LAUKI-DAL

LAUKI--BOTTLE GOURD[ENG]

1medium size lauki[peeled and cut to cubes]

1cup chana dal[soaked in water for abt an hour]

1tbsp oil

1tsp mustard seeds

1/4 tsp hing powder

1tsp jeera seeds

few curry leaves

1tbsp grated ginger

2 medium size onions[chopped]

2-3 green chillies

1tsp red chilly powder

1/2 tsp haldi

1/2 tsp garam masala powder

1 cup fresh coriander.[chop]

1-2 roasted dry red chillies[for garnish]

Heat oil in a pressure cooker, add mustard seeds n  jeera seeds. when splutters, add curry leaves n saute.

Add onions, green chillies, hing, grated ginger and saute for a while.

Add red chilly powder, haldi, garam masala powder n saute.

Add soaked chana dal, bottle gourd cubes and fresh coriander.

Add little water and close the lid.

Pressure cook till one whistle on medium heat.

Once done add salt and mix well. add garnish and serve as a side dish.

NOTE----INSTEAD OF CHANA DAL U CAN USE MOONG DAL OR TUR DAL .

ALOO-PARWAL [with gravy]

                                                        parwal------goint[in konkani]

3-4 parwals[cleaned and cut round]

2medium sized potatoes cut to cubes

oil

salt 

sugar[1/2 tsp]

FOR THE MASALA

2 big onions[roughly diced]

2 small garlic pods

2 green chillies[roughly chop]

1''ginger[roughly chop]

1tsp jeera seeds

2tbsp coriander seeds

1tbsp chilly powder

1/4 tsp haldi powder

Put all the masala ingredients in a mixie and grind to a fine paste.

Heat oil and add round cut parwals to it and keep sauting frequently. saute until it gets slightly brown.[medium heat] 

Transfer this to another container.

Repeat the same process with potato cubes as well.

Heat 2-3 tbsp oil and add sugar1/2tsp and a pinch of salt.

When sugar starts changing the colour[caramalised], add masala paste and cook until it leaves out oil[cook thoroughly, or else the rawness will spoil the flavour of gravy]

add sauted parwal and potato.mix. add 2 cup water and salt. mix

Cover the lid and cook until veggies are cooked and gravy gets thicker to required consistency.

Serve hot with steamed rice or rotis.

EGG NOODLES

1 packet noodles[i used the thin noodles]

1/2 cup -3 colour capsicums[sliced ]

2eggs

small piece of cabbage[sliced]

spring onions or white onion(1small)-sliced

1/2 of maggi veg seasoning cube[diluted in little water]-optional

1tbsp green chilly sauce[i prefer home made, recipe written below]

salt

a pinch of sugar

white pepper powder

1tbsp garlic paste.

2-3tbsp oil

Cook noodles till almost done[do not over cook] as per instructions on pack, drain and immediately hold under running tap water, add 1tbsp oil over and mix.keep aside. [this will prevent noodles from getting sticky]
mix green chilly sauce, salt, pepper powder and maggi seasoning and keep aside.

Use a non-stick pan, heat little oil and break eggs into it. keep stirring continously. once the egg is done, transfer it to a big container.
in the same pan, add 1 tsp oil and add together -onion,capsicums and cabbage.toss [keep the veggies crunchy, do not overcook] transfer this to the same container as the egg.

Again heat the remaing oil and add garlic paste, saute till almost brown. add the noodles[mixed with sauce] and toss well,sprinkle pepper powder. transfer this to the container with egg and veggies and mix well.

Finally u can microwave this for 3 minutes on high[1800 watts]. or  heat on a high flame.
serve hot.

GREEN CHILLY SAUCE[NO MSG]
******************************

1 big capsicum[green colour]
2-3 green chillies[increase or decrease the no. as per ur taste]
5 garlic pods
2 shallots[or 1/2 onion]                      
1tsp soy sauce
2tsp tomato sauce
2tbsp vinegar
1tbsp sugar
salt as per taste

Put all the ingredients in mixie and grind to a fine paste. Refrigerate to store.
[colour of this home made sauce will not be green.]

