Harve soppu/Amaranth leaves Dry Curry

Harve soppu/Amaranth leaves are fresh during the rainy days. It is tender and taste too good.
Harve soppu Dry curry goes well with hot rice, with chapatis, all type of rotis and poori.

I have prepared this curry with fresh sambar/curry powder. It taste yummy.
Let us see some benefits of eating " Amaranth leaves" in our diet.
Harve soppu (as we call it in Karnataka- India), has the ability to reduce inflammation, boost bone strength and lower the blood pressure. It helps to improve our immune system. It also helps to maintain healthy hair and good for weight loss. It boost energy and helps the metabolic function in our body. They are rich in protein. They have a rich source of antioxidant properties and helps to cure and reduce the inflammation. They are rich in fiber and good for easy digestion. They are good source of minerals.
Let us see the recipe now :
No Onion or No Garlic is used in this Harve soppu Dry Curry.

Ingredients :

Harve soppu : 1 Bundle (Medium size)
Coconut : 1/2 Cup
Fresh ground spices/sambar powder : 1 Tablespoon
Jaggery : 1 Teaspoon
Lemon juice or tamarind pulp : 1 Teaspoon
Salt : As required
Coriander leaves : 1 Tablespoon
Seasoning :
Coconut Oil : 1Tablespoon
Mustard Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Urid dal : 1/2 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6
Green chilly : 1

Method :

1. Wash and cut Harve soppu into small pieces. Grate coconut and keep it aside.
2. Wash and cut curry leaves, coriander leaves, slit green chilly and keep it aside.

3. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Put oil and mustard seeds and urid dal.
4. Let mustard seeds splutter. Add curry leaves and slit chilly.
5. Fry for a second and add cut Harve soppu and mix it well.
6. Cook on low flame. Add 1/2 cup of water, little turmeric powder and cook on medium flame.

7.Let all the water dry. Add salt, tamarind pulp/lemon juice, little jaggery and mix it nicely.

8. Add fresh sambar powder and mix it well. Add fresh grated coconut and put off the fire.

9. Shift the ready Harve soppu Curry to a serving dish. Add cut coriander leaves.
10. Serve with the main dish that you have prepared.

Note :

Use of any cooking oil instead of coconut oil is optional. Adding more oil is optional. Adding any spice powder is optional. I have added fresh sambar powder. Adding onions or garlic is optional.
Adding jaggery is optional. You can cook Harve soppu on  low flame without using the water. It takes little more time and little more oil. (Stir in between so that it does not get burnt at the bottom).
Time : 15 Minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4.

Fresh Sambar Powder :

A tablespoon of coriander seeds. 1/4 teaspoon of methi, 1/2 teaspoon of jeera , 1/2 teaspoon of urid dal and channa dal,  (each) 4 to 5 byadagi chilly and some curry leaves. Dry roast all these ingredients one by one and dry grind it when it cools. Sambar powder is ready to use.

Cauliflower Dry Curry

Cauliflower is one of the most loved vegetable by kids. Whatever the way it is cooked surely gobbled by kids. It may be gobi manchooriya, gobi tava fry, gobi pakoda or any curry with gobi, thats cauliflower.

I have tried a dry curry with Cauliflower and it tasted yummy. It goes well with almost all the main dishes like rice, chapatis, rotis, pooris or even dosas.
Simple spice and little Besan/kadale hittu/Chenna flour/Gram flour is added to gobi and tried as mild spicy dry curry.
Our friend Rajashree Vaidya is used to add besan flour to the curry, so that it binds the pieces well roasted nicely gives out a good aroma too.
Let us see some benefits of eating " Cauliflower " in our diet.
Cauliflower is good for hypertension. It is a good source of antioxidant and helps to  strengthen the immune system. It helps to support bone health, and good for brain. It gives a relief to indigestion and good for diabetes and balance the cholesterol levels. Cauliflower is an excellent source of Vitamin C, Vitamin K and Vitamin B -6, Vitamin B1, B 2, B 3 and Vitamin E. It provides vital minerals like calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, manganese. It is a rich source of protein and very low amount of fats.
Cauliflower Dry Curry has " No Onion " or " No Garlic " in it. It is very easy and simple to prepare.
Let us see the recipe Now :

