Gobi Mussalam|Gobi Musallam

After learning the name of the dish I make quite often as Baingan Mussalam, I was quite intrigued as to what other veggies can be used to make this Mussalam. Found from the net that Potato, Baby Potato and Cauliflower can also be used to make Mussalam. But each vegetable have a different type of cooking the same Mussalam.

Ingredients:
Cauliflower - 1 small
Onions - 2 nos
Tomato Puree - 1 1/2 cups
Chilly Powder - 1 tsp
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Coriander seeds - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Cinnamon stick - 1 no or Cinnamon Powder - 1/2 tsp
Cloves - 4 nos
Green Chillies - 2 nos
Garam Masala Powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
Cashew nuts - 8 nos
Ghee - 1/4 cup
Milk - 1/4 cup (optional)
Salt to taste
Oil - 1/4 litre
Coriander leaves - finely chopped 1/2 cup

Method:
In a pan dry roast coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, clove and grind it to a fine paste adding little water along with cashew nuts and garam masala.

Cut the Cauliflower into small florets. Boil the florets in water along with little salt and turmeric powder. When half done, drain and when the water is drained, fry the florets in a small deep fry pan till they become brown in colour.

In a shallow pan add ghee and when hot add ginger garlic paste and saute a little. Add the ground paste and onion simultaneously and fry till the oil is separated. Add turmeric powder, chilly powder and add 1/2 cup of water. Mix everything thoroughly. Add the tomato puree and another 1/2 cup of water. Add salt and reduce the flame to let the gravy become thick and oil floats on top. Add little oil (or milk) and the fried cauliflower pieces. Bring it to boil and keep it in low flame for another 3 mins.

Garnish it with coriander leaves, fried cashew nuts.

Serve this hot with Roti/Chappati.

Baingan Mussalam|Baingan Mohalai Gravy a very rich side dish recipe

I came to know that Baingan Mughalai gravy and Baingan Mussalam are one and the same after getting clarified from some of my friends. Though any kind of vegetable can be used along with the basic gravy, when Baingan is used it really gives a wonderful taste. A must try for all Brinjal lovers.

Ingredients:
Brinjals - 8 nos small sized
Onions - 2 nos big
Tomato - 4 nos.
Tomato puree - 1 cup
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilly powder - 1 tsp (or to taste)
Salt to taste
Ghee - 1/4 cup
Oil for deep frying.
Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup
Fresh cream - 3 to 4 tbsp

Method:
Wash and clean the brinjals and cut them to 6 pieces length wise. Heat oil in a pan and fry the brinjal pieces till they become golden brown in colour. In a hard bottom shallow pan add ghee and  cumin seeds. When the cumin seeds crackle add the finely chopped onions and saute it till it turns golden brown in colour. Add the ginger garlic paste, coriander powder, turmeric powder, chilli powder and mix well. Add a cup of water to mix all the ingredients thoroughly. Bring it to a boil, reduce the flame add the finely chopped tomatoes and mash well with all the other ingredients. Cook it thoroughly till the oil separates from gravy. Add brinjal, tomato gravy and required quantity of salt. Mix well and cook for about 5 mins in low flame.

Remove from flame and transfer it to a serving bowl, mix the cream. Garnish it with coriander leaves. To make the dish rich can also garnish with fried cashew nuts.

Goes well with Rotis, Chappatis or even jeera rice.

Mughalai Paratha

Ingredients:
Maida - 2 cups
Baking powder - 1 tsp
salt to taste
Oil - to cook
Ghee - 4 tbsp

Method:
In a shallow bowl add flour and baking powder and mix well. Add salt and 2 tbsp of ghee and rub the flour thoroughly so that the mixture becomes coarse. Add water little by little and knead the flour to form a soft dough

Make several balls out of the dough. Let it set for about 1/2 an hour (Cover the bowl with a cloth to maintain the moisture).

Roll out the balls and flatten it to make thick chappati rounds. Rub ghee and sprinkle some flour on it and place another of the round on top of it. Cut the rounds into half.Fold in lengthwise and roll them. Press into square shape.

Heat a tawa and cook the parathas in it applying oil around it. Fry both the sides till brown bubbles appear.

Note: Mughalai Paratha calls for egg. Just before placing the parathas in tawa, rub both sides with beaten egg. 2 nos of egg can be taken and beaten.

Shahi Turka - A royal dish from Mughalai Cuisine

Ingredients: 
Bread - 8 nos
Ghee - 1/2 cup
Milk - 1 ltr
Sugar - 1 cup
Cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
Dry grapes - 8 to 12 nos
Cashew nuts - 10 to 12 nos

Method:
Chop off the edges of the bread and cut it diagonally. In a flat bottom pan toast the bread slices till they become golden brown on both the sides. Let them cool.

