Fresh Black Eyed Beans Curry | Alasandalu Kura ~ Andhra Special

After announcing Cookie Mela, I was planning to bake some cookies naturally. But you know how it is right, you plan something and it never gets executed. Especially when everything seem to go against those planned items. Now it's to be seen if those planned cookies ever make an appearance!

Our minds are so fixed at most times. Even with one person on vacation, we feel we don't know what to cook. With Athamma on tour, I am out of ideas on what to make, she was the last person to give importance to her liking. It was always either kids or hubby's choice. Still I find myself so confused on what to make. 

Which is why this recipe comes handy. Not only is it a one shot cooking gravy, where you need not worry about sautéing and looking over it, it's rather very simple in it's method. Amma's sister, who takes care of a home, suggested this recipe after getting us a bag full of fresh alasandalu or black eyed pea. These fresh ones are available in abundance during the season and it's another one of those classics that you shouldn't miss cooking.

Fresh Black Eyed Beans Curry

After making this kura, Amma realized that this is the way my granny used to make in our village. Imagine eating something and remembering your childhood, like in ratatouille! She was hit with nostalgia and was so excited to share this piece of info with me. Since then, we have ended up cooking the peas in this method. Yes such simple recipe and you have a cart load of memories associated with it!

Then when I was talking to my Aunt, she asked me if I tasted the alasandalu kura. I said yes and that I was cooking it again for clicking pictures. She was so excited that I wanted to share that simple, yet classic Andhra delicacy. She was specifically mentioning the method of cooking in this dish. In villages, when they have huge families, they do need lot of gravy as they serve this with rice. So to make more gravy, the onions and tomatoes are always ground into paste. Imagine I always thought that it was the modern tread and I heard that for ages it's been cooked this way.

Coming to the recipe, it's such a simple and uncomplicated recipe that I am sure when you try this, you will love making it again and again!

Alasandalu Kura

Fresh Black Eyed Beans Curry | Alasandalu Kura

Ingredients Needed:

Fresh Black Eyed Peas, shelled - 2 cups

For the ground masala:

Onion - 1/2 of a big
Roasted Groundnuts / Peanut - 2 -3 tbsp
Tomato - 1 big
Garlic - 3 -4 cloves
Red chili powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Turmeric a pinch

For tempering

Onion - 1/2 of a big
Mustard seeds, Urad dal - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves few
Oil - 1 tsp

How to make the kura

Shell the peas and wash. Take the peas with twice it's amount of water and bring to boil. When the water starts boiling, simmer.

Meanwhile make a paste of all the ingredients listed under masala to a smooth paste. Add this paste to the boiling peas, and continue cooking till the froth comes out on the top.

When the gravy reaches it's consistency, simmer completely.

Heat a pan with oil, temper with mustard, saute the onions and curry leaves. Then pour this over the simmering peas.

Serve with rice or roti.

Vendakkai Mor Kulambu | Bendakaya Majjiga Pulusu ~ Step by Step Recipe

When I think of Thenga Sadam, Vendakai Mor Kulambu always comes to mind. Amma makes this combination for Saturday lunch and when it is Coconut Rice, it has always been Vendakaya Mor Kulambu. And this used to be my favorite lunch box recipe as well. When we recently made Vangi Bath, we thought the best side dish will be only this. And I managed to take step by step pictures.

This is a wonderful way to include Okra in our meal and makes a great side dish for all mixed rice dishes.

The simple lunch thali we made had Vangi Bath, Vendakkai Mor Kulambu, Thandu Kootu, Beetroot Rasam, Stuffed Pepper bajji with Atukula Payasam.

