I am not generally an elaborate meal kind of person. A simple rice dish with a thovayal/rasam and a vegetable curry would be suffice. I will have a happy belly. This podi is one such recipe, from grandma which is a great make-ahead condiment and comes in handy for a quick, hot yet homemade meal. It can me made on a free weekend and stored in the fridge for a couple of weeks. It only really takes about 15 minutes of the stove time and you are good to go.
Ingredients:
Makes about 1/2 cup of podi
Bitter gourd / Pavakkai - 2 medium sized
Grated coconut - 1 tbsp
Dry Red chillies - 3
Garlic - 1 big clove
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Method:
Wash and pat fry the bitter gourd. Cut into half and core the center. Slice thin and cut into quarter. Add salt and let it set for about 30 minutes. Blend the coconut, chillies and garlic until ground well. Do not add any water while grinding. Drain the bittergourd pieces and squeeze the excess juice really well. Heat oil in a pan and fry in medium-high heat. When it turns light golden color, reduce the heat to medium and add the spice mix powder. Continue to fry until it takes a dry texture. Take care not to burn. Allow to cool and store in a dry glass container. To serve, mix couple of teaspoons of this powder with hot steaming rice and gingelly oil. Mmm... Heaven in a morsel...
Notes: This podi would not need any salt other than the one which was used for macerating.
Linking this up to South Indian Cooking by Anu and Eat seasonal Food-Fresh by Jagruti.
My post today is a classic combo of a south Indian lunch recipe. Lemon Rice and Potato Fry. There cannot be anyone who wouldn't love this combo. Back in my school days my face would light up on seeing this in my lunchbox and I would be a happy person after a typical busy day at school. My friends wouldn't mind digging in to pick up a spoon of this tasty mix.
Ingredients:
Serves - 2
Basmati Rice - 1 cup
Lime/Lemon - juice from one - preferably fresh
Oil - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Urad dhal - 1 tsp
Chana dhal - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - a few
Cilantro/Coriander leaves - handful
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Green chilli - 1 or 2 - slit
Salt - to taste
Method:
Cook the rice and spread on a plate to cool. Heat oil in a kadai and splutter the mustard seeds. Add the urad dhal and chana dhal and fry for a min followed by the curry leaves and green chillis. Add the turmeric powder and salt. Remove from heat and add the lemon juice. Add the cooked cooled rice and mix well with a wooden spoon or fork. Check for salt and add more if required and mix. Serve with Spicy Potato Fry.
Notes: Make sure the rice is cooled completely before it is added to the kadai. Freshly squeezed lemon juice is the most preferred for preparing this rice.
Potato Fry
Ingredients:
Potato - 2 - medium sized
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dhal - 1/2 tsp
Chana dhal - 1 tsp
Onion - chopped - 1/2 cup
Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Curry Powder / Karimasala powder - 1 tsp or to taste
Method:
Boil the potatoes. Peel and break into little chunks and set aside. Heat oil in a non-stick kadai and splutter the mustard seeds, urad and chana dhals. Add the chopped onions and fry until they start to brown. Add the ginger garlic paste and fry for a couple of minutes. Add the curry powder and salt. Now throw in the potatoes and mix until the masala is well coated in them. Continue to mix in medium heat until it forms a thin crust.
Sending this lovely combo to Healthy Diet - Lunchbox recipes event by Priya; South Indian Cooking event by Anu; and to Healthy Bite event.
I and DH are chai lovers. So our evenings should have chai. Often DH would want something to accompany his chai for he will be hungry after a long day at work. Deep frying is a strict no-no from me except festivals due to health reasons and I do not buy any snacks other than digestive biscuits for me and Parle-G for Kavin. So I make a simple salad, sundal or baked veggie cutlets for tea. I made this simple kidney beans sundal and seeing that this frequent snack never made it to my blog, I clicked it this time.
