sauted rice & veggies

1 c rice cooked in 3 C water

pan + 1tbs oil + 2 green chillies slit length+ 1/2 stem curry leaves +
1/4 onion cut long and half + once transparent or 10 min + 1/4 tsp turmeric + 1/2 tsp gin gar paste+ 5 min + 2 tomato medium chopped + once the tomatoes ooze out the juices i.e 5 min+ 1/2C chopped red and yellow pepper + 1 tsp salt + saute another 5 min + add rice and mix + garnish with cilantro

Other veggies to try: corn, capsicum, green peppers, potatoes, cauliflower, jalapenos,brinjal

Tomato Rasam

prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min

Ingredients:

2 Tomatoes chopped ( if you want a soup then finely chop)
1 Red chilli
1/4 tsp Pepper powder
1/4 tsp Mustard seeds
1/4 tsp Cumin seeds
1 stem curry leaves
2 tbs cilantro chopped
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp oil

Steps:
1. Heat oil after 2 min add mustard and cumin seeds once they start to splutter add red chilli powder.
2. After 2 min then add tomatoes then after 2 min add the curry leaves and cilantro.
3. Once the tomatoes are half cooked then add 3 cups water. then add salt and pepper.
4. Once the rasam starts to boil (usually takes about 10 min) turn off the heat.

wait for 5 min and then serve it hot with rice. or enjoy as is like a soup.

Other varieties to try:

http://cooks-hideout.blogspot.com/2007/07/tomato-rasam.html -- authors husbands tomato rasam

Vankaya Koora

So i tried this recipe from here. It reminded me of the home made brinjal curry i used to have back at home. this is a keeper. glad i tried it.


Ingredients:

• 10-15 Brinjals (small ones cut into small cubes)
• 1 large Onion (chopped)
• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste [or 3-4 garlic cloves]
  
• 3/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
• 3/4 tsp cumin seeds
• 1tsp white Dal (mina pappu)
  
• 1 stem curry leaves
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 1 tbs oil
• Cilantro to garnish
  

Steps:

• Cut the brinjals and add them in a bowl of water with 1 tsp salt for 1/2 hour, this will clear impurities from the brinjal
• heat oil, add cumin seeds, Mina pappu and Fenugreek seeds
  
• Once the crackle then add Onion saute for 2-3 minutes and add ginger garlic paste and curry leaves.
• Once the onions start to turn slightly brown then add coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chili powder and salt, saute for 2 min
• Now add the brinjal pieces, it too dry then add 1/2 C water and cook for 10 min with lid on. (be careful to see that the brinjal is not over cooked and shape is lost)
  
• after 10 min depending on the dryness add another 1/2C of water so that its semi gravy.
• mix for few more minutes with lid off. Garnish with cilantro.
  

Note: i only had 8 medium sized brinjals, but i added the same above portions except for chilli powder i added 1 tsp instead. next time i will try with 10-15 brinjals. The fenugreek felt a little tart so i will try to use only 1/2 tsp next time for 8 brinjals if more then i will keep it as is.

Bhindi Masala (bendakaya Tomato)

I came up with this recipe by trial and error. and like it.



Steps:

• Heat oil then add 1tsp chenaga pappu + 1 min + 3/4 tsp minapappu + 1/2 tsp aavalu + 1/2 tsp Jeera seeds, once chenaga and mina pappu start to turn light brown, then add 2 red chillies cut into half and then add 1 Onion ( sliced long length about 1.5 inch)
  
• After 2 minutes add Curry leaves (1 full stem) then saute the onions until they become opaque. then add 1/2 tsp turmeric. after 5 minutes add 1 tsp anardhana powder and 1/2 tsp dhania powder.
• Once the onions start to turn light brown then add the Bhindi (1 lb) saute for 2 minutes then add 1 tsp salt and cook for 20 minutes open for 10 min and lid closed for 10 min ( or once the slime reduces) and mix in regular intervals.
  
• Once the bhindi is almost cooked then add 2 tomatoes chopped, some more salt is needed and cook for another 10 min, lid closed. mix regular intervals.
• Once done, garnish with cilantro.

TIPS:

• I used fresh bhindi and chopped then thin 1/8" so that the tomato juice will be well absorbed.
• If you wash it then dry them before chopping.
• Once the slimy gooey thing goes off then you can add tomatoes. only a little of the gooey substance may come out.
  

Liver Vepudu (Fry)

i like it

recipe



Liver Fry:

Ingredients:

Chicken Liver 1/2 kilo
Garlic 8 cloves semi crushed
Curry leaves 4-5 twigs
Ground pepper 1 spoon
Chili powder 1/2 spoon
Turmeric powder 1/4 spoon
Salt
Mustard seeds 1/2 spoon
Cumin seeds 1 spoon
Chenna dal 1 spoon
Urad dal 1 spoon
Oil few spoons.

