Methi Potato Fry

Ingredients:

Potato (boiled) - 1 1/2 cup (cut in to cubes)

Kasuri methi or methi chopped - 1 cup

Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Asafoetida powder - 1 pinch

Fennel seed powder - 1/2 tsp

Sugar - 1/4 tsp

Lime juice - 2 tbsp

Salt - to taste

Oil - 2 tbsp

Cumin seed - 1/4 tsp

Method:

Heat oil in a Pan and add cumin seeds, when it starts spluttering, add asafoetida powder along with boiled potato cubes.

Next add turmeric powder, chilly powder and coriander powder. Mix well.

Add kasuri methi and keep close it with a lid for 2 minutes. Sprinkle sugar and serve hot.

Chettinadu Banana Varuval

Ingredients:

2 – raw banana
1/4 tsp – turmeric powder
salt – as required
1 tsp – chilli powder
oil – for frying
1/4 tsp – aniseed
3 flakes – garic crushed

Method:

Peel outer skin and cut the banana into four lengthwise and then cut into thin slices.Mix salt, turmeric, chilli powder with the pieces and marinate for 1 hour.Heat oil in a frying pan, add aniseed, crushed garlic and then banana pieces.Fry in medium flame till banana becomes golden brown.

Vegetable Chettinadu

Ingredients:

potatoes - 3

onions - 3

brinjal(medium sized) - 2

pepper corns - 1tsp

cumin seeds - 1tsp

saunf - 1tsp

oil - 1tbsp

turmeric powder - 1/4tsp

red chilli powder - 1/4tsp

salt to taste

Method:

Cut the three vegetables in finger-thick cubes.
In a pan heat the oil and put the poatatoes.
When they are 1/3rd fried put the brinjals and the onions and roast till they are nicely done and slightly brown.
Add turmeric and chilli powder.Grind the other masala ingredients together.
When the vegetable is nicely done,put in the ground masala,mix well and remove from fire.Add salt to taste.
Serve it with sambar rice or any rice as side dish.

Hot Mushroom Chettinadu

Ingredients :

3 cups mixed wild mushrooms (I used baby bella mushrooms), cleaned and quartered
1/2 tsp tamarind paste
salt to taste
cilantro, minced, for garnish
For tempering
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
5-6 fresh curry leaves
For spice mixture
1 tbsp split yellow peas (chana dal)
5-6 black peppercorns
2 dried red chillies

Method :

Roast all the ingredients for the spice mixture. Cool and grind in a spice/coffee grinder to a fine powder. Set aside.
Heat oil in a skillet. Add the mustard seeds and curry leaves and stir around for a few seconds till the seeds pop.
Saute the mushrooms in the tempered oil. Season with salt.
When the mushrooms start sweating, add the spice mixture and saute for a couple of minutes on low-medium heat.
Add the tamarind paste (and a few tablespoons of water if the mixture starts sticking to the pan). Stir for a minute.
Garnish with cilantro.

Pavakka Fry

Ingredients:

1 medium sized bitter gourd (bitter melon)
2 green chilies thinly sliced
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
3/4 tsp red chilli powder
Salt to taste
1/2 cup thinly sliced coconut pieces (available frozen in most Indian grocery stores)
a few curry leaves
1 cup thinly sliced onions
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
2 tbsp oil

Method:

Cut the bitter gourd into half length wise. Slice along the width of the pieces as thin as you can get.
Place the bitter gourd , coconut slices, curry leaves and the sliced green chilies in a bowl, add the turmeric and chilli powders and salt and mix well. Keep the mixture aside for about 15 minutes.
In a shallow frying pan, heat 1 tbsp oil and add the onions. Fry till the onions turn brown. Remove the onions from the pan and keep aside.
In the same pan, add 1 tbsp oil. When the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds and let these splutter. Add the marinated bitter gourd mixture and stir well.
Reduce the heat, and cover the pan with a tight fitting lid. Cook for about 5 minutes covered.
Remove the lid, turn up the heat, add the fried onions and mix well. Stir fry on high heat till the mixture is well browned.
The spicy bitter gourd stir fry goes best with rice and a light gravy. I love it the best with rice and plain yogurt.
I actually made a pan full of this today. Siv is out of town, and I am planning to have this and yogurt with rice till he gets back on Tuesday night. I have been kind of sick for a couple of days, still am, so I am in no mood to cook any fancy meals. This is my comfort food, I have no problems eating the same food for three days.