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This curry is a very good side dish for rice and can be used as a sandwich in bread.
Ingredients
- Broccoli -2 to 3 florets (cut the broccoli as shown)
- Thoor dhall – ½ cup (cook by adding a cup of water and pressure cook upto 3 whistles)
- Onion small – 1 (chop into very thin slices)
- Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
- Red chilly powder -1 tsp
- Mustard seeds – ½ tsp
- Urad dhall – ½ tsp
- Red chilly – 1 or 2
- Coconut shredded -1 table spoon
- Cumin seeds–1 tsp
- Garlic pods -2 or 3 pods (grate it)
- Oil — 1 tsp
Directions
1. Heat a heavy wide pan and add oil as needed.
2. Once oil is hot add the mustard, cumin seeds, urad dhall, and red chilly and allow them to splutter.
3. Now add the thinly sliced onion, grated garlic and fry well.
4. Then add chopped broccoli and saute by adding little water. Add salt as needed and cook for 5 minutes by closing the lid until broccoli is cooked well.
5. Now add cooked thoor dhal and mix well.
6. Cook for 5 more minutes and finally add shredded coconut.
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Raw bananas/green bananas/plantains are rich in dietary fiber, potassium and vitamins A and C. Usually, you will get plantain fried and soaked in grease when ordered as a side dish at a fancy restaurant. This recipe is a healthy a delicious way of consuming the plaintains.
Ingredients
- Raw banana – 1 or 2
- Red chilly -1 or 2(broken into halves)
- Mustard seeds -1 teaspoon
- Urad dhal -1 teaspoon
- Turmeric powder -1 teaspoon
- Curry leaves -3 to 4 leaves (optional)
- Cashews -4 to 5 (broken into halves)
- Salt – to taste
- Oil – 2 teaspoon
Directions
1. With a vegetable peeler or sharp knife, peel off the skin from the green banana and cook it in boiling water for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the stove and let it cool.
2. Grate the cooked bananas into shreds.
3. Set a pan and add 2 tsp oil, once hot add urad dhal, mustard seeds one by one and allow them to splutter followed by red chilly.
4. Now add the shredded banana, followed by a dash of turmeric powder and salt, and mix them well.
5. Sauté for 10 minutes.
6. Finally add the fried cashews and serve with rice.
Note: I have shredded the plaintains to make it interesting to eat. You can dice the cooked plaintains instead and follow steps 3 - 6 as well.
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Yellow bell peppers are good source of vitamin C and if you want to incorporate them in your daily meal, this is one way of doing so. This particular recipe goes well as a side dish with rice and rotis. The crunchiness of peanuts adds flavor to the dish.
Ingredients
- Yellow bell pepper- 2
- Mustard seeds – ½ tsp
- Urad dhall – ½ tsp
- Peanuts-2 tbsp(roasted and chopped into small pieces.)
- Red chilly- 1 or 2
- Oil – 2 teaspoon
- Onion -to garnish (cut into thin slices)
- Tomato -to garnish (chop into small pieces)
- cilantro leaves – ¼ cup (to garnish)
Directions
1. Chop bell pepper into very thin pieces.
2. Heat a flat pan and add oil as needed.
3. When oil is hot add mustard, urad dhall and allow them to splutter.
4. Now add very thinly sliced bell pepper into the pan and saute for 5 to 10 minutes by adding little water as needed.
5. Make sure its not overcooked but crunchy.
6. At this point add the chopped peanuts and mix well.
Simmer for 5 more minutes and turn off the heat.
Finally garnish with onion, tomato and coriander leaves as shown.
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Korma, a type of curry is quiet versatile and can be made in many different ways with different ingredients and veggies. The flavor of korma depends on the type of ingredients used. The spices are either roasted and ground or can be used as such. Here
Is my simple version of korma with mixed vegetables. I had fresh carrots, beans, and peas, so I thought why not make this scrumptious korma with soy chunks too. This flavorful dish turned to be more tasty with soy chunks.Here goes the recipe.
