Spicy Prawns/Shrimp Curry

 

After taking a break from blogging for few days, today I am posting this sea food recipe. This Prawns/Shrimp curry is made with tomatoes which is my style recipe with some basic ingredients and is easy to make.

Serves 1-2

Cooking and Preparation Time 25-35 mins

Ingredients :

Shrimp/Prawns - 2 cups

Onion finely chopped - 1 medium or large

Tomatoes chopped - 2 small

Green chillies - 2 slit vertically

Coriander chopped - 1/2 cup

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tbsp

Chilli powder - 1/2 tbsp

Garam Masala - 1/4 tbsp

Corinader powder - 1/4 tbsp

Few Curry leaves

Ginger Garlic paste - 1/2 tbsp

Oil - 3 tbsp

Water - 2-3 cups

 

Method :

1. Heat oil in a pan, add chopped onions, green chillies, turmeric powder, salt and saute till onions get fried.
2. Then add chopped coriander, curry leaves, ginger garlic paste, chilli powder, garam masala powder and saute.
3. Now add chopped tomatoes, prawns and mix well.
4. Add water once the tomatoes are smashed and cook covered for 20- 25 mins until the prawns are well cooked and the water evaporates becoming gravy with thick consistency. Add coriander powder when the curry is done and mix well.
5. Prawns/Shrimp curry is ready and can be served with rice and dal.

And finally, I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays !!!

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Pasta and a Veggie Burger

From the past few days I had a craving for veggie burger and yesterday I finally made it. It was a scrumtious meal for us and I hope you all will love it.
My most favored cuisines which I love and am crazy about, after coming to US are Italian and Chinese. We enjoy having Pasta almost once in a week and never get bored of having it :). My Pasta recipe is healthy and easy to make with Broccoli and without cheese in it.
Veggie Burger

Serves 2-3
Preparation Time - 15 mins
 
For Making Patties (I made 4-5 medium ones):

Mixed Veggies - 2 cups
Dalia - 1 cup
Garam Masala - 1/4 tbsp
Coriander leaves chopped - 1/2 cup
Green chillies -2 (optional)
Ginger Garlic paste- 1/4 tbsp
All purpose flour/Maida- 1/2 cup
Jeera/Cumin seeds 1/2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Oil for Frying 2 - 3tbsp

For Making a Burger we need ( All these are used approx)

HamBurger Buns
Tomatoes very thinly sliced -2-3 for each burger
Cucumber very thinly sliced (optional) - 2 for each burger
Lettuce leaves - 1 -2 for each burger
Ketchup
Onions sliced thinly

Method :

1. First, in a grinder jar add dalia, garam masala, ginger garlic paste, chopped coriander leaves, cumin seeds and make a dry powder.
2. Then add the mixed veggies, salt to the above mixture. Grind again roughly to get a coarse mixture.
3. Put some maida or all purpose flour in a plate.
4. Take this mixture into a container. Take small amounts of the mixture and make balls of them. Then press them gently to look like a round shape patties.
5. Now place each one in the maida/all purpose flour and dust roughly on it.(not much)
6. Once you are done dusting the patties with maida, heat oil in a nonstick pan and shallow fry them turning them for every 3-5 mins until they are fried. Place them on a tissue paper for absorbing excess oil.
7. Now take the burger rolls and place a lettuce leaf on it and a veggie pattie along with tomatoes, onions with ketchup as you like.
8. The veggie burger is ready to serve. For better taste, serve the burger when the patties are hot.

For Pasta :

Serves 2-3
Cooking and Preparation Time 20-25 mins

Ingredients :

Pasta of any shape - 2-2.5 cups approx (I used Ziti with lines)
Tomatoes diced fresh / Canned store brought - 1 cup
Broccoli - 1 cup
Onions - 1 small
Pepper according to your spice level - I used 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Parmesan cheese - 1/4 tbsp (optional if you like)
Water to boil- 4 -5 cups approx or more
Oil 3-4 tbsp

Method :

1. Heat water in a vessel with few drops of oil and salt in it and let it come to a boil.
2. Once the water starts boiling add pasta evely and stir frequently . Cook uncovered until the pasta is almost cooked. See that you don't over cook the pasta.
3. Drain the water and keep the pasta aside.
4. Now heat oil in a saute pan, add chopped onions and saute till they get fried.
5. Then add, broccoli, salt and pepper and mix well.
6. After which add diced tomatoes and let them cook well for 5-10 mins before adding pasta to it and saute well.
7. Pasta with tomatoes and brocolli is ready to serve. Sprinkle parmesan cheese, pepper if you like.

