Carrot usili

Finding more and more ways to cook carrot is one of my interests, as we get good quality carrot in all seasons at a very cheaper price here. But including it in our meals needs creativity:) Sometimes I make juice or desserts like carrot halwa or cake. Spicy foods like kuruma, stir fries, fried rice, salad, vegetable briyani , raitha, uthappam dosai, paniyaram can also be done. So whenever I go for a grocery shopping I buy a pack of carrots always. Instead of regular baby-carrots, occasionally I sliver these regular carrots for hubby's snack box too:)
Here is one traditional dal based Indian dish, Usili with carrot. Usili is one of the brilliant Indian recipes to make us get protein rich dals easily. I make usili often with many vegetables, as it is our favorite. Hope you all like this carrot usili too !

Ingredients:
Carrot - 3
sesame oil - 1 tbsp
mustard - 1 tsp
green chilly - 1
curry leaf - 1 sprig
shredded coconut - 1 tbsp

To grind:
Thoor dhal (red gram) - 1/2 cup
dry red chilly - 2
cumin - 1 tsp
sea salt - 1 tsp
turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
hing - 1/8 tsp

Method:
Soak dal for 1 hour and grind in a mixie without water along with the other items to a fine paste.
Scoop the dal into idly plates and steam cook for 10 minutes.
Let it get cool completely.
Put it in the mixie again and pulse gently for a few times, so that the cooked dal looks loose.
(We can mash by hands too, but this mixie method will give good looking usili).
In the mean time wash and peel the carrot. cut them into small cubes.
Heat oil in a wok and let mustard splutter.
Then add the curry leaves, split green chilly, chopped carrot and stir fry it.
Cook covered along with very little salt for 5 minutes.
Then add the prepared dal mixture and stir fry it in high flame for few minutes.
Add shredded coconut and switch off.
Carrot usili is ready!

Serving suggestions:
Serve with kara kulambu + rice or rasam + rice.

Other recipes to cook carrot :
Vegetable uthappam (dosai)
sambar rice
sambar
fresh masala sambar
vegetable briyani
cabbage carrot poriyal
Tri color stir fry
carrot cake
carrot orange juice
Carrot pumpkin cake
carrot halwa 
carrot kuli paniyaram

Shrimp Kebab

Kebabs are always fun food. While chicken kebabs are quite popular, I like different varieties  like fruit kebab, fish kebab also. Here is one kebab for the shrimp lovers.

Shrimp with broccoli and onion Kabab

Ingredients:
Shrimp - 12
onion - 1
broccoli or capsicum or tomato or pineapple - few pieces
lemon- 1/4
skewers - 4
olive oil or butter - few tsp

Masala for marination:
Lemon juice from  1/2 fruit
salt - to taste
red chilly powder - 1 tsp
garam masala - 1 tsp
turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
corn starch - 1 tbsp (optional)

Method:
Soak the skewers in water for 1 hour minimum.
Mix the masalas  in a small bowl.
Clean the shrimp and retain the tail. Marinate the shrimp pieces in the masala for 10 minutes.
Take them out.
In the same time roughly chop the broccoli / capsicum / pineapple / tomato along with onion and mix with left over masala mixture.
Preheat the oven to 350 deg C.
Thread the shrimp and vegetables as per wish.
Arrange  the skewers in baking sheet and drizzle little olive oil or butter over it.
Bake for 10 minutes one side and 3 minutes after flipping to other side.
Take out and squeeze some lemon juice over the kebab.
Shrimp vegetable kabob is ready!

Serving suggestion:
Serve as appetizer or main course.