Savory Loaf Cakes: Cheese, Cashewnut and Bell Pepper Cake

Ever since I started watching Rachel Khoo’s television show, I have been going somewhat mad on trying out a few of her recipes. This particular recipe really stuck in my head and I just had to make it the next day. This loaf cake is really nice and what really gets me all zinged are the various savory variations.

Savory cakes are very popular in France, they appear in boulangeries and with a side salad on lunch menus in chic cafés, but they’re most likely to appear at a picnic.

Of course the original recipe makes use of different fillings, but I used whatever left-overs I had in my refrigerator and it turned out just fine. It was a spontaneous decision that became really good. Yummy savory cake filled with cheese, cashewnuts, caramelized onions and bell peppers. It tasted incredible.

The result is an explosion that takes place in my mouth, when I taste this creation. It turned out moist and if made the right way will be nice and fluffy.

I picked this one because it was the perfect Summer like loaf, perfect for the weather right now in Bangalore.

This cake is super simple to make and you can always make a scrumptious loaf cake using all the fresh produce available in the current season. I find this so clever.

I made changes to the fillings using up whatever I had with me. But other than that I kept to the directions. I present to you a wonderful loaf cake adapted from Rachel Khoo’s “The Little Paris Kitchen: Cooking with Rachel Khoo”

I love this cake for two reasons. One it is savory which makes it rather unique. Second, the innovative flavor combinations you can try with whatever that’s left-over in your pantry.

Serve these tasty slices of cake warm (when warm, the cheese will be all melted and delicious) with ham; or a spicy frittata on the side; or some spicy fried chicken; or sautéed spicy sausages; steak and gravy…. anything. Or just munch away just as it is. A definite winner with your kids, serve these up at birthday parties, picnics, kitties or potlucks and you will be a star!

The dish is simple and elegant and can be prepared as a mid-morning meal, evening snack or a part of nice continental dinner.

We are all down with a bad cold, throat pain and what not; but I made this cake nonetheless and served it with some delicious hot Tomato Soup with croutons and spicy fried chicken. We enjoyed it.

Oh and the best news, it tastes better the next day! So bake and store in your refrigerator and cut a few slices when you are hungry!

Ingredients

250 grams Plain Flour

1 tablespoon Baking Powder

150 grams Cheese, cut into small pieces (refer notes)

80 grams Cashewnuts; roughly chopped

100 grams Red and Yellow Bell Peppers; finely chopped (refer notes)

3 to 4 Red Onions; finely sliced

4 Eggs

150 ml Olive oil

100 ml Milk

50 grams Plain Yoghurt

1 teaspoon Salt

Freshly-ground/milled Black Pepper (as per spice tolerance)

Coriander leaves; finely chopped

Method

Caramelize the sliced onions and keep aside. (please refer to the my Pizza recipe for more details on caramelizing onions)

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/ and line a loaf tin measuring 22x11cm/8½x4¼inch across the top and 6cm/2½inch deep with baking paper.

In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, cheese, cashewnuts, bell peppers and caramelized onions.

In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs until fluffy and pale in color. Then gradually whisk in the oil, milk and yoghurt. Season with the salt and black pepper.

Fold the flour mixture into the whisked eggs. Try not to overbeat the mixture as this will make the end result tough. (it is better to undermix)

Pour the batter into the prepared tin. Sprinkle on top with fresh coriander leaves.

Bake for 30-40 minutes or until a metal skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. (when I say clean knife, please ignore if melted cheese comes on it, that does not mean it is not cooked. If uncooked batter appears on the knife, it needs further cooking.)

Leave to cool in the tin.

Notes:

1. You can use any kind of cheese. I used a mixture of grated cheddar, mozzarella and normal cheese cubes. Also I added a little lesser than mentioned in the recipe. You can even goat’s cheese to make it healthier.

