Cauliflower Stew

Cauliflower Stew

Stew is generally served along with Appam and Idiyappam ( string hoppers). It is a mildly spicy ( I make it spicy to suit my family preference), coconut milk based gravy. The coconut milk gives the stew a rich flavour.

I generally make potato stew with appam. Today, since I had bought s huge, fresh cauliflower, have made a spicy Cauliflower Stew:)



Ingredients 

Chopped onions- 3/4 th cup

Chopped tomatoes- 1/2 cup

Chipped cauliflower- 3 cups

Coconut milk powder- 5 tbsps

Water- 2 cups

Salt to taste

Oil- 1 tbsp

Red chilli powder- 1 tsp

Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp

Mustard – 1 tsp

Split urad dal( ullundhu)- 1 tsp

Curry leaves- few

Hing- 1/8th tsp

Method

Blanch the cauliflower ( cook the cauliflower in boiling salted water for few mins). Drain and keep it aside.

Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard. When it starts spluttering, add urad dal, hing and curry leaves. Sauté for few seconds and add chopped onions. When the onions turn pink, add chopped tomatoes, salt to taste, turmeric powder and chilli powder. Mix well and sauté for a min.



Add a cup of water and mix well. When the water started boiling, add the blanched cauliflower, mix well, close the pan with a lid and cook till the cauliflower becomes soft.



Now reduce the flame. Dissolve coconut milk powder in a cup of water without any lumps. Add this thick and smooth coconut milk to the gravy and mix welly. Gently mash the cauliflower with a potato masher. Check the seasonings and simmer for 10 mins. 

Serve hot with appam/ Idiyappam/ idli/ dosa.





Vegetable Jalfrezie

Jalfrezie is a method a cooking vegetables in a sauce. It’s generally made with mixed vegetables and has a sweet and sour flavour.

Ingredients

Carrot- 2
Cauliflower- 1 small
Beans- 15-20
Onions- 2
Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
Chopped ginger- 2 tsps
Chopped green chillies- 1 tsp
Red chilli powder- 1 tsp
Garam masala- 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Tomato ketchup- 2-3 tbsps

Method

Slice onions.
Wash and cut cauliflower into flowerets
Wash and cut carrots and beans into strips.

Heat oil in a pan.

Add chopped garlic and green chillies.Sauté for few seconds.
Add the onions and sauté till it turn pink. Add the rest of vegetables. Sauté for 2 mins. Add salt, turmeric powder and chilli powder and mix well. Close the pan and cook till the vegetables are just cooked and crisp.

Add the tomato ketchup, mix well and sauté for 2 more mins.

Serve hot garnished with coriander leaves and ginger juliennes.

Cauliflower and Capsicum

Ingredients

Cauliflower- 1 small
Onions- 2
Tomatoes- 2
Capsicum- 1 big
Ginger- 1 inch
Oil- 1 tbsp
Whole jeera- 1 tsp
Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder- 1 tsp
Jeera powder- 1 tsp
Coriander powder- 2 tsps
Dry mango powder- 1// tsp
Salt to taste
Chopped coriander leaves- 1 tbsp

Method

Cut cauliflower into medium sized florets.
Wash, peel and chop onions and ginger.
Wash and chop capsicum and tomatoes.

Heat oil in a pan. Add chopped ginger to the hot oil. Sauté for few mins and add chopped onions. When it turns pink, add cauliflower and stir fry for few mins. Then add chopped capsicum. Mix well, close the pan with a lid and cook till it’s 3/4th cooked,
Now add the chopped tomatoes, all the masala powders, salt to taste and and mix well. Close the pan with a lid and cook till the vegetables are tender.

Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot:)

Methi Matar Malai

Methi Matar Malai

Fenugreek leaves are known as Methi in Hindi and Vendhaya Keerai in Tamil.

Methi seeds as well as the leaves are extensively used in Indian cuisine. It
contains protein, fibre, vitamin C, niacin, potassium, iron and alkaloids. It also contains a compound diosgenin which has oestrogen-like properties, as well as steroidal saponins. These components impart many benefits to methi.

Methi is slightly bitter in taste. When combined with fresh peas, the sweetness of the peas compliments the bitter taste of methi. And the addition of malai ( milk cream), gives a beautiful texture to gravy and also brings a perfect balance in flavour.

