Tawa Pulao

A quick veg pulao with leftover rice.

Ingredients:

Butter - 1 tbsp
Onion - 1 sliced mid-length
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Tomato - 2 chopped
Turmeric - a pinch
Capsicum - 1/4 cubed
Salt - 1 3/4tsp
Pav bhaji masala - 1 tbsp
G. Chilli - 1 chopped fine (optional)
Potato - 2 small (peeled, cubed & boiled)
Peas - 1/4 cup
Water - 1/4 cup
Boiled rice - 2 cups
Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup chopped


Method:
Melt butter in a tawa. Add onion and sauté for 2 mins. Add GG paste and cook till there is no raw smell. Add the tomatoes and cook till mushy. Then add turmeric, capsicum and half of the coriander leaves. Mix well. Add salt, Pav masala and chilli. Sauté for 2 mins. Add potato, peas and water. Let the masala and veggies come together.

After cooking them for a few mins, add the boiled rice. Mix well and garnish with the remaining coriander leaves.

Oven Baked Potatoes

An easy condiment!

Ingredients :

Potato - 3 big cubed
Garlic - 2 (optional)
Turmeric - a pinch
Salt - 1 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Olive oil - 2 tsp

Method:
Preheat oven to 400F.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper and spray Pam.
In a mixing bowl, toll all the ingredients together and make sure the potatoes are well coated in oil. Spread the potatoes onto the baking tray and bake for 30 mins. Take out and give a toss. Bake again for 20 mins. You can stop here if potatoes are crispy and done. Else bake for another 10 mins.

Notes:

• The spice mix can be adjusted to your taste,
• Fresh herbs can be used.

Cabbage Fry

Ingredients:

Oil - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
Channa dal - 1 tsp
Urad dhal - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Dry red chilli - 2
Asafetida - a pinch
Onion - 1/2 sliced long
Cabbage - 1 small chopped
Turmeric - a pinch
Salt - 1 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp

Method:
In a wide non- stick pan, pour oil and temper with the ingredients till asafetida. Add the onion and sauté till brown. Add the cabbage. Mix well. Cover and cook on med-low heat for 15 mins stirring every now and then. When cabbage is half cooked, add turmeric, salt and chilli powder. Cover and cook again for another 15-20 mins or until done.

Serve with rice or roti.

Quick Cabbage & Peas Rice

A lunch box recipe!

Ingredients:

Cooked rice - 2 cups

Oil - 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves - few

Asafetida - a pinch

Peanuts - 2 tbsp

Turmeric - a pinch

Cabbage - 2 1/2 cups

Peas - 1/4 cup

Salt - 1 1/2 tsp

Chilli powder - 1 tsp

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Coriander leaves - to garnish

Method:

In a non-stick pan, pour oil. Add mustard seeds. Once it splatters, add cumin seeds, curry leaves & asafetida. Sauté peanuts. Add cabbage and turmeric. Sauté for 5 mins and add peas. When cabbage is half cooked, add the powders - salt, chilli and coriander powder. Sauté for another 2 mins. Ensure that cabbage is slightly crunchy. Add the cooked rice. Mix well. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Note:

Peas is optional. Can make the same with cabbage alone.

Green Rice/Coriander Mint Rice ( Lunch box recipe)

Ingredients:

Green chutney - 1/4 cup
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
Channa dal - 1/2 tsp
Peanuts - 2 tbsp
Onion - 1/4 chopped
Green chilli - 1 slit
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Cooked rice - 2 cups


Method:
Make and store green chutney in advance.
In a pan, pour oil and temper with the mentioned ing. Add peanuts and sauté till it turns light brown. Add onion and chilli. Sauté well and add the green chutney. Add little water along with salt and bring it to a boil. Turn off heat and cool.
Mix with white rice.

Green rice ready!


Notes:

• Adjust the quantity of green chutney acc to your taste.
• Alternatively, use raw rice - after sautéing onion, add rice. Fry in oil for a min. Then add green chutney and mix well. Sauté for a few mins before adding the water required to cook the rice.

Yarn Bookmark

An easy Pom Pom bookmark made from yarn.

Instructions:

1. Cut a 10" piece and 15" piece of the yarn and keep aside.
2. Begin by rolling the yarn around your 3 fingers. Roll them tight enough but not too tight. Wrap them around 100 times. It needs to be thick. Cut the yarn once rolled.
3. Carefully take them off the fingers and place them on top of the 10" piece of yarn. Tie it around the rolled yarn around the middle and secure it well with a couple of knots.
4. Now there will be loops on either side. To attach the tail, add the 15" piece of yarn to the 10" piece. Secure it tight.
5. Run the scissors through the loops and cut them all on both sides. This will result in a big fluffy Pom Pom.
6. Trim the ball to the required size.

Bookmark ready!

Refer to YouTube for a video tutorial on Pom Pom.

Aloo Bhindi Subzi

Ingredients:

Potato - 4 small (peeled & cubed)
Okra - 1 pound chopped into 1/2" pieces
Onion - 2 big finely chopped/cubed
Tomato - 2 chopped
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder - 2 tsp
Salt - 1 1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves - to garnish

To temper:
Oil - 2 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Carom seeds/ Ajwain - 1/2 tsp
Asafetida - a pinch


Method:
Cook the peeled potatoes and keep aside.
In a pan, pour little oil and fry the okra till it is cooked. Keep aside.
Pour oil in a pan and temper. Add the onion and tomato. Sauté till they are well cooked. Add the 4 powders. Sauté for two mins and add the 2 veggies. Add salt. Cook them together for 5 mins. Finally, garnish with coriander leaves and turn off heat.

Best when served with roti!