Potato And Lentils, Aloo Dal

          On weekdays, when I pack lunch, and when it's rotis, I try to make some side dish that has some protein in it, usually by adding some dal/ lentils or some form of soy, so that it's filling and doesn't make you hungry very soon. Today's dish is one such, I have cooked moong dal along with potatoes, and I have added kasuri methi which gives the dal a nice flavor. This is so easy to make, you have to only dice the potatoes and tomatoes and the entire cooking can be done in the pressure pan. This dal goes very well with pilafs, rotis or even with dosas..

Need To Have

• Potatoes - 1 cup, diced
• Tomato - 1 medium, chopped
• Moong Dal/ Split, Husked Green Gram - 1/4 cup
• Chana Dal - 4 teaspoons
• Mustard Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
• Cumin Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
• Dried Red Chillies - 4, broken into 2 pieces
• Asafoetida - 1/4 teaspoon
• Kasuri Methi - 2 tablespoon, crushed
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
• Salt to taste

Method

          Wash together the two dals and keep. Heat some oil, add the mustard and cumin seeds, when it starts spluttering, add the broken red chillies and the asafoetida and mix, immediately add the chopped potatoes and saute for 2 to 3 minutes.

          Now add the kasuri methi and tomatoes and mix for another minute, then add the dals/ lentils, turmeric powder  and mix once.

          Add about 21/2 cups of water and salt, cover the pressure pan and cook. After the first whistle, reduce the heat to minimum and cook for another 6 to 7 minutes and switch off. Once the pressure is all gone, open the lid, depending on the consistency, add a little more water, or if it's very watery, cook for some more time till it becomes a little thick.

Note
Kasuri methi is dried fenugreek leaves and it's available in all Indian grocery stores.
If you don't have a pressure pan, you can do the entire cooking in a heavy bottomed pan, soak the dals for 1/2 and hour to an hour to speed up the cooking process.
Potatoes can be replaced with chayote or sorakkai/ bottle gourd/ lauki/ ridge gourd, the dish becomes more healthy.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Potato And Capsicum Rice, Urulaikizhangu Kudaimilagai Saadam

          Potato and Capsicum Rice, this again is a very easy and quick dish, it can be put together in a breeze, especially if you have some leftover rice from the previous day. It's a perfect lunch box idea for your busy weekdays, uses the basic ingredients from your pantry and of course, potatoes and capsicums. Just serve it with some raitha or curd and some chips on the side for a delicious meal..

Need To Have

• Cooked Rice - 4 cups
• Potato - 1 big, diced
• Capsicum - 1 big, diced
• Onion - 1 medium, chopped
• Tomato - 1 medium, chopped
• Grated Ginger - 2 teaspoons
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
• Red Chilly Powder - 1/2 - 3/4 teaspoon
• Coriander Powder - 2 teaspoons
• Asafoetida - 1/4 teaspoon
• Mustard Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
• Cumin Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
• Dried Red Chillies - broken into 2
• Curry Leaves - 10
• Chopped Coriander Leaves - 2 tablespoons
• Salt to taste

Method

          Heat some oil, add the mustard and cumin seeds, when it starts spluttering, add the red chillies, asafoetida followed by the chopped onions and saute till the onions turn translucent. Then add the potato and capsicum pieces and saute for another minute.

          Now add the grated ginger and curry leaves and mix for one more minute. Then add the turmeric powder, salt and about 1/4 cup water, cover and cook on medium heat till the potatoes are almost cooked. Then add the chopped tomatoes, chilly powder and coriander powder, cover and cook till the tomatoes break down and the potatoes are cooked fully.

          Now add the chopped coriander and keep sauteing for another 5 minutes till oil oozes out from the sides.

           At this stage, reduce the heat, add the rice and mix everything together till the rice is warmed through.

