Lobia curry

method :

1. Heat oil in a pan and cumin seeds and stir well.
2. Now add onions and make it light brown.
3. Now add turmeric g.g paste and coriander powder and fry nicely.
4. now add tomato, green chili pulp and fry till oil oozes out
5. Now add 1/2 tsp red chili powder and add 1/2 tsp garam masala.
6. Now add black eyed peas with water and cook for 5 mins
7. garnish with coriander leaves.

Simple tomato dal with no onion no garlic

Ingredients:

Toor Dal - 1/2 cup
tomato - 4
green chili - 6
turmeric - 1/2 tsp
salt - to taste


seasoning :
oil, Mustard , cumin seeds, urad dal, Dry red chili, curry leaves, Hing

Method :
1. In Pressure cooker, Add toor dal, tomato, turmeric, green chili and 1 cup water and cook till 4 whistles and switch of the gas.
2. No after all pressure is gone, mash the Dal properly
3. Now heat oil in a pan and add mustard, cumin, urad and fry nicely, Now add curry leaves dry red chili and fry and now add pinch of hing and add this sesoinng to dal.
4. Now let dal boil for 5 mins and switch of the stove.

Simple palak dal with no onion no garlic

Ingredients:

Toor Dal - 1/2 cup
Spinach - 1 cup
tomato - 4
green chili - 6
turmeric - 1/2 tsp
salt - to taste


seasoning :
oil, Mustard , cumin seeds, urad dal, Dry red chili, curry leaves, Hing

Method :
1. In Pressure cooker, Add toor dal, spinach, tomato, turmeric, green chili and 1 cup water and cook till 4 whistles and switch of the gas.
2. No after all pressure is gone, mash the Dal properly
3. Now heat oil in a pan and add mustard, cumin, urad and fry nicely, Now add curry leaves dry red chili and fry and now add pinch of hing and add this sesoinng to dal.
4. Now let dal boil for 5 mins and switch of the stove.

Cauliflower Masala (mashed)

Cauliflower - 2 cups ( shredded)
Lemon - 1/2
Green chili - 3 chopped
Ginger - 1/2 inch - chopped
Salt - as needed
Pav Bhaji Masala - 1 tsp
Spinach - 1 cup chopped
Mushrooms - 1/2 cup chopped

Seasoning :
Chana dal - 1/4 tsp
Urad dal - 1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/8 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp


method :

1. Heat oil in a pan
2. Add seasoning items and green chili and ginger and fry nicely
3. Now add turmeric, salt n mix well
4. Now add Spinach and mushrooms and fry for 2-3 mins.
5. Now add Cauliflower and fry for 5 min with lid closed. Mix in between.
6. Now check salt and check masala n mix well.
7. Squeeze lemon and mix well.

gluten free - Lemony Caulifower rice fry

Cauliflower - 2 cups ( shredded)
Lemon - 1/2
Green chili - 3 chopped
Ginger - 1/2 inch - chopped
Salt - as needed
Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup for garnish


Seasoning :
Chana dal - 1/4 tsp
Urad dal - 1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/8 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp


method :

1. Heat oil in a pan
2. Add seasoning items and green chili and ginger and fry nicely
3. Now add turmeric, salt n mix well
4. Now add Cauliflower and fry for 5 min with lid closed.
5. Now check salt and add coriander leaves.
6. Squeeze lemon and mix well.

Insta Pot Chicken Biryani my style.

Insta Pot Chicken Biryani my style.

