Plain Kadhi

This is a typical Gujarati dish. Delicious even with plain rice.

Ingredients:

1) Yoghurt 250 ml.
2) Cumin (jeera) 1 tsp.
3) Vegetable oil 1 tbsp.
4) Few Curry leaves/Limda (optional)
5) 1/2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and pounded or grated (optional)
6) 1 Green chilly washed and slit lengthwise (optional)
7) salt to taste
8) 1 to 2 tbsp gram flour/besan
9) Chopped coriander 1 tbsp. (optional)
10) 300-400 ml. water

Method:
1) Blend the yoghurt,Water and gram flour with a hand mixer. (Alternatively, add half the water,blend with a whisk,add rest of
the water)
2) In a deep pan , add the oil on low heat.
3) Add cumin. Let it crackle or wait till it changes colour.
4) Add chilli and curry leaves.
5) Add the blended mix.
6) Increase the heat and keep stirring till it comes to a boil.
7) Add salt+ginger
8) Boil on lower heat for further 7 to 10 minutes.
9) Sprinkle coriander and serve.


Please refer to posts with variations.

Raita

Raita is one of the simplest accompaniments to prepare.

It can be served as a dip with chips, crackers or melba toasts.

For healthier option, it can also be served with assorted raw vegetables like carrots, cucumber, cauliflower,broccoli,celery sticks,radish


Ingredients:

1) Yoghurt 250 ml.
2) Cucumber 1/2 (washed,grated)
3) salt to taste
4) green chilly 1 ( washed and finely chopped)
5) Cumin powder or Sandwich masaala or Chaat masaala 1/2 tsp.
6) Coriander 1 tbsp. (rinsed and chopped finely) (optional)


Method:

1) In a bowl, whisk the yoghurt or beat it with a fork to make it smooth.
2) Add rest of the ingredients and mix well.
3) Keep refrigerated until serving.


Variations:

You can add :

Chopped tomatoes
Chopped radish
Instead of cucumber, add grated carrots
Instead of coriander, add finely chopped mint.

Corn Pulav

This is a very basic, all in one pan recipe. I hope the simplicity of this recipe will encourage my very busy University student friends and working youngsters to eat more at home .
By optional in most of my recipes, I mean to convey, if you have it, use it. If not, no need to go to especially buy it.Go right ahead and cook and omit what you don't have.

Serve with plain yoghurt,raita, kadhi,choley or rajma


Ingredients: Serves 2 (if its just pulao for a meal)

1) 1 tea cup Basmati rice = 1/2 mug
2) 1 can or eqivalent amount frozen corn
3) 1 tsp Cumin seeds (jeeru)
4) 1/2 tsp. Turmeric powder (haldi)
5) 1/2 tsp. red chilli powder
6) salt to taste
7) 2 tea cups boiling water ( double the amount of rice)
8) 2 tbsp. Vegetable oil
9) 1 or 2 slit green chilli (optional)
10) 1/2 tea cup washed chopped kothmir(optional)
11) Few Curry leaves/ limda/ kadhi patta (optional)
12) Few cloves chopped garlic(optional)



optional:
1 chopped onion
1 chopped tomato
few cubes frozen spinach (no need to thaw. Just rinse to wash off ice crystals) (then u can omit kothmir)

Method:


Wash rice few times with cold water. Soak in water.
In a pan , add 2-3 tbsp oil
Add jeera.wait till it crackles or changes colour.
Add chopped onion. fry for 1-2 minues
Add garlic.stir.
Add limda+green chillies. stir for few seconds.
Add haldi. stir.
Drain off water from the rice in a seive.
Add rice to the pan. stir. let it fry for a minute or two
Add salt+chilli powder+ tomatoes+spinach. stir.
Add water.

Add corn. stir.

Bring it to a boil.

Cover with a lid and simmer till rice is cooked. (about 15-20 mins. or till water is absorbed.

Switch off the heat and let it sit covered for 10 minutes before serving.

Sambhar Simplified with yellow mung dal

Traditional Sambhar is prepared with Tuvar dal which takes much longer to cook than Mung dal.
Mung dal can be cooked in a pan, avoiding the much dreaded pressure cooker generally used by moms in an Indian kitchen!


Ingredients: (2-3 servings)

1/2 cup (yellow) mung dal ( Best is to first soak the dal and while you are doing the rest,it has time to soak
or,wash+soak in the morning before leaving for work.)
2 medium tomatoes (chopped)
mustard seeds (rai) 1 tsp
haldi 1/2 tsp
hing a pinch
Limda (few - if you have, rinsed)
sambhar powder 2-3 tsp ( more if you want spicier)
oil 2 Tbsp.
salt to taste
lemon juice
kothmir (optional) washed and chopped



In a large pan, add oil.
Medium heat
Add mustard,limda (do vaghar)
add onions
stir till it softens
add hing,haldi and sambhar powder
stir
add tomatoes,stir, cover and cook till softened
add the dal
add 2-3 cups boiling water
cook until dal softens(gets cooked)

Add salt to taste
add lemon juice to taste

sprinkle kothmir