Dosakai (lemon cucumber) Sambar (Pappu Charu) - Quick version

Its been a month since I have updated my blog. Really have been busy with kids and work.(I know I shouldn't blame kids/work ;) ). But to make up for this delay I am writing about this quick Sambar recipe which can be made with different vegetables. This is the quick version sambar with Dosakai (lemon cucumber).

Ingredients:

Toor dal- 1cup

Turmeric- pinch

Ginger garlic paste -1tsp

Tomato -1

Tamarind- Small lemon size

Onion-1

Green chillies- 6-7

Red chilli powder- 1tsp

Salt -as per taste

Dosakai -1 
Methi leaves- Half bunch

Dhaniya powder -1 tsp

Jilakara Menthula podi (Fenugreek & cumin seeds Powder)-pinch

For tadka:

Oil - 3 tbsp

Jeera- 1tsp

Mustard seeds -1tsp

Red chillies-3-4

Curry leaves- 5-6

Hing- pinch

Pressure cook toor dal with pinch of turmeric for 5-6 whistles. Mash dal properly.

Cut onions,Dosakai in to big pieces.

Add slit green chillies, onions, dosakai, chilli powder, Jilakara Menthula podi, salt, ginger garlic paste, tomato and methi leaves.

Squeeze tamarind pulp and add it to the mix..

Tip: To squeeze tamarind pulp quickly, take tamarind in mocrowave safe bowl, add water and microwave it for a minute. Tamarind becomes mushy and becomes easier to squeeze pulp.

Presuure cook the entire mix for 1 whistle.

When the pressure is off, take the lid and let the sambar boil for few more minutes.

Take a small pan, heat oil and add ingredients for tadka and add it to sambar.

Garnish with Cilantro.

Enjoy with white rice or with Idli.

Bagara Rice

Cook any non-vegetarian curry and not cook Bagara rice at our home! I guess it happened only when I made Biryani or fried rice. It is very simple and tasty rice dish.

Ingredients:

Basmati rice- 2 cups

Shahjeera- 1tsp

Oil - 5tbsp

Onion -1

Cardamom -2

Cloves-2

Cinnamon stick- small piece

Star Anise- 2

Ginger garlic paste- 1tsp

Pudina leaves(Mint leaves)- Half bunch

Salt- as per taste

Green chillies- 3-4

Garam masala- 1 tsp

Dhaniya powder - 1tsp

Bay leaves - 3-4

Water - 3cups (1.5 cups for 1 cup of basmati rice)

Heat oil in a pan add Shahjeera, Cardamom, Cloves, Cinnamon stick, bay leaves and Star anise.

Add Julienne style cut onions and green chillies.

Add ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute

Add pudina leaves and fry till they are cooked.

Add garam masala and dhaniya powder.

Wash basmati rice and add water, salt and the above mixture.

Tip:I was told a tip on how to correctly add salt when cooking rice. Add the mix to rice and then add salt. Taste the drop of water and it should taste like tear drop.

I usually cook rice in Electric cooker but you can cook the rice any way you want.

Mix the rice couple of times while cooking.

Garnish with Cilantro.

Enjoy with anynon-vegeterian dish/Raita/Bagara Baingan

Dondakaya (Tindora/ Gherkins) Fry

Dondakaya (tindora) is a favorite for many. I used to like dondakaya rather than Okra when I was a kid. But my mom used to say if I need to be good at Math, I need to eat Okra. :) But strangely I never liked Okra but still was good at Math :).

Ingredients:

Dondakaya  (Tindora/ Gherkins) 1lb

Ginger garlic paste - 1tsp

Turmeric 1/2 tsp

Onion -1

Green chillies -6-7

Salt - as per taste

Dhaniya powder - 1 tsp

Oil - 3 tbsp

Wash and cut dondakaya length wise.

Heat a non-stick pan and add oil.

Add Ginger garlic paste, turmeric and fry for few seconds

Add dondakaya pieces, salt and mix them well.

Close it with a lid and let it cook for 5-6 minutes on medium-low flame.

Check and mix the pieces in between.

In the mean while blend onion and green chillies in to a paste using a blender/chopper. This need not be smooth paste.

Add this onion-chilli paste to the fry.

Mix it well and close the lid again and let it cook for few more minutes till the onions are cooked properly.

Now open the lid and fry on medium-high flame for two more minutes stirring constantly to make sure the pieces don't get burned.

