Steamed Asparagus

Asparagus , a spring vegetable known as Satavari in India, is considered to be very nutritious.
This can be cooked in many ways.
While buying asparagus, make sure that the stalks are rounded, should always have firm , thin stems, with dark Green or purplish colour closed tips.

Ingredients

2 bunch asparagus
1 tbsp butter
1/2 shallot finely chopped
3 tbsp cold butter
2 tsp soya sauce
1 tsp pepper

Method

Holding the stalk at both ends , bend gently until it breaks on it's own.
Discard the hard portion of the stalk.
Steam the asparagas until tender.
Take a pan , melt butter over medium heat. Add chopped shallots and cook until soft.
Remove from heat and whisk 3 tbsp cold butter  and add soya sauce.
Transfer the steamed asparagus on a platter and pour the above .
Season with pepper. 

BHINDI (OKRA OR LADIES FINGER) SUKHI

This dish is very tasty and not much time time consuming.

Ingredients

1 kg bhindi tops and tails cut off and diced into 1" pieces
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 onion finely chopped
3 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 1/2 tsp coriander powder
1 1/2 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
salt as per taste
2 tbsp grated coconut
coriander leaves

Method

Heat oil in a non stick frying pan.
Add cut bhindi into it and roast in oil. Remove the roasted bhindi and keep aside.
 In the same pan add oil , add cumin seeds. Let it splutter.
Add onions  saute it . Add garlic fry till brown.
Add chilli , coriander, turmeric powders and salt.
Now add the roasted bhindi and mix well.
Cover with a lid and cook on low flame for 10 mins.
Keep stirring occasionally .
Add grated coconut and coriander leaves.

Notes 

If you have an option to pick your okra, select the tender ones. You can test by breaking a small portion of the tail by hand. If it breaks easily that means Okra is good and will cook easily. 
To avoid the secretion of slimy substance from okra during the cooking process , wash and completely dry the okra before cutting and cooking it. While cutting sometimes there may be a build up of slimy substance on the knife. In this case wipe it off before resuming cutting the remaining okra. 
Okra requires slightly more oil than any other veggie, so adjust oil accordinlgy. 

MASALA ALU

Ingredients
3-4 potatoes
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seed
1 tsp gingergarlic paste
pinch turmeric
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp chilli powder
salt as per taste
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp tomato puree
2 tbsp coriander leaves chopped

Method
Boil potatoes until tender, cool and cut into bitesize pices
Heat a nonstick pan. Add oil , after it is hot, add mustard seeds and cumin seeds.
Add gingergarlic paste , chilli powder, turmeric, cook for 2 mins. Add potato , saute for 5 mins.
Add tomato puree and cook.
Add lemon juice and sugar . Cover and cook on low flame till potatoes are done.
Ganish with chopped coriander leaves.

RICE STUFFED GREEN PEPPERS

Ingredients
4 small green peppers
1/2 cup frozen peas
2/3 cup cooked rice
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp chilli powder
salt as per taste
1 tomato chopped
1/4 cup salsa (optional)
1/4 cup grated mozarella
2 tbsp coriander leaves chopped
1/2 cup water

Method
Slice tops of green pepper and set aside. Remove and discard seeds from peppers.
Place the peppers in a pan with 1 inch of water and boil it. Reduce the heat and cook for 5 mins or until peppers are tender. remove and keep aside.
Boil the peas till done.
Preheat oven to 350 F
Take a bowl , add rice, peas, coriander powder, cumin powder, chilli powder, salt, tomato, coriander elaves and salsa. Mix well.
Spoon the filling into pepeprs. Top with mozarella and covr the pepper caps.
Place the stuffed peppers in a casserole dish and coat with cooking spray.
bake it for 15 mins, until pepper begin to brown .
serve it hot

ARBI FRY

Ingredients
1/4 kg Arbi
1/2 tsp fennel seed
1 onion chopped
2 tsp tomato puree
pimch turmeric powder
1 tsp chilli powder
salt to taste
3 tbsp olive oil
5 curry leaf
coriander leaves

Method
Wash and pressure cook Arbi until well cooked.
Do not overcook Arbi otherwise the dish will be mushy. Peel off the skin and chop Arbi pieces into small cubes.
Heat a non-stick pan , add 3 tbsp plive oil ( adding more of oil will prevent Arbi from sticking)
Add curry leaf, fennel seeds. Add chopped onions and saute till light brown.
Now add tomato puree , turmeric and chilli powder , salt .
Fry until tomato paste gets cooked.
Add 1/4 cup water and cook .
Once oil separates  add the cooked Arbi pieces and mix well.
Simmer on low heat and fry till it turns golden brown and crispy.
Add coriander leaves for garnish.

CHEMBU (ARBI) ROAST

Ingredients
10 pieces of Arbi
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp ajwain
2-3 dry chilli
6 curry leaves
1 tsp chilli powder
2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp amchur powder
1 tsp meat masala powder
pinch turmeric
salt as per taste
1 tbsp olive oil

Method
Cut the Arbi  like fries.
Heat a non stick pan, add olive oil. After it becomes hot add mustard seeds , dry chilli. Let it splutter.
Add ajwain, curry leaves and Arbi pieces .Cook for 5 mins on low flame.
Add turmeric,chilli powder, coriander powder, amchur, meat masala and salt.
Mix well so that all the spices blends with Arbi.
Cook on low flame for 10-15 mins untill arbi gets cooked.
This dish is very tasty .Enjoy it with rice and sambhar.

