Pomegranate and Pista Salad

I just loved the way I made the design out of the Pista shells. When my husband's 6 year old iece had come home for her vacations we had made a pretty pista shell design on her book. Inspired from that I arranged this salad in this manner.

Ingredients:

Pomegranate-1

Pistachios- 20

Chat Masala (optional)- 1/2 tsp

Procedure:

In a bowl mix the shelled Pista's with pomegranate and sprinkle chat masala on it. This is best served before having food or after having your food. A healthy snack as well as salad. 

Carrot Basundi

One of another Navrathri dishes. It came out well. Its a sweet with no ghee or oil. But being a sweet sugar definitely goes into it but can be easily replaced with Sugarfree.

Ingredients:
Milk- 1/2 liter
Sugar- 4 tbsp
Carrot- 1 big
Cashews- 5-6
Almonds- 5-6
Pistachios and almonds- for garnish

Procedure:
1. Grate the carrot and soak the almonds and cashew in milk for 15 minutes
2. In a pan bring the milk to boil and simmer.
3. In a blender mix the grated carrot and the soaked cashews and almonds.
4. In the pan mix the grated mixture from step 3 and sugar and keep stirring.
5. Once it starts to stick to the side of the pan remove from flame and garnish with thinly sliced almonds and pistachios.
6. Keep in the refrigerator and serve chilled.


Note: If you have the kulfi molds you can serve as a carrot kulfi too. :). This one is for kids.

Chana Saaru (Bengal Gram Saaru)

This dish can be prepared when you are going to prepare chana pallya. This is like a soup.

Ingredients:

Chana (Bengal Gram) (soaked overnight and boiled)- 1 cup

Garlic Pods- 6-8

Red Chili- 4-5

Salt to taste

Procedure:

1. Pressure cook the Bengal gram with salt for 1 whistle and lower the flame and cook for 15 minutes.

2. Remove the water in a bowl along with 5-6 chana's and boil.

3. In a seasoning pan add oil followed by garlic pods and cook till it turns slightly brown in color.

4. Add the red chili and add the seasoning to the water which was separated and boiled.

Aloo Gobi

Well a combination which I have been wanting to try since a very long time. Navrathri gave me this opportunity. People keep saying that potato is not a very good vegetable for health. But I just keep experimenting with it.

Preparation time: 30 min

Cooking time: 20 min

Recipe source: Followed 2 blogs Sharmi's Passion and Monsoon Spice

Difficult level: Medium 

Ingredients:

Cauliflower (cut into florets)- 2 cup

Potatoes- 4

Turmeric Powder- 2 tsp

Cumin Seeds-1tsp

Asafoetida- a pinch

Green Chilli- 3-4

Onion- 2 medium

Ginger Garlic Paste- 1 tsp

Kasuri methi (crushed)- 1 tsp

Tomato- 1 big

Red chilli Powder- 1tsp

Coriander Powder- 1/2 tsp

Garam Masala- 1tsp

Salt to taste

Procedure:

1. In a pot boil water add salt and turmeric powder along with the chopped cauliflower florets and cook till its soft.

2. In a pressure cooker boil the potatoes for 3 whistles peel and cut into cube. 

1. In a pan take oil add Cumin seeds, once it starts spluttering add asafoetida.

2. Now spice it up with finely chopped green chili and onion.

3. Once the onion turns brown add ginger-garlic paste and kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) and cook for two minutes till the raw smell of ginger garlic paste doesn't disappear.

4. Add finely chopped tomato followed by spices like turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala followed by salt.

5. Add the boiled cauliflower florets and toss well so that all the spices are mixed well. 

6. Add the boiled potatoes and mix well. 

7.Sprinkle salt and garnish with chopped Coriander leaves

Goes well with roti or naan.

Kothu Parota

This dish can be prepared with left over Kerala Parotta and even chappathi.

Ingredients:

Parotta- 3-4

Capsicum- 1

Egg-3

Ginger Garlic Paste- 1tsp

Onion- 1

Tomato-1

Green Chili- 2-3

Mustard Seeds- 1tsp

Coriander Leaves- 1/4 cup

Chat Masala Powder- 1tsp

Red Chilli Flakes- 1 tbsp

Garam Masala- 1tsp

Oil- 1tbsp

Procedure:

1. Heat oil in pan add mustard seeds once it starts spluttering add curry leaves.

2. Add chopped onions and once it turns slightly brown add ginger garlic paste.

3. Add finely chopped Capsicum, green Chili followed by chopped coriander leaves.

4. Remove the seeds from the tomato and blend it in a mixer without adding water.

5. Add the puree in the pan followed by chat masala powder, red chilly flakes, garam masala and salt.

6. Cook it for 5 minutes.

7. Cut the parotta into small pieces and add it to the mixture.

8. Add 3 eggs mix well and cook for 2 min (in case the if you want to spice it up more add red chili powder).

9. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Vatani ani Batata Ambat (Green Peas and Potato Curry)

This dish can't be prepared with dried Green peas and but with fresh green peas. This goes really well with dosa, idli and rice.