Ingredients
- Carrots – 2 (cut into small cubes)
- Green beans- 10 (chopped)
- Peas – ½ cup (can use frozen)
- Soy chunks – 20 (I used around ¾ cup)
- Potato – 1 (chopped)
- Onion – 1 (chopped)
- Tomato – 1 (chopped)
- Green chili- 4 (slit)
- Turmeric powder- ¼ teaspoon
- Oil – 2 tablespoons
- Salt to taste
Ingredients to be ground
- Ginger and garlic paste – 1 tablespoon
- Grated coconut – 4 tablespoons
- Roasted channa dhal – 2 tablespoons
- Fennel seeds- 1 teaspoon
- Poppy seeds- 1 teaspoon
- Cumin seeds – 1 teaspoon
- Coriander seeds – 1 teaspoon
Ingredients for seasoning
- Bay leaf – 1
- Cinnamon stick-1 (1 inch piece)
- Green cardamom- 2
- Mustard seeds – 1 teaspoon
- Curry leaves – 1 sprig
Directions
1. Steam cook carrot, green beans, peas and potato for 10 minutes. Set them aside.
2. Grind the ingredients in table 2(grated coconut, ginger garlic, roasted channa dhal, fennel, poppy, coriander and cumin seeds) to a fine paste. Set aside.
3. Boil 3 cups of water. Switch off the stove. Add in the soya chunks and let sit for 5 minutes. Drain the granules and rinse them in cool water twice. Squeeze the excess water.
4. Set a pan add oil. Once hot splutter mustard seeds add bay leaf, cinnamon stick, and cardamom and curry leaves. At this point the spices would give a nice aroma. Do not burn them. Add onion and green chili and sauté till onion turns translucent. Add chopped tomatoes and cook until they turn mushy.
5. Add the steamed veggies along with the soy chunks and sauté for a couple of minutes.
6. Now add the ground coconut paste and stir them well. Sauté for 5 more minutes and add 2 cups of water. Add turmeric powder and salt. Bring them to a boil. Switch off the stove once the gravy/curry becomes thick.
Serve with roti, naan, parantha, rice, idly and dosa.
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This spicy, tangy, creamy curry can be prepared with any kind of peppers. I used this kind of jalapenos for my gravy.
Originally a Hyderabad cuisine, this curry is prepared by frying jalapenos and simmering them in peanut and sesame sauce. Today being cold and chilly I planned to make this gravy. What can be more comfortable than steaming roti and hot mirchi ka salan!
Ingredients
- Jalapenos – 4 to 5 (slit, deseed them and chop them into 1 inch pieces)
- Red onion- 1 (chopped)
- Tomato – 1(chopped)
- Garlic – 4
- Ginger – 1 inch piece
- Peanuts – 2 tablespoons
- Sesame – 2 tablespoons
- Cumin seeds- 1 teaspoon
- Chili powder – 1 teaspoon
- Dhania / coriander powder- 1 teaspoon
- Tamarind extract – 2 tablespoons (small marble sized tamarind if using regular tamarind ,1 teaspoon of tamarind extract if using tamarind pulp)
- Jaggery – 1 teaspoon
- Mustard seeds- 1 teaspoon
- Fenugreek seeds- 1 teaspoon
- Salt to taste
- Oil – 3 tablespoons
Directions
- Dry roast peanuts, sesame and cumin seeds one by one in a pan. Do not brown them. After they cool down, powder them in a blender. Set aside.
- In a blender, grind chopped onions, tomatoes, ginger and garlic to a smooth paste. Set them aside.
- Set a pan, add 3 tablespoons of oil. Once hot fry chopped jalapenos till they turn into brown color. Remove jalapenos from pan.
- In the same pan, splutter mustard seeds and add fenugreek seeds. Add onion tomato paste and cook for 5 minutes. Add chili powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder. Cook till the oil separates.
- Add tamarind extract and 2 cups of water and bring it to boil. Add peanut, sesame and cumin powder and simmer till the gravy thickens.
- Add salt and jaggery and check the seasonings. Turn off the heat once the gravy thickens.
- serve this with steamed rice, roti , parantha or naan.
