Tadka Dal | Paruppu Kulambu | Pappu Charu | Lentil curry

Tadka Dal  is a Indian lentil based curry. You can make this recipe on certain days when there are no vegetables or meat. This recipe is very light and a straightforward recipe. 

I made this recipe for light dinner. The flavors from  onions and tomatoes compliments very well; and spiced it up with green chilies. Tadka (seasoning) is made with mustard, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds and curry leaves which gives good aroma to this recipe. 

Ingredients

1 cup Toor Dal

1 tsp Mustard seeds

1 tsp Cumin seeds

1/4 tsp Fenugreek Seeds

4 Green Chilies

1 sprig of Curry leaves

1 small Onion, thinly sliced

1 Tomato, diced

3-4 sprigs of Cilantro

Salt

2 tsp Oil | Ghee

Method

• Cook dal in pressure cooker with 3 cups of water. After cooker has cooled mash dal 

• In a heavy bottm vessel, heat oil, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and  fenugreek seeds

• When it starts to sizzle, add onions and  green chilies. Saute until onions turn transparent

• Add Tomatoes. Cook in medium heat for 2-3 minutes

• Add mashed dal to this seasoning. Add water is required

• Adjust salt as per taste. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes while stirring in between

• Garnish with cilantro. Serve hot with steamed rice or roti

Beans Stir Fry | Beans Varuval | Beans Palya

Stir fry is an easy option to use vegetables. They remain crisp and tender unlike they are soggy when cooked with lentils for curries.  Stir fry is one of the best way to increase intake of vegetables other than salads. 

In Indian cuisine, stir fry veggies (palya, sabji, poriyal, kootu) is a part of every meal whether it is for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Indian stir fry vegetables are pan fried and seasoned lightly with different spices and the usage of spices vary across different regional cuisines.

My mom had sent me lot of spice powders from India like sambhar powder, vanghibath powder, and bisibelebath powder. These powders are homemade and made with different kinds of spice; also each powder has it own unique flavor and taste. I used sambhar powder for seasoning to make beans palya. This recipe turned out to be very tasty and I paired it with chapthi.

The recipe is very simple and here it goes !!

Ingredients

1/2 kg Green Beans, cut into 1 inches

1 tsp Mustard seeds

1 tsp Cumin seeds

1 sprig of Curry leaves

1 small piece of Ginger, finely chopped

1 Onion, thinly sliced

1 tsp sambhar powder

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

1/2 tsp Coriander powder

Salt

2 tsp Oil

Method

• In a heavy bottomed vessel, heat oil. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and curry leaves

• When it starts to sizzle, add ginger and onions. Fry until onion turn transparent

• Add turmeric powder, coriander powder and sambhar powder

• Then add beans and 1 cup of water. Cover the vessel and cook in medium heat for 15 - 20 minutes with stirring in between

• Serve hot with chapathi 

Watermelon Juice

A thirst quencher recipe. It is simply delicious and yet highly nutritious with many health benefits. It contains more than 90% water, and a good source of vitamin- A, C, B6, and he minerals-potassium and magnesium.

Watermelon is a seasonal fruit and when it is available, I normally make juices, sorbets or salads. 

Ingredients

2 cups diced Watermelon
1/2 Lemon

Method

• In a blender, blend watermelon until it is completely pulverized
•  Add juice of half a lemon
• If you are using seedless watermelon then you don't need to strain the juice. Otherwise strain the juice using a filter ad discard its contents
• Serve immediately

Tip-

• Pick a good watermelon for juicing. It should be bright in color and the stripes should be symmetrical. Most importantly, there should be a yellow patch, which means that the water melon was left to grow in ground and it was ripened under the sun. 
• If you have picked good watermelon, then no need to add sugar. Else you can add 1/2 tsp for ever cup of juice
  

Jeera Rice

Bored of eating plain steamed rice?  Then you must try this flavored rice- Jeera Rice !!

Jeera rice is a simple and humble recipe. Basically, rice is flavored with cumin seeds. There are other spices used in this recipe to boost taste like bay leaf and garlic. Jeera rice compliments with any kind of curries or sauteed veggies/ meat. This recipe can be cooked effortlessly, especially  when you don't have enough time to cook.

You can also include this recipe in party planner when you planning to gather large crowd.

