Upma

Ingredients

1-cup semolina(Suji) (not too fine)

1 tsp. urad (dhuli ) dal

1 tsp. mustard seeds

One stalk curry leaves

Some grated cocunut/ cocunut powder

Three green chilies chopped ( or more depending on you)

One onion chopped coarsely

2 tbsp. oil

Salt to taste (1/2 tsp)

Pinch of sugar

2 cups water

Cashews ( 1 tsp)and Peanuts ( 2 tsp)

( if available...since I didnt have them so I didnt otherwise add them and its tastes awesome)

Coriander for garnishing

Recipe

1.Heat oil in a kadai.

2. Add the mustard seeds and cover with a plate so spluttering doesn't spoil the kitchen.

3. Once spluttering stops add green chillies, urad dal and curry leaves and nuts and fry on low till light golden.

4. Add onions. Stir and sauté till the onions are pink.

5. Add the semolina and stir continuously till the semolina gives out a nice aroma. It Takes about 7-8 minutes to roast the semolina on low.

8. Add the salt and sugar and stir. Carefully pour in a cup of water and stir well.

9. If it feels too dry, add more water( 1 cup) and stir. Keep on low and simmer for 2-3 minutes.

10 . Garnish with coriander (optional) I didnt add coriander. One can garnish with more cocunut too.

Serve hot with steaming coffee or tea or as breakfast.

Note: Always soak dals in water for 10-15 minutes before cooking and fry them till pink in the oil so that they get done.

Sarson ka Saag with Makkai Roti

Ingredients

Palak-200 grams or 500 grams(depends on ur taste)

Sarson-500 grams

Bathwa-200 grams(optional)

Soya-100 grams(optional)

Onions-1

Tomotoe-1-2

Green chilly-4-5

Red chilly-3-4 (seeds removed by tearing)

Garlic- 1 clove

Ginger- 1 small piece

Salt-1 tsp

Saute

Red chilly-4-5

Cumin seeds-1 tsp

Oil-2 tbsp (cooking spoon)

Recipe

1. One can take equal amounts of palak and sarson too ( one can include bathwa and soya to too) and cut them really small.

2. Wash the saag and let it drain completely.

2. Add saag in cooker and add onions, tomotoes, Ginger , , green chilly, salt to it.

3. Cover it with a plate and keep on low flame so it leaves water.

4. Let it leave some water and then add about 1/2 cup of water or more if water left by saag is less and close lid and let it give 2-3 whistles.

5. Take out sag on a strainer so water is stored in bowl down and saag in up.

6. Let it cool completely and then mix in a mixer using the stored water.

7. Take oil in kadai and add red chilly(whole cut into 3 each ) to it and zeera and then add the saag to it and water to make it thin of desired consistency and cover partially and cook for 3-5 minutes so that water is boiled nicely.

The saag tastes awesome with makkai roti.

Makai ki roti

Ingredients

2 1/2 cup maize flour
hot water

Method

Take all the ingredients in a bowl and add hot water.

Mix with a wooden spoon.

Keep covered till it is cool enough to be kneaded by hand. Knead for a few minutes. Hot water helps obtain a softer dough that doesn’t fray at the edges when rolled.

Divide into 8-10 portions. Roll out, one at a time, into 1/8 inch thick circles 5-6 inch diameter and .

Pressed between the palms to perfection by expert cooks, I roll mine between two layers of plastic (this slit Ziplock freezer-bag has been serving me well for over 10 years!].

Cook on medium heat on a tava or cast iron griddle, with or without a brushing of oil, ghee, or butter.

or

(1. Prepare a dough by adding water gradually.
2. Shape rotis between plastic sheets or make thin with hand by keep using water.
3. Cook on hot, well-greased griddle on slow flame.
4. Add a little ghee on both sides while cooking. Smear ghee on top and serve hot.)

Tip : Chopped methi leaves or grated radish can be added while making the dough. One can add 1-2 tsp atta and some ghee too.

Chane saag is made same way....use half kilo chana saag and 250 grams of both palak and bathwa

Methi Aloo

Ingredients

1 bunch fresh methi (fenugreek) leaves (cleaned, washed and finely chopped) (500 grams)
2 medium peeled and cut into small pieces aloo (potatoes)
2-3 medium tomato (chopped)
2 onions

ginger garlic paste-1 tsp(optional)
Salt To Taste- 1/2 tsp
1/4th tsp turmeric powder
Red chili powder to taste (opipnal)

green chillies-2-3
1/2 tsp panch puran

1/4 tsp rai
1 tbsp vegetable oil

Preparation:

• Heat oil and add panj puran and rai and let it spluter
• When seeds are done add onions, green chilly and saute till they turn brown and then add potaoes, salt, turmeric, chili powder and fry nicely . Sauté foe a moment.
• Cook till potatoes are half done on a medium flame.
• Add methi and cook on a medium flame till they absorb water and then add potatoes and ginger garlic paste so that smell retains and then cook till done.
• Serve the aloo methi hot with chapati .

Note: one can add equal amounts of palak too to it and cook same way.

Palak aloo/Palak bathwa (1 bunch each) aloo is cooked in same way but use cumin seeds instead of panj and rai.