Raita - yoghurt based sauce

Raita is a yoghurt based sauce which is great accompaniment to biriyanis, pulavs, aloo parathas, basically anything  that is spicy.
The sauce can be made with a number of different ingredients. Here I am using onions and carrots but you can also use any other vegetables like cucumber, beet, jalapeños etc. 


The recipe serves 4 people. 
Time Required : 10 minutes 

Ingredients: 
Yoghurt - 300 gm
Water - 1 Tbsp
Salt - to taste

Chat masala (optional)- 1/4 teaspoon

Onions - half a medium sized

Carrots - half a medium sized 


Step 1: Whip the curd to a smooth paste. Add the water and mix well.

Step 2: Add the salt and the chat masala powder. Mix well.
Step 3: Shred the carrot and slice the onion thinly.

Step 4: Add these to the curd. Mix well. 

Step 5: Enjoy you  "Raita" with vegetable pulao or biriyani. 

Note: You can find "chat masala" in any Indian grocery store. This masala can also be used as a condiment for salads.

Mushroom & peas masala curry

Today's recipe is a really simple but delicious vegetable curry or "subzi" as we Indians call it, made with peas and mushrooms. It is a side dish best eaten with chapati/naan or rice.


The following recipe serves 4 people.
Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 15-20 minutes 

Ingredients: 

Peas - 150gm 

Mushrooms - 200gm 

Tomatoes - 4 medium sized 

Ginger paste - 1 tsp

Garlic paste - 1 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1 1/2 tsp

Coriander Powder - 3 tsp

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp

Chilli powder - to taste

Dry fenugreek leaves - 3 tsp 

Salt - to taste

Oil - 2 tbsp

Step 1: Chop the tomatoes in small pieces.

 Step 2: Heat oil in a pan on medium heat. Add a cumin seed and wait till it splutters.  Then add the cumin seeds. Add the chopped tomatoes. 

Step 3: Cook the tomatoes for a couple of minutes. Add these spices - ginger paste, garlic paste, coriander powder,turmeric powder and red chili powder. 

Step 4:  Cook for a further few minutes. Keep mashing the tomatoes with the spatula. Wait till the oil separates from the spices. Then add salt.

Step 5: Now we need chopped mushrooms and peas.

Step 6:  Add the chopped mushrooms and peas in the spice mixture.

Step 7: Mix slowly so as not too break the mushrooms. Cook for 2-3 minutes and put the lid on and cook for 5-6 minutes.

Step 8: Now crush the dried fenugreek leaves in the palms of your hand and add to the vegetables. Close the lid and cook for a further few minutes till the vegetables are tender.

Step 9: Enjoy the "mushroom peas masala curry".

Chicken 65

A typical south Indian dish. Can be served both as an  appetizer
and main course.

The following recipe serves 2 people.                              

Preparation time : 10 minutes

Cooking time : 25 minutes

Ingredients:
Preparing the chicken

Chicken - 450 gms
Yogurt - 1 tbsp
Cornstarch - 2 tsp

Ginger garlic paste -  2 tsp

Egg - 1
Black pepper powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Chili  powder - to taste
Green chilies - 2 chopped
Chicken 65 masala powder - 2 tsp (optional)
Salt to taste

Preparing the gravy 
Curry leaves - 2 springs
Chopped ginger - 1 tsp
Chopped garlic -  2tsp
Chopped chili - to taste
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Chinese hot chili sauce - 2 tsp
Ginger- garlic paste- 2 tsp
Oil - To fry
Salt to taste

Preparing the chicken
Step 1: Cut the chicken into bite size pieces.

Step 2: We need these ingredients : yogurt, ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, chili powder, corn starch, pepper powder, egg and chopped green chilies. 

Mix all the ingredients except the egg in a bowl. Add salt to taste.

Step 3: (Optional)  Add 2 teaspoons of store bought Chicken 65 masala (spice).

Step 4: Add chicken to the mixture. Coat every piece well with the mixture. Then add the egg. Mix well and keep aside for 30-40 minutes.

Step 5:  Heat oil in a pan on medium heat. Fry the coated chicken pieces.

Step 6:  Keep the fried chickens aside. Now we will make the gravy.

Preparing the gravy 

Step 7: Heat some oil in a pan. The oil used for frying the chicken pieces can be used too.

Step 8: Put in the cumin seeds and let them splutter. Then put in chopped ginger, garlic and chilies.

Step 9: Now we need these spices: curry leaves, ginger garlic paste, coriander powder, cumin powder and chili sauce.

Add the ginger garlic paste. Fry for 30 seconds. Then add the curry leaves and let them splutter. Add coriander and cumin powder and the chili sauce. Fry for a minute.

Step 10: Add the red color. Add salt to taste. 

Step 11: Add the fried chicken. Fry for a couple of minutes. 

Step 12: Enjoy your "Chicken 65". 

Palak paneer

A simple dish with cottage cheese and spinach. For people who don't like cheese, tofu can be used too.

The following recipe serves 2 people.                               
Preparation time : 8-10 minutes

Cooking time : 25 minutes

Ingredients:

Spinach - 450 gms
Cottage cheese/paneer : 150 gms

Onions - 2 medium sized

Ginger paste -  1 tsp

Garlic paste -   1 tsp

Green cardamoms - 4
Cloves - 2
Bay leaf - 1
Cinnamon - 2 inch stick
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chili powder - to taste
Nutmeg powder - 1/4 tsp (optional)
Methi (Fenugreek seeds)- 1/4 teaspoon (optional)
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder -  1 tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Oil - 1 1/2 tbsp
Salt to taste

Step 1: Preparing the spinach

Spinach leaves : Add spinach leaves in boiling water for 2-3 minute. Then take it out and and grind it into a fine paste.

or like me, you can use Store bought spinach bricks. Bring the spinach to room temperature.

Grind it to a fine paste.

Step 2: Add oil in a pan on medium heat. Add cinnamon, cardamoms, bay leaf and cloves.

Add the cumin seeds and let them splutter.

Step 3: Chop the onions thinly. Add the chopped onions to the pan. Add some salt. Cook till the onions go translucent. This will take about 2-3 minutes.

Step 4: Add the ginger garlic paste. Cook for a minute.

Step 5: Add cumin, coriander powder, chili powder, turmeric powder, nutmeg powder, garam masala and methi seeds. Add the green chilies.

Add the yogurt. Mix well.

Keep cooking till the oil separates from the mixture or the 'masala'

Step 6:  Now grind the masala into a  smooth paste. Put it back in the pan on medium heat. Cook for 2-3 minutes.

Step 7: Now, add the spinach.

Step 8: Bring it to one boil. Then reduce the heat and cook for 3-4 further minutes or till you see fine droplets of oil appearing on the spinach.At this point the mixture is cooked. Add salt to taste.

Step 9: Put in the cheese cubes and reduce the heat to low. Cook for a further 4-5 minutes.

Step 10: Enjoy your "Palak paneer."

Tip: Spinach always tastes better with nutmeg powder, in Indian cuisine. 

A sweet sunday

Theres nothing better than sitting in your favorite coffee shop reading a good book on a Sunday and forget about the world. Thats what I did today, after ages..and had one of the best cheesecakes I ever had. Heres a picture of that, I wish I could make it and post the recipe...but someday for sure..someday.

By the way, if you live in Saarbrücken and are a fan of good coffee shops, Schubert is the place for you.