Avial

I tried Avial using frozen vegetables this time. Of course it would taste great when fresh vegetables are used.

Ingredients:
2 cups mixed fresh or frozen vegetables like beans, carrot, potato, chayote squash (chow chow), drum stick, pumpkin, elephant yam (senai kizhangu)
1/3 cup grated coconut
About a cup of yogurt
2 tsp coconut oil
1/2 tsp jeera
1 green chilli
6 cashew pieces
Salt
A few curry leaves
A pinch of hing
1/2 tsp turmeric powder

Method:
Chop vegetables into long thin pieces and boil in water adding turmeric powder till the veggies are fully cooked. Drain excess water. Let it cool.
Grind coconut, jeera, chilli and cashews to a smooth paste adding some water.
Add this paste and boiled veggies to yogurt. Add salt and hing. Drizzle coconut oil on top and garnish with curry leaves.
Stir well and serve with rice or adai.

If the gravy is thin, add some more yogurt. If it is very thick, add some left over water used for boiling the veggies. 

Beetroot Curry

Many find it hard to cut beetroot. I usually pressure cook whole beetroot and then peel the skin and chop into fine pieces. It makes the cutting part easy. You can also grate beetroot after peeling the skin. That's what I have done here.

Ingredients:

3 medium sized beetroot

2 tsp oil

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp urud dal

2-3 red chillies

Salt

A pinch of hing

1/4 cup grated coconut

A few curry leaves (optional)

Method:

Pressure cook whole beets in water for 3 whistles.

Cool it. Peel the skin and chop into small pieces.

Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, urud dal, curry leaves, red chillies and hing. 

When mustard seeds crackle, add the beets. 

Add salt and fry for 5 minutes.

Add coconut and mix well.

Serve with rice and sambar.

Mutter Paneer

Ingredients:
Grind together to a smooth paste:
5 small tomatoes
1 big onion
5 garlic pods
1 green chilli
4 cloves
2 1"cinnamon sticks
small piece of ginger

Other ingredients:
4 tbsp oil
Salt
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp crushed kasoori methi
1 tsp butter
coriander leaves to garnish
1 cup paneer cubes
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 cup frozen peas

Method:
Heat oil in a pan. Add the ground paste. Add chilli powder, salt and turmeric powder. Add some water if the gravy is very thick. Fry till the raw smell goes away and oil starts to separate from the sides of the pan.
Fry paneer cubes to light golden brown. Add the pieces to the gravy. Add peas. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Garnish with coriander leaves, kasoori methi and butter.
Serve with chapathis or rice.

Onion Vatha Kuzhambu (Onion cooked in spicy tamarind gravy)

This is a tangy and spicy gravy that goes well with rice and curry. Vegetables like ladies finger, capsicum, sweet potato, drumstick, brinjal can be used instead of onions. Some call it Kaara kuzhambu.

Ingredients:
1 medium sized onion sliced
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 tsp thur dal or channa dal
A few curry leaves
3 tsp sambar powder
Salt
1/4 tsp hing
3.5 cups tamarind extract from small lime size tamarind
1/2 tsp jaggery
1 tsp rice flour

Method:
Heat oil. Add mustard seeds, fenugreek, channa dal or thur dal, curry leaves.
When mustard seeds crackle and dal turns brown, add sliced onion and fry till it turns soft.
Soak tamarind in warm water for 10 minutes and extract 3.5 cups of juice from the same.
Add this juice to the cooked onion.
Add salt, sambar powder, hing and allow the mixture to boil for 20 minutes or until oil starts to float on top.
Add jaggery if you like the gravy to be slightly sweet.
Mix rice flour in 1 tsp water and make a thick paste.
Add this paste to the tamarind gravy and stir continuously until the mixture becomes little thick.
Serve with rice, ghee and curry.

