Aloo Dum (Potato Curry)

This is an exotic delicious main dish. Just the smell of aloo dum can make you hungry! To make this dish, potatoes are fried and then soaked in the spicy aromatic gravy. This is a perfect dish for any dinner party.

Recipe serves 4.

     Ingredients:

• 4 medium size russet potatoes
• 2 tablespoon oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin seed (jeera)
• 1/8 teaspoon asafetida (hing)
• 1 tablespoon gram flour (basen)
• 6 whole red chili
• 1/4 cup yogurt
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon coconut powder
• 1/4  inch of ginger
• 1 green chili adjust to taste
• 1 tablespoon coriander powder (dhania)
• 1 tablespoon funnel seed powder (saunf)
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric (haldi)
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder adjust to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika (dagi or kashmiri mirch)
• 1 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
• 1/2  garam masala
• about 2 tablespoons of chopped cilantro
• oil to fry

Method:

1. Peeled and cut the potatoes into ½” cubes.
2. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium high heat.
3. Frying pan should have at least 1inch of oil. To check if the oil is ready, put one piece of potato in the oil. The potato should sizzle right away. If potatoes are fried on low heat they will be very oily.
4. Fry the potatoes till they are cooked through; turn the potatoes few times while frying. Take out potatoes with a slotted spoon (this allows excess oil to drip back into the frying pan) and place on a paper towel. Keep aside.
5. Heat the pan on medium heat and stir-fry the sesame seeds for about a minute until seeds lightly change color. Take them out and keep aside.
6. Blend sesame seeds, coconut, ginger, green chili, and make it into a paste. Use water as needed to blend into paste.
7. In a small bowl mix, sesame paste, yogurt, ginger, green chili, coriander powder, funnels seed powder, paprika, red chili powder, and turmeric into a paste. Keep aside.
8. Heat the oil in a saucepan. Test the heat by adding one cumin seed to the oil; if seed cracks right away oil is ready.
9. Add the cumin asafetida and cumin seeds. After the cumin seeds crack, add whole red chili and besan (gram flour). Stir-fry for about half a minute until the besan (gram flour) is golden-brown.
10. Add the spice paste and stir-fry for about 2 minutes on medium heat until the spices starts to separate from the oil.
11. Add the potatoes, mix it well and add about 1cup of water. After the gravy boils, let it cook on low-medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes. Adjust the water in gravy to your liking.
12. Add the cilantro and garam masala cover the pan and turn off the heat. Let it sit for few minutes before taking of the cover. This helps bringing the color on the top of the dish.
13. Serve with any bread.

How to make Aam Papad at home?

How to make Aam Papad at home?

All you need is the following ingredients -

- Mangoes (Aam) - 2 big

- Sugar (Shakkar) - 2 tbsp

- cardamom (Eaichi) - 2 pods

Preparation method -

- Wash the mangoes, peel them and chop them into small pieces.

- Add sugar and cardamom to the mango pieces and mix thoroughly till you get a fine paste (remove any lumps)

- Put the paste over flame and bring it to a boil. Then stir it continously for about 10 mins.

- Grease a plate with ghee and add this mixture to the plate. Spread evenly and keep it as thin as possible.

- Place your plate under direct sunlight to completely dry the mixture. Alternately you can leave it your kitchen to dry (this will take a longer time).

- After the mixture is completely dried, you can cut it into desired shapes and thrive upon this delicacy immediately.

Fortune Rice Bran Oil

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Pav Bhaji Recipe

Prep & Cooking: 50-60 minutes

Serves 7-8 persons

Ingredients:

1 large carrot, cubed

2 potatoes, cubed

1 capsicum, chopped

1 cup cauliflower florets, chop

8-10 french beans, string and chop

1/4 cup green peas

2 onions, finely chopped

2 green chillis, slit length wise

1 tsp ginger-garlic paste

1/4 tsp turmeric pwd

1/2 tsp red chilli pwd

1 1/2 tbsps Pav Bhaji Masala

3/4 tsp sugar (adjust)

salt to taste

2 tomatoes, finely chopped

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp low fat butter (vegans can avoid butter)

fresh coriander leaves for garnish

1 1/2 tbsps Fortune Rice Bran Oil

METHOD FOR BHAJI

Pressure cook potatoes, cauliflower, peas, beans and carrot along with 1 cup of water, till soft. Drain any left over water and keep aside. Mash all the cooked vegetables using a masher.

Heat oil in a vessel, add the green chillis and onions and saute for 4 mts. Add the ginger-garlic paste and saute for another 3 mts. Add capsicum and saute for 2 mts.

Add the chilli pwd, turmeric pwd, pav bhaji masala, sugar and salt. Combine well. Add the tomatoes and cook until soft, approx 5-6 mts.

Add the mashed vegetables along with a cup of the drained vegetable stock and cook on high for a mt. Reduce flame and simmer for 14-15 mts.

The gravy will begin to thicken. Adjust the salt, if required. Turn off heat and add butter and lemon juice and combine. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

Serve hot with lightly toasted pav/pau and sliced onions.

METHOD FOR PAV

Slice each pav into 2 horizontally. Apply a little Fortune Rice Bran Oil to each side and sprinkle with a little pav bhaji masala, if desired.

Heat a large tava and cook the pav on both sides till the pieces are lightly browned.

Note: You can use 2-3 vegetables also while preparing the bhaji. I have not used cabbage and beetroot since I did not have them on hand at the time of preparation. Using beetroot will lend a deep reddish purple color to the bhaji.