Soya Matar Paneer

 

           Protein rich, healthy and delicious, this Soya Matar Paneer Curry makes for a perfect side dish with either chapattis, jeera rice, steamed rice, plain biryani, pulao or any Indian flat bread. 

           Soya Chunks is a great substitute to meat and tastes just as yummy as any mutton curry. Make them more appetizing by adding some green peas and paneer. Any way it is prepared, tastes just yummy. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare my version of this amazing curry.  

• 1/2 cup soya chunks, soaked in lukewarm water for 10-15 minutes
• 100 gms. paneer cubes
• 1/3 cup green peas (I used frozen peas)
• 2-3 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 dry red chilies
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tomato, chopped
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. coriander-cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 3 tbsp. yoghurt
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

           Squeeze out the water from the soaked soya nuggets and keep aside. 

          Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan and sauté the paneer cubes till light golden color. Soak them in lukewarm water for 5 minutes. Squeeze them and keep aside.

           Heat remaining oil and temper with dry red chilies, cumin seeds and bay leaves. Sauté for a few seconds.

           Add the onion and fry till light brown. Add the ginger-garlic paste and all the dry spices mixed with 1/4 cup water. Sauté till the oil separates.

           Now add the tomatoes and cook till it is mashed. Then add the yoghurt and sauté till it is mixed with the gravy. 

           Drop in the drained soya nuggets, green peas and salt. Mix well. 

           Add 1 cup water and simmer, covered, till the gravy is slightly thick. 

           Now add the fried paneer and simmer for a minute. Garnish with coriander leaves. 

          Serve as a side dish with steamed rice, jeera rice, naan, tandoori roti, paratha or chapatis. 

    Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan & sauté the paneer cubes till light golden color. 

   Soak them in lukewarm water for 5 minutes. Squeeze them & keep aside.

Heat remaining oil & temper with dry red chilies, cumin seeds & bay leaves. Sauté for a few seconds.

                   Add the onion and fry till light brown. 

Add the ginger-garlic paste & all the dry spices (except salt) mixed with 1/4 cup water. Sauté till the oil separates.

                   Now add the tomatoes and cook till it is mashed. 

             Then add the yoghurt & sauté till it is mixed with the gravy. 

                Drop in the drained soya nuggets, green peas & salt. Mix well. 

          Add 1 cup water & simmer, covered, till the gravy is slightly thick. 

                 Now add the fried paneer & simmer for a minute.

                         Garnish with coriander leaves. 

Serve as a side dish with steamed rice, jeera rice, naan, tandoori roti, paratha or chapatis. 

Chamagadda Pulusu (Colocasia / Arvi Curry / Taro Root - Andhra / Telangana Cuisine)

 

          Chamagadda Pulusu is an authentic and a very popular Andhra / Telangana recipe of Colocasia / Taro Root cooked in a spicy and tangy gravy. This classic regional dish is worth a try and it makes for a perfect side dish. You can adjust the chilies and the tamarind according to your preference. A little bit of jaggery is sometimes added to balance the taste. However, I skipped it.

          This dish is simply divine and so comforting. It is a very simple recipe, but tastes yummy and goes well with rice and some ghee drizzled on the top for a nice comfort meal. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this regional delicacy.

• 500 gms. Colocasia / Arbi
• 2-3 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds 
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp. fenugreek seeds
• 1 tsp. urad dal
• 1 tbsp. chana dal
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3-4 garlic cloves, sliced
• 2-3 green chilies, slit
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1 tsp. salt or to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. roasted coriander powder
• 1 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1 tsp. tamarind paste mixed with 1/2 cup water
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Pressure cook the Colocasia in enough water for 2 whistles. When it is cool enough to handle, peel and cut into cubes. Keep aside. 

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, urad dal and chana dal. Sauté till it stops spluttering.

         Now add the onion, garlic, green chilies and curry leaves. Sauté till light brown. 

         Add the chopped tomato and all the dry spices (except salt). Mix well and stir fry for a minute.

         Then add the tamarind water, followed by the boiled arvi and salt. Combine everything well. 

          Add 1 cup water and simmer on a low flame for 4-5 minutes or till the gravy thickens. 

          Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve with steamed rice with a drizzle of some ghee.

Pressure cook the Colocasia in enough water for 2 whistles. When it is cool enough to handle, peel & cut into cubes. Keep aside. 

Heat oil in a pan & temper with mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, urad dal and chana dal. Sauté till it stops spluttering.

Now add the onion, garlic, green chilies & curry leaves. Sauté till light brown. 

