Pumpkin, brinjal mixed vegetables subzi

The invention of this subzi seems to be to utilise maximum vegetables leftover in the refrigerator!

I think of this dish  when we have a small piece of pumpkin, a few bhindis, potatoes, brinjal, beans, tomatoes, onions and random vegetables leftover!

So here is the recipe for this mind-blowing subzi, I name it pumpkin, brinjal as these two ate the stars of the dish, rest any leftover veggies can be added, so you can explore this subzi with all those tiny pieces of veggies hiding in your refrigerator! 

A little bit of freshly ground spices, green chillies, ginger and panchphoran you are done with it. 

Pumpkin, brinjal and mixed vegetables subzi 

Ingredients

150 grams pumpkin with skin, cut into cubes

2 small stripped brinjal, I used purple ones, cut into 8 pieces 

1 large potato, peeled and cubed

1 large carrot, peeled and cubed

1 onion, peel and cut into cubes

2 large tomatoes, slit into 8 pieces 

1 capsicum, cut into 8 pieces 

1 small piece ginger, pell and grate

2 green chillies, thinly sliced 

10 to 15 french beans, trim the edges and cut into four pieces 

7 to 8 hyacinth beans (avarakkai), trim edges and cut into halves

Chopped vegetables 

The brinjal hardly have any seeds. 

For the seasoning 

2 tbsp Gingely oil 

1 tsp red chilli powder 

1 tsp coriander powder 

1 tsp jeera powder 

1/2 tsp turmeric powder 

1/2 garam masala 

For the tadka 

1/2 panchphoran 

A little saunf 

A little ajwain 

1 red chilli broken 

1/2 tsp mustard seeds 

A pinch of heeng powder 

For garnish 

2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves 

Method 

*In a preheated kadai pour oil, add panchphoran, mustard seeds, saunf, ajwain and broken red chillies, mustard seeds will start to splutter and rest of the seasoning will  release aroma. 

* Now we will add onion, ginger, green chillies and saute, in a few minutes add cubed potatoes brinjal, carrots and mix in. 

*Add turmeric and salt at this stage. 

*You can now add rest of the chopped vegetables like pumpkin, beans, avarakkai, green chillies and mix well. 

* Close the lid and reduce flame, let the subzi cook for a while. As each vegetable takes the time to get slowly cooked in their own juice. You will notice potatoes and pumpkin are turning into brownish and soft. 

*Open the lid and check whether potatoes are cooked well, do a test, take out one piece of potato and gently press it, if it's soft and tender, well cooked that means we can add the dry masalas. 

*Add tomatoes and green peppers towards the end, for better flavour and we don't want tomatoes to become mushy. 

*Add coriander, jeera, red chilli and garam masala powder, adjust salt, mix well. Close the lid for 1 minute, open and mix the vegetables. 

*Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve with phulkas. 

Notes

*Try to cook the subzi in low to medium heat.

*Tomatoes and capsicum should be added towards the end. 

Rose petals tea

I experiment with different homemade fruit peels, flowers and leaves for making tea.

Like orange peels, lemon rinds, mint leaves, cinnamon stick, whole clove, turmeric, coriander, lemon grass, lemon and so on. 

I had dried pink fragrant rose petals a few weeks ago and they were lovely. 

To make the tea we just require few ingredients 

Let's start making the tea

Ingredients 

1/4 tsp tea leaves, green tea/regular tea leaves /tea powder 

A pinch of cinnamon powder 

A pinch of clove powder 

1/2 tsp dried rose petals 

A few mint leaves for garnish 

A few fresh rose petals for garnish 

Method 

*In a cup add tea powder,  cinnamon powder, clove powder, dried rose petals, pour a cup of hot water. 

* Let the flavours slowly release in the hot water. 

* Pour the tea in a another serving cup, garnish with mint and rose petals. 

