Potatoes and peas saute (Aloo matar fry)

This is a quick fry recipe that is easy to put together, specially when you are in a hurry and tastes superb. You can add spices and aromatics as you please. But this is the most basic version of the recipe, of course you can skip the peas altogether too, to make this a potato saute or aloo fry. What's not to like when potatoes are fried.

Ingredients:

1. Potatoes - 4 medium sized
2. Peas - 1/2
3. Oil - 2 to 3 tbsp
4. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
5. Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
6. Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
7. Salt - to taste

Method:

1. Peel and slice potatoes into quarter inch thick pieces. Cut them into bite sized pieces, as they will cook faster, and fry better. 
2. Keep the peas and potatoes separately. 
3. Heat a frying pan, pour oil, add cumin seeds, red chilly powder and turmeric powder. Immediately add the potatoes and salt. 
4. Mix well and cook on medium flame. 
5. When half cooked, add the peas and continue cooking till done.
6. Do not add water, and before switching off the stove, increase the flame to high for a minute or so and stir fry. 
7. Serve with dal and rice.

Cabbage, peas and carrot sabzi (Saute)

The recipe I share today is a simple vegetable saute that can accompany a daal or curry and can be eaten with rice or roti. I usually pair this with rice, plain red curry and tuna cutlets. It is a simple meal for weekdays, when there is no time or need for an elaborate dish. The preparation is simple too, you can skip peas if not available or you do not want to crowd your dish, and follow the same recipe for cabbage and carrot saute. Only in this case I'd suggest you cut the carrots into one and half inch julienne or sticks, so that the dish looks better. You can also skip the carrots and make a cabbage and peas saute which is another variation. I would not recommend carrots and peas, as I have never tried that combination and am not sure if it works.

Whatever combination you decide, it will be a hassle free, simple and tasty fare.

Ingredients:

1. Cabbage : 1 bowl (finely sliced)
2. Green peas : 1/2 bowl (shelled)
3. Carrots - 1/2 bowl (cut in small cubes or cut in )
4. Onion - 1 small sized, chopped
5. Tomatoes - 1 no (medium sized, chopped)
6. Green chilies - 1 to 2 no 
7. Curry leaves - a few
8. Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
9. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
10. Oil - as required
11. Salt to taste

Method:

1. In a pan heat oil, add mustard seeds. Once they've stopped spluttering , add the onion, and turmeric and saute till the onions soften. 
2. Add the tomatoes and the the green chilies and salt. Cook till the tomatoes soften. 
3. Add the carrots, mix well and cover with a lid. Let it cook till the carrots are half done. 
4. Now add the green peas and cabbage, give it a nice stir. Sprinkle water if needed, but be careful not to pour water into the pan, as cabbage also releases water. Keep sprinkling water as needed so the vegetable doesn't dry out.
5. Let it stay on the medium to low flame for about seven to ten minutes. Check if the vegetables are done,  I prefer cabbage to be crunchy, you could cook the cabbage a bit more if that's how you prefer it. 
6. Well the dish is ready to be served with hot chappatis.

Notes:

• I use frozen peas, they cook faster than fresh peas, so cooking time will vary depending on what type of peas you are going to use. If you are using fresh peas, you should add them with the carrots and cook longer than the cabbage.

Kerala Style Pork Fry

Last week I shared Pandi curry recipe - a pork curry from Coorg. And this week I'm back with another Pork recipe that is neither from Mangalore nor from Goa. :-) This pork fry is from Kerala, the land of spices, and rightly so the pork curry bursts with all the flavours of the commonly used spices.  Usually we don't add coconut to pork dishes in Mangalore or Goa, but this recipe uses coconut and the outcome is delicious. I got this recipe from my sister's recipe book. It is one of my favourite pass times when I visit her, I take all her recipe books and keep going through them. And I always find some new recipe that I didn't see before or try before. This is one such recipe, that was buried deep and has been rescued from obscurity :-)

Ingredients:

Pork cubes - 1 kg, washed and drained

Marinade:

1. Ginger - 1/2 inch piece, finely chopped or grated
2. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
3. Kashmiri red chilli powder - 1 tsp
4. Salt - as per taste

Roast and dry grind the below ingredients:

1. Fennel seeds - 1/2 tbsp
2. Cardamom - 6 nos
3. Cinnamon - 2 inch sticks
4. Cloves - 6 nos
5. Perppercorn - 1 tsp
6. Onion - 1 large, roughly chopped
7. Garlic - 6 fat cloves, sliced
8. Ginger - 1 inch piece, sliced
9. Coconut - 1 cup, dessicated

