Black chickpeas and spinach curry

My hubby bought two big packets of spinach from Sam's club... Even if i use it everyday for cooking, it will take two weeks to finish it... Men have no clue when it comes to grocery shopping :(... I will always go with him.. if not this is what happens.. No point in cribbing now.. I have to use them asap.. This is my trial recipe, came out very well.. Once in a while we have to try something new..like strange combos..u will be surprised with the result...




Ingredients:

1 cup black chick peas
2 cups spinach
1 onion
2 tomatoes
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 tsp Chole masala (store bought)
1 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste
oil

Preparation:

Soak Kala channa over nite. Cook in rice cooker for 1 whistle. Remove, strain the water and reserve. Heat oil in a pan, do the usual seasoning. Add chopped onion, fry till translucent. Add g & g paste. Saute till raw smell vanishes. Add chopped tomatoes and spinach. Cook till tomatoes becomes mushy, by that time spinach would be cooked. Add all the masala powder and 2 cups of Kala channa cooked water. Let it boil. Adjust salt. Once the gravy become thick, add cooked channa. Cover and cook for 5 mts. Garnish with coriander.. Serve hot with chappathi..

This is on its way to Side dish for Chappathi event, hosted by Viki of Viki's Kitchen.

Mushroom gravy

Button mushrooms are my favourite. In India, I tried mushroom only once that too the big wild grown mushrooms, which tasted very good. Mushrooms are best eaten fresh otherwise it might cause some health issues(especially in restaurants, I don't order any mushroom dish). I was browsing vaishali's Holy cow blog, found this wonderful recipe from her dad. It was simple yet delicious.

Check out the original recipe from Vaishali's Holy cow....





Ingredients:

3 cups of assorted mushrooms, cleaned and sliced into chunky strips (I used Button mushroom)
2 medium potatoes, cubed and microwaved with some water for about 5 minutes until they are barely tender. ( I didn't use it)
2 tbsp canola oil ( Replaced with Corn 0il)
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 red chillies
5 cloves ( I used 2 cloves)
5 pods of green cardamom (I used 2 cardamom)
1 tbsp black peppercorns
1 onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup shredded coconut (I used coconut powder))
1-inch piece of ginger, thinly sliced
6 large garlic cloves, sliced
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 medium tomatoes, diced

Preparation:

I didn't make any changes to recipe, except excluding potatoes. Check out Vaishali's Holy cow!!!

Heat 1/2 tbsp of the oil in a skillet. Add the coriander, cumin, chillies. cardamom, cloves and peppercorns and roast until they start changing color and become fragrant. Remove and reserve.Heat another 1/2 tbsp of oil stir fry half the sliced onion, garlic and ginger until they are golden brown. Reserve.Without adding any more oil, roast the coconut shreds for just a few seconds until they start turning golden-brown. Remove immediately. Be vigilant because coconut can burn easily.
Put the spices, onion, garlic, ginger and coconut in a blender and using 1/2 to 1 cup of water, grind to a smooth paste.In the same skillet used for toasting the spices and onions, heat the remaining 1 tbsp of oil.Add the remaining onion and cook until the onion starts turning golden-brown.Add the diced tomatoes and turmeric. Cook until the tomatoes start to break down.Add the sliced mushrooms and stir to coat with the spices. Add the potatoes.Cover and let cook until the veggies turn quite tender.Now add the ground spice-onion mixture. Stir thoroughly.Cover and let it cook another 10 minutes for the flavors to meld together.

Verdict:

The curry tasted heavenly. The flavour of fresh peeper and mushroom was awe some.. This is going to be one recipe I will cherish forever. FYI, I replaced mushroom with chicken and it was one hell of a combo... I am yet it to try it with mutton, coz the original recipe used to cook mutton.. I am sure, the mutton curry will be more tasty than Mushrooms...

Vaishali, Ur recipe is TRIED, TASTED & CERTIFIED:EXCELLENT.

Avial (Mixed vegetable curry)

Avial is one of my favourites from Kerala cuisine. Its so simple but the flavour is extraordinary. Keralites use coconut in most of their dishes and especially this dish is relished with coconut. Any mixed vegetable can be used for this dish, but traditionally used vegetables are plantain, pumpkin, yam/karuna kizangu,drumstick, potato and carrot. I refreshed my memory with the help of Suganya's Avial recipe...The best combo for avial is adai, most of the restaurants serve this combo.

