Zucchini Fry

A very nice side dish, different from normal recipes and very tasty. and simple. Needless to say about its nutrients. It just needs a zucchini and 10 minutes of your time.

Ingredients:

1. Zucchini - 1/2 

2. Salt to taste

3. Oil - 1 tsp

To Temper:

1. Hing - a pinch

2. Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp

3. Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

4. Urad dal - 1/2 tsp

5. Dry red chillies - 2

Preparation:
Slit the zucchini into half and slice thinly

Method:
1. In a kadai, heat oil and add all ingredients under 'To Temper'
2. Once chillies and urad dal are brownish, add zucchini  and fry till its tender and soft. Keep stirring in between.

Enjoy!

Rajma Masala

A punjabi recipe that goes well with rotis, parathas, naan and rice with goodness of kidney beans :)

Ingredients:

1. Rajma - 1/2 cup

2. Tomato - 1

3. Salt as per taste

4. oil for frying - 1 1/2 tbsp

5. Butter - 1/2 tbsp

6. Water - 1 to 1 1/2 cup

Spices:

1. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

2. Chilli powder - 1 1/2 tsp

3. Coriander powder - 1 tsp

4. Jeera powder - 1tsp

5. Garam Masala powder - 1/2 tsp

Seasoning:

1. Onion - 1

2. Ginger - garlic paste - 1tsp

Preparation:

1. Soak rajma/kidney beans overnight and pressure cook for 5 whistles with little salt and water. Water should be enough to soak the beans. Rajma should be soft and not mushy

2. Finely chop onions 

Method:

1. Heat oil and butter and fry onion till golden brown and then add ginger garlic paste and fry for few seconds

2. Now add tomatoes and all spices and salt and cook till tomatoes becomes mushy and oil leaves the masala mixture 

3. Add the strained rajma beans to the masala mixture and mix well and cook for couple of minutes

4. Now add the stock of rajma and remaining water as required to get proper consistency and cook for 10 mins

5. Mash few rajma with spatula, add salt and again mix well and cook for 5 mins

6. Simmer till the gravy is thickens. The proper consistency is neither too thick and thin

Enjoy with rotis/rice :)

Note:

1. Can garnish with coriander leaves

2. After 5th step, can add kasoori methi and cook 

Palak Dal

Wonderful combination of palak and dal that goes well with rotis and rice. Its also good for health with palak used in this dish. It can be prepared in many ways, either by just using toor dal or moong dal or mixture of both. I have used mixture of both to prepare. With aroma of garlic and ghee it adds to the taste and cant resist it!

Ingredients:

• 1. Toor dal - 1/2 cup
• 2. Moong dal - 1/2 cup
• 3. Spinach - 2 cups 
• 4. Red Chilli - 1
• 5. Ginger - 1 inch
• 6. Green Chilli - 2-3
• 7. Garlic - 5 pods
• 8. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• 9. Onion - 2
• 10. Tomato - 1
• 11. Salt as needed
• 12. Lemon - 1/2
• 13. Ghee - 1tsp

Seasoning:

• 1. Oil - 1 1/2 tblspn
• 2. Mustard seeds - 1tsp
• 3. Cumin seeds - 1tsp
• 4. Hing - a pinch

Method:

• 1. Pressure cook dal with turmeric for 3 whistles. Mash and keep aside
• 2. Pressure cook spinach for 1 whistle, mash and keep aside
• 3. Heat oil in pan, add ingredients under 'Seasoning', once mustard seeds splutters add garlic, ginger, onion(slit lengthwise), red chilli and green chilli and saute till onions are translucent
• 4. Add tomato and cook till its mushy
• 5. Then add cooked palak and dal, needed salt and mix well and bring everything to boil
• 6. Add lemon juice from half lemon and mix well

Add a teaspoon of ghee and serve hot with rotis or rice!!!

Onion Tomato Chutney

One who likes onions and tomatoes would definitely likes this chutney and goes well with idli, dosa, chapati. Best with idlis n dosas n can be stored for longer time since coconut is not used. Lets get into the recipe without wasting much tym!

Ingredients:

1. Onion - 1

2. Tomato - 1

3. Red Chillie - 2/3

4. Hing - a pinch

5. Oil/Ghee - 2 tsp

6. Channa Dal - 1 tblspn

7. Salt as needed

To Temper:

1. Oil - 1tsp

2. Mustard - 3/4 tsp

3. Urad dal - 1tsp

4. Curry leaves - 1 spring

Method:

1. Heat a tsp of oil and fry red chillies and channa dal untill dal turns golden brown and keep aside

2. Cut onions and tomatoes in chunks and fry in oil till transparent, then add tomatoes and fry till it is soft and keep aside

3. Once ingredients are cool, transfer to mixer, add salt and grind to smooth paste

4. Temper it using items given under 'To Temper'

5. Mix well and serve

Palak Paneer

One of the most popular Indian dish, basically punjabi dish with goodness of palak. Its basically paneer cubes cooked in spinach/palak curry. And no wonder highly nutritious!!!

