Sowmi's Veg Kitchen

Baby Corn Manchurian

2014-09-02T12:12:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

Baby corn- 12-15
All purpose flour- 4 tblsp
Corn flour- 1 tblsp
Ginger garlic paste- 1 tsp
Red chilli powder- 2 tsp
Salt
Oil - For deep frying
Onion -1 medium size chopped into cubes
Capsicum -1 medium size chopped into cubes
Cilantro- a bunch
Spring onions - 1 bunch
Chilli sauce- 1 tsp
Soy Sauce - 2 tsp

Method:
1.Wash and pressure cook baby corn for 3 whistles with little salt.Also add 1 tsp corn flour in water in a small cup.
2.Mix cooked baby corn,salt,red chilli powder,ginger garlic paste and the flours with water.
3.The corn should be well coated with the batter.
4.Deep fry till golden brown and keep aside in a tissue paper.
5.Heat a pan with oil and add ginger garlic paste followed by onion and fry till onion turns transparent and then add capsicum and fry for 2 minutes.
6.Add salt,chilli and soy sauce.Fry for just a minute in high flame and add the fried baby corn.
7.Add the finely chopped cilantro leaves.This gives the nice aroma and fresh tatse to the manchurian.Be generous in adding cilantro.
8.Finally add the corn flour dissolved in water and mix well.Do not add a lot of this mixture.Just 2-3 tsp will suffice.
9.Garnish with spring onions and serve hot with fried rice

Paal payasam

2014-09-02T11:58:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

Milk - 4 cups (1 litre)
Basmati Rice - 2 tblsp
Sugar 1/2 cup
Ghee 2 tsp
Saffron - 10 strands soaked in 2 tsp milk
Condensed Milk - 1/2 cup(optional)

Method:
1.Roast basmati rice in a pan with little ghee .Once it cools make a coarse powder in mixie and keep aside.
2.Grease a pressure cooker with few drops of ghee. Put a small spoon in it and add milk.(this will prevent milk from getting burnt)
3.Cover the cooker and cook in low flame for about 10 minutes.Then open and add the powdered rice.
4.Again pressure cook for 1 whistle. After 1 whistle, keep the flame in lowest possible and continue heating for 10 minutes.
5.After that open the cooker and add sugar and saffron and again keep for one more whistle in low flame for another 10 minutes till you get a thick consistency.
6.You could also add 1/2 cup condensed milk in step 5 and reduce sugar quantity accordingly.Adding condensed milk gives a very rich flavour.
7.Serve hot or chilled.

Carrot Badam Kheer

2014-02-20T13:34:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

Carrots -2 (small)
Almonds - 15
Milk -1/2 litre
Sugar -3/4 cup
Condensed milk 2 tbsp(optional)
Saffron- Few strands soaked in 1 tbsp milk

Method:
1.Soak Almonds in Hot water and peel skin off.
2.Grind it with little milk to a smooth paste
3.Peel skin of carrots and roughly chop it.Pressure cook this adding 1 cup milk for 4 whistles.
4.Allow it to cool .Grind only the carrots along with sugar in a mixie to a smooth paste.
5.Take the ground badam paste,add 1 cup milk and allow it to boil for 10 minutes in low flame till the raw badam smell goes away.
6.Add the remaining milk to this,add condensed milk if available.
7.Transfer the carrot puree from the blender and allow the mixture to boil in low flame for 15-20 minutes till its thick.
8.Finally garnish with saffron strands and mix well.
9.Serve chilled or hot.Tastes yummy when cold.

Dal Makhani

2014-02-07T11:31:00.005-08:00

Ingredients:

Whole black Urad dal-1 cup
Rajma -handful
Chopped onion- 1
Tomato - 2
Chopped green chillies-2
Ginger garlic paste 1 tsp
Red chilli powder 1 tsp
coriander/dhania powder 1 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
Garam masala powder 1 tsp
Milk/Cream As needed
Butter -1 tblsp
Jeera- 2 tsp
Bay leaves- 1
Cinnamon-small piece
Cloves-2
Salt
Finely chopped Cilantro-to garnish

Method:

1.Soak urad dal and rajma for minimum 8-10 hours and pressure cook 4-5 whistles till nicely done with enough water.Preserve the water used to pressure cook the dhal.

2.Grind the tomatoes and make a fine puree and keep aside

3.Heat butter in a thick bottomed vessel.Add Jeera,bay leaves,cinnamom stick,cloves.Then add ginger garlic paste ,green chillies and chopped onion.Saute till onion turns transparent.

4.Add the tomato puree and allow it to boil till oil separates on top and raw tomato smell goes off.

5.Add in all the spices namely garam masala,chilli powder,turmeric,coriander powder and salt.

