Aloo Palak

Aloo Palak is boiled potato slices cooked in spinach gravy. Tastes good with Chapathi and Roti.

Ingredients:

Potatoes - 2 to 3
Spinach - 1 bunch (approx 1 bowl of chopped spinach leaves)
Onion - 1 med size
Ginger garlic paste -1 tsp
Cashew nuts - 10
Oil - 1 tsp
Ghee - 2 tsp
Jeera - 1 tsp
Cinnamon - 1 inch
Cardamom - 2
Cloves - 2 to 3
Garam Masala - 2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Chopped coriander - for garnish
Salt to taste

Method:

Boil the potatoes and peel their skin. Make small pieces using a knife and keep aside.

Heat sufficient water in a pan and put spinach into it allow it to simmer for 5 minutes or till the spinach leaves turn soft. Remove the spinach leaves from pan and put them in ice cold  water for few seconds. This retains the colour of the spinach leaves.


Chop the onion into large chunks and grind it along with the spinach and cashew nuts. Add little water while grinding.

Add ghee and oil to a pan and heat. When hot, add jeera, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves.
Also add ginger-garlic paste and saute for few seconds.  


Now add the blended paste to this. Cook on med flame for 2 mins. Add the potato chunks to this and also the garam masala, coriander and cumin powder. Add enough water to get gravy consistency. Add salt and mix well. Cook for some more time till the oil starts to separate.


Remove from flame and garnish with coriander. Serve hot.

Note:

This process of placing the leaves in hot water for some time and then adding them to ice cold water is called Blanching.

Blanching is done:
1. To retain the colour of the vegetables as in Spinach, Beans etc.
2. To halt the cooking process so that the vegetables are not overcooked.
3.  Also to remove strong odour from vegetables as in onions.
4. When you blanch nuts like almonds and pistachios, it becomes easy to peel their skin.

Mavinkayi Bisi Uppinkayi (Instant Mango Pickle)

All time favourite food in my family and frequently cooked during the summer season. You can store this for a week if you refrigerate it or it lasts for two days outside.

Ingredients:


Raw Mango - 2 (diced)
Chilli powder - 1tsp

Salt to taste

Jaggery - 1/4 cup (or 1/2 if the Mangoes are too sour)

Uppinkayi (Pickle)  powder - 2 tsp

Curry Leaves - 5 to 6

For tempering:

Oil - 4 tsp

Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp

Bengal Gram - 1 tsp

Black  gram - 1/2 tsp

Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

Method:

To prepare the Powder:

Take equal quantities of Urad dal, Mustard Seeds and Methi seeds and shallow fry till the urad dal become brown and the mustard seeds splutter.  Cool the ingredients and powder them in the grinder. You can store this powder in an airtight container and use it for later use.

For the Bisi Uppinkayi:

Take a pan and heat oil in it. Add the mustard seeds and when they begin to splutter add the bengal and the black gram. Also add turmeric and curry leaves. 

Now add the mango pieces and saute it for few seconds. Now add around 3 to 4 cups of water to it and allow the mangoes to cook. 

Once the mangoes are cooked, add the salt and chilli powder. Add the powdered jaggery and also the grounded powder. Cook it for few more minutes on low flame. 

Add little oil to the pan once you switch off the stove.This enhances its taste.


This is a similar recipe to my previous post Tomato Bisi Uppinkayi. Its only that you need to add more water while cooking than for the tomatoes.

Potato Saagu

All time favourite for any occasion. It tastes great with Chapathi, Poori and Rava Idli's too.

Ingredients:

Potatoes (Med size) - 4
Tomatoes - 2
Chopped Corainder - 2 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Channa Dal - 2 tsp
Urad Dal - 2 tsp
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Cumin Seeds (Jeera) - 1 tsp
Coriander  powder - 2 tsp
Cumin Powder - 1 tsp
Garam Masala - 2 tsp
Chilli powder - 2 tsp
Sugar - 1 tsp
Oil - 2 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method:

Cut the potatoes in big chunks and pressure cook them for two whistles. Peel their skin and randomly chop them into small pieces with knife. Mash a small quantity of potato (approx 1/2 potato).

Also, chop the tomatoes finely.

Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and jeera. Once the mustard seeds splutter, add channa dal, urad dal and turmeric.

Put the tomatoes into the pan and cook on med flame till then turn soft. You can add little water to this.

Once the tomatoes are cooked, add the potatoes and mix well. Add little more water.

Now add Cumin powder, Coriander powder, Chilli powder, Sugar and Garam Masala. Simmer for around 5 minutes until the potaoes soak the masala flavours. Add in the chopped coriander and salt. Potato Saagu is ready to be served.

Note:

1. I have mashed little amount of potato only to give the thickness to the gravy.
2. Onions can be a good replacement for Tomatoes or you can add them both.

Homemade Apple Jam

Tried to make a home made jam and it turned out to be yummy. Very simple recipe and less ingredients. You can also make it in microwave too.

Enjoy a healthy home made apple jam without any preservatives.

Ingredients:

Finely chopped apple - 1 cup
Sugar - 3/4 cup
Lemon juice - 2 tbsp

One cup of chopped apples make 3/4th cup of apple jam.

Method:

Using gas stove:

Mix the apple pieces and sugar and place it on the stove. Cook on low flame till the apples turn soft and transparent.

Blend this into smooth paste in a blender.

Again cook the paste on the stove on low flame for 4 to 5 mins or till it thickens slightly.

Remove from flame and add lemon juice. Cool it and store in jam jar.

On Microwave:

Place the apple and sugar mix into a microwave safe bowl and microwave it (covered) for 3 to 4 mins on full power.

Blend the mix in a blender. Again microwave the paste for 6 to 8 minutes on 60% power. Keep stirring in between.

Mix in the lemon juice and store in jar.


Enjoy a tasty lemon flavoured apple jam made at home... :)