Vegetarian

Mambazha pulissery / Ripe mango curry

| Rekha Vengalil


The only curry I made for this year Vishu and I love it. It’s tangy, it’s sweet and it’s a little spicy. The blend is so perfect and my favorite part is to sip the mango away.. 🙂 Don’t you agree on that? 


The fruit stalls here are filled with mangoes now especially with Thai honey mangoes and these little mangoes. I haven’t seen them in India. The guy at the shop told me it’s the orange mangoes from China. I tried googling for them but could not find any. Anyway they are delicious and I feast on them ever since I have been here. My mom loved it too when I got her these during her visit here 🙂

For those who are new to this dish, this is a curry were ripe mangoes are cooked in a coconut and yogurt sauce. It’s mildly spiced and is also one of the dishes that is a must during the festivals and special occasions in Kerala, south of India. But in my house this needs no special occasion. Whenever I can find ripe mangoes I make them.

You need –
  • Small ripe mangoes – 5 (if using big mangoes use 2, peeled and chopped)
  • Grated coconut – 1 cup
  • Yogurt – ½ cup
  • Turmeric powder – ½ teaspoon
  • Chili powder – ½ teaspoon
  • Curry leaves – 1 sprig
  • Cumin seeds – ½ teaspoon
  • Green chili – 1
  • For tampering
  • Mustard seeds – ½ teaspoon
  • Fenugreek seeds – ¼ teaspoon
  • Dry chilies – 2
  • Curry leaves – 1 sprig
  • Coconut oil – 1 tablespoon

How to –

In a pan, put the mangoes, turmeric powder, chili powder, curry leaves and with enough water to cover the mangoes. Cook till the mangoes are soft and cooked.


Grind the coconut, green chili  half of the yogurt and cumin seeds to a fine paste with. Add this paste to the Mangoes and stir well. Bring to gentle simmer. Add in the remaining yogurt (whip well before adding). Mix well and again bring to gentle simmer. Turn off the heat.



In a pan, heat the oil; add the mustard seeds when it starts to splatter, add the fenugreek seeds, dry chilies  curry leaves. Add this into the curry/ Pulissery. Serve with rice.


Spicy vegetable noodles

| Rekha Vengalil


You need –
  • Instant noodles – 3 nests
  • Carrot – thinly sliced 1 cup
  • Baby corn – 3, quartered

  • snow peas– thinly sliced 1 cup
  • Mushroom – sliced 1 cup
  • Broccoli – cut into little florets 1 cup
  • Egg – 2, scrambled (optional)
  • Onion – 1 medium, thinly sliced
  • Garlic – 1 clove minced
  • Chili – 1, thinly sliced
  • Light soy sauce – 1 tablespoon
  • Chili sauce – 2 tablespoon
  • Rice wine vinegar – 1 teaspoon
  • Sesame Oil – 1 tablespoon
  • Spring onions – to garnish
  • Salt and pepper – as per taste

How to –

Boil the noodles as per the instructions on the packet, drain and set aside.

Heat oil in a wok. Add the onion, chili and garlic and saute till the onions are soft. Add the veggies and stir fry till the veggies have cooked through but still crunchy. Add in the soy, chili sauce and Rice wine. 


Increase the heat and add the noodles and egg. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well to coat and stir fry for 2-3 minutes or till the noodles has heated through.

Turn off the heat. Garnish with spring onions and serve.


Semiya upma

| Rekha Vengalil


You need –
  • Dry Roasted Semiya/Vermicelli made from hard wheat – 200 grams
  • Onion – 1 medium
  • Ginger – 1 cm, thinly sliced
  • Green chilli – 1, slit (de-seed if need)
  • Curry leaves – 1 twig
  • Mustard seeds – ½ teaspoon
  • Urad dal – ½ teaspoon
  • Turmeric powder – ¼ teaspoon
  • Dried red chili – 1
  • Salt to taste
  • Oil – 1 tablespoon
  • Hot water

How to –

Heat oil in pan and add the mustard seeds and allow crackling. Tip in the dried chilli and urad dal and curry leaves. Fry till the urad dal turns golden brown.

