Spinach Masiyal

It’s a simple and easy recipe. We can make this masiyal without adding dal also. It is a healthy and tasty recipe which goes well with rice, dosa, idli. Even you can apply while toasting the breads.

Ingredients
Chopped Spinach – 1 bunch
Oil - 1 tsp
Garlic, 3-4 cloves
Green chillies - 2
Chopped Tomato – 1 (small)
Cooked and Mashed Toor Dal – ¼ cup
Grated Coconut - 4 tsp
Salt to taste
To Temper
Oil - 1 tsp
Mustard, 1/2 tsp
Hing – a pinch
Red chillies - 2
Finely chopped Onions – 1 tsp
Method
In a kadai, add chopped spinach, garlic, green chillies and chopped tomatoes with half cup of water and cook for few minutes.

Add salt, grated coconut and sprinkle some water, mix well and cover and cook till it is done. Take care not to overcook the spinach.

Then mash it well with a masher or alternatively you can puree it coarsely in a blender.

Add the cooked and mashed toor dal into spinach. Adjust the salt as per your taste.

Now heat oil, add mustard seeds when they crack add hing, red chillies and fry for a minute and then add chopped onions and fry till the onions turn slightly golden.

Switch off the heat and add this tempering to the spinach, mix well and serve.

Calabacin

It is a quick and healthy side dish. This is a popular savory in Mexican cuisine. It’s a spicy dish which goes well with rice/ roti/chapatti…

Ingredients

Zucchinis – 2 cups

Cued onions – 1 cup

Chopped Jalepeno – 2 (pepper)

Oregano – 1 tsp

Chopped Garlic – 3 tsp

Chopped Ginger – 3 tsp

Salt to taste

Pepper Powder – 1 tsp

Chilli Powder – 1 tsp (optional)

Grated Cheese – 3 tsp

Fried Nuts – 3 tsp

Diced Tomatoes – 1

Chopped Cilantro - few
Olive Oil - 3 tsp

Method

In a pan, heat oil. Add chopped ginger and garlic and fry for few minutes.

Add onions and sauté well with salt. Cook the onions until they are soft.

Now add jalepeno, oregano and zucchini and sauté well.

Add the chopped tomatoes and mix well.

Then add pepper powder, chilli powder and mix well with veggies.

Finally add the grated cheese and fried nuts and give a mix with zucchini.

Switch off the flame and garnish with cilantro.

Mint Pulao

It’s a simple and fragrant rice recipe. This is a tasty dish that is easy to prepare and perfect for the lunch box.

I used fresh bunch of mint leaves to make this pulao. My entire kitchen was filled with the aroma of mint. 

You can also cook rice separately and mix both together. This goes well with onion raita/ egg or chicken fry/ papad/chips…

Ingredients

Basmati Rice – 2 cups

Thinly Sliced Onions – 2 (big)

Soaked Green Peas – 1 cup

Chopped Potatoes – 1 cup

Ginger Garlic Paste – 2 tsp

Chopped Mint Leaves – 3 tsp

Ghee – ¼ cup

Salt to taste

Cinnamon – 2 sticks

Cloves – 2

Bay Leaf – 2

Anise – 2

Cardamom – 2

Dry Red Chilli - 2

For Ground Paste

Fresh Chopped Mint leaves – 1 bunch

Grated Coconut – 4 tsp

Green Chilli – 3

Chopped Tomato – 1

Method

In pressure cooker, heat ghee. Add cinnamon, bay leaf, clove, cardamom, anise and saute for few sec.

Now add sliced onions and salt then fry well till it becomes mushy. Then add dry red chilli and chopped mint leaves. Fry for few minutes.

Now add green peas and chopped potatoes and fry well. Then add ginger garlic paste and fry for a min. Add basmati rice and saute well for another 3 to 4 minutes.

By meantime in a blender, add green chilli, grated coconut, tomatoes and chopped mint leaves. Then grind it as a fine paste.

Then add this paste and sauté well for about 3 to 5 minutes on a low flame.

