Methi Matar Malai

Methi Matar Malai

Methi  Matar Malai is a Punjabi north Indian dish. It is very flavorful, aromatic and rich dish. As the name says this dish is a combination of fenugreek leaves, green peas and cream. It is a mild sweet gravy. 

Methi Matar Malai is a very good pair for naan, kulcha and paratha.

Ingredients:

Fenugreek leaves - 2 Cups

Green Peas - 1 Cup

Cream - 2 Tsp

Oil- 3 Tsp

Turmeric- 1/4 Tsp

Chilly powder - 1/2 Tsp

Coriander powder - 1/2 Tsp

Garam Masala - 1/2 Tsp

Salt to taste

Coriander leaves for garnishing

For masala paste:

Oil - 1 Tsp

Onion - 1 medium size roughly chopped

Tomato  1/2 Medium size roughly chopped

Cumin seeds - 1/2 Tsp

Ginger and Garlic - 1 Tsp

Cashew and almond - 10 to 12

Method :

1. Pluck the methi leaves, wash them and chop it finely.

2. In a pan add 1 tsp oil and cumin seeds.

3. When the seeds cracks add roughly chopped onions, ginger and garlic.

4. Fry the onions till they turn translucent.

5. Add roughly chopped tomato, cashew and almond.

6. Saute it till tomato becomes soft.

 7. Let the mixture cool for few minutes. Transfer mixture to the mixing grinder and grind to a smooth paste.

8. In a kadai heat oil and add finely chopped methi leaves.

9. Stir it for 2 to 3 minutes it reduces in volume then add the spice powder ( chilly powder, turmeric, and coriander powder).

10. Saute it for 2 min and add pureed masala paste.

11. Add some water. Let it boil for 2 min in a medium flame.

12. Add fresh or frozen green peas.

13. Boil it for few minutes till the green peas gets cooked. Add malai and salt to taste.

14. Saute it and add garm masala. cook it for a minute and switch off the flame.

15.Serve hot Methi Matar Malai with roti , naan, kulcha or paratha.

Tiffin Sambar

Tiffin Sambar

Tiffin sambar is south Indians favorite. This sambar is a best pair with idli, vada, dosa, pongal and almost all the south Indian breakfasts.

 There are many variations in preparing this sambar. Some people add moong dal while few others use combination of 2, 3 dals. Here i am using toor dal. For this sambar their is no need of adding jaggery and tamarind as i am using tomato.

I like to use freshly ground sambar powder. It does not require any roasting. The taste and aroma of the sambar depends on the powder used.

When it comes to veggies, Tiffin Sambar is always made with potato and onion shallots. But you can adopt this and make it with other veggies also.

Ingredients:

Oil - 3 Tsp

Mustard seeds - 1/2 Tsp

Asafoetida - 1 Pinch

Curry Leaves -  5 to 6 leaves

Green chilly - 1 Num (optional)

Onion Shallots - 12 to 15 Num

Turmeric- 1/4 Tsp

Toor dal - 1/2 Cup

Potato - 1 Medium size

Tomato - 1/2 Medium size

Salt to taste 

Lemon Juice - 1 Tsp (optional)

Coriander leaves - 1 Tsp finely chopped

For Sambar Powder:

Red chilly - 2 to 3 

Poppy seeds - 1/2 Tsp

Black Peppercorns - 10 to 12 Num

Coriander seeds - 1/2 Tsp

Cinnamon stick - small piece

Cumin seeds - 1/2 Tsp

Method:

1. Pressure cook toor dal and chopped potato together with 1 cup of water.

2. Powder the ingredients mentioned in for sambar powder.

        

3. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds.

