Aloo Palak

Ingredients
3 cups chopped spinach
2 large onoins chopped fine
2 large potatoes boiled and peeled
1 tomato grated
2 green chillies
1" piece ginger
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. wheat or other flour
1 tsp. red chilli powder
1 tsp. cinnamon-clove powder
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2 pinches asafoetida
1/2 tsp. garam masala
1/2 tbsp. butter
4 tbsp. ghee
salt to taste

METHOD:
Put the washed spinach in a pan, add very little water (just a sprinkle) and a pinch of salt.
Cover and boil over a high flame for 2 minutes. Cool quickly, or hold under running water in a colander.
Put in a mixie, add green chilli and run for a minute. Keep slightly coarse, do not make very smooth.
Keep aside.
Cut the potatoes into big pieces. Heat ghee and fry potatoes till light brown.
Drain the potatoes, keep aside.
In the same hot ghee add the cumin seeds.
Add the ginger, onions and fry till very tender.
Add the tomato and further fry for two minutes.
Add all the dry masalas and fry till ghee separates.
Add spinach and potatoes.
When it resumes a boil sprinkle the flour and stir well. Boil for 2-3 minutes. Add lemon juice
Just before s erving heat butter in a tiny saucepan and add the asafoetida.
Pour over the vegetable and mix gently.
Serve hot with naan or parathas or even rice.
Note: You may use boiled peas, boiled corn kernels or paneer chunks in the above dish, instead of potatoes.
Making time: 45 minutes
Makes for: 6
Shelf life: Best fresh

Hot Beef Chilli Curry

1/2 Kg Beef
2 Med Onions
4 Green Chillies
4 cloves Garlic
1 Tsp Ginger
60 Gr Ghee
1 Tsp Cumin
1 Tsp Turmeric
1/4 Cup of Tamarind pulp (Soaked in 2tbsp warm water)
Salt to taste


METHOD: Dice the beef into 2.5 cm cubes. Heat the ghee and fry the finely sliced onions and the chopped garlic, till lightly browned. Now slow down the flame an start adding the other spices and the green chillies cut lengthwise, cover with lid and let it simmer for 5mins.
Then add the meat, stir fry it on a high flame for 3mins and lower the flame, add 150ml of warm water, cover the meat with foil paper and let it cook 70mins till the beef is tender.
Add strained tamarind juice to the beef dish and stir fry it of 5mins till the gravy is thick.
This beef curry is best served with boiled rice.

Chicken Chunks On A Bed Of Lettuce

2 Cups Chicken cubed into 1 inch pieces
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 Cup Boiled Carrots (not overdone)
1 Tsp Ginger
1 Tsp Garlic
1 Tsp Mixed Herbs
1/2 Tsp Crushed Pepper
1/2 Cup Chopped Green onions
1/2 Cup Boiled Green peas
1 Tsp Mustard seeds
Salt to taste
1 Tbsp Oil
1 Chopped Tomatoes for garnish (optional)
2 Tbsp Mayonaise

METHOD: Mix the chicken chunks in marination of garlic, ginger, mixed herbs, salt, pepper and lemon juice.

Heat oil a karhai and add put mustard seeds, brown them and add chunks of chicken and fry and cook till tender. Lastly add the peas and green onions and stir fry for 5mins and mix with mayonaise and serve ona bed of lettuce garnished with tomatoes (optional).

You can also take pita bread cut into half and fill the bread halves with chicken and lettuce...in order to enjoy a more filling meal.

Ramadan Savory Recipes provided thanks to SRAK at DumPukht Blog

Fish Chinese Style

3 Fish- whole, fillets or pieces (you can use sole, salmon or haddock)
1 Tbsp Cornflour mix together with 1/4 cup Water till smooth
2 Tbsp Soya Sauce
2 Large Capsicums- cut into squares
2 Tbsp Green onions-cut finely
2 Tbsp Vinegar
1/2 Tsp Ginger
3 Tbsp Chilly sauce
2 Tbsp Garlic
1 Tbsp Sesame seeds- Roast till light brown
2 Tsp Red chillies (ground)
2 Tbsp Oil


METHOD: Marinate the fish with ginger, garlic, sesame seeds, soya sauce mix well and set aside for 15mins. Fry fish in hot oil add vinegar, chillies, capsicums and green onions fry and add
cornflour and chilly sauce mixed in 1/4 cup water and then add the fish.
Stir fry well and plate it, sprinkle red chillies and serve.

