Chayote squash soup with black eyed peas

Chayote Squash Soup can be made as a thick soup or watery as per taste.
I Prefer my soup to be a little thick do i Pureed the soup.

Ingredients:

2 Chayote squashes (peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces)

1 Cup Black Eyed Peas (Cooked)

1/2 Cup Carrots (peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces)

1 no red Onion (chopped)
3 Cloves Garlic (Crushed)
1 teaspoon Tomato Paste
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 teaspoon Oil
1 teaspoon Cumin seeds

Water as required
Pepper to taste
Salt to taste.

Method:

Heat the Oil in a pot.

When the oil is hot add the cumin seeds and allow it to splutter, now add the chopped onion and sauté.

When the onion is translucent add the chayote squash, Chopped carrots and sauté for a minute.

Add garlic, salt, tomato paste, 3/4 cup of Black eyed peas, required amount of water and cover the pot and let it simmer till the chayote squash is almost cooked.

Add 3 tablespoons of cilantro, pepper, red pepper flakes and let cook for a minute.

Take a blender and blend to desired consistency.

Now add the remaining black eyed peas and let it cook for a minute.

Pour into bowls and garnish with a sprig of cilantro to serve.

Pavakkai thatta payaru poriyal / Bittergourd Azuki beans poriyal

I just love all kinds of beans, but bitter gourd not so much... but the combination of both the ingredients is irresistible. Adding azuki beans to the bitter gourd takes out some of the bitterness from the gourd and also gives it an additional texture to the dish.Ingredients:
2 nos Bitter gourd
1 no medium sized Onion (chopped)
1/2 cup Azuki beans (cooked)
1 tbsp Sambar powder
1 tbsp Oil
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1 tsp Urad dal
1 sprig Curry leaves
Salt to taste.
Method:
Wash the bitter gourd, discard the ends .
Cut the bitter gourd in the center and remove the seeds.
Chop the bitter gourd into to 1'' pieces.
Heat oil in a kadai and add the mustard seeds and urad dal.
When the mustard seeds pop add the curry leaves, onion and saute.
When the onion turns translucent, add the chopped bitter gourd and saute for a minute.
Now add the salt , sambar powder, azuki beans and let it cook til the bitter gourd is cooked through.
Sprinkle water as necessary.
Serve with rice or chapati.

Kidney Bean Soup

Ingredients:
1 can Kidney beans
1/2 cup crushed tomatoes
1 no Medium sized Onion (chopped)
1 clove Garlic
1 tbsp Chilly powder
1/2 tsp Cumin Powder
1 tsp Coriander power
2 cups Vegetable stock
2 tbsp Olive oil
Tortilla Chips
Salt & Pepper to taste.
Method:
Drain and wash the kidney beans.(I always use low sodium beans)
Heat oil in a sauce pan and saute the onion.
When the onion is golden brown add the kidney beans and saute for a minute.
Now add the chilly powder, salt,coriander powder and cumin powder.
Add the crushed tomato and saute for a few seconds.
Now add the vegetable stock and let it simmer for 10 minutes
Transfer half the soup to a blender and processes for 20-30 seconds and mix it with the rest of the soup.
Garnish with broken tortilla chips and serve.

Kollu Poriyal / Horsegram Poriyal

Horse gram is a legume of immense nutritional value and medicinal properties. It is considered to help with maintaining the body temperature and iron deficiency.Usually kollu rasam is made by soaking the horse gram overnight, cooking the horse gram and removing the resulting water. The remaining horse gram and make it in to chutney, poriyal masiyal etc..,


Ingredients:
1 Cup Horse gram (cooked)
1 No Onion
4 Nos Green chilly(slit)
1 Tsp Mustard seeds
1 Tsp Urad dal
1 Sprig Curry Leaves
1 Tsp Oil
1/2" Ginger (grated)
Salt to taste.
Method:
Heat oil in a kadai.
Add mustard seeds and urad dal.
When the mustard seeds pop add the curry leaves, green chilly, onion and saute.
When the onion turns golden brown add the grated ginger ,salt, horse gram and saute for a minute.
Cover and cook at low for a minute and remove.
Serve with rice.

