Masoor Dhal/ Masala Dhal

 As lentils are the main source of proteins for vegans and vegetarians, it is important that we explore the variety of lentils to satiate the palate of the vegetarian connoisseurs. I have experimented with masoor dhal recently and was impressed with the outcome :)

Ingredients:

1 cup of Masoor dhal
1 onion
3 cloves of garlic
1 green chilly

1 tbsp of oil
coriander as garnish

salt as required

Seasoning:

1/2 inch- stick of cinnamon

2 pieces of bay leaf

2 cloves

Grinding:

1 large chopped tomato
1/8 tsp of turmeric
1/2 tsp of red chilly powder
1/2 tbsp of coriander powder
1 tbsp of cashew nuts

1 tsp of cumin seeds

Preparation:

1. Grind the ingredients mentioned above together. Slice the onion and garlic lengthwise.
2. In the preheated pan add oil. Add the seasoning, as the nice aroma comes add onion and garlic.
3.Saute for a minute and add the ground mixture. Saute well till the tomato paste starts to thicken and the raw smell disappears.

4.Add masoor dhal, salt and 3 cups of water. Close the lid and pressure cook up to 3 whistles.

5.Add coriander as garnish. Serve with rice/ roti.

Malai kofta / Vegetable kofta curry

  Friends, this blog is achieving a significant milestone as I am posting my hundredth recipe. I appreciate all the support and encouragement from you. To celebrate this milestone, I wanted to share one of my favorite recipes. Ever since I got introduced to Malai Kofta, it has been one of my top picks at restaurants. While the texture of the kofta gives it unique identity, I admire the way it beautifully blends with the gravy. 

 Ingredients:

2 potatoes

1 cup cottage cheese /paneer

1 cup cauliflower 

1 cup cabbage
1 small cup of sweet peas

2 green chillies

2 tbsp of besan/ Gram flour
1/2 tsp red chilly powder

salt as required
oil for deep frying

For the Gravy:

1 inch of cinnamon stick
3 cloves
2 Elaichi/ cardamom
1 cup of tomato sauce
1 tbsp of grated ginger
1 tsp of red chilly powder
1 tsp of cumin powder
1/4 tsp of  dry fenugreek leaves/ kasoori methi
1 tbsp of grated coconut
10 pieces of cashewnuts
1 tbsp of heavy cream
1 tbsp of butter

Preparation:

1.Boil the potatoes, peel the skin and mash them. Grate the paneer.
2.Grate both cauliflower and cabbage and saute them with chopped green chillies, chopped coriander leaves and peas. Cook till the water dries up.
3.Mix the paneer, potatoes, sauteed veggies, salt, red chilly powder and besan all together.
4.Make lemon-sized balls and keep it aside.
5.For the gravy, add the butter to the skillet. Once the butter starts melting add cinnamon stick, cloves and cardamom.

6.As the nice aroma comes, add the tomato sauce and ginger.

7.Add 2 cups of water and add red chilly powder, cumin powder and salt.

8.Cook well till the raw smell disappears and add powdered cashewnuts and coconut. Cook for 5 minutes and add heavy cream. Gravy is ready.

9.Fry the prepared vegetable balls in the preheated oil. As they turn golden brown, transfer to the prepared gravy and mix gently.

10.Garnish with kasoori methi. Serve with roti/ paratha.

                               

Avarai thengai poriyal/ avaraikai poriyal/ Broad beans coconut curry

     This recipe is enriched with the flavors of garlic and coconut. My mother-in-law made this curry when I was visiting a few months ago.  The best part about this recipe is that it can be made with relatively basic ingredients and yet turns our to be very delicious.

 
Serves up to 2-3 people
Preparation time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

300 grams of Avarai kai/ Broad beans 

3-4 cloves of garlic
3-4 broken dried red chillies(~spice level)
pinch of turmeric 
2 tbsp of coconut
1/2 tbsp of oil
salt as required

Seasoning:

1/4 tsp of mustard
1/4 tsp of cumin seeds
1/2 tsp of Urad dhal


Preparation:

1.Heat oil in the pan and add the seasoning. 
2.As the mustard sputters, add the slit garlic. Saute for a minute and  then add the red chillies. 
3.Chop avarai like beans. Add avarai to the pan and saute well for 5 minutes.
4.Then add the spices(turmeric and salt). Add 1/2 cup of water and close the lid. Allow it to cook well. 
5.Add the coconut and saute for 2 more minutes. Avaraikai porial is ready, serve with rice.

