Aloo Gobi Masala (Dry)

This is a North Indian dish and prepared by sautéing potatoes and cauliflower / gobi initially for some time and then mixing with a tomato onion spice masala.

I have also added ginger and garlic to this masala and so this aloo gobi sabzi derives its main aroma and flavour from them. This sabzi is dry and coated with special masala prepared using tomatoes, onions, green chillies, ginger, garlic and dry spice powders.

Health benefits of Cauliflower :

(1) Cauliflower is a heart healthy vegetable. It helps in maintaining the heart and the cardiovascular system.
(2) It is a high source of fiber. This fiber helps in lowering our cholesterol levels.
(3) Cauliflower contains antioxidants, which acts as an anti-inflammatory agent and help to build a healthy immune system. These antioxidants also work as anti-aging agents for the skin and make the skin look younger and ageless.
(4) As they are rich in folate as well as vitamins A and B, they help in the growth of cells. This ultimately helps in the proper development of fetus in a womb during a woman’s pregnancy.
(5) Cauliflowers also contain calcium which helps in making the teeth and bones strong.
(6) Cauliflowers also contain zinc, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, selenium and sodium.
(7) This vegetable reduces cancer risks.
(8) Cauliflowers promotes weight loss. It contains Vitamin C and folates, which helps to burn fat.
(9) This vegetable boost Vitamin K content. So, increase cauliflower content in the daily diet. Vitamin K helps in the development of bone cells. If there is not enough Vitamin K in the body, there will be an increased amount of bleeding in case of a wound or an injury. This is because Vitamin K plays a very important role in the coagulation of blood.

Note : I have taken the information about health benefits of Cauliflower from another third party web site and thank the original writer for using the content on my page.

The ingredients used for preparing this aloo gobi masala (dry) are as follows.

INGREDIENTS :

(1) 1 medium sized Cauliflower / Gobi, florets removed and rinsed
(2) 7 small sized Potatoes, cut into cubes and rinsed
(3) 2 medium sized Tomatoes
(4) 2 medium sized Onions
(5) 2 green chillies
(6) 1 inch sized Ginger, coarsely chopped
(7) 12 - 14 cloves of Garlic
(8) 2 tsp of Coriander seeds
(9) 1 tsp of Cumin / Jeera seeds
(10) 1/4 tsp Fenugreek / Methi seeds for tempering
(11) 1/2 tsp Turmeric / Haldi powder
(12) 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
(13) 1/2 tsp Kitchen King Garam masala (I prefer this brand of garam masala)
(14) Coriander leaves for garnish
(15) 4 tbsp of Vegetable oil
(16) Salt to taste

Time required : 15 mins for preparation and 25 to 40 mins for cooking depending on whether you are cooking the aloo gobi mixture and onion tomato gravy one after another separately. Or simultaneously on different flames to save time.

Serving : 4 persons

Cuisine : North Indian

METHOD :

(1) Chop a medium sized Cauliflower into medium sized florets and rinse the florets thoroughly in water. Boil water to which some salt has been added and put the cauliflower florets in the salted boiled water. Blanch the florets in the hot water for 15 mins. After which, drain the water and keep the cauliflower aside. I prefer to blanch cauliflowers always so as to remove the insects in the vegetable.

Cauliflower, cut into florets, rinsed and blanched

(2) During these 15 mins while the cauliflower is being blanched, we can prepare rest of the things like, cut the Potatoes into small cubes as shown in the image.

Potatoes, Tomatoes, Onions and green chillies

Potatoes cut into bite sized cubes

(3) Also, prepare the Onion Tomato masala paste during this time.
Coarsely chop the Onions, Tomatoes and green chillies. Put them in the grinding jar. Add ginger and garlic to it. Add Coriander seeds and Cumin / Jeera seeds too as shown in the image and add 2 small cups of water. Grind the mixture and form a smooth masala paste as shown in the image.

