Raitha/Veggies Salaad with curd/yogurt

Every family has its own recipe of raitha..this one is commonly made at my home during summers.Mom makes different versions of Raitha this one is one of my favriouts goes well with Biryanis or Bhagara Rice/vegtable Rice or can be had plain as a snack :)

Ingredients

Onions                    -1 cup
Cucumbers             - 1 cup
Tomatoes               - 1 cup
curd/yogurt             -  2 cups

green chilli              - 1-2 (optional)
fresh cilantro/corriander leaves
Salt to taste


Preparation

Chop the onions, cucumber tomatoes,green chillies,tomatoes cilantro/corriander/kothmir finely
Mix the chooped veggies with curd, Add salt to taste
Raitha is ready to be serverd

Tip: its more refreshing when you refrigerate it for atleast 1 hr...

Recipe By: Mrs Malathi
Posted By: Brinda

Bhagara Rice/vegetable Rice

I really dont know why it is called Bhagara rice in hyderabad or my home. I have modifed the way mom cooks to make it more simpler and faster. This recipe is good when you want your other masaledar dishes to shine and takes long time to cook or you just want something easy on the stomach. For me this comes in handy when i want to cook a meal quick and light especially in summer and have raitha as a side dish or accomplishment. This can be severed along with chicken or vegetable kurma

Ingredients

Dry Masala
Bay leaves                                        - 2-3
Badi/Big Elachi(cardamom)               - 3-4
chotti/small/green Elachi(cardamom)  - 3-4
Cinamom/dal chini                            - 2 inche piece
Cloves/Lavang                                 - 6-7

Jeera(cumin)                                     -1 tsp
Basmathi Rice                                  - 1 cup
Mixed Veggies                                 - 2 cups
Onions                                             - 1 Medium chopped
green chillies                                     - 6-10(based on ur heat level)
ginger garlic paste                             - 1 tsp
oil/ghee                                            - 2 tbls

lime juice                                         - 2 tsps(optional)

Salt to taste

 

 


Preparation

Wash and soak the Rice first and then start preparing the rest
I have made this with peas and carrots you can also use beans mushrooms, capsicum,cauliflower..etc
chop the onions and slit the green chillies, remember you have the raitha or any of the kurmas to go with this dish, incase you want to have the rice as is then increase the chillies
In a Kadai/Pot heat the 1 tbsp of ghee/oil
Add the Dry Masala let it splutter
Add the green chillies,onions, ginger galic paste and the veggies and cook for 2-3 mins, take and keep aside or transfer to Rice cooker or the pot in which you cook your rice in the same kadai add the remaining ghee/oil add the Jeera/cumin let it splutter, Now drain the water and add the rice, let it roast for some time...you can smell the basmati rice

this step is added so that your rice does not stick after its cooked...its still fluffy

Added to the rice cooker add salt to taste and cook
I add about 1.4 measures of water to one measure of rice to cook in my rice cooker(your's might be different)

Serve it with raitha or kurma or have it as is :)
You can substitue nay other short grain rice like sona masuri instead of basmathi rice


Recipe By: Brinda
Posted By: Brinda

Simple Tomatillo Onion curry

This recipe is purely mine :) but inspired by my mom's methods. Whenever i went grocery shopping, I always wondered what these Tomatillo's are, i thought they were some variety of green tomatoes, but no they belong to the gooseberry family, gooseberry's hmmm my mouth watered this also reminded me that my Dad always said his grandma made the best green tomato curry, nobody in my family has the recipe...with all these going on in my head, i finally bought some Tomatillo's...but let me tell you they are very tart..
but me and my husband loved the curry..may be one day try to make a chutney of it

Ingredients

Onions - 3 large chopped/sliced thinly
Tomatillo - 2-3 Medium sized(as big as a lime/lemon)
Green chilles - 2-4 (or according to your heat level)
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp(or according to your heat level)
Dhania Powder - 1 tsp(or according to your heat level)
turmeric - 1/4 tsp
oil - 2-3 tbsps
Jeera(cumin) - 1/2 tsp
Rai(Musturd) - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste

Preparation

Heat oil in a kadai/pot
Add Jeera(cumin) and rai
Add Green chilles
Now add the onion, add some salt and cook for 4-5 mins
Now add the chopped Tomatillo's, Red chilli powder, Dhania Powder, turmeric and cook covered
adjust salt to taste

Enjoy the Tomatillo Onion curry with roti/bread
can act as a very good reliesh on subs/wraps/burgers


Recipe By: Brinda
Posted By: Brinda

Channa Masala/Gabanzo Beans

Who does not like Channa Masala, Mom made with mashed potatoes, i dont usually, I remember how many times i bought the whole pack of dry channa Masala and had to trash it as i did not make it that often to use up all the Masala. I came up with this recipe which just tastes as yummy....

