Brinjal poriyal

Last summer I bought these cute brinjals from a local farmer's market .Brinjal / aubergine/ eggplant comes in different shapes and colors. The health benefits are many.
Here is a simple poriyal (stirfry) recipe with eggplant.

Summer 2011: Beautiful multicolor eggplants I got from a farmer's market.

Easy stir fry.

Ingredients:

Brinjal / eggplant - 2
oil - 1tbsp
turmeric powder - a pinch
salt - to taste
mustard - 1/2 tsp
black gram lentil (urad dhal) - 1 tsp
dry red chilly - 2
onion (chopped) - 2 tbsp
curry leaf - 1 sprig
shredded coconut - 2 tbsp
cumin - 1/2 tsp

Method:

Heat oil in a wok and put mustard, urad dhal.
Let the mustard start splutter.
Immediately add finely chopped onion, dry red chilly and curry leaf.
By the same time start finely chopping the brinjal and turmeric powder.
Stir well and wait till the onion gets soft.
Then put the chopped brinjal and sprinkle a handful of water.
Cook covered in medium heat till soft (5 minutes).
Then add the required salt, coconut and cumin.
Switch off.
Brinjal poriyal is ready!

Serving suggestion:

Makes enough for 2 people.
Serve as side dish with any rice or chapati.

Note:

If making this poriyal for more number of people, then cook the chopped brinjal with very little water, salt separately. Then do the above tempering.
Chopped brinjal should be cooked immediately to avoid oxidation (darkening) .
Oxidation can be delayed by immersing them in salt water.
Total time taken : 15 minutes.

Red capsicum chicken

In my native place capsicum (bell pepper / kudai milagai) wouldn't be on the top of a 'to buy' list and they would ask the pressing vendor 'What can we do with these other than deep frying like molagai bajji'? That scene may come to my mind whenever I see these beautiful peppers.  But if it is in an abnormally lesser price during rainy season, then everyone would try to make the famous bajjis at home. Those were the days when no one had access to internet or a recipe book other than the one handed down in generations.
Nowadays the very sight of these beautiful red bell peppers would make me grab a few. I love the red ones more than the green or yellow or orange bell peppers, but I like them all:) Then after billing them I would wonder just like my folks, if I could do anything other than my usual bajji:) Blending the bellpeppers in my regular cooking is not that easy for me. So I tried this on my own with some grilled chicken tandoori leftovers and named it as 'red pepper chicken'. Believe me, this is a flavorful chicken curry with a sweetish finish. Now the recipe became my favorite:)

Ingredients:

Chicken thighs - 4 (1/2 kg)
red bellpepper (red capsicum) - 2
onion - 1 (big)
fennel - 1 tbsp
lemon - 1 (small)
oil - 2 tbsp + 2 tbsp
turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
red chilly powder - 1 tsp
salt - to taste
black pepper powder - 1 tsp
cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
garam masala powder - 1 tsp
ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
(crush together 1 inch ginger and 5 garlic cloves)

Method:

Trim the skin, fat and discard. Wash the chicken and pat dry. Cut it into bite size pieces. Mix the juice from 1/2 lemon, 2 tbsp oil, turmeric powder, red chilly powder, salt and marinate the chicken for 4 hours - overnight inside refrigerator. Adding 2 tbsp of vinegar to marination will make it more tasty.

Now heat 2 tbsp oil in a wok. Saute the onion till it becomes soft. Now put the ginger garlic paste and stir for few seconds. Chop the red capsicum and add 1/2 of it to the wok along with chicken pieces, required salt, garam masala, pepper, cumin powder and cook covered in low heat till it gets a nice flavor. No need to add water, but stir every 5 ninutes. Before switching off add the remaining capsicum and cook covered for 5 more minutes.

Switch off and sprinkle juice from 1/2 lemon.

Red capsicum chicken is ready!

Serving suggestion:

Serve with chapati or roti or rice n rasam.

Note:

Grilled tandoori chicken leftovers can be made in to this capsicum chicken easily.
Red meat (chicken) tastes better for this kind of Indian recipes.