Makhana Kaju Sabzi / Foxnuts and Cashewnuts in Creamy Spicy Gravy

This is one particular curry/sabzi, used to be in a menu, when something happens or someone very special visited our household. I remember so many occasions during my childhood, when this curry was made to serve in main course. Along with it many other side dishes were served and many variety of breads.

Days are gone but memories are still there and cherished. I love remembering my childhood days and the specialties I ate during those golden times. Learning from my mother how to cook those special dishes has always been the memorable moments of my life.

I've been busy moving back to India and settling down my kitchen all over again. It's like starting your household setup all over again after many years of marriage. Coming back to my own country has always been my dream and now it's livable. So Kitchen is starting to take shape and I cooked This special curry to start the cooking in the new kitchen.

So here is my recipe of Makhana Kaju Curry. Very rich, creamy and delicious curry to go with any kind of rice and chapati. Try it out and make your family go awe with it's taste. Leave your feedback in the comments section below. Until Next Time, Happy Cooking Friends...................... Saumya

Method of making Makhana Kaju Sabzi / Fox-nuts and Cashew-nuts in Creamy Spicy Gravy:

Wash the tomatoes and cut them into cubes, cut the green chilies and ginger piece roughly.

Grind tomatoes, green chilies, ginger pieces and soaked cashews to fine paste. Keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds and asafetida into it.

Now add the grind-ed paste to it. Roast it well.

Now add the dry spices, turmeric, coriander, red chili and garam masala into it.
Fry this over medium heat until the oil starts to appear on the sides and top of the masala.

While the gravy mix is cooking, roast the fox-nuts and cashews in another pan until they turn golden.

Stir the gravy mix in between to avoid it sticking on the pan. When the oil appears on top of the mix add one cup of water to it. Now add the salt and 1 tblspoon of fresh coriander and Kasuri methi  , stir it well.

Let the gravy boil. after one boil add the roasted cashews and foxnuts into the gravy.

Cover the pan with a lid for 5 minutes to let the foxnuts soak the spices into it.

Take out the curry on a serving platter and garnish with freshly chopped coriander and some fresh cream.
One of the best curry/sabzi is ready to be served with Parantha and Rice.
This recipe will go for Meat Free Monday , Monthly Masala Link Party  and Take a Bite Tuesday.

Ingredients:

Makhana / Phool Makhana/ Fox-nuts           - 1 cup
Kaju/ Cashew-nuts                                            - 15 nos
Oil                                                                      - 2 tspoon to roast nuts
Onion                                                                 - 1 small diced
Tomatoes                                                           - 4 medium diced
Green chilies                                                      - 2 chopped roughly
Cashew nut                                                         - 10 nos (soaked for 30 minutes to an hour)
Coriander                                                            - 2 tblspoon freshly chopped
Oil                                                                       - 2 tblspoon
Ginger                                                                 - 1 inch piece
Kasuri Methi                                                       - 1 tspoon
Asafetidaa                                                           - 1 pinch
Cumin seeds                                                        - 1/2 tspoon
Turmeric powder                                                 - 1/4 tspoon
Red chili powder                                                 - 1/4 tspoon
Coriander powder                                                - 1 tspoon
Garam Masala                                                      - 1/4 tspoon
Salt                                                                       - to taste
Water                                                                    - 1 cup to adjust the gravy thickness

Method:

Wash the tomatoes and cut them into cubes, cut the green chilies and ginger piece roughly.
Grind tomatoes, green chilies, ginger pieces and soaked cashews to fine paste. Keep aside.
Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds and asafetida into it.
Now add the grind-ed paste to it. Roast it well.
Now add the dry spices, turmeric, coriander, red chili and garam masala into it.
Fry this over medium heat until the oil starts to appear on the sides and top of the masala.
While the gravy mix is cooking, roast the fox-nuts and cashews in another pan until they turn golden.
Stir the gravy mix in between to avoid it sticking on the pan. When the oil appears on top of the mix add one cup of water to it. Now add the salt and 1 tblspoon of fresh coriander and Kasuri methi  , stir it well.
Let the gravy boil. after one boil add the roasted cashews and foxnuts into the gravy.
Cover the pan with a lid for 5 minutes to let the foxnuts soak the spices into it.
Take out the curry on a serving platter and garnish with freshly chopped coriander and some fresh cream.
One of the best curry/sabzi is ready to be served with Parantha and Rice.
This recipe will serve somewhat 4-5 people, depending onto the portion size you choose.

Baked Mix Veggie Pakoda

Pakodas are the all time favorite snack in most of the families. To make them a tiny bit healthy I prefer to Bake them. I preferably bake the pakodas, for all my dishes needs pakodas, be it the Kadhi, Kofte, or Snack time pakodas.

In Rainy season, Pakodas and Masala Chai is the best evening snack. Everyone in my family knows if it rains, they are gonna get a lot many variety of pakodas for snack with their choice of Drinks. I, sometimes fry them and most of the times bake them.