2. If you do not have red and yellow bell pepper, you can always use green bell peppers. The original recipe uses a combination of cheese, pistachios and prunes. So be creative when it comes to the filling.

3. Use a rubber spatula rather than a whisk to prevent overbeating the flour.

Recipe Source: Rachel Khoo’s “The Little Paris Kitchen: Cooking with Rachel Khoo”

"Onathumbikal Paadum Puzhayoram..." - Masala Kootu Curry

With just two more days to go for the special festival of Onam, most of you must be busy with Onam celebrations at your apartment complexes, clubs, schools and colleges. I love all the colour that Onam has to offer in every way, be it magnificent floral carpets, (pookalam) colourful Onam games such Pulikali and of course the much-loved grand and vibrant Onam Sadya!

The Kerala Sadya is very diverse and differs from one place to another. Each district in Kerala boasts of it’s own famous version of certain dishes on this grand spread. But I have to say that each of these versions are gobsmackingly delicious.

Today’s dish, the irrestible Kootukari or Kootu curry.

Kootu curry is yet another prominent dish in the Sadya of Kerala, South India. This dish is a combo of one or more veggies cooked with black chickpeas and red cow peas and flavoured with the irresistible aroma of freshly roasted grated coconut. And as I mentioned earlier each place in Kerala has it’s own version of certain dishes of the Sadya. The Northern part of Kerala prepares a sweet version of this same curry. But today, I have for you the Masala Kootu Curry.

No Sadya is complete without the famous Kootu curry. I absolutely am in love with this dish and don’t need a Sadya to gobble it all up, a simple and tasty sambar and steaming hot rice is just perfect!

So here you go, Masala Kootu Curry, just for you!

Ingredients

Raw Banana (diced) - 2 (small)

Yam/Chena (diced) - 1 and 1/2 cups

Curry leaves - 1 to 2 sprigs

Green chillies (slit lengthwise) - 3 to 4

Black Chickpeas/Kaala Chana/Karuthu Kadala (soaked overnight) - 3/4 cup

Red Cow Peas/Black Eyed Beans/Vanpayar (optional) - 1/4 cup

Grated coconut – 1 and ½ to 2 cups

Chilly powder – ½ tsp

Cumin powder - 1 tsp

Garam masala powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

Salt - to taste

For Seasoning

Coconut oil - 1 tbsp

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Dry Red chillies - 3 to 4

Mustard seeds - ½ tsp

Method

Cook the Black chickpeas in a pressure cooker with adequate water and salt and cook upto 5 whistles. (cooking time differs from one pressure cooker to another, so adjust accordingly) Make sure the chickpeas is cooked well but holds it’s shape and is not mashed up. Drain water (if there is any excess water) and keep aside.

Cook the red cow peas (if you are using this in your dish) in a pressure cooker with enough water and salt for 4 to 5 whistles. (adjust cooking time according to your pressure cooker; again make sure it is cooked well but holds it's shape)

Cook the raw banana and yam cubes along with turmeric powder, chilly powder, green chillies, curry leaves, enough water and salt. Cook until they are done and the water evaporates completely. Throw in the garam masala powder, cumin powder, cooked chickpeas and red cow peas. Combine well.

Heat a non-stick pan and roast the grated coconut until it turns brown (be careful not to burn it). Crush it slightly (optional) with your hands and add to the cooked vegetable mixture. Check for salt at this time and adjust accordingly.

Preparation of Seasoning

In a small pan, heat coconut oil and splutter mustards. Fry the dry red chillies and curry leaves for a few seconds. (make sure not to burn the ingredients) Pour over the prepared Kootu curry. Keep covered for 10 minutes. Serve hot with rice.

