Thursday, September 25, 2003
Vegetable Biriyani
o 2 medium Potatos medium cubed
o 3 cups basmati rice; soak for 30 mins or more
o 1/2 cup peas; 1 cubed carrots; 1 cup cut beans
Masala:
o 1 tsp soonf; 2 pieces cinnamon sticks; 1 tsp cardomom powder; 5 cloves; dry roast and powder them
o 1/4 cup coconut gratings; 10 green chilies; 1tsp poppy seeds; 1 onion cut;
o grind everything above into a masala paste
o Fry vegetables in 2tbsp oil; set aside
o Fry rice in 2 tbsp oil; add masala and cook in low heat for 10 mins
o add vegetables after that; cook lo heat 5 mins
o take large pot; put a ring/small flat cup; lots of water in it;
o xfer everything to a large vessel add 6 cups water; put a ring under the vessel and set in the pot.
o cook in hi heat for 1 hour
Friday, August 29, 2003 Italian Dinner
Garlic Bread
o Buy a nice SourDough bread (Albertsons have good ones)
o SmartBalance (no transfats) margerine spread
o Take about 2 tblspoon spread + 1 tsp crystalized garlic powder + 1 tsp dried parsley + 1 tsp parmesan cheese optional
o mix them up; whisk with a fork, melt a little if you want etc.
o Spread on bread and heat at 375 deg. in oven until it is done (maybe 10-15 mins)
AntiPasto (Tomato)
o Just cut ripe tomato into little wedges. Season with some kosher salt + ground pepper; Pour some olive oil and mix well
o Cut red onions into thin ribbons or rings. Dice red bell pepper well; season with salt, pepper and some olive oil
o Southwestern frozen veggie mix; just saute in grill pan with some salt; finally add some lemon juice
o If you have left over boiled pasta just take that + some cut and grilled squash + some diced onion; add salt, pepper, lemon juice, olive oil
Saturday, August 02, 2003
Bean and peas Dosa or Adai
o 1 cup moong dal (soaked in warm water for 30 mins)
o 1 cup frozen peas (soaked in water)
o 1 onion, 4 chilies, few sprigs cilantro, etc.
o Grind them with little water to a paste and make dosas
Fenugreek idly:
o 1 cup idly rice; 5 tsp fennugreek seeds
o you can soak them separately and grind them or grind them all together
both recipes from sun tv
Veggie Strudel Sticks
o I used 1 med onion; 1 tomato; 4 green chilies or 1/2 tsp red chily powder
o 1 diced potato; 1 cup diced cabbage; 1 cup peas and carrots; all steamed not boiled
o Dice onion, tomato, chillies; saute with oil in a pan
o finally put the steamed vegetables
o mix them all together and finally put garam masala powder 2 tsp (or curry powder will also work i guess)
o take pastry flaky sheets out of freezer 2 hours in advance. you can also move them from freezer to cooler section a day earlier. You can put 2 thin bed of veggies and seal the edges. you need atleast 1 tbsp butter to paint over the sheets.
o Or you can deep fry them like samosas with wanton wrappers to make spring rolls or samosas.
Gazbacho soup from food 911
o 2 seeded tomatos (squeeze the juice and deseed them)
o old bread soaked
o 1 cup cucumber
o 1 cup onion
o 1 cup mixed peppers
o paprika
o blend them together; put back strained tomato juice
o put paprika
o put any herbs on it
o chill and serve
Friday, July 04, 2003
Recipes from
my-keralaAviyal1 or 2 green chilies
one teaspoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon turmeric powder
raw coconut or coconut powder (½ cup)
salt to taste (one teaspoon)
3 Tablespoons yogurt or 1 Tablespoon lemon juice or 1/3 cup diced raw mango
fresh curry leaves or pre-soaked dry curry leaves
5 cups mixed vegetables (kumbalanga, kathirikka, padavallanga or padaval, muringakka, raw plantain, carrots (1 or 2 only, else it becomes too sweet), japanese or any variety long eggplant, long beans or french beans, cucumber, potatoes, zucchini other kinds of squash, and canned drumsticks.