Preparation time : 15 min
Cooking time: 30 min

Ingredients:

Palak - 3 cups
Green Chillli - 1-2
Paneer - 15 pieces
Onion - 3/4 cup very finely chopped
Garlic - 3-4 cloves
Ginger-Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Tomatoes - 1 cup
Salt to taste

Spice powders:

Cumin powder - 3/4 - 1tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Red  Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Garam Masala powder - 3/4 tsp

Seasoning:

Oil - 21/2 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1tsp
Cinnamon - 1 inch
Cloves - 2

Granish:

Butter - 2tbsp

Preparation:

1. Prepare paneer at home or can even buy. Can check my recipe to prepare Home Made Paneer
2. Fry paneer in very less oil and keep aside
3. Grind the palak to smooth paste with chilli and keep aside

Method:

1. Heat oil in a kadai and add items under 'Seasoning'
2. When cumin seeds sizzles, add onion, garlic and saute till onions are brown
3. Add little salt, continuous stir is required
4. Add Ginger-Garlic paste and saute
5. Add tomatoes and all spice powder and turmeric powder and salt needed
6. Cook till tomatoes are mushy. Do not add water till tomatoes are cooked
7. Add palak puree and cook in medium flame for 5-6 min
8. Once palak is cooked add paneer and cook for 2-3 mins
9. Add some water and simmer
10. Ig gravy is too thick add water and adjust consistency and also the taste accordingly
11. Garnish with butter and serve

Potato Palya/Aloo Sabzi

Mostly done at home when dosa's are prepared!!! And favorite for all potato lovers!!! Here is its recipe... 

Ingredients:
1. Potato - 3
2. Onion - 2 (cut lenghtwise)
3. Green Chilli - 3-4
4. Ginger-Garlic paste - 1 tsp
5. Curry leaves - 5-6
6. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
7. Lemon juice - 1/2 tsp
8. Salt to taste
9. Oil - 1 1/2 tblspn

For Seasoning:
1. Mustard seeds
2. Cumin seeds
3. Urad dal
4. Channa dal

To Garnish:
Coriander leaves - 1 tblspn (very finely choped)

Method:
1. Wash and pressure cook potatoes for 3 to 4 whistles and mash it roughly by hand by peeling the skin once it cools down
2. Heat oil, add mustard seeds, when it splutters add other ingredients under 'For Seasoning'
3. When dal turns golden brown add curry leaves, onions, green chilli and saute till onions are translucent
4. Add ginger garlic paste and saute for few seconds
5. Add turmeric powder, lemon juice and salt to taste and mix well
6. Cook for few minutes until everything gets cooked and blended well
7. Do not add water for whole cooking process. If at this stage if the sabzi is too dry add 1tblspn of water  and enjoy the sabzi with dosa or any other dish!

Note:
1. This sabzi can also be used for sandwich filling

Raita

Raita!!! One of the side dish that goes well with all most all rice items! It can also be taken alone. Since many vegetables will be added to this, its also nutritious and good for health. Its very simple and requires very less time to prepare!

Preparation time : 15-20 mins

Ingredients:
Curd - 1 cup
Cucumber - 1/4 (grated and cut finely)
Onion - 1/2 (very finely chopped)
Carrot - 1/2 grated
Tomato - 1/2 (finely chopped)
Coriander - fistful (Finely chopped)
Curry leaves - few strands (finely chopped, optional)
Green chilli - 2 (slit lengthwise)
Green gram - few (optional, soaked over night)
Salt to taste

Method:
1. Chop all ingredients as specified and given under 'Ingredients'
2. Add them to curd and add salt to taste
3. Mix well

Superb Raita ready! :)

Note:
1. You can exclude any item you don't like and yet it comes out good!

Bhindi Masala/Okra Masala

One easy dish that goes well with chaptis/rotis in a punjabi style! Adding kasuri methi and amchur powder makes it more of north indian and restaurant type bhindi masala!

