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INSPIRATION

Day 17 of Lockdown: If you're someone who loves cooking, then try these amazing recipes


Here are some interesting recipes that you can try for the coming few days while we all are stuck in our homes during this lockdown. These recipes are simple and delicious in taste.

Breakfast Meal - Methi Thepla

Methi thepla is a Gujarati Cuisine dish made with fresh fenugreek leaves, whole wheat flour and gram flour.

Methi Thepla Recipe:

Preparation Time: 30 Minutes

Cooking Time: 30 Minutes

INGREDIENTS

  1. 1 cup methi leaves 
  2. 1 cup whole wheat flour
  3. ¼ cup besan 
  4. ¼ cup bajra flour 
  5. ¼ cup jowar flour
  6. ½ inch ginger + 1 or 2 green chillies - crushed
  7. ½ tsp red chilli powder
  8. ½ tsp turmeric powder
  9. ½ tsp cumin powder 
  10. ½ tsp coriander powder
  11. ¾ tsp salt or to taste
  12. 1 tbsp oil
  13. 4 to 5 tbsp curd or water for kneading or as required
  14. oil for roasting thepla

INSTRUCTIONS

- To knead the dough

  1. Rinse 1 cup methi leaves very well in water. Then drain them and chop finely. Keep aside.
  2. Take a bowl and add 1 cup whole wheat flour, ¼ cup besan, ¼ cup bajra flour and ¼ cup jowar flour.
  3. Then, add all the spices and herbs. Add the chopped methi leaves and mix well.
  4. Add the curd, mix and knead a dough. Make sure you don't add water as the methi leaves release water. Keep aside

- Making methi thepla

  1. Make medium-sized balls of the dough and sprinkle a little flour on it.
  2. Roll the thepla into rounds of about 5 to 6 inches.
  3. Put the thepla on a hot tawa and let the side cook. Flip and spread the oil on this side. Flip it again. Spread oil on it.
  4. Flip a few times till it is cooked evenly.
  5. Remove it from the tawa and serve with plain yoghurt or a lemon or mango pickle.

Lunch Meal - Dal Makhani

The Punjabi dal makhani is an extremely popular Indian lentil recipe made using whole urad dal and kidney beans.

Dal Makhani Recipe:

Preparation Time: 8 Hours

Cooking Time: 1 Hour

INGREDIENTS

  1. ¾ cup whole urad dal
  2. ¼ cup rajma
  3. 3 cups water for pressure cooking
  4. 1 medium onion
  5. 1 or 2 green chillies - chopped
  6. 2 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
  7. 2 large tomatoes
  8. ½ tsp cumin seeds
  9. 2 to 3 cloves
  10. 2 to 3 green cardamoms
  11. 1 black cardamom
  12. 1 pinch cinnamon
  13. 1 tej patta (Indian bay leaf)
  14. ½ tsp red chilli powder
  15. 2 to 3 pinches of nutmeg powder
  16. 1 cup of water or as required
  17. ¼ to ⅓ cup low fat cream
  18. ½ tbsp low-fat cream for garnish
  19. ¼ tsp crushed Kasuri methi
  20. 3 tbsp butter - salted or unsalted
  21. salt to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Soak 3/4 cup whole urad dal and 1/4 cup rajma overnight in water. Drain them.
  2. Rinse them a couple of times and drain again. Add the lentils to a pressure cooker. Add 3 cups of water and stir.
  3. Let it pressure cook for about 18 to 20 whistles on a high flame, till both lentils have been cooked and softened.
  4. Add chopped tomatoes in a blender and make a smooth puree. Keep it aside.
  5. Heat 3 tbsp butter in a pan. Add the whole spices to it including 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, 2 to 3 cloves, 2 to 3 green cardamoms, 1 black cardamom, 1-inch cinnamon, 1 tej patta/bay leaf. Saute it.
  6. Now, add 1/2 cup finely chopped onions. Stir and saute it on a low flame till they turn light golden.
  7. Add 2 tsp ginger garlic paste and 1 tsp chopped green chillies and stir for a minute.
  8. Add the tomato puree and stir it. Now, add 1/2 tsp red chilli powder and 2 to 3 pinches of grated nutmeg and stir.
  9. Saute it on a low flame, till the ghee starts to release from the sides.
  10. Add the cooked urad dal and rajma beans and add 1 cup of water.
  11. Stir it well and let it simmer on a low flame. Do not cover it and stir it occasionally. Add salt as required. Stir again and let it simmer.
  12. Add more water if the gravy gets too thick. The longer you let it cook, the better it tastes. Let it simmer for about 25 minutes on a low flame.
  13. Add 1/4 to 1/3 cup cream. Stir well and switch off the flame.
  14. Then, add 1/4 tsp crushed Kasuri methi, Stir again.

