Sorakaya Kootu (Bottle Gourd kootu)

"Kootu" is a South Indian delicacy served as side dish with rice and sambhar, chapathi, etc. Kootu is like a stew which is prepared by cooking channa or moong dal (yellow lentils) along with different vegetables like cabbage, carrot, beans, bottle gourd and several other vegetables. The base for curry is prepared using coconut, ginger, chilies and cumin seeds.

Ingredients

1 cup Channa Dal, soaked for 3-5 hours

250 gms Bottle gourd (sorakaya), cubed

1 cup grated coconut

1 inch Ginger

2 Green Chilies

¼ tsp. turmeric powder

Pinch of asafetida

½ tsp. Mustard seeds

1 tsp. cumin seeds

1 string of curry leaves

1 tsp. oil

Salt

Procedure

v  In a pressure cooker, cook channa dal and bottle gourd along with 2 cups of water up to 3 whistles

v  Using a blender, make a paste of coconut, ginger, green chilies, ½ tsp. cumin seeds and turmeric powder. Add water if required

v  After pressure cooker has cooled, pour the coconut mixture and adjust salt to taste. Bring it boil and cook for 5 to 10 minutes

v  For seasoning- heat 1 tsp. of oil, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves and asafetida. When it starts to splutter, add it to the curry

v  Serve with rice or chapathi

Vada Curry

Vada curry (also called as Masala vada curry) is a specialty curries in South Indian Cuisine served as accompaniment for breakfast recipes like dosa, idly, and pongal. It is served mostly for breakfast because channa dal has good amount of proteins and fibers.

There are different versions for Vada Curry available online and this is my signature recipe of Vada Curry.

Ingredients

1 ½ cups Channa Dal, soaked for 3-5 hours

1 inch stick of Cinnamon

4 Cloves

½ tsp Mustard seeds

½ tsp Fennel seeds (saunf)

1 string of Curry leaves

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 Onion, finely chopped

1 Tomato, diced

3 Green Chilies, finely chopped

1 bunch of Mint (pudina), chopped

1 bunch of Cilantro, chopped

½ tsp Sambhar powder (or any curry powder)

¼ tsp Turmeric

4 tsp Oil

Salt

Procedure

v  Using a bender, grind soaked channa dal, cinnamon, cloves and salt

v  Heat a tsp. of oil in a sauce pan, pinch a large ball of channa dal mixture and leave it in the sauce pan. In low heat setting, pat it evenly about ½ inch thickness. In medium heat setting, roast it evenly on both the sides.  Approximately 2 rottis can be made out of 1 ½ cups of channa dal

v  After channa dal rotti cools down, dice it into small cubes and keep it aside

v  In the same sauce pan heat 2 tsp. of oil, add mustard, fennel seeds, curry leaves, green chilies, mint and garlic. Sauté for few seconds and then add onions. When onion turns transparent, add turmeric, sambhar powder and tomatoes. Mix well. 

v  Now add diced channa dal rotti and 3 cups of water. Adjust salt to taste and stir well. In low heat setting cook for 10 minutes. Garnish using cilantro

v  Serve hot with dosa or chapathi

Vegetable Noodles

Vegetable Noodles is an easy Indo-Chinese recipe. I bet that Kids will love this recipe and also a beginners guide too.
My friend had requested me to post recipes for evening snacks/early dinner and that's when I composed this recipe because it can be prepared instantly without much effort.

I used maggie noodles to prepare this dish because it cooks fast.

Ingredients

2 Cubes of Maggie Noodles (or Ramen noodles or any other noodles of your choice)

1 Carrot, diced

1 Green Bell pepper, chopped lengthwise

1 bunch of Spring Onion, chopped

3 Cloves of garlic, chopped

1 tsp Soy sauce

½ tsp chili vinegar

½ tsp Green chili sauce

1/4^th tsp Black pepper

Pinch of ajinotmoto

Salt

2 tsp Oil

Procedure

v  Boil 3 cups of water in a pot. Add 2 cubes of Maggie and cook for 1 minute and drain water using a colander. Then wash Maggie in cold running water

v  Heat 2 tsp of oil in a pan; add garlic, carrots and green bell pepper (or any vegetables of your choice).  Sauté for 2 minutes. (Don’t overcook vegetables)

v  When vegetables are partially cooked, add soy sauce, chili vinegar, green chili sauce and sauté for few seconds

v  Then add spring onions,  Maggie, salt, pepper and ajinomoto (optional)  and mix well in low heat setting for 2 minutes

Peanut Chutney

"PEANUT CHUTNEY" is a great accompaniment with idly,dosa, upma or any breakfast dishes. This chutney is very addicting and mouthwatering recipe. 