Note
You can also add chopped garlic and leave out the asafoetida, or make it even without the chopped onions.
When using leftover rice from the fridge, just bring it to room temperature and mix, so that it'll be easy to warm the rice fast.
You can add some cooked chickpeas/ chana, double beans, bean sprouts or even lobia/ karamani/ black eyed peas to make the dish even more nutritious.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Potato And Bitter Gourd Stir Fry, Urulaikizhangu Pavakkai Vadakkal

          Last month, we had lunch at a Bengali restaurant, though I have tasted Bengali food a couple of times, I cannot talk about the authenticity of a dish. But on that day, I spoke to a girl ( a Bengali student ) sitting at the next table and she told me that she was tasting home style food after a long time, I took that as the verdict. One of the dishes that we ordered that day was a vegetable bajje ( appetizer ), I thought it would be some vegetable, dipped in batter and deep fried. To my surprise, it was a potato and bitter gourd fry, I think both the vegetables were deep fried and then sauteed with some spices. We just loved it, and I wanted to try it at home, I have tried to reproduce it from what I had tasted, I didn't get the recipe, and also I have tried to make it healthy too, try this, even kids wouldn't mind the pavakkai/ karela/ bitter gourd in this..

Need To Have

• Bitter Gourd - 2 medium
• Potatoes - 3 small
• Fennel Seed Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
• Red Chilly Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
• Sugar - 1/2 teaspoon
• Salt to taste

Method

          Slightly scrape the outer skin of the bitter gourd, slice into half, scoop out the seeds in the middle and make thin half-moon slices. Peel and slice the potatoes like we do it for French fries. 

          Heat some oil in a pan, add the potato slices and a little salt,  cover and keep sauteing, till the potato fingers turn golden with few brown spots here and there, remove and keep. 

          Add some more oil, now add the sliced bitter gourd and salt and cover and keep sauteing till it gets wrinkled, gets cooked and slightly crispy, remove and keep. 

          Add a little oil, add the fennel seed, chilly and turmeric powders along with the sugar, give a mix and add both the vegetables, mix with the spice powders and keep sauteing for another 5 to 7 minutes. Remove and serve it warm with dal and rice or rotis.

Note

You can deep fry both the potato and bitter gourd, the dish at the restaurant was just oozing out oil.

The final dish should not be crunchy, but sort of soft and crispy at the same time.

The bitter gourd loses most of its bitter taste.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Aloo Bhindi/ Potato And Okra Curry

          I love potatoes, this vegetable is so versatile, you can make so many dishes with it, gravies, fries, chips, even sweets can be made from this vegetable. It not only tastes good, all by itself, but combines beautifully with almost any vegetable and gives a wonderful taste to any dish. I have used it in combination with eggplants, green peas, spinach, and now for today's recipe, along with okra/ bhindi/ lady's finger. Even people who otherwise don't like okra because of its sliminess would try this dish with potato. This dish has a nice garlic flavor and goes very well with both rotis and rice..

Need to Have

• Potato - 2 medium, chopped
• Okra - 1" pieces, 2 cups
• Garlic - 5 cloves, crushed with the skin
• Onions - 2 medium, chopped
• Tomato - 1 medium, chopped
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
• Coriander Powder - 1 teaspoon
• Chilli Powder - 3/4 teaspoon
• Cumin Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
• Curry Leaves - 10

Method

          Heat some oil, add the potato pieces, saute on reduced heat, till it turns golden and is almost cooked, remove the potatoes and keep.

          If needed, add a little oil, add the okra pieces and saute till gets light brown spots and is almost cooked, remove and keep.

          Now add some oil, add the cumin seeds, once it starts sizzling, add the garlic pieces and mix till you get a nice flavor from the garlic and it turns golden. Then add the chopped onions and keep sauteing till it turns pink, then add the turmeric, chilli and coriander powders and mix for a minute.

