Aloo Shimla/ Potato Green Pepper Stir Fry

A post after a long Sabbatical. I never got a chance to cook, so I waited till I could to post something.
This is a my Sri's (my DH) all time favorite. He loves the crunchy green peppers. He took me to a very local pubjabi dhaba in Bangalore where he had once tasted this dish. He wanted a similar replica of the same. So here goes my trial and its quite easy.

Things we need

Potatoes - 4 medium ones
Green Pepper/ Capsicum (any colored) -  2
Onions - 2
Cumin Seeds - a spoon
Coriander seeds - coarsely ground
Ginger paste - a little
Turmeric - 1/2 spoon
Aamchur (Dry Mango powder) - 1 spoon
Chilli Powder- 1 spoon
Garam Masala - 1/2 spoon
Sugar - to sprinkle
Coriander leaves- finely chopped to garnish
Salt
Oil - 2 tbs

Julienne the vegetables.(Cut the veggies vertically into not so thin size). Have the potatoes in a bowl with water to prevent them from getting black due to oxidation. In a wide pan, heat oil, add cumin seeds, when it sputters add onions, ginger paste, potatoes and stir fry for 5 mins. then add turmeric powder, chili powder salt. Cover and allow it to cook. Now add, garam masala, aamchur powder, sugar, stir well, Once the potatoes are done,  add the green pepper. I love them crisp, hence I take it off the stove immediately. Garnish with coriander leaves.
A little raw taste of the green pepper is very delectable.

Its wonderful with chapatti or parathas or as a side dish with rice.

Lauki Kofta / Sorakai curry/ squash in a creamy gravy

As I scan the Indian grocery store, I used often wonder what to do with this vegetable. Thanks to my friend Sulbha, I was able to come up with this dish. Its rich & yummy.

Things we need

For the lauki balls

Lauki / Soraikai - peeled & grated - 3 cups

Besan / Chickpea flour - 1 cup

Salt

Cashews

Red Chilli powder

Turmeric powder

Ginger minced

Dry Mango powder

Corriander leaves chopped.

Oil to fry

Extract the water from the grated lauki & mix all of the above ingredients & lastly the besan four. Add enough to make small balls of it. Fry them in oil like a vada till they are golden brown & keep it aside.

For the gravy

Onions - 1/2 well chopped

Tomato - 2 pureed with 2 green chillies

Little ginger (or) Ginger garlic paste

Poppy seeds - 1 spoon soaked in water

Cashew - 5/6

Whole garam masala - Cardamon 1, cloves 2, cumin 1/4 spoon, corriander seeds 1/4 spoon, black pepper 4 , a very small pinch of nutmeg, 1 pinch cinnamon powder.

Cumin seeds - 1/2 spoon

Red chilli powder

Garam masala powder - 1/4 spoon

Turmeric powder

Dried Kasturi Methi

Milk / cream

Oil

Salt

In a kadai, take a little oil. When its hot fry the whole garam masala & the chopped onions. Take them out & grind them well with the soaked poppy seeds & cashew.

Then in the kadai, take a little oil. When hot add cumin seeds, ginger, then the tomato puree. Allow them cook well till the raw smell is gone. Add the Onion paste ,red chilli powder, turmeric powder, the garam masala powder & salt. Allow it to boil well. Now add the Kofta balls. & then add a little milk/ cream & crushed kasturi methi.

Kofta Curry is done. Its goes well with Chapatti, roti or naan , Veg pulav.

Have a wonderful meal..

Mixed Paneer Fry/ Indian Cheese Fry

Things we need

Paneer - 1 packet

Tomato - 2

Onions - 2

Green peas - 1 cup

Corriander Leaves

Oil

Green chillies - 3/4
Curry leaves

Cumin seeds

Cumin powder

Corriander powder

Chilli powder

Ginger garlic paste

Turmeric

Garam Masala powder

Salt

Preparation

Cut the paneer into small cubes. Then in a kadai, take a some oil fry the paneer until they are little brown. Then put them on a paper towel to get off the excess oil. After sometime, put the fried paneer in water for 2 mins. Then taken them out & squeeze them gently. We do this to ensure that the paneer is soft.

