Me As Chef

INGREDIENTS: 1) 1 1/4 Cup Basmati Rice 2) 1 Onion chopped 3) 1 Cup Peas 4) 1/2 Teaspoon Garam Masala 5) 1/2 Teaspoon Red Chilli Powder 6) 1/2 Teaspoon Jeera/Cummin Powder 7) 1 Tablespoon Oil 8) 1 Teaspoon Jeera/Cummin seeds 9) 2 - 3 Long/Cloves 10) 1" piece Dalchini/Cinnamon PREPARATION TIME: 30 Minutes HOW TO PREPARE: * In a wok, add oil and heat it. Add long, dalchini and jeera to crackle * Add Onions and sauté for few minutes till they turn pink in color * Add Peas and cook for 2 - 3 minutes * Add salt, garam masala, red chilli, jeera powder and mix well * Add washed rice and mix well * Add 3 Cups of water( Double the quantity of rice) * Cover with lid and let it cook for 10 minutes on a low flame * If still not cooked(Depends on rice quality), then add 1/2 cup water, cook for 2-3 minutes * Turn off gas and let it be covered for 5 minutes * Serve hot with chilled curd/yogurt

INGREDIENTS: 1) 2 Long thin baigan/brinjal/eggplant 2) 1 Cup Besan/Chikpea flour 3) 1 Teaspoon cornflour 4) 1 Teaspoon ginger-green chilli paste 5) 2 Teaspoon kasoori methi(Optional) 6) 1/2 Teaspoon carom/ ajwain seeds 7) 1 Teaspoon turmeric/haldi powder 8) 1 Teaspoon red chilli powder 9) Salt to taste 10) 1 Teaspoon oil 11) Oil for Frying 12) Coriander and Chaat masala to sprinkle for garnish PREPARATION TIME: 20 Minutes HOW TO PREPARE: * Cut the Brinjal into thin disc shapes and keep aside * For Batter mix cornflour, besan and ginger garlic paste * To above mix add salt, red chilli, turmeric, ajwain, and kasoori methi * Finally add 1 teaspoon oil and mix well to form a batter * In a wok heat oil for frying * Dip each brinjal disc in batter and put in wok for deep frying * when golden brown take them out on a kitchen napkin to drain excess oil * Sprinkle Chaat Masala and Freshly chopped coriander leaves * Serve hot with Tomato or coriander chutney

INGREDIENTS: 1) Bread Slices (1 Slice per roll) 2) 4 - 5 Potatoes 3) 2 Green Chillies 4) 1/2 Teaspoon Ajwain/carom seeds 5) 2 Onions 6) 1/2 Teaspoon Red Chilly Powder 7) 1/2 Teaspoon Jeera/Cummin Powder 8) 1/2 Teaspoon Garam Masala 9) 1/4 Teaspoon Mint/Pudina Powder 10) Few Coriander Leaves 11) Oil for Deep Frying 12) Salt to Taste PREPARATION TIME: 15 Minutes HOW TO PREPARE: FOR FILLING: * Boil the potatoes, peel and keep aside * Chop the onions and green chillies and add it to a bowl * Add Ajwain, Red Chilly, Jeera, garam masala, pudina and salt to it * Mash the potatoes and add it to the above mix * Add Coriander Leaves and mix well FOR ROLLS: * Take a bread slice and dip it in water and take out as soon as you dip * Between both palms squeeze water from bread keeping the slice shape intact * Add a spoon full of potato filling and close from all sides * Close the bread such that filling does not come out * Make any shape you want by pressing it between palms *

