Bharwan Bhindi ki Sabzi Recipe

I love bhindi. In any form. Bharwan bhindi. Bhindi masala. Bhindi do pyaaza. Dahiwali bhindi. Anything works.

Stuffed Okra Masala - Bharvan Bhindi Sabji - Stuffed Lady's Fingers Recipe

Chinese Fried Rice: Indo-Chinese Food

There are plenty of vegetarian options in Indo-Chinese cuisine, all the way from appetizer to main course.  Gobi Manchurian? Check.  Manchow Soup? Check.  Chili Paneer? Check.  And especially after making other dishes that uses similar ingredients, whether vegetables or sauces, why not save some of each to cook up a Chinese Fried Rice instead of plain rice to go along with the meal?

Tadka Noodles

The day I had made Hakka Noodles for a dinner get-together, I had boiled excess noodles so reserved some for later.  Since our intake of soya sauce, chili-garlic sauce, ketchup and vinegar was high that week, I did not want to reuse the noodles for anything Indo-Chinese.  While I was beginning to make my regular dal, with the tadka and veggies, I added the remaining noodles instead of lentils – and so was the birth of Tadka Noodles, the Indian touch to Chinese noodles but NOT a part of Indo-Chinese cuisine.  I believe you can call this dish a cousin of Semaiya Pulao / Seviyan Upma / Vermicelli Pulao.

Rabdi: No-Condensed Milk No-Microwave Version – Rabri, Indian Sweet

Rabdi is sweet, thick, and creamy dessert and each lick of a spoonful of an Almond-Pistachio Rabdi is worth all the effort it takes to make.

This rabdi recipe serves about 6, does not use milk powder or condensed milk and is not the microwave version.  So if you are looking for a milk powder or condensed milk rabdi, or a microwave recipe of rabdi - you may want to hop on to Tarla Dalal’s page.

But if you are ready to tone your triceps while cooking and add on calories while eating, then go ahead & make this rabdi the traditional way.

almond and pistachio rabdi

Moong Dal Paratha (Indian Flatbread with Split Green Gram Stuffing)

There are times when I don’t do grocery and have very few vegetables at home to make any kind of stuffing for a stuffed paratha.

Or sometimes I don’t feel like eating the same old Aloo Paratha (since I never run out of potatoes!).  Does that happen with you?  What do you do?

At such times, I make a Moong Dal Stuffed Paratha.

Stuffed Moong Dal Paratha

Gobhi-Methi Bharwan Paratha [Cauliflower-Fenugreek Leaves Stuffed Flatbread]

I've fallen in love with stuffed parathas.

It has become so easy to have a nutritious breakfast with a stuffed paratha & plain yogurt (sweet yogurt in my case!), if not raita.  Or to heat the paratha up real quick for lunch or dinner, serve with seasoned raita, some pickle or chutney, and salad on the side.  Or to munch on it while watching TV at home, or to roll it up with a pickle and give in husband’s lunchbox – stuffed parathas have made my life easier.

Here’s Gobhi-Methi Stuffed Paratha recipe from Shobha Indani.  Should make about 8-10 parathas, about ½ inch thick.

Gobi aur Methi ke Parathe

Recipe: Mooli Ka Paratha (Radish Stuffed Indian Flatbread)

I detest mooli ki kanji.  I don't know what others call it as, but mooli ki kanji is radish chunks in some pickle-sorta liquid and super stinky.  Once the lid of the bottle of kanji opens at home, the stench is inevitable.  No offense to those who like it, but it is because of that kanji I started hating radish since childhood.

But this muli ka paratha (radish stuffed paratha) changed my view and I accepted that radish in itself is not stinky and does not taste as bad as I had imagined. 

This is a pretty simple & straightforward stuffed paratha recipe from Shobha Indani's cookbook for Stuffed Mooli Paratha & trust me, tastes good too.

Mooli ka Paratha - Radish Stuffed Paratha

Stuffed Khandvi (Pittod / Suralichi Vadi / Stuffed Chickpea Flour Rolls)

When invited at a snack potluck last week, I searched hours for various snack ideas but most of them seemed humdrum – at potlucks you want to take something unique because you like it when people appreciate, right?


I knew some others were bringing cutlets, samosas, a baked dish, sandwiches, and Mexican pinwheels.  Amid those, I thought the light snack Stuffed Khandvi from Gujarat (also known as Pittod in Rajasthan & Suralichi Vadi in Maharashtra) would be different (being the only item with chickpea flour).

Stuffed Khandvi | Chickpea Flour Rolls | Pittod | Suralichi Vadi

Basic Khandvi is made without any stuffing & still tastes & looks great, but I added a slight variation, and had everyone complimenting on how soft & good the Khandvi was.

