MATHANGA/PUMPKIN VANPAYAR ERISSERI

Ingredients

250 gms Pumpkin/Mathanga diced
1/2 cup vanpayar 
3-4 Green chilies, slit
1 cup Grated coconut
2 cloves Garlic 
5-6 nos Black pepper corns 
1/4 tsp Cumin seeds 
1/2 tsp Chilly powder 
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 
3 Dry red chilies
1 tsp Mustard seeds 
few Curry leaves 
2-3 tsp Oil 
Salt   to taste

Method

Pressure cook vanpayar till soft and done. Set aside.

In another vessel cook the pumpkin with salt,turmeric,chilly powder, slit green chilies and salt adding enough water to cook the pumpkin. (You can pressure cook it for 1-2 whistles).

 Meanwhile grind  1 cup coconut, 2 cloves of garlic, whole black pepper corns and cumin seeds into a fine paste adding water, if needed.

Add the ground coconut paste and the cooked vanpayar to the cooked pumpkin and mix well. Check for salt and add water if needed. If you prefer dry erissseri, you do not need to add water. Cook for a few minutes at medium-low heat.

In a frying pan heat coconut oil, splutter mustard seeds, fry the dry red chilies, curry leaves and then add remaining 1/2 cup grated coconut. Roast the coconut till it turns brown (If you want, you can pour the seasoning over the curry and then roast the coconut in the same pan).

Add this roasted coconut to the pumpkin and mix well. Check for salt. Serve hot with rice and a thoran/mezhukkupuratti.

MATAR PANEER

Ingredients 

To make a paste

1 cup chopped onions
1 ¼ to 1 ½ cup ripe tomatoes
8 to 10 cashew nuts or skinned almonds (use 5 to 6 more to skip cream)
1 green chili(optional)

other ingredient for gravy

1 to 1.5 tbsp butter or oil
1 ½ tsp ginger garlic paste
½ cup green peas
1 ½ cups paneer/ indian cottage cheese
2 green cardamoms
½ tsp cumin
1 bay leaf
half inch cinnamon stick
2 cloves
½ to ¾ tsp kashmiri red chili powder
¾ to 1 tsp garam masala
salt as needed
¼ tsp kasuri methi
few coriander leaves chopped finely

¼ cup cream(substitute with 5 to 6 cashews)

Method

Make a fine paste of onions, tomatoes, chili, cashews. You can also blanch onions and use them here. Refer step by step instructions for details.
Optional step. Saute paneer in little oil and immerse them in hot water until used.
Saute cumin, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and bay leaf in oil for 1 to 2 minutes. Fry ginger garlic paste until the raw smell goes off.
Add the ground paste and fry until it leaves the sides of the pan.
Also the raw smell must disappear. Add chili powder, garam masala, coriander powder and salt. saute for 2 to 3 minutes.
Add peas and 1.5 cups water. Cook until the gravy thickens. When the gravy turns thick, you will also see some oil on top of the gravy. There is not much oil used in the recipe so you can see very little oil on top.
To the thick gravy, add paneer and kasuri methi. Cook for just 2 to 3 minutes.
Using cream is optional. Pour cream to a bowl, add little gravy and mix well. Stir this in to the pan.
Switch off the stove and add finely coriander leaves.
Serve matar paneer with roti or rice.

ALU DAHIWALA

Ingredients

600 gms boiled potatoes (peeled and chopped in medium cubes)
1 medium sized cooking onions
2 spring onions
4 green chillies (chopped)
4 cloves garlic
1 piece ginger (minced)
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp garam masala powder
a pinch of asafoetida 
16-20 curry leaves
1 tsp turmeric powder 
1 tsp coriander powder
3 cup whipped curd (plain)
2 tsp red chilli powder
Salt according to taste
1/2 tsp fennel seeds 
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp Kasuri methi 

Method:

Take  3 cups of curd, red chilli powder, garam masala, salt, turmeric powder, coriander powder,  and whisk it vigorously and keep aside.
Heat oil, saute asafoetida , cumin seeds, curry leaves and fennel seeds. 

Add green chillies, ginger, garlic, spring onions, and cooking onions for about 5 minutes or till onions turns golden brown. 
Now pour curd mixture in the pan and stir till boiled.
Add potatoes into the mixture and kauri methi and let simmer for 5 minutes.
Serve hot with roti.

