Alu Mutter – Potatoes and Green Peas

August 21, 2007 at 12:11 pm (green peas, potato)

Alu Mutter

Alu Mutter

Ingredients :

  • Potatoes – 3-4 peeled and chopped in large chunks.
  • Green Peas – 1 cup – boiled / microwave with salt and pepper
  • Onion – 1 large – chopped
  • Tomato – 1 large – chopped
  • Yogurt – ½ cup, beater

Spices :

  • Ginger –garlic paste
  • Green Chilli – 1-2, chopped
  • Cloves – 2
  • Cumin – 1 tsp
  • Cardamom / Elaichi – 1 pod
  • Turmeric – ½ tsp
  • Red Chilli Powder – as per taste
  • Garam Masala – as per taste
  • Kasuri Methi – 1 tsp. crushed
  • Salt - as per taste

  • Oil – 1-2 tsp
  • Cilantro – to garnish

Method :

1. In a small pan, heat 1 tsp of oil.

2. Add the onions and saute on high heat till golden brown.

3. Add tomato and spices and saute.

4. Cool and grind this mixture to a paste.

5. Mircowave the potoes with water, salt for 6-7 minutes, till half done.

6. Drain the water and cool.

7. Add a little oil to a pan, add the potatoes and roast for a few minute

8. Add the paste to the mixture and cover and cook for about 5 minutes.Lower the flame, Add beaten yogurt and mix well.

9. Add boiled peas and remove from heat.

10. Garnish with cilantro and extra spices as per taste.

2 Comments

Mustard Greens Dal / Curry with Corn..

June 5, 2007 at 8:09 pm (Dals, greens, lentils / dals, mustard, spinach)

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Mustard Greens Dal / Curry with Corn.

Mustard Greens (sarson) are the leaves of the Mustard plant. It is packed with many nutrients and contains many vitamins and minerals which promote good health.

Sarson-da-saag is a famous punjabi dish where the mustard greens are blended with spinach and spices to make a mouthwatering, healthy meal generally served with Makke – di Roti.

In my recipe here, I have tried to add a touch of corn which is available in plenty around this season in theMidwest.Hope you enjoy this nutritious meal with your family.

Ingredients :

§         Mustard Greens – 1 bunch  - cleaned and chopped

§         Spinach – 1/4 cup – chopped

§         Onion – 1 large -  chopped

§         Tomato – 1 large – chopped

§         Dal – Mung / Tuvar – ½ cup  - cooked and mashed

§         Corn kernels – roasted with some salt and pepper – 1 cup ( frozen will do , if you don’t find fresh corn)

§         Oil

§         Water

§         Salt as per taste

§         Spices

o       Garam masala – 1 tsp

o       Coriander powder – ½ tsp

o       Red Chilli Powder  - ¼ tsp

o       Green Chillies – 1

o       Kasuri Methi – ¼ tsp – crushed

o       Cloves – 1

o       Cardamom – 1 pod

o       Bay leaf – 1

Method :

§         In a pan, add 1 tsp cooking oil and heat

.§         To this, add onions, tomatoes, spinach and mustard greens and sauté.

§         Add the spices (except bay leaf) and cook till the green have wilted.

§         Cool and grind coarsely along with ½ cup of corn.

§         In the same pan, add 1/2 tsp oil, add the bay leaf and the cooked dal.

§         To this add the mustard-spinach-spices mixture. Add water as per required consistency ( optional )and salt as per taste.

§         Garnish with cilantro  / coriander leaves ( optional )and the remaining corn. 

1 Comments

Back after a lonnngggggg sabbatical !!!!

June 5, 2007 at 1:37 am (Blogroll)

Hello friends !

Its been a while.. and I havent posted anything new. Well , the reasons are plenty…….right from being just plain lazy to being away on a vacation and being just bored….think its been a long long time and high time to get back to posting some interesting things ….related to food, travel, life in general….

For all those who were missing me all these days..thanks..

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Potato Patties

March 2, 2007 at 12:55 pm (party snacks, potato, vegetarian snacks)

Potato Patties

Potato Patties

 When Vaishali of Happy Burp  announced “potato” as the special ingredient for JFI, I was thrilled. This is one veggie which is liked by one and all. It has the unique quality of making a place for itself in almost all types of cuisine / dishes..From starters, main course to even dessert !

 

Heres a simple and quick recipe for potato patties. 

