Onion,tomatoes and Dill Uttapams

Ingredients:
Uttapam batter: enough to make for 3-4 people
I bowl of finely chopped tomatoes
1 bowl of finely chopped onions
1 bowl of finely chopped dill.
2-3 finely chopped green chillies ( depending on spice level required)


Method: 
 For the batter:
Uttapam batter is made up of 1 portion of urad dal and 3 portions of rice. One half of the rice is boiled rice and other half is kolam or basmati or any rice other than boiled rice. Rice and dal are washed separately and left overnight to soak well and after grinding them very fine separately, they are mixed well and left to ferment in a warm place for 12 to 18 hours.
 To make the Uttapams : 

• Put your non-stick pan or tawa on burner and heat it up to medium heat. Use a serving spoon to spread the batter thick, spread a tsp of oil on sides (optional) take a handful of all the ingredients ( tomatoes,onions,chillies and dill) and spread over one side of the uttappam( side facing you- do this while the batter is still wet so that the veggies settle into the batter well).Cover the pan for a while.
•  Fire should be between medium and low. When it is ready (light brown) remove the lid and turn the Uttapam with the help of a spatula.
• Allow it to bake for a while without the lid now. Turn it once more and keep it for less than a minute to make it crisp.
•  Serve with sambar and coconut chutney

Aloo Rassedar

Ingredients:( serves 2-3 people)

2 Potatoes boiled and broken into big chunks

2 large tomato chopped in chunks

1/2 inch ginger minced

3-4 pods of chopped garlic

2 green chillies minced

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

a pinch of hing

1/4 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp chilli pwd

1/2 tsp coriander pwd

1/4 tsp mango pwd

1/4 tsp garam masala

2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

salt to taste

1 tbsp oil

Method:

Heat oil add cumin seeds and hing, let it splutter.

Add tomatoes, grated ginger, green chillies,garlic & saute for a minute.

Add turmeric, chilli pwd, coriander pwd, and mango pwd.

Keep stirring the tomatoes, add a little water if it starts sticking to the bottom or gets too dry.

Cover it up and cook on low to medium heat and let it come together.

Once the tomatoes are soft and the mixture looks like it's blended well add potatoes, salt and 1 cup of water, if you want a really watery gravy add more water.

Once done add garam masala and garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve with hot with puris or jeera rice!!

Palak tamatar dal!

Ingredients

Palak/Spinach- 1/2 bunch

Tomato- 1 medium

Onion- 1 small

Green chillies- 3

Toor dal- 1 cup

Salt to taste

Cumin seeds- 1/2 sp

Mustard seeds- 1/2 sp

Red chilli 1

Curry leaves 4

Garlic clove 1

Udad dal 1sp

Oil 2 sps

Method:

Wash palak throughly and chop the leaves.

Cut onion and tomato to medium pieces.

In a presser cooker sauté the onions till golden brown, Add green chillies, sauté another 2 mins, add tomatoes, washed dal and chopped palak.

Allow it to cook in the pressure cooker, for about 5-6 whistles ( if the dal is not cooked, you may have to keep it for a few more whistles, but make sure to add enough water) 

Once the dal is cooked remove and mash the dal.

 For the tempering - Take in small kadai 2 tsps oil , add cumin, mustard seeds, curry leaves, red chilli, urad dal and the chopped garlic.

Now add this to dal and serve with rice or roti

Yummy!

Tomato Kaju Quick Khichdi

This recipe was concocted on one of those lazy Friday afternoons and since I had only myself to feed, I lazily looked into the fridge to see what ingredients I had and what I could come up with.. 
I hope you enjoy this recipe.. :)

Ingredients :


For the Tomato paste :
3 medium sized Tomatoes- chopped finely
1 medium sized onion - chopped finely
1 small cup of cashew nuts- halved 
1/4th tsp - turmeric powder
1/2 tsp - sugar
1/2 tsp-jeera powder
1 tsp - kitchen king masala
3 tbsp - cooking oil
1 tsp -Mustard seeds
pinch of pepper pwd
1tsp- jeera
a small pinch of chopped ginger
Salt to taste
a few curry leaves
1 tsp - Red chilli Pwd ( this can be adjusted according to your required spice lvl )


For the Rice :
1 cup Sona masoori rice
1/2 cup - moong dal.
1 slit green chilli
1 tsp salt
water to cook the rice and dal ( 1 cup sona masoori rice requires 3 1/2 cups of water) 


Method:


1. In a Kadhai, add the oil, when the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds, jeera and stir. 
    when the mustard seeds start popping, add the chopped onion, curry leaves ,ginger and a little pepper powder and stir it in.