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Tomato Alu Curry

 

This Tomato Alu Curry with a nice gravy is so tasty that it can be served in combination with rotis, puris or rice. When it comes to eating spicy, me and my husband are opposite poles. He eats less spicy and I eat more, so the yogurt added to this curry makes it enjoyable for both of us :). Remember to add the yogurt just before removing the dish from heat.

Serves 2-4 people
Cooking Time -20-30 mins

Ingredients :

Tomatoes chopped - 4-5
Potatoes skin peeled and diced -1-2 ( 1 large or 2 medium)
Onion chopped - 1 large
Green chillies - 2-3
Coriander chopped - 1/2 cup
Mint leaves chopped 1/4 cup
Shahi Jeera - 1/4 tbsp
Cinamom/ Patta- 1/2 inch
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tbsp
Garam Masala powder - 1/2 tbsp
Chilli powder - 1/2 tbsp
Ginger Garlic paste - 1/4 tbsp
Yogurt - 1 tbsp
Oil - 3-4 tbsp
Water- 1/2 - 3/4 cup (increase or decrease according to the level of consistency you prefer for medium-thick gravy)

Method:

1. Heat oil in a saute pan, add shahi jeera, cinamom, chopped onions, slit green chillies, turmeric powder and saute till onions get fried.
2. Add ginger garlic paste and saute. Then add chopped coriander, mint leaves and mix well.
3. Now add chilli powder, garam masala and saute well.
4. Add diced potatoes and mix after which add tomatoes and then salt. Cook covered till the tomatoes get smashed.
5. Now add water and cook covered for 10-15 mins approx.
6. After which check if the potatoes are cooked.(For thick gravy cook for 5 more mins on medium heat). Add the yogurt and mix well.
7. Remove from heat and the curry should be ready to serve.
8. Serve hot with puris/rotis or rice.

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Gobi Paratha with Raita

Gobi is one of the most liked vegetables in India and one of the favored recipes are Alu Gobhi, Gobi Paratha and many more. After much thinking about what to prepare for dinner I finally made Gobi Parathas and Raita. Instead of watching T.V and eating dinner as we do everyday, our center of attraction were parathas and we had them peacefully talking to each other :) about the things we did the whole day.
 
I am sending this entry to Eat healthy during pregnancy event hosted by Sangeeth Raghunathan.

Serves 2-3
Cooking and Preparation Time 45-60 mins aprrox

Ingredients:

Cauliflower florets - 2 cups ( u can also grate/chop them finely)
Onion small - 1
Green Peas - 1/4 cup, boiled and smashed
Flour (All Purpose/Wheat) - 3 cups
Oil - 1-2 tbsp for use while making the dough
Oil - 2-3 tbsp for making the stuffing
Corinader leaves chopped - 1 cup
Green Chillies - 2 minced (optional)
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tbsp
Chilli powder - 1/2 tbsp
Garam Masala powder - 1/4 tbsp
Ginger Garlic paste - 1/2 tbsp

Method :

1. Mix the flour and salt together in a bowl and add enough water to make a stiff dough. Add the 2 tbsp oil while making the dough.
2. Make lemon- sized balls from the dough and keep them aside to start preparing the stuffing.
3. Take a non stick pan, heat oil add chopped onions, turmeric powder, salt and mix together till the onions lose transperancy.
4. Then add ginger garlic paste, chopped coriander, chilli powder, garam masala and mix well.
5. Now add, smashed peas and cauliflower grated/chopped to it and mix well.
6. Cook it covered for 10-12 mins till the stuffing becomes dry with no water in it.
7. Then take the each lemon sized ball of the dough we made, roll into a very small thick chapati or circle and place the required amount of stuffing in the center. Now seal the all sides like a potli and then roll it into a proper size paratha slowly, by adding little flour on sides if necessary.
8. Heat a frying pan, place the rolled paratha in it and fry both sides by adding oil and turning it till it is well fried.
9. Serve hot with raita or chutney.

Raita :

Serves - 2 people
Preparation Time - 5-10 mins

Ingredients :

Yogurt 1-2 cups
Onion - 1/2 very finely chopped
Tomato - 1 small chopped
Cucumber - 1/4 cup chopped finely(optional)
Salt to taste
Sugar 1/4 tbsp

Method :

1. Add the yogurt into a small bowl along with other ingredients and mix well.
2. Raita is ready and can be served with any type of rice or roti.

