Curry In Kadai ~ An Indian Cooking Blog

I know its not appetizing to eat the same old plain Idli with chutney/sambar everytime.., here i am with an easy and quick crunchy Idli snack and the best part just one pan to use... Serving these crunchy wedges with some chutney or your favorite ketchup would beat any of those fatty fancy appetizers out there.. It works well even with the leftover Idli batter..



You need:

• 6" saute pan
• 2/3 - 1 cup Idly batter ( Click here for the Idly Batter Recipe )
  
• 1 tsp jeera / cumin seeds
• 6 curry leaves
• 2 green chillies
• 1 onion finely chopped
  
• 1 small carrot finely grated
  
• chutney or ketchup for serving
• oil

• Heat the saute pan on medium flame
• In the idli batter mix in grated carrot, finely chopped onions, green chillies, cumin seeds and curry leaves
• When the skillet is medium hot, apply oil and spread the batter lightly and dot the edges with oil
• Once the bottom cooks up into crisp golden brown flip and cook on the other side
• Remove from the pan when done, cut into wedges and serve with your favorite chutney or ketchup..

Last weekend, I got my dosa batter and potato curry ready for the breakfast but to my surprise i found that i didn't have a coconut for the chutney... Hmmm what to do, just called mom for her spicy fresh onion chutney. ( Thank god, i atleast had some sweet vidalia onions on hand ). Yep fresh sweet onion chutney with green chillies, tamarind, cilantro and curry leaves is so easy to make and tastes so yummm!! This chutney goes very well with dosa and idly, i never had it with rice. Mom asked me to make this only if the onions do not have strong flavor and too much water. Best option would be either shallots or red onions and Sweet onions would be the next option. Usually mom prefers mortar and pestle for this chutney instead of regular mixer/blender. One tip from mom, run the blender under pulse mode to get chunky texture you get from using mortar and pestle.

Ever bored having same old plain idly? How about the leftover idlies? Here comes a simple lip smacking makeover for the leftover idlies, my Cocktail Idly aka Crispy Idly Chaat. I know kids makes faces when you ask them to eat the plain idlies., next time try this recipe and i am sure they leave asking for more. This is not only kid friendly but wonderful with Chai or Hot tea in the evenings.

• First prep up the idlies, onion and tomatoes. Cube idlies, chop up onion and tomato.
• In a kadai / frying pajn heat oil and deep fry cubed idlies, drain them onto paper and keep aside
• In a mixing bowl, add fried idly pieces, onion, tomato, cilantro, red chilli powder, chat masala, salt and lemon juice
• Garnish with cilantro and serve it right away

Any leftover idlies from the morning gets converted to this simple Idly Chaat, and my husband likes it so much, i end up making fresh batch of Idlies exclusive for this Cocktail idly. This is so simple yet bursting with lots of flavor from tomatoes, onions , cilantro and Lime Juice.

What would you do with leftover rice? I usually end up having it with some pickle and yogurt. Sometimes i try to use leftover rice to make a complete sumptuous nutritional meal. What could be more nutritious than loading up simple rice with tons of vegetables anf flavoring it up with ginger, garlic and cilantro? I exactly did the same thing with my leftover rice, added an array of vegetables on hand like Carrots, Napa Cabbage, Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Beans, Peppers, Onions, Green Peas etc and jazz it up with Green chillies, Ginger and Garlic.

• 1 cup Basmati rice( i used leftovers )
• 1 tomato chopped
• 2 Carrots cut as discs
• 15 Green beans - french cut
• 1/4 Napa cabbage cut lengthwise
• 1 small Onion - chopped length wise
  
• 1 medium Green Pepper
• 1/2 Red Pepper( i didn't have on hand though, optional )
• 3-4 Green Chillies - chopped
  
• 1 inch Ginger root - chopped
  
• 2 Garlic cloves - chopped
  
• 1/4 cup Green Peas
• 2 tsp Soya Sauce
• 1-2 tbsp oil
  
• Half cucumber( English cucumber )
• Black pepper to taste

• Wash the basmati rice and cook according to package instructions. You can use any rice on hand, i like this basmati long grain rice better though
• Prep all the vegetables, wash, clean. chop and keep aside
• In a kadai / stir fry saute pan heat oil on high heat. Add onions ans saute for 30 sec
• Now add ginger, garlic, green chillies, carrots and beans, stir in some salt too, as salt speeds up the process of cooking
  
