Paneer Bhurji

A simple recipe with paneer...Quick to make and delicious to have...

Paneer-1 cup(Grated/crumbled)
Onion-1/2 medium(finely chopped)
Tomato-1 medium(finely chopped)
Ginger-Garlic paste-1tsp
Curry leaves-few
Green Chili-1 no(Finely chopped)
Cumin seeds-1/4 tsp
Red chili powder-1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
Garam Masala-1/2 tsp
Coriander powder-3/4 tsp
Oil-1 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method Of Preparation:
1. Heat oil in a wok,Fry the cumin seeds.
2. Add the onion,ginger-garlic paste and fry till raw smell goes.
3. Fry the chili,curry leaves and tomatoes till it becomes soft and pulpy. Add all the masala powders and salt and mix well and fry for a minute.
4. Add the grated paneer to this, mix well and then cook for 2 to 3 min till the spices get mixed. If needed you can add 1 to2 tbsp of water while adding paneer so that the spices are mixed properly.
5. Serve warm as side for rice.

Notes:
1. You can use your own spice mix.You can use just chaat masala,garam masala or anything.Can tweak it as you like.
2. Curry leaves can be replaced with coriander leaves.Dont cook it,use as a garnish.
3. Use fresh or store brought paneer.

Potato Masala

A quick and simple recipe which goes well  as a side with rotis and dosas...

Potato-2 big(boiled, cut to cubes)
Onion-1 medium(chopped to small pieces)
Green chillies-2 no(slit lengthwise)
Ginger-2 tsp(minced)
Curry leaves-few
Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
Salt to taste
Mustard-1 tsp
Urud dal/ Black gram-1 tsp
Oil-2 tbsp

Method Of Preparation:
1. Heat oil in a wok.Add the mustard once it sputters add  urud dal and turn golden.
2. Add onion to it along with ginger, curry leaves and green chilly. Fry them till onion turns slight pink,onion should not be over cooked.Then add the turmeric,salt and mix for a minute.
3. Add the cubed potatoes along with 2 to 3 tbsp of water.Mash a few of the cubed potatoes.Mix well and turn off the heat.
4. Serve with chapathi or as a filling for masala dosa.

Notes:
1. If you want a bit watery curry add little more water.
2. You can add carrot, green peas to this curry.

Drumstick leaves stir fry/Muringa ila Thoran

Drumstick leaves/Muringa ila-5 cup
Onion-1/2 piece(cut to small pieces)
Turmeric powder a pinch.
Garlic-2 cloves(minced)
Green chilli-1 no(minced)
Grated coconut-1/4 cup
Coconut oil-2 to 3 tsp
Salt to taste

Method Of Preparation:
1. Clean the leaves, separate it from thick stem, small stem is fine to eat. wash, drain and keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a wok.Fry the onions till it turns light brown.
3. Add the washed leaves,turmeric and mix well along with salt.
4. Cook it closed on low till the leaves are  half cooked. Then add the garlic and mix well and cook completely.
5. Mix the coconut and green chilly nicely and keep aside.
6. Once leaf is cooked add the coconut mixture and mix well. Turn off the heat after a minute. Serve  with rice.

Notes:
1. Do not add water and cook leaf, water will be generated by leaf when cooked on low.
2. Garlic can be added by crushing it too.Also you can fry the garlic along with onion instead of adding it in between.
3. Do not overcook the leaf.It gets a bitter taste.
4. Adding turmeric is not compulsory.

Horse gram stir fry/Muthira upperi

Horse gram/ muthira-1 cup
Water to cook -approx. 3 to 4 cups
salt to taste
Turmeric-1/4 tsp
Mustard-1 tsp
Dry Red Chilli- 2 no
Coconut oil-1 tbsp
Curry leaves-few leaves
Onion-1/4 piece(cut to bits)

Method Of Preparation:
1. Pressure cook the horse gram with water, salt,turmeric.The horse gram should be cooked,but not mushy. It takes 3 to 4 whistles on low flame.
2. Heat oil in a wok, splutter the mustard, fry dry red chilly. Then add the onion and fry it till light brown.
Add curry leaves and cooked horse gram to it.
3. Mix well and let the water evaporate to get a dry stir fry. While adding the horse gram if it looks over cooked then do not add the water thats along with it.

Notes:
1. You can add grated coconut to this stir fry. In that case, at the final stage add the grated coconut and mix well.
2. While adding the coconut mix it well using your hand along with few curry leaves. That gives a nice flavor.

See What I Got!!!!

Hi Friends...
Many Of you know that I have won  the giveaway at Ria's space.And I am the luckiest person to get and taste the wonders of those hands. And trust me they are simply awesome...Hope I am not being rude but dear friends here is a visual treat for you all...:)

And Ria...Thanks for the wonderful goodies... :)

Guest Post

Few days back I got a mail asking if I can do a guest post ...I was speechless and dint react to the mail then...First of all I am a beginner  in cooking....secondly I was totally new to the whole stuff Guest Post.My hubby cleared my first doubt and the second one was cleared by Ajitha...so finally I decided to write..

The blog where I got the chance to do Guest Post is "The Saji"...A beautiful space with a variety of recipes...and lovely clicks...Do visit her space and checkout her beautiful recipes along with my Guest Post on a traditional festive sweet Modakam. 

So here are some clicks of the recipe...Do visit her space and check it out ;)

Mango Pickle

Mango is a fav fruit of many...I too am in that group...like them in any form..:) When I was a kid...dad would bring nice green mangoes that would be extremely sour....me and my sis would cut them to small cubes, mix with salt and bit of chilly powder,drizzle some coconut oil mix and finish off the whole bowl...Mom would be scolding us from one side.."you gals will get stomach ache and vomiting"...we will be acting as deaf to that...anyways we give two to three small pieces to dad as he is the one who brought us that and he is the one who is going to get scoldings from mom...Those golden days are all gone...now its just a sweet memory....which costs me some lonely smiles and sometimes which turns to huge laughter...hmmm if you think its true right ' Todays actions are tomorrows memories-some sweet...and some bitter...'.
Ok lets move on to the recipe...This is something that I can eat just like that.....

Raw mango-1 no(big)
Garlic-6 cloves(cut to bits)
Red chilli powder-1 tbsp
Asafoetida/ Hing-1/2 tsp
Fenugreek powder-1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Mustard-1 tsp
Dry red chillies-2 no(break to halves)
Curry leaves-4 to 5 leaves
Sesame oil-1 tbsp

Method Of Preparation:
1. Wash the mango and wipe it with a dry cloth.
2. Cut it to small pieces and mix it with garlic, chilli powder, salt and keep aside.
3. Heat the oil in a wok and add mustard, curry leaves and dry red chillies. Once its done add asafoetida and fenugreek powder and turn off the heat and mix well.See that you do this process on low flame,else it gets burnt easily.
4.Once the oil mixture cools add that to the mango mixture and mix well.Check for salt.
5. keep in an air tight bottle and refrigerate after a day.

Notes:
1. See that there is no water in anything that you use,like cutting plate, bowls, curry leaves etc, else the pickle gets spoiled fast.
2. While using it see that you dont use spoons that is wet.
3. Garlic can be avoided if you dont like it. Either way it tastes good.
4. Add chilly powder according to your spice level.
5. If you mango is not sour you can add very little of vinegar to the pickle.I dont use this unless really neaded.