By this time Dondakaya pieces will be well cooked.

Add dhaniya powder and fry for few more seconds.

Garnish and Enjoy with Roti/ Rice with Toor dal

Nilla Wafers Pudding

Dessert!! Who doesn't like dessert after a hearty meal.And when it is low in calories and darn easy to make, I would double like it :)
Thanks to my friend, Swetha Ravula who gave this recipe to me and is always a hit among my friends and family.

Ingredients:

One vanilla inst pudding powder mix.

One butterscotch inst pudding powder mix

One 8 oz cool whip fat free(thaw before using it)

One pack nilla wafers( use reduced fat version)

24 oz Skim milk

Mix 12 ounces of milk with vanilla inst. mix in a bowl and beat until fluffy

Add half tub of whipped cream to the above and beat again. Keep aside

Mix remaining milk(12 ounces) with butterscotch inst. mix and beat until fluffy in another bowl.

Add remaining tub of whipped cream and beat again. Keep aside.

And  then arrange in layers in a big wide bowl

Put a layer of vanilla mix, top it with Nilla wafers.and add a layer of butterscotch mix.

Repeat the layers.

Refrigerate overnight.

Andhra Mutton/Lamb Curry

I know a few different varieties in making mutton curry. This is the most traditional one which my grandma used to make. And also a thing to remember is no matter how good cook you are, this curry depends on whether you are using tender mutton pieces or not. The tender the pieces are the tasty the dish will turn out.

Ingredients:

Mutton 2lbs

Oil - 5tbsp

Shahjeera- 1tsp

Onion -1

Cardamom -2

Cloves-2

Cinnamon stick- small piece

Star Anise-1

Turmeric- 1tsp

Ginger garlic paste- 1tsp

Methi leaves(Fenugreek leaves)- Half bunch

Salt- as per taste

Red chilli powder - 2 tsp

Tomato -1

Garam masala- 1 tsp

Dhaniya powder - 1tsp

Cut mutton into medium size pieces and wash it with turmeric and salt.

Take a pressure cooker and heat oil.

Add shahjeera, cardomon,cloves, star anise and cinnamon stick.

Grind onion into paste and add it.

Add turmeric and ginger garlic paste and let it fry for few seconds.

Add methi leaves and fry for a minute.

When onion paste turns into light brown in color, add mutton pieces.

Add salt and red chilli powder and mix the curry well.

Let it cook on medium-high flame for few minutes till the water that is formed has evaporated.

Do not forget to mix the curry every now and then to make sure it doesn't get burnt.

Then add tomato pieces and add a cup of water.

Mix the curry and cook it for 3 whistles.

When the pressue is off, take off the lid and turn on the burner again.

Add garam masala and dhaniya powder and let it cook till it reaches your desired gravy consistency.

Garnish with Cilantro leaves.

Enjoy with Bagara rice/Roti/White rice.

Meal maker (Nutrela Soy Granules) Spinach Curry

One of the other foods high in protein- Soy! I have become a protein freak now a days. I feel that it is just a replacement for vegeterains who miss non vegetarian :). And as my friend-Ramya Maram mentioned it is also good for lactose intolerant people.

Ingredients:

Nutrela Soy granules 1/2 pack

Onion -1

Tomato - 1

Spinach finely chopped - 1Cup

Elaichi (Cardamom) -1

Lavang (Cloves) -2

Oil- 2tbsp

Red chilli powder - 2tsp

Salt - as per taste

Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tsp

Garam masala- 1/2 tsp

Dhaniya Powder- 1/2 tsp

Shahjeera- 1/2 tsp

Coriander leaves- washed and finely chopped.

Boil 4 cups of water and put soy granules in boiled water for 3-4 minutes.

Drain water and let it cool. Squeeze water from granules.

Heat a non-stick pan and put oil.

Add shahjeera, cloves, cinnamon and finely chopped onion. And when the onions become transparent add ginger garlic paste.

Add finely chopped tomato and fry for couple of minutes and then add spinach.

When the spinach is cooked add soaked granules, salt and red chilli powder.

Mix it well and close the lid and let it cook for few minutes on medium flame.

Make sure to stir it in between.

Add garam masala powder and fry for another 3-4 minutes.

Add dhaniya powder at the end and take it to a serving bowl.

Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve hot with Rice/ Chapathi/ Roti. We can make sandwiches too! Tastes yum!