Banana Peppers Potato Fry

Banana peppers are widely available in most of the grocery stores here in US. Back in India, my mom used to make a simple banana peppers fry by adding roasted chana dal/daliya/poppula podi. Today I made a spice mix and used it to add flavor to the dish. I also added potatoes to it, you can even avoid using potatoes and make this dish using only the banana peppers. The banana peppers i used were a little spicy, so I added a little amount of chilli powder, it is better to taste the peppers while they are being cooked before adding chilli powder to the dish.

Ingredients:

Banana Peppers - 5, slit them open, discard seeds, finely chop them

Potatoes - 2, medium sized, finely diced

Cumin Seeds - 1/4 tsp

Chilli Powder - 1/4 tsp(adjust according to spice levels)

Oil - 1 tbsp

Salt - As per taste

For the Spice Mix:

Bengal Gram/Urad dal - 1 tbsp

Coriander seeds - 1 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Chana Dal - 1 tsp

Fenugreek Seeds - 8

- Dry roast all the ingredients, cool them and grind them

Method of Preparation:

1. Heat oil in a non stick pan, add cumin seeds, after they start spluttering, add the chopped potatoes and banana peppers. Mix well, add a little salt and cover the lid.

2. Keep stirring in between, if needed sprinkle a little water.

3. Once the peppers and potatoes are 3/4 th cooked, add the ground spice mix, chilli powder and mix well.

4. Adjust the salt and cook covered till the potatoes and banana peppers are completely cooked through.

5. Serve the banana peppers potato fry with steamed rice or rotis.

Mixed Vegetable Paratha With Onion Mint Raitha

Hot mixed vegetable parathas served with cool refreshing onion mint raitha is the best dinner combo after a tired day. You can always play around with the vegetables used for the stuffing. Today I have used carrots and peas along with potatoes.

Ingredients For The Dough:
Whole Wheat Flour - 2 cups

Salt - 1/4 tsp

Milk - 1 to 11/2 cups 

Oil - 1 tsp

Ingredients For The Filling:

Potatoes - 3, medium sized, boiled and mashed

Carrots - 1, medium sized, finely grated

Green Peas - 1/4 cup(fresh or frozen)

Cumin Seeds - 1/4 tsp

Chilli Powder - 1 tsp

Pepper Powder - 1/4 tsp

Oil - 1 tbsp

Salt - As per taste

Method of Preparation:

1. Add salt to the wheat flour along with milk and knead into a soft dough. Finally add a tsp of oil and knead the dough once again. Cover the dough using a bowl or a wet towel. Let it rest for a minimum of an hour.

2. Heat oil in a non stick pan and add cumin seeds. Once the seeds splutter, add the grated carrot and the peas to it and fry.

3. Fry for 3-5 minutes, mixing in between.

4. Add the salt, pepper powder and chilli powder and mix well. Fry for a minute and add the mashed potatoes, mix well, fry for a minute or two and turn off the heat.

5. Let this mixture cool down before you make small lemon sized balls out of it.

6. Dust the rolling platform with dry flour and take a lemon sized portion of the dough, roll it into a small round chapathi(approximately 3 to 4 inches in diameter) using a rolling pin

7. Place a ball of the mixed vegetable mixture in the center of the rolled chapathi and seal the edges of the chapathi, by pulling the edges onto the stuffing ball. Shape the stuffed dough into a flattened round.

8. Dust the rolling platform with dry flour and roll out a paratha with a rolling pin. 

9. Heat a non stick pan and transfer the rolled paratha onto it.

10. Wait till small bubbles appear on the paratha, before you turn it around.

11. Turn the paratha around and apply little oil on it. Repeat the step after you turn the paratha again.

12. Once the paratha is nicely cooked through, take it off from the pan. 

13. Serve hot mixed vegetable parathas with onion mint raitha.

Ingredients For Onion Mint Raitha:

Yogurt/Curd - 1 cup

Onion - 1, large sized, finely chopped

Mint/Pudina Leaves - 10, finely chopped

Green Chillies - 2, finely chopped

Lemon Juice - 1 tbsp

Salt - As per taste

Method of Preparation:

1. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate it for 15 minutes.

