KALA CHANNA CURRY- II

Ingredients:

Kala channa - 1 cup

Coconut(grated) - 1/2 cup

Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp

Dry red chilli - 3-4

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Urad dal - 1 tsp

Curry leaf - 1-2

Method:

Soak kala channa overnight. Wash and pressure cook the channa for 4-5 whistles.

Heat 1 tsp of oil, saute coriander seeds, red chilli. Saute till golden brown.

Grind coconut, coriander seeds, red chilli with few cooked kala channa into a smooth paste.

In a pan add cooked channa, salt and tumeric . Boil the channa until channa absorbs salt.

Add coconut-coriander-redchilli paste and boil for few mins. Turn off heat.

Heat oil in a small pan and add oil. Splutter curryleaf,urad dal and mustard. Add tempering to the curry and serve hot.

CAULIFLOWER STIR-FRY

Ingredients:

Cauliflower(cut into florets) - 1 cup

Potato( cut lengthwise) - 1/4 cup

Carrot (cut lengthwise) - 1/4 cup

Greenpeas - 1/4 cup

Greenchilli(slit) - 2-3

Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

Tumeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Salt - To taste

Curry leaf - a sprig

Coriander leaf - 1-2 sprig

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Oil -1 tsp

Method:

Cook cauliflower,potato,carrot, greenpeas,greenchilli with salt,tumeric powder, red chilli powder till tender. Vegetables should be tender but not mushy and falling apart.

Add oil to vegetables and saute till golden brown.

Season mustard seeds. Add curry leaf,corianderleaf, mustard seeds and garnish.

Serve hot.

LEMON SEMIYA

Ingredients:

Vermicelli - 2 cups

Lemon juice - 1 large

Roasted peanuts - 3-4 tbsps

Salt - to taste

Oil - 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Urad dal - 1/2 tbsp

Channa dal - 1 tbsp

Dry chillis, tear - 2

Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp

Grated ginger - 1/2 tsp

Green chillis, slit - 2

Turmeric powder -1/4 tsp

Curry leaves - 8-10

Method:

Bring 5 cups of salted water to a boil. Add the vermicelli and cook for just under 4 mts. Turn off heat and strain. Pour 2 cups of cold water and strain the water completely. Add 2 tsps of oil and combine.

While the vermicelli is cooking in the hot water, prepare the seasoning. Heat oil in a vessel, add the mustard seeds and as they begin to sizzle, add the dals and allow them to turn slightly red, add curry leaves, green chillis, grated ginger, red chillis and stir fry for 30 secs. Add asafoetida and turmeric pwd, roasted peanuts and combine. Turn off heat.

Add salt to taste and lemon juice to the seasoning and combine it well and pour over the vermicelli and mix well.

Taste and if you feel that it needs more tang, add more lemon juice accordingly.

URAD BONDA

Ingredients:

Urad whole(skin removed) - 3/4 cup

Green chilli - 2-3

Salt - To taste

Coconut (finely chopped) - 2 tbsp

Curry leaf(chopped) - 1-2 sprigs

Whole peppercorns - 1/2 tsp

Oil - To deep fry

Method:

Soak urad in water for 1 hr.

Drain out the water and grind with salt & greenchilli to a very thick paste. While grinding add only few drops of water if required.

Transfer the paste to a bowl. Add coconut pieces, peppercorn,curry leaf and fold into the paste with a spatula.

Heat oil in thick-bottomed kadhai or pan on med-high heat.

Once oil heats up, make small round bondas and put in oil. Cook on med heat.

Remove from oil once it is golden brown colour.

Serve hot with chutney.

ALOO GOBI MASALA

Ingredients:

Cauliflower – 1 medium, cut to bite size florets

Potatoes – 2 large, cut to bite size pieces

Frozen Green Peas – 1 cup

Oil – 2 Tbsp

Cumin Seeds – 1/2 tsp

Asafoetida – pinch

Turmeric Powder – 1/2 tsp

Onion – 1 medium, finely chopped

Ginger – 1 inch piece, minced

Garlic – 5 cloves, minced

Tomatoes – 2 large, chopped

Coriander Powder – 2 tsp

Cumin Powder – 1 tsp

Garam Masala – 1 tsp

Red Chili Powder – to taste

Dry Mango Powder (Amchur) – 1/2 tsp

Salt – to taste

Cilantro – 5 sprigs, chopped for garnishing

Method:

1. Heat Oil in a medium non-stick pan.

2. Add Cumin Seeds and allow them to sizzle.

3. Add Asofoetida, Turmeric Powder and Onions - mix well and sautee for 3-4 minutes.

4. Add Ginger and Garlic - mix and sautee until Oil starts to separate from the onions (stir frequently).

5. Add Tomatoes - mix and cook until Oil again separates from the mixture (stir frequently).

6. While tomatoes are cooking, place Potatoes in a microwave safe bowl w/ cover, sprinkle a little salt, add 1/4 cup water and microwave for approx 3-5 minutes (they should be 1/2 cooked).

