Mushroom masala - 2

 This dish was made on the fly and it came out real good with phulkas.

Ingredients
Mushrooms 2 cups cubed to bite size pieces.
Onion 1 big chopped fine
Chilli powder 1 tsp
Garam masala powder to taste
Pepper powder 1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
Coconut milk powder 1/2 tsp ( this helps to balance the sharp taste of the masalas)
Cilantro to garnish
Oil 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method

1. Boil 2 cups of water with some salt. Once boiling, drop the mushrooms in them. Switch off heat and keep covered for 10-15 mins. By this, the mushrooms get cooked and release the water content. After some 20 mins of mushrooms soaking, drain them and keep. You can use the left over water for soup/broth or whatever.
2. In a pan heat oil. Add the onions and saute them till soft. Once the onions are done, add the mushrooms and give a good mix.
3. Add all the masalas(Chilli powder, garam masala, pepper powder, turmeric powder). Add salt to taste. Sprinkle some water and stir well till the mushrooms are caramerlised.
4. Add a bit of coconut milk powder if you find the dish too sharp to taste. Mix well.
5. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Serve hot with chapiti and some simple dal.

Chana dal with Lauki

This recipe is inspired from http://kajaldreams.blogspot.com/

I was sceptical about the red chilli-garlic paste, but since I had seen through her other recipes and had liked them, I decided to give it a try. It did taste good!!

Ingredients

Lauki cubed 1 cup
Chana Dal (Bengal gram) 1 cup
1\2 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste

Lemon juice to taste
Oil, cumin seeds, dry red chillies for seasoning
1 tbsp garlic red chilli paste (I ground about 4 cloves of garlic and 4-5 red chillies to a coarse paste)

Method

1. Cook the chana dal in 3 cups of water till almost mushy.
2. Heat oil in kadai. Add the seasonings, and stir till done.
3. Add lauki, turmeric powder, salt, garlic-red chilli paste and cook till laukis get soft and the raw smell of garlic goes.
4. Add the chana dal. Mix well and cook for 5-6 mins.
5. Add a dash of lemon juice to your taste.

Serve hot with chapiti.

Kadala curry

This spicy and hearty gravy can be an accompaniment to many dishes like puttu, dosa, idiappam, nool puttu, upma and even chapiti.

Ingredients
Black chana 1 cup (washed well and soaked for 8-10 hours)
Onion 1 medium chopped
Tomato 1 medium chopped
Red chilli powder 2-3 tsp (to taste)
Saunf 1 tsp
Coriander powder 1 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
Ginger - garlic paste 1/2 tsp (optional)
Grated coconut 2 tbsp
Oil 1 tbsp ( I use coconut oil for this dish)
Salt to taste
Mustard seeds, whole red chillies, curry leaves, oil for seasoning.

Method

1. Cook the soaked black chana in 2-3 cups of water. I pressure cook it for 30-40 minutes.it should be soft and well cooked. Do not discard the water.
2. Heat oil in a kadai. Add the saunf, onions and saute till transparent. Add tomatoes and all the masalas and coconut and fry for 5-6 mins. 
3. Cool the above and grind to a fine paste using very little water.
4. In the same kadai, heat oil and add seasonings. 
5. Once done, add the cooked chana with the water, salt and the ground masala. Adjust salt and water. If the gravy appears too thin, crush some of the cooked dal well and mix in. (I personally do not like the dal to be crushed in, it makes the dish bland. Instead I would increase the ground paste.)
6. Bring to a boil and simmer for a few mins after that.

Serve hot with the main dish of your choice.

Egg Roast

This is a intuitive egg roast that I saw my m-i-l making. Its real yumm and full of masala flavours. Goes well with chapiti. Is a good option when you have unexpected guests.
Serves 3.

Ingredients
Eggs 3 or 4, hard boiled and then shelled.
Onion 1 big chopped fine
Tomato 1 small chopped fine
Chilli powder 1-2 tsp
Coriander powder 1 tsp
Garam masala to taste
Ginger garlic paste 1/2 tsp (optional)
Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
Coconut milk powder 2-3 tsp (you can add milk cream instead)
Oil 1 tbsp
Saunf 1 tsp
Coriander leaves to garnish.
Salt to taste

Method

1. Heat oil in a kadai and once hot, add the saunf and saute for a few seconds.
2. Add onions and saute till they get translucent. Add tomatoes, ginger-garlic paste, chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, salt and saute till oil separates.
3. Add 1/4 cup water and add the coconut milk powder. We dont want too much of gravy. The dish is semi-gravy. Simmer for a few minutes till the gravy looks rich and thick and still has some flow in it.
4. Slice the eggs vertically taking care not to crush the yellow and drop carefully in the simmering gravy,
5. Mix carefully and let it simmer for 4-5 mins. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Let the dish sit for 10 mins so that the eggs absorb some of the masala. Serve hot with phulkas.

