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
Kadai chicken
This is a famous north Indian dish and the main ingredient that makes this dish tasty is capsicum. I used to order either kadai paneer or kadai chicken whenever I would visit any restaurant because I just love the taste. But the best kadai chicken I ever tasted was at a party at a friend’s place. Before I could finish my dinner, I had taken the recipe from her. It turns out to be yummy. {I think I had finished most of the kadai chicken at her place that day }
Time taken: 40 minutes
Serves about 4 people
Ingredients used:
1 pound chicken breasts (cut into small chunks)
2 medium sized onions chopped
1 large tomato chopped
1 medium sized capsicum (green pepper)chopped
2 Tsp tomato puree
1 tsp ginger & garlic paste
1 Tsp coriander powder (dhaniya powder)
1 tsp garam masala powder
2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp chicken curry powder (optional)
3 cloves
½ inch cinnamon stick
2 whole green elaichi
3 to 4 peppercorns
2 bay leaves
2 Tsp kasuri methi
½ a cup sour cream
1 Tsp honey
salt to taste
4 Tsp oil
Method of preparation:
Dry roast the cloves, cinnamon, elaichi, and the peppercorns and grind it to a fine powder. In a nonstick kadai, add the oil. Once it heats up add the bay leaves and the powdered ingredients and fry for about a minute. Now add the chopped onions and the ginger&garlic paste and fry till the onions turn pink. Now add the tomato puree, chopped tomatoes and capsicum and fry till the capsicum is cooked. Now add the red chilli powder, dhaniya powder and chicken curry powder and fry for about 2 minutes. By now this mixture would have left oil at the sides. Now add the chicken pieces and fry for about a minute. Close the kadai with a lid and cook on a low flame till the chicken cooks. The time taken for the chicken to cook depends upon how big the chicken pieces are, so its better to cut it into very small bite size pieces. Once the chicken is cooked add kasuri methi, sour cream and honey and mix. Once it starts boiling add salt, Just before switching the gas off add the garam masala and mix. Chicken kadai is ready, savor it with basmati rice or nan or rotis. Kadai paneer can also be prepared in the same manner but add the paneer at the end, else it might break.
Labels: capsicum, chicken, curry, main course, non veg, North Indian, 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
Egg Chilly
This is the simplest recipe that can be prepared using boiled eggs and my brother who had picked up the recipe from the roadside vendor near his college gave it to me (he loves eating there), tastes best with roti or chapathi.
Time taken: 20-25 minutes
Serves about 3 people
Ingredients required:
3 hard boiled egg
1 medium sized onion chopped
1 medium sized tomato chopped
1 tsp ginger & garlic paste
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp of red chilli powder
1 tsp cumin (jeera) seeds
2 Tsp oil
Handful of chopped coriander leaves
Salt to taste
Method of preparation:
Heat oil in a kadai. Add cumin seeds and wait till it splutters. Now add onions and the ginger & garlic paste and fry till the onions turn pinkish. Add tomatoes and fry. Once the tomatoes is mashed and cooked properly, add the turmeric and the chilli powder and fry till the raw smell of the chilli powder is gone. Now add salt and half a cup of water and bring it a boil. Once it starts boiling, peel the eggs and add the whole eggs into the kadai, and mash with the spoon so that the egg whites are broken into pieces and the yolk mashes and mixes with the gravy making it thick. Once the gravy is thick and starts boiling switch off the gas, garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with roti or chapathi.Labels: boiled, chilly, dry curry, Egg, Simple, 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
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
Pasta in spinach sauce
My friend’s son loves pasta. So she keeps on doing experiments on it. And most of her experiments results in a very tasty dish. I particularly like this version of hers as it is easy to make and also nutritious. This dish is made with whole wheat pasta, but the normal pasta can be used instead.
Serves about 3-4 people
Time taken :40 minutes
Ingredients required:
500 gms of whole wheat pasta
2 medium sized onions sliced
5 green chillies slit
1 large tomato sliced
1 big bunch of spinach (palak) cleaned and chopped
2 to 3 cloves of garlic minced
1 tsp of dried parsley (fresh leaves can be used)
1 tsp of dried oregano
(NOTE: If you don’t have parsley or oregano, just use chopped coriander leaves or methi leaves)
salt to taste
5 Tsp oil
½ cup of grated parmesan cheese (any other type of cheese will do)
Method of preparation:
Pasta:
In a big vessel, take 3 litres of water and bring it to a boil. Once it starts boiling add 2 Tsp oil and salt to it. Then add the pasta and cook uncovered for about 8 to 10 minutes or till done. Don’t overcook it. Once done drain it and keep aside. To save time , when the pasta is being cooked, you can start making the spinach sauce.
Spinach sauce:
Take 3 Tsp oil in kadai. Fry the onions and minced garlic till the onions turn translucent. Now add tomatoes, spinach, and green chillies and fry till the tomatoes are mashed properly. Remove from the gas and let it cool to room temperature. Make a puree of this mixture in a mixer/blender. Now add the parsley ,oregano and salt . The spinach sauce is ready.
Now mix this puree with the cooked pasta.
In a baking dish, spread this pasta mixture . Spread a layer of cheese over the pasta till it covers it fully. Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Bake the pasta for about 10 to 15 minutes or till the cheese melts. Pasta in spinach sauce is ready.
Labels: Chatpat, Jhatpat, Pasta, Sauce, Spinach, Tasty
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
Philly Veggie Sandwich
Philly Veggie Sandwich is something that I first tried out at a mall here in the USA. We liked it so much that, everytime we visit this mall, we make it a point to not come out before grabbing a biiig bite of it. It is very filling. Since the cook out there prepares it right in front of us, we get to see how it is made and this is now being made public so that, those of you who find it tempting enough could try out. Happy eating!!Serves about 2 people.Preparation Time: 15 Minutes.
Cooking Tip: While the stuffing is being prepared, one could get the buns/subs ready for the stuffing..that could save a few more minutes.
Ingredients Required:2 subs-foot long (Indians could use burger buns, but it tastes better with subs)
Two onions
Quarter bell pepper(Capsicum)
One tomato
10 mushroom slices
15 pickled slices of jalapeno(In India, if jalapenos are not available, maybe 2-3 chillies+salt could help)
15 sweet peppers(we like to replace it with small pieces of pineapple)
4 slices of cheese
Mayonnaise (you decide the fat content and the variety of cheese/mayo you want to use)
Olives(optional)
Lettuce(optional)
Method of Preparation:Chop onions, capsicum, mushrooms and tomato lengthwise(thin) into half an inch long pieces(ref the pic provided). Toss them into a flat based pan(preferably) which is heated and leave for three minutes. No oil is required. When the veggies catch some heat, add the jalapenos, sweet peppers(or pineapple pieces) and olives. Stir for a while giving a minute before every stir, until the veggies become cooked enough and yet have that crunchy feel(not golden brown ). Then, add the cheese slices on this mix and allow to melt (refer pic). In the meanwhile, spit each sub horizontally and spread a layer of mayo along the base of the sub. One the veggies are fried, fill in the sub. Decorate with two or three slices of tomatoes. You could spread in some fresh chopped lettuce too. Your Philly veggie Sandwich is ready to devour.
Labels: Chatpat, Easy, Jhatpat, One dish meal, Sandwich, Snack, Tasty, Veggie