South Indian Thali ~ Stuffed Pepper Bajji, Vangi Bath, Thandu Kootu, Beets Rasam, Mor Kulambu, Atukula Payasam

Step by Step Picture Recipe

Vendakkai Mor Kulambu

Ingredients Needed:

Lady's finger - 5 nos

For the Masala Paste:

Rice - 1/2 tsp
Toor Dal - 1/2 tsp
Grated coconut - 1 tbsp
Green chillis - 2
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Curds / Yogurt - 1/2 cup
Turmeric powder a pinch
Salt to taste

Seasoning

Curry leaves few
Coconut Oil - 1 tsp

How to make Vendakka Mor Kozlambu:

Wash and soak rice and toor dal for 30 mins. Then grind it to a smooth paste along with grated coconut, green chillies and cumin seeds.

In a bowl, mix the ground paste with curds, turmeric powder, salt and required amount of water. Water depends on the quantity you want the gravy to be and also the thickness.

In a pan, bring this liquid to boil. Once it comes to boil, sim and cook for 5 mins. At this stage it will get very thick, so keep an eye to make sure the bottom doesn't get burnt.

Wash and wipe the Okra dry, then chop to 2" pieces. Dry roast them in a pan and add to the boiling gravy.

In a skillet, heat 1 tsp of coconut Oil and add curry leaves. Temper the boiling gravy with this oil. Coconut oil adds lot of flavour to this gravy. If you are not comfortable using coconut oil, you can replace with oil of your choice.

We always serve Coconut Rice/ Thenga Sadam with this Vendakkai Mor Kulambu

Mullangi Pachadi | Radish / Mooli Chutney | Side Dish for Dosa

Next in the Chutney Series is another delicious chutney that you can serve for Dosas/ Idlis. I believe this makes a great mix with rice as well, though I haven't tasted it with Rice. When you are really up against for want of ideas to make for serving for Dosas, and want it to be healthy, these vegetable based chutneys really come handy.

The best part of this chutney is the fact that it is diabetic friendly. Forgive me for not showcasing with a Diabetic Dosa, but remember this makes a great side dish for any of those Pesarattu with Moong. Amma got this chutney again from her sister and she served this for Daddy for his Moong dal dosa. They vouched it tasted great. Since I was running short of time and didn't have the Moong dal batter, I had to make do with the regular dosa.

We have always used radish in our Sambar and dry sautes. Athamma again makes a wonderful chutney with another combination, that rests in draft for my cookbook. Anyway meanwhile let me share this simple and quick chutney that you can make for your dosas and never reach out for thos calorie heavy coconut or ground nut chutney. I know I love those two, still I realized this tastes very much like coconut chutney.

You can actually fool somebody to believe this is so!

Ingredients Needed:

Radish, chopped - 1 & 1/2 cup
Onions -  1 medium
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Dry red chilies - 4 -5 mos
Garlic - 3 -4 cloves
Tamarind - 1 small marble size
Oil - 1 tsp

How to make the chutney

Wash and scrap the outer skin of the radish. chop into small pieces.

Heat a kadai with oil, add cumin seeds, allow to splutter. Then add chopped onions, red chilies, garlic saute well.

then add radish and saute till they turn colour.

Remove and allow to cool. Add salt.

Then grind in a mixer to a smooth paste along with tamarind.

Notes:

we made without tamarind and it was good when served with Dosas. If you are serving with rice, you will have to add the tamarind.

This does not have long shelf life but can stay for a day.

Paneer in Coconut Gravy | Side Dish for Chapati / Roti

When we think of Paneer, it's always either Paneer Butter Masala or any of the other combinations that we would come up with. If we decide not to make the gravy rich and creamy, we might end up using the paneer with aloo or peas or gobi. I know all of these tastes great and makes a wonderful side dish for rotis.

There is another version that Amma makes that's very creamy and aromatic. She uses lot of cardamom and couple of other spices that makes the dish stand out. So in all speculation we thought using something like coconut should not be very different.

So here is your crowd pleaser cooked in a coconut base. And you can take my word, it tastes great with rotis too. If you are one of those who think you can't pair Paneer in any other form you ought to make and taste for yourself.

Ingredients Needed:

Paneer - 250 gms
Onions - 1 cup
Tomatoes, puree - 1 cup
Tomato chopped - 1/2 medium
Ginger Garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
Green chilies - 1 long
Red chili powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder a pinch
Salt to taste
Garam Masala
Coconut paste - 2 tbsp
Oil - 2 tsp

How to make Paneer in Coconut Gravy:

If you are using store bought Paneer, cut into cubes and roast in ghee. Else it's not required with homemade paneer.

