Capsicum Tomato Curry

Capsicum, Capsicum is one of my favorite vegetable, I got an idea to cook capsicum with the tomato and when i searched about the recipe in google i got an interesting recipe that i found from sailusfood we enjoyed it soo much that we decided to make capsicum tomato curry instead of plain capsicum curry. I followed the above recipe step-by-step from the source. Thank You Sailu for the tasty recipe.

Rasam (Chennai Style)

Ingredients:

200g tomatoes
tamarind - lemon sized soaked in hot water
20g garlic
4 glasses of any dal stock
4 green chilies
1 bunch of cilantro and curry leaves
1/4 tsp turmeric
Salt to taste

For rasam powder:

20g coriander seeds
10g pepper corns
5g cumin seeds
2 red chilies

Method:

1.  Mix the tamarind water with crushed tomatoes and garlic, dal stock, green chilies, turmeric, salt and mix well. Keep aside.
2. Roast the ingredients of rasam powder without any oil and blend to a fine powder. 
3. Add this powder to the above tamarind water and mix well.
4. Also add curry leaves, cilantro leaves and boil on heat until bubbles form in the mixture.
5. Remove from heat and serve with steamed rice.

Pulihora - Tamarind Rice

Ingredients:

2 cups raw rice
1/2 tsp turmeric
15-20 fresh curry leaves
salt to taste
large lemon sized tamarind (soak in a cup of hot water and extract pulp)
1 tbsp channa dal (split bengal gram)
1 tbsp urad dal/minappapu/split black gram
1 tsp teaspoon mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
3-4 medium dry red chilli
4-5 green chillis slit length wise
1 1/2 tsps finely chopped ginger
2 fistfuls roasted peanuts
2 tbsps oil

Method:

1. Sprinkle turmeric pwd, salt and a tbsp of oil to the cooked and cooled rice and keep aside.
2. Heat the remaining oil in a cooking vessel, add the mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add dry red chillis, cumin seeds, channa dal, urad dal and fry for a minute till light brown. Next add the slit green chillis, ginger and few curry leaves and fry for a few seconds.
3. Add the tamarind extract and cook till the raw smell of tamarind disappears, approx 5-7 mts. It will be a like a thick but flowing paste. Remove from heat.
4. Add the cooked tamarind mix and combine well such that its spread all over the rice. Adjust salt. Finally sprinkle the roasted sesame seeds pwd and roasted peanuts and combine well. Let it sit for at least 3-4 hours for the flavors to set in.

VaraLakshmi Puja

VaraLakshmi Puja....An Important Ritual performed by the Married women in South India for the prosperity and welfare of their families.

This year is my Second Puja...But the first puja which i performed alone without my mother or mother in law.....



Preparing the Goddess Laxmi and Decorating with all my jewellry is any intresting part of this puja.For the Naivedyam i prepared "Chintapandu Pulihora" "Payasam" "Garellu" and "Sanividi".

Avacado Milk Shake

Ingredients:

• 1 medium avocado
• 1 tbsp cacao nibs (optional)
• 3 cups thin coconut milk or dairy milk
• 5 to 6 tbsp unrefined cane sugar or 4-5 tbsp regular sugar or as required
• ¼ tsp vanilla (optional)

Method:

1. slice the avocado and scoop the flesh and add it to the blender.
2. add all the rest of the ingredients.
3. add 3-4 ice cubes as well.
4. blend on medium speed in a blender till smooth.
5. pour in tall glasses and serve avocado milkshake 

Rice Vermicelli Upma

Ingredients:

2 cups  vermicelli/ rice semiya/ shavige
1 largeonion (finely chopped)
2-3 green chillies ( finely chopped )
8-10 curry leaves
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp urad daal
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
Juice of a lemon
handful of chopped cilantro (for garnish)
Salt to taste
Peas

Method:

1. First boil about 6 cups of water and then add the vermicelli into it. Add some salt and 1 tsp of oil. Boil for 5 minutes or as per package suggestion until it is cooked.
2. Transfer this to a colander and drain the hot water. Add about a tsp of oil and toss it gently so that the oil sticks all around. This prevents the vermicelli from sticking to each other.
3. Heat 1 Tbsp of oil in pan over medium heat. Add mustard seeds, curry leaves, cumin seeds, urad dal and mix until the urad daal turns light brown in color.
4. Add the chopped onion, peas and green chillies.  After the onion is cooked add salt and stir.
5. Add the cooked vermicelli to this, stir continuously breaking any lumps (on medium heat) and the cooked onions incorporates into the vermicelli.