Preparation time : 15 to 20 mins
Cooking time : 15 mins

Ingredients:
Bhindi - 10 to 15
Tomato - 1 (chopped)
Onion - 1 1/2 - 2(finely chopped)
Ginger-Garlic paste - 1 tblspn

Kasuri methi - 1tsp (crushed)

Oil - 2 to 3 tblspn

Salt 

Spice Powders:

Red chilli powder - 1-2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder - 1/2 tblspn

Garam Masala powder -12 tblspn

Dry mango powder/Amchur powder - 1 tsp

Preparation:
1. Cut the bhindi/okras and dry fry on a pan till the stickiness is gone, keep stirring in between

Method:
1. Heat oil in a pan, add onions and fry till they become translucent
2. Add ginger-garlic paste and saute for few seconds
3. Now add chopped tomatoes and saute till they are soft and mushy
4. Now add all spice powders and mix well and saute for few seconds
5. If its too dry can add little water to moist it.
6. Now add fried bhindi, kasuri methi and salt and mix well so that onion and tomato masala coats bhindi well
7. Cook for 2-3 mins by stirring in between and serve hot

Note:
1. Adjust the taste accordingly at step 6
2. You can omit dry mango powder and kasuri methi if you don't have those ingredients, but yet it tastes good!

Aagala Kai Palya/Bitter Gourd/Karela Sabzi

This is one of my favorite sabzi and the recipe is from my mom's kitchen ! :) The recipe wont taste that bitter and try it once before you hate it! Though its bitter in raw no wonder in its nutrients and makes good side dish.

Preparation time : 15 to 20 mins
Cooking time : 20 mins

Ingredients:
Bitter gourd - 2
Sambar powder - 2 tblspn
Jaggery - 1o r 2 tblspn
Tamarind extract - from lemon sized ball
Sesame seeds - 1tsp(powdered)
Salt to taste

To Temper:
Oil - 2-3 tblspn
Mustard seeds - 1tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Onion - 1 (very finely chopped)
Curry leaves - fistful

To Grind:
Coconut - 1/2 grated
Green Chill - 3
Garlic - 3 to 4 pods
Roasted gram - 1 tsp
Coriander - fistful
Poppy seeds - 1 tsp (dry fried)

Preparation:
1. Dry fry poppy seeds till it turns golden brown and keep aside to cool
2. Extract tamarind juice from lemon sized ball of tamarind
3. Cut the bitter gourd, and if you want you can remove the seeds else can keep (seeds will be more bitter)  and dry fry till it turns brown(until the raw smell is gone)
4. Grind all the items given under 'To Grind' to a paste and keep it ready
5. Powder the sesame seeds and keep ready

Method:
1. Add oil in a kadai and heat. Add mustard seeds and allow it to splutter. Once it splutters add all items given under 'To Temper' and saute till onions turn translucent
2. Now add the fried bitter gourd and saute for few seconds
3. Add prepared paste and mix well. Saute for 2 mins
4. Add jaggery and tamarind and saute for a min
5. Add sesame seeds powdered, sambar powder and salt to taste and mix well
6. Cook until bitter gourd is cooked well and all spices are mixed well and until raw smell of tamarind and sambar powder is gone

Enjoy with chapati/rotis or as a side dish for rice

Note:
1. If you feel the sabzi is too dry can add little water while cooking after adding sambar powder and mixed well
2. If sesame powder not available can add sesame seeds directly. Else if seeds also not available can omit that

Aloo Subzi with Curd Gravy

For all aloo lovers here it is a recipe which is simple and tasty :) It can be served with rotis/chapatis/side dish for rice items too !

Preparation time : 15 mins
Cooking time : 20 to 25 mins

Ingredients:
1. Potatoes - 4 (boiled in salt water)
2. Ginger - 1/2 tsp
3. Green Chilli - 1 or 2
4. Garlic cloves - 4
5. Cumin seeds - 1tsp
6. Bay leaf - 1
7. Peanuts - 4tsp (coarsely crushed)
8. Sesame seeds - 1.4 tsp
9. Red Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
10. Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
11. Curd - 1/2 cup
12. Sugar - 1tsp (optional)
13. Oil - 4 tsp
14. Coriander leaves - to garnish

Method:
1. Peel and cut potatoes into small cubes
2. Make a paste of ginger, garlic and green chillies
3. Heat oil in a kadai and add cumin seeds and allow it to splutter
4. Then add the paste done in step 2 and bay leaf and saute for a min
5. Add coarsely crushed peanuts and sesame seeds and saute for a minute
6. Add red chilli powder and turmeric powder and mix well
7. Add beaten curd, sugar and cook for 2 to 3 minutes
8. Add chopped potatoes and salt to taste and mix well
9. Cook covered for 5 to 6 minutes and stir occasionally in between
10. Add fresh coriander leaves and turn off the heat

Serve hot with rotis/chapatis/side dish for rice items

Note:
1. If you like it to be more gravy add water and cook covered
2. Adjust spices according to your taste before adding the potatoes

Cabbage Fry

This is Andra Style cabbage fry for all those who like cabbage and in this style :) To be frank i loved this dish though i just did this to try once... Trust me this is delicious and easy to prepare too need not say healthy! Its good for your skin, immunity and weight loss! 

