Aloo Ki Sabzi

Potatoes are the best among all the vegetables to fall back on. Always there at home, long shelf life, quick and easy to make, last but not the least, tasty.
This particular recipe is the easy and simple one with minimum masalas.

Ingredients:

• Potatoes - 3
• Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Coriander Seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Urad Dal - 1/2
• Green chillies - 2 or to taste
• Curry Leaves - 1 spring
• Mustard Oil ( or any other oil ) - 2 tbsp
• Salt - to taste
• Amchoor - 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Lemon Juice - 1 tsp
• Chopped Cilantro - to garnish

Directions:

• Boil the potatoes, peel and dice them.

• In a pan, heat oil. Splutter mustard seeds, and cumin seeds. Add coriander seeds and urad dal. Fry till  they start to change the color.
• Add chopped chillies, curry leaves and turmeric powder. 
• Add diced potatoes. Give it a toss till all the potatoes are well coated with the tempering. 
• Add half a cup of water and cover and cook for about 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid burning. 
• Add salt and amchoor. Mix well. 
• Turn off the heat. Add lemon juice and chopped cilantro on the top. 

Serve hot with chapati or puri.
You can even use this curry in between two toasts and make aloo sandwich, however, when you want to stuff it inside the sandwich , it would be better if the potatoes are mashed a bit.

Variation:  Well this recipe, as mentioned in the introduction, is the plain and simple one. You could obviously make it more interesting by adding few other ingredients, like onion, ginger, garlic, tomatoes or other masalas like garam masala, coriander powder, red chili powder etc.

Aloo Fry

This is the easiest recipe on earth. Just a simple potato fry with minimum ingredients.
Just fry the potatoes crispy and season with salt and red chili powder. That's it.
The regular potato curry is made adding onions and tomatoes. But this one is just a plain fry which is a good side dish with sambar rice or dal roti.

Well you can add other ingredients such as cumin seeds, coriander powder, cumin powder, amchoor ,etc. to make it more spicy and flavourful . However, you can do without all these as well when you really want to avoid all the masalas.

Ingredients :

• Potatoes ( red or white ) - 3 large
• Salt - to taste
• Red Chili Powder - to taste
• Hing - a pinch 
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
• Oil - 2 tbsp

Directions: 

• Peel and chop the potatoes and soak in water. ( just to save it from turning black )
• Heat oil in a pan, add hing and turmeric powder.
• Throw in the chopped potatoes. Mix well and let it cook on medium heat.
• Do not cover if you want them to turn crispy.
• Keep stirring occasionally making sure the potatoes do not stick to the bottom.
• Season with salt and red chili powder. Mix well. 
• Turn off the heat when potatoes are cooked and crispy and turn beautiful golden.

Serve hot as side to dal-roti or samabr-chawal !!

Cabbage-Carrot Curry

This is a South Indian style simple curry with minimum masalas.

Ingredients:

• Cabbage – 1/2 head ,shredded
• Carrots – 2, chopped
• Grated coconut – 3/4 cup
• Onion – 1, chopped ( optional )
• Green chillies – 3-4, chopped ( or to taste )
• Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
• Curry leaves - 1 spring
• Hing - 1/8 tsp
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Oil - 1 tbsp

Directions: 

• Heat oil in a  pan and splutter mustard seeds.
• Add onions, hing, green chillies and curry leaves. You can make the same curry without onions as well.
• Add turmeric powder and throw in the shredded cabbage, chopped carrots and salt. 
• Cook covered on a low-med flame , keep  stirring ocassionally.  
• When the vegetables are 3/4th done, add grated coconut.  Mix well and cover and cook till done. 
• Serve with rice or Chapati.

Anda Do Pyaza

This is a very easy and quick recipe. I usually make this when I do not have any other vegetables at home. Eggs and onions are usually always there in the stock. This is the best option to fall back on.

Ingredients:

• Boiled Eggs - 4
• Onions - 1 large or 2 medium
• Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp ( optional )
• Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tbsp
• Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
• Red Chili Powder - to taste
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Oil  - 2 tbsp

Directions: 

• Hard boil the eggs and cut into either halves or quarters. Keep aside. 
• Heat oil in a pan. Splutter mustard seeds (if using ) . Add sliced onions. Saute.
• Add ginger garlic paste. Saute till the raw flavor vanishes.
• Add turmeric, coriander powder, red chili powder and salt. Mix well. Add one tbsp of water in order to prevent the dry powders from burning.
• Add the egg pieces and toss them gently until the masala coats the eggs. Fry for a couple of minutes. Adjust salt.
• Serve with chapati or rice. 