2. In the meanwhile combine the rice and dal together ( wash , clean and drain both) add the salt, slit green chilli, water ( about 41/2 glasses) and pressure cook for 3 -4 whistles. Once done, take it off the gas and allow for it to rest for 5 - 10 , till the steam has settled and open the cooker and leave it aside without a lid, so that it is fluffy and not squashy.

3. When the onions are translucent and about to turn golden, add the kaju, fry it till its golder, add the tomatoes and the masala powders ( jeera, Kitchen king,red chilli, turmeric & sugar)

Stir well. 

4. Stir it well, to mix all the ingredients and close it for about 10-15 minutes, so that the  tomatoes cook well and are pulpy. you may add a little water ( 3-4 tsps) in case it gets dry.

5.  Once its cooked ( the mixture must look like a chutney), add the cooked rice and dal. 

6. Stir it in well, so that the rice gets mixed well with the tomato and kaju sauce.

 7. Garnish with chopped coriander and serve with plain curd and chips. 

Patta gobi Hari matar Tarkari ( Shredded Cabbage with green peas)

This recipe combines, cabbage and green peas in a glistening light tomato sauce - a dish that is rich in flavor, low calorie and very economical. 
Serves : 5-6
Preparation time : 45 mins - 1 hour. 



Ingredients :
1/4tsp - caraway seeds
1/2 tsp- coriander seeds
4-5 black peppercorns
3 whole cloves
1 tsp- cardamom seeds
4 tbsp - Ghee or unsalted butter
2 large tomatoes,peeled,seeded and chopped
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp paprika
1 small cabbage - cored, trimmed and shredded
1 cup fresh peas
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander or Dill
1tsp salt


Method :
1. Combine the caraway seeds,coriander seeds, peppercorns,cloves and cardamom seeds in a small kadai an dry roast it till you get an aroma. Allow it to cool , grind it and keep it aside. 
2. Heat the ghee or butter in a large heavy bottom vessel, over moderately high heat. When its hot, add tomatoes, half of the powdered spices, and the turmeric and paprika, and cook, stirring often, until the puree is reduced to a thick sauce.
3. Add cabbage and stir in till it glistens. Cover and reduce the heat to low for 15 mins. 
4. Add the fresh peas, stir and continue to cook for 15 - 30 mins,stirring once or twice to check the liquid. If the Dish becomes dry, add 2-3 tblspns ( 30 - 40 ml )  of water . If your using frozen peas, then add it only in the last 2- 3 mins, along with the fresh herbs,salt and remaining powdered spices. Toss to mix.

Quick Tomato Rice..

Every morning I have to come up with yummy lunch options for my husband dearest who takes a lunch box to work.. Most of the time its our traditional South Indian food, but sometimes I'd like to serve up something that different and quick. This dish is my favorite for one of those busy mornings.

Ingredients ( serves 4):

- 7 Ripe tomatoes- Finely Chopped

-Chopped green chillies - 2 nos ( or according to taste)

- Cooking oil : 2 tblspn

-Mustard seeds : 1 tsp

-Jeera seeds: 1 Tsp

- Urad dal : 2 tsps

- Dhaniya ( corriander) pwd : 1 tsp*

-Pav bhaji masala pwd : 1 tsp*

- Kitchen king masala : 1 tsp*

- a pinch of sambar pwd *

- Tamarind pulp : 2 tblspn

-Uncooked rice : 1 1/2 glasses

- Chopped Coriander leaves - 4 tblspn

- Salt to taste.

Method :

1. Cook the rice on the stove or pressure cooker and keep aside to cool. 

2.In a kadhai, add oil and then add mustard seeds. When it starts sputtering , add the jeera ,urad dal , green chillies and stir for 3 -4 mins on medium heat, till  the urad dal is slightly golden brown. 

3. Now add the chopped tomatoes, salt, tamarind paste and all the powders *.

4. Stir it all in , add a little water to cook the tomatoes. Close the lid and allow the mixture to cook till the tomatoes are soft ,mushy and pulpy...

5. When the tomatoes are cooked, add in the cooked rice . Check for salt ,spice and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. 

Serve Hot!