Tomato Saaru(The Traditional Konkani Style)
Konkani tomato saaru is prepared unlike the regular rasam, wherein, we use tuvar dal as the main ingredient. This particular recipe contains coconut and other ingredients to add thickness to the saaru(indian soup). The saaru has in it, a variety of spices in the right proportion, which, because of their nutritive value, keep the digestive system in order and also give a wonderful flavour to the concoction. You could savour it by mixing it with rice or drink it up like an appetizer. Do try it out and give me your feedback!
Ingredients Used:
Methi(Fenugreek seeds)- 4-5
Jeera(Cumin seeds) Double the quantity of methi seeds- use the discretion of your eyes. It does not have to be the exact amount in number.
Coriander seeds(Four times the quantity of Jeera seeds)- i.e., about a handful.
Red chillies- 4-6.
Tamarind- about the size of a small lemon.
Grated coconut- 2-3 tablespoons.
Tomatoes- 3 of medium size.
Sugar or jaggery- 1 and a 1/2 tsp.
Ghee- 2 tsp.
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp.
Curry leaves- 1 sprig.
Salt and asafoetida to taste
Coriander leaves, for garnishing.
Time taken: 20 minutes
Serving Size: 4-6 people
Method of Preparation:
Roast the methi, jeera and coriander seed in a small pan with very little oil, on low flame, till the spices give out their aroma. Roast the red chillies in the very same pan until they turn light brown and appear to be a little crispy. Doing this should not take you more than half a minute. Take care that the red chillies do not turn black(get burnt). To this, add a pinch of hing or asafoetida. Wait to cool. In the meanwhile, puree the tomatoes in a blender and transfer it into the container in which you plan to prepare the rasam. Add some water depending on how thick you want the rasam to turn out. Then, grind the roasted spices along with the coconut grating and tamarind to a fine paste. Pour this into the tomato water and add salt+sugar. Sugar could be replaced with jaggery for authentic taste. Bring to boil on high flame and then simmer the flame to cook for 10 minutes. The final touches are given to this yummy rasam by sputtering mustard seeds in ghee and adding curry leaves as well as hing into it and seasoning the rasam with the mix. Garnish with coriander leaves....
Labels: . quick, Chatpat, Easy, Jhatpat, Konkani, Rasam, recipe, saaru, Tasty, Tomato Saaru
Avarekayi Kurma
Avarekayi is the Kannada name given to Lilva beans or what commonly called 'Papdi' in North India. Avarekayi being a seasonal bean is available for relishing in its fresh form during the winter months, mainly December and January. Being a rich source of proteins, it is used in usli, upma and saaru(kurma being one of its type). Kurma could be eaten with Chapati as well as rice.Time Taken: 30-35 minutes
Serves about 3-4 people.Ingredients Used:250 gm Lilva beans
1 medium sized potato(optional)
2 clove buds and 2 cinnamon sticks
2 red chillies and 2 green chillies
1/4 tsp red chilly powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
2 medium sized onions
5-6 garlic cloves
1/4 inch ginger
1 1/2 medium sized tomatoes
1 handful of grated coconut
2 tsp refined oil/ghee
Coriander leaves for garnishing
Salt to taste
Method of Preparation:Take the cleaned avarekayi seeds in a cooker container, add some water and salt to it and pressure cook it to one whistle. While the cooker cools down, chop onions, garlic, ginger, potatoes and tomatoes. Heat a little oil in a kadai and add cloves and cinnamon to it. Then, add the green chillies, chopped onions, garlic and ginger and fry until its rawness goes away. Add red chilly powder as well as turmeric powder and stir for a minute. Keep it aside in a bowl. Now, fry red chillies in the same kadai and roast grated coconut till light brown. Mix this with the fried onions and wait till it cools enough so that it could be ground in a mixer into a paste.
Next, take some oil/ghee in the same kadai and toss in the chopped(medium sized cubes) potatoes so that they get cooked. Add half a cup of water and required amount of salt. Cook for about 5 minutes. To this, add the finely ground paste and check for salt. Puree the finely chopped tomatoes in the mixer and pour it into the masala Add water depending on how thick you want the curry to be. Stir well and boil the masala. Then, cook the kurma on low flame for around 10 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.
