Potato Roast

Potato fry or roast would be on almost everyone's favourite dishes list :) This is my quick and easy version of the dish.It pairs up well with almost any mildly spiced curry,but I love it the best with curd rice,unbeatable combo :)I'm trying hard to clear all those posts that I've been accumulating,I find clicking pics more interesting than actually sitting and making a post of it,lazy me :)

You'll Need:
oil - 2 tbsp(i used olive oil)
Potatoes - 3 medium to big(boiled,peeled and chopped into cubes)
salt as needed
Cumin Powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder - 3/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Fennel powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala powder - 1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves powder - 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Hing/Asafoetida- a pinch
Coriander leaves - a few for garnishing

Method:
-Heat the oil in the pan,when it heats up splutter the mustard seeds and add all the powders and the salt to the oil,on a slow heat let the powders cook for a minute or two.
-Add the potatoes and mix well.Add more salt if needed.
-On a slow to medium heat let the potatoes roast for 5- 10 minutes ,until they are nicely browned.Done !

Thanks for stopping by ! Have a nice day !
Sending this to Gayathri's Cook Spot hosted by Cookingwithsapana: Walk Through Memory Lane 2014

Prawn Gravy - Simple Version

Serves 1 - 2
I'm a big fan of sea food,being raised in a coastal town could be the reason for this.Chennai is really wonderful when it comes to buying fishes & prawns , we find so many fresh varieties of sea food brought right to our door step.The fish mongers go around on cycles with baskets fully laden with all types of small fishes ,hawking their wares.Well I've never figured out what exactly they say with their loud voices though:) And this applies to many hawkers.There's one in our area who's being selling Tender Coconut for years,but I still don't know what exactly he says.But the sound of their voices is something that I relate to being back at home in India:)I really miss having prawns here, back at home in India we have Prawns pretty often.I simply love prawns,but as hubby is allergic to them I hardly prepare any prawn dishes.Guess cooking for just yourself is not at all fun :) So on rare occasions when I really feel like eating prawns I make this quick fix.It tastes awesome with plain rice or rotis :)

You'll Need:
Prawns - 150 g(cleaned and deveined)
Onion - 1 medium (finely chopped)
Tomato - 1 medium(finely chopped)
Ginger Garlic Paste from - Ginger - 1" & Garlic - 5 - 6 cloves
Red Chilli powder - 1 -1.5 tsp
Fennel powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves -  2 sprigs
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp(chopped finely)
oil - 2 -3 tsp
salt as needed

Method:
-Heat the oil in a pan,when it heats up splutter the curry leaves .Add the ginger garlic paste and saute on medium flame until they are well browned,about 5 minutes.
-Add the onions and salt and saute until they are well browned.Add the tomatoes and mix well.Add the turmeric powder,Red Chilli Powder,Fennel powder,Coriander leaves and garam masala powder and mix well.Reduce the flame and cover and cook for 5 minutes or until the mixture oozes out oil.Check for salt.
-Add the Prawns and mix well.Add about 1/2 cup of water and let it cook on a low heat for  4 -5 minutes,just until the prawn is cooked.I used small prawns so they cooked real quickly and Prawns tend to turn rubbery on over cooking.
-Take it off the stove.This is a thick gravy,if you want it to be thin add more water before adding the prawns.

Thank for stopping by ! Happy Cooking !

Sending this to Foodabulous fest organized by Simply Tadka and hosted by Sajna Bishar of Saju's Tastes

Kathirikkai Rasavangi - Brinjal Curry

Serves 3
This one's a traditional south indian dish . It's a cross between sambar and 'puzhikulambu'(a tangy tamarind based gravy),it has both the flavours of dal and tamarind but no onions or tomatoes.I really don't know the origin of the word rasavangi or what it means,so I was actually thinking if I should christen this dish as 'Sampuzhi' :),just kidding ! What I mainly love about this dish is that it doesn't need any sauteing or standing near the stove all the time.A very simple & easy recipe which tastes yum.

