Cucumber Chaaru with Fried Salmon

One of the most favored foods of S is fish. I am allergic to Shrimp so, it is out of question to try it but, fish I used to have it in India that too the non smelly ones very occassionally. After coming to US, never tasted it except once or twice due the smell. I would appreciate your tips or tricks on how to remove the fish smell or to buy one that does'nt smell :D. This is a simple fried version of salmon fillets. We normally use  frozen ones available in Costco.

I normally buy cucumbers from the Indian grocery for making salads or using them in raitas, but from few months I have been buying English cucumbers from Costco. Unlike the ones at Indian groceries they are seedless so, grating and cutting them is so so easy. Most of all they stay for almost 3 weeks. They are big and come as a set of 3. Why am I telling all this to you :)? because, I made Chaaru with these cucumbers and it was so tasty.

Fish Fry

Serves -1
Cooking and Preparation Time - 15-20 mins

Ingredients :

Salmon Fillet - 1 (Atlantic Salmon Frozen Type) thawed
Lemon Juice - 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Chilli powder - 1/4 -1/2tbsp
Coriander powder - 1/4 tbsp
Cumin powder - 1/4 tbsp
Pepper powder - 1/4 tbsp
Oil - 2-3 or more tbsp
Few Curry leaves

Method :

1. Rub the lemon juice on the fillet and keep aside.
2. In a small bowl, mix together all the spices along with 1/2 tbsp oil keeping the rest for frying. You will have a spice paste.
3. Now rub this paste nicely on the fillet and refrigerate it for 30 mins.
4. In a non stcik pan, heat the remaining oil add curry leaves and then the marinated fillet.
5. Fry it on low-medium heat turning sides slowly and cook covered until fish gets cooked.
6. Serve hot along with rice and dal.

Cucumber Chaaru

Serves 3-4
Cooking and Preparation Time- 30 mins

Ingredients :

Cucumber -1 cup or more Any type (but I used english ones) skin peeled and diced
Toor Dal - 1/2 cup pressure cooked with 2-3 whistles along with turmeric pwder(1/4 tbsp), a drop of oil and salt (very small qty)
Tamarind juice - 1 cup dilute not very tangy
Onion - 1 small sliced
Green chillies - 2 slit vertically
Few curry leaves
Mustard + Cumin seeds - 1/2 tbsp pr more
Chilli powder - 1/2 tbsp increase or decrease according to your spice levels
Oil - 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Coriander - 1/4 cup finely chopped

Method :

1. Mash the cooked dal and keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a deep pan add, cumin, mustard, sliced onions, green chillies, curry leaves and fry until the onions are fried.
3. Then add, cucumbers and salt.
4. Cook covered for 5 mins on medium heat till you notice that they are cooked or 3/4 cooked.
5. Then add chilli powder, coriander chopped and saute well.
6. Now add tamarind water and mix well.
7. Then add, mashed dal and add water if necessary to dilute it if its thick.
8. Now let it come to a boil and reduce heat to low and cook for 5 more mins.
9. Cucumber Chaaru is ready to be served along with rice and your favorite curry.

--> Read more...

Dal Roti

I remember having this dal almost everyday for dinner with rotis which my mother made, back home in India. Both me and my father were the only ones who used to have it more than anyone else at home :). She used to add All Spice/Tailed Pepper/Kawab Chini to it which gave it a nice aroma and flavor.
It is a simple recipe, very easy to make when you have no time for making curries or want to have something different. I have altered my mother's recipe a bit by adding chana dal masala to it.

Serves 2-3 people
Cooking Time 20-30 mins

Ingredients :

Toor Dal/Kandhi Pappu - 1 cup
All Spice/Tailed Pepper/Kawab chini (optional) only if you like - 5-10
Onion sliced - 1
Tomato chopped - 1
Green chillies slit - 2-3
Coriander chopped - 1/2-1 cup
Chilli powder - 1 tbsp or less (according to your spice level)
Turmeric powder- 1/2 tbsp
Any Chana Dal Masala - 1 tbsp (I used MDH brand, using masala is optional)
Oil - 2-3 tbspSalt to taste
Ginger Garlic paste - 1/4-1/2 tbsp

Method :

1. Pressure cook the Toor Dal with 2 1/2 cups of water with 3-4 whistles. Do not smash the dal after it is cooked and just keep it aside for cooling.
2. Now take a saute pan, heat oil then add tailed peppers, onions, chillies and turmeric powder and saute till onions get fried.After which add ginger garlic paste, chopped coriander and mix.
3. Then, add chilli powder, dal masala, salt and chopped tomatoes to it mix well.Wait for tomatoes to cook roughly (not till they become complete paste) and then add the previously cooked dal to it and saute till everything is completely mixed.Add little water like 1/4 cup and let it cook on medium to low heat for 10 mins and the dal is ready.
4. Garnish with sliced onions and lemon juice.
5. Serve hot with rotis or plain rice.

--> Read more...

Tomato Dal and Capsicum Fry

For today's lunch, I made Capsicum Fry and Tomato Dal. I used Idli powder or podi which I brought it from India on my last visit. My sister's MIL has made ginger pickle and this podi for me with so much love and patience :). My friend Madhu has recently posted an article on how to make the powders/podis and they are mindblowing. You can check them on her site. These powders/podis are very useful in everyday's curries and taste like heaven. So here is how to make the simple Tomato Dal and Caps curry.