Note: The same curry could be prepared using fresh green peas also.Peas or avarekayi could be replaced with halved boiled eggs to make egg kurma(the only difference being that, egg is added towards the end of the cooking)
Labels: Avarekayi, Chatpat, Chatpat. quick, curry, Easy, egg kurma, green peas, Jhatpat, kurma, Lilva, One dish meal, Papdi, recipes, saaru, saru, Tasty
pepper egg masala
Long back when i was staying at a hostel, we were served an egg curry every thurdays for dinner. On the whole the food served there was horrible but i would wait for thursdays because the egg curry (only that) was really very tasty. Soon after that i got married and i totally forgot about that curry. But after 5 years , last week when i had been to a friend's place (who is from mangalore) for dinner, she had made the same egg curry which made me nostalgic. i asked her for the recipe and i found out it was really easy to make. and my husband enjoyed eating it as its very very spicy. so thought of sharing it with all of you :)
Time taken: 40 minutes
serves about 3 people
Ingredients used:
6 hard boiled eggs
1/2 a cup grated coconut
1 Tsp coriander seeds
1 Tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1/2 tsp tamarind concentrate
1 1/2 Tsp pepper powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 medium sized onions chopped
1 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
4 Tsp oil
salt to taste
handful of chopped coriander leaves
Method of preparation:
Dry roast the cumin seeds and coriander seeds and grind it with coconut , tamarind and red chilli powder. grind it into a smooth paste and keep aside. Peel the eggs and cut it into halves. In a kadai, add oil and fry the onions for about 4 to 5minutes. now add the turmeric powder and pepper powder fry for about a minute. now add the halved eggs and fry till the eggs are coated with pepper and turmeric. it takes about 2 minutes. now add the ground paste and fry for about 2 to 3 minutes, now add enough water to make a thick gravy. add salt and coriander leaves, bring it a boil and switch off the gas, serve with rice.
Labels: Easy, egg curry, managalore, Spicy, Tasty
Cauliflower Fry
Cauliflower Fry/Talaasan is a dry curry item which goes well with Chapatis. The preparation is very easy and it tastes best in combination with potatoes. I love the way my mom makes it. My friends used to love this as well, when i would take it for lunch, during my school days.
Time taken:20 minutes
Serves about 3 people
Ingredients Used:
1 large cauliflower
1 medium sized potato
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin/jeera seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chilly powder
3-4 curry leaves
2-3 pinches of asafoetida/hing
3-4 tsp oil
Salt to taste
Method of Preparation:
Cut cauliflower into medium sized florets and clean it by keeping it in a bowl containing a little salt and turmeric(to remove worms if any) for about 5 minutes. Cut potatoes into either lengthy finger chips sized pieces or medium sized thin cubes. Take oil in a heated kadai/pan and sputter mustard seeds in it. Then add jeera and curry leaves and wait for them to crackle. Next, add all the powders mentioned above and toss in the cleaned cauliflower and potato pieces. Add salt as required and cook coverd on a medium flame until it is done, with very little /no water.
Labels: cauliflower, Chatpat. quick, curry, dry sabzi, Easy, fry, Gobi, Jhatpat, One dish meal, phool gobi, talaasan, Tasty
Aloo Bhindi
Are you the kind that likes tangy and chat kind of taste in your curries? Then you are bound to like this variety of Aloo Bhindi which is prepared the North Indian way. A close college pal of mine used to bring it very often in her lunch box and i used to end up finishing most of it. Although i didn't know how to prepare it then, experience did teach me to imagine what must have gone into it to give it that wonderful taste. Tastes very good with Rotis/Parathas.
Time Taken: 20-25 minutes
Serves about 3 people
Ingredients Used:
1/2 kg ladies finger(washed and wiped dry)
2 medium sized potatoes
1 medium sized onion(optional)
1/4 tsp cumin seeds and turmeric powder
1/4 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp red chilly powder or 2-3 green chillies1 pinch each of both chat masala and garam masala
Salt to taste
4-5 tsp cooking oil
Method of Preparation:
Chop ladies finger and potatoes into medium sized chunks and keep them aside. Take oil in a kadai/frying pan and warm it. Crackle jeera/cumin seeds in it. If you are planning to use onions, then fry chopped onions until they turn reddish. Then, add all the powders mentioned above except the chat masala and garam masala. Stir for a few seconds. Toss in the chopped vegetables along with required amount of salt. Stir well and fry on medium flame until cooked with lid of the pan covered. Add chat masala and garam masala towards the end of your cooking so that their flavour is not lost.