Aloo-Palak-Peas gravy

Ingredients
Potato 1 cup cubed
Palak half bunch washed well and chopped
Green peas (frozen or fresh) 1/2 cup
Onion 1 grated
Tomato 1 grated
Ginger garlic paste 1 tsp
Cumin powder 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder 1 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
Saunf 1 tsp
Oil 1 tbsp
Garam masala to taste
Salt to taste
Water to cook

Method

1. Heat oil in a pan. Crackle the saunf. Add grated onion, ginger garlic paste and saute till raw smell goes off.
2. Add tomato puree/grated, turmeric pow, chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and fry for 2-3 mins.
3. Add the potatoes and palak, salt to taste and give it a good mix. Add 1/4 cup water and cook covered, stirring occasionally, till potatoes are almost cooked.
4. Add the green peas, garam masala and cook some more. Add bit more water if needed. Simmer for 5 mins till all the flavours are blended well.

Serve hot with rotis.

Potato-chow chow subji

This is a yumm subji that goes well with rotis. I made it on-the-fly with just the target taste in mind.

Ingredients
Potato 1 large peeled and cubed
Chow chow 1 peeled and cubed
Onion 1 grated
Ginger-garlic paste
Oil 1 tsp
Saunf 1 tsp
Chilli powder 1 tsp
Coriander powder 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
Cumin powder 1/4 tsp
Chicken masala (dont get scared, even garam masala would do fine. The chicken masala I used has a very good mix of spices)
Jaggery 1/2 tsp (optional if you dont like sweet)
Coconut milk 2 tbsp( I used a tbsp of coconut milk powder)
Salt to taste.
Curry leaves a few
Half cup water to cook.

Method

1. Heat oil in kadai. Add the saunf and once they splutter, add the grated onions, ginger garlic paste and stir till raw smell disappears.
2. Add the potatoes, chow-chow, curry leaves, salt and give it a good mix.
3. Add all the powders(chilli pow, coriander pow, turmeric pow, cumin pow, garam masala pow). Mix well. Add a bit of water and cook covered till almost done.
4. Add the coconut milk and jaggery and simmer for a few mins till the gravy thickens well.

Serve hot with rotis.

Aloo methi

This is very similar to aloo capsicum, well atleast the masala is.

Ingredients
2-3 Potatoes peeled and cubed to big pieces.
1/2 bunch methi, washed, destalked, chopped and salted well.
1 Onion grated (optional)
2 large Tomatoes grated
Oil
Salt to taste
Chilli powder
Coriander powder
Turmeric powder
Cumin powder
Jeera
Saunf

Method

1. Heat oil in a kadai or pressure cooker. I used my small pressure cooker.
2. Add jeera and saunf. Once they are done, add the grated onion and fry well.
3. Once done, add tomato paste, all the spice powders and fry for 3-4 mins.
4. Squeeze out the water from methi leaves.
5. Add the aloo and methi, salt, half a cup of water and mix well.
6. Close the lid and let it cook for 2-3 whistles. Take care not to over cook.
7. Open the pan and if you find too much water floating around, let it simmer for a while.
8. You can add chopped coriander leaves.

Serve with phulkas.

Mixed bean curry

I mixed up a few beans : lobia beans, oriental beans, black eyed beans, and green moong(just for the heck of it). Soaked in water for a few hours, the colours looked beautiful while soaking. Simmered in tomato based gravy, they were delicious. Here is how I made it. Ingredients Lobia beans ½ cup Red beans(karamani) ½ cup Oriental beans ¼ cup Moong ½ cup Onion 1 big chopped Tomatoes 2 big chopped Chilli powder 1 tsp Cumin powder ½ tsp Coriander powder 1 tsp Ginger garlic paste 1 tsp Chopped coriander leaves Salt to taste Jeera ½ tsp Saunf ½ tsp Oil 1 tbsp Red beans
	Oriental beans
	Green moong
	Lobia beans
Method Wash and soak the dals for atleast 6 hours. If you don’t have as much time, soak them in sunlight. Once they are soft, wash them again, add cumin powder, coriander powder, chilli powder, turmeric powder, saunf and cook in pressure cooker with 2-3 cups of water. It should be cooked till soft and mashable. In a kadai, heat oil, add jeera, onions and sauté. Once done add the tomatoes and ginger garlic paste, salt and stir for 3-4 mins. Add the cooked beans, adjust salt and water and simmer for few mins. Garnish with chopped cilantro. Serve hot with chapitis or rice.