Chayote Squash Curry

Ingredients:
Chayote Squash (chow chow) chopped - 1
Red Chillies - 2
Curry leaves - a few
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urud dal - 1/2 tsp
Hing - a pinch
Salt
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Oil - 2 tsp
Grated Coconut - 1 tbsp

Method:
Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, red chillies and urud dal.
When mustard seeds splutter, add chayote squash, hing, turmeric, salt and curry leaves.
Close the lid and cook on low flame.
When the squash turns soft, add fresh grated coconut and mix well.
Serve with rice and sambar.

Sweet Potato Vatha Kuzhambu (Spicy Tamarind Gravy)

Vatha kuzhambu is one of the gravies we make regularly at home. It is mixed with rice and ghee and had with some curry. When I travel for days and eat out a lot, all I crave for is, this Vatha kuzhambu and pappad. It is a perfect comfort food!

Instead of sweet potato, you can one of these veggies: capsicum, okra, onion, brinjal, drum stick

Ingredients:
Tamarind - medium lemon size ball
Sambar Powder - 3 tsp
Hing/Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
Salt - as needed
Sweet Potato - 1 peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch thick disks
Onion (optional) - 1/2 cup sliced
Jaggery - 1/2 tsp
Rice flour - 2 tsp

Seasonings:
Sesame Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp
Channa Dal or Thur Dal - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - a few

Method:
Soak tamarind in 1 cup warm water for 10 minutes.
Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. When they crackle, add fenugreek, channa dal or thur dal and curry leaves. I personally like to use thur dal.
When they turn golden brown, add onion and fry till it turns transparent.
Sprinkle some salt.
Add sliced sweet potatoes and saute for a minute.
Extract 3 cups of tamarind water.
In a deep pan, boil tamarind water along with salt, asafoetida, sambar powder and the sauteed veggies. Let it boil for 25 minutes. Check if the veggies are cooked fully.
Mix rice flour with 1/2 cup water and make a smooth paste.
Add this paste to the boiling mixture and stir continuously. Let it cook for 2-3 minutes.
The tamarind gravy will thicken.
Add jaggery and mix well.
Turn off the heat and serve hot with rice, ghee and some curry.

Poondu Rasam (Garlic Soup)

This is not how I usually make rasam. I got the recipe from my friend. It came out very well. Tomato is blended with cooked dal and it makes the rasam very tasty and flavorful. Garlic is hiding on the bottom of the glass. It would simply not float :)

Serves 5

Ingredients:
Thur Dal - 1/4 cup
Tamarind - Small lime size
Tomato - 1 chopped
Hing - 1/4 tsp
Salt
Rasam Powder - 3 tsp
Coriander leaves - to garnish

Seasonings:
Ghee/oil - 2 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - a few
Garlic - 6 pods sliced
Red chillies - 2
Ground pepper - 1/2 tsp

Method:
Pressure cook thur dal in about 1 cup of water for 4-5 whistles.
Soak tamarind in 1 cup of warm water and extract the juice.
Blend cooked dal and tomato with a hand blender or mixer to a smooth mixture.
To this mixture, add 2 cups of tamarind juice, hing, salt and rasam powder and boil for 15 minutes.
Now add 2 1/2 cups of water and boil for another 5 minutes.
In another pan, add ghee or oil. Add mustard seeds. When they crackle, add cumin, curry leaves, garlic, red chillies and ground pepper and fry till garlic turns golden brown.
Pour the seasoning over rasam.
Garnish with coriander leaves.
Mix piping hot rasam with rice and ghee and enjoy with some curry or have it as soup.

Lemon Good Rasam

Dear friends,

I have been traveling this month and haven't gotten a chance to read all your comments on my previous post until now. Thank you so much for the same. As I will be busy for a few more weeks, I may not be able to sign in to my blog. I will disable the comment option temporarily. I will enable it once I get some time to sit back and read each and every comment. If you have any questions regarding this recipe, you may send me an email by clicking the "contact me" link on header menu.
In regular rasam, we cook dal separately and add it to boiling tomato-rasam powder mixture. In good rasam, we add uncooked dal along with tomato and rasam powder to water and boil together.

