Tofu Curry

 I really wanted to post this Tofu gravy the first time i made it, but was too lasy to take potos ;).. Its time now for this mouth watering dish to get into my blog :). Tofu is a very good substitute for vegetarians :), highly nutritious. 

Ingredients:

1. Extra firm Tofu - 10-15 pieces (cubed)
2. Onions - 1 large
3. Tomatoes - 2 medium
4. Bell pepper - 1 (It adds lots of flavour)
5. Coriander Power - 11/2 spoon
6. Garam masala - 1/2 spoon
7. Coconut milk - 1 or 2 spoons (optional )
8. Chilly powder - 1 spoon
9. Ginger Garlic paste  - 1 spoon
10. Cilantro 
11. Salt 
12. Seasoning  - Cloves,Bay leaf,Cinnamon 
13. Soy sauce - 1 spoon

How to make it:

1. Take the pan and add oil to it. Add the seasoning stuff and sauté it. Then add thinly sliced onions. Let it fry for a minute then ginger garlic paste and add the cubed Tofu in the pan. Let the tofu get fried till it becomes golden brown on all sides. 
2. Now add the bell pepper and let it fry for sometimes. Make sure its crunchy!!
3. Now add all the masalas into it - coriander powder,chilly powder,garam masala,turmeric powder,salt and let it fry for 2-3 minutes. 
4. Now add the tomatoes and little soy sauce and water as necessary and let it cook until the raw smell goes off. make sure you don't break the tofu pieces.
5. Now garnish with Cilantro and serve hot with Chappathis or Tortillas. Enjoy!!

Aviyal

       I had a variety of veggie but all in small quantity which forced me make this aviyal.This is a very special dish to me. When i was in college, this was one of my favorites in hostel.. Those days of boarding :).. Really miss those times !!Sooper duper easy recipe which takes not more than 15 minutes  to make it.

Ingredients:

1. Veggies - Beans,drumstick,Carrots,Snake gourd/Yam (Anything which is left over )
2. Butter milk / Churned Yogurt  - 1 cup.
3. Cumin seeds - 1 spoon
4. Grated coconut - 3 spoons
5. Ginger - 1 inch
6. Green chillies  - 4 (as per spice level)
7. Curry leaves 
8. Salt
9. Curry leaves 
10. Coconut oil

How to make it:

1. Steam cook the veggies and keep it aside with little salt.
2. Grind grated coconut, cumins seeds, ginger , curry leaves and green chillies. You can add 1 or 2 cashews in this to add more taste to it ;). I'm lill calorie conscious, so i did not!!
3. Now take a kadai and add Coconut oil, and add cumin seeds, mustard and curry leaves and allow it to splutter. 
4. Now add the grind paste and the veggie and allow it to cook. Add required salt and let it cook in medium flame. You can feel the aroma coconut oil all over your kitchen :)
5. Once the raw smell goes off, switch off the flame and now add the butter milk and let it stay on the stove for 2 -3 mins. You can keep the stove in "low" if you feel its little raw.
6. Garnish with Cilantro and server hot with rice and Vadagam / brinjal fry :). Enjoy!!!

Mushroom Yellow Curry

      This week has been a week with recipes more of Bell pepper :) ..Guess what... my colleague gave me lots of peppers from her garden and some how i had to use them in all i cook. Have to agree with this ... It adds very good fresh flavor to all dishes and goes well with coconut milk. A must try recipe :) 

Ingredients:

1. Mushrooms 
2. Yellow bell peppers ( i chose yellow because of the name ;))
3. Ginger garlic paste - 1 spoon
4. Onions - 2 
5. Tomato - 2
6. Coriander powder - 1 1/2 spoon
7. Garam masala - 1/2 spoons
8. Coconut milk - 2 spoons
9. Cilantro 
10. Butter - 2 spoons
11. Turmeric powder , Salt

How to make it :

1. Cut the mushrooms and clean them.Cube the pepper and set aside.
2. Now add oil/butter to the hot pan and add the usual seasoning stuff and then add the onions and allow them to turn light brown then add the ginger garlic paste and let the raw smell go off.
3. Now add tomatoes to them and sauté well. Add the mushrooms and  then add all the masala, turmeric powder and salt and let it cook for sometime. 
4. Once the mushroom is cooked add the pepper and let it cook for a minute and then add coconut milk and let it cook for some more time. Let it cook be in medium flame until the oil separates.
5. Garnish with Cilantro and enjoy with Paratha / Chappathi. Enjoy!!!

Medhu Vada (Blackgram Vada)

Green Peas Pulav

Ingredients:

1. Basmati Rice – 1 cup

2. Green Peas - 1 cup (Frozen/Fresh)

3. Onion – 2 (Thinly sliced)

4. Ginger Garlic paste – 1 spoon

5. Green chilli – 3

6. Garam masala – 1 ½ spoon

7. Mint – ½ bunch

8. Cashews – 5

9. Ghee – 2 spoons

10. Coconut milk – ½ cup

11. Bay leaf,Cloves,Cinamon

12. Salt and oil.

Recipe:

1. Soak basmati rice for 10 mins and then fry it in ghee with the Bay leaf,Cloves,Cinamon. This helps the rice to be fresh and separate.

2. Take a pan , add ghee and little oil to it. Then add the spices Bay leaf,Cloves,Cinamon and let it to splutter.

3. Then add ginger garlic paste and let it cook. Now add green chillies and let it cook.

4. Next add the onions and cook until it is transparent. Now add the mint leaves and after 2 mins add the green peas with salt, garam masala and salt. Let it cook until the raw smell goes off.

5. Now transfer the contents to rice cooker and put the rice to it. Now add 1 cup of water and ½ cup coconut milk (if u like it). Add little pepper to the mixture if u like nice spicy pulav.

6. Enjoy it with chicken kurma or Cucumber raitha.

Spicy Brussel Sprouts

Ingredients:

Brussels Sprouts - 10-12 buds

Onion - 1, finely chopped

Corriander seeds - 2 tbsp

Channa Dal - 1 tbsp

Urad Dal - 1 tbsp

Fenugreek Seeds - 1/2 tsp

Dried Red chillies - 3 big

Asafoetida Powder - 1/2 tsp

Coconut - 1 tsp, shredded

Tamarind - a small ball size

Salt - as required

How to make it:

1.Wash Brussels sprouts and slit open on the bulb end like 'X'. Steam cook until half done, for about 5 minutes. 

2.Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan, roast red chillies, corriander seeds, channa dal, uraddal and fenugreek seeds until golden brown. Let it cool. Add coconut, asafoetida powder, tamarind and salt and grind into a thick paste. 

3.Take a spoon of the paste and stuff inside the slit brussels sprouts.

4. Heat oil in a pan, add onions and fry until golden brown. Add the stuffed brussels sprouts and the remaining paste. 

5.Cook covered on a low flame turning to the other side at regular intervals to get them evenly roasted. Cook until done. 

Serve hot! I made this as a side dish for mor kuzhambhu and the combination was perfect.

Aaloo Capsicum Gravy

Kaara Chutney

Kadalai Curry