A Spoonful of Thought

Ingredients: For Shallow Frying: 400 gms bhindi 2 large onion chopped to big cubes/pieces 1 tsp salt 4 tbsp oil For Masala: 1 tbsp mustard oil 1 big onion finely chopped 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste 3 medium tomatoes roughly chopped 2 green chillies chopped 2 tsp coriander powder 1 tsp jeera powder 2 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder 1 tsp tikhalal red chilli powder 1/2 tsp haldi 1/2 tsp amchur 1 tsp garam masala powder 1/4 cup of water salt to taste Recipe: 1. Wash and dry the bhindi completely using cloth. Then chop the bhindi and keep it in a bowl. 2.  Take a kadai and heat oil. To that add chopped bhindi. Cover and let the bhindi cook for 5 mins. Stir occasionally. Once done remove them in a plate. Now add large onion pieces and saute for couple of mins. Remove them in the same plate. 3. Take a blender and add chopped tomatoes and green chillies and blend them to smooth paste. Keep it aside. 4. In the same kadai add mustard oil to heat. Heat till the aroma is released from the oil, else

Ingredients: 1 medium lauki 1/2 free capsicum 1 medium onion chopped into cubes 1 medium onion roughly chopped 2-3 medium ripe tomatoes 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste 1/4 tsp haldi 1 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder 1 tsp tikhalal red chilli powder 1 tsp garam masala 2 tsp coriander powder 1 tsp cumin/jeera power 1 tbsp kasuri methi crushed 1 tsp cumin seeds Chopped coriander leaves Salt to taste 2 tbsp oil For Marination: 2 tbsp mustard oil 3 tbsp besan 1 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder 1/4 cup curd 1/4 tsp haldi 2 tsp coriander powder 1 tsp black pepper powder 1/2 tsp garam masala 1 tsp chaat masala Salt to taste 1 tsp tikhalal red chilli powder Oil for roasting Recipe: 1. In a small pan add mustard oil. Add besan to the hot oil and mix well. Then add kashmiri red chilli powder. Mix well and let it fry for 2-3 mins more. The besan paste is prepared. Keep it aside. 2. In a mixing bowl add curd, besan paste, haldi, coriander powder, black pepper powder, garam masala, chaat masala, tikhalal re

Ingredients: For  Shallow Frying: 250 gms bhindi 1 tbsp besan(optional) 2 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder  2 tsp salt 2 tbsp oil For Masala: 3 tbsp mustard oil 1 tsp jeera 1 big onion finely chopped 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste 3 medium tomatoes roughly chopped 2-3 green chillies 1/2 cup whisked curd 2 tsp coriander powder 1 tsp jeera powder 2 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder 1 tsp tikhalal red chilli powder 1/2 tsp haldi 1 tsp garam masala powder 1 tbsp kasuri methi 1/2 cup of water salt to taste Recipe: 1. Wash and dry the bhindi completely using cloth. Then chop the bhindi and keep it in a bowl. 2. To the bowl add besan, kashmiri red chilli powder and salt. Mix well with the chopped bhindi. 3. Take a kadai and heat oil. To that add the besan coated bhindi and shallow fry. Cover and let the bhindi cook for 5 mins. Stir occasionally. Once done remove them in a plate. 4. Take a blender and add chopped tomatoes and green chillies and blend them to smooth paste. Keep it aside. 5. In the same

Ingredients: 4 capsicum cut into cubes 2 big potatoes cut into cubes 2 medium tomatoes chopped 1 big onion chopped finely 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste 1/4 tsp haldi/turmeric powder 1 tsp tikhalal chilli powder 1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder 2 tsp coriander powder 1 tsp dry mango/amchoor powder a pinch of hing 1 tsp cumin/jeera seeds 2 tbsp oil salt to taste Recipe: 1. Heat oil in a kadai, add jeera seeds and let it splutter. 2. Add onions and saute till translucent. Add ginger-garlic paste and saute for a min more. 3. Add potatoes and mix well. Cover and let it cook for 5-7 mins. Stir in between. 4. Add in hing, haldi, coriander powder, amchoor powder and both the chilli powders. Mix well. 5. Add in tomatoes later and mix well. Saute till they are a little soft. Add salt. Mix well 6. Cover and let it cook for 2-3 min. 7. Add chopped capsicum and mix well. Now cover and let it cook completely. Stir occasionally. 8. Enjoy the tasty Shimla Mirch Aloo ki sabzi with hot phulkas.  

