Chana/Chickpea Salad

Step by step procedure to prepare a very refreshing salad recipe - Chana/Chickpea Salad. Here we are adding whole lot of fresh vegetables and herbs with olive oil and tossing them with the cooked chickpeas. Chickpeas are the vegetarian-friendly source of protein. Not only nutritious but also a very colourful and appetising dish. And the best thing about making this salad is "no cooking". We are just going to boil the chickpeas and then tossing them in the mixture of vegetables. sounds easy?? yes it is. This would be great for a simple supper. This is served best in room temperature and as well as chilled in refrigerator. You can also store it in fridge and have them for next day. Chilled salad also tastes extremely good and do not have to re-heat them. When you are hosting small parties/get together, Chickpeas Salad can be served as a starter/appetiser. According to your taste you can also add cheese or you can use lemon juice for seasoning. Now we will see how to prepare a filling and refreshing Chana/Chickpea Salad.

---

Preparation time: 20 min (excluding 8 hours soaking time of chana)
Cooking time: 5 min
Serves: 2-3
Category: Salad
Recipe by Vidhya

---

Ingredients

Chana/Chickpeas - 1 cup

Carrot - 1 grated

Onion - 1 finely chopped

Cherry tomato - 12 nos
Cucumber - 1 large/2 medium sized chopped

Capsicum/Green bell pepper - 1/2 portion of a whole capsicum

Coriander - 1/2 cup tightly packed

Jeera powder - 1 tablespoon

Pepper - 1 1/2 tablespoon

Extra virgin olive oil - 2-3 tablespoon

Salt - As per your taste
Cheese/lemon juice for seasoning(I used Cheddar cheese)

---

Method

• Wash the chana and soak them for about 8 hours/soak it overnight. Pressure cook the chana for 6-7 whistles. Once the pressure comes down, strain water and keep the chana aside.
  
• In the meantime, you can chop the list of veggies. Grate the carrot, chop the onion, slit the cherry tomatoes, chop the cucumber. capsicum and coriander leaves. You can also replace cherry tomatoes with our regular ones, but cherry tomatoes are apt for salads.
  
• Now we will make the salad. Take a large bowl and add the cooked chana. Add 2-3 table spoon of olive oil. Give a gentle stir.
  
• Add 1 tablespoon of jeera, 1 1/2 tablespoon of pepper and salt. Mix them gently.
  
• Now add the whole lot of chopped vegetables and mix them with chana.
  
• With a lid, close the bowl and keep it for 30 min. You can also refrigerate them for 30 min.
  
• Put the salad mixture in a bowl and serve them. As I had mentioned above, I served it in 2 different ways.

1.  Cut the cheese into small cubes/grate the cheese and top them on the salad and serve. Kids would love this version of salad.
   
2. Cut and squeeze the lemon over the salad and mix it nicely and serve. This version is my husband's favourite.
   
                                     

Indian Style Masala Pasta

Step by step procedure to prepare a yummy pasta - Indian Style Masala Pasta. As I have mentioned in my earlier post, pasta is becoming a very famous and likeable food, right from kids to elders. Making little variation in preparing pasta will makes the recipe exotic. In our Masala Pasta recipe, we are tossing the cooked pasta in mushy tomato-onion, cooked vegetables and Indian spices. And it doesn't need any sauce or any special seasoning, we could prepare it with the ingredients which are available handy in our kitchen. This would be an ideal weekend snack and can also be served as a simple dinner. Enjoy cooking a home made Masala Pasta and delight your kids and family. Scroll further to see the full procedure to prepare - Indian Style Masala Pasta.

Click on the link for another simple pasta recipe - Vegetable Pasta

---

Preparation time: 15 min
Cooking time: 25 min
Serves: 1
Category: Pasta
Recipe by Vidhya

---

Ingredients

Durum wheat pasta - 1 cup/100 grams

Onion - 1 big finely chopped

Tomato - 1 big chopped

Ginger - 1 inch finely chopped

Garlic - 1 finely chopped

Carrot - 1 finely chopped

Beans - 5 - 6 nos finely chopped

Green peas - a handful (I used fresh peas) 

Capsicum/Green bell pepper - 1/2 portion finely chopped
Extra virgin olive oil - 2-3 tablespoon

Spices

Garam masala powder - 1 spoon

Coriander powder - 1 spoon
Black pepper coarsely powdered - 1/2 spoon 

Chilli powder - 1/2 spoon/ As per your taste

Salt - As per your taste

---

Method

• Cook 1 cup pasta as per instruction given in the pack. Usually the instruction would say to cook the pasta in boiling water for 8-9 min. But I cooked the pasta for around 12 min, which makes them more tender, so it can absorb more masala and it won't be blunt in taste.
  
