Stuffed Dondakaya/Tindora Curry

Here I come after a long break from blogging. Okay, this time the break is not because I was not cooking, but because I was not finding time to take pictures, edit and upload them.

Finally today I got some free time to post this recipe for Stuffed Tindora curry. This recipe is originally from my mom and it has been altered a bit by my sister.

The original recipe had just the channa dal, cumin seeds, garlic and red chillies for stuffing. Coconut and poppy seeds were my sister's additions.

Ingredients:

Tindora/Dondakaya: 20-25(Chop ends and make slits length wise for stuffing)

For Stuffing:

Channa Dal: 4 tbsp
Cumin Seeds: 1 tsp
Coriander seeds: 2 tsp
Poppy seeds: 1 tbsp
Dried Red Chillies: 3
Garlic: 2 cloves
Dry Coconut: 1 tbsp
Curry leaves:5
Salt to taste

Tempering:
Oil: 2 tbsp
Mustard Seeds: 1 stp
Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
Turmeric: 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves: 4
Hing: a pinch

Procedure:

Boil tindora with water and salt in a pressure cooker until you get 1 whistle or boil them in salt water until half cooked.

Take a pan and when the pan is slightly heated add the channa dal and slightly roast.
Now add the remiaining ingredients under the stuffing and slightly roast them.

Grind them into powder in a spice grinder. Add salt to the powder.

Now stuff this powder into the tindora slits and set them aside.

Now add oil to a pan and add the tempering ingredients in the order mentioned and when the seeds start spluttering, add the stuffed tindaora to the oil and sprinkle any stuffing powder that is left on top. Mix gently and sprinkle 2 tbsps of water and cover the lid and cook for few minutes.

Remove the lid and fry for few more minutes.

Garnish with Cilantro.Serve with hot steamed rice.

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Colorful Potato Curry

Potato is one vegetable that is everybody's favorite. I have never met a person who doesn't like potatoes and they obviously taste good cooked in a any form.

I usually make this as a side dish with rasam or sambar. Addition of cilantro and red pepper falkes make this dish vibrant and colorful.
The picture was taken before adding cilantro. The kiddo doesn't like the cilantro, so I had to add after she was done eating.



Ingredients:

• Potatoes: 4(medium sized)
• Onions: 1(medium sized)
• Green onions: 3
• Red Pepper Flakes: 2 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Oil: 2 tbsp
• Cilantro(chopped): 2 tbsp

Tempering:

• Mustard Seeds: 1 tsp
• Cumin Seeds: 1 tsp
• Turmeric Powder: 1 tsp
• Curry leaves: 4
• Hing: a pinch

Procedure:

1. Wash the potatoes, peel them and dice them into small cubes and add them to a bowl of water and set them aside.
2. Finely chop the onions and set them aside.
3. Add oil to a pan and when the oil is heated, add the tempering ingredients and when the seeds start spluttering add the onions and fry for 2 minutes.
4. Now add the potatoes, sprinkle 1/4 cup of water on the potatoes, add slat, mix them well and cover the pan with a lid and cook the potatoes for 5 minutes.
5. Now remove the lid stir the potatoes and fry them util they turn little crispy and are completely cooked.
6. After the potatoes are completely cooked, adjust the salt and add the red pepper flakes, chopped cilantro and the green onions turn off the heat.
7. Serve with hot steamed rice.

Note: This curry can be used as a sandwich stuffing too. I usually make sandwiches with the left over curry.

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A simple cauliflower fry

If a recipe is simple, requires less cutting and cleaning and can be done in 10 minutes, who doesn't want to try it. I love super fast recipes. I hate cutting and cleaning as much as I like cooking.
When it is raining and you are in a mood for some spicy tangy food and you are lazy to cook, here is a simple recipe for you.




