Black Chickpea (kala chana) Masala

Kala chana masala or black chickpea masala curry is a healthy recipe as chickpeas are full of protein. Because it is full of protein it is one of the must have dishes during Ramadan in our place. Not only it is healthy it is very testy as well. So, let’s get started 
You can also follow my FB page- https://www.facebook.com/sabvalo

Ingredients:
1.       Dried black chickpea- 1 cup,
2.       Onion – 1 big, finely chopped,
3.       Tomato- 1 big, finely chopped,
4.       Ginger garlic paste- 1 tsb,
5.       Cumin seeds- ½ tsb,
6.       Coriander powder- 1 tsb,
7.       Cumin powder- ½ tsb,
8.       Chili powder- ½ tsb,
9.       Garam masala – ½ tsb,
1.   Oil- 1 and ½ tsb,
1.   Coriander leaves for garnishing,
1.   Salt to taste

Procedure:
Step1: Soak the kala chana/chichpea in water over night (or for 8-9 hours). Boil the chickpeas in a pressure cooker for 10-15mins.
Step2: In a frying pan heat the oil, add the cumin seeds wait until the seeds start cracking.
Step3: Add the chopped onions Wait until the onions become translucent. Add ginger garlic paste and cook for another 5mins in medium heat.
Step4: Add the chopped tomatoes, salt, cumin powder, coriander powder, chili powder mix all together and cook for 4~5 mins.
Step5: Add 1 cup water, the boiled chickpeas, mix all together, cover the lid lower heat and cook for at least 10mins. Check in-between, if it is too dry add ½ cup of water.
Step6: Open the lid cook the whole thing is medium high heat for another 5 mins. Add garam masala turn off the heat cover lid and give 5~6 mins sitting time and serve.

Soya Chunks Curry(Vegetarian)

Today we will make a curry with 'soya chunks' which is also called 'meal maker' or 'soya nuggets'. It is an easy to cook recipe :) ,as you may know I always try to share easy to cook but delicious dishes. This recipe can be served with plain rice, fried rice, roti, pathas whatever you like. So let's get started.

You can also follow my FB page- https://www.facebook.com/sabvalo

Ingredients:

1. Soya Chunks - 1/2 cup

2. Onion- 1, finely chopped,

3. Tomato- 1 big, finely chopped,

4. Potato- 1 big,

5. Ginger-Garlic paste- 1tsb,

6. Cumin seeds- 1/2 tbs

7. Yogurt/Curd - 1/4 cup,

8. Turmeric powder- 1/2 tbs,

9. Coriander powder- 1/2 tsb,

10. Garam masala- 1/2 tbs,

11. Red chili powder - 1/2 tsb,

12. Salt- to taste,

13. Cooking oil- 2 tsb,

14. Fresh Coriander leaves- chopped for garnishing

Procedure:

Step1: Wash n soak the soya chunks in hot water until they become soft and doubled in size. Discard the water ,squeeze off the extra water and keep the soya chunks aside.

Step2: Peel and cut the potatoes into one inch sized cubes, keep them in water.

Step3: Heat the oil in a pan, add the cumin seeds. When they start crackling add the onions. Wait until the onions become translucent.

Step4: Add ginger garlic paste and cook for 4-5mins. Add the chopped tomatoes, potato squares and salt to taste. Cook for another 2~3 mins in medium heat.

Step5: lower the heat and add the yogurt/curd and cook in low heat for 2~3mins.

Step6: Now add turmeric powder, coriander powder, chili powder and 1/2 cup of water mix all together. Cover the lid and cook for 4-5 mins in medium high heat.

Step7: Open lid, add the soya chunks, 1/2 cup of water mix everything together. Cover lid and cook for another 4-5 mins in medium high heat, so that the soya chucks soaks all the flavors from the spices.

Step8: After 4-5 mins open the lid add the garam masala cover the lid cook for 2mins in high heat and trun off the heat. Give 5-10 mins sitting time garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve. Enjoy your meal.

Mango Salsa

This is one of my favorite salsa during the summer. It is juicy, spicy, has wonderful color and texture and it can accompany any meat, biriyani or fried rice dish. The recipe is very simple and requires very few ingredients. Hope you will enjoy it.

You can also follow my FB page- https://www.facebook.com/sabvalo

Ingredients:

1. Cucumber - finely chopped 1/2 cup,

2. Tomato - finely chopped 1/2 cup,

3. Ripe mango- finely chopped 1/2 cup,

4. Onion - finely chopped 2 tbsp,

5. Fresh Coriander leaves- 2 tbsp,

6. Lemon juice - 1tbs,

7. salt- to taste,

8. Mustard oil/extra virgin olive oil- 1tsb(I personally prefer mustard oil)

9. Fresh ground black pepper- 1/2 tbs,

10. Red chilli powder- 1/2 tbs

Procedure:

Step1: In a large mixing bowl, take all the ingredients. give it a good mix.

Step2: Cover the bowl and keep it in refrigerator for at least 15-20mins.

Step3: Take out the bowl and mix it well before serving.

Deshi Croûtons with Indian spices and herb

Croûtons are pieces of bread that have been toasted with various herbs. They are a easy to make and goes very well with green salad, soup or you can eat it as a tea time snack. You can make them in a frying pan or in a oven, until they are crisp and golden brown. I used dried Fenugreek leaves(kasouri methi), Carom Seeds(Ajwain) which gave it a different but very nice flavor. It takes only 10 mins to make this yummy snacks , so go ahead and give it a try.

