Urad Dal Dry

ALL YOU NEED

1 cup urad dal (soaked for atleast 4 hrs)

2.5 to 3 cups water

1 tbsp Cumin seeds

2 each black and green cardamom

1 onion chopped

1 tbsp each ginger garlic grated 

2 tomatoes

2 tbsp oil

Salt to taste

1 tsp haldi/ turmeric powder

green chillies

1 tsp garam masala

Juice of 1 lemon or more depending on how sour u want it..

green onions for garnish

METHOD:

Heat oil in a pan with cumin seeds, black n green cardamom...

Add the onions and saute till translucent/brown

Add the tomatoes, cook for a while then add ginger and garlic...

Add the soaked urad dal with water, cover and let it cook for 10-15 mins or until dal is cooked... 

Add salt, haldi, garama masala

Remove the cover and cook until the water evaporates...

Squeeze the lemon and garnish with green chili and green onion...

Enjoy!!

Chicken & Mushroom

I had costco size mushrooms and chicken tighs, I started with a fancy Chicken recipe but soon realized it's missing the indian flavor and I wont enjoy it as much so, I added and subtracted few ingredients and in the end it turned out well...

ALL YOU NEED:

2 chicken thighs (you can replace it with breasts as well)

1 Tomato chopped 

2 green onions chopped

mushrooms sliced (more the merrier)

1 tbsp Black pepper

1 tbsp thyme

2 tbsp garam masala

salt to taste

1/2 cup chicken stock/water

1/2 cup any dry red wine (optional)

METHOD:

Heat oil and saute tomatoes and green onions , add the seasonings...

Add the sliced mushrooms and wait for them to cook...

Chicken goes in on the top.. season it agin with black pepper, garam masala and salt...

Add the wine (optional), cook for few minutes or until it comes to a boil and then add chicken stock...

Cover and cook for 10 mins, then remove the lid and let the water evaporate...

I served it over delicious kale salad..

I let the gravy be the dressing...

Try it!! Enjoy.. :)

Dhabha style chicken

ALL YOU NEED

1 whole chicken 

1 medium onion sliced

4-5 tomatoes chopped

2 tbsp garlic paste and ginger paste each

3-4 green chillies chopped/sliced

2 tbsp desi ghee

1 tsp cumin seeds

salt to taste

1 tbsp garam masala

cilantro for garnish

METHOD:

Heat ghee in a pan/kadhai and add cumin seed with onions.. cook till translucent

add garlic, ginger and green chillies...

Add the tomatoes...

You can add garam masala now, close the lid, open after 3-4 mins and mix everything...

Add the whole chicken and let this cook and cook and cook... 

The trick to get a dhabha style chicken is to cook the masala... I literally cooked it for 20-30 mins or until the oil separated...  

Make sure the chicken cooks well...

I personally didn't want any curry, so I cooked it until it was just the masala...

When done, garnish with Cilantro and it's ready to be served...

Aloo Methi

Methi season is here so here we go with the easiest recipe of the season....very few ingredient recipe, quick to make, delicious to eat...

ALL YOU NEED

2 pinches of asafoetida (heeng)

2 small potatoes

Methi leaves (washed thoroughly)

Ginger grated for garnish

2-3 green chillies chopped

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp haldi (turmeric powder)

3 tbsp oil

METHOD:

Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds and asafetida and shallow fry the potatoes. Add Methi leaves when potatoes are almost done and let it cook for 5-7 mins or until leaves are cooked...Add half of the grated ginger, salt and turmeric powder.

Garnish with grated ginger and chillies..

Apple Pie

This was my first time making a pie, turned out pretty well...

ALL YOU NEED:

Butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon powder

1/2 tsp nutmeg powder

6-8 granny smith apples

2x Pillsbury pie crust (frozen)

METHOD:

For Filling:

Melt butter in a pan

Add brown sugar, regular sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg..

Add about 2 tbsp of water, bring it to boil and turn off the heat. 

Peal and slice all the apples..

Preheat over to 425, place the pie crust on the pie pan...

Place the apples 

Pour in the caramel...

Cover the pie with another pie sheet...

Make sure to pierce 4 holes in the center for air...

I used some cookie cutters and pasted these fun shapes, this is absolutely optional.. 

Bake it on 425 for 15 mins, lower the temperature to 325, bake it for 35-40 mins or until the apples are cooked.

Make sure to seal the sides really well, else it'll end up like mine... 

Ready to be served with Vanilla ice cream...:D

Pesto Pasta Salad

ALL YOU NEED:

2 cups boiled pasta

1 cup cooked chickpeas

Basil Pesto

Salt and pepper to taste

Vegetables for your salad:

Bell peppers

Carrots

Cherry tomatoes

Salad Mix

I also cooked some chicken in pesto sauce and added to this (optional)

METHOD:

Put everything in a salad bowl 

Add pesto according to your taste, and it's ready to be served...