Jun 10, 2021 | Condiments and spices
Aam Launji
This is a superb Indian condiment that goes well with all kinds of Indian meals. It is made with raw green mangoes, Indian five spices or known as panch phoron, some powdered spices, salt and jaggery or sugar. The one I make is a bit syrupy and we love it that way. My mom usually makes a drier version of this by cooking it until the water evaporates to pack in lunch boxes or for our trips or for work lunch.
This is tangy, sweet, and spicy instant chutney Usually most of the Indian households have a few chutneys and pickles stored in their kitchen shelves. We feel our meal incomplete without these accompaniments. Though pickles take days to mature and to be ready to use, chutneys are instant and quick to make. This is one thing which I make too frequently during the raw mango season.
I love this with my parathas and the husband enjoys it, with even a simple dal chawal or humble khichdi.
If you like this spicy aam launji recipe, let me know your thoughts in the comments below. You can also connect with me on my Instagram and Facebook handle.
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Hot Sweet & Tangy Aam Chunda
Aam Launji
Arpita Darooka
Sweet and spicy, instant chutney. Vegan Indian condiment.
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Course chutney, Condiments
Cuisine Indian
- 2 Pcs Green raw mangoes
- 2 Tbsp Oil
- 1/4 Tsp Asafoetida
- 1/2 Tsp Cumin seeds
- 1/2 Tsp Mustard seeds
- 1/4 Tsp Fenugreek seeds
- 1/2 Tsp Nigella seeds
- 1/2 Tsp Fennel seeds
- 1/2 Tsp Turmeric powder
- 1 Tsp Red chilli powder
- 1/2 Tsp Garam masala
- Salt to taste
- 1/3 Cup Jaggery powder or grated jaggery or sugar
- 3/4 Cup Water
Wash and peel the raw mangoes. ( I sometimes cook it with peel on). Cut them into cubes or slices.
Heat oil in a pan and add asafoetida and seed spices. Let them sizzle for approx 30-40 seconds.
Add the cut raw mango pieces and let it cook on medium low flame for 2-3 mins.
Add salt, turmeric powder, and red chilli powder. Mix well and let it cook for a minute.
Add water, cover and cook it until the mangoes lets soft. Takes about 6-7 minutes.
Remove lid and add the jaggery. Cook until the desired consistency (another 3-4 minutes). I like it a bit syrupy but cook longer for a thicker consistency.Add garam masala, mix and switch off the flame.Enjoy!!!
Keyword aam chutney, aam launji, indian vegan condiment
Jun 8, 2021 | Mains
Indian Dum Aloo
We woke up to a beautiful rainy morning and after a while the husband demanded dum aloo for lunch. I have almost lost the count, how often I used to make this until a year ago for every get together. This recipe is a keeper and a crowd pleaser.
A delicious recipe of baby potatoes cooked in a rich onion gravy, made in various ways in Indian cuisine. Different regions in India have their own ways of making this recipe. My family favourite being this this one. If baby potatoes are not available, use large potatoes cut in quarters. The flavour game changer here is use of ghee while cooking, additional tempering with spices and addition of caramelised onions.
I have a very unconventional way of adding garlic tempering and caramelised onions as garnish. Believe me, that’s absolutely non negotiable. It adds a great texture to the dish. This gravy is made with onions and yogurt and the fresh cream is used only in the garnish.
If you like Indian dum aloo this recipe, let me know your thoughts in the comments below or connect with me on my Instagram and Facebook handle.
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Indian Kadhai Paneer
Indian Matar Paneer Gravy
Indian Dum Aloo
Arpita Darooka
Onion and yogurt gravy simmered with Indian spices.
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 40 minutes mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian
- 500 Gms Baby potatoes
- 5-6 Pcs Dry Kashmiri red chillies
- 7-8 Cloves Garlic
- 1 Inch Ginger
- 2 Tbsp Ghee
- 2 Tbsp Oil
- 1/2 Cup Onion purée/paste
- 1/2 Cup Yogurt Whisked
- 1/2 Tsp Turmeric powder
- 1 Tsp Red chilli powder
- 1/2 Tsp Cumin powder
- 1 Tsp Coriander powder
- Salt to taste
- 1.5 Cups Water
- 1/4 Cup Coriander leaves chopped
- 1 Tsp Sugar
- 1/4 Tsp Raw mango powder or anardana powder
- 1/2 Tsp Kasuri methi
- 1/2 Tsp Garam masala
- 1 Tsp Dried mint Crushed
- 1/4 Tsp Crushed fennel seeds
Whole spices
- 3-4 Pcs Cloves
- 6-7 Pcs Black Peppercorns
- 3 Pcs Green cardamom
- 1 Pc Black cardamom
- 1 Pc Star anise
- 1/2 Inch Cinnamon stick
- 1 Tsp Cumin seeds
Tempering
- 1 Tbsp Ghee
- 1 Tsp Cumin seeds
- 2 Tbsp Garlic Minced
- 1/2 Tsp Red chilli powder
- 2 Tbsp Water
Caramelised onion
- 1 Tbsp Oil
- 1 Pc Onion small sized Sliced
Garnish
- Fresh cream, coriander leaves, caramelised onions
Pressure cook baby potatoes to one whistle (almost half cooked). Peel and prick them with a fork.