Gobi Gulistan / Tandoori Gobhi Recipe

This recipe for Vegetarian Gobi Gulistan or Tandoori Gobhi (the vegetarian version) is adapted from Shobha Indani's 'Swad Sugandh' & serves 4-6 people.  This makes a very impressive dish to serve at a party.

Gobi Gulistan: cauliflower marinated and baked in the oven

Baingan Bharta Recipe (Mashed Eggplant)

Eggplants are not a favorite of manyyyyy people, I know.  But when eggplant is grilled, mashed, mixed and cooked well with other veggies, herbs and spices, it is easier to accept and adapt this dark shade vegetable.

This recipe for Mashed Eggplant Curry or Baingan ka Bharta [Baingan aka eggplant/brinjal] serves 4-6 people.

Mashed Brinjal | Baingan ka Bhurta

Recipe: Kadhi Pakora (Kadi Pakodi)

Some days when I don’t have many vegetables at home and I am lazy to go grocery shopping, I end up making kadi with pakodi (aka kadhi pakora).  And in case you have extra leftover pakodis?  You can make a quick dahi-bhalla (dahi bada) – oh I love everything that’s 2-in-1.

Kadhi can be eaten with rice (very popular Kadhi-Chawal combination), Kadhi can be paired with Puran Poli (for those who prefer kadhi over amti!), or Kadhi can be made for a regular meal instead of dal.  It is very easy and quick to cook kadhi, especially if you make simple kadhi instead of kadhi pakora.

Recipe for Kadhi Pakora

Adapted from Swad Sugandh
Serves 4-6

For Pakora*:

1 cup chickpea flour (besan)

½ cup finely chopped onion (pyaz) <optional>

2 tsp finely chopped green chilies (hari mirch) <adjust to taste>

Salt to taste [I use ½ tsp]

Water to make batter
Oil for frying

For Kadhi:

1 ½ cup curd (yogurt/dahi)

¼ cup chickpea flour (besan)

¼ tsp turmeric powder (haldi)

2 Tbsp clarified butter (ghee)

¼ tsp mustard seeds (rai)

Pinch asafoetida (hing)

5-6 fenugreek seeds (methi dana)
5-6 curry leaves (karipatta)

2 each of clove (laung) & cardamom (elaichi)

2 dry red chilies (sookhi lal mirch)

2 slit green chilies (hari mirch)

1 tsp grated ginger (adrak)

2 Tbsp chopped cilantro (hara dhaniya)

¼ cup fresh cream/malai** <optional>

Salt + sugar to taste [I use 1 tsp salt + ½ tsp sugar]

Let’s Begin!


1.  For Pakora*:  Mix all ingredients; make batter of dropping consistency using minimum required water, starting with 3 Tbsp.  Mix well.  My mother-in-law's secret to a melt-in-mouth pakora is whipping the pakora batter (without onion) very, very well so it gets fluffy and really, really light.  It's the same concept as Dahi Bada.  Do not add too much water and make extra thin batter.  Deep fry small pakoras from this batter in hot oil on medium heat until light brown.  Drain on paper towel and keep aside.

deep fry pakora and keep aside to put in hot kadhi later

2.  For Kadhi:  Combine curd + besan + salt + sugar + haldi + 2 cups water.  Mix well with a spoon or fork until no lumps. Add cream/malai** if using.

3.  Heat ghee in pan, add mustard seeds, let pop, then add asafoetida + fenugreek seeds +  curry leaves + cloves + cardamom + red chilies + green chilies + ginger ... in that order, and fry few seconds.  Then add the curd preparation, stir the kadhi continuously as you pour.  Then stir occasionally and cook till kadhi comes to a boil.  Then add pakoras to the hot kadhi & simmer just 2-3 minutes***.

Garnish the kadi pakora with cilantro and serve hot with rice.

Kadhi Pakora, or Kadi with pakodi

Notes:

* It is ideal to make pakora first so that they cool down to room temperature by the time kadhi is cooked.

** Fresh cream/malai is added to make a creamy kadhi if you'd like – but this is completely optional.

*** I don't find the need to dip the pakoras in water & squeeze & then add to kadhi; they can be put directly to the kadhi when it boils.

Enjoy.

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Stuffed Capsicums (Bell Pepper) / Bharwan Shimla Mirch

This Bharvan Shimla Mirch ki Sabji (Stuffed Capsicums/Bell Pepper) is a great dish to cook during parties, considering that once all the preparations are done, the capsicums are stuffed and placed on baking tray in oven, all you have to do is bake them for 10 minutes while you are entertaining guests, and voila – the bharwan shimla mirch is served.  Because this dish tends to be on the dry side, I would prefer to serve it as an appetizer, or with another gravy/curry on the side.