RICE NOODLES & POTATO KURMA

U need:
Rice noodles( Sevai) packet: 1(big)
mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
red chillies: 2
asefodita powder: 1/2 tsp
salt to taste.


Kurma:
 Baby potatoes(washed,boiled and peeled) 2 cups
Oil for deep frying
curry leaves: 1 sprig
green chillies: 2 slit
garlic: 2 pods(sliced fine)(optional
red chilli powder: 1 tsp
turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp
garam masala: 1/4 tsp
cinnamon,cloves,cardamom: 2 each
onion sliced fine: 1/2 cup


Grind to a smooth paste:
fresh coconut: 1/2 cup
cahew pieces: 2 tsp
poppy seeds: 1 tsp


Method: Kurma
1. Heat oil in a frying pan. When hot deep fry the baby potatoes.Drain off excess oil and set aside.
2.In another cooking pan,heat 2 tablsp oil.  Put in the cloves ,cinnamon and cardamom and saute for a few mins.Add the sliced onions and sliced garlic.Saute for a few mins. Now add red chilli powder,turmeric powder and continue stirring,


3. Now add the fried baby potatoes and saute well.Add salt and 1/2 tsp sugar. Add 2 cups water.Cover and simmer till potatoes are cooked( 10 to 12 mins).


4.  Once the potatoes are cooked add the ground paste and mix well.Add curry leaves and slit green chillies..Simmer till the paste &the kurma is well mixed and the gravy semi thick. Add the garam masala.Cover and set aside.
5. Serve hot with flavoured rice noodles.


Flavoured rice noodles: Prepare the noodles as instructed in the pack.Drain excess water,toss well with a spoon of oil.
Heat 1 tablsp oil in a kadai.Sputter mustard seeds,asefodita and red chillies.Saute.Add the cooked rice noodles and pinch salt .Toss well . Serve with potato kurma.


For a sunday night dinner this combo dish tastes yummmmmmmm!!!!!


red chiili powder and green chillies can be adjusted to taste......


Bon apetite!!!

WHITE KURMA & CHAPPATHI

U need: KURMA:
Mixed Vegetables : 2 cups (beans,peas,carrots, potato,cauliflower)
Onions: 1/2 cup( grated)
Cinnamon: 2 stick
Cloves: 2
Cardamom: 2
Ginger paste: 2 tsp
cashew/almonds: 2 tsp
green chillies: 6
coconut milk:1 cup( thick)
coriander leaves: 2tsp
salt to taste
oil: 2 tablsp
Peppercorns: 1 tsp
Milk: 1/4 cup


Method:


1.  Clean well and Dice fine the mixed vegetables. 


2. Heat oil in a cooking pan.When hot add cinnamon cloves and cardamom and 1 tsp peppercorns. Saute well. Add the grated onions and continue stirring, sprinkling a little water. Add the green chillies.( 5 to 6 mins)


3.  Grind the cashew or almonds to a fine paste using a little milk.


4.Add the diced vegetables to the onion paste along with the ginger paste and continue stirring. Add salt and 2 cups water.Cover and simmer until the vegetables are semi cooked.Add the cashew/almond paste and cook further.
5.Once the vegetables are cooked mix in the thick coconut milk stirring gently.Garnish with coriander leaves.Cover and switch off the gas.


5. Serve this simple delicious kurma with chappatis


Note For non vegetarians instead of vegetablses u can use shredded chicken or fish slices . The gravy remains the same.

PALAK SAMBHAR&SMALL ONION RICE

U need:
Palak(Spinach): 1 bunch
Drumstick: 1 large cut
Onion: 1 medium ( sliced fine)
Tamarind paste: 3/4 tsp
green chillies: 3 slit
yellow lentil(toover dal): 1/2 cup cleaned and pressure cooked till soft
turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder: 1/2 tsp
coriander powder: 1 tsp
mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
oil: 2 tablsp
urad dal: 1 tsp
garlic pods: 3 minced fine
red chilli: 2
asefodita: pinch
salt to taste


For the Rice:
Cooked Basmati rice : 2 cups
small onions(shallots): 1/2 cup(peeled)
Mustard seeds:1/2 tsp
oil I tablsp
pepper powder: 1 tsp
salt to taste
curry leaves: few


Method:Sambhar:
1. Clean wash and chop Palak/Spinach leaves to fine pieces. Soak in cold water and set aside.
2.Heat oil in a pan.When hot add the asefodita,mustard seeds,red chilli, urad dal and saute. Add the sliced onions and minced garlic and saute well. Add the green chillies.