You'll need:
Brinjals  - 3 - 4 big ones(chopped)
Sesame oil -  1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Tamarind - About the size of a big gooseberry
Hing - 1 pinch
Green chilli - 1 (chopped)
Ginger - a small piece (chopped)
Channa dal - 1 tsp
Whole Red Chilli - 2
Toor Dhal -  5 tbsp
Coconut milk - 1 cup
Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp(chopped)
salt as needed

Method:
-Soak the tamarind in 1 - 1.5 cups of water for 30 minutes.Squeeze and strain to extract the juice.
-Pressure cook the toor dal with 1 cup of water and a pinch of turmeric powder( on high for 1 whistle and simmer for 5 minutes).Mash it well.
-In a pan ,heat the oil and when it heats splutter the mustard ,hing,Whole red chilli and channa dal. Add the Ginger and saute for a minute.
-Add the tamarind juice and mix well.Add hing and green chilli and cook for a minute.
-Add the chopped Brinjal  and salt and let it cook on medium heat until the brinjal is cooked.Takes about 5 -7 minutes,add water if needed.
-Add half of the coconut milk and let it boil for 2- 3 minutes.
-Add the cooked toor dal and mix well.Add the remaining coconut milk and the coriander leaves.Add salt and water if needed.Let it simmer for 7 -10 minutes.Done !

Thanks for stopping by ! Happy Cooking !

Channa Masala & A short blog break

Serves 3
I guess this is one dish that you can find in every Indian cuisine.The flavors might change a little but they all taste great.It'a very nutritious dish with chickpeas being the main ingredient. My mom makes the South Indian version of this where she adds coconut milk, which gives it a slightly sweet and mellow flavor. I've tried different versions of it and this is one that I like a lot. I will be posting other versions too:) We are all  set for a 10 day trip, I'm the kind of disorganized person who packs till the last minute :) I won't be active for a very short time, will catch up after 10 days,so until then Happy Cooking and Happy Blogging !

Ingredients:
Chickpeas - 1 cup
Onions - 1 big (chopped finely)
Tomato - 1 big (chopped finely)
Ginger Garlic paste from - 3 big cloves garlic,ginger 1" piece
Red Chilli powder - 3/4th tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Kasoori methi  - 1 tsp
Channa masala powder - 1 tsp
Armchoor powder/ dried mango powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp
salt -as needed
oil - 3 tsp
coriander leaves - 1 tbsp (finely chopped)

Method:
-Soak the chickpeas overnight or for 6 -8 hours in sufficient water. Rinse it well and pressure cook it with salt and 2 cups of water for 1 whistle on high and simmer for 10 minutes.
-Heat the oil in a pan and when it splutters add the onion with a little salt and saute until the onions turn translucent.
-Add the ginger garlic paste and saute until the mixture turns a nice dark brown.Add the tomatoes and the coriander powder,chilli powder,channa masala powder and armchoor powder and mix well.
-Cover and simmer for 5 -7 minutes until the mixture starts oozing out oil.
-Now open the lid and add the pressure cookers contents and mix well.Check for salt.
-Add the chopped coriander leaves,kasoori methi and  garam masala powder and mix well.Add water if needed.
-Let the mixture cook on a low flame for 8 - 10 minutes. Done !
-Serve with hot dosas or rotis !

Thanks for Stopping by ! Happy cooking !

Brinjal/Eggplant Chutney

Serves 2
This is a very simple preparation. Anytime you get bored of having regular chutneys as a side dish for dosas and idlis,you can try this out.A very healthy and easy variation.Many people do not like the flavor of pureed vegetables,I'm one of them so I've added peanuts to this chutney as it makes it more flavorful and tasty.We had it with capsicum oothappam and the combo was too good :)

You'll need:
Eggplant - almost half a big one or
Brinjal - 3 big ones
Onions - 1 medium one (finely chopped)
Tomato - 1 medium one (finely chopped)
Tamarind - a small piece
Oil - 2 tsp
Salt as needed
Whole red chilli - 2
Roasted skinless peanuts - 2 tbsp

To temper:
Oil - 2 tsp
Curry leaves - a sprig
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal - 1/2 tsp

Method:
-To a pan add 2 tsp of oil,when it heats up splutter the whole red chillies,when they are browned add the onions.saute for a minute or two.
-Add the chopped brinjals and saute on a medium flame until the brinjals are cooked and soft,takes about     5 - 7 minutes.
-Add the tomatoes and saute until they turn soft.Now add a small piece of tamarind and saute for another 2 minutes.
-Remove it from the stove and let it cool.Grind to a fine paste adding salt and water as needed.
-For Tempering : Heat 2 tsp oil in a pan and when it heats up splutter the tempering ingredients.Remove from the stove.
-Add the tempering to the chutney mixture in the blender and pulse for 2-3 seconds.

Thanks for stopping by ! Happy Cooking !

