1. MIXED VEGETABLE CURRY
Ingredients:
1 cup of chopped mixed vegetables such as carrots, beans, peas, etc
2 potatoes peeled and cut into medium size pieces
2 tomatoes made into puree
3 tablespoons ground coconut
1 teaspoon chillie powder
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
½ teaspoon cumin powder
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon coriander powder
2 tablespoons oil
2 onions chopped
2 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves
1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
Heat oil in a pan and sauté the onions for a little while.
Add the ginger garlic paste, tomato puree, chillie powder, turmeric, coriander powder, cumin powder and salt and stir fry for a few minutes till the oil separates from the mixture.
Add the ground coconut and stir fry for a few minutes
Add the mixed vegetables and potatoes and mix well.
Add 2 cups of water and simmer on low heat till the potatoes are cooked the gravy thickens. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
Serve with rice or Chapattis.
2. BRINJAL VINDALOO (Aubergene or Eggplant Vindaloo)
Ingredients:
1 medium size whole seedless purple Brinjal
2 onions chopped
2 teaspoons chillie powder
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
2 teaspoons ginger garlic paste
1 teaspoon cumin powder
½ cup tomato juice / puree
2 pieces cinnamon about one inch in length
2 table spoons vinegar either white vinegar or malt vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt to taste
3 tablespoons oil
Remove the skin and cut the brinjal into medium size pieces and soak in salt water till required.
Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the onions till golden brown.
Add the ginger garlic paste and cinnamon and fry for some time.
Now add the chillie powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, sugar and tomato puree and fry till the oil separates from the mixture
Add the cut brinjals, vinegar and a little water and bring to boil.
Reduce heat and simmer till the gravy is sufficiently thick.
Please note: There is no need to garnish this dish with chopped coriander leaves as it would detract from the original taste.
3. DOL AND GREENS CURRY / DHAL AND SPINACH CURRY
Ingredients
1 cup Tur Dhal
1 cup either Tur Dal or Masur Dal (Red Lentils)
1 cup finely cut spinach or any greens of your choice
2 green chilies slit lengthwise
½ teaspoon chillie powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder,
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
2 tomatoes chopped
1 onion chopped
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon oil
For the Tempering: 1 teaspoon mustard, 1 teaspoon crushed garlic, 2 red chilies broken into bits and a few curry leaves.
Wash the dal and cook it along with the spinach / greens, tomato, green chillies, chillie powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and onion with sufficient water in a pressure cooker.
When done open the cooker, add salt and some more water and mash well.
In another pan, heat the oil and add the mustard, broken red chilies and smashed garlic and fry for some time. When the mustard starts to splutter, pour in the cooked dhal.
Serve with rice.
4. RADISH AND MASOOR DHAL
Ingredients
1 cup Masoor Dhal (Red lentil dhal)
2or 3 long white radish peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces or thick rings
2 teaspoons chillie powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
2 tomatoes chopped
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon oil
For the seasoning: 1 teaspoon mustard, 2 red chilies broken into bits and a few curry leaves and 1 teaspoon crushed garlic (optional)
Wash the dhal and cook it along with the tomato, chillie powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder and radish with sufficient water in a pressure cooker.
When done open the cooker, add salt and some more water if more quantity is required and mix well.
Heat oil in another pan and add the mustard, broken red chilies and crushed garlic and fry for some time. When the mustard starts spluttering, pour in the cooked dhal and mix well. Serve with rice
5. POTATO AND SPINACH SIDE DISH
Ingredients
3 medium size potatoes peeled and cut into medium size pieces,
1 cup chopped Spinach leaves or any other greens such as Fenugreek leaves, etc
2 green chillies chopped finely
6 or 8 curry leaves
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon chillie powder
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons oil
Heat oil in a pan and sauté the cumin seeds, green chillies and curry leaves for a few seconds.
Add the potatoes, Fenugreek leaves / greens, chillie powder, turmeric powder and salt and mix well.
Add ½ cup of water and mix well.
Cover and cook on low heat till the potatoes are cooked and the water almost dries up.
Serve as a side dish.
6. CABBAGE FOOGATH
Ingredients
1 medium cabbage finely chopped / shredded,
1 teaspoon mustard seeds,
4 green chillies slit,
2 tablespoons oil,
2 tablespoons grated coconut,
2 teaspoons lime juice,
Salt to taste
Heat the oil in a suitable pan and add the mustard seeds.
