Potato Onion Huli (Curry)

Potato Onion Huli or Curry is one of the favourite Curry of many of us. It taste so well with almost all the main dishes. We can say it as a classic dish.The taste linger on the tip of the tongue for a long time.
Potatoes and onions are cooked together with toor dal and added spiced ground coconut.We can prepare Sambar (without coconut) and it goes very well with Idli and dosas.
Let us see some benefits of eating onions in our  diet.
The health benefits of eating onions are, lowering the risk of several types of cancer, improving mood and maintaining the health of skin and hair.They are low in calories and high in beneficial nutrients like vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.They contain small amount of carbohydrates, fiber, protein, vitamin C vitamin B-6 and manganese. Onions have small amount of calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and antioxidants and sulfur. Onions have anti -biotic, antiseptic, antimicrobial properties that help you to stay away from infections. It is a good remedy for immediate cure for fever, common cold, cough, sore throat, allergies etc. Inhaling a small piece of onion helps to slow down the bleeding through nose. Onions can cure insomnia or sleeping disorder. Eating an onion helps to give a good sleep at night. Onions can improve digestive system.
Potato Onion Curry is good combination for idli, dosa, plain rice, chapati, roti or pooris and even raagi mudde.

Things Needed :

Onions : 4 to 5
Potatoes : 2 to 3
Toor dal : 1/2 Cup
Tamarind : a marble size
Coconut : 1 Cup  (3 to 4 Table spoons)

 To Fry :

Coriander seeds : 2 to 3 Table spoons
Methi seeds : 1/4 Tea spoon
Urid Dal : 1/2 Tea spoon
Jeera : 1/2 Tea spoon
Red chilly : 6 to 8m
Ingh : a pinch
Curry leaves : 6 to 8

 For Seasoning :

Oil : 1 Tea spoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Tea spoon
Salt : as required
Coriander leaves : 2 Table spoons.

Method : 

1. Wash and cut onions and potatoes. (removing outer layer of the potato is optional).

2. Wash and pressure cook toor dal in a pressure cooker for 6 to 8 minutes and leave it for cooling.
3. Keep a glass of water in a big pan and put cut onions and potatoes and cook till potatoes are soft and keep it aside.
4. Soak a marble size tamarind in hot water and squeeze out the pulp and keep it aside.
5. Keep a small pan on the fire and put1/2 tea spoon of oil and heat.
6. Put methi seeds and urid dal. Let them turn slightly brown7. . Add coriander seeds and fry for 20 seconds.
7. Add red chilly and fry for 10 seconds. Put off the gas. Add jeera, ingh and curry leaves. Mix it well. Leave it for cooling.

8. Grate coconut. Now grind coconut and fried spices  nicely till paste. (Use less water to grind). Remove from the jar and keep it aside.

9. Now keep a big pan on the fire. Add cooked potatoes, onions, cooked dal, tamarind pulp, turmeric powder ( a little) and salt.
10. Mix it well and add water if required. Let it boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Add ground coconut and spice mixture. Mix it well.

11. Let it boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Shift the ready curry to a serving bowl and add mustard seeds, ingh and curry leaves splutter.

12. Add a spoon of ghee and coriander leaves to the curry and serve with the main dish you have prepared.

Note :

Adding more onions is optional. Adding more chilly and oil is also optional. Instead of frying the spices you can use ready rasam powder. ( 2 to 3 Tea spoons of rasam powder. Using MTR or Maiyya's Rasam powder gives a good taste).
Time : 30 minutes
Serves : 3 to 4

Capsicum, Cabbage, Potato Dry Curry & Sandwich

 

Capsicum, cabbage and Potato dry curry is a simple and easy dish and it goes well with almost all the main dish. I just wanted to prepare some yummy curry and these vegetables invited me to try them. So it is for lunch we had this dry curry and in the evening I used it for preparing bread sandwiches and tikky too. They were super hit  dishes and we all loved it.