Yum Yum Yum!!! :)

Notes:

1. You can also use winter melon in this recipe.

"Maveli Nadu Vaneedum Kalam"... Cabbage Thoran

Preparing a traditional Onasadya may seem like an ordeal to many. But to be honest, it is not. All it requires is proper planning and organizing. For those of you who have adequate help to chop up and help in the cooking process, preparing an Onasadya is a piece of cake. But for those of you who have to prepare everything alone from scratch (including chopping, washing up etc...), it is good to plan your Onam meal in advance. A few simple steps if followed correctly will result in a delicious Onasadya. I follow these simple steps always (be it Onam or not) which has made my life easier.

1. The first step in the planning process is to make a List of ingredients needed to cook up the yummy spread. Write down all the ingredients (both fresh and dry) and  stock up your pantry and refrigerator through the week. (atleast a week before you plan to cook your meal) Going through each of the recipes you plan to cook will be a good idea to help you prepare your ingredient checklist perfectly.

2. The next most important step is the Mise en place which means "everything in place". Setting up or preparing the necessary ingredients is very crucial in this whole process. This could include organizing and arranging the ingredients like measuring out the ingredients, grinding of spices, grating of coconut, (you would need lots of coconut as it is pretty much used in every item prepared in a Sadya) washing and chopping of veggies, peeling of onions and garlic and ginger, par cooking certain items etc.... These partially prepared ingredients can then be stored in freezer and refrigerator-safe ziploc bags or containers (you can label them if you want to avoid confusion) and placed in the freezer or refrigerator. Preparing the mise en place ahead of time allows you to cook without having to stop and assemble items, which is desirable especially in recipes with time constraints.

3. Once the above steps are carried out efficiently, cooking up all the dishes is a piece of cake.

I share the above steps with you because following them definitely helps when you need to cook for guests or many people. It helps reduce the burden on you. And as I always say, being an amateur cook, my knife skills which include perfect cutting and speed are not too strong. Hence planning and organizing is key to my everyday cooking.

Today I have for you the second dish of this special Onam edition, Cabbage Upperi or Thoran. Thoran or Upperi is a typical Kerala cuisine dish. This popular and common dish is usually prepared to be eaten along with steamed rice and curry. It is an essential part of the Sadya along with other dishes.

Thoran is a dry dish traditionally made out of finely chopped vegetables such as  beans, carrot, raw papaya, unripe jackfruit, spinach and lots more. The chopped veggie is mixed with grated coconut, chillies, mustard seeds, curry leaves, pearl onions, garlic, turmeric etc (the traditional style of cooking did not use onions or garlic, but presently they are also added) ... and briefly stirred in a pan over a hot flame.

So here is today's special recipe, the Cabbage Thoran. I hope you enjoy it. Have fun and happy planning for a sumptuous Onasadya! :)

Ingredients

Cabbage (finely chopped) - 1 (small)

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp

Dry red chilli - 1

Turmeric - a pinch

Salt - to taste

Oil - as required

Rice or Urad dal - a few grains

For Grinding or Crushing

Grated Coconut - 4 to 5 tbsp

Shallots/Pearl Onions - 5 to 6

Garlic - 3 cloves

Green chillies - 1 to 2 (adjust as per spice tolerance)

Curry leaves - a few

Method

Grind or crush all the ingredients listed under "For Grinding or Crushing" into a coarse mixture. Keep aside.

Heat oil in wok. Once the oil heats up, add a few grains of rice or urad dal and saut'e till lightly browned. Now splutter mustard seeds. Throw in the red chilli and fry for a few seconds. Add the finely chopped cabbage leaves and saut'e on medium heat till veggie reduces in quantity. (1 minute approx.) Toss in the coarsely ground or crushed coconut mixture along with adequate salt, turmeric powder and curry leaves and mix lightly. Bring the cabbage mixture to the centre of the wok and cover and cook on high flame till steam comes. Turn the flame to sim and let it remain for another minute or two. (or till veggie is cooked) Be careful not to burn the vegetable. Then remove lid and stir to combine all the ingredients well. Check for salt at this time and adjust if necessary. Keep saut'eing till cabbage is done. Switch off flame and serve hot.

