Bas Saaru

Ingredients -

Spinach Leaves -  1 bunch

Methi Leaves -  1 bunch

Cabbage – 1 Cup

Toor dhal -  3/4 cup

Sambar Powder -  2 tbsp

Tomato -  1 big

Onion -  1 big sized

Coriander Leaves -  A handful chopped finely

Grated Coconut -  2 tbsp

Salt to taste

Oil -  1 tbsp

Curry Leaves -  2 strands

Procedure -

1. Take the Toor Dhal in a vessel with salt to taste and a pinch of turmeric and add more water than we usually add for sambhar. Cook on medium flame and when the dhal is 80% cooked , add the spinach, methi and cabbage.

2. When the dhal is totally cooked. Switch off and strain the greens, cabbage and dhal in a colander. Preserve the water that is extracted after the straining. We will use this for the saaru.

3. From the strained greens and dhal mixture, take 1 cup and keep aside. With the rest make palya.

4. Now grind 1 cup of soppu & dal, onion, sambar powder, tomato,  coriander leaves  to a fine paste.

5. Heat 1 tsp oil in the kadai and add mustard seeds, when it starts spluttering add curry leaves and grinded paste from step 5. Fry for few mins.  Add the strained water to this and mix well.

6. Check for salt and adjust accordingly. Boil the saru until the raw smell of onion goes away.

7. Serve with hot rice  and enjoy!!

Meen Kozhambu - Fish Curry

Yummy Fish Curry.

Ingredients:

2lb Fish of your choice cut into small pieces.
4-5 Shallots
1 medium Tomato
3 garlic pods
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp sambhar powder
Juice of tamarind(1 lemon ball size, soaked and squeezed)
1/2 tsp methi seeds(venthayam)
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 Sprig Curry leaves
1 tsp oil
Salt to taste

Method:

Season the fish with turmeric, keep for 5 mins and rinse the fish thoroughly and keep aside. 

Grid together 3 shallots, tomato and garlic and keep aside. Chop the remaining 2 shallots and keep aside. In a wide bottomed pan heat oil and add methi seeds and cumin seeds. Add chopped shallots and curry leaves. fry for a minute. Then add turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, sambhar powder and salt to taste.

Now add the ground masala and also the tamarind juice and mix well. Adjust the salt according to taste. Now add the fish pieces and cook for 10 minutes on medium until the fish is cooked and the curry thickens.

Enjoy with white rice or Idlis.

Cauliflower in Mushroom-Paneer Masala

Cauliflower in Mushroom-Paneer Gravy
Ingredients

1/2 cup sliced button mushroom
1/4 cup paneer (cut into small pieces)
1 cup cauliflower florets
1 small onion (finely chopped)
2 green chilli (split in the middle)
1 tsp ginger/garlic paste
 1 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
Fresh coriander leaves (finely chopped)
1 tbsp oil
Salt to taste

 Method:

In a pan, heat the oil and saute the chopped mushroom on medium heat for 5 minutes. Remove from oil and let it cool. Now in a blender add the paneer and the sauteed mushroom and 1/2 cup of water and blend it into a smooth paste.

Heat the remaining oil in the pan and add the chopped onion. When the onion turns light brown,add the green chilli, ginger-garlic paste and saute until the rawness goes away. Now add the blended mushroom-paneer mixture, red chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and salt to taste. Mix well and add the cauliflower florets.

If this mixture is too thick you can add another 1/2 cup of water. Cook covered on medium heat for 10 minutes until the cauliflower florets are cooked. Now remove the cover and cook on high heat until the gravy is thick.

Remove from heat and garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve with Roti/Chapathi.

Paneer Butter Masala

Today I decided to make Mooli Paratha from a recipe I got from my sister, but my taste buds were not ready to eat it with just yogurt. I wanted something spicy which will be a good combination with the Paratha and later for a cup of rice.

At the beginning of every Sunday, I have loads of veggies in my fridge, but as the week progresses, I find that I am normally out of most of them but only have a few left like beans, carrots(which are a must have in my fridge). Today other than the beans and carrots I also had Paneer and Mullangi(Mooli) left. Hence dinner for today was Mullangi/Mooli Paratha and Paneer Butter Masala.

A little searching on the internet led me to this video by vahrehvah chef Sanjay for Paneer Butter Masala. 
Wow..this sounded simple enough.

I made a few changes to this recipe like using fresh tomato puree, a cup of peas, frying up the paneer, some cumin, using onion and ginger-garlic. I also skipped the kasoori methi powder. The end result was ultimate paneer masala. Believe me when I say it was THAT good!!

I am adding this recipe for my own reference. The original recipe can be found at this link.

