Exotic Mixed Vegetable Curry

We often tend to have a lot of veggies in small quantities and wonder how to use them.Todays recipe is an assortment of veggies cooked in a exotic gravy flavored with some unique indian spices.This dish could surprise your unexpected guests to wonder if you had planned for their visit ;P. I always store paneer for such moments and adding it to this curry will make it really exotic. Enjoy the recipe.
Ingredients

• 1 cup chopped onions
• 3/4 cup chopped tomatoes
• 2 cups diced vegetables (carrot,potato,beans,peas,sweet corn kernels)
• 1/2 cup diced cottage cheese/paneer
• 2 tbsp oil

To Grind

• 1 tsp dhania/coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp jeera/cummin powder
• 8 cashew nuts
• 2 elaichis
• 3 cloves
• 5 black pepper
• 1/2 inch cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp khuskhus/poppy seeds
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• pinch of turmeric
• salt to taste

Procedure
Make a fine paste of all the ingredients to grind and keep aside. Make a fine paste of onions and tomatoes and keep aside.Sprinkle some water on the chopped veggies and microwave for 4 minutes.

Heat oil in a pan, add onion tomato paste and fry till oil begins to saturate, now add the paste prepared earlier for gravy and fry till the rawness is gone and oil begins to saturate again. Now add the cooked vegetables and stir for 2 minutes nicely.Add enough water and close with a lid and let it cook on sim for 10-15 minutes.Then add cottage cheese and stir nicely and cook for 2 more minutes until it completely blends. Your mixed vegetable curry is ready. Serve hot with rice or rotis.

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Flavorful Drumstick Curry

Drumsticks pods and leaves are available all thoughout the year.

The pods are excellent cardio-protectors as they contain certain hypotensive compounds like thiocarbamate and isothiocyanate glycosides which help to lower blood pressure along with potassium. The fiber in the pods helps to lower cholesterol and prevent arterial clogs, thus reducing incidence of heart attacks and stroke

Source:http://blog.caloricious.com/2011/06/06/health-benefits-of-drumstick/

In south india it is very common to make dishes with drumstick, this curry is a flavorful combination of drumstick and cashew. It has a mild creamy flavor and the drumstick curry is a excellent accompaniment to rice.I am sure you will enjoy it

Ingredients

• 5 drumsticks chopped at 4 inch length
• 2 cups sliced onions
• 2 cup diced tomatoes
• 8 cashew nuts
• 6 cloves garlic
• 1/2 inch ginger
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tbsp cummin powder
• 1/4 tsp turmertic powder
• chilly powder to taste
• salt to taste
• 2 tbsp oil

Procedure

Boil the chopped drumsticks for 10 min in a microwave with enough water that it may all just float and keep aside and dont discard the water.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan, add the onions and cashewnuts and fry till onions become translucent

Add garlic ginger and fry for 2 minutes, then add tomatoes and let it cook till it becomes soft.

Let the above mixture cool and then grind it to a smooth paste.

Heat another 1 tbsp in the same pan, added this grinded mixture and all the above mentioned powders , stir nicely.

Then add the drumsticks and stir nicely, add the drumstick water and let it cook for another 10 minutes in a low flame. Check the consistently and add little water if required. Serve hot with rice

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Flavorful No Onion No Garlic Meal

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I had prepared this meal ( Mint Pulav, Paneer Makhani and Palak Raitha ) for my mom who visited me this weekend.

According to ayurveda our ancient traditional medicine system of India there are three formats of food rajasik, tamasik and saatvik, foods simple and wholesome in nature are saatvik by nature, onion and garlic have sharp flavors and they fall under the "tamasik" category.

The theory is based on the fact that "tamasik" food tends to excite the negative feelings such a anger, violence, and deceit and therefore should be avoided. It is a hindu custom to have saatvik food on sacred days. Also practised by the wonderful krishna conscious devotees ( ISKCON photogallery ) around the world. So here is the recipe for the complete meal.

Paneer Makhani (Adopted from Nita Mehta Recipe)

Ingredients

• 200 gms paneer (cut into cubes)
• 3 large tomatoes
• 1 inch ginger
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp oil
• 4-5 almonds or cashew
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tsp kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves)
• 1 tsp tomato ketchup
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 2 green cardamoms crushed
• 3 tbsp cream
• salt to taste

Soak the almonds or cashew in 1/4 cup milk for a 1/2 hr and blend it a smooth paste.

Microwave tomato and ginger with a 1/2 cup water for 5 min.Blend it to a smooth paste.

Heat oil and butter in a pan, add salt,sugar,garam masala,crushed cardamom and chilli powder and stir for 30 seconds and add the prepared tomato paste and ketchup and mix well and cook till oil begins to separate.

