Mutton curry

This is a very simple Andhra style mutton curry. It is cooked with onions, garam masala, tomatoes and yoghurt. A little paste of poppy seeds(khus khus) enhances its flavour.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

Mutton: 500 gms
Onions, chopped: 4 medium size
Green chilies, slit lengthwise: 2
Cinnamon: 3( 1 inch pieces)
Cloves: 5
Cardamom: 3
Tomatoes, chopped: 1 large
Ginger garlic paste: 1 tsp
Coriander powder: 1 tsp
Desiccated coconut powder: 1 tsp
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp
Red chili powder: 2 tsp( suit your spice level)
Poppy seeds paste: 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Yogurt: 3 tbsp
Oil: 2 tbsps
Coriander leaves, chopped: 1 tbsp

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add onions, green chilies and garam masala(cloves, cinnamon, cardamoms). Saute till onions turn golden brown. 
2. Add ginger garlic paste and saute till fragrant.
3. Add mutton pieces, turmeric powder, salt, red chili powder, coriander powder, desiccated coconut powder, yogurt, poppy seeds paste and mix well.
4. Add 1 cup of water and close the cooker lid. Cook till 6-7 whistles are given out. 
5. When the pressure is gone open the cooker lid and check whether the mutton is soft and cooked. If it is hard add little more water and cook on low flame until all the water is absorbed.
6. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with hot rice/chapatis.

Spring Onion Pulao

Spring onions are a good source of Vitamin C and you find them all through the year. You can make a curry and have it with roti or puri. Add them to noodles, their mild flavour gives a unique taste to noodles. And you can also add it to rice, just as I have done. Actually I am great fan of Sanjeev Kapoor. I found this recipe in his cookbook and I tried it out at home. I have added chopped coriander leaves to my version of Spring onion pulao. A simple yet very flavorful.

Ingredients:

Basmati rice, soaked: 1 cup
Spring onion bulbs, chopped: 4
Garam masala: 1 tsp
Garlic cloves, chopped: 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds: 2 tsp
Oil: 3 tbsp
Water: 2 cups
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves, chopped: 2 tbsp
Spring onion greens, chopped: 3/4 cup
Lemon juice: 1 tbsp

Method:

1. Heat oil in a deep bottomed vessel.
2. Add cumin seeds and garlic cloves.
3. When they turn brown add spring onions and saute for a minute.
4. Add water, garam masala, salt.
5. When the water comes to a boil, simmer the stove and add rice.
6. When all the water is absorbed and rice is cooked add spring onion greens and coriander leaves.
   
7. Add lemon juice and serve hot with raita.

Notes:

• If you want it to be spicy, you can add slit green chilies while frying spring onions and garlic cloves. 
• Spring onions and garlic protect you from cancers.

Tomato dal

Ingredients:

Tomatoes(chopped): 6 small size
Toor dal(Yellow pigeon peas): 1 cup
Green chilies: 4 slit length wise
Red chili powder: 2 tsp
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp
Chopped coriander leaves: 2 tbsp
Water: 1.5 cups
Salt to taste

For tempering:

Onions: 1 small size
Garlic: 3-4 pods
Curry leaves: 2 sprigs
Dried red chilies: 2 cut into pieces
Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp

Method:

1. Wash the toor dal and keep aside for 15 minutes.
2. In a pressure cooker, add tomatoes, toor dal, green chilies, turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander leaves, water and close the lid.
3. Cook on high flame for 6-7 whistles.
4. When the pressure is gone, remove the lid. Mash it lightly, if it is too thick add little water and cook for 5 minutes. 
5. Heat oil in a vessel for tempering and all the tempering ingredients mentioned above. 
6. Transfer the dal to the vessel used for tempering and mix well. Remove from flame.

Notes:

• Instead of pressure cooker you can even cook in a vessel. Choose a deep bottomed vessel. 
• While tempering first add the garlic flakes, when they slightly change colour add onions. When both onions and garlic turn golden brown add the rest(curry leaves, cumin and mustard seeds, dried red chilies).
• Serve with hot rice/chapatis.

