Nuts and Vegetable salad

Serves 4
This is a very healthy and simple salad that can be prepared in less than 15 minutes.This recipe is adapted from Tarla Dalal's recipe.She's my favorite cook, the way she whips up an extremely elegant and delicious vegetarian dish in very little time simply amazes me. I've modified this salad a little,according to things available in my kitchen.

Ingredients:
Peanuts .- 1 tsp (Crushed coarsely)
Sesame seeds - 1 tsp (roasted)
Walnuts - 1/2 cup (chopped)
Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp ( chopped)
Capsicum - 1 cup (chopped)
Cherry tomatoes - 2 cups (chopped) - regular tomatoes can also be used
Dressing:
Olive oil - 1 tsp
Lemon juice - 1 and 1/2 tsp
Sugar - 1/2 tsp

Method :
-Mix all the Ingredients well.
-Add the dressing mixture and toss them good !

Sending this to Dish in 30 minutes

Sambar powder

Ingredients:
Whole red chili - 350 g                              

Coriander seeds - 350 g                       

Toor Dhal - 150 g                             

Ural Dhal - 4 tbsp                          
Cumin - 4 tbsp
Turmeric - 25 g or turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Whole pepper corns - 50 g
Channa Dhal - 60 g

Optional :

Cinnamon - 2 sticks

Coconut  - 4 tbsp

Method:

-Dry roast all the Ingredients on a low flame separately and grind to a fine powder together.

Sending this to Dish Name starts with S

         

Cabbage and Peas stir fry

Serves 3
I've been trying to cook cabbage in combination with different vegetables.This was one such attempt and I kind of liked this better than the other combinations.Tastes real yum with Sambar or other spicy gravies.

Ingredients :
Cabbage - 1.5 cups grated ( about 1/4 of a medium sized cabbage)
Boiled Peas - 1 cup
oil - 2 tsp
Mustard - 1 tsp
Curry masala powder - 1 tsp
salt - as needed

Method:
-In a pan heat the oil and splutter the mustard seeds.
-Add the grated cabbage and a tsp of salt and mix well.Add the peas and the curry masala powder and saute for a minute.
-Sprinkle some water and cover and cook on low heat for 3-4 mins.
-Remove the lid and saute on high for another 3-4 mins.Done!

Note:
Any curry masala powder can be used, else you can replace it with 1/2 tsp Red chili powder,1/2 tsp corinader powder and 1/4 tsp garam masala powder.I used 'Aachi chicken masala' powder.

Broccoli Sambar

Serves 3
Sambar is really the queen of south indian gravies.It can be prepared with almost all vegetables and tastes simply amazing. This is just one simple variety of sambar!

Ingredients:
Onion - 1 medium
Tomato - 1 medium
Sambar powder - 3 - 4 tsp
Toor dhal - 1/2 cup
Hing - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Broccoli - 1/2 a medium one
Tamarind juice -  juice squeezed from a small marble soaked in 1/2 a cup of water for 30 mins
Coriander leaves - 2 sprigs
salt - as needed

Tempering:
Mustard - 1 tsp
Cumin - 1 tsp
Fenugreek - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
oil - 2 tsp

Method:
-In a pressure cooker, add the chopped onion,chopped tomato,dhal,Hing and turmeric powder with 1 cup of water.Cook on high for 1 whistle and simmer for 5 - 7 minutes.Mash it.
-Cut the broccoli into small florets.
-In a pan,heat the oil and splutter all the tempering ingredients.Add the broccoli florets , 1 tsp salt and saute on medium heat for 5 mins.
-To this add the mashed dhal mixture and the tamarind juice and mix well.
-Add the sambar powder and coriander leaves and mix well. Let it boil on low heat for 10 minutes.
-It's done !.Check the recipe for sambar powder here.

Whole grain apple muffins

These muffins are very healthy .I make them mainly for breakfast for my toddler.They are very quick & easy to make and can be real filling.

 Ingredients :

Makes 4

Whole wheat flour - 75 g

Oats - 75 g

Egg - 1

Brown Sugar - 75 g

Olive oil - 1 tbsp

Whole Milk - 3 - 4  tbsp

Cinnamon powder - 1/2 tsp

Apple - 1/2 a medium one

Method :
-In a bowl add the sugar,flour,oats and cinnamon powder and mix well with a spoon.
-Break the egg into the bowl and mix well.The batter will be very thick.
-To this add the olive oil and milk and mix well.
-Peel,core and grate the apple.Add the grated apples to the batter and mix well.
-Preheat the oven to 175° C.Fill 4 muffin cups fully with the batter and bake for 20 mins.

This post goes to the Farmersgirl Kitchen and to the Breakfast Club page at Fuss Free Flavours

Green Potato and Peas Curry

Serves 3
This dish comes in handy on days when I don't feel like cooking.As much as I like cooking, there are days when i just don't feel like actually sauteing things and cooking elaborately.This is a very easy and tasty dish that can be done in a very short time with little preparation.

Ingredients:
Potato - 2 medium ones ( chopped)
Fresh Peas - 150 g
Garlic - 4-5 cloves
Ginger - 1" piece
Onion - 1 medium
Tomato - 1 medium
Coriander leaves - 15 sprigs
Mint leaves - leaves from 5 sprigs
Cloves,Cardamom - 1 each
Star anise - 1 petal
Cinnamon - 1 piece
Green chili - 1
Milk or coconut milk - 1/4 cup
Oil  - 2 tsp

Method:
-In a blender grind the Ginger,Garlic,green chili,Onion,tomato,mint and coriander leaves to a fine paste.
-In a pressure cooker add oil, when it heats up add the cloves,cardamom,cinnamon and star anise.
-Add the ground paste and saute for 3-4 mins.
-Add the potatoes and fresh peas,mix well and add the milk or coconut milk,salt and half a cup of water.
-Cook for one whistle on high and simmer for 5 minutes.Done !

Oven Roasted Corn with Chutney

Corn on the cob is one thing that I love right from childhood.In Chennai we find this only at the beach .The smell of the corn roasted on coal and the sea breeze can be very pleasant and comforting. In Bangalore I've found roasted corn shops on the sidewalks in many areas.It's either roasted or boiled in salt water.At times it used to be our breakfast when we sleep in on weekends and miss our breakfast in our hostel :) In one particular shop on commercial street the corn is roasted with a green chutney and it simply tastes yum. I've never tasted it elsewhere and it has a very unique taste. I've tried to replicate it here,it comes close but definitely not as good as the original !

Ingredients:
Corn - 2 big ones
For the chutney :
Mint leaves - leaves from 3-4 sprigs
Coriander leaves - leaves from 10 sprigs
Green chili - 1
Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp
Chaat masala - 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Lemon juice - 2 tbsp
Salt - as needed



Method:
-In a blender grind all the Ingredients for the chutney to a fine paste.
-Spread the chutney on the corn.
-Preheat the oven to 190 °C ,Bake for 25-30 mins.