Ridge Gourd / Peechinga Subzi

A beautiful accompaniment for chapathis. They are mild, juicy and tasty. I like such juicy subzis for chapathi so that I needn't worry about another gravy.



Ingredients

Ridge Gourd - 1 medium, cleaned and chopped to small cubes
Big onion - 1 medium, chopped
Green chilly - 1, chopped
Ginger - half inch piece, crushed
Garlic - 2 medium cloves, crushed
Tomato - 1 medium, chopped
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Urid dal - 1 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt - as needed

Method

1. Heat a kadai, add oil. Splutter the mustard seeds. Add urid dal and saute till they turn brown and crisp.
2. Add the chopped onions, green chilly, ginger and garlic. Saute till raw smell is gone (do not saute for more than a minute, you need all those juices in there).
3. Add in the tomatoes and saute for 30s. Sprinkle chilly and turmeric powder, saute for another 10 seconds and then add in the cubed ridge gourd. Add salt. Give a good stir and cover and cook till the gourd is cooked well.
4. Once cooked, open the lid, stir well and serve hot with chapathis

Greenpeas Masala (Restaurant Style)

Greenpeas Masala ... another tasty accompaniment for chapathi.



Ingredients

Green peas (dried or fresh) - 1 cup
Big onion - 1 medium, finely chopped
Green Chilly - 1, chopped
Ginger - 1 inch piece, crushed
Garlic - 2 cloves, crushed
Tomato - 1 big, roughly chopped
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilly powder - 1 tsp (as per spice levels)
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Salt - as needed

Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Broken cashew - 1 tbsp

Oil - 2 tbsp



Method

1. If using dried greenpeas, soak them in enough water for atleast 3-4  hrs and then pressure cook for 4-5 whistles. If using fresh, just boil them in salted water till the peas become tender.
2. Heat a kadai, add oil. Sizzle the cumin seeds.
3. Add the onion, chilly and saute till onions turns transparent. Now add the crushed ginger-garlic and saute till raw smell is gone.
4. Add the turmeric, chilly and coriander powders and saute till raw smell is gone. Add the chopped tomato. Saute till oil separates.
5. Now switch off the stove and allow the mixture to cool. Once cooled, grind them in the small jar of mixer to a smooth paste.
6. Heat the same kadai (in which we sauteed the onions), and add the ground paste. Add some water too. Add the cooked greenpeas too at this stage and let the whole thing get cooked. Adjust salt.
7. Meanwhile grind coconut & cashew into a smooth paste.
8. Once the greenpeas is cooked well in the onion gravy, add the coconut-cashew mixture and cook till steam comes. The gravy should be somewhat thick at this stage, if not boil it for some more time till you reach the right consistency.

Vegetable Kurma / Korma

It's definitely the best Kurma I have ever tasted. Moreover this is the first time I have seen my kids eating so many veggies in one shot.



Adapted from Sharmis Passions

Ingredients

Vegetables - 2 cups (I used a combination of beans, carrot, potato, greenpeas & cauliflower)
Big onion - 1 medium
Ginger - 1 inch piece, crushed
Garlic - 2 cloves, crushed
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Chilly powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Curd - 1 tbsp or lemon juice - 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp



For Grinding
Broken cashew - 2 tbsp (yea, thats bit too much, but enhances the taste a lot)
Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1 tsp (you can either add you home made masala if readily available or add the whole masala like 1 cardamom, 2 cloves, 1 stick cinnamon, 1 star anise)
Green chilly - 2
Split dal - 1 tbsp



Method

1. Add the items mentioned under "For Grinding" in the small mixer jar and grind to a smooth paste. Keep it aside.
2. Steam the vegetables till done and keep aside.
3. Heat a kadai and add oil. When its hot enough, sizzle the cumin seeds. Add chopped onion, ginger and garlic. Saute till onions turns transparent, and raw smell of ginger-garlic gone.
4. Add the turmeric, chilly,  and coriander powder and saute till raw smell is gone.
5. Add the chopped tomato and saute till oil starts leaving the mixture.
6. Add the steamed veggies and ground mixture. Stir well. Add more water if needed. Check salt and add as needed. Sprinkle garam masala.
7. Add curd / lemon juice, give a good stir. Let it be on low flame and switch off the flame after about 5 min or when it reaches required consistency.