Ingredients

Chopped fresh fenugreek }- 2 cups
leaves/methi.
Boilded green peas/ matar- 2 cups
Fresh cream( malai) – 1 cup
Oil- 1 tbsp
Water- 1 cup
sugar – 1/2 tsp
salt to taste

For the paste

Chopped onions- 1 cup
Cumin seeds- 1 tsp
Garlic- 5-6 cloves
Ginger- 1 inch
Green chillies- 4
Sliced almond or cashew nuts- 3/4th cup

Method

For the paste

Grind onions, ginger, garlic, green chillies and almond ( or cashew nuts) to a smooth paste adding little water if required.

Heat oil in a pan.
Add the ground paste and fry the paste 6-7 minutes till it starts giving a fragrant aroma.
Keep on stirring in between to avoid the paste from sticking to the pan.
add a little water if it sticks to the pan.

Add chopped fenugreek leaves and 1 cup water. Mix well and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the boiled peas and cream and
simmer for 5-6 minutes on a low flame.

Add the sugar and salt and mix well.
Garnish with cream and serve with hot phulkas or paratha:)

Siru Keerai ( Amaranth) Masiyal

Amaranth leaves is known as Siru Keerai in Tamil.

It is rich in iron and calcium. It increases memory power if it’s taken in a daily diet. It excretes the unwanted materials and protects the body form dangerous diseases. The person who is suffering from the final or critical stage of phthisis are recommended by siddha doctors to eat this variety. It has a power of curing poisonous insect bites. Trash, gallbladder disease , phthisis, eye diseases , wounds, strangury and food poisoning are cured by adding Tropical amaranth. The laxative, diuretic and refrigerant properties are present in it.

Ingredients

Siru Keerai- 1 bunch
Yellow Moong dal- 1/2 cup
( pasi paruppu)
Oil- 1 tsp
Coconut- 1/4th cup
Jeera- 1 tsp
Red chilies- 2-3
Salt to taste
Mustard- 1 tsp
Urad dal- 1 tsp
Jeera- 1/4th tsp
Hing- 1/8th tsp

Method

Remove unwanted weeds from the keerai, chop and put in a bowl of water. Clean it well, drain and keep it aside.

Pressure cook Moong dal.

Cook keerai till soft with jeera and little salt. Let it cool. Add coconut and red chillies to the cooked keerai and grind coarsely( I use hand blender).

Add cooked Moong dal, water as required and salt to taste and mix well. Simmer for few mins.

Heat a tsp of oil. Add mustard. When it starts spluttering, add urad dal, jeera and hing.

Add the tempering to the keerai and serve hot.

Beans Paruppu Usili

Paruppu Usili is a very traditional Tamil Brahmin recipe. Paruppu usili is a delicacy and one of the important recipes in traditional Tamil Brahmin wedding menus. It’s served for lunch on the muhurtham day.

It’s made with combination of lentils like tuvar dal( pigeon peas/ tuvaram paruppu), chana dal( chick peas/ kadalai paruppu) and a vegetable. French beans, cluster beans( kothavarangai), banana flower ( vaazhai poo) are some of the famous varieties of paruppu usili.

It was my mother in law who taught me this recipe. This has always been big hit with my family and friends. I make this at home every alternate weekend along with vengaya( onion) vatha kuzhambu( spicy tamarind gravy).

I have a made beans paruppu usili today. Unlike the general recipe I do not use a combination of dals. I use only chana dal( kadalai paruppu).

Ingredients

Soaked and drained chana dal- 3 cups
Finely Chopped beans- 2 cups
Red chillies- 4-5
Hing- 1/2 tsp
Oil- 4-5 tbsps
Mustard- 1 tsp
Curry leaves- few
Salt to taste

Method

Steam the beans with little salt till it becomes soft.

Grind the chana dal with salt( to taste), red chillies and hing to a coarse paste. Please ensure that it does not become very smooth. I use a hand blender to grind. It gives the perfect consistency.

Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan.
Add mustard. When it starts spluttering, add hing and curry leaves. Sauté for a second and then add the ground chana dal. Reduce the flame. Mix well and keep stirring for few mins. Now cover the pan with a lid and cook till the dal is becomes dry and completely cooked. When you touch the dal, it should not be sticky. The big lumpy mass of dal should have become a crunchy crumble.
Now add the steamed beans, mix well, cover the pan again and cook on low flame for 8-10 mins.

