Vegetarian

Palakkad style Varutharacha ulli Sambar

| Rekha Vengalil



You need – 
  • Toor daal – 1/2 cups
  • Shallots- 10-12 nos
  • Tomatoes- 1
  • Tamarind – A small lemon sized ball
  • water- 1/3 cup
  • Turmeric Powder -1/4  teaspoon

For Grinding-
  • Coriander seeds-2 tablespoons
  • Red chilies-5-6
  • Grated Coconut-1/3 cup
  • Asafoetida -a good pinch
  • Curry leaves-1 string
  • Fenugreek seeds- 1 teaspoon

For Seasoning-
  • Mustard – 1 teaspoon
  • Red chillies – 1-2 nos
  • Curry leaves – 1 twig
  • Cumin seeds – 1/2 teaspoon

How to –
  • Pressure cook Toor daal and shallots until done.
  • Soak the tamarind in water for 10 to 15 mins.
  • Add the tomatoes and tamarind juice.
  • Dry roast all the ingredients for grinding till fragrant and grind them into a fine paste
  • Add the ground paste to the cooked daal and simmer for a couple of minutes.
  • In pan, heat oil and add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds. When they start crackle, add curry leaves and the halved red chili. Saute for 2 – 3 minutes and pour this seasoning over the sambar.
  • Serve hot with rice or idlis.

Mushroom fried rice

| Rekha Vengalil


You need –
  • Cold steamed rice – 2 cups
  • Peanut oil – 2 tablespoons
  • Onion – 1, finely chopped
  • Red chili – 1 sliced
  • Mushrooms – 200 grams, thinly sliced
  • Grated Ginger – 1 teaspoon
  • Grated garlic – 1 teaspoon
  • Eggs – 2 beaten
  • Salt – to taste
  • Pepper – to taste
  • Light soy sauce – 2 teaspoon
  • Rice wine vinegar – 1 teaspoon
  • Coriander leaves – ½ cup
  • Red chilies – 2 for garnishing (optional)
How to – 
  • Heat oil in a wok. Fry the onion, chilies, ginger and garlic until soft.
  •  Add the mushrooms, and fry until cooked. Fry for a minute or two.
  • Add the rice, soy sauce, rice vinegar and toss thoroughly until the rice is coated with the mixture and heated through.
  • Push the rice to the side of the wok making a well in the middle, now add the beaten eggs, season with salt and pepper.
  • Stir until the eggs start to set and mix well with the rice on high heat until the eggs are cooked.
  • Turn off the heat. Garnish with coriander leaves and chili.

Beetroot poriyal/ stir-fry with grated coconut

| Rekha Vengalil
You need –
  • Beetroot – 1, large, chopped into small cubes
  • Onion – 1, thinly sliced
  • Green Chilies – 1-2
  • Oil – 1 tsp
  • Mustard – 1/4 teaspoon               
  • Urad Dal – 1/4 teaspoon
  • Curry Leaves – 1 sprig
  • Grated coconut – 2 Tablespoon
  • salt as per taste


How to –
  • Steam cook the beets till done. set aside.
  • Heat oil in a pan. Splutter the mustard seeds, urad dal and curry leaves.
  • Add onion and green chilies. Saute till onions turn golden brown. Add the beetroot.
  • Saute over high heat for 2 – 3 minutes.
  • Sprinkle the grated coconut, mix well. Turn off heat.
  • Serve hot with rice.

Pumpkin curry

| Rekha Vengalil


You need –
  • Pumpkin – 250 grams, cubed
  • Onions – 125 grams
  • Cumin seeds – 1 teaspoon
  • Ginger – 1 small piece
  • Garlic – 3 big cloves
  • Cashew nuts – 10 grams
  • Garam masala – ½ teaspoon
  • Dried methi leaves – 2-3 tablespoon
  • Chilli powder – 1 teaspoon
  • Turmeric powder – ¼ teaspoon
  • Tomato puree – 2 tablespoons
  • Double cream – 1/3 cup
  • Water – 1 cup
  • Lime juice – 1 teaspoon
  • Salt – to taste

How to –

  • Grind the cashew nuts, onions, ginger and garlic to a fine paste.
  • Heat oil in pan, add the onion paste and fry till the raw smell is gone.
  • Add the tomato puree, lime juice, turmeric powder, chilli powder, methi leaves and salt. Continue to fry for 2-3 minutes.
  • Add the cubed pumpkins and fry for 3-4 mins on low heat.
  • Add water, cover and cook until the pumpkins are tender on low heat stirring occasionally.
  • Add the crea, and garam masala and simmer until the pumpkin is soft.


Serve hot with rotis.

