Baingan Bharta

Baingan (hindi for eggplant or brinjal) is often referred to as a the King of all vegetables. True to its name, this vegetable rules the kingdom of taste. Baingan is prepared as various delicacies around the world. To name a few are eggplan parmesan, bagara baingan, baingan curry and baingan fry. It also makes a tasty topping on pizza.

In this blog, I'm sharing with you an easy to make, very tasty and popular preparation in India called "Baingan bharta".

Preparation time: 20 min
Cooking time: 25 min
Difficulty level: medium
Serves: 4 people

Ingredients:

Eggplant: 2 (large sized)
Onions: 2 (medium sized, sliced)
Tomatoes: 2 (medium sized, diced)
Green chilies: 1 (medium sized, julienne cut)
Garlic: 1 tsp (minced)
Ginger: 1 tsp (minced)
Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
Chili powder: 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder: 1.5 tsp
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp
Garam masala: 1/4 tsp
Oil: 2-3 tblsp
Fresh coriander leaves: to garnish
Salt: to taste

Procedure:

Wash eggplants and dry it using a paper towel. Make small slits on it and smear a little oil over it. Roast eggplant directly on fire until the skin chars and the vegetable is completely cooked (alternately, you can broil it in a conventional oven or heat in a microwave oven). Cool it and then peel the skin off. Run a knife over it to make random cuts in the eggplant. Set aside. 

In a pot or pan, heat oil and add cumin seeds. Once the cumin seeds sputter, add green chilies and onions. On the onions turning translucent add garlic and ginger. Cook for a minute and then add tomatoes. Cook until the oil separates. Add turmeric powder, chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala and salt. Cook for a couple of minutes. Mix in the eggplant and cook for a few more minutes. Turn off heat and garnish with fresh coriander leaves. Serve hot with chapatis or phulkas.

Palak rice

Serves 4
Preparation time: 30 min

Ingredients:

Rice: 1.5 cups
Spinach: 1 cup (roughly chopped)
Onion: 1 medium sized (thinly sliced)
Tomatoes: 1.5 medium sized (diced)
Red chili powder: 1 tsp
Turmeric powder: 1/4 tsp
Sugar: a pinch
Salt: to taste
Oil: 3-4 tblsp
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
Cashews: 2 tblsp (halved)
Water: 1/4 cup

Procedure:

Soak rice in water for about 20 minutes prior to cooking it. Once cooked, let the rice cool; mix it lightly using a big spoon letting air to penetrate between the cooked rice. This will prevent the final preparation from being too mushy.

Boil spinach with a pinch of sugar in about 1/4 cup of water. Then cool it and grind to a fine puree. Keep aside. Heat oil in a pot. Add mustard seeds, once they crackle add the cashews and saute until the nuts turn golden brown. Mix in sliced onion and saute for 3-4 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook until soft and the oil begins to separate. Add chili powder and turmeric powder and saute for another minute. Pour in the spinach puree and add salt. Fry well for about 4-5 minutes till the mixture loses most of the water content. Now, add rice to this and mix well (preferably half the quantity at a time). Turn off heat after a minute. Serve with cucumber raitha!

Spicy Rigatoni

This is my favorite dish on the Buca di Beppo menu. For those of you who have not tried this restaurant yet, you must! It is one of the best Italian restaurants in California and for those of you who do not have one in the vicinity, you can try my recipe to get a feel for it. I'm sure you'll love it!

Serves: 3-4
Preparation time: 25min

Ingredients:

Rigatoni pasta - 3 cups
Extra virgin olive oil - 4 tblsp
Crushed red peppers - 1 tblsp
Black pepper (coarsely ground) - 1/2 tsp
Minced garlic - 1 tblsp
Pasta sauce - 2 cups (I use Ragu with tomato and basil)
Alfredo sauce - 2 cups
Salt - 1 tsp
Butter - 2 tblsp
Green peas - 1.5 cups
Parmesan cheese - 1 tblsp

Procedure:

Bring about 5 cups of water to boil, then add the pasta to it and cook al dente. Strain the water and keep aside. You can add a few drops of oil to prevent the pasta from sticking to each other. Heat the olive oil in a wide pan or pot; saute garlic, crushed red peppers and black pepper for about 2 minutes. Add about 1 tsp of salt. Pour in the Marinara and Alfredo sauces. Simmer for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add peas to this and continue to cook for about 8 minutes until peas are soft; add butter and stir until the butter melts completely. Add the pasta to the sauce and mix in gently. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes. Serve hot!

