Eggs - Cauliflower

Do you think Eggs and Cauliflower is an unusual combination? Well, try it out, you would love it! I had this combo at my sister-in-law's place and liked it.

Ingredients

4 hard-boiled eggs (peel the shell, set the eggs aside)
5 cups cauliflower florets (small florets)
1 big onion, finely chopped
2 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Red chillie powder - to taste (optional)

3 green chillies - slit lengthwise
Garam masala powder - 2 tsp (I use home-made. Store bought would be fine too)
Chopped coriander leaves
2 tbsp oil
2 tbsp cream

For seasoning:
4 cloves (coarse powder)
2 dried red chillies, broken into pieces
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
Ginger Garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Curry leaves

• Heat oil in a wide skillet, sprinkle a pinch of turmeric and fry the boiled eggs until they turn golden. Remove to a plate, make 4 incisions on each egg and set them aside
• Add the seasoning ingredients to the skillet in the order above
• Immediately add chopped onion, cover and cook until onion turns soft
• Add tomatoes, cook until they soften and add cauliflower florets
• Sprinkle turmeric, salt and slit green chillies - cover and cook until cauliflower is half done
• Add the eggs, red chillie powder and garam masala powder
• Adjust salt, mix, cover and cook until cauliflower is done
• Add chopped coriander leaves and cream, mix well. Turn the heat off

A delicious gravy variety to go with rice!

Paneer - Capsicum Pulav

 

 

Ingredients

Basmatice Rice - 3 cups
Water - 4 1/2 cups

Paneer cubes - 1 cup, 1 ½”  cubes 
Red & Green Bell peppers (capsicum) - 1 cup, diced
Onion - 2 medium, thinly sliced

Salt - to taste

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Red chillie powder - 1/2 tsp 
Pulav masala - 4 tsp
Butter - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 3 tbsp

For seasoning:

Bay leaves - 3
Cloves (lavang) - 8, coarse powder

Cardamom pods - 4, coarse powder

Dried red chillies - 4, tear and deseed

Curry leaves - 2 sprigs

Poppy seeds powder - 2 tsp

Ginger Garlic paste - 1 tbsp

Method 

1. Heat oil in a wide skillet, fry paneer cubes until golden. Remove and set aside.
2. In the same skillet, add capsicum pieces and onion, fry on high heat just until they turn a little soft. Add fried paneer cubes to the skillet.
3. Add turmeric, salt, 1 tsp pulav masala, red chillie powder and mix well. Let fry for 2 minutes, remove and set aside 
4. Turn on the electric rice cooker, let heat and add oil
5. Add seasoning ingredients to the cooker in the order listed above. Fry for a minute until ginger garlic paste loses its raw smell 
6. Add rice, 3 tsp pulav masala, salt. Mix well and let fry for 5 minutes
7. Add water, cover and cook until done
8. Remove rice to a wide tray, spread to cool just a little
9. In an oven safe dish or tray, apply little butter on all sides
10. Spread a layer of rice, followed by a layer of paneer and capsicum pieces. Continue layering, ending with layer of rice on top
11. Cover and steam in the oven, at 250F for 10 minutes
12. Remove and mix gently

Tomato Perugu kura (Tomato in Yogurt sauce)

Ingredients

5 medium tomatoes, diced (vine ripened or beef steak)

2 medium onions, roughly chopped

chopped coriander leaves

2 or 3 cups yogurt - whisk into a smooth & thick buttermilk

Turmeric 
Salt to taste

4 green chillies, slit lengthwise

for seasoning :

1/4 tsp each - mustard seeds & cumin seeds

1 dried red chillie, broken into pieces

3 garlic cloves, minced

curry leaves

1 tbsp oil

• Heat oil in a saucepan - add mustard and when they crackle, add rest of the seasoning ingredients.
• Immediately add chopped onion, saute just until the onions turn translucent (should still have a bite to them)
• Add chopped tomatoes, turmeric, salt and green chillies. Cover and cook until tomatoes become soft
• Remove the lid, let all liquid evaporate, turn the heat off.
• Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves, let cool and whisk in buttermilk.

Cauliflower

Ingredients
5 cups cauliflower florets (big florets)
1 big onion, finely chopped
2 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped
turmeric & salt to taste
red chillie powder - to taste
garam masala powder - to taste
chopped coriander leaves
2 tbsp oil

For seasoning:
2 cloves
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
3 garlic cloves, minced
curry leaves

• Heat oil in a wide skillet, add the seasoning ingredients. Immediately add chopped onion
• Cover & cook until onion softens
• Add tomatoes, cook until they soften & add cauliflower florets
• Stir in turmeric and salt - cover & cook until done
• Stir in red chillie powder, garam masala powder & chopped coriander leaves

Chana Dal - Coconut

Everything is good with coconut, right? Here is a very delicious dal-coconut combo! Chana dal with coconut!

