Red Cabbage Fry

Cabbage is very good for health. But, cutting/shredding of cabbage takes hell lot of time for me. So, sometime I buy this vegetable and let it sit in my refrigerator forever.

I was just browsing some websites last week and saw some kitchen gadget that's very good in shredding the cabbage in few min with very less effort. I was very excited and wanted to buy them. Hmmm.. they sell only in Australia not in US. So, I was disappointed.

This afternoon, when we went to mall, I saw 'As seen in TV' shop and went into that store just to have a glance at all the items they have. Guess what.. I found similar item that I was looking for to shred cabbage. Without second thought, I bought it. As soon as I got home, I have cut the  cabbage into half lengthwise. And with this peeler/gadget, I was able to shred the whole cabbage in less than 10 min with no hand pain. I am really happy and its worth every penny !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. It does many other jobs as well.. like slicing, peeling onions and some other stuff.

If you need more details on this, let me know.. I sure can help you on this !!!!!!!!!!
Anyways, here is my recipe.. an easy, tasty and healthy food.


Here is the picture of shredded cabbage with my new & favorite peeler.

Here is the picture of the recipe.

Ingredients:

Red cabbage : 1 medium size
Oil : 4 spoons
Mustard seeds : 1 tsp
Cumin seeds : 1 tsp
Urad dal : 1tsp
Chana dal : 1 tsp
Curry leaves : handful (optional)

Salt : to taste
Green chillies : 5
Crushed garlic : 2 cloves (optional)
Cilantro : 1/4 cup finely cut
Onion : 1 small size finely cut

Method :

Cut/shred cabbage into fine pieces.

Heat oil in a pan.

Add mustard, cumin seeds. Let it pop. 
Add chana, urad dal. Let it turn brown.
Add curry leaves.
Add onion, green chillies and saute it.
Add shredded cabbage and mix well. Cook for few min.
Add salt. Close the lid.
Just before cabbage is getting cooked well, add crushed garlic and cilantro. 
Mix well. Cook for 2 min. Switch off the stove.

Note: I ran out of fresh curry leaves, cilantro and crushed garlic at home, so I have not used them in the recipe.

Potato Fry

I love potato fry from my childhood. There are many varieties to cook Potato fry and all the types are my favorite. When I was about to cut the potatoes, I was thinking to cook the other type of fry that goes well with plain dal or dosa. Somehow, I ended up making this for dinner.

There is no need to add green chillies for this. Add more pepper powder instead of green chillies. It tastes unique when cooked with only pepper but no chillies. As I have already cut the chillies, I used them in this recipe.

Ingredients:

Potatoes : 8 medium size
Oil : 4 spoons
Mustard seeds : 1 tsp
Cumin seeds : 1 tsp
Urad dal : 1tsp
Chana dal : 1 tsp
Curry leaves : handful
Pepper powder : 1 tsp
Salt : to taste
Green chillies : 5
Crushed garlic : 2 cloves
Cilantro : 1/4 cup finely cut
Onion : 1 small size finely cut

Method :

Wash potatoes and dice them. Put it in cold water to get rid of starch and also to avoid them getting oxidised.

Heat oil in a pan.

You may need more oil for this particular method as potato sticks to the pan. In order to avoid this, instead  of using more oil, I sprinkled 1/4 cup of water while frying the potatoes.

Add mustard, cumin seeds. Let it pop.

Add chana, urad dal. Let it turn brown.

Add curry leaves.

Add onion, green chillies and saute it.

Add diced potato and mix well. Cook for few min.

Add salt, sprinkle water if required. Close the lid.

Just before potatoes are getting cooked well, add crushed garlic, pepper and cilantro.

Mix well. Cook for 2 min. Switch off the stove.

Egg Curry

I love Egg Curry.. When I was a kid, I used to like only boiled egg.. specially the yellow moon inside... I never liked the white part.. But, now I am quite opposite... Hmm.. strange how we change as we grow up.

My school friend Gowri asked me to post this recipe last week.. So, here I am with this simple.. yet.. delicious egg curry..

I do prepare egg curry in different ways. This is one of the method. I will post the other methods as well when I do it.

Ingredients:

Eggs : boiled eggs 4
Oil : 3 spoons
Chilli powder : 3/4 spoon
Onion : 1 medium size
Tomato : 1 large size
Salt : 3/4 spoon
Clove : 2
Cinnamon: 1/2 inch
Star Anise : 1
Turmeric: 1/2 tsp
Dhania powder : 3/4 spoon

Masala:

Green chillies :2
Fresh coconut : 1/4 cup (cut into small pieces)
Ginger : 1/4 inch
Garlic : 2
Tomato : 1/2 finely cut

Method:

Grind all the items listed under masala by adding very little water if required.

Boil eggs and remove shell. Make 4 shallow slits on the eggs.

Heat oil in a pan. Add clove, cinnamon, star anise. Let it roast.
Add finely cut onion and remaining half finely cut tomato.
Saute until the raw smell goes. Add masala, salt, dhania, chilli powder and turmeric. Mix well.
Cook until the masala mixture leaves the sides of the pan.
Add required water for gravy and mix well. Add boiled,slit eggs to the pan.
Close the lid and cook until the gravy thickens.
Garnish with cilantro/mint/carrot.

