Raita - yoghurt based sauce

Raita is a yoghurt based sauce which is great accompaniment to biriyanis, pulavs, aloo parathas, basically anything  that is spicy.
The sauce can be made with a number of different ingredients. Here I am using onions and carrots but you can also use any other vegetables like cucumber, beet, jalapeños etc. 


The recipe serves 4 people. 
Time Required : 10 minutes 

Ingredients: 
Yoghurt - 300 gm
Water - 1 Tbsp
Salt - to taste

Chat masala (optional)- 1/4 teaspoon

Onions - half a medium sized

Carrots - half a medium sized 


Step 1: Whip the curd to a smooth paste. Add the water and mix well.

Step 2: Add the salt and the chat masala powder. Mix well.
Step 3: Shred the carrot and slice the onion thinly.

Step 4: Add these to the curd. Mix well. 

Step 5: Enjoy you  "Raita" with vegetable pulao or biriyani. 

Note: You can find "chat masala" in any Indian grocery store. This masala can also be used as a condiment for salads.

Mushroom & peas masala curry

Today's recipe is a really simple but delicious vegetable curry or "subzi" as we Indians call it, made with peas and mushrooms. It is a side dish best eaten with chapati/naan or rice.


The following recipe serves 4 people.
Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 15-20 minutes 

Ingredients: 

Peas - 150gm 

Mushrooms - 200gm 

Tomatoes - 4 medium sized 

Ginger paste - 1 tsp

Garlic paste - 1 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1 1/2 tsp

Coriander Powder - 3 tsp

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp

Chilli powder - to taste

Dry fenugreek leaves - 3 tsp 

Salt - to taste

Oil - 2 tbsp

Step 1: Chop the tomatoes in small pieces.

 Step 2: Heat oil in a pan on medium heat. Add a cumin seed and wait till it splutters.  Then add the cumin seeds. Add the chopped tomatoes. 

Step 3: Cook the tomatoes for a couple of minutes. Add these spices - ginger paste, garlic paste, coriander powder,turmeric powder and red chili powder. 

Step 4:  Cook for a further few minutes. Keep mashing the tomatoes with the spatula. Wait till the oil separates from the spices. Then add salt.

Step 5: Now we need chopped mushrooms and peas.

Step 6:  Add the chopped mushrooms and peas in the spice mixture.

Step 7: Mix slowly so as not too break the mushrooms. Cook for 2-3 minutes and put the lid on and cook for 5-6 minutes.

Step 8: Now crush the dried fenugreek leaves in the palms of your hand and add to the vegetables. Close the lid and cook for a further few minutes till the vegetables are tender.

Step 9: Enjoy the "mushroom peas masala curry".