Corn capsicum masala recipe | Side dish for chapati,pulao

I had this corn capsicum masala in a restaurant and loved it a lot. Both Vj and Aj loved it. We all are sweet corn fans and very often make sweet corn chaat for evening snack. At least twice a week. So obviously, this was really delicious and we enjoyed this a lot. It was creamy, tangy as well as slightly sweet. So I thought I could make it as I make the usual Masala and add capsicum and corn to it. It turned out great and Aj loved it a lot with dal and rice. I made it for dinner with roti and it was perfect too. So add this to your side dish for chapati list and impress your family .

Corn capsicum masala recipe

Recipe Cuisine: Indian  |  Recipe Category: Side dish
Prep Time: 10 mins    |  Cook time: 20 mins    |  Serves: 2

Ingredients

Sweet corn (I used frozen) - 2 cups

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Capsicum, cubed (I used 3 colours) - 1 cup heaped

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Onion - 2

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Tomato, large - 2

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Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp

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Red chilli powder - 2 tsp

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Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp

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Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

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Kasoori methi - A generous pinch

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Cream - 1/4 cup

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Salt & oil - As needed

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Sugar - 1/4 tsp

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To temper

Oil - 2 tblsp

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Cardamom - 2

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Clove - 1

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Cinnamon - 1 small piece

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Method

1. In a pan, add little oil and fry capsicum for 2 minutes in medium flame. 
2. In the same kadai, add cubed onion with little oil and fry until it turns golden here and there.  
3. Grind it with roughly chopped tomatoes to a smooth puree. 
4. In the kadai, add oil and temper with cardamom, clove and cinnamon. Add the ground puree. Cover with lid as it splutters a lot. 

5. After few minutes, say 2-3 mins, the spluttering will subside, add ginger garlic paste to it and fry for 2 more minutes. Add red chilli, garam masala, turmeric powders along with kasoori methi and salt. 
6. Fry until oil separates in medium flame. I microwaved corn with 2 tblsp water for 4 minutes, stirring in between once to cook it. You can cook in you own way. 
7. Add the cooked corn to it and fry for 2 more minutes. 
8. Add 1 cup water and boil for 3 minutes. Put the flame to low and add cream slowly stirring. 
9. The gravy should not boil so keep the flame always in low after adding cream. Add the fried capsicum and mix well. Heat for a minute and switch off the flame.

Notes

• I used cooking cream, you can use nestle cream.
• You can add milk in place of cream too.
• Adding little butter may enhance the taste.
• Adding capsicum in the end ensures it stays crisp.

Serve with as accompaniment for mild pulaos or with plain roti.

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Tomato peas pulao, curd vada, potato curry Lunch menu 53

A simple lunch menu with my favorite tomato peas pulao. I both love to have it as well as cook it. Its easy to make too. I made this menu last week along with thayir vadai. So thought of clicking this for lunch menu post too. I made the potato curry with fresh ground masala, you can replace it with any vegetable side dish you like. Check out the link for the recipes

1. Tomato peas pulao recipe
2. Potato curry with fresh ground masala
3. Curd rice recipe 
4. Curd vada recipe

You can check the other old posts of tomato bhat and tomato rice too. Check out other vegetable side dishes.

Tomato peas pulao, curd rice, potato curry - Lunch menu 53

Recipe Cuisine: Indian  |  Recipe Category:Lunch
Prep Time: 3 Hrs     |  Cook time: 1 hr    |  Serves: 3

1. I made ready the thayir vadai first that day as I wanted to make a post. You can make vadais ahead or even use leftover vadais.
2. So as you prepare breakfast, you can first soak for vadai, once breakfast work is done, grind for vadai and prepare vadais.
3. Prepare curd vadai and set aside.
4. Soak rice for pulao and cut potato, onion, tomato. Keep all the other ingredients ready. Gring masala for curry and keep that too ready.
5. Cook plain rice for curd rice. Other side cook tomato pulao.
6. Lastly prepare potato curry and fry vadams.

