SIMPLE TOMATO DISH

Tomatoes are sweet and juicy with high anti oxidant properties.They are high sources of  vitamin A and vitamin C, they clear urinary tract infections .They can be used in gravy or eaten as salad or used in sandwich.

I am giving below is a very easy recipe .This side dish goes well with Dosa /Idli /roti etc.

INGREDIENTS

Tomato 3 no.s
Onion 1 no.
Green chillies 2
Refined oil 2 tsp
Coriander leaves
Ginger 1 inch piece
Salt to taste

METHOD

Heat the oil in a kadai /pan and add finely cut onion and ginger. When the onion becomes slightly brown add the tomatoes. Cover it and cook on low heat till the tomatoes becomes soft and gravy becomes thick.

Add salt and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve it hot.

ARAI KEERAI PORIYAL/CHEERA UPERI

Amaranthus dubius is generally known as Arai keerai in Tamil Nadu and Cheera in Kerala. They are leafy vegetables. It has both red and green variety. It can be cooked as curries or used in bajjis.

I like this greens very much, it has a good flavour. Mostly I cook with tomatoes, onions and garlic and it tastes delicious.

INGREDIENTS

Arai keerai 1 bunch

Onion 1 no.

Tomato 1 no.

Garlic 8-10 cloves  

Turmeric 1/2 tsp

Refined oil/olive oil 2 tsp

Salt to taste

METHOD

Clean the Keerai or greens nicely in water 3 or 4 times, finely cut them.

Take a Kadai heat oil and add finely diced onions and garlic and saute till the onions change colour, add turmeric and saute for a second. Add the tomatoes and saute till tomatoes become soft.

Add the keerai  stir it and close it with a lid  for 5 - 7 minutes on low heat. Stir occasionally and when the keerai is cooked add salt. Turn off the heat.

Serve with rice/ roti

PANEER BUTTER MASALA

Cottage cheese is commonly referred as paneer in India. It is very popular, non melting , unsalted cheese and is used in many dishes.  Health benefits of paneer is they are high protein food, is easy to digest,is a good source of Calcium so good for our bones.

Tomatoes are sweet,juicy and delicious. They are fat free and low in calories and have vitamin C. I learnt this recipe from my mom.

Paneer butter masala is a very popular and delicious  Punjabi dish, paneer is cooked in thick tomato gravy.The recipe is very easy to prepare.

INGREDIENTS

Paneer /cottage cheese 100-150 gm

Onion 1 medium

Tomatoes 3-4 no.s

Bayleaf 1 no.

Garlic 5-6 cloves

Cinnamon 1 inch

Cardamom 2 no.

Cloves 2 no. 

Green chillies 2 slit

Garam masala powder 1 tsp

Cashew nuts 8-10 no.

Butter and oil/ ghee/ refined oil 1 tbsp

METHOD

Take a Pan/ kadai and heat  1/2 tbsp butter and oil/ ghee /oil and add onions and cloves and saute them till onion slightly changes colour, add the tomatoes and saute till tomatoes becomes soft.Add the cahew nuts and turn off the heat. Keep it aside to cool. Once it cools down grind it finely.

Take a Pan / kadai add 1/2 tbsp and heat butter and oil/ ghee/ oil  add bay leaf, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and saute for a minute . On low heat add the ground paste and green chillies and cover it and cook  for 8 to 10 minutes occasionally stirring them. Add salt. If the gravy is too thick add water and cook on slow fire. 

Add the paneer cubes and gram masala into the gravy and cook for 5 minutes more. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with naan/ roti/ jeera rice.

Note. If you want it spicy can add chilli powder , and for taste 1 tbsp of fresh cream can be added.

ISHTU OR POTATO STEW(KERALA STYLE)

Kerala style ishtu or stew made of coconut milk with potatoes, onion and ginger is very popular in Kerala. This side dish is a breakfast dish and is usually served with idli, dosa, appam and even it goes well with bread.

My mom's ishtu is so mouth watering and it is quite easy to make. I have made no variations in this recipe.

INGREDIENTS 










Potato 1 medium
Onion 1 medium
Ginger 1' piece grated
Coconut grated 1cup
Green chillies 2 no.
Coconut oil 1 tsp
Rice/ cornflour 2 tsp
Curry leaf 1 sprig
Salt to taste


METHOD

Heat kadai / pan and put  diced onion, potato, slit green chillies, grate the ginger and salt with enough water to cook them or put all these into a pressure cooker and cook for 1 whistle.