Things Needed :

Cauliflower : 1  Bowl (Medium Sized)
Oil : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Jeera/Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Urid dal : 1/2 Teaspoon
Chilly Powder : 1 Teaspoon
Methi Seeds : 4 to 5 Seeds
Ingh/Asafoetida : A pinch
Besan/Gram flour : 2 Teaspoon
Garam Masala Powder : 1/2 Teaspoon
Salt : As required
Curry Leaves : 6 to 8
Coriander Leaves : 2 Tablespoons

Method :

1. Wash cauliflower nicely and soak in warm water. Add 1 teaspoon of salt to the warm water. Leave it for 10 minutes.
2. Wash cauliflower again nicely with normal water. Keep it aside.
3. Wash curry leaves and coriander leaves and cut into small.
4. Keep a pan on the fire. Heat and put oil. Add mustard seeds, urid dal and methi seeds. Let mustard seeds splutter.
5. Add jeera/cumin seeds and ingh. Add curry leaves. Mix it well. Add washed cauliflower.
6. Reduce the flame to low. (Not very low). Stir nicely and add a pinch of turmeric powder.

7. Let it cook on low flame till it turn slightly soft. Stir in between.
8. Add salt, garam masala, chilly powder and mix it well. Let it cook for 2 minutes. Stir and mix the vegetable nicely.
9. Add 2 teaspoons of dry besan/gram flour/chenna flour on the top and slowly turn the vegetable pieces. Add cut coriander leaves.

10.. Let it cook nicely till golden brown. Now mix all the ingredients nicely and shift the ready cauliflower dry curry to a serving bowl. Serve with a main dish you have prepared.

Note :

Use of onions or garlic is optional. Adding any spice is optional. Example : chat masala. rasam/samabar powder, jeera -coriander powder, pav bhaji masala etc.Add of more oil is optional.
Time : 15 Minutes.
Serves : 2 to 3.

Pav Bhaji : My Style

Pav Bhaji is one of the famous street food which is liked by so many around the world. Spicy, filled with veggie and yummy Pav Bhaji is always loved and invited by the hungry stomach. Its healthy and stomach filling food too. Pav is nothing but a bun (a special type of bun) and bhaji is spicy curry.

Here is a simple, quick and yummy " Pav Bhaji " and I have used vegetables, some spices/masala and Pav is heated on tava with little butter. I am sure we fall love in having Pav Bhaji and definitely prepare this evening.
You can have this Pav Bhaji for the breakfast (tummy full), as snack in the evening time or for dinner.
Remember to use less spice which helps to keep you fit and fine. It is always better to use less spice because you may feel not only thirsty and lazy, spice effect cause chest burn and other problems because of more spice in the curry.
No Onion or Garlic is cooked in this " Pav Bhaji ". (Cut onions are used as raw to add it to the curry. Purely Optional.
Use of pressure cooker to cook vegetables because it helps to retain health content in vegetables.
Lets see the recipe now :

Things Needed :

To Pressure cook :
Carrots : 2
Potatoes : 2 to 3
Peas : 1 Bowl
Tomatoes : 2
To Add :
Pav Bhaji Masala (Mayyas) : 1 Teaspoon
Jeera/Cumin Seeds : 1 Teaspoon
Jeera Seasoning : 1 Tablespoon
Grated Ginger : 1 Teaspoon
Salt : As Required
Turmeric powder : 1/4 Teaspoon
Chat Masala : 1/2 Teaspoon
Butter : 1 Tablespoon
Coriander Leaves : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Lemon : 1/2 Lemon extract.

