RAJMA RECIPE/RAJMA MASALA

 Hi friends,

I am posting this rajma recipe, which is slightly spiced, creamy and delicious gravy made with kidney beans/ rajma. This gravy can be had with chapattis or rice ( rajma chawal).This recipe is mildly spiced, I am not adding any fresh cream but you can add fresh cream in the end if you prefer a creamy and slightly sweet gravy. Rajma gravy is one of my favourite with roti or rice, do give it a try it will become your favourite too....Its a simple dish which is healthy and a comforting food.

This is a simple gravy ,as long as you follow the recipe nothing will go wrong, even beginners can make this tasty rajma gravy. The basic onion and tomato puree is cooked with spices and with water it turns into a beautiful gravy, you can finish off with fresh cream if you like... tada this tasty, aromatic and flavorful rajma gravy is ready.. so friends give it a try and let me know if you have any doubts..

HOW TO MAKE RAJMA MASALA/ RAJMA GRAVY

INGREDIENTS:

Rajma/kidney beans                       -1 cup

onion                                            - 2 medium size

tomatoes                                      -  3 medium size

ginger garlic paste                         -  1tbsp

salt                                               - as required

sugar                                            -  1 tbsp ( optional)

red chilli powder                            -   1 tsp

coriander powder                          -   2 tsp

garam masala                                -   1 tsp

turmeric powder                             -  1/2 tsp

cumin/jeera                                    -  1tsp

oil /butter                                       -  as required

bay leaf                                          -  1 nos

tej patta                                         -   1 nos

HOW TO MAKE RAJMA GRAVY:

First of all soak the rajma/kidney beans overnight or for 12 hours in enough water. After soaking , rinse the rajma beans until the water is clear. Maybe after 3-4 times of rinsing the rajma beans will be clean.

Now pressure cook the rajma beans with enough water( add water till the rajma soaks) and salt. pressure cook the rajma beans until soft and mushy.

(After the first whistle ,reduce the flame to low and cook for 10 minutes.)

once the pressure settles, open the cooker. The rajma should be well cooked. few rajma should be mushy and soft.

 As we may smash the rajma a bit for a gravy consistency, the rajma should be cooked until it looks like the above picture. If not cook on medium flame for another 5 minutes.

Now on a heavy bottom kadai, add oil or butter. Once the oil is heated add bay leaf,tej patta and the cumin

roast them on medium flame for few minutes, now add the finely chopped onions.

after frying in medium flame for 2-3 minutes, when the onion turn to light brown colour add salt and then ginger garlic paste.

keep stirring on low flame. Grind the tomatoes in a puree in a mixer jar.

Instead of grinding the tomatoes, you can add finely chopped tomatoes also. But tomato puree gives a nice gravy texture to the masala.

Once the onion turns shiny and slightly brown colour add the tomato puree to the kadai.

Keep the flame on low, while adding the puree as it might splatter.

Once the splatter settles, on medium flame keep stirring the mixture ,until all the water from the tomato puree evaporates and the colour turns from pink to slightly reddish colour.

Now add the coriander powder, red chilli powder, garam masala and turmeric powder( if you prefer slightly spicy version you can add 2 green chilli at this stage,)

You can add 2-3 tsp of oil or butter at  this stage if you feel the mixture is too dry.

Roast the mixture on low flame without burning the contents for 8- 10 minutes. After 10 minutes the oil separates from the mixture.

Now you can add the  boiled rajma to the kadai, adjust the water according to the thickness you need.

Don't add all the water from the boiled rajma,if you need a thick gravy.

I added only enough water to soak the rajma, so I am adding the entire contents to the kadai.

To get best flavour out of the rajma, you can smash a few rajma beans with laddle.This step also thickens the gravy and enhances the taste.

Now let this mixture boil on medium flame for another 10-12 minutes.

You can add sugar at this stage which is totally optional.

When the mixture thickens to the desired consistency, you can switch off the flame

If you want a rich version of the gravy, add 5-6 tbsp of fresh cream before switching off the stove.

You can garnish with coriander leaves if you like.

I am not adding coriander leaves as I don't like combination and coriander with rajma.

Now the tasty rajma gravy/masala is ready to be served with rice or chapatis.

I am sure you would love this simple and soulful gravy..

It tastes yummy with rice or roti. This is one of my favourite, do give it a try  it would become your favourite too..

I will be back with interesting recipe soon.

Do check out this page for many other interesting recipe.

