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.

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Chicken Biryani

 

Chicken Biryani is a dish where the rice is cooked separately from the chicken. It consists of different spices , basmati rice and chicken. It may be served with Boiled eggs, Aubergine/Brinjal Masala Curry or Raita.

I am sending this recipe to Blogger Aid for their cook book so, I am not revealing the recipe here :). It is my pleasure to be a part of such an event and thank Ivy, Valerie for what they are doing.

 

 

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Puri with Alu/Potato Curry and Bhurji/Egg Curry- Today's Lunch

 

 

Puri or Poori a South Asian fried flat bread is prepared from dough of atta(wheat flour or sometimes maida/all purpose flour) and salt, by spreading it out in a circle the size of one's palm and deep frying in ghee or vegetable oil. While frying, the bread puffs up. After they become golden-brown in color, they are removed and served hot along with some accompaniment like potato curry, egg curry, sheera/halwa and the most famous one including bature or choley.

It is mostly served in ceremonies or rituals and is also offered as prasadam or neivedyam to God. Since it is deep fried in oil remember to put them on tissue to remove the excess oil . I made these for our lunch today along with potato and egg curries. These two curries are S's favorite :) and I guess we both have excercise more this weekend for indulging in this kind of food ;).

Serves - 2 people
Cooking and Preparation Time - 30 -40 mins approx

Ingredients :

Wheat Flour - 2 cups
Salt - a pinch
Warm water, small quantity of milk and a tbsp of oil to knead the dough

Method :

1. Divide the dough into small golf ball-sized portions and roll these portions into balls between your hands till they are smooth.
2. Flour a rolling board lightly and roll each ball into a small palm sized circle.
3. Heat the oil/ghee in a thick bottomed pan and deep fry the pooris one at a time.
4. Press gently on each side of the poori with a slotted spoon which will help them to puff up.
5. Fry each side till golden and drain.

Egg Bhurji or Simple Egg Curry :

Serves - 2 people
Cooking and Preparation Time - 15 mins approx

Ingredients :

Eggs - 2-3
Onions - 1 medium thinly sliced
Few Curry leaves
Coriander- 1/2 cup chopped
Green Chillies - 2 vertically slit
Cumin seeds- 1/4 tbsp
Turemeric powder - 1/4 tbsp
Chilli powder - 1/2 tbsp or less
Ginger Gralic paste - 1/4 tbsp
Oil- 2-3 tbsp

Method :

1. Heat oil in a non stick pan add jeera/cumin seeds, sliced onions, curry leaves, turmeric powder, green chillies, ginger garlic paste and saute.
2. Then add chopped coriander, chilli powder, salt and saute.
3. Now add the beaten eggs to the mixture and cook on medium flame, tossing and slicing the mixture with the spatula into discrete lumps.
4. Serve hot with puris or roti or any bread of your choice.

Alu/ Potato Curry :

Serves - 2 people
Cooking and Preparation Time - 20 mins approx

Ingredients :

Potatoes - 2-3 medium boiled, skin peeled and mashed
Onion - 1 medium thinly sliced
Green chillies - 2 vertically slit
Few curry leaves
Corinader - 1/2 cup chopped
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tbsp
Chilli powder - 1/2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Oil - 2-3 tbsp

For Tadka or Tempering :

Cumin or Jeera seeds - 1/4 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tbsp
Urad Dal or Chana Dal - 1/4 tbsp

Method :

1. Heat oil in a non stick pan add cumin, mustard seeds, urad dal and fry till they start to splutter.
2. Add sliced onions, curry leaves, turmeric powder, green chillies and saute till onions get translucent.
3. Then add choopec coriander, chilli powder, salt and saute.
4. Now add mashed potatoes and mix well.
5. Cook for 5-10 mins and the curry is ready.
6. Serve hot with puris, rotis or any bread of your choice.

Vishu's Tip :

• Try to prepare the dough 15-20 mins before making puris to avoid excess absorption of oil by them.
• The secret for soft puris is kneading. The more you knead the dough the softer the puris will be.
• Try to roll some dough balls and place them on a paper before frying them in batches to be easy.

Okay then have a nice weekend everyone :).

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Pyttipanna/Pytt i panna - Our Breakfast today

 

Pyttipanna, also pytt i panna, Swedish for "leftovers in pan," is a hodge-potch of food similar to hash.

Those of you who have visited IKEA store will know about this dish very nicely, since it is in one of their recipes they serve. This dish was originally made from leftovers of past meals but now it is far more common to prepare pyttipanna from prime ingredients. Frozen pyttipanna of many varieties can be bought in almost every Swedish supermarket.

Many variants of the dish exist, amongst other reasons to cater to the growing vegetarian and vegan population. If you have mixed veggies lying in your freezer or fresh ones, they can be used to make this as a breakfast or snack.

Serves 2 people
Cooking and Preparation Tme - 15 mins approx

Ingredients :

Mixed Veggies - 2 cups frozen or fresh ( I used fresh baby carrots, beans, potato(1) cut into small pieces and corn (frozen))
Onion - 1 small finely chopped
Pepper- 1/4 tbsp or less according to your spice level
Oil - 2 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method :

1. First microwave the potato with skin peeled diced into small pieces for 4-5 mins and keep aside. 
2. Then heat oil in a non stick pan and fry the chopped onions till they change color.
3. Now add mixed veggies except the diced potatoes and saute.
4. Add salt, pepper and saute.
5. Fry for few mins and then add the potatoes and saute well.
6. Cook covered and saute for every 3-4 mins.
7. Fry till all the water from the veggies evaporate and become dry.
8. You may add little salt if its needed and fry the potatoes till they change color for good taste.
9. Serve hot as breakfast or snack.

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Carrot Curry with Roti for Lunch

 

I was trying to empty my refrigerator then, I stumbled upon the baby carrots and decided to make this curry..
Its basically an everyday curry which we all make and no big list of ingredients in it, making it simple and most of all very healthy. Since, I had baby carrots I had to cut them carefully but normal carrots can be used  either by cutting or grating them. This is our lunch today :) with rotis.

Serves 2 people
Cooking and Preparation Time - 15-20 mins

Ingredients :

Carrots - grated or cut vertically - 1.5 cups
Onion - 1 small chopped
Few curry leaves
Coriander - 1/4 cup chopped
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tbsp
Chilli powder - 1/2 tbsp
Lemon juice - 1/24 tbsp optional
For tempuring :
Oil - 2-3 tbsp
Urad Dal / Chana Dal - 1/2 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tbsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/4 tbsp

 

Method :

1. Heat oil in a non stick pan add the chana or urad dal, mustard seeds, cumin seeds and let them splutter.
2. Then add chopped onions, turmeric powder , chopped corainder and fry till the onions are translucent.
3. Now add chilli powder , salt and fry.
4. Then add carrots and saute well.
5. Cook covered on low-medium heat for 10-15 mins until the carrots are cooked well.
6. Add lemon juice if you like and garnish with coriander.
7. Serve hot with rice or rotis.

 

 

Vishu's Tip : Try to microwave the carrots after cutting or grating if cooking in a non stick pan so that the curry is done faster without burning.

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