GUTTI VANKAYA KURA

Ingredients

4-6 small brinjals
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
3/4 cup onions thinly sliced
2 green chili slit
1 small tomato chopped
1 tsp turmeric powder
1-11/2 tbsp lemon juice or tamarind paste
1 tsp mustard seed
1/2 tsp cumin seed
2 tbsp oil

To roast and powder

4 tbsp peanuts
2 tbsp coconut
1-2 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seed
1 small cinnamon stick (optional)
2 cloves(optional)
2 green cardamom (optional)
4-6 dry chili or 1 tsp chili powder

Method

Roast and powder all the ingredients under roast and powder.
Each ingredients has to be roasted separately , add slat and lemon juice and mix well.
Wash and cut brinjals with one end of brinjal and stalk leaving intact.
Keep them immersed in salted water till you use.
Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seed, cumin seed, and curry leaves.
Once they splutter, add onions and green chillies, fry until golden,
Add ginger garlic paste, and fry until raw smell goes away. Add chopped tomato , turmeric powder and salt. Cook until tomato turns mushy.
Stuff brinjals with powder and add them ot the pan and fry for 3 minutes. Make sure brinjals are coated with enough oil.
Pour water just enough to cook brinjals. add salt. Cover and cook on a low flame .
Once they are fully cooked and tender, add chopped coriander leaves .
Serve gutti vankya kura with rice or chapati.





6-8 curry leaves
few coriander elaves

LOBIA RASEDAR

Ingredients

1 cup Black eyed peas, or lobia

2 cups onions, chopped finely

1 cup tomatoes, chopped

2 tbsp ginger chopped

2 tbsp garlic chopped

1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds

2 dry red chili

1 inch cinnamon stick

1 tsp turmeric powder

1-2 tsp chili powder

handful cilantro

2 tbsp oil

salt to taste

Method

Pressure cook peas until soft. Set aside .

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan , add cinnamon stick. When oil becomes hot, add onions and saute on medium heat until medium brown.

In a separate pan , heat remaining oil, add fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds and dry chili. Fry spices in oil for a minute and transfer into a food processor along with chopped ginger and garlic. Grind to a coarse paste .

When onions are brown, add tomato, ground paste ,turmeric powder, chili powder and salt. Cover and cook until oil begins to ooze from the sides  the mixture. Add the lobia with its water into the pan, Cover and simmer for 10 minutes,.

Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve with roits.

INDIAN SPICY MASALA PORRIDGE

Ingredients

1 cup porridge oats

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 1/2 cups water

1/2 onion, thinly sliced

1 tomato diced

1 small carrot, diced into 1/2 cm

2 broccoli florets , cut into small chunks

1 green chili finely chopped

salt as per taste

1 tsp turmeric powder

1/4 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp garam masala powder

1/4 tsp amchur (optional)

handful coriander leaves, finely chopped

Method

Heat a kadai, add porridge oats and cumin seeds.

Toast on medium heat for 305 minutes, stirring continuously

When you see oats changing color and become darker, add water immediately.

Increase the heat to high and add onions, tomatoes, carrots, broccoli, chillies.

Mix well, add salt, and all spices.

Allow porridge to thicken and come to a boil.

Reduce to medium heat and cook until oats and vegetables are cooked.

Sprinkle coriander leaves and remove from heat.

Enjoy your porridge with yogurt and pickle.

ETHAKAYA PULISERRY

Ingredients:

2 nos. Ripe Banana 
2 cups Curd 
1/4 cup Shallots 
3-4 nos Chilly
1/2 cup Coconut 
1 no. Garlic pods 
1/4 tsp Cumin seeds 
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder 
3 nos. Dry red chilly 
1/2 tsp Fenugreek powder
1 tsp Mustard seeds
Curry leaves
Salt
Oil

Method

Peel the banana skin and cut into medium round pieces.
Cook it with little water, turmeric pdr, chilly, curry leaves, salt and sliced shallots. Keep it aside. Grind together coconut, chilly, shallots, cumin seeds, garlic and turmeric powder along with curd. Add this paste into the banana. Mix well and keep stiring till it becomes warm. 
Heat oil in a pan, and add mustard seeds and fenugreek powder. When it starts spluttering add sliced shallots, mustard, curry leaves and dry chilly. Saute well and add it into the curry.

SWISS CHARD AND KIDNEY BEANS IN COCONUT GRAVY

Ingredients

1 can -Dark Red Kidney beans (Drained and rinsed)1 can  
Light unsweetened coconut milk
1 large bunch  Swiss chard
1/4 cup  Onion chopped finely
4 cloves  Garlic finely chopped 
1/2 Tsp  Red chilly powder
1/8 Tsp  Turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1 tsp coconut oil

Method

Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the onions until soft and translucent.
Add the garlic, chilly powder, turmeric powder and saute.
Add chard stalks and cook for 5 mins, now stir in the leaves and cook until most of the liquid is evaporated.
Add the beans and stir fry on medium heat for 2-3 minutes.
Add the coconut milk and cook for 2 mins 
You can substitute swiss chard with any greens like spinach, kale, collard greens.