Turia subji

This is a subji that I tried a few weeks ago. Liked the blend of turia, spices and peanut. Try it sometime, you will like it. I found this at someother blog and do not remember which. :-(


Ingredients

serves 2-3
2 ridge gourds, peeled and diced
1 onion, diced
1 potato, diced
4-5 curry leaves
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp red chili powder
1/4 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp garam masala
1/4 cup roasted peanut powder
1 tsp jaggery crushed
1 tsp tamarind paste

Method

1. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, when they sputter, add curry leaves and onion. Stir till onion is transluscent. 
2. Add turmeric, salt, chili powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala and stir for a few seconds. 
3. Add ridge gourd and potato and stir for 2 minutes. Add a cup of water, peanut powder, jaggery, tamarind paste and let simmer on medium heat till potatoes are tender and curry is thickened. 
4. Garnish with cilantro. Serve hot with chapitis.

Moong dal with Chow-chow

This is a very simple and delicious kootu, goes well with phulkas. No masala whatsoever!
I learnt it from my Ma.

Ingredients
Moong dal(split, yellow) 1/2 cup
Chow-chow chopped 1 cup
Sambar powder 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Chopped onion 1 small
Green chillies to taste
Curry leaves few
Mustard seeds
Oil 1 tbsp

Method

1. Wash the moong dal well. 
2. Add the moong dal, or chow-chow, sambar powder, salt, a cup of water and cook for 10-15 mins, till the dal and chow-chow are cooked well.
3. Heat oil. Once hot, add the mustard seeds, chopped onions, green chillies, curry leaves and saute.
4. Add to the cooked dal.

Serve hot with phulkas.

Sweet potato-turia-lauki subji

I had sweet potatoes, a few chunks of lauki which were already chopped and which I wanted to finish, and a turia. I just wanted to try this combination, and with some trepidation, set about thinking up of how I wanted it to taste.
Do let me know by comments or email, if you can think of a different and interesting masala to this combo.

Ingredients
Sweet potato skinned and chopped to chunks 1 cup
Lauki skinned chopped to chunks 1 cup
Turia skinned and chopped to chunks 1 cup
Onion 1 big grated
Tomato 1 big grated
Ginger garlic paste 1 tsp
Chilli powder 1 tsp
Coriander powder 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder 1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
Garam masala to taste
Crushed jaggery 2 tsp
Chopped coriander leaves 1 tbsp
Oil 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Water 1/2 cup

Method

1. Heat oil in a pan or kadai. I used my tiny hawkins.
2. Add the grated onion and stir for few mins. Add the ginger garlic paste and grated tomato and stir for a minute or two.
3. Add the chopped sweet potato, lauki, turia salt and mix well.
4. Add the chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, garam masala and mix well.
5. Add 1/2 cup water and cook covered for 10 mins or till well cooked. 
6. Adjust salt to taste, add the jaggery and simmer for few mins. 
7. Add chopped coriander leaves and give it a good mix.

Serve hot with rotis or phulkas. It will be a semi-gravy dish.
Sonny baba loved it.  :-)

Gujarati kadi

Dinner was a sweet potato-turia-lauki subji that I invented on the fly to go with phulkas. It seemed too simple for a weekend meal, so I decided to add Gujarati kadi. Reminds me of home. I love it.


Ingredients:
2 cups sour and thick buttermilk (or yogurt/curd) beaten well
1.5 tbl spn besan(gram flour)
1 tea spn chili-ginger paste
3-4 curry leaves
1 tbl spn sugar
2-3 strands coriander leaves
1/2 tea spn cumin seeds
1/4 tea spn fenugreek seeds
A pinch asafoetida
1 tbl spn ghee
Salt to taste
Turmeric 1/4 tsp


Method:

1. Make a mixture of buttermilk/yogurt and besan. Beat it really well. Add the turmeric and mix well.
2. Heat Ghee, add cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds and asafoetida. 
3. Now add the buttermilk mixture and mix well. 
4. Add the curry leaves, salt, coriander leaves, chilly-ginger paste and sugar.
5. Bring it to a boil.

Serve hot with phulkas, rice and another subji.

Mushroom masala

We like mushrooms. Mushroom sandwich, mushroom subji, mushroom pulao and so on.
I should mention that showmethecurry.com, had shown a good way to precook mushrooms since its a little dicey to add them and cook like other veggies.
This is one way I do mushroom subji. Goes well with chapati.

Ingredients
Mushrooms 2 cups, washed well and chopped to bite size pieces.
Water 2 cups.
Salt to taste.
Onion 1 big chopped
Tomatoes 2 big chopped
Green chillies 2 chopped
Chilli powder 1 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder 1 tsp
Cumin powder 1/2 tsp
Ginger garlic paste 1 tsp
Coriander leaves for garnishing
Jeera seeds for seasoning.
Oil 1 tsp

Method

1. Boil the water with a bit of salt. Once its boiling, add the mushrooms, switch off the heat and cover. Keep aside for atleast 10 mins.
2. Heat oil in a kadai. Add jeera seeds. Once they splutter, add onions, green chillies and fry till onions are transparent.
3. Add tomatoes, all the powders, ginger garlic paste and fry till oil separates.
4. Drain the water from the mushrooms. Add the mushrooms to the masala and cook again. You can add the water from blanched mushrooms if you need a bit of gravy. Simmer for 5 mins.
5. Dress with coriander leaves.

