3 green cardamom pods or 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom (freshly ground is best)
1 small yellow onion, roughly chopped
1 inch ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 pound mustard greens, tough ends trimmed and greens roughly chopped, or mix of mustard greens, collard greens, fresh baby spinach (total 10 to 12 cups)
1 tbsp lime / lemon juice
1 serrano chili, roughly chopped
1 tsp salt or to taste
1 (13-ounce) can coconut milk
1 (12-ounce) block extra-firm tofu or 1 (8-ounce) package paneer, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 1/2 tbsp coconut oil
2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp asafetida
1/2 tsp red chili powder, such as cayenne or Kashmiri
Method:
In a large, deep pan or Dutch oven over medium heat, warm the vegetable oil. Once it shimmers, add the coriander and cardamom and toast the spices until fragrant and starting to brown, about 2 minutes. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute more.
Add the mustard greens, a large handful at a time, and cook until just wilted and still bright green. Don’t overcook the greens!
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the lime juice, chili and salt. Let cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a blender (or use an immersion blender) and blend into a chunky paste. Return the mixture to the same pan over low heat. Stir in the coconut milk, then gently stir in tofu. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes more, until the tofu is warmed through and has soaked up some of the sauce.
While the tofu cooks, in a small pan or butter warmer over medium-high heat, melt the coconut oil. Add the cumin seeds, and once they start to brown and dance around in the pan, about 1 minute, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the asafetida and red chili powder.
Pour the coconut oil mixture over the saag, and serve with rice or roti.
Soak all the paste ingredients for a couple of hours
Grind the paste ingredients to fine paste
Heat the coconut oil in a pan on medium heat
When the oil is hot, add mustard seeds
When mustard seeds start sputtering, add cumin seeds
When cumin seeds start crackling, add curry leaves
Add cauliflower florets, 1/2 tsp salt and sauté for a minute
Cover and cook cauliflower for 3-4 minutes, to desired softness while making sure that it does not stick to the bottom of the pan… nor it gets too soggy!
Add 1 tsp turmeric powder and mix well
Add the paste, mix well and roast the paste-covered cauliflower florets on low to medium heat to remove the raw ingredient smell and excess moisture… about 3-4 minutes
Slowly add the salted yogurt to the pan. Gently and constantly stir to make sure the paste is thoroughly mixed into the yogurt
Bring the curry to boil and then turn off the heat
Garnish the curry with chopped coriander and serve hot with pongal, poori or paratha!
1 cup split green mung beans (chhilkewali moong dal)
Method:
Put a pan on medium heat and roast millet till light pink / brown in color, about 2-3 minutes
Add rice and split green mung beans to the pan and roast for another 2-3 minutes
Once roasted, take out the grains and beans in a bowl and let them cool completely
Once completely cool, grind them in a mixer / grinder to relatively coarse powder / flour. If you keep it too coarse, it will take longer to cook bhaidku but may give better texture
In a mixing bowl, take 1 cup of bhaidku flour. Add 2 cups of buttermilk and 2 cups of water. Mix well and soak the mixture for 15-20 minutes.
Put a pan on medium heat. Add ghee and when it melts add cumin seeds, ajwain, sesame seeds, hing and sauté for 1 minutes making sure they do not burn
Add curry leaves, chopped green chili, ginger paste and sauté for a minute
Add chopped carrots, capsicum, green peas, and salt. Sauté it and cook vegetables till it becomes slightly soft. If necessary, cover to fully cook the vegetables
Add turmeric powder and mix well.
Add chopped tomato and sauté till it becomes soft.
Add the soaked bhaidku flour mixture, kokam and stir continuously till the mixture becomes slightly thickened and starts boiling.
Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook bhaidku for 15-20 minutes or till it is properly cooked.
Put 3 cups of water to boil… when it starts boiling reduce the heat to low
Add 1 tsp salt (or to taste), 1 tsp ajwain seeds, black pepper powder, ghee and mix well
Slowly add 1 cup bhaidku powder to the boiling water, constantly stirring making sure no lumps are formed
Mix well and cook bhaidku constantly stirring
Once it thickens, cover the pan and turn off the heat
Let it sit for at least 5 minutes and then enjoy hot / warm
If you are using Instant Pot,
take a pan that you can put inside the Instant Pot pan and add water, salt, ajwain seeds, black pepper powder, ghee and mix well. Slowly add 1 cup bhaidku powder to the water, constantly stirring making sure no lumps are formed
Add some water to the Instant Pot pan, put the pan with all the bhaidku ingredients in it, cover the Instant Pot and cook under pressure for 3-4 minutes.
Once cool, open the InstantPot and enjoy the bhaidku hot / warm.