Note: Use your discretion while adding salt because chat masala also contains salt in it. You wouldn't want your end result to be too salty .
Labels: aaloo, Aloo, Bhindi, Chatpat, Chatpat. quick, curry, dry sabzi, Easy, Jhatpat, ladies fingers, Potato, sabji, subji, Tasty
Guvar(Cluster Beans)Curry
I have noticed that many people don't like cluster beans. Preparing its curry in the style mentioned below, almost nullifies the weird taste that guvar gives in curries made using it the normal way. Being one of the important sources of proteins, it could be included atleast once in a while in our diet, to substitute the normal beans. The first time I had this dish was at my sister's place, where, the cook had prepared it along with rotis for our meal. We all loved it...
Time taken: 20-25 minutes
Serves 2 people.
Ingredients Used:
1/2 a kg cluster beans
1 medium sized onion
1 medium sized tomato
4-5 cloves of garlic
2 tsp oil
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
a sprinkle of turmeric
1/2 tsp coriander powder
a pinch of garam masala(optional)
Salt to taste
Method of Preparation:
Destring the cluster beans and cut them into small pieces. In a cooker, take 2 tsp oil and warm it. Crackle cumin and mustard seeds in the oil and add finely chopped onion and garlic. When they turn pink, add the powders(except garam masala) mentioned above and stir for a few seconds. Then, add finely chopped tomato and let it form a gravy sort of a mix. Finally, toss in washed and chopped cluster beans, 1/10 cup water and pressure cook(till 1 whistle) with required amount of salt and a pinch of garam masala if you wish. Wait for the cooker to cool down and savour with hot hot rotis.
Labels: Chatpat, Chatpat. quick, cluster beans, dry curry, dry sabzi, Easy, Guvar, Jhatpat, Tasty
Pappu(Telugu style dal)
Pappu means dal or lentil in telugu language. This curry is very aromatic and tastes wonderful with rice. Goes well with roti or Indian bread. You could prepare this curry with or without green leafy vegetables like spinach/dill/. My friend Avani who hails from Hyderabad taught me how to prepare it. The very look at this dish makes you feel like you're eating something nutritious.Time Taken: 25-30 minutesServes about 4 people.Ingredients Used:4 handfuls of tuvar dal
a small handful of chana dal
(optional)1 bunch of spinach /or a little bit of dill and/or any other greens you use
(optional)1 medium sized tomato.
4-5 spicy green chillies
1 medium sized onion
one big garlic pod
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp oil/ghee
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp of jeera/cumin seeds
1-2 dry red chillies
3/4 tsp tamarind concentrate/paste.
Salt to taste
Method of Preparation:Wash both the dals in a pressure cooker container and add chopped onion, half the garlic quantity mentioned (thinly cut) and finely chopped leafy veggies, tomatoes and green chillies in it. Add the turmeric powder and enough water to soak the ingredients. Take 1 cup water in the cooker and place the container in it. Close the lid and pressure cook the dal well. While the cooker cools down, take a cooking pot and warm up some oil/ghee(whichever you prefer). Sputter mustard seeds and cumin in it. Add red chillies and stir for a few seconds until they turn dark red/brownish. Then, grate the remaining peeled garlic into it. Stir it a couple of times until it turns pinkish. Next, add the cooked dal mix to this along with some salt. Boil well for 5 minutes. Add tamarind as per your requirement and cook for another couple of minutes. Tasty Dal is all yours now!!
Labels: Chatpat. quick, Dal, Easy, Jhatpat, Palak, Pappu, Spinach, Tasty, telugu style
Avocado Sauce
Avocado is the English name for what is commonly called butterfruit owing to its taste resembling that of butter. While the usual practise of eating this 'very nutritious' fruit is to scoop out the soft fleshy part (when ripened), mash it and mix it with sugar, here is another recipe which has Hispanic origin(also called Guacamole sauce). While the Mexicans use it in their cuisines as a sauce along with other ingredients, i prepare it as a dressing(similar to ranch or thousand island etc etc) for regular garden salads to make it more intertesting and less boring in taste. A must try for those who are on a weight losing spree.Serves about 2-3 people.
