pesara pappu beerakaya Curry

Ingredients:

• 2 cups tender ridge gourd pieces (peel only the veins and keep the skin)
• Half cup moong dal 
• Half cup grated fresh coconut
• 2 green chilies 
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp.mustard
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• Pinch of turmeric
• Pinch of hing
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp. oil

Method

1. Soak dal for 1 hour.
   Md
   HfkrirvnnnnnnnnnnnN
2. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard, jeera, curry leaves & chilies, hing. Allow them to splutter.
   
3. Add the gourd, salt & turmeric, mix well, fry for a min. close the lid and cook for 2 mins. 
   
4. Add dal, mix well. Close the lid and cook till the dal and gourd is cooked fully. If needed can add ½ cup of water to keep the dal and veggie soft and moist.
   
5. Add coconut and pepper, stir well and cook on a low flame for a min or till the water evaporates fully.
6. Ready to serve with rice or roti.

Aloo baingan masala

Ingredients:

• 2 medium potatoes
• 2 medium brinjal or baingan 
• 1 ¼ cup onions paste 

• ¾ cup tomatoes puree
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste 
• ¾ to 1 cup water
• ¾ tsp chilli powder 
• 1/8 tsp turmeric or haldi
• 1 to 1 ½ tsp garam masala
• 2 tbsp Coriander leaves

Method:

1. Keep the cut potatoes and brinjal in salted water until used. You can make a paste of onions or blanch them first and make a paste to prevent bitterness.
   
2. Heat a pan with oil, saute onion paste.Fry ginger garlic paste until it turns aromatic.Saute tomato puree until the raw smell disappears.
   
3. Sprinkle red chilli powder, garam masala and turmeric. Saute until the mixture begins to leave the sides of the pan.
   
4. Add the drained veggies and saute for 2 to 3 mins. Cover and cook on a low heat for another 2 mins.
   
5. Pour water and stir. Cook covered on a medium to low heat until the potatoes are completely cooked. Add salt.
   
6. Switch off and sprinkle coriander leaves.Serve aloo baingan curry with rice or roti.
   

Boiled potato fry

Ingredients:

• 2 large potatoes, washed, boiled, peeled and cubed
• 1 large onion sliced
• pinch of turmeric 
• coriander leaves
• 1 1/2 tsp red chilli 
• 1/4 tsp coriander powder
• 1/4 tsp cumin powder
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 3/4 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp urad dal/minappa pappu
• 1 sprig curry leaves

Method:

1.  Heat oil in a cooking vessel, add the mustard seeds and as they crackle, add the cumin seeds and urad dal and allow the dal to turn red. Add curry leaves and saute for 10 secs.
   

   
2.  Add the sliced onions and saute for 7-8 mts or till they turn transparent. Add red chilli pwd, turmeric pwd,  cumin pwd, coriander pwd and salt. Combine well.
3.  Add the boiled potato cubes and combine and cook on low to medium flame for 9-10 mts, stirring in between and scrapping the sides and bottom.
   

   
4. stir fry on medium high flame for 3 mts, tossing them in between till the potatoes turn a golden brown. Garnish with coriander leaves.Turn off heat and serve with rice.
   

   

paneer Makhani

Ingredients:

To puree

• 10 cashews or almonds
• 2¼ cups tomatoes 400 gms 

Other ingredients to make paneer makhani

• 2 cups paneer or 200 grams Indian cottage cheese
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 green cardamoms or elaichi
• 1 cinnamon 1 inch or dalchini
• 2 cloves
• 1 green chili slit deseeded
• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste or ¾ tsp ginger paste
• ¾ to 1 ¼ tsp red chilli powder adjust as needed
• salt as needed
• ½ tsp sugar
• 1/8 tsp turmeric or haldi
• 1 ¼ tsp garam masala adjust as needed
• ¼ cup cream (optional)

Method:

1. Soak cashews for 10  to 15 mins in hot water. If using almonds then remove the skin.

   
2. Blend together tomatoes and cashews to a smooth puree. Filter if the puree is coarse.

   

How to make paneer makhani

1. Heat a pan with butter. Then saute cloves, cinnamon, cardamoms and green chili.Saute ginger garlic paste for the raw smell to go away. This takes just 2 to 3 mins.

   
2. Transfer the puree to the pan. Cover partially and cook until the puree thickens.
   

   
3. Add chili powder, turmeric and salt. Saute until the mix leaves the sides of the pan.
   

   
4. Next add garam masala and saute for 1 to 2 mins.
   

   
5. Pour 1 cup water and sugar. Cook until the gravy thickens.
   

   
6. Put in the paneer in the gravy. Stir gently. Cook covered for 2 to 3 mins.Pour the cream and allow to bubble.
   
7. Serve paneer makhani with roti and butter naan.
   

Aloo Mushroom curry

Ingredients:

• 2 to 3 potatoes medium sized , cubed
• 200 grams white button mushrooms
• 2 to 3 tbsps oil
• 1 bay leaves small 
• 3/4 tsp cumin / jeera
• 1 cup onions very finely chopped
• 1 green chilies slit
• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
• 2 tomatoes chopped
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• ¼ tsp turmeric
• Salt as needed
• 10 cashews
• 1 tsp garam masala
•  coriander leaves , chopped 
• water as needed

Method:

1. Add cubed tomatoes to a jar along with cashews. Make a fine puree. Keep this aside.
   

   
2. Wash and chop onions very finely, Rinse mushrooms and cut them to desired sizes.
   

   
3. Add 1 tbsp oil to a pan and heat it.Toss these mushrooms in the oil on a medium flame until they wilt. This takes about 3 to 4 mins.Set these mushrooms aside.
   

   
4. Add another 2 tbsps oil to the same pan.Add jeera and bay leaf.When the jeera begins to sizzle add chopped onions and green chilies.Fry them until golden on a medium heat.
   
5. When the onions turn golden, add the ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute.Then add in tomato puree and cook until the 5 min.
   
6. Add red chili powder, turmeric, salt and garam masala. Mix all these and fry for 2 to 3 mins.
   
7. Add the cubed potatoes and saute for 3 min.Pour water just enough to make a gravy. Mix well. Cover and cook until the potatoes are done.
   
8. Add mushrooms and cook covered until the mushrooms are done .Check the salt and spice, adjust as needed. Cook until the gravy reaches a thick consistency.
   
9. Sprinkle coriander leaves and keep covered until served.
   
10. Serve aloo mushroom curry with rice or roti.