Heat a kadai with oil, saute onions till they turn colour, add ginger garlic paste and green chili. Add the chopped tomatoes and add all the spice powders. Simmer for few mins.

When the tomatoes soften, add the puree and bring to boil. Add a cup of water and then coconut paste.

Bring to boil, add salt. Finally add the paneer.

Serve with Chapatis

Some may tag this preparation as Paneer Malabari, I don't think this recipe will qualify for that.

Enjoy your week ahead!

Snakegourd Stir Fry with Moong dal | Paasi paruppu Podalanga Poriyal | Step by Step Recipe

Days tend to get extremely busy without our notice and I was surprised to note that almost 10 days have gone without an update. I am struggling to keep up with the posts and there are so many drafts that I want to clear off, guess it requires more efforts than what I have. When I actually think back on what's happening, guess we just caught up the everyday rut of rushing the kids to school, rushing off to work. Wish life could pass on more leisurely so that one gets to remember these incidents.

There are days stretching endless with me chatting with Amma or Hubby dear about what the boys or Konda say. Like last week Konda had given me her lunch weekly menu and was insistent that I follow the menu strictly. When I saw that I had to make Fried rice, I was able to convince Peddu about it but Chinnu said he doesn't want it. I said I am not running a restaurant and he has to carry that for his lunch too. He threatened me saying he will not eat. When I came back home in the evening, Peddu rushed in to say he loved the rice and wanted it for next day also, while Chinnu was having a cross face. Looking at me, he said "I didn't eat, but my teacher fed the rice to me" Imagine saying that was a pause. He was so clear in his likings and that statement was so hilarious when he said in telugu. There have been so many other antics that I now see I haven't recorded. The way the boys have started talking, with their innocence and the smart way they think for every small thing, makes the days so wonderful. Looking at Konda, I wonder all of sudden where is my baby! She is all the typical pre teen, yes kids these days looks like they become teens by 10!

Anyway coming back to the recipe, this is a wonderful protein packed stir fry, very delicious with sambar or dal. If I am not making Podalanga Kootu, it's this stir fry that's made.

Check out how to clean or prep Snake gourd in Spice your Life. We are running the 10th edition of Blogging Marathon from today and I decided to take up Preps and Preserves.

Split Yellow Moong dal is called in tamil Paasi paruppu / Payatham paruppu / siru paruppu

Sending this to Priya for her event Cooking With Seeds-Mung/Moong Beans

Step by step picture Recipe

Snakegourd Stir Fry with Moong dal 
Ingredients Needed:

Snake gourd / Podalanga / Potlakaya - 1 medium (this is not the long ones)
Split yellow Moong Dal / Payatham paruppu / Paasi paruppu- 1/2 cup
Salt to taste
Red chili flakes - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 1 tsp
Fresh coconut, grated - 2 tsp

Tempering

Dry Red Chili - 2 -3 (spicy varities)
Mustard Seeds, Urad dal - 3/4 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves few

How to make Paasi paruppu Podalanga Poriyal

Refer how to clean or prep Snake gourd and follow the process. Once you have squeezed out the vegetable from salted water, add 1/2 water and microwave for 10 mins.

In another mw bowl, wash and micro moong dal for 10 - 15 mins. Once done, drain the vegetable and keep it aside.

Heat a non stick pan with oil, add the seasoning ingredients. When the mustard pops, add the cooked snakegourd. Saute well. This takes about 5 mins. Then add the cooked dal and mix well, add salt and chili flakes. Simmer for 5 mins, then add the grated coconut finally and switch off.

Serve with Rice and Sambar as the side.

Aloo Paneer Kofta Curry Recipe ~ Weekend Cooking!

