Potato Fry - Urulakkizhangu Varuval

Ingredients :

Russet Potatos - 2 cubed
Red Chili Powder - 1 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Garlic Powder - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 2 tsp
Mustard - 1/2 tsp
Split Urad dhal - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste
  






Preparation:
Heat oil in a wide nonstick pan. Add mustard seeds, Split Urad dhal and curry leaves.
When the mustard splutters add chopped potatoes, red chili powder, coriander powder, garlic powder and salt.
Mix well and close the pan and let it fry in low flame for 10 minutes stirring occasionally till the potatoes are cooked. Low flame will prevent potatoes from being overcooked/mashed up. Stir for one minute in high flame before taking it off the stove. Serve with Curd Rice.

Cabbage Muthira Thoran / Stir Fried Cabbage - Horse Gram in Coconut

Ingredients:
Cabbage : 2 cups(shredded or finely chopped) 
Muthira : 1 cup (boiled)
Small Red Onions /Shallots : 2 (finely, chopped)
Garlic : 2 pods (crushed)
Cumin Seeds : 1/4 tsp
Green Chillies : 2or to your tolerance level
Grated Coconut : 2 tbsp
Turmeric Powder : a pinch
Mustard Seeds : 1/2 tsp
Curry Leaves : a sprig
Salt to taste
Oil : 2 tsp





Preparation:
Mash cumin seeds, green chilly, garlic & shallots using mortar pestle and keep aside.
Add 2 tbsp of shreaded coconut in mortar pestle and mix it well.
Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, curry leaves and the mashed ingredients and fry for 1minute. Add cabbage, salt, turmeric powder and mix well. Cover the pan and cook on low heat, stirring occasionally; after 5 minutes add boiled Muthira.
Stir for another minute and finally add the semi-ground coconut from the mortar pestle.
Remove from stove & Serve as side dish with rice.

Muthira : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horse_gram

[Image and Recipe Copyright www.roshonline.com. No part of this recipe may be reproduced without my written permission. All rights reserved.]

Cooking with Kale - Recipe # 1

Kale is a leafy green vegetable that belongs to Brassica oleracea Acephala Group. Kale is considered to be a highly nutritious vegetable with powerful antioxidant properties, very high in beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, lutein, zeaxanthin, and reasonably rich in calcium.
Visit this link for more information and health benefits of Kale.

Although I've always seen this big-green-crumpled-leafy-bunch in stores i had never thought of buying it or cooking the same until a week before i had a chat with my friend's mom, Chandni Aunty about its health benefits. I was totally clueless how to cook this stuff so she even suggested couple of ways to cook the same, btw she's a great cook.
To my surprise the leaf didn't have any bitterness, as you may find with most of the variety of leaves available in stores. Needless to mention the dish came out pretty well. The idea for the recipe posted here is thanks to Chandni aunty although i did personalize a lil bit. I will post some variations which i tried on my own since Kale has now become a regular item on our menu. Enjoy the recipe and bon appetit !!


Dal with Kale

Ingredients:
* 1 small bunch of Kale, 2-3 leaves - chopped
* Toor Dal cooked with a pinch of turmeric - 1 cup
* Dry Red Chilly - 1 cut in half
* Salt - to taste
* Oil - 2tsp
To Grind:
* Fresh grated Coconut - 1/2 cup
* Green Chillies - 3
* Cumin/Jeera seeds - 1/4 Tsp
* Amchur Powder/Mango Powder - 1/2 tsp
To Season:
* Mustard Seeds - 1/4tsp
* Split Urad dal - 1/4 tsp
* Curry leaves - 1 stalk

Preparation:
Heat a pan add 1tsp oil. Add dry red chilly, chopped kale and saute adding salt till it is soft to touch. Grind coconut with all the ingredients mentioned to a smooth paste. Add cooked dal and coconut paste to sauteed kale and mix it well. Cook for 2-3 minutes stirring occasionally. Take another pan, add 1tsp oil and season using ingredients mentioned, add the seasoning to the cooked mixture. Serve with hot rice or chapathi.

*Image Copyright www.roshonline.com. All rights reserved.
* Information Source on Kale : Internet

Spicy-Tofu Stir Fry

Spicy Tofu Stir-fry

Ingredients:
* 2 blocks pressed firm tofu
* 1/2 cup celery
* 1/2 cup green bell pepper
* 1 tbsp Soy Sauce
* 1 tbsp stir fry sauce
* 1tsp crushed chilly sauce
* 1/4tsp garlic powder
* 1 tsp cornflour dissolved in 1/2 cup of water
* Oil to saute tofu and to stir fry the veg's
* Salt to taste

Preparation:
Cube pressed Tofu and marinate with salt, 1tsp each soy sauce & crushed chilly sauce for 5mts.
Heat oil in a pan and stir fry tofu for 3mts, remove from stove. In a wok, heat oil and stir fry the veg's.
Add salt, garlic powder & rest of the sauces and saute for 3mts.
Add tofu mix well and add dissolved cornflour and cook until the sauce thickens.

[Image and Recipe Copyright www.roshonline.com. No part of this recipe may be reproduced without my written permission. All rights reserved.]

Cooking Tip [External Link] :[Find out how to cook/press tofu]