Ingredients for the tempering and curry:

1. Curry leaves - 20 - 25 leaves
2. Onion - 3 medium, sliced
3. Tomatoes - 3 medium, sliced
4. Green chilli - 4 nos, sliced
5. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
6. Kashmiri red chilli powder - 1 tbsp
7. Coriander powder - 2 tbsp

Method:

1. Cut, wash and drain the pork cubes. Marinate with the ingredients mentioned under marinade and set aside.
2. Heat a small pan, add oil and add ingredients mentioned under "Roast and dry grind" in the order mentioned. Keep stirring occasionally to ensure the contents don't burn. Once the coconut has turned a deep brown, the pan can be taken off the stove and kept aside for cooling.
3. Once cooled, the roasted ingredients are to be ground to a coarse powder without using any water. You can use the pulse feature in your blender, so that you get a coarse mixture.
4.  Note: This is not a ground paste or masala. Do not add water.
5. Heat a pan, add oil, add the curry leaves, sliced onions and 1/2 tsp salt. Fry the onions till they are well browned.
6. Add all the spice powders, mix well and now add the tomatoes. Add 1/4 cup water, bring it to a boil, lower the flame, put the lid on the pan and let it simmer till the tomatoes are soft and well cooked.
7. To this add the marinated pork, and green chillies, and the coarse mixture, mix well and bring it to a good boil, then add a cup of hot water. 
8. Lower the flame to medium on the stove and cook till done, the  cooking time can vary depending on the cut of the meat and it's age. So use your discretion. usually it takes between 20 to 30 minutes for pork to cook well.
9. Adjust seasoning and consistency and switch off the flame and it's ready to be served.

Note:

Pork preparations always taste better after they are rested for a few hours or even a day. So plan to serve this after a few hours of its preparation.

Pandi curry - Pork curry from Coorg

This recipe is a lovely pork curry from the mountainous misty landscape of Coorg, located in Karnataka. It is a scenic locale, lush with tea and coffee plantations and forests, and picturesque settlements, adding it's rustic charm to Coorg. And for all it's beauty it is not surprising that Coorg is often referred to as the Scotland of India.

I have to thank Netra - who hails from Coorg, who I met at a party and in the midst of our conversation about food, she mentioned that she likes spicy pork. I was quite surprised to hear that, as most Hindu Indians do not eat pork or beef. She gave me a quick lesson on the culture and cuisine of Coorg that really piqued my interest. I did google and read about Coorg and the amazing food that is unique to it. One of the first things I tried was the Pandi curry. I scoured online and found a few blogs that had this recipe. Honestly I can't remember which blog I picked it from, cause I noted it in my book, and that's what I have been using to cook this dish ever since.

Pandi curry has a dark brown colour and a different flavour, not the ones I'm used to as a Mangalorean or Goan cook. Almost all pork dishes that I cook are fiery red and hot and Pandi curry is welcome change to the eyes and the palate.

Ingredients:

1. Pork - 1 kg 
2. Onion (big) - 1 no, cubed
3. Garlic - 10 to 12 cloves
4. Ginger - 1 inch piece
5. Green chillies - 4 to 5
6. Curry leaves - 10- 15
7. Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
8. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
9. Tamarind - a gooseberry sized ball, soaked in warm water
10. Salt and oil - as needed

Dry roast and grind to a coarse powder the below mentioned ingredients:

1. Coriander seeds - 2 tbsp
2. Cinnamon - 1 inch piece
3. Cloves - 6 nos
4. Peppercorn - 1 tsp
5. Cumin seeds - 1 tbsp
6. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
7. Methi seeds - 1/4 tsp
8. Curry leaves - 10 -15 nos

Method:

1. Wash and cut the pork in one and half inch cubes. Apply red chilly powder, turmeric powder, salt and set aside for an hour.
2. Heat very little oil in a pan, add the onions, garlic, ginger and green chilies. Fry well and then add the meat. Use little oil, specially if the pork you are using is fatty. 
3. Mix well and let it simmer on medium heat for five minutes.
4. Now add the ground spice mix and tamarind water and mix well. Let it cook on slow flame till the pork is cooked. 
5. You can add a cup of hot water if the you want some pouring gravy. But otherwise the meat releases a lot of fat and water and can be cooked on its own too. 
6. Check for taste and consistency and switch off the flame.

