Parwal/Patal Besan Fry - Pointed Gourd

Someone who isn't very enthusiastic about spending a lot of time in kitchen after a long day at work, I appreciate all the quick recipes my mom taught me. The Patal besan fry is one such dish. The best part of it is, because of its softness, it can be taken with both rice and roti. This can also serve as a quick side dish during an elaborate dinner.

Ingredients:

Patal/Parwal/Pointed Gourd - Washed and cut in the middle to allow stuffing.
Besan - One cup
Jeera - 1 tbsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Salt
Red chilli powder
Oil

Process:

1. Mix all except patal in a bowl. Add oil in it and keep mixing till it is stays together. 
2. Stuff the mixture along the split in the patal.
3. Heat a generous helping of oil in a container.
4. Once hot, add the stuffed patals in the oil and let it cook.
5. Once the patals are start getting brown, sprinkle the rest of the mixture on top of it and mix.
6. Cook covered. Sprinkle water occasionally and cook covered till the patals are soft.
7. Serve hot with chapati or rice.

Aloo Capsicum (Potato Capsicum) Fry

After a tiring day, what one would look for is a quick and easy dish that is both healthy and filling. Aloo Capsicum or potato capsicum fry is one such dish. I particularly like capsicum for its light spicy flavor that it lends to the entire dish. This is a very easy dish. Try it!


Ingredients:
1 big capsicum cut in to medium pieces
1 big potato cut in to cubes
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 garam masala
Salt to taste


Process:
Heat oil in the pan. Once heated, put the cumin seeds and let them pop.
Put all the spices except for garam masala and let it mix with oil. Let the oil get the flavor of these spices. It should not take more than 3-4 seconds.
Then add the potato and capsicum and mix properly so that the spiced up oil coats the pieces properly. Add salt according to taste and mix well.
Sprinkle some water in it and on a low to medium heat, cook with a closed lid. Keep stir regularly so that the vegetables do not stick to the pan and burn. Add water whenever required.
Cook till the vegetables soften.
Then sprinkle the garam masala and mix well. Turn off the fire after couple of minutes.
Serve hot with roti or rice. 

Cauliflower Pepper Mix Curry

I love the vegetable section of retail superstores.The color, the fresh smell of veggies attract me to them and I usually end up buying vegetables that I don't know how to cook. But I buy them anyway because they look so good. That is what I did this weekend when I picked the colorful pepper trio - red, yellow and orange pepper! See some very colorful pictures of them here and you would know why. :)
I was disappointed to find that I did not really find any recipe that included all three. I decided to go the traditional way and make a mix vegetable curry.


Ingredients
2 tsb vegetable oil
1 cup cauliflower florets
1/2 cup red pepper pieces
1/2 cup yellow pepper pieces
1/2 cup orange pepper pieces (you can use green pepper also)
1 cup potato cut in to cubes
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp garlic paste
1 big onion chopped
1 big tomato chopped
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/4 tsp coriander powder
1/2 garam masala
coriander leaves


Process:
Heat oil in the cooking vessel. When hot, add the cumin seeds and let it splutter.
Add the ginger paste and stir for few seconds. Then add the onion in it. Stir to mix it with ginger.
After couple of minutes, add garlic paste and mix properly. Add the coriander powder to the onion and mix. Stir regularly till the onion is brown in color.
Add the tomato to the mix and stir well. When the tomato starts cooking, add the chilli powder, turmeric powder and mix well. Add a bit of water to make it a paste.
Once the tomato is cooked and the contents look like a paste, add all the vegetables in it. Mix properly to coat them with the paste. Add salt, water and mix well. Do not add too much water. It should be added only to help the vegetables soak the flavor. Cook with a lid covered.
Stir the vegetables at regular intervals till they become soft. 
Once soft, add the garam masala and mix well. You can add the coriander leaves at this point and cover the lid. Let it cook for couple of minutes and turn off the fire.
Serve hot with rice or roti.

Gobi Masala - Without Onion

There are times when the unthinkable happens. Like missing onions at home. Yes, it happens and it happened with me today. I had no onions, no potatoes and as if God planned it, I just had cauliflower and tomato as my main ingredients. Then I thought it would be a great experiment which my friends, has been very successful. Presenting Gobi masala without onions. 


Ingredients
4 cup Cauliflower florets - cut and soaked in turmeric water
4 Tbs Tomato puree - or thickly blended
3 green chillies
1 inch ginger
4 cloves garlic
Turmeric Powder
Chilli Powder
Coriander Powder
Salt
Coriander Leaves for garnishing


Process
Put oil in a pan and let is heat. Put the cauliflower florets and fry them till lightly brown. Remove and keep it aside.
Make a paste of ginger, garlic and green chillies.
Heat oil in the same pan and put the ginger-garlic-green chillies paste in it. Stir while it gets sauted.
Then add the tomato puree or paste and mix it properly.
Add the chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and salt. Mix properly.
Wait till the paste cooks and oil separates from the mixture. Then add the cauliflower florets. Mix it properly and add a cup of water. 
Keep a lid and let it soften. 
When the cauliflowers are softened according to your preference, add the coriander leaves and mix. Keep it on heat for couple of more minutes.
Turn off the heat and serve hot with rice.

Aloo Fry - Andhra Style

Andhra food is known for its tangy flavor and simplicity and this recipe is just that. A simple potato fry with typical Andhra tempering (called "Popu" in Telugu) and little lemon juice that is a regular in most Andhra homes. It is very simple to make and can be enjoyed by one and all.


Ingredients
4 medium sized boiled potatoes with salt and turmeric
3 green chillies cut in to pieces
1/2 inch ginger finely chopped (can use readymade ginger paste)
1 tsb lemon juice
For tempering (popu):
1 tsp Urad dal
1 tsp Chana dal
1 tsp Mustard seeds
Pinch of Asafetida/Hing


Process:
Put oil in a pan and let it heat. Add the tempering ingredients in it. Let the mustard seeds pop. Add the hing.
Then put the chopped ginger and green chillies and stir for few seconds.
Add the boiled potatoes and mix the mixture properly.
Add salt according to taste.
After 3-4 minutes, add the lemon juice and mix properly.
Leave it for another couple of minutes and then put off the fire.
Serve hot with phulkas or rice.

Healthy Tikha Khatta Gobi

Ingredients:
Gobi (Cauliflower) - florets
Matar
carrots - small pieces
cumin seeds
Asafoetida
ginger paste/finely minced (optional)
turmeric powder
chilli powder
green chillies - min 2 and cut in small pieces
tomatoes finely chopped
Coriander Powder
Coriander leaves - dhania patta


Process
Heat oil in a pan.
Once heated, put cumin seeds and let them splutter
Add asafoetida and green chillies and combine for few seconds
Add the vegetables, salt and turmeric powder and combine. Let it cook for 4-5 mins while stirring at regular intervals
Add the finely chopped tomatoes, chilli powder and coriander powder and mix properly. Let it cook for 3-4 mins till the tomatoe mixes properly with the vegetables.
Add little water and mix properly so that the cauliflowers and carrots can cook. Cover it with a lid and stir occasionally.
Once cooked, add coriander leaves, mix it and keep it covered for a minute.
Put off the fire and serve with hot chapatis or with rice.