Capsicum Tomato curry

As others, we are also new lovers of bell pepper family(Capsicum). I feel, Capsicum tastes delicious when its half cooked. So I was skeptical on making this recipe as this is basically a curry style and it makes capsicum fully cooked. To my surprise, its not a "Oh, not again" kind and its worth a try

No of servings - 5

Ingredients

1. Onion - 1
2. Tomatoes - 5
3. Green Capsicum(aka Bell Pepper)(Medium) - 1 
4. Red capsicum(aka Bell pepper)(Medium) - 1
5. Ginger - 1 inch
6. Garlic - 5 pods
7. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
8. Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp
9. Salt - to taste
10. Oil - 2 tbsp

Method

1. Heat oil in a pan and add ginger garlic paste. 
2. After the strong smell reaches your nose, add onions with salt
3. When the onion shines, its time to add some tomatoes
4. Let the mixture cook in high flame and wait for tomatoes to get mushy
5. Add green and red pepper and allow it to cook for 5 mts
6. Add the turmeric, masala powder and simmer down for 10 mts. 

Serve with rotis and paratas. 

Cauliflower Potato and Peas Curry

I was looking to try something different (than my regular recipe) with potato and cauliflower and yet a simple one. And Voila !!!..I got this recipe on the first search and it absolutely tasted good. The masala ingredients give you a spicy flavor and in Tamil, we call this kind of flavor as "Varuval". It goes well with any mild flavor dishes like "More kuzhambu"  or even roti/paratas. With no more dragging...lets dive into recipe
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No of Servings - 6

Ingredients

1. Cauliflower(Big) - 1
2. Potatoes(Medium) - 4-5
3. Peas - 1 1/2 cup
4. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
5. Cumin powder - 1 1/2 tsp
6. Coriander powder - 1 tsp
7. Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
8. Tomato - 2 (Grind it and make a tomato puree)
9. Salt - to taste
10. Coriander leaves - to garnish
11. Oil - 2 tbsp

Method  

1. Heat oil in a frying pan and add cauliflower, potatoes, peas
2. Add some water with salt and allow it to cook (10 mts)
3. When its half cooked, add the turmeric, cumin, coriander, red chilli powder and 
4.  Add some water if the mixture gets very dry
5. Simmer down for 15-20 mts with no lid.
6. When the mixture dries and the vegetables are cooked, its ready to be served. 

Kathirikai Kara Kuzhambu

I got this recipe while I was browsing for some new "try-out" dish for friends gathering event. Though I dont prefer to follow any new recipe for gatherings/potlucks and make guests as guinea pigs , I was pretty sure on this recipe that it would never go wrong. Like I thought, this one was perfect for a winter afternoon and received lots of credits.
No of Servings - 4

Ingredients

1. Eggplant - 5-6
2. Onions - 1
3. Garlic - 2-3
4. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
5. Tamarind water - Lemon size tamarind soaked in water
6. Salt - to taste
7. To grind
1. Tomato - 1 
2. Coconut - 1/4 cup 
3. Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp 
4. Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp 
5. Black Ground Pepper - 1/4 tsp
6. Channa dal - 3/4 tsp 
7. Urad dal - 3/4 tsp 
8. Red chillies - 5 
9. Curry leaves - a few
8. Tempering 
1. Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp 
2. Curry leaves - a few 
3. Red chillies - 2

Method  

1. Dry roast the "To grind" ingredients and grind it to coarse paste 
2. Put "+" in egg plant and stuff it with this grinded paste.
3. Heat oil in a pan and add garlic, onions and tumeric powder. Saute onions for few mts with salt. 
4. Add the stuffed egg plants and fry in simmer till the eggplants shrink. 
5. Add the remaining paste and 1.5 cups of water. Cover the lid and let it cook for 3-4 mts
6. When the egg plants are half cooked, add the concentrated tamarind extract
7. Simmer down and let it cook  till the mixture thickens and the oil seperates out from the water. It would take 20-25 mts approximately
8. Remove the kuzhambu from the flame
9. Heat oil in another pan and add tempering items
10. Add the tempering to the kuzhambu.

Indo-Chinese Vegetable Noodles

I wanted to try something new dish as I'm bored with all south indian varieties for dinner. Indo-Chinese food varieties are very popular in India especially among kids and youth. A good reason to try :)

No of servings - 3

Ingredients 

1. Linguine or any noodles 
2. Sesame Oil - 2 tbsp 
3. Onion(chopped) - 1 
4. Carrot - 2 
5. Green/Red/Orange pepper(any) - 2 
6. Baby corn - 7-8 
7. Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp  
8. Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp 
9. Egg - 1 
10. Soy sauce - 2 tbsp 
11. Teriyaki sauce - 2 tbsp 
12. Maggi hot and sweet ketch up - 3 tbsp 
13. Bamboo shoots - 7-8 
14. Tomatoes - 1 
15. Salt - to taste 
16. Oil - 2 tbsp

