Stuffed White Onions/ Bharwa Kanda

Even when you have had simply no time to go to the market to buy vegetables, and are struggling to think of something good to cook. Let your creative side shine through in your cooking too. On the brighter side, I had a big bunch of farm fresh white onions. 

So, I decided to stuff them with masala and prepare it like a starter. Bharwa kanda is what they call it in some parts of Northern India. The sweetness on the onions combined with spices made it a very delectable treat for my family. 

Stuffed onions? Yes, you read right.

White Onions

Ingredients

500 grms white peeled onion
2 tbsp cooking oil
2 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 tbsp  coriander powder
1/2  tbsp Red chilli powder
1/2  tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp dried mango powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
Salt to taste
Dash of black salt
1/2 tsp crushed,washed & dried fenugreek leaves ( methi)

Method

1. First make the filing by  mixing all the dry ingredients in a bowl. Add ginger garlic paste, salt and all the spices to make a paste.

2. Peel the onion outer layer and slit the top of the onion to make it flat.

3. Not with  a sharp knife .ake a cross cut till the bottom of the onion but not cutting it through.

4. Now stuff the filling equally between the incisions of the onions.

5. Keep  the onions aside for 5 minutes. They may leave water but that is ok.

 6. Heat oil in a frying pan and slowly place  the onions in it, standing upwards.

7.  Reduce the heat and cover the pan with a lid and stir from time to time.

8. Cook until the onions are cooked ensuring they do not turn soft and squishy.

9. Serve the bharwa onions hot like a side dish. Best is to serve it with dal khichdi

Vegetarian Soyabean Kheema Masala

Vegetarian soybean kheema is often confused for mutton mince. And is very often compared to kheema as in taste. Infact some of my friends call it the vegetarian kheema and vouch that you cannot tell the difference between veg and non veg kheema.

So I decided to try to do the recipe exactly like mutton mince with a twist,  added american sweet corn, not peas or potatoes.
An important point is to wash the soyabean in warm water and squeeze a dash of lime if you wish to eliminate the distinctive smell of soyabean.

The key  to prepare soyabean kheema is the right timing for adding each ingredient and give it ample time to cook otherwise the raw taste of soya is not going to make the dish delicious enough to relish.

Ingredients

2 Cups Soya granules
1 chopped Onion,
1 cup tomato puree or grind 2 tomatoes
2 slit Green Chilies
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
Handful of whole garam masala spices ( Bay Leaf,  Cardamom. Cloves,  Black Peppercorns. Cinnamon Stick)
1 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Coriander Powder
1 tsp Red Chili Powder
1 tsp Garam Masala Powder
1 cup of sweet corn
Juice of one lime
2 tbsp cooking oil
Salt to taste
Chopped corriander leaves

Method

1. Firstly we have to prepare the soyabean before we cook it. Make some water hot and soak the Soyabean Granules in it. Let them sit in the water for 10-15 minutes. Now squeeze the juice of one lemon in the water and stir. After 5 minutes squeeze to drain extra water. Now its ready for cooking.

2.Heat oil in a pan and once the oil is hot add whole dry spices (bay leaf, black cardamom, cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon and sauté it for 2 minutes.

3.  To this add the finely chopped onions and cook untill the onions are golden pink in colour.

4. Now add the ginger garlic paste, slit green chillies and  saute for 2 more minutes.

5.  Next step is to add turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder and give it a good stir.

6.  To this add the tomato puree to the pan and stir the mixture  on slow heat for about 5 minutes. Cook till oil separates from the cooked onion/tomato mixture.

7. Add minced soyabean and salt at this stage. Cook it for 5 minutes and make sure that soya is not sticking to the bottom. Do not add any water here. Let the masalas blend well with soya.

8. Now add 1 cup of American corn and mix for another 2 minutes.  water. Stir well,  cover the pan and cook.

9. Cook till all the water evaporates.and rawness of soyabean has gone. Saute for five more minutes on slow flame.

10.Garnish it with fresh coriander leaves and serve it hot with fresh chapati or naan bread.

Stuffed Capsicum Recipe/ Bharwa Shimla Mirch

Hello everyone,

You must be thinking that the Stuffed Capsicum recipe might be a very difficult one to execute. Laborious and time-consuming. However, that's not the case. It takes the same ingredients you would put in an aloo-capsicum bhaaji and almost the same time too. It's totally worth making Stuffed Capsicum as it looks and tastes fabulous.

The Stuffed Capsicum can be enhanced with cheese however I decided to keep it simple with a spicy potato mixture. Note the ingredients and the recipe below.

Ingredients

Half kg bell peppers (5 -6 medium sized capsicum)
2 tbsp oil
1/2 kg boiled potatoes ( peel and mash them)
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1 medium-sized onion
2 green chilly
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 tbsp roasted peanuts
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp mango powder (amchoor)
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

Method

1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a small frying pan, now add the chopped garlic and saute for one minute.

