A Delightful Peanut Capsicum Masala

This is a maharastrian dish that I love a lot, it is extremely rich with flavor and is a perfect accompaniment for roti and rice. I would say it is a perfect side dish that will delight your family.

Ingredients

• 3 cups diced(small) capsicum 
• 1/2 cup sliced onions
• 1/2 cup diced tomatoes
• 2 green chillies
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp chilli powder (kashmiri)
• 1/3 cup peanuts
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1/2 tsp cummin/jeera
• 1/8 tsp turmeric powder
• pinch of hing
• salt to taste

Procedure

Fry the peanuts and grind to a coarse powder without skin, keep aside

Heat oil in a pan add cummin seeds once it starts to splutter add onion, turmeric powder and slit green chilli and fry till oil becomes translucent, then add capsicum and hing , fry and cover it till it soften

Add the tomatoes and stir till it becomes soft, now add all the remaining ingredients ( coriander powder, chilli powder and salt) and stir again for a min till it blends nicely

Then add peanut powder mix nicely, cover and cook on a low flame for 5 min. Serve hot with roti or rice

The Flavorful Elephant Yam Cutlet

Wishing all my blog friends a very happy new year. Due to some personal circumstances I havent been able to blog lately. I hope to share more recipes in this new year and delight you all.

For some people cooking is a boring routine and for some it is a piece of art. But for me it is neither both it is love personified. If you cook with love you enter a new dimension where you can create a dish that will fill you and your family with joy.

You can sometimes make mistakes and may not be perfect everytime. But just keep trying and improve on your every attempt. So make this new year resolution not to give up on cooking new dishes.

If you are looking for a authentic dish that can be eaten with steamed rice or a cup of tea this elephant yam cutlet will surprise you. I learnt this cutlet recipe from my MIL. It has a amazing flavor and crispy treat that you would want to have even when it is warm.
 

Ingredients

• 1 cup grated elephant foot yam
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onions
• 3 red chillies
• 1/2 tsp cummin/jeera powder
• 3 tbsp rice flour
• oil for deep fry

Procedure
Peel the yam and grate it immediately
 
Wash the grated yam in running water for 1-2 minutes. Then squeeze it completely to remove the water.

Then in blender add the grated yam, red chillies, salt, chopped onions and jeera powder. And roughly grind it in a coarse paste.
 
Take it out in a plate mix the rice flour to it which will give it some firmness. Heat oil in a pan on medium heat. Make small balls and pat it and slowly release them in the oil. Fry till crispy and until golden brown on both sides.
 
Note: After peeling the yam do not wash as it will become slippery, wash it only after grating it.

You should wash it until all the slipperiness goes away, which is indicated by clear water as you wash it

Dont touch the cutlet initially when it is deep fried in oil else it will split apart. Once it begins to turn golden brown then you turn it over.

The addition of rice flour is important and should to added until it is a firm dough.

If it is added more then the cutlets will be too hard and it is less the cutlets would split apart when you fry it.

Achari Aloo / Spicy Pickled Baby Potatoes

Baby Potatoes blended with some exotic indian spices like saunf,kalonji,cummin and with amchur gives this side dish a very exciting pickled flavor. The recipe that will surprise your guests. It would be the perfect accompaniment for curd rice and rotis
 

Ingredients

• 20-25 baby potatoes
• 1 onion small size
• 1 tsp garlic ginger paste
• 1 small finely chopped tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp saunf/fennel seeds
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/4 tsp fenugreek/methi
• 1/2 tsp nigella seeds/kalonji
• 1/2 tsp jeera/cummin seeds
• pinch of turmeric
• pinch of hing/asafoetida
• 1/4 tsp amchur powder
• 1/4 tsp red chilli powder
• salt to taste

Procedure
Boil pototoes and remove the skin and keep aside
Make a coarse powder of saunf,mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds and keep aside
Heat oil in a pan, add kalonji and cummin seeds and once it splutter add onion and once it becomes translucent add ginger garlic paste and fry for one min.Then add tomatoes and fry till they become soft, now add the boiled potatoes and stir until is completely coated and fry in medium to flame till pototoes look crispy with a golfer brown texture.
Now add the prepared powder (saunf, fenugreek and mustard which we prepared earlier). Along with this add red chilli powder, amchur powder and salt and stir nicely till it completely blends for 30 seonds
Serve hot with rotis or rice
Note: Vinegar can also be added to give it a more tangy pickled flavor
 

The Mysterious Stuffed Eggplant Curry / Kalonji Baingan

Many people do not like eggplant and there is a mystery how to use them to make flavorfull curries. The wonder of indian spices is a vegetable like eggplant can become a exotic dish.