Ramadan Savory Recipes provided thanks to SRAK at DumPukht Blog

Dhai Bhendi

A Recipe easy to make and very tasty... I have enjoyed eating it and cooking it for my friends and now even for my husband...so do try it out it looks pretty good on the table...


1/4 Kg Bhendi- Okra (cleaned)
1 Cup Yogurt)
1/4 Cup Water) Mix together
1/4 Tsp Garlic)
1 Tsp Poppy seeds - paste
1/2 Tbsp Nigella
2 Tbsp Oil
1 Tsp Garlic
1 1/2 Tbsp Coconut paste
1/2 Tsp Green Chillie paste
1/4 Tsp Tumeric
8 Whole small red chilllies
Salt to taste

10 Curry leaves
3 Cloves of Garlic chopped
2 Tbsp Oil
6 Whole small red chillies

METHOD: Heat oil put okra and fry for 5mins. Add all the masalas and little salt and little water
and let it cook till the okra is tender with a slight bite and dry, but dont let it wilt. Before serving heat the okra slightly and remove from the pan and lay it out on a flat dish. Spread the yogurt mixed with garlic, on top of the okra.

Then heat 2tbsp of oil in a pan fry 3 cloves of chopped garlic until light brown, then add 6 whole small red chillies, 1/4 tsp cumin seeds and then 10 curry leaves any for a minute only be careful it burns very quickly. Then evenly spread it out on the yogurt okra and serve.

Ramadan Savory Recipes provided thanks to SRAK at DumPukht Blog.

Aloo Ki Bhujia

This aloo ki bhujia compliments the zaffrani mughlai paratha perfectly...do try it.


2 Med Patotoes- boiled & cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 1/2 Tbsp chat masala
1 Tbsp red chillie- kooti
1 Tsp Nigella
A few green chillies - chopped into 1 inch pieces
1/4 Tsp Tumeric
1/2 T hp Cumin
2 Tbsp Garlic
2 Cubes Chicken stock
2 Tbsp Oil
Salt to taste


METHOD: Heat oil and put garlic, cumin and nigella and fry. Also add the patotoes and stock dissolved in half a cup of warm water, and let it cook for 3mins. Then add the green chillies, tumeric and salt to taste. Let it cook for a min or so till nicely mixed and then sprinkle the red chillies and chaat masala and serve.

Pyaz Aur Tamatar Ka Raita

2 Med Onions - finely chopped
4 Med Tomatoes - seeded and chopped
5/8 Cup 150ml Water
A Pinch of Mustard powder
2 Cups plain yogurt - lightly beaten
1 1/2 Level Tsp Salt
1/2 Level t Tsp Sugar
1 Level Tsp chillie powder
1/2 Level Tsp Ground Black Pepper
1 Tbsp Fresh Coriander leaves

METHOD: Take water, mustard, salt, chillie powder, sugar and yogurt and mix well together, add the tomatoes and onions and stir well.
Sprinkle finely chopped fresh coriander leaves.


Prep time: 15 mins - Serves 6

Hot Brinjal Pickle

Do try this recipe, its something i have been making for years.

1 Kg Eggplant
20 Cloves Garlic
1 Tsp Pepper
25 Gms Ginger
1 1/2 Cups Vinegar
1 Tsp Tumeric
4 Level Tbsp Mustard seeds
2 1/2 Cups Mustard oil (heated and cooled)
4 Level Tbsp Salt
3 Tbsp Kashmiri Red Chillie powder - freshly ground



METHOD: Dice the eggplant into 1 inch cubes, rub with salt and set aside for 12 hours, in the sun. Take ginger, garlic, cumin seeds and mustard seeds and grind them together, then add vinegar and mix well.
Squeeze out all the salt water from the eggplants, and gently rub the chillie powder, pepper, tumeric and then add the vinegar mixture.
Then put in a glass jar and pour mustard oil on top of it, then cover and put in the sun every day
for 15 days, but remember to shake and stir the pickle everyday with a wooden spoon. The pickle will be ready to eat after 15 days.

