Oven Roasted Potatoes

One large Potato cut in cubes 

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp kara Podi (chili Powder)

1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder

Two pinches of Perungayam (Asafoetida)

Pre heat the oven to 425F

Mix the oil, podi, salt, turmeric powder and Perungayam well. 

Toss the cubes in them and spread them on a tray.

Put them in for 15 minutes @ 425F and hi broil for about 6 minutes

Came across this article on making crispy potatoes. It is recommended that you par-boil the potatoes before you put them in the oven. Since I just made one potato and had it as soon as it was done, it was very crispy and not leathery at all. When I make a big batch of potatoes, I will try par-boiling them.

Fried Rice with Veggies and Tofu

                                                                            Fried Rice

 I've always wanted to make the perfect fried rice, and one of the main things you need for that is cold, cooked rice. I usually don't have any leftover rice, so could never make it instantly. So I made the rice a day ahead of time, a first for me. I have used half brown rice and half Sona Masoori Rice. You can use any kind of rice, as long as you cook the grains separate. I mixed both the rices, and used 1:2 water ratio. I cooked it in a pressure cooker and after taking the rice out, let it cool in a tray for an hour and then put it in a container and put it in the fridge.

Fried Rice for 4 to 5 

Rice 1 and 1/2 Cups (Half Brown and Half Sona Masoori)
Tofu - 14oz  (Drained and cut in to square pieces)
Potato - 1 Large cut in to Strips
Cabbage - Cut in thin Strips
Red Bell Pepper -  Cut in thin Strips
Carrots -  Cut in thin Strips
Spring Onion - 1 Bunch (Cut in pieces, but reserve the top half separately for garnish)
Garlic - 7 to 8 Cloves Chopped in little pieces

Prep Work

 Oil - 5 Teaspoons
Soy Sauce - 2 Tablespoons
Ketchup - 2 Teaspoons
Black Pepper  1 Teaspoon (roasted and ground)
Salt to taste

Steps

---> (Medium flame)In a Pan, add 1 Tsp oil, and spread it evenly on the pan. Add the tofu pieces and sprinkle a bit of salt on them, and cook  them till they turn slightly brown.

Get all your items ready and be prepared to be at the stove for the next 12 to 15 minutes, for stirring the veggies, without leaving its side. Also you have to add a bit of salt each time you add every vegetable.
These times are given for the measurements given above, if you want to double the ingredients to feed a larger crowd, please remember to give the items a little extra time so all the veggies can cook perfectly.

---> In a thick bottomed pan, (Medium High Flame) Add the rest of the oil, add the garlic, roast them till they turn a little brown, add the spring onions, fry them for about 2 mins, add the potatoes, fry for about 3 to 4 mins, keep stirring, add the cabbage, and give it for about 3 mins, and then add the carrots and the bell pepper, and stir, and dont foget to add the salt each time you add a vegetable.

---> Check the veggies to see if they have cooked, especially the potato, and the rest can be a bit crunchy.

----> Once you have made sure the veggies have cooked, switch of the stove, and add the rice. When you add the rice, add by hand and kind of try to make the grains separate. They might be a little squishy since it was kept in the fridge. Add the Tofu, Black Pepper Powder, the soy sauce, the ketchup and salt for the rice.

----> Mix the rice, tofu, veggies and the sauces together. And start the stove again, and on a medium flame close the pan and let the items bled together for about 3 to 5 mins.

---> Garnish with the top half of the chopped Spring onions and serve.

Manathangaali keerai / spinach

My friend Mrs. Raji Ramachandran grows this kind of greens in her backyard. We use the fruits (really tiny) as a side to many dishes, you can see the dry version here. This is very high in iron just like spinach. You would also cook it like any other spinach, south indian style.
However, this is a little different version, Mrs. Raji Ramachandran's version.

You wash the spinach and drain well. Cut in small pieces, keep aside. For 2 cups of spinach, you can use 1 cup of moong dal. Wash the dal, In a vessel, put the spinach, place the dal and add a little chili powder and salt on top. Do not mix. Place in cooker and let cook for atleast 3 whistles.
In a pan, add oil, add urad dal, red chili, cumin and let roast until you can smell the spices, don't burn them. Grind the spices with a little coconut and keep aside.

Once the pressure is off, put the spinach in the pan add the ground masala to this and give a tadka with mustard seeds, chili, and curry leaves. This will taste great with rice or hot rotis.

In the Picture Above, is a typical weekend lunch at out house, starting from left to right on top is
Rasam, White Rice, Brown Rice, Kovakkai (Tindora) Kari, Potato Kari, and Manathankaali Keerai.

How to make Bajji?

I wanted to do this post a long time ago, but whenever I make it, bajjis get over in a second before I can take a picture. So this time, I planned and took step by step pictures....

I don't know why, but in India, whenever it rains we would crave for bajji and Mom would make it for us.... I mentioned this to my kids casually and then one day they both came running from the bus stop and showed their elbows where there was one rain drop and requested me to make bajji!

In our house potato (my son) and onion bajji (my daughter) are very popular, I like the green chili bajji and the indian eggplant bajji, but i dont have pictures of them.

I learnt this recipe from my mom, she never added soda or anything to the bajjis and they were the yummiest...


