Paruppu Sambar(Vengaya Samabar)

Paruppu sambar is my favorite to make , because it can be made very quickly and it does not need sambar powder.And best of all it is yummy.
Ingredients:

• 2 CupsToor dal
• 7 Nos Small onions (sliced)
• 5 Dry red chillies
• 1/2 Tsp Tamarind paste
• 1/2 pod garlic(pealed)
• 1/2 Tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 Tsp pepper
• 1/2 Tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp coriander seeds
• 1/2 Tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 Tsp urad dal
• 2 Tsp oil
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 Gram Asafoetida
• salt to taste.

Method:
Pressure cook the toor dal with turmeric powder.
Grind peppercorns, cumin seeds and coriander seeds to a coarse powder.
Heat oil in a kadai, add mustard seeds, urad dal,red chillies and curry leaves.
After the mustard seeds have spluttered, add the onions and saute.
Add the garlic.Now add the tamarind paste (or extract) and water.
when the tamarind water comes to a boil, add the cooked dal.
Add salt and cook.Add asafoetida and cook for a minute before switching off.

This sambar is great with vadams and ghee!

9 Bean stelline

Stelline & 9 beans

Today is one of those dinner dilemma days, and I was looking for something that is not very heavy.
My husband Asked me to make something different. so I thought why not make Indian style pasta.
I only had Stelline, (Stelline are small star shaped pasta) to add some Nutritive value and taste I added 9 beans. Hence 9 bean stelline came into being.
Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Stelline
• 1/4 Cup 9 Beans
• 1 Large onion(chopped)
• 1 Tomato (chopped)
• 1 Tsp Red chilly powder
• 1/2 Tsp coriander powder
• 1/4 Tsp Turmeric Powder
• 1/2 Tsp Garam masala
• 1/2 Tsp G/G pste(ginger/garlic)
• 3 Tsp olive oil
• 1/2 Tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 Tsp urad dal
• 1 Sprig curry leaves
• Salt to taste.

Method:
Cook the 9 beans till tender.(can also be substituted with any single bean)
Boil the pasta and cool it in a flat surface.
Heat oil in a kadai, add mustard seeds, urad dal and curry leaves.
When the mustard seeds splutter, add the onion, tomato, G.G paste and saute.
Now add the cooked beans and pasta.
Add the chilly powder, coriander powder, turmeric powderand salt.
Cover and cook.
Serve hot.

White Pumpkin Kootu

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup White Pumpkin (cubed)
• 1/4 cup Bengal gram dal
• 1/2 Tea spoon turmeric powder
• 5 Nos green chillies
• 1/2 Cup Grated coconut
• 4 Nos small onions (sliced thin)
• 1/2 Tsp Fennel seeds
• 1/2 Tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp urad dal
• 1 Sprig curry leaves
• 2 Tsp oil
• Salt to taste.

Method:
Make a paste of grated coconut, green chillies and fennel seeds.
Heat oil in a kadai, add mustard seeds, urad dal and curry leaves.
Let the mustard seeds splutter, Now add onion and saute.
Add the Bengal gram dal and white pumpkins and saute.
Now add salt , turmeric powder and water.
Cover and cook, when the dal is 3/4 cooked, add the ground coconut paste.
Add water and cook Till the pumpkin is well done.
Note: you can soak the dal for some time before cooking, this will reduce the cooking time.

Bittergourd Poriyal (Pavakai Poriyal)

Bitter gourd poriyal is one of my husbands favorite dishes.
This poriyal makes a wonderful side dish with rices and sambar(or any bland curry)
The masala in this poriyal takes some of the bitter taste ..
Ingredients:
2 Nos Bitter gourd
1/2 large onion (chopped)
1Tsp Red chilly powder
1/2 tsp Garam masala
2 Tsp Oil
1/2 Tsp Mustard seeds
1/2 Tsp Urad dal
1 sprig Curry leaves
Salt to taste
Method:
Chop the bitter gourd.
Heat oil in a kadai, add mustard seeds, urad dal and curry leaves, let them splutter.
Add the chopped onion and saute.
Add the bitter gourd, chilly powder, garam masala and salt.
Add a little water, cover and cook. keep stirring once in a while.
serve as a side dish for rice.

Vegetable Jalfrezi

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Vegetables (Cauliflower,carrots,green peas,capsicum,beans- cut 1"pieces)
• 1 Large Tomato (chopped)
• 1 Large Onion
• 3 Tsp Coriander seeds
• 5 Dry Red chillies
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1/2 Tsp G/G paste (Ginger/Garlic)
• 2 Tsp oil
• 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
• Salt to taste
• Coriander leaves for garnishing.

Method:

Clean and cut all the vegetables.
Grind coriander seeds, red chillies,turmeric powder,
mustard seeds,and half the onion.
Slice the remaining onions.
Heat oil in a tawa, saute the sliced onion till golden brown,
add ground masala,and tomatoes.
Add all the vegetable and salt, add water as required.
Cover and cook till the vegetables are tender and the gravy has thickened.
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

This sabji is great for all kinds of breads.

