I tried a dry version of this recipe. Although the consistency can be adjusted according to your needs.
Ingredients:
Serves Two
500 gms of Cauliflower cut into mid-sized florets
3-4 medium sized Potatoes cut into mid-sized cubes
2 green chillies, finely chopped
1/2 inch Ginger chopped finely
1 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tbsp Chilli powder
2 tbsp curd, hung overnight
1 tbsp garam masala
10-12 curry leaves
Salt to taste
Oil
water
To Temper:
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp Fenugreek seeds
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp Black caraways
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
Method:
Soak the Cauliflower florets in warm water and turmeric for about 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, throw in the potatoes and add water enough to cover them. Add a pinch of salt in the saucepan. Let the potatoes cook. Do not over-cook them. Remove them before they reach the mashable stage. Now in a pan, heat about 2 tbsps of oil, add the mustard seeds and once they crackle, add the rest to temper. Throw in the curry leaves. Now add ginger, chillies and toss briefly. Add the cauliflower florets and fry for a couple of minutes. Add the turmeric powder, chilli powder, garam masala and mix well. Cook briefly. Add curd and simmer till oil seperates. Now add the potatoes and mix well. Add salt to taste and about a cup of water and close the lid of the pan let cook for a brief while say for a couple of minutes taking care neither the cauliflower nor the potatoes become loose and mushy. They should be able to retain a little crispiness. Remove from heat and serve garnished with a handful of chooped cilantro.
Note:
If you haven't hung the curd overnight, it is still fine. If hung overnight, the curd adds a bit more of tanginess to the dish.
Inspired by the recipe found here:
http://www.tarladalal.com/Cauliflower--Potatoes-In-Yoghurt-Sauce-9494r
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Jeera Rice/ Cumin Rice
This one of the very basic flavoured rice. It is very mild in taste and very healthy too. Plus, it doesn't take much of an effort to cook this. This is a regular at my home at least once a week to detox from all the unhealthy binging through the rest of the week.
Ingredients:
Serves Two
2 cups Basmati Rice
1/2 cup Cumin seeds
Salt (optional)
Water
2tsps Oil/ Ghee (clarified butter)
Method:
Soak the rice in water for 30 minutes prior to cooking. In a large saucepan, add oil. Once the oil is ready, add the Cumin seeds and let crackle. Now add salt if required. Add the rice and mix well. Pour in about four cups of water and close the lid. Keep stirring in between and cook till all the water is absorbed. Serve hot.
Ingredients:
Serves Two
2 cups Basmati Rice
1/2 cup Cumin seeds
Salt (optional)
Water
2tsps Oil/ Ghee (clarified butter)
Method:
Soak the rice in water for 30 minutes prior to cooking. In a large saucepan, add oil. Once the oil is ready, add the Cumin seeds and let crackle. Now add salt if required. Add the rice and mix well. Pour in about four cups of water and close the lid. Keep stirring in between and cook till all the water is absorbed. Serve hot.
Ginger - Garlic Paste
Ingredients:
1 cup roughly chopped garlic
1 cup roughly chopped ginger
1 tsp oil
Water
Method:
Blend the ginger and garlic with a tsp oil. Check the consistency of the mixture and then add water only required. The paste should be semi-solid, neither too dry nor too runny. Store in an air-tight container. Always use dry spoon to serve it off the container. This can increase its shelf life.
1 cup roughly chopped garlic
1 cup roughly chopped ginger
1 tsp oil
Water
Method:
Blend the ginger and garlic with a tsp oil. Check the consistency of the mixture and then add water only required. The paste should be semi-solid, neither too dry nor too runny. Store in an air-tight container. Always use dry spoon to serve it off the container. This can increase its shelf life.
Spinach Soup
If you are in the mood to have something healthy, then this the right recipe for you. This is healthy and a very ideal way to begin meal with.
Ingredients:
Serves Two
2 cups of Spinach finely chooped
2 cups of low fat milk
2 tbsps All-Purpose Flour
2 tsps garlic paste
1/2 cup finely chopped green onions
Salt and Pepper to taste
Olive Oil
Method:
Add a tsp of oilve oil and once the oil is ready, saute the onions, garlic paste briefly. Add the spinach and cook in enough water to cover the leaves. Simmer till the spinach is cooked. Meanwhile, mix the flour in 1/2 cup of water without any lumps. Now add this to the spinach and stir briefly. Add Salt and Pepper and mix well. Add milk and simmer until the desired consistency is attained. Serve hot.
