Cremdurai

Cremdurai

By CHEF PRANAV JOSHI

From Budget Kitchen

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 30 minutes

Method: Easy

Course: Soup

Type: South Indian

Key Ingredients:

A creamy and flavourful cauliflower soup

Ingredients

Cauliflower, chopped 300 gms
Extra virgin olive oil 1 tbsp
Medium onion, finely chopped ½
Garlic, finely chopped 1 tsp
Refined flour 2 tsps
Salt to taste
White pepper powder ¼ tsp
Vegetable stock 3 cups
Fresh cream 1 tbsp
Fresh parsley, finely chopped 1 tbsp

Methods

Heat oil in a deep non-stick pan, add onion and saute for 3-4 minutes or till translucent.
Add garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add cauliflower, flour, salt and white pepper powder and mix well. Cook for about 2-5 minutes, tossing occasionally. Add 2 cups water and cook for 2-3 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and let it cool.
Carefully transfer mixture into a blender and blend to a puree. Transfer the puree into the same pan, add vegetable stock, mix and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer on low heat for 3-4 minutes.
Transfer into a serving bowl, drizzle cream on top and garnish with parsley. Serve hot.

Aate ka Choorma

Aate ka Choorma

By CHEF PRANAV JOSHI

By Budget Kitchen

Prep: 30 minutes

Cook: 10 minutes

Method: Easy

Course: Soup

Type: South Indian

Key Ingredients:

Whole wheat flour
Semolina
Ghee
Milk
Powdered sugar
Cashewnuts
Almonds
Raisins

This is generally served along with Rajasthani dal and baati

Ingredients

Whole wheat flour (atta) 2 cups
Semolina (sooji) 4 tbsps
Melted ghee ½ cup + to deep-fry
Milk as required
Powdered sugar ¾ cup
Green cardamom powder ¼ tsp
Cashewnuts, chopped 10
Almonds, chopped 10
Raisins 2 tbsps

Methods

Take whole wheat flour in a mixing bowl, add semolina and ½ cup ghee and mix well.
Add sufficient milk and knead into a stiff dough. Divide the dough into twelve lemon sized balls.
Heat sufficient ghee in a kadai, slide in the dough balls and deep-fry on medium heat till golden.
Drain on absorbent paper and let them cool down to room temperature.
Put the fried balls in a mixer jar, and grind to a coarse mixture and transfer into another mixing bowl.
Add powdered sugar, green cardamom powder, cashewnuts, almonds and raisins and mix well.
Transfer into a serving plate and serve drizzled with a little ghee.

Dal ka Shorba

Dal ka Shorba

By CHEF PRANAV JOSHI

By Budget Kitchen

Prep: 30 minutes

Cook: 40 minutes

Method: Easy

Course: Soup

Type: South Indian

Key Ingredients:

Split red lentils (masoor dal)
Onions
Garlic
Red chilli powder
Curry powder
Tomatoes
Fresh coconut
Fresh cream
Lemon juice

Very nutritious and quite filling too – make it when it is raining heavily and feel satiated

Ingredients

Split red lentils (masoor dal), washed 1 cup
Oil 1 tbsp
Medium onions, sliced 3
Garlic cloves, crushed 4
Red chilli powder ½ tsp
Curry powder 3 tsps
Medium tomatoes, cut into big pieces 3
Fresh coconut, scraped 3 tbsps
Salt to taste
Fresh cream as required
Lemon juice to taste

Methods

Heat oil in a pressure cooker, add onions and sauté till lightly coloured. Add garlic, red chilli powder and curry powder, mix and saute for 2-3 minutes.
Add 4 cups water, tomatoes, coconut and split red lentils and mix well. When the mixture comes to a boil, put on the lid and cook under pressure till 3-4 whistles are given out.
Open the cooker when pressure reduces completely, pour the mixture into a large bowl and let it cool down to room temperature.
Transfer into a blender jar and blend into a fine puree. Pour this into a deep non-stick pan and cook on medium heat for 15 minutes. Add salt and mix.
Add cream, mix and remove the pan from heat.
Pour into a serving bowl, drizzle lemon juice and serve hot.

