MounasKitchen An Indian Food Blog

Stuffed karela makes a great side dish to any meal. Karelas have many health benefits including  a home remedy for diabetes.

Ingredients:

For the Marinate:

• 4 bitter melon (karela)
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

For the Filling:

• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
• 1/8 teaspoon asafetida (hing)
• 2 tablespoons gram flour (besan)
• 2 tablespoons coriander powder (dhania)
• 1 tablespoon fennel seeds powder (saunf)
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder adjust to taste
• 1 1/2 tablespoon mango powder (amchoor)

For Cooking Step:

• 2 tablespoons of oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Also need some thread to wrap the filled karelas before cooking.

Method:

Preparing the Kerala

1. Wash karelas thoroughly and using a knife, scrape the skin. Set the scrapes aside.
2. Make a slit in the karelas length wise and remove the seeds.
4. Add karelas and the skin scrapings to a bowl. Mix and sprinkle with salt and lemon juice. Let it marinate for at least an hour.
6. Squeeze the karelas to remove all the marinade. Wash karelas twice with hot water and then squeeze out all the water.
8. Separate the scrapings from the whole karelas.

Preparing the Filling:

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan. Test the heat by adding one cumin seed to the oil; if the seed cracks right away, the oil is ready.
3. Add the cumin seeds and asafetida to the oil. After the cumin seeds crack, add the karela scrapings and stir fry for about 2 minutes.
5. Add gram flour (besan) and stir-fry for another minute.
7. Add all the remaining dry spices: coriander powder, fennel powder, turmeric, chili
8. powder, and mango powder. Sauté for a minute and then turn off the heat.
9.  
10. Stuff the split karelas with this spice mixture (there should be some spice mix remaining, which will be used later). Tie the karelas with a thread so that the stuffing does not come out while cooking.

Cooking the Stuffed karelas:

1. Add 2 tablespoons of oil in a sauce pan over medium heat. Spread the stuffed karelas in the pan and sprinkle with salt. Cover the pan and let it cook for about 2 minutes.
3. Turn the karelas over to the uncooked side and cook for about 1 minute. Repeat until all four sides of the karelas are cooked.
5. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of water and the remaining spice mixture over the karelas. Cover the pan and let it cook for 2 more minutes.
7. Remove the lid to see if the karelas are tender. Gently turn them over a few more times, making sure they are covered with the spice mixture.
9. Stuffed karela can be served hot or cold and can be refrigerated up to a week.

Variations
For a slightly sweeter taste add 2 tablespoons of sugar to the cooked spice filling, prior to stuffing the karela.

Ingredients:

· 1/2 lb okra (bhindi)
· 1 1/2 tablespoons oil
· Pinch of asafetida (hing)
· 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
· 1 tablespoon coriander powder (dhania)
· 1/2 teaspoon cayenne (adjust to taste)
· 1/2 teaspoon turmeric (haldi)
· 1/2 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
· 1/2 teaspoon mango powder (amchoor)
· 1 tablespoon gram flour (besan) (optional)
· 2 tablespoons finely chopped yellow bell pepper
· 2 tablespoons finely chopped red bell pepper

Method:

1. Wash the okra and pat dry. Make sure to completely dry the okra as wet okra will be sticky when cutting.
2. Cut off the both ends of the okra, and slice lengthwise in halves. Set aside.
3. Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium-high heat. Test the heat by adding one cummin seed to the oil; if seed crack right away oil is ready.
4. Add the cumin seeds and asafetida (hing). When the cumin seeds crack, add the okra.
5. Stir for a minute and reduce the heat to medium.
6. Cover the okra for two to three minutes.
7. Remove the cover and add the coriander powder, red cayenne pepper and turmeric.
8. Next add gram flour (besan) and continue to stir-fry until the okra is tender. Add the salt, mango powder and bell peppers, cook for another minute. Salt is added last to avoid the okra becoming lacy.

Ingredients

• •Brinjals,small 250 grams
• •Peanuts 2 tablespoons
• •Sesame seeds (til) 1 1/2 tablespoons
• •Poppy seeds (khuskhus/posto) 3/4 teaspoon
• •Dried coconut ( khopra),grated 1 tablespoon
• •Oil 4 tablespoons + for deep-frying
• •Onion ,sliced 2 medium
• •Mustard seeds 1/2 teaspoon
• •Cumin seeds 1/4 teaspoon
• •Fennel seeds (saunf) 1/4 teaspoon
• •Onion seeds (kalonji) 1/4 teaspoon
• •Fenugreek seeds (methi dana) pinch
• •Curry leaves 10-12
• •Ginger paste 1 tablespoon
• •Garlic paste 1 tablespoon
• •Green chilli paste 1 teaspoon
• •Turmeric powder 1/2 teaspoon
• •Coriander powder 1 1/2 teaspoon
• •Cumin powder 1/2 teaspoon
• •Red chilli powder 1/2 teaspoon
• •Salt to taste
• •Tamarind pulp 2 tablespoons
• •Jaggery (gur),grated 1/2 teaspoon

Method

• Dry roast the peanuts in a non stick pan till lightly browned. Set aside to cool. Similarly dry roast the sesame seeds, poppy seeds and dried coconut separately and set aside to cool. Grind the roasted ingredients with half a cup of water to a fine paste.
  Make one slit along the length of the brinjals from the bottom and one from the top near the stem – this way the brinjals will get cooked well. Take care that they are held together at the stem.
  Heat sufficient oil in a kadai. Add the brinjals and deep fry three to four minutes. Drain on absorbent paper and set aside. Add the onions to the same oil and deep fry till golden. Drain on absorbent paper and set aside.
  