This rainy day, the treat was mix veggie pakodas with coffee and masala tea. You can use your choice of mix veggies, spices and gramflour. mixed well and baked to perfection. Chai is ready, Balcony table is set with light music on Radio, life is a blessing. Try these baked veggie pakodas in your kitchen and set the environment like this. Family will adore it and you will too. This recipe will participate in Meat Free Monday link up at Tinned Tomatoes. Until Next Time......................... Happy Cooking Friends, Saumya

Ingredients:

Mix Veggie                    - 2 cups (Par boiled)
Gram Flour                    - 1 - 1/2 cups
Salt                                - To taste
Garam Masala               - 1/2 tspoon
Red Chili Powder          - 1/4 tspoon
Baking Soda                  - 1/4 tspoon
Lemon Juice                  - 2 tspoon
Green Chili                    - 2 finely chopped
Coriander                       - 1/4 cup finely chopped
Water                             - for adjusting the batter
Oil                                  - 1 tspoon (optional)


Method:

Par boil the mix veggies in microwave for 5-7 minutes, use the big bowl.
Preheat the oven to 200c and line a baking sheet with nonstick paper.
I used the frozen veggies, mix of Carrot, Peas, Beans, Corn, Onion and peppers.
In the same bowl add the gramflour, garam masala, red chili powder, green chili, coriander and salt. Mix well.

Add the oil if using at this stage.
If the veggies have less water add few spoons of water to adjust the batter consistency. The batter should be on thick side not runny.
If you feel the batter is runny add few tspoon of gramflour.
Now add the baking soda and lemon juice, mix very well.
At this point batter will start to bee fluffy.
Scoop the desired size on the baking tray.

Bake the pakodas on 200c for 12-15 minutes or until golden on top.

Serve these baked mix veggie pakodas with condiments and masala chai. I hope more and more viewers will love this recipe as this is going to part of Meat Free Monday at Tinned Tomatoes.

Chinese Chili Soya Mushroom

Chinese vegetarian food or say Indian style chinese food has always been my weakness. I LOVE eating Chinese food, Noodles, Fried rice, Manchurian, Chilli Paneer and what not. The smell of Garlic, Ginger, Onion fried with soy sauce and vinegar just makes me go crazy. On top if it has Capsicum and Mushroom, I just can't stop eating like manic.

Anyways, I can write a diary on my love of Chinese food :D So today was one of the day when try to meet everyone's demands for the dinner made me feel like eating something spicy, mushroomy and chinese. Son wanted Mango smoothie, Daughter wanted Biryani and I wanted Chinese food.

So here goes mum in the Kitchen with all the weapons (Kitchen gadgets and utensils) to satisfy the demands of the day. Soya & Vegetable Biryani, Mango Smoothie with tooti-frooti of top and most favorite of Mum "Chinese Chili Soya Mushroom".

I ate Chili Mushroom a lot of time in many many restaurants around London, especially the buffet restaurants.  Paneer Chili will cost a lot , I understand that, so the Mushroom Chili. Thats reason, I think makes the restaurateurs choose Mushroom Chili in the menu. BUT to be honest, I'm happy with this choice, First it's tasty, Second it's less fatty and Third I love it.

So here is my version of Chinese Chili Mushroom, with goodness of Soya Chunks and some gravy to help with Biryani. I can't recommend enough the dish to try into your Kitchen. You can make it dry for snack or tea time accompaniment. Simply use thin slices for Mushroom and fully drained soya chunks. I'm sure family and you will love eating this dish just like mine did......................Until Next Time, Happy Cooking Friends, Saumya

This recipe is also participating in Meat Free Monday round up at Tinned Tomatoes. Have a look there for more yummy and delicious vegetarian recipes from other bloggers.

Ingredients:

Mushroom                   - 6 medium cut into 4 pieces
Soya Chunks               - 1 cup Large Chunks
Capsicum                    - 2 cups Julienne mixed colour
Onion                          - 2 large Julienne
Spring onions              - 1/4 cup green part to garnish
Garlic                          - 5 cloves
Ginger                         - 1 inch
Soya Sauce                  - 2 tbsp
Rice Vinegar               - 1 tblspoon
Corn flour                    - 2 tbsp
Chili flakes                  - 1 tblspoon
Salt                              - to taste
Oil                               - 1 tblspoon

Method:

Wash and cut the Capsicums (Green, Orange, Yellow and Red) in Julienne, keep aside.
Wash and boil Soya Chunks or 5 minutes, drain and keep aside in a sieve to drain the water completely.
Wash and cut the mushrooms in 4 pieces, keep aside.
Cut the onions in thin julienne, make garlic and ginger paste, keep aside.
Heat the oil in pan, add Onions into it, fry until golden.
Add in the Ginger Garlic puree/paste into it. Fry until the raw smell goes away.
Add in the Mushroom and Soya chunks. Fry on high flame for few minutes to dry the moisture in the mushroom and soya chunks.
In a small bowl, mix soy sauce, cornflour, vinegar, salt and chilli flakes. Mix well with 1/4 cup of water.
Add this mixture in the pan, Cover it and let it cook for about 5-10 minutes.
Adjust the water for thin/thick gravy as per choice.
Now turn the flame to high and mix it well for few minutes.
Finally give it a good stir and garnish with spring onions, Onion slices or herbs.
Serve hot as a starter or as a side-dish in lunch or dinner menu.

This recipe is also participating in Meat Free Monday round up at Tinned Tomatoes. Have a look there for more yummy and delicious vegetarian recipes from other bloggers.