The vegetables used here are cabbage, capsicum and boiled potatoes. For the tangy taste I have used green mango gratings and the spices like chilly powder and garam masala powder. ( Added garam masala in the evening while preparing sandwich).
The bread used here is Wheat bread.  You can use any kind of bread or buns even.
Let  us some benefits of using Cabbage in our diet.
Cabbage is good for stomach ulcers, headaches, obesity, skin disorders, jaundice, eye disorders, aging and heart diseases. Cabbage is rich source of Vitamin C. and it is considered as the best source of that vital nutrient. It is one of the best antioxidant. It is very rich in fiber and good for people who suffer from constipation. Cabbage contain good amount of sulphur and it helps to fight infections in wounds and reduces the severity of ulcers. Cabbage is good for bone care and it contain minerals like calcium, magnesium and potassium. Use of cabbage in our diet helps to control blood pressure.
Capsicum, Cabbage, Potato dry curry has no onions or garlic and we can prepare this curry for festival or feast time. It can be served as one of the side dish. It goes well with curd rice.
Here is a recipe of Capsicum, Cabbage and Potato dry curry which is very easy and tasty, even the beginner also can try and enjoy having this curry.

Things Needed:

Cabbage : 1 Bowl
Capsicum : 2
Potatoes : 5 to 6 ( small ones)
Red chilly Powder : 1 Tea spoon
Ginger : 1 Table spoon( a small piece)
Oil : 2 Table spoons
Jeera : 1/2 Tea spoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Tea spoon
Urid dal : 1/2 Tea spoon
Ingh : a pinch
Green Mango : 2 Table spoons (Grated)
Curry leaves : 6 to 8 leaves
Coriander leaves : 2 Table spoons
Turmeric powder : a pinch
Salt : to taste

Method :

1.Wash and boil or pressure cook potatoes and leave it for cooling. Remove the skin and keep the potatoes aside.

2. Wash and cut cabbage, capsicum, curry leaves, coriander leaves and grate ginger and green mango.

3. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add mustard and urid dal.

4. Let mustard seeds splutter. Add jeera, ingh and curry leaves.

 5. Add capsicum and fry 1 to 2 minutes. Add cabbage and fry on low flame for 2 to 3 minutes. Add grated mango.

 6. Cut boiled potatoes and mix it well. Add turmeric powder and chilly powder. Add salt.
7.Stir slowly and let it cook on low flame for 2 more minutes. Stir in between.

8. Add coriander leaves and mix it again and put off the gas. Shift the ready palya to a serving bowl.

9. Serve with any main dish you prepared.
Note : Do not over cook potatoes. Cook cabbage and capsicum on low flame. Do not add any water. You can add garam masala or any other masala to the curry to make it more spicy. Adding onions and garlic is optional.
Time : 20 minutes.
Serves : 3 

Bread Sandwich can be prepared using Capsicum , Cabbage Potato dry curry.

Things Needed :

Bread slices : 8 (according to your requirement).
Capsicum Cabbage Potato Dry curry : 1 Bowl.
Garam Masala : 1/2 Tea spoon
Ghee or Butter : 3 to 4 tea spoons
a small cup to cut bread as circle.

Method : 

1. Cut bread in circle shape and keep it aside. Mix Garam Masla to the dry curry.

2. Fill in the curry on one side. Cover the other piece of bread.

3. Heat Tava and put these bread sandwiches. Cook on both side till brown. Sprinkle ghee or butter on the top.

4. Serve with ketch up.

You can also try this
Put a ready sandwich in a  plate
Add 2 Table spoons of curd on the top. Sprinkle chat masala or chilly powder on the top. Top up with Om Pudi (thin shev) and serve.

Note : Do not add more ghee while preparing sandwiches. You can apply on the top once it is done.
Serves : 2 
Time : 10 minutes.    

Vada -Pav - My Style

Vada - Pav is a popular Chat food in Maharastra and North India. It is world wide famous these days. I just thought of preparing Vada Pav one evening when it was raining heavily. The weather was chill. It is 100 % natural to crave for some fried item to munch. Anyway, there were some boiled potatoes in the pressure cooker. I felt preparing some thing using them. And some Pav (bread) which I brought the previous day. With these two main ingredients the plan of Vada - Pav started. One more thing to note I do not enjoy eating these things since most of the outlets prepare Vada - Pav using onions, garlic and also Vanaspathi or Dalda, which I am not in favour of using them. So when I crave for these Chat, it's mostly done at home.

Though the process is long you will surely enjoy the process once you start cooking. That is my opinion and that is me. Think of some thing, I would like to start doing it.. This applies to myself. I am not boasting my self. This attitude of mine is letting out my feeling. I will see that my enthu will not disappear until I finish preparing and serving them. Afterwords I sit down, relax and enjoy my food.

This Vada - Pav has no onion or garlic but the lovers of garlic and onion can add these favourites. I have seen people who enjoy eating onion and garlic feel the absence of it in their food. So be happy and try this Vada - Pav recipe and let me know your opinion/comments.

