Pindi Chana पिंडी चना (Chickpeas in Spicy Gravy)

Pindi Chana पिंडी चना (Chickpeas in Spicy Gravy)

Ingredients:

1 cup Kabuli Chana/Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans)

1 Tea Bag (Green Tea or Mango-Green Tea)

1 medium Onion, chopped

1 tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste

1 cup Pomegranate Seeds

1 tbsp Coriander Seeds

1 tsp Turmeric Powder

2 tsp Red Chili Powder

2 Green Chili, cut lengthwise

1 tsp Dry Mango/Amchur Powder

3 tbsp Ghee

1 tsp CuminSeeds

2 tsp Cumin Powder

1 tbsp Coriander Powder

1 medium Tomato, chopped

1 tsp Garam Masala

Instructions:

In a large bowl, with clean, filtered water, add-in the chickpeas/garbanzo beans.

Allow to soak for 8 hours or overnight.

Transfer in a pressure cooker, and cook by adding a tea bag to it.

Let cool, and  discard the tea bag. Save the water for later use.

Set the boiled chickpeas/garbanzo beans aside.

In a heated pan, dry roast the pomegranate seeds, coriander seeds, turmeric powder, 1 tsp red chili powder, and dry mango powder. After cooling, grind the mixture to a thick paste using mixer. *You may add 1/2 cup water more, if needed.

In another pan, add-in ghee; once heated, add-in cumin seeds.

When the cumin seeds crackle, add onion and saute till it turns pinkish.

Add-in ginger-garlic paste, and green chilies; sauté for a few seconds

Then add-in the remaining half of red chili powder, turmeric powder, cumin, and coriander powder. Sauté for a few seconds more.

Add-in the chopped tomatoes, and sauté again until the tomatoes become mushy.

Add-in the boiled chickpeas/garbanzo beans by pressing them slightly and mix well.

Pour-in the water which was used for boiling the peas as needed.

*You may add more water depending on the thickness of the spicy gravy.

Allow to simmer for a few minutes before turning off heat.

Transfer in a serving bowl, and garnish with chopped coriander.

Serve hot/warm with chapatti, naan, paratha, kulcha, poori, or basmati rice.

Happy Cooking!!

Chana Masala चना मसाला (Chickpeas Curry)

Chana Masala चना मसाला (Chickpeas Curry)

Ingredients:

2 cups Chickpeas/Garbanzo Beans

1 tsp Cumin seeds

a pinch of Asafoetida (Hing)

1 tbsp Gram Flour (Besan)

1 cup Tomato Puree

1 tsp Chilli Powder

2 tsp Coriander Powder

1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder

1 tsp Garam Masala

1 cup filtered Water

2 tbsp Olive Oil

a dash of Salt to taste

Instructions:

Wash and soak the chickpeas/garbanzo beans overnight and pressure cook it with salt (or boil  in water with salt for 30 minutes on high, or until soft but not mushy.) Drain excess water; set aside.

In a heated pan with olive oil, crack the cumin seeds and add asafoetida.

Add-in the garam flour, and stir fry for a minute.

Pour-in the tomato puree; stir and cook until the oil seperates.

Add-in the turmeric powder, chilli powder, and coriander powder. Sauté for a minute.

Pour-in water, and season with salt to your liking.

Add-in the cooked chickpeas/garbanzo beans, and cook on low for about 15 minutes, or until the gravy has thickened.

Add-in garam masala, and stir for for a minute more before turning off heat.

Serve hot/warm in a bowl with chapatti, naan, paratha, kulcha, poori, or basmati rice.

Happy Cooking!

Golden Milk (Turmeric Milk)

Golden Milk (Turmeric Milk), a time-tested Ayurvedic treatment and Indian folk remedy for colds, coughs, runny nose from allergies, throat irritation, and even asthma.

Golden Milk (Turmeric Milk)

Ingredients:

1 cup Almond Milk (or Cow/Goat Milk, or any milk substitute if you don’t consume dairy)

1 tsp (liquid) Extra Virgin Coconut (or Almond Oil, Udo's Oil, Ghee or Olive oil)

1/4 tsp Turmeric Paste (*see recipe below)

Instructions:

In a saucepan, combine all the ingredients (except honey) in medium heat, stir the mixture constantly. Allow to simmer, but do not boil.

Add-in honey to taste. (*Honey sweetens and offsets the astringency of the turmeric.)

Note:

To relieve symptoms, drink a cup of warm turmeric milk two or three times per day. Indian naturopath Dr. H. K. Bakhru recommends taking it on an empty stomach for best results.

i used these~ almond milk, turmeric, organic acacia honey, and 100% virgin coco oil.

Turmeric Paste

Ingredients:

2 tbsp of Turmeric Powder

1/2 teaspoon of ground Black Pepper

4 tbsp filtered Water

Instructions:

In a small saucepan, pour-in the water.

Add-in the turmeric powder, black pepper. Mix well.

Adjust heat to medium-high and stir constantly, until the mixture is in a thick paste consistency.

Turn off heat, and allow to cool.

Note:

This paste will last for 2~3 weeks if kept in an airtight glass jar

This paste could be mix in rice, yogurt, juice, or smoothie.

You can also add a small dollop of the paste on top of crackers and cheese; or you can spread the paste on sandwich bread along other sandwich ingredients.

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Also try this with different spices; Blend spices to enhance the taste, flavor, and health benefits of this exotic concoction.