CARROT AND POTATO FRY

Ingredients:

1 cup  carrot cut like french fries

1 cup potato cut like french fries

1 big onion sliced finely

5-8 pods garlic sliced

1/2 tsp garam masala

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

2 dry chilli

1/2 tsp chilli powder

5 curry leaves

salt as per taste

1 tbsp olive oil

Method

Heat oil in a kadai and add dry chilli , curry leaves ,sliced onion and garlic .

Saute till it turns golden brown. Add  turmeric powder,chilli powder, salt and garam masala.

Mix it well and add the sliced carrot and potato pieces.

Reduce the heat and sprinkle little water.

Stir it occasionally till it becomes dry.

Eat this dish with rice or chapati.

MUSHROOM AND BELL PEPPER MASALA

Ingredients
1 tsp mustard seeds
1  big onion chopped into medium size
500 gm mushroom chopped into medium size
1 tomato chopped
1 tsp gingergarlicpaste
2-3 green chilli finely chopped
2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
salt
1 tsp garam masala
1 bell pepper chopped roughly

Method
Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds  and let it splutter .
Add onions to it. Saute the onions .
Add mushrooms and fry for 5 mins .
 Add tomato, bell pepper ginger garlic paste, green chilli.
Allow them to cook for 5 min. Now add coriander powder, cumin powder and salt.
Stir well so all the masala binds together.
Add garam masala. Cook for 5 mins .
enjoy your sabzi.

RAW BANANA FRY

Ingredients
1-2 raw bananas
2 tbsp oil
1 onion finely chopped
1 tomato
1inch ginger
3-4 clove garlic
1-2 tsp chilli powder
salt

Method
Peel the outer skin of banana. Cut the banana into small pieces, immerse in water for some time.
Boil the bananas in water until half done. Remove and keep it aside.
Heat a pan. Pour oil , after it is hot, add onions and saute .
Add tomatoes , saute. Remove it from pan and let it cool.
Grind the onion tomato mixture with ginger and garlic .
Heat another pan, pour oil and fry the ground paste till the oil floats on the sides.
Add chilli powder , salt fry.
Add boiled bananas and fry until done.

BHINDI SUKHI

Ingredients
1 kg bhindi
1 big onion finely chopped
5 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 tsp mustard seed
1 tsp cumin seed
11/2 tsp coriander powder
1 1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 tbsp. chopped coriander leaves
2 tbsp. grated coconut
salt
1 tbsp. olive oil

Method
Cut Bhindi into small round pieces. Keep it aside for 1 hour, so that the bhindi's stickiness goes off.
Heat a frying pan. Add olive oil, add mustard seeds, cumin, let it splutter.
Add garlic and onions , fry till brown.
Add coriander powder, chilli powder , turmeric, salt , bhindi.
Cook it on low flame. Cover it with a lid.
Cook until done.
Add coriander leaves and grated coconut.
This is very tasty with rice and chapatti too.

SAUTED BRUSSEL SPROUT

Ingredients
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp mustard
1 tsp cumin
pinch asafoetida
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tomato finely chopped
1 cup brussel sprouts chopped
1 red pepper chopped
5 cashews
2 dry chilli
salt

Method
Heat a frying pan. add oil. Put dry chilli, mustard seeds and let it splutter . Add cumin, asafoetida, turmeric, chilli powder and fry it.
Add tomato and Brussels sprouts . Put a lid and cook till done.
Add red pepper, cook . Add cashews. Cover and cook 3 more mins.

GRILLED BALSAMIC VEGETABLES

Ingredients
3 zucchini
1 onion
red bell pepper
green bell pepper
10 button mushroom
Balsamic Marinade
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
3 cloves garlic grated
2 tsp honey
salt
pepper
1/2 cup olive oil

Method
Combine all ingredients for marinade.
Cut zucchini into thick slices. Cut onions into thick rounds. Cut bell pepper into big chunks.
Pour marinade onto vegetables and let stand for 2 hours.
Heat grill on medium heat, place vegetables, close lid and grill, basting with marinade for 12 mins.

CAPSICUPS

Ingredients
3-4 small capsicums
2 green chilli
1 big onion finely chopped
2 boiled potatoes
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 kg paneer grated
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp chaat masala
1 tsp turmeric
salt

Method
Take the capsicums and slice the head off it. Apply salt inside it.
Place them in a plate in a microwave and cook for 10 mins or until capsicums are half done..
Take a pan , put oil, add onion , green chilli, saute till soft.
Add mashed potatoes, paneer, lemon juice, chilli powder, chaat masala, turmeric and salt.
Mix all and cook for 10 mins.
Fill the above mixture in capsicums and keep these in a frying pan with little oil . Cover with lid and let it cook on low flame for 10-15 mins.