Inspired by the recipe:
http://prathimarao.blogspot.com/2011/01/spinach-palak-soup.html
Ingredients:
Serves Two
2 cups of Spinach finely chooped
2 cups of low fat milk
2 tbsps All-Purpose Flour
2 tsps garlic paste
1/2 cup finely chopped green onions
Salt and Pepper to taste
Olive Oil
Method:
Add a tsp of oilve oil and once the oil is ready, saute the onions, garlic paste briefly. Add the spinach and cook in enough water to cover the leaves. Simmer till the spinach is cooked. Meanwhile, mix the flour in 1/2 cup of water without any lumps. Now add this to the spinach and stir briefly. Add Salt and Pepper and mix well. Add milk and simmer until the desired consistency is attained. Serve hot.
Inspired by the recipe:
http://prathimarao.blogspot.com/2011/01/spinach-palak-soup.html
Curry Powder
This recipe passed on to me by MIL, can be used in all dry curries, to stuff Aubergines, Okra or even to stir-fry vegatables.
Ingredients:
Deskinned Split Garbenzo beans - 4 cups
Coriander seeds - 1 cup
Dried red chillies - 1 cup or to taste
Depending on how much you might need, use the above ingredients in this proportion.
Method:
Dry roast the beans until golden and add the coriander seeds and roast till the beans turn brownish. Add the chillies lastly, as they redden quickly. Roast till both the beans and chillies turn brownish. But take care they should not burn.
Spread them on a wide plate and let cool.
Once at room temperature, grind them all together very finely.
Store in an air-tight container. Although, it is best made fresh for every recipe, you could still considering storeing them if you are someone who are always on the run.
Note:
To stuff vegetables with this powder, add turmeric powder, aesafotida, salt and mix it with this curry powder.
Ingredients:
Deskinned Split Garbenzo beans - 4 cups
Coriander seeds - 1 cup
Dried red chillies - 1 cup or to taste
Depending on how much you might need, use the above ingredients in this proportion.
Method:
Dry roast the beans until golden and add the coriander seeds and roast till the beans turn brownish. Add the chillies lastly, as they redden quickly. Roast till both the beans and chillies turn brownish. But take care they should not burn. 
Spread them on a wide plate and let cool. 
Once at room temperature, grind them all together very finely. Store in an air-tight container. Although, it is best made fresh for every recipe, you could still considering storeing them if you are someone who are always on the run.
Note:
To stuff vegetables with this powder, add turmeric powder, aesafotida, salt and mix it with this curry powder.
Stir-Fried Okra (South-Indian Style)
This is my favorite way of having a lot of the vegetables, although it is not the best way to cook keeping health in mind. This goes well with bland gravies, plain Pulav's of even Indian breads like Phulkas.
Ingredients:
Serves Two
500 gms of Okra
1 tsp Turmeric Powder
2-3 tsps Red Chilli Powder
2-3 tsps Curry powder
1 tbsp hung Curd
1 tbsp Tamarind Pulp
Salt to taste
Oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp deskinned Black Lentils
1 tsp deskinned split Garbenzo beans
a dash of Aesofatida
Method:
Wash the Okra, wipe them dry and closely slice breadthwise discarding the caps. Keep aside. Add about 2-3 tbsps of oil to a frying pan. Now temper with mustard seeds. Once they crackle, add black lentils, garbenzo beans and aesofatida. As soon as the lentils and beans turn golden brown, add Okra. Stir briefly and add all the powders and salt to taste. Mix well. Add the hung curd and keep stirring so that the Okra doesn't burn. Add the tamarind pulp and mix well. Keep stirring until all the Okra have cooked and turn crisp. You might have add a little more oil if you want them crispier. Transfer to a bowl once done and serve hot.
Note:
Adding hung curd is so that the Okra pieces don't cling to each other and make the dish one whole lump of cooked vegetable. It is preferrable to use hung curd so that the excess water doesn't in turn infuse into the dish.
Adding tamarind pulp is purely optional. This is just even out the excess spice I like to have it with.
If you want a much healthier version, just reduce the amount of oil you use and keep stirring only until cooked and not till they turn crisp.
Never cook with the pan closed as it make the dish soggy.
Take care a wipe the Okra dry before cooking as this too can make the dish soggy.