Here is a recipe of Vada -Pav . which is a very good snack or stomach filling chat and will be loved by all the age group and the whole family.

Things needed :

Potatoes : 5 to 6 (medium sized)
Capsicum : 2
Green Chilly : 2 to 3
Ginger : 1 Tea spoon (Grated)
Salt : to taste
Besan (Gram flour ) : 1 Cup
Red chilly powder : 1/2 Tea spoon
Jeera (Cumin seeds) : 1 Tea spoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Tea  spoon
Urid Dal : 1/2 Tea spoon
Water : Required water
Oil : 1 Cup
Pav ( any kind of buns) : 2 packs (12 ) or  according to your requirement.
Ghee : 2 Table spoons
Sweet and Spicy Chutney : 3 to 4 Table spoons.

Method :

. Potato Palya ( Dry potato curry ) : Preparation

1. Wash and pressure cook potatoes. Remove potato skin once it is cool. Smash it nicely and keep it aside.
2. Wash and cut capsicum. (Remove the seeds before cutting ). Cut it into small pieces.

3. Wash and remove the outer skin of ginger grate it, cut green chilly and coriander leaves in to small and keep it aside.
4. Now keep a pan on the fire. Heat and put 1 tea spoon of oil and put jeera, mustard seeds and urid dal. Fry for 10 seconds.

5. Add curry leaves, green chilly and cut capsicum and fry till they turn soft. Add turmeric powder ( a pinch ), salt and mix it well.

6. Add smashed potatoes to the capsicum mixture and fry for 2 minutes nicely. Stir slowly and mix it well. Add cut coriander leaves
and remove the ready palya from the pan. Keep it in a bowl.
7. Divide in to small portion and prepare in to small size ball. Keep it aside.

. Vada Preparation : Frying step.

8. Put besan in a big bowl. Add salt, jeera and red chilly powder. Mix with sufficient water and prepare dough. (Let it be bit thick).

9. Keep  a pan on the fire and add oil. Heat it on medium flame.
10. Take a potato mixture (which is a ball size) dip in besan flour dough and put it in hot oil. Fry on both sides till it is cooked. Remove from the pan and place it on kitchen tissue, so that extra oil will be absorbed by the tissue.

 11. Repeat the same and prepare Aloo bonda and keep it aside.

.Vada Pav Preparation:

12. Keep a dosa pan or nonstick pan on the fire.

13. Cut Pav in the middle and place it on the tava and roast. Roast on both sides.

14. Apply ghee to inner side of the bun.

15. Put some more chutney on the bonda.

16. Top up with other slice of a bun and press a little .

17. Now Vada -Pav is ready to serve. You can also serve a cup of curd along with this chat.
18. Repeat the same with remaining buns and Aloo Vada and prepare Vada - Pav.

Sweet and Spicy Chutney :

Things Needed :
Coriander leaves : 1 bundle  ( 2  handful)
Mint Leaves : 1 small bundle ( 1 Handful)
Green chilly : 2 to 3
Dates (Fresh ) : 5 to 6
Jeera : 1/2 Tea spoon
Salt: according to requirement.

Method : 
Wash both leaves, green chilly and grind it with green chilly , dates, jeera  and salt with little water. Remove from the Mixi Jar and put it in a small bowl.  Your Sweet and Spicy Chutney is ready to serve.

Note :

You can make use of onions and garlic  while preparing Aloo Dry curry. ( I did not use )

Using cooking soda in besan (gram flour ) is optional. ( I have not used).
Let the Aloo curry be bit thick. Do not add any water while preparing curry.
Do not over cook potatoes. If they turn very soft you will not be able to make potato balls and while frying it absorbs more oil.
You can use jaggery instead of fresh dates or use both of them .(dates and jaggery) to make the Sweet and Spicy chutney more sweet.
You can also grind  Spicy chutney separately .( Grind only mint, coriander leaves , jeera and green chilly together and add salt to it).
Sweet chutney can be ground separately by using fresh dates, little jaggery with very little water.
I added lemon to the Sweet and Spicy chutney. ( optional : use tamarind : add a small marble size of tamarind or Mango powder).


The whole preparation time : 1 Hour.
Preparation time : 20 minutes
Frying time : 15  minutes.
Vada Pav preparation : 15 minutes.
Sweet and Spice chutney preparation : 10  minutes.
The whole process : 1 Hour ( 60 Minutes).

MOUTH WATERING VADA PAV