In chennai, long long ago, when we used to frequent Marina beach, there used to be an old mami who would make the best ever vazhaikai (raw banana) bajji, but now a days there are lots of stalls that sell this but not even close to what she used to make.....
Lets go to the recipe
You need
for the dough
Chick pea flour - 1 cup
Water - 1/2 to 3/4 th cup
Yogurt - 2 to 3 tablespoons
Salt - 1 to 1 and 1/2 teaspoons
Chili powder - 1 teaspoon
Hing - 2 dashes
Oil - 3 cups
desired vegetables
potatoes -- slice in even rounds, not too thick or thin
onions -- slice in even rounds, not too thick or thin
or other options are
Indian eggplant , Raw green banana -- cut lengthwise
Green chillies, Banana pepper --slit
Method
---> Take the chick pea four or besan and the water and add the water slowly to it and mix well so there are no lumps, and add the yogurt to this
---> Add the spices and salt and mix well and keep aside for atleast 5 minutes
---> The dough should be like a thick dosa dough, if you put your finger in and take it out there should be an even coating of the dough on your fingers and the dough should remain on your fingers, if the dough is runny then your bajjis will not have the covering.....
---> In a pan, add the oil, (the pan should be big enough to hold atleast 5 cups, otherwise, once you put your bajjis, it will overflow and make a mess) (the pan should also be deep)
---> Keep the fire on medium flame and let it become hot
--->After a few minutes test the temperature by adding a dollop of the dough, it should immediately bubble and rise up, if it does then it is ready
---> Now insert the veggies one by one and slowly put them in the oil, without burning your fingers
---> The bajjis will rise up and turn them if they are golden brown on one side and take them out of the oil once they are golden all over....



**** Never leave the stove unattended because oil can catch fire if you leave it for tooo long.
**** If you like you may add some food color to make them orange, but I like them the natural color.

Potato Rudraksha Kari (Cubed Side Dish)

This is a very interesting Potato Curry Recipe. It doesnt have anything out of the ordinary but yet so rewarding. When the potatoes are cubed, for some reason, someone thought it looks like the meditation bead, the rudraksham and named it after that!

When I saw the challenge post by Iyengars Kitchen, I thought most of the Tamilian brahmin recipes fall under it, there are so many and this I had in my computer already so I thought I will send it right away!

You need

4 Large Potatoes - Cut in small squares (no need to peel the potatoes)

Oil - 2 to 3 Teaspoons

Mustard - 1/2 Teaspoons

Curry Leaves - 1 Strand

Coriander Leaves- 1 handful

Red Chili Powder - 1 Teaspoon

Turmeric Powder - 1/ 2 Teaspoon

Method

---> In a Kadai, on medium fire, add the oil and the mustard seeds and let it sputter, once they start sputtering, add the curry leaves, turmeric powder, and red chili powder and then add the cubed potatoes.

--->Keep stirring the potatoes on and off until it softens and then add the corainder leaves.

---> If you like, you can really roast them, just be keeping it for a longer time on the stove.

Tastes so good with some hot rasam rice!! YUM!!

Aloo + Methi + Pudina Paratha

In the last two times I made Alu Paratha, I have always added Methi to it. I think the next time I make it will be just plain Alu Paratha, so anyway, lets come to the recipe...

You will need

5 Medium sized Potatoes - Pressure cooked, and mashed very well

1 Bunch Methi- Washed 3 times and then Chopped finely (just the leaves, not the stalk)

1 Bunch Mint Leaves (just two handfuls of Pudina leaves) again washed 3 times and chopped fine

1 handful of Coriander leaves - Washed and Chopped

1 Teaspoon Chili Powder

1 Teaspoon Paratha Masala (See Note **)

1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder

1 and 1/2 Teaspoon Salt

Note ** I bought this on a sudden whim, actually this is just a mixture of Coriander Powder, Cumin Powder and garam Masala and they have added a little bit Onion Powder. I usually don't buy this masala at all, but since I bought his, I have to use it :(

Make Roti Dough

Method

--->add the Masalas to the Mashed Potatoes and taste for salt.

--->Add the Chopped Herbs to this potato mixture

---> Mix well and taste for salt again

---> Roll a thick roti. Make a small ball of the Potato mixture nad place on it

--->Cover the potato mixture and fold down all sides well

--->Roll carefully and slowly, so as to not let the mixture out

--->Put on a Tawa, and please look to my Paneer Paratha instructions as to how to cook this.

Eat hot with some pickle on the side... Enjoy!

Mashed Potato?? or Potato Soup??

My daughter Varsha made this dish, (she is 11).
She wanted to make mashed potato but it tasted more like potato soup!
I don't know the exact recipe for it but had a vague idea.
We used 2 boiled potatoes, mashed them
added a tsp salt and
a Tablespoon of sour cream
and a Tablespoon of butter
and mixed it all up with a hand blender and
Varsha wanted to garnish it with some italian herbs!!

Sprouted Dal, Brown Rice and Potato Curry

I had a band recital to go to at 7.00pm. I entered the kitchen at 6.00pm . Had to leave the house by 6.30 to find a spot in the auditorium. SO what can you cook in 30 minutes that is healthy and nutritious and tasty and filling at the same time.?

Bring out your biggest pressure cooker!!

Well, I used two, one pressure pan and one regular pressure cooker.
I put some Brown rice and potatoes in the regular cooker.
In the pressure pan I made the dal,

Items you need for the dal:
sprouted dal, (white pattani dal),
1/4th cup of Horsegram (KoLLU)
1/3rd cup of Masoordal)with skin)
3 tomatoes
1 big onion
6 cloves of garlic
handful of coriander(washed)
1tsp of Jeera
1tsp of Kitchen King Masala
1and 1/2 tsp of salt
and of course 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder

chop everything evenly...

Add oil in Pressure pan
add Jeera, add chopped onions and garlic and stirfry till it becomes light brown,
now add the chopped coriander
add the chopped tomatoes
and then the dals, (wash them once)
and add some water to cover the dals nicely (make sure the dal is about an inch under water)and salt and the masalas
and once the water starts boiling close the pan and give it 3 whistles.

When I came back from the recital, I quickly made the potato curry and we were ready to eat...