If using plantain or raw banana, cut into long strips ( 2 inches x half inch x .25 inches approx.) and mix with some yogurt (2 tablespoons) and keep aside for 10 minutes. Rinse well before boiling. If using canned drumsticks, add only at the very end. Also reduce the salt you add.
Boil the veggies with water (say ½ cup), salt and turmeric powder. When boiling add very little water if the veggies you add are rich in water (cucumber, cumbalanga etc.) Add the sliced green chilies to the boiling vegetables if you don't like it too hot. Else blend it with the coconut. Add the veggies that take longer to cook like plantain first, then beans etc. Meanwhile, blend the coconut to a smooth or semi-smooth paste with the green chilies or half the green chilies, and cumin. When the veggies are almost cooked, add this blended paste and curry leaves cook for a few minutes. Finally add the yogurt/lime juice/raw mango and mix it in. You can season with mustard seeds if you wish but I prefer not to add any more oil (the coconut has enough of it).
Serve the above with rice, pappadums and plantain chips.
Aviyal (Alternate)1 c. grated coconut
¼ tsp. Turmeric
¼ tsp. red chile powder
salt
mustard seeds
oil
3 or 4 Tbs. Yogurt
¼ c. water
2 or 3 Tomato, cut into long pieces
1 medium Onion, cut it into long slices
2 to 4 Green chile, according to how hot you want; cut it long
curry leaves
1 or 2 Potato or Carrot
2 or 3 cucumber
1 zucchini squash
1 chokko squash
½ raw (green) banana
10 or 12 green beans (or long green beans)
Cut all veggies into long pieces, 1 inch long, and 0.5 cm thick.
Note: You can avoid either or both squash if you like to; also banana if it is too gluggy. But you need all the others. You can add chena, padavalam, muringakkaya, etc. if you can get them. Cut them all in the same way (except muringakkaya, cut it into 1.5" long pieces and split into half), same length and thickness as others.
Put them in a pot in layers, beans and carrot at the bottom, then chokko, then banana, then potato, then zuchini, then add the onion slices, cut green chilees and curry leaves, then put the coconut, turmeric and chile powder (spread it on the top, all three), then put tomato slices, and then cucumber on the top.
Then pour water, cover with a lid and cook in low-medium flame. When it is cooked, add salt, and then stir well, careful not to break the vegetable pieces. If there is plenty water, keep it for a while to be dried up. Heat the oil, add mustard seeds, and curry leaves, add it to the above mix. Then add the yogurt and stir well, adding enough salt of your taste. Serve and enjoy!
Note: After adding the yogurt, don't heat it up, as it will get watery then. So if you want to put some in the refrigerator for the next day, take it first and add yogurt to the rest. You can add yogurt to the other when you are going to have it, after warming it up first. Hope you enjoy.
Pulisseri (yogurt curry) ½ Onion, cut into small pieces
2 or 3 Green chile, cut long
¼ tsp. Turmeric powder
½ tsp. chile powder
¼ tsp. methi (uluva/fenugreek) powder
¼ tsp. cumin (jeerakam) powder
oil
salt
mustard seeds
curry leaves
1 or 2 zuchini squash/chayote squash/green apple (grannysmith), cut into pieces
2 c. Yogurt (wholemilk one is better), whipped well.
Heat oil, fry mustard seeds, then add onion, green chile and stir for a while. Then add curry leaves (optional), and then all the powders and salt. Stir for a few seconds, then add the veg. pieces, and a cup of water. Cover it and cook. When cooked, take it off the stove, and after a while (when cooled down a bit) add the yogurt to it, stir well. And it is ready! Note: (You can use ripe mango instead of squash/apple if you like. Also, you can add coriander leaves if you like.)
Thoran (vegetables simmered in coconut milk) ½ lb. Beans/Carrot/Yellow or Mexican Squash/Beetroot note: If using Carrot or Beetroot, grate them. If others, cut them into small pieces (cubes). You can also use carrot and beans together; then cut carrots too into small cubes.
½ tsp. chile powder
¼ tsp. turmeric powder
½ c. dessicated/shredded coconut
1/3 onion cut into small pieces
oil
salt
mustard seeds
curry leaves (optional).
Heat oil, fry mustard seeds, then add onion, and stir until it turns light brown. Then add salt, then chile and turmeric, and stir well. Add coconut, stir well for while, and then add the veg. Cover it and cook on a low flame. Give a stir once a while between a couple of minutes, until it is cooked. Thoran ready! (You can add cumin powder [a pinch] too if you like.)
Erissery Green bananas or plantains (nenthrakkay) - cubed
turmeric powder - 1 teaspoon
chili powder - 1 teaspoon
cummin seeds - ½ teaspoon
mustard seeds - ¼ teaspoon
urad dal - ¼ teaspoon
coconut, grated - ½ cup (may substitute des. coconut)
coconut for garnish - 1 tablespoon
black pepper - ¼ teaspoon
curry leaves - a few
salt to taste
oil - 1 teaspoon
Soak the cut plantains in warm water mixed with half teaspoon turmeric for ten minutes. Drain and cook the plantains with the remaining turmeric and salt. Grind the coconut well with cumin and add to the cooked plantains. Let it simmer. Meanwhile, heat the oil and pop the mustard seeds. Add the urad dal and the coconut reserved for garnish and stir till browned. Add this mixture to the eriserry and mix in the curry leaves.
KichadiIngredients
1. Cucumber 150 gm
2. Green Chilli 5
Mustard 1 teaspoon
Coconut ground 1 cup
3. Curd ¼ litre
4. Coconut oil 2 table spoon
dry chilli 3 cut into two
curry leaves a few
Salt to taste
Method
Cut cucumber into small pieces and cook in salt and water. Grind item no. 2 and add to cucumber. Cook for 5 minutes and then add curd. Low the fire and keep on stirring till it is just about to boil. Remove from the flame. Season it with dry chilli, mustard and curry leaves.
Cabbage Thoran Ingredients
chopped cabbage - 3 cups
turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
green chilies - 2 or 3
des. or fresh coconut - 1/2 cup
garlic cloves - 3
onion - 1 small (optional)
urad dal - 1 teaspoon
mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
oil - 1 teaspoon
salt to taste
Preparation
Chop the onion. Heat the oil on medium heat and add the mustard seeds. When they pop, add the urad dal and curry leaves. Then add the onions and sauté till browned.
Now add the cabbage, turmeric powder and salt. Stir for a while, lower the heat and cook covered for five minutes.
Crush the garlic and cumin seeds and add to the cabbage along with the green chilies and the coconut.
Stir for a few more minutes and remove from heat.
Beans ThoranBeans 1/2 kg
Onion (small) 3
Coconut (grated) 1 cup
Green chilli 3
Mustard seed 1tsp
Garlic 2pod
Oil 1 tbsp
Turmeric 1pinch
Curry leaves few
Salt to taste
Method
Cut beans into very small piece. Grind coconut, turmeric, onion, green chilli together. Add one table spoon of oil in to a frying pan ( cheena chatti in malayalam) and add mustard. When the mustard pops add beans, garlic and mix well. Then add the ground coconut masala and do not mix but the masala should be covered by the beans. Add curry leaf and salt to taste. Keep the pan covered and cook in a low flame for 5 minutes. Stir well and serve hot.
Note
For easy cooking one can add coconut, onion, chilli directly to the beans without grinding.
Paal paayasamIngredients
10 cups milk
2 dsp brown broken rice
half a tin condenced milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup cashew nut sliced lengthwise
1/2 tsp cardomom powder
Preparation
Mix 2 cups of water and 2 cups of milk and boil. Add rice and cook well, add the remaining milk, condenced milk and sugar. When it thickens, add cashewnuts and stir continusly till it becomes quick thick. Add cardomom powder mixed in milk.Use either hot or cold.
Monday, June 02, 2003
Chinese Dinner
stir frying
I have tried out frozen stirfry mix in the past but usually they came out either soggy or they had that yucky frozen vegetables taste. I have figured out how to cook the frozen veggies the best. For stir fry the key is to have a thick wok like aluminium wok which takes in all the heat and uniformly distributes it over the area of veggies. Thin woks do not give out the even high heat. It also needs a good spoon which has a large surface area slightly curved in and hopefully has holes in it that can turn veggies. Stir frying needs somewhat constant turning of the veggies or they can get burned and also they have to be exposed to heat in their entire surface area in a short amount of time.
Typically you need about 1 tbsp oil (canola oil works okay) and then after oil heats up grind in some black pepper and sprinkle red pepper flakes just before throwing in the veggies.
Lots of times the recipes call for diced onions, ginger and garlick but you can really do without these. Celery substitutes deliciously for onions and with that ginger and garlick are not really needed.
Fried Rice
o Take 1 extra firm (azumaya) tofu tub and cut it to pea size small chunks
o 2-3 big celery stalks cut very thin
o 1 cup frozen peas and carrots
o 2 cups cooked rice; old rice is good, just heat it in microwave for 2 mins spray some oil on it wet your fingers and crumble the rice clumps; sprinkle some soy sauce on it
o 1/2 portion of those tofu chunks; marinate that in about 1 tbsp hotnspicy stir fry sauce
- Heat up 1 tbsp of oil (canola oil is fine) and grind some pepper init
- First stir fry celery and peas and carrots; after sometime sprinkle 1/2 tsp of mild soy sauce
- Sprinkle some red pepper flakes
- Then put tofu on it and stir fry tofu with veggies
- Finally put the cooked rice and stir fry everything; you could put some fried scallions on it as finishing touch.
Stir Fried Vegetables
o I bought Trader Joe's Asian Stir Fry vegetables with Beijing Style Sauce
o I first stir fried 1/2 tub of tofu sprinkling some mild soy sauce and 1/2 of sauce in the package; set it aside
o Then i stir fried veggies well and then added sauce
o finally mixed tofu with veggies
Chow Mein/ Stir Fried Noodles
o I used the fresh quick dinner noodles that comes with sauce powder from Safeway
o I first stir fried 1 cup cut celery, 1 cup frozen peas and carrots with some mild soy sauce and red pepper flakes; set aside
o I then stir fried the noodles and finally mixed the veggies with chow mein
Thursday, May 29, 2003
Vegetable Biriyani(or Pulao)
o Soak 2 cups basmati rice in water before you begin
o 1/2 head cauliflower cut to small pieces
o 1 large potato cut to small pieces
o 1/2 carrot cut; 1/2 green bellpepper; 1/2 cup peas
o Put all these vegetables in the steamer and steam it
o Masala: Grind 3 tbsp coconut; 15 small green chilies; 1/2 tsp soonf; 1 cinnamon stick; 5 grambu; 4 cardomom; 5-10 cashewnuts;
make sure you grind the spices and coconut without water so it becomes a good paste
o 1 big tomato diced; 1 medium onion diced
o 1 cup mint
o fry onions in 3 tbsp oil; add tomatos + salt; put masala and fry
o drain water from rice and put it into the pan with onions and masala; put mint on top
o put steamed vegetables and fry;
o Put everything into electric rice cooker and pour 3 1/2 cups - 4 cups of water; you could put 1/4 stick of butter into it if you want
o stir occasionally and take off after done.
