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.

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 :)

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 :)

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

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 :)

Sindhi KadiI

This tangy curry is traditionally made by the Sindhi community from Northern India. Serve it with a long-grained, fragrant rice like Basmati. Since it's full of vegetables and made with tomatoes and gram flour, it's also nutritious.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Toor/ Tuvar Daal (split yellow pigeon peas)
• 8-10 large tomatoes sliced thick
• 3 tbsps vegetable/ canola/ sunflower cooking oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
• 2 green chillies slit lengthwise
• 1/4 tsp asafetida powder
• 3 tbsps bengal gram flour (besan)
• 1 tsp red chilli powder (optional)
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 cup baby okra (whole or with tops and tails trimmed)
• 1 cup beans cut into 2" pieces
• 1 cup carrot cut into thick slices
• Salt to taste

Preparation:

• Soak the Toor/ Tuvar Daal in hot water for 1 hour.
• Boil the Daal in a pressure cooker with water and the tomatoes till done. To do this, once you have closed the pressure cooker cook on a high flame till you hear the first whistle (pressure release). Now reduce the flame to a simmer and cook till you hear 2 more whistles. Turn off the fire.
• Whisk the Daal and add hot water (if necessary) till you get a smooth, soup-like consistency.
• Heat the oil in a pan on a medium flame. Add the cumin and fenugreek seeds, green chillies and asafetida. Cook till the spluttering stops.
• Now add the gram flour. Cook till the raw aroma of the gram flour is gone - it will turn pale brown.
• Now add the red chilli powder and turmeric powder and turn off the flame.
• Add this mix to the Daal. Season with salt to taste.
• Add the vegetables and cook till done.
• Serve piping hot with a long-grained, fragrant rice like Basmati and Poppadums (papad).

Tomato Kadi

Tangy, tasty and so simple to make, Tomato Kadhi goes really well with plain boiled rice. It's also full of veggies, so it's good for you too.

Ingredients:

• 15 large tomatoes
• 3 tbsps vegetable/ canola/ sunflower cooking oil
• 2 green chillies slit lengthwise
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 10 curry leaves
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• Salt to taste
• 3 cups mixed vegetables - cauliflower, carrot, green beans, baby okra
• Fresh chopped coriander leaves to garnish

Preparation:

• Cut the tomatoes into quarters and boil in 3 cups of water till soft. Mash well and strain through a soup sieve to make purée. Add enough water to this to get a thin soup consistency. Put back on the stove and bring to a boil.
• While the tomato purée is boiling, heat the oil in a small pan on a medium flame. Add the mustard, fenugreek and cumin seeds, green chillies and curry leaves to the oil and fry till the spluttering stops.
• Immediately add this mix to the tomato purée and mix well. Add the red chilli powder, salt and the mixed vegetables and stir. Simmer and cook till vegetables are done.
• Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve with hot plain boiled rice.

Lentil Dumpling Curry

Ingredients: For curry:
Tamarind marble size
Onion small sized sliced 1
Tomato chopped 1
Turmeric 1/4 tsp
Sambar Powder 1 tsp

For tempering:
Mustard seeds 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves few
Garlic sliced 3
Fenugreek seeds 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida a pinch

For dumplings:
Toor dal 1/2 cup
Coconut shredded 4 tsp
Garlic 1
Fennel seeds 1/4 tsp
Dried red chilli 1 -2
Turmeric powder a pinch
Curry leaves 5
Asafoetida 3 pinches
Salt to taste

Method:

For dumplings:
Soak toor dal in hot water for 20 minutes.Now Grind all the dumpling ingredients and toor dal coarsely in a blender. Take 3-4 tsps of the paste and keep aside for curry. Make rounds and steam them in a idli cooker for about 8 - 15 minutes.