Ingredients:
Serves - 2-3
Rajma - cooked - 2 cups or 1 can of Kidney beans, drained and rinsed
Onion - 1 cup - chopped
Ginger paste - 1/4 tsp (can substitute asafoetida)
Grated Coconut - 1 tsp (optional)
Salt - to taste
Oil - 1 tbsp
For Tempering:
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dhal - 1/2 tsp
Chana Dhal - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - a few
Dry red chilli - 1 - broken
Method:
Heat oil in a pan and splutter the items for tempering. Add the chopped onions and saute in medium-high heat until it turns soft. Reduce the heat to medium and add the ginger paste. Fry for a couple of minutes and add salt. Add the cooked, drained rajma and mix well for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and garnish with grated coconut. Serve warm.
I am linking this up to Vardhini's event Dish It out, happening in my space with the theme - Onions & Chillies. Also to Kid's delight - After School Bites and Whats with my Cuppa 2 by Nupur and My Legume Love Affair by Lisa and Susan, guest hosted by Siri this month.
My favorite way of eating cauliflower is to have it crispy as in a manchurian or as in gobi 65. But those ways are not always good for my health. So I tried to make it a bit healthier using less oil but my ultimate aim of eating crispy cauliflower isn't sacrificed in this method.
Ingredients:
Serves - 2
Cauliflower florets - 2 cups - Rinsed and drained
Kashmiri chilli powder - 1 tsp
Garlic powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Olive Oil - 2 tbsp + more for spraying
Method:
Heat oil in a wide non-stick pan and place the cauliflower florets in a single layer. Fry until lightly roasted turned over the florets occasionally. When the florets are three-fourths cooked, add the kashmiri chilli powder, garlic powder and salt to taste. Cook in medium heat until the florets are completely coated in the spice powder and well roasted. Serve hot as a side or snack with yogurt dip.
Notes: I used kashmiri chilli powder for the color, regular chilli powder can be substituted. If the florets tend to dry out while roasting spray with some oil as needed. Make sure not to crowd the pan as it would result in steaming the cauliflower as opposed to roasting.
We love beans (the legume) and can't get enough. It is a great source of protein and iron for vegetarians. I include them in our meal plan as often as possible in salads, soups or just plain sundal. This Kulambu is also one of our favorite ways to eat them. This is a simple tamarind based curry with a hint of coconut. The richness the coconut milk imparts to this dish is simply fabulous.
Ingredients:
Serves - 4-6
Dry Black Eyed Peas - 1 cup (or) 1 can of black eyed peas
Onion - chopped - 1 cup
Garlic - 15 cloves
Tamarind - size of a lemon - soak and extract juice
Oil - 2 tbsp
Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Thin Coconut milk - 1 cup (or) 1/2 can of Light Coconut milk
Salt - to taste
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp (I used a mix of 1/2 tsp of extra hot chilli powder and 1 tsp of kashmiri for the color)
Coriander powder - 3 tsp (heaped)
Method:
Soak the beans for 3 hours and pressure cook for 1 whistle with a tsp of salt. Drain and set aside. Heat oil in a kadai and add the fenugreek seeds and cumin seeds. Add the chopped onions and garlic and fry until the onions turn soft. Now sprinkle the spice powders and mix well. Add the tamarind juice and salt with a cup of water. Do a taste check and allow it to boil. Add the cooked beans and reduce the heat. Simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the kulambu reaches the desired consistency and the oil floats on the top. Add the coconut milk and continue to simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and serve with rice.
I made this Kheer the other day when we were expecting guests for dinner. This is one easy to make Indian sweet which comes out perfect every time. It was that day I was cooking up a long list of dishes for the guests and I made this one in the morning and refrigerated until dinner. This kheer tastes awesome both hot and cold.