Ingredients:

Green peas- 1 cup

Potatoes chopped- 1 cup

Onion chopped - 1cup

Coconut (scraped) - 1 cup

Red Chili- 5-6

Tamarind- a cheery sized ball

Salt to Taste

Procedure:

1. Boil the diced potatoes, green peas and 1/2 cup of onion in water.

2. In a blender grind the coconut, red chili and tamarind with water.

3. Mix coconut paste with the boiled vegetables.

4. In a seasoning pan heat 2 tbsp oil and add the rest of the onion and fry till it turns brown.

5. Add the seasoning to the mixture of coconut paste and vegetables.

Bitter-gourd and Potato Stirfry

I love this vegetable, but its intolerable to eat when its too bitter. So I tried a new method and it came out well.

Ingredients:
Bitter gourd-2
Potato-2
Red Chili Powder- 1tsp
Mustard Seeds- 1tsp
Oil- 1Tbsp
Salt to Taste

Procedure:
1. Cut the bitter-gourd pieces and soak it in water.
2. Squeeze the water and apply salt and keep aside for half an hour.
3.  In a pan add oil and mustard seeds, once it starts spluttering add red chili powder.
4. Squeeze out the remaining water from the bitter gourd and add in the pan along with chopped potatoes.
5. Cook in oil (avoid adding water).

Guava Milkshake

I just loved this milkshake. I have never seen this any juice shop or restaurant. Bangalore is full of Guava selling vendors (especially when you are stuck in traffic). But a warning. Please don't eat it with the chilli powder and salt applied by the vendors as it is unhealthy.

Ingredients:

Guava- 1

Sugar according to taste

Milk- 1 cup

Procedure:

1. Mix the guava pieces (peeled), sugar and milk in a blender.

2. Strain it to remove the seeds (I skipped the step as I enjoy eating them).

3. You can add vanilla ice-cream with the blended milkshake and serve for better taste.

Tendla Thalasani/ Ivy Gourd Stirfry (Konkani Delicacy)

Ingredients:

Tendle- 1/2 kg

Garlic Pods- 10

Red chilli- 4-5

Salt to Taste

Oil- 1 tbsp

Procedure:

1. Crush the Tendle and garlic pods using a pestle.

2. Apply salt to tendle and keep aside.

3. In a deep bottomed pan add oil and fry the crushed garlic pods and fry till it turns brown.

4. Add the red chilies, followed by salt applied tendle.

5. And cook in the oil without adding water until its turned soft and cooked well.

Musambi Juice

I just love natural fruit juices than milk shakes. Fruit juices are best for your health. When you choose the musambi be careful that it should be a bit soft and ensure its a bit juicy.

Ingredients:

Musambi- 10-12

Sugar according to taste

A squeezer (As shown in the pic)

Procedure:

1. Remove the peel and and place the musambi in the squeezer and squeeze the juice out.

2. Strain the juice with a strainer (only in case the seeds have fallen in).

3. Add the necessary amount of sugar and serve.

Tawa Fried Potato Slices

The only dish which I used to prepare before getting married was this. Whenever I used to get bored I used to prepare this dish and start eating. And I consider it as a healthy snacking as it is tawa fried (not deep fried sin). This goes well with rice or as a snack.

Ingredients:

Potatoes- 2-3

Chilli Powder- 2 tsp

Salt to taste

Oil- 1- 2 tsp per pan (which will consist of 10-12 slices)

Procedure:

1. Make a paste of chili powder and salt using water.

2. Make thin slices of potatoes and apply the paste to the potatoes on both the sides.

3. Take a tawa and shallow fry the pieces with oil.

Chicken Curry (The simplest)

This is one of the most simplest and easiest chicken curry to cook. It goes well with dosa, idli, shevai. This curry can also be used to make kothu parota.

Ingredients :

Chicken : 1/2 kg

Onion : 1

Tomato : 1

Ginger Garlic Paste : 1 tbsp

Green Chilli : 1 

Curry leaves : a sprig

Coriander Powder : 1 tsp

Chilli Powder : 1 tsp

Turmeric Powder : a pinch

Chicken Masala : 2 tsp

Oil : 1 tbsp

Salt according to taste

Coriander leaves : 1/4 cup

Procedure :

1. In a pressure cooker add oil, followed by green chillies, curry leaves and once the aroma of curry leaves hit your nose add chopped onion.

