Dabeli

Dabeli is Indian version of Sloppy Joe. It is a street food from western state Gujarat.

Dabeli

4 medium sized potatoes - boiled and mashed.

Dabeli Masala (Available in Indian stores - I used Badshah brand Dabeli masala)

Peanuts ( I used cocktail peanuts. If you are using regular peanuts then fry them in a little bit oil and crush after it cools down)

Pomegranate seeds

Cilantro

Sev

Onion cut into small pieces

Green Chutney

Amli Chutney

Chili -Garlic paste

Hawaiian or plain dinner rolls

• Mix dabeli masala with mashed potatoes and make masala according to instructions
• Take a dip dish and make layer of spicy potatoes and add a layer of peanuts, sev, cilantro and pomegranates
• Cut the dinner role in half and toast it a little bit on a hot griddle the same way you toast the burger buns (you can use a T Sp. of oil if you prefer)
• Add garlic chutney on the bun, followed by dabeli masala potatoes.
• Garnish with Amli(Imli) chutney, green chutney, sev and onions.
• Enjoy the dabeli.

To make Green Chutney

• Grind a bunch of  cilantro, 2-3 green peppers, ginger (about 1 inch of piece), salt, 1 T Sp. Turmeric, juice of 1 lemon, 1 Tb Sp. Coriander-cumin (dhana-jeeru) powder and 3-4 cloves of garlic(optional) in a food processor or a mixer. You can add water as desired to make it smoother.

To make Amli Chutney

•  Soak amli in water for about half an hour. Boil the amli with water for about 10 minutes and add Gud (jaggery) to the water after turning the heat off. Jaggery will melt in the hot water, when it cools down squash the water out of amli and discard the remaining pieces of amli. Add little salt, dhana-jeeru powder, a T Sp. of red chili powder and mix well. (Note- Jaggery makes the sauce little salty so you may not need to add salt if you prefer less salty food.)

To make Chili- Garlic Paste 

• Crush about 4-5 garlic cloves with 2 TB Sp. red chili powder in a mortar. 

Gobi Manchurian Dry

Gobi Manchurian Dry

1 Cauliflower cut into medium florets
1/4 Cup Plain Flour (Maida)
1 T Sp. Soy Sauce (For Batter)
1 Tb. Sp. Soy Sauce (For Manchurian)
1 Tb. Sp. Maggi Hot and Sweet Sauce (You can find this in Indian grocery store)
1/2 Cup Bell Paper cut into Pieces.
1 T. Sp. Garlic or garlic paste
1 T SP Ginger paste
1 TSP Crushed red pepper
1 Medium size onion (cut into medium pieces)
Green Onion for Garnish
Oil to fry

• Make batter using plain flour, 1 TSP soy sauce and small amount of water
• Heat oil in a frying pan, cover the cauliflower florets with prepared batter and fry until it becomes golden
• Heat about 1 Tb. SP oil in another pan, add  Ginger-garlic paste and fry for few seconds, add onion and bell paper and cook until onion becomes translucent
• Add crushed red pepper, soy sauce, hot and sweet sauce and mix properly. 
• Add fried cauliflower florets and simmer it for 1 minute in the sauce.Remove from the heat and transfer into serving bowl. Garnish with green onion.

Black Bean Tortilla Bake

I prepared this dish last Christmas for my office lunch. It was a huge hit  :)

I found this recipe on food.com , it is very filling and tastes yummy. Tortilla as in main recipe makes it soggy, so I use tortilla chips to give it a crunch. Here is my version of the recipe

Black Bean Tortilla Bake

1 can of Black beans
1 can diced tomato puree (8 oz)
1 small onion - Chopped
1/2 Fresh jalapeno or 4-5 pickled jalapeno (finely chopped)
2 cloves of garlic -finely chopped
1 packet tortilla chip
1 and half  cup Mexican or Cheddar cheese
Olive oil or vegetable oil
1 Bell Pepper(optional)
Salt
Black Pepper
Pinch of Cayenne pepper

For topping

Sour Cream
Olives
Pickled Jalapeno
Tomatoes
Pico de gallo
Cilantro

• Preheat the oven at 350 F meanwhile heat oil in a big pan, add chopped garlic, and tomatoes. Mix well and cook for about a minute.
• Add bell pepper, salt, black pepper and cayenne and mix it  again
• Add tomato puree and beans, give a nice stir.
• Turn off the heat.
• In a greased baking pan add a layer of tortilla chips, add black bean layer and at last add a layer of cheese.
• Repeat this procedure and use all the black bean mixture.
• Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.