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Spinach/Palak Dal

Spinach/ Palak , the leafy green vegetable provides many nutrients than any other food. It has twice as much fiber as other greens, helps protect against heart disease and cancer. It is loaded with lot of vitamins and minerals hard to find in other foods.

I always try to make good use of Spinach when it is fresh. This time I have made Dal and Pakoras with it.

Serves 2-3 people
Cooking Time-20-30 mins

Ingredients: 

Tuvar Dal / Toor Dal/ Kandhi Pappu - 1 cup
Chana Dal - 1/4 cup
Spinach/Palak -2 cups fresh and washed properly
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tbsp
Chilli powder- 1/2 tsp
Red Chillies - 2-3
Green chillies - 2-3
Onion small - 1
Asafoetida - a pinch (optional, can be used for better tatse)
Oil -2-3 tbsp
Salt to taste
Few curry leaves
Tamarind pulp -2-3 tbsp
Cumin seeds 1/2 tbsp
Mustard seeds 1/2 tbsp
Garlic flakes -2-3 (optional, can be used for better taste)
Water - 2-3 cups

Method :

1. First wash the dal and pressure cook (3-4 whistles) with turmeric powder, two very small drops of oil and Spinach/Palak with 2 cups of water.
2. Then heat oil in a pan, add a pinch of asafoetida, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, red chillies, garlic flakes and let them fry.
3. When they start to splutter, add chopped onions, green chillies, curry leaves and fry till onion loses its transperancy.
4. Then add, chilli powder, salt and mix well.
5. Now add, tamarind pulp with little water and let it boil.
6. Once it starts boiling, turn the heat to low and add the cooked dal to it and stir well.
7. Let it cook for 5-10 mins, then turn off the heat .
8. Spinach/Palak dal is ready and can be served with plain rice with a curry or pickle of your choice.

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Corn Vada - Cooking for Kids Event(CFK)

Corn is a good source of Fiber and Folate which can be used fresh, frozen or canned. It is good for skin care, boosting nervous system, digestion, and maintaining low cholesterol levels.It is also rich in proteins and carbohydrates.
Even though it is high in fiber it is hard to digest. But the insoluble fiber in it tackles the common digestive ailments (like constipation and hemorrhoids) by absorbing water.My recipe using corn is an easy and well known Corn Vada which can be served with ketchup or by itself.

Sharmi of Neivedyam is hosting Cooking For Kids Event and this is my first recipe for any event like this :). Hope kids will like this delicious and healthy recipe.

Serves 2-3 people
CookingTime 15-20 mins

Ingredients :

Corn - 1 cup fresh or frozen
Dalia - 1/2 cup
Garam Masala - 1/4 tbsp
Coriander leaves chopped - 1/2 cup
Green chillies -2 (optional)
Ginger Garlic paste- 1/4 tbsp
All purpose flour/Maida- 1/4 cup
Jeera/Cumin seeds 1/2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Oil for Frying 2 - 3tbsp

Method :

1. First, in a grinder jar add dalia, garam masala, ginger garlic paste, chopped coriander leaves, cumin seeds and make a dry powder.
2. Then add the corn, salt to the above mixture. Grind again roughly to get a coarse mixture.
3. Put some maida or all purpose flour in a plate.
4. Take this mixture into a container. Take small amounts of the mixture and make balls of them. Then press them gently to look like a round shape.
5. Now place each one in the maida and dust roughly on it.(not much)
6. Once you are done dusting the patties with maida, heat oil in a nonstick pan and shallow fry them turning them for every 3-5 mins until they are fried.
7. Place them on a tissue paper for absorbing excess oil.
8. Serve hot with ketchup or by itself.

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Dosa with Peanut Chutney

 

After using the Idli batter for making Idlies, when I really don't feel like having Idlies again then I use the batter for making dosas and have them in combination with Peanut Chutney or Ginger Pickle which is my favorite :). I am posting a plain dosa but it can also garnished with toppings like chopped onions, tomatoes, green chillies and very little cumin/ jeeera seeds.

For the process of making Idli batter you can refer to my posting on Idli.

Serves 1-2
Preparation Time 5 mins

Ingredients :

Idli batter  - 2 cups ( I make around 2 -3 dosas with 1 cup, will vary depending upon the size you make)
For Garnishing - Chopped Onions, Tomatoes, Green Chillies (optional if you like)
Oil ( if you prefer and dont use a non stick dosa pan)

Method :

1. Heat a non stick pan preferably and pour spoonfuls of dosa batter on it and spread it in circular motion.
2. Scrape of any excess thick batter and add oil on the sides.
3. Now toppings can be added.
4. Let it heat for few mins till you notice that it is turning color and remove it from heat.
5. Serve hot with your favorite chutney.