Malai Kofta Curry

Another favorite of mine, which goes well with chapathis.

Ingredients

For the Kofta

Paneer - 100 g, grated

Potato - 2 medium, boiled & mashed

Chopped, boiled vegetables - 1/2 cup (optional)

Salt -  as needed

Green chillies - 1, chopped fine

Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp

Corn flour - 2 tbsp (for coating)

Oil - 4 tbsp, for frying

For the Gravy

Big onion - 1 big, chopped fine

Ginger - 1 inch piece, crushed well

Garlic - 2 cloves, crushed

Tomato - 1 big, chopped

Red chilly powder - 1 tsp

Broken cashew - 1 tbsp, soaked

Garam Masala - 1 tsp
Kasurimethi - 1 tsp

Water - 1 cup

Sugar - 1/2 tsp (optional)

Cooking cream - 2 tbsp

Salt - as needed

Method

Kofta

1. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Shape them into balls. Roll them in corn flour and fry them in oil. Keep them aside.

Gravy

1. Heat a thick bottom pan, add about 2 tbsp oil. Add the finely chopped onion. Saute till they are transparent.

2. Add the ginger, garlic. Saute till raw smell is gone. Add the red chilly powder, saute for about 30s till raw smell is gone.

3. Add chopped tomato and saute till oil starts leaving. Switch off the stove and let it cool down. Once cooled, grind them in the mixer to a smooth paste.

4. Heat the pan again, add the onion-tomato paste. Let it cook for a while. Meanwhile grind the cashew to a smooth paste. Add garam masala & enough salt to the onion paste. Mix well. Add the cashew paste and also 1 cup of water. Let it boil.

5. Once the gravy gets required thickness, add little sugar (if adding) and the kasuri methi. Add the cooking cream (if adding). 

You can either add the fried koftas into the curry at this stage or add them just before serving (I prefer the latter). Garnish with some grated paneer, cooking cream & coriander leaves..

Aloo Capsicum Masala

Both are my husband's favorite items - aloo (potato) and capsicum. So thought of making a side dish for chapathi combining these two ingredients. It was quick and tasty too...went well with chapathi.



Ingredients

Potato - 2 medium, boiled, peeled and cubed
Capsicum - 1 medium, cut into chunk size pieces
Onion - 1 medium, chopped
Oil - 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp ( as per your tolerance)
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Grind to a smooth paste
Green chilly - 2
Ginger - 1/2 inch piece
Garlic - 2 cloves
Coriander seeds - 1 tsp
Broken cashewnuts - 2 tbsp
Tomato - 1 medium



Method

1. Grind the ingredients mentioned in "Grind to a smooth paste" in small jar of the mixer till you get a smooth paste.
2. Heat oil in a kadai. Saute the capsicum pieces till they are slightly fried. Drain them and keep aside
3. In remaining oil, sizzle the cumin seeds. Saute the finely chopped onion till they turn transparent. Add the masala powders (turmeric, chilly and garam) and saute till oil starts leaving.
4. Add the masala paste and saute till raw smell is gone. Cook till oil starts leaving. Now add the boiled potatoes and lightly fried capsicum pieces. Let them get cooked in the masala for atleast 5-6 minutes. If the gravy is too thick, add some water. Cook till it reaches a thick consistency. Serve hot with chapathis.

Daal Palak / Spinach and Lentils

A terrific combo...tastes best with chapathi & steaming hot white rice.




Ingredients

Dal - 1/2 cup (you can either take toor dal only or a combination of toor & masoor dal)
Palak - 1 bunch
Big onion - 1 small, chopped
Garlic - 2 cloves, crushed
Ginger - 1/2 inch piece, crushed
Tomato - 1 medium, finely chopped
Green chilly - 2, as per your tolerance, slit or chopped
Salt - as per taste
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp



Method

1. Wash dash thoroughly and pressure cook with little salt and turmeric powder. Cook for 4-5 whistle. After all the steam has been released, open the cooker and mash the dal thoroughly. Keep it aside.
2. Wash the palak thoroughly under running water. Drain and chop them finely.
3. In a kadai, heat oil. Add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle.
4. Add chopped onions and saute for a minute. Add the ginger-garlic and green chilly. Saute till the onions turn transparent.
5. Add in the chopped tomatoes. Saute till oil starts leaving.
6. Add turmeric powder, saute. Now add the chopped palak and mix everything together. Let the palak cook for 3-4 minutes.
7. Pour in the mashed dal. Let the entire thing get cooked together for couple of minutes. Switch off the stove and serve hot with chapathi or rice.

