Poha - #SimpleBreakfast

Poha is a very popular dish in Maharashtra. It is very easy to be make and can be served in the morning as breakfast or during evening as Snack.

Ingredients:

1. Poha (flattened rice) - 1 Cup
2. Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
3. Oil - 2 tsp
4. Green chilies - 3
5. Peanuts - 2 tsp
6. Potato - 1 medium sized (Optional)
7. Onion - 1 medium sized
8. Mustard Seeds
9. Cumin Seeds
10. Curry Leaves
11. Coriander leaves
12. Salt as required

Preparation:

1. Pick Poha in a bowl and sprinkle water on it and mix till all of it is wet. Make sure to not pour excessive water as it becomes mushy.
2. Now add turmeric powder and mix them gently. Keep this aside.
3. Cut Onions, green chilli and keep them aside.
4. Take a pan and heat oil. Add mustard seeds and wait till they splutter. Now add cumin seeds.
5. Add peanuts and fry for 2 min.
6. Now add curry leaves and chopped green chilli. Saute the ingredients for a minute
7. Add Onions and Potato(optional) to the mixture and saute them for 6-7 min. Now add Salt to the mixture and mix them thoroughly.
8. Now add Poha to the mixture and gently mix all the ingredients.
9. Taste and add salt as required. Add coriander leaves to the mixture and turn off the flame.

Yummy Poha is ready to be served. Squeeze lemon juice as it adds to the taste.

Palak Paneer - #SimpleCurry

Palak Paneer is one of the most popular Indian dishes. It is easy to make but demands more time. You can try this dish during weekends.

Ingredients:

1. Spinach - 1 bunch
2. Paneer - 200 gms
3. Oil - 3 tsp
4. Onion - 1
5. Tomato - 1
6. Green Chilies- 4
7. Garlic - 6 Cloves. 
8. Ginger - 1/2 inch
9. Water
10. Hing - a Pinch
11. Turmeric Powder - a pinch
12. Salt
13. red chilli powder - 1 tsp
14. Garam Masala - 1 tsp Optional

Preparation:

1. First step is to make Palak Puree. Take spinach bunch and get rid of Stringy stems. Wash it thoroughly.
2. Boil water in a pan and add salt to it.Then add washed Spinach and close the lid. Wait for 2-3 min and turn off the flame.
3. Drain water and let it cool.
4. Now add spinach, 2 chopped garlic cloves, 2 chopped green chilli and chopped ginger to the grinder and make smooth puree. Keep it aside.
5. Chop Onion, Tomato, Green chili, Garlic into small pieces
6. Heat Oil in a Pan.
7. Add Onions and saute till they become golden brown. Now add hing,chopped garlic, chopped green chilli and wait for 2-3 min
8. Now add Chopped Tomatoes and saute them till they soften
9. Add Turmeric powder and Red chili powder an mix the ingredients
10. Now add palak puree and stir well. Add water and salt as required at this stage. Add Garam Masala if you want and stir well.
11. Cook palak for about 5-6 min and the gravy will also thicken by now.
12. Now add Paneer Cubes. Stir gently and simmer on a low flame for about 1-2 min till the paneer cubes become soft and succulent.
13. Turn off the flame.

Yummy Palak Paneer is ready. It goes very well with rotis, naan, parathas and jeera rice

UPMA - #SimpleIndianbreakfast

Upma is made of Semolina and is very simple to make. It takes only 20-30 min and is delicious.

Ingredients:

1. Semolina - 1 cup
2. Water - 3 cups
3. Oil - 2 tsps
4. Onion - 1
5. Ginger - 1/2 tsp
6. Green Chilli - 4
7. Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
8. Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
9. Veggies (peas/carrot etc) - 3 tsps
10. Urad dal/chana dal - 1 tsp
11. Hing - a pinch
12. Curry leaves
13. Coriander leaves

Preparation:

1. Cut onions, ginger, curry leaves, coriander,green chilli and any veggies you may want to add and keep aside. 
2. Take a pan and pour oil. Add mustard seeds after the oil is heated and wait till they splutter.
3. Now add cumin seeds and hing. Then add chana dal and wait till they turn brown.
4. Now add curry leaves, ginger, green chilli and Onions. Fry the ingredients till onions turn transparent
5. Now add cut veggies and fry for 5 min
6. Add water and let all the ingredients come to a boil
7. Now slowly pour Semolina while mixing all the ingredients to avoid any lumps.
8. Wait for 2 min and add Coriander leaves and turn off the flame.

Yummy Upma is ready to be served. It goes very well with lemon juice or with breakfast chutney(made with peanut or coconut).