          Now add the potato and okra pieces, add some salt, cover and cook for 3 minutes. Remove the lid, add the tomatoes, cover it one more time and cook till the tomatoes start to break down. Then, remove the lid, add the curry leaves, if needed a little oil and keep sauteing for 4 to 5 minutes on reduced heat, Remove and serve warm with rice or rotis along with some dal.

Note
You can also deep fry the potato and okra pieces, I have avoided it to keep the dish a little healthy.
Can double the amount of garlic if you like it.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Potato Curry With Fresh Spice Powder/ Urulaikizhangu Podi Curry

          Once again, another potato curry, but do we get tired of potatoes, definitely no. This curry is similar to the Kathirikkai Podi Curry, with only a little variation here and there, but still I thought I should do a separate post on it. It tasted awesome with a mild fenugreek flavor and goes well with almost anything, especially  tastes very good with sambar and curd rice..

Need To Have

• Baby Potatoes - 3 cups, boiled and peeled
• Mustard Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
• Asafoetida Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
• Curry Leaves - 10
• Salt - to taste

To Powder

• Coriander Seeds - 2 teaspoons
• Chana Dal/ Bengal Gram - 1 teaspoon
• Dried Red Chillies - 4
• Fenugreek Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Method

          Roast the ingredients given under ' to powder ' in  very little oil, in the order given, adding the fenugreek seeds last, taking care not to burn the fenugreek seeds, tastes bitter. Cool, powder coarsely and keep.

          Heat some oil, add the mustard seeds, when it starts spluttering, add the potatoes and keep roasting on low heat for 5 to 7 minutes.

          Then add the turmeric powder, salt, asafoetida and the ground powder, mix for 2 minutes. Add the curry leaves, if needed a little more oil and keep frying for another 3 to 4 minutes. Remove and serve warm.

Note
You should do this curry with potatoes that don't become mushy while frying, don't use the ones used for mashed potatoes.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Aloo Methi/ Potato With Fresh Fenugreek, Dry Version

          Potatoes, there can be very few people who'll say 'I hate this vegetable', we might be avoiding it for health reasons, but then the simple potato curry is always very tempting. My daughter loves potatoes, so I make them at least once a week, and this combination with methi/ fenugreek leaves is simply too good. I have another version in my blog which has some gravy, this one is a dry version. I have used Tarla Dalal's recipe, I know, I'll be making this again and again..

Need To Have

• Potatoes - Boiled, peeled and cubed - 21/2 cups
• Chopped Methi - 3 cups
• Ginger - 1" piece, grated
• Garlic - 2 cloves, grated
• Green Chilly - 1, chopped finely
• Dried Red Chillies - 2
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
• Coriander Powder - 2 teaspoons
• Asafoetida - 1/4 teaspoon
• Cumin Seeds - 1 teaspoon

Method

          Dry roast the red chillies and break it into small pieces and keep. Add a little salt to the methi, leave it for half an hour and squeeze out the water. Heat some oil, add the cumin seeds, when it starts sizzling, add the ginger, garlic and the red chillies, saute for a minute till the raw garlic smell goes off. Then add the diced potatoes and saute for about 5 minutes.

Now add the turmeric, coriander powders, asafoetida and salt, chopped methi and green chilly, mix, cover and cook on slow heat for about 10 minutes. Serve it warm with pooris or rotis.

Note
Don't skip the step, squeezing the excess water from the methi, otherwise the dish will not come out dry.
You can use baby potatoes or any potato that doesn't turn mushy will sauteing.
Use fresh coriander powder if possible, it always adds to the flavor.
You can find fresh fenugreek leaves in Indian stores, you can also use the frozen one too, in fact, I always, clean, chop and freeze the methi, so that I can use it later.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Potato And Eggplant Curry

          Most of the times when I have potatoes and eggplants/brinjals, I make separate curries with them, very rarely I do a combo with them except in a kurma. I have made this curry only a couple of times. The two vegetables pair very well, especially if you choose the right kind of eggplants and potatoes. When sauteed with some freshly ground spice powder, it turned out to be very flavorful and tasty, it's a good side dish with both rice and rotis..

