Brinjal Fry in Iron Kadai

 In this recipe, Brinjal is cooked in iron kadai with spices and very less oil. For less oil, iron kadai(pan) is the best.  I got a preseasoned cast iron kadai ( Kraft brand) from amazon. This is an very easy recipe with minimal ingredients that are available at home.  The spices and sauteing in iron kadai gives a special taste to this brinjal curry. Please do try at home.

INGREDIENTS:

Brinjal - 1 medium sized ( 150 gms)

Onion - 1/3 cup finely chopped

Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Red chilli powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Corinder powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Sambar powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Salt - as required

Asafoetida powder - as required

SEASONING:

Oil -  5 teaspoon

Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Cumin seeds - 1/4 teaspoon

Urad dal - 1/2 teaspoon

METHOD:

1. Wash and cut brinjal in bigger sizes. If brinjal is finely chopped it turns mushy. So each piece should be the size of your finger or 3/4 th of your finger . 

2. In the iron kadai, add oil. Then add the items mentioned in the "Seasoning" section . 

3. Then add finely chopped onions and fry for sometime.

4. Then add brinjal, salt and also add the spices- turmeric, red chilli , coriander and sambar powders.

5. Mix the contents well. Do not add any water . Cover and keep in low flame. every three minutes once open and gently stir the contents to avoid getting burnt. It takes about 10-12 minutes for the brinjal to get cooked completely and also doesnt turn mushy.  Turn off the stove and sprinkle some asafoetida powder. Brinjal curry is ready!

Kadai Paneer

 

INGREDIENTS:

Paneer -250 grams

Yellow bell pepper - 1 medium sized

Red bell pepper -1 medium sized

Onion - 3/4 cup chopped

Tomatoes - 2 medium sozed finely chopped

Tomato ketchup - 2 tablespoon

Garam masala - 1/4 teaspoon

Kashmiri red chilli powder - 1 teaspoon

Ginger - 1 inch juliened

Ginger garlic paste - 2 teaspoon

Salt - as required

Sugar - 1/2 teaspoon

Kasuri methi - 2teaspoon

Butter - 1 tablespoon

Oil - 1 tablespoon

FOR KADAI MASALA:

Coriander seeds -1 tablespoon

Dry red chilli - 2 no.s

Cardamom - 2 no.s

Fennel seeds - 1 teaspoon

Cloves - 2 no.s

METHOD:

1. In a pan, dry roast the items mentioned in the "FOR KADAI MASALA" and grind them in to a powder.

2.  In a pan, add butter and oil. Now add chopped 3/4 cup onion and fry till they turn translucent. Then add ginger garlic paste and fry for 2 to 3 minutes till the raw smell is gone.

3.  Now add the tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes turn soft.  Now add the powdered kadai masala, kashmiri chilli powder, garam masala . Also add the juliened ginger  and mix well and cook the spices for 30 seconds.

4.  Add 1 cup water ,salt,  1/2 teaspoon sugar . Also  add paneer cubes, chopped red and yellow peppers. Keep the flame in sim and cover and cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Then add 2 teaspoon of kasuri methi ( dry fenugreek leaves). Switch off the stove and add 2 tablespoon tomato ketchup and mix well. 

5. Kadai Paneer is ready. Serve with rice or rotti.

Zucchini Curry

 Zucchini or summer squash dry curry recipe. Easy to make in minutes. Goes well with rotti or rice !

INGREDIENTS:

Zucchini -  approx 500 gms

Onion - 1/2 cup chopped fine 

Green chilli - 1 chopped

Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Red chilli powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Coriander powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Garam masala - 1/2 teaspoon

Lemon juice-  few drops

Salt - as required

SEASONING:

Oil - 2 teaspoon

Mustard - 1 teaspoon

Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon

Urad dal - 1 teaspoon

INGREDIENTS:

1. Chop zucchini in to thin slices as in picture below . No need to peel the skin off the zucchini

2. In a pan, add oil. Add the items mentioned in the seasoning section. Now add green chilli, onions, and fry till they turn translucent. 

3. Now add the chopped zucchini. Also add salt, turmeric, red chilli and coriander powder. 

4. Mix well. Sprinkle some water and cook for few minutes. Zucchini is a soft vegetable and let out lot of water when cooked. Also it will turn mushy and tastes bland when over cooked. Hence, just sprinkle some water and simmer the stove and cook for few minutes  until they are slightly soft, yet crispy . 

5. Now add garam masala and mix  gently and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. After adding garam masala, do not cook for too long, as the flavors will be lost. Also , squeeze few drops of lemon juice. Zucchini dry curry is ready. Serve with rotti or rice !

