Gobi Mutter Masala / Cauliflowe Peas Curry (With Cashew nut N Poppy Seeds)

            Today's recipe is Gobi Mutter Masala, a rich and creamy curry cooked with cashew nuts and poppy seeds Paste. For a change, this time i steamed and baked the cauliflower florets and then added it to the curry. This method makes the cauliflower firm and much more tasty. And also i used Dry red chilli instead of chilli powder. The Gobi Mutter curry / masala was so creamy and yummy which suits well with Naan / Rotis / Pulav etc. I served with Rotis. Friday Dinner was a delightful dinner for us. This curry is perfect for Potluck Party or any get together to impress the guests with rich and flavorful recipe.Now to the recipe,

Ingredients

1. Cauliflower florets   1 and 1/ 2 cups
2. Peas     1/2 cup
3. Onion    1 Medium(finely chopped)
4. Tomato    2 no.s(medium) Diced
5. Dry Red Chillies     4-5 no.s
6. Cashew nut     8-10 no.s
7. Poppy Seeds    1 tsp
8. Garlic      4 big cloves or 7-8 small 
9. Ginger     2" piece 
10. Cumin seeds      1/2 tsp
11. Garam Masala    1 tsp
12. Kasoori Methi / Dried Methi leaves     1 and 1/2 tsp
13. Salt    to taste
14. Oil    2 tsp + 1 tbsp
15. Olive Oil    2 tsp
16. Cilantro     few finely chopped

Method

• Preheat oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit'
• Wash the cauliflower florets and steam it for 3-4 minutes or microwave for 2-3 minutes and drain completely and keep aside.

• Take a oven safe dish, add the steamed cauliflower florets, drizzle olive oil, sprinkle little salt and any spices(i used cajun hot seasoning) mix well and Bake it for 12 - 15 minutes or till it turns crisp n moisture dried up.

• Soak  Cashew nuts and poppy seeds in a hot water for 15 minutes .

• Heat 2 tsp oil in a kadai/pan, add dry red chillies ginger and garlic and fry them lightly.
• Then add finely chopped onions and saute till it turns translucent.

• After that add, diced tomatoes and saute till the tomatoes turns soft n mushy.

• Allow the onion - tomato mixture to cool completely and then grind it to a smooth paste along with soaked cashew n poppy seeds. (use very little water to grind them).

• Now heat 1 tbsp oil in a non stick vessel, add cumin seeds and allow it to splutter then add the ground paste.
• Turn the heat to medium and let the ground paste cook in medium heat for 5 minutes.

• Then add garam masala powder and again cook for 3 minutes or till raw smell leaves.

• After that add 1/2 cup of peas (fresh or frozen) and 1/2 cup of water and cook covered for 2 minutes.

• Now add the baked cauliflower florets and kasoori methi , simmer for 2-3 minutes .

• Lastly add some finely chopped cilantro and turn off the stove.
• That's it...Creamy and Rich Gobi Mutter Masala is ready to serve. Serve Hot with any Indian Flat breads / Pulao.

Notes:
Instead of red chillies you can also add 1-2 tsp chilli powder or kashmiri red chilli powder and follow the same method.
Lastly you can also add 1-2 tbsp of heavy cream for more rich and creamy taste.
Instead of cauliflower you can also add paneer mutter , Aloo mutter , aloo gobi or any desired veg and Enjoy !!!

Green Gram Tomato Curry / Whole moong Tomato Dal

            Hope you all had a great festival day and back to routine. Did u notice ?? that my blog title was changed to "Spicy Treats" . I was planning for long time to change my title but i am not able to get a short n sweet one. Today morning just like spark i got it . First i asked my H for opinion and He said it was good and you can proceed. Hope you also like the new title :)
            Coming to today's recipe, simple and light tangy curry with whole moong dal. I made this long back and totally forgot it. This is so easy and tasty recipe which suits well with both Chapathi/rotis and white rice and jeera Pulav.
Ingredients

