Curry In Kadai ~ An Indian Cooking Blog

I know how boring it is to have same old Idly and Dosa for breakfast almost everyday. My moms Pappu Upma and Allam Pachadi aka Rice Ravva( rice couscous ) cooked with moong dal(lentils ) served with Ginger and chilli chutney comes to the rescue .This pappu upma is flavored with ginger, cashew nuts, and green chillies and is packed with lots of protein from the lentils. Mom usually serves this Ravva pappu upma along with sweet and spicy ginger chutney. Ginger has been used for ages for its medicinal benefits. Its aids in digestion and suppresses cold and cough a lot. Mom tries to use ginger in her cooking a lot. In curries, chutneys, and breakfasts like upma, pongal etc. Since this tiffin ( recipe ) is loaded with protein from Moong dal and flavored with fresh ginger, pregnant women can have as much as they want. I remember, mom made this for me whenever i ask for Upma( when i was pregnant ). And the best part its very easily digested.

• 1 cup Rice Ravva / Biyyam Ravva / Rice Couscous
• 1/4 cup Moong Dal / Pesara pappu / Split green gram
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1 inch grated ginger root
• 4-6 green chillies
• 4 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp chana dal
• 10-15 cashew nuts
• 10 curry leaves

• In a heavy sauce pan, add oil, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, chana dal and cashew nuts.
• As the mustard seeds start to crackle, add curry leaves, ginger green chillies, water and moong dal
  
• Once the dal is cooked, add salt and stir in the rice ravva / rice sooji making sure no lumps are formed.
• Reduce the heat and close the lid.
  
• Once the water has been absorbed completely and the ravva cooked, remove from heat and finish with cilantro( optional )

• 4-6 green chillies
• a big lemon sized soaked tamarind
• grated gur / jaggery / bellam or sugar to taste
  
• 1 inch peeled ginger
• salt
  

• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 6 curry leaves

• In a blender add all the chutney ingredients and grind to a smooth paste
• For tempuring or tadka, in a kadai/pan heat oil, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal and once they start to crackle add curry leaves and add the popu/tempuring to the chutney
• You can store this chutney in the refrigerator for upto 3 days.

• My Legume Love Affair started by Susan
  
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You can definitely make your family berry favorite with my blueberry almond yogurt smoothie. Blueberries are excellent source of fiber and vitamin C. Blueberries are my favorite out of the all berries and are very delicious eaten out of hand. Choose blueberries that are firm and indigo blue. Wash them with water and relish immediately, or you can store in the waterproof container in the refrigerator for up to four days. Also you can freeze these cuties to enjoy all year long. First freeze them in one layer on a plate right out of the carton and once frozen transfer them to a freezer bag. Be sure not to wash them before storing.

• 1/2 cup fresh blueberries / frozen berries
• 1 cup yogurt
• some ice
• sugar / honey to taste
• light whipped cream ( optional )
  
• 5-6 whole soaked Almonds

• Soak the whole raw almonds in water for 5-6 hours. I usually soak them at night, so that they will be ready to go into the smoothie the next day. Once soaked overnight these almonds become pulp and the skin comes off very easily.
• Put all the above ingredients along with the almonds in a blender and run it until smooth. You can add some whipped cream ( if you don't mind those extra calories )
• I like some chunky blueberries in my smoothie, so i add a few more blueberries at the end and run the blender under pulse setting

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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

I can proudly declare my mom makes the second best Dhaniyala Karvepaku karam aka Coriander seeds spice powder after my grandma( moms mom). Mom always makes sure a big packet of this aromatic spice blend to be first in my list of moms homemade goodies from India. Thanks Mom, you are the best!!

Adding curry leaves adds another layer of flavor and aroma to the already mystic divine spice powder.. The nuttiness and the crunch from chana dal and urad dal makes this spice powder compliment well with the soft Idlies. Here's how mom actually makes it .

• In a pan heat oil and chana dal, urad dal, coriander seeds, jeera and red chillies
  
• Once the aroma of the coriander seeds starts to fill up the room and pulses/dals ( chana dal and urad dal ) are turned into golden brown add tamarind, garlic cloves and curry leaves.
• Fry for 30 sec and remove from heat
• Once the spice mixture is cooled, run the roasted spices in a blender( It can be little coarse ) along with salt.

Who wouldn't love Noodles? Its a family favorite for us though.. Maggi introduced to the wholesome delicious family of noodles, and back then when we were kids having noodles was like a Once in a Blue moon thing like a delicacy and would slurp up every bite of it... even now sometimes i do really crave for Oriental flavors and the quick and easy meal within reach for me is always a packet of Maggi or Top ramen Noodles, and build layers of flavors to make it Earthy and Satisfying.. My noodles with vegetables is the most versatile quick and healthy meal that i could think of, ready in minutes. I brought these Maggi whole wheat noodles once long back( yep, sometimes i act like a whole grain freak... looking for whole grains everywhere ) and it wasn't that bad.., i couldn't see any difference from the regular noodles and from then the whole wheat noodles became a regular item in my pantry...


