Aloo Matar Makhani

Aloo (Hindi) are commonly known as potatoes. These wonderful starchy tubers are called Bangaladumpa, alugadda and urlagadda in Telugu. In general potatoes are very nutritious and low in calorie, fat and cholesterol free, which is also high in Vitamin C, potassium and also rich source of Vitamin B6 and dietary fiber, also best know for their carbohydrate content. In general a potato contains zero fat and a 5.3-ounce potato is only 100 calories. It is different kinds of toppings make the dish fattening. Potatoes are often considered as comfort food, also a staple food and the number one vegetable crop in the world. Potatoes are available year-around. The potato belongs to the Solanaceae or nightshade family whose other members include tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, and tomatillos. They are the swollen portion of the underground stem which is called a tuber and is designed to provide food for the green leafy portion of the plant. If allowed to flower and fruit, the potato plant will bear an inedible fruit resembling a tomato (Source Wiki). I love potatoes in all forms, fries, baked, roasted or curried. Potatoes are often used a lot in Indian cooking. It blends very easily with all other ingredients/ vegetables. I love them in all forms, few of my favorites are aloo methi, aloo paratha, sukhe aloo, bangaladumpa vepudu (potato fry), upma koora, bajji, bonda and the list keeps on going. This is my entry for Happy Burp’s “Jhiva for Potato”.

Ingredients

½ pound baby potatoes (cooked & peeled)
½ cup frozen peas

For makhani gravy
2 medium onions (chopped)
2 cloves of garlic
½ inch ginger
2-3 green chillies
2 medium tomatoes (blanched & purée)
Soak fist full of almonds (soaked & peeled)
1 tsp khus khus (poppy seeds)
2 tbsp heavy cream/ half & half

Dry masala
1 bay leaf
2-3 cardamoms
1 inch cinnanamon stick
1 ½ tsp coriander powder
1 tsp garam masala
Chilli powder (according to taste)
½ tsp turmeric
Salt to taste
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp oil
2 tsbp chopped coriander leaves

Left to right (baby potatoes, tomato purée, almond& poppy seeds paste and onion paste) Dry masala’s missing in the picture

Procedure

Heat oil in 2 tbsp oil in a skillet on medium heat; add peeled potatoes (whole) and sauté the potatoes until golden brown all sides. Turn of the heat, drain and keep aside.In same skillet add 1 tbsp butter to the remaining oil, when the butter starts melting add onions, garlic and ginger and sauté until onions turn soft and browned. Remove from heat and cool.

Grind onion mixture and keep aside. Grind almonds & khus khus with little water into a smooth paste.

Heat remaining oil and butter on medium flame, when butter starts to melt add bay leaf, cardamom & cinnanamon stick and sauté for couple of minutes, add onions paste and fry for 3-5 minutes, add dry masala, chilli powder, turmeric and sauté for couple of minutes add almond paste and cook till the raw smell disappears and starts to leave the fat, now stir in tomato purée and cook until you start seeing fat. Now add cream, potatoes, peas, water (approx 1-1 ½ cups) , salt and mix well, adjust the seasoning if needed , reduce the heat to low and cook for 15-20 minutes covered , keep stirring in the middle. Turn of the heat. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with choice of meal (rice or roti)

Notes and Tips

You can use regular potatoes instead of baby potatoes.

Snow Time

Me and lil one playing in the snow

Sundried Tomato Hummus

Few days back I was browsing for recipes with phyllo dough and came across this wonderful blog. I started looking at the recipe Index and came across this delicious sun-dried-tomato hummus. I love Hummus and wanted to make at home for long time. The picture was so tempting and as I scrolled down recipe was soooo easy to prepare and I had all the required ingredients in my pantry. I had few questions as I never used tahini and looked around for tips but not satisfied, so I decided to ask Nicole (pinchmysalt), left a message in her blog, and was thinking to check back couple of days later. I didn’t expect that she would reply so fast, but she did. She patiently answered all my silly questions and finally I made this tasty Hummus. It is very easy to prepare and no cooking is involved. I followed the guidelines of the original recipe for little heat I added red pepper flakes, but accidentally added garlic and then I realized that Nicole’s recipe is without garlic. Garlic gave a light sharpness to the hummus as I used one clove. I guarantee you folks this is really good one and easy to try and you won’t be disappointed. Check out pinchmysalt for sundried tomato hummus, what made me fell in love with her blog was simple and easy to prepare everyday recipes, wonderful pictures which was ofcourse taken by her, notes and write-ups.

Dosakai Avakaya

In traditional andhra cooking dosakai is used a lot. Dosakai pappu, Dosakai sambar, pachadi and avakaya are popular varities made at my place. Dosakai Avakaya is most popular dish and has a unique place in my cooking. This pickle is very easy to prepare and can be served the next day. Its mixed with spices and needs to be marinated overnight. This crunchy pickle is often served with mudda pappu. Only Indian cucumber (Nakka dosakai) will suite this recipe as its skin is thick and the flesh is crunchy. Other cucumbers would spoil fast as they have thinner skin and looses lots of water when pickled.

