Cabbage Rice

This is a quick and healthy meal and is a good way to get children to eat cabbage :) Here is what you will need for this yummy dish :

• Cabbage - 250 gms
• Tur dal - 5 tablespoons
• Garam masala - 2 tablespoon
• Cumin seed - 2 teaspoon
• Ginger-garlic paste - 2 teaspoon
• Raisins - 1 teaspoon (Optional)
• Cashewnuts - 1 teaspoon (Optional)
• Cinnamon stick - of 2" length
• Cloves - 4
• Cardamom - 3
• Ghee or Oil - 2 tablespoon
• Onion - 1
• Basmati rice - 2 glasses
• Salt - to taste
• Water - 4 glasses
• Turmeric powder - 1 teaspoon (Optional)

For garnishing (optional)

• Finely chopped coriander(cilantro) leaves - 1/4 cup
• 2 medium sliced tomatoes sliced into thin rings

How to make it:

• Wash, drain and dry the rice.
• Heat the margarine/oil a pressure cooker and add crushed cardamoms, cinnamon, cloves, finely chopped onions, raisins, cashew nuts, ginger garlic paste and garam masala.
• When the onion turns golden brown in color, add the finely chopped cabbage and fry for 2 minutes.
• Add rice and tur dal. Fry for 3 minutes.
• Add the water,turmeric powder and required salt.
• Cover the pressure cooker and pressure cook with weight, for approximately 4 whistles.

Empty the rice into the serving bowl and decorate with tomato rings and finely chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves. :)

Note: You can try the same preparation by replacing cabbage with finely chopped tomatoes/eggplant/boiled green peas/carrots and beans

Mushroom Peas Subji

I walked into Heritage (a local supermarket) and saw fresh mushrooms :) I picked up a packet and loads of other things too. As you might've already guessed, its Mushroom and peas subji with Phulka's tonight :)

Here is what you will need :

• 1 cup fresh or frozen green peas
• 500 gms button mushrooms, cleaned and cut into quarters
• 1 large onion chopped finely
• 2 cloves garlic chopped finely
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• 2 tbsps oil
• 2 tbspsTomato puree
• 2 tbsps Curd
• Chopped fresh coriander to garnish

How to make it :

• Heat the cooking oil in a deep pan, on a medium flame. When hot, add the cumin seeds and fry till spluttering stops.
• Add the garlic and fry till pale golden. Now add the onions and fry till soft.
• Add the peas and mushrooms and the powdered spices. Add salt to taste and cook till the mushrooms begin to give off their juices. Stir occasionally.
• Add tomato puree and mix well. Cook for a couple of minutes until he raw smell disappears.
• Add curd and mix. Cook for about 10 - 15 seconds and switch off before it starts beginning to bubble, else the curd will split.Turn off fire.
• Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot ! :)

Green Chilli Pickle

I remember my granddad buying fresh green chillies by the kilo and my grandmum would transform them into yummy Green chilly pickle. I never got the opportunity to learn how to make it, but this comes close to it :)

Here is what you will need:

1 kg green chillies - slit in half with the stalk intact
1 cup salt
1/2 kg mustard oil
1 tbsp red chilli powder
1 tbsp turmeric
powder
200 gm ginger - finely ground
250 gm garlic - finely ground
100 gm cumin seeds - roasted and ground
200 gm large mustard seeds - roasted and ground
1 cup sugar
200 gm tamarind
3 cups of white vinegar

How to make it:

Marinate the chillies in salt for at least two hours.
Soak the tamarind in the vinegar for at least two hours and extract the pulp.
In a large vessel heat the mustard oil and add red chilli powder and turmeric powder.
Add the ginger and garlic and mix well. Continue stirring for some time.
Mix in the cumin powder and mustard powder.
Pour the tamarind-vinegar pulp and mix well.
Add sugar and cook on low heat for some time.
Now add the chillies and cook for 10-15 minutes on low heat till the oil seperates.
Cool and transfer into a glass bottle.

We're done !

This goes well with phulkas, roti's, any rice, bread spread, dosa's, just about anything :)

Masala Upuma

This is a little different from the normal upma. If you love the flavour of Indian Spice in moderation, you are sure to love this one.

Here is what you will need :

1 cup semolina
11/2 cups water (keep extra hot water to be used if required)

For the Tempering:

1 medium sized onion, sliced fine
2 green chillies, chopped
1/4 cup oil
1 inch cinnamon
2 cloves
1 green cardamom
6 curry leaves
1/2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1 medium-sized ripe tomato, chopped
salt ( adjust according to taste)
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
juice of ½ lime

To Garnish:

1/4 cup coriander leaves, chopped
1 tbsp ghee
6 - 8 cashew nuts

How to Make This :

• Fry the semolina lightly in a kadai, stirring continuously so that it does not brown. Transfer on to a plate.
• Heat the water, and keep it simmering on the stove.
• Heat oil in a kadai, and add the spices and curry leaves.
• Add onion slices and green chillies sauté till onion is light brown, add ginger-garlic paste and tomato, sauté for 2 minutes till tomato turns soft.
• Add the hot water, and turmeric When the water boils add the semolina stirring vigorously, to avoid lumps being formed. If the semolina is not cooked ladle some of the reserved hot water on to the mixture, taking care to add very small quantities at a time, otherwise the whole mixture will turn soggy.
• Pour the juice of the lime over the uppumav and mix well. Cover with a lid and keep it on low heat.
• Heat the ghee in a small pan, add the cashew nuts till light brown
• Stir the upuma after a few minutes and sprinkle chopped coriander leaves and cashew nuts for garnish.