6.Add little butter and then the water drained from the dhal.Allow it to boil for 5 minutes.

7.Finally add the slightly mashed dhal and mix well.

8.Add cream/milk.But cream is preferred to give it a smooth texture

9.Simmer for 10 minutes and stir inbetween.

10.Garnish with Chopped cilantro and serve hot with Roti/paratha.

Pav Bhaji

2013-12-02T11:11:00.003-08:00

Ingredients:

Onion(chopped finely) - 1 (big)
Tomatoes(chopped finely)- 2
Capsicum(chopped finely) -1
Potatoes - 2 (big)
Carrot,green peas,cauliflower(all chopped)- 1 cup
Green chillies(slit) -2
Butter - 2 tbsp
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
Red Chilli powder -1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Pav Bhaji masala - 3 tsp
Salt
Fresh lemon
Pav Buns
Onion and cilantro(chopped)- To garnish

Method:

1.Pressure cook the potatoes and other chopped veggies(carrot,green peas,cauliflower) for upto 3 whistles with little water

2.Once cool,peel skin of potatoes,chop into pieces.

3.Mash the potatoes and other pressure cooked veggies well and set aside

4.Heat a broad pan,add 2 tbsp butter,green chillies,ginger galic paste and onions.Saute till the onions turn transparent.

5.Add the capsicum and saute for 1-2 minutes till they become tender.

6.Toss in the chopped tomatoes and fry till it loses water and turns mushy.Add salt,turmeric,chilli powder,pav bhaji masala.(I used everest pav bhaji masala)

7.Add all the other mashed veggies and mix well.Mash again to bring in a smooth texture and to avoid lumps

8.Add a blop of butter on top and keep in low flame.The bhaji needs to be hot till you serve.

9.Garnish with cilantro and chopped onion and a hint of lemon when you serve with the Pav.

10.Toast the Pav buns with little butter on a tava and serve hot with Bhaji!!

Paneer Fried Rice

2013-11-20T13:40:00.002-08:00

Ingredients:
1.Basmati rice- 2 cups
2.Paneer cubes-1.5 cups
3.Olive oil- 2 tbsp
4.Capsicum(chopped finely)-2
5.Carrot(chopped finely)-2
6.Sugar 3 tsps
7.Spring onions 1 bunch
8.Pepper - 3 tsps
9.Salt
10.Soy sauce,chilli sauce,tomato ketchup- 1 tsp each

Method:
1.Chop the green part and white part of spring onions separately
2.Soak basmati rice for 30 minutes and cook it with water ratio 1 : 1 & 1/2 in rice cooker.
3.Allow it to cool and separate the grains. Keep aside.
4.Immerse the paneer cubes in hot water for five minutes.Drain the water and crumble well.
5.Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a wide non stick pan,add white part of spring onion.Keep in high flame.
6.Then add chopped carrot ,sugar and fry for 1-2 minutes.
7.Next add the capsicum and mix well in high flame.Toss all the veggies now and then to give it a nice smoky flavour
8.Add pepper,1 tsp each of chilli sauce,soy sauce and tomato ketchup and stir.
9.Finally toss in the crumbled paneer pieces.
10.You can either crumble panner finely or in medium sized chunks depending on how you wish.
11.Add needed salt and mix.Toss in the green part of spring onions to garnish.
12.Keep in medium flame.Add cooked rice and mix well.Make sure you do not break the rice.Mix gently
13.Serve hot with ketchup or with Gobi manchurian.Tastes heavenly!!

Pesarattu(Green gram dhal dosa)

2013-10-26T22:34:00.001-07:00

Ingredients:
1.Green gram dhal- 1 cup
2.Rice-1/2 cup
3.Green chillies-3 or 4(depending on your spice level)
4.Ginger - a small piece
5.Onion- 1.5( 1 for grinding and 1/2 chopped for garnishing)
6.Jeera- 1 tsp
7.Salt
8.Curry leaves
9.Oil- 1tbsp

Method:
1.Wash and then soak rice & green gram dhal together in water for over 9-10 hours.
2.Drain the water,grind the rice & green gram dhal with onion,ginger,green chillies and salt.Sprinkle some curry leaves.
3.Add water as needed.The consistency of the batter should not be very smooth like dosa batter.It should be little coarse.
4.The pesarattu batter need not ferment.You can make them as soon as the batter is ready.
5.Heat a tawa ,keep in low-medium flame.Once its hot,evenly spread the batter like a thin round layer like dosa.Sprinkle some onion.
6.Drizzle oil around the edges and also a little in the middle so that all sides get evenly cooked and is crispy.
7.Flip side and cook on the other side too.
8.Serve with chutney.I made morkozhambu as a side today and its a very good combination for pesarattu.