Golden Milk with Spices

Ingredients:

1/4  cup Water

1/2 tsp fresh Ginger, minced

a few corns of crushed fresh Pepper

1/4  tsp of ground/whole Cardamom

1 tsp raw, organic Honey

1/2~1 teaspoon of the turmeric paste

3/4 cup milk

1/4 tsp of Coconut Oil, Almond Oil, or Sesame Oil

Almonds, Pistachios, Dates, Fig and Saffron strands may be used as a healthy garnish.

Instructions:

In a saucepan, add-in water along with ginger, corns of crushed fresh pepper, ground/whole cardamom, honey, and turmeric paste.

Stir, and bring to a boil. 

Let it cook for about a couple of minutes or more. 

Pour-in milk, lower the heat and cook until hot (Do not boil!).

Then add-in coconut oil, almond oil, or sesame oil.

Garnish with Almonds, Pistachios, Dates, Fig and Saffron strands.

The above recipe has naturally occurring ingredients which have traditionally been used to support the structure and function of the human body for thousands of years. Always check with your personal physician or licensed health care practitioner before making any significant modification in your diet or lifestyle, to insure that the ingredients or lifestyle changes are appropriate for your personal health condition and consistent with any medication you may be taking.

While turmeric is safe in regular dietary amounts, it can cause stomach upset at high doses. Ask your doctor before using turmeric if you suffer from gallstones or bile duct obstructions. Pregnant women should also avoid consuming extra turmeric since it encourages menstruation and uterine contractions. Do not take turmeric milk if you are allergic to dairy products, though you can *substitute milk substitutes (almond milk, soy milk, oat milk, or rice milk) in place of dairy milk in making golden milk.

Chicken Bhuna Masala

Chicken Bhuna Masala

Ingredients:

250 g Chicken, skinless and boneless

1 tbsp Ghee, melted

2 tbsp Vegetable Oil

2 cups Yoghurt or Coconut Milk

1 tbsp Garam Masala Powder

1 1/2 tbsp Garlic, minced

1 tbsp Ginger Paste

2 Green Chili, chopped

1 Red Chili, chopped

1 large Onion, sliced

1 small Tomato, sliced

1 tsp Turmeric powder

Red Chilli Powder to taste

Salt to taste

Instructions:

In a bowl, combine the chicken pieces with yoghurt or coconut milk, ginger, turmeric, red chili, green chili, garam masala powder, red chili powder, and salt. Keep aside to marinate for 1 hour.

In a non-stick pan, heat the oil and ghee together.

Add-in the garlic paste to the heated oil, and immediately add-in the onion. (Don't burn the garlic!)

Stir-fry the onion until golden; add-in the tomatoes, and the marinated chicken. Put the heat on high. Lots of water will come out from the chicken. So keep stirring and evaporate all the water of the chicken till oil separates from the masala.

When oil starts separating from masala turn off the heat, and place on a serving bowl.
Serve hot and enjoy!!

Note:

Best served with Lachha Paratha or Kulcha.
You can also add some lime juice to the Bhuna Masala.

Lachha Paratha (Multi-layered Indian Flat Bread)

Lachha Paratha (Multi-layered Indian Flat Bread)

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups plain Flour or Wheat Flour

1/2 cup Ghee, melted

1 tbsp Oil

1 tsp Sugar

1/4 tsp Baking Powder

Salt to taste

Water or Warm Milk as needed

Chili Powder (optional)

Instructions:

In a medium bowl, mix-in the flour, baking powder, salt, oil, sugar & water/milk to make a soft dough. Knead until fully combined.

Cover with a plastic wrap, and keep aside in warm area for 30 minutes.

Take some extra flour in a plate for dusting.

Knead the dough with wet hands, and then roughly divide the dough into 12 equal parts.

Place them on a tray, cover, and let it rest for 5-10 minutes.

When ready, dust your hands lightly with the extra flour and take a portion of the dough and roll it in between your palms in to a ball. 

Place the ball of dough into flour and press flat, dusting on both sides.

Now place the dough on a clean countertop, and roll into a 6’ circle with a rolling pin.

Sprinkle salt and red chili powder (optional) over the dough. Brush and spread oil or ghee over the surface of the dough.

Hold one side of the dough and start weaving inward to outward folds. (*like weaving when making a paper fan.)

After finish weaving, take one side of paratha and roll.

Then press to seal the end part with the main body of the rolled up dough.

Place the rolled up dough into the flour and press flat dusting on both sides. Then, place it on the countertop, and roll into a 6" diameter circle.

Gently shake off the paratha to remove excess flour.

Preheat a flat griddle on medium heat, and grease it with little oil. 

Place the prepared paratha on the hot greased griddle, and let it cook. 

In about 30 seconds little bubble will start appearing. Using a spatula, flip the paratha, and cook for 30 seconds, then turn it back. (If the paratha sticks to the griddle, it is not hot enough, if it is too dark or burn, it is too hot, adjust the heat accordingly.)

Brush ghee or oil on both sides of the paratha, and continue cooking.

Gently press the paratha with the spatula in a circular motion to make it crispy, repeat on both sides.

After every few seconds, flip the paratha few times for about 2 minutes, or until it becomes light brown from on both sides.

Remove from the griddle; or cook until you get desired crispiness from both sides.

Serve hot with Indian Curries. Enjoy!!