Notes

*Use mild tea leaves /powder 

*Fresh mint leaves add zing to your tea

*Make fresh tea, do not boil the tea leaves 

http://jayanthisindianrecipes.blogspot.com/2014/10/pooran-poliboli-with-coconut-and-almonds.html

Palak sandwiches

Breakfast for Aru : The goodness of Palak, filled in omelette, stuffed in griddle toasted bread with cheese, green chillies, ginger, spices and  butter.

Mixed vegetables in tomato puree

A few fresh whole masalas are added to this recipe, which makes it look and taste better

I had a few veggies in fridge like a piece of cauliflower, french beans, potatoes, carrot and peas. Most of the time we end up making soup curry or mixed vegetables subzi which is relished by us.

Today I have made few changes in the recipe and tried whole masalas, tomato puree. 

Recipe for mixed vegetables in tomato puree 

Ingredients 

4 medium sized potatoes, peel and cubed

1 red long carrot, peeled, chopped into cubes

1 handful of peas 

10 French beans, trimmed chopped into small pieces 

3/4 of a cauliflower, wash and cut the florets, stalk 

1/2 tsp tadka masala 

1/2 tsp red chilli powder 

1/2 tsp turmeric powder 

Salt as required 

For the puree

3 tomatoes slit into four

2 garlic 

2 dry red chillies  (for bright red colour)

1/2 tsp whole coriander seeds

1/2 tsp jeera

A few curry leaves 

2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves 

Method 

*In a pressure cooker add 1 cup water add potatoes, peas add turmeric and salt cook for two whistles. Keep aside. 

*In a heated kadai pour oil add jeera, let it splutter, add rest of the chopped vegetables, onion, carrot, beans, cauliflower and its stalk. Mix in cook till tender, I have added 1/2 cup of water to cook it. 

In a small sauce pan add tomatoes, whole jeere, coriander, garlic and dry red chillies.pour 1/2 cup water, cook tomatoes, remove peel, cool, grind to a paste in mixer. The dry red chillies when cooked in water becomes very soft and its quite easy to grind as a paste, it also gives a bright red colour to the tomato puree. 

*Remove cooked vegetables add that to the cooked potatoes and peas in the cooker. 

*In the same pan pour little oil/ghee pour tomato puree, add 1/2 cup of water and mix it with the leftover puree sticking to the sides of the vessel. Bring it to boil. 

*Its time to add all cooked vegetables and curry leaves to the tomato puree, mix well, adjust salt, add tadka masala and red chilli powder, mix in, garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with phulkas. 

*It taste good with rice or phulkas. 

 

Litti chokha

Afternoons I rarely get to see programs on TV, the day I get all I watch is the lost recipes, राजा रसोई और अन्य कहानियाँ,so Here is an Interesting Recipe, I tried today.

The humble litti chokha which is a poor man's food, the ordinary folks in UP, eat it and the show was shot in the ghats of Varnasi were the women cooked litti chokha on gobar (cow dung dried discs)

Well I made the chokha on gas stove with a griddle on top and here is the recipe. 

Litti chokha served with chopped onions and green chillies. 

Charring the desi tomatoes in direct flame

A large aubergine getting roasted on the direct flame

Chokha 

2 boiled, peeled potatoes 

1 large aubergine /bharta baingan /kathrikay roasted on direct fire - on the stove- burner 

3 ripe tomatoes roasted on direct fire - stove - burner

1 green chilli chopped 

A small piece of ginger sliced

A bunch of coriander leaves washed and chopped 

Salt

1 tbsp mustard oil (optional) 

Method 

*Wash, wipe and apply little oil on the brinjal /aubergine/kathrikay, put a small iron grill, switch on the gas stove, place the aubergine, cook it till the outrskin completely gets burnt, but the inner part is soft and well cooked, you can pierce a thin iron rod or a chopstick to check it. Once done peel peel off the outer skin, keep the aubergine aside. 

