Generally I prefer to eat fresh carrots rather than making any fry. But my mom used to make this carrot fry for my lunch box. Even those who hates carrot fry will like this.

Time of Preparation : 20 minutes
Spice level : 3
No of servings : 2

Ingredients:

• Carrots – 3 (cut into very small cubes)
• Onions – 1/3 cup (finely chopped)
• Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
• Curry leaves – a few
• Asafoetida – a pinch
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
• Sambar powder – 2 tsp (according to spice level)
• Salt – to tatse
• Oil – 2 tsp
• Besan flour – 1 1/2 tsp

Method of Preparation:

1. Heat oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds followed by asafotida and curry leaves.
2. Then add the onions and fry till they become translucent.
3. Add the turmeric powder, sambar powder and salt salt and toss for 2 minutes.
4. Then add the carrots and add some water and cover it with a lid.
5. Keep the flame low and let it cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until the carrots become soft.
6. Finally add the besan flour and fry for 5 minutes.
7. Serve hot with sambar rice or rasam rice.

Note:

• We can microwave the carrots for 5 minutes and reduce the cook time to 5 to 8 minutes.

© arthi for Spicy Tasty, 2012. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: side-dish, side-dishes, veggie, veggies

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Methi Malai Paneer is a delicious Indian gravy cooked with paneer (Indian cottage cheese) and fenugreek leaves in a creamy sauce. It is served along with roti or anyIndian breads. This is a simple recipe and can be prepared quickly for a party or for everyday dinner or lunch. Whenever I go to the Indian store, I don’t forget to pick a bunch of methi or fenugreek leaves. I love to make some methi dal or a gravy for my roti and rice. It has a lot of medicinal values and is nutritious. Enjoy the curry with roti or phulkas.

Ingredients:

• Chopped onions – 2 cups
• Puree from 2 big roma tomatoes
• Fresh methi leaves (Fresh fenugreek leaves) – 3 cups
• Fried paneer – 1 cup (8 oz or 200 gram)
• Oil – 2 tbsp
• Ghee (clarified butter) – 1 tbsp
• Garlic cloves – 3
• A pinch of asafoetida
• Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
• Chili powder – 1 tbsp
• Kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves) – 3 tbsp
• Chicken masala or Chicken curry masala – 3 tsp (I used Shakthi masala, any brand would be fine.)
• Amchur powder – 1/2 tsp
• Unsalted Cashew nut – 2 tbsp
• Unsalted Almonds – 2 tbsp
• Milk – 3 to 4 tbsp
• Heavy cream – 1/2 cup
• Salt to taste
• Coriander leaves for garnishing

1. Heat oil and ghee in a non-stick or regular pan and add a pinch of asafoetida followed by finely chopped garlic.
2. Add onions and a little salt and saute until onions are soft and cooked.
3. Soak cashew and almonds in milk for 10 minutes and grind it to a paste.
4. Now add the tomato puree, turmeric powder, chili powder, chicken masala. If you do not have chicken masala, you may substitute it with kitchen king masala.
5. Cook for a minute and add 2 tbsp of kasoori methi by crushing it between your palms. Let it cook for 3 to 4 minutes over medium heat.
6. Add a little water and cook for another 5 minutes.
7. Add fresh cream and when it starts boiling add cashew and almond paste and let it cook for 5 minutes.
8. Add 1 tbsp of kasoori methi and fried paneer.
9. Add some water and let it cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
10. Serve hot with Roti or Pulao.

© Nithu for Spicy Tasty, 2012. | Permalink | 4 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: gravies, side-dishes, veggie

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

This is my mom’s signature dish and a favorite for everyone in my family. She makes it almost every other weekend for us. And it gets over fast. If you are looking for a simple and spicy kuzhambu, then you are at the right place. It goes well with rice as well as dosa and idli and it stays long (almost a week) without spoiling since we add a lot of oil to it. Just add a couple of tablespoon of kuzhambu to rice. If it’s spicy, add a little sesame oil to the rice. I hope you enjoy this dish. Leave your comments.

