Ingredients

Cabbage – 1/2 medium chopped

Channa dal – 1/4 cup

Water – 1 cup

Onion – 1 medium sliced

Green chillies – 4 slit

Curry leaves – 1 sprig

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp

Cumin seeds – 1/4 tsp

Salt – to taste

Oil – 1 tbsp

Method

Wash and soak the dal in water for 30 minutes.  Drain and put it into a pressure cooker.  Pour 1 cup of water into it and pressure cook for 8 minutes on low flame after the first whistle.  Heat oil in a non-stick pan and splutter mustard seeds and cumin seeds.  Add onions, green chillies and curry leaves.  Fry till the onions turn pink.  Add turmeric powder and stir.  Add the cooked dal and allow the excess water to evaporate.  When it is almost dry, add the cabbage and salt.  Mix well and cook covered on a low flame till done.  Stir occasionally.  ‘Cabbage Channa Dal Stir-Fry’ is a very good side dish for rice and chappathi.

I am sending ‘Cabbage Channa Dal Stir-Fry’ to dear Siri for the event “MMLA – #25″ which was started by Susan.

Ingredients

Palak keerai/ Spinach – 2 bunches

Toor dal – 3/4 cup

Onion – 1 +1 sliced

Garlic – 1 tbsp chopped

Green chillies – 4 slit

Turmeric powder – 1 tsp

Water – 2 cups

Salt  – to taste

Curry leaves – 1 sprig

Tomatoes – 2 medium chopped

Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp

Oil – 1 tbsp

Method

Wash and soak the dal in water for 15 minutes.  Clean, wash and chop the palak.  Drain and put the dal into a pressure cooker.  Add onions, garlic, green chillies and turmeric powder.  Pour 2 cups of water over it.  Also add the chopped palak.  Close the lid and cook for 10 minutes on a low flame after the first whistle.  Let it cool.  Heat oil in a non-stick pan and splutter mustard seeds.  Add onions and curry leaves.  Saute till the onions turn light brown.  Add tomatoes and saute till the oil separates.  Slightly mash the cooked palak-dal mixture and pour it into the pan.  Add salt and mix well.  Allow the dal to simmer for about 5 minutes.  Serve yummy ‘Keerai Parippu Koottu/ Palak Dal’ with rice, chapathis or wheat dosas.  Cheers!

Ingredients

Frozen Corn – 3/4 cup

Methi leaves / Menthi keerai – a bunch (take only the leaves)

Basmati Rice – 2 cups

Water – 4 cups

Cardamom – 4

Cinnamon – 2″ piece

Cloves – 4

Bay leaf -1

Onion – 1 sliced

Green chillies – 2 slit

Ginger Garlic paste – 1 tsp

Tomato paste – 4 tsp

Pepper powder – 1/4 tsp

Maggi chicken/veg stock cube – 1 crushed

Salt – to taste

Ghee – 1 tsp

Oil – 1 tbsp

Method

Clean, wash and drain the methi leaves.  Wash and soak the rice in 4 cups of water for 20 minutes.  Heat oil and ghee in a non-stick pan and add the whole spices.  Then add the onions and green chillies. Fry till the onions turn light brown.  Add the ginger-garlic paste and fry on low heat for 2 minutes.  Now add the tomato paste and fry for one more minute.  Add the methi leaves and fry for 5 minutes.  Switch off the flame.  Transfer the rice to a rice cooker along with the water.  Add the methi mixture, corn, crushed stock cube, salt and pepper powder.  Mix well and cook till done.  Yummy ‘Corn and Methi Pulao’ is ready to be served!  Serve it with any side dish of your choice or with curd, pickle and paddads.  Enjoy with your loved ones!!!

If you are using a pressure cooker, use a 5 litre cooker and cook for 5 minutes on low flame after the first whistle.

You can use two chopped tomatoes instead of tomato paste.

‘Corn and Methi Pulao’ is going to participate in Priya’s event “CWS – Cardamom Seeds”

Ingredients

Toor Dal – 1/2 cup

Potatoes – 1 cup diced

Carrot – 1/2 cup diced

Cabbage – 1/2 cup shredded

Cauliflower florets- 1 cup

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

Green chillies – 7 slit

Water -  2 cups

Salt – to taste

Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp

Cumin seeds – 1/4 tsp

Dry red chillies – 4 seeds removed

Curry leaves – 1 sprig

Onion – 1 sliced

Ginger – 1/2″ piece chopped

Garlic – 3 chopped

Tomatoes – 2 chopped

Garam masala – 1/2 tsp

Coriander leaves – 1 tbsp chopped

Oil – 1 tbsp

Method

Wash and soak the dal in water for half an hour.  Put it into a pressure cooker along with water and add potatoes, carrot, cabbage, cauliflower, green chillies, turmeric powder and salt.  Cook for 5 minutes.  Allow it to cool.  Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds and cumin seeds.  Add dry red chillies and curry leaves.  Then add onions, ginger and garlic.  Fry till the onions turn light brown in color.  Add the tomatoes and fry well.  Add the garam masala and fry for a few seconds.  Now add the cooked vegetables and dal and mix well.  Let it simmer for about 10 minutes.  Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.  Serve yummy ‘Mixed Vegetables with Dal’ with chapathi or rice.  Cheers!

