White ChickPeas curry (Punjabi Chole)

White ChickPeas are a good  source of fiber, chickpeas (garbanzo beans) can help lower cholesterol. Garbanzo beans are an extremely-low-fat, complete protein food.

This dish goes well with Puri, Bread, Bhatura, Paratha, Chapati & Rice.

INGREDIENTS
2 cups white chickpeas (chole)
2 Tbsp oil
2 bay leaves
2 green cardamom pods (choti elaichi)
2 cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
1 black cardamom pod (moti elaichi)
2 tsp pomegranate seeds powder
2 tsp Chole masala
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp corainder powder
1 tsp red chili powder
2 large size onion chopped fine
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup coriander leaves for garnishing
salt to taste
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp green chili paste
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp garlic paste
1 tea bag or 2 tsp tea powder
pinch of asofetida (hing powder)

METHOD

• Wash the chickpeas & soak them overnight for atleast 6 hrs.
• Do not drain the water when boiling. Boil with same water & add more if required.
• When boiling the chickpeas(chole) add one tea bag in pressure cooker. if you dont have tea bag you can boil tea powder in 1 cup water, seive the tea water and add to chickpeas when boiling. This gives dark brown color to chickpeas. 
• Then add salt and keep the cooker containg chole on stove for boiling.
• Let it be on stove for about 30 minutes.Give it 2 whistles in pressure cooker on high flame.
• Then let it be on low flame and then again  give 2 whistles on high flame.
• Then turn off the heat. Keep it aside.
• Now take a Pan. Heat oil in it.
• Add hing,cumin seeds, ginger, garlic, & green chili paste. Let it fry for 30 seconds.
• Then add chopped onion , bay leaves & salt. Let the onion fry for 7 minutes till golden brown.
• Then add pomegranate seeds powder. let it fry for 2 minutes.
• Add chole masala & red chili powder.
• Now turn off the heat and keep this aside.
• Take all spices green cardomom,black cardamom,cinnamon sticks & cloves.Crush it little bit in a mixer. 
• Take a Pan & heat about 2 cups water in it & let it boil. Add the crushed spices to boiling water.
• Let it heat for about 5 minutes.
• Then seive the water containing spices & keep aside.
• Now take the Pan that contains fried onions.Put on stove and on the heat.
• Add to this boiled chickpeas and water containing all spices.
• Mix well. Add some more salt if required. Add more water if required depending on the consistency of curry you want. Its better to add some more water as Chickpeas absorb lot of water. If you dont add the curry dries off fast.
• Let this cook for 20 minutes & then turn off the heat.
• Add lemon juice & garnish with coriander (cilantro) leaves.
• And the Chole is ready to served with bhatura ,puri , rice or any Bread of your choice. 

Yogurt Curry (Pakora Kadhi)

This goes well with Rice.

INGREDIENTS

CURRY

 1 cup yogurt (curd)
 3 cups water
 3 Tbsp gram flour (besan)
 2 Tbsp oil
salt to taste
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp garlic paste
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chili powder
6 curry leaves
2 green chilies chopped
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 onion chopped
pinch of asofetida (hing powder)

** quantity of gram flour (besan) you add in buttermilk depends on the consistency of curry you want.
     For very thick curry add more besan.

PAKORA
1 and 1/2 cup besan
1/2 onion chopped
1/2 potato chopped
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp green chili paste
salt to taste
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 cup water to dilute gram flour.
pinch of sodium bicarbonate (soda)

METHOD

CURRY

• Take curd and add water to it. Now blend it to form like a buttermilk.
•  Add gram flour to it. Mix well with blender.
• Keep this mixture aside.
• Now take a Pan and heat oil in it.
• Add asofetida (hing) , mustard seeds. let the mustard seeds split.
• Then add cumin seeds,curry leaves & chopped green chillies.
• Add ginger and garlic paste. let it fry for 10 seconds.
• Add chopped onion. Let it fry for 30 seconds.
• Then add turmeric,red chili powder.
• Add butter milk and gram flour mixture prepared earlier.
• Mix well with spices. keep stirring after every 30 seconds.
• Let this boil for 30 minutes till the curry is cooked properly and it leaves oil or oil comes on surface.

PAKORA

• Take gram flour in a bowl.
• Add water to it such that consitency of gram flour is thick enough for pakora.
• Add salt, turmeric powder,red chili powder,ginger,garlic & green chili paste.
• Add chopped onion & potaoes.
• Mix  all the ingredients well.
• Heat oil in a Pan for frying Pakora.
• After frying put the pakoras in curry and mix well.
• Let it be dipped in curry for half an hour.
• Now the Pakora curry is ready to be served with Rice.

Cabbage & Spinach Paratha (Bread)

Cabbage ranks right up there with broccoli, cauliflower, and brussels sprouts with a reputation for fighting cancer. It's also a good source of vitamin C, fiber, potassium, and other nutrients.

Spinach nutrition is amazing.The calcium content in spinach helps to strenthen bones.
The A and C vitamins in spinach plus the fiber, folic acid, magnesium and other nutrients help control cancer.

INGREDIENTS
2 cups whole wheat  flour
1 Tbsp oil
1/2 cup finely chooped cabbage 
1/2 cup finely chopped Spinach
salt to taste
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chili powder
2 tsp garlic paste
1/4 cup water if needed to knead the dough  

** cabbage & spinach leave lot of water in dough
     so very less water needs to be added to dough that too
     if required.

** do not grind cabbage & spinach to a fine paste.
    You could chop it in mixer , food processor.

METHOD

• Mix all the ingredients and knead the dough such that it is soft.
• Cover the dough for 5-10 minutes.
• Then make balls with dough. You can make the size you prefer for paratha.
• Roll the paratha.
• Heat the Pan on high flame and put the paratha on it.
• After 10 seconds turn the paratha , apply 1/2  tsp oil on all over the paratha.
• Again turn to other side and apply oil on this side too.
• Keep the heat to low flame.
• Press with spatula on both sides so that paratha becomes crispy and cooks properly.
• And the paratha is ready to be served.
• Paratha goes well with Pickle,Curd  or any Curries.

Maa-Chana Daal (Split urad and chana Lentil)

This Daal(Lentil) goes well with Rice.

 INGREDIENTS

1 Tbsp ghee /oil / butter
1/2 medium onion chopped
2 medium tomato
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp green chili paste
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
4 curry leaves
1/2 cup split urad daal
1/2 cup chana daal
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp garam masala powder
salt to taste
pinch of Asofetida (Hing powder)
1/4 cup milk

METHOD

• Soak both the spilt urad daal and chana daal  (lentils) in water for 15 minutes.
• Add both spilt urad daal and chana daal in Pressure cooker and boil it  with some salt till three whistles.
• Take a Pan add ghee/ oil / butter to it.
• Add asofetida & mustard seeds to it. let the seeds spilt.
• Then add cumin seeds,curry leaves,ginger paste,green chili paste and garlic paste. let this fry for 2 min.
• Then add Chopped onion. let it fry till it turns light brown for about 2 minutes.
• Add some salt to it.
• Then add  tomato paste. let it fry for 5 minutes.
• Add turmeric powder,red chili powder,coriander powder,garam masala powder.
• Let the mixture cook with spices on low flame for about 2 minutes.
• Then add milk and mix.
• Then add boiled daal (lentil) to this and mix well.
• Add some water to this about 1 cup.
• Let it cook for about 10-15 minutes so that the spices mix well with the daal.
• Now the daal is ready to serve.