Ingredients

Whole chicken - 2 ( 4 or 5 lbs ) cut into small pieces
Basmati rice = 4 cups soaked in water, for around 30 mins ( usually its 1 cups of rice =1 1/4 cups of water)
Ghee - 4 tbsp
Fried onions - 2 cups (chop 2 onions length wise and fry in oil till golden brown) ( (Optional) If you don’t have fried onions, you can add chopped onions here and fry them till light brown color.) 
Ginger garlic paste - 3 tbsp
Mint leaves 1 bunch chopped
Coriander leaves 1 bunch chopped
Lemon - 1/2 juice Green chilies - 6 slit Yogurt - 1 cup oil - 3 tbsp Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp or less as we will use Shan biryani masala Turmeric powder =- 1/2 tsp Shan Bombay biryani masala - 1 whole packet Salt, as per taste Dry Masala : Bay Leaves Cinnamon sticks Black cardamom Shahi jeera Cloves Cardamom Whole Pepper Star Anise Preparation: 
Marinate the chicken. In a large bowl, marinate the chicken, first, by adding all the garam masala spices. Add the ginger garlic paste, mint leaves, coriander powder, green chilies and the fried onions. Next add the spices: red chilli powder, Shan Masala powder and salt. Add the yogurt and the oil, and squeeze some fresh lemon juice on top. Mix them really well, and keep it in the fridge for 30 minutes. Now your chicken biryani base mix is ready.

Method :

1. Plug in INSTA POT and tap sauté mode in medium.
2. Heat 2 tbsp ghee 
3. Add Marinated chicken and sauté for 5 mins by covering with a glass lid.
4. Now cancel Saute mode.
5. Now press Manual mode and keep time as 10 mins and close the Insta Pot and seal the vent.
6. After 10 mins Open the lid after all the pressure is gone and you will see chicken with gravy.
7. Now add soaked and drained rice on top of chicken and spread.
8. Now add 3.5 cups of water ( as you have enough water in chicken already from gravy)
9. Add rest of your 2 tbsp ghee and check the salt and close the lid.
10. Now press Manual mode and keep time as 6 mins and close the Insta Pot and seal the vent.
11. After 10 mins, let manually release press with a spoon and open the lid and transfer rice to serving dish.
12. serve with your fav Raita.

 (Optional) If you don’t have fried onions, you can add chopped onions here and fry them till light brown color. 

(Optional) you can add 10 small baby potatoes while Marinating and cook with chicken.

Sreshta Lunch Box series - 4. Spinach and Choley rice

Rice - 1/4 cup cooked
Spinach - 1/2 cup
Choley - 1/2 cup boiled
lemon - 1/2
green chili - 1 deseeded and chopped
turmeric - 1/4 tsp
salt - as needed
Choley masala - 1/4 tsp

Seasoning :
chana dal - 1/4 tsp
urad dal - 1/4 tsp
mustard seeds - 1/8 tsp
cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp


method :

1. Heat oil in a pan
2. Add seasoning items and green chili and fry nicely
3. Now add turmeric, salt n mix well
4. Now add Spinach and choley and fry for 1 min
5. Add Rice and mix well and check salt and check chilly masala n mix well.
6. Squeeze lemon and mix well.

Sreshta Lunch Box series - 3. Spinach and panner rice

Rice - 1/4 cup cooked
Spinach - 1/2 cup
paneer - 1/4 cup small cubes like sugar cubes
lemon - 1/2
green chili - 1 deseeded and chopped
turmeric - 1/4 tsp
salt - as needed
Choley masala - 1/4 tsp

Seasoning :
chana dal - 1/4 tsp
urad dal - 1/4 tsp
mustard seeds - 1/8 tsp
cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp


method :

1. Heat oil in a pan
2. Add seasoning items and green chili and fry nicely
3. Now add turmeric, salt n mix well
4. Now add Spinach and paneer and fry for 1 min
5. Add Rice and mix well and check salt and check chilly masala n mix well.
6. Squeeze lemon and mix well.

