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 ! :)

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.

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 :)

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 :)

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 :)

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 !! :)

AMBAT BATATA (Tangy Potato Curry)

This is something I tried over the weekend and actually came out quite well.. AMBAT BATATA

What you will need :
2 medium size potatoes
3/4 cup grated coconut
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 + 1/2 tsps fenugreek seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
a pinch of asafoetida
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp red chilli powder
1-2 tsp tamarind paste (or a marble size ball of tamarind soaked in water)
salt & jaggery to taste
oil

How to make this:
Peel potatoes, wash and quarter them (make wedges). Toast a teaspoon of fenugreek seeds in a pan until aromatic. Grind along with coconut and cumin seeds into a smooth paste, adding water as required. Keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, remaining fenugreek seeds and asafoetida. Once the seeds begin to pop add the cut potatoes. Stir once. Add turmeric, red chilli powder, tamarind water and jaggery. Add just enough water to cook the potatoes and cover the pan.

When potatoes are done add the coconut paste. Mix well. Adjust seasoning. Bring to a boil on low heat. Serve hot with rotis.

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.

Kakarakaaya Ullikaram Kura

Ingredients:

• Karela - medium size 4
• Onions - medium size 5
• Dry red chillies - 10 or 12
• Corriander seeds - 3 tsp
• Jeera(cumin seeds) - 1 tsp
• Garlic cloves - 4
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Salt
• Oil

Seasoning :

• Curry leaves
• Mustard seeds
• Cumin seeds

Method:

• Wash and peel the bitter gourd and cut each into two halves.
• Carefully remove the seeds from inside the bittergourd using back portion of the spoon so that it is hollow inside.
• Deep fry the karela s until they are golden brown.
• Roast red chillies, cumin seeds and coriander seeds and grind them.
• Take 1 tsp of oil and fry chopped chunks of onion just for 2-3 mts.
• Now grind coarsely fried onions and garlic in a blender.
• Mix everything: onions, roasted powder, salt and turmeric powder.
• Take this mixture and stuff little bit in the karelas and leave the rest for gravy.
• Take a wide pan, add 3 tbsp of oil, add seasoning: karipatta, mustard seeds, cumin seeds and fry this left over masala for some time.
• Add stuffed kakar kaayalu, adjust water 1 or 1.5 cups of water, and let it cook on medium heat for 15 mts.
• Turn the karelas once every 5 minutes.
• Can have this Kakara kaaya ullikaram kura with rice or chapatis. :)

Sambar Baked Potatoes

Ingredients

4 medium potatoes (with jacket), washed thoroughly and cut into chunks
1/2 tbsp sambar/vegetable curry powder
1/2 tsp heaped tumeric powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ginger powder
1/2 tsp amchur (mango powder)
1 tsp sweet paprika or chilli powder for spiciness
pinch of salt
2-3 tbsp olive oil coriander leaves, chopped

Method
1. Parboiled potato pieces until half cooked, drained and shake them a bit to make them fluff
2. Mix all the other ingredients except coriander leaves to the potatoes and mix them until well incorporated
3. Line a baking pan with aluminum and arrange the potatoes onto the pan
4. Bake the potatoes in a preheated oven of about 200C for 30mins
5. Once crispy, add chopped coriander and mix well
6. Serve hot with rice or flat bread

Note :A variation can be that after step 2. Heat a little oil in a heavy bottomed kadai and keep frying until crisp and fully cooked :)

Baked Potato with Eggplant

Pretty easy peasy -  Here is what you need to do:

• Pre-heat the oven to 400°F.
  

• Cut the potatoes and egg plants length wise with a knife or by using a slicer. Arrange the potatoes evenly in a microwave safe dish and cook for one minute.
  

Take an oven safe dish and brush the pan with olive oil, place the potatoes and egg plants and bake for 10 minutes. Once done, take it out and allow them to cool for few minutes. Mix the cut veggies with 1 tbsp olive oil, red chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and ¼ tsp turmeric. You can add spices according to your taste.

• Preheat the broiler, Place the veggies about 4 inches from the broiler and cook until golden brown, this should take less than 5 to 10 minutes. Watch carefully, as it may take only couple minutes to cook. I remove the pan in between to turn the veggies over for more crispness on all sides.
  

Serve with rice or chapattis :)

Notes:
Potatoes need more time to bake, so I cooked in microwave for 1 minute and baked them, if you are baking only pototoes you can avoid the microwave step and bake for 15 minutes.

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.

Potatoes on fire or is it your tongue :)

Roll up your sleeves and try this fiery potatoes. It is a wonderful accompaniment to rotis.


Ingredients

• Small fresh potatoes - 12 - 15 nos
• Dried red chilly - 7 - 10 nos
• Cumin Seeds - 1.5 tsp
• Garlic - 4 cloves
• Oil - 6 tbsp
• Tomato Paste - 2 tbsp
• Tamarind paste - 1 tsp
• Curry leaves - 5 to 6
• Sugar -1 tsp
• Hing - a pinch
• Salt to taste
• Cilantro for garnish

Method

• Boil potatoes until tender and drain.
• Soak the chillies in water for 5 minutes. Drain and grind with cumin and garlic to a coarse paste.
• Heat the oil in a pan. Fry all ingredients, except the potatoes until the oil separates.
• Add potatoes and cook for another 7- 10 minutes in reduced heat and covered.
• Garnish with cilantro.

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 :).

Cabbage Coconut Subji

INGREDIENTS:

1 cabbage finely cut

1/2 cup fresh coconut or dry coconut

2 green chilies

2 tbsp ginger finely cut

8-10 curry leaves

1 tbsp mustard seeds

1 tbsp urad dal

1 tbsp jeera

METHOD:

1. Place a pan on the stove ,when hot add 1 tbsp oil add urad dal ,mustard,jeera,green chilies , ginger and curry leaves

2. When mustard starts to splutter add cabbage

3. Fry cabbage for 2 minutes and when cabbage turn little brown add coconut

4. Mix well and salt and fry for another 4-5 minutes till cabbage turns translucent

Serve hot with roti's especially Phulka's :)