Kushka | Indian Rice Recipes

Ever in a thought of what to make to go with your spicy curries for lunch? When you are making a rich curry for your weekend lunch a simple white rice to go with it may sometimes be bleh.. Dress up your rice with this flavorful Kushka aka empty biryani. It is called empty briyani because it has all the flavours of the briyani without the meat or veggies in it.
I got a recipe request for this kushka from my friend through FB. I had wanted to make and post this sooner but things got in the way. Laptop issues being the primary one. Finally I got some time to sit and compose the post, pictures and all. Hope you like it N..

Ingredients:
Basmati rice - 2 cups (see notes)
Ghee - 1 tsp + 1 tbsp
Cloves - 3
Cinnamon - 1" piece
Bay leaf - 1
Star anise - 2
Cashew nuts - 5
Shallots/Pearl onions - 10, peeled, sliced
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Green chillies - 2
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp 
Coconut milk - 1 cup (freshly made or from can, anything works)
Water - 2-1/2 cups
Mint - a fistful
Cilantro/Coriander leaves - a fistful
Salt - to taste

Method:
Wash and soak the rice for 15 mins. Drain the rice in sieve/colander with tiny holes. Heat a tsp of ghee and fry cashewnuts. Remove the nuts and add the drained rice, fry until dry. Spread on a plate to cool. Heat oil and the remaining ghee in a pressure cooker and add the whole spices. Add the green chillies, sliced onions and cook in medium heat until the onions are golden. Add the ginger garlic paste and saute for a minute or two. Add half of the mint and coriander leaves and mix. Add the coconut milk and water and allow it to boil. Add the rice and cook covered for 10-12 minutes or pressure cook for one whistle. When done, sprinkle the remaining mint and coriander and mix with a fork. Serve hot with a spicy curry. I made this egg curry to go with the kushka.
Notes:
The best rice to use for any south Indian pulao/briyani is Jeera Samba (seeraga samba). I couldn't find this rice in the indian stores in the area I live so the closest alternative would be basmati.
Pearl onions are a best component for any briyani recipe since it yields a mild sweetness. Regular onions may be substituted per wish.

Mushroom Briyani (Easy version) | Rice Recipes

With this Fall season here (hot one day, warm the other and pretty chill the next day), the wind has been little chilly but not quite like fall. What better than some warm food to keep yourself cozy and ready for all the excitement the Fall season has to bring. This recipe here is a simple and flavorful briyani for a simple weekday lunch. Paired with Zucchini raitha (recipe follows) it is a satisfying meal.
Briyani generally means lot of preparations with fresh ground spices and layering of the rice and masala. But this recipe here is a simple one with garam masala powder. This garam masala powder (made by my friend's mom) is home-made with red chillies added to it. If you are using a garam masala powder that is store-bought or does not have chillies in it add red chilli powder to taste. 

Ingredients:

Serves - 2-3
Basmati Rice (I used brown rice) - 1 cup (standard 240 ml cup)
Mushroom - 8 oz ~ 250 g

Onion, thinly sliced - 1 cup

Ginger Garlic paste, freshly ground - 1-1/2 tbsp

Garam masala - 1 tsp (see notes)

Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp (optional, see notes)
Oil - 1 tbsp

Mint leaves - a fistful

Bay leaf - 1

Method:
Wash and soak the rice for 30 mins (15 minutes for white rice). Clean and cut the mushrooms in thick slices. 
Heat a saucepan / pressure cooker and heat the oil. Add the bay leaf followed by the onions. Saute in medium-high heat until the onions take a shade of golden brown. Add the freshly ground ginger garlic paste and fry in medium heat for about 3 minutes. Now add the garam masala powder and chilli powder (if using) and fry for a minute. Add 1-1/2 cups of water (2 cups for white rice) with required amount of salt and torn mint leaves. Drain the water from the rice and add the rice to the pressure cooker. Pressure cook for 5-6 whistles (2 whistles for white rice). When the pressure is released, open and fluff with fork. Serve hot with Zucchini Raitha.
Notes:
The Garam masala powder I used was pretty spicy with the red chillies ground along with it. So I did not add red chilli powder. If your garam masala powder is not spicy, add chilli powder to taste. 
If you feel the amount of mushrooms is a little too much you could always reduce to your preference. I prefer a meaty briyani.

Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

When you have a craving for Mac and Cheese, you have to make it right away. But I didn't want to go for the boxed varieties with too many processed ingredients, names of many I wouldn't even be able to pronounce. Again a craving can be something that isn't too indulging. Ok, you could stop reading right now and think "why would you want to eat mac and cheese if it is skinny/healthy". I say, why not?! The cheese sauce I used here for mac and cheese has cauliflower in it with cottage cheese. Doing something good for your body while eating something you crave.. Win-Win!
Psst.. It is a good way to sneak vegetables in to your kids..

