Baigan sem ( runner beans ) sabji

This is a  seasonal vegetable as sem ( runner beans ) and fresh green leaves of methi ( fenugreek)  and soya ( dil)  are usually available only during winter or rather towards the end of winter months. It is simple to cook, tasty and  light on the stomach.

Ingredients

Aloo baigan sem

Baigan                                Sem
Tomatoes                            Potatoes
Soya leaves                         Methi Leaves
Turmeric powder              Garlic
Red Chilis                           Red chili powder
Methi whole                       Dhania powder
Mustard oil                         Salt

 Preparing the vegetables

1.  Select the long thick variety of baigans for this dish.
2.  Cut the baigans length-wise into two. Cut them further about an
inch long.
3.  Remove the ribs from the sides of the sem and cut them about
½  inch long.
4.  Peel medium size  potatoes and cut them into 6 to 8 pieces.
5.   Cut medium size tomatoes into 6 to 8  pieces.
6.   Wash soya and methi leaves and chop finely.

Cooking the vegetable

1.  Put a kadai or a deep frying pan on medium fire.
2.  Put 2 spoonful of oil in the kadai and heat.
3.  When the oil is heated put methi whole, hand break the red
chilies and put them  into the oil and fry till crackles.
4.  Add potatoes, baigan, sem .
5.  Add turmeric powder, dhania powder, red chili powder and salt  and cook till half done.
7.  Add tomatoes, soya leaves and methi leaves.
8.  Cook till the potatoes become soft

Baigan sem sabji

The sabji is ready to be served. It goes well with puris, crisp plain parathas and rice.

Makuni

Makuni  i.e. sattu stuffed sattu paratha,  is a very popular breakfast in Bihar, though eaten at dinner time as well.  The ingredients for Makuni are more or less  the same as that of Sattu ki Litti. The difference lies in its shape and  the method of cooking. While litti is round in shape like a ball, makuni is exactly like any stuffed paratha. Litti is  directly roasted on fire. Makuni is fried on a tawa. Further,  while ghee is added to the litti after roasting, it is added to makuni while cooking itself like parathas.

Ingredient

Ingredients & stuffing

1. Atta    3 cups      
2. Chane ks sattu     1 cup
3. Onion finely chopped 
4. Chopped green chilies
5. Garlic finely chopped
6. Ginger finely chopped
7. Red Chili Pickle
8. Amchur powder
9. Kalaunji
10. Ajawain
11. Mustard oil
12. Salt to taste

Preparing the filling

1. Take  one  cup of Chane ka sattu in a bowl.
2. Mix the finely chopped onion, garlic, ginger, green chilies , Kalaunji, ajawain,   some seasoned red chili pickle and one tea spoon of lime juice or amchur into the Sattu. Add one spoon of mustard oil and salt according to taste.
3. Add two to three spoons of   water to moisten the Sattu.
4. Rub the mixture well with your palm  to give a consist mixed sattu powder.

Making the Makuni 

1. Knead atta in a bowl to a slightly harder consistency than  for rotis.
2. Make  atta balls of slightly bigger size than usual roti  balls  and give it the shape of a cup with your fingers. The thickness of the cup should be about twice that for rotis.
3. Put one to two spoons of sattu into the atta cup depending on the size of the cup.
4. Seal the mouth firmly using your fingers and give it a round shape.
5. Flatten the ball with your palms and spread it with a rolling pin.

Raw makuni

The Makuni  is now ready for frying.

Cooking

1. Put a tawa or a shallow but heavy bottom frying pan on medium fire.
2. When the tawa/frying pan becomes hot put the Makuni on the tawa/ frying pan and cook till almost done.
3.Apply  some  vegetable oil ( ghee is better) on the  tawa/frying pan.
4. Fry the Makuni one by one on both sides till golden brown.

Ready to serve

Serve steaming hot with  bhartas, curd and pickles.