After 5 minutes stir again and now partially cover the pan. Lastly garnish with lemon juice, chopped cilantro. Keep the lid covered for another 5-10 minutes. Stir again and serve hot.

Tomato Chutney for idly

   Ingredients:

    Tomato   3
    Garlic  4-5 
    Green Chilli 3-4
    Salt  As needed
    Oil    2 tsp 
    Mustard seeds 1/4 tsp
   Jeera Seeds
   Urad Dal
   Chana Dal
   Curry leaves   Few(Optional)
   Corriander leaves

Method:

1. In a pan add oil and add mustard seeds. jeera seeds ,green chilli, urad dal, chana dal and garlic pods. Saute them in a low flame till the garlic becomes roasted.
2. Take it out and keep aside.
3. Cut the tomatoes roughly. In the same pan add tomatoes and coriander and saute them till mushy. Be careful not to burn it.
4. When cool grind everything in a mixer into a fine paste.Add salt and mix well.
5. Serve this tomato chutney with hot idlis and dosas.

Gongura Pachadi /Red Sorrel Chutney

Ingredients:

Gingelly oil - 100 ml
fenu greek seeds - 3/4  tbsp
Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp
Urad dal - 1 tbsp (preferably black if not use white one)
Red chilly - 7 to 8
Green chilly - 1
Garlic - 4 to 5
Gongura leaves - 1 full bunch
salt - as required

For tampering:
Oil - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Jeera seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - to temper
Red chillies -3

Method:

1. Wash the leaves and remove the leaves from the stalk ! No need to chop it ! Heat the kadai and add the gingelly oil (reserve two tbsp of oil ), add the methi seeds,corainder seeds and red chilly and saute for a minute, then add the dal, green chilly garlic and saute till it turns red ! then take it from the pan and allow it to cool !
2. In the same kadai add the leaves , at one point it changes it colors, saute till the oil oozes (not much but little) ,  allow it cool , now coarsely grind the dal part and add little salt and grind the leaves completely !
3. Now heat the kadai and add the 2 tbsp of oil and add tampering ingredients and once fried transfer to the chutney and mix well ! i am not sure about the life because mine got over in a day ! heard it will be good for 3 to 4 days ! well go with HOT rice, Dosai and idly too !

Gulab Jamun

Ingredients:

Khoya / Kova (unsweetened) 1 cup 

Maida/ All purpose flour 3 tblsp 

Sodium bi carbonate (cooking soda) 1/8 tsp 

Elachi/ cardamom 2 

Sugar 1 & 1/2 cups 

Water 1 & 1/2 cups 

Saffron (optional) Few strands 

Rose essence (optional) 2 drops 

Oil/ vanaspathi/ Ghee As need for deep frying 

Method:

1. Bring khoya to room temperature if its frozen. Crumble it with your hands and measure it. Take khoya, maida and cooking soda in a mixing bowl. Mix well.
2. Slowly add water (add carefully as less is needed) and make a smooth dough without any cracks. No need to knead hard, just gather with your hands so that it forms a smooth dough without lumps. Keep aside for 5 mins and make equal sized balls. I made 27 out of it as I made it small. The balls should be smooth outside, but do not roll so tightly applying pressure. Just roll softly but until smooth.
3. Meanwhile prepare the sugar syrup with water, sugar, powdered elachi and saffron, bring to boil and boil for 8 minutes to 10 minutes in medium flame.
4. Mean while you can fry the rolled jamuns. Bring oil hot, not smoking hot, but hot enough to fry the jamuns. Keep in low flame and add the jamuns and keep rolling the jamuns gently with the use of the ladle inside the oil so that it gets evenly cooked and fried to deep golden brown in colour. Fry only few at a time, dont dump the jamuns so many in oil.
5. Drain in kitchen towel and immediately add it to hot syrup. Let it get soaked well. Add essence lastly if desired.

