Mixed vegetable Chettinad style

     

   There are some gravies that are simple to make if the spice mix is ready and I like to make a few such mixes for the ease of it. These mixes are perfect for days when you are short of ideas and also do well when you have a few guests coming over. They are complete winners! This is one such recipe. I don't need to make too many things with this, it is complete in itself and has a wholesome taste and flavors attached. You can serve with rice, dosas, appams and even hot parathas. It never fails to please. And on cold days, this is a must make recipe, complete in all ways. 

Ingredients

2 cups mixed vegetables (beans, carrots, cauliflower, peas, bell peppers, potatoes)

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

1 chopped onion

1/2 tsp each of crushed ginger and garlic

Few sprigs of curry leaves 

2 chopped chillies (optional)

Few halved cashews (optional)

2 tbsp oil

!/2 tsp turmeric

1 tsp Coriander powder

1/4th tsp Chilli powder 

1-2 bay leaves

2 tbsp Chettinad masala powder

salt to taste

1/4th cup coconut milk

Juice of half a lemon

coriander leaves to garnish

Method

1. Heat oil and add bay leaves, cashews and saute. Put in curry leaves and ginger garlic. saute.

2. Put in the onions and saute till slightly golden. Put in chopped tomato and cook till soft.

3. Now add all the spices and the chettinad masala powder along with salt. Mix well.

4. Put in the vegetables and on medium heat, saute them for about 2-3 mins to coats well and allow a little water to seep out.

5. Cover and cook until soft. 

6. Now add coconut milk and mix well. simmer on slow heat for few mins. 

7. Pour lemon juice and serve with chopped coriander leaves.

8. Extremely wholesome and 1 pot curry to go with any accompaniment. 

PS- You can also make only potatoes with this. Tastes amazing.

Dal wada curry

Eating dal is healthy and most of us enjoy it every day. I love the brown lentils we get here easily. Lots of fiber and texture. I try and use a lot of it. This is one recipe I tried and my family loved it. Sharing it so that we can enjoy it in another form.  Relish with parathas or rice! 

INGREDIENTS 

For wada~

1 cup brown dal soaked (can use moong, masoor, chana) 

1 chopped onion (optional) 

1-2 Green chili chopped 

1 tbsp ginger garlic paste 

Hing 

Salt 

1/2 tsp Chili powder 

1/2 tsp crushed saunf 

Oil to fry 

For curry~

2 tbsp oil 

1/2 tsp jeera 

1/2 cup tomato purée 

1 sliced onion 

2 chopped green chili 

1 tbsp ginger garlic crushed 

1/2 cup curd 

Salt 

Chili powder 

Haldi 

Coriander powder 

2 cups water 

Corina der leaves 

METHOD

1. Grind dal with little water. Add all other ingredients and fry wadas in hot oil. 

2. For curry, heat oil, add jeera and sliced onions, sauté. 

3. Add ginger garlic paste and all spiced. Sauté. 

4. Put all the spices and sauté for few secs. Add tomato purée and curd. Stir and add water for as much gravy as you like.

5. Boil with green chilies and coriander leaves. 

6. After a boil put in wadas and cover to allow gravy to seep in. Do this about 10 mins before serving as wadas absorb gravy. Adjust water again. 

7.  Serve hot with rice or parathas! 

Mirchi ka Saalan

I love mirchi ka Saalan, it has the ability to add the excitement on your full plate. It’s spicy, has texture and I like to add various kinds of chillies and peppers to give character. The squishy tomatoes also give a break from just the spice. It has never failed us. Do try.
Mirchi ka Saalan

INGREDIENTS - makes 500 gms
100 gms big chillies slit into halves
1/2 bell peppers sliced
10-15 green chillies sliced
5-8 garlic cut into halves
1 onion sliced
4-5 small tomatoes halved
1 tbsp ginger-garlic-green chillies crushed
2-3 tbsp oil
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp roasted peanuts
1 tsp roasted sesame
2 tbsp roasted coconut
1 tsp dhaniya powder
1/2 tsp haldi
1.2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp gur
Salt to taste
Hing
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
1/2 tsp jeera
Curry leaves
Walnut size tamarind
METHOD
1. Heat oil, add curry leaves, hing, mustard and jeera.
2. Add GGG paste and sauté.
3. Add onions and sauté slightly.
4. Add all the 3 kinds of chillies and sauté till well coated and glossy.
5. Grind peanuts, sesame and coconut together.
6. Add the paste and tomatoes and sauté.
7. Add all the spices, tamarind and water.
8. Cook till it starts to come together.
9. Add tomato halves and cook for just few mins.
10. Serve hot with rice. 

