Week 26 - Stuffed Baingan

Ingredients

6-8 small baingan, split crosswise

1/4 cup peanuts

2 tsp sesame seeds

3-4 dry red chillies

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds

Can add 1 tsp flax seeds if you have

Dry roast the above.  Grind to a fine powder.  To the powder add:

Turmeric powder

2 tsp tamarind paste

2 tbsp finely minced onion

Salt

Mix everything well.

Stuff the baingan with above paste.  You can cook it in a skillet or pressure cooker or instant pot.  Pop some mustard seeds in oil, add a little chopped onion and fry.  Then add the baingan, any leftover stuffing and 1/2 cup water.  In instant pot, pressure cook on low pressure for 4 mins and then quick release. 

 Week 25 - Dal dhokli

Ingredients (4-6 servings)

Dal

2 cups toor dal
1 tsp salt
4-5 pieces kokum
1 tbsp grated jaggery
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
10 curry leaves
3-4 cloves
1/4 cup coriander leaves with stems

Dhokli

2 cups atta

1 tbsp oil

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1/4 tsp hing

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1/4 tsp ajwain

1/2 tsp salt

Tempering

1 tsp ghee

1tsp mustard seeds

2-3 dried round, red chillies

1/4 tsp methi seeds

1/4 tsp hing

Method

Soak dal for about an hour.  Pressure cook with salt and 10 cups of water.  The dal should not be too thick, whisk until smooth.  Keep on low heat.

Sift flour onto a large plate and make a well in the center.  Pour oil into well and mix into flour.  Add remaining ingredients for dhokli and knead into a firm dough with 1/2 cup water.

Roll out into thin rotis.  Cut into diamond shapes and gently immerse them in the dal.

Temper the dal.

Add kokum, jaggery, spice powders and curry leaves to dal and stir.  Lastly, add cloves and coriander leaves.

Week 24 - Chilled cucumber, cauliflower and ginger soup 

Week 23 - Sesame noodles

Ingredients

1 pound noodles (frozen or fresh)

2 tbsps sesame oil plus a splash

3 1/2 tbsps soy sauce

2 tbsps Chinese rice vinegar

2 tbsps Chinese sesame paste

1 tbsp smooth peanut butter

1 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp finely grated ginger

2 tsps minced garlic

2 tsps chili-garlic paste, chili crisp or chili oil or to taste

Half a cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/8 inch by 1/8 inch by 2 inch sticks

1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts

Preparation

Cook noodles in boiling water until barely tender. Drain, rinse with cold water and toss with a splash of sesame oil.

In a medium bowl, whisk the remaining 2 tbsps of sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame paste, peanut butter, sugar, ginger, garlic and chili-garlic paste.

Toss noodles with the sauce.  Garnish with cucumber and peanuts.

 Week 22 - Cocoa muffins

 Week 21 - Kadala curry

Recipe from Venkatesh Bhat

Note:  Do not add mace and nutmeg - too many spices

 Chithi's Beet pickle

Chop beets finely.  

Heat sesame oil, add some methi seeds.  Remove them when toasted.

Add curry leaves, chilli, sambar and turmeric powders.  Then add beets and salt.  Let the beets cook well.  

Turn off heat and add vinegar/chilli vinegar.

Vinku's Badam Halwa 

Ingredients

I usually make it with 1 cup badam but maybe you should use 2 cups. 2 cups badam (peeled or unpeeled) 1 3/4 cups sugar 

3/4 tsp saffron 

1/2 tsp cardamom 

1. If badam is already peeled, soak in hot water for an hour or more. 

2. If badam is not peeled, then in a stainless steel vessel, add the badam and enough water to cover it. Heat until the water boils and let it boil for 2 minutes. When it has cooled down, peel off the skin. There are two ways to do this. Rub the badam together and most of the skin will come off. The second way - hold each badam by the pointy end and squeeze lightly. the whole skin will come off. 

3. Grind the badam to a smooth paste using enough water. 

 4. Place the badam paste in a pan and add the sugar. Keep the heat on low to medium and keep stirring occasionally to make sure it doesn't burn. After about 15 minutes, add saffron - crush it with your hand as you are adding it. 

 5. The mixture will slowly start turning translucent - it will take a good 30 to 30 minutes Make sure the heat is low. 

6. When it is semi-solid and translucent, turn off the heat and add the cardamom. The above tastes really good even without any ghee. You could even mix it in milk and drink it like badam kheer.

 Week 20 - Mattar Paneer

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 Week 19 - Bulgur and yogurt soup

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