Ennai Kathirikkai Kara Kuzhambu by Shripriya

Brinjal contest entry by Shripriya Ramakrishnan

Ingredients:

1. Brinjal: Two cups chopped.
2. Sambhar Onion: About 25
3. Garlic - 10 cloves
4. Tomato - 1 big chopped fine
5. Dhania seeds - 1 teaspoon
6. Kadalai paruppu (bengal gram)- 1 teaspoon
7. Milagu(black pepper) - 2 teaspoons
8. Jeeragam(cumin) - 1 teaspoon
9. Red Chillies - 5
10. Coconut shredded: 3-4 tablespoons
11. Turmeric - lemon sized
12. For seasoning: Gingelly oil, turmeric, asafoetida, methi seeds, mustard, toor dhal, curry leaves
13. Salt : as needed. 

Method:
1. Fry the items mentioned in no. 5 through 9 in a teaspoon of oil.
2. In a teaspoon of oil, fry about 10-12 sambar onions, Garlic cloves, and tomatoes until they are cooked well.
3. Grind all the fried items in step 1 and 2 into a coarse paste with coconut and some salt.
4. Soak the tamarind and get the tamarind juice of may be 3-4 cups.
5. In a kadai, pour oil and add the items mentioned for seasoning. Once it splutters, add the rest of the sambhar onions and fry until they are cooked. 
6. Add the cut brinjal pieces. Cook them well.
7. Now add the tamarind juice. Let it boil for some time. Then add the ground paste. Add some salt according to taste.
8. Let it boil until it thickens.
9. Serve it with hot rice. Roasted papad is the best combination.
Variations:
1. If you get small brinjals, slit them with stem intact, coat them in little bit of oil and microwave until it is 3/4th cooked. Then stuff the ground paste in the brinjals, and then add this after frying the sambhar onions and fry for sometime, and then add the tamarind juice and let it boil. Everything else is the same as mentioned in the above recipe.

2. If you want to give it a little chettinad touch, fry about 1 teaspoon of sombu(fennel) along with other items mentioned above for the kuzhambu masala and grind it together. And add about half teaspoon of sombu(fennel) in seasoning also.

3. Those who don't like to add onion and/or poondu, fry and powder the following and use it as the stuffing and karakuzhambu podi: One teaspoon vendhayam, asafoetida, one tblspn each of toor dhal, urad dhal, and chana dhal, red chillies according to taste, and two teaspoons of dhania.

4. You can just make this as poondu-milagu kuzhambu without the brinjals.

Note: I have given some variations at the end and have mentioned how to make ennai kathrikkai kuzhambu there. Since I did not have the small brinjals that is required for the same, I cut the brinjals and made kathrikkai kara kuzhambu.

Baingan Aloo Kuruma by Shripriya

Brinjal Contest entry posted by Shripriya Ramakrishnan

Ingredients:

Brinjal - 6 chopped fine
Potato - 2 boiled and cut into pieces
Tomato - 1chopped fine
Onion - 1 chopped fine
Ginger(1 inch)-Garlic(5 Cloves)-Green chillies (4 )- grind into a paste
Coconut milk - 2 cups
Garam masala powder - 1 tblspn

For seasoning: oil, sombu, mustard, turmeric
Salt - as needed
Coriander leaves for garnishing.

Method: 

1. In a kadai put oil, add the items mentioned for seasoning.
2. Add the chopped onion, and fry till it is cooked fine.
3. Add the Ginger, garlic, greenchillies paste and fry until raw smell disappears.
4. Add the tomatos and cook well.
5. Add the cut brinjals. Fry until they get nicely cooked.
6. Add the boiled and cut potatoes, garam masala powder, salt, and the coconut milk.
7. Once it boils upto desired consistency, turn the stove off, garnish with coriader leaves.

Goes well with chappathis, puris, and also plain rice.

Variations:
1. We can add chole instead of potatoes and make this as baingan chole.
2. Instead of adding coconut milk, you can grind 4 tblspns of shredded coconut along with ginger, garlic, and green chillies and add it.