Last weekend when I made the Tomato Pulao in microwave, I was thinking what should be done as the side dish for the pulao. Hubby dear doesn't like just Onion raitha being served along with the pulaos as they hardly ever spicy. So a spicy gravy is what he expects most times. Normally with the ground masala that we make for the tomato pulao, we make cauliflower curry. But this time thought should make something different.

Amma had made this Koftas with Aloo and Paneer. The curry made a great pair with the tomato pulao. I was sure it would have been ever more delicious if you were to serve this with Naans or even plain rotis. Try this for this weekend, I am sure you will love it!

Saturday is going to be an off and I already have fully packed plans. With the Blogging Marathon getting into its final few days, I still have one more dish to make for the final day. I am sure I will finalise by tomorrow.

Now let's get to the recipe!

Aloo Paneer Kofta Curry

For the Koftas
 

Paneer  1/2 cup
Aloo - 2 medium
Maida - 2 tbsp
Green Chilies - 1
Red Chili powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying

For the gravy

Onion paste - 1/2 cup
Ginger Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Tomato puree - 1 cup
Chili powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Curds - 25 gms / 1.4 cup
Cashewnut paste - 10 nos
Salt to taste
Oil - 2 tsp

How to make the Koftas

When you make the paneer, it's better if you don't try to make a cube out of it. Just store it as such, since you will anyway need to crumble it for the koftas.

Take everything in a bowl, mix well. The maida and aloo should hold the mix well. Shape them into balls and deep fry, Keep it aside.

How to make the Gravy:

Heat a non stick pan with oil. Add the onion paste, saute well. Then add the ginger garlic paste. Keep stirring till the mix is well cooked.

Then add the tomato puree, and chili powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, garam masala and salt. Simmer till the tomato is well cooked. Simmer and add beaten curds. Make sure to quickly mix everything.

Finally when the tomato sauce is well cooked, takes about 10 mins, add the cashew nut paste.

Simmer for couple of mins.

Finally add chopped coriander.

How to serve the Aloo Paneer Kofta Curry.

Place the fried koftas in a bowl, pour hot sauce over it and serve right away.

Notes: If you are not planning to eat the dish right away, it makes sense not to add the koftas as it will absorb all the sauces. Just before serving, heat the sauce again, if required, pour over the koftas to serve with Rice or roti.

Have a great weekend!

Vegetable Manchurian Recipe | Step by Step Recipe | Indo Chinese Recipe

Vegetable Manchurian was a great combo with Egg Fried Rice, which we had prepare nearly couple of months before. We normally make Cauliflower Manchurian as a side dish for Fried Rice. So Amma wanted to make something different and hence came up this wonderful recipe. This dish ends up being a clean up dish as you can add all your veggies that you might have left overs and tastes great.

Things have been pretty steady and hectic the past couple of days. I just announced the Kid's Delight on Indian Street Food. I was hoping I could prepare some pending Street foods that I had planned so many months before. Chocolate Round up will be up soon. Meanwhile I had some more bloggers being interested in the Blogging Marathon that it makes me think that maybe I should plan to do this again.

When I got back thinking I should post something within this week, this draft was literally calling me!..:) Imagine sitting idle in the drafts for so long without any attention. The vegetable manchurians tasted great as such, I saved some for eating as a starter without adding to the sauce. The sauce was made the same way we do for the Cauliflower Manchurian.

Step by Step to make Vegetable Manchurian

In a non stick pan, saute the onions, ginger, garlic and chili paste.

Then add the tomato sauce

Measure out soya sauce

Add the soya sauce to the pan

Followed by the corn flour mix

Add more water as required.

Fried Vegetable Manchurians

Add these balls to the sauce.

Finally garnish with spring onion greens

Vegetable Manchurian Recipe

To make the manchurian

Cabbage, Beans, Carrot, Potato - 1 cup
All purpose flour / Maida - 2 tsp
Corn flour - 1 tbsp
Green chillies - 3 nos
Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Ginger - 2"
Garlic - 4 pods
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying

To make the sauce

Soya sauce - 1 & 1/2 tbsp
Tomato Sauce - 1 & 1/2 tbsp
Corn flour - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Garlic - 4 pods
Spring onions - 1 bunch

Method to prepare:

For Manchurian

Clean and cut the vegetables. Grind the half, should not be ground into smooth paste, but half half.

