Bhendi - Aloo Curry

Bhendi is Lady's Finger(okra) and Aloo is nothing but potatoes. Every one normally likes Potatoes. Mixing Lady's finger and preparing a combo curry indeed a good thought.

Lady's finger, is liked by most. It is said  that "The one who eats Bendi (Lady's finger) will be good at calculation and will be definitely intelligent and also will be excellent in Maths.  I do not know whether, the above said words are really true or just some simply said promise to make the children eat this vegetable. What ever it is this particular combo Bemdi Aloo curry goes well with rice, chapati, roti, poori or even dosa and idli and it is one of the healthy side dish you can prepare quickly and easily.

Now lets see some benefits of eating Lady's Finger.
Lady's finger or Okra are rich source of dietary fiber, minerals and vitamins. It is often recommended by nutritionists in cholesterol controlling and weight reduction programs. They do not contain saturated fats and cholesterol. They contain healthy amounts of vitamin A and anti-oxidants. Fresh Okras are good source of folates. They are rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin K and B complex. Lady's finger are also good source of many important minerals such as iron, calcium, manganese and magnesium. Lady's finger juice is consumed to control the diabetics.

Here is a recipe of Bendi - Aloo Curry and I am sure all age group will surely enjoy having them.

Things Needed:

Lady's Finger : 15 to 20 ( 1/4 KG)
Potatoes : 2
Tomatoes : 3 to 4
Garam Masala powder : 1/2 Tea spoon
Rasam Powder : 2 Tea spoons (MTR)
Green Chilly : :2
Curry leaves : 5 to 6
Coriander leaves : 2 to 3 Table spoons
Jeera : 1/2 Tea spoon
Turmeric Powder : a pinch
Lemon juice : 1 Table spoon (1 lemon extract)
Oil : 2 Table spoons
Ingh : a pinch
Methi seeds : 1/4 Tea spoon
Salt : Required

Method :

1. Wash Bendi (Okra) and leave it for some time and dry the water completely. Then cut them into small.

 2. Wash and cut potatoes into big pieces .(like wedges) and cook with little water for 3 to 4 minutes.(Half cook).

 3. Wash tomatoes and remove the seeds from in side and cut them in to small pieces.
 4. Wash green chilly, coriander leaves, and curry leaves . Cut them in to small. Grate ginger and keep it aside.

 
5. Now keep a pan on the fire and heat. Put oil, jeera and methi seeds. Let methi seeds turn lightly brown.

 6. Add green chilly, curry leaves and ingh. Add cut Lady's finger and fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Add salt and turmeric powder.

7. Add tomatoes and ginger ,fry them nicely along with lady's finger.

 
 8. Now add half cooked potatoes and stir slowly and mix it well. Leave them on low flame. (Stir in between).

9. Add Garam Masala powder and Rasam powder when the potato is completely cooked. (Do not over cook).

10. Mix it nicely and cook on low flame for 2 to 3 minutes. Add coriander leaves and lemon extract.

11. Put it in a serving bowl and add a spoon of ghee.

12. Serve Bendi -Aloo curry with the choice of your main dish.

Note:

Do not over cook potatoes. It turns soft and will be smashed with the curry.
You can use tamarind instead of lemon juice. Add it when you add tomatoes and cook it nicely.
You can also use more oil and more spices.
Adding coconut is also an optional. Retaining the potato skin is optional.
Time : 20 minutes
Serves : 4

Bombay Saag + Soft Chapatis

Bombay saag is a gravy curry and it is prepared with potatoes, besan and garam masala.(spice).  Bambay Saag sounds interesting. May be this curry include besan and its done in minutes must have brought the name.
Potatoes are rich tuberous root vegetable. It is a good source of nutrition, starch, vitamin and fiber. It is one of the cheap staple food item all over the world. It is full of vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber. They are very good natural sources of both soluble and insoluble fiber. It helps to prevent constipation. They are full of B compex group of vitamins. Potatoes contain the good amount of many essential minerlas like Iron, manganese, magnesium, phosphorous, copper and potassium.