Coconut chutney for Idlies

Ingredients:

1/2 cups grated Coconut
3 Green Chilli, 
Salt to taste
Few sprigs of Cilantro

For Tempering

1 tsp oil
1/4 tsp Mustard Seeds
1/4 tsp jeera seeds
1 tbsp chana dal
1 tsp urad dal 
1/4 tsp Asafoetida Powder
Few sprigs of Curry Leaves

Method:

1. Heat a pan and add oil. and fry green chilies.
2. Once the green chilies are fried now add rest of the ingredients (excluding under tempering) in a blender.
3. Blend it into a fine paste adding enough water to make for a smooth, yet slightly thick chutney.and remove and pour it into  a bowl.
4. In the same pan, add 1 tsp oil ( any oil of your choosing). Once hot, add the mustard seeds, jeera seeds. When it starts popping, add the chana dal, urad dal and asafoetida powder. once they are fried switch off the heat and then add the curry leaves.
5. Serve it with hot idlies.

Thotakura papu/ Amarnath leaves Dal

Ingredients:

3/4 cup tur dal (kandi pappu) pressure cook until soft and mash lightly
2 cups tightly packed thotakura leaves (not the stalks)
1 onion finely chopped
4 green chillis slit length wise
1″ ginger, finely chopped
1/4 tsp turmeric pwd
For tempering/poppu/tadka:
1 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
3-4 dried red chillis (tear into pieces)
5-6 garlic flakes crushed
10-12 curry leaves

Method:

1. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed vessel, add mustard seeds, let them pop, add the cumin seeds, garlic, red chillis, curry leaves and saute for a mt. Add the chopped onions, green chillis and ginger and sauté till onions turn slightly pink.
2. Add the thotakura and stir fry for 4 mts. Add the turmeric pwd and salt and combine. Cover with lid and cook till the greens cook (approx 7-8 mts). Using the back of the ladle, mash the contents slightly.
3. Add the cooked and mashed dal to the onion-thotakura mixture. Add salt and 3/4 cup of water and cook for another 8-10 mts on low-medium heat.
4. Serve with white rice or hot rotis

Cabbage Pappu

Ingredients:

• Toor dal - 1 cup
• Cabbage shredded - 1 and 1/2 cups
• Onion - 1 medium finely chopped
• Tomato - 1 medium finely chopped
• Green Chillies - 5-6
• Ginger Garlic paste - 1tbsp
• Dhania Powder - 1tbsp
• Salt as required
• Red Chilli powder - 1 and 1/2 tsp
• Haldi - a pinch
• Jeera - 1tbsp
• Mustard seeds - 1tbsp
• Oil - 4tbsp

METHOD:

1.  Boil the dal separately and keep aside.
2.  Heat oil , add the mustard seeds , jeera and curry leaves ( i ran out of curry leaves so didnt mention it in ingredients) and let them splutter.
3. Add the onions and fry for 5 min.Now add the tomatoes , ginger garlic paste, salt and haldi and cook tomato turns mushy, now add the dhania powder and green chillies.
4. Add the cabbage and fry for another 7-10 min.
5. Add the cooked dal and stir till it gets mixed well with cabbage and cook for 5 min.
6. Now add about 2 cups of water and cook for 10 - 15min and serve with rice.

Banana Lassi

Ingredients:

1 cup plain yogurt

1/2 cup milk

1 cup chopped banana

4 teaspoons sugar, to taste

A dash of ground cardamom (optional)

Method:

Put banana, yogurt, milk, sugar and cardamom into a blender and blend for 2 minutes, then pour into individual glasses, and serve. Can sprinkle with a little cardamom.