Ingredients

1 medium dosakai
3-4 tbsp mustard seeds
3-4 tbsp red chilli powder
2-3 tbsp salt
Juice of 1 lime
2 tbsp oil

 

Procedure

Wash and cut dosakai and remove the seeds. Pat to dry and cut into bite size peices (1/4 inch). Grind all the dry ingredients (mustard seeds, chilli powder and salt). Take a dry container and put the chopped dosakai pieces. Add 3/4th of the spice mixture lime juice and oil and mix well. Now add 1/2 of the remaning mixture and mix well. Taste the pickle and adjust the seasoning as needed. Cover it and leave it in room temperature over night. The dosakai will start absorbing all the flavors from the spices. Refridgerate the container. You can serve this pickle the next day.

This can be served with rice/idly, dosa and upma or your choice of meal. Keep refridgerate it will last for 6-8 weeks. On room temperature it last for 3-4 weeks.

Bachhali Kura Sambar

As kids (me & sis) we never liked this green vegetable because of the texture and also the taste. I vaguely remember my mom cooking this vegetable and we refused to try it, as lots of other green veggies were abundantly available. After coming to california, green veggies are not as widely available as in India, but I had a good choice and I use to excuse myself from eating this vegetable. After moving to Virginia my choice was completely narrowed down, still managed with Spinach and Methi for couple of years. Last year when my in-laws visited us my mother-in-law told me how to cook this vegetable the right way.

Besalla Alba or Malabar Spinach is called Bachhali kura in telugu, other common names include Climbing spinach, Indian Spinach and vine spinach. My dear friends guessed it right (Basale in Kannada, Vaali in Konkani, “Mong Toi” or Vietnamese Spinach). This wonderful leafy vegetable is high in Calcium, Vitamin A and C, also rich source of Iron and chlorophyll, also low in calories by volume and high in proteins per calorie. It is a fast-growing soft-stemmed vine, reaching 10 m in length, thick and semi-succulent. The succulent stem is particularly a rich source of soluble fiber, thought to remove mucus and toxins from the body. These leaves have a mild flavor and gluey/gooey texture when cooked. It may also be used to thicken soups or stir-fried with garlic and chile peppers. This plant is also used in medicine field. (Source wiki)

Bachhali kura is extensively used in South-Indian cooking. Kanda-Bachhali kura is very famous dish in Andhra Pradesh, other common dishes include sambar, majjiga pulusu. Aava pulusu, snacks and pappu.

Ingredients

1 medium bunch tender bachhali kura (clean and chopped)
½ cup toovar dal (cooked)
8-10 pearl onions (peeled)
2-3 tbsp tamarind paste
2-3 green chillies
Big pinch of turmeric
1-2 tbsp grated coconut (fresh/frozen)
2-3 tsp Sambar powder (according to taste)
Salt to taste
2-3 cups water to make sambar

Seasoning
1-1 ½ tsp oil
1 broken dry red chilli
½ tsp mustard seeds
Big pinch of methi seeds
Pinch of hing

Procedure

In small pan heat oil add the dry chilli, mustard seeds, and methi seeds and allow mustard seeds to splutter, add hing and remove from heat and keep aside.

Heat a heavy bottom pot with little oil on medium heat. Add green chillies, onions (you can use whole of cut in half) and sauté for 3-4 mins. Add the chopped bachhalaku (leaves and stems), turmeric, salt and sauté for another 3-5 mins. Add tamarind paste little water and cover with lid and reduce the heat a little and cook for 8-10 mins or until soft not mushy. Stir in dal, grated coconut and mix well, add remaining water, increase the heat and bring it to boil, adjust the seasoning and reduce the heat a little. Add sambar powder and the seasoning and cook for another 5-8 mins and turn of the heat.

Serve with rice and papad.

Notes and Tips

You can add jaggery if you like. Onions are optional. You can also add drumsticks. I like my sambar with onions. You can use / substitute spinach instead of Bachhalaku, and the dish will be called spinach sambar:).

Guess what??

 
This wonderful leafy vegetable is high in Calcium, Vitamin A and C, also rich source of Iron and chlorophyll, also low in calories and high in proteins .

Cauliflower-potato-peas in yogurt sauce

Cauliflower is an awesome vegetable, which is low in fat and calories, high in fiber, folacin, potassium, water and vitamin C, have a very high nutritional density. Cauliflower is available year-round. Cauliflower is most commonly eaten cooked, but it may also be eaten raw or pickled. Cauliflower is so delicious and can be eaten in so many fun, simple and easy ways! I often use cauliflower in soups, curries, manchuria and also make parathas. Yogurt adds a nice finish to this dish. I wanted to create a simple and easy dish to fix quick meals, and this was the end product!!