This dish is tradionally known as Kalonji Barvan Baingan. Kalonji/Nigella is a dark and mysterious spice that adds flavorful surprise to this dish that will make eggplants taste superb.

The recipe courtesy goes to vah reh vah . His excitement inspired me to try this wonderfull eggplant curry

Ingredient

• 12 small eggplants/brinjal/baigan of equal size
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1/4 tsp cummin seeds/jeera
• 1/4 tsp mustard seeds/sarso
• 1/4 tsp nigella seeds/kalonji
• 1/4 tsp fennel seeds/saunf
• 1/8 tsp fenugreek/methi

For stuffing

• 4 red chilli
• 1 tbsp coriander/dhania seeds
• 1 tsp mustard seeds/sarso
• 1/2 tsp cummin seeds/jeera
• 1/2 tsp nigella seeds/kalonji
• 1 tsp fennal/saunf
• 1/2 tsp ajwain/caraway seeds
• 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds/methi seeds
• 1/2 tsp tumeric powder
• 1 tsp amchur powder
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder
• salt to taste

Dry roast red chilli, coriander, mustard, cummin, kalonji,methi,ajwain,saunf till the nice aroma will come ,then cool it and make fine powder .

Add turmeric powder,amchur powder,chilli powder and salt and mix properly .Then add little water to this mixture so it binds mildly.

Wash the eggplants ,cut the stem little bit and then cut through the eggplant with a  pluse sign upto the stem as shown in the pic.Stuff the eggplants with the prepared stuffing carefully

Heat oil in the frying pan and add cummin,mustard,kalonji,saunf,and methi seeds and fry till cummin splutters ,once it splutters arrange the stuffed eggplants in the pan and cover the pan with a lid and cook in the low flame .Roll the eggplant occasionally to ensure it cooks on all sides.

Once it soft and cooked on all sides add the remaining leftover masala with some salt and stir softly , cover and cook for another min and swith off the flame

Enjoy you stuffed eggplants with hot steamed rice or rotis 

The Authentic Panchapuran Aloo Mooli Curry

This authentic dish is prepared in the northeast part of India. It is traditionally cooked with 5 spices, panchpuran simply means "five spices" in Bengali. In Bengali cuisine mustard oil is extensively used, the aroma of mustard oil complements the other flavors of this gravy really well .

Ingredients

• 2 cups diced radish(approx 5 to 6 medium size)
• 1 cup diced potatoes(approx 2 medium size potatos)
• 3/4 cup chopped onion
• 3/4 cup chopped tomato
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp saunf
• 1/2 tsp black jeera
• 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 1/8 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp chilli powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp garlic ginger paste
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 3 tbsp mustard oil (see the note)
• 1/2 tsp himalayan salt or salt to taste.

Cooking Procedure
Wash the radish and poatoes and peel them ,cut them into dices.

In the pressure cooker heat another tbsp oil , add cumin seeds,mustard seeds,fenugreek seeds,saunf and black jeera (panchapuran) , when these seeds splutter, add onion garlic ginger paste,turmeric powder and stir till light golden brown. Add tomatoes and cook till soft.

Add all remaining powders,sugar,salt and stir until oil begins to saturate out of gravy.Then add the radish chunks and potatoes and stir and blend the mixture with the veggies and fry for 5 mins.

Add one cup of water mix nicely and cover the lid ,pressure cook for three whistles.Once it cools open lid and switch on the flame again and bring it to a boil.Mash some potato chunks in the curry to make the gravy little thicker.Check the consistency if needed add a little water.

Serve hot with rice or rotis.

Note:
1.Normally panchapuran and potao combination is awesome and when it is cooked in mustard oil it become awesome but prefer ot add some veggie with potato.

2.To cook food with mustard oil,first heat oil until the mustard oil begins to smoke otherwise the mustard oil would smell and spoils the dish.

3.Cooking with mustard oil is purely optional, but I prefer to cook my gravies with mustard oil for the authentic flavor and healthy benefits.

4You can shallow fry radish and potatos lightly before adding it to gravy but i prefer the above method when i am really in jiffy.

5.You can replace the radish with cauliflower and it will also taste awesome.

