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.
Cauliflower is low in fat, high in dietary fiber, folate, water and vitamin C. Cauliflower contains sulforphane, which slows down or prevents growth of tumors in breast and prostate. Cauliflower also contains glucosinolates, besides sulforphane, which improves the liver’s ability to detoxify carcinogenic substances.
These nutrition benefits make cauliflower more than necessary to include in our food.
Here is a cauliflower masala recipe.
Ingredients – 1
- Cauliflower- 1 (cut into florets)
- Frozen peas- ½ cup
- Onion- 1( chopped)
- cumin seeds- 1 teaspoon
- salt to taste
- Turmeric powder – 1/4 teaspoon
- oil – 2 tablespoons
Ingredients to be ground – 2
- Onion-1
- Tomatoes – 2
- Garam masala- ½ teaspoon
- Masala powder – 2 ½ teaspoon
- Coconut – 2 tablespoons ( grated)
Ingredients for masala powder – 3
- Coriander seeds- 1 ½ teaspoons
- Urad dhal – 1 tablespoon
- Channa dhal – 1 tablespoon
- Sesame seeds- 1 ½ teaspoons
- Red chili – 2 to 3
Directions
1. Add a teaspoon of oil and roast the ingredients (in list 3) and powder them when cool – this is the malasa powder.
2. Grind the ingredients in list 2 to a smooth paste.
3. Wash cauliflower florets and thaw the frozen peas. Bring a pot with 3 cups of water to boil. Switch off the stove. Stir in cauliflower and green peas. Let stand for 5 minutes. Strain the veggies.
4. Set a sauce pan and add 2 tablespoons of oil. Splutter cumin seeds and add chopped onions. Fry till they become translucent. Stir in the ground masala and fry till the oil separates from the gravy.
5. Stir in cauliflowers and green peas. Fry well with the masala. Add 1 ½ cups of water and bring it to a boil. Add salt.
6. Simmer and cook till the gravy thickens.
7. Switch off and garnish with cilantro leaves.
Can be served with roti, naan, idli, dosa and bread.
If you are looking for a nutritious gravy idea that goes well with rice or bread, try this one. Red kidney bean is rich in protein and iron and contributes to the nutritional benefit of this curry. Try this out, you will get carried away by the tangy taste!
Ingredients
- Red kidney beans – 1 cup ( soaked overnight and cooked until soft but not mushy. You can pressure cook it.)
- Onion (large) – 1 (chopped finely)
- Tomatoes (large) – 2 (pureed)
- Ginger and garlic paste – 1 tablespoon
- Chilly powder – 1 teaspoon
- Coriander powder – 1 teaspoon
- Cumin powder – ½ teaspoon
- Turmeric powder – ¼ teaspoon
- Cumin seeds – ½ teaspoon
- Tamarind paste – ½ teaspoon (before diluting in water)
- Jaggery/ sugar – 1 teaspoon
- Cinnamon stick – 1 small piece
- Cardamom – 2
- Clove – 2
- Salt to taste
- Oil – 2 table spoons
Directions
1. Set a deep bottomed pan. Add oil and splutter cumin seeds. Add cinnamon sticks, cardamom and cloves. Stir in the onions and ginger garlic paste and cook till onions become translucent.
2. Add pureed tomatoes and cook till oil separates on the surface. Add chilly, coriander, cumin and turmeric powders and mix well.
3. Stir in cooked beans along with water. Add diluted tamarind paste and jaggery.
4. Add salt and bring it to boil. Let the gravy thicken and switch off stove.
5. Garnish with cilantro (coriander leaves).
This tangy, spicy, mild sweet gravy is good to with rice and roti.
Notes
1. If you do not want to soak the beans overnight, soak it in hot water for 4 hours and cook it.
2. Garam masala powder can be used instead of cinnamon stick, cardamom and cloves. Use ½ teaspoon of garam masala before you switch off the stove.