2. Serve the onion mint raitha with parathas or pulav.

Sending this to Chaitrali's 'Combo Meal'

Kothimeera Mirchi Vankaya (Cilantro Eggplant)

This is another recipe which is very easy to prepare and absolutely amazing in taste. The credits for this wonderful recipe goto my aunt, Indu :). Kothimeera mirchi vankaya or cilantro eggplant is a 6 ingredient dish that goes well with rice and roti as well.

Ingredients:
Brinjal/Eggplants(Preferably Indian eggplant) - 4, medium sized, chopped length wise
Potato - 2, medium sized, diced
Oil - 2 tbsp
Salt - As per taste

Grind to Paste:
Cilantro/Coriander Leaves - a small bunch
Green chillies - 3(Adjust according to spice levels)

Method of Preparation:
1. In a non stick vessel, heat oil and add the diced potatoes. Fry on high heat for 3-4 minutes and add the chopped eggplant/brinjal.
2. Cook covered till the potato and eggplant are 3/4 th cooked. Cook covered, stirring in between.
3. Add the ground cilantro/coriander leaves and green chillies paste and salt. Mix well. Cover the lid and cook on low medium heat till the vegetables are completely cooked through.(Add a little water if required)
4. Serve the kothimeera mirchi vankaya or the cilantro eggplant with hot rice or rotis.

Sending this recipe to 'Anyone can cook - 2' being hosted by Ayeesha and

Ginger Brinjal Aloo(Allam Vankaya)

Thanks to my aunt, Indu, I got this wonderful recipe. When she told me that it needed only 6 ingredients in total, I was thinking whether it would really taste good, but when I made it today, we finished the whole bowl of ginger brinjal aloo(allam vankaya). This recipe works very well with Indian Eggplant/brinjals.

Ingredients:
Indian Eggplant/Brinjal - 4, medium sized, sliced length wise
Potato - 2, medium sized, diced
Ginger Green Chilli Paste - 1 tsp (I used a big chunk of ginger and 6 green chillies and ground them to paste)
Oil - 2 tbsp
Salt - As per taste

Method of Preparation:
1. In a vessel, preferably non stick, heat oil and add the diced potatoes.
2. Mix well and cook on high heat for 3-4 minutes.
3. Add the chopped brinjal/eggplant, mix well and cook on medium heat for 2 minutes.
4. Cover the vessel with a lid and cook till the vegetables are 3/4th done.
5. Add salt, ginger green chilli paste and mix well.
6. Cover the vessel with a lid and cook till the vegetables are completely cooked through. Stir in between. (Add a little water, if needed)
7. Serve the ginger brinjal aloo/allam vankaya with rotis or hot rice.

Sending this recipe to 'Anyone can cook - 2' being hosted by Ayeesha

Mixed Vegetable Curry(Using Curry Powder)

This is a very easy and tasty mixed vegetable curry that goes very well with hot rotis. You can use any of the seasonal vegetables along with mushrooms for this recipe.

Ingredients:
Onion - 2, small, roughly chopped
Potato - 2, medium sized, peeled and chopped
Capsicum/Bell Pepper - 2, medium sized, deseeded and chopped
Carrot - 2, medium sized, peeled and chopped
Tomato - 1, large, finely chopped
Green Chillies - 3, slit length wise(adjust according to spice levels)
Curry Powder - 11/2 tbsp
Oil - 11/2 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
Yogurt/Curd - 3 tbsp
Salt - As per taste
Corn Flour/Starch - 11/1 tbsp

Method of Preparation:
1. Heat oil in a vessel and add cumin seeds. Once the seeds start spluttering, add the slit chillies and chopped tomatoes. Mix well and cook till the tomatoes soften.
2. Add the curry powder and mix well. Add all the chopped vegetables, mix well. Add salt and cook covered for 5-10 minutes. Stir in between.
3. Once the vegetables are half cooked, add the yogurt and mix well. Add 2 cups of water and mix well. Cook covered till the vegetables are cooked through.
4. Adjust the salt. In a small bowl add the corn flour and couple of spoons of water. Mix well and add it to the boiling curry on low heat.
5. Once the curry thickens, take off heat.
6. Serve mixed vegetable curry with rotis.

