Red Spinach Stir Fry

This is the one which is made the most at our house whenever we make rotla or juwar bread,we call it as jolada bhakri.This is my favorite.It is not only easy to make but tastes great too.Red spinach stir fry can also be done with phulkas or chapathis .
Just like spinach red spinach has also a lot of health benefits.As we do this a stir fry and not cooked in a presuure cooker,most of the nutrients are not lost in cooking hence making this tasty and healthy.
In kannada this is called as raaja giri soppu.

Ingredients,
Red spinach- 5 1/2 cups ( cut in half inches)
Cooking oil- 1 tablespoon
Mustard seeds- 1 teaspoon
Cumin seeds- 1 teaspoon
Asafoetida- a pinch
Turmeric- 1/4 teaspoon
Curry leaves- 4-5
Urad dal- 1 tablespoon
Salt- 3/4 teaspoon
Red chilli powder- 1 teaspoon.

1. Wash the red spinach and cut them in half inch length each.
2. for tempering take oil in pan and heat it.Add mustard seeds.As they splutter add cumin seeds,asafoetida,turmeric,curry leaves and finally urad dal.
3. Let the urad dal get a little brownish in color.
4. Add red spinach and stir fry it.
5. Once it gets cooked,add salt and red chilli powder.
6. Serve with rotis,phulkas or anything of your choice.

Heat oil in pan.Add mustard seeds,ad they splutter add

cumin seeds and asafoetida.

Add turmeric, curry leaves and urad dal.

Add chopped red spinach

Stir fry and add red chilli powder and salt.

Red Spinach Stir Fry.

Avial (Kerala style)

Every state have their own avial, Karnatake style, Tamil Nadu style,kerala style... Avial is one of the things I have liked it a lot.We make and eat this with hot rice.Kerala style is a little different as they do not add tempering,just season it with oil ( coconut oil preferably) and curry leaves.Avial is done with a lot of fresh coconut grated.I have used 6 types of vegetables.You can use any veggies for this curry.

Kerala cuisine has a lot vegetables in them be it sambar or avial.

Ingredients,
Vegetables,
Okra- 5-6
Sweet Potato- 1 ( typically yams are used)
Drum sticks-1
Carrots- 1 big
Beans- 5-6
Potato-1
Curry leaves- 3

To Grind-
Coconut- 1 cup ( grated)
Cumin - 1/3 of a teaspoon (powder)
green chillies-2
Turmeric- 1/3 teaspoon
Curry leaves- 4 ( roughly torn)

Yogurt- 1/4 cup
Salt- 1 tsp

Seasoning,
Cooking oil- 2 tbsps
Curry leaves-3-4

1. Cut the vegetables in long and big pieces and cook them with curry leaves in almost 1 cup of water for until they are cooked.Add 2 pinches of salt.
2. ( just poke them with a fork if you can pierce easily then the veggies are cooked)
3. Grind coconut,curry leaves,green chillies with turmeric and cumin powder.
4. Add the ground mix with the vegetables.
5. Add yogurt and salt and bring it to boil.
6. Turn off the stove and season with hot oil and curry leaves.

Cook the vegetables and curry leaves in water with 

2 pinches  of  salt.

grated coconut,curry leaves ,green chillies and turmeric

and cumin powder to be grinded.

Add the ground mix to the cooked veggies.

Add yogurt and salt.

Season with hot oil and curry leaves.

Avial.

Eggplant Curry

Eggplant can be used in many different ways and archived into many recipes .This is the most traditionally made into a curry for the Bhakri  in north Karnataka parts of India. Since I got these exotic eggplants,I thought of making them more traditionally.I called  them exotic since not everywhere we get nice and tender eggplants.If the eggplants are hard ,it makes the curry very rubbery and feels very sloppy. Young and tender ones bring the very best taste out.

Ingredients,
Eggplants-7 to 8 ( cut them length wise)
Cooking oil-2 tbsp
Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
Jeera or cumin- 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida- a pinch
Poppy seeds- 3 tbsp s
Coriander seeds-  1 tbsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Tamarind juice-  1/4 cup ( I took a small pound of tamarind and soaked in water for about an hour and squeezed out the juice)

1. Cut the eggplants and sauté them a little in a 2 tsp s of cooking oil till the white color is gone from the eggplants and keep them aside
2. Grind the poppy seeds and coriander seeds into a fine powder and mix it with the tamarind pulp.
3. Make tampering in a separate pan with 2 tbsp s of cooking oil .Add mustard,as they splutter,add cumin seeds and the pinch of asafoetida.
4. Add the mix of poppy seeds ,coriander powder in tamarind pulp and add to this tampering.
5. Finally add the sautéd eggplants and red chilli powder and cook it for 5 minutes.Add 1/4 cup water if required so as to not to make the curry dry.
6. Add salt and the curry is done.

cut the eggplants .

Take 3 tbps of poppy seeds anf 1 tbsp of coriander seeds and grind it into a fine powder

prepare tamarind juice .