Grind the grated coconut, rice with little water and strain it to get a thick coconut milk (onampal or first milk).Again grind the coconut with little water and strain to  get a thinner coconut milk ( randam pal or second milk).

If rice is not added while grinding, mix  1 tsp cornflour each with first and second  coconut milk .Pour in the second milk to the cooked vegetables and allow it to  boil on low fire. Add the first milk and when it starts bubbling remove from fire. Do not let it boil or it will curdle.

Add coconut oil and curry leaves.Serve it hot with Idli, appam, dosa, bread etc
.

Note: Rice is added with grated coconut while grinding to thicken the gravy or if you are not adding rice add cornflour to the coconut milk and then cook.

KERALA STYLE MORU CURRY/ MORU KUZHUMBU

 Mor/yoghurt curry is a very light and easy to make dish. As a child I was not that fond of this dish but that changed after marriage. My hubby is very fond of this dish. If I am in a hurry I make this dish. The seasoning adds great flovours to the dish.

INGREDIENTS
Ashghourd 1 cup (diced in small cubes)
Turmeric 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste

FOR GRINDING
Coconut 1/2 cup
Cumin/jeera 1/2 tsp
Peppercorns 1 tsp
Sour thick curd/yoghurt 1 Cup
Green chilly 2 no.s

FOR SEASONING
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Fenugreek 1 tsp
Asafoetida 1/2 tsp
Red chilly broken 2
Coconut oil 2 tsp
Curry leaves 1 sprig

METHOD

Grind green chilly, peppercorns,jeera ,coconut in a smooth paste.Do not add the curd into it  but beat it separately and keep it aside.

Take a deep pan add the ashgourd (peel the skin off and cut in small cubes) , turmeric and  salt cook on low flame till ashgourd is done (do not over cook, ashgourd cooks very fast).

Add the ground paste and cook for 5 minutes then add the beaten curd and turn off the heat. Do not boil after adding curd or it will split.

For seasoning heat coconut oil , add mustard seeds, red chilly and fenugreek, once the mustard seeds starts spluttering add the asafoetida powder and curry leaves. Turn off the heat.

Add the seasoning to the curry and cover it immediately. Serve hot with rice, roti.

BANANA MILK SHAKE

Bananas are a good source of potassium and magnesium. Bananas protect against stomach ulcers they have an antacid effect. Bananas helps to restore the lost potassium and helps maintain heart rate in conditions like diarrhea.

Summer has started and everybody likes to have something cool to drink. I use yellaki banana as it is one of the best variety and my favorite too. The recipe given below is a healthy drink because I am not using sugar and ice cream.

INGREDIENTS

Yellaki banan 3 no.

Cold milk 2 cuos

Cardamom 1 no.

Strawberry 2 no.

Ice cubes 

honey 1 tbsp

METHOD

Peel the banana and slice it and add to a blender. Add milk, cardamom, strawberry, icecubes and honey and cover the lid and blend for 3-4 minutes.

Pour into glasses and enjoy your banana milkshake. 

EASY TOMATO SOUP

Tomatoes are sweet, juicy and delicious. They are fat free, low in calories and and have Vitamin C. Garlic has antiviral, anti-fungal ,antioxidant  and antibacterial properties. Celery is a rich source of antioxidants,It is rich in vitamin A, vitamin C,Vitamin K and potassium. It lowers blood pressure and prevents cancer.

Tomato soup is a very popular soup in India. It is easy to prepare and very delicious soup.There are lot of versions of tomato soup but this soup is my version. While making tomato soup use fresh red ripe and sweet tomatoes.

INGREDIENTS
Tomatoes 4 big no.s
Garlic 6 cloves
Sugar 1 tsp
Celery 1 stalk
Pepper 2 tsp freshly crushed
cornflour 1 tbsp
Salt to taste











METHOD

Heat a pan with 2 cups of water, when it boils add the ripe sweet tomatoes, garlic and celery stalk. Turn off the fire. Keep it aside for 15 minutes.

When it cools down take out the blanched tomatoes and peel them. Do not throw the water keep it aside. Put the tomatoes garlic and celery  in a blender and blend them to a smooth pulp. Add the water to the pulp and run it through a strainer. Keep some 2 tbsp water aside to add to 1 tbsp cornflour.

Heat a deep pan add the strained pulp and bring it to boil,add salt,sugar and pepper. Add the cornflour to the pan and boil it for 3 - 4 minutes. Switch off the fire.

Serve hot with bread croutons.