Sunday mornings in Pakistan deserve to be treated to Chana Masala and Puris from the nearest bakery (or halwai shop). We will cater to Puris some other time, for now stay content with Chana Masala. It tastes yummy and goes great with rice, chappatis, parathas or even a plain old spoon!

INGREDIENTS:
* 2 cups Garbanzo Beans
* 3 medium Onions (finely chopped in chopper)
* 2 cloves minced Garlic (optional as per taste)
* 1 tbsp. Ginger paste
* 2 Green Chilies chopped
* 2 tomatoes (chopped)
* 1 cup Tomato Puree or Paste
* ¼ tsp. Turmeric powder
* 1½ tsp. Red Chili Powder
* 1 tsp. Coriander powder
* 4 tsp. Vegetable Oil / Extra Virgin Olive Oil
* ¼ tsp. Garam Masala Powder
* 3 tsp. of Chana Masala Powder
* ¼ tsp. Cumin Seeds
* Salt to taste

For Garnishing the Beans/Chole
* Coriander leaves
* 2 small Onions
* 1 Tomato (sliced in Rings)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Soak the beans overnight in salty warm water with two tea bags. (Tea Bags impart dark color to the beans).
2. Boil the beans/chole along with tea bags in pressure cooker/Microwave till they become soft.
3. On Medium Low Heat, Heat the Pan first and put Oil in Pan.
4. When oil is ready (you can throw one cumin seed if it sizzles then oil is ready). Add Cumin seeds.
5. When Cumin Seeds splutter, add minced Garlic and Ginger Paste.
6. Add chopped Onions and add a pinch of Salt and fry till they turn brown. Do note that adding salt while frying Onions makes it quicker to fry Onions.
7. Add coriander powder and fry for some time till it becomes light brown.
8. Add turmeric powder & chili powder and Salt to taste.
9. Add Garam Masala and Chana Masala and again fry for some time.
10. Add Pureed tomatoes and fry till the oil leaves from the sides.
11. Add chopped Green Chilies.
12. Take out the Tea Bags and Add Beans/Chole into the Pan without water and stir so that it gets mixed up well.
13. Add the same water which was left in pressure cooker while boiling Chole/Chana .
14. Cook the Beans/Chole with gravy for 8-12 min’s till gravy dries (but Beans/Chana or the Masala should not stick to bottom).
15. Garnish with Coriander Leaves, Onion rings and Tomatoes.
16. Serve with Puris, Parathas, Chapatis or Rice.

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Some people really love this speciality dish. Although it is not that difficult to prepare it does require about 70 minutes of your time. It tastes great and once you learn it you’ll love to do it again. Indian version of this popular subcontinental dish utilises a pinch of asafoetida (heeng). People on the Pakistani side don’t use heeng that often. So here we go.

INGREDIENTS:
For Curry

• 3 Tbsp Gram Flour – Besan
• 1/2 Tsp Mustard Seeds – Raee
• 1/2 Tsp Cumin Seeds – Zeera
• 1 1/2 Cups Yogurt – Dahi
• 1Tbsp Garlic Paste – Lehsun
• 1 Nos Large Onion
• 2 Nos Green Chillies – Ground
• 1/4 Tsp Red Chilli Powder
• 1/4 Tsp Turmeric Powder – Haldi
• 3 Nos Curry Leaves – Kadhi Patta
• A Small Bunch of Green Coriander – Hara Dhaniya Chopped
• 3 Cups Water
• 2 Tbsp Oil
• Salt to Taste

For Pakoras
• 1 Cup Gram Flour – Besan
• 1/2 Tsp Cumin Seeds – Zeera
• 1 Medium Onion
• 1 Medium Potato
• 1 Tsp Whole Coriander
• A Bunch of Fresh Coriander
• Salt and Red Chillies to Taste
• A Pinch of baking soda
• Oil for deep drying

INSTRUCTIONS:
PAKORAS.

1. Lets make pakoras first. Mix the gram flour with a little water in a bowl. Work up to a medium thick paste.
2. Add to it baking soda, salt, chillies, zeera, whole coriander, chopped onion and finely chopped potato. Mix the ingredients with a spoon making sure all spices are evenly distributed. Lastly add chopped fresh coriander to this paste.
3. Let it stand for 10 minutes.
4. Now using a tablespoon drop ping pong ball sized mixture in a deep frying pan. Turn side to ensure even cooking. Take out when medium brown. Do not over cook as the pakoras will become hard.
5. When all done, set the pakoras aside.

