Malai Kofta- short cut version

 Step 1- boil 1 large potato and keep is aside

Step 2- heat oil in a pan add diced onion.. 8 cloves of garlic ..1 inch ginger and 2 green chilli. Saute for some time.  Add tomato cubes and let it get soft.  Now add a few cashews. Dont add any other masala or salt etc. Just saute the veggies and let it cool. Once done then make a smooth paste of this. ( actually this mixture can be added to any other veggie and gives a perfect restaurant like taste)

Step 3- mash the potato. Add panner/cottage cheese..grate it finely. Then add green chillies, cumin powder and coriander leaves. Now add salt as per taste. Add all purpose flour ( approx 5 tablespoon) or enough to give the mixture a good binding. 

Mash everything well..and then make small balls .

Step 4- Add about 4 tablespoon of oil andfry these kofta balls . Keep them aside 

Step 5- heat 2 tablespoon oil and add bay leaves, cinnamon stick , cumin seeds,cardamom and cloves.. now add the onion tomato mix directly. Saute for some time. Then add salt ..turmeric..  cumin and coriander powder.. let it cook.

Then once the oil is released, add a little water to a consistency you like for gravy. Once it starts to boil , slowly release the kofta balls and then let it cook for another 2 to 3 mins and keep it covered. Check to see if the gravy thickens..

Now turn off the gas and add some fresh cream for that heavenly taste and perfect insta pic:) 

Serve with hot phulkas or plain rice

Masoor dal for beginners

 Step 1- wash the masoor daal approx 1 cup

Step 2- add a teaspoon of salt and pinch of turmeric. Add any 1 .5 cup of water and pressure cook for about 10 minutes.. say about 4 whistles. Then leave it to cool down completely

Step 3- chop onions and green chillies..

Step 4- heat up about 2 tablespoon of oil.. add the onions and chillies ..saute for a minute..

step 5- add the boiled daal and add a little water if required..based of the consistency that you want.

Let it boil.. and then turn off the gas.

Now just before eating, squeeze some lemon into it..

Have it with plain rice with some paper and aloo fry..

Simple..healthy and super yumm!

Piyali's yummy platter

MOONG DAAL WITH LAUKI Step 1- take 1 cup of moong daal and wash it well. The add 1 .5 cups of water. Put salt and turmeric and boil. Wait for 2 whistles. Open after 10 mins when it cools down completely and mash the daal Step 2- cut bottle gourd in small julians/cubes. Wash and keep aside. Step 3 – heat the oil, add cumin seeds ( approx. 1 teaspoon) 2 dried chilli and pinch of asafoetida ( optional). Add the bottle gourd .. mix well and then add salt , turmeric and pinch of sugar. Cover and cook till the lauki gets soft. Step 3- when the bottle gourd is soft, add 1 tablespoon of ginger paste and 1 tablespoon of cumin powder. Mix well .. and cover. After some time add tomato puree or tomato cubes cut finely. Mix everything well and let it cook .. Step 4. – add the cooked daal. And let the water evaporate by half. At this stage, add garam masala and turn off the gas. Cover and keep aside. Step 5 ( optional for better taste)- heat some ghee, add red chilli powder and immediately turn off the gas. Add this directly over the cooked daal.. add coriander leaves and serve with roti or rice.

A few hours ....

20th of July, 2015- a normal boring Monday, where my brain said sleep a little more and the alarm kept buzzing and snoozing and buzzing again...till it was completely drained of battery. Time- 9 am. Like a good girl, I exercised for some time ..had a healthy bowl of oats, cooked and packed lunch...ironed my clothes and went for a shower.... Time 11am. And then.. My worst fears came true. The bathroom door, which was forever problematic... decided to play a real dirty game with me- it decided to get stuck. I kid you not, the handle just wouldn't move!!!..as if the door had some supernatural power...or it was possessed. I tried pulling, twisting, turning- nothing worked. Then i spoke to it politely- didn't work! I got angry- i shouted- it became worse! Time 11:30am The next two and a half hours -was a real struggle. I actually got very scared. I had all sorts of thoughts running in my mind. I screamed "help!"...hoping someone would hear my cry for help. I didn't know what exactly I should scream- my name? Where i am stuck? What i want them to do? - you see it was my first time... So, i decided to take it slow...and keep it simple. So it was -" I am stuck in the bathroom- somebody help" in all languages I know- including Kannada. Every time I would hear the front gate open, I would scream with full power.. Almost my kidney and lungs came out.. But no one came for help! Sigh- I think by then it was 12:15 pm I creatively visualized my colleagues getting worried for me and wondering if I was kidnapped. I imagined my closest friends to come looking for me and take me out. I was losing patience...I was feeling tired...hungry...stressed- may be a little sleepy also. I decided to use the available resources, till my friends figure out that I am missing. There was nothing useful in the bathroom, so I started with my filer- The idea was to break the wooden part, so that the metal comes out easily. Well, the thought seemed practical and the optimistic me started hitting the wood. Some pieces fell off and it reinforced my belief that I was on the right track..... But slowly, there was no real change and I was losing hope and energy. Not knowing, if I did more damage, i decided to use the toothbrush to clear out the residual junk- in my head i was like- why am i being so neat?! Never mind- the point is nothing was working!!!! Then, I found my razor! Yes- in desperation, i thought if i can't break the wood..i can scrape it. Now when i look back , it seems so foolish....but while i was in that tiny bathroom with barely any ventilation- this seemed very doable and probably on one inch better situation. I also thought would it help to pour water on the wood, hoping it would soften it- but 7th std physics says, wood would expand. I changed my mind and continued hammering, till my filer broke :( Time 12:40pm approx. By now, I was thinking of worst case scenarios- my neighbor who usually comes by 4pm was my last hope. I knew she would rescue me if she finds out I am stuck. I thought what if the police decides to seal my house... Or no one finds out I am here and i die !! I drank some tap water and challenged my irrational thoughts. I thanked my college professor who taught me REBT technique so well. Even when I was in this situation, I was applying REBT?? Identifying my cognitive distortions!!! In between, I continued screaming for help and got back to using other available tools, trying to break open the door.. Time 1pm. And then... The heroes of the scene comes - 2 of my "Anmol Ratan" I was reassured by a familiar voice...I could breathe and could feel the blood circulation in my body. It was Runa and Deepthi who found ways to come into the room..I am told that she climbed on the window and looked like a monkey putting her hand in, to open the latch of the door. And guess what- with the help of a some bottle, she opened the front door- my brave friends!! And then.. a few pushes.. The bathroom door opened... I was out- breathing.. Shivering.. Happy and there are no words to describe the freedom wali feeling. As I write this, I still feel a little traumatized..like PTSD :P I can now feel the acute pain in my right arm and lower back.. Some strange cuts on my hand and a severe shoulder pain.. But amidst all the pain I feel happy to have such friends ...and yes, the lesson learnt is never to lock that damn door. Oh the time is 1:30 am now :P- exactly after 12 hrs of the action/thriller/drama sequence.

i me aur main review

I,me aur main: not too bad!! even though there are cliche moments, terrible acting, those moments when you go... O.K.A.Y!! basically find hard to digest... but there is something abt the movie which is really good. I guess its the concept and story, but then there is something wrong with the execution- its a little rushed.. too quick..the emotional transitions are not clean... there are highs as well!, but doesnt stay long enough. music is fab.. and leaves me wit mixed feelings. feel good one time watch...(okay..may b two!) not a bad choice for weekend:) enjoy maadi

thas moon!

moon and mars came so close!.. couldnt miss

sawan ki ghata!!

the beauty of the dalma mountains...clouds seem to dance on the mountain top!