Spiced and Flavorful Roasted Baby Potato

This simple and delicious recipe was shared by my SIL. It is a perfect appetizer. There is a interesting ingredient added to this dish that brings out a lot flavor, aroma and freshness ... fennel seeds or commonly known as saunf is the secret ingredient.

I am sure you would enjoy trying out this recipe

Ingredients

• 1/2 kg baby potatos
• 1/4tsp cumin seeds(jeera)
• 1/4 tsp fennel seeds(saunf)
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder
• 1/4 tsp dry mango powder(amchur powder)
• salt to taste
• 2 tbsp oil

Procedure:
Boil the potatoes ,remove the skin and keep aside.Mix all the dry spice powders in a bowl and keep aside

Heat oil in a nonstick pan ,add cumin seeds,fennel seeds and once cumin splutters ,add the boiled potatoes and saute in high flame till it turn golden brown,then add all the dry ingredients,stir nicely until all the spices coat the baby potatoes and immediately switch off the flame

Serve immediately

Note:
1. It can also be served with rice and roti as a quick side.
2. In place of baby potatoes you can use normal potatoes, boiled and cut into big chunks.  
3. Make sure you dont fry the potatoes after adding the spices.

Flavorfull Sesame Capsicum Curry

Sesame seeds have a nutty taste and a delicate, almost invisible crunch. It is also considered a super seed as it has some amazing health benefits.

This recipe was shared by my mom and you would love it as provides a excellant flavorfull side dish to have with rice.

Ingredients

• 6 med size capsicums
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds
• 2 tbsp grated coconut
• 2 green chillies
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1/8 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/8 tsp cummin/jeera
• 1/8 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 spring curry leaves
• 2 red chillies
• pinch of hing

Procedure

Wash the capsicum, dice them and deseed and keep aside

Make a fine paste of sesame seeds, grate coconut, green chilles and hing with a little water

Heat oil in a pan, add cummin and mustard seeds, once the mustard splutter, add the red chillie and curry leaves and fry for 30 seconds.

Add the capsicum and fry for a minute then add turmeric and salt to it and mix nicely. Cover and cook in a medium flame,stir occassioanlly until the capsicum becomes tender.

Add the sesame paste prepared earlier and mix nicely till it blends completely with the tender capsicum and fry for another 5 minutes on a low flame.

Serve this curry with rice and a dash of ghee

Tongue Tingling Coriander Baby Potato Curry

 

This flavorful tongue tingling baby potato curry prepared with fresh cilantro/coriander with a blend of indian spices makes it a perfect accompaniment for rice and rotis.

Ingredients

• 1/2 kg baby potatoes
• 1 cup tightly packed coriander/cilantro
• 2 green chillies
• 2 red chillies
• 1/4 tsp cummin seeds
• 1/4 tsp mustard seeds (optional)
• 1/4 tsp urad dal/black gram without skin (optional)
• 1/8 tsp turmeric
• a pinch of hing / asafoetida
• 1 tsp lime juice
• 1 tbsp oil
• salt to taste

Cooking Procedure
 
Boil the potatoes ,peel the skin and keep aside. Make a fine paste of cilantro n green chillies with an addition of 1 tbsp water and keep aside

Heat oil in a pan ,add urad dal,cummin seeds,mustard seeds and stir nicely .Once mustard seeds splutters add hing ,red chillies and fry for a 30 sec then add boiled potatos,turmeric and fry till it become golden brown ,at this point add cilantro paste,salt and mix properly

 

Cover the pan and reduce the flame to low , stir occasionally ,fry for 5 min and let the cilantro paste  properly coat the potatoes .  Add 1 tsp of lime juice , stir well and switch off the flame.Serve with hot rice or rotis .

Note:
In place of baby potatoes one can use normal potatoes too.Boil the potatoes ,peel them and cut them into long cubes and use.

If you are in a rush ,then simply peel and cut them into chunks ,fry them and once potato soft add the paste and cook.

You can add few garlic pods while making cilantro paste ,if you love garlic flavor in your food.

In place of coriander u can use methi/fenugreek leaves too,it will also taste awesome.
 

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.

Exotic Jackfruit Seed Curry With Curd Rice

Sometimes we learn a dish from the most unexpected sources. Recently my house maid who is a good cook herself taught me this dish. I told her we normally fry the jackfruit seeds with salt and pepper but she mentioned we could make a special dish that compliments with curd rice. So she taught me this dish and it seemed pretty good to have with curd rice. You can give it a try too ...