Checkout Suganya's version of Avial...



Ingredients:

1 cup Mixed vegetables ( carrot bean, peas, corn, potato)
4 tbsp grated coconut
7 green chillies
1/2 cup beaten yogurt (homemade is better)
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
salt to taste
curry leaves
2tbsp Coconut oil

Preparation:
Cut veggies length wise say 1 inch length. Cook vegetables in a microwave until 75 % done. Grind green chillies, cumin and coconut to a thick fine paste. Transfer ground paste, vegetables and salt to a pan. Add salt and cook till the raw smell vanish from the paste.Don't over cook the vegetables. Once the vegetables are cooked. Remove from heat. Add yogurt and coconut oil. Mix well and cover and leave it alone for 30 mts. Serve with avial. Don't cook after adding yogurt. If wanna re-heat it, heat in microwave for 1 mt.

Zucchini Kootu

Zucchini is a squash, I never heard of... My sis in law used to make kootu with it. It tasted so good. I asked her about the veggie, she said its zucchini... I bought it next time when i went for grocery... kootu was awesome..

If u r like me...first time hearing abt zucchini... Introducing zucchini to every one...

A popular summer squash, ranging in color from dark to light green with a bit of mottling. The flesh is white with a light and delicate flavor. Zucchini is cylindrical but irregular, and is often 4 to 8 inches in length, but can be found very small or homegrown at lengths up to 2 feet and 6 inches in diameter. Many explorers who came to the Americas brought back what they considered strange foods. The zucchini eventually found its way to Italy where it was named zucchino. Inhabitants of Central and South America have been eating zucchini for several thousand years, but the zucchini we know today is a variety of summer squash developed in Italy. The word zucchini comes from the Italian zucchino, meaning a small squash. The term squash comes from the Indian skutasquash meaning "green thing eaten green." Christopher Columbus originally brought seeds to the Mediterranean region and Africa. The French term for zucchini is courgette, often used interchangeably for yellow squash as well. Although the term summer squash can mean a variety of different squashes depending on whom you are speaking with, you can pretty much use the different summer squash varieties interchangeably. The English also refer to a variety that is slightly larger and plumper as marrow. plural: zucchinis
Ingredient
Season: April - August
How to select: Smaller zucchini will be younger and more tender. Select skins free of blemishes and with a bright color. ( source)

Nutrition in Zucchini
Zucchini has vitamins and minerals in abundance. Low in calories, and cholesterol free zucchini is high in folates, potassium and vitamin A with lesser amounts of the B vitamins, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc and copper. With all that nutrition, zucchini gifts us further by being low in calories.

How to make this kootu....

Ingredients:

2 Zucchinis

1 cup toor dal

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

Salt to taste

Paste:

2 tbsp shredded coconut

1 tsp cumin seeds

5 green chillies

Seasoning:

1 tbsp ghee

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

Asofeotida/ hing

curry leaves

Preparation:

In a pressure cooker, add toor dal, zucchini pieces, turmeric powder and 2 cups of water. Cover and cook for 2 whistle. Remove from heat. let it cool.

Meanwhile, make a paste of the ingredients mentioned with little water. Let it be a fine paste.

In a pan, do the seasoning. Add the ground paste. saute for a minute. Add the cooked dal and zucchini. Mix thoroughly. Adjust salt. Let it cook till the raw smell of green chillies vanishes. Remove from heat, garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve hot with chappathi/ Rice...

Chole Masala/ Chick pea curry

Hello everyone

How was ur long weekend? Did u go out for some places..We don't have much choices in Houston..our long w/e was busy..we spent one whole day in Houston premium outlet mall..window shopping :) found few good stuff in Gap and Aeropostale.. Next day we did plan to go for movie..after seeing the reviews for Terminator Salvation, Night at the museum and Angels & Demons, we cancelled our movie plan and stayed indoors and moreover we had some rain here...We had a very special lunch that day, we had biriyani, raita, rasam and rice in banana leaf...man that was aw some..hot biriyani in banana leaf was heavenly...

Sometimes I just feel there is no place to go in Houston..its so dry..I wish I was in LA...hmmmm..we have to be happy with what we got rite.. coming to food menu this long w/e..

First day ---pancakes, lemon rice, Chinese takeout

second day--- bread, biriyani, rice , rasam

Third day--- bread, paruppu urundai mor kozhumbu, raw banana fry, bitter gourd fry,

coconut rice, egg masala

I think i put on few pounds over this w/e..i should work hard in the gym for next few day :(...