Soak dry kashmiri chillies (remove seeds) and garlic cloves in hot water for 30 mins. After its soaked, discard the water and grind them to a fine paste. Add in the ginger and churn again.
Heat 1 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp ghee in a pan, add the potatoes and sauté them on medium low flame for 5-7 mins or until the potatoes turn golden brown. Take them out of the pan and keep aside.
In the same pan, heat another tbsp oil and 1 tbsp ghee. Add whole spices and sauté until fragrant.
Add onion paste and sauté for another 2 mins. Add the garlic and red chilli paste. Cook until the raw smell goes way (approx 6-7 mins). Add the dry spices - turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and crushed fennel seeds. Mix everything well.
Add whisked curd and stir until it masala releases oil. Let it cook for another 3 mins. Add salt to taste.
Add in the potatoes, cook for 2 mins on medium high flame. Add water. Add in chopped coriander leaves, sugar and raw mango powder. Mix.
Cover and seal the edges of the lid. Let it cook on slowest flame for 20-25 mins. Remove the lid, add kasuri methi and garam masala. Mix in crushed dried mint. Mix and taste. Adjust seasoning if required.
To caramelise onions - In another small pan, heat oil and add sliced onions. Let it cook on low flame until the onion caramelises. Remove from the pan.
In the same pan, heat ghee for tempering. Add cumin seeds ad garlic and sauté until the garlic begins to change colour. Add in the red chilli powder, mix and then add water. Let it be on flame until the ghee floats on top. Add this to the potato gravy and mix.
Garnish and enjoy!!!
Keyword Indian Dum Aloo recipe, Indian potato gravy, Onion and yogurt gravy, Dum aloo photography
Jun 4, 2021 | Mains
Basil Peas and Mushroom Rice
We finally got our first jab today and while the side effects take it’s time to kick in, putting up a quick recipe here which I made a few days ago.
This is flavourful, vegan and absolutely delicious. I really think once the home get togethers begin again (yeah I am being optimistic with this vaccine drive), this recipe could really come handy. So quick to make, this is a crowd pleasure for sure. I used my favourite vegetables like peas and mushrooms to make this. Addition of fresh herbs add a beautiful flavour and aroma to the rice. You can add any other vegetables or fresh herbs of choice and as per availability. I wanted to make this nut free but feel free to add some fried cashews for richness.
Relish it as is, or combine this with pineapple raita or jamun raita if in season. Fruit raita would impart a natural sweetness to the palette and make the dish complete.
If you try this basil peas and mushroom rice recipe, let me know in the comments below or connect with me on my Instagram or Facebook handle.
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Basil Peas & Mushroom Rice
Arpita Darooka
Vegan, easy and simple recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Global
- 1 Cup Long grain rice Cooked
- 2 Tbsp Oil
- 1 Tsp Red chilli flakes
- 4 Tbsp Garlic Minced
- 5-6 Pcs Portobello mushrooms Sliced
- 1/8 Cup Spring onions Chopped
- 1/8 Cup Green peas Frozen
- 7-8 Pcs Basil leaves Torn
- 1/2 Tsp Black pepper Freshly ground
- 1/2 Tsp White pepper
- Salt To taste
Fluff the grains of the cooked rice with a fork once it has slightly cooled.
In a pan, heat oil, add red chilli flakes and minced garlic and saute just until the garlic begins to change colour.
Add in the sliced mushrooms and let it caramelise from both sides. It will take approx 3 mins for each side.
Add in the spring onions, green peas and torn basil leaves. Cook everything for 2-3 mins.
Add salt, black pepper and white pepper. Mix in the rice.
Finish off with a generous squeeze of lime juice.Enjoy!!!
Keyword Vegan basil peas and mushroom rice, rice recipes
Jun 2, 2021 | Mains
Hot & Spicy Chilli Garlic Noodles
Both the husband and I love to eat Indo-Chinese food. It’s always so quick to come together, doesn’t take much efforts and is so satisfying. As the monsoon season knock the doors here in Pune, this is the kind of food we crave for. I usually make a larger batch to last me for my lunch too the next day. Oh, I can tell you, it really tastes better the next day.