Fish curry and fry

A super spicy fish curry and fry that is quick to make. Fry cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds in a dry frying pan to golden brown and make a powder of it. This ingredient is a must for fish recipes in my house. 

Fish fry

Ingredients:

Fish(cut into 2 inch pieces): 1/2kg

Ginger garlic paste: 1 tsp

Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp

Red chili powder: 1 tbsp

Coriander powder: 1 tsp

Lemon juice: 1 tbsp

Cumin and fenugreek seeds powder: 1 tsp

Oil: 2 tbsp

Salt to taste

Method:

1. Wash the fish pieces with rock salt and water.
2. Mix ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder,salt, red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin and fenugreek seeds powder. 
3. Apply the above mix to fish and sprinkle lemon juice.
4. Marinate it for 15 minutes.
5. Heat oil in a non stick pan and place the fish pieces in the pan. 
6. When they turn golden brown flip the fish pieces and shallow fry till golden brown in colour. 
7. Garnish with onions and lemon.

                                                            Fish curry

Ingredients:

Fish: 1/2 kg

Onions(chopped): 3 medium size
Ginger garlic paste: 1 tsp
Turmeric powder: 1 tsp
Red chili powder: 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Coriander powder: 1 tsp
Green chillies: 2(slit)
Oil: 2 tbsp
Coriander(chopped): 1 bunch
Fenugreek and cumin seeds powder: 1 tsp

Method:

1. Wash the fish pieces with rock salt and water and put aside.
2. Mix chopped onions, green chillies, salt, turmeric powder, oil, coriander powder, red chili powder, ginger garlic paste, cumin and fenugreek seeds powder in a pan.
3. Add the fish slices and just little water, say 50 ml and put it on heat.
4. Simmer the stove and close with a lid.
5. Cook till the gravy becomes thick. 
6. Garnish with coriander and serve with steamed rice.

Notes:

• When buying a fish, do the look and smell test. Gills should be rich red and fish should smell clean water.

Gobi Matar/Cauliflower Peas curry

Its the season of green peas and I just love to mix them with other vegetables. Today I have made peas with cauliflower and it is definitely a great combination. It goes well with rice and rotis.

Ingredients:

Cauliflower florets: 1 cup
Green peas: 1/2 cup
Onion: 2
Tomato: 1
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp
Red chili powder: 1 tbsp
Green chilies: 2
Oil: 1 tbsp
Coriander leaves: 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan and add chopped onions, green chilies.
2. Add cauliflower, peas and tomato when the onions turn brown in color.
3. Add turmeric powder, salt, red chili powder and saute them.
4. Now add some water and cook on low flame till the gravy becomes thick.
5. Garnish with coriander leaves when the vegetables are cooked. 

Notes:

• I have pressure cooked the vegetables to save time for 4 whistles. 

Gajar ka halwa

On the occasion of new year, just thought 'kuch meetha hojaye'. Had these deep red carrots in fridge, and carrot halwa is ready in 1/2 an hour.

Ingredients:

Carrots: 5 big
Ghee: 3 tbsp
Milk: 1 cup
Sugar: 1 cup
Khoya(unsweetened): 3/4 th cup
Cashews: 5 to 6
Cardamom powder: 1/2 tsp

Method:

1. Peel and grate the carrots.
2. Heat ghee in a deep bottomed pan and saute the grated carrots for 5 minutes.
3. Add milk, sugar and cardamom powder.
4. Cook on low flame till all the milk is absorbed and halwa starts leaving the sides. 
5. Add grated khoya and saute. 
6. Transfer the halwa to a serving plate and garnish with fried nuts of your choice.  

Tip: 

• Fry the nuts with ghee.
• Follow the same process for Beetroot halwa by replacing carrot with beetroot.

Sent this recipe to Gayatri's cookspot