Notes:

1. I did not add any water while cooking the cabbage as the water released from the veggie was enough to cook the dish. But if you think you need to, add a splash of water and not more than that.

Mushroom Masala

There was a time when I used to be sceptical about buying mushrooms and trying to prepare a dish using them. But my hubby’s love for mushrooms have pushed me to try out different recipes with it.

Mushrooms stir fried with onions, bell peppers and spices. A simple dish, but the earthy mushrooms and bell peppers will make you forget how simple, and every mouthful will be a delight. When trying new veggies or meats, I try to stick with familiar flavours to begin with. And thus today I have saute’ed these lovely musrooms with simple spices that we use everyday in our kitchens.

Anyway, I must say my decision to experiment with mushrooms wasn’t such a bad idea after all, it in fact has made me extremely happy because my hubby dearest loved it! The first few times I tried cooking mushroom, turned out to be not-so-good experiences and left me feeling very hesitant to try these again. But what can I say, this dish definitely made me feel glad about my decision to cook with mushrooms. Yippee!!

So here is how I made Mushroom Masala. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Button Mushrooms - 250 gms

Bell Pepper/Capsicum (finely sliced; green) - 1

Big Onion (finely sliced) - 2 (big)

Garlic (crushed) - 3 to 4 cloves

Green chilli (slit lengthwise) - 1 (adjust as per spice tolerance)

Red Chilli powder - 1 to 1 1/2 tsp (adjust as per spice tolerance)

Garam Masala - 1/2 to 3/4 tsp

Turmeric powder - a pinch

Salt - to taste

Oil - 3 tsp

Method

Clean mushrooms well and finely slice them. Keep aside.

Heat oil in a wok and add finely sliced onions, capsicum and a pinch of salt into it. Saut'e till golden brown. Once the onions have browned, add crushed garlic and slit green chillies and saut'e for 1 or 2 minutes. Now, add red chilli powder, turmeric powder and sliced mushrooms and mix well. At this time, adjust salt and cover and cook for 1 or 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, remove the lid and sprinkle garam masala and toss well. Keep stirring till water evaporates and masala coats the mushroom well.

When the oil starts to sizzle around the mushrooms slices, your Mushroom Masala is done. Switch off flame. Cover and keep aside for 15 to 20 minutes.

Serve hot with Rotis/Chapathis.

Aloo Aur Parwal Ka Masala - Potato & Pointed Gourd in Thick Gravy

I have to confess that my husband, Reju was never huge on vegetarian food. I have always been a great fan of veggie food and lately Reju has joined me too. But the sad part is I do not have too many veggie dishes to my credit and thus I'm on a mission to experiment with new veggie delights!

Last week was one filled with great fun, lovely get-togethers with cousins and family. And of course there was loads and loads of eating too. Today's recipe is an attempt at recreating a yummy veggie dish I tasted at my aunt's place during that fun get-together. The minute I tasted it, I had decided that I was definitely going to try making it soon. I'm sure many of you have heard about the vegetable, Parwal (Potol). Well I had heard about it but had never tasted it before. It was my first time, and I have to say, I really enjoyed the flavor.

Anyway, the experiment that comes close to achieving the desired result is as in the recipe that follows. This veggie dish cooked in a delectable masala is sure to become a great hit. It is simple and can be cooked in minutes. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Pointed Gourd (peeled, deseeded & diced)- 8 to 10 (refer notes)

Potato (diced) - 3 (medium)

Onion (1 onion diced & 2 ground to a fine paste) - 3 (medium)

Ginger & Garlic paste - 1 1/2 tsp

Tomato (finely chopped) - 1 (medium)

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

Kashmiri chilli powder - 1 tsp (adjust as per spice tolerance)

Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp

Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Bay leaf - 1

Sugar - 1 tsp

Salt - to taste

Coriander leaves

Method

Peel, deseed and dice the parwal into small cubes and keep aside. Peel and boil the potatoes and cut into small chunks and keep aside.