Ingredients:
Serves - 4
Macaroni pasta, dry - 1 cup
Cauliflower florets - 1-1/2 cups
Water/Vegetable Stock - 1-1/2 cups
Cottage cheese - 1 cup
Cheddar cheese - 2 oz (60 g)
Parmesan cheese - 2 tbsp
Ground nutmeg - 1/8 tsp
Salt & pepper - to taste
Bread crumbs - 1/2 cup
Melted Butter - 1 tbsp

Method:
Preheat the oven to 375 F.
Cook the macaroni pasta in salted boiling water for about 7 minutes (that was 2 minutes less than the required time). Drain and set aside, covered. 
Mix 1 tbsp of grated parmesan cheese, bread crumbs and butter in a bowl.
Boil cauliflower in salted water for 5-7 minutes until soft. Scoop out the florets and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes. Reserve water. Puree in a blender/food processor until smooth, using the boiled water to thin out if needed. Add the cottage cheese and puree again. Return the cauliflower-cheese puree to the saucepan and add half of the reserved water. Add the cheddar cheese and allow it to melt in medium heat. Add nutmeg, salt and pepper. Curdling at this stage is normal because of cottage cheese. Allow the sauce to cool a bit and pulse a couple of times in the food processor. Mix 1 tbsp of parmesan cheese. Mix the pasta to the cheese sauce and pour into a large oven proof baking tray/bowl. Evenly spread the bread crumbs on top. Bake for 30 minutes.
Notes:
If the top is browning too fast around 15 minutes, cover with foil and continue baking.

Minestrone Soup | Soup Recipes

This delicious soup is wholesome and sure to fill you up (and your fridge) for a weeknight dinner. Just pick up a loaf of bread from the supermarket (or bake one if you have time) to pair it up. Or skip the bread altogether, it is awesome by itself.
Now, filling up the fridge part, this recipe serves a great make-ahead meal and is a double amount of what my family has for dinner. So whenever I make this, it serves the next meal too. It can also be frozen.

Ingredients:
Serves - 4-6
Olive oil - 3 tbsp
Onion, chopped - 1 cup
Garlic, minced - 4 cloves
Celery, chopped - 2 stalks
Carrot, medium sized, diced - 2
Green beans, chopped - 1 cups
Cauliflower florets - 1 cup
Broccoli florets - 1 cup
Bell peppers, julienned - 1 cup (I used mini peppers)
Dried Italian seasoning - 1 tbsp
Crushed tomatoes from can - 2 cups
Sugar - 1/4 tsp
Vegetable Stock / Chicken stock - 3 cups (Use low sodium variety)
Water - 3 cups (You could substitute stock for water)
Black beans, cooked - 1-1/2 cups (or use 1 can of black beans, rinsed)
Salt & pepper - to taste
Pasta, any small variety - 1/4 cup
Parmesan cheese - to garnish (optional)

Method:

Heat oil in a large stockpot and saute the onion, garlic and celery. When the onion takes a light shade of brown add the carrots and green beans and fry for 3 minutes. Now tip in the cauliflower and broccoli florets and saute for another 2 minutes. Now add the bell peppers and the italian seasoning. Add the crushed tomatoes and sugar. Now add the stock and water with salt and pepper to taste. Allow the soup to come to a boil. Add the black beans and simmer covered for 15 minutes. Add the pasta and continue to simmer for another 5 minutes. Serve hot in a bowl, topped with parmesan cheese.

Kozhi Kuzhambu / Chicken Curry | South Indian Curry Recipes

If you are looking for something cozy yet spicy to make today, this south Indian style chicken curry recipe is a perfect one for your Sunday lunch with rice. Before now, cooking non-vegetarian at home wasn't a frequent event since DH is a pure vegetarian. Now that I have my LO to give me company to eat chicken at home I find myself cooking it more often. So expect more chicken recipes in this space.