DAL MAKHANI WITH MASOOR DAL

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Ingredients

1 cup masoor dal 
1  big onion, chopped  finely
1  tomato, chopped
2-4 green chillies, chopped finely
1/2 tsp garlic  paste 
1 tsp fennel seeds
2 cardomoms
2 sticks cinnamon
Chilli powder to taste 
Salt to taste 
3 cups water

1 tbsp  vegetable oil

 1 tbsp of ghee

Method

Pressure cook masoor dal for 2 whistles and keep it aside. Do not overcook the dal.

In a pan heat oil, add garlic paste and fry. Now add chopped onions, green chillies and fry till golden brown.

Add tomatoes and saute. Keep the tomato and onion mixture aside to cool down and grind it to smooth paste and keep  aside.

Grind fennel seeds and cinnamon and keep aside.

In another pan, add ghee, add cardomom and powdered mixture. Now add cooked masoor dal along with 2 cups of water.

Bring it to a boil and add paste of onion -tomato mixture.

Stir and boil for 10 minutes. add salt and chilli powder.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or naan.

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MUGHLAI BHINDI

Ingredients

2 cups Okra/Bhindi
2 large Onions
1 largeTomato 
1 tsp Red Chilli Powder 
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder 
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tbsp Kasoori Methi 
Salt to Taste
3 tbsp Oil 
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tbsp ginger garlic pastej
1 cup Water 
2 tbsp chopped Cilantro 

To Grind

10 nos Whole Cashew nuts
1 tbsp White Sesame Seeds
1 tsp Fennel Seeds 

Method

Soak Cashew in little water for 15 minutes and grind together with sesame and fennel seeds into smooth paste, keep aside.
Wash bhindi/Okra pat dry well and cut both ends of okra, cut into 2" pieces.
Finely chop onion, tomato, cilantro.
In a pan heat 1 tbsp oil and fry okra until golden brown, keep aside.
In the same pan add remaining oil and add cumin seeds, allow to splutter.
Add onion and saute for a minute. Now add ginger-garlic paste, little salt and cook until onion becomes soft.
Add chilli, turmeric and kitchen king powder along with crushed kasoori methi, mix well and cook for a minute.
Add tomato, salt stir cover and cook until tomato gets mashed.
Add fried okra/bhindi and mix well to coat okra with masala. Add cashew paste.
Mix well and cook for 2 minutes.  Add 1 cup water, mix gently.
Adjust salt if required, keep flame to slow and simmer for 3-4 minutes or until oil will float on top. Garnish with cilantro and off flame.
Serve warm with paratha, puri or pulao.

BROKEN WHEAT BISIBELE BAATH

Broken wheat has nutty flavour, chewy and a delightful taste. It is nutritious and has a better glycemic index than rice. Broken wheat is considered as a super food for diabetic. It is an excellent source of fibre and fits in  low diet .

Ingredients

1 cup Broken wheat

1/2 cup toor dhal

1 small carrot , cut into bite sized pieces

6-7 pieces beans , cut into bite size pieces

1 drumstick , cut into 2 inch long

10 small onions, chopped roughly

3 tomato finely chopped

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

Big gooseberry size tamarind soaked in 1 cup water

1/2 tsp garam masala powder

1/2 tsp asafoetida powder

2 tbsp ghee

For tempering

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 sprig curry leaves

1 tsp urad dal

5-6 nos cashews (optional)

1 tbsp oil

For BBB powder

6-8 dry red chillies (according to your taste|)

4 tsp coriander seeds

3 tsp chana Dal

1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp grated coconut

Method

Wash broken wheat and toor dhal and pressure cook by adding 5 cups of water for 4-5 whistles along with turmeric powder, asafotieda and salt, till it becomes soft. Once it is done, mash it using ladle and keep aside.

Squeeze the soaked tamarind and keep aside,

For BBB powder , dry roast the ingredients by adding one by one. Add coconut at last and fry till brown and grind altogether, keep this aside.

Take a kadai, add oil,  mustard seeds, after it splutters add remaining ingredients , one by one.

Once it is done add small onions and tomatoes with little salt, fry till tomatoes becomes soft. 

Now add chopped vegetables with little water, Allow it to cook till it becomes soft. Keep aside.

Place pressure cooker on the gas, add tamarind extract to broken wheat and Dal mixture , stir well. 