Ingredients

2 cups Basmati Rice

3 Cups Water

1 tsp Cumin seeds

2 Bay Leaf

2 cloves of Garlic

1/2 Red onions, thinly sliced

Salt

1 tsp Ghee

Method

• In a large heavy bottom vessel, heat ghee. Add bay leaf, cumin seeds, garlic and onions. Fry until onions turn golden brown

• Add water and adjust salt as per taste. Bring it to boil

• Add washed basmathi rice. Cover the vessel and cook rice in low heat for 15 to 20 minutes

• Serve hot with  your favorite curry. I served it with Tomato Egg Curry

Tomato Egg Curry

Tomato Egg Curry is a spicy curry with boiled eggs cooks in tomato puree and a mixture of different spices. 

Boiled eggs is an easy ingredient to work with. They can be used in variety of dishes; it can be sauteed, or used in salads or deep fried or even dunked in curries. The other ingredient is tomato which is used in most of the dishes. And the combination of eggs and tomatoes works pretty well. 

 I created this dish using boiled eggs and tomato as primary ingredients. I made this recipe on a rainy day.  You can save this recipe for monsoons because tangy taste works well on a chilly day. 

Tip-

You can prepare the sauce in advance and soak boiled eggs 15 minutes before serving. The gravy tastes best when it is served following day

Ingredients

12 Boiled eggs, peeled and slit in middle

1 small piece ginger, finely chopped

1 Onion, finely chopped

1 tsp Mustard seeds

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds

1/4 tsp Fenugreek seeds

Marble sized Tamarind

2 tsp Sambhar powder 

(or )

1 tsp Coriander powder

1/2 tsp Red Chili powder

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

1/4 tsp Cumin powder

Salt

2 tsp Oil

For the puree

5- 6 Tomatoes

1 tsp oil

1 bay leaf

1 Star anise

1/2 tsp Fennel seeds

2 Cloves

1 stick of Cinnamon

Method

• Puree tomatoes using a blender. 
• In a large pot, heat oil, add star anise, bay leaf, fennel seeds, cloves and cinnamon. Then add tomato puree. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Keep it aside

• In a small bowl, heat tamarind and water. Extract pulp and filter it. Discard its contents.
• Add sambhar powder to tamarind and mix well

• In a large pot, heat oil, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds. when it starts to crackle add ginger and onions. Saute in medium flame until onions turn brown

• Add tamarind and tomato puree. Adjust salt as per taste. Simmer for 15 minutes 

• Add boiled eggs and simmer for 5 minutes

• garnish with coriander and serve hot with steamed rice 

Palak Chapthi | Spinach Chapathi

Palak Chapathi is an experimental recipe that I tried recently. Chapthi's is a staple diet at home and I often make it atlest 4-5 times a week. I always tried to add new ingredient while making the dough. 

Previously in Shruchi Kitchen, I have added recipes like Beetroot Chapthi, Methi Chapathi, also Palak Chapthi. But this recipe is slightly modified from previous one to add more taste. 

I have been formulating this recipe by trying with different spices like red chili powder, coriander powder, ajwain and garam masala. 

This recipe is definitely worth to try!!

Ingredients

5 cups Wheat flour
1 large bunch of Spinach
Water for blanching
2 tsp Coriander powder
1 tsp Red Chili powder
1 tsp Ajwain
3/4 tsp Garam Masala
Salt
1 tsp Oil

Method

• In a large pot, boil water and soak spinach for 2-3 minutes. Take the spinach out and puree it. Use this water for kneading the dough
• In a large mixing bowl, add spinach puree, coriander powder, red chili powder, ajwain, garam masala and salt. Mix well
• Add Wheat flour and water which was previously used for blanching. Knead well until it is soft
• Keep it aside for 30 minutes
• Now, divide the dough into equal portions about 2 inches thick. Roll each portion into ball and roll it flat using a rolling pin
• In a preheated griddle, gently leave the chapathi. Fry it evenly on both the side. Smear little oil if required
• Serve hot with curries or pickles. I served it with luscious Black eyed peas masala

Black eyed peas Masala | Lobiya Masala

After a long weekend with comfort food, back to pavilion with same old chapathi-tomato gojju ;rice and sambhar. But now I am all geared up to try something new and interesting recipes. 

To start my week, I decided to make lobiya masala using black eyes peas. It is a simple and highly nutritious recipe. I made this recipe in  North-Indian style using basic ingredients like onion, tomatoes, garam masala, chili powder and coriander powder. This recipe is not very spicy but has abundant flavors. 

Black eyed peas masala  is quick and also one pot recipe.

