Vegetable Kichidi

Kichidi is a comforting dish to make on lazy days for me. Normally I don't add vegetables in the Kichidi but when I saw one of blogger friends Usha posted this recipe, I wanted to try it. All of us really loved the this kichidi.
It's simple to make and works well for lunch boxes.

Preparation Time: 30 minutes to soak + 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Serves : 2-3
Adapted from : Myspicy kitchen

Ingredients:

Rice : 1 1/2 cups (I used sona masoori)
Moong dal/Green gram /Pesara pappu: 1/2 cup roasted
Onion : 1 medium sliced
Green Chilies: 7 sliced
Green beans : 12 cut into 1" pieces
Carrot : 2 medium diced
Tomato : 1 large chopped
Ginger garlic paste : 1 tablespoon
Turmeric: 1/2 teaspoon
Water : 4 cups
Cilantro/coriander leaves : 2 tablespoons
Salt to taste

For Tempering:

Green cardamom/elachi: 4
Cloves /lavang : 5
Cinnamon  : 1" stick
Bay leaves : 2
Cumin seeds : 1 teaspoon

Method:

Wash rice, dal and soak for 30 minutes.
After soaking rice and dal for 20 minutes, Add the water in the rice cooker and bring it to a boil.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a pan and add all ingredients listed under for Tempering. Fry them until the cumin seeds splatter.
Add onions, green chilies and sauté till they turn light brown.
Add ginger garlic paste and fry for 30 seconds.
Add beans, carrots and sauté for 2 minutes.
Add turmeric, salt and tomatoes. Cook until they turn mushy.
Drain the rice and dal, add it to the pan and fry for 2 minutes.
Add this mixture to water in the rice cooker. Add cilantro, stir and close lid.
Let the rice rest for 10 minutes and fluff up with a fork.
Serve with pickle or any masala gravy curry.


Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing this BM#70

Tawa Aloo

Tawa Aloo is Potatoes are cooked on a Tawa or Fry pan where the potatoes are crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. The use of ingredients brings a nice twist to these potato wedges. It works well as a side dish and for lunch boxes too.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Serves : 2-3
Inspired by: Vikas Khannas Savour Mumbai

Ingredients:

Potatoes: 3 large cut into wedges with skin
Onions : 2 large puréed
Tomatoes: 2 large puréed
Ginger garlic paste: 1 tablespoon
Green chilies: 2 chopped finely
Amchur/Dry mango powder: 1/2 teaspoon

Spice Mix:
Turmeric: 1 teaspoon
Coriander powder: 2 teaspoons
Cumin powder: 1 teaspoon
Red chili powder: 1 teaspoon
Salt to taste

Method:

Heat 2 liters of water in a large saucepan, add potatoes and bring it to a boil. Keep the flam high until the water boils. Let it boil for 2 minutes and turn off the stove. Drain the potatoes and put them in a bowl.
Add all ingredients listed under spice mix and toss well. Keep aside for 5 minutes.
Heat oil on tawa or frying pan and add ginger garlic paste. Fry for 1 minute and add onion Purée. Sauté for 3 minutes until it turns golden.
Add green chilies and tomato Purée and fry for 1 minute.
Add the potatoes and mix well and shallow fry them on medium heat. Fry them for 10 minutes or until the potatoes are crisp on the outside and soft on the inside.
Turn off the stove and serve hot with rice as a side dish.


Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing this BM#70

Kadai Mushroom - Restaurant Style

Kadai Mushroom is a semi dry curry that's made in a kadai which is an Indian wok. These kadai's are normally made with iron.

Button mushrooms are sautéed in tangy tomato sauce. The dish is easy to make yet delicious.