Keep on medium flame, add cooked vegetables and BBB powder, garam masala powder , mix well. Add ghee and simmer for 5 minutes, 

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

CAPSICUM MASALA CURRY

Ingredients

2 medium green capsicum
2 medium red capsicum
2 tsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp dessicated or fresh  coconut
1 dry chili
1 tsp sesame seeds
1/4 cup roasted peanuts
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 medium onion finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp lemon juice, optional
1 tsp sugar, optional
2 tbsp coconut oil
salt  as per taste
3/4 cup water

Method
Add coriander seeds, grates coconut, dry chili, sesame seeds in  a pan and dry roast them, over low flame until nice aroma comes .
Transfer them to a plate and after it gets cooled, grind them with roasted peanuts in a grinder and make a fine masala powder.
Hat oil in a kadai over medium flame, add cumin seeds and lit it splutter.
Add chopped onions and garlic, saute till onion becomes light pink.
Add capsicum and sprinkle salt over it.
Saute capsicum until it turns tender but still crispy for 2 minutes.
Add turmeric poser and chili powder and mix well.
Add masala powder, lemon juice and salt.
Stir and cook for 2 minutes.
Add 3/4 cup water and let it boil over medium flame.
Cook until gravy becomes thick .
Serve it with naan or roti.

BHINDI MASALA

Ingredients

250 gms bhindi
3 tomatoes , chopped or 2 tbsp tomato paste
1-2 green chilli chopped
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
4 tbsp yogurt
1 large onion chopped finely
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1-2 tsp coriander powder
1-2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garam masala powder
1 tsp fennel seeds
finely chopped coriander leaves
3 tbsp oil

Method

Blend tomato to make a smooth paste in blender.
Remove head and tail of bhindi and cut into 1.5 " long pieces .
Heat 1 1/2 tbsp oil in pan over medium flame, add bhindi and sprinkle salt over it.
Shallow fry bhindi until it shrinks from its original size. Turn off the flame and transfer bhindi to a plate.
Heat remaining oil in  apan, add fennel seeds , when they crackle , add chopped onion , gingergarlic paste, green chili and saute for a minute.
Add tomato puree and cook until oil starts to separate from it.
Add turmeric powder, chilli powder, garma masala, salt and mix well.
Add curd, cumin powder, coriander powder and mix well.
Add shallow fried bhidi and mix well.
Cook it over medium flame for 1- minutes.
Garnish bhindi masala with coriander leaves and serve hot !!!!!

N.P.- If you want gravy add little water and cook until done .

MUSHROOM PEAS MASALA

Ingredients

1 kg Mushroom
1 cup green peas
2-3 nos Tomato , cut into big chunks or 2 tbsp tomato puree
2 nos green chili
1 inch ginger
5-7 nos cashews
3 tbsp. cocnut oil
few Coriander elavers
a pinchj Asafoetida
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp. dry fenugreek elaves
2 nos cardamom
2 nos cloves
1/2 inch cinnamon stick
6 nos black pepper
1 tbsp. coriander powder
1/2 tsp chilly powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
salt as per taste

Method

Clean eash mushroom with a cloth nicely and cut into 4-5 pieces.
Soak cashews in warm water for an hour.
Place tomatoes, green chilli, ginger and cashews in a mixture jar and make a fine paste.
Coarse grind whole spices.
Take oil in  a pan, add oil and when its hot , add asafoetida powder and cumin seeds. Then add turmeric powder, coriander powder, grounded masala paste, coarsely grounded spices, and dry fenugreek leaves.
Stir at regular intervals and saute masala until oil starts floating on the surface.
Add green peas in sauted masala, mix well, cover and cook until peas turns soft.
When sabzi starts boiling add mushrooms and 1/2 cup water or ass water as per your preference. Allow sabzi to simmer, add salt.
Cover and cook until mushrooms are cooked.
Add coriander leaves and mix well.
Serve  steaming mushroom peas masala curry with chapatti, paratha, naan or rice.

ALU CAPSICUM CURRY

Ingredients

3 potatoes , peeled and cut into small cubes

1 green bell pepper chopped 

1 onion finely chopped

1 -2 tsp ginger garlic paste

1 tbsp coriander powder

 1-2 tsp chilli powder

1 tbsp tomato puree

salt as per taste

1 tbsp olive oil

Method

Heat olive oil in  frying pan, add chopped onions and ginger garlic paste and fry till onions turns soft. 

Add chopped capsicum and potato pieces  and saute for 1-2 minutes. 

Add spices and fry for 1 minute . 

Add tomato paste and mix well. 

Add enough water along with salt and cook until potatoes are done. 

Yummy curry is ready to eat with chapati, naan or rice.