For curry:
In a sauce pan heat oil and all the tempering ingredients and saute until garlic turns golden brown, then add onions and saute till brown. Add tomato and saute till it turns soft.Pour the tamarind pulp, water , sambar powder, turmeric powder, salt and the dumpling paste and bring it to a boil. It should take about 10 to 15 minutes. Then add the dumplings to the curry and let it cook for about 8 - 10 minutes. Dont stir much coz the dumplings might break. Serve hot with rice.

Tips:

1.To the ground paste you add finely chopped onions for both curry and lentil fries.

2. Add more of the ground paste to the curry for a thicker consistency.

Bittergourd curry

Ingredients:

• Bittergourd medium sized 2
• Toor dal 1/2 cup
• Tamarind marble sized
• Pitlai powder 1 1/2 tsps
• Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
• Salt to taste

For tempering: 

• Oil 1/2 tsp
• Mustard seeds 1/4tsp
• curry leaves few

Method:

• Cook toor dal until soft. 
• Soak tamarind in water and extract pulp. 
• Chop bittergourd into semicircular pieces.
• In a saucepan heat oil, pop mustard seeds and then add curry leaves, bittergourd, turmeric powder and salt. Saute and let it cook for about 5 minutes. 
• Add tamarind extract and let it cook for a couple of minutes. Finally add the pitlai powder and cooked dal -  cover the pan and let it cook for a few minutes. 
• Serve hot with rice or rotis.

Banana stem in yogurt curry

Ingredients:

Banana stem 10′’ long

Yogurt 1 cup

Mustard seeds 1/4tsp

Curry leaves few

Coconut oil 1tsp

Salt to taste

For the paste:

Grated coconut 1 1/2 cups

Rice 2 tsbps

Green chillies 2 -3

Method:

Soak rice in hot water for about 15 minutes. Blend the coconut with rice and green chillies to a smooth paste. Peel off the outer skin of the stem. Slice into thin round slices, discard the fibre, then chop the slices to half inch pieces and soak them in diluted buttermilk( this is to retain its color). Wash the vegetable until the water is clear. Now heat 2 cups of water in a saucepan, add salt and steam the banana stem until soft, drain water and keep aside. Heat coconut oil in a saucepan, pop mustard seeds, add curry leaves , the cooked vegetable and stir in gently. Add the beaten yogurt, salt and the ground paste.Simmer and stir occasionally until the curry thickens a little. Serve hot with rice.

Muttai Masaala Kuzhambu:(Country Style)

Ingredients:

• Eggs 8-10 (country chicken eggs)
• Small onions 1 cup or use red onions instead
• Green chilies 3 slitted
• Country tomatoes small 3
• Garlic 6 cloves crushed
• Ginger 5" made into paste
• Tamarind 1/2 spoon
• Curry leaves few
• Salt
• Turmeric powder 1/2 spoon
• Chili powder 1 spoon
• Cinnamon stick 2
• Cloves 2
• Fennel seeds 1 spoon
• Coconut piece 4" size made into paste
• Whole Peppercorns 3-4
• Sesame oil 1 cup.

Method:
In a wide-thick bottomed vessel, heat oil. Add cinnamon, cloves, fennel seeds and green chilies to it. Fry them for few minutes.
Followed by add, onion and fry them till golden color. Now add ginger and garlic to it. Fry them till it loses its raw odour.
Then add tomatoes and fry them till it looses its water content.
Now add salt, turmeric and chili powder and followed by tamarind paste to it. Add enough water and cook them well covered.
Once it comes to thick gravy stage add coconut paste to it. Let it boil real well.

Now hold each egg on top of this gravy, break them and drop them in this gravy. Do it one after other. Do not break all the eggs at the same place of the gravy. Its better to use a wide-mouthed vessel for this gravy so that you could have enough room for all your eggs.

Well....do not use any spatula after breaking in the eggs. Maybe you could cover and cook them over medium heat. It may take just 5-7 minutes or so.Let it stand for 1-2 hours after this. So that all the spicy juice-the gravy will be well incorporated in your eggs. It will be yummy when served along with steam cooked rice. (hint.. Basmathi ;) )

Maybe you could garnish with crisply fried curry leaves.

