Capsicum(Green Bell Pepper) And Peas Gravy

This side dish has a very unique and rich flavour.This is different from regular capsicum gravy. Try it, you will surely like it.

INGREDIENTS:
1) Capsicum ( green bell pepper) big chunks - 1 cup
2) Green peas - 1/2 cup
3) Milk - 3/4 th cup
4) Onion(big) - 1
5) Tomato( medium size) - 2
6) Tamarind paste - 1tblsp
7) Peanuts - 3/4th tblsp
8) Saunf(fennel seeds) - 1tsp
9) Lavang( clove) - 2
10) Patta( cinnamon stick) - 2
11) Elaichi - 2
12) Cashew and almond - 1tsp
13) Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
14) Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
15) Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
16) Coriander powder - 1 tsp
17) Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp
18) Ginger-garlic paste - 1tsp
19) Salt to taste
20) Ghee- 1 tblsp
21) Oil - 2 tblsp
22) Coriander leaves- few for garnish

Cut half onion finely and keep aside. Cut the remaining onion into chunks.

Grind these onion chunks along with tomatoes, half the milk, peanuts, lavang, patta, elaichi, saunf, nuts into a thick paste.

In a big pan, add ghee and oil . Add cumin seeds, onions, ginger-garlic paste and fry for few mins till the onions turn slight brown. Now add, green peppers and peas, fry for few mins. Later, add the ground paste and dry spices to the vegetables and cook for few mins till the raw smell goes. Add tamarind paste and the remaining milk, this will make the gravy thick. Add salt and cook the gravy on medium flame till the vegetables are done. It will start to leave oil in the edges, now switch off the stove and garnish it with fresh coriander leaves.

Hot capsicum gravy is ready!!!!!! Have it with any kind of Indian bread or rice.

Carrot Vadai

This vadai tastes great. I think by adding carrot, it makes the vadai healthy and one more way to make the kids eat carrot.

INGREDIENTS:
1) Thoor dhal - 1/2 cup
2) Channa dhal - 1/2 cup
3) Udad dhal - 1/2 cup
4) Onions(chopped) - 1 cup
5) Carrots( grated) - 1 cup
6) Green chillies - according to taste
7) Fennel seeds ( saunf) - 1 tsp
8) Curry leaves - 3 to 4
9) Coriander leaves - few
10) Ginger( grated) - 1tsp
11) Red chillies - 2
12) Garam masala - 1tsp
13) Salt to taste
14) Oil for frying

Grind the above ingredients coarsely by adding very little water.

Make small patties and deep fry in oil until golden brown.

Hot carrot vadai ready. It is a good tea time snack, especially during winter.

Navaratan Korma

This korma recipe is a popular dish. It is a rich recipe with a combination of different vegetables and dried fruits. It is good for parties.

INGREDIENTS:
1) Cut vegetables(green beans, carrot, green peas,cauliflower,capsicum,potatoes) - 1 1/2 cups
2) Onions(chopped) - 1 cup
3) Tomatoes(chopped) - 1 1/2 cups
4) Half and half(combination of cream and milk) - 2 cups
5) Oil - 2 tblsp
6) Ghee - 2 tblsp
7) Ginger garlic paste - 1tbsp
8) Coriander powder - 1 tblsp
9) Turmeric - 1 tblsp
10) Red chilly powder - as per taste
11) Garam masala powder - 1 1/2 tblsp
12) Pineapple( chunks) - 1 cup
13) Fresh coriander leaves for garnish
14) To grind:
coconut- 2 tblsp
cashews - 7 to 8
almonds (skin peeled) - 5 to 6
fennel seeds( saunf) - 1 tblsp
poppy seeds(gus-gus) - 1 tblsp
Soak cashews and almond for sometime and then grind
15) Salt to taste
16) Ghee roasted dried fruits (cashews, raisins) - 2 tblsp for garnish
17) Dried spices ( bay leaf, cloves, Cinnamon stick etc) - 1 tsp
Boil all the cut vegetables and keep aside. Grind the above mentioned ingredients (number 14) into a thick paste.
In a big pan, heat oil and ghee together, fry the dried spices. Fry the chopped onions until tender,add ginger garlic paste and fry for minute. Now, add the ground paste and again cook for a minute. Later, add the tomatoes to the pan and fry. Then , add coriander powder, turmeric, red chilly powder and garam masala powder. Add the boiled vegetables to the mixture and and put salt. Cook the mixture in half and half for 10 minutes or till the vegetables are cooked in the thick sauce. Add pineapple now and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more.
Garnish the korma with ghee roasted dried fruits and fresh coriander leaves.