Ingredients:
Tomato - 1
Hing - 1/4 tsp
Rasam Powder - 1.5 tsp
Lemon - 1 medium (add more if needed)
Masoor Dal - 2 tbsp
Coriander leaves - a few
Salt
Green chilli - 1 (optional)

Seasoning:
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Jeera- 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - a few
Ghee - 1 tsp

Method:
In a vessel, add 2 cups of water, chopped tomato, salt, hing, rasam powder, whole green chilli, masoor dal and boil it for 12 minutes or until tomato turns soft.
Add 1.5 cups of water again and bring it to a boil.
Turn off the heat.
Tamper with mustard seeds, curry leaves and jeera in ghee.
Granish with coriander leaves and squeeze lemon juice.
Mix well and serve with hot rice and curry!

Keerai Masiyal (Spinach Dal)

Keerai masiyal is a simple and healthy dish usually mixed with rice and ghee and had with some curry.

Ingredients:
Keerai/Spinach - 1 bunch
Thur Dal - 1/4 cup cooked
Salt
Hing - a pinch
Turmeric powder - a pinch

Seasoning:
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urud Dal - 1/2 tsp
Jeera - 1/2 tsp
Red chillies - 3
Curry leaves - a few

Method:
In a vessel, take cleaned, chopped spinach along with 1/4 cup water, salt, turmeric powder and hing.
Boil till the raw smell goes away and water gets absorbed. It should take about 8-10 minutes. Turn off the heat.
Mix in cooked dal.
Do the seasoning and add it to the mixture.
Serve with hot rice, ghee and curry.

This is on it's way to Healing Foods: Spinach event, started by Siri and hosted by Divya. 

Milagu Kuzhambu

Milagu Kuzhambu-a spicy gravy made by boiling tamarind extract with fresh ground spices is usually had with rice and ghee. When it rains, I can't think of a better main course meal than this one! Here's Milagu Kozhambu recipe coming straight from my Amma's kitchen.

Ingredients:
Tamarind-Medium lime size ball
Sambar powder-1/2 tsp(optional)
Salt
Hing-1/4 tsp
Rice flour paste-Mix 1.5 tsp of rice flour in some water to make a thick paste(optional)
Grated Jaggery-1/2 tsp

To roast in 1/2 tsp oil until golden brown:
Urud Dal-2 tsp
Channa Dal-2 tsp
Red chillis-2
Curry leaves-a few(about 8)
Whole pepper-1 tsp

Seasoning:
Mustard seeds-1 tsp
Curry leaves-a few
Oil-1/2 tsp

Method:
Soak tamarind in 1 cup warm water.
Roast the spices. Cool and grind into a smooth paste adding some water.
Extract 2.5 cups of tamarind water. Discard the tamarind. Add salt, hing, sambar powder, 1 cup water and boil for 12-15 minutes.
Add the ground spice paste and continue boiling for another 10 minutes.
If the mixture is not thick enough, add rice flour paste and stir continuously for a minute.
Add jaggery and stir.
Season with mustard seeds and curry leaves.
Serve hot with rice and ghee.

Mixed Vegetable Kootu

If you have just started to learn cooking, your best bet would be to try this kootu. It is very simple and healthy.

Ingredients:
Chayote Squash(Chow Chow)-1 small
Beans-10
carrot-1
peas-1/4 cup
Mung dal-1/4 cup
Sambar powder-1.5 tsp
Turmeric powder-a pinch
Hing-a pinch
Salt

Seasoning:
Coconut oil-1 tsp
Jeera
Mustard seeds
Curry leaves

Method:
Peel the skin of chayote squash.
Chop all the veggies.
Pressure cook them with rest of the ingredient and water for 3 whistles.
Do the seasoning and add it to the mixture.
Serve with hot rice or rotis.

Note: Make sure you add the right amount of water. About 1.5 to 2 cups should be sufficient.

