Bottle Gourd curry

Bottle Gourd is very effective in many ailments. Specially raw juice of this vegetable mixed with lime juice is very effective in curing UTI infections. Its also very effective in curing diarrhea. I used to ignore this vegetable until i knew its medicinal properties. Now this  is a part of my die.

This is a beautiful blend of Moong Dhal and Gourd. This curry goes very well with hot rice/Chapati and ghee :)

Ingrediants
Moong Dhal - 1 cup (soaked for 1 hour)
Bottle Gourd - Finely chopped one cup
Tomato - 1
Onion - 1
Garlic - 4 finely chopped
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp
Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - 5
Jeera - 1/4 tsp
Mustard - 1/4 tsp
Coriander leaves
Oil
Salt

Cooking Method
Heat oil in a kadai, add mustard, jeera and curry leaves.
Add finely chopped onion and garlic and fry till translucent. Add tomatoes, Chilli Powder, Asafoetida.
Fry till the oil leaves the sides and the masala gives a good aroma.
Add soaked dhal, Fry for a minute. add 2 cups of water and cook till the dhal becomes soft but not mushy.
Now add the chopped bottle gourd and cook for 5 min
Garnish with ghee and coriander leaves.

Cooking time : 30 min
Serves - 3

Note

• For fast cooking, pressure cook dhal with garlic and asafoetida. Add to the onion masala, followed by bottle gourd.
• You can substitute bottle gourd with white pumkin or cucumber.

Veg Pulao with Fresh Green Masala

Simple ingredients. Freshly ground herbs. Proper dum cooking.
This is not bland white rice with vegetables — this is fragrant, mildly spiced, home-style Veg Pulao that stands on its own.

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🛒 Ingredients (Serves 3 | 45 mins)

• 2 cups basmati rice

• 200 g paneer (optional)

• 1 cup mixed vegetables (carrot, beans, potato, peas, soya beans, capsicum, mushroom — avoid beetroot)

• 2 onions (sliced)

• 2 medium tomatoes (chopped)

• 2 cloves

• 2 cardamom

• 1” cinnamon

• 1 bay leaf

• ½ tsp turmeric powder

• 1 tsp garam masala

• 2 tsp curd

• 1 tsp ghee

• 10 tsp oil

• Salt to taste

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🌿 Grind to a Smooth Green Masala

• ½ cup mint leaves

• ½ cup coriander leaves

• 4 green chilies (adjust to taste)

• 1” ginger

• 6 garlic pods

Grind into a smooth paste without adding too much water.

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👩‍🍳 Method

1️⃣ Prep the Rice
Wash and soak basmati rice for 20 minutes. Drain and keep aside.

2️⃣ Build the Base
In a thick-bottomed wide vessel, heat oil.
Add clove, cardamom, cinnamon, and bay leaf.

Add sliced onions. Fry until light brown.
Add tomatoes and cook until soft and fully mashed.

3️⃣ Add the Green Masala
Add the ground green paste.
Cook patiently until oil separates. This step gives depth.

Add turmeric and garam masala. Fry for a minute.

4️⃣ Balance the Flavour
Add ghee, then curd.
Cook until the curd blends smoothly into the masala.

5️⃣ Vegetables & Paneer
Add mixed vegetables. Cover and cook till ¾ done.
Add paneer cubes gently. Do not overmix.

6️⃣ Rice & Water
Add soaked rice.
For every 1 cup rice, add 2 cups water.
Add salt and mix lightly.

7️⃣ Dum Cooking
Once it starts boiling, cover and cook for 5 minutes.

Place a hot tawa on the stove.
Keep the pulao vessel on the tawa and cook on low flame for 20 minutes undisturbed.

Drizzle ghee before serving.

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🍽 Serve With

Cool cucumber raita or simple onion salad.

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📝 Notes

• Always use basmati rice for better aroma and texture.

• Avoid beetroot — it changes the color and flavor profile.

• Paneer breaks easily, so mix gently.

• If using a pressure cooker: after adding rice and water, cook for 3 whistles.

• Prefer crispy paneer? Lightly fry and add at the end.

• Adjust green chilies to match your spice tolerance.

