Tomato Chutney in 5 minutes :)

Ingredients

• Tomatoes - 2 medium
• Onion- 1
• Garlic - 4 pods
• Curry leaves - 5
• Coriander leaves - 4 springs
• Chilli powder - 1 tsp
• salt to taste
• Oil - 1 tsp

Method

Chop onion and tomato. Heat oil in a tawa and fry chopped onion, then curry leaves. Once its little brown, then add tomatoes. Fry for a while, then add salt and chilli powder. Remove and cool.

Run it for one or two rounds in mixie with garlic pods and coriander leaves. The chutney should be a little coarse.

This tastes fantastic with Dosa / Phulka s / Idlis or even with bread :)

Vendakai (OKRA / BHINDI ) Kurma

Ingredients :

• Bindi / Okra / Bendakaya - 250 gms
• Onions - 1
• Tomatoes - 2
• Ginger Garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
• Chili Powder - 1 tsp
• Coriander Powder/Paste - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder a pinch
• Coconut paste - 1 tbsp
• Oil - 1 tbsp
• Mustard seeds - for seasoning
• Curry leaves
• Coriander Leaves for garnishing
• Peanut / Groundnut Powder - 1 tbsp

Method :

Wash and pat dry the bhindi s. It has to be real dry. Cut into 1 inch pieces. Fry on dry tawa till it changes bright green in colour. Keep aside.

Heat Oil add mustard seeds, curry leaves. Then add chopped Onions, sauté till they are brown in colour. Then add ginger garlic paste. Fry well

Then add tomatoes, chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and salt. Cook till tomatoes are well cooked. Then add the Bhindi and mix well. Add Coconut paste with water. Cook on high flame for 5 mins. Simmer for 10 mins until the gravy thickens.

Finally add peanut powder and Coriander leaves and cook for 2 mins.

Curd Brinjal

Ingredients 

• 1 Brinjal
• Curry leaves
• Mustard, Fenugreek, Cumin, Kala Jeera and fennel seed
• 250gm of Curd
• 1 tea spoon of Sugar
• Salt to taste
• 2 Green chilies
• Small piece of Ginger
• A pinch of turmeric
• Oil for frying

Method

• Cut brinjal into thin 2-inch long pieces.
• Mix turmeric and salt in brinjal
• Deep fry the brinjal pieces and keep aside.
• Mix yogurt gently with sugar, salt and little water and fried brinjals.
• Heat one table spoon of oil in a pan and put the panch puran and allow them
to splutter. Add green chillies and ginger and fry them and then add curry
leaves.
• Then add it to yogurt.

Vegetable Spring Rolls

Ingredients:-

Flour - 50 gm
Corn flour - 50 gm
Egg(beaten) - 1 no
Water - As required
Garlic(grated) - 30 gm
Carrot(grated) - 50 gm
Cabbage(grated) - 60 gm
Capsicum(grated) - 60 gm
Beans - 50 gm
Sugar - 1/2 tbsp
Soya sauce - 1 1/2 tbsp
Salt - As required
Pepper - As required
Oil - As required

Method

Mix together flour, corn flour and beaten egg along with required water to get a idli or dosa batter.
Place a nonstick pan over the stove.
When it is hot, pour some batter over the pan and make pancakes.
Repeat the procedure for the remaining batter.
Heat oil in an Aluminum vessel.
Add garlic and saute well.
Add carrot, cabbage, capsicum and beans and saute well.
Add sugar, soya sauce, salt and pepper and saute and mix well.
Switch off the flame.
Place the pancakes over the table.
Put the cooked vegetable mix over the pancakes.
Roll them well and lock it with a pick.
Heat oil in a frying pan.
Fry the rolled pancakes in it.
Remove them onto a plate when they turn golden brown.

Microwave Magic - Mushroom Malai Curry !!

Ingredients

Fresh mushrooms- 1 packet ,washed and sliced
Onion- 1 medium, finely chopped
Tomato puree- 4-5 tbsp
Garam masala- 1 tsp
Ginger+garlic paste- 1/2 tsp
Fresh coriander for garnish
Fresh cream- 1 tbsp
Desi ghee- 2 tbsp
Cayenne pepper-1/4 tsp
Salt and pepper to taste 

Method

Heat ghee in a large microwave proof dish, add onions+ginger and garlic paste and microwave on high for 5 minutes or till onions are slightly golden ,add all the other ingredients except for cream and coriander , along with 1/2 cup hot water and microwave again for 10-15 minutes , stir in cream , garnish with coriander and serve with hot chapatis or rice.... SIMPLE, EASY AND DELICIOUS!

Add tender peas too if you like!

Spicy Tomato Rasam

INGREDIENTS

2 large ripe healthy tomatoes
4 cups water or top water of boiled dal (stock)
2 whole red chillies
1 stalk curry leaves
1 tiny sprig mint leaves
1 tiny sprig coriander leaves
1-2 flakes garlic grated
2-3 pinches clove-cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp. sambar masala
8-10 peppercorns
1 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
2 pinches asafoetida
1 marble sized ball of jaggery or 1/2 tsp. sugar
1 small strip tamarind
1 tbsp. ghee or oil
salt to taste

METHOD

Put whole tomatoes in boiling water, simmer for 3 minutes, keep aside for 5 minutes.Heat 1/4 tsp. oil in a small pan, add pepper corns and 1 tsp. cumin seeds.Roast till aromatic, grind in a mortar or under a stone till powdered. Keep aside.Remove tomatoes from water, peel away the broken skin.Grate or mash till fine.To the thick pulp, add roasted whole chillies, all leaves, all masalas, salt, tamarind, jaggery and mash well either with hand or with a hand blender.The ingredients should have blended well into the pulp.Take in a deep pan, add stock or water.Heat ghee in a small pan, add mustard and remaining cumin seeds, asafoetida and allow to splutter.Add garlic and stir, add carefully to the rasam.Bring to a boil, check spices and salt and adjust.Simmer for 2-3 minutes. Keep aside covered for 10 minutes before serving.
Serve hot as a soup or with steaming hot plain rice and papads.

