Showing posts with label Leafy vegetables. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Leafy vegetables. Show all posts

Spring Onion Chutney

By    8:59 PM // No comments
With a plan to make spring onion parathas, I proceeded to make the dough. When the dough was resting assembled the ingredients to prepare green chutney as an accompaniment to parathas. And this time I took the idea which I remember seeing on you tube, to use spring onions while making the chutney. I utilized the remaining stalks of spring onion and finished it off which if not done, would have wilted in the fridge [Happens with me most of the times]. Glad that it tasted well with parathas. 

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Pudina Palak Ki Kadhi

By    3:03 PM // 2 comments
Mint leaves add a nice refreshing flavor to any drink or salads. During summers, I add them in chaas, juices, soups or as garnish for salads and was thinking how it would taste if I add them to yogurt based kadhis. So this time when I lay my hands on fresh mint leaves, I added handful of them to below palak kadhi recipe. It surely took this kadhi to another level and tasted super with fresh and aromatic flavor. Read below to find out how I prepared it from palak and pudina. 




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Patal Bhaji With Palak and Methi leaves

By    12:13 PM // 1 comment
Patal bhaji is a specialty prepared from colacassia/taro leaves and sour greens [ambat bhaji] in combination with peanuts and chana dal. It has a unique sour and spicy taste, with little sweetness and goes well as side dish with main menu. This is most popular dish prepared by Maharashtrians. With absence of these leaves [we rarely get colocasia leaves here], I decided to prepare them from most commonly available greens in the stores which is palak. Next day, on the way back from my office, I picked some palak and when my eyes fell on fresh methi leaves I decided to include them too. Below is the photo and recipe of what I prepared. 




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Methi Matar Malai

By    5:42 PM // 4 comments
Methi Mutter Malai is a rich blend of  cream, green peas, fenugreek leaves flavoured with Indian spices which serves as an yummy accompaniment to rotis, parathas, phulkas. 

 The name of this dish brings back many sweet memories of my vacation time I spent at Nashik some 15 years ago where my aunt's house was located. During one of the vacation period, my aunt [who is a fantastic cook] had prepared this dish and it tasted lip-smackingly delicious. I couldn't resist myself from eating it with hot phulkas and simple pulao. Thanks to her for introducing this rich creamy Mughlai dish. I tried to take the recipe from her verbally but failed to register it properly because of my ignorance about certain ingredients especially Indian spices. And so I managed to carry back only the name of the dish along with me. This dish always topped the list while ordering the menu during our visit to any of the north indian restaurants in India. The interest to know its recipe never peeped into my mind till the time I got to taste it once again,,, home made methi matar mala prepared by my ex-colleague "M" who was from North India. She shared her recipe and luckily by this time, I was knowledgeable about Indian spices. Since then have been preparing it at home, with possible variations depending on the availability of ingredients. I use less of cream and more of either cashew or almond paste to give that creamy texture to this dish. I have prepared this dish using fresh methi leaves as well as kasuri methi [in absence of fresh methi leaves] and we like both the versions. 




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Methi Theplas - Delicious Flatbread From Gujarat

By    7:16 PM // 6 comments

Thepla is a Gujarati food made from wheat flour and gram flour, mixed with dry or fresh fenugreek leaves and flavored with spices. They taste delicious with pickles, curds or any dips. As they stay fresh for 4-6 days with no need to refrigerate, they serve as a great travel food or picnic snack.

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Adraki Aloo Palak

By    2:16 PM // No comments
Today I am posting one of my favourite dish, Aloo Palak.  This is yet another traditional Punjabi delicacy filled with flavors and packed with nutrition. There are different ways to prepare it. I usually follow the same recipe of Palak Paneer, where I substitute paneer cubes with boiled potato cubes. But when I came across the recipe of aloo palak here, I liked that extra unique adraki flavor given to the dish. With generous amounts of ginger infusing its flavor into this dish, it was a perfect accompaniment to rotis especially at the time when the weather was chilly outside.