Aloo Methi / Potatoes with Fenugreek leaves

Something that I love to have with my chapathis..This may not be the authentic version, I just keep adding the stuff I love during cooking. I guess in the actual aloo-methi, tomatoes are not added. But I have added them just to reduce/eliminate the bitterness of methi.

Ingredients

Potato - 2 peeled
Methi /Fenugreek leaves - 1 bunch
Ghee / oil - 1 tbsp
Onion - 1 medium
Ginger - 1/2 inch piece
Garlic - 1 clove
Green chilly - 2
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Tomato - 1 medium (optional)
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp (optional)
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp



Method

1. Wash, peel and cut the potatoes into chunks. Boil them in salted water till almost cooked.
2. Wash the fenugreek leaves under running water, and them chop them roughly.
3. Chop the onion finely, crush the ginger-garlic and slit the green chillies.
4. Heat a kadai, and add the ghee. Slightly roast the potatoes and keep them aside. Roast them no more than 4minutes till they turn light brown. Or you can omit this step altogether.
5. Add the chopped onion, garlic, ginger and green chillies. Saute all of them until onions turn transparent. Sprinkle some salt.
6. Now add the turmeric, chilly & coriander powders and saute till the raw smell is gone.
7. Add the chopped tomatoes and saute till oil starts to separate.
8. Add the chopped methi leaves and give a good stir. Any leafy vegetable should not be exposed to heat for a long time, as they will start losing their nutrients if cooked for a long time. Quickly add the shallow-fried potatoes and mix everything together. Sprinkle some garam masala if you would like and serve hot with chapathis.

Chole Masala

I am sure you'd love them with your chapathi...



Ingredients

Chole - 1 cup, soaked overnight
Big onion - 1 big, finely chopped
Green chilly - 2
Ginger - 1 inch piece, crushed
Garlic - 2 cloves, crushed
Tomato - 2, finely chopped
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilly powder - 1  1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Dry mango powder / Amchoor powder - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Coriander leaves, chopped - 2 tbsp - for garnishing



Method

1. Pressure cook the soaked chole along with salt and little turmeric powder for 5-6 whistles. Keep it aside for the pressure to release.
2. Heat a wide thick-bottomed pan and add oil. Crackle the mustard seeds.
3. Throw in the chopped onions and saute till raw smell is gone. Add the crushed ginger, garlic and chillies. Saute till oil starts leaving the mixture.
4. Add the chopped tomatoes and saute till oil leaves.
5. Now add the powders (chilly powder, garam masala, salt, coriander powder) and saute well for atleast 30s.
6. Add the cooked chole to the masala along with the water in the cooker. Let it boil in the masala for 5-6 minutes, until the gravy thickens.
7. Sprinkle the amchoor powder if the curry isn't tangy enough. Check for salt and add if needed.
8. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with chapathis.

Aloo-Gobi-Mattar Masala

Another great side dish for chapathi...yummy, filling yet healthy to the core...



Ingredients

Potato - 2 medium
Green peas - about half cup
Cauliflower florets - about 2 cups

Big onion - 1 medium, finely chopped
Ginger - 1 inch piece, crushed
Garlic - 2 cloves, crushed
Green chilly - 2, slit
Tomato - 2 medium, chopped

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Chilly powder - 1 tsp, as per your tolerance
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Salt - as per taste

Dry mango powder / Amchoor powder - 1 tsp

Asafoetida - 2 pinches
Cumin - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp



Method

1. Wash and peel the potatoes, cut them into chunks. Boil water (add some salt) in a bowl and add the potatoes. Let them get cooked for about 10 minutes.
2. When the potatoes are about 5 minutes into cooking, add the green peas and cauliflower into the same bowl and let them get cooked too for the rest 5 minutes. After that, remove from heat, drain all the water and keep the veggies aside.
3. Heat a kadai, add oil. Splutter the cumin seeds. Add asafoetida and turmeric powder.
4. Add the chopped onions and saute them till they are transparent. Add the crushed ginger-garlic too. Saute till the raw smell goes and oil start leaving.
5. Add the tomatoes and saute till oil starts leaving again.
6. At this point, add all the powders except the amchoor. Give it a good stir and wait till oil appears again (it wouldn't take long).
7. Now add the boiled veggies, stir gently but thoroughly so that masala coats on all the pieces. Sprinkle the amchoor powder and mix again. Let the whole thing get cooked together for another 5-6 minutes. Check for salt and add if needed.
8. Remove from heat and garnish with some chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot!

