Val beans gravy

 I discovered this bean in one of my hunting expeditions in the blogosphere for good(and easy) recipes. Most recipes which use this bean call for tamarind and I took it for granted that this bean needed sour. Took courage and purchased the bean and havent regretted it one bit. I tried my own recipe flinging masalas to get the taste "right". Do take a look at the glossary to get the name of the bean in different languages.

Ingredients
Val bean 1 cup soaked for 6 hours
Onion 1 big chopped fine
Tomato 1 big chopped fine
Cumin powder 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder 1 tsp
Chilli powder 1-2 tsp (to taste)
Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
Jaggery to taste
Coconut milk powder (or milk cream) (optional)
Ginger garlic paste 1/2 tsp (optional)
Salt to taste
Oil 1 tbsp
Jeera 1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves for garnishing.

Method

1. Pressure cook the val beans till tender and not mushy. We need them whole but soft. 10-15 mins should do the trick.
2. Heat oil in a kadai. Crackle jeera. 
3. Add onions and saute till translucent. 
4. Add tomatoes and cumin powder, turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder, ginger garlic paste, salt and saute till oil separates.
5. Add the cooked val beans and simmer for 5 mins. Adjust salt and water.
6. Add coconut milk powder or cream if you want a creamy touch to the gravy. 
7. Add jaggery to taste.
8. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Serve hot with chapitis.

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.

Masoor dal tadka

Aaah!! This is something I generally tried and we all loved it. I had whole masoor dal and I really, really was intrigued with the panch phoran masala that seems to be a staple of Bengali seasonings.

  

Ingredients

Masoor dal 1 cup soaked in water for an hour

Oil for seasoning

Panch phoran mix(Fenugreek seeds, Mustard seeds, Jeera seeds, Fennel seeds, Kalonji seeds - all in equal proportion) amounting to 1 and half tsp

Chopped garlic

Turmeric powder and asafoetida

Curry leaves

Cilantro

Method

1. Cook the masoor dal with salt, turmeric powder, asafoetida, 2 cups of water for 10-15 mins in pressure cooker.
2. Heat oil in a kadai. Add the panch phoran mix, curry leaves, chopped garlic and fry for a minute.
3. Add the cooked dal. Mix, adjust salt and water. Bring to a boil.
4. Garnish with cilantro.

Rasavaangi (with pumpkin)

My sister loves this dish! I got the authentic recipe from my darling chitti...

Ingredients
White pumpkin(ash gourd) cubed 1 cup
Tur dal 1 cup
Asafoetida a pinch
Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Lemon juice to taste
Mustard seeds, Urad dal, curry leaves, Slit green chillies, oil for seasoning.

For the masala
Red chillies 2-3
Coriander seeds 2 tsp
Chana dal 1/2 tsp
Coconut 3 tsp

Method

1. Cook the pumpkin in salt and water till soft.
2. Cook the tur dal with salt, water, turmeric powder and asafoetida.
3. Roast the ingredients for masala and grind to a fine paste adding only enough water.
4. Mix the pumpkin, tur dal, masala and boil. Adjust salt and water.
5. Season with seasonings.
6. Add lemon juice to taste.

Serve hot with rice and poriyal.

Tomato rice

This is a favourite of mine. A one pot meal that can be done when tomatoes are in season. Serves 2-3 people

Ingredients
Tomatoes 4 large and ripe.
Onion 1 big chopped
Mustard seeds, Urad dal, Cashews, Raisins, curry leaves for garnishing
Chilli powder 2 tsp(to taste)
Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
Ginger garlic paste 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil 1 tbsp

Rice one and half cup

Method

1. Boil the tomatoes whole in water for 10-15 mins. Let them cool down, skin them and grind them to a puree without adding any water. Take care that no lumps are formed.
2. Cook rice in 3 cups of water, salt to taste(just enough for the rice) and 1 tsp of oil. Spread the rice on a wide plate to cool and separate the grains.
3. Heat oil in a kadai. Add seasonings and fry for a minute. 
4. Add onions and fry till they get translucent. Add ginger garlic paste and saute for 2 mins.
5. Add the tomato puree, chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt to taste (just enough for the masala). Mix well and cook till oil separates.
6. Add the cooled rice and mix well taking care not to crush the rice. 

Serve with a dal and raita. Its yumm!!

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.

Vendakya mezhukku varati (Bhindi-fry-2)

Mezhukku varati is a Mallu term for stir-fry-in-oil. Some subjis are thorans(cooked with coconut and some moisture) and some are mezhukku varatis.
In my Bhindi fry 1, I used a very simple spice of roasted coriander-red chillies powder. Here I use a combination of onion, green chillies, curry leaves, asafoetida to give the bhindi fry a different flavour. And yes, its in coconut oil.

Ingredients
Bhindi washed well, wiped dry and chopped to half inch pieces (remember to wipe the washed bhindis well)
Salt to taste
Green chillies 2-3 chopped
Coconut Oil, mustard seeds, curry leaves for seasoning.
Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida a pinch
Onion 1 chopped

Method

1. In a pan, heat oil. Burst mustard. Add salt and stir for a second.
2. Add chopped onions, curry leaves, asafoetida, green chillies and stir till onions turn translucent.
3. Add bhindis, turmeric powder and give it a good stir. Do not add water at all.
4. Cook covered for about 5-10 minutes on low heat till bhindis become soft. Initially the bhindi gets gooey, dont lose heart, stir well and cover again to cook some more.
5. Once the bhindis reach the soft cooked stage and have lost the goo, stir fry with lid open, till its a bit caramerlised.