Aloo Tikki Chat

Aloo tikki chat... the name itself rings a lot of bells in many of the Indians. Such is the popularity of this chat. The various components of this chat include aloo tikki, choley, green chutney and tamarind date chutney. Here are the recipes to the rest of components.

Ingredients for Aloo Tikki(Makes around 10-12 tikkis)
Potatoes - 4 medium sized(boiled and peeled)
Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1/4 tsp
Roasted Cumin Powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - As per taste
Oil - 1 tbsp

Method of Preparation:
1. Mash the potatoes and add the rest of ingredients. Mix well.
2. Divide the potato mixture into large lemon sized balls.
3. Flatten each ball into a round shape of around half inch thickness.
4. Heat a non stick pan and apply a little oil. Place the prepared aloo tikkis on the pan. On medium heat, let the tikkis turn golden brown before turning them over.
5. Turn them over and pour little oil on the pan.
6. Wait till the tikkis turn golden brown, switch of the heat and let the tikkis rest on the hot tava.
7. If the tikkis turn out very soft, then let them cool and reheat them once again. This way the tikkis tend to be crisper for a longer period.

Ingredients for Choley:
Chickpeas/Chana/Garbanzo Beans - 1 can(Drain the liquid and wash the beans couple of times before using)
(Instead of canned chana, you can also use dried chana. Soak them overnight and boil them)
Onion - 1 large sized, finely chopped
Tomatoes - 2 medium sized, finely chopped
Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Roasted Cumin Powder - 1/2 tsp
Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Pudina/Mint Leaves - 4-5, finely chopped
Coriander/Cilantro Leaves - 1/2 tsp, finely chopped
Salt - As per taste
Oil - 1 tbsp

Method of Preparation:
1. Heat oil in a pan and add the chopped onions. Fry them till they turn golden brown.
2. Add the chopped tomatoes and fry for 2-3 minutes.
3. Add chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and mix well, till the raw smell disappears.
4. Add the chana and 2 cups of water, mix well and let the mixture boil.
5. Add the garam masala, salt, chopped mint and coriander. Mix well.
6. Now transfer the contents to a pressure cooker and cook for 2-3 whistles.
7. Choley for aloo tikki chat is ready.

Ingredients for Green Chutney:
Coriander/Cilantro Leaves - 3 tbsp, roughly chopped
Green Chillies - 2-3, roughly chopped
Lime juice - 1 tsp
Yogurt/Curd - 1 tbsp
Salt - As per Taste

Method of Preparation:
1. Add all the ingredients to a blender and blend to a smooth puree.
2. Green chutney for aloo tikki chat is ready.

Ingredients for assembling Aloo Tikki Chat:
Onion - 1 large sized, finely chopped
Coriander/Cilantro Leaves - 2 tbsp, freshly chopped

Method of Plating:
1. Take a bowl, place one or two hot aloo tikkis on the bottom.
2. Pour some choley on top of it.
3. Add a tablespoon of chopped onions on top of it.
4. Pour 2 teaspoons of the green chutney on top of it.
5. Pour 2 teaspoons of the date tamarind chutney on top of it.
6. Finally add a little more chopped onion and chopped coriander leaves.
7. Enjoy the amazing aloo tikki chat.

Dill Potato Stir Fry

My fascination with dill seems to be growing by the day. Here I am with one more recipe using dill leaves. A healthy and very simple potato stir fry with a hint of dill.