Lauki / Bottlegourd Kofta Curry

A great accompaniment for rotis/chapathis..



Recipe adapted from Veg Recipes of India

Ingredients

For the kofta
Lauki / Bottlegourd - 1 medium/ about 3 cups of grated lauki
Salt - as per taste
Besan flour - about 11/2 tbsp + 1 tbsp for coating
Green chilly - 1, chopped

For the masala paste
Big onion - 1 big
Green chilly - 2
Garlic - 3 big cloves
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Tomato - 2
Broken cashew - 4-5 tbsp

Other Ingredients
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Chilly powder - approx 2 tsp, as per taste
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Salt - as per taste
Water - about 1 cup
Cumin - 1/2 tsp
Oil - as needed

Method - making koftas

1. Wash & peel the bottlegourd. Grate them or pulse it in the food processor couple of time. Rub the grated bottlegourd with some salt and keep it aside for sometime. The bottlegourd will start releasing water. Squeeze all the water out of the grated mixture (reserve the juices).
2. Now mix the bottlegourd with chopped chilly, salt (if needed) and the besan flour. Make small balls of it.
3. Heat a kadai and add enough oil for frying. When the oil is hot enough, add the koftas and deep fry them. Set it aside.



Method - making the gravy
1. In the small jar of mixer, add all the ingredients mentioned under "For the masala paste" and grind to a fine paste. No need to add water.
2. In the same kadai where you fried the kofta, remove excess oil and keep only about a tbsp in the pan. Add the cumin seeds and let them splutter.
3. Add the ground paste and let it simmer for about 5-6 minutes. Stir occasionally.
4. Add the powders (turmeric, chilly, coriander, garam & the cumin powder). Let it simmer for another couple of minutes.
5. Now add the reserved bottlegourd juice and the additional water. Mix all of it well and let it boil on a low heat for about 3-4 minutes. Check for salt.
6. The gravy is ready. You can either add the koftas in the gravy and let it soak for sometime before serving (if you like soggy koftas) or add them just before serving.
Serve hot with rotis.

Aloo Bhindi Masala / Potato-Lady's finger masala

The season of Lent has officially started, and so has my search for new, variety vegetarian dishes. This year I have decided to try out more of North-Indian dishes during this season. So here goes the first recipe, which is a very popular side dish to chapathi.



Ingredients

Bhindi / Okra / Lady's finger / Vendakka - 6-8
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Garlic - 2-3 big cloves
Green chilly - 2 (optional)
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Potato - 2 medium
Tomato - 2 medium
Cumin / jeerakam - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilly powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - as per taste



Method

1. Wash bhindi thoroughly under running water and dry it over a kitchen towel. Cut them into 2 inch pieces. Set aside.
2. Clean the potatoes, peel the, and cut them into chunks. Boil them in water (with salt) till they are half cooked. Drain and keep aside.
3. Crush the ginger, chilly (if using) and garlic and keep aside.
4. Chop the tomatoes finely.
5. Heat a kadai and add the oil. When its hot enough, add the cumin seeds.
6. Add the crushed ingredients (ginger, garlic and chilly) and saute for a minute till the raw smell goes.
7. Add the cut bhindi and turmeric powder, saute for a minute and then close the lid and cook for about 5 minutes (in low heat).
8. After 5 minutes, open the lid, add the half cooked potatoes and masala powders (chilly, coriander and the cumin powder). Give a good stir.
9. Add the chopped tomatoes. Mix well, then close the lid and cook for about 5 minutes till the masala is semi-dry and well coated on the vegetable. Cook till both the vegetables are cooked well.
10. Once cooked, remove from heat and garnish with some chopped coriander leaves.

Serve hot with rotis or chapathis.

Paneer Butter Masala

Its my love for paneer that prompted me to try this dish. My family is not a big fan of paneer...but I somehow persuaded them to eat the gravy which they relished.