Isn't that easy and quick ?  :)

Enjoy !!

Lauki Tamatar Ki Sabzi

Lauki Tamatar ki sabzi is very simple curry with not too many masalas and flavors.
This goes well with both chapati as well as rice.
You can make this curry in dry as well as runny consistency.

Ingredients:

• Lauki ( bottle gourd ) - 1 medium
• Tomatoes - 2 medium
• Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Curry Leaves - 1 spring
• Urad Dal - 1 tsp ( optional )
• Turmeric  Powder - 1/4 tsp
• Red Chili Powder or Green Chillies - to taste ( either or both )
• Salt - to taste
• Oil - 1 tbsp
• Cilantro - 2 springs
• Water - Depending upon the desired consistency

Directions :

• You can make this curry in either pressure cooker or a pan. Heat oil and splutter cumin seeds.
• Add urad dal ( optional ) and saute till reddish. Add curry leaves.
• Add the cubed lauki and chopped tomatoes.
• Add turmeric powder , red chili powder , salt, and needed water. Give it a good mix.
• If you are using pressure cooker, cook it till 1 whistle. If you are using the pan or pot, cook covered till the lauki is tender.
• Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with rotis or rice.

Variation: 

• I prefer to keep this curry simple, however, if you wish to make it more flavorful, you can add coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala, ginger, garlic, etc. to this recipe.
• You can use tomato puree instead of chopped tomatoes.

Bharwaan Simla Mirch ( Stuffed Capsicum )

This is a capsicum curry , stuffed with potato filling served on layer of a rich gravy .

I went grocery shopping the other day and saw these small sized bell peppers unlike the usual giant sized ones. And I got the entire bag for just a dollar. I had to pick them up. The the very first thing I thought of was to make stuffed curry.  I like to make the stuffed curry with the small ones. You can of course make them with the big ones as well, but you may want to cut them in half and then stuff.

Ingredients:

• Green Bell Peppers/ Capsicum -  4 medium
• Potatoes -  4 medium
• Cooking oil -  4 tbsps 
• Cumin Seeds-  3/4 tsp 
• Ginger-Garlic Paste - 1tsp
• Onion, finely chopped -  1 large
• Red Chili Powder - to taste
• Turmeric Powder -  1/2 tsp
• Coriander Powder -  1 tsp 
• Cumin Powder -  1/2 tsp 
• Garam Masala-  1/2 tsp 
• Amchoor (raw mango powder) -  1/2 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Lemon Juice - 1 tbsp
• Chopped Cilantro - 2 tbsp

Directions: 

For the Potato Filling: 

• Wash the potatoes, boil till soft . Peel and mash roughly. Keep aside.
• Heat 2 tbsp of oil and splutter cumin seeds. Add ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder and saute. Add chopped onions and fry till translucent.
• Now add all the powdered spices along with salt , mix well.
• Add the mashed potatoes and mix well to blend with all the masala. Cook for about 2-3 minutes. Adjust salt and turn off the heat.
• Sprinkle lemon juice and chopped cilantro and mix well . Keep this mixture aside for filling the bell peppers later.

For making the Bharwaan Simla Mirch: 

Stove Top Method:

• Wash the bell peppers and pat them dry. 
• Cut the top off about 1 inch ( near the stalk ) . Remove all the seeds and the pith.

• Fill each green pepper with the potato filling we prepared and kept aside.

• Heat the remaining oil in a pan and arrange the filled peppers standing upright. Let them cook for about 3 minutes on low-med heat.
• Try to carefully turn the peppers to the sides . Cook for 2 minutes and then turn to the other side and cook for another 2 minutes.  Cook till all the peppers are tender and cooked from all the sides.

Oven Method: 

• Prepare the filling and stuff the bell peppers in the same way as mentioned above.
• We shall bake them instead of shallow frying.
• Grease the baking sheet/ tray with spray oil. Also brush the stuffed bell peppers slightly with oil all over. Arrange them on the baking sheet / tray around 2 inches apart from each other.
• Preheat oven to 450°F and bake for  30-40 minutes. Keep checking in between if it is done. The time may vary depending on the size and quantity of the bell peppers. You might want to do the fork test to make sure it is cooked well. The fork or tooth prick should pass through without much effort.

