Zucchini chutney

Zucchini is a versatile veggie that can be easily used in Indian cooking. I make sambar, kootu and curry with zucchini. This time I wanted to try making chutney and the result was amazing. You can eat this chutney with dosa, adai or idli or with a bowl of hot rice and ghee. Yum! This is my contribution to Nupur's A-Z of vegetables.

Ingredients2 medium zucchini
4 or 5 red chillies (adjust according to taste)
1 small green chilli (for flavor)
1/2 tsp tamarind paste
2 tbsp of urad dal (split black lentils)
2 cloves of garlic (sliced thin) (optional)
1/2 tsp jeera
A pinch of asafoetida
Salt to taste
Oil as needed

For seasoning
Oil
1/2 tsp of mustard
A few curry leaves
1 red chilli - broken

Method
1. Wash the zucchini, peel the skin and cut into cubes.
2. In a pan roast the red chillies and urad dal without oil. Set aside.
3. Next add oil in the same pan and fry the zucchini till tender.
4. Add the garlic and sauté for a few seconds.
5. Then add the tamarind paste and asafoetida and mix well.
6. Transfer the roasted red chillies, urad dal, raw jeera and zucchini veggie mix to a blender.
7. Add very little water and blend to a paste and add salt to taste.
8. Season with mustard, curry leaves and red chillies.

Fusilli with tri color bell peppers

I came across this recipe in Williams Sonoma's Pasta Cookbook. It looked so colorful that I had to try it out. While the original recipe is for a pasta salad I used the ingredients and came up with a warm pasta dish.

Ingredients 1/2 pound long Fusilli
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
1 orange bell pepper

1 yellow bell pepper
(use any color you want)
1 tsp of garlic paste
1 tsp of drained capers
1 cup of cubed fresh mozzarella cheese
Red pepper flakes to taste
1/2 tsp of pepper powder
Salt to taste
Olive oil as needed

Method
1. Slice the bell peppers into long strips (you can also cut them into rings), brush with olive oil and add salt and pepper and roast (at 350 degrees) in the oven until done. Set aside.
2. Cook the pasta until al dente. Follow the instructions on the package.
3. Pour olive oil in a pan, add the red pepper flakes and garlic paste and sauté.
4. Add the oven roasted bell peppers and mix well.
5. Transfer the cooked pasta and add salt if required.
6. Remove from flame and add cubed mozzarella pieces.
7. Serve hot.

Aloo Pudine ka Saag

I harvested fresh mint from my kitchen garden and tried out this recipe for the RCI Punjab Cuisine event hosted by Richa from 'As Dear As Salt'. I was a bit skeptical when I started making this curry because I felt it might taste very different. But once I made the paste and started sautéing it the whole house was filled with the aroma of fresh mint and it was so good. The curry also tastes yummy. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients
For the gravy
A medium sized bunch of fresh mint (you can reduce the quantity if you find the flavor too strong. I used a handful of leaves because the home grown mint had a very strong flavor)
1/2 cup of crushed tomatoes
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 green chilli
1 big onion

Other ingredients
2 medium sized potatoes
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp amchur powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
A pinch of turmeric powder
1 bay leaf
2 cloves
1 piece of cinnamon
Oil as needed
Salt to taste

Method
1. Make the paste for the gravy and set aside.
2. Either boil the potatoes or simple shallow fry them in oil. I cut the potatoes into cubes and baked them.
3. Pour oil in a pan and add the bay leaf, cloves and cinnamon.
4. Next add the masala paste.
5. Add coriander powder, red chilli powder, amchur and turmeric powder. Mix well and cook till the raw smell disappears. Add water if the gravy becomes thick.
6. Then add the potatoes and salt and bring to a boil.

Goes well with roti or pulao.

Simla mirchi chi peeth perun bhaaji (Green bell peppers curry)

I guess I made it just in time. This is my entry for RCI - Maharashtrian Cuisine - hosted by Nupur from One Hot Stove. Green bell peppers sauteed in a mixture of besan and spices lend a delicious twist to this Maharastrian curry.

Ingredients
4 green bell peppers
1/2 cup besan (chickpea flour) - increase the quantity of besan if you like
1 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp peanut powder (optional)
1/2 tsp dhania powder
A pinch of asafoetida
1 tsp mustard seeds
Salt to taste
Chopped cilantro for garnish
Oil as needed

Method
1. Wash and chop the bell peppers into square pieces.

