DAL TOMATO FRY

There are days when we feel too tired to cook, however, a good meal simply rejuvinates our senses and makes us feel more alive. Dal tomato fry is a dish that will allow you to make your meal simple. Couple this lentil soup with rice or roti or even toasted bread and food becomes a meal automatically.

GOES WELL WITH: tastes divine with rice, though roti or bread compliment it equally.

POINTERS: While using yellow lentil bear in mind that it takes substantial time to cook  and therefore it is advised to soak them before hand at least for 30 minutes. In case of emergency, soak them in warm water reducing the soaking time  to 10 mins.

TIME TAKEN: 10 mins

INGREDIENTS:

1. 1 cup boiled Yellow Lentil or Arhar Dal
2. 2 large Tomatoes
3. 1 small Onion
4. 6 cloves of Garlic
5. 1/2 inch of Ginger (minced)
6. 2 Green Chillies
7. 2 tbsp Cumin powder
8. 1 tbsp Coriander powder
9. 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
10. 1/2 tsp Red Chilli powder
11. 2 tbsp Clarified butter/ Ghee
12. Salt to taste
13. 1/2 cup warm water

METHOD

1. Heat ghee in a wok and add  garlic cloves and minced ginger into it.
2. Once the garlic is tempered add finely chopped onion and roughly chopped chillies.
3. let the onion fry and add the finely chopped tomatoes. Fry until the oil start oozing from sides.
4. Add Cumin, coriander, chilli powder and turmeric to the tomatoes. Fry until oil is released from the mixture.
5. Add the Yellow lentil and salt to the tomatoes and let it boil for 2 minutes later add warm water just to correct the consistency of the dal. Do not add excessive water into the soup.
6.  Let the dal come  to a final boil and keep it aside.
7. relish the dal with rice. A complete meal in itself.

EGG BHURJI

Egg Bhurji is in a way Indian answer to the scrambled egg and  Spanish  omelet. It can  be made within minutes and tastes heaven. Bhurji can be had as a breakfast, Lunch or a Dinner option and every time it tastes divine. The most memorable moments of my childhood is when we use to travel my Ma would make this dish as a safe option and we cherished it wholeheartedly.

GOES WELL WITH: Roti, Dal-Rice, with Bread or  Bun it is simply the best.

WHAT TO DRINK: From Milk to Wine its a perfect combo with everything imaginable.

POINTERS:

• While dealing with eggs, always make  sure that the eggs are fresh. Wash the eggs before use. 
• While scrambling the eggs, never  ever whisk the eggs  or add salt to them before introducing them into the utensil. Break the eggs directly into the pan. Else the protein in the yolk and the Whites will start  combining with the salt would not give the fluffiness that we require in the scramble.
• Eggs go best with Olive oil, for best results try cooking eggs in Olive  Oil.

TIME TAKEN: 10 min

INGREDIENTS
5 Eggs
2 medium Onions
1  medium Tomato
1 large Potato
2 Green Chillies
few sprouts of Corriander leaves
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1 tbsp Oil

METHOD:

1. Chop the onions finely. keep aside. Cut the tomato, chillies and potatoes in Paysanne style, i.e.,small cubes of  flexible sizes. (Note: smaller the cube size of potatoes, lesser will be the time taken for the dish to cook).
2. Heat Oil  in a wok/ pan add the onion, when it gets translucent add the tomatoes, chillies and potatoes into the wok/ pan cover it with lid. 
3. Open the lid after 2 mins and add salt and  turmeric cover again till the potatoes are done.
4. Once the potatoes are done, break the eggs directly into the wok/ pan  and scramble the eggs, add the coriander. fry the eggs for a while. until the sides come out freely.
5. For best results eat the Bhurji with freshly toasted bread with a dollop of  butter.

SOYA BEAN TOMATO NO OIL SUBZI

Soya bean is an excellent source of protein, as a matter of fact, it is considered as containing higher protein content than meat. Soya bean in India is grounded and is processed as Badi or Chunks. Here is a quick fix recipe that has benefits of soya bean and tomato but sans oil.

GOES WELL WITH: Roti, Chapati, Nan, or just like that.

WHAT TO DRINK: Try port wine with this dish, else shikanji goes with it well too.

POINTERS: When you are dealing with soya bean, soak the granules or the chunks (whatever is your preference) in luke warm water for at least 10 mins. This will make the chunks spongy and a delight to eat.