 

Rice with Chana Dal and Majjiga Mirapakaya

Ingredients

Chana dal - 1 cup

Water - 2 cups

Fresh grated coconut - 1 cup

Onion - 1 medium, roughly chopped

Green chillies - 3, slit lengthwise

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Salt - to taste

For seasoning/popu

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Dried red chillies - 2, tear and deseed

Garlic - 2 cloves, finely chopped

Curry leaves - sprig

Ghee - 1 tbsp

Oil - 1 tsp

Method

1. Wash and soak chana dal in warm water for 30 minutes
2. In a sauce pan, add chana dal, onion, coconut, green chillies, salt, turmeric and water. Cover and cook just until the dal becomes soft, but not mushy
3. For seasoning, heat ghee and oil in a saute pan. Add mustard seeds; when they crackle, add cumin seeds, red chillies, garlic and curry leaves. 
4. Add this seasoning to the cooked dal, mix. Adjust salt and serve with warm rice.

Majjiga Mirapakaya (green chillies soaked in yogurt and sundried) served alongside, adds a punch!

Lima Beans

Ingredients
2 cups baby lima beans (I use frozen)
2 medium onions, finely chopped
2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped or 3 tsp tomato paste
2 tbsp dry coconut (add little water & make a paste)
Salt, turmeric – to taste
2 tsp curry masala powder
1 tsp red chillie powder
3 cups water
Chopped coriander leaves

For seasoning:
3 cloves, ½ tsp cumin seeds, 3 garlic cloves-finely chopped, curry leaves
2 tbsp oil

• Heat oil in a saucepan, add cloves, cumin seeds, garlic, curry leaves
• Immediately add onion, sauté until onion is soft
• Add tomatoes, salt and turmeric. Cover & coook until tomatoes turn soft
• Add 3 cups water and lima beans, cover & cook until lima beans are soft
• Stir in coconut paste, curry masala & red chillie powder
• Add chopped coriander leaves, mix & turn the heat off

Good with puri/rotis

Chana Masala (Chick Peas/Garbanzos)

I make slight variations each time I make Chana Masala or Chole. As a last minute thought, made this simple chana masala to go with rotis; ofcourse, with canned chick peas. Takes very little time and is delicious! With chick peas, you are never disappointed!

Recipe
15oz Chick Peas (wash & drain the canned chick peas)
2 medium onions, finely chopped
3 tsp tomato paste
Salt, turmeric – to taste
2 tsp Chana masala powder
1 tsp Red chillie powder
A pinch of amchur powder
2 cups water
Chopped coriander leaves
For seasoning:
2 cloves, ½ tsp cumin seeds, 3 garlic cloves-finely chopped, curry leaves
1 tbsp oil

• Heat oil in a saucepan, add cloves, cumin seeds, garlic, curry leaves
• Immediately add onion, sauté until onion is soft
• Stir in tomato paste, salt & turmeric
• Add 2 cups water, let boil and toss in chick peas
• Cook until you achieve the desired consistency (thick gravy or thin gravy)
• Stir in chana masala, red chillie & amchur powders
• Add chopped coriander leaves, mix & turn the heat off

Carrots - French Beans

Sometimes we have a very small quantity of each vegetable and can't make good use of it. At such times, I like to incorporate one into another and make a fry or curry. This time it is beans and carrots! We can also add some lima beans or green peas; they would be a nice addition!

Ingredients

French beans - 1/2 cup, chopped

Carrots - 1/2 cup, chopped

Onion - 1 small, finely chopped

Turmeric - 1/2 tsp

Salt - to taste
Red chillie powder - 1/2 tsp
Curry masala powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves with tender stems - 1 tbsp, finely chopped
Oil - 1 tbsp
For seasoning/popu

Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp

Urad dal - 1 tsp

Garlic - 2 cloves, chopped

Curry leaves

 

Method

1. Heat oil in a skillet and add seasoning of urad dal, cumin seeds, garlic and curry leaves.
2. Add finely chopped onion, saute for a couple of minutes.
3. Add chopped carrots and french beans, turmeric, salt. Mix, fry for 3 minutes, cover and cook until vegetables soften.
4. Remove the lid, let fry for 10 minutes on medium heat, stirring in between.
5. Stir in masala powder, red chillie powder, chopped coriander leaves.  Mix and turn the heat off.

A nice side dish with sambar/rasam.