This recipe is made with South Asian sauces and combination of spices that makes it flavourful, fiery and delicious. Give me a bowl of this, and I am a happy soul. I use whatever vegetables I find in my refrigerator to add to this. The generous use of sauces makes it moist enough to not require any additional dish but I definitely love to pair this with vegetables in hot garlic sauce.
This is a fun family meal for us. The whole playfulness involved in slurping up noodle strands and fighting over the last few servings is so much fun. Reduce the heat quotient and see the delight of kids slurping up the flavourful noodles.
If you try this hot & spicy chilli garlic noodles recipe, please let me know in the comments below or chat with me on my Instagram or Facebook handle.
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Hot & Spicy Chilli Garlic Noodles
Hot and spicy, vegan, delicious, under 30 mins.
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indo-Chinese
- Noodles/Spaghetti - whole wheat for two
- 1/4 Cup Spring onions Chopped
- 1 Pc Bell pepper Sliced
- 1/2 Pc Carrot Julienned
- 7-8 Pcs Button mushrooms Sliced
- 2 Tbsp Oil
- 1 Tsp Red chilli flakes
- 10-12 Cloves Garlic crushed
- 1.5 Inches Ginger crushed
- Salt To taste
- Black pepper To taste
- 3 Tbsp Tomato sauce/ketchup
- 2 Tsp Red chilli paste
- 1 Tsp Chilli vinegar
Garnish
- Spring greens
- Red chilli flakes
- Sesame seeds
Boil noodles as per packet instructions.
In a wok, heat oil, add red chilli flakes and sauté ginger and garlic.
Add in the spring onions, sauté for a min. Add in the mushrooms and sauté on medium high heat for another minute.
Add the remaining vegetables and sauté until they cook but maintain their crunch.
Add salt and black pepper, tomato sauce and red chilli paste. Add in the chilli vinegar too.
Continue to sauté on high heat. Add in the noodles, mix, taste and adjust seasonings.
Garnish and enjoy!!!
Keyword Hot and spicy chilli garlic noodles, Noodles recipe
Jun 1, 2021 | Mains
Indian Spicy Potato Curry
Potatoes are such a versatile vegetable that works well with every kind of food and cuisine. We all love our potatoes, don’t we?
We love to pair them with puris or chapatis and without any addition of garlic or onion, this tastes delicious. This recipe is a true reflection that only spices can add so much flavour to the dish. Whole spices are roasted and freshly ground to make this potato curry and these aromatics add a beautiful flavour to this dish.
This potato curry is traditional to the western region of India and a staple in regular home-made food. Usually in Rajasthan, the food is fiery, but you can reduce the use of chillies as per preference and taste buds. I definitely do not recommend altering the whole spices for this recipe. The combination and quantity makes it necessary to make this curry delicious.
We love to relish this with aamras-puri because they are a perfect combo together. Don’t believe me yet? Do try and let me know.
If you’d like to try this Indian spicy potato curry recipe please let me know in the comments below or connect with me on my Instagram and Facebook handle.
Indian spicy potato curry
Arpita Darooka
No onion and no garlic recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 25 minutes mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian
- 6 Pcs Potatoes Boiled
- 4 Pcs Green chillies
- 1 Inch Ginger
- 1/2 Cup Coriander leaves Chopped
- 1/2 Tsp Turmeric powder
- 1/2 Tsp Red chilli powder
- Salt To taste
- 1 Tsp Lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp Oil
- 1/2 Tsp Cumin seeds
- 1/2 Tsp Mustard seeds
- 1/4 Tsp Asafoetida
- 2 Cups Water
Whole spices
- 4 Pcs Cloves
- 6-7 Pcs Whole black peppercorns
- 2 Pcs Green cardamom
- 1 Pc Black cardamom
- 1 Tsp Cumin seeds
- 1 Tsp Coriander seeds
- 1/2 Inch Cinnamon stick
Crush the potatoes roughly.
Dry roast whole spices for a minute. Let it cool and then grind them into fine powder.
Crush together green chillies and ginger.
In a pan, heat oil. Add cumin seeds, mustard seeds and asafoetida. Add green chillies and ginger. Sauté for 30 seconds.
Add the turmeric powder and red chilli powder and immediately add the crushed potatoes. Mix it well, add water, salt and coriander leaves.
Cook it for 15 mins on low flame. Add in the ground spices. Mix and add lemon juice.
Garnish with more chopped coriander and lemon wedge and enjoy with puris.
Keyword Spicy Indian potato curry, potato recipes, no onion no garlic recipes