Ingredients: 1 cup mini soya chunks 2+2 tbsp oil 4 tbsp fresh grated coconut 1 tsp fennel seeds/saunf 1/2 tsp black pepper seeds 1 tsp cumin seeds/jeera 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste 2 medium onions 2 medium ripe tomatoes 1 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder 1 tsp tikhalal red chilli powder 1.5 tsp coriander powder 1/2 tsp garam masala 1/4 tsp haldi/turmeric powder 1 tsp tamarind paste 1 tbsp kasuri methi salt to taste 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves Recipe: 1. Soak soya chunks in cold water for an hr. Drain out the water completely. 2. Add soya chunks to a saucepan and add water and salt. Bring the water to boil and then simmer for 5 mins. Cover and keep it aside for 10 mins. Then remove them from hot water and soak in cold water. 3. Blend the onions to a fine paste and keep them aside. 4. In a kadai, heat oil. Add grated coconut and fry till they turn brown.  5. Then add fennel, cumin seeds and black pepper and fry for 2-3 mins. Switch off the flame and let it cool completely. 6. Blend the

Ingredients: 8-10 kokum (soaked overnight) 1/2 grated coconut 3-4 coriander leaves twigs 2-3 mint leaves twigs 1 green chilli 1 inch ginger 1 tsp jeera/cumin seeds salt to taste Recipe: 1. Heat the soaked kokum for 5 mins. Cover and let it cool down. Once cooled can be mashed using hands or in a blender on pulse mode. Strain the kokum juice and keep it aside for later use. 2. In a blender add grated coconut and blend by adding water. Remove them on muslin cloth kept over a bowl. Drain the thick coconut milk into a bowl. 3. Add drained coconut along with chilli, coriander, mint leaves, ginger and jeera seeds to the blender. Blend again all together by adding water. Again remove the whole paste on muslin cloth and drain the second set of spicy coconut milk. Add these milk too to the same bowl of thick coconut milk. 4. Now in a big sauce pan add all of the prepared coconut milk and kokum juice. Mix well. Add salt as per taste. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. 5. Spicy and Tangy Koku

Ingredients: 4 hot dog breads 250 gms paneer 1 tbsp oil 1 tsp cumin/jeera seeds 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste 2 green chillies finely chopped 1 medium onion finely chopped 1 small green capsicum finely chopped 1/4 tsp haldi/turmeric powder 1/2 tsp garam masala 1 tbsp red chilli powder 1 tbsp coriander powder 1 tsp pav bhaji powder 3 medium tomatoes finely chopped 1 tbsp ketchup/tomato sauce 1 tbsp red chilli sauce 2 tbsp coriander leaves freshly chopped tomato sauce/ketchup mayo mustard sauce butter Recipe: 1. Heat oil in a pan. Add jeera seeds, green chillies, ginger-garlic paste. Saute for a min. 2. Add chopped onions and saute till they turn translucent.  3. Then add capsicum and mix well. Saute till they are soft. 4. Add haldi, red chilli powder, coriander powder and pav bhaji masala. Mix well and saute for a min more. 5. Add in chopped tomatoes, tomato sauce, red chilli sauce. Mix well. Cover and cook for 5 mins. 6. Add chopped paneer and garam masala. Mix well. 7. Finally add corian

Ingredients: 2 cup curd/yogurt 2 cup water 1 tsp ghee 1 tsp mustard seeds 1 tsp urad dal 1 tsp chana dal 2 tsp cumin/jeera seeds few methi/fenugreek seeds 2 dried red chillies broken few curry leaves 4-5 garlic cloves crushed 2 green chillies slit 1 small onion chopped 1 small tomato chopped 1/4+1/4 tsp turmeric a pinch of hing 1 tbsp soaked rice 2 tbsp coconut sliced salt to taste 1 tbsp lemon juice Recipe: 1. In a large mixing bowl take 2 cup curd, 1 cup water and salt Whisk well and prepare smooth buttermilk. In case buttermilk is not sour add in 1 tbsp lemon juice. Mix well and keep it aside. 2. In a grinder add soaked rice, green chillies, coconut slices, cumin seeds, garlic cloves and haldi. Add little water and blend to a paste for gravy. 3. In another pan heat ghee and mustard seeds and hing. Let it splutter and then add urad dal, chana dal, methi seeds, dried red chilli and few curry leaves. Saute for a min. 4. Add chopped onions and saute till they are soft. Later a

Ingredients: For Dal Mixture thats go into dough: 3/4 cup urad dal 1 inch ginger 1 green chilli 1 tsp red chilli powder 1 tsp coriander powder  1/2 tsp garam masala 1 tsp saunf (fennel) 1 tsp kasuri methi 1 tsp salt  For Dough: 1+ 3/4 cups wheat flour 1/2 cup rava (sooji, semolina) 1/2 to 3/4 cup of luke warm water 1 tbsp oil or ghee Recipe: 1. Use urad dal without the skin. Wash the urad dal nicely & soak the dal in enough water for 1-2 hours.  2. Strain the dal and discard the water. Now using mixer, grind the dal along with add in the ginger, chilli, red chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala, saunf, kasuri methi & salt.  3. Use the pulse mode or grind the dal by starting & stopping the grinder briefly so that we get a coarse dal mixture. You can add minimum water to grind the dal if required. Dal ki pitthi is ready. 4. Now in a mixing bowl add wheat flour, rava, dal mixture and ghee. Use luke warm water to knead a stiff dough. Add the water gradually so th

