SHEZWAN NOODLES

 

 

 

Ingredients

1 packet plain noodles

2 tsp soya sauce

1/2 cup cabbage finely chopped or julienned

1 small carrot julienned

3 tbsp garlic finely chopped

10 dry red chilli

4 tbsp oil

spring onion to garnish

salt and water as needed

 

Method

Boil enough water and cook the noodles as per the package instructions. It hardly takes 4-5 minutes after you add the noodles to the boiling water. Drain and wash immediately to prevent sticking.

 

Soak red chillies in hot water for 30 minutes or boil water and add the chillies, cook for 5 minutes. Cool down and grind to a paste. Make sure to grind properly.

Finely chop all the required garlic, vegetables and keep all the other ingredients ready.
Heat a kadai with enough oil, add a red chilli followed by the chopped garlic. Fry just for a minute,taking care, not to change its colour.Do not over fry. Add the chilli paste.
Give it a fry for minute over medium flame until the oil separates. Add chopped carrot first, fry for 30 seconds in high flame, then lastly cabbage.
Stir fry for a minute over high flame.
Add  salt, chilli sauce, soya sauce, pepper powder. Stir quickly and add the cooked noodles.
Mix or toss well so that everything gets mixed up evenly. Adjust salt and add oil if needed. Transfer to the serving bowl.

Notes -
If noodles get stuck to each other before you add along with veggies, just sprinkle some water to loosen it.
You can add spring onion in this recipe, finely chopped – white part after garlic, green part finally for garnish.
You can grind the chilli paste ahead and store in refrigerator and use it as needed (just for the sake you cannot grind too little chilli to make smooth paste).
Do not over fry garlic as it will not lend the flavor we need for this recipe.

Adding lots of garlic is must for this recipe. Otherwise no flavor. 

Sesame oil and olive oil works Serve hot as such or any manchurian side dish .

BHINDI MASALA (OKRA MASALA)



   Ingredients

    1 kg bhindi/okra

    1 medium size onion, chopped

    2 medium size tomatoes, chopped

    1 tsp ginger garlic paste

    2 tsp coriander powder

    1 red chili powder

    1 tsp garam masala powder 

    1tsp cumin seed
     salt as required 

     2 tbsp oil for frying bhindi

 

      Method

Rinse the bhindi well in water.

Dry them on a large plate on their own or wipe with a kitchen towel.

remove the base and stalk while chopping the bhindi.chop into 1 or 2 inch pieces.

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a kadaI or pan, add the bhindi and saute till they are completely cooked.

Taste the bhindi and if the crunchiness has gone and the bhindi have become soft, it means they are cooked.

Keep the sauteed bhindi aside.

Add 1 tbsp oil to the same pan.

Add  cumin seeds, chopped onions and fry till they become translucent.

Add the ginger-garlic paste and saute for  a minute or till the raw aroma of the ginger-garlic disappears.

Add the chopped tomatoes and saute till the tomatoes are soft and mushy.

Now add chilli powder , coriander powder , stir well and saute for a minute.

Add the sauted bhindi, salt and mix so that the onion-tomato masala coats the bhindi well.

Add garam masala powder , cook for 2-3 minutes, stir in between.

Serve the bhindi masala hot or warm garnished with some coriander leaves and accompanied with chapatis, rotis or naan.

AVIAL

Avial is one of my favourite kerala onam sadhya recipe and usually prepared with seasonal vegetables. Its an integral part of kerala cuisine prepared as a side for everyday meals or on special occasions and festivals like onam and vishu. 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

 

1Carrot

1 Drumstick

5-6 Colocasia/Chemb

1/4 kg ElephantYam/Chena

10 nos French Beans

1/4 cup resh Coconut   grated
1 sprig Curry Leaves
5-7 Green Chili slit into half
1 tsp Cumin seeds
1 tsp Turmeric powder
1/ cup  Tamarind Water
Salt to taste
1 tsp Coconut Oil 

 

Method

Grind coconut , cumin ,  turmeric and salt and coarsely and keep aside.
Cut all the vegetables into 2 inch strips .

Cook vegetables and chillies with turmeric and salt .
When vegetables are cooked add the coconut mixture, tamarind water  and curry leaves.
Mix everything well together and simmer for 5 minutes.
Finish with coconut oil and serve.