Ingredient

• 20 jackfruit seeds
• 1/2 cup diced potatos
• 1/2 cup sliced onion
• 1/2 cup chopped tomatos
• 4-5 crushed garlic pods
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp cummin seeds
• 1 tbsp chopped cilantro
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tbsp oil
• salt to taste 

Procedure
Peel the soft outer flesh of the jackfruit seed,cut the seeds to 3 parts,heat oil in a pan ,add cumin seeds ,once it splutters add onion and garlic and stir ,once onion becomes translucent add jackfruit seeds,potato,turmeric ,salt and mix nicely.
Now add  water to just submerge the veggies,cover and cook on low flame,stir occasionally till jackfruit seeds become tender,then add tomato ,coriander powder,chilly powder and stir till tomato become mushy,add chopped cilantro ,mix it and serve with curd rice.

Note:
1.To make this curry instantly you can pressure cook the seeds n potato before itself.
2.Some time we face difficult to remove the outer flesh of the seed hit the seed with the pestle and it will loosen up and can tear the skin easily.

Curd Rice

Ingredients

• 1 cup raw rice 
• 3 cups water
• 3 cups milk
• 1 tbsp curd 
• 1/4 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 tbsp grated carrot
• 1 tbsp chopped cashew nuts
• 1 sping curry leaves
• 2-3 chopped green chillies
• 1 tsp oil 
• salt to taste

Procedure
Wash the rice properly and pressure cook the rice with 3 cups of water with 4 whistles on high flame  and 5 mins in low flame.Once it cools take the rice out and mash it with spatula as soft as possible in a large bowl,now add the milk and mix nice till rice and milk blend nicely.Then add the curd,carrot mix again.
To prepare the tempering heat oil in a small pan ,add mustard seeds,cashew nuts and fry in medium flame till mustard splutters then add green chilli,curry leaves and fry for 30 sec and add to curd rice. Let the curd rice sit for 1-2 hours

Note:
1.If you can make the curd rice in the morning itself and serve it at lunch time ,it will taste awesome as you made it fully with milk
2.If you have lack of time then in place of milk you can directly make it with curd but have to serve immediately otherwise curd rice will become sour    

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.

Flavorful Potato Fries

This a simple potato fry with the flavor of garlic and kasuri methi. Kasuri Methi is a great taste enhancer. It adds flavour and texture to any dish and its pleasant odor which makes it so popular.Kasturi Methi is the dried leaves of the fenugreek plant.This simple dish with kasuri methi will amaze your taste buds.So enjoy

Ingredients

• 2 big size potatos.
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp finely chopped garlic
• 2 tbsp kasuri methi(dry fenugreek leaves)
• 3 finely chopped green chillies
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp oil

Peel the potatos ,cut then into 1 inch chunks like french frys In a non stick pan heat oil,add cumin seeds once it starts splutters add potato n garlic,stir nicely and cook it into a medium flame.Once the potato is cooked turn the flame to high to make it crispy. Crumble the kasuri methi in between you palms by rubbing your palms together and then sprinkle over the potato.Fry for a minute, then add green chillies and salt, mixly nice and switch off the flame. Serve hot

Serving Tips
Tip 1. Roll the fries in a paratha with some addition of some sauce and some finely chopped veggies like onion, cabbage, carrot. It will be very filling and trust me your kids would love it.
Tip 2. Serve with rice with a dash of ghee 
Tip 3. Serve it as a evening snack with some sauce and a cup of tea

Spicy Smoked Brinjal for a Lazy Day

This is a dish I learnt from my hubby.Perfect to have on any lazy day when we dont want to be in the kitchen for too long !!So simple to prepare and yet so relishable to eat with plain curd rice or hot steaming rice with a dash of ghee.

The smoky flavor of the brinjals has a unique taste thats hard to describe but taste wonderful. I am sure you would enjoy it too.

Ingredients

• 6 medium sized lengthy brinjals
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 2 tsp chilly powder
• 10 tsp olive oil

Procedure

Partly slit the brinjal along the length partly on one side. Rub a few drops of oil over each brinjal.Place them over the medium flame and slowly roast them turning them on all the sides evenly all over.

While the brinjals are being smoked take a small dish and mix the salt, chilli powder and olive oil into a soft smooth paste.

Once the brinjal are smoked and tender when pressed softly take them off the flame . Fill each brinjal along the length with about 1 tbsp of the paste prepared.

Serve the brinjals with curd rice or with hot rice with a dash of ghee and enjoy your lazy day.

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