Voila ! Its done :) Can be had as breakfast or an evening snack when kids return from school or as dinner.

Can be served with coconut chutney .

Onion Raw Mango Chutney

This is something Prerna brought for lunch today and it was really yummy :) it gets done pretty soon too :)

What you will need :

2 medium onion - chopped roughly
1 medium raw onion - cut up into cubes
2 red dry chillies (adjust according to taste)
2 cloves of garlic
pudina leaves - 10 - 15 nos
Salt to taste

How to make it :

Put all of them together in the mixie and roughly whisk intermittently until roughly ground.

Optional : You can make a tadka of oil and mustard seeds and add it to this.

Goes well with phulkas :) If ur taste buds are a little like mine, you might like it with dosa's and idli's too :)

Punjabi Tinda Subji

The other day, I was having lunch with my friend Prerna and she had brought this awesome Tinda subji. I've made a few changes to change the taste a bit .

What you will need:

• 5-6 Tindas washed & chopped into quarter pieces (Tinda's are generally round so cut them in 4 equal parts)
• 1-2 small & round potatoes washed & chopped into quarters
• 1 medium sized onion washed & finely chopped
• 1 tomato washed & finely chopped (you can use tomato puree as well)
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 1/2 a cup of water
• 1/2 tsp Jeera
• Salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 3/4 tsp garam masala
• Green coriander leaves for garnishing

How to make it :

• Heat oil in a pan
• Add jeera seeds, when the aroma comes, add the onion & saute till they are golden brown.
• Then add ginger-garlic paste & fry for a minute.
• Now add all the spices & fry for a minute.
• Add the chopped tomatoes & let it cook till they are well cooked & soft (if tomato puree is used then cook till oil is visible at the pan's side)
• Now add the tinda & a little water & cover the pan with a lid to cook it till its a little soft.
• Then add the potato pieces & cook till they are soft.
• Garnish with cilantro leaves

Serve with Roti's/ Naan's or as a porial with rice !

Raw Mango and Onion Chutney

A chutney with raw mango and onion may surprise you, but making this a part of your daily diet helps to prevent you from sunstrokes. And guess what ? It gets done in 10 minutes with ZERO cooking :)

What you will need to make 1 cup of Chutney :

• ½ cup raw mango, grated
• ½ cup white onions, grated
• 2 tablespoons grated jaggery (gur)
• ¼ teaspoon black salt (sanchal)
• ¼ teaspoon roasted cumin seed (jeera) powder
• ¼ teaspoon chilli powder
• Salt to taste

How to make the Chutney :

• Mix all the ingredients in a bowl.
• Keep aside till the jaggery melts.
• Cover and keep refrigerate till required.
• Serve the chutney with lunch everyday.

Note : This lasts for up to 3 days if refrigerated but it's best to make it fresh everyday.

Palak Rice

Its been a while since i tried anything new ..more because summer is here and I prefer to have just poha and loads of watermelon for dindin. I bought a couple of bunches of palak yesterday with the thought of making palak dal with rice but ended up making palak rice instead :) There obviously is a reason behind it ... I have put on a few inches around my waist and some how think eating rice and dal wud make me put on more than"Variety" rice as it seems to be lesser to eat :P( rice and dal and porial and papad and pickle and a second helping :P) .. As long as the nutrition goes in, I will cook in any form :) so here is how you can make this yummy and simple "Palak Rice" yourself...

These are what you will need :

Rice - cooked - 2 cups

Spinach/ Palak - chopped -4 cups

Onion - chopped - 1

Ginger & Garlic paste -2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Red Chilly powder - 1 tsp

Coriander seeds powder - 1 tsp

Cumin seeds powder - 1 tsp

Garam Masala - 1/4 tsp

Pepper - 1/4 tsp

Water - 1/2 cup

Oil - 1 tbsp

Salt - to taste

That looks a lot but sure is easy once you start cooking.. This is how you make it :

• Cook the rice and keep it separately
• Heat oil in a pan and add the chopped onions, ginger and garlic
• Once the onions are cooked and light brown, add all powders except garam masala and pepper and stir well
• Add the chopped palak and mix well and leave to cook covered and on low flame for 3-5 minutes
• Palak will have given out water and at this stage, add the water and the cooked rice, garam masala and pepper and mix well
• Keep on flame for another 3 minutes and turn off heat and we're done ! :)

Goes great with curd / papad / pickle or coconut chutney .