Cracked Wheat Kichdi

2013-10-23T11:03:00.000-07:00

Cracked wheat is a very healthy food for growing toddlers.It carries a great amount of nutrition and fiber.

Ingredients:
Cracked Wheat (Daliya) – 1/2 cup (Wash and rinse using a colander to remove any impurities)
Moong Dhal – 1/2 cup, rinse well and drain the water
Ghee – 2 tsp
Grated ginger – 1/4 tsp
Minced Garlic – 1/4 tsp
Veggies of your choice(Peas/carrots/beans/potatoes/broccoli) – 1 cup all together
Turmeric Powder
Asafoetida (Hing)
Water – 3 cups
Salt

Method:
1. Heat ghee in a heavy bottomed vessel.
2. Once the ghee warms up,add the cracked Wheat (Daliya) and saute for 2 minutes until you get a nice aroma.
3. Add the moong dhal,water,veggies(I added beans,Peas and Carrots),garlic,ginger,salt,pinch of turmeric and asafoetida.Add little chopped cilantro to give a nice fresh taste and flavour.
4. Mix well and transfer it to a pressure cooker.Cook for 4 whistles, turn off stove and allow the pressure to go down by itself completely.
5. Serve with plain yogurt or top it with a little ghee.

Gujarati Thepla

2013-10-22T11:23:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:(Makes 12 theplas)

Wheat Flour– 3 cups
Dried Kasoori methi/Fresh fenugreek Leaves – 2 tbsp
Oil – 1 tbsp
Thick Curd – 1 cup
Salt – 2 tsp
Red Chilli Powder – 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder – 1/2 tsp
Minced Garlic – 1 tbsp
Coriander/cumin Powder – 1 tsp
Chopped cilantro – 1/4 cup, packed
Warm Water – 1/4 cup

Method:

1. In a mixing bowl, mix wheat Flour and oil and mix it well together
2. In another bowl, mix the following ingredients:
Curd,Fenugreek/methi Leaves, Cilantro.turmeric Powder, salt,Red Chilli Powder and minced Garlic.Taste it to check salt.If needed add more as per your taste
3. Add the above mixture into the flour and slowly knead.
4. Add additional Warm Water if needed little by little.
5.Knead to form a ball of dough.Check if the bowl and hands are dry and not sticky.If so,you have made the dough right!!
6. Drizzle a few drops of Oil, smear on the dough, cover it with a lid and allow to rest for 30 minutes.
7. Heat a tawa on medium flame.
8. Make balls of the dough and start rolling just like you do for roti. Whenever needed use dry flour to dust.Do not use too much dry flour which will make the thepla hard
9. Place on the hot Tawa and cook.
10. Once it starts to change color, flip and cook for a couple of minutes on the other side.
11. Drizzle a drop of oil and smear and flip once again.
12. Press gently with a spatula and allow to cook till you see few bubbles.
13. Take off the tawa and serve hot with pickle/raita.

Thepa is tasty by itself because of the masalas added in the dough.Usually eaten as a snack.Doesn't need a special sidedish.

Bhindi Masala gravy

2013-03-21T14:13:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
1.Lady's Finger/Okra- 15
2.Tomatoes- 4 (medium size chopped lengthwise)
3.Yogurt/curd- 2 tbsp
4.Chopped green chillies-2
5.Grated ginger- 2 tsp
6.Garam masala- 2 tsp
7.Turmeric powder- 1 tsp
8.Hing
9.Red chilli powder- 2 tsp
10.Salt
11.Oil- 5 tbsp
12.Cilantro
13.Jeera/cumin seeds- 2 tsps

To dry roast and grind to a fine powder:
1. Fenugreek seeds- 1 tsp
2.Fennel seeds- 2 tsp
3.Coriander seeds/dhania- 3 tsp

Method:
1.Cut each lady's finger into 2 inch pieces.Make a small slit in each and fry in 4 tbsp oil. Allow it to fry for 10 minutes till they turn light brown and lose the bright green colour.
2.Dry roast the above listed 3 items till they turn golden brown and burst and grind in mixie without adding water.
3.In a pan add 1 tbsp oil,jeera,green chillies and ginger.Slowly toss in the chopped tomatoes.
4.Add salt,turmeric,hing,chilli powder and garam masala.Allow the tomatoes to cook well for 6-8 minutes.
5.Keep stove in low,add the curd.Slowly you will notice that oil separates.Now add the ground powder and mix well.Remember to keep in low flame while adding and after adding curd, else the curd would disintegrate into the gravy.
6.Finally add the fried lady's finger/okra after draining the oil to the gravy.
7.Garnish with cilantro.
8.Don't keep mixing after adding the bhindi pieces as they would break.
9.Serve with roti/paratha of your choice.

