Tindora Masala

We added tindora to our menu list only after coming to US. But its very popular in Indian cuisine and its famous for its deep fry in Tamil Nadu. If you ever get a chance to taste tindora, dont ever miss it as it has a good fiber content and Vitamin B6



Ingredients
No of persons : 2

1. Tindora - 500 g
2. Onion - 1 (chopped)
3. Green chillies - 2 (chopped)
4. Ginger garlic paste - 1/4 tsp
5. Chilli powder - 1/4 tsp
6. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
7. coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
8. Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
9. Seasoning items -
1. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
2. Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
3. Curry leaves - 1/4 tsp
10. Salt - as needed
11. Oil - 3 tsp

Nutrition :

Dietry fiber and often recommended for diabetes

Method :

1. Clean and cut Tindora lengthwise
2. Heat oil in a pan and add seasoning items
3. Add the green chillies and chopped onions and fry till it turns brownish
4. Add ginger garlic paste and salt to the mixture
5. Add tindora and saute for few mts
6. Add all powders(turmeric, chilli, pepper, coriander) and stir it well.
7. Add water to the mixture and heat the mixture till tindora is nicely cooked.
8. Garnish it with coriander leaves.

We got this receipe from some blogspot and the recipe is good by iteself. Really, its damn good and good side dish for any food including rice.

Mushroom Masala

Mushroom Masala is one of our favorite dish. I heard people saying mushroom masala has some meat flavor. Though we dont take meat, we lean towards Mushroom and we like any dish that has mushroom in it. This is one of the good recipe which makes the rotis and chappathi even more tasteful by adding spicyness to it

Ingredients :
No of persons : 2

1. Mushroom : 500 g
2. Onion - 2
3. Tomato - 1
4. Garlic - 2
5. Red chillies - 3-4
6. Green chillies - 1
7. Pepper powder - 1/2 tbsp
8. Coriander powder - 1/4 tbsp
9. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tbsp
10. Cumin seeds
11. Salt - to taste
12. Oil - 3tsp
13. Asafoetida - optional
14. Garnish - Coriander leaves
15. Seasoning items
1. Mustard Seeds - 1/4tsp
2. Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp

Nutrition :

Whether you're counting carbs or calories — or just trying to include more healthful foods in your diet — fresh mushrooms are an ideal fit. Five medium mushrooms contain only 20 calories, 3 grams of carbohydrate, and are virtually fat free.

Method :
We got this recipe from Bawarchi which is our preferred site. Lets start preparing the masala now. This is the simple recipe which can be prepared in 30 mts

1. Cut mushroom and soak in lime water
2. Grind 1/2 of the cut onion, tomatoes, pepper powder, coriander powder, garlic, red chillies into a fine paste
3. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard, cumin seeds.
4. Add the chopped onion and saute the mixture for few mts.
5. Add salt and turmeric powder and wait till the onion turns brown
6. Add mushroom to the mixture and saute for 2-3 mts
7. Mix the grinded paste and stir it well
8. Add a pinch of asafoetida(this is optional). We always like to add this in all dish since it would help in digestion
9. Add 1/2 cup of water and heat the mixture in medium flame till the water drains down(approx 15 mts)
10. Add green chillies and garnish the mixture with coriander leaves.
    

Serve hot with roti, naan, chappathi, puri

We just tried this recipe now and it has come out really well. We used to follow a different recipe and we are trying this recipe for the first time and its damn good...dinner over for today...mushroom masala with naan :)

Methi Chappathi

Methi is popularly known for 'reducing body heat' and used in almost all Indian families. This recipe came to our mind when we were researching for a low fat recipe

Ingredients :
No of persons : 3

1. Methi leaves - 1.5 cup
2. Wheat flour - 5 cups
3. Hot water -as needed

Nutrition :
Methi(Fenugreek is a digestive aid and helps in increasing inadequate milk supply for nursing mothers.

Method :
1. Fry Methy leaves in oil till it is completely cooked.

2. Mix fried methy leaves with wheat flour

3. Prepare chappati dough by slowly pouring hot water to the wheat flour mixture

4. Put it in Tava and methi chappathi is ready to serve

Cauliflower Biriyani

Ingredients
No of persons - 3

1. Olive oil - 3 tbsp
2. Green chillies - 3(chopped)
3. Onions - 2(chopped)
   
4. Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tbsp
5. Tomatoes - 2
6. Carrot - 1(grated)
7. Cauliflower - 1(Cut the cauliflower into florets)
8. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tbsp
9. Pepper powder - 1/2 tbsp
10. Chilli powder - 1/2 tbsp
11. Cashew nut - 5-6
12. Curd - 2 tbsp
13. Basmati rice - 3
14. Seasoning items -
    
1. Mustard seeds - as needed
2. Cumin seeds - 1/4 tbsp
3. Cloves - 3
4. Cardamom - 2
5. Bay leaf - 2
6. Curry leaves - 5-6
15. Garnish -
    
1. Coriander powder - 1/4 tbsp
2. Mint leaves as needed

Nutrition :
Cauliflower is low in fat, high in dietary fiber, folate, water and vitamin C possessing a very high nutritional density.

Method :

1. Clean basmati rice and soak it in water for 10 mts
2. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard, cumin seeds
3. Add cloves, cardamom and bay leaf to the mixture. (Main ingredients for spicy food)
4. Add cashew nut and saute for 2-3 mts
5. Add green chilles, curry leaves when the cashew nut turns brown
6. Add chopped onions, turmeric powder and salt(adding salt will get some moisture from onion to the mixture) to the frying mixture
7. When the onion turns brown, add ginger garlic paste
8. Add tomatoes and stir the mixture till it is fully smashed
9. Mix the vegetables(grated carrot) and saute for few mts
10. Add pepper powder, coriander powder and chilli powder to the mixture.
11. Add cauliflower and stir the mixture well.
12. Add rice to the boiling mixture and boil it for 10-12 mts in the cooker

We are updating this post when the biriyani is getting ready. Hopefully it will be good and tasty. We have to have correct ratio of basmati rice and water(no more/no less) and cook only 10-12 mts approx for a super duper basmati rice dish.