Ingredients: 1 cup horsegram/kuddu 1 tomato chopped 2 onions finely chopped 5+3 dry red chillies 1 tsp mustard seeds 1 tsp jeera/cumin seeds 1 tsp black peppercorns 1 tbsp coriander seeds 1/2 cup grated coconut 5+5 garlic cloves 1/4 tsp haldi a pinch hing/asafoetida 1 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder few curry leaves 2 cups of tamarind water salt 3 tbsp oil Recipe: 1. Clean and soak horsegram for overnight. 2. On next day pressure cook horsegram with chopped tomatoes and little salt for 4-5 whistles. 3. Once the pressure is released, drain the water from the horsegram and tomato and keep it aside. Retain the drained water for the gravy. 4. In a kadai heat 1 tbsp oil. Add black peppercorns, jeera seeds, coriander seeds. Saute for 3-4 mins. 5. Add 5 dry red chillies and few curry leaves. Saute for a min more. 6. Add crushed garlic cloves, half of the chopped onions and grated coconut. Saute till onions are soft.  7. Add in the boiled horsegram with tomato and saute for 5 more mins. 8. Add

Ingredients: 4-5 potatoes 1 tsp mustard seeds 1 tsp cumin/jeera seeds 1 tbsp chana dal 1 tsp urad dal few curry leaves 2-3 green chillies slit in middle 1 medium onion chopped 1 tbsp ginger paste 1/4 tsp haldi a pinch of hing 1 lemon juice 1 tbsp besan/gram flour 2 tbsp coriander leaves finely chopped salt to taste 2 tbsp oil 1 and 1/2 cup water Recipe: 1. Clean and boil the potatoes for 3-4 whistles. Once the pressure is released remove from cooker, drain the hot water and immerse the same in cold water. This tip helps easy peel of boiled potato skin. 2. Break the boil potatoes to med - small pieces with hands and keep aside. 3. In a kadai heat oil. Add mustard seeds and let it splutter. 4. Then add jeera seeds, chana dal, urad dal, curry leaves, green chillies and saute for a min. 5. Add hing and chopped onion. Saute till they are soft. 6. Add ginger paste/minced and saute for one more min. 7. Add boiled potatoes and mix well. 8. Add haldi and 1 cup of water. Mix well. Cover and let

Ingredients: 200 gms black /kale chana 1 tsp jeera/cumin seeds 1/4 tsp haldi 1 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder 1 tsp tikhalal red chilli powder few chopped coriander leaves 1 tbsp oil salt to taste water Recipe: 1. Clean and soak the black chana for 8 hrs or overnight. 2. Boil the soaked black chana in enough water and salt for 4-5 whistles. 3. Once the pressure is released from cooker, drain the water out from the black chana and keep them both aside. 4. In a kadai heat oil. Add jeera seeds and let it splutter. 5. Then add drained black chana to the oil. Saute them together. Cover and let it cook for 5 mins. This will help to infuse the jeera flavour into chana. 6. Then after 5 mins add haldi, red chilli powders. Mix well and saute for 2 more mins. 7. Add the 1/2 cup of the drained water to the chana mixture. Mix well and let the water get soaked to the mixture. 8. Finally add chopped coriander leaves and mix well.

Ingredients: 4 green capsicum For stuffings: 4-5 medium potatoes boiled 1 medium onion finely chopped 1 green chillies finely chopped 1 tsp cumin/jeera seeds 1 tsp saunf seeds 1/4 tsp haldi 1 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder 1 tsp coriander powder 1/2 tsp jeera powder 1/2 tsp amchur powder 1 tsp garam masala 1 tbsp coriander leaves finely chopped 1 tbsp oil salt to taste For Gravy: 2-3 medium onions 3-4 tomatoes 6 garlic cloves 1 inch ginger 2 green chillies 1 tsp jeera seeds 1/4 cup curd 1/4 tsp haldi 1 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder 1 tsp coriander powder 1/2 tsp jeera powder 1 tsp tikhalal red chilli powder 1 tsp garam masala 1 tbsp kasuri methi 1 tbsp coriander leaves finely chopped 2 tbsp oil 1/2 cup water salt to taste Recipe: For stuffed capsicum: 1. Clean and remove the steam. Cut each capsicim into equal halves and remove the middle stuff. Discard the stuff and seeds. 2. In a kadai heat 1 tbsp oil. Add cumin and saunf seeds. 3. Then add chopped onions, green chillies and saute t

