Jackfruit Sabzi (kathal ki sabzi)

Jackfruit sabzi is very popular in northern part of India. In India you can easily find jackfruit in vegetable shops however outside India you can find them in Indian grocery stores in a can.
Ingredients:
Jackfruit – 2 cans
Oil – for deep frying
Oil – 2 Tbsp
Onions – 1 medium, finely chopped
Salt – to taste
Garlic – 1 Tbsp, minced
Ginger – 1 Tbsp, minced
Turmeric Powder – 1/4 tsp
Tomatoes – 2 medium, chopped
Coriander Powder – 2 tsp
Cumin Powder – 1/2 tsp
Red Chili Powder – 1/2 tsp or to taste
Garam Masala – 2 tsp
Water – 1/2 cup (divided)
Yogurt – 1/2 cup

Method:
1. Heat Oil for deep frying.
2. Drain liquid from Jackfruit and cut into bite sized pieces. Blot dry with a paper towel.
3. Fry Jackfruit until golden brown (try not to overcrowd pan).
4. Remove onto a paper towel lined plate and keep aside. [ if you do not want to deep fry the jackfruit then take the pieces of jackfruit spread turmeric powder , red chillies powder and salt and keep it aside for 15-20mins. Now in a tawa add 2 tsp of oil and roast the jackfruit till golden brown].
5. In a medium sized pan, heat Oil.
6. Add Onions and a little salt and cook until light brown.
7. Add Garlic, Ginger, Turmeric Powder and cook for 2-3 minutes.
8. Add Tomatoes and cook until the oil separates.
9. Reduce stove to low and add Coriander Powder, Cumin Powder, Red Chili Powder, Garam Masala. Mix well.
10. Add 1/4 cup water, mix well and add fried Jackfruit. Mix to coat Jackfruit well.
11. Add Yogurt and mix quickly and thoroughly.
12. Add 1/4 cup water, mix, cover and cook for 3-5 minutes (stir in between).
13. Serve hot with puri or chappati.

Serves: 4-5

If you enjoyed reading this article, consider sharing it. Thanks.

  www.thboxes.com

Nutrella Curry

Nutrella also known as soya chunks are very good source of whole protein .
 Ingredients:
1- cup of Nutrella
1 -big red onion
1- cinnamon sticks
2-green elaichi
1-black cardamom
1tbs- ginger garlic paste
salt to taste
1/4 turmeric powder
red chilli powder to taste
2 Tsp-chicken curry masala ( i always use MDH)
2 and ½ cups of water
1 -tbsp oil
Method
1. In 2 cups of boiling water add 1/2 tsp of salt and  add nutrella and cover the pan you’ll see soya chunks gets double in sizes.
2. After 15 minutes strain all the water from the pan squeeze all the water from soya chunks.
3. Put oil in a pressure cooker (if you do not have pressure cooker you can use a kadai with tight lid) when oil gets hot add all the whole garam masala.
4. Add sliced onion fry till it changes it’s colour like pink.
5. Add ginger garlic paste fry about 1/2 min.
6. Add all the masala and fry well about 1 min.
7. Add soya chunks in the masala and fry for about 2 min.
8. Add 1/2 cup of water and close the lid of pressure cooker.
9. Turn the gas in medium low. After 1 whistle, turn off the gas and wait 10 min.
10. Serve hot with jeera rice or roti
Serves: 2-3

If you enjoyed reading this article, consider sharing it. Thanks.

www.thboxes.com

Egg Porutu (andhra style egg bhurji)

Ingredients:

Eggs : 4

Onions :2 medium size

Green chillies : 4-5

Ginger- ½ inch

Channa Dal- 1 tsp.

Urda Dal- 1tsp.

Garlic- 2-3

Curry leaves- 6-7

Red chilli whole- 1

Cumin seeds- 1tsp.

Mustard seeds- 1tsp

Red chilli powder : 1 tsp

Capsicum- 1

Tomato- 1

Garam Masala- ½ tsp.

salt accordingly

Turmeric powder a pinch

oil 3-4 tsp

http://www.thboxes.com/affiliate-6971-54755.html

Method:

Chop the onions, ginger, garlic, capsicum and green chillies into very small pieces . keep them aside.

Heat the Pan with 3-4 tsp of oil and then add –channa dal, urda dal, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, red chilli whole fry then add

Onions garlic, ginger and green chillies.fry till onions turn into pink color. Now add chopped capsicum fry for 3-4 mintues or until capsicum are soft. Add chopped tomatoes and add salt, red chilli powder and turmeric powder and fry for a min then add eggs into the pan and mix well in medium heat.

when the egg is fried completely add garam masala and fry for 3-4 min. turn off the heat.

Serve hot with puri's,chapaties. Its a great eveing hunger buster.