Carrot thayir pachadi(Carrot in seasoned yogurt)

2013-03-05T11:22:00.003-08:00

Ingredients:
1.Grated carrot-1
2.Thick curd/yogurt- 1 cup
3.Green chilly- 1 small
4.Salt
5.Oil- 2 tsp
6.Cilantro
7.Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
8.Asafoetida- a pinch

Method:
1.Add the grated carrot to the curd.
2.Add salt and asafoetida and mix.
3.Heat oil,add mustard seeds and chopped green chilly.Add to curd+carrot mix once mustard splutters.
4.Garnish with Cilantro
5.You can also grind little coconut+1 green chilly with little water in mixie and add to give extra taste.
6.Replace cucumber instead of carrot for cucumber thayir pachadi.

Carrot Rice (Chettinad style)

2013-02-26T11:53:00.003-08:00

Ingredients:
1.Grated carrot- 2(1 cup)
2.Basmati Rice- 1 cup
3.Chopped onion-1/2
4.Cloves-2
5.Cinnamon- 1 small stick
6.Jeera/Saunf- 1 tsp
7.Oil/Butter- 2 tbsp
8.Cilantro- handful
9.Green chilly-1
10.Salt
11.Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp

To grind without adding water:
1.Chopped tomato-1
2.Red chillies- 1-2(as per taste)
3.Grated coconut- 2 tbsp
4.Chopped onion-1/2

Method:
1.Soak basmati rice in water for 20 minutes
2.Cook with 1.5 cups of water in rice cooker. Do not overcook rice.
3.Heat oil in a pan, add jeera/saunf,cloves,cinnamom,green chilly and when jeera splutters add chopped onion and saute till they become golden brown.
4.Toss in the grated carrots,add little butter,salt and turmeric and cook for 5-8 minutes in low-medium flame sauteing now and then so that the carrots don't get burnt.
5.Set aside the carrot+onion mixture.
6.Add oil/butter to the same pan and empty the ground paste to it. Cook for 10 minutes in medium flame sauteing inbetween till the raw smell of onion fades away.
7.Add the carrot+onion mixture,mix,sprinkle little water and cook for 5 minutes.
8.Add this to the cooked basmati rice and mix gently without mashing the rice.
9.Garnish with cilantro
10.Serve with raita

P.S:For people who don't like the flavour of clove/cinnamon,skip that or you can add a clove and cinnamon stick while cooking rice to get the masala flavour and remove it while mixing so that you don't bite into it.Or use a pinch on any garam masala when you saute carrots+onions.

Ashoka Halwa

2013-01-21T17:27:00.001-08:00

Ingredients:
Use the same CUP for all measurements.

Moong dhal- 1 cup
Wheat flour- 1 cup
Sugar- 2 cups
Cardamom powder- 2 tsp
Cashews- 10-15
Saffron strands soaked in milk
Kesari powder/food color- a pinch( optional)
Ghee- 8 tbsp

Method:

1.Dry fry the moong dhal till it turns golden brown.

2.Pressure cook it well for 5-6 whistles with little water.Once it cools,mash it well to a thick paste after draining out all the water.You can also pressure cook the dhal directly.But frying a little will give us a nice aroma and also to get rid of the raw smell of dhal.

3.Heat 2 tsp ghee in a non stick pan.Roast the cashews till golden brown.Set aside.

4.In the same pan add the wheat flour and fry till golden brown.Keep aside

5.Making Sugar syrup: Add 1/2 cup water and then 2 cups sugar.Keep stirring till you get a string like consistency.This would take about 7-10 minutes.

6.Slowly add the wheat flour and keep stirring.

7.In 3 minutes add the mashed moong dhal paste and keep stirring without any lumps.Add 3 tbsp ghee.

8.The main thing to remember is never stop stirring and keep the stove on medium flame.

9.Add the kesari powder & saffron with milk.Whenever you feel the halwa sticks to the vessel,add ghee and continue to stir.

10.The halwa will take around 15-20 minutes to cook.Wait till the ghee oozes out and you are able to get a nice ball like consistency.

11.Add the cashews and the remaining ghee.