Peanut Chutney

Serves  3-4 people
Cooking Time 20-30 mins

Ingredients  for making Dry powder:

Peanuts - 1 cup
Dalia/Putnala Pappu - 1/4 cup
Garlic flakes- 2
Cumin/Jeera seeds - 1/4 tbsp
Dry coconut -1/4 piece
Tamarind pulp - 1-2 tbsp
Green chllies -3-4 (increase or decrease according to your spice levels)
Oil -1 tbsp
Water -1/2 -1 cup( depending upon the consistency you prefer thick/thin)

 For Tempuring :

Mustard seeds - 1/4 tbsp
Cumin/ Jeera seeds - 1/4 tbsp
Red Chillies - 2
Few curry leaves
Salt to taste

Method :

1. Heat a pan with oil and roast the peanuts on low flame without burning them. Then add dalia, green chillies to it and roast.
2. Stop the heat. Add coconut, jeera/cumin seeds, one garlic flake and salt to it and mix well.
3. Now leave it for 5 mins for cooling.
4. Then make a dry powder of all these ingredients (peanuts,dalia and coconut should be grinded to complete powder).
5. Now add tamarind pulp and water and grind.
6. Remove the mixture into a container for tempuring.
7. Heat oil in pan, add a pinch of asafoetida, urad dal, jeera/ cumin seeds, mustard seeds. When they start to splutter, add red chillies curry leaves and lastly crushed garlic flakes.
8. Now add this to the grinded mixture taken into a container and mix well. Check taste and add salt if needed.
9. Serve with Dosa or Idli.

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Tomato Baath

Tomato Baath is one of the meals which can be made in one vessel without having to prepare dal or any side dish for it. I already posted one recipe like this which is Rice Pongal. Tomatoes are available in almost every house and whenever we are running out of time we can prepare this dish. This recipe can be served as breakfast, lunch or dinner along with yogurt. I usually pack this as lunch for my husband when I am tired of making rotis and curry :).

Serves 2 people
Cooking Time 15-20 mins

Ingredients :

Tomatoes chopped 2-3
Basmati Rice 2 cups
Onion small chopped -1
Green chillies slit - 2-3
Coriander leaves chopped - 1/4 cup
Mint leaves chopped - 1/4 cup
Shahi Jeera - 1/4 tbsp
Cloves - 2-3
Cardomom - 1-2
Cinanamom/Patta - 1/2 inch
Turmeric powder- 1/4 tbsp
Chilli powder- 1 tbsp or less (according to your spice level increase or decrease)
Ginger Garlic paste- 1/4 tbsp
Garam Masala 1/4 tbsp
Yogurt 2 tbsp
Lemon juice 2 tbsp
Oil - 3-4 tbsp

Method :

1. Put  2 cups of Basmati rice with 3 cups of water in a rice cooker to prepare rice.
2. Heat oil in a non stick or ordinary pan and add shahi jeera, cinamom, cardamom, cloves. Then add chopped onions, turmeric powder and fry till onions lose transperancy.
3. Now add, ginger garlic paste, chilli powder and mix it well.
4. Then add chopped coriander leaves, mint leaves, tomatoes and saute them.
5. Add salt, garam masala and cook covered for 3-5 mins until the tomatoes get smashed.
6. Stop the heat, add lemon juice and yogurt and mix well.
7. Now add the rice prepared earlier to this and mix well so that the rice absorbs the tomatoes mixture well. Check the taste and add salt if necesary.
8. Garnish with coriander.
9. Serve hot with yogurt.

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Healthy Green Beans Curry with Coconut powder

Green Beans curry is a healthy and simple recipe which can served with rice or roti. When you bring Green Beans from grocery store don't wash them until you are ready to cook them. When you are ready to cook wash them under running water and let them dry for few mins. Then chop them into small pieces. It is one of my favorite green vegetables. I also use them in Chinese food, Vegetable Fried Rice, Vermicelli and Upma. Here is the process of making this easy recipe.