Preparation time: 50 to 60 minutes

No. of servings: 8 to 10

Spice level: 4 out of 5

1. Heat a tsp of oil in a pan and add coriander seeds, dry rd chilies, channa dal, toor dal, urad dal, black pepper and some curry leaves. Fry until the lentils become golden brown.
2. Make 2 cups of tamarind juice from the whole tamarind.
3. Remove from heat, let it cool and grind along with some tamarind juice until smooth.
4. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a deep pan and add mustard seeds and let it splutter.
5. Add cumin seeds and curry leaves. After a few seconds reduce heat and add peeled garlic and saute until light golden brown and soft.
6. Add chopped eggplant and sprinkle some water. Cover and cook until eggplant is soft and slightly mashed. Stir in between to avoid burning.
7. Add ground paste and the remaining tamarind juice and let it come to a boil over medium heat.
8. Add the remaining oil, mix and let it cook until eggplant is mashed and a nice gravy is formed. The gravy will spit oil when it is done.
9. Remove from heat and serve it with cooked rice. You can also have it as a side for dosa/idli.

© Nithu for Spicy Tasty, 2012. | Permalink | 5 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: kozhambu, veggie

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Time of preparation : 30 minutes
No of servings : 2 to 3
Spice level : 3

Ingredients:

• Cauliflower florets (washed and cut)- 1/2 cup
• Toor dal – 1/3 cup
• Water – 2 cups
• Onion (finely chopped) – 1/3 cup
• Tomato (chopped) – 1/2
• Green chillies – 4 (according to spice level)
• Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
• Salt – to taste
• Oil – 1 tbsp

For Seasoning:

• Cinnamon stick – 1/2″
• Cloves – 2
• Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Fennel seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Garlic – 4 (crushed)
• Curry leaves – a few
• Asafoetida – a pinch

Method of Preparation:

1. Pressure cook the dal with 2 cups of water and a pinch of turmeric powder and asafoetida.
2. We are going to use the dal water for this soup
3. Heat oil in a pan and add the green chillies followed by the onions.
4. Fry till they become translucent and add the tomatoes.
5. Add some salt, turmeric powder and add the cauliflower.Now add the dal water.
6. Cover them and cook until the florets become soft. Add some water if needed.
7. Keep oil in a pan and add all the items for seasoning.
8. Season the soup and serve hot or we can enjoy with rice instead of rasam.

© arthi for Spicy Tasty, 2012. | Permalink | 5 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Soups, veggie

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Tomato dal is a simple and tasty lentil dish popular in South India. It is a healthy, gluten free and protein rich dish and complements roti and rice.

Also, Wish you all a Happy Thiruvathirai and Arudhra Darshan… You can check the recipe for Thiruvathirai Kali, which is the traditional dish for today.

Ingredients:

• Toor dal – 1 cup
• Asafoetida – a pinch
• Oil – 1 tbsp
• Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
• Urad dal – 1 tsp
• Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
• Curry leaves – 5 to 6
• Dry red chilies – 2
• Garlic cloves – 5
• Chopped ginger – 1 tsp
• Green chilies – 4
• Finely chopped onions – 1/2 cup
• Large tomatoes – 2

1. Pressure cook dal with a tsp of oil, a pinch of asafoetida and salt until cooked and slightly mashed.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When it splutters, add urad dal, curry leaves, dry chilies, crushed garlic and ginger.
3. Fry for a couple of minutes and add onions. Fry till translucent and add chopped tomatoes and let it cook until mashed fully.
4. Remove from heat and let it become warm. Pulse it in a mixer grinder or a food processor. Do not grind it to a paste. Everything has to be whole and coarse.
5. Add it to the same pan along with cooked dal and add about 3/4 cup of water and bring it to a boil.
6. Let it cook for 5 minutes. Tomato dal is ready.
7. You can serve it cooked rice or rotis.

© Nithu for Spicy Tasty, 2012. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: 28 day weight loss and detox diet, Gluten free, Lentil recipes, Quick meal, side-dishes

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Carrot Methi Thogayal – Carrot Fenugreek leaves Chutney is a simple and tasty dish which I made recently. You can serve this as a side with white rice and curry or sambar/rasam. You can also mix it with white rice and eat it with papad or chips. I wanted to prepare something quick and tasty for lunch and my friend told me about this recipe which she tried from Sailusfood. Now this has become one of our favorite. Here you go…

Preparation time: 25 minutes 

No. of servings: 5 

Spice level: 2.5 out of 5

1. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When it splutters, add urad dal, channa dal, dry red chilies, garlic, cumin seeds. Fry till dal becomes golden brown. Let it cool in a plate.
2. Over medium heat add a tsp of oil in the same pan and add green chilies and shredded carrot. Fry till the raw smell of carrot is gone (about 4 to 5 minutes). Do not let it change color.
3. Remove from pan and let it cool.
4. Over medium heat add 1/2 tsp of oil and add fresh methi leaves and fry till it shrinks for about 2 to 3 minutes. Let it cool.
5. Grind the dal, chili and garlic mixture first and then add carrot and methi and pulse and grind until you get a coarse mixture.
6. Thogayal or Chutney is ready. You can serve it with white rice and papad or as a side with rice and curry or sambar or rasam.

