Mutton Marag

 Marag is one of those dishes that has a consistency somewhere between a stew and a soup. And it is super delicious on a cold night with a warm naan or on a night when you are trying to break a fast.

Mutton Marag (Bone in Lamb pieces in a yogurt and but based gravy)

Mutton Magas

Ingredients:

1. 2 lbs bone in lamb cut into about 2 inch pieces
2. 3 tablespoons oil
3. 1 medium onion sliced
4. 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
5. 1 cup plain yogurt lightly beatean
6. 15 cashews and 12 almonds soaked in 1/3 cup milk
7. 1 teaspoon salt (or more to taste) 
8. 2-3 green chillies ground to paste
9. 1/2 teaspoon each of turmeric, black pepper
10. 1 teaspoon garam masala
11. 2 cardamom ,1 inch cinnamon bark, 4 cloves

Wash the meat multiple times and set aside.

In a cooker heat the oil and add all the whole spices and fry for 30 seconds. Add the onions and fry until they start getting brown. Add ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute. Add the meat and fry on high flame for 5 minutes. Add 2 cups of water salt and turmeric and cook for 4-5 whistles. 
Let all the steam escape and reduce the heat and add the beaten yogurt.
Grind the nuts with the milk and add it to the pot. Add the ground green chillies and black peppers.

Simmer for 30 minutes. Add more water if you want it more soupy. Enjoy with naan

Mushroom Chickpeas curry

 I am getting sucked into the world of "shorts" lately on youtube. I know, I know...I am old enough to not get sucked up in there but sometimes when you don't want to do what you are supposed to do, and you just want to waste your time...thats the place to be...why TikTok is so popular.

This is one of the recipes I found on those shorts but with my own touches

Mushroom Chickpeas curry (Chickpeas and Mushrooms cooked in Indian spices)

Mushroom Chickpeas curry

Ingredients:

1. 1 can chickpeas drained
2. 8 oz mushrooms cleaned and sliced thick
3. 3-4 tomatoes depending on how big those are halved or quartered
4. 1 tablespoon each of coriander powder, chole masala
5. 1/2 teaspoon each of salt, chilli powder, cumin powder, 
6. 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
7. 1 tablespoon oil
8. 2 tablespoons plain yogurt
9. 2 green chillies sliced, 1 teaspoon ginger slicked into thin match sticks.
10. Handful of fresh coriander

In a pan add the tomato quarters or half and 1/2 cup water and cover and cook for 5-6 minutes. Peel the skin off and mash with a potato masher. Add all the spices and ginger garlic paste and cover and cook for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low. Add beaten yogurt and chickpeas and stir to combine and simmer covered for 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and stor to combine and cover and cook for 5 more minutes. Garnish with sliced chillies, ginger and coriander and enjoy with Zeera rice or roti

The same recipe like a Pirate would talk...written by GPT

Ahoy, me hearties! Gather 'round for a tale of culinary plunder, a recipe fit for a scurvy dog (in a good way, of course)! We're makin' a dish so flavorful, it'll make ye swab the deck with yer tongue!

First, ye'll grab yer pan, see? Toss in them tomato quarters, or halves if they be monstrous big, and a half cup of water, mind ye. Cover that treasure chest and let it simmer for five or six minutes, until them tomatoes be soft as a cabin boy's backside.

Once they're good and mushy, peel off their skins like ye're shuckin' oysters. Then, grab yer trusty potato masher and mash 'em 'til they're smoother than a mermaid's tail.

Now comes the spice rum! Sprinkle in all yer spices – the hotter the better, says I! – and a dollop of ginger-garlic paste. Cover the pan again and let it cook for five minutes, until the aromas be fillin' the air like a sea shanty.

Lower the heat, me mateys, to a gentle simmer. Add in yer beaten yogurt – none of that fancy stuff, just a good ol' dollop – and them chickpeas, the heart of this dish. Stir it all together like ye're mixin' a grog. Cover it up and let it simmer for another five minutes, until the flavors have a chance to mingle like pirates at a tavern.

Next, toss in them mushrooms, plump and juicy like treasure chests. Stir 'em in with a hearty "Yo ho ho!" and cover the pan once more. Let it cook for five more minutes, until the mushrooms be tender and soaked in all that flavor.

Finally, the grand finale! Garnish with sliced chillies, ginger, and coriander – the jewels of this culinary crown! And then, me hearties, serve it up with Zeera rice or roti, fit for a king… or a pirate captain! Enjoy yer bounty! Arrr!

Beetroot Dal

 So I have been trying to find different dal recipes because I am kind of getting bored with the "usual". If you have read my blog a few times..."getting bored" is a recurring theme with me. The food I cook tastes pretty good but sometimes (more times than not) I miss my mom's hand cooked food. My daadi ammi...my paternal grandma was also a super awesome cook. But her recipes were very traditional.

My mom was the experimenter. But everything she touched/cooked turned super delicious. Someimtes I think how she might have got the recipes for things she cooked, which now I know have nothing do do with Indian cuisine. She was just awesome in so many ways.