Curry leaves Chutney

I have always Preferred chutney as an accompaniment to Idly and Dosa when compared to sambar.(Probably because they are not drippy!)
Ingredients:

• 1 Bunch Curry leaves
• 3 Dry red chillies
• 30 gms Dry coconut
• 5 gms tamarind
• 1 Tsp oil
• Salt to taste.

Method:
wash the curry leaves and dry.
Heat the oil and fry the curry leaves.
Remove the curry leaves from the pan and add coconut,chillies and tamarind.
Grind all the ingredients to a smooth paste.(add water as required)

Tom Yom Soup

This Soup is a traditional Thai dish,(although I've modified the recipe to my taste).
The First time I made this soup We just fell in love with it!
Ingredients:

• 1 Cup coconut milk
• 1 sprig Curry leaves (shredded)
• 1 Spring onion (sliced)
• 1'' piece Lemon grass(sliced)
• 1/2" piece ginger (grated)
• 1 sprig coriander leaves
• 3 green chillies
• 2 tsp Lime juice
• salt to taste

Method:

Cook 1/2 cup of coconut milk with water,curry leaves, cut coriander leaves,
crushed green chillies,spring onion and salt.
When it is nearly cooked add the remaining coconut milk and lime juice.
Garnish with lemon grass.
Serve hot.

Habanero Peppers for Upma

While making upma I use the habanero peppers instead

of green chillies.
The habanero peppers have a distinctive flavor
that resembles ghee(clarified butter).
This Flavor adds a great taste & aroma to the upma,
without adding the calories.
And since it is orange in color it gives a colorful appeal the dish. But beware, the peppers are very hot, you can use just one pepper for two people.

Cabbage soup

Ingredients:
1 Cup Cabbage(shredded)
1 Tsp Butter
1/2 Tsp G/G paste(Ginger/Garlic Paste)
3 Green chillies
1/2 Tsp pepper
1/2 cup milk
Salt to taste.
Method:
Heat the butter.
Saute the shredded cabbage,chillies and G/G paste.
Grind the cabbage and chilies until you get a smooth paste.
Heat the mixture with milk and let it boil for 2-3 minutes.
Add salt and pepper to taste.

Spicy Egg Masala

This curry is spicy. Whenever my mom made this dish, we used to wipe our eyes and nose and still finish off the whole dish. This curry tastes great with steamed rice.

Ingredients:

• 3 Eggs (boiled and quartered)
• 3 green chillies(chopped)
• 1 Tomato (chopped)
• 1 Large onion (chopped)
• 1/2 Tsp G/G paste(Ginger Garlic paste)
• 1/2 Tsp Garam masala
• 2 Tsp Red chilly powder
• 1/2 Tsp pepper powder
• 1/2 Tsp Turmeric powder
• 1/2 Tsp cumin powder
• 3 Tsp oil
• 1 Sprig curry leaves
• Salt to taste.
• Mustard seeds & urad dal for tadka.

Method:
Boil the eggs. Peel them and cut into 4 pieces.
Heat oil in a kadai and make tadka.
Add the chopped onions, green chillies and saute.
when the onions are translucent add the chopped tomato , G/G paste and the rest of the masala powders.Add water as required.
You can add tomato paste if you want the curry to be in a liquid form.
Add the cooked eggs.
cover and cook till the oil starts to float on top.

Serve with steamed rice.

Mung Sprouts Sabzi

Last week we went to a friends birthday party, She made this yummy sabzi. The minute I tasted it was love at first bite.

Ingredients:
3 cups Green gram sprouts
5 Green Chillies (chopped)
1 Large Onion (chopped)
1 No Large Tomato (chopped)
1/2 Tsp G/G Paste (Ginger/Garlic)
1 Tsp Garam masala
1 Tsp Cumin powder
2 Tsp Red chilly powder
1 Tsp Cumin
2 Tsp oil
Salt to taste.

Method:
Heat oil in a kadai and add the cumin seeds. after the cumin seeds splutter, add the onions and the green chillies and saute.
Now add the G/G paste , green gram sprouts,tomato , salt and saute.
Now add cumin powder and red chilly powder.
Add water as required.
Cover and cook.

You can also cook the dal in a pressure cooker.(Take care not to over cook as the dal becomes too soft in a pressure cooker.) The sabzi is dry. It can be had with any kind of bread.

Sabzi

The word Sabzi Reffers to a dish consisting of vegetable(s) and a sauce coating the vegetables. The sauce varies with every household.
Every time I make parata, puri, roti or any flat bread for that matter, I am in a constant dilemma about what to make for that particular day.(Since there are so much of vegetable and dal subzi's.)

So in an effort to end my dilemma I am putting down a few of the sabzi's I Know.