Mixed Vegetable Curry

Each time I cook mixed vegetable curry, I tend to tweak and experiment with spices. Today’s recipe is a result of one such experiment. Am quite satisfied with the end result and hence makes an appearance here.  A versatile dish that makes a decent side with rice, rotis & parottas.

Mixed Vegetable Curry Recipe

Prep & Cooking: 45-50 mts

Serves 5 persons

Cuisine: Indian

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Ingredients:

1 large carrot, peeled and cubed

1 large potato, peeled and cubed

10 french beans, chop into 1″ pieces

1/2 cup cauliflower, cut into small florets

1/2 cup capsicum,

1 large onion, finely chopped

1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste

2 tomatoes, blanch, peel and crush

1/4 tsp turmeric pwd

1/2 tsp amchur pwd

1 tsp kitchen king masala

salt to taste

Roast in 2 tsps of oil, cool and grind to a paste:

3 dry red chilies

1/2 tbsp coriander seeds

1″ cinnamon stick

1/2 tbsp grated coconut

For seasoning/poppu/tadka:

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp oil

1 Heat oil in a heavy bottomed vessel, add cumin seeds and allow to splutter. Add chopped onions and saute till pink. Add ginger garlic paste and saute for 3 mts.
2 Add the carrot, potato, beans and cauliflower and saute on medium flame for 4-5 mts on medium high. Add salt and turmeric pwd and combine. Reduce flame, place lid and cook till the vegetables are half cooked. Add crushed tomatoes and cook further for another 4-5 mts.
3 Add 2 cups of water to the vegetables and bring to a boil. Cook with lid for 7-8 mts. Remove lid, add the ground paste and mix well. Add amchur pwd and kitchen king masala pwd and mix. Cook on low-medium flame for 15-20 mts, till the texture is thick and not watery.
4 Turn off heat and garnish with fresh coriander leaves. Serve with hot rice, chapatis & parottas.

Parotta Recipe

 The soft and flaky Parotta, also known as Barotta or Porotta, is popular in the Southern states. It is a common sight to find crowds thronging the road side stalls where heaps of layered parottas hot off the stove are served with a curry both for breakfast and evening tiffin or dinner. This popular street food fare is usually served with salna or kurma. The side dish with parottas include both vegetarian and non vegetarian style gravy dishes.

There are numerous avatars of Parotta where the shape and accompaniments vary from region to region.It is served with either vegetable salna or chicken salna.

Rolled out parottas ready to be fried 

High Raw Food ~ Black chickpeas-Fruit Salad

Bring together 1/4 cup of boiled black chickpeas (kala channa), 1 small pear, chopped, 1 medium sized cucumber chopped, 1 1/2 cups chopped muskmelon, peeled orange segments, 4 chopped dates, 1/2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves, 2 tbsps orange juice, 1/2 tsp chaat masala, pepper to taste. Toss well. Add any fruit and nuts of your choice.
                              Sharing the high raw food diet (1 day a week) that I had today, on request by my dear readers.
                                             

SUMMER COOLERS ~ Watermelon Smoothie

Come summer, its the season for watermelons. I usually blend the watermelon cubes along with fresh mint and serve chilled. Watermelon smoothie is another great summer cooler that is prepared using de-seeded and cubed watermelon, strawberry crush and honey. Simply superb!

Blend 3 cups watermelon cubes, 3 tbsps strawberry crush or (7-8 fresh strawberries), 1/2 tsp ginger juice, crushed ice, 3-4 mint leaves and honey or any sweetener of choice. Serve chilled.

Vankaya Kobbari Karam ~ Stuffed Brinjal Recipe

Today, I have for you an Andhra style stuffed brinjal recipe , Vankaya Kobbari Karam, that is sure to tantalize your taste buds. I am a faithful fan of brinjals aka eggplants and my blog is testimony to that. 

These stuffed brinjals are soft and gooey with an aromatic stuffing that include dry coconut, fresh coriander and cumin. The kitchen is filled with an incredible aroma as the baby brinjals roast over slow fire. I’ve always been a fresh coriander lover and its inclusion elevates this hearty Andhra stuffed brinjal recipe. In fact dry coconut and coriander are the flavor boosters for this vegetarian dish. The key is in choosing the right kind of brinjals. Avoid the seedy bitter variety and go for tender, baby brinjals.

