Bhindi Masala / Okra masala

 Bhindi masala / Okra onion tomato masala curry is a very tasty side dish made with bhindi (okra / lady's finger) and spice powders goes well with chapathi and rice.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Bhindi Masala / Okra Masala.

Ingredients:-

Bhindi / Okra.        -500 gm
Onion.                     -2
Tomato.                   -2
Ginger garlic paste.-1tsp
Red chilli powder.  -1tsp
Turmeric powder.   -1/ 4 tsp
Coriander powder.  -1tsp
Garam masala.        -1/ 2 tsp
Salt.                         -to taste
Oil.                          -2 tbsp

Instructions:-

1). Wash and finely chop tomato. Peel,wash and finely chop onion and keep aside.

2). Wash bhindi (okra) and cut both its ends. Chop the bhindi into 1/2 inch lengthy pieces. Heat 1tbsp oil in a pan and stir fry the bhindi in oil on low flame till soft. Saute well in between and keep aside.

Method:-

1). Heat 1tbsp oil in a wide bottom pan and splutter mustard seeds. Add ginger garlic paste into the pan and fry in oil on low flame.

2). Add finely chopped onion and required salt into the pan and saute well till onion becomes soft and golden brown.

3). Add stir fried bhindi into the pan and saute well.

4). Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder into the pan and mix well.

5). Add finely chopped tomato into the pan and saute well till soft and mushy without adding water.

6). Add garam masala powder and mix with all the ingredients in the pan. Cook on low flame for a minute. Stir well and switch off the flame.

Very tasty Bhindi Masala / Okra Masala is ready to serve.

Raw Mango Spicy Stir Fry

 Raw mango spicy stir fry is a tasty and mouth watering side dish made with raw mango pieces and chilly powder goes well with rice.

Ingredients:-

Raw mango.         -2
Red chilli powder.-2 tsp
Hing powder.        -1tsp
Mustard seeds.      -1tsp
Urad dal.               -1tsp
Methi seeds.          -1/2 tsp
Salt.                       -to taste
Oil.                        -2 tbsp

Instructions:-

Wash and chop raw mangoes into medium size cubed pieces with skin.Apply little salt on chopped raw mango pieces and keep aside.

Method:-

1). Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wide bottom pan or kadai. Add 1tsp urad dal and saute well. Splutter 1tsp mustard seeds and 1/2 tsp methi seeds fenugreek seeds).

2). Add chopped raw mango pieces into the pan and saute well on medium low flame till little soft without adding water.

3). Add 2 tbsp red chilli powder and 1tsp hing powder into the pan and mix with the cooked raw mango pieces on low flame.Check for salt and add little salt if needed and mix well. Switch off the flame.

4). Add little oil over the raw mango spicy stir fry and mix well.

A very tasty and mouth watering Raw Mango Spicy Stir Fry is ready to serve as a side dish with rice.

Mirchi Vada / Stuffed Mirchi Vada

 Mirchi vada / Stuffed mirchi vada is a potato masala stuffed deep fried banana chilly (long size chilly). Mirchi vada is a teatime snack and can be served with tomato ketchup. Mirchi Vada /Stuffed Mirchi Vada recipe is given below with step by step photos.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Mirchi Vada / Stuffed Mirchi Vada.

Ingredients:-

Banana chilly.-4 or 5 (long chillies)
Oil.                 -for deep frying

For Stuffing Potato Masala:-

Boiled Potato.         -2
Ginger garlic paste.-1/2 tsp
Red chilly powder.  -3/4 tsp
Coriander powder.  -1/2 tsp
Fennel seeds.          -1/2 tsp
Amchur powder.     -1/2 tsp
Chat masala.           -1/2 tsp
Asafoetida.             -a pinch
Salt.                        -to taste

For Besan Batter:-

Besan /gram flour .-1 cup
Rice flour.              -2 tbsp
Red chilly powder.-1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder.  -1/4 tsp
Asafoetida.            -1/4 tsp
Baking soda.          -1/4 tsp
Water.                     -as required
Salt.                        -to taste

Instructions:-

1). Boil 2 medium size potatoes with skin till soft. Peel the outer skin and mash the boiled potatoes without lumps.

2). In a mixing bowl add boiled and mashed potato. Add ginger garlic paste, kashmiri red chilly powder, coriander powder, fennel seeds, amchur powder, chat masala, asafoetida, and 1/2 tsp salt into the mixing bowl and mix together all the ingredients using hand. Keep aside the potato masala for stuffing.