INGREDIENTS: 1) 5-6 Potatoes 2) 2 Tablespoon Mustard Oil 3) 1 Teaspoon Black Mustard Seeds 4) 1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder 5) 1/4 Teaspoon Red Chilly Powder 6) 2 Green Chillies 7) Salt to taste 8) Few dried Mint/Pudina Leaves 9) Coriander Leaves Chopped for garnish PREPARATION TIME: 20 Mins HOW TO PREPARE: * Cut the potatoes in French fries style, if possible thinner than that and keep aside * Cut the chillies into long slices and keep aside * In a wok add oil and crackle the mustard seeds * Add Turmeric and immediately add potatoes, cook covered for few minutes * When potatoes are half cooked, add salt, red chilly and green chilly * Cook again for few minutes, then add mint leaves * When cooked, garnish with coriander and serve hot with parathas or dal rice * When cooked for kids, avoid green chillies and reduce the quantity of red chilly

INGREDIENTS: 1) 1 Cup Basmati Rice 2) 1 Bunch of Methi/ fenugreek Leaves 3) 1 Potato Chopped 4) 1 Tomato Chopped 5) 2 Onion Sliced 6) 1/2 Cup Carrots Chopped 7) 1/2 Cup Peas 8) 2 Tablespoon Oil 9) 1 Teaspoon Jeera/Cummin Seeds 10) 2 - 3 Cloves/Long 11) 1/2 Teaspoon Red Chilly Powder 12) 1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder 13) 1/2 Teaspoon Garam Masala 14) Salt to Taste PREPARATION TIME: 20 Mins HOW TO PREPARE: * Wash fenugreek leaves, chop it and keep aside * Wash Rice and keep aside * In a wok, Add oil and crackle jeera seeds and cloves * Add in potato, peas, tomato and carrots, sauté for few minutes * Add in onions and sauté till onions turn a soft pink in color * Add turmeric and fenugreek leaves and mix well * Add in salt, red chilly, and garam masala powder, sauté for few minutes * Add in rice and mix well * Add 3 Cups of water to the above and put the lid * Keep checking in between, Cook till water is absorbed and rice is done * Serve hot with fresh chilled curd and

USEFUL COOKING TIPS: 1) To make softer chapatis, add salt and little oil to flour, knead it with boiled water, keep it for 15 minutes before making chapatis 2) To make softer idlis add soaked rice flakes or sago in the batter 3) Do not refrigerate tomatoes and citrus fruits, It kills flavors, nutrients, and textures 4) Rub hands with dry salt to remove onion and garlic odor 5) When boiling corns on the cob, add a pinch of sugar to the water, It brings out the corn's natural sweetness 6) Leave butter and eggs at room temperature overnight, to get best results while baking 7) When cooking vegetables don't add salt until the end. Adding salt early can dehydrate vegetables and reduce their nutritional value 8) Brine Poultry Before Preparing, to give it the super juicy flavour 9) If you forget to soak chana/Rajma overnight. Just soak the chana/Rajma in the boiling water for an hour before cooking 10) Before cooking cauliflower keep it soaking in water mixed with a teaspoon

Its the most simple everyday lunch or dinner cooked in any indian household. In North India instead of toor dal chana dal is prepared, in south india, people add a little sambhar powder and some vegetables to make sambhar with rice In east india most households prepare the dal as I have mentioned below, as I have lived most of my life there in east india, this is the most easiest food and most tastiest food on earth! Toor Dal being the most popular pulses, found its origin in eastern parts of peninsular india. INGREDIENTS: FOR DAL : 1) 1 Cup Toor Dal/Arhar Dal/ Split Pigeon Peas/Yellow split Peas 2) 1 Onion 3) 1 Tomato 4) Few Curry Leaves 5) 2 Tablespoon oil 6) 1 Teaspoon Jeera/ Cummin Seeds 7) 1 Teaspoon Black Mustard seeds 8) 1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder 9) 1/2 Teaspoon Garam Masala 10) 1 Teaspoon Coriander Powder 11) 1 Teaspoon Amchoor Powder / Dry Mango Powder 12) 1/2 Teaspoon Red Chilly Powder 13) 1 Green Chilli Chopped 14) Pinch of Asafoetida 15) 5-6 Cloves of garlic