Tomato Pickle - Thakkali Oorugai

Makes about 300 g
We finished the last batch of pickles and I realized that once you start having pickles you can't do without them. It becomes like an important part of a meal.I wanted to make mango pickle as it's relatively easier to make and stays good for a long time. But then tomato pickle is my hubby's favorite,he claims that the sweet and spicy flavour of it makes it a great accompaniment for anything from dosas to rice:)I usually make another version of this ,more of what we call a 'Thokku ' in tamil which has onions and garlic.But this is an easier and yummy version with only tomatoes.It stays good for 3 -4 weeks in the refrigerator.But believe me you will find yourself finishing it way before 4 weeks :)

You'll need:

Tomatoes - 1/2 kg - about 5 big firm ones
powdered salt - 1 tbsp
Red chilli powder - 2 tbsp ( you can add more )
Tamarind - 50 g
Sesame oil - 90 ml
Fenugreek seeds - 1.5 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1.5 tsp
Hing/Asafoetida - 1 tsp

Method:
-Clean the tomatoes and pat them dry.Make sure the knife and other utensils used are moisture free.

-Chop the tomatoes finely.
-Add the tamarind to 100 ml of water and let it boil on  a medium flame for 4- 5 minutes.Let it cool.Squeeze it well and strain to extract the tamarind juice
-Dry roast the fenugreek seeds and mustard seeds separately and grind them together to a fine powder.
-To a pan add oil and when it heats up, add the asafoetida. Stir for a few seconds and add the tomatoes.Saute them well until they turn soft this will take around 7- 10 minutes on a medium flame
-Now add the tamarind juice and mix well.Add the salt and chilli powder and mix well.
-Now reduce the flame and let it boil for 10 - 15 minutes or until you see oil floating on top of the mixture. The oil will completely separate from the mixture and it will start leaving the bottom of the vessel.

-Add the fenugreek and mustard seed powder and mix well ,for another 2 minutes.
-Remove from the stove ,let it cool and store in an airtight container.

                         Thanks for stopping by ! Have a great day !

Sending this to Dish Name Starts with T

Ridge gourd Gravy - Peerkangai Gravy

Serves 3
If like me, you are also bored of pairing up ridge gourd with dhal you would love this:-) My mom adds ridge gourd to a prawn gravy and it tastes absolutely yum.I had a few ridge gourds lying around and din't feel like making another dhal preparation with it ,so made this easy dish instead.This is a very mild and flavorful dish.Tastes great as a side dish with dosas or rotis. But tastes best when you have it with plain cooked rice and a dollop of Ghee :-)

You'll need:
Ridge gourd - 2 big ones
Onion - 1/2 a medium one
Tomato - 1/2 a medium one(chopped)
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1/2 - 3/4 tsp
Fennel powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Thick coconut milk - 2 tbsp
Salt as needed
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Coriander leaves - 2 - 3 sprigs(chopped finely)




Method:
-Clean the ridge gourd and peel the skin.You can preserve the skin to make a chutney.Chop it into medium sized pieces.Chop the onions lengthwise into thin slices.
-To a pressure cooker add the chopped Ridge gourd,little salt and 1/2 a cup of water.Pressure cook for 1 whistle and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
-Add oil in a pan,when it heats up splutter the mustard seeds and curry leaves. Add the onions and some salt.Saute until the onions are slightly browned.
-Add the Tomatoes and mix well,add the cumin powder,chilli powder,turmeric powder,coriander powder and fennel powder.Mix well.Cover and cook on a low flame for 4 - 5 minutes or until the tomatoes are well cooked and the mixture oozes out oil.
-Add the cooked ridge gourd along with the water and the coriander leaves.Mix well,check for salt.Let it boil until all the water evaporates and the mixture becomes dry.
-Add the coconut milk and mix well.Let it boil for 3-4 minutes.Done !

                                              Thanks for stopping by.Happy Cooking !

Capsicum Masala - Bell Pepper Masala

Serves 3
You would notice that many of my recipes use Bell Peppers/Capsicum. I simply love the vegetable for its flavour,health benefits and appearance.My daughter loves eating it raw.I consider it as one of nature's beautiful creations,so perfect and colourful,with each colour having its own unique health benefits.Here in the markets its usually sold in packets of 3 or 4,with one of each colour. I just can't resist buying them :) This dish is easy to make but extremely flavorful.Makes a great side dish for idlis,dosas or rotis. Looks very attractive when you use different colors of capsicum :)



Ingredients:

Capsicum - 2 ( chopped into cubes)
oil - 2 tsp  + 2 tsp
Cardamom - 2
Cloves - 2
Cinnamon - 1 small stick
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Whole Red Chilli - 2 -3
Coriander seeds - 1/2 tbsp
Green chilli - 1 (optional)
Ginger - small piece
Onion -1 big ( finely chopped)
Tomato -1 big ( finely chopped)
Roasted Peanuts(skinless) - 2-3 tbsp
Grated coconut - 1 tbsp
Curd - 2-3 tbsp
Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp(chopped)
salt - as needed