Anyway...this dal is just an experiment on my side and it turned out super delicious and more importantly the hubby loved it. Hope you enjoy it too 

Beetroot Dal (Split Pigeon peas cooked in Indian spices along with Beetroot)

Beet root dal

Ingredients:

1. 1/2 cup split pigeon peas toasted (toor dal)
2. 1 can beet root drained, chopped into small pieces (or 1-11/2 cup of fresh beet root peeled and chopped)
3. 1/2 cup finely chopped onions
4. 1 green chillies, 2 red chillies
5. 1 tablespoon each of coriander powder, chole masala (or amchur powder)
6. 1 teaspoon each of chopped garlic and chopped ginger, cumin powder, chilli powder, cumin, mustard seeds
7. 1/2 tablespoon oil
8. few curry leaves
9. handful of coriander leaves

In a pressure cooker add the toasted dal and beetroot and cook it for 4 whistles with 2 cups of water. Let the steam escape and open the cooker.

In a pan heat the oil and add the mustad seeds and let them splutter. Add cumin and curry leaves and dried chillies and fry for a minute. Add the onions and fry till they start turning brown. Add the green chillies, gralic and ginger and stir for a minute. Add the cooked dal and all the spices and 2 more cups of hot water and simmer for 6-8 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and enjoy

More Beetroot recipes

Indian beans and Beetroot fry

Simple Beetroot fry

Indian Beetroot bread
Yummy Beetroot rice

I got onto the Generative AI band wagon and asked the GPT to write the above recipe in a funny way. And here is what it wrote

Okay, here we go, get ready for some dramatic recipe reading!

"Alright, buckle up, buttercup, because we're about to embark on a culinary adventure so thrilling, so beetroot-y, it'll make your tastebuds do the tango!

First, you're gonna grab your pressure cooker – you know, that magical metal pot that can turn a humble lentil into a superhero of flavor? Toss in your toasted dal (because toasting makes everything fancier, duh!) and those ruby-red beets – the earth's little jewels. Now, add two cups of water. Don't be stingy! These guys need a good bath. Clamp that lid on tight and let 'er rip! Four whistles, people! That's the magic number. (Or is it? Maybe it's five. Just kidding! It's four. I think.)

Once the steam escapes (because we don't want any exploding pressure cookers, thank you very much!), carefully open the lid. Behold! Your dal and beets are now best friends, swimming in a crimson sea.

Next, grab a pan. Any pan will do, as long as it's not the one you use to bake socks in. Heat up some oil – just enough to make the mustard seeds do their happy dance. When they start popping like tiny firecrackers, toss in the cumin seeds. They're like the cool, calm cousins of the mustard seeds. Then, add the curry leaves. They're the fragrant superstars of this dish. Don't forget the dried chillies! They're the spice ninjas, adding a kick to the party. Fry this aromatic crew for a minute, until they're all mingling and smelling amazing.

Now, throw in the onions. They're the life of the party, always bringing the flavor. Cook them until they start turning a lovely shade of brown. Then, add the green chillies, garlic, and ginger. This trio is the flavor powerhouse of the dish. Stir it all together for a minute, letting the magic happen.

Pour in the cooked dal and beets. They're the stars of the show, remember? Add all the spices – because spices are like fairy dust for food. And don't forget two more cups of hot water. Hot water is like a warm hug for your dal. Let it all simmer for 6-8 minutes, or until it's reached peak deliciousness.

Finally, garnish with cilantro – the confetti of the culinary world! And then… EAT! Enjoy your beetroot dal masterpiece! You're a culinary genius! (Or at least you will be after this.)"

Hyderabadi lamb curry

 The lamb curry I made today is super delicious and would be great with paratha or Zeera Rice

Hyderabadi lamb curry (Lamb cooked in spicy nutty gravy)

Hyderabadi Lamb Curry

Marinade Ingredients :

1. 1 lb lamb cut into 1 inch cubes
2. 1 teaspoon each of ginger garlic paste, chilli powder, coriander powder, ghee (clarified butter)
3. 1/2 teaspoon each of cumin powder, garam masala powder
4. 1 tablespoon lemon juice
5. 2 tablespoons plain yogurt
6. 1/2-3/4 teaspoon salt
7. 1 tablespoon each of fresh coriander leaves and mint leaves chopped

Ingredients:

1. 2 tablespoons oil

Paste Ingredients :

1. 1 tablespoon oil
2. 1 medium small onion sliced (and fried)
3. 1 tablespoon each of almonds, cashew
4. 2 tablespoon frozen or fresh grated coconut (thawed)
5. 2 garlic cloves
6. 1 inch ginger piece peeled (about an inch thick)

Wash the lamb pieces and marinate it with all the ingredients in the marinade list and set aside for 30-60 minutes.

In a pan heat 1 tablespoon oil and fry the onions till they become dark brown.