Ingredients:
Serves - 2-3
Chicken - 1/2 kg 
Small Onions / Pearl onions - 8, halved OR Onion, chopped - 1 cup
Tomato, small - 2, chopped
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp (optional)
Oil - 2 tbsp
Water - 2-3 cups
Fresh ground pepper - 1/4 tsp (optional)
Spice paste:
Cumin seeds / Jeera - 1/2 tsp
Fennel seeds / Sombu - 1 tsp
Poppy seeds / kasa kasa - 1 tsp
Cinnamon / Pattai - 1" piece - 2 nos
Cloves / Krambu - 5
Coriander seeds - 3 tsp
Dry red chillies - 5-6
Ginger, peeled - 1" piece
Garlic cloves - 3
Pearl onions - 4
Coconut, grated - 1/3 cup (about 5 tbsp)
Oil - 2 tsp

Method:
Heat 1 tsp of oil in a small pan and add the first 7 ingredients of the spice paste. When it is slightly toasted, remove from heat and allow to cool in a plate. Crush the peeled ginger, garlic and pearl onions with a rolling pin or the bottom of a cup. Add another tsp of oil and fry the crushed ginger, garlic and pearl onions for a minute. Add the coconut and fry in medium heat until it is slightly toasted. Remove from heat to cool. Make a fine paste of the above 2 mixtures together adding water. 
Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a cast-iron skillet (I love the cast iron for this recipe) and add the chicken pieces brown them all over, about a couple of minutes. The chicken may not have been cooked through but it is ok, it will cook in the curry. Remove to a plate. In the same pan add the remaining oil and the mustard seeds. When they pop, add the chopped onion and fry until it is translucent. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until they are mushy. Add the ground paste with 2 cups of water. Add salt as needed with pepper (if using) and bring it to a boil. Add the chicken pieces and cook in medium heat for 15-20 minutes until the chicken is tender and the kuzhambu is thick. Serve over rice or as a side for idli/dosa.

Puli Kuzhambu / Pumpkin Tamarind Curry | South Indian Curry Recipes

It was tough deciding which recipe I wanted to post next. Most of the recipes I had in draft was either baked (I had been posting 3 baked recipes in a row the past week) or more of a combination recipes which had to be posted one after the other. But since I had been planning to post a special chicken curry for the weekend, I think this would be a nice one to post for a midweek. 
Psst.. the combination recipes I talked about earlier.. here are a few coming up.. well over a couple of days.. Achari Murgh with Kashmiri Pulao; Mushroom Briyani with Zucchini Raitha; Kollu Thogayal with Kollu Rasam.

Ingredients:
Pearl onions - 10
Garlic cloves - 15
Tomato, ripe - 2
Pumpkin / Parangikai, cubed - 1 cup
Tamarind - size of a lemon
Water - 2 cups
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Sambar powder - 3 tsp
Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - a few
Gingelly oil - 3 tbsp
Salt - to taste

Method:
Peel and halve the pearl onions. Peel the garlic cloves. Soak the tamarind in warm water for 30 minutes and extract 2 cups of juice. Heat oil in a kadai and splutter the fenugreek seeds and curry leaves. Add the onion and garlic cloves and fry until softened. Add the cubed pumpkin and fry for a couple of minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes with a pinch of salt and cook until it is pulpy. Now sprinkle the turmeric powder, sambar powder and mix well. Add the tamarind juice and water and check for seasoning. Bring it to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes stirring occasionally. Serve hot with rice and pappads.
Notes:
The pumpkin here can be replaced by bitter gourd or brinjals.

Thai Curry Fried Rice | Rice Recipes

I have been spending quite a lot of time in Pinterest lately. Pinterest is a whole world of ideas and inspiration and is definitely addictive. It was one of those days when I was flipping through the pins and I stumbled upon a simple Thai curry rice recipe. I made a mental note on the idea and forgot about it. Fast forward few weeks, I was cleaning up my fridge door when I found this poor bottle Thai curry paste leftover after making Thai Style Mushroom Tofu Soup which was about to touch its expiration date. Without further thoughts I made this rice dish the same day for our lunch.

Ingredients:
Serves - 2-3
Rice - 1 cup (or) Leftover cooked rice (white or brown) - 3 cups
Shallots / Pearl onions - 1/4 cup, thinly sliced in rounds
Garlic - 2 cloves
Carrots - 2, medium, chopped
Beans - 10, chopped
Broccoli - 1/2 a floret
Tofu - 1/3 of a block (5 oz), crumbled
Thai Green Curry paste - 2 tbsp (store bought or home-made)
Soy Sauce - 3 tbsp
Water - 1/4 cup
Light olive oil (or) any light tasting oil - 2-3 Tbsp
Salt - to taste

Method:
Cook the rice with 2 cups of water. When done, spread in a plate to cool completely. Blanch the carrots, beans and broccoli for 4 minutes. Drain and plunge in ice water. After 5 minutes, drain excess water in a colander. Heat a cast iron skillet with oil and add thinly sliced shallots and minced garlic. Fry until the onions take a light shade of brown. Add the green curry paste, soy sauce and water. Fry in medium heat until most of the water evaporates. Add the cooked cooled rice and mix. Add the vegetables to the rice. Mix in low heat until completely mixed through. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed. Serve hot garnished with green onions.

