Ash gourd Mor Kuzhambu / Mor Kuzhambu

 Ash gourd mor kuzhambu / Mor kuzhambu is a curd based ash gourd curry made with ash gourd  cooked with ground coconut masala paste and goes well with rice. Ash gourd Mor Kuzhambu recipe is given below with step by step photos.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Ash gourd Mor Kuzhamb /Mor Kuzhambu.

Ingredients:-

Ash gourd.           -2 cup chopped
Turmeric powder.-1/2 tsp
Water.                  -as required
Curd.                   -3/4 cup
Salt.                     -to taste

For grinding Coconut Masala Paste:-

Grated coconut.  -2 tbsp
Toor dal.             -2 tsp
Coriander seeds. -1tsp
Cumin seeds.      -1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds.-1/4 tsp
Green chillies.    -2 slit
Ginger chopped. -1tsp
Coconut oil.        -1tsp

For Seasoning:-

Mustard seeds.-1tsp
Dry red chilly. -2
Curry leaves.   -1sprig
Coconut oil.    -1tsp

Instructions:-

1). Cut and remove the outer skin and seeds of ash gourd. Chop the ash gourd into small pieces. Wash well and keep aside the chopped ash gourd pieces.

2). Heat 1tsp oil in a small pan and roast coriander seeds, cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds (methi seeds) on low flame. Add slit green chillies and chopped ginger pieces into the pan and saute well. Switch off the flame and keep aside the roasted ingredients to cool.

3). Wash and soak 2 tsp toor dal in water for 30 minutes.

4). Grind the roasted coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, green chillies and ginger along with soaked 2 tsp toor dal and 2 tbsp grated coconut to a smooth paste. Keep aside the ground coconut masala paste.

Method:-

1). In a wide bottom vessel add the chopped ash gourd pieces, turmeric powder, required salt and 1cup of water. Boil and cook ash gourd pieces till soft on low flame.

2). Add ground coconut masala paste into the vessel.

3). Add 3/4 cup of water into the vessel and mix the ground paste with the cooked ash gourd pieces and boil on low flame.

4). Add 3/4 cup whisked curd into the vessel.

 5). Mix well and heat the curry for few seconds and switch off the flame.

 6). Heat 1tsp coconut oil in a small pan for seasoning and splutter mustard seeds. Add broken dry chilly and curry leaves into the pan and saute well in oil for a second and switch off the flame.

7). Pour the above seasoning into the mor kuzhambu in the vessel.

8). Mix well and transfer the ash gourd mor kuzhambu to a serving bowl.

Ash gourd Mor Kuzambu / Mor Kuzhambu is ready to serve with rice.

Stuffed Green Chilly Fry/ Masala Mirchi Fry.

Stuffed green chilly fry/ Masala mirchi fry is a very tasty and spicy side dish made with deseeded slit green chillies and spice masala powder.Stuffed Green Chilly Fry/ Masala Mirchi Fry recipe is given below with step by step photos..

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Stuffed Green Chilly Fry / Masala Mirchi Fry.

Ingredients:-

Green chillies.       -8 or 10
Turmeric powder.  -1/2 tsp
Red chilly powder.-1/2 tsp
Coriander powder. -1tsp
Jeera powder.         -1/2 tsp
Garam masala.       -1tsp
Fennel powder.      -1/2 tsp
Asafoetida.            -1/4 tsp
Amchur powder.    -1tsp
Water.                     -2 tsp
Salt.                        -to taste
Oil.                         -1tsp
Oil for frying.         -2 tbsp

Instructions:-

1). Wash little large green chillies and pat dry with a cloth. Keep aside the cleaned green chillies.

2). In a bowl add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, jeera powder, fennel powder, garam masala powder, asafoetida, amchur powder, required salt and mix well.Add 1tsp oil into the bowl and mix together all the spice powders in the bowl.Keep aside the spice masala powder.

Method:-

1). Take 8 or 10 cleaned large green chillies. Slit the green chillies lengthwise keeping the stem and the tip part.Remove the seeds from slit green chillies using a knife. Keep aside the deseeded slit green chillies.

2). Add 2 tsp water into the spice masala power and make it a little thick masala paste for filling. Stuff the thick spice masala paste inside all deseeded slit green chillies.

3). Keep the masala stuffed slit green chillies on a plate.