Ingredients:
1. Cabbage - 1 1/2 cup (finely chopped)
2. Chana Dal - 1/4 cup (soaked in water until its soft)
3. Turmeric powder - a pinch
4. Salt to taste
5. Water - 1/2 to 3/4 cup

For Grinding:
1. Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp (finely chopped)
2. Green Chillies - 3 (chopped)
3. Coconut - 1/4 cup
4. Ginger - 1/2 inch

For Tempering:
1. Mustard Seeds : 1 tsp
2. Jeera - 1 tsp
3. Onions - 1  (very finely chopped) (optional)
4. Curry leaves - 1 spring
5. Oil - 2 tbsp

Method:
1. Grind the ingredients dry i.e., without adding water and keep aside
2. In a kadai, heat oil and add mustard seeds and allow to splutter
3. Then add all ingredients under 'For Tempering' and saute until onions are transparent
4. Now add the grinded mixture and saute for a minute
5. Add cabbage and saute for a minute
6. Add water (water should be less as cabbage gets cooked with less water) and cook with covered lid until cabbage is soft and fully cooked
7. Now add soaked chana dal and cook for couple of minutes and switch off
8. Serve with rice/roti

Note:
1. The cabbage is boiled until partially cooked and then added while cooking this dish. Since the nutrients will be lost the above method would be the best way to cook it
2. This can be taken as side dish for rice and sambar also or can have it with chapati
3. Do not put more water to cook cabbage. It requires less water and later can be added if required and cooked
4. Chana Dal can be soaked over night and use for preparation next day. If the dal is not soft when you chew it does not taste good when cabbage fry is prepared

Green Chutney

This chutney which is different from our regular chutney goes well as a side dish for many like idlis, dosas, sandwich, bajjis and for many other dish, also can be used as a dip or spread :) Not to tell, its again a healthy side dish since mint, coriander is used:)

Preparation Time : 10  min

Ingredients:
1. Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup
2. Mint/Pudina leaves - 1/2 cup
3. Garlic - 3 pods
4. Green Chillis - 1 or 2 (can use based on whether you like it spicy or not)
5. Chaat Masala - 1tsp
6. Onion - 1/2
7. Salt as needed
8. Lemon - 1/2
9. Tomato - 1/2 (optional)
10. Ginger - 1/2 inch
11. Water - 2tblspn (little for grinding)

Method:
1. Rinse and cut mint and coriander leaves, roughly chop onions , tomatoes and green chillies
2. Add all ingredients in a mixer/grinder/blender and blend till smooth

Green chutney is ready to be used!

Note:
Adding more chillies would make the chutney spicy

Capsicum Curry/Palya/Subji

A simple yet tasty subji/palya which is often taken with chapati/rotis...

I must also say that this veggie has lot of health benefits too... Its good source of anti oxidants, boosts metabolism n lot more. 

Preparation time - 10 mins            
Cooking Time - 20 mins

Ingredients:

1. Capsicum - 2 to 3

2. Onion - 1 

3. Oil - 2tsp

4. Lemon juice - 1tsp

5. Salt as required

6. Coriander to garnish

7. Water - 1/2 cup(or as required to immerse the veggies to cook)

To Temper:

1. Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp

2. Jeera/Cumin Seeds - 2 tsp

3. Curry leaves - 5 to 6 strands

Spices :

1. Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

2. Red Chilli Powder - 2 tblsp

3. Sambhar Powder/Garam Masala Powder - 1 tblsp

Method:

1. Wash capsicum and slice them in smaller size , and slice the onion length wise (or finely if you wish)

2. Heat oil in kadai, add mustard seeds.

3. Once mustard seeds starts to splutter, add cumin/jeera, and onion and saute untill onions are transparent

4. Now add capsicum and fry for a min or two and add water and allow the veggie to get cooked with covered lid(cover the lid in such a way that there is pace for the ventilation, I used a lid with small hole)

5. Once the veggies are cooked, now add all spices specified under 'Spices' along with salt and mix well

6. Add lemon juice mix well and turn off heat

7. Garnish with coriander and serve with roti/chapati 

Note:

1. Cut the capsicum in smaller size so that it gets cooked fast

2. You can also use 1 tomato in this if required
3. Depending on whether you like it bit watery or not adjust the use of water