Pav Bhaji

Pav Bhaji, as the name suggests is a combination of Pav - bread and bhaji – a potato based mixed vegetable curry. The key ingredient for the mouthwatering flavour of this dish is a blend of about 13-14 spices-the Pav bhaji masala.Bhaji is made on a big flat tava (griddle) and a masher is used instead of a ladle to stir it. If you don’t have this tava at home a wide mouth pan works just fine...
I always remember the long queue in mycollege canteen waiting to get the Pav Bhajis..We had a North Indian guy preparing the chats..We used to wait till the evening to relish it as they were available only in the evenings..
Earlier when I used to enjoy this in India, I never knew how they made this,rather I should say I never had thought how it was prepared..Later I happened to learn that the recipe was quiet simple..I happened to get the Pav Bhaji masala from an Indian store and I prepared it last week..It turned out delicious...Here goes the recipe..

                        

Ingredients


Potato             -2 large ones
Carrot             -2
Green Peas    -1/2 cup
Green pepper-1
Onion              -1 medium sized
Pav Bhaji masala
Pav or HamBurger buns
Ginger-garlic paste
Salt to taste
Oil
Butter

Directions

Boil the potatoes and allow them to cool.Peel them and mash them..
Heat oil in a pan and saute the diced onions..Once they become soft, add the ginger-garlic paste and saute for a minute..Add the raw veggies-the green peppers,carrot and green peas..You can also substitute with any other veggies like cabbage,radish etc depending on your taste and availability..Add half cup of water and allow the vegetables to cook.After five minutes add the Pav Bhaji masala...Finally add the mashed potatoes and salt to taste..Mix thoroughly and garnish with cilantro..
Serve with the Pav buns..You need to slightly toast the buns in a tava along with butter until they turn golden brown..Serve the Pav Bhaji along with sliced onions,cilantro and a piece of lemon..It is great as an evening snack.

Thakkali Kuzhambu

This has been my all-time favorite especially with idlis and dosas..It can be relished with hot rice too..The ingredients are easily available and very easy to prepare too...

                              


Ingredients:

Tomatoes  -7
Onions  -1
Garlic -3 or 4  pods
Chilli powder -1 tspn
Turmeric powder-1 tspn
Coriander powder-2 tspn
Cumin/Jeera powder -2 tspn
Mustard seeds -1 tspn
Urad Dhall -1 tspn
Fenugreek seeds -1 tspn
Oil for tempering  
Salt to taste  
Cilantro for garnishing

Directions:

Wash the tomatoes well and chop them very finely..You can make a tomato puree using the blender or just add the tomatoes as such..If you add it as puree it will give a very smooth gravy..
Chop the onions and garlic very finely and keep them aside.
Now add a litle oil to a vessel and splutter the mustard,urad dhall and fenugreek seeds..Be careful they dont burn,because it might give a bitter taste..
Then add the onions and saute for a minute..Once they become soft and translucent,add the diced tomato/tomato puree.Add half cup of water..Allow it to simmer for 8 to 10 minutes.By now the tomatoes must have cooked thoroughly..Now add the chilli powder,coriander powder,jeera powder,turmeric powder and salt..Mix thoroughly..Leave it until it begins to boil..
Garnish with cilantro and serve...

French Cut Beans Poriyal

This is a healthy dish because it is made of a fresh vegetable...
It is a dish prepared in just 10 minutes..It goes good with rice and dhall..
I have prepared this using french beans..
But it can be prepared using any type of beans.



                       

Ingredients:

French beans           -1/2 kg
Onions                      -1
Red chillies               -2
Chilli powder           -1 tspn
Coriander powder  -1tspn
Turmeric powder   -1tspn
Coconut powder     -2 tbspn
Mustard seeds        -1tspn
Urad Dhall               -1tspn
Salt to taste
Oil                             -2 tbspn

Directions:

Add oil in a pan and allow the mustard seeds and the urad dhall to splutter..Then add the diced onions ..Once they turn soft add the cut french beans.Now add the turmeric powder,chilli powder,coriander powder and salt.Add half cup of water and close the pan with a lid..Allow the beans to cook for 4 to 5 minutes..Once all the water has evaporated add the coconut powder and mix thoroughly..
The dish is now ready to serve..

