Gooseberries /nellikay /amla pickle and juice

Those beautiful lovely looking gooseberries are plenty available now in Indian markets. Its season for pickle, juice, muraba, salads. I love to try new dishes out of the regular gooseberries which are as big as a small lemon.

Got a few when I did shopping for vegetables. They are fresh, crunchy straight from farmers.

I've washed them well before proceeding to grate and then making them into different dishes.

Pickle

Ingredients

Gooseberries 10
Ginger 2 big pieces
Salt as required
Green chillies 2(optional)

Method

Grate gooseberries, ginger, slit green chillies. In a pickle jar add grated ingredients, salt and mix well. You can start using it immediately. It will remain fresh for 3 to 4 days.

Gooseberry juice

1/2 cup grated ginger, chat masala, salt, gooseberries and 2 cups water, use a mixer to blend them. It will be little coarse in texture, you can strain it if you wish. I love the fresh flavour, aroma and crunchiness. So prefer to drink it as it is!

Schezwan noodles and mushroom soup

I love to create new dishes from vegetables. My kids are fond of Italian and chienese cuisine. The advantage here for me is I can add vegetables and without any fuss both will polish the plates.  Going for shopping is one thing I love to do in the afternoons. I usually bring fresh vegetables and create dishes from scratch. Today I thought of making chienese noodles and started picking vegetables one by one, as I was going through the shelves I stumbled upon fresh button mushrooms.  Which is a favourite vegetable to me and kids. Then the plan for their evening meals is set. A soup and noodles.

I started washing, peeling and chopping veggies. Much to my satisfaction, cutting through the zucchini, carrots and halved mushrooms. The dishes started taking shape.

I had soaked lobia thinking I can use it in their soup. Noodles started getting ready, in a large bowl I"ve added water, once it started boiling the veg hakka noodles were immersed! 3 minutes, I removed them in a colander, drained all water.

It was chopping vegetables for soup, noodles, 2 inches long for noodles and cubes for soup. Voila!! I finished the most important part of cooking.

Ingredients for schezwan noodles

Veg hakka noodles 1 pkt, boiled and drained, spread it in a large plate.

Vegetables cut into thin 2 inches long

Carrot - 2
Zucchini 1/2 piece
Capsicum 2
Onion 1
Garlic a few pods

Cut all vegetables into 2inch long thin slices.

Coriander chopped a few
Chienese five spices 1/2 tsp
Schezwan sauce 2 tsp
Vinegar 2tsp
Soy sauce 2tsp
Gingly oil 2 tbsp

In a heated pan pour gingly oil add chopped onions, garlic saute for a while, then add rest of the vegetables. Once vegetables are half cooked start adding spices, salt, schezwan sauce, vinegar, soy and saute for a while, then add cooked noodles, finally garnish with coriander leaves (optional) serve.

Mushroom soup

Ingredients

Button mushrooms 10
Broccoli 1/2 piece
Garlic a few pods
Onion 1
Tomato a few
Zucchini 1/2
Carrot 2
Pear a small slice
Lobia 1/2 cup soaked
Salt as required

Herbs
Oregano, crushed pepper, basil, rosemary 1/2 tsp each

Method of preparation

Chop all vegetables into small cubes. Smash garlic.

In pressure pan pour olive oil add garlic, onion and rest of the vegetables, soaked lobia, saute for 2 minutes, add herbs, salt, pepper and toss. Add 4 to 5 cups of water. Close lid cook for 1 whistle. Remove and add chopped parsley and little grated cheese. Serve with toasted bread. Its low calorie and filling.

Hyacinth beans gravy (Avarakkalu molaguttal)

I enjoy growing vegetables, most are grown from seeds. Had a fresh harvest of egg plants, tomatoes and ridge gourd.

Avarakkai seeds(avarakalu) is available now, we in Karnataka create a lot of dishes out of avarakkalu.  You name it we make it. Its such a tasty seed which goes along with most of the southindiancooking.

I made a simple molaguttal using freshly harvested vegetables and avarakkalu.

Ingredients

Avarakkai seeds 1/2 cup
Egg plant 2(small)
Ridge gourd 2(medium)
Tomatoes 2 small
Coconut 2 tbsp
Jeera 1/2 tsp
Green chilli 1
Curry leaves a few

Method of preparation

*chop vegetables
*Grind coconut, green chillies and jeera to a coarse paste.

In stoneware(kalchatti) add water and cook avarakkai till soft. Add chopped tomatoes, eggplant, ridge gourd, turmeric powder. Cook for another 10 minutes till the vegetables are tender. Now add salt, mix well, groynd coconut paste, add more water if needed. Finally give tempering of mustard seeds. Serve with rice. Its one of the delicious dish.