Ingredients:
Serves Two
500 gms of Okra
1 tsp Turmeric Powder
2-3 tsps Red Chilli Powder
2-3 tsps Curry powder
1 tbsp hung Curd
1 tbsp Tamarind Pulp
Salt to taste
Oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp deskinned Black Lentils
1 tsp deskinned split Garbenzo beans
a dash of Aesofatida
Method:
Wash the Okra, wipe them dry and closely slice breadthwise discarding the caps. Keep aside. Add about 2-3 tbsps of oil to a frying pan. Now temper with mustard seeds. Once they crackle, add black lentils, garbenzo beans and aesofatida. As soon as the lentils and beans turn golden brown, add Okra. Stir briefly and add all the powders and salt to taste. Mix well. Add the hung curd and keep stirring so that the Okra doesn't burn. Add the tamarind pulp and mix well. Keep stirring until all the Okra have cooked and turn crisp. You might have add a little more oil if you want them crispier. Transfer to a bowl once done and serve hot.
Note:
Adding hung curd is so that the Okra pieces don't cling to each other and make the dish one whole lump of cooked vegetable. It is preferrable to use hung curd so that the excess water doesn't in turn infuse into the dish.
Adding tamarind pulp is purely optional. This is just even out the excess spice I like to have it with.
If you want a much healthier version, just reduce the amount of oil you use and keep stirring only until cooked and not till they turn crisp.
Never cook with the pan closed as it make the dish soggy.
Take care a wipe the Okra dry before cooking as this too can make the dish soggy.
Olan/ Ash Gourds in Cocunut Milk
The main ingredient of this Kerala delicacy is Cocunut Milk. The other two major ingredients can vary a bit. I have used Ash Gourd and Black Eyed Beans here, which is the most authentic form of Olan. Although other squashes like, Chow Chow, Cucumber (Kerela kinds), Yellow Pumpkin and instead of Black Eyed Beans, other beans like Red Cow Peas (Vanpayar) can also be used to make the same dish. This is one of my husband's favorite and since the first time I had it at my in-law's, its mine too.
Ingredients:
2 cups Ash Gourd thinly sliced
1 cup Black Eyed Beans
1 cup coconut milk
2 tbsps coconut oil
A dash Aesofatida
1/2 tsp ginger paste
1 tbsp Green chilli paste
Method:
Pressure cook the beans for 3-4 whistles and keep aside. In a saucepan, add 1 tbsp of coconut oil and breifly toss the gourds and aesofatida in it. Now add water enough to cover the gourds. Add salt to taste and cover the pan. The gourds should be cooked but shouldn't become mushy. Once the gourds are cooked, add the beans, ginger paste, chilli paste,coconut milk and simmer for about 4-5 minutes. Meanwhile, take care all the milk doesn't get absorbed. It is supposed to be at a running consistency, although you could make it to semi-gravy if you wish to have it like Kootu. Garnish with a tbsp of cocunut oil. Need not have to temper, but if you wish you could temper it with just curry leaves in the remaining cocunut oil. Serve hot with a spicy dry curry like Spicy Stir-Fried Okra.
Note:
The most authentic form of Olan doesn't include ginger paste, but here I've added just to add a bit more of the health factor.
Ingredients:
2 cups Ash Gourd thinly sliced
1 cup Black Eyed Beans
1 cup coconut milk
2 tbsps coconut oil
A dash Aesofatida
1/2 tsp ginger paste
1 tbsp Green chilli paste
Method:
Pressure cook the beans for 3-4 whistles and keep aside. In a saucepan, add 1 tbsp of coconut oil and breifly toss the gourds and aesofatida in it. Now add water enough to cover the gourds. Add salt to taste and cover the pan. The gourds should be cooked but shouldn't become mushy. Once the gourds are cooked, add the beans, ginger paste, chilli paste,coconut milk and simmer for about 4-5 minutes. Meanwhile, take care all the milk doesn't get absorbed. It is supposed to be at a running consistency, although you could make it to semi-gravy if you wish to have it like Kootu. Garnish with a tbsp of cocunut oil. Need not have to temper, but if you wish you could temper it with just curry leaves in the remaining cocunut oil. Serve hot with a spicy dry curry like Spicy Stir-Fried Okra.
Note:
The most authentic form of Olan doesn't include ginger paste, but here I've added just to add a bit more of the health factor.
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