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This gravy was taught by my mom and comes in handy when I am in short of vegetables or when I need to fix something quick for dinner or break fast. There are no arduous steps to make this gravy so; it can be categorized as simple gravy yet tasty one. We usually have this gravy with toasted bread but it is a good accompaniment for idli, dosa and roti too.
Ingredients for sauce
- Dry red chili- 2 to 3
- Cumin seeds- ¾ teaspoon
- Coriander / dhania seeds- 1 teaspoon
- Channa dhal – 1 ½ teaspoon
- Shallots (medium sized)- 3 to 4 ( chopped)
- Tomatoes – (medium sized) – 3 (chopped)
- Grated coconut – 2 tablespoons
Ingredients for seasoning
- Onion- 1 (chopped)
- Mustard seeds- 1 teaspoon
- Curry leaves – 1 sprig
- Turmeric powder- ¼ teaspoon
- Salt to taste
- Oil- 2 teaspoons
Directions
1. Set a pan, add a teaspoon of oil, once hot roast the red chili and set them aside.
2. In the same oil roast cumin seeds, coriander seeds and channa dhal. Be careful as not to brown them. Now add shallot and sauté for 2 minutes. Once translucent add tomatoes and sauté them until they turn mushy. Add the grated coconut and toss them well. Turn off the stove. Let them cool and blend them to a smooth paste in the blender.
3. Set a pan add a teaspoon of oil. Once hot, splutter mustard seeds, add onion and curry leaves. Sauté until onions turn translucent and add the ground paste.
4. Add salt, turmeric powder and 2 cups of water. Bring it to a boil and simmer until the gravy thickens. Turn off the heat and garnish with coriander leaves.
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Taro root which is a root vegetable which is an all Vegan Probiotic and excellent source of Fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin B-1, Vitamin A, Potassium, Magnesium, and Iron and can be used in place of potatoes. It has hairy outer layer and the outer layer should be removed. Taro root is toxic in its raw form so always cook it before eating. It gives a nut-like flavor when cooked. Frying, baking, roasting, boiling makes this root very tasty. Here is one simple recipe which is fat free too.
Ingridients
• Taro root / arbi -5 to 6 (boil till it is tender by pressure cooker for 3 to 4 whisles)
• Turmeric powder -1 teaspoon
• Mild Chilly powder – table spoon
• Salt- -as needed
• Oil – - 2 tablespoon
Directions
1. Cook the taro root in pressure cooker with the skin till it is tender.
2. Now remove the outer skin and slit them length wise.
3. Mix turmeric powder, chilly powder, salt as needed in a small cup.
4. Check for the salt and spice.
5. Now coat the taro root with this mixture you prepared in step 3 as shown.
6 .Now coat taro root with oil as needed, so all are covered by oil.
7. Now transfer this to wide oven pan where there is enough space for all.
8. Now preheat the oven for 350 by setting the timer for 20 minutes and keep the pan.
9. After 20 minutes toss cooked taro root keep again in oven for 10 to 15 minutes till it is little crisp but do not burn it.
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Many simple dishes can be made with yellow lentil. It can be cooked and spiced up with various kinds of spices. Lentil is the chief support in vegetarian cooking as it provides substantial amount of protein.
Here is one version of the dish made with yellow lentil.
Ingredients
- Masoor dhal (yellow lentil) – ¾ cup
- Lime – 3 wedges
- Garlic – 2 to 3 pods (crushed)
- Cumin seeds – 1 teaspoon
- Red chillies – 3 (broken into half)
- Black mustard seeds -1 teaspoon
- Curry leaves- few (optional)
- Onion -1 (medium size) (chopped)
- Salt -as needed
- Oil -2 teaspoons
Directions
1. Set a heavy pan and add oil.
2. When the oil is hot add black mustard seeds, cumin seeds and allow them to splutter.
3. Now add onion, garlic, red chilly, curry leaves and sauté well.
4. Next wash and add the masoor dhal by adding one 1 ½ cup of water.
5. Cook the masoor dhal till it is tender.
6. At this point, add 2 to 3 lime wedges with salt , mix well and cook for 5 minutes.
7. Serve hot with steamed rice or chapatti.
Variation
This dish can be made with yellow lentil or brown lentil as well.
