Crispy Carrot fry with Indian Spices

I tried Beetroot fry recently and applied the same technique on carrot and it did turn out be a good dish for rice. Continue reading the recipe if you would like to know the secret. For Beetroot Fry Recipe Click here

Ingredients:

1. Carrots sliced using a cutter as shown in picture
2. Slit green chili - 1 or 2
3.  Bunch of curry leaves
4. Cumin seed – 1 tspn or more as per the quantity of carrots
5. Pepper powder – 1 tspn
6. Chaat masala – a pinch or more as per taste
7. Chili Flakes - optional
8. Oil for frying
9. Salt to taste

Preparation: (Prepare this dish in low heat)

1. Heat oil in a large pan or kadai, add cumin seeds.
2. When the cumin seeds change color add slit chili and carrot.
3. Sprinkle salt and all masala items as described. Let them fry for a minute or two. do not Cover.
4. Give a toss or saute so that carrots gets fried on both sides.
5. Check seasoning, sprinkle very little water if required. ONLY if required. 
6. Cook until it turns crispy but tender at each bite.

Enjoy this with sambar/rasam rice. When the recipe is done, curry leaves and chili would have turned crispy.

Ensure the carrot slices are paper thin. 

You might want to cook 200 gm/250 gm for more than 2 servings.

Raw Banana Fry / Plantain Fry with Indian spices

This is a quick and easy dish with only few ingredients. In traditional south Indian dish it would be chopped in small pieces and made as sabji/poriyal/thoran with grated coconut.  In this recipe we have the banana in thin slices, soaked in lemon water to prevent discoloring.

Ingredients:

1. Medium sized raw plantain 2 – Slice thinly as in picture. I used Peyan variety
2. Slit green chili – 1
3. A bunch of curry leaves
4. Asofoetida – 1 t.spn
5. Cumin seed – 1 tb.spn
6. Chili Flakes – 1 tb.spn
7. Turmeric Powder – ½ tspn
8. Chaat masala – ¼ tspn
9. Oil for frying
10. Salt to taste

Preparation (Entire recipe prepared in low heat)

1. Heat oil in a large pan or kadai, add Cumin seeds and saute
2. When the cumin releases its flavor add green chili, asofoetida and curry leaves; saute for few seconds. Then add in the turmeric powder and mix well.
3. Add raw banana slices sprinkle salt and let them fry for 2 – 3 minutes. Toss well in between.  
4. Add red chili flakes, chaat masala powder; saute everything. Sprinkle little water if needed.
5. Cover and cook in lowest heat for about 2 minutes.

Enjoy this with sambar/rasam rice.

Crispy Beetroot Fry

This is a quick and easy dish with only few ingredients. This is slightly different from the regular poriyal.

Ingredients:

1. Beetroot – Slice thinly as in picture
2. Slit green chili – as required. 
3. A bunch of curry leaves
4. Mustard seed for tempering
5. Cumin seed – 1 tspn or more as per the quantity of beetroot
6. Pepper powder – 1 tspn
7. Chaat masala – ¼ tspn
8. Oil for frying
9. Salt to taste

Preparation (Entire recipe prepared in low heat)

1. Heat oil in a large pan or kadai, add mustard seeds.
2. When the mustard seed splutter add cumin, chili and curry leaves saute for few seconds.
3. Add beetroot sprinkle salt and let them fry for a minute or two. 
4. Add pepper and chaat masala powder saute everything. Do not cover.
5. Check seasoning, sprinkle very little water if required. ONLY if required. 
6. Cook until it turns crispy but tender at each bite.

Enjoy this with sambar/rasam rice. When the recipe is done, curry leaves and chili would have turned crispy.

Vegetable Omelette - Made easy

Omelette is a popular dish  and consumed widely throughout the world. I just can't name types of omelette the list goes on and on. You can experiment and prepare with anything you like. Cheese, Vegetables, spices, herbs etc.

This one is made with plenty of stir fried vegetables. You may use vegetables of your choice. I picked vegetables that could be eaten raw. So it does not require full cooking, simply stir fried on high heat for less than a minute. Remember to chop your vegetables finely and not large chunks for salad.

Ingredients for 1 serving.

