Broccoli Stir Fry (South Indian flavour)

 

           Broccoli is considered healthy with the benefits of fibre, iron, vitamins and calcium. So if your are bored with the usual Broccoli soup or salad? Then try this simple stir fry dish with a South Indian flavour. It is a dry preparation which can be served as a side dish with chapati / paratha or sambar rice / curd rice / dal-chawal for a great comfort meal. 

• 1 medium size Broccoli florets
• 1 onion, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 tsp. urad dal (split black gram)
• few curry leaves
• pinch of asafoetida
• 1 tsp. sambar powder
• 2 tbsp. oil
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. chili flakes

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds, asafoetida, urad dal and curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds. 

  

          After it stops spluttering, add the chopped garlic and stir fry till it turns pink. Then add the onion and fry till light brown. 

          Now add the chopped tomatoes and continue to sauté till well mashed up and the oil separates. 

          Add the broccoli florets, salt, turmeric powder, sambar powder and chili flakes. Cover and cook on a low flame till it is done. It should be al dente. 

          Serve as a side dish with chapati / paratha or sambar rice / curd rice / dal-chawal for a great comfort meal. 

Tawa Idli Fry

 

           Tawa idli is a popular Indian street food, found especially in Hyderabad and Mumbai. So dish out this amazing dish with some leftover or fresh idlis. It is typically cooked on a tawa, hence the name. 

          Basic ingredients like butter, onion, green chilies and curry leaves are needed. However, the star ingredients are the idli podi and the butter that adds a distinct flavour to this dish and takes it to the next level. I added some curry leaf powder. However, you can use any idli podi of your choice. 

          It is a very quick and a simple snack item to satiate your hunger pangs. It can also be enjoyed as a tea time snack, for breakfast with coconut chutney, for a weekend menu or packed for a lunch box meal / picnic meal. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 4-5 leftover idlis
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic, chopped (opt)
• 2 green chilies
• 1 sprig curry leaves. chopped
• pinch of salt (opt)
• 2 tbsp. idli podi
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Heat butter on a tawa and sauté the onion, green chilies, curry leaves, garlic and a pinch of salt till light brown. 

          Now add the idli podi (I used curry leaves podi) and mix well. Place the idlis over it and then flip it over so that the idlis are well coated with the masala.

          Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and enjoy as a tea time snack, for breakfast with coconut chutney or pack for a lunch box meal / picnic meal.

                                   Heat butter on a tawa.

 

                Add onion, green chilies, curry leaves, garlic & pinch of salt. Fry till light brown. 

                                  Add the idli podi and mix well. 

                                  Place the idlis over it.

                                Flip it over so that the idlis are well coated with the masala.

                                  Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

                       Enjoy as a tea time snack, for breakfast with coconut chutney or pack for

                       a lunch box meal / picnic meal.

Tilapia Fish Fry

 

             All the Fish lovers, try out this easy and a yummy Pan fried Tilapia Fish. The marination is quite simple with all easily available ingredients. You can relish it as an appetizer, accompanied with some fried curry leaves, green chilies and lime. It can also be had as it is, along with some salad / soup for a light dinner or as a side dish with ghee rice. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 

• 1 Tilapia Fish, cleaned, washed & rinsed
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. lime juice
• 1 tbsp. red chili powder 
• 1 tsp. chickpea flour
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 3 tbsp. olive oil 
• 2 sprigs curry leaves

          Make a paste with the ginger-garlic paste, lime juice, 1 tbsp. oil, chickpea flour all the dry spices and some water if required. Marinate the fish with this paste for 2-3 hours. 

          Heat remaining oil in a pan and shallow fry the marinated fish on both sides till golden in colour. Keep aside. In the same oil sauté the curry leaves till crisp. 

          Serve, garnished with the fried curry leaves, green chilies and sliced lime.

                   Marinate the fish with a paste made of ginger-garlic paste, lime juice, 1 tbsp.

                   oil, all the dry spices and some water if required for 2-3 hours. 

                   Heat remaining oil & shallow fry the marinated fish on both sides till golden 

                   in colour. Keep aside.

                                  In the same oil sauté the curry leaves till crisp. 

                    Serve, garnished with the fried curry leaves, green chilies & sliced lime.

Raw Banana Upma

 

             Check out my innovative dish made of Raw Banana. You may call it upma, stir fry, bhurji or pulao. It is a simple and a quick recipe with loads of yumminess. You can relish it for breakfast with coconut chutney, as a side dish with curd-rice / sambar-rice or for lunch with some pickle and papad. So turn this humble veggie into an absolutely amazing dish. Do add some lime juice to the end product for some tang. It is healthy, nutritious and great for fussy eaters. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

         

• 2-3 raw banana, peeled,  boiled & grated 
• 2-3 tbsp. oil
• 1-2 dry red chilies, broken
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 tsp. urad dal 
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2" ginger, chopped
• 1-2 green chilies, chopped
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 tbsp. tomato paste
• 1 tsp. turmeric powder
• salt to taste 
• 1 tbsp. sambar powder
• 2 tbsp. fresh grated coconut
• 2 tbsp. roasted peanuts 
• 1-2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds, dry red chilies, urad dal and asafoetida.  

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

          Then add the tomato paste and turmeric powder. Give it a toss.

          Add grated raw banana and salt to taste. Sauté on a low flame for 2-3 minutes.      

          Next add the sambar powder, coconut and roasted peanuts. Stir fry for 1 minute.       

          When done, switch off the flame and garnish with coriander leaves.   

          Serve for breakfast with coconut chutney, as a side dish with curd-rice / sambar-rice or for lunch with some pickle and papad. Choice is yours.

                                  Grate the boiled raw bananas.

                    Heat oil in a pan & temper with mustard seeds, dry red chilies, urad dal &                                        asafoetida. 

                      Add onion, ginger, garlic, green chilies & curry leaves. Sauté till light brown.

                                  Add the tomato paste and turmeric powder.

                        Add grated raw banana & salt. Sauté on a low flame for 2-3 minutes. 

                       Add sambar powder, coconut & roasted peanuts. Stir fry for 1 minute. 

                             When done, switch off the flame & garnish with coriander leaves. 

                        Serve for breakfast with coconut chutney, as a side dish with curd-rice 

                        / sambar-rice or for lunch with some pickle and papad. Choice is yours.

                         ENJOY !!!!!!

Broccoli Stir Fry (Flavoured With Coriander Stems)

           Broccoli is considered healthy with the goodness of fibre, iron, vitamins and calcium to name a few. So here is a simple side dish, where I added the usually discarded coriander stems too. It gives a wonderful flavour to the dish and is prepared dry to be served as a side dish with either rice or chapatis.

• 1 medium size broccoli, cut into florets
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 tsp. garlic, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger, chopped
• 2 fresh red chilies, sliced
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. kalonji / cumin seeds
• 1/2 cup coriander stems, finely chopped
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. pepper powder
• 2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with kalonji followed by the chopped coriander stems. Stir fry for a few seconds and then add the broccoli. 

          Sauté for 2 minutes on low flame. Then add the onion, ginger, garlic, chilies and all the powdered spices.

          Cover and cook. Keep stirring at intervals till the broccoli turns soft, but should remain al dente. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve as a side dish with either rice or chapattis.