Punjabi Kadhi

Yogurt 1 cup
Besan 1/4 cup
Turmeric powder 1 tsp
Salt - to taste
Chat masala - 1 tsp
dry red chillies 1
Cilantro few sprigs
Onion sliced - 1/2 large or 1 medium.

For kadhi, whisk yogurt well and mix besan. Blend thoroughly so as to ensure that there are no lumps. Add turmeric powder, salt and three cups of water.

Heat two tablespoons of oil in a kadai. Add red chillies and roast. Add mustrard seeds and allow to crackle.

Add yogurt mixture. Bring to a boil and simmer on low heat stirring occasionally.

On the side saute the onions in 1 tsp oil and some chilli powder , carmelize it as much as your liking.

Once the yougurt mixture has come to a boil on lower the heat more and add the carmelized onions (and pakoras if you have them) and simmer for 5 mins and take off the stove.

Serve with warm rice.

Tingling Moongra

Moongra - a less known vegetable of India, looks like string beans with pointy tail and tastes like radish, some even call it rat-tailed radish - but it grown over the surface of earth unlike the radish.

When I first spotted it in the store I mistook it to be the japanese edamame, so decided to make a japanese like dish but then tasting it made me go another route and landed up in the amazing tasting recipe.

Ingredients :
Moongra or rat tailed raddish - about 1/4 lb
Chilli vinegar - enough for marination (about 4-5 tbsp)
fresh ground pepper - 2 tbsp.
oil for sauteing.

Preparation:
If the moongra has any stalks or stems on it, just pluck them out, let the pointy tails be as is.

Cooking:
1. Boil the moongra for 15-20 mins in medim-large pot (dont worry if it gives a fishy smell)
2. Once boiled take them out and drain the water.
3. In a pan heat about 1 tbsp of olive oil and when sufficiently heated add the boiled moongra and saute a bit.
4. Add the vinegar and a pinch of sea salt(add more vinegar if you want it to be more tangy and try sweet&sour vinegar for sweet sour taste)
5. Cover and saute for 10 mins until the beans turn into a dull green (dirty green) color.
6. Take off the stove and garnish with fresh ground peppercorns just before serving.

Ginger Lime Asparagus

Fresh Vegetables have a nice crunch and taste of their own that is unbeatable - Here's a great combination of summer veggies - asparagus,ginger,lime with cool cucumbers and yogurt.

Ingredients:

1 bunch - Fresh asparagus, thinner the better.
2 inch size ginger piece
1/2 key lime.
oil for roasting and salt to taste.
some paprika or Cajun dressing or cayenne pepper powder as much desired.
some sesame seeds (optional)

Preparation:

1. Wash the asparagus, shave a bit off the bottoms of the asparagus spears (peel 2 layers off may be) until it seems tender.
2. Cut the spears into two if you have a smaller pan.
3. Grate the ginger or cut in to small fine pieces


Cooking:

1. Pour some olive oil in the pan roast the sesame seeds.
2. Put in the asparagus , and roast them for 5 minutes covered.
3. Put in the ginger and spice powder and cook for another 5-10 mins stirring in between once. Don't fret about burning the asparagus or the paprika they both taste better when charred!
4. Take off the stove when tender and squeeze the lime on top.

Asparagus spears appear darker and softer when cooked, serve with rice pilaf or mashed potato with gravy.. or just eat with pita/naan with side of cucumbers and yogurt.


Enjoy!

Pudina Chutney

Variation 1
Pudina leaves
tamarind -small piece
redchillies 4-8
Ginger

Take little oil in a pan fry red chillies ,little jira ,ginger pieces keep them aside till u can fry before only without adding oil, fry pudina in the left over oil of red chillies u have fried before. Now put in a mixie add little salt haldi powder a pinch then grind it to a fine paste along with soaked tamrind . Now chutney is ready have it with hot hot rice.

Variation2 :lime juice extra.

Put pudina leaves in hot water for 5mts drain then put in cold water drain the water add green chillies add lime juice or tamrind juice grind to paste all raw then spread on bread and eat it will be tasty.the above pickle staysd for 4 to 5 days but the raw one may be two day if u put in fridge.