Dal Makhani

Dal makhani sans butter and cream makes this dish light and healthy. It's surprising that my blog which is a collection of over 160 recipes does not have a basic recipe for dal! Hence I thought of posting this simple recipe which amateur cooks will find useful.

Ingredients:

1. Whole Black urud dal-1 cup
2. Oil-1 tbsp
3. Jeera-1 tsp
4. Chopped ginger-1 tsp
5. Chopped garlic-2 pods
6. Green chilli-1 slit into two
7. Cloves-3
8. Cinnamon-2 inch stick
9. Onion-1 small
10. Tomato-1
11. Salt
12. turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
13. Hing-1/4 tsp
14. Red chilli powder- according to taste
15. Kitchen king masala-1/2 tsp

Method:

Soak dal overnight. Pressure cook till it turns soft.
Heat oil a wide pan. Add ingredients 3 to 8. Fry for a few seconds.
Add chopped onions and sprinkle some salt. Fry till they turn soft.
Add tomato and rest of the ingredients. Add some more salt. Fry till tomato turns soft.
Add cooked dal and some water  and bring the mixture to a boil.
Simmer and cook for at least 15-20 minutes. The longer it simmers, the tastier it gets.
Garnish with coriander leaves.
This recipe can be used as a base to make dal with any lentil.

Note:
It is customary to use red kidney beans along with black urud dal in this dish. It makes the gravy buttery and yummy. In this case, use 3/4 cup of black urud and 1/4 cup of red kidney beans.
For rich gravy, top it off with 1/4 cup of heavy cream and saute the veggies in butter.
Soaking is not required for mung dal/green gram dal/thur dal. Cream is not added when these lentils are used to prepare dal.

Vepambu Rasam(Neem flower Rasam)

Piping hot Rasam mixed with Rice makes a very comforting and satisfying meal during Winter and Rainy Season. When I am sick, this is the only thing on earth I would want to have.

Neem flower rasam can be made quickly with very few ingredients you usually have on hand.

Ingredients:
Tamarind-Small lime size
Rasam Powder-1/2 tsp
Salt
Hing-1/4 tsp

Seasoning:
Ghee-1 tsp
Dry neem flower-1 tsp
Jeera-1/2 tsp
Red chillies-2
Garlic pods(optional)-2
Curry leaves-a few

Method:
Mix Tamarind with 2 cups of water in a vessel. No need to extract the juice from tamarind. Add salt, hing, rasam powder and boil until the raw smell  is gone(12-15 minutes).
Add 1 more cup of water and boil for another 5 minutes. Turn off the heat.
Do the seasoning and add it to the Rasam.

Note: Fry neem flower till it turns dark brown.
If you don't have neem flower, substitute it with 1 tsp of  pepper-cumin powder(1/2 tsp each) to make Pepper-Cumin Rasam.

Measurements are approximate. You can master the skill of making Sambar/Rasam only with experience.

Special Mor Kuzhambu(Spicy coconut-buttermilk gravy)

Mor Kuzhambu is a typical South Indian dish made with buttermilk and coconut-green chilli-cumin paste. This recipe is slightly different from the usual.  The addition of roasted spices makes the gravy flavorful and taste better.

Serves:3

Ingredients:
Thick Yogurt-1 cup
Salt
Hing-1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
Curry leaves-a few
Any one vegetable of your choice(lady's finger/capsicum/pumpkin/chayote squash)-1/2 cup chopped into big pieces

Spices to roast in 1/2 tsp oil till golden brown:
Urud dal-1/2 tsp
Coriander seeds-1 tsp
Fenugreek seeds-1/4 tsp
Red chillies-2

Other Ingredients:
Coconut-2 tbsp
Green chilli-1

Seasoning:
Mustard seeds-1 tsp


Method:
Roast the spices mentioned above and grind along with coconut and green chilli with 1/4 cup water to a smooth paste.