4). Heat 2 tbsp oil in a frying pan on medium flame. Place the masala stuffed green chillies and fry on low flame. Keep the stuffed portion of the green chilly on top and fry in oil.Then flip turn the stuffed green chillies to fry on the other side until brown.

5). Once the colour of the stuffed green chillies changes to brown and cooked on all sides, remove it from oil and transfer to a serving plate.

Stuffed Green Chilly Fry/ Masala Mirchi Fry is ready to serve with meal.

Aloo Paratha

 Aloo Paratha is a breakfast dish made with wheat flour stuffed with boiled and cooked potato masala mixture.Aloo Paratha can be served with potato masala or curd.Aloo Paratha recipe is given below with step by step photos.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Aloo Paratha.

Ingredients:-

Wheat flour.-1 cup
Ghee.           -1tsp
Salt.             -a pinch
Water.          -as required
Ghee.           -for roasting

For Stuffing Potato Masala

Potato.                   -2
Cumin seeds.         -1tsp
Green chillies.        -2
Ginger garlic paste.-1tsp
Onion.                     -1
Turmeric powder.    -1/4 tsp
Red chilly powder.  -1/2 tsp
Coriander powder.   -1/2 tsp
Jeera powder.           -1/2 tsp
Garam masala.         -1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves.      -few
Salt.                           -to taste
Oil.                            -1tbsp

Instructions:-

Boil 2 potatoes with skin in sufficient water till soft. Peel and mash the boiled potatoes and keep aside. Heat 1tbsp oil in a wide pan and splutter cumin seeds. Add finely chopped green chillies and saute well. Add ginger garlic paste and saute well. Add finely chopped onion and required salt and saute well till onion turns soft and translucent.Add turmeric powder, red chilly powder, coriander powder, jeera powder and garam masala powder into the pan and saute well. Add finely chopped few coriander leaves into the pan. Mix well and cook for 2 minutes.Add boiled and mashed potatoes into the pan. Stir well and cook till the mixture becomes thick and switch off the flame. Potato masala is ready for stuffing.

Method:-

1). In a mixing bowl add wheat flour,1tsp ghee and little salt and mix well. Add required water little by little into the bowl and knead the flour and make a soft dough.Keep aside the dough for 30 minutes to rest.

2). After 30 minutes knead the dough again.

3). Make lemon size dough balls.Roll each dough balls into small round thick poori. Keep lemon size portion of potato masala on each rolled poori.

4). Gather all sides of the each rolled poori to cover the potato masala stuffing inside the poori and seal the tip.

5). Press the tip and dust the stuffed poori with little wheat flour.

6). Place the stuffed poori on a rolling board and roll it into little thick and round paratha. Roll the  remaining stuffed pooris using rolling board and keep aside the rolled paratha.

7). Heat a tawa and keep the rolled paratha on it and roast on medium flame till puffed up on both sides.

8). Add little ghee over the paratha. Flip and roast paratha on both sides till crispy and little brown spot appears on it.Remove the roasted aloo paratha and transfer to a plate.

 9). Roast the remaining rolled paratha adding ghee and transfer to a plate.

10). Very tasty  Aloo Paratha is ready to serve.

Try the recipe and enjoy the tasty aloo paratha with potato masala or curd.

Stuffed Bread Pakoda

 Stuffed bread pakoda / Potato stuffed bread pakoda is a tasty and easy to prepare tea time snack and can be served with tomato ketchup.Potato masala is stuffed in between two chopped bread slices and dipped in gram flour batter and fried in hot oil.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Stuffed Bread Pakoda / Potato Masala Stuffed Bread Pakoda.

Ingredients:-

Bread slices.        - 6
Potato.                  -2 medium size
Gram flour.           -1/2 cup
Turmeric powder. -1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder.-1tsp
Mustard seeds.     -1tsp
Cumin seeds.        -1/2 tsp
Green chillies.      -3
Ginger .                 -small piece
Curry leaves.        -1sprig
Water.                   -as required
Salt.                      -to taste
Coconut oil.         -1tbsp
Oil.                       -for frying

Instructions:-

1). Finely chop green chillies. Finely chop ginger and curry leaves .Boil, peel and mash potatoes. Keep aside.

2). In a bowl add gram flour (besan), red chilly powder, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, required salt and mix well. Add required water little by little into the bowl and mix well to make a little thick gram flour batter.Keep aside the gram flour batter. 

3).Take 6 bread slices.Cut each bread slice into 2 halves. Keep aside the chopped bread slices.

