Capsicum (Bell Pepper) Rice

This is a very easy recipe and is a whole meal by itself. This will be my entry for the JFI - Bell Peppers event hosted by Creative Pooja.

Ingredients:

Rice (cooked) - 2 cups
Roasted cashews - 2 tbsp
Curry leaves - 10
Capsicum (chopped) - 1 cup
Groundnut (powdered) - 2 tbsp (optional)
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Oil or Ghee - 2 tbsp
Salt - as needed

To Powder:
Red Chillies - 5
Cinnamon - 1/2 inch
Dhania - 2 tsp
Jeera - 1/2 tsp
Split urad dal - 1/2 tsp
Channa dal - 1/2 tsp
Shredded coconut - 1/2 cup

Seasoning Ingredients:
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Split urad dal - 1/2 tsp
Channa dal - 1/2 tsp
Red Chillies - 2

Method:

Dry roast the to powder ingredients. Be careful and do not let the coconut turn black. Let it cool and powder it. Heat oil and add the seasoning ingredients. Once the mustard starts to splutter add the curry leaves and capsicum and fry till the capsicum changes color. Add groundnut powder, turmeric, salt and the ground mixture and fry for a few minutes. Add cooked rice and mix well. Serve hot with raitha and chips.

Sundakai Vatral Kuzhambu

This is a very easy recipe and can be prepared within minutes. Any kind of vatral (dried vegetable) can be used.

Ingredients:

Sundakkai Vatral - 2 tbsp
Sambar Powder - 2 tsp
Thin tamarind extract - 1/2 cup
Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt - as needed
Rice flour - 1tsp

Seasoning Ingredients:
Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Dry red chillies - 2
Toor dal - 1 tsp
Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp



Method:

Heat oil and add the seasoning ingredients. Fry till the mustard starts to splutter and then add the vatral and fry in low heat for about 10min. Add sambar powder and fry for 5min and then add the tamarind extract. Let it come to a boil. Mix rice flour with 1 tbsp water and add it to the boiling mixture. Allow to cook till it becomes thick. Remove from heat and serve with rice and papad.

Cabbage kootu

Kootu is a very easy and healthy dish. A lot of vegetables can be prepared this way and it goes well with both chapathi and rice. I usually make kootu with chayote squash, cabbage, snake gourd, yellow squash and spinach.


Ingredients:

Cabbage (chopped) - 2 cups
Tomato (chopped) - 1/2
Moong dal - 2 tbsp
Green chilly - 2
Coconut (shredded) - 2 tbsp
Cumin seeds (jeera) - 1 tsp
Salt - as needed

Seasoning:
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Split urad dal - 1 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Oil - 1 tsp

Method:

Pressure cook the cabbage, tomato, moong dal and one slit green chilly with 1 cup of water for one whistle. Grind the coconut, one green chilly and jeera with 2 tbsp water. After the pressure has subsided, open the pressure cooker, add salt and heat the pressure cooked cabbage till all water evaporates. Add the ground mixture and cook till the raw smell disappears (about 5min). Heat 1 tsp oil in a small pan and add the seasoning ingredients. Remove from heat when the mustard starts to splutter and then add it to the cabbage pan. Serve hot with rice or roti.

Happy Tamil New Year

Ive been busy at work lately and add to that severe neck pain. Hence I've been MIA (Missin In Action). I promise not to disappear again and to post more often. I also have a ton of bloghoppin to do and get updated with whats happening in the blog world. I hope I dint miss anything big and also hope that all is fine with everyone.

So here are some pictures from my tamil new year's celebration.

Clockwise from top: Vatral Kuzhambu, Raddish Sambar, Tomato Rasam, Cabbage Kootu, Beetroot Poriyal, Potato fry, Curd - Vermicelli Payasam and Masala Vada in the center

All the same goodies served with hot rice and appalam

I promise to post the recipes soon.