Mattar Paneer

Its been over 6 months since I posted something here..... I wanna rekindle my cooking spirits and be more regular here. :)

This might not be an authentic way of cooking this dish but I will stick to this recipe for its taste and simplicity.

Mom got me this new clay pot and I love to cook in them, As clay pot are supposed enhance the flavour of the dish.

Ingrediants

Panner - 200gms
Green Peas - 1 Cup (Pressure cooked)
Onion - 2
Tomato - 2
Ginger - 1"
Garlic - 6 pods
Chilli Powder - 2 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Jeera Powder - 1tsp
Cashew Nut - 5
Badam - 5 (Peeled)
Curd -  3tsp
Clove - 2
Cinnamon - 1"
Cardamom - 1
Oil
Salt

Cooking Method

In a kadai, heat oil, add paneer cubes and fry till they turn golden brown. Remove Paneer pieces and set aside.

In a kadai, heat oil, add finely chopped onions, once onions turn translucent, add chopped ginger, garlic once they are fried, add tomatoes. Fry till oil leaves the sides and tomaotes turn pulpy. Remove this mixture from the stove, grind into a smooth paste and set aside.
Grind Badam and cashew into a smooth paste.
Heat oil in a kadai.
Add clove, cinnamon and cardamom, add the onion - tomato paste, fry on slow flame till the masala is well cooked.
Add chilli powder and coriander powder along with salt. Fry this mixture for a minute.
Add curd and mix till it blends well with the masala.
Add cashew paste and fry for a minute.
Add the cooked mattar and boil the mixture.
Finally add fried panner pieces and garnish with coriander.

Serve hot with rotis.

Cooking time : 25 min
Serves : 3

Sambar

Sambar has a whole lot of recipes and since this blog caters to the newbie's in the kitchen, I have posted the most easy recipe for sambar. This is not the traditional sambar, It's a newbiee's delight.

Ingredients

Toor Dhal - 3/4 cup

Vegetables - carrot, beans, brinjal (1cup)

Tomato - 2

Onion - 1

Garlic - 4 pods

Sambar Powder - 2tsp

Green Chilli - 2

Tamarind pulp - 1tsp

Turmeric Powder - 1/2tsp

Asafoetida - 1/4tsp

Salt

Oil

Garnish

Mustard - 1tsp

Curry Leaves - 8

Red Chilli - 4

Cooking Method

Pressure cook washed toor dal with chopped onions. tomatoes, garlic, slit green chillies, sambar powder, Turmeric powder and asafoetida along with 1tsp of oil.

 (Cook for 3 whistles)

Cook the vegetables with salt and turmeric.

Add cooked vegetables to the dal mixture, mix in salt and tamarind pulp. Bring it to boil.

Heat oil in a kadai, add mustard and curry leaves, followed by red chilli. Add this tadka to the sambar.

Serve hot with idli, dosa or rice.

TIP : For added flavour garnish using ghee.

Cooking Time : 20 minutes

Serves : 3

Idli Upma

South Indian mothers are experts when it comes to using left overs. They can turn leftover rice into tamarind rice, lemon rice or even lovely vathal. Idli upma is one such dish which can be made with leftover idli's. This is a very easy evening snack.

Ingredients

Idli - 6

Onion - 1 (finely chopped)

Green chilli - 2

Ginger - 1"

Peanuts - 2tsp

Chana dal - 1tsp

Mustard -1tsp

Curry Leaves - 6

Coriander - To Garnish

Turmeric powder - 1/4tsp

Oil

salt

Cooking Method

Grind the idli's in the mixie into a soft powder, You can also mash it with your hands. I used mixie to get a uniform texture.

Heat oil, add mustard, peanuts and chana dal, fry on slow flame.

Add curry leaves, green chillies, ginger and Onions.

Fry till onions turn translucent, add turmeric powder, fry for few seconds.

Add idli powder, Mix well and add salt.

Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve hot with chutney or sugar.

Cooking Time : 20 minutes

Serves : 3

Palak Paneer

Palak paneer is a Punjabi dish with a lot of health benefits. Palak has a high nutrition value. It has a coling effect on the body. Palak has a high percentage of Iron and Vitamin A. Apart from these health benefits, this is a very tasty green. The creamy and rich blend of spices makes palak paneer a favourite in our house.