Hot Korma ready!!!!!!!!!! enjoy it with any kind of Indian bread.

Sago(sabudhana) Vada

This snack is very famous in central and northern part of India. It goes well with tea or coffee.

INGREDIENTS:
1) Sago - 1cup
2) Potatoes medium sized( boiled and mashed) - 3
3) Onion - 1/2 cup
4) Coriander leaves - few
5) Curry leaves - few
6) Ginger(grated) - 1/2tsp
7) Green chillies as per taste
8) Coriander powder - 1tsp
9) Red chilly powder - 1tsp
10) Peanuts(lightly roasted and coarsely chopped) - 2tbsp
11) Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp
12) Rice flour - 1tsp
13) All purpose flour(maida) - 1tsp
14) Salt to taste
15) Oil for frying

Soak sago for 5 to 6 hours. Just an hour before making the vadas drain the sago in a colander.

Boil and mash potatoes. In the same bowl, mix the above fresh and dry spices along with sago.

In a kadai, heat oil. Make small patties out of the batter and deep fry them until golden brown.

Sago vada ready. Enjoy :)

Carrot Halwa

Carrot halwa is one of my favorite sweet. It takes a while to do it but trust me, it tastes delicious.

INGREDIENTS:
1) Carrots(grated) - 2 cups
2) Whole milk - 2 cups
3) sugar - 1 cup
4) Ghee - 3/4th cup
5) Cardamom powder - 1tsp
6) Cashew nuts - 1/4th cup
7) Raisins - 1/4th cup
8) Silvered almonds - 1/4th cup

In a heavy bottomed pan, heat ghee .Fry cashews, raisins and almonds. Keep aside.

In the same pan, add little ghee and slightly saute the grated carrot. Later, pour the milk and stir continuously. Cook the carrot till tender and has fully absorbed the milk. This will take at least 30 to 45 mins. Add the cardamom powder. Later, add sugar to the carrot and stir till the sugar is fully absorbed. Pour the remaining ghee and stir well.

Garnish it with ghee roasted cashews, raisins and almonds.

Carrot halwa is ready. You can have it hot or cold. Serve it with vanilla ice-cream it tastes great. Enjoy!!!!!!!!!!

Cashew & Almond Burfi

Generally, we have heard of either cashew or almond burfi, so I thought of combining both of these nuts to make a tasty sweet. I think you will like it.



INGREDIENTS:

1) Ground cashew and almond powder (together) - 1 cup

2) Sugar - 2 1/2 cups

3) Ghee - 1 1/2 cups

4) Water - 1/4 cup





In a kadai, dry roast cashews. Later dry roast almond ( preferably the silvered almonds which we get in stores). After it has cooled, grind coarsely cashews and almond together.



In a heavy bottomed vessel, mix water and sugar, bring it to a boil and it should reach a consistency where the syrup forms a single string. At this stage, add the ground powder of the nuts to the syrup and keep on stirring it, so that no lumps are formed. Add 1/2 the ghee now. Continue to stir and add ghee little by little till it starts to leave at the edges. This point, transfer the mixture to a greased plate immediately. Allow it to cool.



Cashew almond burfi ready.

Masala Peanuts

Peanuts have high nutritional value. So, this masala peanuts is good in both ways for health and taste buds.

INGREDIENTS:
1) Peanuts( boiled) - 1cup
2) Onions - 1/2 cup chopped
3) Green chillies - 1 to 2
4) Coriander powder - 1tblsp
5) Chat masala powder - 1 tsp
6) Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
6) Oil - 2tblsp
7) Coriander leaves for garnish
8) Lime juice - 2tsp
10) Salt to taste

Pressure cook peanuts with required salt and keep it aside.

In a kadai, heat oil and add the chopped onions along with green chillies. Fry till golden brown,add the peanuts and fry it in medium high flame for about a minute. Bring back the flame to medium, add coriander powder, chat masala powder, red chilly powder and salt if needed. Cook for few more minutes till the water is absorbed. Garnish it with coriander leaves. Switch off the stove and add lime juice.

Hot masala peanuts is ready. Enjoy with your tea or just as a snack.