Simple and Easy Archives - Page 2 of 17

Black Chickpeas in Green Masasla(Kala Chana Hara Masala)

15 Comments / Gravy (Curry and daals), Side dishes, Simple and Easy / By Shilpa

Few months back when my parents were here, my friend had invited us for dinner. She is one of the few Konkani friends I have here in KS and we always have a great time when we meet. Our kids love to play with each other while we talk about everything under the sun. She made a delicious spread for us and there was one dish – this black chana hara masala, (which is what I have named it by the way) that my aayi particularly liked a lot. She even got the recipe from my friend.

Then in January, my entire family was down with flu and my friend brought me a few dishes as care package. This dish was one of the 4 dishes she brought. That was the week we all had lost our sense of taste because of fever and we did not like anything we ate. But then my husband, who does not care much for any beans/chickpeas, really enjoyed this. I asked my friend for the recipe again and I have made it few times since then.

Also try chane ghashi, chane-kele upkari, chana chaat.

Pictorial:
Cook soaked chana with a pinch of turmeric. Then make the spice paste.

Black Chickpeas in Green Masasla(Black Chana Hara Masala)

4.25 from 8 votes

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 30

Servings 3 -4

Ingredients

1 cup black chickpeas
A pinch turmeric
1/2 cup onion
1 tea spn garam masala optional
Oil
Salt
For the paste:
1/2 cup coriander leaves Along with thick stems
3 green chillies
1 tea spn ginger pieces
3-4 cloves
1/2 tea spn cumin seeds
1 tbl spn dried or desiccated coconut
1/2 cup tomato optional

Instructions

Soak chickpeas in water for 6-8hrs.
Pressure cook them with a pinch of turmeric (about 4 whistles).
Make a paste of coriander leaves, ginger, green chillies, cloves, cumin seeds, coconut, tomato(optional).
Heat a little oil in the pressure cooked pan and fry onions.
When they are translucent, add chana, garam masala and the paste, salt.
Mix everything well and pressure cook again for 2 whistles.
Serve with rice or chapatis.

Notes

If you want to keep the color of gravy green, avoid tomatoes and use lemon juice instead.
You could mix the paste with chickpeas and pressure cook once instead of pressure cooking twice. I thought the paste would loose some of the aroma by doing that.
Pressure cooking second time is not really necessary. I feel it helps in chickpeas soaking the masala well, so I did it.

Nutty Green Beans

7 Comments / Side dishes, Simple and Easy / By Shilpa

My kids love shenga chutney pitto, probably that is the only way they eat peanuts without a fuss. So I have been thinking to use similar combination with vegetables. I have seen my Marathi friends adding a peanut powder to raitas, green beans and some other vegetables. So I prepared this nutty green beans last week and it was received pretty well, the two year old was pretty excited to (atleast) try the green beans.

A complete thali with ambat(dal), rice, fish fry, buttermilk chilli, spiced buttermilk

The roasted peanuts gave a nutty sweetish taste to otherwise spicy dish. The ginger gave a very good flavor to the beans. I am so used to adding potatoes to green beans, I feel potatoes pair really well with them. Today when I prepared the same dish, I added some chutney pitto to it instead of making the peanut-coconut powder. This was a good way to get some vegetables and also protein into the little tummies.

Pictorial:
Dry roast peanuts and coconut and make a powder.

Heat oil and add mustard seeds, urad dal followed by curry leaves, ginger, onion.

Add green beans, potatoes and spices. When cooked, add the nut powder.

Nutty Green Beans

Green beans and potatoes cooked till they are soft and flavored with peanuts and coconut to give a sweetish spicy taste.

