Capsicum masala

I never liked Capsicum when I was in college. So my Mom found out a way for me to like this curry. She made the curry in the same way Bagara Baingan is made. It was a instant hit at home and also among my friends. Whenever I took this curry to college, I never got a single bite of it, it was shared among my friends. After marriage I made this curry for my husband and he too liked it. It goes well with rice, jeera rice, veg pulao and chapatis. And not to forget the benefits of Capsicum, it contains Vit A which is good for eyes. It is also good for hair, helps in maintaining thicker and fuller hair. Do you need more reasons to like Capsicum?

Prep time: 15 mins

Cooking time: 20 mins

Servings: 4~5

Ingredients:

Capsicum: 4 medium size

Green chilies, slit lengthwise: 2

Oil: 2 tbsp

Tamarind, soak in half glass water for 30 minutes: 1 lemon size ball

Curry leaves: 2 sprigs

For paste:

Peanuts, dry roasted: 1 tbsp

Sesame seeds, dry roasted: 1 tbsp
Onions, chopped and shallow fried: 3 medium size
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Red chili powder: 2 tbsp(suit your spice level)
Coriander powder: 1 tsp
Desiccated coconut powder: 1 tsp
Ginger garlic paste: 1 tsp

Garam masala: 1 tsp

Method:

1. In a blender, blend all the ingredients mentioned above for the paste.
   
2. Shallow fry capsicum and keep aside. 
3. Heat oil in a kadai, add curry leaves and the masala paste made. Saute on low flame till the raw smell of onions goes.
4. Add capsicum, tamarind juice and half glass water. Cook till the oil leaves the kadai and capsicum becomes soft.
   
5. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice/chapatis.   

Linking this recipe to Rafeeda, Gayatri's cookspot, Priya's easy n tasty recipes, Tanya

 

 

   

Drumstick Tomato curry

This curry is made on a regular basis in Andhra. It has a mild flavour of tomatoes and sweetness of drumsticks. Result is just yummy. 

Tomatoes make your skin look great, build strong bones, help in fighting cancer. Drumstick is a great blood purifier, eases sore throat. So what are you waiting for? Rush to the kitchen and make the curry!!!

Ingredients:

Onions, chopped: 2 medium size
Green chilies, slit lengthwise:  2
Tomatoes: 5 medium size
Drumsticks, cut into 2" pieces: 2
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp
Red chili powder: 2 tbsp(suit your spice level)
Salt to taste
Tamarind: small lemon sized ball
Cumin seeds, Coriander seeds, roasted and powdered: 1 tsp
Coriander leaves, chopped: 2 tbsp
Curry leaves: 2 sprigs
Oil: 1 tbsp

Method:

1. Soak tamarind in little water and keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add onions, green chilies, curry leaves. Saute till the onions turn golden brown.
3. Add tomatoes and drumsticks.
4. Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, salt, cumin coriander seeds powder and tamarind juice.
5. Add 1/2 glass water and close the lid. Cook until the cooker releases 4 whistles and when all the pressure is gone, open the lid and add a teaspoonful of sugar.
6. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with rice.

Sent this recipe to Rafeeda, Anu, Gayatri's cookspot, Priya's versatile recipes-'only diary free'

 

Tomato chutney

I learnt this chutney from my aunt, and whenever there are tomatoes in my house in abundance, I prepare this. My husband also likes this chutney very much. Very simple and easy, not many ingredients, not much effort required to make this. It goes well with rice, idli and dosas. 

Prep time: 10 mins

Cooking time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Tomatoes: 250 gms
Oil: 3 tbsp
Garlic cloves: 10
Dry red chillies: 3, cut into halves
Curry leaves: 3 sprigs
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Red chili powder: 2 tbsp(suit your spice level)

Method:

1. Cut the tomatoes lengthwise and keep aside. Add curry leaves and red chillies to the tomatoes.
   
2. Heat oil in a kadai and fry the garlic cloves till they turn golden brown.
3. Add the tomatoes, curry leaves and red chillies at a time.
4. Add turmeric powder, salt and red chili powder.
5. Cook on low flame till the oil starts leaving the kadai.
6. Serve with hot steamed rice.

Notes:

• Keep stirring the tomatoes every 5 minutes so that it doesn't get burnt. 

Chocolate rice pudding/ Chawal kheer

My daughter's pongal holidays have started and she is so happy. Wanted to make some dessert for her. She doesn't like the traditional kheer but just like all other kids she is a great lover of chocolates. Browsed through few food blogs and found this chocolate kheer, a combination of regular rice pudding and chocolate. Tried it for the first time and it came out so yummy, I am loving it!!

Ingredients:

Rice: 1/4 cup
Sugar: 1/4 cup
Cardamom powder: 2 tsp
Milk: 4 cups
Water: 2 cups
Cashew paste: 2 tbsp
Sliced Almonds: 10
Sweetened Condensed Milk: 2 tbsp
Dairy Milk Chocolate: 38 grams
Clarified butter(Ghee): 1 tbsp

Method:

1. Wash and soak rice overnight.
2. Heat clarified butter/ghee in a deep bottomed vessel and fry the almonds till golden brown. Transfer them to a plate.
   
3. Add some ghee if required and fry the rice for 1 minute. 
   
4. Add milk, cardamom powder and let the rice cook in milk. Allow the rice to overcook.
5. When the rice is completely cooked add sugar, milkmaid and cashew paste. 
   
