Raajma / Red Kidney Beans Curry

This is a protein rich curry for being healthy.


Ingredients:
Red kidney beans / Raajma - 1 cup
Onions - 1/2 cup chopped
Tomato puree - 1 cup
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Lemon Juice - 2 tsp
Chana Masala powder - 1 tsp 
Red Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Ginger - Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1/4 tsp
Cilantro/ Coriander leaves - 1 cup chopped fine
Oil - 3 tbsps
Water - 1/4 cup
Salt - As per taste


Cooking Method:
Soak Raajma / Red Kidney Beans in water for 6 hours. Pressure cook the soaked raajma by adding 1/4tsp of salt until 2 vessels. 
Heat oil in a pan. Add onions to it and wait until it turn golden brown color. Add turmeric, ginger garlic paste to it and mix well. Now add the tomato puree to it, mix it and close the lid and let it cook for 4 minutes. Add red chilli powder, chana masala powder, cumin powder ,coriander powder, salt , 3/4 cup of cilantro and mix well. Add boiled raajma and water to it and mix well. Close the lid and let it cook for 5 more minutes. Now add the lemon juice , garam masala and left over cilantro and mix it. Let it cook for other 1 minute and turn off the stove and take it into the serving bowl.

Potato Green peas Kurma

Kurma is a dish that goes well with a pulav or chapatis. Below is one of the recipe for potato kurma. You can add or replace the vegetables from this dish into any other you like as well. But it is the base common recipe.

Ingredients:
Boiled potatoes - 2 boiled and diced
Green peas - 1/4 cup boiled
Carrots - 1/4 cup dices and boiled
Poppy seeds - 1/4 cup
Yogurt - 1/2 cup
Dry coconut powder - 1/4 cup
Cashews - 1/4 cup
Onions - 1/2 cup chopped
Green chilli's - 5 slit long
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Cilantro / Coriander leaves - 1/2 bunch chopped
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Red Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp (adjust)
Salt - as needed
Oil - 5 tbsps
Water - 1/2 cup

Cooking Method: 

Dry roast poppy seeds, dry coconut and cashews individually and grind them together by adding water to it into very fine paste.
Heat oil in a pan. Add onions, green chilli's, ginger garlic paste, turmeric all together and fry it for few minutes.

Now add salt, red chilli powder to it and mix it well. Let it cook for few minutes.

Now add masala paste to it and fry it until the oil oozes out of it.

Add yogurt  to it and mix it well. Let it cook again until oil oozes out. 

Add boiled potatoes, peas, carrots, coriander powder, garam masala to it. Close the lid and let it cook for few more minutes on medium heat. Its ready to be served.

Dondakaya Vepudu

Below is a delicious dondakaya vepudu recipe.
Ingredients:
Dondakaya / Tindora - 1 lb
Cumin - 1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Tumeric - 1/2 tsp
Onions - 1/2 cup finely chopped 
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Salt - as per taste
Coriander leaves - finely chopped
Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
Dry coconut powder - 3 tbsps
Oil - 5 Tbsps


Method:
Clean and cut the tindora into medium thin slices. Heat 5 Tbspoons of oil in a pan and  roast them for about 10 minutes and set aside.
In an another pan heat 1 tsp of oil. Add cumin, mustard, onions and stir well. After the onions become slight golden brown color add turmeric, ginger garlic paste, red chilli powder, coriander powder, dry coconut powder, salt and cilantro. Roast them for about 2 minutes. Now add roasted tindora to it and mix well. Let it cook for 3 more minutes and its ready to be served.

Baingan Bharta

This is one of my friend's mother-in-law recipe. I loved it so much that I make it too often now.


Ingredients:
Eggplants - 2 (medium Sized)
Tomatoes - 2 large chopped fine
Onions - 1 cup chopped fine
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Green chilli's - 5 chopped fine
Black pepper powder - 1/tsp
Red Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Garlic - 1 tbsp chopped fine
Ginger - 1 Tbspoon chopped fine
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp
Cilantro - 1 cup chopped fine
Oil - 4 tbsps
Salt - As per taste

Cooking Method:
Roast eggplant on stove top directly on medium heat until it turns black from outside and you would see it as cooked. It become very soft during this process.This process gives egg plant the smoky flavor to it.
You can also roast the egg plant in the oven until it turns black from outside and cooked from inside.
Now cool down the egg plant and remove the skin of it that is black and take the soft part of the cooked eggplant into a bowl. Mash it really well.Heat oil in a pan and add onions to it. After hey turn golden brown, add turmeric, ginger, garlic, chopped green chilli's, pepper powder, red chilli powder , cumin powder to it and mix well.

Roast it for 2 minutes and add chopped tomatoes.

Mix it together and let it cook for 5 minutes.

Add the mashed egg plant to it and mix well. Add red chilli powder, Coriander powder, garam masala powder and salt. Cook it for other 5 minutes and its ready to be served.

French Beans Curry

This is a very easy and a healthy vegetable curry.