4.67 from 3 votes

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 25

Servings 3 -4

Ingredients

2 cups green beans use tender beans
1 cup peeled and chopped potatoes optional
2 tbl spns peanuts
1 tbl spn dry coconut
1 tea spn grated ginger
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tea spn red chilli powder
A pinch turmeric
1/2 tea spn coriander powder
1/2 tea spn mustard seeds
1/2 tea spn urad dal
5-6 curry leaves
Oil
Salt

Instructions

Dry roast peanut till they are brownish and then add dry coconut(or dessicated coconut).
Roast till coconut is brownish.
Grind them to a coarse powder and keep it aside.
Heat oil and add mustard seeds.
When they start popping, add urad dal.
Fry for a min and then add curry leaves, ginger.
Then add onion and fry till brownish.
Add green beans, potatoes, chilli powder, turmeric, coriander powder and salt.
Mix everything well.
Cover and cook on a medium-low flame till the beans and potatoes are cooked.
Make sure to cook on low heat, since there is no water added, it will get burnt if cooked on high.
Add the peanut-coconut powder and mix well.
Cook for another 1-2mins.
Take off heat and serve hot as a sidedish with rice or chapati.

Notes: Roast a big batch of peanuts and make a coarse powder. Use this in various dishes like this to save time
Instead of using dry coconut, use freshly grated coconut in the recipe

Green Moong – Paneer Masala

3 Comments / Gravy (Curry and daals), Side dishes, Simple and Easy / By Shilpa

Being from southern part of India, we were introduced to paneer quite late compared to my north Indian friends. Most of my family still do not like this Indian cheese. I have started using it more regularly (once in 15days or so) in recent years to get some protein in our diet. Few days back I had soaked some green moong and I wanted to use up a block of paneer from freezer, so I decided to combine both to make this green moong – paneer masala. I made it a bit tangy and spicy, tasted great with chapatis.

Pictorial:
Heat oil and add whole spices. Add onion, ginger-garlic.

Add all spices, followed by tomatoes.

Add moong, paneer, water and cook till done.

Green Moong - Paneer Masala

A spicy and tangy sprouted green moong and paneer masala gravy that goes well with chapatis or rice.

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Servings 3 -4

Ingredients

2 cups sprouted green moong
1 cup onion
1 tea spn ginger paste
1 tea spn garlic paste
1/2 cup tomatoes
15-20 pieces of paneer
2 cloves
2 " cinnamon
2 bay leaves
2 green cardamom
1/2 tea spn amchoor powder
1 tea spn chilli powder
A pinch turmeric
1/2 tea spn garam masala or goda masala
1/2 tea spn coriander powder
1/2 tea spn cumin powder
Oil
Salt

Instructions

In a thick bottomed pan or directly in pressure cooker, heat a little oil and add cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaf.
Then add onion, ginger-garlic paste and fry for few mins.
When the onions are translucent, add chilli powder, turmeric, garam masala(or goda masala), coriander-cumin powder.
Fry till a nice aroma comes out.
Add tomatoes and fry till they are mushy.
Add the moong, paneer, 1 cup water, salt and cook till done.
I cooked the mixture of 2 whistles. The paneer became quite soft(It was quite hard to begin with). So if you have a soft paneer, I suggest adding it at the end after the moong is cooked.
Serve hot with roti/chapati or rice.

Okra Sidedish (Bhende Upkari)

3 Comments / Healthy Options, Konkani Recipes, Side dishes, Simple and Easy / By Shilpa

Upkaris are the integral part of Konkani cuisine. We make upkaris with almost all the vegetables and they are a must in any Konkani meal. The vegetables are very lightly spiced to bring out the unique flavor of it. Bhende upkari is one such dish loved by all. Okra(bhende) is cooked in very minimum spices and then garnished with fresh coconut.

When I was a kid, my granddad used to grow a lot of vegetables in out garden. Okra was one such vegetable that was grown. The taste of freshly plucked and cooked okra used to be divine. I feel there is a huge taste difference between the okra that I grew up eating and the one we get in Indian store here in USA. But still it is one the vegetables we love the most.

Pictorial:
Apply salt and turmeric to the cut okra and keep aside. Cook okra in the seasoning. Garnish with coconut.

Okra Sidedish (Bhende Upkari)

Bhende upkari is a Konkani classic dish prepared by cooking okra in minimum spices and garnished with coconut.