Ingredients: 1½ cup w hole green moong dal                 ¼ tsp hing/a safoetida                             1 tbsp g inger chopped                      1 tbsp g arlic chopped 2-3 green chilli chopped 1-2 onions chopped 2 tomatoes chopped 1  tsp kashmiri r ed chilli powder  1 tbsp coriander powder 1 tsp cumin powder  1 tsp garam masala powder  ¼ tsp +  ¼ tsp haldi/t urmeric powder  salt to taste 2 tbsp c oriander leaves chopped ½  l emon juice                             2 tbsp o il         Recipe: 1.  Wash and soak the dal for overnight or 6-8 hours. 2. Heat water in a saucepan, add salt, 1/4 tsp of haldi and soaked moong dal, mix well and cook till dal are softened thoroughly. Drain and keep it aside.  OR Can be pressure cooked for 2 whistles. 3. Heat oil in another pan, add hing, ginger, garlic and green chillies all chopped. Saute till garlic are lightly brown. 4. Add chopped onions, mix well and saute till they are soft. 5. Then add chopped tomatoes and mix well. Saute for more 2

  Ingredients: 3 big green capsicum 4-5 medium potatoes boiled 1 medium onion finely chopped 1 green chillies finely chopped 1 tsp cumin/jeera seeds 1 tsp saunf seeds 1/4 tsp haldi 1 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder 1 tsp coriander powder 1/2 tsp jeera powder 1/2 tsp amchur powder 1 tsp garam masala 1 tbsp coriander leaves finely chopped 1 tbsp + 2 tbsp oil salt to taste Recipe: 1. Clean and remove the steam. Cut each capsicim into 4-5 rings and remove the middle stuff. Discard the stuff and seeds. 2. In a kadai heat 1 tbsp oil. Add cumin and saunf seeds. 3. Then add chopped onions, green chillies and saute till they turn soft. 4. Add haldi, chilli powder, garam masala, amchur, coriander and jeera powder. Saute for 2 mins. 5. Add boiled potatoes and mix well with the mixture. Saute for a min. 6. Add the chopped coriander leaves and switch off the flame. Mix well. 7. Keep the mixture aside for cooling. 8. Grease inside of capsicum rings with little oil and stuff the above prepared mixture

Ingredients: 2 bell shaped medium sized eggplants/brinjals 100 gms crumbled paneer 2 red ripe tomatoes finely chopped 2 tbsp garlic crushed/finely chopped 1 tbsp coriander leaves finely chopped 1 tbsp dried parsley and basil 1 tsp black pepper powder 50 gms fresh bread crumbs 50 gms  cheddar   cheese grated 50 gms  mozzarella  cheese grated 1 tbsp olive oil 2 lemon juice salt to taste Recipe: 1. Wash the eggplants well and wipe them dry. 2. Cut into half lengthwise and scoop out the insides of eggplant with sharp knife. 3. Preheat the otg to 180 degrees. 4. Sprinkle the lemon juice over the scooped eggplant to prevent from discoloration. 5. Place the eggplant shells on a greased baking tray. Place the tray in the center rack of otg. 6. Bake the shells 180 degrees for 10-12 mins. 7. In a pan heat oil. Add chopped garlic and saute for a min. 8. Then add egg plant inside and cook for 3-5 mins.  9. Once they become soft add chopped tomatoes. Saute till tomatoes are also soft and mashed. 10

Methi chaman is a delicious gravy based dish from the Kashmiri pandit cuisine. Methi is fenugreek leaves and chaman is paneer in Kashmiri language. Ingredients: 150-200 gms fenugreek leaves, cleaned and chopped 200 gms paneer cut into small cubes  2 medium chopped onions 2-3 finely chopped tomatoes 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste 1 tsp jeera/cumin seeds 1 tsp freshly made green chilli paste OR 2-3 medium spicy very finely chopped chillies 1 tbsp kashmiri red chilli powder 1 tbsp tikkha red chilli powder 1 tbsp coriander powder 1/4 tsp haldi/turmeric powder 1 tsp saunf/fennel powder 1/2 tsp dry ginger powder 1 tsp garam masala 1 tsp green cardamom/elaichi powder 1 tbsp kasuri methi powder 1 cup + 1 tbsp  fresh cream 3 tbsp cashew paste Salt as per taste Recipe: 1. Blanch the chopped methi leaves in the boiling water and immediately put it in the cold water to maintain the green colour. Keep it aside. 2.  Beat the cream to smooth texture and keep it aside. 3. In a kadai, take little oil add l