Tomato Gojju/ Tomato Curry

Very very simple yet most satisfying dish and goes very well with hot rice, dosa and even with chapati's.

Ingredients:
• 2-3 Tomatoes
• 2 Green chilies
• 4-6 Curry leaves
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp Asafetida/Hing
• 1 tbsp Red Chilli Powder
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/3 Cup Tamarind/ Imli/Puli juice
• Salt to taste
• Coriander for Garnishing

For Seasoning:
• 1 tbsp Oil
• 1/4 tsp Mustard seeds
• 1/4 tsp Udrud Dal /White Lentils ( (grown in Indian subcontinent- Available in Indian Store)

• 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds (optional)

Time Required: 15 mins

Method:
1. Wash and chop the tomatoes in to small pieces
2. Heat oil in a pan, add seeds, and allow them to splutter
3. Add curry leaves stir fry for 1 minute
4. Add chopped tomatoes, green chilies & cover,simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Add salt, turmeric powder/ Haldi, red chili powder, Asafetida/Hing, tamarind juice and sugar mix nicely
6. Return to low flame stir gently every now and then and cook till everything is tender
7. Serve hot with rice

Note: You can use jaggery instead of sugar (Jaggery is a sweetener made from sugar cane juice - available in Indian Store)

[Continue reading...]

Bitter Gourd / Karela / Pavakka Sabji

Many people strike off this vegetable because of its natural bitterness in taste. To remove the bitterness we can soak the chopped bitter gourd pieces in a pinch of turmeric powder mix of water and rinse it thoroughly and cook with onion tomato gravy in a tangy curry method. But this dry sabji does not require any procedure, it’s very simple yet bitter free. Enjoy the crispy sabji with curd rice.

Check here for Pavakka Puli Kuzhambu.

 Ingredients:

• Bitter Gourd - 2 nos.
• Turmeric Powder  - 1 tsp.
• Red Chili Powder - 3 tsp.
• Hing/asafoetida - 1/4 tsp.
• Garam Masala or Rasam Powder - 1.5 tsp. (Mixture of many Indian Spices - available in Indian Store)
• Salt to taste
• Oil

For Seasoning:

• Mustard Seeds - 1tsp.
• Urud Dal / White lentils - 2 tsp.(grown in Indian subcontinent- Available in Indian Store)
• Cumin Seeds/ Jeera - 1 tsp. (optional)
• Curry leaves Few

 Method:

1. Wash and chop the bitter gourd like round pieces
2. Heat oil in a pan, add seeds, and allow to splutter
3. Add curry leaves stir fry for 1 minute
4. Add chopped bitter gourd & cover, simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Add salt, turmeric powder/ Haldi, chili powder and garam masala ( I have used homemade rasam powder instead of garam masala it tastes awesome) mix nicely until all the pieces are coated with masala
6. Return to low flame stir gently every now and then and cook till everything is tender and crispy
7. Serve with curd rice

[Continue reading...]