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".

Palak paneer

A simple dish with cottage cheese and spinach. For people who don't like cheese, tofu can be used too.

The following recipe serves 2 people.                               
Preparation time : 8-10 minutes

Cooking time : 25 minutes

Ingredients:

Spinach - 450 gms
Cottage cheese/paneer : 150 gms

Onions - 2 medium sized

Ginger paste -  1 tsp

Garlic paste -   1 tsp

Green cardamoms - 4
Cloves - 2
Bay leaf - 1
Cinnamon - 2 inch stick
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chili powder - to taste
Nutmeg powder - 1/4 tsp (optional)
Methi (Fenugreek seeds)- 1/4 teaspoon (optional)
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder -  1 tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Oil - 1 1/2 tbsp
Salt to taste

Step 1: Preparing the spinach

Spinach leaves : Add spinach leaves in boiling water for 2-3 minute. Then take it out and and grind it into a fine paste.

or like me, you can use Store bought spinach bricks. Bring the spinach to room temperature.

Grind it to a fine paste.

Step 2: Add oil in a pan on medium heat. Add cinnamon, cardamoms, bay leaf and cloves.

Add the cumin seeds and let them splutter.

Step 3: Chop the onions thinly. Add the chopped onions to the pan. Add some salt. Cook till the onions go translucent. This will take about 2-3 minutes.

Step 4: Add the ginger garlic paste. Cook for a minute.

Step 5: Add cumin, coriander powder, chili powder, turmeric powder, nutmeg powder, garam masala and methi seeds. Add the green chilies.

Add the yogurt. Mix well.

Keep cooking till the oil separates from the mixture or the 'masala'

Step 6:  Now grind the masala into a  smooth paste. Put it back in the pan on medium heat. Cook for 2-3 minutes.

Step 7: Now, add the spinach.

Step 8: Bring it to one boil. Then reduce the heat and cook for 3-4 further minutes or till you see fine droplets of oil appearing on the spinach.At this point the mixture is cooked. Add salt to taste.

Step 9: Put in the cheese cubes and reduce the heat to low. Cook for a further 4-5 minutes.

Step 10: Enjoy your "Palak paneer."

Tip: Spinach always tastes better with nutmeg powder, in Indian cuisine. 

Shimla mirch masala - Bell pepper curry

Shimla mirch masala - South Indian style.
This is an easy one. Takes little time and very few ingredients    
to make.

The following recipe serves 2 people.                               
Preparation time : 10 minutes

Cooking time : 20 minutes

Ingredients: 
Bell peppers(Capsicum) - 3
Onion -1 medium sized
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 10-12 leaves
Shredded coconut - 1 Tbsp
Coriander powder - 3 Tsp
Dried red chilies - 2
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Ginger powder - 1.5 tsp
Garlic powder - 1 tsp

Step 1: Chop the bell peppers into bite size pieces. I have used 3 medium sized bell peppers of different colors. You can use only the green ones or any color you like.

Step 2: Chop the onions finely.

Step 3: We need the following spices.

Step 4: Take 1/2 tbsp oil in a pan on medium heat. Add a few cumin seeds to check the heat. If the seeds splutter withing 3-4 seconds then your temperature is right. Add the rest of cumin and mustard seeds. Fry for 45 seconds.

Step 5: Add the dried red chilies and the curry leaves. Fry for 30 seconds.

Step 6: Add the onions and salt and fry for 3-4 more minutes.

Step 7: Add the ginger paste, garlic paste and turmeric powder.Cook for 3-4 more minutes

Step 8: Add the bell peppers. Coat well with the mixture. Fry for a minute and the cover the pan and let it cook for 5 minutes.

Step 9: Now add the coriander powder and shredded coconut.

Step 10: Put the lid on again and cook for another 10-15 minutes till the peppers are cooked.

Step 11: Enjoy your "Shimla mirch masala".

Khichuri - Bengali khichadi

Reminds me of durga puja feasts! Loved by Bengalis Khichuri is an essential part of any Bengali religious festival. Khichuri can be made in various versions - with or without vegetables, with or without meat or with both.The lentils used can also be of different kinds. You can use Moong daal, masoor daal or chana daal.
Here I am making a very simple version of Khichuri using potatoes and red lentils.

Ingredients: 
Rice - 250 ml
Red split lentils (masoor daal) - 250 ml
Potatoes -2 
Ginger paste - 1tablespoon
Green chili - 1
Oil - 2 tablespoons
Salt - to taste
Sugar - 1 teaspoon
Spices set 1- Whole garam masala
Cinnamon - 1 3 inch stick
Cardamom - 4
Black cardamom - 1
Bay leaf - 1 
Cloves - 4
Spices set 2
Cumin powder - 2 tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 2 tsp
Chili powder - To taste
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp


Step 1: Mix the daal and the rice and soak them in water for an hour. After that drain the water and keep them aside.

                                               

Step 2: Cut the potatoes into small cubes. Chop the green chili.

Step 3: Heat oil in a pan. Add the spices in set 1. Turn the heat to medium. Fry the spices for a minute.

Step 4: Add the potatoes and fry for 4-5 minutes.Then take them out. 

Step 5: Now in a separate bowl , add  the spices in set 2 and two tablespoons of water. Mix well. 

Step 6: Add this mixture to the oil.Also add the chopped chili and the ginger paste. Cook for a few minutes , till the oil separates from the mixture.

Step 7: Now add the daal and rice from step 1. Coat it thoroughly with the mixture. Keep frying for 3-4 minutes. 

Then add the potatoes. 

Step 8: Cook for a further 3 minutes. 


Step 9: Add 600 ml of water. (The water can be added depending on your preferred consistency for khichuri, I like the traditional watery khichuri). Add salt to taste. Add 1 tsp of sugar.

Step 10: Close the lid and cook till the rice and daal are cooked. 


Step 11: Enjoy your "Khicuhri".