The dish goes well with jeera rice, Roti or naan.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4-5

Ingredients:

Button Mushrooms: 250 grams
Onion : 1 large chopped
Tomato : 2 large puréed or 3/4 cup
Green pepper/ Capsicum: 1 thinly sliced
Ginger garlic paste: 1 tablespoon
Kasoori methi: 1 teaspoon
Turmeric: 1/2 teaspoon
Water : 1/2 cup
Garam masala: 1/2 teaspoon
Salt to taste

For kadai masala:

Coriander seeds/ Dhaniya : 1 tablespoon
Dry red chilies: 5
Cumin seeds/ Jeera : 1/2 teaspoon
Cinnamon: 1 " stick
Green cardamom/ Elachi :2
Cloves /laung: 3
Whole Black pepper: 1/2 teaspoon
Mace : 1

Method:

Dry roast all ingredients listed under for kadai masala, cool them off and grind in a blender or mortar pestal to a semi fine powder.
Wash and slice the mushrooms.
Heat oil in a pan and add sliced mushrooms and sauté them for 5-7 minutes until they water is evaporated and mushrooms are browned. Take them out a keep aside.
In the same pan, add onions and sauté them till they turn translucent.
Add garlic garlic paste and fry for 1 minute.
Add tomato Purée and cook for 4-5 minutes or until you see oil getting separated.
Add green pepper, mix well and sauté for 5 minutes.
Add turmeric, salt and kadai masala. Mix well and add water.
Cook for 2 minutes and add the mushrooms, garam masala, kasoori methi, mix well and turn off the stove.
Serve hot with Roti, Jeera rice or naan.

Chikkudukaya Fry/Broad beans Fry

Chikkudukaya/broad beans is a fiber rich and nutritious vegetable. It tastes good when fried or even by adding tomatoes and making a curry.
This fry works well with Roti or rice and lunch boxes too.

Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Serves : 2-3

Ingredients:

Chikkudukaya/Broad beans : 1/2 kg
Turmeric: 1/2 teaspoon
Crushed red chilies: 2 teaspoons
Curry leaves: 1 sprig
Salt to taste

For Tempering:
Chana dal/Senagapappu: 1 tablespoon
Urad dal/Minappappu: 1 tablespoon
Mustard seeds/Aavalu: 1 teaspoon
Cumin seeds/Jeera : 1 teaspoon

Method:

Cut the chikkudukaya/broad beans on both edges and string them and break the pods into pieces. Cut the chikkudukaya into 1" pieces.
Heat oil in a pan and add all ingredients listed under for tempering. Fry them for 2 minutes or until they turn golden.
Add chikkudukaya pieces, salt and turmeric. Toss well and close lid.
Cook for 15 -17 minutes or until the beans/chikkudukaya is done.
Open lid and add crushed red chilies and mix well.
Sauté for 2 minutes and turn off the stove.
Serve with rice or Roti.

Overnight oats with sweet basil seeds and Papaya

This overnight oats is a super simple dish where oats, sweet basil seeds, papaya, milk and honey are mixed and refrigerated overnight. All these ingredients make a healthy and nutritious breakfast. 

I can say it's going to be a favorite for all ages as my daughter and my mom can't stop talking about it..

Preparation Time: 5 minutes 
Resting Time : Overnight
Serves : 1

Ingredients:

Oats : 1/3 cup
Papaya pieces : 1 cup
Milk : 1/2 cup
Sabja seeds/Sweet Basil seeds : 2 tablespoons
Honey : 2 tablespoons

Method:

Take a large bowl and add papaya to it. Gently squish them a little with a fork.
Add oats, sweet basil seeds, milk and honey. Mix well, close lid and refrigerate overnight.
In the morning, add 1/2 teaspoon of honey and serve cold.

Methi Paratha/ Paratha made with fenugreek leaves

Greens are good for health, kids like my daughter who are not too fond of eating greens is going to hurt them in the long run. Methi Paratha is a spice mixed with methi leaves in wheat flour and cooked on the tawa with ghee. All these ingredients are good for your health. I even pack these parathas for lunch and my daughter loves it.
I'm sending this dish to blogging Marathon #70 under cooking on the tawa.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 2-3 minutes per Paratha
Makes : 6 Parathas

Ingredients:

Whole wheat flour: 2 cups
Methi leaves: 4 bunches or 3 cups of leaves
Red chili powder : 1 teaspoon
Coriander powder: 1 teaspoon
Salt to taste

Method:

Take all the ingredients in a bowl, make a well in the middle and by adding warm water, knead into a soft dough.
Keep aside for 10-15 minutes.
Take the dough and divide into 6 equal portions.
Make each one into a round ball, press firmly and roll into a 8" round Paratha using dry flour for dusting.
Heat a tawa and place the Paratha on it, cook for 1 minute each side. Add ghee and cook for 1 minute each side or until both sides are golden.
Serve hot or at room temperature with some raita.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing this BM#70