  Method:
-In a pan add 2 tsp oil and when it heats up splutter the Cumin seeds , Cloves,Cinnamon and  Cardamom.When they are slightly browned add the ginger,whole red chilli and coriander seeds. Saute until the whole red chilli is browned and the coriander seeds are browned.
-Now add the onion,salt and green chilli and saute until the onions turn translucent.Add the tomatoes and saute until the tomatoes are soft and well cooked.
-Add the coriander leaves and the grated coconut and saute until the coconut is slightly browned.
-Remove from the stove.Let the mixture cool .Grind it to a fine paste along with the roasted peanuts and  curd adding some water and salt as needed.
-Add 2 tsp of oil to a pan, when it heats up add the capsicum and 1 tsp of salt.Fry on a medium flame until the capsicum is slightly cooked and turns glossy.
-Now add the ground masala and mix well.Add water if needed to get the consistency that you desire.
-Cover with a lid and cook on a low flame for 10 - 15 minutes. Done !

This lovely yellow Capsicum goes to Colour me Yellow of Colour Me Photography Challenge Series ,hosted by Priya of  The Humpty Dumpty Kitchen 

Thanks for stopping by :) Have a lovely day !

Broccoli Capsicum Stir Fry - Quick Fix

Serves 2
This is a very simple and easy to make stir fry,Capsicum and Broccoli make a very healthy & delectable combination. Both my hubby and daughter are big fans of broccoli ,so this is something that I prepare pretty often. I've only recently started liking Broccoli,when I first started cooking I would overcook Broccoli .It used to take the whole flavor out of it and I would successfully make it taste bitter:) Broccoli is one vegetable that tastes great only when you steam it for just 3-4 minutes or saute it for a few minutes .The stir fry calls for very few ingredients and still tastes yum .Comes in handy when you don't feel like cooking an elaborate dish. I've given my craft blog a makeover,pls do stop by when you find time :)

You'll need :
Broccoli - 8 - 10 big florets
Capsicum - 1/2 a medium one
Garlic - 4-5 cloves(minced finely)
Olive oil - 3 tsp
Pepper Powder - 1/2 tsp(optional)
Salt as needed

Method:
-Clean and chop the capsicum.Clean the broccoli and break it into smaller florets.
-To a pan add the oil,when it heats up add the garlic and saute until it slightly browns.
-Add the capsicum & broccoli together and mix well until they are coated with oil.Now sprinkle the salt and mix well.
-Saute on low to medium flame for 5- 8 minutes until broccoli just looses its raw flavor.
-Finally sprinkle the pepper powder and mix well .Saute for another minute or two.Done !

-Makes a great side for any spicy gravy!

Thanks for stopping by. Happy Cooking !

Stuffed Snake Gourd Curry - Pudalangai Curry

Serves 3
Snake Gourd is a very nutritious vegetable.I usually use it to make Sambar or Dhal .Weekends are when I usually try out new dishes,cause that's when I get at least an hour of undisturbed cooking time with Hubby taking care of little girl. So this weekend i was left with a snake gourd and decided to try out one of Tarla Dalal's recipes.It turned out tastier than we expected. I've stuffed the snake gourd with Corn & Mint,you can replace the corn with mashed potatoes or paneer. Similarly the Mint leaves can be replaced with Fenugreek leaves or Palak. Fresh and tender snake gourds work best for this recipe.The gravy is extremely creamy and delicious and you could also use it for preparing other Kofta curries.



Ingredients:
Snake gourd - one  medium one
For the Stuffing :
Boiled Corn - 4 tbsp
Grated coconut - 4 tsp
Mint leaves - leaves from 8 big sprigs.(chopped finely)
Coriander leaves - 3 sprigs(chopped finely)
Sambar powder - 1/2 tsp
Fennel Powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt  as needed
oil -  for shallow frying.
For the Gravy:
Tomatoes - 2 big
Besan/Chickpea flour - 1 heaped tbsp
Cloves - 1
Bay leaf - 1 small one
Whole black pepper corns  - 5 - 6
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Red Chilli Powder - 3/4 tsp( you can add more)
Cashew nuts - 5 -6
Kasoori methi - 1 tsp
Garam Masala powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves - 4-5 sprigs(chopped finely)
Boiled Milk - 1/2 cup
oil - 1 tbsp
salt as needed