7. Place washed Cauliflower florets in a microwave safe bowl w/ cover and cook for approx 3-5 minutes (it should be 1/2 cooked). Lightly Salt the Cauliflower while it is still warm.

8. Once Oil has separated from the tomato mixture, add Coriander Powder, Garam Masala, Red Chili Powder, Cumin Powder, Dry Mango Powder and Salt - mix well.

9. Add half-cooked Potatoes, mix well to coat all potatoes, cover and cook for 5 minutes (or until the potatoes are tender but not breaking apart).

10. Add Green Peas and half-cooked Cauliflower and mix well to evenly coat the cauliflower - cover and cook until all veggies are tender but not mushy and falling apart.

11. Garnish with chopped Cilantro Leaves and serve with Chapatti, Paratha or Rice and Daal.

SNAKEGOURD KOOTU

Ingredients:

Snakegourd(chopped into small pieces) - 1 cup

Toordal (cooked & mashed) - 1/4 cup

Coconut(grated) - 4 tbsp

Dry Red chilli - 1-2

Cumin/Jeera - 1 tsp

Salt- To taste

Tumeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Urad dal - 1 tsp

Curry leaf - 1 sprig

Oil - 1 tsp

Method:

Grind coconut,redchillies, and cumin into a fine paste. Keep aside.

Cook snakegourd pieces with salt and tumeric powder.

When cooked, add cooked toordal and coconut paste.

Boil until the curry thickens.

Heat oil in a pan, add curry leaf,urad dal,mustard seeds and season.

Add seasoning to kootu and serve hot with rice.

IVYGOURD STIR-FRY

Ingredients:

Ivygourd/tindoora(sliced lengthwise) - 2 cup

Salt - To taste

Red chilli powder - 1 tsp

Tumeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Curry leaf - few sprigs

Oil- 1-2 tbsp

Method:

Cook tindoora pieces with salt,tumeric powder, red chilli powder.

When done, add oil and fry on med -low till crisp.

Garnish with curry leaves and serve hot.

SPINACH PURI

Ingredients:

Spinach(chopped) - 1 cup

Wheat flour - 2 cups

Green chillies - 1-2

Ginger - 1 inch piece

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Oil

Salt

Method:

Cook in spinach in water for about 3-4mins. Do not add too much water, just add enough for cooking the spinach. Grind the spinach with chillies, ginger, salt and cumin seeds. If required, add the water used for cooking the leaves, but do not make it too watery.

Add the paste to wheat flour and make into a stiff dough.

Roll puris and deep fry them.

Serve hot with chole masala.

CHOLE MASALA

Ingredients:

Kabuli channa - 1 cup

Onion(chopped) - 1 med

Tomato (pureed) - 2 big

Green chilli(chopped)- 1-2

Ginger paste - 1 tsp

Salt - To taste

Tumeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Channa masala - 1 1/2 tbsp

Coriander leaf - 4 tbsp

Ghee/oil - 1 tbsp

Method:

Soak kabuli channa for 6-7 hrs or overnight.

Pressure cook channa for 5-6 whistles.

Heat ghee in a pan, add green chillies and onion.Saute till onions are golden brown.

Add tomato puree,ginger paste and tumeric powder. Cook till gravy thickens.

Remove excess water from cooked channa and mash few channas.

Add cooked channa, salt and channa masala and water(as required).

Simmer and boil for 10-12 mins.

Turn off heat and garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve hot with rotis/puri/rice.

CABBAGE GREENPEAS THORAN

Ingredients:

Cabbage(chopped) - 2 cup

Greenpeas (fresh/frozen) - 1/4 cup

Coconut(grated) - 3 tbsp

Salt - To taste

Green chilli(slit) - 1 - 2 nos

Tumeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Curry leaf - 1 sprig

Red chilli(whole) - 1 no

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Orid dal -1 tsp

Oil - 1 tsp

Method:

1.Cook cabbage and greenpeas with salt ,tumeric and greenchilli.

