Rajma Masala

This is one of the quickest and easiest gravies to make. It goes well with Chapathis Puris, Ghee rice, Pulao & Bread.

INGREDIENTS:

Rajma aka Red Kidney Beans- 1 can, washed in running water.
Onion-1 small, cut into small cubes
Tomatoes- 2 nos, ground into a smooth paste
Ginger Garlic Paste- 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder-1/4 tsp
Cumin powder- 1 tsp
Garam Masala- 1 tsp
Red chilli Powder- 1 tbsp
Coriander Seed powder- 1/2 tsp
Amchur powder(Optional)- 1 pinch
Bay leaves- 1 no

PROCEDURE:

1. Wash the canned rajma in running water thoroughly and set aside.
2. In a pot, add oil, bay leaf, chopped onions & ginger garlic paste and allow to cook until raw smell is gone.
3. Meanwhile, chop tomatoes roughly and grind in to a smooth paste and add to the onion mixure.
4. Add all the masala powders along with salt.
5. Add the Rajma beans and allow to cook with the gravy until oil separates and thick gravy is formed.
6. Turn off stove. Garnish with cilantro and pour a spoon of lemon juice.

Tomato mint chutney

INGREDIENTS

Tomatoes-4 cubed
Mint-5 strands
Garlic-5 nos cut into small pieces
Green chillies- 3 nos
Tamarind paste-1 tsp
Channa dal-1 tbsp
Mustard seeds-1 tsp
Split urad dal- 2 tsp
Curry leaves

PROCEDURE:

1. In a pan with little oil, add channa dal, garlic, tomatoes, green chillies and sautée till cooked. Now add the mint leaves , mix and turn off stove.
2. Now add tamarind paste and salt and mix. Allow to cool.
3. Grind the above into a smooth paste.
4. Season by adding oil, mustard seeds, urad dal, channa dal, asafoetida and curry leaves.
5. Mix with the ground paste. Serve with hot idlies, dosas, bajjis, puffs and anything you want.

Green Apple Pickle

I had this pickle at a friends party with some yogurt rice and man, I was in heaven. I was so wanting to have that pickle again that I decided to make it by myself.

INGREDIENTS:

Granny smith green apples- 3 nos, cut with the skin into small cubes
Red chillies- 8 or more depending on your spice
Cumin seeds- 1 tbsp appr
Fenugreek seeds- 1 tbsp appr
Asafoetida/Hing- 2 puffs
Sesame Oil- 4 tbsp
Mustard seeds- 2 tsp

PROCEDURE:

1.  Cut the green apples into small cubes with the skin on.
2. In a small pan, saute the fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds with some asafoetida without any oil. Once the raw smell is gone and the seeds turn golden brown, turn off the switch and add the red chillies. This helps the red chillies keep its red color. Allow the spices to cool and grind them well.
3. Mix the powder with the cut green apples.Add salt according to your taste.
4. Now in the same pan, add sesame oil and mustard seeds and allow to splutter. Add this to the pickle and you are done.

Coconut Chutney with Red Chillies

INGREDIENTS:

Grated coconut powder- 1 cup
Dry channa dal(Pottu kadalai)- 1/4 cup
Red chillies- 2 or more depending on your spice level
Tamarind - A pinch, size of 1/4 inch
Salt- To taste
Asafoetida powder- 2 puffs
Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
Split urad dal- 1/2 tsp
Channa dal-1/4 tsp
Curry leaves- 1 bunch
Garlic clove(optional)-1 no

PROCEDURE:

1. Grind coconut powder or fresh coconut pieces with dry channa dal, tamarind paste, red chillies, salt, garlic clove(optional) into a smoothe paste.
2. Now in a  small pan of oil, add mustard seeds, urad dal, split dal,curry leaves,asafoetida and allow the mustard seeds to splutter.
 3. Now mix with the ground chutney mixture and serve with hot idlies, dosas or any tiffen item.

 

Strawberry Nutella Cupcakes

This recipes makes about 8-10 cupcakes. I have inherited the recipe from this blog:  http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/strawberry-nutella-muffins/  and made some modifications to it.

I made these cupcakes/muffins at home and they were done in a day.They are too addictive.

INGREDIENTS:

All Purpose Flour- 1.5 cups
Whole Milk- 1/2 cup
Egg-1
Canola or Vegetable Oil-1/2 cup
Sugar- 1 cup
Strawberries-1.5 cup-Cut into small pieces (make sure they are ripe)
Nutella-1/2 - 1 cup
Baking Powder-1 tsp
Baking Soda-1/4 tsp
Vanilla Extract- 1 tsp
salt-1/4 tsp

PROCEDURE:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Now place some cupcake liners on your muffin pan.
3. Mix egg,sugar,oil,milk and vanilla extract in medium speed.
4. Now add the flour,baking powder,baking soda,salt slowly into the wet ingredients one by one and mix completely till no lumps.
5. Turn off your blender/whisker and fold in the cut strawberries.
6. Now in the muffin pan with cupcake liners, pour some batter until half full. Add a spoon of nutella or how much ever nutella you want(if you are a chocoholic like me).
7. Add the rest of the the batter until 3/4 full. 
8. Place in the oven for 20-22 minutes or until the inserted tooth pick comes out clean.
9. Wait till cool and enjoy as breakfast or dessert.
10. You can sprinkle some powdered sugar on top of the cupcakes once cooled for decoration and serve.

TIPS:

1. When baking always use whole milk for extra flavor.
2. Also use only large eggs for baking.
3. If you live in high altitude like Colorado, try using Hungarian brand high altitude unbleached all purpose flour for best results.
4. You can substitute butter instead of oil.
5. Whenever you make cupcakes, you always fill only till 3/4 th of the cupcake mold to leave room for the batter to grow when baking and not spill outside.

Okra(Lady's Finger Masala)

INGREDIENTS:

Okra- 2 pounds or about 1/2 kgs
Red Onions- 1 big onion cut into small cubes
Tomatoes-2 small, cut into small cubes
Fennel Seeds or Saunf- 1 tsp

Garlic cloves- 4 to 6 nos, cut into small cubes
Curry leaves- 1stalk
Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder- 2 tbsp or more depending on spice level
Coriander powder- 1 tsp
Cumin seeds powder- 1 tsp
Asafoetida- (optional)


PROCEDURE:

1. In a pan with oil, add fennel seeds and curry leaves and allow to splutter.
2. Now add the cut onions and garlic and saute till golden brown.Now add the tomatoes and mix well to cook.
3. Add the Okra or lady's finger with some salt and allow to cook well till the slimy texture reduces.
4. Now add all the curry powders and fry till the consistency of consistency. Some people leave it a little gravy and some people like the lady's finger to be crisp.
5. Serve with hot chapathis or rice with any curry and enjoy! 

TIPS:

1. You can also add some sambar powder for some extra flavor. 
2. If you want you can add some garam masala powder.

Home made Ginger Garlic Paste

INGREDIENTS:

Ginger and Garlic- Peeled and cut into small pieces, Equal proportions
Sesame Oil- 1 tbsp
Salt-1/2 tsp

PROCEDURE:

1. In a mixie, add all the ingredients above and grind to a smooth paste. You can add this paste to all curries and side dishes.
2. This paste can be refrigerated for up to 2 months with fresh taste.