Kaddu aur Kale Chane ki Curry

Kaddu aur Kale Chane ki Curry

By CHEF PRANAV JOSHI

By Budget Kitchen

Prep: 8 hours

Cook: 30 minutes

Method: Easy

Course: Soup

Type: South Indian

Key Ingredients:

Red pumpkin
Brown Bengal gram
Garlic
Ginger
Onion
kokum paste
Coconut milk
Turmeric powder
Red chilli powder
Coriander powder
Fresh coriander leaves

A very tasty pumpkin and gram curry that can be best enjoyed with rotis or parathas

Ingredients

Red pumpkin (kaddu), diced 500 gms
Soaked overnight and boiled brown Bengal gram (kale chane) ½ cup
Oil 1 tbsp
Garlic, chopped 1 tsp
Ginger, chopped 1 tsp
Medium onion, chopped 1
Kokum paste 2 tbsps
Coconut milk 1 cup
Dry spices
Turmeric powder ½ tsp
Red chilli powder 1 tsp
Coriander powder 2 tsps
Salt to taste
Fresh coriander leaves, chopped 1 tbsp

Methods

Heat oil in a non-stick pan, add garlic, ginger and onion, mix and saute for 3 minutes or till soft.
Take turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder and salt in a small bowl, add 3 tbsps water and mix well. Add this paste to the pan and mix well.
Add pumpkin and mix till all the pieces get coated with the masala. Add 2 cups water, bring to a boil, cover and simmer on medium heat for about 10 minutes or until pumpkin is soft.
Add brown Bengal grams, kokum paste and coconut milk, mix well and cook for 2 minutes or till the mixture comes to a boil.
Transfer into a serving bowl, garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Kand Hari Mirch

Kand Hari Mirch

By CHEF PRANAV JOSHI

By Budget Kitchen

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 20 minutes

Method: Easy

Course: Soup

Type: South Indian

Key Ingredients:

Purple yam
Green chillies
Green capsicum
Roasted peanuts
Lemon juice
Fresh coriander leaves

Purple yam has a colour, texture and flavour which is endearing

Ingredients

Purple yam (kand) 500 gms
Oil 3 tbsps
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Asafoetida 1 pinch
Green chillies (hari mirch), cut into diamonds 3
Medium green capsicum, diced 1
Roasted peanuts 3 tbsps
Salt to taste
Lemon juice 1 tsp
Fresh coriander leaves, chopped 2 tbsps

Methods

Peel and cut purple yam into long strips. Steam them until soft.
Heat oil on a non-stick pan, add mustard seeds and saute till the seeds splutter.
Add asafoetida, green chillies and green capsicum and saute for 2 minutes.
Add peanuts, purple yam, salt and lemon juice and mix well.
Transfer into a serving bowl, garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Mirchi Pakora

Mirchi Pakora

By CHEF PRANAV JOSHI

By Budget Kitchen

Prep: 30 minutes

Cook: 10 minutes

Method: Easy

Course: Soup

Type: South Indian

Key Ingredients:

Achari green chillies
Potatoes
Carom seeds
Fresh mint leaves
Gram flour
Rice flour

Famous Rajasthani snack – green chillies stuffed with potato mixture and batter fried

Ingredients

Achari green chillies 8 to 10
Nutrella soya bean oil to deep fry
Fresh mint 1 sprig
Stuffing
Large potatoes, boiled, peeled and mashed 2
Carom seeds (ajwain) ½ tsp
Red chilli powder ½ tsp
Turmeric powder ¼ tsp
Ginger paste 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Black peppercorns, crushed ½ tsp
Green chillies 2
Fresh mint 8 to 10 leaves
Batter
Gram flour 2 cups
Rice flour 2 tbsps
Red chilli powder 1 tsp
Turmeric powder ¼ tsp
Soda carbonate ½ tsp
Salt to taste
To serve
Green mint chutney to serve
Sweet tamarind chutney to serve

Methods

Heat sufficient oil in a kadai.
Take potatoes in a mixing bowl, add carom seeds, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, ginger paste, salt and crushed peppercorns.
Finely chop green chillies and add. Finely chop mint leaves and add.
Take gram flour in another mixing bowl, add rice flour, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and soda bicarbonate and mix well. Add sufficient water and whisk to make a smooth and thick batter. Add salt and mix.
Mix the potato mixture well. Slit the green chillies without cutting through. Stuff them with the potato mixture.
Dip each stuffed chilli in the gram flour batter and gently slide into the hot oil. Deep-fry till golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper.
Arrange the chillies on a serving plate, garnish with a mint sprig and serve with bowls of mint chutney and sweet tamarind chutney.