Kaju-Badam-Peanut-Paneer Masala

Party Menu recipe posted by Shripriya Ramakrishnan

Ingredients:

Paneer - 2 cups of cut cubes.

Ginger-Garlic-Greenchillies paste - 2 tbspn

Tomato puree - 1 cup

Garam masala powder - 1 tbspn

For seasoning: cumin, cloves 2, cardomom 2, turmeric powder

Fresh cream - 2 tbspn

Coriander leaves - for garnishing

Salt: as needed.

Grind into a paste: Roasted peanuts about half cup, Cashews 20 soaked in warm water for about 40 minutes, Almonds about 20 soaked in water and skin removed, poppy seeds about 2 tbspn, 1 big red onion chopped fine.

Method:

Heat one tbspn of oil in a kadai. Add the items mentioned for seasoning. When the cumin seeds splutter add the ginger-garlic-green chillies paste and fry for about a minute and then add the ground paste and garam masala powder. Fry until the raw smell goes. Add tomato puree. Let it blend with the masala and boil for about a minute. Now add cut paneer pieces, water enough for the gravy, and salt. Paneer gets cooked in about 2-3 minutes. If you want to thicken the gravy, you can mix besan and water and add to the gravy and boil for couple more minutes. Add the cream towards the end. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Your Kaju-Badam-Peanut Paneer masala is ready. Don't worry about the fat content....just enjoy. It is a big paaaaaaaaaaartayyyyyyyyy!!!!! :)

Baby Potato in Pepper Sauce - Pepper Chicken style

An alteration of the Pepper Chicken dish to a vegetarian dish. I have tried the same using veggies like baby potato, brinjal and lady's finger. All of them tasted good. Dont know whether they really match the original recipe's taste. Still, it tasted too good for me who is a pure vegetarian.

Ingredients:
Baby Potato - 1/4 kg
Small Onions - 6 to 8 nos
Curry Masala powder - 1 tsp
Cinnamon sticks - 2 pieces
Curry Leaves - few
Cloves - 2 nos
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Black pepper corns - 3 tsp
Red Chilli - 2 nos
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Garlic - 8 cloves
Salt to taste

Method:
Grind garlic pods, red chilli, cumin seeds, pepper corns and coriander powder to a fine paste using very little water. Add salt to it and mix well.

Pressure cook baby potato for 2 whistles or better cook it outside, peel the skin, poke small  holes and marianate in the above paste for an hour. Pressure cook the potato again and let it go for an whistle.

Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and when it splutters add curry leaves, cloves and cinnamon sticks. Chop the onions finely and add it to the oil and saute it till it turns golden brown in colour. Add curry masala powder. Add the cooked potato along with the gravy and check for salt. Add if needed. Close with a lid and reduce the flame. Stir in between so that the gravy becomes thick.

Can be served with hot rice, chappatis, Rotis and even Jeera Rice and Veg Pulav

Baingan Mussalam|Baingan Mohalai Gravy a very rich side dish recipe

I came to know that Baingan Mughalai gravy and Baingan Mussalam are one and the same after getting clarified from some of my friends. Though any kind of vegetable can be used along with the basic gravy, when Baingan is used it really gives a wonderful taste. A must try for all Brinjal lovers.

Ingredients:
Brinjals - 8 nos small sized
Onions - 2 nos big
Tomato - 4 nos.
Tomato puree - 1 cup
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilly powder - 1 tsp (or to taste)
Salt to taste
Ghee - 1/4 cup
Oil for deep frying.
Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup
Fresh cream - 3 to 4 tbsp

Method:
Wash and clean the brinjals and cut them to 6 pieces length wise. Heat oil in a pan and fry the brinjal pieces till they become golden brown in colour. In a hard bottom shallow pan add ghee and  cumin seeds. When the cumin seeds crackle add the finely chopped onions and saute it till it turns golden brown in colour. Add the ginger garlic paste, coriander powder, turmeric powder, chilli powder and mix well. Add a cup of water to mix all the ingredients thoroughly. Bring it to a boil, reduce the flame add the finely chopped tomatoes and mash well with all the other ingredients. Cook it thoroughly till the oil separates from gravy. Add brinjal, tomato gravy and required quantity of salt. Mix well and cook for about 5 mins in low flame.