Mint Pista Pesto Pasta | Vegan Pasta Recipes

Things have been crazy since the start of the year and I am trying to make some time for myself between daily routines, additional items on to-do list and a two and a half year old who is keeping me more busy. I want to spend more time with him because in a few weeks he will be starting school and will be busy in his own world. Blogging had been put in the back burner for that reason. But there is something about this little space which keeps my mind engaged and excited to connect with the world and I don't want to stay away for a long time. 
Today's recipe is a simple one to write and also to make. I love to make fresh mint pesto whenever I make pasta and have fresh mint at hand. I reserve some cooked pasta and toss with fresh ground pesto to make a light refreshing lunch.

Ingredients:
Cooked pasta - 1-1/2 cups
Mint leaves - a handful
Pistachios - 20, roasted and shelled
Red pepper flakes - a dash or two
Salt - a dash (optional)
Extra virgin olive oil - 3 tbsp

Method:
Pulse the pistachios in a blender a couple of times. Add the mint leaves, red pepper flakes and salt. Pulse again until the nuts becomes coarse. Add the olive oil and blend again. Toss with cooked hot pasta and serve immediately.
Notes: 
You could add about 2 Tbsp of parmesan cheese and skip the salt altogether.

Penne in Creamy Tomato Butternut Squash Sauce

It is going to be almost a month since my last post. Things have been busy in personal and family front. However I didn't want the whole month of January to go without a single note. Though I have been cooking and clicking frequently, the composing part had to take a back seat due to lack of time.
I love making pasta sauces from scratch but mostly I tried to build flavors upon store bought sauces. This is a hearty sauce which I made with leftover canned crushed tomatoes which I had used to make Minestrone soup. Pasta in tomato sauce is my little one's favorite meal and he didn't complain. Sneaking veggies is my favorite part and he didn't have a clue :).
Add any hearty winter vegetable in the place of or in addition to butternut squash in this soup. Carrots, parsnips, acorn squash and pumpkin are great choices.

Ingredients:
Serves - 4
Penne - 1 lb 
Onion, chopped - 1 cup
Garlic - 1 clove
Crushed tomatoes, from can - 1 cup
Butternut Squash, cubed - 1 cup (Can substitute Pumpkin)
Vegetable Stock - 1 cup
Evaporated milk - 1/3 cup (see notes below)
Rosemary sprigs - 2 (optional)
Dried Italian seasoning - 1 tbsp
Crushed red pepper flakes - 1/2 tsp
Ground pepper - 1/4 tsp
Salt - to taste
Sugar - a pinch
Olive oil - 1 tbsp + 1 tsp
Parsley / cilantro - for garnish
Parmesan cheese - for garnish

Method:
Heat a tsp of oil in a cast-iron pan and roast the cubed butternut squash until brown and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes. Remove from heat. In another sauce pan, heat the remaining oil and fry the onions and garlic until slightly brown. Add the cooked squash, rosemary sprig, spices and salt. Add the tomato, sugar and stock. Check for seasoning and allow it come to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer covered for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile cook pasta according to packet instructions. When done, drain reserving about 1 cup of pasta cooked water. Remove the sauce from heat and use an immersion blender to puree. Return to heat and add the evaporated milk. Add the pasta water to thin out the sauce as needed. Add the cooked pasta and toss well. Serve hot garnished with parsley and parmesan cheese.
Notes:
Cream / Half & Half / Whole milk can be used in place of evaporated milk or it can just be skipped.
This sauce can be made in advance and stored in a glass container in the fridge for a couple of days or frozen in ziploc bags.

Mushroom Zucchini Skillet Noodles

What is your idea of a quick lunch? Mine is a simple rice or noodles with lot of veggies and fresh herbs. A little olive oil or sesame oil would sure be there for that flavor. This skillet noodles is something that can be whipped up in under 20 minutes start to finish. While your noodles is cooking, clean and chop up the veggies. Stir fry the veggies when the noodles is cooling.
I made this in my new addition in my kitchen. My cast-iron skillet. My new love. I see me reaching out for my skillet for most recipes and I love it.

Ingredients:
Serves - 2
Whole Grain Spaghetti / Soba Noodles - 5 oz 
Mushroom - 8 oz ~ 250 g
Zucchini - 1 medium
Garlic - 1 clove
Extra Virgin Olive Oil - 2 tbsp + more if needed
Fresh Rosemary - 1 tbsp
Salt & Pepper - to taste

Method:
Cook the pasta/noodles according to instructions. Drain and set aside, loosely covered. Clean and cut the mushrooms in to thick slices. Slice the zucchini into thin quarters. Crush and peel the garlic. 
Heat oil in a cast iron skillet and add the crushed garlic. When the garlic starts to brown, remove it from the pan, we just want to infuse the garlic flavor to the oil. Add the cut mushrooms and layer it on the pan. Allow it to brown on both sides. Now add the zucchini and fry for a minute or two until it starts browning. Add the finely chopped fresh rosemary with salt and pepper. Add the cooked noodles and remove from heat. Toss the noodles well in the pan. Serve hot.