Dinner Meal - Kofta Curry

Koftas are made using vegetables and put in a yummy creamy gravy. It is a North Indian dish that can be served with either rice or Rotis.

Kofta Curry Recipe

Preparation Time: 30 Minutes

Cooking Time: 30 Minutes

 INGREDIENTS

- For cashew paste

  1. 12 cashews
  2. 3 tbsp water, for grinding cashews

- For onion paste

  1. 2 large onions chopped
  2. 1 green chilli
  3. 5 grams garlic 
  4. 5 grams ginger 

- For tomato puree

1 large tomato chopped

- For making kofta

  1. 1 carrot
  2. 1 medium-sized capsicum
  3. 1 small potato
  4. 1.25 cups chopped cauliflower florets
  5. 1/3 cup green peas
  6. ¼ cup grated paneer
  7. ¼ tsp red chilli powder
  8. ¼ tsp coriander powder
  9. ¼ tsp garam masala powder
  10. ¼ tsp black pepper powder
  11. ½ cup besan or as required
  12. salt to taste
  13. oil for deep frying, add as required

- For veg kofta curry

  1. 3 tbsp oil or ghee
  2. 1 tej patta (Indian bay leaf)
  3. 1-inch cinnamon
  4. 2 green cardamoms
  5. 1 black cardamom
  6. 2 single strands of mace
  7. ¼ tsp turmeric powder 
  8. ½ tsp red chilli powder
  9. 3 tbsp fresh curd
  10. 1.5 cups water or as required
  11. ¼ tsp garam masala powder
  12. ¼ tsp crushed Kasuri methi
  13. 2 tbsp low fat cream
  14. 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
  15. salt to taste

- For garnish

  1. A few chopped coriander leaves
  2. 1 tbsp low fat cream
  3. Some grated paneer

INSTRUCTIONS  

  1. Grate or mince the vegetables in a food chopper or using a grater. 
  2. If the vegetables have a high water content such as lauki, cabbage, zucchini or pumpkin etc, add some salt to the veggies. Mix and keep aside for about 15 to 20 minutes. Now, squeeze the excess water. Keep this water to add to the gravy later on.
  3. Take the veggie mixture in a bowl. Add ¼ cup of grated paneer. Add Kashmiri red chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder and black pepper powder, besan and salt as required.
  4. Mix well. Taste it and add more spices as required. Make small or medium-sized balls with this mixture.
  5. Heat oil in a pan. Add a tiny piece of the veggie ball to check if it is breaking or not. If it breaks then add more bean.
  6. Fry the koftas on a medium flame and keep frying until the koftas are golden and crispy and evenly fried.
  7. Remove from the Kadai and place them on kitchen paper towels. Keep them aside.

- Make cashew paste for curry

In a food chopper or blender, take 12 cashews and add 3 tbsp of water to it. Grind it into a smooth paste. Keep it aside

- Prepare onion paste for curry

In a food chopper or grinder, take 1.3 cups roughly chopped onions, 1 green chilli, ½ tbsp chopped garlic and ½ tbsp chopped ginger. Make a smooth paste and keep aside.

- Prepare tomato puree for curry

In a food chopper or grinder, take 1 cup chopped tomatoes and grind into a paste. Keep aside.

- Make Kofta Curry

  1. Heat 3 tbsp of oil or ghee in a pan and add 1 tej patta, 1-inch cinnamon, 2 green cardamoms, 1 black cardamom and 2 strands of mace. Sauté and let the spices splutter.
  2. Add the onion paste. Sauté the onion paste on a low flame. Stir in between.
  3. Add the tomato puree and mix. Then, add the cashew paste and mix again.
  4. Sauté it for about 2 to 3 minutes on a low flame while stirring in between.
  5. Now add ¼ tsp turmeric powder and ½ tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder and mix well. Add 3 tbsp of fresh curd it. Keep stirring.
  6. Mix properly. Saute till you see oil or ghee releasing. Add 1.5 cups water. Add less water if you want a thick gravy.
  7. Add salt as required. Let it simmer on a medium flame for about 6 to 7 minutes. After the gravy is done, you will see oil floating on top.
  8. Now, add ¼ tsp garam masala powder, ¼ tsp Kasuri methi and 2 tbsp low fat cream. Mix well.
  9. Switch off the flame and add 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves. Mix again. Add the koftas to it after the gravy cools down.