tomato raita
o 4 little green chilies
o 1 big tomato diced + salt
o heat up oil + 1 tsp chana dal + 1 tsp urid dal + mustard seeds + curry leaves + hing and after mustard popped throw tomatos and chilies
o medium heat for a while
o whisk 1/4 tub of yogurt in a vessel + salt
o after tomato done, mix with yogurt
Vegetable Soup
o 1 medium onion diced + 2 garlic cloves + 6-8 green chilies slivered + 1/2 inch ginger
o put the above in 2 tbsp oil and fry
o cut celary bunch into small pieces; 1 carrot into small pieces; add to onion; add salt
o 1 potato if you want; 10 green beans if you want; 1 green onion; 1/2 bag spinach ; add to pan; add 1 cup water;
o 1 cup peas; 1 cup butter beans if you want; add to pan; add 3 cups water and boil
o when boiling well, add 1 cup of veg broth
o leave it for about 30 mins
Monday, May 19, 2003
Cauliflower Kurma o 1/2 head cauliflower cut into small pieces
o 2 sliced potatos
o 1 cup carrot and peas frozen
o 1 medium onion
o masala: 3 tbsp coconut frozen; 12 green chilies; 3 tbsp puffed/baked yellow chick peas (pottu kadalai);
2 tsp soonf seeds; 2 small cinnamon strips; 6 cardomom pods; 2 large tomatos
o Put the vegetables in a steamer and steam them well. You can put potatos into the water down the steamer.
o grind masala first the spices and after it is powdered then the water and tomatos
o Fry onions with 2 tbsp oil (with salt) and later add 1 cinnamon stick
o later put masala and boil
o later put the vegetables and boil
o top/garnish with some cilantro leaves
Aloo-Gobi-Mutter masala This is a simple and fairly quick recipe.
o Heat a pot with lots of water adding salt and throw 2 cut potatoes in it.
o Cut 1/2 head cauliflower, 1/2 cup frozen peas, 2 roma/med size tomatos
o Put a steamer vessel on top of the pot and throw the vegetables in it; this will take 15-20mins.
o Toast 2 tsp coriander seeds, 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, 8 large red chilies
o Put the spices + 1/2 tsp turmeric into the blender and powder
o Then put 2 cut tomatos into the blender and blend
o In a pan put 1 med size cut onion (with salt) with 2 tbsp oil and saute.
o After it turns translucent, put the masala from blender and boil until raw flavor goes away
o Then put the vegetables, turn to medium heat add salt, keep in fire for about 5 mins.
Thursday, May 08, 2003
Quick Dinner 2o 40-50 mins if you multithread
o Keep 2 cups of rice (8 cups water) in large pot
o Keep 2 cups of toor dal + turmeric + 4 cups of water + 2 medium tomatos in cooker
o Put Spinach in the steamer with some salt
o if you already have toor dal, blanch 2 tomatos in water
Garlic Rasam o 2 Garlick cloves sliced + 6 red chilies + 1 tsp (10-15 perls) black pepper + 1/2 tsp jeera powder in grinder
o Boil water 3 cups + salt + turmeric + curry leaves
o after a while put 2 tsp tamarind paste
o put the powder and boil
o Keep 4 large garlick cloves peeled and sliced and fry it in oil
o after this is done put garlic and then popped mustard seeds + hing
Spinach sambar o Take those 2 tomatos and make a smooth puree; add turmeric + salt and boil (4 cups)
o after 10 mins take that steamed spinach, mash and put it in
o after 10 mins add 1 tbsp tamarind paste
o after 5 mins add 1 tbsp sambar powder
o take off after 5 mins; heat oil put mustard seeds + hing + curry leaves and garnish
Dutch small potatos curry o boil water with turmeric + salt; put 22 oz pkg of dutch small potatos; boil well
o cut 1/2 onion;
o heat oil in a pan; put 1 tsp urid dal, 1tsp channa dal, 6 cut chilies, 1 tsp mustard, hing, curry leaves
o put onion and fry until translucent
o put boiled potatos and fry
Quick Dinner
This can be prepared in around 30-40 mins if done methodically.