Bon Appétit!

Bhindi kadhi

Serves: 3
Preparation time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

Okra (sides chopped and okra cut into smaller cylinders as required): enough for 3 people
Oil: 2-3 tblsp
Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
Hing: 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves: 5-6
Red (dried) chilies: 3-4
Black pepper: 1/2 tsp
Green chilies (chopped): 1
Yogurt: 2 cups
Besan: 2 tblsp
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp
Salt: 1/2 tsp
Ginger-garlic paste: 1 tsp
Coriander leaves: 2-3 stems


Procedure:

Heat oil in a pot. Add cumin and mustard seeds. Once they sputter, add red chilies, curry leaves and hing. Add chopped okra. Saute for 5-7 minutes until the okra is half done. In a bowl whisk together yogurt, besan, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, green chilies and salt. Pour this into the pot. Add 1/2 cup of water. Cover it and let it cook until okra is completely done. Garnish with coriander leaves and server hot!

Penne in basil pesto sauce

Serves: 4
Preparation time: 25 min

Ingredients:

Penne pasta: 4 cups
Basil pesto sauce: 1 cup
Heavy (whipping) cream: 2 cups (or 1 pint)
Sun dried tomatoes (julienne):  2 cups
Red crushed peppers: 1 tblspoon (optional for mild eaters!)

Procedure:

Bring about 6 cups of water to boil in a pot. Add penne to it and boil for approximately 13 minutes until al dente. Drain the water completely. On the side, pour the cream in a saucepan and simmer until it reduces to one third of its quantity. Turn off heat. Mix in the basil pesto sauce and sun dried tomatoes. Let stand to thicken a little. Mix in the creamy sauce with penne. Add the crushed red peppers and serve hot!

Sevai kheer

Servings: 6-7
Serving size: 1 bowl
Preparation time: 20min

Ingredients:

Vermicelli (lightly roasted and cut into short sticks): 1 cup
Sugar: 1/2 cup
Milk: 4-5 cups
Cashews and almonds (chopped): 1 tblspoon
Cardamom powder: 1/4 tsp

Procedure:

Bring milk to boil in a pot. Add sugar and after about a minute, add vermicelli to the boiling milk. Turn off heat after a minute. Add cardamom powder and nuts. Nuts can be lightly roasted in little ghee before adding to the kheer.

Yumm Yumm!

Spicy Paneer Capsicum

Spicy Paneer Capsicum

Serves 3
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Total time you sweat it out: 40 minutes :) It's worth it ... TRUST ME!!!

Ingredients:

Onion (finely chopped): half (of a medium sized one)
Bell peppers (2cm squares): 2 (large)
Tomatoes (finely chopped): 1.5 (medium sized ones)
Paneer: 20 cubes (approx 1cm)
Coconut (shredded): 2 inch square slab
Ginger (finely chopped/paste): 1 tsp
Garlic (finely chopped/paste): 1tsp
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder: 1.5 tsp
Chilli powder: 1.5 tsp (add lesser quantity for a non-spicy version; I do not recommend though :P)
Garam masala: 1 tsp
Fennel seeds: 1/2 tsp
Salt: 1 tsp
Fresh coriander leaves (finely chopped): 3-4 stems
Oil: 2-3 tblsp
Water: 3/4 cup
Milk: 1 tblsp

Procedure:

Saute paneer in a frying pan in about half tblsp of oil till golden brown. Keep aside.

Heat oil (on medium) in a pan (preferably non-stick). Add coconut, fennel seeds and onion. Saute for 5-6 minutes. Add bell peppers, ginger, garlic, turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder and salt. Add 3/4 cup water and cook for 5-7 minutes till bell peppers are half cooked. Add tomatoes and cook for 5-7 minutes. Add garam masala, paneer and continue to cook for a minute. Turn off burner. Add milk and mix. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with roti or naan!