Soya beans (Meal maker) gravy

This  one is  a protein rich  food  and is  very  delicious  if u  love the  taste of the meal maker , i have  been using   soya chunks  for  quite  some  time in my kitchen knwing all the nutrius  value its  had   got , though me  and  my  family were not a great fan of  it intially now we  have  started  liking  it, specially  my daughter  who  thinks  its chicken. She is  happy with it and so am  I.
This   one is  a  avery simple  recipe   which  is  easy    to make and  no prior preperations are required.

Soya Chunks Gravy.

•  1 1/2  cup of  soya  chunks
• 1 Onion 
• 1  tomato
• 3-4 Green chillies
• 1 big  table  spoon  ginger  garlic  paste
• 1 spoon  chilli powder
• 1 small spoon turmeric 
• springs  of  curry  leaves
• springs  of  cilantro/kotmir
• Pinch of  garam masala powder 
• Salt  to  taste 
• Oil 

 Step 1:  soak the  soya  chunks  in water   and  microwave it  for  couple of  minutes , cool it  squeeze  it   and keep the  chunks  dry.

 Step 2 :
In a   kadai   take  oil   and  once  heated  add  diced onions  and  slit  green chillies and  curry leaves , fry them till they are lightly brown in colour . Add in  ginger garlic  paste  fry till the  raw smell is  gone , add  diced tomatoes  and the squeezed out  soya  chunks  from step 1 and  a little  water , Add in  all  your spices,  cook   in  low  flame  till  the raw smell of  the  spices  is  gone and  the  tomatoes  is   completely  cooked .   Garnish  it  with  fresh cilantro and is  ready to serve .

Green Peas Pulav

 Peas Pulav is  my daughters  favourite , its  very  easy   and  handy when u  have  guest at a  short notice  its  rich  and  delicious and  also nutritious.   It  goes well with all the veg  gravy dishes and  needless say with all the  non veg dishes. Its  easy and   quick recipe.

Item: Green Peas Pulav .
source: My  Mom
Time : 15-20 mins .

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Basmati rice 
• 1/2 cup Green peas (fresh is  always  better  but  frozen works  great too)
• Whole garam masala( 1/2 inch cinnamon stick, 4-5 cardamon, 1/2 tsp shahi jeera . bay leaf , 1 star aniseed, 4-5 cloves)
• 1-1/2 tsp of  gingergarlic paste
• 2 tsp of freh curd (yogurt)
• 1medium onions
• oil
• Mint leaves
• cilantro
• 1 1/2 cup water 

How i Made it.

Take oil in a  pressure cooker , when hot add  your whole garam masala,  after  few seconds add  finely sliced onions and mint leaves,  fry till the onions is  brown , now add  ginger garlic paste , fry till the raw smell is  gone . Now add  your yogurt  and  fry  till u get  nice aroma, add in  your peas, fry  for a minute and add  1 1/2 cup water. the add in  your  washed basmati rice   and  salt . mix well and  close the  cooker  wait for 1 whistle and  turn the flame off. Open it cooker when the pressure is  gone and is  ready to serve .

Brinjal masala (bagara baigan) hyderabadi style.

The moment i hear  the  word hyderabadi, i think  about biryani. Yummy ..... hey  iam not posting  a recipe for biryani its for the  brinjal masala (bagara baigan)  as they say in hyderabad which compliments the yummy  biryani. i  did make  biryani for  baskars bday and took step wise pics too,  but  i by mistake  deleted all of them , i tried  recovering  them but  my efforts went  to drain and  so there is no way i could  post  it . Will surely do that  soon.  but  first here is the recipe  from  my  moms  kicthen, it  not only compliments biryani , it goes well with chapathi and  white rice  too. i love this  dish and  baskar  has nicked named  it as chatachat ( that means quick one ) this is done  pretty  fast  and i do  it when i am in a   hurry  to get out of the kitchen.

Item:  Brinjal masala
source : Mom
Time taken : 30 mins

Ingredients:
250 gms of  brinjal
Oil (will need  a little more than usual but less will do)
Salt to taste
1 tsp Turmeric
1 1/2 tsp Chilli Powder
1tsp of  coriander powder
1-2 tsp of ginger garlic  paste.
1-2 tsp of jaggery
2-3 tsp tamarind pulp (lemon sized tamarind)
1 onion
1 tamato
curry leaves
coriander leaves
2-5 nos of  green chillies.

For Masala

50 gms of peanuts( i usually  dont measure i take  fistful)
50gms of  dry coconut flakes
1 tsp of zeera
1tsp of coriander seeds
1tsp of sesame seeds( til )
 dry roast  all the ingredients  and  grind  it  to thick  paste with water.

How i did  it .
Step  1 : Cut the stem of the brinjal and make a  cross cut  at the  bottom of  it .
Fry  the brinjal in  a little oil and keep it aside.

Step 2:  Add oil to the pan,  add onions and green chillies  when  oil is hot, saute the  onions  till brown , add ginger garlic paste to it fry till the raw smell is  gone, now add tomatoes, turmeric, chilli powder, coriander powder and salt.  Fry well till the raw  smell is  gone  add a little water  so that  it cooks well and and the tomatoes become soft. No add the ground masala and tamarind pulp and  some water now add the fried brinjal, Reduce the flame  and let it cook slow till the oil seperates . Now add the  jaggery, mix well and switch off the flame. Serve this  hot biryani  or  white rice or chapathi.