Alternative Method if you are using fatty pork.

1. Wash and cut the pork in one and half inch cubes. Apply red chilly powder, turmeric powder, salt and set aside for an hour.
2. In a pan, add the onions, garlic, ginger, green chillies and the marinated pork. No need to add oil or water. Mix all the ingredients well and put the pan on the stove.
3. Bring to a boil and then lower the flame and cook for about five minutes. Follow steps 4, 5 and 6 from above to complete the dish.

Notes:
A special kind of vinegar is used for this recipe from Coorg, called Kachampulli, which I have never used. It is a sour fruity vinegar, which is dark purple in colour, adds not only to the flavour but also the dark colour of the dish. Since I don't have this on hand, I use regular cane vinegar for this recipe.

You can try other Pork recipes from my blog by clicking on them:

1. Pork Bafath
2. East Indian Pork Vindaloo
3. Goan Pork Sorpotel
4. Pork Chops - oriental style
5. Pork Solantulem
6. Pork Adobo - from the Philippines
7. Pork Roast from Goa

Vegetable pulao in coconut milk

Plain pulao or vegetable pulao was a Sunday staple in my house when I was growing up. It continued for a few years after I started cooking on my own too. Pulao and Goa sausage was a Sunday treat that we eagerly looked forward to. Since the pulao, plain or with veggies was so easy to put together and it was not only delicious but also tasted great with all the meat curries we cooked on Sunday that I never bothered with cooking any other pulao. Click Vegetable pulao for the simple and easy recipe.

When I moved to Cebu, my friend Sudha taught me so many things about South Indian cuisine, one of them being the recipe I share with you today. The flavors are delicate and the rice grains are moist and look appetizingly colorful. This is a recipe you pull out of your repertoire for a special day or special guests!

Recipe credit : Sudha J

Ingredients:

1. Basmati rice - 2 cups
2. Whole spices - 3 cardamoms, 3 cloves, 1 inch stick cinnamon, 1/2 tsp cumin, 8 peppercorns, 2 bay leaves
3. Onion - 1 medium sized, finely chopped
4. Tomato - 1 medium sized, finely chopped
5. Green chilly - 2 nos, roughly chopped
6. Ginger -garlic paste - 1/2 tbsp
7. Carrot and peas (together) - 1/2 cup, carrot cut in small cubes
8. Coriander and mint - 1/4 cup, roughly chopped
9. Stock cube - 1 no
10. Coconut milk - 2 cups
11. Water - 2 cups
12. Oil and salt as required

Method:

1. Wash the basmati rice and soak in water while you start the preparation for the pulao.
2. In a pan, heat oil and add the whole spices, saute for a minute and then add the onion and fry well. Add the ginger-garlic paste and green chilly and saute for a minute.
3. Add the tomatoes and cook till tomatoes are softened completely. Add the stock cube, carrot, peas, coriander and mint and mix well. Stir fry for a two to three minutes.
4. Drain the basmati rice and add to the pan. Add the 2 cups of water and coconut milk and bring to a boil. Let it boil well for a minute or so and mix well, Taste for salt and add as required. The water should taste a little salty so that when the water is absorbed the rice will taste just right. 
5. Cover the pan with a lid, lower the flame and cook for ten minutes.
6. Once you put it on simmer and cover the lid, do not open it for any reason. Switch off the stove after exactly ten minutes and let it rest for the next twenty minutes and cook further in the steam.
7. Remove the lid after twenty minutes and use a fork to fluff the rice taking care so that the grains are not broken.
8. Serve and enjoy it hot from the pan.

Notes:

• You can add any vegetable like french beans, peas, carrots and cauliflower.
• You can add 4 cups of coconut milk instead of 2 cups of water and 2 cups of coconut milk. The pulao will become very rich and creamy. 
• You can add fried raisins and cashews to make it more rich. You can add them just before you cover the lid and cook for ten minutes.

Mutton Mughlai

I cook mutton rarely, as it is difficult to obtain where I live. And since I cook it so rarely I usually go for my son's two favorite recipes : Bhuna Ghosht or Mutton Stew. So this time I decided to try a new recipe and looked through my books and spotted Mutton Mughlai, it seemed like an easy recipe, not very complicated in terms of ingredients and method of cooking. I was surprised that there was no cashew paste used to thicken the sauce, which I guess is common for many Mughlai preparations. It adds a lot of richness and creaminess to the texture and taste. But if you finely chop your onions and tomatoes or grate them, the sauce is thick. The original recipe didn't call for cashew paste, so I didn't add it either, and we loved the final product. However, if you'd still like it thicker and creamier, you can add cashew paste.