Ingredients
Palak - 1 bundle (500gms)
Paneer - 300gms
Onion - 1
Tomato - 2
Ginger - 2"
Garlic - 4-5(Big pods)
Chilli Powder - 1tsp
Corinder Powder - 1tsp
Jeera Powder - 1/2tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4tsp
Garam Masala - 1tsp
Salt
Whipped cream - 1/4 Cup (Optional)

Cooking Method

Step 1 : Palak Puree
Bring water to boil in a large pan, Once water starts to boil rapidly, Add the cleaned palak into it.
Cook for 5-10 minutes. Remove palak from water. Once palak cools down, Grind it into a smooth paste.

Step 2
Finely chop onion, tomatoes, ginger and garlic.
Grind all of the above into a smooth paste along with Jeera powder.

Step 3
Heat oil in a kadai, once the oil turns warm, switch off the stove and add chilli powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder. Switch on the stove again and add the above ground masala, Fry till the tomato mixture because half the original quantity (This has to be cooked covered and on slow flame).
Add salt and palak puree. Cook covered till palak blends with masala.

Cut paneer pieces into small cubes. Add paneer into the palak mixture cover and cook for a minute.

Finally blend in the whipped cream for a rich taste.

Serve with ghee smeared rotis.

Cooking time : 25 minutes
Serves : 4

Chena Kizhangu fry (Elephant foot yam)

Elephant foot yam is usually used in Avial. A side dish made from the blend of 6-7 vegetables in a coconut based gravy. Sometimes i make this yam fry which is crisp and yummy. This can be served as a starter or even as a side dish.

This yam gives a itchy sensation when cut with bare hands. The best way to cut this vegetable is to ensure your hands and the knife your using is dry as when you touch the water the itching starts. Once your done with cutting it, you can wash your hands in tamarind water.

Ingredients

Elephant foot Yam - 250gms

Tamarind water - 3tsp

Chilli Powder - 11/2tsp

Coriander Powder - 1 tsp

Garam Masala - 1/2tsp

Jeera powder - 1tsp

Salt

Oil - to deep fry

Cooking Method

Cut yam into length wise.

In a mixing bowl add all the spice powders and salt. Mix well.

Add yam pieces into the masala bowl, shake the bowl well so that yam is coated with the spice powder.

Sprinkle tamarind water, and mix well. Set aside for 20 minutes.

Heat oil in a kadai and deep fry the yam pieces on slow flame.

Note : You dont have to add water to the spices as yam tends to give out some moisture and the tamarind water will do the work.

Cooking Time : 15 minutes (Excluding marinations time)

Serves : 2

Poricha Katharika (Deep fried brinjal)

There are few vegetables I pick almost on every other visit to the market and brinjal is one of them. There are a million ways to cook this humble vegetable, Brinjal fry is one of the regulars in the kitchen. Poricha Kathrika goes very well with curd rice or even with rice and dal.

Ingredients

Big Brinjal - 1

Chilli Powder - 2tsp

Coriander Powder - 2tsp

Jeera Powder - 1tsp

Turmeric Powder - 1/2tsp

Lime juice/ vinegar - 3tsp

Salt

Cooking Method

Mix all spice powders with salt and vinegar along with some water to make it into a smooth paste.

Cut the brinjal into thin slices.

Apply the masala on the slices. Leave it in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Heat oil in pan and semi-deep fry the slices till crisp and done.

Note : You can use the masala powder of stuffed brinjal or Fish fry masala to apply on the slices.

Cooking Time : 15 min (Excluding marination time)

Serves : 3-4

         

Puri

Puri was one of my favourite breakfast in my childhood. I liked everything oil fried :) Especially crisp fried puri with Palya... I can easily finish 4-5 puri's with no hassle :) This is also a newbie's delight coz it can never go wrong.

