Quick and Easy Pongal with coconut chutney!!

I dread of Saturday mornings thinking what to cook! It was one of those Saturday mornings and while I was talking to my aunt over phone back home in India she told me that she has made Pongal and coconut chutney! Didn't miss this golden opportunity to take the recipe from her and in no time Pongal was ready for our Saturday brunch :D

Ingredients:

Rice                   - 1 Cup

Moong Dal        - 1 Cup

Peppercorns       - 1 Tbsp

Green Chillies    -  To taste

Ginger                - A small piece
                            (optional)

Salt                     - To Taste

Curry leaves       - 4-5 

Coriander leaves - 1-2 strands

Oil                       - 2 Tsp 

Ghee                    - 1 Tsp

Mustard seeds      - 1 Tsp

Cashew nuts        - To Taste

Turmeric              -  A pinch

Water                   - 4 cups

Instructions:

• Heat oil and ghee in a pressure cooker, once hot add mustard seeds, let it crackle then add turmeric, green chillies, peppercorns, ginger, curry leaves, coriander leaves, salt and add 4 cups of water.
• Now wash rice and moong dal nicely and pressure cook everything for 4-5 whistles. 
• Open the cooker once it cools down. Mix everything well. Add more water if needed. 
• In a small pan, heat ghee and fry cashew nuts till golden brown and add it to pongal.

• Serve hot with coconut chutney or any other chutney of your choice. 

Baked Stuffed Vegetables

Baked Stuffed Vegetables - Bharwa Sabji

This is something i grew up eating. Just like here in US, parents have baking time with kids, back in my childhood days this was "Sunday fun with cooking". My mom used to get the stuffing ready and me and my sister would have fun, stuffing the veggies. This dish is simple, easy and healthy!! 

Prep. Time : 20 mins
Cooking Time : 40-45 mins

Ingredients
Veggies
Small Potatoes, Eggplants, Bell Peppers, Tomatoes, Lady Fingers, Parvar (snake Gourd), onions etc. Be imaginative with the vegetables. You can select vegetables of your choice or make with only one vegetable.

For Stuffing
1 Tbsp Oil
1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds
1/4 tsp Asafoetida (hing)
1 Tbsp of crushed roasted peanuts
1 tsp Sesame Seeds
1 tsp Red chili powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp lemon juice / 1/2 tsp citric acid
1 cup Chickpea Flour
Salt to Taste

Wash all the vegetables and dry them with a clean towel.
Heat Oil in a Pan, add mustard seeds, when the seeds start crackling add Asafoetida and Chickpea flour. Saute the flour for around 4 to 5 mins until it starts releasing its fragrance.
Add Roasted Peanuts and all other spices. If you are using lemon juice or tamarind pulp,  add that at the end. Add all other spices, mix them well with the flour and then add the lemon juice.
Remove from Heat and allow the stuffing to cool.
Make slits in the vegetables, remove the seeds from peppers, tomatoes.
Fill in the stuffing and place them in a greased deep baking tray.
Sprinkle all the leftover stuffing.
Preheat Oven at 350F.
With a cooking spray, lightly spray oil on all the vegetables.
Cover the baking try with Aluminium Foil and keep them for baking.
After 20 minutes, flip the vegetables and keep them covered for baking again.
The vegetables would be ready in total between 40-45 minutes. 

Vegetable Medley

This Vegetable Medley or Handi recipe is perfect for weekends brunch. Its simple, easy and certainly delicious.

Vegetable Handi

Prep Time - 20 mins
Cooking Time - 30 mins

Ingredients
Vegetables
2 cup mixed vegetables (chopped Potatoes,  carrots, cauliflower florets, green pepper, Green Beans and Green Peas (frozen))
1/4th cup cooked soya chunks (optional)
2 Tbsp Oil
Salt to Taste
1 tsp Chat Masala
For Gravy
1 tsp Oil
1/4th tsp Mustard Seeds
1/4th tsp Asafoetida
1 small dried red chili
1 tsp minced ginger
1 tsp chopped green chilies

1 cup chopped Tomatoes
1 tsp Red chili powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp Garam Masala
1 Tbsp Yogurt / sour cream

Do not get worried after seeing the ingredients. Its all easy now.
Microwave all the vegetables adding water separately  for around 2 minutes.
Drain the water from the vegetables.
Take 1 Tbsp Oil in a deep bottom Pan.
When the Oil is heated, shallow fry the vegetables one by one starting with vegetables that take more time like Potatoes and doing carrots at the end. Add another Tbsp of Oil if required. Shallow fry each vegetable until they are crisp (for around 4-5 minutes).
If you are using Soya Chunks, shallow fry them at last.
Place the fried vegetables on a tissue to absorb extra oil. Sprinkle salt and chat masala on them and mix well.
Now, we will start with the gravy. In the same pan, add 1 tsp of oil and mustard seeds. Allow the mustard seeds to crackle, add asafoetida, dried red chili, green chilies and ginger. Add all the spices.
Add finely chopped tomatoes. Cover the Pan and allow the tomatoes to cook until Oil starts separating. Stir in occasionally.
Once, the tomatoes are done, add yogurt. Mix well. Add salt.
Once fine gravy has been formed add the vegetables and mix well. Cover them and allow them to cook on low- medium heat for around 5-10 minutes or until the vegetables absorb the spices from the gravy.
Garnish with fresh Cilantro and raw mango slices.

Tips :
(1) For reducing the preparation time, you can use the frozen vegetable medley available in the stores. Just add Potatoes. You will save time in chopping and microwaving the vegetables.

(2) Microwave vegetables for 2 intervals around 1 and half minute each. 

Vegetarian Lasagna

One of the best Italian dishes. So, lets start right away.