In a skillet, take 2 spoons of oil. When hot, add cumin seeds, curry leaves, chopped onions.

When they are translucent, add a little salt, turmeric, ginger garlic paste, tomatoes & green peas. Then add the cumin powder, chilli powder, corriander powder. When they are cooked add the paneer and then the garam masala powder.

Mix then well. And finally add the chopped corriander leaves to garnish.

It tastes good with roti.

Bendi Microwave Fry

This Recipe was suggested by one of my friends Gowri. This one is pretty easy, really tasty & healthy.

Things you need:

Okra - Fresh ones (not Frozen)
Salt
Chilli Powder
Pam olive Oil Spray / Any oil
Microwaveable plate.

Cut the okra lengthwise as shown in the pic & lay them on a plate. Spray a little oil on them & sprinkle Salt, chilli powder.


Keep it in the microwave for 5 mins, then just mix them up a bit & keep it for 2 more mins. That is all. Crispy Bendi Fry is ready to eat. They r crispy without frying them in Oil, thats the best part.



It is very good with Rasam Rice

Aloo channa Dal Papad Kootu. Urulaikizangu Kadalai Paruppu Appala Kootu

This Particular recipe is one I tried from a Aval Vikatan, a tamil magazine.
It was realy tasty & real handy when we run out of vegetables.

Things we need:

Potato - 2 /3
Onions - 2 chopped
Channa dal - 1/2 a cup
Papad 2 / 3
Cocunut - 2 spoons (grind them well)
Saunf - 1/2 spoon
Green chilles - 3/4 well sliced
Turmeric Powder
Chilli powder
Corriander Leaves
Ginger - 1/2 spoon Grated
Cinnamon - a little
Cloves - 2 nos
Curry Leaves
Oil
salt

If need be One can use Garlic too

Pressure cook the potatoes. In the cooker you can also pressure cook Channa dal with turmeric, chilli powder & salt. Then Mash the potatoes well & add the cooked Channa dal along with it. Fry the papads & keep them aside.
In a Kadai, take a little oil, add cinnamon, cloves,saunf & onions. Then add curry leaves, green chillies, ginger (add the crushed garlic at this time if you are wanting to add). When they are cooked, add the potatoes + Channa dal mix. add a little water and salt. Then add the ground coconut. Mix them well. When done, add the papads and then garnish with Corriander leaves.
The dish is done. It is good with Rice.
(In the pic I did not add Corriander Leaves, as I didn't have any at that time. They were tasty too)

Katrikai Gotsu

Katrikai Gotsu

This can be made in different ways. But this one is my mom's way of doing it. I love the smell & the taste of it & its very simple.
Ingredients
Big Brinjal
Oil

Mustard seeds - 1 spoon

Red Chillies (2)

Asafoetida - a pinch

Tamarind paste - 1 1/2 spoons.

Curry leaves

Sambar powder - 2 spoons

Salt

Preparation
The brinjal has to be roasted. The tradiational way of doing it is to apply oil on the brinjal & directly keep it on the flame & keep turning the brinjal until all the skin is burnt enough. Then peel off the skin.
I tried to use the conventional over to make it. Preheat the oven for 400 for 5 mins, then apply oil and keep it in the oven. Occasionally flip it. It took me half an hour to get it done. This may vary depending on the oven.

Dissolve the tamarind paste in 1 cup of water.
In a kadai take oil. When it is hot, add mustard seeds, red chillies, a pinch of asafetida, curry leaves, half a tea spoon of sambar powder. Roast it a bit until the raw smell is gone. Then add the tamarind extract & salt. Let it boil for some time. Then mash the brinjal and add it to the boiling mixture and bring it to a boil.

Its done. Garnish it with coriander leaves. Lovely to take it with upma kuzukatai & aruci upma.