You can eat this curry at this point as well, as a dry curry. However if you like gravy. Here's what you're gonna need:

Ingredients for gravy :

• Onion - 1 large
• Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp
• Cashew Nuts - 1/2 cup
• Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
• Cumin Powder - 1 tsp
• Red Chili Powder - to taste
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
• Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
• Dry mango Powder ( Amchoor ) - 1/2 tsp
• Jaggery / Sugar - 1/2 tsp ( optoinal )
• Oil - 1 tbsp
• Water - 2 cups
• Salt - to taste
• Chopped Cilantro - for garnishing

Directions: 

• Grind the cashew nuts with minimum water required and keep the paste aside.
• Heat oil in a pan, and saute very finely chopped onions for about 2 minutes.
• Add ginger garlic paste and saute. Cook till the onions and ginger garlic are cooked and the raw flavor vanishes.
• Add coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, chili powder and mix well.
• Add water and bring the gravy to boil and then reduce the heat.
• Add the cashew nut paste, amchoor, salt, jaggery, mix well and simmer for about 5 minutes. 
• Adjust water according to desired consistency.

Serving: 

• In the serving plate, spread a bed of this thick gravy and arrange the stuffed capsicums over it.
• Garnish with chopped cilantro.
• Serve this delectable side dish with chapati or naan.

Asparagus Sabzi

I know, sabzi out of asparagus sounds a little weird, but hey, it's not all that bad after all. I ate it at a friend's place and I liked it, surprisingly. You should try it out.

Ingredients:

• Asparagus - 1 lb
• Tomatoes - 2
• Ginger - 1 inch
• Garlic - 3-4 cloves
• Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Oil - 1 tbsp
• Red Chili Powder - to taste
• Turmeric Powder - a large pinch
• Salt -to taste

Directions: 

• Snap the hard ends of the asparagus and discard them. Chop the asparagus and keep aside.
• Heat oil in a pan, and splutter cumin seeds.
• Add grated ginger and chopped garlic , saute.
• Add chopped tomatoes and turmeric powder. Cook till tomatoes are almost mashed up. .
• Add chopped Asparagus.
• Add salt and red chili powder. Mix well and cook until asparagus is soft and done.
• Serve with rotis or even as side to dal rice.

Variation: 

• Well, since this is an experimental curry, you can add your own variations to it.  You can try adding garam masala or coriander powder or garnish with chopped cilantro or anything else you can think of. 
• You can also try to combine this with any other vegetable, like boiled potatoes or beans or carrots etc... Just play around... There are no set rules in cooking, after all :)

Vankaya Kothmeer Kharam

Vankaya = Eggplant ; Kothmeer = Cilantro ; Kharam = chillies
So, it is basically an eggplant curry cooked in the gravy of cilantro and green chillies.
Mix this curry with the plain steamed rice and eat. You can also eat as side for dal rice or chapatis.

Ingredients:

• Eggplants - 3-4 long ones or around 8-10 small ones
• Cilantro - 1 thick bunch
• Green Chilles - 3-4 or to taste
• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
• Tamarind Pulp - 2 tbsp
• Salt - to taste
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
• Garlic - 2-3 cloves
• Oil - 2-3 tbsp
• Hing ( Asafoetida ) - 1/8 tsp

Directions: 

• Cut the eggplant into 2 inch long pieces. If you are using baby eggplants, you don't need to cut them through, just slit a cross for around 3/4th length, keeping the stem intact. Keep aside in a bowl of water.
• In a grinder, take chopped cilantro, green chillies, garlic, turmeric powder, tamarind pulp,hing, cumin seeds, salt  and grind to a smooth paste. Keep aside.
• Heat oil in a pan and add eggplant . Fry uncovered till it is 3/4th cooked, stirring ocassionally.
• Now add the ground mixture to the curry and mix well. Cook till the eggplant is done and the oil starts separating. Adjust salt. 

Spicy Gobhi Masala

This is a simple and spicy cauliflower curry. You can have it as side for chapati or even rice.

