Back to Basics: Mustard Greens and Potato Curry (Rayo ko Saag) Recipe!!

The main reason I started sharing recipes through this blog was because basic Nepali food is the most I miss. There are so many vegetables and spices that are not accessible here in the States and therefore its been ages since I haven't had them. When I saw "Rayo ko Saag" in Chinese store the other day, I was literally jumping :D It is one of my favorite kind of greens and it had been seven darn years and finally I found one. Like me, I think "rayo ko saag" is every Nepali's favorite. Here you go everyone, follow the steps below for extremely easy yet very authentic "Rayo ko Saag" curry. Also, you can use any kind of greens as a substitute :)

So Authentic :x

Prep time: 10min(s) Cook time: 15min(s) Total time: 25min(s)

Things you will need:

• Mustard Greens/Rayo ko Saag (Any kind of greens will work, a bunch, nicely cleaned and chopped)
• Dried Red Chilies (3-4)
• Oil (3 table spoons)
• Potato (2 medium sized, chopped in cubes)
• Tomatoes (2, finely chopped)
• Cumin-Coriander Powder (1 table spoons)
• Turmeric Powder (1 tea spoon)
• Ginger-garlic paste (1 and 1/2 table spoons)
• Fenugreek Seeds (1/2 tea spoon)
• Cumin  Seeds (1/2 tea spoon)
• Salt (according to taste)
• Red Chili Powder (1/2 table spoon)
• Water (1 cup)

Directions:

1. Heat oil and fry dried chilies, cumin and fenugreek seeds until brownish black.
2. Add potatoes, salt, and turmeric powder. Fry until potatoes turn out golden brown.
3. Add greens, tomatoes, ginger garlic paste,  red chili powder, and cumin-coriander powder. Cover and cook on a medium heat for 5 minutes. Stir periodically.
4. Add water, stir, and cook 5 more minutes on a medium heat.
5. Done! Enjoy with rice or chapati :)

Spicy Dipping Sauce for Momo (Momo ko Piro Achar) Recipe!!

Restaurants in Nepal serve both spicy as well as mild achar with Momo. Regular Momo Achar  (click here for recipe) is one of the most visited posts of my blog.  Whenever, I make Momos (click here for recipe), I make both spicy and regular achar and love to dip momo in both before eating :D Therefore, I thought  about sharing recipe of spicy version as well. Follow the steps below for easy yet extremely yummy Momo Achar :)

Piroo Achar :)

Prep time: 5min(s) Cook time: 10min(s) Total time: 15min(s)

Things you will need:

• Dried Red Chiles (8-10)
• Tomatoes (3-4 medium size)
• Salt (according to taste)
• Cumin Seeds (1.5 table spoons)
• Lime juice (4 table spoons)
• Fresh Minced Ginger (1/2 table spoons)
• Fresh Minced Garlic (1/2 table spoons)
• Water (3-4 table spoons)

Directions:

1. On a deep dish add water and dried chiles. Cover and cook until chilies become soggy and easily breakable.
2. In the mean time, on a pan  roast cumin seeds until it is dark brown in color.
3. Microwave or boil tomatoes.
4. On a blender add boiled chiles from step 1, roasted cumin from step 2, boiled tomatoes from step 3, lime juice, ginger, garlic, water, and salt. Blend nicely until all ingredients are blended properly.
5. Ready. Yummy with momo or even great with pakors. (Click here for cauliflower pakora recipe) 

Nimki Roti Recipe!!

Around this time in Nepal, with different other varieties of rotis we also make Nimki. This particular one is especially made in Newari community back home. When we go to our elder in Dashain for Tika, we take Nimki with other many different varieties as a gift or koseli. It is also included in goodies for brothers in bhai tika. This was my first attempt and i was very surprised  by the fact that how close it was to what we make back home. Writing and sharing recipes has helped me so much with my cooking skills. Follow the steps to treat yourself Nimki roti :) Click here for Khurma/Khajuri Recipe.

Fantastic :x

Prep time: 15min(s) Cook time:40min(s) Total time: 55min(s)

Things you will need:

• All purpose flour/Maida (1/2 kg)
• Ghee (1/2 cup)
• Oil (1 liter)
• Kalonji Seeds (4 table spoons)
• Salt (2 table spoons)
• Water 

Directions:

1. On a large bowl add all of the above ingredients except water. 
2. Slowly add water (little by little) and make dough (just like one made for chapati)
3. Heat oil and at the mean time start to roll the dough into a round shape.
4. Once oil is heated fry roti (make sure to press roti into the oil so that it will puff up) and as soon as it puffs, start folding.
5. Double fold roti (refer to the pictures above). 
6. Fry until golden brown.
7. Done! >:D<

Heart Shaped Khurma/Khajuri Recipe!!