*wash, wipe and roast tomatoes, it should be kept on direct fire and we just want it should be cooked well so that we can remove the outer thin skin, once done remove from fire, let it cool, use hands to peel off, keep aside. 

* In a pressure cooker, place a steamer, cut potatoes into halves, cook for 2 whistles, let it reach room temperature, open, peel off, keep aside. 

*Chop coriander leaves, ginger, green chilli, into very small pieces. 

In a large bowl place the deskinned aubergine, potatoes, tomato and gently smash with hands, add salt, coriander leaves, ginger and green chillies. Mix in.

* If you like you can pour mustard oil and mix well, adjust salt, serve with litti. 

Litti 

For the dough

1 cup whole wheat atta

2 tbsp makkika atta

1 tbsp besan

1 tsp ajwain 

Salt

Warm water to knead the atta. 

Kneas the atta and keep aside. 

For the stuffing 

2 tbsp chopped methi leaves 

1 tbsp ragi powder 

1 tbsp besan

1 tbsp makki ka atta

1 tbsp mixed pickle with its oil

1 tbsp coriander leaves 

1/2 inch ginger grated

1 green chilli chopped 

1/4 tsp ajwain 

1 tsp jeera powder 

1/2 salt

1/2 lemon extract 

Use hands to mix these ingredients and make stuffing. 

Methi leaves, coriander leaves, ragi, chana, makki ka atta, ajwain, pickle oil, salt. Mix it with hands make the stuffing. 

Roll like puri and fill the stuffing. 

Make a flat puri sized disc and fill a tbsp filling. 

Roll the litti and bake it in  microwave for 3 minutes. 

Then cook it on direct fire on stove. 

You will notice its becoming brownish and getting cooked, from inside the steam starts coming out. 

The litti is ready to be served. 

Platting litti, chokha, chopped onions and green chillies. 

Method 

*In a large bowl add whole wheat powder, besan, makki ka atta, salt and use warm water to knead the dough. Keep aside. I have made it in the afternoon and left it on the kitchen counter. 

*Mix in the stuffing, keep aside. 

*Divide the dough into 8 parts, use rolling pin to roll our small disc like puri, fill in the stuffing, cover it, roll into a small ball. Repeat and finish all the litti in the same way. 

*Brush all the littis with little oil, bake in the microwave for 3 minutes. 

*Light the gas stove, I have used the largest burner, put a grill and cook it directly on fire till done. 

*Serve with chokha, chopped onions and green chillies. 

Notes

*Traditionally the stuffing is made with sattu, I had no sattu with me instead I used ragi, chana and makki ka atta. 

Paneer, potato and tomato platter

While chopping the soft paneer I was thinking of adding few more ingredients to make Aru's snack platter filled with nutrition. I had boiled a few potatoes for tonight's dinner.

Then it was quick assembling of desi tomatoes, potatoes, few herbs and voila the platter is ready. 

Paneer, potatoes, tomato spicy, herby platter

Ingredients 

2 boiled, peeled chopped potatoes 

200 grams paneer, cubed

1 desi tomato halved

1/2 tsp pizza seasoning

1/4 tsp hand crushed pepper

A pinch of salt 

1 tbsp olive oil

5 to 6 fresh palak leaves 

Few basil leaves 

Method 

*In a preheated iron tawa pour oil, spread it and start placing chopped potatoes, halved tomato, cubbed paneer.

*Let it get roasted for a few minutes, flip and cook both sides, sprinkle salt, crushed pepper and seasoning.

*Flip again, we are now trying to coat the seasoning in all vegetables.

*Roast till they ate golden brownish in colour. Off the stove, 

*Start tossing the palak leaves directly on fire, we just want it to be little cooked, a few black dots here and there, is all we need. 

*In a serving plate arrange the palak, carefully place paneer, aloo and tomatoes, drizzle a little lemon juice, garnish with basil and serve

*I have served a fried egg for Aru and she loved her platter. 

*Do try, share and leave your comments.