KADHI.

1. Start off by heating the oil in a deep pan or wok (kadhai). Add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds. When they start to crackle, add the onion and fry till the onion is golden brown.
2. Whisk the yogurt with the garlic paste, green chilli paste, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, gram flour and salt. Add water and stir.
3. Now add this mixture to the wok (kadhai) and bring to boil. Keep stirring constantly and turn the flame to medium. After about 30 minutes the kadhi should have thickened and be ready.
4. Now add the curry leaves and pakoras then simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Garnish with green coriander and sprinkle some garam masala.
6. Serve with chappatis or plain boiled rice.

Fancy cooking an exotic meal tonight? Best desi cooking recipes from Pakistan, India and rest of the world. Visit http://www.bestdesicooking.com and enjoy deliciously free recipes!

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INGREDIENTS:
• 3 Medium Boiled Potatoes (cut/diced)
• 2 Cups Yogurt
• 1Ttsp Cumin seeds
• 1/2 Tsp Pepper
• 1/2 Tsp Red chili
• Salt to taste
• 1Tsp Oil

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Whisk the yogurt till it smoothes out.
2. Add chopped/diced potatoes to the yogurt and mix well.
3. Heat the oil and add cumin seeds, pepper, and red chili and stir it for a moment.
4. Add the fried contents to potato yogurt mixture.
5. Sprinkle salt to taste.

Fancy cooking an exotic meal tonight? Best desi cooking recipes from Pakistan, India and rest of the world. Visit http://www.bestdesicooking.com and enjoy deliciously free recipes!

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Okay guys let me assure you that one of my all time favourite dishes sinces my childhood is this Masala Bhindi. Theres something really delicious about it. Easy as easy can be you could be eating this delicious okra recipe in under 30 minutes if you start now..

INGREDIENTS:
• 500 gms Medium Sized Bhindi (Okra)
• 2 Medium Onions
* 2-3 Tbsp Lemon Juice
• 1/2 Tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 Tsp Mango powder (Amchoor)
• 1 Tsp Red chili
• 1 Tsp Garam masala
• 3 Tbsps Oil
• Salt to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Chop off the heads and tails of Okra, Vertically cut (okra) Bhindi into halves such that the piece remains intact.
2. Make a paste of turmeric powder, mango powder (amchoor), red chili, garam masala and salt and then stuff it into sliced Bhindis (okras) and keep it aside.
3. Cut the onions and fry it till they turn golden brown.
4. Add sliced Bhindi and fry till they turn crisp. Do not stir often as the bhindis will break open.
5. Serve with hot chapati and raita/salad.

Fancy cooking an exotic meal tonight? Best desi cooking recipes from Pakistan, India and rest of the world. Visit http://www.bestdesicooking.com and enjoy deliciously free recipes!

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Direct from the Northern areas of the Subcontinent is a vegetarian delight. Easy to cook and offering a great taste for a change, try these Kashmiri Dum Aloo.

INGREDIENTS:
* 18-20 small-sized potatoes
* 5 Dried Kashmiri chillies
* 2 Cups of Yogurt
* 1 Tsp of Dry Ginger Powder
* ½ Tsp of Cardamom Powder
* 2 Tbsp of Fennel Powder
* A Large Pinch of Clove Powder
* A Pinch of Asafoetida
* ½ Tsp of Roasted Cumin Powder
* ½ Tsp of Garam Masala Powder
* ¼ Cup of Mustard Oil
* Oil to deep fry
* Salt to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Start off by peeling and pricking the potatoes all over with the help of a fork. This should be done well to make the potatoes mellow. Now keep these in salted water for fifteen minutes.
2. Heat oil in a deep pan and fry the potatoes on medium heat till golden brown.
3. Make a paste of dried Kashmiri red chillies.
4. Whisk the yogurt with Kashmiri red chilli paste, cardamom powder, dry ginger powder and fennel powder.
5. Heat mustard oil in a pan. Add clove powder and asafoetida. Add half a cup of water and salt and bring to boil.
6. Stir in the yogurt mixture and bring it to boil too. Add fried potatoes and cook till the potatoes absorb the gravy and oil floats on top.
7. Serve hot, garnished with freshly roasted cumin powder and garam masala powder.

Fancy cooking an exotic meal tonight? Best desi cooking recipes from Pakistan, India and rest of the world. Visit http://www.bestdesicooking.com and enjoy deliciously free recipes!

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