1. Chopped vegetables of your choice as shown
2. 2 Eggs
3. Spices - Pepper, chili flakes, oregano to taste
4. Salt
5. Water - 2 t.spn
6. Coriander leaves or Parsley - finely chopped
7. Butter / olive oil - as needed

Preparation.

1. Stir fry all vegetables except tomato and leaves on high heat for a about 30 - 40 sec.
2. Let the mixture cool down. In a large bowl, break eggs, add salt and other spices, water. Beat the eggs well.
3. Add the fried veggies, chopped tomato mix slightly.
4. Heat oil or butter  in a small fry pan pour the egg mixture. Ensure the heat is medium - low
5. Sprinkle chopped green leaves
6. Egg should be cooked in low heat, use a spatula at the edges to ensure it's not sticking
7. When almost no liquid is on top, place a plate on top of pan. Cover it and turn it over so the egg falls on to the plate
8. No wipe the pan if you find dark brown residue of oil, you may use a tissue paper.
9. Slide the egg back in the pan, and let it cook the other side for couple more minutes. 
10. Serve hot with grated cheese or with ketchup if required. This can be enjoyed hot or cold.

Capsicum Peas Fried Rice

Following my past couple of recipes I have been making several dishes with bell peppers these days, and I am not bored a bit yet. Do you like bell peppers considering their enormous health benefits? Why wait continue reading J .

They are filled with vitamin, minerals, anti-oxidants, and good for the ones looking to reduce weight, prevents cancer, enhance metabolism, stimulates digestion, for sore throat; yes friends the list goes on and on.

Bell Peppers - so colorful. I have prepared this dish with bell peppers and green peas. You may use frozen peas if fresh peas are not available.

Ingredients:

Chopped Bell Pepper of your choice or mixture 

Washed Green Peas

Chopped Coriander leaves

Slit Green Chili as per taste

Cloves - 2

Cardamom - 1

Shahi Jeera or Regular Cumin - 1/2 t.spn

Cooked / steamed rice

Ghee - 1 tb spn, or oil.

Peanuts / Cashews (optional)

Preparation:

1. Heat ghee/oil in a kadai or wok
2. Add Cumin, cloves and cardamom wait till they burst.
3. Add nuts if you have any, saute till they become slightly brown, keep the flame to the lowest to prevent this from burning. You may also fry separately and add in.
4. Toss in the green chili, bell peppers and green peas. Saute for a minute in high heat. Add salt.
5. Mix in the rice and toss, check for seasoning and add salt if required.
6. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot or pack in your lunch box.

- You may squeeze in little lemon juice in the end if required

- Add crushed black pepper if you prefer your dish more hot.

Capsicum Carrot Curd Rice

Make your curd rice interesting with different variations. Include veggies and fruits of your choice to enhance the color and flavor of this dish.

In this recipe I have used grated carrot and chopped capsicum (bell peppers) as the main veggies. I have used pomegranate for seasoning.

Preparation:

1. Chop / grate veggies of your choice. I have used tri colored bell peppers and carrots.
2. In a large bowl of creamy yogurt/curd add rice, veggies, fruits, salt mix well 
3. Make tempering/tadka with little oil, mustard seeds, curry leaves, dried red chili and pour on top of the rice mixture. Mix well 
4. Refrigerate and serve chilled or pack in your lunch boxes and enjoy.

You may add grapes / chopped pine apple for sweetness. Fry some peanuts / cashews and add to it, if you like nuts.

English Scrambled Egg with Indian flavours

Scrambled Egg is a well known dish throughout the world. Every country have their uniqueness to it from ingredients to preparation method. I have slightly altered the dish with few ingredients but the preparation remains the same. A handful of chopped fresh coriander leaves, with a couple of pinches of Garam masala with milk tops up the flavor with softness. Two scrambled eggs with a glass of juice serves a good breakfast.

