium size potatoes
• 1.5 inch ginger, chopped or julienned
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• ¼ or ½ tsp red chili powder
• ¼ tsp garam masala powder
• a pinch of asafoetida (optional)
• a few coriander leaves for garnish (optional)
• 2 tbsp oil or ghee
• salt

Instructions

1. heat oil or ghee. Add the aloos and saute for 8-9 minutes on a low flame.
2. Add the gobi and saute for 8-9 minutes on a low flame.
3. Add turmeric powder, red chili powder and salt.
4. Saute for a minute. Then add the ginger. Mix everything well.
5. Saute the entire sabzi for 10 min. 
6. Now, cover the pan with a lid and let the aloo gobi cook in steam for some 14-15 minutes on a low flame. Do not add any water. 
7. sprinkle garam masala and mix it with the entire sabzi
8. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Baby cereal cookies

Ingredients:

1 mashed banana

1/4 cup butter

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 cups infant cereal

7 tbsp milk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375

Mix it all

Grease cookie sheet

Drop the mix about 2 in apart

Bake for 12 mins

Karele Sabji

Ingredients

• 5-6 medium sized karela/bitter gourd
• 2 or 3 medium sized onions
• ½ tsp turmeric powder 
• ¼ tsp red chili powder
• ¼ tsp garam masala powder
• ¼ or ½ tsp amchur powder
• 2 tbsp oil
• salt

Instructions

1. Peel the karelas. Wash them in running water. Chop them.
2. Slice the onions too.
3. In a kadai or pan, heat oil. Add the chopped or sliced bitter gourds.
4. Saute the bitter gourd on medium heat for 2 minutes. Lower the flame and saute for 2-3 minutes more.
5. Add the sliced onions.
6. Saute for 2-3 minutes.
7. Now add the turmeric powder, red chili powder and salt.
8. Stir. Cook the sabzi without any lid for 7-8 minutes till the both the karela and onions are cooked and sauted well. The onions will become brown. Keep on stirring in between. Check the seasoning. Add more red chili powder or salt if required.
9. When the Karela sabzi is ready, sprinkle the amchur and garam masala powder. 

Mushroom Fried Rice!

Best way to use left over rice!

Ingredients

• Cooked rice
• 200-250 gms mushrooms
• 2-3 garlic cloves – finely chopped
• spring onions, chopped finely
• chopped celery
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 to 3 tbsp oil
• salt and black pepper as required

Instructions

1. heat oil 
2. add the garlic and onions first and stir fry for 2 mins on a high flame.
3. then add the chopped mushrooms and stir fry for 5-6 mins on a high flame 
4. when the mushrooms start to become lightly browned, then add the celery and stir fry for a minute.
5. add soy sauce, black pepper and salt.
6. Add rice and stir for 2-3 minutes

Aalo Baingan - quick!

Ingredients

• 1 kg baingan
• 3-4 aalo
• 2 tsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp haldi 
• 2 tsp amchur powder
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• salt 

Instructions

1. slice baingan and aalo
2. in a pan heat the mustard oil.
3. add the potatoes and baingan to the oil and saute for 4-5 minutes on a medium flame
4. add all the dry spice powders and salt except garam masala and amchur powder
5. now cover the pan and let the veggies cook on a low flame for 15-20 minutes.
6. when the aloo and baingan are cooked properly, sprinkle garam masala powder and amchur powder.
7. mix these thoroughly and cook for a minute