I have carefully preserved the podi in a zip lock bag:).

I am sending this entry Tomato Dal to Sanghi's Tomato Event.

And look at this tomato doesn't it look like Lord Ganesha :).

 

Tomato Dal

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

Ingredients:

Kandhi Pappu/Toor Dal - 1/2 cup
Chana Dal - 1 tbsp optional
Onions - 1 small finely chopped
Tomatoes - 3 each cut into 2-3 pieces
Green Chillies - 2
Chilli powder-1/2 tbsp or according to your spice levels
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tbsp
Asafoetida -  a pinch
Few curry leaves
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tbsp
Dry Red chillies - 2
Tamarind water - 1/2 cup
Water 1.5-2 cups
Salt to taste
Oil - 2-3 tbsp

Method :

1. Wash the dals properly and pressure cook along with enough water, turmeric powder, tomatoes, a pinch of salt and drop of oil then keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan, add asafoetida, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, red chillies. When they start to splutter add chopped onions, curry leaves, green chillies and fry.
3. Now add chilli powder and tamarind water and bring to a boil.
4. Add the cooked dal and mix well.
5. Cook for 5-10 mins on medium heat and the dal is ready.
6. Serve hot with rice and your favorite curry with papads.

Capsicum Curry

Serves - 2 people
Preparation Time - 15 mins approx

Ingredients :

Capsicums - 2 cut into small pieces
Onion - 1 small finely chopped
Green chillies - 1
Few curry leaves
Coriander chopped - 1/4 cup
Urad Dal or Chana Dal - 1/4 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tbsp
Chilli powder - 1/4 tbsp or less because Idli powder will make up the rest
Salt to taste
Oil - 2 tbsp

Method :

1. Heat oil in a nonstick pan , add chana or urad dal , mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves. When they start to splutter add chopped onions, green chillies, turmeric powder, chilli powder and saute.
2. Add Capsicum pieces, salt (less since Idli powder already has salt) and saute well.
3. Cook covered for approx 10 mins and the curry will be done.
4. Now turn off heat, add Idli powder and mix well.
5. Serve hot with rice or rotis.

--> Read more...

Lunch with Artikaya Curry and Mango Dal/Mamidikaya Pappu

 

Once again I wish everyone a Very Happy and Prosperous New Year 2009 !!

This is my first recipe posting this year and I am hoping to post many new ones which are easy home made recipes. Mamidikaya Pappu and Artikaya Curry is the combination we enjoy having and I guess you all will like it too. So here goes the recipe details.

Mamidikaya Pappu / Mango Dal

Serves - 4-5
Cooking and Preparation Time- 20-25 mins approx

Ingredients :

Toor Dal/ Kandhi Pappu - 1/2 cup
Mango skin peeled and cut into cubes - 1 -1.5 cups according to your taste.
Green Chillies - 2
Few Curry leaves
Turmeric powder- 1/4 tbsp
Chilli powder- 1 tbsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Onion - finely chopped 1 small
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tbsp
Jeera/Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tbsp
Dry Red Chillies- 2
Tamarind extract - 1/2 cup
Oil - 3-4 tbsp or less

Method :

1. Wash the Dal and pressure cook it with sufficient water along with turmeric powder, a drop of oil and the mango pieces in it for 2-3 whistles.
2. Once cooked leave it for cooling.
3. Heat oil in a pan, add asafoetida, mustard seeds, cumin seeds and dry red chillies.
4. When they start to splutter add chopped onions, curry leaves and fry till onions get cooked.
5. Now add chilli powder and mix well for a min without burning.
6. Then add tamarind extract according to your taste and let the mixture come to a boil.
7. When its boiling reduce the heat or turn it off and add the dal cooked to it and mix well.
8. Now cook it on low to medium heat for 5-10 mins.
9. Mamidikaya Dal is ready and can be served hot with rice and a curry or a chutney.

Artikaya / Plaintain Curry

Serves- 2
Cooking Time -15-20 mins

Ingredients :

Artikaya or Plaintain- 3 skin peeled and sliced into round pieces.
Onion - 1 small chopped
Green Chillies -1-2
Few Curry Leaves
Coriander finely chopped - 1/2 cup
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tbsp
Chilli powder - 1/2 tbsp
Ginger Garlic paste 1/4 tbsp
Coriander powder - 1/4 tbsp
Water - 1 cup
Oil - 2-4 tbsp

Method :

1. Heat oil in a nonstick pan and add the chopped onions, curry leaves, slit green chillies and turmeric powder saute well till the onions gets fried.
2. Then  add ginger garlic paste and chopped coriander and mix well.
3. Add chilli powder,  plaintain pieces and mix well.
4. Now add water and let it cook on medium heat for 10 mins till the plaintain pieces are cooked.
5. When the water looks like a gravy in thick form add the coriander powder and mix well.
6. Artikaya Curry is ready and can served with plain rice with dal of your choice.

--> Read more...

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.

--> Read more...

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.
   

--> Read more...