Add 3 cups of water and mix well. And close the lid and cook till 3 whistles comes out.

Serve hot & spicy mint pulao with onion raita.

Huevos ala mexicana (Scrambled Eggs Mexican Style)

It’s a quick and easy breakfast recipe. This dish derives the inspiration from the colors of the Mexican Flag.

The ingredients are consists of the three colors green Jalapeno, Red Tomato, and White Eggs. Enjoy this dish with or without any meals.

Ingredients

Diced Onions – 2 (big)

Finely Chopped Jalapeno (green Chilli) – 3

Chopped Plum Tomato – 3

Dry Red Chilli – 3

Turmeric Powder – a pinch

Salt to taste

Ground Black Pepper (fresh) to taste

Chopped Cilantro (coriander leaves) – 5 tsp

Beaten Eggs – 6 (lightly)

Olive Oil – 3 tsp

Method

Heat oil in a pan, add jalapeno, dry red chilli and fry for a min. Then add diced onions and tomatoes and fry for 2 to 3 minutes.

Add salt and freshly ground pepper and cook, stirring, until soft about 2 to 3 minutes.

Then add a pinch of turmeric powder and chopped cilantro. Then fry it for few minutes.

Add beaten eggs and cook till it becomes soft and tend with all spices.
Switch off the flame. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Tangy Masaledar Aloo (Tangy Masala Potato Fry)

This is simple and easy dish. Tangy masaledar aloo has a mix of different spices in it. This makes this dish as more delicious and perfect treat. This goes well with any meal/ roti/chapatti.

Ingredients

Aloo (boiled and cubed) – 3 (Medium)

Crushed Coriander Seeds – 2 tsp

Cumin Powder – 1 tsp

Red Chilli Flakes – 2 tsp

Chat Masala – 2 tsp

Cumin Seeds – 1 tsp

Sugar – a pinch

Hing – a pinch

Salt to taste

Oil – 3 tsp

Method

In a pan, heat oil. Add cumin seeds, hing and fry for a min. Then add the boiled and cubed aloo pieces and fry for a min.

Add the crushed coriander seeds, cumin powder, red chilli flakes, chat masala, salt, sugar and saute for 5 minutes on medium flame.

Mix well and keep fry on low flame until the masalas get coated well with potatoes.

Then switch off the flame and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Crispy Karela Fry (Kakarakaya Ullipaya/Bitter Gourd Fry)

Kakarakaya Ullipaya is a simple and healthy dish. This is one of the popular dishes in Andhra. It has many healthy nutrients. This helps to low blood sugar levels in diabetics.
This veggie is used to take often for weight loss. And this helps to improve the immunity.

This goes well with sambar rice/curd rice/ rasam sadam/ any variety rice/chapatti…

Ingredients

Bitter Gourd – 250 g

Sliced Onions – 2 (Medium)

Bengal Gram – 2 tsp

Urad Dal – 1 tsp

Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp

Cumin Seeds – 1 tsp

Turmeric Powder – ½ tsp

Red Chilli Powder – 2 tsp

Dry Mango Powder – 1 tsp

Chopped Curry Leaves - few

Oil – 4 tsp

Method

Wash and cut the bitter gourd s into thin slices. Remove the seeds. Take it in a microwave safety bowl, and sprinkle some water.

Place this bowl in a microwave oven and cook the bitter gourds for 5 minutes. Stir once with spoon while cooking. And keep it aside for few minutes.

In a pan, heat oil. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, Bengal gram, urad dal and fry for few seconds.

Then add the chopped curry leaves and fry well. Now add the sliced onions and fry till it becomes mushy.

Then add the cooked bitter gourd pieces and mix well. Add turmeric powder, salt, and red chilli powder.

Mix well and keep cook covered on low flame for 5 minutes.  Sprinkle oil and keep fry for another 2 to 3 minutes.

Then switch off the flame and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Plantain Fry (Aratikaya Vepudu)

It is a simple and very tasty side dish which goes well with steamed rice, roti or chapattis.