Method:
For the Snake Gourd:
-Clean the snake gourd,scrape the skin slightly with a knife.Cut the snake gourd into 2 - 3 inch pieces and slit them on one side.Scoop out the pulp& the seeds from inside the snake gourd.Boil the snake gourd in a pot of hot water with salt,till they are cooked.Drain the water and remove the snake gourd.
-Pulse the corn along with the coconut,sambar powder and fennel powder in a blender for just 2-3 sec,until it's just crushed and everything is combined.Transfer the contents of the blender to a bowl.
-Add the mint leaves,coriander leaves and salt to the mixture and mix well.Stuff the mixture inside the slit snake gourd.Secure them with toothpicks to hold the mixture in place.
-To a broad pan add oil around 3 -4 tbsp and when it heats up add the stuffed snake gourds.Let them cook on medium flame on one side until they are golden brown.Remove the toothpicks and gently turn them to cook on the other side too,around 8 minutes on each side.

For the Gravy:

-Grind the tomatoes to a fine paste.

-Boil the cashew nuts in 1/4 cup of water until it becomes soft.Cool and grind to a fine paste.

-Heat oil in a pan,when it heats up splutter the cloves, bay leaf,cumin seeds and whole pepper corns.

-Now add the besan and saute on a low flame until it slightly changes color and releases a nice aroma,around 4-5 minutes.

-Add the tomato paste,red chilli powder,turmeric powder and mix well.Let it cook for another 5 minutes or until it starts oozing out oil.Add 3/4 cup of water,cashew nut paste and salt.Mix well and let it boil for another 4-5 minutes on a low to medium flame.Check for salt.Add more water if you feel that the gravy is very thick.

-Add any left over stuffing and the snake gourd and let it simmer for 4-5 minutes.

-Add the milk,coriander leaves and kasoori methi and mix well.Let if cook for another 3 -4 minutes.Done !

Sending this to :
Soul Food Show & Summer special & Walk through Memory lane and Gayathri's page & Dish name starts with S

Egg Aviyal

Serves 3
My mom hails from a town on the border of Kerala & Tamil Nadu ,hence Kerala cuisine has a strong influence on both my granny & mom's cooking.Whenever I visited my Granny for holidays as a kid ,Aviyal was almost  like served every day or every other day .I used to be astonished with the amount of coconut used in everything, even dosas were served with coconut scrapings generously sprinkled on them.In Chennai coconuts are treated like a luxury :)they either are made into chutneys or only go into special preparations.I watched this recipe on a cooking show before a few years and has slowly become a favorite  It tastes a little different form the authentic Aviyal recipe and can be prepared very easily !



Ingredients :
Eggs - 2 (hardboiled)
Drumstick - 1 big
Carrot - 1 big
Potatoes - 2 medium
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Green Chilli - 2 slit
Coconut milk - 1/4 cup or coconut milk powder - 3 tbsp
Thick curd - 2 tbsp
Coconut oil - 1-2 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Mustard - 1/2 tsp

Method:
-Hard boil the eggs, remove the shell and cut each one lengthwise into 4 pieces.Clean the potatoes and cut them lengthwise.Clean and cut the drumstick into 2" pieces.Clean the carrot and chop it lengthwise into 1" pieces.Beat the 2 tbsp of curd with a fork for a minute.
-In  a pressure cooker, add the potatoes,drumstick,carrot,turmeric powder,green chillies,cumin seeds ,little salt and 1/4 to 1/2 cup water.Pressure cook for 1 whistle on medium flame .Alternatively you can also boil the veggies in a covered vessel adding little water,until everything is just cooked and not mushy.
-I used coconut milk powder,if using it ,mix 3 tablespoons of coconut milk powder with 1/4 cup of hot water.
-Add the coconut milk to the pressure cooked veggies along with its water.Add the cut egg pieces and mix well.Let it cook for  3-4 minutes .Add the curd and mix well.Let if cook for just 2 -3 minutes.Remove from the stove and check for salt.
-Heat the coconut oil in a pan and splutter the curry leaves & mustard seeds.Add the tempering to the mixture and mix once more.Done !

Broccoli tikki.

Makes 8.
 Tikkis, they taste great and make great snacks and side dishes.They are healthy and the shallow frying makes them definitely better than deeply fried snacks like vadas .I somehow feel that making a tikki is more like playing with 'play dough'.I simply enjoy the process of making them,the mixing ,shaping and all that ,hubby sometimes tells me that I look like a child playing in a sand pit. These tikkis are a beautiful combination of broccoli,paneer and potatoes and taste yum !