Karuppu channa kara kuzhambu/Black chickpeas curry

     Black chickpeas curry is one of my mom's signature dishes. Chickpeas are high in protein and dietary fiber.

Preparation time: 45 minutes
Serves up to 3-4 people

Ingredients:

1 cup of black chickpeas/ kaala channa/ karuppu channa 
1 large potato
2-3 medium-sized Indian eggplants/ Brinjals
2 carrots
1 large onion
1 tomato
3 tbsp of grated coconut
pinch of turmeric 
2 tsp of red chilly powder
3 tsp of dhania/ coriander powder
1 cup of tamarind water
1 tbsp of oil
salt as required 

Seasoning:

1/2 tsp of mustard seeds
1/2 tsp of cumin seeds
1 sprig of curry leaves
2 red chillies


Preparation:

1.Soak black chickpeas overnight. Pressure cook chickpeas with salt and 3 cups of water.
2..Chop the vegetables in to small squares. Add oil to the pan and add the seasoning. As the mustard crackles add the chopped onions and saute well. 
3.After 2 minutes add the other vegetables (tomato, brinjals, potatoes, carrots)  with a pinch of turmeric and salt required for the vegetables.
4.Add the red chilly powder and coriander powder and saute well. Now add the tamarind water and bring it to boil. Add the coconut and cooked black chickpeas and pressure cook together for 1 whistle.
5.Channa kara kuzhambu is ready and serve with rice/ roti.

Swiss chard kuzhambu/ Swiss chard curry/Red keerai kuzhambu

   Swiss chard has a very good health benefit of regulating blood-sugar level. The intake of Swiss chard supports bone health as it has a very good supply of calcium, magnesium and vitamin K. My sister-in law Jisha, shared this recipe with me. The taste is unique and can definitely enjoy the richness of coconut and yogurt.

 Ingredients:

1 bunch of red Swiss chard

1 cup of yogurt

1/4 tbsp of mustard seeds

1/2 cup of grated coconut.

1/2 tsp of red chilly powder.

pinch of turmeric powder

salt to taste

oil

Seasoning: 

 

1/4 tsp of mustard

2-3 red chilly

1 sprig of curry leaves

 

Preparation:

1.Cut the red Swiss chard and steam with a pinch of turmeric powder.

2.Add red chilly powder and salt to the keerai.

3.Grind the grated coconut,mustard seeds,yogurt together in to a fine paste.

4.Add  the ground paste to the cooked keerai and cook in low flame.

5.Heat oil in the pan and add the seasoning. As the mustard sputters add the tadka (seasoning) to the keerai.

6.Swiss chard kuzhambu is ready. Serve with rice.

Cabbage porial/ Dry cabbage curry/ Band Ghobi ki Subzi

        Steaming of vegetables is always better than cooking them in microwave. Research shows that steaming of cabbage maximizes the lot of health benefits of glucosinolates. The presence of glucosinolates helps in cancer prevention.

Serves up to 4 people
Preparation time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

500 grams of cabbage
1 chopped onion 
2 green chillies
1/4 tsp of turmeric
1-2 tbsp of paruppu podi 
1 tbsp of grated ginger
1 tbsp of oil
salt as required

Seasoning:

1/2 tsp of mustard
1/2 tsp of Bengal gram dhal

Paruppu podi:

1 cups of chutney dhal
1/2 cup of Bengal gram dhal
1/2 cup of urad dhal
2 red chillies
pinch of asafoetida
1 tsp of oil
salt as required

Preparation:

1.Heat oil in the pan, roast the ingredients Bengal gram dhal, urad dhal and red chillies till they turn golden brown.
2.Allow them to cool and grind them together till they are 85% done. Then add the chutney dhal, asafoetida and salt and grind them.Paruppu podi is ready.
3.Heat oil in the pan and add mustard, Bengal gram dhal. 
4.As the mustard crackles, add onion, ginger and slit green chillies. Saute for a minute.
5.Add the chopped cabbage, salt and turmeric to the pan and saute well for 5 minutes.Close the lid. Add 1/4 cup of water.
6.Stir occasionally and check if the cabbage is cooked and add the paruppu podi and cook for 5 more minutes.
7.Cabbage porial is ready. Serve with rice and sambhar.