Serves- 3-4

If you enjoyed reading this article, consider sharing it. Thanks.

www.thboxes.com

Pongal (southern style khichdi)

Pongal is a famous tiffin dish in Southern India. Pongal festival is to celebrate the harvest festival and the first day of the Tamil Calendar Month. It is a festival that is spread over four days. Pongal in tamil means something that is overflowing. After marriage when I went to Chennai I really liked this dish and learnt it from my neighbour Anita aunty.  In some temple’s pongal is prepared during Ganesh Sankashti as prasadaam.

Ingredients

• 1 cup white rice
• ½ cup yellow moong dal/mung dal (split moong dal)
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger
• ¼ teaspoon asafoetida
• 1 teaspoon whole pepper corns
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon black pepper powder
• 4-5 curry chopped leaves (when chopped releases extra flavor)
• 2 tablespoons halved cashew nuts
• 2 tablespoons ghee
• 2 tablespoons oil
• Salt to taste

Method

Heat a pan on medium heat and roast the yellow moong dal until a lightly roasted aroma is released. Don’t let it turn brown.

Wash rice and mix with the roasted dal. Add 4 cups of water and salt to taste. Cook using the pressure cooker method or in a pot.

Place a small pan on medium heat; add the oil and roast the peppercorns for a few seconds. Add cumin seeds, ginger, curry leaves, pepper powder, asafoetida and sauté for a few more seconds. Turn off heat and set aside.

Now heat ½ teaspoon of ghee in a small pan and roast the cashew nuts until golden and crisp.

Once the rice-dal mixture is cooked; add the roasted spices and the cashew nuts to the rice-dal mixture. Add the remaining ghee and mix till the spices have blended well into the rice.

Ghee enhances the flavour of this dish. Serve hot with ghee and coconut chutney.

You can also add ½ cup of boiled black chana for garnish.

Serves: 3-4

If you enjoyed reading this article, consider sharing it. Thanks.

www.thboxes.com

Kadal Curry (Kerela cuisine)

Kadal curry is traditional dishes of Kerala. Kadal curry, sambal and Puttu is the best accompaniment. Kadal curry goes well with Appam, Kal Dosa,  Rice, Brown rice and Chapattis.

Ingredients:

1 Cup of Black Chana. Soak overnight or at least 6-8 hours.

• To Fry: ½ onion cut into big chunks, 1 big tomato cut into big chunks, ¼ cup shredded coconut, 2 pods of garlic, a small piece of ginger, 1tsp cilantro, 1tsp roasted gram, 1tsp coriander seeds, 1tsp cumin and 2 red chillies.
• For seasoning: ½ onion cut into small pieces, 2 cloves, 2 pieces of cinnamon stick, ½ tsp fennel seeds, 2tsp of cilantro (coriander leaves).

Method:

Pressure-cook the black chana with salt and two green chillies.

Sauté the cumin, coriander, roasted gram, red chillies, ginger, garlic, onion, tomatoes, cilantro (coriander leaves) and coconut. Allow them to cool and grind the mixture to a fine paste.

Sauté the cloves, cinnamon stick, fennel seeds and onions. Sauté until the onions turn brown. Add the ground masala and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the cooked black chana and ½ cup of water. Cover and cook for 5-8 minutes. Add salt for taste.

Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve hot.

Serves 2-4

If you enjoyed reading this article, consider sharing it. Thanks.

www.thboxes.com

Kaddu Halwa - Butternut Squash Halva - Pumpkin halwa

This is my 50th post and i wanted it to be special. Some people enjoy eating pumkin and some just hate it. However, just take a chance and try making this halwa. I am sure you will definately forget your carrot halwa.
I hope my blog readers enjoy this halwa as much as me and my family did.

Ingredients

• Pumpkin or Butternut Squash - 500 gms.
• Ghee - 2 table spoon.
• Sugar - 200 gms.
• Mawa - 100 gms. (grated) (you can use 2-3 tsp of milk powder if you can not find mawa)
• Almonds - 10-12 (cut each into 4 pieces)
• Raisins - 20 (separate the stems)
• Cardamom - 4-5
• Pistachios - 5-6

Method

Pumpkin is made with the same method like we make Carrot (Gajar ) Halwa.
Peel and wash the pumpkin. Put the grated pumpkin into the pan along with ghee and cook it covered on low or medium flame. Keep on stirring the pumpkin at short intervals.
Once the pumpkin becomes tender add sugar to it. After adding the sugar you will see that the juice will start extracting from the pumpkin. Increase the flame and stir the pumpkin continuously till all the juice gets reduced and dries off.
Now put the grated mawa along with almonds and raisins into the pan and mix well. Stir the halwa and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add cardamom to it and mix well.
Kaddu Halwa - Butternut Squash Halva - Pumpkin halwa is ready. Take it out in a serving dish and garnish with chopped pistachios and mint leaves and serve it hot. 