Add the onion, green chili and ginger; fry till the onions turn golden brown. Add the turmeric and cook briefly. Add the roasted vermicelli and mix well. Add 2 – 2 ½  cups of hot water  and bring to boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low; cover and cook till done and the water has evaporated.



Serve hot.

Lentil and paneer curry

| Rekha Vengalil

You need –
  • Black beans – 1/3 cup
  • Green gram  – 1/3 cup
  • Paneer cubes – ½ cup
  • Onion – 1 large, finely chopped
  • Garlic and ginger paste – 2 teaspoons
  • Coriander powder – 2 teaspoon
  • Chili powder – 1 teaspoon
  • Turmeric powder – ¼ teaspoon
  • Garam masala – ¼ teaspoon
  • Coconut milk – ¼ cup
  • Vegetable stock – 1 cup
  • Curry leaves – 5-6 nos
  • Salt to taste
  • Oil/ghee – 1 tablespoon + for frying the paneer


How to –

Heat oil in a pan and fry the paneer till golden on all sides. Remove and set aside.



In the same saute the onion, curry leaves, ginger and garlic till onions are soft. Add the powders, salt and cook for till oil start to separate. Add the lentils and cook briefly. Add the coconut milk stir well and bring to a boil. Now add the vegetable stock. Cover and simmer stirring occasionally till the lentils are cooked.  Add more stock if need to suite the consistency of your choice.


Crumble the paneer cubes and add to the curry.

Turn off the heat and serve with flat bread.


Crispy fried pastries with Beetroot and potato filling

| Rekha Vengalil


You need –
  • Pastry sheets – 1 pack
  • Cookie cutter – of your choice
  • Oil for deep frying.
For the filling
  • Beetroot – 1 large, boiled
  • Potatoes – 2 medium , boiled
  • Green chili – 1, chopped
  • Ginger and garlic paste – 1 teaspoon
  • Coriander powder – 1 teaspoon
  • Turmeric powder – ¼ teaspoon
  • Garam masala powder – ¼ teaspoon
  • Cumin seeds – ½ teaspoon
  • Parsley – chopped, 2 tablespoons
  • Salt to taste
  • Oil – 1 tablespoon



How to –

Mash the beetroot and potatoes and set aside.

Heat oil in pan, add the cumin seeds and allow crackle. Add the ginger, garlic paste & green chili and fry till the raw smell is gone. Add the powders, salt and fry for 2 mins or till the oil starts to separate.

Add the mashed beetroot, potatoes, parsley and mix well to coat.  Turn off the heat and set aside.


Place the pastry sheet on parchment paper and cut into shapes using the cookie cutter. Take a cut pastry, place the beets-potato filling. Place another cut sheet on top and gently press the edges to seal. You can use a fork to press the sides.

Heat enough oil in a frying pan, Deep fry the filled pastries till golden brown. Remove and set on a paper towel.



Serve with tomato ketchup for your tea-time.


Potato and zucchini curry

| Rekha Vengalil
You need –
  • Potatoes – 2 medium size, cut into bite size cubes.
  • Zucchini – cut into bite size cubes, 1 cup
  • Tomatoes – chopped ½ cup
  • Onion – 1 small, finely chopped
  • Grated garlic – 1 teaspoon
  • Grated ginger – 1 teaspoon
  • Curry powder – 1 teaspoon
  • Chilli powder – 1 teaspoon
  • Coriander powder – 2 teaspoon
  • Turmeric powder- ¼ teaspoon
  • Coconut milk – ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons
  • Water – ¼ cup
  • Salt as per taste
  • Oil – 1 tablespoon
  • Cumin seeds – ½ teaspoon
  • Fresh parsley – to garnish
How to –
Cook the potatoes in boiling water. Strain and set aside.
 
 
 
Heat oil in a pan, splatter the cumin seeds. Add the onions, ginger and garlic and saute till the onions turn light brown. Add the powders, salt and fry till fragrant. Add the potatoes, zucchini ; mix well and fry for 2-3 minutes.
 
 
 
Add the tomatoes, ¼ cup coconut milk, and water. Cover and cook for 6-7 minutes or till the gravy is thicken. Uncover add 2 tablespoons of coconut milk mix well. Turn off the heat and garnish with fresh parsley.
 
Serve with rice or flat bread.
 
