Peas pulav

We had guests for lunch today and I thought of making something different from the usual lunch.

I have harvested a bunch of onion shoots and other greens, which I used in paneer koftas, palak parathas, green peas pulav and parippu vada.

Peas pulav

Basmathi rice 1 cups

Green peas 2 cups

Onion 1

Clove 2

Bay leaves 2

Green onion shoots a few

Jeera a teaspoon

Ghee 1 teaspoon

Method

*Wash and keep aside basmathi rice for half an hour. Cook it by adding 5 to 6 cups of water till rice is cooked well and grains are not touching each other.

Drain starchy water(ganji) spread cooked rice in a tray.

*saute onion till translucent.

* pour ghee in kadai add jeera, clove and bay leaf once it splutter add onion cook till translucent, add shelled peas, cook for a while. Add salt.

*Now add basmathi rice and gently mix in. Allow the mild flavours to release. Off stove serve hot with raitha.

Drumsticks leaves and flowers fritters

Evening snack for Aru.

Bread toast filled with a slice cheese.

One tomato roasted in griddle with crushed pepper and salt.

Drumsticks leaves, flowers and potato fritters.

It's something which will give her enough energy for 3 to 4 hours. After college snack should be interesting and nutritious for teens.

Drumsticks leaves, flowers and potato fritters
Ingredients

Potato 1/2 grated
Drumsticks leaves and flowers a handful
Coriander leaves a few
Green chilli 1/2
Turmeric a pinch
Red chilli powder a little
Salt as required
Ginger a small piece grated
Besan 1/2 cup
Garam masala a little
Butter a small piece
Sunflower oil for shallow frying

Tips

Use fresh greens, you can substitute with palak, green amaranth or malabar spinach.

Drumsticks leaves, flowers and potato fritters
Method

*Wash, chop drumsticks leaves and flowers.

*Grate potato and ginger

*In a bowl add besan, drumsticks leaves, grated potato and ginger, butter, dry masalas, salt and gently mix in.

*Don't add water, there is enough moisture in leaves and potato.

*In a pan pour just enough oil, once its medium hot take a small portion from the prepared mixture, flatten it and shallow fry.

*let the fritters become golden crust, fry both sides by flipping them.

*use a kitchen napkin, place the prepared fritters, let it absorb any excess oil.

*serve with hari chutney. It's yum!

Vegetable and red rice poha

We make red rice poha sometimes, today I have made the delicious filling poha with red rice. Its yum.

I increase the quantity of vegetables and reduce rice flakes. These red rice flakes are bit more thicker, so I have added hot water to make them soft, and used a large strainer to remove excess water. 

Being winter we get fresh green peas, a liberal addition of green peas, makes the dish more attractive! 

Vegetable poha with yogurt. Enjoying the pure bliss of husband 's love.

I am recovering from a  knee pain. Which is my friend from teaching days!

Morning as usual he asked what's for breakfast?

A question which annoy many, but I am glad he loves his home cooked breakfast!

Well, after a few seconds silence I said, upma.

And he, "oh no" we will make poha.

Then he asked me to give the vegetables and I soaked poha. Kept it for draining.

And helped myself with a cup of coffee. Jumped around and reached the couch.

He patiently sat and chopped all vegetables, went to kitchen and silently cooked breakfast.

Finally garnish poha with chopped coriander leaves.

The smile on his face was more than enough for me to forget my pain!

***

Vegetable poha
Ingredients

Poha/flattened rice flakes 2 cups
Gently rinse in running water and leave it for draining.

Onion 1
Carrot 2
Peas a handful
Ginger a small piece
Green chillies 2
Beans a few
Coriander leaves a few
Cauliflower a few florets
Grated coconut 2 tablespoon
Turmeric powder a little
Hing a pinch
Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
Urad dal 1/2 tsp
Red chilli broken into halves 1
Boiled potato 1

Tips

I've used thick rice flakes, it absorb water and becomes fluffy.

Chop vegetables finely.

Vegetable poha
Method

*soak poha or gently rinse it in running water, leave it for draining excess water.

*wash peel and chop all vegetables into thin pieces.

*peel off boiled potato and cut into small pieces.