Ingredients:
French beans - 1 lb (chopped in small pieces )

Cumin       - 1/4 tsp

Mustard Seeds       - 1/4 tsp

onions       - 1/4 cup chopped fine

Turmeric       - 1/4 tsp

Green chillis         - 10 finely chopped

Chana Dal - 1 tbsp

Fresh grated coconut - 1/4 cup

Ginger - Garlic paste - 1 tsp

Curry leaves       - 8

Cilantro       - 3 Tbsp chopped fine

salt                  - accordingly

Oil                   - 3 Tbsp

Water - for boiling

Method:

Boil water in a pan and add  1 tsp of salt to it. Add french beans to the boiling water and let it cook for 5 minutes. Strain it and pour cold water over it. This will stop it from further cooking from inside.

Heat 4 tbsps of oil in a pan. Add cumin, mustard, onions and stir well. After the onions become golden brown add turmeric,ginger garlic paste, curry leaves, chana dal, chopped green chilli's and fry it for a minute.
Add french beans now and stir it. Close the lid and cook until its 75% done. Add freshly grated coconut to it.  Now add salt, cilantro and mix well.Close the lid and cook it for 3 more minutes.
Tastes good with rice.

Dondakaya / Tindora Fry

Below is my all time hit recipe for a party.


Ingredients:
Dondakaya / Tindora - 2 lbs
Cumin - 1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Tumeric - 1/2 tsp
Onions - 1/2 cup finely chopped 
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Cashews - 4 tbsp
Peanuts - 4 tbsp
Salt - accordingly
Curry leaves
Coriander leaves - finely chopped
Coriander powder
Oil - for deep frying


Method:
Clean and cut the tindora into thin slices. Deep fry them in oil and set aside. 
In an another pan heat 1 tbsp of oil. Add cumin, mustard, onions and stir well. After the onions become slight golden brown color add turmeric, ginger garlic paste, , cashews, peanuts, curry leaves, chopped green chilli's and fry it for until cashews and peanuts turn golden. Now add fried tindora to add and mix well. Add chilli powder, salt, coriander powder an coriander leaves and mix well and take it into the serving bowl.

Okra / Bhindi Curry

This is an easy recipe. I always make some kind of dal along with this curry, to go with rice.


Ingredients:

Bhindi / Okara      - 1 lb chopped round
Cumin      - 1/4 tsp
Mustard Seeds      - 1/4 tsp
onions      - 1/4 cup chopped fine
Turmeric      - 1/4 tsp
Green chillis         - 8 (finely chopped)
Ginger - Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Curry leaves      - 8
Cilantro      - 3 Tbsp chopped fine
salt                  - accordingly
Oil                   - accordingly

Method:

Heat 4 tbsps of oil in a pan. Add cumin, mustard, onions and stir well. After the onions become golden brown add turmeric,ginger garlic paste, curry leaves, chopped green chilli's and fry it for a minute.
Add okra now and stir it. Close the lid and cook until almost done. Now add salt, cilantro and dhaniya powder and stir it.Close the lid and cook it for 3 more minutes.
Tastes good with rice.

Potlakaya / Snake Gourd Perugu Pachadi

Snake Gourd is known as Potlakaya in Telugu.

Ingredients:

Potlakaya/Snake Gourd - 1 cup (remove skin and seeds.Chopped fine)
Cumin      - 1/4 tsp
Fenugreek seeds powder/ Cumin seeds powder - 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds powder    - 1/4 tsp 
Green chillis         - 4
Dry Red chilli's      - 1 
Garlic           - 1
Ginger- chopped - 1/2 tsp 
Garlic- chopped - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves  - 8
Cilantro  - 3 Tbsp chopped fine
Yogurt  - 2 cups
salt           - accordingly
Oil           - accordingly
Water - 3 tbsp

Method:

Boil potlakaya in hot water with 1/2 tsp salt. Let it boil until little tender. 
Heat oil in a pan and add green chilli's and garlic. Roast it for a minute.
Grind green chilli's and garlic into fine paste. Add boiled potlakaya in the grinder and give it a quick grind for 30 seconds. Do not grind it too much or it becomes the paste. Let it have the pieces. 
Put this in a bowl.Add yogurt, salt, Fenugreek seeds powder/ Cumin seeds powder, cumin powder to it. Mix it well with a spoon. 
Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a small pan. Add jeera, dry red chilli, ginger, garlic, curry leaves and cilantro to it. Stir it for 2 minutes and add this to the yougurt.
It tastes good with rice.

Egg Plant curry

This is a very simple recipe and takes less than 30 minutes to make it. I made it when I had a long day at work and didn't have enough time to spend in the kitchen. 

Ingredients:

Egg Plant - 2 cups, cut into 2 inches length

Onions - 1/4 cup chopped

Cumin - 1/2 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Turmeric - 1/2 spoon

Fresh grated coconut - 1/4 cup

Red Chilli Powder- 2 tsp

Ginger garlic paste- 1 tsp

Curry leaves - 12 

Cilantro - 1/4 cup

Salt - as needed

Oil - as needed

Method:

Cut egg plant into thin 2 inches length wise. Tip: Soak egg plant in water after cutting by adding 1 spoon of salt and 1 spoon of turmeric, to avoid it getting brown until its cooked.

Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin, mustard seeds and saute it for 30 seconds.

Add onions and mix well and let it cook, until it changes into golden brown. Add turmeric, ginger-garlic paste, curry leaves and mix it. 

Now add egg plant to it an mix well. Close the lid and let it cook for 8 minutes, by mixing in between. Add the fresh gated coconut and let it cook for another 5 minutes.

When its almost done cooking, add chilli powder, dhaniya powder, salt, cilantro and mix well. Close the lid and let it cook for 2 minutes and turn off the stove.

Take it a serving bowl and garnish with cilantro. 

It tastes good either with rice or chapathi.

Mughlai Gobi

I learned this recipe from a TV channel long time back by some chef. I could remember few of the ingredients and few I added from my own knowledge. It came out good, so I would like to share with all my friends.  I love the gravy of this recipe. It makes a good dish  for parties or potluck.


Ingredients:

Cauliflower florets  - 1cup(boil in water for 4 minutes with a pinch of salt and keep aside)
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala - pinch
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Green Chillies - 4 (sliced long)
Ginger Garlic Paste - 2 tsp
Jeera Powder - 1tsp
Dhaniya powder - 2 tsp
Cinnamon - 1
Cloves - 4
Cardamom - 4
Cashew Paste - 3 tbsp (soak Cashews in water and grind with water)
Onions - 1/2 cup chopped
Half and Half Milk - 1/4 cup
Tomato Puree- 1 cup
Panner (Cottage Cheese) - 2 tsp grated
Oil - 2 t spoons
Fresh Cream - 3 tsp
Salt - for taste
Cilantro - 1/4 cup chopped
Water - 1/4 cup


Method:
Heat oil in a pan. Add whole spices(cloves, cardamon , Cinnamon). Wait for 1 min.Add onions and little salt  and fry it until golder brown color. Adding salt to the onions makes it turn brown faster and it becomes moist. Now add green chillies,ginger garlic paste and mix well. Wait for 1 minute and add little water and mix well.Let it cook for 2 minutes and add cashew paste. Mix well and let it cook until it leaves the raw smell. Add tomato puree and add little water again. Add jeera powder, turmeric, dhaniya powder, Chilli powder and mix well. Add little water again and let it cook for 3 minutes again. Add Cauliflower now and mix well. Wait for a minute. Add milk, cream and grated panner and mix well. Let it cook for another 3 minutes. Add cilantro to it and mix well. Turn off the stove now and take it into the serving bowl. You can add a spoon of cream to top it.
This tastes good with Chapati, Parata or rice.

Cilantro and Coconut Raita

This is very easy recipe that can be done in just 5 minutes. I feel that my mouth and stomach very fresh because of the ingredients in this. 

Ingredients:

Yogurt - 2 cups
Cilantro - 1/2 bunch
Jeera powder - 2 pinches tsp
Green Chillies - 7
Fresh grated coconut- 1/4 cup
Salt - as needed

Method:


Grind all the above ingredients together without yogurt well. Add yogurt to the blender at last and blend it for just 15 seconds, so all of them mixes well.
Take it in a bowl and garnish it with cilantro.
It tastes really good with any pulav.

Tomato Curry

One of my son's, sister's, brother's and my favorite curry.

Ingredients:

Tomatoes - 2 cups chopped

onions - 1/4 cup chopped

Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp

Turmeric         - 1/2 tsp

Cilantro         - 1/4 cup

Cumin - 1/2 tsp

Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp

Chilli powder - 1 tsp

Salt         - as needed

Dhaniya powder       - 1 tsp

Oil         - 2 Tb spoons

Method:

Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin, mustard seeds, onions and fry until it turns golden color.

Add turmeric,ginger garlic paste and fry it for a minute.

Add tomato now and stir it. Close the lid and cook until almost done. Now add chilli powder, salt, cilantro and dhaniya powder and stir it and close the lid and cook it for 3 more minutes. Take it in a bowl and garnish it with cilantro.

Serve with hot rice.

Bottle Gourd / Sorakaya Yakhni

This is a recipe for all the Sorakaya haters. I hated Sorakaya through out my life, except in Sambhar. I tried this recipe and tastes good with rice.


Ingredients:
Sorakaya/ Bottle gourd  - 2 cups boiled
Cumin/Jeera  - 1 tsp
Asafoetida  - 1 pinches
Sonti/Dry Ginger powder - 1/4 tsp
Funnel Seeds powder - 1 tsp
Onions    - 1/4 cup chopped
Chilli Powder  - 1.5 tsp
Turmeric   - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala   - 1 pinch
Yogurt    - 2 cups
Oil   - 2 tbsp
salt    - 2 tbsp
water    - 1/4 cup
Cilantro   - for garnishing

Method:
Heat oil a pan. Add asafoetida, jeera, funnel seeds powder, sonti, onions, turmeric and chilli powder.Mix it.Wait for 2 min and add water. After water is boiled,add the boiled sorakaya. Mix it and let it cook for another 4 minutes.Add yogurt and garam masala to it and mix well and add salt to taste. Let it cook for 4 minutes. Add cilantro for garnishing.
Tastes good with rice or chapati.