Ingredients Used:2 ripened medium sized avocados
4-5 tsp yogurt
1/6th of a medium sized onion
1/4 of a garlic clove
1/2 a tomato
Salt and lemon to taste
Method of Preparation:Choose
avocados which are really soft and have darkened skin(blackish brown). If they are hard and green in colour, keep them for a day or two until they ripen. Then, peel and deseed them. Mash the pulp finely with either a wide based spoon or a mixer. To this, add yogurt, lemon, very finely chopped onion, tomato, grated garlic and salt(Mexicans use what is called garlic salt as a substitute). Enjoy with plain salad containing carrots, lettuce, cabbage etc.
Note:Make sure that the amount of garlic and onion used is just right, for, otherwise, it would make the sauce very pungent and repulsive. .Labels: Avocado, butterfruit, Chatpat, Chatpat. quick, dressing, dry salad, Easy, garlic sauce, Guacamole, Indian, Jhatpat, mexican, tasty.
Cabbage Rice(Bhath)
Cabbage Rice or cabbage bhath is a coconut based rice item. My aunt who is an awesome cook used to prepare this while we were kids. It was very much in demand then, especially when we had get-togethers. Years later, I asked her for its recipe in order to break the monotony of the usual rice items. It is now a regular item at our place. Hubby loves it! P.S: Mixer is a pre-requisite to prepare this item.Time Taken: 30 minutesServes about 4 people.Ingredients Used:1/3 of a medium sized cabbage
2 medium sized onions
1/2 a coconut(grated)
2 buds of clove
4-5 pieces of 1 inch sized cinnamon
One big handful of coriander seeds
5-6 red chillies
Tamarind(1/2 a lemon size)
Cooked rice (enough to serve about 3 people)
1 tsp mustard seeds
2-3 curry leaves
2-3 tsp cooking oil
Method of Preparation:Chop onions and cabbage finely. In a cooking pan, take oil and warm it. In this, sputter mustard seeds with curry leaves. Add the onions and fry till light brown. Add chopped cabbage and salt to it. In the meanwhile, dry roast cloves, cinnamon and coriander seeds and grind them in a mixer along with red chillies, grated coconut and tamarind. Once the cabbage in the pan is almost cooked, add the ground paste to it and cook for a 5 minutes. Once the mix is cooked well, add cooled cooked rice to it. Garnish with coriander leaves if required. Cabbage rice is ready to serve.
Labels: bath, Bhath, Cabbage, Chatpat, Chatpat. quick, coconut based, Easy, Jhatpat, One dish meal, Paththa gobi, Rice, tasty.
Methi Salad
Methi or Fenugreek salad is a very healthy addition to your meal. It is very tasty at the same time. Am documenting it right now while i'm on vacation to India at my mom's place. We have prepared it for lunch and i cannot believe that there is absolutely no bitterness in the salad. While amma usually uses lemon for sourness in this recipe, today, she has added tomatoes along with lemon. So, what you want to use is your choice. Both taste different and are good in their own way.Serves about 4-5 peopleTime taken: 10-15 minutes.
Ingredients Used:1 big bunch of Methi/Fenugreek leaves
2 small onions
1 tomato(optional)
a big squeeze of lemon juice
a handful of grated coconut
1-2 tsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
3-4 curry leaves
1-2 spicy green chillies
a dash of asafoetida.
Salt to taste
Method of Preparation:Wash methi leaves well chop them finely. Put it in a salad bowl and add finely chopped onions, tomatoes(if you want to), grated coconut, lemon juice and salt. Then, in a small frying pan, warm up oil. Sputter mustard seeds. In this, add curry leaves, asafoetida and finely chopped green chillies. Add this seasoning to the salad mix and eat fresh.
Labels: Chatpat. quick, dry salad, Easy, fenugreek, Healthy, Jhatpat, kosumbari, Methi, Salad, Tasty
Kerala-Style Sambar
I used to always wonder how sambar tasted so different in every state of south India, until i got to know people from these cultures. The sambar recipe I have here was learnt from my friend's Keralite room mate who had invited us for dinner one day and had it in her menu. It is amazing how we can add or omit one or two spices in the very same basic recipe to give it a totally different taste. Kerala sambar has a very distinct aroma and taste and we all love it at our place. My little one in particular, takes an extra helping whenever I make it. Do try it out and give your comments.Time Taken: About 30 minutes
Serves about 4 people.Ingredients Used:4-5 handfuls of Tuvar/Toor Dal
1 large tomato
One handful each of beans, carrot, tindora, drumstick pieces or
any other vegetable you would like to add.