Need To Have

• Baby Eggplants - 11/2 cup diced
• Potatoes - 11/2 cup, boiled, peeled and diced
• Onion - 1 medium chopped
• Mustard Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
• Cumin Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
• Asafoetida - 1/4 teaspoon
• Chopped Coriander - 1/4 cup
• Salt - to taste

To Powder

• Dried Red Chillies - 2
• Coriander Seeds - 1 tablespoon
• White Poppy Seeds - 1 teaspoon
• Cumin Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
• Fenugreek Seeds - 1/4 teaspoon

Method

          Grind all the ingredients given under 'to powder'. Heat some oil, add the mustard and cumin seeds, when it starts spluttering add the asafoetida and the chopped onions and saute till it turns pink.

          Now add the eggplants and mix. Then add the turmeric powder and salt. Cover and cook till the brinjals are done.

          Then add the potatoes, mix, add the ground powder and mix well. Keep sauteing it for another 5 minutes. Finally mix in the chopped coriander, serve it warm with rice and dal or even with some rotis.

Note
I have used baby eggplants, you can also use the regular big ones too.
Choose potatoes which are not used for baking, that holds shape when cooked.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Potato And Methi/Fenugreek Leaves Curry

          Potato and Methi/Fenugreek leaves, enough can't be said about this combination, you have to taste it. Whether it is a dry curry or a gravy one, this combination is unbeatable. The potatoes and methi compliment each other so well, you can't taste the slight bitterness of the fenugreek leaves. If you have the potatoes, boiled, peeled and diced and the fenugreek leaves, cleaned, washed and chopped, this curry can be put together in no time. It goes very well with both rotis and rice..

Need To Have 

• Potatoes - boiled, peeled and diced, 1+1/2 cups
• Chopped Methi - 1 cup
• Onion - 1 big, chopped
• Tomato - 1 medium, chopped
• Garlic - 5 small cloves, chopped
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
• Red Chilly Powder - 3/4 teaspoon
• Coriander Powder - 1 teaspoon
• Garam Masala - 1/2 teaspoon
• Cumin Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
• Sugar - 1/2 teaspoon 
• Salt - to taste

Method

          Heat some oil, add the cumin seeds, when it starts sizzling, add the chopped onions and garlic and saute till the garlic turns golden and gives a nice smell.

          Now add the potatoes and mix. Then add the salt, turmeric, chilly and coriander powders, mix and saute for 2 minutes.

          Now add the tomatoes and the chopped methi., mix, add 1+1/2 cups water, simmer on medium heat till the methi is cooked (for about 5 to 7 minutes). Then add the garam masala powder and the sugar, mix and cook for 2 more minutes. Remove and serve it warm with rotis.

Note 
Fresh fenugreek leaves is available in Indian vegetable stores, if fresh is not available, look for frozen, otherwise do the curry with spinach instead and use 2 tablespoons of crushed kasuri methi/ dried fenugreek leaves at the end for the methi flavor which is very unique.
If the final curry is too thick, add some water and give it a boil.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Jeera Aloo / Potato with Cumin

          As I had mentioned in my previous posts, we love baby potatoes so much, especially my daughter, so whenever I see it, I grab a bag, they are so cute and irresistible. Though I've made many dishes with it, this Jeera Aloo is the most easiest one, if you have the potatoes boiled and peeled, then the dish can be done in under 10 minutes. Jeera/Cumin pairs so well with potatoes, the dish is so delicious, so simple to make, yet looks so rich, a great combo with both rice and bread..

Need To Have

• Baby Potatoes - 2 cups, boiled and peeled
• Asafoetida - 1/4 teaspoon
• Chopped Coriander - 1 tablespoon
• Salt - to taste

Roast And Powder

• Dried Red Chillies - 2
• Cumin Seeds - 2 teaspoons

Method

          Roast and grind the chillies and cumin seeds coarsely. Heat some oil, add the potatoes and saute for 2 minutes. Then add the salt, asafoetida and the ground powder, mix and saute on medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Lastly add the chopped coriander, mix and serve it hot.