Spiced carrot and onion soup

| Rekha Vengalil

You need –
  • Onion – 1 large, finely chopped
  • Carrots – 2,cut into small cubes
  • Ginger – Small piece (1 cm), thinly sliced
  • Cumin powder – 1½ teaspoons
  • Coriander powder –1 ½  teaspoons
  • Turmeric powder – ½ teaspoon
  • Fennel powder – ¼ teaspoon
  • Cinnamon powder – 1 teaspoon
  • Vegetable stock – 1 litre
  • Butter – tablespoon
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper – as per taste
  • Thick coconut milk/cream – 1 tablespoon to garnish

How to –
  • Heat the butter in sauce pan, fry the onion and ginger until soft.
  • Add the carrots and fry for a minute or two.
  • In a small bowl combine the spice powders to make a paste and add it to the onion and carrots. Stir well to combine and fry for a minute.
  • Add the stock and season with salt and pepper. Bring this a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 20 -30 minutes or till the carrots are tender.
  • Turn off and into a blender, blend until smooth. Pour the soup back to the pan and heat gently. Turn off the heat.
  • Garnish with the coconut milk/cream, black pepper and serve hot.

Achinga payar thoran (Long beans Stir fry)

| Rekha Vengalil


You need –
  • Long beans – 200 grams, Finely chopped
  • Onion – 1 medium
  • Green chili – 1
  • Grated coconut – ¼ cup
  • Turmeric  power – ¼ teaspoon
  • Curry leaves – 1 springs
  • Dry red chili– 1
  • Mustard seeds – 1/2 teaspoon
  • Salt to taste

How to – 

  • Grind the coconut, onion, turmeric and green chili coarsely. Set aside.
  • Heat oil in skillet, add the mustard seeds. Once they start to crackle add the red chili and curry leaves.
  • Add the beans, salt and stir well. Cover and let it cook for 3-4 mins or 3/4 done.
  • Place the coconut mixture on the top of the beans and spread on the top. Cover and cook for 2 mins.
  • Uncover, mix well and cook for further 3-4 mins. Turn off the heat.
  • Serve hot. 

Hasselback Potatoes

| Rekha Vengalil


You need –
  • Potato – 1
  • Garlic – 1 clove, thinly sliced
  • Olive Oil – 2 teaspoon
  • Butter – 1 teaspoon
  • Dried Rosemary – 1/4 teaspoon
  • Sea Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper – as per taste

How to –
  • Preheat the oven to 220˚C (425˚F).
  • Place the potato flat side down. Start from one end of the potato, cut almost all the way through, at about 3 to 4 mm intervals.
  • Arrange the potato in a baking tray and insert the garlic in between the slits.
  • Scatter some butter on top of each potato. Then drizzle the olive oil and sprinkle some sea salt, rosemary and freshly ground black pepper.
  • Bake the potato for about 40 minutes or until the potato turn crispy and the flesh is soft.

Asian vegetable curry

| Rekha Vengalil

You need –
  • Baby corn – 4 no’s, cutting in half
  • Green beans – 150 grams, cut into half
  • Potatoes – 2 no’s, cut into chunks
  • Carrots – 1 large, cut into thick slices
  • Bay leaves – 2 no’s
  • Lemongrass – 1 stalk, peeled and the white part finely chopped
  • Onion – 1 large, finely chopper
  • Fresh ginger – 1 cm,  chopped
  • Garlic – 2 cloves – finely chipped
  • Chilli –  1, finely chopped
  • Turmeric – 1 teaspoon
  • Coconut milk – 350 ml
  • Water – 100 ml
  • Oil – 2 tablespoons
  • Coriander – chopped finely, 2 tablespoons
  • Salt as per taste


How to – 
  • Wash all the veggies well. Set aside.
  • Heat oil in a large saucepan. Add the lemongrass, ginger, onion, garlic and fry till the onion and garlic are soft.
  • Add the turmeric and stir for a 2 mins or till the raw smell is gone.
  • Add in the potatoes and carrots. Stir well
  • Add the coconut milk, water, bay leaves, chilli and salt. Bring to boil, reduce the heat and simmer partly covered for 10 minutes stirring occasionally.
  • Add the baby corn, beans and simmer until the vegetables are tender.
  • Turn off the heat, remove the bay leave and garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve hot with rice.


Paneer Jalfrezi

| Rekha Vengalil
Paneer Jalfrezi

You will need –
  • Oil – 4 tablespoon
  • Paneer, cut into cubes – 200 grams
  • Onions – 2, finely chopped
  • Green capsicums – 1, cut into cubes
  • Green chili- 2, slit
  • Minced garlic – 1 tablespoon
  • Minced ginger – 1 tablespoon
  • Turmeric powder – ½ teaspoon
  • Garam masala – 1 teaspoon
  • Fennel seed -½ teaspoon
  • Tomatoes – 2 medium, pureed
  • Tomato ketchup – 1 tablespoon
  • Salt to taste
  • Chopped coriander leaves, for garnishing

Paneer Jalfrezi
How to –
  • Heat oil in a frying pan, fry the paneer till golden brown and set aside
  • To same pan, crackle the fennel seeds. Add the onions, capsicum, Chilies, ginger, and garlic and fry till onions are browned.
  • Add the turmeric powder and garam masala. Fry till fragrant.
  • Add the tomato puree and tomato sauce, and salt. Cook till tomatoes are cooked and the oil starts to separate.
  • Add ¼ cup water, paneer and cook on high heat till the gravy is thick, about 10 minutes.
  • Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with roti.