Potato Masala

Restaurant style potato masala - For masala dosa, rotti side dish, bread sandwich etc. Easy to make in minutes :)

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Serves: 2 people

INGREDIENTS:

Potato - 1 large no or 2 medium nos.
Onion - 3/4 cup chopped very fine
Green chilli - 1 large no, chopped fine
Ginger - 1 inch , chopped fine
Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Curry leaves - as required
Coriander leaves - for garnishing
Salt - as required
Asafoetida powder - a pinch
Water - 1 - 2 tablespoon

SEASONING:

Oil - 2 tablespoon
Mustard- 1 teaspoon
Urad dal - 1 teaspoon
Channa dal -  1 teaspoon
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon

METHOD:

1. In a pressure cooker, cut potato with skin in to four pieces and add sufficient water. Cover with lid. Pressure cook in high flame for one whistle, then simmer and cook for 9 minutes and switch off. Take it out and allow it to cool down. Peel of the skin, and cut them in to cubes.

2. Chop onions, green chilies and ginger in to fine pieces.

3. In a tawa, add 2 tablespoon of oil. Add mustard, cumin seeds, urad dal , channa dal and curry leaves. Once it changes color, add onion and green chilli. Fry , till onion gets transparent.

4. Now add chopped ginger and fry for another 30 seconds. Now add boiled potato cubes, salt , turmeric powder and mix well.

5. Now add very less water ( approx 1 to 2 tablespoon) , so that potatoes turn moist and soft. Mash bigger pieces with a wooden ladle, but do not mash all the pieces and turn it to paste. Switch off the stove. Sprinkle some asafoetida powder and garnish with corriander leaves.

6. Serve it with masala dosa, or a side dish for rotti or poori, or you can also use it as a stuffing for potato sandwich. It will taste very good !

SEE ALSO : Pesarattu Dosa, Peanut Chutney 

Ashgourd Fry (Kerala Style)

White Pumpkin/Ash gourd/Vella Pusani is a watery vegetable , low in calories and high in vitamins. Its high water content helps you to keep hydrated and cool. This Kerala style ash gourd fry is very simple and made with very minimal ingredients. It gives an amazing taste and can be eaten just with plain rice . 

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Serves - 2 - 3 people

INGREDIENTS:

Ash gourd - 3 cups chopped .

Small onions - 1/2 cup chopped

Grated coconut - 3 tablespoon

Green chilli - 2 no.s

Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Asafoetida powder - as required

Salt - as required

Oil - 1 tablespoon

Mustard - 1 teaspoon

Curry leaves - as required

METHOD:

1. Chop ash gourd in to small pieces and wash it in running water and keep aside. In a mixer, take small onions,grated coconut, green chilli, turmeric powder and grind in to a coarse form. Do not grind it into a fine  paste. 

2. Now mix this masala paste with chopped ash gourd.

3. In a pan, add oil. Now add mustard and once its splutters, add curry leaves. 

4. Now add the ash gourd pieces. Also add required salt. Cook in medium to low flame with occasional stirring, for the pumpkin to get cooked and turn soft. It approximately takes 10 minutes. In the end, sprinkle some asafoetida powder. This ash gourd fry can be had just with plain rice and taste really good !.

Note : If you dont have small onions, you can also use normal onions. 

Paruppu Saadham (Dal Rice) & Okra(ladies finger) Roast

        In the busy morning times, we always run short of lunch box idea for kids. Moreover , we have very less time to cook and pack lunch. So most of the time, we have no option, but to pack unhealthy and less nutritious food for kids . Also, kids are always picky eaters and bring back the lunch without touching, if we give them vegetables. My son also similar.
        So I though to make him eat vegetables by giving it in a way he likes. Today I have  given a recipe of  simple dal rice and okra(ladies finger) roast. Of course, okra is deep fried and not suitable for  adults who are in the process of reducing weight. But for kids, it is ok as they are young and no need to reduce weight. My son who never like to eat vegetables, like this  okra roast a lot. Please try this and give it to your kids for school lunch !

Preparation and Cooking Time: 45 minutes in total
Serves : 1-2 kids

INGREDIENTS:

Paruppu Saadham(Dal Rice):

Rice - 1/2 cup
Toor Dal - 1/4 cup
Water - 1.5 cups
Salt - 1 teaspoon
Ghee- 2 table spoon
Ground black pepper - 1/2 teaspoon
Asafoetida powder - a pinch

Okra(Ladies Finger) Roast:

Lades Finger - 250 gms
Besan or chick pea flour - 1/4 cup
Rice flour - 1/4 cup
Salt - as required
Red chilli powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Oil - 2 teaspoon & also for deep frying

METHOD:

1. Wash ladies finger and chop them into fine pieces.Take it in a bowl. Add besan,rice flour,salt,red chilli powder and 2 teaspoon of oil.  Mix it well and set aside for 20 minutes. The ladies finger will let out some water.

2. In the meantime, in a pressure cooker, add rice, toor dal,water and salt . Pressure cook in high for 1 whistle and reduce to sim for 10 minutes. Then switch off. Once the pressure settles, open the lid and add some ghee and black pepper powder. Sprinkle some asafoetida powder and mix well. Dal rice is ready !

