Bombay Potato Curry

Bombay Potato Curry

                                                                       I think I am in a phase of making simple,easy,tasty,tangy subzi's these days.It is real hot summer and i am sure all of us want to spend as little time as possible in the kitchen.In the process i came across this subzi called Bombay potato curry or Bombay Bataka Recipe posted by Sia of Monsoon spice.I immediately gave it a try and it was yummy!!!To my surprise it is a no onion and no garlic recipe!!!!

You will Need

• Three large Potatoes
• Tomato Puree from Four Tomatoes
• One tbs of Tamarind paste
• One tbs of powdered Jaggery
• Two tbs of Oil
• One tsp of Crushed Ginger
• Two Red chillies
• One tsp Cumin seeds
• Half tsp Turmeric powder
• One tsp Red Chilli powder
• One tsp Coriander powder
• One tsp Garam masala powder
• Salt to taste

How to

• Boil the potatoes in a pressure cooker.Peel the skin and dice them in to blocks.
• Throw four tomatoes in boiling water switch off the stove.Leave for ten minutes,peel the skin and puree it.
• Heat Oil in a pan crackle cumin seeds add tomato puree,turmeric powder and jaggery and boil it in high flame for three minutes.
• Add the Tamarind paste,crushed ginger,chilli powder and pour in two cups of hot water and allow it to boil for ten minutes in medium flame.
• Now add the potatoes,give it a stir and add the garam masala powder.Mash four to five potatoes(pieces) and add it to the subzi so that it thickens a bit.
• Garnish with Corinader leaves and enjoy with any type of Indian bread or Pulao.

Notes

• If you are using tamarind instead of paste soak it in hot water for ten minutes and extract the pulp two or three times and keep aside until use.
• Adjust the amount of tamarind,jaggery and spices according to your taste.

Atte Ke Halwa/Wheat Flour Halwa

Atte Ke Halwa/Wheat Flour Halwa

                                                                 Atte Ke Halwa is nothing but halwa made with wheat flour.You will not believe that it is so simple to make!!!.I remember when i was in college One of my Gujarati friends used to make it  so easily.She also mentioned to us that in north india it is made when they were fasting and during pooja times.It is quiet heavy and filling because it is made out of wheat flour,sugar and ghee.So watch out if you are eating in non fasting times!!!!

You will Need

• One cup Wheat flour
• One cup Sugar
• One cup Water
• Half cup Ghee
• Few Almonds

How to

• In a non stick pan heat three fourth of the ghee and the wheat flour and roast the wheat flour till nice aroma comes.It is very important otherwise the raw smell of the flour will stand out.

• In the meantime heat the water in another stove and once the wheat flour is roasted slowly add the water and keep stirring continuously.

• Add the sugar Do not worry if it lumpy it will get dissolved.Let the sugar dissolve.

• It will gather and come together and you switch off the stove and add rest of the ghee and garnish with some silvered almonds.

• Enjoy when it it warm!!!!

Bhindi Fry the south Indian way

Bhindi Fry the south Indian way

                                                                     I have been wanting to make this yummy bhindi fry in a while but  somehow it didn't happen.Yesterday my neighbor uncle sent some vegetables from his farm it was correct quantity for me to do this fry,so i thought let me make it.People usually make this only in weddings and festival menus since it is deep fried.I usually wait for a second serving of this bhindi fry in the wedding.
It is crispy, crunchy and spicy and makes an excellent side for any south Indian gravy like Sambar.

You will Need

• 350 gms of Lady's Finger 
• Eight Tbs of Gram Flour
• One tsp of Red chilli powder
• One tbs Rice flour
• One tbs Tamarind paste(optional)
• Salt to taste
• Oil to deep fry

How to

• Wash the Lady's finger well and allow it to dry for a while.Pat dry them with paper towel and chop them as show in the picture.

• Mix the chopped lady's finger,gram flour,rice flour,chilli powder,salt and some water or tamarind water.

• Take the lady's finger coated well with gram flour on all sides and drop it in hot oil one by one.fry them in small batches and drain them in paper towels.

Notes

• Adjust the chilli powder according to your taste.
• You can add water or some tamarind juice to mix the gram flour.
• In case you are not adding tamarind juice you can even use amchur powder.

Curry Leaves Powder/Karuvepillai Podi

Curry Leaves Powder/Karuvepillai Podi

                                                                    Curry Leaves powder or karivepillai podi is a dry version of the curry leaves thogayal.It can be stored for a much longer period and it is easy to carry when you are travelling.It is easy and simple to make and it can be used as an alternative to 'dosai milagai podi' so you can have it as an accompaniment for idlis and dosas along with some gingelly oil.
Curry Leaves has enormous benefits and its iron content helps ladies overcome their menstrual problems too.So it is advised to include lot of curry leaves in our diet and when it is consumed like a thogayal or karuvepillai podi you do not throw away the leaves like we do when it is put in sambar or other dishes.

You will Need

• One cup Dried Curry Leaves
• Half cup Urad dal
• One tsp Channa dal
• One small piece of Tamarind
• Half tsp of Asafoetida
• Few Red Chillies
• Salt to taste
• One tsp Gingelly Oil

How to

• Wash the curry leaves well and spread it on a newspaper and allow it to dry.

• After it dries totally dry roast them in a pan.and keep it aside to cool.