I have prepared this recipe from a newspaper cut-out in my recipe book and it  does not mention the author of the recipe. Whoever authored the recipe, thank-you and God bless!

Ingredients:

• Mutton - 1 kg, cut into pieces

Marinade:

1. Thick curd - 500 ml, beaten
2. Ginger -garlic paste - 2 tbsp
3. Green chilies - 1 no, finely chopped
4. Coriander powder - 1/2 tbsp
5. Cumin powder - 1 tsp
6. Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp
7. Kashmiri red chilly powder - 2 tsp
8. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Take a bowl, add all the above ingredients and mix well. Marinate the mutton for at least an hour before cooking.

1. Whole spices : 6 small(green ) cardamoms, 2 big cardamoms, 6 cloves, 2 star anise, 2 inch stick cinnamon, and 3 bay leaves
2. Onions - 4 medium sized, finely chopped or grated
3. Tomatoes - 4 medium sized, finely chopped or grated
4. Green chilly - 2 to 3, roughly chopped
5. Coriander leaves - for garnish
6. Ghee or butter or oil - as required

Method:

1. In a sauce pan, heat oil and add the whole spices. Stir for a minute and then add the onion. Add a tsp of salt and sauté till the onion is browned. This will take time, so you need to be patient.
2. Add the tomatoes when the onions have browned well and continue cooking till the tomatoes are completely melted and the oil starts to separate from the masala.
3. Add the green chilies and and the mutton with the marinade. Stir well, and bring the mutton to a boil, lower the flame and cook till the mutton is done, stirring every few minutes. Mutton takes a long time to cook, so you will need to allocate about 30 - 45 minutes of cooking time depending on the cut and age of the meat. 
4. When the meat on the bone starts to loosen, you know the mutton is cooked well. Once done, garnish with coriander leaves, and serve with phulkas or steamed rice.

Garlic prawns in reichad

When I was growing up, prawns were a luxury food. Frying fish was rare and mostly reserved for once a week or less. My mum bought fish from our regular fish monger, who by the way came to our door step every day,except Sunday, for over twenty-five years. When he stopped due to old age, his daughter continued the tradition of visiting us every morning. Though personally, I have never been fond of fish curry, I remember crowding with my sisters and neighbors to take a peek into the large basket. And of course looking forward to all the bargaining and haggling that everyone happily indulged in. Bargaining well with a fish monger and getting a good deal, was considered an envious quality and a very important life lesson. They are such fond memories, and they cheer me up and bring a smile to my face even today.

Prawns can be cooked in so many different ways and yet there are some recipes that remain standard for many years. Garlic prawns in reichad is one such recipe. It is simple and tasty, pair this with daal rice or red curry rice and a vegetable sauté, and it's a perfect week day meal.

Recipe credit: Ms Rozita Coutinho

Ingredients:

1. Prawns - 1 cup (shelled and de-veined)
2. Garlic - 4 flakes
3. Onion (medium) - 1 no
4. Tomato (small) - 1 no
5. Reichad masala - 1 tbsp
6. Salt - to taste
7. Oil - as required
8. Coriander leaves - for garnish (optional) 

Method:

1. Wash the prawns, add salt and keep aside. Roughly chop garlic, onions and tomatoes. 
2. Heat a pan, pour oil, and lightly fry the prawns on high heat for 30 seconds on each side. Once fried, keep the prawns aside. * See notes
3. In the same hot pan, add the garlic and onions. Let it fry in the pan till it turns light brown, add the tomatoes. Mix well and let it cook till the tomatoes turn a little squishy.
4. Now add the prawns and the reichad masala. Mix well. Let it cook for about three to four minutes.
5. Lastly garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Notes:

1. I always sear prawns and meat before adding them to any preparation. I do this as when the meat is seared on very high heat the juices are locked in and the meat gets a nice brownish coat. This is a personal choice. You may add the prawns directly, after the tomatoes have cooked, without frying them first. 
2. Reichad is a Goan wet masala used for frying fish. 