Transfer to a serving plate and serve hot or at room temperature with steamed rice, vatha kuzhambu or rasam. It tastes very good with hot rice drizzled with melted ghee too:)

Brinjal and shallots stir fry

Brinjal is also known as aubergine or eggplant. It’s known as Kathrikai in Tamil and Baingan in Hindi.

Brinjal is a versatile vegetable. It can be used in recipes that require braising, stir frying, baking, deep frying, roasting etc.

This is one vegetable that my whole family is fond off. So I make many recipes using brinjal. This recipe is something that I made for the first time today. I have made use of Marathi moggu first time. Have to say it has added a great aroma to the dish. And the addition of shallots have a added a very mild sweetness to this dish, creating a fantastic balance to the flavours 🙂

· Brinjal is a good source of dietary fiber and minerals like manganese, copper and potassium.
· It is also a good source of Vitamin B1 (thiamin), Vitamin B6, folate, magnesium and niacin.

· Brinjal contains phytonutrients which include phenolic compounds. These compounds act as antioxidants. Two such phytonutrients are chlorogenic acid and nasunin which are potent antioxidants and thus prevents formation of free radicals, thereby protecting cell membranes from damage.

Kapok Buds or Marathi Moggu, best described as a type of caper, are the dried buds of the Kapok tree or the Silk Cotton tree. It is called moggu in Kannada and mogga in Telugu which literally means a bud.

Marathi Moggu is a term which is a misnomer, as this spice is native to Karnataka. However that has not come in the way of its adorning several Andhra style dishes as a specialty spice. This spice is widely used in preparing curry powders and also finds a place in Chettinad cuisine.

Ingredients

Brinjal- 1/2 kg
Shallots( sambar onions)- 1 cup
Oil- 1 and 1/2 tbsps
Mustard- 1 tsp
Urad dal- 1 tsp
Chana dal- 1 tsp
Hing- 1/4th tsp
Curry leaves few
Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
Amchur powder- 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Sugar- 1/2 tsp

To roast and grind

Urad dal- 1 and 1/2 tbsps
Chana dal- 1 and 1/2 tbsps
Coriander seeds- 3 tbsps
Red chillies- 4- 5
Cloves – 2
Cinnamon stick- 1/2 inch
Marathi moggu( kapok buds)- 1
Badam flakes- 2 tsps

Method

Peel and wash shallots.
Wash and cut brinjal into cubes and keep it immersed in water till used.
Roast the spices in very little oil. Cool and grind to powder along with badam flakes.

Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan.
Add mustard. When it starts spluttering, add urad dal, chana dal, curry leaves and hing.
Sauté for few seconds and then add shallots.
Cook till shallots become pale pink.

Drain and add brinjal, salt to taste, turmeric powder, amchur powder and sugar.
Mix well. Reduce the flame. Close the pan with a lid and cook till the brinjal becomes tender.

Now add the the ground spice powder, mix well and sauté on a high flame for 2 mins.

Switch off the gas and transfer to a serving dish and serve hot:)

Green tomatoes in creamy coconut and almond gravy

Unripe tomatoes or raw tomatoes will be pale green all over, feel nearly solid and will have a more acidic or tart flavour which makes it very ideal to use for making spicy gravies, specially Chetinadu style.

Ingredients
Chopped green tomatoes- 3 cups
Chopped shallots – 1/2 cup
( small onions or madras onions)
Crushed and chopped garlic- 1 tbsp
Curry leaves- few
Chopped coriander leaves- 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder- 1 – 1 and 1/2 tsp
Coriander seeds powder- 3 tbsps
Salt to taste
Grated coconut- 1/2 cup
Sliced almonds- 1/4 th cup
Fennel seeds- 1 tsp
Milk- 1/2 cup
Mustard- 1 tsp
Fenugreek – 1/2 tsp
Jeera – 1/2 tsp
Hing- little
Sesame oil- 1 tbsp

Method

Heat oil in a pan. Add mustsrd. When it starts spluttering, add fenugreek, jeera, hing and curry leaves. Now add, chopped onions and garlic and sauté for 2 mins.