In the same pan pour one tsp Gingelly oil and roast the urad and channa dal first.when it starts to get brown add the chillies and tamarind and roast till the dal becomes golden brown.Keep it aside in a plate to cool.

•  After all the ingredients cool powder the curry leaves along with tamarind,salt asafoetida,and red chillies.

• Add the urad dal and powder further.

Notes

• You can use this powder to make Curry Leaves Rice too.
• It is also given to ladies post their delivery.

Raw Banana Curry

Raw Banana Curry

                                                                       Raw Banana curry with a tinge of Tamarind is the curry that my mom used to make on amavasya day.In most of the Tamil homes i am sure they would make Vazhaikkai(raw banana) in a slightly different style.This one is perfect accompaniment for sambar or pitlai.

You will Need

• Two Raw Bananas
• Two Red chillies
• Two green chillies
• Two tsp of Coconut Oil
• One tsp Mustard seeds
• One tsp Urad dal
• One tsp Channa dal
• 1/4 tsp of Asafoetida
• Salt totaste
• 1/4 tsp of Tamarind paste
• One Tbs of Scraped Coconut.

How to

• Peel the skin of the raw bananas and dice them in to big pieces.Boil them with salt,turmeric powder and tamarind paste or 1/4 cup tamarind water(add to the boiling vegetable)add enough salt so that it right even after straining.

•  Let it boil till it is really soft because sometimes raw banana gets hard after a while.strain it and keep it aside.

•  Heat coconut oil in the pan crackle mustard seeds,add urad dal,channa dal and the green and red chillies.let the dal brown add curry leaves and asafoetida.

•  Add the boiled pieces and saute for a minute and add scraped coconut and mix well.

• Transfer in to a serving bowl and serve with any kind of sambar.
• Using coconut oil gives a special aroma.

Avial

Avial

                                                                    Avial is a vegetable curry in Kerala style.Though it is a Kerala Dish it has become very popular in Tamilnadu also. Avial is part of every festival menu in Tamilnadu and the Onam Sadhya..My mother used to make avial with onion sambar and potato curry on sundays.I do make it some times but not very often.

Avial is a coconut based curry with a lot of vegetables in it.Since it has lot of vegetables like white pumkin,yam,carrots,beans,potato,brinjals,snake gaurd,broad beans,colocasia,drumstick,raw banana, cooking them evenly and not allowing them to get mushy is a challenge in this curry.Some of the vegetables like yam,colocasia,drumstick,raw banana,beans and carrots take a longer time to cook than other vegetables like white pumkin,brinjal etc.So cooking them in batches and combining them in to a tasty curry could be challenging!!!

You will Need

• Two cups of Mixed vegetables 
• One cup Scraped Coconut
• Two to three Green chillies
• One tsp of Cumin Seeds
• One tbs of Coconut Oil
• Two to three Tbs of Curds
• Salt to taste

How to

• Cut the vegetables in to thin slices.Boil the vegetables like carrot,beans,raw banana,yam and drumstick first with a little salt.Later add the vegetables like white pumkin,brinjal and boil till cooked.

•  Grind together coconut,cumin seeds,and green chilies in to a coarse paste.(you can add some soaked rice and grind along with coconut to make the gravy thicker)If you are cooking for parties you can grind some soaked almonds and cashewnuts along with coconut.it will give a rich taste.

•  Remove the excess water from the vegetables and add the ground paste and boil till it thickens.remove from fire.

•  Add the curds and mix well.Check for salt if required add some more.

•  Drizzle the coconut oil and garnish with curry leaves.

• Avial is a great combination with Adai(lentil Pancakes).however it is a great vegetable accompaniment for any sambar!The coconut oil in the avial adds a special flavour to the avial.

Ammini Kozhukattai/Steamed Rice Dumplings

Ammini Kozhukattai/Steamed Rice Dumplings

Ammini Kozhukattai's or Mini(mani)Kozhukattai's are usually made of leftover outer dough of the Kozhukattais we make during festivals.This is the  tastiest of the kozhukattais (according to me)so I would be waiting for my grandmom and aunts finish making the other kozhukattais.so if there is any leftover I would get to taste this.

I made this today with rice flour just to snack.There are lots of recipes for this and my version is as follows.

It is a very healthy snack for kids and old people because it is steamed.

You will Need

• One cup of Rice flour
• Two cups of water
• One tsp of Gingelly oil
• Salt to taste
• Half a tsp Chilli powder

To Season

• One tbs Gingelly Oil
• One tsp Mustard seeds
• One tsp Urad dal
• Few Red chillies
• Few Curry Leaves
• One tbs Scraped Coconut
• A generous pinch of Asafoetida

How To
1.Seive the rice flour.

2.Boil water with salt and gingelly oil.Add the seived flour slowly and keep stirring.

3.Switch off the stove and stir the flour until thick mass with a wooden laddle.

4.Add chilli powder and mix well and keep it closed to cool for ten minutes.

5.Apply oil in your palm take a small portion of the dough and make a small round.

6.Repeat for the rest of the flour.

7.Place all of them in a steamer and steam for 12 minutes.(oversteaming will make them rubbery)

8.Heat oil in a pan crackle mustard seeds and add rest of the things given under column "season" except the coconut and saute for a minute.

9.Sprinkle coconut and it is ready.serve warm.