3). Half slit banana chillies (long size chillies) keeping the stem and remove the seeds completely from it.

4). Stuff the potato masala inside the de seeded half slit banana chillies and keep them on a plate.

Method:-

 1). In a bowl add besan (gram flour), rice flour, kashmiri red chilly powder, turmeric powder, a pinch of asafoetida, little salt and 1/4 tsp baking soda. Add required water little by little into the bowl and mix well and make a little thick besan batter. Keep aside the besan batter.

2). Heat oil in a deep frying kadai. Once the oil is hot dip the potato masala stuffed banana chilly into the thick besan batter to coat the batter evenly on all the sides. Drop the batter coated masala stuffed banana chilly one or two at a time in hot oil.

3). Deep fry the batter coated stuffed banana chilly in hot oil on medium flame until crisp and golden colour. Flip and turn the chilly in hot oil using a slotted spoon to cook evenly on all sides.

4). Once done remove the deep fried stuffed mirchi vada from hot oil with a slotted spoon and transfer to a tissue paper on a plate to absorb excess oil.Repeat the process and deep fry the remaining stuffed banana chillies and transfer to the plate.

Very tasty Mirchi Vada / Stuffed Mirchi Vada is ready to serve hot with tomato ketchup.

Veg Chowmein

 Veg chowmein is a quick and easy to prepare very tasty eggless noodles made with hakka noodles, sauces and vegetables.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Veg Chowmein / Eggless Noodles.

Ingredients:-

Hakka Noodles.    -2 cup
Onion.                   -1/2 cup sliced
Carrot.                   -1/2 cup chopped
Capsicum.              -1cup shredded
Cabbage.                -1cup shredded
Ginger.                   -1tsp crushed
Garlic.                    -1tsp chopped
Pepper powder.      -1/2 tsp
Green chilly sauce.-1tsp
Tomato sauce.        -1tsp
Soya sauce.             -2 tbsp
Vinegar.                   -2 tsp
Spring onion greens.-2 tbsp chopped
Water.                      -as required
Salt.                         -to taste
Oil.                          -1tsp + 2 tbsp

Instructions:-

1). Chop onion, carrot, cabbage, capsicum, garlic and spring onion greens into thin lengthy pieces and keep aside.

2). Boil sufficient water in a vessel adding a pinch of salt. Add hakka noodles into the boiling water. Stir well and cook the noodles for 5 minutes on medium flame.Switch off the flame and transfer the boiled hakka noodles to a strainer to remove the extra water completely from noodles.Spread the drained noodles on a large bowl.Apply 1tsp oil on the boiled and cooked hakka noodles using hand and keep aside.

Method:-

1). Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wide bottom pan and add crushed ginger, thinly chopped garlic and saute well. Add thinly chopped onion slices and saute well for 2 minutes.

2). Add shredded cabbage, carrot and capsicum into the pan one by one and saute well for 2 minutes till crunchy.

3). Add boiled and cooked hakka noodles little by little into pan and saute well.

4). Add soya sauce and tomato sauce into the pan and saute well with the noodles. Add vinegar, required salt and pepper powder into the pan and saute well.

5). Add green chilly sauce into the pan and toss well everything for 5 minutes on high flame.Add chopped spring onion greens and mix well. Switch off the flame.

Transfer the veg chowmein to a serving plate. Very tasty Veg Chowmein / Eggless Noodles is ready to serve.

Panikoorka Bajji/ Sambarballi Bajji

 Pnikoorka bajji / Sambarballi bajji is a fried teatime snack made with home grown panikoorka leaves and can be served with tomato ketchup. Panikoorka leaves are also known as Sambarballi leaves/ Doddapatre leaves/Mexican mint leaves/ Ajwain leaves.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Panikoorka Bajji / Sambarballi Bajji

Ingredients:-

Panikooka leaves.  -5
Besan/ gram flour. -3/4 cup
Red chilly powder.-1tsp
Turmeric powder.  -a pinch
Asafoetida.            -1/4 tsp
Salt.                       -to taste
Water.                    -as required

Method:-

1). Wash and clean panikoorka leaves (sambarballi leaves) and pat dry with a clean cloth and keep aside.

2). In a mixing bowl add besan (gram flour), red chilli powder, a pinch of turmeric powder, asafoetida, required salt and mix well.Add required water into the bowl and mix well all the ingredients to form a thick batter and keep aside.

3). Heat oil in a deep frying pan. Once the oil is hot dip the panikoorka leaves (sambarballi leaves) in thick batter. Drop the batter coated panikoorka leaves 2 or 3 at a time in hot oil and deep fry on medium flame until golden colour. Flip and turn it in hot oil to cook on both sides.