Ingredients :
Broccoli - 10 -15 florets(chopped very finely)
Paneer - 3 tbsp (grated)
Potatoes - 2 - 3 medium ( boiled & grated)
Corn flour - 2 tbsp
Onion - 1 medium (chopped)
Green chilli - 2 (chopped finely)
Garlic - 4 - 5 pods(minced)
olive oil - 1 tbsp & for shallow frying
Garam masala powder - 1/4 tsp
salt - as needed

Method :

- To a pan add the 1 tbsp of oil and when it heats up add the garlic and  green chillies and saute for a minute or two.Then add the onion and little salt and saute until the onion turns translucent.
-Add the broccoli ,sprinkle some salt and garam masala powder. Saute on medium flame for 5- 8 minutes until they are cooked.


-
Remove from the stove.
-Add the boiled & grated potatoes,the corn flour and the paneer/cottage cheese. Mix everything well adding salt as needed.Shape them into medium sized tikkis/dumplings.
-Heat some more oil in a pan for shallow frying .Cook the tikkis on each side for 8- 10 minutes on a low or medium flame .

Sending this to What's with my Cuppa and Nupur's page,Foodabulous Food hosted by Pramitha's Space

Ridge Gourd Skin/Peel Chutney - Peerkangai thol chutney

Serves 3
I've become a big fan of chutneys lately and this is surprisingly a very tasty one . I didn't expect  the skin of a vegetable to taste so yum.It's very healthy with a lot of fiber in it.Most of the skins of vegetables have a lot of nutrients in them ,but we don't eat as they aren't exactly tasty.This one's definitely an exception.

Ingredients:
Peel of one big Ridge gourd chopped finely - 1 cup
Grated Coconut or desiccated cconut - 2 tbsp
Coriander leaves - 10 -12 sprigs
Green Chilli - 1(optional)
Whole Red Chilli - 2
Urad dal - 2 tbsp
Sesame oil - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Tamarind - a tiny marble
salt - as needed

Method:
-To a pan add the oil, when it heats up add the mustard seeds and whole red chilli.
-Add the Urad dal and fry on low heat until slightly brown.Now add the chopped peel and saute till it looks cooked and withered,around 5-7 minutes.
-Add the coconut,green chilli and chopped coriander leaves and saute for another 3-4 minutes.
-Finally add the salt and tamarind and cook for a further 2 minutes.
-Remove from the stove,let it cool and grind to a fine paste,adding salt and a little water as needed.

Sending this to Learning to Cook - Dish name starts with R

Ridge gourd Dal Curry - Peerkangai Rasavangi

Serves 3
Ridge gourd is one vegetable that tastes great in desserts and spicy gravies. I've only made desserts with it and sometimes I'll just drop it along with Drumstick in a sambar or make a nice chutney with the skin. Never knew that it could be prepared in such a delicious way.Well i guess the disadvantage of not being in a joint family is that you never get to learn traditional and authentic recipes .I've never ventured into our Kitchen to learn cooking from mom as long as I was at home,guess this would be the case with most girls.Just like every other Indian mom,my mom was the martyr in our home,doing all the work and never expecting any help from us.I never got a chance to stay with my mil too ,so didn't get to learn cooking from her too.So here I am with not much of idea about traditional Tamil recipes,guess most of which are getting extinct too.Have started hunting for authentic Tamil recipes and would sure cook and post them here :) Well the truth be told, the main reason I tried this recipe was that I forgot to shop for Onions and was looking for onion-less recipes when i came across this one :) So anytime you run out of onions & tomatoes this easy recipe would come in handy !

Ingredients :
To Pressure cook:
Ridge Gourd - 1.5 big
Moong dal - 1/2 cup
Channa Dal - 1/4 cup
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
salt as needed
To Dry Roast & Powder:
Whole Red Chillies - 6
Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp
Channa Dal - 1 tbsp
Urad dal - 1 tbsp
Desiccated coconut or grated fresh coconut - 2 tbsp
To Temper:
oil & ghee - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Method:

-Clean and Peel the ridge gourd.Preserve the skins if you wish to make a chutney from it.Chop into small pieces.
-Add all the things to pressure cook in a pressure cooker and pressure cook with 1 cup water on  high heat for 1 whistle and simmer for 7 minutes.
-Dry Roast all the Ingredients except for coconut until they are slightly brown.Then add the coconut and remove as soon as it turns slightly brown.Cool and grind to a fine powder.Add a little water and pulse just once to make a fine paste.If you are cooking for small kids like in my case,you can skip the Red chillies and double the amount of coriander seeds.
-Heat the oil & Ghee in a pan add the curry leaves,mustard seeds and urad dal. When they splutter add the pressure cookers contents .Mix good.Add the ground paste and mix well..Check for salt and add water to get the desired consistency.Let it simmer for 7 - 10 minutes.