• After stir frying for 2 mins, add green pepper and green peas
• Once the veggies are half cooked i.e, veggies should still be crispy yet without the raw smell, add Napa cabbage, tomato, cucumber  and stir fry for a min or so.
• Lower the heat and add cooked rice, ground black pepper and soy sauce
• Add cilantro and adjust salt to taste

Jeera aka cumin seeds( a strong aromatic spice used abundant in India ) has been known for its medicinal values from ages. They help in digestion, common cold and also for pregnant women to increase lactation. We still use Bhavana Jeelakarra, cumin seeds pickled and dried in lemon juice, black salt etc,, to aid digestion and reduce gas. I always keep them handy to use as a quick and safe remedy for bloating.

• 1 cup basmati rice
• 3-5 green chillies
• 1 small onion
• 2 tbsp jeera/cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp cumin seeds powder
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp butter/ghee
  
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste

Preparation:

Black Eyed Peas aka Alasandulu in Telugu are a very good source of Calcium, Protein, Fiber and Folate. Not to mention the Vitamin A found abundant in all lentils and beans.Since folic acid is very essential to pregnant women having a cup of cooked beans at least 3 times a week is a very delicious way to incorporate folate in their diet. Alasandalu / black eyed peas are one of the beans which doesn't require overnight soaking and pre planning. You can either directly pressure cook or soak for couple of hours and then cook. My mom usually makes different kinds of Chundal(Sundal, Usili ) i.e., seasoned beans as they are very good healthy alternative to any fried snacks like chips, pakora etc., These tempered black eyed peas / alasandula guggillu( SUNDAL ) are usually what my dad loves to eat in the evenings. This recipe is directly from moms kitchen!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Black eyed peas / Alasandalu / Bobbarlu
  
• 1 small onion
• 2-3 green chillies
• 1 lemon
  

For seasoning( Tadka / popu ):

• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp minapappu / urad dal
• 2 tbsp oil
• 5-10 curry leaves
  

Preparation:

• Soak black eyed peas/alasandalu for 1-2 hrs and then pressure cook with 2 cups of water( Until the beans are immersed in water )
• Pressure cook for 4 whistles or boil separately until they are cooked and tender( make sure they don't fall apart )
• Drain off the cooked beans ( Preserve the water , ill tell you a sumptuous way of using the liquid )
• In a saute pan heat oil, add cumin seeds, mustard seeds and urad dal. Once they start to splutter add chopped onions and green chillies along with salt.
• Once the onions are cooked to translucent add the cooked peas and mix together.
• Switch off the heat, add lemon juice and finish it off with cilantro.
  

This healthy protein and fiber rich low fat snack tastes good when its steaming hot. You can wrap this tempered black eyed peas in a chapathi or wheat tortilla along with fresh tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers for a complete sumptuous low fat healthy nutritious meal perfect anytime of the day!

Note:
Don't throw the leftover water from the drained cooked black eyed peas. Mom makes Rasam(Soup) with some tomatoes, tamarind(optional) and any rasam powder with tadka or above tempering. This soup/rasam taste so earthy .. Try it to believe it!!! I'm sure you will love it!!

I love garnishing my food even if its just some cilantro on the top as i believe we taste the food with our eyes first and then palette. The food should not only be delicious but should be like a feast to your eyes. Garnishing with simple ingredients like curry leaves, cilantro, a slice of lemon, green chillies or red chillies adds so much depth to your dish. The main point is to highlight the ingredient you used. Here i used curry leaves ans lemon slice to hint the viewer about the ingredients inside the dish.

This will be my entry for:

• Garnishing tips and techniques for Indian food
• A Healthy Bite hosted by Rachana
• Sunday Snacks - Grab n Go hosted by Pallavi
  
• MY LEGUME LOVE AFFAIR - EIGHTH HELPING hosted by Susan

Here i am with my simple sumptuous one pot wonder meal with rice, lentils, beans and vegetables warmed up with some exotic spices making it a wholesome, no-fuss, quick and easy meal , fit for any busy day.. When i say quick it doesn't mean any less in flavor and taste..I made this Nutritious fiber and protein rich Bisibelabath / Vegetable Khichidi by adding everything into my pressure pan and bubble into one simple delicious delight .