Heat oil in a wok, add the sliced onion and fry till onions turn golden brown. Keep aside. In the same wok, fry the diced parwal till it turns golden brown. Once browned, remove and keep aside.

In the same wok, add a little more oil and add bay leaf and splutter cumin seeds. Saut'e for a few seconds. Add the onion paste and saut'e for 5 minutes. Then add ginger & garlic paste and saut'e till raw smell disappears. Add the tomatoes and saut'e till tomato turns soft and oil separates. (approx 5 minutes) Once the tomato turns soft, add turmeric powder, kashmiri chilli powder, coriander powder, salt and sugar. Combine well. Now add the fried parwal and boiled potatoes to it and stir thoroughly till the masala coats the vegetable well. Pour 1 cup water into this mixture. Cover and cook till veggies are done and gravy starts becoming thick. Once the gravy starts becoming thick, add the fried onions and sprinkle garam masala onto it. Mix well and add freshly chopped coriander leaves into it. Switch off the flame and keep closed for 10 minutes. Serve hot with rotis/chapathis.

Notes:

1. It isn't compulsory to deseed the parwal, you do not have to if you prefer it that way.

2. Make sure the gravy is a semi-thick consistency.

3. You can also substitute parwal with other veggies like cauliflower etc...

Stuffed Bell Peppers

So what is everyone doing today? Cooking up something special for your family? Sweet and simple home cooked? Or perhaps it is just like any other day? For me today was like any other day and so to take away the boredom, I decided to make something different from the usual sabzi to go with chapathis. Stuffed Bell Peppers, now how does that sound?

Well, I was introduced to this recipe from my lovely sis, Sharon who is an expert cook. I always wonder why she doesn't start a blog of her own, she is a fabulous cook. But again that would be very difficult because she has her hands full with her two wonderful kiddos and so I decided why not post a recipe passed on to me from her! So, Sharon this one is for you :)

You know what I really like about the oven? It does all the work for you! No standing over the pot for hours stirring or waiting to see if it is done. Pop in the stuff that you need cooked, set the timer for the appropriate cooking time, and then indulge yourself in a book or your favourite show! When done, it lets out a beep and you can take out a perfectly delightful meal.

Today I have for you one such simple recipe. It goes extremely well with chapathis or chawal (plain rice) and dal or also passes off as a wonderfully healthy and wholesome snack. As I had a few bell peppers in my refrigerator, I decided to make this tasty dish. This was my first attempt at making this dish and the end result made me very happy.

Roasted Bell peppers are to die for. The outer crust was crunchy, supple, light yet flavourful. This dish is pretty healthy and extremely easy to cook.

Something about these crunchy peppers just makes you want to jump in and devour the whole thing instantly! Try them and you won't be sorry :)

Ingredients

Red Lentils (Masoor dal) - 1 cup

Water - 2 1/2 cups

Green chilli - 2 to 3

Ginger & Garlic paste - 1 tsp each

Big Onion (finely chopped) - 1 (big)

Cumin (jeera) powder - 2 tsp

Coriander powder - 2 tsp

Garam masala - 1/2 tsp (optional)

Gram (besan) flour - 4 tbsp

Egg (beaten) – 1 (refer notes)

Salt - to taste

Oil

Coriander leaves

Method

Add water to the washed lentils and pressure cook till done. (approx 1 whistle on high and 1 or 2 minutes on low flame. Switch off and open after steam goes completely) Drain well.

Heat oil in a pan and add chopped onions. Saut'e till it becomes soft and changes colour slightly. Add green chilli and ginger & garlic paste and saut'e for 1 or 2 minutes. Throw in the spice powders and saut'e till raw smell disappears. Add cooked lentils along with salt and coriander leaves and stir. Now add the gram flour and combine well. Switch off flame and keep aside to cool. Add the beaten egg and combine the mixture thoroughly to bind. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Cut open the top portion of the bell pepper and scoop out all the insides. Now stuff the dal mixture into it to it's brim. Repeat same procedure for all bell peppers. Brush the peppers lightly with oil and place onto a greased baking tray.

