Kidney Beans Recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup kidney beans(or rajma)
2 1/2 cups water or enough for cooking kidney beans
2 whole cloves
1" stick of whole cinnamon
2 or three bay leaves
2 tablespoon oil
3/4 cup chopped onions
1 teaspoon grated ginger
2 green chilies or to taste
1 clove of chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon dry methi leaves
1 cup crushed canned tomato
2 tablespoon tamarind concentrate
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
a few cilantro leaves also called hara dhania

Preparation:  Soak kidney beans in water for 2 hours before cooking.
To a pressure cooker on medium heat with 2 tablespoon of oil add the whole cloves, cinnamon stick and bay leaves and wait for it to start sizzling, after it starts sizzling add the chopped onions and saute it until the onions are light brown.  After the onions have turned light brown add the ginger and green chilies and saute for a few seconds, add the chopped garlic and saute for another few seconds, next add the turmeric powder and garam masala and mix for a few seconds.  Next add the tomato mix add the dry methi leaves and let it cook for 2 minutes.  Add the soaking kidney beans, tamarind concentrate and baking soda and cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until the kidney beans are cooked.  After the kidney beans are cooked add water if needed, salt and cilantro leaves and wait for it to come to a boil, turn the heat off and serve.  Serves 4.

Mango Pickle

Ingredients:
4 cups raw green mangoes chopped, 2 medium 652g or 23.10 oz
15 -20 whole red chilies or substitute with chili powder, whole chili have more flavor and taste
4 teaspoon mustard powder
3 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sesame oil (Indian til oil or gingelly oil)
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon methi powder
1/2 teaspoon asafoetida powder


Preparation: Remove the skin from the mangoes and chop them into bite size pieces.  Keep it aside.  Discard the skin and seeds.

Grind the red chilies and keep it aside.

Transfer the chopped mangoes to a heatproof bowl.  Add the mustard powder and salt and mix and keep it aside.

Prepare the seasoning:  To a pan on medium heat with the sesame oil add the mustard seeds and wait for it to pop.
When the mustard seeds pop, turn the heat off and add the turmeric powder, the ground chillies, methi powder and asafoetida mix and let it cook on the heat of the oil and add it to the chopped mangoes, mix and bottle.


Note:  If you want to add less oil you can first add 1/2 cup oil, after a couple of days add the other 1/4 if needed.  Before adding the additional oil make sure you heat the oil to smoking, let it cool and add it after that.

Asparagus Curry

Ingredients:
3 cups chopped or 1 bunch asparagus
3 tablespoons dry unsweetened coconut
2 tablespoon coconut oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 green chilies or to taste
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste

Prepare the asparagus by washing it first.  Next bending each stalk, it will snap naturally at the point where the stalk turns tender.
Use the top tender part and discard the ends.  Next bunch them together a few at a time and chop them into bits.  It is now ready to be cooked.

Cooking:  Heat a pan on medium heat with 2 tablespoon of coconut oil.  Add the cumin seeds to it and wait for it to start sizzling.  When the cumin seeds starts sizzling add the dry coconut and green chilies saute for a few seconds until the coconut starts turning brown, next add the chopped asparagus and mix cover and cook for five minutes or until it is partially cooked.  Next add the salt and mix and again cook for a couple of minutes until it is cooked.  For best results the asparagus needs to be cooked so that it is a little crunchy.
Serves 4.

This dish tastes good hot, you can add more chilies as per taste.

Mango Ice Cream

4 cups ripe mangoes chopped
1 cup milk
A few strands of saffron


Peel the mango discard the seeds, chop it and freeze it for at least 18 to 24 hours.

To half cup of milk add a few saffron strands and let it soak in the refrigerator for the same time as the mangoes. 

Next day remove from the mangoes from the freezer, let it defrost a little to separate the chopped pieces.  Place it in a blender jar add the milk with the soaked saffron and grind it.
While grinding add the other half of the milk and continue grinding to make a smooth paste.
The blades will tend to jam, now and then you will have to stop the machine remove the jar and stir the contents and put it back and continue with the grinding.  When it is smooth remove the contents from the jar and it is ready to serve.  Serves 4.