Method : 

1. Wash and remove the outer layer of all the vegetables. Cut into small pieces. Slit green chilly.
2. Wash fresh peas. Now put cut vegetables and peas to pressure cooker.

3. Add little water to the vegetables and cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Wash and remove the outer layer of ginger and wash it again. Grate it and keep it aside.
4. Remove the lid once the pressure cooker is cool.

5. Add salt, turmeric powder, pav bhaji (Mayya's ), jeera powder and smash the vegetables nicely.
6. Add very little water and cook for 2 minutes. Add grated ginger.

7. Mix it well.. Let it cook for a minute.
8. Keep a small pan and put oil. (1 Tablespoon). Add slit chilly and fry nicely.
9. Add this to cooked Bhaji and mix it well.

10. Add 1/4 Teaspoon of chat masala and mix it nicely. Add a tablespoon of butter and let it melt.

11. Mix bhaji nicely and put off the fire. Shift the ready curry to a bowl, Add coriander leaves and 1/2 lemon extract. .

12. Cut Pav in the middle and put it on a hot tava. Put little butter on each side.
13. Let it turn slightly golden brown. Put it on a plate.

14. Serve Pav bhaji with cut onions on the side. (Or put some cut onions on the top of bhaji).

Note: 

Use of pressure cooker is optional. You can use a tava to mix all the ingredients nicely. Smashing the vegetables is an optional. Adding more spice is optional. Mild spice is always better. Use of cut onions on the side is optional. (You can use cucumber pieces instead of onions). Adding more/less butter is optional. Butter not only adds to the  taste helps to reduce the spicy taste.
Time : 15 Minutes
Serves : 4 to 5 .

Capsicum + Bendi Fry

" Capsicum - Bendi Fry " is one of the spicy side dish which goes well with almost all the main dishes. Capsicum and Bendi/Lady finger mixes well and the dry curry taste super.

It is always better to try some thing healthy and not effecting the health. Though the spices are good to our health it should be minimum. It is always too much is too bad. (The proverb).
I have used capsicum, lady finger, some fresh home prepared spice and little coconut.
Let us see some benefits of using " Coconut Oil " in our diet.
Coconut oil is good for improving digestion and strong immunity. It is good for skin and hair care. Coconut oil helps to fight against infections. It reduce the protein loss and nourish our body. Prevents high cholesterol and blood pressure. Strengthen immune system in our body. Controls blood sugar levels and improves insulin production. Improves bone and dental health. Prevents wrinkles, sagging and dryness of the skin. It helps to increase metabolism and helps in weight loss.
Let us see the recipe now:

No Onion or No Garlic Recipe.

Things Needed :

Capsicum : 2
Lady Finger : 250 Grams
Spice powder :
Urid Dal : 1 Teaspoon
Channa Dal : 1 Tablespoon
Red chilly : 4 to 5
Coriander Seeds : 1 Tablespoon
Jeera/Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Cinnamon : Very small piece. (Just to add the aroma)
Curry leaves : 6 to 8
Seasoning : 
Coconut oil : 2 Tablespoons
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Jeera/Cumin seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Ingh/Asafoetida : A pinch
Curry leaves : 6 to 8
To Add :
Fresh coconut : 2 Tablespoons
Fresh coconut oil : 1 Teaspoon
Salt : As required
Turmeric powder : A little
Spice Powder : 2 Tablespoons
Lemon : 1/2 Lemon extract.

Method :

1. Wash and let all the water dry up in lady finger. Cut them into small pieces.(Thin circle shape).
2. Wash and remove the seed part from capsicum and cut into small pieces.

3. Dry roast/fry channa dal, urid dal, coriander seeds, red chilly, cinnamon piece and jeeera.
4. Add curry leaves and ingh to roasted ingredients. Let it cool. Dry grind it. Keep it aside.
5. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Put a tablespoon of oil, mustard seeds and jeera.
6. Let it splutter. Add curry leaves and ingh/asafoetida. ( A little).
7. Add cut lady finger/bendi and fry till they turn slightly soft.