Serve hot  with the toppings

Lentil Casserole - Mix Dal Khichdi

Khichdi

1/2 Cup Rice
1/4 Cup Tual dal (Yellow Lentil)
1/4 cup Mng dal (Green Lentils)

1 small Potato
2-3 Carrots
1 Tomato
1-2 Small eggplants (optional)
1/4 cup sweet Peas
1/2 Onion
1 Jalapeno Pepper 
Ginger 
2-3 Tbsp Oil
1/2 Tsp Mustard Seeds
1/2 Tsp Cumin Seeds
1 to 2  Tb Sp. paprika
1 Tbsp Turmeric
1/4 T Sp Garam Masala (Optional)
Salt to taste
1 Tb Sp Butter


Wash rice, and all lentils and soak in wwarm water for 10 minutes
Cut all the vegetables into cubes
In Pressure Cooker heat  oil, when oil is hot add mustard and cumin seeds
Add all the vegetables and mix well, cook for about a minute
Add all spices, rice and lentils
Add about 1 and half cup of water
Take about 3-4 whistles in pressure cooker.
Add butter and cilantro. Mix well and serve hot with yogurt.

Gajar-Marcha no Sambharo - Sauteed Carrots and Chilies with Turmeric

Sauteed Carrots and Chilies

2 Carrots
1 Big Chili Paper
1/2  T Sp Cumin Seeds
1/2 T Sp Mustard Seeds
A Pinch of Asafoetida/Hing
Salt to Taste
1 T Sp Turmeric Powder

• Cut Carrots and chilies length wise
• Heat Oil in a Pan, add Mustard and Cumin seeds
• Add hing and Turmeric powder
• Add Carrots and chilies
• Mix well, saute for 2-3 minutes, remove from heat and add salt when it cools down little bit.

If the chilies are too spicy, you can add little sugar

Mix Vegetable Sabji

Mix Vegetable Curry 

When you don't have enough vegetables to make sabji with, use all of them and make mix vegetable sabji(Curry).

1 Potato
2-3 Small Eggplants
Small Cauliflower
1/2 Cup Peas
1 Small tomato
1/2 Pound of Spinach
1/2 inch  Ginger Root (optional)
2 Small Pepper Serrano (optional)
1/2  T Sp Cumin Seeds
1/2 T Sp Mustard Seeds
A Pinch of Asafoetida/Hing
Salt to Taste
1 T Sp Turmeric Powder
1 T Sp  Coriander-Cumin Powder
1 T Sp Sugar (optional)
1/2 T Sp Garam Masala (Optional)
5 Tb Sp. Oil

• Cut cauliflower into small florets, also cut all vegetable into small cubes
• Heat oil in a pan, add mustard and cumin seeds 
• Add hing and all the vegetables excluding tomato, mix well. Let it cook until 1-2 minutes
• Add all spices, sugar and a little water enough to cook the vegetables (About 4-5 table spoons)
• When vegetables are little tender, add tomato. Cover and cook thoroughly.
• When it is done, sprinkle garam masala over the curry and mix well. Serve hot with chapati.

Ringan no Olo - Spicy Eggplant

Ringan no Olo OR Baingan ka Bharta

1 Big Eggplant
1 Small Potato (Optional)
1 Small Onion  or  5-6  Green Onions
2 Tomatoes
Ginger 1 Inch
Garlic Cloves 2 -3
1 Green Chili
1/2 T Sp Cumin Seeds
A pinch of Hing
2 T Sp Turmeric
1 T Sp Cumin Powder
1 T Sp Coriander Powder
2 Tb Sp Paprika
Salt per taste
6-7 Tb Sp Oil
1 Whole Dry Red Chili (Optional)
3 Tb Sp Lemon Juice

• Brush oil on eggplant and roast into over at 450 F for about 40-50 minutes or until eggplant is cooked, let it cool  and remove the skin
• Boil the potato and remove the skin
• Mash the eggplant and potato
• Cut Onion, tomatoes, Green chills, Ginger, Garlic into small pieces
• Heat oil add cumin seeds , whole dry chili and garlic. Don't let the garlic get burnt
• Add hing, and onions.
• Fry until translucent, add ginger, green chili, tomatoes, turmeric, salt, coriander-cumin powder and mix well.
• Add paprika and garam masala
• Cook until tomatoes are well done.
• Add mashed eggplant and potato. Mix well and cook for 2 minutes,add lemon juice and remove from the stove
• Serve with roties/chapatis, tastes even better with Bajra Roti and Chhash (Buttermilk)