4. When mustard seeds start sputtering add asafoetida, curry leaves and slit green chilly.

5. Add onion shallots and turmeric.

6. Fry onion shallots till it turns light brown.

7. Add cooked toor dal and potato to the fried shallots.

8. Add finely powdered sambar powder, lemon juice and salt to taste.

9. Add chopped tomato.

10. If require add some water depending on the consistency you want. Bring it to boil.

11. When sambar begins to boil switch off the flame and add finely chopped coriander leaves. 

12. Serve hot Tiffin Sambar with idli, vada, dosa, or pongal.

Rice Idli

Rice Idli

Idli is a south Indian famous and most common breakfast. Sambar and chutney is a very good combination for idli.

There are many varieties and variations in idli. They are rice idli, rawa idli, ragi idli, vermicelli idli, masala idli.

In this recipe  i am using rice rawa instead of idli rice which is very easy to prepare as we do not need to grind the rice. Idli made using rice rawa will be very soft.  I am  not using poha or fenugreek seeds. Its a very simple recipe using only 2 ingredients. 

Ingredients:

Rice Rawa - 1 Cup

Urad dal - 1/2 Cup

Salt - 1/2 Tsp

Oil for greasing idli molds

Method:

1. Wash and soak urad dal for 4 to 5 hours.

2. Drain off the water from urad dal and add it to the wet grinder or mixing jar.

3. Add 1/4 cup of water and grind it for some seconds till you get the smooth batter.

4.Transfer it to the vessel and add rice rawa.

5. Mix it well adding salt. Batter should be thicker then dosa batter.

6. Keep it aside for fermenting for 8 to 10 hours in a warm place.

7. After fermentation you will get to see the rise in the level  of idli batter.

8. Grease the idli mold with  oil.

9. With a spoon pour the idli batter into the molds.

10. In a steamer or in a pressure cooker add some water. When the water starts boiling place the idli molds in the steamer or pressure cooker (If you are using pressure cooker do not use weight). Steam it for 10 to 15 minutes in a medium flame.

11. Let it rest for another 2 min and remove the lid.

12. With a spoon remove the idlis. Serve hot and soft Rice Idli with sambar and chutney.

Hagala kayi Gojju / Bitter gourd Curry

Hagala kayi Goju / Bitter gourd Curry

Bitter gourd / Hagala kayi is a healthy vegetable which controls the sugar level for diabetic patients. It has many nutritional values. It has a very low calorie [ 1 Cup = 20 Calories ]. 

As the name itself says it is bitter in taste. so their should be right proportion of salt, sweet, spice and sour.

Ingredients:

Hagala kayi / Bitter gourd - 2 Num

Jaggery - 4 Tsp

Tamarind pulp - 4 Tsp

Turmeric - 1/4 Tsp

Salt to Taste

Finely chopped Coriander leaves for garnishing.

For Masala;

Red Chilly - 2 Num

Cumin seeds - 1/2 Tsp

Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 Tsp

Cinnamon - Small piece

Channa dal - 2 Tsp

Dry coconut - 3 Tsp

Curry leaves - 2 to 3 Num

For Tempering:

Oil - 4 Tsp

Mustard seeds - 1/2 Tsp

Curry Leaves - 3 to 4 

Asafoetida - 1 Pinch

Method :

1. Wash the bitter gourd and cut it lengthwise.

 

2. Remove the seeds.

3. Chop it to small pieces.

4. Dry roast all the ingredients mentioned in 'for masala'. Roast dry coconut and curry leaves seperately.

5. Once it is cooled adding water grind it to the smooth paste.

6. In apan add oil and mustard seeds. When it starts sputter add asafoetida and curry leaves.

7. Add finely chopped bitter gourd and turmeric.

8. More you fry the more you can get rid of bitterness.

9. It reduce volume and the colour changes.

10. At this stage add the pureed masala paste, Tamarind pulp, jaggery, and salt to taste. Add some water.

11. Let it cook for sometime. check the taste and if you need anything more in the taste you can add.

12. The color will completely changes.

13. Serve Hagala Kayi  Gojju / Bitter gourd Curry hot or cold.