Note
If you are lazy to peel the baby potatoes, can do the same with the big ones.
Can add more or less red chillies according to your spice level.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Potato Peas Curry/ Aloo Matar

          Aloo Matar/ Potato Peas Curry, the most common dish on a restaurant or party menu, can be both a dry curry or a gravy one and also there are so many versions of it. Today's curry is a gravy, gets it flavors from the fresh ginger and coriander powder added to it. It's very easy to make, can use both fresh or dry green peas, but personally I prefer using fresh or frozen green peas for this curry. Makes a wonderful combination with rotis or pooris or even with some light rice pilaf..

Need To Have

• Potatoes - Boiled, peeled and diced, 4 cups
• Fresh Green Peas - 11/2 cups
• Onions - 2 medium chopped
• Tomatoes - 2 medium chopped
• Grated Ginger - 2 tablespoons
• Red Chilly Powder - 1 teaspoon
• Coriander Powder - 3 teaspoons
• Turmeric Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
• Garam Masala Powder - 1 teaspoon
• Cumin Seeds - 2 teaspoons
• Salt - to taste

Method

          Cook the green peas alone in the microwave, so as to retain the bright green color. Heat some oil, add the cumin seeds, once it starts sizzling add the chopped onions and ginger. Saute till the onions turn pink in color, now add the tomatoes, salt, turmeric, red chilly and coriander powders and a tablespoon of water and mix for 2 minutes.

          Now add the potatoes, peas and about about 1 and a 1/2 cup of water, bring it to a boil, then simmer on medium heat for 5 minutes. Finally add the garam masala powder, mix and cook for another minute. Remove and serve it warm with any bread of your choice.

Note
Can also add some roasted cumin powder for additional flavor.
The amount given above is for more than 10 servings.
I use freshly ground coriander powder which is more flavorful than the store bought ones.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Potato Parsley Curry

          Whenever I go to Nilgiris in Chennai for my grocery shopping, I stop by the vegetable shop, that's close to it, mainly to pick up some basil or broccoli or zucchini, which are not available at all the vegetable shops. This time, they didn't have basil but they had parsley and it was really fresh, so I picked up some. I have a couple of recipes that I have posted with parsley, but none of them are curries, and this time I wanted to do a gravy dish with it along with potatoes. I started doing it, with no idea about, how it was going to taste or smell (parsley has a strong flavor). But then, the final dish turned out too good, it went very well with rotis, it should also taste equally good with all pilafs. Give this a try, the next time you get some parsley..

Need To Have

• Baby Potatoes - 2 cups, boiled and peeled
• Onion - 1 medium, chopped
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
• Red Chilly Powder - 1/2 teaspoon
• Coriander Powder - 1 teaspoon
• Tomato - 1 small, chopped
• Chopped Parsley - 1 tablespoon to garnish
• Salt - to taste

To Grind

• Parsley - 1/2 cup
• Grated Ginger - 2 teaspoons
• Cashews - 5

Method

          Grind all the ingredients given under 'to grind'. Heat some oil, add the onions, saute till it turns pink, then add the potatoes an mix. Now add the salt, turmeric, red chilly and coriander powders, saute for 3 minutes. Then add the chopped tomatoes and cook for another 2 minutes.

          Finally add the ground paste and some water ( about 1/2 cup, depending on how thick you want the curry). Simmer for another 5 minutes, switch off and garnish with the chopped parsley and serve it warm.

Note
Since the potatoes are already cooked, the curry is cooked without the lid on.
Feel free to increase or decrease the amount of chilly powder added according to your spice level.
The curry thickens slightly when it turns cold, so add water accordingly.
You can use regular potatoes too, but don't use the ones that you use for mashed potatoes.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad