Chola (Chana Masala)

Chole also known as Chana Masala is a chickpea dish cooked in a spicy tomato gravy. It is a very tasty dish and best suited for parotas, chapathi etc. Serves 2 to 4. Ingredients : 1) 1 15 oz can of chickpeas (kable chana, Garbanzo beans) 2) 3 tablespoons oil 3) Pinch of asafetida (Hing) 4) 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 5) 1 tablespoon gram flour (Besan) 6) 1 large tomato 7) 1 teaspoon ginger paste 8) 1 teaspoon chopped greenchilies 9) 2 teaspoons coriander powder 10) 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 11) 1/2 teaspoon red chily powder 12) 1 teaspoon salt 13) 1/4 teaspoon garam masala 14) 1 teaspoon chopped cilantro (Green coriander) 15) Thinly sliced tomatoes for garnishMethod: 1. Drain the water out of the can of chickpeas and washthe chickpeas well. 2. Blend the tomatoes, greenchilies and ginger to makea puree. 3. Heat the oil in a saucepan. Test the heat by adding one cumin seed to the oil;if seed crack right away oilis ready. 4. Add the asafetida and cumin seeds. 5. After the cumin seeds crack, add the gram flour and stir-fry for a minute. 6. Add the tomato puree, coriander powder, turmeric, red chily powderand cook for about 4 minutes on medium heat. 7. The mixture will start leaving the oil and will reduce to about half in quantity. 8. Add the chickpeas and a half cup of water and let itcook for 7 to 8 minutes on medium heat, covered.9. Press the chickpeas with a spatula so they soften. Note: add more water as needed to keep the gravy consistency to your liking,and let it cook for few more minutes on low heat. 10. Add the garam masala and cilantro. Let it cook for another minute. 11. Garnish with thin tomatoslices.

Masala Capsicum

Ingredients
3 capsicums
6-8 spoons cooking oil (add more oil for good taste)
2 spoons thick tamarind juice
1 spoon mirchi powder
3 spoons dhania powder
2 spoons til powder
2 spoons coconut powder(dry)
1/2 spoon jeera
pinch of haldi, hing
salt to taste
 
Method

Cut capsicum into medium-size pieces.

Put oil in the cooking pan/kadai.

After heating the oil add jeera,hing & then add the capsicum pieces.

Let it cook for 10-15 minutes without lid.

Meanwhile, prepare the mixture.
Take tamarind juice and add mirchi powder, haldi, dhania powder, til powder, dry coco-nut,
Required amount of salt and mix well all the ingredients.

Add this mixture into the capsicum and and allow it to cook for 3-5 minutes.

Now, Masala Capsicum is ready to serve with hot rice.

Capsicum - Cauliflower Bhaji

Ingredients

1 medium sized cauliflower
2 large/3 medium sized capsicums
2 medium sized onions
2 medium sized tomatoes
2 tbsp everest pav bhaji masala
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp chilly powder
1/4 tsp jeera powder
1/4 tsp dhania powder
1/4 tsp amchur powder (dry mango powder)
salt to taste
3 tbsp oil
 
Method

Cut the onions and tomatoes finely. Cut the capsicums into strips (length-wise).

Separate the florets of the cauliflower and cut them longitudinally

In a flat-bottomed vessel, heat some oil.

Add the onoins and saute them till light bron.

Add the Tomatoes and contiue to cook till a fine paste forms (hint : add some salt while
cooking the  Onions and tomatoes, will speeden up the process)

Now add the capsicum and cauliflower florets.

Add all the masalas and cook on a medium flame till the vegetables are cooked. ( Do not
add any water).

Capsicum and Paneeer Sabzi

Ingredients

1 cup paneer cut lengthwise
1 cup capsicum cut lengthwise
1/2 cup onions cut lenghtwise
1 cup tomatoes cut lengthwise
pinch of ajinomoto
salt and red chilli powder to taste
1/2 cup coriander leaves
 
Method

1 cup paneer cut lengthwise
1 cup capsicum cut lengthwise
1/2 cup onions cut lenghtwise
1 cup tomatoes cut lengthwise
pinch of ajinomoto
salt and red chilli powder to taste
1/2 cup coriander leaves

Paneeer Chilli Fry

Ingredients

250 gms. paneer
1 big green bell pepper (cut long strips lengthwise)
2 medium onions (chopped lengthwise)
soya sauce
chili-garlic sauce
agi-no-moto (also known as chinese salt)

Method

Cut Paneer into square cubes and fry it in veg. ghee (or oil). Keep it aside.

In a tava, take some oil and add Onion to it.

Saute it until light brown and then add capsicum (or bell pepper).
And saute them together for around 2 mins.

Add Soya Sauce, aji-no-moto and chili garlic sauce and salf according to taste.
Finally add paneer.

You can serve this as appetizer by putting toothpick on bunch of paneer, capsicum and
onion together.

Capsicum Curry

Ingredients
2 capsicum
1-1/2 cup besan (gram flour)
1/2 tsp mustard
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
4 green chillies
5-6 cloves of garlic
1 1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 tsp turmeric
salt
oil 5 tbsp
coriander
Method

Heat oil in nonstick vessel, add mustard when oil is hot then cumin.

Add crushed garlic and turmeric, fry for 1/2 min, now add chillies and fry for 1/2 min.

After this add cut capsicum and fry till soft.

Now add buttermilk and let it boil when boiling sprinkle besan (add besan till it is thick
mixture) with one hand and mix with other hand (with spatula),

Now add salt, coriander and mix then cover and steam for 4-5 min.

If sticking add little more oil and steam if again sticking add some more oil.when done let
it cool for a while and crumble with hand (it is very imp to crumble).

Mirch Besani

Ingredients

250 grams capsicum
half coconut
4 green chillies
coriander leaves few
1 table spoon of oil to fry
1 spoon jeera
1/4 spoon turmeric powder
1 spoon jeera powder
2 tablespoons of besan
1 medium size ripe lemon
salt to taste

Method

Wash and clean capsicum, chillies and coriander leaves and dry them with a cotton
cloth. Cut capsicum into medium pieces lengthwise. Fine chop the green chilies and also
cut coriander leaves. Keep the half coconut grated. Keep the besan light roasted in a
thick vessel till fine smell comes. Keep it separate in a bowl.
In a thick vessel pour the oil. Keep the flame slow through out the cooking. When oil is
hot add cut chilies. When they are fried add jeera, turmeric powder and salt. Add the
capsicum pieces.
Mix the stuff and cover it with a plate and pour half cup water into the plate. After five
minutes slowly stir the contents and cover again with the lid. After about five minutes stir
lightly and sprinkle the jeera powder, grated coconut and roasted besan.
Slightly stir and cover it with the lid for about two minutes. Turn off the flame. ransfer the
contents into a serving bowl and sprinkle the lemon juice on it. Add finely chopped cori-
ander and serve hot with rotis, chapattis or hot plain rice.
Cooking time required for this is about 15 minutes and quantity sufficient for serving for 4
people.