Chicken khuddi curry

Chicken khuddi curry is one of my favourite go to chicken curries. I was introduced to bottle masala, an East Indian blend of approximately twenty five different spices, used to flavour meat curries and vegetables, about ten years ago by a dear friend Plakilla. For the last many years I have never run out of this spice mix and it is always stocked in my pantry. I also use it as a for garam masala substitute at times.

This bottle masala literally made me a hero in my toddler's eyes, for my son used to savour and slurp eating khuddi curry and rice. He would love this dish and literally wanted to eat this for all meals in the day. I can never forget what he said to me once after a hearty lunch of khuddi curry and rice, in all earnestness he said,"Mama you are the best cooker in the world."And that is why chicken khuddi will always have a special place in my heart and kitchen.

Recipe credit: Plakilla D'souza

Ingredients:

1. Chicken - 1 kg
2. Coconut - 1/2 cup
3. Onion - 1 large, roughly sliced
4. Garlic - 6 cloves, roughly sliced
5. Ginger - 1 inch piece
6. Tamarind - marble sized ball
7. Bottle masala - 2 tbsp
8. Potatoes - 2 nos, quartered
9. Salt - as required

Tempering:

1. Oil - as required
2. Onion - 1 medium sized, chopped
3. Tomatoes - 2 medium sized, chopped
4. Green chilly - 4 nos

Method:

1. Heat a pan, add very little oil and roast the sliced onions till they are brown, constantly turning and ensuring they don't burn. Once they are sufficiently browned, take them out into a plate and follow the same process for garlic, ginger and coconut.
2. Cool the roasted ingredients and grind it to a paste using water.
3. Soak tamarind in warm water and extract pulp, keep aside.
4. In a pan, heat oil and fry the chopped onions, till they soften and turn translucent. 
5. Add the bottle masala and salt, fry well, and then add the ground paste. Mix well, constantly stirring. After about a minute or so add the chicken, tomatoes, green chilly and tamarind pulp. 
6. Add 1 cup of hot water, bring to a boil, add the potatoes and cook on slow to medium flame till done. 
7. Once done you can garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Notes:
You can adjust the quantity of bottle masala as per your spice tolerance and taste.

You can follow the same recipe for Mutton curry too.

Green Meat

Green meat used to be an all time favourite with all at home, a few years ago. In fact, this was the first recipe I learnt from my mum-in-law after my marriage. During the initial days, following my marriage, I cooked this dish often as it was one of the few recipes I knew and it was easy to make, didn't require advance planning and was hassle free. Gradually as I learnt more recipes, this beef curry was relegated to a few times a year. Of course this recipe brings back many fond memories of my initial days in the kitchen, where I struggled with many things that come so easily to me now. Looking back to those days, I never thought I could cook as well as I do now. It only goes to show, practise literally can positively impact any skill including cooking.

Recipe credit: Ms Rozita Coutinho

The spice mix used in this recipe is home made and the recipe can also be found here.

Ingredients:

1. Beef  - 1/2 kg
2. Onions (medium) - 1 no (sliced finely)
3. Ginger paste - 1/2 tbsp
4. Garlic paste - 1/2 tbsp
5. Home made spice mix (mentioned above) - 1/2 tbsp
6. Green chillies - 2 nos (slit)
7. Tomatoes (medium) - 1 no(finely chopped)
8. Vinegar - 1 tbsp
9. Coriander leaves - few sprigs finely chopped
10. Oil and salt - as needed
11. Potato (large) - 1 no, cubed

Method:

1. Wash and cut the meat into small cubes. Apply salt and keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan, fry sliced onions till brown. Add ginger garlic paste, fry well.
3. Add meat pieces, fry on high heat till the water evaporates.
4. Add 1tbsp of the home made spice mix, chopped tomatoes and fry well.
5. Add 1 cup water and bring to a boil. Cook on slow flame till meat is half-cooked.
6. Add the potatoes and cook till both potatoes and meat are cooked.
7. Add two slit chillies, vinegar and simmer for two mins.
8. Adjust the consistency and check for salt. The gravy shouldn't be too runny. 
9. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. (Optional)

Serve with pulao or hot steamed rice. 