Nepali delicacies made especially during festivals requires great amount of cooking skills and special utensils/machines. One of the biggest drawbacks of cooking abroad is that these machines/utensils are not easily accessible or I would say are no where found. So, like they say " where there is a will there is a way", I decided to use whatever ingredients or utensils/machines I have to make one of the most popular delicacies during Dashian and Tihar "Khurma/Khajuri". I used cookie cutter to give it a shape but used exact ingredients as we use back home. And let me tell you this was my first try and the end results of my effort was amazing :) This is indeed a special dish and therefore requires little extra effort but taste my friends are out of this world and just like what we get back home =D> Give it a try!! Click here for Nimki Roti Recipe.

Happy Dashian Everyone :)

Prep time: 10min(s) Cook time:30min(s) Total time: 40min(s)

Things you will need:

• All purpose flour (1lb or 1/2 kg)
• Cashews (Finely chopped or powder, 1/2 cup)
• Coconut (finely chopped or powder, 1/2 cup)
• Sugar (2 cups or according to your taste)
• Ghee (2 cups)
• Black pepper  powder (1 table spoon)
• Cloves Powder (1 table spoon)
• Cardamom Powder (1 table spoon)
• Water 
• Oil (1liter)

Directions:

1. On a deep dish combine all of the above listed ingredients except oil and make a dough. Dough should be on a softer side just like ones made for "Chapati".
2. Take a small amount of dough at a time and spread it on a chop board or cleaned kitchen table/counter with a help of chapati roller.
3. Take a cookie cutter of any shape and start cutting. Keep shaped dough aside and mix remaining with other dough. Repeat this process until dough is finished shaping. 
4. Heat oil and fry shaped Khurma/Khajuri until it becomes red and crispy.
5. Done. Once Khurma/Khajuri cools down preserve it in a closed container and enjoy it with tea/coffee or various Nepali Achar :) Simple isn't it? 

Salmon Coconut Curry Recipe!!

I usually grill salmon. Until today, I had not thought of making it differently. The fact that I was tired of eating grilled version, I had to make something else. After moving to AZ, life has been really hectic: traffic, study, work and weather @-) These days I try to fix foods that are easy and quick and barely get any time to get creative in the kitchen :( But today my schedule was little flexible and whenever that happens, I end up creating yummy dishes and today it was delicious Salmon Coconut Curry. Click here for Shrimp Coconut Curry Recipe.

Fantastic :X

Prep time: 10min(s) Cook time:20min(s) Total time: 30min(s)

Things you will need:

• Salmon (1.5 lbs, cut in thicker size, feel free to substitute with any kind of fish)
• Oil (5 table spoons)
• Coconut powder (2 cups)
• Milk (2 cups)
• Salt (according to taste)
• Turmeric powder (2 tea spoons)
• Cloves (2-3)
• Fennel seeds (2 tea spoons)
• Mustard seeds (3 tea spoons)
• Cumin Seeds (2 tea spoons)
• Fenugreek Seeds (1 tea spoons)
• Cumin-Coriander powder (3 table spoons)
• Red chilies/ green chilies (whole, 3-5)
• Ginger-garlic paste (2 table spoons)
• Tomatoes (2 medium sized)
• Onion (1 medium, finely sliced)
• Lime juice (4 table spoons)

Directions:

1. On a plate, place salmon. Add lime juice, 1 table spoon of cumin-coriander powder and couple pinches of salt. Mix everything gently and keep it aside.
2. On a blender add coconut powder,  ginger-garlic paste, milk, remaining cumin-coriander powder, and tomatoes. Blend and the sauce is ready.
3. Heat 2 table spoons of oil. Pan fry Salmon on a medium heat until slightly red and crispy.
4. Heat remaining oil. Add cloves, fenugreek, fennel, cumin, and mustard seeds. Also add chilies. Fry until seeds are brownish black.
5. Add onion and fry onion until golden brown.
6. Add mixture from step 2 to step 4, and turmeric powder. Add extra salt if you would like. Stir gently and add fried Salmon. Stir again.
7. Cover and cook on a heat between small and medium for 10-15 minutes. Stir few times gently as curry is being cooked.
8. Serve with rice or Chapati. So easy but extremely yummy :-B

Newari Sagun Recipe!!