Publish Post

Channa Masala

Heres the next recipe for this week ....Channa (indian name of Chick pea) stands top in popular Indian dishes. Channa recipes are not only easy to prepare but also protein rich food  and a good source of dietry fiber. Though we love our mom made channa masala very much, we haven't tried this for loong time. When we were thinking on trying a healthy dish, it suddenly came to our mind today and it turned out to be the best choice.

Ingredients

No of persons - 3

1. Channa soaked in water overnight - 500 g
2. Big Onions - 2(chopped)
3. Tomatoes - 2(chopped
4. Ginger  - 1/2 tsp
5. Garlic - 5-6 cloves
6. Pepper corns - 1/2 tsp
7. Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
8. Garam masala/Channa masala powder - 1tsp
9. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
10. Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
11. Coriander powder - 3/4 tsp
12. Seasoning items - 
1. Oil - 3 tbsp
2. Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
3. Bay leaf 2 
4. Clove - 3
5. Cinnamon stick - 1/2 inch
13. Garnish - Coriander leaves
14. Salt -as needed

Nutrition :
The food is low in saturated fat and very low in cholestrol and sodium. It is also a good source of dietry fiber and protein

Method :

Boil channa till it becomes soft(usually for 3 whistles).

1. Pour 1 tbsp of oil in a pan and add ginger, garlic
2. Add onions and wait for the onions to glaze at you. Add half of salt to avoid burning. 
3. Add tomatoes and fry till its cooked well.
4. Add pepper corns and fennel seeds to the mixture
5. Remove the mixture from flame and keep it aside.
6. Grind the mixture 
7. Fry oil  in a pan with cumin seeds, bay leaf, clove and Cinnamon sticks
8. Add chopped onions and the remaining salt to taste
9. Fry the mixture till onion turns golden brown and add the grinded paste to the boiling mixture
10. Add turmeric powder and all the spices(Coriander powder, Chilli powder, Garam masala powder)
11. Add the cooked channa and heat the mixture for 5-10 mts in low flame
12. Garnish with coriander leaves

mmmmmmmmmm...Yummy yummy...

Indian Spicy Pasta

This is our first blog. Blogging is in our thoughts since loongggg time. But it got delayed with the crazy and hectic schedule in life. And now we have a perfect reason, our little one 'Adharsh'. Also, we have a great interest and passion towards culinary. This blog has emerged in response to the passion towards blogging and of course culinary :). More than passion, as new parents, we are responsible for building a happy and healthy life. We are kind of family who would like to experience new things everyday and we strongly believe that trying out new things not only gains experience but also keeps life interesting and exciting which is very much required for long run in this modern life. We would like to try new recipes and keep this blogger updated especially for our son 'Adharsh prajith' who is 5 months 1 week and 5 days old :) .
This is the first recipe we tried after our parents returned back to India on Jan 14. Though we havent worried about cooking for the past 5 months, but now we have become sole responsible for all the household works and we have to be fueling our body to keep us energetic and enjoy the new things our little one explore everyday. Since then , we have been trying new recipes as our energy levels are high now. Lets try to keep the recipes mouth watering. We will also try to include the nutritions along with the recipes which could help in opting healthy choice of recipes.

No of servings - 3Ingredients 

1. Pasta - 3 cups(Penne/Flower/etc)
2. Onion - 1(chopped)
3. Tomatoes - 2
4. Pasta sauce - 8 tbsp(used 'Prego' pasta sauce)
5. Pesto Sauce(optional) - 2tbsp
6. Green chillies - 2(chopped)
7. Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp.
8. Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
9. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
10. Red+green pepper - 1 each
11. Vegetables 1(Mushrooms, Peas, Corn, Cucumber, Zuccini, Avacado etc) - 1/2 cup
12. Salt -as needed
13. Seasoning items -
1. Oil - 3 tsp
2. Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
3. Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
14. Garnish - Coriander leaves

Nutrition 
Pasta is rich in protein and carbohydrates. Bell pepper is a good source of Vitamin C

Method 
Boil water and add pasta when the water starts to boil. Add 2 tbsp of salt and allow pasta to cook in medium flame according to the package instructions. When cooked, remove from flame and drain pasta. Spray olive oil on pasta to avoid smashing them and to retain the freshness. 

1. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds
2. When it flutters, add green chillies and ginger garlic paste. Wait for the ginger garlic smell to reach your nose. 
3. Add the chopped onions and salt. Adding salt with onions would allow onions to release its moisture and avoid drying up especially when you are using stainless steel pan. Fry till the onion turns gold brown 
4. Add turmeric powder and chopped tomatoes to the mixture
5. Mix pepper powder and saute till the tomatoes are completely smashed like sauce
6. Add the cut vegetables and green/red pepper and let the mixture boil for 5-10 mts.
7. Add the Pasta sauces and stir it well. Allow the mixture to boil for few more minutes
8. If you like, you can add 1/2 tsp of pasta spices now
9. Add boiled pasta and mix tenderly and slowly with wooden spoon. 
10. Garnish with coriander chopped dry leaves(Add chopped instead of leaves to get a real pasta flavor). 
11. Let the pasta cool down for sometime before its ready to be served

Kids menu : If you/kids like cheese, add cheese and bake it in oven for 15 mts on 350 deg