South Indies: Dry Cabbage Curry/Palya
Palya is a vegetable/ mixed vegetable stir fry typically served as a side dish with anna-saaru or chapatis, in most kannada households.
Cabbage makes way into my kitchen very often because, whenever I send my husband to buy vegetables, he comes back holding a large head of cabbage. Not that cabbage is his favorite, its just that he really finds it convenient to buy them. He wouldn’t really need to test it for its tenderness. Just pick it up, weigh it, pay for it, & he’s done with vegetable shopping.
So I find myself making this palya quite aften as accompaniment with some simple anna-saaru. And, it sure does make an awesome comination with saaru. Simple & homely food that is.
You Will Need:
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2 cups cabbage - finely shredded
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1/2 cup grated fresh coconut ( Optional )
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2 tsp mustard seeds
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2 tsp cumin seeds
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A handful of curry leaves
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4- 5 green chillies - chopped finely
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1 tsp urad dal
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1 tsp chana dal
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1/2 tsp turmeric powder
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2 tsp cooking oil
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Salt as per taste
Method:
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In a heavy bottomed pan, cook shredded cabbage with about 1 cup of water. Add turmeric powder & a little bit of salt while cooking. Cover with a pan, & cook on medium flame, till the cabbage is soft. Add more water if the water has already dried up. But DO NOT add too much water as cabbage leaves additional water while cooking.
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Or simply, cook cabbage in the microwave. gets done pretty quickly.
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Once the cabbage is cooked yet crunchy, Add grated coconut. Temper with mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, chana dal & urad dal.
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Check for salt, Mix well
Serve HOT with steamed rice/chapatis .. Enjoi !!!
NOTE: You can even do without adding grated coconut. If you do not like the taste of coconut, or if you are calorie counting, give it a miss. It will taste as great.
Aloo Bhindi aur Gobi ki Subzi
Have you ever thrown some ingredients together & made a good recipe? Somehow, these ’throw it together, no effort meals’ always taste great, don’t they?
I made this curry from the odds & ends in the fridge. I am a huge fan of aloo bhindi & aloo gobi so this couldn’t have been anything less than, super yummy.
You Will Need:
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2 large potatoes - diced
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1 cup cauliflower florets
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1 cup okra/ladies finger - chopped into 1′ pieces
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A handful of green peas - fresh/frozen
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1 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
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1/2 tsp turmeric
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1/2 tsp Garam Masala
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Salt as per taste
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2 tbsp cooking oil
Method:
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Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan/Kadhai, add okra & saute till half done,
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To this, add potatoes, cauliflower florets, green peas, turmeric, salt & red chilli powder & mix well
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Cover with a lid & let it cook on medium flame. Keep checking in between to avoid the bottom from getting burnt. You may require an additional tsp of oil at this time.
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The vegetables must be completely cooked yet firm.
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Check ofr salt. Transfer to a serving bowl. Enjoi with rice or rotis.
I threw in whatever I had. You could even add some chopped onions & tomatoes for a jucier version of the curry.
How about giving your leftover aloo bhindi or aloo gobi a new tiwst?
So tell me what are your ‘throw it together, no effort, favorite meals’ like?
Lauki Lobia Curry
You Will Need:
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1 cup Black Eyes Peas/Lobia/Dudhi/Alsande Kaalu (soaked overnight or atleast for 4-5 hrs)
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1 cup Bottle Gourd/Lauki/Sorekai - ( peeled, cored & cubed into 1 inch cubes )
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2 onions - finely chopped
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2 tomatoes - finely chopped
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2 green chillies - slit lengthwise
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1 tsp red chilli powder
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1 tsp mustard seeds
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A sprig of curry leaves
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1/2 tsp turmeric powder
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1/2 tsp Garam Masala
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2 tbsp oil
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Salt as per taste
Method:
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Pressure cook black eyed peas or cook on stove top until tender & set aside
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Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan & splutter mustard seeds, green chillies, curry leaves & turmeric.
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Add chopped onions & saute until it turns pink
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Add chopped tomatoes & red chilli powder & saute for 5 minutes.