Sending this to  South Indian Cooking Event hosted by Simply Tadka and Announced by Anu's Healthy Kitchen &  Learning to Cook - Dish name starts with R

Masala Dosa with Tiffin Sambar & Coconut Chutney

Serves 3
Masala Dosa,what should I call this,the Queen of South Indian Tiffin perhaps.Before North Indian dishes became popular in our hotels this was the first thing people would always order. The city where we stay in Germany has just one North Indian Restaurant, and I've left with no choice but to prepare South Indian Restaurant delicacies at home.It's long since I've tasted Masala Dosa in Chennai,every time I visit India this would be the first thing on my to-do list.But we would get so caught up with all the other stuff that I'd remember it only when I get back. I've tasted Masala Dosas in Bangalore,they are pretty thick and they have an extra red chutney spread on them before the Potato Masala is spread.But I prefer the crisp thin ones we get in Chennai :)Guess this would be one long post with the Dosa,Chutney,Sambar and the Potato Masala. I love serving this with a thin Moong Dal Sambar,this Sambar doesn't call for any tamarind and tastes yum !It tastes even better when Whole Green gram is used instead of Moong Dal.

Ingredients:

For the Dosa:

Parboiled Rice -3/4 cup
Raw Rice - 1/4 cup
Urad Dal - 1/4 cup
Channa Dhal - 1 tbsp
Toor Dhal - 1 tbsp
Fenugreek - 1/4 tsp
Ghee & oil - To make dosas
For the Potato Masala:
Potatoes :  1/4 Kg - 4 -5 big ones
Onion - 1 big (chopped)
Green Chilli -1(chopped finely)
Ginger - 1 small piece(minced)
Urad Dal - 1/2 tsp
Channa Dhal - 1/2 tsp
Mustard - 1/2 tsp
Hing - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
oil - 2 tsp
Salt - as needed
Curry leaves  -1 sprig

Method:
For Dosa:
-Clean and Soak all the Ingredients in  water for 4-5 hours.Then grind it finely to a paste adding water if needed.
-Add salt to the batter and beat it well with your hands.Let it ferment over night or for 8 - 10 hours.
Potato Masala:
-Peel the potatoes and cut them into pieces.Pressure cook them for 5 mins on low heat with salt and 1/2 a cup of water.Drain and preserve the water.Mash the potatoes well.
-To a pan add oil,when it heats up add the Mustard,Channa dal and Urad dal.Then add the curry leaves,ginger and hing powder.Add the onion and saute well until slightly browned.Add the turmeric powder,salt and mashed potatoes.Add the water in which the potatoes were boiled and mix well.
-Cook on low flame for 5 mins or until the mixture is dry.
Assembly:
-Pour about 2 tbsp of batter on the dosa pan and spread them to make thin dosa. Drizzle oil & ghee generously around the sides.Cook on low flame.Spread some potato masala on the center,cover and cook for 2-3 minutes.Then remove the cover and gently fold the dosa and remove.
-Can be served with a dollop of Butter on top.

Tiffin Sambar:
Serves 3
Ingredients:
Small onions - 10 -15(peeled and chopped)
Tomato - 1 big (chopped)
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Mustard - 1 tsp
Fenugreek - 1/4 tsp
Hing - 1/2 tsp
Ghee & oil - 1 tbsp
Coriander Powder - 1.5 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Red Chilli Powder - 3/4 tsp
Coriander leaves - 1 sprig
Moong Dal - 3 tbsp
Drumstick- 1 big(cleaned and chopped into 2"pieces)

Method:
-In a pressure cooker dry roast the Moong Dhal and pressure cook with 1/2 a cup of water,salt and 1 tsp of Sesame oil for 5 minutes.Then add the Drumstick to the Dhal and pressure cook for 1 whistle.Mash the dhal well without mashing the drumsticks.A stab mixer work great for the mashing.
-Add oil&Ghee in a vessel,when they heat up add the mustard ,Fenugreek,Hing and curry leaves.Next add the onions and saute until translucent.
-Add the tomatoes and saute for 2 minutes.Add the coriander powder,red chilli powder and turmeric powder.Mix well and cover and cook on low flame for 5 minutes.
-Add the cooked Dhal and Drumstick mixture and mx well.Add 1/2 a cup of water or more depending on how you like it.Check & add salt.
-Add the coriander leaves and cook on medium flame for 5-7 minutes.