Coarsely cut Onions, Tomatoes, green chillies. Coriander seeds, Cumin / Jeera seeds, Garlic cloves, coarsely cut Ginger all put in a grinding jar.

Tomato, Onion, green chillies, garlic, ginger, coriander seeds and Cumin seeds ground into a smooth paste

(4) Heat 2 tbsp of Vegetable oil in a kadhai / wok. Add 1/4 tsp of Fenugreek / Methi seeds to the warm oil and let it splutter and turn brown.

Fenugreek seeds tempered

(5) Add the chopped potato cubes to it and sauté / stir fry for 8 mins.

(6) Add the blanched cauliflower florets and sauté /stir fry for another 12 mins (approximately).

Potatoes and Cauliflower / Gobi stir fried in oil

(7) Now add 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder, 3/4 tsp of Kashmiri red chilli powder and 1/2 tsp of Kitchen King Garam masala powder. Add salt to taste. Add salt sufficient enough for aloo gobi mixture.
Mix gently and stir fry for 2 more minutes so that the dry spice powders coat and blend with the aloo gobi.

I have given the time frame which it took for me. It may vary for you depending on the size, depth and quality of kadhai and flame intensity.

Once the aloo gobi is cooked, put the gas stove off.

Add dry spice powders 

The aloo gobi mixture is ready.

Stir fried Aloo Gobi

(8) In another kadhai / wok, take 1 tbsp of oil and heat it.
Add the ground masala paste from the grinding jar to this warm oil and cook the paste for 5 - 7 mins on a low flame. Keep stirring to avoid it from getting burnt.

After which add 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder, 1/4 tsp of Kashmiri red chilli powder, and salt to taste. Add little amount of salt as we have already added salt to aloo gobi mixture. 

Stir fry for 1 min and let the dry powders mix well and blend with the onion tomato paste.

Add 2 small cups of water to this and mix well. Cook for 4-5 mins till the oil seperates from the masala. Our gravy is ready.

Onion Tomato paste cooked till oil separates

(9) Add the gravy to the aloo gobi mixture already fried earlier. Mix gently and let it coat the aloo gobi well. Stir fry for 4 - 5 mins. This will blend the gravy with the aloo gobi.

(10) The Aloo Gobi masala (dry) is ready. This is my way of preparation. You may vary the style too.

(11) Take the sabzi in a serving bowl and garnish it with fresh coriander leaves as shown.

(12) Serve the Aloo Gobi masala dry sabzi with rotis / parathas / chapatis / phulkas and a bowl of curd / yogurt. It can also be had as a side dish with Rice Daal combo.

Matar Paneer (Regular)

Matar Paneer is a vegetarian dish and is a famous North Indian recipe.

It is prepared using Peas and Paneer, in a Tomato Onion based gravy, spiced with garam masala and various dry powders.

The aroma and good looks of this dish makes it everyone’s favourite dish.

MATAR PANEER REGULAR

This vegetable dish can be served as an accompaniment to rice or pulav. As it is a gravy dish, you can use it instead of daal too when you have rice.

It goes well with any Indian type of bread like rotis, phulkas, naan, etc.

This is not restaurant style, but a simple home made dish, hence the name Regular Matar Paneer.

I have not added cashews, milk cream, ghee, corn flour in this version to keep it simple and homely and healthy / fat free. These items make the matar paneer creamier and rich. I will be sharing this version of matar paneer in future.

To prepare Matar Paneer, we require following ingredients.

INGREDIENTS :

(1) 200 gms of Paneer cut into small cubes
(2) 150 gms of fresh or frozen green peas (I have used fresh peas)
(3) 2 medium sized Onions, chopped
(4) 2 medium sized Tomatoes, chopped
(5) 1 inch Ginger finely chopped
(6) 8-10 cloves of Garlic finely chopped
(7) 3/4 tsp of Cumin / Jeera seeds
(8) 1 whole Green chilli, chopped
(9) 1/4 tsp of Turmeric powder
(10) 3/4 tsp of red chilli powder (Kashmiri lal mirch powder)
(11) 1 tsp of Coriander / Dhania powder
(12) 1/2 tsp of Cumin / Jeera powder
(13) 1/2 tsp of Garam masala
(14) 1/2 tsp of Kasuri methi or dry fenugreek leaves
(15) 2 tbsp of Vegetable oil
(16) Salt to taste
(17) Chopped Coriander leaves for garnishing

PREPARATION :

Cut the block of paneer into small cubes.