Onion Chutney

While growing up we stayed in Thiruvanmiyur for a while and this is a recipe I picked up from the "Aunty" downstairs. I loved it since day 1 :P


What you will need :

• 3 large onions chopped or sliced
• 1" piece of ginger
• 2-3 green chillies (optional)
• 2 tbsps cooking oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 3 dry red chillies broken into 1" bits
• Salt to taste

How to make it:

• Grind the onions, ginger and green chillies (if using) to a smooth paste . Remove into a serving bowl.

• In a small pan, heat the oil on a medium flame till it is very hot. Add the cumin seeds and fry till they stop spluttering. Now add the dry red chillies and fry till they turn darker.
• Add this tempering mixture of oil, cumin and red chillies to the onion-ginger-green chilli paste. Add salt to taste. Stir to mix well.

Serve as a chutney, dip or use as a sandwich spread!

P.s: If you don't like the raw taste, can fry the onions a bit until pink and then grind with Ginger and chillies.

Spicy Peanut Chutney

It tastes great with Idlis and Dosas :)

What you will need :

1 cup plain peanuts (with or without skin, as preferred)
5 dry red chillies
Salt to taste
Walnut-sized ball of tamarind (to make tamarind juice if you want a wet chutney)

How to make it :

• Heat a griddle till it is very hot, on a medium flame. Roast the peanuts and dry red chillies (stirring frequently) on this griddle till they give off a gentle cooked aroma.
• Allow to cool completely and then grind the peanuts and chillies to a coarse powder .
• Add salt to taste.
• If you want a wet chutney, soak the tamarind in a bowl just covered with hot water. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes or till soft. Then squeeze the tamarind (while still in the water) with your fingers, to release the pulp from it. Squeeze till you get most of the pulp off and into the water. Now strain the liquid to remove pith and any seeds. Tamarind juice is now ready to use.
• Add enough tamarind juice or paste to your previously prepared Chutney to get a thick consistency.

Serve with anything :)

Beetroot Chutney

What all you will need :

2 Beetroots, Cooked and Peeled
2 Red Chilies (adjust acc to taste)
2 tbsp Urad Dal
"½ Coconut, Grated
1 tbsp Tamarind pulp
A pinch of Hing (Asafoetida)
Salt to taste
For the Seasoning :

2 tbsp Oil
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
1 tsp Turmeric Powder
Few Curry Leaves
Two pinches or Urd dal

How to make it :

• Fry Red Chilies and Urad Dal in little Oil. Remove when Urad Dal turns pink in color.
• Grind all the ingredients together to a paste. Remove to a bowl.
• Heat Oil and add Mustard Seeds,Urd dal, when it starts to splutter add Turmeric Powder and Curry Leaves.
• Pour this over the Chutney and serve.

Goes well with Dosa's, Phulkas and puri's :)

Carrot Chutney:

This is a boon to moms who are not able to get their kids to eat Carrots :) This is great with adai and works with regular dosa and idli. Here's the recipe:

What you will need :

Grated Carrots: 1-11/2 cups. I usually grate 2 medium carrots.
Roasted Groundnuts - 1/4 cup. Or 3 tablespoons
Red Chilli: 4-5 nos. I add about 7. S likes it spicy.
Garlic Pod: 1.
Tamarind: a small bit
Oil: 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder: 1 tablespoon
Salt : to taste

How to make it:

• Dry roast the garlic and chillies. Dump into the mixer.
• Add the roasted groundnuts.
• Now pour 1/4 tsp of oil and sautee the carrots for a few minutes.
• Add the corriander powder to the carrots and take it off the heat.
• Add the tamarind, salt and carrots into the mixer and blend well.

Carrot chutney is ready!

Note: You can add a quarter cup of roasted coconut if desired.

Peanut Brinjal Chutney

Peanuts brinjal chutney is a simple tasty chutney made by grinding the cooked brinjal and tomato to a fine thick paste. The addition of peanuts makes it have a taste similar to that of peanut chutney. It tastes best with steaming rice and hot ghee. Avaa used to make this and this always reminds me of her ..

What you will need to make this :

• 1 cup brinjal/ eggplant/ aubergine - cubed
• 1/2 cup tomatoes - cubed
• 2 tbs peanuts
• 1/2 cup ridge gourd (optional)
• 3 tsp coriander seeds
• 3-4 green chillies - chopped
• 5-6 - garlic cloves
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp oil
• Salt to taste
• 1/4 cup water

How to make this yummy chutney:

• Heat oil in a kadai. Once hot, throw in cumin seeds, garlic cloves, green chillies , coriander seeds, brinjal, tomatoes and ridge gourd.
• Cook covered for 10- 15minutes on a low flame. Once done, let this cool.
• Simultaneously heat another kadai and dry fry the peanuts for 3-5 minutes on a medium flame with constant sauteing. Once done, remove and let cool.
• Grind them all to a fine thick paste with little salt and little water. Adjust salt before serving.

Serve the yummy brinjal pachadi with rice topped with a generous spoonful of ghee and spicy crispy pappad. This can also be had with idly/ dosa/pongal and if you are as crazy as I am , with phulkas too.