Pre-heat the oven at 100°C for 15 minutes. Place the baking tray into the pre-heated oven and roast the bell peppers till done. (30 minutes approx)

Notes:

Make sure the bell peppers are cooked well. It should be supple yet crunchy.

For healthier version, add only egg whites or avoid egg completely. I did not add it.

Gobi Manchurian

Have you ever eaten at these really small street joints that serve yummy Gobi Manchurian, Chilli Chicken and other delicacies?! I remember while studying in college, friends and I often frequented restaurants like these and they served the tastiest Chinese food that we would crave for almost every week! Of course, none of these dishes were authentic Chinese but had a huge influence of India in it too. Nevertheless, it tasted simply amazing! As I talk about it, my mouth waters. :) :)

Chinese food is a favourite around India and I have lost count of the number of Chinese joints I have frequented since college times. I am sure you will agree most of us Indians like Chinese food. A lot! So now we have invented all these Indo-Chinese dishes like Manchurian, which probably is a universal favourite. You might also have seen endless versions of Gobi Manchurian. I am no different and today I have the same for you.

Start your fun week with some awesome Gobi Manchurian! If you are not a fan already, I guarantee you will be. Have a good week, guys.

Ingredients

Cauliflower (cut into florets) - 250 gms

Cornflour - 1/2 cup

All Purpose flour - 1/2 cup

Egg (beaten) - 1 (refer notes)

Red Chilli powder - 1 to 1 1/2 tsp

Water - just enough to bind the ingredients

Capsicum (cut into cubes) - 1 (small)

Big Onion (finely chopped) - 2 (medium)

Ginger & Garlic (finely chopped) - 1/2 tsp each

Green chilli (slit lengthwise) - 1 (adjust as per spice tolerance)

Green Chilli sauce - 1 tsp

Soy sauce - 2 tsp

Tomato sauce - 4 tsp

Vegetable stock – 2 tbsp (optional; refer notes)

Pepper – 1 to 1 1/2 tsp (adjust as per spice tolerance)

Salt - to taste

Coriander leaves - to garnish

Oil

Method

Take a bowl and add cornflour, all purpose flour, a pinch of salt, red chilli powder, cauliflower, beaten egg and a little water and bind it all together. (Be careful not to add too much water, add just enough to bind all the ingredients together) Heat oil in a wok and deep fry the cauliflower pieces till golden brown. Keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan and saut'e ginger, garlic, green chilli and onions till onions turn light brown. Add chopped capsicum and saut'e for a few minutes. Now add the sauces and pepper powder and stir well for a few minutes. Check for salt and add if necessary. Throw in the fried cauliflower florets and toss well till everything is combined well. Pour the vegetable stock and toss on a high flame till dry. Switch off the flame and add coriander leaves and mix well. Serve hot as a starter or with rotis/chapathis/pulav.

Notes:

1. For healthier version, you can add only the egg whites or even omit the egg completely.

2. For preparing vegetable stock: Collect the waste bits of carrot, celery stems, spring onions, onion or any veggie and boil with water and salt for sometime. Strain and store in the refrigerator. You can also use store-bought vegetable stock.

3. You can make "Chicken Manchurian" following the above recipe.

Yard long Bean Stir Fried with Crushed Red Chilli

I love Yard long beans (Achinga payar) just like any other Keralite and I'm sure you must have come across the recipe I posted earlier with this yummy veggie. If not, you can find it here in Achinga Payar Mezhukuperatti/Yard Long Beans Stir Fry. I did promise you all that I would show you different ways of saute'eing this vegetable. And so here it is.

Today was 'all veggie lunch day' and I was thinking of what to make and like a flash of lightning, this idea struck, "Why not make Yard Long Beans Stir Fry".