Aloo Paratha | Roti Paratha Recipes

Parathas are stuffed flatbreads. Getting my little one to eat chapathi/roti was one humongous task which yielded mostly zero success rate. It is when I discovered he likes, no loves stuffed versions like aloo paratha / gobi paratha or sweet potato paratha. Ha! mission accomplished. It gives me a little liberty to make something different for dinner other than (the always present) dosa.
Parathas don't often require a curry, a simple pickle and yogurt is sufficient. But if you do plan to make a side, try the Kadai Paneer. 

Ingredients:
Wheat flour / Atta - 4 cups (160 ml cup)
Water - 1-1/2 cups
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp + more for cooking the parathas
Butter - for topping (optional)
For the potato filling:
Potatoes, medium - 2 (I used Yellow potatoes)
Onion, finely chopped - 1/4 cup
Chaat Masala / Amchur Powder - 1/4 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/4 tsp
Garam Masala powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - a pinch
Oil - 1 tsp

Method:
Mix the flour and salt well. Add 1 tbsp of oil and incorporate it to the flour. Pour the water little by little and mix until the dough comes together. Knead to a smooth dough for about 5 minutes. Cover and rest for 15 minutes. 
Cut the potatoes into halves. Boil the potatoes in water with 1/4 tsp of salt. Drain the water and allow it to cool. Peel the potatoes and mash well until smooth. Heat oil in a small pan and fry the onions until soft. Add the spice powders and salt. Remove from heat and mix with the potatoes. Divide into 8 portions make balls.
Divide the kneaded paratha dough into 8 portions and roll between the palms to make balls. Dust the balls with wheat flour and roll into 4" diameter circle. Use your thumb to make slight indentation in the center of the rolled out dough. Place one potato ball in the center and bring the edges together and pinch them together. Dust with flour again and start rolling out with a rolling pin with the seam side up. Spread it out as much as you can without the filling spilling out. Heat a griddle and place the rolled out paratha. When one side is cooked for about a minute, flip over and apply some oil. Cook for another minute and flip over. When both sides are cooked through, remove to a serving plate and top with a pat of butter. Serve with any curry of your choice.

Avarakkai Mochai Kuzhambu / Broad Beans Curry | South Indian Curry Recipes

Cooking for loved ones is special. Well, I do that on a daily basis, but cooking some dish for the loved ones which they really love is more special. This is one such dish. DH is a food lover but what he likes is not complicated. A simple South-Indian meal is his go to preference on any day. 
He loves avarakai aka Broad Beans. It was a delight when I came across them in the Farmer's Market and immediately bought it. I made this kulambu the same day which he loves have with rice.

Ingredients:
Serves - 3-4
Avarakkai / Broad beans - 20-25
Mochai / Fresh Hyacinth beans - 1/2 cup
Onion - 1/2 of a big one, chopped
Toor dhal - 1/2 cup (120 ml)
Tamarind - lemon sized
Gingelly oil - 1-1/2 tbsp
Thalippu Vadagam - 1 tbsp
Curry leaves - a little
Make a paste:
Fresh Grated Coconut - 1/4 cup
Coriander powder - 2 tsp (heaped)
Chilli powder - 1 tsp (or 1/2 tsp if spicy)
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Pearl onions - 2, small

Method:
Cut the ends and pull out the fibrous veins. Chop into 1 inch pieces. Remove the mochai (pods from the beans) if any as you chop. These can be added to kuzhambu. Place the chopped beans, pods and chopped onions in a microwave proof bowl with half a cup of water and a pinch of salt. Microwave for 8 minutes stirring once in between.
Make a smooth paste with the ingredients under 'make a paste' adding water as needed. Soak the tamarind in 1 cup of warm water. Extract about 2 cups of tamarind juice.
Wash and soak the toor dhal for 15 minutes. Pressure cook the dhal with 2 cups of water with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder for 3 whistles. Drain and reserve the dhal cooked water. Mash the dhal with a maththu or the back of a wooden spoon. 
Now add the reserved dhal-cooked water, ground coconut paste, salt, cooked vegetables and the tamarind juice to the dhal. The kuzhambu can be slightly thin at this point, it will thicken as it boils. When it starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the kuzhambu thickens and the flavors meld. 
Heat oil in a small pan and splutter the vadagam and curry leaves. Pour this over the kuzhambu and serve hot with steamed rice.