A block of 200 gms of Paneer (Cottage Cheese)

A block of Paneer cut into small cubes

Matar / Peas

Chop the onions, tomatoes, a green chilli, ginger and garlic as shown in the figure.

Tomatoes, Onions and Green Chilli

A block of paneer, Vegetable oil, Cumin / Jeera seeds (from left to right in the first row).
Cumin / Jeera powder, Coriander/ Dhania powder and Garam Masala powder (from left to rigasht in the middle row).
Turmeric / Haldi powder, Kashmiri lal mirch powder / Red chilli powder, and Salt (from left to right in the last or third row).

Cubes of paneer, chopped onions chopped tomatoes (from left to right in the top row).
Finely chopped green chilli, 150 gms of fresh peas, and chopped coriander leaves ( from left to right in the middle row).
Finely chopped garlic, finely chopped ginger and kasuri methi (from left to right in the third row)

All ingredients set aside

METHOD :

NOTE : Throughout the preparation of this dish, I kept the gas stove on a low flame and kept stirring and mixing gently to avoid the dish from sticking to the bottom of the kadhai / wok.

(1) Take 2 tbsp of oil in a kadhai / wok and heat it. Add half tsp of Cumin / Jeera seeds and sauté them till they splutter.

Add chopped garlic to the warm oil and also add chopped ginger. Stir fry till they turn golden brown.

(2) Add chopped onions and chopped green chilli. Stir fry till the onion turns translucent. Add half tsp of salt to the onion mixture to fasten the cooking / frying of onions. This will take about 3-4 mins.

(3) Now add chopped tomatoes and stir fry till the tomatoes become soft and mushy. This will take 3-4 mins.

(4) Transfer the fried onion tomato chilli mixture into a blending / grinding jar and grind it to a smooth paste. Add half cup of water for easy grinding. Take out the ground paste back into the same kadhai.

(5) Now add all the dry spice powders like 1/4 tea spoon of turmeric powder, 3/4 tsp of red chilli powder, 1 tsp of Coriander / Dhania powder, 1/2 tsp of Cumin / Jeera powder and 1/2 tsp of Garam masala to the onion tomato paste in the kadhai.

Mix well.

Add half cup of water and mix well again.

Then close the lid and allow it to cook for 2-3 mins. This will blend the spice powders with the onion tomato paste and a good aroma will result.

(6) Open the lid and stir well. Now add 150 grams of fresh peas to the mixture. Stir well.

Add 300 ml or 1 and half glass of water to this mixture and stir again.

Allow the peas to cook. You may cover the lid again. This will take 5 mins.

(7) Open the lid and stir well again. Now add salt to taste. Remember that salt was also added in the beginning for frying the onions. So second time add accordingly.

Mix well.

(8) Add cubes of paneer to this gravy. Stir and mix gently till the paneer submerge in the gravy and allow it to cook.

(9) After the end of 2 mins of adding paneer, add chopped coriander leaves. few seconds later, crush half tsp of kasuri methi with hands and add to the paneer peas gravy.

(10) Stir well and close the lid for 2 mins. I feel this will cause the coriander leaves and kasuri methi to blend well with paneer peas gravy and generate aroma.

Open the lid and mix well.

Paneer takes 5 mins to cook and do not over cook it.

Our matar paneer is ready.

(11) Transfer the matar paneer onto a serving bowl and garnish it with coriander leaves.

Serve the matar paneer dish with rotis, naan, phulkas, rice or pulav along with raita or dahi.