4). Remove the fried panikoorka bajji (sambarballi bajji) from hot oil and transfer to a tissue paper to absorb excess oil.

Panikoorka Bajji / Sambarballi Bajji is ready to serve with tomato ketchup.

Beetle Leaves Tomato Rasam / Vettila Rasam

 Beetle leaves tomato rasam also known as Vettila rasam in Kerala is a healthy curry and can be served hot with rice.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Beetle Leaves Tomato Rasam / Vettila Rasam.

Ingredients:-

Beetle Leaves. -8
Tomato.            -2 large
Black pepper.   -2 tsp
Cumin seeds.   -2 tsp+ 1tsp
Garlic cloves.  -3
Asafoetida.      -1/2 tsp
Tamarind.         -a lemon size
Mustard seeds .-1tsp
Green chilly.    -2
Dry red chilly.  -2
Curry leaves.    -1sprig
Water.               -as required
Salt.                  -to taste
Coconut oil.     -1tbsp

Instructions:-

1). Chop tomato into small pieces. Slit green chillies. Soak tamarind in little water for 3 minutes and squeeze and extract tamarind juice. Keep aside.

2). Wash beetle leaves and pat dry with a clean cloth. Grind the beetle leaves along with garlic cloves, black pepper, 2 tsp cumin seeds, asafoetida and few chopped tomato pieces to a smooth paste without adding water. Keep aside the ground beetle leaves paste mixture.

Method:-

1). Heat 1tbsp coconut oil in a wide bottom pan. Splutter mustard seeds and 1tsp cumin seeds. Add slit green chillies, dry red chillies and curry leaves into the pan and saute in oil.

2). Add ground beetle leaves paste mixture into the pan. Stir well and cook for 3 minutes on low flame.

3). Add remaining chopped tomato pieces and required salt into the pan and saute the tomatoes.

4). Add tamarind juice and 1 and 1/2 cup of water into the pan and mix well. Boil and cook tomato pieces on low flame until soft. Switch off the flame. Add finely chopped few coriander leaves.

Beetle Leaves Tomato Rasam / Vettila Rasam is ready to serve hot with rice.

Carrot Raw Mango Coconut Chuney

Carrot raw mango coconut chutney is a very tasty and easy to prepare mouth watering side dish goes well with rice.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Carrot Raw Mango Coconut Chutney.

Ingredients:-

Carrot.              -1
Raw mango.     -1/2 piece
Grated coconut.-1/4 cup
Shallots.            -3
Green chilly.     -2
Asafoetida.       -1/4 tsp
Salt.                  -to taste

Instructions:-

Peel and chop carrot and raw mango into small pieces. Peel shallots. Keep aside.

Method:-

1). In mixer grinder add chopped carrot pieces, chopped mango pieces, grated coconut, shallots, green chillies, asafoetida and required salt. Grind together all the ingredients to a little coarse paste.

2).Transfer the ground chutney to a serving bowl.

Very tasty Carrot Raw Mango Coconut Chutney is ready to serve. 

Button Mushroom Tomato Curry

 Button mushroom tomato curry is a very tasty and easy to prepare spicy curry goes well with rice, chapathi and idly.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Button Mushroom Tomato Curry.

Ingredients:-

Button mushroom.-200gm
Tomato.                 -4
Onion.                   -1
Green chilly.          -2
Red chilly powder.-1tsp
Turmeric powder.  -1/2 tsp
Coriander powder. -1tsp
Cinnamon powder.-1/4 tsp
Onion powder.       -1tsp
Garlic powder.       -1tsp
Mustard seeds.       -1tsp
Fennel seeds.         -1tsp
Salt.                        -to taste
Oil.                         -1tbsp

Instructions:-

Wash and chop button mushroom, onion and tomato into quarter pieces. Slit green chilly.Keep aside.

Method:-

1). Heat 1tbsp oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds and fennel seeds. Add slit green chilly into the pan and saute in oil.

2). Add chopped onion pieces and required salt into the pan and saute well.

3). Add red chilly powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, onion powder, garlic powder and cinnamon powder into the pan and saute well.

4). Add chopped tomato and chopped button mushroom into the pan. Don't add water into the pan. Water will come from chopped button mushroom. Cover and cook chopped tomato and button mushroom for 8 to 10 minutes on low flame.Saute well in between and switch of the flame.

Very tasty Button Mushroom Tomato Curry is ready to serve.