Ingredients:
250 gm Paneer
1/2 cup peas
1 cup tomato Puree
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/4 tsp Cumin
1 cup milk
1/2 onion chopped finely
1/2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1/4 stick butter

Method:

In a bowl, mix coriander powder, garam masala, cilli powder, tomato puree and milk. Keep aside.

Cut Paneer into bite size pieces and shallow fry in a skillet and keep aside.

Heat the butter in a pan and when the butter melts add cumin. When the cumin splutters add the onion and fry until it turns brown. Add ginger garlic paste and fry until the raw smell leaves.

Now add the milk and spices mixture, salt to taste and cook for 10 minutes on medium. Add a little more milk if the mixture is too thick. Add the peas and fried paneer and cook for another 5-10 minutes on medium-low.

Remove from heat and serve.

Kadai Mushroom

Kadai Mushroom

Ingredients:

1 lb Button Mushroom (Cut into bite sized pieces)
1 medium onion (chopped finely)
1 small onion(cubed)
2 tomatoes (chopped finely)
3 pods of garlic
1/2 inch piece of ginger
1.5 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 cup water
2 tbsp oil
2 sprig spring onion (chopped)
Salt to taste

Take the ginger and garlic and smash it finely in a mortar and pestle.

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a Kadai and add cubed onion, mushroom, fry for a minute or two until the mushroom shrinks in size. Remove from the oil and keep aside.

In the same oil, add the finely chopped onion and fry until the onion is translucent and light brown. Add smashed ginger/garlic and fry for a minute.

Add the chopped tomatoes, red chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala and salt to taste. Cook until the tomato is well cooked.  Add 1 cup of water and cook for a few minutes.

Add the fried mushroom, cubed onion in this gravy. Check for salt and spices and add more if required. Remove from heat once done. Garnish with spring onion or cilantro and serve hot. I served it with Broccolini  Pulao.

Kadai Mushroom gets its name from the cooking vessel - Kadai which is similar to a wok.

Peerkankai Paruppu/Ridge Gourd Dhal

Ridge Gourd Dhal

Ingredients:

1 Medium Ridge Gourd
2 cup Moong Dhal(Paasi Paruppu)
1 medium onion(chopped)
1 small tomato(chopped)
2 cloves garlic(slightly smashed)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2-3 green chillies(split in the middle)
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 sprig curry leaves
pinch of hing/asafoetida

Remove the sharp edges of the ridge gourd(peerkangai) and seeds. Cut the ridge gourd into bite sized pieces.

Add moong dhal, ridge gourd, chopped onion, chopped tomato, smashed garlic, turmeric and add 3 cups water.  Also add a little salt( so that the peerkankai has salt in it when cooked). Pressure cook for 3 whistles. Remove from heat.

Now in another vessel heat some oil and add mustard. When the mustard starts to splutter, add curry leaves, green chilli, hing. Add the ridge gourd and dhal. Check the salt and add more if required.

Kaalan Kodai Mizhaga Kozhambu/Mushroom-Capsicum Curry

Mushroom-Capsicum Curry
Its lent season now and I am planning to make a lot of vegetarian dishes. This dish is a slight variation of the Paneer Simla Mirch curry. Here I've added some yogurt to give a rich and creamy texture/taste to the curry.
15 white button mushroom
1/2 green bell pepper(Capsicum), chopped into bite size pieces
1 onion, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp cumin powder
2 tbsp yogurt(do not use yogurt or curd that is very sour)
salt, to taste

Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. Add the chopped onions and fry a little until onions start to brown. Now add ginger-garlic paste and tomatoes. Cook till tomatoes are tender and start to pulp up.

Add in coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili powder and turmeric powder. Cook for a minute or two till spices blend in. Add salt, water and cook for a few minutes till sauce thickens slightly.

Add Mushroom and bell pepper(Capsicum) and cover cook for 6-7 minutes till Mushroom and Pepper is cooked. Mix in the finely beaten yogurt.. Cook for a couple of minutes and remove from heat and serve hot.

Cashew Chicken

Ingredients:

1 lb Chicken
15 cashew nuts
2 tbsp coconut
1 cup yogurt
1 cup mint (chopped)
1 cup coriander (chopped)
1 small onion (finely chopped)
5-6 green chilly
1 cup cubed Potato
1 tbsp coriander powder
1 tsp pepper powder
1 tsp shahi Jeera
1 tsp ginger/garlic paste
1 small strip Cinnamon
3 cloves
2 cardamom
1 small bay leaf
salt, to tasteMethod:

Grind around 10 cashew nut and the grated coconut into a thick paste. Corsely crush the remaining 5 cashew nut.