2. Pour oil in a pan and season with mustard and asafoetida.
3. Add the bell peppers and turmeric powder sauté until half cooked on medium flame.
4. Make a dry mixture of besan, red chilli powder, dhania powder, peanut powder and salt and add to the bell peppers.
5. Continue cooking on a medium flame until the bell peppers turn golden brown.
6. Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro.

Snake gourd curry with green onions and channa dal

I am back with an entry for Nupur's A-Z of vegetables event - for 'S'. This is a delicious curry made with fresh snake gourd. I used green onions to give it a rich color and a light hint of onion in the background. The addition of channa dal makes it a nutritious side dish. This curry goes well with roti or plain rice.

Snake gourd curry

Ingredients
1 cup of chopped snake gourd pieces (I used a medium sized snake gourd)
1 bunch of spring onions - finely chopped
1/2 cup of channa dal - soaked in water for 2 hours
1 tsp of mustard seeds
1 tsp of jeera
1 tsp of red chilli powder
1 tsp of dhania powder
A pinch of turmeric powder
3 or 4 pods of garlic - crushed
Salt to taste
A few curry leaves
Cilantro for garnish

Method
1. Pour oil in a pan and add the mustard. Once it splutters add the jeera, curry leaves and garlic.
2. Next add the green onions and saute until tender.
3. Drain the channa dal from the water and add to the onions. Saute for 2-3 minutes.
4. Next add the snake gourd pieces, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, dhania powder and salt and mix well.
5. Add 1/2 cup of water, cover and cook till the snake gourd pieces become tender.
6. Remove the lid and cook till the water evaporates.
7. Garnish with cilantro.

Sweet nothings!

I am back again with a post finally. The last few weeks have been really hectic. Here is my contribution to Coffee's MBP - Something Sweet - for May 2007. Infact, I have not one but a few tried and tested recipes here.

Maple Pecan Cake - This is the best cake I have had in a long time. The best part is that it has maple syrup and no butter at all except for very little vegetable oil. This is truly a big hit. Thanks to Shammi of Food in the main and Taste Goblet for the recipe. Click here and here to view the recipe for maple pecan cake.

Orange Loaf Cake - an amazing cake from my My Rasoi. This cake tastes just like a regular pound cake but does not need one pound of butter. Plus it has a orange taste going on in the background and is simply delicious.

Pecan~Chocolate Chip~Banana~Bread from Baking Bites (formerly Baking Sheet). Click here for the recipe. This bread is fresh and tasty with crunchy pecans and gooey chocolate chips. This bread is a must try along with a steaming cup of coffee.

Eggless Orange Sponge Cake - an easy to make cake from Menu Today. Click here for the recipe.

Banana Payasam from Soumya's blog - The Home Spices. This is a simple yet delicious dessert that will be ready in minutes.

Palak Paneer

This is a recipe I tried out from Seema's blog - Recipe Junction. I must say that this is the most delicious palak paneer I ever had. I may never go back to my earlier method of making a spinach puree for palak paneer. This is my contribution to Nupur's 'P' of Indian vegetables. Thanks Seema for this wonderful and delicious recipe.

Ingredients

1 box of frozen chopped spinach
1 big onion - chopped
1 big tomato - chopped
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
3 or 4 green chillies
1 cup paneer - cubed and sautéed until brown
1 tsp red chilli powder (adjust to taste)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp garam masala powder
1 tsp paprika
1/2 cup half and half

Method

1. Thaw the spinach in the microwave. Pour oil in a pan and sauté until soft. If you are using frozen spinach it's important you use the chopped variety.
2. Fry the onions and tomatoes till tender.
3. Add the red chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, paprika, green chillies and ginger garlic paste and sauté until well blended.
4. Cool and make a paste of this sautéed mixture.
5. Add oil in a pan and cook this paste till the raw smell disappears.
6. Transfer the reserved spinach, add salt and half and half and let it boil.
7. You can add water if you feel the gravy is thick.
8. Add the paneer pieces and mix well.
9. Serve with roti or pulao.

RCI ~ TAMIL CUISINE ~ ROUNDUP

A big thanks to all of you for participating in the RCI – Tamil Cuisine Event in April 2007. I hope all of you had a lot of fun cooking and sending in your entries. I received many entries – infact 74 to be precise - for this event (some bloggers had posted many recipes in one entry and I split them under various heads as separate entries). It was amazing to see so many new food bloggers enthusiastically sending entries to the event. A warm welcome to all the new food bloggers who have started this wonderful culinary journey.

I have categorized the entries into broad heads as it will be easy to browse through the recipes. Hold your breath as here comes the roundup…

Here’s a peek into what a perfect Tamil meal looks like.
Sharmi from Neivedyam has come up with a whole spread that signifies the Tamil Cuisine.