When i brought these purple potatoes home, i was surprised to see the bright purple flesh inside, since i was expecting it to be similar to red potatoes, wherein only the peel is red. I found these bright and firm petite potatoes in a local farmers market intriguing and couldn't stop buying some. The other day i was telling my mom about the array of potatoes you find here in US like the red potatoes, russet potatoes, Yukon gold potatoes, baby red potatoes, fingerlings, blue potatoes and these purple potatoes. It was very interesting cooking these Purple Peruvian Potatoes as they were creamy in texture and did hold their shape when cooked .., and the best part they cooked to perfection in no time... I made a simple vegetable saute with purple potatoes, tender beans, crisp green pepper, fresh cauliflower, firm tomatoes along with some ginger and garlic. I can call this one a super healthy dish with less fat, lots of fiber, Vitamin C, Potassium etc .. This curry recipe will be going to Eat Healthy - Fiber Rich hosted by Sangeeth

• 3 small petite purple potatoes
• 10-15 petite beans cut into 1 inch pieces
• A small handful of cauliflower bunch
• 1 small red onion
• 2 small firm tomatoes
• 1 green pepper
• 1 red pepper( optional )
• some frozen or fresh green peas ( option, i didn't add them though )
• 2 tsp coriander power
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• a pinch of garam masala( optional )
  
• 2 tbsp oil
• 3-4 green chillies to your taste
• coriander and mint for garnish

• 1 tsp cumin seeds( aavalu )
• 1 tsp mustard seeds( jeelakarra )
• 10 curry leaves
• a pinch of turmeric

• Wash and drain all the veggies, except tomato( Wash before chopping )
• Heat oil in a kadai, wok or nonstick pan and add onions, green chillies, potatoes, green beans, cauliflower in order
• After 2 mins add cut green pepper and cook with lid half covered
• Now add the chopped tomatoes and cook without the lid, make sure the tomatoes are still firm and not mushy
• Add salt, cumin and coriander powders. Alternatively you can add curry powder
• Switch off the flame add coriander and mint.
• Do adjust salt and spice to taste..
  

This onion chutney is so easy to make yet very delicious. This is my favorite chutney for dosa and idly. My sister and brother likes boiled onion chutney( I should ask my sister for this recipe ). My mom is expert in making this red chutney. Though i have been making this chutney for more than couple of years yet could not replicate that taste exactly. That's why they say 'Mother is the best teacher and the BEST COOK too'. And for now let me blame the onions we get here in US.. hehehe, its not me anymore. This onion chutney takes just 5 minutes to make with very few ingredients.


I would suggest using red onion for this chutney. If you use yellow onion it makes the chutney taste bitter. I have very bad experiences making this chutney with yellow onions. I would better prefer to switch to cooked version of onion chutney if i don't have red onions on hand.

You need:

• 1 large red onion
• 10 curry leaves
• 4 stalks of coriander
• 1 tbsp -2 tbsp red chilli powder( RCP spiciness varies )
• 1/2 lemon sized tamarind
• a pinch of sugar
• salt to taste

• Microwave tamarind with some water for 30 sec
• Chop onions ( should fit your blender )
• In a blender add onion, tamarind, curry leaves, coriander, red chilli powder and salt
• Do not add water from tamarind add the soft pulp, otherwise the chutney would become watery
  
• Grind coarsely( i use chopper to get the effect of using mortar)

Erra karam aka Onion Chutney is commonly used for Masala Dosa/ Karam Dosa. It is usually spread over dosa along with some ghee( clarified butter ). You wouldnt find the raw smell from the onions since we saute the onions first and then grind it. The onion chutney makes the simply delicious plain dosa Finger Licking Good! Lemme move onto the recipe.



Ingredients:

• 2 big yellow onions or red onions
• 6 red chilles
• 2 garlic pods
• 10 curry leaves
• 1/2 lemon sized tamarind soaked in warm water
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• salt to taste
  

• Chop the onion as shown in the picture
• Peel off the skin of garlic pods and chop them too
• Heat oil in kadai or pan, and add onions, red chillies, curry leaves and garlic pods
• Fry them until onion are golden brown just like shown in the picture above.
  
• Switch off the heat let the mixture come to room temperature
• Grind into fine paste adding soaked tamarind, sugar and salt
  
• Adjust salt to taste.