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. 

BAKED POTATOES WITH LEMON VINAIGRETTE

Ingredients
4 large russet potatoes cut lengthwise into wedges
4 tbsp lemon juice
2 cloves garlic
1 shallot chopped
4 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp dried oregano
salt as per taste
1 tbsp pepper

Method
Preheat oven to 425 F
Put olive oil , lemon juice, shallots, garlic in a blender . Puree until smooth .
Add salt and pepper.
Toss the potatoes with 1/2 of vinaigrette in a large bowl and spread in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.
Roast the potatoes until tender and golden , turning occasionally 30 - 40 mins ( if you cut the wedges thin then it will take less time to bake)
Transfer the baked potatoes to a platter and drizzle remaining vinaigrette. Season with salt.

Note
You can use frozen french fries for this recipe. Put the frozen french fries on a baking sheet and pour the vinaigrette on it and mix well. Bake it at 425 F until it is golden brown . This is much easier.

FISH CURRY USING TILAPIA

I saw this post at Sujiscookbook . I always have Tilapia fish and normally use it to make fried fish. I thought of making this fish curry and it was very tasty. My hubby and childrens liked it very much.

Ingredients
1/2 kg Fish ( Tilapia)
3 shallots chopped finely
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp coriander powder
11/2 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp fenugreek powder
1-2 pieces kodampuli
salt as per taste
2 green chillies slit
4-5 curry leaves
1 tsp coconut oil
small piece ginger finely chopped
1/2 cup grated coconut

Method
Grind the coconut with shallots, chilli powder, coriander powder, fenugreek powder, and turmeric powder to a fine paste.
Keep it aside.
Take a pan and add Kodampuli alongwith water.(if the puli is hard boil it for 5 mins)
Now add the ground paste , chopped ginger, slit green chillies and salt. Bring this to a  boil.
After the above mixture has boiled add the Tilapia fish pieces and cook till tender on a low flame.
Add curry leaves and coconut oil.
Switch off and keep it covered with a lid .
Adipoli fish curry is ready.

PRAWN CURRY

Ingredients
1/2 kg prawn cleaned and deveined
2 onions finely sliced
2 tomatoes thinly sliced
2 tsp gingergarlic paste
2tsp chilli powder
11/2tsp coriander powder
1 tsp pepper powder
2 tsp fennel powder
Salt
1-2 piece kodampuli
1tsp turmeric powder
2tbsp olive oil
 1 tsp vinegar

Method
Boil water in a pan . Add the cleaned n deveined prawns , kudampuli with salt and turmeric.
Cook the prawns for 10 mins.
After prawns are cooked drain the water along with the puli.
Place the prawns in a seperate bowl . Don't throw the drained water.
Heat a non stick frying pan . Add olive oil , after oil is warm add onions and saute till soft.
Add gingergarlic paste and saute it till raw smell goes off.
Add tomatoes and saute till soft.
Add chilli powder, coriander powder, pepper powder , fennel powder and salt.
Mix well untill  all the spices blend with onion n  tomato mixture.
Now add boiled prawns to this masala and saute well.
Add 1/2 of the drained water and vinegar .
Cook for 10 more mins.
Yummy prawn curry is ready .
Enjoy it with chapati or rice.

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. 

EGG ROAST

Ingredients

6 hard boiled  eggs peeled
2 onions finely sliced
 2 tomatoes finely sliced
1/2 inch  Ginger chopped finely
2 tsp chilli powder
 1 1/2 tsp coriander powder
2 tsp fennel seed powder
1-2 tbsp olive oil
salt as needed

Method
Heat oil in a nonstick frying pan.
Now add sliced onions and chopped ginger, saute it till onions become soft.
Add sliced tomatoes and cook until tomatoes are mushy.
Now add chilli powder , coriander powder, fennel seed powder .
Mix it well so that the spices blend with the onion tomato mixture.
You can add 1 tbsp water and stir it well
Now slice the boiled egg into half and place the egg (with cut portion faced down) in the pan.
Coat the onion masala on the top of egg and lower the flame.
Cover it with a lid and cook for 10 mins.
Switch off heat and serve with chapati or rice.

QUINOA PAYASAM

I usually have cooked quinoa in my fridge. I saw this recipe and tried it. My kids don't eat quinoa but they really liked this payasam.

Ingredients

1/2 cup cooked quinoa
1/2 cup Demera brwon sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/4 tsp saffron strands
3 nos cardamom seeds (crushed)
2 tsp ghee
10 nos raisins

Method
Cook quinoa in the ratio 1 cup quinoa and 2 parts of water.
Now take 1/2 cup quinoa and add milk, brown sugar, saffron strands, crushed cardamom seeds. 
Cook everything until quinoa ,mixture turns thick.
Heat ghee and fry raisins.
Add this to quinoa payasam and enjoy hot or chilled.