Sunday, October 23, 2011

Simple Sambar

Sambar is a simple dah/lentil based stew with lots of vegetables. Add any vegetable you like the more the better. Ideally one should use tuvar dahl, but this takes a long time to boil so red lentils are a tasty and convenient alternative.

Sambar - didn't have any red capsicum at the time
Time
Preparation - 15min
Cooking - 20 min


Ingredients (Serves 4)
Mustard seeds
Cumin Seeds
2 teaspoons of sliced ginger
2 dried red chillis
1 table spoon tamarind
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 Cup red lentils (Washed)
1 green chilli sliced
2 cups of diced pumpkin
2 cups of diced egg plant
1/2 Onion diced
1 Tomato diced
1 Cup beans
1 Carrot diced
2 Cups of broccoli pieces
1/4 Red capsicum diced
1 sliced celery stick
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander seeds
3 cloves of garlic crushed
Milk
salt and pepper to taste

Recipe
1. Mix tamarind in 1 cup of boiling water
2. Fry ginger, mustard seeds, cumin seeds and dried red chilli  in a large saucepan on med heat until cumin seeds brown.
3. Add Tomato and celery and fry for a minute.
4. Add lentils and tamarind water (Filter out tamarind bits using strainer).
5. Add turmeric
6. Bring to boil and then add egg plant, pumpkin and beans.
7. Once pumpkin is soft add broccoli, carrot and capsicum.
8. Once brocolli is cooked bring heat to high.
9. Add ground cumin, coriander and crushed garlic.
10. Bring to boil and add a bit of milk.
11. Take of the heat and add salt/pepper to taste.

Notes
1. Add water as required during the recipe.
2. You can pick and choose what ever vegetables you like. For a quick meal you can use frozen vegetables.


Sambar variation - Frozen veggies, broccoli and capsicum.
Garnished with some curry leaves




Sunday, October 16, 2011

Kothu Roti

Chicken Kothu Roti
Kothu Roti is Sri Lankan stir fry of meat curry, veggies and roti bread. It's simple but delicious. You can buy some roti or parotha bread if  your in a hurry. But making roti is fun so if you have spare time then its the way to go!(See this recipe if you want to make it yourself)

Cooking Time
Roti - 40 min (+ 2-3 hours standing time)
Meat Curry - 20 min
Kothu Roti - 30 min


Ingredients (Serves 4)
6 Roti's chopped up roughly (See this recipe)
2-3 Cups Meat Curry (I will put links up to a chicken/lamb curry eventually, or you can skip it for a vegetarian meal)
1 onion diced
1/2 tomato diced
1  carrot julienned or grated
1 cup cabbage roughly cut
1 large green chilli sliced
2 eggs
Curry Leaves
1 tablespoon oil
Chilli powder to taste (This is a great dish to make as spicy as you want)
Mustard seeds
Cumin seeds


Recipe
1. Fry Mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves and chilli in a wok on low-med heat.
2. Once mustard seeds start popping, turn heat up to medium-high and add onions.  Mix in chilli powder to taste at this stage
3. Once onions soften, add tomatoes and cook until they soften.
4. Add carrot and cabbage and stir fry for 2 min
5. Lower heat to medium and add eggs.
6. When eggs are half cooked, stir in chopped roti.
7. Add meat curry and stir it through.
8. Garnish with some torn up curry leaves.

Notes
1. You can freeze left overs in a takeaway box, and just microwave it for a quick meal.
2. You can serve it with some extra meat curry gravy.