Easy Vegetable Pulao | Pressure cooker Pulao

This is a recipe for a simple pulao which can be done in the essential Indian cooking device, the pressure cooker. It is a mix of my Peas Pulao and Coconut milk rice recipe. I had never tried using shallots aka pearl onions before now in a pulao recipe. I ran out of regular onions and used shallots in place of them. I can't stress enough but try using them in your pulao recipes next time, it tastes awesome.

Ingredients:
Serves - 2
Rice - 1 cup (160 ml)
Carrots - 2, chopped
Peas - a handful
Pearl onions - 4, peeled and sliced into rounds
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Bay leaf - 1
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp
Coconut milk - 1 cup
Water - 1 cup
Salt - to taste

Method:
Wash and soak the rice for 5 minutes, then drain the water. Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add the bay leaf. After a minute or so add the sliced onions and saute until they turn pink. Add the ginger garlic paste and saute in medium heat for 2 minutes. Now add the carrots, peas and garam masala with salt. Add the rice and fry for a minute. Add the coconut milk, water and check for salt. Cover and pressure cook for 2 whistles. Fluff with a fork and serve hot with any spicy curry. I served with Bahara Baingan.
Linking this to Priya's Vegan Thursday's.

Hot and Sweet Basil Tofu | Vegan Recipes

Tofu is a great source of protein for Vegans and I make at least one tofu dish a month. Tofu sure is bland but that is its great quality. It absorbs any flavor so beautifully and is very appetizing in that way. Asian inspired curries with tofu is easy to make and gets ready in a jiffy. When served over rice, it makes a complete meal with the perfect balance of carbohydrates, protein and fiber. Do not forget to use lots of colorful vegetables in this dish to make it a feast for the eyes and taste.
Also check out my other curries with tofu - Szechwan style Tofu, Thai Green Curry and Thai Red Curry.

Ingredients:

Serves - 2
Tofu - 14 oz block, pressed and cut into cubes
Red bell pepper - 1 large, sliced thin
Green beans - 10, ends removed cut into 1" pieces
Sesame oil - 2 tsp
Ginger & garlic - 1 tbsp, finely chopped
Thai Basil leaves - 1/2 cup, tightly packed, roughly chopped
For the Sauce:
Vegetable stock - 1 cup
Soy sauce - 1/4 cup
Chilli sauce - 1 tbsp (Sriracha)
Brown sugar - 1 tbsp
Vinegar - 1/2 tbsp
Corn starch - 1 tsp
Salt - a pinch
Pepper - a pinch

Method:
Mix the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl and set aside. Heat 1 tsp of oil in a pan and fry the tofu pieces until all sides of the tofu are brown. Remove and set aside. Heat the remaining oil and fry the green beans for a minute or two. Now throw in the red bell peppers and fry for a minute. Throw in the chopped ginger and garlic and the basil leaves. Saute for a minute and then add the sauce. Let it thicken for 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat and mix in the fried tofu. Serve hot over steamed rice.
Linking this to Priya's Vegan Thursdays.

Mushroom Kulambu | South Indian Curry Recipes

Us Indians are known for the love of spicy curries. Every region has its own specialty and every family has its own signature dish.  This recipe here is a family recipe for chicken or mutton preparations. Married to a vegetarian I do not cook non-vegetarian often. But the spicy cravings inside me is satisfied by this kulambu made with mushrooms but with all the aromatic spices found in a South-Indian spicy curry. This kuzhambu is a great combo for rice, idli and dosa.

Ingredients:
White button Mushrooms - 200 g / 8 oz
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt - to taste
Corainder leaves - a little
Oil - 2 tsp
Coriander seeds - 2-1/2 tbsp
Dry red chillies - 2 or 3
Urad dhal - 1/2 tsp
Raw Rice - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Pearl onions - 3
Garlic cloves - 2
Tomato - 1/2 of a small one, chopped
Grated Coconut - 3 tbsp

Method:
Clean the mushrooms and make thick slices.
Heat 1 tsp of oil in a pan and roast the coriander seeds, urad dhal, rice, cumin for about 2 minutes. Add the crushed garlic and pearl onions and continue to roast until the rice starts to become a shade darker. Now add the tomatoes and fry for a minute until slightly cooked. Add the grated coconut, and turn off the heat. Continue to roast in the residual heat until the coconut is toasted. Allow the mix to cool and make a fine paste. Heat the remaining oil in a saucepan and fry the mushrooms with turmeric powder until it starts to shrink. Add the ground paste, salt and about a cup of water. Allow it to come to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with rice, roti, dosa or naan.
Linking this to Priya's Vegan Thursdays.