QUICK PEANUT CHUTNEY POWDER

2cups roasted peanuts

2tbsp chilly powder

5-7 garlic pods

2tbsp jeera seeds

salt.

Put all the ingredients into the mixie and grind to a coarse powder.

You can use this chutney as a spread over masala dosa. OR even serve with idli and other dosas .

VARIATION---after coarsely grinding the chutney powder, remove and keep aside.

Heat about 2 tbsp of groundnut oil and add 1/2 cup lightly crushed garlic and fry till golden brown.

Add the chutney powder and mix well. turn off the heat, let it cool. Store in a tight lid jar and use.

COCONUT FRIED PRAWNS [DESI]

10-12 jumbo prawns

1tsp green chilly paste

1/4tsp cinnamon powder

a pinch of cardamom powder

3/4tsp ginger-garlic paste

1/2tsp pepper powder

1tsp lemon juice

1tsp yoghurt

1tsp cornflour

1/2 cup grated coconut

salt

oil for frying

Devein the prawns. Clean and pat dry to remove excess water.

In a bowl mix green chilly paste, cinnamon powder, cardamom powder, ginger-garlic paste, pepper powder, lemon juice,yoghurt, salt and cornflour. mix well and marinate prawns with this paste.

refrigerate for 1 hour.

Heat oil over medium flame. Now roll each of the marinated prawns over grated coconut [make sure coconut covers the whole prawn] and immediately slide into the oil. deep fry till golden.

Serve as a starter. you can skewer each prawns to bamboo stick so that it will not get curled up.

MIRCHI-ALOO [CAPSICUM-POTATO]

2 green capsicums

2 potatoes[boiled and diced]

1 medium onion[chopped]

1tsp jeera seeds

a dash of garam masala powder[opt]

a pinch of sugar

a pinch of salt + salt to taste

2tbsp oil

For the Masala----Grind together--2tsp jeera seeds+1/4 tsp haldi+ 4-5green chillies---to a fine paste

Heat oil in a low flame and add a pinch of sugar and a pinch of salt.

when it starts changing colour, add jeera seeds and onion and saute till onions are soft.

add potatoes and mix. add the masala paste and capsicums and salt to taste, mix and saute well.

keep stirring till capsicums are slightly cooked.

Serve hot with rotis or phulkas.

HEART SHAPE VEG-CUTLETS

1medium size beetroot[diced]

1potato[diced]

6-7 french beans[cut to medim size]

1 cup dry green peas[soaked and cooked]

1tbsp mustard

1tbsp jeera seeds

1tbsp udad dal[opt]

8-10 green chillies[finely chopped]

5 curry leaves[hand torn]

1tbsp ginger garlic paste

1no. big onion[finely chopped]

pinch of haldi powder

1 tbsp garam masala powder

1 tsp chilly powder

1 cup fresh coriander[chopped]

1 tsp lemon juice.

1 tsp cornflour mixed with 3tsp water

7-8 bread slices[tear and put in the blender. make fine powder]

1tsp plain flour or maida and 1 tsp gram flour roasted together on a low flame

salt

pinch of sugar

oil for frying

1.Steam beetroot, potato and french beans. OR pressure cook adding little water.[if pressure cooked, strain excess water.

2.Mix cooked green peas to the vegetable mix and lightly mash the veggies, adding sugar n salt and keep aside.

3. Heat about 2 tbsp oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, udad dal[optional] and jeera seeds. when it crackles, add green chillies and curry leaves. saute till green chillies are well cooked.

4. Add ginger-garlic paste and stir till brown.

5. Add onions and saute till transparent.

6. Add haldi, chilly and garam masala powder and saute.

7. Add the mashed veggies followed by roasted maida-gramflour, fresh corianderf and lemon juice.

8. Mix 2 tbsp of  powdered bread as well and let it cool.

9. Mix well and let it cool[at this stage the cutlet mix becomes very dry]

10. Divide the veggie mix to small portions and shape up to heart using a cookie shaper.

11. Roll each  one in the water+cornflour mixture and immediately roll on bread powder and slide into the hot oil for frying.

12. Deep fry and Serve hot with tomato sauce.