Ingredients

Paneer cubes - 10-12
Big onion - 1 big, chopped finely
Garlic - 2 big cloves, crushed
Ginger - 1 inch piece, crushed
Chilly powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Kashmiri chilly powder - 1 tsp (added just for the colour)
Toamto - 2 , chopped
Salt - as per taste
Kasuri methi - a generous pinch
Butter - around 50g ( half a stick)
Cooking cream - around 50 g



Method

1. Heat a kadai, add butter.
2. When it melts, add the paneer pieces and saute till all the sides are browned slightly. Remove to a paper towel
2. In the same pan, add the onion, ginger, garlic. Saute till they are transparent.
3. Add the powders, and saute till the raw smell is gone, and oil start leaving
4. Now add the tomatoes, and till oil starts leaving the mixture
5. Add salt and kasuri methi. Give it a good stir and switch off the stove.
6. When the mixture has cooled down, grind it into a smooth paste using small jar of the mixer.
7. Add the paste into the pan again. Wash the jar with about half cup of water and add this water also to the pan, and heat it.
8. When it starts to boil, switch off the stove and add cooking cream, followed by fried paneer cubes.
9. Garnish with some coriander leaves, if you like.

Brocoli Mushroom Stir fry

As easy as it sounds...just clean both of it and throw into a pan with some olive oil and dried chilly. Sprinkle some salt..thats it!! A wonderful side dish for your chapati is ready, in less than 10 min (excluding the time taken for cleaning mushrooms :) ).



I first tasted it in Delhi, when we were visiting my aunt and uncle. There was an immediate connection. Asked aunty how she made it. So when we came back, I bought a box of mushrooms and brocoli. But it sat in fridge for almost 3 days, since I didn't how to clean the mushrooms. Nor I did I have enough time to check internet guru, as we were busy with the school re-opening. Today was relatively a free day, the kiddos and mommy have settled with the routine.

So here goes the recipe for the quick and easy stir fry.

Ingredients

Broccoli (cut into florets) - 2 cups
Mushrooms (cleaned and cut) - 1 cup
Olive oil - 1 tbsp
Dried chilly - 2

Method

Add olive oil to a skillet. When its hot enough, throw in the mushrooms along with dried chillies. Keep stirring, the mushrooms will start releasing water. Once the mushrooms are half cooked, add the broccoli florets and sprinkle some salt. The broccoli should not be over cooked, it should retain its crispness. Once the mushrooms and broccoli is cooked, remove from heat.

You can learn how to clean mushrooms from here.

Bhaigan Lajawab

Recipe courtesy - Vanitha

I was browsing through the latest edition of Vanitha for some gravy recipes that can go with chapathis. Had some brinjals sitting in the fridge for a week, so zeroed in on this recipe. Hubby and son hates brinjal (daughter never bothers to eat veggies). In spite of all these, I still decided to go ahead with the recipe. and know what... it was an instant hit at home! Hubby says its because the veggie was first fried and then curried. He hates veggies losing its shape. Whatever....I saved by brinjals from been thrown into the bin...and a good recipe to keep in hand!!

 

Ingredients

Brinjals - 8 - 10 small ones
Tomato - 2, medium
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Oil - 3 tbsp

To grind
Small onions - 8 - 10
Garlic - 2 cloves, big
Ginger - small piece
Green chilly - 2
Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Chilly powder - 1 tbsp (as per your tolerance level)

Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp
Tamarind - small ball (soaked and juice extracted)
Salt - as per taste
Jaggery/sugar - as required

Method

Cut the brinjal and tomato into big pieces. Fry the brinjal pieces in about 3 tbsp of oil until soft, keep aside. Fry the curry leaves and keep aside. Slightly fry the tomato and keep them aside too.

Grind all the items under "to grind" in the small jar of a mixie.

Now in the remaining oil, add fenugreek seeds. When they crackle, add the ground masala and saute till oil starts to separate. Now add the fried brinjal and tamarind extract. Let the brinjal get cooked well. Add salt as per your taste. Once cooked, add the fried tomatoes and curry leaves. Do a taste test, add salt if needed. Towards the end, sprinkle sugar or jaggery and switch off the stove.

Serve it hot with chapathis or rottis.