If you are using lady's finger(aka okra) or capsicum, fry it in 1 tbsp oil till it is cooked.
If you are using, pumpkin or squash, boil it with water and a pinch of salt till it is cooked.

In another vessel, mix yogurt with 1/2 cup water and beat well. Add salt, hing, curry leaves and turmeric powder. Add the ground paste and prepared vegetable. Simmer for 5 minutes. Do not stir while cooking. Turn off the heat and stir.

Season with mustard seeds and garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve with hot rice, ghee and beans parupu usili.
Click here for parupu usili recipe!

Have a great week ahead!!

Mysore Rasam

You will be carried away by this aromatic spicy rasam!

Ingredients:
Tamarind-lime size
Tomato-1 chopped
Hing-1/4 tsp
Rasam powder-1/4 tsp
Cooked thur dal-1 tbsp
Salt

To roast till golden brown in a drop of oil/ghee and grind to a coarse powder:
Thur dal-1 tsp
pepper-1/4 tsp
Red chillies-3
Coriander seeds-1/2 tsp
Channa dal-1/2 tsp
Coconut-1 tbsp
Jeera-1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves-for garnish

Seasoning in 1 tsp ghee:
Mustard seeds-1/2 tsp
Curry leaves-a few
Jeera-1/2 tsp

Method:
Soak tamarind in warm water. Extract 2.5 cups of tamarind water.
To tamarind water, add tomato, salt, hing and rasam powder and boil it for 10 minutes.
Add the ground powder and continue boiling for 8-10 minutes.
Add cooked thur dal and 1.5 cups of water. Let it boil for 5 minutes.
Turn off the heat. Do the seasoning and garnish with coriander leaves.
Mix with rice and ghee and serve with any curry/pappad.

Kathirikai Podi Curry(Brinjal Curry)

Serves 2

Ingredients:
Brinjal-5 small chopped
Oil-2 tbsp
Curry powder-1 tbsp
Salt
Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
Chilli powder-1/4 tsp

Seasoning:
Mustard seeds-1/2 tsp
Jeera-1/2 tsp
Urud dal-1/2 tsp
Hing-a dash

Curry powder:
Fry these ingredients in a drop of oil till golden brown and grind to a coarse powder
Urud dal-1/2 tsp
Channa dal-1/2 tsp
Coriander seeds-1/2 tsp
Red chillies-2

Method:
Heat oil in a wide pan. Do the seasoning.
Add chopped or sliced brinjals, turmeric powder, salt, chilli powder and stir gently.
Simmer, place a lid and cook until almost done.
Remove the lid. Add curry powder and stir for 2 more minutes till brinjal turns crisp.

This goes to Sanghi's Food Delight for Fall In Love(FIL)-Brinjal

I am in India on vacation :) I have scheduled a few posts once a week. So keep visiting my blog!

Capsicum Masiyal(Capsicum dal)

This dal is very easy to prepare and goes well with rice and curry.

Serves 3

Ingredients:
To pressure cook in water for 3 whistles:
Capsicum-1 medium size chopped into small pieces
Mung dal-1/3 cup
Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
Hing-1/4 tsp

To fry in 1/2 tsp oil till golden brown and grind to a coarse powder:
Urud dal-2 tsp
Red chillies-2(adjust according to your taste)
Whole pepper-1 tsp
Grated coconut-1/4 cup

Seasoning:
Jeera-1 tsp
Curry leaves-a few
Coconut oil-2 tsp

Method:
Pressure cook the ingredients mentioned above.
Add the ground powder.
Add water and bring it to a consistency slightly thinner than sambar.
Add salt and boil the mixture for 2-3 minutes.
Heat coconut oil in a pan, do the seasoning and add it to the dal mixture.
Serve with rice, ghee and curry.

I thank Foodbuzz for sending me a pack of Mother's circus animal cookies for tasting. I loved them. The cookies look so cute. They are very creamy on the outside and crunchy on the inside. The product will hit the market on May 4th. Do not forgot to try these delicious cookies. Kids will love it.