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 30

Servings 3 -4

Ingredients

1 lb 1/2 kg apprx okra(bhende) cut into long pieces
1 tea spn mustard seeds
A pinch asafoetida
A pinch turmeric
3-4 green chillies
4-5 curry leaves optional
1 tbl spn fresh/frozen coconut
Oil
Salt

Instructions

Cut okra into long pieces.
Apply some salt and turmeric to it and set aside. (This step reduces the sliminess of okra when cooked).
Heat oil and add mustard seeds.
When they start popping, add asafoetida, curry leaves(optional), green chillies slit into halves.
Add the okra and mix well.
Fry for 2-3 mins and then close the lid and let it cook on medium heat.
When it is cooked, sprinkle the fresh coconut on top and take off the heat.
Serve hot as a side with rice or chapatis.

Spinach-Buttermilk Gravy (Palak Kadhi)

4 Comments / Gravy (Curry and daals), Healthy Options, Simple and Easy / By Shilpa

Cooking for weekdays is becoming a juggling act for me. I try to keep things simple, but I still want my family to eat something fresh. My two year old is in his “terrible-twos” phase. So vegetables usually go untouched. I am finding new ways to include it back in their diet. Last week I tried this kadhi. It was simple, delicious and easy to make – 3 things which I look for in whatever I cook.
Also check this spinach tambli.

Pictorial:
Heat oil and add all seasoning. Then add spinach.

When it is wilted, add water, salt.

Mix gram flour in buttermilk and mix well. Then add some boiling spinach water into it.

Add the mix back into boiling water. Cook for few mins.

Spinach-Buttermilk Gravy (Palak Kadhi)

A spicy, healthy and easy kadhi prepared by cooking spinach in buttermilk gravy.

4 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Servings 2 -3

Ingredients

2 cups thick buttermilk or curd/yogurt
2 green chillies
1/2 tea spn grated ginger
1 cup chopped spinach
3-4 curry leaves
1/2 tea spn urad dal
1/2 tea spn cumin seeds
1 tea spn besan gram flour
A pinch asafoetida
1/2 tea spn mustard seeds
Oil
Salt

Instructions

Heat a little oil and fry mustard seeds, urad dal, cumin seeds.
When they start popping, add green chillies, curry leaves, asafoetida, ginger.
Fry for few minutes and then add turmeric, spinach.
When spinach is wilted, Add a cup of water, salt. Bring to boil.
In a separate bowl, take buttermilk, besan and mix well to remove any lumps.
Now add a ladle full of spinach-water mix into yogurt and mix very well. (This step helps in bringing up temperature of buttermilk and so it does not curdle much when heated).
Beat the mixture very well and add it slowly back into the boiling spinach-water.
Cook on a medium-low heat. Mix it occasionally to avoid any curdling.
Serve with rice and some spicy side dish.

Pepper Masala Chicken

15 Comments / Chicken, Simple and Easy / By Shilpa

I have this crazy desire to make different kinds of chicken dishes every time. I change one or the other ingredient every time to see if I can come up with a new dish. Most of the times they all taste almost same even though I switch around something. V loves spicy chicken, so few weeks ago I tried this spicy pepper masala chicken. It reminded me of our days in Bangalore when we loved to eat at Andhra restaurants. I served it with simple spinach dal and rice. It was a very comforting meal.

Pictorial:
Fry onions and ginger-garlic paste.

Add all the dry masalas and fry for few minutes.

Add tomatoes and cook till they are mushy. Then add marinated chicken. Cook till done.

Pepper Masala Chicken

A spicy dry chicken recipe with pepper masala.

