Bendakaya or Okra Tomato Capsicum onion curry

Ingredients:
Bendakaya/ Bhindi /Okra ¼ kg or ½ pound

Tomato 2

Onion 1 big sized

Red / Green capsicum 1

Garlic cloves 3

Chana dal or Senaga pappu 1 teaspoon

Urad dal or Menapa pappu 1 teaspoon

Mustard seeds 1 teaspoon

Jeera 1 teaspoon

Curry leaves 1 string

Hing 2 pinches

Turmeric powder 1 pinch

Red chillies 2

Red chilli powder 1 teaspoon

(adjust accordingly)

Coriander powder 1 teaspoon

Oil 2 teaspoons

Salt as needed

Preparation:

1. Cut onion, tomatoes, capsicum, garlic into pieces. Slit okra or bhindi in length wise pieces.

2. Heat a deep pan or skillet add oil after oil is heated add mustard seeds, chana dal, urad dal, jeera, curry leaves, hing, red chillies cut into three pieces.  

3. Add the slit bendakaya pieces and mix for 2 minutes.

4. Add onion pieces and garlic pieces and mix well and when the onions become translucent.

5. Add capsicum pieces and mix well.

6. Add tomatoes and mix well. Cover it and cook for 5 to 10 minutes.

7. When the vegetables become tender add coriander powder, turmeric powder and salt and mix well.

8. Cook for 5 minutes and red chilli powder and switch off the stove.  Can serve the curry with roti or rice.

Kandha Bachali Kura or Suran Malbar Spinach curry

This is Andhra Special curry which is made in functions and marriges ... Kanda Bachali is a traditional curry. It tastes very yummy. In US we get big bachali  leaves. Bachali or Malbar Spinach is used for making dal and chutney too ....

Ingredients:

Kanda or Suran ½ kg or 1 pound

Bachali Kura or Malbar Spinach leaves 1 big bunch

Green chilies 2

Ginger 1 inch piece

Tamarind pulp 2 inch by 4 inch piece or Lemon sized

Chana dal or Senaga pappu 2 teaspoons

Urad dal or Menapappu 2 teaspoons

Mustard seeds or Avalu 1 teaspoon

Jeera 1 teaspoon

Curry leaves 1 string

Red chillies 3
Hing 2 pinches
Tumeric powder 2 pinches

Mustard powder 1 teaspoon
Oil 1 tablespoon or 3 teaspoons

Salt as needed

Preparation: 

1. I used frozen kanda to make this curry as we don’t get kanda in our place. In freezer section it is called suran. Wash the kanda and peel the skin and cut them into cube shaped pieces. Chop Bachali kura into small pieces.

2. Cook Kanda and Bachali kura in pressure cooker or pan.

3. Soak tamarind in hot water and make a fine paste.  Keep it asides. Grind ginger and  green chillies into paste.

 4. Heat a deep pan or skillet after oil is heated add mustard seeds, chana dal, urad dal, jeera, curry leaves, red chillies and hing.

5. When the mustard seeds start to splutter and dals change color add the tamarind pulp and mix well.

6. Add the cooked kanda and bachali kura. Mix well. Add salt and tumeric powder and mix well.

7. Add green chilli and ginger paste and mix well add mustard powder. Mix well. When the curry comes to close consistency. Switch off the stove.

Paneer Butter masala

Ingredients:

Paneer 3inch by 4 inch rectangular piece

Onion 1 big sized

Tomato 2

Ginger ½ inch piece

Ginger 3 to 4 cloves
Garam masala powder 1 teaspoon

Kasuri methi 1 teaspoon

Butter 2 table spoons

Oil 1 tablespoon

Cashew nuts handful about 2 to 3 tablespoons

Turmeric powder ¼ pinches

Red chilli powder 1 teaspoon

(adjust accordingly)

Salt as needed

Preparation:

1. Cut panner into even sized cubes. Heat a pan add oil after oil is heated add the panner pieces and fry till they turn light brown in color. Keep them aside.

2. Soak cashews in hot water for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes grind it into a smooth paste.

3. Make a paste of ginger and garlic.

4. Cut tomatoes and onion into pieces. Heat the same pan add oil saute the pieces till they become tender. Grind them a coarse puree.

6.   Heat a pan add butter after it is melted.  (I have added ½ oil and ½ butter since I didn’t want too use much butter)  Add jeera when the jeera slightly changes color. Add ginger garlic paste and saute well.
 

7. After 2 minutes add the tomato onion puree and mix well.

8. After 5 minutes add garam masala powder, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt and mix well.

9. Add kasturi methi and mix well.

10. After 5 minutes add the paneer pieces and mix well.

11. Add cashew paste and mix well. Cook for 10 minutes.

12. Add 1 teaspoon butter and garnish with coriander leaves.

Cranberries Chutney

Ingredients:

Cranberries 1 big cup

Chana dal or Senaga papu 2 teaspoons

Urad dal or Menapa papu 2 teaspoonsMustard seeds 1 teaspoonJeera or Cumin ½ teaspoon
Red chilies 5
(Adjust accordingly)
Tumeric powder 1 pinch
Ginger 1 inch piece
Green chili 2 (Adjust accordingly)
Hing 2 pinches

Oil 2 teaspoons

Salt as needed

For Tadka: (optional)

Urad dal 1 teaspoon

Mustard seeds 1/2 teaspoon

Garlic 3 pods (optional)

Curry leaves 1 bunch

Red chilli 2

Oil 2 teaspoon

Preparation:

1. Wash cranberries, cut green chilies and ginger into pieces.

2. Heat a pan and add 2 teaspoons of oil after is heated add chana dal, urad dal, jeera, mustard seeds,hing and red chillies until the urad and chana dal turn their color and mustard seed splutter.

3. In a mixie or grinder grind the tadka. Add the canberries, green chilies, ginger and salt adding little water.

4. Transfer them into a bowl.

Tadka:

1. Heat a pan and add 2 teaspoons of oil and add mustard seeds, urad dal, garlic pieces, red chillies and curry leaves.

2. Garnish the chutney with the above tadka.

Raw banana or Aartikaya or Vazhaikai or Vazhakka or Upma curry

Ingredients:

Raw bananas 3

Onion 1 chopped into small pieces

Mustard seeds 1 teaspoon

Urad dal 1 teaspoon

Chana dal 1 teaspoon

Jeera ½ teaspoon

Tumeric powder 1 pinch

Coriander powder  ½ teaspoon

Ginger 1 cm piece paste (optional)

Oil 3 teaspoons or 1 tablespoon

Curry leaves 1 string

Red chilies 2 (broken into 2 to 3 pieces)

Red chilli powder ½ teaspoon

or

Green chillies 2 (make a paste of it)

(adjust accordingly)

Salt as needed

Preparation:

1. Cook raw bananas in cooker or in a pan along with the skin.

2. After they are cooked renove the skin and mash them.

3. Heat a pan add oil to it after oil is heated add mustard seeds, chana dal, urad dal, jeera, red chilies d and curry leaves. When the mustard seeds  start to splutter and dals change color add the onion pieces.

4. When the onion pieces become transulcent add the mashed raw banana.

5. Saute well and  tumeric powder and salt, cook for 10 minutes.

6. Add red chili powder mix well and switch off the stove.