Add the cashew paste and kasuri methi and stir well, add 1/2 cup water and cook on medium flame for 5 min.

Now add paneer and milk to get a nice gravy. Mix well and cook for another 5 min

Now add cream and serve hot.

Mint Pulav

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Ingredients

• 1 cup rice
• 1 tbsp clarified butter or ghee
• 1 handfull of mint leaves
• 1 handfull of coriander leaves
• 1/2 green peas
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 inch cinnamon stick broken into pieces
• 2 crushed cardamoms
• 4 black pepper
• 1/4 tsp pepper powder
• 1 tsp chopped green chillies
• salt to taste

Soak rice in water for 30 min and stain it and keep it aside.

Heat ghee in a pressure cooker, add cumin seeds, cinnamon stick , cardamom and black pepper and fry till cummin seeds splutter. Add the chopped cilantro, mint leaves and green chilli fry for a min. Then add green peas,salt and pepper powder and stir for 30 seconds. Now add the soaked rice and mix nicely.

Add 1.5 cup water, stir nicely and close the pressure cooker. Let it cook for three whistles and switch off and let it cool.

Once the pressure cooker cools , open the lid add 1 tbsp ghee on top of it and mix carefully and serve hot with your choice of side dish and raitha.

Palak Raitha

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Ingredients

• 1 cup curd
• 1 cup chopped spinach
• 1 green chilli
• salt to taste

For tempering

• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp oil
• a pinch of hing (asafetida)

In a micowave safe bowl cook the spinach with some sprinkling of water for 2 min, when it cools blend it with the green chilli, then add curd and salt to this mixture and whisk nicely till it becomes really smooth.

Now prepare the tempering , heat oil in a tempering pan, add cummin seeds and asafetida , once cumin seeds splutter transfer this tempering on to the above curd raitha.

Your palak raitha is ready. Serve it with chappati and any other choice of your rice.

I am sending this recipe to two wonderful events :

Bookmarked recipe hosted by Priya and Aipi and to another wonderful event Hearth and Soul

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Makai Ki Gravy ( Sweet Corn Gravy )

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I learnt this recipe while watching masterchef. This recipe is very simple and as a big fan of sweet corn I wanted to try something different. This dish was taught to one of the contestants of masterchef by a royal chef of a palace in Rajastan.

In this makai ki gravy sweet corn is simmered in milk with a light blend of spices to give it a unique taste. The dish I have prepared is ideal for summer. But to make it a winter dish we need to add cashew and almond paste. Which also makes it more rich.

Ingredients

• 1.5 cup sweet corn
• 2 cups milk
• 2 tbsp curd
• 1 tbsp ghee
• 1 tbsp garlic ginger paste
• 1/2 cup chopped onions
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 red chilli deseeded
• 1 tbsp cream
• salt to taste

Cooking Procedure

Heat the ghee in a pan , add onion and saute it for 2 min on medium flame and garlic ginger paste and fry. To avoid the onion from changing color add little water.

Add sweet corn and curd, stir and let it cook till oil saturates. It will take about 5 to 7 min.Then add milk and cook till corn becomes tender.

Add salt,pepper and red chilli with cream and mix nicely at let it cook on low flame for 2 min, cover it for all the flavors to blend with the corn.

Then serve with roti or just have it as snack.

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Brussel Sprouts In Peanut Gravy

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Brussel sprouts in one of my favourite veggies after coming to US. I love this veggie as it has got a nice crunchy , mild sweet flavor and looks like a mini cabbage.

I had already posted one version of brussel sprouts curry. This time I wanted to make something with more gravy and goes well with roti or rice. In this curry brussel sprouts is cooked with tomato n onions and simmered in a creamy and delicious peanut gravy.

Preparation Time :15 min

Cooking Time : 30 min

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 12-15 Brussel sprouts
• 1/4 cup peanuts
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 3/4 cup chopped tomato
• 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1/8 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp garlic ginger paste
• 3 red chillies
• 2 tbsp oil
• pinch of hing
• salt to taste

Cooking Procedure

Wash the sprouts and cut the bottom which is hard and remove the outer leaves and again wash

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Cut each brussel in 2 parts along the length or in quarter depending upon size, heat one tbsp oil in a pan and shallow the brussel sprouts for 3 to 4 min or till it light golden brown.Keep it aside.

In the same pan heat 1 tsp oil add peanuts and fry till they start changing color, add sesame seeds and fry for 30 seconds then add red chilli and fry till sesame seeds change color. Immediately shift it to a plate and let it cool. Once it cools blend it to a nice powder.

Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds when it splutter, add onion garlic ginger paste,turmeic powder and stir till light golden brown. Add tomatos and cook till soft.Add the coriander powder,hing,sugar,salt and stir until oil saturated out of gravy.Then add brussel sprouts and stir n blend the mixture with the brussel sprouts.