Ingredients:

1. Eggs - 2
2. Salt - to taste
3. Coriander leaves - a bunch - finely chopped
4. Garam masala - less than 1/4 tb spn
5. Milk - 1 tb spn
6. Water - 1 tb spn
7. Chaat masala - a pinch (optional)
8. Butter - 1 - 2 tb spn

Preparation:

1. Break eggs in a bowl, add all ingredients except for butter and Chaat masala beat well.
2. Heat a non stick pan, add the butter. Keep the heat low medium. Once the butter starts browning slightly pour the egg mixture and reduce the heat.
3. After few seconds start scooping the mixture together in the center using a spatula and let out the liquid egg to flow out, by tilting the pan slightly. Do not mix or stir. 
4. When almost no liquid mixture is left turn slowly and let it cook for around 10 - 20 seconds, remove from heat and transfer to a plate. This prevents the egg from turning hard and locks the moisture in with fluffy soft texture yet cooked.
5. Sprinkle a pinch of Chaat masala if you prefer while serving else can have it as it is, with some ketchup or nothing at all.

Khatta Meeta Poha / Sweet & Sour Poha

Poha is known as pressed rice. There are different kinds of poha in Indian Stores White and Brown, paper thin to thick poha. Poha is used in many cuisines such as ladoo, dosa, kheer etc. This recipe which I have mentioned here is little different from the regular snack which is prepared. I just added couple of extra ingredients to alter the taste. For this recipe use the thick poha as we have to wash, the paper thin poha will become mushy.

Ingredients:

1. Poha – 1 bowl
2. Onion small 1 – finely chopped
3. Tomato small 1 – finely chopped
4. Curry leaves
5. Mustard seeds – 1.2 tb sp
6. Oil – 2 tb.sp
7. Green chili – 2 finely chopped
8. Sugar – 2 to 3 tb.sp
9. Juice from half lemon
10. Salt to taste

Preparation:

1. Wash poha twice to remove any dust / dirt from them with the help of a sieve, this helps the water to drain off. Sprinkle salt on it and toss lightly with a spoon so the poha gets coated with salt.
2. Heat oil in a pan or kadai, add the mustard seeds followed by curry leaves, green chili and onion once the seeds begin to splutter.
3. Sauté for 2 minutes then add in the tomato or any other vegetable of your choice that’s been prepared.  Saute for a minute and then add little salt and turmeric powder, give a nice mix.
4. Once the tomato or the other added vegetable is almost done add sugar and poha, sauté gently to have the masala coated on poha.
5. If the mixture is too dry sprinkle few drops of water, do not add all in once as it will turn mushy.
6. Taste for seasoning; add salt if needed, finally add the lime juice and mix well.
7. You may garnish with chopped parsley or coriander leaves, else can serve hot as it is for breakfast or as evening snack.

Quick Food – Vermicelli and Sooji upma with vegetables

I was lazy to prepare a meal for myself on a Sunday afternoon, and tried this easy dish. Just pick the available vegetables from your kitchen and prepare this. Both preparation and cooking time is less, suitable for all ages., can be eaten as breakfast or lunch or light tiffin.

Ingredients:

1. Sooji (Rava) – 100 gm or 1 small cup
2. Roasted vermicelli – equal quantity
3. Water – twice the quantity of rava and vermicelli
4. Chopped vegetables of your choice (1 cup) (carrot, bean, potato, peas, capsicum, tomato, etc)
5. Small onion  - 1 finely chopped (optional)
6. Green chillies 2-3 finely chopped
7. Ginger – small piece, finely chopped
8. Mustard seed – ½ tbl spn
9. Oil or ghee – 1 tbl spn
10. Curry leaves – optional
11. Salt as needed

Preparation:

1. Sooji and vermicelli need to be roasted, if it’s already roasted then can use it as it is, else dry roast on low heat for about 3 minutes and set aside.
2. In the same pan add the oil/ghee and do the tempering. Once the oil is hot enough add in the mustard seeds, ginger, curry leaves, followed by onion, chillies and vegetables.
3. Saute the vegetable mixture for about 3 – 5 minutes until they are half cooked. Now add in the water and mix salt. Bring it to a boil. Vegetables will get cooked in boiling water.
4. Finally add the mixture of Sooji and vermicelli, stir continuously to avoid forming lumps. Remember to cook in low flame while adding sooji.
5. Taste seasoning and add little salt if needed, sprinkle little water if you feel the mixture is dry.
6. Cover and let it set for about 5 minutes, before serving.

Note:

If you prefer yellow color add a pinch of turmeric while frying the vegetables.  If you need to garnish you may do it with chopped coriander leaves or parsley or with ginger / chilli julienne as shown in the picture.