Dal palak

Palak/Spinach - 1 bunch
Toor dal - 1/2 cup
Moong dal - 1/3 cup
Onion - 1 medium, finely chopped
Tomato - 1 medium, finely chopped
Garlic - 4 to 5, finely chopped
Ginger - 1" piece, finely chopped
Green chillies - 1, finely chopped
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Cumin/Jeera powder - 1/4 tsp
Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
Jeera/Cumin - 2 tsp
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Coriander leaves - 2 to 3 sprigs
Lemon juice - 1 tbsp

Method:

1. Wash toor dal and moong dal together. Pressure the dals with a pinch of turmeric till soft. Mash and keep aside.

2. Wash the spinach well and dry it. Roughly chop the spinach and keep aside.

3. Heat ghee and add jeera. Then add garlic, ginger, green chillies and saute for a minute. Then add onions and fry till it turns golden.

4. Now add the tomatoes and saute for a minute. Then add spinach, turmeric powder, cumin powder, red chilly powder, salt and mix well.

5. Saute the spinach till it becomes soft.

6. Now add the dal and combine well. Add water if its becomes too thick.

7. Remove from heat and add coriander leaves, lemon juice and mix well.

Serve hot.

Gluten free :Mix Veg quinoa with masala powder.

Quinoa - 1/4 cup cooked ( for 1 cup of quinoa add 2 cups of water and cook in an electric cooker)
Cabbage - 1/2 cup
Paneer - 10 - 15 small cubes (marinate them with little red chili, turmeric, salt, coriander powder)
Bell pepper - 1/4 cup chopped
Spinach - 1/2 cup chopped
Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup
Green chili - 2 chopped
Oil / ghee - 1 tbsp
Red chili powder - 1/4 tsp
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

Seasoning :
Cumin seeds - 1/8 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/8 tsp
Urad dal - 1/8 tsp
curry leaves - 5

Any of your fav masala's

Pav baji masla - 1tsp
or
Schezwan powder or paste - 1tsp
or
Sambar Powder - 1tsp


Method :

1. Heat oil in a pan and cumin seeds and fry
2. Add cabbage, green chili, and fry nicely
3. Now add bell pepper, spinach n Paneer fry for 2 mins
4. Now add coriander leaves n mix well
5. Now add turmeric, salt n mix well
6. Now add Red chili powder, you fav masala and mix well
7.Add quinoa and mix well n cook for a min
8. Squeeze lemon and mix well.

Sreshta Lunch Box series - 2. Egg Fried rice

Rice - 1/4 cup cooked
onion - 1/4 chopped
tomato - 1/2 chopped
Egg - 1
lemon - 1/2
green chili - 1 deseeded and chopped
turmeric - 1/4 tsp
salt - as needed

Seasoning :
chana dal - 1/4 tsp
urad dal - 1/4 tsp
mustard seeds - 1/8 tsp
cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp

you cannot make this rice without below items :
Peas - very few like 10 (optional)
carrot - 2tbsp chopped fine (optional)
Paneer - 1/4 cup small cubes like sugar cubes (optional)
red chili powder - 2 pinches (optional)
coriander powder - 2 pinches (optional)


method :

1. Heat oil in a pan
2. Add seasoning items, onion and green chili and fry nicely
3. Now add turmeric, salt n mix well
4. Now add peas, carrot and paneer and fry for 2 mins
5. Now push everything in one corner and break egg on other side n cook
6. Now add pepper and salt n mix well
7.Add Rice and mix well
8. sprinkle red chili powder, coriander powder and check salt
6. Squeeze lemon and mix well.

Sreshta Lunch Box series - 1. Lemon rice with Potato and Paneer

Rice - 1/4 cup cooked
Potato - 1 small cubes and cook in MW for 1.5 min
paneer - 1/4 cup small cubes like sugar cubes
lemon - 1/2
green chili - 1 deseeded and chopped
turmeric - 1/4 tsp
salt - as needed

Seasoning :
chana dal - 1/4 tsp
urad dal - 1/4 tsp
mustard seeds - 1/8 tsp
cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp


method :

1. Heat oil in a pan
2. Add seasoning items and green chili and fry nicely
3. Now add turmeric, salt n mix well
4. Now add potato and paneer and fry for 1 min
5. Add Rice and mix well and check salt
6. Squeeze lemon and mix well.