2. Fry the onions till they turn slightly pink, add ginger garlic paste and saute for 1 min.

3. Add chopped tomatoes and cook till they turn mushy.

4. Add all spice powders coriander powder, chilli powder, turmeric powder, chicken masala followed by chicken and salt.

5. Saute for 2 minutes add water.

6. Put on the pressure cooker lid and cook for 3 to 4 whistles. 

7. Once the pressure comes down garnish with chopped coriander leaves. 

Onion and Potato Stir Fry

This is one of my mamama's ( granny's) recipe. She always prepares stir fry in various combinations. 

Procedure:

Onion- 2

Potatoes- 3

Mustard seeds- 1 tsp

Red Chilly-4-5

Salt to Taste

Oil- 2 tbsp

Procedure:

1. In a pan add oil followed by mustard seeds and once it starts spluttering add the red chilies.

2. Add the chopped onions and fry till it is slightly cooked (in oil though don't wait till it turns brown).

3. Add the chopped potatoes and water.

4. Cover the pan with a lid and allow the potatoes to cook in water.

5. Once it is completely cooked and all the water evaporated remove from the flame.

Colacasia Stir Fry

Colacasia is another tuber vegetable. This is very easy to prepare but it starts itching if not properly cooked. Hence boil it well before cooking.

Ingredients:

Colacasia- 1/2 kg

Mustard Seeds-1tsp

Chilly Powder- 1tsp

Asafoetida a pinch

Salt

Procedure:

1. Boil the colacasia which will ultimately help in removing the itchiness as well as removal of the peel.

2. Once cooked remove the peel cut it into pieces apply salt and keep aside.

3. In a pan add oil followed by mustard once it starts spluttering add chilly powder followed by asafoetida.

4. Add the colacasia pieces mix well and remove from flame (as it is already cooked no need to cook in the pan like normal stir fry's

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Coconut Rice

One of my favorites.  And the easiest to make. The leftover rice can be used to make this "jhatpat" dish.

Ingredients:

Boiled rice (white)- 1 cup

Mustard Seeds- 1tsp

Jeera (Cumin)- 1 tsp

Green Chilly - 3-4

Curry Leaves- 12

Chana Dal- 1tsp

Urad Dal- 1tsp

Salt to Taste

Coconut- 1/2 cup  (Scraped)

Oil- 1 tbsp

Coriander Leaves

Procedure:

1. Mix salt with rice and keep aside.

2. In a pan add oil followed by chana dal, urad dal, mustard. Once the seeds start spluttering and the dal's turn slightly brown add cumin, green chilies and curry leaves.

3. Add the salt mixed rice from Step 1 and mix well.

4. Garnish with coconut and coriander leaves.

Chinese Potato Stir Fry (Kuka Upkari)

This is one of the tastiest tuber food items other than potato. But the only problem I face while preparing this is for the preparation. A huge amount of time goes in removing the peel and chopping them. But all the hard work is worth it when it is ready.

Ingredients:

Chinese Potato- 1/2 kg

Mustard Seeds- 1 tsp

Red Chilli- 4-5

Oil- 2 tsp

Salt to taste 

Coconut- 1/2 cup (Scraped)

Procedure:

1. Wash the Potatoes 2-3 times and scrap out the peel.

2. Cut it into thin slices longitudinally.

3. Boil the sliced pieces for 1 whistle in a cooker. (you can avoid this step and cook by adding water too, but this method saves the cooking gas).

4. In a pan add oil followed by mustard seeds.

5. Once they start spluttering  add the red chilli followed by the cooked potatoes and salt. 

6. Once its cooked (in case you avoid step 3 add water now and allow it to cook) add the scarped coconut.

Mutton Masala

As soon as I got married I had to face the challenge of how to cook??? I was not even acquainted with cooking when I had to face the challenge of cooking non-veg for my husband. My MIL was an expert at cooking fish. But she didn't have much expertise in cooking mutton. So I began my search for an Mutton recipe when I found this recipe on some site. 

Ingredients:

Mutton- 1kg

Onion-2

Tomato-2

Garlic- 10 pods

Chili Powder- 1 tsp

Turmeric Powder- 1/2 tsp

Coriander Powder- 1 tsp

Salt- 1tsp

Spices:

Pepper Corns- 1 tsp

Fennel Seeds- 1 tsp

Cumin Seeds- 1tsp

Cinnamon- 1 inch piece

Cloves- 3-4

Cardamom- 2-3

Procedure:

1. In a cooker put the add all the ingredients (other than the spices) along with 1 cup of water and cook it for 5-6 whistles.