Tip: Do not overheat vessels
serves 2-4
o First start cooking enough rice for the dinner
Tangy squash
1 tomato
1 canned diced tomato
2 spoons tamarind
2 tsp salt
1 tsp turmeric
Put this in blender and blend well
Vattal Puli Kulambu
1/2 of the above squash
Heat 1 cup water and put 2 tbsp coconut milk powder
o Fry sukkangai and sundaikai or anyother vatthal or small onions in 2 tbsp oil
o Put the squash and turmeric and salt and boil for sometime until raw smell goes away
o then put coconut milk powder
o put 3 tbsp (1 karandi, 50 gms) sakthi masala; boil well
o garnish with 2 tbsp hot oil + mustard seeds + hing + curry leaves
o garnish with a few coriander leaves
Tomato Rasam
o Boil 1/2 of above squash with a few curry leaves and 3 divided green chilies
o Adjust water content and add salt as you need
o Finally put 1 heaped tbsp rasam powder; do not boil too much after this maybe about 5 mins or the aroma goes away
o garnish with 2 tbsp hot oil + mustard seeds + hing + curry leaves
o garnish with a few coriander leaves; this lifts the aroma of the rasam
o This will make about 3-4 cups rasam
Kidney Beans Sundal
o tip: do not overheat pan
o open 1 tin of red kidney beans; drain in colander; wash well; put it in a mixing bowl; sprinkle salt, turmeric
o prepare urid dal + chana dal + hing + + mustard seeds + hing + 5 small cut green chilies + curry leaves 1 sprig
o hot oil put the ingredients in that order
o after mustard pops, put beans; fry for 10-15 mins
o finally squeeze 1 full lemon or lime or bottled lime juice (dont overuse this)
o Put some cilantro leaves and leave for about 5 mins
Wednesday, May 07, 2003
MenusChow Chow chutney
Rasam
Keerai Koottu
Eggplant sesame kozhambu
Rasam
Beans sabji like poriyal
Kadugupuli
kothavarangai Usili
Rasam
Cabbage
Avaraikai Kootu (poricha)
Mango pacchadi
Rasam
Kozhambu sadam (with lots of vegetables)
Pachadi
Tuesday, May 06, 2003
Roasted RedPepper Onion Sandwich
1 BellPepper
1/2 Onion
Cut both vegetables to 1/2 inch pieces and put it in a mixing bowl
sprinkle with garlic olive oil and balsamic vinegar and italian seasoning
leave for 10 mins
Heat up Grill Pan and throw the vegs in it
Mix 1 tblspoon yogurt + pepper + salt + chalupa pepper sauce
Make sandwich with yogurt mayo + tomatos + roasted vegs
Eat with creamy campbell tomato soup made with milk + soup + italian seasoning
Thursday, May 01, 2003
Cabbage poriyal
o 1 head cabbage
o 1 green pepper
o 4 large red chilies
- heat oil medium; put chana dal, urid dal, hing, fry
- put mustard pop seeds, put curry leaves
- put green pepper; fry
- put cabbage shreaded + salt
- heat medium cover and cook 20-30 mins
Today's morning menu:
Cauliflower Sambar + Cabbage Poriyal
Cauliflower Sambar
o 1/2 head cauliflower
o 1 cup frozen peas
o 2 tomatos
o 4 green chilies
o 1/2 jumbo garlic
- I took garlic from the fridge so it was easy to peel
- put 2 cups water, 1 tbsp turmeric, salt and tomatos(chopped), chilies and boil
- take peas from freezer put in a bowl (no water); cut cauliflower,
- saute peas first after defrosting in oil with some salt; set aside
- saute cauliflower with salt; set aside
- after tomotos boil to a soup (20 mins) put veg inside; boil; (10 mins)
- put cooked toor dal 2 scoops, boil; 1 tbsp tamarind, boil; 1 tbsp sambar powder boil
- pop mustard and hing and curry leaves and put in sambar