Mango Pickle

Most of us from would have fond memories of climbing the Mango tree(s) either in our own houses or our grandmum's house or even better ( stolen from the neighbors house) . Come summer and so does all those wonderful memories. Apart from eating them raw with salt and chilly powder, for those with no patience to wait until you can pickle it after a couple of weeks, here is something easy and yummy that you can prepare a couple of hours before your meal.

Here is what you will need:

• Raw sour green mango - 1 large or 2 medium Chopped finely.
• Salt - 1 tsp ( Adjust according to your salt intake and the mango quantity)
• Red Chilli Powder: 1 1/2 tsp
• Ground Fenugreek Seeds: 1 tsp
• Asafoetida/hing: 1/2 tsp
• Gingelly Oil : 2 tablespoons ( you dont have this, go buy some! Not worth making the pickle without this :P )

How to make the pickle :

• Add salt to the chopped mangoes and leave it to soak it all up for an hour.
• Heat the oil, and when it is at a high temperature, add the powders and take it off the flame.
• Pour the oil mix into the mangoes. Taste to fix the hing/salt.
• Your pickle is ready !

This is amazing with Idli/ Dosa/ Phulkas / Curd rice and even bread :)

Bread Snack

I remember as a kid there were days when we had to gulp breakfast down as it was getting late for school and on top of that had a huge glass of milk to finish as well... This graduated to the bread and jam sandwich being dipped in milk for it to go down easier and from there came this wonderful recipe which I still snack on at times when i want something simple yet nutritive.

Here is what you will need ( for two ) :

• 4 - 6 slices of bread
• mixed fruit jam
• Warm / absolutely cold milk ( based on your preference)

How to make it :

• Make sandwiches of the bread and jam ( liberal jam is what I like :D ) and then roughly cut up each sandwich into 4 or 6 pieces each.
• Divide them equally into two bowls and pour milk into it
• Let it soak for about five minutes and then sit back and enjoy.

Kids will love this and you get to give them nutritious bread and milk and jam that they like :)

Ugadi Pachadi

Today is Ugadi - the New Year in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. It's the time to make new beginnings and realize new dreams and above all enjoy Ugadi pachadi. It is a sweet and sour pachadi or chutney made of tantalizing ingredients like raw mango, tamarind, jaggery and neem flowers and is a "MUST" on this day. Its quite easy to make. Let me tell you how.

What you will need :

• 2 tsp neem flowers
• 4 tsp crushed jaggery (gur)
• one small lemon size ball of tamarind made into thick tamarind water (imli)
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp oil
• 1 tbsp finely chopped raw mango
• 2 cups water

How to make it:

• Add the raw mango pieces to the tamarind water and bring to a boil until the mango pieces are tender.
• To this, add jaggery and let it cook till it melts and blends into the mixture.
• Remove from heat and keep aside
• Take a pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds let them splutter, add neem flower and fry till light brown. Add chilli powder , salt and mix well
• Add this tadka to the tamarind - mango juice
• Serve in small quantities as an accompaniment to the main course food or can be drunk as it is :)

Pori / Puffed Rice Snack

 Tomorrow is Ugadi and I'll be home for better part of the day.. I was wondering what to make when I suddenly remembered something I made a couple of months back that I really digged.. Its simple and can be done under five minutes provided you have all the required ingredients.

What you will need:

Puffed rice - 200gms
Peanuts - 50 gms
Dry red chillies -10 nos
Sugar - 1 tbsp
Salt - To taste
Curry leaves - 10 to 15 nos
Haldi - 1/4 tsp
Oil to fry

How to make it :

• Heat about 4 tbsps of oil in a huge kadai and fry the peanuts well.
• When you think they are done, drain them and keep them aside.
• In the same oil, dump the curryleaves, red chillies and fry for about slightly under a minute. Ensure you don't burn the chillies.
• Add the puffed rice to this. Also trow in the fried peanuts, sugar, salt and haldi.
• Mix well and turn off the flame once the puffed rice is all nice and crisp.

Voila ! We're done ! Store in air tight containers.

Capsicum fry

I've not been in the mood to cook of lately and my back has been acting up as well... An idea strikes :) - Rice, dal, Capsicum fry - Done !! This is one of the easiest side dishes I make and gets done under 7 minutes :)

What you will need :

• 1 large capsicum
• 1 teaspoon oil
• Some salt, garam masala, cumin seeds

How to make it :

• Heat the oil with cumin seeds
• Add large chopped pieces of capsicum
• Sautee for 2 mins and add salt and garam masala
• After another 3-4 minutes, take it off the stove.

Viola ! we are done :)

Curd Chutney

What you will need :

• 1 cup curd,
• 2 green chillies,
• 1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves,
• 1 tablespoon amchur powder
• salt to taste

How to make it :

• Finely chop the green chillies and mint leaves.
• Take a blender and add the curd, green chillies, mint leaves, amchur powder and salt. Blend well and serve with poppadoms.