Ingredients

Ashirwad Atta - 2 cups
Water - 2 cups approx
Salt
Oil - 1tsp

Method
Mix atta with water salt and oil. Knead it into a smooth dough.
Knead for 5-10 minutes. Set aside for half an hour.
Take small balls. Roll it into small puri's.
Heat oil in a kadai. When the oil is piping hot, Drop in the rolled dough and keep pressing it into the oil to get a puffed up puri.

Pumkin - Karamani Kuttu

Looks like PUMKIN is the vegetable of the month, almost all the blogs I follow have some or the other pumkin dishes, from pastries to soups this vegetable can fit in anywhere. I got 1kg of pumkin on the other day as I was expecting some guest and i thought of cooking Pumkin Halwa, however the guest didn turn up and I was left with 2 big chunks of yellow pumkin in the fridge. I made Pumkin chilli fry on the other day and now it was time for this curry.

Ingredients

Yellow Pumkin - 350gms (Cubed)

Karamani - 1 cup (Soaked for 4 hours)

Onion - 1 (Finely chopped)

Tomato - 1 (Finely chopped)

Ginger Garlic Paste - 1tsp

Mustard - 1tsp

Red Chilli - 2nos

Coconut Oil

Salt

Grind

Coconut - 1/2cup

Jeera - 1tsp

Red Chilli - 4 (As per taste)

Cooking Method

Grind coconut, jeera and red chilli into a smooth paste.

Pressure cook karamani.

Heat oil in a kadai, add mustard and red chilli. Once a nice aroma comes in.

Add onion, once its turns translucent, add tomatoes, once tomatoes mash into a pulp.

Add the coconut masala, fry till the oil seperates from the masala.

Add pumkin, Cook till pumkin turns soft.Add salt and mix well.

Finally add cooked karamani, Mix well and bring the entire mixture to boil.

Garnish with a tsp of coconut oil. Serve with Chapathi's or rice.

Cooking Time : 30 min

Serves : 4

Roast Potatoes

This week the queen of farmer's market was baby potatoes... there were heaps of them and i just walked past them as i didn have any specific recipe for them... then i remembered eating in a hotels buffet, roasted potatoes as starters... I wanted to recreate this in my kitchen and I picked up some of these little beauites and it indeed was a big hit. Its a easy and an extremely delicious dish.

Ingredients

Baby Potatoes - 1/2 kg

Chilli Powder - 1tsp

Coriander Powder - 1tsp

Jeera Powder - 1tsp

Turmeric - 1/4tsp

Salt

Oil or ghee

Cooking Method

Peel the potatoes and poke it with a fork in atleast 2-3 places.

Heat kadai, add oil, Once the oil warms a bit. Switch off the stove.

Add all the spice powders with salt. Add the potatoes, toss it well.

Cover and cook on slow flame till potatoes are well cooked.

Roast well till done.

Serve as a starter.

Note : Use ghee instead of oil to enhance the flavour and taste.

Cooking Time : 20min

Serves : 3-4

Coconut - Coriander Chutney

This Chutney is filled with a lot of flavour. Its simplicity is the reason for it being a favourite among a lot of South Indians.

Ingredients
Coconut - 1 cup
Coriander Leaves - 1/2 cup
Green Chilli - 4
Jeera - 1tsp
Garlic - 4 pods
Salt

Tadka
Mustard - 1/2tsp
Urad dal - 1/2tsp
Red Chilli - 3 (Broken)
Curry Leaves - 8

Method
Grind all the ingredients with salt into a smooth paste.

Heat oil, Add mustard, Once it crackles, Add urad dal and red chilli.
Finally add curry leaves.

Add this tadka to the chutney and close immediately to seal the aroma.

Serve it with Dosa or Idli

Cooking time : 15 minutes
Serves : 3

Vendakkai Puli Kolumbu (Lady's fnger in tamarind curry)

My Periamma makes very tasty puli kolumbu. The tangy spicy flavour of it is something worth taking about for days. Although what i make is no where close to the taste she makes. This time around it turned out very tasty..... I have made my own variations to this curry.

