Stuffed Capsicums

Tasted stuffed capsicums first time from Subbuchechi. It is very filling and can be added to dinner menu. Can roast other veggies along with it; I've baked asparagus which goes well this.

Recipe Source: Subbuchechi

Ingredients:

Capsicums - 3 nos
Potato - 2 nos, big ones
Onions - 2 nos, finely chopped
Green chilies - 2 nos, finely chopped
Ginger - ½ tbsp, finely grated
Garlic - 1 tbsp, finely grated
Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
Coriander powder - ½ tbsp
Fennel powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala - ½ tsp
Corainder leaves - a bunch, finely chopped
Breadcrumbs - ¼ cup (optional)
Cheese - handful
Salt
Oil

Instructions:

For stuffing:

• Peel the potatoes and cut in cubes. Apply salt and mix well. Put the chopped potatoes in a microwave safe bowl and microwave until soft, cooked. No need to add water to microwave the potatoes.
• Heat oil in a pan. Add chopped onions and green chillies. Sauté till it is translucent.
• Add grated ginger and garlic, sauté till raw smell is gone.
• Add turmeric, coriander, fennel powders and sauté till spices get fragrant.
• Mash the cooked potatoes and transfer to the hot pan.Mix well and fry for 5 minutes for the masala to coat well with potatoes. Check for salt.
• Switch off the flame and garnish with chopped coriander leaves and breadcrumbs.

To Assemble:

• Clean the capsicums and pat dry well. Cut the top part like shown in the picture.
• Scoop out and discard the seeds from the capsicums.
• Pre-heat oven to 200 degree Celsius for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile stuff each capsicum with the a table spoon of stuffing, then a layer of cheese, again with the stuffing mixture and top with cheese layer.
• Close the capsicums with the top part.
• Smear drop of oil on the capsicum skin. Place in a baking tray in the oven for 30-35 minutes.
• Capsicums are ready to take out from the oven when you feel how cooked you need capsicums to be. I wait for the skin to shrink a bit.
• Serve hot with tomato ketchep, lemon wedges or just plain.

To prepare Asparagus:

• Cut the base of the asparagus up to an inch.
• Sprinkle salt, pepper and olive oil to the asparagus and mix well.
• Throw in asparagus to the oven in the last 10 minutes.
• Throw in asparagus in the last 10 minutes.

Navratan Korma

Ingredients:

Onion - 1 no (coarsely chopped)
Ginger - 1 inch piece (coarsely chopped)
Potato - 1 big (cut in cubes)
Carrot - 1 (cut in cubes)
Beans - 7-8 nos
Green chilly - 3 nos (slit lengthwise)
Broccoli/Cauliflower - 5 florets
Garlic - 4 cloves (coarsely chopped)
Bay leaf - 2 nos
Cinnamon stick - 1 inch piece
Coriander powder - 1½ tbsp
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
Cream/Milk - ½ cup (adjust as per taste)
Coriander leaves - chopped (to garnish)
Salt
Oil
Water

Instructions:

• Pour oil on a hot pan.
• Add chopped onions and garlic sauté when it turns transparent.
• Grind the sautéed onions and garlic mixture in a blender into a smooth paste by adding water.
• Pour oil on the same pan. Add bay leaf and cinnamon stick and fry for a minute.
• Add the onion ginger paste, coriander powder, cumin powder and fry for few minutes.
• Add the chopped vegetables except broccoli/cauliflower, green chilly, garlic cloves, salt, water; cover and cook till veggies turn soft. Add the florets and cook till it turns crunchy.
• Add cream/milk as per your taste. Let it boil for few minutes.
• Switch off the flame, add garam masala and garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.

Note:

Use any veggies of your choice; may include peas, capsicum, paneer cubes etc.

Substitute milk instead of cream for healthy alternative :)

Stuffed Brinjal Shallow Fry

I believe even not such hard core fans of brinjal will love this as it is stuffed, shallow fried and has got a very crispy outer layer. This wonderfully pairs with just plain rice and yoghurt. I tasted this first time from my Lalitamaami and she makes the best brinjal stuffed fry. Though I can't recollect the exact ingredients she used for the stuffing, I've made a similar one.

Though we are not big fan of brinjals, I love only this stuffed fry; but very hard to make Sathya to consume the brinjals. He hates all versions of brinjals. Phew.. In spite of all this trouble, I could make him eat just one.