Thayir vadai recipe | South Indian curd vada

 
This is very simple and basic recipe, I have made it quite a few times when I had guests at home. But never posted and had long time due to post this. I wanted to garnish with kara boondi, so it too so long for me to both make this south Indian curd vada and have the kara boondi in stock. I do not order curd vadai at restaurants as once I had bad experience eating sourest curd vadai. So after that never thought of eating at restaurants, but many times made it at home. Once my uncle got this when he came home last year when we went to chennai. It was very delicious when I tasted one. It was not sour and the curd was smooth and rich. Don’t know from where he got. After that I am making only now and today had one heartily . So when you want to make curd vadai at home, make sure you use fresh not sour curd for best results. I have posted north Indian version Dahi vada, I love that too, but both are different in taste, but I like both versions.

Thayir vadai recipe

Recipe Cuisine: Indian  |  Recipe Category: Snack
Prep Time: 3 hrs mins    |  Cook time: 55 mins    |  Makes: 8

Ingredients

Urad dal - white, whole	1/2 cup, heaped
green chilli	2V
Asafoetida	A pinch
Ginger	A small piece
Coriander leaves, chopped	1 tblsp
Salt	As needed

For curd mixture

Curd	1 & 1/2 cup
Milk	1/2 cup
Salt	As needed

To temper

Oil	1 tsp
Mustard	3/4 tsp
Asafoetida	A pinch
Curry leaves	1 sprig

For garnish

Red chilli powder	1/2 tsp
Kara boondi	As needed
Chopped coriander leaves	2 tblsp

How to shape a vadai video

Method

1. Soak urad dal for 2 hours. Then keep it refrigerated for an hour. This helps in giving fluffy stiff batter while we grind in mixie. Drain water and grind it with ginger, green chillies adding ice cold water little. The batter will loosen when we add salt later, so add water so very carefully less.

2. The batter should be smooth and thick. Add coriander, curry leaves and salt and mix well. Keep refrigerated until use. Keeping refrigerated also keeps the batter stiff and thick helping to shape the vadai perfect.

3. Heat oil for deep frying. Wet your hands and make shape of vada in your hands or in your convenient way of making vada shape and drop in oil carefully. Fry 3-4 vadais at a time depending on your kadai and oil size. Cook both sides in medium flame until golden.

4. Drain in paper towels. Soak vadai in hot water. Make sure water is just hot, not boiling water. Adding hot vadai in hot boiling water makes it loose it shape and not looks good. It may become too soft. So drain and cool the vadais, then add in hot water. Let it soak for atleast 15 mins.

5. Meanwhile prepare curd – beat curd and milk with salt until smooth.

6. Temper with the items given under ‘to temper’ table and mix.

7. Drain water from the soaked vadai and slightly squeeze without changing the shape. Pour the curd mixture on top of it and let it get soaked.

Notes

• You can use left over vadais for this.
• If your vadai is soft and airy, then your curd vadai also will absorb everything well, but it should not be too soft too, otherwise, it wont look good. Slightly stiff vadais works best.
• Refer my medhu vadai post for more tips and tricks for making vadai.
• Use boiled room temperature milk if its not homogenized pasteurized milk. Otherwise can use as such.
• When you add curd to soaked vadai, make sure its not too hot.

At the time of serving, garnish with coriander leaves, red chilli powder and kara boondi. You can add grated carrots as well.

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I have never thought of this combination of cauliflower soup with potato. Once my friend Sangeeta asked me to guess a picture of soup what it is. And it was cauliflower potato soup. I referred this recipe from vegetrian about site, but the recipe was vegan. I tried a simpler way and it turned out to be rich and tasty. I loved the colour of the soup mainly, it something that makes it rich in look. Very simple and easy to try for this winter. Wholesome too for dinner.

