Stuffed karelas (One of my favourites!!)

Ingredients

Preparing karela

Karela (Bitter Gourd): 6-8. Use medium size.
Salt: 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder: 1 teaspoon
Water: 2cups

Stuffing

Cooking oil: 1 Tablespoon
Onions: 2 big
Garlic Cloves: 4
Fresh Ginger: 1 inch
Cumin powder: 1 teaspoon
Coriander powder: 2 teaspoon
Turmeric powder: 1/2 teaspoon
Chili powder: as per taste
Salt: as per taste
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Cooking / Frying

Thread to wrap and tie. (Use black or white thread, others lose colors and chemicals.)
Cooking oil: 1/4 Cup

Method

Step1 preparing Karela

1. Wash Karela. Scrape the skin with a knife. Then, cut a slit vertically into the Karela. Remove the seeds completely.
2. Heat water in a pan, bring it to boil. Add turmeric powder and some salt. Add the cut seedless karelas. Boil till the karelas becomes slightly tender. Approx 15min.
3. Remove from water and drain. Keep aside.

Step 2 Stuffing

1. Prepare vegetables
Finely chop the onions and make a paste of ginger and garlic (you can use the ready made pastes available, I do that!)
2. In a heavy pan heat oil. Add cumin seeds, allow them to sputter. Then, add onions, and salt. Sauté till onions are clear.
3. Add garlic, ginger, turmeric and chili powder. Stir well.
4. Add coriander powder. Stir. Turn off heat.
5. After 15min, pour the lemon juice. Stir again.

Step 3 Cooking / Frying

1. Fill the Karela with stuffing. Wrap Karela with thread so that the stuffing does not fall out.
2. In a heavy bottom pan, put cooking oil, heat it and add the stuffed Karela 2 at a time.
3. Deep fry till golden brown.

Chili Mushroom

Ingredients:

Button Mushrooms: 1 packet
Onions: 1
Capsicum: 1
Ginger garlic paste: 1-2 tspn
Soy sauce: 3tspn
Olive oil: 2-3tspn
Vegetable oil
Black pepper
Salt
Coriander: for garnishing

Method:

1. Cut the mushrooms into halves.
2. Take a heavy bottomed pan, heat oil. Add the cut mushrooms and allow them to cook till hey start losing moisture.
3. In another vessel, heat a mixture of olive oil and vegetable oil. Add ginger garlic paste, green chilies and the finely chopped onions and capsicum. Cook til golden brown.
4. Add the mushrooms and stir for 1 min.
5. Add soy sauce, again stir for 2min.
6. Switch off the gas, add pepper and salt as per taste.
7. Garnish with finely chopped coriander.
8. Serve hot.

Mexican Rice

Ingredients:

Rice: 2 cups
Onions: 2
Carrots: 1
Peas: 1/2 cup
Beans: 200gm
Capsicum: 1 small
Tomatoes: 1
Ginger: 1tspn
Garlic: 1tspn
Turmeric powder: 1/2tspn
Red chili powder: 1tspn
Oil
Salt

Method:

1. Soak rice in a 2 cups of water for about 30min. Drain.
2. In a pressure cooker, add the soaked rice along with 3 tbl spns of oil for frying. Fry the rice for few minutes till it turns slightly brown.
3. Add 2 cups of water and some salt. Cook the rice in the pressure cooker.
4. Cut carrots, beans and capsicum in long rectangular pieces. Chop onion and finely chop tomatoes.
5. In another separate vessel boil water and add carrots, peas and beans till tender. Drain and keep aside.
6. In a heavy bottomed vessel, heat oil and add ginger garlic paste and turmeric. Add onions. Fry then till golden brown. Keep aside.
7. In the same oil, fry capsicum, after 2min add tomatoes. Fry for 2min till the oil sets aside.
8. Add the boiled vegetables and stir.
9. Mix it with the boiled rice, onions and add salt as per taste.
10. Serve with chili mushrooms, or just like that!!