Do like and share my Facebook page, because sharing is caring..

will be back soon.. until then tata👋

MURUNGAI KEERAI KOOTU/ DRUMSTICK LEAVES KOOTU

 Hi friends,

Hope you tried out my murungai keerai poriyal recipe, today I am posting a recipe of murungai keerai kootu.This is a bit gravy dish, can be had as a main dish or side dish for  lunch.

I have already talked a lot about the benefits of murungai keerai/drumstick leaves. Its good to add murungai keerai at least once a week. Adding any type of keerai at least twice a week  has lots of health benefits.

This recipe I am using murungai keerai and a mix of three dhall( Moong dhall,chenna dhall and toor dhall).You can use any greens for this recipe, like mulai keerai,arai keerai ,palak or siru keerai. The recipe is the same and its a simple recipe. I am not adding any grinded ingredients, hence its a simple and easy keerai kootu recipe. Even kids who don't like keerai would love this recipe as the mix of 3dhall gives a wonderful taste to this dish.

This keerai kootu can be served with white rice, or as a side dish. This is a very tasty side dish for chapatis. I have made a bit gravy consistency, but you can reduce the water and make it a bit thick consistency if you are going to use it with chapatis.

Lets get on to the recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

murungai keerai/drumstick leaves             -   3cups

thoor dhall/thuvaram  paruppu                 -    1/4 cup

moong dhall /paasi paruppu                     -    1/4 cup

chenna dhall/ kadalai paruppu                  -     4-5 tbsp

onion                                                     -    1 medium 

tomato                                                   -    1 medium

garlic(crushed)                                        -    7-8 no's

oil                                                          -    3-4 tbsp

ghee                                                      -     1 tbsp

jeera                                                      -     1 tsp

mustard                                                 -      1 tsp

red chilli                                                 -      1 no.

Hing/asafoetida                                       -      a pinch

turmeric                                                 -      1 tsp

water                                                    -      as required

INSTRUCTIONS:

First take all the dhall( toor,moong and chenna dhall) ,wash it well and soak for 15 mins.

After soaking, pressure cook the dhalls with enough water ,and required salt. pressure cook until the dhalls are well cooked, I cooked on low flame after the first whistle for 15 mins.

The moong dhall and toor dhall would be well cooked ,but you can see whole chenna dhall/kadalai paruppu. That is okay, as that gives a nice crunchy taste while eating.

Now chop the onion, tomatoes and crush the garlic.

Next in a heavy bottom kadai, add oil cumin and mustard.

when it splatters add crushed garlic and red chilli. I always prefer less spicy kootu, you can add 2-3 red chilli based on your spice level.

Now sauté till the garlic turns a little brown and aromatic.at this stage add the onions.

Add little salt and sauté till the onions turns golden colour, now add the chopped tomatoes.

Now saute till the tomatoes turn mushy. then add turmeric, Hing and required salt.

Now on medium flame ,keep sautéing all the masala, till oil separates from the contents.

Now its time to add the washed and cleaned murungai leaves.

sauté on a low flame, for few minutes ,the quantity of the keerai reduces. sauté well until all the contents are well mixed.

after 7-10 minutes of sautéing, the murungai leaves would have been half cooked. Now add the boiled dhall mixture into it.

Now mix well, if you wish a bit watery kootu then add little water, else the consistency should be fine. Let it boil on medium flame for 10-12 minutes.

  You can see the whole kadalai paruppu/chenna dhall in the middle. It enhances the taste by giving a crunchy feeling while eating.

Now after 10 minutes of boiling ,just before switching off the flame add the ghee, it enhances the flavour.

                                                                                                       

That's it... the flavour of crushed garlic along with mixed dhall...at last the flavourful ghee gives a wonderful murungai keerai kootu.

This will a best friend with white rice, chapatis or a side dish.

So friends, do give this recipe a try and let me know how it turns out. You can use any greens for this recipe..

This will be a tasty and healthy dish for everyone in the family..

So share your comments, like and share  my Facebook page        cookwithindu.

I will be back with another intresting recipe soon..

Until then...tata😃

AVAL PUTTU (POHA PUTTU)

Hi friends, Hope you guys tried my previous recipe of sweet basundi.

Today i am going to post a recipe of an easy sweet dish, AVAL PUTTU .

Aval is flattened rice in English, poha in Hindi. This is an easy snack recipe, can be had for break fast also. I often make this aval puttu at home for break fast ,Its everyone's favourite at home..

This is very easy and simple to make, even beginners can make it.I will share step by step recipe also read notes at the end before making aval puttu.