Red Chori dhal/ kootu

  Red chori dhal are starchy beans but rich in fiber. The fiber content in red chori dhal lowers blood cholesterol while offering  cardiovascular benefits.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup red chori dhal

1/4 kg red pumpkin

1 tsp red chilli powder

1/4 tsp of turmeric powder

1 tomato

oil as required

salt as required

Grinding:

1 large chopped onion

1/2  cup of grated  coconut

1/2 tbsp cumin seeds

1 red chilly

Seasoning:

1 sprig of curry leaves

1/4 tbsp mustard seeds

1 red chilly

Preparation:

1.Soak chori dhal for 5-6 hours. Add turmeric, salt and 2 cups of water to chori dhal and pressure cook with red pumpkin.
2.In a pan, add chopped tomatoes, red chilly powder and saute for 2-3 minutes.

3.Grind grated coconut, cumin seeds, red chilly, chopped onions with little water and make it into a smooth paste.

4.Add this paste to the tomatoes in the pan and cook till the raw smell disappears. Add the cooked dhal and cook for 5 more minutes in medium flame.

5.Add the seasoning to the chori dhal. Delicious chori dhal is ready.

6.Serve with rice and papad.

Spicy karamani/ Spicy black-eyed peas curry/ Dry karamani porial

 Black-eyed peas are very good source of foliate, potassium, copper, phosphorous and manganese. They supply high quality protein which provides a healthy alternative to meat.

Serves up to 3 people
Preparation time:30 minutes


Ingredients:

1 cup of dried black-eyed beans
1 can of crushed tomatoes 
2 green chillies
1/4 tsp of turmeric
1 tsp of red chilly powder
1/2 tsp of garam masala
2 tbsp of butter
1/2 tsp of fennel seeds 
1/2 tsp of dried fenugreek leaves(kasoori methi)
salt as required


Preparation:


1.Soak the black-eyed beans overnight. Pressure cook the beans with water and salt (Do not overcook the beans).
2.Add the 1 tbsp of butter to the pan, once the butter is melted add the fennel. As the nice aroma comes, add the tomatoes and green chillies (cut in to halves) and saute for 3-5 minutes.
3.Add the spices (turmeric, red chilly powder).
4.Transfer the cooked beans to the pan and check for more salt.
Close the lid and let it cook for 15 minutes (in medium flame). Add the garam masala, the remaining butter and kasoori methi. Cook for another 2-3 minutes.
5.Spicy karamani is ready. Serve with rice/ roti.

Black chickpeas curry/ Kaala channa masala

  Goda masala is a  traditional marathi spice that my friend Ashwini shared with me. This is usually available in desi stores and the ingredients are dry coconut, coriander seeds, cumin, sesame,  star anise, cloves, pepper, cinnamon and cardamom.  In this recipe I have used this spice and was pleasantly surprised by the results.

 Ingredients:

1 cup of black chickpeas 
1 large onion
1 cup of crushed tomatoes can
2  green  chillies
1/2 tsp of red chilly powder
1 tbsp of goda (kaala) powder
1 tsp of cumin powder 
1 inch of ginger
2 cloves of garlic
1 tbsp of chopped coriander leaves
salt as required

Seasoning:




3 cloves
1 cinnamon stick 
1 tsp of cumin seeds


Preparation:

1.Soak chickpeas overnight and pressure cook with 2 cups of water and salt till 90% done.
2.Heat butter in the pan and add the seasoning. As the nice aroma comes add the chopped onions, garlic ,green chillies and chopped ginger and saute well till the raw smell disappears. 
3.Now add the crushed tomatoes. Saute well till the oil separates, then add the spices(goda powder, red chilly powder, cumin powder and salt). Cook for 2 minutes. Add the cooked chickpeas and close the lid.
4.Pressure cook for 1 whistle so the spices permeate in to the chickpeas.Then add  coriander leaves and bring it to boil. Serve with rice, roti/ bhatura.

