Flavorful Amaranth Vegetable Curry

Are you looking for a new side dish that is healthy but also quick to prepare ? 

I learned this dish from one of my best friend mom who visits chennai occasionally.The secret of this recipe is the unique blend of spices simmered with amaranth leaves and veggies.This dish is a flavorful accompaniment for rice and even rotis. So here is the recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup tightly packed chopped leaves
• 2 small sliced brinjals
• 5 diced ladyfingers
• 1 small lemon sized tamarind pulp
• 1 tbsp oil

To temper

• 1/2 tsp jeera/cummin seeds
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 long red chillies
• 1 spring curry leaves
• a pinch of methi/fenugreek seeds

To paste

• 2 tsp soaked rice
• 1 tsp sesame seeds
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 3 red chillies
• a pinch of hing

Soak rice for 20 minutes and make a fine paste with the other ingredients and keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan and add cummin,mustard and fenugreek seeds, once mustard seeds splutter add red chilli and curry leave and stir nicely. Now all the veggies (brinjal, ladiesfinger and the greens), tamarind pulp,salt and turmeric and mix nicely,add 1/2cup water and cover it and let it cook till veggies become soft.

Once the veggies are cooked add the above prepared paste and let it cook for 5 minutes, check the consistency if it is too thick add little water and let it cook.Once it is done serve hot with rice.

Creamy Aloo Palak Gravy

Potato and spinach simmered in milk with some traditional indian spices which make this gravy have a heavenly flavor .If you have some guests at home and want to make something easy,delightful and healthy this would be the ideal choice. It is the perfect accompaniment for roti and rice. So here is the recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup diced potato
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 bunch palak/spinach
• 1/2 tsp urad dal /
• 1/4 tsp cummin seeds
• 1 cup milk
• 1-2 green chillies
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1/2 tsp besan / chickpea flour
• salt to taste

Procedure

Mix the besan with the milk and keep aside .

Heat oil in a pan, add cummin seeds, urad dal, green chilli and fry. Add the onions and fry till translucent then add the potato and salt fry till it become tender.

Now add chopped palak stir, then add the milk mixture and mix nicely. And let it cook till palak is done.Serve immediately with roti or rice.

Note: Adding besan to milk will avoid the milk to curdle.