© Nithu for Spicy Tasty, 2012. | Permalink | 4 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: chutney, Thogayal recipes, veggie

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

This is a simple stir fry and can be served with rice and also as a dry subzi with roti. Yard long beans are good source of protein, vitamin A, thiamin, riboflavin, iron, phosphorus, and potassium, and a very good source for vitamin C, folate, magnesium and manganese. This is a tasty and nutritious vegetable but most of us seldom cooks it. I am going to be a regular user of this vegetable from now on. You can simply blanch this vegetable and add it to your curries or stir fry.

Ingredients:

• Karamani or long beans – 1 lb (1/2 kg)
• Oil – 2 tsp
• Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
• Urad dal – 1 tsp
• Few curry leaves
• Shredded coconut – 3 tbsp
• Ginger – 1/2 inch piece
• Garlic cloves – 3
• Fennel seeds – 1 tsp
• Dry red chilies – 2 (adjust to taste)

1. Chop the ends of the beans and cut into 1  1/2 inch pieces.
2. Boil water and add the cut beans to it and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Have an ice bath ready and plunge the beans into it to stop cooking.
3. Grind coconut, ginger, garlic, fennel seeds and red chilies to a coarse paste.
4. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When it splutter add urad dal and curry leaves.
5. When urad dal is golden add drained beans and saute for 3 to 4 minutes or cover and cook until tender.
6. Add ground mixture and cook for 5 minutes or until everything comes together.
7. Serve with steamed rice and sambar/rasam or any rice variety.

© Nithu for Spicy Tasty, 2011. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: side-dishes, veggie

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Dhaba food like bhel puri, pani puri, channa kachori are like my most favorite food in the world. We had bought some frozen kachori from an Indian grocery store so I set out to make the perfect chole combination for it. And here is the Punjabi chole recipe I tried. Karthik (and I) loved it so much he even had it for dinner! The preparation for Punjabi Chole is different from the regular Channa Masala recipe but it tastes heavenly.

Preparation Time: 60 minutes
No of servings : 3-4
Spice Level : 3 out of 5

Ingredients:

• Kabuli Channa (Chick peas or Garbanzo beans) : 3 cups ( soak it overnight  or  soak it in hot water for an hour or so)
• Green chilies : 2-3
• Onions : 1 (large) (cut lengthwise)
• Tomatoes : 2
• Ginger : 2 tsp ( chopped finely)
• Red chili Powder : 3 tsp
• Black Cardamoms : 2 (you can use green instead of it too)
• Bay Leaf : 1
• Cinnamon Stick : 1/2″
• Oil : 1 & 1/2 tbsp
• Fresh coriander Leaves : for garnishing
• Salt : to taste

• Coriander seeds : 1 & 1/2 tbsp
• Cloves : 3
• Cinnamon : 1 inch
• Pepper corns : 1/2 tsp
• Black Cardamoms : 2
• Cumin seeds : 3/4 tsp
• Anardana : 1 & 1/2 tsp (dried pomegranate seeds) (optional)

Method Of Preparation:

1. Just fry the above masala powder ingredients and grind it into a smooth powder. Keep it aside.
2. Soak channa overnight or soak it in hot water for an hour or so in a air tight container or a casserole dish.
3. After that pressure cook chana (chick peas) with 3-4 cups of water, a tea bag, cinnamon stick and black cardamom for 2-3 whistles (if you soak it overnight ) or 6-7 whistle (if you soak for an hour) or till it becomes soft (if you don’t have a pressure cooker).
4. Make sure it’s not overcooked  it should be soft and mushy. After that drain the water and keep the water aside and discard the tea bag.
5. Take 1/4 cup of cooked channa grind it into smooth paste and keep it aside.
6. Now heat oil in a kadai or heavy bottomed pan and add bay leaves.
7. After that add chopped ginger and green chilies sautee for few seconds.
8. Now add the chopped onions fry them till it becomes translucent and then add chopped tomatoes fry them for about 3-4 minutes.
9. Now add red chili powder and salt.  Mix it all together and cook until the tomatoes are soft and oil separates on top for about 10 minutes in low flame.
10. Now add the ground masala powder and mix it all together.
11. Finally add the cooked channa and mashed channa from step 5 with the pressure cooked water from step 4. If the water is not enough for the gravy add some more water.
12. Mix it well cover it with lid and cook in simmer heat for about 15-18 minutes.
13. Finally remove from heat and garnish it with coriander leaves.
14. Serve it hot with chapathi or add somosa or channa and serve it as your own Punjabi Dhaba chat!

