Ridge Gourd Curry!!!

Ridge gourd is loaded with nutrients such as dietary fiber, vitamin C, riboflavin, zinc, iron and magnesium. It is also low in fat and calories.
Ridge gourd is a good blood purifier, strengthens immune system and helps in weight loss.
English : Ridge Gourd

Tamil : Peerkangai

Telugu : Beerakaya

Hindi : Turai

Kannada: Heere kayee

Malayalam : Peechinga

This ridge gourd curry is my mom's recipe and I assure you that it tastes really good.


Ingredients:

• Ridge Gourd : 4 Medium
• Mustard : 1/2 tsp
• Jeera: 1/2 tsp
• Curry Leaves : 6-7 leaves
• Oil : 1 tsp
• Turmeric Powder : 1/4 tsp
• Salt : As Required

To grind :

• Ginger : 1 inch piece
• Green Chillis : 2
• Coconut : 2-3 Spoons

Method:

1. Peel the skin from the ridge gourd and cut in cubes.
2. Grind the TO GRIND ingredients without water.
3. In a kadai/ pan add oil and splutter mustard , jeera and curry leaves. Add turmeric powder. 
4. Add the cut vegetables and salt.
5. After it is cooked, add the ground mixture. Keep for a min. Then Switch off.

Ridge Gourd curry is now ready. Tastes good with rotis or rice.

Enjoy!!!

Chole Paneer!!!

After a very long time I was back into the kitchen to cook. I hoped that I had not forgotten how to cook. Mom decided to make chapatis for lunch and I offered  to make the side-dish.
Chole is one of Ji's favorites. I decided to make the dish with paneer.

Ingredients:

• Chick peas : 2 Cups
• Paneer : 1 Cup ( cut in small cubes)
• Onion : 1 Medium ( chopped)
• Tomatoes : 4 Medium 
• Cumin seeds / Jeera : 1 tsp
• Cloves : 1
• Garam Masala : 1- 1 1/2 tsp
• Ghee : As Required
• Salt : As Required
• 
  

To Grind: 

• Onions : 2 medium
• Garlic : 3-4 pods
• Green Chillies : 2-3 medium
• Ginger : 2 inches
• Fennel seeds : 1/2 tsp
• Cloves : 2
• Cinnamon : 1/4 inch piece

Method:

1. Cook the Chick peas separately with little salt.
2. Boil Tomatoes until skin peels off and mash them to make puree.
3. Grind the TO GRIND ingredients.
4. Fry the paneer cubes in ghee until golden brown.
5. In a kadai / wok add little ghee/ oil and add cloves and jeera. Let it splutter.
6. Add most of the chopped onions and saute till raw smell goes off.
7. Then add tomato puree and the ground paste and saute till raw smell goes off.
8. Add salt and Garam Masala.
9. Add the boiled Chick peas.
10. After the chick peas is well mixed with the gravy , add the paneer cubes and mix well.
11. Leave on for another 2 mins and switch-off.
12. Garnish with the remaining chopped onions and coriander leaves. Squeeze a little lemon if u wish.

Chole Paneer is now ready. Serve with hot Rotis.

Enjoy!!!!

Stuffed Karela(Pavakkai)

Bitter Gourd / Karela / Pavakkai is one of my favorite vegetable. Most people are not huge fans of karela because of it's bitter taste. 
But karela has a lot a nutritional benefits.

Bitter Gourd is a very good blood purifier. It is very good for diabetic patients, as it improves the blood tolerance level. It improves eyesight,stimulates digestion and improves immune system.
I use karela regularly in my cooking. I usually make karela sambar, karela pitlai ( a thicker version of sambar), karela sabzi or karela roast. I like karela in any of these forms and luckily,so does my hubby.
But last week i decided i would try something that i had heard of, but never cooked or tasted. 
Stuffed Karela. I decided to make it using my imagination. But it turned out pretty good. 


Ingredients:
Karela / Pavakkai: 5-6 (Medium sized)
Onion: 1 (big) or 2 (medium)
Ginger : 1 inch
Jeera / Cumin: 1 tsp
Turmeric powder : 1/4 tsp
Red Chilli powder : 1/2 tsp ( or according to your taste)
Coriander powder : 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder : 1/2 tsp
Garam masala : 1/4 tsp
Salt : To taste
Oil 


Method:

1. Wash the karelas and slightly peel their skin.
2. Slit the karela vertically, making sure you don't cut the karela in half. Just slit until you can open them like a cup and keep the ends intact.
3.  Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and keep them in a cup.  DO NOT THROW THE SEEDS AWAY.
4. Boil the karelas with water and salt, (The salt removes the bitterness), until they are almost cooked. Make sure they don't cook too much and go mushy. Place the boiled karelas on a paper towel to dry them.
5. Chop the onion and ginger.
6. Heat oil in a pan. Add the cumin seeds, ginger, karela seeds,chopped onion and saute them well.
7. Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, chilli powder and garam masala. Add little water if necessary.
8. After the onion is cooked well, add salt. Remove from heat.
9. Fill the slit karelas with the stuffing and wrap them with a thread, so that the stuffing does not come out.
10. Heat little oil in a pan and place the stuffed karelas in a row. Cook them well on medium heat. Turn them as required. If there is any stuffing left use it as gravy and and it after karelas are cooked well and turn little crispy.
11. Remove from heat.

You can also deep fry the karelas.

Delicious stuffed karela is ready to be served. It can be served with rice or chapathis.

P.S: This recipe is out of my own imagination. So, please let me know how i can improve this recipe.

Carrot curry with a twist!!!

Carrots are a good source of dietary fibers, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K and Potassium.
Drinking a glass of carrot juice daily will do much more for you than many bottles of supplement tablets.
Its powerful cleansing properties are effective in detoxifying the liver. 
" Eat Carrots! You can see better"- My mom used to tell us.  Beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin are some of the finest nourishment that help keep the optic system in tip-top condition.

If I think of carrots, I immediately imagine the delicious Carrot Halwa!! YUM!!!!!!!!!!
One day, I had to very less time to cook something and I saw the carrots sitting on the lower rack in my refrigerator. So I thought, " Ok lets make Carrot Curry". I didn't want to make it the usual way, and so i started to make it with a twist!!!!
It is easy to make. It is a bit tangy!!


Ingredients:
Carrots: 4-5 ( not mini carrots)
Green chilis: 3
Ginger : 1 inch 
Turmeric powder: 1/4 tsp
Soya sauce: 2 Drops
Lemon juice: 1 tsp
Salt: To taste
Mustard seeds: 1/4 tsp
Coriander leaves: For garnish
Oil: 1 tsp


Method: 

1. Wash and peel the carrots. Grate them.
2. Cut the chilies and ginger into fine pieces.
3. Heat the oil in a pan. When the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds and wait till they start popping.
4. Add the green chili,ginger and turmeric powder.
5. Now add the grated carrots and sprinkle little water. Close the pan.
6. Keep stirring often until the carrots are soft and well cooked.( If need be, sprinkle little water and close the lid)
7. After the carrots are cooked, add the soya sauce and the lemon juice.
8. Add salt and stir well.
9. Garnish it with fresh coriander leaves.

The tangy carrot curry is ready to be served. It is good with Rasam rice and Chapathi.