Recipe Source: Adapted from Lalitamaami

Ingredients:

Small Brinjals - 10
Dry whole Kashmiri chilli - 6 (If using dry red hot chilli, use 3-4)
Channa dal - 2 tbsp
Urad dal - 1 tbsp
Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds - ¾ tbsp
Fenugreek seeds - 4 nos
Garlic cloves - 3 nos (finely sliced)
Curry leaf
Asafoetida - a pinch
Water
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Kashmiri Red chilli powder - a pinch
Oil
Salt

Instructions:

• Pour a tablespoon of oil to hot sauce pan. Then add dry whole red chilli and roast for 2 minutes.
• Add channa dal and roast until it turns golden brown.
• Add urad dal, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, sliced garlic cloves, curry leaves, salt and dry roast till it turns brown in color.
• Add a dash of asafoetida after switching off the flame.

• When cooled, grind the spices in a blender without adding water.

• Once grounded, add drops of water until you can attain a consistency (make a perfect ball of grounded mixture). Check for salt.
• Slice open the brinjals as shown below.

• Stuff the grounded mixture inside the slits and tightly close.

• Pour couple of tablespoons of oil in deep pan for shallow frying the brinjals.
• When oil is hot enough, add a pinch of salt and stir well.
• Place the stuffed brinjals in the oil. Sprinkle turmeric powder and kashmiri red chilli powder on the skin of brinjals.

• Turn the brinjals so that it cook on all sides. Drizzle oil on the brinjals for a crispy skin.

Instant Channa Biriyani

There is a funny story behind such sort of a biriyani :) My distant relative, Shobechi sells wonderful stuffs like Kalathappam to Varkeys shop and her kalathappam were so famous. We met her during a wedding ceremony and came to know that she had participated in a cooking competition and won first prize. Well, this incident was 15 years ago :D We were anxious to know which recipe made her won. She made biriyani with Black chickpea/Kadala. The judges asked her to name her recipe. She hadn't thought about this and instantly she named it "Kuthira Biriyani". We all laughed hearing this. I have never heard anything like Kuthira biriyani.

Channa Biriyani is inspired from the above story. I tried to make with Chickpea/Kabuli Channa instead of Kadala. This is not an authentic biriyani preparation; just an instant one that can be made in the rush hours as lunch box/dinner menu.

Recipe Source: Mine

Ingredients:

Chickpea - 1/2 cup
Onions - 2 medium (finely sliced)
Green chilli - 2 nos (slit lengthwise)
Ginger paste - 3/4 tsp
Garlic paste - 1 and 1/2 tsp
Tomato - 2 nos (sliced)
Cloves - 3
Cinnamon - 2 (1 inch stick)
Cardamom - 1
Bay leaf - 1
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 and 1/2 tbsp
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Fennel powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala - 1 tbsp
Coriander leaves - to garnish
Basmati Rice - 1 cup
Oil
Salt

Instructions:

• Soak chickpea in water overnight and pressure cook chickpea with salt till it is cooked.
• Heat oil in a pan. Add cloves, cinnamon, cardamom and bay leaf.
• Add sliced onions and sauté until translucent.
• Then add ginger and garlic paste and sauté till raw smell goes off.
• Add turmeric and coriander powder and fry for 2-3 minutes. Make sure the powders doesn't get burnt.
• Add sliced tomatoes and fry till it turns soft.
• Add cooked chickpea and fry for few minutes.
• Add fennel powder, garam masala and garnish with coriander leaves.
• Cook Basmati rice with salt separately and once the rice is bit cooled, add the chickpea mixture with cooked rice.
• Serve with raita and pickle.

Mexican Rice with Raita

This is an easy peasy lunch-box menu. It doesn't need onions,ginger, garlic & tomato :) and so less chopping. It can't be rated as an authentic Mexican rice; but still has that Mexican flavour when you add capsicum. This pairs well with Raita. Also try adding pomegranates to Raita which gives an extra crunchiness.

I learnt this recipe from my Maami. She makes yummy vegan dishes. She came across this recipe from Hindu newspaper. I've slightly modified the recipe. You may use any vegetable(shredded cabbage) of your choice. The good part is no need of gravy with this rice combo. Best to use Kashmiri chilli powder to get the nice red color. Please make sure you heat it in microwave before you serve.

Recipe Source: Lalitha Maami

Ingredients:

Carrots : 2 nos (cut in julienne)
Capsicums: 1 no (cut in julienne)
Beans : handful
Kashmiri Chilli powder: 1 and half tbsp
Oil: 2 tbsp
Salt: To taste
Rice

Method:

1) Pour oil into the hot kadai.
2) Add carrots, beans, salt and fry till it is half-cooked.
3) Add capsicum and fry all the veggies until it is cooked.
4) Add Kashmiri Chilli powder and sauté till the raw smell is gone. Adjust the chilli powder according to your taste.
5) Fry for 2 minutes more so that the spice gets coated well with the veggies.
6) Combine the masala with the cooked rice and mix well.

7) Serve immediately.