Grind the chilis, ginger, garlic into a coarse paste. Take the rest of the ingredients required to make the manchurian in a bowl, add the chili paste, ground vegetables. Add salt and mix well. The batter should not be loose or runny, so add very little water. Make them into small balls.

Heat a pan of oil, Once it is hot, reduce to medium flame, deep fry these manchurian balls. Cook on both sides and drain to a kitchen towel.

For the sauce.

Heat a non stick pan with 1 tsp oil, Add the finely chopped onions from the spring onions, then add finely chopped garlic. Sauté till the onion bulbs turn colour. Keep the green of the spring onions for latter use.

Next add ginger garlic and chilli paste. Add soya sauce. Followed by tomato sauce

In a small bowl mix the corn flour with little water to form a lump less batter. Once paste is fried, add this to sauce. Adjust salt. Fry on high flame so that the sauce thickens. Just make sure it doesn't become too thick.

Add fried vegetable balls to the sauce. along the green onions stocks. simmer for 1 min.

If you don't want the manchurian to be soggy, add just before serving.

Serve this with Egg Fried Rice


Other Recipes
Vegetable Fried Rice & Cauliflower Manchurian
Chicken Fried Rice

Baked Arbi | Baked Colocasia Fry | Microwave Convection Recipe

I love Arbi fries and finding another way to make this delicious Arbi Fry was just perfect. This has been in drafts for so long that I really wonder why I haven't spoken about it.  Making this in  microwave works out so simple and quick. 

After deciding on 365 days of Microwave cooking, I was thinking I should find as many possible recipes that can fit into this mode. Since I have a Microwave Convection oven, it gives the advantage of baking it both in microwave and convention mode. Micro mode gets this cooked quick, while putting it on the convection mode ensures it stays crisp and not tough or hard.

I came back home after a week's trip to San Fransisco, visited my sister and attended BlogHer's Conference too. It was a fun filled week and five days passed quickly. My sister and BIL ensured I had great time, still I missed home and was only happy getting back fast. I had that feeling the moment the plane was landing on Kathipara Junction and cursed myself for keeping away just that moment. This was my first trip ever on own, so I was excited as a kid. Will write more about the trip in my next post.

Meanwhile enjoy this recipe which was shared my the MW Chef I was talking about. I adapted her recipe to suit our palate.

Baked Arbi in Microwave

Boil Arbi in water for 8 minutes

Peel the arbi and chop into 1 inch pieces. Mix the arbi in the masala and keep aside for 5 mins. Then spread on the tray and bake 10 minutes.

Toss it around in between and continue baking in micro mode.

Serve it with Rice and Sambar.

Baked Arbi in Microwave |
In both Micro and Convectional cooking mode
Total cooking Time : 20 mins

Ingredients Needed:

Arbi / Colocasia / Seppankizhangu- 250 gms
Red Chili powder - 1 & 1/2 tsp
Ginger Garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Cornflour - 1/2 - 1 tsp
Oil - 1 tsp

Method to prepare:

Wash and boil Arbi in water for 8 minutes in micro mode.

Peel the skin and cut into 1" pieces

Then take the Arbi in a bowl along with the other ingredients and mix well. Keep it aside for 5 mins.

Spread the arbi on a microwave safe tray and micro for 10 minutes. Keep tossing around in interval.

If you want a crispier arbi, pre-heat your convectional oven for 15 mins at 50 degree C.

Then spread the baked arbi again for 5 minutes in Convectional mode.

Notes: Baking this in both Micro and Convectional mode ensures the arbi comes out crisper.
Only about 1 - 2 tsp of oil is required for baking this, so it makes it so healthy.

This goes for my 365 Days of Microwave Cooking. I wanted to include even dishes done in combo mode as we get such Microwave Convectional Ovens in India.