• In a pan/kadai, add 2-3 table spoon of olive oil(I added up to 2 1/2 tablespoon oil), when the oil becomes hot, add ginger and garlic, stir it until the raw smell goes off. Now add chopped onion and fry it until it becomes transparent/changes colour.
  
• Add the chopped tomatoes and fry until it becomes mushy.
  
• Add chopped beans and carrot, cook until the vegges are half cooked. Sprinkle water while cooking to avoid the burns.
  
  
• Add green peas and cook for another 5-7 min. 
  
• Now add chopped capsicum and cook for 3 min.
  
• Add 1 spoon garam masala powder, 1 spoon coriander powder, 1/2 spoon chilli powder, 1/2 spoon black pepper powder and finally salt. Mix it well and cook for another 4-5 min.
  
• Add the cooked pasta. and stir it gently for 3 min.
  
• Remove pasta from hot plate, close the pan with a lid for 5 min. This would allow the pasta to absorb the masala and keep it closed until you serve to retain the flavour.
  
• Serve pasta and have a great snack time with your family and friends.
  

Notes:

• You can used any vegetables of your choice.
• Cook pasta for 12 min or so. It should be fully cooked and firm. 
• Vegetables should be completely cooked, but at the same time it should be crunchy. So do not over cook the vegetables.
• Be generous in adding olive oil, which ensures a great taste. 
• You can also top it with cheese of your choice or you can add the cheese during the finishing stage and blend them nicely with pasta.

Sweet Corn Biryani

Step by step procedure to prepare a delicious biryani - Sweet corn Biryani. No Onion No Garlic Biryani dish.

                  When kids are asking for new dish every day and when you want to surprise them, you can definitely try this one. The procedure to prepare sweet corn biryani is very simple and this is pressure cooker version of preparing biryani. We are using all our regular biryani spices, fresh corn and cream/milk for preparing this dish. No blending required in this method and hence it is quick and easy to prepare. Cook a delicious biryani in just 30 min and serve hot biryani with raitha. Now we will see how to prepare Sweet Corn Biryani.

---

Preparation time: 10 min (excluding 30 min of soaking time)
Cooking time: 20 min
Serves: 2-3
Category: Variety rice/Briyani
Recipe by Vidhya

---

Ingredients

Basmathi rice - 1 cup

Corn kernels - 3/4 cup

Tomato - 2 medium chopped

Ginger - 1 inch chopped

Bay leaf - 1 small

Cinnamon stick - 1 inch

Cardamom - 2-3

Cloves - 2-3

Star anise - 1

Butter - 1 table spoon

Chilli powder - 1 tablespoon/As per your taste

Turmeric powder - 1 spoon

Cream - 1/2 cup (I used low fat cream. You can also use milk instead of cream)

Salt - As per your taste

---

Method

• Soak the basmathi rice for at least 30 min.
• In the mean time, you can chop the Ginger and tomato. And if you are using cob corn, you can remove the corn kernels from the cob. If you are using frozen corn, then you can measure 3/4 cup of corn and thaw them.
  
• Now take pressure cooker, add a table spoon of butter. You can also use ghee/oil. 
  
• When it is hot add bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and star anise. Stir it for a minute.
  
  
• When spices becomes aromatic add the chopped ginger. Stir until it becomes slightly brown and the raw smell goes off.
  
• Now add the chopped tomatoes and stir until it becomes mushy.
  
• Then add the corn kernels and give a stir.
  
• Add 1 tablespoon chilli powder and 1/2 tablespoon turmeric powder. Give a stir.
  
• Add half cup cream/milk. Add water, the ratio is 1:2, i.e. 2 cups water for 1 cup rice. If you are adding milk then take 1/2 cup milk + 1 1/2 cup water for 1 cup rice.
  
• Give a stir and add the soaked basmathi rice. Add salt, stir again and close it with lid.
  
• Pressure cook for 15-16 minutes. Allow the pressure to comes down by itself. And keep the lid closed for another 10 minutes after the pressure comes down, this will allow a nice blending of masala with rice and corn. And also keep the lid closed until you serve to retain the flavour.
  
• Serve the hot Sweet Corn Briyani with raitha.
  

Ginger Cabbage Rice

Step by step procedure to prepare a simple lunch box recipe - Ginger Cabbage rice. No onion No Garlic rice recipe. This happens many times, as we wake up in the morning we just wonder, what we must cook for lunch box. And really, sometime we feel like, it should be quick and instant. Personally I do not prefer instant food, so I make the preparation quick and easy. Ginger Cabbage rice is one such simple rice recipe with just three main ingredients cabbage, ginger and rice. Though I am using very minimal ingredients(no masala items), it just taste really good. Precisely, the dish is mildly spicy with the great aroma of ginger.As I have mentioned, this rice recipe is a tasty and it is a comforting meal. Total time to cook would be just 20-25 min. So now we will see how to prepare quick, tasty and simple rice recipe - Ginger Cabbage Rice.