Ingredients:

• Cauliflower - 1 head
• Onion - 1 large
• Tomato Puree - 1/2 cup 
• Ginger- Garlic Paste - 1 tsp
• Cumin Seeds - 1/2  tsp
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
• Coriander Powder - 1/2 tsp
• Red Chili Powder - to taste
• Garam Masala - 1 tsp
• Oil - 2 tbsp
• Salt - to taste
• Cilantro - for garnish

Directions: 

• Cut the cauliflower into florets. Boil water in a pot and drop these florets into the water. Let them cook for just 3 minutes. Drain and keep aside.
• Heat oil in a wide pan and splutter cumin seeds.
• Add sliced or chopped onions and saute till translucent. Add ginger garlic paste and saute for another minute.
• Add tomato puree and mix well.
• Now add all the dry powders, like turmeric, coriander powder, chili powder, salt and garam masala.. Cook till the oil separates.
• Add cauliflower florets and mix gently so that the florets are well coated with the masala.
• Cook till cauliflower is tender, yet not mushy.  
• Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Eggplant Fry Oriya Style

Ingredients:

• Eggplant ( big one ) - 1
• Red Chili Powder - 1 tbsp or to taste
• Rice Flour - 2 tbsp
• Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
• Amchoor - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
• Oil - for roasting

Direction:

• Cut the eggplant into round slices 1/2 inch thick.
• Prepare a masala mixture of all the other dry ingredients except oil.
• Roll the slices in the masala mixture till both the sides are well coated.
• Now heat half a tsp of oil on the griddle or a grill.
• Place 2 or 3 slices of eggplant on the griddle and let it cook for 2 minutes. 
• Then turn to the other side. Sprinkle some more oil on the sides of the eggplant slices
• Cook on medium heat till both the sides are cooked and turn brownish.
• Repeat the same process with all the other slices.
• Serve hot with dal and rice.

Bottle Gourd Curry in Milk Gravy ( Lauki )

Bottle Gourd or Lauki is cooked in milk gravy which makes the curry creamy with a silky texture . This is my MIL's recipe which I am sharing here.

Ingredients:

• Bottle Gourd ( Lauki ), cubed - 5 cups
• Milk - 1 cup
• Besan - 1 tsp
• Sugar - 1 tsp
• Oil - 1 tbsp
• Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Urad Dal - 1 tsp
• Curry Leaves - 1 spring
• Hing - a pinch
• Turmeric Powder - 2 pinches
• Whole Red Chili - 1
• Green Chili -1-2
• Salt - to taste

Directions: 

• Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds. Add urad dal , hing, curry leaves and whole red chili and cook for a few seconds till the urad dal starts to change color slightly.
• Add green chillies and turmeric powder.
• Now add cubed lauki and salt. Mix well . Cook covered for 7-10 minutes till lauki is tender.
• In a small bowl mix besan  with milk without any lumps. Add sugar to it. Adjust sugar to taste. We just want the curry to be very slightly sweet.
• Add this milk mixture to the curry and cook on low-medium flame until all the milk is evaporated.
• Serve with rice or chapati.

Soya Granules with Spinach

Soya granules cooked with spinach is a very healthy dish full of proteins.
Soya is a very good substitute of meat for the vegetarians. It is sometimes also called as vegetarian kheema :)
Apart from the good value it contains, it is so easy to make that it can be made in less than 10 minutes.
So here's the recipe.


Ingredients:

• Soya Granules - 3/4 cup
• Chopped Spinach - 2 cups
• Chopped Onions - 1 small
• Green Chillies - 2
• Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp
• Red Chili Powder - to taste
• Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp or to taste
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4tsp
• Cumin Seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Oil - 1 tbsp

Directions: 

• Soak soya granules in warm water for 5 minutes, not more. Strain them and keep aside.
• Heat oil in a pan.  Sizzle cumin seeds. Add finely chopped onions. Saute them till golden.
• Add sliced green chillies and turmeric powder.
• Add ginger garlic paste and saute for a minute. Adding freshly minced ginger and garlic is even better.
• If you do not mind mixing spinach with tomatoes, you can add 1/4 cup of finely chopped tomatoes at this stage and cook till tender. This is optional. (The combination of spinach and tomatoes is said to be harmful for kidney stones . Please google for more details.)
• Stir in the chopped spinach and cook for a minute or two till the spinach wilts.
• Add the soya granules and give it a good mix.
• Cook covered for a couple of minutes.
• Add red chili powder,salt and garam masala . Mix well and cook for another minute.
• Serve with chapati.