This dish goes well with any of the fried starters/Kebabs and as a sandwich spread too :)

Jeera and Lahsun Chutney

What you will need :

2 tablespoons white cumin seeds,
2 garlic flakes,
2 green chillies,
5 tablespoons lemon juice
salt to taste.


How to make it :

1. Put the coconut, green chillies, ginger, roasted split gram and salt in a blender with a little water and grind to make a fine paste. Keep aside.
2. Prepare the tempering by heating the oil and adding the mustard seeds, red chilli and curry leaves and stirring till the mustard seeds crackle.
3. Pour this tempering over the chutney and mix well.
4. Refrigerate and use as required.

Beerakaya chutney

What you will need :

• Ridge gourd skin - 3 cups
• Onion - 1, sliced
• Tomato - 1, chopped
• Urad dal - 4 tbsp
• Red chillies - 8 or to taste
• Coriander seeds - 2 tbsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
• Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Curry leaves - few
• Salt - to taste
• Oil - 2 tbsp

How to make it :

• Wash the ridge gourds (beerakaya) and peel and chop the skin and keep aside.
• Take a pan and heat with 1/2 tbsp of oil and add mustard seeds.
• When they start to crackle add cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, coriander seeds, red chillies, urad dal and curry leaves.
• Saute for 3-5 mins or they turn into light golden yellow colour.
• Remove from flame and keep aside.
• In the same pan add another 1/2 tbsp of oil and heat.
• Now add sliced onions and chopped tomatoes and little quantity of salt.
• Cook on low flame till the onions become transparent and tomatoes become juicy.
• Remove from heat and keep aside.
• In the same pan add another 1/2 tbsp of oil and heat.
• Add ridge gourd peeled and chopped skin and little quantity of salt.
• Cook on low flame till the skin become tender.
• Remove from heat and keep aside.
• Allow the sauteed ingredients for some time.
• Then take a mixer jar and add the sauteed ingredients and grind to a coarse paste (don't add too much of water).
• Finally adjust salt and remove from the mixer jar and transfer into the serving bowl.
• Now your easy and tasty beerakaya pachadi is ready to serve :) Serve with steam white rice with ghee or with idlis or Dosa

Coconut Chutney

I am in the mood for chutney's today :) Let me share with you as many recipes I know until I run out of patience to type :P

What you will need :

• 1 cup coconut, grated
• 2 small green chillies, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ginger, grated
• 1 tablespoon roasted split gram ( optional )
• salt to taste

For the tempering :

• 1/2 teaspoon mustard
• 1 red chilli, broken into pieces
• 2 to 3 curry leaves
• 1 teaspoon oil

How to make it :

• Put the coconut, green chillies, ginger, roasted split gram and salt in a blender with a little water and grind to make a fine paste. Keep aside.
• Prepare the tempering by heating the oil and adding the mustard seeds, red chilli and curry leaves and stirring till the mustard seeds crackle. Pour this tempering over the chutney and mix well.
• Refrigerate and use as required.

Tomato Bath/ Tomato Khichidi

I don't feel like cooking today ... only because its not fun cooking for just one person.. So, I decided to cook something fast and yummy and something that would make me want to eat :) For those who hate the normal Upma, this is a good variation and is a hit with the kids as well.

What you will need :

• Sooji ½ cup
• Chopped tomatoes 2
• Chopped onion 1 small
• Green peas ¼ cup (optional)
• Grated carrot ¼ cup (optional)
• Curry leaves 6 to 8
• Finely chopped coriander 1 tbsp
• Bay leaf 1
• Cinnamon 1 inch
• Cardamom 3
• Cloves 2
• Ginger garlic paste
• Water one and a half cups
• Oil 1 to 2 tsp
• A pinch of turmeric
• Salt to taste

How to make it :

• Dry roast the sooji till a nice aroma comes out.
• Heat oil in a kadai and add bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamoms, and cloves.
• Add chopped onion and curry leaves. Fry till onions turn translucent.
• Add chopped tomatoes. and cook till tomatoes are done.
• Add turmeric powder, ginger garlic paste, green peas, and grated carrot. Fry for a minute or two.
• Add water and salt to taste, and bring to a boil.
• Add sooji slowly stirring continually to avoid formation of lumps. Cover and cook on a slow fire stirring occasionally till done.
• Serve hot garnished with chopped coriander and a dash of ghee.

It goes well with curd/ potato chips/ coconut chutney or eat it as it is :)

Poha upma

This is one of those evening when I don't feel like cooking but yet want to make something tasty and nutritious. I think of sabudana khichdi and then realize I have not soaked it and don't have the time to let it soak.. the next best option - Poha :) It is a favourite Maharashtrian dish, and eaten very frequently for breakfast and snacks.

