Curried Paneer

Curried Paneer! A dish from Thai cuisine, that does really tastes good with coconut milk base. This can be served with plain rice (white/brown)

Ingredients:

Paneer - 250 gm

Onion - 1

Tomato - 2

Garlic - 5 to 6 pods

Carrot - 1

Beans - 4

Capsicum - 1/4

Curry powder - 2 sp

Lite coconut milk - 1/2 cup

Water

Method:

Cut onion to thin slices. Chop rest vegetables and keep ready. Cut paneer into cubes and shallow fry them in oil.

Heat oil in pan. Add sliced onions and garlic. Saute for two minutes and add curry powder. Mix them well and saute for few minutes. Add the vegetables (carrot, beans and capsicum). Mix all together and saute it. 

Now add half cup of lite coconut milk mixed with half cup of water. Stir well. Add tomatoes and paneer to it. Mix carefully. Close lid and keep stirring occasionally. When the curry thickens, turn off the flame. Serve hot with rice.

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Peanut Chutney

Peanut chutney is a simple recipe that can be made in 10 minutes. Those who doesn't like roasted gram chutney, can go for this. This is a best combo with idly/dosa.

Serves : 2

Ingredients:

Peanuts - 1 cup

Coconut - 6 pieces

Red chilli - 3

Salt - as needed

Seasoning:

Oil

Mustard

Urad dhal

Curry leaves

Method:

Dry roast peanuts for few minutes. Avoid this if using roasted peanuts. Add this to mixer along with, red chilli, salt and coconut. Grind to a smooth paste.

Heat oil in a pan and add mustard. When it splutters, add urad dhal and curry leaves to it. Pour this to the chutney and serve with dosa/idly.

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Pesarattu

Pesarattu is a famous dish in Andhra. It is very healthy and tastes yummy! It can be made like normal dosa in just few minutes, except, the soaking time which is around 7 hours.

Ingredients:

Green moong gram - 1 cup
Raw rice - 1/4 cup
Green chilli - 5
Onion - 2 sp
Ginger - 1 piece
Cumin seeds - 1 sp
Salt - as needed

Onions - 1 (finely chopped) - to keep in middle of pesarattu.

Method:

Wash and soak green moong gram and raw rice together for 6 to 7 hours. In a mixer, add these along with green chilli, chopped onions, chopped ginger, cumin seeds and salt. Grind to a smooth paste adding water little by little. Transfer paste to a bowl and add water to make it a batter (should not be too watery).

Heat tawa, add a drop of oil on it and pour a laddle full of batter. Spread it to a round shape. Keep chopped onions in the center and add few drops of oil in the sides.

After it gets cooked, turn it over and let it cook. Serve with onion chutney/coconut chutney/sambhar.

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Ven Pongal

This is one of the most traditional dish from  South Indian cuisine.

Ingredients:

Moong dhal - 1/2 cup
Raw rice - 1/2 cup
Ghee - 1/2 sp
Hing - a pinch
Salt - as needed

Seasoning:

Ghee - 1 sp
Peppercorn - 1/2 sp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 sp
Ginger - 1/2 inch piece
Hing
Curry leaves
Cashew - 5

Method:

Dry roast rice and dhal in a pan until you are able to feel warm heat in hand. Now wash and soak it for 15 minutes.

Pressure cook it with 4 cups of water, hing, salt and ghee for 3 whistles.

Once pressure is released, heat ghee in a pan. Add ginger, hing, peppercorn, cumin seeds, curry leaves and cashew. When cashew starts turning brown, add it to the cooked pongal. Mix all together. Ven pongal is ready. Serve hot with tomato chutney/sambhar/coconut chutney.

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Bread Kofta Curry

Bread kofta curry is a very simple and delicious dish that goes well with roti/paratha.

Ingredients:

For kofta:

Bread - 6
Potato - 2 (small)
Green chilli - 2
Salt - as needed
Chilli powder - 1/2 sp

To grind:

Onion - 1/2
Garlic - 4 pods
Ginger - 1 piece
Garam masala powder - 1 sp

For gravy:

Onion - 2 (medium sized)
Tomato - 3 (medium sized)
Chilli powder - 1 sp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 sp
Salt - as needed
Yoghurt - 1 sp
Oil
Coriander leaves

Method:

In a mixer, add onion, garlic, ginger and garam masala powder. Grind to a smooth paste and keep aside.