Here is a recipe of Bombay Saag which is a gravy dish. It is very simple and easy to prepare. Bombay Saag definitely goes very well with chapatis, pooris, roti, idli, dosa and even with bread. All the age group will surely enjoy eating Bombay Saag + Soft Chaptis.

Bombay Saag :

Things Needed :

Potatoes : 3 to 4
Green chilly : 2 to 3
Garam Masala : 1/2 Tea spoon
Besan : 2 Tea spoons
Salt : to taste
Curry leaves : 5 to 6
Coriander leaves : 2 to 3 Table spoons
Lemon : 1 Table spoon (optional)
Oil : 1 Tea spoon
Jeera :  1/2 Tea spoon
Ginger :  1 Table spoon (grated)
Ingh : a pinch
Turmeric powder : a pinch

Method :

1. Wash and cut potatoes according to your wish. Wash it again and keep it aside.

2. Wash and cut green chilly, curry leaves and coriander leaves. Grate ginger.

3. Mix besan with 1/2 cup of water and keep it ready.
4. Now keep a pan on the fire and heat.
5. Put oil and jeera to the pan. Add ingh, curry leaves and green chilly.

6. Add potatoes, ginger to the jeera mixture and fry for 1 minute.

7. Put two glasses of water, turmeric powder and cook potatoes till soft.

8. Add salt and garam masala powder when potatoes are cooked.

9. Mix besan nicely with water and add it to the gravy and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

10. Stir in between so that it does not get burnt at the bottom and cooked well.
11.Add coriander leaves, lemon juice and shift the Aloo gravy to a serving dish.

12 Mix well and serve with Chapati or Roti or even dosas.

Note : 

You must cook potatoes till they turn soft. You can add more oil if you wish. You can also add onions and garlic to the potatoes. Boiling potatoes in the pressure cooker is a good idea, but do not over cook.
Time : 15 Minutes

Servings : 3 to 4

Soft Chapati :

Take a big bowl add 2 cups of wheat flour, 2 table spoons of curd, salt and 1/2 spoon of baking powder. Mix it nicely and keep the dough for 20 minutes.

Now prepare small balls, roll them and prepare chaptis.

Server them with Bombay Saag.

Note : Add water little by little and prepare the dough, since already curd in it the dough will not take much water. The chapati dough should be normal chapati consistency. Since we have used wheat 20 minutes is more than enough to get the soft dough. Adding oil is purely optional.

Time : 20 Minutes
Servings : 3 to 4 

Palak Aloo Tikky & Dahi Baby Potatoes.

Palak Aloo Tikky  and Dahi Baby Potatoes are a snack or a chat dish. We can have Palak Aloo tikky and Dahi Baby potatoes as dinner too. Even we can have them as starter also. I have used very little oil and well taken care and used mild spices. Children especially love this dish since lots of potatoes are added and mother can be happy at least in this way she can feed her kid spinach. (Palak) and some calcium content that is Dahi. Palak and boiled potato tikky and Dahi Baby Potatoes definitely make all age group happy I am sure.

Palak is rich in potassium and low in sodium. It is a rich source of vitamin A and reduces the risk of eye diseases. Using Palak in your daily diet helps to control the blood pressure to normal levels. It reduces the hypertension and helps to maintain a proper blood flow. Palak is rich in minerals like manganese, copper, magnesium, zinc and phosphorus. These minerals help to build strong bones.
Another important mineral is found abudantry in spinach is Iron. Iron reproduce red blood cells. Iron also useful for boosting the body;s metabolism.
Potatoes are very good source of vitamin B6 and good source of potassium, copper, vitamin C, manganese, phosphorus and dietary fiber.

So here we go and see how to prepare Palak Aloo Tikky & Baby Aoo Dahi. Eating Tikky with green chutney or sweet chutney or with ketch up is normal. I thought a bit and tried this Baby Aloo Dahi which goes very well with the Palak Aloo Tikky. 