Whole moong dhal curry/Moong dhal

  Vegetarians rely highly on lentils and legumes for their protein needs. When soaked overnight, several beneficial nutrients and enzymes gets activated. This recipe was well received by my kids and I am happy to share it with you today.

Ingredients:

1 cup of whole moong beans/ pacchai payiru

1 chopped onion
1/4 tsp of turmeric 
1 tsp of red chilly powder(~ spice level)

3-4 crushed cloves of garlic

2 dried red chilly 
pinch of asafoetida

1 tsp of cumin seeds 
1 stick of cinnamon 
1 star anise
2 cloves

1 tbsp of  butter
1/2 tbsp of oil

salt as required

Preparation:

1. Soak moong beans overnight. 
2. Add cumin seeds, star anise, cloves, cinnamon  to the preheated oil in the pan 
3. Saute onion, garlic, red chillies and pinch of asafoetida. 

4. Add salt,turmeric, red chilly powder to the pan and saute for 2 minutes. Add the soaked dhal and pressure cook them. 

5. Add the butter and serve with rice/ roti.

Carrot subzi/poriyal

   Carrot poriyal is definitely my kids favorite. This dish is enriched with protein and is not very spicy.

Serves up to 3-4 people

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

500 grams of carrots

3/4 tsp of red chilly powder

1/2 cup of yellow moong dhal

1/4 tsp of turmeric

6 curry leaves 

1 tbsp of oil

salt as required

Seasoning:


1/4 tsp of mustard
1/2 tsp of cumin seeds 
1/4 tsp of urad dhal
1/4 tsp of Bengal gram dhal
pinch of asafoetida

Preparation:

1.Soak moong dhal for 30 minutes in water. Add 1 tbsp of oil to the pan, add the seasoning and curry leaves.

2.As the mustard sputters, add the chopped carrots. Saute well for 2 minutes. Filter the water and add the soaked moong dhal.

3.Add turmeric, red chilly powder and salt. Add half cup of water and close the lid.
4.Check if the carrots and dhal are cooked. Carrot poryial is ready. Serve with rice/ roti.

Vendakkai varuval/ Okra fry/ Bindi dry subzi

  Okra is a very nutritious vegetable and a great source of Vitamin C and K. In this recipe, I have tried stir-frying Okra with some basic spices and hope you enjoy it as well.

Serves up to 3 people
Preparation time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

300 grams of Bindi/ Okra
1 1/2  tbsp of besan/ Bengal gram flour
1/2 tbsp of rice flour

1 tsp of red chilli powder (~spice level)
pinch of garam masala


2 tbsp of oil
salt as required


Preparation:

1.Wash the okra and dry them using paper towel. Cut the top and bottom portion of the okra. Slit in to 2 halves. Add the other ingredients to the okra and mix with 1 tbsp of oil.
2.Keep it aside for 5 minutes. Add the okra to the pan seared with oil.
3.Allow them to cook in medium flame till they turn golden brown. Turn to the other side and allow them to cook. If needed add another tbsp of oil.

4.Yummy okra fry is ready. Serve with roti /rice.

Brussels sprouts porial/ curry/ masala

   The texture of Brussels sprouts is a lot like cabbage. I decided to cook South Indian style and the taste is really delicious. I am very glad to have found a new vegetable to cook with.

Serves up to 3-4 people
Preparation time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

500 grams of Brussels sprouts
1 chopped large onion
2 chopped large tomatoes
1/2 tsp of red chilly powder
1/4 tsp of turmeric powder 
1/2 tbsp of sambhar podi
curry leaves
1 tbsp of olive oil
salt as required 

Seasoning:


1/4 tsp of mustard
1/2 tsp of urad dhal
pinch of asafoetida

Preparation:

1.Cut the Brussels sprouts in to 2 halves. Cut the stem-off from the bottom of the vegetable.
2.Heat oil in the pan and add the seasoning. As the mustard sputters add curry leaves, then add chopped onions and saute for 2 minutes.
3.Now add tomatoes and saute till the tomatoes are wilted. Add red chilly powder, sambhar podi, turmeric and salt. Saute well and transfer the the Brussels sprouts to the pan. Close with the lid and stir occasionally. Add 1/4 cup of water.
4.Once the sprouts are cooked, the dish is ready. Serve with roti/ rice.

