BEETROOT PEDA

This is an innovative recipe from my mother. Beetroot has a wonderful colour and is a rich source of nutrients which enhances the body's immunity. People who do not eat beetroot often would find it difficult not to try this one. You can try this recipe when you want to make something different. It tastes delicious and can be cooked in about 20 minutes. It does take time to grate beetroot by hand, hence you can use a food processor or can puree the chopped beetroots..

MUSHROOM PEAS CURRY

Mushrooms are rich source of proteins, B vitamins and minerals. They are also delicious and easy to cook. I have given below a recipe to make mushroom peas curry.

Serves: 4
Ingredients

1 packet button mushrooms
½ cup peas
1 big onion chopped
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp garlic paste
2 tomatoes pureed
1 cinnamon
1 cardamom
¼ tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp red chilli powder
¼ cup yoghurt
2 tbsp coconut paste
Coriander and mint leaves
½ tsp salt

Method

In a pressure cooker, heat oil, then add cardamom, cinnamon, onions and sauté till the onions turn slightly golden. Then add garlic paste, ginger paste, chilli powder, tomatoes and salt. Mix well and cook for a minute. Then add yoghurt, peas and mushrooms, which have been washed and cut into 2,mix well and cook for some time. Finally add coconut paste dissolved in 2 cups of water along with coriander and mint leaves. Close the lid and cook for 10 minutes. Then transfer to a pan, add lime juice and water if necessary and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook for 5 minutes. When the gravy acquires the desired consistency, switch off the gas. Serve hot with chapathi, roti or paratha.

VEGETABLE KHURMA

Serves: 6
Ingredients

2 potatoes diced
½ cup peas
1 carrot diced
½ beetroot diced
1 cup cauliflower florets
1 big onion chopped
½ tbsp ginger paste
½ tbsp garlic paste
2 tomatoes pureed
1 cinnamon
1 cardamom
¼ tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp red chilli powder
¼ cup yoghurt
3 tbsp coconut paste
1 tbsp poppy seeds ground to a paste (optional)
Coriander and mint leaves
½ tsp salt (adjust to taste)

Method

In a pressure cooker, heat oil, then add cardamom, cinnamon, onions and sauté till the onions turn slightly golden. Then add garlic paste, ginger paste, chilli powder, tomatoes and salt. Mix well and cook for a minute. Then add yoghurt, and the cleaned and cut vegetables,mix well and cook for some time. Finally add coconut paste dissolved in 2 cups of water along with coriander and mint leaves. Close the lid and cook for 10 minutes. Then transfer to a pan, add lime juice and water if necessary and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook for 5 minutes. When the gravy acquires the desired consistency, switch off the gas. Serve hot with chapathi, roti or paratha.

PAV BHAAJI

Pav Bhaaji or Buns (pav) toasted in butter and served with hot and spicy vegetable gravy (bhaji) is a very popular Indian snack. It is an easy to make, flavourful and a delicious snack that you can make during evenings or when you wish to skip from the regular rice and chapathi. The recipe of making the delicious bhaji is given below and you can check out the recipe of making eggless pav buns here. 

CHANA MEHTI GRAVY (LENTIL FENUGREEK LEAVES GRAVY)

This is a traditional recipe from my mother. It is very easy to make and tastes perfect with chapathis. It can also be used as a filling for making sandwiches or with rice as side dish.

Serves: 4
Ingredients

½ cup chana dal washed and soaked in water for about ½ an hour

½ cup fenugreek leaves cleaned and washed

2 big tomatoes washed and pureed

1 onion finely chopped

1 tsp red chilli powder

3 tsp coriander powder

¼ tsp turmeric powder

½ tbsp garlic paste

½ tbsp ginger paste

1 tbsp soya sauce or a small ball of tamarind

2 tbsp oil

¼ tsp asafoetida powder

1 tsp Salt or to taste

3 tbsp Coriander leaves

Method

Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add asafoetida and onions. Sauté for some time, then add garlic and ginger paste and mix well. Now add tomatoes, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt and coriander powder. Finally add fenugreek leaves, dal, 2 to 3 cups of water and coriander leaves. Mix well and bring to a boil. Close the lid and cook for 10 minutes. Then remove the lid, add soya sauce and bring to a boil. Close a lid, cook in low heat until the gravy thickens. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with chapathi.

HOW TO STITCH A PRINCESS CUT KAMEEZ

For making a princess cut kameez, use the same measurements as that of the normal kameez to make a paper draft till 9 to 10 measurement. After making the draft, make the following modifications on the draft.

