Cooking

Rajma Masala

Main Ingredients

• Rajma Seeds - 1 Cup
• Tomatoes (ripe ones for better taste) - 3
• Onion (chopped) - 1 big
• Cooking oil - 2 Tablespoons
• Coriander leaves - To garnish

Masala Ingredients

• Ginger-garlic paste  - 1 Tablespoon
• Coriander/dhaniya powder - 1 Tablespoon
• Cumin/jeera powder - 1 Tablespoon
• Garam masala powder - 1 Teaspoon

Optional Ingredients

• Turmeric powder - 1 pinch
• Groundnut powder - 1 Teaspoon
• Sesame/nuvvulu/til powder - 1 Teaspoon
• Cashew nuts powder - 1 Teaspoon
• Spring Onion - 1 bush

Preparation - Wash and soak Rajma seeds in water for about 7-8 hours or whole night

Cooking Time - About 30 min

Procedure for cooking

1. Wash soaked rajma seeds and boil directly until they turn pale or boil in a pressure cooker for 4-5 whistles. 
2.  Drain the seeds and save the water aside (can be used for cooking gravy)
3. Boil tomatoes and blend or grind them to make fine soft puree.
4. Pour oil in kadai and fry chopped onion until they turn brown.
5. Keep sauting, in order to avoid burning of chopped onion pieces.
6. Add masala ingredients (except garam masala )and optional ingredients to this fried onion pieces.
7. Keep sauting until all the ingredients are properly mixed. 
8. Add ginger-garlic paste and saute again.
9. After 2 minutes, add the tomato puree and pour the water (taken from boiled rajma seeds).
10. Allow the mixture to turn to fine paste. (Takes about 5-8 min)
11. Put boiled rajma seeds in above paste and allow it to cook for 5-8 min. You can mash rajma seeds if you wish to have fine and soft curry.
12. Add garam masala and turn off the flame. 
13. Add coriander leaves for garnish and close with a lid for about 5 min.

Hot and tasty rajma masala curry is ready to serve. Can be used as a side dish for chapathi/puri or main dish with rice/biryani/pulav.

Baby Corn Pepper Onion Fry/Manchurian

Main Ingredients

·      Baby Corn – 10

·      Black Pepper Powder – 1 Table Spoon

·      Corn Flour – 2 Table Spoons

·      Maida/All purpose flour – 2 Table Spoons

·      Oil – 1 Cup (Medium sized)/10 Table Spoons

·      Red Chili Powder- 1 Teaspoon

·      Salt – For taste

Gravy/Manchurian Ingredients

·      Ajinomoto/tasting salt – 1 Table Spoon

·      Coriander leaves – 2 Table Spoons

·      Green Chilies – 2

·      Garam Masala – 1 Teaspoon

·      Garlic Cloves – 2

·      Ginger – Small Piece

·      Onions – 2 (Medium sized)

·      Red Chili flakes (If you like spicier) – 1 Teaspoon

·      Spring Onions – 1 medium sized bunch

·      Turmeric powder- 1 pinch

If you like sauces, keep red chili, tomato and soya sauces handy.

·      Red chili sauce – 2 Tbsps.

·      Tomato sauce – 1 Tbsp. (Do not use if you don’t like sweet taste)

·      Soya sauce – 1 Tsp.

Preparation

1.     Cut baby corn pieces to half and boil them in salt water (takes about 5-10 min).

2.     Drench them after boiling and keep aside or allow to drench on kitchen towel/paper.

3.     Prepare the batter

a.     In a bowl mix both Maida/all purpose flour and corn floor by adding little water. The batter must not be too loose or tight. Better if it is soft

b.     Add turmeric powder, salt, red chili powder, pepper powder and finely mix the batter.

4.     Put the corn pieces into this batter and gently mix them.

5.     Refrigerate for 10 min (Not freezer) so that the batter is picked well by corns.

6.     Now cut the onions into thin round pieces.

7.     Finely chop coriander, spring onions, ginger and garlic cloves into tiny pieces.

8.     Take a flat pan, put 4 Tbsps. of oil and heat it.

9.     Put onions, spring onions, ginger and garlic pieces. Fry them on medium flame until they turn golden brown. Keep sautéing so that they do not get burnt or turns black. Use pinch of salt so that they are tasty.

10.  Once fried, take them into a separate bowl/plate and keep them aside.

11.  Take out the refrigerated corns.

12.  In the same frying pan, heat 4 Tbsps. of oil .

13.  Once the oil is heated, finely spread the battered corn pieces on the pan.

14.  Keep sautéing them gently so that the pieces are not broken.

15.  Allow them to cook/fry till they turn golden brown.

16.  Add ajinomoto/tasting salt, pepper powder, garam masala and onion gravy mix to these corns.

17.  Allow to cook for 5-7 min.

18.  Add required sauces.

19.  Allow to cook for 2 min

20.  Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves and serve.

Battered corns may be deeply fried in oil if you like that taste. Else above procedure can be followed as it consumes less oil.