Thatta Payar Kuzhambu/Aduki beans curry

This curry is made with thatta payaru also called as red chori beans,aduki beans,field peas etc...,
Thatta payaru kuzhambu goes great with steamed rice,idly or dosa.
(You can make it a little spicier by adding red chilly powder for Idly/Dosa)
Rice along with these tiny little beans gives a wonderful taste and texture.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup Aduki beans
1/4 Lbs Red Raddish
1 no Onion (chopped)
2 no Ripe Tomato (chopped)
1/2 cup thick Tamarind water
1 Pinch Turmeric powder
1 tbsp Pulikuzhambu powder
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1 tsp Urad dal
1/2 tsp Fenugrek seeds
1 Sprig curry leaves
Asafoetida
Salt to taste.
Method:
Soak the aduki beans for 5-6 hrs or overnight.
Cube the red raddish.
Heat oil in the kadai and add the mustard seeds, urad dal and fenugrek seeds.
When the mustard seeds pop, add the curry leaves,onion and saute.
When the onion is translucent, add the raddish and saute.
Add the tomato and saute for two minutes.
Now add the aduki beans,water, salt and let it boil for 7-8 minutes.(altrnatively you could pressure cook the aduki beans for 1 whistle and add .)
Add the tamarind extract, pulikuzhambu powder,turmeric powder, cover and let cook for another five minutes.
Stirr and check if the beans are done.
Cover and cook till the beans are thoroughly cooked.
Now add asafoetida ad cook for another minute and turn off the heat.
Serve hot.

Mochai Payaru Sambar ( Indian Beans Sambar)

Mochai payaru is one of my favorite vegetables.I Used to wait for the mochai payaru season to begin and ask my mom to make curry for me.This is a recipe I learned from my MIL , this sambar is my DH's favorite.
Ingredients:
1 cup Mochai payaru (Indian beans)
1/2 cup Toor dal
5 nos Green chillies
1 pinch Turmeric powder
1 tbsp Red chilly powder
1/2 Cup Tamarind extract
2 tbsp Oil
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1tsp Urad dal
1 tsp Fenugreek seeds
4 Tbsp chopped onion
1 sprig Curry leaves
5 tbsp Corriander leaves
2 pinches Asafoetida
Salt to taste.
Method:
Cook the toor dal with turmeric powder and set aside.
Heat oil in a kadai and add mustard seeds and urad dal.
When the mustard seeds pop add the onion,curry leaves,fenugreek seeds,green chillies and saute.
Add the Indian beans, water and let it boil.
When the beans are half done, add the tamarind extract,red chilly powder, salt and let it boil for a minute.
Now add the toor dal and let it cook completely.
When the beans are done add asafoetida and corriander leaves and let it cook for a minute.
The sambar tastes delicious Steamed rice and ghee.

Black Bean Soup

Of late we have been having more soup than usual.My Dh was trying out all the canned soups,one spoon full was all I could take of it, soI decided to make an Indianised version of the black bean soup.Needless to say that the soup was awesome and a huge hit with my hubby.
Ingredients:
1 No Onion ( chopped)
5 Cloves garlic (chopped)
2 Nos Green chillies (slit and cut into half)
1 Medium sized Carrot (cubed)
2 Tsp Cumin powder
1 Tbsp Red chilly Powder
1 Can Black beans(drained & washed)
2 Nos Ripe Tomato
2 Tbsp olive oil
Salt to taste.
Coriander leaves for garnishing.
Method:
Heat oil in a pan, and add the onion and saute.
Chopp the tomato and grind it to a puree and set aside.
When the onion browns add the carrot,green chilly,garlic and saute for a minute.
Add the tomato puree, black beans,red chilly powder and cumin powder.
Add water as required.
Cover and cook for 5-7 minute or till the carrot and beans are tender.
When the bean is tender mash it a little with the back of a spoon.
serve hot.
Garnish with coriander leaves.

Brown rice with Pinto Beans

This is my entry for "Whole grains JFI" hosted by Tastypalettes.
Of late i have been cutting back on white rice and adding more of brown rice into my diet. Since my household is filled with picky eaters i have to look for more ways to make brown rice fun and tasty to eat. This recipe is also very easy to prepare.
Ingredients:
1 cup Pinto beans
11/2 Cup Brown rice
1 Tbsp cumin
6 nos green chillies(chopped)
1 large onion (chopped)
1 Tsp Pepper powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 Tbsp red chilly powder
1 Tomato (chopped)
1 sprig curry leaves
2 Tbsp oil
Salt to taste .
Method:
Pressure cook 11/2 cups of brown rice with 2 cups of water and set aside.
Heat oil in a kadai and add cumin, when it splutters add curry leaves onion and green chilly.
When the onion becomes golden brown add the pinto beans(strain and wash the pinto beans before adding).
Add salt , cover the kadai and let it cook till the beans are tender(should be about 3-5 minutes)
Add very little water if necessary.
Now add the tomato and rest of the masala.
Add the cooked rice and saute well, keep covered in low heat for another minute or two and serve hot.

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.