Ingredients:
Standard cup measurements
Makes 4 - 1/2 cup servings
Semiya / Vermicelli - 1/2 cup
Low Fat Milk (Double-toned milk) - 2 cups
Whole Milk - 1/3 cup (optional, can use Low fat milk instead)
Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp
Sugar - 1/4 - 1/3 cup (as per the taste)
Cashew nuts - 5 broken
Raisins - 5
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Method:
Heat 1 tsp of ghee and roast the semiya until it turns a pale orange. Remove to a plate and allow it to cool. The roasted semiya will become little darker on cooling. In the remaining ghee, roast the cashews and raisins. Remove and set aside. Heat 2 cups of milk in a saucepan and bring it to boil. Reduce the heat to medium and add the roasted vermicelli and allow it to cook. When it is cooked (check by doing a bite test) add the sugar starting from 1/4 cup. Check for sweetness and add more sugar if needed. Add the cardamom powder and remove from heat. Garnish with cashews and raisins. Serve hot or chilled.
Linking this up to Preeti's Foodabulous Fest, Anu's South Indian Cooking and Spotlight - Raksha Bandhan.
When asked "What side dish shall I make for Dosa?", Tomato chutney will be the first reply from DH. Since I almost never run out of onions and tomatoes, this chutney is pretty easy to make and is very tasty. I added a red bell pepper to increase the veggie quotient and hey, Red bell peppers are a storehouse of Vitamin C and antioxidants. So Easy-to-make - check, Tasty - check, Healthy - check!
Ingredients:
Cooking Time - 30 mins
Onion - 1 - approx 1 cup cubed
Tomato - 4 - medium sized
Red bell pepper - 1 - cubed (optional)
Red chillies - 4
Garlic - 3 cloves
Oil - 2 tbsp
Tempering:
Oil - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dhal - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - a few
Method:
Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a kadai and fry the red chillies, onions and garlic cloves until the onions are three-fourth cooked. Add the cubed red bell pepper (if using) and fry for about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and allow it to cool. In the same kadai heat the remaining oil and fry the tomatoes with a pinch of salt until mushy. Allow it to cool. Blend the onion mixture until smooth. Now add the tomatoes with salt and blend again. Transfer to a serving bowl. Heat 1 tsp of oil and splutter the ingredients for tempering. Pour the tempering over the chutney and serve for idli, dosa or as a spread for bread. It is also a great dip for celery sticks or bell pepper strips.
I am linking this up to Vardhini's Dish It Out happening in my space and also linking this to Srivalli's Summer Special Mela.
It is Thursday and it is time to make a Vegan dish. Vegan Thursdays is an idea of Priya of Priya's Versatile Recipes to showcase the Vegan dishes we make day-to-day. Without any doubt most of our cooking is vegan and this week it is the humble coconut rice which is the star of the day. This recipe calls for a simple preparation and makes a great lunch box/picnic dish. Pair it with some spicy curry and you have a satisfying meal. My favorite combo is Spicy Potato Poriyal.
Ingredients:
Serves - 2
Rice - 1 cup (I used Basmati)
Grated coconut - 1/4 cup
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dhal - 1/2 tsp
Chana Dhal - 1 tsp
Green chilli - 1 or 2
Curry leaves - a few
Cashew nuts - a few (optional)
Coriander leaves - a little (optional)
Oil - 1 tsp + 2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Method:
Cook the rice with 2 cups of water until done. Spread on a plate to allow it to cool completely. Heat 1 tsp of oil and fry the cashew nut halves. For me, there is no coconut rice without cashew nuts. When done remove from the pan. In the same pan, add the remaining oil and add the mustard seeds, urad dhal and chana dhal. When the mustard splutters and the chana dhal takes a light golden color add the slit green chillis and curry leaves. Reduce the heat to medium and add the grated coconut and salt. Mix well and remove from heat. Add the cooked cooled rice and mix with a fork taking care not to break the grains. Garnish with cilantro and serve with any curry of your choice. A simple appalam is also a great combo.
Linking this to Srivalli's Summer Special Mela and to Priya's Healthy Diet - Lunchbox Recipes.
Ingredients:
Linking this up to South Indian Cooking by Anu and Eat seasonal Food-Fresh by Jagruti.
