Tag Archives: dahi
DAHI ARBI (COLOCASSIA IN A YOGHURT GRAVY)
Even though Arbi is one of my favourite vegetables, I rarely buy it because at home nobody relishes it as much. After a very long time decided to buy it and made this easy kalvan (gravy) that goes well with rice.
This is what you’ll need
Arbi: 200gms
Dahi (yoghurt): 1 cup
Cumin seeds: 1tsp
Chilli powder: 1tsp
Turmeric powder: 1/4tsp
Dhania jeera powder: 1tsp
Hing: 1/2tsp
Amchur (dry mango powder): 1/2tsp
Oil: 1tsp
Rock salt: As required (or use regular salt)
Coriander leaves: To garnish
Let’s get cooking
1. Pressure cook the arbi for 2 whistles. Peel, cut into roundels and keep aside.
2. Whisk the dahi along with a glass of water and keep aside.
3. Heat the oil in a pan and season with cumin seeds and hing.
4. Add the chilli powder, turmeric powder, dhania jeera powder and amchur. Mix for 30 seconds.
5. Toss in the arbi and stir fry till the powders coat it well.
6. Gradually add the whisked dahi stirring continously, taking care that it does not curdle. Bring the mixture to a boil.
7. Add the rock salt and chopped coriander leaves.
8. Serve hot with steamed rice.
Approximate preparation and cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves: 2-3
DAHI BATATA PURI (SPICED YOGHURT AND POTATO IN SEMOLINA BASKETS)
I absolutely love Chaats, be it pani puri, sev puri, bhel puri or dahi batat puri! The pani puri puris are not always available here and somehow I still haven’t got myself to try making them at home. Last year however on my trip to India, a friend of mine mentioned about dehydrated pani puri puri which were available. All you had to do was to fry them and voila…….you had pani puri puris ready. Found it to be such a convenient idea, that I picked up a few packets to bring back here. Had to try them out, so today’s dinner was Dahi Batata Puri!
This is what you’ll need
Puris: 10-12
Potato: 1 (medium)
Onion: 1 (small)
Sweet tamarind chutney: 3tbsp
Green coriander chutney: 3tbsp
Yoghurt: 1/2 cup
Chaat masala: 1tsp
Sev: 4tbsp
Coriander leaves: To garnish
Lemon juice: 1tsp
Salt to taste
Let’s get cooking
1. Boil and mash the potato. Chop the onion finely.
2. Whisk the yoghurt to a smooth paste and add a little salt
3. To make the chaat, make small holes in the puri and place in the serving dish.
4. Add a little of the onion, mashed potato, followed by the yoghurt, sweet tamarind chutney and green chutney.
5. Sprinkle chaat masala on top. Garnish with sev, coriander leaves, lemon juice and serve immediately.
Approximate preparation and cooking time: 30 minutes.
Serves: 2
BELL PEPPER RAITA (BELL PEPPER IN SPICED YOGHURT)
Remember reading about bell pepper raita a very long time ago. AT the time had not made note of any recipe, but after having tried so many items this raita seemed like an easy one to come up with. Made it simple with minimum ingredients and it turned out tasty too!
This is what you’ll need
Green bell pepper: 3tbsp (finely chopped)
Red bell pepper: 2tbsp (finely chopped)
Dahi (yoghurt): 1 cup
Green chillies: 3
Mustard seeds: 1/2tsp
Cumin seeds: 1/2tsp
Hing (asafoetida): 1/2tsp
Salt to taste
Oil: 1tsp
Let’s get cooking
1. Whisk the yoghurt along with salt and keep aside.
2. Chop the green chillies.
3. Heat oil in a pan and season with the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, green chillies and hing.
4. Add the finely chopped peppers and fry for a couple of minutes. Remove from heat.
5. When cooled to room temperature add the yoghurt.
6. Serve as an accompaniment with any pulao/ biryani.
Approximate preparation and cooking time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4
AMMA’S DAHI KADHI (YOGHURT DAL)
Ever since I can remember, each time Amma made this kadhi, I would be so impatient to have dinner, sometimes not even wait until dinner time. I would just grab a bowlful of this kadhi and have it piping hot. Tasted yummm, especially the garlic flavour. Personally I am not a great fan of garlic, but this kadhi I just couldn’t resist.