What you will need :

• 1 1/2 cups poha
• 1/2 cup broken raw peanuts
• 1/2 cup green peas ( I prefer using Saffal Peas which is readily available in supermarkets)
• 2 green chilies sliced long ways
• 3 tablespoons oil
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• About 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
• Curry leaves - 4 - 5 nos

How to make it :

• Gently wash the poha and then drain all the water, else it will become one big clumpy mass.
• Roast the peanuts on medium heat in a little oil until they are lightly brown. Keep aside.
• Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium heat. Test the heat by adding one cumin seed to the oil; if the seed crackles right away then oil is ready.
• Add cumin seeds and mustard seeds after seeds crack add green chilies, curry leaves and stir for a few seconds.
• Next add the green peas and stir fry until peas are tender.
• Add turmeric, and salt and stir fry on medium heat continuously.
• Add the poha and for another 3-5 minutes.
• Remove from flame and fold in lime juice, cilantro and sugar.
• Serve hot and enjoy as it is or with tomato sauce / Coconut chutney/ Peanut chutney/ curd :)

Strawberry Jelly Slush Recipe

Who does not like Jelly ..? I still cannot stop myself from buying those jellos from the super market :) And when I have the time - Jelly and Custard ..... Yummmmm... This evening, I made something that I really like and will be an instant hit with both Kids and Grown ups :)

This is what you will need :

• 250 g Strawberries (chopped 2 cups)
• ¾ cup Sugar
• ½ tsp Salt
• ¼ tsp Strawberry Essence
• Few drops Red Color
• 1 cup Strawberry Jelly
• 2 glasses Water
• 10-12 Crushed Ice Cubes

How I made it:

• Place a large saucepan on fire and add strawberries, sugar and salt.
• Mix the ingredients to form a pulp and bring it to a boil.
• Remove from fire and cool down. Refrigerate.
• Prepare and set the jelly as per the instructions given on the packet.
• Pour the pulp, jelly chunks, red color, strawberry essence and water in a blender.
• Blend the mixture very lightly.
• Place some crushed ice in serving glasses.
• Pour the liquid into the glasses.
• Insert a straw and serve.

Sit back and Slurp away :)

Strawberry Milk Shake

Tis the season of Strawberries :) and apart from eating them as they are, there are just so many things one can do with this amazing and healthy fruit... Ive started with Strawberry Milkshake.. Kids love this flavour :)

What you will need:

• 1 cup of fresh strawberries
• 2 scoops of ice cream (vanilla / you could experiment with different flavors )
• 1 cup of milk

How to make it :

• Put the strawberries in a blender and puree it.
• To this, add ice cream and milk.
• Mix well and blend.

Serve in tall glasses with a few slices of strawberry fruit . Sit back and enjoy :)

Tamarind /Puli Sevai

I have an exam at work tomorrow and I need to cook something quick and tasty for dinner tonight so I have more time to study. I sometimes have a craving for anything tangy like vatha kozumbu, poondu kozumbu, fish gravy (Andhra style) and the like. Tonight, Tamarind sevai it is :)

This is what you will need (serves two) :

• Instant Sevai Mix /Rice noodles - 250 gms (readily available in the supermarket)
• Red chillies - 3
• Tamarind paste - 1/2 spoon
• Turmeric powder - a pinch or two
• Salt to taste

For seasoning :

• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Urad daal, - 1 tsp
• Channa daal, - 1 tsp
• Curry leaves - 3 to 4
• Hing - a pinch

A handful of roasted peanuts and Cilantro - for garnishing

How to make it :

• Cook the sevai/ Rice noodles as instructed on the pack and keep aside.
• In a pan heat little oil, pop mustard seeds, add turmeric powder, urad daal, channa daal, chillies, curry leaves and fry till the daals are golden brown.
• Add some water (about 1/4 cup) to the tamarind paste, dilute it and add this tamarind water.
• Let it boil till the raw smell goes and thickens.
• Turn off the stove and add the sevai/ boiled noodles and salt. Mix well.
• Garnish with cilantro and roasted peanuts.

This goes well with coconut chutney/ pottu kadalai chutney :)

Spring Onions Subji

I've always loved the flavor of spring onions and have never tried it in anything beyond Chinese, Italian or in Omlettes... I had decided to make dosas for dinner but did not want the same old combinations of chutney/ sambhar and the like...  I put this together last night as an accompaniment with Dosa's and it was awesome , if I may say so myself :) Here is how I made it :

What all you will need ( for two people) :

• Spring Onions : 1 -2 chopped
• Onion: 1/2 sliced thin
• Methi Seeds: 1/4 tsp
• Red Chillies: 2 broken
• Oil: to fry
• Sambar powder: 1- 1/2 tsp
• Hing: a small pinch
• Besan: 3/4 - 1 tablespoon.

How to make it :

• Heat oil in a pan, add the methi and red chilli when the oil is hot.
• Now add the sliced onions and fry for a few minutes.
• Now add the spring onions and saute for 2-3 minutes.
• Add the Sambar powder and saute for a minute.
• Add the Besan and stir well. fry for a few minutes.
• Now, add some water until you get some gravy.
• Allow it to boil for 2 minutes. Add salt to taste.