Ingredients

Kabuli channa/Garbanzo beans       - 1 cup
Onions                                           - 1 large
Tomatoes                                       - 3 large
Green chilles                                   - 2-4 (or according to your heat level)
Red Chilli powder                           - 1 tsp(or according to your heat level)
Dhania Powder                               - 1 tsp(or according to your heat level)
Turmeric                                         - 1/4 tsp
Garam Masala powder                   - 1/4 tsp
fresh Ginger root                            - about 2 inches
Garlic                                             - 5-6 cloves
oil                                                  - 2-3 tbsps
Sugar/brown sugar                         - 1/2 tsp(optional)
fresh corriander leaves
Salt to taste

Preparation

Pre Soak Kabuli channa either overnite or for 4 to 5 hours and pressure cook it with salt(approximately 3-5 whistles) incase ur using the canned beans skip this step
Grind Onion, ginger and Garlic...in case u dont have fresh ginger and garlic subtitute it with 1 tsp of ginger garlic paste
In a pot/kadai heat the oil add the ground onion paste add a little salt(remember the beans are also salted) this takes some time as the onions are ground...fry/cook till u see the a coating of the oil

Grind/chop the tomatoes seperately(i usually grind it makes a better curry) while the onions are cooking
Add the the rest of the ingredients excepting fresh corriander leaves and cook till the tomatoes are cooked
if you want a thin gravy add a little water

Once cooked i usually add some lime juice and garnish with lots of fresh corriander leaves

Severe with roti/bread... also makes a good filling for a grilled sandwich

I buy fresh ginger and freeze it,so that i can use it for recipies which call for fresh ginger root

Recipe By: Brinda
Posted By: Brinda

Tomato Dal(Tomato Parup) / Tomato Lentil

I make this Dal when i want to eat something very good to lift up my spirits and does not take a long time to make. The aroma while cooking is heavenly. Mom pairs this dal with Dondaka/vendaka(ladies finger or Okra)/Karnakayg(Indian Yam) fry. Its Tangy from the tomatoes and tamrind mixed with the smell of garlic and the spicy thai green chillies and tempered with one part oil and one part ghee which takes it one notch higher

Ingedients

Tur Dal                         - 1 cup
Tomatoes                     - 4 to 5 large chopped(remember its tomato dal)
Garlic Cloves               - 3 to 4 large cloves chopped/sliced thinly(In US the gralic cloves are double the
                                      size what we get in India)
Green Chillies               - 6 to 10 chopped (according your level of heat)
Turmeric                      - 1/4 tsp
Onions                         - 1 Medium chopped
Red chilli powder         - 1 tsp(remember we also have green chilli's)
Dhania powder            - 1 tsp
Tamrind Paste             - 1 tsp (or one lemon sized bal of tamrind soaked in water use the squeezed water)
Salt to taste
 

Tempering/Thadka

Jeera(cumin)        - 1/2 tsp
Rai(Musturd)       - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves        - 10 to 12
Hing                    - a pinch (optional)
Dry red chillies    - 1(optional)
Garlic Cloves      - 2 to 3 Sliced thinly
Oil/ghee
   

Preparation
Pressure cook all the ingredients with water(this dal is thick in consistency).
Now for the tempering i usually use one part oil and one part ghee.
Heat the oil add Jeera and Rai let it splutter.
Add the red chilli
Add curry leaves(this splutters a lot so be careful)
Add the Hing and cloves and add it to the dal
Garnish with lots of fresh corriander leaves...
adjust Salt after tasting

Serve with rice/roti/bread...just tastes yummy

Remember follow a recipe and then adjust the ingredients to your taste as every one's palette is different :)


Recipe By: Mrs Malathi
Posted By: Brinda

Simple Carrot Salad

This is a simple and yummy salaad which i love...i usually have this with roti's

Carrot Salad

Ingredients

Carrots                      - 4to 5 grated
Green chillies              - 1/2 to 1 medium
Cilantro/Kothmir        - a handful
Lime Juice                 - 1-2 tsps
Salt                           - to taste

Preparation
Cut the green chillies and the cilantro...
Mix all the above ingredients voila the salaad is ready
Serve at room temperature or cold with Roti's