Recipe adapted from "Annapurna" by Mangala Barve 


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Nuchinunde

By    3:47 PM // 2 comments
I got to know about "Nuchinunde", a traditional Karnataka breakfast snack from Kudpi Raj maam. He is the author/owner of Kudpiraj's Garam Tawa where he has put down his culinary experiences and posted tried and tested, veg as well as non-veg recipes picked up from traditional to international cuisine. More than the rock solid recipes, I like the simplicity in his writing and the amusing anecdotes associated with these recipes which gives the reader a glimpse into respective culture and the history that goes with it [whenever possible]. 

When I came across his Nuchinunde recipe here, I was happy to find an idea that was so easy to make especially for breakfast or even for kids tiffin [provided the school has facility to warm up the food from the tiffins, otherwise they turn bit hard on cooling]. With the combination of dals, leafy vegetables that goes into its preparation, and the process of steaming, this surely is a wholesome healthy snack/ dish full of proteins and fiber rich. I decided to prepare them the next day itself. [It needs a bit of pre-planning as it calls for time to soak the dals]




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Tambdi bhajji amshe

By    9:41 PM // No comments
While on shopping, got to see these fresh red amaranths sitting in between lush hues of greens, stacked one above the other on the shelves of supermarket. Leafy vegetables are the vegetables that tops the list for nutrient dense foods on the planet and I am quite happy that fresh ones are made easily available at a cheaper price when compared to other vegetables and fruits in the supermarkets here.


Red amaranth is called as tambdi bhajji in Konkani and amshe means sour and this is exactly how the curry tastes.


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Carrot with Dill Greens - A side dish

By    11:11 PM // No comments
Today's recipe is a vegetable side-dish with a combination of carrots and dill greens. I love this recipe where the sweetness of crunchy carrots gets complemented by the pleasant aroma of dill leaves, and the taste enhanced by spices and lemon juice. The blend of orange and green colors makes it very eye catching, that is bound to attract everyone's attention. A nutritious side dish that is very easy to prepare and gets ready in 10-15 minutes time.



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Palak Paneer

By    10:43 PM // 2 comments
Palak paneer is a popular North Indian vegetarian dish that consists of paneer [cottage cheese] cooked in spinach puree and mildly flavored with Indian spices. I am sure, those who love Indian foods and have visited North Indian restaurants or Dhabas [the road side Punjabi dhabas are known to specialize in its preparation] have probably not missed their chance to taste it. 

 This dish is rich in protein, calcium and iron. The super color contrasts of green spinach with white paneer makes it look tempting. Traditionally, this dish is served as an accompaniment to rotis, naan, pulao or plain steamed rice and the combination tastes delicious.



Ingredients

2 bunches palak 
200 gms paneer [Frozen ones, soften them by soaking it in warm water]
2-3 green chili 
1 large Onion , finely chopped
1 large tomato , finely chopped
1/2 inch cinnamon stick 
2 tsp grated ginger garlic
1/4 tsp kasuri methi 
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder 
A  pinch of turmeric
1 tsp garam masala 
2 tbsp cream
1-2 tsp lemon juice 
Salt as per taste
1 tsp sugar 
1 ½ -2 tbsp oil 

Method:

Bring the frozen paneer cubes to room temperature. Wash, rinse spinach in running water. Remove the thick portion of the stem. [You can follow any method to clean it but make sure to clean it well from all dirt]. Roughly chop the leaves. 

Blanch it in hot water with sugar. Now drain and put the leaves in a bowl containing ice cold water [ adding sugar and ice cold water helps to retain the green color]. Collect the drained water* in separate bowl, add paneer cubes and keep it covered. This will soften the cubes. 