4.56 from 9 votes

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 20

Total Time 35

Servings 3 -4

Ingredients

1 lb 1/2 kg approx boneless chicken
A pinch turmeric
1/2 cup onion
1/2 cup tomatoes
1 tea spn chilli powder
1/2 tea spn coarse pepper powder
1 tea spn coriander powder
1 tea spn cumin powder
1/2 tea spn garam masala
1/2 tea spn amchoor powder
7-8 curry leaves
1 tea spn ginger garlic powder
1 tbl spn plain yogurt curd
Oil
Salt

Instructions

Apply turmeric powder, a little salt and yogurt to chicken pieces and keep aside for atleast 1 hr.
Heat oil, add curry leaves, onion, ginger-garlic paste.
Fry till onion is slightly brownish.
Now add all dry powders, fry for a min till nice aroma comes out.
Add tomatoes and fry till they are mushy.
Add chicken pieces and mix well.
Cover and cook till chicken is done. In between mix everything couple of times to make sure it doesn't burn.
Serve hot.

Bottlegourd Raita (Lauki Raita)

5 Comments / Healthy Options, Side dishes, Simple and Easy / By Shilpa

Few months ago, our friend Mahi had invited us for dinner and she made this lauki raita along with many Andhra special dishes. I had never tasted this before. After coming home, I googled it and I realised it was a pretty popular dish. This is my version.

Bottlegourd or lauki is one of the vegetables I buy during almost every trip to Indian store. It was mostly used to make this khadi(burfi) or payasa when I was growing up, I loved these dishes. Now I mostly make savory dishes with bottlegourd. This raita goes very well with chapatis or rice.

Pictorial:
Make a seasoning and then add bottlegourd, cook.

Add yogurt, salt and serve.

Bottlegourd Raita (Lauki Raita)

Lauki raita is yogurt based sidedish with cooked bottlegourd and spices

4.67 from 3 votes

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Servings 2 -3

Ingredients

3 cups 1 medium sized bottlegourd bottlegourd pieces
1 cup thick yogurt curd
2 green chillies
1/2 tea spn urad dal
1 red chilli optional
4-5 curry leaves
A pinch asafoetida hing
1/2 tea spn mustard seeds
Oil
Salt

Instructions

Heat oil and add mustard seeds and urad dal.
When they start popping, add hing, curry leaves, red chili cut into two pieces.
Add the bottlegourd pieces, green chilli slit into two pieces.
Pour 1/2 cup water and cook. I pressure cooked it for 2 whistles.
Once it is cooled down, add curd(yogurt), salt.
Serve immediately with chapati/roti or rice.

Notes

Instead of adding the seasoning (mustard, urad dal, curry leaves, red chilli) first, it can be added at the end after adding yogurt. That will retain the crunchiness of seasoning.

Pigeon Peas Sidedish (Tuvar Lilva Bhaji)

3 Comments / Side dishes, Simple and Easy / By Shilpa

I was introduced to frozen tuvar lilva (pigeon peas) by my friend P. She makes a delicious bhaji with these and sweet potatoes. This tuvar lilva bhaji must be one of my favorite dishes cooked by her. I have tried to pair this with sweet potatoes, normal potatoes and even paneer. It makes for a healthy and tasty side dish to go with chapatis/rotis. Last time I added some spinach to it and it was delicious. I normally make this directly in pressure cooker to save time.

Also check tuvar lilva in coriander masala recipe.

Pictorial:
Fry onions and ginger-garlic paste.

Add all masalas followed by tomatoes.

Add spinach, tuvar lilva, potatoes and cook till done.

Pigeon Peas Sidedish (Tuvar Lilva Bhaji)

A healthy and delicious sidedish with fresh pigeon peas and potatoes(or paneer)

4.50 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Servings 4 -5

Ingredients

2 cups fresh or frozen tuvar lilva pigeon peas
2 cups potatoes or sweet potatoes or paneer cut into cubes
1 cup choppes spinach optional
1/2 cup onions
1 tea spn ginger-garlic paste
1 tea spn garam masala or goda masala
1/2 tea spn coriander powder
1/2 tea spn cumin powder
1 cup tomatoes
1 tbl spn dessicated coconut
A pinch turmeric
1 tea spn chilli powder
Oil
Salt

Instructions

Heat oil and fry onions, ginger-garlic paste.
When they turn translucent, add garam masala (or goda masala), coriander-cumin powder, coconut, turmeric, chilli powder, salt. Fry for few minutes.
Then add tomatoes and cook till they are mushy.
Add spinach, potatoes (or sweet potatoes or paneer), tuvar lilva, half cup water.
Cook till potatoes and peas are cooked.
Serve hot with chapatis/roti.