Though the dish lacks in looks, it more than makes up in flavor  All brinjal lovers, especially the ones who heart stuffed brinjals, will surely make this a staple.

Process of stuffing

Vankaya Kobbari Karam - Stuffed Brinjal Recipe

Prep time: 15 min

Cook time: 35 min

Yield: 4

Main Ingredients: brinjals coconut

Ingredients

• Small Brinjals - 1/4 kgs, purple or green, make a long + slit length wise keeping stack intact
• Tamarind - 1 1/2 tsps mixed in 1/4 cup water
• Jaggery - 1 tsp(optional)
• Oil - 2 tbsps
• Fresh coriander leaves for garnish
• For Stuffing:
• Dry coconut - 1/3 cup, grated
• Green chilies - 3
• Coriader leaves - 1/4 cup, packed
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Cinnamon stick - 1/2"
• Ghee - 1 tsp (vegans can omit)
• Salt to taste
• For Tempering/Poppu/Tadka):
• Curry leaves - 1 sprig
• Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
• Dry red chili - 1, tear and de-seed (optional)

Method

1. Prepare stuffing by grinding all the ingredients called for 'stuffing' by adding a tbsp of water. Stuff the brinjals with the stuffing and keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a cooking vessel, add curry leaves and asafoetida and saute for a few seconds. Place the stuffed brinjals in the oil and cook on medium high flame for 2-3 mts. Cover with lid and let them cook on medium low flame for 12-14 mts. Keep checking in between and stir fry to ensure they don’t burn or stick to the pan.
3. Add the tamarind extract along with the water. Add any left over stuffing at this stage. Bring to a boil and reduce flame, place lid and cook for 10-12 mts. The water content should reduce.
4. Remove lid and cook over low flame and let the brinjals roast well and it appears like a dry saute (mudda kura). It should take about 8-10 mts for the brinjals to be well roasted. Turn off heat.
5. Serve with rice, pappu pulusu or sambar.

Tips

• Tamarind is optional. If not using tamarind, add water and follow rest of the recipe.
• Vegans can omit ghee in the stuffing and follow rest of the recipe.

Semiya Pulav

The quick fix breakfast meals during week days for me are the most easy to cook recipes for breakfast. Breakfast dishes which need elaborate preparation usually are reserved for holidays and weekends.

Semiya Pulao is one such recipe that requires a bit of preparation and is reserved for the weekends. There are many Semiya recipes that serve as great tiffin items for kids and each time I try to make an attempt to try something different. But few semiya recipes like Semiya Pulao will always remain a favorite. Very similar to how one would go about making a vegetable pulao except that rice is substituted with roasted vermicelli. Ghee aka clarified butter is an important ingredient during the tempering process along with fresh mint leaves and spices like cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and fennel seeds that give the semiya pulao an irresistible aroma and flavor that is beyond words.

Semiya Pulao Recipe

Prep time: 15 min

Cook time: 30 min

Yield: 4

Main Ingredients: semiya mixed vegetables

Ingredients

• Vermicelli - 2 cups, semiya - roast in 2 tsps ghee on low to medium flame till golden brown
• Onion - 1, large, sliced
• Carrot - 1, medium sized, peeled and cubed
• French beans - 5, nip ends and cut into 1/2" pieces
• Potato - 1, medium sized, peeled and cubed
• Green peas - fistful (optional)
• Mint leaves - 12-15 leaves
• Coriander leaves for garnish
• Cloves - 2
• Cinnamon stick - 1"
• Green cardamom - 1
• Bay leaf - 1, optional
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp, optional
• Oil - 1 tbsp
• Ghee - 1 tbsp, heaped
• Water - 3 1/2 cups (hot)
• Salt to taste
• Make a paste:
• Fresh coconut - 2 tbsps
• Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
• Ginger - 1/2" piece
• Green chilies - 2-3 (adjust to suit spice level)
• Coriander leaves - 2 tbsps, finely chopped