Sprouts Talimpu

Ingredients:

 Sprouts : 1 cup
 Onion : 1
 Green Chillies : 1 or 2
 Dry red chilli : 1
 Mustard seeds : 1/2 tsp
 Cumin seeds : 1/2 tsp
 Urad dal : 1/2 tsp
 Oil : 2 tsp
 Few curry leaves
 Salt to taste
 A pinch of Turmeric powder

Method :

1.  Peel and chop the onion into strips and slit the green chillies.
2. Heat oil in a vessel and add mustard seeds, urad dal and cumin seeds and fry them. When they start to splutter add the red chillies, curry leaves and stir for few seconds.
3. Now add the chopped onions, green chillies and turmeric.  Fry the onions till it gets light brown color.
4. Now add the sprouts and let it cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Adjust the salt and turn off the flame. Serve as a evening snack.

Rava Idly

Ingredients:

2 cups roasted fine semolina
1 1/2 cups curds
salt to taste
2 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves
2 tbsp finely chopped curry leaves

For tempering:
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp mustards
1 tsp urid dal
1 tsp chanadal
2 finely chopped green chillies

Method:

1. For this rava idli, I used roasted semolina.
2. Heat oil in a kadai, add mustards, chanadal and urid dal, fry for 2 minutes on low heat. Add green chillies, finely chopped coriander leaves and curry leaves and turn off the heat.
3. Add above tempering to roasted semolina, add beaten curd and salt, mix well. Use little water to mix the batter well.
4. Pour the batter in greased idly trays and steam in pressure cooker for 6 minutes (without weight). Remove idlis after 5 minutes.
5. Serve them hot with tomato chutney.

Mango Lassi

Ingredients:

1 cup plain yogurt

1/2 cup milk

1 cup chopped mango (peeled and stone removed)

4 teaspoons sugar, to taste

A dash of ground cardamom (optional)

Method:

Put mango, yogurt, milk, sugar and cardamom into a blender and blend for 2 minutes, then pour into individual glasses, and serve. Can sprinkle with a little cardamom.

The lassi can be kept refrigerated for up to 24 hours.

Aloo Broccoli curry

Ingredients:

2 medium Potatoes,boiled
1 small Broccoli,cut into florets
1 medium Onion,finely chopped
2 tsp  Ginger-Garlic paste
1 tsp Coriander powder
1/2 tsp Cumin powder
1/4 tsp Garam masala
1/2 tsp Amchur powder
3/4 tsp Red chili powder
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
Salt to taste
1.5 tbsp Oil

Method:

1. Peel the boiled potatoes and cut into big cubes.
2. Par boil the broccoli florets in hot water for 3-4 mins until they are half cooked.
3. Heat oil in a kadai/pan and crackle cumin seeds and add chopped onions and fry well until they turn slight pink in color.
4. Add ginger-garlic paste and fry until the raw smell disappears.
5. Now add cubed potatoes and par boiled broccoli florets and fry well for 7-8 mins until the potato cubes turn golden in color and also becomes slightly crisp.Prick a fork into broccoli florets to check whether they are done or not,if they are not done cover it cook for another 2-3 mins.
6. Add all the masalas like red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala(or kitchen king masala), turmeric powder, amchur powder and salt and mix well and cover it and cook for 2-3 mins.
7. Serve it hot with Rice / Rotis / Chapatis or Pulaos.

Cabbage Pesarapappu Curry

Ingredients:

4 cups chopped cabbage
1/2 cup yellow moong dal/pesarapappu
1 onion, very finely chopped
small piece ginger, finely chopped
2 green chillis, slit lengthwise
1/4 tsp turmeric pwd
salt to taste
1/2 tbsp oil

For seasoning/poppu/tadka:
1/2 tsp mustard seeds/ria/aavalu
1/4 tsp cumin seeds/jeera/jeelakara
3/4 tsp urad dal/minapappu
2 dry red chillis, tear, de-seed
2 cloves garlic, crushed
few fresh curry leaves

METHOD:


1 Heat oil in a cooking vessel, add the mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add the cumin seeds, urad dal and saute till the dal turns red. Add the garlic, red chillis and curry leaves and saute for a few seconds.
2 Add the chopped onions, chopped ginger, green chillis and turmeric pwd and saute till the onions turn transparent.
3 Add the cooked moong dal and let it fry for 2 mnts
4 Add cabbage and combine.
5 Add salt to taste and stir fry till its cooked well and the flavors blend and the cabbage retains a bit of crunch.

