Potato Capsicum Fry (Aloo Capsicum/Bell Pepper Fry)

Adding potato with any vegetables will make a great recipe. Potato with capsicum fry (Potato Capsicum Fry) is one such recipe. Also this potato capsicum fry tastes very good. This goes very well with any sambar, rasam. Even curd rice and this fry makes a great combination. Very simple and tasty fry.

Ingredients:

Potato/Aloo - 2 or 3 (medium size)
Capsicum/Bell Pepper - 1 (big)
Onion - 1/2 (finely chopped)
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Dhania/Corriander powder - 2 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Cilantro/Corriander leaves - to garnish
Salt - to taste
Oil - 3 tbsp

Note:
Cut potatoes and capsicum into small pieces, so that they get cooked well and quickly.

Method:

1) Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds and chopped onion.

2) Saute it well until translucent and add potatoes and capsicum.

3) Saute it for a minute and add dry powders and salt.

4) Mix it well and cover it with a lid. Cook in low flame, by stirring frequently.

5) Once the potatoes are soft, remove from flame and garnish with cilantro.

Aloo capsicum/bell pepper fry is ready to serve.

Spinach/Palak Vegetable Gravy

Spinach/Palak is one of the very common greens used around the world. It is rich in Vitamin A. Also it is rich in calcium, iron and protein. Here I used to find spinach a lot more than other greens. So I try lot of recipes with spinach. I made this vegetable spinach combination as a side dish for chapathis. I tastes really very good and even kids who hesitate to eat greens will taste this for sure.

My daughter will taste greens only in paste form. If I make sabzi kind of greens recipe, she will not eat it. So most of the time, I make greens in paste  form (Keerai Kadaisal). Just mix this kadaisal with white rice and give the kids. They will love it and also its very healthy.

Ingredients:

Palak/Spinach - 2 cups
Mixed Vegetables - 1 cup
Onion - 1 (finely chopped)
Tomato - 1 (chopped)
Green Chilli -  2 (slitted)
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Dhania/Corriander powder - 2 tsp
Cumin - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste
Oil - 2 tbsp
Butter/Ghee - 1 tbsp

Note:

a) Grind the palak and make a paste of it.
b) Take any vegetables of your choice and cut to equal size.

Method:

1) Heat a pan and add oil. Add cumin seeds and onion.

2) Saute it well and add ginger garlic paste. Saute it until you get rid of the raw smell and add tomatoes, green chillies.

3) Saute it well and add the cut vegetbales.

4) Also add the dry powders.

5) Mix well and add water. Let the vegetables become tender.

6) Once the vegetables are cooked, add the palak paste.

7) Mix it well with the vegetables and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes.

8) Finally add the butter/ghee.

Mouthwatering and healthy palak vegetable gravy is ready to taste.

Mushroom Xacuti Masala (Goan Cuisine)

Xacuti masala is a very famous recipe in Goan cuisine. Using this base masala, you can make your vegetable xacuti masala or chicken xacuti masala even. Today, I use this masala for my mushroom recipe.

This tastes very different and delicious too, from our usual Indian recipes. Yo can serve this with chapathis or even with pulao. Also you can serve with hot plain rice too.

Ingredients:

Mushroom - 2 cups(chopped)
Onion - 1 (finely chopped)
Tomato - 2 (chopped)
Green chillies - 2 (slitted)
Salt - to taste
Oil - 2 tbsp
Cilantro/Corriander leaves - to garnish

For grinding:
Red chilli - 4 or 5
Bay leaf - 1
Cinnamon - 1 inch stick
Dhania/Corriander seeds - 2 tsp
Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
Cardamom - 2 or 3
Peppercorns - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Grated coconut - 3 tbsp
Oil - 1 tbsp

Method:

1) Heat a pan, add oil. Add all the ingredients for grinding. Roast it well.

2) Then add grated coconut and just roast it for a minute. Let it cool.

3) Make a fine paste of it and keep it aside. This is the xacuti masala. If you are non-vegetarians, you can use this masala with chicken, instead of mushrooms.

4) Now heat a pan, add oil and add chopped onion.

5) Saute it well, until it turns translucent. Add tomatoes.

6) Saute for about 2 mins and add slitted green chillies and mushroom.

7) Mix well and add water (about 2 cups). Also add necessary salt.

8) Once the mushroom are cooked, add the ground paste to it.

9) Let it boil for 3 minutes. Finally garnish with cilantro/corriander leaves.

Serve this with chapathis/Indian flat bread. Tastes good with pulao varieties too.

Spicy and delicious mushroom xacuti masala is ready to go.

Flax Seed Podi (Spicy Flax Seed Powder)

We usually take flax seeds, just by dry roasting it, or by making ground powder of it. Also I use flax seeds as an egg substitute. So thought of using in Indian cooking too. As podi is our favorite, thought of adding it in my idli podi. Tried my own version of flax seed podi and all of us loved the taste.