Ingredients

1 cup Peanuts

2 Onions, diced

4 Dried red chilies

4 Cloves of Garlic

4 tsp Tamarind pulp

Salt

1 tsp Oil

For seasoning

1 tsp oil

½ tsp Mustard seeds

Curry leaves

 Preparation

v  In a sauce pan, roast peanuts in low flame until they are slightly brown. Keep aside and deskin them after it has cooled 

v  In the same sauce pan, heat 1 tsp oil, add garlic, onions and red chilies one after other. Sauté them until onions are brown

v  Transfer peanuts and onions into blender or a food processor. Add salt and tamarind pulp and then make a smooth paste

v  For seasoning, in the same sauce pan,   heat 1 tsp of oil, add mustard and curry leaves. Top off chutney with this seasoning

Chili Gobi Manchurian

"GOBI MANCHURIAN"  is one of the most delicious, popular, zestful and beloved food in India. It is an Indian-Chinese recipe. It is deep fried Cauliflower coated with a combined mixture of garlic, chilies, onions, green pepper and a blend of different sauces like soy, vinegar etc. There are basically two stages in preparing this recipe- first is to deep fry cauliflower and second, preparation of sauce. This recipe is time consuming, but it is worth the effort.

Ingredients

1 Medium cauliflower, chopped into bite size florets

5-8 cloves of Garlic, minced

2 Green chilies, finely chopped

Curry leaves

1 Onion, chopped lengthwise

2 Green Bell pepper, chopped lengthwise

Salt

1/4^th tsp Ajinomoto

Oil for deep fry

For the batter

6 - 8 tsp of corn flour

½ tsp of Red chili powder

Salt

Water (as required)

For the sauce

4 tsp Soy sauce

2 tsp white vinegar

4 tsp Tomato ketchup

½ cup of water

Preparation

v  In a bowl, combine corn flour, red chili powder and salt. Add cauliflower florets and mix well. Sprinkle water as required, just enough to coat cauliflower florets (some recipes use food color for appearance, but this recipe doesn’t use food color)

v  Heat oil in a heavy bottom vessel and  deep fry cauliflower until they are crisp and light brown

v   In a separate pan, heat 2-3 tsp of oil, add minced garlic,green chilies and curry leaves. Sauté for few seconds and then add onions and bell pepper and mix well. Leave it for a minute in high heat setting until they are partially cooked.

v  In a bowl, prepare the sauce. Whisk these ingredients - soy sauce, white vinegar, tomato ketchup and water (you can also add ½ tsp of corn flour for thick gravy).

v  Pour the sauce over onions and bell pepper. Stir well. In high heat, reduce the sauce into thick consistency. Add salt and ajinomoto

v  Add cauliflower and toss them 

v Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot

Fried Rice 2

This fried rice is an Indo-chinese recipe. This recipe is also for beginners because it is fast, simple and easy to make.
You can make fried rice with left over rice. I have used basmati rice since it is more flavorful  The variation from previous recipe- "Mushroom fried rice" is in the sauce. You can use different combination of sauces in different proportions.

Ingredients

2 cups of basmati rice

1 carrot, chopped

1 Green bell pepper, chopped lengthwise

5-8 Mushrooms, diced

1 cup of scallions

5 cloves of garlic, chopped

2 Green chilies, finely chopped

¼ tsp Ajinomoto

Oil

Salt

For the sauce

4 tsp dark soya sauce

1 tsp white vinegar

1 tsp chili vinegar

1 tsp green chili sauce

Procedure

v  Cook 2 cups of basmati rice with 3 cups of water. And let it cool

v  In a skillet, heat oil, add garlic, green chilies, carrots, green bell pepper, mushrooms (or beans, peas). Sauté for 2 minutes in high heat setting

v  In a separate bowl prepare the sauce. Whisk soy sauce, white vinegar, chili vinegar and green chili sauce

v  Pour the sauce over vegetables and mix well

v  In low heat setting, add rice, scallions, salt and ajinomoto. Mix well for 3-5 minutes.

v  Top it off with some more scallions and chopped cilantro

Mushroom Fried Rice

Total preparation time- 15 to 20 minutes

Ingredients

100 gms Mushrooms, chopped lengthwise

1 Green bell pepper, chopped lengthwise

½ cup of Cabbage, chopped lengthwise

½ cup of Carrot, chopped lengthwise

½ cup of Beans, chopped lengthwise

3 cloves of Garlic, chopped

2-3 nos. Green chilies, chopped or split lengthwise

4-5 cups of Cooked rice (approx.)

2 tsp Soya Sauce

1 tsp White vinegar

½ tsp Black pepper

Salt

Oil

Ajinomoto

Procedure

v  In a skillet, heat 3 tsp of oil

v  Add garlic, green chilies, mushrooms, cabbage, green bell pepper, beans and carrots. Sautee for 5 min (don’t overcook vegetables. More crunchy, then better taste)

v  Add 2 tsp of soya sauce and 1 tsp of white vinegar and mix well

v  In low heat setting, add white rice (cooked), 1/4^th tsp of ajinomoto, black pepper powder and adjust salt to taste

v  Stir fry in low heat for 5 – 8 minutes

v  Finally add chopped spring onions and serve hot