Tawa Chole or Chickpea Stirfry

Making chole the traditional way is usually a long, drawn out process. Today, I was short on time and had some store bought naans handy and made this easy but yummy chickpea dish!

Chickpeas/Chole (cooked): 2 cups
Salt: To Taste
Chana masala (store bought) : 2 tablespoons
Garam Masala: 1 tablespoon
Coriander Powder:  1/2 tsp
Cumin Powder: 1/2 tsp
Paprika/hot chilli powder: 1/2 tsp
Pomegranate seed powder (optional) : 1 tsp 
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Ginger, Julienned/cut into thin strips: 1 inch piece
Green Chilli, sliced thin : 1 (optional)
Tomato, chopped: 1 medium

Corriander leaves: to garnish
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Ghee/clarified butter: 4 tablespoons ( I used only about 2, but 4 would be ideal!!)
Ajwain/Carom seeds: 1 tsp (optional)

• If using canned chickpeas, drain and rinse the peas. Remove all excess water and place it in a bowl. 
• To this, add all the powders listed in the first part and mix well to combine.
• You will need 2 pans for this. In a larger pan, place the chickpeas and in a smaller one, heat the ghee until it almost smokes. 
• While the ghee is heating, add the chilli, tomato, ginger to the chole and mix. 
• When the ghee starts smoking, add the ajwain (if using) and pour it immediately to the chole.
• Mix well, and let the chole cook in the ghee and spices for about 4-5 minutes. 
• Garnish with corriander leaves when done, and serve it hot with naans/rotis/pita.

How easy what that? 

Pacha Pulisheri/ MorKuzhambu

This is probably the easiest thing to make if you have the ingredients at home!

Grated Coconut: 1 cup

Green Chillies (Bird's eye) : 4-5 depending on the desired spice level

Raw Rice: 1 teaspoon or Raw Rice Flour: 1 tsp

Curry Leaves: 1 sprig

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Grind the above into a very fine paste and place it in a bowl. 

Yogurt: 1-1.5 cups. (the sourer the better) 

Beat the yogurt in a blender and mix with the paste. 

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Heat a pan with some ghee and add mustard, fenugreek seeds, broken red chilli and curry leaves.

Once that splutters, pour the ground paste+yogurt and mix. 

Take the pan off the stove when the mixture begins to froth. 

Add salt to a bowl and pour this cooked mixture into that and mix well. 

Serve with rice/Idlis/Dosa.

Masala to accompany Puris/Masala Dosa/Rotis

This is possibly the simplest curry that can ever be made!!

Potatoes: Cooked, 3 large, Crushed roughly. Make sure it has bite sized bits.

Onion: 1 large, Sliced. (Red Onion.)

Green Chillies: 3-4 Sliced (birds eye)

Ginger: 1 inch piece, chopped

Curry Leaves: a sprig

Mustard, Urad Dal, Red chilli: To temper

Turmeric: a pinch

Heat oil in a kadai, add the tempering ingredients and curry leaves.

When it splutters, add the green chilli, ginger and stir for a minute.

Now add the sliced Onion and salt and mix until the onions are cooked.

Add the turmeric, mix well and then add the potatoes. Mix well.

Now, add about a cup of water and adjust the consistency.

I make it a little thin for puris and rotis and of course, for Dosai it is thick.

Garnish with corriander leaves and enjoy!

Aloo Capsicum

Potato: 3 medium to big ones, cubed.
Capsicum: 1 large Cut into bigger chunks
Corriander Seeds: 2 tablespoon
Jeera: 1 tsp
Turmeric: 1/2 tsp
Red Chilli Powder: 1 tsp
Kasuri Methi: a pinch (optional)
Ginger: 1 inch piece chopped
Salt: to taste
Oil: 1 tsp

-Cut the veggies and keep them ready.
-Heat the oil, add the whole corriander seeds and jeera and let it splutter well.
-Now, add the potato, mix in the red chilli and turmeric and salt.
-Mix for a minute, pour a cup of water and cover and cook for 3-4 minutes.
-When they are half done, add the ginger, capsicum and mix well.
-Stir in between. Add kasuri methi now and mix well.