Make the tampering and add tamarind juice,ground poppyseeds and coriander seeds powder.

Saute eggplants in a tbsp of cooking oil and add it to the above mix with red chilli powder and cook it for about 5 minutes.

Eggplant curry.

Saagu

I wanted to post this much before than I am doing now.whenver I made this couldn't get to get the pictures of this.Its set dosa and saagu for our breakfast today.Starting with a dosa like set dosa makes everybody's tummy full.Set dosas go very well with saagu.This saagu can be done with puris also.

Ingredients for saagu,
Carrots -2 big (1/2 cup of chopped carrots)
Beans-1/2 cup chopped
Onions-1/2 cup (chopped)
Tomatoes 1/2 cup ( chopped)
Bell peppers(1/2 cup ( chopped)
Coriander leaves- 1/4 cup ( to garnish)
Salt -2 teaspoons
Coconut-1/2 cup ( grated)
Roasted Chana daal ( in Kannada putani or hurikadalekaayi)- 1/2 cup.
Coriander seeds- 1 teaspoon
Cinnamon- 1 cm stick
Cloves -2
Poppy seeds-1 teaspoon
Red chillies- 3 to 4
Oil- 1 tbsp

1. Roast the coriander seeds,cinnamon,clove ,poppy seeds and red chillies in a drop of oil in a pan and keep it aside.
2. Add all the roasted spices to the coconut grated and roasted channa daal and grind it into a fine paste with a little water.
3. Take 1 tbsp of oil in a pan and sauté the cut vegetables in oil for 5 minutes . Keep stirring every now and then .
4. Add the grinded paste to the sautéd vegetables and bring it to boil.Add 1/2 cup water if required.
5. Simmer the stove once the curry starts bubbling ,add salt and mix well.
6. Transfer to a bowl and garnish with coriander leaves.

                                            Roasted channa daal and grated coconut.

                            Roasted spices--coriander seeds,red chillies,khus khus ,cinnamon and cloves.

                                                          Chopped vegetables

Green Peas Masala

One of the easiest curry to do for me would be Green peas masala.Since the time I ate this in a restaurant,I liked it very much.Finally I found this recipe to be very agnate with the curry I ate at the restaurant.
Ingredients for Green Peas Masala,
Fresh green peas-2cups ( you can also use 2 cups of soaked dry green peas and cook them in pressure cooker before adding it to the curry)
Oinion-1 ( small)
Tomato-1
Garlic pods-1
Green chillies-2
Salt-1 tsp
Turmeric-1/2 tbsp.
Fennel seeds-1/2 tbsp
Cashew nut powder- 1 tbsp
Cinnamon-1/4 stick
Black cardamom- 1/2
Cardamom-2 ( slightly slit,so that it can leave its aroma into the curry)
Clove-1
Bay leaves-1
Oil-2 tbsp

1. Sauté onions and tomatoes in a tbsp of oil in a pan and grind them with garlic and green chillies into a fine paste.
2. Take 1 tbsp of oil in a pan and add fennel seeds,cinnamon,cardamom ,cloves and bay leaves .
3. Add fresh green peas ,sprinkle a pinch of salt on them and sauté for a minute.
4. Add the ground onion,tomato ,green chillies and garlic mix to the pan.Add turmeric powder.
5. Add cashew nut powder and salt.Add water if required,allow it to bubble for 3 minutes.
6. Garnish with grated paneer (optional).
7. Add water while grinding sauted onions and tomatoes.

Coconut Sambar

Coconut sambar is a delicacy gravy usually done for rice in Karnataka ,the main important ingredient being of course coconut.Coconut is grinded along with the spices and added to tampering and toor daal to make this gravy.

Ingredients for coconut gravy,
Toor daal-1/2 a cup
Baby carrots- 8( cut into an inch pieces)
Beans-6(cut into an inch pieces)
Peas-1/4 cup(if using dry and soaked green peas cook them along with the daal or cook it in the tempering while doing the sambar)
Coconut1/4 cup( grated)
Cumin seeds- 1 tbsp
Fresh coriander-4 strands (chopped)
Curry leaves-4
Sambar powder- 1 tbsp
Salt-1 tbsp(vary it to taste)
Red chilli powder - 1/2 -1 teaspoon
Tamarind juice- take a quarter coin sized ,mean a tablespoon of tamarind and soak it in water for an hour and take out the juice.(substitute 1/4 tbsp tamarind paste mixed with 1/4 cup of water if required)

1. Cook toor daal and carrots and beans In a  cooker till 3 whistles.You can also cook daal In a pan,but it will take longer time to cook.
2. In a blender blend the coconut, cumin seeds, coriander ,curry leaves and sambar powder with 1/2 cup of water.
3. For tempering take 2 tbsp of oil,as it heats add 1/2 tbsp of mustard seeds.When mustard seeds start spluttering add a pinch of asafoetida and 1/4 tbsp of turmeric.Add fresh peas to saute for a minute.
4. Add tamarind juice  to this and bring it to boil ,as it starts to bubble add the blended mix in step 2
5. Add cooked toor daal along with the vegetables and 1 cup of water and salt.Add 1/2 - 1 teaspoon  of red chili powder to spice this curry.

