Onion paratha

Ingredients (Serves 4):
For the dough:
3 cups atta(wheat flour)
Water
Oil
Salt

For the stuffing:
1 medium sized onion - finely chopped
2 green chilli - finely chopped
5-6 sprigs of coriander - finely chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp ajwain seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric
Salt

Ghee
3 Tbsp atta

Method:
1) Mix atta, 1 to 1 1/2 cups water, 2 Tbsp oil, 1 tsp salt to make the dough. Cover and keep aside
2) Mix ingredients for stuffing with 1/2 tsp salt. Keep aside for 5-10 minutes. Drain excess water.
3) Take a fistful of dough and roll it into a circle of about 6-7 cms. Place 1 tsp of the stuffing at the centre and cover it by bringing the edges of the dough together.
4) Roll it into a paratha, dabbing it in wheat flour as and when necessary.
5) Heat up a frying pan, place the paratha on it. Add a few drops of ghee on top. Flip to the other side in a minute.
6) Now add a few drops of ghee and flip to the other side once the underside is done.
7) Remove from pan and place it in a container - covered.
DONE!!!
Serve with yogurt and pickle or coconut chutney :)

Tip: As I did not drain enough water from stuffing, while rolling it would become sticky. I used kitchen paper towel to dab the water and then apply some atta on it.

Maavina midi tambli

One of my favorite dishes by amma :)

Ingredients:
3 pickled maavina midi
2 Tbsp grated coconut
1 cup thick yogurt
1 cup water
1 tsp cumin seeds
2-3 green chilli
1 dry red chilli
1 tsp mustard seeds
9-10 curry leaves
2 tsp oil
Salt.

Method:
1) Wash the maavina midi and cut into pieces. Dry it and fry in 1 tsp oil.
2) Grind this with coconut, cumin seeds, green chilli and 2 Tbsp water.
3) Mix this with yogurt and 1/2-1 cup of water (depending on the consistency you need). Check for salt.
4) Heat 1 tsp oil in a skillet, add mustard seeds and wait for it to splutter. Add cumin seeds, curry leaves and red chilli. Mix with tambli.
DONE!!!
Serve with rice

Tip: As I wanted it to be a bit more spicy, I added half a tsp of red chilli powder. If pepper powder is available, that would be better as well.
Substitute buttermilk instead of yogurt if available.

Ennegai

Owe this awesome recipe to Anamika Digge :)

Ingredients:
1 large sized onion - finely chopped
2 large sized tomato - finely chopped
10-12 baby brinjal
1/2 cup peanuts
1 garlic pod
3-4 dry red chilli
2-3 green chilli
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp tamarind concentrate
1 cm ginger
1 Tbsp jaggery
Oil
Salt

Method:
1) Grind peanuts, red chilli, green chilli, garlic pod, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp salt, tamarind concentrate, ginger, jaggery into a fine paste with little water. Mix with 2 Tbsp of finely chopped onions
2) Slit baby brinjal from top to bottom in a cross - keeping the stem intact. Stuff the paste above. Keep aside the remaing paste.
3) Take 5-6 Tbsp of oil in a pressure cooker, add onion and fry until its starts to change colour.
4) Add tomato and fry until the water separates out, add the remaining mixture fry for a minute.
5) Place the stuffed brinjal in the cooker and fry for a minute.
6) Add 2 cups of water, 1/2 tsp salt, give a stir - close the lid of pressure cooker, place the weight on top. Wait for a whistle and remove immediately.
7) Once the cooker's pressure has been released, remove the weight. Check for salt.
DONE!!!

Handy tip: I am not sure if it happens to all pressure cookers - but mine is prone to getting charred at the bottom. If you find the case, just transfer ennegai to another bowl without scratching the bottom 

Paneer Masala

Ingredients:
20-30 1cm cubes of paneer
1 medium sized onion - coarsely chopped
1 tomato - coarsely chopped
2 green chilli
1/2 to 1 tsp red chilli powder
4-5 pepper corns
1 garlic pod
1 cm ginger
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
2-3 Tbsp of thick yogurt
1/2 tsp garam masala powder (optional)
2 Tbsp kassori methi (optional)
Water
Oil
Ghee
Salt



Method:
1) Take 2 Tbsp oil in a pan. Add garlic and fry until it changes colour. Add ginger, pepper corns, cumin seeds, coriander seeds and fry for another minute.
2) Add onions - fry until it starts to change colour. Add tomato and fry for another 3-4 mins, until the oil begins to separate out.
3) Allow it to cool and grind into fine paste with garam masala, turmeric and red chilli powder
4) Meanwhile, take 1 Tbsp of ghee in a frying pan and fry paneer until it changes colour.
5) Add the ground paste to this, yogurt, 1-2 cups of water depending on the consistency needed. Bring this to boil.
6) Check for salt and garnish with kasoori methi
DONE!!!

Eggplant peanut masala

Ingredients:
1 big eggplant - finely chopped
1 tomato - finely chopped
1 onion - finely chopped
1/2 cup peanuts - finely ground
1 garlic pod
1 cm ginger
3 green chilli
1-2 dry red chilli
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
4-5 pepper corns
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp tamarind concentrate
Water
Salt
Oil

Method:
1) Grind garlic pod, green chilli, dry red chilli, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, pepper corns, ginger and fry with 3 Tbsp oil in a pan
2) Add onion and fry until starts to change colour
3) Add peanut and turmeric powder and fry for 2 mins. If it becomes dry while frying, add another Tbsp oil.
4) Add tomato and fry for 2-3 mins.
5) Add brinjal and fry for a minute. Add 2-3 cups of water, tamarind and bring to boil. Check for salt
6) Close the pan and simmer for 10-15 minutes until the eggplant is cooked.
DONE!!!

Cucumber sandwich

Ingredients (Serves 2):
6 slices of bread (white preferably)
1 Lebanese cucumber
1 Tbsp dried Italian herbs
Butter
Salt
Pepper

Method:
1) Cut Lebanese cucumber into thin slices. If using continental cucumber remember to drain out excess water using paper towel or placing in a colander for 10-15 minutes.
2) Mix it with Italian herbs and pepper. Check for salt.
3) Butter just one side of all bread slices. Remove the edges.
4) Take a slice of bread, place 1-2 layers of cucumber on the buttered side. Cover it with another slice of bread (buttered side down).
4) Cut into bite sized pieces
DONE!!!

Toor Dal-Peanut chutney

Ingredients:
3 Tbsp Toor dal/Pigeon pea
2 Tbsp peanuts
2 Tbsp roasted chana dal
1/2 cup grated coconut
3-4 dry red chilli
1 Tbsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp tamarind concentrate
1 green chilli - optional
1/4 of medium sized onion finely chopped
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 sprig curry leaves
Water
Oil
Salt

Method:
1) Dry roast Toor dal, peanuts, roasted chana dal, dry red chilli and coriander seeds.
2) Grind this with green chilli, coconut, tamarind concentrate and 1/2- 1 cup of water. Check for salt.
3) For tempering, take a Tbsp of oil, add mustard seeds. Wait for it to splutter. Add cumin seeds and curry leaves.
DONE!!!