Zaiqa

Indian broad beans (also sometimes referred to as Valor papdi or Hyacinth Beans ), or Sem Ki Phalli as they are called in Urdu language, (Chikkudu kaya in Telugu) are are a kind of green bean, very commonly sold in Indian markets and are available fresh daily at the ‘Rythu Bazar’ or the Farmers Market in India where you get to see an array of fresh fruits, spices, nuts, herbs and vegetables in huge piles being sold at reasonable prices. I do not usually get to see Indian vegetables and herbs at the Farmers market here, but when I do, I do not hesitate to get some, cook and enjoy eating them to the late morsel. Try searching for these beans at the Indian or Chinese grocery stores and food markets, you will find them definitely.

Indian broad beans – Sem ki phalli

The last week, I found some of these beans at the market and prepared this very comforting and simple stir fry which brings along many memories of my dear Ammi and my childhood. After washing and pat drying them, I always used to sit along with my mother to remove the hard fibrous srtings from the sides, split each bean into two, remove the seeds from inside into a small cup, and make a small pile of the prepared beans, chatting away endlessly. She used to then chop them up and when all were done, I was always so eager to taste this mouth wateringly delicious simple vegetable stir fry preperaed by her at the meal. Faint nostalgic memories like these tears my heart out with an intense desire to go back and live those moments again.

Sem Ki Phalli – Indian broad beans, with strings removed, split and chopped

These beans have hard fibrous strings which are preferably removed always while preparing them to be cooked. Some choose not to remove these strings as it provides fibre to the diet. The method to remove these strings is to simply tear the tip of the bean with hand and pull away the string from each side in one motion. These beans are delicious and nutritious. Do try them if you find these at the stores anytime.

Sem Ki Phalli Ka Salan – Sauteed Indian broad beans

Ingredients:

• Indian broad beans/Sem Ki Phalli – 500 gms
• Canola Oil – 2 tbsp
• Yellow Onion – 2, large, sliced thin
• Red Chilli powder – 2 tsp
• Water – 1/2 cup
• Salt – 2 tsp or to taste
• Garam Masala – 1 tbsp
• Dry Roasted Coriander seed powder/Dhaniya powder – 1 tsp
• Tomato (fresh) – 1, medium, chopped fine

Sem Ki Phalli Ka Salan – Sauteed Indian broad beans

Method:

• In a large frying pan at medium heat, pour oil and as soon as it gets warm add the sliced onion and salt and let it cook covered for 5-8 minutes, stirring it occasionally in between.
• Add the beans, red chilli powder and water. Close the lid and let it cook for about 20 minutes, or until the beans are soft, stirring it occassionally. You can add more water if required.
• Add garam masala, coriander seed powder and tomato. Close the lid and let it cook for 10 more minutes until the water is absorbed. Serve warm.

Suggested Accompaniments: Serve warm with Rotis.

Luv,
Mona

Red kidney beans are one of the gorgeous beans among the Beans and Lentils food group. They are very nutritious too.

Rajmah Masala

Whenever I prepare this dish, I make it a point to savor them along with Palak Pooris, the combo I love to have for a meal or a filling breakfast. You can even have this red bean curry along with rice and a side dish, or prepare Rajmah Pulao for a one-dish meal.

Rajmah Masala

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

• Canola Oil – 2 tbsp
• Yellow Onion – 1, large, finely sliced
• Dried Red Kidney Beans – 1 cup (or) Canned Red KidneyBeans – 1 can (173 gms, Red Kidney beans in Water), drained
• Tomatoes – 2, finely chopped
• Thick Coconut Milk – 4 tbsp
• Garam Masala – 1 1/2 tsp
• Red Chilli powder – 2 tsp
• Salt – 1 1/2 tsp
• Dried Crushed Curry Leaves – 2 tbsp (or) Fresh Curry leaves – 8-10

Method:

• Wash and soak the Red kidney beans in surplus water overnight. The next day, drain them and in a saucepan, bring two litres of water on boil and add the soaked and drained beans and cook them along with half tsp salt till they are just soft. Do not make them mushy. Drain and keep aside
• Pour oil into a saucepan at medium heat and as soon as it warms ups, throw in the sliced onion. Stir fry them till they are golden. Add the drained Red kidney beans, chopped tomatoes, coconut milk, red chilli powder and salt. Stir gently to mix well and cover the lid. Simmer for about 10 minutes stirring it two times in between.
• Open the lid and mash the mixture a little bit with the back of a wooden sppon. Throw in the crushed dried curry leaves and the garam masala. Gently give it a stir and cook for 4-5 minutes more. Serve warm.