6 to e=1/4 chest+1” or 1 ¼” or 1 ½”
2e to e= 1/8 chest

Join ‘d’ and ‘e’ through a curve and extend up to ‘f’. Then cut the paper draft into 2 by following the curve.

Place neck part of the draft over the fold of the cloth and mark till the waist. Then take 1 to g = 6” or 8”. Leave ½” allowance and cut along the neck and sides and 1” along the bottom. Similarly cut the back piece.

Then place the second half over the cloth and mark till the waist. Mark g to h=12” or 16” and ‘h’ to ‘I’=1”. Draw a curve, and leaving 1” along the sides and bottom and ½” along all the other sides, cut the cloth. In the same way cut other 3 pieces.

Now there are 2 central pieces and 4 side pieces. Join all the pieces and continue to stitch the top by finishing the neck first then stitching the sleeves and finally joining the sides. It does not have an opening at the sides.

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Princess cut Kameez looks best when worn with gathering pants or churidhars.

The images are just a pictorial representation.
I have tried to explain the method as clearly as possible but it is advisable to use your discretion while stitching this dress. If you are a beginner then you can start by stitching a basic kameez or kurti and then move on to other patterns.

For more tutorials visit the dress designs page.

VEG FRANKIE

Frankies are perfect on the go snacks. Filled with vegetables and masalas, they taste delicious. Cutlets are made using the vegetables and then placed inside the chapathi along with the onion mixture. Vegetables can be replaced with paneer or chicken to make Paneer and chicken Frankies.

Serves: 4
Ingredients

For the chapathi

1 cup All purpose flour (maida)
¼ tsp salt
Water
1 tsp warm oil
Oil for cooking

For the cutlet

2 big potatoes
1/2 carrot chopped
8 beans chopped
50 nos peas
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp chaat masala
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tbsp dry mango powder (amchur)
Bread crumbs
Coriander leaves chopped
Oil for frying

For the onion mixture

1 onion finely chopped
½ tsp red chilli powder
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp dry mango powder

Method

First wash and clean all the vegetables. Then steam the vegetables and set aside.

Then take a bowl, add salt, maida, oil and water and knead to form a smooth dough. Cover and set aside for 15 minutes.

Then take all the vegetables in a bowl, add chaat masala, chilli powder, dry mango powder, coriander leaves and salt and mix well. Adjust masalas according to your taste. Form long patties, roll in bread crumbs and set aside. Heat oil in a pan and stir fry the cutlets till golden brown. Remove on a tissue paper.

In a bowl, mix together onions, red chilli powder, salt and dry mango powder and set aside.

Divide the dough into 4 equal balls. Roll out each ball into thin chapathis. Heat a skillet and place the chapathi. Allow it to cook, then turn over, cook the other side. Then apply 1 tsp oil on both the sides and cook for a minute. Do not allow it to burn. Remove on a plate and assemble one cutlet along with 1 tbsp of the onion mixture at the centre of each chapathi. Carefully cover the cutlet and onion mixture with the chapathi to form a roll. Serve hot. In this way make all the other 3 Frankies.

CHETTINAD STYLE FISH CURRY

Chettinad cuisine is known for its delicious taste and flavourful spices used. Given below is the recipe of fish curry made in chettinad style.

Serves: 4
Ingredients

8 pieces of fish

4 tbsp oil

1 bay leaf

1 cinnamon stick

2 to 3 cloves

5 to 6 peppercorns

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp fennel seeds

A handful of curry leaves

3 red chillies

2 tomatos pureed

1 large onion chopped

A pinch of asafoetida

2 tbsp coconut paste

½ tbsp garlic paste

½ tbsp ginger paste

1 tsp coriander powder

¼ tsp turmeric powder

¾ tsp red chilli powder

¾ tsp garam masala powder

Salt

A handful chopped coriander leaves

Method

Heat oil in a pan, add bay leaf, cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, asafoetida and curry leaves. Saute for some time. Then add red chillies, onions and sauté for a few minutes. Then add ginger garlic paste, mix well then add tomato puree, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and salt. Mix well and cook for some time. Then add coconut paste, fish pieces and mix well. Cook for a minute. Finally add garam masala, coriander leaves and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, close a lid and let it cook for 10 more minutes or till the fish is cooked. Serve hot with rice.

SOOJI KA HALWA/ RAVA KESARI RECIPE

Sooji ka halwa/ Semolina halwa also called Rava kesari is a very popular sweet of Tamilnadu. It is made from semolina and sugar and tastes delicious. Rava kesari is one of the most delicious, easy and quickly made sweets in India. Using the recipe given below sooji halwa/ rava kesari can be made in about 15 minutes.