Bhuna Ghosht - Mutton Bhuna

Today's recipe is not only one of my favourite mutton curries, but also a favourite amongst all mutton eaters in my family. Some in my family don't enjoy mutton as much as the others do, but this recipe has been making us mutton eaters slurpppp for the last ten years or so. My elder sister - Anita used to cut out recipes from newspapers, magazines, parish bulletins etc, and this recipe is from one of her notebooks, where she diligently pasted these cut outs. This recipe appeared in Times of India many years ago, where many celebrities shared their favourite home cooked recipes and this recipe was shared by Abhishek Bachchan from his kitchen

We've been cooking this for at least ten years and we still can't get enough every time it is cooked. It is spicy and tangy and the mutton is oh so succulent. It is also an easy preparation, and you don't really need any special ingredients. The only thing to be noted is not to use the cooker for cooking the mutton, cook it on slow flame, and this will take some time. So keeping that in mind, let's begin.

Recipe credit: Abhishek Bachchan - courtesy Times of India 

Ingredients:

1. Mutton pieces - 500 gms
2. Onions - 3 medium, sliced
3. Green chillies - 2 to 3, slit
4. Cinnamon - 1 inch stick
5. Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
6. Black cardamom - 1 no
7. Green cardamoms - 3 to 4
8. Bay leaves - 2 to 3
9. Thick curd - 250 gms or 1 cup
10. Red chilly powder 2 tsp
11. Coriander powder - 2 and 1/2 tsp
12. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds, once they splutter add the sliced onions and green chillies. Fry till the onion turns golden brown, and then toss in all the whole spices. Sauté for a minute or so.
2. Gradually add the beaten curd and continuously stir to prevent curdling.
3. Add the red chilly, coriander and turmeric powder and salt, continue sautéing for the next five minutes on low flame. 
4. Add the mutton pieces and mix well. Saute for the next 8 to 10 minutes or till the oil leaves the sides. 
5. Add 2 cups of water, mix well, and bring to a boil. Lower the flame cook with lid closed till mutton is done, occasionally stirring and checking if the mutton is cooked.
6. Lastly garnish with chopped coriander leaves, slit green chilly and lemon wedges.

Note:

The original recipe calls for saffron strands to be soaked in water and added to the curry after the mutton is cooked. You need to continue cooking for another five minutes and then switch off the flame.

I have never used saffron in this recipe and hence it is not a part of the ingredients. 

Dal palak (Spinach in lentil soup)

Any mum's worst night-mare is to get their little ones and not so little ones to eat vegetables. I have had my fair share of struggle and all mums will vouch for this, it's no picnic. Getting enough and different vegetables into a child's diet is important. However, I have realized making a simple vegetable sabzi or salad, no matter how tasty, doesn't ensure that it will be consumed. I have tried everything from threats to black-mail, from cajoling to simply yelling in frustration. Nothing works. The dinner table looked more like a war zone with neither party yielding for what seemed like an eternity. And then the battle ended only after I gave up. But after many failed attempts and might I add a lot of tears and frustration at both ends, I realized a very simple thing. I was being unreasonable and stupid, expecting a child to understand why vegetables are important in his diet. He didn't need to know that, he just had to consume them. And I didn't have to tell him that he was eating vegetables.

So I started making soups, and adding vegetables in pulao and curries. I had not made dal palak in a long time and when I saw these lovely greens recently I bought two packets. One bunch was kept aside for soup and the other one was kept for a side dish. I later figured that dal and rice goes down easily, so why not add spinach to the daal and make it a nutrient packed meal. Thankfully my son loved it, much to my relief and amazement.

This is a simple daal preparation, you can customise it to your needs, as loon as you keep the basics intact i.e. the lentils(dal), spinach and tempering.

Ingredients:

1. Toor dal (Split pigeon peas) - 1/2 cup
2. Yellow moong dal - 1/2 cup
3. Spinach - 3 to 4 cups packed
4. Garlic - 6 flakes
5. Ginger - 1 tbsp
6. Onion (medium) - 2 no
7. Tomatoes (medium) - 2 nos
8. Green chilly - 3 nos
9. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
10. Cumin (jeera) - 1/2 tsp
11. Asafoetida (hing) - 1/4 tsp
12. Salt - to taste
13. Oil and ghee -1 bsp each

Method:

1. Wash and soak the lentils for at least ten minutes before cooking. Pressure cook the lentils for three to four whistles and set aside. 
2. Finely chop garlic, onions, tomatoes and chilly. Grate the ginger. Wash, drain and roughly chop spinach.
3. Heat a deep pan, add oil and ghee, add the cumin when the oil is hot, let it splutter for about a minute, then add the garlic, add the asafoetida, let the garlic cook, then add the onions, fry well till they turn golden brown.
4. Now add the grated ginger, chilly, turmeric, asafoetida and tomatoes.Mix the contents well, and let it cook till the tomatoes are done. This should take about three to five minutes.
5. When the oil starts to float over the top, add the cooked lentils, salt and 1/2 cup of water. Mix the lentil well, and check the consistency. Lastly add the spinach.
6. Once the lentils come to a boil, lower the flame to the lowest setting of your stove and let it cook for about two to three minutes. 
7. Check for consistency and salt at this stage and switch off the flame.

