Chole Masala Flavoured Spinach & Potatoes (Masalewale Aloo Palak)

North Indian Vegetarian Main Course Special
Punjabi Cuisine

Chole Masala Flavoured Spinach & Potatoes (Masalewale Aloo Palak)

Serves 2

Ingredients:

Potatoes - ¾ Cup, Parboiled, Peeled & Cubed

Spinach (Palak)- ¾ Cup, Blanched & Pureed

Ginger-Garlic (Adrak-Lehsun) Paste- 1-½ Tsp.

Extra Light Olive Oil/Pomace Oil- 2 Tsp.
Onion Puree- 3 Tbsp.

Milk- 1 Tbsp.

Red Chilli Powder- 1 Tsp.

Punjabi Chole Masala- 1 Tsp.

Salt- To Taste

Fresh Cream- 2 Tsp., For Garnish

Method:

Heat Oil
Add the Ginger-Garlic Paste, Onion Puree & Saute till Golden in Color
Add the Spinach Purée, Milk, Red Chilli Powder, Chole Masala, Salt, about ¼ Cup of Water & Mix Well
Let the Gravy Simmer on Low Flame till the Potatoes are blended with the Gravy well
Check the Seasoning
Garnish with Fresh Cream & Serve Hot!

Serve Hot with Phulka, Dal, Set Curd!

Tips:

Mashed Potatoes and Spinach blend beautifully with the Punjabi Chole Masala here

This Recipe is Easy to make, Different Flavours due to Chole Masala & has a Nice Finger licking Gravy

It takes about 5 to 7 Minutes of Preparation Time & 5 Minutes of Cooking Time

Variations:

Can be made in a Microwave through the Method given below:

In a Microwave Safe Bowl, Mix Oil, Ginger-Garlic Paste, Onion Paste
Cover & Microwave on High for about 2-3 Minutes
The Onions should look just like they have lost water & become Translucent/Light Golden in color

Add the Spinach Purée, Potatoes, Milk, Chilli Powder, Chole Masala, Salt and about ¼ cup of Water, Mix Well & Microwave on High for about 1-2 Minutes

Garnish with Fresh Cream & Serve Hot!

Feel free to share your views & do let us know how this one turned out :)

Simple Green Peas & Spinach Preparation (Matar Palak)

Indian Vegetarian Main Course Special

Kashmiri Cuisine

Simple Green Peas & Spinach Preparation (Matar Palak)

Serves 2

Ingredients:

Spinach (Palak)- 3 Cups, Finely Chopped

Green Peas- 1 Cup, Boiled

Cloves (Laung/Lavang)- 2

Cinnamon (Dalchini)- 1/2 Inch Stick

Asafoetida (Hing)- a Pinch

Red Chilli Powder- 1/4 tsp

Turmeric powder (Haldi)- a Big Pinch

Dried Ginger (Sonth) Powder- a Big Pinch

Milk- 1/4 Cup

Extra Light Olive Oil/Olive Pomace Oil- 1 Tsp.

Salt- To Taste

Method:

In a Non Stick Skillet (Kadhai), Heat Oil, Add Cloves, Cinnamon & Asafoetida

Add Spinach, Peas along with ½ cup of water and bring it to a boil

Simmer for 10 to 12 minutes till almost all the water evaporates

Add the Dry Powdered Spices (Red Chilli Powder, Turmeric Powder, Dried Ginger Powder), Milk and Salt & Mix well

Bring the Gravy to a Boil
Serve immediately with Roti/Rice


Tips:

 

This Simple (as it takes less than 10 Minutes to put together if all the Ingredients are ready) Subtly flavored Aromatic Vegetable combo is flavored with an unusual combination of Spices!!

Feel free to share your views & do let us know how this one turned out :)

Ugadi Pachadi

Nandana Nama Samvatsara Ugadi Subhakankshalu :)

Early Morning, the first thing we Andhrites have on Ugadi empty stomach is a Chutney/Pachadi (unique blend of Sweet Sour Bitter Salty Spicy Flavours!)

Banana mixed with Varied Flavours just like the Different Flavours of Life, Sweet (Jaggery), Sour (Raw Mango, Tamarind), Bitter (White Neem Flowers), Salty (Salt) & Spicy (Red Chilli Powder)

The Flowers need to be separated completely from the Green Stalks, even though they are minutely small as seen in the picture which may otherwise lead to Utter Bittery Taste

We do this by rubbing the Flowers Gently on the palm of our hands

So lots of transformation in the Andhra Kitchen as new items come in like New Jaggery is used starting today in the preparations

In Guntur, the Pachadi is eaten on the Mango Leaf folded like this


Tips:
In Tamil, the Neem Flowers are called Veppam Poo
Read somewhere that Green Chillies are added instead of Red Chilli Powder here but Traditionally Powder is used

Feel free to share your views & do let us know how this one turned out :)

Raw Plantain cooked with Mustard Seeds Paste (Aratikaya Ava Pettina Kura)

South Indian Vegetarian Main Course Special

Andhra Cuisine

Raw Plantain cooked with Mustard Seeds Paste (Aratikaya Ava Pettina Kura) 

Quick & Easy, one of those few 10 Minute Andhra Recipes!