Turnip Greens Poriyal

Ingredients:

• Turnip Greens - 1 bunch
• Onions - 2 small
• Garlic - 3 cloves
• Grated Coconut - 2-3 tbsp
• Whole Red Chillies - 2
• Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Urad Dal - 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
• Asafoetida - a pinch
• Salt -to taste
• Curry Leaves - a few
• Oil - 2 tbsp

Directions:

• Wash and clean the leaves properly.
• Trim the hard stems and discard. Chop the leaves finely.
• Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds. Add urad dal and let them turn reddish.
• Add hing ( asafoetida ) , red chillies, chopped garlic and curry leaves.
• Add finely chopped onions and saute till translucent. Add turmeric powder.
• Add chopped turnip greens and a little salt.
• Cook on medium heat for around 5 minutes.
• Add grated coconut and mix well.. Cook for another couple of minutes.
• Serve as side dish with dal and rice.

Egg Bhurji ( Indian Scrambled Eggs )

Egg Bhurji is nothing but scrambled eggs made with veggies and few other spices.
It is very easy to make and can be made in no time.


Ingredients:

• Eggs - 4
• Onion - 1/2 medium
• Tomato - 1 small
• Ginger- Garlic Paste - 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
• Green Chillies - to taste
• Chopped Veggies - 1/2 - 3/4 cup
• Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
• Red Chili Powder - to taste
• Salt -to taste
• Oil - 2 tbsp
• Chopped Cilantro - for garnishing

Veggies - You can use the veggies of your choice, typically, carrots, bell peppers, beans, peas.

Directions:

• Beat the eggs well , add a little salt to it and keep aside.
• Heat oil, and saute chopped onions till golden brown.
• Add chopped green chillies, turmeric powder and ginger garlic paste. Saute for a minute more.
• Add tomatoes and all the chopped veggies and saute till solft. Do not over cook them. Let the veggies be crunchy.
• Add garam masala , salt and red chili powder and mix well.
• Add the beaten eggs to the pan and keep stirring constantly till the eggs dry up and form into lumps and egg is coated with the masala. Cook for around 3-4 minutes.
• Adjust salt and garnish with cilantro.

It can be eaten with rice or roti. It can also be used as filling for sandwich or wraps for breakfast.

Dondakaya Vepudu ( Tindora Fry )

Dondakaya , also known as Tindora or Kundru or Ivy Guard sauted with few spices goes very well with rice and dal or sambar.
This vegetable is green on outside and white on inside with small seeds. However, the overripe tindora is red on inside. Discard such ones, they are hard to cook and spoils the entire curry.

Ingredients:

• Tindora -  1/2 lb
• Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Urad Dal - 1/4 tsp
• Chana Dal -1/4 tsp
• Cashew Nuts - 6-8
• Curry leaves - 1 spring
• Salt -to taste
• Red Chili Powder - to taste
• Turmeric - 1/8 tsp
• Asafoetida - 1/8 tsp
• Koora Podi - 1 tsp ( optional ) ( Click on it for the recipe )
• Oil - 2 tbsp

Directions:

• Nip the tip and tail ends of washed and cleaned tindoras.
• Slit each tindora into half lengthwise , and again slit each half into 2 pieces ,lengthwise. Keep aside.
• Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, let them splutter. Add urad dal and chana dal and saute till they turn reddish.
• Add Cashew nuts, curry leaves, asafoetida and saute till cashew nuts turn reddish.
• Add tindora, salt, turmeric. Give it a good toss.
• Cook covered on medium, stirring several times in between.
• Cook till all the moisture is evaporated and tindora gets crispy. Add red chili powder and koora podi ( optional ). Mix well.
• Cook for a couple of minutes uncovered.
• Turn off the heat and serve with rice and dal or rasam or samabar.

Achari Gobhi

Cauliflower cooked in achari masala has a similar flavour to a pickle. Who doesn't like pickle.
The main ingredients to get the flavour of Indian Pickle are Kalonji, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, Mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds.
Also the secret is cooking it in the mustard oil.