*In a heated pan pour oil add mustard seeds, urad dal and broken red chilli pieces.

*Add chopped vegetables, onion, ginger, green chillies, saute for a while. Add rest of the vegetables. Mix well. Once vegetables turned tender add boiled potato. Mix in.

*Now add fluffy poha, turmeric powder, salt and hing. Gently toss, pour a little ghee.

*Garnish with grated coconut and coriander leaves. Serve hot.

Penne pasta, boiled potatoes and bread toast

Penne pasta, bread toast and potato gently smashed with crushed pepper salt. It's yum.

I remember peeling potatoes at Mom's kitchen and slyly we kids eat a few boiled potatoes!

Those were the most beautiful days.

Breakfast with strawberries

Sunday breakfast. Low calories, low carbs, tangy, crunchy. Cornflakes, yogurt, papaya, pomegranate, strawberries and a dab of honey. Yum!

What's yours?

Carrot salad and mango slit

Winter and fresh carrots are plenty available. I love raw salads for brunch and sometimes for lunch. Its low calorie and gives you enough nourishment.

Carrot salad
Ingredients

Fresh carrots 5
Green chilli 2
Ginger a tiny piece
Fresh coriander leaves a few
Lemon extract a little

For the tempering

Mustard 1/4 tsp
Coconut oil 1/2 tsp
Red chilli broken into halves.

Tips

Peel and grate or chop carrots.

Use non spicy green chillies.

Method

In a bowl mix in grated carrots, green chillies, coriander leaves, salt and lemon extract.

In a small pan pour oil add mustard seeds, allow it to crackle. Add red chilli.

Pour the tempering on top of the carrot salad. Mix in.

Raw mango slit

Ingredients

Tothapuri mango 1
Red chilli powder 1/2 tsp
Salt as required

Method

Wash cut and make thin slices, further slit, enjoy with red chilli powder and salt.

Egg omelette with vegetables

I like to play with different textures are colours. Today tried a simple omelette but I created the dish in a very different way. Voila, Sid liked it too!

Egg omelette with vegetables

Ingredients

Egg 2
Tomato 1
Onion 1
Red amaranth a few
Onion shoots a few
Butter a little
Red chilli powder a pinch
Salt a little

Tips

Use fresh greens

Beat the eggs well

Method

In a heated tawa place butter once its melted add onion, tomato, greens, and onion shoots. Until onion turns into translucent. Add red chilli powder, salt and stir fry. Pour beaten eggs around the vegetables. Let it cook in slow flame.  Fold egg layers on top of vegetables and cook for a few minutes. Remove in a serving plate and serve hot. It tastes yum!

Rice paper rolls and cheese vegetables

Dinner for Aru. Few rice paper rolls, one boiled egg, carrot, broccoli, tomatoes, mushrooms, ginger, garlic with herbs, baLsamic vinegar and hand crushed pepper and salt.Garnish with parsley leaves.

Peas, carrot aur aloo subzi

Winter is the perfect weather when we get plenty of fresh sweet pea. I love fresh peas. Those lovely shells with whole peas.

I bought the long carrots known as Delhi carrots, peas and other vegetables.

Sunday being a very busy day, peeling, chopping and storing vegetables for the week.

Mattar, carrot aur aloo ki subzi
Ingredients

Fresh mattar 2 cups
Boiled aloo/potatoes 2
Carrot 1

Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Garam masala 1/2 tsp (freshly ground)
Red chilli powder 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste

For tempering

Peanut oil 1 tsp
Jeera 1/2 tsp

Tips

Use fresh mattar as its very tender, sweet and tastes great.

Mattar, carrot aur aloo ki subzi
Method

*shell out peas, use tender shells also for the subzi.

*Boil and peel off the potatoes.

*Peel and chop carrot.

*In a heated kadai pour oil, add jeera,let it splutter.

*Add chopped pea shell, peas, chopped carrot and cook for 5 minutes.

*Add turmeric and salt mix in.

*Add boiled potatoes, garam masala and gently toss.

*Add red chilli powder and adjust salt.

*Finally add freshly made garam masala and mix in.

*Serve with rice or phulkas.