Chettinad Veg Masala

Boiled Veggies (potato, carrot, beans): 2 cups -> alternatively you can use frozen mixed veggies
Onion: 2 small chopped
Tomato: 1 ripe, chopped
Curry Leaf: a sprig
Cinnamon Stick: 2 pieces
Saunf/fennel seeds: 1 tsp
OIl: 2 tablespoon
Coconut: 1/4 cup
Corriander Powder: 1 tsp
Red Chilli Powder: 3/4th tsp (as per taste)
Turmeric: a pinch

-Boil the veggies, drain and set aside.
-Heat the oil, add the saunf and cinnamon sticks.
-Add curry leaf, onions, and saute well.
-Grind the coconut with a little water to a coarse paste and keep it ready. ONLY coconut
-Once onions are done, add the paste, tomato and all the dry masala and salt.
-Cook for 4-5 minutes or until the oil separates from the mixture.
-Add the veggies and mix well. Serve garnished with corriander leaves

Paneer Burji

We were at the Indian Store, and we found a good, fresh block of Paneer. I simply could not resist buying it and I am glad I did! I usually do not prefer paneer when I am at a restaurant because of the deep frying process. However, this Burji has been something I have been meaning to make for S and he has now fallen in love with this! I am certain this will be one of the dishes he demands for a while at least. Get some store bought Naans and you are set!

Panner: 250Gms, Grated
Oil: 1 tablespoon
Onion: 1 medium, chopped finely.
Green Chilli: 2 chopped fine
Bell Pepper: 1 chopped fine
Tomatoes: 2 chopped Fine
Turmeric: 1 pinch
Red Chilli Powder: 1/2 tsp
Corriander Powder: 1/2 tsp
Jeera Powder 1/2 tsp
Kasuri Methi: 1 tsp
Lemon Juice
Corriander chopped

-Heat a pan with some oil and add the onion and green chilli. Saute with some salt.
-Once done, add the bell pepper and the masalas and stir for a minute.
-Now add the tomatoes and cook until done. You should get a nice thick, cooked paste
-Add the Grated paneer and stir well until combined.
-Finish with some corriander and lemon juice. Make sure you do not overwork the paneer.

Paneer... Kadai Paneer

The most favoured accompaniment to almost every kind of roti. I am ALL for shortcuts. However, there are some things you should take time for. One of them is this dish. By time, I mean 5 minutes. Before you cook, get this powder ready. Here's the recipe.

Jeera : 1 teaspoon
Peppercorn : 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek Seeds: 1/4 tsp
Corriander Seeds : 1 tablespoon
Red Chilli : 2 [More if you prefer heat]

Put the whole lot onto a pan, dry roast them on a medium heat until the spices release its fragrance.
Cool the mix, powder it and store it.

This is Kadai Masala that can be used for Paneer and vegetables. I usually make this for twice the quantity and store it. Saves me a lot of time. Now, onto the paneer gravy.

Paneer: 250 grams
Onion: 1 small finely chopped
Tomatoes: 2 medium finely chopped
Garlic: 4 cloves finely chopped
Green Chillies: 2 finely chopped.
Kadai Masala:  2 tsp
Salt: To taste
Kasuri Methi/dried fenugreek leaves: 1 tsp.
Oil: 2 tablespoons

Heat Oil and sautee the onions until they are almost done.
Now add the garlic and green chillies and stir for a minute.
Add the tomatoes, kadai masala and stir well.
Cook this until the tomatoes are done and you can see the oil leaving the sides of the pan.
Add the paneer at this point and cover it and cook for about 5-8 minutes.
Stir in between to ensure the paneer/gravy is not burning or sticking to the pan.
Garnish with corriander and serve hot with rotis.

Spring Onions

We found some really fresh Spring Onions and couldn't wait to cook with it. However, I wanted to make something really quick and uncomplicated. Here's what I did.

Spring Onions : 3 bunches chopped
Onion: 1/2 sliced thin
Fenugreek Seeds/methi: 1 tsp
Red Chillies: 2 broken
Oil: to fry
Sambar powder: 2-3 tsp
Hing: a small pinch
Besan: 2 tablespoons.

