Gobi channa masala

Gobi is the Hindi word for cauliflower and channa stands for chick peas.

Its my habit to include some protein in all the meals. So while making a simple cauliflower kuruma, I added the kondai kadalai (chick peas) and it turned out awesome.

Here goes a healthy side dish for chapathi.



Ingredients:
Chick peas / white channa - 1 cup
cauliflower (chopped) - 1 cup/200 gm
tomato - 2
Red onion - 1 (medium size)
green chillies - 4
coriander leaves - a handful.
mint leaves - few
curd - 1/2 cup
red chilli powder - 1 tbsp
turmeric powder - a pich
MTR channa masala powder - 1 tsp (optional)
(We can use any garam masala too)
salt - to taste
olive oil - 1 tbsp
bay leaf - 1
cinnamon - 1 inch

Method:
Soak channa dal overnight and cook it to tender in a pressure cooker for 5 whistles.
After getting the first whistle ,I reduce the flame to the minimum and heat the cooker for another 10 minutes to cook this dal.

(But in this curry I used 1 cup cooked channa from can).

Grind ginger and garlic together.

Chop and cook the tomatoes. saute the onion in 1 tsp oil and let them cool.
Grind cooked tomato, curd and onion together. keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan. Fry some cinnamon and bay leaf.

Add the green chillies, cilantro and mint leaves. Then put the ginger garlic paste and saute till raw smell goes. Then add all the powders mentioned above along with the ground masala and cook till oil starts showing up.

Next add the chopped cauliflower , salt and cook covered.

After the cauliflower gets cooked put the cooked channa and stir well.

Gobi channa is ready!

Serving suggestions:
Garnish with minced cilantro, freshly chopped onion and a few drops of lemon juice on top.
Goes well with parathas ,poori , roti and naan .
Makes 3-4 cups of gravy.

White kuruma (vegetarian)

White kuruma is a different variety of kuruma cherished by coconut lovers.
Even though the cooking process won't allow a perfect white color to the kuruma , we call it by the name. My kuruma got a yellow tint from the carrots:) So we can avoid using carrots here to get a more white color.
The coconut and green chillies along with the poppy seeds gives a gorgeous creamy touch to the normal vegetable kuruma. This can be a perfect treat for any person who loves a lesser spicy side dish.

Vellai Kuruma / vegetarian white kuruma:



Ingredients:
Cauliflower - 100 gms (1/4 flower)
Beans - 50 gms (10 number)
carrot - 1
potato - 2 (medium size)
Red onion - 2 (medium size)
coriander leaves - a handful.
mint leaves - few
curry leaves - few
curd - 1/2 cup
bay leaf - 1
salt - to taste
olive oil - 1 tbsp
Fennel seeds - 1 tsp

paste 1:
ginger - 1 inch
garlic - 4 pods

paste 2:
shredded coconut - 1/4 cup
green chillies - 6
cashew nut - 5
poppy seed - 1 tbsp
cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
cardamom - 3
cloves - 5
Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
cinnamon - 1 inch

Method:
Grind ginger and garlic together.

Dry roast the poppy seeds till they make a popping sound.
Grind everything given under paste 2 and keep aside.

Wash peel and cut the vegetables into small pieces.
Heat oil in a pan. fry some fennel seeds and bay leaf.
Add the chopped onion, curry leaves, cilantro and mint leaves. After the onion turns golden brown , add ginger garlic paste and saute well.
Now add all the vegetables and mix well.
Add 2 cups of water, salt and cook covered till the vegetables become soft.

Then add the paste 2 , curd and mix well.Boil it for one minute and Switch off immediately.
Vellai kuruma is ready!


Serving suggestions:
serve hot with parathas / roti / naan / rice/ pulav .

Pattani kadalai Kuruma

It is also called kaanja pattani kuruma in Tamil (Dry peas kuruma).

It is one of the signature dishes of my mom.
Like many in India mom lived in a joint family system where we need to cook for everyone's need. But she was a happy little lady with great loving Inlaws:) who pampered her with lot of affection.
Those days reminds me of some beautiful picture portrayed in canvas.
Nevertheless to say She had to cope up with so many patch up works in the kitchen when she was not having the Fridge. One such thing is the back up plan with dry peas.
She used to do it often along with rice for lunch and the rest would be saved for the chapathi for the dinner.
Having a pack of dry peas in the pantry can save your day often:) A little soaking and some curry powder can be enough to cater a surprise guest.
We can buy the whole dry peas in any Indian Store. The peas can come in yellow and green color. Both do good but the yellow one tastes great.
Here is the recipe for the simple pattani kuruma.




Ingredients:
Dry peas (whole with skin) - 3/4 cup
tomato - 1
Red onion - 2 (medium size)
green chillies - 4
coriander leaves - a handful.
mint leaves - few
curry leaves - few
shredded coconut - 1/2 cup
cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
red chilli powder - 1 tsp
turmeric powder - a pinch
coriander powder - 3 tsp
garam masala powder - 1 tsp
salt - to taste
olive oil - 1 tbsp
Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
bay leaf - 1

Method:
Soak the whole dry peas in cold water overnight or in hot water for 5 hours.
Put it in a pressure cooker vessel and add enough water to immerse it (not above the peas). If the water level is above then we our peas will become mushy.
If the peas is under-soaked, then add water enough to cover the peas and it should stand 1 inch above the peas level. 

Pressure cook till we get one whistle reduce flame and keep in minimum for 5 minutes. Then switch off flame and open the lid after 10 minutes .The peas have the tendency to get over cooked if gone beyond one whistle.

Grind ginger and garlic together. Keep aside.
Then grind shredded coconut , cumin seeds and 1 onion together. keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan. Fry some fennel seeds and bay leaf.
Add the chopped onion, green chillies ,curry leaves, cilantro and mint leaves. After the onion turns golden brown , add ginger garlic paste and saute well.
Now add chopped tomatoes and saute till oil separates.

Add 2 cups of water, chilli powder, turmeric powder , curry masal powder , salt and stir well. Boil till the raw smell vanishes.

Add the coconut masala and let it come to a boil.

Then add the cooked peas along with the water.
Mix well , check for salt and let it boil for two minutes.
Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot.

Pattani kuruma is ready!


Serving suggestions:
serve hot with rice ,chapathi or naan .
Makes 4 cups of pattani kuruma .