Things Needed : 

Palak Aloo Tikky
Palak leaves : 1 Bundle
Potatoes : 2 to 3 (Medium sized)
Peas :  1 Cup
Chiroti Rava : 1 Cup  (Thin sized Samolina)
Green chilly : 2 to 3
Ginger : 1 Table spoon (grated)
Jeera : 1 Tea spoon
Coriander leaves :  2 Table spoons
Garam Masala : 1/2 Tea spoon
Salt : as required
Oil : 1/2 Cup (2 to 3 Table spoons)

Method :
1. Wash and boil potatoes and peas in a pressure cooker. Leave it for cooling.
2. Wash and cut palak, green chilly and coriander leaves in to small pieces. Grate ginger.

3. Roast Rava (Samolina) for 2 ti 3 minutes. (Let the raw smell disappear).

4. Now Remove the outer skin of the potato and smash the cooked peas.
5. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Put 1/2 tea spoon of oil and add jeera.

6. Add cut green chilly and cut palak leaves. Mix it well and cook on medium flame till water disappears. (3 to 4 minutes)

7. Take a big bowl.  Put potatoes and peas. Smash potatoes and cooked peas.
8. Add  coriander leaves, smashed potatoes, ginger and peas. Add little turmeric and garam masala powder.
9. Add required salt and mix it well.
10. Add roasted chiroti Rava to the mixture and put off the gas. Put this mixture to abig pan.

11. Now mix the mixture nicely and prepare dough.

12. Divide the dough in to small portions.
14. Keep a pan on the fire. Heat. Sprinkle oil.
15. Take one small portion of the Tikky mixture and flatten on your palm.
16.Give the desired shape. Put this Tikky on the heated pan. lower the flame and cook.

17 Sprinkle oil on the top and cook till it is brown. Now turn the other side and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
Now serve hot Palak Aloo Tikky with your choice of side dish. (Chutney or Ketch up).

18. You can prepare 5 to 6 Tikkiess at a time. Prepare the remaining Tikkies in the same way.
20. No need to add much oil.
Note : You must boil potatoes nicely. Do not over boil them. You can also add any other vegetables like carrots or beans to the mixture. (Cook them till soft and add them).
You can add spice according to your wish. (More or Less).
Serves : 4 to 5
Preparation Time : 20 minutes
Cooking time :40 minutes


Dahi Baby Potatoes

Things Needed :
Baby Potatoes : 10 to 12
Jeera Powder : 1/2  Tea spoon
Pepper Powder : 1/2 Tea spoon
Salt : Required
Dahi (curd or yogurt) : 1 Cup
Whole Jeera : 1/2 Tea spoon
Oil : 1 Table spoon

Method : 
1. Wash and pressure cook baby potatoes for 6 to 8 minutes. Leave it for cooling.
2. Remove the skin of baby potatoes when it is cooled.

3. Now keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add oil.
4. Add jeera and fry for 10 seconds.

5. Now add baby potatoes and mix it nicely.

6. Add salt and pepper + jeera powder.

7. Stir in between and cook for 2 to3 minutes.

8. Now shift the cooked baby potatoes to the serving bowl.

9. Take a small bowl. Put 3 to  4 baby potatoes and add 2 to 3 table spoons of curd and mix it nicely and serve with Palak Aloo Tikky.

Note : 

You must roast jeera and pepper podes and powder it. You can prepare this powder and store it insmall quantity, so that you can use it whenever you want it. You can also add curry leaves or coriander leaves to the potatoes. Cooking baby potatoes on low flame will enrich the taste bud. Do not use much oil. You can also use big potatoes instead of baby potatoes. Boil them and cut it in to small cube size and use it. You can also use chat masala while you serve Dahi Baby potatoes.

Serves : 4 to 6

Time : 10 minutes to cook

Preparation time : 20 minutes.

