This is a nice and refreshing raita to relish in summers. Dill leaves add a lovely flavour to it apart from roasted cumin powder and black pepper. You will definitely love it.
Ingredients:
Grapes ......... 1 small bunch or as needed
Yogurt ......... 1 cup
Dill leaves ..... 2-3 tbsps (finely chopped)
Roasted cumin powder .... 1/2 tsp
Crushed black pepper ..... 1/4 tsp
Salt ............................ to taste
Method.
1. Wash the grapes well and cut them into halves.
2. Whisk the yogurt adding all the ingredients as per your liking.
Green tomatoes are loaded with nutrition. Hence we should include them in our diet in some way or the other. You can make chutneys, curries, stir fries etc. etc. Here is a simple and tasty chutney recipe made with green tomatoes. It can be served with snacks or main meals as an accompaniment. This chutney stays good in the refrigerator for few days as it has no onion or coconut added to it.
Ingredients:
Green tomatoes ..... 4
Sesame seeds .... 2 tbsps
Tamarind ............. small piece
Green chillies ...... 2-3
Asafoetida .......... 2 pinches
Coriander leaves .... 1/2 cup
Oil ...................... 3-4 tbsps
Salt .................... to taste
Method:
1. Dry roast the sesame seeds.
2. Cut the tomatoes into pieces.
3. Heat the oil in a pan and add asafoetida.
4. Next add the green chillies, tamarind and tomatoes.
5. Stir them well. Cook until they are soft.
6. Add salt, coriander leaves and the roasted sesame seeds.
7. Remove from the gas and let it cool.
8. Grind the chutney.
9. If you wish to add a tempering you can do that. But this chutney tastes so good even without the tadka. Store it in the refrigerator. It stays good for few days.
Hyderabad is well known for its spicy curries, both veg and non veg. Here is a spicy and tangy mutton curry from this region that you are going to fall in love with. A treat for spicy food lovers. My version is still milder. You may adjust the spice level as you like. Make and enjoy !
Ingredients:
Mutton ............... 500 gms
Oil ..................... 4-5 tbsps
Onion paste ...... 2 cups
Tomato puree ... 1 cup
Tamarind puree . 2-3 tbsps or as per your taste
Ginger paste ....... 1 tbsp
Garlic paste ......... 1 tbsp
Kashmiri chilli powder .. 1 tsp
Spicy chilli powder ... 1/2 tsp
Jaggery ..................... 1 tsp (optional)
Salt .......................... as needed.
Dry roast and grind:
Dessicated coconut ....... 2 tbsps
Cumin seeds ............... 1 tsp
Coriander seeds ......... 1 tbsp
Cloves ...................... 3-4
Cinnamon ............... 1" piece
Mace ....................... 1/2 piece
green cardamoms ..... 3-4
Black cardamom ..... 1
Bay leaf ................... 1
For tempering:
Ghee (clarified butter) .... 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds ...... 1 tsp
Methi or fenugreek seeds ... 1/4 tsp
Whole garlic cloves ........ 6-8 (you may crush them lightly)
Curry leaves .................. few
Dry red chillies ............ 2-3
Asafoetida ................... 2 pinches.
Method:
1. For dry roasting the ingredients take a pan and add the whole spices first followed by coriander, cumin seeds. When they give out an aroma reduce the flame and add the dessicated coconut. Roast until it is golden brown. Cool the mixture and grind it to a fine powder.
2. In a pressure cooker heat the oil and add the ginger and garlic paste. Saute it a bit.
3. Add the onion paste and saute it stirring intermittently until golden brown in colour.
4. Now stir in the tomato puree. Saute it.
5. Add salt and turmeric powder. Stir fry until the oil starts to separate.
6. Now tip in the mutton pieces and saute them stirring from time to time until the water from the mutton is dried up and oil starts to separate.
7. Add 2-3 cups of hot water. This will not cease the cooking process.
8. Close the cooker and cook for 7-8 whistles and check after the pressure is released. Cook again if needed as these days the mutton we get is not so tender. It should be done 95 percent.
9. Next add the chilli powders (Kashmiri and the spicy one), jaggery and the roasted and ground spice mix. Adjust the quantity as per your preference.
10. If you want more gravy add some water. If serving dry you can skip adding.
11. Add little more salt and tamarind juice. Give it a nice stir and cover the pan
12. Slow cook for 2-3 minutes until done. Add some coriander leaves finally.
13. Now time to add the tempering. Heat the ghee in a pan. Do not burn it on high flame as it looses it's flavour and the nutritional value.
14. Add the tempering ingredients mentioned in the list and let them crackle. First the dry ones followed by garlic cloves.