Boil potatoes, peel skin and smash it. Cut the corners of bread and soak it in water for 1 minute and squeeze water out of bread. Add this to smashed potatoes. Add green chilli, salt and chilli powder. Mix with hand to a dough.

Heat oil in a kadai/wok. Apply drop of oil in hands and take small ball from dough and make it flat by placing in palm. Carefully put that in kadai and fry till golden brown. Now the kofta is ready.

Heat oil in a pan and add chopped onions. Saute till it becomes pink. Now, add the ground paste (onion+garlic+ginger+garam masala) to it and saute well till raw smell goes off. Then, add yoghurt to it and mix well. Saute for 2 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes to it and saute till it gets soft. To this, add chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt. Mix well and add little water to boil. When gravy consistency comes, garnish with coriander leaves.

Add fried bread balls when serving only. Else, it becomes soggy.

Note: Instead of bread, you can add boiled vegetables. You can also add cashew paste to make it more richer.

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Ridge Gourd Kuzhambu

Ridge gourd has many health benefits, same as other green vegetables. It is fiber rich food and blood purifier. It is considered good for liver health.

Serves : 2

Ingredients:

Ridge gourd - 1
Onion - 1
Tomato - 1/2
Garlic - 6 pods
Tamarind - lemon size
Chilli powder - 2 sp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 sp
Salt - as needed

Seasoning:

Mustard
Urad dhal
Curry leaves
Fenugreek seeds

Method:

Wash and peel skin of ridge gourd. Scoop the seed out and cut into small cubes. Chop onions and tomatoes. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard. When it splutters, add urad dhal, fenugreek seeds and curry leaves. Saute for a minute and add chopped onions to it. Saute till it turns pink and add ridge gourd to it. Mix well till it is cooked. Now add tomatoes and saute till it gets soft.

To this, add chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt. Saute well and add tamarind water. Add some more water and close lid. Let it boil for 8 to 10 minutes (add some more water in middle if needed). When it is cooked, oil will come out in sides. Turn off the flame.

Serve ridge gourd kuzhambu with rice/ven pongal.

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Coriander Chutney

Coriander chutney is a good side dish for idly/dosa. It is very easy and tastes delicious. This can be used as a bread spread when coconut is not used.

Ingredients:

Coriander leaves - 1 bunch
Urad dhal - 2 sp
Salt - as needed
Red chilli - 3
Tamarind - a pinch
Ginger - small piece

Seasoning:

Oil
Mustard
Urad dhal
Curry leaves

Method:

Wash coriander leaves 2 times. Heat oil in a pan, add urad dhal and red chilli. Saute till it turns golden brown. Add tamarind and ginger. Saute for one minute. Turn off the flame and add coriander leaves. Saute well and add to a mixer. Add salt to it. Grind to a smooth paste.

Heat oil in pan, add mustard. When it splutters, add urad dhal and curry leaves. Saute till golden brown and add to the chutney. Coriander chutney is ready!!!

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Mint Pulao

Mint always reminds us of refreshing aroma. Let's see how to make mint pulao.

Serves : 2

Ingredients:

Mint leaves - 2 cups
Coriander leaves - 3/4 cup
Green chilli - 2
Salt - as needed
Rice - 1 cup
Cashew - 6

Seasoning:

Cinnamon - 1/2
Cloves - 1

Method:

Wash mint and coriander leaves. In mixer, add mint leaves, coriander leaves, green chilli and grind to a smooth paste.

Heat oil in pressure cooker. Add cinnamon and clove. When it pops, add cashew to it and fry till golden brown. Now add the ground paste and saute till water content reduces. Now add rice to it and mix well. Add 2 cups of water and salt. Mix well and close lid. Pressure cook for 3 whistles (add 1.5 cups of water if using Basmati rice). Once pressure is released, mix carefully without breaking or smashing rice.

Serve mint pulao with potato fry/yam fry/carrot raitha/cucumber raitha/onion raitha.