Tip: You can consume this halwa for over a week.

Serves- 5-6

If you enjoyed reading this article, consider sharing it. Thanks.

www.thboxes.com

Mashroom Methi Matar Curry

This is a great side dish consisting of mushrooms and peas in a spiced tomato curry with a touch of fenugreek leaves. The flavour of fenugreek leaves is really great and i hope my blog readers enjoy this dish.
Ingredients:

• 2 cups of sliced mushrooms
• 1 cup green peas
• 1 cup diced tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon shredded ginger
• 2 tablespoon chopped fenugreek leaves or dry fenugreek leaves (also known as kastoori mathi)
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric (haldi)
• 2 teaspoons coriander powder (dhaniya)
• 1 teaspoon red pepper (adjust to taste)
• 3/4 teaspoons salt (adjust to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice (optional)
• 1 finally chopped green chili (optional)

Method:

1.        Heat the oil in a saucepan on medium high heat. Test the heat by adding one cumin seed to the oil. If the cumin seed cracks right away, the oil is ready.

2.        Add the cumin seeds. As cumin seeds crack add turmeric. Stir-fry for a few seconds.

3.        Add tomatoes, ginger, salt, coriander, and chili powder. Cook until the tomatoes are soft and reduce to half.

4.        Add mushrooms, and peas. After coming to a boil reduce the heat to medium.

5.        Add fenugreek leaves after mushrooms have cooked half the way about 4 minutes.

6.        Cook until mushrooms and peas are tender. Close the heat.

7.        Add lemon juice and green chili if you like. Serve hot.

Simple and quick Curry which serves 3-4.

If you enjoyed reading this article, consider sharing it. Thanks.

www.thboxes.com

Chana Masala

Ingredients

• Kabuli Chana - 1 bowl or 150 gms.
• Baking soda - 1/4 tea spoon. (optional)
• Tea bag - 1 (if you don't have tea bag, then take a white cloth and tie some tea into it)
• Tomato - 3-4
• Green chilli - 3-4
• Ginger - 1 inch long piece.
• Refined  oil - 2 table spoon.
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tea spoon.
• Anar dana - 1/2 tea spoon.
• Coriander powder - 1 tea spoon.
• Red chilli powder - 1/2 tea spoon.
• Garam masala - 1/2 tea spoon.
• Salt - according to the taste.
• Coriander leaves - 1/2 tea spoon (chopped)

Method

Soak the channa overnight in water.
Wash the channa and boil them in the cooker with 1 small glass water, salt and baking soda. Also put tea bag in the cooker. Close the lid of the cooker and let it boil for upto 1 whistle. After the whistle lower down the flame and boil for another 5 minutes. Turn off the flame and wait until the steam comes out.
Meanwhile, lets prepare the masala . Make a paste of tomato, green chilli and ginger.
Heat oil in a pan and tamper the cumin seeds in it. Now put anardana seeds and coriander powder and red chilli powder into the pan. Roast the masala and add tomato paste. Roast the masala until the oil starts to float at the top of the masala. Pour 1 bowl water and let it boil.
Put the boiled channa into the curry and mix well with the help of a ladle. You can add more water to make the curry thin. Cook the recipe for 2-3 minutes and add garam masala ans coriander leaves to it.
Chole Masala - Channa Masala is ready. Serve it with hot paranthas, naan or puri. 


Serves- 4-5
Tip: You can substitute anardana with 1/4 tea spoon amchoor powder.
 

If you enjoyed reading this article, consider sharing it. Thanks.

www.thboxes.com

Sichuan Cabbage Rice

I don’t like cabbage much however, whenever my mom use to prepare this dish I use to love it. Here is goes the secret from my mom’s kitchen.

Ingredients

•	Rice,boiled	2 cups
•	Cabbage,1 inch pieces	1 small
•	Sesame oil (til oil)	4 tablespoons
•	Salt	to taste
•	Soy sauce	1 teaspoon
•	Brown sugar	4 teaspoons
•	Crushed red chillies	3 teaspoons
•	Vinegar	2 tablespoons
•	Sesame seeds (black),roasted	1/2 tablespoon
•	Garlic,crushed	6-8 cloves
•	Ginger,chopped	1 inch piece
•	Sichuan peppers,crushed (you can also use black peppers)	1/2 teaspoon

Method
To make cabbage rice, heat two tablespoons sesame oil in a pan, add cabbage, salt, soy sauce, brown sugar and crushed red chillies and toss. Add vinegar and toss and cook till the cabbage softens slightly. Roast sesame seeds and add to the cabbage and mix. Heat the remaining sesame oil in another pan. Add garlic and ginger and sauté on high heat for a minute. Add rice, kimchi and crushed Sichuan peppers and mix well. Add salt and toss. Serve hot.

If you enjoyed reading this article, consider sharing it. Thanks.

www.thboxes.com