Serves 4-5 people
Cooking Time 20-25 mins

Ingredrients :

Green Beans chopped - 5 cups
Onion small -1 chopped
Green Chillies slit vertically - 2
Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup chopped
Few Curry leaves
Coconut powder 2 -3 tbsp
Chilli powder 1/2 - 1 tbsp (according to your spice level increase or decrease)
Turmeric powder 1/4 tbp
Jeera/Cumin seeds 1/4 tbsp
Mustard seeds 1/4 tbsp
Urad dal 1/4 tbsp
Salt to taste
Oil   2-3 tbsp

Method :

1. Chop the beans into small pieces. ( as shown in the picture above)
2. Heat oil in a nonstick. Add urad dal, cumin, mustard seeds, chopped onions, curry leaves, chopped coriander leaves and saute them till the onion gets fried.
3. Then add turmeric, chilli powder, salt and mix them well.
4. Let it cook covered for 15 mins and keep stirring for every few mins so that the beans don't get burned.
5. After 15 mins, when you notice that beans are cooked, stop the heat and add coconut powder and mix well.
6. Garnish with corainder and serve hot with rice or roti.

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Brinjal Curry/ Gutti Vankaya Masala Curry

We had some friends for Thanksgiving and I made this as a side dish with vegetable fried rice. It is generally had along with rice/roti/puri and mostly with Biryani. It is a delicious recipe and is famous from the city of Hyderabad, usually served in weddings or gatherings.
Eggplants which are small and fresh are used in this recipe and are available at any Indian grocery stores. Eggplants are slit into four, not fully (keeping the stem intact). They are fried twice once shallow and then on medium to low heat in the sauce of onions and roasted spices.

Serves 4-5 people
Cooking time 35-45 mins

Ingredients for preparation :

Eggplants/Baingan 5-6, small, fresh and purple in colour
Onions sliced thick- 2-3
Dry coconut 1/4 piece
Sesame seeds - 1 tbsp
Peanuts 1/2 cup or a handful
Garam masala ingredients(Shahi jeera 1/4 tbsp, Cinnamom/Dalchini 1 inch, Cardamom/Elaichi 1, Lavangam/Cloves 1-2)
Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Ginger Garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp or more according to your spice level
Small green chillies - 5-6
Salt to taste
Cumin seeds/Jeera - 1 tbsp
Tamarind concentrate - 2 to 3 tbsp
Fenugreek/Methi seeds -1/4 tbsp
Oil

Method :

1. Dry roast peanuts/groundnuts until raw smell is gone, add sesame seeds, fenugreek seeds, jeera in a same pan and fry for 1 to 2 minutes and then keep aside away from heat.
2. Make a dry powder of all these items.
3. In a saute pan, heat 2 to 3 tbsp oil then add sliced onions, green chillies, coriander, mint leaves, turmeric, chilli powder, ginger garlic paste and salt. Fry them roughly for 3-5 mins and let them cool.
4. Once they are cool, add them to the dry powder along with dry coconut, tamarind and grind well until it becomes a paste.
5. Wash and slit the brinjals into four, not fully(leaving the stem intact).
6. Shallow fry them for 5- 10 mins in 1-2 tbsp oil and keep them aside.
7. Now heat oil in a nonstick pan, then add fenugreek seeds( very few or else the curry will be bitter), jeera and fry for sec.
8. To it add the fried brinjals and then add the paste made from dry roasted spices and onions along with tamarind and dry coconut.
9. Add half cup of water or even less.
10. Cook on low to medium heat for around 15-20 mins with the lid covered stirring once in a while.
11. When the eggplants appear tender and soft, transfer the curry into a dish and garnish with coriander.
12. Serve hot with fried rice, roti, puri or even plain rice.

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Pongal (Rice-Pesar Pappu ) with Coconut-Tamarind Chutney

Whenever I feel tired or want to prepare something in less time, the one thing that comes to my mind is Pongal which is very easy to make and healthy too. One can have it as breakfast or lunch and can be served with favourites chutneys or yogurt. This recipe can be prepared using a pressure cooker(with 2-3 whistles) or in a heavy bottomed vessel. I have prepared it in a vessel.

Serves 2-3 people
Preparation Time 30-40 mins

Ingredients for preparation :
 
Rice Ordinary/Basmati 1 cup
Pesarpappu/Split Yellow Moong Dal 1/2 cup (Soaked in water for 5-10 mins)
Ginger Grated 1 tbsp
Mint leaves 1/4 cup
Coriander chopped 1/2 cup
Turmeric powder 1/4 tbsp (optional)
Peppercorns 1/2 tbsp
Green Chillies 3-4
Jeera 1 tbsp
Onion chopped 1 small
Oil or Ghee 1 tbsp (preferably ghee for better taste)
Salt to taste
Water 2 1/2 cups

Method:

1. Heat oil/ghee in the vessel. Add peppercorns, jeera, chopped onions, slit green chilles, chopped coriander, mint leaves and grated ginger.
2. Fry them till the onion loses its transprency.
3. You can add turmeric powder if you like.
4. Then add salt according to taste, rice along with the soaked moong dal/pesar pappu to it and mix well.
5. Now add the water and cook with covered lid on medium heat till the rice and dal are cooked evenly.
6. Rice - Pesar pappu/Moong dal pongal is ready.
7. Serve it with chutney or yogurt.