Method

1. Heat a heavy bottomed vessel, add ghee+oil, once its hot, add cumin seeds and allow to brown. Add cinnamon stick, caradamom, cloves and bay leaf and saute for few seconds.
2. Add sliced onions and saute for 4 mts. Add mint leaves and ground paste and saute for 3 mts.
3. Add mixed vegetables and saute 8-10 mts. Remove lid and mix well.
4. Add the roasted vermicelli and green peas (if using) mix well. Add 3 1/2 cups of hot water and bring to a boil. Reduce flame, place lid and cook till the semiya and vegetables are cooked.
5. Remove lid, mix well. Remove the semiya pulao to a serving bowl and garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

Tips

• You can add 3 1/4 cups hot water and 1/4 cup thick coconut milk.
• Toasted cashew nuts can also be added for a richer flavor.
• You can omit whole spices like cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and add a large pinch of garam masala powder at the time for sauteing the vegetables.
• If you do not have coconut on hand, omit it and follow rest of recipe. Add 2 tbsp of milk to the ground paste in place of fresh coconut.

Mixed Vegetable Pakora

Vegetable Pakora with a cup of masala chai is comforting food on a pleasant evening. A vegan recipe that makes for a great party finger food. The standard Vegetable Pakora recipe calls for the use of mixed vegetables, chick pea flour and carom seeds. But I tend to tweak the recipe and add a few more spices to pep up the flavor.

In today’s Vegetable Pakora recipe, I used carrots, beans, cabbage and potatoes but you can also add raw plantain, eggplant, cauliflower and pumpkin. Make sure to use fresh firm vegetables. Chickpea flour and carom seeds are essential ingredients that make the pakoras visually appealing and appetizing. But do add an extra ingredient, dry fenugreek leaves aka kasoori methi to your pakora batter which will elevate the flavor of the pakoras by leaps and bounds. It adds depth of flavor and keeps you coming back for more.

Mixed Vegetable Pakora Recipe

Prep time: 15 min

Cook time: 15 min

Yield: 5

Main Ingredients:

Ingredients

• Carrots: 1 (large, peel and cut into thick julienne)
• French Beans: 8 (string and cut into 1 1/2" pieces)
• Potato: 1 (large, peel and cut into thick julienne)
• Cabbage: 1/4 head (cut into thick julienne)
• Chickpea flour: 1 1/2 cups (sengapindi/besan)
• Red chili powder: 3/4 tsp
• Ginger garlic paste: 1/4 tsp
• Carom seeds: 3/4 tsp (ajwain/vaamu)
• Hot oil: 2 tsps
• Salt: to taste
• Water: as required (approx 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup water)
• Oil: for deep frying

Method

1. In a bowl, add the chickpea flour with salt, chili powder, ginger garlic paste, carom seeds and hot oil. Add the thick julienne mixed vegetables to this mixture and mix.
2. Add little water and mix well that it coats the vegetables. Do not add too much water.
3. Heat enough oil for deep frying in a heavy bottomed vessel. It should be piping hot. Do the sizzle test. (Drop a little chick pea batter into the hot oil, if it sizzles and comes to the surface of the vessel, then the oil is ready for deep frying).
4. Carefully drop the chickpea flour coated julienne vegetables into the hot oil. Do not overcrowd the vessel.
5. Reduce heat to medium and deep fry till they turn golden brown.
6. Use a ladle to turn them so that they cook all over.
7. Once they turn golden brown, remove on to absorbent paper. Serve as evening snack over a hot cup of masala chai.

Tips

• Adjust the quantity of chickpea flour according to the vegetables.
• Add few tbsps water at a time while making the batter. It should be like a paste that coats the vegetables and not like a runny mixture.
• You can add a pinch of roasted cumin powder.
• Use curry leaves if you do not have kasoori methi. If you do not have both curry leaves and kasoori methi, omit them and follow rest of the recipe

Almond Cookies

This week would probably be a baking week as i am thinking to bake loads of cakes & cookies. I always stock on nuts like almonds, walnuts, pistachio and cashew nuts and dried fruits like golden raisins for our family’s daily intake of nuts/dried fruits. All I had to do was reach for the jar of almonds and whip up a batch of cookies. Let me tell you that they are a breeze to bring together and one of the easy cookie recipes for kids.