2. In a seasoning pan roast all the spices till it turns slightly brown, once cooled grind it in a mixer (without water). 

3. In a pan heat 2 tbsp oil and add 20 curry leaves and transfer all the contents of the cooker into the pan.

4. Heat it till all the water evaporates and till we get a dry gravy.

Cashew Masala

I had ordered cashew masala from a restaurant. I have been itching to try it since then. And then I got the simplest recipe from a food blog called Monsoon Spice.

Ingredients:

Cashew Nuts- 1 cup

Tomatoes- 2

Ginger Garlic Paste- 1tsp

Fresh Cream- 2 tbsp

Ghee- 1 and 1/2 tbsp

Garam Masala- 1/2 tsp

Kasuri Methi- 1/2 tsp crushed

Amchur Powder- 1/2 tsp

List 1:

Onion- 2

Cinnamon- 1"

Cloves- 3

Cardamom- 2-3

Coriander Seeds- 1 tsp

Cumin Seeds- 1/2 tsp

Sugar- 1 and 1/2 tsp

Kashmiri Red chillies - 4-5

Cashew Nuts- 9-10

Procedure:

1. Grind all the ingredients on list 1 without adding water.

2. In a pan take 3/4 tbsp of ghee and roast the cashews till they turn slightly brown.

3. Shift the cashews in a plate and in the same pan add the rest of the ghee and fry the onion paste.

(Roast it till it stops sticking to the pan or until its properly cooked).

3. Add the ginger garlic paste and kasuri methi and fry for 1 min till the ginger garlic paste is cooked.

4. Add the spices i.e garam masala and amchur powder.

5. Make puree out of tomato and add in in the pan and cook for 2 min.

6. Add salt and 1 glass of water and cook for 5 min till all the spices are mixed.

7. Add the roasted Cashew's and cook for 2-3 min.

8. Befor lowering from the flame add fresh cream and garnish with coriander leaves.

Baby Corn Fry

I got this recipe from a food community. We konkani's are famous for making podi's out of anything. I had never tried to make them with baby corn.

Ingredients:

Baby Corn - 10-15

Rice Powder- 2 tbsp

Asafoetida a pinch

Red Chilly Powder- 1 tsp

Salt to Taste

Procedure:

1. Cut the baby corn lengthwise, apply salt and keep it aside for 20 minutes.

2. Make a paste of Rice powder, Chilly Powder and asafoetida with the help of water.

3. Dip the marinated baby corn into the paste.

4. Roll the pieces in Rava and deep fry.

You can squeeze lemon juice to get a tangy taste.

Banana Sweet Mix (Easy Prasad)

It was "Shravan" month for GSB's. And the preparation of the prasadam was important for the pooja. Hence this is one easily made prasada which can be prepared for any function.

Ingredients:

Banana's -5-6

Honey - 4-5Tbsp

Sugar- 1/2 cup

Ghee- 3-4 Tbsp

Procedure:

Mix all the ingredients mentioned above.

Bhindi Aloo Stir Fry

This is the dry curry. There is a gravy version too but that's for some other time.

Ingredients:

Lady's finger-1 cup

Potatoes-1 cup

Turmeric Powder-1/2 Tsp

Chilly Powder-1tsp

Coriander Powder-1/2 tsp

Garam Masala-1/2 tsp

Pepper Powder

Cumin Seeds

Amchur Powder-1/2 tsp

Oil

Salt to taste

Procedure:

1.Slit the lady's finger horizontally and cut it into 1 inch piece.

2.Marinate the pieces with turmeric powder, Chilly powder, coriander powder, garam masala, Gram flour and salt.

3.Fry the lady's finger pieces after marinating for half an hour.

4.Similarly marinate the potato pieces with chilly powder, pepper powder and salt.

5.Fry the potato pieces.

6.In a pan take 1 tsp oil and add 1 tsp cumin seeds.

7.Once the seeds start spluttering add the lady's finger and potato wedges.

8.Sprinkle the amchur powder on them.

Colacasia Curry

I don't like the vegetable much but I like the grinded masala. But for a change it is a good vegetable. Cook the colacasia's properly or it starts itching when you peel the skin.

Ingredients:

Colacasia Boiled and Peeled-1/2 kg

Coconut Scraped -1 Cup

Red Chillies-10-15

Tamarind (a small gooseberry shaped Ball)

Salt to taste

Asafoetida

Procedure:

1.Boil and peel the colacasia's and cut it into small cubes.

2.Grind the scraped coconut, red chillies and tamarind.

3.Add a bit of water to the paste if its very thick.

4.Add salt and start boiling along with the colacasia pieces.

5.Once its completely boiled take it off the burner and add Asafoetida a pinch(the smell is the best part).