Now add the peanut powder mixture and stir nicely and add 1 cup water. Let is simmer on medium flame and stir occasionally till brussel sprouts are soft.Add water if required. After 15-20 min the brussels will be soft and your is ready, take it off the flame.

Serve hot with roti or rice.

Note:

1. To adjust the consistency add water to the gravy and keep stiring frequently to prevent the sprouts from sticking to the vessel.
2. You can also microwave for 10 min to cook the brussels instead of cooking on the flame for the last 15 min. But you need to stir every 3 min in microwave.
3. In place of brussel sprouts u can use any other veggie like eggplant, bell pepper, paneer, mushroom.
4. Brussel sprouts is available in spencers food mall in chennai too

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Tags: Brussel sprouts, Peanut, Curry

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Butter Naan With Corn Capsicum Masala

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This months tried and tasted is from chef in you blog choosen by Priya. I had bookmarked so many recipes and I got a chance to try butter naan today.Sometimes I am amused with the name naan wonder what it really means.With a little research I learnt the name stems from the Persian language, a generic word for bread.

Generally it is little thick but I prefer it to be thin. This give it the ability to eat easy. I have noticed people love nan when it is not too soggy.

I made corn capsicum masala to have with the nan which is one of my favorite combinations.This masala curry with corn and bell pepper is simmered in a mildly rich cashew,onion and tomoto gravy with a flavor of fenugreek leaves.I wanted to try this at home and I got this oppurtunity, it proved to be a beautifull combination to have with naan.

Butter Naan

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Ingredients

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp yeast
• 2/3 rd cup warm water
• 1/4 cup warm milk
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp chopped cilantro
• 2 tbsp butter
• salt to taste

Preparing the Naan

Mix yeast,sugar,salt in a big bowl ,add warm water to it ,stir it n let it sit for 15 minutes or till yeast become foamy(active)

Mix milk and 1 tbsp butter together and mix flour,cilantro together and keep both aside

After yeast activates ,add milk n then mix the flour n knead with hand to a smooth n sticky dough. The dough should be very soft .Add few drops of oil to dough n shape it to ball.Let it sit for 2 hrs or till it doubles .

After 2 hrs ,take out the air from dough n knead it approximately for 1 min . Divide into 12 to 14 parts and shape them to round .

Set the oven on high broil.

In lightly floured surface, take each ball of dough and with rolling pin shape to oval shape. Should be as thin as possible.

Take a baking tray, lightly grease it with oil put each nan into it and keep it in the oven for one min on the first side, it will start having some brown spots.Immediately flip it and keep it for another 30 seconds. It depends from oven to oven so keep a eye on it.

Remove the remove the naan from the tray and apply a little butter on it. Serve hot with your choice of curry.

Note:

In broil mode the oven will be hot so be very carefull in handling in the tray.

If you try big enough you can put 2-3 nans at a time.

Immediately put the nan in the tray for baking after rolling it as the dough should be as fresh as possible for baking.

Corn Capsicum Masala

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Ingredients:

• 1.5 cup frozen/fresh corn
• 1.5 cup diced bell pepper (red and green)
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1 cup diced tomato
• 8 to 10 cashew nut
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 tbsp kasuri methi
• 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
• 1/4 tsp cummin seeds
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/8 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp ghee
• salt to taste

Cooking procedure:

Soak cashew nuts in milk for 30 min .

Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan and shallow fry the diced bell pepper for 5 min then add corn and fry for two more min and shift it to a plate.

Heat oil in the same pan ,add onion ,turmeric powder stir till onion become traslucent, then add tomatos and fry till tomatos become soft ,then add all powders , stir till oil begins to appear in gravy and transfer the mixture to a plate n let it cool.After it cool add to the blender with cashew nuts n milk ,make a smooth paste .

Now heat the ghee and add some oil in the same pan ,add cummin seeds n once cummin seeds splutter . Add the paste n fry for 2 more min n once butter starts coming out in gravy add the bell pepper and corn mixture and mix nicely

Add a 3/4 cup of water n let it cook till bell pepper become soft.Now add crushed kasuri methi and stir it nicely and let it cook for 2 more mins and serve hot with nan or rotis.

Note:

1.If are using frozen corn thaw it for 2 min in microwave and use it.

I am sending this to T&T -Chef in you guest hosted by Priya, event by Lakshmi.

Bookmarked Recipe Every Tuesday hosted by Priya n Aipi

I am sending Corn masala to Akheela's Food platter series-orange

Hearth n Soul

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Tags: Naan, Butter Naan, Indian Flat Bread, Corn, Bell Pepper, Curry

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Enticing Ghugni with Spinach Puri

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Ghugni is a popular dish in West Bengal, Orissa, Bihar and Assam. It is a delicate spicy dish with a combination of some wonderful spices simmered in a tasty onion tomato gravy.