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Mushroom Curry

Serves : 2

Ingredients:

Mushroom - 1 pack
Onions - 2 (medium sized)
Chilli powder - 2 sp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 sp
Salt - as needed
Oil
Coriander leaves

Method:

Slice mushroom and keep ready. Heat oil in a pan and add finely chopped onions. Saute till it turns pink. Now add sliced mushroom and saute for few minutes till it gets cooked. Add chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt. Mix together. Add water and close lid for two minutes. Then once the water dries off, add 3 drops of oil and keep turning the curry. Garnish with coriander leaves and mushroom curry is ready to serve!

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Sambhar powder

This is one of the basic ingredients that we use when making South Indian dishes. Ready made powders are available at shops. I bet there is a taster difference for sure compared to those made at home.

Ingredients:

Channa dhal - 1 cup
Coriander seeds - 3/4 cup
Red chilli - 10
Mustard - 1/4 sp
Fenugreek seeds - 1 sp
Pepper corn - 5 nos
Hing
Cumin seeds - 1 sp
Salt - pinch

Method:

Dry roast the above ingredients in batches. 1. channa dhal 2. coriander seeds+red chillis 3. mustard+fenugreek seeds+pepper corn+hing+cumin seeds

Take all together in mixer. Add pinch of salt. Gring to nice powder. Sambhar powder is ready!!!

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Ginger Chutney

Ginger! It is the one that strikes our mind when we think of digestion. A piece of ginger in your daily cooking is going to be a good thought. Ginger tea is again a famed one. How about a chutney with ginger? Let's see how it is going to done.

Ingredients:

Ginger - 1 cup (chopped)

Mustard - 1 sp

Urad dhal - 1 1/2 sp

Red chillis - 2

Curry leaves

Tamarind - a pinch

Jaggery - 1 sp

Salt - as needed

Oil

Method:

Wash and chop ginger to small pieces. Heat 1/2 sp of oil in a pan and saute chopped ginger for few minutes. Remove ginger from pan. Add oil and add mustard. When it splutters, add urad dhal, curry leaves, red chilli, tamarind and saute till dhal starts turning brown. Remove and add to a mixer along with ginger. Add salt and little jaggery to it. Grind to a smooth paste. 

Optional : If needed, this can be seasoned with oil, mustard, urad dhal and curry leaves on top.

Serve with dosa/idly/pongal.

This can be refrigerated for a week provided we have added enough oil. 

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Red Kidney Beans Curry

Red kidney beans is pretty common in North India as Rajma. It is a good source of lean protein that basically balances protein level in your daily meal. This recipe should go great with roti/paratha.

Serves : 2

Ingredients:

Red Kidney Beans - 1 cup
Onion - 2
Tomato - 1
Ginger - 1 piece
Chilli powder - 2 sp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 sp
Salt - as needed
Sabji masala powder - 1/2 sp (optional)
Coriander leaves

Method:

Wash and soak red kidney beans overnight. Pressure cook it for 1 whistle.

Finely chop onions, tomatoes and ginger. Heat oil in a pan. Now, add ginger and onions. Saute till it turns pink. Then add tomatoes to it. Saute till it becomes soft. Add chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt and sabji masala to it. Mix well and add some water for boiling. Once it boils, add the cooked beans and stir together. Keep in medium flame till it comes to gravy consistency. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot!

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Cucumber Kootu

Cucumber is one of the best vegetable to beat summer. This is a low calorie vegetable and has antioxidant property in it. Choose this if you are on weight loss path!!! You can just slice this and eat as a snack or cook it. Here, let us see how to make kootu with cucumber.

Serves : 3

Cucumber - 1

Moong dhal - 3/4 cup

Sambar powder - 1 1/2 sp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 sp

Salt - as needed

Seasoning:

Oil

Onion - 1/2

Mustard

Curry leaves

Method:

Wash and peel skin from cucumber and cut into cubes. Wash and cook moong dhal with needed water and turmeric powder in an open pan till it is soft.

Add cucumber cubes to cooked dhal with sambar powder and salt. Mix well and allow to cook for 5 more minutes.

Take another pan, heat oil and add mustard. When splutters, add chopped onion and curry leaves. Saute for few minutes and add this to kootu and mix well.

Serve with kara kuzhambu/ pepper rasam.

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Spinach Kootu

Spinach is a rich food that contains all minerals and vitamins that are needed to be included in our daily diet. It is lot in caloried and fat, high in iron, calcium, vitamins, etc. 

Let's now see how spinach kootu is prepared!

