Mirchi Ki Sabji ( with Banana Peppers)
Cabbage Pulav/Cabbage Rice
Cabbage is one of the most underrated vegetable I feel, which remains unexplored beyond the Vegetable Manchurian, Kimchi and Poriyal(stir fry) or Subji and in salads. Thanks to the colourful varieties(read red and purple cabbage), this vegetable is gaining popularity again. Many don’t like its smell when cooked. The best way to tackle this is by open pan cooking.
Weight watchers speak about Bottle gourd, Broccoli and Cauliflower, but the cabbage always takes a back seat, never gets its due. This probably may be because, other than the everyday Kootu/subjis or the special occasion Manchurian, we don’t think about it much. I have been a Cabbage lover right from childhood. A simple Cabbage and coconut stir fry (aka Poriyal) is enough to make me happy. I have also taken to trying other recipes from this vegetable, which can be cooked on a regular everyday basis and the health benefits this vegetable has to offer can be enjoyed.
To state a few benefits of this simple and highly nutritive vegetable- It is nutrient dense. Low on calories and high on micro nutrients and vitamins. It is said to keep a check on inflammation, High on Vitamin C, Helps improve digestion, It is an excellent source of Vitamin K, easy to cook and quite inexpensive as compared to the gourmet vegetables. (source-health line). So, we should reap the benefits of this vegetable, what say?
I have come up with this simple cabbage pulav, which is tasty and easy to cook. Even your fussy and picky eaters will lap this up. I have kept the recipe and Masalas very simple here, as this is planed as a simple everyday dish, and a whole meal in itself, which can be relished with just a Raita.
While you are here check out other everyday recipes like- One Pot Tadke wali Dal, Zucchini and Potato wheat Dosa, Goan style Lobia curry, Watermelon rind Kootu, Menthiya Keerai Kootu, Corn Palak subji, Dosakaya Chutney, and more…
Here goes the Cabbage pulav recipe-
PREP TIME: 20 Mins COOK TIME: 20 Mins
TOTAL TIME:40 Mins COURSE: MAIN
CUISINE: NORTH INDIAN SERVINGS: 5
AUTHOR: Rajni Ram
Ingredients:
Rice 1 cup precooked and cooled ( I used regular Sona Masoori)
Cabbage 1/2 of a medium one. chopped to think strips
Capsicum 1 medium chopped to strips
Tomato 1 large chopped
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Fennel seeds 1/2 tsp
Shah jeera/ Caraway seeds 1/2 tsp
Cinnamon 1 inch stick
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Salt as required
Red chilli powder(regular) 1 tsp
Coriander powder 1 tsp
Fennel Powder 1 tsp
Garam Masala powder 1/2 tsp
Oil for sauteing 1 tbsp
Fresh coriander leaves chopped for garnish
Directions: Precook 1 cup rice, spread it on a plate to cool and keep aside. In a Kadai heat the oil. Add the cumin seeds, fennel seeds and Shah jeera, Cinnamon stick, and fry until light brown. To this add the chopped capsicum and stir fry for 2 minutes. Add turmeric powder, and saute for another 2 minutes. Now add the tomatoes and continue to saute, until they become a little tender. Now drop in the Cabbage strips, and saute for 2 minutes. Add salt, Red chilli powder, coriander powder, fennel powder and stir fry well. The cabbage will release water, keep sauteing until it becomes almost dry and the cabbage is well cooked, but firm and crunchy. Now add the garam masala, cook for a minute, and finally add the cooked rice. Give everything a nice stir so that the rice is well coated with vegetables and spices. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot with some chilled Raita.
STEPWISE RECIPE FOLLOWS:
1. Precook 1 cup rice, spread it on a plate to cool and keep aside. In a Kadai heat the oil. Add the cumin seeds, fennel seeds and Shah jeera, Cinnamon stick, and fry until light brown.
2. To this add the chopped capsicum and stir fry for 2 minutes. Add turmeric powder, and saute for another 2 minutes. Now add the tomatoes and continue to saute, until they become a little tender.
3. Now drop in the Cabbage strips, and saute for 2 minutes. Add salt, Red chilli powder, coriander powder, fennel powder and stir fry well. The cabbage will release water, keep sauteing until it becomes almost dry and the cabbage is well cooked, but firm and crunchy.
4. Now add the garam masala, cook for a minute, and finally add the cooked rice. Give everything a nice stir so that the rice is well coated with vegetables and spices. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot .
NOTES:
1. Instead of the regular cabbage one can also use Purple or Red cabbage.
2. Other vegetables or soya chunks can also be added.
If you tried this recipe and liked it please comment below. I would love to hear from you. If you have a query about the recipe email us and ill respond as soon as I can.