Method:

In a pan heat oil. Add mustard, cumin, chenna, urad, garlic and curry leaves. Let them splutter well. Fry the m till garlic is fragrant.

Now add liver to this. Toss them till they turn opaque.

Then add salt,chili powder, pepper and turmeric to this. Add 1-2 cup of water. Cover and cook for 20 minutes...over medium flame.

Remove the cover and fry well...let all the water evaporate.

Garnish with crisply fried curry leaves.

Serve this as side dish for rasam rice. It can be taken along with plain rice too.


I slightly modified the recipe:

Chicken Liver 1.5 kilo
Onion 2C chopped
Ginger Garlic paste 3 tsp
green chillies 3 (long slit)
Curry leaves 3 stems
Ground pepper 2 tsp
Chili powder 1.5 tsp
Turmeric powder 1 tsp
Salt 2 tsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Cumin seeds 3 tsp
Chenna dal 3tsp
Urad dal 3tsp
Oil few spoons
Cilantro for garnish

oil + channa dal + 1 min till light brown + urad dal + Mustard + Cumin seeds + Curry leaves + Green chillies + 2 min + Onion + 10 min till transparant + Turmeric + 1 min + ginger garlic paste + 5 min onions turn slightly brown + Liver + salt + chilli powder + pepper + mix for 2 min + 1C water + cover with lid cook for 10 minutes + then open lid and cook till water evaporates + garnish with cilantro

Pepper Chicken - Nimi's

I love this pepper chicken. it was an instant hit with my family and friends. again by trial and error i came up with this recipe.

Ingredients:

1 lb Chicken
6 Green Chillies [Long slits, cut in to half]
1 Stem Curry leaves
1C onion [1/2 Big onion]
1/2 tsp Turmeric
1 tsp Pepper Powder
1 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp garam masala
Ginger Garlic Paste
Cilantro to garnish

Steps:

3 tbs oil (in a pan heat for 5 minutes @ 4 heat)
add --- 6 green chillies slit into 2, 1 stem curry leaves [1 min] until the aroma starts to come out.
add --- 1 Onion chopped [1C] [5 min]
add --- 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder [2 min]
add --- 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper powder, 1/2 tsp garam masala [2 min]
add --- 1 tsp ginger garlic paste [2 min] and saute until onions start to turn brown.
add --- 1lb chicken [cut into bite size cubes] [15-20 min] lid closed in between and sauteing occasionally
add --- Cilantro after done cooking and while cooling.


Steps:
1. In a pan, heat oil, and add Green chillies and Curry leaves. once the chillies splutter add the onion.
2. Saute the onion for 5 min and add Turmeric after 2 minutes add the salt and pepper
3. After 2 minutes add the Ginger Garlic Paste and saute for another 5 minutes or until the onions start to brown
4. Now add the chicken. cook for 15-20 minutes sauteing in between until the chicken is cooked.
5. Once you turn the heat of garnish with Cilantro

Indian Egg Fried Rice

I remember how my mom used to make it. I miss it so much. Here's a recipe i came up with, and it tasted good.

Ingredients:
2C cooked Basmati Rice [ with 1/2 tsp of oil]
1/2 C chopped Carrots and
1/2 C chopped beans [if not you can add 1 cup of mixed vegetable]
6 Eggs
1 Tbs heap of ginger garlic paste
1 tsp Pepper
1 tsp salt + more as per taste
4 Green chillies (long slit into half)
1 stem of Curry leaves
1/2 tsp Garam masala
1/2 tsp jeera powder
2 tsp soy sauce

Steps:
1. In a pan1 add some oil, after its heated then add 6 Eggs and start mixing, add 1/2 tsp pepper and 1/2 tsp salt and continue to mix it in regular intervals, once the egg solidifies start chopping with the spatula so they become smaller, add another pinch of salt, pepper and 1/2 tsp jeera powder keep mixing until it slightly turns brown. and keep it aside.

2. In a kadai #2 add 3 tbs oil once its heated add the vegetables and mix for a minute and push the veggies on to the sides so that you have some space in the center where the oil accumulates.

3. Now add Ginger garlic paste, mix for a minute or 2 then add green chillies and curry leaves, mix for a minute or 2

4. Now mix all the vegetables together with the ginger garlic paste and mix for few minutes, add 1 tsp salt and 3/4 tsp pepper mix for few minutes, then add 2 tsp soy sauce and mix it. mix in regular intervals for another 5 minutes or until veggies are soften

5. Now add the eggs from pan1 into the kadai mix for 5 minutes.

6. Now add the cooked basmati rice in small batches and mix it for 5 minutes and the fried rice is ready.


Note:
1. Reduce the sale and pepper by half, if you are eating the rice with another curry.