POTATOES IN YOGHURT CURRY

Ingredients

5 nos. potatoes
2 tbsp chilli powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 pinch asafoetida
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 cup yoghurt
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp mustard oil
salt to taste
few coriander leaves

Method

First boil the potatoes and saute in oil.
Heat oil in a kadai, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, turmeric , asafoetida, salt .
Now add chilli powder and curd together in kadai.( doing this prevents the chilli powder from burning )
Stir it on low flame.
Then add potatoes , coriander leaves and tomato paste, boil for few minutes.
Serve with rice or chapati.

BLACK PUMPKIN CURRY

This is Srilankan cuisine.

Ingredients

1/2 kg yellow pumpkin

1 cup thin coconut milk

1 onion finely sliced

3-4 garlic cloves

1 tbsp cumin seed

2 tbsp fennel seed

1 tbsp coriander seeds

2 cardamom

1/4 tsp fenugreek seed

10-12 black peppercorns

7-8 cloves

1 inch cinnamon

5-8 curry leaves

1/2 cup thick coconut milk

salt to taste

Method

Cut pumpkin into large pieces

Heat thin coconut milk in a nonstick pan, add pumpkin pieces 
and mix well.

Add sliced onion along with curry leaves, salt and mix well.

Roughly chop garlic and add to pan and mix well. 

Cover and cook till pumpkin becomes soft.

Dry roast cumin seed, fenugreek seed, coriander seed, cinnamon, 
fennel seeds, 

peppercorn, cloves,

 in a pan till brown. Cool to room temperature and grind to fine powder.

Add thick coconut milk to the first pan along with 3-4 tbsp 

ground powder and mix well. 

Cover and cook on low heat till pumpkin is fully cooked.

Store remaining powder for later use.

Transfer the curry to a serving bowl and serve hot .

TOMATO CHUTNEY

Ingredients

2 nos  ripe tomatoes 
2 green chillies
 1 tsp mustard seed
1 tsp gingergarlic paste
1-2 tsp  vinegar

1tsp paprika
salt as per taste

Method

Grind the chillies, mustard,garlicginger paste with the vinegar.
Remove the skins from the tomatoes by dipping them into boiling water.
Cut the tomatoes into squares,and put it in a saucepan.
Now add the vinegar , paprika and boil until pulpy.
Add the ground ingredients and salt, and boil the whole gently till it is of a good consistancy.
Yummy chutney is ready to serve with dosas or idlis.

PUNJABI STYLE MATAR PANEER

Ingredients

120 gms paneer
1 cup peas , fresh or frozen
1 tsp turmeric powder
1-2 tsp chili powder
1-2 tbsp coriander powder
2 tbsp butter
2 cups water
1 tbsp cream
few coriander leaves for garnishing
salt as per taste

Ingredients for masala paste
1 medium size onion , chopped
3 medium tomatoes chopped
2 garlic
1/2 inch ginger
1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
5-6  nos cashews

Method

Blend all ingredients mentioned under masala paste in a blender to a smooth paste, keep aside.
Heat oil or butter in a kadai, add masala paste.
Fry for 7 minutes on medium flame till oil separates from paste.
Add all the dry spice powder's and stir, now add peas, water and salt and cook till peas are done.
Add paneer cubes and cream ( I usually don't buy cream at home so substituted with 1-2 tbsp milk)
Simmer for 2-3 minutes or till paneer cubses gets cooked.(don't overcook as the paneer becomes dense and hard)
Garnish with coriander leaves.
Serve with roti, naan or rice.

KATHIRIKAI ARICHIVATTU KOZHUMBU (BRINJAL GRAVY)

Ingredients

8-10 small brinjals , slit into 4 with stems intact

10-12 small onions or 1 big onion chopped into big size

1/2 cup tamarind water

1 cup water

2 tbsp coRiande Powder

1tsp turmeric powder

1-2 tsp chilli powder

1tsp mustard seeds 

2 dry chilli

2 tsp coconut grated 

1 tbsp sesame oil 

Few curry leaves
Coriander leaves to garnish 

Method

Heat sesame oil in kadai , after it becomes hot add mustard seed and dry chilli. Let it splutter and add curry leaves.

Add chopped onions and saute till translucent .

Add brinjal pieces , salt and saute for 2-3 ,minutes. 

Now add all the spices and saute for a minute.

Add 1 cup of water and mix thoroughly . Let brinjals cook . 

Now add tamarind water and taste the salt .

Grind coconut with water into fine paste and cook the kozhumbu for 5 more minutes.
Add curry leaves and coriander leaves.

Yummy kozhumbu is ready .