Method

1.  Cook noodles in water according to package instructions(approx 6-7 minutes)
2. Add salt to the boiling noodles(preferred) 
3. When its thoroughly cooked, drain and run on cold water, add sesame oil to the  noodles and keep aside 
4. Heat oil in a vok and add onions 
5. Add the ginger garlic paste to onions and fry till the onions get shiny(onions with ginger garlic paste also gives you a nice aroma) 
6. Add the carrots, pepper, babycorn, bamboo shoots one by one and allow it to cook 
7. Push veggies to one side of vok and break an egg.  
8. Scramble the egg till its cooked and mix with veggies 
9. Add the soy sauce, teriyaki sauce and maggie ketch up and mix well 
10. Toss the noddles and let the noodles coat well with the saucey mixture
11. Garnish with green onions and fresh tomatoes. If you think that you have added more sauce than to your taste buds, minimize the saucey flavor with raw tomatoes.
     

Good for parties and gatherings

Mushroom Peas Masala

Are you looking for a spicy but yet delicious curry for your chappathi/roti, you have landed on your destination. Mushroom peas masala is a popular punjabi dish loaded with flavor and aroma

No of Servings - 5

Ingredients

1. Onion(small) - 2
2. Tomatoes - 2
3. Green chillies(small) - 2
4. Ginger - 1/2 tsp
5. Garlic - 5 pieces
6. Mushroom(chopped) - 2 cups
7. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
8. Chilli powder - 1/2  tsp
9. Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
10. Cashews - 10
11. Salt - to taste
12. Kastoori methi leaves - 1/2 tsp

Method

1. Heat oil in a wok and fry ginger and garlic
2. Add onions and saute with salt to avoid drying up
3. Get your tomatoes ready and add it to the mixture
4. Add turmeric, chilli, garam masala powder and wait for the tomatoes to smash and for the oil to seperate out
5. Add cashewnuts and leave it on flame for few mts(main ingredient to give you the sweet flavor)
6. Remove the mixture from the flame and let it cool down
7. Grind the mixture into a coarse paste on mixer
8. Heat oil in the same wok and add the grinded paste.  
9. Bring the mixture to boil and add the chopped mushrooms and peas 
10. Add water to get the mixture to your consistency
11. Rub the dry methi leaves on your hand and sprinkle on the mixture.(yes, thats right, its the secret ingredient to produce the aroma)

Spinach kuzhambu

Though the title says kuzhambu, its not of the regular kuzhambu style. This dish is one of the popular dish among sourashtra families. My mom makes this all the time as it is very healthy, easy to prepare and cools down your body.

No of servings - 4

Ingredients

1. Spinach(chopped) - 1 cup
2. Onion(Small) -1 
3. Rice cleaned water - 2 cups
4. Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
5. Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
6. Asafoetida - a pinch
7. Milk - 1/2 cup
8. Salt - as needed
9. Seasoning items
1. Oil - 3 tsp
2. Kadugu - 1/4 tsp
3. Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
4. Red chilli - 2

Method 

1. Clean rice with water and save the water 
2. Boil the rice cleaned water in a pan and add chopped spinach and onion
3. let it boil in a open pan for 10 mts (or till the spinach is well cooked)
4. Add the pepper powder, cumin powder and salt to the boiling spinach mixture.
5. Remove the boiling mixture from flame when the spinach is thoroughly cooked 
6. Heat oil in a pan and add seasoning items and wait till it splutters
7. Add the seasoning to the spinach mixture and set aside the mixture for cooling
8. When its cooled down, add milk to the spinach mixture

Easy and health recipe and kids would love it. 

Okra Dosa

This is one of the best recipe I have ever tried and it tastes as great as okra. I believe no one can say "no" to okra and dosa. And both mixed together in a recipe is simply great. Adding green to food gives satisfaction for parents having picky eaters at home.  I should thank my friend "Latha Kalyan" for introducing this recipe to me. Since I got to know the recipe, it has been lingering in my mind and looking for a perfect time to try it out. This is my first trial too but we all loved its flavor. And I know it would be one of the most demanding recipe ever.

Okra Dosa

Ingredients

Flat Big Spoon

1. Idli Rice - 2 cups
2. Raw Rice - 1 cup
3. Okra - 18-20
4. Green Chilli - 1
5. Salt - To taste

Method 

Okra Dosa Flour

1. Soak Idli rice and Raw rice in water for 4 hrs as you prepare the regular idly/dosa flour
2. Cut Okra into small pieces and set aside (Exposing the cut okra to air would lessen the moisture and sticky nature)
3. When the rice is ready to grind, grind first the okra in mixer
4. Grind the rice in the grinder. On half way, add the grinded okra and green chilli
5. When the flour is smooth enough to make dosa, remove it from grinder
6. Add salt to taste and mix the flour well

Okra Dosa

1. Heat the dosa tawa and spray oil if required
2. Dilute the okra flour to reduce the viscous nature. Make sure to check the consistency before applying on the tawa
3. Spread the flour with flat spoon and wait for few seconds. Turn on the other side and remove it from flame when ready. 
4. Okra dosa magic is with the flat spoon

Goes well with all chutney and sambar