Kadala for Puttu - 2

This recipe was given to me by my friend Simmy!

Black channa - 1 cup , soaked overnight and cooked till soft

Onion - 1 large, chopped

Coconut - 1 cup, ground into a fine paste

Coconut oil - 2tbsp

Mustard - 1tsp

Red chilli - 2, broken into pieces

Curry leaf - 5

(Opt) tomato - 1 chopped

To be ground into a paste:

Green chilli - 3

Ginger - 1 tbsp

Garlic - 3tsp

Coriander powder - 1tbsp

Cloves - 2

Cardamom stick - 1 inch

Fennel /Perum Jeerakam - 1/2tsp

Heat coconut oil and splutter mustards , red chillies and curry leaf.

Now fry the onion until transprent.

Add the ground masala paste and fry till good smell comes.

Add salt and turmeric powder.

Add the boiled Kadala with the water.

Boil for 5 minutes and add the ground coconut.

Serve hot.

If adding tomatoes, do so after sauteing the onions.

Kadala curry

This is a traditional Kerala dish, usually had for breakfast.
High in protein, a great way to start the day.

Black Channa / black chickpeas / black kadala - 1 cup, soaked overnight
Onion - 1 large
Garlic - 3 pods or more, crushed / sliced thin
Tomato - 1 large
Coconut oil - 2 tbsp
Mustard - 1 tsp
Dry red chili - 2 broken into pieces
Curry leaf - 6 to 8 or 1 sprig
Salt
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Chilli Powder - 1 tbsp

Pressure cook the Black Channa or Kadala till it is cooked.
Heat oil and splutter mustard, red chillies and add the garlic.

When it turns light brown add the onion.

Fry till transparent and add the powders and curry leaves.

After a minute add the tomato and cook till soft.

Last add 3/4 of the cooked kadala.
Some of the cooked kadala must be ground into a paste and added for a thicker gravy.

Boil for at least 5 minutes (preferably continue cooking on a low flame for 15 minutes, covered) so that the kadala takes in all the spices.

Serve hot with Puttu / idiyappam / appam.

Paneer Kadai

'Tandoor' is a local restaurant which serves exceptional kadai paneer. I found a recipe which is as close to it and it is as follows.

Paneer - 200gms

Capsicum - 1 large

Onion - 1 large

Tomato - 3 medium

Green chilli - 2

Ginger - 1 inch

Garlic - 4 pods

Coriander powder - 2tsp

Chilli powder - 1 tsp

Salt

Turmeric powder - 1tsp

Ghee - 1tbsp

Oil - 2 tbsp

Coriander leaf for decoration

Cut the paneer, onion, green chilli, ginger into thin long strips and tomato into small cubes.

Grind the garlic into a fine paste.

Heat ghee in a heavy pan and saute the garlic paste.

Then add the ginger strips and onion.

Saute till transparent.

Now add the coriander and chilli powder.

After a minute, add the capsicum strips and green chillies. The seeds will start popping.

Add the 2 tbsp of oil now.

Then add the tomato and sauté till it gets cooked well.

Add the turmeric powder and salt. Mix well.

Last add the paneer. Mix well.

Decorate with coriander leaf. Serve hot.

Bottle Gourd with Channa dal

Recipe courtesy - Mrs.Leela Narayanan

Tasty - 👍

Healthy - 👍

Easy to make - 👍

Easy to clean up after cooking- 👍👍

All boxes ticked!

Channa dal - 1/2 cup 

Lauki or Bottle Gourd - 1 medium or 1/2 of a long one

Oil - 2 tbsp

Jeera - 1 tsp

Onion - 1 large

Tomato - 1 large

Salt

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

Chilli powder - 1 tsp

Garam masala - 1 tsp

Soak the dal in water for half hour.

Heat oil in a heat bottomed pan ; preferably in a pressure cooker.

Splutter the jeera and fry the onions till transparent.

Once the onion turns transparent add the  powders - Turmeric, garam masala and chilli powder.

Fry for 1 minute and add the tomato.

Add salt.

Fry till skin comes off.