In Orissa ghugni is a part of a delicious chaat (street food). A combination of chilled dahi wada, spicy aloo dum and steaming hot ghugni is served with a topping of onion and sev ... mmmmhhhhh....a superb treat for your tastebuds. I really miss it. This version of ghugni is from my moms kitchen which we used to enjoy with rice, chappatis or puris. It is one of our favourite curries at home.

Today I prepared ghugni to have with spinach puri.I got the recipe from Sanjana's Blog.Thanks Sanjana. I love this combination of spinach puri and ghugni as it is very colorful and tasty too.

Ingredients

• 1 cup dry green peas
• 1/2 cup onion
• 1.5 cup diced tomatoes
• 1 tbsp chopped garlic ginger
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp oil

For dry masala

• 1 tbsp whole coriander seeds
• 1/2 tbsp cumin seeds
• 3 red chillies
• 1/2 tsp whole black pepper
• 1 inch cinnamon stick
• 4-5 cloves

Cooking Procedure

Soak the peas overnight, wash them thuroughly , pressure cook with 1 cup water till three whistles n switch off the flame.

Take a pan n roast all the dry masala ingredients without any oil, once cumin seeds starts to change color remove from flame and let it cool. Once it cool make it a fine powder

In a blender make a paste of ginger,garlic n tomatoes n keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan n and the cumin seeds n once it splutter add the onion,turmeric powder and once onion become translucent add the tomato puree and fry for 5 min then add the dry masala powder n fry till oil begin to saturate on the sides.

Now add this gravy to the pressure cooked peas and mix it nicely, add 3/4 cup water and pressure cook again for 1 whistle and switch off. Once it cools open the cooker and check the consistency and stir nicely. Serve hot with rice, chappati or puri.

Spinach Puri

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Ingredients

• 3 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup spinach leaves
• 2 green chilli
• 3/4 cup water
• salt to taste
• 2 tbsp oil
• oil for deep fry

Cooking Procedure

Make a puree of spinach n green chilli n keep aside.

Heat oil in a frying pan .

Take the flour, mix the salt n oil,now add the above spinach puree to it and stir it continously. Then knead it for 4-5 min to a soft firm dough. Divide the dough into 12 balls n roll each ball to a circle of 5 inch diameter with a rolling pin.

Deep fry the puri one by one till it puff up n begins to look crispy.

Note: Oil should be hot before dropping the puri. While frying the puri, press them lightly into the oil until they puff up.

Any one can cook series:3,FB hosted by ayeesha

Bookmarked Recipe Every Tuesday hosted by Priya n Aipi

Kids Lunch Box Treat by Tastebuds

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Tags: Ghugni, Channa Masala, Puri, Spinach, Breakfast, Easy Recipe, Tasty Recipe

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Batata Nu Shaak With Doodhi Thepla

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This is my second gujarati meal after preparing khichadi with kadhi a few days back. You might have noticed I am preparing simple dishes as this cuisine is new to me. It took me only 45 min to prepare both the dishes side by side n I enjoyed it. I got this recipe from from Nandinis Blog. Thank you Nandini for keeping a beautifull collection of recipes.So here is the recipe...

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup chickpea flour/besan
• 2 tbsp rice flour
• 1 cup grated bottle gourd/doodhi
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• salt to taste
• 2 tbsp oil
• 2 tbsp cilantro /coriander leaves
• 1/2 tsp oil for frying each thepla

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Cooking Procedure:

Mix all the above ingredients except the oil needed to fry the thepla into a soft firm dough. If needed add very little water as the bottle gourd already contains lot of moisture.Let it sit for 10 min.

Divide them into small 1 inch diameter balls, make them into circles with a rolling pin n fry on a pan on both sides till golden brown with a little oil.

Batata Nu Shaak

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Ingredients:

• 2 cups diced potatoes
• 1 cup chopped tomatoes
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/4 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp chopped cilantro
• 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp sugar
• pinch of hing (asaefodita)
• salt to taste

Cooking Procedure

Heat oil in a deep bottom pan, add cumin seeds, hing, grated ginger, turmeric powder n fry till cumin seeds splutter.Now add coriander powder,cumin powder,chilli powder,sugar n fry for 30 sec.Now add chopped tomatoes n stir till they become soft. Then add cilantro leaves,salt n stir for 30 sec.

Add the diced potato n 1 cup water n let it simmer on medium flame,stir occasionally till potato become cooked.Once it becomes soft mash a few a diced potatos to thicken the gravy. Cook for 1 more min n serve hot with thepla,rice or rotis.

My batata nu shaak goes to

Kids Lunch Box Treat by Tastebuds

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Tags: gujarati potato curry, thepla, gujarati cuisine,doodhi thepla

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