I love my mama's beans stir fried with crushed red chillies and I learned from her how to make it without any lumps. I hope you will have the same experience and be happy with this authentic mama's recipe. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Yard long Beans (Achinga Payar) - 1 bunch (about 30)

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Salt - to taste

Crushed Red Chilli/Red chilli flakes - 2 tbsp (adjust as per spice tolerance)

Shallots/Small/Pearl onions (crushed) - 20 to 22

Garlic (crushed) - 8 to 9 cloves

Curry leaves

Coconut oil

Method

Snap the beans into small strips and cook with turmeric powder, salt and sprinkles of water. (2 to 3 sprinkles) Cook till done and water evaporates completely.

Heat oil in a wok and add crushed garlic and shallots/small/pearl onions into it. Saut’e till onions turn golden brown. Once the onions have browned, add the cooked beans along with curry leaves and toss till everything is combined well. Now add the crushed red chilli/red chilli flakes and saut’e well. (Saut’e on both high and low flames alternately) Once done, switch off the flame.

Serve with Rice.

Notes: You can also use olive oil or any other refined oil for this dish (I used olive oil) for healthy cooking. But coconut oil enhances the flavour.

Source: My Mama

Pear Squash Thoran/Chow Chow Stir Fried with Grated Coconut

Popularly known as Pear Squash or Chow Chow in India, this veggie belongs to the gourd family Cucurbitaceae, along with melons, cucumbers and squash. This veggie is used in both raw and cooked forms. When cooked, pear squash is generally lightly cooked to retain the crisp flavour. Raw pear squash may be added to salads or salsas and is often marinated with lemon or lime juice.

In this recipe I have cooked the pear squash lightly and stir fried it with grated coconut and subtle aromatics which helps get rid of the bland flavour of the veggie. What I love about this dish is it's simplicity.

Ingredients

Pear Squash/Chow Chow - 2 (chopped fine)

Curry Leaves

Rice grains or Black gram/Urad dal - few grains

Turmeric powder - a pinch

Curry leaves - 2 to 3 leaves

Salt - to taste

Oil

For Grinding

Coconut (grated) - 2 to 3 tbsp (you can add more coconut, adds to the flavour)

Shallots/Small/Pearl onions - 3 to 4

Garlic - 3 cloves

Green chillies – 1

Curry leaves – a few

Method

Grind all the ingredients listed under 'For Grinding' into a coarse mixture.

Heat oil in a wok. Once the oil becomes hot, add a few grains of rice or black gram/urad dal. When this turns slightly brown, splutter mustard seeds. Add the chopped pear squash/chow chow into it along with a few curry leaves and saut'e till the veggie reduces. (1 minute approx) Now add the ground coconut mixture and enough salt and mix well. Splash enough water  (2 to 3 splashes) to cook the veggie and cover and cook on a high flame till steam comes. Turn the flame to low and keep for a 1 or 2 minutes. Then remove the lid and keep saut'eing till done.

Achinga Payar Mezhukuperatti/Yard Long Beans Stir Fry

Saute'ed veggies are always an important part of a Kerala meal, it's safe to say it's universally preferred and today I have prepared the same using Achinga Payar. Famously known as Yard long beans, this veggie is a hot hot favourite in Kerala. The flavours incorporated into this dish are green chillies, onions, coconut pieces and coconut oil. Of course, you can play with the flavours as you like, some use different varieties of chillies either green or dry red chillies which alters the flavour slightly.

I have made some this afternoon in a very simple way and I will show you more ways of saute'eing this lovely vegetable in later posts. Hope you enjoy this simple dish. Have a good day.