Drain the water and add the dal. Fry for a minute.

Fry for 1 minute and add the Lauki and continue frying.

After a minute add 1 cup of water.

Mix well.

Pressure cook until 2 whistles.

Garnish with coriander leaf.

Serve hot.

Try Kachumber with this!

Mixed Vegetable Curry

What I love about this curry, is the colour. Peachy perfection!
It has a rich taste , almost like a heavy cashew gravy dish. But the best part is those calories are NOT there!!
A very easy curry to make.....And a one pot dish!!
The curry can be zero-oil, if you omit the tadka....But I would strongly recommend you to add the tadka.

An amalgamation of different vegetables in a rich Coconut milk gravy.

How can anything be sooo simple to make, but so great to taste?

Recipe Courtesy : Mrs. Bindu Madhu Ganesh

Serves - 4

Ingredients:

Onion - 1 large

Tomato - 1 large or 1-1/2 medium

Carrot - 1 large

Potato - 2 medium

Beetroot - 1 medium
Beans - 10 or Green peas - 1/2 cup
Green Chilli - 1, slit

Salt

Turmeric powder - 1 pinch

Chilli Powder - 1 tsp

Garam Masala / Vegetable masala - 1 tsp

Coconut - 1/2 cup packed  (ground into fine paste)
(or) Coconut milk powder - 2 packets of 25 gms (mixed with very less water into thick milk)

Coriander leaf - 4 tsp (optional)

Tadka is optional but adviced:
Oil - 2 tbsp
Mustard - 1 tsp
Curry leaf - 1 sprig
Red chilli - 1, broken

Recipe:

Chop the onion and cut the tomato, potato, carrot, beans and beetroot into small pieces. Slit the green chilli.
Add all the vegetables into the pressure cooker.

Add the salt, turmeric powder, chilli powder, masala powder and 1 cup water.

Pressure cook until 3 whistles or until vegetables are cooked.

Add ground coconut or coconut milk and boil for a minute.

Tadka:
Heat oil and splutter the mustard seeds.
Then add in the red chilli and curry leaf.
Add to the curry.

Decorate with coriander leaf.

Serve hot with Chappathy.

Rich Paneer Curry

Not for the calorie conscious!

This curry is cooked made in butter and cashew / almond is ground in milk are added for extra richness.

To be ground into paste:

Ginger - 1 inch

Garlic - 4 or 5 cloves

Onion - 1 large

Other ingredients :

Paneer - 200gms cut into squares

Onion - 1 medium 

Tomato - 2 large or 3 medium

Capsicum - 1 medium

Fenugreek seed - 1 tsp

Chilli powder - 1 tbsp

Jeera powder - 1 tsp

Garam Masala - 1 tsp

Sugar - 1/2 tbsp to 1 tbsp( I used 1 tbsp and my husband found it too sweet. Kids loved it though!)

Milk - 1 cup

Cashewnuts / Almonds - 1 tbsp

Butter - 2 tbsp

Refined Oil - 2 tbsp

Salt to taste

Garnish:

Coriander leaf 

Green chillies slit

Grind the onion, garlic and green chilli into a fine paste.

Cut the other onion, capsicum and paneer.

Grind the cashew with 1 tbsp milk into a coarse paste.

Grind the tomato into a purée.

Use a heavy bottom vessel. I used a pressure cooker. The lid is not necessary.

Heat the oil and butter together. 

Splutter the fenugreek seeds.

Sauté the cut onions till nearly brown.

Add the ground paste and saute till the raw smell goes.

Once it starts browning , add the Chilli powder, Jeera powder and Garam masala.

Looks very dry? Not to worry. Sauté for a minute on low flame.

Add the tomato puree.

Sauté till oil starts to seperate.

Add the sugar. Reduce if you don't like the curry to be sweet.

Salt and turmeric powder goes in next.

Add the cut paneer and mix well.

Add the ground cashewnuts / almonds with the rest of the milk.

Boil for a minute and add the capsicum.

Cook for 1 minute stirring occasionally.

Decorate with coriander leaf and green chillies.

Tastes great with both chappathi and rice.