How was ur w/e guys???..do share ur experience...

Lets make chole masala today....

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked chick peas(Wash and soak chole overnight. Pressure cook with little salt and water for 15 – 20 minutes. Do not over cook.)

6 tbsp ghee

2 tbsp -g3-ginger garlic green chilli paste (2 garlic, 4 green chilli, 1" ginger- grind to paste)

1 sliced onion

1 cup tomato puree

3 tbsp kazana chole masala

salt to taste

coriander leaves

Preparation:

Heat 4 tbsp of ghee, fry finely sliced onion till golden brown. Add 2 tbsp of g3 paste. Cook for a minute, add tomato puree and cook for 5 minutes. Add cooked chick peas and two cups of water and cook for another 5 minutes. Add salt to taste. Add 2 tbsp of khazana chole masala and cook for 10 mts. Remove from heat. Sprinkle 1 tbsp of chole masala. Heat 2 tbsp of ghee till it smokes and our this over sprinkled masala and cover immediately. Garnish with coriander.

Serve hot with Bhatura/poori..

Brinjal /Kathrikai Bajji

Vankayi Bajji as mentioned by my hubby's household is the other name of Brinjal Bajji..Goes very well with Idli and dosa. Whenever we call our MIL.. we ask whats for dinner..she will dosa..My hubby will ask Bajji ? (Bajji mean chutney in telugu..learnt it from hubby)..she Will say vankayi bajji..My hubby will say..amma vankayi bajji dosa entha nasa undu kadha???? (meaning..Brinjal bajji and dosa is a best combo isn't??).. My hubby loves it...So I had no choice other than learning this recipe from my MIL... Its very simple but tastes very good with dosa and Idli..

Ingredients:

4 Brinjal

6 Tomatoes

6 Green chillies

2 Redchillies

1 cup coriander leaves

1/2 onion

salt to taste

Seasoning: Oil, Mustard seeds, Curry leaves

Preparation:

In A pressure cooker, first add chopped tomatoes, then brinjal and other ingredients. We don't add water that's why we use tomatoes at the bottom. The juices in tomato will be sufficient to cook brinjal. Cover and cook for 1 whistle over medium heat. After 1 whistle, remove from heat and let it cool down.

Open the pressure cooker, everything will be almost mashed. Use mathu/ whipper to mash it to chutney consistency. Don't over mash it... Heat oil and do the seasoning..pour it in brinjal baji!!!

Simple delicious bajji is ready!!!

If ur having this as a side dish to Idli, Make a small hole in the centre of Idli..Add 1 tbsp of ghee..Pour the bajji over the Idli..It gives a divine taste!!!

Methi Mattar Malai

Methi mattar malai was totally new recipe to me..I had leftover whipped cream..was about to expire..I was browsing for some recipes, found this perfect recipe from...no guesses!!its none other than Mahanandi. Luckily I had methi/fenugreek leaves/vendiya keerai at home.. It came out very well and was a wonderful combo for rice or chappathi..

Indira, Ur recipe was Tried, Tasted & Certified: Excellent!!!!!



(Recipe source)


Ingredients:

Fresh fenugreek leaves (methi) - 1 cup
Fresh peas (matar) - 1 cup (I used Frozen peas)
Malai (cream) - half cup(homemade or store-bought evaporated milk - unsweetened variety)
2 red potatoes - peeled and cubed to bite sized pieces (I used Idaho potatoes)
Salt and turmeric to taste or half teaspoon each
Peanut oil or ghee - one teaspoon (I used corn oil)

Masala paste:

One small red onion or shallot ( I used 1/4 of big yellow onion)
one inch size ginger
six green chillies
two cloves
one inch piece of cinnamon stick
one teaspoon cumin and
quarter cup of fresh peas (peas are added to thicken the sauce)

Grind all these ingredients to fine paste!!!



Preparation:

I just followed the original recipe...

Heat oil in a wide skillet.
Add and saute the masala paste for 5 minutes on medium heat until the paste starts to turn red.
Now add one after another, first potatoes, then fenugreek leaves and finally peas. Do a quick stir-fry until the leaves wilt.I added peas at last stage after adding malai..to avoid overcooking them..Remember i used cooked frozen peas..
Add malai (evaporated milk). Stir in salt and turmeric and about 1 cup of water. (I also added a half teaspoon of jaggery which helps to bring out the sweetness of peas. But this is optional.)I Didn't add jaggery as this was optional..moreover I don't like sweetness in my curries... Cover and cook for about 15 minutes on medium heat until potatoes and peas are cooked to tender and the sauce thickens. Serve warm. Tastes superb with chapatis or with naans.

