Carrot Raita is a yogurt based condiment made with carrots, thick curd/yogurt, chopped onion, green chillies, cumin powder, tempering items and salt. This is a simple, more colorful and creamy dish which tastes really great with spicy pulao like beetroot pulao, tomato rice etc. This bright colored, cool dish also compliments paratha or chapathi.

     Ingredients

             2 Cups of  Thick Yogurt / Curd
             2 Medium Size Carrots
             1/2 Cup of  Red Onion, Finely Chopped
             1 Green Chilly, Finely Chopped
             1/4 Tsp of Roasted Cumin Powder
             Salt to taste
  
     To Temper 

              2 Tsp of Oil
              1 Tsp of Mustard
              1 Tsp of Urad Dal
              Few Curry Leaves
            
     To Garnish
               
              Few Cilantro Leaves


     Method

• Wash and grate the carrots and keep it aside.
• Take a bowl with yogurt and beat the yogurt to get a smooth and creamy consistency.
• Add grated carrots, chopped onion, chopped green chilly, roasted cumin powder and salt to the yogurt. Mix well.
• Heat a pan with oil, add mustard, urad dal and curry leaves, after they splutter, add this tempering items to a bowl containing yogurt.
• Finally check the salt and garnish it with cilantro leaves.

    Tips  

• Serve this raita for beetroot pulao or tomato rice or any spicy pulao or paratha.
  
• You can add more green chilly, if you want more spicy side.
• You can also add pepper, if you want.         

  
    Health Benefits of Carrot

• Good for the eyes.
• Prevents cancer.
• Vitamin A and antioxidant in carrot protect the skin from sun damage.
• Prevents heart disease and stroke.
• It has anti-aging property.

            
             Rajma in Hindi literally means Red Kidney Beans. Rajma Masala recipe  is a classic Punjabi Curry, cooked in a onion and tomato gravy with the addition of Indian aromatic spices. The most important thing is to cook rajma perfect in pressure cooker or crock pot to get perfect rajma curry. This is a protein and carb packed food as it can be served with plain rice or cumin flavored rice or chapathi. Rajma chawal is a wonderful and comforting food for weekend lunch.


   Ingredients

           1 and 1/4 Cups of Rajma / Red Kidney Beans(soaked overnight, pressure cooked )
          1/2 Tsp of Turmeric Powder
          1 Tsp of Red Chilly Powder
          2 Tsp of Garam Masala
          2 Tsp of Dried Methi Leaves / Kasoori methi
          2 Tsp of Oil
          Salt to taste
          Water as needed
          Dollop of Butter to taste

   To Grind

           1 Large or 2 Medium Size Onions, Puree
           2 Medium Sized Tomatoes, Puree
           1 Inch Size Ginger
           1 Green Chilly

   Method

• Soak rajma for overnight in salted water for 8 hours, then in a pressure cooker or crock pot  add rajma, enough water(~4-5 cups) and salt, cook this for 3 whistles, simmer it in a medium-low flame and keep it for 15 mins and switch off the stove. Now soft  Rajma is ready.
• Put onion in a blender and make a puree by adding little water. Keep this aside
• Put tomato, ginger and green chilly in a blender and make a puree by adding little water. Keep this aside.
• Heat oil in a pan, add onion puree and salt to it, saute this for 1-2 mins until oil seperates and changes color.
• Add tomato, ginger, green chilly puree, saute it and cook this for 2 mins until oil oozes out from sides.
• Add Turmeric powder, red chilly powder and garam masala, fry this along with onion-tomato mixture and cook it for 1 min.
• Add cooked rajma, mix well with the masala and add some water to it, let this mixture comes to a rolling boil and simmer it for 5 -7 mins. Adjust salt to taste.
• Using ladle, press some of the rajma (Mash it) this will help giving some thickness to the gravy.
• Crush some fenugreek leaves between palms and add this to the masala and mix well.
• Finally add a dollop of butter and mix, cook for a min and switch off the stove.
• Before serving, garnish the dish with some fresh chopped red onion..
• Rajma masala is ready to serve with jeera rice, yogurt and papad.