Kadai Paneer | Indian Curry Recipes

If you go to any Indian restaurant outside India you may most definitely come across two curry dishes. First, Paneer Butter Masala aka Paneer Makhni and the second, Kadai Paneer. Kadai paneer is named so because the whole dish is made in one Kadai, the Indian wok. It is made with fresh ground spices and is spicier compared to its counterpart Paneer Butter Masala (it has cream).
Paired with any Paratha or Naan, it is great for lunch or dinner.

Ingredients:
Serves - 3-4
Recipe adapted from vahchef
Paneer - 200 g/7 oz, cut into 1 cm cubes
Red bell pepper - 1 - cut into small cubes
Onion, cut into small cubes - 1/2 cup
Onion, finely chopped - 1/2 cup
Fresh Ginger, minced - 1 tsp
Garlic, minced - 1 tsp
Ripe Tomato - 3, approx 1-1/2 cups chopped
Garam Masala powder - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Spice Mix:
Dry Red Chillies - 3
Peppercorns - 1/2 tsp
Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp

Method:
Dry roast the ingredients for spice mix until toasted. Allow to cool and pulse in a coffee grinder/mixie until coarse. Remove 1 tsp of this mixture and reserve. Grind the remaining spice to a fine powder. In a pan spray little oil and fry the bell pepper cubes in high heat until lightly charred. Repeat the process for the cubed onions. Add 1/2 tsp of oil again and fry the paneer pieces until light brown on all sides. Dunk the fried paneer pieces into a bowl of water. Heat oil in a kadai and add the chopped onion, ginger and garlic. Fry until the onion becomes soft. Add the garam masala powder and the finely ground spice powder and saute for half a minute. Add the chopped tomatoes and a pinch of salt and continue cooking until the tomatoes become mushy. Add about half a cup of water based on desired thickness level. Allow it to come to a boil and reduce the heat to simmer for 5 minutes. Add the bell peppers and onions and continue to simmer for 5 minutes. Now throw in the paneer (drain the water and squeeze excess water) and mix well. Remove from heat and transfer to a serving bowl. Sprinkle the previously reserved coarsely ground spice powder over the top. Serve hot with parathas or jeera rice.

Pudalankai Poriyal / Snakegourd Stir-fry | Stir-fry Recipes

Vegetables which grow in vine are very good for health. They are low are sugar and calories and rich in minerals and nutrients. Snake gourd is one such vegetable. If you have never heard of snake gourd or looking for a simple recipe with the vegetable, this one is for you. With bare minimum ingredients it can be made as a tasty side dish for rice. As with any poriyal recipes I like to have them topped with yogurt.

Ingredients:
Serves - 2
Snake gourd / Pudalankai - 2 cups (see notes)
Toor dhal - 2 tbsp
Grated Coconut - 2 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Oil - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urad dhal - 1/2 tsp
Red chilli - 1
Curry leaves - a few

Method:
Wash and cut the ends of the snake gourd. Cut into four lengthwise. Remove the flesh and seeds inside and discard. Stack the cut pieces and slice thin. In a saucepan sprinkle little salt and turmeric powder. Add the sliced vegetables and cook covered for 5 minutes. When cooked, drain the water and allow the cooked vegetable to cool. In the same water add the toor dhal and cook partially covered for 5 minutes. The toor dhal should be cooked through but still hold its shape. Drain the water. In a frying pan add oil and splutter the mustard seeds and urad dhal. Add the broken red chilli and curry leaves with salt. Add the cooled snake gourd and fry for a minute. Now tip in the toor dhal and mix well. Add the grated coconut and fry for a minute. Turn the heat off and let it rest for 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve warm as a side.
Notes: I used 2 snake gourds about a feet in length.
Linking this to Priya's Vegan Thursdays.

Bahara Baingan | South Indian Curry Recipes

There are a few recipes which are really good when home-made. This Bahara Baingan is one such recipe. I tasted this at our friend's house months ago. She was from Andhra and a wonderful cook. She was newly married but her dishes were perfectly made and tasted great, liked made by an experienced cook. Bahara Baingan was one of the dishes in the menu. I had wanted to get the recipe from her, but never got to do because she was busy with her studies (she is doing her Masters in US now) and I didn't want to disturb her. But the taste of that Bahara Baingan lingered in my memory. When I bought brinjals aka baby eggplants on my produce shopping, I decided I was gonna make Bahara Baingan. I googled for the recipe and ended up making a fusion of the recipe here and here.