Rajma masala

Rajma masala or kidney beans masala.I usually make these with red kidney beans which are a bit small in size and brick colored.But there are also kidney beans available which are dark red or Maroon in color.Somehow I cannot cook them enough to be soft rajma.Rajma is usually preferred with Chawal or plain rice.I prefer rajma with rotis or jeera rice.

Ingredients for rajma,
Red kidney beans or rajma- 1 cup
Onion-1/2 of a big onion
Tomatoes-2 small ( chopped)
Ginger garlic paste-1/2 a teaspoon( I used only ginger paste 1/2 teaspoon)
Garam masala -1/2 a tbsp
Red chilli powder-  1/4 tbsp
Salt  -1 teaspoon( vary it to your taste)
Oil - 2 teaspoons.

1. Soak rajma for about 6 to 8 hours. Cook them unil soft ( I cook them in pressure cooker until 3 whistles with 1/2 cup of water). Cut onions and tomatoes ,sauté them in a teaspoon of oil and grind them into a fine paste.
2. Take a teaspoon of oil in a pan ,add ginger garlic paste , ground onions and tomatoes paste to it.Add 1/2 cup of water to it.
3. Cook for sometime till it starts bubbling.Add the cooked Rajma and garam masala and red chilli powder and salt to it.Cook it for a few minutes ,let it bubble for a few seconds.Remove it from heat .
4. Rajma should be ready by now to serve.

Aallo gobhi masala

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Aaloo gobhi masala is made out of Aaloo and gobhi as the main ingredients,unlike other gravies where tomato and onions are the main ingredients and the other veggies go along with it.The taste of cauliflower just pops up in this gravy.

Ingredients for Aaloo gobhi masala,

Cauliflower- 10 to 15 small flowerets

Potato- 2 small ( or 1 medium sized potato ,chopped in small cubes).

Coriander powder-1/2 a teaspoon

Aamchur- 1/2 a teaspoon

Red chilli powder-1/2 a teaspoon

Whipping cream-1/4 cup ( you can substitute this with milk and cashew paste)

Garam masala-1/2 a teaspoon

Kasoori methi- 1/2 a teaspoon 

Onion-1/2 of a big onion.

Tomato-1/2 of a tomato.

Cooking oil-  1 teaspoon

Salt-1 teaspoon

Ginger garlic paste- 1/2 a teaspoon.
Turmeric- 1/3 tsp

1. Chop the potatoes in to cubes,and separate the cauliflower into florets .Chop the onion and tomatoes into small cubes ( smaller than the potatoes and gobhi)
2. In a pan ,take oil,as it gets heated add onion and tomatoes and ginger and garlic paste
3. In a bowl mix coriander powder,red chilli powder and amchur powder in 1/4 cup of whipping cream and add it to the pan of onions and tomatoes.Add kasoori methi.
4. Now add the potatoes and cauliflower and cook it until it is done.Add water to cook potatoes and cauliflower.To make this quick use smaller chopped potatoes or cook the potatoes and add after the cauliflower florets are cooked.
5. At last add the garam masala  and salt to it.
6. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Kadai paneer

Kadai paneer is  a curry made out of paneer and fresh spices.This is the first one In the curries category that i am doing in this blog,because of the fresh spices that I use in here.I absolutely love the
Savor of this curry.

Ingredients for Kadai paneer,
Paneer-15 small cubes
Red bell peppers(capsicum)-1
Onion-1 ( small or half of a  big onion)
Coriander -1/2 acup(chopped)
Tomatoes-11/2
Ginger garlic paste-1.teaspoon
Fenugreek leaves-a few chopped
Salt - 1 teaspoon
Red chili powder-  1/2 a teaspoon
Coriander and cumin powder- 1 teaspoon
Cinnamon-3/4 inch
Cardamom-3
Cloves-3
Bay leaf-1

1. Make a fine powder of cinnamon,cardamom,cloves .You will need a teaspoon of coriander  and cumin seeds also to be powdered.
2. Sauté tomatoes in 1/2 teaspoon of cooking oil and grind it in a blender to tomato paste with 1/4 cup water.
3. In a pan take 1 teaspoon of oil ,add the bay leaf.Then the spice powder prepared above in the first step.
4. Add onions and bell peppers,add ginger garlic paste.and sauté them.Add the fenugreek leaves (chopped) to it( you can substitute fenugreek leaves with kasuri methi).
5. Add the tomato paste prepared in step 2,and cook it until it starts bubbling.Add 1/4 cup water.
6. In a separate pan,take a  teaspoon of oil and then pan fry the paneer cubes and set them aside.
7. Add salt  and red chilli powder to the bubbling curry.At last add the paneer cubes and stir it well.
8. Garnish with some coriander leaves.