15. Add the tempering to the prepared mutton and give it a gentle mix.
16. You can enjoy the gravy version with rice and the dry version with rotis/naans/dosas/bhakris.
Watch the video of this recipe
This recipe is made for the event - A-Z Recipe Challenge.
Season 1 - We have completed the first season making the recipes alphabetically with ingredients with English names. ( eg. A - Apple, Artichoke, Asparagus ..)
Season 2 - We decided to make the recipes alphabetically with Hindi names. ( A - Anar, Adrak Aloo ... )
This month the Alphabet is I - and my chosen ingredient is IMLI (tamarind)
Recipe List of A-Z Challenge (Season 2)
A -Adraki Aloo (Baby Potatoes with ginger and spice powders)
Manchow soup is a very popular one from Indo-Chinese Cuisine as it has a hot and spicy taste. It may be veg or non veg. The origin of this soup is said to be Meghalaya which is well known for it's spicy cuisine.
This soup is dark brown in colour. It is prepared with finely diced vegetables, chicken or sea food (for non veg version) and sauces. Before serving some crispy fried noodles are added to it.
Ingredients:
Cabbage ................ 1/4
Carrot ................... 1/2
Mushrooms ......... 3-4
Capsicum / bell pepper ... 1/2
Radish ............................ 1/2
Spring onions ................. 1 or 2
Ginger ........................... 1 " piece
Garlic ............................ 2-3 cloves
Red chilli sauce ............ 1/2 or 1 tbsp as you prefer
Dark soy sauce .............. 1 tsp (little less or more adjust while cooking)
Corn starch ................... 2 tbsps + 1 tbsp
Salt ................................. to taste
Noodles ........................ 1 cup
Oil ............................... for cooking 2 tbsps and 1 cup for frying the noodles
Method:
1. Boil the noodles adding little salt. Drain them and set aside for cooling. Add little oil so that they don't stick and become mushy.
2. When they are cool enough sprinkle 1 tbsp of corn starch. Coat them well and separate them.
3. Heat oil in a wok and deep fry the noodles adjusting the flame until crisp. Do not make them brown.
4. Now dice all the vegetables that you are using very finely.
5. Peel and crush the garlic and ginger.
6. In a wok heat 2 tbsps of oil and saute the ginger and garlic.
7. Next add the diced vegetables, white part of spring onions and toss them well. Keep a crunchy texture and do not over cook them.
8. Stir in the sauces and add salt carefully as the sauces already contain salt.
9. Dilute the remaining 2 tbsps of corn starch with water and add it to the vegetables.
10. Give it a stir and add 2 cups or little more water according to the consistency you like.
11. Give it a nice boil. Check the flavours and adjust if required.
12. Add some spring onion greens towards the end.
13. Serve the soup in individual bowls and garnish with crispy fried noodles and spring onions.
14. Keep some extra noodles to add while having the soup.
15. Make some fried rice as an accompaniment and enjoy a simple Chinese meal.
Yield - 2 servings.
Check out the video
About the group:
Shhhhh Cooking Secretly is a monthly challenge in a facebook group where we are paired with a different partner every month. Two secret ingredients are chosen by each partner for the other one and we prepare any dish with those ingredients based on the selected theme of the month which was " HOME MADE RESTAURANT STYLE FOOD " This was suggested by Aruna Saraschandra who blogs at Vasus Veg Kitchen
This month I am paired with Kalyani Sri and she gave me RADISH and CORN FLOUR (STARCH) as my secret ingredients. I chose to make this delicious Indo-Chinese Veg Manchow Soup which is my favourite.
This is a simple carrot stir fry with fresh green garlic which is available only in winters. Even the carrots in winter are so fresh and juicy. This slow cooked stir fry really tastes amazing with the flavours of fresh garlic greens. This is a winter special sabzi from the Sindhi Cuisine. We usually serve it with rotis or dhodo (bhakri).
Ingredients:
Carrots -------- 2 large or 3 small
Green garlic .... 2 small bunches.
Tomato ............ 1
Green chillies .... 2
Oil ................... 3-4 tbsps
Turmeric powder .. 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder ....... 1 tsp
Coriander powder ... 1 tsp
Kasoori methi ........ 1 tbsp (you may also use fresh methi 1/4 cup)
Salt ................... to taste
Red chilli powder ... 1/4 tsp
Coriander leaves .... handful
Method:
1. Scrape the carrots and cut into small pieces.
2. Cut the tomato and the green chillies into small pieces.
3. Separate the white part of the garlic and dice it. Chop the greens and keep them separately.
4. Heat oil in a pan and add the white part of the garlic. saute it a bit.
5. When it changes the colour add the green chillies followed by the spice powders, salt and kasoori methi.
6. Maintain low flame so that the spices are not burnt.
7. Tip in the tomato pieces. Cover and simmer until tomatoes are soft. You can add 3-4 tbsps of water.
8. Now add the carrots, garlic greens and coriander leaves. Save some garlic and coriander for garnishing.
9. Cover the pan and cook on low flame. After 2 minutes open the lid and give it a stir.
10. Check the salt and add if required.
11. Now cover and simmer again for 3 more minutes. If the carrot pieces are bigger then cook for 1 more minute or until done.
