Green Tomato Sweet and Spicy Curry

Green Tomatoes Sweet and Spicy Curry is a bit sweet curry/menasukai/kairasa/gojju. Tomatoes are from our garden and makes me more happy to tell you Thats a nice thing to have plants at home. You can just pluck it and prepare it.

I have used green raw tomatoes, colocasia stems (which are also from our home garden) and some spices which adds to the taste.
Green tomato curry taste like menasukai as we say in Kannada which is one of the traditional dish. Menasu Kai (green chilly) is very famous and a must dish during feast. It has savoury, sweet and spicy taste.
Let us see some benefits of using " Turmeric powder " in our cooking.
Turmeric/Haladi/Yellow Powder has been used in India as spice and medicinal herb for thousands of years. The Curcumin is the main ingredient in turmeric and it has anti inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. It helps the body to fight against infections and has the ability to repair the damages caused. It also helps to improve brain function and lower the risk of brain disease. It lowers the heart diseases. It is also said that turmeric helps to prevent cancer. Turmeric is a good remedy for joint inflammation. It helps to control diabetes, reduces the cholesterol level in our body and a good immunity booster.
Let us see the recipe now : Happy to use tomatoes which are grown in our garden.

Things Needed :

To Cook :
Green Tomatoes : 10 to 12 (Small sized)
Kesuvina Dantu/Colocasia stems : 1 Cup
Jaggery : 2 Tablespoons
Tamarind Pulp : 2 Tablespoons
Salt : As required

For frying : Spices :
Methi/Fenugrik Seeds : 1/4 Teaspoon
Urid dal : 1Teaspoon
Channa Dal : 1 Teaspoon
Red chilly :Byadagi chilly : 5 to 6
Coriander Seeds : 1 Tablespoon
Jeera : 1/2 Teaspoon
Sesame Seeds/Ellu/Til : 1 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6
Ingh/Asafoetida : A pinch

For Grinding :
Coconut : 1/2 Cup
Fried spices
For Seasoning :
Oil : 1 Teaspoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Urid dal : 1/2 Teaspoon
Ingh /Asafoetida : a pinch
Curry Leaves : 5 to 6

Method :

1. Wash and cut tomatoes and colocasia stems into small pieces. (Remove the outer layer of colocasia stems before cutting into small)

2. Soak gooseberry size tamarind in hot water for 5 minutes and squeeze out the pulp and keep the pulp aside.
3. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add 1/2 teaspoon of oil, 1/4 teaspoon of methi/fenugrik seeds.
Fry it till they turn slightly brown. Add red chilly and fry for 30 seconds.
4. Add Urid dal, channa dal and fry nicely. Add coriander seeds and sesame seeds. Fry for a minute.

5. Add curry leaves. 1/2 teaspoon of jeera/cumin seeds and put off the fire. Add ingh.
6. Mix all the ingredients well and let it cool. Grind it with little water and remove from the mixi jar.
7. Add coconut to the fried ingredients and grind it nicely with required water.

8. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add 1 teaspoon of oil and mustard seeds. Let it splutter.
9. Add curry leaves and ingh/Asafoetida, cut tomatoes and colocasia stems. Mix it nicely and fry.
10. Fry nicely for 5 minutes and add tamarind pulp and jaggery. (2 to 3 tablespoons).
11. Add little turmeric powder and required salt. Let it cook till it turns soft.

12. Add ground spice coconut mixture and mix it well. Boil it for 3 to 4 minutes.

13. Shift the ready " Green tomato Sweet and Spicy Curry" to a serving bowl.

14. Serve with the main dish you have prepared.

Note :

Adding colocasia stems is optional. Adding more/less jaggery is optional. Adding more/less chilly is optional.
Time  30 Minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4. 

Home grown tomatoes from our garden.

Cabbage - Tomato Dal

Cabbage - Tomato Dal is a gravy dish. Dal is nice to have with almost all the main dishes. This is an easy and simple dish and all age group of people can njoy having this cabbage - tomato dal.

I have used tomatoes, cabbage and Moong dal.
Let us see some benefits of having " Garam Masala in our diet ".
Garam Masala is mixed spice powder. Coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cardamom, clove, fenugreek seeds, cinnamon, pepper pods, nutmeg and other spices are roasted slowly and then ground together to prepare home made garam masala powder.
Garam Masala helps to fight disease and build immunity. It helps to relieve pain and inflammation.
It slow down the aging process. It helps to lose weight. Garam Masala helps the food to digest easily and keep our body warm. It helps to lower the blood sugar level and detoxify the body. They also hep the bad breath away.
Let us see the recipe Now :
No Onion or No Garlic is used in this "Cabbage - Tomato Dal".

