Brinjal in Coconut Milk Masala

Ingredients:
Brinjal - 400 gm
Onions - 3 (sliced)
Tomato - 2 (small-chopped)
Coconut - 1 tsp. (grated)
Coconut milk - 1 cup
Fennel seeds - 1 tsp.
Poppy seeds - 1 tsp.
Coriander seeds - 2 tsp.
Bengal gram - 1 tsp.
Byadgi chillies - 5 to 6
Garlic - 6
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp.
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp.
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
Salt (to taste)
Oil
Curry leaves - 10
Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp. (chopped)

Method:
Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard and cumin seeds.
Allow mustard seeds to crackle. Add onions and saute till they change color.
Add tomatoes and saute till they become mushy.
Add chopped brinjals and saute for 5 minutes.
Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt. Mix well.
Add 2 to 3 cups of water and allow it to boil in medium flame.
Meanwhile dry roast the poppy seeds.
Heat oil and fry coriander seeds, grated coconut, garlic, bengal gram till golden color each separately.
Fry the byadgi chillies also.
Turn them into paste with fennel seeds.
When the brinjals are tender, add this paste and 1 cup of water. Stir.
Bring it to a boil and reduce the heat and cook for 4-5 minutes. Check for salt.
Add the coconut milk immediately remove from heat.
Add coriander leaves and curry leaves.
Serve with rice, roti and dosai.

Sent off to "Healing Foods-Onions" (hosted by Priya and started by Siri).

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Avocado Smoothie

Ingredients:
Avocado - 1
Litchi juice - 1/2 cup
Plain yogurt - 1/2 cup
Honey - 1 tbsp.
Sugar - 3 tsp.
Ice cubes - 4

Method:
Scoop out the flesh of the avocado and add in a blender.
Combine all the other ingredients in the blender and of course you what to do with a blender.
After blending, pour the smoothie in a glass and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Serve chilled and enjoy.

Sent off to Divya's "Show Me Your Smoothie" event.

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Pasta Salad

Ingredients:
Fusilli Pasta - 2 cups (tri-color)
Farfalle pasta - 2 cups
Red capsicum - 1 (cubed)
Yellow capsicum - 1 (cubed)
Cucumber (big) - 1 (peeled and chopped)
Carrots - 2 (grated)
Olive oil
Basil (dry)
Oregano (dry)
Thyme (dry)
Dry red chilli flakes
Salt (to taste)
Lemon juice - few drops
Tomato sauce - 2 tsp.
Scallions - 2 (chopped)
Lettuce (to garnish)

Method:
Cook pasta as per instructions.
In a mixing bowl, add cooked pasta, cubed capsicums, scallions, cucumber and carrot
Sprinkle dry basil, oregano, thyme and red chilli flakes and mix well.
Add a few drops of olive oil, tomato sauce, salt and lemon juice. Toss well.
Garnish with lettuce and serve immediately.

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Chana Masala-My Own Version

Ingredients:
Chana (boiled) - 1 cup
Onions (sliced) - 4
Fresh grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Garlic cloves - 5
Byadgi chillies - 2
Coriander leaves - a small bunch
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp.
Coriander powder - 2 tsp.
Turmeric powder -1/4 tsp.
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
Oil
Salt
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp.
Tomato puree - 1/2 cup

Method:
Fry onions, coconut (both till golden color) and byadgi chilli separately.
Grind onions, chillies, coconut, garlic and coriander leaves into paste with little water.
Heat oil and add cumin seeds.
Add the paste and saute for a few minutes.
Add tomato puree and saute till oil separates.
Add cumin, red chillies, coriander, turmeric powder and salt and saute.
Add chickpeas and water. Stir.
Allow to cook for few minutes till the gravy thickens.
Enjoy with roti, puri or whatever the main course is.

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Wheat-Rava and Sprouted Green Gram Pongal

Ingredients:
Wheat-rava - 1 1/2 cup
Sprouted green grams - 1 cup
Ginger - 1 inch (chopped)
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
Peppercorn - 1/2 tsp.
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Cashewnuts - 5-6
Asafetida - a pinch
Ghee - 2 tsp.
Salt
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.

Method:
Dry roast the wheat-rava for 5 minutes in low flame.
Pressure cook the wheat-rava and sprouted green grams with 3 1/2 cups of water, required salt and turmeric powder.
Meanwhile fry the cashews in 1/2 tsp. of ghee. Keep it aside.
In a small pan, add ghee.
To the ghee, add coarsely powdered pepper-cumin, ginger, curry leaves and asafetida.
Saute for 30 seconds and add it to the pongal with cashewnuts. Mix well.
Serve hot (or warm) with favorite chutney.

Note:
Don't serve it cold.

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Curd Curry

Ingredients:
Curd - 2 cups
Onions - 2 (sliced)
Garlic - 2 cloves (big)
Green chilies - 3 (slit lengthily with the base intact)
Ground coriander - 2 tsp.
Whole dry red chilies - 3
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
Salt (to taste)
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Oil
Coriander leaves - 2 tbsp. (chopped)
Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp.


Method:
Add turmeric powder and a little amount of water to the curd.
Beat the curd till it becomes smooth.
Keep it aside.
Heat oil in a kadai and add the cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds.
Add onions and saute till it changes color.
Add garlic and green and red chilies and saute for 2 minutes.
Add ground coriander and saute for a minute.
Remove from heat and add the mixture to the curd.
Mix the curd in a new vessel in simmer mode for 2 minutes (don't let it boil).
Remove from heat and mix in salt and coriander leaves.
Serve with hot rice!

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