Aloo and Babycorn dry curry

Today, my hubby had decided to work from home. So, I had decided to prepare Deep fried aloo for him for lunch, since he loves it very much. I had also zeroed on Paneer and carrot fried rice. But, I did'nt want to make the stereotypical Aloo fry. So was wondering wat else can be added with Aloo and mutter. 

Then I realised, I had few of the baby corns left. So got that idea of adding that to aloo and trying out a different combo. And, my experiment did not fail.

So here goes the recipe.

Ingredients : 

1. Potatoes                                        -   5 to 6

2. Peas                                                -   1 cup

3. Baby corn                                       -   3-5 , cut into thin and long pieces

4. Oil                                                    -    8-10 tbslp

5. Mustard and Jeera seeds          -    2 tspns each.

6. Hing                                                -    For seasoning.

7. Salt                                                 -   As per requirement.

8. Sambar powder/                          -  2-3 tbslp


Preparation:

First wash and boil the potatoes.Cut the potatoes into equal sized cubes. In a kadai , heat oil. Then add the mustard seeds and allow it to splutter. Then add the Jeera seeds. Now add the cut potatoes, salt, hing, sambar powder and fry for sometime. Then add peas and baby corn and fry for abt 10 mins. Then remove the curry from stove. 

This is a very good accompaniment for Plain steamed rice, fried rice, Chappathi, Pori, Dosa , etc.

    

Noodles in Babycorn aloo gravy

Last week, I had got a pack of plain Instant Noodles for my daughter, since she does not like the masala. 
I only add salt and pepper for her noodles. But for me and my hubby that wont suffice and what else can be added to that apart from Veggies and Garam masala. So again the Fridge hunt started.

I had a can of Baby corn, few potatoes and Frozen peas. Then I had the freaking idea of making a gravy of these and mixing the noodles to the same.

Ofcourse I was worried of the result and taste. But my experiment did not disappoint me or my hubby. It turned very good.

Here goes the recipe.

NOODLES IN BABYCORN ALOO GRAVY:

Ingredients :

1. Plain noodles                             - 1 pkt
2. Aloo/Potato .                             - 3-4 
3. Baby corn                                   - 7-8
4. Peas                                               - 1 cup
5. Onions                                           - 2 medium
6. Tomato Puree                           - 1 Tblsp
7. Garam masala                        - 2-3 tblsp
8. Salt                                                - To taste
9. Oil                                                    - 2 tblsp
10. Jeera seeds                               - 1 tspn

Method:

First boil and keep the noodles aside. Then boil the potatoes separately and allow it to cool. Cut onions in large and thin slices. In a kadai , add oil and Jeera seeds. Once it splutters, add Onion and saute till it turns glacious. Then add the tomato puree and fry for just abt 30 seconds. Then add sufficient water, salt, peas and garam masala and allow it to boil till the raw smell goes. Then mash the boiled potatoes and add it to the mixture. Slit the baby corn in halves and and add it to the mixture. Allow it to boil for just about a minute.

Now in a bowl, keep the noodles and add the gravy to it and serve hot.

Masala Khichdi/ Spiced up Pongal

Yesterday, we were having potluck with frnz after a long time. I was little apprehensive abt making the same old Veg rice, Biryani, Gravies, Raita. So was thinking of something new and saw this new recipe abt a Khichdi in Jagruti di's blog. So I made a few alterations to her version and aloha this Pongal popped out.

Here goes the Ingredients and Method.

Ingredients:

Raw Rice                            - 1.5 cups

Moong dal (Green gram) - 3/4 cup

Onion                                  - 1 medium

Tomato                               - 1 Medium

Potato                                 - 1 Medium

Carrot                                 - 1

Corn                                    - 1 cup(Green peas can also be used)

Capsicum                            - 1 Small

Broccoli                               - 1 small floret bunch

Salt                                      - As per taste

Garam masala                - 1 Tbslp

For  Tempering:

Ghee                                  - 1 tblsp

Mustard seeds                 - 1 tsp

Ajwain                               - 1 tsp

Bay leaf                             - 1 or 2

Cardamom(Optional)     - 2 pods

Method :

Wash and soak the rice and dal for abt 20 mins. Cut all the veggies into thin and medium slices. In a kadai or wok, add Ghee and mustard seeds and allow it to splutter. Then add ajwain, bayleaf, cardamom and fry for abt 30 seconds. Then add onion add fry till a little glacious. Then add tomato and wait for the raw smell to go. Then add the cut carrot, potato, capsicum, corn and fry for about 30 seconds. Add sufficient salt, Garam masala and hing if you like the smell of hing and fry for abt a minute.

Then add the soaked rice and dal without water and fry till the masala mixes well with the rice. 'Now transfer the contents to a pressure cooker or rice cooker and add almost 5 to 6 cups of water. In case of Pressure cooker, wait for 5 to 6 whistles as the rice has to be cooked very fine.

Now, cut the broccoli florets removing the stems. Boil water in a vessel along with turmeric and salt. Once the water comes to boil. Wash the florets in running water to remove dirt. Then add the florets to the boiling water and remove it in 1 min, then soak in cold water immediately.

After removing the pongal, add the florets and mix just once. Add Ghee/Clarified butter for extra taste.

Serve hot with Cucumber raita, Masala Papad and Pickle.

    

Carrot and Corn Rice.

As usual, Its a Hectic Monday morning, making me tensed abt all the things like preparing a diff item for my hubby's lunch box, getting my daughter ready for her school and the most important thing, making her drink a glass of milk... . And today was a spl instruction to make something different for his tiffen dabba. So I started pondering my fridge and got hold of a tin of corn and few carrots, and then came the idea of Carrot and Corn rice.

And so here goes the recipe.

Ingredients :

Rice - 2 cups.

Carrots - 2 medium, cut into thin and medium pieces

Corn - 1/2 cup

Ginger - A small piece 

Cardamom ( Optional )  - 2 pods

Bay leaf - 2

Ghee - For frying

Jeera - 1 Tbslp.

Salt - To taste

Garam Masala (Optional) - 1 tblsp.


Method.

First wash and soak the rice for abt 15 - 20 mins. In a pan, heat ghee and add Jeera seeds. Once they splutter and the cut ginger and fry for abt a min. Now add the carrot and corn and fry for 2 mins. Then add the soaked rice, salt and Garam masala and ry for about 2 or 3 minutes. Then transfer the contents to a pressure cooker or rice cooker and add approximately 4 to 4.5 cups of water. If Pressure cooking, cook the rice till 1 or 2 whistles. I cooked in a rice cooker.

Serve Hot with cucumber raita or a side dish of ur choice.

Maladu/Pottukadalai laadu/Roasted Gram Laddu

Maladu /Pottukadalai Laddu/Roasted Gram Dal Laddu.

    Pottu Kadalai Laddu or Roasted Gram dal Laddu is a wholesome snack packed with proteins and nutrients and is an apt Evening snack.

                     

  Ingredients :

   Pottukadalai/ Roasted Gram      - 150 grams.

   Sugar                                                      - 100 Grams. or as per the sweet tooth.
  
   Ghee                                                       - 5 - 6 Tspoons

   Cardamom                                           - 2 to 3 pods.

   Cashews and raisins                      - For Garnishing.

   
Preparation :

   First Powder the Roasted gram until fine flour. Powder the sugar and cardamom together. Transfer all the ingredients in a vessel. Now in a kadai or frying pan heat the ghee and pour it in the mixture of roasted gram and sugar. Fry the cashews until golden brown and raisins and add it to the mixture. Once the heat subsides, make laddus.

Roasted gram, sugar and cardamom can be powdered together as well.