‘Mixed Vegetables with Dal’ is off to Rachel’s event “MLLA # 20″ which is the brainchild of Susan, The Well Seasoned Cook.

Ingredients

Potatoes – 2 diced

Carrot – 1 diced

Onion – 1 small chopped

Garlic – 1 tsp chopped

Ginger – 1 tsp chopped

Green chilly – 1 chopped

Curry leaves – 1 sprig

Mustard seeds – 1/4 tsp

Cumin seeds – 1/8 tsp

Curry powder/ Chicken masala – 1 tsp

Chilly powder – 1/4 tsp

Pepper powder – 1/8 tsp

Turmeric powder – 1/4 sp

Salt – to taste

Water – 1 cup

Oil – 1 tbsp

Method

Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds and cumin seeds.  Add onions, ginger, garlic, green chillies and curry leaves.  Saute till the onions turn light brown.  Add the spice powders and saute for a few seconds.  Add the diced potatoes, carrots, salt and water.  Mix well and cook covered on a medium flame till done.  Open the lid and evaporate excess water, if any.  Serve tasty ‘Carrot-Potato Sabzi’ with chapathi or rice.

My dear friend Shifa has passed on this award to me.  Thank you Shifa! You made my day…!

I am passing on this award to all my readers who appreciate my work and encourage me to come out with more recipes!!!

Today I am posting a quick and easy way to make ‘Carrot Halwa’ using microwave.  ‘Carrot Halwa’ is a well known traditional Indian sweet which is usually made during festivals.  So dear friends, make this delicious dessert within no time and enjoy with your kids!

I am sending yummy ‘Carrot Halwa’ to Paru for the event “MEC: Sweets ‘n’ Savouries” which was started by Srivalli

Ingredients

Grated Carrots – 300 gm

Sugar – 3/4 cup

Ghee – 1/4 cup

Milk powder – 1/2 cup

Cashew nuts – 10

Golden raisins – 1 tbsp

Cardamom essence – 1 tsp

Method

Mix the grated carrots with sugar and ghee in a microwave bowl.  Close with a lid and microwave for 8 minutes.  Take out and add milk powder, cashew nuts, raisins and cardamom essence.  Mix well, cover with the lid and microwave for 3 minutes.  Take out and stir well.  Microwave for 1 minute more.  Let it stand for 5 minutes in the microwave.  Serve warm and enjoy!

You can add cardamom powder instead of cardamom essence.

Microwave timings may vary according to watts.  So adjust the timings as suited to your microwave.

Awards

My friends Sarah and Sangi have given me this lovely award.  Thank you dearies for your love!

Dearest Sarah has passed on this beautiful award.  Thanks a lot Sarah!

I would like to pass on these two awards to Happy Cook, Jeena, Sangeetha, Ivy and Cynthia

Ingredients

Whole Wheat flour – 3 cups

Salt – to taste

Water – as needed

Ghee – as required

For the Filling

Potatoes – 4 boiled

Onions – 2 finely chopped

Ginger – 1 tsp finely chopped

Green chillies – 4 finely chopped

Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

Garam masala – 1/4 tsp

Coriander leaves – 1 tbsp chopped

Salt – to taste

Oil – 1 tbsp

Method

Take the flour in a bowl and add salt and mix well.  Add water little at a time and knead it into a pliable dough.  Cover the bowl with a lid and keep aside for 30 minutes.  Meanwhile, peel and mash the potatoes.  Heat oil in a non-stick pan and splutter cumin seeds.  Add the onions, ginger and green chillies.  Saute till the onions turn pink.  Add turmeric powder and garam masala.  Stir and add the mashed potatoes, coriander leaves and salt.  Mix well and switch off the flame.  Allow the mixture to cool.  Knead the dough  again and make medium lemon sized balls.  Take one ball of the dough and roll into a thick roti.  Place a medium lemon sized ball of the filling on it.  Bring all the edges of the roti together and seal tightly.  Make sure that the entire filling is covered.  Flatten it and roll into a thick Paratha dusting with flour.  Fry on a tava/ griddle pouring ghee on both sides.  Repeat the process with the rest of the balls.  Serve delicious Aloo Paratha with yoghurt and pickle.