Add chopped tomatoes. Mix well. Add turmeric pd, red chilli pd, coriander seeds pd and salt to taste. Mix well. Cook for a min. Add 2 cups of water and let it cook it till the tomatoes become tender.

Grind coconut, almonds and fennel seeds to a smooth paste using required amount of water.Reduce the gas. Add this to the tomato gravy . Mix well and let it cook for few mins. Now, add 1/2 cup of milk, mix well again.

Let it simmer till the gravy starts frothing. Take off the gas, transfer to a serving dish, garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with steamed rice. It can be served with Idli, dosa, idiyappam and aapam too:)

Potato and Carrot Stew

Whenever I make Idiyappam or Aappam, i make this spicy stew.
Coconut milk used in this recipe contributes to the unique flavour and richness of the stew. My family’s favourite and I hope all of you will enjoy this stew:)

Ingredients

Boiled and chopped potatoes- 1 and 1/2 cups
Boiled and chopped carrot- 1 cup
Chopped onions- 1/2 cup
Chopped tomatoes- 1/2 cup
Chopped green chillies- 2
Chopped ginger- 1 tsp
Chopped garlic – 1 tsp
Curry leaves- few
Chopped coriander leaves- 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder- 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil- 2 tsps
Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
Hing- 1/4th tsp
Coconut milk powder- 1/2 cup
Water- 1 cup

Method
Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan.
Add mustard. When it starts spluttering, add hing, curry leaves, chopped green chillies, garlic and ginger.
Sauté for a min.
Add chopped onions and sauté till the onions turn pink.
Now add chopped tomatoes, salt to taste, turmeric powder and chilli powder. Mix well. Sauté for few mins.
Add 1/2 cup water and let it cook for mins.
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Now, add the chopped potatoes and carrots and mix well. Check the seasonings and mash the vegetables gently with a potato masher. Let it cook on a low flame for 5 mins.

To half cup of coconut powder, add 1 cup of water and mix well. There
should be no lumps at all.

Add the coconut milk to the gravy, mix well and let it simmer.

Once the gravy starts frothing, switch off the flame. The gravy should not boil. This is because the coconut milk on boiling will curdle.

Transfer the stew to a serving dish, garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with idiyappam or appam. It can served with Idli, dosa or steamed rice also:)

Paavakai Varuval( Bitter gourd stir fry)

Bitter gourd is known as Paavakai in Tamil and Karela in Hindi.
Due to its bitter taste not many are fond of this vegetable, though it is very rich in minerals and vitamins.

It is an excellent source of vitamins B1, B2, and B3, C, magnesium, folate, zinc, phosphorus, manganese, and has high dietary fiber. It is rich in iron, contains twice the beta-carotene of broccoli, twice the calcium of spinach, and twice the potassium of a banana.
Bitter gourd contains a unique phyto-constituent that has been confirmed to have a hypoglycemic effect called charantin. There is also another insulin-like compound known as polypeptide P which have been suggested as insulin replacement in some diabetic patients.

To lessen the bitter flavor, slice the melon length-wise and scoop out the seeds. Soak it in salt water for about half an hour before juicing/cooking.

My husband and my daughter are fond of bitter gourd. I generally make this crispy stir fry once in two weeks 🙂

Ingredients
Sliced bitter gourd- 2 cups
Gram flour( besan) – 1 tbsp
Rice flour- 1 tbsp
Red chilli powder- 1 tsp
Coriander( dhania) powder- 2 tsps
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
Amchur( dry mango) powder- 1/2 tsp
Oil- 3 tbsps
Mustard- 1 tsp
Urad dal- 1 tsp
Hing( asafoetida)- 1/4th tsp

Method

Soak the sliced bitter gourd in salt water for half an hour.( you can skip this step if you like the bitter taste).
Drain, wash and let it dry for sometime.
Put the bitter gourd in a wide bowl. Add 1 tbsp of oil, salt to taste, red chilli powder, dhania powder, turmeric powder, amchur powder,gram flour and rice flour. Mix very well so that all the slices are coated evenly. Let it marinate for 1 hour.
Heat 2 tbsps of oil in a heavy bottom pan. To the hot oil, add mustard. Once it starts spluttering, add urad dal and hing. Sauté for a minute. Add the marinated bitter gourd slices and mix well. Stir fry on a medium flame till the slices become crisp. Serve hot 🙂