Ingredients :

  • Potatoes – 6, medium sized, boiled and mashed
  • Carrot – 1 large , chopped
  • Beans – 3-4, chopped
  • Corn kernels – 3 tbsp
  • Green Peas – ¼ cup
  • Celery – 1 rib – finely chopped
  • Cumin Powder – 1 tsp
  • Red Chilli Powder – as per taste
  • Lime Juice – 1 tsp
  • Salt and Pepper – as per taste
  • Bread Crumbs – 1 cup
  • Cornstarch – 2-3 tbsp
  • Cilantro / Coriander leaves – 2-3 tsp chopped finely.
  • Oil

 

Method :  

  1. Cook all the veggies in the microwave with a little water on high for 7-8 minutes.
  2. Drain the water, pat dry and coarsely grind.
  3. Add this to the boiled and mashed potatoes.
  4. Add cornstarch , salt and pepper and cumin powder, red chilli and lime juice and cilantro.
  5. Mix well to form a dough. Add more cornstarch if necessary for more binding.
  6. Make 10-12 balls out of this dough and flatten them with your palms to form patty.
  7. Make a mixture of one tsp of cornstarch and 2-3 tsp water.
  8. Place the bread crumbs on a plate.
  9. Dip the patty in the cornstarch mixture and then roll it in the breadcrumbs.
  10. Sprinkle some oil in a pan and heat, and fry the patties till golden brown on both sides.
  11. Alternatively, place them in a baking sheet and bake till golden brown.
  12. Garnish with cilantro, cheese ( optional ) and serve hot.

 

8 Comments

Yellow Curry Fried Rice

February 20, 2007 at 4:36 pm (nutritious vegetarian, rice)

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Yellow Curry Fried Rice :

We often visit a local Thai restaurant. One of the dishes we always order is the Yellow Curry fried rice.Today, I created this dish in my very own kitchen..with a little twist and a few spices as per my taste.Though it may not be a 100% match to the dish, but it is still worthwhile when you can control the oil, spices and ingredients to your taste and still recreate it in a special way and also manage to satisfy your craving for restaurant-style food.  For the paste :  Ingredients :

  • Turmeric : 2 tsp
  • Coriander seeds : 3 tsp
  • Cumin – ½ tsp
  • Salt : as per taste.
  • Sugar : 1 tsp
  • Black Pepper – few ( 4-5)
  • Jaggery / brown sugar : 1 tsp
  • Lemon Grass – storebought, 1tsp ( available in asian section of grocery stores.)
  • Red Chillies – 2 ( you can add more if you like it spicy hot ) – place it in a bowl and add hot water.Let it rest for 15-20 minutes.
  • Yellow Onion : ½ chopped.
  • Soy Sauce – ½ tsp
  • Lemon Juice – 1 tsp
  • Grated ginger – ½ tsp
  • Ginger-garlic paste – 1tsp

Method :

  1. Grind the turmeric,corainder,salt,suger,jaggery,black pepper,lemongrass into a smooth powder.
  2. Then add the chillies alongwith the water,onions,soysauce and lemon juice,ginger and ginger-garlic paste.
  3. Grind it into a smooth paste.
  4. Set aside.

For the Fried Rice 

Ingredients :

  • Rice: 2 cups, cooked rice , cooled.
  • Onion : 1 ½ medium , diced
  • Pepper : Red, Yellow, Green – sliced – total about 1 cup
  • Potato – 1-cubed (optional) – cooked in microwave for 6-7 minutes
  • Baby corns – 10 (you can use about ½ cup of corn kernels too)
  • Carrots and Peas – 1 cup – cooked in microwave for abt 7-8 minutes.
  • Tofu – fried – few ( optional)
  • Lemon Wedges + Tomato slices – for garnish ( optional)

Method :  1.      In a large pan  / wok, heat 1 tsp of oil.

2.      Add the onions and saute on high heat for 2-3 minutes.

3.      Add red,yellow,green peppers and corn and other vegetables plus tofu.

4.      Saute at high heat, till vegetables are slightly brown and well cooked. 5.      Add rice, and keep adding  few spoons of the yellow paste .

6.      Stop when you get the desired color and taste.

7.      Mix well.Add more salt / pepper as per taste.

Notes :

  • Assemble all the ingredients for easier and faster cooking before you actually start cooking.
  • Leftover rice is always a good option.If not, then always make sure the rice is cold.
  • You can store the leftover curry paste for later use
  • You can add snap peas, brocolli, green beans, cabbage and various other veggies as per your taste.
  • Try not to add any water to the fried rice while cooking.
  •    Serve hot.Garnish with lemon wedges / tomato slices, shredded carrots.