In this dish, sliced raw plantain pieces marinated with Indian spices and this should be a flavorful and tasty dish.

Ingredients
Sliced Raw green plantain – 1(finger sized)
Chopped Onions – 1 cup
Ginger Garlic Paste – 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder – ¼ tsp
Chilli Powder – 1 tsp
Coriander Powder – 1 tsp
Cumin Powder – ¼ tsp
Dry Methi Powder – ¼ tsp
Cinnamon Powder – ¼ tsp
Grated Coconut – 3tsp
Salt to taste
Oil – 3 tsp
Chopped Coriander Leaves
To Temper
Cumin Seeds – ½ tsp
Sliced Green Chilli – 3
Curry Leaves – few
Method
In a medium bowl, add chilli powder, coriander powder, dry methi powder, ginger garlic paste, cumin powder, salt, and grated coconut with the sliced plantain.
In a kadai, heat oil. Add the tempering items and fry for few seconds. Add the chopped onions and saute till it becomes mushy.
Add the sliced plantain pieces and stir fry on a medium flame for another 5 min. Then continuously stir fry to avoid burn or stick to the pan.
Cover the lid on low flame for 10 minutes and cook till the plantains are well roasted and turn soft.
Add cinnamon powder and mix. Switch off flame. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Spanish Rice

This is a quick and easy popular rice recipe which goes well with any fry/varuval. 

For this dish, we need minimum ingredients but the taste is tremendous.

Ingredients

Basmati Rice – 2 cups

Chopped Onions – 1 cup

Chopped Tomatoes – 2 (big)

Butter – ½ cup

Crushed Garlic – 1 cup

Cloves – 4

Sliced Red Chilli – 2

Sliced Green Chilli – 6

Peppercorn – 1/ 4 tsp

Grated Cheese – ½ cup

Cinnamon sticks – 2

Bay Leaf – 2

Anise – 2

Oil – 2 tsp

Cherries – 4

Method

Heat oil in a pressure cooker, when it’s hot add chopped onions, salt and fry till it turns a golden brown color.

Then add the butter and mix it continuously till it melts completely with the onions.

Add crushed garlic and fry well. Once it has done well, then add rice and fry this for five minutes. Toast the rice in the mixture.

Now add the tomatoes, pepper, cloves and red chillies. Fry them well with the rice.

Then add sliced green chilli, dry red chilli, cloves, cinnamon sticks, anise, peppercorn, bay leaf and mix well.

Pour water (3 cups) and close the lid and keep cook until 3 whistles come out. Once it done, let it be for 10 min.

Add chopped Cherries and mix well with rice. Then open it and add grated cheese over the hot and garnish with coriander leaves.

Spinach Sambar

Spinach Sambar is a great dish which goes well with steamed rice. Spinach is a wonderful green leafy veggie and functional food for nutritional antioxidants.

It is low in fat and even lower in cholesterol. It is high in zinc as well as protein, fiber and vitamins.

Ingredients

Chopped Spinach – 1 bunch

Chopped Onions – 1 cup

Chopped Tomato – 1 (big)

Toor Dal – ½ cup

Sambar Powder – 2 tsp

Tamarind – Small sized ball

Sliced Green Chilli – 3

Turmeric Powder – ½ tsp

Salt to taste

To Temper

Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp

Fenugreek Seeds – ¼ tsp

Hing – ¼ tsp

Cumin Seeds – 1 tsp

Dry Red Chilli – 2

Oil – 2 tsp

Method

In pressure cooker add dal, turmeric powder, salt with 3 cups of water. Then cook 3 to 5 whistles comes out. And keep it aside.

In a pan, heat oil. Add the ingredients one by one which are under “to temper” and fry for few seconds.

Add onions and fry till it becomes mushy. Now add chopped tomatoes and fry well.

Now add tamarind extract and sambar powder and bring to boil.

Then add the chopped spinach and turn this gets immersed. Boil till spinach gets cooked.

Add toor dal, and boil it for another 5 to 10 min on medium flame.