With almond meal being the star player for this eggless cookie recipe, it can be expensive but if you want something rich and special, almond cookies are the way to go. With minimal ingredients going into its making, almond cookies have a slightly crunchy texture with the almond flavor coming through each bite. They are not overly sweet and make for a great gifting idea.

Almond Cookies Recipe

Prep time: 10 min

Cook time: 20 min

Yield: 12

Main Ingredients: flour almonds

Ingredients

• Plain Flour - 2/3 cup
• Corn flour - 2 tbsps
• Almond meal - 1/2 cup (ground almonds)
• Butter - 1/3 cup OR 5 1/2 tbsps, softened
• Powdered sugar - 1/3 cup
• Salt - 1/4 tsp
• Baking powder - 1/2 tsp

Method

1. Sift plain flour, corn flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
2. Beat the butter and sugar till light and fluffy. Add almond meal and the sifted flour mixture and make a soft dough.
3. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a few minutes.
4. Remove and roll out the dough to 1/2" thickness and use a cookie cutter to cut out the cookies. Place an almond on top of each cut out cookie.
5. Place them on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet and bake in a pre heated oven at 170'C for 18 to 20 mts. Check from 15 mts onwards. The underside of the cookie should turn into a light golden brown shade.
6. Remove from oven and place to cool on a wire rack. Once cool, store in air tight container.

Tips

• You can also add a pinch of cardamom powder.

Gosht Korma ~ Mutton Curry

On Sunday, we had a special meal – Fried rice, Cucumber Raita and Hyderabadi Gosht (Mutton) Korma, a culinary marvel of Hyderabadi cuisine.Its not the first time I have prepared Mutton Korma. Each time I cook it, I tend to tweak the combination of spices that go into its making trying to replicate a flavor. This particular recipe comes close to it and is a family favorite. Enriched with a paste of dry coconut-poppy seeds, flavored with aromatic spices, the meat is slow cooked in yogurt till falling apart tender. The mildly spiced, creamy textured Korma has warm comforting flavors and makes a great side with biryani,pulav and rotis.

Mutton Korma Recipe

Marinatation: 30 mts, Prep: 50-60 mts

Serves 4-5 persons

Cuisine: Hyderabadi

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Ingredients:

1 kg mutton, cubed, washed

4 cloves

2 elaichi

1″ cinnamon stick

1 bay leaf

2 large onions, finely chopped

5-6 green chillies, slit

1 1/2 tbsps ginger garlic paste

1 large tomato, chopped

salt to taste

1 1/2 tbsps oil

1 1/2 tbsps ghee

3/4 tsp garam masala pwd

chopped coriander leaves for garnish

For marinade:

2 tsps red chilli pwd (adjust)

1 1/4 tbsp coriander pwd

3/4 tsp cumin pwd

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 1/2 cups thick yogurt/curd

Make a paste

1 1/2 tbsp poppy seeds, dry roast for 4 mts, soak in water for 10 mts

4 tbsps dry coconut

4 cashew nuts, soak in little water or milk (optional)

1 Add the curd, red chilli pwd, turmeric pwd, coriander pwd, cumin pwd, half of the ginger garlic paste to the washed mutton. Keep aside the marinated mutton for 30-40 mts.
2 Heat oil and ghee in a heavy bottomed vessel, add whole spices and bay leaf and fry for few secs. Add the chopped onions and fry till transparent. Add the green chillis and remaining ginger-garlic paste and saute for 3 mts. Add the chopped tomatoes and fry for 4-5 mts.
3 Add the marinated mutton and cook over medium heat with lid till the water from the meat and yogurt is almost absorbed. Check in between and stir.
4 Add the poppy seeds-coconut paste and salt to the mutton and mix well. Cover and cook for 4-5 mts. Add 3 cups of water and salt. Cook with lid on simmer till the mutton is tender and the gravy thickens. Add garam masala pwd and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Turn off heat.
5 Serve with pulao, biryani, or rotis.

Note:

The cooking time will depend on the quality of mutton used. If its tough meat, it takes longer to cook.