12. Finally add the remaining green garlic and coriander.
This is a simple and quick rice preparation that can be made with healthy moringa greens. This is a nice way of incorporating the moringa leaves in your diet as they top the list among all the greens in the nutritional value. This one pot meal is very flavourful and can be enjoyed with curd or raita and papad.
Ingredients:
Cooked rice .......... 2 cups
Moringa leaves.... 1 cup
Green peas .......... 1/4 cup (boiled)
Cashew nuts ...... handful
Green chillies .... 1 or 2
Bay leaves ....... 1
Cinnamon stick ... 1" piece
Cloves .................. 4-5
Onion .................. 1 (chopped)
Turmeric powder .. 1/8 tsp
Cumin powder ..... 1 tsp
Salt ................... to taste
Oil .................. 3-4 tbsps
Method:
1. Heat oil in a pan and add whole spices.
2. Toss them a bit and add the cashew nuts. Fry on low flame until they are light brown.
3. Next add the onions and saute until translucent.
4. Now tip in the washed moringa leaves.
5. Add the salt, spice powders and green chillies. Stir them well.
6. Next add the boiled green peas.
7. Stir and cook them a bit so that the flavours are well blended.
8. Now add the cooked rice and mix everything nicely.
9. Dish it out and enjoy with curd or raita and papad.
Fresh coriander also known as cilantro is generally used to flavour the dishes. Have you ever tried making an individual dish using it as a key ingredient ? If not then try out this preparation. It takes few minutes to make this and the taste is awesome.
1. In a pan dry roast the gram flour until it gives out a nice aroma.
2. Cool it. Sift the besan and set aside.
3. Heat oil and add the mustard seeds and asafoetida.
4. When it starts spluttering reduce the flame and add the spice powders.
5. Stir them a bit and tip in the coriander leaves. Saute them a bit.
6. Add the salt and jaggery powder and stir.
7. Cover and simmer for half a minute.
8. Open the lid and add the besan. Give it a nice stir until it is well mixed.
9. Cover the pan and simmer for 40 to 50 seconds.
10. Serve it with rotis or bhakris.
See the recipe video
This recipe is made for the event - A-Z Recipe Challenge.
Season 1 - We have completed the first season making the recipes alphabetically with ingredients with English names. ( eg. A - Apple, Artichoke, Asparagus ..)
Season 2 - We decided to make the recipes alphabetically with Hindi names. ( A - Anar, Adrak Aloo ... )
This month the Alphabet is H - I chose Hara Dhaniya as my ingredient.
Recipe List of A-Z Challenge (Season 2)
A -Adraki Aloo (Baby Potatoes with ginger and spice powders)
Try out the healthy South Indian breakfast of Moringa dosas with moringa chutney. A delightful and healthy option and a nice way of incorporating these nutritious greens in your daily diet.
Ingredients for Moringa Dosas
Dosa Batter ... 2 cups or as needed
Moringa leaves ... 1 cup
Oil or ghee .......... to make dosas
Ingredients for Moringa Chutney:
Moringa leaves .... 1 cup
Roasted gram ..... 1/4 cup
Grated coconut ... 3 tbsps
Tamarind juice .... 1 or 2 tbsps (as you prefer)
Green chillies ..... 1 or 2
Ginger ............... 1 small piece
Salt ................. as needed
Ingredients for tempering:
Mustard seeds ... 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds ..... 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida ............ 1 pinch
Curry leaves ....... few
Red chilli ................1
Oil ...................... 1 tbsp
Method:
Let's make the chutney first:
1. Transfer the moringa leaves into a pan and cook them with half cup water.
2. Cook them for few minutes until the water dries up.
3. Remove them in a bowl and let them cool.
4. Now put all the ingredients listed under the chutney column into a grinding jar.
5. Grind the chutney. You will not need to add any water as there is enough liquid content in the boiled moringa leaves and we have added tamarind juice too.
6. Check the salt and remove the chutney into a bowl.
7. Heat the oil for tempering in a small pan.
8. Add the tempering ingredients mentioned in the list and allow them to crackle.
9. Stir them into the chutney.
For Making Dosas:
1. Take dosa batter as required.
2. Wash the moringa leaves and chop them a bit.
3. Now the ratio of the batter and leaves can be 2 :1 or 3 :1 as you prefer.
4. Mix the leaves well into the batter.
5. Heat a tawa / griddle and make dosas.
6. Drizzle some oil or ghee and flip them until done.