 Blend the blanched palak with finely chopped green chilies to a smooth puree.  Heat oil in a deep pan. Add dalchini, stir it for few seconds. Add finely chopped onion, grated ginger garlic and saute it till the raw smell goes and onion turns golden brown. Add coriander powder, cumin powder and pinch of turmeric and saute it again on low flame for few seconds taking care not to burn it. Add finely chopped tomatoes, salt and cook till they become soft. Crush the kasuri methi between your palms and add it to the  pan. Once soft, add the spinach puree, little amount of drained water * [to adjust the consistency of gravy], cream and allow it to cook on low flame. 

 Squeeze the paneer cubes, add it to the pan and gently mix it. You can crumble few pieces of paneer before adding it to gravy. Simmer it for a minute. Sprinkle some garam masala, squeeze some fresh lemon juice and mix it. Switch off the flame and transfer it to serving bowl. Serve hot with rotis or rice.



In the above pic you see toasted bread slices.  I place the gravy between two slices of bread, making it easy for my kids [especially my younger one who insists on eating by himself] to have it,  and less cleaning work for me after they finish :D

 Note: You can shallow fry paneer cubes on a flat griddle before adding it to the gravy. You can subsitute paneer with potato cubes or tofu.

 Happy cooking!
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Vali Ambat

By    6:10 PM // No comments
Indian spinach or malabar spinach, [Basella alba] a leafy vegetable is a perennial vine known as 'Vali ' in konkani, ' Basale ' in kannada or ' Mayalu ' in marathi. You will find this creeper grown mostly in the backyard of the houses across the konkan region or coastal Karnataka. This can be grown easily by planting its stem in the soil. The leaves of this greens are broader and thicker than the regular spinach. 

 We prepare different dishes from this greens such as ambat, bendi, randayi with different combinations such as addition of raw papaya or jackfruit seeds. The use of tender stems of this leafy vegetable in any dish makes it even more tasty. The seasoning can be with onions or mustard seeds and curry leaves. Today, I post the recipe of popular konkani curry "Vali Ambat"

Ingredients

 Vaali/ Chinese spinach 1 bunch
Tur dal 1/4 cup
Coconut, fresh or frozen 1 cup
Red chillies roast in few tsp of oil
Tamarind marble sized 1
Turmeric pinch
Onion 2
Jaggery 1 tbsp [optional]

Method:

 Pluck the leaves from stems. Use the stems if only they are tender. Wash and clean the leaves as well as stems. Roughly chop the leaves and cut the tender stems 1 inches long.

 Wash toor dal and pressure cook it. Mash the cooked dal and keep it aside. For masala/ gravy, grind roasted red chillies, tamarind and coconut to a smooth paste. Meanwhile, cook the chopped leaves along with stems and one diced onion separately in a vessel. Mix the ground masala, jaggery, salt as per the taste to the above vessel and add enough water to get desired consistency. Mix well and cook for some more time.

 Now heat coconut oil in a spatula on low flame and add finely chopped onions. Saute it till the onions turn brown on low flame itself. Add this seasoning to the cooked curry, switch off the flame and cover the vessel with lid. Alternately you can use mustard seeds and curry leaves for seasoning in place of onions. Serve it hot with rice. 

 Happy cooking!
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Methi Muthiyas in Tomato gravy

By    10:19 PM // No comments

Recipe credit: Asha Philar aunty

 Ingredients

 Ginger grated 1 tsp
Curry leaves 4 -5 
Asafoetida 1/4 tsp
Tomatoes finely chopped 2 cups
Turmeric powder 1 tsp
Red chilli powder 1/2 tsp
Coriander Cumin powder 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Sugar 2 tsp [optional]
Coriander finely chopped 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Oil 1 tsp


Method:

 Prepare baked methi muthiyas as menitoned in the recipe here. Keep these baked muthiyas aside.

 In a non-stick kadhai, take a tsp of oil and when it is hot, adjust the flame to medium and add mustard seeds. Roast for 10 - 15 seconds. Add grated ginger, curry leaves and asafoetida. Stir gently for about 10 seconds. Sprinkle little water if it starts burning.