1 Comments

Creamy Vegetable Soup

February 13, 2007 at 6:34 pm (Blogroll, SOUPS, nutritious vegetarian, vegetarian soups)

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 Creamy Vegetable Soup served with heart shaped croutons and grated mozzarella cheese.

 Heres a recipe made out of love for my family and friends!Happy Valentines Day!!  

INGREDIENTS:

  • Vegetarian vegetable stock/broth – 2 cups
  • Butter – 1 tsp
  • Olive oil – 1 tsp
  • Vegetable soup seasoning – 1 cube
  • Onion-1 large chopped
  • Diced Tomatoes – 1 can ( small )
  • Celery – chopped – 1 cup
  • Yellow Pepper – chopped – 1
  • Red Pepper – chopped – 1
  • Carrots – chopped – 1 large
  • Potato -1 large diced
  • Ginger – grated – 1 tsp
  • Red chilly powder  - ½ tsp
  • Corainder Powder – ½ tsp
  • Cilantro / coriander  - chopped – 2-3 tsp
  • 2 Tbsp fresh milk / cream
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • Croutons, mozarella cheese ( optional )

For the Croutons

  • 2-3 slices white bread – with a cookie cutter, cut the slices in desired shape.
  • Leave it out for a day.It will dry out completely and become hard.
  • In a pan, add 2-3 tsp of salted butter, and finely chopped cilantro, ground black pepper.
  • Toast the bread in this mixture till crisp.
  • Use as garnish.

Method 

  1. In large stockpot, melt butter and oil in low heat, Add chopped onions. Saute till transparent.
  2. Add all the remaining vegetables, salt and pepper to taste, and spices and soup seasoning.Cook for 5 minutes till vetables are slightly tender.
  3. Mix well and pour the stock over the vegetables .
  4. Cover and bring it to a boil.Let it cook for around 25 minutes.
  5. Remove from heat and strain the liquid.
  6. Grind the vegetables into a paste and mix it again with the strained liquid.
  7. Reheat for a few minutes.You can add some water if soup is too thick.
  8. Serve hot.Garnish with cream and croutons.

8 Comments

Rava Idlis with Green Peas and Spinach

January 29, 2007 at 3:35 pm (buttermilk, green peas, spinach)

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Pooja of My Creative Ideas has chosen Green Peas as the vegetable of the week. Did you know these interesting facts about green peas? 

  • They provide good to very good amounts of 8 vitamins, 7 minerals, dietary fiber and protein. Green peas’ supercharged nutritional profile can supercharge your health
  • They provide nutrients that help support the energy-producing cells and systems of the body.
  • Green peas also serve as a very good source of folic acid and a good source of vitamin B6.
  • Green peas provide nutrients, including vitamin C, which are instrumental in helping to prevent the development of cancer.

To know more …visit

 http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=55  Here is a quick and healthy recipe…My way of adding a little color and nutrition to the traditional rava idli with green peas and spinach. 

Ingredients: Makes about 16 idlis 

  • MTR Rava Idli mix – 2 cups
  • Buttermilk / Yogurt – 3 ½ cups
  • Green Peas – 1 cup
  • Spinach – ¼ cup – chopped
  • Cumin / Jeera – 1 tsp
  • Garam Masala – ½ tsp
  • Salt  - as per taste
  • Turmeric – ½ tsp
  • Cilantro / Coriander Leaves – chopped – ¼ cup
  • Oil – 1 tsp

Method :  

  • In a pan, heat oil, add cumin, spinach, green peas , turmeric, salt and garam masala.
  • Cook till peas are soft. Keep aside.
  • In a bowl. Make the idli batter ( adding buttermilk to the idli rava ) as per package instruction.
  • Add the peas / spinach mixture to this mix. Wait for for 5 minutes.
  • Grease idli plates and fill with mixture.Steam for 20-25 minutes.
  • Cool and transfer idlis and serve with chutney / sambar.

9 Comments

HAPPY REPUBLIC DAY !!

January 26, 2007 at 1:06 pm (Blogroll)

WISHING YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY REPUBLIC DAY !!

 On this ocassion, I just wish to share my thoughts through a  meaningful poem by        Rabindranath Tagore

LET MY COUNTRY AWAKE

 Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high;

 Where knowledge is free;

Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls;

Where the words come out from the depth of truth;

Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection;

 Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary desert sand of dead habit;

 Where the mind is led forward by thee into ever-widening thought and action -

- Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.  

-         Rabindranath Tagore

3 Comments

Baby Potatoes

January 22, 2007 at 4:32 pm (methi, potato)

Baby Potatoes

Baby Potatoes cooked with Fenugreek leaves ( Methi ), corn and green peas.