Serves : 2

Ingredients:

Spinach - 1 bunch
Moong dhal - 1/2 cup
Garlic - 1 pod
Tomato - 1/2
Shallots - 2
Tumeric powder - 1/4 sp
Chilli powder - 1 sp
Grated coconut - 2 sp
Cumin powder - 1/2 sp

Method:

Wash moong dhal and soak for 10 minutes. Wash and finely chop spinach and add to a wide mouth pan. To this add moong dhal, chopped tomato, turmeric powder and chopped garlic with 3 cups of water. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes till dhal and spinach gets soft. If needed, add more water in middle.

Once cooked, add sliced shallots, chilli powder, salt and cumin powder. Mix well. Allow to boil in medium flame for 5 minutes. Add grated coconut and switch off flame. Mix together. Serve with pepper rasam/kara kuzhambu/rice.

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Bottle Gourd Kootu

Including fiber in our daily meals is a must! Bottle gourd is a good source of fiber. Also, it is good for diabetic patients. We use moong dhal to make this kootu, which again has high fiber, low fat and high protein. We will see how to make this recipe.

Serves : 3


Ingredients:

Bottle gourd - 1
Moong dhal - 1/4 cup
Salt - as needed
Sambar powder - 3/4 sp

To grind:

Coconut - 2 sp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 sp
Roasted gram - 1/2 sp

Seasoning:

Oil
Mustard
Urad dhal
Red chilli - 1
Hing
Curry leaves

Method:

Wash and peel skin of bottle gourd (can be used to make thogayal). Scoop the seeds out and cut into small cubes.

Pressure cook moong dhal, bottle gourd, salt, sambar powder with needed water for 3 whistles.


Grind coconut, cumin seeds and roasted gram into a smooth paste. Add this to cooked bottle gourd once pressure is released. Mix well on medium flame.

Take another pan, heat oil and add mustard. Once it splutters, add urad dhal, red chilli, hing and curry leaves. Pour it to the kootu and serve with pepper rasam/ kara kuzhambu. Tastes yummy!!

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Channa Masala

Channa Masala!!! Famous dish from North-Indian cuisine. It goes well with roti/paratha/naan when made as gravy. If the same is made in a little thick consistency, we can use as side dish for curd rice/ rasam/ plain sambhar. Let's see how to make this dish.

Serves : 2

Ingredients:

Channa - 1 cup
Onion - 2
Tomato - 1
Green chilli - 1 (optional)
Chilli powder - 2 sp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 sp
Salt - as needed
Channa masala powder - 1/2 or 3/4 sp
Coriander leaves

Method:

Wash and soak channa overnight. Pressure cook for 3 whistles and let the steam go by itself.

Heat oil in a pan and add chopped onions. Saute till it turns to pink color. Then add chopped tomato and green chilli. Mix well and saute till tomato is cooked soft. To this, add chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt and channa masala powder. Mix well and add needed water. Close lid and let it boil for 5 minutes. 

Now, add cooked channa to it. Mix together with gravy and garnish with coriander leaves. Channa masala is ready!


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Beans Paruppu Usili

Beans paruppu usili is a traditional south indian brahmin dish. Let's try out that today! You can either soak the dhal for 1 hour and 30 minutes or you can soak it overnight. If you soak overnight, be careful when grinding such that it has to be a coarse paste.

Serves : 3

Ingredients:

Toor dhal - 1/2 cup
Channa dhal - 1/4 cup
Beans - 2 cups (chopped)
Green chilli - 2
Red chilli - 1
Turmeric powder - 1/4 sp
Salt - as needed

Seasoning:

Mustard
Urad dhal
Curry leaves
Hing

Method:

Soak toor dhal and channa dhal for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Then grind it in mixer with red chilli, green chillli, salt and turmeric powder into a coarse paste.

Grease idly plates with oil and bring steamer to boil. Take the coarse paste in your palm and make it flat like vadai. Fill the idly plates and steam it for 10 to 15 minutes.

In the mean time, steam the chopped beans till its soft with pinch of salt.

Grind the steamed dhal to a coarse powder or crush with hands. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard and once it splutters, add urad dhal, hing and curry leaves. To this, add coarse dhal mix. Saute for 2 or 3 minutes. Then add beans to it with all water drained. Mix it well. Saute for few minutes and serve with kara kuzhambu or pepper rasam.

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