Cabbage ki sabzi - Simple cabbage saute

Many dishes that I cook are learnt from my elder sister - Anita, specially the vegetarian recipes. Her sabzis are so delicious that my son - D can eat them without any coaxing or bribes. They are that good! And she makes the best phulkas. So the combination is quite amazing. This holiday I learnt quite a few sabzi recipes that can be had with rotis or chappatis. You can also team them with a nice daal and steamed rice. Usually I make cabbage thoran, that teams well with spicy meat curries. But if your looking for some flavourful cabbage, this is one of the recipes you could try.

Recipe credit: Anita Arakal

Ingredients:

1. Cabbage - 400 - 500 gms
2. Onion - 1 medium
3. Tomato - medium
4. Green chilly - 2 nos, or as needed
5. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
6. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
7. Curry leaves - a few leaves
8. Salt and oil - as needed

Method:

1. Wash, and slice all the vegetables and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a pan, add the mustard seeds and when they stop spluttering add the onions , and saute on medium flame till they turn translucent.
3. Add salt and turmeric, add the tomatoes and chilly, and mix well.
4. When the tomatoes soften, add the cabbage and mix well. 
5. Cook on slow flame for five to seven minutes or till the cabbage is done.

Prawn/Shrimp in Red Thai curry

I love curries, specially coconut based spicy curries, they could be Indian, Thai, Malay or Filipino, I love them all. Thai curries are a delicious way to get many veggies into your meal without having to focus on a separate vegetable side dish.The only preparation required to cook this curry is washing and dicing of vegetables and cleaning the shrimp. The actual preparation of the dish is easy peasy lemon squeazy ! Those are my son's words not mine. :D

Ingredients:

1. Prawns/Shrimp - 250 gms (shelled and de-veined)
2. Onion - 1 small, cubed
3. Mixed vegetables -  - 1 cup (mix of cauliflower, egg plant, carrot, sayote, french beans, baby corn, snow peas, or any vegetable of your choice)
4. Red Thai curry paste - 2 tbsp to 3 tbsp
5. Coconut Milk - 400 ml
6. Oil - as required

Method:

1. Wash and dice all vegetables.
2. In a pan, heat oil, add the the diced onions, fry it for a minute or so. Add the shrimp and let it fry on high heat for a couple of minutes.
3. Add the red curry paste and fry till it is aromatic. Add the vegetables and continue mixing and frying, and then add the coconut milk.
4. Bring it to a boil and let it simmer on medium to low flame for 5 to 7 minutes or till your vegetables are cooked but still crisp. you don't want the vegetables to be mushy.
5. Check for seasoning and consistency and switch off the flame. Serve with hot steamed rice.

Drumstick and tur dal curry

This recipe has been sitting in my drafts for way too long. I remember, when my mum lived with me, every morning post breakfast she and I got into a huddle of sorts in an effort to plan the meal for the day. During those days, at least most week days we cooked a vegetarian meal and stocked the fridge accordingly. On this particular day, the fridge seemed bare, and the only vegetable there was drumsticks. There was absolutely nothing else. I was dreading the thought of making lunch that only had drumsticks. But my mother's knack for making a curry out of anything amazes me. I guess that's what mothers are all about. Waving their invisible wands and cooking with the most mundane ingredients and turning them into a delicious meal.

Drumstick and Tur daal (aka pigeon pea) curry also known as Saango ani daalechi kadhi in Konkani, is a tasty curry that goes well with a simple meal of steamed rice and a pickle or fried fish. This is a traditional Mangalorean curry made with coconut and spices. In fact there are many such unheard of combinations that are a regular feature in a Mangalorean household. You can make a similar curry with eggplant instead of drumstick, other vegetable curries include different types of pulses, winter melon, bottle gourd, cauliflower etc that can be cooked with coconut, red chilly and other spices. More recipes on that later. For now I'd say, this is a must try for people who like coconut based curries and are keen to try vegetable curries.

