Cook Without Book

Masaledaar Parantha The name says it all – you can eat this parantha by itelf. Cooking Time:  15-20 minutes Servings:  4   Preparation Time:  20-25 minutes   Category:  Veg Ingredients • Wheat flour 3 cups + for dusting • Gram flour (besan) 1 cup • Red chilli powder 1/2 teaspoon + for sprinkling • Coriander powder 1 teaspoon • Garam masala powder 1/2 teaspoon • Dried mango powder 1/2 teaspoon • Turmeric powder a pinch • Salt to taste • Green chillies,finely chopped 2-3 • Ghee as required • Carom seeds (ajwain) 1/2 teaspoon • Cumin seeds 1/2 teaspoon Method 1. Mix together wheat flour and gram flour in a bowl. Add red chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder, dried mango powder, turmeric powder and salt. Add sufficient water and knead into dough. 2. Heat a non stick tawa. 3. Divide the dough into equal portions and shape them into balls. Dust each ball with a little dry f...

Anjeer Gobhi Figs add on nutrients to this cauliflower subzi. Cooking Time:  10-15 minutes Servings:  4   Preparation Time:  10-15 minutes   Category:  Veg f Ingredients • Cauliflower,separated into small florets 1 medium • Oil 2 tablespoons • Cumin seeds 1 teaspoon • Garlic,chopped 2 teaspoons • Ginger,chopped 2 teaspoons • Green chillies,chopped 2 • Onions,chopped 2 medium • Salt to taste • Turmeric powder 1/2 teaspoon • Chaat masala 1/2 teaspoon • Red chilli powder 1 teaspoon • Fresh coriander leaves,chopped 2 tablespoons Anjeer paste • Dried figs,soaked 8 • Yogurt 1 cup • Yogurt 1 cup • Garam masala powder 1 teaspoon • Salt to taste Method Grind together figs, yogurt, garam masala powder and salt to a fine paste. Heat oil in a non-stick pan, add cumin seeds and when they begin to change colour, add garlic, ginger, green chillies and onions and sauté till...

                                Yield:  Makes 6 servings (serving size: 1/6 chicken and 2/3 cup sauce) Ingredients 1 tablespoon   vegetable oil 1  medium onion, finely chopped 2  garlic cloves, minced 1 1/2 teaspoons   cumin 1 teaspoon   cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon   salt 1/4 teaspoon   black pepper 1  (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes 1  (4-ounce) can diced green chiles 3 ounces   dark chocolate, chopped 1 teaspoon   tahini 1 tablespoon   chopped cilantro Rotisserie chicken Garnish: sliced avocado and tomatoes Preparation Heat vegetable oil over medium heat in a large saucepan; add chopped onion, and cook for 3 minutes or until translucent. Add minced garlic, and cook for another minute. Stir in cumin, cinnamon, salt, and black pepper; cook for 1 minute. Stir in diced tomatoes and green chiles; simmer for 10 minutes. Stir ...

Poached Eggs in Tomato Chlli Sauce Poached eggs served with flavourful tomato chilli sauce. Cooking Time:  25-30 minutes Servings:  4   Preparation Time:  20-25 minutes   Category:  Non Veg Ingredients • Eggs 8 • Tomatoes,diced 8 medium • Green chillies,roasted 6 big • Onions 4 medium • Oil 8 tablespoons • Salt to taste • Crushed black peppercorns 2 teaspoons + to sprinkle • Vinegar 4 tablespoons • Cream 4 tablespoons • Processed cheese,grated 4 tablespoons Method For each portion, toughly dice 1 onion. Heat 2 tbsps oil in a non stick pan. Heat some water in another non stick pan and add salt. Add onion to the first pan and saute till soft. Roughly chop 1½ roasted chillies and remove seeds. Add 2 tomatoes and salt to the onion. Add ½ tsp crushed black peppercorns and toss and let it cook. Add 1 tbsp vinegar to the water heating in the second pan. Break an egg and drop into the water. Place ...

Palak Aur Matar Ki Kachori Palak dough stuffed with green pea mixture, shaped into kachoris and deep fried. Cooking Time:  15-20 minutes Servings:  4   Preparation Time:  15-20 minutes   Category:  Veg Ingredients • Spinach puree 3 tablespoons • Green peas 1 cup • Refined flour (maida) 1 1/2 cups • Ghee 1 1/2 tablespoons • Carom seeds (ajwain) 1/4 teaspoon • Salt to taste • Oil 2 tablespons + for deep-frying • Asafoetida a pinch • Ginger,finely chopped 2 inch piece • Green chillies,finely chopped 2 • Fennel seeds (saunf) 1 teaspoon • Fresh mint leaves,finely chopped 2 tablespoons Method Knead maida, ghee, ajwain, palak purée and salt with sufficient water into a dough. Heat 2 tbsps oil in a non stick pan, add asafoetida, ginger, green chillies and fennel seeds and sauté.Add peas, salt and mint leaves. Mix well, cool and grind to a coarse mixture. Transfer into a bowl. Divide the dough...

Potato Pancakes Pancake with Indian taste. Cooking Time:  10-15 minutes Servings:  4   Preparation Time:  10-15 minutes   Category:  Veg Ingredients • Potatoes,parboiled, peeled and grated 4 medium • Cornflour/ corn starch 4 tablespoons • Red chilli powder 1/2 teaspoon • Chaat masala 1 teaspoon • Green chilli,chopped 1 • Fresh coriander leaves,chopped 2 tablespoons • Oil for cooking Method Mix together potatoes, cornflour, chilli powder, chaat masala, green chilli and coriander leaves in a bowl. Heat a non-stick tawa. Divide the potato mixture into four equal portions and pat evenly each potion directly on the tawa into a round pancake. Drizzle some oil and cook, turning, till both the sides are golden brown and crispy. Serve hot.