2 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped (medium size)
1 cup green peas
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 inch ginger, grated
1 green chili, finely chopped
2 tbsp peanut or any vegetable oil
1 tsp red chili powder
1 1/2 tsp freshly ground coriander powder
1 tsp roasted cumin powder
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp salt or to taste
1 tbsp crushed kasuri methi
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
Method:
Put a large heavy bottom pan on medium heat
Add 2 tbsp oil
Add chopped garlic, green chili and grated ginger and sauté for a minute
Add chopped onions and sauté for 2 minutes
Add chopped potatoes, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, sauté for a minute and cook covered for 2-3 minutes
Add cauliflower florets, remaining 1/2 tsp salt, remaining 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, red chili powder, roasted cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala, kasuri methi and mix well and sauté for 2 minutes
Add green peas and mix well
Cook covered for 4-5 minutes till cauliflower is cooked to desired softness, regularly mixing and folding so that the curry does not stick to the bottom of the pan. Add a couple of tbsp water, only if necessary
In a small bowl, mix 2 tbsp tomato paste with 2-3 tbsp water and mix well
Evenly pour the thinned tomato paste on the curried vegetables, gently mix and cook covered on low heat for 2 minutes
Your masala aloo gobi matter is ready! Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with your favorite Indian bread
1 tsp salt or to taste (depending on the salt level in vegetable broth)
1 tbsp lemon juice
Method:
Put a heavy bottom pot on medium heat
If using Instant Pot, put it in sauté mode
Add 2 tbsp olive oil
Add chopped garlic and sauté for a minute
Add chopped onion, potato, carrot and 1 tsp salt and sauté for 2-3 minutes
Add turmeric powder, cumin powder, black pepper powder, dry mint and sauté for 1 minute
Add vegetable broth, bring to boil, reduce heat and cook for 10-15 minutes till lentils are fully cooked (regularly stirring to ensure lentils do not stick to the bottom of the pan)
If using Instant Pot, cook in a mode that cooks under pressure for 15 minutes
When done, stir in 1 tbsp lemon juice
Enjoy hot with a hearty rustic bread of your choice!
Alternatively, you can flavor the paratha with the following:
1 tsp cumin powder (jeera powder)
1 or 2 green chilies – crushed or finely chopped or 1 to 1.5 tsp crushed green chilies
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tbsp chopped coriander
1 tsp rock salt (edible and food grade) (sendha namak) or to taste
2-3 tbsp ghee or oil as required for roasting the paratha
Method:
Making dough
Boil the potato(es) in a steamer or pressure cooker till they are thoroughly cooked and of a mashable consistency
When the potatoes are slightly hot, peel them and mash them in a pan or bowl
To the mash potatoes, add the amaranth flour, flavoring ingredients and kneed thoroughly. The dough should be somewhat firm
Only if necessary, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of water in parts and knead to a smooth dough. The addition of water depends on the quality of flour. Make sure you don’t add too much of water.
Allow the dough to come at room temperature as it will be slightly warm due to the addition of the hot mashed potatoes
Rolling and roasting rajgira paratha
Make a small or medium sized ball from the dough. Dust it with amaranth flour
Roll to a small or medium sized paratha. While rolling add some more flour if required
Then gently lift up with a spatula and roast the paratha on medium hot tava
When one side is partly cooked (light pink in color), flip with the help of spatula. Use a non-stick pan or well seasoned pan as the paratha might stick
Apply ghee or oil on the surface
Flip again carefully using a spatula and apply ghee or oil on this side. All in all, use about 1/2 tsp ghee or oil per paratha
Flip a couple of times till the roti has become evenly golden and roasted evenly.
Similarly, make the rest of the parathas
Serve these rajgira roti hot or warm with curd or any curry such as kadhi, aloo or kaddu sabji
1 cup rice or sorghum millet, washed once and soaked in 2 cups water for 3-4 hours. Being healthier grain, we used millet
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup chopped French beans
1 cup chopped carrots
2 tbsp peanut oil or any other oil
2 tbsp soy sauce
1-2 tbsp sambal paste
1 tsp salt or to taste
1/2 tsp soda bicarb
Method:
In an Instant Pot, cook the millet in the same water it is soaked in. Cook under pressure for 25 minutes. If using regular pressure cooker, cook for 4-5 whistles. Sorghum is hard to cook grain!
Once the cooker is depressurized, take out the millet and put aside
Put a wok on high heat and add the oil
Add the chopped onion, garlic and sauté for 2-3 minutes
Add chopped French beans, carrots, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp soda bicarb and mix well. Cover and cook on medium heat for 7-8 minutes or to desired softness, stirring occasionally
Once the vegetables are cooked, add the millet, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp sambal paste and mix well
Cook for a minute and the sambal fried millet is ready!
Add 4-5 popcorn kernels and cover the pot and wait for them to pop
When the kernels have popped, add the rest of the kernels, 1/2 tsp salt and toss them in the oil and then spread them evenly at the bottom of the pot
Put the lid back on and turn the heat off for 20-30 seconds
Turn the heat back on (medium) and as you hear the kernels pop, every once in a while shake the pot so that the un-popped kernels fall to the bottom of the pot and the lighter popped kernels move to the top
When the popcorns have stopped popping, gently remove the lid, add the remaining 2 tbsp chili oil with its spices, 1/2 tsp salt and mix well so that the chili oil and salt gets coated to the popcorns
Remove the popcorns to a wide bowl, let them cool a bit and then enjoy!
Veggie Foodie 
You must be logged in to post a comment.