Ingredients

Lady's Finger / Brinjal / Drumstick / Small Onions - 1 Cup of any one vegetable

Onion - 1 (Small, Finely chopped)

Garlic - 2 Pods (Finely sliced)

Tamarind pulp - 1/2 cup

Mustard - 1tsp

Methi Seeds- 1/2tsp

Curry Leaves

Oil

Salt

Masala

Coconut - 1/4 cup

Onion - 1 (Fnely chopped)

Tomato - 2 (finely chopped)

Ginger - 1" (Finely chopped)

Garlic - 8 pods (Finely chopped)

Turmeric - 1/4tsp

Chilli Powder - 11/2tsp

Coriander Powder - 2tsp

Asafoetida - 1/4tsp

Jeera - 1tsp

Cooking Method

Heat kadai, add coconut, roast till nice aroma comes.

Add all the masala ingrediants from tomato till jeera one by one at intervals.

Once the raw smell goes, cool the mixture.

Grind it into a smooth paste. Set this masala aside.

Heat oil, add chopped lady's finger, Saute till the slimyness goes and set it aside.

In the same oil, Add mustard and methi seeds followed by curry leaves.

Add garlic and onions, Fry till onions turn translucent.

Add the ground masala and salt. Fry on slow flame until oil comes out.

Add tamarind pulp. Bring the entire mixture to boil for 3-4 minutes.

Add sauted lady's finger, Cook till lady's finger is done.

Serve with hot rice or Idli/Dosa

Cooking time : 30 minutes

Serves : 4

Pumkin chilli fry

Pumkin is a very versatile vegetable. It can be cooked in many ways. The dishes i make are Pumkin and karamani, Pumkin halwa, Pumkin with coconut... Oh actually the list goes on :)

Since i have made all these dishes many times, today i thought i should create something else, Thus came this yummy dish. This is a sweet n spicy dish.

Will post the other versions of pumkin soon.

Ingredients

Yellow Pumkin - 500 gms (Peeled and chopped into bite size pieces)

Whole dry red chilli - 7 Broken into small pieces

Cumin - 1tsp

Mustard - 1/2tsp

Curry Leaves - 8 (Finely chopped)

Oil

Salt

Cooking Method

Heat oil, add mustard and cumin, Once it crackles, Add chilli pieces and curry leaves.

Add pumkin pieces and salt.

Cook covered on slow flame, till pumkin turns soft.

Garnish with fresh curry leaves.

Cooking Time : 20 Minutes

Serves : 2

Katharikai Poriyal (Brinjal fry)

When we were kids grandmom used to plant brinjal and the yield from them was always in BIG quantities. My mom makes this poriyal which goes very well with rice and with chapathi's.  The brinjal we buy from the market is no where close to the ones we used to grow in our homes.

This dish is one of my childhood favourites. The blended taste of brinjal and onions is truely a treat to the tastebuds.

Ingrediants

Brinjal - 1/2 kg (Thin and long slices)

Onions - 3 (Thin and long slices)

Curry Leaves - 5

Chilli Powder - 1tsp

Coriander Powder - 1tsp

Jeera Powder - 1/2tsp

Mustard

Salt

Oil

Cooking Method

Heat oil, add mustard, Once mustard splutters, add onions.

Fry onions till they turn translucent, add all spice powders and salt.

Fry for a minute. Add Brinjal and curry leaves.

Fry on low flame till brinjal turns soft.

Serve hot with rotis or rice.

Cooking time : 20 Minutes

Serves : 2 - 3

Mushroom Rice

I come up with these different rices which make my life easy in the mornings. They are easy to make and very tasty too.

Ingrediants

Cooked Rice - 2 Cups

Button Mushroom - 7 (Finely Chopped)

Onion - 2 (Finely chopped)

Chilli Powder - 1tsp

Jeera Powder - 1/2tsp

Garam Masala - 1/2tsp

Clove - 2

Cinnamon - 1"

Coriander Leaves

Oil

Salt

Cooking Method

Heat oil, add clove, cinnamon. Once they crackle, add onions.

Fry till they turn translucent, add all spice powder and salt. Fry for a minute

Add mushroom. Saute well.

Cover and cook for 5 minutes.

Once mushroom is cooked, Mix in cooked rice and chopped coriander.

Mix well and serve.