Heat some oil and add cloves, cardamom, Cinnamon and bay leaf. After about a minute add Shahi Jeera and fry then add the corsely crushed cashew nut and let it brown up a bit. Now add onion and fry until the onion turns light brown and then add ginger/garlic paste. When the raw smell leaves this mixture, add the the ground cashew nut and coconut mixture. Fry until this mixture is nicely roasted.

Add some coriander powder and salt to taste, then add yogurt and mix well. Add the green chillies, mint and part of the coriander. Add pepper. mix well and add more salt if needed. If you want the curry to have little more spice, you can add some red chilly powder too. Add the cubed potatoes.

To get some color into the curry, you can add some turmeric but this is a optional step and I've skipped it.
Now add the chicken pieces and cook until the chicken is well cooked. Serve with Pulao or even plain rice.

Chicken Curry in Yogurt Gravy

I think this is my posting of first non-vegetarian dish. Not a big fan of non-veg items, but I love this yogurt gravy and this fine gravy can be used as a base for many of the curries. I am making Chicken curry with this gravy, but you can add fish, mushroom, chickpeas etc to make a similar yummy curry.

Ingredients:

1lb Chicken
1 cup yogurt (do not use yogurt or curd that is very sour)
1 onion, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp cumin powder
1 small strip Cinnamon
3 cloves
2 cardamom
1 small bay leaf
salt, to taste

Method:

Heat some oil and add cloves, cardamom, Cinnamon and bay leaf. After about a minute, add onion and fry until it turns slightly brown. Add ginger garlic paste and fry for sometime until the raw smell goes. Now add tomatoes. Cook till tomatoes are tender and start to pulp up. Add red chilly powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and salt to taste. Mix in a cup of finely beaten yogurt.Add chicken to the above gravy and cook until chiken is well cooked. Goes well with Naan, Roti, chapathi and Rice.

Dosa Kai Curry (Yellow Cucumber Curry)

I am turning into a big fan of vegetarian dishes, and I am into trying out all the veggies I am able to find in the Indian grocery store. I am basically from Bangalore and did not try much of cooking before my marriage. When I found Dosa Kai (Yellow cucumber) I was intrigued and wanted to try it. This below recipe is a north Karnataka dish.

Ingredients:
1 Dosa kai(yellow cucumber) small size - chopped (you can remove the seeds if you want, but I preferred to keep it)
1 Tamarind small ball, soaked in water
1/2 cup Coconut grated
4 Dry chillies roasted (add more if required according to your taste)
1/2 tsp Turmeric
1 tsp Jaggery - Grated or Powdered
Salt to taste

For seasoning:

Mustard-1 tsp
Garlic - 5 finely chopped
Curry leaves -5-6 leaves

Method:

Take the cut yellow cucumber, a little salt, turmeric and water(about 1 cup) in a pan and cook until the Dosakaya is well cooked. Grind Tamarind, coconut, dry chillies into a fine paste. Once the dosa kai is completely cooked, add the ground paste and add little more turmeric and Jagerry. Cook for 5-10 mins.
Now take a little oil in a separte pan and add mustard. Once the mustard starts to splutter add chopped garlic, curry leaves. Pour the seasoning over the cooked dosakai curry.

Goes well with steamed white rice.

Vendakkai Puli Kozhambu

Ingredients:

1 lb or 1/2 kg Ladies finger or Okra(Vendakkai)
2 Tomatoes
1/2 cup think tamarind juice(or 1 tsp tamarind paste)
1/2 onion(finely chopped)
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
3 tbsp thick coconut milk
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds(Vendayam)

Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan and add fenugreek seeds. Let it fry for a few seconds and then add chopped onion until they turn translucent. Add tomatoes and cook for 5-10 mins until they are soft and mushy. Add turmeric, chilli powder, coriander powder, salt to taste and cook for a minute. Add Okra and tamarind juice, 1 1/2 cups of water and cook on medium heat until the vendakkai is cooked. Now add thick coconut milk and cook for 5 mins.

Serve with steamed white rice or roti.

Paneer Simla Mirch

Paneer Simla Mirch(Capsicum)

Its Sunday evening and tomorrow is going to be back to office for my husband. We had good weekend meeting friends and family and after eating out most of the time this weekend, I decided to make some thing different from my normal dishes.

My husband is from Madurai(A town in South Indian state of Tamil Nadu) and he loves South Indian Spicy food and off late both of us have been craving some good vegetarian dishes. I decided to try this North Indian Spicy Paneer Simla Mirch. Paneer(Cottage Cheese) when combined with Capsicum brings out an amazing flavor to this dish.