I would say a big NO-NO if you want to eat a packet noodles ( as it is ) without any vegetables and i like to always sneak in fresh and crisp vegetables along with some protein say eggs, tofu or Edamame. In this week's trip to farmers market i bought some fresh baby Portobella mushrooms, scallions and crisp Red and Green peppers, and i couldn't restrain from using them in my favorite noodles. Using whole wheat noodles , Edamame and fresh green veggies give this meal a good dose of Fiber and Protein..


You need( 2-3 servings ):

• 1 packet whole wheat noodles
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 green pepper
• 4-5 green chillies
• 7-8 baby Portobella mushrooms
• 1/2 red onion
• 1 tomato
• 1-2 scallions
• Cilantro
• 1 cup shredded Cabbage
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 - 2inch ginger root
• 2-3 tbsp vegetable or peanut oil
• 1 tsp ajinomoto
• Cilantro and Mint

Fresh Portobella Mushrooms from Farmers Market

• 1 packet seasoning ( if you are using packaged noodles )
• 2-3 tbsp ketchup
• 2 tbsp soya sauce
• black salt to taste

• Cook the noodles separately, drain in cold water apply oil and then keep aside.
• Julienne all the vegetables, onions, green and red bell peppers, scallions, cabbage except for tomatoes and mushrooms
• Slice mushrooms thin and tomatoes into chunks(optional )
• Chop green chillies, ginger and garlic very fine
• In a bowl mix in the seasoning( if you have one ), soya sauce, tomato ketchup, black salt sugar to taste and keep aside
• In a wok/ kadai heat oil ( use highest heat setting available) and then add onions, green chillies, ginger and garlic followed by Edamame and ajinomoto( i can get only frozen soy beans that too from Whole Foods only )
• Cook for few seconds and then add green and red bell peppers saute for a minute and then drop in mushrooms , cabbage and scallions( in order ). Saute all the veggies and make sure they are not overcooked( they should still be crisp ).
• Mix in noodles and tossing or mixing vigorously( you don't want the noodles to stick to the wok )
• Add cilantro and Mint( last layer of flavor ) and adjust salt to taste...
• Serve hot with Ketchup / Maggi Tomato Sauce or even better Sriracha Hot Sauce....

• I usually use veggies twice the amount of noodles, just another easier way of having veggies without any complaints
  
• Make sure you cook at very high heat and keep tossing until the veggies are cooked, most of the times they will be cooked in no time..
• The key for these noodles is to keep all ingredients ready even before you try to lit the wok up.

• Eat Healthy -Protein Rich hosted by Sangeeth
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• Herb Mania hosted by Dee of Ammalus Kitchen

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 .

Who wouldn't love potatoes and peas? Cooking potatoes and peas in tomatoes seasoned with cumin and coriander powders, sweetened with milk( or cream ) is the one recipe which comes to my rescue at the eleventh hour. So easy to prepare, so rich in taste. Adding milk to this potato curry gives this unique sweetness which balances the sourness from tomatoes. Aloo( Potato ) Matar( Peas ) is one such classic recipe which you can whip up in no time. You don't need any fancy ingredients and i am sure you would find all these items in you pantry any time.

You need:

• 4-5 large ripened tomatoes
• 2 red potatoes( use boiling potatoes only )
• 1-2 fistfuls green peas -- you can use frozen / fresh / soaked and boiled dried peas
• 2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 - 2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp garam masala( optional )
• 1/2 cup milk or cream
• 5 tbsp oil

How to prepare aloo matar:

• Boil the potatoes ( i microwave them with very little water covered for 6 min ) peel the skin and chop them into 1 inch cubes
• Chop onions and tomatoes very finely and keep aside
• In a kadai / pan heat oil and add onions and ginger garlic paste
• Keep stirring until the onions cooked to golden hue
• Add the coriander, cumin and red chilli powders
• Add turmeric and garam masala powder
• Toss in green peas and fry for 30 sec
• Fry for 1 min and add tomatoes( alternatively you can puree the blanched tomatoes and add to the pan )
• Cook until the oil leaves from the sides
• Now add the chopped potatoes and stir gently so that potatoes do not fall apart
• This is optional -- for extra creaminess and sweetness you can either add whole milk or cream and cook for 5 more min
• Add fresh cilantro and serve hot...

This curry tastes so good with chapathis, rotis, steaming hot rice or tortillas. We had this along with freshly home made rotis with some onions( sprinkled with cumin powder and lemon juice ) and freshly homemade yogurt ( curd ).

Heres the list of the events i am sending this recipe to:
JFI - Onion by Radhis Kitchen
Potato Fest by Divya Karthik
Ode to potato by Sia

Simplicity at its best, peas and raisins did wonders to this rice pilaf! This simple peas and raisins rice dish largely depends on petite peas, raisins, cinnamon, ginger and garlic to deliver that big flavor! This rice pilaf is a perfect display for simple yet flavorful Indian Cooking. Raisins and Cashewnuts paired nicely with this spiced rice pilaf, which added to the surprise sweet bites balancing the spices.