Cheesey Chaat Dip with Crispies Cheese spread and chaat masala dip served with khakra, crisp puris, chaklis and corn chips. Cooking Time:  15-20 minutes Servings:  4   Preparation Time:  10-15 minutes   Category:  Veg Ingredients • Cheese spread 1 cup • Cumin powder 1 teaspoon + for garnish • Green chillies,finely chopped 2 • Chaat masala 1 teaspoon • Red chilli powder 1 teaspoon • Salt to taste • Fresh coriander leaves 2 tablespoons + for garnishing For Serving • Khakra as required • Crisp puris as required • Chaklis as required • Corn chips as required Method Put cheese spread, half teaspoon cumin powder, green chillies, chaat masala, red chilli powder, salt and two tablespoons coriander leaves in a bowl and mix well. Transfer into a serving bowl and place it on a serving plate. Garnish the dip with cumin powder and coriander leaves. Arrange the crispies around the bowl and serv...

Rice aur Chane ki Tikki   Cooked rice and kale chane mixed with masalas and made into tikkis. Cooking Time:  15-20 minutes Servings:  4   Preparation Time:  15-20 minutes   Category:  Veg Ingredients • Cooked rice 1 1/2 cups • Brown Bengal gram (kala chana),cooked 1 1/2 cups • Ginger,finely chopped 1 tablespoon • Green chillies,finely chopped 2-3 • Cumin powder 1 teaspoon • Red chilli powder 1 teaspoon • Black salt (kala namak) 1/2 teaspoon • Chaat masala 1 teaspoon • Onions,finely chopped 2 medium • Cornflour/ corn starch 3 tablespoons • Oil to deep fry Method Grind together the Bengal gram, rice, ginger, green chillies, cumin powder, red chilli powder, black salt and chaat masala to a coarse mixture. Transfer the mixture into a bowl. Add the onions and cornflour and mix well. Heat sufficient oil in a kadai. Divide the mixture into twelve equal portions and ...

Protien Rich  Drumstick Curry A spicy and tangy drumstick/ Mungna curry made in an onion-tomato gravy. This curry has a garlicky flavour and tastes great with steamed rice or parathas. Drumsticks also contain nutritional benefits and cure many ailments. Its stems, leaves and seeds are known to have medicinal properties. Drumsticks are also rich in proteins, minerals and  vitamins Ingredients: 4-5 Drumsticks (scrap and cut into 2" pieces) 1 tablespoon oil 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds A pinch of asafoetida 5-6 garlic pods (chopped) 1 tablespoon green chili (chopped) 1 medium onion (chopped) 2 tomatoes (finely chopped) 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder      1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder         2  teaspoon coriander powder 1 teaspoon jeera (cumin) powder 1/4 teaspoon curry powder /  garam masala 1 tablespoon coriander leaves (chopped) Salt to taste Jagge...

         Idli Poha Bhurji An upma made of crumbled leftover idlis and poha. Cooking Time:  10-15 minutes Servings:  4   Preparation Time:  10-15 minutes   Category:  Veg Ingredients • Leftover idlis 4 large • Pressed rice (poha) 1/2 cup • Onions,chopped 4 medium • Ginger 1 inch piece • Oil 3 tablespoons • Cumin seeds 1/2 teaspoon • Mustard seeds 1/2 teaspoon • Green chillies 2 • Turmeric powder 1/4 teaspoon • Fresh coriander leaves a few sprigs • Salt to taste Method Place poha in a colander and sprinkle water to moisten it well. Chop onions and ginger in a chopper. Heat oil in a non stick pan, add cumin seeds and mustard seeds and let them splutter. Chop green chillies. Add onions to the pan and saute. Break the idlis and crumble them in the chopper. Add turmeric powder to the pan and saute for 1 minute. Add poha and mix well. Add the crumbled idlis and mix well. ...

Jhinga Posto Turai cooked with khuskhus paste - a popular Bengali delicacy. Cooking Time:  15-20 minutes Servings:  4   Preparation Time:  10-15 minutes   Category:  Veg Ingredients • Ridge gourd (turai),cut into cubes 400 grams • Poppy seeds (khuskhus/posto),soaked overnight 1/2 cup • Green chillies,finely chopped 2-3 • Oil 1 tablespoon • Cloves 4-5 • Onions,finely chopped 2 medium • Turmeric powder 1/4 teaspoon • Salt to taste Method Grind together poppy seeds and green chillies with a little water.Heat oil in a non stick kadai. Add cloves and sauté till fragrant. Add onions and sauté lightly. Add the ground paste and sauté for 4-5 minutes. Add the turai, turmeric powder and salt and mix well. Cover and cook on low heat for 8-10 minutes. Transfer into a serving bowl and serve hot. f

Soy Flour Missi Roti Soya flour adds a wealth of nutrients to this delicious missi roti. Cooking Time:  20-30 minutes Servings:  4   Preparation Time:  10-15 minutes   Category:  Veg   Ingredients   • Soya flour 1/2 cup • Whole wheat flour (atta) 1/2 cup + to dust • Gram flour (besan) 1 cup • Salt to taste • Turmeric powder 1 teaspoon • Chaat masala 1 teaspoon • Green chillies,chopped 4 • Dried pomegranate seeds (anardana) 1 tablespoon • Onion ,finely chopped 1 medium • Fresh coriander leaves,chopped 2 tablespoons • Oil 1 tablespoon + for shallow frying Method Mix soy flour, whole wheat flour, gram flour, salt, turmeric powder, chaat masala, green chillies, dried pomegranate seeds, onion and coriander leaves in a bowl. Add one tablespoon oil and just enough water to knead into soft dough. Divide the dough into equal portions. Grease your palms and roll the portions into balls.Hea...