Ingredients :

Moong dal/Toor dal  : 1/2 Cup
Cabbage : 2 Cups
Green chilly : 2 to 3
Tomatoes : 2 to 3
Garam Masala Powder : 1/2 Teaspoon
Rasam Powder : 1 Teaspoon
Salt : As required
Oil : 1 Teaspoon
Ghee : 1 Teaspoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Jeera/Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Dry ginger powder : 1/4 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves : 6 to 8
Ingh/Asafoetida : A little
Coriander leaves : 1 Tablespoon

Method 

1. Wash and cut cabbage into small pieces. Wash and remove the seeds and cut tomatoes.
2. Wash and cut green chilly.

3. Wash and cook moong/toor dal in a pressure cooker and keep it aside.
4. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add oil, mustard seeds and jeera.
5. Let mustard seeds splutter. Add curry leaves and cut green chilly.
6. Add cut cabbage and fry it for a minute. Now add cut tomatoes and mix it well.

7. Add turmeric powder and a glass of water. Let the cabbage and tomato cook nicely till soft.

8. Add cooked moong dal and mix it well. Add salt and let it boil for a minute.

9. Add garam masala and rasam powder and mix it well and water if required.

10. Let it cook for 3 to 4 minutes.

11.Shift the curry to a serving dish. Add ghee and coriander leaves.
12. Serve it with the main dish you have prepared.

Note :

Pressure cooking the dal mixes well with cabbage and tomatoes. Adding any spice of your choice is optional. Adding more/less spice and oil is optional. Adding ghee is optional. Adding onions and garlic to the curry is optional.
Time : 25 Minutes
Serves : 3 to 4.

Kadaayi Paneer My style

Kadaayi Paneer is one of the famous yummy dish which most of the people love to have it with rotis, chapatis or any type of bread (Naan).

I wanted to prepare this Kadaayi Paneer since long back. One of the friend in Face book, Roopa Satish requested me to prepare this long back. My sons like Paneer and I am not a big fan of Paneer. Once in a while it is ok to have, though it is one of the milk content. I am fond and big fan of milk and ghee.
Let us see some benefits of having " Paneer" in our diet.
Paneer is made from milk and it has good source of proteins. Paneer is very popular in India. Paneer is known as cottage cheese, Paneer takes longer time to digest so it keeps the hunger away. Paneer is loaded with calories and it is very good for hard working people. Paneer contain calcium and good for healthy bones and teeth. It also help in improving the metabolism of our body. Paneer is one of the nutritious food for vegetarians.
Kadaayi means a pot, which is used for cooking. I have used 200 grams of Nandini Paneer, which is one of the reliable good suppliers for milk and milk product here in Karnataka.
I have used tomatoes, fresh roasted spices, cashews and fresh milk cream here.
NO ONIONS OR NO GARLIC IS USED IN THIS ' KADAI PANEER' .

Lets see the recipe :

Things Needed :

To Cook:
Paneer : 200 grams (Nandini)
Capsicum : 1

To Grind 
Tomatoes : 2 (Medium size)
Ginger : half inch
Cashew Nuts : 1 Tablespoons
Tamarind : A small marble size
Dry roasted spices

To Dry roast 
Coriander seeds : 2 Tablespoons.
Jeera: 1/2 Teaspoons
Pepper Pods : 3 to 4
Red chilly : 3 to 4

To Season 
Oil : 1 Tablespoon
Jeera : 1/2 Teaspoon

 To Add :
Ground spice paste
Garam Masala powder : 1/2 Teaspoon
Turmeric Powder : A pinch
Kasoori Methi ( Raw Methi powder ) : 1 Tablespoon
Fresh Cream : 2 Tablespoons
Coriander Leaves : 2 Tablespoons

Method : 

1. Cut paneer into small pieces.

2. Wash and boil tomatoes for 2 minutes. Remove the outer skin and cut into small. Keep it aside.
3. Wash and cut capsicum (remove the seeds and bulb) and cut into small pieces. Soak Paneer pieces in Hot water. 

4. Keep a pan and dry roast coriander seeds, jeera, pepper and red chilly. ( I used byadagi chilly).

5. Grind it with tomato pieces, cashews, ginger, tamarind and roasted spice mixture.

6. Keep a little pan and heat. Add a tablespoon of oil and jeera. Let jeera turn slightly brown.
8. Add cut capsicum and fry nicely till it turns soft. Put off the fire.

9. Keep little bigger pan on the fire and put ground spice, cashew mixture. Add salt and garam masala powder . Mix all the ingredients nicely. Add a pinch of turmeric powder. Let it boil for 2 minutes. Add water if required.

10. Add Paneer pieces (only the paneer pieces) and mix it nicely. Let it boil for 3 to 4 minutes.

11.Add Kasoori Methi and mix it. Add fried capsicum and mix it well. Let it boil for a minute.

12. Kadaai Paneer is ready to serve. Shift the ready Kadaai Paneer to a serving dish.

13. Add cut coriander leaves and fresh cream on the top and serve.

14. Serve with your choice of Roti/poori/naan/chapati ...

Note :

Frying paneer pieces in oil is optional. (Not that healthy).
Put the fried Paneer in Hot water so that paneer pieces will be soft and yummy.
Adding more spice like chat masala or any other spices is optional. Adding butter/fresh cream according to your wish. (More calories :) ). Use of fresh roasted spice adds to the taste. You can also use coriander powder and jeera powder instead of roasting the spice. Use of any brand " Paneer " is optional.
Time : 20 to 25 Minutes
Serves : 4 to 5