Remove from flame and transfer it to a serving bowl, mix the cream. Garnish it with coriander leaves. To make the dish rich can also garnish with fried cashew nuts.

Goes well with Rotis, Chappatis or even jeera rice.

Lady's finger spicy gravy

Ingredients:
Ladies Finger - 1/2 kg
Onions - 2 nos
Tomato - 2 nos
     or
Tomato Puree - 1/4 cup
Amchur powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Red Chilly powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil - 2 tbsp

Method:
Chop onions finely. Wash and cut ladies finger into half vertically. Heat oil in a pan and add chopped onions, ginger garlic paste and fry till golden brown. Add finely chopped tomatoes or tomato puree and mix well. Add the slit ladies finger and mix well. Reduce the flame and cover and cook for a few mins. Add all the powders, salt and mix well. Add one cup of water and mix well. Keep stirring so that it doesnot stick to the bottom.

Cook till the ladies finger get cooked well and does not remain sticky.

This goes good with hot spicy rasam rice, chappatis, rotis etc.

Khar - Vegetables with Lentils

A vegetarian dish from Assam.

Ingredients:
Papaya - 1/2 kg
Ash Gourd - 1/2 kg
Garlic - 6 cloves
Ginger paste - 2 tbsp
Green Chilly - 2 nos
Salt to taste
Sugar - a pinch
Mustard Oil - 1 tbsp
Red Lentils (Masoor Dal) - 1/2 cup

Method:
Peel, wash and dice the vegetables. Heat oil in a pan, and when hot add one green chilly, ginger paste and chopped garlic when it starts turning brown, add lentils and vegetables and stir well. Add salt and cover it and cook till the vegetables become pulpy. Remove from flame and garnish it with green chilly sauted in oil.

Serve hot with cooked rice.

Note: Instead of Mustard oil, any other vegetable oil can be used. To alternate taste, moong dal can be added instead of Masoor dal

Coconut Paste

Ingredients:
Coconut - 1 no
Cumin (Jeera) - 4 tbsp
Green Chilly - 6 nos
Salt - 1 tsp

Method:
Grate coconut or make it into small pieces. Grind it along with other ingredients. Make it to a fine paste and store it in air tight container.

This paste can be used to make Kormas (Kurumas) or to Kootus. When stored in air tight container and when used with dry spoon it stays good for about a week.

Tomato Masala

Ingredients:
Tomato - 1/2 kg
Onion - 2 to 4 nos depending upon the size
Sambar Powder - 1/2 tsp
Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Bay leaf - 2 nos
Cloves - 2 nos
Oil - 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Chat masala - 1/2 tsp (optional)
Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup finely chopped

Method:
Make a puree of tomato. Chop onions finely. In a pan add oil and when hot add bay leaf, cloves and onions. Saute them for a while. Add the tomato puree, salt, turmeric powder, pepper powder, chilly powder and mix it well. Add 1/4 cup of water to it and let it boil. When it becomes a paste like consistency, remove from flame.

Add chaat masala and finely chopped coriander leaves.

Aratikaaya Masala Pulusu (Raw Banana in gravy)

Ingredients:
Raw Bananas - 5 to 6 nos
Vegetable oil - 3 to 4 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Tamarind paste - 2 tbsp
Curry leaves - a few
Oil - 3 to 4 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Chilly powder - 1 tsp
Garlic - 5 cloves
Ginger - 1/2 inch piece
Rice - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup

Method:
Make a paste of ginger, garlic, rice. Peel and cut the bananas into bigger cubes. Boil the banana pieces till they become soft or pressure cook it for 1 whistle. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds to it. When it splutter add curry leaves, the ground paste and mix well. Add turmeric powder, chilly powder and salt. Add 2 cups of water to the tamarind paste and add it to the pan. Add the cooked banana pieces and salt. Cover the pan and cook till the gravy thickens. Garnish it with finely chopped coriander leaves.

