Broccoli and Cauliflower Sabzi

Prep Time:10 m      Cook Time:15 m

Serves:2

Ingredients

Broccoli Florets      - 1/2 cup

Cauliflower Florets - 1/2 cup

Onion                      - 1(sliced)

Green Chilli            - 3

Cumin Seeds           - 1/4 tsp

Tomato                   - 1

Turmeric Powder    - 1/4 tsp

Mustard Seeds        - to splutter

Curry Leaves          - a sprig

Gram Dal Powder   - 1 tblsp heaped (powdered pottu kadalai)

Salt                        - as needed

Method

• Place the florets in a pan of salted boiling water for five to eight minutes.Drain the water and set aside.
  
• Heat oil in a pan,splutter mustard seeds,cumin seeds,add curry leaves,onion,little salt and saute.
                      
  
• Add tomatoes and turmeric powder.Saute this for a while till tomatoes are mushy,then add required water and salt.
                            
  
• Now mix gram dal powder(powdered pottu kadalai) in water without any lumps and add it to the pan.Let this cook for five minutes and then add the florets chopped into bite sizes into the gravy.Cook for further three minutes and serve with chappathi.
                          
                         
  

Little Words

• Any one of the veggies can also be used.
• A quick and easy recipe and it goes well with dosa,poori,chappathi...

Punjabi Chole

Prep Time:15 m      Cook Time:15+20 m

Serves:3

Ingredients

Chickpeas              - 1/2 cup(soaked overnight or for six hours)
Onion                    - 1(large)
Tomato                  - 2(medium sized)
Red Chilli               - 2
Cumin Seeds          - 1/4 tsp
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp
Coriander Powder  - 2 tsp
Chilli Powder        - 1/2 tsp
Cumin Powder      - 2 tsp
Turmeric Powder   - 1/4 tsp
Amchur Powder    - 1/4 tsp
Pepper Powder      - 1/2 tsp
Anardhana Seeds  - 1 tsp(powdered)
Salt                      -as needed
Oil                       - 2 tsp
Coriander Leaves - to garnish
Chopped onions   - to serve
Lime juice           - to serve

Method

• Pressure cook the soaked chick peas for three to four whistles with little salt.Set aside.
   
• Heat oil in a pan,add cumin seeds and red chillies followed by finely chopped onions.Add little salt and saute.Add ginger garlic paste and fry till raw smell goes off.Now add chopped tomatoes and saute.
     
• Now add all the spice powders one by one,give it a mix and add required water and salt.Bring this to a boil and add the cooked chick peas.Cook this for another five to ten minutes until desired consistency is reached and transfer to serving bowl.Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with roti,chappathi,poori,pulao...
                           
                    
                    
  

Little Words

• A lip smacking dish that goes well with roti and pulao varieties.
• Adjust the water quantity according to desired consistency.Can be had with idli and dosa by making it as a gravy.

Carrot Chutney

Prep Time:10 m     Cook Time:10 m

Serves:3

Ingredients

Carrot          - 2 (medium sized)

Coconut       - 1/4 cup

Green Chilli - 2
Garlic           - 2

Shallots        - 15
Salt              - as required
Oil               - 1 tsp

To Temper

Curry Leaves   - a sprig

Mustard Seeds - to splutter
Channa Dal      - 2 tsp
Oil                  - 1 tsp

Method

• Heat oil in a pan and add the shallots,garlic and green chilli.Saute this for a while until the onion becomes translucent.Transfer this to a plate.
     
• Now add roughly chopped carrots and little salt.Saute this for three to five minutes and let it cool.Then add this to the shallots,add coconut,required salt and little water if necessary and grind it into a paste.
                          
     
• Heat oil in the same pan and temper with musatard seeds,curry leaves and channa dal.Serve with idli,dosa,rice,chappathi,paniyaram,toasts......
                             
  

Little Words

• We had it with paneer paniyaram and it was yumm.
• Sprinkle little water to cook carrots if necessary.
• It tasted great with toast as well,a spicy lip smacking sandwich spread.

Mutton Gravy

Prep Time:15 m      Cook Time:25 m

Serves:3

Ingredients

Mutton                - 400 g

Shallots               - 15

Onion                  - 1

Ginger                 - 1"piece

Garlic                  - 4

Curry Leaves       - 2 sprigs
Curry Powder      - 1& 1/2 tblsp
Fried Gram Dal/
Pottukadalai         - 1 & 1/2 tblsp
Turmeric Powder  - 1/4 tsp
Aniseed                - to splutter
Salt                       - as required
Oil                        - 2 tsp

Method

• Heat a teaspoon of oil in a pan,add the shallots,ginger and garlic and saute for a few minutes.
  
• Transfer this to a mixer jar.Add fried gram and curry powder to this and grind this into a paste.
     
• Now heat oil in a pressure cooker,splutter aniseed,add curry leaves,sliced onion,little salt and saute till onion becomes soft.
     
• Add turmeric powder and the lamb pieces to this and saute for two minutes until the meat has turned brown on all the sides.
     
• Now add the curry paste and required salt and water.Close the lid and wait for six to eight whistles.Once the pressure is released open the lid and transfer to a serving bowl.
                            
     

Little Words

• Excellent with idli,dosa,rice,poori,chappathi,parotta,nan,bread...

Green Veg Gravy

Prep Time:15 m      Cook Time:20 m

Serves:3

Ingredients

Mixed Vegetables - 1&1/2 cup(carrot,green peas,potato)

Coriander Leaves  - 1/4 cup

Mint Leaves          - 1/4 cup

Curry Leaves        - 2 sprigs

Onion                    - 1

Tomato                 - 1

Ginger                   - 1"piece

Garlic                    - 3 clove

Green Chilli          - 1

Salt                        - as required

Oil                         - 2 tsp

Method

• Heat a teaspoon of oil in a pan and add the chopped garlic and ginger.Saute for a while and add chopped onin and saute till onion becomes soft.
     
• Now add green chilli and chopped tomatoes and saute till tomato becomes mushy.
     
• Switch off the flame and then add curry leaves,mint leaves and coriander leaves and give it  a mix.
     
• Let this cool.Meanwhile add the chopped vegetables to a pan of  salted boiling water and cook them for about ten minutes.
  
• Now grind the onion tomato mix into a paste.Heat oil in a pan and add the onion tomato mint paste.Saute this for a while and then add the boiled vegetables along with water.Mix them all together,add required salt and let it boil for another five minutes and serve.
                                    
     

Little Words

• Goes well with rice.roti,idli,dosa...
• Use minimum water for cooking vegetables so that it can be used as such in the gravy.
• The choice of vegetables can be varied as desired.