Vegetarian Lasagna

Prep. Time 20 mins
Cooking Time 40-45 mins

Ingredients
1 pk Lasagna Noodles
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup
Mozzarella Cheese

Sauce 1
Your choice of Pasta Sauce
1/2 cup grated cabbage
1/2 cup chopped multi colored Bell peppers
1/2 cup chopped zucchini
1/4 cup frozen corn & peas (optional)

Sauce 2
1 cup Ricotta cheese or Alfredo sauce
1/2 cup chopped and blanched spinach

Cook Lasagna Noodles as per the instructions on the packet. I used oven ready pasta which doesn't need too much cooking. 

Preheat the oven at 350F.

Heat 1 tsp of oil in a pan, add cabbage, peppers, zucchini and saute them for a minute. Add pasta sauce and mix well. Allow it to cook for 2-3 minutes then, turnoff the gas and set them aside. Make sure your sauce is not too watery.

Mix Ricotta cheese with blanched spinach and set aside. If you are using store brought alfredo sauce, then, cook the sauce for a minute before adding spinach.

Now comes the best part. Layer 1/3 of the cooked noodles, pasta sauce, ricotta/Alfredo sauce, in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Top it with Mozzarella cheese, if you wish. Repeat the layers twice. Top it with grated Mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese. 

Cook uncovered for 40 minutes. If you are using Oven ready pasta, then cook covered for around 45-50 minutes and then uncovered for 10-15 minutes. Take out from oven and allow it to rest for 5-10 minutes. 

Eggplant Pizza or Eggplant Parmesan

First new dish I tasted after coming to US was Olive Garden's Eggplant Parmesan. And it was delicious. I am sharing with you all a healthier and simpler version of Eggplant (Brinjal) Parmesan or Eggplant Pizza. Name as you like, eat as much as you wish.. :)

Prep Time:  50 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients 
1 Big Eggplant (Brinjal)
salt to taste
1 tsp Black pepper
1 tsp Olive Oil
1 tsp  Dried Herbs
1/2 cup Bread crumbs
1 cup Pasta Sauce or Marinara Sauce
Fresh Mozzarella Cheese
Parmesan Cheese

For Pasta Sauce
1 cup Tomato Paste
1/4th cup Tomato Sauce
1 cup diced tomatoes
1 medium onion chopped
2 garlic cloves minced
few springs of fresh Basil
1 tsp Butter
1 tsp Black Pepper powder
Salt to taste

Cut the Eggplant into 1/2 inch thick slices. Place the slices in a plate. In a small bowl mix oil, salt, crushed Black Pepper and Dried herbs like Parsley and basil. Lightly brush this mixture on both the sides of the eggplant slices. Allow the slices to marinate for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile you can prepare your pasta sauce. You can use the store bought pasta sauce also.

For Home made Pasta Sauce Saute Onion in butter until its tender. Add garlic and saute for another minute. Add Tomato Paste, sauce, tomatoes, pepper powder, salt and Basil. Allow it to cook uncovered, stirring occasionally for around 20 minutes or until desired consistency.

Crush the bread crumbs finely and set aside in a plate.

Now coat the eggplant slices from both sides with the bread crumbs and put them for grilling.

Option :  You can also bake them in oven, but i like the grill lines on the eggplant so i prefer to grill them.

After grilling place them on a greased baking tray. Spread sauce over the slices and top them with the cheeses. Bake at 350~ F for 4-5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.  

Tip : 

1. You can deep fry the eggplant slices by dipping them in a thick batter of All purpose flour (maida), salt, pepper powder, dried herbs, teaspoon of oil and water. Skip the marination and grilling part.

2. You can bake the eggplant slices by dipping them in the thick batter (recipe as in tip 1) and coat them with bread crumbs. Bake them at 350~F for 25 minutes or until golden brown, turning them once. Skip marination and grilling part.

Eggplant Curry or Baigan Curry

Eggplant Curry or Baigan Curry

This recipe is for eggplant lovers.

Ingredients
Eggplant - 3 -4 medium sized
Tomato puree - 1 cup
Curd or yogurt - 1/2 cup
Green pepper (shimla mirch)
Oil - as required
Green chili - chopped to taste
Ginger - grated to taste
Mustard seeds  - 1/2 tsp
Ajwain seeds- 1/2 tsp
Dry Red chilli - 2
Red chili powder
Turmeric powder
Garam Masala - 2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Corriander leaves - to garnish

The recipe is very simple yet great taste is guaranteed. Take the eggplants and cut them into half inch pieces. Put them into a bowl. Add salt to taste, 1 tsp red chili powder and 1/2 tsp turmeric powder. Mix them well and set aside for 30 mins.

Meanwhile cut tomatoes and make a puree. Cut green pepper into half inch pieces.

After 30 mins, take oil in a pan and shallow fry the blanched eggplants. Place fried pieces onto an absorbent paper and set aside.

For gravy, take a pan & add two tablespoons of oil. You can use the oil left after shallow frying the eggplants. Add mustard seeds and ajwain seeds.  Once the seeds start crackling add dry red chilli. Add ginger and chopped green chillis and saute for a minute. Then add green pepper and mix well. (Those who eat onions can add chopped onions at this time. Saute them well until they start changing colour.) Add tomato puree and let it cook. Once oil starts separating, add red chilli powder, turmeric powder and half of the garam masala. add salt for the portion of gravy. Mix well. Add fried eggplants and yogurt. Mix well. Add water to get desired thickness of the curry. Add remaining half of the garam masala and allow the curry to cook for 5 mins at medium heat.  Add coriander leaves and serve hot with bread, naan, paratha or rice.

Try it & do let me know how it turns out. :)