Cauliflower potato soup recipe

Recipe Cuisine: International  |  Recipe Category: Starter
Prep Time: 5 mins    |  Cook time: 20 mins    |  Serves: 2

Ingredients

Potato	1
Cauliflower	1 small flower head
Onion	1
Garlic	2 flakes
Butter	1 tblsp
Bay leaf	1
Salt and pepper	As needed

Method

1. I used my small pressure cooker for this, you can do this in a heavy bottomed soup pan too. Heat butter, add bay leaf, followed by garlic and onion. Fry in medium or low flame until onion turns transparent. Make sure not to change the colour.Add chopped potato, cauliflower and fry for 2 mins in medium or low flame with constant stirring to make sure not to change the colour of anything.
2. Add 2 cups water and pressure cook for 3 whistles.
3. Once done, discard the bay leaf, using a hand blender, grind it smoothly. Reheat if needed. Add pepper generously.

Notes

• If you dont have a hand blender, strain the pressure cooked potato cauliflower in a metal strainer, cool down, grind smoothly and add it to the strained water and heat again.
• In case you want to skip potato, add 1 tblsp of maida/ all purpose flour after u fry cauliflower, give it a fry for minute and then proceed.

Potato adds such a nice richness and thickness to the soup. Season with salt and pepper as needed.

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Dum aloo, veg pulao, paneer paratha - Lunch menu 52

Last week could not post any lunch menu or breakfast menu as I was not in mood of touching the camera. Drawback of doing fresh posts (Last minute post). This week so thought of clicking a menu and keep it ready. I was craving for some rich stuffed paratha, so suddenly paneer paratha came to my mind. And had small potatoes that I picked from mustafa, so thought of making Dum aloo, which I never tried making again after that post. Aj always loves baby potatoes and he was double happy when I told him that I am gonna make a gravy with it along with veg pulao. So rice for him and paratha for me. Actually I made the pulao and dum aloo morning and packed for Vj’s lunch box, then later made paratha hot for my lunch along with the peanut chaat. I will write the preparation together but.
Check out recipe links

1. Paneer paratha recipe
2. Dum aloo recipe
3. Veg pulao recipe
4. Boondi raita recipe
5. Peanut chaat recipe
6. How to roll a papad video

Dum aloo, veg pulao - Lunch menu 52

Recipe Cuisine: Indian   |  Recipe Category: Lunch
Prep Time: 45 mins     |  Cook time: 1 hr     |  Serves: 3

1. Soak rice for pulao, pressure cook small potatoes, prepare dough for paratha. Soak paneer in hot water.
2. Chop vegetables for pulao, onion, tomato, coriander leaves, ginger, garlic as needed for the pulao and dum aloo, peanut chaat. Peel off the skin of potatoes.
3. Prepare pulao first, meanwhile roast potatoes for dum aloo.
4. Prepare the stuffing for paratha and keep aside. Fry and finish the grinding works for dum aloo.
5. Prepare dum aloo, simmer it for getting cooked. Soak for boondi raita.
6. Make raita and lastly prepare paratha hot while you are going to eat lunch. In the same tawa, roast papad.
7. Toss the peanut chaat to serve the lunch.

Lunch is ready. If you want you can add a sweet or salted lassi or this masala chaas to this menu.



Have a happy weekend everyone .

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Barnyard millet idli dosa | Millet idli dosa recipe

Millet idli dosa has been in my to try list for a long time. Millets like kuthiraivali, samai, varagu can be easily replaced for rice and I know it will turn out good. But took so long for me to try. I usually grind for regular idli dosa with 4 cups rice and use it for 3-4 days. This time instead I ground with millets. And tried only half the quantity, also I tried grinding in mixie instead grinder. My idea was first to try dosa alone, so thought of grinding in mixie as quantity also less. But later after making dosa, I thought to try out idli too and it was soft, so I was double happy. I had to finish off the organic millets I got from Bhairavi naturals too, so this was best way to use it up in bulk.