One potato
2-3 tsp of oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
A sprig of curry leaves
a pinch of hing/asafoetida
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp chilly powder
2 1/2 tsp sambar powder
Tamarind(about 2/3 rd the size of a small lemon)
3-4 sambar onions(when not present, use 1 medium sized normal onion)
A handful of chopped coriander leaves.
Salt to taste.
Method of Preparation:Take about a tumbler full of water and pour it into a pressure cooker. Place it on a heated stove and place a cooker vessel containing washed tuvar dal and chopped tomatoes into it. With the whistle on, cook to about 2-3 whistles on medium high flame.In the meanwhile, chop whatever veggies you have into medium sized pieces and keep aside.
Next, in a cooking pot, warm oil and sputter mustard seeds along with curry leaves. Add hing, turmeric powder, chilly powder, coriander powder and sambar powder. Mix with a ladle for about a minute. To this, add all the washed and cut veggies and cook until it is almost done using half to one bowl of water and covering the lid of the pot.
Add a little salt now so that the veggies take up salt as well as masala.While you are waiting for the veggies to cook and dal to cool, chop sambar onions finely and fry it in a kadai till it turns golden brown, using very little oil.
Mash tomatoes in the cooked dal and pour it into the cooking pot having the veggies. Add more water and salt as per your
requirement and boil the veggies completely. Mix tamarind paste and boil for another minute. Remove from the stove and add the fried onion. Garnish with coriander leaves.
Labels: Chatpat., Easy, Jhatpat, Kerala, Malayalam style, Malyali sambar, quick, Tasty
Methi Bhaajji
Methi bhaajji is one of the best things you could do with fenugreek leaves. Goes very well with Chapathis. My mom makes it very often at our place since it is not only an easy recipe but also very good for health. I remember that i used to hate methi as a kid because of its bitterness. Later, as years went by, aamma started using more onions and tomatoes in her original curry to reduce the wierd taste that methi leaves behind at the end of every bite(although most methi lovers like it for that very reason). Ever since, i've loved this dish too. Try it if you don't like methi and you'll know what i mean.
Ingredients Used:
1 big bunch of methi/fenugreek leaves
4 medium or 2 very large onions
3 tomatoes
1/8th tsp pinch of turmeric
1/2 tsp red chilly powder
2-3 tsp refined oil
Salt to taste.
Serves about 2-3 people.
Time Taken: 20-25 minutes.
Method of Preparation:
Cut onions finely and put them into a heated kadai/cooking pan with oil in it. Stir fry till the onions turn pinkish in colour. Now, add turmeric powder and red chilly powder. Then, toss in finely diced tomatoes. Cook for a minute or two. In the meanwhile, wash methi leaves thoroughly and chop it on a cutting board(need not be fine). Add salt, Mix this well in the masala prepared. Using very little water and closing the lid of the pan, cook it on medium flame until done, ensuring that the curry doesn't have any water, for, that would make it gross in terms of appearance and taste. Serve hot with phulkas/chapatis.
Labels: Bhaaji, bhaajji, Chatpat, curry, dry, Easy, fenugreek, Jhatpat, Methi, quick, sabzi, Tasty
Spinach(Palak) Rice
When you don't know what to do with that big bunch of spinach which is lying in the fridge and are out of ideas, here's an option to explore. Sneaking in spinach this way ensures that those who don't like spinach eat it and benefit from it. Can be eaten with or without raita. As a matter of fact, it tastes better without raita. Time taken: 25-30 minutesServes about 4-5 peopleIngredients used:4-5 tsp butter/ghee(oil for diet conscious ppl)
2 medium sized pieces of cinnamon
2 clove buds
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
4-5 green chillies
1 medium sized onion
5-6 garlic cloves
1/4 inch ginger
1/4 tsp turmeric powder(optional)
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp red chilly powder
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
1 1/2 large cups of Basmati rice
3 large cups of water.
1 large bunch of spinach.
1/2 cup of fresh/frozen green peas
Salt to taste
Method of Preparation:Take ghee in a heated cooker and add cardamom, cinnamon and cloves. Stir for half a minute. Add jeera(cumin) Then, chop green chillies and add it to the whole masala. After it appears kind of crispy, add onion and garlic which are both cut lengthwise and fry till they turn golden brown. To this, add the basmati rice and roast till it loses its transparency and appears white in colour. Add all the powders/masalas mentioned above and mix for a minute. Then, pour in the water and add finely chopped spinach and salt. Now, grate the ginger from the top, add the peas and stir well. Close the cooker and cook on medium high flame with the whistle on, until it gives out one whistle. Then, reduce the temp of the stove to low medium flame for 3-4 minutes. Turn off the gas now and wait till the cooker cools.