This is what you’ll need
Yoghurt: 100ml
Besan (gram flour): 1tbsp
Onion: 1
Tomato: 1
Green chillies: 2
Garlic: 2 cloves
Turmeric powder: a pinch
Mustard seeds: ¼tsp
Udad dal: ¼tsp
Curry leaves : Few
Salt to taste
Oil
Let’s get cooking
1. Whisk the yoghurt and besan into a smooth paste and keep aside.
2. Chop the onions, tomatoes and garlic. Slice the green chilli.
3. Heat the oil and add the mustard seeds. When it sputters, add the udad dal and curry leaves.
4. Add the chopped onions, green chilli and garlic. Sauté until the onions are transparent. Add the turmeric powder.
5. Add the yoghurt mixture along with the tomatoes, and 2 glasses of water.
6. Let the mixture come to a boil. Simmer and cook for a further 5 minutes. Add salt and serve hot with rice.
Approximate preparation and cooking time: 25 minutes
Serves: 4
Dietician’s Note
A quick and simple dal to make, with yoghurt and chick pea flour, making this dal rich in protein.
The yoghurt and tomatoes give it a soury tang, hence if the salt is omitted, can be had by patients with hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases.
For obese and over weight people skimmed milk yoghurt can be used.
Tomatoes are rich in Lycopene, Vitamin A and C. Lycopene has shown to have anti canrcinogenic properties. Onions are also known to protect against cancer, lower blood pressure, reduce heart attack thanks to the presence of phytochemicals and the flavonoid quercetin.
GAVAR KI SUBJI (CLUSTER BEANS IN YOGHURT)
Another unusual recipe that I found on the Tarla Dalal website and tried it out for lunch today. Gavar is not a vegetable I buy often. This curry with minimum alteration, tasted good with chappatis.
This is what you’ll need
Gavar (cluster beans): 2 cups
Yoghurt: 3/4cup
Besan (gramflour): 1tbsp
Chilli powder: 2tsp
Coriander powder: 2tsp
Mustard seeds: 1tsp
Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp
Hing (asafoetida): A pinch
Badishep (fennel seeds): 1/4tsp
Turmeric powder: A pinch
Curry leaves: 7-8
Oil: 2tsp
Salt to taste
Let’s get cooking.
1. Wash the beans and cut them into inch long pieces, discarding the tips.
2. Cook in water until soft. Drain the cooked beans, but retain the water.
3. Add the chilli powder, besan, dhania powder, turmeric powder and salt to the yoghurt. Whisk well to a smooth mixture.
4. Heat the oil in a pan and season with mustard seeds, cumin seeds and badishep. Add the curry leaves and hing.
5. Pour in the yoghurt mixture, stirring continuously. Cook on low flame for 5 minutes.
6. Add the cluster beans along with the water (as required). Cook for another few minutes.
7. Serve hot with chappatis or rice.
Approximate preparation and cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4-5
KAJU DAHI BHINDI (OKRA IN CASHEW YOGHURT GRAVY)
Bhindi (okra) has always been one of my favourite vegetables and I always like trying out different recipes with it. Coconut yoghurt based gravy is what I usually make with bhindi, but this time thought will make something different.
This turned out really good and the cashew gave the gravy a nice creamy texture.