Method:-

1). Heat 1tbsp coconut oil in a pan. Splutter mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Add finely chopped ginger, green chilly and curry leaves into the pan and saute well. Add 1/4 tsp turmeric powder and mix well.Add boiled and mashed potatoes and required salt into the pan and saute well. Switch off the flame. Potato masala is ready for stuffing.

2). Take a chopped bread slice.Spread a spoon full of potato masala stuffing all over the chopped bread slice.Keep another chopped bread slice over the potato masala stuffing.Keep the potato masala stuffed bread slices on a plate. Make such potato masala stuffed bread slices with the remaining chopped bread slices and keep them on a plate. Potato masala stuffed bread slices are ready for frying.

3). Heat oil in a kadai for deep frying. Dip the potato masala stuffed bread slices in gram flour batter to coat the batter on all its sides. Drop the batter coated masala stuffed bread slices one by one in hot oil and deep fry in batches on medium flame until golden colour.

4). Flip and turn the potato masala stuffed bread slices in hot oil with a slotted spoon to cook on both sides.

5). Once done remove the fried stuffed bread pakoda from hot oil and transfer to a tissue paper to absorb excess oil.

6). Repeat the same process and fry all the potato masala stuffed bread slices and transfer them to a serving plate.

Stuffed Bread Pakoda is ready to serve with tomato ketchup and a cup of hot tea or coffee.

Paneer Vegetable Kurma

Paneer vegetable kurma/ Paneer kurma is a very tasty side dish made with paneer, carrot, green peas and freshly ground coconut onion tomato cashew paste and goes well with chapathi, naan and fried rice. Paneer Vegetable Kurma recipe is given below with step by step photos.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Paneer Vegetable Kurma.

Ingredients:-

Paneer.                     -200 gm
Carrot.                     -1/4 cup chopped
Green peas.              -1/4 cup fresh
Onion.                      -1
Tomato.                    -1
Bay leaf.                   -1
Cinnamon.                -1/2 inch
Cloves.                      -2
Kalpasi/Rock flower.-small piece
Red chilly powder.   -2 tsp
Turmeric powder.     -1/4 tsp
Dry Kasuri methi.     -1tsp
Water.                        -as required
Salt.                           -to taste
Oil.                            -2 tbsp

For grinding Coconut Onion Tomato Cashew Paste:-

Grated coconut.-1/4 cup
Onion.              -1 small
Tomato.            -1 small
Cashew nuts.    -8
Fennel seeds.   -1tsp
Green chillies. -3
Garlic.             -5 cloves
Ginger.           -1tsp chopped

Instructions:-

1). Scrap the outer skin of carrot and chop it into small pieces. Pressure cook the chopped carrot along with fresh green peas and 1/2 cup of water for 3 whistles. Keep aside the cooked carrot  and green peas.

2). Finely chop onion. Chop tomato into small pieces. Keep aside.

3). Grind grated coconut (or desiccated coconut), onion, tomato, cashewnuts, fennel seeds, green chilly, ginger and garlic together to a fine paste.Keep aside the ground coconut onion tomato cashew paste.

4). Boil sufficient water in a vessel and switch off the flame.Take 200 gm frozen malai paneer cubes and keep them fully immersed in boiled hot water for 4 to 5 minutes to make it soft.After 4 to 5 minutes remove the soft paneer cubes from boiled water and transfer to a plate.

Method:-

1). Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wide bottom pan and add bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, and a small piece of kalpasi (rock flower) into the pan and saute well. Add finely chopped onion and saute well till onion becomes translucent.

2). Add chopped tomato into the pan and saute well till tomato turns mushy.

3). Add required salt, red chilli powder and turmeric powder into the pan and mix well.

4). Add cooked carrot and green peas into the pan and saute well on low flame.

5). Add ground coconut onion tomato cashew nuts paste into the pan and mix well.

6). Add little water into the pan and mix with the ground paste and make it a little gravy consistency. Boil and cook the gravy for 3 minutes on low flame.

7). Add soft paneer cubes into the gravy. Mix well and cook on low flame.

8). Lastly add crushed dry kasuri methi into the gravy.

9). Mix all the ingredients in the pan and boil the paneer vegetable kurma for few minutes on low flame and switch off the flame.

10). Transfer the paneer vegetable kurma to a serving bowl.

 Very tasty Paneer Vegetable Kurma is ready to serve.