3.Once cooked, heat oil in another pan , add oil,mustard,orid dal,red chilli and season.

4.Add seasoning,curry leaf and coconut to cabbage. Mix well.

Serve hot with rice.

Note: You can add grated carrot to the curry for a different taste.

BROCCOLI PARATHA

Ingredients for the filling:

Broccoli heads - about 3 (grated)

Salt - To taste(only for filling)

Coriander Powder - 3 tbsp

Chilli Powder - 1 tsp

Cumin - 1 tsp

Oil - 1 tsp

Ingredients for the dough:

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

Water to knead the dough

Oil/ ghee for cooking

Method:

Grate the broccoli

In a pan, put the oil and when it gets hot add the cumin and then the masalas and fry until it gives out a nice aroma.

Now add grated broccoli and salt. Saute for few mins till raw taste of broccoli disappears.

Divide the filling into 10-12 portions.

Prepare the dough by mixing flour,salt,oil and water as for chapathis.

Set aside covered for 10 minutes. Make10-12 lemon sized balls of the dough and roll them out thin to approximately 3 inches in diameter. Note tossing the dough in dry flour while rolling will prevent it from getting sticky when rolling them out.

Add a portion of the stuffing in the center. Gather the sides and bring them together.Press the stuffed dough down. Toss it in some flour and roll it gently applying just even pressure to roll. Roll it to desired thickness.

Place the stuffed parathas on the hot griddle/skillet. Cook for about ½ a minute, flip over and add 1 teaspoon of oil/ ghee in and around the paratha. Keep pressing the parathas while on the skillet so the dough gets cooked and the stuffing also gets the heat and gets pressed down into the parathas. Flip and cook the other side for about 1 minute adding 1 more teaspoon of oil. Cook until light golden spots appear on the parathas.

Serve hot with tomato pickle or curd.

Note: Stuffed Parathas should be cooked on medium heat to get the best texture and the light crispiness

SIMPLE MASOOR DAL

Ingredients:

Masoor dal - 1 cup

Onion(finely chopped) - 1 small

Tomato(chopped) - 1 medium

Ginger(grated) - 1 tsp

Green chilli(slit) - 2-3

Salt - To taste

Tumeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Red chilli powder -1/4 tsp

Jeera/cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Coriander leaf - 3 tbsp

Oil -1 tbsp

Method:

Wash masoor dal and cook in pressure cooker for 1-2 whistles.

Heat oil in a pan and add jeera,mustard and green chilli.

When seeds splutter, add onions and ginger.Fry till onions are translucent.

Add tomatoes, salt,tumeric powder,red chilli powder & mix

Cook till tomatoes are soft and mushy. Add cooked dal and water(if required).

Boil it for few mins and turn off heat.Transfer dal to a bowl.

Garnish it with coriander leaves and serve hot with rotis/rice.

PUMPKIN ERISSERY

Ingredients:

Pumpkin(chopped into cubes) - 2 cups

Coconut (grated) - 4 + 1 tbsp

Jeera/cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Salt - to taste

Tumeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Black pepper powder - 1/4 tsp

Kootu powder/sambar powder - 1 tsp

Jaggery(powdered) - 1 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Urad dal - 1 tsp

Curry leaf - a sprig

Oil - 1 tsp

Method:

Cook pumpkin pieces with salt, tumeric, kootu powder & black powder.

Once pumpkin is cooked halfway, add jaggery pieces.

Grind coconut(4 tbsp) & jeera into paste.

As pumpkin pieces cooks, add coconut paste and boil.Transfer the erissery to a bowl.

Heat oil in another pan , add curry leaves, 1 tbsp coconut,urad dal and mustard seeds. Saute the seasoning till coconut gratings are gloden brown.

Add seasoning to erissery and serve hot with rice and pickle.

BRINJAL- TUVAR STIR-FRY

Ingredients:

Brinjal(sliced thinly) - 6 nos.

Pigeon peas/tuvar (fresh/frozen) - 1/2 cup

Salt- To taste

Tumeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Red chilli powder - 1 tsp

Asafoetida - a pinch

Curry leaf - a sprig

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Oil - 1 tbsp

Method:

Heat non-stick pan , add tuvar and 1/2 cup water & cook.

When tuvar is half done, add brinjal pieces. Add salt,tumeric,red chilli powder and mix well.Cook covered.

Once the brinjal is cooked(should not be overdone,it should retain the shape), uncover and cook so that the water evaporates fully.

Now add 1 tbsp of oil and mix well. Decrease the heat to med-low and fry the binjal and tuvar until golden browned.

Add asafoetida, curry leaf & fry for 1-2 more min.Turn off heat.

Season the mustard seeds and add to brinjal.

Serve hot with rice/rotis.

SPINACH KOOTU

Ingredients:

Spinach(chopped) - 3 cups

Toor dal(cooked and mashed) - 1/4 cup

Salt - To taste

Tumeric powder - A pinch

Urad dal - 1 tbsp

Red Chilli - 2 no.s

Coconut(grated) - 4 tbsp

Cumin/jeera - 1 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Raw rice - 1 tsp

Method:

Cook spinach with salt, tumeric powder.

Meanwhile, heat a tsp oil in a pan and saute urad dal and red chilli till golden brown.

Grind coconut, jeera, urad dal, red chilli into a paste.

When spinach is cooked, add toor dal and coconut paste. Boil the kootu and turn off heat.

Heat oil in a pan , season rice and mustard seeds. Add to kootu and serve hot with rice.

BEANS-CARROT CURRY

Ingredients:

Beans(chopped) - 1 cup

Carrot(chopped) - 1/2 cup

Coconut(grated) - 3 tbsp

Salt - To taste

Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

Tumeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Curry leaf - 1 sprig

Red chilli(whole) - 1 no

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Orid dal -1 tsp

Oil - 1 tsp

Method:

1.Cook beans and carrot with salt ,tumeric and red chilli powder.

3.Once cooked, heat oil in another pan , add oil,mustard,orid dal,red chilli and season.

4.Add seasoning,curry leaf and coconut to beans-carrot. Mix well.

Serve hot with rice.

VEGETABLE SAMBAR

Ingredients:

Toor dal - 1/2 cup

Brinjal (chopped into med-size chunks) - 1 med

Potato(chopped into med-size chunks) - 1 small

Colocasia(chopped into med-size chunks) - 1 small

Carrot(chopped into med-size chunks) - 1/2

Pumpkin(chopped into med-size chunks) - few pieces

Yellow cucumber(chopped into med-size chunks) - few pieces

Okra(chopped) - 3 - 4

Drumsticks - 1 -2

Tamarind paste - 1 tsp

Sambar powder - 1 1/2 tbsp

Tumeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Salt - To taste

Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp

Curry leaf - A sprig

Coriander leaf - 3 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Method:

Wash the dal till water clears. Pressure cook the dal for 3-4 whistles. Dal should be mushy.

Half cook potato,colocasia and carrot with 2 cups of water.

When these vegetables are half cooked, add remaining vegetables(brinjal,pumpkin,yellow cucumber,okra) , tamarind paste, salt, tumeric powder & sambar powder.Add water if required .

Once the veggies are cooked and raw taste of tamarind disappears, add mashed toor dal.

Add asafoetida and mix well. Bring it to boil and turn off heat.

In a pan season mustard seeds with 1 tsp oil. Add the seasoning,curry leaf and coriander leaves.

Serve hot with rice.

VEGETABLE RICE

I am blogging a simple yet delicious recipe. This recipe doesn't require any masala ingredients; so those who are on a lookout for change from regular veg pulav or veg biryani then THIS IS THE ONE!!!

Ingredients:

Basmathi Rice - 1 1/2 cup

Potato (sliced lengthwise) - 1/4 cup

Cauliflower(cut into florets) - 1/4 cup

Carrot (sliced lengthwise) - 1/4 cup

Green beans( chopped lenthwise) - 1/4 cup

Green peas - 1/4 cup

Onion (chopped) - 1 medium

Ginger - 2 " piece

Green chilli - 3-4

Coriander leaves (chopped) - 3 tbsp

Salt - To taste

Oil/ghee - 1 tbsp

Method:

Wash and cook the basmathi rice with little salt. Keep aside.

Grind ginger and green chilli into paste and keep aside.

Heat oil/ghee in a pan , saute onions till translucent. Add all vegetables and salt. Sprinkle few drops of water if neccessary.

Once the vegetables are done, add ginger-greenchilli paste and saute for 2-3 mins.

As the water evaporates, add rice and mix well.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.