• Heat four tablespoons oil in another non stick pan. Add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, onion seeds and fenugreek seeds and sauté till lightly browned. Add the curry leaves, ginger paste, garlic paste and green chilli paste. Stir and sauté till the oil separates from the masala.
  Add the browned onions, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chilli powder and salt and stir. Add the tamarind and jaggery and mix well. Add the coconut paste and cook till the oil separates.
  Add the fried brinjals and one cup water and mix. Cover and simmer for fifteen to twenty minutes or till the oil surfaces.
  
• Serve hot with roti, chapatti or parantha.

Dal makhani as it is popularly known in the punjab, with its smooth flavour is a delicacy that is very much a dish of the punjab.
Preparation Time: 15 mins.
Cooking Time: 40 mins.
Ingredients:
3/4 cup whole urad (whole black lentil)(for 2 hours add some amount of baking soda on that)
2 tbsp rajma (kidney beans)
salt to taste
3 tbsp butter
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
2 green chillies , cut lengthwise
2 cloves (laung / lavang)
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
1/2 tsp ginger-garlic (adrak-lehsun) paste
1 tsp chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
1 1/2 cups fresh tomato puree
1/2 cup fresh cream
2 tbsp chopped coriander (dhania)
1 tbsp fresh cream for the garnish
Method:
Clean, wash and soak the whole urad and rajma overnight(or you can soak it for 2 hours by use of baking soda)
Drain, add 2 cups of water and salt and pressure cook for 7 whistles or till the dals are overcooked.
Allow the steam to escape before opening the lid.
Whisk till the dal is almost mashed. Keep aside.
For the tempering, heat the butter in a deep pan and add the cumin seeds.
When the cumin seeds crackle, add the green chillies, cinnamon, cloves, cardamoms, and onions and sauté till the onions turn golden brown in colour.
Add the ginger-garlic paste,chilli powder, turmeric powder and tomato puree and cook over a medium flame till the mixture leaves oil.
Add the dal, salt and approx 2 to 3 tbsp water if required and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
Add the cream and mix well. Simmer for 2 to 3 more minutes.

Spinach is one of my favorite veggie dishes because it is full of nutrients and health benefits. Here is one more way of preparing it. I have mixed potato cubes in it, but the recipe can be adapted and used with lightly fried paneer cubes to make palak paneer.
INGREDIENTS
1 big bunch of spinach (it shrinks a LOT during cooking)
1 medium onion, grated or chopped finely
1 large potato, peeled, cubed and boiled until tender (or 125 gm paneer, cubed and fried)
1-2 tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp. jeera/whole cumin
1-2 green chilies
½ tsp. garlic paste
½ tsp. cumin powder
½ tsp. coriander powder
pinch of turmeric powder
pinch of garam masala
salt to taste
1 tsp. lemon juice
water
2-4 tbsp. oil
some coriander for garnishing
INSTRUCTIONS
Take your bunch of fresh spinach. Wash/clean and get the leaves off the stems. Discard stems and drain the leaves then chop them into very thin slices.
Heat some oil in a pan, add the cumin seeds and allow them to splutter. Next add the chopped onion and fry to a nice light brown, then add a green chili with slits and the garlic paste. Fry for a bit then add the chopped tomatoes and sprinkle the cumin and coriander powders. Cook until the tomatoes are soft and mushy and you can see the oil being released from the sides.
Next add the spinach, give it a stir then cover and let this cook, giving it an occasional stir every few minutes. Add the cubed boiled potatoes at this point so they can absorb the flavors properly.
The spinach will reduce drastically in amount. Do not cook it for too long, you will lose all the nutrients from it otherwise. About 10 minutes should be good enough. You can add water to help it get done if it dries up too quickly.
Once it’s done to your liking, sprinkle the garam masala, squeeze in the lemon juice then garnish with coriander and serve.
TIP: If you are using fried paneer cubes, add them in at this last stage just before turning off the heat.

Among the classic recipes of Andhra, Cabbage fry stands out for simple flavors and easy preparation. Veg Indian food at its best with minimal spices.

Ingredients

• 1 medium size cabbage
• Green chillies - 4 nos (slit vertically into 2)
• Urad dal - 1 teaspoon
• chana dal - 1 teaspoon
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
• Green peas - 1/4 cup
• Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
• Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
• Oil - 1 tablespoon
• Salt to taste

Method

Step 1

Cut the cabbage into very small pieces.

Step 2

Heat oil in a kadai. Add mustard seeds. Once it stops spluttering, add urad dal, chana dal and green chillies.

Step 3

After the dal turns light brown, add chopped cabbage, green peas, turmeric pdr and salt and mix well.

Step 4

Sprinkle little water and cover the kadai with a lid.

Step 5

Cook on a medium flame for 10 to 15 minutes stirring in between.

Step 6

Remove from heat . Garnish with grated coconut.

Step 7

Serve hot with rice or rotis.