Suggested Accompaniments: It tastes delicious along with Palak Poori, my favorite combo. You can also have it along with Roti or Parathas or Rice.

I am sending this to as an entry to the Click:Beans ‘n Lentils event hosted by Jai and Bee at Jugalbandi.

Luv,
Mona

The weather has not been good at all. Been playing games with us since the temperatures actually started to be in the two digits. Its has suddenly become so very hot, this being just the Spring in Canada and not Summer yet. Weather has been too topsy-turvy for the past two to three weeks, resulting in me catching Flu. It was terrible. Now I feel alright and thank my God for the good health again. It sure is a precious bounty-Good health.

I have not even been cooking since the past few days, but yesterday as I began to feel alright, I prepared Qimah Matar Aloo and had it with some warm Phulkas. It was so good. Good home cooked food is always very comforting and gives solace.

Qimah Aloo Matar – Ground meat with Peas and Potatoes Curry

For this recipe, you can use the ground meat of Veal, Lamb or Goat, whatever is available. It turns out equally delicious and I have tried this recipe with all the above mentioned meats.

Qimah Aloo Matar – Ground meat with Peas and Potatoes Curry

Ingredients:

For Gravy:
Canola/Sunflower Oil – 2 tbsp
Yellow Onion/Pyaz – 3 medium, finely chopped
Tomato – 1, large, chopped
Red Chilli Powder/Lalmirch Powder – 1 tbsp
Salt – 2 tsp
Potato – 2, medium, peeled and quartered
Tomato Ketchup – 2-3 tbsp (I use Heinz) OR Tomato Chilli Sauce – 2-3 tbsp
To Cook Qimah/Ground Meat:
Canola Oil/Sunflower Oil – 2 tbsp
Qimah/Ground Lamb/Veal/Goat meat – 700 gms, washed and drained in a very fine wire mesh strainer
Turmeric Powder/Haldi – 1 tsp
Garam Masala – 2 tsp
Soya Sauce – 1 tbsp
Lemon Juice – 4 tbsp
Matar/Frozen green peas – 1/2 to 1/4 cup (if you are using dried green peas, soak them in surplus water a day before, drain and cook until just tender in fresh water)
Shredded Cheddar Cheese – 4 tbsp (optional)

Method:
1. Pour 2 tbsp oil into a non-stick heavy bottomed sauce pan at medium high heat and throw in the finely chopped onions as soon as the oil warms up. Keep stirring them until they are lightly browned.
2. Add the chopped tomato, tomato ketchup, red chilli powder and salt and mix well. Let it cook until it is mushy. Add the quarted potatoes and a little water and close lid for 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and keep aside.
3. In an another saucepan, pour the rest of the oil, and add the washed and drained ground meat and let stand for a minute. Stir to break lumps and add turmeric powder, garam masala, soya sauce, lemon juice amd keep stirring until the water starts evaporating and the raw smell of the meat wards off.
4. Pour in the reserved gravy of tomato+onion+potato and mix the whole thing together. Let cook on low heat and when the water has almost evaporated, add frozen peas and give it a stir.
5. Garnish with shredded cheddar cheese, and serve hot.

Suggested Accompaniments:Serve it hot with Basmati Chawal / Naan/ Afghani Roti, along with a dollop of butter.

Tip: Leftovers? Use up this left over curry as the filling for Samosa for some very delicious Snacks.

Luv,
Mona

Pasta is loved by everyone, and i believe it is one of those simplest one dish meals one can think of which is also everyone’s favorite for times when you have to serve the meal in less than 35 minutes. This is one such dish that i prepare using the usual ingredients and turns out to be a great hit with my loved ones.

This is my lovely Sisters recipe. She taught me this recipe and i prepare this along with any noodles that I have in my house. I also serve it along with Chicken Tikka, Salmon Tikka or Lamb Tikka. Children will especially devour upon it, and the elders too.  

Fettucine in Creamy Coconut Milk 

Coconut Milk here makes a creamy sauce giving it a rich golden colour. Its healthy and nutritious.