Coconut -Tamarind Chutney

Serves 2-3 people
Preparation Time 20-25 mins
 
Ingredients for preparation :
 
Coconut grated 1/2 cup
Tamarind soaked for 5 mins a small ball
Red Onion small 1/2
Salt to taste
Jeera 1/2 tbsp
Dhanyalu/Coriander seeds 1/2 tbsp
Green Chillies 2-3 (according to your spice level you can increase or decrease)

Method:

1. First dry roast coriander/dhanyalu, jeera without burning them and make a powder.
2. To the powder add coconut, tamarind, green chillies, salt and grind well. Add very little water if its too dry to grind.
3. Once you see a paste of it add the red onion and just try to grind roughly for a sec and not much so that the chutney still has small pieces of onion which will give a nice taste when eating.
4. Chutney is ready to be served and goes well with rice.

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Crispy Palak Pakora

I had a lot of spinach/palak and made this snack using it. Pakoras are usually served at tea time with ketchup/green chutney. The directions to make them are as follows.

Serves 2-3 people
Cooking Time 20 mins

Ingredients for preparation :

Finely chopped fresh Spinach - 3/4 cup
Besan -1 cup
Ajwain/ oma/ vamu seeds - 1/4 tbsp
Red chilli powder- 1/2 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tbsp
garam masala (optional) - 1/2 tbsp
Salt to taste
1 tsp hot oil
Pinch of baking soda
Oil for frying

Method:

1. Take a bowl and mix together chopped spinach, besan, ajwain seeds,red chilli powder, turmeric powder,salt,garam masala and a tbsp hot oil together. Add water and make batter without forming any lumps.
2. Heat oil in a pan on medium level. Drop spoonfuls of batter in the oil and fry till crispy and golden brown.
3. Remove from oil and place the pakoras on tissue/paper napkins to avoid excess oil.
4. Serve hot with tea or with ketchup or a chutney of your choice.

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Payasam with Vermicelli/Kheer

When it comes to having something sweet made of milk the one thing I like is kheer. Kheer/ Payasam is often offered as a part of prasadam to God mostly in South India. I used to relish this dish back home in India whenever it was made, without getting bored. It is can served hot or cold.

Serves 4-5 people
Cooking Time 20 mins or less

Ingredients for preparation :

Vermicelli - 1 Cup
Milk 2 1/2 cups
Cashews/Almonds(or any dry fruit of your choice) roasted in very less or 1/4 tbsp ghee
Saffron 3-4 thread
Sugar - 1/2 cup (increase or decrease according to your taste sweet level)
Ghee 1/4 tbsp

Method :

1. First roast the dry fruits of your choice ( i used cashews ) in ghee and keep aside.
2. Then roast the vermicelli in 1/4 tbsp ghee (or you can use roasted vermicelli available at Indian stores).
3. Heat a vessel and add the roasted vermicelli to it and immediately add the milk and mix well.
4. Then add the amount of sugar you want according to your sweet level and mix it well.
5. Add the saffron and cashews and keep stirring on medium heat till the milk comes to a boil.
6. Then check if the vermicelli is cooked and the dish is ready.
7. Serve hot or cold by itself or some prefer to have it with puri too.

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Lunch with Bitter Gourd Fry/Kakara Kaya Vepudu and Sorakaya/Bottle Gourd Dal

As a child, I remember my mother preparing Bitter Gourd pulusu(tamarind juice with some masala). I never use to like Bitter Gourd because of its bitterness

which kept me away from eating or even tasting it. But as we all women know things change once we get married and we get to learn and try knew things.

When I visited India this year, my sister convinced me in tasting this recipe which she made and said it wont be bitter at all. I liked it so much that i tried it after coming back to US. And here goes the recipe of Bitter Gourd Fry/Kakarkaya Vepudu. 

