Chawlichi Bhaji

My most memorable trip with friends has to be Mumbai-trip in 2000. We were 10 Punjabi-puttars, who had the most dhmaal time there. People would look at us like we were from some foreign land because we were typical delhiites - obnoxious, loud and drunk (kidding...lol). I stayed 3 extra days after my friends left as I have big family there. It was great meeting them, as we were almost cut-off by distance all these years. Also, it was good to know that they were super-rich. Unlike most Mumbaites they lived in a big kothi right on Juhu beach with Late Kishore Kumar and Feroze Khan as their neighbours and Amitabh's house just round the corner.

Anyways, the point is that I had a great time. My didi there decided to cook me authentic Marathi lunch one day. This was one of the recipe and I loved it. I love lobiya or Rajma's sister as we call it in Punjabi. Isn't it amazing how we Indians end up tieing everything in relationships. Ok ok, without wasting much time, here I present my recipe, Mumbiya style..bole toh.

Chawlichi Bhaji

Dedication: This recipe is dedicated to a number of people. Firstly it is dedicated to the only half-marathi blogger I know...RS and her Ol' S. Since it is typical Mumbiaya recipe it is also dedicated to my Mumbaiya friends, Priyangini, Bhumi, Gaurav, Preeti , Pinks and Anks.

Serving: 4

Ingredients:

1. 1.5-2 cups dried black-eyed peas (or lobiya in punjabi)
2. 2 tsb vegetable oil
3. 1/4 tsb mustard seeds
4. 1 small onion, finely chopped
5. 2 green chillis, finely chopped
6. 1 medium tomato
7. pinch of asafetida (optional)
8. 1/2 tsb salt
9. handful of cilantro (dhaniya), chopped

Method:

1. Pick over the beans for small stones, wash it with cold water
2. Soak the beans in 3-4 cups of cold water for one hour
3. Drain and place it in saucepan with 2 cups of cold water
4. Boil for 45 min
5. Drain
6. Heat the oil in pan
7. Add mustard seeds
8. When they start to pop, add the onions, chilis, asafetida and fry for 3 minutes
9. Add tomato, beans and salt and fry for 2 more minutes
10. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes
11. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve hot.

Hint for next recipe: I will have a swayamvar of this dish when I come to India. I hope all you girls are ready for that by then...LOL

Gossip of the week: Should Salman be spared for killing a person but jailed for killing an animal?

Note: The picture of pop-rock-hiphop-band black-eyed peas is just a joke...LOL

Sanjha Chulha

It's been less than one month since I started "Ricky Da Dhaba" and its already time to re-name it. This is not because Dhaba was not successful but because I got some responses from bloggers that were interested in sharing recipes and so the idea stuck to me...

What is Sanjha Chulha?

I am sure quite a few may know the meaning of Sanjha Chulha, because it's a very common punjabi term and also there used to be a tele-serial with the same name on DD. It's one of the most beautiful traditions of Punjab. It was started by Guru Nanak Dev jee in Pakistan part of Punjab. It was the tradition of langar or community kitchen. It was that langar tradition that led to Sanjha Chulha (Common Oven).

In those days (and in some small villages even today) generally men would go to farms while women will do chores at home (although a lot of women in Punjab used to do farming too). In the evening, all the women would make some kind of daal/sabzi at their home but not everyone could afford a chulha (earthen oven or kinda tandoor). So, all the women will take atta (wheat flour) from their home and cook all the rotis together. While cooking rotis they will also discuss everything under the moon. This made it an ideal community place to exchange gossips and stories from all around the village. After making rotis they all will take their share and goto their respective homes, away from the gossips and closer to reality.

So, this blog will be the Sanjha Chulha for blog-world. Anyone can post recipes at this blog by just sending it to me by email. Just like there would be one person who would maintain the Sanjha Chulha, I will maintain this blog. Anyone can email me the recipe with their name and if possible blog address. I will try the recipe just to get timings and everything right and post it in 15-20 days because I don't want to skip the tradition of giving hints about the next recipe. In case I didnt mention, anyone who sends the recipe will get the credit for it (obviously).

So, let's heat our Sanjha Chulha and don't forget to gossip along the way...

Gossip of the day: Abhishek dating Ashwariya? I hope not...