This is my entry for the Weekend herb Blogging(WHB) hosted this week by The Skinny gourmet..

                                  

Egg-Onion Curry

This is a very simple recipe which can be prepared easily by beginners..It can be made when your fridge or pantry lacks groceries as the ingredients are very simple and tend to be available most of the time..I learnt this dish from my husband..

                     

Ingredients:

Eggs             -5
Onions(big) -3
Turmeric powder -1 tspn
Mustard seeds

Cumin seeds(jeera)

Chilli powder - 1 teaspoon

Oil
Salt to taste

Directions:
Boil the eggs seperately and remove the shell.Slice the eggs into two halves and keep them aside.
Add oil to a saucepan and splutter the mustard and cumin seeds..Once they are done add the finely cut onions...Once they turn translucent and soft add the turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt..Now add the eggs to this onion mixture and cook for a minute..
The dish is ready and tastes delicious with hot rice and potato fry.

This is my entry for Jiva for Ingredients - onion hosted by Radhi's Kitchen..

                                          

Potato Fry

This is a very easy and tasty dish and can be enjoyed with any variety of riceHere comes the recipe...                              
       
             

Ingredients:

Potato                         - 4
Onions                        -1
Chilli Powder             -1/2 tbpn
Turmeric powder     -1/2 tspn
Mustard seeds           -1/2 tspn
Urad dhall                  -1/2 tspn
Salt to taste

Directions:

Add oil to the saucepan and mustard and urad dhall.Once they start to splutter add the finely cut onions.Once they turn translucent add the diced potato.Then add the chilli,turmeric powder and salt and fry for around 10 minutes until the potatoes get completely cooked.Keep stirring during the process so that the potatoes do not stick to the bottom of the pan.

This is my entry for Potato Fe(a)st hosted by Dhivya of Culinary Bazaar.

                             

Mushroom-Peas Curry

This is my Husband's favourite..It is also one of the very first dishes i made when i started learning cooking..It is a very easy and a quick one to prepare and relish..
                      
                        



Ingredients:

Onion                - 2
Tomato             - 3
Mushroom       -1/2 kg
Green peas      -1 cup
Chilli Powder    -1/4 tbsn or according to ur taste
Coriander Powder-1/2 tbsn
Jeera Powder        -1/2 tbsn
Garam masala       -1 tbsn
Cumin seeds
Salt to taste

Directions:

Add 2 spoons of oil in a saucepan and add the cumin seeds.Once they start spluttering add the finely cut onions and saute until they become translucent.hen add the tomatoes and once they cook add the coriander powder,jeera powder,chilli powder and the garam masala and mix well.
Add salt to taste.Now add the mushroom sliced into small pieces and the green peas..Add 1 or 2 cups water and close the vessel with a lid.Cook for 5 to 6 minutes.Garnish with coriander leaves(cilantro) and serve with hot rice,chapathis or rotis.

Sweet Pongal

En Iniya Pongal Nalvaazhthukkal!!

Being our Thalai Pongal I missed being at home..I would like to start my blog by sharing with u the recipe of the sweet pongal i made..Of course it is the Pressure Cooker pongal.
But no one can ever beat the taste of the pongal my grandma prepares..

                                          

Here comes the recipe..

Rice                                   -1 cup
Moong Dhall                     -1/2 cup
Milk                                   -1 cup
Jaggery/Brown Sugar    -1 cup
Cashew Nuts,Raisins and Almonds
Ghee                                  -1/2 cup

Directions:

Cook the rice along with the Moong Dhall in a pressure cooker using 4 cups water and 1 cup milk.In a saucepan add the ghee and roast the cashews,almonds and raisins until they turn golden brown and the aroma starts coming..Once the rice and the dhall gets cooked add the jaggery and stir well..finally add the roasted nuts and ghee..Stir well..
Delicious sweet pongal is ready.