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Drumstick Curry
Moringa is the latest buzz word everywhere. What with Moringa leaves powder trending the healthy list. Well, the Moringa tree and dishes cooked from its fruit, flowers and leaves have been in India for ages. We have used its fruit, the drumstick in Subjis, Sambar, dal, etc; the leaves too are very aromatic and used as an add-in in Dosas, chilas, and more. The flowers too when added while making ghee, give the ghee a nice flavour and make it aromatic. My grandmother always added a few flowers just before putting off the flame while making ghee and would remove the flowers later, while bottling the ghee. My mother makes a pickle of it too, which is just as wonderful.
Here I bring to you a simple curry made from Drumsticks in curd and cashew-based gravy which absorbs all the flavours of the drumstick. A very quick recipe that gets done in 30 minutes. While you are here please have a look at my other Subjis like Mixed vegetable curry, Brinjal Pepper Masala, Kadai Paneer dry and many more
Here is the recipe of Drumstick curry–
PREP TIME: 15 Mins COOK TIME: 15 Mins
TOTAL TIME: 30 Mins COURSE: MAIN
CUISINE: NORTH INDIAN SERVINGS: 4
AUTHOR: Rajni Ram
Ingredients:
Drumsticks 5 long ones cut into pieces
Cashewnuts 15(soaked in warm water)
Poppy seeds 2 tsp(soaked in warm water)
Tomatoes 2 large or 3 medium
Curd 1 cup
Red chilli powder 1.5 tsp
Turmeric powder 1 tsp
cloves 3
Cinnamon 1 small stick
Garam masala powder 1/2 tsp
Directions:
Soak the Cashewnuts and poppy seeds in a little warm after for 10 minutes. Cut the drumsticks to 3 inch long pieces and set aside. Chop the tomatoes. After 10 minutes drain the water off the Cashewnuts and poppy seeds and put them in a blender, add the Cloves and Cinnamon stick and grind without water to a coarse paste. 2 spins in the blender will do. Add the chopped tomatoes to this and blend to a fine paste now. Keep aside. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a karahi, the oil should not be smoking hot. Lower the flame and add 1 tsp turmeric powder the chilli powder and stir immediately, or the masala powders will get burnt. To this add the ground paste and fry it in the oil for a minute nicely, until the rawness of the tomatoes goes away. Now add the curd and stir continuously for 30 seconds, add the salt and 1.5 cups water and put in all the drum stick pieces, cover and cook until the drumsticks are well cooked and the gravy becomes thicker. Test the drumsticks for doneness. If they are cooked, the flame can be turned oof and sprinkle little garam masala powder on top. The Drumstick curry is ready to serve. Enjoy the flavours. I’m sure you will cook this dish whenever you have Drumsticks at home. Bon Appetit.
STEPWISE RECIPE FOLLOWS:
1. Assemble all ingredients. Cut the drumsticks to pieces, soak the cashewnuts and poppy seeds for 10 minutes in warm water, chop the tomatoes.
2. After 10 minutes put the whole spices(cloves and cinnamon) in the blender, drain water from the cashewnuts and poppy seeds and put them in the blender at too and grind them coarse, without adding any water.
3. Now add the tomatoes to the blender and grind all together to a smooth paste.
4. Heat oil in a Karahi(medium hot) and add the turmeric powder, followed by red chilli powder. Oil in the karahi should be sufficient or the spice powders will burn.
Now add the ground paste immediately and fry the paste in oil for a minute, until the rawness of tomatoes is gone.
5. Now add the curd and start stirring continuously for 30 seconds. Now add the salt, and put in the cut drumsticks. Add 1.5 cups water and cover and cook for 10 minutes on medium heat. The drumsticks should have cooked well and the gravy should thicken up, at this stage add 1/2 tsp garam masala and put off the flame.
The drumstick curry is ready. Serve with Rotis, Parathas or even Rice.
NOTES:
1. If the curd is a little sour it adds taste to the curry.
2. Stirring constantly after pouring the curd is crucial or the curd will leave out the moisture and the gravy will be too thin.
3. Check the doneness of the drumsticks before switching off the flame.
4. In case the drumsticks are still raw but the gravy has thickened, add 1/2 cup water, cover and cook until done.
5. Pick tender and fleshy Drumsticks while buying, they will cook faster.
If you tried this recipe and liked it please comment below. I would love to hear from you.
Brinjal Pepper Masala (No Onion-No Garlic Recipe)
An everyday subji made from Brinjals and very simple gravy. Brinjals combined in a tomato and coconut gravy with some black peppers for spice. A very mildly flavoured dish, it has some Cashewnuts and Raisins too which enhance its taste. As I mentioned in one of my earlier posts Brinjals are very versatile vegetables and a large variety of recipes can be made with them from different cuisines. There are many types of Brinjal too and some recipes are specific to the Brinjal.
In this recipe, you can use any variety except the Bhara Baigan( the large fleshy one), as we want the Brinjal pieces to be firm and not mushy.