8. Add capsicum and fry along with ladyfinger. (On low flame). Let it turn soft.
9. Add Salt and dry ground spice and mix it slowly. Let it cook on low flame for 2 minutes. Stir.

10.  Add lemon and stir once.Shift the ready " Capsicum - Bendi Fry " to the serving dish.

11. Add coconut and cut coriander leaves. Add a teaspoon of coconut oil.
12, Serve with the main dish you have prepared.

Note :

Use of coconut oil is optional. (You can use any cooking oil of your wish). Lady finger should be dry and all moisture should be removed before cutting or it might turn sticky while frying. Adding fresh spice powder is optional. You can prepare the powder previously and make use of it whenever you want. Adding fresh coconut is also optional. Fry the vegetables on low flame. Adding onions and garlic is optional. Taste differ.
Time : 15 Minutes
Serves : 2 to 3.

Mango Fruit Curry

Mango fruit curry is one of the side dish. It is an easy  and quick preparing yummy dish. Savoury mango fruits are used here and you will surely enjoy eating " Mango Fruit Curry " I am sure. This curry is one of the traditional curry done during Mango season. (Udupi/Karnataka).

My father in law's house is in Salekeri (a small village), near Brahmavar./ Karnataka/ India. There are a few trees which bare these wild mangoes. Now a days its very hard to get people who can climb and pluck the fruit or raw mangoes. The half ripe mangoes start falling to the ground. It is one type of crazy thing that you go and check the ground for fallen mango. (These thoughts are still lingering in my mind.
Mangoes are plenty in the market these days and you can see varieties of mangoes in the market, is all because its the mango season now, Back at home in Salekeri (a small village near Brahmavar near Udupi), there are some mango trees. The wild mango tree has many many mangoes turning into fruits. But in the process it drops down some mangoes which are half ripen or yet to ripe fruits.

When we went home this time I picked some of those mangoes. 

These mangoes can be used for rasam, juice, mango payasa. (Rasayana). I have tried these mangoes with savoury curry. 

This is an easy dish and you can enjoy eating many main dishes with this Mango fruit curry for  chapatis, rice, dosa, idli so and so.

Lets see the recipe now:

Things Needed :

Wild Savoury Mangoes : 2 to 3

Green chilly : 1

Rasam/Sambar/Curry powder : 1 Tablespoon.
Methi Seeds : 1/4 Teaspoon

Jaggery : 2 Tablespoons

Salt : As required 

For seasoning :

Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon

Coconut oil : 1 Teaspoon

Jeera : 1/4 Teaspoon

Asafoetida : A pinch

Curry leaves : 6 to 8 leaves.

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Method :

1. Wash and clean the mangoes. Squeeze the mango pulp and put it in a big bowl.

2. Wash curry leaves and green chilly. Slit the chilly and keep it aside.

3. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Put mustard seeds and jeera/cumin seeds.

4. Let it splutter. Add curry leaves, green chilly and ingh. 

5. Add squeezed mango pulp. Add the mango seeds ( 1 or 2 ). Add dry methi seeds to the curry.

6. Add jaggery, salt and a bit of turmeric powder.

7. Mix it well and let it boil for 2 to 3 minutes.

8. Add rasam powder and mix it well. Let it boil for 2 minutes.

9. Remove the ready Mango curry from the pan  to a serving dish.

10. Add a teaspoon of fresh coconut oil and mix it well and serve.

Note : 

If the mangoes are savoury add little more jaggery which helps to reduce the acidity. Adding more jaggery is purely optional. No need to add any water to it. Thick curry can remain for 2 to 3 days if kept in the fridge. Adding any spice other than rasam powder is optional. You can add garam masala (a pinch), sambar powder, Til/sesame seeds powder is optional. Use of more or less spice is optional.
Adding coconut oil is optional.
Time : 15 Minutes
Serves : 2 to 3.