Goes well with Garlic rasam.

Mixed Vegetable Sagu - side dish recipe for dosas and chappatis

Ingredients:
Carrot - 2 nos
Potato - 2 nos (big)
cabbage - 100 gms
beans - 100 gms
cauliflower florets - 1 cup
chow chow - 1 no.
coconut - 1 no
Fried gram - 2 tbsp
Onion - 1 big
Green chillies - 6 nos
Cloves - 2 nos
Cinnamon - 1 inch piece
Cardamom - 2 nos
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Oil - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste

Method:
Grate coconut finely. Cut the vegetables into small cubes and pressure cook them. Slit green chillies into 2. Chop onions finely. Grind fried bengal gram, khus khus, coconut and 4 green chillies

Heat 1 tbsp of ghee and 1/2 tsp of oil in a pan. Add cloves, cinnamon sticks, cardamom and saute for a second. Add onion and 2 green chillies and saute till onion becomes glassy.

Add the cooked vegetables and the ground paste and bring it to boil and till the mixture gets thicken. Add required salt at the end and mix well and remove from flame.

How to make Tomato sauce at home

Not just kids, but even adults love to have Tomato Sauce as a side dish for starters, tikkas, samosas etc.


Ingredients:
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Tomato Puree - 2 cups
Bay leaves - 2 nos
Cinnamon - 3 nos 1 inches long
Cardamom - 2 nos
Red chilly Powder - 2 tsp

Method:
Heat ghee in a flat pan. Add cardamom, bay leaves and cinnamon. Saute them till they crackle and release a fine aroma. Pour in the tomato puree slowly so that it doesnot splatter. Reduce the flame . Remove the cardamom, bay leaves and cinnamon sticks from the sauce and let it cool completely.

Store the sauce in the airtight container. Can be stored for 2 weeks. Makes a good side dish for dosa, idly, chappati and even Pizza.

Brinjal in Tomato Gravy - Side dish recipe

Ingredients:
Brinjals - 1/4 kg
Onions - 2 nos
Tomatoes - 2 nos or Tomato puree - 1 1/2 cups
Ginger Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Chilly powder - 2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
Coriander Leaves - 1/2 cup
Salt to taste
Oil - 2 tbsp

Method:
Chop onions finely. Slit green chillies into half. Add green chopped onions, ginger garlic paste, green chilly, chilly powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, coriander powder and salt and saute for a few mins. Add tomato puree and saute till the oil separates.

Cut the brinjals into big thin slices and add it to the pan. Add required salt and 1 cup of water and simmer the flame. Cook till the gravy thickens and the brinjals gets cooked. Remove from flame and add finely chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot with rice. Goes well with chappati too.

Recipe for Potato Masala Curry

Ingredients:
Potato - 1/2 kg
Fresh grated Coconut - 1/2 cup
Coriander seeds - 2 tsp
Gram dal - 1 tbsp
Sambar Onions (Shallots) - 6 nos
Red Chillies - 8 to 10 nos
Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
Cinnamon powder - 1/2 tsp
Garlic flakes - 12 nos
Ginger - 1/2 inch piece
Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Onion - 1 big
Tomato - 2 nos
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 4 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method:
Boil and peel the skin of the potatoes. Cut them into square pieces. Grind red chillies, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, sambar onions, gram dal, garlic, ginger and 1/4 cup of coriander leaves to a fine paste.

Extract thick milk out of coconut. Chop onions and tomatoes finely.

In a pan heat oil and add mustard seeds. When the splutter add the chopped onions, tomatoes and turmeric powder. Cook well till the oil floats on top. Add the ground masala and required salt, mix well. Add the potato pieces and cook for a few minutes till the potato pieces are cooked well in the masala. Add the coconut milk and cook for just a minute.