This comes straight from my Grandmother's Kitchen where she Suggested we make this with less time in our hands for Lunch :)

Serves 3

Ingredients:
Raw Green Plantain (Kaccha Kela/Aratikaya)- about 500 Grams, Peeled & Cut in Cubes

For the Mustard Seeds Paste:

Mustard Seeds (Rai/Aavalu)- 2 Tsp.

Warm Water- for Soaking

For Tempering:

Extra Light Olive Oil/Olive Pomace Oil- 1 Tbsp.

Split Bengal Gram (Chana Dal)- ½ Tsp.

Split Black Lentil (Urad Dal)- ¼ Tsp.
Mustard Seed (Rai/Sarson)- ½ Tsp.

Cumin Seed (Jeera)- ¼ Tsp.

Curry Leaves- 10 Small
Dried Red Chilli- 1, Broken

Hing- a Pinch

Turmeric Powder- ½ Tsp.

Salt- To Taste

Method:

In a Bowl, Soak the Mustard Seeds in Warm Water for about 5-10 Minutes & make a Roughly Ground Paste in a Mortar Pestle or a Blender

Tips:

Can Add Ginger, Fenugreek Seeds (Methi) in the Initial Tempering as well

Can make this Recipe with different Flavouring Ingredients like Jaggery-Tamarind Pulp, Lemon Juice etc.

The Raw Plantain Recipes with these Flavours can be found in Our Blog 

Feel free to share your views & do let us know how this one turned out :)

Split Black Gram Lentil (With Skin) & Rice Crepes (Chilkewali Urad Dal aur Chawal ka Dosa)

South Indian Vegetarian Breakfast Special
Andhra Cuisine
Split Black Gram Lentil (With Skin) & Rice Crepes (Chilkewali Urad Dal aur Chawal ka Dosa)

Clean, Wash & Soak Urad Dal & Rice separately, about a pinch of Fenugreek Seeds should be soaked with the Dal
The ratio of Dal: Rice should be 1:3

Tips:

(Ulundhu Dosa) is made with just Lentils without the Rice


Feel free to share your views & do let us know how this one turned out :)

List of some of the Indian Milk Brands

The Cities we have traveled & lived in would be covered here alphabetically

Bengaluru (Karnataka):





Chennai-ites Favorite Milk brand has been Aavin Milk
Can be bought through the Milk Cards at Aavin Office near your locality via your Colony Milkman (or by paying money to the same Milkman so that he provides any extra packets) at your doorstep
They charge monthly Fees as well as Card Renewal Fees (have seen in some areas not so much in Velachery though)

Pongal Festival Special Pack:

Ramzan Festival Special Pack:

Arokya Milk:

Hatsun is Pure Cow Milk
3%

 98.5% Fat Free Milk

Cavin's Milk:

 

 

Heritage Milk:
3% Fat

Jersey Milk:
3% Fat

4.5% Fat

 

Jersey Cow Milk:

Mother Dairy Milk:
Very rarely available in Chennai in few areas (but when you do get lucky, make sure to grab a Fresh pack and feel its difference in taste)

More Brand Milk:
Available at all More Stores
3% Fat

The one thing that the More brand can improve would be its storage facilities especially deep freezing etc. due to which the Milk is spoiled by the time it reaches us customers
As most of the time soon after the boiling stage, the Milk breaks apart!


Reliance Dairy Life Milk:

Available at Reliance Fresh stores
3% Fat 

Again like the More brand, Reliance brand can improve its storage facilities especially deep freezing etc. due to which the Milk is spoiled by the time it reaches us customers
As most of the time soon after the boiling stage, the Milk breaks apart!

Delhi & NCR:


Delhi Milk Scheme (DMS) have their Booths all over the City

'Token Milk' system has been there since long & will continue to dominate as everyone identifies with this way of buying Milk according to their needs

Full Cream 6% & Toned 3% Fat Milk:

New Packaging:

Haryana:

Haryana Milk Cooperative’s Brand Vita Milk

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh):

On my visit to Simla's Lower Bazaar & Mall Road, the Milk Brands available off the Grocers were
HIM (brand of Milk & Milk based products) & Vito Milk

Sarahan on the other hand being a Smaller Town than Simla has its own private Milk Vendors

http://hp.gov.in/hpmilkfed/page/Products.aspx



 



Punjab:

Punjab Milk Cooperative’s Milkfed Brand

Vadodara (Baroda):