3.Add chopped drumstick and continue stirring.Now add the turmeric powder,red chilli powder and coriander powder.Mix well.Squeeze out the water from the palak and add to the pan.Stir well for 5 to 7 mins.Add salt and tamarind paste.Pour 2 cups of water and simmer the sambhar till it is well cooked and the raw smell of the tamarind goes.Add the cooked and mashed yellow lentil.Stir well and simmer for a few mins. Add one tsp ghee(clarified butter).


4. Switch off the gas .Cover with a lid and set aside.


Rice;
Heat oil in a kadai.When hot add the mustard seeds,curry leaves.Saute.Add the shallots and stir fry for few mins.
Now add the cooked and fluffed rice,salt and pepper powder.Mix well.


Serve this onion rice with palak sambhar.


One word: Yummmmm!!!!!!!!!!! Bon apetite!!!!!!!


Note: You can use amarnath leaves( mula keerai) instead of palak.Tastes equally good.

KIDNEY BEANS CURRY&CUMIN RICE( RAJMA&CHAWAL)

U need: 
Rajma ( red kidney beans): 2 cups
onions(grated): 1/2 cup
gingergarlic paste :2 tsp (if using only ginger paste: 3 tsp)
tomato puree: 1/2 cup
tomato ketchup: 2 tablsp
green chilli slit: 2
red chilli powder: 1 tsp
coriander cumin powder: 2 tsp
garam masala powder: 1 tsp
kitchen king masala powder: 1 tsp
fresh cream: 3 tablsp
salt and sugar to taste
oil: 2 tablsp


For the rice:
Basmati Rice: 2 cups
cumin seeds: 1 tsp
cloves: 2
peppercorns: 1/4 tsp
water to cook rice
butter/ghee; 2 tablsp
salt to taste


Method: For the rice:
Soak rice in water for 20 mins
Heat butter/ghee in a kadai.Temper with cloves,peppercorns and cumin seeds.Saute.
Drain the rice and add to the tempering.Fry well for 5 to 6 mis.Add salt  and 1 and 1/2 cups of water.Cover with lid and let the rice get cooked.Remove lid,fluff the rice with a fork.Cover and set aside.


Rajma:
Soak Rajma(red kidney beans) overnight. Next day pressure cook with pinch cooking soda and 1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste.the beans should be cooked soft.
Heat 2 tablsp oil in a cooking pan. When hot add the grated onion and saute.Add the gingergarlic paste and continue stirring till the paste is cooked.Add the tomato puree and tomato ketchup.Sprinkle a little water to prevent the paste from sticking to the pan.
After 6 mins of stirring add the green chillies,red chilli powder,coriander cumin powder,kitchen king powder and garam masala.Continue stirring. Add 1 tablsp of butter or ghee( clarified butter).Now add 1 tablsp of cream and continue the saute. Once the paste is cooked well and the oil starts oozing out add the cooked rajma(kidney beans) and 1 cup water.Stir well Add salt and pinch sugar .Simmer for 5 to 7 mins till the gravy thickens.Add the balance cream.Stir once.Switch off the gas.Cover with a lid.
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with cumin rice.
 A punjabi speciality this is an excellent treat for Sunday lunch.You can make a salad as an accompaniment.
Note: Kitchen king masala is available in a all Indian grocery stores.This masala can be used in a wide variety of dishes.

KHULCHA WITH AMRITSARI CHANNA

U need : For Khulchas:


semolina(sooji):1/2 cup
wheat flour: 1 cup
white flour: 1 cup
sugar: 1 tsp
salt: to taste
baking powder: 1/2 tsp
water to knead.


For Amritsari channa:


chick peas( chola): 1 cup             bay leaf: 1
big cardamom: 1                          kashmiri chilli powder: 1/2 tsp
small green cadamom: 2            dhaniya jeera powder: 1 tsp
cinnamon stick" 2                        chola masala: 1 tsp
cloves: 2                                        chat masala: 1 tsp
cooking soda: 1/2 tsp                  oil: 2 tablsp
salt to taste                                   coriander leaves: 2 tsp
lemon slices: 4                              ginger julliene: 2 tsp
green chillies slit: 2                      tomato puree: 2 tsp  


Method: Khulchas
 In a small bowl soak the semolina with sugar and 1/2 cup water for 10 mins.
In another bowl mix together the flours,baking powder and salt. Pour the soaked semolina mix and knead to a soft but firm dough.Cover and rest for 1 hr.