Ingredients:
Baby Brinjals - 10
Onion - 1/2 cup, chopped
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp - 1 tsp (adjust based on heat)
Garam masala powder - 3/4 tsp
Cumin powder - 3/4 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp, heaped
Salt - to taste
Tamarind - size of a lemon
Spice paste:
Sesame seeds - 2 tbsp
Peanuts (skin removed) - 3 tbsp
Grated coconut - 3 tbsp

Method:
Soak the tamarind in warm water and extract about 2 cups of juice. Dry roast the sesame seeds until it pops. Heat about a tsp of oil and fry the peanuts until a nice aroma arises. Grind the roasted sesame seeds, fried peanuts and coconut with water to make a smooth paste. Wash and wipe the brinjals clean. Make 'X' shaped slit at the bottom of each brinjal until about 3/4th of the way up with the stems still intact. Heat 1 tbsp of oil a flat pan. Place the slit brinjals and cook them turning over often. When all the sides are roasted and the brinjal is almost cooked and soft (a knife inserted should pass through easily), remove from heat. In a saucepan heat about 1 tbsp of oil and fry the onions until it turns soft. Add the ginger garlic paste and saute in medium heat for about a minute. Add the spice powders now with salt and mix well. Now add the ground paste and mix adding a little water. When the paste becomes a little dry, add the tamarind juice and little more water. At this stage the curry will be little watery. Add the roasted brinjals and allow it to come to a boil. Then reduce the heat to simmer until the curry thickens. Serve hot with naan or pulao.

Mysore Rasam | Rasam Recipes

Making a meal was not an easy task for our mums and grandmothers. For a simple South-Indian meal it starts with making a Sambar or kulambu, Rasam and a vegetable stir-fry (poriyal). Getting the rice ready and making sure the yogurt (curd) is set is a routine task in making lunch. Yes we make our yogurts at home. Among the fast-paced life now we rarely get time to sit-down for a proper lunch. Things are grab-and-go these days and some good old recipes are forgotten. It has been a long time since I had even heard the name of this rasam recipe but I distinctly remember the taste and aroma it has. I set out to make this rasam for a simple weekday lunch.

Ingredients:
Toor dhal - 1/3 cup
Tamarind - size of a small lime
Tomato - 1
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Coriander leaves - for garnish
Salt - to taste
Tempering:
Ghee - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Curry leaves - a few
Spice paste:
Coriander seeds - 2 tsp
Chana dhal - 1 tsp
Dry red chillies - 3
Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp
Pepper corns - 1/2 tsp
Fresh Grated coconut - 2 tsp

Method:
Soak tamarind in warm water and extract juice to make about 2 cups. Wash and soak the dhal for 15 minutes. Pressure cook the dhal with turmeric powder, a pinch of salt and 2 cups of water until done. Drain the water from dhal and reserve. Mash the dhal well. You could use an immersion blender like I did. In a large stockpot/kadai add the tamarind juice, dhal water and chopped tomato. Boil until the tomato is cooked. Add the ground paste and more water as needed to make a thin rasam. Allow it to boil once. Add the mashed dhal and salt (if needed) and bring it to a boil. Remove from heat. In a small pan, heat ghee and add the items for tempering. Pour over the rasam with chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot with rice.

Mint Coriander Pulao | Indian Rice Recipes

Can something simple be so flavorful? Yes it can. You too will say so when you try this Mint Coriander Pulao for your meal today. With the arrival of Spring the market is beaming with fresh bunches of herbs and I never fail to pick up the mint leaves when I see them fresh. My sister told me about this pulao she tasted in a potluck. I was quite skeptical about the taste when I heard the method when the rice was fully dependent on the herbs with no flavor base like tomatoes or cream. Boy! Was I wrong. The mint and cilantro rendered a super aromatic rice and made for a satisfying weekday lunch.

Ingredients:
Serves - 2-3

Rice - 1-1/2 cups (160 ml cup)

Mint leaves - 2 cups, packed

Cilantro/Coriander leaves - 1 cup, tightly packed

Onion - 1 cup, chopped

Ginger Garlic paste - 1 tsp

Oil - 2 tsp

Ghee - 1 tsp

Bay leaf - 1

Cloves - 3

Cinnamon - 1" piece

Salt - to taste 

Method:

Wash and soak the rice for 15 mins and drain. Heat 1/2 tsp of ghee in a pan and fry the rice until it is warm. Transfer to a plate to cool. Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add the whole garam masala and fry for a minute. Add the chopped onions and fry until soft. Add the ginger garlic paste and fry for about 2 mins in medium heat. Add the roughly chopped mint and coriander leaves and sauté until it wilts. Add the rice, salt and about 2-3/4 cups of water. Cover and pressure cook for 2 whistles (or cook in a covered pot for 15-20 minutes until the rice is done). When done fluff it with a fork and serve hot.