Majiga Charu

Majjiga charu is on of my favorites from the child hood, its very simple and easy to make. no need to cook only you have to give talimpu (tadka,seasoning ). And here iam with my favorite recipe....




Ingredients:

Butter milk (sour) – 2 cups
Onion --- 1 medium chopped very finely
Green chilies --- 2 chopped very finely
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder – 1/2 tea sp
Red chili powder – 1/4 tea sp
Chopped coriander leaves --- 1 tab sp
Oil --- 1 tea sp
Mustard seeds --- 1/2 tea sp
Urad dal – 1 tea sp
Cumin seeds --- 1/2 tea sp
Dry red chili – 1 broken
Curry leaves – 5-6 leaves


METHOD:---
1) Add chopped onion and green chilies and turmeric powder, red chili powder, chopped coriander leaves, salt to taste to butter milk.
2) Now heat oil in a pan add mustard seeds and let them popup then add urad dal, broken dry red chili, cumin seeds and curry leaves and fry for a while and then add this to butter milk mixture and mix well.
3) Serve with rice and any side dish like potato fry or okra (bendakaya) fry or ivy gourd(dondakaya) fry
Enjoy your food..

Thotakura Pallu Posina Kura

Thotakura (Telugu name of the Amarnath Leaves) is one of my husbands favorite vegetable and is also widely available in Singapore. I brought the 2 bunches of these cute and fresh leafs home and cooked it with milk.It came out well..so just sharing the recipe with you.

Ingredients:

2 big bunches fresh amaranth leaves (picked, discard thick stalks, use tender stalks)
2 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
5-6 garlic flakes, crushed
2-3 sprig curry leaves
4 green chilies, slit length wise
big pinch turmeric pwd
salt to taste
1/2 tbsp olive oil
2 cups milk

Method:

1. Discard thick stalks and use tender stalks the amaranth leaves and tender stalks and wash them 2-3 times.
2. Heat oil, add the mustard seeds and once they splutter, add the cumin seeds, garlic flakes, red chillis,curry leaves and green chillis and saute for half a minute.
3. Add the onions and saute till transparent. Add salt and turmeric pwd and saute further for a minute.
4. Add the Amaranth leaves and sauté it for 5 mins.
5. Add the milk and cook till the milk is evaporated. Serve hot with rice.

ChitiVadiyala Kura

Ingedients:

1) 1 cup of vadiyalu (urad dal)- Fry in hot oil till golden brown and set aside
2) 3-4 tbsps of cooking oil
3) 1 tsp cumin seeds
4) 1 tsp mustard seeds
5) 8-10 curry leaves
6) 3 medium onions finely chopped - about 2 cups ( increase if you need more gravy)
7) Salt to taste
8) 1 tsp turmeric powder
9) 5 chillies
10) freshly chopped coriander leaves for garnish

Method:

1) In a vessel, heat oil. On low flame fry cumin seeds and mustard seeds till they splutter.
2) Add in the curry leaves, onions, chilies, salt and turmeric powder. Fry till the onions turn soft and light golden brown in color on medium flame and fry for 3 min.
3) Add the fried vadiyalu.
4) Reduce the flame and cook for about 6-7 mts
5) Add chopped coriander leaves.
6) Serve hot with steamed rice and Rasam of your choice.

Simple Mixed Vegetable Curry

Ingredients:

Carrots, potatoes, french beans (cut into tiny cubes) 2
Canned corn 1/2 can
Peas 1/2 pack (frozen)
Onions(finely cut) 1 cup
Turmeric Powder 1 tsp.
Mustard seeds as required
Cumin powder as required
Vegetable oil 4 tbsp.
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves chopped
Coconut(grated)
Jeera as required

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan.
2. Fry mustard, jeera, and all the spices.
3. Once mustard splatters, fry the onions till light brown.
4. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder, garam masala, cumin powder and salt.
5. Add the vegetables and cook on low flame for 7 - 8 minutes.
6. Add the grated coconut for the nice flavur.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot. Can be served with rice or chappathis.