12. The yummy halwa is ready to serve:)

Thiruvadhirai Kali and 7 veg kootu

2012-12-28T15:01:00.001-08:00

Thiruvadhirai Kali

Ingredients:
Please use the SAME cup for all measurements

Raw Rice - 3/4 cup
Chana dhal- 1/4 cup
Moong Dhal - 2 tbsp
Grated Coconut - 1 cup
Grated Jaggery - 1 1/2 Cups
Water - 2 1/2 Cups
Cardamom powder - 1 tbsp
Cashewnuts roasted in ghee - handful
Ghee - 1/2 cup

Method:
1.Fry the raw rice,moong dhal,chana dhal in a kadaai until they become golden brown.
2.Once it cools down,grind to a coarse powder(rava consistency).Dont grind it to a fine powder.Keep aside.
3.Boil 2 1/2 cups water,once it boils add the grated jaggery.Cover with a lid and allow to boil for 5 minutes.
4.Once the jaggery mixture begins to boil and you see bubbles,add the grated coconut,cardamom powder and 2 tbsp ghee.
5.Add the powdered rice slowly like how we do for rava upma, cover with a lid and cook in a low flame.
6.Stir now and then to avoid lumps.
7.After around 15-20 minutes,see if the mixture is cooked well and water is absorbed.
8.Add the remaining ghee and roasted cashew nuts.
9.Switch off stove and remove the kadaai from the stove.
10.Cover with lid even after setting it aside and stir 2-3 times to get a fine upma like consistency.
11.The kali is ready to be served.

Thiruvadhirai 7 vegetable kootu

Ingredients:

Carrot-1(cut into 1 " cubes)
Chayote/Chow chow- 1(cut into 1 " cubes)
Raw banana-1 (cut into 1 " cubes)
Potato-1 (cut into 1 " cubes)
Pumpkin-1/4 cup (cut into 1 " cubes)
Beans-10
Broad beans/avarakkai- 10
Curry leaves
Mustard seeds
Oil- 1 tbsp
Tamarind
Salt
Hing- a pinch

To roast and grind to form a fine powder:

Raw Rice - 2 tsp
Red Chillies - 6
Thoor dhal - 1 tbsp
Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup

Method:
1. Soak the tamarind in the water,extract the juice and keep it separately.
2.Heat little oil and roast the above 4 ingredinets .Once the dhal turns golden brown add the grated coconut and fry for a minute.Switch off.Grind to a powder once it cools.
3.Pressure cook all the vegetables adding little salt and turmeric
4.Add tamarind water to the cooked vegetables and allow it to cook for 10 minutes.
5.Finally add the ground powder,salt and hing and allow it to boil for a while till you get the desired thickness and aroma.
6.Seasoning: Oil+Mustard seeds+lots of curry leaves.
7.The kootu is ready to be served with the kali.

Carrot Poricha Kootu

2012-09-11T11:37:00.000-07:00

Kootu can be made with any veggies Normally we use chow chow(chayote), carrot,snake gourd & pumpkin to make kootu.The method of preparation is the same with any vegetable.This time i made using chayote and carrot.

Ingredients:
1.Chayote-1
2.Carrot-1
3.Yellow moong dhal-1/2 cup
4.Salt
5.Turmeric-1/2 tsp
6.Curry Leaves
7.Coconut oil- 2 tsp
8.Mustard seeds-1 tsp

To fry,grind and make a paste:
1.Grated coconut-1/4 cup
2.Jeera/cumin seeds- 2 tsp
3.Red chillies- 2-3
5.Urad Dhal- 3 tsp

Method:
1.Soak the yellow moongdal in water.Pressure cook it along with the chopped vegetables adding little salt and turmeric powder.
2.In a kadai, saute the urad dal and redchillies till golden brown. Don't fry for long till it turns dark brown/black.
3.Grind along with jeera and coconut adding little water to a smooth paste.
4.Heat a kadai,empty the pressure cooked vegs+dhal mixture and the ground paste to it.Mix well.
5.Add salt as per taste.
6.Seasoning: Coconut oil+curry leaves+mustard seeds
7.Serve with rice.

Quick Tip!!-Second method-Directly grind 2 green chillies, 2 tsp jeera, 2 tsp black pepper and 1/4 cup grated coconut with little water and add to the veg+dhal mixture too.(No prior sauting needed)

Malai paneer(Paneer in cream and cashew gravy)

2012-08-27T12:13:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

1.Red tomatoes-4
2.Chopped onion-1
3.Paneer -250 g(cut into 1" cubes,soak in warm water with a pinch of salt for 3 minutes )
4.Cashewnuts- handful(15)
5.Cream (1/2 cup)
6.Ginger garlic paste- 2 tsp
7.Garam masala- 2 tsp
8.Red chilli powder- 2 tsp
9.Oil-2 tbsp
10.Dried methi leaves-2 tbsp
11.Green chillies-3
12.Jeera/Cumin seeds- 1 tsp
13.Chopped cilantro
14.Salt
15.Butter- 2 tsp
16.Sugar- 2 tsp

Method:

1.Heat 2 tsp oil,add chopped onions & green chillies,saute till it turns transparent.Toss in the chopped tomatoes and let it cook for 10 min. Stir now and then.Once the tomatoes have lost all the water,switch off stove.Let it cool.
2.Grind the above in a mixer(add 1/2 cup water) with the cashews to form a smooth paste.
3.Heat oil/butter in a pan,add jeera,let it crackle.
4.Add the ginger garlic paste,stir.Empty the onion-tomato paste. Add 1/2 cup water and let the gravy simmer for 10 minutes.
5.Add all the spices(chilli powder,garam masala,salt,crushed methi leaves)
6.Quick Tip!!: For the garam masala,u can either get the readymade ones or can make at home.Roast the cinnamon stick,cardamon,cloves and coriander seeds.Grind it to a fine powder and store.
7.Add whipped cream,1 tsp sugar and paneer cubes and cook for 5 minutes.
8.Quick tip!!-If you don't have whipped cream ,use milk(preferably whole milk)
9.Switch off.Garnish with cilantro and serve with rotis/naan.

Corn capsicum subzi

2012-08-16T15:03:00.003-07:00

Ingredients:

Green/Red capsicum - 1( chopped lengthwise)
Frozen corn Kernels - 1 cup(Microwave the corn in water for 1 minute)
Chopped green chillies - 2
Onion - 1(chopped lengthwise into thin pieces)
Chopped tomatoes - 2
Turmeric Powder -1/2 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Ginger/garlic paste - 2 tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Jeera/Cumin seeds- 1 tsp
Garam Masala - 2 tsp
Salt
Oil - 3 tbsp
Cilantro

Method:

1.Heat little oil,add jeera,chopped onion.Saute till golden brown.

2.Add the ginger garlic paste and stir for a minute.

3.Next toss in the tomatoes & green chillies.Cook in medium heat for 5-8 minutes till the tomatoes lose the raw smell and gets mashed up.

4.Add garam masala,salt,turmeric ,chilli powder,coriander powder and mix.

5.Add the chopped capsicum & corn kernels

6.Close the kadai with a lid and cook well for 10 minutes in low-medium heat. Saute now and then to avoid burning.

7.Garnish with cilantro and serve with rotis.

Mor Keerai(Spinach in curd)

2012-08-14T11:59:00.005-07:00

This is an unusual tasty combination of spinach and curd(yogurt).You can use any spinach for this preparation.

Ingredients:
1.Spinach- large bunch(washed and chopped well)
2.Moong dhal- 3 tbsp
3.Curd/Yogurt- 1 cup
4.Coconut oil- 2 tsp
5.Mustard- 1 tsp

To grind:
1.Green chillies: 3
2.Soaked chana dhal- 1 tbsp
3.Shredded coconut- 2 tbsp
4.Jeera/cumin- 2 tsp

Method:

1.Pressure cook the spinach and moong dhal with little salt adding 2-3 cups of water for 2 whistles.
2.Transfer it to a vessel,mash well and cook again for 5 minutes.
3.Grind the above listed items to a fine paste with curd.
4.Add it to the spinach.Simmer for 5 minutes till it thickens a bit.
5.Quick tip!!:If its watery,you can add little rice flour to improve consistency.
6.Seasoning: Coconut oil+mustard
7.Serve with rice and papad.

Brinjal Thogayal

2012-08-14T11:32:00.003-07:00

Ingredients:

1.Whole brinjal/eggplant-1 (medium size)[not the regular ones we get]
2.Urad Dhal - 2 tbsp
3.Red chillies - 4
4.Tamarind - (Small seed size)
5.Asafoetida
6.Salt
7.Mustard
8.Oil-1 tbsp
9.Curry Leaves

Method:

1.Heat 2 tsp oil,fry the urad dhal,tamarind,red chillies till it turns light brown.Keep aside.
2.Apply oil all over on the brinjal and roast it on direct fire in stove till the skin turns black.Keep rolling it so that all the sides gets cooked evenly.Allow it to cool.
3.The skin will off easily.Remove the skin completely.Cut the stem.
4.In the mixer,add the brinjal(cut pieces)and the sauted ingredients in step 1. Grind it to a slightly coarse paste adding salt and asafoetida.
5.Seasoning: Oil+Mustard+curry leaves
6.Serve with rice.