Vatha Kozhambu

What you will need :

• Small onions -12
• Sundaikkai vatthal-2 tsp
• Halved urad dhal-1/2 cup
• Gingely oil -1/4 cup
• Curry leaves
• Salt to tsaste
• Peppercorn-1tsp
• Sambar powder - 2 tsp
• Tamarind-1 small lemon size

For Seasoning:

• Mustard seeds
• Halved urad dhal-1tsp
• Curry leaves

How to make it :

• First soak the tamarind in luke warm water.
• Add oil in a tava and when the oil is hot add mustard seeds,urad dhal and little curry leaves.
• When mustard splutters then add onions,sudaikkai vatthal and fry it till golden brown..
• Add sambar powder and roast it a bit . Add the tamarind water alone and salt allow it to boil for 7 min. When it is thick add curry leaves.
• Powder urad dhal(2-tsp)and peppercorns and add it to the boiling mixture.

For Seasoning..

1.Heat coconut oil in a tava
2.Add mustard seeds and urad dhal(1tsp)and little curry leaves..
3.When it splutters,pour it in the kozhambu.


P.s: When the mixture is not thick,make a paste with rice flour and add it to the boiling mixture.
Sundakkai vathal can be brought in South Indian grocery shops.

MOOGHAMBAT (Mooghagathi/ Moong Sprouts Curry) - A variation.

Ingredients:
For curry
2 cups moong bean sprouts
4-5 cashews, broken into pieces (optional)
1/2 tsp tamarind paste
salt to taste

For masala 
1 1/2 tbsp coriander seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
5-6 peppercorns
3-4 dry red chillies (adjust to taste)
3/4 cup fresh/ frozen grated coconut
1/4 tsp turmeric powder

For seasoning 
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
a pinch of asafoetida
5-6 curry leaves

Method :
Combine sprouts, cashew pieces and a pinch of salt in a sauce pan. Add enough water to cover and cook until sprouts are tender but hold their shape. If you use a pressure cooker be careful that the beans don't turn mushy. Drain the sprouts while reserving the water.

Meanwhile heat a skillet on moderate heat. Roast all ingredients for the masala (except coconut and turmeric) until aromatic. Add coconut and roast for 1-2 minutes. Remove and grind along with turmeric into a fine paste using a little water.

Heat oil in a sauce pan. Add mustard seeds, asafoetida and curry leaves. Next add coconut masala. Saute for a minute.Add cooked sprouts and as much reserved pulse stock as needed to make the curry of desired consistency.

Season to taste. Add tamarind paste and mix well. Bring to a gentle boil. Serve hot with rice or roti.

Note : This curry can also be made with black eyed peas/ chawli.

Sprouted Moong Dhal Gravy

Ingredients:

• Moong Dhal - 3 Cups (sprouted)
• Tomato - 2
• Onion - 1/2
• Red Chillies - 2
• Tamarind paste - 1 tsp
• Cumin - 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds and urad dhal for tadka - 1 tsp
• Coconut milk - 2 tbsps
• Rasam or sambhar powder - 1 tsp
• Potato - 1/2 diced into cubes

Method:

• Fry the onion,red chillies and tomato in a tsp of oil and let it brown.
• Grind the tomato, red chillies, tomatoes along with the tamarind paste and coconut milk.
• In a pan with a tsp of oil, add tadka ,  the cooked moong dhal, potatoes , the ground mixture along with the sambhar powder and let it simmer.
• Add salt to taste and coriander leaves for garnish. Serve with piping hot basmati rice.