Chakkera Pongal (Sweet Pongal)

Ingredients:

Moong dal (split) : 1 cup (dry roasted)
Raw rice : 1 cup
Water : 2.5 cups
Milk : 1/2 cup
Ghee: 4 spoons
Cashews : handful
Dry grapes : handful
Sugar/jaggery : 3/4 cup
Salt : a pinch

Method:

Dry roast split moong dal until it turns brown color.
Was rice and keep aside.
Heat ghee in pressure cooker/pan
Roast cashews until it turns brown and dry grapes until it swells.
Remove from pan and keep those aside.
In the same pan, add moong dal, washed rice, milk and water.
cook for 4 whistles.
Wait until the pressure releases from cooker and open the lid.
Add sugar/jaggery, nuts, grapes mix well and cook for 5 min.
Add salt at the end and switch off the stove.


Note : Sweet Pongal should be not too thick or not too thin in consistency.

Tip :

You can sprinkle with cardamom at the end.
If the Sweet Pongal is too thin in consistency , cook for few more min. If it is too thick, add enough water/milk and cook until desired quantity reaches.

Bisi Bele Bath

I have prepared this recipe few years ago with store bought masala. I always wanted to try this with home made masala. Yesterday when I was talking to my friend Gowri, who is from bangalore she gave me the recipe for masala and also the method to do this. I have altered little bit according to my taste and made this morning for break fast. What can I say now !!!!! It came out really well.. and I just loved the taste and enjoyed each and every spoon.

My friend also has a blog and you can visit her recipes here.




Here is my version of recipe:

Ingredients:
Toor dal : 1 cup
Raw white rice : 1 cup
Fresh peas : 1/4 cup you can use frozen as well)
Carrot (1 inch cut) : 1 cup
Potato (1 inch cut) : 1 small size
Beans (1 inch cut) : 1 cup
Capsicum (green/red 1 inch cut) : 1 cup (I used red)
Cilantro : 1/4 cup (finely cut)
Tamarind paste : 2 spoons
Salt : to taste
Water : Add accordingly
Ghee : 1 spoon

Soak toor dal, rice and fresh peas in water for at least 4 hrs

Masala :

Urad dal : 1/4 cup
Chana dal : 1/4 cup
Cumin seeds : 1 spoon
Coconut powder : 4 spoons
Methi seeds : 1/2 tsp
Dhania seeds : 1/4 cup
Red chilli : 1/4 cup
black pepper : 1 tsp
Clove : 3
Cinnamon : 1 inch stick
Star Anise : 1

Dry roast all the above items under masala and blend them coarsely.

Seasoning:

Oil : 3 spoons
Mustard seeds : 1 tsp
Cumin seeds : 1tsp
Curry leaves : hand ful
Hing : 1/2 tsp
Onion : 1/4 cup finely cut
Turmeric : 1/2 tsp
Red chillies : 2 broken
Pea nuts : hand ful

Method :

Wash the lentils and keep it aside.
Heat oil in pressure cooker.
Add Mustard , cumin seeds. Let it splutter.
Add hing, curry leaves, broken red chillies, peanuts, onion and turmeric. Saute it.
Add cut veggies (carrot, potato, beans, capsicum). Saute it for few min.
Add toor dal, rice and peas. Mix well. Add Masala now and mix it properly.
Add enough salt, cilantro and tamarind paste.
Pressure cook until you hear 3-4 whistles.
Once done, add 1 spoon of ghee and mix well.
Bisi bele bhat should be little watery in consistency.

Oats Idli

Ingredients:

Quaker 1 min Oats : 1.5 cups (dry roast and powder coarsely)
Wheat Rava/sooji : 3/4 cup (roasted)
Yogurt : 5 tbsp
Salt : 1 tsp
Soda : 1/4 tsp

Method:
Mix Oat powder and rava/sooji using yogurt.
Batter should not be tto thin or too thick in consistency.
Add soda and salt. Mix well.
Grease the idli mould using ghee/oil.
Fill the mould with with the batter. Steam for 7-8 min.
Serve with chutney or sambar.

Tip : You can season the batter with mustard seeds, urad dal, grated carrot and finely cut cilantro.

Guthi Vankaaya Curry

Ingredients:

for Masala:

Onion : 1 medium size
Tomato : 1 big size:
Ginger & garlic paste : 1spoon
Salt : 1 spoon
Fresh coconut: 1/4 cup
Red chilli : 1 spoon
Dhania powder : 1/2 spoon
Turmeric : 1/4 tsp
Cilantro : 1.4 cup finely cup
Peanut powder : 1tbsp
Sesame powder (roasted) :2 spoons
Cumin powder (roasted): 1 spoon
Methi powder (roasted) : 1/4 tsp
Tamarind extract : 1/2 tbsp

Cook tomato and onion in water. Let it cool.
Blend all the above ingredients with very little water until smooth.

Seasoning :

Oil : 3 spoons
Mustard seeds : 1/2 spoon
Onion :1 small size finely cut
Tomato : 1 medium finely cut
Curry leaves : 2 twigs
Indian egg plant/brinjal : 6 in number

Method:

Wash brinjal and cut the stem. make a slit to the brinjal like this '+'. (You can keep the stem and make the slit other side of brinjal). Keep it in the water to prevent them in turning to brown color.
Heat oil in a pan.
Add mustard seeds. Let it pop.
Add curry leaves, onion, tomato. Saute it for few min.
Add cut brinjal and close the lid. Cook until its half done.
Add ground masala. Mix well. Close the lid.
Cook until the masala mixture leaves the sides of the pan.
Add water to prepare for the water. (Add water to make the gravy either thick/thin in consistency).
Cook until the brinjals are cooked well. Switch of the stove.
garnish with cilantro.

Tip : Roasted dry coconut powder can be substituted for fresh coconut.