Serve hot with phulkas.

Note
If you have tried cooking mushrooms before, you will know that they keep sweating water when salt is added and refuse to get cooked. Dunking them in salted boiling water takes away all this water and helps them to cook. You can use this water in other dishes. Courtesy showmethecurry.com

Egg curry

We love egg curry with chapiti, appam, nool puttu(which reminds me, I have to try this dish)... and so on...

I was kinda bored with the usual onion-tomato based gravy, and so decided to try my own gravy for the same. Here is how I did it.

Ingredients
Eggs - 3 - boiled well, shelled, and sliced to two halves each (for the three of us)
Onion 1 large chopped
Coriander seeds 1 tsp
Red chillies 2-3
Peppercorn 1/4 tsp
Saunf 1/4 tsp
Coconut grated 1/2 cup
Garam masala to taste
Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds, Curry leaves, Red chillies to season

Method

1. Heat part of the oil in a kadai. When its hot, add the saunf, coriander seeds, onion, pepper corn, red chilli and fry. Transfer to mixie when onion turns transparent.
2. Heat the kadai again and roast the coconut till it browns. Stay with it stirring continuously. Transfer to mixie.
3. Grind all this together with some water to make a smooth paste.
4. Heat oil in kadai, add the seasonings. Once they are done, add the ground masala, garam masala, turmeric powder, salt , water as needed and bring to one boil. Simmer for 5 mins or so. The thickness of the gravy depends on how much water you add.
5. In a wide, serving dish, arrange the eggs with the yellow side up. Pour the gravy over it and around it. This will help the eggs soak up the gravy.

Note

• You can garnish with cilantro leaves.
• Some people do not slice the eggs fully. They just slit it on one side and dunk the eggs into the gravy. My observation is that the eggs do not soak up as much gravy by this method.
• You can add some kasuri methi too for added flavour.
• The same gravy can be used to make kadala curry (which is an accompaniment to puttu).

Turia Muthia nu shaak

This dish is inspired from Archana's kitchen. I never knew anything about muthias, but now realise that there is a whole healthy world of muthia dishes out there. Will try more in the times to come.

And remember, I am still trying to finish my besan :-)

Ingredients
For the subji
Ridge gourd 2 cups
Oil 1 tsp
Jeera 1 tsp
Chilli powder 1 tsp
Ginger-green chilli paste 1 tsp
Asafoetida
Salt to taste
Sugar to taste

For the muthias
Fenugreek leaves chopped 1/2 cup
Besan 1 cup
Lemon juice 1 tbsp
Ginger-green chilli paste 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Sugar to taste
Soda (which I did not have and hence did not add)
Oil to fry (Muthias are ideally steamed, but I did not know it then you see??)

Method
Make the muthias

1. Mix all the muthia ingredients to make a soft dough. Make small rolls.
2. Fry in oil or steam in steamer.

Subji

1. Heat oil. Add jeera, asafoetida, ginger-green chilli paste and fry.
2. Once that is done, add the ridge gourd pieces, salt, chilli powder and cook covered till done.
3. Add sugar and mix well.
4. Crumble the prepared muthias coarsely and add. Cook covered again on sim for 10-15 mins.
5. Serve hot with phulkas.

Well, well, well.... Its tasty and am not sure that the steamed version will be as tasty as the fried version.  The original recipe did not call for crumbling the muthias. I felt the dumplings would blend better when crumbled than whole.

Aloo Capsicum

Found a couple of capsicums in the fridge and wanted a subji for our phulkas. Wanted it to have lots of tomatoes too... and so here I made Aloo Capsicum.


Ingredients
2-3 Potatoes peeled and cubed to big pieces.
2 Capsicum cut to big pieces
1 Onion grated (optional)
2 large Tomatoes grated
Oil
Salt to taste
Chilli powder
Coriander powder
Turmeric powder
Cumin powder
Jeera
Saunf

Method

1. Heat oil in a kadai or pressure cooker. I used my small pressure cooker.
2. Add jeera and saunf. Once they are done, add the grated onion and fry well.
3. Once done, add tomato paste, all the spice powders and fry for 3-4 mins.
4. Add the aloo and capsicum, salt, half a cup of water and mix well.
5. Close the lid and let it cook for 2-3 whistles. Take care not to over cook.
6. Open the pan and if you find too much water floating around, let it simmer for a while.
7. You can add chopped coriander leaves.

Serve with phulkas.