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To this, add bottle gourd cubes & mix well. Add about 1/2 a cup of water & a tsp of salt. Cover with a lid & let it cook on medium flame. Keep stirring in between. When bottle goured cubes are fully cooked ( this should take about 12-15 mins ), Add cooked black eyed beans & Mix well
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Check for salt. Add Garam Masala & mix well
Serve HOT with warm Phulkas or even steamed Rice. Enjoi !!!
I had these with Rotis & Yogurt & It really was an awesome meal. Makes a perfect weeknight dinner.
I might even try a simple sprouted Stir Fry with this some time. Watch this space for more …
Baby Corn - Carrot Potato Stir Fry
I have been opting for simple foods lately & this mixed vegetable stir fry is a perfect example. What initially was supposed to go into a rich Korma, turned into a simple stir fry. Nice tender baby corn with some nice juicy carrots & lovely green peas is quite a combination
There is really nothing new about this recipe, its really really simple to make, with some basic stuff. I added a bit of dried rosemary for that nice hint of herbs.
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1 cup Baby Corn - Quartered & cut into thin strips
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1 cup Carrots - Cut into thin strips
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2 potatoes - cut into thin strips
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1 cup green peas - fresh/frozen
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4 -5 chopped green chillies - low to medium spiced
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1 tsp mustard seeds
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1 tsp dried rosemary
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2 tsp oil
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Salt as per taste
Method:
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Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan, add mustard seeds & allow it to pop & splutter. Add chopped green chillies & saute for about 20 secs
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Add carrots & potatoes & saute for a couple of minutes. Sprinkle some water & add a little bit of salt & close the lid. Keep sauteing in between to avoid them from getting burnt.
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When the carrots & potatoes are half done, add baby corn, Add a tsp of oil & close the lid again & keep sauteeing in between.
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When the vegetables are almost cooked & firm, add green peas & let it cook.
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Add dried rosemary & check for salt. & mix well
Serve with HOT rotis or fried rice .. Enjoi !!!
We loved biting into those crunchy baby corn. The tender carrots & green peas were quite a contrast & added a nice bite. Next time, I might even add some french beans to this. We had this with some warm rotis & enjoyed a simple meal.
NOTE:
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Replace green chillies with red chilli powder & add a hint of Garam Masala instead of dried rosemary
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Make sure that the vegetables are not overcooked & mushy. They taste good when they are crunchy & firm
Not Your Usual - Methi Gajjar
When it comes to cuisines from the North of India, everyone is more than familiar with Paneer Butter Masala, Bhindi Masala, Baingan ka Bharta & a few others . . Is North Indian cuisine just limited to just these?? Hell NO !! There are so many dishes out there that are yet to be explored. These lesser known curries are just as tasty & quite simple to make. And ofcourse, it lends a homely touch too.
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3 large sized carrots - cut into thin strips
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1 cup fresh Methi/Fenugreek leaves - finely chopped
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A handful of green peas - fresh/frozen (optional)
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1 onion - chopped finely
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1 tomato - chopped
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2 green chillies - slit lengthwise
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1 tsp grated ginger
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1 tsp red chilli powder
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1 tsp cumin seeds
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1 tsp kasuri methi/dry fenugreek leaves (optional)
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2 tsp oil
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Salt as per taste
Method:
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Par boil chopped carrots in the microwave or on stove-top
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Meanwhile, heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan & add cumin seeds, once the seeds pop & splutter, add grated ginger, green chillies & saute for a few seconds
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Add chopped onions & saute till they turn pink,
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Add chopped tomatoes, red chilli powder & saute till oil separates & tomatoes become pulpy.
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Add fresh fenugreek leaves & green peas & saute for a minute.
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Add parboiled carrots & cook on low flame until completely cooked
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Add Kasuri methi/dry fenugreek leaves
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Adjust salt according to taste & mix well
Serve HOT with Rotis .. Enjoi !!!
We really did enjoy this for lunch with some warm rotis & yogurt. The otherwise sweet carrots blend well with the slighlty bitter taste of fenugreek leaves & red chilli powder gives it the much needed heat.
Give your regular curries a break & try this one !!!
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