Cooking time : 20 minutes

Serves : 2

Kadala Sundal

When the sun hides behind the clouds and refuses to shine. When the chill wind blows to mark the begining of winter. Our tongue craves for the right sundal.

 

Here's the recipe for a yummy sundal.

Ingrediants
Peanut - 1 cup (Cooked)
Onion - 1 (Finely chopped)
Curry leaves - 6 (finely chopped)
Mustard - 1 tsp
Jeera - 1 tsp
Red chilli - 5
Coriander leaves - 2 tsp (Finely chopped)
Coconut - 3 tsp (Shredded)
Salt

Method
Heat oil, add mustard, jeera, curryleaves, red chilli, oinions. Fry till onion turns translucent.
Add cooked peanut to the above, finely add coriander leaves, coconut and salt. Mix well.

Serve hot with a cup of tea.

Note : Change garnishing as per your taste.

Cooking time : 20 minutes
Serves : 2

Kothoranga Poriyal (Cluster beans poriyal)

This simple yummy poriyal goes very well with dal and rice.

Ingrediants
Cluster beans - 250gms (Cleaned and finely chopped)
Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Jeera Powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt

For tadka
Onion - 1 (Finely Chopped)
Red chilli - 2
Curry Leaves - 5
Mustard - 1/2 tsp
Chana dhal - 1/2 tsp
Salt
Oil

Cooking Method

In a kadai, Add cluster beans, chilli powder, turmeric and salt. Cook till done and ensure the water evaporates completely.

Set this aside. In an other kadai, Heat oil, add mustard, chana dal, curry leaves and red chilli.
Once you get a nice aroma, Add onions and saute till light brown. Add required salt and the cooked cluster beans.

Mix well.

Note : You can garnish with shredded coconut.
          You can add an egg in the end and scramble it into the poriyal.

Cooking Time : 20 minutes
Serves : 3

Methi Chapathi

My mom makes this yummy methi chapathi. I used to love this as it has a nice taste of methi and a lovely aroma of jeera.

Ingrediants

Methi leaves : 1cup (Chopped)

Ashirwad Atta 2cup

Jeera Powder - 1 tsp

Salt

Oil - To roast the chapathi

Cooking Method

Make a soft dough using all the ingrediants with water or with a combination of water and milk. Apply 1tsp of oil on the dough, knead well and set aside for half an hour.

Heat the tava, Take a small ball of dough and roll into a small puri, spread 1tsp oil and sprinkle atta on it. Fold this and roll it into any desired shape. Place the rolled dough on the tava, keep the flame on medium, Once you see small bubbles on the chapathi, turn the chapathi and cook till done. Finally spread some ghee or oil on the chapathi.

Note : You can replace methi leaves with grated carrot or cooked and pureed palak.

Vermicelli Upma

This is a very easy breakfast or can be eaten as a evening tiffin, When you have guest in large number, This recipe will help you.

Ingrediants

Vermicelli - 2 Cups

Onion - 1 (Finely Chopped)

Green Chilli - 2 (Slit)

Ginger - 1" (Finely minced)

Cashewnuts - 6-7 (Optional)

Mustard - 1/2 tsp

Chana Dal - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves - 10

Turmeric - a pinch

Ghee - 1 tsp

Oil

Cooking Method

Heat kadai, add ghee and roast vermicelli on slow flame till the colour changes. (This is an important step, be careful not to burn it, Preferably dont buy roasted vermicelli) Set this aside.

Heat oil, add mustard, chana dal, cashew and curryleaves.

Add ginger and green chilli followed by onions and turmeric.

Add salt.

Fry till onion turns translucent, Add Vermicelli and fry this mixture for some time.

In an other pan boil water.

Add 1 cup boiled water to vermicelli and mix well, Add an other 1/2 cup if you feel vermicelli is not cooked.

Mix well and close the kadai for a minute, Saute till all the water is absorbed by vermicelli.

Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve with chutney, pickle or sugar.

Note : If you add too much water, Vermicelli will become like a paste, Slowly add water, Even if its semi cooked, it will get cooked when you close the kadai and cook.

Cook on slow flame.

Cooking time : 20 Minutes

Serves : 2-3