Note: Adding turmeric here is optional and the rice gets a greenish natural white tinge in the absence of turmeric.Labels: Chatpat, Easy, Jhatpat, One dish meal, Palak, Pulao., Pulav, quick, Spinach, Tasty
Bataate Saung(Potato Song)
This particular variety of 'Bataate saung' does not contain coconut. The very colour of this tangy and spicy curry is enough to tempt you. This recipe is a slightly modified version of the bataate song that my mom used to prepare. Bataate song is eaten with rice, chapathi and as a side dish alongside dal and rice. Try mixing it with dal if you happen to have prepared dal that day. The best thing about this curry is that, it doesn't need too many ingredients and can be prepared on just any day when you haven't rationed your kitchen enough. Time Taken:20-25 minutesServes about 3-4 peopleIngredients Required:3 medium sized potatoes
1 very large/2 medium sized onions
2 tomatoes
1/2 tsp tamarind paste/tamarind water made from a small lemon sized piece of tamarind.
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1-2 tsp red chilly powder(depending on how hot you want it)
1/2 tsp coriander powder and 1/2 tsp garam masala powder(in my version of it)
3-4 tsp oil
Salt to taste.
Method of Preparation:Boil Potatoes in a cooker. While you're waiting for the potatoes to get ready, Take oil in a cooking pan and heat it. Chop onions into large squares and toss them in. Fry till slightly brown. Then, add turmeric powder, red chilly powder, coriander powder and mix with a ladle for a minute. Then, add finely chopped tomatoes and tamarind paste. Cook for two to three minutes. Peel off 2 of the boiled potatoes and cut them into cubes which are about the size of the onion squares. Add the garam masala and salt now. Grate the last potato into the curry to make it gravy-like. Pour in about 1 1/2 glasses of water or more depending on the desired amount of thickness in the curry. Cook to a good boil so as to ensure that the potato has absorbed enough salt. Isn't this easy??? Enjoy!
Labels: Bataate, Chatpat, curry, Easy, Gravy, Jhatpat, Konkani, Modified, Potato, quick, Saung, Song, Tasty
Simple Egg Curry
This is my mom’s recipe. It requires a lot of ingredients, but its very simple to prepare. Tastes best with rice.
Time taken: 35-40 minutes
Serves about 3 people
Ingredients required:
4 large white eggs
2 medium sized onions sliced
2 small tomatoes sliced
3 cloves of garlic chopped
1-inch ginger chopped
4 dry red chillies
1 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
1 Tsp coriander seeds (dhaniya seeds)
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
3-4 peppercorns
5 –6 cashew nuts
1 tsp poppy seeds (khus khus)
3 cloves
1-inch cinnamon
4 Tsp grated coconut
Handful of coriander leaves chopped
2 Tsp heavy cream (milk can be used instead)
2 Tsp kasuri methi (optional)
4 Tsp of oil
salt for taste
Method of preparation:
Take about 3 liters of water in a large vessel and bring it to a boil. Add the eggs with the shells on and let it boil uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes. Once this is done, switch off the gas and cover the vessel for 5 minutes. Drain and peel the eggs, cut it into half and keep aside. To save time, the gravy can be prepared when the eggs are being boiled. Heat 3 Tsp of oil, add jeera and let it crackle. Now add cloves and cinnamon and fry for about 30 seconds. Now add coriander seeds, peppercorns, poppy seeds, cashew nuts and fry for another 30 seconds, now add onions, garlic and ginger. Fry till the onions turn translucent. Now add tomatoes and fry till the tomatoes are mashed properly. Then add red chillies and coconut and fry till the coconut starts turning brownish. This takes about 3 to 4 minutes. Now add coriander leaves and fry for about a minute. Switch off the fire and transfer this mixture to a large plate so that it cools down to the room temperature soon. As soon as the mixture cools down , grind it to a paste with a blender using very little or no water.
Now take the remaining oil in the same vessel in which the mixture for the gravy was fried and add the paste. Once it starts boiling, add cream and kasoori methi. Add a glass of water and bring the gravy to boil. More water can be added as per your required consistency. Now add the eggs and simmer for about 2 minutes on low flame. The egg curry is done.