This is what you’ll need
Bhindi: 250gms
Dahi (yoghurt): 1 cup
Cashewnuts: 2 tbsp
Onion: 1
Ginger garlic paste: 1/2tsp
Tomato puree: 2tbsp
Chilli powder: 1tsp
Turmeric powder: 1/4tsp
Garam masala: 1/2tsp
Dhania jeera powder: 1tsp
Kasuri methi: 2tsp
Badishep (fennel seeds): 1/2tsp
Curry leaves: Few
Oil
Salt to taste
Let’s get cooking
1. Wash the bhindi and pat dry. Cut into one inch pieces and fry in a pan with 2 tsp oil until crisp. Keep aside.
2. Chop the onions and whisk the yoghurt.
3. Grind the cashew nuts with a little yoghurt and keep the paste aside.
4. Heat oil in a pan and season with the fennel seeds and curry leaves.
5. Add the onions and saute until transparent. Add the ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute.
6. Add the tomato puree, along with the dry powders, kasuri methi, cashew paste and yoghurt. Mix well.
7. Lastly add the fried bhindi and salt. Add a little water if too thick. Bring to a boil and serve hot with chappatis.
Approximate preparation and cooking time: 35 minutes
Serves: 2-3
DAHIWALE ALOO (POTATOES IN YOGURT CURRY)
This does not happen very often, especially in my kitchen. Then like they say there is always a first time, so I guess this was it! I opened my fridge to pick what I was going to cook today and lo and behold!!! I had run out of vegetables. Well, there always are potatoes to the rescue so made a curry with Aloo (potato) and yoghurt.
This is what you’ll need
For the potatoes
Boiled potatoes: 3
Yoghurt (dahi): 1 cup
Chilli powder: 1tsp
Turmeric powder: 1/2tsp
Coriander powder: 1tsp
Garam masala: 1/2tsp
Ginger: 1/2tsp (grated)
Coriander leaves: To garnish
Salt to taste
For the seasoning
Mustard seeds: 1/2tsp
Cumin seeds: 1tsp
Methi seeds: 1/2tsp
Badishep: 1/2tsp (optional)
Whole red chillies: 4
Cinnamon: 1/2″ piece
Hing: 1/2tsp
Curry leaves: Few
Oil: 2tsp
Salt to taste
Oil
Let’s get cooking
1. Boil the potatoes. Peel and cut into one inch pieces.
2. Whisk the yogurt along with the chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala and ginger.
3. Chop the coriander leaves finely.
4. Heat some oil in a pan and add the ingredients under seasoning.
5. Add the yoghurt and mixture stirring continuously. Cook on a low flame until the raw flavour disappears. Stirring continuously is important.
6. Add the potatoes along with the salt and bring to a boil.
7. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or rotis.
Approximate preparation and cooking time: 35 minutes
Serves: 4
BAINGAN BHARTA (WITH DAHI) (GRILLED EGGPLANT IN A YOGURT SAUCE)
I could not remember the last time I made Baingan ka Bharta. When I made it today my 10 year old said to me please don’t feel bad Amma, but I don’t think I like this curry. It tastes burnt! Well he was not wrong, but somehow it is that grilled baigan that gives this dish the flavour! My hubbie and me feasted on it. 🙂
This is what you’ll need
Brinjals: 2
Onions: 2
Tomatoes: 2
Green chillies: 2
Yogurt: 1/2 cup
Turmeric powder: 1/4tsp
Chilli powder: 1tsp
Ginger: 1tsp (grated)
Coriander leaves: Few
Salt to taste
Oil: 2tsp
Let’s get cooking
1. Grill the brinjal applying a little oil until soft. Let it cool. Mash and keep aside.
2. Chop the onions, tomatoes and green chillies.
3. Chop the coriander leaves and whisk the yogurt.
4. Heat the oil and add the onions and green chillies. Sauté until transparent.
5. Add the ginger, turmeric powder and chilli powder. Fry for a minute.
6. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until pulpy.
7. Add the mashed brinjal and salt. Fry it for a couple of minutes. Add the chopped coriander.
8. Cool the brinjal and finally add whisked yogurt. Serve hot with phulkas.
Approximate preparation and cooking time: 45 minutes
Serves: 3-4
Dietician’s Note
Brinjals are an excellent food to aid in weight loss, being low in calories and fat. It is a nutrient dense food, which will help you feel full, and there are almost no calories in brinjals. Obese people love brinjal dishes as it does not add many calories to their diet.
Another important factor to note is the low sodium levels present in brinjals. Low sodium diet is beneficial to hypertensive patients. Omit the salt or replace it with a low sodium salt in this recipe.
Brinjals are also found to reduce high cholesterol levels.
The yoghurt in this recipe adds to the protein content and the minimal use of oil again makes it a good choice for dieters, diabetics and people with hyeprtension and other cardiovascular diseases.