TIME TAKEN: 10 mins

INGREDIENTS:

50 gms Soya Bean chunks

2  large Tomatoes

1 Green Chilli
1 tsp Turmeric

½ tsp Pepper

½ tsp Cumin powder
Corriander chopped finely

Water

Salt to taste

Method:

• Puree tomatoes and finely chop chillies, keep aside
• In a kadahi/ wok pour 1/2 cup water once it starts boiling add tomato puree, turmeric and cumin powder.
• once the mixture starts boiling add soyabean nuggets and mix well
• add chopped chillies and salt keep on low flame for next 5-6 minutes
• Turn down the flame and add freshly chopped corriander 

BITTER GOURD TOMATO SUBZI

Bitter gourd also known as Bitter Melon or Karel is widely known medicinal qualities, it is known for its weight loss, anti malarial, anti-helmintic, anti viral, cardioprotective properties as well as is helpful for those suffering from diabetes.Despite its properties, Bitter gourd is detested  for its taste and therefore not eaten widely.  The recipe here is quick to make and is an attempt to make the vegetable more palatable.

GOES WELL  WITH: Roti, Rice and Dal.

TIME TAKEN: 15 mins

POINTERS: If you want to decrease the bitterness in bitter gourd then simply scarp the outer skin of the vegetable and dip it in a solution of water and salt for at least an hour. The water-salt solution will absorb the bitterness substantially.

INGREDIENTS:
250 gms Bitter Gourd/ Karela
3 large Tomatoes
5-6 cloves of Garlic
1/2 inch Ginger
1 tsp Oil
1 tbsp Coriander powder
1 tbsp Cumin powder
1/4 tsp Chilli powder
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
salt to taste
Water

METHOD:
1. cut the bitter gourd in 2" pieces and put in a pressure cooker. Par Boil the vegetable.
2. Drain the Karela and keep it aside, keep around 1/2 a cup of the water aside. Later cut the karela length-wise into pieces.
3. Chop the Garlic roughly and paste the ginger, chop the tomatoes finely.
4.  Heat 1 tsp oil in a wok or kadahi, add the garlic first let it cook a bit and then add the ginger paste and  tomatoes.
5. While the tomatoes soften a bit add the Karela.
6. Add the spices and the salt, cover for a minute.
7. Add salt to taste and the stock we had kept aside into the subzi.
8. Let the water dry and take the dish off the flame.
9. If you want to add a zing to the dish add juice of a lemon in it just before serving.

SWEET TOMATO CHUTNEY

Indian chutneys have gained world wide popularity owing to their taste. Tomato  chutney here stands as no exception. Tomato chutney in the present recipe would taste of course sweet but with a twist of sourness of lemon and a surprise element of hotness from chillies. The chutney  can be stored in a refrigerator for  long term usage.

GOES WELL WITH: Peas Pulav, Naan, Pita Bread, Roti, Mutigrain Bread, vanilla ice cream.

TIME TAKEN: 20 mins approx

POINTER:
When dealing with lemon juice (in order to make the food tad sour) always turn off the heat and then add the juice, else the heat will kill the sourness of the fruit.

INGREDIENTS:

1.  1/2 Kg Tomato
2.  1 tsp Oil
3.  1 green Chilli
4.  100 gms Sugar
5.  1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds
6.  1 Dry chilli
7.  1/2 tsp salt
8.  Juice of 1 lemon

METHOD
1.   Cut the tomatoes into 1/2 inch pieces.
2.   Heat the oil in a wok, add mustard seeds and break the dry chilli into the hot oil, let them crackle.
3.  Add the tomatoes and salt, cover with  lid for next 10 mins.
4.   Open the lid, the tomatoes should slightly come out of their skins and must have partially cooked.
5.   Add chillies and sugar. Cook until the sugar has melted itself into the chutney.
6.   Turn off the heat, add lemon juice and cover.
7.  Try the chutney in room temperature, of course it tastes divine  when served cold.

INDIAN POTATO EGG MASH

Everyone loves mash potato salad. The soft cloudy texture combined with creamy and subtle  flavours are favourite among old and young alike. The recipe below is a twist to the traditional Indian version of potato salad. At my home we eat this with rice and dal or use it as a sandwich filling or even just like that.