Remove from flame. Decorate it with chopped coriander leaves and curry leaves.

Peshawari Paneer

Ingredients:
Onion big - 2 nos
Paneer - 300 gms
Green Chilly - 4 nos
Red Chilly - 2 nos
Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp
Cashew nuts - 8 nos
Badam flakes - 2 tbsp
Cardamom - 2 nos
Bay leaf - 1
Sugar - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Yoghurt- 2 tbsp
Fresh Cream - 1 tbsp (optional)
Butter - 1/4 cup
Saffron strands - a few
Coriander leaves finely chopped - 1/4 cup

Method:
Cut onion to small pieces. Cut Paneer into small cubes. In a shallow vessel add onion, cardamom and cashew nuts and add boiling water to it and close it with an air tight lid for 5 mins. (Water should be just enough to submerge the items in the vessel). Grind it to a very fine paste. Powder coriander seeds and red chillies to a fine powder.

In a pan heat butter and let it melt till it reaches ghee consistency. Add bay leaf and green chillies. Saute for a few seconds. Add the onion paste and keep stirring till the ghee seperates from it. Mix the coriander seeds and red chilly powder to youghurt and beat in fresh cream to this. Add it to the pan and mix thoroughly. Add the salt and sugar and reduce the flame after mixing them thoroughly.

Add panner cubes and 1/4 cup of water and cook for about 5 minutes. Remove from flame and transfer it immediatly to a serving bowl. Garnish it with saffron strands, badam flakes and coriander leaves.

Recipe for Paneer Makhani

Ingredients:
Paneer - 500 gms
Butter - 75 gms
Garlic - 12 pods
Onion - 2 nos
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tbsp
Bay leaf - 1 no.
Cinnamon sticks - 1 inch piece
Cloves - 2 nos
Cardamom - 2 nos
Red chilly powder - 1 tbsp
Oil for frying
Salt to taste
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder - 2 tbsp
Punjabi Garam masala powder - 1 tbsp
Fresh Cream - 3 tbsp
Tomato puree - 1/2 cup
Kasoori Methi - 1 tbsp
Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup

Method:
Cut Paneer into 1 inch strips. Deep fry the cottage cheese in hot oil till it turns golden brown. Remove the excess oil. put them in warm water which is added with little salt. In a pan heat butter and when it melts add cloves, bayleaf, cardamom and cinnamon sticks. Chop the garlic into small pieces and add it to the pan. Grind the onion to a fine paste and add it to the pan and saute well. Add the ginger garlic paste to the pan and saute all the items well without burning them. Add coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chilly powder, garam masala powder. Mix well. Add tomato puree to it and cook for 2 mins. Add 2 cups of water to the pan and cover it. Cook for about 10 mins in low flame. Add salt and add another 1/2 cup of water if the gravy is thick. Add the fried paneer pieces and Kasoori Methi and cover and cook for 2 mins. Remove from flame and add fresh cream and garnish it with coriander leaves.

Eggplants in Spicy Gravy

I am so fond of eggplants and so are my kids. We love to have eggplants in any form. I got this recipe from one of my neighbour and when I tried it out, it turned out to be too good. It became a good rice accompaniment and also for chappati.

Ingredients
Eggplants - 1/2 kg (small sized)
Small Onions - 100 gms
Tomato - 2 nos
Big Onions - 1 no
Green Chilly - 2 nos
Red Chilly - 6 nos
Curry Leaves - 1/4 cup
Coriander Leaves - 1/2 cup
Tamrind Paste - 2 tbsp
Salt - To taste

Method:
Slit the eggplants into 4 (without cutting it fully). In an pan add 1/2 spoon oil and fry the small onions till they turn glassy. Add the curry leaves and red chilly to it and saute it for a few more minutes. Grind these along with coriander leaves to a very fine paste.