Heat a tava.
Knead the dough once again.Take a medium size piece and roll to a semi thick circular using rolling pin and some wheat flour.Dust  off the excess flour. Put the khlcha on the tava and cook well on both sides till light brown specs appear. Add a little butter ,flip on both sides and serve hot with amritsari channa.


Amritsari channa:
Soak chik peas over night with the cooking soda. Next day wash well and put in the pressure cooker along with cardamoms,cloves and cinnamon.
Cook well till the chola is soft and well cooked.
In a kadai add the oil.Once the oil is heated add the bay leaf and 1 tsp ginger julliene. Saute. Add tomato puree and stir further.Add chilli powder,dhaniyajeera powder,chola masala and chat masala.Continue stirring. 
Add the cooked chola along with the chola stock.Add salt.Simmer till the chola becomes semi  thick gravy. the gravy should semi thick.


Garnish  with ginger julliene ,slit green chillies , lemon pieces and coriander leaves and serve hot as an accompaniment to khulchas.


Bon Apetite!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ADAI & MALABAR AVIAL

U need:

Toover dal : 1/2 cup

Urad dal: 2 tablsp

masoor dal: 2 tablsp

moong dal: 2 tablsp

green gram dal: 2 tablsp

rice: 3/4 cup

red chillies: 3

curry leaves: few

grated coconut: 3 tablsp

salt to taste

pinch asefodita

For Avial: 

mixed vegetable( ashgourd,redpumpkin,raw banana,snakegourd,carrot): 3 cups cut into sticks

turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp

grated coconut: 3/4 cup

small onions( shallots): 1/4 cup

green chillies: 3

cumin seeds: 1 tsp

curd: 2 cups

Method.

1. Soak the lentils and the rice for 3 hours. Drain the water and grind to a semi coarse paste along with the red chillies and curry leaves,salt and pinch asefodita using  3/4 cup water.

2.Transfer the paste into a bowl.Add the curry leaves and grated coconut.

3. Heat tava and make semi thick pancakes using oil to cook well on both sides.

Keep in a plate.Set aside.The adais are ready

Avial: In a cooking pan add 3 cups water,turmeric powder and the cut vegetables along with chopped drumsticks.Stir well and cook.Add salt.

Grind together the coconut,onion,green chillies and cumin to a fine paste.Add this paste to the simmering vegetables and continue cooking till the vegetables are cooked the the paste is well blended.

Add the curd and curry leaves.Simmer for a few mins and serve hot with adais.

This is a a very popular combo meal in South India especially in Tamil nadu.

The Avial can also be eaten as a side dish with rice,sambhar and pappads.

Enjoy!!!!!!!!Bon Apetite!!!!!!!!!!!!!

VEGETABLE AU GRATIN & CHILLI TOAST

U need:
Mixed vegetables(beans,carrots,peas,capsicum,cauliflower,fresh corn) : 2 cups
butter: 2 tablsp
onion: 1 sliced fine
dried herbs: 1/2 tsp
green chillies: 2( julienne)
salt and pepper to taste
grated cheddar or parmessan cheese: 2 tablsp


For the sauce:
White flour: 1 tablsp
Butter: 2 tablsp
Milk: 2 cups


Method: 
1. Prepare white sauce: In a kadai add the butter and once the butter is melted add the flour and keep stirring briskly till the mix is blended well.Slowly add the milk continuing to stir to prevent any lumps being formed. Once the sauce is thickening switch off the gas.


2. In another kadai add the butter and when the butter melts add the onions.Fry well for a few mins.Now add the diced mixed vegetables and continue stirring.Add the dried herbs.green chillies,salt and pepper.Add 1/2 cup water,cover and cook the vegetables till semi cooked.Remove the lid,add the white sauce,stirring well all the time till the sauce blends well in the vegetables.


3. Transfer the mix into a greased oven proof dish.Sprinkle grated cheese on top and bake in the oven for 20 mins or till the cheese has melted.


Chiili toast: In a small pot add 2 tablsp salted butter,finely minced 1 green chilli,1/2 tsp mustard powder and mix well .
Take 2 slices of fresh bread.Apply the chilli butter on the bread.Grill/bake in a hot oven.


Cut the chilli toast into 2.Serve hot as an accompaniment to the vegetable au gratin.