Broccoli and Garlic Noodles

Valentine's Day is coming soon and so it's time I cooked something appropriate and romantic-shomantic. Ok guys, here's the question of the day:

Question: What's the idea of perfect date?
Answer: Going out for dinner. Wrong. Right answer is cooking an exotic meal for that special someone and even if it doesn't turns out great, he/she will appreciate the effort. You are lucky because if you will try my recipe then it will turn out great too...;) {And you can then later Thank me for that extra kiss tadka maar ke}

As far as the quiz goes, well a lot of you tried but only one got really close to the right answer. It was none other than another excellent cook, Saba. You were right, east meets south-east signified a indo-chinese dish. This is my fav. way of making noodles as broccoli adds an extra exoticness to it. This dish is a native of Kolkatta and was introduced there by large chinese immigrants. So, guys and gals enjoy my exotic and easy dish (just like your fantasy partner).

Broccoli and Garlic Noodles

Dedication: This recipe is dedicated to two of my exotic friends from far-east, Colors from Sikkim and Sonali from Kolkatta.

Event: This recipe will be featuring in a monthly event, From my Rasoi @ Meena's blog.

Serving: 2 (you two, who else)

Ingredients:

200 gm broccoli florets
2 tsb vegetable oil
1 medium spanish onion, thinly sliced (or regular onion will do too)
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 green finger chillis, finely chopped
2 tsb peeled and crushed ginger
1 tsb crushed unsalted peanuts
2 tsb dark soy sauce
1/4 tsb salt
1/4 tsb coarsley ground black pepper
1 tsb brown sugar (or regular sugar)
1 tsb seasame oil (optional)
200 gms wheat noodles (or regular noodles)

Method:

1. Wash the broccoli thoroughly
2. Cook it in boiling water for 2 minutes and drain
3. Heat the vegetable oil in pan
4. When the oil is just smoking, add the onions and stir fry for a minute
5. Add garlic, chillis and broccoli and fry on medium heat for 5 miutes
6. Stir in ginger and peanuts
7. Add the soy sauce, salt, black pepper, sugar and seasame oil
8. Mix well
9. Cook the noodles acc. to packet's instructions
10. Drain and quickly mix with garlic and broccoli mixture.
11. Serve immediately.
12. Enjoy it with red wine, candle lights and that "special" someone.

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone!!

Hint for the next recipe: Other day I saw a girl from Mumbai with deep black eyes.

Vendekkai Pachadi

Last post got a really good response and so I am really excited about posting my newest recipe. Only one person could guess the recipe just right and that was none other than Mr. Chandu. See it was easy, South Indian lady meant that it will be a southie dish, Yogurt gave hint towards curd and she eating by fingres meant that I was talking about ladies finger/bhindi/okra.

When I first came to Canada, I would really miss bhindi, as it was my fav. sabzi. Now, bhindi is almost a delicacy here because it is not found very easily, only in select stores and that too very expensive. Somehow, I found the store but when I made bhindi by my Mom's recipe, it didn't turned out great. It was very sticky. So, I searched online and came along this South Indian recipe where they add curd to remove the stickiness. I tried it and hola, it turned out just like home. Ok now, let's go right into the recipe...

Vendekkai Pachadi

Dedication: This recipe is dedicated to all my South Indian friends, Chandu, Preeti, Prasad, Divya and Saba.

Serving: 2

Ingredients:

200 gms Okra/Bhindi/Ladies finger
2 tsb vegetable/any-kinda oil
1/4 tsb mustard seeds
1/4 tsb fenugreek seeds (optional)
8-10 curry leaves {for the spl. south indian flavour}
2 med. size red chillies
1 med. spanish onion/green onion/onion
1/4 tsb turmeric
1/4 tsb salt
2 tsb plain yogurt/curd/dahi

Method:

1. Wash the okra and dry thoroughly. Cut off the stalks
2. Slice okra into round pods.
3. Heat the oil and sprinkle in mustard seeds, fenugreek, curry leaves and chillis.
4. When the seeds start to crackle, add the onion and fry for 1 minute.
5. Stir in the turmeric and salt.
6. Add the okra and fry well, stirring occasionally, over a medium heat for 8-10 minutes.
7. Stir in the yogurt and simmer for 2 minutes. {actually simmer till the okra is ready}
8. Enjoy with parantha or sambhar.

Try it and your comments/suggestions are always welcome.

Hint for next recipe (another tough one for you guys): When east meets south-east, broccoli happens.