In a hard bottom pan heat the milk when it boils add sugar to it and stir it continuously till it reduces to half. Remove from flame and let it cool. Add cardamom powder. Break the cashewnuts into pieces. Fry that and cashewnut in ghee add it to the milk.

While serving, place the bread slice on a shallow plate and pour milk on top. Sprinkle a few nuts. This can be served either hot or cold.

A royal dish from Mohalai Cuisine.

Mughalai Garam Masala powder recipe

Ingredients:
Cinnamon - 5 1 inch pieces
Black cardamom - 15 gms
Black Pepper - 3 tbsp
Cloves - 8 to 10 nos
Oil - 2 tsp

Method:
Heat oil in a pan and roast all the ingredients adding them together. Roast them very lightly. Let it cool. Grind it all to a fine powder and store it in an airtight container.

This garam masala can be used in Mughalai dishes whichever asks for Garam Masala in it.

Mohalai Cauliflower gravy recipe

Ingredients:
Cauliflower - 1 medium sized
Maida or all purpose flour - 1 cup (100 gms)
Milk - 1/2 ltr
Cheese - grated 1/2 cup
Onion - 1 big (cut into very small pieces)
Garlic - 6 flakes (cut into small pieces)
Green Chillies - 2
Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup (finely chopped)
Butter - 1/4 cup (unsalted)
Salt - To Taste
Turmeric Powder - 2 pinch
Oil - 4 tbsp

Method:
Cut Cauliflower into florets. Boil them in water mixed with salt and turmeric powder. Mix maida in milk and filter it so that there will be no lumps. In a pan add the butter and saute onions, green chillies(slit in the middle) and garlic. Add the milk maida mixture to it and keep stirring it so that no lumps are formed. When it mixes thoroughly and forms a paste like consistency, reduce the flame to low and let it boil.

In the mean time fry the florets in oil (till they are half cooked) and add it to the gravy. Add salt to taste and cook closed for 5 mins in medium flame. Remove from flame add the butter, grated cheese. Decorate it with finely chopped coriander leaves and fried cashew nuts(optional).

Makes a great dish for Chappati, Fried Rice, Briyanis and Pulavs.

Mohalai Brinjal - A very rich party recipe

Ingredients:
Brinjal - Small 1kg
Garlic - 6 to 8 Flakes
Pepper -1 tbsp
Small Onions (Sambar Onions) - 1/4 kg
Tamrind - 1 lemon size (or Tamrind Paste - 1/4 cup )
Cashew nuts - 50 gms
Ground nuts - 50 gms
Tomato - Ripe Banglore Tomato (Big in size) - 2 nos
Salt - To taste
Red Chilly Powder - 1 tsp
Dhania (Coriander) Powder - 1/2 tsp(optional)

Method
Grind cashew nuts, ground nuts, garlic and tomato into a fine paste. Divide the tamrind paste into two. Add 1/2 cup of water to one portion. In a shallow pan add oil and fry the pepper in it. Add the small onions to it and fry it too.

Slit the brinjals into 4 (do not cut it fully), and add it to the oil. Saute it for a while. Add the coriander powder and red chilly powder and mix it well with the vegetables. Add the watery tamrind paste and salt and let it boil for while. Add the ground paste to it and boil it till the oil separates. Add the thick tamrind paste to it and reduce the flame. Let it boil for another 10 to 15 mins till the raw smell of the tamrind goes off.

This makes a great side dish for Vegetable Pulov, Vegetable Briyani and hot white rice.

Recipe for Shahi Paneer

Ingredients:
Paneer - 250 gms
Butter - 4 tbsp
Onions - 2 thinly chopped
Ginger - 1/2 inch piece
Garlic pods - 4 to 6
Green Chillies - 2
Tomatoes - 2
Cardamoms - 2
Beaten Curd - 1/4 cup
Red Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Milk - 1/2 cup
Tomato puree - 1/4 cup
Grated Paneer - 2 tbsp
Greated Cheese - 2 tbsp
Chopped coriander - 2 tbsp
Oil - 1/4 cup

Method:
Chop the Paneer into finger lenghts. Heat oil in a shallow pan, fry the Paneer pieces. When golden brown remove from flame. Put the pieces in warm water for a few mins and remove and drain.


In a hard bottom kadai(pan) add 2 tbsp of butter and add onion, ginger, green chilli and cardomom to it. Fry for 3 to 4 mins and add tomatoes and cook it for a few mins covered till it gets cooked. Add 1/2 cup of water and remove from fire. Let it cool and grind it to a fine paste.
In the pan add the remaining ghee and add the gravy to it. Add salt, red chilly powder, garam masala powder and beatern curd to it. Boil every thing till the gravy becomes thick. Remove from fire. Before serving add milk and paneer pieces. Decorate it with grated cheese, grated paneer and chopped coriander leaves.