Recipe credit: Cecilia Sequeira

Ingredients:

1. Drumstick - 3 nos
2. Tur Daal (pigeon peas) - 1/2 cup
3. Tomatoes - 2 medium

Grind the below mentioned ingredients with water:

1. Coconut - 1 cup, grated
2. Onion - 1 small (roughly chopped)
3. Garlic - 2 flakes
4. Kashmiri red chillies - 3 nos
5. Cumin seeds (jeera) - 1/2 tsp
6. Mustard seeds (rai) - 1/2 tsp
7. Coriander seeds (dhania) - 1 tbsp
8. Tamarind - 1 small lime sized ball
9. Turmeric powder(haldi) - 1/2 tsp

Tempering:

1. Oil - 2 tbsp
2. Curry leaves - 10 -15 nos
3. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Method:

1. Cook the dal and tomatoes in a pressure cooker, let it cook for two whistles and switch off the flame.
2. Once the dal is cooked, add the ground masala, drumsticks and salt to the pan. Let it come to a boil and then add water as per the desired consistency. Let it cook for about 5 to 7 minutes.
3. For tempering, use a small pan, pour oil, when the oil is hot add the mustard seeds, when they stop crackling, put off the gas flame and add curry leaves.
4. Put this oil immediately into the pan containing the curry.
5. You can temper the curry just before or after you put off the gas flame.

Tasty karela sabzi - Simple Bitter gourd saute

I gotta admit, I am no fan of karela or bitter gourd. I struggle to understand how people can eat this vegetable and love it. And yet when my sister promised me that I would love this preparation, I was a bit sceptical. However, this dish was devoured within minutes of its preparation and the soft phulkas that we ate it with, just added to its heavenly taste. So I won't say any more, except that the actual number of ingredients and complexity of cooking is minimal. A novice can cook this and win hearts. And if you don't like bitter gourd, you must try it, you will love this preparation. I recently cooked this for my extended family, who by the way eat this vegetable regularly. They absolutely loved it!

Recipe credit: Anita Arakal

Ingredients:

1. Karela (Bitter gourd) - 250 gms
2. Onions - 250 gms
3. Green chilly - 2 nos
4. Salt - as per taste
5. Oil - as needed

Method:

1. Peel and slice the onions, chop the green chilly. Wash the whole gourd in water, cut into half, lengthwise, remove all the core and seeds from the centre and slice thinly.
2. Heat a pan, add two to three tablespoons of oil, when the oil heats up, add the sliced onions and add the sliced gourd on top of the onions, without mixing. Let it remain for a minute or so.
3. Start stir frying on high heat at intervals the first five minutes. Add the green chilly.
4. Lower the flame to simmer and let it cook for about forty minutes, stirring at regular intervals. The vegetable needs to turn brown evenly and become less than half it's original quantity.
5. Add salt just before you put off the flame. Mix well and it's ready to be served with hot chappatis.

Colorful Chicken Salad

HAPPY NEW YEAR !!

Every new year one of the things that I resolve to do is eat healthy, by adding more vegetables and fruits to my diet. This year is no different and I have decided to consume more salads to up the health quotient. This 2019 I wish all of you healthy food, lots of physical activity and stress free lives..... who am I kidding (eye roll- that's boring).

This new year I wish for you lots of happy times with loved ones that will turn into happy memories, more travelling and experiencing life, enjoying simple things in life and great food that turns even a dull day into a special one. 

On that note, let me share this super easy and quick salad that looks appealing, tastes great and is simply colourful.

Ingredients:

1. Iceberg lettuce - 1 medium sized head
2. Cucumber - 1 large, diced in cubes
3. Tomatoes - 1 large, deseeded and cubed
4. Red, Yellow & Green pepper - 1 each, medium, deseeded and cubed                                     (You may either choose one or add all three, its optional)
5. Boneless Chicken - 1 cup cooked and shredded/ cubed
6. Salt & Pepper - To taste
7. Honey Mustard Sauce - 2 - 3 tbsp or as needed

Method:

1. In a salad bowl, tear the lettuce leaves into bite sized pieces and add all veggies.
2. Next add the seasoning and the sauce.
3. Mix the salad well so the sauce and seasoning coats all the vegetables. You can do this with a Use two large spoons to mix the ingredients well or you could also use your hands to ensure all the leaves are coated.
4. Your cucumber chicken salad is ready to be served.

Note: Add the seasoning and sauce ten minutes before serving time.