Pigeon Pea ragda Aloo Patties

Pigeon Pea or Togari Kalu will be available plenty during the winter. People make use of this pea and prepare varieties of dishes. Pigeon Pea is called Togari Kalu in Kannada.Pigeon Pea Ragda Aloo Patties. Ragda means mixed curry  and paties are prepared using potato and spices.

Pigeon peas have many good qualities like, it provides excellent source of fiber, protein and sodium. They are low in fat content and its ideal food for heart healthy diets.
Here is a recipe of Ragada Patties prepared using Pigeon Peas or Togari Kalu as we kannadigas say. Ragada means Sambar or gravy and patties which are prepared using Potatoes, or Green Bananas or even Sweet Potatoes too. This dish can be eaten for break-fast or as evening snack.
I am sure since its yemmy every one and all age group will love to eat this Ragda Patties.
One more dish is Usli using the same peas and prepared this dish and it has less oil and can be eaten at any time of the day. You can even use your creativity and prepare chat..with this Peas.

1.Ragda Patties.

For the Curry : 
Things Needed:
Pigeon Peas : 2 Cups
Onions : 3
Tomatoes : 2 to 3
Garam Masala : 1 Tea spoon
Jeera : 1/2 Tea spoon
Coriander seeds: 1 Tea spoon
Green Chilly : 1
Coriander leaves : 1 bundle
Ginger : an inch
Turmeric powder : a pinch
Salt : to taste
Lemon : 1/2 Rind
Oil :  1 Table spoons

For the Patties:
Potatoes : 4 to 5
Bread slices : 6 to 8
Curry leaves : 3  to 4 Table spoon
Salt : to taste
Jeera (Cumin Seeds) : 1 Tea spoon
Red chilly : 1 Tea spoon
Oil : 1/2 Cup

Method : to Prepare Curry 

1. Wash and cook Pigeon Peas in a pressure cooker with required water and leave it for cooling.
2. Wash tomatoes, coriander leaves green chilly and cut into small pieces.
3. Remove the outer skin of onions (2 onions ), wash and cut into small pieces.
4. Now Grind tomatoes, garam masala, coriander leaves, coriander seeds, jeera, ginger, green chilly  and  2 table spoons of cooked peas into paste and remove from the jar and keep it aside.
5. Keep a pan on the fire. Heat the pan and put 1 table spoon of oil.
6. Add jeera and fry for 10 seconds. Add cut onion pieces and fry till they are brown.
7. Add ground mixture and mix it well. Add salt, turmeric and grated ginger to the mixture.
8. Add cooked peas and stir well. Let the curry boil nicely. Add water if required.
9. Stir inbetween and boil for 3 to 4 minutes.
10. Now shift the curry to the serving bowl.

2. Aloo Patties : 

1. Wash and boil potatoes in a pressure cooker for 6 to 8 minutes and remove the outer skin of the potatoes when it is cooled.

2. Wash and cut coriander leaves.
3. Now take a big bowl. Put potatoes, coriander leaves and the bread slices, salt, jeera and red chilly powder.
4. Smash the potatoes nicely and mix all the ingredients nicely. Knead it well and divide the smashed mixture in to small portions.

5. Keep a pan on the fire. Put oil .
6. Take a small portion of the mixture and give a shape according to your wish and shallow fry or just cook with little oil on both sides.  (At time 4 to 6 patties can be cooked).

7. Repeat the same procedure and prepare the patties from the remaining dough.
Now Put a big spoon of Peas curry in a deep plate. Keep 2 to 3 Aloo Patties and put some cut onions on the top and serve.

Note : See that the curry is piping hot. You can add or lesson the spices (chilly) according to your taste. See that the curry is little liquidy. (not watery). You can also use more onions if you wish. You can also mix onions along with boiled potatoes.  It taste differ. Must use little oil on both sides while cooking. Using more oil is optional. Here I have used less oil. You can also put grated carrots along with cut onions on the top of the patties while serving.

Serves : 4
Time :40 mins