Carrot Halwa(Gajar Ka Halwa)

2012-08-13T17:37:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

1.Carrots- 4 (peeled,washed and shredded)
2.Ghee-6 Tbsp
3.Milk-1 cup
4.Sugar-1/2 cup
5.Cardamon Powder- 1 tsp
6.Cashews,raisins, cut almonds (to garnish)

Method:

1.Boil the milk in a thick vessel for about 8-10 minutes in low-medium flame.Stir now and then.Set aside
2.In the meantime ,roast the nuts and raisins in ghee till golden brown and keep aside
3.In the same kadai,put 2 tbsp ghee,add the shredded carrots and saute until the colour changes.(This will make the carrot lose the raw smell) Do not skip this step.
4.Add the milk and cook till the milk gets well absorbed into the carrots. Time taken( 10 minutes).Make sure you don't mash the carrots with the milk & make it a soggy paste.
5.Next add the sugar,cardamom powder,remaining ghee and stir-fry for 3 minutes
6.Garnish with the nuts.
7.Serve hot or cold.It tastes delicious either way :)

Vegetable Dum Biryani(Homestyle)

2012-08-13T15:43:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

Long grain basmati rice( 2 cups)
Onion-1(Chopped very finely)/Fried onion from store
Potatoes – 2 (cut into large pieces)
Green Peas – 1 cup
Beans – 1 cup, cut into long pieces
Carrots – 1( cut into big pieces)
Cauliflower – 15-20 florets
Green Chilies – 4 (slit them vertically)
Paneer-1/2 cup(cut into cubes)
Mint Leaves
Cilantro
Ginger/Garlic Paste – 1 Tbsp
Coriander Powder – 2 tsp
Turmeric Powder – 1/2 tsp
Garam masala/Biryani masala- 2 tsp
Yogurt/curd- 1 cup(beat it nicely)
Oil/Butter
Saffron- 12 strands
Salt

Spices:

Cloves-2
Bay leaves- 2
Cinnamon stick- 1/2
Cardamon(optional)-2

Method:
1.Soak rice in water for 30-45 minutes.
2.Heat 4 cups of water,add rice,cook for 5 minutes.Make sure its just half cooked.Drain and set aside.
3.Also soak saffron strands in water and keep aside.
4.Heat a large pan with oil,add all the spices and saute.
5.Add ginger garlic paste and stir for 2-3 minutes.
6.Then add the finely chopped onion and fry it well or you can add fried onion bought from any store(available in indian store)
7.Next toss in the cauliflower,carrot,potatoes,peas,beans,green chillies one by one,add salt and allow them to cook 60%.Dont overcook and mash them.
8.Add the coriander,turmeric powder and little garam masala/biryani masala.
9.After 5 minutes,add the cubed paneer and saute without breaking it.
10.Add Mint leaves,cilantro ,the cup of curd,mix and allow the spices to soak into the vegetables.
11.Now there are two options.Either cook in a slow rice cooker or in a large non stick round bottomed vessel.
12.Rice cooker: Coat the bottom with little ghee/butter.First layer with soaked rice,second layer with the cooked marinated vegetables.Alternate this.Drizzle the saffron water.Top with a little fried onion.Don't mix.Switch on the cooker.(If you want,can add a layer of almonds,raisins,cashews too).
13.Round bottomed Vessel: Follow the same as step 12.layer it with bread loaves finally.Close it with a lid. Cook on low flame for 20-30 minutes.
11.Serving: Just mix the biriyani gently and serve hot with raita.

Quick Tip!!:I choose to cook in a rice cooker as i need not worry about burning/sticking to the vessel.

Thai red curry

2012-08-08T16:54:00.003-07:00

Ingredients to make red curry paste:

Dried Red Chilies – 6
Thai Red Chilies – 3-4
Lemon Grass – 1 Tbsp(if you have)
Chopped Ginger – 1 Tbsp
Chopped Onion – 1/2
Cilantro Stems – 10(leave out the leaves)
Chopped Garlic – 5 pods
Black Pepper or white pepper– 1 tsp
Salt
Oil

Method to make red curry paste:

1.Soak the dried red chillies in hot water for 20 minutes
2.Take the soaked chillies after draining the water and all the other ingredients in the mixie.
3.Add little salt and grind to a smooth paste without adding water.(If you want,you can add very little water)
4.Heat 2 Tbsp oil in a pan.
5.Add the paste and nicely cook it for 8-10 min till the paste absorbs the oil and starts to clump to a smaller quantity.
6.Remove from stove and allow it to cool.
7.You can store the paste in an airtight container,refrigerate it and use it upto 1 month.