I learnt this subji from one of the guest house cooks where we stayed during our transfers from city to city. The gravy is of the South Indian style but believe me, it goes perfectly well with any of the rice varieties like Pulav or vegetable rice or even plain rice. It can also be served with Rotis. The Cashews and especially the raisins are like surprise packages in this dish which keep popping every 1 or 2 scoops. If you don’t like nuts or Raisins in your subjis(like I did until I tasted this) then you can always omit their use.
While you are here take a look at
Gutti Vankaya Kura, which is also a Brinjal dish with Andhra flavours. Also check out, Methi Wale Baingan, Please look up other subjis too under the label Subjis while you are here.
PREP TIME: 20 Mins COOK TIME: 20 Mins
TOTAL TIME: 40 Mins COURSE: MAIN
CUISINE: SOUTH INDIAN SERVINGS: 4
AUTHOR: Rajni Ram
Here is the recipe of Brinjal Pepper Masala-
Ingredients:
Brinjal (any variety except Bharta Baigan) 250 gm diced medium
Tomatoes 3 large finely chopped
Curry leaves a few
Oil for sauteeing
Turmeric powder
Red chilli powder
Ingredients for paste:
Pepper 1 tsp(add more for more spice)
Cumin 1 tsp
Dry red chillies 3
Grated coconut 2-3 tbsp
Directions for making paste:
Heat a karahi with 1 tsp oil and put in all ingredients mentioned under paste, in the same order and roast them until light brown. Cool it and grind it in a blender to a smooth paste.
Directions:
Dice the brinjals to medium size and put them in some water. Chop tomatoes very fine and set aside. In a Karahi pour some oil-around a tablespoon, let it heat up and put in the Cashewnuts, fry them until they are golden brown, remove them and put in the Raisins. Fry them too until they puff up and remove from oil. Now add the diced Brinjals to the same karahi and add 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp salt, stir well and cover it and cook for 3 minutes. Stir again and cover for another 2 minutes. The brinjal should have turned a little tender but still retain shape. Transfer the brinjals to another vessel and set aside. Now in the same karahi take 2 tsp oil and heat. Add the mustard seeds, let them crackle. Add the cumin seeds followed by turmeric powder and curry leaves. Give it a stir and add the chopped tomatoes. Now add some salt followed by red chilli powder and fry nicely in the oil. Let the tomatoes break, keep mashing them with the back of the spatula. When it turns pulpy, add the ground paste, sauteed Brinjals followed by 1 cup of water, cover and cook for 7 minutes. When you open the lid, the brinjals should have cooked fully, but retain shape and the curry should have come together. Now switch off the flame and add in the fried nuts and Raisins. Brinjal Pepper masala is ready to serve. I served it with some Pulav, any rice or Indian bread varieties will go well with it. Enjoy. Bon Appetit.
STEPWISE RECIPE FOLLOWS:
1. Assemble all ingredients. Dice the Brinjals, chop the tomatoes, grate the coconut and keep ready.
2. In a karahi take around 1 tbsp oil, add the nuts and the raisins one after the other and fry. The cashew nuts should turn golden brown and the raisins should fluff up. Remove them into a separate plate.
3. Now to the same karahi add the diced Brinjals followed by salt 1/2 tsp and turmeric powder 1/2 tsp. Stir them and cover the karahi for 3 minutes. Open the lid, stir again and cover and cook for 2 minutes. Open and check the brinjals, they should have turned a little tender but should have retained the shape. Remove them to another vessel. If still undone, then cover and cook for another 2 minutes.
4. Now pour a little oil into the karahi, about 1 tsp and heat. Roast all the masalas , mentioned under paste in the same order. Pepper being first, followed by cumin seeds, dry red chillies and finally add the coconut and fry until they get a nice brown colour. Cool, transfer to a blender and grind to a fine paste.
5. In the same karahi pour 2 tsp oil and heat. Add the mustard seeds followed by cumin seeds, turmeric powder and curry leaves. Fry and put in the tomatoes followed by salt and red chilli powder. Stir and cook the tomatoes. Keep mashing them with the back of the spatula so that they turn mushy.
6. Now add the ground paste, followed by 1 cup water and put in the sauteed brinjals and cover the karahi and cook the brinjals in the paste for 7 minutes approximately, stirring once in between.
7. The Brinjals should be completely cooked by now, but not limp. the gravy too should have come together and should not be runny. Switch off the flame and drop in the fried nuts and raisins. Brinjal pepper masala is now ready. Serve hot with plain rice, Pulavs or with hot Chapatis.
NOTES:
1. Any variety of brinjal can be used except for the big fleshy one(Bharta Baingan).
2. Coriander seeds have been excluded from the paste, to get the same taste as mentioned in the recipe do not add them as they change the flavour of the dish completely.
3. More pepper can be added depending upon your spice levels. Be sure to reduce the red chillies or red chilli powder if increasing the pepper quantity.
4. The Cashewnuts and enhance the taste of the dish but if you don’t like the nuts coming in the way, they can be excluded altogether.
5. Kashmiri red chilli powder can be used instead of the regular one for colour.
If you tried this recipe and liked it please comment below. I would love to hear from you.