This can be had with Roti's also or as a sandwich spread as well :)

Soya Nuggets in Tomato Gravy

I've always had a fascination for soya nuggets and remember fishing them from the rice in Soya biryani or in any gravy they were in ... While I was staying over at a friends place until I got a rented place of my own in Hyd, I remember making this one evening for my friends kid, as an accompaniment with roti's..... and he polished the entire bowl :)

Here is what you will need :

• Soya chunks : 1 small bowl
• Tomato : 4 medium
• Cumin powder : 1 Tsp
• Green chillies : 2
• Ginger garlic paste : ½ Tsp
• Corn flour : 1 Tbsp heaped
• Salt : To taste
• Turmeric powder : A pinch
• Coriander powder : 1 tsp
• Garam masala : 1-1/2 Tsp
• Kasoori methi : 2 Tsp
• Oil : 1-2 Tsp
• Mustard seeds : ½ Tsp
• Curry leaves : 8-10

How I made it :

• Soak Soya chunks for about 20 minutes in warm salted water.
• Squeeze extra water and keep aside.
• Make puree of tomatoes and green chillies. Keep aside.
• Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds and add curry leaves.
• Add ginger-garlic paste and fry till it gets light brown.
• Add tomato puree, mix all spices and fry on low flame.
• Dissolve corn flour in some cold water and add into gravy. Adjust the thickness with water.
• Add soya chunks and cover the lid.
• Cook for about 5-7 minutes on low flame.
• Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve with chapatti or rice and ghee :)

Rasam

What do you do when you have bad cough and buy tabs but don't take them regularly - make Good Old Rasam :) I don't have a mixie at home right now so had to make it minus all the grinding of Jeera and Pepercorns that I would prefer..This came out just as good and I ended up drinking it instead of consuming it with rice . This is how I made it :

What all you will need :

Tomatoes: 2
Tamarind: Size of an amla soaked in about 2 cups of water
Rasam powder: 3 heaped teaspoons
Water: 2-3 cups
Hing: a pinch
Turmeric: a pinch
Mustard, Jeera: 1 tsp
Ghee: 2 teaspoons
Curry Leaves: 4-5
Corriander Leaves: to taste.
Jaggery: 1/4 tsp.

This is how I made it :

• Take the bowl, which has the tamarind soaking it in and sqeeze the tamarind well.
• Throw in a tomato, squeeze it into the water.
• In a saucepan, heat the ghee and fry the mustard, jeera and curry leaves.
• Pour the tamarind water.
• While waiting to boil, add the rasam powder, chopped tomato. salt, turmeric and hing.
• Let it boil for 10-15 minutes until the raw smell of tamarind vanishes.
• Now taste the rasam, add Jaggery to adjust the taste.
• Finish with corriander leaves!

Mix it with rice as an accompaniment or drink it straight from a cup :)

Mooli Paratha's ( Radish )

I remember my mum making this for me when I was in school and it used to be YUMMY !! Today, Mooli Parathas it is :) There is no extra work to be done except for grating the radish of course :D

What all you will need :

• Radish - 2 nos ( you an use either red/white.. )
• Atta - 2 cups
• Salt to taste
• Green chilli - cut into small roundels ( optional for those who like it spicy)
• Water to knead the dough
• Oil - 2 tbsps to mix with Atta

What you need to do :

• Grate the radish and add it directly into the atta to be kneaded.
• Knead the dough with salt to taste and some oil and water and chillies if adding any.
• Please keep in mind that the radish will give out water and so the paratha's need to be rolled out and cooked immediately.
• Eat them hot with bullseye/ curd with chilli powder/ pickle.

Hope you like it !

Gobi Paratha's

Hmm...  ain't it kinda unfair that roti's and parathas do not get limelight?  Tonight I made Gobi parathas...Let me tell you how I made them .

What you need to do half an hour earlier :

Keep aside:

Cauliflower - 1 medium sized
Jeera - 1/2 tsp
Haldi - 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 3/4 tsp ( adjust according to taste)
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste

Also knead the atta and keep it covered with a wet cloth. The longer it stands, the better the roti's come out :)

What you do with it :

Take the cauliflower and grate it all up.
Take a kadai and heat about 2 tablespoons of oil in it and throw in some cumin. When it is starts spluttering, add the grated gobi, haldi, chilli powder, garam masala and salt to taste - all together.
Saute all this for about three to four minutes until the water given out by the gobi has all evaporated.
Take off the gas and allow to cool till room temperature.

Just half an hour before you want to eat dinner :

Roll out the Chapathi like you normally do, just a little smaller.
Put in about 2 tablespoons of the gobi masala in the middle of the chapathi.
Fold the chapathi in from all four sides like a square.
Dust this in some atta and roll out into paratha's taking care not to let the filling spill outside.
Cook on a tava as you normally make paratha's.

Enjoy with Pudina chutney /curd with chilli powder/ pickle :)

P.s: You can apply a little ghee on the paratha just before serving ;)

Dal Makhni

There is place in Hyderabad called " Angeethi " (Near city Centre) where you get the yummiest Dal Makhni .. I shifted residence to an all girls PG and they introduced me to this place !.I tried making it at home and it came out well :)

Here's how I made it..
What you need to do the previous night before going to bed :

Urad Dal: 1/2 cup [The whole ones with black skin]
Red Kidney Beans/Rajma: 1/2 cup

• Soak the two overnight.