Besan wali beans- string beans with chickpea flour

BESAN WALI BEANS 

500 gms string beans(I had frozen) 

2 onions sliced thick 

1 cup yoghurt 

1 tbsp ginger, garlic, chilli paste 

1 tbsp oil 

3 tbsp besan (chickpea flour) 

2 tbsp desiccated coconut 

1/2 tsp chilli powder 

1/2 tsp turmeric 

Pinch of hing

1/4 tsp mustard seeds

1/4 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds 

Salt to taste.  

METHOD 

1. Heat oil, add hing and mustard, cumin and fenugreek seeds. Sauté. 
2. Add ginger garlic chilli paste. 
3. Add onions and sauté. 
4. Add the beans and sauté with salt and haldi. 
5. Cover and cook for few mins. 
6. Add besan, coconut and all spices. 
7. Mix well and add yoghurt. 
8. Add water to mix together and cook. 
9. Adjust water as per your liking. It should be thick. 
10. Serve hot with hot rotis. 

RAW BANANA SQUARES IN GREEN CURRY

INGREDIENTS FOR SQUARES
2 raw bananas boiled
3 tbsp chickpea flour
2 tbsp oil
1 tbsp ginger-garlic-chilli Paste
1/6 tsp hing
1/4 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp haldi
Salt to taste

INGREDIENTS FOR GRAVY
500 Gms chopped spinach
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
1 chopped onion
1 tbsp ginger-garlic-chilli Paste
Hing
1/2 tsp jeera
2 tbsp butter/ ghee
1/2 cup milk/2 tbsp cream
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp haldi
1/2 tsp any sabzi masala
Salt
1/2 lemon
METHOD
1. Mix all ingredients for squares and mash well.
2. Put into a greased container and steam for 10 mins till the color changes. Cool and cut into squares. You can fry these for added taste and serve them as snack too sprinkled with chaat masala.
3. Heat butter, add hing and jeera.
4. Add ginger paste and sauté.
5. Add chopped onions and sauté.
6. Add all spices and sauté 30 secs.
7. Add tomatoes and cook through.
8. Add spinach and cook. Add water, cook till soft.
9. Churn roughly with hand blender. Don’t purée.
10. Add the squares.
11. Cover to cook or pressure cook for 5 mins.
12. Open and add milk/cream and mix well. Adjust consistency you like.
13. Add lemon juice and serve.

Makki ka kees / Corn curry

Corn is such a versatile vegetable. I have heard so much about makki ka kees but never tried it. Here I am with a can of cooked corn and tried making it according to my taste and availability of ingredients , a little off the recipe. Of course since it was cooked , it was jhat pat, fast and yummy.Try this yummy dish which we all loved!

Ingredients

1 cup Crushed corn

1 chopped onion

1 tbsp ch garlic

2 ch spring onion

1/2 chopped bell peppers

2/3 cup milk

2 chopped gr chillies

1/4 tsp haldi

1/4 tsp chilli powder 

1/3 tsp garam masala

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tbsp oil

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

Salt to taste

Lime juice

Method

Heat oil and add mustard seeds, let them crackle.

Add chopped chillies and garlic and sauté.

Add chopped onions and sauté till golden .

Add spring onions and bell peppers and sauté.

Add the dry spices and sauté ,be careful not to burn it.

Put in the crushed corn and sauté well. 

Pour the milk and on slow flame cook till it's thick.

Squeeze lime juice and enjoy it hot with bread, rotis or just the way it is.