Soak the almonds and cashews in 1/2 cup water for 10 minutes.

Grind all the ingredients in the paste ingredients list and set aside

In a pressure cooker heat the oil and add the lamb and fry on high flame for 5 minutes. Stir a couple of times. Close the cooker and cook for 3 whistles. Cut the heat and let all the steam escape. Add the paste and another 1/2 cup water and cook for 10 minutes. if the gravy becomes too thick add some water and stir well.

Serve with paratha or Zeera rice

Bottle gourd shrimp curry

 I was looking for something new for dinner and I stumbled upon this Bengali recipe with some gourd and shrimp and it looked super delicious and I improvised it with bottle gourd and it turned out to be spectacular. So here you go

Bottle gourd shrimp curry (Spicy curry with bottle gourd and shrimp)

Bottle gourd shrimp curry

Ingredients:

1. 1 medium to large bottle gourd peeled, cored and cut into quarters length wise and sliced into 1/2 inch thick 1-1.5 inch ling strips (quarter circles)
2. 12-16 oz medium small shrimp peeled and deveined
3. 1 medium small onion sliced
4. 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
5. 1 tablespoon oil
6. 1 teaspoon of salt divided
7. 1 teaspoon each of chilli powder, coriander powder, onion seeds (kalonji)
8. 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
9. Cilantro for garnishing

Clean the shrimp and add 1/4 teaspoon salt and turmeric, mix and set aside for 10 minutes

In a pan heat the oil and fry the drained shrimp for 1 minute. Drain and set aside. In the same pan add the onion seeds (add 1/2 tablespoon more oil if needed) and fry for a minute. Add the onions and fry till they start becoming dark brown. Add ginger garlic paste and try and fry for a minute. Add the bottle gourd pieces and add salt and cover and cook for 10 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water and cover and cook for 10 more minutes. Add all the spices and cook on medium high flame for 5-7 minutes until the curry is semi dry. Garnish with cilantro and enjoy with white rice and dal

Cabbage Kheer

 Kheer is nothing but a milk based sweet pudding dish with either rice or vermicelli traditionally. It is not as thick as pudding but thin in consistency. But as we have come to know to cook with more varieties of grains, the kheer has also evolved. Below are a couple of Kheer recipes.

Sabudaana seviyah kheer

Quinoa Kheer

The Kheer is made today is mainly made with Cabbage a little bit of vermicelli. Because there was vermicelli...the picky eaters in my family had no clue they were eating cabbage >:)

Cabbage Kheer (Cabbage cooked in sweet milk)

Cabbage Vermicelli kheer

Ingredients:

1. 3 cups thinly sliced cabbage
2. 1 cup fine vermicelli (optional)
3. 1 tablespoon each of cashews, raisins, almonds
4. 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
5. 3 cups milk
6. 2/3-1 cup milk
7. 2 teaspoon ghee/clarified butter
8. 1 teaspoon rose essence or 2 cardamom crushed

Heat the ghee in a heavy bottomed pan add fry all the dry fruits, drain and set aside.

In the same pan add the cabbage and fry for 5 minutes. Add the milk and cook for 15 -20 minutes until the cabbage becomes tender. Add the sugar and cook further for 10 minutes. Add the rose water or cardamom and add the fine vermicelli if using. Give it a stir. Sprinkle with the dry fruits and poppy seeds and enjoy hot kheer on a cold winter day

Roasted Eggplant and Black Eyed Peas

 Its new year and inevitable every year there is always an article about what foods are eaten on Jan 1st for good luck. And in the South of the USA, Black Eyed Peas are eaten.

I have a couple of Black Eyed recipes from before

Black Eyed Peas and Cabbage

Turkey Sausage with Black Eyed Peas

But this time I made with the roasted eggplants and yum yum yum is all I have to say

Roasted Eggplant and Black Eyed Peas (Black eyed peas cooked with roasted eggplant with Indian Spices)

Roasted Eggplant and Black Eyed Peas

Ingredients:

1. 1 medium eggplant horizontally sliced and drizzled with a bit of an oil and roasted on an open flame for 5 minutes on each side ( I roast them on my stove top flame)
2. 1 can black eyed peas drained or 1 cup dried black eyed peas soaked over night and cooked in a cooker for 3 whistles with 2 cups of water
3. 1 teaspoon each of salt, cumin, red chilli powder
4. 2 teaspoon coriander powder
5. 1 medium onion chopped fine
6. 1 teaspoon graded ginger
7. chopped fresh coriander/cilantro  for garnish
8. 1 tablespoon oil

Leave the roasted eggplant covered in a plate for 5- 10 minutes. Scrape the meat out of the skin and mash it so that there is are no big pieces or long strands of flesh.

In an pan heat the oil and add the chopped onions and fry until they start becoming brown. Add the ginger and give it a quick stir. Add the roasted eggplant and all the spices and mix well. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Add the drained black eyed peas and 1 cup water or the contents of the cooker. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and enjoy on a New Year's day with Roti or Rice