© admin for Spicy Tasty, 2011. | Permalink | 4 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: gravies, veggie, veggies

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Karela or pagarkai (tamil) is Bitter Gourd. Stuffed Karela Fry is bitter gourd stuffed with spiced vegetable such as potatoes, carrots or mixed vegetables. I have used spiced potatoes today. Though you are not a huge fan of this vegetable due to its bitterness, try this recipe, your opinion may change just like mine. And for bitter gourd lovers, this is a treat. So try this at home and let me know your comments.

Ingredients:

• Bitter gourd (Karela) – 4
• Tamarind juice – 1 cup (from a marble size tamarind)
• Lime juice from half lime
• Salt – 1/2 tsp

For Stuffing:

• Oil – 2 tsp
• Chopped onion – 1/2 cup
• Green chilies – 2
• Fresh grated ginger – 1 tsp
• Fresh grated garlic – 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
• Chili powder – 1 tsp
• Coriander powder – 1 tsp
• Cumin powder – 1 tsp
• Achar gosht masala – 1 tsp
• Amchur powder – 1/2 tsp
• Garam masala – 1/2 tsp
• Yogurt – 2 tbsp
• Lime juice – 1 tbsp
• Sugar – 1/2 tsp
• Salt to taste
• One potato, grated

For Frying:

• Oil – 6 tbsp
• Fennel seeds – 1 tsp
• A few curry leaves
• Besan flour (Roasted chickpea flour) – 1/4 cup
• Salt – 1/4 tsp
• Chili powder – 1/2 tsp
• Water

Method of Preparation:

1. Scrape the sharp outer skin part of bitter gourd and chop the ends.
2. Slit it length wise and remove the seeds and pith.
3. Rub it with a little salt inside and outside and leave it for an hour or overnight.
4. Mix tamarind juice, lime juice, salt and a little water in a bowl and soak the salt rubbed bitter gourd. Leave it for an hour. This will help in reducing the bitterness. Believe me it works.
5. Heat oil in a pan, add onion and saute until tender.
6. Add green chilies, ginger and garlic followed by all the dry ingredients or spice powders. Let it cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add some water and cook.
7. Add yogurt and salt, mix well. Add lime juice, some water and let everything come together and add grated potato.
8. Cook until potato is cooked, for about 6 to 8 minutes over medium heat. Keep stirring in between to avoid burning.
9. Stuff the bitter gourd with the potato mixture.
10. Prepare a thin batter with besan, salt, chili powder and water.
11. Heat oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Dip the stuffed karela in the besan batter and add it to hot oil.
12. Turn the sides and cook till it is brown.
13. When it is brown, remove from heat and cut each karela into three pieces and drop it back to oil.
14. Flip and fry till it is crisp and dark brown.
15. Remove from oil and place it in a paper towel to absorb the excess oil.
16. Serve hot with rice and rasam/sambar/any spicy curry.

© Nithu for Spicy Tasty, 2011. | Permalink | 5 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags:

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh

Ghee is clarifies butter and is commonly used in South Asian countries such as India. It all begins by boiling cow’s milk and removing and collecting the thick layer formed on top of the milk. The thick cream is refrigerated and churned using a wooden whisker or an electric whisker until sticky and creamy butter is formed on top and the rest becomes a thick and creamy buttermilk. Straining it gives you the butter. This butter is refrigerated and ghee is prepared out of it. You can also buy unsalted butter from store and prepare ghee.  Ghee is used in the preparation of gravies, curries, pulao/ghee rice. Also used for seasoning and spreading on rotis. I hope the step by step instruction will help you to prepare ghee at home which is tasty and economical.

Ingredients:

Butter – 2 lb (1 kg)

Method of Preparation:

1. In a wide, deep pan or kadai melt butter over medium heat.
2. When butter is completely melted, reduce heat and let it boil for about 15 to 20 minutes.
3. It will be bubbling and making noise developing froth. Do not stir.
4. When the bubbling comes down and the sediments turn brown, the liquid will turn into nice and transparent shining brown giving out nice aroma.
5. Turn off heat. Do not let it become dark brown.
6. Remove from heat and let it become warm.
7. Transfer it to a glass container with tight lid. It will solidify after sometime.
8. You can store it at room temperature or refrigerate it. It will come for several months.

© Nithu for Spicy Tasty, 2011. | Permalink | 3 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags:

Feed enhanced by Better Feed from Ozh