Ingredients for Thai Red curry:

Red Curry Paste – 2-3 tbsp or as per taste
Red Bell Pepper – 1/2(thin sliced)
Green Bell Pepper – 1/2 (thin sliced)
Carrot – 1/2 (thin sliced)
Green Peas – 1/4 cup
Onion – 1/4, sliced
Snow Peas – 10-12 (This gives the crunch)
Coconut Milk – 1 can( 350 ml)
Sugar – 2 tbsp
Thai Basil Leaves – 4-6
Soy Sauce-1 Tbsp

Method to make Red curry:

1.Heat 2 Tbsp oil in a pan
2.After 3 minutes,add 2-3 Tbsp of red curry paste and stir well
3.After 5 minutes of sauting the paste,add the coconut milk.
4.Nicely mix so that there are no lumps.
5.Now add in sugar and soy sauce.
6.Start adding all the vegetables to the coconut gravy.(Quick tip!!:You can nicely wash & use the frozen thai vegetables instead of chopping them separately)
7. You can also add Tofu pieces(I am not a big fan of tofu,so skipped it)
8.Add some basil leaves and cook well for 10 minutes.Mix occasionally.
9.Turn off stove,garnish with few more torn basil leaves and serve hot with jasmine rice/brown rice.
10.If you don't get the desired red color,sprinkle a lil paprika:)

Quick tip!!:
You can make a generous quantity of red curry paste,refrigerate it.So,once the paste is available,the red curry can be done in no time!!

Brown rice takes a longer time to cook than white rice.Make sure you add 2 cups of water to 1 cup of brown rice.When you pressure cook it,simmer it for 20 minutes after 2-3 whistles.

Sweet corn vegetable soup

2012-03-27T12:58:00.001-07:00

Ingredients:

Sweet Corn - 1 Cup
Corn Starch or Corn Flour - 2 tablespoons
Carrot - 1, chopped to small pieces
Green Peas - 50 g
Cabbage - handful, shredded
Broccoli-1/4 cup,chopped into pieces
Beans - 6, chopped into small pieces
Salt
Pepper

Method:

1.Mix corn flour/corn starch with little water nicely without any lumps
2.Cook the sweet corn in 2 cups of water till it is soft & set aside.
3.Boil all the other vegetables in 1 cup of water with a pinch of salt & keep aside
4.Take 1/4 cup of the cooked corn and grind it in mixie or blend it to a paste adding little water
5.Heat the pan, add the boiled vegetables,corn puree and corn.Keep the stove in low heat.
6.Then add the corn flour mixture and mix nicely.
7.Add salt and pepper as per taste
8.Remove from stove, garnish with chopped cilantro and spring onions(if you have) and serve hot.

Rajma Masala

2011-07-31T20:18:00.000-07:00

Rajma are known for their high folate,iron, protein and mineral content. Consumption of rajma gives you a healthy heart.Kidney beans are low in calories and fat-free!

Ingredients:

1.Rajma/kidney beans- 1 cup

2.Chopped onion-1

3.Chopped tomatoes- 4

4.Chopped green chillies-2

5.Chopped garlic cloves-4

6.Fresh chopped cilantro

7.Cumin/jeera-1 spoon

8.Oil/butter

Spices:

1.Chilli powder- 1/2 spoon

2.Turmeric powder-1/4 spoon

3.Coriander cumin powder- 1 spoon

4.Garam masala/rajma masala- 1 spoon

5.Kasoori methi leaves(optional)

6.Salt

Method:

1.Soak the rajma in hot water for 7 hrs & then pressure cook adding salt.

2.Heat kadai,add oil/butter,toss in the green chillies,jeera,chopped garlic and onion.

3.Saute till it turns light brown and transparent.

4.Next add the chopped tomatoes and all the spices.Saute for 5 min.

5.Add 3/4 cup water,cooked rajma & close with lid.Cook for 5-10 minutes so that the flavour sinks into the rajma.

6.Finally add fresh cilantro on top.

7.Serve hot with roti/naan.

Idly Dosa batter in Mixie

2011-07-29T17:04:00.000-07:00

I find many people say that with the batter made in mixie, the idlis dont turn out well and is hard.I follow this ratio to make batter and those of you who do not have grinder,can easily make soft fluffy idlis and crispy dosas by this method.You just have to make sure that when you make batter in mixie the Rice:Urad dhal ratio will be different.

Ingredients:

1.Idly rice- 3 cups
2.Whole Urad Dhal- 2 cups
3.Fenugreek seeds/Vendhayam- 1-2 spoons
4.Salt

Method:
1.Soak the rice,dhal and fenugreek seeds in water "separately" for 6-7 hours
2.First grind the Urad dhal and fenugreek seeds adding water little by little till you get a nice smooth ball like batter.
3.Remove the batter and keep aside
4.Next grind the rice in the same way but not to a very smooth paste like the urad dhal.It should'nt be very coarse like rava either.
5.Add this to the Urad dhal batter.Put salt.
6.Mix well with ladle or hand after adding 2 cups water.
7.Don't refrigerate the batter before it ferments well and quantity of batter increases.
8.One way to easily ferment is preheat the oven for 15 min,switch off and then place the container with batter overnight leaving the light ON.
9.Next day morning,you will find it would have fermented very well.Mix it and refrigerate.