I have received a lot of 15 minute recipes so far. Thank you so much girls! keep them coming. I have a small request from you all.

Please read the updated rules for 15 min cooking event:

1. It will be great if you can reduce the size of the pictures to 300 pixels and send. If you don't have the software to reduce the size, I will do it for you.
2. Rename the picture to dish name. It will make my life little easier :)
3. Though I also accept some recipes that require advance preparation like fermenting, soaking, freezing etc.. I would prefer recipes that will take only 15 minutes from start to end. One exception is-the time taken to cut veggies.

Thanks once again for your lovely entries and I myself can't wait for the round up!

Grandma's Mendhiya Thogayal(Fenugreek Chutney)

This is one of my favorite thogayals. It tastes awesome when mixed with hot rice and ghee. Bitterness from fenugreek is offset by jaggery and tamarind in this recipe.

Ingredients:
To roast:
Fenugreek seeds(Methi seeds)-1 tsp
Urud dal-2 tsp
Channa dal-2 tsp
Mustard seeds-1/4 tsp
Hing-1/4 tsp
Red chillis-5

Other ingredients:
Jaggery-1tbsp
Tamarind-3 inch piece
Salt

Method:
Roast the above ingredients in 2 drops of oil till golden brown. Cool.
Grind with rest of the ingredients adding little water to a course paste.
From the picture you can get an idea of how thick the paste should be.
Serve with hot rice and ghee.

Note: Rice should not be mushy. It be cooked in such a way that the grains are separate.
Ghee is a must. Thogalays taste great only when ghee is added.

Pineapple Rasam

Being a pineapple lover, I wonder how I missed making this rasam all these days. I took the recipe from Chithra Viswanathan's page. It was very delicious. Here is the recipe..

Ingredients:
Finely chopped pineapple-1/2 cup
Tomatoes-2
Green chilli-1
Cooked thur dal-2 tbsp
Rasam powder-1.5-2 tsp(depending on how spicy your powder is)
Hing-a pinch
Salt
Curry leaves-a few
Coriander leaves-for garnishing
Lime juice- from 1 or 2 limes(depending on sourness)
To tamper:
Ghee-1 tsp
Mustard seeds-1/2 tsp
Jeera-1/2 tsp

To decorate-extra pineapple pieces

Method:
Cook together tomatoes, pineapple pieces, a few coriander leaves, curry leaves with 1/2 cup water till they turn soft(6-7 min) and blend the mixture using a hand blender to a smooth paste.
To this add green chilli, rasam powder, salt, hing and cooked dal mixed with 3 cups of water.
Boil the mixture on medium heat till the raw smell of rasam powder goes off(15 min).
Switch off the gas, tamper and add lime juice.
Top with finely chopped coriander leaves & pineapple pieces.

Potato Fry

I have ample time on hand. We recently moved to LA and I am not enjoying this place very much. No friends, nowhere to go, nothing interesting to do. Life without family and friends can be depressing. Blogging keeps me somewhat occupied. I go to bookstore once a week. Otherwise I am hooked to my computer. I came across this recipe in Vaishali's blog. It is not the usual potato curry recipe. It's different. As you can see in the picture, the potatoes turned out very crispy. I have always loved potatoes. Now I love them even more! Check out Vaishali's recipe here.

I would like to note down her recipe here.

Ingredients:
Potatoes-5
Oil-2 tbsp
Salt
Jeera-1 tsp

Mix together:
Rice flour-1tbsp
Sambar powder-1 tsp
Chilli powder-1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp

Method:
Pressure cook the potatoes for 3-4 whistles or until they are cooked. Cool, peel the skin and cut into small or big pieces.
Heat oil in a pan. Tamper with jeera.
Coat the potatoes with rice flour mixture and fry in oil. Add salt and toss them until potaotes turn golden brown.
Yummy crispy potatoes are ready to go with small onion sambar and rice!I always make this combo...they are an inseparable pair. Do you guys agree?