6. Remove from flame when the mixture turns little thick. Garnish with fried almonds and rice kheer is ready.
   
7. Serve hot or refrigerate it. Tastes good both hot and cold.

For chocolate kheer:

1. Add the pieces of chocolate to a bowl and put the bowl in hot water.
2. Chocolate starts to melt, now add this melted chocolate to rice kheer and mix well. 
3. Garnish with grated chocolate and Chocolate kheer is ready. 

Notes:

• You can add jaggery instead of sugar. It is good for kids as it is a rich source of iron and helps in treating throat and lung infections. 

Sent this recipe to Gayatri's cook spot

Moong dal halwa

The first time I had this halwa was at +Angeethi, a get together with my friends some years back. I was not much into cooking at that time, hence did not try. After marriage, my husband had it in some restaurant and he did not like its taste. So whenever I wanted to make it, I was highly discouraged by him. But I was hell bent on making it, and made it on Holi. I super liked its taste, and to my surprise my husband was also floored. He had to change his opinion about Moong dal halwa. So guys, go ahead and have a colourful Holi!!.

I did not have saffron at home, so used kesar yellow food colour. Those of you who have it, soak it in warm milk and add to the recipe.

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Servings: 5

Ingredients:

Yellow Moong dal: 1 cup
Ghee: 6 tbsp
Cashew nuts: 10
Milk: 1 cup
Cardamom powder: 1 tsp
Sugar: 1 1/4 cup
Saffron strands few

Method:

1. Soak moong dal for 5 hours, drain it and make a coarse paste.
2. Heat ghee in a kadai, fry the cashew nuts and keep aside. Add moong dal paste and fry till golden brown on a low flame.
3. Add boiled milk, cardamom powder, kesar yellow colour and stir it continuously till all the milk is absorbed.
4. Add sugar and cook till the ghee separates.
5. Garnish with cashews and serve hot.

Notes:

• You can add little water while making moong dal paste. But take care you don't add too much of it. If the water becomes excessive after grinding, strain it. 
• Garnish with dry fruits of your choice.

Baby potatoes masala fry

Baby potatoes, who doesn't love them? Everyone in my family loves them and I keep trying different recipes with it. Today I have made simple masala fry of baby potatoes. It goes well with sambar and rice. Just blend all the ingredients except potatoes in a blender and fry them. When unexpected guests drop in, this sure is a life saver!!!

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

Baby potatoes, boiled and peeled: 500 gms
Onions: 4-5 medium
Green chilies: 3
Ginger garlic paste: 1 tsp
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp
Red chili powder: 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Coriander powder: 1 tsp
Garam masala powder: 1/2 tsp
Oil: 2 tbsp
Coriander leaves, chopped: a small bunch

Method:

1. Boil the potatoes, peel their skin, pierce them with a fork and keep aside.
2. In a blender, blend onions, green chilies, ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, red chili powder, salt, coriander powder, garam masala powder without adding water.
3. Heat oil in a kadai, add the paste and saute it till it turns golden brown and the raw smell goes away.
4. Now add baby potatoes and fry for 5 minutes.
5. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve with rice. 

Sent this recipe to Recipe of the month contest-Sanjeev kapoor

Gayatri's cookspot

Raw Mango and Coconut Chutney/ Kairi aur Nariyal ki chutney

I tasted this chutney for the first time when my mother-in-law made it. I loved it instantly. It has spice, it has sweetness from coconut and tangy flavour from raw mango. It is very easy to make and it takes just 15 minutes at the max to prepare it. You can either scrape the coconut and blend it with raw mango or you can make pieces of coconut and blend all the ingredients together. You are just going to love the chutney!!

Preparation time: 15 mins

Servings: 5

Ingredients:

Coconut, scraped: 1 cup
Raw Mango, chopped: 3/4 cup
Green chilies: 5-6(suit your spice level)
Salt to taste

For tempering:

Oil: 1 tbsp
Urad dal: 1/2 tbsp
Garlic cloves: 3-4
Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
Curry leaves: 2 sprigs

Method:

1. Blend coconut, mango cubes, salt and green chilies in a blender by adding very little water. Transfer the paste to a bowl.
2. In a pan, heat oil and add all the tempering ingredients in the same order mentioned above. 
3. Add this seasoning to the blended paste and mix well. 
4. Tastes good with steamed rice. 

Sweet rice/ Meetha khana

Meetha khana is one of my favourite sweet dishes. I like all the desserts that are made with rice and if jaggery is added to it, I simply love it. My mother adds coconut to this rice and brings a different flavour to the dessert. You have to remove the black skin on the coconut using a knife. It is easy to make and can be prepared on any special occasion at home.

Ingredients:

Rice: 250 gms
Sugar: 250 gms
Coconut, sliced: 1 medium size
Cloves: 2
Cinnamon: 1" piece
Ghee/Clarified butter: 2 tbsp
Cashews: 10
Raisins: 10
Cardamom powder: 1 tsp

Method:

1. Wash rice in a bowl, add cinnamon, cloves and cook it. 
   
2. Make thin long pieces of a fresh coconut and keep aside.
   
3. In a deep bottomed pan, add ghee and fry cashews, raisins and coconut pieces till golden brown.
   
4. Now add sugar, half glass water, cardamom powder and mix well to get a single thread consistency.
5. Add the cooked rice to it and cook on a low flame till it becomes dry.
   
6. Serve hot.

Notes: 

• You can pressure cook the rice or cook it in a bowl by draining out the extra water when it is nearly done.
• Instead of sugar we can add jaggery. Again it is used in equal amounts of rice. That is for 250 grams of rice you add 250 grams jaggery.
• If you want your rice to be little colourful, you can add saffron/ food colour to the sugar syrup.
• You can also use basmati rice for this dessert.

Sent this recipe to Priya, Pari