Baingan Bhaja

INGREDIENTS:

Large eggplant(baingan/brinjal)-1
Garlic paste-1 tbsp
Ginger paste-1 tbsp
Red chili powder/ Paprika-1 tsp
Turmeric powder-1 tsp
Mustard powder-1 tbsp
Coriander powder-1 tbsp
Corn flour-1 tbsp
Roasted gram flour - 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Oil for frying-1 ½ cup
Chat Masala - 1 tsp
Vinegar - 1 tbsp
Tomato slices - 4-5
Dried mango powder - 1 tsp
Mint leaves - 2-3
Ranch or white sauce -1 tsp

METHOD

Wash the eggplant and cut it in thick slices.Now take a big bowl and put garlic - ginger paste, turmeric, chili, coriander powder, corn flour, roasted gram flour, salt, vinegar, dried mango powder and 2 tbsp of water. Make a smooth paste and rub it on each eggplant slice. Keep it aside for 30-40 min to marinate.Heat a frying pan with oil. Place 4-5 slices in heated oil. Fry them each side till they turn to golden brown.

If you are calorie conscious, want to avoid oil/fat, and/or do not want to eat fried dish then you can skip the frying step. Instead of frying, heat a flat pan and grease it with 1 tbsp oil. Place 4-5 slices in pan. Cook them on medium heat for 7-8 min each side or until they turn to golden brown.

Keep fried eggplant slices on kitchen paper towel to absorb excess oil.
Place them in a serving plate. Sprinkle chat masala over fried slices, garnish with tomato slices, ranch and mint leaves. Serve it as a side dish.

Mango Kulfi

Kulfi is traditional Indian ice cream. It is very easy to make that we don't even need electric ice cream maker to make it. Traditional kulfi is made in earthenware cones but we can make it in our home freezer too. In India , still traditional kulfi sellers come door to door with their traditional earthenware pot of kulfi on hand carts.

INGREDIENTS

1 tbsp unflavored gelatin
4-5 tbsp hot water
2 ripe mango's pulp
½ liter whole milk
½ cup milk powder
¼ cup sugar / sugar free
1 tsp cardamom powder
Handful chopped nuts ( almonds + pistachios )
15-20 raisins

METHOD

Take a bowl with hot water and add gelatin. Allow to dissolve it in water.
Now take milk & milk powder in a deep heavy bottomed vessel. Mix them well and bring to boil. Add sugar or sugar free in that vessel. Now reduce the heat to medium low and cook for 10-12 min or until mixture gets thick. After that turn off the heat and let it cool for approx 1 hr.
Now add dissolved gelatin, mango pulp and cardamom powder in the mixture. Mix them well and transfer this mixture in a freezer container.
Place this container in freezer until mixture is half frozen. Remove this mixture from freezer and blend in blender or processor until it becomes smooth. Now repack in individual molds or bowl and freeze again until half frozen but, still smooth & creamy. Mango kulfi is ready. Garnish with chopped nuts & raisins and serve chilled.

Crispy Toasty Toast ( couldn think of a name actually )

INGREDIENTS:

Wheat bread /white bread slices – 4
Hummus – 4 tbsp
Salsa sauce- 4-5 tbsp
Sesame seeds (roasted) – 2 tbsp
Mushroom (thin slices) – 8-9
Green bell pepper (capsicum) slices – 8-9
Mozzarella cheese (grated) – 2 tbsp (optional)

METHOD:

Take all bread slices on a chopping board and cut them diagonally.
First spread chickpeas spread and then salsa sauce on each diagonally cut slice.
Use mushroom slices and bell pepper slices as toppings. Sprinkle sesame seeds and add grated mozzarella cheese on them. Place all bread slices in lightly greased baking tray.
Preheat an oven at 400 degree F. Keep the baking tray in oven at lower rack and bake the slices for 10-12 min or until they turn to crispy.
Turn off the oven and remove the tray. Serve it hot with honey mustard sauce.

Mushroom Puffs

INGREDIENTS

whole button mushroom-6
eggs-3 OR 1/2 cup egg white
1 spoon chopped onion
1 spoon grated carrot
1 spoon green peas
1 spoon corn
1 spoon grated cheese
1 spoon grated tofu
thin capsicum slices-6
¼ teaspoon black pepper
salt to taste
1 spoon olive oil

METHOD

Wash mushrooms under running water. Wipe with paper towel softly. Now take a knife and separate the stem from mushroom cap. It looks small bowls. Keep them aside.

Heat a pan and grease with oil . Add chopped onion, carrot, green peas, corn, tofu
and saute for 2min. Remove the pan from heat. Take a bowl and beat all eggs. Add salt to taste and black pepper. Pour this mixture in mushroom caps. After that keep one capsicum slice on each cap and sprinkle some of grated cheese.
Preheat an oven at 375 degree. Take a baking tray and wrap it with foil paper. Grease with oil or spray. Place the stuffed Mushroom caps in that tray and bake for 15 min. After baking it we should broil it further 5-10 min. Now remove the mushroom cap from oven. It is ready to serve.