Heat oil in a pan, add the methi and red chilli when the oil is hot.
Now add the sliced onions and fry for a few minutes.
Now add the spring onions and saute for 2-3 minutes.
Add the Sambar powder and saute for a minute.
Add the Besan and stir well. fry for a few minutes.
Now, add some water until you get some gravy.
Allow it to boil for 2 minutes. Add salt to taste.
This is great with Rotis.

Aloo Methi

This is Sukriti's recipe. The way they make it at her home. I have been a fan of this mild, fragrant dish since day 1. Here's the recipe:

Potatoes: 2-3 medium: Chopped into small cubes
Methi Leaves: Cleaned and chopped roughly/Frozen methi - 2 cubes
Whole Corriander Seeds: 1-1.5 tablespoons
Red Chilli: 2 - Broken into small pieces.
Salt: To taste
Oil: 3-4 Tablespoons

Heat oil in a thick bottomed pan.
Add the red chilli flakes and corriander seeds. Fry for a minute.
Now add the chopped potato and cook until they are almost done.
Finally, add the methi leaves, salt and mix well.
Dont cook the methi leaves too much.

This is a great accompaniment for Rotis. I know that there are many recipes out there that need soooooooo many ingredients. And I have tried most of them. This one is my favorite. :-)

Kadala Curry

This dish is the ultimate kerala/mallu food experience. I mean, Nothing can possibly be tastier than this curry with Puttu. I make this quite often for S and I am always thinking of Anna. He loves this dish and I cant wait to cook this for him. Anyway, I should be taking pictures of all the dishes. Unfortunately, S is not patient enough to wait for photography. Sigh! So, here goes the recipe.

P.S If you are living in the UK or the US where canned Garbanzo/chickpeas are available, go grab a few cans. Its dirt cheap and saves you a a lot of trouble.

Canned Chickpeas : 2 cans or 500 grams (cooked)
Red Onions: 2 medium - Chopped Fine/sliced fine.
Tomatoes: 2 medium - Chopped.
Jeera
Mustard
Curry Leaves
Turmeric
Red Chilli Powder/Paprika:

To Grind:
Small red onions/Pearl Onions/Shallots: 6-7 Peeled
Curry Leaves- 2 sprigs
Dried Red Chillies: 5-6
Corriander Seeds: 1-2 tablespoons
Coconut, grated- 1 cup (fresh/frozen. NO dessicated stuff!)

1) To make the paste:
Heat oil in a pan, add the chillies, curry leaves and small onions and fry for a minute.
Now, add the corriander seeds, fry for about 4-5 seconds.
Add the coconut and fry for 2-3 minutes.
Blend the mix in a blender with some water. This should be a fairly thick paste.

2) In a large pan, heat oil and crackle the mustard, jeera and curry leaves
Now add the onions and fry with a little salt.
Once cooked, add turmeric and paprika and the tomatoes.
Cook until the tomatoes are pulpy and oil leaves the sides.
Add the chickpeas- One can drained and another one drained halfway. This water is tasty
Once the mix boils, add the ground paste.
Cook for a minute or two.
Garnish with some corriander leaves.


This is a really tasty accompaniment for - Dosa, Idli, Puttu, Appam, Idiappam.

Dal Makhni

Ok. So I dreaded making this one! Simply because I was not sure if I could handle all that cream and butter and what not. "Someone" has been nagging me for over a week for this dish. I took the plunge today and It was actually quite nice. Just needs a bit of prep work. And sorry about the haphazard recipe. :D

Urad Dal: 1/2 cup [The whole ones with skin]
Red Kidney Beans/Rajma: 1/2 cup

Soak the two overnight.
Pressure Cook with salt, 2 crushed garlic pods, half a sliced onion, 1 teaspoon of grated ginger, a tiny pinch of turmeric and a teaspoon of red chilli powder.
This takes about 20-30 minutes to cook.
The dals must be soft and mashed.