Kandi Podi – Lentils-Spice Blend

The very thought of home ground spice mix aka podi warms my appetite not to mention the aroma that emanates my kitchen during it preparation. Podis or spiced powders/blends are an essential part of South Indian cuisine with each home having their own versions of preparing it. We in Andhra share a fondness for our podis and I know of homes who eat podi each and every day, be it breakfast, lunch or dinner. I grew up in a household where podis and pickles were an integral part of our daily meals and not having a jar of pickle or a bottle of podi on the dining table was a rarity. Podis come to our rescue on days when we are rushed up for time or run out of vegetables.

A flavorsome, protein-packed, lentil-spice blend is Kandi Podi, a classic Andhra recipe. Tur dal and channa dal are slow, dry roasted along with red chillis and cumin seeds and finely ground to a coarse powder and finished off with asafoetida and salt. An absolute delight to the senses, almost addictive, Kandi Podi is usually eaten, mixed with white rice and a drizzle of ghee.

Kandi Podi

Recipe source: Amma

Prep & Cooking: 20 mts

Cuisine: Andhra

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Ingredients:

1 small cup kandi pappu/red gram/tur dal

1 small cup senaga pappu/bengal gram/channa dal

1 1/4 tsps cumin seeds

7-8 dried red chillis (adjust)

15 curry leaves (optional)

1/2 tsp asafoetida(optional)

salt to taste

1 tsp oil

1 Heat a heavy bottomed vessel and add both the dals and slowly, dry roast on low to medium heat stirring constantly till they turn red. Don’t burn them. Remove from pan and keep aside.
2 In the same vessel, add the cumin seeds and toss them on medium heat for 2-3 mts. Remove from pan and keep aside.
3 Next drizzle some oil in the vessel, add the dry red chillis and curry leaves and stir fry for 3-4 mts. Remove and cool.
4 Once cool, grind all the ingredients to a slightly coarse or a rough texture. Add salt to taste and asafoetida and combine. Store in an air-tight container.
6 Serve hot with white steamed rice and a dollop of ghee.

Note:

You can increase or decrease the red chillis according to your spice level. Curry leaves is optional but added will give nice flavor & taste. The podi should not be ground to a fine powder but be slightly coarse.

Chilli Baby Corn

Spring  weather is pleasant and a welcome change from the cold winter we’ve had this year. Comforting, like an occasional deep fried indulgence. I prepared a spicy Indo-Chinese appetizer, Chilli Baby Corn, which served as a perfect antidote, adding a cheerful note to the day. Makes for a warm, well spiced appetizer.Can be served with capsicum rice.

Chilli Baby Corn Recipe

Marination: 10 mts, Prep & Cooking: 20 mts

Serves: 5 persons

Cuisine: Indo-Chinese

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Ingredients:

1/4 kg baby corn, cut into 1″ pieces

2 small onions, quartered (optional)

6-7 tbsps spring onion whites

3-4 tbsps spring onion greens

1 tbsp chopped garlic

1 tbsp chopped ginger

2 tsp soya sauce

2 tsps vinegar

1 tbsp corn flour + 5 tbsps water

1/2 tbsp brown sugar

1 large green capsicum, cut into thin slices

1 1/2 tbsps tomato sauce

1 tsp green chilli paste

salt to taste

2 tbsps oil

For marinade: (marinate baby corn with below ingredients for 10 mts)

large pinch black pepper pwd

1/4 tsp ginger-garlic paste

salt to taste

1 tbsp corn flour + few tbsps water (the marinade should just coat the baby corn)

1 Heat 2 tbsps oil in a flat pan, place the thinly coated baby corn pieces next to one another and shallow fry till brown. Flip over and let it brown the other side. Remove and keep aside.
2 Heat a heavy bottomed vessel, pour the left over shallow fried oil (if necessary add 1-2 tsps more oil), add the chopped ginger and garlic and saute on high flame for about 30 secs. Add the chopped spring onion whites and quartered onions and saute for 2-3 mts. Add sliced capsicum and stir fry on high flame for 3 mts. Add green chilli paste, tomato paste, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and combine. Add the sauteed baby corn and toss for a mt on high flame. Add 1/4 cup water and adjust salt if necessary.
3 Add the cornflour water and combine on high flame, tossing the contents, for 3 mts. You will find that it becomes thick due to cornflour.
4 Add the chopped spring onion greens and combine.Serve hot as a starter/appetizer.