3. Now, heat oil in tawa. Check the ladies finger . If it is very dry, sprinkle some water and mix well. Do not add more water , as it will turn watery. Now deep fry them golden brown.

Instant Carrot Pickle

My mom often makes this pickle at home for lunch. It is my favorite way to eat carrots. This pickle has a sweet and spicy flavor, which it makes it more tasty . The sweetness comes from carrot and spicy flavor comes from the red chilli powder and other spice items we add.

Preparation Time: Under 5 minutes
Cooking Time: Under 5 minutes
Serves: 1 person

INGREDIENTS:

Carrot - 1/2 cup, chopped very fine ( I use 1/2 of a big carrot)
Red chilli powder - 1/4 teaspoon( Can increase according to your spice level)
Fenugreek powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Asafoetida powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Salt - as required
Lemon juice - few drops
Oil - 1 tablespoon
Mustard - 1/2 teaspoon

METHOD:

1. Peel off the carrot skin and chop it into very fine pieces. Take them in a bowl. Sprinkle salt, red chilli powder , fenugreek powder, asafoetida powder .

2. In a tadka /seasoning pan, take oil. Add mustard and once it splutters, pour it over the carrots, so that hot oil touches all the dry powders which we have added above carrots. Also squeeze few drops of lemon juice .

3. Mix the contents well. Serve immediately with rice. This pickle goes well with rice,dal .

Rice, Dal, Brinjal curry, Carrot pickle, Cucumber salad and Papad :) 

NOTES:

1. This is not like regular pickle, which you can prepare and store for couple of days. This pickle is an instant one, and should be prepared just before lunch and consumed within a day .

2. In the same way , you can make pickle with raw mango. But, if you are making mango pickle, do not add  lemon juice , as mango itself has sourness . 

Beans Paruppu Usili

Let us see in this post, how to make tasty beans paruppusili .It is a dish,  in which chana dal with spices mixed with green beans and stir fried together.

Preparation Time: 20 minutes(Not including soaking time)

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Serves - 2 people.

INGREDIENTS:

Beans - 1/4 kg

Channa dal - 1/3 cup

Dry red chilli - 2 no.s

Salt - as required

Asafoetida powder - as required

Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Onion - 1/4 cup finely chopped

SEASONING:

Oil -2 tablespoon

Mustard - 1 teaspoon

Dry red chilli - 2 no.s 

METHOD:

1. Soak channa dal for 2 hours and drain water. 

2. Now grind the soaked channa dal with 2 no.s of dry red chilli, salt, asafoetida powder without adding any water. Grind in two batches, so that it gets grinded well .

3. Grease with oil on an idly plate. Spread this channa dal paste on the idly plate and steam it in idly cooker for about 10 minutes . Once they are steamed well , allow them to cool down and crumble them in to powder.

4. In a pressure cooker, add 1 teaspoon of oil and also add 2 tablespoon of water. Above that, add washed and chopped green beans . Sprinkle some salt and turmeric powder above it. 

5. Cover with lid. Cook in high flame for 3 whistles. Release the pressure and open the lid. You can see the beans cooked well.

6. In a pan, add some oil. Add mustard seeds and once it crackles, add dry red chilli. Then add onion and fry till they change color.

7. Now add the channa dal powder which you prepared in step 3. Fry it , till they change to golden brown. It may take approximately 7 to 8 minutes.

8. Now add cooked beans to this . Adjust salt according to your taste. Fry for another 5 minutes. Beans paruppusili is ready . This curry goes well with rasam rice !.

Ash Gourd Stir fry

This is a simple side dish using ash gourd/pusanikkai . It goes well with rice and sambar or rotti.

Preparation Time : 15 minutes
Cooking Time : 10 minutes
Serves : 2 people

INGREDIENTS:

Ash gourd - 2 cups ( cut into cube shapes)
Green chilli - 1
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Salt - as required
Coconut powder - 1 table spoon
Water - 1/4 cup
Coriander leaves - for garnishing

SEASONING ITEMS:

Oil - 2 tablespoon
Mustard - 1 teaspoon
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
Urad dal - 1 teaspoon
Channa dal - 1 teaspoon
Dry red chilli - 2 no.s
Asafoetida powder - as required

METHOD:

1. Cut ash gourd in medium sized cube shapes.

2.  In a pan, add oil. Add the items mentioned in the "SEASONING" section.

3. Now add chopped green chillies.

4. Now add ash gourd, turmeric and salt. Mix well.

5. Add 1/4 cup of water. Remember that ash gourd lets out lot of water. Hence dont add more water as it would turn very soggy. Just add 1/4 cup water. Keep the gas in sim mode and cover with lid and cook for approximately 7 minutes.

6. Now add coconut powder. You can also add fresh grated coconut. Mix well. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves .

SEE ALSO:

Capsicum besan fry , Carrot broccoli fry, Other dry curries .