Ingredients

1 small cauliflower ( florets, wash and clean)
2-3 medium potatoes(peel and cubed)
1/4th cup peas
1 small onion( chopped)
1 medium tomato ( chopped)
2 green chilles finely chopped ( optional)
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander powder
red chilli powder (as desired)
1/4th tsp turmeric
1/3 cup beaten yogurt
1 tbsp oil
salt to taste
1 tbsp coriander leaves to garnish

Procedure

Heat oil in a deep skillet on medium heat, add cumin seeds and allow them to splutter, add onions , green chillies ( if using) and turmeric and saute till onions turn translucent, add tomatoes and cook for 3-4 mins. To this add potatoes, peas and cook for 8-10 mins on low heat covered or cook till potatoes are 3/4th done, keep stirring in the middle, sprinkle some water if needed. Add coriander powder, chilli powder and cook for 2 mins. Add cauliflower florets and cook for 10-12 mins on medium-low flame covered. Once the cauliflower are done, turn off the heat and mix the yogurt. Garnish with corainder leaves and serve with rice or rotis.

Notes and Tips

Add yogurt once you turn off the heat, otherwise it will curdle. You can also add little cream along with yogurt. If you add cauliflower too early it will over cook and florets will fall a part and make the mushy.

Little Imprints

My lil one’s foot prints on snow. He got so excited as soon as he saw snow covered patio. He wanted to play. He went bare foot and I got a chance to take this beautiful picture, I have been waiting for a while to take his imprints in snow and finally I got it!!!

Tomato Omlet

Last week I made Soumya’s (homespices) version tomato omlet with my own touch. This was a new dish for me but for my husband, it seems he use to eat a lot ( in chandamamma restaurant in Nellore) during his childhood, also my FIL’s fav dish on the menu. I followed Soumya’s recipe, I added grated carrot and coriander leaves instead of curry leaves. So folks enjoy this super easy/ fast dosa anytime of the day. Have it with your favorite chutney or even with plain yougurt. I ate plain. I wanted to post this few days back. Soumya thanks a lot for posting delicious recipe. Here is my version.

Ingredients

1 cup sooji (ravva)
1 cup maida (all-purpose flour)
2 tbsp rice flour (optional)
1 tsp cumin seeds
Big pinch of turmeric
Red chilli powder (accord to taste)
Salt to taste
1 medium onion (finely chopped)
2 medium tomatoes (finely chopped)
1 carrot (grated)
3-4 green chillies (finely chopped)
1-2” inches ginger (grated)
Fist full of coriander leaves (chopped)
Water to make batter
Oil to make dosa

Procedure

In a large bowl mix all the dry ingredients, chopped veggies and water mix well and keep a side for 20-30 mins (batter should be thin like ravva dosa batter). Heat griddle/ tava on medium heat (when u pour the batter tava should be hot) splash spoonful of batter and add little on to the edges of dosa, cover it for 15-20 sec’s. Flip the dosa (you can see the edges starts turning brown) and cook the other side for another 10 sec and remove from. Repeat the process with remaining batter. Serve hot with your favorite pickle or chutney.

Notes and Tips

Adding vegetables makes dosa not only look colorful but also healthy. Rice flour makes dosa crispy while carrots add crunch. You can also add couple of tablespoons of yogurt of you like, add nice tang to dosa. Thinner the batter, lacy and crispy the dosa will come. If the batter is too thin add sooji and flour in same proportion. If it’s thick add little water. Adjust the heat while making dosa. Low heat will make soggy and difficult to flip the dosa, high heat will burn.

Chunky Minestrone

Vegetarian soups are even more satisfying when paired with a sandwich or salad. A bowl of warm soup or stew is quite comforting after a long day. And some of the best are loaded with healthy, good amount of fiber and vitamin-rich vegetables. Chunky minestrone is one of my favorite. The word minestrone means :- variety of thick Italian soups made with vegetables, often with the addition of pasta or rice. Common ingredients include beans, onions, celery, carrots, stock, and tomatoes. (Source wikipedia.org)

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion (chopped)
1 medium onion (diced)
1 clove garlic (minced)
1 celery stalk (thinly sliced)
1 medium zucchini (cubed)
4-6 mushrooms (chopped , optional)
4-6 asparagus ( cut into 1-2″ inches)
14.5 oz canned tomatoes (diced/whole un drained)
15 oz canned cannelloni beans ( drained)
1/4 cup small pasta
2-3 cups water/vegetable stock
1 tsp Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup parmesan cheese (grated)

Procedure

Heat oil in a large deep pan over medium heat. Add onions, celery, carrots garlic and sauté for 3-5 minutes. Add seasoning, zucchini, mushrooms, asparagus, tomatoes ( if using whole chop into bite size pieces), salt , pepper, water/stock and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat and cook for 12-15 minutes. Add beans and pasta and cook for 8-10 minutes or till pasta is done (al-denta). Sprinkle with cheese and serve hot with garlic bread/ salad.

Notes and Tips

You can add greens (spinach /kale) to the soup, taste and also looks really good. You also use orzo (rice shaped pasta) instead of small pasta. You can also make this soup with your choice of vegetables, beans, pasta and olives and serve hot in winter and cold in summer.