Sagun is included in almost every ritual such as birthday, childbirth, tihar, dashian, and wedding in Newari community of Nepal. Sagun symbolizes best wishes and therefore is considered a blessing from elder before starting anything new in life. Sagun typically includes egg, dried fish, ginger, garlic, and alcohol/yogurt. After moving to the United States, we barely celebrate typical Newari/Nepali cultures however I at least make sure to make Sagun in every birthdays. Since, it was my husband's birthday last week, I had to make Sagun and thought to share recipe with you all. Here you go everyone, enjoy easy Sagun recipe :)

Stay Blessed Everyone :)

Prep time: 5min(s) Cook time:20min(s) Total time: 25min(s)

Things you will need:

• Eggs (2 large)
• Ginger (2 table spoons, finely sliced)
• Garlic (2 table spoons, finely sliced)
• Salt (according to taste)
• Dried Fish (5-7, any kind)
• Oil (1 table spoon)

Directions:

• On a deep dish add water, salt and egg. Boil until eggs are cooked and peel cover carefully.
• Heat oil and fry ginger first and in the same oil fry garlic.
• Fry peeled eggs and little salt in the same oil until eggs become slightly golden brown.
• Finally, fry dried fish until they are golden brown. Be extremely careful since dried fish tend to burn quickly.
• Put it all together in a bowl or utensil of your choice and bestow good wishes to your loved ones :)

Easy Mutton Choila Recipe :)

Chicken Choila is one of the most popular posts of my blog. I get several appreciation emails from my readers regarding Chicken Choila Recipe. Back home we mostly made choila from Buffalo Meat and I do not remember eating choila made out of chicken or mutton. The fact that I haven't found Buffalo meat after moving the United States gave me an idea to make choila just out of anything: Soy Chunks Choila for vegetarians (recipe here) and Chicken Choila (recipe here) . Today, I thought of making choila out of Goat Meat (mutton) and I opted for an easy route because I wanted to fix something easy and quick. I was little hesitant at first as I was experimenting the process however the final output was simply awesome and therefore I wanted to share the recipe with you all. Here you go guys, here I present you the easiest Choila recipe :x

Perfect :)

Prep time: 5min(s) Cook time:15min(s) Total time: 20min(s)

Things you will need:

• Goat Meat (1 lbs: cut in small pieces(1 inch))
• Red Onion (1 medium, thinly sliced)
• Green Chilies (3-4, thinly sliced)
• Ginger slices (3 table spoons)
• Garlic Slices (3 table spoons)
• Ginger-garlic paste (2 table spoons)
• Timur Powder (1 table spoon)
• Turmeric Powder (2 tea spoons)
• Cumin-Coriander Powder (2 table spoons)
• Lime Juice (4 table spoons)
• Oil (3 table spoons)
• Salt (according to taste)
• Tomatoes (3 medium sized, boiled and peeled)

Directions:

1. Heat  2 table spoons oil and fry meat until golden brown.
2. On a large bowl add fried meat and all of the other ingredients mentioned above.
3. Mix well.
4. Done!! Serve with beaten rice.

Easy Snack: Neplai Matar Chatpate Recipe (Butwal Style) :D

This is another version of very popular Chatpate back home and especially found in my hometown Butwal :) I have been to many places in Nepal and have tasted different kinds of Chatpate but nothing was close to the one we used to get in my hometown. Sadly, though I did not see any Chatpate Thela (cart) when I was home last time :( However, good news is that I still remember the taste and it helped me a lot to recreate yummy Batauli ko Chatpate! This was my first try and the result was fantastic. Here you go guys, have a Chatpate weekend. Also, click here for another version of Chatpate recipe.

Yummy <:-p

Prep time: 10min(s) Cook time:5min(s) Total time: 15min(s)

Things you will need:

• Yellow Peas (2 cups)
• Radish/Turnip (1 cup finely chopped)
• Red Onion (1 cup finely chopped)
• Serrano Pepper or Green Chili (2-3, finely chopped)
• Ginger-garlic paste (1 table spoon)
• Salt (2 pinches)
• Oil (2 table spoons)
• Chat Masala (2 table spoons- add more if you want)
• Lime juice (1/2 cup)
• Turmeric powder (1 tea spoon)
• Cilantro (1/2 cup, finely chopped)
• Cumin-Coriander powder (1/2 table spoon)
• Red Chili Powder (1/2 table spoon)

Directions:

1. Soak yellow peas overnight. Next day wash thoroughly and pan roast peas.
2. On a deep dish, add roasted peas and all of the above mentioned ingredients. 
3. Mix everything properly. Taste and see if you want to add more Chat Masala, Chili, Lime Juice, and salt.
4. Enjoy and do not forget to wink ;)