You can also follow my FB page- https://www.facebook.com/sabvalo

Ingredients:

1. Bread Slices - 6

2. Garlic salt - a pinch, if not available use plain or black salt

3. Garlic powder - 1 teaspoon

4. Ground pepper - 1/2 teaspoon

5. Red chilli flakes - 1/2 teaspoon

6. Crushed dried fenugreek leaves - 2 teaspoons

7. Carom seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

8. Melted butter/ Olive oil - 2 teaspoons

Procedure:

Step1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step2. Brush bread on both sides with melted butter or olive oil. Cut bread slices up into small cubes.

Step3. Drizzle the bread cubes with all the remaining spices. Toss once more until seasonings are evenly distributed.

Step4. Arrange cubes on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Step5. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 10 minutes or until they are golden browned. Let them cool. Store croutons in a airtight container . Serve in soups or salads or with a cup of hot tea. Enjoy.

Pink Lemonade

Nothing can beat a glass of chilled lemonade in this hot weather. Here is a very simple but yummy pink lemonade recipe-

You can also follow my FB page- https://www.facebook.com/sabvalo

Ingredients:

1. Sugar- 300gm,

2. Pink Lemon/lemon - 1 and half, sliced . If pink lemon is not available use yellow lemon. I used pink lemons, as it gives a very nice flavor.

3. Lemon juice- 1 cup(from 5-6 lemons).

4. Fresh Water melon juice- 200ml/ 1 cup , you can also use strawberries, raspberries or all of them.

5. Ice cubes for serving.

Procedure:

Step1: Take all the ingredients(except ice cubes) in a pan. Add half cup of water around 100ml.

Step2: Bring to the boil, stirring often, then leave to cool.

Step3: Pour through a sieve, pressing down with a spoon to extract all juices from the lemons.

Step4: At this stage you can store the syrup in fridge for up to 7 days.

Step5: To serve, in a glass pour little syrup add water ice cubes(I used crushed ice). You can garnish with a piece of lemon and serve chilled.

Muglai Paratha

Last weekend I made 'Muglai Paratha' a delicious egg/chicken/muttun stuffed paratha, another famous street food of Bengal. Typically they are served with chicken or mutton curry(kosha mangsho) or 'dam alu', but you may serve it with sauce of your choice.

You can also follow my FB page- https://www.facebook.com/sabvalo

Ingredients:

1. All purpose flour- 3 cups
2. Whole wheat flour- 1 cup
3. Large eggs - 4
4. Water - to make the dough
5. Onions(finely chopped)- 1 big
6. Green chili(finely chopped) - 2~3
7. Salt - to taste
8. (optional)Diced chicken/mutton kima - 1/2 cup
9. Green coriander leafs (chopped) - 1/2 cup
10. White oil - to fry and making the dough
11. Finely chopped ginger - 2-3 tbsp
12. Garam Masala - 1tbs

Procedure:

Step1: In a large mixing bowl take the all purpose flour , wheat flour, salt, 1/2 tsb oil and give it a good mix. Now, start adding water, not in one go, but a little at a time till everything comes together to form a lumpy but not sticky dough. Knead the dough very well till it becomes very soft and smooth. Cover and leave it to rest for a while.
Step2: In a separate bowl break one egg, 1~2 tbs meat(if you are using), add 2- 3 tbsp of chopped onion, 1 tsp of chopped ginger, 1 tsp of chopped green chilies, chopped coriander leafs, a pinch of garam masala and salt to taste. Mix it well keep aside.
Step3: Sprinkle flour onto a clean surface for rolling out the dough. Grab a handful flour dough we made earlier and roll it around in the flour. Stretch while rolling as much as possible, it should be very thin and large.
Step4: Heat a flat pan with 2 tbs oil to fry the parathas. I like my parathas shallow fried, but you may deep fry it as well.
Step5: Pour the prepared egg mixture at the center and spread a little taking care not to spill outside the dough. Quickly but carefully fold 4 sides bringing towards the center over the egg mixture, the sides should overlap each other covering the egg mixer to give a square shape.
Step6: This is the most difficult part to do, now you need to transfer the square egg mixer stuffed paratha to the hot oil in the pan.
Step7: Fry the paratha on a medium heat flipping over until it is evenly golden on both sides and the egg inside is cooked through. Add extra oil if needed during frying.
Step8: Follow the same steps and make parathas with the remaining dough.
Step8: Serve the parathas with mutton curry/chicken curry/alu dam/ or just with sauce. Enjoy your moglai parathas.

Crunchy Baked Bread Omelet

I tried to modify the traditional bread omelet recipe and you won't believe how yummy it came out, it was crispy outside but soft inside. A perfect dish for Sunday brunch menu. The recipe is as follows-

You can also follow my FB page- https://www.facebook.com/sabvalo

Ingredients:

1. Eggs - 6

2. Chopped Onions - 1/2 cup

3. Chopped red bell peppers - 1/2 cup

4. Chopped button mushrooms - 1/2 cup

5. Butter - 1/2 tbs

6. Black pepper powder- 1 pinch

7. Salt - to taste

8. Shredded Cheddar cheese - 1/4 cup

9. Bread Slice - 1, cut into small squares

10. Milk - 1/4 cup

Procedure:

Step1: Preheat the oven to 200 degree C (around 400 F).

Step2: Beat eggs, milk, salt and black pepper powder together.

Step3: Add the chopped onions, red pepper, mushrooms to the mixer.

Step4: Grease a ovenproof pan with the butter.

Step5: Pour the egg mixer into the pan. Sprinkle the bread squares over the egg mixer. Finally sprinkle the cheese over it.

Step6: Bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes. When the egg is set and the cheese has melted, the omelet is done.

Step: Take out from the oven let the omelet cooled down for few mins. Serve warm.