Millet dosa, idli recipe

Recipe Cuisine: Indian  |  Recipe Category: Breakfast
Prep Time: 10 Hrs fermentation    |  Cook time: 15 mins    |  Serves: 6

Ingredients

Barnyard millet	2 cups
Urad dal, whole, white	1/2 cup
Methi/ vendhayam/ fenugreek seeds (Optional)	1/4 tsp
Salt	As needed

 

Method

1. Soak both millet and urad dal (with methi seeds) separately for 3 hrs. I kept urad dal in fridge for an hour after 2 hrs of soaking.  This prevents the mixier jar getting heated. Also more volume of batter.
   
2. First grind urad dal, adding water little by little. The consistency should be like a thick cream, it need not be stiff but light and airy. You can see the bubbles in the picture below. I use ice cold water to grind urad dal.
   
3. Grind millet draining water almost completely. It may not need water so add carefully otherwise will become watery. You can add salt along with millet while grinding.
   
4. Mix both the ground batter and keep overnight for fermentation. You can see the consistency below, just like regular idli dosa batter. Spoon to idli moulds to make idli.
   
5. Or mix with little water and make dosa.

Notes

• Since we grind in mixie, the batter will be runny before fermentation than the regular batter, but next day it should be okay.
  
• Careful while adding water to millets while grinding. It may not need much.
  
• Add water generously while grinding urad dal, the urad dal batter should not be stiff.
  
• I didn’t add methi seeds. Still it was okay. But adding methi will help in better fermentation.
  
• You can grind the same in grinder.

I loved both idli and dosa and both Vj, Aj could not find any difference.

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Masala peanut chaat recipe | Peanut chaat recipe

I tasted this masala peanut chaat first at Kulu at the place we stayed. Vj introduced this dish to me and i loved it the very first time I ate. Then during  that stay we ordered that several times. After that I had no chance of tasting it in any other restaurants. Recently, when we went for shopping at Expo, we stopped for snacking at Indian Curry House restaurant there. I was surprised and excited to see this masala peanuts chaat in their menu. So I happily ordered and had. Though it didn’t match the taste we had at Kulu, it was quite delicious. So I immediately added it to my To try list. So today, I thought I will make it for post. And I have tried this two times before this, but something went wrong and became soggy. But this time, it came out perfect!  The one we had at Kulu was deep brown in colour, no idea how it was like that, but the one I had in Indian curry house here in Singapore was same like mine.

Peanut chaat recipe

Recipe Cuisine: Indian  |  Recipe Category: Snack
Prep Time: 5 mins    |  Cook time: 5 mins    |  Serves: 2

Ingredients

Roasted peanuts*	1 cup
Onion	1
Tomato	1
Chopped coriander leaves	1/4 cup
Lemon	1/2
Red chilli powder	1 tsp
Chaat masala	1 tsp
Oil	2 tsp

How to roast peanuts 


Stove top : Heat a kadai, dry roast peanuts in low flame. Do it slowly to avoid burning and to ensure even roasting. 


Oven : Pre heat oven at 180 deg C. Spread peanuts in a oven proof tray. Bake for 7 mins first. Stir it and again bake for 4-5 minutes or until the peanuts turns slightly dull in colour. After roasting, the peanuts should be cooled down completely before using in this recipe.

Method

1. Chop onion finely, deseed tomato and chop it finely as well. Keep the ingredients ready. heat kadai, add oil, when the oil is hot, put off the flame. Add red chilli powder and chaat masala powder.

2. Immediately add the peanuts and toss well. Do not let it get burnt. Transfer to a mixing bowl and add onion, tomato, coriander and squeeze lemon.

3. Mix well and add more chaat masala as needed to balance salt. Mix well and serve immediately.

Notes

• You can use store bought roasted peanuts too. It can be with or without skin. I prefer with skin.
• You can add chopped raw mangoes to this. But its optional.
• Red chilli powder and chaat masala powder has to be adjusted according to one’s individual taste.

Always sever immediately. Otherwise it will become soggy. Best evening snack, packed with protein!

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