I am going to add brown sugar to this recipe, you can add white sugar or fine powdered jaggery also. But I would suggest go with brown sugar.

This recipe will be a big hit among kids and elders and you just need 30 minutes to make this puttu.

I am using white aval, but you can you red aval also. I often use red aval ,the flavour and taste are far more better and its healthy too..

But never got a chance to click pictures while making with red Aval. But same recipe goes good with red aval also. The taste will be similar to how we make puttu with red rice( actually tastes  THE BEST  with red aval..)

Lets jump to the recipe of AVAL PUTTU ( POHA PUTTU).

INGREDIENTS

Red or white aval/poha ( thick or thin)           -    3 cups

Ghee                                                          -     7-8 Tbsp

brown sugar                                                -    1/4 cup

Salt                                                            -    1 tbsp

coconut (shredded)                                      -    1 cup

water ( as required)                                     -    1.5 cup

HOW TO MAKE AVAL PUTTU/ POHA PUTTU

I am going to use thick aval or poha for this puttu, you can use thin variety also as we are going to grind it into a coarse powder after roasting.

There may be impurities in the aval so sieve it before roasting using a chalini or sieve 

Now after sieving, in a big kadai add 2-3 Tbsp of ghee ,once the ghee is melted add the aval and roast in medium flame

    

Keep roasting till the ghee coats the aval nicely. Roast the aval only in medium to low flame as high flame may burn the aval.( if you are using thin Aval, use only low flame as medium flame may burn the aval)

Now after 10-15 mins on medium flame with continuous stirring the aval may look like this.

If you try to break it , the aval should be crisp and break like this.

Now switch off the flame and let it cool. Once it comes to room temperature transfer it into a mixer jar ,don't use grind option just use pulse for 2-3 times

Now we can start the main procedure.

Add 1/4 cup of water to 1Tbsp of salt, let it dissolve. The amount of water depends of the aval you are using, for me 1.5cups was needed.do check the notes for adding water. Don't add the entire amount of water together. First add water just enough to dissolve the salt.

Now add the grinded aval mixture. Start to work with your fingers to mix water and aval mixture. Don't mix it with pressure, we want the texture of bread crumbs, so gently with your fingers start mixing.

Now after first 1/4cup of water the mixture will be dry, but keep mixing.

one way to test is if you press you wont be able to make a ball.

Now i added remaing water slowly and mixing the mixture with fingers.

Again the amount of water depends on the amount of aval you are using, so keep adding water slowly

Now after mixing the full 1.5 cups of water ,I got the final stage.Thats I can hold the mixture if I slightly press and it would crumble if I drop.

now let the mixture rest for 20 minutes, after which if you notice all the water would have been absorbed, so sprinkle little water and mix again.

you can repeat this step in another 20 minutes after resting the mixture for 20 minutes, this makes the puttu soft ,fluffy and also the quantity increases.

Now I am adding the shredded coconut at this stage, in my experience I have noticed, if you steam the puttu with coconut it enhances the flavour of coconut and smells awesome too.

Now at this stage if you find the mixture little dry just sprinkle water or let it be.

Now steam the puttu in a idly pan or puttu cooker.

I am using the usual method of adding the mixture to a wet cotton cloth and steaming in the idly pan.

Once the steam comes out, lower the flame and cook for 10minutes in low flame.

after 10 minutes switch off the flame, once the steam settles, when the puttu is still hot transfer the contents to a pan, Add brown sugar and ghee. Mix the contents will.

                                  

Mix the contents well, until  you don't see any lumps of brown sugar. The amount of sugar and ghee depends on the your taste buds..😀

Ta da.. the puttu is ready..

This puttu is very easy and doesn't need much cooking time too..so do try this recipe.

NOTES:

This puttu can be made with red or white aval, the procedure is same.

Add water slowly, if you add more water at once the mixture will turn like upma.Yet if its not too much water let it rest. dont panic, after some time the mixture absorbs water and comes to bread crumb texture.

Always remember to add water slowly, its best to sprinkle then pouring, that way its better to get the correct texture.

If the water is less, the texture may be dry, try to hold and press to make a ball. It should hold and on dropping it should crumble.Thats the correct texture.

After mixing follow the 20minute waiting rule and again sprinkle water and mix again, this gives a heavenly soft texture to the puttu, also the quantity increases.

Guess all loose ends are tied...😍..

Try out this recipe..i am sure it will be everyone's favourite..

I will be back with a new recipe soon..Until then tata..✋

Don't forget to like, share and comment on my page...Because sharing is caring...