Labels: Anda, Chatpat, curry, Easy, Egg, Gravy, Indian, Jhatpat, quick, Simple
Paththal bhaaji( Potato Curry)
I got to learn this tasty breakfast item from my elder sister when she had visited us while we were at Mysore . Very easy to make when you have a big crowd to cater to. Usually eaten with poori but also tastes good with chapati or bread.
Time Taken: 15 minutes
Ingredients Requjred:
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp jeera or cumin seeds
2 green chillies
1/2 tsp Chana dal(optional)
1 large or 2 medium sized onions
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 large/2 medium sized potatoes
1 small cup of fresh/frozen green peas
1/2 tsp sambar powder
2tsp oil
Salt to taste
Method of Preparation:
Warm the oil in a kadai/hollow pan and add mustard seeds+ jeera seeds. Wait for the mustard seeds to sputter. Then, drop in finely chopped green chillies and chana dal. After about a minute, add the onions which are chopped lengthwise and fry till they are light brown. Chop the potatoes into thin squares in the meanwhile (so that their cooking time is reduced) and toss them into the pan along with the peas. You could add half a tsp of sambar powder also to it and cook till done. In the end, mash a little bit of the cooked potatoes in order to thicken the gravy. Sprinkle salt as per your requirement. Garnish with coriander leaves if required.
Note: A friend of mine adds one tomato to the same. This gives it a unique taste. You could try that too sometime for a change.
Labels: Bhaaji, Chatpat, curry, Easy, Gravy, Jhatpat, Potato
Egg Upkari (Dry Egg Sabzi or Egg Bhurji)
Upkari in konkani means dry sabzi of any vegetables and it is a very popular dish among the konkanis. It goes well with rice and dal as a side dish or it also tastes good with rotis. Its normally made of any available vegetables. But whenever we wanted to have something nice other than the usual vegetables upkari, my mother used to make the same dish with egg. Thus we named it egg upkari. I think it’s the easiest dish that can be made with eggs. And delicious too.
Serves about 2 people
Time taken :20 minutes
Ingredients required:
2 medium sized onions chopped finely
5 –6 green chillies slit
3 eggs (white large ones)
1 handfull of chopped coriander leaves
½ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp mustard seeds
salt to taste
3 Tsp oil
Method of preparation:
Heat oil in a kadai. Add mustard seeds. Once it starts to splutter, add the slit green chillies and the chopped onions and fry till the onions turn slightly brownish. Now add the turmeric powder and the salt and fry for a minute. Break the eggs into a small bowl and beat them slightly. Now add this beaten eggs into the kadai and lower the flame to low. Keep on stirring to avoid the sticking of the eggs to the bottom of the kadai. Add more oil (about 1 Tsp) if you feel that the eggs are still sticking to the bottom. Don’t stop stirring till the eggs are fully done and are not sticking to the bottom of the pan. Now add the chopped coriander leaves and fry for about a minute. The egg upkari is ready.
Labels: Anda, Bhurji, Chatpat, curry, dry, Easy, Egg, Jhatpat, sabzi
Mixed Vegetable Curry
This is another coconut based curry which has a south Indian touch. It requires a blender or mixer for the paste. So keep that in mind before you try it out, but I assure you that this dish is a pleasure to your taste buds.
Serves about 2 – 3 people
Time taken: 30 to 35 minutes
Ingredients required:
1 big cup of cut vegetables (beans, carrots, peas, cauliflower, potato etc)
(The vegetables must be cut into medium size)
1 handful of toor dal
1 medium sized onion chopped
1 medium sized tomato chopped
4 Tsp of grated coconut
2 pods of garlic
5 green chillies
1 handful of chopped coriander leaves
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp jeera (cumin seeds)
3 Tsps of oil
Salt to taste
For seasoning:
1 tsp mustard seeds
Few curry leaves
3 tsps oil
Method of preparation:
Wash the vegetables and the toor dal and pressure cook it together on medium flame for 2 whistles or till the dal is cooked. Make a fine paste of coconut, garlic, green chillies, jeera, turmeric powder and the coriander leaves with as less water as possible in a blender. Heat oil in a kadai, and fry the chopped onion till it turns soft. Add tomatoes to this and fry till the tomatoes are mashed properly. Now add the green coconut paste to it and fry till the raw smell of the coconut and the garlic is gone. That takes about 5 minutes. To this add the cooked vegetable and toor dal along with water in which it was cooked. Bring it to a boil . Reduce the heat to low and add salt. Simmer for about 2 minutes. In a separate kadai, heat the oil for seasoning. Add the mustard seeds. When they start to splutter,add the curry leaves . Now add this seasoning to the curry and mix. The mixed vegetable curry is ready.