Cabbage Mirapakayala Pachadi ( Cabbage & Red Chilies Pickle)

This pickle can be made in 2 ways one use home red chilly pickle (yerra mirapakala karam) or use the store brought priya red chili pickle. Let me warn you if you are not a fan of spicy pickles then this is not for you. On the other hand if you are like me and enjoy the spiciness then this will be one of your favorites for sure :) You can make this with cabbage, dondakaya (tindora fresh ones are the best), raw mangoes.This will not stay for long meaning and needs to eaten fresh or else vegetables added get soggy.

Ingredients

1 cup red chilli pickle

1 cup cabbage cut finely

Tadka

1 tbsp jeera
1 tbsp urad dal
1 tbsp mustard seeds
4-5 Red. chilies
a pinch of hing
2 tbsp oil for tempering

Method

1. Mix red chilly pickle with cabbage and keep aside
2. In a small pan, add oil. When hot add all the ingredients for tadka.
3.  When mustard starts to splutter add this to cabbage mixture and mix well.

When eaten with hot rice and ghee the taste explodes in your mouth begging you for more :).

Gumadikaya Pulusu (Pumpkin Stew)

INGREDIENTS:

• ½ pumpkin cut into small cubes, with the skin on
• 1 small onion sliced thinly
• 1 small tomato cubed
• 3-4 drum sticks
• 1 Green chili (adjust accordingly)
• Tamarind size of a quarter
• Salt
• Haldi
• 3-4 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp Rice flour
• For Thadka
• 1 tbsp Urad dal
• 1 tbsp Jeera
• 1 tbsp Mustard seeds
• ½ tbsp hing
• 8-10 curry leaves
• 2-3 red chilies

METHOD:

1. In a pan add 2 cups water, add tamarind ,Pumpkin, onions, tomato, G.chili, salt and haldi
2. Allow it to boil until Pumpkins are fork tender
3. Now add sugar and check for salt once again, adjust accordingly
4. In a separate bowl add few drops of water to rice flour and make into a thin consistency
5. Add the above rice flour mixture to boiling pot with veggies mix well, adding rice flour with start to thicken pulusu
6. Now is a separate pan add oil and all the ingredients for tadhka, when mustard seeds start to splutter add the above to pulusu
7. Mix pulusu well and allow it to boil for another 3-4 minutes
Garnish with coriander and serve hot !

Punjabi Kadi

Ingredients :

• 2 cups dahi/Yogurt/ curd
• 2 tbsps besan/ gram flour
• 1/2 onion cut vertically
• 3 garlic cloves chopped finely
• 2 tbsp garlic chopped finely
• 1 tbsp kasoori methi
• 2-3 red chilies
• 8-10 curry leaves
• 1 tbsp jeera
• 1/2 tspn methi seeds
• haldi
• salt according to taste

Method:

1. Heat a tbsp of oil, (traditionally ghee is used) add jeera, methi seeds, ginger, garlic , kasoori methi, haldi, r.chilies and curry leaves
2. Add finely cut onions and saute till these turn translucent
3. In a separate bowl mix yogurt, besan and chili powder with water to make it a consistency of thick lassi
4. Add the above mixture to sauteed onions add salt and mix well
5. Allow to boil till about 5 minutes or you see big bubbles

Serve hot with puhlka/roti's very delicious and nutritious too !

Aloo Palak Sabji ( Potato Spinach Curry)

Ingredients

• 3 Potatoes peeled and cubed
• 2 cups spinach ,washed and juliennes
• 1 tbsp Ginger Garlic paste
• 1 tspn Jeera
• 1 tspn Haldi
• 1 tbsp of any type of Masala's (garam masala, all spice masala or any home made masala's)
• 1 tbsp oil for frying
• Salt according to taste

Method

1. Heat a tbsp of oil in a pan, add Jeera, Ginger Garlic paste and Haldi
2. Then add chopped Spinach ,fry till the rawness is done or spinach seems done partially usually about a minute or 2
3. Add cubed Potatoes, mix well with Spinach add salt and sprinkle a little water
4. When Potatoes are cooked add Masala, Mix well and remove from heat

Serve hot with Roti's, Puhlka or even with Rice :)