 Now add the chopped tomatoes, turmeric powder, coriander cumin powder and salt. Mix well, reduce the flame and simmer in a covered vessel for 10-12 minutes. Now drop the baked methi muthiyas in the kadhai and add 1 cup of water. Mix gently and bring to boil. Simmer for 3-4 minutes and then add the chopped coriander leaves, mix again and heat it for a minute. Switch off the flame and serve the curry hot with rice.

 Happy Cooking !
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Aloo Methi Tamatar

By    7:48 PM // No comments
Recipe with methi leaves again ! We like these leaves so much that family wouldn't mind even if I cook it for all the seven days in a week :)

 Began initially with the recipe of aloo methi in mind, but then had tomatoes to be finished from the fridge so have added them besides goda masala. You can omit them [tomatoes and goda masala] and proceed with other steps as mentioned in the recipe.

Ingredients
Ingredients
Baby potatoes about 25- 30 [ cooked them with salt in pressure cooker for 1 whistle] 
Methi leaves 3/4cup washed and cleaned.
Tomato [medium sized] 1  chopped
Onion [medium sized] 1 chopped
Garlic 5-6 cloves crushed and other 5-6 cloves chopped coarsely
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
Green chilly/ Red chilly 1 [ as per ur preference]
Haldi -1/2 tsp
Chilli powder -1/4 tsp
Goda masala - 1/2 tsp [ U can substitute with garam masala if you don't have goda masala]
Salt to taste
Oil

Method:

 Peel of the skin of baby potatoes and keep aside

 Heat oil in pan. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds, once they splutter add garlic and saute them till they become light brown. Now add chopped onions and chilly, stir well till onions turn translucent. Add haldi, red chilli powder, goda masala. Add methi leaves and cook it till they get wilted. Add tomatoes, baby potatoes, salt to taste and continue to cook it covered for 5- 8 minutes. Take care that the vegetable doesn't get stuck to the base of the pan and so toss it a few times. [No need to add water] 

 Switch off the flame and serve hot with rotis or rice.

 Note: If you don't have baby potatoes, substitute it with regular potatoes, boil them and dice them into cubes.

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Kothimbir Vadis

By    10:21 PM // No comments
Kothimbir is marathi word for coriander leaves and Kothimbir vadis are crispy fritters in which coriander leaves remains the key ingredient. Traditionally, the recipe calls in for deep frying but here for health reasons they are shallow fried and served as teatime snack. 


 Ingredients

2 cups chopped coriander leaves, 
1 cup water approx
1 cup besan/gram flour, 
2 tbsp rice flour
1 tsp crushed ginger
2 green chilies crushed
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp sugar 
1/4 tsp soda 
salt to taste
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp tamarind juice [optional, you may use lemon juice instead]
2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

For seasoning
2 tbsp oil,
1 tbsp white sesame seeds, 
Little scraped coconut,
1/2 tsp mustard seeds, 
Generous pinch of hing/asafoetida 

Method:

 Take enough water in a steamer/ pressure cooker [to be used without whistle] and keep it on the flame. Allow the water to boil.

Meanwhile, in a bowl mix chopped coriander leaves with besan and rice flour. Add crushed green chili ginger mixture, chili powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder, soda, salt, sugar, sesame seeds, tamarind juice and oil. Mix everything well without using water. Then add water little at a time and mix it to make a lump free batter of medium/pouring consistency.



Grease a plate/tray or steamer vessel. Pour the mixture upto 3/4th of the plate/tray height. Steam for 25-30 mins on high flame or till a knife/toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Switch off the flame and allow it to cool. Cut into desired shapes [triangular, diamond or square].


You can deep fry these steamed vadis. Here I have shallow fried the vadis until light brown on both sides. For that heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds. As the seeds splutter add white sesame seeds and hing. Add steamed kothimbir vadi pieces. Shallow fry until golden and crispy on both sides. Finally, add freshly scraped coconut over it. Mix well. Garnish with scraped coconut and coriander leaves, and serve it as tea time snack with green chutney, tamarind chutney or tomato ketchup.

Happy Cooking !
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