LADIES FINGER THEEYAL (VENDAKAY THEEYAL)

Theeyal literally means burnt dish and gets the name because the primary ingredient in it is the ground mixture of roasted (close to being burnt) coconut with some great spices. The gravy is typically dark brown and has a dominant tangy taste . This dish is very popular in Kerala and  is made either with Ladies finger or Pearl Onions.
 

Ingredients

1 kg Ladies Finger , cut into round

1/2 cup Grated Coconut
2 onions finely chopped

8-10 Green chillies cut into round

2 tsp Chilli powder

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

3 tsp Coriander powder

2 tsp Tamarind pulp (according to your taste)

1/2 cup Water

1 tsp Fenugreek powder
1 tsp mustard seeds
few curry leaves

Method

In a pan, dry roast the grated coconut, turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder, fenugreek powder until brown and aromatic. Turn off the gas and keep aside. 

Dissolve the tamarind pulp in 1/4 cup water and keep aside. Grind this roasted coconut with some of the tamarind water to make a smooth paste.

Heat little oil in a pan. and add mustard seeds . 
Now add the ladies finger , chopped onions and chillies with a little salt.  Saute till ladies ginger becomes soft.
When 1/2 done, pour the ground paste and the remaining tamarind pulp and water. Cover and cook. Let everything come to good boil. Check for the salt and spice. 
Enjoy your theeyal with rice.

 

RAJMA MASALA

Ingredients:

2 cups Red kidney beans (rajma), soaked overnight
2 medium onions, finely sliced
3 medium tomatoes sliced
2 tsp ginger garlic paste
2 tablespoons red chilli powder
1 tablespoons garam masala powder
2 tbsp oil

 

Method

Soak Rajma beans Overnight (or atleast 6 hours).

Pressure cook Rajma with five cups of water and salt till totally cooked and soft.

Heat oil in a frying pan  and fry onions for 2 to 3 minutes.

Add ginger  garlic paste and continue to sauté till the mixture turns golden.

Add tomato pieces, mix and continue to cook.

Add red chilli powder and cook till the oil leaves the masala.

Add the cooked red kidney beans along with the  water.

 

Add garam masala powder and salt.

Lower the heat and simmer for about fifteen to twenty minutes on low heat.

Serve hot with roti .

 

BHINDI KALIMIRI

Ingredients

1 kg Bhindi or Okra sliced diagonally
1onion sliced finely
2 green chilies
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp pepper powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp olive oil
salt as per taste

Method

Heat oil in non-stick frying pan. Add olive oil , when hot add cumin seeds.
After it splutters add sliced onions and green chilies, turmeric powder , saute till soft.
Add sliced bhindi , saute for 2 minutes.
Add chilli powder, pepper powder along with salt and saute on low flame.
Keep it covered with a lid and stir in between .
Add pepper according to your taste , as the recipe name it has lots of pepper powder.
Note - Cut the bhindi and keep it aside on a plate for 1-2 hours, the stickiness of bhindi reduces

TOFU BHURJI

'Tofu' is a healthy alternative for paneer though the taste of tofu would not match the taste of paneer exactly.  It is basically bland in taste and hence it can absorb the flavors beautifully.I make this dish often enough for the fact that it is simple, pretty fast, quite effortless and it is loaded with protein and practically zero fat!

 

 

Ingredients

1 packet Tofu

1 large onion finely chopped

1 large capsicum finely chopped

2-3 Green chillies,finely chopped
1/2  tsp Red chilli powder

1/2 tsp Garam masala

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

Black pepper as per taste

Salt to taste

1  tbsp Olive Oil

 

 

Method:

Heat oil in a kadai and add finely chopped onions and green chillies and fry until the onions turn pink.
Now add finely chopped capsicum and fry for a minute and saute for 1 minute.
Now add garam masala,red chilli powder and turmeric powder and fry for a minute.
Add crumbled tofu and salt and give a good mix and saute for a couple of minutes.
The mixture should be moist and not dry,and cook for a minute. Add pepper powder and mix.
Switch off the flame and enjoy this bhurji with rice .