Drop in the slit green chillies and fry lightly.
Add the shredded cabbage and mix in the salt.
Cover and cook on low heat till the cabbage is cooked.
Mix in the grated coconut and lime juice.
Serve as a side dish with rice and curry.
7. BEANS FOOGATH
Ingredients:
300 grams chopped string beans
1 onion chopped finely
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
2 or 3 green chillies chopped finely
1 teaspoon chopped ginger
2 table-spoons grated coconut
4 or 5 curry leaves
2 tablespoon cooking oil
Salt to taste
Heat oil in a suitable pan and add the mustard seeds.
When they begin to splutter add the curry leaves, chopped onions, chopped green chillies and ginger.
Fry lightly for a few minutes.
Add the chopped beans and salt and mix well.
Add ½ cup of water and cook covered on low heat till the beans are tender but firm and the water evaporates.
Mix in the grated coconut.
Serve as a side dish.
Alternately, the beans could be boiled in a little water and then tempered.
8. CARROT AND BEANS FOOGATH
Ingredients
250 grams medium size carrots peeled and chopped into small pieces
250 grams runner beans, chopped into small pieces
2 onions chopped,
3 tablespoons grated coconut
5 or 6 Curry leaves
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
3 dry red chillies broken
½ teaspoon cumin seeds,
Salt to taste
2 tablespoons oil
Boil the carrots and beans separately in a little water with a little salt. Strain and keep aside.
Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds.
When they begin to splutter, add the onions, curry leaves and red chillies and sauté for a few minutes.
Add the boiled carrots and beans and mix well. Add a little more salt if required.
Mix in the grated coconut and mix well.
Sauté on low heat for a couple of minutes more, then switch off.
Serve as a side dish.
9. TOMATO SAMBAL OR RELISH
Ingredients
4 large tomatoes chopped
4 green chilies chopped
2 medium size onions sliced finely
Salt to taste
½ teaspoon pepper powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon vinegar or Juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons oil
Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onions and green chillies till light brown.
Add the chopped tomatoes, chilies, salt. sugar, pepper and vinegar / lime juice.
Mix well together.
Simmer on low heat till the tomatoes are cooked to a pulp and the mixture is thick.
Serve with rice as a relish or chutney
10. MIXED VEGETABLE CUTLETS
Ingredients
1 cup of chopped vegetables such as peas, carrots, French beans, etc.
3 potatoes boiled and mashed
2 onions chopped finely,
2 green chillies chopped
1 teaspoon chopped mint
1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger
½ teaspoon pepper powder
Salt to taste,
3 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons breadcrumbs
Boil the vegetables in a little water and salt and keep aside
Heat oil in a pan and fry the onions and ginger till golden brown.
Add the chopped green chillies and sauté for a minute.
Now add the cooked vegetables, and salt and mix well.
Cook on low heat for about 3 minutes.
Set aside to cool for some time.
Mix in the mashed potato and mint.
Make even sized balls with the mixture and form into round flat cutlets.
Mix the flour with a little water to make a paste.
Heat oil in a flat pan.
Dip each cutlet in the flour paste, roll in powdered breadcrumbs and shallow fry till golden brown on both sides.
Serve hot with tomato sauce or chutney.
11. YAM FRY
Ingredients
½ kg yam peeled and cut into strips
2 teaspoons red chillie powder,
1 teaspoon coriander powder
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 tablespoon vinegar
Salt to taste
4 tablespoons oil
Marinate the yam strips with all the ingredients (except the oil) and keep aside for 1 hour. Heat oil in a pan and add the yam a little at a time. Shallow fry till golden brown. Serve as a side dish.
12. BUTTER FRIED CAULIFLOWER
Ingredients
1 big cauliflower broken into medium size florets
1 teaspoon crushed pepper or pepper powder
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
2 or 3 dry red chillies broken into bits
1 piece of cinnamon around 1 inch in size
2 tablespoons butter
Salt to taste
Wash and soak the cauliflower for 1 hour in warm salt water.
Cook the cauliflower in a little water for 5 minutes, then drain.
Heat the butter in a pan.
Add the broken red chillies and cinnamon and saute for a few minutes
Add the cooked cauliflower, turmeric powder, salt and pepper and mix well.
Fry on low heat for a few seconds then turn off the heat.
Serve as a side dish