Ingredients:

• Cauliflower - 1 ( cut into medium sized florets )
• Kalonji Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Fennel Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Fenugreek Seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Red Chili Powder - to taste
• Salt - to taste
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
• Lemon Juice - 1 tbsp
• Mustard Oil - 3 tbsp
• Green Chili - 1-2
• Chopped Cilantro - for garnish

Directions:

• Heat oil in a wide bottom pan and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, fenugreek seeds and kalonji. Let them sizzle.
• Add slit green chillies and turmeric powder.
• Add cauliflower florets, salt and chili powder and give it a good mix till all the florets are nicely coated.
• Add very little water, say 2-3 tbsp , and cook covered on slow heat, mixing in between.
• Cook till the cauliflower is tender and the water is all evaporated.
• Add lemon juice and cook for another 2 minutes and turn off the heat.
• Do not overcook, the cauliflower will turn mushy .
• Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Tip :  You can also add 1 tbsp of pickle paste to the curry for a stronger pickle flavour.

Cabbage Fry / Poriyal

Ingredients:

• Shredded Cabbage - 2 cups
• Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Urad Dal - 1/2 tsp
• Chana Dal - 1 tsp
• Curry Leaves - 1 spring
• Green Or Red Chillies - 2
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
• Hing - a pinch
• Grated Coconut - 1/4 cup
• Oil - 2 tbsp
• Salt - to taste

Directions:

• Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, chana dal, urad dal. Let the seeds crackle and dals turn reddish.
• Add curry leaves, chillies, hing and turmeric powder.
• Add cabbage, salt and sprinkle a couple of tbsp of water. Cook covered on a low-med heat.
• Keep stirring often and cook till tender.
• Add coconut , mix well and turn off the heat.

Variation:   Sprinkle little mustard powder on the curry for a completely different flavour altogether.
Sprinkle it just before turning off the heat. Do not cook for long after mustard powder is sprinkled, the curry might turn bitter.

Aloo Simla Mirch Sabzi

Ingredients:

• Potatoes - 2
• Bell Pepper( Capsicum ) - 2
• Onion - 1 medium
• Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Fennel Seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
• Grated Ginger - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Red Chili Powder - to taste
• Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
• Oil - 2 tbsp

Directions:

• Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds and fennel seeds. Let them sizzle.
• Add chopped onions and grated ginger, saute till golden brown.
• Add turmeric powder.
• Add cubed potatos and cubed bell peppers. Mix well. Cook covered. Keep stirring ocassionally.
• After the curry is 3/4th cooked, add garam masala, red chili powder, salt. Mix well and let it cook till done.
• Do not over cook, the potatoes might get mushy. Turn off the heat just when the vegetables are well cooked .

Capsicum Fry ( Simla Mirch )

Ingredients :

• Bell Peppers ( Capsicum ) -3 ( Add yellow or orange bell peppers to add color to the dish )
• Onions - 1
• Ginger Garlic Paste - 1tsp
• Tomato - 1
• Salt- to taste
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
• Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
• Cumin - Coriander Powder - 1/2 tsp
• Oil - 1 tbsp

Directions:

• Heat oil in the pan. Add chopped onions and saute them till transparent.
• Saute ginger garlic paste. 
• Add chopped tomatoes, salt and turmeric powder and fry till soft.
• Add cubed capsicum ( bell pepper ) and cook covered on medium heat. Keep Stirring ocassionally.
• After the capsicum is almost done, add garam masala and cumin coriander powder.
• Mix well and cook for another 3-4 minutes and turn off the heat.

Green Beans Fry / Beans Poriyal

The combination of green beans and coconut makes an excellent proiyal. Very healthy and very easy to make. Goes extremely well with sambar rice or rasam rice.

Ingredients:

• Chopped Green Beans - 2 cups
• Grated coconut - 4 tbsp
• Urad Dal - 1/2 tsp
• Red Whole Chillies - 1 or 2
• Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Hing - 2 pinches
• Cooking oil - 1 tbsp
• Curry Leaves - 1 spring
• Salt -to taste

Directions :

• Heat oil in a pan, let mustard seeds splutter.
• Add urad dal, and saute till they turn reddish.
• Add hing, curry leaves, red chillies.
• Add finely chopped green beans and salt. Mix well.
• Add just a couple of tbsp of water and cook covered on medium.
• Keep stirring in between and sprinkle few drops of water if the curry is sticking to the bottom.
• When the beans are tender, add grated fresh coconut or coconut powder. Toss well and cook uncovered for another 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat.
• Serve with rice and rasam or sambar or dal.

Variation : You can add finely chopped onions and ginger garlic to the curry to make it spicy.