I made this for the first time when i had a pot luck at my work place, i remember last year i made our regular vegetable biriyani with the store bought biriyani masala and i swear everyone where literally asking ' How do you people eat this spciy food everyday?', and you know what i really didnt add any green chillies and added very less masala than usual. But this time my peas and rice pilaf dish is a winner at my work, 99% of them being non indians, i wanted to keep it low on spicyness, yet wanted them to learn that Indian cooking is not just spicy, its packed with flavor from the spices like cumin, coriander, cinnamon, clove, cardamom , ginger, garlic, cilantro, mint etc,,

• 1 cup basmati rice ( i use royal basamati rice from costco or sams, tastes better than tilda basmati rice)
• 1 cup green peas( petite peas are the best for this pulao ) -- There is no need to thaw the frozen peas, as they have enough time to cook along with the rice
• 1 large onion
• 4 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 4-5 green chillies( optional )
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4-5 cloves
• 2 cardamom pods
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 - 1/3 cup golden raisins( golden raisins taste better in this pulao )
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup cashew nuts
• 4-5 tbsp oil
• 1 tbsp butter
  

• Soak the rice for 30 min( optional for better results ) and drain in a colander
• In kadai or pan addbutter or ghee and fry the rice until the rice turns into opaque, keep it aside.
• Heat both butter and oil in the same pan and add cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and bay leaf.
• Once they start to release the aroma add ginger garlic paste, fry the paste until the raw smell disappears.
• Add chopped onions and green chillies along with salt
• Once the onions turn into golden hue add the peas and cook for 5 min
• Add the fried raw rice and let the peas masala coat the rice thoroughly

• Cooking with rice cooker:Butter the rice cooker pan or use ghee for it, for doing this In an electric cooker add 1 1/2 cups of water and the peas and rice mixture, it will be done in less than 15 min. Keep it under warm for 5 min and then switch off.Mix the rice pilaf( sometimes it might get burnt at the botttom, just discard )

• Cooking on the stove top: Add 2 cups of water and the fried raw rice to the peas masala bring it to boil and reduce the flame and let the water evaporate, close with teh lid and cook under very low heat for 3-5 more min and check for doneness. Once done, gently fluff the rice and mix bring everything together.
• In a seperate pan add butter cashewnuts and raisins, once the raisins are plump and cashewnuts(kaju) changed to golden brown remove from heat and add to the cooked pilaf.
  
• Add mint and cilantro at the end.

This rice and peas dish is a refreshing change from regular mixed vegetable biryani. I made very
mild channa masala (Spiced chick peas curry ) and raitha( yogurt with onions, cucumber, tomatoes
and cilantro ) to serve along with the peas rice for my coworkers.


This peas and rice pilaf spiced with cinnamon and sweetened with raisins is on its way to Think Spice - Think Cinammon event hosted by Sunitha. Also this will be my entry for AFAM - Dry Fruits hosted by Latha Namrasimham.

Note: Add more green chillies if you can handle the heat, otherwise this dish is perfect with any vegetable curries on the side.

Tags: Pachi batani pulao, Peas, Raisins, Rice pulao, SweeT and spicy pulao

Nothing is more comforting than a bowl of hot toasted spicy cashews( cashew nuts ). This a very special savoury snack back home which is a classic recipe passed down from generations! Gifting with a small pack of these cashew nuts makes someone feel so special and important. My mom showers her love towards my dad just by making these and serving them hot! All i can say she is an expert doing this. Cashewnut is the king of all nuts( at least for me ) since this is dear hubby's favorite. These spicy cashews are perfect kodak moment for CLICK . Hence this will be my entry for the beautiful CLICK : NUTS event hosted by Jai and Bee of Jugalbandi.



The nuts are so crunchy with the special zing from red chili powder and amchur powder, Frying them in ghee( neyyi aka clarified butter ) makes them so rich in taste( who wouldn't love butter ) . This is a perfect SNACK anytime of the day with a cup of hot tea! Once tasted your guests will leave asking for more and Yes they go real fast!!


You need:

• 1/2 pound whole cashew nuts -- I prefer to use whole cashew nuts ( jeedi pappu bollalu )
• 1/2 tsp red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp black pepper powder
• 1/2 tsp dried mango powder( amchur powder )
• 2-3 tbsp butter or ghee( clarified butter )
  

• Heat butter/ghee in kadai or pan and fry the cashew nuts under low flame
• As the cashew nuts turn into golden hue, drain them on to paper napkins and sprinkle salt, chili powder, black pepper powder and mango powder immediately
  
• You can adjust salt and spice to taste.
• Once cooled store in an airtight container. This stays fresh at least up to 10 days.