Enjoy the refreshing Salaad

Recipe By: Brinda
Posted By: Brinda

Healthy Methi-Soiee(Dill) Roti

I just wanted to make the everyday Roti healthy....mom makes so many different kinds of parata's..this is inspired by her recipies...but its my original...i think i can copywrite this ;)

Ingredients

Methi                     - a bunch

Dill/Soiee kirai        - a bunch

Jeera                      - 1tsp

Onions                   - 1 small, chopped finely

Green Chillies         - 3 to 4 

Whole Wheat flour - 3 measures of the wet green masala we will make

oil                          - 1tsp

Salt                        - to taste

Preparation

Green Masala

In a kadai/pan heat oil(i use olive oil, u cn use any)

Add the Jeera, let it splutter

Add Green chillies stir/cook for 1-2 mins

Add the onions stir/cook for 2 - 3mins
Add salt to taste

Add the methi leaves stir/cook for 1-2 mins

Add the dill or soiee and cook for 1-2 mins

Now cool and grind the mixture to make the green masala

Dough

measure the green masala, add 3 times the same measure of wheat flour,

Knead, the same as you would knead for Roti, add water/flour if necessary to get the right consistency of the Roti Dough

Roll and Make Phulkas/Rotis

Serve with salad, any curry or Dal and achaar

Recipe By: Brinda

Posted By: Brinda

Dhondaka Kadala Parup(Dhondakaya channa Dal)

This is one of my favourite dishes that my mom makes...i have modified it so that its fast and easy to make. Tastes good with rice/roti/bread

Dhondaka

Ingredients

Dhondaka/Dhondakaya           - 1/2 kg

Channa Dal                             - 3/4 cup

Onion                                      - 1 small (chopped fine)

Ginger Garlic Paste                  - 1 tsp

Turmeric                                  - 1/4 tsp

Red Chilli Powder                    - 1.5 tsp

Dhania Powder                        - 1 tsp

Salt                                          - To Taste

Cinnamon/Dhaalchini/Patta       - about an inch

Cloves/Lavang                         - 4 to 5

Oil                                           - 3 tblsp.

Preparation

Cut dhondaka into 4 length wise
Add the channa dal, onions, dhondaka, ginger garlic, salt and water just enough to cook the chaana dal( remember the dal should not get mushy) into the cooker and cook(mine takes about 3 whistles).
Now in a Kadai/pan add the oil to heat
Add the cloves and cinnamon
Add the cooked vegetable and the dal,
Add chilli powder (add or subtract based on how much heat u can take) dhania powder and fry till the water dries or till you get the desired fried consistency.

Serve with Roti/Rice/Bread,Makes a good filling for a Sandwich

Recipe By: Mrs Malathi  (Modified by Brinda)

Posted By: Brinda

Pavaka Kharo Khoiumbu(Bitter gourd in sweet,spicy tangy,bitter,savory sauce simply in Japanese Umami)

This is one of the dishes which my husband just loves and easy for me to make...and the left over tastes just yummy

Ingredients

2 - Medium length Bitter gourd(pavakai, karela)
1 - Medium onion chopped finely
8-10 - Curry leaves
6-8 - pod of garlic chopped finely
3-4 - Medium Tomatoes chopped finely
1 tsp - tamarind paste or small ball of soaked tamarind
1tsp - Jaggrey/brown sugar
2-3 tsp - red chilli powder(add based on how much heat u can take)
2 tsp - Dhania powder(coriander seed powder)
1/4 tsp - turmeric powder
Salt to Taste

For Tempering
2 tsp - vadvam (this my mom makes)
or
1/4 tsp - Mustard(Rai)
1/4 tsp - Cumin(Jeera)
1/4 tsp - Methi seeds(optional)
2 tbsp - Oil

Preparation

In a Kadai/pot heat the oil add the ingredients in the tempering and let it splutter, Now add the curry leaves and let it also splutter :). Add the onions and fry it for one to two minutes and add the Garlic and saute it for 30-40 seconds, Now add the Bitter Goud and cook it for 1 to 2 mins, Add the tomatoes, Salt, turmeric, red chilli powder, dhania powder, cook for about 2-3 mins

 

  Now add the tamarind paste or the water from the soaked tamarind, add a glass of water (about 250 ml)add the Jaggery or brown sugar and let it boil to a thick consistency Adjust tamarind, salt, Sugar to ur taste

Tastes yummy with the rice & ghee - for my husband
Tastes just as yummy with Phulka's - for me
Tastes even more yummy the next day...

Recipe By: Mrs Malathi
Posted By: Brinda