Serves 2-3
Preparation Time 35-40 mins
 

Ingredients for preparation :

 

Bitter Gourd/ Kakarkaya thoroughly washed 2-3
Curd 1-1.5 cups
Turmeric powder 1/2 tbsp
Tamarind 1/2 cup
Cumin seeds/Jeera 1/2 tbsp
Mustard seeds 1/2 tbsp
Dry Red Chilli 2
Urad dal 1 tbsp

To make a dry powder :

Curry leaves 1/2 cup
Chilli powder 1/2 tbsp -1 tbsp depending upon your spice levels.
Jeera 1tbsp
Dhanyalu/Coriander seeds 1 tbsp

Method :

1. First scrape off the rough sides of the Bitter Gourd and cut it into round pieces.( scraping as shown in pic above)
2. Take a medium bottomed vessel and add the curd, turmeric powder, tamarind, little salt and the Bitter Gourd pieces to it. Now place the vessel on the stove and turn on the heat.
3. Let it cook for around 15-20 mins with covered lid until the water evaporates from the curd.(This process is to eliminate the bitterness).
4. Once you are done with it keep it aside and let it cool.
5. Remove the tamarind pieces out of the vessel and throw it.
6. Now take a saute pan, heat oil and add urad dal, mustard seeds, jeera, red chillies and fry them.
7. Then add the Bitter Gourd pieces and salt to it and saute them nicely.
8. Lastly, add the dry powder made out of the ingredients stated above and mix well.
9. When you start seeing the dryness the Bitter Gourd Fry is done.
10. Serve hot with rice and dal.

Sorakaya/Bottle Gourd Dal

Serves 2-4
Preparation Time 20-30 mins

Ingredients for preparation :

Bottle Gourd 1 small
Toor Dal 1/2 cup
Onion chopped 1 small
Tamarind water 1/2 cup
Chilli powder 1tbsp
Turmeric powder 1/2 tbsp
Few Curry leaves
Oil 3-5 tbsp
Dry Red Chillies 2-3
Cumin seeds/Jeera 1/2 tbsp
Mustard Seeds 1/2 tbsp
Asafoetida a pinch
Garlic cloves 1-2

Method :

1. Wash the dal and pressure cook it with little tumeric powder, oil and salt.
2. Now take a deep vessel, heat oil then add asafoetida,mustard seeds, jeera, red chillies, curry leaves and chopped onion.
3. Fry them nicely till the onions loses its transparency.
4. Then add turmeric, chilli powder, salt and mix it.
5. Now, add the Bottle Gourd pieces cut into cubes with the skin on, to it and saute them. Let it fry for some time covered till the Bottle Gourd becomes soft.
6. After which add the tamarind extract or water to it and bring it to a boil.
7. Lastly, add the cooked dal to it and mix well.
8. Let it cook on medium flame for 5 mins and the dal is ready.
9. Serve hot with rice or roti with your favorite curry.
   

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Tomato Chutney

Tomato Chutney is easy to prepare and goes well with rice, roti or idlis. Basically, a chutney can be made dry or wet. Since it is intended to be consumed quickly after preparation it does not contain any preservatives in it unlike the pickle which contains preservatives and stays for longer period.

Serves - 4 to 5 people

Time: 30 mins

Ingredients for preparation :
 

Tomatoes 5-6
Green chillies 4-5 or more according to your spice levels
Lemon sized tamarind ball soaked in water for few mins.
Mint leaves 1/2 cup
Jeera 1/4 tbsp
Oil 2 -3 tbsp
Salt

For Seasoning :

Oil 1 to 2 tbbsp oil
Mustard Seeds 1/2 tbsp
Jeera 1/2 tbsp
Dry Red chillies 1 - 2
Urad dal 1/2 tbsp
Asafoetida a pinch
Few curry leaves
Garlic cloves 2

Method :

1. Wash the tomatoes and cut each tomato into 2 or 3 pieces roughly and keep aside.
2. Now take a saute pan, add oil, then add tomatoes,green chilles, jeera, mint leaves, one garlic piece and lastly salt.
3. Cover the pan and let it cook on low to medium heat for 10-15 mins till the tomatoes become soft and the water that comes out from them evaporates.
4. Remove the tomatoes mixture in a plate and let it cool for few mins.
5. After cooling, make a paste of it in mixer/grinder along with the tamarind ball.
6. Put the paste in a container.
7. Now, for seasoning heat oil in a small pan and add the pinch of asafoetida to it.
8. Then immediately add urad dal, jeera, mustard seeds, red chilles, curry leaves, crushed garlic piece to it. (Cruching garlic and then adding it gives a nice aroma and taste)
9. Lastly add this seasoning to the tomato paste made and mix well.
10. Tomato chutney is ready to serve.