Ingredients

Yard Long Beans - 30 (approx)

Coconut slices - 1/2 cup (medium size)

Big Onion - 1 1/2 (big)

Garlic - 5 to 6 cloves

Green chillies - 4 to 5 (adjust as per spice tolerance)

Turmeric powder - a pinch

Salt - to taste

Oil

Method

Cut the beans into small strips and keep aside. Take a vessel, add the beans along with all the above ingredients, pour in 2 to 3 sprinkles of water and cover and cook till done. (let all the water evaporate)

Heat oil in a pan, add the cooked beans mixture and stir fry till done.

Cabbage Mezhukuperatti

Hope everything is going great with you. My refrigerator is stuffed with so many things. Oh no, no not stuffed with food, stuffed with a little food and a lot of veggies. I'm sure you are surprised but well for me this is an everyday issue. We only have space in the kitchen for a small refrigerator and so when the veggie tray gets packed I am forced to stack my veggies along with food in the food compartments :( And so I ultimately end up with a very cramped and constipated refrigerator!!! :)

I think cabbage is one vegetable where I use the most amount of onions compared to any other vegetable, be it 'thoran' or 'mezhukuperatti'. I wish I could explain why that happens except that I like it's taste best this way. I was quite happy after making this dish. It's not everyday that I make Cabbage Mezhukuperatti. (usually I make Cabbage Thoran) This recipe was given to me by my mom long time ago but somehow I never tried making it. When it comes to cabbage mezhukuperatti, the best way I like to have it is with rice, sambar/moru kachiyathu, red fish curry and cabbage mezhukuperatti.

For my friends who are reading this recipe and not into our way of eating, I assure you this dish is versatile. It can be eaten as a sabji for chapathis/rotis along with a simple dal.

With the success of this dish, this is definitely going to be a regular on our daily menu. Hope you enjoy it too. Have fun!

Ingredients

Cabbage - 1/2 of a medium cabbage

Big Onion - 1 to 1 1/2 (big)

Green chillies - 2 to 3 (adjust as per spice tolerance)

Garlic - 3 to 4 cloves

Salt - to taste

Pepper - 3/4 tsp

Ajinomoto - a pinch (optional)

Oil

Method

Heat oil in a wok and saut'e garlic, green chillies and onions till onions turn golden brown. When the onions have browned well add cabbage along with pepper and salt. Mix well. Add a splash of water into this mixture and cover and cook for about 2 minutes on a high flame and another 2 minutes on low flame. Finally, add a pinch of ajinomoto and combine well till all the moisture disappears.

Source: My Mom

Baingan Chatpata/Egg plant Stir fry

I am in a spree to finish off my left-over veggies and meat in the refrigerator because we are going home this weekend, yippee!! :) I never stuff my refrigerator with too much food because my hubby dearest is not too fond of food kept in the refrigerator. But doesn't work well for him everyday, poor thing! He does get 2-day old "fresh" food sometimes... :)

So this dish is something I just created today afternoon with a few eggplants. (baingan/brinjal) It's quick and easy and goes well with chapathi and white rice.

Ingredients

Baingan/Brinjal - 5 to 6 (medium)

Big Onion (diced) - 2 (big)

Ginger & Garlic paste - 1 1/2 to 2 tsp

Aamchur powder - 1/4 to 1/2 tsp

Red Chilli powder - 2 tsp (alter as per spice tolerance)

Turmeric powder - 1/4 to 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder - 1 1/2 tsp

Salt - to taste

Sugar - a pinch

Water

Oil

Method

Cut the baingan/brinjal into medium size chunks and marinate it with aamchur powder. Keep aside. Heat oil in a pan and add onions. Once the onions turn translucent and reduce in quantity, add a pinch of sugar to slightly caramelize the onions. Saut'e till golden brown. Add the ginger & garlic paste and fry for a few minutes. Throw in the chilli powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder and fry for 1 or 2 minutes. Be careful not to burn the powders. Now add the marinated baingan/brinjal chunks and salt and toss till combined well with the onion and spice mixture. Sprinkle enough water and mix well. Cover and cook till done. Once cooked, stir fry till dry and masala is coated well on the baingan/brinjal.