Zaffrani Mughlai Parathas

This is a savory highly recommended by me to be enjoyed at sehri accompanied by aloo ki bhujia, shammi kebabs, eggs, hot brinjal pickle, cauliflower and white radish pickle, onion and tamato raita and sweet and spicy mango chutney.

2 Cups Wheat flour
2 Eggs beaten with 1/4 tsp salt
1 Tsp Salt
2 Tbsps Ghee
1 Tsp Baking powder
1 Tsp Milk
A few strands of saffron (zaffran) dissolved in 2 tbsps warm water
Water for kneading ghee for shallow frying


METHOD: Sift flour,baking powder and salt together. Make a stiff dough, by adding 2tbsps of ghee and slowly add water and then add milk and saffron and knead well. Now take the dough and make 6 equals portions and shape them into round balls. Take each round round ball and roll it out like a pancake 6" in diameter and coat the top side with a tsp of ghee and fold it over into a semicircle. Now repeat the process by spreading a little ghee on the top side and double fold it lengthwise and press it lightly with ur finger tips. Roll it like a swiss roll whilst keeping the folds intact on the outer side. The press it down with the palm of your hand to make a flattened ball and roll into a square 7"x 7". Now brush each paratha with beaten egg and fold all 4 corners towards the center but keep in mind not to cover the center totally. Now your paratha is ready for frying, heat oil in a frying pan or for shallow frying heat oil in a tawa and fry one paratha at a time and remember to place each one on a kitchen towel to absorb the oil.

prep time: 30 - 45 mins - makes : 6 - 8

Anda Ka Salan Madrasi Style

This egg curry can be enjoyed with zaffrani mughlai paratha. Do try this for sehri my husband really enjoys for his sehri.

6 Eggs
60gr Ghee
3Tbsp Onions- chopped
Salt and Lemon juice to taste
2 Cloves Garlic
250gr Fresh Tomatoes
1 Tbsp Curry powder

METHOD: Take 6 hard boiled eggs and cut lengthwise.
Then take the chopped onions and garlic and lightly fry in 50gr ghee for 2-3mins.
Stir for another 2-3mins after adding the curry powder.
Then add the fresh finely chopped tomatoes add enough water to form a thick like gravy.
Then add the salt and lemon juice and let it cook on a slow heat for 5-10mins.
Now add the eggs and warm on a slow heat for about 10mins and serve.

(Optional you can also serve with boiled rice.)

Fish In Green Masala

Fish pomfret (2-4 fillets)
1 Bunch Fenugreek (small kind)
1 Tsp Garlic
1/2 Tsp Ginger
1/2 Bunch Fennel (cut finely)
1 Tsp Cumin
1/2 Tsp Tumeric
1 Lemon- juice


METHOD: Grind all the masala and add lemon juice and marinate the fish for 15mins and set aside.
Heat oil and put mustard seeds 1/2 tsp when brown put the marinated fish in the pan and cover the fish with tomatoes slices of 4medium tomatoes and cook till done. (about 5mins on each side).

Chicken With Walnuts And Almonds

4 Medium pieces Chicken
1 Tbsp Ginger
1/2 Tsp Cinnamon powder
1 Tbsp Poppy seeds
20 Walnuts- shelled
10 Whole small red chillies
1 Cup yogurt-whipped
1 Tbsp Garlic
Juice of 1 Lemon
Salt and Pepper to taste
20 Almonds
2 Tbsp Oil


METHOD: Clean the chicken and make a fine paste of all the ingredients except the
whole red chillies. Mix all this with yogurt. Now marinate the chicken in this mixture and
keep aside for an hour.
Heat oil, add the chicken pieces with the yogurt marination and fry well.
Add the red chillies and cook till the chicken is tender.
Serve on a bed of rice.
Sprinkle with roasted almonds and walnuts.

Green Chutney

1 Bunch Coriander
6 Cloves Garlic (roast on a flat pan)
1 Bunch Mint
1/2 Tsp Cumin (whole)
4 Green Chillies
1/2 Tsp Salt
1/2 Tsp sugar


METHOD: Grind all this and add lemon juice, mix well and serve with cottage cheese samosas, potato samosa, pakoras and many other kinds of savories.