Soya Chaap Curry Recipe

soya chaap curry

Soya chaap curry is a delicious gravy based dish which is not just tasty but also healthy. Soya chaap is made from soybean which is full of proteins. It looks like a non-vegetarian item but it's totally vegetarian.

Recipe of soya chaap curry

250 gms soybean chaap

2 big tomatoes

2 onions

4-5 cloves garlic

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp garam masala

1 tbsp cashew nuts

1 cup milk

2 tbsp oil

soya chaap sticks

How to make soya chaap curry

1. Boil soya chaap in an open pan for 5 minutes. Drain and squeeze out excess water.

2. Remove pop sticks from chaap and chop soya chaap into pieces.

3. Soak cashews in milk.

4. Puree tomato, onion and garlic in a blender.

5. Heat oil in a pan or a kadhai. Add tomato- onion puree in it.

6. Add salt and all the spices (except garam masala). Fry the masala till oil begins to separate.

7. Blend cashews and milk in a blender. Add it to the fried onion- tomato masala.

8. Add chopped soya chaap pieces and garam masala. Turn the heat to low and cook covered for  5 minutes. Serve hot soya chaap curry with roti, paratha or naan.

Kathal ke Kofte (Jackfruit Kofta Curry)

Kathal ke kofte is not something made commonly in Indian households but they taste good and worth giving a try. They are a nice change from regular vegetable dishes.

Recipe of kathal ke kofte

Kofte (dumplings)

300 gm kathal (jackfruit)

2 medium sized potatoes- boiled, peeled and mashed

2 tbsp besan (chickpea flour/gram flour)

Salt to taste

Chopped coriander leaves (cilantro)

2 green chillies- chopped

Oil to deep fry

Gravy

3 tomatoes

2 onions

4-5 garlic cloves

A small piece of ginger

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp coriander powder

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp garam masala powder

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

A pinch of hing (asafoetida)

1 tbsp oil

How to make kathal ke kofte

1. Smear oil on your palms and remove outer hard covering of kathal. Chop kathal into small pieces.

2. Put kathal pieces and little water in the pressure cooker and cook to 1 whistle.

3. Drain out excess water and mash kathal with your hands. Remove seeds.

4. In a bowl, mix mashed kathal, potatoes and ingredients listed under 'kofte' except oil.

5. Make small balls from the mixture.

6. Heat oil in a kadhai (heavy bottomed vessel) on a medium heat and deep fry these balls till golden. Drain out on an absorbent paper. Also fry in batches. These are now called kofte or fried dumplings.

7. For the gravy, blend tomatoes, onions and garlic in a blender.

8. Heat oil in a kadhai or a pan and add cumin seeds. When they turn dark, add hing.

9. Add onion, tomato mixture in the oil and all the spices (except garam masala) and salt. Fry till masala begins to leave oil from sides.

10. Add 300 ml of water to the masala and let it come to a boil.

11. Add kofte to it and turn the heat to low. Cook covered for 7-8 minutes. Add garam masala and after 1 minute, turn off the heat. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve kathal ke kofte hot with roti, paratha or puri.

Kakode (Kantola) Ki Sabzi

kakode ki sabzi

Kakoda is a spiky, round (ovalish) vegetable which belongs to the karela (bitter gourd) species but not bitter like karela. It's an uncommon vegetable but I find it very tasty and easy to cook.
Recipe of kakode ki sabzi
250 gms kakode (kantola)
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
A pinch of hing (asafoetida)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp saunf (fennel seeds) powder
1 tbsp oil
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp amchoor (dried mango powder)

chopped kakode 

How to make kakode ki sabzi
1. Wash kakode thoroughly under running water. Cut them into 4 pieces lengthwise.
2. Heat oil in a kadhai (heavy bottomed vessel) and add cumin seeds. When they change colour, add hing.
3. Add kakode. Add all the spice powders (except amchoor) and salt. Mix well.
4. Turn the heat to low and cover the kadhai. Stir occasionally.
5. Check with a spoon whether kakode has become tender. If yes, add amchoor and cook, uncovered, on a high heat for 1 minute, stirring.
6. Turn off the heat and serve kakode ki sabzi hot with roti or paratha.

kakode

Coconut (Nariyal) Ladoo

coconut ladoo

This festive season, make everyone's favorite coconut ladoo at home and win over your family's hearts. These coconut ladoos are very not just tasty but very easy to put together.
Recipe of coconut ladoo
200 gm grated coconut (fresh or frozen)
200 gm khoya (mawa) -grated
200 gm powdered sugar
1/2 tsp elaichi (green cardamom) powder
How to make coconut ladoo
1. Put a kadhai (heavy bottomed vessel) on heat and put grated khoya in it. Turn the heat to low.
2. Cook, stirring, till khoya turns a little brownish.
3. Add grated coconut and cook stirring for few minutes.
4. Add powdered sugar and elaichi powder and mix well. Turn off the heat and take out the coconut mixture on a big plate.
5. Allow this mixture to cool down till it is comfortable to touch but still warm.
6. Using your hands, make ping pong size balls from it. These are now called coconut ladoo. Keep them in fridge for 1 hour so that they get tightened. You can eat these ladoo right away or store them in fridge for later use. 

How to Make Ghee (Clarified Butter) at Home

home made ghee

Hello readers, I was gone for a long time and there was no blogging or very few and far between. But now I am back with some delicious recipes. In this post I am sharing the recipe of making ghee at home from malai. This recipe was shared by my sister-in-law Gunjan Gupta and yields excellent results.

Recipe of ghee from malai

1. Collect malai (top skin of milk) from milk everyday and store in the freezer till you collect sufficient amount.

2. The day you have about 2- 2&1/2 hour of spare time, take out malai from freezer 3 hours prior to making ghee.

3. Pour 250 ml of hot water in the malai so that malai gets melted.

4. Now beat malai with the help of a beater (or mathani). I use hand blender. Beat malai till white butter floats on top. If you use hand blender, it may take 10 minutes or more in this process.

5. Using a strainer, remove butter from the remaining milk and put in a kadhai (heavy bottomed vessel). Put the kadhai on high heat and stir occasionally.

6. When butter begins to boil, turn the heat to low and let it cook. Stir occasionally. You can attend to your other chores provided you remain nearby and stir the butter occasionally.

7. After some time, you will observe that ghee floats on top. Cook for some more time till more ghee comes on top.Turn off the heat and strain the ghee using a metal strainer in a clean utensil. You can start using this ghee right away or store in the fridge for later use.

Note: The milk residue that remains in the kadhai needn't go to waste. You can roast it in the same kadhai on a low heat till brownish and add powdered sugar to it. It tastes like a tasty mithai (sweetmeat).
The milk that remains after beating the malai and taking out butter, can also be used. You can put that milk on heat and when it comes to boil, pour some lemon juice and stir. The milk will curdle and you will get chhena. 
Strain it and you can make paneer (Indian Cottage Cheese) from it.