Note : It tastes very well with roti as well as with rice also. If you are having it with rice, then make the consistency of the curry a little thinner by adding more water.
Labels: Chatpat, Coconut, curry, Easy, Indian, Jhatpat, quick, South, Vegetable, Veggie
Vegetable Kolhapuri
When I wanted a very easy and less time consuming dish for my son’s birthday party, my friend suggested that I try this recipe. She told me that normally Vegetable kolhapuri is a very spicy maharashtrian dish . But with a little variation to the original recipe, she had come out with this wonderful version. It is actually quite easy to make and it turned out to be a very big hit at my son’s party.Try it out for yourself.
Serves about 2 -3 people
Time taken – 25 to 30 minutes
Ingredients used:
1 medium sized onion chopped
1 big cup of cut vegetables like carrots, mushrooms, peas, cauliflower, beans, potato
(You can use the frozen mixed vegetable packet also)
2 small tomatoes chopped
½ tsp jeera
1 tsp dhaniya (coriander) powder
½ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp chilli powder
½ tsp garam masala
1 tsp ginger and garlic paste
1 big cup of coconut milk (thick)
(You can use the canned one available in the Indian grocery store, doesn’t make a difference in taste)
Handful of chopped coriander leaves
Salt to taste
2 Tsp of oil
Method of preparation:
Heat oil in a kadai. Add jeera and let it crackle. Now add the chopped onions and the ginger garlic paste and fry till the onion is translucent in color. Then add the chopped tomatoes and fry till the tomatoes are cooked and mashed properly. Make a paste of chilli powder, garam masala, turmeric powder and dhaniya powder with 3 Tsp of water. Now add this paste to the kadai and fry for 2 minutes. To this add the cut vegetables and the coconut milk. Once the coconut milk starts boiling, add salt and the chopped coriander leaves. Now close the kadai with a lid and let it boil at a low flame till the vegetables are cooked. If you feel the consistency of the gravy is too thick , then add water .
Serve hot with roti or rice.
Labels: Chatpat, curry, Easy, Jhatpat, Kolhapuri, Maharashtrian, Masala, Vegetable
Beetroot Rice
Beetroot was the most hated vegetable in our house when we were kids. My mother would use all her tricks to make us eat it and we used to try our maximum best to avoid eating it. She had almost given up hope when one of our newly moved in neighbor gave her this wonderful recipe and ever since it’s been one of my favorites. It’s easy to make and a pleasure to your taste buds. Just try it out to taste the proof.
Serves about 3-4 people
Time taken – 20 to 25 minutes
Ingredients Used:
1 large onion
1 medium beetroot
½ a cup of peas (frozen or fresh, both will do)
½ tsp ginger & garlic paste
2 tsp garam masala powder (preferably MTR brand)
5 to 6 green chillies slit
½ tsp jeera
1 big cup of basmati rice
½ a cup of chopped coriander leaves
juice of 1/2 lemon
salt to taste
2 to 3 Tsp oil
2 Tsp ghee
Method of preparation:
Wash the beetroot and peel it to remove the outer skin. Then chop it into small cubes and keep aside. Soak the basmati rice for about 10 minutes, then drain. Heat ghee in a cooker and fry the basmati rice till it becomes white, then add the beetroot pieces and the peas and fry for a minute. Now add 2 big cups of hot water and salt to this and pressure cook on high flame. After 1 whistle, lower the flame to medium and cook for 3 minutes. Once the cooker cools, open the lid and let this mixture cool down to room temperature. While the rice cools, heat the oil in a wok and add jeera. Once it starts to crackle, add Ginger & Garlic paste as well as the slit green chillies and fry for a few minutes. To this add the onions and fry till they turn translucent. Now add the garam masala powder and fry for a minute. To this add the already cooked rice, beetroot and peas mixture and mix . Taste for salt and add accordingly. Now add the juice of freshly squeezed half a lemonand mix well, Garnish with coriander leaves and serve.
Note: Tastes well with onion or tomato raita.
Labels: Beetroot, Chatpat, Easy, Jhatpat, One dish meal, quick, Rice, Tasty