Ingredients:
Potatoes - 3 medium sized, peeled and diced
Dill Leaves - 1 tbsp, finely chopped
Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 11/2 tsp
Salt - As per taste

Method of Preparation:
1. Heat oil in a non stick pan and add the diced potatoes.
2. Fry for a minute and cook covered till the potatoes are cooked through and turn slight brown(keep stirring in between).
3. Add the chopped dill leaves and fry for a minute.
4. Add the chili powder and salt, fry for 2 more minutes.
5. Serve the Dill Potato Stir Fry as a side dish with Rice or Roti.

Adraki Aloo Moong

This is one of the recipes which me and my mom prefer, when we are running short on time. With very minimal preparation time, this is the perfect dish which you can pair with rotis.

Ingredients:
Potatoes - 2 medium sized, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces
Tomatoes - 1 medium sized, roughly chopped
Moong Dal/Split Yellow Dal - 3 tbsp
Grated ginger - 1 tbsp
Chilli powder - 1 tbsp (adjust according to taste)
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1 tbsp
Garam Masala - a pinch
Salt - As per taste

For the Tempering:
Oil - 11/2 tbsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/4 tsp

Method of Preparation:
1. Heat a pressure cooker and add the oil and cumin seeds. Once the seeds splutter add the moong dal and fry for 3 minutes.
2. Add the turmeric powder, grated ginger and fry for a minute. Add the diced potatoes and fry for a minute.
3. Add coriander powder, chilli powder and fry for 2 minutes.
4. Add the chopped tomatoes mix and add 2 cups of water.
5. Lastly add garam masala, salt and mix well.
5. Cover the pressure cooker lid and cook for 2-3 whistles. Ensure that the potatoes don't become paste.
6. Serve hot with rotis.

Cooking using a Foil - Jeera Aloo Gobi

Instant curry/rice pouches which can be popped into a microwave oven or hot water for couple of minutes are an instant hit among those individuals who do not have time to cook at home. However, the taste of those is far from the authentic taste of home made food. So, here is a very simple way of turning home made curries into instant curry pouches. All you need is a sheet of aluminium foil to start with. I used 9X11 sized foil.

Make a Pouch of the Foil:

1. Fold the foil into half.

2. Seal the bottom edge by folding a 1/4 inch of the foil, fold it once again.

3. Seal the edges on the side by folding a 1/4 inch, fold it one again

The resultant pouch should look something like this.

Once your pouch is ready, the rest of the steps are pretty simple. 

Ingredients:

Cauliflower Florets - 11/2 cup

Potato - 1 medium sized, peeled and diced into cubes

Oil - 11/2 tbsp

Dry Masala:

Cumin Powder - 1 tsp

Chilli Powder - 1 tbsp

Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp

Coriander Powder - 1 tsp

Garam Masala - 1/4 tsp

Salt - According to Taste

Method of Preparation:

1. Mix all the dry masala ingredients together.

2. Take the cauliflower florets and potato cubes in a bowl, add 1/2 tbsp of oil and mix them well.

3. Sprinkle the dry masala mix on the cauliflower and potatoes. Mix them well either using hand/spoon or by tossing them.

4. Pour the remaining 1 tbsp oil on the mixture and mix well.

5. Transfer the contents from the bowl to the pouch using a spoon or hand.

6. Seal the open edge in such a way that no steam escapes, when cooking.

Method of Cooking

1. You can either use a oven or a tava or any pan to cook.

2. If using a tava or any pan, place the sealed pouch on the tava and place it on a slightly higher than medium flame. After 8 to 10 minutes flip the pouch onto the other side and leave it for another 5 to 7 minutes. Switch of the heat and let the pouch stay on the hot tava for a couple of minutes.

3. If using oven, pop the pouch into a preheated oven at 400F for 15-20 minutes and let it rest for a couple of minutes before removing from the oven.

4. Be cautious while opening the pouch, the hot steam might burn your fingers.

Jeer Aloo Gobi, cooked on tava

Note: You can make the pouches ahead for different curries and freeze them, so that you can heat them when needed, for a piping hot home made meal.