Cauliflower dry curry/ Gobhi masala/ Gobhi fry

   Gobhi masala is very simple recipe..can be made with ingredients readily available at home. This recipe goes well with roti or can be tried as a side dish for dhal and rice.

Serves up to 3 people
Preparation time: 30 minutes


Ingredients:


1 medium sized cauliflower
1 large onion                             
1 tsp of red chilly powder
1 tsp of garam masala
1/4 tsp of turmeric
1-2 tbsp of olive oil
1 tbsp of chopped coriander leaves
1 tbsp of ginger-garlic paste 
1 green chilly

salt as required


Seasoning:


1/2 tsp of fennel seeds
1 inch of cinnamon


Preparation:

1.Cut the cauliflower in to small florets. Heat oil in the skillet and add the seasoning. 
2.As the nice aroma from the fennel comes, add the chopped onion and saute for a minute. Then add ginger-garlic paste, green chilly and saute till the raw smell disappears.
3.Add the spices( turmeric, red chilly powder and salt) to the skillet. Close with the lid and allow to cook for 15 minutes. Sprinkle some water in between and stir.
4.Add the chopped coriander leaves and garam masala, then close the lid. Add some oil to roast the vegetable. Check whether the cauliflower is cooked. 
5.Gobhi masala is ready. Serve with rice/ roti and a cup of yogurt.

Eggplant Capsicum curry/ kathrika porial/ Eggplant Green bell pepper curry

I made this curry with the combination of brinjal and capsicum. The taste is relishing..

Ingredients:

1 red onion

4 medium sized Indian eggplants

1 green bell pepper

1/2 tsp of turmeric

1 tbsp of sambhar podi

1 tbsp of urad dhal powder*
1  tbsp of oil

salt as required

Seasoning:

1/2 tsp of cumin seeds
1/2 tsp of mustard
3 cloves of garlic
1 sprig of curry leaves

 

 Preparation:


1.Heat oil in the saucepan, add the seasoning (mustard and cumin seeds). As the mustard sputters, add slit garlic and chopped onion. Saute for 2 minutes.
2.Cut the eggplant and capsicum along the lengths. Add to the pan, then add sambhar podi,   turmeric and salt, saute well and close the lid. Add some water and allow it to cook for 15 minutes. 

3. Dry roast urad dhal till they turn golden brown and powder them a little coarsely.

4. Add 1 tbsp of powdered urad dhal to the saucepan and mix well. Close the lid for 5 more minutes. Kathrika porial is ready. Serve with rice.

 

Chettinadu korma

    The main dishes in a south Indian cuisine are sambhar and rasam.  so I wanted to make something different. Then the thought of making korma occurred to me. My mom used to make this recipe with fresh karamani. I tried the same recipe with the vegetables.

Preparation time: 45 minutes
Serves up to 3-4 people

Ingredients:

1 potato
2 Indian eggplants/ Brinjals
2 carrots
1 large onion
2 cloves of garlic
2 tomatoes
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp of fennel seeds
1 tbsp of butter
2 tbsp of chopped coriander leaves
salt as required


For grinding:

3 tbsp of grated coconut
1 tsp of cumin seeds
6 dried red chillies
1 tbsp of coriander seeds


Preparation:

1.Chop the vegetables in to small squares and cook the vegetables (brinjal, potatoes, carrots)  with a pinch of turmeric and salt required for the vegetables.
2.Grind the ingredients together mentioned in the grinding section together in to a paste. Heat butter in the pan, add bay leaf and fennel seeds. Saute for a minute then add chopped onions and crushed garlic. 
3.Saute for 5 minutes, then add the ground mixture. Saute till the raw smell disappears. Add the chopped tomatoes and pinch of turmeric and salt. 
4.Keep sauteing till the tomatoes are wilted. Add the cooked vegetables and close the lid for 15 minutes. Then add the coriander leaves and cook for 5 more minutes. 
5.Korma is ready and serve with rice/ roti.

kadai paneer

           Dear friends, Thanks for your continued support. I just returned back after my vacation in India. While in India, I had a chance to learn and improvise my style and hope to share with them in the coming blogs.