1. Whole Moon dal/Green gram    1/2 cup
2. Pearl onions    10 no.s
3. Tomato   3 no.s( finely chopped)
4. Garlic     4-5 cloves(cut in to halves)
5. Green chilli    3-4 no.s(cut in to half n slitted)
6. Turmeric powder    1/4 tsp
7. Amchur powder     1/2 tsp
8. Cilantro     3 tbsp(finely chopped)
9. Curry leaves     1 sprig
10. Oil     1-2 tsp
11. Mustard seeds    1/4 tsp
12. Cumin seeds     1/2 tsp
13. Hing    1/4 tsp

Method

• Soak Green gram for at least 2-3 hours and pressure cook the soaked dal for 3 whistles and then mash them lightly and keep aside.

• Heat oil in a kadai, add mustard and cumin seeds wait till it pop and then add hing powder fry lightly

• and then add curry leaves ,green chilli and garlic. Fry lightly.
• And add onions and sauté till turns pink and then add finely chopped tomatoes.

• Sprinkle little salt and sauté the tomatoes until it turns soft and mushy.

• After that add turmeric powder and stir well and add 1/4 cup water and bring it to boil.

• Once it starts boiling, add the mashed green gram dal and enough salt, stir well and again let it cook for 5 minutes.

• Then add amchur powder and stir well and simmer for 2 minutes.

• Lastly add  finely chopped cilantro and mix well and turn off the stove.
• That's it..Tangy and Yummy Green Gram Tomato Curry is ready to serve. I served with Chapathi.

Notes:
In the same way instead of green gram you can also use Tuvar dal and also Yellow Moong dal.
You can also enjoy it as a tomato curry /tomato thokku by following the same procedure except the addition of Dal.

Hearty Diwali Wishes - Happy Diwali 2011

My Diwali Sweets-Badhusha,Boondi Laddu,Rasmalai,Mullu Murukku

Dear Friends n readers,

           Wishing you all a very happy Diwali that...

            Lights up with Joy !

            Burst with fun !

            Sparkles with sweet moments !

            And explodes with happy Surprises !

            Happy Diwali !!!

         Hope everyone is enjoying this festival of lights with your family and friends . This Diwali is something  special since two of my dear one is celebrating " Thala Diwali " (first diwali after marriage) one is my sister Kavitha and My Friend Balaaji. Wishing them a very sweet diwali and may this day brings lots of fun , success and good healthy to their life and also to you all. 

I really miss my family, my home town and my country... really these festival days gives me a little pain too and also a very sweet memories of my home n home town. Though i miss the real fun n excitement but i am here with my lovable husband and my adorable kids. they are the real happiness of my life and i really enjoying the life n i am Blessed to have such husband and kids. Once Again i wish you all a very Happy n Prosperous Diwali ..

Cheers

Sangee Vijay 

Pickle Idly Upma

             Hello folks, hope you all had a very happy weekend and me also enjoyed my weekend with Diwali shopping and get together party. This weekend was so great and left soon. hope you all in Diwali mood and preparing sweets and snacks to enjoy the festival day with your friends and family. My Hearty wishes to you all. Coming to today's recipe, very simple and nice transformation of left over idly. I got this idea from Priya sreeram's sizzling tangy idly recipe. She deep fried the idlys with pickle and idly podi. But i don't have heart to deep fry idly so I tried in simple and yummy idly upma. with cut Mango pickle and Milagai podi. It was so yummy and i love the tangy pickle taste n flavor along with crunchy ginger. Really a drool worthy recipe...try this, definitely u will love it... , i just love this with tomato ketchup. yum..yum...Now to  the yummy Pickle Idly Upma...