Brinjal Black eye beans Sprouts curry

I had black eye beans in my pantry from long time, was looking for some recipes to try...I came through sprouting section of Mahanandi's site...It was very informative.. I know sprouts are more healthier than the actual beans..so gave it a try...

Lets see the nutritional benefits of black eye beans!!!

Black-eyed beans have a smooth texture, pea like flavour and are good when mixed with other vegetables.
Like most beans, black-eyed beans are rich in the best sort of fiber - soluble fiber - which helps to eliminate cholesterol from the body. They are a good source of folate, potassium, copper, phosphorous and manganese. As a high-potassium, low-sodium food they help reduce blood pressure. Not only are they low in fat, but when combined with grains, beans supply high quality protein which provides a healthy alternative to meat or other animal protein. Beans also contain protease inhibitors which frustrate the development of cancerous cells

Sprouting is the practice of soaking, draining and then rinsing seeds at regular intervals until they germinate, or sprout. This can be a semi-automated or fully automated process when done on a large scale for commercial use. (wikipedia)

How to make this curry????

Ingredients:
1 cup black eye beans sprouts
3 small brinjals
1 onion
2 tomatoes
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp redchilli powder
1 tbsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
2 cups water
salt to taste


Preparation:

To sprout, soak the peas in water overnight. Next day, drain the water and gather the peas in a clean, breathable cotton cloth. Place them in a basket, cover, and keep the basket at a well ventilated windowsill or warm area in the home. Dont let the cloth dry. Spray water to supply moisture necessary for sprout growth. Usually within a day, sprouts start to appear and wait another day or two, to grow them the size shown in the photograph. (Mahanandi)

Heat oil in a pan, do the normal seasoning. Add onion and cut brinjal. saute for few minutes..
Add ginger garlic paste and cook till smell evaporates!!!
Add tomatoes and sprouted beans, saute for few more minutes. Tomatoes will start wilting..
Now, turn for all masala powders and 2 cups of water...
Add salt...Cover and cook till the beans is soft(not mushy).
Remove from heat , garnish with coriander leaves..
Curry is ready!!!!
Serve with chappathi or rumali roti!!!

Tomato Gotsu (By MIL)

How do u like my new header? Suggestion Please!!!

Thakkali Kozhumbu or Tomato gotsu is my Mother-in-Laws speciality dish. It goes well with Idli and dosa. My hubby is big fan, so i had to learn this to please him hehehe...This gravy was prepared by my MIL,and I clicked it!!!

Ingredients:

4 Tomatoes

1 onion

1/2 cup grated coconut

4 green chillies

2 red chillies

1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste

1/4 tsp fennel seeds

1 cinnamon stick

2 cloves

1 pinch turmeric powder

salt to taste

Preparation:

Grind coconut, cinnamon, cloves, fennel seeds, g&g paste, green and red chillies to a fine paste. Chop tomatoes and use whipper button to grind them coarsely.

Heat oil in a pan and do the seasoning. Add onions and fry till translucent.

Add ground tomato and coconut paste with turmeric powder.

Add 2 cups of water. Let it boil for 10 mts.

The gravy will thicken. Remove from heat. Garnish with coriander leaves. serve hot with dosa or Idli!!!

Cabbage Mor Kootu

Curry leaf is hosting Tried & Tasted: Tasty Palettes. T& T is brain child of Zlamushka of Spicy Kitchen. Suganya's Tasty Palettes is a vegetarian heaven..I was going through some of the the recipes, the one which caught attention was cabbage Mor kootu. I have done cabbage kootu but adding yogurt was totally different. I give it a try..It came out very well. It goes well with chappathi and rice...

Check out the original recipe here!!!!

Ingredients:

Cabbage – 1, small

Yogurt – ¾ cup

Grated coconut – 1/3 cup

Green chillies – 2

Cumin seeds – 1 tsp

Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

Curry leaves – few

Oil – 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Preparation:

I followed the recipe step by step...without any variation... Here is the step by step procedure by suganya...