Yogurt (Perugu/Dahi/Curd)

To make curd, Mom always boiled milk for a very long time; until the color of the milk turned into a cream-pink hue.... I had followed her method ever since I started cooking and I continue to do so. A little time consuming, but well worth it! I use 2% milk and here is the secret to a delicious thick curd!

I use steel vessels to boil milk. Rinse the inside of the vessel with just plain water, do not dry the vessel before adding milk. Add milk and place on a small burner, turn the heat on to slightly lower than medium. (This is to avoid milk sticking at the bottom of the vessel) When the milk comes to a boil and a layer forms on top, reduce the heat to right in between low & medium, let boil for 90 minutes. Yes, 90 minutes! Turn the heat off and let cool : In summer, to lukewarm and in winter to a little more warm than lukewarm.

Add a tablespoon of active live culture to the boiled milk, stir well, cover the vessel with a lid and place a bigger vessel (steel or any of our regular saucepans) over the milk vessel, making sure it covers the entire vessel. I just leave it on the stove top... In summers, it takes 4 hours to set and in winters, 4-6 hours. Sometimes, it helps to turn the heat on to medium, only once during the process, for just 30-40 seconds. (Just in case the room temperature has come down, in winters!)

Isn't that a delicious scoop?

Potato - Tomato Curry / Flavoured Rice

For Sunday supper, it was rotis and flavoured rice... I thought it has been a long time since I made Aloo-Tomato, so made this quick and easy gravy variety, to go alongwith rotis. However, made some last minute additions - cream and sour cream...never tried cream with potatoes, was wondering how it would turn out. Nonetheless, it made a nice accompaniment for both, rotis and rice!

Ingredients
3 medium potatoes (I use Russet potatoes) peel the skin, cube them

3 medium roma tomatoes, diced

3 medium onions, thinly sliced, lengthwise

 

For seasoning :

3 cloves, 2 dried red chillies (tear and deseed), ¼ tsp cumin seeds, 2 garlic cloves (minced), curry leaves

2 tbsp oil

 

Turmeric
Salt - to taste

3 green chillies, slit lengthwise

¼ tsp fennel seeds powder (optional – I like the aroma of fennel and hence add this spice to all my recipes)

2 tbsp light cream

2 heaped teaspoonfuls of light sour cream

Coriander leaves, chopped

 

Heat oil in a wide skillet, add the seasoning ingredients; immediately add sliced onions

Saute until onions soften, add diced tomatoes, salt & turmeric

Cover and cook until tomatoes soften.

Add cubed potatoes, green chillies, fennel seeds powder. Mix, cover and cook until potatoes are tender

When done, sprinkle some water, add cream and sour cream; adjust salt, if required

Stir in chopped coriander leaves

For flavoured rice – I kept it very simple.

1. Heat oil in electric rice cooker, toss in some whole spices (cloves, cinnamon, black peppercorns, star anise, cumin seeds) and finally, some curry leaves
2. Add some green peas; saute for a couple of minutes, before adding basmati rice and water
3. Sprinkle some salt, cover and cook until done. When done, let rest for 5-10 minutes and mix lightly

Soya Chunks - Vegetable Pulav

Proteins, Vitamins, Fiber, Carbohydrates - all in one pot! How easy is that?

I was feeling a little lazy to cook during the weekend and since my toddler son prefers rice, I had decided on this simple, nutritious, one pot meal!

Ingredients

2 cups rice (Basmati)

3 1/2 cups water to cook rice

1 cup chopped french beans and carrots

1 cup soya chunks (I use Nutrela)

(Note : For measurement of rice and water, I always use the CUP that comes with electric rice cooker)

 Turmeric

Salt to taste
1/4 tsp red chillie powder (optional)
2 tsp pulav masala (homemade or store bought)
4 green chillies, slit lengthwise
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp oil

For seasoning:

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

4 cloves (lavang) coarse powder

a small sprig of stoneflower (optional)

2 garlic cloves, minced

10 curry leaves

1 tsp poppy seeds powder

 

Method

1. Soak soya chunks for 15 minutes, in hot water with a pinch of salt. (I normally put soya chunks in a bowl of salted water, microwave on high for 2 minutes) When they are soft, squeeze the water from the soya chunks and rinse them 2-3 times in fresh water. Squeeze excess water, set them aside.
2. Start electric rice cooker on 'Cooking', add butter and oil. When hot, add the seasoning ingredients. Let fry for a minute
3. Add chopped carrots, french beans, green chillies, turmeric and salt. Saute for a couple of minutes, cover and cook for 5 minutes
4. Add washed soya chunks, red chillie powder, mix, cover cook for 5 more minutes
5. Add washed rice and pulav masala powder. Mix well, let fry for 5 minutes
6. Add water, adjust salt, cover and cook until done.