   Tips

• Adding kasoori methi is optional. It gives aromatic twist to the gravy.
• You can add cream or butter, it gives rich taste to the gravy.
• If you have ginger garlic paste, use that instead of adding ginger alone.
• Always fry onion puree for 2 mins until raw smell vanishes. otherwise it spoils the dish.

   Health Benefits of Rajma

• Good source of cholesterol lowering fibers which prevents blood sugar levels.
• When combined with rice, rajma makes fat free high quality protein.
• Lowers heart attack risk.
• Good source of vitamin B6,C and minerals
• Excellent food to be included in weight loss diet.
• 100 grams of boiled Rajma beans contain 140 calories. 5.7 grams of protein, 5.9 grams of fat and nearly 17.8 grams of carbohydrate

            Gobi manchurian is a popular Indo-Chinese appetizer. It is the result of the adaptation of Chinese cooking and seasoning techniques to suit Indian tastes. In this recipe, florets are dipped in batter, deep fried and then sauted in sweet, spicy and tangy sauce. Eat this delicious mouth watering recipe with hot fried rice on a cold winter and enjoy…


    Ingredients

          1 Medium sized Cauliflower, cut into florets.
          Oil to deep fry

   For the Batter

            1/4 Cup of Maida/ All Purpose Flour
            2 and 1/2 Tbsp of Corn Flour
            1 and 1/4 Tbsp of Rice Flour
            1/2 Tsp of Sugar
            1 Tbsp of Soya Sauce
            1 Tsp of Red Chilli Powder
            1 Tsp of Coriander Powder
            1 Tbsp of Garam Masala
            1/2 Tsp of Pepper
            2 Tbsp of Thick Curd / Yogurt
            Salt and water as needed

    For the Sauce

            2 Spring Onions, Finely Chopped
            1 Green Bell Pepper, Finely Chopped
            2 Tbsp of Chopped Red Onion
            2 Garlic Cloves, Crushed
            1/2 Inch of Ginger, Crushed
            1 Green Chilly
            2 Tsp of Soya Sauce
            1 Tsp of  Sriracha Chilli Sauce
            1 and 1/2 Tbsp of Maggi Hot Chilli Sauce
            1/4 Tsp of Sugar
            Dash of salt and pepper
            2 Tbsp of Cilantro Leaves
            1 Tbsp of Oil

   Method

• Wash and place the florets in salted hot water for 10 mins and then drain and pat dry on a papre towel and keep it aside.
• In a bowl, add all the ingredients listed under ” To the batter” to make a thick paste.
• Add all the washed florets to the bowl, keep refrigerated for 1/2 hr.
• Heat oil for deep frying in a wok/pan.
• Drop florets one by one into hot oil. Make sure the florets are well coated with the batter.
• In a medium flame, fry all the florets until it turns golden brown and drain on paper towel. Once after all the florets have been fried , keep it aside.
• Heat oil in a pan, add crushed ginger-garlic and green chilies, stir fry on high for a min.
• Add white part of spring onion, red onion, green bell pepper, stir fry for 2-3 mins.
• In a medium heat, add soya sauce, sriracha chilli sauce, maggi tomato -chilli sauce, salt, pepper and sugar, mix well and cook for 2 mins. Add little water, saute well for 1-2 mins until you get thick consistency.
• Now add the deep fried cauliflower florets, toss well in high flame  for a min and then switch off the flame.
• Finally garnish with chopped cilantro and green part of the spring onion.

  
    Tips

• Best combo for gobi manchurian  is fried rice or chapathi.
• Keep tooth prick in each florets and served it as an appetizer.
• You can also add vinegar, if you prefer.
• Adding coriander powder and garam masala is optional.

   Health Benefits of Cauliflower

• Rich in anti-oxidants.
• Good for better digestion and heart health.
• Rich in manganese, vitamin B, C, dietary fiber and folate.

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