Matar Paneer served with chapatis with oil

Matar Paneer served with chapatis without oil

Bhindi Masala (Semi dry)

Hi everyone! ..... here's another Bhindi recipe.... a semi dry version of the sabzi....called BHINDI MASALA (Semi dry) after my earlier recipe of SOOKHA BHINDI SABZI. I have added every minute details of the preparation so that even anyone who is new to cooking will be able to cook it easily.

BHINDI MASALA (Semi dry)

This is another way of preparing bhindi sabzi in a semi dry form using onions and tomatoes.

BHINDI / OKRA / LADY's FINGER

INGREDIENTS :

1/2 kg of Bhindi / Okra / Lady’s finger
2 medium sized Onions
2 medium sized Tomatoes
2 whole green chillies
1/2 tea spoon Jeera / Cumin seeds
1/4 tea spoon Mustard seeds
2 table spoon of oil , either Vegetable oil or Mustard oil
1/2 tea spoon of Turmeric powder
1/2 tea spoon of Kashmiri Red Chilli powder
1 tea spoon of Jeera / Cumin powder
1 tea spoon of Dhania / Coriander powder
1 tea spoon of Garam masala powder
1 tea spoon of Ginger / Garlic paste
Salt to taste

Time required : 35 mins (15 mins for preparation and 20 mins for cooking)
Cuisine : North Indian
Serves : 4 - 5 persons

PREPARATION :

1) Rinse 1/2 kg of Bhindi / Okra / Lady’s finger thoroughly in water and dry them on a plate on their own or wipe with a kitchen towel.

2) Cut the base and stalk of each Bhindi pod and then chop the Bhindi into 1 inch pieces as shown in the image.

CHOPPED BHINDI

CHOPPED BHINDI

3) Chop the whole green chillies into small pieces.

4) Chop the onions into thin long slices and the tomatoes into small cubes.

CHOPPED VEGETABLES - BHINDI, GREEN CHILLIES, ONIONS, TOMATOES

METHOD :

1) Heat 1 table spoon of oil in a kadhai / wok or a pan.

2) Add 1/4 tea spoon of Mustard seeds to the warm oil and then also add 1/2 tea spoon of Cumin / Jeera seeds. When they splutter, add 1/4 tea spoon of Turmeric powder.

3) Add chopped onions and stir fry till they become translucent. Add chopped green chillies.

4) Add chopped tomatoes and sauté till they are soft and mushy.All the above cooking process is done in an open kadhai / wok and there is no need to close the lid till this step.
5) After stir frying onion and tomatoes, which took me 7 mins, take the onion tomato mixture in a bowl and keep aside.

6) All the oil will be used up, so add 1 more table spoon of oil in a kadhai and add the 1/2 kg chopped bhindi pieces to the warm oil. Stir fry till the Bhindi is half cooked, for about 10 mins. Check the images how it looks.

7) Then add the onion tomato mixture to the half cooked Bhindi. Mix well.

8) Now its time to add all the dry spice powders.

Add 1 tea spoon of Jeera / Cumin powder, 1 tea spoon of Dhania / Coriander powder, 1 tea spoon of Garam masala powder, 1/2 tea spoon of Kashmiri Red Chilli powder, 1/4 tea spoon of Turmeric powder and 1 tea spoon of Ginger / Garlic paste in a sprinkling manner as shown in the image. Now gently mix so that the powders along with the onion tomato mix coats the Bhindi well.

9) Gently stir fry for 3 mins so that they don’t stick to the bottom of the kadhai. Add salt to taste and mix well.

10) If the mixture is too dry, you may sprinkle little water and then close the lid for 5 mins. Stir fry in between. When the lid is closed the spice powders and salt blend well with the Bhindi.

11) Open the lid and stir fry for 2 mins.

12) The Bhindi masala is completely cooked by now. Transfer them onto a serving bowl.

BHINDI MASALA (Semi dry)

13) This can be served with phulkas or rotis as vegetable dish or as a side dish with rice daal or any rice curry combo.