 Ingredients

1 cup Black eyed peas

1 potato, peeled and diced

2 Bay leaves

3 Cloves

1 stick of Cinnamon

2 cloves of Garlic, finely chopped

1 small piece of Ginger, finely chopped

1 Onion, finely chopped

2 Tomatoes, diced

Salt 

2 tsp Oil

For Spice mix

2 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp Red Chili powder

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1/4 tsp Garam masala powder

Method

• Soak black eyed peas in water overnight. Wash it with cold water

• In a pressure cooker, heat oil. Add bay leaves, cloves and cinnamon. When it starts to sizzle, add garlic, ginger and onions. Saute until onions turn slightly brown

• Add tomatoes and saute until tomatoes are completely cooked

• Add spice mix - coriander powder, chili powder, turmeric powder and garam masala powder. Saute for a minute

• Add soaked black eyed peas and potatoes . Fry for 2 -3 minutes. Add 2 cups of water and adjust salt as per taste. Pressure cook for 10 to 15 minutes

• Garnish with cilantro. Serve hot with roti or chapathi along with lemon wedges and onion slices

Mutton Kheema Curry

Mutton Kheema Curry is a Indian Non-Vegetarian curry where meat balls  are cooked traditionally with Indian spices. 

I specially love this curry because its my mothers recipe.  As my mom rolls kheema balls, I will watch patiently and secretly learn mom's recipes. My mom has told  me that the secret ingredient for this dish is Byadgi Chili  which is known for its deep red color that adds color and taste to this dish. 

During summer, my mom prepares spice powders and along with that byadgi chili  is one one among them. This byadgi chili powder is made by my mom  mainly for her specialties like kebabs, mutton curry or kheema curry.

Ingredients

For meat balls

1 lb Mutton Kheema

1 cup Roasted Channa (Dalia), powdered

1/2 tsp Red Chili powder

1 tsp Fennel Seeds

1/2 tsp pepper powder

5-6 Mint leaves, finely chopped

2 cloves of Garlic, minced

Salt

For gravy

1 Large onion, diced

2 garlic cloves

1 stick Cinnamon

3 Cloves

1 cup grated coconut

2 tsp Paprika or Byadgi chili powder

1 1/2 tsp Coriander powder 
1/2 Tomato, finely chopped

Salt

1 tsp Oil

Method

• In a large bowl, mix mutton Kheema, red chili powder, fennel seeds, pepper powder, mint leaves, garlic and salt. 

• Divide kheema into equal portions and roll them into balls. Steam it in a pressure cooker for 15 minutes. Don't discard juices left from gravy

• In a heavy bottomed vessel, heat oil, add onions, garlic, cinnamon stick and cloves. Fry until onions turn transparent

• Make a fine paste of fried ingredients with coconut, paprika, coriander powder

• Now transfer ground  masala into the pan. Add 1 Cup of water and tomatoes. Simmer for 5 miniutes. Adjust salt as per taste. 

• Gently add meat balls into the gravy. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes

• Serve hot with steamed rice, chapathi, idli or  dosa

Punjabi Baingan Bharta

Punjabi Baingan Bhartha was introduced to me by one of my friend Anukriti Varun Dixit. She has taught me how to make a recipe flavorful using minimal ingredients. I was thinking that Baingan Bhartha involved lot of masalas to make it tasty. But I was wrong !!

By choosing perfect sized egg plant and  good quality ripened tomatoes; and the combination of these two makes  bhartha totally an exquisite dish.

Baingan Bhartha is a wonderful North Indian vegetarian recipe that tantalizes your taste buds. Roasted egg plant is slow cooked with onions and tomatoes. The sweetness of ripened tomatoes is combined with charred flavor of egg plant gives it a very good taste.

Previously, I have posted Baingan Bhartha in Shruchi Kitchen. But this recipe is truly in Punjabi style.

Ingredients

1 Egg Plant

2 Ripened tomatoes, finely chopped

1 Onion, thinly sliced

2 Green chilies, finely chopped

1/2 tsp Red Chili powder

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

3 tsp Oil

Salt

Method

• Roast egg plant in slow flame on a stove top. Cook until all skin in charred
• Allow egg plant to cool. Peel discard the skin. Mash or chop the pulp and keep it aside
• In a heavy bottomed vessel, heat oil, add green chilies, onions. Fry until onions turn transparent
• Then add tomatoes and fry for 2 to 3 minutes
• Add chopped egg plant pulp, red chili powder, turmeric powder and adjust salt as per taste
• Cook in low heat for 10 to 15 minutes until tomatoes and egg plant pulp are completely cooked
• Serve hot with paratha, roti or chapathi