Deepz from Letz Cook has sent us this vazhai elai saapadu (food served on a banana leaf) a perfect example of wedding meals.


Tiffin
Arisi Upma from Menu Today
Sevai upma - Trupti from The spice who loved me

Upma made by Sajeda of Chachis kitchen

Venpongal from Swapna of Susarlas kitchen

Temple style tamarind rice - Usha from Samayal Ulagam

Masal for masala dosa from Mythreyee of Try This Recipe

Hot pongal and kadalai paruppu chutney from Deepa of Recipesnmore



Lentil donuts in lentil soup vada - Padmaja from Spicy Andhra

Oothappam from Suma of Veggie Platter

Lemon Sevai from LakshmiK of Veggie Cuisine

Spinach uttapam - Coffee from the The Spice Cafe

Tamraind rice - Swapna from Swad of India


Thayir vadai - Priya from Priya's Kitchen

Rawa dosa - Richa from As Dear As Salt

Rawa idli from Mommy friendly recipes

Elumichampazha sadam - Aarti from Aartis corner

Venpongal and Sambar - Sreedevi from Sreelu's tasty travels

Snacks
Murukku - Prema from My Cookbook

Javarsi Vadam - Deepa from Recipesnmore

Yelai vadam - Hema from Vegconcoctions


Rasam
Takkali Rasam - Sharmi from Neivedyam

Paruppu rasam - Jas from Just for fun

Rasam - Kajal from Kajal Dreams

Neem flower rasam - Suganya from Tasty Palettes

Tomato rasam - Coffee from The spice cafe


Spicy rasam - Reena from Spices of Kerala

Vepampoo rasam - Sneha from Kadambam

Podis and chutneys
Paruppu thuvaiyal - Viji from Vcuisine

Paruppu podi - - Sharmi from Neivedyam

Karuvepillaipodi - Revathi from En Ulagam

Rasam powder - Coffee from The spice cafe


Sambar
Arachu vitta sambar - Sheela from Delectable Victuals

Vendakkai sambar - Sharmi from Neivedyam

Sambar - Coffee from The spice cafe

Kootu
Beans kootu - Viji from Vcuisine

Kootu - Bee from Jugalbandi

Pudalangai molagootal - Roopa from Recipe of Choice


Keerai poritha molagootal - Sapna from Indian Monsoon

Sorakkai pal kootu - Sharmi from Neivedyam

Peerakangai kootu - Pavani from Cooks Hideout

Kosu kootu - Lakshmiammal from Cook Food Serve Love



Kuzhambu
Milagu kuzhambu - Viji from Vcuisine

Vatral Kuzhambu - Ayesha from Vivakaarasamayal


Chithambara Kothsu from Menu Today


Morkozhambu - Prema from My cookbook

Thalaga kozhambu - Kanchana from Married to a desi

Poondu kozhambu - Pearlin from Purl up and Crochet

Murungakai vathakozhambu - Ranjani from Eat and talk


Mor kozhambu - Bharathy from Spicy Chilly


Vatral kozhambu - Santhi from Me and my food thoughts

Vatral Kozhambu - Nupur from One hot stove


Celery kuzhambu - Bhagyashree from Crazy Curry


Thakkali kurma - Revathi from En Ulagam



Poriyal (dry curries)
Chettinadu style uppu kari - Sigma from Live to eat

Potato in Tambram cuisine - Nandita from Saffron Trail

Raw banana vegetable - Manasi from A cook at heart

Green peas with lovage seeds - Swapna from Swad of India

Keerai as a side dish - Pooja of Creative Pooja

Other curries
Ennai Kathirikai - Sharmi from Neivedyam

Vadakari - Jas from Just for fun

Keerai masiyal - Pearlin from Purl up and Crochet

Keerai masiyal - Nandita from Saffron Trail


Payatham parrupu masial - Deepika from Ammalus kitchen

Non-vegetarian
Chettinad chicken curry - Sailaja from Sailu's food


Mutton biryani - Maheshwari from Beyond the usual

Sweets/Desserts
Asoga - Priya from Live to cook


Rava kesari - Sharmi from Neivedyam

Sweet pongal - Asha from Foodies Hope



Adhirasam - Prema from My cookbook

Miscellaneous
Neer Moru - Sharmi from Neivedyam

Spiced buttermilk - Swapna from Swad of India

Check out an online index of blogged tamil dishes at Tamil Cuisine started by Revathi and Prema Sundar.

The more the merrier. Also check out the Tambram Recipes at Nandita's blog - The Saffron Trail.