INGREDIENTS

  • Baby potatoes –10-15 –  peeled
  • Corn kernels – ¼ cup
  • Green peas – ¼ cup
  • Fenugreek / methi leaves – chopped.( sprinkle some lime juice and salt and leave it for 5-10 minutes .This helps in reducing the bitterness ) – ¼ cup
  • Onions – 1 large chopped
  • Tomato – 1 large chopped
  • Green Chili  - 1 chopped
  • Jeera / Cumin – 1 tsp
  • Ginger garlic paste – ½ tsp
  • Turmeric – ½ tsp
  • Sugar – ½ tsp
  • Curry Leaves – 2-3
  • Salt and Pepper – to taste
  • Oil – 1 tsp
  • Sabji  Masala / Garam Masala – 1 tsp
  • Red Chili powder – ¼ tsp
  • Cilantro and Lime Juice – for garnishing

Method  

  • In a pan, heat oil,Add cumin, curry leaves . Add Onions. Sauté till brown.
  • Add ginger-garlic paste, sauté and then add methi, Mix well
  • Add potato, corn and green peas.
  • Sprinkle some water and cook covered for a few minutes.
  • Add salt and spices. Mix well.
  • Cook covered till potatoes are done .Add tomatoes. Remove from heat and keep covered.
  • Garnish with cilantro and lemon juice.
  • Serve hot with chappati / naan / rice

7 Comments

Cabbage Sabzi / Bhaaji

January 11, 2007 at 4:08 pm (cabbage)

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Method 1 – Cabbage with carrot, peas and potato served with Naan 

I made two easy recipes of  cabbage sabji / bhaaji. Both are simple, with similar ingredients yet different, each with a distinct flavor! 

 

Ingredients for Recipe 1

  • Cabbage – grated – 2 cups
  • Carrot – 1 – diced
  • Green Peas  - ½ cup
  • Potato – 1  - diced
  • Onions – 1 large – cut into thin strips
  • Tomato – 1 large chopped
  • Green Chilli  - 1 chopped
  • Jeera / Cumin – 1 tsp
  • Turmeric – ½ tsp
  • Mustard  - 1 tsp
  • Urad dal – 1 tsp
  • Sugar – ½ tsp
  • Curry Leaves – 2-3
  • Salt and Pepper – to taste
  • Oil – 1 tsp
  • Sabji  Masala / Garam Masala – 1 tsp
  • Red Chilli powder – ¼ tsp
  • Cilantro and Lime Juice – for garnishing

 

Method 1 

  • In a pan, heat oil, add mustard, cumin, curry leaves. Saute till mustard seeds pop and urad dal turns brown.
  • Add Onions and sauté till brown.
  • Add cabbage, carrot peas and potato.Mix well and sprinkle some water.
  • Cook covered till all veggies are soft .
  • Add turmeric, salt and pepper, sugar and masala and red chilly powder and tomato. Mix well
  • Cook covered.
  • Garnish with cilantro and lemon juice.
  • Serve hot with chappati / naan / rice

pict0005.JPGMethod 2 – Cabbage with coconut served with rice and tomato rasam

  

Ingredients for Recipe 2

  • Cabbage – grated – 2 cups
  • Carrot – 1 – grated
  • Onions – 1 large chopped
  • Tomato – 1 large chopped
  • Green Chilli  - 1 chopped
  • Jeera / Cumin – 1 tsp
  • Turmeric – ½ tsp
  • Mustard  - 1 tsp
  • Urad dal – 1 tsp
  • Sugar – ½ tsp
  • Curry Leaves – 2-3
  • Salt and Pepper – to taste
  • Oil – 1 tsp
  • Sabji  Masala / Garam Masala – 1 tsp
  • Red Chilli powder – ¼ tsp
  • Coconut – grated – 2-3 tsp
  • Cilantro and Lime Juice – for garnishing

 

 

Method 2 

  • In a pan, heat oil, cumin, curry leaves and urad dal. Add Onions, tomato and grated coconut and sauté till brown. Add turmeric and all other spices.
  • Cool and grind into a paste.
  • In the same pan, heat ½ tsp of oil, add mustard seeds and suate till it pops.
  • Add cabbage and carrot, salt and pepper and sugar
  • Sprinkle some water and cook covered till carrots are soft minutes
  • Add the paste and mix well.
  • Cover and cook well
  • Garnish with cilantro and lemon juice.
  • Serve hot with chappati / naan / rice

 

 

 

 

 

 

9 Comments

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