Flax seed also known as linseed, contains high level of dietary fiber and rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Flax seeds helps to control cholesterol level. Also these seeds help to reduce the risk of cancer, stroke, heart disease and diabetes.

Ingredients:

Skinned urad dal/Urad dal - 1 cup
Flax seeds - 1/4 cup
Red chilli - 8 to 10
Garlic - 3 or 4 cloves
Curry leaves - 1 sprig (optional)
Salt - to taste
Oil - 1 tsp

Method:

1) Heat a wide fry pan and add oil. Add the red chillies and fry till it turns brown.

2) Remove the fried red chillies from the pan to a bowl. Add the black urad dal in the same pan and fry till it turns light brown color.

3) Add the flax seeds to the urad dal. Fry till the flax seeds start to splutter and by the time urad dal turns dark brown. Else you can also roast the urad dal first, till it turns brown and then roast the flax seeds.

4) Let the mixture cool. Put all the mixture in a blender. Add garlic and salt.

5) Make ground powder of it.

Healthy flax seed podi, rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, is ready now. You can have this with idli or dosa, by justing adding some gingelly oil/sesame oil to this podi.

Adai

Adai, this is one of the very common recipe, I make once in a week or atleast once in two weeks. We can do this for breakfast or for dinner even. But if you are making this for dinner, should have it little bit earlier. Since we use 3 dals in this dosa, its hightly nutritious and very tasty also. This dosa needs to be cooked in very low flame, as the dal needs to be well cooked. Only then we can get the crispy and well cooked dosa. Its takes about 5 mins for making single dosa. Even if its more time consuming one, the end product will be tasty one.

You can have it just like that, as it contains all spices in it. Also you can serve it with coconut chutney. This adai with Aviyal (Adai Aviyal) is one of the famous and special menu in my hometown. Both together makes a grreat combination.

Ingredients:

Rice - 2 cups
Chana dal/Bengal gram - 3/4 cup
Toor dal - 1/4 cup
Skinned urad dal/urad dal - 3 tbsp
Red chilli - 7 or 8 (can add more if you want really spicy adai)
Onion - 1 (finely chopped)
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Salt - to taste
Sesame oil/Gingelly oil - 1/4 cup

Method:

1) Soak rice and dal (chana dal, toor dal, urad dal) together for about 6 to 7 hrs.

2) Put all together along with red chillies in a blender. Also add salt.

3) Add water and make a little coarse and thick batter of it. (Don't make it too watery or thin, as we do for usual dosa batter)

4) Add the chopped onion and curry leaves to the batter.

5) Mix well. Heat a tawa and pour about 1 laddle of batter and spread it like dosa (little bit thick dosa).
Drizzle some gingelly oil over it.

6) Let it cook for about 2 mins in medium flame. Flip to the other side. Drizzle some oil over it.

7) Cook both the sides very well by flipping on either sides for about 2 to 3 times, until its brown on both the sides.

Serve it hot. Crispy and healthy adai is ready to taste now.

Palak Pulao with Tomato Raitha

All greens are rich in iron. So I use greens a lot in my cooking. Today I tried this Palak/Spinach pulao. The taste was awesome. My hubby and my daughter loved it a lot. Felt I might have added 1 more cup of spinach. Other than that everything was so good and very delicious.

Also I wondered what raitha would accompany this pulao to its best. So thought of trying some spicy raitha as the pulao was very mild. Then I thought of using tomato and onion together in my raitha. It made a very good accompaniment.

Ingredients:

Basmati rice - 1 cup
Onion - 1 (chopped lengthwise)
Spinach/Palak - 2 cups (finely chopped)
Milk - 1/2 cup
Green Chillies - 2 or 3 (slitted)
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Butter/Ghee - 1 tbsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste

Tomato Raitha:

Curd/Yogurt - 2 cups
Onion - 1 (chopped lengthwise)
Tomato - 1 (finely chopped)
Cilantro/Corriander leaves - few (to garnish)
Chilli powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt - to taste

Method:

1) Soak basmati rice for about 15 to 20 mins. Heat a pan and add butter/ghee. Add the soaked rice and roast for about 2 to 3 mins. Keep it aside.

2) Now heat a pan. Add oil. Also add cumin seeds and chopped onion.

3) Saute it and add ginger garlic paste. Then add the slitted green chillies.

4) Then add chopped palak. Saute it for 2 about mins.

5) Then add the roasted rice.

6) Mix it well and add the milk. Also add water and salt.

7) Cook it and your pulao is ready.

8) For making raitha mix all ingredients except salt and let it soak for about 30 mins. Add salt just before you start to eat.

Delicious and healthy palak pulao is ready now.