Cut the big onions into thin strips. Heat 1 tbsp of oil and add the ground paste to it and saute for a min. Add the slit brinjals to it and mix it well with the paste so that the paste gets smeared all over. Add 2 cups of water to the paste and add the tamrind paste to it and mix it well so that the tamrind paste gets dissolved in the water. Add salt and let it boil. When the gravy becomes a semi thick paste, remove from flame.

Decorate it with finely chopped coriander leaves.

This goes very well with hot rice and also chappati.

How to make Tomato Gravy - Basic Gravy Recipe

Almost all North Indian gravies use Tomato gravy as the base gravy. Once this is done adding other ingredients to it and making different kind of gravies or subjis is very easy.

Ingredients :

Tomatoes - 6 nos ripe

Onion - 2 nos

Garlic pods - 6 nos

Ginger - 1 inch piece

Green Chillies - 4 nos

Chilly Powder - 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1 pinch

Salt to taste

Cloves - 4 nos (optional)

Cinnamon - 1/2 inch piece

Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup

Method :

In a flat bottom pan add oil and when it is hot add cloves, cardomom and cinnamon. Add finely chopped onions and chopped garlic and fry till it becomes golden brown. Chop the tomatoes and add to the oil. Slit the green chillies into half and add it to the tomatoes along with chilli powder and turmeric.

Heat oil and add cloves, cardomom and cinnamon. Keep the stove sim and let the gravy thicken. Add salt to it. When the gravy becomes deep red in colour and oil starts floating remove from flame.

Alternatively tomatoes can be pureed and added to the onions to make a thicker and even gravy.

Mohalai Cauliflower gravy recipe

Ingredients:
Cauliflower - 1 medium sized
Maida or all purpose flour - 1 cup (100 gms)
Milk - 1/2 ltr
Cheese - grated 1/2 cup
Onion - 1 big (cut into very small pieces)
Garlic - 6 flakes (cut into small pieces)
Green Chillies - 2
Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup (finely chopped)
Butter - 1/4 cup (unsalted)
Salt - To Taste
Turmeric Powder - 2 pinch
Oil - 4 tbsp

Method:
Cut Cauliflower into florets. Boil them in water mixed with salt and turmeric powder. Mix maida in milk and filter it so that there will be no lumps. In a pan add the butter and saute onions, green chillies(slit in the middle) and garlic. Add the milk maida mixture to it and keep stirring it so that no lumps are formed. When it mixes thoroughly and forms a paste like consistency, reduce the flame to low and let it boil.

In the mean time fry the florets in oil (till they are half cooked) and add it to the gravy. Add salt to taste and cook closed for 5 mins in medium flame. Remove from flame add the butter, grated cheese. Decorate it with finely chopped coriander leaves and fried cashew nuts(optional).

Makes a great dish for Chappati, Fried Rice, Briyanis and Pulavs.

Mohalai Brinjal - A very rich party recipe

Ingredients:
Brinjal - Small 1kg
Garlic - 6 to 8 Flakes
Pepper -1 tbsp
Small Onions (Sambar Onions) - 1/4 kg
Tamrind - 1 lemon size (or Tamrind Paste - 1/4 cup )
Cashew nuts - 50 gms
Ground nuts - 50 gms
Tomato - Ripe Banglore Tomato (Big in size) - 2 nos
Salt - To taste
Red Chilly Powder - 1 tsp
Dhania (Coriander) Powder - 1/2 tsp(optional)

Method
Grind cashew nuts, ground nuts, garlic and tomato into a fine paste. Divide the tamrind paste into two. Add 1/2 cup of water to one portion. In a shallow pan add oil and fry the pepper in it. Add the small onions to it and fry it too.

Slit the brinjals into 4 (do not cut it fully), and add it to the oil. Saute it for a while. Add the coriander powder and red chilly powder and mix it well with the vegetables. Add the watery tamrind paste and salt and let it boil for while. Add the ground paste to it and boil it till the oil separates. Add the thick tamrind paste to it and reduce the flame. Let it boil for another 10 to 15 mins till the raw smell of the tamrind goes off.

This makes a great side dish for Vegetable Pulov, Vegetable Briyani and hot white rice.