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Sambhar- this delicious, mouth watering gravy is the main dish in everyday and in conventional and formalistic food of South India. It can be served with steamed rice, idly , dosa along with chutneys. Ideal ingredients for this gravy includes thoor dhal otherwise known as ( toovar dal, thuvar dhal toordal, tuvardal, toor, tuvar,dal),and various spices along with veggies. There are various ways to make sambhar and here is one simple sambhar with easy steps.
Ingredients
- Cooked Thovar dhal- 1 cup
- Onion -1(cut into length wise)
- Tomato- 1(cut into small chunks)
- Green chilly – 1(slit into length wise)
- Carrot -1(cut into coin size)
- Green peas- 1/4 cup
- Radish -1(cut into medium chunks)
- Tamarind paste -2 teaspoon or 1 small lemon size tamarind soaked in water for 15 minutes. Extract the juice and remove the pulp.
- Curry leaves- few
- Mustard seeds- 1teaspoon
- Cilantro leaves -2 stem (cut into small pieces)
- Oil -1 tablespoon
- Salt to taste
Things to be grinded
- Fenugreek seeds – ½ tea spoon
- Channa dhall -2 tea spoon
- Red chilly 3 or 4
- Coriander seeds 1 ½ teaspoon
- Coconut grated 1 tablespoon
Directions
1. Add 1 tea spoon of oil and roast fenugreek seeds, channa dhall red chilly, coriander seeds.
Grind the things given above with small pieces of ginger and grated coconut into smooth paste and keep aside.
2. Set a heavy pan by adding 1 teaspoon oil and add mustard seeds , curry leaves and wait till it splutter .Now add onion , splitted green chilly ,followed by tomatoes, vegetables and fry well.
3. Now add 1 cup of water and cook the veggies for 10 minutes.
4. At this point add tamarind paste or soaked tamarind water followed by salt and the ground masala paste and bring to boil for 5 more minutes .
5. When the masala paste and tamarind are cooked well, add cooked thuvar dhall and mix well and bring to boil for 10 to 15 minutes
6. Now switch off and garnish with cilantro leaves.
7. Serve hot with rice, breads, rice crepe etc.
Notes.
1.In place of tamarind paste fresh tamarind extract can be used. In this recipe fresh tamarind pulp is used.
2. Any kind of veggies can be added (like drum stick, potatoes, radish, and mangoes).
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Broccoli goes among the most unnoticed veggies. Though we know the dietary supplements are more in broccoli, it is very difficult to make the kids eat them. Here is a simple recipe that would make your kids ask for more broccoli as it is teamed up with channa dal and various spices to make it more tantalizing.
Ingredients
- Broccoli floret -1 (chopped as shown)
- Channa dhal -1/4 cup (cooked)
- Tomato -2 (chopped into small chunks)
- Onion -1 (cut into small pieces)
- Green chilly -1 or 2(slit into length wise)
- Red chilly powder -2 teaspoons
- Coriander powder -1 teaspoon
- Turmeric powder – a dash
- Ginger garlic paste -1 teaspoon
- Oil – 1 tablespoon
- Salt – as needed
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Mustard seeds – 1/2 teaspoon
Directions
1. Cook channa dhal with water in a pressure cooker or in a regular deep pan until tender but not mushy.
2. Set a heavy pan and add the oil. Once hot, add mustard seeds and allow them to splutter.
3. Now add ginger-garlic paste followed by onion, green chilly and sauté well.
4. Add little salt as needed followed by tomatoes and sauté well till the tomatoes turn mushy.
5. At this point, add all the dry powders given above followed by chopped broccoli and fry well.
6. Toss well and cook for 5 to 10 minutes.
7. Now add cooked channa dhal and mix well and cook for 5 to 10 minutes.
8. Serve hot with any rice varieties.
This goes well rice, roti and bread.
Try it out. I am sure every bite will be relished.
Variation:
You can use lentil instead of channa dhal.
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