Slice cabbage into thin, 2 inch long pieces. Cook cabbage with little water and salt. Grind coconut, chillies and cumin seeds to a fine paste. When cabbage becomes soft and not mushy, add the ground mixture. Adjust salt and heat through.
In a seasoning pan heat oil, splutter mustard seeds and throw some curry leaves. Add this to cabbage kootu. Just before serving, mix cabbage with yogurt.

I am sending this to Curry Leaf's, T&T: Tasty Palettes.

Chayote (chow-chow) Curry

I love chayote dishes.. No specific reason..It has good nutritional value.. Moreover it tastes good. Its very bland but when spices are added to it...awsome taste...I was looking for new recipes using chow-chow... Found one in Mahanandhi's Website....Chilli sauce and Chow-chow is a ultimate combination...Me and hubby loved it...so spicy.. good for chappathi...

Ingredients:

1 chayote cubed

1 Onion

Chilli sauce:

5 dried red chillies

2 tablespoons - dalia (POTTU KADALAI)

1 tablespoon - grated coconut (fresh or dried)

1 tablespoon each - powdered jaggery and tamarind juice

1 teaspoon - mustard seeds

½ teaspoon - cumin

¼ teaspoon each - salt and turmeric

Read More................

Mahanandhi's Nandhayala website is vegetarian recipe heaven....U can totally depend on her... each and every recipe will amaze u...

Dhal (Lentils curry)

I am quite surprised and amazed by other blogger recipes and new innovations.. I am really of my fellow blogger... Amidst their busy schedule they find time to make some amazing food and share it with everyone..Kudos to them.. My recipes seems to very basic ones when compared to other recipes. I might stick on to Basic recipes for a while..

Dhal is another basic recipe which is usually prepared in daily basis in some houses and occationally in our house. In restaurants, if u go for full meal, the first course will be dhal or paruppu and ghee..I love it. In my house, whenever my mom makes sambar, there will be paruppu and paruppu rasam.. Hot rice, lots of ghee, paruppu and appalam is a small plate of heaven.

Ingredients:


1 cup Toor dhal
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 green chillies
1 onion
1/4 tsp garam masala(optional)
1 tsp mustard seed
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste
curry leaves


Preparation:

In a pressure cooker, add toor dhal and 3 cups of water.. adjust accordingly...Don't add to much water.. coz its has to be thick consistency...cover and cook in medium heat. Leave it for two whistles. Remove from heat, allow to cool down. Once cooled, Use Mathu to smash dhal.If u don't have mathu u can use Mixer grinder on whipper mode.

Then the usual process of seasoning, Heat oil in a pan, do the seasoning with mustard seeds, cumin and curry leaves. Add onion and green chilies, fry till translucent. Add turmeric powder and garam masala. Garam masala gives a unique flavour to dhal. Traditional dhal does not require garam masala. So its ur choice... Once the raw smell evaporates, add dhal. Adjust salt and water. Cove and cook for few minutes. Remove from heat.Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve hot with ghee and rice.. Goes well with chapathi too....


This is my contribution to FIC-YELLOW hosted by sunshinemom of TONGUE TICKLERS.

BhundGobi Mattar (Cabbage & Peas Poriyal)

BundGobi mattar is nothing but cabbage and peas dry curry.The main flavour enhancer in this recipe is ginger... the light sourness of cabbage is balanced by ginger flavour!!!!This goes well with chappathi!!!

Ingredients:

1 cabbage shredded
1 cup peas
1 onion
2 tbsp coriander powder
1 tsp redchilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp curry powder
1 cup yogurt
salt to taste

Seasoning:

2 tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp channa and urad dhal
1/2 piece ginger

Preparation:

Cut or shred the cabbage into small strips. I usually use frozen peas, u can use fresh peas also. Soak them in water for minimum 6 hours or overnight. Cook in a cooker for two whistles on medium heat.

Heat oil in a pan, add seasoning one by one in specified order. Once the ginger aroma comes out, add onion and fry till translucent. Add cabbage, cover and cook for 10 mts. keep stirring occasionally, sprinkle some water if its starts ticking at the bottom. Add cooked peas and fry for another minute.Add all the masala podi and sprinkle 2 tbsp water. once the raw smell of masala evaporates... add the beaten yogurt and mix well. Add salt, cover and cook for 10 mts.
The gravy should be dry so that it will be good for chappathi. This doesn't go well with rice!!!

Serve hot with chappathi!!!!