Ingredients

1. Idly    3 no.s
2. Onion   1 medium(finely chopped)
3. Ginger    2 tsp(finely chopped)
4. Curry leaves    few
5. Cilantro    2 tbsp(finely chopped)
6. Mango pickle     1-2 tsp (or to taste)
7. Idly Milagai Podi     2 tbsp
8. Salt    a pinch
9. Turmeric powder    1/4 tsp
10. Oil      2 tsp
11. mustard seeds   1/4 tsp
12. Urad dal    1 and 1/2 tsp

Idly Milagai Podi:

1. Dry red chillies    10 no.s
2. Urad dal    1/2 cup
3. Chana dal    1/4 cup
4. Sesame seeds    3-4 tbsp
5. Salt   to taste

       Dry roast all the above igredients separately  till dal turns light golden color and falvor comes.Take care not to burn sesame seeds.Then allow to cool them for a while and grind along with salt to a little coarse powder. Thats it idly milagai podi is ready.
Method

• Crumble the idly using hands and keep aside.

• Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds when it splutter add urad dal and fry till it turns to light golden brown.

• Saute onions until it turns pink and then add crumbled idly and turmeric powder, pinch of salt mix everything well and stir fry for a minute.

• Then add mango pickle , mix well with the idly mixture and fry for another minute.

• And now add idly milagai podi and stir fry well and lastly add some chopped cilantro mix well and turn off the stove.

• That's it...yummy and tangy pickle idly upma is ready. enjoy hot !!!

Notes:
I used store bought cut mango pickle. you can use home made pickle also.
Adjust podli and pickle to your taste. Mine was mild tangy and spicy...

Crispy Potato Wedges In Spinach Gravy / Aloo Palak

                Anything combines with aloo and paneer will be a super hit and result in an awesome dish. In that way, for a change i tried baking the boiled potato wedges with mild spice and added the baked wedges to the Spinach Gravy. Aloo reminds crispy and flavorful , this was a excellent combo and over all my new way of aloo palak was so yummy and I served with Phulka rotis.

Ingredients

1. Aloo/Potato     3 medium no.s
2. Spinach    2 cups tightly packed(roughly chopped)
3. Sugar   a pinch
4. Green chilli   2 no.s
5. Onion   1 large  (finely chopped)

To Wet Grind

1. Cashew nuts    8 no.s
2. Ginger     2" piece
3. Garlic    4 cloves
4. Fennel seeds   1/2 tsp
5. Poppy seeds   1/2 tsp

To Temper

1. Oil    1 tbsp
2. Cumin seeds   1/2 tsp
3. Clove   2no.s
4. Cinnamon   1/2" stick

Method

• Wash and boil the potatoes till soft and tender but not mushy, and then peel the skin and cut in to wedges.
• Preheat Oven to 375 degree Fahrenheit.

• Take a bowl, add the cut potato wedges and sprinkle little salt, chilli powder and chaat masala or any desired spices. I used Hot cajun spice.
• Take a oven safe tray, grease or line a foil paper and spray it with cooking spray, arrange the boiled n spiced  potato wedges  and bake it for 15 minutes or till it turns crisp and firm.
• Wash and roughly chop spinach and keep aside.
• grind all the ingredients under the heading " To wet Grind" to a smooth paste and keep aside.
• Now in a wide vessel add 1/4 cup water n roughly chopped spinach ,a pinch sugar n cook till soft.
• Then allow the spinach to cool for sometime and then grind to a smooth paste along with 2 green chilli and keep aside.
• Now heat pan/vessel, add oil when it turns hot add the tempering ingredients a fry lightly.

• Then add finely chopped onions and sauté till it turns translucent
• After that add the ground cashew paste and sauté till raw smell leaves.

• And then add the ground spinach paste , enough salt and stir well, allow the mixture to boil for sometime.

• Once it starts boiling , add 1 tbsp. yoghurt/thick curd and mix well, again simmer for 2-3 minutes.
• That's it...Yummy Spinach Gravy is ready.
• Transfer the gravy to a serving bowl and then add the crispy potato wedges to the Spinach gravy and serve Hot!!!

Notes:
you can also soak cashew and poppy seeds in 1/4 cup warm water for 15 minutes and grind along with other ingredients. This will also give a smooth n fine paste.
Instead baking, you can fry the potato wedges in a pan using 1 tbsp. of oil/butter.