Now, Heat a pan with some oil and 2 tablespoons of butter, throw in some cumin seeds.
Add 4 pods of garlic and 1 inch piece of ginger, chopped. Fry for a minute.
Now add one medium onion- chopped.
Cook until onions are browned.
Add a teaspoon of ground garam masala and red chilli powder.
Add 2 chopped tomatoes.
Cook until the oil leaves the side.
Add this to the dal mix and stir well.
Add 2 tablespoons of cream and mix.
Leave this on a low flame for about 20 minutes.
Let it simmer away and you have some yummy dal!

When you serve, add a teaspoon of butter and a drop of cream.

Rasam.

This is the most simple south indian dish and every person I know cooks this differently. S loves rasam and will only be too happy if I made this everyday. I just don't make it everyday. I get bored! The best rasam that I have ever had has been made by my grandma. And then my aunt in Trivandrum. They follow a different recipe from each other! I have some lovely rasam podi made by my mother in law and I set about making it my way- minimal or no effort!

Tomatoes: 2
Tamarind: Size of an amla
Rasam powder: 3 heaped teaspoons
Water: 4 -5 cups
Hing: a pinch
Turmeric: a pinch
Mustard, Jeera: 1 tsp
Ghee: 2 teaspoons
Curry Leaves: 4-5
Corriander Leaves: to taste.
Jaggery: 1/4 tsp.

Take a bowl, put in the tamarind and pour the water.
Squeeze the tamarind well.
Throw in a tomato, squeeze it into the water.
In a saucepan, heat the ghee and fry the mustard, jeera and curry leaves.
Pour the tamarind water.
While waiting to boil, add the rasam powder, chopped tomato. salt, turmeric and hing.
Let it boil for 10-15 minutes until the raw smell of tamarind vanishes.
Now taste the rasam, add Jaggery to adjust the taste.
Finish with corriander leaves!

Trust me, you need to use Ghee. The entire flavour depends on the jeera roasting in ghee.

Aloo Baingan

S loves brinjials/aubergines. And he never stops asking me to make something with them. Now, he hates Garam masala. There you go. I have to make some good stuff minus THE good stuff. Sigh! Here's the recipe for a non-authentic, customized aloo baingan.

Potatoes: 2 - cubed

Small baingan - 5-6 whole, stalks removed and slit into half, but not all the way.

Onions: 2 finely chopped

Ginger, garlic, green chilli: finely chopped.

Tomatoes: 2-3

mustard, jeera: 1 tsp each

Corriander powder : 2 teaspoons

Jeera Powder: 1 tsp

Red Chilli powder: 1 tsp

Turmeric: 1/2 tsp

Salt: to taste

Oil: 2 tablespoons

Boil the potatoes with salt and turmeric and keep it aside.

Heat oil, add the jeera and mustard and then add the ginger, garlic, green chilli.

Now add the onions and fry well.

Add all the masalas and 2 teaspoons of water. Mix well, and add the chopped tomatoes.

Cook for 4-5 minutes, add the baingan and cover and cook well until the baingans are almost cooked.

Now add the potatoes and mix well. Cook for 5 minutes.

Garnish with corriander and serve with rotis.

Simple Aloo Curry

I crave for potatoes sometimes. And I can't be bothered to spend hours in the kitchen over anything, except of course, Baking! Here's the recipe to a quick aloo dish that someone cooked for me when I was living in Delhi and which I Love with some rotis.

Potatoes: 3 Chopped into big pieces and cooked. Or, use some baby potatoes.
Corriander Powder: 2 tea spoons
Cumin Powder: 2 tea spoons
Garlic Cloves: 3-4 chopped/paste
Tomato : 1 or 2 Chopped fine or pureed
Tamarind Pulp: 1 tbsp
Oil: 2 tablespoons
Salt
Corriander leaves

Cook the potatoes and let them drain.

Heat a pan, pour the oil in, add the corriander powder,cumin powder, garlic cloves,tomatoes, tamarind pulp and salt. Yes. Everything in at the same time.

Cook the lot on a low flame for about 10 minutes or until you can see the oil on the surface.

If you think the curry is too sour, add a tsp of sugar.

Now add the potatoes, coat them with the gravy and cover and cook for 4-5 minutes.

Keep stirring so you dont burn the gravy.

Garnish with corriander leaves.