When you are ready to start cooking the next day :

• Pressure Cook with salt, 2 crushed garlic pods, half a sliced onion, 1 teaspoon of grated ginger, a tiny pinch of turmeric and a teaspoon of red chilli powder.
• This takes about 20-30 minutes to cook.
• The dals must be soft and mashed.

Then ...

• Heat a pan with some oil and 2 tablespoons of butter ( is essential for the yumminess ! ), throw in some cumin seeds.
• Add 4 pods of garlic and 1 inch piece of ginger, chopped. Fry for a minute.
• Now add one medium onion- chopped.
• Cook until onions are browned.
• Add a teaspoon of ground garam masala and red chilli powder.
• Add 2 chopped tomatoes.
• Cook until the oil leaves the side.
• Add this to the dal mix and stir well.
• Add 2 tablespoons of cream and mix.
• Leave this on a low flame for about 20 minutes.

Let it simmer away and you have some yummy dal!

When you serve, add a teaspoon of butter and a drop of cream. It is awesome with Naan's , phulka's or even, all by itself :)

Double Beans Subji / Porial

This has been one of my favorite dishes while growing up. However, I have not seen much of this in Hyderabad.. The other day I happened to chance upon a packet of these delicious beans and away they came home with me :) Here is how I made this yummy curry ..

Things I Needed : Ingredients:

Double beans 1/2 cup
Onion 1 no.
Turmeric 1/8 tsp
Curry leaves 1 sprig
Salt As needed
Coconut oil 1 tsp (optional)

To Grind:

Coriander seeds 1/2 tblsp
Coconut 2 tblsp
Red chillies 3-4 nos.
Garlic 1 flake
Black pepper whole 1/2 tsp
Jeera 1/2 tsp

To Temper:

Mustard 1 tsp
Urad dal 1 tsp
Oil 2 tsp

How I Made It :

• Soak the double beans overnight and pressure cook the next day,for 3-4 whistles.
• Cut onion length wise and keep aside.
• Grind the ingredients under the "To Grind" table,to a powder.
• Heat oil in kadai and add mustard,urad dal and then add curry leaves and onion,fry till onion turns out golden brown.
• Then add the cooked beans,salt and turmeric and fry in medium flame for 2 minutes.
• Add the ground masala powder and add enough water to the beans to make a gravy.
• Mix well and cook in low flame,till the water completely evaporates.Keep turning in between to avoid burning.
• Fry till the masala turns golden brown.
• If desired add coconut oil at the end and transfer to the serving bowl and Serve as accompaniment for rice.

Hope You Like It !! :)

Chilli Paneer

It all started out with the usual conversation  in my head- "wat do I make for dinner tonight?" and the usual response - "Anything"! And then "Anything" becomes Noodles and "Chilly Paneer" :)

I thought it would be a change from the usual - Dal chaval or Roti Subjii and turned out quite well, if I may say so myself ( I am modest, na .? :D)

I did make a few changes here and there as I did not have the required ingredients and was too lazy to go out and buy them at 8:00 in the evening .. So here goes -

Ingredients required :

A slab of Paneer ( readily available in the Super market) cubed - 200 gms should do fine
One medium Onion - Sliced
One medium capsicum - Either cut them into long slices or into squares
4-5 garlic pods - crushed
3-5 Green chillies - julienned (for the look)
Vegetable soup powder - 2 tablespoons - Mixed in half a cup of water (instead of veg stock)
Corn flour - 3 tablespoons
Soya Sauce - 2 tablespoons
Green Chilli Sauce - 1 tablespoon
Pepper - 1/2 tsp
Oil - to shallow fry the paneer
Salt to taste
Spring onions - 1 tbsp to garnish/ 1 tbsp fry
1/4 tsp Ajino motto ( i didn have any, so didn use any but came out well all the same)

How I Made It :

1. After I cut the paneer , I dusted it in the cornflour and then shallow fried them till they were golden brown on all sides and put it aside on a tissue for the excess oil to drain.
2. In a pan, I heated about 2 tablespoons of oil and when warm , dumped the crushed garlic with a tablespoon of spring onions and waited for the garlic to brown a bit and then, in went the onions, capsicum and green chillies that were sauted for about a couple of minutes.
3. When the onions started turning a shade of pink, I added the fried paneer pieces, the vegetable soup powder mixed in water, soya sauce, chilli sauce, pepper powder, salt to taste and mixed it well.
4. In the meantime, I mixed the remaining cornflour with about one third cup of water and then when the mixture in the pan started boiling, I stirred in the blended cornflour and cooked it on high heat, stirring and tossing until the sauce thickened to coat the paneer and the vegetables.
5.Serve immediately., garnished with remaining spring onions.


P.s: Don't forget to thank me for the compliments you receive ;)