Ingredients:

• Cauliflower florets: 2 cups
• Dhaniya(Coriander) powder: 1 1/2 tsp
• Jheera(Cumin) powder: 1 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric: 1 tsp
• Sal to taste
• Lime juice: 1/2 tsp
• Aamchur powder: 1/2 tsp( optional)
• Red chilli powder: 1/2 tsp
• Ground black pepper: 1/2 tsp
• Oil: 2 tbsp
• Water: 1/2 cup
• Chopped Cilantro: 2 tbsp

Procedure:

1. Rinse the cauliflower under water and cut it into small florets.
2. Add oil to a pan and add turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, aamchur powder, red chilli powder, black pepper and fry for few seconds.
3. Now add the cauliflower to the oil and gently mix them so that the spice mixture is evenly coated.
4. Now add the salt and water and cover the pan with a lid and cook for few minutes until the cauliflower is cooked. Keep stirring in between. Add more water if required.
5. Once the cauliflower is cooked, remove the lid and fry until the water is evaporated.
6. Add lime juice and adjust the salt.
7. Garnish with cilantro.
8. Serve hot with steamed rice or bread/roti.

Note: Adding aamchur is optional. If you are not using aamchur, add more lime juice.

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Green Beans Fry

Beans fry is a quick fix meal when I run out of options or groceries or when I am just lazy to cook.

I usually buy green beans in bulk form cotco/sams, clean them and cut them into small pieces and store in the freezer.

That makes it even more easy to cook. No cutting/cleaning required. Just toss the veggies in oil and add the spices. Hardly takes 10 -15 minutes from start to finish.

Ingredients:

• Green Beans( cut into small pieces): 2 cups
• Channa Dalia: 2 tbsp
• Salt as required.
• Red Chilli Powder: 1 tsp

Seasoning:

• Oil: 2 tbsp
• Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
• Cumin Seeds: 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder: 1/4 tsp
• Broken Red Chillies: 2
• Curry leaves: 4
• Asoefetida(hing): a pinch

Procedure:

1. Add oil to the pan and when the oil is heated, add the seasoning ingredients in the order mentioned.
2. When the seeds start spluttering, add the chopped green beans and mix well. 
3. Fry them cover with a lid for few minutes. 
4. In a spice grinder, grind the channa dalia into fine powder and set it aside.
5. Now, take off the lid and cook them for few more minutes until the beans are soft.
6. now add the channa dalia powder to the beans and mix well.
7. Add salt and red chilli powder.
8. Serve with steamed rice.

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Egg Fry - A simple dish for a busy day

Ingredients:

• Eggs: 2
• Onion(large) : 1
• Salt as required
• Red chilli powder: 1/2 tsp

Seasoning:

• Oil: 2 tsp
• Mustard seeds: 1/2tsp
• Cumin seeds: 1/2tsp
• Red chillies(broken): 2
• Turmeric: 1/4 tsp
• Curry leaves: 4
• Asoefetida: a pinch

Procedure:

1. Boil the eggs in water. Peel them and set them aside.
2. To a pan add oil and all the seasoning ingredients in the order mentioned.
3. When the seeds start spluttering, add onions and fry them until they become soft.
4. Now add the hardboiled eggs to the onions and fry for few minutes.
5. Add salt and chilli powder.
6. Serve with rice or roti.

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Fish Fry

A simple yummy dish for a cold winter evening.

This is my sister's contribution to my blog. She is an awesome cook ( that's what she thinks :) ). Even though she is younger than me, she learned to cook much before I did.

It's a boring day at work and she sends me this recipe and here I am posting it on this blog. Yes...this is what I do at work :D

Ok...now let's get to the recipe.



Ingredients:

Tilapia fillets - 5

Corn flour as required

Yogurt - 2 tsp

Fish masala - 1 tsp

Lemon juice - 2 tsp

Red chilli powder - 1 tsp

Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp

salt to taste

soy sauce - 1 tbsp

Procedure:

Marinate the tilapia fillets with all the above ingredients for an hour.

Heat the oil in a pan and deep fry the marinated fish fillets in the oil.

Serve with ketchup.

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