Add the chopped tomato & all the dry spices (except salt). Mix well & stir fry for a minute.

                 Then add the tamarind water, 

              followed by the boiled arvi  salt. Combine everything well. 

Add 1 cup water & simmer on a low flame for 4-5 minutes or till the gravy thickens. 

                    Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

                 Serve with steamed rice with a drizzle of some ghee.

Squasher Korai Bhapa (Chow Chow Karahi Dum - Bong style)

 

          Squash is nothing but Chow-Chow cooked in a Bengali style. This is my version of a simple everyday recipe prepared in dum style. It is called Korai bhapa as it is steam cooked in a karahi / pan with all the ingredients, mustard oil and spices added to the sliced chow chow. So the process is extremely simple. You can enjoy with steamed rice or chapatti / paratha. This humble veggie is generally considered good for the stomach as it has a cooling effect. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare  Squasher Korai Bhapa.

          Chow-Chow or squash is a form of gourd, which is not a very common vegetable. Nevertheless, when cooked, tastes very delicious. Here I prepared it in a Bengali style ina veg. form. For a non-veg. version, prawns or shrimps can be added.

• 2 medium squash, (Chow Chow), peeled & sliced
• 2 tbsp. + 1 tsp. mustard oil
• 1/2 tsp. nigella seeds
• 1 onion, sliced
• 4-5 garlic cloves, sliced
• 2-3 green chilies, chopped
• 1 tsp. salt or to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• handful of coriander leaves, chopped

         In a bowl, add the sliced squash, sliced onion, green chilies, garlic, salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder and 2 tbsp. mustard oil. Mix well and marinate for 5 minutes.

         Heat 1 tsp. oil in a pan and temper with nigella seeds. Sauté for a few seconds. 

         Add the marinated squash. Cover and cook on a low flame till done. Sprinkle 1 tbsp. of water if needed and stir at intervals, so that it does not stick at the bottom. 

          When the veggie turns soft and the moisture has evaporated, add the chopped coriander leaves. Give it a gentle mix and serve with steamed rice or chapattis. 

Heat 1 tsp. oil in a pan & temper with nigella seeds. Sauté for a few seconds. 

Add the marinated squash. Cover and cook on a low flame till done. Sprinkle 1 tbsp. of water if needed and stir at intervals, so that it does not stick at the bottom. 

          When the veggie turns soft and the moisture has evaporated, 

                 .....add the chopped coriander leaves. Give it a gentle mix.

                      Serve with steamed rice or chapattis. 

Arbi Stir Fry (Colocasia Stir Fry)

 

            Arbi Stir Fry is a quick and a simple stir fry to go as a side dish along with your rice or chapattis. It is a dry version which is both spicy and tangy due to the presence of red chili powder and lime juice. The spice level can be adjusted according to your preference. This yummy stir fry is absolutely a hit with curd-rice or sambar rice. 

          

          It takes a matter of a few minutes to dish out this delicacy if the arbi is already boiled and refrigerated to save time. Please note - there is no onion, garlic or ginger, so it is a perfect dish to be had during fasting, though ginger can be included if preferred. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this amazing dish.

• 12-15 arbi (colocasia)
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1/4 tsp. salt or to taste
• 1/2 tsp. Kashmiri red chili powder
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 2-3 green chilies
• 1 tsp. lime juice
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

            Pressure cook the arbi in required quantity of water along with 1 tsp. salt for 1 whistle. 

            When cool, drain them and peel off the skin. Then press each of them with a potato masher.

            Heat oil in a pan and sauté the arbi along with salt and Kashmiri red chili powder till light golden on both sides. Transfer to a serving dish.

            In the remaining oil, sauté the curry leaves and green chilies for a few seconds and add them to the fried arbi. 

            Then add the lime juice and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. 

            Serve as a side dish with either curd rice, sambar rice or dal-chawal. You can also enjoy as an appetizer with green chutney or tomato ketchup.

Pressure cook the arbi in required quantity of water along with 1 tsp. salt for 1 whistle. When cool, drain them & peel off the skin. Then press each of them with a potato masher.

Heat oil in a pan & sauté the arbi along with salt & Kashmiri red chili powder till light golden on both sides. Transfer to a serving dish.

In the remaining oil, sauté the curry leaves & green chilies for a few seconds. 

Add them to the fried arbi. Then add the lime juice and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. 

Serve as a side dish with either curd rice, sambar rice or dal-chawal. You can also enjoy as an appetizer with green chutney or tomato ketchup.