Ingredients:

250 gms of Paneer (cottage cheese), cut into small cubes
1 green bell pepper, chopped into bite size pieces
1 onion, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
2 green chillies chopped finely
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp cumin powder
salt, to taste

Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. Then add chopped green chillies and chopped onions and fry a little until onions start to brown. Now add ginger-garlic paste and tomatoes. Cook till tomatoes are tender and start to pulp up.
Add in coriander powder, cumin powder, red chili powder and turmeric powder. Cook for a minute or two till spices blend in. Add salt and cook for a few minutes till sauce thickens. Add water and let it come to a boil. Add paneer chunks and bell pepper and cover cook for 6-7 minutes till paneer is done.

Serve hot with chappathi, Roti or Rice.

Poondu Kozhambu

Ingredients:

10-15 peeled garlic(Smash it a little to bring out the flavour)
1/2 large onion finely chopped
2 Medium Tomato finely chopped
2 tbsp oil
1/4 cup tamarind(If using paste, then 1 tbsp in 1/4 cup water)
1 tbsp Sambar Powder
Salt to taste

Seasoning:

1 tsp Mustard
1 tsp urad dal
Little curry leaves.

Take oil in a vessel and tamper with seasoning. Now add onion and fry for a little time. Add garlic and fry till the raw smell goes away. Add Sambar powder, tomato and stir. Cook until the tomotoes are soft and can be smashed finely. Add Tamarind water and 1 cup of water. Cook until the garlic is cooked.

Goes well with hot steaming white rice.

Sorakai Kurma

Sorakkai paired with Black eyed peas is a good source of Fiber, Iron and Proteins for the veggie lovers.

Ingrediants:

1 medium Bottle Gourd chopped(sorrakai)
1 cup black eyed peas
1 medium onion
1 large tomato
1/2 cup ground coconut(can use store bought coconut milk)
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tsp corriander powder
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp cumin powder
2 small green chilli
1/2 tsp musturd
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 small strip cinammon
3 cloves
2 cardamom
Salt to taste

Soak the blackeyed pea overnight. In a pan cook blackeyed peas, turmeric, bottle gourd and salt to taste until both blackeyed peas and bottle gourd are well done and can be coarsely mushed.

Now in a separate pan, heat some oil, and add musturd seeds, cinammon, cloves, cardamom and cumin seeds. When the mustard splutters, add onion and finely chopped green chilli. Add ginger garlic paste and fry for sometime until the raw smell goes.

Now add tomato and cook for sometime until tomato is well cooked. Add red chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and mix well. Now add the cooked and coarsely mushed peas/bottle gourd mixture. Mix well and add salt to taste. Cook well.

This kurma goes well with rice, chapathi and roti. Enjoy!!

Radish Puli Kozhambu

I got these red baby radish and wanted to try Puli Kozhambu with it. This simple curry is yummy and easy to make.

Ingredients:
1 lb Baby Radish chopped(normal white radish is also fine)
1/2 cup think tamarind juice(or 1 tsp tamarind paste)
1 tomato
1/2 onion(finely chopped)
3 garlic cloves(finely chopped)
1 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp rice flour
Salt to taste

Seasoning

1/2 tsp - Mustard seeds
1/2 tsp - Urad dhal
1/2 tsp - Cumin seeds
1 sprig - Curry leaves
Pinch of Asafoetida
Oil

Heat a little oil in a pan and add chopped garlic and fry till the raw smell goes off. Now add onion and fry a little more until the onion turns golden brown. Now add chopped tomato and fry until they are soft and mushy. Now add turmeric, chili and rice flour and mix well so that they blend in. Add salt to taste. Now add radish and fry until they are tender.

Add the tamarind paste and 2 cups of water. Cook this until the radish is completely cooked and the gravy thickens.

In a separte pan heat oil and add musturd seeds. When the musturd splutters add cumin, urad dhal, curry leaves and asafotida. Pour this seasoning over the prepared curry.

Yummy Puli Kozahmbu is ready to eat. This goes well with steamed white rice.

Kale-Dhal Curry

Kale is something I wanted to try for a long time and I tired it today as a greens curry (Something like Drumstick curry or Spinach Curry).

Ingredients

1 cup - Toor dal
1 bunch - Kale, finely chopped
1/2 tsp - Turmeric powder
2 - Green chili
1 - Tomato
1/2 - Onion
1 tbsp store bought Sambar powder
Salt to taste

Seasoning

1 tsp - Mustard seeds
1/2 onion cut into small pieces
2 sprigs - Curry leaves
Oil

Method

1 ) Cook Dhal and Kale in enough water along with turmeric powder, green chili, Onion, Sambar powder, little salt and tomato. Cook until Dhal and Kale are well cooked or if in a pressure cooker, cook until 3 whistles on medium heat. Use only the leafy part of kale.

Now season the dhal and kale curry. Heat oil, pop mustard seeds, then add onion and curry leaves. Fry till onion is browned. Pour the seasoning on the curry and stir in.

This curry goes well with Roti, Chapathi or Rice.