Idly upma(leftover ka makeover)

How to use those fluffy soft idlies when you have left over?  You can eat fresh idly with chutney and sambar but then what about thosev4 or 5 which are still there? Again eating them as it is not a good choice. So give it a transformation. Add few extra ingredients and make a new dish out of it.

Presenting the idly upma!!

Ingredients

Idly - 4 or 5
Coriander leaves/curry leaves chopped 1 tsp
Small baby onions 4 to 5
Green chilli 1

For tempering

Gingly oil 2tsp
Mustard seeds 1/4 tsp
Urad dal 1/2 tsp
Channa dal 1/2 tsp

*Crumble idly using hands or cut into small cubes.
*Chop baby onions, green chillies, coriander leaves/curry leaves.

In a heated pan pour oil add mustard, urad dal and channa dal. Allow mustard to splutter. Now add onion and green chilli. Give a quick toss. Let onion become litte brownish. Add crumbled idly, salt, molagai podi. Mix in. Garnish with coriander /curry leaves.

Its delicious.

Rice and vegetables tikka/patties (leftover ka makeover)

What to do when you have a cupful if pulav, aloo subzi, gooseberry pickle which you have prepared for lunch? Dinner will be a different menu, different dish. So here I have a recipe which I am sure you too will find it handy and useful. Its one of the best way to make your children eat vegetables.

Leftover ka makeover!!

Ingredients

Vegetable pulav 1 cup
Aloo subzi 1/2 cup
Gooseberry grated pickle 2 tbsp
Chopped onion 1

Ginger a small piece grated 
Green chillies 2
Coriander leaves 1 tsp chopped
Red chilli powder 1/2 tsp
Corn flour 1 tbsp

Roasted suji 2 tsp

Lemon juice 1/2 lemon
Turmeric 1/2 tsp
Jeera powder 1 tsp
Salt a little

Process

Take a large bowl add all the above ingredients smash them into a soft dough. I used a ladle to make them lump free. Take a lemon sized quantity spread into a small disc/patties dust with corn flour and use a heated  tawa, pour a little oil carefully place all the tikkas and in medium flame roast till golden brown. Carefully flip them and roast both sides. In a kitchen napkin spread them so that any excess oil can be absorbed. Serve with green chutney or tomato sauce. You can use it as burger patties too. Its delicious and soulful!

Do try and comment.

Cheesy sweet corn

Sweet corn is a handy vegetable which can be made into many different delicious dishes. One of them is sweet corn steamed and added with spices, herbs, butter and cheese. It tastes great with lavash.

Ingredients

Sweet corn kernels 2 cups
Butter 1 tbsp
Cheese 2 slices
Oregano 1/2 tsp
Rosemary 1/2 tsp
Basil 1/2 tsp
Noodle masala 1 pkt
Red chilli powder 1/2 tsp
Pistachio (grated) 2 tsp

Process

Remove the kernels using a sharp knife and steam them using a steamer for about 10 minutes. In a heated pan add a tbsp of butter, add sweet corn, rosemary, basil and oregano. Plus one noodles masala and 1/2 tsp red chilli powder. Tossed it so that herbs and butter get well coated in sweet corn. Finally add two slices of cheese and garnish with grated pistachio. Serve with lavasa which I used a spoon to scoop cheesy corn. Its delicious.

Do try and comment.

Vegetable pulav and gooseberry raitha

Vegetable pulav is one flavourful version of rice preparations. It can be made in less than 30 minutes. Even before your guests arrive. Fresh and hot pulav is one of my favourite dish.

I've tried to add few pieces of broccoli to this dish and surprisingly they really tastes good! You know I love to experiment.

Here is the recipe

Mixed vegetable pulav and raitha

Ingredients

Basmathi rice 1 cup(wash, clean and keep aside for 20 minutes)

Chopped Mixed vegetables - beans, carrot, peas, broccoli, onion 1 1/2 cups

Ginger, garlic paste 1/2 tsp, (I have added grated ginger and garlic)

Green chilli 2(optional)

Pudina a few leaves

Spices

Clove 2
Elachi 3
Star anise 1
Cinnamon 1 (2 inch piece)
Bay leaf 1
Oil/ghee 1 tbsp
Salt as required

Method

In a pressure cooker pan pour oil add all spices, saute for a while, let aroma release. Add chopped vegetables, ginger, garlic, onion, green chilli then rest of the vegetables. Mix well, cook for 3 minutes. Now add basmathi rice, salt, pudina gently toss. Add two cups of water. Cook in medium flame for 1 whistle.  Serve with choice of your raitha.