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Idli

Idli is mostly eaten as breakfast or tiffin and is usually served with a variety of chutneys and sambhar. It is a popular recipe and Southern Indians have brought this recipe wherever they have settled throughout the world. The idli batter is made of urad dal(whole or split) and rice rava (cream of rice, rice suji) with a proportion of 1:2.

Serves - 4 people
 

Ingredients for preparation : 

Urad dal - 1 cup
Idli rawa - 2 cups
Fenugreek seeds - 1 tbsp
A pinch of baking powder

Method :

1. Soak the urad dal for about 8-10 hrs. (I usually soak them in the morning around 8-10 a.m).
2. After the 8-10 hrs of soaking grind the urad dal into a nice paste.The more soft the urad dal is the more soft idlies will be. While grinding add the fenugreek seeds to it.
3. Mix the paste with the idli rawa without forming any lumps.
4. Now this batter needs to be fermented so that it can be ready to make idlies.So, keep it covered and leave it for overnight fermentation for about 6-8 hrs.
5. Next day morning, the idli batter will look fermented and is ready to use.
6. Add a pinch of baking powder and salt.
7. Now take the idli plates, pour spoonfuls of batter and fill the plates with idli batter.
8. Place these filled idli batter plates in a vessel with boiling water. Cover it tightly and cook them on steam for about 15-20 mins.
9. After which let them cool for a min and remove the idlies using a spoon.
10. Serve hot with your favorite chutney or sambhar.

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Chole

Chickpea/Garbanzo beans are high in protein and one of the earliest cultivated vegetables. My recipe using them is called Chole in Northern India. This goes well with with puris. Since puris are little fatty I am presenting it with chapatis/rotis.

Serves - 4 people
Preparation Time: 20 mins 

Ingredients for preparation :

2 cups of Chickpeas/Garbanzo beans, soaked in water overnight or for 8-10 hrs
2 onions chopped
4 green chillies slit lengthwise
1 big or 2 small tomatoes or tomato puree can used accordingly
1/2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
½ tsp of turmeric powder
½ tsp of chilli powder
1 tsp of chole masala powder
1/2 cup coriander chopped
salt as per taste
1 1/2 tbsp of oil

Method :

1. Pressure cook the soaked chickpeas/garbanzo beans for about 4-5 whistles . Drain the water and keep aside.Canned garbanzo can also be used.
2. Heat oil in a big sauce pan, add onions, green chillies and keep mixing until the rawness of onions is gone.
3. Add turmeric powder, chopped coriander and ginger garlic paste and saute it .
4. Add chilli powder, chole masala powder, salt and let it fry for a sec.
5. Now add tomatoes and saute them nicely till are smashed.
6. Then finally add the cooked/canned chickpeas and mix them well.
7. Add little water and cook covered for few mins till it becomes like a gravy.
8. If you like it dry wait until all the water evaporates.
9. Garnish with coriander.
10. Serve it hot with puris/rotis/chaptis along with sliced onions and lime pieces.

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Alu-Fry

This is my first posting on my blog and the recipe I am posting is a simple one, alu-fry. Almost everyone loves potatoes and likes to have them . This is one of my husband's favorite dishes and he prefers to have the potatoes fried till they get roasted nicely and crispy. I think the simplicity of this recipe makes it more tastier :).

Cooking is an art which everyone expresses in their own way. For me cooking is an art and a journey which is never ending. I will post recipes mostly which are South Indian where I hail from. My inspiration to start my own blog came after I started trying recipes from various blogs. I hope you will enjoy my recipes and your comments are always appreciated.
 

Serves - 4 people
Cooking Time - 20 mins

Ingredients for preparation :

Potatoes diced 4-5
Coriander a handful
Green chillies 2
Curry leaves few
Onions finely chopped 1
Turmeric powder 1/2 tbsp
Chilli powder 1 tbsp

For Seasoning :
 

Urad dal 1/2 tbsp
Mustard Seeds 1/2 tbsp
Cumin Seeds 1/2 tbsp
Oil 4 tbsp

Method :

1. Heat oil in a kadai and add the urad dal to it. Once it starts changing color add mustard and cumin seeds and fry for a min.
2. Add chopped onions,green chillies, curry leaves and chopped coriander to it.
3. Then add turmeric and chilli powder to it and saute it nicely.
4. Now add diced potatoes and salt and mix well.
5. Cover the kadai and let the potatoes cook.
6. Finally,garnish with chopped corainder.
7. Serve hot with roti, puri or rice.

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