2. To this add the onions, green chilies, and peanuts. Roast this on medium flame until onions are nicely caramelized and browned.

3. Now add the dry spices and salt. Roast the mixture on low flame for 2 minutes.

4. To this add the mashed potatoes and mix well. See that all the masalas and potatoes are mixed well together.

5. Now cut off the stem of the capsicums, scope out and remove all the seed from inside. Cut the base of capsicum to see that it stands.

6. Now stuff each capsicum with the potato filling pressing it flat over the top to avoid spillage.

7.  Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan and place each stuffed capsicum in it.

8. Rotate and cook from all sides till capsicum is browned. You can keep a constant watch as it cooks. When capsicum has slightly softened that means it has been cooked. This should take about 2-3 mins on each side.

9. Stuffed bell peppers ready to serve. Serve it appetizers or side dish with ketchup or Mayo.

Note

You can add herbs or spices to your own liking and try the recipe. The cheese will make it indulgent and delicious.

Instead of cooking the stuffed Capsicum in a pan, you can roast them in a grill/oven.

Now grab a fork and enjoy!!

Amritsari Sookhi Moong Dal Recipe

Hello Friends,

Today let's cook Amritsari Sookhi Moong Dal. This dish is a traditional dish cooked up in North Indian homes as a main dish,  It is truly delicious and highly nutritious Punjabi recipe. A quick and easy-to-make dish that is best enjoyed with a hot chapati or a plain paratha.

Amritsari Moong dal is light on the tummy too. The best thing about this easy recipe is that you can make it in just half an hour. You can also pack this yummy dish for your kids in tiffin. Try it!

Need to soak it for just half an hour, cook with red chillies, onions, tomatoes, and a few common spices like ginger, red chili powder and cumin seeds, which are easily available in your kitchen. Voila!! Amritsari Sookhi dal is ready

Ingredients

200 gms soaked Moong Dal
2 tbsp ghee
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 sliced onion
3 small  chopped tomato
A pinch of  asafoetida ( hing)
2 -3 whole red Kashmiri chillies
1 small piece of ginger
5 cups water
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
 Coriander leaves for garnish
Salt to taste

Method

1. In a saucepan, boil the moong dal with 3 cups of water. Boil along with salt, turmeric powder and grated ginger.

3. Cook on medium flame till the dal gets soft. All the water should be soaked up.

4. Now for the tadka, place a pan on medium flame and add ghee to it. Add cumin seeds when the ghee is hot.

5. Add  chopped onion to this and sauté till the onion is translucent and pinkish in colour.

6. Add asafoetida powder, then  the chopped tomatoes and sauté for 3-4  minutes till the tomatoes are cooked.

7. Now, add red chillies, chilli powder and sauté until the ghee starts to leave the sides of the pan.

8. Add the dal and one cup water. Let the dal simmer with lid on. Let the dal dry but remains whole. Do not blend the dal.

9. Stir fry the dal for a few seconds and transfer into a serving dish.

10. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with parathas and sliced onions.

Time to enjoy Amritsari Sookhi Moong Dal with family.

Boiled Egg Parathas/ Anda Paratha Recipe

Wish you all a Very Happy Women's day

And happy moments cooking for your family. There is absolutely no limit of stuffing you can put in a paratha. You can stuff the parathas with almost anything, but have you ever tried boiled eggs stuffed parathas before?

It was a big surprise for me too when I visited my sister's house. This is what I learnt from her maid. Came back home and tried to replicate it for my egg loving family.
 It can make a very nutritious morning breakfast or even can be packed with tiffin. These egg parathas taste best when had hot and with some lime/chilly pickle.

To make four parathas, note the ingredients and recipe.

Ingredients

3 cups wheat flour
2 boiled eggs
Water for kneading dough
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp chaat masala
1 chopped chilly
Half cup chopped corriander leaves
Salt to taste
Cooking Oil (or Ghee)



Method

1. Take the flour in a bowl , add little salt and  knead into a soft dough.

2. Sprinkle  a little oil over it,  cover and let the dough rest for 15 minutes.

3. After 15 minutes take out the dough and knead it once again. Now divide the dough in four parts.

4. Peel the boiled eggs and grate them like you would grate a cube of cheese. Even the yolks.

5. Now mix in the corriander leaves, chopped chillies, garam masala, chaat masala and salt.

6. Make 4 equal potions of the egg mixture.

7. Use your fingers to make the dough ball flat in your palms like a round disc.

8. Place the egg mixture in the middle and seal the sides. Bring the dough around and seal it.

9. Dip this in the dry flour and roll it to a disc.

10. With the help of rolling pin, roll out a flat  round paratha.

11. Now heat a tawa or pan, cook the egg paratha from both sides using little oil/ghee.

12. Cook it on slow flame, serve it hot and  enjoy with pickle or ketchup.