Palak (spinach) pulao

Palak is very nutritious but any has to be consumed in moderation. A variety of dishes can be made with palak. It goes well with Indian and also continental. It is easy to cook and tastes good.

Ingredients:

2 cups basmati rice,500g palak, 150g tomato puree, 2 onions, 1 tsp ginger paste, 1 tsp garlic paste,1 tsp red chilli powder, 1 tsp garam masala powder, 3 green chillis, ½ cup chopped hara dhania (coriander),2 tbsp oil and salt to taste.

Preparation:

1. Wash and cook rice with enough water and keep aside. 
2. Wash and microwave palak for 10 min and drain off the water, chop finely and keep aside.
3. Chop onions finely. 
4. Heat oil in a pan, put chopped onions and fry till golden brown, and to this, add all the spices. 
5. After frying for a while, add tomato puree and fry till it leaves sides. 
6. Now add palak and cooked rice and cook for a little while or microwave for 10 min.

Serve hot with plain curds or cucumber raita.

Spicy Bitter gourd

This is one vegetable which can never be forced down anyone's throat. Its natural bitterness is considered to be very good for the stomach because it can sorts out the harmful germs. But still, it is the same bitterness that keeps people off it. Bitter gourd juice, if had, first thing in the morning is very good for a diabetic. With a little effort we can make it interesting. But the one who likes it, relishes it in any form.

Ingredients:

500g fresh medium sized bitter gourd, 3 onions, 100g tomato puree, 1 tsp ginger paste, 1 tsp garlic paste,1 tsp dhania (coriander powder), 1 tsp jeera powder, ¼ tsp haldi (turmeric powder), 1 tsp red chilli powder,1/4tsp garam masala powder and salt to taste, oil for shallow frying.

Preparation:

1. Wash and smoothen the rough surface of the vegetable using peeler or knife.
2. Make a slit in each of the pieces and scoop out a little of flesh and keep aside.
3. Chop onions finely and keep aside, heat oil in a pan and fry onions till golden brown, add ginger paste, garlic paste, dhania powder, jeera powder, haldi, red chilli powder, salt and fry a little.
4. To this add tomato puree and fry till the oil leaves sides.
5. Once the filling is thick and soft, add the peeled and scooped out flesh into the filling and cook for five more minutes.
6. Spoon the filling into the vegetable and shallow fry in oil till done.

Serve hot with rice or roti.

Spicy Stuffed Bhindi

This one is stuffed with wet masala (spices), though a little long drawn tastes better for sure.

Ingredients:

500 g fresh bhindi, 3 onions, 100 g tomato puree, 1 tsp garlic paste, 1 tsp ginger paste, 1 tsp kasuri methi, 1 tsp jeera powder, 1 tsp red chilli powder, ¼ tsp haldi, salt to taste and oil for shallow frying.

Preparation:

1. Wash, dry and give a slit to each of the bhindis and keep aside. 
2. Chop the onions finely, heat oil in a pan; put the onions and fry till golden brown. 
3. To this, add one by one ginger, garlic pastes and other dry spices, tomato puree and fry till the oil leaves sides. 
4. Once the stuffing is little dry and done, stuff the same into all the bhindis and fry till soft.

Serve hot with rice or roti.