Fettucine in Creamy Coconut Milk  

Ingredients:

To Prepare Sauce

• Canola Oil – 4 tbsp 
• Yellow Onions – 2, thinly sliced
• Tomatoes – 1, large, finely diced
• Red Chilli Powder – 2 tbsp
• Salt – 2 tbsp
• Garam Masala – 1 tbsp
• Cornmeal – 2 tbsp
• Coconut Milk – 3 tbsp
• Light Cream – 1 tbsp
• Water – 2 cups approx
• Green Capsicum – 1, chopped
• Red Capsicum – 1, chopped
• Cremini Mushrooms – 100 gms, sliced

To Prepare Pasta 

• Fettuccine Noodles – 500 gms
• Water – 5.5 litres
• Salt – 1 tbsp

Method:

• In a heavy non-stick saucepan at medium high heat, pour in oil and as soon as it warms up, add the sliced onions and sauté them till they are light brown in colour. Add the chopped tomatoes, red chilli powder, salt and garam masala. Mix and let it cook on medium heat till the tomatoes are mushy.
• Transfer the mixture to a blender container and add cornmeal to it. Blend till pasty.
• Pour this paste back in the same pan and let it cook till oil seperates.
• Add Coconut milk, cream and water to it. Let it cook for 3 minutes.Throw in the chopped red and green capsicums and mushrooms. Bring to a boil at medium high heat.
• Meanwhile in a large saucepan , pour water and add the remaining salt to it. Bring it to a boil and add the pasta and stir until water again returns to a boil. Cook uncovered for 9 minutes stirring occassionally or until al dente. Drain.
• Mix the drained pasta with the prepared Coconut milk sauce in the saupan and cook on low heat for 3 minutes.

Suggested Accompaniments: Serve it hot along with Boiled halved Eggs, and sliced Black Olives, Chicken Tikka or Lamb Tikka or Salmon Tikka, Chicken Croquettes, Pan Grilled Chicken Mustard, Grilled Sweet Chilli Chicken.

Luv,
Mona

Bhindi or Okra is one of my most favorite vegetables. I love it a lot, and i am glad my loved ones love it equally.

I usually keep prepararing three kinds of preparations with Bhindi/Okra whenever they are available fresh which are so adored by my family. I either fry them or make a Curry/Patla Salan or sometimes make a sautéed dish with tomato and onion which is what I’m writing about today. We have it along with Parathas for Brunch on the weekends or at Breakfasts.

Kalonji Wali Bhindi-Tamatar Subzi – Sautéed Okra with Tomatoes and Nigella seeds

Adding Nigella seeds/Kalonji to the dish here gives it its own unique peppery taste. The seeds are also known for their medicinal value. These little things are considered as a herbal medicine for many ailments and is beneficial for good health. Lots about this spice is also written in the Quran, The Prophet Mohammad (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) has said “Hold on to the use of Black Seed for it has a remedy for every illness except death”. Evidence of the therapeutic use of Nigella seed has been found in all over the world. So I tend to add it to almost all the dishes I can in small amounts.

Kalonji Wali Bhindi-Tamatar Subzi – Sauteed Okra with Tomatoes and Nigella seeds

Ingredients:

• Canola/Sunflower Oil – 3 tbsp
• Okra Pods/Bhindi – 550 gms, washed, dried with paper towels, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
• Tomato (fresh)/Tamatar – 1, ripe red, large, finely chopped
• Yellow Onion/Pyaz – 1, large, finely sliced
• Nigella Seeds/Kalonji – 1 tbsp
• Red Chilli Powder/Lal mirch powder – 1 1/3 tsp
• Salt/Namak – 1 1/3 tsp

Method:

• In a sauce pan at medium high heat, pour in the oil, and as soon as it warms up, add the kalonji, and the sliced onions. Let them cook till they are all nicely lightly browned.
• Add the chopped tomatoes and let it cook till they are sofy and mushy. Also throw in the red chilli powder and salt and mix well.
• Lower the heat and add the chopped Bhindi and fry it for 3 minutes. Pour in a cup of water and close the lid. Let it cook till the Bhindi is soft and done. Keep opening the lid, and checking it, if it’s getting stuck to the bottom. Also, you can add a little more water if needed. Serve hot.

Serve it hot along with warm Parathas for a Brunch or Breakfast. You will also enjoy this as a dry side-dish along with Basmati Chawal/Rice.

Luv,
Mona