Ingredients

• 2 tbspn Oil
• 1 bunch Spinach, finely chopped
• 1 Potato
• Eggplant 
• Peas 1/2 cup
• Cilantro 1/4 cup cleaned
• 5-6 pieces Garlic
• 3 Green chilies (small size)
• 4 Tomatoes (medium size) - puree or finely chopped.
• Salt to taste

• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder

• Heat oil and cook spinach in the oil until it becomes soft, it will take few minutes. Grind cilantro, garlic and green chilies, and add them spinach, let it cook 2 minutes.
• Put the tomato puree and let it cook  for 5 minutes on medium flame. Add the veggies & spices to gravy.
• Cover veggies and let it cook on medium flame until done completely.

Note: Choice and quantity of the veggies can be changed as need . Chop vegetables in 1 inch pieces. You can add protein if you like.

Try with Naan or Chappati!

Dill is such a exotic herb that I can't get enough of it. It is known as Shepu in India and widely used. It has lot of health benefits too therefore I decided to grow in my garden. Another reason for growing it because it is expensive here in USA. Here is good article on dill health benefits. I harvest first crop of dill this season so decided to make dill ricesuch a classic parisian recipe :-)

Ingredients

• 2 cup uncooked rice
• 1 cup chopped dill
• little olive oil
• salt per taste
• 1 cup chicken broth - optional
• water to cook rice (less if you are adding broth)
• 1/2 lemon juice 

Direction

• Heat oil in Pan. When oil is heated add water and rice.
• Add salt and dill and let rice cook until done. 
• stir in lemon and servce hot with curry :-)

Chikki is like sugar candy made during festival specially on Makar Sankranti (14 Jan) every year. There are many kinds of chikkis like peanut, Cashews, almonds, coconut etc. I decided to make sesame seed here. I called my mom this year on Makar Sankranti and was casually chatting thats when she gave me chikki recipe. I must say I had complex that I won't be able to make chikki ever but it came out amazing. I was so proud of my self :)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup white sesame seed. Roast them quicky on low flame.
• 1 cup Sugar
• little oil to grease surface.

Direction:

• Grease a plain surface very well with little oil where you can work with this candy mix. grease rolling pin also.
• Heat a pan little bit. Add sugar and stir it continouly on medium flame.
• As soon as sugar dissolves turn off gas and mix sesame seed very well.
• Pour this mix over greased surface and roll it with rolling pin.
• You can break into desired pieces.

Note: Always keep in mind if you boil sugar more, harder chikki will be. so it is necessary to turn off as soon as sugar dissolves.

Sure you can Enjoy this sweetie treat!!

So I was super hungry and wanted to eat Spaghetti (craving you know)..had no sauce so..I decided to make my own sauce. It came out amazing :)

Ingredients:

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped - optional
• 5 clove garlic, chopped
• 2 (6-ounce) cans tomato paste
• 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can stewed tomatoes - You can use regular tomatoes also.
• 1 tablespoon thyme
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup water - I usually make this freshly for spaghetti, so I use pasta water. 

Direction:

• Heat some oil in pan.
• Add Onion and Garlic and saute little bit until onion is tender.
• Add tomatoe sauce, tomato paste and stewed tomatoes.
• Add all seasonings and water. Let it cook until it is properly cooked.
• You can add ground sauted meat if you like.
  

Enjoy hot!!

I was introduced to Bulgur by my Turkish friend, it tasted amazing. I researched little bit about it and made delicious bulgur pilaf with my own Indian twist :)

Here is good article about Bulgur benefits in Ney York times.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Bulgur
• 1/2 onion chopped
• 2-3 cloves garlic
• 1 tomatoe chopped
• 1/4 cup oil
• salt as per taste
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 cup frozen pea - optional

Direction:

• Heat oil in pan. Fry onion untill they are pink. Add garlic and saute little bit.
• Add Salt, chillis and turmeric powder. Add Tomatoe also.
• Add 3 Cups of water and bring it to boil. Add Bulgur and cook until it is fluffy and fully cooked.
• Add thawed peas or any other veggies of your choice...like carrot, corn etc :)

Enjoy healthy bulgur!!