Coconut Chutney:
To be Ground:

Coconut scraping - 1 cup
Dhalia -fried Channa dal - 1.5 tbsp
Green Chilli - 2
Ginger - a small piece
Cashew nuts -2-3
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Salt - as needed
Tempering:
oil -1 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Mustard & Urad dal - 1tsp

Method:
-Grind all the Ingredients to be ground to a fine paste adding a little water.
-Heat oil in the pan and splutter all the tempering Ingredients.
-Add the tempering to the blender and pulse once along with the coconut mixture.

Enjoy your Masala Dosa !

Bagara Baingan - Brinjal Masala

Serves 3
This is a very delicious Hyderabadi dish,one of the very first dishes that I learned to prepare.It needs a little extra effort with all the grinding and frying involved,but the taste is worth it.Tastes great when prepared with small round brinjals.I couldn't find the small brinjals so used long ones instead.This goes real well with pulaos.

Ingredients:

Onion - 1 big(finely chopped)
oil - 1 - 2 tbsp
Cloves - 2
Cardamom - 1
Cinammon - a small stick
Mustard seeds  - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Fenugreek - 1/2 tsp
Ginger Garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Whole Red chilli - 1
Hing - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Cumin Powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp( can add more,depending on how you like it)
Green Chilli - 1
Tamarind - small marble sized
Jaggery - 1 tsp
Brinjal - 6-7 small ones or 4 long ones
oil - for deep frying
Roast and grind in a tsp of oil :
Peanuts(without skin)- 2 tbsp
Sesame seeds(white) - 2 tbsp
Desiccated coconut or grated coconut - 2 tbsp

Method:
-In a pan add a tsp of oil and roast the peanuts,sesame seeds and coconut one after the other separately.
Cool and grind together with 1/4 cup water to a slightly coarse paste
-Soak the Tamarind in 1/2 a cup of water and extract the juice
-To a pan add 1 tbsp of oil and splutter the cumin ,fenugreek and mustard seeds.Add the cloves,cinnamon and cardamom.After a minute add the whole red chilli. Once the spices are slightly browned add the onions and 1 tsp of salt.Saute for 2 minutes.Then add the turmeric powder and curry leaves and saute until the onions are slightly browned, around 4-5 minutes in medium heat.
-Add the Green Chilli(slit) and Ginger Garlic paste ( 4-5 cloves of garlic & ginger - 1/2 " piece) and saute until well browned. Now reduce the heat and add the cumin ,coriander and chilli powder and saute for 3-4 minutes.
-Add the ground peanut paste and saute on low heat until the oil separates from the mixture.
-Add the tamrind juice,one cup of water(can add more or less,depending upon the consistency that you desire) and the jaggery and let it simmer for 10 - 12 minutes.
-If using round brinjals,slit them(but not fully such that you can still lift it by the stem ) and deep fry them in oil along with the stem.For long ones chop them into long pieces and deep fry them in oil.Alternatively you can also shallow fry them.
-Add the fried brinjal to the the gravy and simmer for a further 5 minutes.

Sending this to Foodabulous Fest Event organised by Simply TADKA

Vegetable Kurma - Easy version

Serves 4
A simple version of vegetable kurma. Goes well with chapathi or any mildly flavored rice.This is one of Revathy Shanmugam's delicious recipes.Her recipes are usually foolproof and have never disappointed me.We had them with idlis and the combo was real good.

Ingredients:
Onion - 1 big(chopped)
Mixed Vegetables - 2 cups(carrot,beans,cauliflower,potato,peas)chopped
oil - 2 tsp
salt - as needed
To roast in oil:
Coconut grated - 1 cup
Ginger - 1/2 " piece
Garlic - 2 cloves
Green Chilli - 4
Fennel - 1/4 tsp
Dhalia -Fried gram -Pottu kadalai - 2 tsp
Cashew nuts - 5
Poppy seeds - 1 tsp
Cinnamon - 1" stick
Cardamom,Cloves - 1 each
oil - 1 tbsp

Method:
-Pressure cook the vegetables with 1 cup of water and salt
-To a pan add 1 tbsp of oil and Roast all the items to be roasted in oil together except coconut and fry for 4-5 minutes.Then add the coconut and remove from the heat as soon as the coconut gets slightly browned.Cool and grind to a fine paste.
-To a vessel add oil,add the onions and a little salt and saute until slightly browned.Then add the boiled vegetables along with the water and the ground paste.Mix well.
-Check for salt and add water if needed.Cook on medium heat for 5 -7 minutes.

Sending this to Cook like a celebrity chef and Taste of Tropics - Ginger & Women's Day Special,Cuponation

& Dish name starts with V at Akila's Space