GOES WELL WITH: Steamed or Jeera Rice, Dal, White bread sandwich, Rotis or Nan.

WHAT TO DRINK: Any cola Drink in healthier version cranberry juice tastes divine with this.

TIME TAKEN : 10 - 15 mins.

INGREDIENTS:
1.  150 gms Potato
2.  4 fresh Eggs
3.  1/2 tsp  vegetable Oil
4.  Few Curry leaves
5.  1/2 tsp  mustard seeds
6.  Salt to taste

POINTERS:
1. If you are a  working person then a quick fix can be, just boiling and refrigerating potatoes. You can use them  as per your dish requirement and a stock of boiled potatoes is a neat way of keeping a potential home cooked meal almost ready.
2. While boiling egg and potatoes together, bear  in mind that once you are done with boiling and you have released the steam of the pressure cooker, immediately transfer the eggs into cold water. This is done to stop the cooking process.

METHOD:
1.  Peel potatoes, place them along with the eggs in a pressure cooker, add a pinch of salt and close the lid and let the potatoes and eggs get cooked.
2.  Once they are done, place the eggs into cold water and potatoes in a mesh and drain out excess water.
3.  Peel the eggs and mash the potatoes and eggs roughly in a bowl (we want the bits of the eggs and potato, and not paste of them). Preferably mash them with hand.
4.  In a Ladle, pour in the oil and  place the curry leaves and mustard seeds and place it on fire.
5. Once the mustard and the curry leaves start to crackle turn off the heat and turn over the contents of the ladle into the mix of potatoes and eggs already in the bowl. Add salt and mix well.
6.  Enjoy the dish hot with roti or nan, place a slice of cheese on bread and then make a sandwich with this filling and with rice try eating this beauty at room temperature.

POTATO POSTO

A classic Bengali Comfort food. A semi dry poppy seed and  potato curry. Of course the traditional version of the curry is time consuming and the recipe below reduces the cooking time to half. After a hectic day this comfort food is the best thing that one can think of. "Posto" in Bengali means Poppy seeds and the name reflects the fact that the base of the dish will be the humble poppy seeds. East and West Bengal have their own respective versions. However, my version is more of East Bengal than the West. My recipe is a healthier version since instead of frying the potato I have  pressure cooked it and used only 2 tsp of oil including the garnish.

GOES WELL WITH: Steamed Rice, Yellow lentil soup / Dal.

WHAT TO  DRINK: Any Wine or Bombay Sapphire any other soft drink of your choice.

TIME TAKEN: 15-20 mins.

INGREDIENTS:
1.  250 gms Potato
2.  2.5 tbsp Poppy seeds
3.  1 tsp Oil
4.  1/2 tsp Turmeric
5.  1/2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
6.  1 Green Chilli
7.  Salt to taste
8.  1/2 tsp Sugar
9.  1 tsp Mustard Oil

 POINTERS
1.  Whenever you are dealing with potatoes, always try to cut them uniformly and keep them in water, else the vegetable will become brown.
2.  Soak the poppy seeds in warm water this will make the seeds soft fast and easy to work with.
3.  If you want to cook West Bengal version of the  Dish, then go light on the chillies and heavy on the sugar. West Bengal vegetarian cuisine is comparatively more sweeter on palate than the East Bengal cuisine.

METHOD

1.  Cut the potatoes in 1 inch cube and keep them in water.
2.  In a pressure cooker put water and add a pinch of salt to bring down the boiling point and add to it the   potatoes and lid it and cook it till the potatoes are done.
3.  Soak the poppy seeds in warm water for around 10 minutes and then make a fine paste.  keep aside.
4.  In a cup add the turmeric and chilli powder and add 1/2 a cup of water, let the spices soak in it.
4.  In a wok  heat a tea spoon of oil and once the oil is hot enough add the turmeric-chilli powder- water paste in it. let the  water dry and  paste fry in the oil until the mixture leaves oil from the side.
5.  Add the green chillies (straight split from the centre) to the wok.
6.  Add the boiled potatoes along with some water from the pressure cooker along with salt and bring the curry to a boil.
7.  Once the curry starts boiling add the poppy seed paste and let the curry boil for next 2 minutes.
8.  When the curry will start to thicken up add the mustard oil and immediately  turn off the heat.
9.  Enjoy it hot or cold. It tastes great all the time!!