So I started gardening this summer (2010) and first thing I wanted to grow was Basil :) My Pottery intstructure happens to be Italian and gave me nice recipe. First important advice he gave was to use GOOD Parmesan cheese, so decided to get Parmesan cheese from Farmers Market here in Chicago. They sell good handcrafed cheese from Wisconsin.

Ingredients

• 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Direction

Combine the basil, garlic, oil in  food processor and pulse until  incorporated and smooth.

Season with salt.

tip: If you want to freeze this do not add cheese. Add when you consume it.

Summer 2011: Last year I freezed pesto in batches and used it through out year. It was yummmm. I am sure not going back to supermarket pesto :)

Hmm Finally I overcomed my so called "Naan Complex" last night by created delicious Gralic Naan!!! some reason I thought I won't be able to make Naan at home. Goes good with almost all Indian currys specially daal makhani.  It is usually cooked in Tandoor but I made it work with conventional oven.

Direction

• 2 cup all purpose flour/maida
• pinch of salt and sugar
• 2 tsp of oil
• 2 tbsp curd/yogurt
• 1 tsp dry yeast
• 1/2 cup luke warm water.
• pinch of baking soda - optional
• 4 Cloves of garlic finely chopped. No Garlic paste plz!
  

Direction

• In luke warm water put yeast and keep it aside for 10 minutes.
• Mix all purpose flour, soda, salt and sugar very well.
• Add oil, garlic and curd and mix it properly. This will make Naan flaky.
• Now with the help of yeast mix, knead dough very well. Add extra water if needed or extra flour if its too soft for you.
• After dough is kneaded "VERY WELL", cover it and keep it in warm place for few hrs may take upto 3 hrs or more. dough will rise and double in volume.
• Heat oven at 500 Degree for 30 minutes. Keep Pizza stone in it , if you have one or cover baking sheet with aluminum foil.
• Divide dough into 6 equal parts. We can usually roll 2 pieces at a time since conventional ovens are same.
• Roll 2 pieces of Naan and put it on baking sheet or pizza stone. It will take 2-3 minutes to cook Naan. cook Naan on Middle rack of oven.
• Finish rest of pieces and you can butter Naans if you like once they are cooked.

Enjoy!!! 

One hell of Rice Dish which will start symphony in your mouth. It is very common in Sindhi household. It is also know "Bhugal Chavar" or "Dhaag Pachal Chavar".

Ingredients

• 2 Cups Basmati Rice.
• 1 big onion chopped lengthwise
• 1 potatoe chopped in small cubes - optional
• Salt
• Oil 1 tbsp
• Chilli powder 1 tsp  or as per taste
• Garam masala 1/2 tsp
• Cumin powder 1 tsp
• Coriander powder 1tsp
• 2 cloves
• 1 black cardamom
• Bay leaves 1 tsp

Direction

• Wash rice and keep it aside soaked for few minutes.
• Heat cooking vessel, heat oil. Add bay leaves, cloves and cardamom.
• Add onion and cook until they are browned.
• Add Chilli powder, garam masala, cumin powder, coriander powder, salt , rice and potatoes and saute for few minutes.
• Add proportionate water and let it cook until rice is cooked properly.
• Serve hot with Dahi/curd. 

Koki means Bread, It's a sindhi special bread specially for Breakfast. So delicious and flaky...u will love it :)

Love it Love it Love it....Its yummy even though not so good for tummy. Perfect side dish or snack, delicious potatoes and spicy and tangy masala is good for all occasion :)

Ingredients

• Boiled Potatoes 5-6 Medium
• Oil for pan fry
  
• lal mirch / Red chilli powder 1 tsp
• Amchoor / Dry mango powder 1 tsp.
• Jeera / cumin powder 1 tsp.
  
• Coriander powder 1 1/2 tsp
• Salt to taste
• 1 green chilli chopped finely - optional
• Few strands of Coriander chopped finely
• 1 cup peas crushed

Direction

• Mash boiled Potatoes , mix all ingredients except oil, very well into dough .
• You can adjust taste as per your preference.
• Make small balls of the mixture by placing in between your palms, then press it to flatten a bit.
• Heat a non-sick pan or iron skillet and drizzle some oil. Place the patti and cook it on medium flame.
• Once golden brown, flip it to cook on the other side till its done. 

Serve hot with Green Chutney!!