Chicken in Tomato Gravy

4 Comments / Chicken, Simple and Easy / By Shilpa

My almost 6 years old goes through food phases where he wants to eat same thing over and over again, after few days he is completely done with that dish. I try to enjoy the excitement while it lasts!. Right now he is in chicken-chapati phase. Anytime I ask him what he wants, that is what he says. I try to keep a check on it by making it once a week and not more. So I thought it was time to post this chicken in tomato gravy recipe.

My almost 2 year old is in terrible-twos. So making anything elaborate is hard. So I pick dishes (or come up with dishes) that take as less time as possible. This is a very simple chicken gravy I have been making from last few years. It literally takes 20mins to make (not including marinating time).

Pictorial:
Marinate chicken.

Fry onions, ginger-garlic. Then add all spices.

Add tomatoes and cook till they are mushy.

Add chicken and cook till done.

Chicken in Tomato Gravy

A quick chicken gravy cooked with a tomato base and dry masalas

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 25

Servings 4 -5

Ingredients

1 lb approx 1/2 kg chicken
1 cup onions
1 cup tomatoes
1 tea spn grated or crushed ginger
1 tea spn grated or crushed garlic
2 tbl spns yogurt curd
1 tea spn cumin powder
1 tea spn coriander powder
1 tea spn garam masala
A pinch turmeric
1 tea spn chilli powder
3-4 cloves
2 " cinnamon
2 tbl spns chopped coriander leaves
Oil
Salt

Instructions

Add little salt, chilli powder, yogurt(curd), turmeric to chicken pieces and leave around for 30mins (or more).
Heat oil and add cloves, cinnamon.
Then add onions, ginger, garlic, salt (chicken already has salt, so be careful while adding more here).
Fry till the onions and translucent and then add all dry masalas - cumin powder, coriander powder and garam masala.
Fry for few minutes till nice aroma comes out. Take care for to burn them.
Add the tomatoes and let them cook till they are mushy.
Now add marinated chicken and fry for 2-3 minutes.
Pour about 1 cup water, cover and let it cook till chicken is done.
Take off the heat and garnish with coriander leaves.
Serve hot with chapatis or rice.

Spicy Steamed Corn Balls (Jolad Undi)

6 Comments / Baby/Kid friendly, Simple and Easy, Starters / By Varada

Corn or Jola(in Kannada) is in season now. I saw this recipe in a magazine a while back Since we all love corn, I have tried it many times at home with my own little modifications and it comes out great. Since these balls are steamed, these are healthier options compared to the fried cutlets.

Pictorial:
Make a coarse paste of corn and then of all other ingredients.

Make balls from the mixture and steam.

Spicy Steamed Corn Balls (Jolad Undi)

Steamed spicy corn balls perfect for a snack or starter

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10

Total Time 25

Servings 3 -4

Ingredients

2 cups corn
1/2 cup coconut
A pinch asafoetida
3-4 green chillies
2 tbl spn coriander leaves
A drop of oil for greasing the plate optional
Salt

Instructions

Cook the corn(cooking in advance is not necessary if using most of the frozen corn which cooks very fast) and make a coarse paste of corn.
Make a coarse paste of coconut, green chillies, coriander leaves, asafoetida and salt.
Add the paste to corn.
Make small balls of the mixture, give it a slightly elongated shape.
Line them in a cooker vessel or plate and steam them for 10mins.
Serve hot.

Notes

Add spices like garam masala or coriander-cumin powder for a slightly spicy version.
Bind the balls well by pressing them to make sure they don't fall apart.