If you feel this recipe helpful, please share your feed back.

---

Preparation time: 5 min (excluding 30 min of soaking time)
Cooking time: 20 min
Serves: 1-2
Category: Variety rice
Recipe by Vidhya

---

Ingredients

Basmathi rice - 1/2 cup

Cabbage - 1 cup chopped tightly packed(I used 3/4 portion of a small cabbage)

Green peas - 1/4 cup (I used fresh peas)

Ginger - 2-3 inches

Green chilli - 1

Ghee - 1 tablespoon

Turmeric powder - 1/2 spoon

Mustard seeds - 1/2 spoon

Cumin seeds or Jeera - 1 spoon

Salt - as per your taste 

---

Method

• Soak the basmathi rice for about at least 30 min.
• Chop cabbage, ginger and chilli.
  
  
• Take a pressure cooker, add a table spoon of ghee. You can also add butter or oil. When it is hot add mustard seeds. Once it splutters, add cumin seeds, ginger and green chilli. Stir it and careful not to burn cumin the seeds.
  
• Now add the green peas and give a stir.
  
• Add the chopped cabbage and stir it.
  
• Add the socked rice and add 1/2 spoon of turmeric powder.
  
• Add 1 cup water. I always use water in 1:2 ratio, i.e. 2 cup water for 1 cup rice.
• Add salt, give a stir. Check for salt and close the cooker lid.
  
• Pressure cook for 15 min. Allow the pressure the release on its own. And now the Ginger Cabbage rice is ready for lunch box.
  
• Ginger Cabbage rice doesn't require any sides, as it is a flavourful rice recipe by itself though you can serve it with tomato sauce.
  

Aloo Bhindi Masala

Step by step procedure to prepare a simple and tasty side-dish for roti/chapathi - Aloo Bhindi Masala.  Bhindi is my favourite vegetable, I am so delighted to post my first bhindi recipe. For this masala, we are shallow frying potato and okra (Ladies Finger) and putting it together with the spicy and creamy tomato and onion paste to make a delicious gravy. This masala goes as best sides for roti/chapathi/naan and also tastes good with rice. Now we will see how to prepare Aloo Bhindi Masala.

---

Preparation time: 10 min
Cooking time: 40 min
Serves: 2
Category: Side-dish
Recipe by Vidhya

---

Ingredients

To Fry

Bhindi/okra/ladies finger - 200 grams chopped

Aloo/Potato - 2-3 Medium sized chopped lengthwise

Oil - 2 tablespoon

To Blend

Tomato - 2 Medium sized

Onion - 1 large 

Garlic - 1 or 2 pods

Ginger - 1 inch

Green chilli - 1

Other Ingredients

Turmeric powder - a generous pinch

Chilli powder - 3/4 spoon

Garam masala powder - 1 spoon

Coriander powder - 1/2 spoon

Kasuri methi/dried fenugreek leaves - a pinch crushed

Salt - as per your taste

---

Method

• In a kadai/pan, add a tablespoon of oil. When it is hot add the chopped okras. Fry it until the edges are slightly brown. Make sure the moisture is thoroughly removed and okras are fried nicely. It is not fried properly, it will make the gravy mushy. 
  
• Remove the fried okras from kadai and keep it aside.
  
• Now, in the same kadai, add a tablespoon of oil. When it is hot add chopped potatoes. Here, peel the potato's skin off before you chop it. you can chop it any pattern you want. 
  
• Fry it until it becomes golden brown in the edges. Remove it and set aside.
  
• In the meantime, you can chop the tomato, onion, ginger, chilli and garlic. Blend it to make a smooth paste using a blender.
  
• Again, in the same kadai, add the tomato onion paste, add a pinch of turmeric powder and allow it to cook. When it starts boiling add garam masala, coriander powder. chilli powder and salt. Give a stir and cook for less than a minute.
  
  
• Now add the fried bhindi and potato to the gravy and stir it gently. Bring the heat to low and cook for another 10 - 12 min, this allows the masala to get nicely blended with the vegetables.
  
• Lastly add the crushed kasuri methi and give a stir. Remove it from hot plate.
  
• Now the tasty Aloo Bhindi masala is ready to serve.
  

Note:

• Wash the okra, spread it on a towel or kitchen cloth and remove the moisture completely before cutting it.
• Do not add water to the gravy, especially after adding okra to it.