I am sending yummy Aloo Paratha to Sireesha for the event “CFK- Wheat” which is authored by Sharmi

‘Aloo Matar Capsicum’ is a simple and delicious curry which can be served as a side dish for Chapathi, Paratha, Nan or Roti.  It can also be served with Pulao.  Here is the recipe for this healthy and nutritious dish…

I am sending this to dear Vicky for the event “Side dish for Chapathi”

Ingredients

Potatoes – 2 cubed

Capsicum – 1 cubed

Green Peas – 1/2 cup

Onion – 1 medium chopped

Ginger garlic paste – 1 tsp

Green chillies – 2 slit

Tomato – 1 chopped

Coriander powder – 1 1/2 tsp

Chilly powder – 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

Garam masala – 1/2 tsp

Cumin/ Jeera powder – 1/4 tsp

Pepper powder – 1/4 tsp

Tomato puree – 2 tbsp

Cream – 1 tsp

Water – 1 1/2 cups

Salt – to taste

Oil -  1 1/2 tbsp

Method

Heat oil in a pan and add the onions.  Saute till it turns light brown.  Add the ginger garlic paste and saute for a minute.  Now add the tomatoes and green chillies and fry till oil separates.  Add all the spice powders and saute for a minute.  Add the potatoes and water.  Mix well and cook covered till they are 3/4 th done.  Add the capsicum and green peas.  Stir and cook covered.  Open the lid and add tomato puree and salt.  Mix well and simmer for 2 minutes.  Finally add the cream and put off the fire.  Serve hot!

‘Vegetable Pulao’ is an all time family favorite!  It is a North Indian vegetarian rice dish.  Here I am posting a simple method to make a really tasty ‘Vegetable Pulao’.  Serve it with any chicken, mutton or veg side dish or simply enjoy it with raita, pickle and pappad!

I am sending this recipe to Priya for the event “AFAM- Bell Peppers” which was initiated by Maheswari.

Ingredients

Basmati rice – 2 cups

Water – 4 cups

Frozen green peas – 1/2 cup

Green capsicum – 1 cubed

Carrots – 2 cubed

Potato – 1 cubed

Tomatoes – 3 sliced

Onion – 1 sliced

Green chillies – 5 slit

Ginger garlic paste – 1 tbsp

Coriander leaves – 2 tbsp chopped

Garam masala – 1 tsp

Cardamom – 3

Cinnamon – 2″ piece

Cloves – 3

Bay leaves – 2

Salt – to taste

Oil – 2 tbsp

Ghee – 2 tsp

Method

Wash and soak the rice in water for 20 minutes.  Heat oil and ghee together in a pressure cooker.  Add the whole spices and fry for a minute.  Then add the onions and green chillies and fry till the onions are light brown.  Put the ginger garlic paste and fry.  Now add the tomatoes and fry well.  Add all the vegetables and garam masala.  Saute for about 5 minutes.  Strain the rice and add to the cooker.  Mix well and add salt.  Pour water over it.  Close the lid and when the first whisle comes, reduce the flame and cook for 4 minutes.  Switch off the flame and let it cool.  Open the cooker and add coriander leaves.  Serve it with your favorite side dish.  Cheers!

‘Peas Pulao’ is quite easy to prepare and I have made it simpler by following the rice cooker method.  It is a delicious dish and can be served with mutton or chicken curry or simply with raita, pickle and pappads.  I always add coconut milk to makes it tastier!

This goes to ‘WYF: Quick Meal’  hosted by easycrafts.

Ingredients

Basmati rice – 3 cups

Frozen green peas – 2 cups

Water -6 cups

Thick coconut milk – 1/2 cup

Onions – 2 medium chopped

Ginger garlic paste – 1 tbsp

Green chillies – 6 slit

Coriander leaves – 2 tbsp chopped

Cashew nuts – 1 tbsp

Cardamom – 4

Cinnamon – 4″ piece broken

Cloves -6

Bay leaves – 3

Salt – to taste

Ghee – 2 1/2 tbsp

Method

Wash and soak the rice in water for 30 minutes.  Pour 6 cups of water into the rice cooker.  Drain the rice and add it to the cooker.  Meanwhile, heat ghee in a pan and fry the cashew nuts.  Keep aside.  Add the whole spices and bay leaves .  Then add the onions and green chillies and fry till the onions are transparent.  Add the ginger garlic paste and fry till the raw smell goes.  Put off the fire and add it to the rice.  Also add green peas, coconut milk, coriander leaves and salt.  Mix well and cook till done.  Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with fried cashew nuts.  Enjoy!