Alu Matar (Potato with Green Peas)

One of the easiest dishes to make to have with chapati. Finishes by the time the chapatis are done. It goes well with rice as well. Its very similar to my Alu Palak. Infact, its the same. Instead of Palak (Spinach), I put in Peas.


Ingredients
3 medium size potatoes - peeled, cut into 3/4 inch pieces
1 medium onion chopped
1 tsp chilli powder (adjust)
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
a handful frozen peas(you can add more)
salt to taste

Method:

1. Heat some oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds.
2. Once they start spluttering, add the onion and fry it till brown
3. Now add all the dry spices and salt and fry for 2 mins (take care the spices don't burn).
4. Add some water and put the potatoes and the peas.
5. Cook till the potatoes are done. Adjust water as needed.
   
6. Get the desired consistency and take off the stove.
   
7. Serve with roti or rice.

Rice Rava Upma

Another post to another event. Divya is hosting this month's Tried and Tasted.



Tried and Tasted was originally started by Zlamushka. Every month, the host chooses one blog and the participant has to cook any recipe from the blog to enter.

Divya has chosen Raaga for this month. I was amazed how simple yet tasty her recipes seemed. And I wasn't disappointed when I chose her Arisi Upma. It was extremely simple but very tasty.

I like onions in my upma. So here's my version of the recipe (Its the same. I just added onions)


Ingredients
1.5 cups rice rava /idli rava
3.5 cups of water
1 onion - chopped
2 green chillies - slit
2 red chillies
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp chana dal
1 tsp urad dal
1/2 tsp asafoetida (hing)
1/2 tsp ginger paste
10 - 15 curry leaves
2 tbsp oil
salt to taste
coriander leaves for garnish


Method

1. Heat oil in a pan.
   
2. When hot, add the chana dal and urad dal.
3. When the dal changes colour, add the mustard seeds and asafetida.
4. When the mustard seeds splutter, add the green and red chillies and fry for a min.
5. Now add the curry leaves and the ginger paste and fry for 2 mins.
6. Add the onions and fry till translucent.
7. Now add the rava and fry for 4 - 5 mins.
8. Add the water and bring to boil on med - high.
   
9. Reduce heat and let cook.
10. When the upma is not sticky, its done.
    

Palak Dal - Akkoora Pappu

Another post to another food blog event. Hopefully, I'll take part in more events and keep updating my blog.

Healing Foods was started by Siri of Siri's Corner. This month, its hosted by Divya of Dil Se, the topic being "Spinach".


I like spinach and am glad even my one and half year old son likes it too (atleast he doesn't say no to it).

I am sure many people make Palak Dal in a lot of different ways. Here's my take on it:


Ingredients
300gms Frozen chopped spinach
1 cup toor dal - washed
1 medium sized onion - sliced
5 green chillies - slit length wise
1 tomato - chopped
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp garlic paste
lime sized tamarind soaked in water and deseeded.

For the tadka (popu / tiragamata):
2 red chillies
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds (methi / mentulu)
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
few curry leaves
2 tbsp vegetable / sunflower oil

Method

1. Pressure cook spinach, toor dal, 3/4 of the onion, green chillies and turmeric powder with 3 cups of water for about 3 whistles (till the toor dal is done). You can blend it if you want it really smooth. I prefer not to.
   
2. In a separate pan, heat the oil and break the red chillies. Add the fenugreek seeds and fry for 30 seconds. Now add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds and curry leaves.
3. Once the mustard seeds start spluttering, add the garlic paste and fry for 30 seconds - taking care it doesn't burn.
4. Now add the rest of the onion and fry till it starts turning brown. Then add the tomato and cook till its done.
5. Add the tamarind paste and bring to a boil.
6. Add this to the pressure cooker and add the salt.
7. Bring to a boil and turn off the heat.
8. Serve hot with rice.