 

Palak Paneer

| Rekha Vengalil


You need –
  • Fresh spinach – 1 bunch
  • Paneer cubes – 1½ cups
  • Onions – 1 cup, chopped
  • Tomato – 1, chopped
  • Garlic paste – 1 teaspoon
  • Ginger paste – 1 teaspoon
  • Green chillies – 1 , slit
  • Turmeric powder – ¼ teaspoon
  • Chili powder – ½ teaspoon
  • Salt to taste
  • Garam masala – ½ teaspoon
  • Cumin seeds – 1 teaspoon
  • Heavy cream – 2 tablespoon

How to –

Blanch the spinach in a sauce pot with boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes.  Remove and puree the spinach. In a pan heat the oil and fry the paneer pieces until the sides becomes slightly brown.  Set aside.

In the same pan add more oil if need be, add cumin seeds and onions and sauté on a medium flame till they turn translucent. To this add fresh tomato and cook once again until it become mushy. Then make puree of this onion and tomato and set aside. Heat a medium sauce pot and add tomato onion mixture, ginger -garlic paste, green chilli, turmeric, garam masala and red chilli powder and cook oil starts to saperate.



Add the spinach purée and little water mix well and cook on a medium flame for 2 minutes. Add the salt, cream and mix well. Tip in the paneer, mix gently and cook on a medium flame for another 1 to 2 minutes.

Serve hot with Roti.


Tomato rice

| Rekha Vengalil


You will need –
  • Rice (I use basmati) –  1 cup
  • Oil – 2 tablespoons
  • Mustard – ¼ teaspoon
  • White Urad dal – 1 teaspoon
  • Cinnamon – 1 small stick
  • Cloves – 2 no’s
  • Cardamom – 1 no
  • Curry leaves – One twig
  • Grated Garlic – 2 teaspoons
  • Grated Ginger – 2 teaspoons
  • Green chillies -1 or more if you need it very spicy
  • Onion – 1 large
  • Chili powder – ½ teaspoon
  • ¼ tea spoon Turmeric
  • Salt to taste
  • Cherry tomatoes – 1 cup or if you are using big tomatoes – 1 no.
  • Tomato paste – 2 tablespoons
  • Frozen peas – 1/2 cup
  • Hot water – 2 cups
  • Coriander leaves for garnishing



How to –

Soak rice for 15 minutes in water. Drain and set aside. In a skillet, heat oil and splatter the mustard seeds then add in the white urad dal cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, curry leaves and fry for a minute.


Now add ginger- garlic and fry for a minute or until the raw smell is no more. Once done add the green chilli, onion and fry till the onion turn light brown. Add the chopped tomato pieces, tomato paste, salt, chilli powder and turmeric. Once the tomatoes are cooked (takes about 3 minutes on medium heat) add the rice, peas and mix well to combine. Add hot water, cover and cook till the rice is completely cooked.

Garnish with coriander leaves or mint leaves and serve hot. 

Dal tadka

| Rekha Vengalil



You need –
  • Red Lentils / masoor dal – 1 cup
  • Onion – 1, finely chopped
  • Tomatoes – 2, chopped
  • Garlic – 2 cloves minced
  • Turmeric – ¼ teaspoon
  • Salt to taste
  • Ghee/ clarified butter – 1 teaspoon
  • Water – 1 ½ – 2 cups


For Tempering (Tadka)
  • Cumin seed – ¼ teaspoon
  • Mustard Seeds – 1 teaspoon
  • Dried red Chilies – 2
  • Asafoetida – Pinch
  • Coriander leaves – for garnishing
  • Ghee – 1 teaspoon
How to –

Wash the lentils in cold water until clean and set aside. In a heavy bottom pan heat the ghee. Tip in the onion, garlic, salt and turmeric, fry until the onion turn soft. Add the chopped tomatoes and saute for 2 minutes. Add the lentils and water. Cover and cook until the lentils are mushy. Add more water to bring the dal to the required consistency.



In a small frying pan heat the ghee.  Add the mustard seeds and once they start to splatter add the cumin seeds, dries chilies, Asafoetida and fry for a few seconds. Add this to the cooked lentils, mix well. 

Serve warm with Roti or rice.