I always enjoyed the taste of kadai paneer in Indian cuisines. Today, I wanted to bring the flavors of this dish to my kitchen. Several people think kadai paneer is a dry form of paneer butter masala, but I respectfully disagree. I would love to hear your comments on this.


So here I present my first recipe after my three month hiatus.

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Serves up to 3 people

Ingredients:

150 grams of paneer
1 green bell pepper/ capsicum
1 onion
1 small cup of canned tomato sauce
2 green chillies
1 tbsp of minced ginger
pinch of turmeric
1 tsp of red chilly powder
1 tbsp of coriander powder
1/2 tsp of cumin powder
pinch of dried fenugreek leaves( kasoori methi)
1 1/2 tbsp of butter
salt as required


Preparation:

1.Cut the onion, capsicum and paneer in to small cubes. Heat 1/2 tbsp of butter in the skillet and add onions. Saute till the onion becomes translucent. Transfer to a plate. 
2.Then add the capsicum to the skillet and saute for 3-4 minutes and transfer to a plate. Follow this procedure to maintain the crunchiness of the vegetables.
3.Heat remaining butter in the skillet and add the tomato sauce. As the moisture evaporates, add a tbsp of water. Then add the spices(turmeric, red chilly powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and salt). Now add the onion and capsicum and saute well for 5 minutes. 
4.Check whether the raw smell of the tomato disappears. Add the pinch of dried fenugreek powder. Now add the fresh paneer and saute for a minute.
5.Kadai paneer is ready. Serve with roti/naan. 

Coriander chutney

           Coriander chutney is popularly known as green chutney made in Southern style. But this is the way my mom makes for Idly.

Preparation time:10 minutes
Serves up to 3 people

Ingredients:
 
1 bunch of coriander leaves
1/4 cup of urad dhal
2 tbsp of coriander seeds
5 red chillies
1 tbsp of grated coconut*
2 tsp of oil
1/4 tsp of mustard
salt as required


Preparation:

1.Heat a tsp of oil, add urad dhal, coriander seeds and red chillies. Roast till they turn golden brown. Allow them to cool. 
2.Grind urad dhal, coriander seeds, red chillies along with coriander leaves, coconut and salt in to a paste.
3.Heat oil in the pan and add mustard. As the mustard sputters, transfer to  the chutney.
*optional

Groundnut podi

      Groundnut podi is really tasty and delicious. Try with little ghee/ sesame oil.

Ingredients:                              

1 cup of groundnuts/ peanuts
5 red chillies(~spice level)
4 cloves of garlic
salt as required



Preparation:

1.Dry roast peanuts and red chillies till they turn brown in medium flame. Transfer to a plate and allow them to cool.
2.Grind them along with garlic and salt. Groundnut podi is ready. Serve with rice, idly/ dosai.

Spinach channa masala

    My daughter enjoys chickpeas and I always try to be creative with them. The curry I made today goes really well with roti.

Serves up to 3-4 people
Preparation time: 60 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup of chickpeas (channa)
1 bunch of spinach
1 large tomato
6 cloves of garlic
1 stick of cinnamon
1/4 tsp of turmeric
2 tsp of red chilly powder
1 tsp of dhal makhani powder
2 tbsp of heavy cream
pinch of dried fenugreek leaves
1 tbsp of butter
salt as required


Preparation:

1.Soak chickpeas overnight and pressure cook chickpeas with 2 1/2 cups of water. 
2.Heat butter in the skillet and add cinnamon  stick. Saute till nice aroma comes, then add garlic. Saute for 2 minutes.
3.Chop the tomatoes and add them. Saute till they wilt and then add turmeric, red chilly powder and salt. 
4.Then add the chopped spinach and allow to cook. Close the lid for 10 minutes and then add chickpeas.
5.Add dhal makhani powder and allow it to cook in a medium flame for about 20 minutes. 
6.When the gravy starts to thicken add heavy cream and dried fenugreek leaves. Bring it to boil. Serve with rice/ roti.