Vendakkai Kuzhambu/ Okra in Tamarind Sauce

Ingredients:
Vendakkai/Lady's Fingers/Okra - 250 gm
Onions - 2 (Sliced)
Tamarind - Lemon size
Salt (to taste)
Sesame oil
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.

To fry and powder:
Fenugreek Seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp.
Bengal gram - 1 tsp.
Coconut flakes - 1 tbsp.
Byadgi chillies - 6

To Temper:
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp.
Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp.
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs

Method:
Soak tamarind in 1 cup of water and extract the pulp.
Add 2 to 3 cups (or required water) of water to the extract and keep aside.
Wash the okras and pat dry.
Cut the okras into 1 inch size.
Heat oil and add onions.
Saute till translucent.
Add okra pieces and saute for few minutes.
Add tamarind water, turmeric powder and salt.
Cook the okra till tender and add the powder.
Stir for 2 to 4 minutes.
Keep aside.
Temper the given ingredients and add it to the kuzhambu.
Serve with white rice and appalam.

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Javvarisi Payasam

Ingredients:
Sago/javvarisi/sabudana - 1/2 cup
Sugar - 1/2 cup
Coconut milk (thick-first milk) - 1/2 cup
Coconut milk (thin-second milk) - 2 cups
Fried Cashewnuts - few
Cardamom pods - 3 (crushed)
Cooking camphor - teeny weeny bit
Saffron - few strands
Fried Raisins - few

Method:
Soak 1/2 cup of sago in 2 cups of thin coconut milk for 3-4 hours.
After 4 hours, add little water to the sago and cook along with coconut milk till tender by stirring constantly in low flame.
Meanwhile in warm water dissolve sugar. Add it to the sago and stir for 3 to 4 minutes.
Now add the crushed cardamom and stir.
Add the thick coconut milk, stir and immediately remove from heat.
Mix saffron and cooking camphor in 1 tbsp. of warm milk and add to the payasam.
Finally add the fried cashews and raisins.
Serve warm or chill.

Note:
I didn't add saffron, raisins and cooking camphor. All were out of stock! Heh! Heh! Heh!

Sent off to "CWS-Sago Seeds" (hosted by Niloufer and started by Priya).

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Jamun

Jamun tree is commonly found in New Delhi and surrounding areas. This tree is in Noida. There are no fruits in it. Bought the Jamun fruits from a vendor near the tree.
I also saw one in Miami. Jamun Tree in front of this Burger King.

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Prawn Curry

Ingredients:
Prawn (peeled and de-veined) - 450 gm
Onion - 4 (chopped)
Ginger-garlic paste - 2 tsp.
Tomatoes - 2 (chopped)
Coconut milk - 1 cup
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp.
Coriander powder - 2 tsp.
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp.
Pepper powder - 1/4 tsp.
Turmeric powder- a pinch
Salt (to taste)
Oil
Curry leaves - few

Method:
Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds, ginger-garlic paste. Saute till raw smell fades away.
Add prawns, salt, red chilli powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder.
Saute till the prawns become pink and tender. Keep aside.
In another pan heat the oil and add the onions.
Saute till translucent and add tomatoes and saute till mushy.
Add the cooked prawns, cumin powder, pepper powder and saute for a minute.
Now add the coconut milk and bring it to a boil.Check for salt.  After 2 to 3 minutes, remove from heat.

Serve with white rice.

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Peas Peel and Potato Masala Fry

Ingredients:
Pea pods - 12 (fresh and tender)
Onion - 1 (sliced)
Potatoes - 2
Ginger (julienne) - 1 tsp.
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp.
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp.
Cumin powder - 1/4 tsp.
Dry mango powder - 1/4 tsp.
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp.
Garam masala - 1/4 tsp.
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Salt to taste
Oil
Coriander leaves (chopped)

Method:
Segregate the peas and the peel. Cut the edges of peel and remove the fiber. Chop the peel.
Peel and cube the potatoes (you can also wash the potatoes very well and cube the potatoes with skin).
Heat oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds.
When cumin seeds sizzle, add the onion slices and saute till they turn translucent.
Add the ginger and saute for a few seconds.
Add the chopped peel, peas, potato cubes, all powders and salt.
Saute in lower flame.
Pour enough water and cover and cook in medium flame.
When the veggies are tender and dry, add the garam masala and coriander leaves.
Serve as a side dish with puri or chapati.

Sent off to Nithu's "Best Out of Waste" event.

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Capsicum Corn Masala

Ingredients:
Corn - 3/4 cup (boiled)
Capsicum (small) - 4 (chopped)
Onions - 2 (sliced)
Ginger - 0.5 inches (chopped)
Garlic (peeled) - 2 cloves (chopped)
Tomato puree - from 3 tomatoes
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp.
Coriander powder - 1 tsp.
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp.
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp.
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp.
Cashew nut paste - 1 tbsp.
Oil
Salt (to taste)

Method:
Blend onion, ginger and garlic into paste.
Heat oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds.
When cumin seeds starts to sizzle add the onion, ginger-garlic paste and saute till the raw smell goes off. Stir in the tomato puree and saute till the oil releases.
Now add the powders, salt and saute for a minute in simmer mode.
Add the chopped capsicum and if required add 1/2 cup of water.
Cover and cook till the capsicum is half done (I prefer this way of cooking capsicum) in medium lower flame.
Add the boiled corn and let it cook for another 2 minutes.
Add the cashew nut paste, garam masala and cook for 3-4 minutes.
Remove from heat and serve with rotis.

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